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Home Theater Planning: Walk Back the Design, Part 2
In my last blog, I discussed the many clients I meet with who have no idea how to begin the design process when planning a new home theater or media room installation. Instead of focusing on specific...
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Getting Wired for Surround Sound
In my last blog, “Home Theater Planning: Walk Back the Design,” I discussed the process I use to help clients decide on a new surround-sound system installation. Basically, I encourage them to work...
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System Building Advice, Part 1
During my many years in the custom installation industry, I've been involved in hundreds of projects of all sizes. These are some of the pearls of accumulated wisdom that I typically share when new...
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System Building Advice, Part Two
After 20-plus years in the custom installation business, I’ve learned the value of making a project as future-proof as possible. In System Building Advice, Part 1, I discussed the importance of...
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Tech to Make Guests Feel at Home
My company has installed whole-house, distributed audio systems since literally the day we opened our doors back in 1995, and over the years we’ve witnessed generational improvements in technology....
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Tech to Make Guests Feel at Home, Part 2
In my last blog, I discussed the generational improvements my custom installation company has witnessed since we started installing whole-house distributed audio systems back in 1995. Of course, almost...
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Home Theater Tips: Smart Shades, Smart Lights
Motorized window shades and smart lighting are a godsend for controlling light in an open, mixed-use media room. Here’s how.
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Voice Control: The Good and the Bad, Part 1
If George Orwell had lived to see millions of people voluntarily shelling out money to have listening devices installed inside of their homes, he’d likely shout, “I KNEW IT!” With untold R&D...
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Voice Control: The Good and The Bad, Part 2
In my last blog, I touched on the exciting world of voice control using widely available voice assistants from Amazon (Alexa), Google (Assistant), and Apple (Siri) embedded in smart speakers and other...
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Buy Once, Cry Once: How to Plan Your AV Budget
Buy once, cry once. You might be familiar with that old adage, which is used to describe the purchase of a high-cost item that entails upfront financial “pain,” but with no need to buy again in the...
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How to Plan Your AV Budget Part 2
In my previous blog, I considered areas in your A/V budget where you should consider splurging when building a system. If you’re fortunate enough to have the budget for a high-end home entertainment...
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Help Me Help You
I’ve been doing my “Connected Life” (originally “The Custom Installer”) column every issue now for almost 20 years. Over that time, I’ve covered numerous how to’s, tips and tricks, walk-thrus, and...
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Evolution of the App
The introduction of the iPhone in 2007 — or, more specifically, Apple opening its App Store to third-party developers in 2008 — turned out to be one of the most consequential developments ever to hit...
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Evolution of the App Part 2
My previous column covered ways to control both a modern A/V system and a smart home using various manufacturer-supplied apps. With smartphone and tablet use now widespread, and smart devices capable...
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Two Decades With Kaleidescape
The luxury video business is hard. Don’t believe me? Consider companies like Pioneer, Hitachi, Fujitsu, Mitsubishi, Runco, Escient, and ReQuest. And those are just a few brands that have either exited...
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Troubleshoot Your Network Like a Boss
For years, most of the service calls my company received were cable TV-related. And it didn’t matter if the customer’s TV screen read “No Signal,” there was no sound, image quality was poor, or they...
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Troubleshoot Your Network Like a Boss, Part 2
Given the proliferation of internet-connected devices in the home, the most common system problems can often be boiled down to network issues. Whether it is slow Wi-Fi, choppy streaming quality, or a...
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Big Screen Decisions
When I started out as a custom installer back in 1998, a “big screen” was a 60-inch rear-projection TV, with high-end models available from the likes of Mitsubishi and Pioneer Elite. These were 4:3...
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You’ve Got to Hide Your Screen Away
No matter how large and thin your TV is, you have the equivalent of a giant black hole on the wall when the set is turned off. Here are five ways to hide your screen.
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Big Screen Dilemmas: TV or Video Projector?
When I started my career as a custom installer, getting a cinema-size image meant a front projection system in a light-controlled room. But technology has since developed to the point where you can now...
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