About 10 hours of surgery later, Vincent’s pituitary gland was gone, along with more of his ability to see. Medications affected his weight, his sleep, and his work. “I will never forget the day that the surgeon who had operated on me and saved my life said, ‘Your life has changed, but not necessarily for the worse. You must challenge your mind. I not only encourage it, I prescribe it as your doctor’.”

From that point on, Vincent began learning everything about A/V he could get his hands on, and touched base with a familiar face—Philip Benzrodnyl, owner of Image and Sound FX. Once he found out about Vincent’s programming skills, he was hired on as a consultant/freelance programmer. “Phillip was now able to do more elaborate designs and could now have a line of remotes he could profit from,” Vincent says. He’s paid per job, but also gets to tinker with a lot more controllers, take classes, and meet others in the industry—thanks to his new connection. However, the surgery didn’t just inspire him to take on a new job description, but also to finish his own dream theater in the basement. “I thought it was one of those ‘impossible’ dreams, like owning a Porsche, or something like that,” Vincent says. “But as my business increased, it made perfect sense to have a place to showcase as well as using it as a ‘lab’ to work in.”

The basement was a perfect choice, since the extra-thick drywall and insulation confines the sound, so as not to disturb the rest of the house. It even has sound panels. “From a physical standpoint, the room offers great acoustical value due to the size and shape, while at the same time is such a big contrast to the rest of the house in the solitude and comfort it offers,” Vincent says. “Nowadays it seems like theater rooms are always suffering from a too big/too small position.”

He would know. Today, Vincent still works with Image and Sound, as well as Digital Realm AV, but has his own company on the side: Total Control Remotes. Servicing clients nationwide, Vincent helps program high-end universal remotes and control systems for busy installers and home theater enthusiasts. “My services enable me to make my client’s home theater experiences enjoyable and, most of all, easy,” he says. “I think most people don’t like A/V due to the difficulty, and I remember being in that position. I try to fit them with a control system that will give the client, family and guests an easy way to enjoy their system, but also like to educate them in the process.”

That said, Vincent come a long way since his days on Wall Street. “In Wall Street, you can help someone invest; in home theater you can help someone enjoy their investment,” he says. “Don’t get me wrong, Wall Street has its positives and I really enjoy the challenge there as well, but A/V, home theater design, and control are home to me.”

Quick Hits:
Location: Monroe Township, NJ
Year Completed: 2007
Room Size: 21 x 12 feet
Length of Project: 2.5 months
Total Cost: $45,000

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Rachel Cericola - Contributing Writer

Over the past 15 years, Rachel Cericola has covered entertainment, web and technology trends. Check her out at www.rachelcericola.com.