Close

Member Login

Invalid username or password.
Incorrect Login. Please try again.

Not a member?

Sign up and join a community that's passionate about exploring the world of entertainment & technology.

John Sciacca

Super Remotes

Extraordinary powers make for a new breed of coffee-table hero

With HDTV, 6.1-channel digital audio, and streaming audio and video files now theoretically at our fingertips, we truly have a bonanza of entertainment options! But let's face it - more often than not it's the fingertip part that becomes a system's Achilles' heel.

» Read More

The Custom Installer: Custom is Cool

Why CEDIA Expo 2005 was really the place to be

Remember back in high school? It seemed like everyone went to the Senior Prom. But as the party started winding down, the cool kids pulled away in rented limos and headed off to hotel rooms around town to continue partying the night away.

» Read More

The Custom Installer: Getting It Loud and Clear

Tweaks and technology that help seeing and hearing.

My grandmother, Thelma Perkins, passed away at the end of December. I was her eldest grandchild, and we were very close. I believe that the time I spent with her helped make me the person I am today. My Gram spoiled me, keeping her house stocked with my favorite junk food, taking me on trips, and staying up all hours playing cards with me.

» Read More

The Custom Installer: Got Picture, No Sound?

What to do when your home theater can be seen but not heard

My friend Jon is a wiz with pretty much anything mechanical, and he has a Rain Man-like gift for motors. Whether it's a pool pump, a lawn tractor, or a car, Jon is the man to call. What amazes me is that he can often diagnose my motor problems over the phone with only the most basic description.

» Read More

The Custom Installer: To Err Is Human

Sometimes, the problem isn't the gear's fault.

Like most people planning on "popping the question," I wanted everything to be perfect the night I asked my wife to marry me. We started the evening with coffee at the café in San Francisco where we met, followed by dinner where we had our first date, then Phantom of the Opera, and finally dessert at a restaurant overlooking the city.

» Read More

The Custom Installer: The Little Things

Without the right remote control, your gear could be more frustrating than enjoyable.

Inventor, musician, scientist, politician, and philosopher, Ben Franklin was a brilliant man. His Poor Richard's Almanac is full of timeless proverbs, such as, "For want of a nail the shoe was lost. For want of a shoe the horse was lost. For want of a horse the rider was lost. For want of a rider the battle was lost. For want of a battle the kingdom was lost.

» Read More

The Custom Installer: Wiring For The Future

If your home isn't networked, you're going to miss a lot of incredible technology.

We're bombarded with warnings and suggestions every day of our lives. Some are beneficial and should be obeyed at all costs.

» Read More

Marantz Brings Power-Line Networking to Audio

CES Special Report: January 7, 2006

Marantz ZR6001 A/V receiver and ZR4001 DAvED power-line audio networking client

» Read More

XM Announces Surround Sound via Satellite

CES Special Report: January 7, 2006

XM Satellite Radio tuner and 5.1-channel Neural Surround decoder

» Read More

Great Small Speakers from Definitive Technology and KEF

CES Special Report: January 7, 2006

Definitive Technology ProCinema 1000 surround speaker system

» Read More