Creating a Custom TV Look

Our homes are all a reflection of who we are and what we like, combined to create spaces in which we are comfortable.  Shouldn't the television fit into that space that you have carefully crafted?  At AHA, we believe in giving homeowners multiple options to mount the television so that it is an extension of their vision for their home.  

For several years now, the trend has been to mount the TV as flat against the wall as possible. Here are a few ways that can look:

But perhaps you want the TV disguised when not in use.  There are a number of creative ways this can be accomplished.  One way is to have framed artwork over the TV.  When you want to see the TV, you raise the artwork.  When you are finished viewing, you can drop the artwork back into place.  The artwork can be customized to anything you want--even a family portrait--making it truly a one-of-a-kind look in your home.

Another option is to create a set of doors that cover the TV or a mirrored cabinet to house the TV itself.  Here are before and after pictures of a custom look created by designer, Leslie Stangle.

We even work with a manufacturer, Seura, that is a mirror when not in use and transforms to your television when you are ready to watch.

The possibilities are limitless, with a bit of imagination and the expertise of Audio/Visual specialists like Annapolis Home Automation who can turn that dream into a reality in your home.   We love to do in-home consultations so that we can take a look at your space and come up with a solution that is just right for you.

CEDIA 2016 Highlights

CEDIA (Custom Electronic Design and Installation Association) just wrapped up it's 2016 show in Dallas.  It is a showcase of the coolest new technology in custom home theater and home automation.   Let's take a look at just some of the highlights from this year.

CEPro announces it's BEST Award Winners

Here are a few highlights:

Outdoor TV:

SunBrite has long been a leader in the outdoor TV market.  With the release of the SB-6570HD 65" TV, it's easy to see why they continue to impress.  With the same features you have come to expect from SunBrite--namely that it's water resistant, resilient, and durable in all kinds of weather and constructed of powder coated aluminum--it delivers a full 1080p HD image.  Their screens are built with a professional grade anti-glare technology that allows it to deliver exceptional outdoor viewing quality.  It should be noted that this TV is recommended for indirect sun (for direct sun the Pro Series is recommended.) Retails for $7695.  With the weather cooling off, now is a great time to invest in a TV that will allow you to continue to enjoy your time outdoors and create screen magic with your family under the stars.

View fullsize

Receiver:

Denon AVR-X6300H--This incredible new receiver is an 11.2 channel system with 11 amplifier channels built in--eliminating the need for any external amps.  Featuring Dolby Atmos, DTS:X decoding, and supporting all 4K Ultra HD content as well as HDR, it is also compatible with HDMI 2.0 and HDCP 2.2 specifications (read blog on "What to look for in New Equipment" for a brief explanation on why all those terms are important to you as the consumer.)  Perhaps the most exciting feature is the built in integration with HEOS technology which will essentially give you a whole-house wireless multi-room music network, all controlled through the free HEOS app on your smart devices.  Retails for $2199

View fullsize

Speakers:

View fullsize

For high performance tower speakers, the Definitive Technology BP9080X stood out.  With integrated 12" subs in each tower, they are excellent for home theater applications but would function well in any surround sound system.  They have a Dolby Atmos / DTS:X integrated height speaker module for multi-dimensional sound.  These towers deliver deep, powerful bass and crystal clear highs. Retails for $1749 each.

Speakercraft unveiled the first ever in-wall Dolby Atmos speaker.  The AIM Series 2 ATX100 gives you the experience of Dolby Atmos sound while the speaker is completely hidden in the wall.  Combine with the AIM Series 2 LCR in-walls to create an amazing Atmos speaker system or pair it with your existing in-wall speakers to elevate your current surround system into the world of Atmos!  Priced at only $349 each, it makes achieving Dolby Atmos sound in your home affordable.

 

Cable Box

Replace your current cable box with the TiVo Bolt+.  The Bolt unified television approach allows you to access all of your available methods of watching TV, all at once.  When searching for your favorite show, it shows you all available viewing options in just one list--whether it be from network TV, on demand libraries, or streaming apps like Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu, VuDu or even YouTube.  Bolt also has Quick Mode which speeds up a show up to 30% faster with perfect audio to get you through sports, news or even award shows quicker.  Your new favorite feature, however, is sure to be SkipMode--with the press of one button, it allows you to skip over all the commercials and to return to your show without interruption.  It can record up to 6 shows at once.  Starts at $199.  Note:  this does not include monthly service fees (which are still lower than most cable boxes).

View fullsize

Networking

Your network needs to be strong, stable and reliable to support your home technology needs.  Luxul showcased it's new XWR-3100 router as a multi access point solution.  This wireless gigabit router also controls up to 2 additional wireless access points.  Featuring dual band technology, data rates of up to 3100Mbps, guest networking, VPN remote access, parental controls and a powerful remote management system, this may just be the new network solution you've been looking for.

View fullsize

Also of note are these highlights from RAVe's Best of CEDIA Awards list:

• Sony's 100" Z9D series TV won the Best New LCD based HDTV.   Read our blog below on their newest stunning TV line.
• URC, one of several great remote control systems we work with, won Best New Remote for the MX-990.  At an affordable $549 price tag, it might be time to start thinking about having one universal remote for your house.

By consulting with us, free of charge, we can help you make the best decisions for your unique living space.  Why not take advantage of our professional expertise and give us a call today to see how we can help get some of this great technology in your home?    410-707-5383

Sony's new flagship line is as good as advertised

Sony's new Z9D series TVs are the best LED TVs ever produced, offering OLED quality at LED prices.  

What makes them so great?  Sony cites their new X1 Extreme Processor.  

Sony highlights 3 major enhancements to their processor:

• Object Based HDR (High Dynamic Range) Remaster--While most TVs adjust the colors and contrast of individual objects frame by frame, the new processor remasters each object in each frame individually.  This results in greater depth, refined textures, and a more realistic picture.

•  Super Bit mapping 4K HDR--The processor applies 14 bit processing to ensure smooth, natural gradations of color without the banding that occurs through conventional processing.

• Dual Database Processing--The X1 Extreme uses 2 different databases for processing--one to reduce onscreen noise to clean up the picture and one to upscale the resolution to improve clarity.  Working together, these databases dynamically improve each pixel in real time.

Another major contributor to creating its visually stunning picture is Sony's Backlight Master Drive system.  It increases the number of LED backlights used and through a complex algorithm, it individually controls those LEDs to precisely focus light to a specific set of pixels.  The end result is the best black levels seen on an LED TV, virtually no halo effect, no backlight bleeding and a much higher brightness than seen before.

Read more about Sony's technology on their website.

How much are you going to pay for this incredible picture?  Right now the Sony 65" XBR65Z9D is priced at $5999, a full $1000 lower than when it first came on the market.  (Also available in 75" and 100")

Call us today at 410-707-5383 to take advantage of this special pricing.  We can even help you with installation.

What to look for in New Equipment

As technology continues to evolve at a more rapid rate than ever before, it can be a constant battle to ensure that you have "the latest and greatest" audiovisual equipment.  It seems that as soon as you have the newest thing, you hear about a new product or new copyright standard that won't work with your current equipment.  This can be frustrating because most consumers don't upgrade their entire A/V system all at once, but rather one piece at a time.  

If you are going to be replacing any equipment any time soon, you want to "futureproof" your investment as much as possible so that anything that you purchase down the road will work with the rest of your system.  To do that, there are several things that you should be aware of to help you make the best purchase possible.

• HDMI 2.0(a)--Look for equipment that has HDMI 2.0 which allows increased frames per second in your high resolution picture and allows multiple video streams.  For example, if you have a 4K TV and you want to play content from a 4k Blu-ray player, your receiver would need to be able to pass through HDMI 2.0 content.  Most current equipment on the market is HDMI 2.0 compatible.
• HDCP 2.2--This is the newest copyright protection standard (specifically for 4K content.)  While it won't affect your 1080p viewing, when you get a new 4K TV and/or more 4K content becomes available, everything in your system will need to be able to pass through HDCP 2.2.  So, whether you are looking at a new receiver or new TV or even a new soundbar, check the specs to see if it is HDCP 2.2 compatible. 
• Dolby Atmos sound--Dolby Atmos is the newest surround sound standard.  There are multiple configurations of this type of surround system but you will need Atmos enabled speakers and probably 2-4 additional speakers once you decide to upgrade.    The sound difference truly is stunning and gives you a much more immersive feeling, like you are part of the movie.  In order to achieve this quality, the receiver needs to be able to process the encoding of Dolby Atmos and tell the speakers what to play. Even if you aren't ready to install additional speakers, if you need to upgrade your receiver, consider looking for one that does Dolby Atmos so that when you are ready, you will have the capability to transform your surround system to Dolby Atmos.

• Streaming capabilities--As the way people watch TV continues to evolve, there is a greater push for watching streaming content (think Netflix, HBO2Go, sports, Amazon Prime, etc.) While most TVs on the market have Smart TV features for streaming, many new receivers are also adding those features, so be on the lookout to make sure your new device has what you want.   Does your new device have the ability for wireless connectivity?  Can you use features like Bluetooth or Airplay to display content?  Keep in mind that Netflix and Amazon Prime are now streaming 4K content with more to come.  Although this is compressed 4K, it still has a clarity beyond regular high definition streaming and will provide enhanced viewing.

Understand that you may be resistant to the need for a 4K TV, but the industry is moving in that direction and before you know it, only 4K TVs will be available for purchase.  (Read our previous blog on 4K displays to find out why they can be a great thing, even if you don't care about the higher resolution).  As 4K content becomes more commonplace from sources such as Blu-ray players to Netflix, you will need everything in your system (ie. receivers, Blu-ray Players, new AppleTV, TV)  to be able to pass through the content in order to get the enriched picture and sound.  

Here at Annapolis Home Automation, we want to help you make the best decisions possible.  Let us use our expertise in the audiovisual industry to your advantage.  Give us a call today at 410-707-5383 to find out how we can help you work within your means to achieve the system you desire.

The Nest Protect

From the Makers of Nest Protect:

We all know why smoke alarms are torn off the ceiling or missing batteries – because every time you make stir-fry, the smoke alarm cries wolf. Or just as you’re falling asleep, you hear a low-battery chirp. They’ve become annoying.

But smoke and CO alarms are too important to be annoying. They keep us safe.  That’s why we made Nest Protect. We wanted to make a smoke alarm you’ll love. Because hating it is dangerous.

Nest introduces the first smoke and carbon monoxide alarm that is interactive with the homeowner and provides helpful information.  The Protect comes equipped with 8 sensors--photoelectric, carbon monoxide, heat, ambient light, humidity sensor, and 3 activity sensors. These sensors allow it to know what is happening in a room and to help determine the levels of smoke and carbon monoxide that are present.  (Click here to learn more about the sensors.)

When there is a problem, the Protect speaks to you in a human voice and tells you what kind of emergency it is and how dangerous the situation is.  If the problem intensifies, alarms will sound and the Protect will tell you what you need to know--whether you need to exit a room or if there are high levels of carbon monoxide present.

The Protect also has an LED light ring whose various colors give you information as well.  Green shows that everything is fully operational while red signals a serious emergency.  Yellow shows a potential problem--anything from detecting smoke to low batteries.  It even functions as a night light when its white to light your path.

The Nest Protect's colored ring glows to signal warnings (yellow), emergencies (red), a clean daily scan (green), or readiness (blue). A white light serves as a nightlight.Lindsey Turrentine/CNET

What really sets the Protect apart is what is built into each unit--a wireless radio that allows it to communicate to other alarms throughout your house and more importantly to a mobile device.  If the alarm goes off, or the batteries are running low, the unit sends a message to your phone.  Using the Nest app or the internet, you can check the status of each alarm in your home, make changes to the features or check battery levels, whether you are in the house or miles away.  

Nest 4.0 App                                                                                                     Screenshot by Lindsey Turrentine/CNET

Of course, multiple alarms can be connected together so they speak at the same time, throughout your home.  The Nest Protect is available in black or white and can be wired (with a battery back up) or operate on batteries.  The long life batteries ensure that your alarm is operational for multiple years.  

Protect Works with your Nest Thermostat.

If Nest Protect’s carbon monoxide alarm goes off, your Nest Thermostat automatically turns off your gas furnace – a possible source of poisonous carbon monoxide leaks.  In addition, the Nest Protect activity sensors improve the Auto-Away feature of your Nest Thermostat.                                                                                                                                            ~Nest website

Still not sure what to think?  Check out these multiple reviews from reliable sources like ABC News, GigaOm, International Business Times and Mashable.                                                

**Important note:  Most of these reviews were conducted in October 2013 when the product first came out and there are two important differences to note.  First, the retail price is now $99, not $129 as many articles state.  Also, Nest voluntarily disabled the Nest Wave feature that allowed you to turn off the alarm with a wave because they found that it could be accidentally triggered and could cause a delay in reporting a fire.  Nest resumed selling the Nest Protect in June 2014 with the gesture controls shut off as the default setting.

Nest--A Learning Thermostat Making your Life Better

Want to save money on your energy bill?  Who doesn't?  With Nest's learning thermostat not only can you save money, but the thermostat learns your habits over the first week of use and it creates a schedule for you based on your usage.  Talk about technology making your life better!

Why do you need a $250 thermostat when yours works just fine?

According to the US Energy Information Administration, 42% of our energy use comes from heating our homes. 

 Nest just announced on Feb 2nd that they have been studying energy use and cost savings benefits for the past 2 years with 3 different studies.  When averaged together, these studies show that the Nest thermostat's automatic temperature program reduces heating costs by about 10% and cooling by about 15%.  What does this mean for you?  This translates to an average savings of $131-145 per year.  That means that in just two years, the thermostat will have paid for itself.  (Learn more of what Nest has to say about the studies.)  

Want to know how much you could be saving?  Use the savings calculator by Nest to get an estimate.

How does the Nest work?

Once you have installed it, which by the way takes a mere 30 minutes, you simply adjust the dial ring on the Nest to adjust the temperature up or down.  It starts to learn what temperatures you like and within a week builds a personalized schedule for you.  With features like Auto-Away, the Nest thermostat automatically turns your home to an energy-efficient temperature while you're gone.  And not to worry, if your schedule temporarily changes, you can make simple adjustments that won't affect your weekly schedule.  Another great feature is that you can access your thermostat away from home using the Nest app or through the Web.  That means that if you know you will be home early, you can raise the temperature remotely so that your home is nice and toasty for you when you arrive.  There is also a Nest Leaf that appears when you are saving energy--even 1 degree difference can cut your energy use by up to 5%.  You can even set it up to check your daily energy history or have a monthly energy report emailed to you with a summary of your usage and tips on ways to save.  As the seasons change, Nest will start building a new schedule for you and Airwave kicks in to help lower your AC costs.  You can also use the web interface to create your own schedule.

Want to know more about the Nest Thermostat?  Visit their website.

Summary:

The price point is a bit high at $250 but being able to recoup your cost in energy savings within 2 years certainly makes it worth considering. Add to that the ability to remotely manage the settings over the internet or through an app on your phone or tablet and you just may be on to something.  The easy installation and steps to having it learn your habits makes it appeal to those who like to keep it simple.  Being able to view your energy usage and view areas for potential savings gives you a product that does indeed make your  life better, with minimal effort on your part.

Check out PC Mag's review here and find out why they voted it the Editor's Choice for home automation devices.

The Merits of 4K

What is 4K?

You’ve probably heard the buzzword 4K but do you really know what it means?  4K means 4 times the resolution of 1080p, better known as HD (high definition).  That means 4096 pixels by 2160 pixels.  You may have also heard the term UHD, or Ultra High Definition.  Both 4K and UHD are synonymous with the latest high definition video standard.  Little known to the public, there is a slight difference in resolution between 4K and UHD, with 4K being slightly higher resolution, but you will often hear the terms being used interchangeably.

With 4K, the viewer experiences life-like images that immerse you in an exhilarating video experience.  It brings the fantasy of television and movies closer to you while delivering the crispest, cleanest picture possible.

So is 4K just a hype, like 3D was? 

The manufacturers certainly don’t think so as they are all heading to this new format, just as the switch was made to HD.   At the latest Consumer Electronics Show (CES), not one major TV manufacturer announced new 1080p televisions for the coming year.

While some would argue that the difference between 1080p and 4K is not easily discernible by the human eye, it largely depends on the screen size and the viewing distance.  The larger the screen, the more noticeable the higher resolution becomes.

Even if you buy into the whole idea that you don’t need the better resolution of 4K, the newest television sets (which are all 4K) come with a lot of new features that can greatly affect the picture quality. 

Let’s discuss picture quality for a moment. 

Many experts in the industry agree that contrast ratio is the most important aspect of picture quality.  Can the display achieve the darkest blacks and the brightest whites similar to what the human eye can interpret in real-life?  Other important components of picture quality are the color saturation and accuracy and the resolution or detail of the images.

There are several technologies coming to market this year aimed at improving those aspects of picture quality that are truly impressive:

• High Dynamic Range (HDR)—By utilizing HDR technology, the TV is able to use a wider range of light and color to create darker blacks and brighter whites that creates a better life-like image for the viewer at a significantly higher contrast ratio than previously available.

• Local dimming—This picture enhancement quality has been around for awhile and uses a backlighting technology so that portions of the screen are dimmed while others are brightened to improve the perceived contrast.
• Quantum dots—Officially they are known as “semiconductor nanocrystal technology” that are used to help create more light and thus produce a brighter, more vivid and more accurate color similar to what the human eye sees.  It also increases the color depth.  Several manufacturers claim that it boosts a TV’s color accuracy by 30%.  (Keep in mind that various manufactures have their own proprietary names for this technology, such as Samsung’s SUHD and Sony’s Triluminos labels.)

The degree to how well each display can implement these technologies varies of course by manufacturer and even TV models.  That’s why you should consult a specialist, like Annapolis Home Automation, to help you find the best picture quality for your budget.

Now that I have a 4K TV, what can I do with it?

As technologies evolve, there are many competing manufacturers trying to bring their technologies to market first.  This can result in not only compatibility issues but also leaves the consumer confused (remember the debate between VHS and Beta?)  Fortunately, companies like TV manufacturers Sony and Panasonic and media giants like Disney and Netflix have joined together to form the UHD Alliance, which aims to standardize the 4K content field, as well as other technologies such as HDR.  Their goal is also to encourage the creation of high quality 4K content and ultimately get it into the hands of the consumer quicker.

The biggest argument against 4K TVs right now is the lack of content.  However, there are several ways to get it.

• The best option available today is the Sony 4K Media Server FMPX10 which sells for $699 and allows you to stream Netflix and Amazon video in 4K along with downloading movies via Sony’s server in true 4K.  Sony releases new titles daily, which can be bought or rented.
• Streaming 4K content is already available from service providers such as Netflix, Sony Video Unlimited, and Amazon.  DirecTV streaming should be released this year as well.
• 4K Blu-ray discs, called Ultra HD Blu-ray, are expected to hit the market by late 2015.

The true revolution for 4K will be in streaming as consumers continue to change the way they want to view movies and shows.  In the meantime, many 4K televisions will upscale your current content to make it look better than ever!

What does all this mean for you, as the consumer?

With the push for 4K becoming greater, consumers will see prices on 4K TVs continuing to drop and more hardware coming to the market.   It also means that manufacturers are reserving their best technologies like quantum dots and HDR for their high-end models which are 4K TVs.   To get the newest, best features, you will need to go with a 4K TV.   The true benefit of a 4K TV just may be the enhancement to picture quality features that it has, not just the higher resolution.

With these rapidly developing technologies, comes an exciting world of unbelievably realistic viewing!  Even if this isn’t the best time for you to buy a TV, you should definitely consider the benefits of a 4K TV and keep it in mind for the future.