One of the many considerations when building a new home is the type and extent of infrastructure that is to be deployed prior to completion. Common denominators are the choreography of electrical, environmental and communication framework, but today’s homes can go far beyond just these basic systems. Home automation, theater, audio and video distribution are all but inevitable with entertainment and control technologies now available.

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With as many options as exist in electronic entertainment products for your home, there must also be a host of accommodations within which to house them or with which to install them. Televisions mount to walls or are displayed on stands, components dwell in cabinetry or reside on racks, speakers and stands become the union of form and function, and cables snake through conduits preferably unseen.

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When you look at the sheer number of different products in any genre of consumer commodities, the results can be overwhelming. Whether you consider writing instruments or toys, electronics or appliances, there are thousands of models within a profusion of categories. Occasionally, a “reinvention of the wheel” occurs.

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Founded in 1992, Remote Technologies Incorporated (RTI) is a leading control systems manufacturer offering innovative, sophisticated, and user-friendly devices for managing the ever increasing residential entertainment and automation options. RTI gives the homeowner control of these technologies by bringing together electronics, whole house audio, lighting, security, and environmental control into one, simple interface.

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When most people think of audio and video entertainment, the things that come to mind are amplifiers, media players, speakers, televisions, projectors and the like. Which controller is right for my home theater? What speakers will sound the best?

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In 1887, Torakusu Yamaha built his first reed organ, and since then the Yamaha Corporation of Japan has grown to become the world's largest manufacturer of a complete line of musical instruments, audio video entertainment products, computer-related products and other assorted commodities. Established in 1960, Yamaha Corporation of America (YCA) offers a full line of musical instruments and electronic entertainment products to the U.S. market. 

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From the company that was instrumental in the creation of in-wall and in-ceiling audio comes a complete offering of installable speakers steeped in performance and years of experience. It begins with their Visual Performance Series, which is equipped with a low-profile grille that is paintable to blend seamlessly into any wall or ceiling. Available in multiple shapes and sizes, this series comes in several performance levels and a range of specialty applications.

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Savant was founded in 2005, and is a high-end home automation system that runs on Mac OS X computers and iOS smartphones and tablets. It offers great features and a robust user interface, with the goal of providing an experience in home automation that is second to none. Home automation is designed to simplify your life and provide a personalized experience by automating everyday tasks, adding comfort and convenience to your life, and providing peace of mind with remote access to your home when you're away. Savant imagined what such a home would involve, and set out to create a product that would seamlessly integrate with and adapt to the user’s lifestyle.

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M&K Sound has been manufacturing audio loudspeakers for the film and music industries as well as home stereo and home theater applications for well over 30 years. It all began in 1973, when Walter Becker of Steely Dan approached the company to design a studio reference monitor and subwoofer system for the Pretzel Logic album mixing sessions.

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Have you ever tried to program one of the “high-tech” new thermostats available these days? If the extensive manual is not intimidating enough, perhaps the dozens of programming options might do the trick. Schedules, modes, system settings and notifications – the list goes on, and can stump even the most zealous programmer.  

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