Home networking might seem to be simple. With a modem to access your Internet service, and a router — both often provided by your Internet Service Provider (ISP) — you can get wireless networking in your home, both between devices and connecting to the Internet. But if you have a larger home or have many smart devices, the standard solution from your ISP may not work well in all areas. While there may be settings you can tweak in your router to improve performance, networking is a very technical area, and few consumers know how to do this, or fix something when it doesn't work. Indeed, some consumers don't even know how to change the initial default password for their wireless network – which is a security hazard waiting to happen.

The number of smart devices that are being connected to home networks is exploding every year. Smart lights, cameras, speakers, thermostats, appliances, streaming devices, and TVs all need robust networking for proper operation. You may not even remember how many devices you depend on that are connected to your network. But when the network falters, you end up noticing. Your high definition and 4K video may buffer incessantly or freeze, your smart speaker can't do anything because it lost its connection, or your smart camera can’t send any alerts video feeds. More serious issues might come up, like being unable to operate your smart lock — hope you have the key!

If you have a smaller house or perhaps can tolerate the occasional hiccups from your network, maybe you can get by without professionally installed and optimized home networking. But if you want to run a smart home with many devices, you rely on your network for security features, and you need high bandwidth for work and entertainment at home, you would be wise to consider professional installation services and equipment for your home network.

At Encore Audio-Video, we work with Pakedge for installing high-performance home networks in Portland, OR. Why? Because Pakedge is part of Control4, our smart home solution partner, and they offer business-class performance for your home networking needs. Read on to learn more about how Pakedge networks stand out from the rest.

Smart home control technology keeps moving forward rapidly, and sometimes it’s hard to keep up with it. What's driving this rapid change? The same advances that have inspired so much innovation in our mobile devices — inexpensive, powerful processors, cloud-based software applications and artificial intelligence — are bringing more intelligence to home functionality than ever before.

With the huge CES consumer technology show in January, we are bound to see more new innovative devices and systems for home control and automation that everyone will be talking about for the next few months. We can expect to see more intelligent coffee makers, refrigerators, sprinkler controllers, and washing machines — as well as many other devices that may leave you scratching your head. More importantly, though, many of this year's advances will come with devices and technology that are already available, but their functionality and ease of use will get so much better that we will ultimately depend on them as much as our smartphones and computers. If smart home control and automation weren't already mainstream, we think that 2019 is the year that it becomes so.

At the start of the new year, we’re going to highlight the smart home control developments you’re likely to see in 2019. As you plan your projects for 2019 in Lake Oswego, keep an eye out for these — your clients will likely be asking you about building them into their homes.

As much as you may not like to think about it, keeping your home safe and secure is something you can’t afford to ignore. If you’re concerned about the security of your home, traditional alarm systems are not only outdated, but also don’t have the convenience and high-tech features of modern systems. We at Encore Audio Video want to make sure you never have to worry about your family’s safety. Here are three ways that a smart home surveillance system can help you keep your Portland, OR home secure.

These days, homeowners are looking for their living spaces to have innovative and advanced smart technologies integrated into their homes. As an architect, builder, or designer, you know this is an area your clients are interested in, but you may not be expert in all the available options, much less the details in ensuring that your project can easily incorporate smart technology.

The good news is you don’t have to become an expert overnight. A trusted smart home company like Encore Audio and Video is your expert here in Lake Oswego, OR. We are professionals that can recommend the right products and technology to include in your plans, and then customize an installation to fit your client’s desires and lifestyle.

Keep reading for the benefits of bringing in a smart home company early in your project.