Wire- Who needs wire? You do

More and more people are jumping on the wireless bandwagon. Video games, web browsing and cordless phones are some of the 'traditional' wireless technologies but now AV is starting to really get into wireless tech. TV's are going wireless eschewing the normal method of hookup for a wireless connection to a media-box of some kind, allowing your TV to go anywhere you can find power and leaving the wires somewhere out of site. A few manufacturers have recently hopped on the wireless HDMI bandwagon as well and more and more companies are sending audio through the air or controlling systems without copper. Not to mention cellular and cordless phones...

This is all fine and good, and I think the innovation is sorely needed, but if someone asks me if they should wire their new home, I say the same thing every time- Absolutely!

Now, you're probably asking yourself, why I seem to be on the road to contradiction and i'll tell you it's all because of what I see in New York City on a day to day basis.

Failing network connections, losing calls, wireless access points that fall off the network never to be seen again. You see, a lot of what's being sold and installed works on similar frequencies and these frequencies are somewhat limited.

Click on the link, i'll wait.... still waiting.... ok I can't wait anymore, it's pretty amazing, isn't it?

I know a bit about wireless and not nearly as much as I could, and I see some pretty crazy things in my day to day, but when I saw that document I was shocked at how much is really out there. Anyway, the point is, all of that is being sent and received constantly and more gets added by the day and from time to time, signals get mixed, or signals disappear.

If you really want to rely on more and more technology (which I think you should as a member of the technology industry) you should always have a backup plan when the newest and coolest doesn't work as planned and that backup is wire. Granted, there are all different kinds for different applications and in that case your best bet when doing a renovation, or buying a new home, or just adding a new, cool piece of technology is to speak to a professional.

I'm not suggesting when you buy a new printer that you call a CEDIA member just to run a network cable around the room; but when you want to make a serious investment in your home and upgrade the technology take the time to at least talk to someone. It might save you a lot of wireless headaches in the future.

Think of it this way- If you are building a home or renovating, you're already doing most of the work. Copper is cheap in it's many forms. If the walls are open, run as much as you can to wherever you could think of that you would want something in the future- TV locations, printer locations, video games, phone jacks, etc....

I want to leave you with one last thought on wireless and how it can go wrong. Just think of the old cordless phone you got rid of because you got static on a call one time and it never went away... I rest my case