Maybe as a kid you had an uncle who tinkered with the latest hi-fi equipment. True audiophiles have come a long way since the days of vinyl. Gary Gustafson knows. His Austin company, Audio Video Designs, has installed home entertainment systems worth a jaw-dropping quarter of a million dollars.

But for the rest of us who aren't ready to drop six figures, Gustafson says today's technology can offer a lot of value. "Actually, we try to keep our systems pretty straightforward," he says, "because the more things you try to control, the harder it is to control them."

While futuristic media rooms and home theaters grab the attention, Gustafson reports that one of his company's most popular systems is distributed multi-room audio/video. "It's as easy as turning on a light switch," he explains. "You walk into any room of your house, touch a button on a wall-mounted keypad and then-from a radio, CD, DVD or satellite-your choice of music or video begins to play. You hear the music you want, anywhere you want."

And if multi-room audio and video is as easy as a light switch, Gustafson's company has also one-upped the traditional light switch. "People don't realize how much light interacts with your furnishings, your décor, your architecture-everything in your home," he points out. Homeowners accustomed to thinking about each light in their house as a separate unit "will be amazed at how an integrated lighting control plan can enhance your entire home environment, because we customize it to the way you work, play and entertain."

Audio Video Designs is on the cutting edge of what Gustafson calls "the century of the connected home." Automation systems can help homeowners manage their ever-expanding electronic environments. "It's like the dashboard of your car," he relates. "We can give you a single, unified portal to control all the things that entertain you, light your way, keep you secure and comfortable and connect you to the world."

And just as you might install the infrastructure now to do a project later, such as rough-in plumbing for an extra bathroom, Gustafson advises homeowners to electronically future-proof their residences. A structured wiring plan "can network together all of your existing computers, phone lines and distributed audio/video," he says, "and can save you money in the long run by allowing you to add devices and technologies in the future."

Then, of course, are those eye-popping custom home theaters and media rooms. Audio Video Designs has no peer and installs only world-class products. These renowned systems are on display at the company's unique Design Center. The facility boasts a full living room, formal room, contemporary home theater, media room and entertainment room-all operational with the latest home audio/video technology. "We translate your dream," Gustafson says, "into reality."

Visit the Audio Video Designs showroom at 2712 Bee Caves Road, Suite 100, or get a preview at www.avdesignsaustin.com. Call Gary Gustafson at 512-306-9995 for a private consultation.

Quote:"It's like the dashboard of your car. We can give you a single, unified portal to control all the things that entertain you, light your way, keep you secure and comfortable and connect you to the world."