One thing not to forget…

One thing not to forget…

If you are embarking on a new-build project or major renovation here is THE most important thing to remember…

The Connected Home – How to ensure your home’s infrastructure isn’t out of date before you move in.

Home technology is moving at a pace that makes it hard even for those of us living and breathing it 24/7 to keep up. So how can you make sure that the infrastructure you are planning will still be relevant in 10, 5, even 2 years time?

Fully Connected Home

The fully connected home is almost a reality and the biggest demand on your home is about to become it’s capability to transfer data from one place to another. The Internet Of Things – where everything has an IP address from your TV to your light bulbs, will mean a constant stream of data flowing to manufacturers, retailers and your own monitoring systems.

Your TV may not be about to become your PC, but it is going to become more and more reliant on an internet connection. Catch-up TV (BBC iPlayer etc) and video on demand services like Netflix are commanding a greater proportion of your viewing time and as screens get bigger and resolution gets higher, the demands we will be making of our home’s infrastructure to transfer data is  increasing. Let me tell you this for nothing – if you are relying on wifi to display on Samsung’s new 85” 4K dream machine, my guess is that you will be disappointed.

Physical Cables Deliver Data

As the Internet of Things takes off we will expect to see washing machines connected to the internet, cookers, even your windows (programmed to tint or clear to help manage room temperature and light at different times of the day). Please do not think wifi is going to cope with the amount of data moving around your home.

If you can run a wire, then do so. A physical cable will deliver more data, faster and more reliably than any wifi network. Leave your wifi for using your tablet to update Facebook or Twitter.