The first wireless device I ever used was made by AMX. The year was 1982, and I was one of the notoriously nerdy AV enthusiasts at University. We were the ones who were always asked to load the film strips and set up the slide projectors. This time, the projector came with something new – an MX20 wireless remote. You could stand at the front of the room and advance the slides from there without a wire! It seems so humble now, but it was a miracle at the time and the beginning of great things.
On through the years AMX has introduced one great product and innovation after another. From touch panels to digital media servers to motion control, from video conferencing to VOIP to ultra wide screen panels, AMX has always stayed at the forefront of automation technology.
Now AMX is taking an aggressive new stance in home automation. They have also dedicated themselves to making home automation clear and understandable for homeowners.

AMX was concerned that over the years, there had been too much emphasis placed on the technology and not enough on the enormous lifestyle benefits of home automation. For the homeowner, it had become a matter of navigating through an alphabet soup of processor model numbers, generations of data cable, radio frequencies and dozens of other things that frankly, they had absolutely no interest in. In 2010, AMX aggressively ramped up their home products initiative, and that led to a new philosophy, as well as one of the best web sites in the industry.

The site is called simplifymyhome.com. In this case, the name says it all. AMX wants to show you that far from being a complication in your life, home automation is what is going to make you life easier, safer, more convenient, more environmentally responsible and more fun.

They believe that simplifying your home starts with understanding the four major steps to putting in your system. The first one is a plan. The saying goes “if you fail to plan, you plan to fail,” and nowhere is that more accurate than in home automation. That means taking into account your needs, your architecture and your interior design.
Next, you need to get a great design, which means finding and engaging a professional. They will take into account the many variables including:
Room specs
Wiring specs
Equipment housing
Power requirement
Audio system
Projection system
Lighting control
Room seating
Room integration

Next comes installation, when the system goes and in, home modifications are made and the programming is perfected.

Finally, there’s upgrade and support. You protect you investment by making sure it stays current and is in optimum shape. You need to find the right professional to make that happen.

But for AMX, it isn’t just the helping you understand the process. A system is nothing if you don’t have the hardware to make it happen. AMX is offering products that will make all your home systems- audio, video, lights, security, off-site control, HVAC – simple, easy to use, reliable and affordable. Towards that end, they are rolling out an assortment of new and innovative solutions that are really getting the attention of the industry.

One is the Enova DGX line. Designed to install quickly, it combines the functions of a switcher, controller, analog to digital converter, ethernet control, video scaler and so much more, all in one box. The unit is an integrators dream, as it is quick to set up and friendly to program.

The AMX Modero touch panels are already well known, but the new ModeroX panels offer wide screens, edge to edge glass and other state of the art refinements.
If you want to leverage your existing technology, TPControl will turn your Apple or Android device into a full function AMX controller.
For added security, look to the AMX Metreau Entry Communicator. It’s a video door phone solution that integrates seamlessly with the AMX systems.
When it comes to lighting, AMX partners with the world-famous Lutron line to give you a host of solutions. The Lutron products interface easily with AMX products in a system they call Lutron ClearConnect.

A short blog can’t possibly tell you all the incredible, innovative and surprisingly affordable products and solutions offered by AMX. Before you make a decision about home automation, you owe it to yourself to visit the Simplifymyhome web site and then talk to an authorized AMX dealer like OneTouch Automation. We have the experience, the skills and the support of the AMX team. We’ll help you put together the kind of system that will turn your wish list into a check list. Call us today.

When it comes time to have work done in your home, there are many ways to find the right contractor. You could ask your neighbours. You could check directories and look for companies that have been successfully in the business for a long time. You could go with a company name that you recognize. It’s not that easy with home automation. This is a new and ever changing technology. There are no companies that go back twenty or thirty years in the business, as it didn’t exist as a business back then. You can’t ask your neighbours, as you may be the first one on your street investing in this technology. The business is so new, that there are no brand name integrators. But you are trusting this contractor with your home and your money.

There are definitely some red flags that will warn you about home automation contractors you should avoid. Here are a few:

No certification – this one is huge. The major players in the integrated home technology business have invested a fortune in programs that train and certify professionals in the industry. These skills need constant upgrading to make sure they reflect the current state of the industry. If your contractor tries to tell you that because he is an electrician, a TV repairman or a cable guy he is qualified to automate your home, don’t believe it. The contractor should be able to present the certification documents of anyone who will be designing or programming your system. Check the date. A five year old certification is almost as good as no training at all unless it has been constantly upgraded. And check who it’s from. It should be from an industry leader like Crestron or AMX. This type of training costs thousands of dollars in classroom and travel time, but the real pro’s have it.

No references – You don’t want to be the first job a company works on. The company you want to deal with has satisfied customers that are pleased to talk to you about their experience. Ask tough questions – did they stick to the budget, did they try to upsell you, were their workers clean and polite, was the job done on time. A reputable company has nothing to fear from you talking to their clients.

No money – If the contractor has no money and is asking you to pay for the entire job up front, that should be a warning that something is wrong. It is totally acceptable to be asked for partial payment at signing and on delivery of goods, but the best home automation suppliers will work with you on terms, not make demands.

No delay – If the contractor says they can be in your house tomorrow, hang up the phone. Good companies are in demand. They work hard on that crucial last 5% of the job that makes all the difference to whether the job is poor, adequate or exceptional. If they are starting in your house immediately, that almost always means they are a company with no customers, or they are leaving someone else’s job half finished and moving on to yours. Either way, it’s a pretty good sign that this is not the installer for you.

No commitment to the business – Home Automation can’t be a hobby or a sideline if is going to be done right. In the next few years, you will see alarm companies, cable TV companies and probably others trying to profit from this technology. It’s your home. You deserve the best. You shouldn’t let someone with no experience or long-term commitment to the business try to make a few quick dollars selling something they don’t really care about or understand.

No guarantee – When we say guarantee, we mean get it in writing. Who is responsible for what, and for how long? What is the service response time? Your components may be under warranty, but does that cover the cost of taking them out the system and putting them back? If you add a new piece of technology (and you will) who pays for the integration and reprogramming, and how much will it cost? What happens when the warranty ends? Can the contractor offer you a service maintenance agreement that will cover you in the years to come?

At OneTouch Automation, we are proud to show you how our certified staff, satisfied customers, flexible scheduling and strong warranty make your home automation experience pleasant, affordable and an investment you can be proud of for years to come.

Contact us any time.

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You’re redecorating, or moving into a new home or condo. You have to cover your windows anyway. You could put up old fashioned blinds or curtains, just like people have for hundreds of years. But smart home owners are realizing that the benefits of motorized controllable window coverings can be yours for little more than the price of a good quality regular drapes.
It’s the motors that make the difference. By attaching window coverings to motorized rollers and tracks, you can command them from a hand held remote, touch screen or iphone.
While they can be used in almost any home, controllable window coverings are especially well suited to house with
Large windows
Many windows
Skylights
Second-story openings
Windows blocked by furniture
There are many benefits to using motorized shades. Let’s look at some:

Save your floors and furniture: You fine furniture and floors can be subjected to fading and yellowing from the bleaching action of the the sun. Controllable window coverings can be programmed to follow the sun and protect your home from sunlight.
Save money: Window coverings are an important part of your climate control system. They limit or maximize sun exposure and form an important form of insulation on the windows, the place where most heat is lost in a home. Blinds with foil linings can be used to reflect the sun’s rays, while blinds with air pockets can provide amazing warmth in cold weather.
Enjoy your privacy: With dual shade systems, you can see everything outside during the day and then use opaque blind for complete privacy at night. By using side channels on the window frames, you can even achieve total blackout anywhere you want it.
Enjoy your home entertainment more: Controllable window covering are an essential part of a top quality home entertainment system. They can be adjusted during the day to keep glare off a TV screen. At night, opaque blinds give you total lighting control and total privacy. Imagine the fun of having controllable drapes in front of your giant home theatre screen that part automatically at show time.
Convenience: What a great feeling at the end of the day to simply take out your touch screen remote and close every shade and curtain in your home with the touch of one button.

Child Safety: Beyond aesthetics, injury and death from entanglement in shade control cords is a very real concern. The best solution is to eliminate cords, made possible by motorized shades. Automated shade systems can even operate on a timer customized to your child’s sleeping habits.

There’s no limit to what you can do with controllable window coverings. Several types of track and rollers are available for drapes, curtains, awnings, roman and balloon shades. Virtually any type of window covering can be used. Motors are invisible as they are built in the head rails or tucked into the tube inside the frame of the window.
The latest twist is to have the window coverings work in concert with the room lighting. After all, with OneTouch automated control, the lights and shades are all part of the same system. For example, the lights should also turn off when the shades close to completely darken the room. Or, if you like to watch sports in a well lit room, the programer can create a “TSN” command that opens the shades and sets the lights to a preset intensity. You can have a completely different preset for playing cards or watching movies – whatever fits your entertainment life style.
OneTouch Automation is your first choice for controllable window coverings. Our certified window covering designers are there to help you with all your needs. Not only is OneTouch a dealer for the world famous Lutron products, we are also excited to be helping to introduce the new Creston window coverings. Featuring the new low voltage Quiet Motor Technology™ (QMT™), Crestron shades are silent, operate smoothly and combine precise control of electric light and daylight from touch screens, keypads, remotes and Apple® or Android® smart devices. Crestron Shading Solutions include an 8-year limited warranty, with extended service options also available.
Whether it’s Creston, Lutron or another solution you have in mind, contact the Home Automation professionals at OneTouch Automation for all your controllable window covering needs.

Last week in Toronto, the top professional interior designers in Canada met for their annual trade show. The IIDEX show is still the number one event of its kind in the country. The premier manufacturers bring their newest products, and designers network and attend workshops, seminars and social events

OneTouch Automation was pleased to be the only Home Automation specialist exhibiting at IIDEX. There were a number of reasons we wanted to be there.

One reason was to educate the designers about the new products and solutions available in the exciting area of integrated home technology. Designers are in the business of creating dream homes and businesses. OneTouch was there to show them how we can take that dream and make it more livable, more energy efficient and more secure.

We were pleased to be joined in our booth by some of the leading manufacturers we proudly represent, including Crestron, AMX, Lutron and Kramer. The crowds at the show were treated to big screen images of Crestron technology as displayed by Kramer video switching. A fully functional touch pad system was provided so that visitors could find out for themselves how easy and enjoyable it is to control multiple types of technology. Those with an interest in top-of-the line items were delighted to see and try the AMX wide touch screens.

Many of the people we spoke with told us they realized they needed to understand this technology, as their clients were now demanding it. We found that in many ways, our approach is not that much different from theirs. The interior designer takes a variety of components – wall finishes, flooring, drapes, furniture, artwork – and combines them to create a coherent whole. They learned that we do the same thing, We take security systems, music systems, theatre systems, home heating and cooling, lighting and other technology and combine it into a complete whole home system where every element works together, just like their design does.

It was also an opportunity to help them understand that the earlier home automation is part of the design, the better it is, not just for them, but also for the client. Until now, many designers have thought of technology as something that is added late in the project after everything else is finished. But there are many benefits from adding us to the team right from the start. It’s all about being part of the early planning. They found out how easy and straightforward it is to involve OneTouch in their projects, as the interior design process fits perfectly with what we do:

– Design a custom system that completely suits the homeowner’s lifestyle:

– Select technology and systems that create the exact look and experience the client wants:

– Work closely with the architect, the builder, the designer and the homeowner every step of the way.

They were also pleased to know that our initial consultation is always free, and that we will come to them to make the process as easy as possible. Architects at the show were happy to know what we speak their language, that we work easily with CADD and that our industry-certified employees understand the importance of structural and electrical safety.

The result was a highly successful show that allowed us to reach out to a whole new industry. Over the coming year, we look forward to going out to educate designers about the basics of A/V, home automation and control, and show how they work together to make their clients even happier.

We look forward to helping the many new friends we made at IIDEX to use Whole Home Automation and Integrated Home Technology to bring a new level of satisfaction to their clients. If you are in the design industry and want to know more about audio visual technology and home automation, contact OneTouch today.

Every home owner is concerned about the value of their house. While one real estate market or another may heat up, wise owners know that you need to look for the things that will add permanent value to the home when it comes time to sell.  Most people now know about some of the obvious value-added features. Kitchens and bathrooms raise the value of a house, while in-ground swimming pools bring it down.

What about Home Automation? While it’s fairly new in the real estate market, there are many professionals suggesting that a well designed and professionally installed home automation system can help your house to sell for a higher price. According to the Consumer Electronics Association and the National Association of Home Builders, a home automation system can increase the value of the home at resale by 3-5%.

Here’s why:

Many buyers are looking for energy efficient homes. With intelligent control of lighting, heating and shade, home automation is a champion at saving energy. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that every dollar you save annually in energy adds $20.73 to the value of the house.

Buyers want an uncluttered house: One of the beauties of home automation is that it takes things you use every day and puts them out of sight. A whole-home audio system means you get music or TV sound in any room on the house with the speakers hidden in the ceiling. Remote controls vanish. Touch screens can even be discreetly wall mounted so they use no counter space at all. DVD players, cable TV connections and cables disappear. Everything looks cleaner.

There is a new awareness of personal security: Homeowners are taking more ownership of their own security. If your house isn’t in a gated community, (or even if it is), you want to make sure you protect your family, and also protect the precious personal items in your home that could be stolen. Home automation is an obvious way to enhance this important part of our lives.

Dramatic lighting: When homes are being dressed for sale, the dressers will often bring in new lights to try and make the home look more appealing. A home that has been professionally automated already has that covered. With dimmable energy efficient lighting, both direct and indirect, an automated home shows well.

“Cool” Factor: A lot of homes are very similar – same size, same features. What puts your home ahead in the minds of potential buyers? According to the website AVS Forum, some realty ads for high end homes are now leading with the home automation system. It is all about “curb appeal” – that something extra that makes the potential buyer say “Yes, this is the one.”

There are some things you need to be aware of if Home Automation technology is going to add value to the house.

The job has to be done right. Just as home handyman carpentry will lower the value of your house, so will a poorly installed automation system. The technology has to be major brands, not no-name products. Educated home buyers are starting to recognize brand names like Crestron, AMX and Lutron, and they know these brands will give years of trouble-free service.

The system has to be easy to use. You need a professional elegant design and rock-solid programming, the kind that comes from an experienced pro. It also means you have to train your real estate agent in how to show and operate the system. That way, prospective buyers can appreciate the ease of use and lifestyle advantages that come from this technology.

The system has to be well documented. This is huge, but many homeowners overlook it. If everything’s labelled clearly, there are as-built drawings, and operation manuals, it will greatly increase the appeal to a potential buyer, because it should be a lot easier to a) figure out how it all works, and b) get it serviced, should the need arise. That’s why you should work from day one with an experienced home automation professional that can supply you with this kind of documentation and support.

If you’ve been trying to decide whether it’s time to automate your home, it’s great to know that you can have all the benefits of this technology and also know that your house may one day sell faster and at a higher price because of the investment you made.

If you watch TV commercials for Home Depot, they will tell you can do most projects in your home easily. All you need is a little advice and the right tools. Does this apply to home automation? There are several web sites out there now that want to sell you home automation kits. They will tell you it has “everything you need” to start wiring up and controlling your house. They all use words like “easy” and “simple.” Are they?

First, we should look at what we mean by home automation. Because there is no legal definition of the term, there are some companies that will sell you a kit that will allow you to dim a few lights, turn the heat down during the day and turn the lawn sprinkler on and off. In many cases, you are left with a small button or keypad to operate those functions, which isn’t a lot more convenient that the switches you have now. On the other hand, you may be buying a very complicated system that can turn into a nightmare and end up requiring professional help to bail you out. That can get expensive,

So, can you DIY a home automation system? The answer is yes and no. Maybe you have an exceptional skill set and want to give it try, but you should be aware of what you need to know. Let’s look at some of the skills you would need to automate your own home.

Product knowledge: Are you aware of the many different systems that are on the market, and what the problems and benefits are? For example, you may be offered a very inexpensive X-10 kit. You would need to know that this is not considered professional grade, does a poor job of giving you feedback on the status of devices and is no longer being developed. What about a UPB system? Do you know the electrical challenges of this option, and its relative high cost? Or Insteon? It uses the wiring in your house, but it assumes that every switchbox has a neutral ground. That usually isn’t the case in older homes. Are you qualified to figure that out? And those systems are just for simple functions. Are you up to date on the latest true high-end systems from Creston, AMX and Lutron – the companies that are on the leading edge of home automation? If you are planning on anything more than a few lights and a sprinkler, that’s the kind of equipment you’ll need, or you may be throwing money away on a low quality dead-end system.

If you feel uncomfortable with choosing the right products, you need the services of a home automation professional.

Electrical skills: Home automation almost always requires changes to electrical systems. As noted above, grounding becomes important. Lighting may have to replaced to be compatible with dimming, or dimmers may have to replaced to work with automation. In many jurisdictions, you are required to use a licensed electrical contractor to do this kind of work. Did you consider that in the do-it-yourself budget? Do you know an electrical contractor that is familiar with home automation, or will he learning about it on your time and money?

If you have any concerns about the electrical part of the job, you need the expertise of a home automation professional. They have the skill, experience and personnel to take care of this part of the job quickly and more importantly, safely.

Wiring: What do you know about wiring? How are your cable-pulling skills? Are you prepared to knock holes in your drywall and feed cables through your house? Here’s a simple way to tell if you should be handling wiring. Is the black wire the power or the ground wire? The answer is both. It could be the live wire in A/C and the ground in D/C. If you didn’t know that, you really need a home automation professional to wire your house.

Connecting to the outside world: How are your computer skills? A home automation system will probably interface with cable TV, the internet, satellite radio, your iphone and many other sources. If you aren’t tech savvy on all these devices, use a pro.

Audio: Unless you are an enthusiastic audiophile, you will find this one of the most difficult skills. How many speakers, where, how powerful an amplifier, how many zones – all questions best left to the pro’s. We do not recommend anyone trying this at home.

Service and support: Is it important to you to have a satisfaction guarantee and long term support? The on-line company that sells you a home automation kit will not support your installation. If you install it on your own, you’re also on your own when it doesn’t work. If after-installation support is important to you, you’ll only get that from a home automation professional.

In short, if you have exceptional handyman skills and are looking for a fun project, you may try automating a few lights in your house. If you are looking at a well supported future proof system that controls your home reliably and communicates seamlessly with the outside world, invest your money in a professionally designed and installed home automation solution. OneTouch Automation is ready, willing and able to help.