Going into your local consumer electronics retailer to purchase a TV, home theater receiver, Blu-ray Disc player, or other home theater product can often times be an intimidating experience. The sales people throw out a bunch of terms, hoping you will be so impressed that you will buy the product they are pitching. As a result, consumers don't always make the right choices.
In an effort to better inform consumers about how to make the best possible consumer electronics purchasing decisions, the CEA (Consumer Electronics Association), along with several manufacturers, and a host of local independent dealers around the U.S., sponsor periodic Demo Days.
This year (2013), the CEA Demo Days are being held on the weekends of June 21-23 and 28-30.
The main focus will be on new technologies and products, including 4K UltraHD, 3D, and Smart TVs, as well as sound bars, digital audio, and practical accessories that also play an important part in making sure you get the most from your home entertainment experience.
CEA Demo Days are a great way to get a close-up look at new products and find out what might be the right home entertainment solutions for you. However, there is no requirement that you purchase anything at the event to attend making this a great opportunity to get some technology education and product research done before you have to pull out your wallet. Of course, you are more than welcome to make a purchase if you get the urge. CEA Demo Days is a great way to get familiar with, and support, your local independent dealers. Also, by signing up to ahead of time to attend, you have a chance to win one several offered prizes.
Check out the CEA Demo Days Announcement and Website for more information about the event, as well as the Dealer Locator to find out what dealers near you are participating.
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You spent a lot of money and put in a lot of time setting up your new home theater system. However, even after placing your speakers properly and setting the speaker levels using the tools you have on-hand, such as a
built-in equalization/room correction system, or setting speaker levels manually with the aid of a
sound meter, your system still doesn't sound quite right.
It happens that automatic room equalization/room correction and even manual settings can only do so much. Sound waves can still bounce off walls improperly and the size of your room may affect how those extreme low frequencies are accommodated.
If you face one or more of these problems, you might want to consider adding Acoustic Treatments and/or Bass Traps to your room. To find out more about these two solutions that can help to optimize how your home theater system sounds, check out the great reference article: Your Listening Room: The Most Important Component in Your...System from About.com Stereos.
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Blu-ray disc players are popping up everywhere. With prices of an increasing number of Blu-ray disc players now coming as low as $99, it is a good time to purchase one. Watch for additional promotions that may include free Blu-ray disc movies with a purchase of select Blu-ray Disc players and also "buy an HDTV and get a free Blu-ray Disc Player" offers. Check out my current favorite picks for
Best Blu-ray Disc Players. Photo - OPPO BDP-103 © Robert Silva - Licensed to About.com
NOTE: The product entries for best blu-ray disc players are updated on a continuous basis with new units and reviews to keep them current.
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It is well-known that copy-protection is a main part of the video landscape that prevents consumers from
copying commercial DVDs and VHS tapes, and from
recording a growing number of TV programs, but it doesn't end there. Copy-protection also affects the ability to play and copy music streamed from the internet. All this falls under the umbrella of Digital Rights Management (DRM).
Find out what DRM is and how it affects your ability to access music and video content.
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