Experience The Entertainment Of Movie Theaters Right In Your Living Room

Writen by Clarence Binayu

Watching movies is a neat escape from the stressful lifestyle we live in. Watching movies in a wide screen and surround sound take you far away and into the movie scene you are watching. You watch it as if you were there in the movie scene. Of late, we can only experience this escape in a cinema. However, modern technology may be able to provide this same sight and sound experience right in your own living room. We will discuss the basic components of a home theater system in this article. Read on to understand how these basic components can deliver the best cinematic experience to a home theater system.

Home theater experts state that the most important consideration in setting up a home theater system is the size of the room where you will set up the home theater system. The most important component of the home theater system, which is the television, is dependent on the size of the room. Although, the recommendation is 27 inches television set at a minimum is necessary for your home theater set up. It is also a recommendation that a flat television is good for a home theater system because it exhibits fewer glares and produces a crisper image. Another major component of a home theater system that depends on the size of the room is the speaker. The number of speakers for your home theater system is dependent on the size of the room. You may add up to six speakers from the basic three speakers if you want a more lifelike sound. Adding a subwoofer may also be good to achieve a complete surround sound like in the movie theaters. Three speakers should be the minimum; you may go up to six if the room is big.

Another major for your home theater system is the DVD player. It is a recommendation that DVD players with progressive scan will be the best choice. This is because progressive scan produces sharp and flicker-free pictures. This however points back to the choice of television unit; you may need to check if the flat television set supports progressive scan signals. You may also acquire a five-disk carrousel DVD player. This will avoid having to stand up from your seat to change discs every so often. A minor consideration is the power rating that will determine how loud your speaker can be. Of course, almost all these depend on the size of the room to where the home theater system is going to be set up. Small room requires from few types of equipment, bigger rooms may require more and adding home theater furniture to your home theater system may be best. A bigger room thus requires more investments. A smaller room might require fewer but of good quality equipments to avoid the too basic feel of the home theater system.

Finally, you may acquire a beautifully designed home theater system if you consider hiring a home theater expert. If you can afford this, it will be best for you because the home theater expert will be able to effectively design and set up your home theater system. Your home theater designer may also add some features like home theater seating and other home theater furniture to be able to give the complete home theater package that closely resembles a real movie theater. Having the finest and high-quality home theater system will give you the most sought after set up that you could flaunt and enjoy to the maximum.

Clarence B. is the webmaster for http://www.virtual-guides.com/hometheater This site provides valuable guides and tips on home theater setting, installation and equipment such as home theater design, home theater seating, home theater furniture, home theater projector, home theater speaker and home theater receiver. http://www.virtual-guides.com/hometheater also provides quality reviews, updates and news on home theater development.

Digital Video Recorder

Writen by Clarence Harrell

A digital video recorder (DVR) (or personal video recorder (PVR)) is a device that records video without videotape to a hard drive-based digital storage medium. The term includes stand-alone set-top boxes and software for personal computers which enables video capture and playback to and from disk.

History

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The first DVR was tested on July 8, 1965, when CBS explored the possibilities of instant freeze-frame and rewind for sporting event broadcasts. Ampex released the first commercial hard disk video recorder in 1967. The HS-100 recorded analog video onto a digital hard disk and could store a maximum of only 30 seconds.

Hard disk-based DVRs The two early consumer DVRs, ReplayTV and TiVo, were launched at the 1999 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. Although ReplayTV won the "Best of Show" award in the video category, it was TiVo that went on to much greater commercial success. The devices have steadily developed complementary abilities, such as recording onto DVDs, commercial skip, sharing of recordings over the Internet, and programming and remote control facilities using PDAs, networked PCs, or Web browsers.

This makes the "time shifting" feature (traditionally done by a VCR) much more convenient, and also allows for "trick modes" such as pausing live TV, instant replay of interesting scenes, and skipping advertising. Most DVRs use the MPEG format for encoding analog video signals.

The two consumer DVR brands in the United States are the TiVo and DNNA's ReplayTV. In the UK TiVo has a small presence; Thomson, Topfield, Fusion, Pace and Humax also supply digital terrestrial (DTT) DVRs. BSkyB markets a popular combined EPG and DVR as Sky+.South African based Africa Satellite TV beamer Multichoice recently launched their PVR which is available on their Dstv platform.

Many satellite and cable companies are incorporating DVR functions into their set-top box, such as with DirecTiVo, DishPlayer/DishDVR, Scientific Atlanta Explorer 8xxx, Motorola 6xxx from Comcast, Moxi Media Center by Digeo (available through Charter, Adelphia, Sunflower, Bend Broadband, and soon Comcast and other cable companies), or Sky+. In this case there is no encoding necessary in the DVR, as the satellite signal is already a digitally encoded MPEG stream. The DVR simply stores the digital stream directly to disk. Having the broadcaster involved with (subsidizing) the design of the DVR—and directly recording encrypted digital streams—can lead to features such as the ability to use interactive TV on recorded shows, pre-loading of programs. It can, however, also force the manufacturer to implement non-skippable advertisements and automatically-expiring recordings.

Software is available for transferring programs recorded on DVR hardware to or from PC's (e.g., TiVoToGo and DVArchive). PCs Software and hardware is available which can turn personal computers running Microsoft Windows, Linux and Macintosh into PVRs, and is a popular option for home-theater PC (HTPC) enthusiasts. Linux There are many open source and GPL-licensed DVR applications available for Linux:

• MythTV
• Freevo
• DVR
• VDR
• KnoppMyth - provides an out of the box MythTV based PVR solution

Commercial Linux version available from SageTV based on Gentoo Linux. Brightbox, a consumer electronics device, uses SageTV.

Macintosh Elgato makes a series of DVR devices called EyeTV (400 / 500 / DTT etc.). The software supplied with each device (but available separately) is also called EyeTV. Elgato have recently released version 2.3 of their EyeTV software, with a redesigned interface, better program guide (built into the program) and a 'One Click' to iPod video feature. Miglia also makes DVR hardware that runs the EyeTV software, as well as DVR devices that use other software.

Other DVR products include myTV.PVR from EskapeLabs and ConvertX PVR from Plextor. MythTV (see above) also runs under OS X, but most recording devices are currently only supported under Linux. Precompiled binaries are available for the MythTV front-end, allowing a Mac to watch video from (and control) a MythTV server running under Linux.

Apple provides applications in the FireWire software developer kit which allow any Macintosh with a FireWire port to record the MPEG2 transport stream from a FireWire equipped cable box (e.g., Motorola 62xx, including HD streams). Applications can also change channels on the cable box via the firewire interface. Only broadcast channels can be recorded as the rest of the channels are encrypted. iRecord is a free scheduled-recording program derived from this SDK. Windows Microsoft Windows has several free DVR applications including GB-PVR, Got All Media and MediaPortal. DScaler has also DVR support in works. There also are several proprietary applications including SageTV, SnapStream Beyond TV, ChrisTV, Showshifter, Meedio (now a dead product - Yahoo! bought most of the company's technology and discontinued the Meedio line, and rebranding the software Yahoo! Go - TV, which is now a free product), InterVideo WinDVR, Recordit Plus and the R5000-HD.

There is also a separate version of Microsoft Windows called Windows XP Media Center Edition which has DVR capabilities.

And Microsoft Windows Vista will include in its standard version the Media Center functionalities.

Source video Television and video are terms that are sometimes used interchangeably, but differ in their technical definitions. Video is the visual portion of television, whereas television is the combination of video and audio modulated onto a carrier frequency (i.e., a television channel), so that multiple frequencies (i.e., multiple channels) may be transmitted at the same time. Analog television Analog television in NTSC, PAL or SECAM formats, analog cable, or regular VHS tapes use a signal that is fed directly to the electron beam within the television set. There are a number of details on how this is done, but in essence each line in each frame corresponds to a specific fraction of time within the signal.

To record an analog signal a few steps are required. A TV tuner card tunes into a particular frequency and then functions as a frame grabber, breaking the lines into individual pixels and quantizing them into a format that a computer can comprehend. Then the series of frames along with the audio (also sampled and quantized) are compressed into a manageable format, like MPEG-2, or WMF, usually in software. Some TV tuner cards like the DVR-250/350 or the TiVo chip deliver an MPEG-2 or other compressed stream directly to the computer, performing both the frame grabbing and compression in silico. This greatly reduces the load on the CPU allowing an overall cheaper implementation.

Analog Broadcast Copy Protection Many mass-produced consumer DVRs implement a copy-protection system called CGMS-A (Copy Generation Management System--Analog). This encodes a pair of bits in the VBI of the analog video signal that specify one of the following settings:

• Copying is freely allowed
• Copying is prohibited
• Only one copy of this material may be made
• This is a copy of material for which only one copy was allowed to be made, so no further copies are allowed.

CGMS-A information may be present in analog broadcast TV signals, and is preserved when the signal is recorded and played back by analog VCRs, which of course don't understand the meanings of the bits. But the restrictions still come into effect when you try to copy the tape onto a Player.

Digital television Digital television is audio/visual signals that are broadcast over the air in a digital rather than analog format. Recording digital TV is generally a straightforward capture of the binary MPEG-2 data being received. No expensive hardware is required to quantize and compress the signal (as the television broadcaster has already done this in the studio). The MythTV DVR supports both international DVB signals and American ATSC signals while the HDTV Tivo supports only the ATSC signals. In the U.S., the FCC attempted to place a road-block before digital DVRs with its "Broadcast flag" regulation. Digital video recorders which had not won prior approval from the FCC for implementing "effective" digital rights management would have been banned from interstate commerce as of July 2005. The regulation was struck down on May 6, 2005.

DVD-based PVRs available on the market as of 2006 are not capable of capturing the full range of the visual signal available with high definition television (HDTV). This is largely because HDTV standards were finalized at a later time than the standards for DVDs. However, DVD-based PVRs can still be used (albeit at reduced visual quality) with HDTV since currently available HDTV sets also have standard A/V connections.

Satellite or Digital Cable Recording satellite or digital cable signals on a digital video recorder is more complex than recording analog signals or broadcast digital signals. This is so because the MPEG-2 or MPEG-4 stream is usually encrypted to prevent people from viewing the content without paying for it (usually via subscription).

The satellite or cable set-top box does two things. First, it decrypts the signal. Second, it decodes the MPEG stream into an analog, DVI, or HDMI signal for viewing on the television. In order to record cable/satellite digital signals you must get the signal after it is decrypted, but before it is decoded (between steps one and two); this is how DVRs built into set-top boxes work.

An alternative is that some satellite or (more commonly) cable set-top boxes have a FireWire port that can be connected to a computer. The recorded MPEG stream can be relayed to the computer via this FireWire port; though it can be done live, this is more commonly used for transferring shows from a set-top box with built-in DVR. (For instructions on doing this on a popular set-top box with DVR, please see the Wikibook entry How to use a Motorola DVR; some of the ideas there may apply to other set-top boxes as well.)

DVD Many DVD-based DVRs are equipped with two DVD drives or an additional internal hard drive. This arrangement can be used to copy content from a source DVD, which is disallowed in the US under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act if the disc is encrypted. Most such DVRs will hence not allow recording of video streams from encrypted movie discs.

Digital camcorders Some DVD-based DVRs incorporate a Firewire connector which can be used to capture digital video from a MiniDV or Digital 8 camcorder, possibly recording a simple DVD as the camcorder is played back. Some editing of the resulting DVD is usually possible, such as adding chapter points.

Security applications Digital video recorders configured for physical security applications record video signals from closed circuit television cameras for detection and documentation purposes. Many are designed to record audio as well. DVRs have evolved into devices that are feature rich and provide services that exceed the simple recording of video images that was previously done through VCRs. A DVR CCTV system provides a multitude of advanced functions over VCR technology including video searches by event, time, date and camera. There is also much more control over quality and frame rate allowing disk space usage to be optimized and the DVR can also be set to overwrite the oldest security footage should the disk become full. In some DVR security systems remote access to security footage using a PC can also be achieved by connecting the DVR to a LAN network or the internet.

Security DVRs may be categorized as being either PC based or embedded. A PC based DVR's architecture is a classical personal computer with video capture cards designed to capture video images. An embedded type DVR is specifically designed as a digital video recorder with its operating system and application software contained in firmware or read only memory.

Hardware Features Hardware features of security DVRs vary between manufacturers and may include but are not necessarily limited to:

• Designed for rack mounting or desktop configurations.
• Single or multiple video inputs with connector types consistent with the analogue or digital video provided such as coaxial cable, twisted pair or optical fiber cable. The most common number of inputs are 1, 4, 8, 16 and 32. Systems may be configured with a very large number of inputs by networking or bussing individual DVRs together.
• Looping video outputs for each input which duplicates the corresponding input video signal and connector type. These output signals are used by other video equipment such as matrix switchers, multiplexers, and video monitors.
• Controlled outputs to external video display monitors.
• Front panel switches and indicators that allow the various features of the machine to be controlled.
• Network connections consistent with the network type and utilized to control features of the recorder and to send and/or receive video signals.
• Connections to external control devices such as keyboards.
• A connection to external pan-tilt-zoom drives that position cameras.
• Internal CD, DVD, VCR devices typically for archiving video.
• Connections to external storage media.
• Alarm event inputs from external security detection devices, usually one per video input.
• Alarm event outputs from internal detection features such as motion detection or loss of video.

Software Features Software features vary between manufacturers and may include but are not necessarily limited to:

• User selectable image capture rates either on an all input basis or input by input basis. The capture rate feature may be programmed to automatically adjust the capture rate on the occurrence of an external alarm or an internal event
• Selectable image resolution either on an all input basis or input by input basis. The image resolution feature may be programmed to automatically adjust the image resolution on the occurrence of an external alarm or an internal event.
• Motion detection: Provided on an input by input basis, this feature detects motion detection in the total image or a user definable portion of the image and usually provides sensitivity settings. Detection causes an internal event that may be output to external equipment and/or be used to trigger changes in other internal features.
• Lack of motion detection. Provided on an input by input basis, this feature detects the movement of an object into the field of view and remaining still for a user definable time. Detection causes an internal event that may be output to external equipment and/or used to trigger changes in other internal features.
• Direction of motion detection. Provided on an input by input basis, this feature detects the direction of motion in the image that has been determined by the user as an unacceptable occurrence. Detection causes an internal event that may be output to external equipment and/or be used to trigger changes in other internal features.
• Routing of input video to video monitors based on user inputs or automatically on alarms or events.
• Input, time and date stamping.
• Alarm and event logging on appropriate video inputs.
• Alarm and event search.
• One or more sound recording channels.
• Archival.
• Remote control.

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Universal Remote Controls

Writen by Peter Emerson

This is the age of the universal remote control, the mother of all remote controls. Remote controls basically operate on the principle of unique codes that are transmitted from them to the receiving device, which recognizes the code and decodes it.

That is why your T.V., home theater system, DVD player and music system have their own separate remote controls. This leads to the problem of too many remotes, which causes confusion. Now this problem is solved with the universal remote control. You can feed the command codes of all your devices into one universal remote control and use it to control all their functions. Manuals accompanying universal remotes usually list the codes of different brands. Another wonderful invention is the learning remote, which automatically absorbs and stores the codes of other remotes (including universal remotes) and uses them to control their respective devices. All learning remotes are, therefore, universal remote controls as well.

Universal remote controls are super-intelligent, as they are driven by complex and sophisticated software. Imagine a scenario where the entire electrical wiring system of your house is wirelessly connected to your universal remote. Then, while you are sitting on your couch, you can set or reset the security alarm system, direct MP3 music to the speakers of your home theater and transfer your digital photos so that you can see them on your T.V. What's more, since your entire house is controlled through the universal remote, when you switch on your DVD player to watch a movie, the T.V. will be switched on automatically and even the lights will be appropriately dimmed. Impressive, isn't it?

All this is already happening in a few homes. Soon the ease and convenience of universal remote controls will be seen in more homes, doing away with the clutter of many separate remote controls and bringing a digital synergy between all appliances to create a truly intelligent home.

Remote Controls provides detailed information on Remote Controls, Radio Remote Controls, TV Remote Controls, Universal Remote Controls and more. Remote Controls is affiliated with Wireless Speakers.

Hdtv Learn The Lingo Before You Buy

Writen by Jim Johnson

Who wants to go shopping for something that they really don't know anything about? Or who wants to feel at the mercy of a salesperson who rattles on with all the technical terms that sound like a language from another planet? It's no wonder that lots of people feel intimidated by shopping for electronics products and especially is that true of television sets.

Let's start with HDTV. You hear about it all the time now, but just what is it? The simple version is that it stands for High Definition TV, and it is a quantum leap in the way that television will be viewed in the future. It basically means that the television signal is so dense with information on both the video and audio side that the picture will be incredibly sharp and smooth, and the sound is so good that it can actually rival that of movie theaters.

On the video side, you need to understand the pixel to fully appreciate the improvement in screen resolution. The televison screen, just like your computer screen is made of up of lots of small squares that have a part of the information that makes up the whole picture. The more pixels on a screen the more information about that picture and therefore the sharper the image will appear.

Older analog TV screens often had about 480 lines of pixels in it. HDTV can display up to 1080 lines instead, each with 1920 pixels, totalling up to a whopping two million+ pixels on the screen as opposed to only 200,000 on the older analog screen. That is ten times the information being displayed, and can give you an idea of how much sharper the picture will be.

But the sound is much improved as well. The HDTV standard allows for audio to be transmitted in Dolby 5.1 surround sound, which is similar to the technology used in movie theaters these days. This kind of sound puts you right in the middle of the action and is more faithful to the way the sound was originally mixed for that program.

Widescreen is another part of the HDTV experience that you will hear about, and that refers to the ratio aspect of the screen. An HDTV set has a 16:9 ratio, in other words for every 16 inches wide the screen is also 9 inches tall. That aspect ratio more closely resembles movie theater formats and so when viewing movies you get to see all the action without losing anything on the screen.

There is more to know about this new technology but if you understand what we have discussed in this article it will help you have more confidence in shopping for televisions in the future.

Jim Johnson is a successful author and publisher on consumer related matters. You can find out more about hdtv receivers and hdtv reviews by visiting our HDTV website.

Hdtvstandard Dvd Recorders And Hdtv That Makes Sense

Writen by Mike Singh

You may have purchased a new HDTV and now you'd like to get a DVD player for it. When it comes to HDTV, standard DVD players are an option. While you may have spent a lot on your HDTV, standard DVD players can save you some money. While some of the higher quality DVD players can cost you upwards of $1,800, you can still combine HDTV with a standard DVD player. HDTV and standard DVD players are still compatible.

Understanding the basics of a standard DVD player is the first step. When it comes to a standard DVD player they record at what is known as 480i. This allows the standard DVD player to still be compatible with older televisions and discs. This term, 480i, means it records at the same resolution as a standard television. Basically it stands for 480 lines of resolution that are interlaced. This can be converted to analog or work with digital too.

After 'deinterlacing' the picture there is an additional step when using HDTV with standard DVD players. This is because HDTV's run at higher resolutions. They usually run at 720p or even 1080i or 1080p. This means when using HDTV with standard DVD players they have to convert to this higher quality. Some standard DVD players convert better than others, but all or most are able to do so. The better the conversion, the better the picture.

There are a few standard DVD players that tend to offer the best conversion for HDTV. Standard DVD players are available that can record up to eight hours and hold a hundred and forty-two hours of programming. Beyond this, this type of standard DVD can convert very well. This is because it uses High Definition Multimedia Interface or HDMI. This particular technology works well for HDTV-standard DVD conversion. One of these standard DVD players costs around $440. There is also a HDTV-standard DVD conversion that can be done with what is called a HD-A1. These actually give you the best quality out of all the HDTV-standard DVD conversions. This type usually costs around $500.

As you can see, not only can HDTV-standard DVD conversions be done, but you have a few options to choose from as well. There are many price ranges to choose from. What you choose depends on the quality of HDTV-standard DVD conversion you want. But you can usually save money by using a standard DVD instead of the higher priced ones. In the end, choosing the right one for your HDTV-standard DVD conversion depends on your budget and needs. No matter what you will end up with a great deal.

Check out http://www.hdtvland.org/ for articles on consumer reviews hdtv and philips hdtv.

Dlp Tvs

Writen by John Dulaney

DLP TVs are based on the concept of DLP technology, which essentially has every pixel position displayed on the screen. Due to the very small distance between the micro-mirrors, the pixels remain invisible to the eye and thus the picture display in these TVs render a smooth viewing, having no or little effect on the ambient light.

The new display technology in TV display has begun to catch the headlines. In 1970, Larry Hornbeck, of Texas Instruments (TI), developed the first version of the DLP technology, which was made available for commercial use in the year 1996. Since that time DLP TV has been meeting increasing demand in the market, being less expensive, though no less capable, large screen TVs. After having experimented for years, with micro-chips, that hold millions of mirrors, TI finally came out with the product, which has been growing in demand. The DLP is now the heart of many DLP TVs manufactured by well known manufacturers like RCA, RCA, Samsung, LG, Toshiba, Zenith, and Panasonic, to name a few. With so many manufacturers taking on the DLP technology, DLP TV is expected to account for quite a substantial share in the whole of the TV market.

The basic technology of the DLP YV lies with the rear-projection unit. These manipulate light and create the picture. This light originates from a centralised source and is projected on to a screen. DLP TV monitors work by deflecting light, in which they utilise a complex system of mirrors, which is used to reflect or deflect red, green, and/or blue light through a optical projection lens, which goes on to the screen in front of you. In order to reflect the light fully, the mirrors switch on and switch off when the light needs to be deflected. By switching on and off with great speed, the DLP technology is able to reproduce gray scale at a staggering accuracy.

The micro-mirrors are called Digital Micro-mirror Device (DMD) and the functional base of the DLP technology is these mirrors, which is referred to as the Binary Spatial Light Modulator. These mirrors are arranged into square grids, which depend on the DMD's aspect ratio. With this 1 mm being invisible to the eye, the complete assembly looks like a solid thumb-nail sized of a mirror, containing millions of micro-mirrors arranged in a grid pattern.

The micro-mirrors on a DMD is independent of its neighbour on the grid and is capable of reflecting light in two directions, viz., either 10 deg toward or 10 deg away from a lens. The light gets reflected on an optical lens, which projects that light on to a screen at a definite pixel. When the micro-mirrors deflect light away from the levs, a light absorber absorbs the light. Hence light does not reach the screen and instead, it produces a dark square pixel image at that particular pixel.

The DLP technology assigns a series of Static Random Access Memory (SRAM) cells within, to hold the data input to the system. This data is fed to the micro-mirror modules, which enables tilting of the mirrors in the desired directions. These signals are in the form of binary digits. where 1 would signify a +10 def tilt and a 0 would make the mirror tilt -10 deg. These are termed as ON and OFF switching. If the light is reflected by the mirror, it is directed towards a projection lens, where it is amplified, and then cast on to the back of the screen. If the light gets deflected, it gets absorbed and that pixel part of the screen remains dark. In this fashion, each pixel position of the screen gets mapped directly corresponding to the micro-mirror behaviour,

A coloured wheel is used in DLP composed of red, green, and blue filters, which direct individual pulses of colored light toward the DMD. This is utilised for gray-scale processing. This would mean that at any one time only one primary colour is hitting the DMD and as the filter system, within DLP, spins fast enough, approximately at the rate of 120 rpm, the colours appear blended into a full colour digital image.

What is the advantage of owning a DLP TV?

First of all DLP TV is pleasant to watch. Since it is a reflective technology, the TVs are brighter than other display technologies. The DLP technology features higher-than-average light efficiency, and as such a DLP TV will perform exceedingly well under most ambient light conditions. Brightly lit rooms will never make the display dull. Due to its reflecting and deflecting technology, DLP TV can achieve deeper, more realistic shadows and blacks than other fixed-pixel display technologies.

One of the disadvantages of DLP TV is that, while it can be watched with shifts of 70 to 75 degrees in the horizontal plane, any such shift in the vertical plane makes the viewing very dull. The TV dos not have those annoying vertical scan lines as you get in the conventional CRT display TVs. This is because the technology utilises pixel position and has its own optical equivalent in the DMD chip itself, giving you a smooth, evenly lit image through out the length and breadth of the display screen. The DMD switches on and off at the rate of 50,000 times per second and produces pictures with no moving streaks or any motion artifacts. This makes DLP TV well suited for gaming.

A DLP TV monitor is capable of displaying HDTV, standard TV, and home video and accepts, which makes texts and graphics look especially sharp one or more RGB inputs from a computer. DLP TV has a very high resolution and perfect geometry of DLP and it is one of the best ways to display data, graphs and web-based contents.

The DLP TV monitor has a very long life. The only element that wears off is the light source, which lasts between 8,000 to 10,000 viewing hours. This can be replaced at an approximate cost of $250, which makes the DLP TV inherently reliable.

110-220 Volt Electronics - A multisystem TV is a TV capable of receiving and displaying different video systems like PAL, SECAM and NTSC. You'll be able to operate a multisystem TV in 99% of the world. Their dual voltage design allows them to be plugged into either a 110 voltage source or a 220 voltage source. In some cases, the plug on the television will not fit your country's outlet, so an inexpensive plug-adapter will be needed. They can generally be picked up at an electronics store such as http://www.planetomni.com for $1.95. With a multisystem TV, such as a plasma, CRT tube type, LCD or DLP, you'll likely need a codefree (sometimes called region free) DVD player. These exist in many forms. When used with a PAL-NTSC TV you'll be able to see the full 625 lines of resolution available in the PAL system and the full 525 lines used in the USA NTSC system. There exists a converting type of DVD player which is codefree in that it can read all of the world's 6 regions and both standards, PAL and NTSC. 140,000 other products are available here: http://www.planetomni.com Tel. # 800-514-2984

The Best Plasma Tvs

Writen by Tom Ace

Plasma TVs are the hottest thing in home entertainment, offering a crystal clear image with high quality resolution. The monitor is often less than a few inches thick, so it doesn't need as much space as its traditional counterparts. It uses less electricity than a regular television and, unlike the old CRT TVs, there is no image disturbance if the monitor is placed near large speakers.

But with so many plasma TVs on the market, how do you know which is the best one to buy? Firstly, you should decide on your budget. Knowing how much you have to spend will definitely be a good place to start. Plasma TVs generally start at around $700.00 and can go as high as $4,000.00, so it's important to know what you can afford before you start shopping.

Once you've worked out how much you want to spend, you need to decide whether you want your new plasma television to consist of more than just a plasma display or if you want it to have a TV tuner, as well. The pricier plasma TVs will have a tuner attached to it, while more modest versions will have a separate tuner box. Some models will come with their own speakers, allowing you to listen to your favourite programs, in Nicam stereo.

You should also try to make sure that the model that you choose runs quietly. Some models are known to be very noisy, because they often rely on fans for a cooling system, which can ruin your home entertainment experience. The good news is that many new models have been re-designed so that they do not need fans.

With the proper planning, you should be able to find the perfect plasma TV to fit your budget, which will last you for years to come.

Tom Ace is the founder of Plasma tv Resources a website providing information on plasma televisions.

On Wall Home Theater Speakers

Writen by Michael Lastun

First step after you decided to have theater speakers at home is to choose the suitable product. Speakers can have various shapes and characteristics and some of them are pintable. There are two kinds of on wall home theater speakers. The round speakers are usually integrated in ceiling and rectangular speakers suit better in walls.

Ceiling speakers are usually easier to integrate in the room decoration and have to be disposed symmetrical to provide an excellent background frequency response. On wall home theater speakers take up more space and should be situated at ear level, but usually their sound is better than in ceiling speakers. For best performance it is recommended to use stereo pairs of on wall speakers. But ceiling speakers should have mono signal, otherwise the sound will not have a uniform coverage. For small rooms the most suitable are speakers with dual voice coils and inputs for each channel. So, with a single stereo speaker, you may listen into your bathroom great quality music.

After you choose the rooms where yow want to install your speakers, you can set-up your multi-room speaker system as single zone or multiple zone system. In a multi zone system you can listen to different kind of music in separate room in the same time. You may control this system with a special remote control or you can choose to be helped by a touch screen. Touch screens are easily to work with, and are very helpful when you want to manage different sound sources from each room or to compensate the loss of high frequency response in a less acoustic place.

The in ceiling or on wall home theater speakers are generally easy to install but for sophisticated sound system it is better to consult qualified professional for assistance.

If you find this information useful you should visit the site http://www.home-theater-system-store.org where you will find lots of interesting articles related to this topic, all original and wrote by Michael Lastun.

Power Protection In The Home Theater Use Of Surge Suppressors To Guard Expensive Electronic Gear

Writen by Andrew Ghigo

Surge Suppressors – A First Line of Defense

All home theater equipment should be equipped with at least some form of surge protection. Surge suppressors represent the most basic form of power protection – a first line of defense for all sensitive electronic gear.

Keep in mind that a surge in the ac voltage or a lightning strike, could lead to disaster - turning expensive gear into a smoking heap of plastic and metal. Investing in a suitably rated surge protector is surely a lot cheaper than having to replace expensive home entertainment electronics.

The large selection of suppressors available on the market at an even wider range of price levels can make the process of selecting an appropriate protection device far from simple. Many of these surge suppressors would look the same to a non-technical person - with almost nothing that distinguish the cheapest from the best.

In their simplest form, surge suppressors often come as an inexpensive surge protected multiple-outlet power-strip. More expensive units would normally incorporate additional surge protected connections for the phone line and the coax TV input; some units include surge protected LAN connections as well. In this manner, anything that interconnects with your equipment would have to go first through the surge protection circuitry within the power-strip.

How Surge Suppressors Work

The basic operational principle behind surge suppressors is to clamp high transient voltages while absorbing this potentially destructive energy. This energy is then dissipated in the form of heat - thus protecting vulnerable circuit components and preventing system damage.

In the event that the surge lasts for several milliseconds, the process may also cause enough current to trip the house circuit breaker, or blow the equipment fuse, thus protecting your gear.

Surge suppressors usually make use of a mix of components to suppress voltage spikes on the line. However, the mostly used component in surge protection circuitry is the Metal Oxide Varistor (or MOV).

The MOV is not the only surge protection component – gas-tube surge arrestors, avalanche diodes (similar to power zener diodes), and reactive type passive circuitry using inductors and capacitors, all possess the desired electrical properties required to dampen a transient behavior.

None of these devices does represent the perfect surge suppressor. Some lack speed, while others – like avalanche diodes – though extremely fast acting, do have a limited energy absorption capacity. For this reason, commercial surge protection devices combine several of these technologies arranged in multiple stages, to prolong surge suppressor life and improve response times.

Surge Suppressor Ratings

This discussion will not be complete without highlighting a few of the most basic parameters that define the capabilities of a surge suppressor; these are the UL listing, voltage rating, peak surge current, and power handling.

IEEE 1449 Underwriters Laboratories Listing: Referred to as 'UL 1449' or simply 'UL listing', represent a set of specifications that determine if a surge suppressor is safe during use.

Ensure that the selected surge suppressor is labeled as 'UL-listed transient voltage surge suppressor (TVSS) 2nd edition'. A UL-listing as 'power tap' is not sufficient.

A UL-listed TVSS does not imply that it will protect your equipment from surges, but rather that the surge protector is not likely to pose any personal hazard to you during use e.g. through electrocution, fire, etc.

Operating Voltage: The lower the voltage rating of a surge suppressor, the more effective protection the surge suppressor will provide, however the voltage rating has to be in line with the respective application. In particular, the chosen suppressor voltage rating should allow the normal peak AC voltage to exist across the line – this is 1.414 times higher than the specified RMS value.

Peak Surge Current: This represents the maximum transient current that the suppressor can handle during a surge.

Joule Rating: Also referred to as 'Energy rating', this is a measurement of the energy absorption capability of the surge protection device. Typical values may vary from 500 to 3000 and over. The higher the joule rating, the better is the surge suppressor capability to absorb energy spikes on the line.

A Word of Caution

Designed properly, surge suppression devices can work over-and-over again, but...

Do not take surge suppression devices for granted. Beware of cheaply made power line conditioners and other protection gear. Some surge suppressor components used in these devices are typically a one-time use only. This means that your system may end up completely unprotected after a surge.

Quality: The quality of a surge suppressor is reflected in the price of the protection device, but not only. Check the joule rating of the surge protector to get an indication of how much damaging energy the suppressor can handle. The bigger the joule rating is, the better. Keep in mind however that unlike the UL-1449 Listing, there is no standardized testing methodology to determine the energy rating of a surge suppressor. Hence, do not rely on the joule rating alone – look also at the built-up quality and in particular, at the product warranty on offer.

Warranty: In addition to the standard product warranty, some manufactures also offer a 'Connected Equipment Product Warrant'. This is normally in the region of several tens of thousands of dollars.

A longer product warranty period and a higher connected equipment warranty value reflect a higher level of confidence on part of the manufacturer that the surge suppressor can protect your expensive home theater gear. Try to go for surge suppressor devices that come with at least a 5-year product warranty period, and a minimum of $10,000 (preferably $25,000), connected equipment warranty.

Performance: The performance of surge suppressors degrades with each surge absorbed. The problem here is that the rate of degradation is totally unforeseen due to the unpredictable nature of the surge. Surge rise time, peak voltage, energy level, and duration, all have a varying effect on surge protection circuitry.

A surge may have a higher energy level than the suppressor can handle, leading to the destruction of the suppressor and zero protection against possible future surges. To minimize this risk, top-quality power protection gear would normally make use of over-rated components in protection circuitry - thus allowing multiple surges to take place without any damage to the equipment.

Surge Suppressors are not lightning protection devices: Surge suppressors can provide adequate protection from 'normal' surges on AC power lines. Protection against lightning strikes it is a completely different story. No surge suppressor device can offer you the required level of protection in this respect.

Personal safety: Ensure that your surge suppressor is clearly specified as UL listed Transient Voltage Suppressor (2nd edition). This will reduce the risk of personal harm from fire or electrocution especially during a surge. At the same time, keep in mind that a UL-listed device does not guarantee that it will protect your equipment.

Conclusion:

In reality, surge suppressors are just a first line of defense – they do not provide protection from damaging voltage fluctuations and noise on the line that can seriously degrade the performance of your AV gear.

Surge suppressors should form part of an overall power protection solution – the use of line conditioners and ac-regenerators coupled with an appropriately rated surge suppressor would surely provide a more comprehensive approach to protecting expensive electronic gear.

Obviously, there is a price to pay for power protection, but it is literally - an ounce of prevention that can save you a big headache down the road!

Andrew Ghigo – A Telecoms/Electronics engineer by profession, with specialization in digital switching and telecoms fraud management systems.

Editor and publisher of http://www.practical-home-theater-guide.com - a site dedicated to all home theater enthusiasts with the scope of serving as a comprehensive home theater guide to home theater systems, product reviews and home theater design.

This article is an excerpt from a series of articles appearing under the Power Protection section of the site.

Topics covered include benefits of power protection in the home theater, power line conditioners, ac regenerators, and surge protection. There is also a 'before-you-buy' power protection checklist, and a short discussion on the possible use of inexpensive computer-grade uninterruptible power supplies, as part of a home theater power-protection solution.

Features To Look For When You Buy A Dvd Player

Writen by Thad Pickering

It's not hard to see why DVD players have taken the video world by storm. All you have to do is watch a movie on DVD and then watch that same movie on VHS tape instead. The difference can be startling. So just as CDs took over the audio world, DVDs are dominant in the video world, and DVD players are a staple of the home entertainment center, and certainly of a home theater setup too.

So what should you know when you shop for DVD players? Well, as with everything a lot depends on your budget but here are some of the features to look for when you buy a DVD player:

* In the electronics world, cable connections are very important and it's no different with DVD players. Almost all DVD players come with a standard composite-video cable to connect the player to the TV, and this kind of cable can produce a decent picture. But it's also very limiting because the black and white, and color video signals are all sent together through this cable and it's easy for the colors to bleed over into other colors and lose detail and sharpness. If your DVD p[layer comes with a S-video cable this can dramatically improve the video as this cable can separate out the black and white from the color signals resulting in greater clarity. Finally if you get a DVD player that can use a component-video cable that can be the best yet because it also splits the color signal too, allowing even greater color range and detail.

* It's good to have an aspect control feature on a DVD player too. Many DVD movies are coming now in different formats to fit whatever TV you have. The aspect control lets you take advantage of this and tune the movie to the specific ratio that best fits the size of your television screen.

* Some DVD players have multi-angle capability built in and that can be useful at times too. It doesn't work with all DVDs, but with those that are compatible, it's pretty cool. It actually allows you to adjust the picture angle so that you can view the action from different perspectives.

* Having surround sound decoding built into your DVD players can be very useful too, especially if you have a Dolby Digital receiver and at least six speakers to achieve the 5.1 surround sound effect. If your receiver does not have the Dolby 5.1 decoder built into it then you need to have it decoded by the DVD player before it is sent to the receiver. Once at the receiver the signal is amplified and distributed to the appropriate speakers in the room. If you wish to use the more recent 6.1 and 7.1 surround sound systems you will need to have the decoder for that on your DVD player too, and either 7 or 8 speakers to match.

These are some of the features that can be most useful when you are playing DVDs, so look for them the next time you want to buy a DVD player.

Thad Pickering writes on many consumer related topics including audio and video. You can find out more about best portable dvd player and portable dvd player reviews by visiting our Home Theater website.

How To Put Video On Psp

Writen by Jessica Smith

Here is how to put video on your PSP:

First, you don't need a special loader in order to transfer video files and DVDs onto your PSP. You can play the following types of video formats on your PSP: AVI, ASF, MOV, MP4, MKV, NUT, OGM, WMV.

And you can also play the following audio formats on your PSP: MP3, M4A, OGG, WAV, WMA.

Now you know what video and audio files you can play on your PSP, you'll need either a USB cable or compatible memory stick reader in order to transfer the files to your PSP and a 256MB memory card. You'll also need a computer.

For optimal results, use a Windows XP/2000/98/ME or MacIntosh OS X operating system. The minimum processor (CPU) recommended is a Pentium II 300 MMX or equivalent with at least 64 meg memory (RAM). Your hard drive should be at least 4 gb but having 10 gb free space in one partition is better.

Now you're ready for the fun part of choosing which videos or audio files to put on your PSP. You can even download your favourite TV shows. There are so many video clips, movies and tv shows to choose from you're spoiled for choice!

Jessica Smith loves downloading videos to her PSP. For access to millions of videos clips, movies, tv shows, music videos and games, visit http://www.coolwebstuffonline.com/putvideoonpsp

Learn About The Types Of Camcorders

Writen by Chris Vorelli

If you are planning on purchasing a camcorder, you should be familiar with the types of camcorders and how they can benefit your specific needs. The formats of video cameras include, VHS, VHS-C, 8mm, Hi8, Mini Digital Video (Mini DV), DVD and Digital 8. Each format has its pros and cons

VHS
The VHS format is the oldest type of camcorder. This type of video camcorder is fast becoming outdated, because you can only play back the video on a VHS VCR system. VHS camcorders are not nearly as clear as digital video camcorders that offer clear video with 540 lines of resolution, VHS video cameras only offer 240 lines of resolution. They also weigh more and are much more bulky, that dv camcorders. You can only find these video camera used because their technology is now outdated.

VHS-C
The VHS-C format offer 240 lines of resolution, just like VHS. These analog camcorders come in a smaller size that the VHS camcorder models, but use the same technology. The video tapes used in VHS-C camcorders are much smaller in size than VHS, just in a smaller camcorder design. VHS-C is considered old technology and not used today in newer models.

8mm
If you are looking to record more than 1 hour, then 8mm camcorders are perfect. These video cameras can record up to 5 hours of footage and they offer better video quality that VHS cameras. In order to view video from your 8mm video camcorder, you need to connect the camcorder to input jacks on your TV or your VCR system.

MiniDV
MiniDV, short for mini Digital Video off the clearest and most vivid colors out of all the types of camcorders on the market, and they're small in size only 4 inches in width and height. Mini dv camcorders can fit in the palm of your hand, making them very easy to handle and transport. And if you like editing your video footage you can connect dv camcorders to your computer system. Transferring the video is a snap with the FireWire connection. Once the footage is in your computers hard drive you can burn it to dvd, add it to your web site or email small clips to friends and family.

Digital8
Digital8 camcorders offer the best of both worlds, Hi8 and DV. You can use 8mm and hi8 video tapes combined with the best image quality found in digital camcorder formats. Digital8 camcorders are larger and heavier than Mini DV camcorders, but they are also cheaper in price. The Digital8 system offers 540 lines of crystal clear resolution.

DVD Camcorders
The newest form of digital video cameras are DVD camcorders. These camcorders are small in size, just like Digital8 and Mini DV camcorders. The big difference compared to other camcorder systems is that DVD camcorders use recordable DVD discs such as DVD-R or DVD-RW. The big benefit to dvd video cameras is that they can be played on your home DVD player, and of course the quality is the best you can find.

Price comparisons

If you want to buy the cheapest priced camcorder go for a VHS analog camcorder, you don't get the same quality as digital camcorders however if you plan on filming family vacations this should be sufficient for your needs. Then there are DVD camcorders, they are the most expensive of digital video cameras, but at the same time, they are the newest technology offering the best image and sound quality. Lastly is the mini dv format, this is probably the best camcorder for the price and quality. Small in size and reasonably priced. Review top manufacturers such as Panasonic, Sharp, Canon and Sony which offer the very popular Sony Handycam.

About the author:
Richard Gazzo is a successful writer with info on the best digital camcorders. Read camcorder reviews on Sony camcorders , Canon camcorders, Samsung camcorders and more. Reprint permission will all hyper links intact.

Home Theaters Which Ones Should I Invest In

Writen by Christine Bettridge

Going to the theatres is fast becoming out of fashion. Thanks to the advantages offered by latest technologies like DVD and satellite, folks are turning more and more to watching movies at home. Home theatres are fast gaining popularity as a good set offers one great advantage – You can watch your old favorite movies which are still on VHS tapes, something which you really enjoy. Moreover, the sound is a lot better with "surround sound" technology and so are the latest DVD players, which offer nice quality and can copy over VCR. The video display unit, however, plays a significant role in making or spoiling your entire experience. For most of us, the display unit is just a regular television, which produces sub-acceptable to fairly good images depending on the make and model of the unit, which ultimately results in people going for High Definition.

Now let's analyze what to look for in a good home theatre setup- Quality sound, VCR to DVD players, and possibly a new T.V. set. We shall consider all these as if the money would be spent from our own pocket and that we shall be viewing movies as much as an average family in the U.S. does, which is roughly 20 hours per week.

The Logitech Z-640 6 Speaker Surround Sound System is being offered for a competent price of only $69 U.S. – Amazon.com price. Or if you are looking for decent performance, look at the Sony HT-DDW670 Home Theater in a Box System costing approximately $179 U.S. – Amazon.com price. Both of these will produce respectable sound without burning a hole in your pocket.

Coming down to the player unit, the Panasonic DMR-ES40VS VHS/DVD Recorder is a great deal, with its performance and efficiency, at an approximate Amazon.com pricing of $210 U.S. It comes in two color sets- silver and black and perhaps the best feature of this unit is that it can convert old VHS tapes, which we all have around, to DVD readily.

And now, enter the arena of display units, with HDTV sets which are available in a broad range in pricing and styling from the flat to the curved and from the small to the gigantic 50" Samsung HL-R5067W 50" HD-Ready DLP TV, costing approximately $1500 U.S.-Amazon.com price, which is hard to turn down. But if you want your images projected across a wall, expect to shell out anywhere ranging from $1100 U.S. to several thousand dollars, and for obvious reasons, they aren't all that popular yet. So if you own a regular sized counsel that holds the T.V., the books and records, then you might probably be going to look for something in the 32"to 38" range, and these are readily available in the market, ranging in prices from seven or eight hundred all the way up to thousands. Choosing a fairly nice television, the SAMSUNG TX-R3080WH 30" Wide SlimFit HDTV w/ Built-In HD Tuner, costing approximately eight to nine hundred, is worth mentionable with good picture quality, excellent reputation and all.

Christine Bettridge has loved writing since childhood. She has written Plays, poetry and many articles. Her latest e-book End Time Secrets recently released by Cypress Street Publishing has caused an order craze in the religious world. It can be ordered and downloaded right now through the publishers website at End Time Secrets and she also is the editor of the article directory, Above All Content Visit her blog at: The Bible Sound Blog

How To Buy A Powerful Home Theater System Limited Budget

Writen by Kevin Nelson

Thanks to advances in modern audio and video technology, more and more people are becoming home theater enthusiasts. And while some home theater system owners approach their systems as if money is no object, this is certainly not an option for most would-be home theater owners. Luckily, the recent advances in technology have also made home theater equipment even more affordable, allowing even those on a limited budget to buy a powerful home theater system as long as you know what to look for.

There are several things you should consider once you decide to buy a home theater system, especially on a limited budget (around $1000 or less). Since this is a popular price range, there are several options to choose from for each of the components you'll need to purchase. The goal is to have a system that gives you great performance, several steps up from the typical "home theater in a box" but still taking up minimal space. We'll take a look at the components you'll need and some considerations you should keep in mind. Note that since we're working with a $1000 or less budget, we'll leave out the television for now and assume you're using your current TV in the meantime.

Receiver: The receiver should certainly have Dolby Digital ™ 5.1 surround sound to provide an immersive experience when watching your favorite DVDs. It should also be expandable to other formats as your system grows. That way, you can rest assured that your receiver will still be able to satisfy your audio needs for years to come.

DVD Player: Definitely look for a quality DVD player. You can certainly find players in the sub-$100 range but you should be cautious on such deals and definitely check the warranty and return policy just in case. Something in the $150 ballpark will likely be sufficient but price isn't the only factor to consider. Since we're aiming for a 5.1 surround sound system, you'll need to be sure the DVD player is Dolby Digital ™ compatible to ensure you have the best audio output from your new system (most players are). In addition, check to see what type of video inputs your television has—either component video, s-video or composite/analog video (which have been listed in order of video quality). You'll want to be sure your DVD player has outputs compatible with the best quality video input on your television. Finally, keep in mind that your DVD player will play a dual role, acting as your CD player as well.

Speakers: Again, with the goal being a 5.1 surround sound system, you'll probably want to go with a set of speakers rather than purchasing them separately or in pairs. You'll have 6 speakers in all, one in each corner of the room (roughly), one speaker front and center either on or just below the television and one subwoofer to handle the bass. You'll want to ensure that the speakers are rated to handle the amount of power put out by the amplifier in your receiver. That way, you can enjoy full, rich surround sound without stressing your speakers and possibly damaging them.

Cables: Finally, you'll need several types of interconnect cables to wire everything together. Some of these might come with the individual components you purchase depending on the model. If not, shoot for mid-priced cables rather than the lower end options. Surprisingly enough, the quality of the cables you purchase can have a dramatic effect on the overall performance of your system so skimping here is not advised.

By following these simple guidelines, you'll be able to find the best components to build your new home theater system. And you can rest assured that it will have all the features you need for a great home theater experience without breaking the bank.

Kevin Nelson is a home theater enthusiast and writer for HomeTheaterMastery.com - offering advice for consumers looking to buy home theater system equipment. Check out recommended products for this home theater setup and other valuable resources. Go there now.

Stereo Speakers

Writen by Ken Marlborough

Stereo speakers are used to enhance the audio system in cars. They are usually described as distinctive in view, since they are used for duplicating audio frequencies. By and large, they are regarded as a very crucial component that constitutes an excellent stereo system.

More often than not, stereo speakers can be classified into two types -- component speakers and full range speakers. Both encompass a number of pluses and minuses. Basically, full range speakers come in different sizes, made up of the tweeter, woofer and super tweeter. However, if you desire the best possible audio quality, then component speakers are the best choice.

You need to think over several factors to get the sound quality that you desire before purchasing stereo speakers. Apart from the type of speaker, other vital factors to consider are the speaker's efficiency, frequency response and maximum power. These three things are interrelated with each other, and the absence of one may affect the entire sound frequency. The speaker's frequency response must be superior and broader to achieve improved sound control and simulation. The efficiency of the speaker should also be taken into account. Keep in mind that the greater its efficiency, the better the result. Last but not least, maximum power must also be assessed for a long-lasting quality audio sound.

All in all, you should be careful in choosing a stereo speaker. It is suggested that you test out the speaker before f buying it. Stereo speakers come in a variety of brands and features.

Stereos provides detailed information on Stereos, Car Stereos, Stereo Speakers, Stereo Systems and more. Stereos is affiliated with Digital Video Recorders.

Shall We Consider A Cheap Projector

Writen by Clifford Tan

What exactly defines a cheap projector? Different people will have varying opinions in regard to this matter. For some people it implies a lack of quality where for some others, it will mean an opportunity to have high quality at a substantially reduced price. Finding a cheap projector does not require any forfeiture of quality. If it does, then the buyer should beware and shop around more. Cheap projectors are readily available featuring all of the benefits to establish a nice home theater system.

The DIY or Do It Yourself projector is a popular alternative for many people who could not otherwise afford a home projection system. While it does have some drawbacks for those who are not so mechanically inclined, it also has many benefits. If an individual has a rudimentary knowledge of electronics, this can be a good choice. There are many available plans for this type of project. Parts can be a little more difficult to find, but it can be done with a little research and some phone calls. While it is not a fix-all solution, it is a viable alternative if you are looking for a cheap projector.

Online auctions are another way of getting around the high cost of some quality projectors. When looking at auctions, it is best to note details in the description. Avoid any type of auction where any damage may be expressed or implied. There is no need in trying to find a cheap projector that will have to be repaired. More often than not, these "projects" end up in a closet or garage somewhere and never get finished, usually due to the high cost of fixing them.

It is a wise decision to look for auctions from people who have upgraded their theater systems or otherwise have a reasonable explanation for being rid of the projector. Most online auction sites have contact information available, so if there are unanswered questions, it is best to ask them BEFORE you bid. If the seller will not answer questions or answers them incompletely or indirectly, do not worry. It is probably not a good idea to bid on it either. The seller may often avoid specifics when there is damage that affects the performance of the projector. It is substantially better to lose a bid on a good projector than it is to win a bid on a damaged item. There will always be more auctions and more cheap projectors available.

One category that is often overlooked is a cheap alternative in home projector systems. These are commonly referred to as "pre-made" projectors. These are usually factory assembled DIY projectors. Often, a company that buys and sells projectors and parts will have better deals than the average person can get by buying their parts in bulk. Some of these companies have people that put together cheap projectors and sell them, generally on the internet, but sometimes on online auctions and by other means as well. If a person is not mechanically inclined, but still wants the benefit of a cheap projector, this is a very good alternative.

Note: This article may be republish for use in websites as long as the author bio and active hyperlinks are kept intact.

Clifford Tan, a Home Theater enthusiast and owner of the website Home Projector Advisor offering projector reviews, advice and many useful tips and hints to business and home consumers looking to purchase a home projectors. To find out alot more information about home projection system, visit the site http://www.home-projector-advisor.com.

Plasma Tv And Lcd Tv Televisions Of The Future

Writen by Paul Cris

Although both Plasma TV's and LCD TV's display a big picture in a thin case, there are many notable differences between the two devices.

The plasma television sets are larger than LCD's and measure about 42 inches. The size of the LCD is approximately 37 inches. But a 42-inch LCD TV would cost $1000 more than the plasma television set. The LCD TV's weigh lesser than the plasma set. The plasma television sets are bulky and therefore they constantly require installation. They are well structured in order to prevent overheating due to constant usage by a means of proper ventilation.

The plasma televisions exhibit a contrast background and therefore are very appropriate for watching movies as you experience the enjoyment of a home theatre. LCD TV's are mostly bright screened and appropriate if your room is brightly lit. The plasma TV's do not appear lucid when the room is brightly lit. At the same time, the LCD TV's seem to emit strong rays when the room is darker.

You can watch your television from different angles when you are watching the plasma TV. The same convenience is not available in case of LCD as it bears a flat screen. As you move further we can feel the loss of brightness.

But there are a few disadvantages when you own a plasma television set. When it is linked to video, it often tends to leave an image for a long time. These images often get permanently etched on the screen. At the bottom of the screen, the text or the logos of the other networks are often seen and it causes a disturbance to the viewer. The estimated life of a plasma TV is around 25000 to 35000 hours.

According to Alfred Poor's anticipations, the LCD television will continue to be an expensive set compared to the other televisions.

Paul has been providing answers to lots of queries through his website on a wide variety of subjects ranging from satellite phones to acne. To learn more visit http://www.askaquery.com/Answers/qn1571.html

You are welcome to republish the above article only if you add our hyperlinked URL.

Plasma Tv Screens Pros Cons And Advice

Writen by Gabriel J. Adams

Plasma TVs are widely popular, due to the advantages they offer. In this article, we'll go over a few of the pros and cons of Plasma screens, as well as tips for buying a plasma TV.

The Pros of Plasma Screen TVs

Plasma screens are very shallow (slim line profile) – usually the screen will take up about 2 inches, and the entire TV or finished screen will be just a few inches deep. This means that your TV takes up very little room, and is easily mounted on a wall.

Plasma screens also have an excellent contrast, and can display nearly perfectly dark black. Plasma screens can also display very bright colors. This makes them ideal for watching movies.

Plasma screens can also come in extra large sizes. The largest plasma screen in the world is 103 inches across. You can easily buy plasma screens up to about 65 inches.

The Cons of Plasma Screen TVs

Plasma screens begin losing their brightness after about 2,000 hours of use. The latest model plasma screens will be half as bright as they originally were after about 60,000 hours of use.

Plasma screens are very fragile, so they are hard to install and ship. Of course, they are also at an increased risk of breaking.

Above about 6,000 elevation, Plasma screens will emit a humming noise. Very few people will have an issue with this, though, as very few people live above 6,000 feet elevation.

Tips for buying a Plasma Screen TV

As with any other electronic, it's important to shop around and get the best product at the best price. Check online review and shopping comparison sites.

Also, be wary of advertised contrast ratios. Since there is no standardized measurement method, it is very difficult to compare contrast ratios between manufacturers.

Visit Plasma TV Guide UK for Sony Plasma TV Reviews and more.

Tv Viewing Distance And Screen Placement In The Home Theater

Writen by Andrew Ghigo

The optimum TV screen size is directly related to the available viewing distance – but there are other factors as well that need to be taken into consideration.

Viewing Distance: Is it just a matter of personal preference?

Sit too close to your big screen TV and you will be able to see the image build-up structure - scanning lines or pixels forming the image – thus distracting your attention and spoiling your home theater experience. Yet, sit too far away, and the impact will be lost.

There are differing opinions on the best way to determine the optimum TV viewing distance for a specific screen size. Just go to the movie theater and you will soon realize that it is all a question of personal preference - some would sit at the very back. Others would go straight to the front row, as they prefer the bigger picture and a wider angle of view, while some would simply choose their seat randomly somewhere in between these two extremes.

The truth is that there are no scientific rules her. This does not mean that there aren't any guidelines that you should follow when planning a big screen purchase or a would-be home theater room.

SMPTE Recommendations and the THX Certification standards:

The Society of Motion Pictures and Television Engineers (SMPTE) recommends that the screen size for home theater use should occupy a 30 degrees field of view - in the horizontal plan - for the audience. Alternatively, the ideal TV viewing distance should be such that the screen width occupies an angle of 30 degrees from the viewing position.

This 30-degrees viewing angle seems to have been accepted by many as the standard in home theater and motion picture viewing.

This SMPTE guideline is also in line with the THX certification standards in that these recommend that the back row of seats should have at least a 26 degrees viewing angle and while recommending an optimum viewing angle of 36 degrees.

It is believed that within these viewing angle limits, the viewer will get better immersed into the action movie itself.

Vision System limitations:

There is also the issue of TV viewing distance based on visual acuity. This does not represent the optimum viewing distance - rather, this relates to the maximum viewing distance beyond which some picture detail will be lost.

Technically speaking, visual acuity is a measure of the eye spatial resolving power and indicates the angular size of the smallest detail that a person visual system can resolve. A person with 20/20 (or 6/6 when expressed in meters) normal vision can resolve a spatial pattern separated by a visual angle of one minute of arc angle i.e. 1/60th of a degree, at the eye when viewed at 20 feet away. Expressed differently, a person with normal 20/20 vision is capable of identifying an object with a height of 1.76mm at 20 feet way.

In terms of TV viewing distances, these represent the point beyond which some of the picture detail will no longer be resolved by the viewer vision system.

So How Does All This Translate In Practical Terms?

A few rules-of-thumb can help put in practice the guidelines detailed above. These rules for viewing distance refer to the screen width rather than the screen diagonal and therefore apply to both 4:3 and 16:9 display formats.

A general rule for the TV viewing distance based on the SMPTE and visual acuity guidelines, is that the nearest TV viewing distance between you and your big screen TV should be limited to approximately twice the screen width (more precise 1.87 x screen width for a subtended angle of 30 degrees), while the furthest distance being no more than five times the width of your screen.

This rule of thumb should give you a fairly good approximation for your TV viewing distance. It does not necessarily represent the ideal home theater viewing distance but rather the limits within which your TV viewing distance should theoretically be out of the trouble zone.

In other words, move closer than twice the screen width size, and the picture scanning lines, pixels and any other video artifacts will become too visibly intrusive - leading to distractions that will spoil your movie watching experience. Move further away than 5 times the screen width and your vision system will no longer be able to resolve all the picture detail.

But…

It is also important to realize that these maximum and minimum viewing distances should be seen in the light of the video signal definition.

A fully resolved high definition TV (1080i, 1920x1080) supports a closer viewing distance than standard analog TV. Thus while twice the screen width would be the ideal TV viewing distance for a HDTV display, it would be a bit too close for standard TV; in the later case, a three times the screen width would be a better option.

Similarly, the five times the screen width as the maximum view distance, while more than adequate for a standard analog TV picture, is a bit too far away for a person to see the fine detail supported by a HDTV picture – a three to four times the screen width represents a more practical limit for the maximum viewing distance in the case of HDTV.

These rules-of-thumb work best with big screen TV sizes in the range 42-inches and over.

When it comes to the use of regular-size standard definition analog TVs in the home theater, i.e. up to 36" / 40" diagonal, the optimum viewing distance range is between 8 feet and 12 feet. TV sets smaller than 36-inches aren't big enough to qualify for Home Theater use; their smaller screen size will not provide the desired impact on the viewer.

Vertical Angle of View & Screen Height:

For optimum viewing, the eyes of the viewer should be level with the center of the screen.

Maximum vertical angle of view: In those home theater set-ups where this is not possible, the SMPTE guidelines suggest that the maximum vertical angle measured at the seated eye height from the front row center seat to the top most part of the projected image should not exceed 35 degrees.

This does not represent the optimum viewing angle but rather the limit beyond which the viewer will be subject to an increased neck strain.

This maximum vertical angle limit is always measured from the front row as this represent the extreme angle of view.

Minimum angle of vision: While there do not appear to be any specific SMPTE or THX guidelines in this respect, yet studies have shown that if the screen size occupies less than 15 degrees of the viewer's vertical field of view, than that image appears small.

Practical Considerations:

In a typical home theater set-up, you do not need to really worry about neither the maximum vertical angle of view, nor about the minimum vertical angle of vision for an effective movie theater experience.

If one were to adhere to the recommended TV viewing distance of twice the screen width (as further detailed above based on the SMPTE guideline of 30 degrees horizontal field of vision), you would automatically be complying with the minimum angle of vision. The reason being that there is a fixed relation between screen height and width in accordance to your home theater screen aspect ratio of either 16:9 or 4:3.

Further more, in a typical home theater setup, it would be very difficult to exceed the maximum vertical angle of view beyond which you will be subject to an increased neck strain.

Taking into account that most home theater rooms are approximately 10 feet (3m) high, the resultant vertical viewing angle is normal well within the maximum of 35 degrees detailed in the SMPTE guidelines – all you have to do is just remain within the twice the screen width guideline for your viewing distance.

Andrew Ghigo – A Telecoms/Electronics engineer by profession, with specialization in digital switching and telecoms fraud management systems.

Editor and publisher of http://www.practical-home-theater-guide.com - a site dedicated to all home theater enthusiasts with the scope of serving as a comprehensive home theater guide to home theater systems, product reviews and home theater design.

This article is an excerpt from a series of articles appearing under the home theater design section of the site.

Systemline Modular Hidden Pleasure

Writen by Matt Hodkinson

Systemline Modular is a great product for accessing and enjoying your audio-visual entertainment throughout the home, and integrates well with Home Automation systems. More than this, Systemline Modular will blend into its environment by doing away with all those unsightly cables and boxes, hiding everything away from view, allowing you to enjoy your beautiful home. Here, I provide insights into my own experience of the system; from installation to the best part of all ... annoying the neighbours!

Cabling

Plan your run first Before you get started with cabling your home, allow me to teach you a lesson for free; one which I wish I had learned before I began. Plan your cable runs! I cannot emphasise enough, the importance of this step. By this point, you should have decided where you want your speakers and other outputs. The next thing to do is draw out a plan of your home, and add each cable you will need. Systemline Modular provide some great documentation on how to do this, and their support staff are very helpful in answering your questions.

Include all components

Be sure to include all your components in your plan. It sounds like a no-brainer, but dependant on the property type and size, there are varying degrees of simplicity. It can be easy to forget where that last cable ran to, so mark everything with tags (at both ends) and document everything you do for future reference.

Include 2-way runs where needed

Some components may need 2 runs from the same direction. Make sure that you have a run for each communication required. e.g. from speaker to hub and from keypad to speaker.

Cat5/6

The wiring of choice for Systemline Modular is CAT5 (or more recently CAT6). There are a few things to consider here:

New build

If your property is a new build, you're one of the lucky ones! The amount of work required is minimal, and I would encourage anyone to have a go. Whilst CAT5 and CAT6 do carry power to components, they are perfectly safe until hooked up to the mains.

1st fix wiring

Channeling through stud walls, ceilings and floors is a great way to understand the workings of the system, as well as preparing you for any maintenance later.

2nd fix

Adding faceplates and components happens at the 2nd fix stage. This is fairly easy with the supplied instructions and the right tools, but if you have any doubts (or just want the job done right, first time) get a registered installer in.

Retro-fit

Retro-fit installations can be a nightmare. As well as disrupting the decor of the happy home, CAT5 cables will sometimes need to be channeled through places that simply weren't designed for them. Do your research, and again, if in any doubt, get a man (or woman) in to do the job right. CAT5 cable doesn't like being bent double. If your run is difficult, take it slowly, and ensure you cause no kinks in the cable. Any breakage in the internal wires will make for poor or no sound when it's all plugged in.

Keep away from mains power

You want the very best audio and video quality when the install is complete, so keep your runs away from mains cable. Getting too close (as much as a few inches) to the mains wiring can cause interference for audio and video transmissions later.

Loop enough cable Make sure you loop enough cable for your components. A couple of feet extra will allow for an easier 2nd fix, and allow for any mishaps.

The Hub

The Systemline hub is the business end of the product. Here, your inputs and outputs are married up and managed from a single point. The hub also receives and acts upon all your IR and other control commands.

Inputs

You can use any of your audio-visual inputs with the Modular system. CD and DVD players, Media servers, all get plugged into the hub and played out to your output components.

Outputs

In-ceiling speakers compliment the system perfectly by blending into their surroundings. Simple to fit, just put a hole in the ceiling space (give adequate room, centred between joists), and hook up to the CAT5 or CAT6 cable. A number of "feet" drop into the void when a screw is turned, and are tightened against the ceiling board until secure. These speakers look great in any room. As well as sitting flush against the ceiling, the fascia and even the IR receiver, give a discreet but contemporary look. The Systemline "ZAM" is a zone amplifier, which can be used to implement third party speakers, or your own existing speaker products. It is slim enough to fit inside a cavity wall or ceiling space.

Local Inputs

As well as your main inputs, hidden away with your hub, you can implement local inputs to plug your favourite portable or other items into. The SIM module comprises a faceplate, which hooks up to your cable, and allows you to plug in any device via a jack input. Switch the speaker to local mode, and plug in your mp3 player or personal audio device, to play through your ceiling speakers or ZAM.

iPod Docking Station

Systemline Modular offer an iPod docking station, which sits flush in the wall, and can power your iPod whilst it plays your music. A great device, and discreet to boot!

Control

Control of the system couldn't be simpler. The Systemline remote controls are funky in their design, and interact with the ceiling speakers (or via the wall mounted keypads) to send signals to the hub. No additional items are required. Keypads can be mounted on the wall, and used to control the system in the absence of, or in addition to, a remote controller. As with all Systemline Modular components, they seem to blend into their surroundings, and do their job well. You don't need a keypad, if you prefer to use the remote alone. Other, 3rd party remotes can be used with Systemline Modular. One such product, which compliments the system well, is the Nevo SL remote. It's a substantial, touch screen, programmable remote control; with all the bells and whistles you could possible need.

Conclusion

I have had hours of fun, both installing, and using my Systemline Modular system. The addition of music to a room really does change the ambience, and make it a more welcoming place to be. The fact that every component is either hidden or blended in to the decor makes it perfect for even the fussiest homeowner.

Find out more about Systemline, and arrange a quote, with http://www.stylishautomation.com

Digital Projector Give A Bigger Picture

Writen by NamSing Then

Digital projectors are those video projectors which are used in conferences for presentations. The digital projectors receive video signals from, usually, desktop computers and display images on large screens which can be easily comprehended by all in the gathering.

Two Types of Digital Projectors To begin with, there are two technologies used by digital projectors, the older one being the LCD, liquid crystal display with independent transparent panels of LCD for each constituent primary color (red, blue and green.) The image transmission depends on the signal received by the projector from PC which redirects the light signals through these LCD panels and lens onto a screen. The LCD projectors look pretty similar to older slide projectors and are simple in construction and thus cost less in comparison to their successors DLP projectors. The LCD can be thought of as slides placed at the focal length of the lens making it complete. Clarity of picture in LCD projectors depends on the number of pixels it is set for. (Pixels are smallest area of data or picture holders)

DLP Projectors: The Latest of the Digital Projectors Digital Light Processing or DLP is a technology developed by Texas Instruments in 1987. DLP projectors bring in a paradigm difference in technology in image projection to board rooms. Unlike their predecessors, DLP projectors make use of tiny mirrors or micro mirrors to reflect light images to pass through the projector lens and onto a screen. Each mirror can be thought of as representing a pixel. The mirrors reflect primary colors in rapidly rotating succession as actuated by a rotating color filter wheel. The image of rapidly changing colors 'constructs' images for human eye perception. The micro mirrors are collectively called as DMD or 'digital micromirror device'.

For the sake of enhancing picture clarity, the rotating wheel is provided with a plain patch which allows plain white light. This type of DMD projectors are also known as single chip projectors. The three chip projectors are a bit complicated but offer better clarity. Here a prism splits the light from lamp into primary colors which are redirected to DMD which recombines them before projecting through the lens.

Where Is the Difference DLP projectors are lighter and give far better pictures. Single chip resolves 16.7 colors while the three chip model does a, hold your breath, 35 trillion colors.

Commercial Models Texas Instruments is the pioneer who owns the patent for DLP technology. Fraunhofer Institute of Dresden of Germany developed the same technology simultaneously and markets it as Spatial Light Modulators. HP, Samsung are other market leaders in both LCD and DLP technologies.

NamSing Then is a regular article contributor on many topics. Be sure to visit his other websites Digital Video Camera, Lcd Tv Monitor and One Stop Information

Digital Television Why The Uk Is Sleep Walking To The Digital Switchover

Writen by Keith Longmire

Not many people seem to know this… By the end of 2012 the UK will have been the only country in the world to have totally made the switchover to all digital television. The digital switchover starts in 2008 – less than 2 short years away.

A recent Which Report (Which is the major consumer champion in the UK) shows that in many areas the awareness of the digital switchover is less than 2 %. Even in the Borders Television region – the first to make the change – only about a third of the people surveyed knew what was going to happen.

It really does seem that the UK is sleepwalking in to the Digital Switchover.

Not surprisingly, the whole switchover programme is being watched with keen interest by other nations around the World. The benefits of digital television for broadcasters, manufacturers and programme makers are pretty clear. The new media is already changing programme making – Planet Earth, currently showing on the BBC - is a prime example of what can be achieved. And of course the manufacturers are positively drooling at the thought of all the new televisions, video recorders and set-top boxes they expect to sell.

Consumers are set to benefit too - better pictures and sound, high definition television, interactivity, movies on demand… The list goes on. Governments have a keen commercial interest too. They own the air waves. And digital television takes up much less band width than conventional analogue signals. So the move to digital frees up precious broadcasting capacity that Governments are keen to sell to the highest bidders. The sale of the mobile telephone spectrum for 3G providers raised over £20 billion. Who would bet that the sale of the television spectrum won't raise significantly more?

The move to digital television benefits us all. So why do so few people know what is happening?

Simply being able to receive digital television is only part of the issue. Just about every television bought more than 12 months ago, and a good percentage of those being sold now, are effectively obsolete. All of them will need a separate satellite receiver or set top decoder box to receive digital signals. Every video recorder will also need an additional decoder.

The UK Government puts the average cost per household to upgrade to digital television at £132 ($210). I feel the real figure is likely to be 4 or times this level. Most homes in the UK have upwards of 4 televisions – each and every one will need significant investment to receive digital television signals.

In the UK 68% of homes already receive digital television in some form- satellite (which means BSkyB – the only UK satellite television provider), cable or terrestrial freeview. In almost all cases digital television is only watched on the main television in the house. The other sets are still restricted to the main analogue, terrestrial stations. From 2008 this has all got to change.

It's time to wake up. We are at the threshold of the biggest change in the television experience since it was first invented.

Start planning your own digital switchover now.

Keith Longmire is a great believer in the switchover to digital television. His web site, http://www.thedigitalswitchover.co.uk, is full of information, tips and guidance on planning your digital switchover.

Cheap Dvds

Writen by Damian Sofsian

With the great influx of companies producing DVDs, a sudden decline has occurred in the cost of DVDs, mainly to beat the competition. This has led to an abundance of cheap DVDs in the market. Today, almost all the houses possess a DVD player and the demand of cheap DVDs has increased greatly.

Though low-priced, cheap DVDs have almost the same performance rate as the branded ones. Due to the unique design feature, DVDs can hold a large amount of data, seven times more than that of an ordinary CD. A full-length movie can be stored in a single DVD. Cheap DVDs of the latest movies and music albums are easily obtainable. Special effects of the movies can be watched on a DVD. DVDs of interactive games and instructional guides are available.

You can buy cheap DVDs from the DVD shop near your house. A wide selection of DVDs including audio DVDs, video DVDs, plain DVDs, and rewritable DVDs, which suits everyone's budget, is available online. It is always wiser to ensure a secured credit card transaction before any online purchase.

With the innovation of new DVD copying techniques, the rate of getting cheap DVDs has been increasing enormously; the only drawback being that most of these are pirated versions. This has a negative impact on the film industry, because more people stay away from theaters

Even though the market is flooded with cheap DVDs, to find one worth your money is rather difficult. The chance to get cheated by a fake DVD is a potential risk. A routine performance check before buying DVDs is an ideal way of ensuring that the product you.

DVDs provides detailed information on DVDs, Buy DVDs, Copy DVDs, Cheap DVDs and more. DVDs is affiliated with Top DVD Rentals.