Unless we're badly mistaken, there's a general feeling of love 'round these parts for OTA programming. After all, it's free, it's remarkably good looking and it's gratis. Thus, we figured Rodney's question on the matter was worthy of being aired out for all to see.

"I'm just on the outskirts of a pretty big city and I'm hoping to get enough stations with just an antenna to avoid paying for cable or satellite TV. I'm looking for an attic or roof-mounted OTA antenna that will pick up stations a good ways out, but obviously the smaller the better (but not at the expense of signal reach). Any suggestions? I don't want to order a huge antenna only to realize the reception is subpar."

So, OTA lovers: what long-range antenna do you rely on to pull in your HD locals (and maybe those of the next closest town)? Where did you get it from? Was installation a real chore? Speak up! (Oh, and look for a short-range version of this question to pop up next week.)

Got a burning question that you'd love to toss out for Engadget HD (or its readers) to take a look at? Tired of Google's blank stares when you ask for real-world experiences? Hit us up at ask at engadgethd dawt com and keep an eye on this space -- your inquiry could be next.

Handhelds (and handsets, in particular) have long since been used as tools for home automation, but the forthcoming App Store is likely to bring a niche concept to the masses... or some of them, at least. Beginning on July 11th (that's the iPhone 3G launch day, you know), a Crestron interface titled iLoveControl will be available for download; during the first 30 days of launch, said app will "offer a one-room Crestron solution free of charge, configured for the control of lights, drapes, HVAC, audio and video." If you're looking to control more than that, it'll cost you $250 per configuration. This is just one example of what's likely to fill the App Store, and quite frankly, we're pretty excited about the possibilities.

As far as mods go, it just doesn't much easier than this. Popcorn Hour's heralded A-100 HD media streamer contains a gap just big enough for a PATA HDD, and if you've been too timid to flex your DIY muscle and throw one in there, we've got the video to guide you through. Anxious to store files locally and turn your unit into a mighty useful BitTorrent client? Check out a demonstration of the painless procedure just beyond the break -- and grab your screwdriver while you're at it.

[Via eHomeUpgrade]

Hot on the heels of the $150,000 Italian home theater comes one from another galaxy... literally. Designer Phil Chaney teamed up with science fiction addict Andrew Caldwell to create a Stargate-themed lair that could probably lift off at any moment. The room is decked out with stars, ambient lighting, Atlantic Technology in-wall speakers, a Control 4 system and an elusive Blu-ray player to boot. Nah, it won't be easy to recreate this one without some serious cash (and space), but those still waiting to receive SciFi HD can torture themselves further by checking out the slideshow in the read link.

Make no mistake, we've seen some fairly fascinating home theaters, but the Italian Village Theater exemplifies overkill. Dreamed up by Tony and Penny Caciolo, this amazing creation took some $150,000 and six months to construct, and it engulfs an 18- x 30-foot room. Within, you'll find yourself immersed in old world Italy, and just in case you start to long for a bit of America, there's a separate New Orleans-themed room with a 170-inch screen a full bar. We can't even begin to list off the incredible equipment list, but be sure and take a look at the full rundown (pictures included) right there in the read link.

[Thanks, Chuck]

Well, it had to happen eventually: someone cracked open their Apple TV and transplanted the 2.5-inch drive with a 32GB SSD by Transcend. That's pretty much it -- just a bit of hacking, partitioning, re-imaging, and off you go. Do you really even have to ask if putting an SSD in something was worth it?

For most, acquiring some sort of HD display, multi-channel surround sound system and an HD source constitutes a full-blown home theater. For the hardcore, however, having those basic components just isn't enough -- after all, that's not really doing the term "home theater" justice, now is it? Electronic House took the initiative to hunt down the 30 (give or take) greatest HT accessories one could possibly buy, and there's some real gems packed within. We're talking signs, posters, oversized popcorn machines, elaborate seating arrangements, life-sized statues and even bona fide ticket booths. Check out the slideshow below for EH's picks, and then drop your own recommendations in comments below. C'mon, newbie home theater builders are in desperate need of ideas here!

Read - Slideshow: Ultimate Home Theater Accessories
Read - Article: Ultimate Home Theater Accessories

Just uttering the word "calibration" around an HDTV newbie will either elicit a blank stare or a lowered head. Nah, that hasn't been scientifically proven or anything, but we'd surmise that most folks avoid advanced tweaking for fear of screwing something up or just wasting too much time and effort. Thankfully, CNET has started up an HDTV picture settings database, which will show viewers the optimal setup they found on each set taken in for review. Granted, this means that not every single set will be there, and there's still aways to go before it's really fleshed out, but it's not a bad resource for $0.00.

[Image courtesy of Audio-Ideas]

Though not nearly as extravagant as the $6 million Kipnis Studio Standard, Ivan Messer's AV lair is quite impressive -- particularly for fans of McIntosh. This installation tallied up to a cool million when all was said and done, and a staggering 100 McIntosh components were used in the build. Aside from that, you'll also find a heavy reliance on wooden cabinetry and a real touch of class overall, but we won't spoil it for you. Head on down to the read link to take a look at what seven figures can net you.

No sooner do we ask about just how many readers actually give a hoot about multi-channel audio, in comes this. Considering the plethora of folks in the exact same situation, we knew right away it'd made a beautiful Ask Engadget HD question. Without further adieu:

"I recently splurged on a hot new plasma, but now I am looking for a surround sound system to complete the joy. My issue is that I currently live in a rental property, and don't have the luxury of poking holes in walls to set up my system. I know there are a few options out there for people in my position (sound bars, wireless rear speakers, PowerLine?) but I have no idea which gives the best surround sound result. I was looking to spend no more than $2,000."

We'll be honest -- almost anything is possible at $2,000, unless that includes the price of a few (very) nice drivers. We've seen solutions from Rocketfish and a slew of other companies that essentially enable users to add two rear surrounds sans wires when running cabling towards the back proves problematic, but often these are underpowered and flaky at best in actual use. Let us know what you've found to be superior in comments below.

Got a burning question that you'd love to toss out for Engadget HD (or its readers) to take a look at? Tired of Google's blank stares when you ask for real-world experiences? Hit us up at ask at engadgethd dawt com and keep an eye on this space -- your inquiry could be next.

We really love when our favorite gadgets come together and today Embedded Automation posted a new plug-in (beta) that allows mControl to have two-way control of Vista Media Center and its Extenders. mControl is Windows software that will link together all your connected devices like say your lights, security system, thermostats, IP WiFi cameras, all your HT gear -- via IR or RS-232 -- and now Vista Media Center. If your imagination hasn't already starting running wild think about this; someone rings your doorbell, Battlestar Galactica pauses and a message box pops up on your HDTV, so you click the remote and now your viewing your front door camera. Until recently you had to be Bill Gates to have this kind'a stuff at your house, but thanks to companies like mControl, it's a reality even if you're on a budget. Another picture after the jump.

As a whole, it's hard to kvetch too much about Logitech's Harmony line of universal remotes, but as a devout hacker once told us, there's always room for improvement. Phil Dibowitz has been pursuing this project for months, and it looks as if a final release is at long last ready for mass distribution. Put simply, Concordance enables the Harmony family to be programmed in UNIX (which Logitech's software doesn't support) as well as in Windows and Linux. Furthermore, Phil states that the goal is to be "cross-platform," so Mac users should keep an eye out for future updates. Currently, the software supports every model save for the 890 and 1000, though both will hopefully be added in soon. Go on, give the read link a tap and get started -- just don't come crying to us if your "Watch TiVo" command starts opening the boss' garage door.

[Via Hack-A-Day]

Peerless has been known to crank out some fairly svelte wall mounts for flat-panels, but it really outdid itself with this one. Christened the "world's thinnest mounts," the Slimline universal mounting solution comes in at just 0.4-inches thick, which would unquestionably bring your LCD / plasma ridiculously close to the wall. Though even Peerless mentions that Hitachi's 1.5-inch units work marvelously with this, it is designed to handle practically any flat-panel weighing less than 150-pounds and measuring less than 60-inches. Users can even pick up an in-wall AV accessory box to neatly tuck away those cables and connectors, but considering that pricing information is glaringly absent, we're a tad scared to imagine what this thing actually costs.

[Via DailyGame]

Check it Media Center Extender owners -- a fancy new workaround is reportedly enabling users to stream DVDs via their DVD Library, which isn't enabled by default on any MCE. For starters, Vista SP1 is required for everything to work correctly, and once you've confirmed that you're running said OS, you can hit up the read link for a how-to guide explaining the steps to creating symbolic links; essentially, the hack tricks the device into playing .VOB files. It's noted that symbolic links shouldn't be created on Windows Home Server shares, but if you do as you're told, everything should turn out peachy. Just don't come barking up our tree if it doesn't, alright?

[Thanks, Ryan]