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I finally got myself an HDTV. A couple of weeks ago as I prpared to move I decided that I was going to cancel my Shaw Cable TV and move to Bell ExpressVu. I was excited about the PVR and picking up a few more time shifting channels but mostly I was excited about getting a clearer all digital picture.

So I found a del on the Toshiba 42AV500U 42 inch 720P LCD.

I am right now looking at the box that holds my TV. I have had this new Toshiba TV for two weeks now but did not want to open the box and have trouble transporting it so it has stayed in the box and I look longingly at it everyday. On Saturday I will be getting the Satellite hooked up and tomorrow I will be getting a stand and then everything will get pulled together.

Tomorrow the Wii gets pulled out, no component video for the Wii yet but maybe I will get the Wii component video cables tomorrow as well. I will hook up the surround sound stereo. I will pop in a DVD, either Fight Club (my favorite) or maybe Almost Famous with that great concert footage.

Anyway sometime in the next couple of days I will go through everything on this cheap HDTV and do a thorough review in case you are in the market for your first HDTV.

Well I was expecting format war that would never end but it seems that now Toshiba has pulled the plug on HD-DVD and Sony has won with Blu-Ray.

Just a few months ago it seemed that there would be plenty of competition between the Microsoft-Toshiba backed HD-DVD having it bundled as an addon to Xbox 360. The porn industry got a bit of press with their backing of the spec and there was word that cheap players were coming down the pipe. At the same time Sony was having a hard time winning the game console war with the new Playstation 3 against the Wii and Xbox 360 but the battle continued.

Over the last couple of months the press seemed to be pushing Blu-Ray but in my mind the cheap HD-DVD players on the market as well as WalMart selling only standalone HD-DVD seemed like enough that the major studios would have to go with the HD-DVD over Blu-Ray, but strangly a couple of studios mainly Warner last month went to Blu-Ray and everyone said that blu-Ray had won.

Nothing had changed over the last month and then last week there were a spate of announcements that in just a couple of days killed any chance for HD-DVD.

First NetFlix said they would go Blu-Ray by the end of the year
Best Buy said they would go Blu-Ray by the end of May
Walmart said they would sell only BluRay

And then there were rumors that Toshiba was going to pull the plug on the manufacture of HD-DVD drives. Rumor is enough to kill a technology and today HD-DVD is dead.

I am pretty happy actually that there is a decisive sinner in the HD disk market. There was a combo dirve planned a couple of months ago that was going to keep both formats alive but really why would we want two formats. I have not seen anything that tells me that one format is better then another, this is no Beta vs VHS part two and the support of two formats is not going to help anyone, manufacturers, studios or consumers so good news that a standard is here that everyone can coalesce around and offer cheaper media and Cheaper players. Also hopefully we will see more and more features as we have seen with DVD players over the last few years supporting MP3 and DivX.

AvReview has a great guide for installers eager to start this year on the right foot. This is a long but really good article.

Since the rise in popularity of the VHS tape, the home theater business hasn’t really known much in the way of down economic times. For decades now, the size of one’s television could be socially equated with the speed of their sports car. Bigger is better. Flatter is better, and High Definition is the ultimate. Back the tape up to five years ago when only the upper middle class and above could afford a plasma TV, dealers were converting their retail businesses from more traditional store front shops to slick, design oriented, custom install firms so that they could install $10,000 plasma HDTVs in houses by the dozen.

It was a good living that left room for mid-level dealers like Tweeter, as well as hundreds of regional AV dealers. They could make a healthy living selling flat TVs along with all of the goodies, and they were poised for even more boom times as interest rates hit 50 year lows and the real estate market took off like anycompanysname.com circa 1998. Ah, those were the good old days.

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Bose Corp today launched its Lifestyle V20 and V30 home theater systems that promise high-quality audio and video from almost all entertainment sources available on the market, including those with HDMI.

The new home theater systems deliver premium 5.1 surround sound for movies, music, sports, and video games. Typically, they include five small speaker arrays, a hideaway media console, an Acoustimass module, a radio frequency remote, and a standalone display.

All audio/video sources can be connected to the media console, which can be tucked away in a cabinet or closet. The included radio frequency remote can control connected sources, thus reducing clutter and doing away with the need for more than one remote. It’s possible to connect both standard and high-definition sources with multiple digital and analog inputs. For simple HDMI connections, two inputs can be used.

The V20 and V30 systems can also automatically upscale video to the highest resolution acceptable to the connected television, i.e. up to 1080p over HDMI.

Of the two systems, the V30 includes five Jewel Cube speaker arrays while the V20 includes five Direct/Reflecting cube speaker arrays. Both the V30 and the V20 have a horizontal center channel speaker that helps provide clear, focused dialogue and balanced surround sound.

Further, speakers of both systems work with an Acoustimass minimizing audible distortion so that all sound appears to emanate from the tiny cube speakers.

The V20 and V30 systems incorporate advanced Bose technologies such as the ADAPTiQ audio calibration system, which analyzes and automatically adjusts system sounds to particular rooms or locations. With Bose’s link expansion feature, it’s possible to extend music benefits of both systems to as many as 14 additional rooms.

One more feature common to the V20 and the V30 is the Videostage 5 decoding circuitry that provides surround sound experience even from stereo and mono formats like videotapes, stereo CDs, and older TV programs.

Both V20 and V30 home theater systems are available in Black or White through Bose stores, the Bose India Web site at www.boseindia.com, and the toll-free number 1-800-11-BOSE (2673).

Fed up with finding the remotes of each of your electronic devices, then a universal remote control comes as an easy answer. In general a universal remote is a remote control that can be easily programmed to operate various brands and one or more types of electronics devices such as TV, music system, Air-conditioners and many other devices.

Typically, the low-end universal remotes can only control a set number of devices pre defined by their manufacturer, while the mid- and high-end remote controls allow the user to program in new controls codes to the remote for controlling a number of other devices.

With the increasing use of these remote controls many remotes sold with various electronic devices include universal remote capabilities for other types of device, which allow the remote to control other devices apart from the device it came with.

The universal remote controls can be broadly classified in two types like

Device Based Universal Remote Controls
Most universal remotes that are sold today are device based and they are quite popular. The use of the device-based remote control is simple and the user has to press a button associated with the desired device to control and then uses the remaining buttons to control that single device.

Controlling other devices is also simple as the remote control identifies the other devices when the user presses a different device button and then the remote starts sending command to the new device. An example of a device-based remote is the Home Theater Master line of remotes.

Activity Based Remote Control
These types of the universal remotes are programmed to work on the concept of activities and not on the devices. In this instead of controlling each device individually the user can instead focus on the activity that they want to perform. For instance the user might want to watch a movie, or listen to some music, or just watch TV.

It is when a particular activity is selected the universal remote control may send out the necessary signals and commands to various necessary devices in to turn on and to configure device to accomplish the desired activity. For instance selecting an activity like watch a movie the remote control might turn on the TV, configure the TV to the DVD video input, turn on the amplifier, configure the amplifier to the DVD audio input, turn on the DVD player, and start the DVD playing. One of the most popular activity based remote controls is the Logitech Harmony line of remotes.

The journey with the universal remote control just doesn’t stops there, but can continue with the up gradations that are required with the changing electronic devices. That is why many universal controls allow the code lists programmed into the remote to be updated to support new brands or models of devices not currently supported by the remote.

Interestingly the lower end universal remotes accomplish this by allowing audible signals to be sent over a telephone to a receiver on the remote. This is applicable when the user calls customer service, an operator can have the caller place the remote next to the phone’s speaker and then send a signal over the telephone to upgrade the remote for any requested new brand of model of supported device type.
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Make your life easier by getting a universal remote control. End the days of picking up the wrong remote.

For some time now the hot news in the technology market has been HD DVD movies. Everyone is speculating which format will win, Blu-ray or HD DVD. It is like the vhs vs beta max debate of the 80’s. The Blu-ray format is made by Sony and is incorporated into the new PS3, so they have an advantage there. HD DVD is made by Toshiba, and is much cheaper than Blu-ray. I believe that this will ultimately make the HD DVD the standard for high definition movies.

Many stores are dropping the prices on the Toshiba HD DVD for the holidays, and while some are just having black Friday sales on them many stores such as Wal-mart are dropping the price permanently. The trend is to drop the price right under $200, which is a very good price for technology this new. Because of the big difference in price between the two formats, I believe that after the holidays the HD DVD will slowly pull away from Blu-ray in sales. Once a lot of the players have sold on black Friday and other holiday promotions, people will begin to buy the movies in that format, which will be the deciding factor ultimately. The more movies that are bought in one format or the other, the better the chance that that format will win the battle.

So watch for these sales near you, as they will probably be selling out quickly, and I would stay away from wasting money on a Blu-ray player unless you are buying the PS3, in which case the price isn’t that bad for what you get. Also, for those interested in stocks, watch for Toshiba. I’m not a big stock person, but I think there is a good chance that the Toshiba stock will take off during and right after the holiday shopping season. Also, if you are watching for a good deal on these keep your eye on Ebay, Amazon, Overstock, and other discount websites. You can sometimes get some great deals on these websites. Also, watch for coupons and promotional coupons from office depot, best buy, and other major retailers. Especially this time of year you can get some really good deals if you are willing to shop around a little bit.

For more great articles and advice check out my free blog: http://tipsfromacollegestudent.blogspot.com/

There are many large and smaller surround sound and home theater systems on the market today. With so many choices of the earth how do you know what you can expect to get your money? The answer to that just might be easier than you imagined. The thing to remember when it comes to technology, it is constantly evolving. This means that it is in your interest to find a surround sound or home theater system that is evolutionary.

In fact, I would say that it would be my first requirement when buying a home theater or surround sound system in the current market. If you buy an AV receiver, which has room to expand as technology advances for noise when you have the foundation to build a better system, even over time. If you can find a good deal on an AV receiver which is also THX-certified then you are paving the way for a remarkable system once you have everything in place.

While the actors are extremely important that you can buy the 5 speakers and subwoofer, you will need a 5.1 channel surround sound system at a reasonable price and make plans for the purchase of the best speakers in the time. You want to make sure that speakers should buy certain that you can certainly live with as you register to even better speakers in the future, but for the purchase of a game that has a good sound quality rather than to stretch your budget for those who are better means you can put your money together and buy a better set of speakers in your surround sound system or home theater.

The good news is that you like the speakers today, which are simply out of your price range will be a lower price this time next year. Of course, it will be even better players on the market at this time. If you save your money during the next year, in a year you can upgrade a system far outpacing even though you had the opportunity to take advantage of the system you already use the entire time. Imagine how much more pleasure you receive from your investment once you have performed an upgrade?

Another important thing to consider when it comes to upgrades is that they are not an all or nothing. “You can update a room at a time and never have to go without in order to reach a excellent sound quality that is simply better. Whilst I know, first, that the sacrifice is good for the soul, I am never too delighted to abandon things that pleased me to obtain the best things later. Doing things that way I get to a big sound, whereas I am saving for her even better in the future. It’s like having your neighbors and your agglutination cake too!

As you wander through the aisles of your local electronics and view all the options that are available to be sure to take the time to look at the things you want to make plans for the future. Make sure that the components you buy today are in line with the things you want to add to your surround sound system in the future and not to lose sight of the ultimate goal of overspending on a starter set.

We offer free information on home audio and give you the inside look, please have a visit to http://yoursurroundsoundguide.com/ebook/

When it comes to surround sound or home theater system, the quality of your speakers can really make or break the entire experience. Good quality is one of the speakers, if not, the most important components when it comes to your home theater and surround sound system. You need to take action early on, to make sure you do not get below the speakers of your entertainment system if your surround sound system will be used for viewing television, home theater, the music enjoyment, or to enhance your experience of the Games on the personal computer of the quality of speakers will have an enormous impact on how much you enjoy your system.

The problem is that most people do not even know where to start when it comes to the selection and purchase of speakers. There are a few guidelines you can follow when your decisions on speakers that will help you make better purchasing decisions in order to obtain a better quality speakers (the budget for the course, but I recommend postponing the purchase until ‘that you can put in place sufficient rather than purchase of inferior quality, because it is within your price range).

There are many types of speaker systems. Speakers who have been certified THX are usually your top of the line speakers. They will have very little distortion and a beautiful tone clear. If you can get your hands on a set of them and their place within your budget constraints I strongly recommend going with speakers that are certified THX. The noise, however, should be the ultimate deciding factor in the selection of speakers and quite frankly, you have to hear the sound for you to decide which sound you prefer.

Speakers, like anything is always a matter of preference. You can hear many speakers and some people believe that all the sounds, they look while others believe that the amount of distortion in certain is simply unbearable, and still others simply blame the poor quality of music on the sounds they hear through the speakers. The fact is that there are different dosages for quality and everyone has their own preferences and things that are important to them when listening to the music and feel things that can be sacrificed. I tend to be a bit of a snob good way of sacrifice is not a word I like to hear when it comes to sound quality.

There are some things you can do to make sure you get a good quality set of speakers for your surround sound system. First, you need to listen and to ensure that sounds do not seem high or distorted facts as if they were inside a tin can. You should also check that sounds mediums are clear and resonant. You should also make sure that the speakers are not doing the work of the cabinet, it is there for a reason and has a job, others of the whole should not try to do so (if they is it generally indicates problems with the cabinet). Mixture is important in a series of speakers. You do not want a speaker crushing others. If the music seems too garish or midrange scores are abundant, this is probably not the system for your needs.

It is recommended that you try sound systems you plan with different types of music and media (especially if you must use your surround sound system for a home theater or gaming system in addition to the music). I always recommend that the first 10 minutes of the film Top Gun sound check when it comes to Home Theater. You should also bring a copy of your favorite CD (as is what you will hear more about your system) and perhaps a few other records that show a variety. Listen to the way the different sounds were made on the system and choose on the basis of the whole system, in order to have the greatest flexibility in your surround sound system.

We offer free information on home audio and give you the inside look, please have a visit to http://yoursurroundsoundguide.com/ebook

You’re seeing the marvel that is High Definition TV, in a hundred different monitors at your local retail outlet. It can be very exciting, but confusing. So, you pick out your baby, buy it, and take it home. Following a storm of unwrapping, and the plugging in of cables, you have…a picture that doesn’t even come close to what you saw in the store. Annoyed, you finally decide to read the manual (something most people would never think to do), see a reference to a type of High Definition connection called HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface), and realize that’s exactly what you need to go out and get. So back to your local Retailer you go, only to be confronted with DVD players that Upscale, HD-DVD Players, Blu-Ray Players, Video Game Consoles and dozens of other products that use this same new Interface. Just when you thought you understood your new HDTV, you are thwarted by the numerous choices available.

Older Analog style video connections did not offer nearly the connection standard of HDMI, which allows a single cable connection to pass both Audio and Video signals; this is the new High Definition age connection standard. If your TV supports Full HD, make sure you have an HDMI cable to take advantage of this. Rather than a multitude of cords and a maze of cables snaked behind your TV and entertainment system, HDMI allows the best of both worlds by combining audio and visual into one single digital cable.

To help you learn what to purchase and why, let us briefly discuss HDTV resolutions and their meanings.

HDTV Resolutions:

- 480i (480 interlaced lines of resolution) Also known as what you’ve watched on normal TV for years

- 480p (480 Progressive lines of resolution) Known as SDTV, progressively scanning images from a DVD player creates a nicer, smoother image on your SDTV/HDTV

- 720p (720 Progressive lines of Resolution) This is your initial step into HDTV. Allowing for 720 lines of resolution, nearly twice that of 480p, provides a much smoother image on a High Definition TV

- 1080i (1080 interlaced lines of Resolution) Currently the greatest resolution provided by Satellite and Cable operators, offering exceptional quality picture on a television capable of displaying 1080i

- 1080p (1080 Progressive lines of Resolution) Also known as Full HD, 1080p is currently “IT” in the market place in terms of best quality picture.

Now that you understand the progression of HDTV Resolutions, let’s figure out what all those numbers really mean on that new HDTV you’ve just purchased.

When you are selecting the cables to connect your HDMI equipped devices, these are some elements to keep in mind.

As you will be spending a good bit on the cable, make sure you get one which is future proofed - even though your TV programs aren’t broadcast in 1080p, the latest DVD and game consoles are, so get a cable that is 1080p certified. To ensure that it transmits video as well as lossless audio, make sure the cable is HDMI 1.3. Many cables longer than 10 feet begin to lose quality, so make sure that the cable is certified for 1080p. Lastly, pay attention to how strained the cable is, because most versions don’t have any sort of locking device, and it can wiggle loose.

That’s it. Now it is time to purchase a HDMI cable, so that you may enjoy that vibrant video and crisp audio that you fell in love with at the store!

Vic Metten, a home theater installer, knows what most people don’t realize - that the connectors and cables make make or break the picture clarity. He highly suggests conferring with the employees at Best Deal Cables for their unique HDMI cable which has been 1040p certified. (It also includes an innovative clasp that will keep the cable well-secured.) Since they don’t blow a bunch of money on their advertising.

Epson has released a press release concerning their new Epson PowerLite Home Cinema 720 home theater projectors. Not only are these projectors using some very cutting edge technology but they also have a nice reasonable price. Just in time for Christmas.

Epson America Inc. today announced that it is advancing its award-winning line of high definition projectors for the ever-growing home theater market with the launch of the Epson PowerLite(R) Home Cinema 720. This new high definition projector is engineered to set a new standard in performance among all 720p native resolution projectors currently on the market. To meet that promise, it comes loaded with cutting-edge technology and high-end features typically reserved for much more expensive projectors. The result is stunning HD image quality at up to 120 inches, incredible color control and the hassle-free setup, service and support Epson has become famous for — all for $1,299 (estimated street price). The combination makes the Home Cinema 720 the perfect choice for any home theater enthusiast. The Home Cinema 720 will be available in late-October through authorized Epson resellers.

“As the number-one selling projector brand worldwide,(1) Epson continues to expand its leadership position with a continuous wave of innovation influencing all segments of the home theater market,” said Mike Isgrig, director, Multimedia Projection Products, Epson America. “The Home Cinema 720 is another great example of our commitment to leadership in the market. This product sets a new price/performance standard by offering truly amazing image quality driven by an advanced 3-chip optical engine and 10-bit color processing. It also offers state-of-the-art features usually found in more expensive projectors including lens shift and color management combined with our exclusive two-year Road Service(TM) and PrivateLine(R) support — all for under $1,300.”

The Home Cinema 720 features industry-leading 3LCD technology to deliver brilliant high-definition 16:9 images and video, smooth shadow detail and outstanding tone response — with no risk of color break-up or distracting “rainbow effect.” 3LCD technology is renowned for its outstanding color quality, amazing detail and road-tested reliability, helping to clearly set the Home Cinema 720 apart from other projectors in this category.

The Home Cinema 720 offers a range of features and benefits for today’s home theater enthusiasts, Including:

• 3LCD technology for incredible color, amazing detail and road-tested reliability with no color break-up or distracting “rainbow effect”
• 3-chip optical engine for brighter, more accurate color, excellent tone response without moving mirrors or color wheels
• Up to 1,600 ANSI lumens for brightness levels that are among the highest in the home theater category
• 10-bit color processing — displays more than one billion colors resulting in intense detail and color accuracy with a wide color gamut
• Up to 10,000:1 contrast ratio for incredible depth and shadow detail
• 100 percent vertical and 50 percent horizontal offset lens shift allowing easy installation without any need for digital keystone manipulation
• Epson AccuCinema(TM) Color Management for calibrated performance right out of the box
• Robust grayscale tracking includes 1,024 steps between black and white
• Epson Super White achieves 100 IRE for cleaner images with less noise and better picture quality
• Built-in Cinema Filter optimizes and expands the image color space, resulting in richer hues with greater Intensity and contrast in dark scenes
• Versatile interfaces include Component Video, RGB Video, S-Video, and Composite Video as well as HDMI, and RS-232 digital connections
• Two-year warranty with Epson’s exclusive Road Service and PrivateLine(R) support
• Epson E-TORL(TM) Lamp engineered to project light more efficiently, maximizing brightness and uniformity across the entire screen and extending lamp life up to 4,000 hours
• Sleek, soft white design allows projector to blend in smoothly with most homes’ decor

About 3LCD Technology
3LCD is the world’s leading projection technology, delivering unbelievable color, amazing detail and road-tested reliability. Using an advanced 3-chip design, 3LCD offers full-time RGB for brilliant quality images without the possibility of color break-up. 3LCD is based on LCD technology, which is used by leading manufacturers worldwide for the ultimate viewing experience in a variety of products. For the latest list of companies using 3LCD technology in projectors and large screen TVs, visit the 3LCD website at http://www.3LCD.com.