Adding wiring to an existing home can seem as daunting as building the pyramids. How do you run cable from one side of the room to the other, let alone from one side of the house to the other? If it were as simple as draping wires across the floor or stapling them to the wall, you'd do it yourself.
When historians mark time, there are always pivotal technologies that clearly define watershed changes in how society functions: the printing press, the automobile, the airplane. And quite possibly, for future historians to consider, the iPod.
The original Philips Pronto universal remote, introduced way back in 1998, offered a level of programmability and customization totally unheard of at its $399 price, and it instantly became a smash with installers and do-it-yourselfers alike. But over the years, love for the Pronto has waned as other companies created smartly designed models of their own.
You finally made the plunge - you bought a new TV. After countless hours of research and comparing Model A to Model B, you're ready to get down to business. So you pop in a demo DVD, fire up the audio system, adjust the lighting, sit back in your favorite chair, and press play. But something isn't right. Everyone looks a little sunburned.
Certain things will automatically mark you as uncool. Walking down the street wearing a Michael Jackson "Beat It" jacket, for instance. Or admitting you voted for Sanjaya. And I certainly don't expect to wow the ladies with the fact that I belonged to my high-school chess club - all 4 years.
Like most people who've joined the cult of audio/video, I enjoy visiting other custom-installation firms and high-end A/V showrooms. But I usually avoid venturing into big-box electronics stores.
