Well-Equipped

Designed for new homes costing up to $500,000, the self-contained Sony systems are powered by low voltage and connected via router over Category 5 Ethernet cable. Connection to the whole-house PC network enables each sound station to pluck MP3 tunes from PC hard drives in the home and play them through any sound-enabled room. Each system also has line-in connections for local sources such as portable music players, cable boxes, or satellite receivers.

Both audio and video packages start with a home theater system built around Sony components including TVs and VCRs. Homeowners can choose from five- or 400-disc CD and DVD changers.

Attempting to bring new energy to the mature water heater market, Rinnai floated a new product concept at IBS—flat-panel TVs—to complement its tankless water heaters. In an effort to bring “35-year-old technology” up to date, Rinnai has added a waterproof 12-inch LCD TV to its product line for use in upscale bathrooms. Built into waterproof housings designed to be mounted beneath a showerhead or in another location away from direct spray, the Rinnai TV can be connected to cable, satellite, or antenna feeds to bring TV programming to the shower or bath.

The company claims its wall-mounted, continuous-flow heaters shave $6 to $10 off the cost of monthly utility bills compared with standard tank water heaters because the water is heated as needed rather than heated and maintained. Digital technology enables homeowners to further tailor water temperature and usage to their needs, and the TVs include operational buttons that communicate with the water heater.

Designed for upscale bathrooms, Rinnai’s waterproof 12-inch LCD television debuted at the Builders’ Show. Using the buttons on the TV and feedback from the screen, homeowners can set fill and temperature levels for the bath, including automatic shutoff when the proper level is reached. Auto-Fill enables users to preset the time they want to take a bath, choose the volume of water for the tub, and select the precise temperature. Auto Preset enables users to pre-set the time, temperature, and water consumption of a shower. For instance, they could set the shower to come on at 6 a.m. at 98 degrees for 15 minutes using 40 gallons of water. The TVs will be available late summer. Price has not been set.

The company that brought the world the Internet refrigerator has now unveiled the networked washer/dryer.

LG Electronics launched at IBS 2005 the Remote Monitoring Laundry System ($1,349 for the washer, $949 for the dryer, $99 for the remote monitoring kit). The concept behind the combo is to enable consumers to monitor their laundry cycle from elsewhere in the home using a remote device. Positioned for use in existing homes as well as new homes, the Remote Monitoring system communicates using Power Line Communication (PLC) technology over standard electrical wiring. A separate monitoring kit includes a remote monitoring device—roughly the size of a wallet—which can be plugged into any electrical outlet.

From the interface on the remote device, homeowners see the status of the washer and dryer operation including cycle status and remaining time. A buzzer announces the end of each cycle. The Remote Laundry System will be available in the second quarter.

Rebecca Day specializes in writing about home electronics. She can be reached at customhomerd@aol.com.