Color Bars, Audio Switches, TV Settings
Posted Wed Nov 18, 2009, 5:36 PM ET
Great Idea
I have a DirecTV DVR, and I discovered that some channels display the SMPTE color bars after signing off, so I have recorded them to use when adjusting the TV's picture controls for broadcast content. The color-bar patterns I have recorded do not have 3.5 and 7.5 IRE PLUGE bars, only the 11.5 IRE bar. How do I adjust the brightness without the 3.5 and 7.5 bars?
Brandon Bain
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Video Processing, LED Backlighting, Big Plasma
Posted Wed Nov 11, 2009, 8:13 PM ET
Two For One
I have a Pioneer Elite PRO-111FD plasma with a Denon DVD-3800BDCI Blu-ray player, and I have two questions. First, should I set the Denon to output 1080p/24 manually or just leave it set to Auto? Second, a friend is encouraging me to get the DVDO Edge because, he says, its processing is probably better than either the Pioneer or Denon. Do you think this is true, or is my current gear sufficient?
Konstantino Diagoupis
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Speakers, Switchers, Kuro
Posted Wed Nov 4, 2009, 7:02 PM ET
Decisions, Decisions
I want to get a new pair of main speakers for my Pioneer Elite SC-27 A/V receiver. I can't decide between the Klipsch RF-83 and the Polk RTi A9. Is one better than the other?
Brandon Eli
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PIP, Bi-Amping, Burn-In
Posted Tue Oct 27, 2009, 10:01 PM ET
PIP, PIP, Cheerio!
Why is it difficult to find new TVs with PIP (picture-in-picture). I'm looking for a new set to watch multiple sports channels on, so motion blur is also an issue.
Brent Iverson
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Plasma Break-In, AVR Upgrade, Frame Interpolation
Posted Tue Oct 20, 2009, 3:09 PM ET
Breaking In Is Hard To Do
I recently purchased a Panasonic TC-P54V10 plasma TV along with a Panasonic DMP-BD60 Blu-ray player. I was thinking of getting a professional ISF calibration on the plasma, but my sales rep said that I should wait about 200 hours before having it done since the gas needs to settle (or something like that). Do you agree?
By the way, is a professional calibration done only once on a plasma TV, or is it something that needs to be redone every so often?
Antonio Giaccio
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Bias Lighting, Best Blu-rays, Fixer-Upper
Posted Thu Oct 15, 2009, 1:29 AM ET
On The Bias
I recall some Philips TVs having a built-in ambient light—some type of glow from behind the TV.
This was supposed to help with dark-room viewing. Since then, few if any manufacturers have followed suit, but I continue to see occasional articles that say this is a good idea because it helps make viewing less stressful on the eyes.
I have a Samsung UN55B6000, and I'm thinking about adding LED light strips behind the TV to achieve a similar effect. Is this really worthwhile to do? Does it really help with eye strain?
Phil Clark
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Old Speakers, Up or Down, Improved Sound
Posted Wed Oct 7, 2009, 4:14 PM ET
How Old is Too Old?
I have been considering buying a pair of B&W Matrix 801 Series 3 speakers. Sonically, I am impressed, but the speakers were produced in 1990, and I am not sure if $2000/pair is a good investment, age-wise. I just don't know how much life is left in them. The current owner says he mostly plays music at a low level. Is anything I could check on my own, apart from auditioning, that can give me a clue in terms of how the speakers have aged and what's to come?
Vladimir Kozyrev
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BD Burner, Poor Vision, Ambient Light
Posted Wed Sep 30, 2009, 4:48 PM ET
Burning Desire
I have a pretty fancy home-theater system, and I use DirecTV as my broadcast source. I would love to be able to burn widescreen HDTV shows to a DVD. My first choice is to burn DVDs in widescreen high def. My second choice would be to burn DVDs in widescreen, even if not high def. At this time, is there a good high-def DVD burner I could buy? Price is not an issue.
Steve
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TVs, Adaptors, Tuners
Posted Wed Sep 23, 2009, 5:11 PM ET
Funny You Should Ask
I'm looking for a reasonably priced 42-inch HDTV. A standard-definition DVD player will be connected to it as well as digital cable, but no HD service. Plasma or LCD? I can go either way. It won't be wall mounted. I was thinking a 720p set would okay since we don't plan to have HD cable service, but I'd be very interested to hear what you think.
Mike Survilas
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AVR Setup, AVR Compatibility, VGA
Posted Fri Sep 18, 2009, 3:59 PM ET
Manual Labor
I purchased an SPL meter to level the speakers in my 5.1 surround system. I read an article in Home Theater magazine about how to use this device, but I'm still not sure how to do it. For example, I'm not sure where to put the dial—do I start at 80 or 120?
John Krause
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Screens, Heat, Speakers
Posted Wed Aug 26, 2009, 3:06 PM ET
Goo for God
Have you ever reviewed any paint-on projection screens? If so, how do they generally compare to an actual screen? Also, is there a brand you recommend? I'm thinking about going this route for my church, not a home-theater setup.
Bryan Wolff
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Audyssey, Adaptors, Screen Doors
Posted Wed Aug 19, 2009, 8:26 PM ET
Feature Confusion
I have an Integra DTR-5.8 receiver. The owner's manual mentions Audyssey as a way to initially set up the speakers. I was wondering if you could tell me more about the feature that matches the sound level of TV programs and commercials.
Lou
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Restoration, BD vs. Cable, BD Soundtracks
Posted Wed Aug 12, 2009, 5:55 PM ET
Restorative Power
When movies are restored for Blu-ray, why do some not look very good? Does it have to do with the film elements themselves? Why are some films harder to restore for Blu-ray? Are movies from the '50s, '60s, '70s, and '80s harder to restore in high-def than films of today?
Ken Kraly
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System Recommendation, Analog vs. PCM, TiVo & FiOS
Posted Tue Aug 4, 2009, 8:10 PM ET
Starting from Scratch
I have a family room that measures 16x25 feet, and I intend to install a projection home theater with a good, affordable sound system. My budget is about $8000. What do you suggest for the projector, receiver, and speakers?
Uday Trivedi
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DVE, Blu-ray, Video Delay
Posted Tue Jul 28, 2009, 4:20 PM ET
Not Just for HDTVs
I own a Sony VPL-VW60 HD projector. Can I use Digital Video Essentials: HD Basics on Blu-ray to set it up, or is this only for HDTVs?
Tracy E. Lecrone
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TiVo HD, TV Sound, Asian AVRs
Posted Tue Jul 21, 2009, 10:52 PM ET
Simple Answer
I've been looking for a device to record television programs from an over-the-air antenna so I don't have to subscribe to cable or satellite for my local stations that I used to record with my VCR. Is there such a device? My VCR still works, but I would prefer something that records HD.
James Rodriquez
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7.1 vs. 5.1, HTIBs, Dolby Headphone
Posted Tue Jul 14, 2009, 5:44 PM ET
More Channels
With Blu-ray's storage capacity, lossless codecs, and 7.1 receivers, why aren't the vast majority of Blu-ray movies released with 7.1 audio? Are movie distributors/production companies just cheap or lazy? Did I just waste my money installing a 7.1 setup?
Robert Taylor
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240Hz, High-End Projectors, Plasma Calibration
Posted Tue Jul 7, 2009, 4:47 PM ET
Twice as Sharp
I intend to buy an LED-illuminated LCD TV. Since I like action sports, should I get a 240Hz set rather than a 120Hz?
Rick Feldan
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Lightning, Apartment Sound, CDs
Posted Fri Jul 3, 2009, 3:10 PM ET
Lightning Strikes Again
I live in the Southeast where lightning is a serious problem. I was recently advised by an electrical contractor to have a whole-house surge protector installed. I am inclined to do this. However, I first wanted to find out if this would have a negative effect on my audio system.
Jim Williamson
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Exotic Cables, AVR Upgrade, DVD Recorder
Posted Tue Jun 30, 2009, 3:26 PM ET
The Great Audio-Cable Debate
Are exotic audio cables worth the money? Can you really hear the difference? I have a hard time putting my arms around spending thousands of dollars on cable made of 99.9999% long-grain copper—as I understand it, copper is copper. Also, I've been told to use XLR interconnects.
Steve Smith
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