DTV Speak

There are many ways to make the most of your HDTV, such as DIRECT TV or a nice new Blu-Ray player. However, while setting up the first is easy, your Blu-Ray player may require some extra work. Even if you’ve got a Blu-ray Disc player supporting audio like Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby TrueHD, and DTS-HD Master Audio, you may not be taking advantage of the full range of its power. The easiest way to use these audio bitstreams is with HDMI, and it’s the only way for Dolby Digital Plus.HDMI stands for High-Definition Multimedia Interface, and is a recently-adopted method for transmitting uncompressed digital data. HDMI is an efficient choice for the modern home theater watcher, since it can support any TV or PC video format, 8 channels of compressed or uncompressed digital audio, an Ethernet connection, and a CEC connectionall on a single cable. It’s an easy way to get rid of tangled cords while also improving your audio-visual experience.The interface first became available in 2003, and has already been adopted by more than 850 companies. In consumers electronics markets, it’s pretty much a given for new products. HDMI has a number of connector types, referred to as types A-E. Type E is only used in automobiles for connecting personal media players, camcorders, and the like. The other types differ in size and bandwidth.HDMI offers a special type of encryption, when needed, known as HDCPHigh-bandwidth Digital Content Protection. This prevents the encrypted content (including DVD Video, DVD Audio, HD DVD, and Blu-Ray) from being played on unsecured devices.The latest version of HDMI, 1.4a, hit the markets on March 4, 2010, adding two new mandatory 3D formats for game, movie, or broadcast content. HDMI 1.4 also increased the maximum resolution, added the Ethernet channel, introduced a new Micro Connector, and made other significant changes to the format.If you want to get the most out of your TV while cutting down on cables, check out HDMI. If you have an older TV that only supports analog formats, you can still use a digital-to-analog converter to take advantage of the HDMI revolution.

Surround sound adds an extra-dimension to your home television or theater set-up, especially if you watch a lot of movies or play video games. For movies, understand that directors and sound engineers spend a great deal of time putting together soundtracks that are designed to be played on sophisticated cinema house systems. The depth of the audio mix is lost when played through regular television speakers, even if they are stereo and especially when music is added. By spreading the sound around the room with Read the rest of this entry »

With the rising cost of visiting the cinema, home movie nights are becoming more and more popular among middle class American families. There are lots of ways to make your movie night more enjoyable. Three of the best upgrade options are detailed below.

One great way to improve your home movie night is to purchase a large screen television. Televisions are available up to 80 inches, and you can even purchase a projector if you so choose. A larger Read the rest of this entry »

As home televisions progress and we upgrade from DVD and that ancient thing called VHS to Blu-Ray, HDTV and internet television, you may want to start upgrading your antiquated sound systems. The big question for most of us is “Where do I start?” A system with digital coax, optical or HDMI inputs is a great place to start. Digital surround sound provides a more realistic sound than the traditional surround sound systems of yesteryear, meaning lower lows, higher highs and being able to hear the smallest Read the rest of this entry »

Watching cable with surround sound is great, but what about watching streaming Netflix movies with the audio quality that was intended? There are a few different choices for viewers wanting to take Netflix’s streaming capabilities from their computer to their television screen.The first is streaming video players, the most notable of which is now Apple TV. Other companies offering similar products are Roku, Seagate, and Western Digital. All these devices do is stream content to your televisionthey don’t offer any sort of storage, as other systems do, but then that isn’t necessary for the Netflix streaming option. Read the rest of this entry »

The Audioholics Online A/V Magazine has released some new reviews of speaker systems. Why should you take note? Audioholics has established its reputation in the A/V world by offering extensive coverage of trade shows and press releases and also the AV University, where they go over the principles and technologies that define the industry today. You can get to know them yourselves on the “AV Rant” Podcastwhere they also chat about Star Wars, James Cameron, and other geek-friendly topics. Read the rest of this entry »

What Is It? A sound bar is a type of speaker designed to conserve space. As a result, it also conserves money. The array consists of two parts: a subwoofer and an actual bar which can be mounted on a wall, underneath a cabinet, or anywhere else you have space. The bar connects to the woofer either wirelessly or by a cable, and simulates surround sound by bouncing the sound waves off of walls and delaying them when appropriate.Pros

• Lower price than other speaker systems
• Conserves space
• Many feature connections for music players and gaming consoles
• Long-lasting Read the rest of this entry »

The first HDTV from developer Bose isn’t the most advanced in terms of video technology, but its audio capabilities will make you question your earsand eyes. There are no speakers visible on the television, so where is the surround-sound coming from?The answer is a new technology known as VideoWave, which projects sound out of the screen. This sound can then be manipulated with a Click Pad remote control, which also has a conspicuous absence: there are no buttons. Instead, the control is a touch pad which is used to control on-screen commands. Read the rest of this entry »