Click Here
See more Hot Houses

CNET's Home Installation Directory
Find qualified home design and tech professionals in your area.
Zip code:
Distance radius:

CNET's free newsletters

The weekly digest of
digital living, including new reviews and
features. 
Delivered Tuesdays

Model behavior




Powered byElectronic House

Technology turns a show home into a cozy, family-friendly abode.

By Lisa Montgomery
Photography by Larry Evans
A custom home builder in Illinois, Chris Williams, teamed up with Mike Lockett and Stardot, to design a home with electronic systems that had the sizzle to impress prospective customers. "This home has the best of everything," says Chris. In addition to a pair of freestanding circular staircases, 12-inch wooden moldings, tray ceilings, and stately columns, there are enough electronic systems inside the home to put the nearest Best Buy out of business. Throughout the 6,000-square-foot space there are plasma TVs, interactive music keypads, and touch panels that can operate everything from the lights to the geothermal heating and cooling system. In the process, Chris, his wife Kristi, and their son Zach have grown into full-fledged technology enthusiasts. See this slide show
EQUIPMENT LIST
Home control system:
HAI OmniPro II
HAI RC-122 thermostats (3)
HAI outdoor temperature sensor

Home theater:
Crestron CP2E control system
Crestron T STX-1700C touch panel
DVDO Scan HD video enhancer
Harman Kardon AVR 630 receiver
HD cable receiver
TruAudio HT66A front speakers
TruAudio subwoofer
TruAudio B-631 surround speakers
Hitachi 60-inch rear-projection TV

Downstairs equipment rack:
CorAccess Companion touch panel
CorAccess Sidekick remote
MultiCam cameras and switcher
ChannelPlus modulator
Motorola HD digital cable receiver
Toshiba 15-inch LCD TV
Sony VCR
Sony DVD changer

Whole-house audio:
Russound CAV 6.6 units (2)
AudioRequest Fusion 80 jukebox
TruAudio dual voice-coil in-ceiling speakers (30)

Master bedroom and bath:
CorAccess Companion touch panel
15-inch Toshiba LCD TV
32-inch Hitachi TV

Lighting system:
SmartLinc Scene-capable switches (35)

Structured wiring:
OpenHouse enclosure and terminations
Linksys routers and hub

Contact:
Electronics Design and Installation
Stardot, Incorporated
Lakeville, Minnesota
952/292-1827
www.stardotinc.com


 To see more Hot Houses such as these, subscribe to Electronic House
More resources