Insights & Innovations: The Integrated Home Blog

We get a lot of questions about the different types of wireless music systems available. The truth is the answers often have to do with your lifestyle, routine, budget, and home structure. While our team can certainly provide a unique solution for you, no matter what you situation is like, we do want homeowners to know exactly what they can encounter during an installation and stay knowledgeable about what is available. This blog will be a great resource for those of you who have a lot of questions about home audio.

Do I have to upgrade my Internet service to enjoy wireless music?

You may or may not have to upgrade your Internet service. However, problems with streaming music often have more to do with the quality of your home network, not you Internet Service Provider. Simply upgrading your service to a faster speed may not do the trick. Buying a better modem or router and working with an expert to strategically place your equipment and set-up the network is a better option. If you regularly stream a lot of music or video, then you’ll need some kind of Internet upgrade. We can give you an assessment and some recommendations.

What kind of wiring is involved?

The relationship between the projector and a screen in a home theater is important. You need just the right match up to get the best picture. Unlike a TV that you can simply hang on the wall, this home theater system setup requires more attention to detail, but the results will be well worth it. You can enjoy a large image and crystal clear picture quality in your Charlotte, NC home. Stick around to get the full scoop on our blog.

Dedicated Theaters

If your system is going to be installed in a closed room, like a basement or extra bedroom, then you don’t have to worry about where the projector is going to be positioned or light affecting the image on screen (unless there are tons of windows in the room). Dedicating a room to enjoying entertainment gives you more control over the environment so the setup is more straightforward. Our team will install the projector at the back of the room and position the screen across from it according to the size of the room and the technical specifications.

Recommendations:

Sony 4K Home Cinema Projector: Sony offers a number of great 4K projectors for the home that include native 4K quality, high lumens count for brightness, and detailed high-dynamic range.

We’ve all been there—you leave a key under the door mat for a friend, babysitter, or relative who needs to visit while you’re away. But it seems too obvious right? If everyone left a key under the welcome mat for emergencies, it would just be too easy for a person to break in and steal your belongings. You could get creative hiding the key in plants or lawn decor, but leaving it out is still a risk. Smart locks not only eradicate this problem, but they also offer a lot of other practical benefits related to home security. Read this blog to learn more.

SEE ALSO: How to Protect Your North Carolina Home with Security Cameras

How to Use Smart Locks

Most smart locks have a numerical keypad that enable you to unlock the door with a personalized code instead of a physical key. You can create a code for each member of your family, and even temporary codes for guests. The Integrated Home can even connect these smart locks to your control system, allowing your family to open and close doors at any time with mobile devices. For example, if your spouse forgets his or her code, you can simply open the door using your smart phone. Smart locks can also send you an alert if the door is ever left open, or when anyone comes inside your home. You can stay informed of when your kids come home from school and also if anyone leaves. If you have a full smart home automation system, these smart locks can connect to your Away and Welcome scenes. For example, press “Away” using the Control4 app on your smartphone and all the doors will lock, the security system will arm, the thermostat will adjust to an energy-saving level, and all the lights will turn off.

Connecting Your Gate or Garage

It seems like everyone keeps saying, “there’s an app for that.” But if you continue to add apps to your smartphone, not only will you overload your phone, but you’ll also get app clutter. When it comes time to clean out the closet so to speak, you have to assess which ones you actually use on a daily basis and which ones you can do without.

DIY smart homes create app clutter because each time you buy a new device you have to download the app onto your phone. Buy a Sonos speaker for your Charlotte, NC property? You have to use the app to stream music wirelessly. Have a Nest thermostat? You have to open the app every time you want to change the temperature from afar. 

But what if you could simply open one app and use it to control your Sonos speaker, Nest thermostat, Lutron lights and shades and so much more? The answer is integration. The word may sound very lofty and you may even be reaching for a dictionary right now, but it means that you are connecting separate systems into one unified system. With smart home automation you can control every separate device with just one user interface. 

One amazing benefit of working with a Control4 dealer like us, is that you don’t have to get rid of the brands you know and love. We can connect them together and put them under the Control4 app. 

One App, One Solution

Did you know that more than half the population in America owns a pet? According to the Humane Society, 66.5 million American households have a pet with about 65% of them considering it a member of their family. Whether you have a dog, cat, bird, or turtle in your Charlotte household, we know pets are important to you. Smart home automation can be a convenient tool to care for your animals. Here are some ideas on how to use surveillance cameras to watch over them at all times. 

SEE ALSO: 3 New Ways to Control Your Home’s Climate

Skip the Kennel

There are some benefits to leaving your pet at a boarding kennel while you are on vacation, but there are some negatives too. Firstly, some places require that your dog or cat is spayed and you’ll also run the risk of your pet getting depressed and anxious being away from their usual environment. 

Use surveillance cameras to watch them instead, and smart locks to let in pet sitters. You can give your dog or cat watcher a temporary code so they can come inside and walk the dog or feed the cat. Another benefit of having a smart security and surveillance system is that you can know when a door is left unlocked or if an emergency occurs. Since you can lock doors remotely with your smartphone and check in on your pets using live video feeds, there’s no reason you have to send them to the kennel.