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The brief here was to create a games room primarily with the option to use as a cinema room sometimes.

This was an exiting project we carried out for the client in Wickford during 2016. Most of the wiring was hidden in the cupboard after fitting shelves to accommodate the equipment and games consoles. Cables to the ceiling mounted project and rear speakers ran trough the ceiling space. The front and centre speakers along with the games Kinect sensor bar cables ran in trunking along the skirting keeping everything neat and tidy.

The finished screen size was just over 2 meters wide giving an ideal picture for games and movies. The sound was taken care of with a Denon Audio Video Receiver (AVR) amplifier and 5.1 speaker system. The amplifier also carried out the HDMI switching between the 2 games consoles and drum set that we allowed for in the designing of the room.

The projector wall was painted with special projector paint with the intentions at a later date to have a projector screen fitted. The painted wall worked really well giving an outstanding picture quality and helped to kept the price within the assigned budget.

Looks like we should find out very soon pricing and availability on the new Sky Q system and new Sky Now TV box. http://www.whathifi.com/news/sky-q-release-date-set-february-no-word-price

This room had already been decorated to a high standard and new carpet laid. We got the call to mount a new TV onto the wall without seeing any cables and without making any mess. If push came to shove, the client was happy to conceal the cables in trunking.

We began by covering the area and fixing a plastic sheet to the skirting to catch any dust. The TV was then mounted on the wall with a tilt bracket. We managed to go one step further and hide all cables in the cavity of the wall making for a very neat and tidy install.

Once we had finished the client was pleased and has booked us to do a second room in the future. 

The brief here was to mount the TV on the wall with the sky box but somehow loose the cables if possible.

After discussing various options with the client we came up with the idea of installing the sky box in a wardrobe across the room meaning the TV was the only unit on show but still with the ability of controlling the sky.

We got to work immediately, installing the TV up high and installing the sky box in the wardrobe. A remote control eye mounted behind the TV gave fluid control of the now out of site sky box.

The client was very pleased with the end result and the neat and tidy way in which the work was carried out freeing up the floor area for easier access around the bedroom.

This was a lovely job that tidied up a mess of cables and freed up floor space for the client by removing the cabinet, equipment and TV and mounting them on the wall.

The equipment consisted of a flat screen TV, sound bar with subwoofer, sky+HD and a blu-ray DVD player. All cables concealed in black trunking and keep neat behind the units. The sound bar added to the quality of the sound with the wireless subwoofer hidden in the room to enrich the low frequency sounds.

The client was very pleased with the work and the extra space gained in the room.

We have just completed a 3 day training course with Cedia the home of Custom Electronic Design Installation Association.

The course covered Wi-Fi and wired internet and networking best practices around the home and office, giving us the skills and tools needed to create a more stable and faster networking experience between devices and the outside world.

We are now seeing a growing trend for an internet connection in the garden or summer house for listening to music, surfing the web or just doing the shopping online.

With more and more devices connecting to the internet a carefully designed wired or wireless network is becoming more important.

We will work with you to design that reliable Wi-Fi and/or wired infrastructure to cover the whole home and garden if required.

What a wonderful end to the year, we won the #liveinstallbattle of 2013 with a sample of our work. Below are some of the comments received by votes on twitter.

The client received my name from a recommendation as the initial brief was to have the TV moved. After our first meeting we talked over options for the room and the job slowly escalated to rebuilding of the fireplace opening, replacing skirting and architrave's and decorating before moving the TV. After carrying out all this work we then installed all the equipment to make a very nice lounge to be proud of.

The BBC said they will be suspending 3D programmimg for a time due to loss of interest.

The full story can be read here: 3D on hold

We have now taken bulk delivery of LTE (Long-Term Evolution) aerials, the new design is to help with eliminating interference from the new 4G mobile phone transmitters coming on line soon. Consumers with aerials before the new LTE type can have a filter fitted if problems occur. A website has been set up to help with information on problems: Let's be Clear at 800

We have just finished updating our website in order to help with the navigation around the site including separate areas for services that we cover like Freeview, YouView, Freesat and Freetime. Hoping this makes understanding the differences between Freeview and Freesat, YouView and Freetime and also helping you to choose the one suitable for yourselves.

I have added a link on the front page to our qualifications page.

We are starting to see a broader take-up of HDMI distribution of Sky to other rooms now as clients realise the better picture quality on their other TV's around the home to that of the conventional means, through the aerial system.

Using HDMI on these 'other' TV's gives you upto 1080p resolution and benefits from stereo/surround sound in these locations.

For more information and options on upgrading your system to HDMI, give us a call on

01268 696572

07954 424645

or click here to email us.

There are changes taking place after lunchtime on the 17/10/12 to the Freeview tuning guide, viewers need to check their guide to see whether the updates have happened automatically or if a retune is needed.

The changes are to some of the channel numbers:

• The HD channels are moving to 101 - 120 with the BBC 1 HD on 101
• Marketplace is moving from channel 61 to 50
• The adult section will start at channel 171 instead of 91 at present.

These changes will effect Freeview boxes and TV's, BT Vision, TopUp TV and YouView boxes.

Please call 01268 696572 if further infomation is required.

The Digital SwitchOver (DSO) continues with the Bluebell Hill and Dover transmitter groups starting the first phase of switchover on the 13 June 2012 and the second phase on the 27 June 2012.

Stage 1, 13 June 2012: At midnight BBC2 analogue will cease and BBC1 and 2 in digital will change frequency, hence the need to retune so as these programs continue. There will possibly be interruptions with other channels dewing the day.*

Stage 2, 27 June 2012: At midnight analogue channels BBC2, ITV and Channel 4 will cease, other digital channels will change frequency hence the need for a second retune.*

These retunes can be done anytime after midnight on the above days, there is no dead line in which to complete the retune process, so if your away on holiday, just retune when you return.

I will be posting the new frequencies soon for people that wish to carry out a manual retune.

Both transmitters on the 27 June 2012 will launch the Freeview HD signals, viewers with a Freeview HD box or a TV with Freeview HD built in, will be able to pickup the new services broadcast on DVB-T2 standard.

* Stages 1 and 2 will happen at 6am on the dates above for the Dover transmitter, not midnight.

'Digital Aerial' is a marketing term thats evolved since the introduction of digital services. Any TV aerial will pick up the digital services. If you're getting a good analogue signal now then the digital signal is likely to be OK.

Some aerials have a 'Balun' (a small transformer) built into them to help eliminate interference, which causes signal breakup and freezing.

As we are so close to digital switchover in the essex region, then my advise is to wait and see, if after switchover you're still getting problems you may need a better aerial.

Weather conditions can degrade a television signal, this degradation manifests itself differently on digital as it did on analogue. We could see the signal problems on analogue televisions resulting in ghosting, snowy picture, lines on the screen, and various forms of patterning in the background spoiling our viewing.

With digital, its different, a poor signal here causes the picture to break up into small squares known as 'Pixelation', freezing  or even disappear altogether.

Due to the methods used in delivering a digital signal, it makes it immune to effects like ghosting.

High Pressure:

Under 'high pressure' weather conditions and given the fact that digital signals are low until digital switchover is achieved, pixelation or loss of signal is possible in some circumstances.

High winds:

Apart from the obvious problems caused by poor fitting or old rusted aerial systems in high winds, the movement can cause pixelation or monmontary loss of signals.

The movement in trees close by can also effect the signal, especially if the leaves are wet.

Rain or Fog:

Heavy rain or fog will cause a reduction in signal levels, again causing breakup or loss of picture. If after the rain clears problems still persist, its possible water ingress in the coax cable has occurred, the only remedy here is replacement of the cable. If this is left, then corrosion or rust can be seen on the aerial plug indoors.

What ever the weather conditions, the effects on a digital signal are the same i.e. breakup, freezing or loss of picture altogether.

There seams to be problems effecting some TV channels on terrestrial TV, digital and analogue. This appears to be work on the transmitters combined with high pressure in the weather at the moment. I'm receiving a high level of calls regarding this since mid day yesterday. (Wednesday)