John Sciacca

The Connected Life
Voice Control: The Next Frontier
John Sciacca  |  Apr 13, 2018
As audio/video systems have advanced in performance, features, and capabilities, they have also become increasingly more difficult to operate. Back in the day, a TV was just a TV, with a single remote control and about 13 channels to navigate. You pointed the remote at it, and if it didn’t work, you changed the batteries. A sound system had an input selector to choose what to listen to and a volume knob to make the music louder or quieter.
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Blu-ray Movie ReviewsUltra HD Blu-ray Movie Reviews
The Dark Tower
John Sciacca  |  Mar 09, 2018
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Bringing Stephen King novels to the big screen is always fraught with conundrums, the expansive detail not often translating well to film. Condensing the eight Dark Tower novels into a single sub-100 minute movie seemed especially ambitious. The Dark Tower screenwriters plucked bits and pieces from the series, beginning in the middle and crafting a tale from there.

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The Connected Life
The Big Screen Debate: Direct-View TV Vs. Projection
John Sciacca  |  Mar 09, 2018
There are lots of cool aspects to my job as a custom installer, but my favorite is installing home theater systems. And when designing a surround system with a customer, one of the first discussions is whether they should go with a direct-view, flat-panel display or with a two-piece projection system. Sometimes this choice is obvious; either due to room size, budget, aesthetic demands, or some construction issue that dictates one over another. Other times it becomes a gray area.
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The Connected Life
Installing In-Wall/Ceiling Speakers: Part 2
John Sciacca  |  Feb 09, 2018
Last month’s blog detailed the first part of the process of installing new speakers. Since planning before cutting is a massive part of retrofitting new speakers, I focused on making sure you could actually install speakers where you want. This involved determining the best wiring route to the new speakers and ensuring the route was clear of any obstacles like wall purlins.
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The Connected Life
Installing In-Wall/Ceiling Speakers: Part 1
John Sciacca  |  Jan 17, 2018
In my October blog, I listed 11 must-have tools for your DIY toolkit, laying out the minimum tools you need to tackle some basic audio/video installations. Then I tackled how to wire and mount a flat-screen TV in “Mount a TV Like a Pro:” Part 1 and Part 2. Now it’s time to learn how to install some speakers!
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CES 2018
Marantz Unleashes HDMI 2.1-Upgradeable Flagship
John Sciacca  |  Jan 13, 2018
What you are looking at here is Marantz’s new flagship pre-amp/processor, the AV8805. It also happens to be the next pre-amp I’m planning on buying for my personal AV rig! Read on to find out what this beast has under its hood….
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CES 2018
CloviFi Solves the Headphone Listening Dilemma
John Sciacca  |  Jan 13, 2018
Clovitek has come up with a clever alternative to headphone listening with its CloviFi smart audio transmitter.
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CES 2018
LifeDoor: Tech That Can Save Your Life
John Sciacca  |  Jan 13, 2018
One of the great things about the Eureka Park section of CES is that you can stumble across the cool new ideas that have yet to make it to market. Such is the case with LifeDoor, designed by a former firefighter to protect his family.
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CES 2018
Linksys Demos Killer Gaming Router
John Sciacca  |  Jan 12, 2018
Linksys is wowing gamers at CES with a smokin’ router built just for them.
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CES 2018
New LG Soundbar Boasts Meridian Tech and Atmos
John Sciacca  |  Jan 12, 2018
LG has teamed with the audio gurus at Meridian to produce an impressive Dolby Atmos-enabled soundbar.
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