Frank Doris

Other Tech
How To Get The Most Out Of Your Speakers
Frank Doris  |  Oct 06, 2009

Let's get right to the point: For home theater, a good audio system is just as important as a good video display. Sure, large-screen LCD, plasma, and DLP TVs and video projectors look spectacular.

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Other Tech
Back to Basics: How to Set Up a DVD Player or DVD Recorder
Frank Doris  |  May 25, 2005

It won't be long before expressions like, "Honey, don't forget to tape American Idol for me!" and "Let's go to the videotape" fade as disc- and hard-drive-based recording triumphs over the trusty VCR. And while DVD recorders a re more complicated to set up and use than VCRs, they're getting easier - really!

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Other Tech
Back to Basics: How to Set Up Your Receiver
Frank Doris  |  Feb 23, 2005

You might think your TV is the most important part of your home theater system. But the real heart of any home-entertainment setup is the A/V or digital surround receiver - the one element that ties all the others together and lets you select and adjust what you watch or listen to.

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How to Buy Surround Sound
Frank Doris  |  Dec 31, 2004

One of the best things about home theater is the thrilling realism and impact that surround sound brings to the experience. Having a great sound system can make the difference between just watching TV and feeling like you're in a movie theater, immersed in the onscreen action. But what kind of surround setup is best for you?

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Back to Basics: Surround Sound Speakers
Frank Doris  |  Aug 10, 2004

I probably don't need to convince you that HDTV is a spectacular viewing experience, with astonishingly lifelike images. But to enjoy all the benefits of HDTV and DVD, you need a multichannel surround sound system.

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Back to Basics: How to Set Up Your new HDTV
Frank Doris  |  Jul 07, 2004

So you finally went out and bought a high-definition TV. Congratulations - you've joined a growing community of people who've switched to the new digital technology.

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The Setup: Speakers
Frank Doris  |  Aug 11, 2002

You probably already know that good speakers are essential to putting together a high-quality stereo or multichannel music system or home theater. You can invest several months' mortgage payments in first-rate audio/video components, but without good speakers you're simply not going to hear your system's full potential.

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Other Tech
The Setup: DVD Players
Frank Doris  |  Dec 22, 2001

The concept of "plug and play" is a starry-eyed consumer-electronics fantasy. In my experience, almost all home entertainment devices - at least the kinds covered in this magazine - need some sort of setup to achieve optimum performance. Heck, even my first childhood record player had to have the volume adjusted.

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Other Tech
The Setup
Frank Doris  |  Sep 05, 2001

More and more people are mak ing the switch from cable to satellite TV, and why not? A satellite system can deliver hundreds of TV and music channels digitally with amazingly clear picture and sound quality. And depending on your system and programming package, you can get Dolby Digital surround sound, HDTV movies, blazingly fast Internet access, and more.

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Other Tech
The Setup: Speakers
Frank Doris  |  Jun 06, 2001

You probably already know that good speakers are essential to putting together a high-quality stereo or multichannel music system or home theater. You can invest several months' mortgage payments in first-rate audio/video components, but without good speakers you're simply not going to hear your system's full potential.

Continue Reading >
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