Getting Morel of a good thing.

Released from the boxes of thousands upon thousands of plasma and LCD TVs was a nasty disease that's induced feverish thoughts of flatness and smallness in the minds of otherwise good and decent people, making them forget how important audio is to a home theater system. (That rumbling sound is Paul Klipsch rolling over in his grave.) For these poor, deluded folks, speakers are not much more than a flat-panel-TV accessory.

Somfy makes a blinding array of motors and automatic control solutions for window coverings, and the company’s new TaHomA total home automation system aims to take over the rest of the house – not just the shades. In addition to providing comfort and sweet, sweet convenience, TaHomA is designed to manage what Somfy calls the home’s “Energy Triangle” (consisting of shades, lights, and thermostats) to ensure that the home is running as efficiently as possible. The current iteration of the TaHomA user interface has been nicely improved since the first prototype version I saw at CES in January of this year, and it makes both usage and programming control very easy the homeowner via the PC, iPad, iPod touch, or other handheld device. Motion sensors, remote controls, in-wall switches, and wireless thermostats are all available parts of the system to extend its reach. Participating suppliers include Cooper Wiring Devices and Leviton. Currently the system is not capable of a great deal of AV system control, but stay tuned – this looks like it could be the beginning of something especially nice in the world of home automation.

Movie Gallery wants to get inside your house and put a movie-renting remote control in your hand. The self-described "second largest North American video rental company", purchased - not rented - MovieBeam, Inc., the on-demand movie rental service, last week. Movie Gallery says it already operates over 4,600 stores in the U.S. and Canada under the Movie Gallery, Hollywood Video, and Game Crazy brands. Now it will have little electronic MovieBeam stores generating revenue around the country.

Prior to the upcoming CEDIA (Custom Electronic Design and Installation Association) EXPO in early September, SpeakerCraft decided to jump the gun and make a couple of in-ceiling speaker announcements.