Fred Manteghian

I've seen installers take weeks to put in systems and fine tune them. Sony offers a turn-key, yet still flexible system that, not counting wiring, could take as little as a day to install. With the capability for a 7.1 home theater and six other rooms featuring everything from 2-channel audio all the way up to high def audio and video (via cat5e), the Sony WHS is very advanced. The system also lets you insert up to three components of your choice, such as a Pioneer BD player, your favorite Theta Digital CD player / DAC and even your crappy VCR. Sony and Control4 touchpads also give you access to your comfort systems (heating/cooling), security systems and lighting. Typical dealer installs start at $35,000 and go up from there.

I can’t tell you much more than the placard says, other than the price, $1,500, and availability, “the fall.” Balanced outputs will thrill the 2-channel crowd. The rest of us will use HDMI.

As promised, front and rear views of the new Sony AVR, sporting Internet connectivity, that second room of high definition audio and video and, oh, page down and read it why dontcha?

Stewart Filmscreen thinks it would be real 90210 of you to show movies outside. First place to start is with a weather resistant screen assembly. Secondly, don’t turn on the projector while standing in pool of chlorinated water.(Seriously though, this is strictly a “rear projection” solution). Stewart’s Oasis screens are available in sizes up to 124” wide by 92” high, way bigger than that crusty old LCD you’ve got hanging under the straw roof cabana by your kiddie pool!