Tech Toys - New Ways to Trick Out Your Home

What is it about technology that makes us nervous yet giddy? We want it but just can’t seem to catch up. How do you stay on top of it? If you have an endless budget, it’s one thing, but most of us are on a limited budget. One minute you are on top of it, but it doesn't help knowing that there’s new stuff 2 years ahead, which is really just around the corner. Janna Robinson started helping celebs with In-House Studios and Entertainment spaces and knows all about how to stay updated on the latest trends in technology. 

Janna Robinson has helped stars such as Paris Hilton, Oliver Stone, and Fergie to create amazing rooms out of the best electronics. She knows all about technology and teaches us how to design everything from home theatres to she-man caves as the host of Hollywood High on the DIY network. She’s taken on the plight to empower and educate people as technology continues to advance so we can advance right along with it. Janna admits that the whole techie world was a foreign language to her at first but was able to become familiar with it and is now a voice for those who may be a little confused.

Janna helped Kevin Conley from the show Entourage with his entertainment center by transforming a sitting room/bar area into a home theatre. Since Kevin is dedicated to films as well as sports, he wanted a room where he could get the best possible experience. A Runco projector paired with a nine foot steward screen and customized motorized reclining seats made his home theatre complete- and while this seems over the top, the affect is attainable on a small budget. We all have dens, garages, and sheds so it is really attainable at any price point. A few hundred dollars can get a consumer or custom 5.1 surround sound system. In terms of seating, a pillowed, warm sofa can be as cozy as you want it to be. Remotes today can be replaced by using your iphone or ipad to program your TV projector. Otherwise there are remotes you can purchase and program it yourself. Janna mentioned a remote called Harmony that allows you to switch back and forth from watching TV or videos to listening to music and more.

Tv’s are getting smarter and streaming is the wave of the future. IPTV’s (internet protocol televisions) make it easy to use applications like Netflicks and Pandora and other amazing widgets that are online. Panasonic, Sony, and Toshiba all make them so they’re easy to buy and even to hang since TVs are getting wafer thin now. You can also have a rotating monitor by using motorized mounts. Omni mounts have three different motorized mounts that can handle anything from a 23” to a 55” flat panel TV. A medium size budget, say $500- $1,000, you can get a smart TV, a mounting system, and a 5.1 surround sound system. With a larger budget of $5,000, you can even purchase a screen and a projector. They are companies that make systems that are pretty much plug and play so it’s very easy to use. If you really want to save some cash, check this out- skip the screen and buy acrylic paint, Screen Goo, to apply in any size or shape on the wall for movie watching. The acrylic goo is really inexpensive too; only about a hundred bucks.