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Home Entertainment
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10 months ago
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In the 1960s, we saw starship captains flipping open a pocket-sized device and talking to their crew in orbit, and family members calling one another in full color through what looked like a TV (or at least, what a TV looked like at the time). Steven Spielberg once said, “There is no such thing as science fiction, there is only science eventuality,” and just 50 years after these shows originally...
1 year ago
Home security systems are increasingly popular and sales are skyrocketing for home surveillance and theft prevention systems. Along with the advent of popular home automation digital assistants like...
1 year ago
Don’t take the gazebo down just yet. Summer, or some version of it, is still in full swing—and thus, so is your ability to enjoy it. Every year around this time, my family and I prepare for an annual summer tradition of our own: our backyard movie party. Summer must end at some point, but before it does, we break out the A/V gear, fire up the grill, and send it out with a bang. This type of party...
2 years ago
It seems that every time a new technology comes out, there’s a slew of new vocabulary to learn. Recently, the term HDR entered the home theater vocabulary, and without an explanation of what dynamic range is, it’s difficult to understand what high dynamic range is. Luckily, we’re here to explain all the new terminology associated with HDR and the source content that each format supports.
Dynamic...
2 years ago
If you’re looking to maximize the sound of your home theater surround sound system, you’ve most likely heard of Dolby Atmos and DTS:X. Understandably, while many may want to get the best sound possible out of their surround sound system, not everyone is plugged in to the latest developments and trends of the consumer electronics industry. For the layperson who isn’t up to speed, and for whom...
2 years ago
Every year, around the time that people start gearing up for the Big Game, TVs seem to go on sale everywhere. And similarly, every year, I try to caution friends, before you run out and grab the lowest-cost model you can find at your local big-box store, you may want to look beyond price to ensure that your new TV serves you adequately in the short and long run. Is the TV the right size for your...
2 years ago
We’ve all seen the YouTube videos showcasing strangers driving around neighborhoods and stealing packages from random porches and driveways. What are you supposed to do if you are out all day? What if you don't have the time to spend jockeying for position in the shops and department stores? For those who work all day and don’t have a choice except to shop online (like 46% of shoppers in the US...
2 years ago
You’ve just seen a commercial showing a homeowner having a friendly exchange with their package delivery person via camera while they’re not at home, or another commercial showing a homeowner scaring away would-be burglars by shouting something witty into their smartphone’s microphone, sending the culprits scurrying into the night. You think to yourself, “That would be awesome—I need that, I can...
4 years ago
Unless you’re dialed-in to the home entertainment industry and its latest trends, shopping for home entertainment gear can be a daunting and confusing experience. Components such as these aren’t changed as frequently as the other devices in our lives. If you haven’t shopped for a receiver or Blu-ray player in a few years, there’s a good chance you’re staring at a few features and specifications...
4 years ago
In the decade spanning 1990 to 2000, when video games were just beginning to enter the phase of legitimacy they now enjoy, I was a contender in the gaming industry. I wrote for the now defunct GamePro magazine, then the world’s largest video-game magazine, under the nom de plume of “Scary Larry.” If you knew anything about video games back then, you knew GamePro, and if you knew GamePro, you knew...
5 years ago
Preserving family videos is an important task, because no one wants to lose the precious memories of their loved ones. Recently, my family started the process of converting several VHS tapes to DVD format. My mother had been thinking about doing this for years; however, since she doesn’t consider herself to be especially tech-savvy, she was intimidated and kept postponing the job. However, after...
5 years ago
Hollywood has entertained us, particularly in recent decades, with scenarios of a post-apocalyptic world. We’ve also been subjected to reality television shows that portray groups of people “preparing” for various plausible (and not so plausible), extreme situations.
5 years ago
Picture this: you’re headed to the movies with a friend and you’ve got your popcorn in hand. You’re the first ones there, and you can have any seat in the house. Where do you sit? For most of us, the prime location is somewhere near the center, not smack dab in front of the screen or off in the distant back rows.
7 years ago
The hottest gear of 2008 comes in small packages. It could be a wireless Internet browser, a digital reader, a pocket projector, or something equally buzz-worthy. Here's our list of cool products to consider when shopping for that special someone.
1. Net-Savvy Tablet
The Archos 5 Internet Media Tablet is a 4.8-inch touch screen (800 x 480 pixels) with Wi-Fi browser. Besides letting your fingers do the site reading, it's ideal for playing video, music, and slideshows from its embedded hard drive or streamed from a wireless network. If you love Internet radio, you can listen with the earphones or built-in speaker. If you want the ultimate wireless picture frame, just pop the kickstand. Plug the tablet into the optional Archos DVR Station, and you can schedule recordings from your cable or satellite box without paying to download content. The Archos 5 Internet Media Tablets are available in 60-, 120-, and 250 Gigabyte versions. If you prefer a 7-inch screen, there's the Archos 7 Internet Media Tablet with 160- or 320 GB of memory.
7 years ago
The giant balloons in the Thanksgiving Day Parade cry out to be seen on a big screen. The roar of a football game shouts surround sound. Classic holiday movies demand to be seen anew in high definition. And home videos and digital slide shows of gatherings past signal family members to come to the sofa.
The holidays and home theater were made for each other. After all, when the eating's done, it's then that sports nuts and movie connoisseurs get down to some serious holiday viewing. Unless you're a video equipment enthusiast, though, creating a crowd pleasing system can be as elusive as putting together the perfect black truffle soufflé.
Setting up a home theater isn't difficult once you understand how each component contributes to the big picture. Here's grandma's recipe for what you need – or what someone you know deserves.
One TV Screen
There seem to be as many flat screen choices as boxes in the cereal aisle. Don't despair. Your first choice should be a known brand featuring "Full HD" resolution, meaning if you counted the number of picture elements, you'd find 1920 pixels across and 1080 pixels down. The bigger the screen, the more you'll appreciate the lifelike quality of high definition programs. So, a 40-inch model (measured diagonally) is an entry point, but a 50-incher is even better.
LCD and plasma technologies have become such strong performers that you can't go wrong with either type of TV. One example is the Samsung LN40A650, a 40-inch LCD model. Another is the Panasonic TH-50PZ85U Viera 50-inch plasma HDTV. Both come with built-in stands for placement on furniture, but the stand can be removed if you'd prefer an optional wall mount.
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