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OnQ/Legrand Home Entertainment Connection Center.

HD DVD Death Hasn't Helped Blu-ray (46 comments)

A/V Cables Explained (8 comments)

Pioneer Shows Off Kuro Projector (9 comments)

DTV Transition: Converter Box or New TV? (17 comments)

Netflix Raising Prices for Blu-ray (13 comments)

The Perfect TV for Your Room (7 comments)

Deal: Samsung BD-P1400 Blu-ray Player - $289.98 (17 comments)

Q. What are Some Cheap Ways to Soundproof My Basement Theater? (8 comments)

The Truth About "High-End" Cables? (36 comments)

Great Movie Scenes for Surround Sound (48 comments)

Recent Comments

Jake (05/09, 09:46 AM)

Video Master, while it’s true that you can now buy DRM-free content from the…

Steve Harbor (05/09, 09:37 AM)

Learn to read before you start to criticize: Some songs purchased from iTunes...…

irfan (05/08, 11:30 PM)

“The results demonstrate that the Sony display is significantly inferior in…

Video Master (05/08, 11:23 PM)

You are quite wrong about the DRM with Apple iTunes. You can now purchase DRM…

Rachel Cericola (05/08, 10:40 PM)

I smell a Mother’s Day gift for Rachel!

Recent Slideshow Galleries

Over the Air HDTV – The Free Alternative

Technology Fuels the Ultimate Green Home

Self-Sufficient Home Even Handles Chores

Secret Entrance Leads to Old Opera House

Bunker Theater Hides Booming Sound System

Moving Bookcase Steals Theater’s Spotlight

High-Tech Baths Shine in Deluxe Master Suite

Concealed Screen Doubles Family Room Fun

Elegant Electronics Bring Style to Condo

Sophisticated System Controls Elaborate Estate

Ask a Pro Feature

Q. Can You Recommend an Easily Transferable Whole-House Audio System?

Wireless systems are the best option for those on the move, says Simon Scotland of Beyond the Invisible.

Themed Home Theaters

Designing a Death Star Home Theater

Three separate rooms, one starfield, and a life-sized Han Solo are just a few of the things that help two super "Star Wars" fans get their geek on in this theater.

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Recently Filed in Ask a Pro

Friday, May 09, 2008

Q. Can You Recommend an Easily Transferable Whole-House Audio System?

Simon Scotland, 05/09 08:10 AM, 0 Comments

Q. I’m in the military and move every 3 years. I would like to have a whole-house audio system that is relatively easy to take with me when I move. Any suggestions? - Justin, VA There are a number of wireless based systems for whole house audio. One of the best is Sonos which can stream music you have stored… View this story

Multiroom Audio • Audio • Ask a Pro

Wednesday, May 07, 2008

Q. What Type of TV Works Best With Natural Light?

Graig Stephens, 05/07 09:55 AM, 1 Comment

Q. There seems to be a lot of plasma TVs on sale, however I want to know which is better for a room with a lot of natural light; Plasma, DLP, or LCD? - Reggie, Bowie, MD If you do a lot of daytime viewing LCD would be the best choice for a room with a lot of light. LCD… View this story

Displays • DLP • LCD • Plasma • Home Theater • Ask a Pro

Monday, May 05, 2008

Q. How Should I Clean My Plasma TV Screen?

Dan Fulmer, 05/05 08:40 AM, 0 Comments

Q. How should I clean my plasma TV screen? It has fingerprints and smudges. Are commercial cleaners like Windex OK? - Peter, Framingham, MA I am a little hesitant to answer this question since there are many TVs out there with a wide variety of coatings and screen coverings. Someone might ask how to clean a plasma but really have… View this story

Displays • LCD • Plasma • Home Theater • Ask a Pro

Friday, May 02, 2008

Q. Can I Install Multiroom A/V Without Tearing Down My Walls?

Bryant Moore, 05/02 07:45 AM, 2 Comments

Q. As an existing homeowner, is it possible to have a multiroom audio and/or video system installed without tearing down my walls? - Rich, Cleveland, OH A. The short answer is, Yes! But retrofitting any multi-zone system requires expertise, a specialized skill-set and most of all, experience. There are basic rules for placing speakers and keypads, drilling into the ceiling… View this story

Multiroom Audio • Multiroom Video • Multiroom AV • Ask a Pro

Wednesday, April 30, 2008

Q. Can You Provide Some Troubleshooting Tips for My Home Automation System?

John Baumeister, 04/30 08:00 AM, 0 Comments

Q. I had $27,000 worth of home automation from Control4 installed during the pre-construction phase of my dream home in late 2005. The dealer was a “gold” dealer recommended by Control4, but my system has never worked as promised. I’ve had power surges, data loss, and constant crashes with the DVD and CD controllers. My dealer is gone and no… View this story

Home Control • Home Control • Ask a Pro

Monday, April 28, 2008

Q. How Can I Listen to My iTunes Through My Home Theater System?

Dan Fulmer, 04/28 08:20 AM,

6 Comments

Q. How can I listen to my iTunes collection through my home theater system or whole-house audio system? - Phil, Austin, TX Today there are many alternative solutions to do this. The biggest question is how do you want to view and interface the iPod. Several companies currently sell iPod docking solutions that have audio and sometimes video outputs to… View this story

Movies and Music • Audio • Ask a Pro

Friday, April 25, 2008

Q. What’s Your Wildest Home Theater Design?

Donny Hackett, 04/25 08:15 AM, 0 Comments

Q. I see a lot of crazy home theaters… some with trap doors, life-sized mannequins, and more. What’s the wildest home theater you’ve ever created? - Alexander, San Diego, CA A. Earlier this year, for one of our Parade of Homes competitions, we were given the opportunity to engineer and build a 16-foot motorized revolving floor in the center of… View this story

Home Theater • Ask a Pro

Wednesday, April 23, 2008

Q. How Can I Get Surround Sound Without an A/V Receiver?

Scott Varn, 04/23 08:40 AM, 0 Comments

Q. I don’t have an A/V receiver but what’s the best way for me to get surround sound directly out of my HDTV? - Jack, Oklahoma City, OK A. First, you have to set your expectations. If you do not want to use a receiver, the surround sound quality will be compromised. This should only be considered for secondary listening.… View this story

Audio • Ask a Pro

Monday, April 21, 2008

Q. Can I Hook Up a Blu-ray/HD DVD Player Without HDMI?

Graig Stephens, 04/21 07:28 AM, 3 Comments

Q. I have a 4-year-old, 50-in. 720p Fujitsu plasma, which still gets a great picture. It does not have an HDMI connection, but it does have DVI. How can I hook up an HD DVD or Blu-ray player? - Chase, Tacoma, WA You can connect HD DVD or Blu-Ray players to your 720p plasma in a few different ways. Due… View this story

Cables, Wires and Tools • Plasma • Blu-ray • HD DVD • Home Theater • Ask a Pro

Friday, April 18, 2008

Q. What are Some Cheap Ways to Soundproof My Basement Theater?

John Baumeister, 04/18 08:41 AM,

8 Comments

Q. I am currently working on my basement as a home theater. I would like to soundproof the space without spending thousand of dollars. Can you give me any ideas of how to do this as frugal as possible while still creating a good sounding room? - Deon These are two entirely different questions that will take two different answers.… View this story

Basement • Home Theater • Ask a Pro

Wednesday, April 16, 2008

Q. Can In-Wall Speakers Deliver the Same Quality as Floor Standing Speakers?

Scott Varn, 04/16 09:10 AM, 0 Comments

Q. Can in-wall speakers deliver the same sound quality as floorstanding speakers? And can in-ceiling speakers deliver the same impact at in-wall speakers? -Johnny, Dallas, TX A. This is a very common question, primarily because it is what customers want to hear. “Give me back my floor space, hide it in the wall, but keep the quality high.” In general,… View this story

Speakers • Floor Standing Speakers • In-Ceiling Speakers • In-Wall Speakers • Audio • Ask a Pro

Monday, April 14, 2008

Q. Is It Worth the Money to Upgrade to HDMI for Better Audio?

Steve Venuti, 04/14 09:20 AM, 1 Comment

Q. Is it worth the money to upgrade to HDMI for better audio quality? I won’t see much video improvement (from component 576p to HDMI 720p due to my LCD limitation). Is the gap between optical and HDMI worth an A/V upgrade? - Vincent A. Everything being equal, if you plan to continue to use your existing components, then the… View this story

Cables, Wires and Tools • Audio • Ask a Pro

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Ask a Pro gives Electronic House.com users the ability to pose their own questions about video, audio, home theater, automation, and consumer electronics to our network of industry professionals and consumer electronics installers. Due to the large volume of questions we receive, Electronic House cannot guarantee that we will provide an answer to your question, nor can we direct your question to a specific professional from our network. Please read our disclaimer.

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