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In The News |
In The News
December 2005 Sound Advice Whole-home audio systems that can send music to every corner of your property (both indoors and out) are becoming standard features of new home construction. Homeowners relish the enjoyment and convenience of listening to music while they’re relaxing, entertaining or doing chores throughout their property. Today’s whole-home audio systems can be affordably retrofitted into many existing homes, especially those with attics, basements or other crawl spaces that provide a way to run speaker wire without opening walls. In addition, new wireless distribution devices like Control4 SpeakerPoint reduce the need for long runs of speaker wire. Whole-home audio solutions replace the piecemeal approach of installing boomboxes, radios or other music players in individual rooms—which limits your music selection to the devices and media that are available in each space. They also replace the tabletop clutter of these one-off devices with the sleek elegance of in-wall or in-ceiling speakers and modern control surfaces like rotary dials, keypads and touchscreens. A whole-home system enables every music source on your system to be played anywhere on your property. With the growth of outdoor entertaining, these systems provide a perfect way to bring audio to areas like decks, pools and spas. Whole-home systems can be set up with two or more “zones,” allowing different music selections to be playing simultaneously in the kitchen, the living room, the master bathroom and the kids’ bedrooms. Audio systems with as many as 32 zones have become increasingly common, especially in larger houses with multiple living areas and workspaces like home offices, laundry rooms and multi-car garage/workshops. A media controller with digital storage is the heart of most whole-home audio systems—and it provides a terrific way to organize and access your music collection. The Control4 Media Controller, which offers 80 GB of storage, can store and organize more than 1,000 CDs. The Media Controller can also access music that’s stored on PCs on your home network, external hard drives and MP3 players like the iPod. Through the AMG Lasso service, the Media Controller can identify and retrieve cover art, song titles, credits and reviews for the titles in your collection, which provides a rich browsing experience as you view your stored music. It’s also fast and easy to retrieve a list of the AM, FM and XM radio stations that are available in your location. In addition to storing and managing your music, the Media Controller can run your home-theater system and provide control for devices and systems throughout your property, including thermostats, lighting, motorized blinds, irrigation systems, garage door openers and security systems. When it comes to controlling your audio system, you have multiple options, from a simple rotary dial for volume control to a three-button keypad or a color touchscreen that can access and run every system on your property. Each room or zone can be equipped with your choice of these devices—or you can use Control4’s simple yet powerful remote-control devices from anywhere in your home. Whole-home audio is a great addition for the holiday season—and a great way to ring in the New Year, by rocking your house with everyone’s favorite tunes. Dwight Branco is a co-founder and Chief Technology Officer of Hood Branco Innovations, which has a showroom/design center in Rocklin and a design center in Grass Valley. For more information, visit www.hb-innovations.com or email dwight@hb-innovations.com. You can also reach Hood Branco Innovations by phone at 916 630 1281 or 530 273 2600. News ArchiveSelecting The Perfect Flat-Panel Displays For Your Home
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