TECHNOLOGY
Put the cables down and tune in I recently helped a client, one of many over the years who has been struggling with an ageing home entertainment system, writes NATHAN WELLINGTON.
W
hen this client built his house 12 years ago he had all the audio and data cables laid throughout the house. He had installed a Yamaha amplifier which connected his plasma TV, DVD player, VCR and record player. He used this for many years with much joy and contentment. He was a little averse to change but his wife kept buying him new technology like a smart phone, a Blu-ray player and replacing the plasma with a Smart TV. One day the power supply unit in his amplifier finally died. We spent some time talking about his needs, and soon it was obvious that he no longer played VCRs, his grandkids used the Blu-ray player more than he did and his record player no longer worked. He liked listening to classical music, and began using his smart phone. We discussed home entertainment options
that would better suit his needs and I introduced him to the wireless home network. These days the central part of many tech savvy houses is the modem router. It is the data hub for your computer, tablets, printers, laptops, TVs and even stereo systems.
“We finally disassembled the amplifier, removed 30+ cables and installed a nice wireless soundbar”
It works by distributing data either wirelessly or through cables linking all of your devices or from the internet to your home. We set up a free Spotify account for him on his smart phone to access more than 35 million tracks and we played Mozart’s Requiem along with a host of other tracks. The concept of not owning the music was a bit foreign, but the fact that he could look up just about any track he desired and stream it instantaneously outweighed the need to own the vinyl or CD. I introduced him to the sound bar and wireless speakers, all of which can be paired to his phone so he can wirelessly choose on which speakers he would like to listen to his music. At the end of our appointment, he understood that these new technologies don’t have to be complex to be beneficial and although initially foreign, they can
actually be simply set up and easy to use. So, after four years of maintaining his old entertainment system, we finally disassembled the amplifier, removed 30+ cables and installed a nice wireless sound bar that he could use with his TV and phone, and two sets of wireless speakers for him to listen to his music while his wife watches her favourite shows. For many, the benefits of the sound quality from vinyl record through a high-end sound system has its place in their household but for the average punter, with the not-so-refined an ear being able to sit on the couch and control Bose speakers from a smart phone while the wife streams TV shows on the Smart TV and the kids are streaming movies on their iPads in their respective bedrooms, does have a ring of harmony to it. Call Nathan 1300 682 817 or email nathan@hometechassist.com.au
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18 YOUR TIME MAGAZINE / August 2018
18.indd 2
Brisbane
7/26/2018 10:33:54 AM