Waterproof  Remote

One such product is the RTI U2 universal waterproof remote (Picture on Left).  If you have an outdoor sound system, you can use this remote in conjunction with one of their wireless RF base stations to control your whole sound system. You can literally use this remote in your pool.  I remember the first time I installed one of these remotes I was so excited that it floated that after programming it I put it in the pool to see if it was true.  I came back to test my experiment and saw the remote floating in the center of the pool, far from arms reach.  After locating the net and fishing my remote out…It worked great and controlled the outdoor sound like a champ.

Outdoor Speakers

There are two main types of outdoor speakers, hanging or rock.  Hanging speakers are mostly used on the side of your house or under eaves of your porch.  These speakers are surprisingly robust and have great sound.  Rock speakers are mostly used around pools and landscaped outdoor living areas.  They look cool and sound good too.  People are attracted to these speakers because they blend into their landscape and disappear.  Both of these speaker types are usually installed with an all weather volume control that will let you control the volume of your sound without going inside to your equipment location.

Outdoor Video

Putting a flat panel TV outdoors can get a bit tricky.  The biggest hurdle is trying to prolong the life of a sensitive piece of equipment in the harsh environment of the Texas outdoors.  Often we will install a TV in  a loggia, patio or pool house that provides some shelter for the weather.  Even if the TV is protected from direct rain fall, it is still in an uncontrolled environment and that can significantly shorten its life.  Here are a couple of options to protect and increase the life of your TV.  The first is to get an all weather TV that is designed to be used outdoors.  Pantel and Sunbright have LCD TVs that are great for any outdoor situation, covered or exposed.  Their specially designed TVs are temperature controlled and ventilated.  They are also protected from dust, insects and spider webs, which are very damaging to electronics.

If your are looking for a less expensive option then try pairing an inexpensive flat panel TV with a protective cover.  The covers are designed to provide some protection from dust, insects and moisture when the TV is not in use.  Sound Ideas offer these covers in a variety of colors and sizes to fit any TV.

Hopefully this post helps stir your mind about the options that are available for outdoor entertainment.  There are a ton of things out there to choose from, and I just wanted to get you thinking and give you some basic things that we have done in the recent past.  No matter what you choose to do, the important thing is to get out there with friends and family and enjoy the outdoors!

In their eagerness to sell you something, advertisers tend towards three approaches.  1.  They over simplify the product to highlight a single feature.  2.  They exaggerate or make overboard claims about what the product can do for you.  3.  They include too much information about the product.  Most of it being technical jargon that means nothing to the average consumer.

In the case of the Phillips TV commercial, they chose number 1.  “The TV is flat like a picture.  It can hang on the wall like a picture.  So let’s show some cool young hipsters hanging it on a wall like a picture, and then enjoy watching a flat TV hanging on a wall like a picture! Cool!  Totally Awesome!” 

I see the commercial and think there is no power on the wall for the TV.  There is no cabling for the TV.  There are no video sources in the room for the TV.  Where is the mounting bracket for the TV?  That window is going to cause some wicked glare off that TV.

The coolness of the TV being flat is lost on me because the commercial does not depict the TV in a realistic way.  Am I expected to believe that I can take the TV, hang on the wall and start watching TV?  Really?  C’mon!  Advertise the TV in a real world application and then I might say “Awesome!”

Now that your music is up and running, it’s time for a good cup of joe. Well, we would like to encourage you to consider a company called Grounds4Good to supply your coffee needs.

“Grounds 4 Good has a heart for people that beats to the core of every coffee bean. We believe we can make a difference in this generation. We believe our grassroots movement not only provides revenue for sustaining worthy causes doing good, but one that changes the way you think, the way you live, the way you buy.” -grounds4good.com 

Grounds4Good is a great company that is seeking to make a real difference in the world by harnessing the power of an informed and caring consumer. Not to mention they have great coffee!
Official Grounds4Good Website