Mini DV Conversion

You may need to convert Mini DV cassette recordings to a format more compatible with a certain kind of player, like a DVD player, or multimedia on your PC. Sometimes, the tape may get scratched due to constant use and replay. Converting it to other formats makes replaying it easy and harmless. Conversion is either through software like DVD Santa, or through use of hardware like DVD recorders. A third method of conversion is through manual digitization.

Software like DVD Santa is convenient to use if you need to convert Mini DV tapes to DVD format, since it does not need extensive computer knowledge. For converting Mini DV tapes to a multimedia format, in case you need to run them on your PC, a software like Firestreamer DV is available online for a nominal charge. The conversion can also be done the other way round, that is, from PC to a Mini DV cassette.

The second method of conversion is through devices such as DVD recorders. The signal from the tape is converted to a digital signal and stored in the DVD. This is an inexpensive method, though it has its disadvantages. It leaves no room for editing the pictures or sound, and the resulting DVD may skip or be jerky because of compatibility issues.

The third kind of Mini DV conversion method is manual, and it is a good option if you are looking for a professional recording quality for occasions like weddings, baby showers, or graduation ceremonies. Also, some kinds of conversion, for example, digital 8 to Mini DV format, are difficult for a non expert and call for special skills. Many professional services are offered for such conversions on various websites. This kind of service is even auctioned on EBay. Some websites offer discounts on more than one DVD copy. This kind of conversion leaves room for careful editing, and any flaw in the recording can be edited or snipped off.

With so many options for those who need to convert the format of their Mini DV recording, there is no reason why they should not be used, especially if you want to preserve the special memories of a wedding or your graduation day.

Mini DV [http://www.e-minidv.com] provides detailed information about mini DVs, mini DV camcorders, mini DV conversion and more. Mini DV is affiliated with DVD R Duplication.

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Is The Hitachi 32LD9700 LCD TV Possibly The Best Flat Screen TV Available?

From its infancy and the first shadowy images broadcast in 1925, viewing television has evolved and certainly changed over the years to the amazing LCD TV sets that we now view today. Ask most people to list their most essential item or possession and a large number will list their TV as very high up on the list.

Much like the conventional approach to driving a car and our understanding of how the Internal Combustion Engine works (or not depending on your point of view) very few people understand entirely what happens behind the screen of a TV or do they? The word television is derived from a mixed usage of Greek and Latin roots meaning in literary terms "far sight" and being derived from the Greek term "tele" meaning "far" and the Latin "vision" meaning "sight" or "to view in the first person".

As in most industries, along with technological development and innovation has arisen a large range of technical descriptions and phrases that if the truth be known confuses most people.

Rather than continue with a basic history of the industry, it might be best to stop and take a look at the latest developments within the industry mainly that of digital television, what digital television actually means, its formats, bandwidth and the technical terminology and jargon used today.

How would you define Digital TV? Digital Television very much came to the fore in the late 1990s and is a technology that appealed to the television broadcasting business and consumer electronics industries as representing opportunities for increased financial development whilst at the same time providing a much cleaner and faster product and service for the end user.

So in basic terms, how does a Digital TV differ from a more conventional one? Let us use one of the newer LCD TV's available to help us as we detail what exactly this all means.

The LCD TV that we shall use for our illustrative purposes here is the Hitachi 32LD9700 LCD TV.

The following items of information have to be understood before you can make a proper valued judgement regarding your new Digital TV?

Firstly we have to understand the phrase Screen Resolution and all of that implies. In this case it refers to the number of distinct pixels in each dimension that can be displayed.

Next up is whether the TV is Hi-Definition Ready and what does this mean? Hi Definition TV essentially makes a TV picture in a quality format that is at least four times better than conventionally available at present.

The next item that we would need to look at is what types of connectors are used between the peripherals used alongside the main Digital TV?

We are referring here to the exact nature and number of the Scarts Sockets and Plugs in use. SCART stands for "Syndicat francais des Constructeurs d'Appareils Radio et Television (SCART).

Lastly on the technical side we would need to look at what types and what numbers of High-Definition Multimedia Interfaces (HDMI) are being used. Here High Definition Multimedia Interfaces (HDMI) refers to the audio/video connector interface that transmits the uncompressed digital streams of information between two or more digital components such as a HD DVD Disc player, a blu-ray Disc player, a Personal Computer or Video Console.

The 32LD9700 is a 32in LCD TV and the prices for these are around 1000 pounds sterling or 2000 US dollars. The resolution of the screen is 1366 X 768 and with regards to being HD Ready the answer is yes. The Hitachi has 3 (2 RGB) scarts and the type and number of Multimedia interfaces the 32LD9700 uses is HDMI and 2. The type of Tuner for this TV is Analogue and Digital and the Hitachi is available from a wide variety of outlets.

All these points being taken into consideration, how would we view the Hitachi 32LD9700?

The most obvious place to start with as far as TV's are concerned would be the picture quality and our score here would be 10, and closely tied in to the picture quality is the sound quality and our score for this would be 10. Taking a look at the number of relevant connections and their availability, our score would be 8. As far as overall features are concerned we would give it 10 and for ease of use and overall value for money we would give it, 10 and 10 respectively.

The overall verdict would be WOW what can you say but that this is one of those TV's that excel in almost every thing it is supposed to do. Described as a "Superb All-rounder", there is not much that this TV does not achieve. If you can get your hands on one of these then go for it.

Please bear in mind the prices that are quoted in this article and take note that they are there purely for illustration and though valid at the time of the writing of the article may vary from time to time and also depending on the time of year when you make your purchase.

Stephen Morgan writes quite regularly on the Internet about TV and Home Entertainment issues and more on the above can be found at cheap LCD flat screen TVs and also at http://bestflatscreentv.biz

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Elements of a Good Movie Review

Not all movie reviews are created equal. Some are written excellently. Others are blatant advertising and shameless marketing attempts. Still, there are haphazardly written reviews that are hardly worth your time. How do you decide which ones are good and which ones are not? It depends on several things.

When you consult a film review, consider the following tips.

Take a look at the brief synopsis of the movie review. A film review provides only a brief synopsis of what it is all about. It does not summarize the entire film. You read a review to understand if it is worth watching and not to read about the script! A review would enumerate the whole story in your face.

A good review analyzes the different aspects of the movie. The review is not all about the acting of the actors and actresses. It is not an extolling of the technical prowess of the film. A good movie review therefore takes a look at all the aspects of the film from the plot, characterization, cinematography, the technical aspect and its overall implications.

A good movie review gives a rating. A good review would give its overall analysis of the movie. It does not sit at the fence and refuse to give its verdict. It cites both the positive and the negative aspects of the film. This way, the review helps the viewers determine the excellence of a film.

A good movie review is a great aid in enhancing your viewing experience. It may not necessarily be a necessity, but surely it helps you understand the film better. It will also help you look out for the best things that a movie offers. It also prepares you to deal with the bad parts of the movie.

M Rasing is a freelance writer and blogger based in Quezon City, Philippines. He writes about movies, books, technology, gadgets and Philippine topics. He also features Filipino films, digital films, and he monitors the state of the Philippine film industry. For more of his articles, visit his blog at http://www.penstalker.com

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LCD Flat Screen TV - The Case For Choosing an LCD Flat Screen TV Over Plasma

Many people are looking to replace their current tv with a slim and elegant flat screen tv. The first question many will ask is which is better, an LCD flat screen tv or a plasma tv?

This is a bit like asking which is the better car to buy Honda or Toyota? Some will insist Honda, some will insist Toyota without question. Some will say neither and that you should only buy an American car. Before answering which car is better you need to know which models you are comparing, what needs you have regarding size and style and what price ranges you are looking at so you are truly comparing apples to apples.

Choosing a flat screen tv is no different. Before answering which is better you will need to know what size you are looking for, what your viewing environment is like, what your viewing habits are like, what price range you will be looking at and what special features you would like.

The good news is you can find some great LCD flat screen tvs and plasma tvs at prices that are becoming more and more reasonable, allowing you to enjoy high definition tv and sports as well as movies on your slim, digital tv.

In years past the decision between LCD and Plasma was a pretty easy one as the smallest plasma was in the upper 30" range and the largest LCD was in the lower 30" range so if you wanted a large home theater tv you would choose plasma and if you wanted a small, flat panel tv you would get an LCD. LCD has made great strides in the past year to bring high quality, affordable flat panels to the market at competitive prices.

Flat panel tvs have a lot of uses and benefits. If you are looking at a tv for the kitchen or a small tv for a bedroom, the decision to buy an LCD is really a no brainer as LCDs dominate the market for flat panels under 37".

Another benefit of LCD flat panel tvs is the brightness of the display. If you will be viewing your tv in areas with bright lights and a lot of ambient light from outside, then it is a good idea to choose an LCD flat panel tv as LCDs will be easier to see then a typical plasma tv.

Another important consideration is what you intend to view on the tv. An LCD flat panel tv will typically have a higher native resolution then a comparable plasma tv making it a natural choice if you intend to use the tv for computer use or gaming use.

If you are looking to get the full 1080p HD display for your video games or for HD movie formats such as HD DVD and Blu ray then you will have more LCD flat panel tv choices then you will plasma.

In the past burn in was a concern for plasmas in scenes where static images such as video game scores or stock market ticker tape banners would remain on the screen for long periods of time. Technological advancements in plasmas have greatly minimized the risk of plasma burn in, but still if you are looking to be free from burn in worry then the choice of LCD is a natural one.

Another advantage of LCD is that the weight is lighter and it will generally consume less power then that of a comparable plasma tv.

Early versions of plasma held advantages over LCD in terms of deeper blacks, better response times and a richness in color. LCD flat panel tv has closed the gap significantly in the past year in terms of picture quality, with some models even offering 120Hz technology and LED backlighting for incredible contrast ratios and a crisp, vivid picture.

While both LCD and plasma can offer a crisp, clear picture in a slim flat panel tv, an LCD flat panel tv seems to be a natural choice for those looking to maximize their resolutions for video gaming, for those viewing the tv in bright rooms, for those looking for smaller secondary tvs, as well as those looking to minimize power consumption requirements.

For a review of some of the LCD HDTV leaders check out the Samsung HD TV review and the Sharp Aquos HD TV review at http://familyhometheaterguide.com

The Family Home Theater Guide is an informative guide to home theater, with a particular emphasis on family entertainment. Jared has a wife and three children that love to experience the magic of the big screen in the comfort of their own home.

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LCD Flat Screen TV - 5 Essentials To Consider When Buying Your First LCD Flat Screen TV

You have heard about high definition tv and see it advertised during your favorite sports shows. Your kids (and you) want a new Xbox 360 or PS3 and you want to make sure you have the right tv to get the most bang for your buck from your new toys. So you have decided that this is the year to take the plunge on a brand new, sleek LCD flat screen tv. That is all well and good, but what do you do next? You are lost in the alphabet soup of LCD, HDMI, 1080p, 1080i, 720p. You are in over your head with technical terms like refresh rate, contrast ratio, and milliseconds of response time.

The following will give you a quick, straight forward road map of basics to consider in order to make your LCD flat screen tv purchase a success.

Cost considerations - You need to know how much you are willing to budget for your new LCD tv. Determine if your budget is bare bones minimum or price is no option. Most likely it will be somewhere in between. A new LCD can cost anywhere from a few hundred dollars for a small LCD for your kitchen or bedroom to several thousand for a LCD flat screen for your primary tv in your home theater room.

The cost of a new LCD for a home theater room in the past was price prohibitive. Although an LCD will still cost a bit more then a comparable Plasma it is interesting to note that over the past year the gap between a new Plasma tv and an LCD has shrunk.

Screen Size - Is this a small tv for a dorm room, a bedroom or the kitchen or is this a primary tv for a home theater? Being partial to home theater I would recommend that the tv be at least 46" to make the greatest impact. A larger tv will enhance the feeling of immersion of a movie or a sporting event. LCD flat screens of sizes ranging from 46" to 52" are becoming more common with sizes of 60" or more as an option although the cost is still a drawback for many.

Resolution - In order for a tv to be considered high definition, it needs to be able to display screen resolutions of 720p or 1080i. The newest standard is 1080p which allows you to view the highest resolution content found in HD-DVD or blu-ray or experience the newest video games in all their glory. It is important to point out that it is very difficult to distinguish a difference in picture quality between a 1080p picture and a 720p picture at smaller screen sizes, so before shelling out the extra dollars make sure that it will make a difference in picture quality.

Video inputs - Make sure that your tv has plenty of video inputs to meet your current and future viewing needs. HDMI is quickly becoming the standard video and audio input for high definition so make sure the tv has several HDMI inputs along with the standard composite and component inputs.

Picture quality - Of course none of the issues above make a difference if the tv has poor picture quality. There are a lot of things that come into play when considering picture quality.

One of the selling points of the newer, upper tier LCDs is the 120Hz refresh rate, which is double the normal refresh rate generally allowing for smoother transitions and screen images in fast moving movie scenes and sporting events.

Specifications alone do not always tell the whole story. For example, a contrast ratio can be helpful, but keep in mind that there is not a clear, standardized measurement for contrast ratio between manufacturers. A contrast ratio within a product line is generally more helpful then when compared between manufacturers.

Look at whether the LCD flan screen tv can produce vivid color, deep blacks, realistic textures, detailed images and smooth screen transitions.

There has never been a better time then now to get on board the HDTV bandwagon. With a little research and planning you will soon be enjoying crisp, clear, vibrant images on your new LCD flat screen tv so kick back in your home theater lounger, gather your family and friends around and enjoy the show.

For a review of some of the LCD HDTV leaders check out the Samsung HD TV review and the Sharp Aquos HD TV review at http://familyhometheaterguide.com

The Family Home Theater Guide is an informative guide to home theater, with a particular emphasis on family entertainment. Jared has a wife and three children that love to experience the magic of the big screen in the comfort of their own home.

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Features of Blu-Ray DVD Players

A good blu-ray DVD Player adds more value your home entertainment system. DVD movies look amazingly crystal clear, crisp and much detailed. Only HDTV offers a more realistic viewing experience at home. The Dolby Digital soundtracks on DVDs bring you theatre-quality surround sound. High-definition disc format is designed to enhance the viewing experience available from today's HDTV's. blu-ray discs offers high-resolution video up to 1080p, as well as latest detailed surround sound formats. Blu-ray players can also play DVDs besides playing CDs as well. Blu-Ray DVD Player with Video Up Conversion can up convert DVD video to a resolution that can more closely equate with that of your HDTV.

The signal remains digital as it propagates through digital video connections to your compatible high definition TV for seamless transfer. Blu-Ray DVD Player is too good at playing music CDs that you'll no longer require a separate CD player. A multi-disc DVD changer allows you to maintain several discs 'on deck'. Select from carousel models that hold a cluster of discs or larger mega-changers with space for up to 400 discs. They also have handy memory and search functions that help you to find the disc you want. You can save a lot of shelf space by just storing your CDs and DVDs in a mega-changer.

Combo players are ideal for people trying to bridge the gap between their VHS and DVD collections. At cheap prices, these popular 2-in-1 components provide all the familiar features of a VCR, with the spectacular movie and music quality of a DVD player. Make use of the timer to record TV shows to VHS, enjoy crystal-clear DVD movies or you can jam to your collection of audio CDs all with the help of one simple component.

Blu-Ray DVD recorders provide tape-free recording easily with all the functionality of a DVD player. Record your favorite sitcom just at the click of a button or back up home movies on robust, high-quality DVDs. With a variety of write-once and re-writeable formats available in the market, it is easy to find the right disc for the right task.

Portable Blu-Ray DVD Player provides home entertainment on the go - just right for frequent travelers, or those with young, edgy passengers on long family car trips. Solid and lightweight, a lot of Portable Blu-Ray DVD Player also provides dual headphone jacks, allowing more than one individual to witness the show. Besides, rechargeable batteries having features like cigarette lighter power adapters & car mounting kits make some portable players really car-friendly.

You can find best selling Blu-Ray & HD DVD players, Sony, Pansonic, Philips, Pioneer, Samsung and all latest Blu Ray Disc players at bluraydiscplayers.org.uk.

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Lowering Cost of Technology Could be Decisive in HD Disc Format War

As the hold that Sony's blu-ray high def DVD format has on the market continues to get stronger in the face of opposition from the competing HD-DVD format, there are a number of things that Sony could do in order to secure a sure victory. One of them is lowering the cost of its blu-ray disc players.

There's a lot of evidence to support the idea that this move would make for a sure victory over HD-DVD. Most of this evidence comes in the form of sales statistics. Right now, despite the fact that Blu-ray players cost roughly twice as much as HD-DVD players, there are just as many Blu-ray disc players in American homes as there are HD-DVD players. When you add in the number of Sony's Play Station 3 video game consoles- which also function as Blu-ray players- the number of Blu-ray players in American homes is significantly higher than the number of HD-DVD players out there. Combine those statistics with the fact that Blu-ray discs have outsold HD-DVD's in the past couple of months by a margin of over two to one, and it becomes pretty obvious that consumers as a whole like the Blu-ray format more than the HD-DVD format.

There are several reasons why the Blu-ray format may be more popular among consumers than the HD-DVD format. The most obvious technical difference is that the Blu-ray format can encode a lot more data onto each disc than the HD-DVD format can. This translates into longer movies and more bonus features that can be included on Blu-ray discs. Since both High Def DVD formats are also optical discs just like DVD's and CD's, there are plenty of computer applications for the technology as well. More data storage capacity translates into being able to deliver more software on each Blu-ray disc than on an HD-DVD disc. Blu-ray is also a better choice for data archiving than HD-DVD. Specifically, the HD-DVD format can only store fifteen gigabytes of data per side of the disc while Blu-ray can store twenty five gigabytes of data per side of the same sized disc! With that kind of a difference, it could be argued that even if HD-DVD was the winner of the format war, it would end up being replaced by something like Blu-ray anyway. Using Blu-ray now, just skips that step.

With the overall popularity of Blu-ray, Sony could secure its win in the format war by lowering the prices of its players. Losses of profits from the players could more than be made up for in coming years by licensing and royalties from having a monopoly on the high def DVD market. Also, as the cost of producing Blu-ray players goes down, Sony will eventually be able to profit on sales of them as well. Unfortunately Sony has been unwilling to make that effort so far, but another company called Funai will force the price of Blu-ray players down by introducing their own Blu-ray players onto the market that will cost around five hundred dollars a piece- a figure much more in line with what HD-DVD players cost.

It's interesting that a little known company could secure a victory in the format war for Sony by doing what Sony has so far refused to do for itself.

E. Sanderson writes articles for consumers who want to find the latest technology news about Cable TV. She has written for many major publications about Cable TV Providers and how buyers can find the best deals.

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Holographic Storage Kills BluRay?

Holographic storage ships next month. The technology was in the works for decades before becoming a reality. Every now and then I read about something and go "wow - that's the future!". I remember when I was a kid in the 80's and my day telling me about computer storage and memory doubling nearly every six months. He also told me "someday you'll be able to carry your 30 albums or your entire record collection on a small postage stamp sized chip in your pocket." It seemed like something out of the movies back then, and yet my 4GB SD Flash card for my digital camera can hold about 1,000 songs which I guess is about 75-80 CD's (and it's about the size of a postage stamp).

We've all seen a holograph in a sci-fi movie. A holograph is a projected image that, if you moved around it, would actually have perspective form different angles. A holograph is a true "3D image". So, how do you turn a holograph into storage? Technically a holograph IS storage, because it stores information about the image to be projected. A hologram uses 2 laser beams. A reference and illumination beam create an interference pattern on photo sensitive media. Shine a laser on that reference pattern and get an image in 3D - simple as that. Robin Harris brings up to good points in that article, the first being that a small fraction of the reference data can reconstruct the entire 3D images (you just can't move as far around it). This means that unlike a CD or DVD, if the photo sensitive media is scratched it doesn't (completely) destroy the data. Imagine data that can "reconstruct itself" from the remaining bits. His other point was that the amount of storage is just about limitless. By changing the reference point and illumination of the beams different holographs can be produced - so hundreds (or more) could be stored in the exact same space on the media.

Oh - did I mention the fact that photographic media has a lifespan of over 100 years, so holographic storage has the longest lifespan of any media to date. The company that created this holographic storage technology is "InPhase" and the first units will be shipped for $18,000 next month. One disk costs $180 and stores 300GB.

Why do we care? For the same reason that both CD and DVD players were thousands when they first came out. This is the future of technology. Movie studios with long term storage needs will gladly pay $18,000 for this device, but as the prices drop I think that this kind of technology will be something that consumers need. You can buy a half-terabyte drive at your local Wal-Mart now for $100. I think it's great to be able to back up all of our digital pictures and music on an external drive for our home network. But as time goes on I will need multiple ones, and eventually some will fail - and eventually I'll lose some really cherished memories. I think that's why a lot of people I know print out so many digital pictures on photo paper - they know that if somehow the digital copy is lost, the printed version should last a lifetime. If InPhase eventually created a consumer version holographic storage drive, wouldn't you buy one? I mean come on, you could store you family digital photos knowing that the media would be good up to 100 years. I know of no other storage technology other than printed photos themselves that could give you that kind of piece of mind.

Think about the industry uses this could bring. Movie theaters could ship out their blockbusters to the theaters on these disks knowing the quality wouldn't diminish no matter how many times they were rented out. Web hosts could practically offer "uncorruptable backups". You may not know this, but your local cable company usually has movies "downloaded" on their local server for the video "on demand" services you can watch. With holographic storage they could store tens of thousands of movies for you to watch, and not just hundreds. Unbelievable amounts of data could be stored in black boxes of planes, trains, and automobiles. You could possibly take your entire entertainment system from your living room to your car on one disk. Entire textbooks could begin to be stored on disk cartridges to be read in standard readers and books in schools and universities would not only be cheaper, but the quality of the content would never diminish (just the hardware readers to view them).

So that's why I think holographic storage is a future BluRay killer. How many years will that be? I don't know. It took 20 years for holographic storage to become a real piece of hardware you could buy. I don't think that it will be 20 more years before what I envision comes true, but it's certainly possible within the next 5-10. But you never know, something might just come along that's even better than this! Read Robin Harris' report on Holographic Storage at c|Net.

John Pratt writes free guides and blog help at JTPratt's Blogging Mistakes as well as gadget and technology reviews at The Smorgasbord. He also writes cell phone and mobile reviews at Used Cell Phone Bargains

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3-D HDTV With DLP

3D is an exciting new feature for the home theater market. For some dramatic movies or soap operas, 3D might seem out of place. But for sports, action movies, etc. 3D makes as much difference as color vs. black and white. And the new 3D technology is superior to the 3D system that has been used in theaters.

The commercial successes of recent 3D films like "Beowulf", "Meet the Robinsons", and "Journey to the Center of the Earth", is sparking interest with the movie studios to produce more 3D content material. Disney, Universal, Philips, Samsung, Sony, Thomson and IMAX are currently exploring the potential 3D HDTV market. Disney said it would begin making all its computer-animated films in 3D. According to Dreamworks CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg, all of the major studios have 3D projects under way. There will be over 2,500 theatre screens equipped with the Digital 3D technology by the end of 2009. All of this content will be available to the home theater market. The Big Question: will the 3D market be pervasive enough for major networks, especially the sports subset, to broadcast in 3D?

3D Distribution

It will likely be the satellite TV companies like DirecTV and Dish Network that distribute 3D versions of HDTV programming first. 3D movies should take about the same bandwidth as other 120 fps (frame per second) high def movies. The satellite companies have enough broadcast bandwidth to support niche markets (the cable companies do not), and for now, 3D HDTV is a niche market.

"Satellite's going to be constrained not so much by how many channels they can carry than by how many they can get," said Bob Scherman, Satellite Business News.

By 2010, it is projected that 60% of TV receivers in the United States will use a satellite signal, up from 15% in 2002.

3D HDTV Home Theater Systems

Because of the high frame rate for 3D, and the need for synchronization, LCD screens are generally incompatible with advanced 3D. However, prototypes by Phillips have been demonstrated at upwards of $20,000, and this technology does not require glasses. The Phillips technology is optically very complicated. Unlike electronics, it cannot be assumed that the price will come down.

By the end of this year (2008), more than one million 3D ready DLP HDTVs, manufactured by Mitsubishi and Samsung, will have been sold in the U.S. The technology functions by supplying a 60 Hz signal to each eye (equivalent to 120 Hz total). These sets can display standard HDTV, and are compatible with 3D material. Some source material is available for download, and blu-ray 3D discs are becoming available. "Hannah Montana and Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert" was the first 3D blu-ray Disc.

The Glasses: Field Sequential 3D

Special glasses are used with the DLP 3D system. The system is called "Field Sequential 3D" or HQFS (High Quality Field Sequential). This technology uses electronic shutter glasses instead of red-blue lenses we are used to at the movies. The effect is definitely superior. Our eyes see a slightly offset view of a scene. The two slightly different views are combined by the brain to result in our ability to see in 3D. Field Sequential 3D simulates this experience with shutter glasses. The shutter is not mechanical, but instead an LCD filter, that blocks vision when the opposite eye's view is shown.

A HDTV set with 120 Hz refresh rate is recommended for 3D viewing. The 3D system uses half of the total information for each eye. If we use a TV with a total of 60 Hz refresh rate, it would supply only 30 Hz to each eye, and that refresh rate would be visible (flicker).

When designing a 3D system with previous 3D techniques, we have the choice of either sending two equal bandwidth signals with full information, effectively doubling the signal bandwidth, or sending the signal such that either the horizontal or vertical resolution is halved, one half for each eye. Doubling the bandwidth would be a problem since the HDTV signal bandwidth capacity is already at a premium. Using the same bandwidth as non-3D material means that we can utilize the technology with current HDMI or DVI interfaces.

The alternative to cut resolution is unattractive, since we have worked to so hard to increase our system to high definition, we don't want to compromise. By using alternate frames for each eye, we see a high definition signal without flicker.

Two sets of wireless shutter glasses, with a control transmitter (InfraRed (IR), the same technology as the TV's remote control) cost about $100.

"Hang-Ups" Holding up DLP

Many consumers have a fascination with the idea of hanging their new big screen HDTV on the wall, like a painting. It's worth noting that most LCD and Plasma big screen TVs never actually get mounted on the wall. It is a significant challenge to mount something that weighs 60-150 pounds on the wall, and once installed, it's a continuing challenge for maintenance (for example, a 50 inch Pioneer PDP-5070HD weighs 128 pounds).

According to the NPD Group, only 13 percent of current LCD TV owners and 25 percent of plasma TV owners have their set mounted on the wall.

DLP is very popular among those who want larger high picture quality screens at affordable prices. For the money, DLP easily provides the highest quality-size value. An LCD of the same size and price will not have the picture quality of a DLP. DLP is also available in larger screen sizes then LCD televisions.

However, a DLP rear projection TV is a few inches thicker than an LCD or Plasma screen. LCD screens are usually 7-10 inches thick; DLP sets are usually 12-17 inches thick. Because of the fascination with mounting their sets on the wall, this difference of a few inches becomes the deciding factor for many consumers' purchase decisions.

Texas Instruments, who manufactures the DLP chips in a foundry in South Korea, sees renewed potential for the technology, which uses tiny mirrors on a semiconductor. The new LED Light Engine call "Phlatlight" (manufactured by Luminus) replaces the arc lamp and color wheel design of previous DLP HDTVs. Samsung has had their own proprietary LED lamp system for a couple of years. The LED Light Engine will need to be replaced infrequently (unlike the cold-cathode fluorescent lamps that had to be replaced every few years).

DLP HDTVs with an LED engine are more energy efficient than comparably sized flat panel displays, and the lack of a moving color wheel in the design means they perform with less noise. The DLP chip is faster than any other HDTV technology, with the mirrors switching on and off more than 15,000 times per second to deliver a picture without blur for fast moving images such as sports.

DLP HDTV sets are a very smart choice for most people, but be selective. Many of the HDTV sets in stores still do not have important technology, such as LED backlights.

The compatibility of the TV for 3D can be verified by looking for an input on the back of unit, marked "3D Ready".

Home Theater Personal Computer (HTPC)

An important trend in the home theater is the integration of the personal computer (PC) with the home theater. Integrating a PC into your home entertainment center has many advantages in addition to enabling 3D video. Downloading movies is one of the advantages. The HTPC should have a graphics card with a DVI connector (Digital Video Interface). Both XP and Vista will support Microsoft's product for the home theater.

HDTV and 3D video is computation intensive, meaning a high-performance computer. For 720p videos, a dual core microprocessor is needed; 1080p or 1080i videos require a quad core microprocessor for smooth playback. Video files are very large (!), so the larger the hard-drive, the better.

DirectX 9 graphics drivers (software) need to be installed, if they are not already present. To find your current version, Click "START" and then "RUN" from your Windows desktop. Type "dxdiag" in the "Run" box.

Software is available from several different vendors; "StereoPlayer" (Version 1.3.4) from 3DTV.at is available. Purchase of StereoPlayer is about $50. While you are at 3DTV.AT also download the GPL MPEG-1/2 Decoder. Alternatives to Stereoplayer include "Dynamic Digital Depth" (ddd.com), "Stereoscopic Player" and "Tridef Visualizer".

Summary

3D technology has become a major force in Hollywood. It is probable that this trend will repeat in the home theater. CRT and DLP work best with 3D technology, though plasma systems are also available. DLP offers the better value for big screens using HDTV, not just 3D HDTV.

About the Author: Brian Bradshaw is a Certified Technical Specialist (InfoComm CTS). Areas of expertise include Video, Audio, Computation, WiFi, HDTV, Satellite Systems, and Communications. He has a communications technology business that serves the Southwestern United States with offices in Plano, Texas (Dallas) and an office in Peoria, Arizona (Phoenix), managed by his brother, Keller Bradshaw.

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The 3 Keys To Successful Home Theater Rooms

Home theater rooms provide an escape for the whole family. With a high quality home theater system, you can enjoy a cinematic experience in your own home.

When constructing a home theater system, there are three main components you will need to know about. These main components are a DVD player, advanced surround sound speakers and a large television screen.

Most home theatres have a television of 27 inches or larger, but the newer models in wide-screen are more preferred for the home theater experience. The format used for most dvds is wide-screen. Wide-screen television offers a better shae for viewing films as the screen aspect better matches a cinema screen, also most of these TVs support high resolution. The images of these TV's are greatly enhanced compared to those seen on older televisions. You have a number of choices: In addition to rear-projection TVs, there are LCD or plasma TVs that have flat-panel screens, and front-projection TVs that are used with separate screens, like movie projectors.

A DVD player is also key for great home theater rooms. If you like blu-ray and HD DVD formats, you should purchase a DVD player which can handle these systems. The vast majority of players are capable of playing recorded movies (CD-R/RW and DVD-R/RW discs), MP3s, CDs and DVD movies. If you want to quickly and easily change through your CD or DVD collection a multi disc player is a necessity. The progressive scan feature of some DVD players leads to a clear, sharp image. Considering a DVD player/recorder, capable of recording television shows and movies onto black discs for you to watch later, may be a good idea. DVD-R recorders also have big hard drives to download and save your favorite shows.

When looking for a home theatre sound system, you will discover that a starter set with a center, left, and right speaker plus a subwoofer for bass will work well. Look in audiovisual magazines for reviews on the best rated speakers. Reviews on the best rated speakers are usually included in audiovisual magazines. If you can, preview the sound of the speakers you want before buying them so that you can determine if they have the kind of audio you need. Take your time and visit several different stores before making your final choice.

Todays home theater rooms can be a great escape if they are planned out correctly. You want to put together the best system possible so that you can really relax and enjoy the feeling of your home theater. You must understand what equipment best fits your needs, research your options, thus ensuring that you purchase the best equipment. Forethought about your home theatre will get you a better result and save money.

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