The First 10 Home Automation Devices to Install
Written by the Nex AV team — certified Control4 & Lutron installers designing smart homes and AV systems across NYC. About us. Most people shop for home automation devices by the dozen and end up with a drawer full of half-connected gadgets. You don’t need 40 of them. The first ten cover most of what […]
Home Automation for NYC Apartments and Co-ops
Written by the Nex AV team — certified Control4 & Lutron installers designing smart homes and AV systems across NYC. About us. Somewhere between four and twelve weeks. That’s the honest range for how long a home automation project in a Manhattan or Brooklyn co-op can take before a single device actually turns on, and […]
Home Automation and Security: How They Work Together
Written by the Nex AV team — certified Control4 & Lutron installers designing smart homes and AV systems across NYC. About us Most people buy the two separately and then wonder why their $4,000 setup still can’t tell them whether the front door is locked. A camera app, a smart lock app, a thermostat app, and an […]
Home Automation Hub Explained: What It Does and How to Choose
Written by the Nex AV team — certified Control4 & Lutron installers designing smart homes and AV systems across NYC. About us Here’s the part nobody tells you when you search for a home automation hub. If you already own an Amazon Echo, a Google Nest speaker, or a mesh router with a smart home app, you […]
Sonos vs Whole-Home Audio: Which Sound System Is Right for You?
Written by the Nex AV team — certified Control4 & Lutron installers designing smart homes and AV systems across NYC. About us If you’re trying to get music playing throughout your home, you’ve probably landed on Sonos as the obvious starting point. It’s everywhere. It’s well-reviewed. The app is good. You can buy it at Best Buy. […]
Lutron vs Control4: Which Lighting Control System Should You Choose?
Written by the Nex AV team — certified Control4 & Lutron installers designing smart homes and AV systems across NYC. About us This question comes up constantly in smart home projects, and it’s one of those comparisons that gets muddier the more you look at it. Partly because Lutron and Control4 aren’t really the same category of […]
DIY Smart Home vs Professional Home Automation Installation
Written by the Nex AV team — certified Control4 & Lutron installers designing smart homes and AV systems across NYC. About us There is something pretty exciting about turning a normal house into a smarter one. Lights that respond when you walk in. Shades that lower when the sun gets harsh. A system that lets you control […]
Control4 vs Crestron: Which Is Better for Luxury Home Automation?
Written by the Nex AV team — certified Control4 & Lutron installers designing smart homes and AV systems across NYC. About us You’re building or upgrading a luxury home and someone, your architect, your AV dealer, your wealthy neighbor, has mentioned either Control4 or Crestron. Maybe both. Now you’re trying to figure out which one is actually […]
Control4 vs Savant: Which Smart Home System Is Better for Your Home?
Written by the Nex AV team — certified Control4 & Lutron installers designing smart homes and AV systems across NYC. About us If you’ve gotten to the point where you’re comparing Control4 and Savant, you’ve already done more homework than most people. You know you want a professionally installed, whole-home automation system. You know you’re not looking […]
Remote Control & Automation Tips for Effortless Movie Nights
Written by the Nex AV team — certified Control4 & Lutron installers designing smart homes and AV systems across NYC. About us Find the TV remote. Turn on the TV. Find the receiver remote. Turn on the receiver. Switch to the right input. Find the streaming device remote. Launch the app. Adjust the volume because it’s too […]