Re: What Control System Goes in an AV Pro’s Home?

These would be my initial questions that I would want to get input on before recommending ANY system:

1. What is your budget?
2. Will this be a system that only controls your theater, or would you like a system that can expand to other areas/systems within your home? (Lighting, HVAC, shades, security, etc.)
3. Have you ever had a control system in the past? If yes, what brand was it and what was your overall experience with it?
4. Will the system need to be controlled by children?

Re: What Control System Goes in an AV Pro’s Home?

Todd,

This is a fascinating column from many perspectives. But I want to suggest that the most important one is the danger of getting lost in the weeds.

NO system will give you everything you want. And next week's crop will provide even more choices! So the sanest approach is to ask yourself (and your customers) to divide a wish list into "gotta have it" and "it would be nice if," limit your choices to those "gotta" systems and go from there.

A marketing person I once worked with was fond of saying "Confused people don't buy." I think that's as true today as it was a few years ago. Hell, Todd, you're not buying yet, are you?

And how disappointed would you really be if the system you opted for didn't have every gizmo in the known universe? Would that stop you from benefiting from what you DID have? Somehow, I don't think so.

I suggest that you've already found that your customers appreciate your ability to help them focus on the essentials, to really define their needs, and then select the simplest system that meets them.

So keep that weed-whacker handy!

Re: What Control System Goes in an AV Pro’s Home?

Very cool article Todd. In my home I incorporate 2 control systems with a variety of other third party control systems (like Lutron, Somfy, Aprilaire, etc.) Obviously I might limit control systems in someone's home but let's face it, with budget, expectations, needs and product limits we do what we can to accommodate our customers. As for ourselves, we like to go with control systems that continue to add features, hardware and better control capabilities so we can challenge ourselves at home.

Re: What Control System Goes in an AV Pro’s Home?

Install a top of the line Yamaha Aventage receiver with two extra zones, A Nuvo background music system, an RTI control system, an HAI OmniPro II automation/security panel, and HAI UPB lighting control. Use Tru Audio "Badboy speakers for your big screen TV in the Theater room. Use a Totem Acoustics "Storm" sub. Use Polk speakers for the background music. I have installed several of these over the last six years and they are reliable and easy to use.

Re: What Control System Goes in an AV Pro’s Home?

Well your right, there are certain products such as AV receivers that I amlmost use in every project because they get the job done, have the features and fit the budget. Its NOT the one I have in my own home although its one of the higher end brands I do sell and its the highest end preamp they currently have. So yes my brand loyaltie has come home and is in my home just on the higher end of the scale.

If you looking for home autiomation I just got certifed on Key Digital Compass Control and I think this is going to be my go to for automation systems. Its affordable and it works otherwise Im a URC fan for pretty much all their custom products and youd be supprised what you can automate with classic MX3000 remote as well as the new MX6000. If your going to spend 1000's on a remote then you almost have to go the route of the IPad contol today. In a new home thats where its going and with Compass Control its possible and you wont have days of wrighting code....Those days are over and I know there are systems that require that but theose systems are dinosaurs with todays "i" control type systems.

As mentioned above it will depend on your needs as to what to choose for audio / video. Are you really building a dedicated theater? If so Id look no further then aJVC projector. I honestly dont think you need to speand days and days in a price book. Its nice to see and use products that you havet givien a second thought to but there is a reason you have become loyal to certain brands. Dont forget that, theres a reason. But if you can push the envelope in your own home then go for it of course but it shouldnt be over the top that hard to choose unless you really dont know what you want, need and know for sure you dont want your system to do. Its nice to dream when going through a price book and check out all the bells and whistles you ca and cant afford but keep your needs in mind and dont let those fancey faceplates of ultra highend gear cloud your vission and blow your budget.

Re: What Control System Goes in an AV Pro’s Home?

My kids are barefoot. We get the hodge podge mix and match set and rotate in and out depending on which client has a failure and needs a short term replacement. The showroom has the complete, integrated system

Re: What Control System Goes in an AV Pro’s Home?

Hey,

I am more interested in how you got this gig?

All my work comes from word of mouth. When I meet with a new client, I must get a sense of the type lifestyle the client leads: are they Apple Centric, do they snack on Media, or do they enjoy a true Movie experience, then I discuss a budget. From this point I will build a system based on Wants, Needs, Desires, Budget, and Lifestyle. I do not do many cookie-cut jobs, as something is always different. I find that educating your customers, as much as possible, helps them realize that, what they want, and what they need, are sometimes, 2 entirely different things. I have installed every system ever made, and I would never install something for a client that I would or do not use for myself. Savant for control/automation (I also Love RTI), and Savant Video Distribution (also Atlona and Snap A/V), ADA/Nuvo/Audio Control/Elan for distributed audio, Plasmas for displays (Panasonic or LG), JVC Pro or Projection Design and Stewart for Theaters, Marantz for AVR'S, ADA For PRE/PRO, ADA or Parasound for Theater AMPS, Leon, James, Monitor Audio Totem, or Sonance for speakers (Depending upon the application, and/or Budget)..etc.

Re: What Control System Goes in an AV Pro’s Home?

Why would there be a difference between the selection process and system requirements for you, as the end user, or a paying client?

The first thing a system designer needs to do is determine the needs of the user. Is sales, that's called 'qualifying the customer'. Then, you need to determine the budget although, for someone in the business, your cost is obviously lower than a retail customer so you'll get more for your money.

How did you decide on what to sell to your clients?

Rather than tell you what to use, it would be better for you to determine what you need it to do. Use the "Need it/want it/it would be nice" method. You know what's included/involved with your system, we don't. I suspect that, if you're like many other CI people, you'll put up with a certain amount of slightly glitchy operation, rather than immediately becoming fed up and pissed off. Make it work as well as you do for your clients and if you learn something along the way, good. If you don't, it's a bad sign.

Re: What Control System Goes in an AV Pro’s Home?

I've been in consumer electronics for about 34 years,in the ESC world for the past 28, and I've been having this same discussion with my wife over the last 8 months now as we "redo" some things at home. Our marriage has sucessfuly weathered 32+ years of "growth" and one basic axiom has remained constant - happy wife = happy life. Suprisingly, this is identical to the primary client needs we all actually face. My solution has to be "our" solution. Last year when I reset our living room and actualy tuned our system acoustically I made a slight, but very significant change. My old stand-by sweet spot recliner became a comfy sofa. There were imidiate benefits and I will continue that redesign trend with controls as well. I've first determined what we want to control based on usage, and how we would do that.

With today's systems we can each have an interface that we prefer and are comfy with. She uses her iPad-iPhone-Kindall (what's handy) and I use a wand/main screen approach. The focus is more on what we want to do rather than where is THE remote. Our Control4 system does the heavy lifting. And I always have the last word ... YES dear ;)

Re: What Control System Goes in an AV Pro’s Home?

As far as your home theater is concerned, I recommend attending one of Stewart Filmscreen's training courses out in Torrance, CA. I had sold Stewart screens for many years, and it was a given that they made the best products available. It wasn't until I actually toured their factory and learned the differences, watched their screens being built, learned additional technology concerning screens, etc. that I figured out why Stewart is the top choice. If price is a concern (as it often is with customers), we have had good luck with Vutec screens. Their quality control is pretty good, and their prices are reasonable.
We prefer Digital Projection projectors, but not all customers can afford them. If you are on a budget, or it isn't your main concern, Epson is the best line on the market for the price. We sold dozens of 6010's this year, and each and every customer was happy (as were we).
As for electronics, separates are always best, if you're concerned about sound quality. To this day, I haven't witnessed a receiver that equals a decent amp-preamp set up. Onkyo and Marantz are the two lines we usually recommend to our customers. Reliability is important to us and our customers. I mean, who wants to keep making service calls for silly, cheap receivers' problems?
I've always been partial to British speakers. I come from an audio background, and the Brit's make very accurate sounding products. KEF's are what we sell our customers, although I still own my B&W's. Sounds that should come across accurately like dialog sound natural. Some speaker manufacturers have a more boomy or sizzling sound quality to them, but I prefer the natural, flat, accurate sound qualities. I want someone's voice to sound like "their voice", not their voice screaming through a microphone, like a radio disc jockey.
The home automation line we've been carrying for the past few year is Elan g!. Their support beats that of any other company in the field. Their techs don't talk down to you, etc. They're quick on updates, and they seem to be quite innovative, and at a reasonable price.