Picture this

Residential Architect, April, 2004 by Nigel F. Maynard

hold onto your remote: Entertainment behemoth Sony Electronics is entering the field of custom audio/video installations. Aiming squarely at the mid-market, Sony hopes to make fully integrated home entertainment systems more affordable for the homeowner and easier to install for the specialists.

The New Home Entertainment Solutions program combines customized Sony components--pre-built racks and wiring, programmed remote controls, and keypads--in integrated packages designed to cover three, five, or seven rooms. Priced between $10,000 and $25,000, each package includes a receiver, combination CD/DVD player, VCR, surround sound speakers, and a choice of WEGA high-definition televisions.

"With these solutions, architects can work with an authorized installer to bring the systems into the homes of a broader range of customers," says Neal Manowitz, senior manager of the company's network solutions marketing group. And because all the systems are designed to work together; he adds, "You get all the benefits of a truly custom-installed job."