Smart Home:

Important Message from Smarthome:

We will be moving our store to 1987 Central Ave, Albany Ny 12205....right next to Costumer and across from Taft.

We are very excited to be making this move!

More info to follow, so be sure to check back.

The Importance of Utilizing Surge Protectors

With the amount of money it costs to install high level entertainment systems these days also investing in a quality surge protector is a must. Why spend thousands of dollars and risk losing everything in less than a second because of a bolt of lightning or voltage spike? Surge protectors are the first line of defense for your entertainment system and it provides peace of mind against the unexpected.

Surge Protectors do two things; it will protect the connections inside your home theatre system and provide you with a central location for all power connections. Sure, you can monitor the weather channel and unplug your entire unit before every thunderstorm, but not only is that unrealistic, it won't help stop voltage spikes. Not to mention the many DVD players, VCR or cable boxes have to be reprogrammed when unplugged, which becomes quite the nuisance. Purchasing a surge protector eliminates this headache, provides a place for all power connections and simplifies the ability to track multiple cables. If you already own one and it doesn't have labels, make your own, it is worth the effort.

Surge protectors come in various sizes and plug inputs, being aware of how many you need and how many units you intend to add in the future is important before purchasing. An often overlooked aspect of these tools is that ALL LINES INTO YOUR HOME THEATRE NEED TO BE PROTECTED. Not just the power cables. In other words, the cable connection, any outdoor antenna or phone line is just as important as the power cable. There is a surge protector out there that addresses all these needs, do a little research and buy the appropriate model.

When looking into a surge protector be aware of the shut off limits. Problems only occur when the voltage fluctuates too for above or below the acceptable limits. This happens very quickly and you want to be able to respond in less than a nanosecond. The level of protection increases based on quality of surge protector. Look for one with visual indicators that will quickly tell important information, as well as audible indicators that will sound when a power surge has taken place. Also look into surge protectors that address the filtering of electromagnetic and radio frequency versus those that do not. These will produce cleaner power, which provide a greater protection level.

Finally, make sure you are presented a warrantee that guarantees coverage of the complete value of your home theatre system, not just the surge protector. If this is not available, it is not worth purchasing the equipment in the first place.

The point with all of this is to be a step ahead of any potential problems regarding power surges or voltage fluctuations. Investing in expensive equipment and not a surge protector is foolish and is asking for trouble. Be proactive, be preventive. Make your home a SmartHome.

Wolf's 1-11 Project Completed

The Smarthome team completed a large scale installation project at the recently opened Wolf's 1-11 in Colonie. The restuarant and game center will offer 32 HD televisions spread throughout the space, as well as a 110-inch screen and projector. The layout will allow customers to see multiple games, events and shows at once from any table.


Stop by Wolf's 1-11 for a fun night out in the newest spot in Colonie and checkout the work of the Smarthome team. They can network multiple televisions or install single units. They know how to do it all and can accomodate businesses and personal projects.


If you would like to learn more about everything Smarthome can offer, take a look at their website for more ideas or contact information.

http://smarthomealbany.com/Welcome.html

Our History

We got our start in the electronics business in 1994 when we opened EAST COAST AUDIO CONCEPTS, A small shop in East Greenbush, NY, specializing in mobile video and audio systems. We experienced substantial growth as mobile audio and video gained popularity. Our business ranged from “low end” to “no end”, installing basic stereo and video monitors to creating award winning custom installations. We outgrew our original shop and moved to a new state of the art location in East Greenbush in 2002, with a larger showroom and installation bays.

Over the years, Our team and our creations won numerous national awards and accolades and were featured in many of the top mobile audio magazines.


Some of our awards include:

Mobile electronics magazine - store of the year
Mobile Electronics Magazine - Installation team of the year
Mobile Electronics Magazine - installer of the year
IASCA - (international auto sound challenge association) - World Champions
USAC - (United States Auto Sound Competition) - National Champions
SLAP - Regional Champions
CANADIAN AUTO SOUND - Regional champions
JL AUDIO - Dealer of the year award
CES/ SEMA show cars and trade show awards


NATIONAL MAGAZINE FEATURES:

Car Audio and Electronics
Consumer Guide to Car Audio and Security
Auto Sound and Security Magazine
Car Stereo Review
Performance Auto Sound and Security Magazine
Street Trucks, Mini Truckin’, and Sport Compact Car Magazine


As technology improved, automakers began to integrate more and more mobile electronics at the factory - offering consumers in-car video, eight speaker sound systems, navigation, car starters, etc. At the same time, the home electronics market, beyond the basic television set, began to expand and become more mainstream. As such, the move from mobile electronics to home electronics was a natural progression for our business, as our expertise and knowledge would very easily carry over and apply to the home electronics market.

In 2004, we began our progression from the mobile electronics market to the home electronics market, continuing to operate out of our East Greenbush Facility. Although the “big box” stores were offering home electronics, we believed that they could not compete with our expertise and service. In 2007 CIRCUIT CITY contracted with us to be their exclusive installer for their “FIREDOG” home installation service.

Since 2004, our home electronics business has experienced steady growth, prompting us to concentrate exclusively on this aspect of our business, As a result, we decided to change our name to SMARTHOME - a name more descriptive of our business, and move to a new design center easy to find located on Wolf Rd. in Colonie, NY.

http://www.smarthomealbany.com/Welcome.html

Multi-room audio is home entertainment

Inside, outside and everywhere in between, whole-house entertainment systems distribute fun throughout your home.

Imagine all your bulky electronics out of the way, hidden in one location, like a media closet, completely out of sight.

Now think about coming home, pressing a button and music fills the air. What will it be? Classical for relaxation after a stressful day; rock to get the blood flowing; or how about a favorite satellite radio channel while cooking dinner?

Meanwhile your spouse is working out to his/her favorite tunes at the other end of the house. Your kids are in the home theater room with five of their friends watching the latest bluray DVD. All this from one system, easily controlled from keypads, touchscreens or remote controls.

Gone are the stacks of stereos littering each surface. Say goodbye to big box speakers that look alien, no matter how modern your furniture is. This is what you see. What you get is so much more.

Multi-room audio is music to live by. It’s what you want when entertaining, relaxing or spending time together as a family.

Your life is more than photos pasted into a scrapbook. It’s moments made up of music, laughter, friends and family.

Because memories are more than just images.

For more information, please visit:

http://www.smarthomealbany.com