Is it really that different?
The question? Is a well designed and implemented electronic lifestyle really that much different than the typical big box installation?
So, what is it that is so different? What makes the experience of working with an experienced, conscientious and/or service oriented electronic systems integrator better than choosing a hodge podge of black boxes and blinking lights from your local big box retailer? The answer isn't simple. Much like the analogy of driving different vehicles, both a Toyota and a Bentley will indeed accomplish the goal of getting from one place to another, the truly custom systems integrator and the acne riddled eighteen year old salesperson at, say, Bestbuy are both going to be able to provide a means of watching a television program or movie. They both have the ability to provide a display, surround sound and the cabling infrastructure to link the associated components. However, the experience is vastly different. Radically, vastly different.
First, the big box retailer is likely going to start by hard selling you on the products that his or her manager has instructed them to clear from back stock. They simply don't have the end user in mind when, instead of recommending the right product for the client, they push the lines that offer them a higher commission or are collecting dust in the warehouse. Generally, the salespeople are so inexperienced that they don't even know the difference between technologies let alone the reasons why one piece of gear may be a better choice for you than another. It's the difference between knowing what a piece of equipment does and why that piece may or may not be the correct one. It's the difference between a shopping list and a recipe.
Secondly, because the big box retailer is focused on a one time sale (ie: commission) rather than a relationship, they often times simply direct you to purchase parts instead of a system. A system, you ask? Well, parts are parts. Pack up a new television in the family car, drive it home and add it's remote to the growing pile on the coffee table. A remote for the TV. Another for the DVD player. There's one for the cable box and yet one more for the surround sound receiver. Ugh. Or, they sell you a package of five speakers and a subwoofer for surround sound while failing to even determine what your viewing habits are, what kind of space you have to place them in or what your expectations may be. A system is a vastly different animal than a collection of boxes that may or may not play nicely together. A system is an experience. A solution. A well designed system, whether it be a media room or a fully automated home, works simply, reliably and performs in such a manner as to inspire joy. For example, a well designed media room or dedicated theater offers the experience of sitting down in your favorite chair with your favorite people, picking up a single remote and pressing a single button. At the press of that button, the equipment springs to life. Your television or projector and audio gear power on. They then automagically switch to their correct inputs while the BluRay disc player awakens. As the system warms up, your lighting very slowly dims, elegantly setting the mood for some serious entertainment. As the popcorn is passed around, your movie begins to play. Immediately, the carefully selected pairing of audio processing and the correct loud speakers impress you with their capabilities. If you didn't know better, you would think that you were in the local cineplex, awed by the sights and sounds. Were it not for the noticeable lack of sticky floors and obnoxious teenagers, you would swear that you were at the premiere of Hollywood's latest blockbuster. Now that sounds better than fumbling with four remote controls, cursing as you try to recall which button to press and in what order, while vowing to seek revenge on the salesperson who oversold you on snake oil cables and undersold those tinny sounding, cardboard speakers.
Another benefit of working with a company dedicated to electronic lifestyle solutions is insight. We at reTHINK live, eat and breathe automation and audio/video. We live with the systems we offer. We know what they can do, what they can't do and why. What value does a well designed lighting control system bring to your home? Ask us, we know because we benefit from the rig installed in our own home and the many creative solutions we've implemented in our existing client's homes. Why do we believe so strongly in digital security systems that can email alerts and even dissuade potential intruders before they attempt to break in? Because our own families are protected by the very same gear we recommend and install. Does the ability to view cameras overlooking your home or business from afar really instill peace of mind? Ask us to pull our smart phone from our pocket and we can show you live images from digital surveillance systems installed in our very homes.
Lastly, we value you. We want to be your trusted advisor. We welcome the opportunity to find creative solutions to your most difficult requests. We have a desire to add value to your digital lifestyle. We are, frankly, nerds and we have a great deal of passion for what we do. It is our hope that we can share that passion with you. We respect your home or place of business. We strive to design and install gear in such a way as to blend with your aesthetics or disappear completely. We know how important it is to provide terrific systems, on time, meeting your budget and exceeding your every expectation.