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Smart Living Journal

The One Device Challenge, by Control4

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How much can a homeowner control with a single automation device?

Whole-home automation can get complicated quickly. But just how much can a homeowner control with a single automation device? When that device is Control4's powerful HC-250 Home Controller, the short answer is, "A lot."

Over the past few years, a number of off-the-shelf, do-it-yourself smart hubs and subscription-based services from ISPs have begun to tantalize homeowners with the promise of complete home control. The truth of it, though, is that these DIY kits or subscription services rarely deliver on the promise they sell, at least not without the help of a number of add-on devices.

The same is true of many advanced home control platforms, as well. Rarely can you do much at all with just one box. Unless, of course, that box is the Control4 HC-250. With its powerful processor, unrivalled Control4 Operating System, and the ability to connect to and control all manner of third-party devices (over 7,000 of them) via wireless ZigBee and WiFi—as well as hard-wired Ethernet, infrared, relay, or two-way RS-232—the HC-250 delivers an incredibly versatile, flexible, customizable automation experience like no other.

Download the full article here > OneDeviceChallenge

Unleash the Automation Beast with OS 2.6 from Control4

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There’s virtually no limit to what can be automated in your home by upgrading to Control4’s new OS 2.6. It marks the next step in your journey toward making your house the best it can be—comfortable, convenient, and fun!
Read More...

Control4 - The Ultimate Home Automation Hub

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For a lot of homeowners, the next big home improvement project to tackle is home automation, but the process can be extremely daunting if they don’t even know where to begin. Like every thought process, a smart home project requires a core, or a hub, that is versatile enough to maintain and integrate new smart home features as they pop up. Control4 does just that, and more.

Whether you’re trying to implement a state of the art home entertainment or add smart integrated lighting, the Control4 hub offers the flexibility required integrate any current and future smart home products. While your smartphone is technically a capable hub, it was not designed specifically to handle home automation.

Technically speaking, you can use your smartphone to control just about any smart home functionality. However, a major drawback to this idea is that each functionality requires its own app, which often leads to confusion and a smartphone bloated with apps. Control4 solves this by letting homeowners connect all their functionalities to a single hub that lets you use your smartphone to control all features from a single user interface.

You may argue that there will be a single smartphone app that can control all smart home functions without a hub. However, the flaw in this perspective is that it doesn’t take into consideration that the mobile operating system (OS) is extremely fragmented. Essentially, what this means is that hardware vendors don’t want to put in the time and effort to optimize and update their software once it’s off the shelf. This in turn causes mayhem for developers who want to create apps that provide seamless user experiences across all platforms. Moreover, every smart home product makers have their own set of guidelines on how an app interacts with the product. If you put two and two together, you’ll see that using a smartphone as a hub becomes an un-navigable web for developers and homeowners alike.

So wouldn’t it just be easier for there to be a versatile hub that uses your smartphone as an extension to control your smarthome functionalities? The Control4 team dedicate themselves to constantly improving and tweaking their hub to meet the demands of their customers. Don’t pull out your hair over something as simple as a hub, because Control4 has developed an affordable, reliable, secure industry-leading core for all your home automation needs.

Now Playing on Sonos: SoundCloud

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Even the greatest artists started somewhere. Which is why Sonos has added SoundCloud to their music services. SoundCloud connects music creators with music lovers and lets them share their latest sounds. With SoundCloud on Sonos you can enjoy immersive sound and explore the largest community of emerging and established artists throughout your home.

SONOS PLAYBAR performance enhancements and app update

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Today Sonos is excited to launch a public beta for Android users and announce our upcoming software release with enhancements to both PLAYBAR and the Sonos app.

The soundbar for music lovers just got better

Our favorite artists never stop evolving, and neither do our products. Our upcoming software release will deliver on this promise by improving on PLAYBAR’s category-leading music sound performance.
PLAYBAR will play music the way it was meant to be heard. Using stereo imaging to improve the soundstage, along with updates to the EQ and volume balance, so that even the slightest nuances in the music are positioned more clearly, with a more immersive, natural sound.
Read More...

Salamander Design's all new TC3 Theater Seating

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Salamander expands it's AV Basics furniture line with a new style of theater seating, the model TC3. The model TC3's proper ergonomic design, generous padding, and quality materials ensure maximum comfort that will perform over time. A great value for entry level theaters.

The TC3 offers comfort, style, and value. This motorized recliner allows every member of the family to find their perfect spot to watch movies or sporting events for hours in total comfort. The cup holders add a convenient place for any hot or cold beverage.

  • Electric Motorized Recliner mechanism provides luxurious comfort. In-arm control on end arm seats and wired remote on center seats.
  • Wall-Away recliner needs just three inches of clearance behind it
  • Black Bonded Leather cover is beautiful, durable and easy care
  • Black steel cup holders in black finish keep your beverages at hand
  • Many popular solution based configurations – not modular. Ships in Multiple Boxes
  • Easy Installation chair connectors make assembly simple
  • Quality Frame and Foam materials backed by Salamander service and support
Download the brochure here

Why hire an Electronic Systems Professional?

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Have you ever started something you couldn’t finish because you lacked the technical know-how to follow through with the project? We’ve all been there, and back—because human beings are stubborn creatures. Rather than accepting our limitations, we continue to dive head on into the unknown abyss. While admirable in some respect, starting a project and not following through is—for all intensive purpose—a waste of resources.

Time and money are two of the most valuable assets a person can possess. One cannot exist without the other, and so we must treasure both equally. We need time to generate money, and if we squander our precious time on projects that yield zero return it would be quite a shame.

So before you start your smart home projects, keep in mind that there are a lot of things you must educate yourself about before you get your hands dirty. Some things you should consider include:

1. Do you understand the concept?
The word “smart” is often tossed around easily by consumers, but what makes something smart? Are plain LCDs and shoddy control panels enough to deem something as smart? Or, does it have to connect to a customized infrastructure capable of handling the desired functionalities? Smart home technology has to be nurtured and taught to behave in a certain way (if this than that), and we all know technology can often be nerve wrecking and stressful if not executed correctly when instead it should be intuitive.

2. The latest and greatest
Technology evolves at a blistering rate, and what works today may not work tomorrow. Are you dedicated enough to keep up with the trends constantly? Everyday consumers have priorities, and smart home professionals are well aware of that. That is why they make it their priority to stay on top of what you don’t have time for.

3. Speaking the language
You’re a brilliant physicists and you can explain the workings of quantum mechanics like Dr. Seuss, but do you speak IT? In other words, can you quickly pull up a wealth of information about smart home technology without having to pull up articles? Smart home professionals are IT professionals and/or Audio-Video Professional, so they’re adept in the art of programming and deploying hardware and software for various purposes. Of course, they can do this just like how you can explain the laws of the universe in layman’s terms.

4. Professionals save you money by not screwing up
At this point, you’re probably aware of the logic behind specialists. Fixing your own roof, and then only to have it leaking is not the ideal situation. When you start a project that ends up in shamble, you need to either double the effort or hire a professional. Either way, you’ll be spending a lot more than what you could have if you hired a profession initially. People become specialists because they want to save you time and money, not drain you of your resources.

Control4 West Vancouver - Home Automation

Control4 West Vancouver - Home Automation by Digital Smart Homes from Digital Smart Homes on Vimeo.


Complete Home Control, Control4 Home Automation system by Digital Smart Homes in West Vancouver.

This completely renovated home was originally built in 1973. It has transformed beautifully into a modern contemporary home. All the technology (including Amplifiers, Cable Boxes, Controllers and more) are completely hidden away from site and placed into centrally located media rack. Lighting, Media, Audio, Video, Security, HVAC and more are intuitively controlled by keypads and 3 built in touch screens throughout the house. The home owners iPad and iPhones also allow for complete control over the entire home and provides for remote access from anywhere in the world. All this keeps the walls clutter free and gives the home a very clean and user friendly feel.

Introduction to Dolby Atmos

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An immersive cinema experience is never too far away with Dolby’s new Atmos sound system. What sets Dolby Atmos apart from other premium sound systems is that it is built upon a brand new sound technology that reproduces the sound of individual objects instead of ‘mixing’ them in conventional channels.

Sound engineers have, for quite awhile, been restricted to just a few channels when putting together tracks. This means what we usually hear in a song or a movie scene isn’t exactly what the artists wanted to convey.

Dolby Atmos removes this constraint by producing a sound format that’s based on objects instead of channels. Sounds such as a helicopter hovering overhead is reproduced as its own ‘audio object.’ Meaning, the sound of a speeding car below won’t get mixed in, giving you the full experience of the scene as intended by the director.

When you think of sound, we think of it as a being multidimensional. That is, it moves around, above and below us. So it is crucial that sound artists and producers have means of painting a scene that we can all relate to, which they do now with Dolby Atmos.

Although the new object-based sound format is quite revolutionary, it does not mean that users will have to compromise if the entertainment mediums do not support it. The sound system is backward compatible with conventional stereo and 5.1/7.1-channel sounds.

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Additionally, Dolby Atmos can scale down the object-based sound experience to fit the needs of headphone users. By combining Dolby Atmos with advance on-the-go technology that relies on things such as outer ear and shoulder cues, headphone users can, too, experience just as much magic as they would in a full-scale home cinema system.

ONE YEAR OF MUSIC INCLUDED WITH THE PURCHASE OF A PLAY:1, PLAY:3, PLAY:5 OR PLAYBAR

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This Christmas, Sonos is changing the way people are searching for music they like. Indeed customers who buy a Sonos PLAY:1, PLAY:3, PLAY:5 or PLAYBAR before the end of the year, will receive twelve months of access to Deezer Premium+ worth over $119, for free. Deezer is the music service that finds music for you based on the tracks you love, so there’s always something on you like.

If you have questions about the Sonos Deezer promotion please contact us for more information.

The Smarthome is not the Deathstar

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A Control4 smart-home, in truth, doesn’t have to look like the Death Star from the sci-fi series Star Wars. In fact, any well-wired home is capable of becoming a smart-home. This means that anything from a suburban home to your downtown loft is ready to be transformed with technologies that are readily available at Digital Smart Homes.

Right as you walk into most typical retailers, you will find flat screen televisions flashing left and right. It was only a few years ago that this same technology came in bulky packages—that is the bezel was extremely wide, and the rear encasement took up quite a bit of space.

However, TV manufacturers have greatly improved the designs of these sets, and these days most flat screen LCD/LED TVs have almost no bezel and takes up much less space, which is a welcoming thing when it comes to designing an aesthetically pleasing home. The last thing you want is a bunch of technology is a bulky cabinet underneath that very thin TV.

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Smart home technology doesn’t all need to have a flashing screen or blinking lights. Often, smart-home shoppers will overlook things like window/blinds automation. Motorized shades and window coverings can add tremendous value to a home. This technology has been around for quite some time, so finding the right design is never the problem.

Additionally, the smartphone and tablets you’re using everyday are very capable machines, and they can be used as a hub for controlling various lightings and appliances. Some simple upgrades of the switches around the home can give you an incredible amount of automations.

As you gradually chip away at some of the outdated and unappealing aspects of your home, you will find that your home looks nothing like that Death Star but it does provide you with the beauty and comfort that you desire. Visit our Vancouver showroom for a demo on how a Control4 smart home (home automation system) can simplify technology throughout the home and hide electronics from view.

All new Totem BDI TV and Soundbar Pedestal

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A great choice for a large flat panel TV and soundbar, the TOTEM pedestal includes a swivelling universal TV mount and a fixed soundbar mounting bracket, allowing you to place both at the optimal height. Cables are neatly concealed within the rigid steel support column and are easily accessed via removable back panels. A tempered glass shelf keeps a couple of components within easy access.
Read More...

Introducing SONOS BOOST

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Tiny accessory. Big wireless performance

Sonos’s latest product is another break-through innovation in wireless technology. Literally. BOOST delivers powerful wireless performance to overcome the thickest walls and greatest distances. BOOST will be available October 14 2014. Read More...

Planning for your First Home Automation

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So you’re thinking about home automation but don’t know where to begin. First off, let’s go over what home automation is and how it can benefit you. Home automation is merely the process of interlinking different electronic components of your home to an single intuitive operating system so that you can monitor and carry out various tasks at home or while being someplace else.

Before TV remotes were available, people had to actually get up to change the channel (and bang on the box while they’re at it). Nowadays, if you do get off the couch, it’s because you want to grab something from the fridge. Simply put, home automation is like having a TV remote that can access just about any type of component or components of your home from one interface.

Modern-day home automation technology leverages the Internet, and if you’re reading this blog it means you have access to some form of Internet. Put two and two together you’ll see that the home network is one of the key components of home automation today.

Home automation technologies come in a broad range of packages, so if you’re thinking about setting up your home with some of these technologies it will take some planning.
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Some of the questions you may want to ask yourself are:
  • Do I entertain a lot?
  • Do I travel often or spend a lot of time away from my home?
  • Which areas of the home do I want to focus on automating?
  • What do I want to control? (Home theatre/entertainment, Whole house audio, Lighting, Comfort (heating and cooling), Security and monitoring and Communication)
  • What’s my estimated budget?
Above are just a few questions you need to ask yourself during the planning process. For instance, do you want to set up a yard sprinkler system that you can remotely control from your smartphone? If that’s the case, you might need to hire a contractor to install a sprinkler system, and then a home automation firm like ours (Digital Smart Homes) to program and connect your sprinkler control system to your phone.

The task of implementing home automation might seem daunting at first, but with the right amount of research and planning anything is possible. Best of all, silicon-based technology and network infrastructures have grown as such an astonishing pace that the price of home automation is much more affordable now than it was in the past. Take a few moments to explore the possibilities by watching this short 2 minute
video or by visiting our fully automated smart home showroom in Vancouver.

OS 2.6 Now Available–Delivering The New Control4 Experience

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Control4 rolls out OS 2.6, featuring new UI enhancements that elevate the Listen, Comfort and Security experiences, stunning consistency across all user interfaces, and time-saving tools for our technicians to deliver programming efficiency. Control4® OS 2.6 will be pre-loaded on all new controllers moving forward.
Read More...

TruAudio SLIM Powered Soundbar w/ Bluetooth

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SLIM-PWR-44’s clean design and less than 3” depth allows you to match the flattest flatscreens. The internal amp provides you with optical digital coax and analog inputs—get the audio source right from the TV with less wiring and hassle. Bluetooth capable, wireless, and sub output with receiver! (remote included)
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TruAudio Slim H20 Weatherproof Soundbar

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SLIM-H2O is designed specifically for outdoor environments. The SLIM-H2O sports 3 channels of 6 sealed and very active 3.5" drivers, impenetrable air chambers, and 2 zinc powder-coated grills. Every bit of hardware has been replaced with UV grade plastic and paint, galvanized or stainless steel; even the end caps and mounting brackets have been reworked to keep H2O away while great sound just keeps pouring out.
Read More...

ICS-ONE irrigation controller by Brilliant Integrated Technologies now available

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A brilliant approach to watering the lawn. The ICS-ONE™ is a fully automatic, weather-based smart irrigation controller designed for residential and commercial applications that integrates with Control4. The ICS-ONE is unique in that it communicates nightly with a central server to receive water-saving commands, and then executes those commands in accordance with the customer’s preferred watering schedule. The central server determines the optimal watering time for each of the customer’s irrigation zones based on actual recent weather and its effects on the specific foliage, soil type and solar loading for that zone.

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NEW - Episode Kameleon 12x16 Invisible Speaker

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Discover a speaker that virtually disappears into the customer’s wall while producing room-filling audio. Once installed, the Episode Kameleon Invisible Speaker can be covered with any finish the customer wants (even wallpaper!) to blend right in with the room’s décor – making it a perfect solution for the most demanding applications. Plus it’s built like a traditional loudspeaker, so it doesn't vibrate the wall around it to create sound like mounted transducers do. And for the finishing touch, we included a mounting template and spring-loaded brackets to allow for step-by-step installation.

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Introducing the All New Geneva Model XXL

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Combining stunning looks with advanced acoustics, GENEVA's Model XXL is a powerful home theater and a high-fidelity music system.

Voted Digital Trends' Best of CES 2014 Finalist, the Geneva Sound System Model XXL is engineered to provide outstanding sound for both music and movie sound tracks. Whether you are watching the news, sports, a music video or an action movie, the Model XXL will provide you with an exceptional sound experience.
Read More...

Discussing Home Automation Concerns

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For the past decade, smart home technology has been viewed as something that only the incredibly wealthy, or incredibly technologically aware, possess. High prices, complicated installations, and intricate technology have contributed to the belief that a completely automated home was something reserved for movie superhero alter-egos of the Clark Kent variety, and millionaires. Recently, however, the rapid proliferation of mobile internet and smartphones, along with an increasing number of companies choosing to invest in more user intuitive home automation products, has made the idea of a “smart home” more attainable than ever.
So if a system is more affordable, and easily connects to products many homeowners already have, why isn’t everyone opting for a more intelligent, wireless home? We turned to social media to find the answers, and what we found, using data from
Viral Heat, was that while over 50% of Twitter users discussing home automation were entirely positive about the idea, around 25% still had concerns regarding home automation systems. The top concerns are discussed below:
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HLX, the Practical AV Solution for Sports Bars

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Looking for a high-quality HD video solution for multiple sources? The HLX Modular Matrix System is an affordable, flexible solution that is ideal for bars, restaurants and casinos.

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Interior Designers and Home Builders Increasingly Rely on Technology Integrators

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The world of interior design and home building have entered an entirely new phase last year and will continue in 2014 and beyond. Not too long ago, it used to be that technology integrators would seek out partnerships with interior designers and builders to drum up additional business.

This trend has seen a massive shift, as home automation has become a necessity for most families (of most socioeconomic levels) rather than an overly expensive luxury. According to Yahoo! Finance, homeowners increasingly understand that home automation can add 10 percent and more to their property values, while being quite cost-effective.

Rather than coming with a price tag of $75,000 to $100,000+ (the common cost of home automation systems in the recent past), it is possible to spend a fraction of that amount for a full-blown solution that can link together everything from home security, environment/temperature control, home entertainment, and lighting to a Control4 system

Because of the demand, we are continually approached by interior designers and builders to install and program cutting-edge systems sure to make homeowners thrilled.
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