Getting Smart Starts With Getting It Right at the Beginning of the Process

If you’ve ever walked through the smart home aisle at a big-box store, it’s easy to think you can build a connected home in a weekend with a screwdriver and a Wi-Fi password. In reality, a handful of gadgets won’t give you the smooth, reliable experience most Bay Area homeowners expect—especially in larger, design-forward homes.

Below, we delve into five key considerations before embarking on the DIY path to living in a smart home.

Asking Better Questions Before Ditching a System for Something New

Before reaching out to a home technology consultant, most people think they already know what they need—a new remote, upgraded TV, or surround sound system. That’s not always the best place to start.

Sometimes, we receive calls from clients who report that their entire home AV setup has stopped working. Their TV is broken, their remote is unresponsive, and they believe they need a total overhaul. 

What they really need is someone to step back and ask better questions. Find out what those questions are, and their answers, below.

More Expensive Doesn’t Necessarily Mean Better. It All Depends On Your Unique Space

If you’ve been shopping for a new TV lately, you’ve probably noticed that OLED screens seem to dominate the conversation. They’re marketed as the “ultimate” display technology, and for good reason. However, before you invest thousands of dollars in a panel based solely on buzz, it’s worth understanding the fundamental differences between OLED and LED, and how those differences could impact your viewing experience. 

At World of Sound & Vision, we guide clients through this decision all the time, and the truth is: the right choice depends entirely on your space, habits, and expectations. A bigger OLED screen doesn’t necessarily mean better. Learn why below.

How Intelligence and Infrastructure Make a Difference

Most homeowners set their outdoor lighting on a simple timer and tend to forget about it the rest of the year. But here's what we see time and again: lights blazing during bright summer evenings because they're stuck on winter schedules. There’s no reason to continue using these controls when there’s a smarter way. Another pain point is that outdoor speakers that depend on Wi-Fi or Bluetooth connectivity can become spotty and drop out. The reality is that truly reliable outdoor control requires more thoughtful engineering than most people realize. Let’s address how you can control your outdoor environment reliably season after season.