Wouldn’t you love to forgo the messy tech equipment that you currently have in your boardroom for a fully automated solution? Imagine, using a touchscreen panel to lower the projection screen and call up any presentation from your office network instantly. No more searching to find the proper memory stick or fiddling with a laptop and projector - Simple Solutions Digital can make this process seamless.
Not only will the process be seamless for you, but clients, shareholders, board members and investors alike will be impressed with your command of technology. They don’t have to know that you had a little help from your friends over at Simple Solutions Digital!
You can actually automate everything in your office with such a system. Want to make sure everything in your company truly is “off” over the weekend? We can install an all-off control which can rotate lights or just turn everything off. If you are the boss, you are probably the one that turns off all of the lights at night and turns them on in the morning. Get started on your commute a little faster by just calling up the proper command on your easy-to-use touchscreen panel and selecting the option that is right for you
]]>1. Easy To Use
The harder something is to use, the less likely it is that you will enjoy it. Take the concept of the universal remote a million steps further by controlling music, video and network connections through multiple touchscreen panels in your home. Watch a cooking show in the kitchen, listen to music during a dip in your hot tub, or watch a video in your bedroom. It’s possible and attainable with a Simple Solutions home theater system.
The software and installation behind such a system is complex and technical - leave that up to our installers. You simply enjoy the easy-to-use interface.
2. Connectivity
Do you want the ability to interface with your home electronics while you’re at work or even from your iPhone? You can do that. Access the internet, your music collection, and your movie collection from any one of the touchscreen panels in your home. Call up a fitness video in your workout area, then get a few stretch suggestions online. See when and how long your kids are playing games for rather than doing homework. Ultimate connectivity is completely achievable with Slingbox technology, and Simple Solutions Digital are certified Slingbox installers.
3. Stability
Our rock solid installation will ensure that something as minor as a twisted wire doesn’t degrade your video quality or hamper your enjoyment of your favorite movie. Professional installation of your home theater experience will guarantee that your experience is improved in ways that you won’t even notice except for just having the finest home theater of anyone on your block.
Give us a call today for a free consultation on how you can get the home theater of your dreams.
]]>The crime rate for Coconut Creek, Florida, has jumped 30% largely due to property crimes. Broward County has reported a slight increase overall in its crime rate due to the poor economy. People who would have never considered crime before are now turning to property theft. Your property is a target that these newer criminals have firmly in their sights, and the only way to discourage them is to install a proper security system.
We’ve talked before about the advantages of home video surveillance with Slingbox, a home entertainment system that home security is a small aspect of. Simple Solutions Digital is a licensed installer of these systems and can set it up for you so that home security is the focal point of the system. You can install webcams in various locations in your home and be able to watch what is going on in your home from anywhere that you can find an internet connection.
Other home security solutions require a monthly subscription fee and a costly setup, the benefit of which is only home security. The Slingbox system requires no monthly subscription fee and its primary function is as a home theater server for your entire house. It also lets you watch TV from your home DVR on your iPhone or any computer that you can scare up an internet connection on. The benefits of the system are too numerous to go into from an entertainment standpoint, but the home security aspect of it is the reason that you can take to the bank. Depending on your insurance company, you may even qualify for a discount on your home insurance coverage with such a system installed.
You can upload your entire DVD collection to the Slingbox and have access to it from any television in your home rather than needing to run around looking for the DVD that you want. You can also upload your entire music collection, which will keep your CD’s and DVD’s from collecting any dust. Keep an eye on how much game time your kids are getting from work by plugging the games system into the Slingbox. The possibilities are endless with this technology, and Simple Solutions Digital can install it for you.
]]>Right now, you probably have multiple switches, thermostats, multimedia controls, alarm keypads, and other wall warts that you’d like to get rid of. Now you can with one, easy to use touch panel. Imagine being able to control everything in your home from one panel, giving you complete control over your home. The home of the future is here right now.
You can do this with Crestron’s colour touchpanel, distributed by Simple Solutions Digital. This panel allows you to save energy with an “all-off” feature that lets you turn everything in your home off at once, even devices that drain power simply by being on. You don’t need to limit yourself to one touch panel either - Crestron touch panels can be installed in any area of your home that you want. You can view Crestron’s entire line here. Their newest Isys panels offer a powerful feature set including standard built-in video, audio and Ethernet; bright, high-contrast, wide-angle displays; lightning-fast response and 24-bit color depth.
Their Isys i/O Series of touchpanels feature an embedded Windows operating system which allows Web access via Internet Explorer securely in a locked down environment - all while providing easy control of home multimedia devices, lighting, climate control and security with no server or external computer. With a Crestron touch panel, you can even automate when your drapes open.
It’s even possible to turn any of your existing plasma or LCD screens into touchpanels using Crestron technology. Contact us today to find out what Crestron and Simple Solutions Digital can do for you.
]]>Starting your own business, working from home, or want to communicate with family and friends via videoconferencing? It’s all possible with Polycom. The company has been a leader in videoconferencing solutions for years, offering a host of products to bring this futuristic mode of communication into the here and now. Their reach is expanding in a current deal with Microsoft to distribute their CX5000 Unified Conference Station (formerly Microsoft RoundTable) as one of the latest devices to work seamlessly with Microsoft Office Communicator , making Polycom videoconferencing solutions a truly plug and play product.
This unique product does a number of cool things, including offering a 360 degree view of a conference room, allowing all participants in the meeting to be viewed. It also automatically focuses on the active speaker when they are talking, making the experience more realistic for those watching via video. The device also feeds into Windows Live Meeting 2007, which allows video, voice, and content to be shared seamlessly.
With this technology employed in your boardroom, you can be at home working on your computer and actively participating in meetings at work as if you were actually there. The device simply plugs into a USB port on your computer, allowing you to use it from anywhere with your laptop. The same technology can make it as if you are actually there for larger family events where you want to see everyone, not just one or two people.
]]>If you have a Crestron system installed in your home, you can now control Crestron your home automation systems from your iPhone. In order to take advantage of the application, users must have a Crestron home automation system installed. These systems allow for control of HVAC, lighting, blinds and security systems from your computer at the office and now, from your iPhone. You specifically need to install Crestron’s SW-MOB-AI control module loaded in 2-Series controller in order to take advantage of the iPhone functionality. Luckily, you don’t even need to know what that is - you can just have Simple Solutions Digitial in to set everything up for you on your iPhone and in your home.
Imagine being able to program your lights to make it appear as if someone is home while you are on vacation. Forget to turn off your air conditioning before leaving for the weekend? Just pull out your iPhone and do it. The energy-saving cost benefits of installing such a system will make it pay for itself over just a few years. While you are saving money, you will also be reducing your carbon footprint. Of course the big benefit is having a new toy to play with from your iPhone, but we won’t tell anyone if you don’t.
You can even control multiple locations from one iPhone. Forget to turn out the lights in your office? Turn them off while you are lying on the dock at your cottage or cabin. Want the hydro off in your cottage? Shut it down while driving home. The benefits of this are endless.
Crestron recommends that an authorised dealer upload the necessary control module to your Crestron system, even if you already have one installed. Contact us today to get started!
]]>These days home values aren’t just dipping, they’re skydiving. One way that you can preserve the value of your home in a downward trending market is to install smart home networking technology that new buyers can just plug into when they move in. CAT5 wire is the primary mode of receiving information, entertainment and communication and will continue to be so going forward into the new millennium.
What is CAT5 wire? Category 5 wire is 4 pairs, for a total of 8 wires. They are enclosed inside an unshielded sheath. Each pair of wires is twisted throughout their length. The twist provides a higher immunity to noise and crosstalk compared to untwisted wire pairs. When rewiring a home, separate runs should be made for telephones and an in-home LAN, or Local Area Network. You may even want to take this a step further and do another separate run for the home theater system, so that signals are completely undiluted by each other.
Retrofitting your home with CAT5 would be of particular interest if you are in an area where high tech jobs are commonplace, as communication and computer professionals are more likely to see the value in such a system. A web designer operating out of a home office may prefer a CAT5 network over a wireless network, for example.
That isn’t to say that regular citizens won’t see the value in such a system. All you need to do to explain this is that the home is pre-wired for the latest technology in computer networking, telephony and home theater, and most non-tech types will be sold. In addition, CAT5 allows the installation networking of “smart” appliances like refrigerators that tell you when you need milk, or fridges that allow you to turn down their settings when you aren’t at home from your computer at work. In addition, with a CAT5 system you incorporate telephone and computer jacks into the same wall system, allowing for networking in each room of the house.
While fiber optic cables are being touted as the cable of the future, the reality is that their cost and the available technologies limit their “on-the-ground” implementation to the point where we won’t really see them as a solution of choice for at least another decade. CAT5 is the solution for the people who want their future whole-home automation system right now.
If you’re considering investing in your home by integrating CAT5 or smart home technology, contact the home automation experts at Simple Solutions Digital Entertainment, so they can walk you through the process from start to finish.
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Slingbox not only allows you to view your favorite TV shows from your mobile phone or laptop, it lets you hook up cameras for home surveillance so that you can see what is going on in your home at all times from your portable computing device or your office computer.
While it isn’t a marketing feature that is touted on the Slingbox website, the Slingbox Pro-HD device can accept multiple audiovisual inputs, which can include video cameras and webcams that are hooked up to the Slingbox. Concerned about what your kids are doing when you aren’t home? Keep an eye on their activities with the Slingbox Pro-HD. Keep an eye on the babysitter or teenagers while you are away from the house. You can even monitor what they are watching on TV by hooking up the TV Monitor out to yourSlingbox . You can also do the same thing with video output from a video game console so you know how much gaming is going on rather than homework.
You can set up a series of wireless cameras on the Slingbox rather than just one, using such items as a multi channel modulator. This will allow you to view all areas of the house at once on a split screen like they use in professional security applications.
The best part of using the Slingbox for home security is that even the most tech savvy teenager won’t immediately pick up on it. They may know everything there is to know about the computer, but most won’t suspect the device of being used for security purposes. Just hide the cameras well and they’ll have no idea!
If you’re interested in learning more about Slingbox or other wireless home security systems, please contact Simple Solutions Digital Entertainment for a free consultation. Our home security experts can custom tailor a home protection plan that is right for your family.
]]>The last thing you want to do when you are installing a home technology system is to install something that you need a PHD in electronics in to operate. If members of your family can’t figure out the system, chances are good that it needs to be simplified. What is the best way to do this?
Use only Tested Methods and Products
Bluetooth is a technology that can speak to anything - anything else that is running Bluetooth, that is. There are a lot of products out there like this that use a proprietary language or technology to speak to one another. This alone is a great reason to have a professional in to do a home theater installation; they know what works together and what doesn’t. You can actually run your home, not just your home theater, from your iPhone using the Crestron Control product, but that is just an example of what you can do with the right technology.
Make it Fun
Many home theater controls have touch screen displays, visualizers for music, and other doodads that just make operating the thing miles of fun. Watch your favorite music displayed on
Make it Simple
If you can use an iPhone or a Blackberry, you can use a current home theater system. If that even sounds too advanced, there are still options that you can work with. Again, a professional can advise you on the best ones for your comfort level.
Make it Integrated
If you are paying for a professional home theater installation, you should expect that the components will work together without a hitch. One remote should control everything rather than having to switch between 3-4 devices.
Don’t Use Cutting-Edge Technology
The main problem with cutting-edge technology is the fact that it hasn’t been tested out properly in the wider marketplace. This frequently means integration issues and other issues that can create a headache for the average home theater owner. While that new device may give you a slightly higher screen resolution, is it really any good if it can’t talk to your stereo system?
Home theater systems can go from fun to frenetic in no time if you don’t make some careful choices in advance. Contact the experts at Simple Solutions Digital Entertainment to learn how a professional home theater installer can get started on your dream system!
]]>Forget Netflix. How about ordering a movie and having it delivered to your set-top box instantly? You can do that with Vudu. Vudu offers movies in both high definition and an even higher definition format called HDX which just takes a bit longer to download. Digital boxes ordered through local cable companies simply do not have the selection or the availability of high definition format movies that Vudu does.
The set-top box is available in a couple of flavors. The regular Vudu box will store up to 50 purchased films on its 250 gigabyte hard drive. The Vudu XL and XL2 are made for home theater installations, with the XL2 offering a rack mount option.
Movies are made available the same day that they are released to DVD on the Vudu system. Instant download occurs with the high definition format and the even higher definition HDX format just takes a little while longer to download. 11,000 movies are available at standard resolution and 1100 are available in high definition. Rental prices are the same as standard rental outlets and adult movies are available. Wireless installation is also available through purchase of VUDU’s wireless kit.
You can also customize the contents of your VUDU box and manage your rentals online from your own private account on the VUDU website. Never worry about a return again and watch your favorite movies as often as you like once you have rented them.
Price of the regular VUDU box is set low at about $150.00. The VUDU XL and XL2 start at $999.00.
If you’re considering purchasing an Online Video Service, such as Vudu, be sure to contact home theater installation experts at Simple Solutions Digital Entertainment and get their recommendations on which system is best for you. Call us at (561) 999-4360.
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