We all know a few basic ways to use voice control—telling your smart speaker to play music, for instance, or asking your phone what the weather will be tomorrow. But how can you use a voice assistant in your smart home?

Voice-controlled smart home automation unlocks the full potential of your modern Dallas, TX, home. As you walk through the house, you can tell your devices and lights to activate automatically, saving time, and adding spontaneity to your day. Have a look at the possibilities for your home below.

Without in-person sporting events, concerts, or trips to the movie theater, our usual entertainment habits have been significantly restricted. We’re spending more time at home with family, so why not use this period to upgrade to higher quality home entertainment?

Since live sports won’t have spectators this year, you can treat yourself to an updated audio-video system. As a Control4 dealer based in Dallas, TX, we’ll share how a smart control system can elevate your entertainment setup.  

Some folks are naturally curious about smart home systems and are eager to adopt the latest technology. Others may respond to smart devices thinking, “Why would I need that?” If you fall into the latter group, or if you don’t know much about home automation, you may be surprised by the number of benefits it can bring to your daily life.

From the first moment you wake in the morning to later lying back on your pillow for sleep, follow us as we dive into how a home automation system will benefit your day-to-day in Dallas, TX.

The first home automation system was born in 1966. A little over a decade before personal computers started revolutionizing homes and businesses, the Echo IV was a device ahead of its time.

Though never available commercially, and cobbled together from surplus Westinghouse circuit modules, the Echo IV could control appliances and the thermostat. It also featured a very early version of a word processor and was used to format an entire 516-page book at one point. 

Despite its incredible power, though, it failed to generate interest from most. It was used as the butt of plenty of jokes. And it was almost 30 years before connected technology systems began to take off in a significant way.

In 1994, Universal Remote Control (URC) -- a company whose name is synonymous with easy-to-use, single-interface technology -- changed the way we interact with our home theater devices, thanks to their Complete Control System.

Today, URC offers the more advanced Total Control 2.0 system, which makes using your smart devices easy thanks to customizable user interfaces, graphics control, and compatibility with the most popular smart home devices on the market.

How can your Dallas, TX home benefit from URC control? Find out more below.