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Thursday, April 24, 2014

Cinco De Mayo Red Hot Savings Event

Join us for Cinco De Mayo now through May 5th for our RED HOT SAVINGS EVENT!  Enjoy Savings on major name brands like Octane Seating, Berkline, and More.    

Take 15% off the Octane Edge in Premium Leather, no matter how many seats you purchase.  This stylish design has quickly risen the ranks in popularity and now stands as one of our top customer favorites.  Made with scale to accommodate families of all shapes and sizes, the premium top grain leather used on this home theater lounger is luxurious and soft to the touch.

Enjoy Our Berkline 48 hour sale - where Berkline seats will ship from our warehouse in 48 hours - and which offers up to $200 off your order depending on how much you spend. Berkline seats included in this great offer are the iconic Reno and Tangiers models that have lead this established home theater brand for almost a decade now.  Features like storage and tray tables are included free of charge in the Reno under this event.

Looking for something other than Octane or Berkline?  We got you covered - take an additional 5% off the brand of your choice*(excluding Palliser).  This promotion started today and ends on Cinco de Mayo so hurry fast and call us now to order!

Click for Details >>

Tuesday, April 22, 2014

The Past and Future of Television

It’s a bit of a trend to say you don’t have a television at home. Some people fear their minds will be “poisoned” by today’s programming, and others don’t want a distraction of that kind in their home. Considering 98% of American households have had televisions since the 90’s, the notion of someone NOT wanting a television these days is rare. This 1927 invention revolutionized entertainment and is now readily available in a variety of sizes, prices, and formats--but it wasn't always that way.

All your base are belong to us.
When you hear the term “cathode ray” you probably think of a retro sci-fi movie with men in silver space suits. But the cathode ray was actually a main component of early television sets which were called picture tubes because of the ray’s structure. Images were first created by coding radio waves or scanning images onto a rotating disk. There were no transforming robots or blue aliens on these television sets. The first image ever projected from a television was a line. Yes, just a regular line and then a dollar sign.  As for the size of these “picture tubes”, all you had to do was set aside a small space if you were able to purchase one, because they measured in around 5” x 12”.

1955 Zenith Remote Control
You might have heard of the RCA company--especially if you’re reading this blog. Well, they considered the television such an important invention that they invested $50 million into its development. When World War 2 came around, however, the buzz quickly died down, and production pretty much halted when larger companies turned to producing materials for the war effort. Once the war was over and the “baby boom” generation was born, the evolution of the television went full speed ahead.

Cable? 1940’s. Color television? Patented in 1904, authorized to broadcast in 1953. Remote controls? 1956. People seem to have this idea that the 50’s were some sort of dinosaur age when it came to technology (no Instagram!?) but the opposite was true. Remember that line that was projected? Americans now had the ability to chose from a handful of television shows like “Howdy Doody”. They got their news information from two 15 minute daily broadcasts, which was a huge deal considering Americans only received news from the radio before those brief reports.

Ancient VCR Tapes
The 80’s saw a boom in television accessories like the VCR and, of course, Nintendo, but the 90’s ushered in the future of television sets. Parental controls, the sleep timer, and the picture-in-picture feature all appeared in the 90’s. While plasma TV’s were still in their experimental phases, the technological aspects of television weren’t the only ones changing. We were being exposed to sitcoms like Roseanne, and a little something called reality television. Programming was changing just as fast as the tech.

The 2000’s brought on the death of analog television. HD and BluRay became household terms and TiVO appeared to make sure you never missed out on your favorite shows. After 2009, all televisions turned to a digital format. Televisions also changed physically--they became thinner, lighter, and bigger at the same time.

3D TV In Your Home
What can we expect in the years to come? We already have 3-D television and Google Glass. Sony is playing pioneer this time. They are already working on a “4HD” television that has a resolution of nearly 4,000 pixels horizontally. That’s like bringing theater-quality viewing into your home. Also, this “4HD” television measures a huge 84” and costs a hefty $25,000. Other things you can do with 25K? Travel to Europe and Asia, buy a car, put a down payment on a home, and attend a few semesters at a university--it all comes down to priorities.


So, if you want to experience the future of television and you already have a 3D TV at home, start saving your pennies and set aside some space.

Friday, April 11, 2014

Keeping Gadgets Clean

We love our tablets, smartphones, and HDTVs. Like it or not, technology is here to stay, so we might as well learn how to take care of our gadgets and keep them in excellent condition--after all, you might want to sell your current model on eBay the moment your favorite company releases a new model. But before you reach for your “All-in-One” cleansing solution, you might want to check out our tips below. As a matter of fact, your home use cleaning products should be kept as far away from your gadgets as possible.

Clean Your Ceiling Fans & Vacuum Your Rugs

I promise this is relevant to technology. Rugs and carpets are dust houses. Think of all of the traffic they experience throughout the day--the dirt they take in from your shoes or your pets. Now stand in your living room and look up. Hey! When’s the last time you cleaned that ceiling fan? If you look closely at the blades, you might notice a collection of dust bunnies along the edges. This combination of dust from above (and below) will show up quickly on glassy surfaces--you know, like the surface of your television. So, make sure you don’t ignore these areas. They need to be cleaned more often than you think.

Wednesday, April 2, 2014

Movies Every Home Theater Should Have

No home theater is complete without an impressive movie collection. While technology continues to to advance and the visual quality of our favorite flicks changes, we purchase those same movies with every update to keep our library fresh. There are certain movies that people consider "must haves"--usually heart-wrenching masterpieces like Schindler’s List or cinematic legends like Citizen Kane. But a movie’s notoriety doesn't always mean it will earn a spot on your shelf. Sometimes, when it comes to a home theater collection, it's all about the bang! The special effects, the thrilling soundtracks; some movies must be seen over and over again--no matter what critics might say. So, which movies do we recommend? Here are some of our staff favorites in no particular order.

Copyright Universal Studios, 1993
Jurassic Park (1993)
We now know (sadly) that there's no way to extract dino DNA from a piece of amber, but that doesn't mean we don't want to go back to Jurassic Park every once in awhile. While the movie franchise expanded into a trilogy (and soon, a quadrilogy) there's nothing like the original movie. With impressive special effects and a soundtrack by score master John Williams (Star Wars, Indiana Jones), this movie is one to watch with full surround sound. If you can't see your glass of water  tremble when the T. Rex roars, you're not doing it right.

Watch the official Jurassic Park Trailer




Copyright DreamWorks, 1998
Saving Private Ryan  (1998) 

Considered one of the greatest war movies of all time, Saving Private Ryan needs the audio quality of a stereo system to bring the battle to you. While it is gory, it is also an honest picture regarding the horrors of war. While rooting on Tom Hanks and his soldiers as they hunt down Nazis and look for Private Ryan, you'll also want to make sure your seat is soft and comfortable. The movie is long at 169 minutes, but the flick is well worth it.

Watch the official Private Ryan Trailer





Copyright Alfred Hitchcock, 1960
Psycho (1960)
A&E’s Bates Motel series is creating a new audience of Norman Bates fans, but the black and white horror classic is what really belongs in your collection . Alfred Hitchcock created a slew of noteworthy movies, but Psycho, based on the life of serial killer Ed Gein, is the Hitchcock film people most often recall. While the shower scene is usually the main topic of conversation when it comes to this film, many don't remember exactly how twisted Norman Bates was. Let’s just say, he was the original mama’s boy.

Watch the official Psycho Trailer




Copyright Tri-Star Pictures, 1991
Terminator 2 (1991)
You know the catchphrase and remember the music, but Terminator 2 was also known for it’s groundbreaking special effects. The robotics and the liquid metal transformation of the movie’s villain (the T-1000) created an all-to-real world where machines have taken over. Considering the advancements Google is making with their technology, the future portrayed in the Terminator movies might not be as far away as you think.

Watch the official Terminator 2 Trailer




Copyright Disney, 2010
TRON: Legacy (2010)
Say what you will about the original TRON, but this Disney movie was the birth of computer animated movies. The sequel to TRON, which came over 20 years later, was a visual and musical spectacle worthy of any sound system and a 3-D television. With a soundtrack by the techno duo Daft Punk and incredible graphics in the blue-toned world of The Grid, TRON: Legacy is a fun movie viewers of any age can enjoy.

Watch the official Tron Legacy Trailer

With the summer movie season approaching, we’re sure we will be adding quite a few movies to the list, but for now it’s a good starting point.