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Houston smart home, lighting, and AV guides.

Articles for homeowners, builders, designers, and businesses thinking about the systems behind better spaces.

Richard Machemehl holding a visibly burned and smoking network device in a living room.

Featured · Smart Home Planning

Whole-Home Surge Protection for Smart Homes: Why a Power Strip Is Not Enough

A surge can reach smart-home equipment through more than an outlet. Richard explains how ETG reviews layered protection and backup power.

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Latest insights

Articles that answer real questions.

Nighttime view of a modern home entrance with inset views of an entry, living room, kitchen, and bedroom.
SecurityAugust 27, 2026

Security Camera Placement for a Custom Home

A practical guide to camera views, mounting locations, night conditions, wiring, storage, and the field tests that make footage useful.

Richard Machemehl of Executive Technology Group.
PlanningAugust 26, 2026

When You Hire ETG, You're Hiring Me

Executive Technology Group is the company name, but the real value is having one experienced person design the system, tell you what is worth doing, and stay involved after the work is done.

Motorized roller shades partly lowered across tall windows in a modern waterfront living room.
LightingAugust 25, 2026

I Can Open the Shades Myself. Why Would I Pay for Motorized Shades?

Manual shades work in plenty of rooms. Here is when motorized shades earn their place through reach, privacy, glare control, and daily use.

Richard Machemehl holding a phone that shows a high-speed internet test in a Houston home.
NetworkingAugust 22, 2026

My Internet Provider Already Gave Me a WiFi Router. Why Would I Pay for Something Else?

Fast internet and good WiFi are not the same thing. Here is when the free provider router is enough and when better coverage matters.

Richard Machemehl beside a Samsung Frame TV displaying artwork above a fireplace.
Home TheaterAugust 21, 2026

I Can Buy a 75-Inch 4K TV for Around $500. Why Would I Pay More?

A $500 TV may be enough for bedrooms and game rooms. Here is when a better TV or Frame TV makes sense for the main living room.

Modern custom home at dusk with warm exterior lighting along trees, walls, steps, and the driveway.
LightingAugust 20, 2026

Planning Outdoor Lighting for a Custom Home

Plan outdoor lighting around nighttime views, planting, hardscape, wiring routes, controls, and service access before the yard is finished.

Small recessed downlights integrated into a wood ceiling above custom millwork and a stair landing.
LightingAugust 13, 2026

Recessed Lighting Planning for a Custom Home

Plan recessed lighting around architecture, ceiling details, finishes, beam spread, dimming, and field conditions before custom-home rough-in.

White eero PoE 6 access point mounted on a gray wall.
NetworkingAugust 10, 2026

Wi-Fi Access Point Planning for a Custom Home

Plan Wi-Fi access point locations, wired backhaul, ceiling coordination, outdoor coverage, and testing before custom-home finishes close access.

Covered residential patio with a wall-mounted television, bar seating, grill, and open backyard.
Home TheaterAugust 6, 2026

Outdoor Audio and TV Planning for a Custom Home

Plan outdoor TVs, speakers, Wi-Fi, power, cable paths, and controls before patio, pool, planting, and finish decisions are locked.

Brushed-metal smart lock hardware on a white residential door with green foliage outside.
PlanningAugust 6, 2026

Smart Lock and Gate Access Planning for a Custom Home

Plan smart locks and gated entry before trim-out by coordinating door hardware, power, pathways, credentials, intercoms, failure behavior, and handoff.

Lutron RadioRA 3 Sunnata RF keypad, model RRST-W4B.
LightingJuly 30, 2026

Smart Lighting Control Planning for a Custom Home

Plan smart lighting controls room by room by coordinating load schedules, keypad locations, scenes, dimming, finishes, and final programming.

Completed custom home theater with theater seating, a large screen, acoustic wall treatment, and concealed AV wiring.
Home TheaterJuly 29, 2026

Home Theater Prewire Checklist for a Custom Home

Plan a custom home theater before drywall by coordinating seating, screen, speakers, projector, power, cable paths, lighting, HVAC, and documentation.

Completed custom-home window with motorized roller shades installed cleanly above the glass.
LightingJuly 29, 2026

Motorized Shade Wiring Checklist for a Custom Home

Plan motorized shade wiring before drywall by coordinating power, motor side, pockets, trim, controls, access, and final field measurements.

Open residential wall framing with organized low-voltage cable runs before drywall installation.
PlanningJuly 20, 2026

Low-Voltage Rough-In Checklist for a Custom Home

A pre-drywall checklist for device locations, AV, network, security, lighting controls, shade wiring, ceiling coordination, and documentation.

Designated residential technology closet with structured cabling planned before drywall installation.
PlanningJuly 17, 2026

Where Should Smart Home Equipment Go? Planning the Technology Closet Before Drywall

Before drywall, ETG reviews the closet location, internet or fiber entry point, cable paths, airflow, power, and access so the system can be serviced later.

AV in 2026: What Homeowners Should Actually Prioritize Now
Home TheaterUpdated March 17, 2026

AV in 2026: What Homeowners Should Actually Prioritize Now

What Houston homeowners should prioritize in an AV project: the right display, clean control, room-fit audio, and design-conscious integration.

Matter 1.5 and What It Really Means for Smart Home Projects
Smart HomeUpdated March 17, 2026

Matter 1.5 and What It Really Means for Smart Home Projects

What Matter 1.5 improves, where it still falls short, and how Houston homeowners should evaluate it in a professionally integrated smart home.

Wi-Fi 7 in 2026: When It Is Worth It and When Design Matters More
NetworkingUpdated March 17, 2026

Wi-Fi 7 in 2026: When It Is Worth It and When Design Matters More

When Wi-Fi 7 is worth the upgrade for a Houston home, and why access-point placement, wired backhaul, and network design often matter more.

Smart Lighting in 2026: What Is Actually Worth Doing
LightingUpdated March 17, 2026

Smart Lighting in 2026: What Is Actually Worth Doing

A practical look at layered lighting, dependable dimming, scene control, and the smart-lighting features worth considering in 2026.

Outdoor Lighting for Luxury Homes: Transform Your Space with ETG Houston
LightingJune 4, 2025

Outdoor Lighting for Luxury Homes: Transform Your Space with ETG Houston

How custom outdoor lighting extends living space, highlights architecture, and blends security with ambiance in luxury homes.

Level Up: How to Maximize Your Gaming Setup's Internet Connection for Minimal Lag and Maximum Speed
NetworkingApril 21, 2025

Level Up: How to Maximize Your Gaming Setup's Internet Connection for Minimal Lag and Maximum Speed

A practical guide to reducing lag, improving reliability, and building a stronger home network for gaming and streaming.

TV or Projector for Your Media Room? Here's What You Need to Know
Home TheaterApril 21, 2025

TV or Projector for Your Media Room? Here's What You Need to Know

A comparison of large-format TVs, projectors, and newer display options for media rooms based on space, light, and viewing goals.

The Secret Hack to Makeup
LightingMarch 31, 2025

The Secret Hack to Makeup

Why the wrong home lighting can distort color and affect daily routines like grooming, makeup, and how you experience your own space.

Is Your Business Invisible? How to Stand Out Among Competitors
CommercialMarch 27, 2025

Is Your Business Invisible? How to Stand Out Among Competitors

A look at first impressions, curb appeal, and technology-driven presentation for businesses that want to stand out.

How Fast Does My Internet Need to Be?
NetworkingMarch 23, 2025

How Fast Does My Internet Need to Be?

An explanation of internet speed, bandwidth, latency, and why network design matters as much as the plan from your provider.

The Top 5 Things to Avoid When Building Your New Home
PlanningMarch 15, 2025

The Top 5 Things to Avoid When Building Your New Home

Five common mistakes during new-home construction, especially around low-voltage planning, infrastructure, and future-ready decisions.

2025 Smart Home Trends: Expert Insights from Executive Technology Group
Smart HomeMarch 3, 2025

2025 Smart Home Trends: Expert Insights from Executive Technology Group

A look at the smart-home shifts shaping 2025, including automation, security, user experience, and what Houston homeowners are asking for now.

The Rise of Commercial Technology: Why Businesses Need Advanced AV Solutions
CommercialJanuary 28, 2025

The Rise of Commercial Technology: Why Businesses Need Advanced AV Solutions

Why AV systems, communication tools, and technology-forward environments matter for modern businesses and customer-facing spaces.

Smart Living Simplified: URC Total Control and Smart Home Technology
Smart HomeJanuary 28, 2025

Smart Living Simplified: URC Total Control and Smart Home Technology

A primer on integrated smart-home control, scenes, and why a unified interface can make connected homes easier to use.

Designing the Ultimate Home Theater Experience
Home TheaterJanuary 22, 2025

Designing the Ultimate Home Theater Experience

A breakdown of what goes into a premium home theater, from screens and acoustics to seating, control, and immersive design.

The Future of Entertainment: Exploring OLED, QLED, 8K, and Outdoor TVs
Home TheaterJanuary 22, 2025

The Future of Entertainment: Exploring OLED, QLED, 8K, and Outdoor TVs

A guide to current display technologies and how to choose the right screen for media rooms, living spaces, and outdoor entertainment.

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