Tech Talk and Trends: What’s Hot in Media & Home Automation 2016

Elite Media Solutions divulges what’s hot in media and home automation in 2016

Media Decor Eclipse Vertical Art Lift; photo courtesy of Leon

Brian Gibson and his daughter Olivia Gibson of Elite Media Solutions barely had the chance to shake off the glitter from their Vegas trip to the massive Consumer Electronics Show (CES) earlier this month, before we showed up to ask what, in their minds, are the most exciting developments in media and home automation. In business for over 30 years, the company has made a point of being—and staying—on the cutting edge, and on designing, installing and servicing A/V products and networks for the home. Elite Media will take in at least three more shows this year, which makes owner Brian and marketing manager Olivia more than qualified to give us the lowdown on the high-tech landscape. “I want to know what’s out there,” says Brian. And, now, so can we.

Photo courtesy of Elite Media Solutions

Smart Homes are Getting Smarter

Our homes are becoming “smarter than we are,” says Brian. While Xfinity has made the masses more aware of basic wireless automation, he credits, it’s the complex systems that are starting to take hold that are particularly electrifying. “Some manufacturers are now talking about dishwashers that are tied in with your Nest Thermostat and automation system,” says Brian, and programmed to run during the times of day when energy is at its lowest consumption point, and, therefore, cost. Other appliances will also follow suit, and even take it a step further to analyze lifestyle patterns. The days are not far off, says Olivia, when your refrigerator might text you to pick up milk on the way home if you’re running low. It’ll also direct you to the closest market, she adds.

Sensors are another trend we’ll be hearing about in the next few years, says Brian. Right now, Elite Media Solutions and homeowners can use an iPad to lower or raise the shades and turn on or dim the lights, but soon you’ll be able to have a sensor on the window or on the exterior of the house that lowers the shades when “the sun is at a particular spot in the sky, and beating in through your window.” Brian explains that, using technology that has been out there for years on things like irrigation control (read: the sprinkler knows not to run if it’s raining), now your motorized shades can lower to protect your artwork, furniture and flooring—even when you’re not there to lower them.

“The internet of things” is key, says Brian. “For the longest time,” he continues, “everything was independent. We did lights; we did shades; we did TV. Now they’re working symbiotically together to create more of a true smart home.” 

Photo courtesy of Elite Media Solutions

While it may sound a little Jetson-ish, laughs Brian, Elite Media Solutions can work with you to create a series of “scenes,” integrating the lighting, climate, entertainment and security of your home, all controlled from the touch of a button. You can configure your “scenes”—and the rooms of your home—just the way you like them. A “wake up” scene can warm up the temps in the house, draw open the shades to let in the sun, and cue up a favorite, start-the-day track in any room you’d like. An “after-work” scene could set the cove and under-cabinet lights at 50%, turn off the overheads, heat the room to your liking, and surround you with jazz music. Pretty much everything but pour you a drink. The scenes, says Brian, “are basically a memory,” recreating your preferences and allowing you to enjoy your home to the fullest.

Photo courtesy of Elite Media Solutions

Sleek TV Designs and Dazzling Video Display

Vanishing Entertainment TV Mirror in the on position. Photo courtesy of Séura

Vanishing Entertainment TV Mirror in the off position. Photo courtesy of Séura

There is also a lot of buzz surrounding TVs and video displays. “TVs are always getting bigger and better,” says Olivia. “It’s a trend that has emerged in the last five years and that will continue into the next.” 

The advent of the 4K OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode) TV has taken picture quality to an entirely higher level. “Just when you thought it couldn’t get any better,” says Brian. “They say it’s just like an onion. You’re peeling off another layer, and it just gets clearer.” Does it ever. We saw a model in Elite Media Solutions’ showroom displaying scenes from Paris, and the dimension, color and depth all but transported you to a riverboat on the Seine. The effect is immersive and jaw dropping, and that’s no overstatement. Plus, it’s as thin as a cell phone and wildly energy efficient.

Another major advantage of the OLED TV is that it can be seen from any angle. “On a traditional LED TV, the sweet spot is always straight on,” explains Brian. Viewed that way “the picture is gorgeous,” says Brian, “but when you start to get off to the side, it’s not as bright and the colors aren’t as colorful.” Considering that about 80% of Elite Media’s TVs are hung above the fireplace and not at eye level, this is a welcome development. “Stand up, sit down, go to the side [even watch it outdoors!], it looks the same from all angles,” he says.

Most of Elite Media Solutions’ clients have TVs in nearly every room, and the technology is making it far more attractive to do so. “In the early days,” says Brian, “it was us against the interior designers.” Today, the firm prides itself on integrating products seamlessly with the furnishings. “There are new and better solutions” to hiding the necessary components aesthetically, such as plastering the speakers into the wall or installing mirrored TVs in the bath.

No longer do TV viewers have to descend to the basement to watch a show or movie. TVs can be worked in to the interiors of a living space and hidden within mirrors and artwork. Séura, a premier company in the mirrored world, offers hundreds of frames (“from traditional to bedazzled,” says Brian), while Leon features “moving art screens,” allowing clients to choose from 1,000 pieces online or submit their own artwork. Elite Media Solutions is the only Leon design center in New England.   

Vanishing Vanity TV Mirror in the on position. Photo courtesy of Séura 

Vanishing Vanity TV Mirror in the off position. Photo courtesy of Séura 

Media Decor Eclipse Vertical Art Lift; photo courtesy of Leon

Resurgence of Home Theater

While home theaters waned in popularity in recent years, they are again on an upswing, says Brian. Elite Media Solutions has about eight home theaters currently in development, no doubt thanks to another progressive new advancement on the market: ANSI lumen projectors. These high-brightness projectors allow you “to control the ambient light,” so that you needn’t go into a dark room to experience a 140-inch screen. “Let’s face it,” says Brian, “when it comes to sports and movies, having a room where you can house a giant screen is a lot more fun. We don’t go to the movies because we want to get out. We go for the experience.” Take the Super Bowl, for instance. You can be sure you’ll be going to the home with the largest screen.

Photo courtesy of Runco

Photo courtesy of Runco

A Greater Outdoors

The Seura Storm Ultra Bright Outdoor Television

As homeowners are spending more and more time outside, A/V systems and networks have infiltrated yards everywhere. In the beginning, says Brian, “the technology was in the house for us,” but that’s all changed. Now, Elite Media is often headed poolside and to landscaped living spaces with outdoor kitchens, fire pits and fireplaces. Outdoor TVs—splash-proof and made for sunlight—are all the rage. Homeowners can watch a favorite show outside on a beautiful summer night or catch a movie from the hot tub (Hot Tub Time Machine, anyone?) all winter long.

And it’s not just about TV. “Outdoor audio has matured,” says Brian, to include more speakers and better coverage. Clients can opt for speakers that look like landscape lights and direct the sound to where they can best hear it (as opposed to the neighbors). As for exterior lighting? It, too, has become even more ambient and intelligent, with control systems that have astronomical time clocks built in.

The Seura Storm Outdoor TV

Surveillance Soars

The last, and perhaps hottest, trend is an increased demand for surveillance and home security. Via cameras and video footage, it’s easier than ever to keep an eye on the places and people you love, whether that means checking in on your vacation home remotely, seeing who is at the door or checking in on the kids when you’re still at the office.

More often than not, explains Brian, the cameras serve as deterrents and bring peace of mind for those who want to stay in the know. For one such client, the firm wired the perimeter of the yard with motion sensors, and the homeowner receives an alert if someone or something is on their property.

Elite Media Solutions also monitors its systems, generally knowing when there’s a problem before its clients do. They strive to be “proactive rather than reactive,” and can conduct diagnostics and manage products from afar—so that bedroom remote is up and working before you go to use it. Sure, there’s mind-bending technology and functionality behind the system solutions that Elite Media Solutions designs and installs, but there’s a human element as well. Both Brian and Olivia underscore that it’s their relationship with the homeowner and the people behind the products that make the difference.

(Media Decor Eclipse Vertical Art Lift; photo courtesy of Leon) Elite Media Solutions divulges what’s hot in media and home automation in 2016

 

Brian Gibson and his daughter Olivia Gibson of Elite Media Solutions barely had the chance to shake off the glitter from their Vegas trip to the massive Consumer Electronics Show (CES) earlier this month, before we showed up to ask what, in their minds, are the most exciting developments in media and home automation. In business for over 30 years, the company has made a point of being—and staying—on the cutting edge, and on designing, installing and servicing A/V products and networks for the home. Elite Media will take in at least three more shows this year, which makes owner Brian and marketing manager Olivia more than qualified to give us the lowdown on the high-tech landscape. “I want to know what’s out there,” says Brian. And, now, so can we.

Photo courtesy of Elite Media Solutions

Smart Homes are Getting Smarter

Our homes are becoming “smarter than we are,” says Brian. While Xfinity has made the masses more aware of basic wireless automation, he credits, it’s the complex systems that are starting to take hold that are particularly electrifying. “Some manufacturers are now talking about dishwashers that are tied in with your Nest Thermostat and automation system,” says Brian, and programmed to run during the times of day when energy is at its lowest consumption point, and, therefore, cost. Other appliances will also follow suit, and even take it a step further to analyze lifestyle patterns. The days are not far off, says Olivia, when your refrigerator might text you to pick up milk on the way home if you’re running low. It’ll also direct you to the closest market, she adds.

Sensors are another trend we’ll be hearing about in the next few years, says Brian. Right now, Elite Media Solutions and homeowners can use an iPad to lower or raise the shades and turn on or dim the lights, but soon you’ll be able to have a sensor on the window or on the exterior of the house that lowers the shades when “the sun is at a particular spot in the sky, and beating in through your window.” Brian explains that, using technology that has been out there for years on things like irrigation control (read: the sprinkler knows not to run if it’s raining), now your motorized shades can lower to protect your artwork, furniture and flooring—even when you’re not there to lower them.

“The internet of things” is key, says Brian. “For the longest time,” he continues, “everything was independent. We did lights; we did shades; we did TV. Now they’re working symbiotically together to create more of a true smart home.” 

Photo courtesy of Elite Media Solutions

While it may sound a little Jetson-ish, laughs Brian, Elite Media Solutions can work with you to create a series of “scenes,” integrating the lighting, climate, entertainment and security of your home, all controlled from the touch of a button. You can configure your “scenes”—and the rooms of your home—just the way you like them. A “wake up” scene can warm up the temps in the house, draw open the shades to let in the sun, and cue up a favorite, start-the-day track in any room you’d like. An “after-work” scene could set the cove and under-cabinet lights at 50%, turn off the overheads, heat the room to your liking, and surround you with jazz music. Pretty much everything but pour you a drink. The scenes, says Brian, “are basically a memory,” recreating your preferences and allowing you to enjoy your home to the fullest.

Photo courtesy of Elite Media Solutions

Sleek TV Designs and Dazzling Video Display

Vanishing Entertainment TV Mirror in the on position. Photo courtesy of Séura

Vanishing Entertainment TV Mirror in the off position. Photo courtesy of Séura

There is also a lot of buzz surrounding TVs and video displays. “TVs are always getting bigger and better,” says Olivia. “It’s a trend that has emerged in the last five years and that will continue into the next.” 

The advent of the 4K OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode) TV has taken picture quality to an entirely higher level. “Just when you thought it couldn’t get any better,” says Brian. “They say it’s just like an onion. You’re peeling off another layer, and it just gets clearer.” Does it ever. We saw a model in Elite Media Solutions’ showroom displaying scenes from Paris, and the dimension, color and depth all but transported you to a riverboat on the Seine. The effect is immersive and jaw dropping, and that’s no overstatement. Plus, it’s as thin as a cell phone and wildly energy efficient.

Another major advantage of the OLED TV is that it can be seen from any angle. “On a traditional LED TV, the sweet spot is always straight on,” explains Brian. Viewed that way “the picture is gorgeous,” says Brian, “but when you start to get off to the side, it’s not as bright and the colors aren’t as colorful.” Considering that about 80% of Elite Media’s TVs are hung above the fireplace and not at eye level, this is a welcome development. “Stand up, sit down, go to the side [even watch it outdoors!], it looks the same from all angles,” he says.

Most of Elite Media Solutions’ clients have TVs in nearly every room, and the technology is making it far more attractive to do so. “In the early days,” says Brian, “it was us against the interior designers.” Today, the firm prides itself on integrating products seamlessly with the furnishings. “There are new and better solutions” to hiding the necessary components aesthetically, such as plastering the speakers into the wall or installing mirrored TVs in the bath.

No longer do TV viewers have to descend to the basement to watch a show or movie. TVs can be worked in to the interiors of a living space and hidden within mirrors and artwork. Séura, a premier company in the mirrored world, offers hundreds of frames (“from traditional to bedazzled,” says Brian), while Leon features “moving art screens,” allowing clients to choose from 1,000 pieces online or submit their own artwork. Elite Media Solutions is the only Leon design center in New England.   

Vanishing Vanity TV Mirror in the on position. Photo courtesy of Séura 

Vanishing Vanity TV Mirror in the off position. Photo courtesy of Séura 

Media Decor Eclipse Vertical Art Lift; photo courtesy of Leon

Resurgence of Home Theater

While home theaters waned in popularity in recent years, they are again on an upswing, says Brian. Elite Media Solutions has about eight home theaters currently in development, no doubt thanks to another progressive new advancement on the market: ANSI lumen projectors. These high-brightness projectors allow you “to control the ambient light,” so that you needn’t go into a dark room to experience a 140-inch screen. “Let’s face it,” says Brian, “when it comes to sports and movies, having a room where you can house a giant screen is a lot more fun. We don’t go to the movies because we want to get out. We go for the experience.” Take the Super Bowl, for instance. You can be sure you’ll be going to the home with the largest screen.

Photo courtesy of Runco

Photo courtesy of Runco

A Greater Outdoors

The Seura Storm Ultra Bright Outdoor Television

As homeowners are spending more and more time outside, A/V systems and networks have infiltrated yards everywhere. In the beginning, says Brian, “the technology was in the house for us,” but that’s all changed. Now, Elite Media is often headed poolside and to landscaped living spaces with outdoor kitchens, fire pits and fireplaces. Outdoor TVs—splash-proof and made for sunlight—are all the rage. Homeowners can watch a favorite show outside on a beautiful summer night or catch a movie from the hot tub (Hot Tub Time Machine, anyone?) all winter long.

And it’s not just about TV. “Outdoor audio has matured,” says Brian, to include more speakers and better coverage. Clients can opt for speakers that look like landscape lights and direct the sound to where they can best hear it (as opposed to the neighbors). As for exterior lighting? It, too, has become even more ambient and intelligent, with control systems that have astronomical time clocks built in.

The Seura Storm Outdoor TV

Surveillance Soars

The last, and perhaps hottest, trend is an increased demand for surveillance and home security. Via cameras and video footage, it’s easier than ever to keep an eye on the places and people you love, whether that means checking in on your vacation home remotely, seeing who is at the door or checking in on the kids when you’re still at the office.

More often than not, explains Brian, the cameras serve as deterrents and bring peace of mind for those who want to stay in the know. For one such client, the firm wired the perimeter of the yard with motion sensors, and the homeowner receives an alert if someone or something is on their property.

Elite Media Solutions also monitors its systems, generally knowing when there’s a problem before its clients do. They strive to be “proactive rather than reactive,” and can conduct diagnostics and manage products from afar—so that bedroom remote is up and working before you go to use it. Sure, there’s mind-bending technology and functionality behind the system solutions that Elite Media Solutions designs and installs, but there’s a human element as well. Both Brian and Olivia underscore that it’s their relationship with the homeowner and the people behind the products that make the difference.