Every time we discuss home security systems with clients, a big part of the conversation has to do with surveillance cameras. Everyone wants to know what to look for when buying and installing cameras to make sure they're genuinely protecting their Atlanta, GA homes. Rarely is there a one-size-fits-all answer to this since families all have unique needs and vulnerabilities.

However, we can say from our partnership with Avigilon that the cameras outlined in this blog all include innovative features that protect you in any environment. There are those ideal for outdoor use, while others may be better suited for sleek indoor installations. Keep reading to see which are the best fit for your home.    

SEE MORE: Protect Your Family with These Smart Security Features

Edge Solution: Bullet Cameras

If you want to get smart about your home security, then the Avigilon Edge Solution line is the ultimate all-in-one camera. We recommend the HD bullet camera with built-in analytics, storage, and video management software. With impact-resistant housing, these cameras are ideal for outdoor use. To avoid bandwidth issues, they save up to 30 days’ worth of video directly on the camera. For the ultimate control, it has remote zoom and focus capabilities, so you can easily review live and recorded footage.

If you are looking at smart home technology options around Atlanta, GA, you may run into a fair amount of hyperbole. There are smart devices that all but promise to change your life, thermostats that know when you’re home and when you’re not, and lights that can turn into a rainbow of colors. All of those devices may do wonderful, innovative things, but do any of those things by themselves make your life better? 

A smart home may have many smart devices. You have probably heard of many of them; smart thermostats, smart lighting, smart security cameras, smart locks, and many others. You may even have one or two of them, like a Nest thermostat. Beyond having remote control of a device via an app, the way these devices start making your life easier is when they all start working together to fit the way you live—demanding less of your attention, automating routine functions, and making time available for more important things. 

That’s where Control4 smart home automation comes in. It orchestrates all your smart devices into a cohesive, manageable system that works for you.

See Also: The Future is Here with Control4 Smart Home Automation

Peace of Mind

Keeping your home safe and secure is always a prime concern. There are many small ways that a Control4 system makes that happen. Every Control4 Touch Screen has a camera and audio capability.  With a Control4 Door Station, you can remotely see and talk to anyone at your front door. 

With multiple security cameras, you can view each feed on a variety of screens; through a touchscreen, your phone or tablet, or on a TV.  When you’re away from home, you can get an alert if a camera detects a person, and you can view that activity and even interact with the person at the front door. If it’s someone with a delivery, you’ll be able to go one step further and let them in to drop off the package and lock back up when they leave. 

Starting off the day is always a struggle, so why not have smart home technology in place to make it as smooth as possible? As you get ready for work in the morning, what if your bathroom or dressing room mirror could keep you updated on everything you need to know? Imagine if it could help you adjust the lights or temperature. Don't worry; you don't need to be an Evil Queen to enjoy magic mirrors these days. Let us bring that magic straight to your Atlanta, GA home with Séura’s new Smart Mirror TV.

SEE MORE: 4 Ways to Keep Technology from Cluttering Your Home

What is a Smart Mirror?

Essentially, the Smart Mirror is a “vanishing display” that serves more or less the same function as a touchpad or tablet. The display lets you interact with all of your smart home technology directly; whether it’s pulling up your emails, the weather, a favorite TV show or your Control4 application. The digital display disappears when not in use, so the Smart Mirror works like any other traditional vanity mirror. How would you like it to look? Each Smart Mirror comes with a custom frame and ambient lighting options. Even your display is customizable — set it up to feature your favorite apps or information when you pull it up.

How Do You Control It?

We recommend using the Smart Mirror as a touchpad, with quick touch control that lets you navigate your apps and adjust their size and location. Revamp your routine without any risk of cracks or water damage to your smart devices by replacing them with your Mirror TV when you’re in the bathroom. The mirror also integrates with Amazon Alexa, so you can use voice activation if your hands are busy applying your makeup or brushing your hair. Wondering what outfit to wear? Ask Alexa to pull up the weather forecast while you’re getting ready, so you’re not caught in the wrong attire for a fall cold front.

What Does it Control?

The Smart Mirror TV has access to over a million widgets and apps through the Google App store. Access your emails, calendar and favorite social media sites with a simple swipe or press. To really take advantage of this interactive mirror, we recommend connecting it to your home automation system. Just download the Control4 app and save it to your home screen for easy access or add the necessary Control4 skill to Amazon Alexa. You’ll then be able to manage lights, climate, shades, security, and more from the convenience of your Smart Mirror.

Every time there’s big news in the A/V industry, we make it our goal to help our clients learn everything they need to know about the latest products and features. Right now, everyone is talking about IMAX Enhanced. Since you're probably wondering what the company best known for its large screens and immersive viewing experience has to do with home theaters, we're here to sort it all out for you. In this blog, we're going to explain what the IMAX Enhanced program is and how to get it in your Georgia home. 

SEE MORE: 3 Necessary Accessories for Every Home Theater System

What is IMAX Enhanced?

IMAX Enhanced is a certification and licensing program. Its primary goal is to help consumers discern which high-end electronics will best showcase the company’s 4K Ultra HD content and DTS audio mixing. The secondary objective is elevating filmmaker's visions by making sure premium IMAX-remastered content looks just the way they envisioned when viewed in a home theater.

For the last three years running, Control4 has been named the top whole house automation company by industry professionals. That is in large part due to their ongoing innovation from acquiring significant players like Pakedge and Triad to bringing in top-level talent like Amazon Alexa architect Charlie Kindel.

At the 2018 CEDIA exhibition, Control4 continued its commitment to innovation with its new OS Version 2.10.4 which adds new music and personalization features for homeowners. Check out their top CEDIA announcements below. As your local Control4 dealer, you can also experience them first hand at our Alpharetta, GA showroom.

SEE MORE: Are You Curious About Smart Home Technology?

Do you dream of the ease and convenience found in the Jetsons’ futuristic home? The 1962 series featured the home of 2062, with space-age appliances that made food and flying cars. We’re not quite there yet when it comes to flying cars, but even the Jetsons might be impressed at some of the smart technology we have today.

From lights that automate to your every wish to personalized home entertainment settings at the touch of a button, the Control4 smart home solutions provide tried and true smart home technology that is definitely worthy of being labeled “the future.”

Experience for yourself some Jetsons-style smart home automation, available right now, for your home in Atlanta, GA. No need to wait until 2062! Simply submit your comment or question in chat box at the bottom of your screen and a Certified Showroom Professional will respond.

See Also: Curious About Smart Home Technology? Seeing is Believing

Control4 has pioneered high-end, innovative lifestyle automation solutions, making them a leader in smart home technology today. For an example of their smart home options, just imagine this: After a busy day of work, shuttling kids to after-school activities, and a quick trip to the grocery store, you pull into the garage. A sensor in the garage knows you’re home. A preprogrammed “welcome home” scene illuminates the garage and the hallway to the kitchen, then turns on the overhead lights in the kitchen and family room. The alarm has been disarmed. You like a little soft background music to unwind after a long day, which automatically starts when you walk in the door.

After putting away the groceries in the refrigerator, you tell the kids to start their homework at their desks in the upstairs nook. You have a Control4 touchscreen controller in the kitchen and a minimalistic camera upstairs, allowing you to keep an eye on the kids to ensure they’re really doing homework and not playing video games. All you have to do is bring the video up on the touchscreen. 

Often when you’re interested in a product or technology, you turn to the internet. You Google a product to see reviews, look up technical specifications, and read articles about features and tests. However, when it comes to smart home automation, it can be hard to take abstract specs and turn them into a complete understanding of the everyday solutions that smart tech offers.

Why? Because a true smart home automation experience is not about specs and features. It is about finding solutions to make your life simpler. So, if you’re considering adding something to your home, you may find it difficult to evaluate what automation technology can really do for you and which options will fit your needs and lifestyle. 

Our partner Control4 strongly believes that the customer should be able to see and feel what smart home technology is all about. To that end, they created the Control4 Certified Showroom program.  We are excited to participate in the program and have built a showroom right here in Atlanta, GA to let you experience the latest smart tech for yourself.

Visit our Control4 Certified Showroom to see, hear, and touch smart home automation for yourself. Let us know you’re interested in the chat box at the bottom of your screen and one of our Certified Showroom Professionals will respond.

What You’ll See

When you visit our showroom, you’ll get to see and use the smart technology in action. Control4 takes the different elements of smart home automation—lighting, entertainment, climate control, networking, and security—and blends them together seamlessly to create the effortless environment you want in your home. 

Most of our clients reach out to us with an idea of the type of technology they want to upgrade whether it be displays, speakers, thermostats, or locks. Rarely do they realize there’s another part of their home ripe for improvement: their shades and drapes. Clients consider shades a crucial stylistic feature they can optimize with the right fabric and color. Few recognize how vital control can be as well.

In fact, upgrading your shades from traditional chords and cables can have a drastic impact. Read this blog to find out some of the ways motorized shading can transform your Atlanta, GA home beyond the clear interior design implications. 

SEE MORE: Take Control of Your Home Lighting

Listening to music can enhance your health, improve your daily tasks, and bring friends together when hosting a party or dinner. It should come as no surprise then that multi-room audio is a big priority for a lot of our clients. Getting access to their favorite artists anywhere in the house is a must-have feature.

However, many are reluctant to embrace multi-room audio because they’re scared of the stylistic impact of having a large number of speakers in their home. That’s why we use in-ceiling speakers in our multi-room audio installations. Unleash high-performance sound without the clutter with fixtures that blend seamlessly within your Atlanta, GA home.

SEE MORE: Choosing a Speaker Setup for Your Home

Technology is essential to the way we live our lives. And with many homeowners investing in smart home technology for their Atlanta properties, there’s more of it than ever.

If you feel like enjoying the benefits of integrated technology comes at the cost of your home décor, you’re not alone. Some components can look clunky or otherwise distract from the overall feel of a space.

Thankfully there’s a solution. Hidden technologies are the perfect way to maintain the look of your home while simplifying your lifestyle. Here, you’ll find four ways to get started.

See Also: What is the Best Way to Take Your Entertainment Outdoors?

RSVP AND GET A CHANCE TO WIN A CONTROL4 STARTER KIT **

 Smart home automation is all about making your lifestyle simpler. Whether it’s controlling your home entertainment system or protecting your property with advanced security features.

And there’s no easier way to take command of each device than with a Control4 home automation system. Connect just about any smart device you can think of into a simple, comprehensive, and user-friendly system that makes your technology easier to us.

Don’t believe us? Now’s your chance to find out just how much a system could benefit you!

Join us on May 31 for the opening of our new Atlanta showroom and experience what it’s like living in a Control4 home. Find out more below!

Why limit the fun to the indoors?  Your next get-together or family reunion can be next-level with the right technology on your side.

Take the entertainment outside with only the best features and equipment.  An outdoor AV system can elevate your Atlanta, GA backyard space, and make hosting any event that much easier.

We’ve highlighted our top product picks from brands we know well and trust to run smoothly and work efficiently in the long run.

Keep on reading below to learn more about what they can do for you and your home.

SEE ALSO: ENJOY YOUR HOME ENTERTAINMENT SYSTEMS IN ANY SPACE

There’s no doubt about it – smart home automation can change the way you go about your everyday life.

But have you wondered what an automated system entails exactly? Or what its smart features even do or how they work?

The great news is you can see for yourself at our Control4 certified showroom here in Atlanta, GA. In this blog, we’ll go through what our showroom has to offer and how you can optimize these features in your living space.

A customized home automation system is possible for you and your family. Read on below to learn more!

SEE ALSO: HOW SMART HOME AUTOMATION IS CHANGING IN THE NEW YEAR

There’s a common complaint among many Atlanta, GA homeowners when it comes to their high-end audio gear.

It sounds great, but it just doesn’t look very good.

For some, the best solution is to hide away their equipment. A great solution given current selections of hidden technology components, but it’s not always ideal.

What do you do with great-sounding, powerful floor-standing speakers? Or the soundbar sitting in front of your 4K UHD flat-panel?

The solution is simple. You lean in.

Home theaters are becoming amazing popular with long-time homeowners. After all, who wouldn’t want to come home after a long and busy day and unwind with your favorite movie or television series? If you’re in the market for the perfect home theater complete with full surround sound audio, you can rely on Atlanta Audio and Automation to help you with everything from construction and design to wiring and full assembly. But what about the extras? Here are four things that every home theater should include for convenience and comfort.

Home Theater Seating

Comfortable seating is going to make the difference between an awesome time and a sore back. Fortunately, there are lots of options to choose from, including full theater-style reclining seats to cozy sofas and sectionals that can seat the whole family. You can even customize your seats with bass shaker systems that rumble whenever the bass of the movie begins to vibrate. It’s all about comfort and class when choosing our furnishings; make sure you love what you choose.

Universal Remote

Nothing will make your home theater setup more confusing than having to play with three or four different remotes. Instead of bothering with all that, take advantage of our Control4 user experience and control everything in your home theater (and your home) from one device! Change the channel, raise the volume, turn on steaming services, or listen to music. It’s all at your fingertips with our universal controls.

Home theater technology constantly is evolving.

Whether it’s the latest in picture resolution or audio quality, manufacturers continuously are improving their products.

This was as apparent as ever at this year’s CES 2018 – the annual consumer technology show in Las Vegas.

So, what did we learn at this year’s convention? And how might it impact the home theater in your Atlanta, GA area residence in the near future?

We answer those questions in the sections below. Just keep reading to find out more.

  May 31, 2017 - Framingham, MA - Electronic House, the leading information site for smart home consumers, announces the winners of the 2017 Home of the Year Awards, recognizing the best technologies, products, and services for the smart home.

"Our annual Home of the Year contest winners represent the finest implementations of smart home technology," says Electronic House editor Lisa Montgomery. "From creative integration of systems to innovative design and installation techniques, the winning home systems integration companies and projects serve as inspiration to any homeowner interested in incorporating smart elements into their own residences."

All entries were judged on integration and engineering, and specific ways in which the technology has enhanced the lives of the people who are using it.  

 Best Smart Home Less than $150K - Traditional Home

 Gold

Well, this shouldn’t come as a surprise: the developers of the MP3 file format have officially killed it. Just like VHS tapes, standard-definition DVDs and 8-track cassettes, the once-pioneering format has gone the way of the dinosaurs. But what does that mean for your whole home audio system? Should you prepare to replace all of your music files once again? Not exactly. In this blog, we’ll explore what the end of the MP3 means to your system.

See Also: Is This the Era of Lossless Audio?

As one of the most popular integrated systems around, Control4 home automation is a perfect addition to your Georgia property. But many homeowners wonder why working with a professional integrator is such an important part of the process. After all, don’t you get the same level of service from a DIY system? The answer is more complicated than it may seem. In this blog, we’ll show you why you may want to work with a Control4 home automation expert if you’re thinking about upgrading your home.

See Also: Control4 Home Automation: A Smarter Way to Live

If you’re a fan of technology, you’ve probably already had a home theater integrated in your Atlanta property. For some homeowners though, they expect limited content when it comes to 4K. After all, 4K Ultra HD was a big shift from now-standard 1080p, which requires increases in network bandwidth and upgrades to some of your home technology. But if you’ve gone through the trouble of integrating that new tech, you don’t want it to go to waste. In this blog, we’ll cover some of the ways you can enjoy 4K Ultra HD resolution right now. Read on for more.

See Also: Using Sonos for Excellent Audio in Your Georgia Home Theater Part 2

4K Physical Media and Digital Downloads

It seems like forever ago that we were talking about 4K Blu-ray first hitting shelves. Today, many of your favorite movies are getting prestigious 4K UHD re-releases on home video. And just about every major studio blockbuster of 2016 received a simultaneous HD and UHD release when they hit home video. If you’re in the market to bolster your collection with more discs featuring 4K UHD and Dolby Atmos compatibility, you won’t be shortchanged at the local video store.

However, as 4K UHD continues to grow, digital downloads are becoming more and more common. Homeowners are waving goodbye to their physical collections and replacing them with digital downloads. Companies are offering full 4K video storage servers that minimize space requirements while hosting a wide selection of full Ultra HD movies.