Stephen Gibson – Acoustic Pixel

Show Notes

11s: Stephen Gibson from Acoustic Pixel. A home automation, audio visual company in the centre of Harrogate. We integrate lighting, heating, audio, TV distribution and security into one system. We create a smart home which adds benefits to your life. We can take 50,000 daily tasks away from you over a year. With the technology, we can offer safety and security. If you go on holiday, we can have your house mimic your occupancy, so it looks very natural. If someone goes into your back garden, there is CCTV and the lights will come on in the bedroom and then the landing, then the kitchen. If someone did break in, as well as activating the alarm, we can have the house light up like Blackpool illuminations. We could also have Britney Spears blasting out which would deter them.

4mins 55s: I thought it was expensive, is it? It is very much for the mainstream. The amount you would spend on a kitchen would generally equate to the cost you would spend to automate your home. For £5,000 we could automate your lighting, heating and audio. Up to £10-15,000 we add in security elements, video distribution, gated access, access control over video etc.

6mins 15s: It must be a financial investment after a few years. It is more of a return of investment of time. To not have to worry about things like have I locked my house.

7mins 33s: Are estate agents using this in their specs to sell houses? More and more. They are putting the connectivity as an add-on. We can put TVs in your bathroom etc.

10mins 7s: The best time must be to install it when someone’s renovating their house? To get cables I the right place is very important but with technology these days, there are wireless solutions. We could put a lot of things in non-obtrusively.

11mins 37s: When you sell your house, you’ll get more from installing this? There are things that add value to your house, especially home entertainment. The investment makes your house different. This new generation is all about technology. Hopefully this will be an advantage when you sell your house.

13mins 51s: This can help with assisted living? Security is the biggest driver in this industry. Say you have someone living by themselves and they don’t want to go into a care home. We can make it so they can stay there as long as possible. With an automated home, you can be notified if they don’t have their usual cup of tea at 8am. If someone with Alzheimer’s wakes up in the middle of the night, we can turn the lights on at a low level and guide them to where they want to go if they forget.

17mins 11s: What are Harrogate’s trends? There is a growing market in Harrogate for a fully connected home. More and more people are wanting their homes to be a hub of entertainment.

19mins 29s: Is there a difference in sound quality? You’d have to experience it by visiting our showroom in Harrogate which has a stunning 7.2.4 audio system. I could talk loads about the quality but experiencing it yourself is different. We would want you to bring the media or the genre to the showroom and experience how it is in the showroom.

23mins 1s: What about fridges and freezers? We need to get these devices onto a network. They have various levels of functionality and benefits.

24mins 20s: Are panic rooms wanted in Harrogate? It has very much been in South East London. We haven’t installed any panic rooms in Harrogate but there is a growing market certainly as they become more affordable.

26mins 12s: Where are you based? In House of Harrogate ran by Mark Edwards. It’s on Cheltenham Mount. Within that showroom, there are kitchens and bathrooms. Everything is automated by Alexa, you could go in and say “Alexa, turn on party” which is a good demonstration. In the emporium we have the Shire doors, bi-folding doors, the English Cabinet Company, etc. We are on everything if you just type in Acoustic Pixel and our website is www.acousticpixel.co.uk