July 16, 2021 - Even though I’m a solutions engineer for the Crestron residential team and it’s my job to know everything and anything about the Crestron Home™ platform, I’m still learning new things about it every day, especially with the fast pace of updates. So, I’ve pulled together these tips to help you unlock new features to make your experience even more enjoyable.
1. Change images and names for your rooms
You can personalize how the Crestron Home app looks by changing images and room names. Simply navigate to a room and tap the three dots in the top right corner. Two options will appear: "Rename Room" and "Change Image." If you select "Change Image," you’ll be prompted to either "Take Photo" or "Choose from Gallery." Navigate to an existing photo and select it or take a photo. Simple as that.
2. Hide controls and rooms from different users
You can easily change which phones and touch screens can view and control specific devices and rooms in the Crestron Home system. Say a parent doesn’t want his or her child to have the ability to control devices in the master bedroom. To prevent this, the parent can open the Crestron Home app on the child’s phone, and then navigate to "More" at the bottom of the screen. Once there, select "Advanced Settings." This section will be password protected and your integrator can provide it. (If you don’t know who your integrator is, contact Crestron True Blue Support at 888.273.7876, Option 1 or support@crestron.com.) Once you’re in this menu, all rooms and controls can be made visible. See image below of the settings on the phone.
3. Modify speaker settings to optimize your audio experience
The Crestron Home app makes modifying your audio settings easier. Maybe the startup volume for your music doesn’t quite suit your "goes to 11" mentality and you need it a bit louder. In the app, go to the room you want to modify, and then select the audio tile and start playing some music. At the bottom of the screen, navigate to "More" and then select "Advanced Settings." Now, select the amp output and the settings will be available for modification. (See below for available settings you can modify on the new Crestron amplifier.)
Now that you’ve adjusted the settings to your liking, your space will feel even more like home.
4. Control up to seven TVs in a single room
Crestron Home makes it easy to control multiple TVs in a single space using a Crestron Handheld Touch Screen Remote, touch screen, or the Crestron Home app. The image below shows the available controls on the touch screen and app.
The app and touch screen also provide the ability to create Media Scenes that can turn on multiple TVs and cable boxes with a single tap. In my example, "Game Night," we can turn on four TVs and have a different cable channel selected on each. The app and remote make it easy to select the cable box you want to listen to through the speakers. It’s as easy as tapping the speaker icon next to the display and the cable box you want the sound to come from. Below is another image showing this on the phone app.
Media Scenes like this make it way easier to start watching and controlling your rooms with multiple displays.
5. Easily switch between multiple residences from one application
The Crestron Home app makes it truly simple to access and control multiple homes, with one consistent experience, from wherever you may be. To flip between your homes, navigate to the Home screen on the phone app. Next, tap the name of the residence in the top left. This will provide a tile view of all the homes that can be accessed. To change to another home, simply swipe left and select. See below the tile view and how easy it is to change between them.
As you can see, the Crestron Home app is full of nice surprises and, I can assure you, the seamless experience you’re looking for.
By Chase Bouchard, Solutions Engineer