November 27, 2007 | by Lisa Montgomery

Routers help keep the traffic flowing between the home’s four floors, and high-capacity gigabit switches ensure that the network can handle any new type of content that comes its way. “When IPTV service takes off, my house will have the pipeline to support it,” Bob raves. “I’ll be able to bring the content into the house and move it to any flat-screen TV or computer device.”

To take advantage of the rich array of entertainment choices, the Saltzmans brought in yet another contractor, Paul Jones of Systema Sound and Vision in Audubon, PA, to design several mini theaters in different areas of the house. The most serious setup occupies the basement rec room, where a 50-inch Samsung plasma HDTV and a Denon 5.1 surround-sound system bring movies and video games to life. Additional media setups were installed in the master bedroom, home office, den and rec room. The den’s DLPTV and the office’s plasma TV each have a Media Center Extender plugged into them so that they can derive content from the Media Center PC. The Saltzmans plan to eventually provide every TV with access to the Media Center.

Room to Grow
The ability to expand and integrate additional products onto the IP network is the real beauty of Bob and Leslie Saltzman’s historic brownstone. They can enjoy the technologies they’ve chosen for their home today without feeling trapped into systems that will eventually become antiquated. Should something newer or better come along, they can always upgrade the network, giving their 142-year-old home the high-tech backbone it needs to stand the test of time.

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Lisa Montgomery - Contributing Writer

Lisa Montgomery has been writing about home technology for 15 years, with a focus on the impact of electronics on a modern lifestyle.

Home Automation System and Heating & Cooling Controls
• Home Automation Inc. Omni Pro II controller
• Home Automation Inc. touchscreens (5)
• Home Automation Inc. handheld keyfob controllers (4)
• Home Automation Inc. communicating thermostats (6)
• Home Automation Inc. temperature and humidity sensors (4)
• Home Automation Inc. motion sensors (4)
Lighting System
• Combination of switches and modules from Home Automation Inc., Simply Automated and Powerline Control Systems
Phone System
• Panasonic KCTA-624 residential/small business system
• Panasonic front and rear door phones
• Panasonic wired desktop phones (5)
• Panasonic cordless phones (5)
Entertainment Systems
• Samsung 52-inch DLP rear-projection TV
• Samsung 50-inch HDTV plasma TV
• Philips 42-inch HDTV plasma TVs (2)
• Sony 34-inch widescreen HDTV
• Sharp 20-inch LCD TV
• Sharp 15-inch LCD TV
• Denon AVR-3805 home theater receiver
• Denon DRA-395 stereo receiver
• Yamaha stereo receivers (2)
• Hewlett-Packard Media Center computer
• Hewlett-Packard Media Center extender
• Denon AVR-2106 home theater receivers (2)
• Denon progressive-scan DVD changers (3)
• Sony progressive-scan DVD player
• Sony 400-disc CD changer
• Sony 5-disc CD changer
• Universal Remote Control MX-850 remotes (2)
Speakers
• Mirage Home Theater speakers (5) and subwoofer
• Mirage NanoSat home theater speaker systems (2)
• Speakercraft Aim 7.3 in-ceiling speakers (5 pairs)
• Boston Acoustic bookshelf speakers (3 pairs)
• Boston Acoustic floorstanding speakers (1 pair)
• Speakercraft DT 8.2 single stereo speakers (2)
Security System
• Sentrol 5820 ShatterPro glassbreak sensor
• Visonic motion detectors (16)
• Optex outdoor motion detector
• System Sensor smoke detectors (12)
• Channel Vision door phone camera
• Dedicated Micros digital video recorder
• ChannelPlus 4-channel modulator
Networking System
• Microsoft Windows 2003 network
• Microsoft Windows XP Professional workstations
• Microsoft Windows XP Media Center
• Linksyss 10/100 switches
• Linksys wireless G router

System Design and Installation
Charles Whitney, C. Whitney Mech., Croydon, PA
www.htpcorp.net

MG Alarms and Security, Cherry Hill, NJ
www.mgalarms.com

Systema Sound & Vision, Audubon, PA
www.systemasound.com

Cosanco Enterprises, Jonesboro, GA
www.consancollc.com