Considering Whole-Home Audio? Learn the Ins and Outs Here First

You like your music and want to enjoy it anywhere at home. Good news—a Crestron whole-home audio system lets you do just that, and if you are in Maui, HI, the experts at Pacific Audio & Communications can design and install it for you. With hi-fi audio following you to any room or outdoor space, you will be dancing your way through life to the tune of your favorite songs—often without even realizing speakers, amplifiers, and media servers are anywhere near you. 

Read on to learn how Crestron brings audio and video to every corner of your smart home, from the front door to the backyard. 

Grab client attention and keep it with high-definition video wall installation for your Maui, Hawaii business.

Presentation is everything when it comes to your business. From first to last impressions and the quality of exchanged ideas in between, you can never care too much about your business impressions. These days, technology plays a huge role in presentations, meetings, and other commercial events.

Businesses in Maui, Hawaii, have greatly benefited from incorporating video wall installation into their workplaces. This smart technology not only makes presentations a breeze but is a great way to impress potential clients and give them something to feast their eyes on as they sit in a waiting area before an appointment.

Make your business stand out with an innovative video wall from Pacific Audio & Communications.

SEE ALSO: How to Distribute Quality Audio and Video in Your Business

Prepare To Impress

We’ve all experienced the frustration of technology not working right when we need it to. It wastes time – time taken away from making an impression. And it can be embarrassing! This is all the more reason to invest in video wall installation from a professional, verified automation system.

Video wall installation from PAC is simple to use: manage your screens easily with just a few buttons. Project high-quality images and text on your screen with perfect clarity, vibrant color, and quality sound. This is smart commercial technology you can rely on, allowing you to focus on other immediate tasks or clients at hand.

LEARN HOW OUR ENERGY MANAGEMENT CONSULTANT TEAM RELIEVES THE STRESS OF BROWNOUTS, INCREASING PRODUCTIVITY AND PRODUCT QUALITY.

 

Consistent power is vital to any business in the Napa Valley, CA, area; wineries are especially dependent on the grid to develop and protect their product. In recent years, companies have had to contend with environmental factors such as a desire to lower their carbon footprint and increasing reliability issues with PG&E.

 

The UC Berkeley December 2019 paper entitled ‘2040, Electricity Independence and Microgrids’ points out that wildfires and transmission issues have affected over 32,000 Napa Valley customers. The results were loss of work, the danger of wine fouling and supply chain setbacks decreasing revenue for months to years after.

 

An energy management consultant from Pacific Audio & Communications collaborates with your architects, business leaders and municipal governing bodies to create power security and savings. Read more below to see how we can make your business power supply sustainable and efficient.

How a Certified DOD Cybersecurity Company Keeps Your Data Secure

How safe is your company from cyber-attacks? Unless you have a robust, secure, and up-to-date network in place, your business is vulnerable to cyber thieves. Today’s attackers are always looking for ways to exploit vulnerabilities in a computer network to steal data, money, or wreak havoc on your business. What may seem like a secure network to you is an open invitation to others.

Safeguard your data with state-of-the-art enterprise networking solutions that mount a powerful defense against cyber-attacks. Pacific Audio & Communications in Honolulu, HI, is certified by the Department of Defense to provide cybersecurity. Read our blog to learn how a strong commercial network protects your sensitive data.

Check Out These Smart Solutions to Benefit Your Health & Wellbeing

Right now, health and wellness seem to be all that occupy everyone’s mind daily. It can be hard to find ways to protect yourself and give your physical and mental health a boost – even within your own home. But as you’re finding yourself staying indoors more lately, your home is the perfect place to start.

In this blog, we’ll explore various smart home solutions you can bring to your Kailua-Kona, HI living space in order to elevate its overall wellness and environment. Work with a trusted home automation company like Pacific Audio & Communications for every installation.

If you’re a concerned homeowner or property manager, keep reading below to find out more about why integrating these smart components into the home is a necessity for wellness.

PAC Hawai’i announces expanded resources on the Big Island of Hawai’i

Hawai’i based electronics systems integration firm Pacific Audio & Communications Inc.(PAC Hawai’i)  is proud to announce that King Integration and its employees have joined the PAC Hawai’i team. This provides additional capacity required for anticipated business growth for the Big Island and Hawai’i Nui.

In late 2018, King Integration owners Ryan and Lorela King contacted Phil Mulligan CEO and Pat Mulligan VP of PAC to form a more unified and cohesive approach in the commercial and residential electronics integration market on the Big Island of Hawai’i.

Phil Mulligan Chief Executive, says, “This is a rare opportunity to have a high-quality firm like King Integration, whom has been in service for over a decade, want to unify and expand its offering. With the King Integration team coming on board with us we will be able to offer their clients and building trades expanded support and long-term services needed to elevate the Big Island market.”

To secure this unification, PAC has signed hiring contracts with Ryan King and his team (Mark, Keoni and Brandon) and has leased new office and warehouse locations in Kona at.73-5563 Olowalu St. Unit A-5, Kailua Kona Hi 96740

Ryan King adds, “We are excited to join a well established Hawai’i based company with more resources and sophisticated processes. Our client base on the Big Island will enjoy an improved service and maintenance experience while we continue to develop our new construction projects. I’ve known many peers on the Pacific Audio team over the years and am thrilled to be collaborating with them.”

COVID-19 and Cybersecurity

In today’s complex and interconnected world virtually no major event occurs without an associated cyber threat. The COVID-19 pandemic is exception. As all of us work to mitigate this threat, we should be aware of how cybersecurity impacts us in doing so.

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) warns individuals to remain vigilant for scams related to Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). Cyber actors may send emails with malicious attachments or links to fraudulent websites to trick victims into revealing sensitive information or donating to fraudulent charities or causes. Exercise caution in handling any email with a COVID-19-related subject line, attachment or hyperlink, and be wary of social media pleas, texts or calls related to COVID-19.

CISA encourages individuals to remain vigilant and take the following precautions.

• Avoid clicking on links in unsolicited emails and be wary of email attachments. See Using Caution with Email Attachments and Avoiding Social Engineering and Phishing Scams for more information.
   
• Use trusted sources—such as legitimate government websites—for up-to-date, fact-based information about COVID-19.
   
• Do not reveal personal or financial information in email, and do not respond to email solicitations for this information.
   
• Verify a charity’s authenticity before making donations. Review the Federal Trade Commission’s page on Charity Scams for more information.
   
• Review CISA Insights on Risk Management for COVID-19 for more information.”[1]

In addition, threats may take on the form of websites providing critical information to the public. For example, according to both CISA and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, a malicious website pretending to be Johns Hopkins University’s live map for Coronavirus COVID-19 Global Cases is circulating on the internet waiting for unwitting internet users to visit the website.

Visiting the website infects the user with the AZORult trojan, an information-stealing program that can exfiltrate a variety of sensitive data. It is likely being spread via infected email attachments, malicious online advertisements and social engineering. Furthermore, anyone searching the internet for a coronavirus map could unwittingly navigate to this malicious website.

While dedicated attacks to interfere with or slow response to this crisis remain a concern at federal and state levels, the primary cyber-related concerns for most of us related to COVID-19 include:

Here are 5 Important Things to Consider

You’ve heard a lot about 4K, Ultra HD, and other terms.  You want that razor-sharp picture in your home theater.

Maybe you already have a home theater.  In that case, you may be wondering what you’ll need to upgrade.

If you don’t have a home theater system, the good news is you can plan to get new equipment with less concern about what will be compatible with the old.

Let’s look at five important considerations for achieving 4K home theater nirvana in your Maui home.



 
SEE ALSO: Why Should You Invest in a Professional Home Theater System

 

4K Screens: Flat Panel or Projector?

The traditional approach to a full-on home theater has been a ceiling or rear projection system, but recent trends have developed new options.  Flat Panels are now available up to 100 inches in size, with 75-85 inch models becoming quite affordable.  If you don’t like integrating projectors in your room, a large flat panel may be the way to go.  LED backlight dimming, OLED screen technology, HDR (high dynamic range) and Dolby Vision (Dolby Labs’ special version of HDR) offer incredible sharpness, detail, and black level performance.

Projectors have not been standing still.  There are many models to choose from that offer 4K resolution, but one of the things to watch out for is support for HDR.  Look for models that support both HDR10 and Dolby Vision, or at a minimum are software upgradeable for those features. Ultra short-throw projectors are also a viable option now; these models are more easily installed and calibrated than ceiling mounted or rear projection setups.

4K Ultra HD Blu-ray

The next generation of 4K Blu-ray is here, and the prices of players have come down to mainstream levels. More titles are being released in the 4K format, and many old popular titles are also being released in this format, as has typically happened before when the technology changes.  4K Blu-ray is a must for the best quality picture and sound in a theater.  While an increasing amount of 4K content is being streamed, typically the actual picture quality will not equal local playback from a disc.  Further, streamed 4K content will not have the highest definition sound formats like Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio.  Movies in 4K Blu-Ray will particularly wow you with their enhanced contrast and brightness.

4K Streaming

You likely know about streaming devices like Apple TV, Google Chromecast, Roku, and Amazon Fire TV.  All these vendors have 4K versions of their devices available now.  Apple, Amazon, and Google have varying amounts of movies and shows in 4K.  They all support HDR, but only Apple TV currently supports Dolby Vision.  Netflix has an ever-growing number of shoes and movies available in 4K.  Movie service VUDU (available on all but Amazon’s Fire TV) has a growing library of 4K movies as well.

AV Receivers and Preamps

If you’ve had a home theater audio setup for a while, chances are it’s not compatible with 4K.  You need support for passing HDCP 2.2 signals, which is the standard for enabling 4K video content.  If your receiver or multichannel preamp is not compatible with this, then it may make for some tradeoffs in your video source switching and audio playback possibilities.  We can guide you through those considerations, and decide whether your current equipment can be used in a 4K theater upgrade.

Networking and Internet

Last but not least, 4K video puts considerable demands on a home network.  If you want to stream or distribute 4K signals around your home – including your theater – you may need a router and perhaps cable upgrades.

If reading this has created more questions than answers, you are not alone.  There’s much to consider in planning a 4K home theater.  Contact us; we will guide you through all the choices to create the perfect Maui home theater for you.

 

Find the Components that Work for You

 
If you’re a fan of music, you know there’s nothing better than the sound of a resonant, high-performance speaker in your Honolulu home.

But during the summer, you don’t want to stay cooped up inside, letting the sunshine go to waste.

The perfect solution is an outdoor sound system. You can enjoy your favorite tunes while basking in the warm air – without missing a beat.

Obviously, the components for an outdoor system aren’t going to be the same in an indoor system. In this blog, we’ll explore some of the differences between indoor and outdoor speakers.

Just keep reading for more.



 
See Also: Get Ready for Summer with an Outdoor Sound System
 

Bullet Speakers

In an indoor system, speakers are usually configured in pairs. A two-channel system is the perfect way to listen to music staged as if it were performed live.

But outside, there are other considerations: Ambient sound and lack of reflecting surfaces means you can’t count on the environment to help you out. And wood would likely rot when left too long in the elements.

Instead, bullet speakers are made from durable materials like brass or plastic. Their cabinets are long and slim, and they point in the direction you want to listen. Plus, they’re usually configured with four or more units throughout your yard, facing in toward the listening zone, so you can listen at a comfortable volume without disturbing the neighbors.

 

360-Degree Speakers

On the other hand, there are also semi-buried 360-degree posts. These components play loud and reach every corner of your space.

Most common in commercial applications, these are large units that are designed to draw attention. However, some manufacturers disguise them as elegant art pieces or as art of the stonework layout, so you can get the most out of the sound without looking at clunky components.

 

Wall-Mounted Speakers

Wall-mounted speakers are perfect for a deck or patio space. As the name implies, they hang off a wall and offer great sound for movies and music around a sitting space.

They typically offer bigger cabinets than bullet speakers. Otherwise, they look very similar to indoor bookshelf units.

 

Underground Sub

Perhaps the single most important speaker you can find is an underground subwoofer. Subs help deep bass notes resonate, giving your music a much higher impact.

Of course, on the island, you probably aren’t going to bury anything too deeply. In those cases, the sub can be placed below your deck to hide it.

If that’s not an option, you can select a semi-buried style that will help protect the device but won’t completely cover it. The above-ground part is designed to be aesthetically pleasing, so you won’t have to worry about it disrupting your landscaping.

 
Want to learn more about what you can get out of your outdoor sound system? Just click here for more info!

 

The Features You Should Look for with Smart Security Technology

High-end homes in the Honolulu area are often the target of break-ins, making a smart home security system an excellent investment. But deciding on which features you would like in your security system can be difficult. With so many factors to consider, you may find yourself getting overwhelmed.

Below, we cover the top features that will take your security system to the next level, giving you the confidence that you’ve chosen a robust and user-friendly system that will protect your home and family.



SEE ALSO: Make Your Home Energy Efficient With These 3 Smart Upgrades
 

Features

A traditional security system might include little more than an alarm that trips when a window or door is broken, but smart technology enables security to go far beyond that. Within a smart home, all of the following features can be combined into one easy-to-use system you can control at the touch of a button.

1. Door Sensors: Beyond the front door (but certainly including that too), door sensors can keep track of whether any door on your property is open or closed. These sensors can be installed on medicine cabinets, wine cellar doors, and more.
2. Motion Sensors: Install motion sensors that identify if any unauthorized movement happens in key areas of your property, such as a person moving around in your backyard in the middle of the night.
3. Smoke/Heat Sensors: Get notified immediately if there is a health or fire hazard on your property. With a home monitoring service, the smoke and heat sensors can automatically contact emergency services to get assistance to your property as soon as possible.
4. Garage Door Sensors: Ever wondered if you left the garage door open? Simply pull out your smartphone and check the status of the sensor!
5. Water/Flood Sensors: Protect your property from flooding with water sensors that notify you as soon as water is detected somewhere it shouldn’t be.
6. Surveillance Cameras: Real-time, high-resolution cameras are installed around your property, giving you instant access to the camera views via a smartphone or tablet.
7. Smart Door Locks: Remotely lock or unlock doors throughout your property via your smartphone, allowing you to let someone into your home without you having to greet them at the front door.
8. Gate Interface Systems: The same cameras and door locks that protect your home can be extended to a gatehouse. Using a video intercom, you can converse with whoever is at the gate and remotely give them access, if you so choose.
9. Alarm System: Last but not least, your smart home security system can use a state-of-the-art alarm system to notify you of any issues however you see fit – audible alarm, flashing lights, notifications on the television screens, text message notifications, phone calls, and more.
10. Integration with Other Smart Technologies: Imagine having a security system that automatically lights up the pathway from the driveway to the front door whenever your front gate authorizes entry. Or how about a system that automatically locks all of the entryways on your property whenever you select a “Goodnight” smart scene that also turns out the lights, adjusts the thermostat, and powers down electronics? There’s no need to settle for just security or just lighting control or multi-room music. With smart home automation, you can have one system that does it all.

 
Don’t be afraid to go beyond the basics with smart home security. Today’s technologies are not only assisting in keeping Hawaii properties secure – they’re also assisting in making daily life more comfortable, convenient, and luxurious.

If you would like to learn more about which smart home security system features would make sense for your property, please contact us by calling 808-386-5963 or filling out this quick inquiry form.

 

• Design a Room Optimized to Get the Most Out of Your Technology• Receive Expert Advice on What Works Best for You• Find Equipment that Matches Your Stylistic Preferences

 How Does a Custom Home Theater Differ From Retail Options?

A custom home theater system is an immersive entertainment experience. Every inch of your room is planned out to get the most out of your technology and space. We find the best equipment for the room, optimize it for sound and visual quality, and even work with you to design a unique theme. Below we take a look at some of the benefits of a professionally installed home theater.

Figuring Out the Layout for Your Room

The success of your Maui home theater system comes down to having the right layout in place as well as the right technology. Below we take a look at some of the things you need to consider when designing your brand-new entertainment system:

• What kind of screen do you want in your home theater?
  • The size of your screen will affect the seating arrangement for the room, which will then determine where to place your speakers:
    
    • Screen Size: As a rule of thumb, for a 120" screen you want to be at least 12 feet from the images to reduce strain and to see the picture clearly without having to move your eyes.
    • Screen Viewing Cone: Image quality will diminish as you move away from the center of the screen. Once your screen is installed, we ensure all seating is neatly placed within your screen viewing cone: this signifies how wide you can go before you start seeing a drop in image quality.
  • What kind of surround sound do you want in your home theater system?
    • This will determine how many speakers you’ll have in your room and where they need to be located. We ensure all speakers are equidistant to the viewers, so no one is stuck with audio that is too loud or too low.
      
      • Traditional Surround Sound: These systems include five or seven speakers and one subwoofer. Speakers are installed in front, to the side, above, and behind the viewer.
      • Dolby Atmos: For the best, most –realistic sound you should upgrade to a Dolby Atmos system.
        
        • Separate sounds into distinct objects so they can move within a 3-dimensional space:
          
          • For example: Hear a plane literally flying overhead as the sound travels from speaker-to-speaker above the viewer.

Expert Advice on What Equipment Works Best For Your Space

Once we have a general idea what you’re looking for in your home theater system, we help you find the right equipment:

• Choosing the right screen:
  • Depending on your room's limitations, we help you find the right size, color, and texture for your screen. For example, in places with a lot of ambient light, you want to go with a darker gray or black screen. If you want a discreet option, we can offer motorized screens that retract into the ceiling.
• Choosing the right speakers:
  • We offer the latest state-of-the-art technology when it comes to your speakers. Invest in Dolby-Atmos enabled speakers for truly realistic sound and, if you have space restraints, we also offer in-wall and in-ceiling speakers.

Don’t settle for a second-rate discount theater from your local electronics store. Contract Pacific Audio and Communications to create a truly immersive entertainment space in your Maui area home.

• Check in with Family and Friends
• Manage Energy Use
• Simplify Access to Your Home

Go Beyond Security with these Home Monitoring Uses for Your Maui Home

A home monitoring system is an excellent way to enhance your security system, going beyond cameras and alarms. However, home monitoring is useful for more than just security. Below, we’ve covered three ways that you can use a home monitoring system throughout your daily life in Maui, HI.



Check in with Family and FriendsA home monitoring system doesn’t just detect intruders. It can also be used to keep track of pets, children, elderly family members, and more.

• Keep your pet off the furniture with smart sensors that alert you whenever your cat or dog is feeling adventurous.
• Have a room in the house where your children aren’t supposed to go? Receive a notification if they enter the pool area without you or exit the home at an unusual hour.
• Check in on elderly family members with cameras and motion sensors that let you know whenever they need assistance, when they take needed medications, and more.

Manage Energy UseThe same sensors that keep your home safe can also cut down on unnecessary energy costs:

• Lighting Controlo Use sensors to automatically turn lights on when someone enters a room, then off again when that person leaves. This keeps you from wasting energy on lighting rooms that aren’t in use.
• HVAC Controlo Use intelligent monitoring to optimize how your HVAC system operates. On sunny days, your smart home automation system can lower motorized shades to cut down on sunlight heating your home.
• Device Controlo There’s no need to run all of the electronic devices throughout your home when they aren’t in use. Cut down on your energy bill by controlling TVs, gaming systems, surround sound speakers, and more from your remote tablet.

Simplify Access to Your HomeMake it easy for people to gain access to your property, whether you’re on location or not.

• Prep for Delivery/Maintenance Workerso You don’t have to stick around the house all day waiting for the cable guy to show up. Instead, receive an alert whenever the worker arrives, then give them access to your home straight from your smartphone or tablet. With the sensors placed throughout each room, you can ensure that workers only enter areas where they are supposed to be.
• Accommodate Unplanned Guestso If a family member decides to stop by while you’re not at home, you can still give them access to your residence so that they can wait for you to arrive in comfort. Simply unlock the gate and front door right from your phone.
• Avoid Dealing with Physical Keyso Physical keys are one less thing you have to worry about with a home monitoring system. The gates and smart locks on your home can be unlocked with the press of a button so that you always have easy access without having to carry jangling keys in your pocket.
  o With security codes and access cards, you can keep track of who comes and goes at all times.

Home security, energy management, access control, and more – a home monitoring system is a comprehensive solution for your smart home. To speak with us about the possibilities for your Maui home, call 808-870-1619 or fill out this quick online form.

• Save Energy with Timers
• Harness Sunlight with Sensors
• Adjust Lighting Levels with Dimmers

Enhance Oahu Home Design with Smart Lighting

Any interior designer knows the importance of having proper lighting in each room to illuminate the artwork, décor, and other design elements throughout the space. However, not every designer knows about the versatility that comes from implementing a home lighting control system in that space. We work with interior designers, architects, and homeowners throughout the Oahu, HI area to create a seamless lighting design that enhances the architecture and décor of the home.

To learn how you can use home lighting control technology to present home décor at its best, read on.

Timers

Timers ensure that the home’s décor is well lit with no extra effort for the homeowner.

• Perfect Timing: A home’s lights should be tailored to the lifestyle of the homeowner. Use timers to automatically turn lights on and off at the times that make sense for each room.
• Energy Savings: Timers save on energy costs by only lighting areas when they are needed.
• An Automatic Process: Homeowners don’t want to waste time walking into each room to turn the lights on during the day and then off again at night. Timers avoid that manual hassle.

Sensors

Make the lighting throughout the home react intelligently to certain trigger events.

• Occupancy Sensors: Keeping spotlights lit up throughout the home can be wasteful, spending excessive amounts of energy when nobody is there to admire the artwork or sculpture being illuminated. Occupancy sensors solve this problem by turning on lights whenever someone enters the room, then automatically turns off the lights after everyone leaves.
• Daylight Sensors: A daylight sensor detects how much sunlight is entering the room. On sunny days when the room is well lit, the sensor can automatically cause the dimmers in the room to lower the amount of artificial light to keep the room from being washed out with brightness. As the sun starts setting, the lights will brighten to ensure the room always has just the right lighting levels.

Dimmers

Dimmers allow interior designers to set the perfect lighting levels throughout the day for each space and activity.

• Time of Day: Using dimmers and timers together, the lighting levels can adjust from morning to afternoon to evening.
• Room: For interior rooms without much sunlight, the dimmers will keep rooms bright, but in rooms with windows, the dimmers will adjust to save energy by harvesting natural light.
• Activity: Most rooms have multiple purposes, so the lighting designer can create “scenes” for each occasion that optimize the room’s lighting for that specific activity, such as enjoying a candlelit dinner or reading a book on the sofa.

 
These three home lighting control technologies are just the tip of the iceberg of how smart home automation can enhance interior design.  Contact Pacific Audio and Communications to learn more about our process for working with interior designers to optimize lighting in the Oahu area.