This year was one for the record books, and it certainly did not develop as we all thought it would when we sang "Auld Lang Syne" and clinked our glasses to usher in 2020. Luckily, this year's happenings have given us all a chance to reflect on the people and circumstances we are thankful for and allowed us to connect with our loved ones in new ways. We don't know about you, but we certainly see our families and friends more than we did last year, thanks to technology solutions!

Read on below for five smart home solutions that got us through a difficult year and will help us bring in 2021 with an added layer of comfort and convenience in our Austin, TX homes.

SEE ALSO: Enjoy the Holidays in a Whole New Way

Home Networking

The modern workplace has shifted dramatically this year, with many employees moving to remote working in their Austin home. To effectively make the shift to work-from-home life, an upgraded high-speed network solution was necessary to keep you, your partner, and the kids connected to their online workspaces. Once the workday was over, though, you used the network to stay in touch with family over socially distanced holidays, with friends for online happy hours, or to binge-watch your favorite TV shows.

Safety & Security

A home security system ensured your Texas property was safe and secure, and it improved your peace of mind, so you had one less thing to worry about. Smart locks guaranteed the entry doors were never left unlocked. Surveillance cameras kept an eye on the perimeter, and video door stations ensured porch pirates kept away from your package deliveries. Let’s face it, we all did a bit more online shopping this year than in years past.

The holidays look a bit different this year, but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the festivities while staying at home in Austin, TX. Home automation brings a new layer of excitement to an already fun time of year by making life easier and more enjoyable.

We strive to bring trusted technology trends to our clients’ homes so they can enjoy themselves with multi-room audio, private home theaters, lighting control, and more. Read on below to learn two ways Relative Home Systems can incorporate smart home control and help you add a little more pizazz to your end-of-year celebrations.

SEE ALSO: How Do Biophilia and Smart Home Technology Mix?

Livens the Mood

There’s nothing quite like hearing your favorite holiday playlist for the first time each year. Why not stream your favorite songs from your personal music collection or favorite TIDAL playlists on your whole-home audio system? Colorful LED lighting can also help energize the mood while you’re playing your seasonal playlists, too. Bathe the room in holiday colors—red and green, blue and white, or any combination you choose!

Mariah Carey’s seasonal favorite, “All I Want for Christmas” will get stuck in your head in no time—just tap a button on your Control4 Neeo remote, and the song will stream from every speaker you pass as you walk from the festively lit kitchen to the family room to the outdoor patio.

Are you ready for an automated home? Maybe you’d like music to flow through every room of the house or a security system that protects every vulnerable corner. From one app on your phone, you can access your speakers, security, lights, thermostats, TVs, and more.

But that’s going to require lots of planning, wiring, and careful installation by a smart home installer. If you’re renovating your property or building a new home, you’d benefit from partnering with a technology advisor like Relative Home Systems, based in Austin, TX. But when should a smart home professional get involved in the process?

Ideally, you’ll bring in help from the very beginning. We’ll share every step of the timeline so you can see how an installer helps at each phase of your new smart home build.

SEE ALSO: Why Go With a Pro for Your Smart Home Installation?

Architectural Phase

In the first phase, we’ll meet with you to design a blueprint of where all your technology will go. We’ll review it with your architect or builder, and if you’re working with an interior designer, we’ll discuss the technology’s impact on design. We’ll provide a budget to you and contract low-voltage wiring services to power your technology.

Staying in? Maybe you’ve decided it’s time to upgrade your home entertainment. After all, in-person sports aren’t an option, and concerts have been canceled indefinitely. If you’re looking for the most lifelike TV experience, that would be in 8K resolution.  

While 4K used to reign supreme, 8K TVs now offer what The Verge calls “likely the clearest digital picture the human eye will ever see.” Brands like Sony now offer 8K screens with High Dynamic Range (HDR), dazzling anyone who gazes at it.

But how does 8K work, and do you really need it for your Austin, TX home? Find out below.

SEE ALSO: Rock or Relax Outside With an Outdoor Sound System

What Does 8K Mean?

How did we jump from 4K to 8K? Let’s start with standard HD screens, which display 1080 pixels vertically. Moving up, 4K TVs typically include 3,840 pixels horizontally and 2,160 pixels vertically, giving it the shortened nickname 4K. 8K quadruples the total number of pixels in 4K screens, with 7,680 pixels across and 4,320 vertically for a total thirty-three million pixels.