1. A method for evaluating a likelihood of degradation of equipment in media-playing sets measured over at least one future interval, each set being characterized by a plurality of input parameters, each having respective value ranges, said method comprising the steps of: (a) collecting data identifying for each member of a sample group of said sets whether a selected performance attribute of said equipment has degraded below a threshold; (b) analyzing said data so as to relate said selected performance attribute to selected ones of said input parameters and, also, to selected values within their respective ranges of said selected ones of said input parameters; (c) evaluating the likelihood of said selected performance attribute degrading below said threshold during a one of said at least one future interval in an individual one of said media-playing sets by detecting the respective values of at least those ones of said input parameters of said individual one of said media playing sets corresponding to said selected ones of said input parameters and comparing said respective values to said selected values; and (d) remotely alerting a user of said individual one of said media-playing sets, through said individual one of said media-playing sets, of the evaluated said likelihood of said selected performance attribute degrading below said threshold during said one of said at least one future interval.