Tag Archive: Entertainment

Focal Point

March 7, 2011

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Mounting a flat panel display above your fireplace can be a convenient location, but who wants the TV to be a focal point?  Now, when you aren’t watching TV, your display is concealed by the beautiful art work you really want to be the focal point.

We recently installed this ‘moving art’ for a wonderful client.  Typically, mounting a flat panel over the mantle is not ideal from the standpoint of comfortable viewing.  But this mantle is a bit lower for optimized viewing.  The client selected a sony Bravia LCD HDTV.  Although this is a lovely TV, she certainly did not want it to be the focal point of her beautiful condo.  We worked with Media Decor to provide the perfect solution for her elegant decor.  There are many options available from this clever supplier of moving art.  You can provide your own digital art, select from thier extensive library or submit original art on a canvas painted in accordance with their specifications.  Frames are available in a wide array of styles, colors and widths.  The system can be mounted flush to the wall or recessed into the wall.   Media Decor utilizes the  highly reliable and quiet lift system manufactured by Lutron and used in their motorized shades.  Because the lift mechanism comes from Lutron, a leader in light and shade control, the moving art can be integrated with the lighting and shade control program.  This particular client has an extensive home automation and control system.  As part of the control system, we have programmed a macro or ‘scene’ which simultaneously lifts the art, turns on the desired video source, adjusts the volume, lowers the shades and dims the room lighting, all with the touch of one button!  All of these features can be further adjusted from the same control panel.  Click ‘play’ to watch how it works and visit the website for Media Decor to learn about more options including Media Mirrors. 

Accountability

February 15, 2011

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Nick Mark, Owner DC Home Systems

I want to shed light on a question which integrators are routinely asked by customers as the A/V system is being designed and specified. “Can’t we just buy our own TV?” It is a valid question. After all, TV’s are a commodity item and a familiar component on the potentially mysterious list of materials required for the A/V system.
The obvious and simple answer is, “yes, you can spend your Saturday at Best-Street-Save-Money-House.” But in addition to the inconvenience, there is a more important factor to consider.

Accountability.

Let me start with this truth. Because TVs are a commodity item, your integrator will likely charge you the same price as the big box stores for the same TV. You should know, your integrator makes NO money on the sale TV’s. Really. Wholesale cost on a TV is typically just a few points below advertised costs. When administration and shipping are factored in, your integrator will likely take a loss on these items. So, why do integrators even want to sell them?

Accountability.

Although the TV appears to be the center of any integrated A/V system, in reality it is just one of the cogs in the wheel. If any one of these cogs is not working, the TV usually ends up taking the blame, although the true culprit could be one of many factors in an integrated system.
If your integrator didn’t supply the TV or if there has been a substitution, it becomes dicey to sort out which warranty applies.
(It is worth repeating, installers make NO money by providing TVs.)
You know your landscaper isn’t responsible for the lifespan of plants you purchase from House-Cheep. Your interior designer isn’t accountable for the performance of blinds you purchase from Budget-Shades. This is, of course, at the root of how you choose any reliable contractor. You choose professionals who will stand by all the products you purchase through their service. When your integrator specifies the TV, installs it in accordance with system design and provides it through one of their supply sources, the integrator is accountable for any issues. This means you have one call to make and one company to lean on.

Streaming Media

February 14, 2011

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 What’s your favorite way to stream media?  Apple TV, Vudu, Hulu, Amazon, Netflix?

Happy Valentines Day!  This Is Us  Mark Knopfler, Emmy Lou Harris

Compare some of your options http://mashable.com/2011/02/14/streaming-media-comparison/

Marc Cohn

January 6, 2011

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If you haven’t already, log on to the Portsmouth Music Hall  and get yourself tickets for tonight’s Marc Cohn concert.  I have had the pleasure of seeing him in concert in the past; he is an amazing pianist, vocalist and performer.  The Music Hall is very generous to their show sponsors and we always feel good about supporting this wonderful cultural resource. As sponsors for tonight’s show, we received four tickets.  The plan was for Nick and I to take our two boys, who have been pianists for about 4 years.  Unfortunately, mother nature has intervened, and the 11 year old is sick in bed.  So tonight, our 13 year old son will attend the concert with his classmate, who is also a pianist, her mom and their piano teacher!  Although I am sad for my sick boy, I am so excited for Sam, Amanda, Theresa and Lori.  I can’t wait to hear their reviews!  I know they will be thrilled by the show and I hope you will too!

The Customer is Top Priority

December 16, 2010

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Cable companies don’t have the best reputation with consumers. They are generally perceived as being expensive,  late, and unhelpful.

We have a client in Maine, who is making some improvements and adding guest  cabins. Te main house has a cable feed for TV and internet. The extra cabins need their own cable feed to get the proper signal. We arranged to have the cable company come to the site to pull a new cable feed from the power pole to the new cabin.

On the day that the cable company was scheduled to install that new cable, our installer A.J. was onsite.  The cable company had hired a contractor to run the cable, but he showed up unprepared. As A.J. tells it, the contractor didn’t realize that he had to change out some equipment on the pole and run the cable such a long distance.  The contractor,perhaps because he was not a stakeholder in the project, was initially uncooperative and reluctant to do any work without calling the supervisor.  If it wasn’t for our our installer being onsite, the contractor would have certainly left as soon as he had arrived and the project would have been delayed and the customer would have been unhappy, with us.  Having many years of experience working with and for the cable industry and being primarily concerned with the customers satisfaction, A.J. knew what had to be done and  firmly provided suggestions for how to proceed.   The contractor reluctantly completed the work and most importantly, the customer is happy,

On another note, as Time Warner Cable and Sinclair Broadcasting Group (owner of local affiliate WGME) continue to battle over contract negotiations, affecting CBS viewers in 20 markets across the nation, it is unclear who will come out on top on the December 31st deadline.

3D Update

December 5, 2010

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3D TVWe recently installed a Panasonic 3D TV system. We had previously installed a Samsung system with some success. This system gave us a better sense of what is currently available for 3D. This Panasonic TV was installed as an upgrade to a system we had installed last year. It included a 58″ Plasma TV and a 3D Blu-Ray player. When we first installed the system last year, all sources went through the Integra AV receiver. However, this receiver was not 3D compatible (Integra currently has 3D capable receivers, but didn’t at that time) so we connected the 3D Blu-Ray player and the DirecTV receiver directly to the TV via HDMI. When we install systems, we typically give the client a gift that shows off the capabilities of their new system. For example, when we install a Blu-Ray player, chances are good that they don’t have any Blu-Ray discs laying around, so we provide them with one. I wanted the client to be able to see 3D Blu-Ray so I went to Wal-Mart to see what they had. Nothing. Not a single 3D disc. How can they sell 3D equipment, but not have 3D content? I ended up getting 2 of the only 3D discs available for purchase at Best Buy: Monster House and Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs. I don’t personally like either movie, but they do the trick.
After the install was complete I showed the client the movies and he was blown away. He had not seen any 3D movies in the theater (at least not since the days of paper 3D glasses) or any 3D demos in the stores. He couldn’t believe the depth of field that we were experiencing. Also, the quality of the image on the plasma TV was as good as we have ever seen. We then turned to the DirecTV 3D channels. There are currently 3 channels, one of which is ESPN3D. There was an IMAX movie playing on one channel that would have cost $6, so we didn’t watch that. ESPN3D wasn’t currently showing anything. The 3rd channel was only showing previews of shows coming up, so we watched some of that. Still pretty cool. Ultimately, the best 3D we saw that day was actually a couple still images. My client had recently gotten a 3D digital still camera from Fuji. I was excited to see some of the images he had taken on the 58″ TV. He popped the SD memory card out of the camera and we put it into the TV memory slot. When we brought up the picture and put on the glasses we both exclaimed “WHOA!”. It was scary how realistic the image was. It really did feel like we were where the picture was taken. Due to the lack of other content, my client was ultimately impressed by the 3D pictures the most, but will not doubt soon be enjoying programming on DirecTV and Blu-Ray even more. Many 3D movies are being released in mid-November and Avatar is coming out in December. On top of all this, the new TV and Blu-Ray player give my client many more advanced functions such as Netflix, Skype (yes, video calling on the 58″ TV), Amazon.com movies, Pandora, and many other apps.
This is by far the most cutting-edge system we have installed to date in regards to video format and internet functions. I expect to be installing many more of these through Christmas. With the introduction of more content I’m sure  we’ll see demand increase.

Electronics and Aesthetics Coexist

December 2, 2010

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Please enjoy this guest blog from our favorite interior designer, Randy Trainor.  Visit her at http://www.crtinteriors.com/  She provides so much wonderful information through her website, blog and newsletter.  Be sure to sign up, shes worth the click!

Many of my clients are making the switch from their old TV’s to the new flat screen televisions.  From an interior designer’s point of view this is wonderful because it means they can get rid of the bulky entertainment cabinet.  Or can they?

Once we determine where the flat screen is going and whether or not it will be hung on the wall, the next question is usually what to do with the components and all of the wires.  My response is not to worry about it because the wires can be hidden and the cable box, DVD player, etc., can even be placed in a closet 2 rooms away.  Then I call in the experts.

The easiest and least expensive solution is to place the TV on top of a low entertainment unit that is made specifically for the flat screens.   These entertainment units come in so many styles and colors that finding one to fit your decorating scheme is rarely an issue.

If hanging the TV on the wall is your preference, usually it is relatively easy to bury the wires from the back of the screen into the wall.  And, there are many ways to disguise the TV if you prefer to not see a black rectangular screen unless it’s in use.

One option is to “frame” the TV as if it were a piece of artwork.  Mirrors that go from being reflective to clear at the touch of a switch, or artwork that rolls up inside of a frame when the TV is turned on are two possibilities.  Bifold panels that fold back (much like shutters) are another way to cover the screen.   These panels can be covered in a series of small framed artwork or painted with a mural to complement the homes décor.

In the master bedroom the TV is often fitted with a lift system and placed in a pretty chest at the foot of the bed.  Then with the remote, the occupants are able to “flip” open the top and have the TV screen rise for viewing.  I have even seen a smaller flat screen mounted in the top of a canopy bed at the “foot” end.  The TV then flipped down for viewing.  Ingenious!

Now that everything can be done wirelessly, the components can be hidden away in one central location and accessed from all areas of the home.  Of course this is accomplished the easiest when there is remodeling or new construction taking place, but I am constantly amazed at how adept at retrofitting and hiding wires electronic systems contractors have become.

Interior designers and electronic systems contractors often work together to assure that your electronic needs are met in a beautiful yet functional manner that works well with your home’s décor.  Knowing there are so many options will ease your mind, so sit back and let us take care of you.

Outdoor Home Theater

September 21, 2010

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One of the coolest ideas to implement is a portable or outdoor theater. How fun is it to sit outside on a warm summer night and watch a movie on a large screen? There are many solutions for making this happen, but not a lot of good ones. I’ve searched high and low for a best case scenario, but keep finding so-so answers. Inflatable screens are fine, but take awhile to blow up and it doesn’t seem realistic that they would be completely flat. The projection system itself seems difficult to put together. You need a projector, DVD or Blu-Ray player, speakers, amplifier, and a cart or table to set it all on. Then you have the potential tripping hazard of the power cords and speaker wire. Epson has an all-in-one solution. It’s a projector/DVD Player/amplifier. Unfortunately it only displays resolutions up to 720p. Why bother? What does it take to create the perfect system? Easy to move from room to room or inside to outside. No cords to trip over. A flat screen that won’t blow away or fall down during the movie. A sound system loud enough to fill the room, especially when that room is the great outdoors. A projector bright enough to be seen at dusk, or even during the late day (who wants to start a movie at dark in the summer when that doesn’t happen until 8:30 or 9 pm). After much review, outdoor theater is as difficult as it gets because all the variables you control with an indoor theater cannot be controlled outside. It is still the Holy Grail and can be accomplished with the proper planning and design.

Netflix for iPhone

September 14, 2010

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Finally! Netflix has come to the iPhone. It’s been available on the iPad since the iPad was introduced. I feel that Netflix pairs best with the iPad and especially the iPhone because of the small screen size. The video quality on a TV or even a large computer monitor is noticeably lacking. But it looks great on an iPad or iPhone.

Netflix iPhone App Video from Netflix on Vimeo.

I wonder how the AT&T network will handle the streaming over 3G, which can be done.
IPhone users are now detached from having to sync movies with iTunes. Awesome to the max.
If you don’t have an iPhone, iPad, or other Netflix streaming capable device, find a friend that does. It’s great.

ATP renovation

August 26, 2010

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One of my favorite jobs with DC Home Systems is working in the fabrication area. We have a large area in our warehouse where we build and test systems. This typically means unboxing all the equipment for a job and assembling it into a working system that represents the final install. This often requires fabrication such as cutting a TV mount to fit the TV correctly, or assembling some scrap iron into a bracket to hold a speaker.

This can also mean fabricating our work area. Today, project engineer Glen was mounting a TV to the wall for testing. The bummer was the fact that we had a counter in the way that always made it tough to temporarilly hang TV’s. We’ve talked before about cutting out the chunk that is in the way, but today I looked over at A.J., our new installer, and gave him the nod.  

For the next 20 minutes sawzalls roared and screwguns whined. We ended up with a 6′ chunk of counter to find a home for and easy access to the mounting point. In our daily worklife we often “deal” with annoyances and minor roadblocks that we have learned to work around. It’s like a scratch on the roof of your mouth you can’t stop messing with. Finally tackling an irritation gives great relief. It doesn’t change the world, but often comes with the fun of working with power tools.

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