andy_brehm

home theater protection

i currently have a infocus x1 projector and a yahama rx-v1000 reciever. i just moved in with a bunch of new roommates and want to limit their use of my equipment. is there anyway to password protect my system or limit thier use?

thanks

andy

Allan Jayne

Can you purchase or make a lockable cabinet? It is common for DVD players, receiver, VCR's etc. to be placed inside a cabinet. You could have a cabinet big enough to hide the projector in when you are done watching movies.

Are your roommates willing to honor your wishes that they not use the equipment and are they trustworthy?

Video hints:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/video.htm

Jim Rakowiecki

I'm in a similar situation with roomates. I have found the easiest thing to do is not worry about it. Unless you live in an "Animal House" environment it shouldn't be a problem.
Teach your roomates how to operate your equipment correctly and ask them to leave any settings alone. As an example, I don't use my reciever everyday and would rather it be turned off when not being used. I let my roomates know this and they have repsected my wishes.
I have also used multiple paths from the cable box to the TV so if you just want to watch TV you don't need to worry about a bunch of other stuff. I have also invested in a Harmony remote so that when they do want to use the full system it is a relatively painless experieince and I don't need to worry about lots of button pushing that may lead to problems.
I have found that this approach results in the people I live with enjoying and respecting my equipment.
If you don't trust these guys then you need to think about where you're living. If you keep your stuff in a common area and ask them not to use it or lock it up to prevent them from using it you will find them being resentful rather than repsectful.