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Def Tech Mythos Two and Three Speakers are awesome for the front and center, positioned on the wall around his monitor. ProCinema Compact Speakers are great hanging from the ceiling for the rear channels, and a Supercube III is an awesome subwoofer for the base. The combination provides unbelievable clarity for delicate vocals or jazz on CD, yet roomy enough for the full effects of a Blu-ray movie. Stunning!
Elite Plasma Monitor and ReceiverThis 50" monitor was THE BEST in 2007, but unfortunately, Pioneer has now gotten out of the plasma business after having led the way for so many years. Denon, Sony, and Samsung are some of the brands Da Guy has also had good luck with over the years, and is where he's likely to start looking in the future.
It's best not to ask how many Monster Cables it takes to stick all this together. If you're smart though, once you get it figured out, put together and fully operational, you'll label each and every cable to make that unfortunate day in your future when you need to remove or change out a component a whole lot smoother. Cellophane tape falls off and don't think of using masking tape. A Brother P-Touch Labeling System will do the trick. ...and if you don't heed this advice, while it won't really fix your problem, go here to help calm your nerves and try again in the morning.
Harmony One Universal Remote
How many remote controls do you have for your entertainment system? Da Guy had far too many -- just as many guys tend to have. He has had programmable remotes for years, some so simple that you had to keep cheat sheets as to what the generic buttons meant, some that worked well until you bought a newer component only to find there was no way to program that generic remote for some of it's capabilities, and another that required extensive programming knowledge ... certainly not for the average Joe and very questionable product reliability (the Brand shall remain nameless here).
In 2006 he found the Logitech Harmony 880 remote and quickly added a second to his home setup. Today he's using a Logitech Harmony One Universal Remote with Color Touch Screen. If you have a complex multi-component home theatre system, you know how challenging it is to click this, then that, across multiple remotes to get your system operational. Can you always remember exactly what to push and in what order to make everything work the first time? Da Guy can't. Programming of the Harmony is via your PC with a simple interface being driven behind the scenes via the web and Logitech's servers in the sky that download the configuration into your device. It's probably the simplest Da Guy has found to-date. Don't let the thought of "programming" scare you ...check it out. It may take a few iterations to get it "just right", but you'll be surprised how simple it is, and you'll likely be pleased with the end result. In Da Guy's case, having one remote that always works, beats the socks out of having 7 different remotes and a couple of cheat sheets to control Da Guy's system next to his easy chair!
First there was Betamax, then VHS and Super VHS. As an early adopter, Da Guy got into VHS with his original JVC recorder. He never did get on the Betamax bandwagon, even with it's supposed superior technology. Laserdisc was cool in it's day and Da Guy was really into it with a growing collection of titles, however the laser rot issues became prevalent and you couldn't record anything. DVD soon entered the scene, and with CD/DVD burners becoming rapidly available for the Personal Computer, Da Guy was in that game quickly and still is today.
To prove that history does repeat itself, the war between competing HD DVD and Blu-ray technologies went on for more than a couple of years. As 2008 progressed, so did the nails in the HD DVD coffin as studios and retail organizations began selecting Blu-ray as their exclusive HD format. On February 19, Toshiba announced it's departure from the technology, ending this unnecessary consumer electronics battle that only confused the market and slowed adoption of a single high definition format. Within days, the remaining major studios announced they were on the Blu-ray bandwagon, and off we go again... Da Guy had fortunately chosen Blu-ray just a couple of months earlier with his latest home theatre system, so isn't stuck with a bunch of non-standard titles. The 1080p picture and Blu-ray capabilities are stunning on his 50" plasma. Without question, it's far better than upscaled DVD can provide when you compare side-by-side on a larger screen.
Check out these sites for more Blu-ray information:
Some of Da Guy's gear is no longer in use, but warrants mention just the same.
Don't be fooled. Cable company DVRs pale in comparison to it's features, flexibility, and connectivity with the Net. TiVo is absolutely, hands down, #1 in Da Guy's book, especially with the newer HD-cable versions. No competitor can touch the value of "Wish Lists" allowing your TiVo to scan program titles, descriptions and more behind the scenes for keywords that then automatically schedule a recording when your favorite actor shows up on some TV show, or perhaps one of your favorite directors has a movie that is playing.
Da Guy has had 3 TiVo's (an original standard definition box, and today, two HD models), and was a devoted fan of these devices for more than 8 years until he was forced to switch away from cable service these devices are dependent upon.
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