Three Options to Get Your Imagination Going

Once upon a time, maybe as short as 20 years ago, a big-screen TV in the family room  (remember 50-inch rear projection?) was enough to create a media room. If you had the sound hooked up to a stereo or surround system, you were ahead of most people. Today’s media rooms are much easier to create as there are a myriad of options in sight and sound for an elevated entertainment experience. You can build a media room at virtually any budget level, but we thought it would be good to give you three ideas that can help you think about what you can do in your Bountiful home. Let’s explore three options from lowish to high-end below, but bear in mind that the possibilities are endless. 

What the Latest TV Tech Can Do for Your Entertainment

Well, the big game recently wrapped up. Did your current TV leave you wanting at all? Maybe some blurry action where you couldn't tell if he was in or out of bounds, or some expensively produced commercials that were a washout in your bright living room? Perhaps upgrading to a new high-end TV might be in order for this yet-young new year. And with the latest 2025 models just announced at CES becoming available this spring, the timing couldn't be better to understand what's really worth your investment. 

We're not just talking about bigger TV screens (even if they get ever larger every year); we're talking about technology that will transform how you experience everything from sports to cinema for years to come in your Bountiful home. Let's explore some of the tech and brands to watch for this year. 

What a Control4 Certified Dealer Brings to the Home Automation Table

Do you know that feeling when technology is supposed to make your life easier but somehow makes it more complicated? As your local Control4 dealer, we at Show and Tell AV work hard to avoid that. While other companies might focus on selling you the latest smart technology, we like to take a different approach – one that recently earned us Control4's Certified Showroom status. What does that mean for you? We get to show you directly what's possible with home automation and what makes sense for your lifestyle.

SEE ALSO: Control4: Smart Control and Automation for Every Space

How Control4 Systems Unify Smart Home Control

Have you found yourself juggling multiple apps just to control your smart home? Many Bountiful homeowners start their smart home journey one device at a time—a video doorbell here, some smart bulbs there, maybe a smart thermostat or two, and some Sonos speakers. Before long, you're switching between five different apps just to set up your home for a movie night or entertain friends. Sure, you can use Alexa, Google Home, or Apple Homekit to help. But they all have limitations and concerns. There's a better way: a professional Control4 home control system can unify all these scattered smart devices into one seamlessly integrated experience that's both more powerful and remarkably simpler to use. Let’s discuss why below. 

Finally, Smart Home Control That Adapts to Your Life

Smart home control should be exactly that—smart. Yet, how many times have you wished your system could adapt more easily to your changing needs? That's about to change with Control4's new X4 system update, and at Show and Tell AV, we're excited about the additional empowerment it will deliver to Bountiful homeowners. Is this just another interface update? Sure, it is, but beyond that, it will change how you interact with your Control4 system. The new X4 puts your entire home's control within easy reach while making it incredibly simple to customize automations on the fly. Want your spa heated and ready when you pull into the driveway? Or need to adjust your morning routine for the changing Utah seasons? X4 lets you create and fine-tune these automations yourself right from the intuitive new dashboard. Read on for more details. 

The Island Pro Route Brings Enterprise Connectivity to Smart Homes

Who gets excited about a new router? Well, the slightly geeky team at Show and Tell AV does. A few months ago, we told you about the Island Router, which we were pretty excited about then. And now with the new Island Pro Router, we're practically doing cartwheels in our Bountiful showroom. All kidding aside, we are very excited about this new product. Why? Because at $1,299, it may very well be the last router you'll ever need to buy. With six 2.5Gbps copper ports, four 10Gbps fiber ports, and the ability to handle up to 20,000 devices, this isn't just another router—it's a networking powerhouse that happens to be incredibly easy to use.

Think that's overkill? Well, consider this: Two weeks ago, we installed a 10G networking system for a client with a 2,500-square-foot home who just signed up for 2.5Gbps internet. As he put it, "cry once" when making an investment in your home's digital foundation. After all, most of us spend more than this on a new phone every year or two! So, what makes this the best router for smart homes in Utah? Well, that’s what we’re here to tell you!

See How Linear Lighting Adds Style, Functionality, and Innovative Flair to Any Space

Linear lighting might be the lighting you never knew that you needed until you discovered it. Like most of history’s groundbreaking technologies—the internal combustion engine, the telephone, and the light bulb, to name a few—linear lighting wasn’t born from a focus group run by marketers. It’s a product enabled by a remarkable technology that’s now commonplace: LED lighting. In this post, we’re going to cover Control4’s Vibrant Linear Lighting, one of the best and easiest-to-use implementations of linear lighting. Indeed, Control4’s own marketing calls it “living beyond the bulb.” We couldn’t agree more, because linear lighting is so useful, enabling us to use light in places that the bulb doesn’t serve well. Keep reading to learn more about what Control4 Vibrant Linear lighting can do in your Bountiful, UT, home. 

Screen Innovations Niño™ is the Motorized Shade for Everyone

At Show and Tell AV, we love smart home automation and what it can do for Bountiful homes. And one of the most popular smart home options is motorized shading because it's easy to enumerate the benefits. But we can't deny that motorized shading comes at a significant premium over conventional window treatments despite the return on investment. So we're always excited when a new option comes on the market, especially when it's affordable. Screen Innovations—a brand that first cut its teeth on home theater screens—recently introduced the Niño™, a stylish motorized roller shade line that ticks all the boxes for automated shading without breaking the bank. Let’s dig into what the Niño™ brings to Utah homeowners below. 

Breathing Easier with Advanced Air Purification

Recently we introduced you to PuriFi, an innovative air purification system that’s really impressed us with innovation, effectiveness, and ease of use. We think it’s a bit of a game-changer for air quality, with technology that can bring a breath of fresh Utah air into your Bountiful home (sorry, we couldn’t resist that line). But beyond a little jest, fresh air is a vital part of overall wellness, and it’s surprising how poor our home air quality can be. In this post, we want to give you a few more details about the PuriFi system so you can evaluate if it’s the right fit for your home or small business. 

Sonus faber’s new Sonetto G2 Collection Is Artistry in Sound and Style

Bountiful is blessed with the backdrop of the Wasatch Range, a beautiful background to daily life in Utah. Shouldn’t your music match the majesty of the landscape? It can with Sonus faber’s Sonetto G2 collection, a high-end audio speaker line that combines artistry with form and function. And the Sonetto G2 delivers high performance at a price point that is more accessible than you might imagine. Let's explore the Sonetto G2 line and what sets them apart from other speakers.

Enjoy the Classic Look of Drapes with Modern Automation

If you have an eye for design, you know that some rooms benefit highly from traditional drapes over other styles like roller shades. And you probably know that drapes are also "in," but maybe they never went out of style. The reasons are manifold. Drapes have timeless charm, adding elegance and sophistication to a room. With custom fabrics, they add color, texture, and pattern, as well. 

Of course, drapes are also excellent for light control, whether it's blackout ones for a bedroom or sheer options for a living space. But, for all this classic elegance, do you have to give up the advantages of motorization and automation? Not when you go with Lutron drapes. Stay with us as we delve further into how you can have your classic drapes and automation too with Lutron. 

Draper Shading Has a Shading Solution for Just About Any Home

Motorized shades might just be the most convenient smart home accouterment. What's better than shades that can open up to a sunny Utah morning, lower themselves to filter glare, and close up for privacy, all without lifting a finger? Despite their many benefits in energy efficiency, privacy, security, and sheer convenience, going motorized is more expensive than manual options. However, there are a variety of cost-effective solutions. 

We're proud to work with Draper, a brand we trust and know well. Their residential motorized shades are a great alternative, with stylish options that also tick all the boxes for functionality. Read more about Draper at Home powered shades to see if they’re right for your Bountiful abode. 

Discover How to Extend Your Outdoor Enjoyment

Summer in Bountiful can be somewhat unforgiving. The sun beats down on your patio, turning your outdoor retreat into what seems like a convection oven. Come winter, biting winds chase you indoors, leaving your backyard furniture collecting snow instead of memories. But what if you could tame Utah's weather swings and extend the use of your outdoor spaces in all four seasons? That's where outdoor roller shades come to the rescue. Forget clunky awnings or large umbrellas—we're talking sophisticated, adaptable solutions that work with your home's style while conquering Utah’s climate swings. Are you curious how a simple shade can revolutionize your outdoor living experience? Please keep reading!

DMF Artafex Is High-Performance, Streamlined Architectural Lighting

In our last blog post, we discussed the impact of architectural lighting and layered lighting design on a home's function and aesthetics. Here, we introduce a distinctive architectural solution that exemplifies luxury lighting excellence: DMF Lighting's Artafex collection. Perfect for Bountiful, UT, residents seeking to elevate their living spaces, this innovative lighting system blends well with contemporary home designs, offering unprecedented performance and adaptability. Let's look closer at what makes the Artafex range a great choice in premium lighting solutions.

Plan Ahead with Show and Tell AV for the Ultimate Outdoor Experience

Blessed with excellent natural scenery and a dry, sunny spring and summer climate, Utah homeowners are increasingly investing in more sophisticated outdoor living amenities. Top among these are expansive covered patios, pools, outdoor kitchens, and extensive landscaping and gardens. And the perfect complement to these amenities is outdoor entertainment, so you can make the most of your outdoor areas and bring the best of indoor living outside. To maximize your experience, it’s helpful to plan for outdoor audio, TV, and networking at the start of the landscape construction process. Let’s discuss the options and why you should consider bringing in a professional integrator like Show and Tell AV at the outset of your outdoor project in Bountiful.

Add the Ultimate Sound Experience with Ambisonic Speakers

Nothing beats music for creating ambiance. Whether for a high-energy party or zen-like relaxation, music can set the mood and change it in an instant. But the quality of the audio matters, too. Many people can appreciate high-quality sound indoors, but the outdoors represents different challenges for audio. With no walls and ceilings to reflect sound, outdoor speakers need to be incredibly powerful and precise to generate the same emotion with music. That's what Ambisonic speakers are all about. From Origin Acoustics, one of the true pioneers in architectural and outdoor audio, Ambisonic speakers are designed to deliver an extraordinary listening experience. Stay with us below to learn more about what Ambisonic outdoor audio systems can bring to your Bountiful, UT, spaces. 

What’s the Right Choice for Your Home? 

You might think you already know the answer to this comparison before reading any further. And you’re probably right, but do you know why? As technology advances, analog solutions often seem outdated next to digital ones. So, what exactly makes analog cameras different from digital? And how does this impact home security for your Bountiful, UT, residence? Let’s delve into the details to understand these differences so you can better understand the current choices in home surveillance solutions. 

Introducing the High-Performance Island Router 

You probably don’t give a second thought to your home router. It’s the device that connects you to all the wonders (and dangers) of the internet. But it’s a very important device, as it’s part of the foundation of your connectivity to everything you do for work, school, and entertainment. And while one router may seem just like any other, they’re not. Some provide much better performance than others, and some are far more secure. Show and Tell AV advocates for professionally designed and installed home networking solutions, as they keep your devices and data safer and are far more robust and reliable than ISP (Internet Service Provider) and big-box store solutions. To that end, we’re excited to introduce the Island Router to homeowners in Bountiful, UT, a next-generation, commercial-grade connectivity solution. Here’s why you should consider upgrading your network with Island. 

SEE ALSO: A Professional Approach to More Effective Networking Solutions for Your Home

The Performance You Need

Modern homes have many connected devices, including smartphones, computers, tablets, audio equipment, smart speakers, smart lights, and much more. And there will be more, as almost everything has built-in connectivity, including appliances. The Island Router supports up to 5000 devices, so it's unlikely you will run out of capacity in the future. With an extremely high throughput of 3.7 gigabytes per second, it's designed for the modern era of high bandwidth connectivity, making 4K streaming, Zoom video conferences, web browsing, music streaming, and security camera recording fast and seamless. It's made to keep up with—and stay ahead of—your digital lifestyle. 

Advanced Security for Peace of Mind

With so much of your information in digital form at your home and online, protecting your activity and data is critical. Island Router has a built-in, zero-configuration firewall that automatically protects against phishing, malware, and other cyber threats. The integrated WireGuard VPN ensures that your online activities remain private and secure while maintaining the speed and performance you expect. Whether working from home, monitoring security cameras, or simply browsing the internet, the Island Router's advanced security features help keep your network safe from potential threats.

Intuitive Management

Networking is complicated, but managing your network shouldn't be. The Island Router has intuitive iOS, Android, and web interface options to simplify connectivity management. Parental controls can manage usage, access can be controlled by devices and groups, and customizable profiles let you block undesirable content so you can feel comfortable and in control of your connectivity.