Do yourself a favor and review your history of speaker selection. It’s akin to examining one’s choices in past haircuts – a bit perplexing/scary. What was it about those hefty black box speakers that was so awesome? They were half the size of your couch.  Alas, bigger was better. It meant greater sound, or so we thought. Then again, we thought big hair meant big living, too. Let’s learn from our lapses in judgment.

 Hey Knoxville, want the best in home audio? Then get excited about Sonos's upcoming release of the Playbar - an exclusive soundbar system. The Playbar is a stand out product that is both pleasing to the ears and eyes and a pleasure to use. Many of you may already be Sonos fans. For those of you whom are new to the brand let us explain what makes Sonos products fan favorites. First, simply put, they are stylish. They have a hip look and their products sound great. They have an Apple-esque allure. Second, Sonos can stream music from nearly every source under the sun. Imagine having Pandora, Spotify, Amazon cloud, Rhapsody, and your personal music collection at your beckon call. Pretty great, right? Now imagine incorporating that technology with a product that enhances movies with surround sound-like technology in a slick, stylish product. You have imagined the Playbar.

A while back we showed you a project we were working on.  It is a perfect illustration that shows just because you purchased quality equipment, does not mean you get a quality system.  The most important decision you make in any project is choosing the professional subcontractor that will give you the greatest level of service before, during and after the sale.  That is what we at iSS strive to do everyday. 

With kickoff only 9 days away, it's time to start getting all your big orange gear ready for another season. Lucky for you, we've compiled a list of all our favorite stuff to get you game day ready.

With so many different companies offering security systems, home automation, sound, lighting control, and custom home theaters, it can be a little overwhelming when you begin your search for an installer. You may have found someone to do the audio, but you still need someone to do security cameras. Or maybe you found a company that does media rooms, but you still need to get a fire protection system. You will probably feel like you’re getting pulled in so many directions that you’ll want to abandon your projects altogether. Fortunately, by selecting one company that is licensed and trained to do all of the above home upgrades, you’ll be saving yourself time, money, and lots of headaches for several reasons.

Want to simplify your life, but not sure how with a house full of electronic devices and countless remotes lying around? You don't have to get rid of your devices, but instead just take control of them. The RTI T2X remote control allows you to take charge of all your A/V devices, lighting, security, and more with one sleek universal remote control. The T2X remote features a flush edge-to-edge LCD touchscreen, Wi-Fi, Lithium-Ion battery, and its own personal docking station.

 This week I am so excited about the new software update from Sonos. Just when I thought the Sonos Playbar Soundbar couldn’t get any better, now the update can turn it into a 5.1 surround system by allowing the Connect Amp to drive two rear channels turning the Soundbar into a 5.1 DTS surround sound system. Before, users would be limited to using the Play:3 speakers, but now you can use other options. I used my existing Sonance Invisible Series speakers for the rear channel and it worked out perfectly. I love that this update gives you complete control on rear channel type and placement. Now the options are truly endless. The software update, which released this month, is quick and only takes about two minutes. Other features with the update allow the mute button to function as play, pause, or skip.

Ever wondered what automation can do for your home or business? I know I have wondered how a lighting system could change my space or how whole house audio would be perfect for my next get-together. Sometimes it's hard to envision things if you don't really know that much about them and exactly what they can do. That's why we decided to create a way to help you see what your space could be like with automation.

With the new year in full swing and winter beginning to melt away (finally), we are getting a better view of the top design trends on the horizon. Let's take a look at the list!

Last week we blogged about what screen and projectors would look best in certain home entertainment areas. This week we would like to take a look at what audio systems would be best in those home entertainment areas, too.

It is that time of the year again. Thanksgiving is just around the corner and Christmas straight ahead. This Thanksgiving you may have your family and friends over for dinner or you might be joining someone else at their table. No matter what your Thanksgiving Day plans are, it is nice to have an extra helping hand around the house on such a chaotic day. A home automation system can make it easy to take care of your home while you are focused on good times, good food, and being thankful for what you have.

Media rooms and home theaters are an increasingly popular feature within a home. Two major benefits are that they boost a home's entertainment value as well as its potential resale value. A media room is designed to be a multifunctional space, and most media rooms are an upstairs family room or the basement man cave. What is great about a media room is that it is a wonderful way to spend time with your friends and family and yet showcase what your home can do. Between audio, video, and possibly having some home automation in the mix can create a fantastic entertainment area.

Speakers are actually relatively simple devices. You should understand at least the basics of how speakers work before incorporating them. Basically, you have an enclosure (typically a box) into which speaker drivers are attached. The drivers are the round elements that many people call the speakers (they’re not). Speaker drivers look like cones or horns (or even ribbons or domes), and in fact, the large surface area of the drivers is called the cone or diaphragm.These surfaces move back and forth to make the sound. If you have ever pulled the front screen off your speakers or have seen speakers without their front grille on, you’ve seen speaker drivers au naturelle.

With so many different companies offering security systems, home automation, sound, lighting control, and custom home theaters...it can all be a little overwhelming when you begin your search for an installer.

You may have found someone to do the audio, but you still need someone to do security cameras. Or maybe you found a company that does media rooms, but you still need to get a fire protection system. You will probably feel like you are getting pulled in so many directions that you will want to abandon your projects altogether.

Fortunately, by selecting one company that is licensed and trained to do all of the above home upgrades, you will be saving yourself time, money, and lots of headaches for several reasons.

Time

In this day and age time really is a precious resource. When you choose one company that is experienced in all aspects of audio, sound, lighting, and security; then the help you need is only one call away. You also only have to worry about setting up one appointment.

Ah, that time between Spring and Summer has finally arrived in Knoxville. Pollen covers every exterior surface imaginable in yellow blankets of dust. The quickly-warming temperatures remind you that the humidity of a Tennessee summer isn’t far off. Right now it is baseball season, but soon enough, the UT fight song will be echoing from every living room in Rocky Top while we watch our football team make it all the way to the national championship this year (a girl can dream). You begin to think about the home theater you always wanted, and how great these games would look on a big screen. You think of the home theater that would allow you to be immersed in the experience of the stadium, without having to buy tickets to the game or spend eight dollars on a beer--that theater with state-of-the-art audio technology, the one you always put off on installing because other things came up along the way. Hey, we know that life happens, and things get put off. Here at iSS LLC.  we are here to make your life a little easier—and a lot more fun. Now featuring Control4 home automation software, we can create the home theater of your dreams--and tailor home automation installations to your personal wants and needs. Still not convinced? Check out a few of the things we can do for your home or your commercial business space by clicking the link below.

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CEDIA is one of the largest electronics expos in the country, and was hosted this year in Denver, Colorado. Over 500,000 square feet of the most exciting technologies to date, which is why we had to break our CEDIA 2014 recap into two parts!

Below are our first top five picks of what we liked from CEDIA.

1. Epson PowerLite ProCinema LS10000 projector:

This projector delivers a revolutionary 4k Enhancement Technology with incredible sharpness, clarity, and detail. At the heart of the THX certified projector is a laser light engine and a 3LCD Reflective chip array to ensure accurate performance. The projector also offers full HD 1080p in 2D and 3D giving you a stunning viewing experience. This home theater projector is made for the ultimate movie theater experience.

2. Sony W and X Series 4K Ultra HD TV’s :

In our CEDIA Recap, part 1 we took a look at Sony, Epson, Dolby, Screen Innovations, and Sonance latest and greatest new products. Now in part 2 we have more coverage of what we liked from CEDIA 2014, and our next top three are below:

1. QNap Turbo NAS:

QNAP’s Turbo NAS is designed for storing and protecting your most cherished memories. QNAP is the ideal centralized storage ‘hub’ for making your files available on various devices at home or on the go. It is a great home multimedia entertainment device. You can browse photos, play music and videos on DLNA compatible devices and easily share them with family and friends. The Turbo NAS also helps to secure your files and gives you control to who you want to have access to those cherished memories. Also, with myQNAPcloud, you can connect much easier to the Turbo NAS without limitation of location. The Turbo NAS easily enriches your home entertainment and content sharing. Also, what is great with QNAP is that they have integrated with Control4 to provide you with the ultimate connected home experience. Check out this video from CEDIA that demonstrates what QNAP and Control4 can do for you:

2. Control4 OS 2.6 Software update:

Control4’s OS 2.6 software update features elegant user interface enhancements, provides instant integration, and delivers compelling Control4 experiences throughout smart homes. This update brings enhanced music experience, intuitive pool and spa control, and extensive new features for added comfort and peace of mind in your home. OS 2.6 software makes it much easier for Control4 dealers to integrate hundreds of third-party products. As an end user this may not be the coolest thing on our list, but it is awesome for us which in turn makes it great for you! We can now provide you with seamless effort and efficiency for all of your Control4 systems.

Today at iSS, we have a big moment to annouce.....this is our 100th blog entry! We love writing about all the things that inspire us, and hope you enjoy reading our entries. Now is our chance to enjoy what YOU have to write.

Below is our FaceBook page link. We would love for you to write and tell us what your favorite blog was, what would you like to see us write next, or simply write us a review of your last experience with iSS. We look forward to reading all of your entries!

https://www.facebook.com/isstenn