San Diego State University
Home Entertainment
Home Theater Technology
Streaming Media
Audio and Visual Equipment
Robert started reporting on consumer electronics in 1998. Since 2000, he's focused more closely on home entertainment and home theater technology. Since studying electronics in high school, he's been a fervent electronics and audiophile hobbyist.
Robert has had extensive experience in consumer electronics and home theater product sales and sales supervision with several major consumer electronics retailers, including Circuit City, Incredible Universe, Fry's Electronics, and Best Buy.
Technical experience includes working in video production/editing, and in digital film restoration and colorization with an emphasis on historical color research and color design. In addition, Robert served as a production-line episode coordinator for the first 2D computer-animated cartoon TV series, "Attack of the Killer Tomatoes" under the name, Ron Silva.
Robert has focused on the topic of Home Theater, covering important home theater related news and events, such as the annual CES and the Custom Electronic Design and Installation Association EXPO (CEDIA) trade shows, as well as writing hands-on product reviews, buying guides, and how-to articles that cover home theater basics for his growing readership.
My Gear
My personal home theater and AV home setup reflects the years I have been working with video and audio. This includes both old and new gear including Samsung and LeECO 4K Ultra HD TVs, as well as several non-4K smaller sets that include an LG smart TV, Roku TV, and Fire Edition TV. When I want to go really big, I fire-up my 3D-enabled video projector.
My content sources include several Ultra HD, Blu-ray, and DVD players (mostly Oppos), three CD players and a turntable. For added support I have multiple home theater receivers (Onkyo, Harman Kardon), speakers, and subwoofers. In recent years, I have entered the world of media streaming with several Roku, Fire TV, and Chromecast devices, and have also embraced voice control for audio/video devices with Amazon Echo and Google Home smart speakers and displays.
Robert received a Technical TV Production/Studio certificate from the San Diego County Regional Occupational Program and is a graduate of San Diego State University, with a degree in Psychology. You wouldn't think a degree in Psychology would relate to home entertainment or home theater tech, but combining interpersonal and networking skills with continuing work in consumer electronics has resulted in a successful career in studio production work, consumer electronics retail sales, and, as a reporter on home theater tech and trends.
I write for Lifewire to share the excitement of the evolving world of home audio/video entertainment and related topics via easy-to-understand reference and how-to articles.
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