Home Theater Buying Guide

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.

Posted by Bill Nadraszky at 10:45 PM | Permalink

There are two factors that really matter when it comes to creating 'the movies at home' experience that you want from a home theater system. Those are the picture and the sound. A good picture backed up by crystal clear sound can sweep you up and into the action. There are a myriad of options available for delivering and receiving a good picture, as there are good quality sound. This article will examine the options available for creating a great sound system and aid you in choosing home theater speakers.

You really want to get the best home theater speakers you can afford, even at the expense of the video component of your system. This is true for two reasons. The first is that, as humans we don't like poor picture quality but we can put up with it. However we really can't stand poor sound quality. Sound creates the atmosphere and mood of most movie experiences and the movie doesn't have the same emotional impact if this quality is sub-standard. Secondly, you will probably use the home theater to listen to music or digital radio, so the speakers serve two purposes.

There are lots of aesthetic qualities that are used to sell speakers. You may want wireless home theater speakers to make the system look sleek and minimalistic. The same could be said for speakers that fit into the walls. In-wall home theater speakers are often expensive to install and the only real benefit is that they save space and make the room look less cluttered. The same could be said about small home theater speakers. Whilst the look of the room is important, in terms of sound, the ability to surround yourself in it is the most important factor.

Home theater surround sound speakers let you become involved in the film. If, for example, you are watching a car chase, you want to hear the screeching of the tires at the side of you, the swerving cars up ahead of you and the thumping collisions at the back of you. With those sort of effects you feel like you are in the drivers seat. That is a movie experience.

Surround sound works by having numerous speakers dotted around you. Typically this might involve three speakers and a sub woofer in front of you. Two speakers to the side of you and another two behind you.

This is called multi-channel surround sound. Movie audio is mixed to a specified number of channels so that specific sound can be heard from a different speaker or channel. This gives the feeling of screeching tires to the side, swerves up head and collisions to the back.

As more information can be stored on DVD's or the new generation of DVD, such as Blu ray or HD DVD the amount of channels increases. Thus you want a speaker set up that can handle numerous channels.

The main names in movie audio tracks are Dolby that have released their latest format as Dolby Digital plus. There is also Digital Theater Systems (DTS) that are comparable to Dolby. You should insist that your speakers are compatible with these systems if you want to get the best out of your home theater speakers.

Find reviews on the latest home theater components, including more on Home theater speakers at http://www.hometheaterreviewed.com . Adrian Whittle writes reviews and features on home theater equipment and accessories.

Posted by Bill Nadraszky at 1:52 PM | Permalink

Rotel is easily one of the best companies in the world for creating high end amplifiers and the RMB-1077 is one of the reasons why. At $2500 it is certainly not a cheap piece of equipment for your home theater but it is definietly one of the best.

Class D amplifiers are not new. But, to date, many Classe D amplifiers have been relegated to low performance electronics, or limited bandwidth products such as subwoofers. Now, with ICEpower® technology, Rotel’s new RMB-1077, delivers full bandwidth, high performance sound with plenty of power output and very low heat and distortion.

The new technology is based on two principals named Controlled Oscillation Modulation (COM) and Multivariable Enhanced Cascade Control (MECC). Together, these two designs form the intelligent power processing (the brains) of the technology to ensure that the amplifier’s power supply and output is rock solid even under complex speaker loads or power supply variations.

The result is a high power, high performance, multichannel power amplifier that occupies only 60mm of height; a minimal amount of space compared to regular amplifiers for heat dissipation. That’s because the RMB-1077 Classe D amplifier is over 90% efficient and produces almost no heat.

The RMB-1077 offers up a lot of power in a small package. At 7 x 100 watts per channel into 8 ohms, it is a superb choice for all but the very largest home theater systems.

The Specs

Posted by Bill Nadraszky at 7:28 PM | Permalink

SR8001 THX Select2 Surround Receiver
$1999.99
Do you call the SR8001 an “audiophile’s receiver” or a “videophile’s receiver”? May we suggest that the answer is simply “Yes”? Here, you’ll find the power, flexibility, and advanced performance you expect from Marantz. And a few surprises, too! All in a new chassis size that’s more convenient than ever

* HDMI (v1.2) Repeating - 4 In, 2 Out
* Up-Conversion (with TBC) to HDMI with 480I/480P Converter
* Current Feedback Amplification
* XM-Ready with Discrete IR Station Access
* Assignable Dual Component Outputs
* 2nd Zone (A/V) and 3rd Zone Audio Outputs (Individual sources)
* IR Receiver In and x2 IR Emitter Outs
* 2 DC Trigger Outputs
* Audyssey Auto Calibration
* Toroidal Transformer & Copper Plated Chassis
* New Shallow Chassis (<16")
* 125W x7-Ch Discrete Amplifier

Posted by Bill Nadraszky at 10:38 PM | Permalink

Home theaters are getting to be extremely popular among American homes. This modern technology is slowly giving movie theaters a run for their money. Basic knowledge of home theater system and its basic components may be best for people who want to bring home relaxation and entertainment.

The most important consideration in the design and complete set up of your home theater is the size of the room. The home theater speakers and the other components of your home theater may need to consider the size of the room. Too small rooms for your home theater may not require so many speakers. Only three speakers may be good if the room is quite small. Do not overload your small room; you may not be able to get the entertainment and relation you want if you feel overloaded with so many home theater speakers. Because you only need three home theater speakers in your small room, you may need to acquire the high-end brand of home theater speakers to compliment the size of the room and the other equipments for your home theater.

If you have a bigger room however, the basic three home theater speakers may not be enough. You may need to put up to six speakers around the room, you may also consider complimenting your home theater speakers with subwoofer to complete the surround sound like in movie theaters. In addition to the speakers, you may also need to purchase a high-end television set which should not be smaller than 27 inches. It may not be reasonable if you buy a smaller television set because it may drown in the fineness of your home theater speakers. Additionally, the DVD player needs to be of high quality, having progressive scan your DVD Player may help provide sharp images and flicker-free pictures for your home theater system. The home theater speakers, television and DVD player are the basic components of a home theater system especially if the room is quite small. However, for bigger room, adding home theater furniture and home theater projectors may be necessary to complete the package. Again, it may be worth it, if your home theater speakers are of high quality. This is because of the need to provide a surround sound for the home theater set up. The DVD player and the television set may answer for the requirement of sight in a movie theater setup. Your home theater speaker needs to answer for the sound requirement, and if your home theater speaker is not of high quality brand, it may not be able to do the job for you.

In order for you to avoid making mistakes in your choice of home theater equipments including home theater speakers, and home theater furniture, you may require the services of a home theater designer. They will be able to provide the best recommendation that will ensure you will get the most out of your home theater system including topnotch home theater speakers. Additional home theater furniture may be necessary to complete the package and to dress up the whole room. Since they are the designers, they will be able to recommend the best for your home theater system set up. If you have a properly designed home theater, you will be the best entertainment possible.

Your home theater designer may take on the huge responsibility of choosing the most suitable home theater speaker to attain the best design for your home theater.

Bring home relaxation and entertainment right in your own living room, home theater system can provide this to you and your family.

Posted by Bill Nadraszky at 8:39 AM | Permalink

Going to the movies is a common and most popular recreation especially for young professionals living a very stressful life of running corporate affairs. However, for some who cannot afford to waste the time traveling to and from movie theaters, the answer to this recreational endeavor might be just inside your own living room. Bring home the sight and sound of movie theaters with your very own home theater system. The best home theater set up may indeed include high quality components that may bring forth the entire movie theater experience without having to drive from your house to the movie theater spending time and effort tiding heavy traffic. This modern innovation will grant you the relaxation and experience real life movie theaters provide.

Having the basic components such as the big screen and speakers with clear and flicker free images from a high quality DVD may provide the almost real movie theater experience. Home theater experts recommend that before you decide on the final set-up and equipments for your home theater system, the size of the place maybe the first consideration. If you have a small size room for your home theater system, television set may be best placed in the center and three speakers placed on the left, right and center might be enough to provide the surround sound you want in a movie theater. However, if you have a bigger place, a home theater projector might be best to provide the big screen requirement. Home theater projector screen can provide the real-life movie theater experience. It is therefore necessary that if you have a huge room for your home theater system, in combination with your home theater projector and home theater projector screen, adding more speakers around the room could be a neat recommendation. A subwoofer may also help to provide the best surround sound that will enable a movie theater surround sound come in to your living room.

There are various designs and models you can choose from for your home theater projector. You may need to understand each of their features before you decide on buying one. It may also be necessary for you to require the services of a home theater designer in order to complete the home theater package that will give you the best entertainment. This will avoid having to spend unreasonably for your home theater system including your home theater projector.

Buying unrealistically huge capacity equipments for your home theater is possible especially if you do not know what are the possible choices and their differentiations that your home theater may require. A too huge home theater projector screen and the total set-up of your home theater system should be of great consideration. Your home theater designer may also provide options that may not require a television set for your home theater. How is this so? The reason for this is the technological innovations provided by your computer and home theater projectors. Home theater projectors like InFocus screenplay models maybe used with computers and small room set-up. Home theater projectors are also lightweight and maybe transported easily. For this reason, the use of home theater projectors for business presentations is helpful.

Home theater projectors and home theater projector screens may help provide the theater like experience, even for business this set-up may be extremely useful and thus is getting to be popular. Your home and office home theater system setup is an innovation only a few intelligent consumers can avail of. However, I am sure that knowing all these options and the basic television, three speakers and DVD player may be worthy for people who wants a home theater, you may not really need a home theater projector if the room for your home theater system is not very huge.

Enjoy theatrical experience right in your living room by intelligently researching your possible option. You may then experience the relaxation movie theaters give without having to tide heavy traffic going to the movie theater.

Posted by Bill Nadraszky at 8:12 AM | Permalink

Onkyo has been known for years as having boring looking great sounding recievers but most have been a little high end for my tastes...that is until I ran across the Onkyo TX-SR505 home theater receiver today

Just when you thought upgrading your home theater receiver to support HDMI was going to cost you an arm and a leg, Onkyo comes to the rescue with the TX-SR505 receiver. It features HDMI switching (up to 1080p with HDMI version 1.3 support), high def-compatible component video switching (480i/480p/720p/1080i) plus your usual assortment of composite and S-video inputs. And all for a buck less than $300.

The unit even features Audyssey's advanced auto-calibration software called "2EQ." Hold a microphone in your primary listening positions, hit a couple of buttons, and the receiver calibrates speaker crossover, delays, and levels automatically, for the best sound out of your speakers in your particular room.

Specs are still fairly preliminary, but HDMI support is described as "passthrough-only" meaning you will also need to connect your HDMI components to the receiver using a separate analog or digital audio cable in order to get sound. It will not process sound over HDMI connections, just pass it through to your display. But hey, what do you want for $300?

Continue reading "Onkyo TX-SR505" »

Posted by Bill Nadraszky at 7:29 AM | Permalink

Netgear’s Digital Entertainer HD EVA8000 has been around for quite some time already, and has been up for sale approximately a month back. What makes this device an essential addition to anyone who loves tinkering around with home entertainment systems? For starters, this well designed box can be hooked up to your home’s network via Ethernet or WiFi, and it will automatically get to work, searching through your computer for all multimedia files available, be they audio or video formats. These meida files can then be played back on your TV in high definition via the HDMI connection. This means you ought to have a HD-ready TV in your living room if you are to take full advantage of the EVA8000.

The EVA8000 is an extremely versatile machine, and this trait is emphasized with its ability to play back YouTube videos on your TV, being compatible with iTunes FairPlay for you to stream music which was purchased online, and even being compatible with the new look (and legal) BitTorrent. If your computer has a TV tuner card installed, you can also use the EVA8000 to schedule recordings as well as pause and rewind live TV, all from the comfort of your living room.

There is potential for the EVA8000 to challenge Apple TV on the home entertainment front, but ultimately whether that is achieved or not, it all depends on the consumers. You will be able to pick up the Digital Entertainer HD EVA8000 from Netgear for approximately $350, depending on the retailer you go to.

Posted by Bill Nadraszky at 6:42 PM | Permalink

I am always looking for some more info on what are the best and most popular great pieces of home theater equipment and just this week Home Theater Magazine awarded their winners for the best of everything in home theater.

The editors of Home Theater magazine have announced the winners of the 2007 RAVE Awards (Recognition of Audio and Video Excellence). Open to all manufacturers, the RAVE Awards, now in its fifth year, recognize excellence in the manufacturing of superior audio and video components that have been reviewed and tested by the Home Theater staff and respected contributors over a 12-month period.

Winners are invited to attend an awards ceremony held in their honor, during the Home Entertainment 2007 Show at the Hyatt Grand Central Hotel, New York, NY on Saturday, May 12 at 6:30 p.m.

Granted solely on the basis of the product's review in Home Theater, magazine and online, each RAVE Award recipient is chosen by the reviewer who spent at least one month with the product evaluating its performance, value, ergonomics, and features.

"The competition gets tougher each year for the Home Theater team whose responsibility it is to nominate components which they personally feel sets a new standard of reference-a product that they would love to own in their own systems," said editor Maureen Jenson.

This year's winners are:

Product of the Year:
Sony PlayStation 3 (online)

Best Entry-Level Projector:
Optoma HD72 DLP Projector ($1,999, May, DW)

Best Overall Projector:
Yamaha DPX-1300 DLP Projector ($12,496, Jul, GM)

Best Flat-Panel Display:
Panasonic TH-42PX60U Plasma HDTV ($2,500, Nov, AM)

Best High-End Speaker System:
Meridian DSP3100 Speaker System ($16,430, Jul, MF)

Best Midpriced Speaker System:
Anthony Gallo Acoustics A'Diva Speaker System ($2,075, Apr, SG)

Best Entry-Level Speaker System:
Audioengine 5 Amplified Speaker System ($698, Nov, MF)

Best Amplifier, Under $3,000:
AudioControl Savoy Amplifier ($2,499, Apr, MF)

Best Amplifier, Over $3,000:
Sunfire Theater Grand TGA-5400 Amplifier ($3,899, Nov, SG)

Best Pre/Pro, Under $3,000:
AudioControl Maestro M2 Pre/Pro ($2,399, Apr, MF)

Best Pre/Pro, Over $3,000:
Classé SSP-300 Surround Processor ($4,500, Jul, SG)

Best Receiver, Under $1,000:
Outlaw Audio Model 1070 A/V Receiver ($899, Jan, MF)

Best Receiver, Over $1,000:
Marantz SR8500 A/V Receiver ($1,300, Sep, SG)

Best Source Component, Under $500:
Samsung DVD-HD950 HDTV-Compatible DVD Player ($250, Feb, CC)

Best Source Component, Over $500:
Toshiba HD-XA1 HD DVD Player ($800, Aug, GMr)

Best Home-Theater-in-a-Box System:
Denon S-301 HTIB ($1,599, Feb, MF)

Best Convergence Product:
Geneva Lab Model XL iPod/CD System ($1,075, Sep, MF)

Best Custom Product:
Polk Audio LC265i-IP In-Wall Speakers ($1,450/each, Dec, GA)

SOFTWARE AWARDS

DVD of the Year:
Titanic Collector's Edition (Dec)

Best Video:
Star Wars: Episode III-Revenge of the Sith (Jan)

Best Audio:
War of the Worlds Limited Edition (Mar)

Best TV on DVD:
Arrested Development (Feb)

Best High-Def Disc:
Batman Begins HD DVD (Jan 07)

Best Video Game:
Gears of War

Best Animation:
Toy Story 10th Anniversary Edition (Feb)

Best Restoration:
The Outsiders Complete Novel (Jan)

Best Extras:
Sin City Recut & Extended (Mar)

Posted by Bill Nadraszky at 8:39 PM | Permalink

Been thinking about a DVD recorder although as we all know the convergence of media in the home starts to make the techy in me think more about a wireless connection around the house to shuttle the media around. One of the things that I still do is record TV shows on videotape...I know the quality is horrible on a TV afterwards. In looking at it this way a DVD recorder is good for recording tv programs but using a wireless media center type device like the Dlink media lounge would be a better overall system for grabbing shows instead...also by the way you would need a video card for your computer that allows a cable in connection.

Sony Announces New Line of DVD Recorders

Sony has introduced its new line of DVD recorders. The first two of the new units, the RDR-GX355 (DVD Recorder Only) and RDR-VX555 (DVD Recorder/VCR Combo) have NO BUILT-IN TUNERS. In order to record television programming on either unit, the consumer will need an external set-top box, cable, or satellite box. However, Sony will also make available shortly, two additional DVD Recorder models: the RDR-GXD455 (DVD Recorder Only) and the RDR-VXD655 (DVD Recorder/VCR Combo), which will have built-in ATSC digital tuners to prepare for the coming turnover to digital-only over-the-air television broadcasting. Also, it appears that for the second year, Sony will not offer a DVD Recorder/Hard Drive combo in the U.S. Market.

Posted by Bill Nadraszky at 10:18 AM | Permalink

Chinese manufacturers, known for low-cost consumer products, will begin making and shipping HD DVD players for the U.S. market by the end of 2007, HD DVD promotional group execs announced at an event here Sunday evening.

Chinese manufacturers Alco, Shinco and Lite-On will join Toshiba in making players, as will Japanese company Onkyo, execs announced. Microsoft may also make players, officials said, but didn’t provide further details. Car system manufacturer Alpine is making a player for cars.

The move is expected to add lower-priced players to the market, which could greatly expand household penetration for the format.

Meanwhile, Toshiba, so far the only manufacturer with HD DVD set-top players on the market, is ramping up player production, conservatively projecting it will ship more than 1.8 million units to the market this year, Toshiba’s Digital Media Network president and CEO Yoshihidi Fujii said.

Overall, the group is projecting more than 2.5 million players will be sold through 2007.

The group said more than 175,000 players were sold between the format’s April 2006 launch and Jan. 5.

The format’s early adopter purchasers have a healthy movie appetite. The attach rate for HD DVD, the average number of movies people buy for each player sold, is 28, said Craig Kornblau, chair of the HD DVD Promotional Group and president of Universal Studios Home Entertainment.

The group is projecting HD DVD movie sales to exceed $600 million in 2007, with more than 600 movies available by year-end. Among the coming titles is the original Star Trek from Paramount Home Entertainment, Kornblau said.

Kornblau and other execs emphasized HD DVD’s interactive ability and that “all features work on every player you buy,” a dig at the first generation of Blu-ray players, which don’t have full interactive capabilities.

The group also unveiled a 51GB triple-layer disc that they said will debut in the fourth quarter and allow more space for interactive features.

Microsoft director of HD DVD evangelism Kevin Collins showed off the new interactive features that will use Microsoft’s HDi technology to allow users to send their favorite movie clips to the player of a friend over the Internet. Using a prototype Miami Vice HD DVD, Collins demonstrated the new feature, sending clips from the movie to another player, where the clips were downloaded and viewed through the new “Download Center.” Collins also showed other potential download offerings such as a movie clip in the corner of the screen with an advertisement for the Volkswagen GTI in the main part of the screen.

“HD DVD is the only format that has delivered on these features,” Collins said of the interactivity.

Users would have to register with Universal, or whichever studio distributed the movie, to send and download clips. This also would allow for targeted download features such as movie trailers based on films playing nearby a user.

The group began its presentation with a man-on-the-street reel asking people if they’d heard of HD DVD. Kornblau said two-thirds of consumers are aware of the format, according to the latest research.

The Blu-ray Disc Assn. holds its press event Monday afternoon and is expected to unveil details on its new interactive feature, dubbed BD Live.

Posted by Bill Nadraszky at 8:01 AM | Permalink

Knowing their audience quite well, the adult entertainment industry holds their annual get together in Las Vegas to coincide with the CES. There is also a very pertinent crossover between the adult and tech industries - porn has a tendency to drive, and be driven, by technology. Which means HD DVD when it comes to high-def.

Quite famously in the war between Betamax and VHS the latter won especially because the adult industry preferred it. If you've been around long enough, you probably remember that the very early home video rental stores were primarily responsible for driving Betamax out of the market. And those stores carried almost exclusively pornographic content.

Although the market environments from then do not really compare to today's home video market, parallels are drawn between the Betamax-VHS battle to the ongoing and escalating fight between Blu-ray and HD DVD. One of the key questions at this year's CES actually is "Which high-def format will win the current format war - Blu-ray or HD DVD?" Surprisingly, it seems that there is no such question in the minds of the adult industry luminaries.

Putting myself through the arduous trek through the floor of the adult expo I did a quick straw poll on, the virtues of HD DVD versus Blu-ray, and the answer from a dozen companies, big and small, including Pink Visual and Bangbros editor-in-chief, is going into a single direction: HD DVD is the preferred format. Period.

One of the big problems they have with Blu-ray is its expense, followed by its market share. "Blu-ray has superior quality, yes," said a spokesperson for porn studio Bangbros, "but HD DVD is easier to produce, cheaper to produce and there are more HD DVD players in homes than there are Blu-ray players, for example in the Xbox 360."

Pink Visual heavily complained about the fact that Blu-ray discs cannot be replicated and a range of other studios, who did not want to be mentioned by name indicated that the cost of going with Blu-ray cancels the technology as a possible HD solution for this industry. "Only bigger studios can afford Blu-ray, and even then it's not economical," we were told.

It would seem that either Blu-ray has to do some catching up very quickly. But we got the strange feeling that HD DVD has won the format war already, at least in the porn industry.

Posted by Bill Nadraszky at 12:59 PM | Permalink

Great instructions from Robert Silva at about.com's home theater area.

With the Blu-ray Disc Players currently on the market, as soon as you connect the Blu-ray Disc Player to your HDTV or video projector, and turn both units on (set the TV to the input you have the Blu-ray Disc Player connected to), the Blu-ray Disc Player will automatically adjust to the native resolution capabilities of your HDTV or video projector.

In other words, a Blu-ray Disc Player knows what it is connected to and what type of connection you are using. If it doesn't sense a 1080p input, it will set itself to whatever the native resolution of the set is - whether it be 1080i, 720p, etc... Afterwards, you can still go into the Blu-ray Disc Player setup menu and make any additional changes you choose (if you prefer 1080i, 720p, etc..). NOTE: Check your user manual if you suspect any variations to the above information.

However, even if you have an HDTV or video projector with 720p native resolution, instead of 1080i or 1080p, I have found that if you manually set the Blu-ray Disc player to 1080i, the image looks slightly better.

This may be due to the fact that the Blu-ray Discs themselves are mastered at 1080p, and it appears that is easier for the Blu-ray disc player to scale down to output a 1080i signal than a 720p signal, since 1080i is closer 1080p than 720p. Of course, the other explanation is that Blu-ray Disc Players may just not have very good built-in 720p scaling capability.

Audio Configuration
As far as the audio output of the Blu-ray Disc player goes, it is still easiest to use the traditional method of connecting the digital audio outputs (either optical or coaxial) of the player to your AV receiver.

However, if you have a set of 5.1 channel direct analog inputs on your receiver, this is an even better option, as the 5.1 channel analog outputs of the Blu-ray disc player already contain a decoded surround sound signal.

Also, if you have higher-end AV receiver that has direct HDMI inputs (that are not just simply pass through connections), your AV receiver would be able to accept the ucompressed digital audio signal from the Blu-ray Disc player, which is even a better than using the 5.1 channel analog signal or the digital audio signal input options. Consult your AV Receiver user manual to see if any HDMI inputs are pass-through only, or if the receiver can decode the audio signal properly.

Posted by Bill Nadraszky at 9:51 AM | Permalink

Don't get caught skipping
When you're skipping along, the "skipping" should refer to your mode of travel, not to the playback vagaries of your personal CD player. There is no reason why skipping while using a personal CD player should be a problem. Today's personal CD players are hardy. Skipping aside, a personal CD player may seem to be a simple device. For the most part, it is, but there are some things to consider before choosing a model.

You should consider how and where you'll be using your personal CD player. For instance, the buffer memory — also called anti-skip protection, ESP Squared (Sony's acronym for Electronic Sound Protection) or various other fancy names that all mean the same thing — soaks up battery life when activated. Therefore, consider how you will use your personal CD player. If you're going to use it while jogging, we recommend a sports portable; anything less and the player will eventually skip. If you're merely strolling around town, get at least a 20-second buffer. If you're going to use it in the car, opt for at least a 10-second memory — bear in mind that a car does encounter bumps in the road.

Wherefore art thou, batteries?
Most personal CD players have battery compartments on the rear underside of the unit. Many players, however, including some from Panasonic and Philips, as well as many sports models, place the battery compartment on the inside of the unit. This design requires you to remove the CD before replacing the batteries. When you're actually on the go, you must be very dexterous to balance the CD in one hand while manipulating the battery compartment door and old and new batteries, all at the same time. This positioning of the battery compartment makes changing batteries an awkward process at best.

Reading and writing
All CD players play back the discs made on a CD recordable (CD-R) deck. Not all CD players — particularly the portable variety — will play back CD-RW (CD rewritable) discs, however. Unlike the make-one-mistake-and-you're-done CD-R discs, CD-RW discs work like tape or MiniDiscs you can record, erase and record again. This capability makes CD-RW discs incompatible with many CD players. Many companies are including this feature on select products in their lineup. CD-RW compatibility should be indicated on the personal CD player's packaging. But no Sony Discman will be compatible with CD-RW. CD-RW compatibility would put Sony personal CD players in competition with its own rewritable format, MiniDisc. So if you know someone who's going to make CD-RW disc mixes for you, or if you plan on buying and using a CD-RW deck, look for a personal CD player that is CD-RW-compatible.

Feed your head
The headphones that are included with personal CD players are not generally of the highest quality. You're spending your money on the player. Our advice: invest in quality headphones if you want to get the most out of your personal CD player.

Goin' mobile
Many personal CD players now come with a car kit, which typically consists of a cigarette lighter power adapter and a cassette adapter — a cassette-shaped device that is placed into your car cassette player to allow the CD to play through your car speakers. Some car kits also include some sort of player mount that attaches to the dashboard.

Where the buttons are
Some personal CD headphones have a small remote control pad built into the headphone cord, making it convenient to change the volume level or to switch tracks. If there is no in-cord remote control, then you must use the controls on the personal CD player itself. Most of the time, your personal CD player is going to be in a pocket or bag while it plays. This means that to adjust the volume, skip back a track, skip past a track, pause, etc., you must take the player out of its temporary storage place to punch the right button. On the other hand, some players have uniquely designed controls that allow adjustment-by-feel. Just reach in your pocket and feel for the right button.

In addition, not all the buttons are grouped on the outside of a player. Controls for sound enhancements, such as bass boost, are often located inside the CD compartment. If you like to constantly monkey with the sound, check to see where these controls are located.

Most of the better personal CD models also have a hold or lock function. This is a button or control that prohibits accidental pushing of a button while the unit is in a bag. This hold function, however, works differently depending on the player. For instance, some players have volume + and - buttons that would be locked by the hold button. A toggle wheel volume control, however, would not be locked, allowing you to adjust the volume without disengaging the hold. Again, consider how you'll use your player before you decide which would be more convenient for you.

What's the cost factor?
Differences in price and performance stem from better digital components and pickup mechanisms. To get the best out of your machine, especially the higher-end models buy a comfortable set of good-sounding headphones. Remember also that this is a portable device. It will get bumped, dumped and generally banged about, which obviously shortens its life.

Posted by Bill Nadraszky at 11:36 AM | Permalink

I like to travel. I'm not sure if it's the fantasy of escapism or the thrill of a jet hurling down the runway at speeds approaching 280 km/h. For me the journey is sometimes as much fun as the destination. It's definitely not the food on board a plane or standing in line waiting to go through customs in a foreign land, but the notion of the journey itself. Recently while reading an article on a popular travel site, I happened upon a message about noise-cancelling headphones. And that got me thinking. How many times have I missed some dialogue during the in-flight movie? How many times have I asked my traveling companion to repeat a word or sentence? Do noise-cancelling headphones really work? The headphones in discussion were a rather pricey $350 model that everyone raved about, but you can find a quality pair that do the job for a fraction of the cost - I went with a pair of Aiwa's.

During my last cross-country flight, I unfolded the headphones, popped in one AA battery and put them on. There's an easy-to-find on/off switch built in on the right earphone, which I turned on. Wow, what a difference! It was actually quiet. Or to be more correct, it was quieter. The headphones sample environmental sound using a built-in microphone, and then generate an equal-but-opposite sound wave to cancel noise. There's not complete cancellation, but up to 70% of all background noise is eliminated. In reality, I enjoyed hearing a movie and listening to music for the first time on an airplane. I'm sure there are tons of other uses for these headphones, but I'll be taking these gems on every flight I take in the future. I highly recommend these headphones especially if you are planning an overseas flight in the future.

Posted by Bill Nadraszky at 11:35 AM | Permalink

This big new reciever from Marantz should be my replacement for my aging SR5000 reciever that I am still using at home.

Marantz has unveiled a new multi-channel AV receiver, the SR8001. Future-proofed up to the gills, the SR8001 features four HDMI inputs and two HDMI outputs, can handle video and audio switching plus upconversion from analogue video signals to HDMI including interlaced to progressive conversion.

As well as being THX Select II certified the SR8001 incorporates 32-bit Digital Signal Processing circuitry, boasts 24-bit/192kHz DACs on all channels and fires out an meaty 900 watts power in total.

All of the digital, analogue and control circuits are separated and shielded in their own enclosures to prevent interference, and the SR8001 also boasts independent power supplies for the FL display, audio and video sections for maximum separation. Other highlights include a backlit learning remote handset and auto room set-up function.

Posted by Bill Nadraszky at 4:34 PM | Permalink

The brains and nerve center of your system.

Stereo, 5.1, 6.1, and 7.1-channel Home Theater receivers explained

The most common type of receiver -5.1-channel models- decode the audio information contained in Dolby Digital and DTS soundtracks and route them to front left and right, center, and surround speakers in your system via their five built-in amplifier channels. (The .1, or low frequency effects, channel in a movie soundtrack gets directed to a powered subwoofer with its own on-board amplifier.)

Along with providing all the functionality of a 5.1-channel receiver, 6.1-channel models include an additional amp channel to drive a back surround speaker when watching DVDs encoded with Dolby Digital EX or DTS-ES soundtracks. The main benefit to the back surround channel is that it creates an even more realistic surround sound experience - one that's closer to what you'd hear in a well-equipped movie theater.

7.1-channel Home Theater receivers are basically the same as 6.1-channel models, but they include yet another amp channel to drive a second back surround speaker. In this case, the audio information going to both back speakers is identical; it's just distributed between the two back speakers to create an even more expansive rear sound field. The specifications for the new HD DVD and Blu-ray disc formats allow for soundtracks with up to 7.1 discrete audio channels. So while a 7.1-channel receiver might seem like overkill, right now it's a more future-proof option than 5.1 and 6.1 models.

Continue reading "A primer on home theater recievers" »

Posted by Bill Nadraszky at 10:00 PM | Permalink

What is the essense of a great speaker? I found this review of the Tetra Manhattan speakers, expenseive but still a really great set of speakers.

A speaker that is a biggest selling product—and with good reason. The Tetra 120U is a small, relatively inexpensive speaker that was designed for home theater, but it's so good that many clients purchase it for their two-channel systems, often replacing much larger, more expensive speakers. The Tetra 120U sells for $1800/pair ($900 each). The 120U is Tetra's first truly universal speaker, one that delivers great sound on any type of music or soundtrack. It can be used in two-channel or for a surround system. You may use the 120U for just the rears, for the fronts and rears (perhaps with a Tetra 505C center) or for every speaker in a 5.1, 6.1, or 7.1 configuration.

Continue reading "Tetra Manhattan Speakers" »

Posted by Bill Nadraszky at 2:23 PM | Permalink

I have just seen the best picture and review of the Logitech Harmony 1000 One-Touch Remote
over at Gear Live.

This controller is part of the new generation of remotes that uses a square shape instead of a long thin form factor to allow for a large LCD screen in which to select components and settings.

This great piece of haredware , from a company more known for their computer peripherals and speakers, will be out in the next couple of months and have a price tag around $500

Posted by Bill Nadraszky at 9:12 PM | Permalink

There are a lot of ways to add a PC as a component to your home theater and I have just run across a great guide for building your own Home Theater PC based on the Linux operating System. Here is the Intro to the article...check it out.

The purpose of the Linux HTPC Howto is to help educate people who are interested in learning about or building their own media computer (aka Home Theater PC or HTPC). The perfect HTPC solution doesn't exist and because of this there are many ways to build a HTPC and there are even more pitfalls that can make a HTPC more troublesome than helpful. This guide is designed to help both Windows and Linux users see what is involved in building a HTPC and what technologies need to be considered to make your goal a reality. The guide also takes many of the complicated details that are typically overlooked by people new to HTPC's and helps make things easier to understand.

I have been building HD HTPC's since 2003 and I prefer to use MythTV which uses the Linux OS. Although this guide references Linux often, most of the howto is not software or OS specific, and in 2005 over 80,000 visitors were Windows users.

The howto continues to grow when I have the time. There is quite a bit covered and I hope my attempt to make it enjoyable and comical at times don't get too dry. You'll have to pace yourself, it's not a single sitting reading, unless you're looking for specific information. I have tried to only go deep into areas that can have serious impact on the performance or functionality of a HTPC, and this has been what I feel has made this Howto so useful. When I wrote this I had spent hundreds of hours researching for facts and it was very difficult to find answers at all, let alone quickly. I hope this guide helps save time, frustration, and money for all of you.

Posted by Bill Nadraszky at 9:17 AM | Permalink

A great overview of universal remote controls from Component sales site JR.com. As we all know having a half dozen remotew controls is a real problem in a home theater room and a big multi prurpose remote can help that...at a price of course.

A universal remote control has the ability to handle the functioning of more than one electronic device. It eliminates the need for several remote controls. The most basic universal remotes can usually handle up to four devices (normally a TV, a VCR, and a Cable Box) plus an additional auxiliary function that can be programmed to any device (with limitations). Many universal remotes today come prepackaged with electronic audio/video devices, although some still package traditional single-function remotes. Universal remotes still may be purchased separately, and do not have to be the same brand as the device(s) you'll be programming.

Universal remote controls have function buttons that you use to switch from using device to device. To use the television, you press the "TV" button. Once you do that, all the buttons on the remote (channel changing, volume, etc) apply to your television only. When you press another device, the same applies for them.

Types of Remotes
There are essentially two basic types of universal remote controls: preprogrammed remotes, and "learning" remotes. Preprogrammed remotes are the most common and require a trial and error search phase to program your remote to a particular device. Learning remotes take the information directly from a devices' original remote control.

Pre Programmed
Since we all do not buy the same brand televisions, VCRs and other audio/video equipment, it's hard to understand how one remote can work on any more than one machine. Here's how it works. Every device and brand name is assigned a code, which is usually made up of 3 or four digits. Every preprogrammed universal remote comes with a little pamphlet, or manual that clearly states these codes for brands and devices. For example: If you have a Sony television, you may have more than 2 or 3 codes listed for this brand of television. To find the right codes for your device, you'll need to refer to remote pamphlet. What you'll eventually do with these codes, using your remote, is try to see which one "locks" with your TV by trial and error. Locking the device usually means that the device turns off (assuming that it was on before programming) when the right code is punched in. Procedures may vary from remote to remote, but finding the right code for a unit shouldn't take more than a couple of minutes. Not all remotes cover all brands of devices.

One main advantage preprogrammed remotes have over any other type is that you don't need the original remote control of the device in order to program the universal remote.

Learning Remotes
Unlike preprogrammed universal remote controls, there are no codes to punch using learning remotes. Learning remotes receive the actual codes by facing the infrared ports of the old and new remotes together. In a sense you "zap" the code from the old remote, into the new remote, then you're all done. These types of remotes are great when you often get new equipment, or have too many to program.

Setting up learning remotes are much easier compared with preprogrammed remotes. However, most of these learning remotes always require that you have the original remote handy. If you lost the original remote, a learning remote won't work, unless it has the ability to be programmed.

Ease Of Use
The last thing you want to do is buy a universal remote control that will complicate your life even more. The average universal remote has more buttons than a standard single-function remote. Before buying a universal remote, find out how many devices you'll want to operate using it. The more devices a remote can handle, the more buttons it will have. LCD remote controls work better in this sense because you have more flexibility in customizing your functions for every device. With all other button remote controls, every function may not have a separate button, which means you have to push a couple of buttons (usually more than three or four) to get a desired result from your device.

If you plan to use your remote in darker places (i.e. home-theater situations), make sure you look for a remote with glow-in-the-dark keys or remotes with backlit keys.

There are several higher-class remotes that come with large, backlit LCD displays that have advanced touch-screen operations instead of buttons. They share the abilities of being a learning remote that's also programmable. They have the versatility to handle many devices with full functionality.

Batteries
Most universal remote controls operate using standard alkaline batteries, usually AA or AAA. Models that use touch screens and have LCD displays may use a rechargeable battery. What happens to all the programmed information in your remote when you change the battery? Well, most of the time nothing. Most universal remote controls have a battery backup that can last anywhere from 90 seconds to 15 minutes, which should cover the time you need to replace batteries.

Posted by Bill Nadraszky at 5:20 PM | Permalink

Apparently there is some competition for D Link in the wireless transmission of audio and video for home theaters. Pegasus Wireless revealed a new Wi-Fi-based technology that can stream HD audio and video from a computer to a television through a Wi-Fi network.

The proprietary technology is embedded in a device called the WiJET.e that was introduced in late July. The WiJET.e is a multipurpose device that connects to a display through its video port using a VGA, S-Video or composite video cable. It then picks up an audio or video signal from a home's Wi-Fi network and streams it in real time to the display.

In addition, the device reproduces the computer's screen on the display or TV so the user can control playback with a specially supplied infrared remote control. It is expected to ship in October with a $399 suggested price point.

The WiJET.e will not directly compete with the pre-802.11n products now on the market, but is actually a step beyond what these will deliver, Knabb said. The WiJET.e can stream up to six signals to displays equipped with the WiJET.e box, which resembles a standard wireless router/access point and in fact has built-in router functionality. All the major networking vendors have rolled out pre-802.11n products in the past few months, but the specification is not expected to be finalized until mid-2007 at the earliest.

Pegasus is also developing a stripped down, modestly priced version that will be released at a later date. A set-top box model is also in the works, and the technology will eventually be integrated into displays. Knabb said he is working with Sony and Samsung on this project, but does not expect to see any integrated displays on the market for several years from third party vendors.

To expedite this situation Pegasus plans to show its own line of small LCD displays featuring WiJET.e at the 2007 International CES. These will range up to 19 inches in size, Knabb said.

Another Pegasus-branded product in the works for the next CES is a three-SKU line of what the company calls wireless cables. Knabb said the 802.11n device will plug into the back of an audio or video component and then transmit the content between components. For example, a home receiver would not need a cable to send a video signal to the TV, he said. The products are not expected to ship until after the 802.11n specification has been ratified, but no later than the 2007 holiday season. Pricing is expected to range from $49 to $129.

Posted by Bill Nadraszky at 5:00 PM | Permalink

Digital Home Canada is a great site that has a very full review of the DLink Home theater receiver that works wirelessly to stream media from your computer. I put this review up because I think that this is a fantastic product.
Billed as a digital entertainment centre, the D-Link DSM-320 Media Player is a wireless networking device that connects your home network to your home theatre. By connecting the two, you can play media files (music, video and photos) that are stored on your computer through your TV or stereo.

Digital Home Canada had the opportunity to install and test the DSM-320 in our home and detail our findings in this review.

Editors Note: Digital Home Canada is currently on summer hiatus from July 22nd until August 7th. During this time, we will be re-publishing some of more our more popular how-to and general interest articles that have run on the site in 2006. This article originally ran on Digital Home Canada in January 2006.

We will return on August 8th with the latest Canadian Digital News and information. In the meantime, if you are looking for information then search the Digital Home website, HDTV Knowledgebase or DigitalWiki. Our Digital Forums, with it's 21,000+ members remain open for discussion.

DSM-320 Overview
The DSM-320 (shown below) measures 16.7 inches wide, 11.4 inches deep and 1.7 inches (about the size of a slim line DVD player) and comes in a matte silver finish with a black strip across the width of the front panel. The only button on the front of the unit is the power button so you’ll need to control the DSM-320 with the remote. The 43-button remote includes all the buttons you’d typically expect on a standard A/V remote and adds direct access buttons for music, photo, video, and online media.

Continue reading "Dlink Wireless Home Media reciever" »

Posted by Bill Nadraszky at 4:46 PM | Permalink

Thinking about getting an HDMI DVD player? Whether you've heard t he buzz surrounding the latest generation of DVD players or have an HDTV and want a player to connect it to, the information on this page will help.

HDMI stands for High Definition Multimedia Interface. Its the standard connector for high definition TV and video kit and is a lossless, all-digital audio/ video interface which as well as supporting HD content also carries standard definition (SD) and enhanced definition (ED) video.

Deciding which HDMI DVD player to get is becoming more difficult as more and more devices arrive on the market. Prices range from a very reasonable $200 or so for the Toshiba SD-5970 to a couple of thousand dollars for devices at the high-end.

The Toshiba HDMI DVD player, like the other high definition players, up-converts the DVD-Video content on regular DVD discs to either 720p or 1080i high definition resolution. As well as do everything you would expect of a DVD player, the Toshiba SD-5970 has a couple of tricks up its sleeve. Its progressive scan output, when connected to an HDTV using the HDMI connector, provides twice the number of scan lines present on a normal DVD picture. This means higher resolution, sharper and flicker free images which have none of the motion artifacts, such as stepping, often seen on less expensive DVD players.

Also, the SD-5970 performs, what's known as 3:2 pulldown reversal. This basically means that it corrects the distorion which is caused by translating 24 frames per second film to 30 frames per second video.

The Toshibe SD-5970 is relatively inexpensive for an HDMI DVD player, yet it marks a huge leap in terms of improvement in image quality. More expensive players are better still and best of all, becasue this is a relatively new market prices are sure to fall making even a very good HDMI DVD player within the reach fo any DVD enthusiast.

About The Author
Kenny Hemphill is the editor and publisher of The HDTV Tuner (http://www.the-hdtv-tuner.com).

Posted by Bill Nadraszky at 8:29 PM | Permalink

Basic speakers fall into a number of different categories, but each is designed to carry a specific range of frequencies. Knowing the frequencies a speaker carries helps you pick the ideal type for your listening needs:

Bookshelf speakers reproduce a full range of frequencies, making them very versatile. Two bookshelf speakers can be used as the sole speakers with a conventional stereo system, or with a stereo TV. Two bookshelf speakers could also be used for the front or rear speakers in a surround system. Additionally, one speaker may be used as an economic alternative to the center-channel speaker in surround sound, if it is magnetically shielded so as not to interfere with the TV picture

Front speakers come in a variety of sizes and reproduce a wide range of sound frequencies. They are typically used in a home theater system

Center-channel speakers are dedicated to reproducing on-screen sound and dialogue. They are placed on top or just underneath the TV, and typically shielded so they won't interfere with the picture.

Rear speakers complete the surround effect by providing background sound behind you. They add a sense of realism to surround sound.

Subwoofers are designed specifically for bass output. They are usually placed on the floor and are "powered," which means that they have a built-in amplifier that requires an electrical power connection in addition to speaker wires. A subwoofer is critical for 5.1 surround-sound.

Posted by Bill Nadraszky at 6:43 AM | Permalink

Several types of receivers are available in the marketplace, including basic stereo receivers which include AM and FM tuners and connections for attaching CD players and other audio equipment, audio/video or a/v receivers, and combination products such as DVD player/receivers both of which are used in home theater systems.

Knowing what components you want to connect is important in choosing a receiver that will support your needs. Do you only want to connect audio components like a CD player? Or, are you considering a home theater and need connections for a DVD player and a cable box? Will you need connections for surround sound? Answering these questions will help you determine what to look for in your home electronics purchase. A/V receivers on the market today generally have enough video and audio inputs (places for plugs) to accommodate a CD or DVD player, a VCR, and a cable box or satellite receiver.

Here are the typical inputs and their functions:

Antenna/cable: This is the most basic connection, and can be used with almost any video source.
Composite-video: Offers additional quality for video signals (e.g., for use with DVD, VCR, cable boxes).
S-video: Improves the image quality by separating the signal into two parts-color and brightness. For use with DVD, digital-cable boxes, satellite receivers, and camcorders.
Component-video: Potentially the best connection, since the video signal is split into three signals-two for color and one for brightness. It is usually used with DVD players.

Interested in surround-sound? Consider an a/v receiver. Most power at least six speakers and support Dolby Digital 5.1 and Digital Theater System, two of the most commonly used surround sound formats.

Posted by Bill Nadraszky at 9:30 AM | Permalink

Single vs. Multiple Disc
Single disc players hold just one disc at a time, requiring you to manually change discs to listen to another. Multidisc players typically hold three or more (five is common) discs in a carousel. CD players are available that hold large numbers of CDs, eliminating the need to store discs separately. For a system that can handle multiple discs, "play exchange" is a useful feature to have. This allows you to remove or exchange CDs that aren't playing while another is being played.

Multiple Format Capabilities
Many CD players can also play home-recorded CDs on CD-R (recordable) or CD-RW (rewritable) discs or MP-3 formats. Be sure to understand which formats a particular CD player can play.

Super Audio CD (SACD) and DVD-Audio
Super Audio CD (SACD) and DVD-Audio are two new digital high-resolution audio CD formats that can hold far more information than a standard CD and offer up to six discrete channels. SACD and DVD-Audio both were designed to be compatible with Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound and backward compatible, meaning that most will be able to be played on standard and older CD/DVD players.

Did you know that most DVD players can play CDs? When connected to a receiver and speakers, or when connected to a home theater system, most DVD players can play audio CDs. If you plan to purchase a DVD player and use it regularly to play CDs, you may want to consider a multidisc player over a single disc player.

Posted by Bill Nadraszky at 6:38 AM | Permalink

There are several components in a home theater and I would like to take the opportunity to help you as a sort of buyers guide to pick out what may be important and what will help you make the best decision on what you need to buy and when.

Television – This will be your biggest expense probably in the buying of a home theater. The important thing to look at is your budget of course and what kind of room that you are planning to put the home theater in. Remember that if you have a 50 or 60 inch big screen television then you will want to make sure that you are at least 12 feet away from the screen. The best way to figure out if you are going to buy a 27 inch television or a 36 inch or a 50 or 60 inch or even if your are going to buy a projector is to measure the farthest distance possible in your room that will be a home theater room. Go three feet from one wall to two feet from the opposite wall and see how much distance there is. If you were going to use a spare bedroom for a home theater you can probably get away with a 36 inch TV but a large basement may be great with a projector.

Receiver – Your receiver is going to give you both radio and the option for a listening to compact disks as well as watching DVDs and do not forget that you will be watching regular television through your surround sound speakers, this may happen now or in three years but your receiver is going to last many years and you have to look forward to how your will want to use this receiver in the future. At minimum nowadays you will want to have a minimum of 7.1 Dolby surround sound which gives you seven speakers which is the seven in the number and a subwoofer, which is the .1 in the number and also you need to have support for DTS. The latest receivers are also coming with support for XM radio in case you want surround sound for your radio, with subscription of course.

Continue reading "Home Theater Components" »

Posted by Bill Nadraszky at 9:03 PM | Permalink