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cLassic sTyLe meeTs

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iPad | London Travel | Clutch Handbags | Hang Gliding | Fine Wine

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 ConTenTS
feATureS
12
A Jolly Good Vacation!
London travel mixes fun with
fascinating history.
34
Cut. Store. Smoke.
The basics of preparing and
enjoying fine cigars.
6HDL
HDL0910_Features_B 6
fALL 2010 ISSue, VoLume 4, ISSue 2
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From the ‘Land of Cattle’
44
Delectable cheeses from Italy
are an entertaining treat.
The Everything Gadget!
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Home Networks
expert advice on setting up a
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Whole House Music
The different types of multi-zone
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 contents

82

62
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Conquering Energy Abuse,
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HDL0910_Features_B 11 8/27/10 10:54:12 AM
 F E AT U R E

LondontraveL

A Jolly
Good
Vacation!
London is a superb
destination for your next
getaway. by howard whitman

I
f your impressions of London have been
formed by what you’ve seen in the
movies, you may envision the United
Kingdom capital city as a dark, cold,
dreary, rainy place – not exactly an ideal
vacation destination.

Think again. While it’s not a tropical old-world roy-

paradise, London is actually a wonder-
ful getaway location, filled with amazing
history, sights, accommodations and fun
things to do. Loud, exciting and truly mul-
ticultural, London is not just the largest
city in England; it’s also the biggest one
in Western Europe. Situated on the River
Thames in southeast England, Greater
London (consisting of 32 boroughs and the
City of London) is home to close to 8 mil-
lion people, with 14 million living in the
city’s total metropolitan area.
Landmarks of London
Here are some locations you don’t want to
miss on your trip to jolly old London:
• Buckingham Palace – The official
London home of the Queen, this slice of
alty is open for
tours only dur-
ing the summer months, but it’s a definite
must-see when you’re in town.
• Westminster Abbey – This is where
you’ll see Big Ben and the seat of the
United Kingdom government, the Houses
of Parliament. Westminster Abbey has also
been the setting of all royal coronations
since 1066, the most recent being Queen
Elizabeth II’s in 1953. Tours of the build-
ing are conducted only between July and
August, when Parliament is on break.
• Picadilly Circus – This famous circu-
lar road junction in London’s West End is
the gateway to the Piccadilly shopping dis-
trict. Built in 1819, it merges history with
the modern day. The circus has a famed
statue of the archer Eros and a famed
fountain, along with a video display and
neon signs. One of the busiest and most
photographed tourist attractions in the
city, it’s also the site of the Piccadilly Circus
tube (subway) station. Another roadway
destination is …
• Marble Arch – This white monu-
ment, designed by famed architect John
Nash in 1828, is made of carrara marble.
It’s situated in the middle of a large traf-
fic island at one the busy intersection of
Oxford Street and Park Lane in London’s
Mayfair section.
• Tower of London – Over 900 years
old, London’s original royal fortress is the

12 HDL
www.htsa.com

HDL0910_Features_B 12 8/27/10 10:54:26 AM

HDL0910_Features_B 13 8/27/10 10:54:36 AM
 home of the Crown Jewels, and, accord-
ing to legend, is one of the world’s most
haunted places! Take in a guided ghost
walk when you’re there. Another don’t-
miss spot just next door is ...
• Tower Bridge – This famous 19th
century bridge has iconic high towers
and a drawbridge you’ve probably seen
a million times in movies. You can tour
the engine rooms and an exhibition of
this classic bridge.
• St. Paul’s Cathedral – Built in the
17th century following the 1666 Great
Fire of London from a design by Sir
Christopher Wren, this magnificent dome
is well-known for its amazing acous-
tics, which are so precise that the space
has what’s known as the “Whispering
Gallery.”
• Trafalgar Square – Home of the
Nelson’s Column monument, as well
14 HDL
HDL0910_Features_B 14
Loud, exciting and truly multi-
cultural, London is not just the
largest city in England; it’s also the
biggest one in Western Europe.
as four lion statues that “stand guard,”
Trafalgar Square is set in the heart of
London – approximately at the city’s cen-
ter. Paintings and statues are frequently
on the display within the square, which
is also the site of public meetings and pro-
test demonstrations. It was named for the
Battle of Trafalgar, a famous 1805 British
naval victory that occurred during the
Napoleonic Wars.
• The London Eye – This observation
wheel – the third-largest in the world – is
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HDL0910_Features_B 15 8/27/10 10:54:58 AM

 set on the South Bank of the Thames,
and offers spectacular aerial views of
London.
snipurl.com/londonlandmarks
Free Museums
London is home to many outstanding
museums. Better yet, most of the city’s
museum’s have no entry fee – you can
get in for free, and make repeat visits to
the ones you especially enjoy and wish
to return to with no problem.
These free museums include the:
• British Museum – This spectacular
museum of human history and culture
has an incredible collection of over 13
million objects from all continents, tell-
ing the story of humankind from its
beginning to present day. Established in
1753, the building is enormous and filled
with fascinating things to see, including
the most comprehensive collection of
Egyptian artifacts outside of Egypt, the
Rosetta Stone, Greek and Roman antiq-
16 HDL
HDL0910_Features_B 16
uities, historic artifacts from Asia, Africa,
Europe and the Middle East; and numer-
ous prints, drawings, coins and medals.
www.britishmuseum.org
• National Gallery – Founded in
1824, the Trafalgar Square-based National
Gallery houses over 2,300 beautiful, his-
toric paintings dating back to the mid-
13th century through to 1900. Collection
highlights include pieces by da Vinci,
Michelangelo, Rembrandt, Renoir and
Van Gogh. www.nationalgallery.org.uk
• Natural History Museum –
Experience the world’s natural history
at this exquisite haven, where you can
enjoy exhibitions on plants, geology and
animals from around the globe – includ-
ing a permanent dinosaur attraction!
www.nhm.ac.uk
• National Portrait Gallery – This
gallery, which houses portraits of histori-
cal figures (with an emphasis on famous
Brits) was the first portrait gallery in the
world when it opened in 1856. Among
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HDL0910_Features_B 17 8/30/10 10:21:28 AM

 its famous pieces is the best-known por-
trait of William Shakespeare. Interesting
note: Up until 1969, the gallery did not
allow portraits of living people on its
walls. www.npg.org.uk
• Tate Modern/Tate Britain – These
museums are the two London loca-
tions of the four-museum Tate network.
While the Tate Britain is devoted to
the United Kingdom’s national collec-
tion of British Art, the Tate Modern,
as you’d expect, serves as London’s
museum of International Modern and
Contemporary Art. The original Tate gal-
lery, now known as Tate Britain, was
founded in 1897 as the National Gallery
of British Art. Don’t miss the spectacular
paintings on display at both locations.
www.tate.org.uk
Parks Fit for Royalty
Serving a similar function as Central
Park does to New York, London’s Royal
parks are called the city’s “green lungs,”
provided welcome fresh air and foliage
in this urban setting. These Royal parks
were previously royal estates and hunt-
ing grounds, and while many are still
owned by the Crown, they are open to
the public and worth a visit when you’re
in town. Parks to check out include:
• St. James’s Park – Located between
Buckingham Palace and Horse Guards
Parade, St. James’s Park is a lush, roman-
tic setting with gorgeous gardens and
breathtaking scenery. Great for photog-
raphy and picnics, St. James’s is also an
ideal setting for a leisurely London stroll.
• Hyde Park/Kensington Gardens –
Combined, these adjacent parks comprise
a very large open space in central London.
Great for a picnic with the family!
• Hampstead Heath – For those who
prefer something a little more “wild,”
you may want to check out Hampstead
Heath, a very green, untended park. The
park offers spectacular views from its
Parliament Hill area.
• Regent’s Park – An ample open
space situated in the northern part of
central London, Regent’s Park has a fan-
tastic landscape designed by Marble Arch
18 HDL
HDL0910_Features_B 18
architect John Nash, as well as the largest
outdoor sports area in the city.
• Richmond Park – If you like get-
ting in touch with nature, visit Richmond
Park, home to numerous deer, and also a
great location for bicycling.
www.royalparks.org.uk
Good Show!
London provides ample proof that you
can find top-quality live theater some-
place besides New York’s Broadway
district. In fact, London has long been
regarded as a destination for theater lov-
ers, as it attracts some of the finest talent
and productions from all over the world.
The West End is London’s famous the-
ater district, and it hosts fantastic shows,
including musicals, nightly. Like in New
York, the West End has a TKTS booth
where you can buy half-price show tick-
ets on the day of performance. Current
West End attractions include a new pro-
duction of the comedy “Educating Rita”
and a spooky show called “Ghost Stories,”
as well as new Shakespeare productions,
always a West End staple.
Another theater destination in London
is The South Bank, which is known for its
serious theater productions and is home
to The National Theatre and The Globe
Theatre. www.timeout.com/london/theatre
We call it soccer here, but football is
more than a national pastime in England
– it’s a passion. Take in a football match
in one of London’s more than 20 profes-
sional football clubs (teams) to see how
fans in the homeland of the “World’s
Game” root on their favorite ones. The
most popular clubs include Arsenal,
Chelsea, West Ham United, Fulham and
Tottenham Hotspur. These clubs are so
beloved that you may encounter sellouts.
You may want to get your football fix at
a smaller club such as Charlton Athletic,
Crystal Palace, Queen’s Park Rangers and
Millwall, where you can usually buy a
ticket at the door. snipurl.com/10p8jl
London Luxury
As you’ll see from the above entries,
London is an amazing city filled with
great places to visit, tons of fun and
fascinating things to do, and historical
landmarks nearly everywhere you turn.
It’s also a city filled with world-class four-
and five-star-rated hotels to ensure you
have a comfortable and luxurious stay.
For information and booking details on
London hotels, go to www.londonhotels.
com. Here’s hoping your London trip is a
jolly good one! HDL
www.htsa.com
8/27/10 10:55:31 AM
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HDL0910_Wilshire_V041 19 9/2/10 5:12:25 PM

 HOME
TECHNOLOGY
GUIDE

Wilshire Home Entertainment and HTSA (Home n Contact:

Technology Specialists of America) understand you may have questions when
adding a home theater and related technology solutions to your home. As you Wilshire Hom
e
Entertainm
may need knowledge to make educated decisions, we’re pleased to bring you ent
1412 N. Moo
this guide. Come in to discuss your ideas. We look forward to meeting you! rpark Road
Thousand Oak
s, CA 91360
(805) 497-75
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Here to Help Los Angeles:
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www.wilshi
Stop by Wilshire Home Entertainment and pick up the com- rehe.com

plete Home Technology Planning Guide including additional articles

on Whole-House Music, Wiring Your Home, Video and more.

20 HDLiving home technology guide www.htsa.com

HDL0910_Wilshire_V041 20 8/30/10 2:53:00 PM

 LIFESTYLE CONTROL

T
aking control of your lifestyle and the various systems in your home is much easier and more affordable
than ever. Lifestyle control refers to technologies that can link and control all the equipment and systems
in your home. It is no longer just the playground of the wealthy, and with the right HTSA expert designing
and implementing your control backbone, you can finally make using all the systems, functions and features of
your home simple and reliable for every member of the family.

n Imagine having one controller that can:
• automatically turn off all the TVs in the house when
the kids are doing their homework
• alert you that the garage door is open and then let
you close it from your iPhone
• manage your lights, window coverings and thermo-
stats to reduce your energy bills
• monitor and arm your door locks, lights and security
cameras from anywhere; and
• enable you to view your vacation home from your
office, primary home or mobile device.
These are just a few examples of what today’s control
systems’ can do and there are many more possibilities
available at a multitude of price points. Engineering
and designing a control system is the most critical and
skill-intensive aspect of gaining access to your tech-
nology lifestyle and Wilshire Home Entertainment
has been certified to create systems that integrate all
your technologies, delivers on your expectations, and
fits your budget. Planning this type of system integra-
tion will be the best investment you can make and will
afford you opportunities and luxuries you could never
achieve without one.
The process of home automation works by making
everything in the house that can be automatically con-
trolled using technology do the jobs that we would nor-
mally do manually, with a significant reduction in the
number of steps required to achieve the objectives. It is
much easier to install an automation system in a house
while it is still being built, since you have the ability to
put things inside the walls to save space. If your house
is already finished, you can still have home automation
done in a less-intrusive way through the use of wireless

www.htsa.com HDLiving home technology guide 21

HDL0910_Wilshire_V041 21 8/30/10 2:53:06 PM

 technology. Wired systems are generally more robust
than wireless, but wireless technology has come a
long way.

Home automation can perform tasks as simple as turning

on the sprinklers at a certain time every day, or lowering
the blinds as the sun sets through the windows of your
home. One of the first decisions you should make when
considering home automation products is, what systems
in your home would you like to control? These systems
are best understood when they are broken down into
subsystems.

n Entertainment
This subsystem is usually the first one everyone wants to
control, because each different component in an enter-
tainment system comes with its own remote. Replacing
all your remotes with one controller is the quick-
est way for everyone to begin to enjoy their home
entertainment. Another big advantage is having the
ability to move your music to any room in the home, or
having the movie you are watching follow you to another
TV in a different part of the house. Even simple tasks that
would normally require multiple steps to accomplish can
now be programmed together and executed at the touch
of a single button!

n Climate
Climate subsystems can be managed according to the Replacing all your
time of day, or they can detect open doors or windows
and shut down the HVAC system until they are closed. remotes with one con-
Some systems even offer you your own weather station
to tell you wind speed, inside and outside temperature, troller is the quickest way for
humidity at your location and much more. Programmable
thermostats address comfort and efficiency by maintaining
everyone to begin to enjoy
a schedule consistent with your family’s presence in the
home. In addition, control systems can help you reduce
their home entertainment.
your carbon footprint and reduce your energy costs.

n Lighting and Shades n Security

Controlling your lights will allow you to create environ-
ments that optimize activities. Control systems can light
your hallway for ease of access at night, or turn on the
landscape lighting as the sun sets. Shade systems can fol-
low the sun as it rises or sets to optimize energy efficiency
and maximize natural light. The key to controlling light-
ing is the programming of “scenes” that optimize light
conditions to your personal taste, and the possibilities for
lighting-based control are endless.
Security and alarm systems normally address most of
the safety issues in the home environment. Adding con-
trol of security lighting at night can prevent unwanted
accidents, such as falling down the stairs, or add to
the burglary deterrent by flashing exterior lights when
motion is detected. You can also use security sensors to
trigger sounds and lighting scenes in case the alarm sys-
tem is armed or disarmed. Imagine having your drive-
way light up as you pull onto your property, then your

(Continued on pg. 24)

22 HDLiving home technology guide www.htsa.com

HDL0910_FutureHome_V022 22 8/27/10 1:53:58 PM

 Pasadena Showcase House for the Arts, Family Media Room 2010.
Interior design by Designs of the Interior, Westlake Village, CA.

imagine what Dramatic effects, sophisticated style and subtle details

Wilshire
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Systems
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Technology can bring entertainment, energy
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or visit www.WilshireHE.com.

1412 N. Moorpark Road, Thousand Oaks, CA

HDL0410_Synergy_V041 23 8/30/10 4:08:36 PM

 (Continued from pg. 22)
interior lights turn on and your security system deac-
tivates as you enter the home. There are even systems
available that will allow you to lock your doors or arm
your systems from your mobile devices in the event that
you forgot to do so before leaving your home.
n Home Data Network
Increasingly, home automation systems are being
designed to utilize the home data network to pass control
information or stream digital media as mentioned above.
This subsystem will play a larger role over time, allowing
the integration of entertainment, computing and appli-
ances into a single coordinated system. Remember, almost
every activity you will enjoy in your home will live on a
network, and you cannot expect an “off-the-shelf” router
to reliably deliver on your needs and expectations.
n Controllers
The most important piece of the home control and auto-
mation puzzle is how you and your family will operate all
of these technologies. Controllers are the devices you will
24 HDLiving home technology guide
HDL0910_FutureHome_V022 24
use and they can range from the traditional hand-held
remote control, to keypad devices, all the way to touch-
screen interfaces with customized designs. The more
advanced the device becomes, the simpler the opera-
tion of your various subsystems. With the advent of the
iPhone and iPad, control is now more flexible and afford-
able than ever before!
The least expensive type of control device is a hand-held
remote and unlike the universal controllers you may
already be familiar with, these programmable remotes
allow you to do much more than just learn the com-
mands of the devices in your home. Many can control
lighting as well as entertainment functions, and addition-
ally, have the capability of executing scenes or macros.
Keypads are the second type of control system, and
these can be made to be portable like the hand-held
devices previously mentioned, but they can also be
installed in a wall. They are available in many types and
sizes, but the most common are three- and six-button
systems. They are also available in a variety of colors to
match your décor and can be engraved for instant recog-
nition of the keys.
The most comprehensive type of control device is a
touch screen type of interface. Touch screens allow you
to customize the look and feel for ease of recognition
and use. While touch screens do require significantly
more programming time, their ability to execute multiple
strings of commands at the touch of button makes them
the most versatile choice for home automation systems.
Touch screens can be mounted on a wall, placed on a
tabletop, or carried with you around the home.
The last type of controller is your mobile device, and
these are extremely attractive options because they give
you control of your home from both inside and outside
the premises. Applications stores have even been cre-
ated giving you more control over more things than ever
before.
The implementation of control is only as good as the pro-
grammer, the wiring and the installation. For this reason,
think long and hard about your budget and make this
one of the earliest choices in the planning of your new
home or remodeling project. HDL
www.htsa.com
8/27/10 1:54:17 PM
HDL0910_Wilshire_V041 25 8/30/10 3:00:40 PM
 HOME NETWORKS
(Special thanks to Access Networks for providing extensive writing and resources for this article)

W
e live in technology-driven world these days
and it is affecting how we do almost every-
thing.
Satellite technology, the personal computer, the Internet,
mobile devices and more have all led to the digitization
of our content and have established a need for immediate
access to information. Wilshire Home Entertainment is
convinced that it is more important than ever to have the
right backbone installed in your home so everything talks
the same language and works together effortlessly.

Most consumers, when creating a home network, will

purchase simple routers and related solutions that are
found in mainstream distribution outlets. These simple
routers and switches are not designed to handle the
workload they are asked to carry because they were pri-
marily developed as inexpensive single-room solutions.
What does this mean? It means that if you are building
a new home or remodeling your old one, you would be
wise to consider building a high-performance network.
The following article will try to clear up any confusion
you might have when it comes to establishing a personal
network in your home.

n What is a Network?
A network is a platform consisting of two or more com-
puters that are linked in order to share resources (such
as printers and drives), exchange files or allow electronic
communications. The computers on a network may be
linked through cables, telephone lines, radio waves or sat-
ellites. Computers residing on this network can be serv-
ers, desktops, laptops, mobile devices and other types of
workstations.

26 HDLiving home technology guide www.htsa.com

HDL0910_Wilshire_V041 26 8/30/10 2:53:41 PM

 The two basic types of networks are:
• Local Area Network (LAN)
• Wide Area Network (WAN)

n Local Area Network

A Local Area Network (LAN) is a network that is confined
to a relatively small area. A Wide Area Network or WAN
is used for a large geographic area such as the world. The
LAN type of network is most often used in residential
environments. In a typical LAN configuration, one com-
puter is designated as the file server. It stores all of the the space; however, in larger homes or when more than
software that controls the network, as well as the software one WAP is required, there are significant issues to con-
that can be shared by the computers attached to the net- tend with: unreliable roaming, multiple network SSIDs,
work. radio strength issues, conflicts with neighboring networks,
Computers connected to the file server are called work- or port failure, just to mention a few. With consumer net-
stations. On many LANs, cables are used to connect the working products, many assume it is “set-it-and-forget-it,”
network interface cards in each computer; other LANs but consumer products are not made to handle the con-
may be wireless. All wireless technologies require a trans- stantly increasing workload that they are asked to carry.
mitter and receiver system in order to communicate.
Remember that installing a good hardwire infra-
structure in your home during construction will always
improve the strength, reliability and overall performance
of your network, but if that is not possible, wireless, if
done right, can be a good option.

n Residential Networks
Residential or LAN networks are generated through a sub-
scription service; for example, Comcast, AT&T or Verizon
FIOS all provide data networks. These services will bring
the World Wide Web into your home on a cable or tele-
phone wire. Using a modem, you can decode that signal
for use in a computer, laptop or mobile device.
There are other types of networks for bringing informa-
tion into the home. Cell networks and the more afford-
able femtocell networks are becoming popular in larger
homes, where too many access points would be required.
These types of networks use cellular frequencies as com-
munication paths.
A router will take a single source of data that has been
received by a modem and distribute that data to multiple
streams or devices. Routers can also wirelessly transmit
that signal over a pre-specified distance utilizing a trans-
mitter.
To answer the modern-day demands of a home net-
work, we need a reliable and seamless network. One
access point simply will not do. If the home is 2,000
square feet, one WAP (wireless access point) may cover
(continued on pg 30)

www.htsa.com HDLiving home technology guide 27

HDL0910_FutureHome_V022 27 8/27/10 1:54:53 PM

 In order to properly configure a network, we must
first incorporate enterprise-grade wireless access points
(WAPs), not off-the-shelf solutions. They should be stra-
tegically placed around the property to ensure seamless
coverage. This collection of WAPs should be centrally
managed by a wireless controller, which automatically
analyzes, manages and optimizes the wireless environ-
ment in its entirety. When properly programmed and
deployed, the wireless controller creates a robust, reli-
able and self-adjusting wireless environment.
This controller-based wireless network is perfectly
suited for the IP-enabled automation systems, comput-
ers, AV equipment and other devices that are all work-
ing simultaneously via the home’s wireless network.
Additionally, they will offer the stable platform neces-
sary to deliver exceptional system performance. HDL

Additional Terminology:
Protocol The language devices use to talk to each other.
IP Internet Protocol, the language of the Internet and home networks.
TCP Transmission Control Protocol, like signing a receipt for data delivery – guaranteed delivery.
UDP User Datagram Protocol; example: streaming media. No acknowledgment on receipt of data.
HTTP Hypertext Transfer Protocol, used to make displayable Web page requests and download Web
pages over TCP/IP.
FTP File Transfer Protocol, used to transfer files between computers on the Internet or within a net-
work over TCP/IP.
LAN Local Area Network (i.e. the home’s network).
WAN Wide Area Network (i.e. the Internet – groups of networks connected together over long distances).
Subnet Portion of a network that has been segmented off through software or hardware.
IP address Identifier for a computer or device on a TCP/IP network (Example: 192.168.0.12).
Ethernet Communications protocol allowing multiple devices to share a common transport mechanism.
Modem Modulator/Demodulator, device used to convert one form of a signal to another.
Router Moves data packets between different subnets.
Switch Makes point-to-point connections between MAC (Media Access Control) addresses on a LAN;
MAC address = hardware address of a device on a network.
DHCP Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol. DHCP Server (usually in the router) used to automatically
assign devices on the network IP addresses.
WiFi Wireless Fidelity – 802.11x.
WLAN Wireless Local Area Networking.
SSID Service Set Identifier, it is the name of the WLAN and must be entered on all devices.
WEP/WPA Wired Equivalent Privacy/WiFi Protected Access; Encrypts data transmissions on wireless network.
802.11b 11 MB wireless protocol 2.4 GHz.
802.11g 54 MB wireless protocol 2.4 GHz.
802.11a 54 MB wireless protocol 5 GHz, many wireless products DO NOT work with 802.11a.
802.11n Next-gen WiFi, more range, faster speed.
AP Access Point, needed to distribute your signal (also called WAP – Wireless Access Point).
Wireless Router Router with built-in Wireless Access Point.

28 HDLiving home technology guide www.htsa.com

HDL0910_FutureHome_V022 28 8/27/10 1:54:59 PM

 How smart is your lighting?

Precision Control Shades Dimmers Occupancy Sensors Timeclocks

• Can save up to 10% on
HVAC costs.
• In the summer, reduce cooling
costs by closing the shades to
block solar heat.
• In the winter, reduce heating
costs by opening the shades to
let in the warming rays of the sun.
• Light level is proportional to energy use.
• Dim the lights and you’ll use less energy.
• Dimming lights by 50% uses only 60%
of the energy–saving 40%.
• Sensors automatically turn lights off
when a room is vacant.
• Easy to retrofit with wireless
communication.
• Can provide up to 20% lighting
energy savings.
• Can provide up to 20% lighting
energy savings.
• Automatically dim exterior lights
at night.
• Automatically turn exterior lights
off at sunrise.

With a Lutron total light control system from Wilshire Media Systems, you can
save up to 50% of lighting energy used in your home. Now that’s smart!

Our energy saving systems use dimmers, sensors, shades and timeclocks to
save energy while adding convenience and style. Now that’s brilliant!

For help saving energy in your home or office, call Brian Righetti at 805.497.7536
or visit www.WilshireHE.com.

HDL0910_Wilshire_V041 29 8/30/10 3:02:28 PM

 WHOLE HOUSE MUSIC

W
hole-house music systems, also known
as multi-zone audio systems, were one
of the earliest requests from consumers,
in regards to “cool things they would like to have
in their home.” The dream was to own a whole-
house audio system that effortlessly piped music
throughout your home, where all the components
“talk” harmoniously to one another. Today that
dream is possible and there are many different
ways to distribute music throughout your home,
including wired and wireless solutions with pow-
ered and non-powered options.

n Definition
Whole-house music refers to moving music from one location to multiple locations around the house.
These locations are usually referred to as zones. Multi-zone means multiple rooms, and multi-source means the abil-
ity to listen to different things in different rooms simultaneously.

System Types
Type #1 – Multi-Zone/
Systems Using a Receiver
The simplest possible approach to multi-room sound is
adding a second pair of speakers to an existing home ste-
reo system. You or someone you hire will run speaker
wire in the walls and either connect them in a second
room at a wall-plate or at the speakers themselves. Some
problems with this approach include the following:
(1) Can’t control the volume of the rooms independently;
(2) Can’t control the volume from the second room; and
(3) Can’t control the sources such as CD functions, etc.

Type #2 - Advanced Multi-Zone/

Multi-Source Control Systems
These types of systems allow you to listen to dif-
ferent sources (i.e. CD, iPod, AM/FM/HD Radio,
etc.) at the same time in different rooms, and are
available in many configurations from four to 32
or more zones.

30 HDLiving home technology guide www.htsa.com

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HDL0910_Wilshire_V041 31 8/30/10 3:03:35 PM
 Type #3 – Whole-House Networking
If you were smart enough – or lucky enough – to have your
house wired, you probably have a wire in your walls called
CAT-5e (Category Five-Enhanced) or CAT-6 (higher speed and
voltage standard wire), both of which are capable of distributing
audio signals, though they should not be used simultaneously
for a computer network, as well as audio signal distribution.

Type #4 – Dedicated Computer Audio Network

As previously mentioned, you can use your computer to distribute
audio over your CAT-5e or CAT-6 network in the form of AAC, MP-3
digital audio files or Internet radio. The first step is to move all your
music and related content over to the digital world. This will make
it accessible, eliminate the need to store it and organize it, and make
your whole-house music system more accessible.

Type #5 – Wireless Music Distribution

As wireless technology has improved, so have the options for wireless
distribution of music. The most common wireless technology is Wi-Fi
(Wireless Fidelity) and you should try to stay with the wireless N type if at
all possible. Wireless G may exhibit glitches or imperfections in the trans-
mission of the music, because it has limited speed and bandwidth.
• Wireless Music Adapter – These devices send a Wi-Fi signal to
another adapter connected to your multi-zone home theater receiver,
enabling you to listen to music in a remote zone that uses your com-
puter or NAS as a source on your A/V receiver.

n Conclusion:
Now that we know the various types of systems available, we can better decide what will fit our lifestyle, budget and con-
struction parameters. The only other consideration needs to be: How do you want to control your whole-house music sys-
tem? Do you want to use volume potentiometers or LPADs to access your systems? Do you want keypads or touch-screens?
The key to planning your whole-house music system is recognizing that there should be locations where you plan for
higher performance and areas where you can get away with background music. You should also focus on enlisting the aid of
an independent expert such as Wilshire Home Entertainment. They can help you design a system that fits your budget
and accomplishes your goals.
Music everywhere will make one of life’s little pleasures more convenient and enjoyable! HDL

32 HDLiving home technology guide www.htsa.com

HDL0910_Wilshire_V041 32 8/30/10 2:54:17 PM

 Immerse Yourself in 3D
At Wilshire Home Entertainment, it’s the dawn of a new era
and we’re excited about the possibilities of 3D in your home.
As always, we are committed to bringing you the best
performing 3D products from industry leaders like Sony.
You can expect the experts at Wilshire Home Entertainment
to continue to be a leader in the 3D era with innovative, high
quality, cutting edge products and technologies that will
allow you to enjoy full HD 3D video and audio in your home.
Of course, we offer professional installation to
ensure the ultimate home entertainment experience.
Our showroom is packed with the latest 3D televisions,
Blu-ray players, receivers, and glasses to make 3D a reality
in your home. Visit Wilshire Home Entertainment today and
experience all that 3D has to offer, or visit our website at
www.WilshireHE.com.

BDP-S570 3D Blu-Ray Player TDG-BR100 3D Glasses

805.497.7536 | WilshireHE.com | 1412 N. Moorpark Road | Thousand Oaks, CA

HDL0910_Wilshire_V041 33 8/30/10 3:04:29 PM

 F E AT U R E

finecigars For further information, go to:

cigar.com
cigarmony.com

Cut. Store. Smoke.

tips for preparing and preserving fine cigars.
cigaraficionado.com
cigaraccessories.com
stogiereview.com
cigartrends.com

C igars – the good ones,

anyway – have an
inherent sense of lux-
ury that evokes a life richly
lived, and when it comes to
accessories for enjoying a fine
smoke, there are plenty out
there that qualify for luxury
status.
Whatever you plan to spend on the
little things that round out your cigar
experience—and the following includes
items that certainly qualify for the cat-
egory of for the man or woman “who has
everything”—there are a few things to
keep in mind when making your selec-
tion.
The good news is that your local smoke
shop is a great place to field test a potential
purchase before making the buy. Most
shops not only allow but encourage cus-
tomers to try cigars right in the store, so
when preparing to light up, try out an
assortment of cutters, and lighters on hand guillotine, punch and v-cut. Scissor-style on fine cigars without having a humidor
to see which best suits your taste. cutters are another option, but more that keeps them at the proper moisture
Here’s some info on cutting and storing suitable for use at home, since they’re content unless you’re planning on smok-
your favorite cigars. less convenient to carry around. I’ve also ing them all within a couple of days.
found them harder to use than than the A humidor is more than just a box—
Final Cut more “automatic” kinds. Some purists I maintaining a consistent level of humidity
If you’ve ever bought cigars, no doubt know swear by them, though. is a given, so a proper seal is critical. Your
you have one of those cheap plastic cut- Guillotine cutters work as you would humidor should close with a thump, not a
ters smoke shops sometimes even give expect, with a hole for the cigar, and clunk. Think about the difference between
away, maybe a whole drawer full. They a simple mechanism to chop the cigar closing the door on an economy car and a
get the job done in a technical sense, but end after insertion. Punch cutters are luxury sedan, and you’ll get the picture.
leave a lot to be desired relative to a well placed on the end of the cigar in order Mark Neff, CEO of Cigarmony.com, has
made cigar cutter. to punch a small hole directly into the advice for buying humidors on his com-
Those plastic jobs are cheap or free for end. V-cutters, when placed over the pany’s Web site. When it comes to capacity
a reason. They typically loosen up after a end of the cigar, use two opposing blades in fine humidors, he suggests starting big-
few uses (if they aren’t already), so you that cross through the other to extract a ger, rather than having to upgrade down
end up with an uneven cut that might v-shaped plug from the tip of the cigar. the road.
strip away some of the cigar’s wrapper, or Also, he suggests you don’t go by “cigar
worse, crush the end a little bit. Keeping ‘Em Fresh count,” as there are almost as many cigar
Cutters come in three basic models: It doesn’t make sense to spend your money sizes as there are brands. HDL

34 HDL
www.htsa.com

HDL0910_AudioExcellen_V009 34 8/30/10 3:52:54 PM

 In a world of infinite possibilities, find your own.

HDL0910_Features_A 35 8/27/10 11:15:14 AM

 F E AT U R E
italiancheese
From the ‘Land of Cattle’
The A to Z of delectable Italian cheeses.
A
quick glance at the menu in your typical Italian
restaurant will reveal the names of a few famil-
iar cheeses – mozzarella, parmigiana, ricotta,
etc. – that may seem, at first impression, to be
the sum total of palatable Italian cheeses out there.
But we all know we can’t go on first impressions alone.
There is actually a rich tradition of Italian cheeses that pro-
duces a vast number of excellent but little-known cheesy
treats sure to please even the most discerning palate.
So let’s examine some of these relatively obscure – but
delectable – cheeses (along with some cheeses you’re prob-
ably familiar with) from the romantic country of Italy (a
name, by the way, that is derived from “Víteliú,” a Greek
word that means “land of young cattle.”)
Things to keep in mind: A cheese’s taste is strongly
affected by the milk it’s derived from (cow’s, sheep’s,
etc.). Texture, consistency and color are also important in
36 HDL
HDL0910_Features_A 36
by howard whitman
the world of gourmet appreciation of Italian cheeses. The
place where a cheese is made is also also can be significant
(example: farm cows that munch on grass and hay in one
region produce a different-tasting milk than those from
another area due to soil, environment and other factors),
as can be the season the cheese is produced in (example:
Summer cheese is usually more flavorful since the animals
feed on fresh grass rather than dry hay).
OK, let’s get into some cheese!
Asiago
A firm cheese made from cow’s milk, Asiago can be aged
for up to a year. While it’s a mild-tasting cheese, Asiago’s
known for its pungent odor and light color. It’s great for
shredding and can be served with pasta, risotto or soups.
It’s also excellent sliced thin and served on top of a warm,
crunchy baguette.
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8/27/10 11:15:18 AM
HDL0910_Features_A 37 8/27/10 11:15:22 AM

Bel Paese
This creamy, mild white cheese comes from cow’s milk is
a more recent creation than some of the more traditional
Italian cheeses described here. It comes from Northern
Italy’s Lombardy region. Similar to French Port Salut cheese,
Bel Paese can be used as a replacement for mozzarella in
recipes calling for that old standard.
Fontina
Fontina refers to one of Italy’s oldest cheeses. The color of
straw, Fontina (which has many popular varieties such as
Fontina Val d’Aosta) has small holes and a slightly nutty
38 HDL
HDL0910_Features_A 38
taste with a trace of mild honey. When you melt it, it takes
on a more earthy character, giving a hint of mushrooms and
acidity. A main ingredient of fonduta, Italy’s version of fon-
due, Fontina is often used in its home country as a dessert
cheese. Taking about three months to ripen, Fontina is not
recommended to the extremely health-conscious, as it has
45-percent fat content!
Gorgonzola
An Italian blue cheese, firm-yet-creamy Gorgonzola comes
in a variety of forms - from mild Gorgonzola Dolce to sharp
Gorgonzola - depending on how aged it is. Gorgonzola is
great in dips and on your salad.
Grana Padano
An old-school unpasteurized hard cheese, Grana Padano has a
very thick, tough yet smooth rind, while its yellow, pale insides
are typically crumbly and grainy. It’s actually a form of what
we know as Parmesan. Grana Padano has a sweet, fruity taste,
giving off a trace of pineapple. The cheese is known for holding
up well in freezing, and ripens in 12 to 19 months time.
Mascarpone
Hailing from the Lombardy region of northern Italy,
Mascarpone seems like a soft, white, cream cheese – but
it’s not. It’s actually a result of adding a culture (tartaric
acid, a natural vegetable derivative from the seeds of tama-
rind trees) to the cream skimmed off milk used to make
Parmesan. Mascarpone is called a curd cheese, but it’s cre-
ated in a process similar to that used to make yogurt. When
the tartaric acid is added, the cream is heated and thickens.
The end result has a compact texture but can be used as a
spread. It’s also a popular ingredient in many Italian des-
serts, and is used in some sauces and dishes. It ripens in a
few days, but healthy eaters should pass on this one, with its
75-percent fat content.
Mozzarella
A staple of American dining, Mozzarella is a delicious and
versatile cheese, as good melted on a pizza as it is served cold
with tomato, basil and olive oil. It’s traditionally made in the
southern part of Italy from water buffalo milk, although it’s
common these days to make it from cow’s milk. A popular
form of this cheese is a soft block or shredded version that
is more elastic than true fresh Italian-made Mozzarella. For
those craving a more exotic spin on this classic, seek out
fresh Mozzarella packaged in salty water in specialty shops.
Parmesan
One of the most popular cheeses in the world, Parmesan is
named for the northern Italian town of Parma, and mak-
ing it is a long, arduous process. It’s created by heating and
curdling milk in copper containers, and then separating
and taking out most of the cream. Next, the curd is cut and
www.htsa.com
8/27/10 11:15:29 AM
 the receiver reimagined.
Specifications and design subject to modification without notice. PIONEER, ELITE and the Pioneer and Elite logos are registered trademarks of Pioneer Corporation. Blu-ray Disc is a registered trademark of Blu-ray Disc Association. THX and the THX logo are registered trademarks of THX Ltd. ©2010 Pioneer Electronics (USA) Inc.

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 heated to 125 degrees as the curd is stirred. The curd is re-
heated at temperatures approaching 131 degrees and then
pressed into molds lined with cheesecloth. After two days of
drying, the cheese is removed and then salted in brine for
one month’s time. It’s frequently aged for up to two years in
humid settings.
Parmigiano Reggiano
A hard, unpasteurized cheese derived from skimmed cow’s
milk, Parmigiano Reggiano is sold in a drum shape. It has a
hard, sticky, yellow-to-orange-colored rind, and it’s big; usu-
ally weighing in around 75 pounds, a drum of Parmigiano
Reggiano requires a saw to cut through it. It has a fruity,
sweet scent and taste, giving off hints of pineapple. Mostly
used for grating, this cheese is an excellent topping for
soups, salads, pasta, chicken or veal. Going to Italy? You can
buy this on the streets in big, grainy chunks chiseled out
of the huge drums. Legend has it that due to its high cost,
Parmigiano Reggiano has been stolen at gunpoint when its
trucks were hijacked by thieves.
Pecorino
Pecorino is actually a blanket term that refers to all Italian-
made cheeses that come from sheep’s milk. Beyond that,
there are local variations: Pecorino is sheep’s milk cheese
from Rome, Pecornio Sardo comes from Sardinia, and
Pecorino Siciliano is from Sicily.
Ricotta
This familiar whey cheese can be made from either cow’s
or sheep’s milk. It’s easily recognizable from its texture
– wet but not sticky, firm but not solid, and made up of
moist, delicate grains. Ricotta is probably best known as a
key ingredient in lasagna and manicotti. There are three
main types of Ricotta: Ricotta Salata (ewe’s milk whey),
Ricotta Piemontese (cow’s milk whey plus 10-percent milk),
and Ricotta Romana (a byproduct from the production of
Romano cheese). Interesting fact: Ricotta’s name comes from
the Italian word for “re-cooked.”
Romano
One of the oldest Italian cheeses still going, Romano is
derived from a unique process known as “rummaging curd,”
which refers to draining curd quickly after the cheese is
molded, and then piercing its surfaces before salt is put on.
This delectable classic ranks better on the health scale than
some of its brethren, as it has a 27 percent fat content and
is 32 percent water.
Bring It Home!
Sound good? Even if you can’t get to Italy to pick up some
samples, it’s easier than it may seem to have fresh, authentic
Italian cheese in your home. Many cities have Italian mar-
kets that carry a wide range of imported Italian cheeses, and
40 HDL
HDL0910_Features_A 40
you may be able to find a good variety at specialty stores
such as WholeFoods or Trader Joe’s.
Of course, you can buy almost anything online these days,
and Italian cheese is no exception to that rule. There are a
number of Web sites where you can order authentic Italian
cheeses, including:
www.italianfoodimports.com
www.idealcheese.com
www.igourmet.com
www.almagourmet.com
www.gourmetfoodstore.com
www.murrayscheese.com
So, why not bring home some delectable Italian cheese,
a good wine, and have a tasting party with friends? Buon
Appetito! HDL
The happy accidenT:
cheese ThroughouT hisTory
Historians believe that the
first cheese was made about
12,000 years ago, when a
nomadic shepherd in the
Mediterranean Sea region
poured the milk produced that
day into a pouch made from a
calf’s stomach and later saw
the milk had solidified.
The story goes that he tried it, realized it not only
tasted good but also was a good way to preserve
the milk longer, and cheese was born.
Time has passed, but cheesemakers still pay
homage to the “happy accident” that led to the
creation of this food, as rennet from calf’s stomach
is used to separate the whey from the curds in the
making of cheese to this day.
Today, Italy is one of the top cheese producers
in the world, but it’s believed that cheesemak-
ing in the country predates the era of the Roman
Empire. Cheese was a staple food for both the
Romans and ancient Greeks, and it was mainly
derived from sheep’s milk. Cheese is mentioned
in Homer’s Iliad, and Marcus Apicius, who wrote
the Roman Empire equivalent of a cookbook in the
first century A.D., talked of cheese as well.
www.htsa.com
8/27/10 11:15:38 AM
 3D is a Large-Screen, Immersive Experience.

Watch 3D at Home1 on the same core DLP technology that powers

over 90% of 3D Cinemas.

DLP is up to 1,000 times faster than LCD/LED 2.

1 In order to display 3D images, Mitsubishi 3D Ready DLP Home Cinema TVs require the use of a 3D source device coupled with the Mitsubishi 3D adapter or other source devices that
support checkerboard display formats for display of 3D games, 3D broadcasts from terrestrial/cable/satellite and 3D Blu-Ray disc content. In all cases an emitter and matching 3D
active shutter glasses or DLP Link active shutter glasses are required in order to view 3D content. Mitsubishi 3DTVs (738 and 838 series) currently support the side-by-side 3D signal
format. For support of other 3D formats, such as top-bottom and frame packing (3D Blu Ray standard), Mitsubishi 3DTVs will require the use of a 3D source device that outputs the 3D
checkerboard format or a 3D source device coupled with the Mitsubishi 3D adapter. In all cases an emitter and matching 3D active shutter glasses or DLP Link active shutter glasses
are required in order to view 3D content. 2 Based on 8-microsecond pixel switching of DMD device compared to LCD response time of 4-8 milliseconds.
DLP and DLP Cinema are registered trademarks of Texas Instruments, Inc. Blu-ray is a trademark of Sony Corporation.
Mitsubishi-TV.com/HTTV © 2010 Mitsubishi Digital Electronics America, Inc.

HDL0910_Features_A 41 8/27/10 11:15:41 AM

 F E AT U R E
wINEtastINg
The Taste of Tempranillo
Spain’s ‘early grape’ produces affordable, bold red wine.
E
verything in Spain has a
bit of a mystique about it –
music, machismo, women,
passion, dance.
Add to that list Tempranillo, a bold
red wine making waves from the
Mediterranean country.
In Spanish, Tempranillo means early,
which is why the grape was given that
name – it ripens earlier than most other
red varietals.
It is the primary varietal used in Spain’s
popular Rioja wines, and more recent-
ly has found its way outside of the
country for reasons other than blending
with other grapes, such as Grenache and
Carignan.
The grape is a key blending varietal in
Port and is known by the name of tinta
roriz in Portugal Duoro Valley.
Often thought of as Spain’s answer
to Cabernet Sauvignon, Tempranillo is
42 HDL
HDL0910_Features_A.indd 42
by sheila Long o’mara
grown in two key regions in Spain – Rioja
in North Central Spain and Ribera Del
Duero, which is just south of Rioja. Many
of the wines from Rioja are blended with
other grapes, resulting in thinner and
more acidic wines than single bottlings
of Tempranillo. The Ribera Del Duero
region produces single varietal bottlings,
or at least 90- to 100-percent Tempranillo
– typical of bottlings in the state.
A Fine Vine
Spain’s most famous red grape,
Tempranillo is not a heavy-footed block-
buster associated with hot climates.
Tempranillo vines prefer a cooler cli-
mate and have low resistance to many
vine diseases and pests. The vines tol-
erate heat well, but the fruit develops
indistinct flavors and undesirable char-
acteristics in warm climes. The vines
have a tendency to over-crop and clus-
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8/27/10 11:45:54 AM
 ters are usually large.
Tempranillo grapes tend to be low
both in overall acidity and in sugar,
and nearly always high in tannin from
their thick skin. Mindful of high tan-
nins, many producers advocate partial
whole-berry fermentation.
Changing with Age
Tempranillo is usually a fairly refined
red wine. When young, it bursts of
cherries. After being aged – common-
ly for two years or more in oak –
Tempranillo takes on an earthy, sweet
vanilla flavor.
Complex Tempranillo can be a big
wine with great structure that goes
well with red meat, rich cheese, and
anything that a wonderful Cab would
do well with.
Tempranillo aromas and flavors often
combine elements of berryish fruit, her-
baceousness, an earthy-leathery char-
acter and good minerality. While its
varietal character is distinctive, it is also
somewhat vague and can be overpow-
ered by oak.
From the Source
To truly make your mouth water, here’s
a description from a winemaker:
“The nose is of very ripe blackberries
mingled with red and black stone fruit
like plums and prunes. The dark purple
wine fills the palate with a rich medley
www.htsa.com
HDL0910_Features_A.indd 43
of intensely ripe fruit mixed with min-
erals, licorice and leather. The wine’s
concentration and structure dominates
mid-palate. Firm yet round tannins
underpin a long complex, fruity finish
with hints of vanilla and chocolate.
This is a big, elegant, graceful wine with
great aging potential.”
Prominent in world viticulture in
Spain, small amounts of Tempranillo
are also grown in Oregon and
California, where it was probably first
introduced in the late 1890s. Amador,
Calaveras and El Dorado counties,
Alexander Valley, Lodi, Sonoma and
Paso Robles all are now producing
and bottling Tempranillo. HDL
Wines to try
• 2006 Invacesa Tempranillo Rioja Rivarey Crianza
An incredible value at $8, this pick features cherry, plum and choco-
late flavors intermingled with smoke and earth notes. Drink now
through 2012.
• 2008 Venta Morales Tempranillo La Mancha
This modern red shows good density with black cherry licorice and
smoke flavors over with strong tannins. Drink through 2011. $6
• 2006 Raimat Tempranillo Costers del Segre Vina 43
This is a revved-up red with strong black cherry and currant flavors,
followed by a creamy vanilla note. Drink now through 2014. $10
43 HDL
8/27/10 11:45:58 AM
 F E AT U R E

appleipad

The Everything Gadget!

Apple’s revolutionary hand-held device is the new key to
entertainment, control. by stephen silver

A
pple’s iPad arrived on the
scene in April and instant-
ly turned the consumer
electronics world on its
head. It created a brand-new product
category essentially out of thin air,
wowed virtually everyone who came
into contact with it, and achieved
astonishingly high sales numbers – 1
million units in the first month, and 3
million by the end of June.
The iPad can do many things, from
Web browsing to books to video to
apps to music to e-mail to gaming.
And the device’s huge success has had
the effect of leaving every big name
in the electronics industry – from
Microsoft to HP to Samsung – scram-
bling to come up with a tablet of their
own.
But one application made possible
by the device has gotten a lot of atten-
tion in the industry in the months
since its release: home control. Some
of the biggest names in the space –
including Crestron, Control4, Sonos
and more – have developed ways to
use the iPad, in ways far beyond what
was previously developed for iPod and
iPhone use.
We’ll look one by one at those offer-
ings. But first, let’s take a look at the
iPad itself.

All About the iPad
Nearly paper-thin, weighing just 1.5
pounds and sporting a 9.7-inch screen,
the iPad could best be described as a
giant iPod Touch – only without the
handicap of a tiny, tiny screen. It’s sort
of a halfway point between an iPod
Touch and a Mac computer; the iPad
can’t be your only computer, but it can
be an extra device used for recreation
and travel.
You can use it to surf the Web, using
multi-touch to zoom in and out (like
on an iPhone) but also taking advan-
tage of the bigger screen. The e-mail
function also looks great and is excep-
tionally easy to use.
The iPad has an iTunes application
that you can use for your music just
like on any other computer. And even
though the device lacks Flash capabili-
ty, there are plenty of options for view-
ing video, from downloads of movies
and TV episodes, to Netflix Instant
Watch, to a very strong YouTube app.
There’s no Hulu app yet, although one
is allegedly on the way.

44 HDL
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HDL0910_Features_A.indd 45 8/27/10 11:46:12 AM
 As an iPad user, you’ll have
access to all three of Apple’s
“stores”: The iTunes store, the
App Store (for mobile applications
and games) and the new iBooks
store, which allows quick and
easy book downloads. Indeed,
the iPad’s full-color touch screen
and multi-touch-enabled ebook
presentation blows those of the
Kindle and virtually every other
e-reader out of the water.
The iPad is available in Wi-Fi
and 3G versions, as well as in 16,
32 and 64 GB denominations. It
currently ranges in price from
$499 to $829.
In Complete Control
The iPad’s popularity has led the
home theater, custom installation
and high-end electronics retail
industries to integrate the device into
their products. Many manufacturers
have marketed their own touch screens
for home automation use, but now
many of them are concentrating on
using, through apps, the iPad instead,
taking advantage of the device’s bigger
screen.
The iPad is proving to be a handy,
reliable and easy-to-use device in the
control of home entertainment, light-
ing, security, energy usage, HVAC and
other everyday uses – and it’s only
going to get better in the future, as
acknowledged by the home control
industry.
“The iPad is revolutionizing home
automation and control,” Bob
Madonna, founder and CEO of home
control giant Savant, told the com-
pany’s dealer conference in New York
in June. This is because the device,
in addition to being a technological
marvel, has been explosively popular
among users. This way, the industry
can move home automation into the
mainstream.
Here are some examples of what the
industry has been doing:
• Savant
Savant Systems launched a nationwide
tour in the spring to show dealers its
46 HDL
HDL0910_Features_A.indd 46
special iPad control application. Savant
had used Apple’s OS X system in its
products since the company launched
in 2005, giving it a “leg up” on com-
petitors, Madonna told CustomRetailer
magazine when the tour began in New
York in April.
Savant’s iPad app costs $9.99.
Madonna said the Wi-Fi-only iPad,
along with an in-wall docking system,
costs around $1,000. He praised Apple
for “teaching the average person how
to use a touch-panel,” which Madonna
believes has “tremendous value for the
CEDIA channel.” Between 800 and
900 users had downloaded the applica-
tion as of June, he said.
Indeed, in June the company
unveiled a pair of high-end in-home
application docks, an In-Wall Charging
Dock and Desktop Charging Dock.
• Crestron
Just days after the iPad was first revealed
to the world, Crestron announced that
the device could be used, with a simple
download, as a Crestron touch-panel, pig-
gybacking on similar apps already devel-
oped for the iPhone and iPod Touch.
In May, Apple named Crestron’s app
the 31st-highest grossing iPad applica-
tion, the only home control/home auto-
mation application to make the top 100.
• Control4
Control4 made its Control4 My Home
application for the iPad available in April,
just as the device was being released.
Using the app, the iPad can control light-
ing, music, video, temperature, security
systems, Web cameras and more in the
user’s home. Additional features – includ-
ing locking and unlocking doors and
access to IP video cameras – will become
available later this year.
Control4 president and COO Glen Mella
told CustomRetailer magazine in April that
he sees the iPad and other popular Apple
devices as an opportunity to get users to
embrace home automation, as well as
to get users to realize that “these mobile
devices were really cool ways to control
the different systems in [their homes.]”
He added that the iPad’s larger screen
gives users “more real estate to work
with” than an iPhone or iPod.
Only the Beginning
The list of supported products and avail-
able apps will only continue to grow as
the iPad continues to catch on among
consumers in years to come.
Be on the lookout for further advance-
ments in the area of iPad-driven home
control, offering you even greater flex-
ibility and capability in all areas of your
home. HDL
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8/27/10 11:46:20 AM
HDL0910_Features_A.indd 47 8/27/10 11:46:26 AM
 F E AT U R E

clutchhAndbAgS
Paige Gamble (www.paigegamble.com)
uses ostrich skin, among others, with
hand-engraved lace tattoo (see bag on
left), which render each bag not only a
piece of artistry but one of-a-kind.

Just So Clutch
The clutch purse rocks functionality and design
innovation, now more than ever.
by Stephanie M. Adamow

T
he next time you grab your handbag
before running out the door, know
that you are part of living history.
Yes, that trusty tagalong of yours has
a lengthy back story, with appearances as far
back as the Babylonian era.
The clutch purse, in particular, made its
debut during the 18th Century, when women’s
clothing fashion favored more narrowed, slim
looks. Unable to incorporate pockets into these
types of apparel, designers introduced the
reticule – a small decorative bag, usually con-
structed with drawstrings and held such things
as handkerchieves and smelling salts.
Needless to say, the clutch is still an essential
wardrobe element that has made its way from
a strictly formal accessory for evening wear to
an everyday companion piece for the modern
woman.
Accessory to Necessity
There are a few different circumstances that
have positively affected the clutch recently. The
first is its size. Instead of small, boxy clutches
meant for pairing with elegant evening gowns,
the clutch has grown and become a daytime
companion as well.
“Four years ago, bags exploded in size, which
precipitated the growth of the clutch,” says
Kelly Cook, co-founder and daily blogger for
BagSnob.com. “Now that they are bigger, the
trend of using clutches during the day began
because you have more room to fit everything
you need.”
These new casual clutches are one of the big-
gest trends right now, says Cook, who admits
that she likes to go “a little crazy” when choos-
ing clutches because they are smaller and less
expensive. Lucky for shoppers, designers have
decided to go a bit crazy as well when design-
ing their clutch lines – the second important
element affecting clutch production. A mixture
of skins, embellishments and ingenuity has
created a generation of clutches that beauti-
fully blend function with a lot of dazzle.
Cook is a huge fan of Derek Lam’s Elsa
python clutch, which is hugely popular. Its
asymmetrical fold-over flap, coupled with pads,

48 HDL
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 www.htsa.com 49 HDL

HDL0910_Features_A 49 8/30/10 3:51:03 PM

 zippers and pockets, clearly state rocker chic, which is all the
rage this season. Also in this realm is the Proenza Schouler PS1
messenger bag clutch ($895, proenzaschouler.com), which Cook
says is “brilliant and beautiful.”
The industry has witnessed a recent explosion of handbag
designers launching their lines with the clutch – yet a third
positive factor for shoppers. This has resulted in great diversity
in luxury brands and experimentation.
“Skins continue to be a trend, whether they are real or
embossed,” says Alexandra Wilkis Wilson, founder of the Gilt
Groupe (www.giltgroupe.com), a curator of a broad range of
daily women’s, men’s, children, home and travel sales for its
invitation-only members at prices up to 70 percent off retail.
“For colors, we see nude, grays, light gray/blue and light
pinks.”
Combined with these trends is a real emphasis on exot-
ics, resulting in impressive lines from Sang-A (www.sanga.
com) and Paige Gamble (www.paigegamble.com). Gamble uses
ostrich skin, among others, with hand-engraved lace tattoo,
which render each bag not only a piece of artistry but one-
of-a-kind.
“And you can’t mention exotics without mentioning Nancy
Gonzalez (www.nancygonzalez.com),” adds Cook, whose site
is updated at least three times a day with reviews on the
hottest bags. “As far as functionality, there is nothing like
her. Usually, when you open a clutch, there is just one big
compartment. But her clutches have pockets; they have great
organization.”
While stone embellishments have long been incorpo-
rated into clutch design, Cook says, some of the latest trends
include feathers, and lots of them, which you can see in the
Valentino Glam Rose and Feather Clutch ($2,340, www.net-a-
porter.com). And designers are going out on a limb with their
clutch concepts/shapes—Alexander Wang has introduced
the Spiral Notebook clutch ($625, www.saksfifthavenue.com)
and Alexander McQueen has wowed fans with the Stingray
De-Manta clutch, a trapezoid-shaped bag made from the sea
creature’s skin ($239, alexandermcqueen.com).
These types of bags “fly off the shelves” at the Gilt Groupe’s
sales, starting promptly at noon each day. “Our shoppers
are very brand-savvy. They love signature-embroidered and
detail-intensive pieces,” says Wilkis Wilson. “For handbags,
larger, longer shapes in exotic skins or small, beaded, embroi-
dered, crystal clutches [are most popular].”
How To Wear
Coming from a self-proclaimed bag addict (and someone who
has more than 100 handbags that she would still consider
using), the BagSnob.com’s Cook has her standbys and she
knows the strengths of some of the hottest designers. Scouring
larger retailers like Barneys New York and Neiman Marcus as
well as smaller boutiques, Cook is ready to tell us what’s hot
and, most of all, what’s “practical.”
“Everything has to fit in [your clutch] and it has to close
properly,” she notes. “Box clutches are rigid and tend to be
limiting. I like clutches that have a wrist strap [like the Hermes
50 HDL
HDL0910_Features_A 50
Kelly clutch] because, really, when you have to go the bath-
room, where do you put it?!”
The wrist strap/handle may solve fundamental problems,
but it also gives the wearer another way to hold and show off
the bag without covering any of its design. And, let’s face it,
these bags are bigger than the clutch of the past, holding our
smartphones and other essentials of the modern lifestyle. The
handle trend will hang around as clutches are used more dur-
ing the day, Cook says.
Other bags that Cook is crazy about right now include new
designer Dareen Hakim, whose crocodile-skinned clutches
include a giant plaque which can feature individualized mes-
sages in sanskrit, including “My Love” and “Live and Laugh”
(prices range from $295 to $355, dareenhakim.com).
“Anything that is big and bold works better on a clutch than
a big bag,” says Cook. HDL
How To wear IT BesT
Tips from Alexandra Wilkis Wilson,
Founder, Gilt Groupe
Dedicated to fashioning the discern-
ing consumer with luxury goods at
discounted prices, Wilkis Wilson shares
some “do’s” for clutch shopping.
HD Living: How are you able to provide such great dis-
counts for members?
aww: Our team of seasoned buyers work directly with
the designers; therefore we are able to give our members
access to a great selection of current luxury items. By work-
ing directly with the designers, it also allows us to have a
very collaborative relationship with them and as a result we
can also negotiate the best products/prices for our mem-
bers.
HDL: How many members does Gilt Groupe have?
aww: Gilt Groupe has over 2.5 million members.
HDL: Who are the hot designers in this category?
aww: In my opinion, Fendi, Lauren Merkin, LAI, Carlos
Falchi and Judith Leiber.
HDL: What are some smart shopping tips for choosing
clutches?
aww: The most important thing is that the bag fits your
wardrobe. Look for quality materials that have a sustain-
able color palate for your clothes. Crocodile and python are
always classic and beautiful, and can transition well from
season to season. For basics, you can’t go wrong with
a mid-sized textured nude or grey clutch in a nice quality
leather.
HDL: What style tips do you have for clutch purse selec-
tion?
aww: The more casual the event, the larger and softer
you should go. A night out on a date with jeans would look
amazing with snakeskin clutches—look for a longer size. For
cocktail events, reach for a smaller embroidered or jeweled
bag with structure and color. Clutches can also be incredibly
chic for daytime—for these, look for portfolio-sized buttery
leather clutches in nude tones.
WWW.HTsA.COM
8/30/10 3:51:12 PM
 MARINA 8729-2

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VISIT BDIUSA.COM TO LOCATE A DEALER NEAR YOU.

HDL0910_Features_A.indd 51 8/27/10 11:47:12 AM

 F E AT U R E
eNergymaNagemeNt
Conquering Energy Abuse,
One Circuit at a Time
Powerhouse energy management system lives up to its name.
by Nancy Klosek
“Energy management” is the blanket term for what the
many control, monitoring and reporting systems flood-
ing the marketplace do for green-conscious homeown-
ers or apartment dwellers interested in cutting their
power usage, saving money and lightening their carbon
footprint.
But what’s really going on under the blanket?
Massachusetts-based Powerhouse Dynamics, maker of the
eMonitor home energy manager, says it can provide the
answer.
“Other systems out there have historically told you, in
real time, how much energy you’re using,” says CEO Martin
Flusberg. “Having spent the last 20 years involved in energy
management, from my view, telling the average consumer
52 HDL
HDL0910_Features_A.indd 52
they’re currently using 3,000 watts is not very helpful. What
does that mean? Good? Bad? There’s not a lot someone can do
with just knowing that. That’s really what the first generation
of these products were. Second generation, they talked about
how they have plug-load monitoring and you may have seen
things where they say they can monitor and control any appli-
ance. Well, when you look at it closely, that’s not accurate. The
biggest energy users in the home are central air conditioning,
pool pumps, hot-water heaters, and electric stoves” – items
where plugs aren’t readily accessible.
“Your dishwasher isn’t,” Flusberg continues. “Your refrig-
erator may be, and I might want to monitor it but I certainly
wouldn’t want to control it. So, there’s a lot of hype. But in
fact, the things you’d want to monitor you couldn’t with plug
www.htsa.com
8/27/10 11:47:49 AM
 EXPERIENCE
Life to the Fullest
Personalize your
home with sound

Nothing gets you into your zone better than music. Whether you’re reading, entertaining or just

relaxing at home, a Niles Whole-House MultiZone System gives you the freedom to enjoy your

music, talk radio or podcast in every room of the house. So why let life’s pleasures pass you by? Let

a Niles authorized dealer help you experience life to the fullest with a ZR-6 MultiZone System today.

Visit www.nilesaudio.com/multizone

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HDL0910_Features_A 53 8/30/10 10:24:42 AM

 load, and when you start to think
about what you could, you begin
to scratch your head. I could do
my widescreen TV and my com-
puter, but then I’m about done.”
Circuit Scrutiny
The Powerhouse Dynamics system
monitors energy usage at the cir-
cuit level. “What that gives you,”
explains Flusberg, “is a nice level
of granularity to see what’s really
going on.”
That’s just the starting point,
Flusberg says. “The next step is
providing the right level of information to the consumer, in an
attractive, entertaining, fun way – and then helping the hom-
eowner understand what it means and what to do about it.
You might analyze the power usage level for a refrigerator, and
then suggest that maybe it’s old, and here’s what you might
save with a new one. You could analyze ‘vampire’ power
loads; at the circuit level, we can actually see the pattern that
suggests phantom load. That circuit in the living room is run-
ning all the time – even with the TV off.”
Early Warnings
The eMonitor system also offers a level of diagnostics that
will tell the homeowner if, say, a refrigerator isn’t function-
ing optimally because of a faulty defrost cycle – or pre-empt a
basement flood from a deteriorating hot water heater. “They
have a tendency to build up sediment over time and crack,”
says Flusberg. “We can spot that by seeing the energy usage,
indicative of sediment buildup.”
Money in the Bank
The base system is $499 plus $189 for two years of monitoring,
and is expandable. Monitoring is done through a data collec-
tion service that connects to the circuit panel, which, in turn,
connects to the customer’s broadband service, through which
data is uploaded. Everything is viewable on the Web through
an intuitive user interface, and the customer and/or the inte-
grator can sign up for both e-mail alerts or text messages for
whatever issues they choose.
Flusberg says that the system can typically save as much
as 30 percent in energy costs: “One customer discovered his
hot water heater was costing $100 a month, replaced it, and
saved $70 a month immediately. He was also able to get rid of
$15 a month in phantom power; his bill was $300 before that.
Someone else we heard about had two AC units and found
that the smaller one was using twice as much energy as the big
one, had it repaired, and is saving $50 a month.
“Another client discovered that a third-floor bedroom that
was seldom used had heavy energy usage, and discovered that
there was a space heater in there that kept clicking on every
time the temperature dropped below a certain level; he saved
$70 a month. Those are the kinds of things people are find-
54 HDL
HDL0910_Features_A.indd 54
ing – things that are broken, or that
they’re turning off because they had
no idea how much it was costing to
leave them on. People are even getting
alerts about leaving on outdoor light-
ing after they leave for work.”
Peace of Mind
Right now, Powerhouse Dynamics
doesn’t offer lighting control, but plans
to roll that out in future, working with
third parties, Flusberg says. Additional
monitoring and control functionality
is also being developed for thermostats
and renewable energy sources like
solar panels and wind turbines.
Flusberg says the product’s appeal taps both into consumers’
worries about spending too much on energy and their desire
to go green just for the sake of doing something that’s ‘the
right thing.’
“It varies,” he says, “but the one thing we hear consistently
is ‘I know I’m wasting energy, and it drives me crazy.’ It may
not even be, ‘I want to be green,’ or ‘I need to save the money.’
As people learn about the alerts we provide, there’s a peace-of-
mind feeling – ‘I’d love to have something that could let me
know if one of my appliances is about to break’ – instead of
finding out afterwards, which in some cases, as with a refrig-
erator, is pretty unpleasant. That whole ‘being in control of
your home’ motivation is a very strong one.” HDL
the Nuts
& Bolts of
BlueBoLt
Unique Internet-driven energy
management tool is intuitive, helpful.
by Nancy Klosek
Panamax/Furman, a company whose reputation was
built on providing AC power conditioning and distri-
bution solutions in both the professional and residen-
tial market arenas, went live this spring after extensive
alpha and beta testing with a unique approach to energy
management, monitoring and reporting. The company’s
new BlueBOLT Remote Power Management technology is
designed to provide secure hosted control via the Internet
over power drawn by A/V components that are connected to
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HDL0910_Features_A.indd 55 8/27/10 11:48:30 AM
 select Panamax and Furman devices.
“It’s an IP-based power control product, it’s extremely easy for
an installer to set up and use, and it allows the end user to moni-
tor and conserve energy that’s used by a home theater – and, in
the very near future, most other energy-consuming appliances,”
says Bill Pollock, the company’s president and CEO.
That, in sum, are BlueBOLT’s benefits – but the system offers
a long list of energy management features and capabilities that
are what Pollock calls “real value-adds for end users.
“It has a very intuitive interface which allows the homeowner
to see what the energy profile and consumption are – both in
kilowatt-hours and in dollars and cents – of any of the devices
plugged in,” Pollock continues. The system will even send out
e-mails to owners, if they choose to receive them, alerting them
if they exceed their monthly budget for energy usage.

Interaction As You Like It

What’s great about BlueBOLT, says Pollock, is that gives hom-
eowners the option to interact with the system as much – or
as little – as they want to. “Some techie people want to get in
there and play with it, be able to turn things on and off, and set
scheduled commands to turn things on and off; others won’t,
and will leave that to the integrator,” Pollock says.
But overriding a ‘scheduled event,’ such as an automatic
system turnoff that was set up for energy-saving purposes,
is a cinch, even for technophobes, says Pollock: “It’s all done
through the computer with Internet access and any Web
browser, or through any kind of smartphone. The user interface
for scheduled commands is very intuitive; you can delete those,
you get prompts – it shows all of the different devices plugged
into it. You click which you want, you click the days of the week
that you want them on or off, you pick an hour, and set it up.
It’s that simple.”
Helpful Features
Data most useful to the integrator include a host of alerts that
can even pre-empt system failures. Some examples: Under- or
over-voltage alerts, which could indicate a problem with a home
theater that needs attention before there is actually a system col-
lapse; or an alert that occurs when a product has lost power and
is running on UPS backup.
One extremely useful feature is auto-reboot functionality for
the router. “Routers have a tendency to lock up frequently,”
explains Pollock, “so we built in a feature so that if the device is
no longer connected to the Internet, it sends a power cycle com-
mand to the router and re-cycles it, re-establishing the connec-
tion.” Often, this saves the customer having to request a service
call from the installer.
Also a Client!
Pollock himself is an avid BlueBOLT user, and says he has
seen the benefits of interacting with the system firsthand: “I’ve
turned both my home theater systems completely off from
midnight to 5:30 a.m., and have saved myself quite a bit of
money in utility bills. Doing that has prevented my Comcast
box from locking up, because I’m resetting it every night. In
addition, it saves wear and tear on equipment. Some devices,
like the DVR for instance, generate quite a bit of heat – and
that heat can degrade not just the DVR but the components
surrounding it.”
Growth Plans
Right now, BlueBOLT is designed solely for A/V system power
and energy management. But Pollock says there are plans afoot
to expand its capabilities to do the same for appliances, using
wireless ZigBee technology: “Users will be able to plug a device
that is so equipped into a wall and plug any appliance into it,
capture the consumption information from that particular appli-
ance, and then decide when they want it turned on and off.
“At launch, we have an excellent power and energy man-
agement platform to increase reliability and reduce energy
waste in home electronic systems,” Pollock states. “But what’s
most exciting is the modular expandability we are adding
through hardware that is currently under development. With
this, BlueBOLT will provide homeowners with a realistic and
intuitive way to make informed decisions and actions to man-
age their energy use throughout their entire home with limited
investment.” HDL

56 HDL
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HDL0910_Features_A.indd 56 8/27/10 11:48:32 AM

 Welcome to The
Family!
Both a newborn and a proven
Olympic athlete:
USB Audio joins reel-to-reel tape,
the LP and DSD as having legitimate
claim to being the quality end of
the audio frontier.

Once upon a time, the shift to dot-matrix printers meant new-found versatility, but lousy looking type, then
came laser and inkjet. Once upon a time, the shift to digital music files meant new-found opportunities, but ...
Now the digital sun has come out. Possibly the best quality consumer audio ever available, on planet Earth
anyway, has finally appeared in the form of 24/96 and 24/192 audio files, transferred through USB to a new
generation of superb DAC’s (Digital Audio Converters), whether built into today’s best receivers and amps, or
stand alone components.
To ensure that your favorite music is transferred with minimal corruption (jitter), AudioQuest offers
5 models of USB cable, featuring better metals, better geometry, Dielectric-Bias System, Noise-Dissipation
System ... all of AudioQuest’s expertise and proven techniques for delivering superior digital audio, whether
through coax (RCA or BNC plug), balanced cable (XLR plug), HDMI, 1394 (FireWire®), Ethernet (RJ45),
Toslink ... and now USB.
Whether you’re playing 128K files, or lossless 44.1 (CD quality), or 24/96 ... it’s a bright and wonderful day in the
audio world!

www.audioquest.com

HDL0910_Features_A.indd 57 8/27/10 11:48:35 AM

 F E AT U R E
cookingschool
Now We’re Cooking!
Release your inner chef at fun, friendly cooking school.
by howard whitman
Those chefs on the Food Network may make it look
easy, but we all know cooking is a valuable skill, one
that results in a commodity that we all value: deli-
cious meals.
And while most of us will never attend a culinary school
to master this art, there is a way you can take in some of
that learning, improve your kitchen skills, and have a great
time while you’re at it.
Cooking schools are cropping up that pass on culinary
training in an environment that’s loose, relatable, filling
(you get to eat what you cook), social, and most impor-
tantly, loads of fun!
58 HDL
HDL0910_Features_A 58
HD Living visited one such establishment, New Jersey-
based In the Kitchen Cooking School, to learn about all of
the fantastic cooking experiences you can enjoy in such a
place of learning.
Deliciously Fun
Nestled on a side street off the main drag of the charm-
ing town of Haddonfield, N.J., the In the Kitchen Cooking
School is an inviting oasis of culinary learning and good
times. At the store’s front is a small but lovely shop offer-
ing exotic treats, luxury linens, soaps, glassware and other
gifts. But head past the shop and you enter the kitchen
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8/30/10 3:44:35 PM
 area where the real magic Cooking schools pass on
happens.
“I always say, the classes culinary training that’s
are like Lay’s Potato Chips
– I’ll bet you can’t take loose, relatable, filling, social, and
just one,” says Chef Kathy
Gold, who founded In the most importantly – fun!
Kitchen in 2005. “Our
classes become addictive.”
The school’s addictive properties are evidenced by the fact
that its classes, all of which are open to the general public,
regularly sell out. “Every single month, our Wednesday night
classes, they book immediately,” Gold says. As of August
2010, the Wednesdays were sold out through October.
“Registration in advance is a necessity,” Gold says. And
while she’s quick to point out In the Kitchen is not a restau-
rant, “tuition always includes the delicious meals we make.”
The standard tuition at In the Kitchen is $70 per class, espe-
cially reasonable when you consider that includes the food.
A typical class will feature instruction by “Chef Kathy”
on five to six recipes. Gold describes the menu: “We start
with something bright and sparkling for an appetizer or hors
d’oeuvre, such as shrimp wrapped in prosciutto on the grill,
plus mango … we like to pile flavor on flavor. The main
course could be anything from rack of lamb to duck breast
tenderloin or fish. For dessert, we like to end on a sweet
note. If it’s a French-themed class, perhaps a tarte tatin
(an upside-down caramelized apple tart); if it’s an Italian
class, gelato or pannacotta (an Italian variation on crème
Brulee).”
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HDL0910_Features_A 59
Enhancing the restau-
rant-like atmosphere,
participants often bring
wine to classes to enjoy
with their meals.
Yummy to
The ‘Core’
While many In the Kitchen
classes are designed to be one-day experiences, the school also
offers what Gold calls The Core Curriculum, a series of four class-
es designed to give students a more comprehensive background
of cooking knowledge and skill.
“It’s the ultimate ‘how-to-cook’ curriculum,” Gold says. “If
you want to know how to cook, but don’t want to go to culinary
school, this is for you. Each class builds on the class before it.”
The first class focuses on knife skills, with instruction on how
to mince, dice, chop, julienne and perform other delicate-but-
necessary carving functions.
The next class provides instruction on how to make a sauce,
covering the preparation of a variety of delectable toppings from
standards such as beef or chicken stocks to more exotic fare
including béchamel and hollandaise sauces.
The third class, which Gold jokingly refers to as “The Money
Class,” covers the main techniques of cooking – searing, sautéing,
grilling, braising, poaching and more. This is the class in which
the preparatory techniques students have mastered in the first
two sessions pay off in the form of greatly enhanced productivity
in the kitchen – as well as, of course, scrumptious meals.
The Core Curriculum’s fourth and final class is about desserts.
“We cover all of the (flavors),” Gold says, “vanilla, chocolate,
caramel and so on.” The class also has a focus on plating – aka
presentation, that exquisite drizzling of a sauce or addition of a
garnish that enhances a meal’s palatability, teaching, as Gold puts
it, “how to make it look phenomenal. We eat with our eyes.”
Expanded Menu
In addition to the one-shot classes and Core Curriculum sessions,
Gold has expanded In the Kitchen’s menu of offerings to cater to
the different learning needs of her constantly growing clientele.
Inspired by the popularity of Rachael Ray’s “30 Minute Meals”
TV program, Gold has rolled out what she calls her “Really Fast,
Really Easy, Really Delicious” class. “It’s about having delicious
food ready in 20 to 25 minutes,” she says, which involves “know-
ing how to stock your pantry, fridge and freezer, and then getting
ready to rock out a delicious dinner. It’s really about best tech-
niques for working with things like chicken breast, fish, grains
and vegetables.”
In the Kitchen also does private events. You can hire Gold and
company to do a cooking class at your bachelor party, shower …
the school even holds classes at corporate events. “We’ve done
team-building events for major companies including TD Bank,
59 HDL
8/30/10 3:44:40 PM
 Campbell Soup, Target,” Gold says. “We do ‘Iron Chef’ events.
They get really competitive with each other. It’s so much fun
– just a great event. Companies that want to reward their staff
book an event.”
The corporate classes also help unify a company’s employees,
she adds: “When you’re cooking together, it brings down bound-
aries. Once you start cooking, everyone jumps right in.”
Gold has even done private classes for international groups,
including a recent group of Japanese tourists. While language
can be a barrier in such cases, she notes that “food is the univer-
sal language!”
For those who seek the green in everything, In the Kitchen
holds quarterly “100-Mile Radius” classes, for which the food is
brought in from local farmers, greatly reducing the meals’ car-
bon footprint. “Our ingredients are sourced within a 100-mile
radius. We have relationships with local farmers,” Gold says,
adding that the benefits go beyond cutting back on the food’s
travels: “The produce is wonderful.” While some ingredients
(such as chocolate, coffee and many of the spices used in cook-
ing) can’t be obtained within 100 miles of Haddonfield, N.J., the
vast majority of products actually come from within 50 miles
of the town, providing a good trade-off if certain items have to
come from outside the radius. HDL

Meet Chef Kathy

Other special In the Kitchen offerings include:
• Holiday Classes, including Valentines and the winter holidays
• Couples Cooking Classes (“Bring your significant other,” Gold
says), and
• Gourmet Group Events hosted by Gold and the In the
Kitchen staff, which offer a special, greatly appreciated benefit:
“Everyone is always excited to leave the mess behind,” Gold
says.
For further information, go to
www.inthekitchencookingschool.com
To find a cooking school in your area, go to
www.cookingschools.com
the proprietor of the In the Kitchen cooking school brings
an impressive mix of professional and culinary experience to
her role running the haddonfield, N.J.-based food mecca.
Prior to her current vocation, Kathy Gold worked in invest-
ment banking and portfolio management before deciding to
leave it for a life in professional cooking.
“when my daughter was born, I knew I didn’t want to be
in the corporate world,” she recalls.
trained at Le cordon Bleu in ottawa, canada, Gold
worked in the kitchen at Bistro Francais in washington, D.c.
she founded her original company, custom cuisine Personal
chef service and catering co., prior to opening her first In
the cooking school in moorestown, N.J., in 2005.
In addition to running In the Kitchen, Gold keeps busy in
a variety of food-related ventures, writing articles (as well as
doing food styling for photos) for the food section of the
Philadelphia Inquirer daily newspaper, participating in web
chats for NPR and public tV station whYY.
In June, Gold visited the white house as one of the region-
al chefs invited by First Lady michelle obama to participate
in the “chefs move to school” initiative, in which professional
chefs are paired with schools in their area to evaluate their
lunch programs to improve nutrition and palatability.
Gold is also a dealer – one of the few in the U.s. – for the Italy-
based aGa brand of stoves, which she uses in her classes.

60 HDL
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HDL0910_Features_A 60 8/30/10 3:44:47 PM

 As Vivid as Your Imagination
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• THX display certification – ensures accurate and exceptional picture quality

• Amazing video quality – with a built-in Silicon Optix HQV Reon-VX processor
• Sharp, dramatically rich images – revolutionary Super-resolution technology enhances DVD, SD and HD content
• Contrast ratio up to 200,000:1 and UltraBlackTM technology with new dual-layer auto iris
• Outstanding support – three-year limited warranty; two-business-day Home Service shipping
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Epson disclaims any and all rights in these marks. Copyright 2010, Epson America, Inc. 2/10

HDL0910_Features_A 61 8/30/10 10:25:59 AM

 F E AT U R E
socialnetworking
GoingSocial
Today’s social media – your online gateway to friendship
and fun. by Jack cotter
T
he days when enjoying technology meant
sitting at home isolated from society are
long gone. “Social media” is one of the hot-
test buzzwords out there, and the “social”
part’s truer than ever. With social media, it’s easy to
keep track of hundreds of connections, and there’s
no reason for them to be confined to your PC.
Some of the biggest social media Web sites out
there are: Facebook, which just reached 500 mil-
lion users; LinkedIn; Twitter; and Flickr, and each of
these sites operates in its own specialty. Facebook is
great for finding and staying in touch with people
from your past. LinkedIn helps you create profes-
sional contacts. Twitter helps you find and share
the most interesting content on the Web, and Flickr
allows you to show photos to anyone you want.
There are so many great options available to take
62 HDL
HDL0910_Features_A.indd 62
the Internet with you on the go. Whether you use
a desktop computer, laptop, tablet or cell phone to
browse the Web, any good social media site has a
version that’s compatible with your device.
It’s obvious that Internet access – and therefore
access to social media – is very portable. That’s only
a part of what makes it so exciting these days. What
really makes it so valuable are all the ways it can add
to your interactions with actual real live people.
A simple hardware example: So many devices
have HDMI ports. With an HDMI cable, you can
easily hook your laptop or device up to your
television and share that YouTube video you just
found, or vacation photos posted on Flickr, with
the entire family. Internet-connected TV is just on
the horizon, and with more and more streaming
video content available, the Internet is becoming
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8/27/10 11:49:32 AM
 much less the solitary experience it once was.
Understanding how to use your high-tech hardware is interest-
ing, and can add to your social media experience, but the key to
using social media gets back to the fundamental act of establishing
and strengthening relationships. Want to take your online rela-
tionships outside the box? These Web sites can help you do that.
Facebook
Facebook is the biggest social media site, with 500 million regis-
tered users. The best thing about it is how easy it is to find people.
If you’re looking for an old friend, reconnecting is as simple as
typing in their name and pressing a button. Once you have a
friend or two, Facebook does a great job of recommending people
you may have forgotten about. Addresses and phone numbers
change, but Facebook profiles stay. You can find your best friend
who moved away years ago, and easily reconnect with him or
her. You might not have felt comfortable enough with someone
you briefly worked with to exchange phone numbers, but as
Facebook friends, you can stay in touch with little to no effort.
These are the connections that Facebook makes possible,
but what about turning those online connections into real life?
Planning a party? One of the most useful features of Facebook
is the ability to create an event page and send out invitations.
Creating an interactive event is a great way to get invitees to
respond, stay interested, and turn up. Sometimes seeing their
name on a guest list is enough of a push to ensure they show up.
LinkedIn
LinkedIn helps you manage your professional contacts. Upload
your resume and connect with the people you know and others
in your industry. Instead of putting business cards you collect in
a drawer, put a face to the name and continue to interact and
strengthen your relationship, even if a business transaction hasn’t
given you a reason to call. Join one of the many groups formed
by pros from your industry and share your thoughts. Any of those
contacts could be your next client or a new job opportunity.
Twitter
What is Twitter? Why would you want to see every detail of
someone’s life? You don’t, and that’s not what most Twitter users
do. Despite its reputation as a repository of the mundane, Twitter
is great because it turns everyone into a publisher of content
they find interesting. Choose who you follow. Follow the people
who share the most interesting info – an article from a newspa-
per or magazine, a hilarious YouTube video, a great song. Some
accounts are dedicated to listing events in your area. Imagine
having a list of the day’s most talked-about pages on the Internet,
and events that day. That’s what you can make with Twitter.
Another great trend on Twitter are “Tweet Ups.” A group of
Twitter users with a common interest arrange a time and place
to actually meet up. This is great during an out-of -own busi-
ness conference. You can network with Twitter users you’re
already developing professional relationships with online. Web
sites like TwtVite make it easy to create event pages so both
Facebook and Twitter users can see the details and RSVP.
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HDL0910_Features_A.indd 63
What’s Next
All the great new hardware
out there makes it even easier to take social media with
you while you are out and about, and apps (short for applica-
tions) are the next big thing in social media. These are programs
that can be downloaded to your phone or tablet, many for free.
There are hundreds of thousands of apps, which can add to your
social media experience.
Foursquare is a phone app that lets you alert your network of
your location. A great thing is that when you’re “checked in” at a
location, you can see the other users that are also checked in.
Social media can help you find (or avoid) people while on the
run. This is just one example of your online network showing
you that someone is right around the corner, when without the
technology, you never would have known he or she was there.
Real Life
Now put them all together. Interact with new and old friends
on Facebook, and make professional connections and join in
a discussion on LinkedIn. Share links to interesting articles on
Twitter. Once you find a few people who you can share ideas
with, you’re a part of an online community.
Come up with a reason to meet, whether it is during a
conference or an event that you are interested in, pick a time
and place to meet up with your contacts. Send out invitations
across your networks on each of the sites. Go to the event
and check in on Foursquare to see who is there. Take photos
and share them on Facebook and Flickr and Twitpic after the
event is over.
You might find your Rolodex getting dusty as you have
more ideas, connections and opportunities than ever before.
Technology brings more and more spectacular devices, and
social Web sites can be a fun distraction. Why not put the two
together? With just a little effort, the “social” part of social
media can pay off by adding even more to your already rich
offline life. HDL
63 HDL
8/27/10 11:49:34 AM
 VIDEO EVERYWHERE
Make the Right Choices When Buying the Most Popular Home Entertainment Format.

Consider the activities,

the room and the lighting

V
ideo is usually considered the most important
choice when shopping for electronics, and for good conditions, before deciding what
reason. Home entertainment is cited as the third
most time-consuming activity in the average home, follow-
particular TV display
ing sleep and work!

The types of TVs most commonly purchased by consum- TV housed in a cabinet. There are many types of backlight
ers are LCD (Liquid Crystal Display), Plasma Displays, Rear technology incorporated into these televisions, but the most
Projection Televisions, and Front Projection Televisions. common are LED (light emitting diode), LCD (liquid crystal
Let’s look at some of the advantages and disadvantages of display), DLP (digital light processing) and CRT (cathode
each: ray tube). CRT is the oldest of the technologies and LED the
most recent. The benefit to this type of display technology
LCD is the most popular and is available in two variations. is that by keeping external light from affecting the projec-
The first variation is fluorescent (CCFL) and the second is tor, we can get a very bright image on a very large screen.
LED (light emitting diode). Both of these
technologies refer to the way the display is
lit up from behind or “backlit”. Fluorescent
backlighting uses a fluorescent light on the
back of the panel and is energy-efficient
and low-cost. LED utilizes solid state LED
bulbs on the back of the display panel and
is more energy-efficient, as well as more
durable (20,000 hour longer life-spans =
approx. 10 years)! Be careful to avoid edge-
lit LED panels, as they tend to exhibit hot
spots in the picture and are usually lower
performers.

A plasma display utilizes a chemical reac-

tion that excites a phosphor or pixel ele-
ment. Plasma is generally considered to be
better for black level, smooth motion and
three-dimensionality. The primary reason
for this is that these types of television have
the ability to turn each pixel element on
and off. The backlight in an LCD television
must remain on all the time.

A rear projection display is a projection

64 HDLiving home technology guide www.htsa.com

HDL0910_Features_A 64 8/30/10 5:57:21 PM

 Sound Without Compromise
Custom Installation by La Scala, Vancouver, B.C., Canada.
Yacht: Spirit of 2010, www.spiritoftwentyten.com
“Triad’s philosophy of making speakers
to order is a real advantage for theater
designers and customers, especially for
challenging installations or special
GARY ALTUNIAN
Home Entertainment Magazine requirements. Construction quality is a
couple of notches above what you find with
most in-walls, and Triad offers a 10-year
limited warranty on its speakers”
Triad Sales 1800.666.6316 • www.triadspeakers.com
HDL0910_Features_A 65
OnWall Mini LCR 3.0
The Best of Both Worlds…
Not only do Triad speakers sound
exquisite, they seamlessly blend into
any décor. For the past twenty-seven
years, Triad has been the leader in
designing and building true custom
speaker solutions, with as many as five
versions of the same speaker for the
appropriate application.
Triad offers nearly seventy inroom,
inwall, onwall, and inceiling variations of
world-class loudspeakers, to provide
you with the best in sound without
cluttering your room with clumsy,
unattractive boxes. To further integrate,
Triad offers free paint and veneer
matching, and even one-off pure
custom design capability.
If you thought the best possible sound
and the least visual impact were
mutually exclusive; think again.
Think Triad.
In the past four inside track Annual Dealer Loyalty Surveys,
Triad finished 1st overall in the custom installation category, with
1st place finishes in product performance, product reliability,
technical support, customer service and more!
Members:
INDUSTRY
PARTNER
8/30/10 10:26:58 AM
 The final display type is front projection TV. These are the
closest to theater-style imaging, and the primary benefit is
that they can be custom-sized as large as you want. These
screens can be sized beginning at around 80 inches and go
to sizes of 200 inches or more. You can’t do that with any
of the other types mentioned previously. Front projection
utilizes any of the aforementioned backlight technologies
(LED, LCD, DLP, CRT, etc.) projected onto various types
of screen materials. The disadvantage to a front projection
system is that you should have complete control of any
natural light entering the room otherwise your picture will
begin to wash out and lose brightness. Consider the activi-
ties, the room and the lighting conditions before deciding
what particular TV display technology you will put in each
location. You should also be aware of 3D TV and how that
can affect your decision.
Once you have chosen the TVs, now you have to get a pic-
ture to each of them. Distributed video is a system where
66 HDLiving home technology guide
HDL0910_Features_A 66
all kinds of video (and audio) signals from A/V source
components (i.e. Blu-Ray players, DVD players, DVRs, etc.)
are sent to multiple TV locations around the home. Video
distribution is all about getting a strong, clear signal to all of
your TVs.
n This involves three general functions:
• Gathering the signals
• Combining, conditioning and amplifying the signals
• Distributing the signals to their destinations.
n There are three variations of
video distribution common to most
installations:
• Analog RF (Radio Frequency) distribution refers to
sending signals including satellite, cable, DVD, DVR , Blu-
Ray and other available sources to various rooms and
areas throughout the house on a standard coaxial cable.
The cable most recommended for this type of distribution
www.htsa.com
8/30/10 5:57:50 PM
 FOR THOSE WHO WANT EVERYTHING

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HDL0910_Features_A 67 8/30/10 10:28:23 AM

 is a good quality, quad-shielded RG-6u wire. There are
two parts to maintaining the integrity of RF signals; the
first part is keeping your signals from leaking out of the
cable. The second part is keeping outside signals from
leaking into the cable.
• Analog Component utilizes three separate video
connections to pass luminance (black and white picture
components) and color information on separate wires.
This type of distribution is still analog, but can carry full
high definition resolution and is much better than RF.
• Digital is the third variation, and is most often sent
on HDMI cables. HDMI stands for High Definition
Multimedia Interface and is capable of carrying all audio
and video signals on the same wire. There are two pri-
68 HDLiving home technology guide
HDL0910_Features_A 68
mary issues regarding signal distribution with HDMI. The
first is that HDMI components must handshake (recog-
nize each other) for the signal to pass. The second is that
wire runs of over 75 feet usually degrade picture perfor-
mance.
The job of your systems integrator is to get the picture
you want to see, on the right sized screen, distributed in
the best way possible. Additionally, a significant number
of TVs and sources are now empowered with Internet
capabilities, making the television a communication hub
as well. This will further complicate the video distribu-
tion problem and create greater need for an independent
expert to design and properly install your system. HDL
www.htsa.com
8/30/10 5:58:13 PM
 Have you seen the

Q
?

Runco introduces the future of home theater projection with its new QuantumColor projectors. Runco’s
LED-based Infinilight™ technology ensures bright, spectacular images without ever needing to replace
a lamp. But a lampless projector alone isn’t enough to change the landscape of home theater. So Runco
spent thousands of hours to create a projector that offers the biggest color gamut ever seen in home
theater projection . Marvel at vibrant reds that pop off the screen and blues that are so deep they look
3-dimensional. All these careful details are packed inside a projector that uses 70% less power than a
traditional projector and minimize carbon footprint because there is absolutely no lamp to replace or
throw away. The result is nothing short of revolutionary and the experience is, quite simply, amazing.
The future of home theater projection is here.

See the Runco Q-750 home theater projector at www.HaveYouSeentheQ.com or 800-23-RUNCO.

©2009 Runco International

HDL0910_Features_A.indd 69 8/27/10 11:50:32 AM

 F E AT U R E

haNGGLIDERs

Get Your Wings!

Hang gliding can grant new
perspective on the world, your life.

70 HDL
www.htsa.com

HDL0910_Features_A.indd 70 8/27/10 11:50:35 AM

 L
ots of people dream of flying like a bird, but Lisa Tate
has made that dream come true for 32 years. She’s one
of thousands who’ve taken to hang gliding since the
sport’s inception in the 1970s.
Growing up in Missoula, Mt., Tate, now president of the U.S.
Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association (USHPA), used to ride
horses on a hill near her home, a hill that also served as the
take-off point for local hang-gliding pilots.
“I’d seen hang gliders in the air, but never up close,” Tate,
now 46, recalls. “I was riding on the hill one day and looked up
and saw a pilot 50 feet overhead – he waved at me. I’d always
had that dream of flying like a bird, and I thought, ‘I’m going
to do this.’”
In the late 70s, that was easier said than done, since hang
gliding was still a new sport at the time with very few practitio-
ners compared to today.
“I fooled around on my own a while, but found I wasn’t get-
ting anywhere, so I decided to go to a real hang-gliding school,”
Tate says.
That didn’t work out at first, since she was young enough at
the time to need her parents’ permission for instruction in the
sport. Though Tate already was into intense outdoor activities
such as skiing and climbing, her parents thought hang gliding
was too dangerous to give their consent. But when she got old
enough to make the call herself, Tate never looked back.

www.htsa.com 71 HDL

HDL0910_Features_A.indd 71 8/27/10 11:50:39 AM

 Now a glass-blowing artist in Boise, Idaho, Tate also spends
the equivalent of a full-time job in her volunteer position as
USHPA president. That’s okay, though, because hang gliding
is her passion, and she enjoys the opportunity the organiza-
tion gives to let her help share the sport with others.

More Brain Than Brawn

Attitudes toward hang gliding have changed a lot since Tate’s
parents turned her down for lessons. Do others ask if she’s
crazy when they find out she’s an avid hang glider?
“Up until 10 years ago I used to get that question a lot, but
I don’t hear it so much anymore,” Tate says. “In the ‘70s, it
was still a fairly dangerous activity – a lot of homemade glid-
ers, not a lot of instruction. Now there are much stronger
standards for safety and instruction.
“Hang gliding is not a daredevil activity; it’s a legitimate
form of aviation.”
There are risks, of course, but Tate insists that properly
trained practitioners who play by the rules recognize their
experience level and don’t gamble with weather can expect
more thrills than spills.
“It’s a very cerebral activity – you must have complete con-
centration on what’s going on around you,” she says. “It’s not
a physically demanding sport, more of a mental game.
“It’s also the closest thing possible to flying like a bird.
You’re not in a cockpit – you’re out in the air and you can
feel and hear the wind in your face. Birds might fly right next
to you.”
Speaking of birds, Tate also noted that hang gliding blends

72 HDL
www.htsa.com

HDL0910_Features_A.indd 72 8/27/10 11:51:01 AM

 Bring all your sources to life with the new...

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HDL0910_Features_A.indd 73 8/27/10 11:51:13 AM


Price of flying
Newcomers to Hang Gliding Can Pay as They Progress
the following is information from the U.s. hang Gliding and
Paragliding association on how much you’re looking to pay for
learning to fly and buying equipment.
students attending a certified school in an urban area and
buying all-new equipment can expect to pay $5,000 or more.
Purchasing used equipment can drop the cost to around $2,500.
If you buy used equipment, however, make sure an experienced
pilot familiar with the equipment inspects it thoroughly.
costs vary, but figure on:
• Training through the Novice level: $1,200–$1,600
• Training glider: $800–$2,800 (used); $2,900–$3,750
• Harness: $50–$450 (used); $550–$950 (new)
• Helmet: $80–$300 (new)
You don’t have to buy everything at once. Instructors usually
provide training equipment as part of their package through the
“Beginner” rating, but expect students to obtain their own equip-
ment beyond that point.
74 HDL
HDL0910_Features_A.indd 74
with – rather than intrudes upon – nature.
“Animals aren’t threatened by a hang glider, they’re just
curious about it,” she says, recalling an instance of one fellow
pilot who was rising on a thermal past a group of big horn
sheep on a cliff side in Idaho. “The sheep didn’t scatter, they
just looked at the hang glider.”
Freedom of the Skies
Should you decide to give hang gliding a try – and stick with
it – don’t be surprised if it changes your life.
“Pilots I know say ‘There was life before hang gliding, and
life after hang gliding,’” Tate says. “It’s such a powerful expe-
rience – your life changes, and you can’t go back to looking
at things the way you did before.”
Like many sensory-rich pursuits, it’s hard to explain the
feeling to those who haven’t experienced it before.
“You have to live in the moment, and your focus is total,”
Tate says of hang gliding. “You don’t just look at the world
from a different perspective, you look at life from a different
perspective once you’re into it.
“Hang gliding doesn’t make me feel superior to other
people – it just makes me feel I know a secret that those who
haven’t done it don’t know.” HDL
To Learn More
For more information, check out the U.s. hang Gliding
and Paragliding association web site: www.ushpa.org
www.htsa.com
8/27/10 11:51:42 AM
HDL0910_Features_A.indd 75 8/27/10 11:51:55 AM
 PERFORMANCE AUDIO
Experience your favorite music at home with a high-quality sound system.

C
an you remember what songs
you and your friends were lis-
tening to in high school? Can
you remember what song was playing
when you got married or had your
first child? We all can! Just like pho-
tographs, we mark special moments in
our life by the music of the times or
the songs we liked. There was some-
thing emotionally uplifting about put-
ting on your favorite, record or CD!
Certainly surround sound is extremely
cool, but listening to music the way
most of it was recorded, in two chan-
nels, takes us beyond the physical
sounds or words and brings us closer
to that emotional connection to our
past, present and future. The answer
is to dedicate the space and budget
necessary to create a high-quality two- Don’t let that deter you anymore. (aka surround sound) into our lives
channel experience in your home. It is Today’s technology has come up with forever, and while that was an elevat-
an investment that will give you and designs that are not only invisible, but ing experience for movies, it couldn’t
your family an emotional connection will outperform products that are sub- quite replace the warmth and finesse
for years to come. stantially larger and more expensive. of a good stereo when it came to
The only problem is you won’t find reproducing music.
Sound quality has improved so much most of these leading-edge technolo-
over the past 30 years that consumers gies in a big box retailer. We suggest finding speakers that per-
have literally stopped worrying about form to your taste and are right for
it. The reason for this problematic The issue of stereo versus surround your room. The speakers are arguably
situation is due to the brain having sound or multi-channel is also some- the most critical element in a stereo,
no concept of “good.” It only knows what confusing, but perhaps it would and since each person hears different-
“better than it was exposed to last!” help if you remember that almost ly, it is a good idea to start by finding
This means almost everything you every musical recording begins as two- speakers that you love. Here’s a tip:
hear today will be better than what channel. Surround exists by steering Speakers that sound good with music
you had been listening to before. We certain information into different and will also sound good with theater, but
have forgotten a generation of music additional channels. The two primary the opposite is rarely true. Theater
lovers in favor of getting speakers and channels are left front and right front speakers can deliver the dynamics and
products that would disappear into the (like the ears). The advent of home impact of music, but often fall short
surroundings. theater has put multi-channel sound when it comes to warmth and finesse.

76 HDLiving home technology guide www.htsa.com

HDL0910_Features_A 76 8/30/10 12:29:52 PM

 Setting the bar to an unparalleled height, Integra is very proud to expand their
already formidable commitment to the THX Certification program.
From early design concepts to product rollout, THX and Integra work together
on A/V receivers, amplifiers, pre-amp processors and source components.
Every detail is meticulously mapped to THX exacting performance standards.
THX engineers spend countless hours testing and analyzing the receivers for
sound quality, usability and interoperability. This enduring relationship between
Integra and THX guarantees even greater reliability and quality from Integra
certified A/V products.
This attention to detail ensures that all 2010 Integra Receivers, Preamp
processors, Multichannel amplifiers and even the flagship Blu-ray player
achieved THX certification. This will bring out every nuance of a story-line,
with the raw power of a surround sound cinema experience, or live recording
session… Just as the director or artist intended.
Why? Because We’re Integra
Inspired by Passion - Driven by Excellence
www.integrahometheater.com

HDL0910_Features_A.indd 77 8/27/10 11:54:14 AM

 Additionally, the cabinet plays a very
important role in the loudspeakers’
ability to faithfully recreate sound. It
is for this reason that most really good
two-channel stereos do not incorpo-
rate in-wall-type loudspeakers.
Another important note: Just as
the cabinet has a significant impact on
the sound of the speaker, so does the
room influence how that speaker will
sound. If there is a lot of glass in the
room, you probably want to temper
your desire for metal dome tweeters,
as the resulting sound could potential-
ly be “bright and shrilly” sounding.
The next step is to choose the right
amplification. This will usually be
in the form of an integrated amp or
a separate power amp and pre-amp
78 HDLiving home technology guide
HDL0910_Features_A 78
We suggest
finding speakers
that perform to your
taste and are right
for your room.
combination. You will need to consider
several strategic factors: Will it match
well sonically with my loudspeaker?
Does it have the power and speed to
adequately drive my loudspeakers?
Does it image (recreate the position
of the instruments on the stage) well
enough for the speakers to mentally
disappear? Tube amplifiers are growing
again as a category, because they tend
to provide a certain emotional con-
nection that is not generally associated
with solid state designs. Try to incorpo-
rate separate components.
The third step will be to determine
what sources of music you and your
family will be listening to. You may
have CDs, SACDs, HD Radio, XM, dig-
ital media and more. There are afford-
able, high-performance choices avail-
able for all of these formats. Maybe
you remember records? Turntable
sales were up 37 percent in 2009. Also
in 2009, record sales jumped a whop-
ping 33 percent to 2.5 million copies.
2008 boasted 1.8 million copies sold
and 990,000 vinyl albums were sold in
2007. Records are coming back. Why?
Because many music experts believe
they sound better.
There are even more things to be
considered, such as the cables and
interconnects you will need, stands for
the speakers (if necessary), furniture
to house the electronics, and possi-
bly even room treatments or control
technology. The really fabulous news
is, once you have ventured down this
road, you will feel like a kid again!
You will want to listen to YOUR music
again and you may even want to buy
some new music again! Stereo/two-
channel audio systems are infectious
and will impact how you spend your
time at home. HDL
www.htsa.com
8/30/10 12:30:22 PM
HDL0910_Features_A 79 8/30/10 12:30:26 PM
 Not all 3D TVs are created equal.

Panasonic VIERA® Full HD 3D TV 
has the breakthrough technologies to 
deliver the ultimate viewing experience. 
Immerse yourself in incredible 3D depth 
and clarity thanks to fast switching 
phosphors and Infinite Black Panel Pro.
All on a breathtaking Panasonic plasma 
screen. And the same technologies that 
make it an incredible 3D experience 
make this our best 2D TV ever.

CAN WE STILL CALL IT A TV?

One pair of 3D glasses included with purchase. Picture simulated.

HDL0910_Features_A.indd 80 8/27/10 11:54:55 AM

 panasonic.com/viera

HDL0910_Features_A.indd 81 8/27/10 11:55:05 AM

 AromAtherapy

The Scent of Inspiration

Aromatherapy offers natural healing, stress relief.
>> by JANE CHERO

A
re you stressed? Looking for inspiration
and comfort – something to make you feel
happy, balanced or energized? Step into
the world of aromatherapy. A world where
you can address various ailments and beauty concerns
in a natural way. A world where you can enjoy the
physical and emotional benefits of this ancient healing
method. A world where you can create harmony by
regulating, balancing and healing your body as well as
your mind holistically – as in, “one with nature.”
Aromatherapy is the use of aromatic plant oils
(known as essential oils) to bring about positive
changes in health, mind and body. These oils help
soothe nerves, relieve pain and improve your mood.
Aromatherapy is designed to treat the whole person by
assisting the body’s natural ability to balance, regulate,
heal and maintain itself—the direct opposite of modern
methods, which are about just treating the presented
condition.
By using good-quality essential oils correctly, the Similar research around the world has proven the wide
soothing combination of the aroma, massage, baths range of benefits that can be received from the multi-
and other treatments all work in harmony to regulate faceted art of aromatherapy.
your whole being while working alongside nature.
Regular use of aromatherapy treatments and home-use Heal Thyself
products can help to strengthen the immune system Essential oils have a a wide range of healing properties
and establish a preventative approach to overall health. including improving the complexion of your skin by
An aromatherapist takes into account a person’s medi- stimulating cellular renewal, balancing emotions, and
cal history, emotional condition, general health and fighting bacteria, fungi and infection. Although not
lifestyle before planning a course of treatment. a fountain of youth, aromatherapy can help combat
wrinkles and lessen the effect of puffy eyes.
The Facts Are In When essential oils are extracted from delicate
Research is continually reaffirming the validity of aro- flowers, the result is a highly concentrated liquid that
matherapy treatments. A recent U.S. study confirmed contains the aroma and therapeutic properties of its
the long-held belief that Jasmine is a powerful relax- source. If you’re buying essential oils, it’s important
ant and an effective aid to restful sleep. Dr. Bryan to purchase them from long-established, trusted aro-
Raudenbush and his colleagues at the Wheeling Jesuit matherapy suppliers who specialize in clinical grade
University in Wheeling, W.Va, found that people who oils, and not the more common commercial grades.
slept in rooms fragranced with Jasmine appeared to Remember: Essential oils should never be taken
sleep more peacefully and reported higher afternoon internally, and should be kept away from the eyes and
alertness than when spending the night in a Lavender- mucous membranes, women who are pregnant or
scented room or one with no added fragrance at all. breastfeeding, and children under 5. HDL

82 HDL
www.htsA.com

HDL0910_Features_A 82 8/27/10 3:27:57 PM

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Europe, Middle East, Africa: Andy Baker – Andy.Baker@Harman.com

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