Central Coast Audio Visual

These days, home theaters are the family rooms, and money can buy you all the amenities, including surround sound, subwoofers and popcorn makers. “Everybody isn’t off in their own spot, doing their own thing. We are all together,” says Amy Maskil, Terry’s wife. Sales of extra-large televisions have multiplied in recent years. Read more: http://www.grandhaventribune.com/article/1129056

Nest has just acquired Boulder, CO-based Revolv, one of the most flexible smart home platforms on the market. It's a big move in the growing smart home market, which has two main battles: the individual devices and the platform they run on to make our homes smarter. Nest, with its popular smart thermostat and smoke detector, is in a strong position in the first category. Buying Revolv (and the team behind it) positions it strongly in the second. Terms of the deal aren't being disclosed, but the Revolv team will stay in Boulder in a new Nest office there. Read more: http://www.theverge.com/2014/10/24/7061557/nest-acquires-revolv-in-a-bid-to-control-your-entire-smart-home

The natural progression of this, then, would be the computerized home — which integrates all of these devices into a single platform. In other words, a smart home. A smart home can mean different things to different people. In general though, they all incorporate some form of integration of their various systems, allowing homeowners more control over their home, even while away. Certain homebuilders throughout the country are attempting to get ahead of the curve by offering new homes with smart features either as standard or as an option. What does a typical smart home contain? Some of these homes are designed to just make life easier for the homeowner. Pepper Viner Homes is offering new homes with built in Wi-Fi, which will let homeowners control audio systems, thermostats, lighting, and security, all from an iPad mini. This should be seen as just the tip of the iceberg for what smart homes are capable of. Read more: http://www.pvsolarreport.com/rise-of-the-smart-home/

Luxury high-end homes have many beautiful and sensual features, including exotic woods, illuminated glass, sculpted stonework, soothing water, aromatic landscapes, decorative art and scenic views. However, some of a luxury home’s more elaborate features are invisible and operate quietly in the background to subtly shape the living space. Welcome to the brave new world of smart electronic ecosystems that can anticipate and envelop you, wherever you choose to go. Several established service providers have led the development of home automation over the last decade, including Crestron, Control4, AMX, Extron, Vantage Controls and Lutron Electronics. Read more: http://www.reviewjournal.com/real-estate-millions/integrated-systems-allow-control-home-gadgetry-smartphone

“You’re going to totally love this,” the electrician said as he pulled speaker wires through my wall. “Totally plug-and-play. Once I set it up, you never have to reboot or refresh the device, and you control it with your iPhone.” The device was the music system called Sonos, and while the electrician was sincere, I remained skeptical. Has there ever been an Internet- or remote-controlled appliance that was maintenance-free? I’ve had satellite and cable television before, you know. (Never, ever hide a DVR behind a wall.) Read more: http://www.baltimoresun.com/features/chesapeake-home/ph-mg-cl-smart-homes-20141021-story.html

Imagine walking into your home after a long day at work and, with a few taps of your finger, transforming your domicile exactly as you please for your evening’s plans. Whether it’s the lighting or music for a dinner party with two dozen guests, an intimate cocktail party for four or just a quiet night relaxing at home with family, you can tap an in-wall touch screen in your foyer or great room, and your preset desires will instantly set the mood. Read more: http://hamptonroads.com/2014/10/homearama-house-takes-smart-home-tech-extreme

Consumers will continue to demand greater functionality in the form of synced devices such as wearable technology and smart home appliances. Mintel’s trends analysts Stacy Glasgow and Jenny Zegler point out in the report that synced devices will begin to go mainstream. “We’ll see smart devices advancing into new annexes,” Glasgow said. Wearable technology will provide not only the “convenience of connectivity” but provide personal devices “that are secure and fashionable,” Glasgow said. “Style matters in the smart home, too, where systems will go beyond economizing utilities by embracing ambience and blending in with the décor, such as Philips ‘Hue’ LED lighting systems and iPhone fragrance diffusers.” Read more: http://www.cspnet.com/industry-news-analysis/technology/articles/four-trends-changing-consumer-culture