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How a Great Network Brings Your Smart Home to Life
Discover Unparalleled Comfort & Convenience There was a time when home networking from the local internet service provider was sufficient for most homeowners and their connected devices. There was also a time when the average number of connected devices came to about five. Then, smart homes arrived, and with them a host of connectivity—at least…
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High-End Audio + Hidden = Great Sound Without the Mess
Experience Detailed Music in Every Room with Hidden Technology Music has a powerful effect on humans. Studies show it can increase levels of dopamine and serotonin, feel-good hormones that regulate our emotions, moods, and well-being. The result is increased happiness and reduced stress and irritability. Music helps us finish that last mile, inspires us to…
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Designing a Smart Home That Looks as Good as It Functions
From Cluttered to Clean: Designing Smart Homes with Intention When we talk about smart home technology, it’s easy to focus on the functionality: automated lighting, climate control, and whole-home audio. But how will that all look and feel within your home? For discerning homeowners, it’s not enough to simply have smart technology. It needs to…
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Smart Home Upgrades You Need for a Cozy & Efficient Winter
Beat the Chill and Trim Energy Bills by Upgrading Your Smart Home Before the First Freeze. When winter rolls in, it has a way of reshaping our routines. Mornings start in the dark, evenings arrive before we’re ready, and the thermostat suddenly works overtime. It’s the season when comfort matters most, but it’s also the…
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Partner with Hippo’s for Brilliant Lighting Design
Bring Luxury Fixtures, Smart Technology, and Expert Guidance in Every Space Light has the power to shape how a home feels. The right design can make a kitchen glow with energy, turn a living room into a cozy retreat, and make architectural details pop. Hippo’s brings together thoughtful design, designer-quality fixtures, and cutting-edge control systems…
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5 Lighting & Shading Upgrades to Make Your Home Look Lavish
Treat Your Home’s Lighting Like a Set Design When most people talk about smart home lighting, they focus on convenience: automated scenes, app control, maybe voice commands. But what if lighting could also disappear into the design of your home? At Hippo’s, our lighting designers go beyond merely installing fixtures. We collaborate with interior designers,…
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Come See the King of TVs (and More) at Hippo’s
Find the Best TVs on the Market at Our Experience Center Showroom If you’re considering a new high-end TV for your home, don’t buy sight unseen. There’s only so much online reviews and spec sheets can tell you. When it comes to truly understanding the difference between a good TV and a great one, you…
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Conference Room Technology: Zoom Rooms vs. Teams Rooms
The Latest Advancements in Innovative Collaboration The last decade has seen a revolution in conference room technology. Inclusivity is in, and siloed workspaces are out. Expansive boardrooms that once sat unused are turning into multiple huddle spaces. Conference tables and chairs have morphed into modular seating arrangements. As Bob Dylan said, “The times, they are…
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Why Partner with a Technology Integrator for Outdoor Lighting?
Creating Spaces That Shine Long After Dark The difference between good outdoor spaces and unforgettable ones often comes down to what happens after dark. A client walks through their newly completed outdoor kitchen at dusk, and carefully placed fixtures bring the space to life—countertops glow with perfect task lighting, pathways guide safely to the pool,…
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Outdoor Lighting Scenes: The After-Dark Secret to Better Living
Bring Your Backyard to Life After Sunset with Landscape Lighting How many hours a day are you enjoying your backyard lately? While we understand you may love seeing blue skies and feeling the warmth of the sun on your skin, the appeal of spending time outdoors at night is undeniable. Or at least it is…
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Why Your Outdoor Speakers Sound Bad (and How to Fix It)
Discover the Secret to Immersive, High-Fidelity Music in the Great Outdoors Outdoor speakers face unique challenges. With no walls to contain and reflect the sound waves, the music dissipates in the open air, resulting in a less-than-impressive audio experience. The bass can sound flat and the music less spacious, lacking the soundstage that reveals each…
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Discreet by Design: Outdoor AV That Preserves Natural Beauty
3 Ways We Install Hidden AV in Outdoor Spaces Your clients crave luxury outdoor living. Think evening cocktails on the patio, weekend game days by the pool, or garden parties scored with ambient music. But to install audiovisual tech outdoors, design professionals often hit a roadblock: how do you deliver high-performance entertainment without compromising the…
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Building a Home Theater with a Trusted Partner
How Specifiers and Integrators Can Work Together on AV Projects You have firmly established your client’s vision. The home theater of their dreams embodies old-world elegance, wrapped in new-world lighting and impeccable acoustics. As a specifier, you could, and probably have many times, taken the vision and run with it, building a home theater by…
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Home Theater Design Made Easy
Create Your Dream Home Theater Space with the Help of Hippo’s For many homeowners, creating their dream home theater has been on their “someday” list for quite a while. So, why the hesitation? Many people simply don’t know where to start. You can view a million different home theaters on platforms like Pinterest, but how…
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Creating an Outdoor Oasis with Beautiful Pools & Entertainment
Hippo’s: Elevating the Outdoor Experience by Partnering with Pool Installers You may wonder why a company specializing in the latest audio-video technology and home automation partners with pool installers. Where’s the commonality? Homeowners installing a pool are often looking to create an outdoor oasis, a place to enjoy time with family and friends. The pool…
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Are You Ready to Dive in with Poolside Entertainment?
Turn Your Backyard into an Outdoor Entertainment Hub With the right tech, your poolside space can become the heart of your home’s backyard entertainment. Can you picture it? Music, lighting, and streaming your favorite shows right to the pool. But you can’t do this with just any technology—a poolside entertainment hub requires specialized equipment that…
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Partner with Hippo’s to Elevate Outdoor Entertainment Projects
Integrate High-Quality Audio, Video, and Lighting Designers, builders, and architects know that outdoor entertainment spaces are a trendy way to entice buyers in today’s home market. But, an outdoor entertainment space should be more than just a TV on a patio with a few speakers. A top-notch outdoor entertainment space should integrate high-quality audio, video,…
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How Smart Tech Can Transform Your Outdoor Space
Reimagine Your Patio to Create the Perfect Outdoor Oasis Homeowners wanting to maximize their living space should consider the potential hiding in their backyards. With the help of today’s smart technology and the team from Hippo’s, outdoor areas can provide greater function than simply relaxing. Our outdoor experts can help you reimagine your patio area…
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More Than Home Theaters: Explore the Full Range of Services at Hippo’s
Home Automation, Smart Lighting, Outdoor Entertainment, and More When people think of Hippo’s, they often think of high-quality home theater systems. While that’s a big part of what we do, our expertise extends far beyond the world of movies and surround sound. We also specialize in making homes and businesses smarter, more efficient, and more…
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How Home Automation Adds Value to a New Home Build
Explore the Long-Term Benefits of Designing a Tech-Empowered Home Is smart technology a smart play for home builders in 2025? Absolutely. According to Exploding Topics, nearly 80% of potential home buyers would pay more for a home with automated features. Home automation is something today’s buyers are looking for, and it’s no surprise why. Automation…
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What Can You Do with a Lutron Home?
Discover the Features of Lutron Homeworks For homeowners in Columbia County, Lutron Homeworks is the perfect way to elevate your New York living experience with smart lighting and shade control. This advanced system enhances your home’s ambiance, provides for greater energy efficiency, and boosts daily convenience. Continue reading to explore how turning your residence into…
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Why Bookshelf Speakers are a Must-Have for Hi-Fi Audio Enthusiasts
Experience the Best with Totem’s Compact Powerhouses When it comes to creating a coveted listening experience, every detail counts. From the source to the speakers, each aspect plays a vital role in delivering immersive sound. For audiophiles in Columbia County, bookshelf speakers strike the perfect balance between size and performance. At Hippo’s, we love Totem’s…
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Getting Started with Smart Office Automation
Help Employees Focus and Build Your Competitive Edge In today’s technology-centric industries, smart office automation is more than a luxury—it’s necessary for businesses looking to get ahead. Automating your office space can increase employee productivity, streamline processes, and improve overall efficiency, helping you and your employees focus on what matters most throughout the day. For…
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How to Maximize the Lifespan of Your Lutron Shades
An Investment in Style, Convenience, and Durability for Columbia County Homeowners When New York homeowners consider a stylish and functional upgrade, Lutron shades often top the list. These motorized window treatments add a touch of elegance while also delivering unmatched convenience. When shopping for luxury shades, a common question arises: How can you ensure your…
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Manage Sunlight Effortlessly with Motorized Blinds
Explore the Benefits and Features of Automated Window Coverings Sunlight streaming through your windows is both breathtakingly beautiful and damaging. There’s nothing more stunning than illuminating your home with natural light and nothing quite as destructive as UV rays. So, the question is, how do we enjoy the sun’s magnificent light while protecting the interior…
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Enjoy an Outdoor TV in Your Backyard This Summer & All Year Round
Make Outdoors the Place to Be This Summer! As summer approaches, transforming your backyard into a haven for relaxation and entertainment becomes a top priority. Installing an outdoor TV is one of the best ways to enhance your outdoor spaces. The Samsung Terrace outdoor TV stands out as an excellent choice for its durability, brightness,…
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Extend Your Summer Nights With Useful Landscape Lighting Installation
Why Coastal Source Outdoor Lighting is a High-Quality Option Who doesn’t love a beautiful summer night on the patio? Whether hosting a backyard event or simply soaking up the quiet evening, the right landscape lighting installation can add to the experience. The outdoor lighting experts at Hippo’s can help you transform your outdoor space into…
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Why Coastal Source Is the Best Choice for Outdoor Audio
Coastal Source Blends High-Quality Performance with Longstanding Durability When choosing an outdoor audio brand to elevate your New York backyard entertainment, look no further than the Bollard speaker line from Coastal Source, available at Hippo’s. Coastal Source has been engineering speakers for over 60 years and understands what it takes to build high-class, sought-after solutions…
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Essential Elements for Creating the Perfect Home Theater Design in Columbia County
Here’s How to Craft Cinematic Bliss Feeling overwhelmed by the hustle and bustle while living in New York? Well, here’s a little secret: you don’t need to go far to escape into the world of cinema. By partnering with a smart home integration company, you can create your own movie theater experience right in the…
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Unmatched Quality from a Home Theater Company
Hippo’s Home Entertainment has one of the best customer service guarantees in the business In Columbia County, Hippo’s Home Theater Company is a local contractor specializing in installing indoor and outdoor smart home theaters for New York residents. We have a reputation built on being one of the best home entertainment installation contractors in town.…
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Do You Need Smart Home Window Treatments?
How Technology Can Redefine How You Relax and Work at Home When you embrace smart technology, you will find solutions that surpass the simple “cool” factor and impact the convenience and function of your home. Even something as simple as window treatments can go from something nice to look at to an item of convenience,…
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Experience Home Automation Control With Crestron
Why Crestron is an Industry Leader and Top Homeowner Choice Homeowners around the globe are discovering the convenience and ease of home automation controls. As an industry leader, Crestron is a top homeowner choice for providing unparalleled simplicity and luxury. Hippo’s is proud to offer Crestron to local homeowners because it’s a brand that means…
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Our Favorite Smart Office Automation Features
Explore Which Elements We Recommend to Clients to Keep Their Workspaces Intuitive and Productive! Efficiency has always been one of the keys to success, and smart office automation is doing its best to revolutionize the way we work. When implemented, daily tasks become more convenient, streamlined, and productive. At Hippo’s, we always recommend specific technologies…
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Ease of Living and Whole-Home Automation Systems
Explore the Latest Technology in Smart Home Living Do you remember life before smartphones? If you’re one of the younger generations, there’s no such thing, but there was a time when there was no Internet, apps, or Google Maps. Astonishing. The point of this history lesson is that, someday, we’ll look back on whole-home automation…
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The Benefits of Smart Office Automation for Commercial Spaces
Learn How Your Office Space Can Work for Everyone Who Uses It! Smart office automation offers cutting-edge technology that transforms regular workspaces into connected hubs. This revolutionary trend is reshaping how commercial spaces operate all over New York, bringing many benefits beyond mere convenience. Keep reading to explore the advantages of office automation and how…
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Enjoy Effortless Living With a Smart Home Automation System
A Smart Home Defines Luxury Living At Hippo’s, we’re committed to creating customized smart home automation systems that exceed our clients’ expectations. How do we accomplish this? As your local technology experts with almost 40 years of experience, we’ve developed long and trusted relations with industry leaders in New York’s Capital Region and beyond. From the latest…
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Bring the Entertainment Outside with an Outdoor TV
A TV Can Be the Ultimate Outdoor Entertainment Hub Winter weather might be a bit rough in upstate New York, but the glorious summers attract people from all over for the comfortable temperatures that make spending time outdoors an all-day pleasure. Those lucky enough to spend the summer in Albany want to maximize their time…
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Transform Your Lake George Retreat with the Magic of Outdoor Audio
Experience a Symphony of Nature and Music with Sonance Outdoor Speakers Imagine the gentle lapping of Lake George’s waters, the rustling leaves of the Adirondack Mountains, and your favorite tunes filling the air. Sounds perfect, doesn’t it? If you’ve invested in creating a beautiful outdoor space at your New York home, why not take it…
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5 Real Benefits of Installing Landscape Lighting
Landscape Lighting Adds Curb Appeal, Safety, and More The Lake George area is a beautiful place for homeowners who enjoy the stunning natural surroundings and the tranquility of the lake. Whether upstate New York is a seasonal home or your permanent residence, you can elevate your Lake George home’s appearance and functionality by installing landscape…
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Is It Time to Update Your Backyard Entertainment Options?
A Sonance Outdoor Speaker System Can Enhance Backyard Fun Like many homeowners, you probably enjoy spending time in your backyard during the warmer months. Whether it’s hosting barbecues, playing yard games, swimming in the pool, or simply lounging with a good book, your backyard can be a great place to relax and unwind. However, consider…
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How Best to Automate Your Motorized Shades
Integrate Lutron’s Smart Shades with Crestron for Unparalleled Home Control & Automation No fully automated smart home would be complete without Lutron motorized shades, and if you are in Lake George or anywhere else in New York State, Hippo’s Home Entertainment can install them for you. We can also do a whole lot more, like…
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Find Luxury with Lutron’s Lineup of Smart Switches and Dimmers
Choose the Best Lutron Lighting Controls for Your Home Are you tired of looking at outdated and unappealing light switches in your home? Did you know that smart switches and dimmers from Lutron are beautiful and can match your home’s decor? When you’re ready to look at switch options, don’t let yourself be limited in…
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What to Look for in a Video Surveillance System
3 Essential Features You Want for Better Home Protection Are all video surveillance systems alike? On the surface, they might share many of the same features. But there are significant differences that you should know about. Considering that many DIY surveillance cameras are available, you might be tempted to purchase one of these relatively low-cost…
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6 Reasons You’ll Love Lutron Motorized Shades
Lutron Motorized Shades Offer Style, Convenience, and Performance Motorized shades are a must-have solution for the modern smart home. Adding power to window shades and treatments makes them far easier to operate with the touch of a button. You can forget about pulls, strings, and other manual controls; a quiet motor does the work for…
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Elevate Your Listening Experience with High-End Speakers
Speakers from KEF, Bowers and Wilkins, and Magnepan Let You Hear All the Nuance and Detail in Music Some people are OK with listening to music on inexpensive headphones. Some rely on Bluetooth speakers or the convenience of Amazon Echo or Google Nest. Those are all expeditious choices, but if you’ve graduated from merely OK…
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Simplify Your Life with a Smart Home System
A Smart Home Should Make Things Easier Are you often frustrated by technology? Unfortunately, many people are, including the tech-savvy. Part of the problem is that technology is integral to our daily lives yet has become increasingly complex. When it comes to smart home technology, we feel it should be simple. A smart home system…
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4 Ways to Control Your Smart Home
Control Your Home Your Way! How would you like to manage your smart home? Some home automation solutions only give you one or two ways to control your smart devices and systems. Don’t settle for a few choices. Home automation is all about comfort, luxury, and convenience. And like your cake, you ought to get…
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How a Smart Office Can Improve Productivity
The Remote Work Experiment is Over – Now Let’s Get Down to Business During the pandemic, employers sent millions of workers to log in from home to keep them healthy. Employers feared productivity would sink, teams would not talk, and revenue would tumble. But, they found a surprising result – some employees performed their jobs…
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Get Ready For Game Day With An Outdoor TV Installation
Entertain on your pool or patio with an outdoor entertainment system that responds to a tap Are you ready to entertain as sports pick back up? Your outdoor living spaces are perfect for hosting game day parties with friends and family. So take the fun under the sun, whether you want to hang out by…
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Smart Thermostats Are The Ultimate Home Climate Control Solution
Take the Guesswork Out of Living Comfortably With Automation Technology If you’ve ever had to get out of your cozy bed to turn down the thermostat a few degrees because you forgot to set it before heading to your bedroom, then this blog is for you. Or, if you’ve ever walked into your New York…
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Add Drama and Flair to Your Home with Landscape Lighting
Don’t Let the Beauty of Your Property Go Unseen After Dark You put significant time, money and effort into your home’s outside appearance. From the architecture to the manicured landscaping and specimen trees, your property stands out. But what happens after the sun goes down? The beauty of many homes disappears after dark. But it…
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Take the Music Outside with an Outdoor Speaker System
The Sonance Landscape Series Transforms Your Outdoors with Audiophile-Worthy Sound After a long winter in upstate New York, spring is in the air, and the sun hangs around much longer. That signals that it’s time to enjoy the natural beauty of Lake George and get outside. But you don’t have to go far to enjoy…
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Here’s How a Smart Home System Will Enhance Your Lifestyle
Sit back and enjoy your home with the luxury and convenience only a smart home can bring Your home should be a sanctuary of luxury and relaxation, where every little detail is customized to create a space that can satisfy your wants and needs. It should be a place where you can effortlessly control everything,…
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3 Reasons Why Motorized Blinds Are a Must in Modern Luxury Homes
Elevate the comfort, luxury, and aesthetics of your home with high-tech shading solutions Window treatments are sometimes overlooked elements of a home, but they are vital in enhancing a room’s design and comfort. While manual shades are popular because of their affordable prices, they are only less expensive because they lack the features that provide…