Welcome to Our Smart Home Technology Blog

When we talk about multi-room audio, also known as audio distribution, we often mention the most popular, common way to enjoy it – through streaming services like TIDAL, Deezer, Pandora and a host of others. Fortunately, our choice partners for home automation systems, Crestron, RTI and Control4, are compatible with multiple streaming applications, letting you find countless tracks to play anywhere in your home. While our clients love their music-streaming services, we’ve discovered more ways to engage with your favorite media, using home automation, high-end speakers, audio receivers and, of course, a customized installation.

Did you know that you can think beyond digital content and take full advantage of your home audio-video system in more creative ways? Keep reading to learn what we’d love to help you explore firsthand in your Highland Park, TX, home

SEE ALSO: What Is Whole-House Audio Video?

Turntables

Old equipment, meet new technology. If you miss the long-gone days of listening to music from retro devices, we think you'll be delighted that these once-antique music players are making a comeback.

Did you know that more than half of people identify as visual learners? Those people, likely many of your staff members, want to see and interact with pictures when they process important company information.

Are your presentations speaking to them? At DeVance Electronic Lifestyle, we recommend giving people tools that facilitate open, impactful communication. Engage your staff and empower them to participate with conference room equipment. If you want to combine the perks of visual tools with hands-on application, there’s no better place to start than interactive whiteboards. Keep reading to see why we find these devices beneficial for engaging employees and building stronger teams right from your Irving, TX, conference room.

SEE ALSO: Conference Room AV Upgrades You’ll Want for Your Business

Work the Room

As a manager or business owner, we’re sure you’re familiar with this scenario: You’re presenting and trying to get everyone engaged, but instead you see blank stares around the conference room. Spare yourself this embarrassment by breaking the ice with interactive whiteboards that ensure feedback from even the most reluctant or introverted employees.

When you’re planning a conference room and considering all the commercial audio video details, you’ll likely first think about the most noticeable elements you need -- like your display and speaker technology.

In our many years of experience installing automated boardrooms, we have found that often, the smaller, less flashy components make or break the meetings. Keep reading to better understand what we mean, and which three factors you should no longer ignore!

SEE ALSO: Boost Sales and Work Harder With Digital Signage

Room Scheduling Software

Many hiccups can arise during a meeting scheduling process. It’s not uncommon, for example, for someone to set up a video conference but forgets to send the link to your calendar. A software glitch can allow a room to get double-booked.

Designating a place and time for a simple meeting should never be painstaking. Crestron’s Fusion room scheduling software connects everyone in your office to an easy-to-use scheduling platform. Employees can see which rooms are available on touch screens throughout the office, and press a few buttons to book a meeting, set a space and invite attendees. For your convenience, Fusion syncs with standard email tools, like Outlook and Google.

We are firmly in the age of the smart home. From motorized shades and smart thermostats to lighting control and high-end home cinemas, there’s no shortage of devices aimed at automating and simplifying some part of your life. The trouble is, these devices aren’t always the easiest to use and don’t always cooperate with each other.

What’s the solution? In short: voice control. By uniting your various smart devices in one network overseen by your smart speaker, you get greater control over the technology in your home. Smart speakers are also very convenient to use, even in comparison to a universal touchpad remote.

You may curious about voice control platforms like Amazon Alexa. But how much do you know about what they can do? Not to worry; in today’s blog, we’ll show you how voice control can be an invaluable addition to the smart home control system for your Frisco, TX, living space.

SEE ALSO: 4 Tips for a Superior Media Room Installation

SIMPLE CONTROL THROUGHOUT YOUR HOME

A primary goal when installing a home automation system is to streamline how you manage your various devices. This way, they can all be managed from a central interface. One remote is undoubtedly better than multiple remotes, but voice control makes smart home control even simpler.