 | from Robert Silva
Welcome to my Weekly Home Theater Newsletter! We have finally arrived at the last week of 2009. I hope everyone has had a happy holiday season. This week, in addition to the usual news and product picks, I am featuring some useful tips to aid those of you who received an HDTV or Blu-ray Disc player this year, and may be having trouble setting it all up. To start things off, get familiar with what all those connections are, and what they do, by checking out my Home Theater Connections Gallery.
| ![]() |
In the Spotlight | I Got an HDTV For Christmas, But What Am I Watching?
OK, so you got a fancy new large screen LCD, Plasma, or Projection HDTV for Christmas, have it all hooked-up, and are ready to kick back and enjoy the great high definition picture that everyone is talking about. Many people, after getting an HDTV, assume that everything they will watch on it is in High Definition. Needless to say, many are disappointed when they find out that their VHS videos and analog cable channels, many times, actually look worse on their new HDTV than they did on their old analog set. So, how do you get the High Definition picture everyone is talking about? To find out the answer, read my article What You Need To See High Definition on an HDTV
| | I Got A Blu-ray Disc Player for Christmas, Now What?
What is the best option for connecting a Blu-ray Disc Player to your home theater system and HDTV? What happens when you turn your Blu-ray Disc Player on for the first time? To find out how a Blu-ray Disc Player sets up with your HDTV and home theater system, check out my Quick Tip - Configuring Blu-ray Disc Player Video and Audio Outputs With Your Home Theater
| Help! My Audio and Video Aren't in Synch
If you received an LCD or Plasma TV as a gift this holiday season, one problem you may encounter is the audio soundtrack being slightly ahead of the video image when watching a high definition cable/satellite program or upscaled DVD/Blu-ray Disc. This may be especially noticeable on close-ups of people speaking. It is as if you are watching a dubbed foreign movie. For some useful tips on how correct this, check out my article: Correcting Home Theater Audio Video Synch Problems.
|
Sponsored Links | ![]() |  |
Top Picks - Products Of The Year - 2009 from your Home Theater Guide | ![]() | | It is that time of year where every consumer electronics journalist picks their favorite products of the year. Check out my product of the year selections that provide a good value for the consumer. | | 1) OPPO Digital BDP-83 Blu-ray Disc Player with SACD/DVD-Audio Playback
The OPPO BDP-83 is a feature-packed Blu-ray Disc Player that is also an excellent performer. Besides Blu-ray disc playback, the BDP-83 also provides excellent 1080p upscaling of standard DVDs using Anchor Bay VRS technology. Also, other features, such as SACD and DVD-Audio playback, front and rear mounted USB ports for importing images, video, and music from flash drives, add great audio and video flexibility. Although having a somewhat higher price tag than many players, the OPPO BDP-83 takes Blu-ray Disc Player performance and flexibility to the highest level. To find out if the OPPO BDP-83 is right for you, check out my Short and Full Reviews, as well as a supplementary Photo Profile and Video Performance Tests. 2) LG Electronics BD390 Blu-ray Disc Player - Network Media Player Combin
LG has experience with both the now-defunct HD-DVD and surviving Blu-ray Disc formats, and was the first manufacturer to introduce a networked Blu-ray Disc player at CEDIA 2008. However, their new BD390 expands on the success of their previous networked Blu-ray Disc player platform and incorporates not only expanded video and audio streaming options (which include CinemaNow, YouTube, Vudu, and Netflix), but wireless network connectivity via built-in WiFi. This is definitely a player for those that want a complete Blu-ray and internet streaming entertainment experience. 3) DreamVision Dream'E 1080p LCOS Video Projector
At an MSRP of $5,300.00, the DreamVision Dream'E 1080p LCOS Video Projector bucks the trend towards sub-$3,000 1080p video projectors, but is worth the extra cash. Its 3 LCOS chips, native 1080p resolution, and acceptable light output provide excellent image quality, providing a very natural looking image, with no screen door effects or other unwanted artifacts. Also, the Dream'E comes equipped with two HDMI ver 1.3a inputs, and provides video upscaling for standard DVDs via its built-in Silicon Optix Reon-VX HQV video processor. For more details, check out both my Short and Full Reviews, as well as my Supplementary Photo Gallery and Video Performance Test Results. |
Product of the Week | ![]() | Accell Locking HDMI Cables
It takes more than a TV, Blu-ray Disc player, and Home Theater Receiver to enjoy home theater, you gotta have the right connections. A very practical connection idea is the locking HDMI cable. Why is this important? Simply put, HDMI cables are quickly becoming the standard for connecting home theater components. HDMI cables are great for passing both high definition audio and video between components and displays in a home theater system, but the one problem they have is that they don't fit very tight and sometimes fall out when things are moved around. Accell has come to the rescue of both the home theater installer and the do-it-yourself consumer with a line of locking HDMI cables. Check out all the details on the Accell Website. |
Feeling Under the Weather? | ![]() | Evaluating Your Cold Symptoms
How to tell when a runny nose is just a cold, and when it might be turning into something more serious and require a visit to the doctor. More>
| | Home Theater Ads
Advertisement
 |  |
No comments:
Post a Comment
Keep a civil tongue.