Questions and Answers
| 1. | Mr. Moore! December 16th, 2007 Can you answer a question for me? Me & my wife completely disagree on this & I want to prove to her I am correct. Can I get Cinema quality sound in any room or are some rooms better than others? For an example: I have a large unfinished basement & want to make a large room into a theater room, she wants to put me in a corner where one side has mostly windows down it. I want a designated room & she wants it to stay open & put me in the corner. I know the answer to this question, but still would like another opinion. I have dinner at Outback riding on your answer. Todd / South Lexington Posted : 2007-12-16 |
|
| Hello Todd! First of all - good question! Larger rooms are normally better. But with that said, let’s look at where this could be an issue at your home. Volume (size) helps decrease strong reflections (which helps improve the detail), small rooms aid in these strong reflections which add distortion & take away from detail. So depending on the size of the room you are trying to get, she may be closer to being accurate than you. Let’s break this down a bit. Having window’s (or any hard – non porous material) will cause strong reflections. Having some reflections is good (I don’t like dead rooms), but having them near the front channel speakers (those near the monitor) are bad. So I would try to stay away from doing that. But I can tell you having a small room (like 12 foot x 8 foot) is worse. Speakers produce sine waves (audio) & it is important for quality detail to not hear the sound bouncing off side walls, floors & ceilings. This is why acoustical panels are made & sold. They not only help you make the room look more like a Cinema/ Theater but improve the sound quality in the room as well. Typically we sell two types of sound improving products (absorptive & diffusive). I like to absorb strong reflections in the front – monitor area & diffuse them in the rear area. This gives your room a more enveloping – stimulating sound. Carpet is a great absorptive material, but hardwood floors, tile, etc… is highly reflective. So these hard materials cause multiple reflections (where you hear the information coming from the speakers more than once), which will make it hard to understand dialog, detail & increase reverberation (echo chamber). So personally I like the designated room idea you have. But if that room isn’t large enough or not designed correctly, her room may be better. Getting her approval will be a long term benefit as well (us audio/ video guys call it the W.A.F. approval). That is a guys lingo for Wife Approval Factor. I have a great software program that helps me scientifically determine the acoustic outcome of a room – before you build. This program gives me data based on the distance of the walls & the size of the room. I normally use it when a client is uncertain on the size of their home theater & where to place the chairs. If you have time, call me to set up an appointment & I’ll do one for you. The charge is $75 but would be well worth the expense. I’ll need to know minimums & maximums on the room sizes. Ceiling height, etc… Final thought: Having timbre matched speakers is a great starting point & then balancing, setting delays, crossovers & positioning the speakers correctly is another great way to get high quality sound when finished. I shoot for better sound than Cinema’s, why not – It’s not hard to do. Next time you go to a grocery store, go to the magazine section & pick up ‘Home Theater’ Magazine. It is a great source for the do-it-yourselfer. I hope you get your Outback dinner! Please remember to do your research before you purchase any product. It will save you a lot of future headaches. Please feel free to correspond to this and any other future articles by email or if you have a question that you feel should be listed on our 'Audio & Video Products - In Focus' please email me.  My email address is: dmoore@bghe.com.May electronics enhance your lifestyle as it has mine! Dan B. Moore / ISF II, HAA II, EST, ESPM, ESD |
| 2. | Hello Dan the expert Man! I have two issues I am dealing with & would like your advice. 1st question is in regards to my video signal on my 46” LCD TV. It is a Sharp Aquos & was touted to be the best 1080p set on the market (per the dealer I purchased it from). My problem is movies & the black levels. I thought buying a 1080p set would give me more detail & the best video possible. My next question is can I get my sets video improved by doing a calibration to it? Thanks in advance! John / Lexington Posted : 2007-08-15 |
|
| Hello John! Video can be a tricky thing. Good video is determined by several things: The quality (or processing) of your set, the source, the cables connecting everything together & then of course the TV settings (Brightness, Contrast, Color temp, Gamma, etc…). We sell Sharp Aquos sets as well & think they make a very good set. I have found through a lot of research that when you stand back from a 720p set & a 1080p set (let’s say 8 feet or more & assume they are both similar models), you won’t be able to distinguish between the two. When 1080p 1st hit the market about 2 years ago, that was the impression all the manufacturers wanted buyer to think. I apologize for them! Native 1080p video is only available from Blue-Ray DVD’s at the present time & probably won’t be available any time in the near future via cable, satellite or terrestrial (off-air locals). Most TV’s whether 720p or 1080p, have video processors in them which aid in the TV making video. Some manufacturers like Pioneer & Runco put high quality processors in their sets so the set produces high quality/ low noise video. But it is sad to say that almost all the manufacturers skimp on this part. They want to keep the cost down, so they put in parts that will do the job but for the most part – not very good – but acceptable at it. Calibrating is a great way to get the most out of a set. Whether you use a DVD & do-it-yourself, or hire a professional, you’ll definitely see an improvement. I have found that almost all sets come out of the box – ‘HOT’ (bright – dynamic). You would think this is a good thing, but it isn’t. It simply over amplifies the signal & detail, contrast & accurate video is compromised. My theory is this: get your black levels set 1st, then your whites (contrast on most sets), then finish with the color, tint & gamma. Using a DVD like ‘Video Essentials’ is a great start, but I have found that using the hidden menu’s (service menu’s) are necessary to get a set working at it’s best. One last note: make sure your cables are not the problem & verify your sources (DVD player, cable box, satellite receiver, etc…) are working correctly. Maybe the next step would be to purchase an HD-DVD or Blue-Ray DVD player (or one that plays both). I think you’ll love the video you see with that as your source. TECH NOTE: Bad signals are bad signals. Purchasing a TV of any kind isn’t the only answer. You’ll still need a good signal to get good results no matter how expensive the TV you purchase. Please remember to do your research before you purchase any product. It will save you a lot of future headaches. Please feel free to correspond to this and any other future articles by email or if you have a question that you feel should be listed on our 'Audio & Video Products - In Focus' please email me. My email address is: dmoore@bghe.comMay electronics enhance your lifestyle as it has mine! Dan B. Moore / ISF II, HAA II, EST, ESPM, ESD |
| 3. | Hello Mr. Home Theater Guru! I had my basement wired for a Home Theater System as well as a couple of side mounted screens (flat panels) by my electrician. My builder told us that we should be in our new home by the end of March. So, being excited about the final project & being worried as well… I have two questions: First one - the wiring. The wiring he ran looks like cable wire used by the cable companies – Is this correct? Then the 2nd question, the screen I saw in the back showroom in your store. It was huge! Which I love, by the way. Can you help me understand the advantages of this wide screen? Is it to get rid of black bars at the top and bottom of the screen when watching movies? I want to keep my side mounted TV’s if possible, but also would love to not have black bars as well. Can you advise? Stan / Richmond Posted : 2007-01-30 |
|
| Hello Stan! Wow! Actually there is more than 2 questions in your email, but let me give it a go. Let’s start with the wiring question. There are several types of coax cable on the market today. Some are oxygen free, some not, some is stranded, some solid, some solid copper, some mixed clad metals, some shielded, some not & then of course you have different gauges (diameter of the center conductor). (By the way… the 1st are the preferred). Any way… It would depend on those details. Typically, we run a (6) conductor – mini-coax for the distribution of HDTV & other digital signals, but normally only when the cable run is too long for a digital connection like HDMI or even DVI. (If you don’t know what those two cables are… come see us again at the store). Coax cable is also fine when you are using Cable as your source & your flat panel TV has a Cable card slot built-in. With this Cable card slot, you can get HDTV from your cable provider without having a Cable box. But please, call your Cable company 1st, to see if they offer that service before you go buy a set with that input. Some Cable companies don’t! The other use could be for local digital stations. Right now, Lexington local stations like WLEX –18, WKYT –27, WTVQ –36, WKLE –46, WDKY –56 & a couple of others, broadcast in both analog & in digital. So all TV sets manufactured since Feb 17th, 2006 over 27” are ready for these digital signals. By the way… those analog signals will probably disappear here in 2 years (Feb 17th, 2009), unless they (the FCC) changes the date again. TECH NOTE: Local TV’s stations are normally only broadcasting High-Definition signals during Prime-Time (usually after 8pm or on weekends for heavily watched sporting events). But just recently, I have seen some of the morning news shows being broadcast in HD as well. So… not all digital signals are HD, just the most watched ones seem to make it worth the extra expense it takes to broadcast. So, other than the two reasons above, the answer is NO. Coax cable isn’t the ideal wire to run to sets capable of HD signals. I don’t want to scare you, but let’s all hope your electrician ran those separate from the romex (electrical) wires & ran the power outlets to the same circuits as the sources. If not, you might have an issue with ground loops & 60 Hz noise you can see & hear. We see these problems a lot. I believe you should always have a company run your audio & video wires that sell audio & video equipment. So your electrician is perfect for running electrical wires to lights, etc… because they are probably the same company who is installing your lights. But since they probably aren’t installing your audio & video products, you might find problems you could have avoided by hiring an audio/ video company. Now for the answer(s) on the ‘Wide’ screen you saw in one of our showrooms. To answer this question correctly, I need to explain to you the sizes you typically see from DVD movies, Cable/ Satellite, computer, local (off-air), etc… Typically, you see these two formats (Aspect Ratio’s): 1:33 (a.k.a. – 4x3) or 1:78 (a.k.a. – 16x9). Almost all TV’s over 20” being sold today at electronics stores are 1:78. (which is wider than the sets most of us grew up with). So if you take the height of a set & multiply it by 1.78, you’ll get the width measurement. Sets are wider now because HD signals are in this 1:78 format. So if a TV set was the same height as it’s width, the set would be 1:1. But what about DVD movies??? Most of them are even wider and I get black bars! Why you ask??? Who knows! My guess is that Hollywood producers like to be unique and different than the norm. But the one thing we do know is that the Aspect Ratio of 2:35, is all around us. So when you go to buy a movie, you typically have two choices: Full Screen & Widescreen. Full-Screen = 1:33 or 4x3 Aspect Ration (for older – analog TV’s) & Widescreen = 1:78, 1:85 or 2:35 (for the newer digital TV’s). So be careful before you buy or rent your next movie and look on the back, lower DVD cover, the measurement/ Aspect Ratio is generally noted there. Now let me get back to the question, why we have this ‘Wide’ screen on display at our store and the answer is simple: Because most people who have Home Theaters/ Home Cinema’s in their home, love watching movies. We don’t like the black bars either, so we put in a 2:35 Aspect Ratio screen. These screens should only be used though with projectors which have correction lenses. Sorry! Another… What? Correction lens… What’s that? Let me try to answer briefly. At this time, the Home Theater Projectors DLP chips or LCD panels are in the 1:78 Aspect Ratio. So how can we get them to display a 2:35 Aspect Ratio? We manipulate the image to get rid of the bars. By doing this, we increase the image – about 33%. So, I remember the term heard many times before – ‘Wider is better!’ And when you see 2:35 movies on a 2:35 screen, you’ll say ‘Wider is better’ as well. Runco (a popular brand we sell), has several lens options. Please log onto www.stewartfilmscreen.com & www.runco.com for more specifics on 2:35 screens & these lenses needed for the 2:35 screen. Hope this info is what you are looking for. Please remember to do your research before you purchase any product. It will save you a lot of future headaches. Please feel free to correspond to this and any other future articles by email or if you have a question that you feel should be listed on our 'Audio & Video Products - In Focus' please email me. My email address is: dmoore@bghe.comMay electronics enhance your lifestyle as it has mine! Dan B. Moore / ISF II, HAA II, EST, ESPM, ESD |
| 4. | Hey Expert! I just heard the High Definition DVD players are shipping now. One is called a HD-DVD & the other is called a Blue Ray DVD player. Which one should I get & why. I currently have a 1080p DLP set. I think one is much more expensive than the other one. Can you help? Barry / Lexington Posted : 2006-07-27 |
|
| Hello Barry! Both are great, but let me explain the difference a bit before you make your decision. Toshiba, NEC & a few other manufacturers own the patents to the HD-DVD player. Sony, Pioneer, Samsung, Panasonic, Hitachi, Dell, LG, Mitsubshi, Philips & a few others are backing the Blu-Ray player. Then of course a few are playing both sides of the fence for at least the time being. You'll find both players are great products, yet the Blu-Ray has an advantage over the HD-DVD players in that they can produce up to 1080p, 7.1 audio & up to 40 Mbps bits rates. HD-DVD normally runs between 18 to 20 Mbps, 1080i, 720p & 480p & handles 5.1 audio. Both have many features that are fun but at this point - my vote goes to the Blu-Ray players. At the time of this email, Samsung Blu-Ray players are now shipping & run around $1000. Toshiba also is shipping their $500 HD-DVD model & soon will ship their $800 model. Both Blu-Ray DVD's & HD-DVD movies are about the same: $25 to $40 per movie. On a side note: 1080p is awesome! But not all 1080p labeled TV's can handle a 1080p signal. Please call your manufacturer to find out if your set can. 1080p was attached to some sets because of the dual DLP chip used in their sets, but when sent a 1080p signal... NADA??? No video. So make sure you visit our showroom or another showroom to see the magic you'll see from these players. I think it worth the expense! Please feel free to correspond to this and any other future articles by email or if you have a question that you feel should be listed on our 'Audio & Video Products - In Focus' please email me. My email address is: dmoore@bghe.comMay electronics enhance your lifestyle as it has mine! Dan B. Moore / ISF II, HAA II, EST, ESPM, ESD |
| 5. | Dear Dan, Due to my room size... I can't place my surround speakers in my 5.1 system behind my listening position. My couch is against the back wall & the surrounds are placed on the side walls - directly across on axis from my listening position, but up 7 feet high on the wall. So, I used a THX Optimizer DVD & went through the test & found the phase test made my surrounds sound 'Out-of-Phase.' But I checked the wiring & found they were wired correctly. So I switched the wires polarity to fix the problem. Will that hurt my speakers or amp? Can you help? Jimmy Posted : 2006-03-08 |
|
| Hello Jimmy! First of all... you won't hurt your speaker or amp by reversing the polarity (switching the speaker wires) ,but it will sound weird when listening to multi-channel music or DVD music. I would recommend swapping out your older receiver for a newer THX certified receiver with processing to recorrelate the surround channels (and also re aim them), or swap out your direct reflection surrounds with Di-polar surrounds. This will fix the localization you hear now. Then try an old HAA (Home Acoustics Alliance trick), point the surround speakers toward the ceiling instead of your head. After doing that, re-calibrate the amp/ processor by using the internal calibration mic or by using a SPL (sound pressure level) if you have one. If not, you can get one at Radio Shack for less than $50 bucks or call us to schedule an appointment for a tech here. That should be a quick service call. After all that, you'll find your surrounds will be more diffuse & more beneficial when listen to multi-channel DVD's, HD programs, etc... Now to why your rears surrounds sound Out-of-Phase. When (2) speakers cross each other at an equal point & equal amplitude, they cause a null or unfocused sound. This is why we don't recommend the listening position to be in the middle of the room, back or side walls or in the corners of a room. So when speakers are Out-of-Phase, they sound blurry - or out of focus. You hear the speaker like a reflection of sound off a wall. The position of side channel speakers can be critical at generating a seamless and enveloping surround field. Speakers placed behind an obstruction or too far behind the listener and can cause abrupt panning from front to back and vice versa. Speakers placed too far forward won't allow proper rear / behind you - imaging. An exception is for di-pole side speakers typically designed to be abreast the listener. Properly positioned side surround speakers will enhance the front sound stage and wrap it around the audience while also providing the side channel sourcing of special effects found in multi-channel programs. My email address is: dmoore@bghe.comMay electronics enhance your lifestyle as it has mine! Dan B. Moore / ISF II, HAA II, EST, ESPM, ESD |
| 6. | Dear Dan, I am in the market for a big screen TV and after doing some research, I am leaning on the Samsung DLP set. But I am confused... they have two types, one that states it displays a HD picture of 720p and the other (more expensive) states it displays a better HD signal of 1080p. Can you help me understand this 720p vs. 1080p better? Thanks, Darrin Posted : 2005-08-12 |
|
| Hello Darrin! First, let me explain what 1080p is and then how it affects video. DLP (Digital Light Processing or a.k.a. - DMD - Digital Micromirror Device) is a new technology that is starting to dominate the High Definition -TV market all across our country. Typical DLP sets have a resolution of 1,280 x 720 (see DLP vs. LCD section for more details on resolution). HD signals are now being sent in two formats, 720p and 1080i. So a set that can display 720 vertical lines of resolution (2nd number in 1,280 x 720) is considered an HD native set. Currently, nothing being made or even being discussed of being made - broadcasts in 1080p. So the main reason I believe you are going to see manufacturers push their 1080p sets is - they can make more money! They know by having the largest number, the average uninformed consumer (with extra money in their pocket), may be persuaded to make the purchase - UPSALE! This 1080p term is new and catchy, but is it better? Let's break it down a bit more Facts you should know about 1080p DLP sets: Video on DLP TV sets are made up of thousands of little squares (pixels) - light reflecting off little mirrors on a chip called a DMD or DLP (developed by Texas Instruments) - I.E... 1,280 x 720. The 1,280 represents the number of squares (pixels) horizontal and the 720 represents the number of pixels vertical. Generally, the more of them - the better video! But not always. That topic is for another day. So the main difference in the newer 1080p sets is it's the resolution. The typical DLP set displays 1,280 x 720 - these newer 1080p sets display a higher number of these pixels - 1,920 x 1080. But this is how they do it... Using a technique known in the computer industry as (wobulation or Smooth-Picture), Texas Instruments achieves a 1,920 x 1080 effective pixel resolution using half that number of mirrors. Wobulation a term given by HP or Smooth-Picture by TI, relies on the same principle as interlaceding, which shows half the picture at a time, but so rapidly that the eye combines the two parts as one. Starting with the square (pixel) design of its 720p DLP chips, TI turned each mirror 45 degrees relative to the sides of the display, creating rows of diamond- shaped pixels. In effect - there are only two separate pixels, one after the other (overlapping). During operation, light from the lamp bounces from the chip to a pivoting reflective panel called an optical actuator. This actuator first reflects half of the image information (the odd-numbered pixels) onto the screen. Then after 8 milliseconds, it switches position - or wobulates - half a pixel width. Simultaneously, the chip flashes the information for the other half of the image (the even-numbered pixels). This happens so quickly that it's impossible to differentiate between the sets of pixels, and the frame, with all 1,920 x 1,080 pixels, is 'constructed' within the standard 1/60 of a second field time. So after all that... Is it better? Yes - but it is objective whether or not it is worth the extra money. From close distances - I would say Yes, but you probably wouldn't be able to notice a difference from 10 feet or further back. Please feel free to correspond to this and any other future articles by email or if you have a question that you feel should be listed on our 'Audio & Video Products - In Focus' please email me. My email address is: dmoore@bghe.comMay electronics enhance your lifestyle as it has mine! Dan B. Moore / ISF II, HAA II, EST, ESPM, ESD |