20 Head-Turning Equipment Racks
By Arlen Schweiger
We round up some impressive racks that are worth a second look.

One of the most important choices you make in designing your home theater—or by the custom electronics pro who designs it—is where to place a dedicated equipment rack.

Some people don’t want to see it at all, what with all of those blue, red or green status indicator lights. Others are more of the type to show off their assets—hey look at all of this cool A/V gear.

Rules of thumb with equipment racks generally include proper access, ventilation, accommodation and, yes, sometimes aesthetics.

You’ll want to make sure that products can be easily swapped out for upgrades or repairs; and if your gear overheats due to lack of airflow, you can be sure they’ll need repairing. Plus it’s always a good idea to prepare for the future, so overestimate how much gear will be stored rather than just accommodating the exact amount you plan on currently using.



Versatile Theater Balances Form, Function
This equipment rack, located outside of the theater, houses a LG BD370 Blu-ray player, Sony PlayStation 3, two Dish Network HD DVRs, a Dish Network HD satellite receiver, and more. Installation by Procom Enterprises.

Mighty Sound System Matches Superwide Theater
There are Blu-ray and HD DVD high-def disc players, a DirecTV HD satellite receiver with an HD DVR, a Sony PlayStation 3 video game console, and a Kaleidescape movie server system that stores this owner’s extensive DVD collection to 12 750-GB hard drives for instant access and retrieval.

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