Weekly Site Roundup (10/29/02)
ARTICLE SPOTLIGHT
60-Inch and Larger Rear Projection Widescreen TVs
Are you tired of watching that "tiny" 27-inch TV? If you have the space and the pocketbook, why not go "all the way" and buy a really big widescreen projection TV? Check out my favorite picks for Winter 2002.
HOME ELECTRONICS INDUSTRY NEWS HEADLINES
DVD Subscription Services Expand (Stereophile Guide To Home Theater)
Samsung Introduces 61W DLP (TV Insite)
Berlin To Shift To Digital TV, Radio By 2003 (Deutsche Welle)
SONICblue Launches ReplayTV 5000 Series Digital Video Recorder (Widescreen Review)
Tweeter Enters Three New Markets (TWICE)
Slumping Markets No Deterrent To digital TV, Powell Says (EE Times)
In-Flight DVD-Audio From United Airlines (High Fidelity Review)
PRODUCT OF THE WEEK
Toshiba SD-4800 Progressive Scan DVD/DVD-Audio Player
DVD players are decreasing in price and increasing in performance. Check out a prime example as Toshiba brings you a DVD player with both progressive scan and DVD-Audio playback capability as well as VCD/CD/DVD-R/CD-R/CD-RW playback. This unit is a great value for the price; a fine addition to any home theater.
FEATURED LINKS THIS WEEK
Crystal View
Makers of high-end CRT video projectors and Plasma displays for home theater use.
Featured in the Televisions/Plasma/Projection Displays Subject Page.
Genelec
Based in Finland, Based in Finland, Genelec is an innovator in loudspeaker design and manufacturing. With a 20 year tradition in the professional audio field, Genelec is also focusing the home theater market. Check out their fine loudspeaker products.
Featured in the Loudspeakers Subject Page.
Irwin Seating Company
Makers of fine seating for movie, stage, and home theater applications. Also features a line of refurbished seating products.
Featured in the Furniture/Media Storage Subject Page.
FROM THE HOME THEATER FORUM
Buying A New Receiver
From CRIBWORKS:
About Forums have been a great help before, so I'm looking to you folks again. I am in the market for a new home stereo receiver ($500 range) and all products in that range seem to be about the same ie: decoding, processing, and digital in/outputs. due to paycheck size, I will be having to piece meal this system together. Here's my question-will my 6 yr. old CD player and my 8yr. old tape deck need to be upgraded? Also, will I be able to use my Bose 201 speakers in the surround sound speaker formation?
Join in on the discussion.
ELSEWHERE ON ABOUT.COM
Top 10 Horror Movies On Video/DVD
Heat up your home theater system this holloween season with some really scary movies on video and DVD, as chosen by Ivana Redwine, About Guide To Home Video/DVD.
FROM THE MAILBOX
From Leo:
I got your article off an internet search engine for DLP TV. My question has to do with a demonstration that I witnessed of a projection unit that projected the HDTV image onto a wall. The projected picture was about 16 ft wide x 8 ft high. Closer examination revealed that I was seeing millions of distinct little pixels projected on the wall. They were like little dots of color. On close examination, in other words, it looked like a polka dotted picture. Very unacceptable.
My question is whether the DLP or its cousin, the D-ILP has the same problem?
From Your Guide:
All LCD, DLP, and D-ILA images are made up of dots or pixels -- depending on the density of the pixels on the chip depends on how large they show up on the screen -- if a particular unit is set up properly and projected at its optimum size (not its largest size) image and you are sitting at the optimum distance from the screen the dots should not be noticable to your eye during casual viewing.
By the same token CRT-based projectors project the image in lines -- and in a large image the lines can also be visible -- if you look close -- these lines can be just as disctracting as dots.
DLP, if done right, can look almost as good as 35mm projected film in a movie theater (I have not only see demos on this, but there is a movie theater here in San Diego that has a DLP projection system and regularly shows new movie releases using this process).
The key is that the projector has to match the size of image you want to project and the viewer(s) must be at the optimum minimum distance or farther from the screen.
Also, another factor is what type of processing is employed in the projection process -- is the image from and interlaced or progressive source? Does the projection have progressive scan capability, etc....
For more details and info on the DLP process:
For a comparison of D-ILA and DLP:
http://www.howstuffworks.com/digital-cinema5.htm
FINAL WORDS
Holiday News! It's that time of year once again. First, check out my annual Holiday Shopping Survival Guide, then, check in every week for a new holiday shopping article or top product picks. If you have any suggestions, just send me a line.
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.
Lastly, I would like your feedback on this Weekly Site Update Page. If you have any comments, either positve or negative, just let me know.
For a look at earlier Home Theater Nooz and Vewz Weekly Updates, CLICK HERE
Feel free to email me at hometheater.guide@about.com
with your questions and/or comments.
