Everything is simpler, yet at the same time more complex these days. Computers have truly become entrenched in the smallest details of our lives.
The miniaturization of computers and digitization of entertainment and communication has changed how we interact with our friends and with the world. They’ve changed our homes as well.
New homes being built today allow for the new and emerging technologies that have become important in our modern homes and modern lives.
At one time the only low voltage wires being included in the construction of a new home were telephones, doorbells and cable TV. Now there is so much more to consider, from computer networks to multi-room music, from an iPod dock to cameras that show their images on any TV.
A new house takes these and many other electronic requirements onto consideration from the design stage forward. But most of us live in houses that already exist and we have no intention of moving. So how can we participate in this brave new electronic world?
A Home Theatre setup provides a best example.
A big flat-screen high definition TV display, with five channel surround sound and a honking sub-woofer in the corner, is the ultimate home entertainment experience.
There are retailers who will help you determine what you need to make your home theatre work. They will sell you the parts and send people to set them up for you. These A/V retailers, to distinguish themselves in the market, offer high quality, high price products.
But what if you don’t have the budget for the best high-end equipment? What if you want to incorporate your old VCR and stereo turntable into the setup? The experts at the Audio Video store will set up what they sell you but there’s nothing in it for them to be playing around with your old legacy equipment.
And if you buy a less expensive unit at a big box store, who is going to help you integrate it with your existing equipment and fit it into your finished room? What you really need is expertise, even if your equipment is old or budget-priced.
Things just don’t connect as easily as they used to. Where one cable used to be all you needed to connect to a TV now there are several. And it seems that every component you want to connect to a system needs a different kind of connection. If the experts at the big A/V stores won’t help, who can you call?
You may run into similar problems if you’re dealing with issues of physical limitations or senility in a family member. Solutions like a doorbell that you answer from any phone, along with a camera at the door that shows on your TV and a button on the phone to open the door lock may be just what you need but where do you begin to look for such a thing?
Maybe you’d like to open and close the drapes with a hand-held remote. You might want a chime at the door so that you will know if someone goes in or out. You may want a safety shut off for the stove or the lights to prevent them being left on accidentally. You may want a personal emergency pendant or bracelet to instantly summon help if you need it.
These capabilities and many more are within the province of a home systems integrator. Unfortunately those with the skills and access to parts usually focus all of their energies on the new home market, especially high end custom homes, where they can build several systems into the house as it goes up.
Who has time for the individual homeowner with a small but very specific need?
There is a wide array of technologies available now to improve the comfort and security of your home. You may want a couple of speakers on the back deck, or cameras with an Internet link-up so that you can check them from other parts of the world. We hear more about these technologies every day but we don’t hear much about where we can find them.
I believe that there is a general need for expertise and reliable service to the average homeowner in these areas. I’ve set up my company, homeBUTTONS, here in Meaford to fill that need. But in many cases you don’t need the parts or the service so much as you need straight advice. For that you can come here to the Meaford Independent.
Starting this week I will be contributing a regular column to answer your questions about low voltage systems.
You can ask about security systems, home theatres, multi-room audio, lighting controls, intercoms, computer networking, home automation or anything else to do with low voltage systems.
These are services that I provide to my clients and I can answer your questions in a straightforward and helpful way.
Send your questions to the following email address: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Bill Monahan is a “smart home” specialist who has been in the construction industry for thirty years, with the last twelve devoted exclusively to residential electronics. While he provides and installs products he sees his main mission as making homeowners comfortable with the new technologies.
