Do you have to be licensed and are you?
Anyone hired to perform low voltage or any type of work in your home or business should be well trained, experienced and ultimately certified as a registered contractor. Innovations in Automation is fully licensed, bonded and insured which demonstrates our commitment to offering quality services you can trust. We take pride in our dual licensed (K-67) residential and commercial licensing status and work hard to maintain it.
Can I do my own simple wiring?
In most instances you certainly can, but there are some instances where we recommend hiring a professional. We strongly believe in future-proofing installations, particularly when it involves drywall cuts and repair. Properly terminating connections is also important, particularly involving Cat5/Cat6, which is becoming a widely used medium for passing today’s high bandwidth digital audio / video signals. Wire management, organization and labeling is also important and aids in troubleshooting faulty wiring systems. Try to avoid the “rats nest” that evolves behind your TV, entertainment center or under your computer desk. It could prevent proper airflow resulting in the shortening of life of your components
I bought a new home theater system. It's state of the art. The components came with manuals. Why shouldn't I just read them and install it myself?
First off, if you bought a new home theater system, you spent a good deal of money on high tech equipment that you likely want to use for a long time. So the short answer comes in the form of a few questions. Why wouldn't you want to spend a few dollars more to make sure it's properly installed? Why would you risk such a sizable investment to save a couple dollars? When you hire an expert to install your home theater, you can rest assured it will be installed and work properly. You're simply protecting your investment.
How do I find a good technician?
Do your homework! Ask for references! Check your local Better Business Bureau and Registrar of Contractors. Make sure they are licensed, bonded and insured. Ask plenty of questions and explain what your goals are. Get at least three bids to make sure the company isn't charging too much or too little. Either one could be a problem. The low bid is rarely the best bid and typically comes with higher associated costs as the project progresses.
Here are a few commonly overlooked items that can dramatically impact the success of you project.
* Use a Power Conditioner or at the very least, a decent surge protector to help safeguard your electronic components. Some protection is better than none, and with spikes in electrical current and/or voltage drops, the life of your equipment can be shortened or prolonged, depending on how well it is protected. Some manufacturer’s of protective equipment offer a guarantee that your equipment will be protected and may offer a replacement of damaged equipment up to a certain dollar amount.
* HDMI or High Definition Multimedia Interface offers the highest resolutions available for your audio / video components. Use HDMI whenever possible, but make sure you have the latest version at the time of purchase. The latest HDMI cables (version 1.4a) offers video resolutions up to 1080p, full 7.1 digital audio tracks, Ethernet pass through, audio return channel (ARC) and full support for 3D content. With today’s connected devices, these features are critical in ensuring your investment works the way it was intended to work.
* The Control System is probably the most underrated and hands-down best investment that can be made when purchasing an audio / video system. Why have 5-10 remotes sitting on your coffee table? You spend considerable amounts of money investing in equipment, yet you need to be a rocket scientist in order to enjoy it. A properly configured Control System puts you, the end user, back in control! One button, such as “Watch TV”, turns the HDTV on, cable / satellite box on, audio / video receiver on and tunes to your favorite channel. The same concept applies to “Watch DVD”, “Play PS3”, “Play Wii” or “View Cameras”. When you are done enjoying your system, simply hit the “System Off” button and voila, all of your equipment shuts down and awaits your next command! Simplicity and convenience are important to avoid frustration and disgust in your high dollar investment.
If you have other questions, please feel free to contact us! We are always happy to help!