Weekly Site Roundup (11/22/04)

ARTICLE SPOTLIGHT
Holiday Special - Home Theater Gifts For Dad
Don't leave Dad out of your gift giving for the holidays! If you are undecided as to what to get Dad for the holidays, then check out a variety of home theater gift possibilities in several price ranges.

HOME ELECTRONICS INDUSTRY NEWS HEADLINES
Thanksgiving in HD (Stereophile Ultimate AV)
British Retailer To Discontinue Sales Of VCRs (BBC)
Sharp Unveils Blu-ray Disc Recorder (EE Times)
Slimmer Tube TVs to Challenge Flat Panels (CNET)
Syntax Introduces New LCD and LCOS Televisions (Syntax)
Artcoustic Debuts Shoebox Diablo Tech+1 Sub (Audio/Video Revolution)
Westinghouse Digital Reduces Prices on LCD TVs for Holiday Season (Yahoo News)

PRODUCT OF THE WEEK
Yamaha HTR-5790 Home Theater Receiver
With its moderate price and loads of features, the THX Select Certified HTR-5790 AV receiver is an excellent value. This unit is a 7.1 channel capable receiver that delivers 110 WPC with its high-current amps. Three useful features are: Video Conversion, which allows mixing of Component/S-/composite video inputs/outputs; Second Zone pre-outs (additional amplifier needed), and Audio Delay, for adjusting any DVD lipsynch issues. The HTR-5790 makes a great centerpiece for a home theater system.

FEATURED LINKS THIS WEEK
Integra Home Theater
Check out the AV Receivers, DVD players, and CD player from Integra. Includes complete feature and spec info.
Featured in the AV Receivers - Separates F-K Category Page.

Expolinear
Makers of audiophile loudspeakers for the European and Asian markets. A 20 year tradition.
Featured in the Loudspeakers A-E Category Page.

FROM THE HOME THEATER FORUM
8MM To CD
From ALF56:
Is there a way to burn the a cd through my computer using the camcorder and tape? I know you can hook it to a regular stand alone dvd player/recorder, but I don't have one. I do have a CD burner on my computer, though.
Join in on the discussion.

ELSEWHERE ON ABOUT.COM
Best Stereo Accessories Under $100
Looking for a great stocking stuffer for that gadget person? Anthony Armstrong, About Guide to Stereos, has some great ideas.

FROM THE MAILBOX
From HT:
In your review of LCD vs Plasma TVs, you stated that LCD TVs do not exist in large size. But I've seen that SONY, HITACHI and others now have 60" to 70" LCD (Rear projection?) TVs. These are not as thin as Plasma (they are 10" to 23" deep, don't have a pedestal, and from the front, look very like Plasma). What is this new wrinkle (or technology) about?

From Your Guide:
There are two types of LCD-based televisions - Flat Panel and Rear Projection.

Flat panel televisions rarely come in sizes larger than 37-inches in size, although you are beginning to see a few in the 40 to 50 inch size.

LCD projection televisions do come in large sizes, just as standard projection sets.

The main physical difference between the two are that LCD flat panels are like Plasmas in that the pixels are laid out across the entire screen under a sheet of glass, while LCD projection sets house a small LCD chip the displays the image, but the image is magnified and projected on a screen.

When I (and my colleagues) refer to an LCD television, we are referring to a Flat Panel type. LCD projection televisions are referred to as LCD projection televisions, not just simply LCD televisions.

For information on LCD projection television technology, check out my article on this at:

Rear Projection Television - What You Need To Know - LCD projection

FINAL WORDS

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Audio Video Interiors (The Connected Guide To The Digital Home).
Home Theater Magazine.
Stereophile Ultimate AV.
Stereophile Magazine.

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A Special Reminder: Although I update this site regularly, sometimes I miss broken links, this is especially a concern as old product listings expire and new ones have different link addresses. If you encounter any broken links in my articles or listings, just bring it to my attention so I can correct the address or delete it from the site if it has expired and can no longer be accessed.

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with your questions and/or comments.