Weekly Site Roundup (01/27/03)
ARTICLE SPOTLIGHT
Budget Mini/Micro Audio Systems
Looking for a great Valentine's Day Gift? Check out some of my favorite budget mini-audio systems. These units provide great sound for their small size and are perfect for the office, bedroom, kitchen, or dorm.
HOME ELECTRONICS INDUSTRY NEWS HEADLINES
JVC Previewed HD Camcorder At CES (TWICE)
CEA Adopts Standard Method Of Measurement For DVD-Video Players (CEA)
GRAMMY Awards To Be Broadcast In 5.1 Surround Sound (Surroun Pro)
Cable TV Banned In Afghanistan, Subscribers Angry (Navakal)
Wherehouse Files for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy (Audio Revolution)
Philips HTiBs Get DVD RW, SACD (TWICE)
Universal, Multichannel Music Players Make Gains (TWICE)
PRODUCT OF THE WEEK
Mitsubishi DD-8030 DVD Player
Athough Mitsubishi is better known for their big screen TVs, they also make other audio/video components. If you are in the market for a good DVD player, check out the DD8030, which includes progressive scan outputs, DVD-Audio playback, and a JPEG photo viewer.
FEATURED LINKS THIS WEEK
Crystal Audio/Video
From the U.K. comes an "afforadable high-end" innovative loudspeaker company that features speakers for both home theater and audio-only applications. If you are designing a home theater, be sure to check out their excellent interactive speaker placement guide.
Featured in the Loudspeakers and UK Resources: Loudspeakers Subject Pages.
New Music Revolution
News and reviews of SACD, DVD-Audio, and DTS audio releases and related products. Don't miss out on the latest in the recorded surround sound music formats.
Featured in the Magazines/E-znes Subject Page.
Home Theater Advice
News and discussing on issues involving home theater products and setup.
Featured in Magazines/E-zines Subject Page.
FROM THE HOME THEATER FORUM
What Speaker Set Should I Get?
From LOMICHELE:
I have just purchased a new DENON AVR-2802 and I really want to keep my JBL L36 speakers.
I have been out of the audio market for over 15 years since I was perfectly happy with my setup. Now it it is time to educate myself and get some new components to enjoy surround sound. I am not interested in 7.1, 6.1 is I believe fine for me.
1. What rear/center chanel speakers would some of you recommend?
2. Do I need a Subwoofer?
3. What type of wiring must I use for best quality. (have monster cable throughout at the moment)
Join in on the discussion.
ELSEWHERE ON ABOUT.COM
Computer Peripherals: DVD Writers
Although home theater site deals with standalone DVD recorders, most computer users that do video editing and dubbing use DVD writers. With prices falling and several formats available, which DVD writer is best for your PC? To find out, check out the above article from Rick Russell, About Guide To Computer Peripherals.
FROM THE MAILBOX
From CE:
Pros and Cons of Laserdiscs, especially vs. DVD:
Laserdiscs, especially the criterion collection, contained "extras," which is why we have such things on DVD now. But if you were into laserdiscs, you got to enjoy this stuff fifteen years before the rest of the consumer marketplace. Now, onto the pros and cons in a world moving rapidly to DVD:
PROS: Laserdiscs are bigger, often seen as a bad thing, but since they are bigger their covers are decorated in large, high-res, beautiful cover art, which you just can't get on DVD. Since the discs are bigger, and the video is analog, it doesn't have to be hyper-compressed like DVD data, thereby eliminating compression artifacts in the video signal. A good laserdisc transfer often looks more "filmlike" than its DVD counterpart, as DVD video tends to look oversharpened and highly processed (which it is, to get it on that little disc). Also, the way DVD compression works, only about 2 to 5 out of 30 frames per second are actually complete on the disc. A laserdisc can access every frame in full quality, usually digitally. And these frames can be captured to a computer via video input and used for homemade movie posters; laserdiscs are not encrypted.
CONS: Laserdiscs are bigger than DVDs, so cover art aside, you gotta be more careful with them and they're not very portable. Definitely not for watching on your laptop on a plane. The analog video on laserdiscs can sometimes yield slight noise in extreme color situations (though this is rare with a good transfer). DVDs are more versatile in terms of the different digital content that can be put on them than are laserdiscs. And most DVDs don't need to be changed out or even switched sides to complete a movie. Laserdiscs can come on up to six or seven sides, depending on the length of the movie and the play mode.
So what does it all mean? Laserdiscs are printed less and less as DVD catches on, but for many movies, it's a toss up as to which format is better. If you have a laserdisc player, get the cheaper format.
Speaking of availability, there are lots of great movies out on laserdisc and not DVD (yet). Indiana Jones and Star Wars movies, for example.
As an early adopter and fan of the LaserDisk format, I have taken a different approach to make sure I can still watch my LaserDisc movies...
1. Own several players. I have three LD machines: two Pioneer LD players, one in the living room, and one in the den as part of my AV system connected to my PC. (The other is a historic piece in the closet).
2. Use the machine at least once a month. I simply play an audio CD. My Pioneer players have the 1 bit MASH codecs, and are extremely fine audio players! Using the machine(s) insures that they will work and not freeze up. (I had a fine 1995 Harmon Kardon cassette recorder that the internal rubber pulleys and captan rollers actually deteriorated from lack of use. It sat idle for a couple of years, until I wanted to dub some old cassettes to CD.)
Most DVD players will not reproduce home cut VCD's or CD's! So I used my old LaserDiscs to playback home cut audio CD's.
3. LaserDisc video is uncompressed. Unless the disc is from the mid to late 90's, if the video is from a digital source, it is analog or MPEG-1 not MPEG-2. MPEG-2 is a lossey format, very compressed in frames and in color depth! Stair stepping of lines or circles is very rare, as well as the herring bone fuzz that is common with MPEG-2 broadcasts and DVD. I'd rather have a clean 400 ish lines than 500 ish lines with artifacts!
It is true that the pits on the LaserDisk are digital, but the sampling rate of the analog video signal going in was very high, and no compression for the video and Stereo FM tracks. The digital audio tracks incorporated into the LaserDisk format in the late 80's was PCM, 16 bit - 44.1 khz, and the Dolby AC-3 and DTS digital tracks are of a different rate than DVD. In the DD and DTS tracks, the DVD has a higher sampling rate.
4. Have your LD serviced. Generally the only thing that can go wrong with the machine is if the Laser quits, the machine can't work. Solid state diodes can be replaced for under $100.00. Mechanically, as long as the machine is kept in a clean house environment, not much can go wrong inside. Also, clean disks means a clean machine, and vice-versa.
5. I have an original 1978 Magnavox Disco-Vision player, and although it lacks CX noise reduction, and digital audio, it works and looks as good as it did when I borrowed $1,000 to purchase it at Pacific Stereo!
The DVD took off because of the marriage of the PC and DVD, and the pleasant experience most of us have with audio CD's.
LaserDisc video will work on a CD size medium, but I think it's good for about 10 minutes a side!
From Your Guide:
Thanks for the great comments... By the way, I own a Pioneer CLD-1070 and a Panasonic LX-1000U (Both in mint condition) and I still have a 100 laserdisc library.
I have also successfully copied some of my Laserdiscs to DVD with my Philips DVDR985 DVD recorder.
FINAL WORDS
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.
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
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with your questions and/or comments.
