Central Coast Audio Visual

Today’s A/V receivers are more network-connected than ever before, and one of the advantages of that connectivity is the ability to use a smartphone or tablet as a replacement for a standard remote control. Sure, they’ll do things like power the system on and off, switch inputs, and adjust volume, but that doesn’t even remotely (pun totally intended) begin to describe the full extent of their capabilities. The most exciting features of the latest network A/V receiver apps pertain to their ability to control music in multiple zones of your home, and to manage tunes streaming from an Internet music service. In some cases, they let you perform some pretty kick-ass tweaks to your audio and video systems as well. At the most basic level, that includes adjusting balance, EQ, and sound mode. But the latest models go way beyond that. Read more: http://www.digitaltrends.com/home-theater/av-receiver-apps-smartphones-tablets-will-make-look-like-home-theater-wizard

It’s always hard choosing the right home theater system to go perfectly with your TV, but I have always found going for one the same make as your TV to be a better marriage, although this is just a personal opinion. However, this also comes down to what it is you need, and so if you are looking for a 3D Blu-ray player that offers a good amount of sound to work in perfect unison with your latest Samsung TV, then the HT-H7730WM/ZA Smart Home Theater System could be the ideal choice. Read more: http://www.product-reviews.net/2014/11/25/review-of-samsung-ht-h7730wmza-home-theater-specs/

Anyone looking to increase their online privacy and keep their files, documents and media safer but also accessible through a cloud storage solution, may be interested in the new system called NUZii. NUZii has been designed by a company of the same name and has taken to Kickstarter to raise the necessary $65,000 to help the cloud storage and home automation system make the jump into the manufacturing stage. Read more: http://www.geeky-gadgets.com/nuzii-smart-life-is-a-self-learning-home-automation-and-cloud-storage-system-24-11-2014/

For Airbnb hosts who want to keep tabs on their homes, a full home security system might be overkill. They’re expensive, and live cameras and motion detectors invade guests’ privacy. So how do they make sure guests keep the volume down, aren’t smoking inside and don’t ransack their home? A new device called Point combines microphones with environmental sensors to detect anything out of the ordinary in your home while you are away. A broken window while you’re at work, the sound of your teenagers throwing a raging party, Grandad sneaking an unauthorized after-dinner cigar. Read more: http://fox4kc.com/2014/11/24/home-security-device-ditches-video-for-audio-surveillance/

The 56-foot-long covered front porch provides the initial country charm. But the house also offers lighting and air-conditioning systems that can be run from a smart device using the Savant Smart House technology to enhance the energy efficiency. The house is equipped with a sound system and a video/security system as well. Read more: http://www.news-journalonline.com/article/20141123/BUSINESS05/141129748/1024?Title=Port-Orange-house-combines-country-living-smart-technology

Over the past year, much of the new product innovation in smart home has been around some well understood areas: security, comfort, and convenience. While this focus on straightforward use-cases from smart home entrepreneurs makes sense since all can be vastly improved through the application of smart technology, what doesn’t make as much sense is the comparatively little focus from smart home innovators on the kitchen. I don’t know about you, but the kitchen has always been the central gathering place in any home in which I’ve lived, and while some may think it’s a fad, I think we’re all fairly invested in this thing we call eating. But it’s more than how central the kitchen is to all of our lives. There are a number of trends that support the fusion of technology and the kitchen, including growing interest in cooking by consumers, the emergence of automated food delivery, and the simple fact that mobile technology has already become indispensable to many of us in the kitchen. ...

If you’ve ever considered trying to turn your house into a smart home, you’ve likely found the prospect expensive or technologically intimidating. That could soon change, thanks in part to an old technology learning some new tricks. Although we’ve been talking about home automation since The Jetsons aired more than 50 years ago, previous technologies haven’t made that vision a reality for most Americans, noted Jonathan Gaw, an analyst who focuses on connected consumer technologies for tech research firm IDC. Read more: http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/business/2014/11/24/is-bluetooth-key-to-smart-home.html