Discover how using the right devices helps you enjoy a more convenient and luxurious smart living experience

Integrating the right smart home AV control solutions is revolutionizing how we interact with our living spaces. With the power of an iPhone, iPad, or other mobile devices, controlling every aspect of your home's entertainment system is now, quite literally, at your fingertips. 

Just imagine adjusting the volume of your favorite song, dimming the lights for movie night, or switching between streaming services—all from your mobile device or a user-friendly touch panel. These innovative solutions offer an easy way to enhance your lifestyle, combining convenience and cutting-edge technology into a truly connected experience.

Let’s dive into today’s blog to explore all the ways you can manage your smart AV experience in your Florida home.

SEE ALSO: Creating a Year-Round Outdoor Entertainment Space

Control with Mobile Phones

Mobile phones have become one of the most convenient and readily available ways to control your smart home and AV systems. Whether you use an iPhone or an Android, you can enjoy the freedom to control your smart home at the touch of a button—anytime, anywhere.

Some smart home systems will launch upgrades this 2025 that make managing your smart devices easier than ever. A good example is the Control4 X4 update, which includes smoother remote access, enhanced widgets for quicker commands, and extended voice command support across Android and iOS devices. 

Additionally, the redesigned home screen provides users with a more intuitive experience, incorporating deeper Apple HomeKit integration. This allows for seamless control through Siri, making it easy to manage scenes, access your favorite settings, and monitor devices from your phone.

During 2024, industry-leading brands, such as Sonos, also redesigned their mobile apps. Available in the Apple Store, Google Play, and as a web app to use on your computer, the Sonos app allows you to check on your favorite audio content, browse services, find recommendations, control your systems, and much more. This app keeps everything you need right at your fingertips.

Control with Tablets and iPads

Tablets and iPads offer an enhanced way to interact with smart home systems for those who prefer a larger screen. The extra-screen real estate allows for better visibility and multi-zone management, making them ideal for overseeing complex setups.

One of the brands that excels in creating a tablet-ready app is RTI, though other industry giants, such as Crestron and Control4, also offer seamless control through these devices. RTI offers a fully customizable experience through the Integration Designer programming software, which can be run on an Apple or Android smartphone or tablet device as well as on a Windows® PC. The Integration Designer program is only available through an authorized dealer, but no worries! AV Specialists is one of them, and we’ll gladly help you set up this system.

Control with Dedicated Touch Panels

Dedicated touch panels offer a premium, customized option for controlling smart home systems. Unlike mobile phones or tablets, these panels are designed specifically for managing your smart home, offering a dedicated interface that is always ready for use.

In late 2024, Crestron launched the DGE‑1000, a digital graphics engine that instantly transforms an HD touchscreen display into an advanced Crestron controller. It features CH5 and Crestron Construct™ software that may be used to create a custom environment for controlling audio, video, lighting, shades, HVAC, security, and other amenities. 

Plus, the DGE‑1000 also features functions such as dual-window video display, audio feedback, and web browsing. Its low‑profile, surface‑mountable design allows for a discreet installation behind a flat‑panel display, under a table, or inside an equipment rack, helping you maintain your uncluttered home while keeping effortless control at your fingertips.

At AV Specialists, we can help you integrate touch panels and keypads with custom finishes that ensure your home’s aesthetics remain intact, allowing you to enjoy simple and user-friendly control of your home, without sacrificing its beauty and sophistication.

Are you ready to bring hassle-free smart home control to your Florida property? Contact us today to book a free consultation, and let us help you enjoy a simple, stress-free lifestyle with our solutions!