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Carolina Custom Sound

 | Carolina Custom Sound

Fisher & Paykel

It’s common to hear “smart home” and “home automation” used interchangeably, and while they are related, there is a big difference between the two.  

<p>Technology is constantly looming in our lives. Smart thermostats regulate our household temperatures. Security devices keep our houses safe while we&rsquo;re away. Our health is continuously monitored with wearable technology. A camera watches our pets at home. We can&rsquo;t escape technology, so we might as well embrace it. As we add more technology to our everyday life, it can be pretty confusing to understand the terms for different technologies.</p>
<p>It&rsquo;s common to hear &ldquo;smart home&rdquo; and &ldquo;home automation&rdquo; used interchangeably, and while they are related, there is a big difference between the two.</p>
<p><img alt="Woman using home automation controller" src="https://d12mivgeuoigbq.cloudfront.net/assets/blog/blog_electronics/ci-home-automation-controller.jpg" title="iStock Credit: MixMedia" width="700" /></p>
<h2>What is smart home technology?</h2>
<p>Smart home technology generally refers to a class or series of electronic devices and sensors controlled over the internet with a phone, computer, tablet, or other devices.</p>
<p>A smart home device will often have a dedicated application that can be used to control the technology within a specific ecosystem. Examples include light switches that can be operated remotely, surveillance cameras that can be monitored from anywhere, thermostats that can be programmed to follow a schedule or adjusted spontaneously, and energy or water meters that empower tracking consumption in real-time.</p>
<p>Technology within your home that you can operate, monitor or access information without a physical interaction may be classified as smart home technology.</p>
<p><img alt="Woman uses smart home tablet controller at home" src="https://d12mivgeuoigbq.cloudfront.net/assets/blog/blog_electronics/psm-smart-home-remote-tablet.jpg" width="1254" /></p>
<h2>So, what about home automation?</h2>
<p>Home automation refers to utilizing smart home devices together to create events automatically, without user interaction.</p>
<p>The concept behind home automation is that you can enable intelligent devices to work together based on feedback shared between one another. This usually starts with a home automation controller that connects various smart home devices and receives signals from them based on specific events. From there the home automation controller can tell other devices to do things based on the type of events it receives. The goal behind home automation is to automate specific processes and tasks for a simplified user experience.</p>
<p><img alt="close-up of a person's hand using home control system on tablet" src="https://d12mivgeuoigbq.cloudfront.net/assets/blog/blog_electronics/ci-smart-home-controller.jpg" title="iStock Credit: AndreyPopov" width="724" /></p>
<p>For example, let&rsquo;s say you want to set your smart home devices to a particular scene as you wake up in the morning. (A scene is a general term that refers to a group of smart home devices programmed to work together based on an application.) With home automation, you would set up a scene that would enhance your morning routine. It could involve starting your favorite playlist on your speakers, adjusting your lights, starting up the coffee pot, and turning off the home alarm &mdash; all with the single touch of a button, or based on the time of day, or many other triggers that would start this process.</p>
<p>Simply put, home automation is achieved when your smart home devices are set up to talk to one another. The devices typically use a controller which is part of a home automation control system to communicate seamlessly across different platforms. The control system serves as a middleman, enabling various devices and ecosystems to communicate with each other; it also eliminates the need for separate control systems and apps for each device. With home automation, you can customize your smart home devices to reduce the effort and enhance the experience of your day-to-day routine. This is done by better understanding your lifestyle and programming the devices to work with the home automation system so that we can help achieve your goals.</p>
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Whether you’re looking to get started with smart home technology or you want to automate an intelligent home system, Carolina Custom Sound provides many options for versatile, high-quality devices, ranging from smart home technology to robust control systems for automation. Give us a call today at <avb-link data-href="tel:"></avb-link> to learn more about our products and services.   
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Understanding the Difference Between Smart Homes and Home Automation 

Learn why and how a new hi-fi home audio system will change your family’s life for the better.

<p>Sound is special. It&rsquo;s the difference between watching somebody strum a weird wooden shape and listening to somebody perform Bach on bass guitar.</p>
<p>The importance of sound isn&rsquo;t just limited to concert performances or watching your kid&rsquo;s school band play &ldquo;Alexander&rsquo;s Ragtime Band&rdquo; for the millionth time, either. It&rsquo;s also important at home and can bring a whole new level of immersion to your music, TV shows, and movies.</p>
<p>For those of you that aren&rsquo;t quite convinced -- or are still on the fence about ditching your old dusty system and upgrading to something new -- we took the liberty of putting together some reasons why &ndash; and how -- a new hi-fi home audio system will change your family&rsquo;s life for the better.</p>
<p><img alt="Retro old TV set receiver and radio cassette recorder on table front textured concrete wall background."  src="https://d12mivgeuoigbq.cloudfront.net/assets/blog/blog_electronics/ci-old-sound-system.jpg" title="iStock Credit: BrAt_PiKaChU" width="724" /></p>
<h2>Your TV Speakers Probably Aren&rsquo;t That Good</h2>
<p>Smart TVs may be the Swiss army knives of entertainment these days: loaded with apps and features. But, just because they come with something doesn&rsquo;t mean that the something they come with is good. You may have gotten a nice shiny new TV, but chances are the <a href="https://hdguru.com/what-hdtv-manufacturers-dont-want-to-tell-you-about-tv-sound/" target="_blank">audio won&rsquo;t be anywhere near as good quality as the picture</a>.</p>
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Instead, you&rsquo;ll want to forget all about those built-in speakers and upgrade to an actual surround sound theater system. This is where we can help &ndash; give us a call at <avb-link data-href="tel:"></avb-link>and we can talk to you all about the different home theater sound system options we can install for your home. 
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<p><img alt="contemporary red and black home cinema system"  src="https://d12mivgeuoigbq.cloudfront.net/assets/blog/blog_electronics/ci-red-sound-system.jpg" title="iStock Credit: archideaphoto" width="803" /></p>
<h2>You Aren&rsquo;t Getting the Most Out of Your Movies&nbsp;</h2>
<p>If you brought a Georgia O&rsquo;Keefe painting home, would you put it behind an ugly curtain so nobody could see it? Of course not. You&rsquo;d frame it and put it in a place of prominence so that everybody who walked by it could admire the large-scale modernism.</p>
<p>Why then would you settle to listening to movie scores on the built-in speakers that came with your TV? It&rsquo;s doing the same thing &ndash; you are taking sound that was meant to be played through a dynamic audio system and stifling its full potential with small built-in speakers that were shrunk to fit in the super-thin body of your TV. If you want your movies to sound as good as they look -- and if you want them to rival home theaters when it comes to sound quality -- then you need to upgrade your home audio system.</p>
<p><img alt="Interior of a luxurious private home cinema room with big projection screen and luxury cinema chairs."  src="https://d12mivgeuoigbq.cloudfront.net/assets/blog/blog_electronics/ci-home-theater-blue.jpg" title="iStock Credit: imaginima" width="788" /></p>
<h2>You Aren&rsquo;t Going Wireless&nbsp;</h2>
<p>If you are still using an older sound system, it probably plays music and that&rsquo;s all it does. Now, we aren&rsquo;t knocking that fact, but modern systems have advanced their features over the years.&nbsp;</p>
<p>For example, what about a home theater system that connects via Bluetooth to compatible devices? Or one that has Wi-Fi built right in and lets you stream and use apps right from the system? If you have an older TV, this can especially help you bring more modern features to your living room without upgrading your TV and your speaker system at the same time.&nbsp;</p>
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Of course, if you are ready to upgrade, give us a call today at <avb-link data-href="tel:"></avb-link>. We can help you find a sound system that will bring all of your favorite movies to life, and one that works within your budget and living space, as well. We want whatever you purchase to bring music and Hollywood-level sound to your life – and that’s our motivation to make sure you find just the right audio system! 
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Why You Need to Upgrade to a Home Audio System

Dedicated home theaters bring the cinematic experience into the comfort of your own home. Considering each aspect can help you curate the perfect home theater for your space.

<p>Dedicated home theaters, designed for watching content on the big screen, bring the cinematic experience into the comfort of your own home. These rooms are becoming increasingly popular with new technologies, allowing you to personalize the lighting, seating, sound, and other features of the room &mdash; maximizing the experience.</p>
<p>There are a lot of factors at play in a home theater. Considering each aspect can help you curate the perfect home theater for your space.</p>
<p><img alt="Luxurious home theatre." src="https://d12mivgeuoigbq.cloudfront.net/assets/blog/blog_electronics/prosource-home-theatre-intro.jpg" title="EricVega" width="700" /></p>
<h2><strong>Seating</strong></h2>
<p>Seating is one of the most important elements of an enjoyable home-theater experience. Tiered systems that imitate a sloped theater ensure that everyone can view the screen. You&rsquo;ll want to place seats far enough away from the screen so that viewers are not overwhelmed by the screen size.</p>
<p>Many options are available for materials and design to ensure everyone has a comfortable seat in the house.&nbsp; And with features such as USB charging, built in LED lights, and more, personalizing your home theater can provide you with a seating experience much better than movie theaters can.<strong></strong></p>
<h2><strong></strong><strong>Lighting</strong></h2>
<p>To embody the true theater setting, you&rsquo;ll want your room to have as little ambient light as possible, as more light reduces your ability to see the content. That is why dedicated home theaters typically do not have any windows in the room.</p>
<p>That being said, accent lighting to help minimize eye fatigue, rope lighting to improve the ambiance, and having it all controlled by the same system that controls your audio video will help make it easy to push one button and have everything set up perfectly and ready to go.</p>
<p><img alt="Luxurious home theatre." src="https://d12mivgeuoigbq.cloudfront.net/assets/blog/blog_electronics/prosource-home-theatre-middle.jpg" title="archives" width="700" /></p>
<h2><strong>Screen Type and Size</strong></h2>
<p>There are many options when choosing a screen for your home theater, such as a flat-panel display or a projector with a fixed, electric, or auto-masking screen. If you&rsquo;re going with projection, depending on the length of the room, learn whether your room is more suitable for a high-throw or short-throw projector.</p>
<p>You can also consider new LED projectors, which use less energy, generate less heat and last longer than older projectors, and laser technology allows for even better picture, and you likely won&rsquo;t need to replace it anytime soon. Typically, the larger the screen, the better &mdash; but the type of screen usually comes down to personal preference and seating distance, along with the format of movies you will be watching which we can help you with.</p>
<h2><strong>Sound Systems</strong></h2>
<p>A dedicated theater allows you to build a room that can be optimized to provide the best audio possible. For this reason, it&rsquo;s good to invest in the best quality audio components to improve your movie watching experience.&nbsp; Larger speakers are always better so they can handle the dynamic range typically found with movies. These speakers are available in floor stranding and built-in speakers which can hide behind wall treatments or the right type of projector screen.</p>
<p>To power these larger speakers, a separate pre-amp that handles the processing and switching of sources, and high-power amplification will make sure your speakers are able to perform at their best.&nbsp; A high-quality receiver may also be used, but most receivers do not have the power capabilities of going with separate components. Multiple subwoofers are also necessary since a single subwoofer can often leave one person getting lots of bass and someone else in a different seat getting much.&nbsp; Proper room calibration can be an important part of bringing all of the audio together.</p>
<h2><strong></strong><strong>AV Component Rack</strong></h2>
<p>An AV component rack is the central point for your source components, including things like a Blu-ray player, streaming box, along with your satellite or cable box. This rack needs to be properly ventilated, as these components create heat. Having open sides and as much airflow as possible will ensure that your components do not overheat.</p>
<p>Using high-quality cabling will help to make sure the signal between devices has the lowest amount of loss which means better sound quality and more detail in your movie listening experience. You will also want to have the proper components for clean power and surge protection to make sure all of your equipment is able to perform at its best and is protected.</p>
<p><strong><img alt="Home theatre with reel shining." src="https://d12mivgeuoigbq.cloudfront.net/assets/blog/blog_electronics/prosource-home-theatre-conclusion.jpg" title="RichLegg" /></strong></p>
<p>Dedicated home theaters add a much-needed space for entertainment to any home. If you&rsquo;re looking to add a dedicated home theater room to your home, we can help you plan accordingly. Contact us to learn more about our products and services.</p>

Dedicated home theaters bring the cinematic experience into the comfort of your own home. Considering each aspect can help you curate the perfect home theater for your space.


Planning for a Dedicated Home Theater

If you’re tired of losing your house key, looking for added security, or want to let guests in remotely, smart door locks are what you need.

<p>Smart door locks are one of the new technological advancements smart homes are starting to utilize more often. If you&rsquo;re tired of losing your house key, looking for added security, want your kids to be able to access the home when you&rsquo;re not home or want to let guests in remotely, smart door locks are what you need.</p>
<p>A smart door lock is just one more advantageous feature to add to your smart home &mdash; here&rsquo;s why:</p>
<h2><strong>Remote Management for Convenience</strong></h2>
<p>With smart door locks, there&rsquo;s no more worrying if you locked the doors or not as some models allow you to check on your phone&rsquo;s app. Smart door locks integrate into your home system and allow you to manage your home straight from your phone or home automation system.</p>
<p><strong><img alt="Man checks app on smart phone to enter building."  src="https://d12mivgeuoigbq.cloudfront.net/assets/blog/blog_electronics/prosource-smart-lock-intro.jpg" title="yongyuan" width="700" /></strong></p>
<p>When installing, you&rsquo;re usually able to keep your existing deadbolt hardware in place too, for an added layer of protection. Many smart-lock systems are very accommodating and allow you to have a spot for a key, making it easy to use for people who have trouble with technology.</p>
<h2><strong>Know Who&rsquo;s Coming In and Out</strong></h2>
<p>Smart door locks can alert you when doors open and close, and some systems even allow you to give different people their own passcodes, so you know exactly who is entering.</p>
<p>You can also pair your lock with a smart doorbell camera, allowing you to physically see who&rsquo;s at your door with the click of a button. The personalized passcode feature is perfect for kids, guests, in-home deliveries, or if you&rsquo;re renting out your home as a vacation spot.</p>
<p><strong><img alt="Woman checks tablet to see who is at her front door."  src="https://d12mivgeuoigbq.cloudfront.net/assets/blog/blog_electronics/prosource-smart-doorbell-1.jpg" title="eyecrave" width="700" /></strong></p>
<h2><strong>Enhanced Security and Safety</strong></h2>
<p>Adding a smart door lock to your home adds an extra layer of security. Are you still hiding the spare key under the doormat or in a flowerpot on the front porch?</p>
<p>There&rsquo;s no need to keep up with a physical house key or hide one outside as a spare. Smart locks eliminate the need to make copies of physical keys, therefore, you&rsquo;ll have fewer methods of entry to your home floating around.</p>
<h2><strong></strong><strong>Automate Smart Home Devices</strong></h2>
<p>A smart lock can be the cornerstone of an automated home system. The status, whether it&rsquo;s locked or unlocked, can signal other devices to adjust accordingly. For example, if you unlock the door, the smart lock can automatically change the thermostat to a lower temperature and turn on the hallway lights.</p>
<p>You can choose Bluetooth, Zigbee, Z-WAVE or Wi-Fi compatibility for your smart door lock &mdash; whichever matches your other smart-home technologies. The range of Bluetooth smart locks only reaches about 300 feet, meaning you&rsquo;re only able to control your locks when you&rsquo;re in and around your home. Meanwhile, the other technologies provide access anywhere there&rsquo;s an Internet connection, although the battery does drain quicker.</p>
<p><strong><img alt="Smart phone displaying an app for a smart lock."  src="https://d12mivgeuoigbq.cloudfront.net/assets/blog/blog_electronics/prosource-smart-lock-outro.jpg" title="mikkelwilliam" width="700" /></strong></p>
<p>Smart door locks come in many different forms and styles to match your home&rsquo;s needs. If you&rsquo;re searching for the extra sense of security and comfort that smart locks bring, we provide <avb-link data-href="https://www.carolinacustomsound.com/catalog/smart-locks/" target="_blank">many options</avb-link> to cater to your home. <avb-link data-href="https://www.carolinacustomsound.com/contacts" target="_blank">Contact us</avb-link> to learn more about our products and services.&nbsp;</p>

Benefits of Smart Door Locks

As we rely more on a home network, it’s crucial to ensure the highest level of security.

<p>A home network is a group of devices such as phones, tablets, computers, smart home technology, and gaming systems that connect to the internet and each other. By interconnecting, the devices can communicate with each other while in the vicinity of the home.</p>
<p>A home network can connect devices in two ways: wired and wirelessly. A wired network requires devices to be interconnected with cables, while a wireless network enables devices to communicate without wires. For many families, the adoption of new technology has made a home network just as valuable as other home utilities like gas and television.</p>
<h2><strong></strong><strong>Why is a home network so important?</strong></h2>
<ul>
<li>A home network enables you to connect to the internet from multiple devices and share music, images, and files on devices connected to the network.</li>
<li>It makes it possible to stream movies, music, and other entertainment across multiple devices.</li>
<li>Streaming devices, gaming systems, and intelligent televisions have made it possible to soak in a wide range of content.</li>
<li>It enables you to share equipment, such as printers and scanners. For example, multiple computers can print to a single printer when connected to a home network.</li>
<li>It creates a simplified way to manage smart home devices, such as thermostats, cameras, and security devices.</li>
<li>It empowers you to enhance your smart home devices by seamlessly connecting them to an automated home.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong><img alt="Display of smart phone connecting to all of the wireless networks in a home." src="https://d12mivgeuoigbq.cloudfront.net/assets/blog/blog_electronics/prosource-strong-home-network-1.jpg" title="Media Raw Stock" width="700" /></strong></p>
<p>The home network is the heart of all connected technology within a home. It supplies connected devices with the necessary data to keep them operating seamlessly. In recent years, there has been an explosive growth in the number of devices that require a connection to the home network. The expansion of a network with new devices and technologies can put a strain on the network equipment.</p>
<p>Your entertainment enjoyment, for example, is tied to a home network. No one wants to experience a spinning wheel or shuttering display while trying to watch a favorite show or movie &mdash; which is why a robust and healthy home network is essential.</p>
<h2><strong>How do you ensure your home network is healthy?</strong></h2>
<ul>
<li>Protect your home network with necessary security features, such as a firewall and network password.</li>
<li>Manage cables and wires to help to maintain cables&rsquo; basic functionality and protect devices from a clogged airflow.</li>
<li>Keep a close eye on your network speed to determine any issues with your home network bandwidth.</li>
<li>Take care of your networking equipment by keeping it away from light, heat, moisture, and dust.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong><img alt="Wireless internet router with man working in the background." src="https://d12mivgeuoigbq.cloudfront.net/assets/blog/blog_electronics/prosource-strong-home-network-2.jpg" title="simpson33" width="700" /></strong></p>
<p>Unfortunately, when not safeguarded, a home network can be a playground for malicious activities caused by people with ill intent. As we rely more on a home network, it&rsquo;s crucial to invest in the upfront design and technology to ensure you&rsquo;re receiving the fastest speeds and the highest levels of security.</p>
<p>Whether you&rsquo;re looking to get started with a home network or you need to update your current home network to keep it running smoothly, we provide <avb-link data-href="https://www.carolinacustomsound.com/catalog/electronics-networks/" target="_blank">many options for robust, high-quality home network technology. </avb-link> <avb-link data-href="https://www.carolinacustomsound.com/contacts" target="_blank">Contact us</avb-link> to learn more about our products and services.&nbsp;</p>

The Importance of a Strong Home Network

Improve your health and sleep with lights that can be perfectly tuned to your needs.

<p>Circadian rhythm is our body&rsquo;s internal clock that tells us when it is time to sleep or wake, depending on the light levels and the signals our eyes send to our brain. These days, most of our daily light exposure comes from artificial lighting, either in our homes or our workplaces, and it doesn&rsquo;t follow the natural daily rhythm. Light quality has a direct effect on our energy levels, and typical indoor lighting is often too dark to raise daytime energy levels or too light to wind down to. Research shows that extended exposure to low-quality lighting can have a negative effect on our health, resulting in a low mood, fatigue, lack of concentration, and poor sleep quality.</p>
<p>Circadian lighting, also known as human-centric lighting, is a solution to many of the hidden hazards of artificial lighting. It&rsquo;s a system that mirrors natural light cycles and therefore helps promote a healthy and stable circadian rhythm. Circadian lighting systems change the light intensity and color temperature in fixtures throughout the day, minimizing the effects of unnatural light and promoting increased productivity, better sleep, and long-term health benefits.</p>
<p><img alt="woman controls smart bulb with an app on her smartphone" src="https://d12mivgeuoigbq.cloudfront.net/assets/blog/blog_electronics/ci-circadian-lighting-header.jpg" title="iStock Credit: AndreyPopov" width="700" /></p>
<p>There are three (3) approaches to implementing a circadian lighting system:</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Intensity tuning</strong> &ndash; The most cost-effective way to implement a circadian lighting system. Light fixtures have a fixed correlated color temperature (CCT), but the brightness, or intensity, can be adjusted through a control system to reflect the time of day. For example, in the morning and at night, lights are at a lower intensity, but during the day they are brighter, in tune with the sun&rsquo;s rise and fall.<br /><br /></li>
<li><strong>Color tuning</strong> &ndash; Similar to intensity tuning, color tuning changes the brightness of lights but also changes the CCT to more closely reflect natural lighting. It does this by disabling white lights and color tuning lights by utilizing warmer and yellower colors in the morning and evening and cooler and bluer colors during the day, with the aim of promoting alertness and productivity.<br /><br /></li>
<li><strong>Stimulus tuning</strong> &ndash; Spectrally optimized LED lights create white light with high circadian stimulus without actually changing the color of the light throughout the day. Stimulus tuning reduces blue light during the evening to help promote melatonin production, which is our body&rsquo;s natural sleep agent. During the day, it replaces &ldquo;bad blue&rdquo; lighting with &ldquo;good blue,&rdquo; or sky-blue lighting. This &ldquo;good blue&rdquo; helps our eyes send a signal to our brain to maintain a circadian rhythm. Stimulus tuning is the method of circadian lighting that most mimics the daylight spectrum.</li>
</ul>
<p>Circadian lighting systems are proven to help maintain high energy levels and promote better sleep. The Lighting Research Center conducted a study that found people receiving high circadian stimulus throughout the day felt more energetic and alert, experienced better sleep, and felt less depressed than workers receiving low circadian stimulus.</p>
<p><img alt="corner lamp illuminates room on a rainy day" src="https://d12mivgeuoigbq.cloudfront.net/assets/blog/blog_electronics/ci-circadian-lighting-bulb.jpg" title="iStock Credit: TG23" width="700" /></p>
<h2>Call or Visit Us</h2>
<p>To learn more about how circadian lighting can benefit your life and find out which system is right for you, Carolina Custom Sound  provides many options to cater to your needs. <a href="https://www.carolinacustomsound.com/contacts/" target="_blank">Contact us at Carolina Custom Sound</a> to learn more about our products and services.</p>

How Circadian Lighting Improves Sleep and Energy Levels

With the rise of smart homes, connected vehicles, wearable technology, connected health applications, and the like, IoT has migrated into our homes and offices. Learn more here!

<p>The &ldquo;internet of things&rdquo; (IoT) is a catch-all term for devices that are connected to the internet and exchange or communicate information. Until fairly recently, IoT was primarily reserved to describe applications in commercial, industrial, or infrastructure sectors. Now, with the rise of smart homes, connected vehicles, wearable technology, connected health applications, and the like, IoT has migrated into our homes and offices.</p>
<p>Some examples of IoT devices include smart home products such as light bulbs, security systems, doorbells, cameras, and speakers. By definition, it extends the power of the internet beyond typical electronic devices &mdash; to &ldquo;things&rdquo;; devices that are traditionally connected to the internet, such as smartphones or computers, are not considered IoT devices.</p>
<p><img alt="woman using smart wall home control system" src="https://d12mivgeuoigbq.cloudfront.net/assets/blog/blog_electronics/ci-iot-and-tunable-fixtures-header.jpg" title="iStock Credit: Prostock-Studio" width="700" /></p>
<p>As the popularity of IoT devices increases and prices fall, the IoT network grows ever larger. It is predicted that by 2025, there will be 41 billion connected things. While at first IoT may seem vast and complicated, there are many simple ways you can integrate IoT devices into your home.</p>
<p>Before attempting a DIY IoT project, it&rsquo;s helpful to understand the basics of what IoT is and how it works: through a combination of sensors and actuators to connect a physical device to the internet. Sensors measure physical properties. For example, a sensor might measure an environment&rsquo;s temperature and then convert those external properties into a signal to send to an actuator, which uses this information to choose an action. If the temperature is above or below a certain number, it can adjust the thermostat to shift back towards what you want it to be.</p>
<p><img alt="smart thermostat mounted on wall in home" src="https://d12mivgeuoigbq.cloudfront.net/assets/blog/blog_electronics/ci-iot-and-tunable-fixtures-thermostat.jpg" title="iStock Credit: Maxiphoto" width="700" /></p>
<p></p>
<p>It&rsquo;s important to have the right infrastructure in place. Some IoT devices are Bluetooth-connected, which is straightforward and simple. Others may need more hardware and physical connectivity. When devices need to connect to the network, that&rsquo;s when hiring a professional is important as these devices move a lot of information around on the network. This network &ldquo;traffic&rdquo; can affect your internet speed and ability to do things you might be used to such as streaming audio or video. Common DIY home installations include thermostats, security cameras, IoT alarm clocks, and smart garage doors.</p>
<p>A successful IoT project considers your day-to-day problems and uses a connected product to solve or make that problem much easier to handle. The following describes the two main use-case types in terms of IoT projects.</p>
<ol>
<li><strong>Sensor-based projects.</strong> These are the easiest type of IoT projects to complete alone. They involve reading sensor values and using them locally with connected devices to make decisions. Sensors can read temperature, pressure, humidity, light, and gas, among other properties, and make changes in your home based on those levels.<br /><br /></li>
<li><strong>Cloud-based projects.</strong> These projects are more complex, as they require an IoT cloud to store and analyze data, as well as connect across other devices in your IoT system. There are many &ldquo;cloud&rdquo; options to choose from, and you can weigh their features, security, and other properties when making a decision that meets your needs. This type of project is typically used when you need to store data to visualize it and analyze trends at a later date. In cloud-based projects, the data collected through sensors is sent to the cloud via the internet. You can then remotely control and monitor your IoT devices via the internet.</li>
</ol>
<p><img alt="young woman using smartphone in kitchen" src="https://d12mivgeuoigbq.cloudfront.net/assets/blog/blog_electronics/ci-iot-and-tunable-fixtures-connected.jpg" title="iStock Credit: gorodenkoff" width="700" /></p>
<h2>Call or Visit Us</h2>
<p>IoT can add a great deal of convenience and flexibility to your home, letting you control many functions with just the touch of a button on your electronic device! If you&rsquo;d like to learn more about IoT and its use in your home, Carolina Custom Sound provides many options to cater to your needs. <a href="https://www.carolinacustomsound.com/contacts/" target="_blank">Contact us at Carolina Custom Sound</a> to learn more about our products and services.</p>

What Is IoT, and How Can You Implement It Into Your Home?

Preventative maintenance is proactively maintaining, updating, and taking care of your systems to avoid long-term damage and troubleshooting issues.

<p>Technology solutions in your home or office can help you complete day-to-day tasks in many ways. If your systems stop working one day and you didn't know who to contact, you will end up spending time and money just to get your electronics functioning again. That's why preventive maintenance and service contracts are so important.</p>
<p>Preventative maintenance is proactively maintaining, updating, and taking care of your systems to avoid long-term damage and troubleshooting issues. This is typically done through a service contract with a company like (Insert name code here) who handles all of the maintenance accordingly.</p>
<p>The more complex your system is, the more maintenance it likely needs. Below are just a few of the benefits you'll get out of investing in a service contract.</p>
<h2><strong></strong><strong>We Take Care of it All</strong></h2>
<p>We will inspect and test your equipment to make sure it's functioning correctly. We can also update the system&rsquo;s software and firmware when necessary, calibrate all systems to make sure they are working properly together, and perform general maintenance (e.g., cleaning monitors, removing dust internally). We are here to be responsive to your technology needs.</p>
<p><strong><img alt="Service worker looking at a tablet with his tools on the counter." src="https://d12mivgeuoigbq.cloudfront.net/assets/blog/blog_electronics/prosource-maintenance-intro.jpg" title="fstop123" width="700" /></strong></p>
<h2><strong>Optimized System Performance</strong></h2>
<p>Proactive maintenance keeps your technology running in the best possible conditions, prolonging its life expectancy. This allows you to protect your investment and get the highest usage possible.</p>
<h2><strong>No Unnecessary Roadblocks</strong></h2>
<p>Keeping a regular maintenance schedule ensures that you'll always be able to use your technology when you need it. Nobody wants to try and get some work done or sit down to watch a movie, and have the system crash unexpectedly. &nbsp;</p>
<p>A service contract ensures that you get the response and help you need in a timely manner. Technology replacement or repair can often be expensive. With a service contract, you're likely to save money with reduced response &amp; labor fees, which can add up quickly over time.</p>
<p><img alt="Service worker shaking hands with a woman in a modern kitchen." src="https://d12mivgeuoigbq.cloudfront.net/assets/blog/blog_electronics/prosource-maintenance-outro.jpg" title="ljubaphoto" width="700" /></p>
<p>It's never too late to start proactively caring for your technology. If you're looking to find the best service contract for your AV solutions, our team at [NAME] provides many options to cater to your needs. <avb-link data-href="https://www.carolinacustomsound.com/contacts" target="_blank">Contact us</avb-link> to learn more about our products and services.&nbsp;</p>

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