Category Archives: Blog

Blog, Home Automation, Media

5 Epic Movies to Show off Your Home Theater

These days, the word “epic” is a signifier of larger-than-life, sometimes grandiose forms of media. Despite the term’s oversaturation in popular culture, “epic” is the only way to describe the following five movies when seen on your custom home theater. So sit back, dim the lights with your home automation system, and enjoy this list of epic movies from home theater San Diego specialists Southwest Audio Visual!

2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)

Regarded by many San Diego home theater enthusiasts as one of the best movies you can test on a new home theater, Stanley Kubrick’s masterpiece was made with “epic” in mind. It features stunning cinematography as wide and vast as outer space, as well as a massive opening credits sequence that’s just begging to take advantage of your home theater installation. San Diego, trust us when we say you want to see this on your system!

Jurassic Park (1993)

Nothing says “epic” like dinosaurs come to life! This film based on the Michael Crichton novel of the same name captured the imaginations of moviegoers worldwide with its realistic CG effects. These special effects still hold up today, and are the perfect chance to show off the capabilities of your home theater. San Diego even plays a part in the film’s sequel, “The Lost World: Jurassic Park”— a good opportunity for an epic double feature, maybe?

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)

Many consider LOTR as one of the progenitors of the modern usage of “epic,” and it’s easy to see why. Intense battle scenes, sweeping visuals, and a memorable film score all contribute to a fantastical experience for any home theater in San Diego.

Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World (2003)

Another favorite of San Diego home theater enthusiasts, particularly for the opening naval battle, Master and Commander is a great choice for showing off the bombastic qualities of your home theater. Crank those speakers up, and try not to get wet!

Forrest Gump (1994)

You were expecting Saving Private Ryan? While Gump doesn’t quite sit on the same lists as other American war epics, it sets itself apart from the crowd with its heart-wrenching drama. But there’s plenty for home theater San Diego enthusiasts to like: the film features a classic soundtrack that includes tunes by Elvis Presley, Creedence Clearwater Revival, The Doors, and many more notable time period specific performers.

For peerless home theater installation, San Diego specialists SWAV can give you what you need for a movie experience that’s truly “epic!” Contact us today!

Blog, Home Automation

Seamless Solutions for Integrating Home Theater into Your Home

Even for audiophiles like us, we at Southwest Audio Visual understand that an excessive amount of A/V equipment out in the open can really ruin a room’s décor. But before you resign your house to its fate, there’s hope yet! We’d like to offer the following solutions for seamlessly integrating custom home theater into your home with wireless home automation.

TV and Speaker Wall Mounts

You need a lot of space to get the full experience from your custom home theater. Your TV, speakers, and various devices all require stands that serve no other purpose than to maintain your custom home theater; however, all that leaves less space for room essentials such as furniture. With complete wireless home automation, you can do away with unsightly stands and can begin saving floor space with TV and speaker wall mounts. Your equipment will look like it’s floating in midair, offering a smooth, uncluttered look to your entertainment room. You’ll never go back to a traditional TV stand again!

Sliding A/V Wall Panels

Sliding panels operated by wireless home automation can create a sleek hiding place for your A/V racks when they’re not in use. You can have a home theater installation that integrates your equipment right into the walls and seems to disappear—only reappearing when it’s needed thanks to the convenience of wireless home automation.

Unite Your Entertainment and Your Décor

Even with the previous solutions in mind, you may not want compromise your artistic style. Luckily, SWAV has a wireless home automation solution that’s sure to please both your tech-savvy and your artistically-conscious sides. With our professional home theater install, we can custom integrate your A/V equipment right into your art! You can cover your television screen with your favorite piece of artwork, and enable it to slide in and out of place at the push of a button in a way that won’t break up the room’s feng shui.

We also offer efficient cable management and equipment placement know-how to get you the best home theater installation possible. Seamless home theater solutions are at your disposal with Southwest Audio Visual!

Blog, Home Automation

Kid-Friendly Home Automation Ideas

With kids these days, you’re more than likely to see iPhones and tablets alongside pencils and coloring books. More than ever before, modern children are growing up alongside technology and proving themselves just as tech-savvy as their parents—so why not let Junior share in the fun with your home automation system? Southwest Audio Visual offers the following safe, kid-friendly ideas for home entertainment systems in San Diego:

Touch Screens Offer Intuitive Control

Touch screens make a lot of sense to kids. SWAV’s high-quality home automation system software can be integrated into smart phones and tablets with touch screens and can provide your child with an opportunity for intuitive control and operation.

Wireless Lighting Control

It can be frustrating for your children when they want to continue reading but can’t reach a light switch. A home automation system lets them utilize the lighting from any height through wireless light access. Additionally, the wireless capabilities of a home network allow you to let the kids know when it’s “lights out” for the night, so they’re already in bed, teeth brushed, when you come to tuck them in.

Content Restriction

While many of us may want to encourage kids’ use of technology, there may be times when you’ll want to kid-proof your hardware. Luckily, you don’t need to fret about your kids getting rambunctious over the tech—you can set input restrictions over your whole home network so that things don’t get out of hand.

A Wireless Home Automation System Keeps the Kids Untangled

If your kids are the adventuring, horseplaying type, wireless home automation lets them explore the house to their hearts’ content without your worrying of them tripping over wires. What’s more, you can also have integrated TV risers and revolving doors installed to hide A/V racks and other expensive equipment when they’re not in use.

SWAV wants you to have the best home entertainment systems in San Diego. With these kid-friendly ideas, your home automation system can be fun for the whole family!

Blog, Home Automation, Home Installation

Essential Elements of a Custom Concert Hall

Wouldn’t it be great to have your own concert hall? You don’t need a grand concert hall—a dedicated music-listening space is available to you with peerless wireless home automation and home automation products from Southwest Audio Visual! Whether you’re planning for intimate acoustic performances or just a place to kick back with your favorite tunes, SWAV recommends these essential elements for creating a custom concert hall:

Surround Sound Speakers

Obviously, the most important home automation products are going to be great speakers. Hardware that gives full sound and projects even the subtlest musical elements will change the way you experience music. With wireless home automation, your speakers can be both effective and non-obtrusive, adding to the stylish décor of your concert hall instead of hampering it.

With a home automation system from SWAV, you won’t even have to leave your seat to change volume or control the performance—all that and more home automation products are at your very fingertips. With your personal concert hall, YOU’RE in control!

High-Definition TVs

While sound is of course the main focus, your custom concert hall can also benefit from visual elements. Hi-def televisions are just perfect for accompanying great tunes with engaging graphics, or for reining in wandering eyes. A home automation system that makes use of both sight and sound makes your concert hall even more effective and unforgettable.

Plush Seating

Everyone would agree that it’s important to have somewhere to sit during the listening session—but plush seats can also give the concert room some much-needed acoustic dampening. Soft seats are not only comfortable—they will also enhance the already impressive sound quality to sound richer and lusher than ever before.

SWAV wants your home automation system and home automation products to provide the most incredible audio visual experience possible. Contact us to learn how we can add seamless wireless home automation to your home today!

Blog, Home Automation, Home Installation, Residential Projects

5 Ways to Transform Your Room into a Personal Movie Theater

Since your first encounter with the silver screen, a possibility has presented itself: What if you could recreate this experience in your own home? With home theater installation from Southwest Audio Visual, you can create the in-home movie theater you’ve always dreamed of with our expert home automation system. Here are five things that we feel are absolute must-haves for transforming your room into a personal movie theater:

Initially, a big screen TV can single-handedly drive your vision for home theater installation. After all, a big screen TV has an immediate “wow” factor that even non-tech savvy types can appreciate. So believe us when we say that investing in a top-quality high definition television can go a long way towards selling your audience on your home theater install.

High-quality surround sound speakers are integral to recreating the thunderous sound of a real movie theater. Our home theater installers can seamlessly integrate them into your home theatre installation, so your viewers aren’t tripping over wires in the dark.

Speaking of the dark, your home theater installation can greatly benefit from lighted floors, as well as from dimming lights. SWAV can give you a fully-automated home theater installation that lets you control the lighting at will, so you can let the audience know when it’s show time.

While a full-scale ticket booth may not fit inside your house, you can add plenty of other stylistic touches to your home theater. Install cosmetic additions such as a popcorn machine or a grand, red curtain to give your home theatre installation that essential “box office” touch.

The sky’s the limit when it comes to home theater installation. Let Southwest Audio Visual’s talented home theater installers help you make your dream a reality with our custom home theater installation!

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Why Sound Quality Matters on Your Home Entertainment System | Southwest Audio Visual Blog

In San Diego, movies and music make up a good majority of our entertainment, but these experiences become that much more enjoyable when they produce high-quality sound we can appreciate. Here are a few reasons why superior sound quality matters for any home theater San Diego entertainment experience:

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7 essential albums for eclectic music lovers | Southwest Audio Visual Blog

Dedicating oneself to a single music genre is just fine, but to truly take advantage of your custom home theater you should consider exposing yourself to a wide variety of styles. A home automation system lets you fully appreciate your varied tastes with the best sound possible. If you take pride in being an eclectic music lover, here are seven classic albums that your collection should not be without:

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What your home entertainment system says about you | Southwest Audio Visual Blog

It may come as a surprise that home theater installation says a lot about you. When you choose to build a custom home theater, you’re providing your house with more than just the best home automation products—you’re defining yourself as a person. Want to know more? Then read on!

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How Your Life Can Benefit From Home Automation | Southwest Audio Visual Blog

You may not realize it, but we’re living in a future of endless possibility. While we have yet to zip around in flying cars and hire robots do our chores, the futuristic appeal of home automation systems can serve a much more practical role in our lives. Here’s how your own life can benefit from a home automation system:

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Choosing the right home automation system in San Diego | SWAV Blog

Choosing the right home automation system can be a daunting task in San Diego. Audio video home entertainment is a high priority for you, but it can be overwhelming to consider the home automation products available to you. Luckily, you can narrow down your options with these home automation system suggestions.

Continue reading Choosing the right home automation system in San Diego | SWAV Blog →