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| Getting To Know HDTV |
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Resolution may be king, but the best high-definition TVs maximize your viewing pleasure by letting you connect everything from high-def D-VHS recorders and DVD players, to PCs and your digital camera's memory card.
Whether you're upgrading to a brand-spanking new digital set or you're taking the digital plunge for the first time, nothing beats the sensation you get from plugging into the future. A world of crisp, super hi-res content will soon be at your fingertips, from the bone-crushing tackles on NFL Sunday to the thunderous footsteps of mighty dinos on Discovery HD. But while the front views of the latest projection, direct-view, and plasma sets will most certainly leave jaws dropping and eyes bulging, a peek at the connections on their backs will leave most of us scratching our heads.
Look behind the breathtaking screens in your local showroom and you'll find many with slots for slipping in your digital camera's memory card. With this feature you can conduct slide shows of your last vacation in your living room instead of forcing family and friends to huddle around your PC screen. Speaking of which, why settle for a 17-inch LCD monitor when a growing number of big-screen HD monitors let you hook up your PC directly so you can surf through better TV channels and the web?
Even wireless connectivity is starting to enter the picture, which will finally allow us to hang that plasma on the wall, stuff our A/V gear behind cabinet doors, and forget about jacks for good. But that's down the evolutionary road a bit. You want to know what your set should have now.
Attack of the Jacks
Sometimes looking at the back of an HDTV and its multitude of connectors can feel as if you've been stuffed into the cockpit of a 747 and asked to fly solo. For this reason, manufacturers are now making it easier to make the right choices and get set up in less time. For example, Hitachi has been bundling an easy, graphical guide for hooking up its sets for the past two years and has received very positive feedback.
"We took all the language off and used just pictures of the devices to simplify this incredibly intimidating experience for many consumers," says Bill Whalen, Hitachi's senior product marketing manager. At the bare minimum, Whalen recommends that you purchase a set that has a DVI (Digital Visual Interface), because of the proliferation of DirecTV and other set-top boxes with the connection on board.
Samsung's check-off list is a little longer, but it points to all the basic jacks you'll need right off the bat. "If you're purchasing a new HDTV or HD monitor as the centerpiece of your home theater system," says Jim Sanduski, vice president of Visual Display for Samsung Electronics America, "you should look for a set that contains two or three composite jacks, two S-Video, two component, and one DVI input." Sanduski also points out that there are two types of component inputs: analog input with 480i capability, and the more robust digital component input for 480p/720p/1080i capability. Ask for the latter.
What are all of these connections good for? In a nutshell, the old-but-trusty composite video carries both chrominance (color) and luminance (black and white) on the same cable but can suffer from low resolution, dot crawl and other image artifacts. S-Video provides a step up from composite with its one four-pin connection and is used for connecting DVD players, camcorders and satellite boxes. And component video offers even more color detail than S-Video by distributing the red, blue and green portions of a video transmission separately. And DVI trumps them all, but more on that later.
Ultimately, you'll have to consider what other types of digital gear you'll be using before you decide what connectors should reside on your HDTV. Take it from Earl Martin, Sony's national product marketing manager. "For customers who are in the market to upgrade their TV sets, first off they need to be aware of what connectors they're using currently, based on the video and audio sources they are using," says Martin. "The next question is what you expect to expand to with that type of TV set. Will you upgrade your satellite box to an HD satellite box, from a regular DVD player to a progressive-scan DVD player, or to any other set-top boxes that may be out there, like DVRs?"
The High-Def Holy Grail
DVI, or Digital Video Interface, is considered the ultimate video connection because it delivers an uncompressed signal of up to 5 gigabytes per second (Gbps), which is more than enough to handle an HDTV's required 2 Gbps. The universe of compatible DVI gear, including some receivers and DVD players, is small but expanding.
You'll often see DVI called DVI-HDTV to avoid confusion with the DVI standard used on some high-end PC monitors, as interoperability is not guaranteed. But the most important four letters you need to know when talking about DVI are HDCP. This stands for High-bandwidth Digital Bandwidth Content Protection, and without it you risk hooking up your TV only to admire hi-res snow. "HDCP is essential. You have to have it," advises Hitachi's Whalen. "It's essential to protect all the investments in all of the movies that have ever been made." Early on, some HDTV sets lacked the HDCP protocol, but now the vast majority of sets support it. What happens if your set doesn't support HDCP? "If you don't get the permission passed across the line, [the content provider] won't send you a video signal," Whalen says. "It's the encryption scheme. I've gotten calls where someone says I can't get channel 202, and that's why."
It's not that HDCP is hack-proof, but the studios are more than comfortable to release content that can be transmitted over this connection. All of JVC's high-definition sets have DVI and at least one or two component inputs, and nearly every manufacturer now offers DVI connectivity in their lineup.
As for DVI-enabled components, there are several receivers and a handful DVD players cropping up to help consumers take full advantage of DVI's fat pipe. Sony's SAT-HD300 DIRECTV receiver, for example, provides high-definition programming in the 720p/1080i format thanks to its DVI-HDTV connection. The receiver also sports HD component connections.
All of Samsung's 2003 projection TVs, plasma sets, and 22-inch and larger LCD TVs also have a DVI connection.
DVI, Evolved
But just when you thought that DVI was the end-all, be-all of connectivity, another standard is poised to take its place. HDMI, which stands for High Definition Multimedia Interface, combines the same amount of uncompressed video that makes DVI superior to any other connection but adds multichannel audio to the mix. And it's all through one connection. "It's literally a way that a consumer can eliminate multiple wires," says Jeff Dickson, Pioneer's Home Entertainment Division marketing manager. "It avoids a lot of the guesswork."
The first component Pioneer will be offering with HDMI is a receiver, which will work with both of Pioneer's new PureVision plasmas, the 50-inch PDP-5040HD and the 43-inch PDP-4340HD. In addition to HDMI connectivity, these plasmas are the first to display more than 1 billion colors, thanks to Pioneer's proprietary Pure Drive and Advanced PureCinema technologies.
Most other manufacturers indicate that they are moving toward HDMI, but that it wouldn't start to take off until next year. Dickson likens HDMI to fax machines, whose value increased exponentially as more machines were introduced with which to communicate. "It's the same thing with an HDMI connection," said Dickson. "It's really the next generation of connectivity. It's point-to-point, uncompressed, and it's digital. And it's probably going to be around for a long time because built into the protocol is room to grow."
Philips says that the majority of its HDTV and HDTV-ready sets will offer HDMI in 2004. "We feel the convenience of HDMI--one cable replacing up to eight audio and video cables, as well as the fact that it is both backward compatible to DVI and futureproof--make it the ideal choice," says Anthony P. Fonzo, Philips senior manager of product planning for digital television.
IEEE 1394: Record and Control
It's one thing to enjoy HD content in real-time. It's another thing to be able to record that content for playback anytime, whether it's by using a D-VHS recorder, an HD-capable DVR, or the next generation of Blu-ray DVD recorders. That's where the IEEE 1394 standard comes in, which while not nearly as popular as DVI, is found on most sets with integrated ATSC tuners. The reason for this is that these sets include MPEG decoders and, according to James Snider of the 1394 Trade Association, it costs next to nothing to add a 1394 connection.
"The HDMI strategy is to uncompress everything in the set-top box and then send it out uncompressed, which could fill up a DVD in a matter of minutes," says Snider. "You'll never get a full hour of television with it all being an uncompressed video stream."
JVC, the major name in D-VHS recorders, includes two i.LINK jacks (aka IEEE 1394) on its latest JVC HM-DH40000U, which can record from both set-top boxes that support an i.Link output, as well as from JVC's own new 56- and 65-inch projection TVs that have 1394 on board. "i.LINK is great for recording purposes because it's compressed," says JVC's McCarron. "So someone who has a TV that has an ATSC tuner with a 1394 output would be able to record high-definition content directly onto the VHS unit." A single D-VHS tape can hold up to 3.5 hours of material recorded at an HDTV display rate of 1080i, including a 5.1-channel Dolby Digital soundtrack.
You can do a lot more than record with IEEE 1394, however. It offers a great deal of command and control over other IEEE 1394-enabled components. Mitsubishi's NetCommand 3.0 technology, now available with the company's Gold Series WS-55513 55-inch rear-projection HDTV, complements IEEE 1394 and allows the set to become the command center of a digital network. An on-screen menu lets you quickly change from one A/V source to the other by simply selecting an icon using the set's remote control. Each of your devices can be linked by a single wire, eliminating the veritable jungle of cables behind your TV.
What sets Mitsubishi's solution apart from the pack is what the company calls HAVi, or Home Audio Video Interoperability. NetCommand-enabled sets go beyond basic functions like pause, stop and rewind to actually learn all of your components' features, effectively replacing their remote controls in the process. The enhanced version of HAVi that NetCommand supports can even learn new capabilities as you add more devices to your network.
In addition, Mitsubishi has released its HD-5000 HDTV Receiver/Controller that when connected to other manufacturers' flat panel or front projection TVs, will enable them to use NetCommand. "When a NetCommand system is properly set up, it makes it very easy to watch a variety of video sources with a minimum of key presses, all from the TV layer of the TV remote," says Marty Zanfino, director of product development at Mitsubishi.
Most manufacturers agree that DVI and IEEE 1394 can coexist on the same set. "If all you want to do is connect your set-top box to your television, then DVI is all you need." says Snider. "If you want to go beyond that, if you want to connect multiple devices and record things to some external source device, then you should also consider IEEE 1394."
TV as a Picture Frame
If you own a digital camera, you already know how much fun it is to be able to show your pictures on the spot using the camera's built-in LCD. But if you want to produce a slide show for the entire family, that cramped screen and even your computer monitor just won't cut it. It's no wonder TV makers are starting to include memory-card readers on their higher-end sets; you can start your slide show without having to wait for your PC to boot up.
Panasonic's PT-53WXD53, for instance, includes both a Secure Digital (SD) slot and a PCMCIA slot that can accommodate adapters for any type of card. The same feature is offered on Panasonic's new 37-, 42-, and 50-inch plasmas, as well as its 50-inch LCD set.
Sony takes a more proprietary approach with its Memory Stick Slot, but it's available on 27 sets. Plus, you can do a lot more than view still shots. A number of Sony's CRT, rear-projection and WEGA TVs can play MPEG1 files, short videos that Sony's own digital cameras and camcorders capture, as well as some available from Samsung. And the XBR950 Grand WEGA and Plasma WEGA models even add MP3 playback, so you can select a soundtrack for your slide show on the fly.
The king of card support could very well be Hitachi's 57-inch T750. This set's Photo Memory Card Universal Slot accepts seven different types of media--including Olympus's new XD format.
Web Surfing, Couch-Potato Style
For those of us who want to check the weather, sports scores, and email on the big screen, that same Hitachi T750 has the ability to connect to your PC. In fact, all of Hitachi's 16:9 televisions with DVI-HDTV inputs also work with DVI-D signals in the VGA (640 x 480) format.
Another way to connect a TV to your PC is through an RBG cable (also called a D-sub 15-pin). The Philips 44PL9523 LCOS (Liquid Crystal on Silicon) set is just one of many in its Cineos TV line that includes this capability. All 11 of Mitsubishi's new integrated HDTVs also have RGB VGA capability.
Pioneer also offers D-sub 15-pin inputs on its plasma line for PC connectivity. "The TV is definitely migrating toward the audio/video realm and vice versa," says Jeff Dickson, Pioneer's marketing manager for its Home Entertainment Division.
Going a step further, RCA recently announced that its 52-, 56-, and 61-inch rear projection Scenium HDTV sets will have a built-in Microsoft Windows web browser to surf the Net, watch TV, and check up-to-the-minute stats or keep up with email on the big screen.
What About Wireless?
The short answer is that Wi-Fi technology still has a way to go before we start streaming HD video around our abodes. But one day in the near future we'll be able to hang a plasma on the wall and stuff the rest of our audio and video gear behind cabinet doors.
"Today, we do not have wireless connectivity in our TVs," admits Samsung's Sanduski. "In the future, however, wireless connectivity will be included and will likely first be offered in flat-panel products--plasma and LCD. Likely, the wireless standard to start will be 802.11a for HD streaming."
Actually, the future is not that far off. Sharp plans to introduce its first wireless TV stateside early next year. The AQUOS LC-15L1, a 15-inch LCD set, uses a base-station for its connection to your antenna or cable and transmits to the TV via wireless technology.
Samsung's Sanduski gives a conservative estimate of two years before wireless connectivity becomes available on its sets. But for so many other reasons, from DVI and IEEE 1394 to memory-card slots and PC-compatibility, the future is now for prospective buyers. And it looks every bit as good from the back of the latest HD sets as it does from the front.
ontent |
| TThinking about Home Theater? |
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Content Certain that you¡¯ll watch a slew of movies in your new house? Want to feel the same impact as in a real movie theater? Then design a dedicated home theater into the plans for your new house.
The design of a home theater varies, from a room that doubles as a den to a huge dark space that holds only a video screen and a row of reclining chairs. Likewise, movies can be presented on the 50-inch screen of a rear-projection TV set, or on an eye-popping 100-inch screen that hangs from the ceiling. Speakers that project the dialogue and sound effects can come in the form of huge towers, or sit discreetly within the walls of the room. No matter how you envision your own home theater, you¡¯re going to have to get your ideas down on paper before you start building it.
Video
The obvious place to start is with the screen. Screens vary widely in their size, their shape and the technology employed to reproduce a picture. An audio/video specialist (he might be from the same home systems installation firm that¡¯s handling the other systems of your house) can recommend the best type of screen based on your viewing tastes. Or, if the architect has already drawn up the room, the A/V specialist can determine the right screen size. There might be a lot of back and forth happening between the A/V firm and the architect at this point. For example, if you¡¯ve decided that you¡¯d like to use a video projector in the theater, the architect may have to redesign the ceiling to better accommodate the projector and the accompanying screen. Or, if you¡¯ve told the architect that you¡¯d like at least one window in the room, the A/V firm might opt for a rear-projection TV rather than a video projector.
Sound
We¡¯ve all been distracted at the movie theater by a chatty teenager, by ringing cellphones, you name it. While the distractions might come in a different form at home, they exist nonetheless. If you find extraneous noise bothersome, consider having your home theater soundproofed. Soundproofing involves techniques applied by the builder and the home systems installation firm. Studs may be positioned differently and a special type of insulation packed inside. When the walls are finished, the home systems installation firm might hang acoustical wall treatments on the surface. These treatments can be designed in different colors, fabrics and shapes, so you might want to ask your interior designer for his/her advice on the scheme.
Speakers and subwoofers can be hidden behind this fabric, so pin down the furniture layout before the room is finished. The location of each piece of furniture will impact the positioning of the speakers. Speakers can also be concealed behind the decorative grilles of an A/V cabinet, and a subwoofer can be placed underneath the floor if you work it into the house plans.
Lighting
A movie always looks better when the room lights are off. Integrate a lighting control system into the room so that your home theater¡¯s lights fade out automatically as the audio/video system gears up. It¡¯s not only convenient, but creates a sense of excitement. A lighting control system is also helpful during intermissions, and as a way to accent key architectural features of the room.
Before you buy and install your home theater, here are a few options you may want to think about!
1. Big-screen TVs
2. In-wall/ceiling loudspeakers vs. floorstanding units
3. Create an in-wall equipment rack
4. Where all of the equipment will be plugged in
5. Remote controls aplenty!
Home Theater Q&A
Do I need a big home to have a home theater?
No! Believe it or not, everyone can have a home theater. Many people finish off their bonus rooms, attics or small rooms and use them as prime theater space. Even if you can¡¯t dedicate a room, you can still creat a home theater atmosphere. There are a variety of options for the smaller areas, including the home theater in a box, which packs almost everything you need into one box¡ªjust add your TV!
Is a home theater really as good as going to the movies?
Once you have your own home theater, it¡¯s hard to imagine fighting the crowds, sharing armrests and dealing with offenders of the ¡°silence is golden¡± rule. You can make a home theater as realistic as you¡¯d like. Some people add accessories such as marquis, candy counters and real theater seating (the comfy kind!). However, a home theater can also be located in your family room, and still be better than a night at the local Cineplex.
What is the difference between front-projection and rear-projection?
Rear-projection TV is sort of like your average TV¡ªif that TV is about 80 inches diagonally. Most of these units are large in size, have a base and a cabinet behind the screen to support the amazing picture that¡¯s being produced. Rear-projection TVs come in CRT (cathode ray tube), LCD (liquid crystal display), DLP (digital light processing), and LCoS (liquid crystal on silicon) models . A front-projection system is like a real cinema. This type of system would consist of a projector and a huge screen. Some systems can project images 10 feet wide, regardless of the source (DVD player, VCR, etc.) that it¡¯s coming from. These projectors utilize either CRT, LCD or DLP processing to produce film-like images. |
| Getting Wired: Multi-Room Audio Distribution |
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Content of all the electronic amenities available to a new home, none are quite as enjoyable as a whole-house music system. Distributing tunes from one stereo system to speakers in far corners of a house is nothing new. Handy homeowners have been stringing wire from their stereo receivers to new speakers for years. But there is a limit to how many speakers a standard stereo amplifier can support. Plus, you may have to hoof it back to the stereo system to adjust the volume or switch from a CD player to a DSS receiver. As long as your home is unfinished, invest in a whole-house music system that's convenient to use and safely transports songs without blowing up an amp.
There are basically two types of whole-house music systems from which to choose: a system that distributes the same song to every speaker, or a more intelligent system that lets each family member listen to a different music source (such as a CD player and tuner) simultaneously from different rooms.
Planning Issues
What You Need to Consider
Prewiring
It's hard to say where you might listen to music, especially if your home has yet to be built. Certainly, the family room, dining room, kitchen and living room make sense. By all means make sure your audio installer runs speaker and control wiring to those rooms. In other rooms, such as the master bedroom, the guest rooms and the unfinished bonus room, you may feel less certain about installing speakers. The good news is, you don't have to. But do make sure that the installer still routes wiring to those rooms, and documents their locations. Should you convert the bonus room into a den, for example, you can easily add a pair of speakers and a volume control-if there's enough wire waiting for you behind the walls.
Zoning Out
Initially, you may be wowed by a whole-house music system's ability to serve each room independently, but to preserve music quality and keep your budget in line, it's probably better that adjacent rooms (like a kitchen and a breakfast nook, or a bedroom and a bath) receive the same song. Grouping rooms together is called "zoning." This is much like having "zones" for your heating and cooling system.
Speakers
Speakers come in a wide variety of styles and shapes. As long as your home is unfinished, use speakers that can be mounted into the walls and ceilings. Improvements in the designs of in-wall and in-ceiling models make them an eye-pleasing alternative to box speakers, with no sacrifice in sound.
Room to Grow
You wouldn't buy a PC with insufficient memory to support new programs. The same thinking goes behind selecting a whole-house music system. It must be expandable, i.e., able to handle new music sources (a second CD player or a hard disk recorder, for example) with no difficulty. Some whole-house music processors can be upgraded via software.
Add-Ons
Infrared Remote Control
There are times when you might not want to go to a keypad to change the music. Here's where a handheld remote control can come in handy. Some whole-house music systems come with their own handheld remote controls, others come with keypads that can be taught to understand the commands of your existing remote control.
Audio/Video Switcher
In some rooms, such as the home theater/media room, you will probably want the same speakers that spill music into the room to also take care of the movie soundtrack. To smoothly switch from music to movies requires an inexpensive audio/video switcher.
Audio Hard Drive
This device enables you to store thousands of your favorite songs on a hard drive.
Installation Issues
Your Builder, Your A/V Specialist
Ask your builder to construct a closet that can conveniently house all of the necessary gear of a whole-house music system. This closet should measure about 84 inches high by 24 inches wide by 26 inches deep, at a minimum.
Here, the components can remain out of sight, but that doesn't mean they should be tough to reach. You'll need to visit the CD player to change a disc, for example. Therefore, your builder should locate the closet in a central area of the home.
The A/V specialist will need your help in deciding where to plant the keypads, among other items.
Electrical wiring and low-voltage wiring do not peacefully coexist. If you have any say in the matter, ask your electrician to run his wiring before the A/V specialist, to preclude any possible interference.
Speakers
The right kind and the right placement are key. It¡¯s easier than ever to have music in every room. If you are building a new home or planning to remodel your existing home¡ªit¡¯s a no-brainer. These days there are speakers designed for every situation and listening preference. Your audio installer can help you choose the right speakers and ensure that your home is properly wired for optimum performance.
There is both an art and a science that go into the placement and installation of speakers for a whole-house music system. For foreground music applications, it is usually best to place the speakers in the room in such a way as to provide stereo left and right imaging when you are facing the main feature of the room. This feature could be a large picture window or fireplace in a family room, an entertainment center or armoire in a living room, or a centralized cooking area in a kitchen. In a bedroom, the speakers are best placed over the foot of the bed. Always face the speakers toward the main sitting location of the room.
For background music, speakers installed in the ceiling usually provide the best dispersion in any space.
Try to keep speakers at least two feet from any room boundary, including the ceiling. The exceptions are soffit locations, where there might be a protrusion of a drywall space into the room. Because soffits represent extruded room boundaries, they can sometimes be used to your installer¡¯s advantage. Soffits also can include an archway, such as the ones sometimes found between a living room and a dining room, around a built-in fireplace or even under a stairwell. Often these built-in cavities can optimize the sound of an in-wall speaker.
Balance is the key to a quality sound system. Large rooms, such as living rooms, typically have acoustic challenges. These rooms have soft, sound-absorbing furniture and carpets that effectively muffle music volume, or conversely, leather furniture or a lot of glass can reflect the sound.
When installing speakers, keep in mind that spaces that are considerably larger than other spaces in the house may require additional speakers to offer smooth coverage and balanced sound levels. Sometimes smaller spaces actually require more speakers as well. Because of their relatively short distance from the listener, speakers installed into a low ceiling may not have enough space to properly disperse and attain even coverage.
In any room, bear in mind that sound propagation is very similar to that of light (angle of incidence equals angle of reflection). A qualified audio system designer can use this information to make a room ¡°sound¡± larger or more intimate, much the same way as a lighting designer uses lighting to define a room¡¯s ambiance and establish comfort.
Volume Controls and Wiring
Get rooms ready for music
Devices to control the volume in each room are what make the system accessible and usable. Every room should have a means of adjusting the volume independently of the other rooms in the home. Because each volume control requires its own wiring, this is an important item to review during the wiring phase of installation.
If you are working with an audio installer, don¡¯t worry about the details, but try to keep your future needs in mind. It¡¯s not a bad idea to route wire to more locations than you are going to use immediately, keeping your options open for the future. If you do this, make sure that your installer leaves you with a clear wiring diagram so he or you will know where to drill holes in the future.
Outdoor Music
Tips for spreading songs outside
1. Determine your system¡¯s sonic architecture. If you want to create a ¡°background sound¡± type of environment, it¡¯s okay to install multiple pairs of speakers throughout the yard or under eaves. Too many overlapping left-right combinations, though, can be sonically problematic. A safe solution is to send a mono signal to every speaker so the sound is more diffuse.
2. The best time to design an outdoor audio system is while the landscaping is being planned. Having the ground open simplifies the process of running speaker cabling. Not only does an unfinished yard allow the wires to be covered up with new sod, plants, or stonework, it also means the wires can be buried deeper.
3. Consider the dispersion and coverage characteristics of the speakers. Some speakers are optimized for wide dispersion of sound; others for deeper coverage. While traditional speakers assume the listener can be positioned between a stereo pair, this is usually not practical in outdoor applications. Using a greater number of speakers and running them at lower levels will provide more even sound coverage with less chance of bothering the neighbors.
4. All outdoor speakers are not created equal. While most outdoor speakers need to be placed under eaves, better models can be placed anywhere, fully exposed to the elements. This allows for greater flexibility in system design and speaker placement.
5. When proximity to neighbors is an issue, consider installing speakers along the perimeter of the yard. Put them at ground level facing the house, as opposed to hanging them under the eaves. This makes for a stealth installation that directs sound towards your home rather than at the neighbors. Speakers placed on the ground also deliver greater bass output.
6. Be skeptical about promotionally priced outdoor speakers that claim to be weatherproof. All else being equal, a weatherproof outdoor speaker should cost more than an indoor speaker. Rock-type speakers are built with housing materials that can last for a decade or more.
7. Compromises are not to be feared. Be creative in your installation. Consider alternative installation techniques like mounting speakers low to the ground and aiming them up to the sky. Mount speakers high and aim them down to where shrubbery and other elements of the landscape will absorb the sound. For stronger bass, place the speakers in corners, at the bases of walls or underneath eaves. Simply mounting the speakers on a wall or on the ground rather than on a post can help enhance bass performance.
Make beautiful music everywhere!
1. Which rooms to wire
2. Wall-mounted keypad controllers
3. Single vs. Multizone systems
4. Mutisource systems
5. In-wall and in-ceiling speakers
Multi-Room Music Q&A
Everyone in the house has different musical tastes. Who gets control?
Everyone! With multizone/multisource audio systems, it's possible to have mutiple music selections going at the same time. If you have a hard disc music server, you can also store all of that music in one place, while distributing different selections to different rooms in the house.
What's the difference between in-wall and in-ceiling speakers?
Basically, one is installed in the wall and one is installed in the ceiling. The layout of your room will probably dictate which one is right for you. If you're not sure which to install, talk to your retailer, dealer or installer. If you think you may want both or may change your mind at some point, there are plenty of companies out there that manufacture speakers that can be installed in either spot.
Can I add zones onto my existing system?
A zone can be as small as a single room or even an entire section, like the back deck or the downstairs. Some audio distribution systems are built to be expanded. These are called "subzones." If you have a room that's big enough for multiple sounds, think about adding a subzone. The equipment that you have will dictate how much you can expand. If you've maxed out your distrbution options (good for you!), then see if you can daisychain another unit.
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| The Master Bedroom Goes Hi-Tech |
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The New Adult Retreat
The Master Bedroom Goes Hi-Tech
The best cure for a good night's sleep-and then some-is to pack the bedrooms with all the comforts of home technology.
Master bedrooms have gone through some major growing pains. From a simple room large enough to house a queen-sized bed and a couple of dressers, the master bedroom has blossomed into a suite that caters to homeowners with a dressing area, a massive walk-in closet, a sitting area, a wet bar and an adjoining bathroom filled with spa-like luxuries including a whirlpool tub, a steam room and a shower built for two. n Technology has struggled to keep pace with the finer things that have become near mainstays in master bedrooms, but items such as music systems, plasma screens and home control devices are definite up-and-comers.
Entertainment
Where's the one place you'd probably end up watching a movie ... that is, if that room were as well-equipped as the family room? If you're like most people who relish the comfort of movie viewing with your feet up and your head on a pillow, the bedroom is a great room to make a home's secondary home theater.
That doesn't mean that you need to invest in a mammoth 100-inch screen that overpowers the room interior (although you could). Nor will you want a stack of audio/video gear blinking at you as you settle down for the night.
A more sensible choice for the master bedroom is a "flat" TV, perhaps a plasma screen or a large LCD screen.
Remember that any type of screen that hangs on the wall still needs electricity for power. Let your builder and home systems installer know about your penchant for a plasma. There's no need to stretch a cord to an electrical outlet-instead ask the electrician to install an electrical outlet higher on the wall.
As in any movie viewing environment, a surround-sound system is essential. Where you plan to place the bedroom furniture will determine the best locations for the speakers. Artwork and other decorative elements may also make it difficult to get the speakers into prime position, so expect to make a few compromises (ceiling-mounted speakers are always a viable alternative).
Chances are, you'll be listening to music in the master bedroom as well. The same speakers that deliver movie soundtracks into the room can be used also to pipe in music, but they might not adequately reach the far points of the room. For this reason, it might be a good idea to also install two speakers in the sitting area, another set in the bathroom, and possibly another pair in the dressing area. A wall-mounted volume control for each listening area might be a useful tool to set the volume level of each area differently.
Lighting
Like the family room, a master bedroom plays host to a variety of activities: sleeping, reading, TV watching and music listening, to name a few. And, like a multipurpose family room, a master bedroom can benefit from a lighting system that fixes the lights to suit the activity of the moment. Together, a lighting designer and a home systems installer can group lights together appropriately, specify the best intensities for each fixture, and configure a system that lets one button control them all.
Control
Next to the kitchen, the master bedroom is the best room in which to incorporate a device to monitor and control the thermostats, security system, lights, and other electronic amenities of the house. There are several places a controller can be located-on a wall, on a table, or built into a piece of furniture. Remember, convenience is the key-you won't use a controller if you can't find it.
Add a little technology and you will truly be the master! Here are 5 things to consider...
1. Flat-panel TVs
2. Bed-side access to whole-house systems
3. Motorized window treatments
4. Security system access
5. In-wall speakers with distributed audio
Whole House Q&A
When my wife and I are in bed, only one of us has a good angle to watch TV. Is there a compromise?
Consider a wall-mount for your TV. This creates a study area that can suspend the TV, and moves the viewing area to above, so both of you can enjoy watching while lying in bed. Also, many flat-panel TVs come with the necessary hardware so you can wall-mount them.
I have a TV in my bathroom, so now what else can I do?
Does that TV have whole-house access? For instance, can you view security cameras? This function allows you to keep your eyes on the inside and outside of the home while relaxing in the tub. You can also pipe in distributed audio if you run wire and install speakers in that room. You can even automate your "spa," which will perfect water temperature while you wait or even on your way home from work.
I really don't have room for a TV and don't want to wall-mount anything. Is there another option?
Well there are a few, actually. You can install a drop-down screen and a projector. That way, when it's not in use, you can hide your equipment. Another option is a handheld touchscreen-the same one you use for home control. Many of them allow you to view cameras as well as video sources. This provides an easy video option to any room, and it's mobile! |
| Video Projectors - What You Need To Know |
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by Robert Silva
Your Guide to Home Theater.
Mar 31 2005
Introduction and Overview
Getting Inside the Box of Your Home Theater System
Designing your home theater system is getting more exciting all the time. Televisions are bigger, better, cheaper, and slimmer than ever. The home theater consumer has choices ranging from the traditional tube-type television to large screen rear projection sets, to the latest hang-on-the-wall Plasma and LCD flat panel monitors. All of these types of television configurations have been successfully incorporated into many home theaters around the world. However, all of these TV viewing options place the viewer "outside the box" (so to speak). All of the work of generating the video image (from input to display) is done within an "enclosed box" of some type. The box is also a piece of furniture that takes up space either on a floor, table, or wall.
On the other hand, the movie theater places the viewer "inside the box". You enter a special environment where curtains open up, revealing the screen, a hidden film projector (or digital cinema projector) then starts up, and the room is enveloped in image and sound. The image is projected from behind or above and is reflected off the screen. You are within the image environment as the beams of light travel from the projection unit to the screen. That is what separates most home theaters from the movie theater.
Making Your Own Home Theater Magic
How can one capture the same "magic" as a trip to the movie theater? You can come very close with your own home theater projection setup. Of course, such units have been around for some time, but they were big, bulky, power hogs, and very, very, expensive; definitely out of reach for the average consumer.
However, as an outgrowth, in recent years, of the need for compact, affordable, portable multi-media projection units for use in business presentations, new technological developments in image processing have made this once out-of-reach option more affordable for use in home theater by more and more consumers.
Video Projection Vs Film Projection
The video projector is similar to a film or slide projector in that they both accept a source, and project the image from that source onto a screen. However, that is where the similarity ends. Inside a video projector is processing circuitry that converts an analog or digital video input signal into something that can be projected onto a screen.
If you haven't considered the projector option, you may find that it may fit your home theater setup. However, there are some basic things you need to know before you can get started.
CRT Projector Overview
Currently, there are three basic types of video projector technology in common use today: CRT, LCD, and DLP. There are also variations of these three types (including D-ILA and LCOS), but for the purposes of this article, I will focus on the first three that I have listed. The following is a brief overview of each of the three major projector types.
The CRT Projector (Cathode Ray Tube)
When video projectors first arrived on the scene, television technology was based on the Cathode Ray Tube (CRT), on which the viewer sees the television image. Three small CRTs (one for each primary color), coupled with a light magnifying lens, can project a color image onto a large screen in a darkened room. With the proper video processing circuitry, CRT size, and lens combination, a CRT projector can produce excellent high resolution images.
Advantages Of The CRT Video Projector
1. The image in a CRT projector is scanned with an electron beam (just as in regular tube TV) and is not limited to a fixed pixel field, as are other video projector types (to be discussed, in more detail, later in this article). This makes the CRT projector the best option where the flexibility of displaying variable resolutions is the main consideration.
2. A CRT projector can produce the blackest blacks of all projector types as well as the full range of color, giving a CRT projector the ability to project the most film-like images of projectors for home use.
3. In addition, another advantage of the CRT projector is its long projection life (as long as 20,000 hours), compared to other types. With LCD and DLP video projectors (described on the following pages) the light source must be replaced every 1,000 to 2,000 hours to maintain optimum brightness and contrast. This amounts to an added regular expense of several hundred dollars every two years or so, depending on usage.
Limitations Of The CRT projector
1. A CRT projector is, typically, very large. In order to house the optimum CRT and lens size combination to project onto a large screen, with enough brightness, a CRT projector can take up as much space as a 20-inch TV (tube facing down). This makes it less portable if you need to travel with it or place it in another room.
2. A CRT projector, typically, is not as bright as other types of projectors. The ability to have a completely dark room is nececssary.
3. A CRT projector has to be converged properly for best image reproduction. Since the modern CRT projector houses three projection tubes (red, green, and blue), the tubes need to be aligned so that the projected image does not exhibit color halos and the colors are mixed correctly. Also, if one projection tube fails, all three have to be replaced in order to provide the correct color and brightness balance.
4. A CRT projector is, typically, very expensive. All things being equal, A CRT projector will command a much higher price that other types of video projectors, basically $10,000 on up for a suitable home theater CRT projector unit.
LCD Projector Overview
The LCD Projector (Liquid Crystal Display)
The second video projector type to consider is the LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) projector. Unlike a CRT projector, the LCD projector is not based on the traditional projection tube. An LCD projector basically works by passing a powerful light source through a transparent LCD chip made up of individual pixels (which displays the moving video image) and projecting that image through a lens to a large screen.
The Advantage Of The LCD Projector
What makes the LCD projector very practical is that it is compact, since the LCD chip is very small. One LCD chip is hundreds of times smaller than the three projection tubes needed in CRT projectors. Other advantages of the LCD projector is its high contrast and brightness capability, as well as lower power consumption. This combination of factors make the LCD projector very portable for multimedia use, such as business presentations (even in partially lit rooms). Also, with some modification, an LCD projector can provide an excellent option for home theater use. Probably the final "hook" is that an LCD projector is fairly inexpensive, when compared to CRT types. A basic LCD projector, suitable for portable business presentations, start at about $1,000 with units suited more for home theater starting at about $3,000, which is much less than any CRT counterpart.
Limitations Of The LCD Projector
1. A LCD projector can often times exhibit what is called "the screen door effect". Since the screen is made up of individual pixels, the pixels can be visible on a large screen, thus giving the appearance of viewing the image through a "screen door".
2. When using a business-type LCD projector in a home theater setup, the image may appear too harsh with regards to brightness and contrast.
3. Since an LCD chip is made up of a panel of individual pixels, if one pixel burns out it displays an annoying black or white dot on the projected image. Individual pixels cannot be repaired, if one or more pixels burn out, the entire chip has to be replaced.
4. Since LCD chips have a finite number of pixels, signal inputs that have higher resolutions must be scaled to fit the pixel field count of the particular LCD chip. For example, a typical HDTV input format of 1080i needs a native display of 1920x1080 pixels for a one-to-one display of the HDTV image. However, if your LCD chip only has a pixel field of 1024x768, the original HDTV signal must be scaled to fit the 1024x768 pixel count on the LCD chip (in addition the image will also have to be letterboxed to reproduce the correct widescreen aspect ratio). This is where CRT projectors can excel over an LCD projector, since they are not limited by a fixed pixel field, they are more flexible at displaying various resolutions, due to being able to varibly scan the image onto the projection tube surface.
5. As mentioned earlier, the LCD light source (bulb)in an LCD projector must be replaced periodically, depending on the projector, about every 1,000 to 2,000 hours, at a cost of several hundred dollars. On the positive side of this, a new lamp basically gives you a new LCD projector, as your original brightness and contrast are restored, and most bulbs can be self-installed by the consumer.
DLP Projector Overview
The DLP Projector (Digital Light Processing)
The fastest growing type of video projector (in terms of sales) in use today is the DLP (Digital Light Processing) projector. Like LCD, the actual image is displayed on a chip, however, the chip used in a DLP projector is different. The chip in a DLP projector is referred to as a DMD (Digital Micromirror Device). In essence, every pixel on a DMD chip is a reflective mirror.
The video image is displayed on the DMD chip. The micromirrors on the chip (remember: each micromirror represents one pixel) then tilt very rapidly as the image changes. This process produces the grayscale foundation for the image. Then, color is added as light passes through a high-speed color wheel and is reflected off of the micromirrors on the DLP chip as they rapidly tilt towards or away from the light source. The degree of tilt of each micromirror coupled with the rapidly spinning color wheel determines the color structure of the projected image. As the amplified light bounces off the micromirrors, it is sent through the lens and can be projected on a large screen. For further technical explanations, click on the DLP projector resource links on the upper right sidebar of this page.
Advantages Of The DLP Projector
The advantages of this system make the DLP projector suitable for not only business and home theater application, but DLP technology is also in use in some movie theaters for feature film projection. Basically the films are digitally converted and stored to either to a hard drive or optical disc (similar to DVD - only in High Definition), then fed into the DLP projector and projected onto the movie screen. The high resolution DLP chips made for this application render an image that is almost as good as 35 or 70mm film, without all those film scratches!
Other advantages of the DLP projector include excellent color accuracy, no "screen door" effect(as with LCD), due to its micro-mirror construction, compactness, low power consumption, and high contrast and brightness (although typically not as bright as LCD types but much "smoother" looking).
Limitations Of The DLP Projector
1. Just as with LCD, each DLP chip has a finite number of pixels.
2. Although a DLP projector doesn't exhibit the "screen door" effect of many LCD units, a DLP projector can exhibit what is referred to as "the rainbow effect". Basically, the "rainbow effect" is exhibited by a brief flash of colors (like a small rainbow) when the viewer rapidly looks from side to side on the screen or looks rapidly from the screen to side of the room. Fortunately, this does not occur frequently and many people do not have sensitivity to this effect at all.
3. Just as in LCD projectors, the light source must be changed every 1,000 to 2,000 hours.
Although DLP isn't perfect, the DLP projector has become a real favorite amongst home theater enthusiasts.
Continue on to Page 5: The Bottom Line: What To Look For - by clicking on the link below right.
The Bottom Line: What To Look For
Choosing a projector boils down to: What you want to watch (and where), Portability (if necessary), Brightness, Contrast Ratio, Pixel Density, Color Reproduction, Inputs, Screen, and Price.
Best Uses For A Video Projector
Home theater projectors are best for viewing Sports and DVD movies. If you watch mostly regular TV, an LCD/DLP projector may be an expensive option as the bulb would need to be changed after 1,000 to 2,000 hours of viewing (some projectors now have upwards of 3,000 bulb life; and this continues to improve). Also, make sure you have the proper room size for your projector.
Portability
Portability is important; not just enabling you to move or travel with your projector, but simplifies installation and setup. It also makes it easy to try different screen sizes, distances, and different rooms to see what works best. If your projector is portable you can even hang a sheet on an outside wall (or garage door)in the summertime and enjoy your own drive-in movies!
Brightness
Brightness: Without sufficient brightness your image will look muddy and soft, even in a dark room. Check the ANSI Lumens rating. Relatively speaking, projectors with 1,000 ANSI Lumens or greater have sufficient brightness for home theater use. Room size and screen size/distance will affect the need for more or less lumens.
Contrast Ratio
Contrast Ratio complements brightness. High contrast ratios deliver whiter whites and blacker blacks. A projector may have a great Lumens rating, but if the contrast ratio is low, you image will look washed out. Contrast ratios of at least 1,000:1 are good, but 2,000:1 or higher is considered excellent.
Pixel Density
Pixel Density is important, especially for LCD/DLP units. As stated earlier, LCD and DLP-based video projectors have a fixed number of pixels on their display chips. If most of your viewing is HDTV, get as high a native pixel count as possible. For instance, 720p HDTV signals require a 1280x720 pixel count to give you a one-for-one representation of a 720p signal while, as mentioned earlier, a 1080i HDTV input signal needs a native pixel count of 1920x1080 for a one-for-one representation of the 1080i signal. If a projector's pixel count is less and it accepts HDTV input signals, the signal is scaled to fit the number of pixels on the chip. On the other hand, a native pixel count of 1024x768 is sufficient for DVD. In addition, some projectors also upscale a lower resolution image to match a higher pixel count on the chip. Scaling can work both ways. Check specifications for this capability. There are also outboard video scalers and processors than can be used.
Color Reproduction
Color Reproduction is another factor. Check for natural flesh tones and color depth. Check how colors look in the brightest and darkest areas of the image. Check the degree of color stability from input to input. Everyone has a slight difference in color perception and what looks pleasing. Look carefully.
Inputs
Make sure the projector has the inputs you need, such composite and S-video for analog sources, component inputs for DVD, and DVI or HDMI inputs for HDTV. Most projectors also have VGA-type inputs for computers.
Don't Forget About The Screen
Screens come in various fabrics, sizes, and prices. You could use that old 8mm film projection screen or just put up a sheet, but to get the most out of your projector, spend money on a good screen. The type of screen that's best depends on the projector, the viewing angle, the amount of ambient light in the room, and the distance of the projector from the screen. Consult a video screen dealer.
Price
Although prices continue to come down for all types if video projectors, be prepared, by the time you buy your projector, installation mount or table, screen, and cables you will spend between $5,000 - 10,000 dollars for a mid-range setup. Of course this doesn't count any interior decoration costs you may want to incur and the cost of rest of your home theater system.
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| Taking the Kitchen to the Next Level |
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Think entertainment, information and efficiency when selecting technologies for the most popular room of the house.
One of the most important rooms in which to integrate technology is the kitchen. Why? Because more than any other room of the house, your family probably spends the most time there. And, even if they don't stop here, they at least pass by the kitchen several times a day as they enter and leave the house. What's more, it's a comfortable place where people like to entertain, read the news and surf the Internet. For each and every activity you might perform in the kitchen, there's a piece of technology that can dramatically enhance the experience.
Entertainment
In the early '80s people began bringing small TV sets into kitchens? and cable jacks soon joined the staid electrical outlets found on the slice of wall between the counter and the cabinets. While a regular TV works well in a kitchen, it eats up plenty of valuable counter space.
Enter the flat and undercabinet TV models of the late '90s. A flat-screen TV, or a monitor that hangs from the underside of a cabinet, takes up hardly any room and requires no special modifications to the construction of a kitchen, except for mounting a cable jack nearby (we suggest installing an outlet that houses two cable jacks, a data/computer jack and a telephone jack). A screen that's too tall to fit underneath a cabinet can be integrated into a kitchen too, by placing it on a wall mount or having your builder construct the appropriate-sized bay into the kitchen wall.
Complement the TV with speakers planted into the ceiling of the kitchen. Place them in any location where you might need to hear the TV or music: near the table, the sink, the stove and the workstation, for example.
Computers
Speaking of workstations¡ªnow that the computer has become such a helpful tool in the kitchen (dispensing recipes, storing the family schedule, emailing a note to Grandma), remember to plan a space for a monitor, as well as a printer, scanner and any other peripherals you think you might use there. (By wiring your home with a computer networking system, you can store all the peripherals in another room or closet.) Be sure to plant plenty of phone and data jacks, as well as electrical outlets, near the workstation.
Doubt you'll ever sit down long enough to need a dedicated workspace? Then consider a portable Web tablet in lieu of a traditional computer. This small device, usually designed for Internet access only, can plug into any data jack in the kitchen.
Big Appliances
You've probably heard about the smart refrigerator that prints out a grocery list based on the contents of its insides. Although they may not be intelligent enough yet to do just that, refrigerators, stoves, dishwashers and other appliances that connect to the Internet are a reality today. Even if you can't envision a day when your stove would need to download a recipe, at least have your home systems installation firm mount a data jack on the wall behind every big appliance. It'll ensure that your kitchen is always cutting-edge.
Remodeling your kitchen? Here are 5 things that would make even The Jetsons jealous¡
1. Internet appliances designed specifically for the kitchen
2. Link the kitchen to your whole-house system
3. Install a TV with access to video as well as security cameras
4. Distributed audio for the avid cook
5. Internet access for quick news reports and recipe help
Kitchen Q&A
Why would I possibly need technology in the kitchen?
When you think about it, is there an area of the house that you and your family use more than the kitchen? This really makes it a prime area to add technology.
What¡¯s a smart refrigerator?
There are a variety of current refrigeration products that could be consider as ¡°smart.¡± Some can tell you when it¡¯s time to change the water filter, while others can access the Internet and display news and recipesnt
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