A smart home integrator is an indispensable partner during all stages of the design-build process

The demand for smart technology in new homes is on the rise in Dallas, TX, and across the U.S. To meet that demand, design-build firms increasingly partner with technology experts to bring more intuitive technologies, convenient features, and smarter home control to clients.

But when is the right time to consult an integrator? In the past, technology installation has been treated as a finishing touch to newly built homes. However, now that smart technology is an integral part of home design and function, the best time to bring in a tech expert is at the beginning of custom projects. A firm like Multimedia Solutions, Inc. is an indispensable partner throughout the entire design-build process for audio video systems, smart lighting, motorized window treatments, security, home control, and more. Keep reading to learn how.

Ensure homeowners feel protected with integrated security, access control, and video surveillance systems

Smart home security and surveillance solutions are a rapidly growing field within the technology industry. Homeowners seek enhanced protection features and more oversight to ensure that their property and loved ones are safe from home intrusions, fires, gas leaks, and other threats.

If you’re a design-build professional, you can gain a competitive edge by offering clients integrated smart security solutions with new constructions. Partner with a security expert like Multimedia Solutions, Inc. to bring smart security, access control, and video surveillance systems to new homeowners in Austin, TX. What do your clients stand to gain? Keep reading to find out key value proposition features of integrated home security systems.  

Partnering With a Premier Control4 Dealer Provides Smart Home Solutions Your Clients Expect

The current housing boom is unprecedented. Recent events have awakened a desire for comfort, space and safety in urban dwellers. Among those adding to the demand are millennials finally entering the market in numbers many predicted might never happen.

Many of these younger, digitally connected buyers are not seeking any home; they desire a house that personally suits their lifestyle needs and expectations. Technology that provides convenience and luxury is no longer a niche product. Contemporary homeowners view it in the same light as electricity and plumbing.

As a Control4 dealer, we are well acquainted with the design, integration, and implementation of smart home technologies. Together we can offer your clients the ultimate in entertainment, security, climate control, and more.

Are you looking for a trusted home automation trade partner to offer advanced solutions to your clients? Read more below to find how we are your best choice in the Houston, TX area. 

At what phase should builders, architects, and homeowners think about adding smart lighting?

Lighting control is one of the most useful and convenient smart technologies to integrate into Dallas, TX homes. For homeowners, lighting control brings energy savings, privacy, natural light control, and convenience into their lives. For builders and architects, including integrated lighting control in home project contracts adds significant value for clients seeking more automation and customization in their new homes.

The traditional thinking was that new construction was the best time to install a lighting control system due to the in-wall and in-ceiling wiring required. But leading brands like Lutron have made smart lighting accessible to homeowners in all stages of the game — new builds, remodels, renovations, and retrofits.

With Lutron, there is no “best” time to add lighting control — Lutron offers several systems that make installation easy at any phase of a home project. Keep reading to learn more.

Explore the wellness, energy-saving, and home protection benefits of automated shades

Motorized shades have significant value in residential homes beyond covering windows. They lower heating and cooling bills, improve home comfort, and add aesthetic appeal to a home’s interiors, among other things. Motorized blinds and shades are also incredibly easy to manage and control with a smart device like a smartphone app, remote, or touchscreen tablet. Homeowners who want a hands-off experience can build custom schedules forraising and lowering shades throughout the day. 

Homebuilders, architects, and interior designers can benefit from offering whole-home shading installations as part of the service contract for new builds, retrofits, and renovations. Homeowners will appreciate the convenience of not having to worry about arranging and paying for a second job or picking out and installing window coverings themselves.

If you’re a homeowner or trade professional in Austin, TX, keep reading to learn five ways motorized window treatments add value to your home!

Buying a house with an integrated security system holds appeal with new homeowners

Home security is always in high demand. What if you could let your Houston, TX, clients know that their new homes would be safe and secure from the day they move in and beyond? 

Partnering with an experienced security integrator to install integrated security systems in new home builds is a boon for your business and clients. You have the chance to add value to your services and set your business apart from other builders and developers. Meanwhile, homeowners have the opportunity to receive a modern smart security system equipped with the latest technologies for proactive home security.

Keep reading to learn why you should consider partnering with a security integrator for new builds. 

The Exciting New Features, Functions, and High-Resolution Audio Support Brings a New Dimension to your Smart Home.

Control4, the industry-leading innovator in smart home integration, has released an update to its operating system to rave reviews. Whether you have an existing installation or are considering a Control4 home automation system, the new features in OS3  are worth noting. 

The upgrade, which Residential Systems magazine dubbed as the “...most significant improvement to the system to date” presents a new look and feel. Navigation is simpler and more efficient, with quick find menus and personalization tools. 

As much of our interaction with control interfaces centers around entertainment, the OS3 upgrade has introduced slick features, the Neeo remote, and content access that is sure to please fans of high-definition formats. 

Read more below to see how your Dallas, TX home can benefit from the Control4 upgrade. 

A Professionally Installed Home Network Can Add Value to New Homes

If you've been in Austin for any amount of time, you know the housing market here is almost always a seller's market. Austin is one of the top ten fastest-growing cities in the country, with around 128 people moving to the metro each day. This gives builders a real advantage as homes are in high demand.

But one way to get ahead of the competition is to provide smart home features that most buyers are looking for. These features will need to rely on a robust home network, though, which is why you should consider integrating a home network installation into your construction plans for new homes, so you can provide customers with high-quality features they can’t find anywhere else.

Create the Ultimate Custom Home with Integrated Home Automation Systems. 

Nothing says luxury more than a custom-built home, designed specifically for the client in mind. Every little detail is perfectly tailored to their needs and wants in their dream home. When most Houstonians envision a custom home, we are thinking of the likes of the River Oaks neighborhood. But custom homes can be adjusted to any budget and lifestyle and expanded across many demographics. One way to truly tap into the market is with the ultimate in customized luxury, a home automation system.

Working With Automation Installers Can Lead to More Adaptive Home Designs

Home developers and builders have certainly noticed the revolution in smart home automation. Demand for these systems is on the rise, and incorporating smart systems into your design plans will instantly boost the value of any property.

Control4 is probably the most well-known home automation system in the world. For almost 20 years, their automation systems have been integrated into home designs, and to date, can be found in over half a million houses around the planet.

While it’s easy to understand the appeal of these systems, understanding the logistics needed to integrate this kind of smart home technology requires expertise that most builders don’t have. The easiest way to design a smart home is to seek consultation from a team of experienced home automation experts in the Houston, TX area who are also Control4 dealers.

Here are just some of the advantages to designers and builders when working with integrators of smart home automation.

Your Work and Your Children’s Education Is Reliant on Your Home Network

We are all aware of how dependent our lives have become on technology. But recent events have exponentially increased how reliant we are on that technology.

Now that so many of us have transitioned to working at home full-time and our children are receiving their education via virtual classrooms, we now need to be absolutely sure that we can depend on our home network.

Of course, a lot of our downtime is spent accessing streaming video platforms, and there is also the fact that many of us have home automation systems that run through the network as well like lighting and security systems.

Needless to say, the demands on your home network have never been as great as they are today.

Our clients in Dallas, TX rely on us to install and manage their home network solutions so that they can continue to work online, optimize their children’s education, and boost their home entertainment.

New Technology Can Guarantee an In-Home Cinematic Experience

Since it’s hard, if not impossible, for most of us to make it to the local cinema these days, now might be the time to install a home theater with new technology that mimics the real thing in almost every aspect.

Not only can your fully automated home theater in Houston, TX, be stylish, and easy to use, but your home theater installation will also fit the specific dimensions of any space in your home.

The installation and design professionals at Multimedia Solutions will be able to customize an in-home theater venue with the latest high-end audio and visual equipment so that any space in your home can offer you real-world cinematic experience.

Since we are finding ourselves spending more time indoors than usual, thinking about window treatments is bound to be on your mind.

Spending so much time indoors can be stressful and cause anxiety and depression. Having the perfect window treatment for your space could have a huge effect on your mental health.

We all know that we need sunlight because we respond emotionally to it. However, besides the mental health perspective, there is an energy conservation perspective. Making use of daylight efficiently reduces the need for artificial light.

Modern motorized window treatments are both convenient and easy to use, making them the perfect choice for your smart home.

Austin, TX is known for being eco-friendly in their views and behaviors, which makes Lutron, an eco-friendly company, and Austin, TX a perfect match.

Adding Smart Technology Brings Immediate Benefits to Your Home or Business

Keeping up with the latest smart technology offerings can be difficult whether you’re a homeowner, small business owner or office manager. A new device or feature becomes available every day, from tunable lighting to new music distribution systems. The best way to ease your entrance into the smart tech landscape is to work with consolidated solutions from companies like Control4.

The most significant benefit of a Control4 system is that all your features –lighting, security, AV, climate and more—live within the same platform. Work with a Control4 dealer to gauge which features make the most sense for your space and how to manage them for optimal results. 

Our Control4 certified showroom in Dallas, TX, is a great way to interact with these solutions firsthand. This blog highlights some unique ways to use these features in homes and businesses throughout the area as a start before you call or pay us a visit.

As we move into the dog days of summer, find enjoyment at home with outdoor audio and video entertainment

Summer has arrived in Dallas, TX, and you’re itching to take advantage of the warmer temperatures by spending more time outside. At Multimedia Solutions, Inc., we know just the solution you need to enjoy limitless entertainment anytime you want it: an outdoor AV system.

Outdoor speakers and TVs are a great long-term investment because you’ll always have entertainment at hand, even if you can’t leave the house. The kids will have movies, music and fresh air to occupy them all day, and the adults can unwind after work with soft lighting and slow music on the patio.

If you’re not convinced already, keep reading to learn 3 reasons you should invest in outdoor entertainment this summer.

Given the extraordinary circumstances of the past few months, it’s natural to feel a heightened sense of anxiety. In uncertain times, the world may feel less secure. But we have some good news. If you are concerned about the security of your home and family, the latest technology can go a long way to alleviating your concerns.

If you’re stuck with a security system installed ten or even five years ago in your Dallas, TX home, you're missing out on a wide array of innovation in home security. Older security systems tend to be reactive versus proactive - they tell you something that happened after the fact. You might know a sensor for a door or window was tripped, but you don’t know how or why.

Let’s explore some of the latest security options for greater peace of mind to know your family and home are protected.

SEE ALSO: Why You Need to Invest In Smart Home Automation

Smart Locks

Smart locks have advanced significantly in the past few years. One simple way they can enhance security is by going keyless. If you copy a key for someone, there's no way to know if it has been copied. Rekeying locks is also a tedious and expensive proposition. Smart locks can operate with codes and secure smartphone access, which can be revoked at any time. If you need to grant access to your home for service when you're not there, you can do so temporarily. You can also let someone in remotely from anywhere with just your smartphone.

With the current health crisis and shelter-at-home directives, everyone is spending far more time at home. And with workplaces, offices, schools, and venues temporarily closed, the house is now the center of a much higher volume of activity for work, play, and entertainment.

We already lived in a connected world, but now those connections are more important than ever. Your home already depended on fast internet connections for computers, laptops, smartphones, gaming devices, TVs, smart automation, and more. With everyone at home working, learning, and playing, home networks are increasingly strained.

How do you ensure the home networking performance in your Austin, TX, residence is keeping pace with all the traffic? Keep reading to see how to optimize your network for all of your family’s activities.

SEE ALSO: Why You Need to Invest In Smart Home Automation

Weak Wireless

Many homes have weak or dead spots for Wi-Fi in their homes. Sometimes just moving a few feet in one direction can make the reception bad enough that your device starts freezing on loading web pages or with apps not functioning. If you are relying, as many households do, on the router/modem supplied by your internet provider, you may not be getting the range you need.

As businesses close throughout the country to aid in social distancing and halting the spread of COVID-19, we have been designated by the government as an essential business that may remain open to support our community during this time. That being said, we’re not conducting business as usual. Your safety is greatly important to us, which is why we’ve implemented special steps to protect clients and staff during the COVID-19 outbreak in the US.

Technology integrators have been labeled an essential business by the Department of Homeland Security Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Agency (CISA) in large part since we’re vital to homeowners setting up home offices and learning environments. Integrators are also recognized for their role in keeping a strong networking infrastructure throughout the country as other essential organizations also need support during this challenging time.

During this critical period, we are committed to helping our clients stay connected, support remote learning for the nation’s children, and protect our clients’ properties and families.

Though networking and communications infrastructure are the primary reasons for our essential business designation, we will also be available for any service, support, and installation of vital home technology systems including security, surveillance, lighting control, entertainment, and more. A strong network is essential for much of the country right now, and we are here to support your needs.

While the DHS has provided these general recommendations, it is still up to the states to set their own regulations and restrictions. While Governor Abbot has left it up to local municipalities to set their own status in Texas, the Dallas metropolitan area has “Shelter in Place” restrictions in effect, meaning all non-essential businesses will be forced to close. As an essential business Multimedia Solutions, Inc. will remain open with some restrictions (like office personnel working from home).

Most families have entirely different tastes in music from each other. You end up arguing over who can use the speakers and who must use headphones listen to what they want. There is another option, however. Multi-room audio allows each member of your household to enjoy their music from high-quality speakers throughout the house. If you want to come together, you can also listen to them all at once! Learn what multi-room audio is and how you can use it in your Dallas, TX area home.

SEE ALSO: Explore the Power of Smart Technology With Our Smart Home Demo

What is multi-room audio?

Multi-room audio is the practice of connecting several speakers so that you can enjoy music in every room of your house. The main audio components stay within a dedicated AV cabinet and then you control them through a smart device of your choice to broadcast music throughout the house. The components of a multi-room system can vary. You can include wireless speakers, wired speakers, soundbars, or any other number of AV equipment.

If you already have AV equipment, you can use matrix switches or AV receivers to implement it in your multi-room system; there is no need to overhaul your audio gear completely! But how does everything connect? There are two ways that a multi-room audio system operates. The first is that it connects to your home network to connect all of your devices. The second method, and the one that we recommend, is a wired installation. Your speakers link back to your main audio components and sources through dedicated Cat5, Cat6 or fiber optic cables.

What can I do with multi-room audio?

You can stream music from your favorite streaming services, such as Spotify or Apple Music, or even play music stored on a device of your choosing. If you are into a more retro aesthetic, you can hook up a CD player or a record player to your system.

Technology should simplify your life, not complicate it. Smart home automation has become increasingly popular because of its ability to do just that. A smart home automation system places all your technology under one umbrella, allowing for more efficient and intuitive control. With the swipe of a finger or voice command, your home responds to your every need.

Here are just some of the ways smart home automation will improve your home in Dallas, TX.

SEE ALSO: Explore How Our Smart Technology Could look in Your Home

Add Convenience

The most apparent benefit to home automation is convenience. There are endless possibilities to make your life easier. Close all of the shades in your house and turn off all the lights with the simple touch of a button. Create a scene so that with one touch, you can lower the temperature, close the blinds, turn down the lights, and start your movie. Have your thermostat heat up the house right before you get home, so you aren't freezing, and you don't have to run the heat all day. Install motion sensors in your hallway so that when you get up to use the restroom in the middle of the night, you don't have to worry about falling. Smart home automation was created to make your life easier and is worth the investment.