Home Theater Systems Advice BlogWelcome to the Home Theater Systems Advice Blog. Here you'll find tips for selecting components. Includes DLP, LCD & CRT video projectors & big-screen TVs, plasma & LCD displays, DVD players, HDTV, satellite TV, wireless speakers and surround sound systems. This blog will have articles of interest for the beginner as well as seasoned veterans. I've been throwing some stuff on here lately as I find it is a quicker way to add notes, ideas and things I've seen that are interesting. You may want to subscribe to the RSS feed so you can keep up with the latest ramblings. ;)
Home Theater News - Systems, Components and TrendsHome Theater News - systems, components, trends and new products for the home theater enthusiast and beginners alike. Permalink -- click for full blog post "Home Theater News - Systems, Components and Trends" Home Theater Systems Advice - Home Theater Info, Tips and ReviewsHome Theater Systems info - audio-video component systems selection advice, wiring and installation tips. Home Theater System room design, speaker layout. Best HDTV systems for home theatre-cinema. Panasonic V10 Plasma TV - Near KURO quality at a reasonable priceThe Panasonic V10 Plasma TV model line offers exceptional performance at a reasonable price point. 3D TV | Is 3DTV a fad or the future HDTV television standard?Is 3D TV home theater a passing fad/gimmick or the future of HDTV? Universal Remote Control | Remote control for your home theater "universally"A universal remote control is an essential part of your home theater. Combine many remotes into one remote control that universally controls all of your devices. Pioneer Receivers | AVRsPioneer receivers offer excellent performance for your home theater and the latest model line is feature packed at a surprisingly low price-point. Permalink -- click for full blog post "Pioneer Receivers | AVRs" Samsung HT-BD1200 is not so goodI could not get the BD HDMI to connect to a new Vizio 42XVT. I talked to techs at Samsung (3 Xs), one at Vizio and one at Sam's Club (the best at Permalink -- click for full blog post "Samsung HT-BD1200 is not so good" Home Theater Advertising - for your Home Theater Systems related productsHome Theater Advertising for your Home Theater Systems related products. Gain maximum exposure to a highly motivated readership. Yamaha RX-V465 - Great budget 1080p HDMI home theater AV receiverThe Yamaha RX-V465 is a great budget full 1080p HDMI home theater AV receiver. No frills, but decodes all HD audio formats with plently of clean power for all but the largest home theater rooms. Microsoft Project Natal for XBOX 360 - revolutionary controllerI'm excited about Project Natal from Microsoft - the code name for their new controller-less controller for the XBOX 360. The device will be a small box that will track a player's body via two cameras and translate the body movements to an on-screen avatar/player. The first - somewhat limited - application of the technology will be out in October in the form of a Wii-like controller and game called Squeeballs Party. It will feature a Wii-like stick controller and two sensor bars for more accurate tracking of the controller. The full Natal system is promised for release in 2010 ... sometime. Read more info at the official MS Project Natal site linked below. Submarine Themed Home TheaterHere's one whacked out home theater theme. Not particularly my preference if I had the money to burn to create a theme room from the ground up but it's interesting to say the least and very well done. Seems to me like the residue from the smoke effects would be detrimental to the screen surface and lens. And the sonar sound effect would surely be annoying after a short while. Take a look at the video by following the link below to YouTube. $135,000 Blu-ray player! That's right -- there is a $135K Blu-ray player on the market. Yeah - I know you're wondering who in their right mind would pay that for a BD player? The same kind of folks who buy a Ferrari when a Chevy will get you from point A to point B for a lot less bucks. The player comes from an esoteric Swiss company by the name of Goldmund. Crafted from the finest components and to extreme standards their products look like pieces of art ... mind you VERY expensive works of art. The "Eidos Reference" BD player is a limited run of 50 units. I guess if you pay that much for a Blu-ray player you want to make sure you're the ONLY kid on your block to have one! Follow the more info link below to take a look at their web site. I must admit the high end product photo gallery slideshow had some downright beautiful products ... it was kinda like looking at Playboy knowing I'll never be able to afford something that looks like that! ;) Loop Air Mouse - slick cursor pointing deviceI found a slick pointing device for using your PC on your TV or projection screen. It's the Loop Pointer In Air Mouse from Hillcrest Labs. The Loop is a handheld loop looking deal that fits nicely in one's hand and you simply wave it around to navigate your PC or media server's pointer. It has a scroll wheel and "mouse-click" buttons to further ease navigation. It's not simply a wireless mouse as there is no pad needed -- hand movement in-air is tracked on-screen very accurately. No drivers are needed either -- just connect the dongle/receiver to your PC or Mac's USB port and it is an instant mouse device. No line-of-sight is necessary either so it can control a device hidden in a cabinet. Under $100 with free shipping at Amazon. ViewSonic 1080p HD Projector - great value and performanceViewSonic recently started allowing online sales of its PRO8100 HD Video Projector - an item that was previously only available through custom installers and was priced at over $3000. This is a remarkably performing projector with impressive contrast and lumen ratings - and surprisingly features the Silicon Optix Reon-VX processor chip for state-of-the-art video scaling ability. With power zoom, focus and H/V lens shift this projector has all the popular features and connectivity options. Now it's available to the public at an incredible value for a 3 LCD 1080p HD projector -- a feature that previously commanded at least $2500 or more is now available on this solid performing, feature-packed projector for under $1500 with free shipping and no tax from Amazon -- check the link below for more info and current pricing on an absolute steal of a deal that (at the time of this post) is only $1401.02 delivered. SPEED in HD now live on Dish NetworkOK - I am now totally happy with Dish Network. I turned on NASCAR practice from Darlington this morning and did a double-take, rubbed my eyes and checked to make sure I wasn't dreaming... SPEED is now live on Dish Network in High Definition!!!! It had been rumored to be coming for quite a while now and the rumor was strong that it would debut this week - but I had been so very tired of the rumors I was in a "I'll believe it when I see it" mode. Well now I believe it!! Dish has finally removed the only reservation that I had in recommending them as the BEST satellite service provider. THANK YOU Dish Network!! New 2009 Panasonic Blu-ray Player Models | DMP-BD60 and BD80 Stream VideoThe new Panasonic Blu-ray player models for 2009 add streaming media capability to the already best quality DVD video players. YouTube, Picasa, Bloomberg and Amazon VOD enabled. Plasma vs LCD TVs for Home Theaters | Which HDTV type should you choose?The Plasma vs LCD HDTV debate rages on. The performance gap between Plasma and LCD TVs is narrowing - which should you choose for your home theater? Digital TV Receiver - Will I need set-top converter by 2009? - Home Theater FAQWill a digital TV receiver be needed by 2009? It all depends on what type of TV you currently own and what you want to watch. Football in HD - Digital Switch = Busy Sales?Just a note on how spectacular Football looks in HD. Watching the Pittsburgh - San Diego playoff game and it sure does look good. Watching the OTA digital signal from my local CBS affilitate and it looks absolutely awesome. If you like football (or even movies) and have yet to prepare for the digital changeover - now may be the time to make the switch. With the Super Bowl coming up and the digital switchover in February - the next few weeks could be one of the busiest TV buying periods in history despite the economy. After all TV is relatively inexpensive entertainment after the initial investment for equipment. Keep an eye on the sales in the next few weeks as retailers ramp up for the big annual Super Bowl sales peak - the combination with post holiday pricing could lead to some nice bargains. Happy New Year!!Here's hoping everyone has a safe, sane and Happy New Year celebration tonight. Remember tonight is "Amateur Night" for drinkers so if you must go out to celebrate tonight please have a designated driver or take advantage of free cab or towing services which are offered in many major metropolitan areas. Merry Christmas to AllJust a note to say I hope you and yours have a Merry Christmas. May your displays be merry and bright and may all your Christmases be in high definition. Yes - I know that's not how the saying goes but I think it's fitting. :) Hulk on Blu-rayI just got The Hulk on Blu-ray today and to say it is amazing is an understatement. The video quality is exceptionally good with rich textures in every scene. At times you think the cinematographer was thinking "this will look great on Blu-ray with 7ft screen". Well - I'd imagine he was actually going for that effect in the cinemas but it translates very well to the home theater as well. The Audio is equally impressive. This disc will exhibit your subwoofer's capabilities to its fullest. Surround effects and the music soundtrack immerse you in a tapestry of audio nirvana. And the action/battle scenes are enough to wake the neighbors with Hulk-sized impact. If you want a Blu-ray disc that will show the capabilities of your system I highly recommend getting The Hulk -- it's a great addition to any disc library.
Holiday Buying SeasonThis entry is the first in what I hope to be a series of quick comments on current affairs in the industry. Please bear with me as I work out the kinks in the posting system. Checking the news reports the holiday buying season is not nearly as bad as predicted. Sales on Black Friday were up 3% over last year. That's encouraging considering many analysts had predicted a bleak buying forecast for this holiday season. In fact I saw one headline decreeing that the buying season was over before it started with stores already shipping merchandise to liquidators. Just shows that you can usually take "anal"ists predictions with a grain of salt. Home Theater Room Design - display, speaker, component and seating placementHome Theater room design - covers overall home theatre room layout for the best sightlines and home theater room seating and speaker placement for the best audio in your theater. Disney's Goofy Home Theater Short | How To Hook Up Your Home TheaterGoofy Home Theater short cartoon - How To Hook Up Your Home Theater or rather how NOT to... very funny Disney 2D animation is a modern yet retro looking classic. Samsung LN32A450 LCD TV | Best 720p is great in the bedroomThe Samsung LN32A450 LCD TV is the best 720p HDTV right now and makes a great TV for the bedroom or small family rooms. Permalink -- click for full blog post "Samsung LN32A450 LCD TV | Best 720p is great in the bedroom" Logitech Squeezebox Boom | Wireless Network Streaming Music PlayerThe all-in-one Logitech Squeezebox Boom - 802.11g wireless network streaming music player Samsung LN46A650 LCD TV | LN52A650 w/ Red Touch of Color - Review = Best!The best LCD review - Samsung LN46A650 LCD and LN52A650 TVs with Red Touch of Color offer amazing image quality with black levels rivaling Plasmas. Whole-House Audio | Multi-Room Speaker Distribution for Home and Theater SoundWhole-house audio distribution for your home. Advice for and reviews of solutions for speaker distro throughout your zones. How to add multi-room audio to an existing home | Whole-house sound distributionHow to add multi-room audio and/or implement and retrofit whole-house speaker sound in existing homes. Homes with Multi-Room Speaker Wiring | Pre-wired Whole-House Audio DistributionIf your home has existing multi-room speaker wiring here are options for pre-wired whole house audio distribution. VUDU 1080p HD movie player - full HDTV resolution rentals for your Home TheaterThe VUDU 1080p HD movie player offers streaming rentals of HDTV video and HDX downloads of 24fps full 1080p Blu-ray quality movies. Popcorn Hour A-100 Networked Media Tank - Multi-format Media StreamerThe Popcorn Hour A-100 networked media tank is a versatile, multi-format media server for advanced home theater enthusiasts. Home Theater Computer - HTPC - Digital Media ServersHome Theater Computer - HTPCs - deliver lossless digital video and multitrack digital audio to your home theater. From multimedia personal computers to dedicated media servers - find info here. Permalink -- click for full blog post "Home Theater Computer - HTPC - Digital Media Servers" Subwoofers - for Home Theater surround soundSubwoofers are essential to home theater digital surround sound system. Offers reviews and tips for selecting effective bass speaker systems. Permalink -- click for full blog post "Subwoofers - for Home Theater surround sound" Best Subwoofer Placement - where to place your subwoofer - Home Theater FAQWhat is the best subwoofer placement for your home theater room? Find helpful information here on where to place your subwoofer for the best low frequency output. Do-it-Yourself Screens - Smart Surfaces for Home Theater Video ProjectorsVideo projector do-it-yourself screens for Home Theater projects. With tips for construction, plans for wood frames and surface material suggestions. Fixed Screens - for home theater video projectorsOffers info for fixed screens for Home Theater video projectors. Tips and reviews for manufacturers including Draper, Stewart and Da-Lite screens. Permalink -- click for full blog post "Fixed Screens - for home theater video projectors" Electric Screens for Home Theater video projectors - electric movie screensInformation about Electric Screens for home theaters. Includes remote control models, manufacturers and reviews. Manual Screens for your Home Theater Video ProjectorInformation on pull-down manual screens for Home Theater video projectors. Reviews and evaluations of different models and manufacturers. Permalink -- click for full blog post "Manual Screens for your Home Theater Video Projector"
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