Weekly Site Roundup (05/12/03)
ARTICLE SPOTLIGHT
Top Picks: Budget Mini-Micro Audio Systems
Mother's Day is past but soon school graduations and June weddings will be upon us. If you are looking for an inexpensive, practical gift that will bring years of enjoyment, then consider a mini/micro audio system.
HOME ELECTRONICS INDUSTRY NEWS HEADLINES
The Downloading Myth (Stereophile)
Toshiba's New Dual-Layer, Single-Sided, Blue-Laser Rewritable Optical Disc... (Widescreen Review)
Cracking Up (Stereophile)
Toshiba Goes HD Integrated (TWICE)
Lawsuit Accuses Microsoft, Best Buy of Online Scam (REUTERS)
Disney Consumer Products Launches New Line of Disney-Branded Video & Audio Products (DVD Insider)
Sharp Drops Aquos Prices (Home Theater Magazine)
PRODUCT OF THE WEEK
Cambridge Soundworks 730 FM Stereo Radio
Check out this turbocharged table radio, not only featuring an FM Stereo tuner, wide-imaging stereo speakers, and auxilary input for CD or MP3 player, but also featuring a built-in subwoofer. If this doesn't wake you up in the morning, nothing will.
Manufacurer's Site
FEATURED LINKS THIS WEEK
Visual Cue
Home Theater resource information, product FAQs, and hookup guides.
Featured in the Magazines/Ezines Subject Page.
Cable Organizer
Are you trying to hide a cable jungle behind your plethora of home theater components? If so, check out some great cable organizing products from Cable Organizer.
Featured in the Home Theater Subject Page.
BlueDo
If you are looking for a replacement remote or a remote control for you entire home theater system. Check out the product offerings from BlueDo.
Featured in the Gadgets, Gizmos, and More Subject Page.
FROM THE HOME THEATER FORUM
Home Theater Or Not?
From VC:
Although the prices of the "Home Theater In A Box" category of components may seem very attractive, upgradeability, flexibility, and also performance are usually compromised. The interesting point is that for the same or a "few dollars" more, a basic, Home Theater System with separate components can be assembled; providing the flexibility, upgrade-paths, and performance not USUALLY associated with the Home Theater In The Box product.
Whether you purchase one or not is like anything else in life: what is the purchaser seeking overall, and at what price point. For most Home Theater enthusiasts, one or more of the areas of compromise above are of paramount importance in relationship to dollars spent. But for many others, convenience is more important.
The world of consumer audio and video electronics changes very rapidly.
My suggestion is if you only have a passing interest in Home Theater (e.g., only the content is important to you, as opposed to the quality of the presentation of that content...analogous to listening to a radio talk show in your car on the drive from work.....quality isn't REALLY important, as long as you can understand what everyone is saying), a Home Theater In A Box will be more than enough.
On the other hand, if you're EQUALLY interested in the presentation quality of that content, such as the picture quality (image size, color, clarity, HI or STD definition/resolution, film-likeness, etc.,), the analog or digital sound quality (low distortion, extended frequency, high fidelity music reproduction, with adequate power to handle today's dynamic music and motion picture soundtracks), and you DESIRE the flexibility to include or upgrade these or other areas (as technology or your tastes evolve) without replacing everything, separate components is the way to go.
Join in on the discussion on my Home Theater Forum.
ELSEWHERE ON ABOUT.COM
Desktop Video For Beginners
So, you want to use your camcorder and computer to create your own video masterpiece...then check out some great tips on how to get started in desktop video as presented by Brian Paul Henderson, About Guide To Desktop Video.
FROM THE MAILBOX
From Jacci:
Could someone tell me what the heck is going on here? I don't know if some wires got crossed, buttons pushed, or what but there is a ghost in my VCR. Three different things are happening when I record shows.
-->Most often... I get sound on the show but almost all the commercials (except network promos for other shows) have no sound (actually, I don't mind this at all but it's sort of spooky).
-->Less often... I get sound on the commercials but no sound on the recorded show (I really, really hate when that happens!).
-->Twice now... I get this voice, like maybe a special recording for the blind? that shows up on the tape (not on the same show while watching it during taping!) that explains what is happening on the screen when there is no dialog.
This is happening on various channels (all regular network stations, no cable or local stations) and using different blank tapes. What is going on here? It only recently started and I haven't changed the connections between the VCR, Receiver, and TV. Did some setting get changed somewhere or what?
From Your Guide:
You...have the VCR or TV set to the SAP (Second Audio Program) setting -- this is a feature that allows audio for the blind, weather reports, traffic reports, or a foreign langauge to be heard instead of the normal sound from the TV or VCR -- You can disable this function using the onscreen setup menus for the TV (or VCR).
FINAL WORDS
If you need more great info on home theater and audio, with an emphasis on the higher end, be sure to check out About.com's related partner sites:
Audio Video Interiors.
Home Theater Magazine.
Stereophile Guide To Home Theater.
Stereophile Magazine.
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.
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.
For a look at earlier Home Theater Nooz and Vewz Weekly Updates, CLICK HERE
