John Sciacca

The Custom Installer: Look, Ma — No Wires
John Sciacca  |  Jun 21, 2004

Every time a new technology emerges, it seems like pundits can't wait to declare everything that preceded it obsolete. A classic example is the U.S. Postal Service. How many times have you heard that faxes and e-mails are going to replace the good old mailman? But six days a week - through rain, sleet, snow, and dead of night - the mailman still completes his appointed rounds.

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Other Tech
Control Systems
John Sciacca  |  Jun 18, 2004

Because we want our audio/video gear to entertain us, not drive us insane with frustration, simplicity has always been the hallmark of a well-designed system. A lot of people avoid that frustration by getting all their components from one company.

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Sharp Aquos LC-15L1U-S Wireless LCD TV
John Sciacca  |  Jun 08, 2004

Remember that commercial when plasma TVs first came out, with that couple randomly placing their new plasma set on different walls around their apartment until they finally settled on a ceiling mount? That ad always bugged me because they made it look so easy to just decide where you wanted your TV to go and then put it there. What about the power? What about the cable hookup?

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Sounds Terrific
John Sciacca  |  May 27, 2004

Every day, in audio/video superstores across this great land, the same scenario plays out with frightening regularity. Someone, lusting after high-definition TV, spends thousands of dollars on the set of his dreams. And then, having been turned on to surround sound by hearing his buddy's home theater, he asks the salesman to recommend a speaker system.

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The Custom Installer: Front and Center
John Sciacca  |  May 08, 2004

My first experience with front projection was nine years ago in a swanky A/V boutique in San Francisco - the kind of place where "I'm just looking" really means, "I can't afford anything in here." This store carried brands I'd never heard of at stratospheric prices I'd never thought possible.

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The Custom Installer: How to Install an IR Repeater
John Sciacca  |  Apr 06, 2004

The simplest things in life often yield the most pleasure. A cold beer after a hard day working in the yard. A parking space with time left on the meter. A funny fortune cookie at the end of a Chinese dinner.

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Top 6 A/V Urban Legends EXPOSED!
John Sciacca  |  Mar 31, 2004
Everybody's had the experience of being breathlessly told some fantastic tale of woe as if it were gospel truth.
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Audio
John Sciacca  |  Mar 15, 2004

Fortunately, the saying "What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas" doesn't apply to CES. The technology introduced there quickly spreads to the rest of the world. This year, audio companies were especially anxious to have the show's magic rub off on their wares.

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Kaleidescape Movie Server
John Sciacca  |  Feb 16, 2004
Photo by Tony Cordoza Not long ago, the idea of ripping music onto a hard drive, where it is automatically sorted by artist, album, genre, and so on, and then having it streamed throughout our home was unimaginable.
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The Custom Installer: Wiring For The Future
John Sciacca  |  Feb 04, 2004

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

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