The DSI Blog

The long awaited Kaleidescape App for iPad has arrived and is available for free at the App store. Not only does this app offer a much higher level of control than you can get via your home automation systems (Crestron, AMX, Savant, or Control4), it also works within your iPad's control system app. See the app in action in the video above.

Oh how my house is chock full of Apple chargers taking up every available socket in my house. We have 4 iPads, 2 iPhones, 2 iPod Touches, and 2 plain jane iPods. This makes for a grand total of 10 outlets sucked up with chargers. I could put a hideous power strip on my kitchen countertop, but I may have found my elegant solution to this problem.

The LG 55" OLED Television just premiered at the annual Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas last week. This flat panel is the thinnest in existence at 4mm thick (about 3 credit cards thick). The bezel that surrounds the image is only 1mm thick.

At first glance, you might not think an audio video integrator would have much influence on interior design, but that notion has changed a lot in the last few years, as our architect and interior design friends well know. After all, improperly placed TV's and speakers are an eyesore. And, why not hide all of the electronics when not in use, anyway? We like to hide technology, as our regular blog readers know.

Thought I'd sneak in just one more post in 2011 featuring the most popular blog topics of the year. Three of these posts are interior design related; it is nice to know that so many of our readers are enjoying posts that deal with aesthetics. Let's hope 2012 brings with it an improving economy and even more home entertainment innovations.

Click the bold headings below to see the original article. Enjoy...

Time flies, another year comes to a close, and let's hope the economy keeps picking up in 2012. We thought we'd wrap up the year with what you, our dear readers, selected as the most popular blog topics for 2011. I determined this by how many page reads each post had, and here are four of the standouts, click on each title to see the original post :

I just read an interesting article by Mark Wilson on Fast Company's site (The Clicker's Moment: After 60 Years, TV Remotes Get Zapped With Makeovers) which discusses the way TV remotes might be changing in the next few years. Since making things easy to control is one of the big things we're known for (home automation / smart home controls), I want to put my "2 cents" in on this subject. I'd love to hear your feedback, too (please share your opinion in the 'Comment' section below).

For the most immersive home theatre experience, a front projection system (separate video projector and large screen) remains the ultimate video display technology, especially for private home theaters where you can control the lighting environment. But, what about more casual spaces, such as your Family or Great Room that doubles as a Media Room where you want to watch the TV in a brighter environment? It is in these situations that a large flat panel TV is a great choice, and maybe the fairly standard 65" size isn't cutting it. Well, we have some solutions for you...

A home automation control system is one of the best things you can have in your home. The benefits are many, as we've discussed many times before on this blog (see related posts here > home automation blog posts). To get all of the convenience and lifestyle benefits of such a 'smart home' system, though, you need to ask the right questions to make sure you are getting a home control system that is right for your needs.

In this video clip, you will see something that will remind you of Star Wars or Star Trek technology...seeing a holographic 3D image in mid-air WITHOUT a screen. Yes, this technology really exists, and soon this could be the way we watch content in our future Home Theaters and Media Rooms. And, because it produces a true 3D image with real depth, special 3D glasses are not needed.