Is a Wireless Speaker System Really Wireless?

Wireless Home Theater Speaker Requirements

In a traditional wired speaker setup, both the soundtrack impulses and the power needed to make the loudspeaker work are passed through speaker wire connections from an amplifier.

However, in a wireless speaker setup, a transmitter is typically required to transmit the needed audio signals, and a receiver needs to be used to receive the wirelessly transmitted audio signals.

In this type of setup, the transmitter will need to be physically connected to preamp outputs on a receiver, or, in the case where you have a packaged home theater system that incorporates a built-in or plug-in wireless transmitter. This transmitter then sends the music/movie soundtrack information to a speaker or secondary amplifier that has a built-in wireless receiver.

However, another connection is needed to complete the process—power. Since power cannot be transmitted wirelessly, in order to produce the audio signal that is wirelessly transmitted so you can actually hear it, the speaker needs additional power in order to work.

What this means that the speaker still has to be physically attached to a power source and an amplifier. The amplifier may be built right into the speaker housing or, in some cases, the speakers are physically attached with speaker wire to an external amplifier that is powered by batteries or plugged into the house AC power source. Obviously, the battery option severely limits the ability of a wireless speaker to output adequate power over a long period of time.

When Wireless Is Not Really Wireless

One way that so-called wireless speakers are applied in some Home-Theater-in-a-Box Systems that tout wireless surround speakers is they simply have a separate amplifier module for the surround speakers.

In other words, the main receiver unit has a built-in amplifier that physically connects to the left, center, and right front speakers, but has a transmitter that sends the surround sound signals to another amplifier module that is placed in the back of the room. The surround speakers are then connected by wire to the second amplifier module in the back of the room. In other words, you have not eliminated any wires, you have just relocated where they go. Of course, the second amplifier still needs to be connected to an AC power outlet, so you have actually added that.

So, in a wireless speaker setup, you may have eliminated the long wires that typically go from the signal source, such as a stereo or home theater receiver, but you still need to connect the so-called wireless speaker to its own power source, and, in most cases, a secondary amplifier module, in order for it to actually produce sound.

This can also limit speaker placement as the distance from an available AC power outlet then becomes a major concern. You may still need a rather long AC power cord if a convenient AC outlet is not nearby.

Why Invest in High End Surround Sound?

Hearing every little sound is important when you invest in a home theater system.

When you are looking into making a purchase, a surround sound speaker system is always a smart move. Take a look at some of the benefits of this investment:

• Multiple Speakers – When you watch a movie through a surround sound system, you will be hearing the sound through multiple speakers. If it is mixed properly and is available in surround sound, you’ll be full immersed in the sounds happening on the screen as if they are happening around you.
• Hear More Frequencies – Did you ever wonder what the “.1” in 5.1, 6.1, or 7.1 surround sound is? That’s the subwoofer. This additional speaker is there to play the lower frequencies that you wouldn’t hear in typical 2-channel sound systems – allowing you to both hear and feel the action.
• Moveable Systems – Just because you set up the speakers a certain way, it does not mean that you have to keep them in the same space! The wonderful thing about any system is that you can move the speakers as needed, giving you complete control over your home theater experience.

When you are prepared to invest in new surround sound home theater systems, you can rest assured that the team and SpaceCoast AV can help you. We offer both commercial and residential system services in East Central Florida area and the surrounding areas.

 

Six benefits to home automation technology

Homeowners are reaping the benefits of new home automation technologies

Until recently, the idea of home automation was relatively unfamiliar to most people. However, as more products and technologies become more easily accessible, homeowners across the country are upgrading their homes.

So what is home automation? Simply put, home automation puts control of basic home systems and appliances into the hands of the homeowner and provides access from a remote point like a smartphone app, or at a centralized unit inside the home. Just like some of the futuristic technology seen on television in shows like The Jetson’s or Star Trek, it’s now possible to control things like your home temperature, lighting, and even security systems with the touch of a screen, the swipe of a finger and the sound of your voice.

If the idea of a smart, automated home sounds too techy for your tastes, or you think these kinds of products probably cost an arm and a leg, think again. The future is now and it’s completely accessible. Plus, there are a lot of hidden benefits to automating your home that you might not have thought about before.

6 Benefits to Home Automation

1. Security

Tap your finger to turn on the lights when you get home so you worried about what’s hiding in the shadows, or in your pathways. Or automate to turn on when you aren’t home to look like you are to ward off potential robbers. Door locks are another automated home product that can increase your home security.

Worried that the kids didn’t lock the doors before they ran off to play? Or that someone will discover your not-so-secret hiding place for the extra key? Take control of your home safety from a simple app. With some products, you can even get an alert every time someone enters your home.

2. Energy Efficiency

Increase your home’s energy efficiency by remotely powering off systems and appliances when they aren’t in use. In addition to the standard home automation products that give you active control, some products actively monitor systems and arm the homeowner with knowledge, insight and guidance to achieve greater control and energy efficiency.

3. Savings

Home automation literally pays off. When you are able to use home systems and appliances only when needed, the savings will be apparent in the first utility bill. No more wasting money on lights left on when you aren’t home, or spending money on gas to drive home because you forgot to lock the door. Monetary savings are apparent, but you’ll also be saving time. No wasted trips home, no running through the house turning everything off, no time spent worrying about what was or wasn’t turned off.

4. Convenience

Don’t you hate having to rely on neighbors to watch your house when you’re gone? With home automation, convenient control of your home is at your fingertips. You don’t have to trust someone else with your most valued possessions.

5. Comfort

Ever leave for work in the morning when it was a comfortable 68° outside only to come home to a sweltering house because the temperature shot up to 90°? Connected home products like the Sensi Wi-Fi Thermostats let you conveniently adjust your home temperature from the mobile app so your family is always comfortable.

6. Peace of Mind

One of the biggest hidden benefits that comes with home automation is peace of mind. No more worrying if you turned of the lights, locked the door or turned off the television. For people who have a lot on their plates, being able to easily check these items off the to-do list and stop the obsessive worrying, home automation is reassuring and definitely worth the investment.

http://www.scavcom.com

What’s the Point of HDMI?

With HDMI, it’s about copy protection. But let’s first address that coax jack. The coaxial cable input on a TV’s back panel is provided to connect an antenna designed to pull in digital TV broadcasts. A tuner inside the TV then demodulates the signal, stripping audio/video from the radio frequency carrier. Next, the MPEG-compressed A/V stream is decoded so that your TV can display it.

With digital cable, the process is similar, except a different modulation method is used to convey signals over the cable TV system’s wired network to your cable box.

Once HD signals are decoded by your cable, satellite, or other-type receiver, the uncompressed video and audio gets routed to an HDMI output. Those signals are then encrypted using a DRM (Digital Rights Management) scheme called HDCP (High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection). For the source device to pass the signals, a handshake must occur with he receiving device. This process creates a secure digital connection that prevents any content from being copied.

 

 

Got a tech question for SpaceCoast Audio Visual? Email us at  ask_the_AV_Pros@scavcom.com

The 5 Primary Benefits of HDBaseT

Did You know that HDBaseT is the global standard for the transmission of ultra-high-definition video & audio, Ethernet, controls, USB and up to 100W of power over a single, long-distance, cable.

In addition to using a standardized RJ-45 connector and twisted pair cabling, HDBaseT includes several other features to enhance the HDMI standard.

The entire bundle is marketed as 5Play and includes:

• Uncompressed high definition video
• The same audio formats supported by HDMI
• A variety of options for device control
• 100BaseT Ethernet
• Additional DC power over the same cable.

Here’s a quick review of each of the features…http://bit.ly/2nSvlYO

What is AV Communications

The mode of communication has really changed over the past few decades. What was back then communicated through radio or written word can now be communicated across the world through wireless. Technology has given such an edge over the accepted forms of communication that we no longer need the most basic forms of communication. It is a generally accepted fact, in this day and age, even calling people has become redundant; most people only communicate via text message or in serious cases, through video conferencing. The mode of communication that combines the spoken word with live video or streaming is known as audiovisual communication and this form of communication is the most widely used in today’s world in various areas.

There are many reasons as to why this mode of communication is now the most popular in today’s media and culture. Scientifically, it has been proven that people retain information better when the visual cue is aided by an auditory cue. In a meta-analysis, it was found out that only auditory cues yielded ten percent information retention and only visual cues yielded thirty-five percent information retention. When combined, the information retention number went up to an astonishing 65 percent! Hence, this approach is used mostly in video conferencing or lectures. Another important reason is that communication cannot be only be limited to words and language; the kind of tone you speak in, your facial movement and gestures, everything combines in the end to produce a result that makes for effective communication. So the importance of this mode of communication lies in the clarity of it. Thirdly, we can consider how much time audio visual communication takes. What previously could take up to weeks and months through written correspondence, now only takes minutes to relay information across borders and oceans. Lastly, in a world where we are constantly bombarded with information, it can be difficult to hold our attention for too long. For this reason, when you combine audio and visual, you create an engaging and effective mode of communication that is difficult to ignore. Because the visual cue is accompanied by an auditory cue, the listener naturally has to participate to focus.

An important question that we can ask ourselves is that where is audio visual communication used? The answers are varied. When you present any content using multimedia tools, you are using this mode of communication. Lectures are a form of this communication and so is video conferencing. Secondly, there are technical experts who develop audio visual software, much like the popular application Skype. Audio Visual Design is a very important component to consider when we talk about this particular form of communication. There are numerous firms and companies that have these specialist designers who help build audio visual programs to ensure that communication is done without any hang ups and conveys maximum clarity. Different companies can hire these firms to design their systems and this is generally recommended because having a conferencing system of your own can really help a business grow.

Behind the Curtain of Wireless Speakers

Wireless Home Theater Speaker Requirements

In a traditional wired speaker setup, both the soundtrack impulses and the power needed to make the loudspeaker work are passed through speaker wire connections from an amplifier.

 
However, in a wireless speaker setup, a transmitter is typically required to transmit the needed audio signals, and a receiver needs to be used to receive the wirelessly transmitted audio signals.
In this type of setup, the transmitter will need to be physically connected to preamp outputs on a receiver, or, in the case where you have a packaged home theater system that incorporates a built-in or plug-in wireless transmitter. This transmitter then sends the music/movie soundtrack information to a speaker or secondary amplifier that has a built-in wireless receiver.
However, another connection is needed to complete the process—power. Since power cannot be transmitted wirelessly, in order to produce the audio signal that is wirelessly transmitted so you can actually hear it, the speaker needs additional power in order to work.
What this means that the speaker still has to be physically attached to a power source and an amplifier. The amplifier may be built right into the speaker housing or, in some cases, the speakers are physically attached with speaker wire to an external amplifier that is powered by batteries or plugged into the house AC power source. Obviously, the battery option severely limits the ability of a wireless speaker to output adequate power over a long period of time.
When Wireless Is Not Really Wireless
One way that so-called wireless speakers are applied in some Home-Theater-in-a-Box Systems that tout wireless surround speakers is they simply have a separate amplifier module for the surround speakers.
In other words, the main receiver unit has a built-in amplifier that physically connects to the left, center, and right front speakers, but has a transmitter that sends the surround sound signals to another amplifier module that is placed in the back of the room. The surround speakers are then connected by wire to the second amplifier module in the back of the room. In other words, you have not eliminated any wires, you have just relocated where they go. Of course, the second amplifier still needs to be connected to an AC power outlet, so you have actually added that.
So, in a wireless speaker setup, you may have eliminated the long wires that typically go from the signal source, such as a stereo or home theater receiver, but you still need to connect the so-called wireless speaker to its own power source, and, in most cases, a secondary amplifier module, in order for it to actually produce sound.
This can also limit speaker placement as the distance from an available AC power outlet then becomes a major concern. You may still need a rather long AC power cord if a convenient AC outlet is not nearby.

 

SpaceCoast AV: Improving Quality of Life

What you do reveals what you value most.  At SpaceCoast AV Communications, we have a well-defined set of core values that every employee at every level has bought into.  These values show you what you can expect from doing business with us.  In the interests of transparency and accountability, we’d like to share those with you here, so you know what drives us and what you can expect from every interaction with a SpaceCoast AV Communications Ambassador.

1. God – we will honor our maker with our work, our attitudes, our decisions, and especially how we treat others.
2. Integrity – we seek to have integrity in all that we do; to do what we say we will do.
3. A Gold Standard in both products and service, to both suppliers and end users.
4. Excellence in all that we do – we will continually work to become better, to do better, to achieve more.
5. Motivated and motivating – We will work as a team to encourage both our in-house employees and outside partners and customers to do and become all they were created to be

With today’s fast paced and integrated lifestyles of Live/Work/Play/Shop most of us come to realize that the internal fulfillment we dreamed of growing up doesn’t come from any particular aspect of our life’s work. We know it’s a bigger issue than a position, a job, a nameplate or spot in the corporate hierarchy.

We want to know that in our life we are accomplishing something significant, don’t we? For example, we want to accomplish more with that big chunk of our lives than simply paying the bills. While this is an admirable and responsible goal, the need for it to have some kind of lasting significance seems to be a pretty universal need in humans.

At SpaceCoast AV Communications, we’re no different. We really do want to improve your quality of life – not just to sell you a product or service. Like anyone else, we often struggle between the competing priorities of running a profitable business and giving our customers the best value possible. However, we do feel like we’re somewhat unique in that, in addition to our corporate mission statement, we also operate from a common spiritual mission statement. We believe only the Biblical message adequately addresses the struggle for significance that most of us face in our personal and professional lives.

The Solution to a Universal Problem

The opening pages of the Bible describe the ancient circumstances that resulted in our present reality. In the event commonly referred to as “The Fall,” Adam and Eve rebelled against God, resulting in a corruption of the entire world. Not only would humans grow old, get sick, and die, but now we have a nasty (and visible) tendency toward self-destructive thoughts and habits. You see this clearly at work or on the evening news. Personal relationships suffer from this corruption, leaving us feeling isolated and alone, and our work often feels totally meaningless.

This is the fate the Fall doomed us all to. But there is reason to hope for something more. God sent His Son to reverse all this, and in the end, the world will be remade as God always intended it to be. Human relationships will be restored, peace and justice will be universal, and our days will be spent in doing things that truly have lasting significance both for us and for those around us. This last part is often overlooked in the Gospel message, but it’s undeniably there.

For us, this changes how we think about what we do here and now. We are in business not just to support our families, but because we feel like this provides a medium to in some way fulfill God’s command to make the world a little more like its original ideal.

What This Means:

1. We will do everything we can to find the best solution for you, in order to make your integrated lifestyle as good as possible. We will deal with you in an honest and forthright manner and in every case, we will do our best to balance meeting your needs in a cost-effective way with the financial realities of running a successful business. We do not believe these are mutually exclusive, but are actually complimentary goals, since a successful business seeks the highest good of its customers. Con artists don’t typically stay in business long.
2. Since we are committed to your “highest good,” we would also love the chance to help you improve your “inner environment,” as well – to help you discover the meaning and purpose we have begun to find through Christ’s new creation project in each of us. It’s not that we have it all together all the time, and we won’t do this perfectly. But we’re trying. In the meantime, we ask for your patience with us.

We sincerely appreciate your business and look forward to helping you get the most out of your integrated lifestyles, at Home, at Work, at Play and even while you shop.

SpaceCoast AV Communications

321-257-9700

Guarantee the Success of Your Next Project

When is a project a success? When it’s done? When you’re paid? When you have not had call backs? When you’re not sued?!

For us, it’s when the customer is happy. We’ve given them something that has made their day-to-day job easier to do, their integrated home audio visual entertainment system works and they have a smile on their faces when they see us.

A project of any size and scope can be viewed as having five (5) basic steps. Executed with proper prior planning will ensure your next project is a success.

1. Conception and initiation
2. Definition and planning
3. Launch or execution
4. Project Performance and Control
5. Project Close

At anytime during a project, the entire thing has the potential to explode in to a project manager’s worst nightmare…When or if the time comes for you to pull a rabbit out of a hat so that everyone involved is happy, always remember, first and foremost…COMMUNICATION.

So, what can you do to ensure your next project a success? It will take communication, managing expectations, trained team members and communication.  It’s all about communication.

9 Proven Ways to Narrow the Communication Gap

Technology is only half of the Solution, using our words wisely, both written and spoken is the other part of the solution to effectively communicating.

One of the biggest challenges any of us face in our careers and maybe even personally, is communicating effectively. Sub-standard communication or lack of it altogether, can severely damage or hold back an organization or an individual.

In the business of Audio Visual Communications, there are numerous potential pitfalls in the regard, ranging from improper cable selection and management to not being clear with your team members to bad instructions from those above us– many more. Communication builds relationships and all business is about relationships. With that in mind, let’s look at a short list of “best practices”.

1. Determine a clear sense of logic before starting the communication process. What are the priorities? Who is the intended audience? Is there anything they need to know before the next part of the message? This will be helpful in paring away unneeded bits while making sure the important stuff is included and emphasized.
2. Treat your vendors like customers. Pretty simple right, but in my experience over the years, I haven’t seen it happening as often as it probably should. Basically, if we can’t treat our vendors the same way we would want to be treated as customers, we’re missing out on a host of benefits. How would you like to be addressed? Do the same to your vendors. What information would you need if you were on the other end of the phone or email? And, it almost goes without saying that we should do the same thing when communicating with our clients. (Right?)
3. Keep in mind that various forms of communication are better (or worse) for certain purposes. Face-to-Face is still the best way to communicate with someone, and some of the reasons are interesting. For one thing, non-verbal cues like body language and facial expressions are shared and understood. But another, more sublet thing with any technology based communication method is that humans are extremely sensitive to timing. Certainly, we’ve all been frustrated by cell phone conversations where there’s a noticeable delay and /or dropouts. It can drive us nuts when we can’t seem to “get in the flow” of the conversation. As it turns out, people can perceive timing discrepancies in a conversation well below 1 millisecond (a thousandth of a second). Video conferencing lets us see and hear each other, although the timing might be slightly off due to latency. And there’s no personal handshake or hug at the end that can add affirmation of what has been discussed. On the phone, we can at least hear the nuances and inflections in each others’ voices. Way down the list is email, which is devoid of all these subtleties. In other words, we should focus and take care to generate written communications that are straightforward, along with following common grammar and spelling conventions as much as possible. One problem is that folks don’t seem to want to take the time to do this anymore and on the other side, sometimes they don’t want to take the time to thoroughly read an entire message. Which leads us to:

4. Keep the communication direct and to the point. We’ve probably experienced times when a carefully written email with 17 important points receives a one-sentence response that only addresses the first point. If you’re like me, you want to reach through your computer screen and strangle someone when that happens. But is it their fault? It’s taught me to be very economical with words and ideas and prioritize them from most to least important right out of the gate. Read through the whole doggone email before responding! Maybe read it twice! Also, if it’s a thread, try reading the whole thing to get valuable context. There have been many times I’ve fallen into the trap of just reading the tip message and not knowing all of the background before responding. Oops!
5.  Texting can be a great way to reach someone immediately and hopefully get a quick response, but it has drawbacks. There’s no convenient way to store the information offline. Some devices don’t attach dates/times to messages, so it can be difficult to figure out a timeline if needed. It’s also not good for longer messages.
6. With in-person, video conference and phone conversations, be careful not to “listen to reply” This is a common problem and often makes things worse than better. In other words, take the time and put in the effort to listen…carefully. An old school technique is to reply first by summarizing what was said before adding new information. This can sometimes be overdone but the idea is still valid.
7. Conclude the conversation or meeting with a summary of what was decided, and who’s going to do what. We have no doubt all been in countless meetings where this doesn’t’ happen because everyone assumes that everyone else heard what we heard, and plans to act upon the information in the same way we plan to act. Way too often this isn’t the case, and besides it never hurts to have a five minute summary conversation. And don’t forget to take notes!
8. Be Timely. No one wants to receive valuable information about the next day’s important gig at midnight. At the same time, sending a message too early can also be problematic, because the information can be easily forgotten.
9. Finally, we need to keep our egos in check and remember that we were all once eager, starry eyed young people looking up to our elders in the industry and lapping up every utterance. We vividly remember those who treated us well and those who did not. It’s important to treat others with the respect and humility and the best way to do this is with clear, consistent, logical communication in whatever form that makes the most sense for the situation at hand.

Think about all the great quotes on the internet that seem to capture some really important concepts in just a few words…and the impact they make when you read them. Now imagine yourself doing this every time you had to convey a message to your team…imagine the awesome impact!