RTI universal remote app controlling smart home functions

 Media room installation w/3 X 70" TVs, 144" drop-down screen and more!

Martin Logan EFX on-wall speakers with ESL center channel

On-wall iPads all throughout the house. Onyx wall with Launchport iPad dock.

If you happen to be a hiking or trail biking enthusiast or simply a lover of nature and wildlife, you may have heard of the Santa Rosa Plateau, an extension of the Santa Ana Mountains in Riverside County.  Just down the hill from the Plateau is the city of Murrieta, and nestled along the base and climbing up the mountain side is the upscale gated community of Bear Creek and the site of this Project of the Day.  We were called in for a walk-thru of the home formerly owned by the MLB’s very own Barry Bonds.  This 12,000+ sq. ft. house was completely gutted, every wall resurfaced, entire ground level flooring ripped up and replaced, and creative ideas and system designs drawn up to create quite the spectacular Audio/Video/Smart Home Extravaganza. Obviously with a home of this size and the level of construction/remodeling, our job there was not completed in a day, or two, or fourteen, or sixty, or even three hundred.  All in all, it took about a year and a half total to get this home finished entirely.  There is a joke between the owner and all of us at ATD that all his Audio/Video/Home Theater/Smart Home System only took 27 phases to complete.  LOL!  Let it suffice to say that by the time we finished we were looked at like part of the family, Holiday cards each year and all!  I want to now take you into the smart home installation of just one room.

In this Phase we were to design, install, and finish what was being called the Grand Family Rm.  This task involved working with a carpenter who was building a custom stage for music and plays to be performed on so that we could correctly incorporate the three 70” TVs, a motorized 144” projection screen, three in-wall front speakers, three Blu-Ray players, three AppleTVs, and color changing LEDs to give the stage a super cool look.  Besides all the work on the stage we were to install a motorized projector lift in the attic above the Grand Room so that a projector would drop down from the 12’ ceiling, install two large in-ceiling subwoofers, incorporate four existing in-ceiling speakers into the 7.2 Surround Sound System, program the decorative blackout curtains that were installed at each window and the back patio French doors to open and close with the touch of a button on this room’s iPad which I was to program up using an RTI processor and RTI iPad App.  This room was definitely fitting to its name….it is truly a GRAND Family Room.  Here is the gear we used for this portion of the whole-house audio video installation:

• JVC DLA 4K projector                      
• (3) 70” Sharp TVs                              
• Draper drop-down projector scissor lift
• Draper motorized 144” Screen                        
• (3) Definitive Technology LCR in-wall speakers                          
• (2) In-ceiling Subwoofers
• Martin Logan EFX on-wall electrostatic speakers
• Martin Logan ESL-C on-wall electrostatic center channel
• Integra audio/video receiver                                            
• (2) Polk Audio subwoofer amps
• Strong 42U audio/video equipment rack                       
• RTI XP8s control processor
• RTI iPad universal remote
• Binary 4x4 HDMI matrix switcher                 
• (4) Samsung Blu-Ray players          
• (4) AppleTVs
• (30’) Multi-color LED strip               
• On-wall iPad Launchport
• Motorized curtains and associated parts
• Motorized blinds and associated parts

As you can imagine with a project of this caliber, some things take longer than others to accomplish.  That being said, mounting the scissor lift in the attic/ceiling was the most involved task for sure.  It took a team of 4 of us to accomplish this in a safe and professional manner.  I was scrunched up in the tight attic space in the semi-vaulted ceiling, squatting over the square cutout for the lift staring at the tile floor 12’ below, we had 2 men on 10’ ladders, and finally one man who helped hoist and hold the lift in place using a rope and pulley system we rigged together.  There is no such thing as over-kill when it comes to the safety of our employees and the security of our customers and their families.

The finished product was truly amazing.  Our customer had the ability to watch 3 individual sporting events on the 3 TVs, or watch the same program or movie on all 3 TVs at the same time or drop the projector down and enjoy a movie on the 144” projection screen.  When it came time for his grandchildren to perform a play on the stage, he could close all the curtains in the room, turn up the stage overhead lights, and turn on the stage color LED effect lights with a few button presses on the iPad I programmed.  When he is finished using the Grand Family Room he simply pushed the Power Down button on the iPad and all 3 TVs turn off, the screen rolls up into the overhead stage cabinet, the projector scissor lift raises up and into the attic and the surround sound system turns off.  This was definitely one of our most exciting projects to date and the customer loved it.  Phase 1 completed…26 more to go.

Need smart home installation in Murrieta or almost anywhere in Southern California? Let us help with your 27 phases of smart home technology.

The insanity is happening again. Definitive Technology subwoofers are on sale and you need one (or more). This subwoofer special ends 3/18/2017 so act NOW to get the lowest prices ever on Definitive Technology subwoofers. This is not a typo...THE LOWEST PRICES EVER. Some examples are:

ProSub 800- Reg. $399 on Sale for $299. Save $100!  

ProSub1000- Reg $499 on Sale for $374. Save $125!

SuperCube2000- Reg $599 on Sale for $449. Save $150!

SuperCube4000- Reg $799 on Sale for $599. Save $200!

SuperCube6000- Reg $999 on Sale for $749. Save $250!

SuperCube8000- Reg $1499 on Sale for $1124. Save $375!   

The best thing you can do to upgrade your surround sound system, dollar-for-dollar, is to add a better subwoofer. Call us up and make an appointment to listen to Def Tech...we think you'll be sold just like we were. Enjoy movies and music in sonic perfection with some help from your friends at Aire Theater Designs, your San Diego Definitive Technology subwoofer experts.

San Diego Home Theater Installers Aire Theater Designs proudly serves all of San Diego, CA 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, California 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.

Why does James Naismith's name get thrown around this month? He invented basketball...that's why AND it's time for March Madness! It is a scientific fact that basketball looks better on a larger 4K TV. We have great sales on Sony, Samsung and LG 4K TVs throughout the month. Audio? We've got a 25% off subwoofer sale from Def Tech AND we also have some GREAT 30% OFF close-out Martin Logan speaker sales. See below for particulars. NOTE: Some of these deals are close-outs and when the sets are gone, they are gone.TV pricing is presented by the manufacturer and can change at any time.

Come experience URC Total Control in our San Diego showroom - TRC1080, TRC820 and iPad app

There is a lot of useful and FUN stuff that the pieces above can accomplish. Here's what URC's Total Control universal remotes can do for you and your family:

Simplify your audio/video systems: Tired of juggling 7 different remotes to make your surround sound operate? Is it a 50/50 proposition that your whole-house music will work when you try to turn it on? If so, you need URC Total Control. ONE remote will make everything in your system work flawlessly. Ex: You push the Total Control button listed "Cable TV" and your TV turns ON, audio/video receiver turns ON, satellite box turns ON, DVD player turns OFF (because the housekeeper accidentally turned it on), TV goes to the correct input, audio/video receiver goes to the right input, audio/video receiver goes to the correct sound mode and the URC remote now has all of your TV-watching functions such as your DVR, recorded list, etc. EASY! We also provide cheat sheets and off-site management with your system so if something isn't working as expected, we can take you through it on the phone.

Home Automation: Adding a URC Total Control system provides a "gateway" to home automation. URCs advanced processor allows you to add and integrate things such as:

1. Nest Thermostats
2. Lutron lighting
3. Ring doorbell cameras
4. Pool and jacuzzi controls
5. Sonos whole-house music systems

"Integrating" means that these elements all work in concert so you don't need to open 9 different apps to make your systems behave.

Ex: When you pull into your driveway, your whole-house music system goes to your favorite Pandora station, the lights turn on to the desired levels and the Jacuzzi starts heating up WITHOUT LIFTING A FINGER. This is home automation and the addition of URC Total Control allows for this.

Alexa Voice Control: URC Total Control and Alexa work in tandem to provide voice control for your surround sound systems, whole-house lighting and more. Make controlling your smart home a breeze without even touching a remote or iPad.

Ex: "Alexa...turn on Bob" triggers your lights on, turns on your surround sound system and fires up your Pandora Bob Marley station. For one of our particular clients with 8 children, having your hands free for other things is very convenient.

Like the idea of simplifying your smart home or adding smart home elements? Give us a call and let San Diego's URC Total Control dealer of choice show you what today's home automation can do for you. NOTE: We have this on display in our San Diego showroom. Call for an appointment.

San Diego URC Total Control dealer and home automation company proudly serves all of San Diego County especially the communities and cities of Central San Diego County which includes Del Cerro, Allied Gardens, Talmadge, Kensington, Hillcrest, Mission Valley, Fashion 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, Olivenhain, Escondido, Encinitas, Cardiff by the Sea, Solana Beach, Del Mar, Rancho Santa Fe, 4S Ranch, Santaluz, Alta Del Mar, La Jolla, Poway and Rancho Bernardo. We aren't forgetting about our East County friends in El Cajon, Blossom Valley, Lakeside and Alpine. Need help in Murrieta, Wildomar, Temecula, Fallbrook or Bonsall...we're there too.

Ring vs Nest - San Diego Ring and Nest Installers are here!

Which camera is better, the Nest Cam or the Ring Camera? To us, there really is no right or wrong answer.  Each security camera has its pros and cons compared to the other.  Figuring out what features are important to you is going to be the key factor in choosing one of these over another.  So I thought it would be nice to go over a few of the key features of each of these cameras for you. We have personal experience with both of these. I have a couple of the Nest Indoor Cams in my house and we have an installer here that has a couple of the Ring Cams at his home. I am simply going to compare these side-by-side and give you some important notes as needed.

 Alexa Home Automation - San Diego Universal Remote Control

What is this, the year 2419? Is this Buck Rogers technology? Voice control for our home theater systems? Ladies and gentlemen...it is here! Meet URC Total Control + Amazon Alexa.

A driver has just been completed by URC that allows you to speak to your surround sound system to control it (Universal Remote Control...they are the largest manufacturer of universal remotes in the world). A driver is the conduit that allows the Amazon Alexa pieces to "talk" to the URC universal remote pieces. For example, with and Amazon Alexa piece, the URC Total Control TRC-1080 universal remote and the URC MRX-8 processor, you can control your complicated audio/video system entirely just by saying:

"Alexa...turn on cable TV."

"Alexa...turn on Blu-Ray player."

"Alexa...turn off system."

"Alexa...turn on music throughout house."

We will be integrating this into our home theater showroom today and then taking appointments to display this technology afterward. Interested in how to make your audio/video system work reliably AND how to engage surround sound voice control? Call San Diego's Alexa home automation experts for a showing! We are San Diego's smart home, audio, video and home automation experts.

San Diego's home theater experts proudly serve all of San Diego County especially the communities and cities of Central San Diego County which includes Del Cerro, Allied Gardens, Talmadge, Kensington, Hillcrest, Mission Valley, Fashion 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, Olivenhain, Escondido, Encinitas, Cardiff by the Sea, Solana Beach, Del Mar, Rancho Santa Fe, 4S Ranch, Santaluz, La Jolla, Poway and Rancho Bernardo. We aren't forgetting about our East County friends in El Cajon, Blossom Valley, Lakeside and Alpine. Need help in Murrieta, Temecula or Wildomar? We're there too.