Hi aduncan Thank you checking with me! I had a deadline for yesterday and didn't cehck the boards. I haven't signed up for notifciations too. I happened to check the boards and saw this in the first few pages. The information which you guys gave me was very useful. The installer also suggested the same thing and a IR repeater/finder so that we could use a remote in front of the TV while the setup will be hidden on the other side of the TV in the office room. We don't have a closet close by and he gave this suggestion which I liked. He suggested to add ethernet jacks in a couple of places in the house and gave me suggestions for a speaker bar to be placed on top of the TV. He said that it will be thin so I don't have to worry about the looks. He suggested using a sling box to view the video content from the DVR. But that could be used for viewing the content only on a computer not on a tv. I could go to the route of satellite connection with multiple DVRs for that. All in all, it was a great meeting. He hasn't given me the quotes yet though! I can decide what I want then.

Never mind, but thanks. Dax

"the cords are about 1.5 inches thick" This leads me to believe it is not "cord" at all, but PVC conduit. The contractor may have run surface mounted conduit and boxes on the covered / screened porch. "The cord coming from the roof to the outdoor switch for the ceiling fan is fastened to my siding and just runs straight down from the ceiling to the switch over top of the siding." I am picturing 3/4" pvc coming out of the soffit down the outside of the house, but inside the covered porch to a surface mounted switch box. I would not automatically assume a bad contractor here. I have had clients come back 3 or 4 times to cut their price. A cut in price always means a reduction of some sort or another. This either comes at the expense of appearance or fixture/material quality but never in code compliance or my compensation. When I do, I always explain in their proposal how the changes/reduction in price will affect the appearance or function of the final product, all they see is the price. When I am finished some have the nerve to complain about the final product even though it is their "penny pinching" fault if they don't like it.

bookit, I know what you are talking about and I want to do this too. I made a tree last xmas by folding the screen into a triangle , attached to a stick , filled in with ceramic morter, then painted. Worked o.k. but a little heavy. Right now, I am trying different things to fill in with and my next will be flour and water. (simple if it works)Have you found out what to use? Barb in Ar.