Since we first opened our doors in 1980, it’s been our honor to keep the Bend community connected, entertained, and comfortable through advances in-home technology. And while there’s plenty to celebrate after 40 years in this industry, there are a few notable milestones we’d like to share. From product innovations and media shifts to the new role of WiFi networking and connectivity, we’ve seen it all.
The evolution of listening
We set up shop in the 1980s when vinyl and tapes were all the rage. Whether you were listening to Michael Jackson’s new hit single, “Thriller,” on cassette or AC/DC’s Back in Black album, it was all analog, all the time. In the mid-80s, we saw the shift to digital when CDs started to become popular.
We can’t say all of the changes were positive (we’re looking at mid-90s MP3s and the horrible compression of music), but the digitization of music did make music more portable and convenient. Now, we’re getting to the point where people can have the best of both worlds. Today’s listeners stream an endless library of high-quality music, all from the convenience of a phone or tablet.
That’s a TV?
TVs have been in a constant state of flux since 1936, when a Cossur Television brochure proclaimed, “Radio— its thrills, its interests, increased one hundredfold by Television… Radio is blind no longer.” Over the decades, buttons replaced dials, sets and screens got slimmer, and sleek black replaced the colorful frames of days past. But most exciting is the evolution of the image itself.
When we first started, tube TVs—typically no larger than 32 inches—boasted 480i, or roughly 338,000 pixels. Today’s 4K televisions are closer to 8.3 million pixels, and we hardly ever install a screen smaller than 32 inches. In fact, most of our screens are 65 inches or larger. Plus, today’s TVs are much more energy-efficient, so you don’t have to worry about hours spent streaming your favorite shows and movies. And we’ve got 8K technology right around the corner. With approximately 33 million pixels, it’ll be the sharpest image to-date.
The one thing that hasn’t changed? Our commitment to the community
True, it’s exciting to watch the evolution of products and capabilities—and we always vet new tech to ensure it lives up to the hype. But the most important thing for us has always been relationship-building. Whether we’re at a tradeshow, working with your home builder, or on-site for your free consultation, we keep your needs and preferences front-of-mind. We’ve had so many great clients throughout the years. And we consider ourselves lucky. How many contractors get to provide a product and service that their clients can genuinely get excited about?
Here’s to four more decades (or more) of home technology expertise
Yes, the products are cool. And the homes we work in are amazing! But the best part of all of these years? The relationships we’ve built and the joy that we’ve brought to so many across Central Oregon. Thank you for your support over the last 40 years. We can’t wait to see what the next four decades have in store!
