How to keep housemates from using your rig?


I just about had it with my 2 college-aged, housemates. Their guests broke one of my Blue Room MiniPods during one of their soccer parties, and they kept knowledge of the damage from me until I did some investigative work and discovered it myself. (No wonder the speakers never ever fully-broke in...!!!). When I first asked them if they (or their guests) dropped my MiniPods, they lied to my face about it. Only after confronting them with evidence of the damage, did they mumble something about "Perhaps one of their guests dropped the speaker, and did not tell them about it." [That, btw, is a lie. I heard the crash and bang from my room, and when I came out of the room and asked what was that about, my housemates said a few DVD cases fell]. They agreed to pay for the damage, but pro-rated it against the last month of use, and as a result, are only paying me 85% of the full-price.

Being an easy-going fellow, I let that one slide after lecturing them on respecting the personal property of others. Kids will be kids...

Last night, I discovered that they have been using my other soundsystem--a set-up that amounts to a grand total of US$9,000. As I no longer trust them to honor their word and keep their paws off my system, I had to come up with a method of keeping them from turning it on. I am also pretty sure that (Gawd forbid!) if they broke or damaged my set-up (e.g. turning my amplifier to 100%, causing it to clip, and blow the speakers), they would not own up to me. [My present room is too small to contain these speakers within them. 2 months from now, when I move into the master bedroom, I will move the rig to my room, and end this headache].

This, so far, is my best idea. I am getting a chassis from RadioShack, and putting a power-strip inside it. This power-strip is equipped with a single On-Off switch. A 9V Radio-Frequency Controlled Receiver would be hooked up to servo motor unit, with a linkage, which turns the power-strip-switch On or Off. The receiver would be powered by a seperate 9V AC/DC power supply which sits outside the chassis.
All the power cords of my hi-fi system will be hooked up to this power-strip inside the chassis. The chassis will be secured by tamper-resistant allen head screws.

I will carry the transmitter (basically an R/C type) with me. This unit would turn the power-strip On or Off remotely.

Is this a good idea? I know for a fact that they cannot afford to pay up if they damage my system, but my current room is too small to hold my set up, and I didn't pay 1/3rd of the rent to hide everything in my room, and banish my stuff from the living room.

Suggestions/opinions are highly welcome.
atzen811
Hi, Angela: yeah, Rocco changed his name because "Lucca Brazzi" was too recognizable (wink wink, nudge nudge indeed....). Rocco likes to think of himself as a "medical consultant" that specializes in "destructive orthopedics"....
Now I know why I got married and then went to college. Best damn roomate an audio enthusiast could have.

Good luck,
Patrick
"This, so far, is my best idea..."

No, the best was starting this thread. Your roomies don't need to turn it on to break it. Get it out until you get them out.
This reminds me of a college roommate (20-odd years ago) who would leave piles of knives and spoons on the kitchen counter (not even in the sink!) for weeks on end, all with assorted goodies smeared on them - mostly peanut butter - which the ants and roaches quite enjoyed... then one day I decided that if he had such little respect for me, it was time to return the favor - so I cleaned off about a dozen peanut butter knives on his freshly washed bedsheets and pillow cases! It might have helped that I was twice his size. Hey, come to think about it, I should have gone into my "Bubba mode" and tried out some of my All-Star Wrestling moves on him... so I'll join the peanut galley (I know, bad pun) and suggest that you get on your own ASAP. One day this will all be a distant memory. In the meantime, protect your gear!