SEE ALSO: Your Home Theater Installation Checklist

Our Expertise & Experience

One of the top advantages of partnering with a Crestron dealer like Prodigy AV is our expertise. Our professionals are well-versed in the intricacies of Crestron technology and have the experience needed to tailor your smart home system to your unique preferences. We’ll work with you to design, implement, and fine-tune your system, ensuring that it meets your expectations.

Customization

Your home is unique, and your smart home system should reflect that. A Crestron dealer can assess your specific needs, budget, and aesthetic preferences to create a customized solution that suits you perfectly. Whether you want to focus on security, entertainment, lighting, or all of the above, we can build a system that integrates seamlessly into your home.

Seamless Integration

Crestron dealers are experts at integrating various technologies and devices into a cohesive and easy-to-use system. Whether you have smart thermostats, lighting control, home theater systems, or security cameras, our team can ensure that everything works effortlessly together. This harmony between different components is the hallmark of a true smart home.

Reliability

Crestron is renowned for its high-quality products and reliability. When you work with a Crestron dealer, you can rest assured that you're investing in a system that is built to last. This peace of mind is invaluable in the ever-changing landscape of smart technology.

The Perfect Picture

Anyone who has experienced a home theater knows that choosing the right visual screen is crucial. Would you prefer a large 8K TV, or would a projector-screen combo be more your style? Prodigy can help you measure your room’s dimensions and layout your preferred seating to make sure there’s room for everything you want. Don’t hesitate to reach out to our Prodigy AV team for assistance! We’ll guide you in choosing the optimal screen size and type for your home.

Audio for Immersive Movie Experiences

Let high-quality audio transport you to new places and times. With consideration of the acoustics and size of your space, we can recommend a surround sound system or innovative Dolby Atmos 3D audio setup. Either choice is sure to amplify your movie's emotional and dramatic impact.

To further optimize sound quality, consider other audio enhancement features like carpeting, window treatments, or acoustic wall panels that can help reduce unnecessary echoes and absorb unwanted noise, to maintain a clean sound quality.

Navigating Lighting

Small lighting changes can drastically improve your movie viewing experiences. Ensure there’s no direct light hitting your screen from windows or hallways to minimize glare. Consider installing motorized window treatments, to control natural light with the simple click of a button—you won’t even have to leave your chair!

SEE ALSO: 5 Reasons to Motorize Your Window Treatments This Year

TECHNOLOGY MADE EASY 

A smart home lets you manage your connected devices with one touch or voice command. While the technology behind such an awe-inspiring lifestyle may be complicated and require extensive knowledge, it’s this knowledge that ensures you live in a home that responds to your every need with no effort on your part.

How do you know Prodigy AV is up to the task? As a Control4 Diamond Dealer, Crestron Platinum Elite Dealer, Lutron Diamond Dealer, and HTA Luxury Certified Company, you can trust that Prodigy has the extensive knowledge and years of experience to design, engineer, integrate, program, and support the best in luxury home automation.

CUSTOMIZED SMART HOME LIVING 

Enjoying smart home living requires a customized approach. Different aspects of home automation are important to different people. You may not want a hot spa, beautiful landscape lighting, and relaxing tunes drifting through your backyard when you get home from a long day at work. Instead, you may want to relax in the living room with a glass of wine, your favorite TV series, and the lights settling into a shade of color that matches the setting sun. 

That’s the essence of a customized smart home. We program your smart devices to respond to your many activities and moods with the touch of a button, creating an environment just the way you and your family like it.

SEE ALSO: The Limitless Possibilities in Home Theater Design

CHOICES TO CONSIDER

Starting with a blank canvas is overwhelming for some, but having a reliable guide to lead you through your home theater planning can simplify the process. After all, there are so many questions to consider! 

• What screen size suits your room dimensions? 
• Is a projector a better fit than a TV? 
• Leather recliners or plush sofas? 

Here’s where the expertise of a designer comes in handy because they'll navigate you through these decisions and ensure that you get a theater that fulfills your needs and considers your preferences.

LIGHTING AND BALANCE 

A home theater designer will help you navigate the details of your design, including lighting. Did you know a movie-watching experience can be impacted by the glow in your room? Glare, shadows, or the wrong light levels can ruin a movie experience by causing distraction. However, with the help of a seasoned designer like Prodigy AV, you can achieve the perfect balance of light and dark to create the experience you want and rival any local cinema.

SOUNDSCAPING 

While the visuals may be the first thing you notice, the sound grounds your movie-watching experience. But when sound echoes, muffles, or loses its timing, it can quickly pull you out of the excitement of the scene. A home theater designer positions speakers, helps you choose appropriate sound-absorbing materials, and explains the importance of your seating arrangement to achieve a great sound.

SEE ALSO: Why Upgrade Your Home’s Smart Security System Today?

1. You’re More Likely to Use Them – A study from the US Department of Energy states that about 75% of homeowners keep their window coverings in the same position all day, every day. With the option to control them remotely and automate their movements, motorized window treatments are more likely to be used. 
2. They Help You Experience the Benefits of Natural Light – Sunlight is vital to several body functions. But with Americans spending about 90% of their time indoors, most of us are missing out on the benefits of natural light. Motorized shades can help get the sunlight in by automatically rising as the sun rises and moving down when the sun sets.
3. They Can Deter Potential Intruders – Most burglaries happen when the house is empty. While you may already have a security system to deal with intruders, adding motorized shades to your home can deter burglars from attempting to break into your house by giving the impression that it’s occupied. Schedule your shades to go up and down at different times of the day, or control them remotely while you are away to deter any potential intruders.
4. Better Climate Control, Lower Energy Bills – Instead of cranking up your HVAC system, utilize your window shades to bring in or block sunlight to create a more comfortable temperature inside the home. This doesn’t just give you better control over your home’s temperature but will also help make your home more energy efficient. An energy-efficient home is good for the pocket (lower bills) as well as for the environment.
5. Easy to Use for Older Adults and Those with Limited Mobility – Sickness, mobility issues, and increasing age can all affect our ability to operate window coverings effectively. Motorized shades resolve this problem by putting control in your hands, allowing you to operate the window coverings easily, efficiently, and effortlessly.

EXPERIENCE THE BENEFITS OF MOTORIZED SHADES WITH PRODIGY AV

Experience these and explore many other benefits of smart window treatments with Prodigy AV’s state-of-the-art solutions and premium services. We are a team of technology enthusiasts providing advanced automation solutions to homeowners across Tennessee. Contact us at (615) 261-9930 or through the online contact form to get the best-quality motorized shades in middle Tennessee. 

SEE ALSO: Bring Out the Beauty of Your Home at Night with Landscape Lighting

ENHANCING AESTHETICS 

Outdoor lighting can breathe life into your property, transforming it into a captivating sight, even during the darkest hours. By utilizing home automation, you can effortlessly adjust the intensity, color, and even the patterns of your outdoor lighting, creating a dynamic and visually stunning atmosphere. 

INCREASED SAFETY AND SECURITY 

A well-lit exterior serves as a powerful deterrent against potential intruders. Home automation provides the means to intelligently manage your outdoor lighting, ensuring your home remains safe and secure in the ways that suit you.

With programmable schedules, motion sensors, and remote access, you can create an impression of an occupied home, even when you're away. Smart outdoor lighting can automatically turn on when someone approaches your property, providing security and peace of mind. 

EXTENDED LIVING SPACES

Your outdoor areas deserve attention and care just as much as your indoor spaces. By utilizing outdoor lighting in conjunction with home automation, you can seamlessly extend your square footage beyond the four walls of your house. 

SEE ALSO: Enjoy Convenience, Security, & Beauty with Motorized Blinds

ENHANCED PROTECTION

Smart security systems provide advanced features and technologies to enhance the overall protection of your property. They offer a multi-layered approach to security, combining various components, such as motion sensors, door/window sensors, security cameras, and alarms to provide comprehensive coverage.

REMOTE MONITORING & CONTROL

One of the significant benefits of smart security systems is the ability to monitor and control your system remotely! You can access your security system using a smartphone or a computer, allowing you to view live camera feeds, receive alerts, and even arm or disarm your system from anywhere. This flexibility enables you to keep an eye on your property even when you're not physically present.

REAL-TIME ALERTS

When a security event occurs, smart security systems can send real-time alerts to your connected devices. Whether it's a motion detected in a restricted area, a door or window being opened, or a fire or carbon monoxide alarm going off, you will receive instant notifications. This prompt information allows you to take appropriate actions quickly, such as contacting the authorities or verifying if it's a false alarm.

INTEGRATION WITH YOUR HOME AUTOMATION

Smart security systems can integrate with other smart home devices and platforms, creating a connected ecosystem across your whole home. This integration enables you to automate various actions based on security events. For example, you can set your lights to turn on automatically when motion is detected or have your security system interact with your smart door locks for added convenience and control.

SEE ALSO: Upgrade to Wi-Fi 6 for Faster Speeds & Better Connections

Wired Networks

Wired networks, primarily using Ethernet cables, have been the traditional choice for home networking connections. One of the main advantages of this installation is that they provide a stable and consistent network experience. They offer higher speeds, lower latency, and reduced susceptibility to interference compared to wireless connections. This makes them ideal for online gaming, video streaming, and large file transfers.

Wired networks are also inherently more secure. Wireless networks broadcast the signals over the air and can be intercepted by nearby devices, potentially compromising the network's security. In contrast, wired connections are not susceptible to eavesdropping or unauthorized access unless physical access to the cables is obtained. This makes wired connections a preferred choice for environments where data privacy is paramount.

Another great perk of Ethernet networks is  they are easily expandable. You can add switches and connect multiple devices without compromising network performance. This scalability is especially beneficial for larger homes or with numerous wired devices. Are your kids playing online video games while you are trying to hold a business video meeting? No worries; your wired connection can support it all!

Wireless Networks

While wired networks have many fantastic benefits, you can also find unique advantages to a wireless internet connection. For example, wireless networks allow you to connect devices without needing physical cables, providing freedom of movement and flexibility in device placement. This is especially useful for mobile devices like laptops, smartphones, and tablets, which takes us to our next amazing perk of Wi-Fi connections: device compatibility. 

SEE ALSO: Bring Whole-Home Audio to Every Last Corner of Your Space

A MULTI-ROOM SETUP 

Take advantage of the ability to play music in multiple rooms simultaneously! Set up high-end speakers strategically throughout your home to create a seamless audio flow that’s available whenever you want. Whether you're hosting a party or simply moving from one room to another, the music will follow you, ensuring a consistent and immersive listening experience.

SMART INTEGRATION 

Connect your whole-home audio system to your smart home system for seamless integration across your whole property! This integration allows you to control the music with a tap of a button or simple voice commands, effortlessly adjusting the volume, skipping tracks, or even changing playlists. You can also sync your audio system with other smart devices, such as lighting, to create the perfect ambiance for any occasion.

CENTRALIZED CONTROL 

Did you know you can manage your whole-home audio from just one single interface? This could be a dedicated remote control or a mobile app on your smartphone or tablet. With centralized control, you can easily select different sources, adjust volume levels, and create personalized playlists for each room, providing a convenient and intuitive way to manage your whole audio system.

OUTDOOR SPEAKERS 

Why keep the fun indoors? Extend your whole-home audio system to your outdoor spaces. Install weatherproof speakers in your backyard, patio, and pool area, allowing you to enjoy music while relaxing or entertaining outdoors. Whether you're hosting a summer barbecue or lounging by the pool, the music can follow you, creating a seamless transition between indoor and outdoor environments.

See Also: 4 Benefits Of Installing Motorized Outdoor Shades

AMBIANCE YOU CONTROL 

What is the first thing you react to when you enter a room or step outside? Is it the decor, the furniture, or the landscape before you? These indeed attract your attention, but natural and artificial lighting shapes your perceptions of it all.  

Outdoor lighting, at its core, is theatrical; just like music, it generates an instinctive response. The elements and fixtures create a sense of ambiance or elevate a backyard BBQ without obscuring the stars above. Setting the stage with light creates an atmosphere that you can control. 

SET THE MOOD 

Create a fantasy space by spotlighting specific features, defining boundaries, and highlighting 

architectural and decorative elements. Accenting trees with shadows or simulating the light cast by the moon adds an inviting narrative. The possibilities are limitless. 

SEE ALSO: Motorized Shades vs. Manual Shades—What’s the Difference?

The Benefit of Natural Light

There’s nothing more beautiful than natural sunlight streaming into your home, creating a warm and vibrant atmosphere. It’s also good for a home’s inhabitants, enhancing moods, reducing stress, and promoting better sleep. Unfortunately, this same sunlight can damage your interiors and cause extensive solar heat gain in Tennessee summers.

A smart home manages this natural light for you. When the sun’s direct rays begin heating rooms and damaging floors and furniture, the motorized shades automatically close. If you prefer the look and control motorized blinds offer, you’ll notice the slats automatically adjusting throughout the day, letting in just enough diffuse sunlight.

Managing Sunlight from Hard-to-Reach Windows

Many homeowners love the look of skylights and the sunlight that brings a bit of nature indoors. However, the problem arises with excessive glare and direct UV rays. Then, when it’s cold outside, we lose heat through these beautiful windows. At Prodigy AV, we partner with several award-winning motorized shade manufacturers. One of these, Lutron, offers custom window coverings designed for every type of window, including impossible-to-reach skylights, architectural windows, and floor-to-ceiling windows.

Now, with the push of a button, you can open the tension shades covering your skylight in the early morning hours and close them when the direct sun’s rays begin shining through. They can also be automated to open and close depending on the sun's position.

SEE ALSO: Extend Your Entertaining with the Ultimate Outdoor Lighting

Integrated Home System

A Crestron home system integrates all of your smart home technology into a single home system. From your dashboard, you can get a quick status update of your entire home and navigate to different rooms to adjust the technology within each one. In just seconds, you can turn your TV to your favorite channel, dim the lights, adjust your thermostat, and lock your front door. Your entire home is always at your fingertips.

Elevated Entertainment

Home entertainment is how you relax at the end of the day and a great way to spend quality time with your family. With Crestron, entertainment is better than ever. You can incorporate a whole-home audio system that allows you to easily listen to your favorite playlists throughout your entire house or utilize listening zones so multiple family members can listen to different music at the same time.

Crestron also offers  4K video without any messy wiring. With Crestron’s DigitalMedia Technology, you can store all your sources, processors, receivers, and consoles away and still have your TV work seamlessly. Plus, every family member in the home can select their favorite channels, making it easy for everyone to navigate to their favorite entertainment.

Enhanced Security

Knowing your home is always safe is truly luxurious and makes it easier to relax and enjoy your home. Crestron Home always keeps you up to date on your home security status. With a quick glance at the control dashboard, you can see what doors are locked, if the garage is closed, or if the gate is secured. Quickly lock or unlock any access point in your home with the touch of a button. And with the 2N video door station, you can speak to and see live video of anyone on your doorstep.

SEE ALSO: Enjoy Movies Under the Stars with an Outdoor Home Cinema

The Domino Effect

All your intelligent systems are connected to your home automation platform and each other. This enables them to work together, creating the perfect setting for various times of the day and activities. For instance, many clients enjoy waking to sunlight filtering through shades slowly rising. Their 'Good Morning' playlist gently nudges them, streaming through nearly invisible in-ceiling speakers. 

As the day advances, the shades on south-facing windows lower, reducing solar heat gain and the strain on HVAC systems. At the same time, the lighting in occupied rooms adjusts, maintaining the perfect level of illumination. Like a domino, one system affects another, creating the perfect atmosphere.

A Home That Welcomes You

Geofencing creates an invisible boundary tripped by your smartphone. This enables your smart home to start preparing for you as soon as you pull into the driveway at the end of the day. In response, it illuminates your landscape and first-floor lights, turns on your ‘Welcome Home’ playlist, adjusts the temperature, and heats the spa.  

A Space for Entertainment

Many clients incorporate distributed audio-video systems that deliver the best entertainment over the same platform. All the AV gear is tucked away in a closet and distributed to every 4K HDR TV and in-ceiling, bookshelf, and floorstanding speaker. These systems deliver superior, high-fidelity sound and stunning video to every room and are effortlessly managed with one touch. 

SEE ALSO: Optimize Your Outdoor Audio with Sonance Landscape Speakers

The Design

If you’ve explored outdoor home cinemas online, you’ve noticed there are as many different designs as there are people to enjoy them. Some feature large outdoor TVs that emerge from the pool when it’s movie night or multiple TVs around the bar area for the big game. 

Others offer a large movie screen for a fully immersive experience. You’ll see luxury floaties, built-in recliners, and exquisite dining areas with multiple seating arrangements.

The Lifelike Images

At Prodigy AV, we partner with industry leaders in home entertainment and automation. Two of those brands, Screen Innovations and Stewart Filmscreen, manufacture the best commercial and residential indoor and outdoor projector screens on the market. Some motorized screens disappear when not in use, whereas others encompass entire walls. Combined with today’s outdoor projectors, you experience lifelike images in brilliant colors.

Depending on the usage and area, many of our clients also opt for the large outdoor 4K UHD TVs. These also deliver incredible images, even in direct sunlight; come in sizes up to 85 inches; and withstand whatever weather mother nature throws at them.  

SEE ALSO: What's Behind an Efficient Smart Home System? 

Seamless Connectivity

While a reliable network is an increasingly critical component, we continue to put greater demands on it. Today, nearly every device in a house comes with connectivity options. In addition, the IoT (Internet of Things) continues to expand to include an ever-growing list of electronics such as media dongles, toys, appliances, and light switches. 

The demands of constant connectivity can easily overwhelm a network. The result is slow page loads, interruptions, lag, and the dreaded buffering message while watching your favorite show or the big game. Instead, a data network should operate seamlessly in the background, never calling attention to itself. 

The Best of Both Worlds

WiFi gives the freedom to enjoy devices and media without the hassle of wires, indoors or outside. Wireless communication does have its benefits, but its reliance on over-the-air signals has its limitations. 

The frequencies used for wireless networking are prone to interference from other WiFi-enabled devices and even a neighbor's network. Because anyone within the range of a router can receive the transmission, there is a greater chance of illicit access by hacking. 

SEE ALSO: Fill Your Home with Music

The Personalized Approach

When you picture your home theater, do you see plush tiered seating, a starlit ceiling, wall sconces that look like candlelight, a wall-sized movie screen, and a projector on the ceiling? For some, that image is ideal, but many options exist in today's home theater design. 

Some of our clients see sectionals, chaise lounges, and gaming chairs for the ultimate video game showdown. Others envision a bar, pool table, unique tables, and comfy chairs sprinkled throughout the room alongside one of today’s 100-inch 4K HDR TVs descending from the ceiling when it’s movie or game time. As you can imagine, there is no one-size-fits-all model and a nearly limitless number of possibilities.

Our team takes the time to learn about your goals and vision to deliver a customized home theater that exceeds your expectations. 

Design Meets Engineering

Today’s audio-video technology has set the bar high for the home theater experience. 4K HDR video delivers lifelike images in brilliant colors with depth and realism once relegated to the finest commercial cinemas. Dolby Atmos offers 3D object-based audio, immersing the viewer in a bubble of sound.

SEE ALSO: EXPERIENCE THE PROFOUND BEAUTY AND EASE OF MOTORIZED SHADES

Convenient Control

One of the biggest advantages of motorized window treatments over manual shades is that they can be controlled with a press of a button. While you may have to use a cord to lower or raise manual shades, the cordless design of automatic shades runs on motors that operate the window treatments at your command. It doesn’t matter whether the shades are in an accessible position or a hard-to-reach spot; all shades can be controlled simultaneously or individually using convenient control panels, mobile devices, and remotes. 

The control system allows you to pre-program the shades to raise or lower according to your routine, giving you hands-free control. Moreover, they can also help improve security, particularly when you’re not home. The shades scheduled to rise or lower at particular times can make it appear as though your home is occupied, even when it’s empty. 

Varying Levels of Privacy 

Many shading systems come with dual fabrics that allow you to control the level of privacy you want at home. The fabric with an open weave allows your home to be filled with natural light while still giving you a view of the outside. But when you want complete privacy, you can simply switch to the shade that blocks out all the outside view and light, allowing you to create a more private space, all with a press of a button. 

UV Protection

Sunlight brings in UV rays that can be harmful to your home’s furniture and artwork. Besides causing discoloration, UV rays can also cause the deterioration of textiles. But when you have motorized window treatments with UV-protective fabric, you can enjoy the perks of natural light without sustaining damage. 

SEE ALSO: The Advantages of a Crestron Smart Home System for Large Homes and Estates

Design, Integration, & Automation

Any smart home system should be tailored to a homeowner’s specific needs and preferences, taking into account the size and layout of the home, the lifestyle of anyone living there, and the expected performance of each device. Hiring a professional ensures a system that matches your lifestyle with products that perform up to industry standards. 

Once a system is designed, its installation and integration with other systems and devices are next. For example, Lutron lights and shades must be integrated with climate control and surveillance. Why? So when a smart thermostat reaches a certain temperature, your shades roll down, and any lights not in use turn off, reducing energy consumption. Or, if anyone is trespassing on your property when you are not home, a single tap turns on the lights at the front porch, adjusts the living room shades, and gives potential intruders the impression that someone is inside the house. Such are the wonders of home integration and automation!

Control Over Every System

Automation platforms like Control4 give you an unparalleled degree of control over your smart home and its technology systems. Lighting control is a case in point. Smart lighting systems allow homeowners to control every fixture, switch, and dimmer at home using a smartphone or another interface, such as Control4’s Halo remote. This includes turning lights on and off, dimming them to a color temperature conducive to better rest or productivity, and setting up schedules that reflect how individual spaces are used within the home. 

Audio and video systems are next in line, and a professional installer can design and program AV devices to match the music taste of a family as diverse as your own. Whether the kids are watching TV in the media room, or there is a holiday party in the backyard, a distributed whole-home audio system brings entertainment to wherever you are. 

SEE ALSO: Be Inspired by a Whole-Home Audio System

More Music in Every Room

Do you like to host parties? Music is the perfect addition to breathe life into gatherings - whether it’s the main event or in the background. But when the home audio system is only installed in one room, the guests are confined to that one space. 

However, with multi-room audio, everyone can freely roam about the living room or the patio to enjoy a breath of fresh air and still enjoy listening to high-quality music. The main purpose is to stream the same music throughout the house, but playing different songs in different rooms is also possible. Maybe you want to listen to some soothing music as you stroll in the garden, while someone else might be interested in jamming to a more upbeat song in their bedroom. 

By creating zones, you can enjoy the type of content you like without interrupting anyone else’s fun. 

Installation That Preserves Home Aesthetics

While floor-standing speakers may appeal to audiophiles, they can’t be installed in every room of the house without creating a cluttered look. 

SEE ALSO: Lighting as an Ambiance-Enhancing Element for Your Home

Friendly User Interfaces

The latest lighting control systems offer one-touch, effortless management of your lights. You can control the lighting in every room from touchscreens, elegant in-wall keypads, or a handheld remote. Turn one light or every light on while choosing the color and intensity. 

Setting the Scene

At Prodigy AV, our team of lighting designers and automation experts take the time to learn about your lifestyle and daily activities. This enables us to program scenes that control the lights throughout your home and outdoor spaces with one touch. For example, for those who regularly have friends over for dinner and movie night, the “Entertaining” button sets the lighting in the dining area to a soft golden glow, ignites the gas fireplace, and raises the motorized shades to reveal beautiful landscape lighting. When it’s time to enjoy the latest blockbuster, tap the “Movie” icon to dim the lights and lower the shades. 

Automated Solutions

In addition to one-touch control, your lights can automatically adjust throughout the day. One of our clients' favorite lighting control solutions is today’s tunable lighting. This lighting transforms throughout the day, with lights that resemble the changing color of daylight. 

Wake to lights the color of sunrise. By midday, your lighting transforms to bright white-blue lights that help you stay focused and alert. As the evening approaches, the lighting simulates the setting sun with soft amber hues that tell your body it’s time to relax. This type of lighting helps align your body’s internal time clock that’s set by the changing light, promoting a better sleep-wake cycle.