Get Wired at Home

FEELING MORE 1998 THAN 2008?

Check out these top technology trends for homes, according to the Custom Electronic Design & Installation Association:

· A home theater or media room. A home theater is a room dedicated solely to the viewing of movies and programs, designed with top sound quality in mind. A media room is incorporated in a home's living space and is a multipurpose room where a homeowner can watch television, read a book or play a game. Home theaters can run anywhere from $15,000 to $150,000 or more, depending on the components.
· Home health-care products and installation. As the population ages, there's more demand for health-care products that take advantage of the latest technology. Patient-monitoring systems can allow a caregiver to check up on an elderly loved one from afar. Biometric monitoring devices can keep constant watch on a patient's vital signs.
· Media Center Edition (MCE) computers. This audio/visual computer can help manage a home's various media sources, providing such features as surround-sound processing, as well as access to Internet radio and the one-touch recording of TV shows.
· Microdisplay-based televisions. High-definition televisions are hot, including LCD (liquid crystal displays), DLP (digital light processing), LCoS (liquid crystal on silicon) or LCD-based rear-projection­ TVs. Depending on size and type, prices for these products run the gamut.
· Lighting and automation. Homes can be set up with the ability to control lighting and other features throughout the house from any room - and any part of the world. Systems can also create lighting schemes and automation that can turn down the lights and close the curtains when a DVD is started.