John Sciacca

Sort By: Post Date | Title | Publish Date
The Connected Life
The Big Clean: How to Keep Your A/V Gear in Good Working Order
John Sciacca  |  Aug 29, 2024
Chances are you probably don’t think about the state of your electronic devices too often. Oh, you might think about all the upgrades you would like to make and where you would put those new tower speakers, but how often do you actually think about the well-being of your system?
Continue Reading >
The Connected Life
The Big Screen Debate: Direct-View TV Vs. Projection
John Sciacca  |  Mar 09, 2018
There are lots of cool aspects to my job as a custom installer, but my favorite is installing home theater systems. And when designing a surround system with a customer, one of the first discussions is whether they should go with a direct-view, flat-panel display or with a two-piece projection system. Sometimes this choice is obvious; either due to room size, budget, aesthetic demands, or some construction issue that dictates one over another. Other times it becomes a gray area.
Continue Reading >
Other Tech
The Connected House: Serve It Up!
John Sciacca  |  Jun 16, 2005

Continue Reading >
Custom Installation How-ToThe Connected Life
The Connected Life: Control Your World
John Sciacca  |  Oct 01, 2013
Coupled with high-speed Internet and the growing app marketplace, smartphones are often the most important tech device in many of our lives, with phone calling often the least used feature. The exciting news for techies is the amount of control available for your home from anywhere in the world, and much of this amazing tech is affordable and DIY-friendly to install!
Continue Reading >
CES 2014
The Coolest Door Lock You’ve Seen
John Sciacca  |  Jan 07, 2014
Door locks are not meant to be cool. Door locks are not meant to be sexy. Door lock are supposed to be utilitarian devices that keep the bad people out of your house when you’re not home, and require limited access by using a good, old-fashioned key, the way our forefathers intended.

These are all things that Goji has clearly never heard, because the company’s new Smart Lock is by far the sexiest industrial design I’ve seen on a door lock. In fact, I think that Goji might do for the smart lock what Nest did for the smart thermostat.

Continue Reading >
The Custom Installer: *Not Included
John Sciacca  |  Dec 02, 2007

Giving consumer electronics as gifts used to be easy. You picked out what you wanted, wrapped it up, and were off the hook for another year. If you took the time to look at the package, you might have noticed the micro-sized print advising "*Batteries Not Included" and decided whether or not to toss in a pack of AAs for good measure.

Continue Reading >
The Custom Installer: A Custom Life
John Sciacca  |  Jan 08, 2004

People have been making New Year's resolutions since calendars were first invented. "I'm going to alphabetize my CD collection." "I'll use the Soloflex as more than a clothes hanger." And the biggie - "I'm going to get a job that I really enjoy."

Continue Reading >
The Custom Installer: And the Winner Is ...
John Sciacca  |  Feb 09, 2007

Given that this issue features S&V's awards for the finest gear reviewed in 2006, I thought it would be a good time to talk about how reviews are handled and products are selected for awards. I'm sure you think a reviewer's life is all sunshine and rainbows.

Continue Reading >
The Custom Installer: Are You Ready to Retrofit?
John Sciacca  |  Apr 04, 2007

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.

Continue Reading >
The Custom Installer: Becoming a Media-Savvy Installer
John Sciacca  |  Jan 03, 2008

I usually cover topics geared toward consumers, but this month's column is really meant for my fellow installers. (Of course, non-installers are welcome to read what follows; you might gain insight into how we choose to feature certain installs.)

Continue Reading >

Pages

X