Like many people, I am tired of paying lots for my cable services. After realizing that I only watch football and "The Walking Dead", I decided to take a stand and to see what I could do to "cut the cord" from cable and to hopefully save some bucks.

I am paying $150.00/month for cable and Internet. Here in San Diego, my provider is Cox Cable. I called them and my first words were, "I want to pay less". After 20 minutes of negotiating, they reminded me that I had previously negotiated a lower rate (I forgot about that call months before) as it was supposed to be $180.00/month. Regardless, they saved me another $5.00/month...not very exciting.

I then called ATT regarding an offer they sent me. The offer claimed that their rate was $44.99/month for DirecTV and high-speed Internet. To make a long story short, the high-speed Internet wasn't high-speed at all (roughly 1/20th of the speed Cox gives me now) and there were many hidden charges. However, after determining what channels I wanted (NFL Network and the basic networks), how many TVs I needed boxes for and figuring out my desired Internet speed, I was presented with a monthly statement of $92.99/month. Now we're getting somewhere.

ATT saved me another $10.00/month as I already had my cell phone with them. Chipchipchip at that total. We're now at $82.99/month.

I'll update this post later with "Cut the cord", Part II. TEASER: The next step will be looking at the addition of an antenna for the network channels, adding NFL Network through a streaming device and cutting my cable service to solely high-speed Internet. Stay tuned for details from San Diego's cord cut company, Aire Theater Designs. UPDATE: Here's Part 2. Cable Cutting Part 2

Want to cut the cord from cable, San Diego? Aire Theater Designs proudly serves all of San Diego County which includes Del Cerro, Allied Gardens, Talmadge, Kensington, Hillcrest, Mission Valley, Fashion Valley, El Cajon, Blossom Valley, La Mesa, Lake Murray, Friars, North Park, Balboa Park, Clairemont, Kearny Mesa, Mission Bay, Mission Beach, Pacific Beach, Ocean Beach, Imperial Beach, Pt Loma and Downtown San Diego. We also gladly serve those in North San Diego County which includes Carlsbad, San Marcos, Vista, Elfin Forest, Oceanside, Escondido, Encinitas, Cardiff by the Sea, Solana Beach, Del Mar, Rancho Santa Fe, 4S Ranch, Santaluz, La Jolla, Poway, and Rancho Bernardo. Need help in Murrieta, Wildomar, Temecula, Fallbrook or Bonsall...we're there too.

One URC MX780i remote replaced all of these - San Diego home automation 

One remote, two remotes, three remotes…

Where does it all end? How many remotes do you have? Let’s start with one for the TV. Two for the cable or satellite box. Three for the Blu-ray player. Four for Apple TV or Roku or whatever streaming device you choose. Five for a gaming console such as Xbox1 or Sony PS4. Six for your receiver to turn on surround sound. The list goes on and on.  Now let’s try to watch TV and see what’s involved for this seemingly easy task.

1) Turn the TV on.

2) Change the TV to the correct input.

3) Turn the cable box on.

4) Turn the audio/video receiver on.

5) Turn the audio/video receiver to the correct source.

6) Sixth, turn the receiver to desired sound setting.

After three remotes, six buttons and lots of frustration you’re probably ready to throw the remotes out the window. Why not let us at Aire Theater Designs simplify your life? We can program 1 remote with 1 button push to do ALL the above. A couple of our favorite remotes are the URC MX-780 or the step-up URC MX-980. We think you'll love them as much as we do. These are just one of MANY options we offer to make your life easier through technology and home automation.

Interested? Give us a call and find out why Aire Theater Designs is San Diego's home automation and universal remote expert.

San Diego Home Theater Installers Aire Theater Designs proudly serves all of San Diego County which includes Del Cerro, Allied Gardens, Talmadge, Kensington, Hillcrest, Mission Valley, Fashion Valley, El Cajon, Blossom Valley, La Mesa, Lake Murray, Friars, North Park, Balboa Park, Clairemont, Kearny Mesa, Mission Bay, Mission Beach, Pacific Beach, Ocean Beach, Imperial Beach, Pt Loma and Downtown San Diego. We also gladly serve those in North San Diego County which includes Carlsbad, San Marcos, Vista, Elfin Forest, Oceanside, Escondido, Encinitas, Cardiff by the Sea, Solana Beach, Del Mar, Rancho Santa Fe, 4S Ranch, Santaluz, La Jolla, Poway, and Rancho Bernardo. Need help in Murrieta, Wildomar, Temecula, Fallbrook or Bonsall...we're there too.

Lutron Caseta light, shade and temperature control

"Home Automation" has become synonymous these days with huge home technology projects that cost 6 or 7 figures and that automate everything from audio/video systems to lighting, security, HVAC, appliances, etc. However, it is very easy to enter the fray with a simple, inexpensive addition that can make your life easier. Introducing Lutron Caseta, the lighting solution for every home.  

THE PROBLEM

To turn on/off the outdoor and pool lights, our particular client had to go outside to access the switches. The outside of their home in East County has little ambient light and is very dark at night. Unfortunately, there were plenty of critters outside like rattlesnakes and spiders that were in the way of the switches.

THE SOLUTION

The addition of the tiny box pictured above and a few dimmers/switches allowed our customer to now access their lighting with their phone and iPad. While being inside the house (and away from said rattlesnakes), the touch of a button on the phone/iPad turned the outdoor lights on, making it easy and safe to comfortably use their outdoor area and pool.

Lutron Caseta also allows you to:

1) Turn on/off your lights away from home. You can also turn on your house lights when arriving home from the safety of your car.

2) Turn all of your house lights on/off with just one button push.

3) Control your motorized shades, allowing one touch to raise/lower all shades in the home.

4) Control thermostats while away from home. Turn on your AC while returning from work and never come home to a 90 degree house again!   

This is just one of MANY options we offer to make your life easier through technology and home automation. Interested? Give us a call and find out why Aire Theater Designs is San Diego's home automation and lighting control expert.

San Diego Home Automation company Aire Theater Designs proudly serves all of San Diego County which includes Del Cerro, Allied Gardens, Talmadge, Kensington, Hillcrest, Mission Valley, Fashion Valley, El Cajon, Blossom Valley, La Mesa, Lake Murray, Friars, North Park, Balboa Park, Clairemont, Kearny Mesa, Mission Bay, Mission Beach, Pacific Beach, Ocean Beach, Imperial Beach, Pt Loma and Downtown San Diego. We also gladly serve those in North San Diego County which includes Carlsbad, San Marcos, Vista, Elfin Forest, Oceanside, Escondido, Encinitas, Cardiff by the Sea, Solana Beach, Del Mar, Rancho Santa Fe, 4S Ranch, Santaluz, La Jolla, Poway, and Rancho Bernardo. Need help in Murrieta, Wildomar, Temecula, Fallbrook or Bonsall...we're there too.

Araknis WiFi access points, switches and routers make for a fantastic Internet experience

"AAAAARGGH!" Here's a quote we hear a lot lately from people that hate their wireless networks.  In actuality, wireless Internet is NEVER the preferred medium and you want to go with a hard-wired connection when possible. However, the convenience of wireless is tough to beat and has become more and more popular. To ensure good wireless performance in your house:  

1) CHOOSE A QUALITY WIRELESS ROUTER

The wireless router supplied by the cable company is rarely a good choice. Selecting a better router from companies like Apple, Luxul or Ruckus will make a BIG difference in your range, speed and capabilities. Our client Marlena had us change out her cable-supplied router for a better one yesterday and just e-mailed us with "Having WiFi all over the house is amazing". Quality routers make for a quality network as long as they are optimized correctly. Read on.

2) OPTIMIZE YOUR NETWORK

As more and more devices become wireless, all of these competing devices make it increasingly difficult to get a quality wireless signal. This can cause websites to take a long time to load, streaming services like Netflix or Amazon to drop out or other computer issues. Did you also know that your neighbor's network and devices can affect how things work in your home? Sound scary...no problem! Our technicians are trained to delve deep into your network to ensure that issues such as competing wireless channels, 2.4 Ghz noise, insufficient network speeds from the provider, etc. are dealt with promptly and accurately so that your wireless network ROCKS!

NOTE - UPDATE AS OF 12/18/2018

Here's a product that has been a great addition to our line-up! Eero WiFi pieces provide security, robust WiFi AND let us troubleshoot issues from afar. See article below.

https://www.airetheaterdesigns.com/blog/item/225-eero-wifi-san-diego

Is your wireless network driving you crazy? Let us help. We solve network and WiFi problems every day for our clients. Aire Theater Designs is San Diego's choice for wireless network solutions.

San Diego Home Theater Installers Aire Theater Designs proudly serves all of San Diego County which includes Del Cerro, Allied Gardens, Talmadge, Kensington, Hillcrest, Mission Valley, Fashion Valley, El Cajon, Blossom Valley, La Mesa, Lake Murray, Friars, North Park, Balboa Park, Clairemont, Kearny Mesa, Mission Bay, Mission Beach, Pacific Beach, Ocean Beach, Imperial Beach, Pt Loma and Downtown San Diego. We also gladly serve those in North San Diego County which includes Carlsbad, San Marcos, Vista, Elfin Forest, Oceanside, Escondido, Encinitas, Cardiff by the Sea, Solana Beach, Del Mar, Rancho Santa Fe, 4S Ranch, Santaluz, La Jolla, Poway, and Rancho Bernardo. Need help in Murrieta, Wildomar, Temecula, Fallbrook or Bonsall...we're there too.

Martin Logan Motion 50XT center channel - San Diego home theater installation

Have you ever been watching a movie and asked the person next to you, "What did the guy say?" The way that movies are mastered in the studio and then transferred to DVD/Blu-Ray can make it hard to hear voices unless you have your surround sound system turned up to 11. Here's what we did to improve a client's audio/video system so it sounded MUCH better.

1) ADD A CENTER CHANNEL SPEAKER

This client had an existing stereo set-up with a pair of speakers. They didn't opt to go with surround sound initially as there was nowhere in the rear of the room to add speakers.The room is open and has lots of echo so voices on TV/Blu-Rays were bring distorted. Our team added a center channel speaker from Martin Logan (Martin Logan Motion 50XT) to focus the vocals directly to the listening area. This speaker is characterized by extremely clean treble and mid-range and we felt it would do well to enhance the clarity of voices, speech and center effects.

2) OPTIMIZE THE SYSTEM

Many of today's audio/video receivers have multiple ways to calibrate the audio settings. This is VERY important to provide better sound. In this home theater installation, we had to tweak the volume to match the existing system in addition to adjusting the EQ for the center channel to match the tonal balance of the left/right speakers. NOTE: Many surround sound receivers don't have this feature. Choose wisely or talk to our salespeople about what receiver is right for your application. Once we adjusted the center EQ, the difference in sound was mind-blowing.

Our client could now hear vocals clearly and it seemed like there was an entire wall of sound across the front of the room. The difference in sound was night-and-day and it only took us about an hour. PROBLEM SOLVED!

Want better sound out of your existing surround sound system? Let us help. We are professionals with over 50 years of experience on our team. Want to really enhance your surround sound? Stay tuned for our next tech tip on why you should buy a better subwoofer and room placement.

San Diego Home Theater Installers Aire Theater Designs proudly serves all of San Diego County which includes Del Cerro, Allied Gardens, Talmadge, Kensington, Hillcrest, Mission Valley, Fashion Valley, El Cajon, Blossom Valley, La Mesa, Lake Murray, Friars, North Park, Balboa Park, Clairemont, Kearny Mesa, Mission Bay, Mission Beach, Pacific Beach, Ocean Beach, Imperial Beach, Pt Loma and Downtown San Diego. We also gladly serve those in North San Diego County which includes Carlsbad, San Marcos, Vista, Elfin Forest, Oceanside, Escondido, Encinitas, Cardiff by the Sea, Solana Beach, Del Mar, Rancho Santa Fe, 4S Ranch, Santaluz, La Jolla, Poway, and Rancho Bernardo. Need help in Murrieta, Wildomar, Temecula, Fallbrook or Bonsall...we're there too.

San Diego Dolby Atmos Home Theater

Today at Aire Theater Designs we had the privilege of giving one of our customers an awesome theater room.  We installed a 100” Dragonfly projection screen, three on-wall Definitive Technology Mythos XTR-60 speakers (for front left, front right and center channels),  four in-ceiling Definitive Technology DI 6.5S ( for surround and front presence channels), two on-wall Definitive Technology XTR-20BP bipolar surround speakers (for surround back channel) and a Definitive Technology Supercube 2000 (subwoofer).  We powered the system with a Yamaha RXA-2040 audio/video receiver that comes with the ability to do Dolby Atmos. This surround format is the latest and greatest in today’s surround sound.

There are only a few movie theaters in San Diego that have the ability to accomplish Dolby Atmos. Having it in your house where you can watch movies in complete comfort is the best! Dolby Atmos provides a level of realism that previous formats can’t duplicate.  For example, when watching a movie with gunfire you can literally hear the bullets flying by your head and passing over behind you.  The sounds in a film that you should be hearing above you…….you actually do!  It makes the whole movie experience incredibly immersive.

Don’t feel left out if you have a 5.1 surround sound system.  With a few modifications we could get your surround sound system upgraded to Dolby Atmos quality. We love movies so we will be retrofitting our showroom for Atmos shortly to let you hear the difference that Atmos can make in your home. Love movies too? Come visit San Diego's home of the latest technology (and soon Dolby Atmos) at Aire Theater Designs.

San Diego Dolby Atmos Installers Aire Theater Designs proudly serves all of San Diego County which includes Del Cerro, Allied Gardens, Talmadge, Kensington, Hillcrest, Mission Valley, Fashion Valley, El Cajon, Blossom Valley, La Mesa, Lake Murray, Friars, North Park, Balboa Park, Clairemont, Kearny Mesa, Mission Bay, Mission Beach, Pacific Beach, Ocean Beach, Imperial Beach, Pt Loma and Downtown San Diego. We also gladly serve those in North San Diego County which includes Carlsbad, Torrey Pines, Alta Del Mar, Carmel Mountain, Carmel Valley, Coronado, Fairbanks Ranch, San Marcos, Vista, Elfin Forest, Oceanside, Escondido, Encinitas, Cardiff by the Sea, Solana Beach, Del Mar, Rancho Santa Fe, 4S Ranch, Santaluz, La Jolla, Poway, and Rancho Bernardo. Need help in Murrieta, Wildomar, Temecula, Fallbrook or Bonsall...we're there too. House by Lennar, Shea, Pardee or other builders? We can help!

If you go to your local big-box store, you may find yourself staring at a number of these "streaming sticks" that are on the market. These devices allow you to access apps such as Netflix, Pandora, Amazon and even do things like turn your TV into a fireplace. However these sticks are often NOT the way to go.  If you have a TV with NO stereo or universal remote, these are a good option. A suggestion would be in a Guest or Master Bedroom where you have TV, cable and nothing else hooked up. Here's why you DON'T want to buy a streaming stick:

• When these sticks are hooked up to your surround sound system, you won't get sound if the stick is hooked into the TV. The sound will only come through the TV...not your audio/video system. Extra cables must be purchased and installed to make the sound pass through to your speakers. The salesperson at the store probably never mentioned this.

• Today's streaming sticks don't work with universal remotes. If you work in the circus and enjoy juggling multiple remotes...it's great! For most normal humans, extra remotes are not much fun.

So what's a person to do if you want to access all of these services? We recommend adding a Roku streaming device (not the stick) or an AppleTV. The Roku2 is the model that we recommend to get you all of these streaming services while playing nicely with your surround sound system or home automation set-up. These devices also work better than doing streaming through the TV (see our earlier post about why you SHOULDN'T use the TV to stream content).

There are specific advantages and disadvantages of an AppleTV vs. a Roku. Have questions about which streaming device is best for you? Call us and let San Diego's AppleTV, Roku and surround sound professionals give you the scoop.

San Diego Home Theater and Surround Sound Installers Aire Theater Designs proudly serves all of San Diego County including Del Cerro, Allied Gardens, Talmadge, Kensington, Hillcrest, Mission Valley, Fashion Valley, La Mesa, El Cajon, Blossom Valley, Lake Murray, Friars, North Park, Balboa Park, Clairemont, Kearny Mesa, Mission Bay, Mission Beach, Pacific Beach, Ocean Beach, Imperial Beach, Pt Loma and Downtown San Diego. We also gladly serve those in North San Diego County which includes Carlsbad, San Marcos, Vista, Elfin Forest, Oceanside, Escondido, Encinitas, Cardiff by the Sea, Solana Beach, Del Mar, Olivenhain, Rancho Santa Fe, 4S Ranch, Santaluz, La Jolla, Poway, and Rancho Bernardo. Need help in Murrieta, Wildomar, Temecula, Fallbrook or Bonsall...we're there too.

Have you noticed that you can't just watch TV anymore? For most systems, the series of commands goes TV ON>CABLE BOX ON>AUDIO/VIDEO RECEIVER ON>TV INPUT>AUDIO/VIDEO RECEIVER INPUT>AUDIO/VIDEO RECEIVER SURROUND MODE just to watch television. What a nightmare! This process includes multiple remotes and if something gets pushed that shouldn't...you may never be able to watch TV again. However, we here at Aire Theater Designs have the cure to the above insanity...the universal remote.

As audio/video professionals, we deal with “Smart TVs” on a daily basis. Many clients ask about buying Smart TVs for their “Smart Features” thinking it will be a simple and cost-effective solution to upgrade their old TV as well as gain network features, such as Netflix or Pandora Internet radio. Most people end up disappointed. Here are some of the issues with Smart TVs and why there is a better way.

• Due to the fact that a Smart TV is both a TV and a “Smart Hub” or “App Center”, if the Smart features portion of the TV goes bad, your whole TV needs to be taken out to be serviced. In addition to being inconvenient, this can be very costly just to have access to Netflix, Pandora, etc.

• Extra cables must be purchased and installed in order to stream these Smart functions and have the sound play through your home theater speakers. Out of the box, a Smart TV will only play the sound from these Apps through the television, NOT THE STEREO. Depending on where your Smart TV is located and where your home theater equipment is located in relation to it, it can be a costly installation to get these extra cables ran from the TV to the gear location.

• Many devices these days need to be power-cycled to work effectively. Power-cycling is unplugging an electronic device from the power to restart it. Many times, it is impossible to power-cycle a TV if it is mounted on the wall as you can't access the power plug. If Netflix isn't working through your TV and you need to power-cycle it, you may be out of luck.

These days, almost all TVs are "Smart TVs". They all have the capability to connect to the Internet to get these apps. We recommend buying a TV for the picture quality and not the Smart features. When you pay more for a TV, you're paying for better contrast, better color and better motion. The more you pay, the better the picture. If you want Smart features, here's what we recommend:

• Add a device: How about having a small box w/ a cost of no more than $100 that can stream movies, TV shows, music and much much more and is about the size of a hockey puck? Sounds awesome right? We recommend the Roku streaming device and the AppleTV. Each allow for streaming and they do it BETTER than doing it through the TV (see above issues).

• Add a Blu-Ray player: Many of today's Blu-Ray players also allow you to stream. You also can play Blu-Ray discs, DVDs and CDs through these machines. NOTE: This would be the second-best option. Using a Roku or AppleTV is a better way to go.

You are now a Smart TV expert! If you're looking at new TVs at the big-box store and the sales guy tells you that you need a Smart TV, proceed to run away and come on in to Aire Theater Designs...San Diego's Smart TV and surround sound professionals.

San Diego Home Theater and Surround Sound Installers Aire Theater Designs proudly serves all of San Diego County including Del Cerro, Allied Gardens, Talmadge, Kensington, Hillcrest, Mission Valley, Fashion Valley, La Mesa, El Cajon, Blossom Valley, Lake Murray, Friars, North Park, Balboa Park, Clairemont, Kearny Mesa, Mission Bay, Mission Beach, Pacific Beach, Ocean Beach, Imperial Beach, Pt Loma and Downtown San Diego. We also gladly serve those in North San Diego County which includes Carlsbad, San Marcos, Vista, Elfin Forest, Oceanside, Escondido, Encinitas, Cardiff by the Sea, Solana Beach, Del Mar, Olivenhain, Rancho Santa Fe, 4S Ranch, Santaluz, La Jolla, Poway, and Rancho Bernardo. Need help in Murrieta, Wildomar, Temecula, Fallbrook or Bonsall...we're there too.

It's probably been a while since you've bought a new audio/video receiver or maybe I'm being assumptive and this is your first foray into surround sound. No worries...we'd be happy to help. Your audio/video receiver is the heart of your music and entertainment system. Making the right choice here assures sonic excellence and also provides you the flexibility to hook up future components. However, dealing with the big-box stores or attempting to figure out what to buy on the Internet can be painful (aside from this article, of course). Here's a quick guide to picking the right audio/video receiver.

What is it: Your receiver acts as the hub of your audio/video system. All of your components like cable boxes, video games, Blu-ray players, streaming devices, etc. hook into the receiver and it provides the sound for your speakers. Pick your receiver based on:

1) How many devices you will be hooking up to it?

2) Will you be connecting other areas/rooms of speakers?

3) How important is it to get the best surround sound experience you can?

Brand to Buy: Yamaha. Why? In a nutshell, they rarely break, provide great sound and have plenty of inputs. You can Google different brands, models, histories and other facets but we've already done that. We've also performed thousands of installations and sold receivers for over 20 years. We know what is the best NOW. NOTE: If this ever changes, we'll let you know and we'll change our mind. However, for the time being, Yamaha is our choice for the best receiver at the price point.

GOOD: Yamaha RXV377. 4 HDMI inputs, 70 watts X 5 channels @ $249.99. Buy this if you are on a budget, will be hooking up four components or less and aren't hooking up speakers in any other areas of the house. NOTE: Plan on how many components you will be hooking up not just now, but in the future as well.

http://usa.yamaha.com/products/audio-visual/av-receivers-amps/rx/rx-v377_black_u/

BETTER: Yamaha RXA740. 6 HDMI inputs, 90 watts X 7 channels, video upconversion, multi-source/multi-zone @ $649.99. Buy this if you will be hooking up 6 components or less or if you will be hooking up speakers in other areas (ex: Outside, other bedrooms, etc.). This is also a good choice if you have older components as it plays nicely with legacy video formats (Wii game systems, VCRs and certain cameras come to mind).

http://usa.yamaha.com/products/audio-visual/aventage/rx-a740_black_u/?mode=model

BEST: Yamaha RXA2040. 8 HDMI inputs, 140 watts X 9 channels, improved audio processing, Dolby Atmos @ $1599.99. Buy this if you are hooking up 8 components or less and if you want the best in today's surround sound formats. Our earlier article about Dolby Atmos goes ito depth about the latest surround sound mode. This receiver also sounds noticeably better than step-down models due to its particular high-end construction.

http://usa.yamaha.com/products/audio-visual/aventage/rx-a2040_black_u/?mode=model

http://www.airetheaterdesigns.com/blog/item/125-atmos-in-san-diego

Now you're dangerous...you've got some good information. Stop by or call one of our product experts and let us simplify your decision to purchase a surround sound receiver. Aire Theater Designs, San Diego's Yamaha and surround sound experts.

San Diego Home Theater Installers Aire Theater Designs proudly serves all of San Diego County which includes Del Cerro, Allied Gardens, Talmadge, Kensington, Hillcrest, Mission Valley, Fashion Valley, El Cajon, Blossom Valley, La Mesa, Lake Murray, Friars, North Park, Balboa Park, Clairemont, Kearny Mesa, Mission Bay, Mission Beach, Pacific Beach, Ocean Beach, Imperial Beach, Pt Loma and Downtown San Diego. We also gladly serve those in North San Diego County which includes Carlsbad, San Marcos, Vista, Elfin Forest, Oceanside, Escondido, Encinitas, Cardiff by the Sea, Solana Beach, Del Mar, Rancho Santa Fe, 4S Ranch, Santaluz, La Jolla, Poway, and Rancho Bernardo.