blog
Can You Avoid Buying a new $1,500 Stereo Receiver?
When my clients decide to buy a new TV, they are often surprised when I tell them they will also need to upgrade their stereo receiver. If you have anything more than a standalone TV, you probably have a modern audio-video receiver (AVR) connected. Popular brands...
Is the smart home hub dead now?
“The reports of my death are greatly exaggerated” Mark Twain It’s a bad time to be a smart home hub, because if you believe the trade press and media, you’re dead! I wrote about this previously ( Who’s Afraid of the Big Bad Hub? ) but I guess the editors didn’t...
Secrets Of Voice Controlled Lighting
The Challenge with Big Lighting Systems Having recently completed a major project for a client (installing a lighting automation system with a large number of dimmers and switches), I was confronted with figuring out an optimal configuration for voice control options....
Caavo Control Center Universal Remote Control – This One’s A Game Changer
New Product Quick LookA break with tradition, this week I’m going to highlight a new product that I have been testing. This will be a quick look, not a full evaluation or analysis. I usually don’t like to write product reviews. The Internet, and YouTube especially, is...
Are 4K HDMI Cables All The Same?
I was wrong about 4K HDMI Cables? Or Was I? I just ran into a situation hooking up 4K HDMI cables that caused me to re-think a strongly held position. I’m usually an easy-going type of person, but once in a while, a few things really bother me. As a consumer, and...
Beware The Home Wiring Apocalypse
Is Your Home Wiring A Disaster Waiting To Happen? A few weeks ago I discovered a serious problem that may affects hundreds, thousands, or possibly hundreds of thousands of homes. You may or may not be affected. If you have an old home, live in an apartment, or...