I’m known as the “gadget guy” to my friends and colleagues. From the “thermo radiant scanner” watch on my wrist, to the LCD digital picture frame I have on my desk at work that constantly rotates digital pictures of my family… I’m a shoe in for “he who has the most toys when he dies wins” award. I always got a kick out of showing the guys at work the automated emails sent from my home computer showing pictures of my driveway. When I would tell them that I had placed an X10 camera outside my house that was snaping & emailing jpgs to me at work in realtime when someone walked by, it was quite evident that I was not the norm when it came to technology. I had gained the knowledge I needed to understand this technology through constant, indepth research.
Before I buy a gadget, I research it to death, and considering I am constantly surfing the Internet at home, I have found a number of “resource sites” that I regularly visit. I remember wanting a pair of those “digital binoculars” that would take jpg photos and mpeg movies… I researched that thing for months until I found one from Bushnell that was still a prototype and was not yet for sale. I found and befriended a supplier for Bushnell equipment in Idaho and placed an order for it almost a year before it was to appear in the store. That’s right, I ordered and paid $500 US for something that wasn’t even for sale yet. They call that “living on the bleeding edge”… always getting the technology first that will be a big hit later… the drawback? I usually pay through the nose for something that will be half price a year later. You get used to it.
I’m a big believer that everyone should have a place to go and hang out to be alone from time to time, whether it be tinkering on the workbench in the garage or reading a good book in a home study… everyone should have the ability to get away from the daily routine. Once I got married, I quickly realized that I could no longer watch the 2am Formula 1 race at the decibel level that was needed to truly enjoy the screaming engine of a Ferrari running at 900 horse power. I needed somewhere that was insulated for sound… I needed to build a dedicated home theatre.
To truly understand what building a dedicated home theatre would entail, I spent countless hours over a timespan of 10 years researching the design, construction and calibration of home theatres. I built an extensive library of magazines, printouts, pictures, website addresses and technical advice from different electronic companies. I studied that material over an over, constantly refining my design ideas, until 2000, when my wife and I bought a house that could accommodate a dedicated home theatre.
Well, after I got up enough courage, I started gathering the materials and labourers to help me out during the construction phase. It took almost a year to build, but I was lucky when it came to the guys who helped out… I had the help of my Uncle Carlo who is a carpenter by trade, and a good friend Nando who is an electrician. I had an assortment of relatives lend a hand too… we all worked together under my guidance, as I was the one who had studied and created the blueprints we were all following.
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So there you go... now I'm ready to share that Home Theater info with you, so not only can you build your own, but use the tips and tricks for that living room setup.
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