Eliab from Avical is coming to do my Pioneer Pro 940 HD tomorrow and I just wanted to get some tips on what I should be asking him or preparations I should make before he arrives.

First – my house is pretty open with a fair number of windows. We have plantation shutters on them that do block out the vast majority of light when closed but not every single bit. Here’s a picture of the living room to get an idea of the ambient light situation.

http://btz.smugmug.com/photos/179165091-M.jpg

What – if anything – should I do to do to help with the light? The rest of the pictures are here if anyone cares to look at them and make any other suggestions.

http://btz.smugmug.com/gallery/3095211#179148215

Since these pictures were taken I’ve added a Monoprice HDMI switcher and have my new Toshiba A35 HD-DVD player and Xbox 360 Elite running into it and out to the 2nd HDMI port on my Pioneer TV (input 6). I have my Pace Tahoe 778x hd cable box/dvr running to the 1st HDMI port on my Pioneer TV (input 5). I previously had my Pace box running via component cables (to input 3) before I got the Monoprice hdmi switch.

What are folks thoughts on component vs. hdmi for my TV? I still have the component cables so if that’s a better choice I can always switch it back.

I’ve also added a CinemaQuest Ideal Lume bias light to the back of my TV.

We have also eliminated the coffee table in the picture and put in an area rug in front of the TV (as well as one in the area the dog is laying in in the above picture) so there should now be plenty of room to set up.

Is there anything else I should do to prepare – or are there any questions I should be asking beforehand that I’m not thinking about?

You dont even need to ask that guy anything..he is truly one of the best..You just sit back and let the man paint your picture

If you have room between the plantation shutters and the window itself (at the top of the window jamb), you might be able to add light block roller-type shades at the top. You can get them custom cut to the right width at Loewes/Home Depot, and they're cheap. They come in white or colors. The shades will absolutely block any light from passing through them. Light only comes in around the edges and your plantation shutters' perimeter frames will help with that.

Please say, hi, to Eliab for me. He understands viewing environment issues very well and will provide a comprehensive service with intelligent recommendations for how to get the best picture in your total system.

Best regards and beautiful pictures,
G. Alan Brown, President
CinemaQuest, Inc.

"Advancing the art and science of electronic imaging"