Tech Your Home to the Next Level
Home automation is changing life as we know it. Recent years have seen an increase in demand for its installation, with the technology significantly growing in popularity. As more people incorporate it into their houses, their day-to-day living is improved by the smart management of security and comfort in the home. Sydney Home Design + Living’s Jessica Muller sits down with Jarrod Carter, the director Connected Audio Visual, to chat about how these remarkable technologies can simplify your life.
Carter’s interest in the tech world was piqued early. “Since childhood, I’ve been passionate about music and high-end audio, so it was only natural for me to create and design technology systems.” His career in this area set off shortly into his adulthood. “I opened my first Audio-Visual store in my early 20s,” he says. “Later, I sold that business and founded Connected Audio Visual (CAV) in 2017 with a brand-new warehouse and office located in Lake Illawarra, New South Wales.” Now a recognised premier specialist, Connected Audio Visual services right across New South Wales with unparalleled results. Carter attributes much of the success of Connected Audio Visual to the incredible team he works with. “We have a dedicated talented group and, together, we have worked on projects all over New South Wales, from the South Coast to the Southern Highlands, Sydney, Canberra and beyond, in some truly beautiful homes,” he remarks.
THE BASICS
While the technology that makes home automation possible can seem really complex, it’s not as intimidating as you might think. Control4 by Connected Audio Visual is a smart home system that is designed to simplify and enhance the way you interact with your home’s automation. “It includes security, access control, entertainment, audio, irrigation, lighting and more,” Carter explains. “Control4 provides a centralised platform and interface that allows you to manage every aspect of your home easily and reliably,” he continues. With an easy-to-use app on a smartphone or touch screen device, homeowners can turn lights on and off, close their blinds, adjust their heating or cooling settings, lock and unlock doors, access security cameras and play music.
THE CONVENIENCE
The convenience of a system like Control4 is enormous, and it’s the factor that Connected Audio Visual’s clients report as its greatest selling point. “Life can be hectic, but when your home’s technology is integrated into one simple-to-use system, it reduces daily stress,” Carter explains. “We also program events for our clients to automate certain actions, like waking up to a pre-heated, well-lit bathroom with your favourite music playing, or arriving home to a house set at the perfect temperature with your preferred music streaming.” Additionally, it enables you to control and monitor your home remotely, ensuring peace of mind
wherever you are. “The technology is extremely user-friendly, with a single app to control your entire home,” Carter notes. This makes a luxury lifestyle all the more achievable. You can manage all aspects of your home, such as lighting, music, air conditioning and blinds from the tap of a finger. “At the end of a long day, simply pressing ‘Goodnight’ will close your blinds, turn off the light and music, and more,” Carter describes. Home automation can also significantly enhance the home entertainment experience. “Control4 can simplify the control of multiple electronic platforms such as amplifiers, TVs and projectors, smart devices like Shield TV and lighting into simple one-button commands,” Carter tells. With one remote, you can control everything to create a seamless and impressive entertainment experience.
These technologies also hold the power to make a wonderful difference in the lives of NDIS participants. “At Connected Audio Visual, we work with NDIS clients to automate gates, lights and security systems, ensuring family members can monitor and assist their loved ones effectively,” Carter says.
Such technology increases the independence of these clients in their day-to-day lives in ways that are perhaps otherwise unattainable.
SAFETY AND SECURITY
On top of making life easier with the convenience of control, Control4 also offers robust security features, including advanced surveillance, remote access and smart locks. These features are loved by families, as “ensuring security is a top priority for parents,” Carter notes. These features not only safeguard your property but also protect your peace of mind. “For instance, parents can receive video alerts when their children arrive home from school or notifications when they don’t arrive on time,” Carter says. “Smart locks allow easy access for babysitters without needing physical keys,” he continues.
Control4 enhances home security from unwanted visitors through features like line crossings set up from CCTV cameras, which trigger lights, warnings or chimes when activated. It also sends video notifications to your phone when these boundaries are crossed. “Control4 allows remote management of your property, enabling you to arm or disarm systems, lock or unlock doors and check the status of garage doors and gates from anywhere,” Carter explains. This means you can manage your property when absent from the home, and make it appear as if someone is home with remote controlled lights and blinds. Automation is possible through complex technology, but its application is quite simple. “The real game changer is how existing products worth together seamlessly. Integrating cameras, alarms, access control, intercoms and gate controls offers an unmatched security solution,” Carter proposes.
Photography courtesy of Connected Audio Visual.
