Smart Home Lifestyle

February 19, 2006

Trendy electronics for apartment living

The sign may read, “No Painting and No Pets,” but it says nothing about subwoofers and surround sound. Apartment living goes hand in hand with “frugal” and “temporary,” but with some creativity, after-hours entertainment goes from dull to dramatic for a pad that seems much more like home.

Flat screens for your flat

Feel like you’re living in a box? Expand your vision with a widescreen TV. Since wall mounted TV’s aren’t options in apartments, look to less expensive alternatives that utilize stands or armoires. Got a small room? Great- no need for a plasma TV. Save some cash and opt for LCD or DLP technologies.

JVC offers a 32” LCD TV for around $1600- a nice option for those who have to lug your set up a few flights of stairs on moving day. Not big enough? How about Toshibas 46” real projector DLP starting around $2200. Just don’t get caught up in the “bigger is better” scenario. Smaller monitors provide more comfortable viewing in smaller spaces.

What about surround sound?

Surround sound needs either six or eight wires for a 5.1 or 7.1 surround. 5.1 surround has three speakers in front (right, left and center), a right and left speaker on each side, and a subwoofer. 7.1 has an extra right and left speaker in back.

Since most apartments aren’t wired for surround, and frown on stapled wire around baseboards, it’s time to get clever. Definitive Technology’s Solo speaker, at $699, puts the front right, left and center speaker together in one 40” long speaker. Two Solos, one in front and one in back, are a good substitution for the standard 7 surround speakers.

You’ll still need separate wires for the six different channels, but they’re easily run as one bundle to the front and one to the rear. Next, add a subwoofer, which can be set anywhere in the room, and you’ve got a system with far less wiring and far more mobility.

Can I have whole-house music?

In-ceiling speakers are all the rage these days, but in apartments- forget about it. So how do you get music in your bedroom, bathroom or kitchen? IPod docking stations are good solutions to take your favorite tunes “on the go” to apartment, office or car.

Klipsch’s iGrove is a stylish way to listen to a variety of MP3 players and other audio devices like satellite radio receivers. The iGrove’s silver finish fits nicely with most décor while offering high-performance sound and convenience at around $279.

“By adding the iGrove to its iPod-solution offerings, Klipsch is providing yet another way for listeners to significantly enhance their digital music experience,” said Tony Ostrom, director of product marketing. “The iGroove is designed to deliver superior dynamic range, detail and clarity, allowing users to hear the subtleties in their favorite music that were once hidden beneath the surface.”

Another option is the Sonos, which streams music wirelessly throughout your apartment.

"By using a built in wireless network called Sonosnet there is no need to rewire your whole house as you would to install a conventional multi room music system. The Sonos Digital Music System can be installed in every room of your existing home," said Kostas Reissis, Sonos Distribution Manager. "Homeowners can play the same digital music in every room perfectly synced or have the option of playing as many as 32 different songs in 32 different rooms."

Sonos uses a ZonePlayer, a small white and grey box that uses an amplifier to distribute music to your existing speakers. One ZonePlayer allows for one zone of music, or a single music selection, and can be hooked up to as many as four speakers. For multi-zone music, add more ZonePlayers around your apartment.

Although Sonos communicates wirelessly to each ZonePlayer, there still is some local wiring required. First you need to hook it to speakers, and then you need a music source like a receiver, computer network or MP3 player. The Sonos introductory bundle of 2 zones and 1 controller runs $1199.

How about my computer?

Many apartment complexes, such as Cranbrook at Biltmore Park, offer WI-FI Internet connections in their clubhouses and pool decks, but not throughout the community. So, unless you plan on surfing the net at your desktop computer, a wireless network is key, and achievable for under $200 not including high-speed service.

“With a wireless network, you’re not connected to a cable and tied to one place,” said Jerry Seltzer, owner of Jerry Seltzer & Associates. “It’s moveable and expandable. Once you have the basic system in place, you can easily add two or more PC’s. And when you move, simply unplug it and take it with you.”

Seltzer recommends hiring a local networking specialist for equipment and installation to avoid considerable premiums often charged by DSL providers.

Author: Diana Kostigen, Marketing/Public Relations Director, Comtec