Having a new house built might be one of the most stressful endeavors you can go through. Practically every time you turn around, someone is there needing an answer to something - or waiting to deliver bad news. In fact, many people who go through the construction process swear to never do it again.

Thousands of users have chosen ReQuest servers to store their music collections through the years, typically feeding their outputs to audio-distribution and control products made by others.

"Two hundred channels and nothing to watch!" How many times have you felt that way? Or maybe you've wanted to finish watching a DVD in another room but didn't have a second player. Or wished you could keep an eye on the kids outside without sitting in the sweltering heat. Or wanted to see the video display from your iPod docked in another room.

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.