When did the 'National and Local Home Theater Forum Meets' forum change its name.....

... to 'Austin Home Theater Forum Meets'?

All kidding aside, I have noticed that there are fewer and fewer local meets being discussed on HTF.

This is a great tool for HTers to meet and exchange ideas and get valuable input on improving their systems, but it seems that not many people even realize this is an available option on HTF's forums.

From HTF's standpoint, having active local interests would also help expand HTF's influence as I know in our local Austin HT group, many were not even familiar with HTF as a website and as a valuable resource for HT related topics.

Perhaps you might want to consider some for of campaign to encourage your members to organize local meets?


Just sharing an observation I had, but it might be worth considering.

I would have assumed as such myself, but I am always surprised when I hear someone on HTF had no idea that it existed. Like in the following thread:

need advice on dlp


I can think of two suggestions that might help. First, you might want to consider making a "search for members near you" option more visible to draw attention to that useful function. In addition, perhaps encourage members (at least new members) to be more specific regarding a location (not a street address, but at least a city and state).

My second suggestion might not be easy, but I think it could not only draw a lot of attention towards that area of the forum, but frankly to the HTF itself from HT enthusiasts who have not yet registered with HTF.

The idea I have is that because there will not be a National HTF meet this year, perhaps help organize several large local meets instead. When I say ‘organize’, I do not mean to suggest that you plan every detail, in fact just promoting a few large local meets might be enough to find a leader in each area who along with fellow active local HTF members could organize the meet. As an added incentive, perhaps HTF could get some of their sponsors or studios to offer demos or door prizes for the various meets?

The sponsors and studios would benefit from the exposure to a specific target audience, and HTF would benefit by undoubtedly gaining more members from those who attend through local word of mouth. I know from our Austin meets most of those that have attended were never registered on HTF until after attending one of our meets.

These are just a couple of thoughts I had on the subject, and if either or both of these appeal to you and you could use some help implementing them, feel free to give me a call - and yes, my assistance would be pro bono of course. I'll be rewarded just to see the HTF community grow and to see more local activity which I have always felt is a critical resource for HT enthusiasts.

In the last 100 days, only one new thread has appeared in the National and Local Home Theater Forum Meets Area. If there are future plans to end this area of the forum, please let me know so those of us that still use it can archive some of our threads.

Thanks!