 Filed Under: How To 
Posted Wed Jun 16, 2010, 6:30 PM ET — By Darryl Wilkinson
I’ve always lived in a used house. “Existing home” is the euphemism real estate people like to use. Life is good—until you realize that there are no phone jacks close to the spots where your bed or desk should go. And why are there no Ethernet jacks in the house? And no wiring for TVs anywhere but the living room? Needless to say, you can’t find in-wall speakers, volume controls, or multiroom A/V distribution of any kind. Maybe you should have guessed from the horse and buggy parked in the garage when your real estate agent showed the house that the previous owners weren’t interested in keeping up with the more technologically advanced Joneses across the street. Now what? Since there are no phone jacks handy, you can use your cell phone to call your local home remodeler and a custom home A/V installer. Oh, wait, you’d rather not spend money remodeling a home you just spent a lot of money on acquiring? Well, guess what? You don’t have to hire professionals to remodel your home in order to bring it into the modern, digital era of home entertainment and info enrichment. Doing it yourself is entirely doable. And if you’re clever, handy with a hammer (plus a few other basic tools), and don’t get queasy at the sight of drywall dust, you can integrate a lot of today’s high-tech gear and technology into your used home and make it look and feel like it was there from the beginning. If you’re really good, you can make it look like the stuff isn’t there at all. Filed Under: How To
Posted Thu Jun 3, 2010, 4:04 PM ET — By Mark Elson
One of the myths about lighting control systems is that you can only install them if you’re building a new house, where the walls aren’t built yet, or if you’re performing a major remodel, where all of the walls are torn down. This myth perpetuates on the assumption that you need to run lots of wire while the framing is exposed. It’s true that once the drywall is up, pulling wire becomes prohibitively expensive because of the labor required. But I’m here to bust the myth that you can’t have fun with your lighting in a finished home. In the case of lighting dimming control, you can enjoy many of the features you’d find in a whole-house wired system, without the wire and the accompanying labor expense. I’ll show you what’s possible in lighting for existing homes and offer an overview of products from several key wireless lighting brands. You can accomplish the miracle of wireless lighting control via radio frequency (RF), a technology that uses specific, dedicated frequencies upon which the command signals travel. Unlike infrared (IR) signals, which your garden-variety handheld TV remote control uses, RF signals don’t have to be pointed; they can travel through walls and are generally stable. All of the wireless lighting systems I’ll discuss here are RF, and there are some new platforms within this technology. Filed Under: Equipment How To $$
Posted Mon May 10, 2010, 3:12 PM ET — By Mark Elson
Once when we were watching a DVD in the media room, my wife missed a scene because she was nodding off. But usually it’s me who does the nodding. I search for the remote control, and I can never find it when I need it. Forget about the whole remote, I’ll just settle for the right button. I fish around. There, that must be it. My fingers traverse the button terrain to find the Pause or Rewind button in the dark purely by feel. Because I’m holding the darned thing upside down, I accidentally hit the Open/Close button, which stops the movie cold and slides open the disc tray. Ah, the joys of not missing a minute of a movie! Does this sound familiar? If so, you need to read further. Juggling remote controls is one of the top three buzz-kills in the field of home electronics. And we can do something about it. The can-do spirit is in the air. Here, I’ll sift through the world of remote controls and share with you some prominent models that feature the absolute best characteristics in the category. Filed Under: Equipment $$ How To
Posted Mon Apr 26, 2010, 3:05 PM ET — By Darryl Wilkinson
I’ve often thought it would be nice to have music in multiple rooms of the house; but, as I’ve alluded, my home is not custom install friendly. I decided that a wireless multiroom system would definitely be the best bet. Sonos, a company that focuses exclusively on wireless multiroom audio, has a system that’s designed to do just thatŃand moreŃin up to 32 independent zones without breaking the bank or tearing down any walls. After I read the endearing tag line, “Wireless that works like magic,” I thought, what better time or place could there be to check out Sonos’ latest system incarnation? So I asked Sonos to send out its Bundle 150 two-zone package ($999 ) plus a ZoneBridge and let the fun begin. Filed Under: How To
Posted Mon Apr 19, 2010, 0:00 AM ET — By Mark Elson
It’s no surprise that consumer electronics have become increasingly dependent upon professional installation. Consider the following categories: satellite antennae, A/V distribution systems, projectors and screens, wholehouse control, lighting and dimming systems, content-sharing DVR networks, and of course wall-mounting and wire-pulling for flat-panel TVs. Want to talk about remote access to media servers and CCTV cameras via Ethernet? A system’s operation is programming intensive and depends on physical installation, which requires construction expertise. There’s so much going on behind your walls and in your attic. I wouldn’t want to take responsibility for all of it at my house, and I know my wife wouldn’t want me to, either. I bang up my walls enough, schlepping a retractable ladder from the garage up three flights of stairs to the master bedroom just to change a 9-volt smoke alarm battery. Drill holes in my walls? Me? Are you kidding? In this article, I’ll help you find your closest local professional installers and provide an easy method to help you make the right selection. Filed Under: How To
Posted Tue Dec 1, 2009, 12:31 PM ET — By Kim Wilson
Creating a home theater, be it a dedicated room or part of an existing living space, requires more than a general knowledge of AV technology. In actuality, that is only a small part of the equation. To maximize the performance of your AV gear, the overall design of the room is crucial. Barbara Roth, President of Paradise Production Company, developed and produced the comprehensive DVD Destination Home Theater where she goes into great detail about the vital acoustical and visual design elements that anyone considering a home theater, should learn. Follow her tips and recommendations to create your dream theater. Filed Under: Reader Interiors How To Casual $$
Posted Thu Jul 30, 2009, 5:29 PM ET — By Craig Dickerhoff Photography: Richard Boese
While this theater was my dream, the 7-year project required the support and occasional manual labor from my wife, daughters, son-in-law and a couple of friends. I did consult with Roy Johnson of Green Mountain Audio a few times and want to thank him for his insights. Other than those acknowledgments, the Geek Theater was my baby, costing around $90,000 once it was all said and done. I designed the room, specified and installed all of the equipment and furnishings. I also did all the interior work myself except for laying down the carpet. In the design of the theater, my first objective was to make the room as audio perfect as possible and secondly, make it a “rock and roll” movie theater room. Filed Under: How To
Posted Fri Nov 21, 2008, 6:29 PM ET — By Gary Altunian
Recently I sat down with Anthony Grimani, President of PMI, Ltd., an acoustics consulting firm, to discuss room acoustics and home theater design.
GA: Anthony, please start by explaining the services offered by your company, PMI, Ltd. Filed Under: Equipment How To
Posted Mon Aug 25, 2008, 8:40 PM ET — By Barbara Gonzalez
Simple ways to set free your photo, music, and video libraries for the “10-foot” home theater experience. Like most people, I have a digital camera, and I also recently bought a high-definition camcorder. They take detailed, gorgeous pictures that I upload onto my computer. And that’s where they’ve been locked up—in hard drive prison. I’ve also started downloading movies and TV shows that I’ve missed from the Internet. I sit at my desk and watch them on my relatively small computer monitor. But it’s not very comfortable or satisfying. And it’s particularly difficult for friends and family to crowd around my computer to see photos of my last vacation or watch the video of my son’s graduation. I transfer my favorite tunes from my computer to my iPod. But when I relax, I want to curl up on the couch cushions and listen to music on my full-range speakers so I can hear the details of the music. I also want to have slide shows for my friends and family (like we did when we had slide projectors) in the comfort of my living room. And the only place I ever want to watch movies is on my 1080p plasma. Filed Under: How To
Posted Thu Jan 31, 2008, 10:17 AM ET — By Steve Faber
Lighting, acoustic treatment, and other details to really make your theater your own. Home theater interiors are like fingerprints; it's kind of trite, but it's true. No two are identical. There are dozens of styles and hundreds of variations within them. If you're going for a true dedicated-theater look, you can choose from a traditional design, art deco, or even a theme (such as Star Wars or the Old West). Within the general theater concept, there is a staggering variety of color treatments, acoustic panels, fabrics, flooring, seating, columns, cabinetry, lighting, trim, curtains, speakers (yes, they can be a design consideration), stages, prosceniums, and paint to choose from. Here again, you can consult a professional designer for varying levels of assistance or go it alone. Filed Under: How To
Posted Thu Jan 31, 2008, 10:15 AM ET — By Mark Elson
Questions to ask before you sign on the dotted line. I consider myself an experienced gardener. But I recently came across a situation that was just too much, even for my green thumb. Five men and two days later, I realized I just didn't have the expertise to conquer a particularly troublesome planter. I knew when I was licked. Face it; you may encounter things in life that are just beyond your abilities. Not that you couldn't do a yeoman's job installing a home theater, but you might not have the tools, time, or experience. If you find yourself in such a situation, this article and sample contracts should provide some guidelines that will help guarantee a happy result. Filed Under: How To
Posted Mon Jan 28, 2008, 4:05 PM ET — By Gary Altunian
Like many homeowners, you probably enjoy home theater, but you'd prefer not to have five speakers and a subwoofer on your living-room floor. Then consider in-wall speakers as a solution. The question is, can you install them yourself, or should you call a professional? The answer is, yes you can install in-walls yourself, with some planning, a few basic tools, and a little patience. Here's a step-by-step overview of the process of installing in-wall (or in-ceiling) speakers, as well as the parts and tools you'll need to complete the job like a pro. Filed Under: How To
Posted Fri Dec 28, 2007, 10:59 AM ET — By J. Makin
Your home theater could hold the key. Alex Martinez knows what prospective home buyers want, even in a tough real-estate market. Alex, a Los Angeles–based real-estate entrepreneur, enjoys continued success, even though the L.A. real-estate segment, like those of most of the United States, is in a sluggish period. He derives his inside knowledge not only from his work, but also because he and partner designer Chris Ewen are new homeowners themselves. Filed Under: How To
Posted Fri Dec 7, 2007, 5:41 PM ET — By Adrienne Maxwell
Technology and green living converge in the LivingHome. Do you drive a Prius? Shop at Whole Foods Market? Donate to the Natural Resources Defense Council? If so, I have some bad news: You've been labeled. Like the soccer moms and NASCAR dads of yesteryear, you're no longer an individual but a target demographic. From here on out, you shall be known as a "cultural creative"—someone who values products and services that promote design, health, and ecological sustainability. Filed Under: How To
Posted Mon Dec 3, 2007, 12:13 PM ET — By Mark Elson
A pair of real-world theaters get a makeover. Back in July 2005, I visited the homes of several families with the common condition that their home entertainment systems were shoehorned into somewhat cozy quarters. The theme of that article was, with proper design, you don't need to reside in Hearst Castle to enjoy the pleasures of a great audio/video system. Sure, the word "theater" can conjure up a veritable Radio City Music Hall. But it's not the size of the screen that matters. Rather, it's your proximity to it and the screen's ability to capture as much of your peripheral vision as possible. In other words, it's about becoming enveloped within the audio and video images. An entertainment system properly crafted for an intimate environment can be fully enjoyable. One of the clear benefits to placing an entertainment system in a cozy environment is the efficient use of space. There is simply no room for clutter. These well-designed systems in our redux rooms provide maximum enjoyment and contribute to happy lives. One of our systems was installed by its owners, who also supplied the design brains and construction brawn. The other system required a professional custom installer, primarily because of lath-and-plaster walls, as well as layout challenges. Filed Under: How To
Posted Wed Nov 7, 2007, 10:29 AM ET — By Steve Faber
Everyone's home features lighting control to some extent. Maybe you've taken a step up and can control the level of a light or two with dimmers, but that's about as far as many people get. What is an actual lighting-control system, and what can it do for you? A lighting-control system allows you to control the level of multiple lights in your home from one or more locations. The more advanced systems permit you to take it even further, allowing your lighting to change based upon external events or time of day. Lighting-control systems come in many sizes and configurations. You can regulate every last lamp in your house or just a few. Filed Under: How To
Posted Tue Oct 30, 2007, 11:13 AM ET — By Nikhil Burman
How About Some More Options? When you take matters into your own hands, you can save money. But, if you have the money, you should turn the duties over to professionals who make their living out of outdoor A/V installations. And, as I got to experience firsthand in one case, the results can be mighty impressive. Let's take a look at a few options in the professional-install world, and I'll point out some more interesting, cutting-edge products to enhance your outdoor theater. Filed Under: How To
Posted Tue Oct 30, 2007, 11:11 AM ET — By Mark Elson
System 2: $25,914 to $35,180
Screen
Filed Under: How To
Posted Tue Oct 30, 2007, 10:56 AM ET — By Mark Elson
Backyard home theater is about more than bringing the indoors out. Outdoor living is all the rage, so it's only natural that we've been seeing an increasing interest in entertainment for outdoor living spaces. Festive fire pits and sexy spas create focal points for terraces and gardens. In the design world, rattan, teak, and wrought iron are meeting moisture-resistant materials, producing a new generation of rugged, attractive outdoor seating. And, ever the entertainment commandos, we know that, where there's a seat, there simply must be an A/V system nearby. Let's look at some new components and create two outdoor theaters of varying scope and price. For most categories, I'll offer several choices of products, since there is a plethora of goods out there. Filed Under: How To
Posted Thu Oct 4, 2007, 1:20 PM ET — By Room Acoustics
You've installed your speakers, but your room still doesn't sound right. In this installment, we show you how to tweak your room's sound with acoustics. It's got a greater effect on the ultimate sound of your home theater than almost any other single component. It can make great speakers sound like garbage and the most carefully designed subwoofer sound boomy. What is this mysterious component that can make or break your home theater? It's not really a component at all. It's the room itself. The good news is that you don't have to sit back and let it wreak havoc on your home theater system. 1 2 Older Posts >
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