What is a Smart Home?

While there are many smart products available today, it isn’t until these devices work together in orchestration, that you experience the magic of a smart home. From homes small to large, new and old, Control4 delivers power and performance on one platform that coordinates the technology in your house into complete, brilliant experiences—interactions that fit your lifestyle and are easy for your family to enjoy. With one touch, dim the lights, stream high-resolution music, turn up the heat, lock the doors and arm the security system. Or, check in on your home no matter where you are. It’s a smarter living experience that you’ll wonder how you ever lived without. We call it, the New Normal.

WHAT CAN CONTROL4 DO FOR YOU? GET READY TO BE AMAZED!

HOME THEATER: 

 

A high-end home theater experience is more than just a nice TV with surround sound. With a home theater system from Control4, you’ll be the envy of every movie theater goer in town. Turn the lights off, turn on the surround sound and start the movie all with the touch of a button.

CLIMATE:

 

Forget about ever touching that thermostat again, in fact, forget about the thermostat all together. With our automated climate control, your thermostat is anywhere you are. Curb your monthly bills and ease your eco-conscience. Advanced temperature control is a simple and affordable addition to any home with Control4.

 

CALL ISS TODAY TO LEARN MORE TO DESIGN YOUR CONTROL4 SMARTER LIVING EXPERIENCE!

Have you ever wondered if it would be easier to get rid of all those remote controls that are on the coffee table? I know with me, half the time I cannot figure out which remote goes to what device or if one remote is controlling everything. It is such a cluster sometimes just to turn on the t.v. WITH the sound. Well one dealer, Leon Shaw, sees for himself if he could eliminate all remotes and use only the apps that go with his entertainment system.

Leon Shaw is founder and chairman of Audio Advice, a company similar to what iSS does. He decided to test this experiment after understanding that quite a few customers were pushing back on getting a remote for their home theater. Many of them wanted to use their Apple devices and apps to control everything. What Leon Shaw learned in the end is that having multiple apps on one device was just about as frustrating as have a cluster of remotes.

If you are like us and want to get rid of the hassle of having multiple apps or multiple remotes, let me tell you about Control4. By pairing an SR-250 with HC-250 or HC-800 you are truly getting an all in one universal remote. You seamlessly interact with your entire Control4 system. You can control your movies, music, shades, lights, and more. With wireless connectivity, the Control4 can be used anywhere in your home, so no more pointing the remote at just the T.V. It has a high-visibility screen with backlit keys for easy use and it gives you a vast amount of control that fits just in the palm of your hand.

Some of you may not have a Control4 system and that is just fine! If you need help in figuring out a perfect universal remote for your entertainment needs, please give us a call. Furthermore, if you would like to read more about Leon Shaw’s experiment, please check out this article in CEPro. Within the article it also gives a link to view his entire blog on the matter. http://www.cepro.com/article/dealer_sees_for_himself_can_you_eliminate_remotes_and_use_all_apps/

 

Whether you use a projector for work presentations or in a home theater to unwind and watch movies, you can agree that a burnt out projection bulb never happens at a good time. Not only can replacing a projector bulb be an inconvenience, it can also be expensive.

Here are some tips on how to make the most of your projection bulb's lifespan:

1. Projector location is a huge factor in the longevity of the bulb. Make sure the projector is in a ventilated air conditioned room with no obstructions blocking the exhaust air. 
   
   
2. Let the projector cool down before moving or storing. Abruptly moving the projector before it has cooled for at least 10 minutes can cause damage. If possible, connect your projector to an uninterrupted power supply with a backup battery. This will give the projector time to complete the cool down process in the event of a power outage.
3. Keep it clean by regularly cleaning dust and changing filters. This allows the cooling fan to keep the projector's internal temperature as low as possible.
4. Keep the brightness setting low and adjust the lights rather than the projector. By lowering the lights and keeping brightness settings low, the projector bulb's lifespan will increase.
5. Never move a projector in use because the delicate filament can't handle vibrations and doing so could cause it to blow on the spot.

We hope these tips increase the lifespan of your projector bulb!

 

There are many reasons that people use rack enclosures now a days to help tidy up their automated world. While TVs continue to get thinner and more beautiful and soundbars are making surround sound more discreet, the components we connect to them, such as our Blu-ray players, cable boxes, game consoles etc...have largely remained dull black or silver boxes. And there are still all those ugly wires to manage! So now we have these neat and tidy solutions to all these issues, and putting them on display can have lots of great advantages as well! Lets learn more..

 

          CEDIA is the international trade association and central touchpoint for 3,500 member companies that represent every facet of the ever-evolving technology market. The expo places you at the epicenter of the furture in home experience and lets you experience the intrigue of how it is all connected!

BEST NEW PRODUCT:

Two of the products we offer recieved the Best New Product reward at the expo this year! The Seura Storm Outdoor TV and Sonance DSP Amplifiers with SonARC.

Seura’s Storm Outdoor TV is built to last in a variety of climates and, through careful calibration, is capable of delivering quality images during sunny days. It also has a great wide viewing angle!

The Sonance DSP amplifiers add Amazing audio in any environment! The new line of DSP amplifiers feature SONARC (Sonance Advanced Room Correction), which offers hundreds of EQ presets designed specifically for Sonance speakers available through simple pull down menus. The presets enable effortless DSP without the need for additional hardware, software, and more importantly time.

Seura Outdoor TV Video: http://ow.ly/U3twM                            Sonance DSP Amplifiers Video: http://ow.ly/U3uwT

                                           CEPro Editor's Choice Picks:

There were also two of the speakers that we offer picked as the CEPro Editor's Choice, The Sonos Play:5 and the KEF LS50!

Hear it just like they played it. Pure and true. The PLAY:5 uses six state-of the-art digital amplifiers individually coupled with six speakers to deliver great sound to any room. Each instrument, each voice, every detail shines through, pure and precise. With remarkably distinct clarity. And zero audible distortion. Even when you crank it up loud. Really loud! 

The KEF LS50 was also quite an awe inspiring product at CEDIA 2015! An innovative concept inspired by the legendary LS3/5a, LS50 mini monitor speaker is designed to bring professional studio monitor concept into the home. Rarely the case in such a compact design, the LS50 monitor delivers a rich, multi-dimensional ‘soundstage experience’ that is out of all proportion to its size. Patent-pending acoustic designs, together with state-of-the-art technologies from KEF’s latest flagship Blade loudspeaker, provide the ultimate studio experience – even in the smallest of spaces.

Play:5 Video: http://cnet.co/1Q1coIk                                   KEF LS50 Video: https://youtu.be/E0B-l2eoVtg

Many companies had some pretty amazing products this year that became quite the show stoppers! Call us today to learn more about any of our great products. 

• Sony    
• Orgin Acoustis
• Screen Innovations
• Martin Logan
• Golden Ear
• Atlona
• Pakedge
• SnapAV
• Kwikset
• WIlson
• BOSE
• SunBrite TV
• Lutron
• Peerless AV
• Luxul
• Yale
• This list GOES ON & ON 

 

This week's featured product is Pioneer’s Elite SC79 A/V receiver. The highpoint of performance and style of this receiver is the simply stunning audio surround sound that makes your movies, games, and music sound as life like as possible. With the best audio processing that is available today, the Elite SC79 receiver will give you an audio experience that will go above and beyond your expectations.

The Elite SC79 receiver features state of the art Class D3 amplification rated at 140 Watts x 9 channels gives this receiver the most powerful and effortless connectivity. The SC79 is also Ultra2 Plus Certified and offers surround sound in rooms up to 3,000 cubic feet! This receiver supports high-definition audio formats as well as 3-D surround experience for up to 9.2 channels. The SC79 can support the most popular high-resolution digital file formats, similar to AIFF, WAV, FLAZ and Apple, furthermore, it has HDBaseT that makes integration into a whole house A/V distribution system seamless.

Pioneer’s Elite SC79 receiver has 4K Ultra HD Pass-through technology which offers the highest quality image available. Also, the SC79 receiver uses MCACC (an automatic sound field adjustment system) to monitor and equalize the surround sound to optimize the parameters of the room. Additionally, this receiver features AirPlay which allows you to wirelessly stream music from any Apple device to your surround sound system.

With all this technology in one receiver it will give you the ultimate home theater experience. You will have the movie goers coming to you! So if you are ready for the ultimate home theater experience, feel free to give us a call. We are here to offer you better life solutions.

Note: All of the following establishments have full bars

Soccer Taco - Soccer Taco has two locations – Bearden and Market Square. The Bearden location is busy, loud, a little cramped, and awesome. The Market Square location is more aesthetically pleasing, busy, and also very fun. Go to Soccer Taco for a communal experience, and for the delicious Mexican food named after your favorite sports teams. Obviously, this place is great for watching soccer.

Bailey’s – Bailey’s . There are TVS left and right, screens, smoke, and pool, and music. It’s great for late nights, groups, and kid-free experiences. You must be 21 or older to enter. Keep in mind, this place is a little pricier.

Hooters Bearden - “Go for the wings” should be changed to “Go for the sports.” This Hooters establishment isn’t playing when it comes to sports. Recently renovated, you will find TVs abound in this location. The wings are good, too.

Buffalo Wild Wing - This place has the wow factor. Anywhere you look, you’ll see a game from a 50 inch TV. There’s an impressive projector screen at the bar. It’s located in Turkey Creek, so there are other options nearby. However, we say this one reigns supreme. This place is family friendly.

You can also take the sports bar experience home.

 

Home automation has become all the rage these days and if you have experienced it yourself then you will most likely agree that is has become a convenience you just don't want to live without! Well great news! Now when you vacation or even when you take the boat out, you don't have to be without the automation luxuries you have grown so accustomed to!

 

AUTOMATION IN YOUR VACATION HOME:

What?: It would be easier to tell you what you cant have because the possibilities are truely endless. 

• Security systems 
• Audio & Video
• Home Theaters
• Media Rooms
• Outdoor Automation
• Lighting control
• Shade Control
• Temperature Control
• Music in Every Room
• Entry Systems
• Energy Management
• Scenes & More!

Imagine being an hour away from your vacation home and being able to get everything ready for your arrival with the touch of a few buttons! Turn on the spa, heat up the pool, turn on the lights, raise up the shades, set the perfect tempature, start your favorite music and be vacation ready as soon as you walk through the door! Check it out for your self... VIDEO HERE

 

BOAT AUTOMATION:

Boat Automation has several options as well and of coarse as the size of the boat increases so do the options. A Control4 System can be used to manage different things throughout the vessel, access navagation equipment, make service requests for staff, Incorporate state of the art secuirty systems and several other options such as:

• • Remotely controlling lights and heating or air conditioning to turn on shortly before arrival, ensuring everything on the vessel is set to preference yet reducing energy consumption
  • Automating exterior running lights to allow the crew to move around safely
  • Adjusting the thermostat to ensure appropriate interior cabin temperatures
  • Providing GPS and navigation data through the television or touch screens so owners and onboard guests know the current location of the vessel and anticipated arrival
  • Triggering lights to automatically turn on, off or dim, based on detected light levels or specific times of the day
  • Opening and closing blinds, according to when the sun sets or the skies become cloudy to allow for optimum levels of natural light
  • Centralizing audio and video collections from multiple sources and allowing selection of music or movies by cover art from a single library from any room on the vessel
• • Outdoor TVs that can withstand the elements of the ocean or water as well as weather, and even theaters and media rooms!         Check it out: VIDEO HERE

 

CALL iSS Today and start living the Smart life even when you are away from home! 

Do yourself a favor and review your history of speaker selection. It’s akin to examining one’s choices in past haircuts – a bit perplexing/scary. What was it about those hefty black box speakers that was so awesome? They were half the size of your couch.  Alas, bigger was better. It meant greater sound, or so we thought. Then again, we thought big hair meant big living, too. Let’s learn from our lapses in judgment.

Before investing in new home audio, let us stress to you that you have options. We all know that speakers have gotten smaller, but they’re also more stylish than ever.  Today’s speakers say something about your style. Take a look at a few of our favorites, and ponder what you want yours to say.

 

Projector or TV? Is it even a Contest?

       

      When you compare a projector and TV with similar specs, the projector easily provides just as clear and crisp an image as the TV. However, the projector's image will be double or triple the size, making those lifelike colors and sharp details even more noticeable.

Imagine the look on your friends' and neighbors' faces when they see the 120-inch HD display in your Home Theater and learn that it cost half the price of their 60-inch flat screens. They will be drooling with jealousy when you take that same image and move it to another room or even outside. As light as 5 pounds, a home cinema projector is like a movie theater with a handle! 

Projectors and Flat Screens: Pros and Cons

1. Projectors Pros

• most projectors can project an HD image up to 300 inches diagonally, or larger, depending on your room size and lighting situation
• good luck moving that bulky and extremely heavy, yet super fragile, flat screen TV
• Spend less at the movies - with a home theater projector (and a nice sound system), you can recreate the cinema experience without ever leaving your house. And best of all, your refrigerator won't charge you twenty bucks when you want a soda!

1. Projector Cons

• Just make sure to pick one that is bright enough for your environment. Also, check out Screen Innovations Black Diamond screens which allow for lights-on projecting by increasing contrast ratios more than 300%.

1. Flat Screen Pros

• Don't have to worry about watching movies with the lights on

1. Flat Screen Cons             

• Smaller, more expensive images
• Nightmare to move. Less Durable.
• Difficult to appreciate 1080p or 4k content on a smaller screen - unless you're sitting just feet away from the screen

Comparing TVs and Projectors

Here's a quick chart to help you compare the two technologies.

Comparison	Projectors	Flat Screen Televisions	Advantage
Screen Size	As large as 300 inches diagonally. If buyers purchase a screen, they usually opt for a 120-inch model for their home theater.	Average screen sizes range from 13 inches to 80 inches diagonally.	Projectors are able to create the largest images by far. A projector's screen size is also adjustable and can be changed to fit your environment. Flat screen TVs peak at about 70-80 inches.
Shipping and Transporting	Home theater projectors weigh between five and 20 lbs. They can typically be shipped for less than most flat screen TVs. We offer free shipping on all projectors $799 and higher.	Due to their fragile nature, flat screens are usually more expensive to ship. TVs in general are much harder to move from room to room. It is usually a two-person operation.	Because they are cheaper, easier and safer to transport, projectors are like movie theaters with a handle.
Product Life-span	Projectors have lamps that last up to 5,000 hours. They are replaceable and generally cost $199 to $399.	TVs have a reported half-life of about 100,000 hours. Half-life is the time it takes the light source to fade to half its original brightness.	A projector has a shorter lamp life, but the lamp can be replaced multiple times. Even considering the cost of replacement lamps, projectors are the best value by cost per viewing inch.
3D	Call us biased, but 3D on a projector is awesome. Because of their big image, projectors provide a more immersive 3D experience than flat screens.	3D quality is good, but is limited by the size of the screen.	Projectors provide the most realistic 3D images thanks to the large image they provide.

iSS is thrilled to now offer Stewart Filmscreen. You may have not heard of Stewart Filmscreen before, but we guarantee you’ve probably seen one. Used widely in Hollywood for movie screenings and at the Sundance Film Festival, Stewart Projection Screens are a crowd favorite. They are also used on set by many leading television networks such as CNN, ABC, and CBS.

Stewart Projection Screens are also the perfect choice for residential installations. Family-owned since 1947, Stewart never slacks on the details. Every screen is handcrafted by highly skilled craftsmen and inspected to ensure outstanding quality. Stewart designs seamless screens custom to any size up to 40 feet by 90 feet so you can truly let your imagination run free.

Known for their optimal performance and whisper quiet drop down, Stewart truly is the perfect choice for your home or business. They even offer outdoor models if you're looking to take your home theater to the backyard.

Contact us today to find out more about Stewart Projection Screens and how we can bring the best to your home or office.

Media rooms and home theaters are an increasingly popular feature within a home. Two major benefits are that they boost a home's entertainment value as well as its potential resale value. A media room is designed to be a multifunctional space, and most media rooms are an upstairs family room or the basement man cave. What is great about a media room is that it is a wonderful way to spend time with your friends and family and yet showcase what your home can do. Between audio, video, and possibly having some home automation in the mix can create a fantastic entertainment area.

Popular locations for media rooms are places that are self-contained, quiet, and will not interfere with the day-to-day operations of the home when in use. Once you have decided on a location for your media room, it is time to start thinking about details for the audio-visual (AV) and design requirements. Also, internet access would be recommended in a media room, as streaming video and multi-player gaming are more popular features these days.

Choosing the right size TV or projection screen is a must—you don't want to overwhelm guests with a screen that is too big for the space, or feature one that is too small and does not provide enough cinematic feel. Ultimately, size matters for any media room—the room's dimensions will go a long way toward determining the size of the TV or projection screen needed, the scope of the lighting system, and the number of speakers required for your sound system. With any media room you want to get the most sound coming towards you. Many media rooms are open areas and again multifunctional, which means distractions can come around very easily. So as a homeowner, you want to make sure you are creating a space that is easy on the eyes as well as easy on the ears!

Now just think, you have the best entertainment area, but are having to turn on the lights, the audio, and the screen all separately. What if you could turn on everything with just one touch of a button? With home automation you can! Whether you want your media room to be more simple or wanting to go all out in a sports inspired theme, home automation can bring everything together perfectly and exactly the way you want it.

In big projects like these, it is always best to call upon the professionals. So, if you have been thinking about turning that boring basement or additional room into something special, give us a call and we would be happy to help! We are always here to offer better life solutions.

 

MEDIA ROOM vs THEATER ROOM... Do you know the difference?

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Our latest upgrade project featured a five-year-old manual pull down basic grey HD outdoor screen. It was great when it was first installed in 2008, but its age was really starting to show. The screen housing was rusting and the bottom of the screen was beginning to unravel. With so many advancements in outdoor projection screens, it was time for an upgrade and we had the perfect solution: The Stewart Oasis outdoor screen with Firehawk G3 material.

 The new screen fixed several concerns:

• The wear and tear which made the old screen hard to use due to the unraveling bottom bar and rusted screen housing.
  
  
• With new screen material advancements, the Firehawk G3 enhances projector performance by canceling off axis ambient light, while enhancing the projected image to the viewer sitting in front of the screen.
  
  
• Our client was tired of manually pulling down the screen. The Stewart Oasis is an outdoor motorized screen that allows for wireless control. Now our client can easily raise or lower the screen with their RTI universal system.

 

 

 

Having a home theater is a great way to bring the family together and to add value to your home. Creating a home theater is an investment you'll cherish for a lifetime. Therefore, it is crucial to make your purchases count. Here we discuss styles of home theaters that fit any home.