Sound & Vision is uniquely positioned to bring you the finest system design and installation team in the Chicago area. We have many years of experience programming Crestron automation systems, dedicated home theaters, home lighting systems and managing all different sizes and kinds of systems both residential and commercial. The following are some of the reasons you should choose Sound & Vision for your next home automation, lighting control or home entertainment project.

Experience – Almost 20 years in Chicagoland of thrilling thousands of clients with high performance easy to use systems. Our team members include; Designers, Engineers, Installation Technicians, and Programmers with a combined experience of over 100 years in the industry, many as members of our team for as long as 10 years.

100% Vertically Integrated – With a small army of highly trained professionals, the Sound & Vision team handles all aspects of your project; from design and engineering, programming and installation, to client training and post installation support and service.

S.P.O.C – Though it implies something of the space age, our team of talented systems designers are involved in all aspects of the project from beginning to end. They act as a “Single Point of Contact” for the client, all other trades, and representatives throughout the project.

High Performance and Powerful, Yet Easy to Use –This statement is usually a contradiction of terms. Sound & Vision has been able to bridge this gap for our clients between powerful and desirable technology and the need for intuitive use. Additionally, we have empowered our clients to make changes to the way their systems functions. Using our proprietary dashboard, our clients have the ability to update local or whole house lighting scenes, change channel presets, create HVAC schedules, and much more.

Design and Experience Center – Our state of the art Design and Experience Center showcases the latest cutting edge technologies and solutions that our clients can touch and experience first hand.

Proven and Trusted products – our arsenal of products include some of the most renowned names in the business.  We know what products will work best together creating a tested, tried and true work of art.

System Pre-Installation Assembly – All of our systems are assembled and tested in our engineering lab prior to installation. This ensures that every product is tested and integrated as part of the finished system prior to installation in your home.

We Stay on the Cutting Edge – Our determination to bring the latest and greatest products that enhance our clients’ lives; though extensive testing and evaluation means we stay on the cutting edge, so you don’t have to.

Designed for the Future – Sound & Vision systems are uniquely designed with the future in mind, making upgrades and additions a snap.

Guaranteed Performance – Every system is backed by our 5-year 24/7 365 days support, service and performance guarantee. One very unique aspect of our support is our proactive approach. We can receive alerts and remotely diagnose and correct, in many cases, before our client is even aware of an issue.

Choose wisely!

Your choice of an Electronic Architecture firm is one you’ll live with for as long as you live in your home.

We have created this guide to serve you as a road map in working through the decision making process of choosing the right firm the 1^st time.

1. When should you contact an integrator?

As early as possible. In the design / architectural phase is when the most impact is made that can effect the end results of a system. There are electrical requirements for Audio / Video equipment, cooling requirements, and placement within the residence is key. Many other items can be addressed before you start to build. Time spent up front in design can save time making construction changes or sacrificing the integrity of the system if an integrator is brought in too late.

2. Design & Engineering by an Integrator.

Just as an architect creates the design and determines the elements in the structure of your new home, an Electronic Architect ensures that a properly designed system is engineering and integrates with all of the sub-systems found in today's home. Having a technology plan ensures that the system going into your new home is designed for you, your family, and your lifestyle.

3. Check References

Anyone who is reputable should be able to provide a list of references. This list should be more than names and should be real people that you can talk to about their experience with the company. Look for recent installations and projects that were done many years ago. This will show that there are consistent quality and standards that have been maintained over an extended period of time.

4. Experience Counts

You need someone who has been trusted and has delivered completed and reliable systems to others. The longer the history, the more seasoned the company will be. The key is find someone that is capable of a project of your size and scope; large or small, fully integrated or not. Each require a different type of integrator. Larger and more complex projects require a detailed skill set and years of experience to deliver a finished working project. You don't want to be any firms "first project", "most complicated" or "biggest project yet".

5. Vertically Integrated

Everyone who works on your home should be part of integrators staff. You don't want their subcontractors performing all of the work or different elements of the project. A vertically integrated company means that everyone who installs your system works directly for the company you intend to hire. This makes them 100% responsible to that company to complete the system at a set standard, and makes the same personal responsible for service and support after the system is completed.

6. Quality Products

The company who installs and programs the final product is a large portion of what you are purchasing for your new home. Behind that company must be reliable, quality products from a reputable manufacture. The best integrator installing poorly designed and built products can only lead to disaster. A system and it's products must be tested, tried, and true to make it into your home.

7. Showroom

How will your finished product look? How will it function? This is why choosing an integrator with a showroom is an important step. A showroom should not only showcase the best of their products and workmanship, it will also be a living example of how your finished system will function. The ease of use through their interface and placement of equipment is key to understanding how they and your finished system will operate.

8. Proactive Approach

With all of the best intentions and product in your home, something could still fail in your system. There are 2 approaches to servicing an installed system; re-active and pro-active. Having to call someone out for an issue and wait for parts, all the while your system is down, is a re-active approach. A Pro-active integrator will monitor your system and make repairs without you  even realizing something has gone wrong. With today's technology, integrators have the ability to monitor or get alerts from systems that are having issues. Many problems can be resolved remotely over the Internet requiring very little down time or even a visit to your home.

9. Service & Support

The commitment to your system shouldn't end when you write that last check. Continued service and support is required and provided by all quality integrators today. Look for someone who has technicians on call for emergency appointments. Super Bowl Sunday has the same probability as any other day for the lamp to go out on your projector, but somehow it always seems to be the day something does go wrong. Having someone on-call, a real person who can not only support your system over the phone or remotely, but be available for that "emergency call" is key to a successful and long-term relationship with an integrator.

10. Warranty & Coverage Protection

Every product you buy comes with a warranty from the manufacture, but your not buying just the manufactures box. The system should have a end to end coverage for all installed parts, and most of all a warranty on the labor performed by the company who installed it. 1 year is standard, but reputable company's with quality products should offer extended coverage for 2-3 years and optional plans for up to 5 years.