Here’s How to Achieve the Best Technology Integrations in Orange County

Imagine redefining the essence of home living in the heart of Orange County. Anaheim Hills homeowners are transforming their daily routines by incorporating cutting-edge audiovisual solutions that blend seamlessly into living spaces.

The new features seamlessly incorporate the latest advancements into daily life. They enable immersive experiences with a simple tap or voice command. Spending time in the house just became a lot more exciting!

This blog explores how custom AV systems are doing so much more than merely entertaining people! Learn how high-end audio/video setups are becoming a crucial part of a modern California lifestyle below.

The Top Benefits of a Professionally Designed Home Cinema

Finding time to unwind and enjoy a movie or your favorite TV show can be a rare luxury. That's why bringing a professional home theater design to your home is key in enhancing your home entertainment experience. Beyond the prominent perk of watching movies in the comfort of your own home, there are several compelling benefits to investing in a high-quality home theater design!

Want to learn more about how upgrading your Irvine, CA, home theater setup benefits you? Keep reading.

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT ENHANCING THE VISUALS IN YOUR HOME THEATER

Welcome to our guide on achieving the best video quality in your home theater installation! As an AV installer, I aim to deliver captivating visuals when watching movies, TV shows, or sports. Transforming your living space into a cinematic haven requires careful consideration of various factors related to video performance.

In this blog, I will highlight what matters most in achieving the best video quality possible in your theater. We'll delve into resolution and refresh rates, contrast and black levels, and calibration. By understanding these essential aspects, you'll appreciate how we maximize the potential of your home theater system in San Juan Capistrano, CA. 

A Multi-Room Music System Delivers High-Fidelity Sound to Every Room

As Steve Martin said, “Talking about music is like dancing about architecture.” And yet, here we are, discussing multi-room music. While words can't convey the auditory experience, we'll give it our best shot in hopes you can glimpse the miraculous world a whole-home audio system brings to your home in Anaheim Hills, CA.

Here’s one thing we know—after incorporating multi-room music, you’ll be amazed at the breathtaking sounds that fill your home and wonder how you ever lived without it. Let’s explore the makings of a distributed audio system.

Bring Your Vision to Life with Launch Systems’ Home Theater Design Team

Like most things, it's difficult to know what you're missing until you experience it. However, when it happens, the world opens up with something new and wonderful, and you kick yourself for not enjoying it sooner. Many of our clients feel this way about their smart homes. Almost all our clients experience this slight pang of regret and exhilaration regarding their home theaters. 

Let’s look at the latest home theater design technologies and why homeowners in Huntington Beach, CA, and Orange County are no longer waiting to experience the ultimate in home entertainment. 

SEE ALSO: Architectural High-End Speakers Offer Invisible High-Fidelity Sound 

In the Hands of Experts

One goal true experts in home theater design maintain is creating a space that suspends the viewer's disbelief, transporting them to another place in time. This commitment to the ultimate immersive viewing experience makes a home theater go from good to breathtaking. 

You’re no longer lying in a chaise lounge or sitting in a leather recliner. Instead, you’re in the middle of a rainforest with the howler monkeys surrounding you or on the 50-yard line, hearing the quarterback’s countdown before the ball’s snapped. The feeling is the same whether you’re enjoying a movie, your favorite series, a video game, or a sporting event.

Where Elegance and Entertainment Meet

No matter how good the picture on your TV is, it doesn’t change the design of the TV itself. When not in use, TVs take up wall space, and the large black box can distract from your room's carefully curated design. They might provide great entertainment, but traditional TVs can be a bit of an eye-sore when not in use.

That’s why Samsung came up with The Frame. This TV doesn’t only provide a spectacular viewing experience. It also doubles as a piece of art or photo. So when not used to watch a show or movie, you can use it to display your favorite images that will elevate your Anaheim Hills, CA home’s beauty, not take away from it. Keep reading to learn more about how a Samsung art TV installation can enhance your home’s style.

SEE ALSO: Let Ketra Lighting Transform Every Living Space!

Art Display

Plenty of art is bought and sold digitally nowadays. You can upload your digital art collection and display it on The Frame. And no worries if you haven’t already curated a digital art collection. You can browse the art shop, which contains professionally curated and organized pieces you can purchase. You’re bound to find a piece you like that will complement your home’s design.

Show Your Memories

In addition to showing curated art pieces, you can also display your favorite memories. Upload your favorite family photos, and you can use The Frame like a digital photo album. You can even display multiple images with a matte background to make them stand out. In addition, the Frame can store up to 1,200 images uploaded from your phone or a Flash Drive, so you can always switch back and forth between photos.

Launch Systems is the Orange County Leader in Home Entertainment

The local cineplex just doesn’t have the same appeal as it used to, especially with the many social and economic changes we’ve experienced since early 2020. Instead of dealing with chatty strangers that pull out their phones and don’t respect the “No Talking” rules, bring the entertainment to your Newport Beach, CA home!

With a customized home theater design and installation from the professionals at Launch Systems, you’ll be able to enjoy your favorite streaming and cable TV shows along with the latest feature films and, of course, the classics, too! Keep reading to discover four fun additions you can consider for your very own personal cinema experience in Orange County!

SEE ALSO: Don’t Let Social Distancing Get You Down – Socialize in Your Home Theater

Seating

Our home theater design team assesses your entertainment space to determine the best AV and seating locations. Perfectly placed seating in luxurious fabrics ensures viewers are not only comfortable, but they can see and hear the action on the screen in stunning clarity and detail without squinting or being overloaded with the sound and picture. Too shiny fabrics would reflect too much light, while dense, matte materials would be better suited for the space.

Acoustic Treatment

Sound is made up of waves, and as sound waves exit speakers, they are known to bounce around the room and cause sound distortion. That’s why seating fabric is important, like we mentioned above, but it’s also important to consider digital room correction software and acoustic panels for your home entertainment areas. Acoustic panel materials vary in the amount of sound they absorb, and every space is different, so it’s essential to work with a professional instead of simply tacking them to your wall wherever you’d like.

Don’t Forget These Small Yet Important Details When Designing Your High-End Audio System

A music playlist can change the feel of any situation. Relaxing, cool jazz sets the mood for a romantic dinner for two, while fast-paced metal beats keep your blood pumping during a cardio session in your home gym. To experience life with a stellar soundtrack in your Huntington Beach, CA, home, high-end speakers and an expertly designed home audio system are required. High-performance amplifiers, speakers, and cabling are all necessary to enjoy the best possible audio experience in your Orange County home, but there are three often-overlooked components of home audio that you shouldn’t ignore. Read on below to learn three small details you can incorporate into your whole-home audio system for a more enjoyable listening experience.

SEE ALSO: Are High-End Speakers Worth It?  

Room Correction

Sound waves can reflect off of surfaces or absorb into fabrics. Taking the room's physical makeup into consideration when designing your home audio system ensures music, TV, movies, podcasts, and your other favorite audio entertainment sounds clear with no distortion. To further combat possible echoes and audio issues, digital room correction technology can improve the listening experience. Many high-end speaker systems incorporate digital room correction functions that includes internal software and microphones. When a sound is emitted, the software then measures the response time for the sound to return. A digital filter is then placed over the audio waves to combat distortion and improve sound quality. If you were to change your room's layout, you would need to rerun digital room correction to combat sound absorption and reflection in the room adequately.  

Surge Protection

In California, homeowners are no stranger to electrical outages and planned power grid failures, especially during wildfire season. Even though some outages are planned, those that aren't can have catastrophic consequences on the electronics in your home. To protect your high-end equipment, you need surge protection. During an outage or power surge, a surge protector reroutes extra energy so that it does not harm your devices. Over time, multiple surges can wear down your equipment. Robust protection is required to protect your technology investments for years to come.  

Home Network

With the rise in audio and video streaming’s popularity, your home’s internet connection is increasingly important. Slow music downloads and buffering icons during movies are just two mild annoyances that can stem from a poorly designed or underpowered home network. The experts at Launch Systems can create a system that triages your internet traffic, dedicating bandwidth where and when it matters most. Your music and movies won’t lag when you’ve addressed your home network!   Home audio is more than high-end speakers, and it requires an attention to detail that only the professionals at Launch Systems can provide. Connect with us using this online form so we can help get you started!    

The Design of Your California Home Theater Can Encourage Relationships from Afar

Like much of the rest of the country, Californians are abiding by shelter-in-place orders for the sake of social distancing. Many of us in Huntington Beach, CA, miss spending time with our friends and family members outdoors, going shopping, attending concerts, and more. If you’re missing out on all of the usual friends and family gatherings, why not make the best of the situation by using your home theater design in new, exciting – and social – ways? Read on to learn three ways to stay social in your home theater or media room while sheltering-in-place.

SEE ALSO: 2 Top Home Theater Design Trends from CEDIA 2019

Video Games

If you’re a big PlayStation or Xbox fan, then you know just how fun it can be playing your games on a sizeable ultra-high definition screen. Even better, your surround sound speakers can fully immerse you in the action of a shoot-em-up style game. With the tap of a button on a smart remote, you can also dim the lighting and lower the motorized shades for a truly riveting experience. If you add a headset, then you’ll be able to play with your friends, too!

Netflix Party

You’re staying at home, your friends are staying at home, and your family is staying at home, only in separate locations. Bring everyone together by something you all are already doing – watching Netflix. You can screencast whatever show or movie you’re watching from your browser to your high-definition TV and chat live with the rest of your friends while you all watch the same thing! You can take the Netflix party a step further by using a video conferencing tool like Zoom to see your family as they watch along.

Family Zoom and Google Hangouts Visits

Once you’re done watching Netflix with the gang, you can use your large TV display to have a conference call in your very own home theater. You can use an app like Zoom or Google Hangouts to have a live video chat with your friends while maintaining a state-mandated social distance of six feet. Keeping in touch with friends and family can help you keep your spirits up during a stressful time that many of us are experiencing.   While you’re spending more time indoors, be sure to make the most of your home theater design. Launch Systems can help – call us today at (949) 515-7030 or connect with us online. We look forward to working with you.

Music to Every Room of the House with a Simple Tap of a Button

When you’re designing a home for your Newport Beach-area clients, you may often need to persuade them to incorporate specific features and technologies into their homes. Not only are you helping your clients future-proof their homes for years to come,  you also want your clients to enjoy their comfortable and inviting California homes, too. One technology you can bring to your clients’ homes is multi-room music. Let them fill the entire house with virtually any music in the world with a quick finger tap on a smart device, remote or in-wall touch screen. Read on to learn how multi-room music technology can improve your Newport Beach, CA clients’ homes.

SEE ALSO: Enjoy Music Everywhere with New Products from Sonos

Room Zones

The entire home can be divided into smaller zones of home audio. If the kids want to listen to their favorite music in the upstairs media room while the parents want to listen to relaxing music as they prepare dinner together in the kitchen, the same system can easily control both zones separately. If the homeowners throw a large party, then every zone of the home can be enlisted to provide an entertaining playlist. From the outdoor entertainment spaces to the living room to the dining room, party music can play from every speaker zone in their home. What homeowner wouldn’t love that?

Easy to Control

A multi-room music system is simple to control with a tap. You can assess your client’s preferences for control during the build process so you can adequately wire the home or simply use wireless options. On-wall touch screens, remotes and smart devices can all be used to control the system, too. Homeowners can even use their favorite voice control assistant to adjust volume, skip to the next song and more.

Integrates with The Rest of The Home

When integrated with a Control4 home automation system, multi-room music is just the beginning. An automation system can incorporate lighting control, home theater systems, the HVAC and more into one easy to control operation system. Scenes can also be created, offering the ultimate in comfort and convenience. Imagine saying, “Alexa, good morning” or tapping a Good Morning button on a brushed metal keypad that matches the interior décor perfectly. This could initiate a sequence of soft, relaxing music playing in the bedroom and motorized shades raising to allow natural sunlight into the room. What a great way to start the day! If you’re ready to learn more about multi-room music for your Newport Beach, CA clients, call us today at (949) 515-7030 or use our online contact form. We can’t wait to help you better serve your clients.

Now is the Perfect Time to Consider a TV and Sound System Upgrade

Super Bowl LIV is right around the corner, along with a new year of possibilities. As you consider your 2020 goals, why not include a plan for upgrading your home theater or media room so you’re able to throw the biggest and best Super Bowl party out of all your friends in Newport Beach, CA. With ultra-high-definition TV displays and surround sound, everyone will be able to enjoy a high-quality viewing experience in your home. Launch Systems is your home audio/video expert in Newport Beach and the surrounding areas. Keep reading to get a breakdown of some new AV basics to consider for your upcoming Super Bowl party!

SEE ALSO: Here are 3 Way to Hide a TV in Plain Sight

Great Picture

There are a variety of options on the market to choose from to enjoy big-screen action, and deciding which type of TV display for your audio/video system upgrade can be confusing. Typically, you’d want to consider an LED or OLED variety of TV display, and the difference mainly stems from how the pixels are illuminated. OLED options provide deeper shadows and brighter highlights; each pixel can illuminate or turn off individually. This is perfect for dark scenes and movie watching. OLED is also excellent for wider seating arrangements because the viewing angles don’t degrade up to 84 degrees. LED TVs include zones of LED that can be dimmed or backlit independently for inky blacks, accurate detailing and realistic brightness. Pixels are backlit, and specific areas of the screen can be controlled to offer the best picture of the game available. LED TVs don’t have as wide a viewing angle, so if your entertainment space is wider, this may not be the best option.

High-Performance Sound

Ensure everyone at the party of the big game hears every bit of the action! You can incorporate floor standing speakers, wall-mounted speakers and even architectural speakers into your audio system upgrade. All can provide excellent sound for every bit of gameplay or an announcer’s dialogue. You simply need to decide what style suits your interior design scheme best. You can also incorporate a mix of each – it’s up to you! A one-size-fits-all solution won’t do for your next Super Bowl party. Launch Systems will show you the options available during your consultation, then design an audio/video system unique and perfect for your Newport Beach, CA home.   No matter which team sees victory at the Super Bowl, your Super Bowl party will be the best on the block, and your friends are sure to enjoy their time with clear TV displays and riveting sound. Call Launch Systems today at (949) 515-7030 or contact us using this form to get started on your entertainment space in the new year.

Hidden TV Solutions for Your California Home Look Great – or Hide Away – As You Need

Your technology and your interior design don’t need to compete for aesthetics or space in your Newport Beach, CA, home. Hidden TV solutions have come a long way in recent years, and there’s no need to sacrifice style for video quality, or vice-versa. Hidden TV solutions can mask themselves as exciting pieces of artwork, hide within furniture and mirrors, and even roll away into the ceiling. Keep reading this blog to learn more about these sneaky technology solutions.

SEE ALSO: 2 Top Home Theater Design Trends from CEDIA Expo 2019

A Work of Art

Imagine adding 4K ultra-high-definition artwork to the walls of your home. It may sound a bit odd at first, but with the Samsung Frame TV, you can do just that andhave a high-performance TV in your home when it’s not serving as art. You could even incorporate the Samsung Frame TV into a gallery wall in your Newport Beach home, surrounding the TV with prints and portraits of your family and friends. This smart TV will quite literally blend into your home until you’re ready to showcase it. All you need to do is go from Art Mode to TV Mode using a remote.

Pop-Up Lifts

Imagine hiding away a TV in a cabinet or credenza with a pop-up motorized lift that brings your display into your sightline when you need it. You can even mount the TV into your ceiling and watch as it descends for viewing with the tap of a button. The ceiling is also a suitable space for a home theater roll-away projection screen or mounted projector. When it’s not time to watch your favorite shows and movies, these lifts and screens are discreetly tucked away into their storage compartments.

Mirror, Mirror on the Wall

You can even integrate a hidden TV solution into your bathroom, kitchen, or bedroom mirror. At first glance, the mirror has a perfectly clear reflection – you wouldn’t be able to detect it! With the press of a button, though, you can activate this space-saving TV that sits behind the glass of the mirror and comes in a variety of size options. You can even incorporate wall controls and motion sensors in the space for easy operation. You could catch up on the news and weather in the morning while you get ready for work or watch an episode of your favorite show while you get ready for a big night out.   Want to learn more about the hidden TV solutions possible in your Newport Beach, CA home? Call us today or use our online form here to get started. We can’t wait to hear from you.

Launch Systems is Your Laguna Beach-Area Home Theater Design Professional

When one of your clients asks for a custom home theater, what do you do? Hopefully, you don’t scour YouTube on the best products and DIY solutions to provide your clients. A DIY home theater would likely cause your client (and yourself) a headache. When your clients inquire about home theaters, you should work with a professional home theater designer because we know the latest home entertainment trends. Plus, we can design a dedicated home theater that works great on its own or one that integrates seamlessly with the rest of the Laguna Beach home’s automation solutions – lighting control, motorized window treatments and more. Avoid the headaches and unhappy clients by working with Launch Systems. Keep reading this blog to learn what type of custom home theater solutions a design specialist can provide your clients.

SEE ALSO: Why Make the Switch from Manual to Motorized Window Treatments?

Stunning Visuals & Sound

A great image makes or breaks a custom home theater. Why would anyone want to visit for movie night if the screen is small or pixelated? Your clients have a variety of preferences – from hidden, roll-away projection screens to TV screens that become artwork when not in use. A home theater design specialist will know what products produce the best image quality while also fitting into the design preferences of your clients. In addition to a beautiful image, clients need great audio. A design specialist can ensure speakers become a dramatic focal point in the space or remain unseen, installed into the walls of your Laguna Beach clients’ home. A home theater’s sound system can also tie-in with a more extensive whole-home audio system, easy to control with the tap of a button on a smartphone, universal remote, or in-wall touch panel. By working with a designer, your clients’ home will allow movie nights to come to life, but they can come to life effortlessly.

Integrates with Home Automation

Imagine walking to the home theater from the kitchen with a bowl of popcorn in-hand, saying, “Alexa, turn on Movie Night.” Your clients can situate themselves on their custom-designed home theater seating as their  smart lighting dims and motorized window treatments lower to create the perfect mood for a successful movie night. The roll-away projection screen will lower as the projector turns on, and Netflix is at the ready for a movie selection. Your clients won’t be bothered by clunky remotes or need to walk to the light switch to dim the lights just-so.   Avoid DIY-disaster and make your clients happy by working with a professionally trained home theater design specialist like Launch Systems. We’d be glad to schedule a no-obligation consultation, so call us today at (949) 515-7030 or fill out our contact form to get started. We can’t wait to work with you and your clients.

Wellness Centers & Stunning 8K OLED

The annual CEDIA Expo returned to Denver earlier this month. Full of innovative home technologies and product launches, the Custom Electronic Design & Installation Association put on a great show as they always do. Some of our favorite companies debuted new products and exciting updates, and we also noticed a few exciting new trends. In this blog, we’ll cover two interesting home theater design trends we saw at the Expo. Keep reading to learn about two new home theater trends you can potentially incorporate into your own Irvine, CA home.

SEE ALSO: Why You Should Have Control4 Automation in Your Home  

Home Theaters as Wellness Spaces

Gone are the days of having spaces in your home serve one sole purpose. Modern families want to spend time together, and they also want to make the most of the space in their homes. Instead of utilizing one area of your home solely for movies and TV watching, the new trend is to use the home theater space as a dual-purpose wellness space in your home. Sounds a bit strange initially, but stick with us! Home theaters can utilize design features typically used for immersive movie sound and mood-setting for wellness. Solutions like speakers, lighting, and screens can transform your home theater into a meditation or relaxation room. By using human-centric lighting from Lutron, you can adjust the lighting to meet your natural rhythms. By adjusting the lighting of your Control4-powered automation system, you can feel bright and energetic in the mornings or calm and relaxed in the evenings before heading to bed for the night. As you modify the mood of the home theater to match your relaxation levels, unveil the hidden high-definition TV to show beautiful nature scenes while piping relaxing yoga music or nature sounds through your high-end audio system. All the components of a great wellness space have always been in the home theater, but the new wellness trend is taking the industry by storm!  

8K Resolution Upscaling

TVs and screens have progressively increased in size over the years, just the same as resolution has increased. It seems like only a few years ago 4K was the up-and-coming home theater showstopper and quickly began replacing the HD TVs in our home. Now, 8K upscaling technology has pushed the bar on the types of pictures homeowners have come to expect on their home theater TVs. One of our favorite brands, LG, won a BEST Product Award at CEDIA 2019 in the Flat Panel TV/Ultra HD category with their OLED TV 8K. Because signals are not transmitted to your TV in 8K resolution, your TV or projector must convert the lower resolution video image into a higher definition. This isn’t a new trend in home theaters, many homes have adopted the technology – your 4K TV had to do this with lower resolution video formats like 1080p and 720p. The key is in the processor, and the LG OLED 8K utilizes a 6-step noise reduction processor. OLED technology allows for larger and thinner screens – even curved screens – and pixels are individually lit. We can’t wait to see what else is in store for home theaters in the coming years. If you’d like to incorporate these new trends or simply talk about a potential home theater in your Irvine, CA-area home, call us today at  (949) 515-7030 or contact us online. We can’t wait to hear from you.

Launch Systems is the Control4 Dealer in the Newport Beach area

Smart home automation is becoming a reality for millions of homes across the globe, with the market estimated to grow to a value of more than $53 billion by 2022. One of the main benefits of home automation is the convenience, allowing homeowners to control a variety of functions within their home—lighting, security, thermostats, and more—with the tap of a button or a voice command. Instead of using ten different apps to control your 10+ devices, comprehensive home automation systems manage all of your devices in one integrated, easy-to-control interface. One popular and well-respected brand of home automation control systems is Control4. Control4 dealers consult with homeowners on their automation needs, considering current use cases as well as potential future use case scenarios. Once designed, dealers work alongside home builders and architects or alone to install a system into your home. After installation, a Control4 dealer can provide further service and maintenance as you need. Keep reading to learn why consulting with a Control4 dealer for integrated home control is the best decision for your Newport Beach, CA home.

SEE ALSO: Take a Look at Our Photo & Video Gallery

Easy to Manage

Amazon Alexa is one of the first gateway smart devices users add to their homes. Seventy percent of smart home technology consumers said that once they bought their first internet-connected device, they were more likely to buy another. As you add smart devices to your home, an integrated Control4 system helps you maintain control easily, without your system becoming too unwieldy. With voice control or the tap of a button on your smartphone, remote control, or installed touch panel, you can control your smart lighting, dim tunable LED lights in the evenings and raise your motorized window treatments in the morning to let in the sunshine.

Home Entertainment

Your home theater or media room may have a variety of remotes—one goes to the Blu-ray player, one to the TV display, and one you can’t quite figure out or remember what it controls. Control4 offers a simple smart remote that anyone in your family can intuitively operate. Want to watch TV? Tap on the Watch TV button. It’s as simple as that. Play music from your personal music collection or stream directly from your favorite Spotify stations from anywhere in your home. You can manage the tunes in the dining room to play relaxing music while the outdoor area is streaming a fun pop riff while the kids are playing in the pool. Speakers and sound systems are all operable with a Control4 system. A dealer ensures your surround sound is fully immersive while your wired and wireless network connections are running at the fastest speeds with virtually no interference.

Comfort and Convenience

You can also automate your climate control system, ensuring the AC isn’t running at full capacity in the middle of the day while everyone is away at work or school. Temperatures can be set to adjust during specific times of the day or as the seasons change. In conjunction with climate control, you can operate your smart lighting control and motorized window treatments automatically or with the tap of a button on your smart device. If you forgot to turn the lights off as you left for the day, use your smartphone to turn off the lights automatically. If you’d prefer to lower the roller shades while you’re watching a movie, tap a button on your smart device instead of losing your comfortable seat on the couch. Comfort and convenience go hand in hand when you have smart home control automated with Control4.   Launch Systems has a stellar reputation of making complicated household functions effortless as the Control4 dealer in Newport Beach, CA and the surrounding areas. If you’d like to see a Control4 system in action or want to know what we can do for your home, call us today at (949) 515-7030 or contact us online. We look forward to hearing from you.