Home Theater Buying Guide

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.

Posted by Bill Nadraszky at 9:58 PM | Permalink

Plasma TV’s are a large design but very slim, the images being smooth, crisp with black and dark colors being displayed very well. This differs a lot when it comes to comparing a Plasma Television to your old CRT TV, which stretches out far behind the actual display. Even by looking at a Plasma TV for a few seconds, will give a instant first impression that these are something very special compared to what you have been using up until now.

LCD designs, technology and feel are increasingly as rapidly as Plasma technology, if not more. LCD's are becoming very popular as an alternative to a Plasma. A LCD Television outlives a Plasma and CRT TV due to how they work, as well as also being used as a monitor for your PC or console.

The advancement in technology has also meant that LCD's are also as thin as a Plasma Television with recent advances giving much wider viewing angles without the picture fading if you are sitting at an angle from the screen. You may remember using previous PC Monitors where the image would fade if you moved to the side of the monitor for whatever reason. This is now becoming increasingly less common. With a common viewing angle of 170 degree’s, this is become one of the standards people are expecting when buying a new Television.

Comparisons of an LCD and Plasma
Plasma Television Sizes mainly range from 42” to 50” where as LCD Sizes mainly range from 26” – 32” but at the time of writing, 40" Televisions are becoming available. With Plasma sizes being larger, you obviously get a larger picture but an LCD usually has a higher resolution, which is the number of individual dots on the screen making up the picture. With picture sizes increasing, it is advisable to sit around 3 meters away from a 40” Television so make sure your front room is big enough for this.

Brightness and Contrast
There are levels of brightness and contrast which show the level of these areas but do not mean much to many people but to describe the differences would be that a cinema screen produces a contrast ratio of about 500:1, a Plasma produces this at about 3,000:1 – 10,000:1 meaning a Plasma can show very dark blacks and dark colors.

A Plasma Television has a glass front, so the brightness does look brighter but is misleading due to the fact that if you put types of TV next to each other, they both look the same. In rooms with bright light already, a LCD does produce a better picture due to it not reflecting as much light as a Plasma.

How Long Will Each Last?
A Plasma has a estimated life of 60,000 hours where as a LCD average is 60,000+ hours and keeps on going. The life of a Plasma TV was quite short until a short while ago, but as with many things the technology has caught up and now a Plasma lasts a lot longer. If you do the calculations, a Plasma would have to be on for 5 hours a day for 27 years before it was to be replaced, so either way both a LCD and a Plasma are level on the life expectancy front although a Plasma will fade over time, a LCD will stay as bright as the day you purchased it.

Viewing Angle of Each TV
Plasma has a Perfect Viewing Angle no matter where you sit whereas a LCD could be affected if you sat to one side of the tv so a viewing angle of 170 degrees or more is recommended.

Latency – How fast can the picture be displayed without Ghosting
Ghosting is where the image is redrawn but you see a slight delay in it changing from one image to another. With a Plasma this does not happen, but with a LCD it could show a slight blurry image with fast movies or images. These days a LCD has a response time of 12ms or 8ms so this issue is becoming more rare by the day.

Screen Burn-in
This is where the same image stays on the screen for a period of time, and leaves a faint reproduction of it when the image changes. This was originally the case with CRT Monitors and TV’s, which is why screen savers were designed. With a Plasma Reproducing Color A Plasma can show color very accurately, but can flicker slightly. A LCD on the other hand won’t flicker but cannot show black as well as a Plasma.

Power Usage
A Plasma uses on average about 250W for a 42” screen whereas a LCD uses around 150W for a 42” screen

Conclusion
Even though the above points for both the LCD and Plasma debate can sound a little daunting, the actual watch ability and picture quality are fantastic. Even the cheaper TV’s are so much better than a CRT they maybe not worth worrying about. At the end of the day, it is down to the individual on what they want to spend and what make to buy due to the top quality technology in either of the two types of TV. Whichever you buy, they are a fantastic addition to your home

http://cheaplcdtvreviews.co.uk/lcd-vs-plasma-tv

Posted by Bill Nadraszky at 11:01 AM | Permalink

Many people are wondering what the next technology will be in home theater TVs as now we are at the point that Plasma TVs and LCD televisions are both popular and dropping in price. There are many kinds of technologies on the horizon that will be dropping into Best Buy in the next few years.

OLED
OLED is the acronym for organic light-emitting diode. The technology was originally developed years ago by Eastman Kodak and is used for both light sources and television. Sony is one of several companies hoping to bring this technology to market. Images are produced via the electro-phosphorescent properties of certain organic materials. No back light is required in an OLED television. In addition to television, OLED may be used on small screens such as on cell phones, MP3 players, and digital cameras.

An OLED television (active matrix) will use less power than the average LCD television. They offer a superior range of color and brightness as well as a wider viewing angle. These televisions are lighter weight, thinner, and yet more durable. The most significant drawback to an OLED television in this early phase is their lifetime. The longevity of some of the LEDs (the blue component) is only 3,000 to 5,000 hours at this time. Once manufacturing technology advances are made, it is anticipated that OLED televisions will have a much more competitive lifespan.

SED
SED is a surface conduction electron-emitter display, a technology reportedly being pursued primarily by Toshiba and Canon. SED uses an electron emitter for each subpixel to light up the phosphors in the display and operates similarly to a CRT display. Unlike a CRT television however, SED provides a much thinner and flatter screen.

An SED television is said to have a long working life, with only a 10% reduction in emitters after 60,000 hours. They use significantly less power than traditional LCD and plasma screens and possess excellent contrast ratio and brightness. Unlike LCD, an SED television does not experience lag (blurring during fast action scenes) and provides a 180 degree viewing angle. Like early plasma sets however, an SED television may be at risk for burn in.

Laser based Television
Mitsubishi may be unveiling its new laser based HDTV models by the end of the year.

The television is a slimmed down rear projection model that will reportedly rival the space saving design of plasma and LCD screens. Said to be only 10” deep they should not be too imposing in any room. It is also anticipated that they will be lighter in weight, due in part to their lightweight plastic screen versus traditional glass.

According to the manufacturer, other attractive features include improvements in picture quality. These sets are said to offer better color content and blacker blacks than current technologies. In addition, this new laser based television reportedly consumes significantly less power and is expected to be priced well below that of similarly sized plasma or LCD screens.

FED
Another potential leader for the future is FED (field emission display). Sony is currently behind the FED push.

FED television is said to operate more like a CRT set but offers the flatter, thinner display like LCD and plasma. They use a more efficient emitter (carbon nanotubes) and can therefore create a higher resolution picture than an LCD, use significantly less power than a plasma, and display fast motion without blurring.

The good news of course is that the evolution of television technologies should present some options that offer outstanding viewing and yet are affordable for the average consumer. Only time will tell which technologies will actually reach the market and whether or not actual performance will match current expectations.

The author, Christine Peppler invites readers to discover more information about any type of television by visiting homemedias.info, her online home electronics store.

Posted by Bill Nadraszky at 10:05 AM | Permalink

We all think of the greatest level of quality in a home theater to be HDTV with 1080P. This gives you a great big picture of 1920 x 1080resolution, this is better than your computer that you are reading this on is very likely. There is another thing to think about thoug that is written about in the following article.

High-Def FAQ: What's the Big Deal About 1080p24? | High-Def Digest

The difference to think about is frames per second. In a movie we are used to seeing 24 frames in one second and for full motion video we can see a difference between 20 and 24 frames per second. Video games on the other hand will need 60 frames per second for you to be very satisfied because our context changes so quickly unlike a movie. The above article does a great job in describing the difference between different 1080P resolutions.

Posted by Bill Nadraszky at 3:03 PM | Permalink

When high definition programming first arrived on the scene, is was somewhat of a novelty. Programming service providers didnt carry a lot of channels in high definition and the television sets themselves were quite expensive and that particularly held true for the larger models, where the full effects of high definition programming could be more greatly appreciated.

Then as time progressed two things began to happen and one of them was that satellite TV programming service providers like Dish Network began to add more and more channels to their list of channels in high definition that they carried.

The other thing that began to happen was that the price on high definition TV sets began to fall steadily. Another thing that began to take place was that more and more people began to become aware of high definition programming.

Many of them saw the display models in home electronics retailer show rooms playing high definition programming on them, or they might have seen one in a friends or family members home. Once a person sees the difference in the picture quality on a high definition TV set, they can then truly appreciate the difference that the technology makes.

One thing that they cant sample correctly in a home electronics show room, is the difference that the digitized surround sound, with Dolby noise reduction feature makes on the programming. They might have heard a little bit of the superior sound quality, but until a person sits in a room with the full effects of the theater style surround sound, they just cant truly appreciate the difference.

Movie theaters have been using surround sound technology for years, so most people know what it is like at a theater, but they have trouble realizing that that quality of sound effects can be brought to their own living room so easily.

Surround sound is just what it sounds like. Its when the sound during a program or movie seems to come from all directions and it is more like the sound a person experiences during every day life. So a ball game viewed high definition with digitized surround sound is so much more real natural. Its as close to actually being at the game itself without actually going there. A good movie that is played on a high definition big screened TV is just like seeing it at a theater.

Many people dont realize that now they can easily afford the high definition big screened plasma TV of their dreams, because they havent been back to recheck the falling prices on them. Another thing they dont realize is that Dish Network is now the premier source of high definition programming, with a full thirty-one channels in their home entertainment arsenal.

When you factor the cost of high definition programming and the cost of the TV against how many times a person watches TV and do the math, its surprising to realize that coming up to high definition with Dish Network only costs a few pennies more for every time you watch a great program or movie from Dish Network. If you are one of those people who havent given high definition a good look for some time, maybe now is the time to take another glance at it.
About the Author

Written by David Johnson. Find the latest information about a great Dish Network Offer as well as a Directv Satellite Offer

Posted by Bill Nadraszky at 8:32 PM | Permalink

Just as I exposed the low quality in HDTVs a few weeks back comes another story that thanks to a court ruling HDTVs may go up in price soon.

In a recent 5-4 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that Manufacturers are allowed to set minimum pricing for their products sold at retail. The implication of this ruling is that manufacturers, including makers of HDTVs, can enforce minimum pricing guidelines for retailers that sell their products. As a result, it is possible that the days of deep-discounting for products, such as LCD and Plasma televisions, may be nearing an end. This may also have implications for online sites that are authorized dealers for specific products.

How minimum pricing usually works is that if an authorized retailer is caught selling a specific product, such as HDTV, for less than a stated minimum price guideline, the manufacturer involved can legally discontinue supplying the offending retailer with its products. For more details, check out report from TV Predictions. If you are planning to buy a flat panel television, now may be a good time, before the trickle down from this ruling takes effect on the retail level.

Posted by Bill Nadraszky at 9:19 PM | Permalink

There is a scam taking place and precious few people know that it is being perpetrated.

Walk into any stereo store, best buy or other TV dealer and ask about HDTV. The salesperson will of course show you the latest sale item, explain how great the picture is, maybe talk about HDDVD or BluRay but almost never will the conversation turn to pixel depth, why? Well because this years newest HDTVs are more concerned about price and less concerned about quality. Sure the quality is great and it is always getting better but if you visit a Costco you will see what I am writing about.

At Costco just as an example you can see racks of big screens. There are Plasmas, LCDs, a token rear projection. But, the little tag will tell you a little bit more. That tag with the price will tell you the resolution and the resolution really ranges. The best you can find and the one that people think that they are getting is 1080P but out of 20 sets in my latest trip to Costco only 2 had this magical high resolution.

What are these resolutions?
OK, so maybe you are now scratching your head wondering what all of these resolutions mean. HDTV has three main resolution, 1080, 720, and 480. Here are the resolutions.

1080p 1,920x1,080 lines
720p 1,280x720 lines
480p 852x480 lines

As compared to your standard computer monitor which is either 1024x768 or 1280x1024. Or if we look at what we are used to today the horizontal resolution of VHS tape is (about) 240 lines; broadcast TV (about) 330 lines, laserdisc (about) 420 lines; and DVD (about) 480 lines

Progressive vs Interlaced
The P or I at the end is the way that the TV screen gets painted. Just to simplify, I, which is interlaced is the way that a TV generally looks with every second line being painted at a time and alternating to every other second line at once. P stands for progressive which means that every line is painted with every refresh and looks a lot more smooth to the eye to watch.

Posted by Bill Nadraszky at 10:53 AM | Permalink

Found this great list of 10 tips for watching the Super Bowl. I am sure that the ideas are great for any sports event but here we are on the cusp of the biggest game of the year.

Settling in for three-plus hours of championship football—and championship advertising—requires pre-game prep. Since many of us in the EH offices specialize in such things, we’ve combined our resources to assemble a few nuggets of gametime wisdom.

1. The Big Game offers an excellent excuse to buy a new TV, but watch out for irrational exuberance. Select a screen that fits your room, your budget and your future plans. You don’t want to be paying off a TV that’s obsolete by next year’s game.

2. Be careful about hanging your own flat panel. Installing a mount and placing the screen requires a deft hand, so unless you’re 100% sure that expensive panel is going to hold, call a professional.

3. You’ll undoubtedly need to get up during the game, but that doesn’t mean the game can’t come with you. Professionally installed multiroom distribution can send audio and video feeds all over your home, so if you’ve already got zones set up, make sure you’re porting the game feed to all your A/V equipment. If a professional installation isn’t in this year’s game budget, you can pony up $150-$250 for a Slingbox and zip the TV feed to any PC in the house (even that laptop in the bathroom—don’t worry, we won’t tell).

4. Every room has a sweet spot where the audio and video converge in perfect harmony. You need to find this spot and anchor yourself to it. Do whatever it takes—bribery, threats, deals with the devil, kung fu, etc.

5. Never, ever watch football in standard definition. If lo-fi is all that’s available, turn off the tube and listen to it on the radio. There is absolutely no substitute for HD.

6. Time-shifting a football game is anathema to true fans. You can use the DVR to rewatch fancy commercials and zoom in on wardrobe malfunctions, but make sure the game is always in real-time.

7. Speaking of DVRS ... we love those ingenious time-shifting boxes, but they’ve got a nasty habit of switching to another show just as our team is about to pound it into the endzone for the go-ahead score. Spare yourself the pain by clearing out your DVR’s to-do list before the game.

8. If you’re one of the fortunate few whose team is playing in the game, understand that poor officiating and inexplicable playcalling are par for the course. When the refs hit your team with an idiotic pass interference call (see: 2005 AFC Divisional Game, New England vs. Denver), put down the remote and back slowly away from that multi-thousand-dollar television. Two seconds of rage can destroy years of TV enjoyment.

9. The inane game commentary of national TV announcers can cause brain hemorrhaging. If you feel blood dripping from your ear, mute the TV audio and crank up the radio broadcast.

10. And finally ... chicken wings and touchscreens are mortal enemies. Nothing kills an intricate programming macro like an LCD caked in buffalo sauce.

Posted by Bill Nadraszky at 7:37 PM | Permalink

OK, I know that I have put up a lot of guides to HDTVs over the last little while but I promise that this should be the last one. Hewleet Packard has whet is considered by many as a great guide to HDTV and I will post it here and then mayve we can get more component and other posts up soon

If high-definition TV (HDTV) is all about clarity, then why are so many people still so fuzzy about it? Because it can be downright confusing.

If you're still tripping over types and terminologies, follow these simple steps to learn the newest buzz words and the best ways to fit an HDTV into your budget and your lifestyle.

Step 1: Understand the basics
The first thing you should do is come to terms with a few of the words and phrases you may hear used as you shop.

HDTV is short for high-definition television, which offers clear, precise images with rich colors and contrasts. Traditional standard-definition television (analog or digital) uses up to 480 lines per picture. In comparison, HDTV can deliver lifelike picture quality with either 720 or 1080 lines per picture, digital sound and wide-screen viewing.

More lines per picture results in crystal-clear, true-to-life images.

HD and HD-Ready
HD televisions have integrated (or built-in) HD technology, providing all the equipment you need to accept and reproduce high-definition content right out of the box. HD-ready means the TV is capable of displaying HD content, but a separate HD tuner is required to convert on-air, cable and satellite signals to higher resolutions.

All of the latest models of HP TVs have integrated HD capability, which means they require no additional HD tuner. You might also hear the HD tuner referred to as an HD receiver, decoder or converter.

Resolution
Resolution refers to the number of pixels a television is capable of producing. You will see these measurements given as 'pixels wide' x 'pixels high.' A television with the ability to display HD content can have resolutions of 1024 x 720, 1366 x 768 or 1920 x 1080. The greater the pixel count, the higher the resolution.

Step 2: Define your TV viewing preferences
Plasma and LCD TVs both use the latest technologies to deliver a stunning, high-definition picture that is vastly superior to standard television. Compare them here to find out which one is right for you, according to your lifestyle.
LCD TV: The ultimate TV for sports enthusiasts

The big game looks incredible on an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) TV. They offer lightening-fast response times and an ultra-wide viewing angle. Watch the ball fly and see the crowd cheer in stunning, crisp detail.

Step 3. Determine the right size for your home
Here's a simple formula for choosing the right TV to meet your space requirements and deliver the best viewing experience.

Divide the screen size (measured in diagonal inches) by five. The resulting number, measured in feet, is the approximate distance for ideal viewing. For example, if you’re considering a 50-inch diagonal TV, you should sit approximately 10 feet away. So, if that puts you hugging the rear wall of your den, think a bit smaller.

The ideal viewing position for best picture quality is directly across from the center of the screen. A larger viewing angle — the area in front of the screen that provides optimum viewing — means better picture quality for people sitting to the far right or far left of your TV. Take note: All HP TVs feature an ultra-wide viewing angle of 170 degrees for optimum viewing anywhere in the room.

Step 4: Figure out your budget
Which TV type offers the most bang for the buck? The answer depends on your preferences, but generally speaking — and assuming the same screen size and resolution throughout — LCD is most expensive, followed by plasma and rear projection TVs.

Got the picture?
Hopefully, you now have a clearer picture of what HDTV is all about. To learn more, check out our interactive video, online classes and buying guides — created to help you get the most out of your shopping experience and all that HDTV has to offer.

Why all the buzz and why now?
By February 17, 2009, television broadcasters will stop their analog signals and broadcast all of their programming in DTV (digital TV), opening the door to a world of digital content.

Unless you use a set-top box or a digital-to-analog TV converter, you cannot use an analog television to receive digital TV because its older tuner is not compatible with digital transmissions.

However, with HP televisions, you will be ready to enjoy all the best digital TV has to offer for an immersive HD experience — enhanced by HP Visual Fidelity technologies.

Posted by Bill Nadraszky at 1:34 PM | Permalink

Many many questions are always coming up and being asked about HDTV especially now that HDTV is hitting the mainstream more now and not jest with Audio and movie enthusiasts. Here are 10 common questions and their answers

1) What is High Definition?
"High definition" or HD is the highest form of the new kind of television called digital television. Digital HDTV is a whole new viewing experience, like a movie theater in your home, even on smaller HDTV sets. HDTV means a widescreen TV picture with 5 times more information on the screen than conventional analog TV. What's more, HDTV offers 5.1-channel digital surround sound, like a movie theater.

You can enjoy FREE over-the-air HDTV on Channel 9 (and other local stations). Virtually all local TV stations are now broadcasting digitally and there's lots of programming to watch, like ABC's popular Desperate Housewives and Monday Night Football as well as NFL on CBS and Fox on Sundays and most primetime programming on all of the major networks. Please visit http://www.wftv.com/tvlistings/index.html and click on the WFTV-DT tab to view the complete HD program listing for WFTV.

All you need is an antenna (a rooftop, attic or indoor antenna) and an ATSC receiver. This can be a separate set-top box (like LG's LST-4200) that will work with an HDTV monitor or an INTEGRATED HDTV that includes the ATSC receiver built-in. (Many are available from various brands including LG and Zenith, see lgusa.com or zenith.com).

2) How many channels are in High Definition?
More than 1,400 TV stations around the country (including all of your local channels) are broadcasting DIGITALLY. Digital TV broadcasts mean snow-free, ghost-free pictures.

The highest form of digital TV is high-definition TV or HDTV. You can enjoy FREE over-the-air HDTV on Channel 9 (and other local stations). There's lots of programming to watch, like ABC's popular Desperate Housewives and Monday Night Football as well as NFL on CBS and Fox on Sundays and most primetime programming on all of the major networks. Please visit http://www.wftv.com/tvlistings/index.html and click on WFTV-DT tab to view the complete HD program listing for WFTV.

There also are other HDTV channels on cable and satellite, like ESPN-HD, Discovey HDTV Theater and HBO-HD to name a few.

3) Can I get HD off the air?
Absolutely. You can enjoy FREE over-the-air HDTV on Channel 9 (and other local stations). Virtually all local TV stations are now broadcasting digitally and there's lots of programming to watch, like ABC's popular Desperate Housewives and Monday Night Football as well as NFL on CBS and Fox on Sundays and most primetime programming on all of the major networks.

All you need is an antenna (a rooftop, attic or indoor antenna) and an ATSC receiver. This can be a separate set-top box (like LG's LST-4200) that will work with an HDTV monitor or an INTEGRATED HDTV that includes the ATSC receiver built-in. (Many are available from various brands including LG and Zenith)

A good rule of thumb is if you can receive a good over-the-air regular (analog) signal with your existing antenna, you should be able to receive a superb digital HDTV signal. Thanks for writing.

4) What is the real difference in High Definition from the TVs we have always owned?
HDTV is a whole new viewing experience, like a movie theater in your home, even on smaller HDTV sets. HDTV means a widescreen TV picture with 5 times more information on the screen than conventional analog TV. What's more, HDTV offers 5.1-channel digital surround sound, like a movie theater.

You can enjoy FREE over-the-air HDTV on Channel 9 (and other local stations). Virtually all local TV stations are now broadcasting digitally and there's lots of programming to watch, like ABC's popular Desperate Housewives and Monday Night Football as well as NFL on CBS and Fox on Sundays and most primetime programming on all of the major networks.

All you need is an antenna (a rooftop, attic or indoor antenna) and an ATSC receiver. This can be a separate set-top box (like LG's LST-4200) that will work with an HDTV monitor or an INTEGRATED HDTV that includes the ATSC receiver built-in. (Many are available from various brands including LG and Zenith)

5) Is HDTV clear when you are close to it the screen?
Many of us remember our parents telling us, "Don't sit too close to the TV." Sitting close wouldn't hurt your eyes, but as your question indicates, old analog TV doesn't look so good up close.

That's one of the beauties of HDTV: you can sit closer to the screen and will not see the scan lines and interference that you see on analog TV. It doesn't mean that consumers are moving their sofa closer to the screen; it means they're getting bigger, widescreen sets that help create a home theater experience.

Experts call this the HDTV holiday season as millions of consumers make the transition from old analog TV to new digital HDTV.

6) Does the HD TV completely fill the screen of a HDTV or does it have black bars on the top and bottom?
Answer: The answer is yes (and no). If your 60-inch screen is in the widescreen 16:9 format (which most high-definition sets are), Channel 9's stunning HDTV images will fill the screen beautifully without so-called "letterboxing." Old squarish 4:3 displays will display the widescreen TV picture with black bars on the top and bottom.

7) Are there lots of channels available in HD?
Yes, there are lots of channels now. Right across the country lots of regular stations do a great job in high-definition with everything from Monday Night Football to the Oscars to Desperate Housewives.

Other broadcast channels offer FREE over the air HDTV if you have an HDTV receiver and antenna. Cable and satellite also offer HDTV channels like HBO-HD, ESPN-HD, Discovery HD Theater, etc.

8) What size do HDTVs come in?
HDTVs range from 17-inch LCDs to 30-inch CRT (picture tube) models, to rear-projection HDTVs (in the 40- to 70-inch range) to hang-on-the-wall plasma HDTVs in 42-, 50- and 60-inch sizes.

A visit to a local retailer like Best Buy, Circuit City or Absolute Sound in Winter Park should help put all this in perspective.

9) I heard plasma HDTVs only last 5 years then the picture is gone. Is this true?
That's a great question. The short life of plasmas is an urban myth. In fact, LG Electronics now has 60,000-hour plasma panels. That equates to about 27 years of normal TV viewing.

10) Do you need a special cable connection to receive HDTV?
No you don't need a special cable connection to receive HDTV.

While you can receive HDTV by paying your cable or satellite operator to deliver it to you, one of the best ways to receive HDTV is FREE using an antenna to pick up Channel 9's digital broadcast signal using a new HDTV receiver.

Answers supplied by:
John I. Taylor
Vice President, LG Electronics USA
Chairman, HDTV Committee, Consumer Electronics Association
Member, Academy of Digital Television Pioneers

Posted by Bill Nadraszky at 12:56 PM | Permalink

Many homeowners are struggling with an important, electronic question: What is the ideal display for my home theater? Many people have fought this debate, but I'll try to make clear some important considerations.

The most important detail to consider when deciding between a projector and a large plasma television is ambient light. A room with lots of windows presents a problem for a projector because every little bit of ambient lighting degrades the projected image. The ideal environment for a projector is one where you have total control over the lighting. If your home theater uses a projector, you are limited to using it when you can eliminate other light. A plasma screen can be used anyplace, anytime.

Assuming your home theater has blackout curtains, or exists deep underground; let's examine differences between a plasma television and a projector. One advantage of a projector is that you can get a much larger picture than is available in plasma.

Projectors can produce images comparable to an 81-inch screen and larger. This just isn't possible with a plasma screen. However, plasma's have the advantage of not needing any amount of space. A projector must have a long enough corridor to project its image on the wall or screen. To get an 81-inch or greater image, you need a decent distance between the projector and the target. Second, a projector's image is dependent on more than the quality of the projector; you must be projecting onto a specialized surface or you lose detail. A top of the line HD projector with a very high native resolution would be wasted if you were just projecting the image onto a wall. You need an equally high quality screen with features such as a matte finish to eliminate reflection and glare. A plasma display requires no additional equipment.

Overall, a projector has the potential of creating a beautiful image, but it needs too much to work effectively. If you're creating a private movie theater with lighting control and an investment in a screen, mounting equipment, and blackout curtains, then a projector is your piece of equipment. For everyone else, I suggest a plasma television.

About The Author
Jakob Culver is founder of the website www.plasmatvarena.com providing information, articles and reviews about plasma tv's. To find more articles like this one visit the site http://www.plasmatvarena.com/.
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This article may be reprinted for use in websites provided that the information box is kept intact. Email notice of intent to publish is appreciated but not required: millenniumonlinemarketing@hotmail.com.

Posted by Bill Nadraszky at 8:24 PM | Permalink

Digital Television (DTV) is the latest way of broadcasting that is transforming our television viewing experience. Images and sound are captured using digital technology, delivering a movie-quality experience, multicasting and interactive capabilities. That means better quality, more choices, and more control over your television. There are many quality levels of digital television programming. The most common are:

Standard Definition TV (SDTV) - SDTV is the basic level of quality display and resolution for both analog and digital. Transmission of SDTV may be in either the traditional (4:3) or widescreen (16:9) format.

Enhanced Definition TV (EDTV) - EDTV is a step up from Analog Television. EDTV comes in 480p widescreen (16:9) or traditional (4:3) format and provides better picture quality than SDTV, but not as high as HDTV.

High Definition TV (HDTV) - HDTV in widescreen format (16:9) provides the highest resolution and picture quality of all digital broadcast formats. Combined with digitally enhanced sound technology, HDTV sets new standards for sound and picture quality in television. (Note: HDTV and digital TV are not the same thing -- HDTV is one format of digital TV.)

Continue reading "What is Digital Television?" »

Posted by Bill Nadraszky at 8:49 AM | Permalink

Digital Television (DTV) is a new type of broadcasting that will transform your television viewing experience. That means better quality, more choices, and more control over your television.

Here’s what you should know about DTV before you buy:

Compare DTV picture quality. DTV comes in several levels of picture quality. The most common are: High Definition Television (HDTV), Enhanced Definition Television (EDTV) and Standard Definition Television (SDTV). HDTV is DTV at its finest. With HDTV, you can enjoy a true home theater experience. EDTV is a step up from basic television. SDTV is the basic display.

Make sure you have all the DTV equipment you need. DTV equipment can be purchased as an integrated set or as separate components. “Integrated” digital televisions have built-in tuners and a monitor to display the programming. If you buy a DTV monitor (without an integrated tuner), you will need a stand-alone tuner, cable set-top box, or satellite set-top box to watch DTV.

HDTV is not the same as DTV. HDTV requires special equipment, so make sure to ask about HDTV-capable equipment and talk to your cable or satellite provider to verify you have the proper set-top box to view HDTV.

Continue reading "Facts about Digital Television" »

Posted by Bill Nadraszky at 7:24 AM | Permalink

Digital Television (DTV) is an entirely new technology that will ultimately replace today’s analog television system. Digital signals are transmitted using computer code – ones and zeroes - which means they are less susceptible to interference and provide a higher quality picture and sound than analog.

High-definition TV (HDTV) is the best quality DTV. HDTV’s sound and picture quality are many times better than today’s analog TV. DTV also can be standard definition (SD) [good] or enhanced definition (ED) [better].

What you need to watch DTV:
DTV (including HDTV) is available over-the-air using a standard antenna or via digital cable or satellite. No matter how you receive your TV signal (cable, satellite or over-the-air), you will need DTV equipment to watch the DTV programming.

DTV equipment may be purchased as an all-in-one or component solution.

“Integrated” DTV sets with built-in tuners are an all-in-one solution for DTV – they include a digital tuner to receive over-the-air DTV broadcasts and a monitor to display the programming.

A “component” solution includes a DTV monitor (screen) without a DTV tuner (these monitors are sometimes labeled “HD Ready”). Monitors must be paired with a cable or satellite set-top box, or stand-alone DTV tuner.

“Digital cable ready” (or ”plug-and-play”) televisions are also available that can be used to receive digital cable TV without a separate set-top box. A CableCARD that can be plugged into the set is needed for certain cable programming.

Analog TVs will need additional equipment to receive over-the-air television when the DTV transition ends.

Continue reading "Digital Television terms" »

Posted by Bill Nadraszky at 9:50 PM | Permalink

There are a few choices out there when you want to get a new Televsion screen for your home theater. There are projectors, rear projection, Plasma, LCD and DLP as choices and I wanted to get started with these but providing you with a quick article on each type starting with LCD TVs

I want a larger screen and so do you. There is absolutely no reason for this wanting except for the feeling of power that a large screen gives you. I have no idea why it is, but we all seem to want a larger screen for our TVs these days. The question is, how to get a good deal on an LCD TV without paying a fortune. Let’s give you our top 3 tips on buying an LCD TV.

1) Don’t buy a used one if you don’t have to. The funny thing about these TVs is that their prices drop significantly every month and that if you just wait a little longer, the price you’ll pay for a new TV is probably not going to be too far off from the price that you are going to pay for a used one. A little patience might actually save you some dollars here.

2) Compare features, not just prices. One of our favorite places to go to compare prices on LCD Tvs is ConsumerReports.org. Consumer Reports was rating different items way before the internet even become popular. Remember buying your first real car? I do. And I went straight to Consumer Reports to find out that the Honda Accord was the car to buy (and still is according to CR). Shopping for a high end LCD Tv shouldn’t be any different than shopping for a new car. All the resources are at your disposal, so give it a try. I’m sure you can find some gems of information at CR regarding your LCD Tv purchase.

3) HD is coming, don’t miss out. High definition television has allegedly been “right around the corner” for years. Well, that time may finally have arrived. Some LCD Tvs come HD ready and some do not. Make sure your new LCD TV supports HD so that when it is finally popularized, you can watch the programs utilizing this latest technology.

And by the way, why would someone want to buy an LCD TV over a “Plasma”. And what is a plasma? Are they different than LCDs? Basically yes. The big difference is that they use different technologies to deliver a picture. Both have pros and cons. However, both deliver a large screen experience to the user.

Amy Metz is a contributing author for lcdtvme.com. We have all sort of articles on lcd tvs.

Posted by Bill Nadraszky at 3:39 PM | Permalink