Fred Manteghian | Sep 06, 2007 | First Published: Sep 07, 2007
Planar knows a lot about video displays – how to get them into hospitals, tanks and now, home theaters. The deals was inked 101 days ago. Planar's more global positioning will help expand Runco heretofor minimal international presence.
Fred Manteghian | Sep 06, 2007 | First Published: Sep 07, 2007
Richard Schneider, founder of Terrestrial Digital, is right about one thing: there's plenty of free over-the-air high definition signals out there for anyone willing to try. And the signal quality is generally better than anything off a small satellite or cable. Terrestrial Digital's new line of ClearStream antennas are small and practically invisible compared to the 14' Yagi monster I've got on my roof.
Fred Manteghian | Sep 06, 2007 | First Published: Sep 07, 2007
Terrestrial Digital is making an HDTV tuner / antenna similar in design to the LaCrosse Micron antennae, except of course it has a built in high definition tuner. How good is the tuner? Who knows, who cares, because the unit only outputs composite video or s-video with two channels of analog audio.
I was at the CEDIA show this week wearing a path between the restroom and the press conference room of the Colorado Convention Center when I heard what sounded like a live guitar performance wafting out of Room 304. When I walked into the room and...
Newcomers to Sound & Vision's HDTV test reports are likely to come across some tech talk that might seem confusing or arcane at first. The truth is, video technology has become much more complex since TV started to go digital and high-def nearly a decade ago, and a side effect of all that increased picture resolution and clarity has been mounds of strange new jargon.
Thanks to more efficient manufacturing, cutthroat retail competition, and predatory market-share grabs by a few manufacturers, HDTVs are now readily affordable. But the one thing that hasn't changed is the refrain heard from many people when they get their new sets home: "Hey, where's all the high-definition programming?"
Sim2 has a new projector, the C3X1080 – a three chip DLP with an anamorphic lens sled system available as an option. With 10,000:1 contrast at 2,000 lumens, the projector can handle a big screen and it did – we were treated to, what else, <i>Pirates II</i> or whatever it's called, on a 10 foot wide 2.35:1 ratio Stewart Firehawk screen. The picture was definitely bright enough in the dark room, especially considering they only use a 250 watt UHP bulb (lower power setting of 200 watts is also available).
Even if you have been living under a rock lately (and no, not <I>The Rock</I> Michael Bay), you're aware that Paramount and DreamWorks recently switched to exclusive HD DVD support. While much of the press focus on this move has centered on the alleged $150 million that changed hands, Paramount has gotten out front in explaining that there were cost and technology factors involved in this momentous decision.
SE2 Labs presents the ITC One Integrated Theater Console. About the size of a big subwoofer, the ITC One is a bus based solution that combines all your sources and amplification needs in one box. One really big box. Configuration options include HD DVRs for Dish and Directv (so if you want to switch providers, you can) and there's a built in dock for your iPod behind the closed front doors (visible in my picture). Source selection is easy-peazy from the front, but of course, the ITC One comes with a custom remote whose every button is backlit (6 AA's so you don't have to deal with docking stations). And if you lose the remote, you can "page" it from the ITC One. Not much chance of losing that.