Clutter Cutter We have a budget of about $600 for a sound system to go with our new Panasonic TC-P54G25 plasma TV. We are looking for a system without a lot of clutter. Is there something with a subwoofer and just a couple of speakers, or do we need many speakers? Our TV room measures 22x22 feet.
Howdy, Slim First, let me tell you how much I enjoy your podcastsvery informative and entertaining. I loved the episode with Gene Dolgoff, a true pioneer in this field.
3D Quandary I'm looking for a 3D TV in the 55- to 65-inch range. I was leaning toward the Panasonic TC-P65VT25 until a salesperson at Best Buy told me the Samsung PN63C8000 is better, plus it includes a Blu-ray player. I thought Panasonic made the best plasmas. Also, which is better for 3DLCD, LED, or plasma? Is Sony, Samsung, or Panasonic the best brand?
Secret Handshake I have an LG 50PK750 plasma TV connected to a Sony Blu-ray player via HDMI. When i switch inputs from the cable box to the BD player, I may or may not get sound. It seems to work more often if I switch the input and then power up the player. No one I've talked to, including an LG tech, has any knowledge or advice about this. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Job Training In looking for a good part-time job (hopefully working into full time), I ran into a guy who advised that I take a video-calibration technician course. Who is best to teach this? I heard that an ISF course is available through a school in Colorado. I have also heard you and Leo Laporte chat about THX in glowing tones, and I see online they hold courses in Las Vegas and Dallas.
More Power! How is it that tube amps only produce, say, 25 watts of power, and yet they provide enough output to drive speakers rated for hundreds of watts?
Going Wireless I have some very good wired speakers. How can I convert them to wireless in order to have more flexibility in placement? I do not want wires going throughout the room.
Oh My! I was listening to Leo Laporte's recent "Tech Guy" podcast on which you discussed Sharp televisions and their new Quattron technology, which uses four colors (red, green, blue, and yellow). I agree with your comments that the goal should be to accurately reproduce the original colors. Is this technology akin to inkjet printers using more than three inks to more accurately reproduce colors? Do you know if Sharp is trying to create "extra" color or using a new technique to reproduce color content that isn't being properly generated?
Black Hole Mode You often talk about the advantages of professional calibration, but why couldn't TV makers include a mode for a blacked-out room? Or am I missing something? I have a ninth-gen, 50-inch Pioneer Kuro and a PS3. I set the TV's picture mode to Movie for standard-def TV and Standard for Blu-ray (with film mode set to Advance).
Waiting for 3D With Sony and Microsoft both moving toward 3D video-game consoles, I'm thinking about getting a 3D TV. But I'm not willing to get a first-generation model because the standard for glasses has not been finalized, and receivers still seem to be catching up. How long will I have to wait for everything to be finalized?
Diamonds Are a Light's Best Friend I am installing a new home theater, starting with a Panasonic PT-AE4000U projector, and I wonder about which screen to use. I would like a 16:9 or 2.35:1 screen. The room has some ambient light, but it can be made totally dark. What do you think of the Screen Innovations Black Diamond II? I have seen some YouTube videos about it, and it really looks great, but I wonder if it's worth the high price?
Gamma Chameleon I notice that most projectors don't have a spot-on gamma of 2.2. They are either a little above or under the ideal 2.2. Is this less important than color temperature and contrast ratio?
Golden Oldie I have a 34-inch Sony KD-34XBR960 direct-view CRT HDTV, which works fine, but it's a beast. Are the current LCD/LED TVs equal in picture quality to the 960? Other than multiple HDMI inputs, weighing less, and consuming less electricity, are there any visual benefits to replacing the 960?
Calibration Conundrum It has been mentioned in many articles that a professional calibrator can enter adjustments for different lighting conditions and different inputs. But how do you calibrate something other than a DVD or Blu-ray player that can play test discs? How do you generate test data from a cable box, game console, etc.?