It is the holiday season and as is with all of you, the season is a busy one for us here at Tiger. For those of you who have not completed your holiday shopping, myself included, allow me to shoot some thoughts your way.
Make certain that you choose a reputable source for supplying your electronic needs. Pick a brand that has collected some positive comments. Check with your friends to see where they made their purchase and what brands were a hit in their house. Price is always important, but a great price combined with a bum product is a bust of a deal. The big box stores and others are working hard to get your business and they will all deal to some degree. Don't be afraid to ask!!
If you are installing your purchase yourself make certain that you ask your supplier a lot of questions regarding the pieces parts you will need to make things happen. Don't be afraid to shop for the accessories, or work a deal to have them included with your purchase. Example: If you purchase a TV and are not certain if you want to connect using component cable or HDMI, ask for the pros and cons of each kind of connection.
If you are wondering who to call to assist with the install see the Tigers previous blog. Know what you want as an end result and insist on getting it. A quality installation group will be a bit busy this time of year so be patient and if you want the job done correctly be willing to wait, it's worth it.
If you have questions after reading this blog, look at the upper left of this blog posting and find, "Follow with a Google Friend Connect" and click on it. When the pop up comes up on your screen, go to the bottom of the pop up and click on create a new Google account. It will ask for your email address and ask you to create a password. Once you create a Google account you will then be able to make comments. PUT YOUR COMMENTS IN THE FORM OF QUESTION AND LET US HELP TO EASE THE PAIN ASSOCIATED WITH YOUR HOLIDAY SHOPPING.
Happy Shopping and Happy Holidays from all of us here at Tiger Systems!!!!!
Monday, December 7, 2009
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Audio/Video Companies, Full Service, A Dime a Dozen
Not Really!!!
First things first, consider YOUR individual audio/video needs. The questions you ask should be all about you and/or your family. Build a personal profile for yourself and the company you want to consider. Simple questions should prevail.
Breadth and depth, possibilities, and options are all good and all lead to great results when selecting an A/V company and ultimately getting quality results. The company you select should know who they are and who they are not. As grandma used to say, they should stick to their knitting. If you have not been through this experience before, reframe your thoughts if necessary. There is no reason why the experience should be other than a delightful and constructive process that produces the WOW that you desire.
One of the most often asked questions is why so many labor hours are allotted to the project? The answer is not complex, but simply that the work is often difficult and time consuming. Getting wire from point A to point B is not an easy task. Finding a path that keeps the wiring out of harms way and hidden from sight, away from electrical, in and out of basement crawl spaces and attics, and meeting your local code requirements can heavily impact the time element. Hanging a TV on a wall is all about measuring , drilling and putting up the bracket that holds the TV prior to actually hanging the darn thing. A little know fact is that the initial research that goes into the selection of equipment, combined with the system design, can sometimes take as many hours as the actual on site work. A recent project for a church took 34 hours of research and prep work and was estimated at 45 hours to do the actual work. A rock solid company will not charge you for the prep work and will not pad the estimated work hours.
Areas of expertise when considering a robust and complete audio/video company should include consulting, design, pre wiring, installation and integration expertise relating to all forms of audio/video, home theater, whole house audio, computer networking, home/office automation systems, and security, which could include cameras inside and out.
Try this on for size. The company you select should have a focus on Customer Service, which translates to an option to utilize your existing equipment if appropriate for the solution, allows you to make use of a a shopping list of needed electronics supplied by your selected company, or simply have your selected company acquire the products for you. Did I mention Customer Service?
Oh yea, back to those simple, but all important questions. Hopefully this helps you get started on your way to the WOW you want for your home.
-How many folks are in the family?
-Are there children in the family?
-What do you like and dislike regarding your listening or viewing pleasure?
-What are the preferences of others in the family?
-Do you like to listen to music?
-How much TV do you watch? Some, lots, upon occasion.
-What do you watch on TV?
-Are you a move fan?
-Do you have a lot of DVD's?
-Do you listen to talk radio?
-Do you or anyone else in the family use an IPOD?
-What things would you consider needs vs. wants vs. neat to have goodies?
-What kinds of electronic equipment do you presently have and can it be used in a newly designed system?
-How much money do you want to spend? Budgets are very important for you to know and it helps guide the company you ultimately select.
As always let us know if you have questions. I can be reached at (j.williams@tsicolumbus.com) or visit our website at (www.tsicolumbus.com)
Not Really!!!
First things first, consider YOUR individual audio/video needs. The questions you ask should be all about you and/or your family. Build a personal profile for yourself and the company you want to consider. Simple questions should prevail.
Breadth and depth, possibilities, and options are all good and all lead to great results when selecting an A/V company and ultimately getting quality results. The company you select should know who they are and who they are not. As grandma used to say, they should stick to their knitting. If you have not been through this experience before, reframe your thoughts if necessary. There is no reason why the experience should be other than a delightful and constructive process that produces the WOW that you desire.
One of the most often asked questions is why so many labor hours are allotted to the project? The answer is not complex, but simply that the work is often difficult and time consuming. Getting wire from point A to point B is not an easy task. Finding a path that keeps the wiring out of harms way and hidden from sight, away from electrical, in and out of basement crawl spaces and attics, and meeting your local code requirements can heavily impact the time element. Hanging a TV on a wall is all about measuring , drilling and putting up the bracket that holds the TV prior to actually hanging the darn thing. A little know fact is that the initial research that goes into the selection of equipment, combined with the system design, can sometimes take as many hours as the actual on site work. A recent project for a church took 34 hours of research and prep work and was estimated at 45 hours to do the actual work. A rock solid company will not charge you for the prep work and will not pad the estimated work hours.
Areas of expertise when considering a robust and complete audio/video company should include consulting, design, pre wiring, installation and integration expertise relating to all forms of audio/video, home theater, whole house audio, computer networking, home/office automation systems, and security, which could include cameras inside and out.
Try this on for size. The company you select should have a focus on Customer Service, which translates to an option to utilize your existing equipment if appropriate for the solution, allows you to make use of a a shopping list of needed electronics supplied by your selected company, or simply have your selected company acquire the products for you. Did I mention Customer Service?
Oh yea, back to those simple, but all important questions. Hopefully this helps you get started on your way to the WOW you want for your home.
-How many folks are in the family?
-Are there children in the family?
-What do you like and dislike regarding your listening or viewing pleasure?
-What are the preferences of others in the family?
-Do you like to listen to music?
-How much TV do you watch? Some, lots, upon occasion.
-What do you watch on TV?
-Are you a move fan?
-Do you have a lot of DVD's?
-Do you listen to talk radio?
-Do you or anyone else in the family use an IPOD?
-What things would you consider needs vs. wants vs. neat to have goodies?
-What kinds of electronic equipment do you presently have and can it be used in a newly designed system?
-How much money do you want to spend? Budgets are very important for you to know and it helps guide the company you ultimately select.
As always let us know if you have questions. I can be reached at (j.williams@tsicolumbus.com) or visit our website at (www.tsicolumbus.com)
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Home Automation Points to Ponder
The Tiger Tales continue with questions for all of us to ponder. Is the use of one remote control vs. three, four or five better/easier? Duh! Would it be nice to control select lighting using the same remote? Could your security system be tied into this magical remote? Would it be helpful to know that your kids got home safe and sound from school by having a message sent to your cell phone? Is saving money by turning out lights in an unused room, turning off electronics when not in use important to you? Would you like to know that your security system is on without having to go back home to check, or being able to automatically put your garage door down at night and turn out all of the lights within you home when you set your security system to the on position? Is it important to have your outside lights turn on at dusk and off at dawn? If you travel, would going on line and managing all of your automation via your laptop from anywhere in the world, be helpful?
Although it's not magic, all things are possible in the electronic jungle.
Do you already have all or a portion of your home automated? We invite you to share your questions and experiences with the Tiger and other fellow bloggers.
An often asked question is how expensive is all of this neat capability? A question we might ask in return is how important are some of the things that we mentioned to you? Or better yet, what is most important to you. Keep in mind that you can be selective as to using some or all of the capabilities that we posed as questions. Home automation systems need to be flexible and expandable. They have to be easy to use. Complexity on the user end means frustration and eventually the investment, large or small, will be viewed as a bad expenditure of that hard earned dollar.
In summary, and we could talk possibilities forever, if you are interested in controlling all of your home entertainment related electronics, controlling your security, managing your heating and cooling to the point of saving some cash, turning lights on and off automatically, then home automation may be something you would want to consider.
PS, I like the part where I can get up in the morning have a lighted pathway to my coffee machine, which has already brewed some of the life saving java that I enjoy so much.
Although it's not magic, all things are possible in the electronic jungle.
Do you already have all or a portion of your home automated? We invite you to share your questions and experiences with the Tiger and other fellow bloggers.
An often asked question is how expensive is all of this neat capability? A question we might ask in return is how important are some of the things that we mentioned to you? Or better yet, what is most important to you. Keep in mind that you can be selective as to using some or all of the capabilities that we posed as questions. Home automation systems need to be flexible and expandable. They have to be easy to use. Complexity on the user end means frustration and eventually the investment, large or small, will be viewed as a bad expenditure of that hard earned dollar.
In summary, and we could talk possibilities forever, if you are interested in controlling all of your home entertainment related electronics, controlling your security, managing your heating and cooling to the point of saving some cash, turning lights on and off automatically, then home automation may be something you would want to consider.
PS, I like the part where I can get up in the morning have a lighted pathway to my coffee machine, which has already brewed some of the life saving java that I enjoy so much.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Hello from the Jungle
Welcome to the Tiger Systems, Inc. or the Tiger Tales blog as it will be called. Our objective is to keep you informed regarding some new technology, share some opinions, and provide a platform for you to share your opinions. We also encourage you to share this blog with friends. An information exchange of this type helps us to more clearly focus on our customers and friends areas of interest and ultimately there electronically related needs and desires.
Yes it is a jungle out there and Tiger is a part of that electronic jungle. We know it, we understand it and we will let you in on some of the newest and neatest critters, some of the pitfalls we have discovered, and what works and doesn't work out there in the jungle.
Where to start? Two biggees that we will be talking about are home automation and power grid technology, or as some would say, saving valuable time and some hard earned money. Both technologies are part and parcel to the jungle, but both are friendly creatures. MORE TO COME.
Yes it is a jungle out there and Tiger is a part of that electronic jungle. We know it, we understand it and we will let you in on some of the newest and neatest critters, some of the pitfalls we have discovered, and what works and doesn't work out there in the jungle.
Where to start? Two biggees that we will be talking about are home automation and power grid technology, or as some would say, saving valuable time and some hard earned money. Both technologies are part and parcel to the jungle, but both are friendly creatures. MORE TO COME.
LET US KNOW WHAT YOU THINK!!!
LET US KNOW WHAT YOU WANT TO KNOW!!!
LET US KNOW WHAT YOU WANT TO KNOW!!!
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