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In-Wall Essentials
There is endless controversy over in-wall speakers. Are they good? Are they bad? Are they a compromise? The answers to these questions arent altogether...
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Get Out of Your Office
I talk with companies all the time about what works and what doesnt work in the custom installation business. One thing that companies need...
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HP Goes Custom: Part II
At EH Expo in Orlando this past March there was a booth on the showroom floor that was practically the size of Disneyland. Ive...
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That’s So PC
Integration of Personal Computer-based Technology in Home Networks is On the Rise.
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Picture This
New Innovations in Video Display Technologies Are Poised to Change How Your Clients View Television.
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The Salesman Cometh
Utilizing Modern Sales Tools to Create Lucrative Business Opportunities
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EXPO, Part Deux
It was the buzz of the show, but it wasnt a new company launch or revolutionary new product release that had everyone talking at...
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Defining a Pro Installation
Within the diverse field of residential system installations, there are a lot of companies who perform all kinds of installations. These vary greatly in...
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10 Points About IP
IP. Those two little letters are so important in many of the latest home technology products that we install. IP stands for Internet Protocol,...
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Battling the Big Boxes
How to keep your custom firm a step ahead of the mass market retail competition.
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Making More Money
Making better use of the scarce resources already available, dealers can easily double or even triple profits.
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Recharging Batteries
A diminutive, yet muscular, man walked out on stage, took off his black sports coat, hung it over a chair and said, I was...
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Your Perfect System
Your Perfect System Every month as I browse through the pages of trade magazines, I see an endless explosion of new CI products that...
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The Coaxsys Connection
As custom electronics installers we are accustomed to wiring lots of RG6 coaxial cable to carry analog or digital video signals. This wire is...
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It Could Cost You
It Could Cost YouIm not paying you my balance until you fix this darned thing! Those words were spoken to an installer who had...
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Going Global
Leading US Manufacturers are Turning Their Attention to the Booming Custom Market in Europe
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The Nuts & Bolts of Loudspeakers
A Closer Look at Speaker Impedance and Sensitivity, and How They Relate to Amplifier Requirements
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First-Time Parents
Youll have to excuse me this month if my column lacks its usual snap and insightfulness, but Im in the midst of an exercise...
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Time to Upgrade
The recent decision by DirecTV to use XM Radio channels as their music station selections brings to mind an interesting observation about our industry....
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Video to Go
One of the major trends forecasted for 2006 is the legal transport of high-quality, premium video content from stationary in-home devices (like personal video...
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Hook ’em Horns!
You’ve probably noticed at recent CES and CEDIA trade shows that a number of horn-loaded speakers are popping up. It may come as a...
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Consultants in Partnership
Residential Systems Contractors, Architects, Builders, and Interior Designers Learn to Work Together Toward a Common Goal
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Threats to CI’s Future
According to the current HDTV timetable, December 2006 will be end of the transition to digital television. Whether you believe in HD fairies or...
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Convenience of IP
Why Internet Protocol is Great for Home Entertainment System Control, but Even Better for Content Delivery
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Do-It-For-Me HD
There is nothing like the first time you see high-definition video on a large screen. Once youve experienced that thrill, its hard to go...
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Expanding Universe
There is no secret formula for growing your custom firm, but there are key considerations.
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The Luxury of Being Green
Ambiance Systems shows how homes can be lavish and environmentally friendly at the same time.
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Incorporating Home Networking
Education is the key to making a good custom connection with home network installations.
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Transporting Video
The home media server received a lot of attention last year. A walk down the exhibition aisles of both CEDIA and EH EXPO in...
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Projection Screen Trends
These days the world is full of trends. Take mobile communication devices, for example. Remember when we used to simply call them cell phones?...
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Get Out of Custom
There were timeless words spoken to me by a white-haired architect who was at the top of his field. At lunch I routinely asked...
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Monster Music
Music can take us on a journey back to a place and time that may have been buried deep in our memory. Nothing but...
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Playing Games
As Gaming Consoles Rise in Popularity You Need the Right Connections to Get into the Game
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Hire Grounds
What Experts Say to Do to Overcome One of the Biggest Challenges That Most Dealers Face
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Web-Based Irrigation
As networked, broadband homes become ubiquitous, manufacturers are developing intriguing new control solutions that leverage the IP infrastructure of these intelligent homes. One of...
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Its a Wonderful Job
In the Christmas classic Its a Wonderful Life, heaven intervenes to show Jimmy Stewart how the world would be remarkably different without him. To...
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Holiday Gift Ideas
There are at least a few things that custom installers might really like to pull out of their stockings on December 25. So, for...
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So Long Indy
Admit it now, youre going to miss Indianapolis next year when CEDIA EXPO moves to Denver. No? Not even a little bit? Wait…I see...
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Well Connected
Wiring and Cable Products that are Keeping Our Industry Plugged In and Hooked Up to New Technologies