Custom Installation How-To

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Kim Wilson  |  Dec 01, 2009  |  2 comments
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.
Kim Wilson  |  Nov 13, 2009  |  0 comments

You can't have an audio system without speakers, however, it's the speakers that cause the most problems, especially with respect to interior design. Known for their wide selection of residential ceiling fans, Hunter has teamed up with Soundolier Integrated Wireless Technologies to create the Concert Breeze, a combination ceiling fan and powered audio system.

John Sciacca  |  Nov 12, 2009  |  0 comments
Key Features
$6,500 ($8,950 as tested) SUNFIRE.COM
 
 
• TGM-100 server rips and streams music and movies • 1-terabyte hard drive stores up to 145 DVDs or 1,600 CDs in uncompressed WAV format and supports up to 7 simultaneous streams with optional TGM- 100
John Sciacca  |  Nov 12, 2009  |  0 comments
Key Features
$6,500 ($8,950 as tested) SUNFIRE.COM
 
 
• TGM-100 server rips and streams music and movies • 1-terabyte hard drive stores up to 145 DVDs or 1,600 CDs in uncompressed WAV format and supports up to 7 simultaneous streams with optional TGM- 100
Kim Wilson  |  Nov 10, 2009  |  1 comments

Delivering up to 14TB of centralized network storage, Envive's TheaterStation Multi-zone Digital Media Management System keeps all your media in one convenient location. A single TheaterStation Client can connect with a variety of 4TB, 6TB, 10TB and 14TB storage units that fit in standard rack mounts. As your video and audio library expands, so will your Envive system. Users can easily transfer, store and sort music and movies, whether they are created, purchased on hard media or downloaded from the Internet. The complete TheaterStation product line is ideal for either single-zone or multi-zone installations.

Marius Farkas  |  Oct 29, 2009  |  1 comments

I've been a subscriber to Home Theater since 1996, as well as, Stereophile Guide to HT, long before it became UltimateAV (which is now exclusively on the web). All these years of reading these specialty magazines has finally paid off with the design and construction of my dream home theater and home automation system.

Don Harmon  |  Oct 29, 2009  |  3 comments

A few years ago, my wife and I visited her brother’s home in Denver, Colorado. He had just finished constructing a home theater in his basement and we were completely captivated by the idea to build our own theater. Our only problem was that we were living in Southern California, where basements are rare.

John Sciacca  |  Oct 20, 2009  |  0 comments
Key Features
$8,590 KALEIDESCAPE.COM
 
 
• Movie/music server with two additional music-only zones • Uncompressed storage for all movies and music • Sigma Designs VXP processing • System holds up to four 500-gigabyte hard drives for storage of 225 DVDs or 2,475 CD
John Sciacca  |  Oct 20, 2009  |  0 comments
Key Features
$8,590 KALEIDESCAPE.COM
 
 
• Movie/music server with two additional music-only zones • Uncompressed storage for all movies and music • Sigma Designs VXP processing • System holds up to four 500-gigabyte hard drives for storage of 225 DVDs or 2,475 CD
Kim Wilson  |  Oct 15, 2009  |  1 comments

if you thought you couldn't afford a high quality 1080p projector– think again. Panasonic's new PT-AE4000U just lowered the bar, on price, but not quality. This LCD projector retails for $2499, though some say it can be found for less, even from authorized dealers for hundreds less. Consciously designed for smaller home theaters, the PT-AE1000U can project a 120-inch image from as little as 11 to as much as 24 feet away. You sure can't get that in a flat panel display for a mere $2.5k.

Kim Wilson  |  Oct 14, 2009  |  1 comments

Whole-house music need not be expensive or require extensive integration. Moreover, it can be easily controlled with something you may already own. Enter the new Sonos Zone Player S5. This wireless, zone player with built-in speakers will stream music from your PC or Mac and is easily controlled with an Apple iPhone or iPod Touch. The Sonos S5 will be available in late October for $399 each and the iPhone app that controls it is free.

Kim Wilson  |  Oct 07, 2009  |  0 comments

Stewart Filmscreen is branching out, providing unique window treatments designed to improve the overall home cinema experience. While the Acoustishade is a beautiful addition to any decor, available in a variety of colors and any custom size, it also controls ambient light as well as exterior noise from interfering with the viewing experience. The Acoustishade is the most stylish and cost effective soundproofing solution available.

Jay Nicols Photography: Kim Jay  |  Oct 01, 2009  |  2 comments

I’ve been an A/V nerd all my life. As a kid, I would take apart my parents’ stereo equipment and make a huge mess. It’s always been my dream to have the biggest and baddest A/V system on the block. Well, it took me 20 years, but I think my newest home theater takes the cake, at least on my block.

Kim Wilson  |  Sep 22, 2009  |  2 comments

While the title of this entry may sound like an oxymoron, I assure you it's not. Runco has recently announced details about the LS-3 LightStyle projector that will ship in November, just in time for Christmas. Retailing for only $4995, this is the Runco projector many folks have been waiting for.

Kim Wilson  |  Sep 22, 2009  |  0 comments

This is one of those times when the pictures just don't do justice to the project. The winner of the 2009 Windows Media Center Ultimate Install is Vision Audio from Lubbock, Texas. The Media Center Integrator Alliance (MCIA), together with Microsoft, announced the winner of the 2009 Windows Media Center Ultimate Install Contest during CEDIA in Atlanta, Georgia on September 13. This impressive system uses Windows Media Center at the core of the home's entertainment experience in an extensive whole-home installation.

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