We’ve come a long way in a short time… some of us and most of our parents can remember when the first TV came into their home. And some grandparents can recall the days before they had a radio. “Home entertainment” was a fireplace and a book.

However the rush of technology has, as is so often the case, passed up the average user, and made a world of home systems where anything is possible but far less is actually done. It’s too hard to figure out what you want, and harder still to set it up. Twenty-five years after its consumer introduction, programming a VCR is still considered a feat of scientific prowess.

A review of how we got here is more than just an exercise in reverie. It explains a lot about why home entertainment use and technology uptake has failed to meet expectations – and it offers a new viewpoint that makes for new and exciting possibilities.

Chapter 1 – From Communications to Music
Chapter 2 – TV goes Mobile
Chapter 3 – One Remote, Two Remote, Three Remote, Four…
Chapter 4 – Automation Platforms – The Rise of the Machines
Chapter 5 – The Next Generation – User and Content Centric Control
Chapter 6 – Multi-zone and Theater Convergence