John Sciacca

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Exclusive First Look: Kaleidescape 1080p Player (KPlayer-6000)

John Sciacca | Jun 17, 2008 | 0 comments

They say luck favors the prepared. It also doesn't hurt to be in the right place at the right time. Whatever. The planets aligned in my favor, resulting in my being one of the few reviewers handpicked by Kaleiedescape co-founder and COO, Cheena Srinivasan, to audition and preview their latest addition.

The Connected Life

Finding Audio Gateways for Millennials

John Sciacca | Feb 03, 2016 | 7 comments

Resident audio professor, Ken C. Pohlmann, recently wrote a blog entitled “Millenials: Your Soundbars are Killing Us” that generated quite a bit of ire among readers. The post generated over 30 comments both for, but mainly against, Ken’s assertion that millennials’ “insatiable love of soundbars” was going to ruin audio for the rest of us.

The Connected Life

Firmware: The Gift That Keeps on Giving

John Sciacca | May 25, 2016 | 1 comments

One of the biggest benefits computing integration has brought to modern AV gear is the advent of flash memory that can be repeatedly and easily updated with new firmware. Firmware updates provide not only ongoing improvements and performance benefits, but can even add new features. Let us count the ways…

CES 2017

First Alert Incorporates Alexa for Air Monitoring

John Sciacca | Jan 05, 2017 | 0 comments

First Alert expanded the potential of its air-monitoring solutions by demonstrating two new Onelink products which both feature Amazon Alexa voice integration. The new devices include the Smoke + CO Alarm and the Environment Monitor.

New Products

First Look: XstreamHD

John Sciacca | Dec 14, 2009 | 0 comments

If you've never heard of XStreamHD, that's OK. Up until now, they've kept a pretty low profile. But that doesn't mean they haven't been busy quietly building the groundwork and infrastructure for a system that may very well be a total game changer for the way you view movies, listen to music and play games. I actually had heard of them.

CES 2020

Flex Automation Bridges Control4 and Z-Wave

John Sciacca | Jan 08, 2020 | 0 comments

Control4 is the preferred automation system by many custom installers (myself included), and while the company offers some Z-Wave integration, it is meager at best, interfacing with only a very small handful (less than 15) of devices. For users that want to tap into the hundreds of widely available and unique Z-Wave components, Flex Automation debuted two new devices to bridge the control gap.

CEDIA 2016

Free Bakpak Network Support for Everyone!

John Sciacca | Sep 14, 2016 | 0 comments

During its press conference today, Control4 announced the immediate availability of Bakpak 4.0 cloud-based network management system. Bakpak enables real-time monitoring of network devices, and allows rapid response to connectivity issues, including proactive device management, allowing dealers to hopefully address and correct an issue before a user even becomes aware of it.

Bakpak had previously been available through Pakedge, a networking company acquired by Control4 last year. The product was offered on a subscription basis, but today Control announced that Bakpak 4.0 is now available completely license and subscription free. Annual subscription fees for items previously considered as “premium”, such as ISP monitoring and speed testing, have also been eliminated and are included as standard.

Custom Installation How-To

Fusion Research Genesis media server and VR-VCP2 Cinema Player

John Sciacca | Oct 13, 2008 | 0 comments

The Short Form

$10,990 (as tested) / FUSIONRD.COM / 925-217-1233

Snapshot

CEDIA 2015

Fusion Research Plays Nice with Play-Fi

John Sciacca | Oct 17, 2015 | 0 comments

If you haven’t heard, DTS Play-Fi is a housewide wireless audio streaming solution making a heavy play to take a bite out of the Sonos’ pie. Play-Fi's technology has been licensed by many partners including Definitive Technology, Polk Audio, MartinLogan, Paradigm, Anthem, McIntosh and more. However, because the Play-Fi system is so reliant on the smart device - iOS or Android, phone or tablet - that is currently controlling it, there has been no way to integrate any of the Play-Fi products with third party control. Until now.

The Connected Life Audio Video News

Gaining Control

John Sciacca | Mar 26, 2012 | 0 comments

Control4 unveiled two new processors at this year’s CES, the HC800 ($999) and the HC250 ($599). They offer way more power for system control and provide a much zippier interface when controlling different areas of the home or browsing a media library.

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John Sciacca

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