Can Movie Theatres Compete with Home HD TV in the Future?By Lance Winslow
The battle is heating up for market share, home movie theatre, X-Box, Playstations and virtual reality take on the big screen and theme parks. You might be surprised to learn that the war is just beginning. You won't believe how high the stakes are now and what lengths they are willing to go to get your dollar.
With High Definition TV on large screen plasma TV it will be so real, you will literally feel as if you are there. As price comes down due to overseas manufacturing and supply and demand, we will see more and more families charging the remaining balance on their credit cards for these systems, they will connect them to DVDs and it will literally be like virtual reality in your own living room. Recently video gaming companies took a stock price hit waiting for the hardware such as the X-Box II and newest Playstation to catch up enabling them to run the latest versions of the most popular games.
As these technologies continue to enter our home as we know they will, is there still going to be a place in our lives for our present day big screen Movie Theatres with $12.00 per person costs with the inclusion the impulse purchase of soda and popcorn value pack? The movie theatres will have to come up with a greater and greater entertainment value to get people to continue to patronize them and that is exactly what is on the minds of the boardmembers of Hollywoods biggest studios.
Sure people will be more than interested in a Friday or Saturday evening at the Movies, but what about during the week competing against the comforts of our own homes, coupled with the price of gasoline to drive there and the inflation Greenspan has warned us of? Will movie theatres need to upgrade to 3D movies or IMAX type movies? Will they have to for survival? After all movie theatres are a business, buildings and property are expensive and ROI is the goal and it must be achieved. We have seen in the last two decades the closing of thousands and thousands family and locally owned theatres for the larger Multiplex Corporate theatres.
One way for movie go’ers to feel a greater entertainment value and enhanced experience is in the adding of brain wave enhancement. That's right and the plans on the table now are absolutely cutting edge technologies. For instance brain wave manipulation inside the theatre for the viewers will send out frequency impulses of Delta, Alpha, Beta, and Theta Brain wave frequency. In large multiplex Theatres certain rooms will contain such a system, which would have sound devices in the walls, which were broadcasts into the theatre. Imagine a seen where the actors were tired after fighting a storm all night in a boat. You would feel tired, then as a big wave crashed over the bow, you would feel anxiety. In a love seen you would feel very peaceful and content, even somewhat aroused? Imagine the enhanced experience you would feel? The studios are and they are betting on it.
Since the technology is now available it could be deployed anytime now. Of course for scary movies where your heart would race wildly out of control, perhaps grandma might not wish to attend. Movies would have to be not only labeled; “G”, “PG-13”, “R” there might also be intensity ratings on 1-5. Meaning you would have to sign a waiver to see the movie and also submit that you are in good physical shape similar to that form they have when you enter a 10K running race.
Even as the movie industry plots the future successes and legal ramifications and potential lawsuits of these technologies, the home entertainment living room virtual reality will surely follow along with the holographic projections and surround a sound ambience.
The entertainment industry is about ready to face off as this technology is deployed. Which one will you choose?
Lance Winslow is a retired entrepreneur and a technology advisor to the WTT World Think Tank; http://www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/
Wednesday, March 30, 2005
Sunday, March 27, 2005
HDTV: An Introduction
HDTV: An Introduction
By Kenny Hemphill
HDTV stands for High Definition Television, and if you live in the USA, Australia, or Japan you may already have experienced it. There are three key differences between HDTV and what's become known as standard definition TV ie regular NTSC, PAL or SECAM. The three differences are; an increase in picture resolution, 16:9 widescreen as standard, and the ability to support multi-channel audio such as Dolby Digital.
The most important aspect of HDTV, and the one which gives it its name is the increased resolution. Standard definition NTSC broadcasts have 525 horizontal lines, and PAL broadcasts are slightly better at 625 lines. In both these systems however, the actual number of lines used to display the picture, known as the active lines, is fewer than that. In addition, both PAL and NTSC systems are interlaced, that is, each frame is spit into two fields, one field is the odd-numbered lines and the other is the even lines. Each frame is displayed alternately and our brain puts them together to create a complete image of each frame. This has an adverse affect on picture quality.
HDTV is broadcast in one of two formats; 720p and 1080i. The numbers refer to the number of lines of vertical resolution and the letters refer to whether the signal is progressive scan, 'p', or interlaced, 'i'. Progressive scan means that each frame is shown in its entirety, rather than being split into fields. Both systems are significantly better quality than either PAL or NTSC broadcasts.
HDTV uses 16:9 widescreen as is its aspect ratio so widescreen pictures are transmitted properly and not letterboxed or panned and scanned. Dolby Digital multichannel sound can be broadcast as part of an HDTV signal, so if you have a surround sound speaker set-up you can use it to listen to TV rather than just DVDs.
To receive an HDTV broadcast you need either a TV with a built-in HDTV tuner or a HDTV receiver which can pick-up off the air HDTV channels, or cable or satellite HDTV like. You also need to live in are where HDTV channels are broadcast or distributed by cable or satellite.
Currently HDTV is widespread in Japan and is becoming commonplace in the US, with most major networks distributing HDTV versions of their popular content. The 2005 Superbowl led to a large increase in the demand for Fox Sports HDTV and cable companies scrambled to add it to their offering in the run up to the game. In Autralia, HDTV uptake was sluggish initially but has increased significantly since 2003.
The situation in Europe is not so bright. There is only one company broadcasting HDTV in the whole of Europe, Euro1080, and it has only two HDTV channels, both in the 1080i format. Euro1080HDe shows major cultural and sporting events to cinemas and clubs around Europe, while HD1 broadcasts sports, opera, rock music, and lifestyle programs via satellite to homes in Europe. UK satellite broadcaster, Sky, which is owned by Fox proprieter Rupert Murdoch, has announced plans to broadcast some HDTV content in 2006. The BBC has also made noises about broadcasting HDTV programs (it already films some programs in HD format).
However, it will be a while before HDTV in Europe catches up with the rest of the world. The controversy created by the confirmation of plans by the UK government to start switching off analogue transmitters in 2008 showed how many people have yet to make the switch to DVB-T. That will be used as an argument to show that there is no appetite in the UK for another major change in TV broadcasting - particularly as most people think they already have 'digital TV' in the form of DVB-T.
Given that television was invented by a Briton, and Europe led the way with PAL for so long, this is a rather sorry state of affairs.
Kenny Hemphill is the editor and publisher of The HDTV Tuner - a guide to the kit, the technology and the programming on HDTV.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/
By Kenny Hemphill
HDTV stands for High Definition Television, and if you live in the USA, Australia, or Japan you may already have experienced it. There are three key differences between HDTV and what's become known as standard definition TV ie regular NTSC, PAL or SECAM. The three differences are; an increase in picture resolution, 16:9 widescreen as standard, and the ability to support multi-channel audio such as Dolby Digital.
The most important aspect of HDTV, and the one which gives it its name is the increased resolution. Standard definition NTSC broadcasts have 525 horizontal lines, and PAL broadcasts are slightly better at 625 lines. In both these systems however, the actual number of lines used to display the picture, known as the active lines, is fewer than that. In addition, both PAL and NTSC systems are interlaced, that is, each frame is spit into two fields, one field is the odd-numbered lines and the other is the even lines. Each frame is displayed alternately and our brain puts them together to create a complete image of each frame. This has an adverse affect on picture quality.
HDTV is broadcast in one of two formats; 720p and 1080i. The numbers refer to the number of lines of vertical resolution and the letters refer to whether the signal is progressive scan, 'p', or interlaced, 'i'. Progressive scan means that each frame is shown in its entirety, rather than being split into fields. Both systems are significantly better quality than either PAL or NTSC broadcasts.
HDTV uses 16:9 widescreen as is its aspect ratio so widescreen pictures are transmitted properly and not letterboxed or panned and scanned. Dolby Digital multichannel sound can be broadcast as part of an HDTV signal, so if you have a surround sound speaker set-up you can use it to listen to TV rather than just DVDs.
To receive an HDTV broadcast you need either a TV with a built-in HDTV tuner or a HDTV receiver which can pick-up off the air HDTV channels, or cable or satellite HDTV like. You also need to live in are where HDTV channels are broadcast or distributed by cable or satellite.
Currently HDTV is widespread in Japan and is becoming commonplace in the US, with most major networks distributing HDTV versions of their popular content. The 2005 Superbowl led to a large increase in the demand for Fox Sports HDTV and cable companies scrambled to add it to their offering in the run up to the game. In Autralia, HDTV uptake was sluggish initially but has increased significantly since 2003.
The situation in Europe is not so bright. There is only one company broadcasting HDTV in the whole of Europe, Euro1080, and it has only two HDTV channels, both in the 1080i format. Euro1080HDe shows major cultural and sporting events to cinemas and clubs around Europe, while HD1 broadcasts sports, opera, rock music, and lifestyle programs via satellite to homes in Europe. UK satellite broadcaster, Sky, which is owned by Fox proprieter Rupert Murdoch, has announced plans to broadcast some HDTV content in 2006. The BBC has also made noises about broadcasting HDTV programs (it already films some programs in HD format).
However, it will be a while before HDTV in Europe catches up with the rest of the world. The controversy created by the confirmation of plans by the UK government to start switching off analogue transmitters in 2008 showed how many people have yet to make the switch to DVB-T. That will be used as an argument to show that there is no appetite in the UK for another major change in TV broadcasting - particularly as most people think they already have 'digital TV' in the form of DVB-T.
Given that television was invented by a Briton, and Europe led the way with PAL for so long, this is a rather sorry state of affairs.
Kenny Hemphill is the editor and publisher of The HDTV Tuner - a guide to the kit, the technology and the programming on HDTV.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/
Saturday, March 26, 2005
Home Theater Audio Setup
Home Theater Audio Setup By Matthew Seigneur
Your home theater audio setup will depend on the space available to you, what kind of signal your receiver can carry, and the number of speakers you have. With proper setup, it doesn't matter if you have a simple stereo audio setup or a complex multi-speaker setup. Proper home theater audio setup will give you the most enjoyable experience.
The first step to proper home theater audio setup is if you have a tile, hardwood, or any other non-carpeted floor, to put down an area rug. Hard floors may look nice but they affect acoustics poorly.
The second step in home theater audio setup is to place your speakers. For a stereo setup, placement is simple - one on either side of the viewing area. For Dolby Digital 5.1 or Surround EX, however, you must take extra considerations into mind. Your center speaker should either be on top or below your display and facing your primary viewing position. The left and right front speakers should be on either side of the screen, preferably at ear level, at about a 45 degree angle from the center of the viewing position.
If the seating is meant for more than one person, all three of the front speakers should be placed in a straight line. Surround speakers should be placed slightly to the rear of and alongside the seating, a few feet above head level when sitting. If the surround speakers must be placed behind the seating, experiment with pointing the speakers at an angle so that the sound coming from them seems to 'surround' the viewer. If you have a subwoofer, place it wherever is most convenient, as it's placement is not critical to sound reproduction.
When you are using Dolby Digital 5.1 or Surround EX, it is necessary to continue your home theater audio setup by configuring your receiver. Unless you have tower speakers, all main speakers should be set to 'small'. Low frequency effects and bass should be set to subwoofer if you have one. DSP modes should be turned off. Read the user manual to find out how to change these settings and to double check any special requirements you receiver might have.
With proper home theater audio setup, you can have a truly enveloping aural experience.
... and don't forget to get your speaker stands http://www.home-theater-reviews.co.uk/design-setup/speaker-stands.html.
http://www.home-theater-reviews.co.uk provides home theaters and reviews of the latest HT equipment, home theater systems http://www.home-theater-reviews.co.uk/systems/, and more.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/
Your home theater audio setup will depend on the space available to you, what kind of signal your receiver can carry, and the number of speakers you have. With proper setup, it doesn't matter if you have a simple stereo audio setup or a complex multi-speaker setup. Proper home theater audio setup will give you the most enjoyable experience.
The first step to proper home theater audio setup is if you have a tile, hardwood, or any other non-carpeted floor, to put down an area rug. Hard floors may look nice but they affect acoustics poorly.
The second step in home theater audio setup is to place your speakers. For a stereo setup, placement is simple - one on either side of the viewing area. For Dolby Digital 5.1 or Surround EX, however, you must take extra considerations into mind. Your center speaker should either be on top or below your display and facing your primary viewing position. The left and right front speakers should be on either side of the screen, preferably at ear level, at about a 45 degree angle from the center of the viewing position.
If the seating is meant for more than one person, all three of the front speakers should be placed in a straight line. Surround speakers should be placed slightly to the rear of and alongside the seating, a few feet above head level when sitting. If the surround speakers must be placed behind the seating, experiment with pointing the speakers at an angle so that the sound coming from them seems to 'surround' the viewer. If you have a subwoofer, place it wherever is most convenient, as it's placement is not critical to sound reproduction.
When you are using Dolby Digital 5.1 or Surround EX, it is necessary to continue your home theater audio setup by configuring your receiver. Unless you have tower speakers, all main speakers should be set to 'small'. Low frequency effects and bass should be set to subwoofer if you have one. DSP modes should be turned off. Read the user manual to find out how to change these settings and to double check any special requirements you receiver might have.
With proper home theater audio setup, you can have a truly enveloping aural experience.
... and don't forget to get your speaker stands http://www.home-theater-reviews.co.uk/design-setup/speaker-stands.html.
http://www.home-theater-reviews.co.uk provides home theaters and reviews of the latest HT equipment, home theater systems http://www.home-theater-reviews.co.uk/systems/, and more.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/
Wednesday, March 23, 2005
Troubleshooting your Cable Box
Troubleshooting your Cable Box By Nick Smith
Unless you’ve recently moved from Alaska to Texas and you’re feeling a little homesick, chances are that the last thing you want to see when you turn on your TV is snow. Combine a snowy screen with that loud, obnoxious static sound, and you’ve got a problem on your hands. Fortunately you don’t have to be techie to fix your cable box – just follow these simple troubleshooting steps to get picture back in no time.
Cable Box Basics
Make sure your cable box is plugged in. I know that sounds silly, but after troubleshooting these things over the phone professionally, you can trust me on this one. Save yourself the time and embarrassment of calling a professional just to have them tell you to plug it in. That goes for the rest of the essential equipment as well (i.e. TV, VCR or DVR if you’re running the signal through one, etc.). It wouldn’t hurt to make sure the TV is on the correct channel – usually channel 3 or 4 or one of the input channels.
Make sure all the cables are connected. Even if you’re TV and cable box are both turned on, you won’t see a picture unless they are connected. Check each connection to ensure it is tight and that none of the wires or connecting pieces is damaged. Also check to see that the connections are all correct – meaning, video and audio should be going out of your cable or satellite box to your TV “in” ports. The signal should follow a logical path. If the connections are correct but you’re still not seeing any picture, replace the cables to see if that solves the problem. If you’re running the signal through a DVR or VCR and having problems, skip the middle man and plug the cables straight from the box to the TV. If you get a picture you know you’re problem is in the VCR.
After making sure everything is on and the cable connections are all correct, try rebooting your system. Each company’s receivers have different methods of rebooting, but one fairly universal way is to unplug the box for 10 to 20 seconds and then plug it back in. Do not just turn the box off and back on again – you’ll need to actually pull the plug out of the wall and then put it back in again. Once the cable box is plugged back in, turn the power on and cross your fingers. If you’re still not receiving any picture, unplug the receiver again for up to one minute and then plug it back in. This may be tedious and time-consuming, especially when you’re missing the fight of the year or the Super Bowl, but give it the full minute – you’ll spend less time doing it yourself than you will waiting for a repairman to come out and fix it.
Fuzzy Picture or Sound
If you are getting a picture but no sound; or sound but no picture; or a fuzzy picture or sound, recheck the cable connections to make sure they are tightened and that the wires or connecting pieces are undamaged. Poor picture or sound is typically caused by one of three problems: poor wire connections, signal interference, or TV settings.
Going outside to make sure nothing is interfering with your signal will help with the second problem. Of course, if you have underground cables there is not much you can do about making sure they are clear of interference (that’s read, “Your neighbor cut through it while gardening”). If you have a satellite dish, know that excessive rain or snow buildup on the dish can cause signal interference. Use caution when checking your dish, especially if it is on your roof or some other hard-to-reach place around your house. The installer should have verified that no trees or other objects would interfere with your signal from the satellites, but take a quick look around to see if new foliage is blocking the signal. If it is not on your property, do not cut or remove anything without prior permission from the property owner.
Finally, adjusting your TV settings can help when you are receiving a clear signal and all the connections are fine. Horizontal and vertical settings are the adjustments that most often need to be made, but consulting your owner’s manual can give you a better indication of other settings that can be tweaked.
Troubleshooting requires patience, so make some lemonade, roll up your sleeves, and get started. If none of these suggestions work (9 times out of 10 they will), contact your service provider. They may have additional troubleshooting steps or resources they can make available to you to get your cable or satellite TV up and running.
Nick Smith is a client account specialist with 10x Marketing - More Visitors. More Buyers. More Revenue. To find out how to replace your cable box with a digital satellite receiver, check out I-Satellite.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/
Unless you’ve recently moved from Alaska to Texas and you’re feeling a little homesick, chances are that the last thing you want to see when you turn on your TV is snow. Combine a snowy screen with that loud, obnoxious static sound, and you’ve got a problem on your hands. Fortunately you don’t have to be techie to fix your cable box – just follow these simple troubleshooting steps to get picture back in no time.
Cable Box Basics
Make sure your cable box is plugged in. I know that sounds silly, but after troubleshooting these things over the phone professionally, you can trust me on this one. Save yourself the time and embarrassment of calling a professional just to have them tell you to plug it in. That goes for the rest of the essential equipment as well (i.e. TV, VCR or DVR if you’re running the signal through one, etc.). It wouldn’t hurt to make sure the TV is on the correct channel – usually channel 3 or 4 or one of the input channels.
Make sure all the cables are connected. Even if you’re TV and cable box are both turned on, you won’t see a picture unless they are connected. Check each connection to ensure it is tight and that none of the wires or connecting pieces is damaged. Also check to see that the connections are all correct – meaning, video and audio should be going out of your cable or satellite box to your TV “in” ports. The signal should follow a logical path. If the connections are correct but you’re still not seeing any picture, replace the cables to see if that solves the problem. If you’re running the signal through a DVR or VCR and having problems, skip the middle man and plug the cables straight from the box to the TV. If you get a picture you know you’re problem is in the VCR.
After making sure everything is on and the cable connections are all correct, try rebooting your system. Each company’s receivers have different methods of rebooting, but one fairly universal way is to unplug the box for 10 to 20 seconds and then plug it back in. Do not just turn the box off and back on again – you’ll need to actually pull the plug out of the wall and then put it back in again. Once the cable box is plugged back in, turn the power on and cross your fingers. If you’re still not receiving any picture, unplug the receiver again for up to one minute and then plug it back in. This may be tedious and time-consuming, especially when you’re missing the fight of the year or the Super Bowl, but give it the full minute – you’ll spend less time doing it yourself than you will waiting for a repairman to come out and fix it.
Fuzzy Picture or Sound
If you are getting a picture but no sound; or sound but no picture; or a fuzzy picture or sound, recheck the cable connections to make sure they are tightened and that the wires or connecting pieces are undamaged. Poor picture or sound is typically caused by one of three problems: poor wire connections, signal interference, or TV settings.
Going outside to make sure nothing is interfering with your signal will help with the second problem. Of course, if you have underground cables there is not much you can do about making sure they are clear of interference (that’s read, “Your neighbor cut through it while gardening”). If you have a satellite dish, know that excessive rain or snow buildup on the dish can cause signal interference. Use caution when checking your dish, especially if it is on your roof or some other hard-to-reach place around your house. The installer should have verified that no trees or other objects would interfere with your signal from the satellites, but take a quick look around to see if new foliage is blocking the signal. If it is not on your property, do not cut or remove anything without prior permission from the property owner.
Finally, adjusting your TV settings can help when you are receiving a clear signal and all the connections are fine. Horizontal and vertical settings are the adjustments that most often need to be made, but consulting your owner’s manual can give you a better indication of other settings that can be tweaked.
Troubleshooting requires patience, so make some lemonade, roll up your sleeves, and get started. If none of these suggestions work (9 times out of 10 they will), contact your service provider. They may have additional troubleshooting steps or resources they can make available to you to get your cable or satellite TV up and running.
Nick Smith is a client account specialist with 10x Marketing - More Visitors. More Buyers. More Revenue. To find out how to replace your cable box with a digital satellite receiver, check out I-Satellite.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/
Tuesday, March 22, 2005
Buying a Home Theater Receiver.
Buying a Home Theater ReceiverBy Kenny Hemphill
Buying a receiver is one of the most important decisions you're going to have to make when building your home theater. The receiver has a number of functions including; connecting and switching audio sources; connecting and switching video sources; decoding surround sound formats; amplifying an audio signal and sending it to your speakers; tuning in to radio stations; and acting as the interface between you and your home theater. The first thing to think about is whether you want a receiver at all or would you be better off buying a separate decoder, amplifier, and tuner? Despite being a more expensive route - not to mention the extra space needed - separates do have some advantages. You can pick and choose your own combination of components, can upgrade each component individually and won't lose all the functions if one piece develops a fault. On top of that, having each electronic component in a separate box does improve sound quality when compared with having them all on one circuit board. However, the separates route is more expensive, more complicated and needs more space than buying a receiver. And for most people its uneccessary. Today's receivers do a very good job in all of their functions.
So what should should you look out for when buying a receiver? The first thing is to make sure that it has ll the inputs you need for the equipment you need to connect to it. Sounds obvious, but its very easy to overlook. As a mimimum it should have digital audio inputs (optical and co-axial) for Dolby Digital and/or DTS. It should also have analogue audio inputs for CD player, set-top box and possibly DVD-Audio or Super Audio CD player (the last two currently don't have digital outputs in order to make it less easy to pirate CDs).
You should also consider whether you want to route all your video sources such as TV, DVD player, and games console through your receiver. Doing so means you can switch between sources from one controller, very easily. But if you want to do this you'll need to make sure the receiver you're interested in has enough video inputs. These could be S-Video or component inputs are best, or if you're in Europe, Scart. You should also make sure the video output from the receiver is of high quality, so again, it should be S-Video, component or Scart.
If you can test a receiver before you buy, its worth comparing the quality of a video signal from a DVD player when its connected directly to a display and comparing it with when its connected via the receiver. There shouldn't be any noticeable difference in quality.
The power rating of the amplifier is also important. The bigger the room you have for your home theater, the more power you'll need. And makes sure that the power rating is quoted in Watts per channel - the last thing you want is to get home with your 100Watt receiver and discover that its power is split between eight speakers in you 7.1 set-up. It's impossible to specify how powerful your amplifier should be, but if your home theater is in a reasonable-sized room, as opposed to an aircraft hanger, 100Watts per channel should be fine.
Finally, don't forget the remote control. It's the key interface between you and the reciever and you'll spend a lot of time using it. So make sure it's comfortable and straightforward to use. The last thing you want is to have to spend ages wading through on-screen menus to get what you want.
Kenny Hemphill is the editor and publisher of The HDTV Tuner, a site which aims to cut through the confusion surrounding HDTV and provide surfers with up to date, accurate and easy to read information on HDTV.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/
Buying a receiver is one of the most important decisions you're going to have to make when building your home theater. The receiver has a number of functions including; connecting and switching audio sources; connecting and switching video sources; decoding surround sound formats; amplifying an audio signal and sending it to your speakers; tuning in to radio stations; and acting as the interface between you and your home theater. The first thing to think about is whether you want a receiver at all or would you be better off buying a separate decoder, amplifier, and tuner? Despite being a more expensive route - not to mention the extra space needed - separates do have some advantages. You can pick and choose your own combination of components, can upgrade each component individually and won't lose all the functions if one piece develops a fault. On top of that, having each electronic component in a separate box does improve sound quality when compared with having them all on one circuit board. However, the separates route is more expensive, more complicated and needs more space than buying a receiver. And for most people its uneccessary. Today's receivers do a very good job in all of their functions.
So what should should you look out for when buying a receiver? The first thing is to make sure that it has ll the inputs you need for the equipment you need to connect to it. Sounds obvious, but its very easy to overlook. As a mimimum it should have digital audio inputs (optical and co-axial) for Dolby Digital and/or DTS. It should also have analogue audio inputs for CD player, set-top box and possibly DVD-Audio or Super Audio CD player (the last two currently don't have digital outputs in order to make it less easy to pirate CDs).
You should also consider whether you want to route all your video sources such as TV, DVD player, and games console through your receiver. Doing so means you can switch between sources from one controller, very easily. But if you want to do this you'll need to make sure the receiver you're interested in has enough video inputs. These could be S-Video or component inputs are best, or if you're in Europe, Scart. You should also make sure the video output from the receiver is of high quality, so again, it should be S-Video, component or Scart.
If you can test a receiver before you buy, its worth comparing the quality of a video signal from a DVD player when its connected directly to a display and comparing it with when its connected via the receiver. There shouldn't be any noticeable difference in quality.
The power rating of the amplifier is also important. The bigger the room you have for your home theater, the more power you'll need. And makes sure that the power rating is quoted in Watts per channel - the last thing you want is to get home with your 100Watt receiver and discover that its power is split between eight speakers in you 7.1 set-up. It's impossible to specify how powerful your amplifier should be, but if your home theater is in a reasonable-sized room, as opposed to an aircraft hanger, 100Watts per channel should be fine.
Finally, don't forget the remote control. It's the key interface between you and the reciever and you'll spend a lot of time using it. So make sure it's comfortable and straightforward to use. The last thing you want is to have to spend ages wading through on-screen menus to get what you want.
Kenny Hemphill is the editor and publisher of The HDTV Tuner, a site which aims to cut through the confusion surrounding HDTV and provide surfers with up to date, accurate and easy to read information on HDTV.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/
Saturday, March 19, 2005
TV Technology for a New Age.
TV Technology for a New Age: Plasma vs. LCD TVsBy Scott Foreman
You’re ready! You’ve been working hard and saving a ton of money. Now you’re ready to buy a brand new Flat Screen TV. Hopping in the car, you head off to the local electronics store and just take it all in. There must be a million sets for you to choose from, but ‘come rain or snow or dark of night’ you’re leaving with a flat screen TV. You feel good as the sales rep approaches you. No pressure. You tell her that you want a flat screen and would like to see what they have available. The first question she asks you is, “Are you looking for an LCD or a Plasma?” Uh…you’ve just been defeated. You have no idea what the differences are or even what questions to ask. Relax, there is a lot to know, but you don’t have to work in the industry to make an informed decision.
First, let’s start on the same page. Both Plasmas and LCDs are called Flat Screen TVs. Yes, there are larger, thicker rear projection TVs using LCD technology, but that’s NOT what we’re talking about here. We are referring entirely to the thin TVs that you might be inclined to hang on your wall. I won’t go into the technology behind the two types, but I will say that they are so thin because neither uses the old tubes that you associated with TVs twenty years ago. Let’s take a brief look at the characteristics of both Plasmas and LCDs. Then we’ll compare and contrast. Finally, I’ll try to boil down what situations might need one type or the other.
Plasma
-Come anywhere from 32”-63” with the 40-44” range being the most popular.
-Measure 4-6” thick regardless of size screen.
-Cost anywhere from $2,000-$20,000 or more.
-Can display high definition (HD), DVD, and standard TV pictures with lots of Brightness and Contrast.
-Weigh as much as 125 pounds and can be difficult to mount on a wall.
-Tend to have problems in high altitudes.
-Use a lot of power and generate a lot of heat.
-Good for viewing in bright rooms.
-Can suffer “burn-in” if the TV image is static for a long time.
-Don’t have a track record for repairs or overall hours of use.
LCD
-Measure from 14-46” in screen size.
-Thin and light and may be wall mounted.
-Can double as a computer monitor.
-Tends to have a narrow viewing angle. If you’re off to the side, the picture may look washed out.
-Last for around 50,000 viewing hours.
-Picture has poor contrast level, so black colors and fast motions are not well shown.
-Can cost $400 for a 13”; $800 for a 17”; $1,200 for a 20”; and $1,600 for a 23”
I’ve listed just a few of the more prominent traits of both types of TVs. Let’s take a look at how they compare.
-Inch for inch, LCDs cost more than Plasmas.
-LCDs don’t come in large sizes. Plasmas don’t come in small sizes.
-Plasmas can suffer burn-in. LCDs can’t.
-LCDs tend to have a poor viewing angle while Plasmas have a wider viewing range.
-Plasmas do better with brightness and contrast.
-LCDs are lighter than Plasmas, inch for inch.
-LCDs can be used as computer monitors. Plasma TVs can’t.
-Plasmas are able to support the lower tier digital definition (Enhanced Definition, or ED) better than LCDs. As a result, it may be worth saving money by buying an ED Plasma.
-Plasmas may have problems in high altitudes. LCDs don’t.
Which TV is right for you? That’s an excellent question, but like all good evaluations, it requires some extra insight. In order to determine if you should get an LCD or Plasma TV, please think about which issues are important to you?
-If you need a 14-32” screen, go for an LCD. If you need a 47-63” TV go with a Plasma.
-If cost is your only concern, buy a plasma.
-If a lot of people will be watching the TV at one time, the Plasma’s wider viewing angle may be the best bet.
-If you play a lot of video games or do anything that could leave a constant image on your screen for a long time, LCDs are your choice. They don’t suffer burn in.
-If you want your TV to double as a computer monitor, go with an LCD. Make sure though, that it has the right computer connections. Not all LCDs can do double duty.
-If picture quality is your only consideration, go with a Plasma.
-If you watch a lot of sports or action movies, a Plasma may have a better picture for you.
-If you live in a high altitude, the LCD may be better for you.
-If weight is a concern for you, go with the LCD.
-If power consumption is a concern, the LCD is a better purchase.
As you can see, there is no obvious answer as to which type of TV is better. If you fall into any of the categories listed above, your decision between a Plasma TV and an LCD TV may be much easier. If you don’t, then it’s a bit more arbitrary. Regardless, we urge you to take a look at the displays in your local electronics store. Even if you don’t intend to buy the TVs there, you still want to know what to expect when you get the TV home.
If you’d like a little more detail and a few specific examples, please feel free to visit: http://www.home-movie-theater-guide.com/big-screen-tvs.html
In the mean time here's wishing you success, fun, and happiness in doing that which you love.
Scott Foremanmailto:scott@home-movie-theater-guide.com
This article may be reprinted for use in newsletters andwebsites provided that the information box is kept intact.Email notice of intent to publish is appreciated but notrequired: articles@home-movie-theater-guide.com
Copyright 2005 Flamworks, Inc.
Surround Sounds, Stereos, Sofas, and Screens. A Home Movie Theater takes us to another world. Thrill with the Ultimate in Home Entertainment. Lose Yourself in Movies without ever leaving Home at Scott Foreman's http://www.home-movie-theater-guide.com/
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/
You’re ready! You’ve been working hard and saving a ton of money. Now you’re ready to buy a brand new Flat Screen TV. Hopping in the car, you head off to the local electronics store and just take it all in. There must be a million sets for you to choose from, but ‘come rain or snow or dark of night’ you’re leaving with a flat screen TV. You feel good as the sales rep approaches you. No pressure. You tell her that you want a flat screen and would like to see what they have available. The first question she asks you is, “Are you looking for an LCD or a Plasma?” Uh…you’ve just been defeated. You have no idea what the differences are or even what questions to ask. Relax, there is a lot to know, but you don’t have to work in the industry to make an informed decision.
First, let’s start on the same page. Both Plasmas and LCDs are called Flat Screen TVs. Yes, there are larger, thicker rear projection TVs using LCD technology, but that’s NOT what we’re talking about here. We are referring entirely to the thin TVs that you might be inclined to hang on your wall. I won’t go into the technology behind the two types, but I will say that they are so thin because neither uses the old tubes that you associated with TVs twenty years ago. Let’s take a brief look at the characteristics of both Plasmas and LCDs. Then we’ll compare and contrast. Finally, I’ll try to boil down what situations might need one type or the other.
Plasma
-Come anywhere from 32”-63” with the 40-44” range being the most popular.
-Measure 4-6” thick regardless of size screen.
-Cost anywhere from $2,000-$20,000 or more.
-Can display high definition (HD), DVD, and standard TV pictures with lots of Brightness and Contrast.
-Weigh as much as 125 pounds and can be difficult to mount on a wall.
-Tend to have problems in high altitudes.
-Use a lot of power and generate a lot of heat.
-Good for viewing in bright rooms.
-Can suffer “burn-in” if the TV image is static for a long time.
-Don’t have a track record for repairs or overall hours of use.
LCD
-Measure from 14-46” in screen size.
-Thin and light and may be wall mounted.
-Can double as a computer monitor.
-Tends to have a narrow viewing angle. If you’re off to the side, the picture may look washed out.
-Last for around 50,000 viewing hours.
-Picture has poor contrast level, so black colors and fast motions are not well shown.
-Can cost $400 for a 13”; $800 for a 17”; $1,200 for a 20”; and $1,600 for a 23”
I’ve listed just a few of the more prominent traits of both types of TVs. Let’s take a look at how they compare.
-Inch for inch, LCDs cost more than Plasmas.
-LCDs don’t come in large sizes. Plasmas don’t come in small sizes.
-Plasmas can suffer burn-in. LCDs can’t.
-LCDs tend to have a poor viewing angle while Plasmas have a wider viewing range.
-Plasmas do better with brightness and contrast.
-LCDs are lighter than Plasmas, inch for inch.
-LCDs can be used as computer monitors. Plasma TVs can’t.
-Plasmas are able to support the lower tier digital definition (Enhanced Definition, or ED) better than LCDs. As a result, it may be worth saving money by buying an ED Plasma.
-Plasmas may have problems in high altitudes. LCDs don’t.
Which TV is right for you? That’s an excellent question, but like all good evaluations, it requires some extra insight. In order to determine if you should get an LCD or Plasma TV, please think about which issues are important to you?
-If you need a 14-32” screen, go for an LCD. If you need a 47-63” TV go with a Plasma.
-If cost is your only concern, buy a plasma.
-If a lot of people will be watching the TV at one time, the Plasma’s wider viewing angle may be the best bet.
-If you play a lot of video games or do anything that could leave a constant image on your screen for a long time, LCDs are your choice. They don’t suffer burn in.
-If you want your TV to double as a computer monitor, go with an LCD. Make sure though, that it has the right computer connections. Not all LCDs can do double duty.
-If picture quality is your only consideration, go with a Plasma.
-If you watch a lot of sports or action movies, a Plasma may have a better picture for you.
-If you live in a high altitude, the LCD may be better for you.
-If weight is a concern for you, go with the LCD.
-If power consumption is a concern, the LCD is a better purchase.
As you can see, there is no obvious answer as to which type of TV is better. If you fall into any of the categories listed above, your decision between a Plasma TV and an LCD TV may be much easier. If you don’t, then it’s a bit more arbitrary. Regardless, we urge you to take a look at the displays in your local electronics store. Even if you don’t intend to buy the TVs there, you still want to know what to expect when you get the TV home.
If you’d like a little more detail and a few specific examples, please feel free to visit: http://www.home-movie-theater-guide.com/big-screen-tvs.html
In the mean time here's wishing you success, fun, and happiness in doing that which you love.
Scott Foremanmailto:scott@home-movie-theater-guide.com
This article may be reprinted for use in newsletters andwebsites provided that the information box is kept intact.Email notice of intent to publish is appreciated but notrequired: articles@home-movie-theater-guide.com
Copyright 2005 Flamworks, Inc.
Surround Sounds, Stereos, Sofas, and Screens. A Home Movie Theater takes us to another world. Thrill with the Ultimate in Home Entertainment. Lose Yourself in Movies without ever leaving Home at Scott Foreman's http://www.home-movie-theater-guide.com/
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/
Thursday, March 10, 2005
How To Choose The Right Television For You.
How To Choose The Right Television For You
By Duane Smith
Watching television has progressed from a luxury that only few had in their homes in the middle of the last century to the point where most consumers not only have one television, but often they may have several. And television programming has expanded greatly from just the three big networks to a whole host of other channels as well.
And along with this growth of interest in televison programming the technology of televisions has been steadily improving too. Today we have lots of choices to make when we are deciding to buy another television. Should it be an analog or digital TV? HDTV enabled or ready? Plasma or LCD screen? All of these decisions can seem to be confusing, but if you just understand a few basics about TVs you should be able to make the right choice for what will suit you best.
Let's start by discussing whether you should buy an analog or digital capable TV. Analog TV is simply TV you have been used to in past years. The signals are sent and received in analog format and it has worked fine for a long time. It has it's drawbacks though because analog TV signals can only hold so much data for the screen and sound, and an analog signal can degrade easily. Never fear though, analog TV will be fine for use for many years to come even after other technologies dominate. The good news is that analog TV sets are very cheap and you can get a lot for your dollar.
Digital TV signals allow the data sent by the TV station to be much more dense and include more information without very much degradation of signal. So digital TV usually makes for a much better picture and sound, especially on DVDs. Plus digital TV has made it possible for the newer standards of high definition programming. For the absolute best picture and sound the TV station should be broadcasting in high definition (or HDTV), and your TV should also be able to receive and process that HDTV signal and display it on on a high definition enabled screen. If all of this criteria is met the effects are just stunning.
But many TV stations are not yet broadcasting in HDTV format because it requires them to invest lots of money in new equipment to do so. They have to have enough of a market to make it worth their while. So in the meantime, we have some stations who do broadcast in HDTV and many who still just send out analog signals. However, all TV stations will have to comply with federal guidelines to be HDTV compliant within the next couple of years, so high definition TV is here to stay and will only grow in importance.
In the meantime, you have your choice of buying an HDTV "capable" "enabled" TV if you choose to buy a digital TV. An HDTV capable TV means that it can process digital signals (like DVDs) but in order to display the high definition signal it will require you to purchase an additional tuner which you can buy later at any time. On the other hand, HDTV enabled simply means that the TV is fully capable of displaying high definition picture and sound right out of the box. The choice is yours. Either bite the bullet and get the whole HDTV enabled enchilada now, or defer it a while longer until HDTV programming is more standard.
You also hear a lot about plasma and LCD screens these days. The screens we have been used to for years are called CRTs, and they have worked just fine, but the main advantage of plasma and LCD screens are that they can be very thin to produce, usually they are only 2-3 inches wide and that makes them able to be mounted in many places that CRT screens just can't go. If you need that kind of screen, just bear in mind that plasma and LCD screens are still very expensive. There is nothing wrong with just getting a good CRT screen or a rear projection screen in the meantime as they can be had for not a lot of money and can still produce a great picture depending on the manufacturer.
There is more to all of this telivision technology, but what we have covered should give you a good idea of what the different TV terms mean and arm you with enough information that you can now confidently choose the television that will work best for you.
Duane Smith - All About Televisions is a site that provides free information, resources and tips on HDTV, plasma tvs, high definition television, LCD tvs, projection televisions, digital video recorders and much more.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/
By Duane Smith
Watching television has progressed from a luxury that only few had in their homes in the middle of the last century to the point where most consumers not only have one television, but often they may have several. And television programming has expanded greatly from just the three big networks to a whole host of other channels as well.
And along with this growth of interest in televison programming the technology of televisions has been steadily improving too. Today we have lots of choices to make when we are deciding to buy another television. Should it be an analog or digital TV? HDTV enabled or ready? Plasma or LCD screen? All of these decisions can seem to be confusing, but if you just understand a few basics about TVs you should be able to make the right choice for what will suit you best.
Let's start by discussing whether you should buy an analog or digital capable TV. Analog TV is simply TV you have been used to in past years. The signals are sent and received in analog format and it has worked fine for a long time. It has it's drawbacks though because analog TV signals can only hold so much data for the screen and sound, and an analog signal can degrade easily. Never fear though, analog TV will be fine for use for many years to come even after other technologies dominate. The good news is that analog TV sets are very cheap and you can get a lot for your dollar.
Digital TV signals allow the data sent by the TV station to be much more dense and include more information without very much degradation of signal. So digital TV usually makes for a much better picture and sound, especially on DVDs. Plus digital TV has made it possible for the newer standards of high definition programming. For the absolute best picture and sound the TV station should be broadcasting in high definition (or HDTV), and your TV should also be able to receive and process that HDTV signal and display it on on a high definition enabled screen. If all of this criteria is met the effects are just stunning.
But many TV stations are not yet broadcasting in HDTV format because it requires them to invest lots of money in new equipment to do so. They have to have enough of a market to make it worth their while. So in the meantime, we have some stations who do broadcast in HDTV and many who still just send out analog signals. However, all TV stations will have to comply with federal guidelines to be HDTV compliant within the next couple of years, so high definition TV is here to stay and will only grow in importance.
In the meantime, you have your choice of buying an HDTV "capable" "enabled" TV if you choose to buy a digital TV. An HDTV capable TV means that it can process digital signals (like DVDs) but in order to display the high definition signal it will require you to purchase an additional tuner which you can buy later at any time. On the other hand, HDTV enabled simply means that the TV is fully capable of displaying high definition picture and sound right out of the box. The choice is yours. Either bite the bullet and get the whole HDTV enabled enchilada now, or defer it a while longer until HDTV programming is more standard.
You also hear a lot about plasma and LCD screens these days. The screens we have been used to for years are called CRTs, and they have worked just fine, but the main advantage of plasma and LCD screens are that they can be very thin to produce, usually they are only 2-3 inches wide and that makes them able to be mounted in many places that CRT screens just can't go. If you need that kind of screen, just bear in mind that plasma and LCD screens are still very expensive. There is nothing wrong with just getting a good CRT screen or a rear projection screen in the meantime as they can be had for not a lot of money and can still produce a great picture depending on the manufacturer.
There is more to all of this telivision technology, but what we have covered should give you a good idea of what the different TV terms mean and arm you with enough information that you can now confidently choose the television that will work best for you.
Duane Smith - All About Televisions is a site that provides free information, resources and tips on HDTV, plasma tvs, high definition television, LCD tvs, projection televisions, digital video recorders and much more.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/
Wednesday, March 09, 2005
Buying a Home Theater Receiver.
Buying a Home Theater Receiver
By Kenny Hemphill
Buying a receiver is one of the most important decisions you're going to have to make when building your home theater. The receiver has a number of functions including; connecting and switching audio sources; connecting and switching video sources; decoding surround sound formats; amplifying an audio signal and sending it to your speakers; tuning in to radio stations; and acting as the interface between you and your home theater.
The first thing to think about is whether you want a receiver at all or would you be better off buying a separate decoder, amplifier, and tuner?
Despite being a more expensive route - not to mention the extra space needed separates do have some advantages. You can pick and choose your own combination of components, can upgrade each component individually and won't lose all the functions if one piece develops a fault. On top of that, having each electronic component in a separate box does improve sound quality when compared with having them all on one circuit board.
However, the separates route is more expensive, more complicated and needs more space than buying a receiver. And for most people its uneccessary. Today's receivers do a very good job in all of their functions.
So what should should you look out for when buying a receiver? The first thing is to make sure that it has all the inputs you need for the equipment you need to connect to it. Sounds obvious, but its very easy to overlook. As a mimimum it should have digital audio inputs (optical and co-axial) for Dolby Digital and/or DTS. It should also have analogue audio inputs for CD player, set-top box and possibly DVD-Audio or Super Audio CD player (the last two currently don't have digital outputs in order to make it less easy to pirate CDs).
You should also consider whether you want to route all your video sources such as TV, DVD player, and games console through your receiver. Doing so means you can switch between sources from one controller, very easily. But if you want to do this you'll need to make sure the receiver you're interested in has enough video inputs. These could be S-Video or component inputs are best, or if you're in Europe, Scart. You should also make sure the video output from the receiver is of high quality, so again, it should be S-Video, component or Scart.
If you can test a receiver before you buy, its worth comparing the quality of a video signal from a DVD player when its connected directly to a display and comparing it with when its connected via the receiver. There shouldn't be any noticeable difference in quality.
The power rating of the amplifier is also important. The bigger the room you have for your home theater, the more power you'll need. And makes sure that the power rating is quoted in Watts per channel - the last thing you want is to get home with your 100Watt receiver and discover that its power is split between eight speakers in you 7.1 set-up. It's impossible to specify how powerful your amplifier should be, but if your home theater is in a reasonable-sized room, as opposed to an aircraft hanger, 100Watts per channel should be fine.
Finally, don't forget the remote control. It's the key interface between you and the reciever and you'll spend a lot of time using it. So make sure it's comfortable and straightforward to use. The last thing you want is to have to spend ages wading through on-screen menus to get what you want.
Kenny Hemphill is the editor and publisher of The HDTV Tuner, a site which aims to cut through the confusion surrounding HDTV and provide surfers with up to date, accurate and easy to read information on HDTV.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/
By Kenny Hemphill
Buying a receiver is one of the most important decisions you're going to have to make when building your home theater. The receiver has a number of functions including; connecting and switching audio sources; connecting and switching video sources; decoding surround sound formats; amplifying an audio signal and sending it to your speakers; tuning in to radio stations; and acting as the interface between you and your home theater.
The first thing to think about is whether you want a receiver at all or would you be better off buying a separate decoder, amplifier, and tuner?
Despite being a more expensive route - not to mention the extra space needed separates do have some advantages. You can pick and choose your own combination of components, can upgrade each component individually and won't lose all the functions if one piece develops a fault. On top of that, having each electronic component in a separate box does improve sound quality when compared with having them all on one circuit board.
However, the separates route is more expensive, more complicated and needs more space than buying a receiver. And for most people its uneccessary. Today's receivers do a very good job in all of their functions.
So what should should you look out for when buying a receiver? The first thing is to make sure that it has all the inputs you need for the equipment you need to connect to it. Sounds obvious, but its very easy to overlook. As a mimimum it should have digital audio inputs (optical and co-axial) for Dolby Digital and/or DTS. It should also have analogue audio inputs for CD player, set-top box and possibly DVD-Audio or Super Audio CD player (the last two currently don't have digital outputs in order to make it less easy to pirate CDs).
You should also consider whether you want to route all your video sources such as TV, DVD player, and games console through your receiver. Doing so means you can switch between sources from one controller, very easily. But if you want to do this you'll need to make sure the receiver you're interested in has enough video inputs. These could be S-Video or component inputs are best, or if you're in Europe, Scart. You should also make sure the video output from the receiver is of high quality, so again, it should be S-Video, component or Scart.
If you can test a receiver before you buy, its worth comparing the quality of a video signal from a DVD player when its connected directly to a display and comparing it with when its connected via the receiver. There shouldn't be any noticeable difference in quality.
The power rating of the amplifier is also important. The bigger the room you have for your home theater, the more power you'll need. And makes sure that the power rating is quoted in Watts per channel - the last thing you want is to get home with your 100Watt receiver and discover that its power is split between eight speakers in you 7.1 set-up. It's impossible to specify how powerful your amplifier should be, but if your home theater is in a reasonable-sized room, as opposed to an aircraft hanger, 100Watts per channel should be fine.
Finally, don't forget the remote control. It's the key interface between you and the reciever and you'll spend a lot of time using it. So make sure it's comfortable and straightforward to use. The last thing you want is to have to spend ages wading through on-screen menus to get what you want.
Kenny Hemphill is the editor and publisher of The HDTV Tuner, a site which aims to cut through the confusion surrounding HDTV and provide surfers with up to date, accurate and easy to read information on HDTV.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/
Tuesday, March 08, 2005
Blu-ray: A Primer
Blu-ray: A Primer
By Kenny Hemphill
Blu-ray is an optical disc format which is set to rival HD-DVDin the race to be the de-facto standard storage medium for HDTV. The HD-DVD vs Blu-ray battle resembles that between Betamax and VHS and DVD+RW and DVD-RW.
Currently, the major Hollywood film studios are split evenly in their support for Blu-ray and HD-DVD, but most of the electronics industry is currently in the blue corner.
The key difference between these new players and recorders and current optical disc technology is that Blu-ray, as its name suggests, uses a blue-violet laser to read and write data rather than a red one. Blue light has a shorter wavelength than red light, and according to the Blu-ray Disc Association (BDA), which is made up of, amongst others, Sony, Philips, Panasonic, and Pioneer, this means that the laser spot can be focussed with greater precision.
Blu-ray discs have a maximum capacity of 25GB and dual-layer discs can hold up to 50GB - enough for four hours of HDTV. Like HD-DVD, Blue laser discs don’t require a caddy and the players and recorders will be able to play current DVD discs. Codecs supported by Blu-ray include the H.264 MPEG-4 codec which will form part of Apple’s QuickTime 7, and the Windows Media 9 based VC-1.
The BDA says that although blue laser discs and players are already shipping in Japan, they won’t ship in the US until the end of 2005 at the very earliest. It is likely that players will be very expensive initially, compared to DVD players. In Japan, they cost the equivalent of $2000. However, as with all new technology, prices will quickly fall particularly as Blu-ray will be competing with HD-DVD for that space under your TV.
Kenny Hemphill is the editor and publisher of The HDTV Tuner - a guide to the kit, the technology and the
programming on HDTV.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/
By Kenny Hemphill
Blu-ray is an optical disc format which is set to rival HD-DVDin the race to be the de-facto standard storage medium for HDTV. The HD-DVD vs Blu-ray battle resembles that between Betamax and VHS and DVD+RW and DVD-RW.
Currently, the major Hollywood film studios are split evenly in their support for Blu-ray and HD-DVD, but most of the electronics industry is currently in the blue corner.
The key difference between these new players and recorders and current optical disc technology is that Blu-ray, as its name suggests, uses a blue-violet laser to read and write data rather than a red one. Blue light has a shorter wavelength than red light, and according to the Blu-ray Disc Association (BDA), which is made up of, amongst others, Sony, Philips, Panasonic, and Pioneer, this means that the laser spot can be focussed with greater precision.
Blu-ray discs have a maximum capacity of 25GB and dual-layer discs can hold up to 50GB - enough for four hours of HDTV. Like HD-DVD, Blue laser discs don’t require a caddy and the players and recorders will be able to play current DVD discs. Codecs supported by Blu-ray include the H.264 MPEG-4 codec which will form part of Apple’s QuickTime 7, and the Windows Media 9 based VC-1.
The BDA says that although blue laser discs and players are already shipping in Japan, they won’t ship in the US until the end of 2005 at the very earliest. It is likely that players will be very expensive initially, compared to DVD players. In Japan, they cost the equivalent of $2000. However, as with all new technology, prices will quickly fall particularly as Blu-ray will be competing with HD-DVD for that space under your TV.
Kenny Hemphill is the editor and publisher of The HDTV Tuner - a guide to the kit, the technology and the
programming on HDTV.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/
Monday, March 07, 2005
LCD vs DLP projectors
LCD vs DLP projectors
By Kenny Hemphill
If you've been thinking about buying a home theater projector, perhaps to connect to an HDTV tuner, and have read reviews or done a little bit of research, you'll be aware that there are two technologies competing for the contents of your wallet.
Both LCD and DLP are used in projectors suitable for home theaters, but they work in quite different ways and produce slightly different results. If you ask around 'particularly in electronics stores, you're likely to be provided with a mass of information that's confusing and often just plain wrong. So here, in an effort to clear the fog surrounding projectors, is our guide to LCD v DLP.
LCD
LCD projectors have three separate LCD panels, one for red, one for green, and one for blue components of the image being processed by the projector. As light passess through the LCD panels, individual pixels (or picture elements) can be either opened or closed to either allow light to pass through or be filtered out. In this way the light is modulated and an image projected on to the screen.
LCD projectors have historically had three main advantages over DLP. They produce more accurate colors (due to the three separate LCD panels), they produce a slightly sharper image (although this is as good as undetectable when watching movies) and they are more light-efficient, which means they produce brighter images using less power.
However, LCD projectors also have some disadvantages, although as the technology improves these are becoming less and less relevant. The first of these is pixelation, or what's known as the screen door effect. This means that sometimes you can see the individual pixels and it looks as though you are viewing the image through a 'screendoor.' The second historic disadvantage of LCD v DLP is that LCD doesn't produce absolute black, which means that contrast is less than you would get with DLP.
However, the advent of higher resoltion LCD projectors (particularly 'HD-ready' projectors which have a horizontal resolution of 768 pixels or greater) means that pixelation is less of a problem than it used to be. And the improved ability of LCDs to produce high-contrast images is also allowing them to be taken more seriously
by home theater enthusiasts.
DLP
Digital Light Processing (DLP) is a technology developed by Texas Instruments and it works by projecting light from the projector's lamp onto a DLP chip, made up of thousands of tiny mirrors. Each mirror represents a single pixel and directs the light projected onto it either into the lens path to turn the pixel on or away from it to turn it off. Most DLP projectors have only one chip, so in order to reproduce color, a color wheel consisting of red, green, blue and sometimes, white filters is used. The wheel spins between the lamp and the chip and changes the color of the light hitting the chip from red, to green, blue. Each mirror on the DLP chip tilts towards or away from the lens path depending on how much of a particular colour light is required for that pixel at any given instant.
The key advantages DLP has in the LCD v DLP debate is that DLP projectors tend to be smaller and lighter, have better contrast, and don't suffer the same pixelation problems as LCD projectors. There is one problem that some users report with DLP projectors, although it appears to only affect a very small number of people. Because of the way DLP works, at any given instant, the image on screen is either red, green, or blue. However, the images change so quickly, that the human eye doesn't detect this and your brain puts the red, green and blue images together to make a complete frame of video. Unfortunately, some people can see the individual colours, and others can detect them enough to cause eye-strain and headaches. However, technology has improved significantly with the introduction of six-color wheels and faster rotation speeds. The rainbow effect should be a problem for even fewer people. The best way to find out if you're affected is to try out a DLP projector, perhaps by hiring one, before you buy.
Technology in both LCD and DLP projectors is improving all the time. However, at the time of writing DLP still has a slight edge in the home theater market.
Kenny Hemphill is the editor and publisher of The HDTV Tuner, a site which aims to cut through the confusion surrounding HDTV and provide surfers with up to date, accurate and easy to read information on HDTV.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/
By Kenny Hemphill
If you've been thinking about buying a home theater projector, perhaps to connect to an HDTV tuner, and have read reviews or done a little bit of research, you'll be aware that there are two technologies competing for the contents of your wallet.
Both LCD and DLP are used in projectors suitable for home theaters, but they work in quite different ways and produce slightly different results. If you ask around 'particularly in electronics stores, you're likely to be provided with a mass of information that's confusing and often just plain wrong. So here, in an effort to clear the fog surrounding projectors, is our guide to LCD v DLP.
LCD
LCD projectors have three separate LCD panels, one for red, one for green, and one for blue components of the image being processed by the projector. As light passess through the LCD panels, individual pixels (or picture elements) can be either opened or closed to either allow light to pass through or be filtered out. In this way the light is modulated and an image projected on to the screen.
LCD projectors have historically had three main advantages over DLP. They produce more accurate colors (due to the three separate LCD panels), they produce a slightly sharper image (although this is as good as undetectable when watching movies) and they are more light-efficient, which means they produce brighter images using less power.
However, LCD projectors also have some disadvantages, although as the technology improves these are becoming less and less relevant. The first of these is pixelation, or what's known as the screen door effect. This means that sometimes you can see the individual pixels and it looks as though you are viewing the image through a 'screendoor.' The second historic disadvantage of LCD v DLP is that LCD doesn't produce absolute black, which means that contrast is less than you would get with DLP.
However, the advent of higher resoltion LCD projectors (particularly 'HD-ready' projectors which have a horizontal resolution of 768 pixels or greater) means that pixelation is less of a problem than it used to be. And the improved ability of LCDs to produce high-contrast images is also allowing them to be taken more seriously
by home theater enthusiasts.
DLP
Digital Light Processing (DLP) is a technology developed by Texas Instruments and it works by projecting light from the projector's lamp onto a DLP chip, made up of thousands of tiny mirrors. Each mirror represents a single pixel and directs the light projected onto it either into the lens path to turn the pixel on or away from it to turn it off. Most DLP projectors have only one chip, so in order to reproduce color, a color wheel consisting of red, green, blue and sometimes, white filters is used. The wheel spins between the lamp and the chip and changes the color of the light hitting the chip from red, to green, blue. Each mirror on the DLP chip tilts towards or away from the lens path depending on how much of a particular colour light is required for that pixel at any given instant.
The key advantages DLP has in the LCD v DLP debate is that DLP projectors tend to be smaller and lighter, have better contrast, and don't suffer the same pixelation problems as LCD projectors. There is one problem that some users report with DLP projectors, although it appears to only affect a very small number of people. Because of the way DLP works, at any given instant, the image on screen is either red, green, or blue. However, the images change so quickly, that the human eye doesn't detect this and your brain puts the red, green and blue images together to make a complete frame of video. Unfortunately, some people can see the individual colours, and others can detect them enough to cause eye-strain and headaches. However, technology has improved significantly with the introduction of six-color wheels and faster rotation speeds. The rainbow effect should be a problem for even fewer people. The best way to find out if you're affected is to try out a DLP projector, perhaps by hiring one, before you buy.
Technology in both LCD and DLP projectors is improving all the time. However, at the time of writing DLP still has a slight edge in the home theater market.
Kenny Hemphill is the editor and publisher of The HDTV Tuner, a site which aims to cut through the confusion surrounding HDTV and provide surfers with up to date, accurate and easy to read information on HDTV.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/
Sunday, March 06, 2005
People always ask what is better Plasma or LCD TV's?
Technology is changing at a rapid pace and Video Electronics is no exception. When asked were I think the technology is heading and which format of Flat Panel TV is the public likey to embrace Plasma or LCD, I have to say LCD at the moment as Plasma Manufacturers are making moves to change their focus from Plasma to LCD. An emerging technology to look out for in the near future is OLED. Similar to LCD yet cheaper to build.
LCD Pros:
Will leaving your LCD TV on cause the image to degrade?
A: No. Unlike plasma and CRT TV’s, the LCD TV does not exhibit aging over time. The brightness of the image remains the same.
Do LCD’s have a burn in problem?
No. Unlike CRT and plasma TVs, liquid crystal displays do not use phosphor and thus have no problems with a still image becoming permanently stored on the screen.
Plasma Pros:
SED is one of several emerging display technologies that, according to their respective backers, do a better job than either LCD or PDP. One such competitor, OLED (organic light emitting diode), is already used commercially for small screens in products such as cell phones but its development has yet to reach the stage where it can be used for televisions. Sony and others have been working for several years on another technology called FED (Field Emission Display) but that too has yet to reach commercialization.
LCD Pros:
- Higher Native Resolutions
- Extremely Detailed Picture
- Extremely Thin (less then 2.25")
- Brighter then Most Plasma's
- Backlight can replaced once it burns out
- Light Weight
- True measured contrast ratio surpasses plasma
- Can't Burn Images
- Extremely Resistant to Shock
- Lower Power Consumption
- No Glare in Direct Sunlight
- True Black Levels
- Sharper, Defined Picture
- Life Span (60,000 + Hours) Replaceable Bulbs
- Pixels much Smaller Producing a much
- True Color Reproduction
- Faster Response Times
- Some What Expensive
- Largest Screen Available 45"
- Ghosting affect with fast moving scenes such as action movies and Sporting events.
Will leaving your LCD TV on cause the image to degrade?
A: No. Unlike plasma and CRT TV’s, the LCD TV does not exhibit aging over time. The brightness of the image remains the same.
Do LCD’s have a burn in problem?
No. Unlike CRT and plasma TVs, liquid crystal displays do not use phosphor and thus have no problems with a still image becoming permanently stored on the screen.
Plasma Pros:
- Available size as large as 70"
- Lower Prices
- Bigger sizes
- Life Expectancy Shorter then LCD
- Very Few Produce True Blacks
- A Still Image can Burn on Screen
- Color Accuracy
- Most screens look pixilated
- Extremely Fragile
- Artifact shows up on weaker signals
- Slower Response rate equals Artifact
SED is one of several emerging display technologies that, according to their respective backers, do a better job than either LCD or PDP. One such competitor, OLED (organic light emitting diode), is already used commercially for small screens in products such as cell phones but its development has yet to reach the stage where it can be used for televisions. Sony and others have been working for several years on another technology called FED (Field Emission Display) but that too has yet to reach commercialization.
Saturday, March 05, 2005
Does the "plasma" in plasma televisions need to be recharged or replaced over time?
No. This question is another one of what I like to refer to as an Electronics Industry Urban Myth! The plasma gases are sealed in individual cells when they are manufactured. There is no way to recharge or replace the gases. However, plasma TVs, when used normally, will last you many, many years (up to 20 years) so you don't have to worry about the screen burning out for a long time.
Friday, March 04, 2005
Trade and Consumer Shows !
Congressional Technology Committee Chairmen Ensign And Upton To Keynote CEA's 2005 HDTV Summit
Source: CEA
Mar 3, 2005, 06:16
Congressional Keynotes Kick-Off Debate Over Analog Cut-Off
Arlington, Va., - The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) today announced that its 10th annual HDTV Summit will open with two congressional keynote addresses by the Honorable Fred Upton (R-MI), chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet, and the Honorable John Ensign (R-NV), chairman of the Senate Subcommittee on Technology, Innovation and Competitiveness.
CEA's 2005 HDTV Summit: The Analog Cut-off: What will it take? What are the opportunities? will be held on March 15th at the Washington, D.C. Convention Center. The event brings together leaders from industry and government to discuss the latest digital television (DTV) transition issues and to debate the next best steps. Event registration is online at www.ce.org/hdtvsummit >.
"We're honored to have morning keynotes from Chairmen Upton and Ensign," said CEA President and CEO Gary Shapiro. "Both are critical leaders in the analog to DTV transition and we are eager to hear their thoughts on how best to complete analog transition. These addresses will jumpstart what is sure to be an insightful day of policy discussion at the 10th annual CEA HDTV Summit."
Following the keynotes, Gary Arlen, president, Arlen Communications, will moderate a panel on the DTV Policy Transition, discussing the intricacies of a hard cut-off for the analog TV transition. The panel will feature CEA's Shapiro and other policy leaders such as Rick Chessen, associate chief and chairman, DTV Task Force, Federal Communications Commission (FCC); Rhett Dawson, president and CEO, Information Technology Industry Council; David Donovan, president, Association for Maximum Service Television; and Gigi Sohn, president and co-founder, Public Knowledge.
Sales forecasts and the future of DTV will be the focus of the next panel that will be moderated by Los Angeles Times staff writer Jon Healey. This high-level discussion also includes CEA's Director of Industry Analysis Sean Wargo; Josh Bernoff, vice president and principal analyst, Forrester Research; Phil Swann, CEO, TV Predictions; and Ross Young, president and CEO, DisplaySearch.
The afternoon panel discussion entitled "Beyond HD Technology: Opportunities for the Returned Analog Spectrum" will focus on the future uses of the analog spectrum. The panel will be moderated by the National Journal's Technology Daily Senior Writer Drew Clark and includes Mary Brown, senior telecommunications policy counsel, Worldwide Government Affairs, Cisco Systems Inc.; Peter Pitsch, director, communications policy, Intel; Robert Rast, president of Linx Pro Products, Micronas Semiconductors and chairman of the board of directors of the Advanced Television Systems Committee; and Alice Tornquist, senior director of government affairs, QUALCOMM.
The 2004 Academy of Digital Television Pioneers Awards luncheon is included in HDTV Summit registration and will follow the morning conference program. Nominees from 10 DTV Award categories will be recognized for their outstanding achievements in the advancement of HDTV throughout 2004.
HDTV Summit partners include: Broadcasting and Cable, Home Theater Specialists of America (HTSA), MSTV: Maximum Service Television, MultiChannel News and the North American Retail Dealers Association (NARDA). Event sponsors include: DirecTV, DLP, ESPN HD, InFocus, RCA, TTE, Toshiba and TWICE.
About CEA:
The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) is the preeminent trade association promoting growth in the consumer technology industry through technology policy, events, research, promotion and the fostering of business and strategic relationships. CEA represents more than 2,000 corporate members involved in the design, development, manufacturing, distribution and integration of audio, video, mobile electronics, wireless and landline communications, information technology, home networking, multimedia and accessory products, as well as related services that are sold through consumer channels. Combined, CEA's members account for more than $121 billion in annual sales. CEA's resources are available online at www.CE.org, the definitive source for information about the consumer electronics industry. CEA also sponsors and manages the International CES - Defining Tomorrow's Technology. All profits from CES are reinvested into industry services, including technical training and education, industry promotion, engineering standards development, market research and legislative advocacy.
Source: CEA
Mar 3, 2005, 06:16
Congressional Keynotes Kick-Off Debate Over Analog Cut-Off
Arlington, Va., - The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) today announced that its 10th annual HDTV Summit will open with two congressional keynote addresses by the Honorable Fred Upton (R-MI), chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet, and the Honorable John Ensign (R-NV), chairman of the Senate Subcommittee on Technology, Innovation and Competitiveness.
CEA's 2005 HDTV Summit: The Analog Cut-off: What will it take? What are the opportunities? will be held on March 15th at the Washington, D.C. Convention Center. The event brings together leaders from industry and government to discuss the latest digital television (DTV) transition issues and to debate the next best steps. Event registration is online at www.ce.org/hdtvsummit >.
"We're honored to have morning keynotes from Chairmen Upton and Ensign," said CEA President and CEO Gary Shapiro. "Both are critical leaders in the analog to DTV transition and we are eager to hear their thoughts on how best to complete analog transition. These addresses will jumpstart what is sure to be an insightful day of policy discussion at the 10th annual CEA HDTV Summit."
Following the keynotes, Gary Arlen, president, Arlen Communications, will moderate a panel on the DTV Policy Transition, discussing the intricacies of a hard cut-off for the analog TV transition. The panel will feature CEA's Shapiro and other policy leaders such as Rick Chessen, associate chief and chairman, DTV Task Force, Federal Communications Commission (FCC); Rhett Dawson, president and CEO, Information Technology Industry Council; David Donovan, president, Association for Maximum Service Television; and Gigi Sohn, president and co-founder, Public Knowledge.
Sales forecasts and the future of DTV will be the focus of the next panel that will be moderated by Los Angeles Times staff writer Jon Healey. This high-level discussion also includes CEA's Director of Industry Analysis Sean Wargo; Josh Bernoff, vice president and principal analyst, Forrester Research; Phil Swann, CEO, TV Predictions; and Ross Young, president and CEO, DisplaySearch.
The afternoon panel discussion entitled "Beyond HD Technology: Opportunities for the Returned Analog Spectrum" will focus on the future uses of the analog spectrum. The panel will be moderated by the National Journal's Technology Daily Senior Writer Drew Clark and includes Mary Brown, senior telecommunications policy counsel, Worldwide Government Affairs, Cisco Systems Inc.; Peter Pitsch, director, communications policy, Intel; Robert Rast, president of Linx Pro Products, Micronas Semiconductors and chairman of the board of directors of the Advanced Television Systems Committee; and Alice Tornquist, senior director of government affairs, QUALCOMM.
The 2004 Academy of Digital Television Pioneers Awards luncheon is included in HDTV Summit registration and will follow the morning conference program. Nominees from 10 DTV Award categories will be recognized for their outstanding achievements in the advancement of HDTV throughout 2004.
HDTV Summit partners include: Broadcasting and Cable, Home Theater Specialists of America (HTSA), MSTV: Maximum Service Television, MultiChannel News and the North American Retail Dealers Association (NARDA). Event sponsors include: DirecTV, DLP, ESPN HD, InFocus, RCA, TTE, Toshiba and TWICE.
About CEA:
The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) is the preeminent trade association promoting growth in the consumer technology industry through technology policy, events, research, promotion and the fostering of business and strategic relationships. CEA represents more than 2,000 corporate members involved in the design, development, manufacturing, distribution and integration of audio, video, mobile electronics, wireless and landline communications, information technology, home networking, multimedia and accessory products, as well as related services that are sold through consumer channels. Combined, CEA's members account for more than $121 billion in annual sales. CEA's resources are available online at www.CE.org, the definitive source for information about the consumer electronics industry. CEA also sponsors and manages the International CES - Defining Tomorrow's Technology. All profits from CES are reinvested into industry services, including technical training and education, industry promotion, engineering standards development, market research and legislative advocacy.
Thursday, March 03, 2005
SONY UNVEILS NEW NET MD AND HI-MD WALKMAN DIGITAL MUSIC PLAYERS.
SAN DIEGO, March 1, 2005 - Providing options for all lifestyles, Sony has once again expanded its selection of portable music devices with the introduction of its 2005 line of MiniDisc™ Walkman® digital music players. For music buffs unwilling to be constrained by capacity, MiniDisc media provides removable, recordable, scratch resistant and affordable storage for an infinite library of songs. The discs are small, durable and re-recordable up to a million times without degradation in audio quality. The new MiniDisc line of Walkman players includes a hip, Psyc® Net MD model and several high capacity Hi-MD™ players. All of the players offer the extended battery life, compact design and sturdiness for which MD players are recognized. With Hi-MD technology, users can record up to 45 hours of music on one disc utilizing USB high speed transfer. Removable, re-recordable Hi-MD media offers 1GB of storage on each disc for expandable music collections and virtually all PC data files. The 2005 Hi-MD players play back both MP3 and ATRAC3® audio files, in addition to supporting WMA and WAV formats. And with the top-of-the-line MZ-DH10P model, you can even take digital images right on the device. "Many musicians, journalists and digital music fans rely on the flexibility and durability of the MiniDisc format," said Allan Jason, vice president for portable audio products at Sony Electronics. "Our latest models increase the utility of the players and bring more advantages to our MD customers." All of the models are compatible with Sony's Connect™ online music store and include both SonicStage® software and the MD Simple Burner application, which make it easy to import, manage and transfer music collections.
MZ-DH10P Hi-MD Walkman Digital Music Player.
Taking MiniDisc to new heights, the MZ-DH10P model is the first Hi-MD™ Walkman player with the added benefit of a built-in camera and color LCD screen. A 1.3 megapixel digital still camera (1280 x 960) with 4x digital zoom is incorporated into the unit, so visuals can be added to complement the music. A customized slide show with simultaneous music play back is viewable on the LCD and as an added bonus, album and cover art can be linked to the music and also be displayed. Images can be stored on MiniDisc media and reviewed, moved or deleted using the 1.5-inch color TFT LCD. The MZ-DH10P comes supplied with a charging cradle and will be available in May for about $500.
MZ-RH910 and MZ-RH10.
The MZ-RH910 and MZ-RH10 models are designed to create personalized music masterpieces. Musicians can easily record their own tunes and upload their music onto a computer. With a new slim design, the MZ-RH910 unit offers a digital amplifier and the ability to record from multiple sources. The line-in jack helps transfer and archive legacy formats to MiniDisc media, and the mic input is ideal for making personal recordings of class lectures or live music. The MZ-RH910 will be available in April for about $200. The MZ-RH10 model steps up with a large six-line, self-emitting organic EL (electroluminescence) display, so sound-setting screens, track, title and artist can be viewed from wide angles and without a backlight. The unit can record from sources including mic in, line in and USB, and plays back MP3 and ATRAC3 audio files. When playing in ATRAC3plus™ mode at 64 kbps (kilobits per second), the unit provides up to 33 hours of continuous play back with supplied rechargeable battery combined with one "AA" battery. A remote control and file name indicator are also included. The MZ-RH10 will be available in April for about $300.
Psyc Net MD Model.
Available in stereo black with orange highlights or electric white with lime green accents, the new MZ-DN430 Psyc Net MD Walkman is sure to turn heads. This unit combines the style elements of chrome and neon with the benefits of ATRAC™ sound and removable storage. Ideal for the active user, skip-free, G-Protection™ technology promises virtually uninterrupted music play back. With 56 hours of continuous battery life using just one "AA" battery and CD/MP3 transfer using USB high speed transfer , there is nothing to slow the listener down. Color-coordinated headphones are also included. The MZ-DN430 will be available this month for about $100.
MiniDisc Media.
Standard MiniDisc media is available in 177 MB capacity for about $2 and can hold up to five hours of recorded on a Net MD player or up to 13 hours recorded in Hi-MD mode. One GB Hi-MD discs, which can hold up to 45 hours of music, are available for about $7. Hi-MD media can also store and transfer virtually all PC data files, including presentations, documents, photos and spreadsheets.
MZ-DH10P Hi-MD Walkman Digital Music Player.
Taking MiniDisc to new heights, the MZ-DH10P model is the first Hi-MD™ Walkman player with the added benefit of a built-in camera and color LCD screen. A 1.3 megapixel digital still camera (1280 x 960) with 4x digital zoom is incorporated into the unit, so visuals can be added to complement the music. A customized slide show with simultaneous music play back is viewable on the LCD and as an added bonus, album and cover art can be linked to the music and also be displayed. Images can be stored on MiniDisc media and reviewed, moved or deleted using the 1.5-inch color TFT LCD. The MZ-DH10P comes supplied with a charging cradle and will be available in May for about $500.
MZ-RH910 and MZ-RH10.
The MZ-RH910 and MZ-RH10 models are designed to create personalized music masterpieces. Musicians can easily record their own tunes and upload their music onto a computer. With a new slim design, the MZ-RH910 unit offers a digital amplifier and the ability to record from multiple sources. The line-in jack helps transfer and archive legacy formats to MiniDisc media, and the mic input is ideal for making personal recordings of class lectures or live music. The MZ-RH910 will be available in April for about $200. The MZ-RH10 model steps up with a large six-line, self-emitting organic EL (electroluminescence) display, so sound-setting screens, track, title and artist can be viewed from wide angles and without a backlight. The unit can record from sources including mic in, line in and USB, and plays back MP3 and ATRAC3 audio files. When playing in ATRAC3plus™ mode at 64 kbps (kilobits per second), the unit provides up to 33 hours of continuous play back with supplied rechargeable battery combined with one "AA" battery. A remote control and file name indicator are also included. The MZ-RH10 will be available in April for about $300.
Psyc Net MD Model.
Available in stereo black with orange highlights or electric white with lime green accents, the new MZ-DN430 Psyc Net MD Walkman is sure to turn heads. This unit combines the style elements of chrome and neon with the benefits of ATRAC™ sound and removable storage. Ideal for the active user, skip-free, G-Protection™ technology promises virtually uninterrupted music play back. With 56 hours of continuous battery life using just one "AA" battery and CD/MP3 transfer using USB high speed transfer , there is nothing to slow the listener down. Color-coordinated headphones are also included. The MZ-DN430 will be available this month for about $100.
MiniDisc Media.
Standard MiniDisc media is available in 177 MB capacity for about $2 and can hold up to five hours of recorded on a Net MD player or up to 13 hours recorded in Hi-MD mode. One GB Hi-MD discs, which can hold up to 45 hours of music, are available for about $7. Hi-MD media can also store and transfer virtually all PC data files, including presentations, documents, photos and spreadsheets.
Wednesday, March 02, 2005
Texas Instruments Announces First DLP .55 XGA Chip to Enable Compelling New Price & Performance Points!
Dallas, TX, Mar. 1, 2005: Texas Instruments (TI) (NYSE: TXN) today announced its DLP™ technology is now available in a .55 XGA resolution chip, which will allow compelling new price points for the popular XGA (1024 x 768) resolution. According to Pacific Media Associates, projectors with XGA resolution represent more than 45% of the projectors sold worldwide today. The DLP .55 XGA chip offering will complement the DLP .7 XGA chip by enabling products at breakthrough price points with the same stunning picture quality that DLP technology is known for. PLUS Vision Corp. was the first to announce a product with the new DLP .55 XGA chip- the U5-532 projector was announced publicly two weeks ago. More manufacturers are expected to announce products soon. In designing the DLP .55 XGA component set, TI worked closely with customers to make the component set highly compatible with existing optical engines which minimized investments and improved time to market. The DLP .55 XGA chip was also designed to be compatible with the DDP2000 Imaging ASIC, which optimizes video reproduction capabilities, furthering the performance of products traditionally used in the business projection markets to provide impressive image quality for video viewing at home. “We’re excited about this extension of our DLP Product line, a new chipset for our customers to innovate around and reach a new market of buyers,” said Lars Yoder, Business Manager, TI DLP Front Projection Products. “This new chip was engineered to provide an affordable option for end-customers to attain XGA resolution in their next projector purchase with the advantages of DLP quality.” DLP Products continues its strong growth in the front projection market. According to Pacific Media Associates (PMA), DLP technology closed 2004 with 47% worldwide market share, which represents ten consecutive quarterly gains and an impressive 14 point gain over 4Q03. The advantages of DLP technology, including outstanding picture reliability, no burn-in or fade, deep rich colors, and incredible, industry-leading contrast ratios, have led more and more manufacturers to choose DLP technology. The speed advantage of DLP technology also allows for a 1-chip architecture that provides razor-sharpness that will not misconverge over time, and excellent reproduction of fast video such as sports and live action with no motion lag.
About Texas Instruments DLP Products.
Texas Instruments DLP display technology offers clarity down to the most minute detail, delivering pictures rich with color and brightness to large-screen HDTVs and projectors for business, home, professional venue and digital cinema (DLP Cinema™). More than 75 of the world's top projection and display manufacturers design, manufacture and market products based on DLP technology. At the heart of every DLP chip is an array of up to 2 million microscopic mirrors which switch incredibly fast to create a high resolution, highly reliable, full color image. DLP technology’s chip architecture and inherent speed advantage provides razor-sharp images and excellent reproduction of fast motion video. Since early 1996, more than 5 million DLP subsystems have been shipped. For more information, please visit www.dlp.com
Texas Instruments Incorporated provides innovative DSP and Analog technologies to meet our customers’ real world signal processing requirements. In addition to Semiconductor, the company’s businesses include Sensors & Controls and Educational & Productivity Solutions. TI is headquartered in Dallas, Texas, and has manufacturing, design or sales operations in more than 25 countries.
Texas Instruments is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol TXN.
More information is located on the World Wide Web at www.ti.com .
DLP is a trademark of Texas Instruments.
About Texas Instruments DLP Products.
Texas Instruments DLP display technology offers clarity down to the most minute detail, delivering pictures rich with color and brightness to large-screen HDTVs and projectors for business, home, professional venue and digital cinema (DLP Cinema™). More than 75 of the world's top projection and display manufacturers design, manufacture and market products based on DLP technology. At the heart of every DLP chip is an array of up to 2 million microscopic mirrors which switch incredibly fast to create a high resolution, highly reliable, full color image. DLP technology’s chip architecture and inherent speed advantage provides razor-sharp images and excellent reproduction of fast motion video. Since early 1996, more than 5 million DLP subsystems have been shipped. For more information, please visit www.dlp.com
Texas Instruments Incorporated provides innovative DSP and Analog technologies to meet our customers’ real world signal processing requirements. In addition to Semiconductor, the company’s businesses include Sensors & Controls and Educational & Productivity Solutions. TI is headquartered in Dallas, Texas, and has manufacturing, design or sales operations in more than 25 countries.
Texas Instruments is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol TXN.
More information is located on the World Wide Web at www.ti.com .
DLP is a trademark of Texas Instruments.
Tuesday, March 01, 2005
What time of year is best at getting the lowest price in Consumer Electronics?
Ever wonder what time of year is the best time to buy that Plasma TV or that Digital Camera or any other Consumer Electronics? Well, I'm here to enlighten you.
- Christmas: Digital Cameras, Camcorders, DVD Players, Portable DVD Players, Boomboxes,MP3 Players, CD Players. The idea is gift items, the Electronics Store gets you in on the gift items in Consumer Electronics and then gets you with added wires, accessories and warranty to make a better profit margin.
- Presidents Day: TV's of all kinds! Plasma, Projection, LCD and DLP Projections, CRT's and LCD Flat Screens. The idea is to liquidate old inventory to make room for the new models coming out in Feb and March. Models on Consumer Electronics change twice a year.
- Labor Day: TV's of all kinds and Audio. Again the idea is to liquidate older models to make room for the new models coming out in August and September.
Happy Shopping!
A/V Reporter,
CL West
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