LG Display has announced it’s going solar. And no, that doesn’t mean we’ll see solar-powered TVs—at least not right away. I had my hopes up, too, but it just means that LG is planning on making solar electric systems. Actually, LG will make thin-film solar cells that are being hailed as a solution to the high prices and lack of materials associated with the more widely adopted solar panels. So… View this story
Displays • LCD • Green Technology • Info and Answers

What will a green home network of the future look like? The ZigBee Alliance would like it to look like wireless mesh-network of ZigBee products. It’s planning to introduce a ZigBee Green Power feature set that establishes a global standard for self-powered devices. That means small, networked devices that capture or harvest energy via solar, ambient temperature, or mechanical action (kinetic energy), such as power gained from pushing a switch,… View this story
Home Control • Networking and Communication • Green Technology • Info and Answers

Money is tight, but that doesn’t mean you have to give up on your dreams of having a home control system. Just scale down your plans a bit. Instead of spending a fortune to trick out the entire house, you can economize by focusing on a single room. It’s a trend that’s really taking off, says Keith W. Harrison, owner of Total Home Technologies in Caldwell, N.J. “Not too many… View this story
Home Control Systems • Lighting Control Systems • Info and Answers

Almost everyone that’s visited a dealer in search of an audio system has experienced the boring audiophile music that’s used to highlight a system. Without stereotyping their musical preferences for equipment demos too much, that dedicated group of traditional audiophiles usually choose from classical and jazz, to vocal wares from artists like Diana Krall, Patricia Barber and Peggy Lee, to test high-performance systems. The problem with these choices however is… View this story
Movies and Music • Audio • Info and Answers • Slideshows

Ever try finding an Energy Star-rated desktop computer for home use? It’s not easy, and it’s not likely to get any easier with the new, more stringent Energy Star 5.0 standards set to take effect in July. Just a couple of months ago, my wife insisted on a new home computer. Fine, as long as it’s Energy Star, I said, and proceeded directly to the Energy Star web site with… View this story
Computer Systems • Computers • Green Technology • Info and Answers

Custom electronics pros call themselves a slew of different names. Some go by “electronics integrators”; others are more comfortable with “home systems specialist.” There are also those who find “systems designer” more fitting. You’ll also hear terms such as low-voltage contractor, home electronics installer and custom integrator tossed around. “There seems to be a real identity crisis within our industry,” says Perry Workman of Audio Input, Joplin, Mo. There’s a… View this story
Industry • Dealers • Info and Answers

Most of us have heard of cyber crime, such as stealing identities, reading private information from your computer’s hard drive and using your credit card numbers. And many of us have heard of the problem of electronic waste that we think is being recycled properly ending up in toxic dumping grounds in third-world countries like Ghana. But cyber crime from e-waste? It happens when computers donated for recycling or reuse… View this story
Computer Systems • Computers • Green Technology • Info and Answers

It can be a tricky relationship between a do-it-yourselfer and a professional installer, and some pros are more willing and able to lend a hand than others. Jim Allsopp of Snap Audio & Video in Havelock, N.C., shares some tips on how to make it work. 1. Get the custom installer involved as early as possible. Those architectural plans may call for an equipment closet or some other added nook… View this story
Info and Answers • Research

Lights are a staple in every home, but that doesn’t mean your switches should be like everyone else’s. With a few simple tweaks, the fixtures can do more simply illuminate your home as a bit of lighting control. They can curb your energy use, evoke ambiance, and protect your home, for example. Here are 10 simple ways to realize your lights’ full potential.  1. Put Them on a Timer. Most… View this story
Lighting Control • Fixtures and Switches • Lighting Control Systems • Info and Answers

Guess what? Motorized window treatments can be green. Shades and drapes that open or close at the press of a button can save you energy by helping to keep a room cool in the summer months, warm it with sunshine in the winter or illuminate it with natural light. This is nothing new. The motorized window treatment crowd has been touting the energy efficiency of its products for decades. Only… View this story
Home Control • Lighting Control • Shades and Blinds • Green Technology • Enhancements • Info and Answers