Archive for December, 2009

Cool Tech for Central Vac

Thursday, December 31st, 2009
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by John Sciacca

Without a doubt, the latest technologies are amazingly cool. With an iPhone, you can carry around more computing power in your pocket than what fueled the moon launches. With Blu-ray, you have access to studio-master quality audio and video in your very home. And every time I walk past one of the new LED backlit LCD TVs, I marvel at their razor-thin side profile. It’s an inch thick. An inch! You could practically shave with it. I mean, how do they possible cram all the magical techno-guts inside that thing? (If you really want to know what is inside, check this video I shot at CES last year. You’ll need Quick Time to watch. http://bitstream.soundandvisionmag.com/blog/2009/01/ces-2009-day-three-inside-hitachi-ultra-thin-lcd.html)
So, with all this great tech at our disposal, it is easy to overlook things that are low tech by nature. Like vacuum cleaners. Not very sexy, right? I mean, this is strictly a must have item, not something that people get excited about. I have a Dyson, probably one of the coolest vacuum cleaners around. And yet, it’s never one of the things I pull out to show people when they come to my house. In fact, it is sequestered away in a closet, where we hope no one will see it. (Which is kind of odd, right? Like, the people coming over know we have a vacuum. It isn’t a secret.)
Well, I recently saw a vacuum system that did excite me. In fact, of all the cool tech in this person’s home – and we’re talking about automation, full lighting and HVAC control, Kaleidescape movie servers, etc. – this was the thing that most excited them as well. A central vac system with an in-wall, retractable hose.
Now, I’m not saying that these things haven’t been around for a while, but this was the first working example I saw, and it seems like one of those things that no one knows about or that have been forgotten. But this completely addressed the giant negative that everyone hates about central vac: dragging that damned hose around all over the house. We used to have a central vac system. Never used it. First time I had to fight that 25-foot house up and down the stairs and back into the closet, was the time I decided to use the regular vac from then on.
But the Hide-A-Hose and Vroom systems from Vacuflo (www.vacuflo.com) were so cool and so easy to use and put away that you would truly give your old vac – even a Dyson – the heave-ho. The Hide-A-Hose stores up to 50 feet of hose in the wall, meaning you never have to see it or fight with it. And, because it is 50-feet long, you can get away with fewer ports around the home. When you’re finished, simply put your hand over the nozzle and it sucks itself back into the wall. The Vroom is great for spot cleaning, like quick spills in the kitchen.
Check out my video for a demonstration.

Posted in Home Automation | 2 Comments »

My Return to Commercial Cinema

Tuesday, December 29th, 2009
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by John Sciacca

For a variety of reasons, I haven’t seen a film in a commercial movie theater since The Dark Knight. Don’t get me wrong; I love movies. In fact, my wife and I probably watch three movies a week. It is the commercial theater experience that I’m not so in love with.
It seemed that whenever I went to the theater, there was something to gripe about. Ticket prices, food costs, volume level too low, discourteous patrons, etc. Then, after we had our daughter three years ago, a night out only became more difficult. So, I did what any theater-hating/movie-loving person would do; I built my own home theater. I think the result is pretty kick-ass and it never fails to impress me when we fire it up. (You can read about my install here: http://www.soundandvisionmag.com/features/3094/my-diy-home-theater-makeover.html)
But, despite what you might have heard, my heart isn’t entirely cast from stone, and I realize that the theatrical experience can exceed the one had at home. Between the giant screen and the shared communal experience, when done right it can be magical. (I’ll briefly share two experiences of mine. A midnight crowd in Berkeley, California getting up and dancing to Stop Making Sense. And an opening night crowd breaking into 16 years worth of heartfelt cheers and applause as the main titles rolled for Star Wars: Episode I.)
Lately I’d been reading the hype about a certain film. Not only reading it, but voluntarily getting swept up in it.  Would it be a colossal success or an epic fail? A film by a director whom I really respect. A film that cost a speculated half-billion dollars. A film that was supposed to put 3-D on the map and get people to come back to the theaters again. A film called Avatar.
So, I put an end to my nearly 18 month hiatus and headed back to the cinema to see Avatar opening weekend, and this was my experience….
Prior to even stepping foot in the theater I used a little technology for a bit of research. Not on the movie itself, but when to run to the bathroom if need be. With trailers, this movie clocks in at nearly 3 hours and if the urge to go came, I wanted to know when to make my break. I used a Website called runpee.com. This tells you the best time to go in order to miss the least “good parts,” as well as a synopsis of what happens while you’re gone. (For the record, I made it the whole movie. My wife took one runpee suggested break.)
Second, I was hit by the ticket price. $10.50. Times two. I guess it is a small price to pay for doing my share to fund Cameron’s opus, but it equates to an entire month’s worth of Netflix. Luckily we ate before the film so I was spared the concession stand.
Our Imax neglects to show any current films, so we went to the newest theater in town. This meant that everything was in great shape. Nice faux-leather chairs that had a bit of rocking action with cup holder arm rests arranged in stadium seating so every seat had an good view of the screen. Speaking of the screen, I was totally disappointed to see that it was in Academy Flat (1.85:1) aspect instead of Scope (2.35:1). This meant that when they ran the masking to show the film, the screen would get smaller. Sad face….
As the movie started, I immediately heard a crackling sound from one of the front channels. Blown speaker? Bad amp? Loose wire? Who knows. But once heard, I couldn’t un-hear it and it worked on me like Chinese water torture for those three hours. I envied those around me who seemed oblivious to it. At least they played the movie near reference volume, which helped drown out the crackle during the battle scenes.
Then I noticed that they had left the light on in the projection booth. Whenever the screen went dark, a nice shadow of the projector showed up on the screen.
As far as the film goes, I was totally impressed. The visuals are spectacular. Cameron expertly used the groundbreaking technology and 3-D as tools to tell a better story instead of beating you over the head with them Lucas-style. I never felt the 3-D was a gimmick, but used to provide a more immersive experience offering a sense of depth that further drew you into the experience. I can’t wait to see it again…on Blu-ray.
All in all the experience told me two things. I love movies. But I love them even more at home.

Posted in Blogging, Projection Screens, Projectors, Speakers, Surround Sound | 2 Comments »