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HDTV-SATELLITE-BIGSCREENS-DVD-SURROUND SOUND-SETUP TIPS

THIS WEEKS FEATURED QUESTION:

(We are taking a break for a few months, while we finish writing our training curriculum for the new training facility in Monterey, CA.  Keep the questions coming for future posts, thanks)

4-28-03

Q:        What is HDTV, and is my old TV going to be obsolete?

 A:         HDTV, or High Definition TV is going to replace our current NTSC television standard, much the same way that the CD replaced the analog cassette tape, and DVD is replacing the analog VHS tape.  We are in the digital age, and yet our analog television standards are sub par with most of the rest of the world.  HDTV will change all that.  With resolution so clear, People seeing true HD for the first time are quite impressed, with most saying that it's like they are looking out a window.  Just how high is the resolution?  Well, most of us are accustomed to watching about 240 lines of picture information.  Now, don't think back at what the salesmen may have quoted as to the resolution of your old TV set, as it can only reproduce what the source feeds it.  Those lines of resolution are what you see when you get real close to the screen, they will actually look like little rows of dots or pixels.  The resolution usually quoted is the amount of horizontal rows, counted from the top to the bottom of the screen.  With most people now familiar with the picture quality of DVD, we consider it high resolution, because with it's 480 lines of resolution, it offers about twice the resolution that we are accustomed to.  This is about as good as it gets with our current NTSC color television system.  That is why we had to go to a whole new system.  HDTV offers a lush 1,080 lines of resolution!  Such a high resolution image has caused many behind-the-scenes changes.  Makeup that was once liberally applied before a news cast, now often has to be air brushed on.  Male news anchors probably have to shave only minutes before they go live.  The Government has really been pushing this change over, as the FCC has given a timeline for this rollout to be complete.  Complete?  Yes, they want the analog airwave back from the broadcasters, as these can be sold to pager companies and the like.  The proposed rollout calls for an end to analog television broadcasts in 2006.  This shouldn't affect most people, as Cable and Satellites providers will continue to feed you an analog output for you TV.  However, if you get your TV signal with an antenna from over the air broadcasts, you will have to purchase a set top decoder box,.  This box will receive the HDTV broadcast, and will offer connectors on the back for both digital HDTV's and analog TV's.  This way you will be able to watch HD programming on you old TV, but without the full resolution offered with a true HDTV.  As an experiment, I used a twelve your old Toshiba 32" TV.  Cable signals looked normal (read: dreadful), satellite looked better, DVD looked great.  Then I used an HD decoder box to display a movie that was being broadcast in HD.  I happened to have the same movie on DVD, so I quickly cued it up to the same spot as the broadcast.  Even though this is not an HDTV, it still benefited from the cleaner original signal, and to my surprise it looked better than the DVD image.  What this means is that even if you can't afford to be one of the "early adopters, you can still get the decoder box now, and start watching a better picture on your existing TV.

Happy viewing!   

4-21-03

Q:         When I listen to music on my surround sound system, why can I only hear the center speaker?

A:         Music is usually intended for two speakers, or stereo reproduction.  Surround sound is primarily meant for movies.  When the receiver sees a stereo signal, it combines any information that is equally left and right, to the center speaker.  Any other information that is more left or right goes to the corresponding side.  For the surround speakers, they get activated by cues in a soundtrack that tell the receiver to send it to the surrounds or keep it up front.  These surround cues are simply not there in music, unless accidentally, so don't expect to hear it.  To get around this, listen to your music in stereo, or one of the popular music modes.  Activating a mode such as 5ch. Stereo will give you the stereo sound, but from all speakers.  Many purists feel that stereo music should only be produced by stereo speakers (a left and a right speaker).  To get the best sound this way, you will need to set it up so that they produce a "soundstage".  This is done by making an equilateral triangle between you and the two speakers.  This usually requires what is called toe-in.  This is when you turn the speakers in slightly, so that they are pointing more towards you rather than straight ahead.  Another tip is to set smaller speakers on stands so that the tweeter (the smallest speaker) is about ear level when you are seated.  You may have to play with this to get it right.  You will know when the soundstage is good when you can close your eyes, and have the feeling that the singer is right in front of you, mid way between the speakers, rather than to the sides, where they really are.  Once properly setup, you should be able to close your eyes and point to where the vocals appear to be emanating.  Properly setting up an audio system can be labor intensive, and the right measuring tools and analysis software can be prohibitively expensive.  The Home Acoustics Alliance (HAA) is a certifying group that specializes in training audio professionals to optimize the acoustics of the home environment, which presents different obstacles than large venues do.  For a professional near you, contact the HAA at www.homeacoustics.net

"Listen to the music"-Doobies

4-14-03

No posts for the week of Easter and Spring Break!

4-7-03

Q:     I just got a new DVD player, what is the best way to hook it up?

A:         When hooking up a DVD player, you need to keep 2 things in mind, Audio and Video. 

     First, let's discuss Video options for a DVD player: 

You will typically find 3 methods of sending the video to your TV.  First, the lowest common denominator in video connections is the Composite signal.  You will know which one this is by it's yellow coloring, using an RCA type (phono plug) connector.  If you have a mid size TV from the last 4-8 years, you will probably have an S-video connection.  Originally used with Hi8 Camcorders, this type of connection allows for a much better picture over the yellow composite plug, as it effectively keeps the color information (chrominance) separate from the detail information (luminance).  Most manufacturers will say that S-video is their minimum recommended connection for a DVD player.  With the wide availability of HDTV's, almost all DVD players now offer Component video output.  This is your best chance at getting the richest, brightest possible picture to your TV.

     Now, Audio:

Again, you will find 3 typical methods of transferring this data.  We will start with the lowest common denominator, which in this case, is the stereo output.  The two colors to look for are Red and White, these are your Right and Left (respectively) audio channels.  These can go to your TV or Stereo.  Many older TV's may have only a single (usually white) audio input, this means that you will hear it in mono rather than in stereo.  If you have a surround sound receiver, you may be able to use one of the digital outputs from the DVD player.  There are 2 common digital outputs, fiber optic, or coax (neither of which is necessarily superior, though, the coax is probably cheaper).  Determine which digital inputs your Receiver can accommodate.  The fiber optic inputs will be labeled as such, and are square in shape, with a little square black plug protecting the hole inside.  The digital coax input is often colored orange, and should also be labeled.  Usually, manufacturers will include only the cheapest of connectors, to allow basic operation.  Getting the most out of your equipment usually requires a trip to your local electronics store to obtain the highest-level connections your TV or Receiver can handle.

     Setup:

Remember, all DVD players require a setup before first time use.  Before you put in a DVD, go to the setup menu (usually labeled "setup" or "display" on the remote).  On Video options, set the proper Aspect ratio.  If you have the square style TV, then you want it set to 4x3(pan & scan).  For a Widescreen TV, set it to 16x9 (widescreen).  On audio options, you may have to turn on the digital outputs by toggling them on/off with the remote control.

Enjoy the show-

3-31-03:

Q:         I want to use my stereo to power speakers in other rooms.  Is this safe?  And how can I control it from the other room?

A:         Most amplifiers have a provision for this, usually labeled "Speaker B".  This arrangement allows for using one other pair.  If you plan on using more than one pair, you have to be careful not to over tax your amp.  If you connect several speakers together, you can very easily damage your amp.  The preferred method is to use a speaker selector box with protection circuitry.  These usually come in 4 pair, and 8 pair configurations.  What this does is protect your amplifier by using electronic circuits that effectively fools your amplifier into thinking it is powering only one pair of speakers.  Properly integrated, you can safely power many pairs of speakers at the same time, with only one amp.  Attempting to by-pass the protection equipment, and just combining several pairs of speakers to one speaker output could result in damage, so use the proper equipment.

Doing this during construction of your home is the preferred time to set up a distributed audio system.  This will allow you to outfit each room that will have speakers, with a volume control.  Also common are today's architectural speakers.  These speakers are specifically designed to mount flush in the wall or ceiling, thereby allowing for room filling music without taking up any floor space.

For the real enthusiast, companies such as Sonance as well as a host of others offer many levels of quality, as well as many ways to control the music.  From a simple rheostat type volume control, to a fully accessible touchscreen controller, you can choose how much control you want over your audio system. 

3-24-03:

Q:        If I get a Widescreen HDTV, will I still have those black bars when watching a DVD?

A:         There isn't really a right answer here, only facts.  When it comes to shooting a movie, directors can choose the aspect ratio they would like the movie to be viewed in.  A standard television has a screen ratio of 1.33:1, or 4x3 (WxH) ratio.  In the Theater, you will commonly see 1.78:1, 1.85:1, and 2.35:1.  We usually don't notice the difference in size due to the retractable curtains that mask off the rest of the screen.  On a widescreen HDTV, the aspect ratio is about 1.78:1, now referred to as 16x9.  So when it comes to making HD television shows, they will shoot in the 16 x 9 format.  For movies shot in 1.78:1, it will fill the screen.  For movies shot in 2.35:1, there will still be a little bit of a black bar at the top and bottom.  This wide format, also called Panavision, is very popular with most action movies, so it might stick around for a while.  However, once HD is the norm, movie producers will probably migrate to a standard.

Another fear people have is if they buy the widescreen TV, will it have black bars on the sides when viewing the still abundant analog channels.  Most, if not all widescreen TV's offer several ways to fill the whole screen, combining stretching and zooming in an attempt to give a natural widescreen look. 

Go test view one today!

First post:

QUESTION:

     There are too many types of TV's, what kind should I buy: flat screen, plasma, CRT, DLP, or LCD?

ANSWER:

     There are many confusing types of TV's on the market, some better than others.  First you need to know what size you are looking for, or what different sizes you can accommodate, as each type of display device has it's own optimum picture size(s).  Here are some basic high-lights of each:

Flat screen---(sizes: up to 40") aka:CRT(cathode ray tube) Picture Tube
This is commonly referred to as a picture tube TV.  The same basic design we have always had, they have taken the normally rounded glass surface of the front of the sets tube, and made it flat.  It is amazing how much this improves side angle viewing.   

Plasma TV---(sizes:30" to 61") aka:Fixed Panel
These TV's are the new rage.  They can be as thin as 3.5 inches deep, and they can be hung on a wall like a picture.  Though way high priced when they hit the market, prices are coming down on this technology.

CRT---(sizes:48" to 73")aka:Big screen
Correctly referred to as a RPTV (rear projection TV), these are those traditional big screens.  Made up of 3 tubes (red, green, and blue) that shine on to a mirror in the back of the TV, then reflect to the front where they are displayed on that big  plastic screen. They offer a great picture, but they can be as big as an upright piano, with depths as much as 30".  These represent the bulk of the HDTV sets on the market.

DLP---(sizes: In excess of 10 feet) DLP=Digital Light Projector
Usually installed as a front projector, where it shines on to a screen like in a theater.  One of the benefits of being the first truly digital projector, this technology offers a break through in picture brightness over existing technologies.  Also, starting at under 18" deep and sporting a screen size over 50", RPTV's that utilize DLP technology can fit into a much more shallow depth than typical CRT style RPTV's.

LCD---(sizes:5" to 60") LCD=Liquid Crystal Display
This technology can be used in very thin displays, like laptops or thin desktop monitors, to HDTV's.  As a thin screen monitor (sizes up to 24"), the viewer must be sitting right in front of the display to have a good picture.  This technology is being used in RPTV's up to about 60" with improved side angle viewing, and is even more shallow than the DLP's of the same screen size.