SEE ALSO: Before & After: See How We Prewire for Smart Lighting & Invisible Speakers Fiber Optic Connectivity This Florida home was located on two different sides of a public thoroughfare, but the residents wanted one Control4 integration system. To connect both sides, we ran fiber optic cabling under the highway. You (most likely) won’t r

SEE ALSO: Behind the Scenes: How We Install Control4 Smart Systems #C4Yourself Facebook Live Events Throughout August and September, we’ll be hosting Facebook Live events to show off exciting features from Control4. Like and follow us on Facebook for more information on event times and details.    August 12th Event: #c4Yourself month Giveaways The

SEE ALSO: Behind the Scenes: How We Install Control4 Smart Systems 1990s: Founder Bert Herrero’s Start Our CEO Bert Herrero has been fascinated with technology since he was a kid. At 18 years old, he started Antenna Doctors, a company that helped people receive local channels on satellite TVs. From there, Bert worked in telemarketing, then a trave

SEE ALSO: All in the Details: Project Spotlight on a Florida Home Theater Installation   What is your role, and how long have you been employed at First Priority Audio? Steven: Well, I was with First Priority Audio for five years, then I went to start my own company…But I came back, and I don’t plan on leaving again! I’m a level-two technicia

SEE ALSO: Looking Back: 20 Years in Business as an Award-Winning AV Company November 15th: Happy Hour with Bomar Builders We hosted our longtime building partners, Bomar Builders, at the Funky Buddha craft brewery. About 30 members from both our teams met for a happy hour and enjoyed a night of drinks, bites, and celebration. November 18th: Operat

SEE ALSO: Improve Your Interior Design with Hidden Audio/Video  If You’re a Minimalist  Do you love the idea of multi-room music but aren’t sure where you’d put all those speakers? Bang & Olufsen has the perfect option for minimalists like you. Their Celestial architectural speakers are installed within the ceiling to play discreetly

SEE ALSO: Lutron: The Next Generation of Recessed Lighting   Simple Start to the Day  If you ever struggle to get out of bed, Lutron lighting can make it a little easier. Tap a button at your bedside or on your phone to raise the window shades, letting in the sun. Or press a wall keypad to turn on music. You can automate lights and

SEE ALSO: How Josh.ai Voice Control Outperforms Google Home  Voice Control Options  What voice and lighting system is best for your home? That entirely depends on your needs, preferences, and budget. Here are some options;  Alexa & Google  Most people are familiar with Amazon’s Alexa and Google Home devices. Bluetooth-enabl

SEE ALSO: 5 Things to Know Before Installing Outdoor Lighting  Why Outdoor Smart Lighting?  Smart outdoor lighting offers a multitude of benefits that go beyond just aesthetics. You can expect the following when you upgrade your landscape lights:  Convenience Lutron allows you to group lights into zones to control separate areas lik

SEE ALSO: Live a Brighter, Better Life with Lutron Lighting Control  Experience the Full Spectrum with Ketra One of the highlights of the Lutron Lighting Lofts is the extensive assortment of Ketra LED lighting solutions on display. Ketra, a Lutron brand, offers the pinnacle of lighting technology, allowing you to experience an unprecedented r

SEE ALSO: Why Professional Voice Control Is The Best Choice For Your Home  About Basalte  Basalte was founded in 2008 in Belgium with a mission to merge high-quality design with home automation. Basalte has won over fifty renowned design awards, including the iF Design Award, GOOD Design Award, German Design Award, and more.  Custom

SEE ALSO: Should I Make My Outdoor Lighting ‘Smart’?   How to Get Digital Lighting Control Outdoors  When choosing a brand for digital outdoor lighting control, you want to ensure controls are seamless and reliable with convenient management options. You don’t want to rely on a smartphone app alone but additionally have the option t

SEE ALSO: Why Camera Quality Matters for Home Surveillance  Smart Door Locks and Surveillance Imagine receiving a notification every time the front door is unlocked, complete with a snapshot from your video doorbell. With smart locks and surveillance cameras integrated into a Control4 system, you can monitor who comes and goes. Whether it's y

SEE ALSO: Home Theater-Sized: Sony’s 98-Inch TV  1. Bang & Olufsen: Elegant & Portable Audio  For music lovers who appreciate both style and quality, Bang & Olufsen’s headphones and portable speakers are a great gift to put under the tree. Consider…  Beoplay EX Earbuds: These are not just earbuds; they’re a redefinition

A study conducted by Coldwell Banker and CNET in August of last year found that 28% of homes in the US have smart home devices… And that number is only going to grow in our opinion. But what is a smart home device really… and how smart are these devices? Are we talking Skynet from Terminator or more like Jarvis from Ironman?  We are still years awa

Have you ever experienced first hand a fully automated home? You know... where you walk into a house, press one button by the door, and magically the lights turn on, the music system starts playing your favorite station, and your alarm is disarmed? A true smart home allows you to integrate multiple parts of the home into one system, so you have one

Home automation is quickly becoming a buzz word in marketing for technology products.  Everything from thermostats, to lights, to alarm systems, and even appliances are now being controlled via our smartphones or our computers.  You’ve probably even seen major alarm and cable service providers pushing home automation systems lately.  Can you turn o

SEE ALSO: What is Home Automation? MOTORIZED SHADES Adjusting your window shades is a simple enough task, but there’s no reason not to make it as easy as possible. With motorized shades and a Control4 system, all your shades can be controlled remotely from your phone or a touchpad, eliminating the need for manual adjustments. If you want even more

SEE ALSO: I’m smart… I’ll make my home smart too MORE INTERNET-ENABLED DEVICES The sheer number of internet-enabled devices that have hit the market in recent years can put a strain on your network. Desktop and laptop computers, phones, gaming consoles, speakers and TVs, thermostats, security devices, light fixtures and even some appliances can no

SEE ALSO: How You Can Benefit from Control4 Smart Home Automation HIDING YOUR TV Whether you’ve opted for a screen and projector or use a TV, your display is the largest piece of your home A/V system. The significant size of your display often makes it the most challenging element to conceal in your home. Of course, there’s an easy solution if you