http://chesapeakehometheatre.com/index.htmlHot News!enuser@domain.comCopyright 2011 Sheila Maestas2011-04-02T22:59:00-04:00 hourly 1 2000-01-01T12:00+00:00 Sun, 20 Nov 2011 17:38:22 -0500user@domain.comTech Talk2011-04-02T22:59:00-04:00http://chesapeakehometheatre.com/blog/files/d89537a7c7c76b72efc1a73586d732f2-32.html#unique-entry-id-32http://chesapeakehometheatre.com/blog/files/d89537a7c7c76b72efc1a73586d732f2-32.html#unique-entry-id-32If you are as old as me, you remember back in the day when you had to walk over to the TV to change channels (and volume). Thanks to Infra-Red Technology we have total control of our electronics without getting off of the recliner. But, sometimes technology (and convenience) comes with a price. And that price is that each device comes with its own remote.

How many are in your collection? In a basic system there will be a TV and a satellite (or Cable) receiver, that’s two. Add a DVD player (or Blu-Ray) for 3, surround sound and we’re up to 4. Maybe a CD player for 5 remote controls. I won’t say how many I was up to, but you see where I am going with this.

To resolve this dilemna, and lower the divorce rate, several companies sell universal remote controls. With a little bit of programming and the correct codes, you can eliminate most (if not all) of that remote collection. They range in price from under $100 to over $500. Like a lot of things, you will get what you pay for. If you only need to change channels and volume, a basic remote will do just fine. If you want to change surround modes, change the XM station in Zone 2 (while sitting in the hot tub), and dim the lights, you will need a more sophisticated unit. If you really want to show off, you can close the shades, start the fire, lower the thermostat and turn on the ceiling fan.

Not bad, but how complicated are these devices? The more sophisticated remotes allow for “activity” programming. Think about this, to watch TV, you turn on the TV, the cable box, and sound system. That’s three devices to power on that can be programmed to turn on with one button. These cool remotes can be programmed to know that the cable box changes channels, not the TV. And the sound system changes volume, not the TV, etc, etc. Simply put, “activity programs” are several commands being executed by one button. So now my wife can actually watch TV! She just hits one button and the system comes to life.

You might be thinking, that is pretty cool, but the coolest device ever, is my IPhone (or Droid). And yes, there are apps that allow for your IPhone to become a universal remote control. So, clean up that coffee table, empower your wife, and take back “control” of your audio/video system!]]>user@domain.comTech Talk2011-04-08T22:58:01-04:00http://chesapeakehometheatre.com/blog/files/5a0b039f88951b9ee8233c5a6cc9f9bf-31.html#unique-entry-id-31http://chesapeakehometheatre.com/blog/files/5a0b039f88951b9ee8233c5a6cc9f9bf-31.html#unique-entry-id-31



Not too many years ago a west coast software company was dominating the world’s computer technology marketplace. Revenues were skyrocketing and competitors were being crushed. Companies like Intel, Dell, HP, and Compaq partnered with Microsoft and profited in a huge way. Bill Gates, the founder and CEO was the world’s richest man. Microsoft was everywhere and everything, or so it seemed. How could any company ever challenge this giant?

Meanwhile, rival west coast Apple Computer was sinking fast. Their computers cost more than Windows-based units. Apple’s technology marketshare was well below 5%. Microsoft was crushing its competitors with the Windows Operating System and its application software. Products like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint became market leaders and even Gov’t and Corporate standards. Remember Lotus and WordPerfect? Maybe??

What could a company named after a fruit (not that fruit is bad, I’m just setting you up!) possibly do to turn itself around against Microsoft? And what does this have to do with audio and video, dude?? Answer; EVERYTHING!

Miniature hard drive music players were just hitting the market, and there were plenty of them. The Sony Walkman was doomed, nice unit in its day, but the cassette tape was doomed. TA-DA!! Enter the Apple iPod. The iPod was the slickest handheld music device ever seen (and still might be!). It had the touch wheel, the display, even the box it shipped in was really cool. And the device that fit in your shirt pocket could store hours and hours (maybe weeks) of music. Did I mention it was really cool too?

iPods sold like hotcakes. Anyone that was into music had to have one. Sure, teenagers were probably the big market, but older (the rest of us) folks that commuted and traveled scooped them up too. The iPod was great with headphones and could easily be added to a home or car audio system. The iPod easily stored entire music collections, 100’s of CDs! WHAT COULD BE BETTER THAN THAT??

Well, better than that, was already in place. And it was FREE! Apple invented a free software download called “iTunes”, which allowed anyone to download music or video via the Internet to their computer and sync to their iPod.. Sure, songs were $.99 each, and movies or videos cost $$. But the required iTunes was free. Free razor, just buy the blades concept?? GO APPLE, GO APPLE! So, Apple pays the artists a royalty, and takes a minor fee, everyone is happy. Except the record stores! They are ALL GONE! Apple re-invented, perfected the audio/video distribution business and spanked Microsoft in a big consumer computer related marketplace. Apple’s Macintosh line of computers also grew major market share from the success of the iPod. I think of this as bottom-up marketing.

Of course the skeptic in me had to think, what is this cool device lacking? I still have to travel with an iPod, a laptop (for e-mail) and a cell phone. Nobody could ever package a device that does all that. WRONG!! Enter the iPhone! It does all that and more! Then enter the iTouch, the iPad (an awesome 9-inch touch screen tablet) and you have become a member of the “i” Generation! Think you’re a Baby Boomer? Hippie Gen?
Gen-Xer? NO, we are all members of the “i” GENERATION! ]]>user@domain.comTech Talk2011-05-01T22:55:34-04:00http://chesapeakehometheatre.com/blog/files/296dd5c46619f952fa7462f4bacbfe36-29.html#unique-entry-id-29http://chesapeakehometheatre.com/blog/files/296dd5c46619f952fa7462f4bacbfe36-29.html#unique-entry-id-29I get asked this question a lot. “What is the best TV in the marketplace these days? The answer is not as black and white as you might think (that was a joke!). Let’s start with DLP technology.

DLP stands for “digital light processing” which is a chipset designed by Texas Instruments and can be found in TVs and front projectors and probably other consumer electronics. DLP sets are actually rear projection TVs that are about 15” deep depending on the actual unit. They’re not as deep as older tube TVs, but not as slim as LCDs and Plasmas. If you bought a DLP set a few years ago you have a large TV and saved money compared to the other technologies back then. You also have a bulb to change every couple of years. A DLP bulb lasts around 3000 hours and costs between $200 and $300. The biggest advantage of a DLP TV is size vs. price. If you see a 73” hi-def TV advertised for a very low price, you can bet it is a DLP. Since the prices of plasmas and LCDs have dropped significantly in the past few years, so has the DLP marketshare. Only a few manufacturers still make DLPs.

Liquid Crystal Display TVs have been around longer than you may think. The technology is mature and reliable. They weigh very little (remember what a 32” tube TV weighed?) and can be only a couple of inches deep. Their images are bright, sharp and very nice. They are perfect for your teenager’s Wii, Xbox, or Playstation video games because they are immune to “burn-in”. The video snobs complained that LCDs were weak in their ability to display blacks. That makes sense because how do you create black with light? But really, to the human eye this technology creates a great picture. And if money is no object take a look at the new LED/LCD sets. These are the brightest, thinnest, and sharpest TVs and will make you do a double take. They are so rich in image, they can look almost artificial. Think of an LED/LCD TV as an LCD on steroids. The larger sets, say 42” and above been known to display artifacts or trails. But this was corrected by increasing the re-fresh rate. So if you see a spec that reads 240Hz, that is the increased re-fresh rate while 60Hz would be slowest.

Plasma is a gas technology that has been around for a while. When these TVs first hit the market, they had a short life-span and were ridiculously expensive. But the manufacturers corrected the issues and lowered the costs. Today a Plasma TV has the same life expectancy as an LCD which is about 40 years. Yes, I said 40 years! That is if you have stable power and don’t get surged by a lightening storm. Price wise, a plasma TV costs less than a comparable LCD (LESS, and that is NOT a misprint!). The newer plasmas are even energy star rated. You will get the deepest blacks, sharp images and realistic bright colors. Plasmas inherently have a very fast re-fresh rate (native 600Hz) and are immune to displaying trails. Some people complain about glare, which is due to plasma technology utilizing glass on the front of the TV. Of course glass will reflect light like a mirror where a glass-less LCD TV won’t. But the newer Plasmas have a non-glare coating embedded in the glass to reduce that objection. And while they could develop “burn-in”, there are safeguards built in such as auto shut-off to reduce this possibility. And there are ways to correct burn-in in that unlikely event. There used to be rumors circulating that plasmas needed to be re-charged every couple of years. NOT TRUE! No re-charging necessary.

So which is the best TV to buy these days? While DLP TVs had success, I think we can eliminate that technology for now. And the smallest plasma is 42”, so if you want a TV smaller than that, you are getting an LCD. If you’re looking for an average sized TV, maybe 50” (did I say 50” was average?), you will save money going with plasma. If you really want to show off to your friends, go with an LED/LCD. But understand you will pay a lot more for it. Personally, I like the price/performance of plasma. The images are realistic and prices are at all-time lows. But really, get the TV that looks good to you and is the best deal of the day! Prices can change day to day. If you stick with a known name manufacturer, ultimately you almost can’t go wrong. Get the picture?]]>user@domain.comTech Talk2011-05-08T22:54:16-04:00http://chesapeakehometheatre.com/blog/files/30a4439eb1dd1b4c8bef3dda9fcbe550-28.html#unique-entry-id-28http://chesapeakehometheatre.com/blog/files/30a4439eb1dd1b4c8bef3dda9fcbe550-28.html#unique-entry-id-28I’m not talking about the Royal Wedding (I think we got enough of that!) I am referring to the Information Technology marketplace (aka the Computer Industry) integrating with the audio/video world . Or is it the other way around? Actually this is not a new concept, but for some reason the consumer marketplace wasn’t ready to accept the marriage. But the past year has seen manufacturers finally accept the fact that the two markets are perfect for each other.

Take an IPod for example, what is it? Well, it’s a miniature hard drive (a computer device) in a small package that stores digital audio (and video). You can upload music to it via a computer, from the internet or an existing CD. OK, so the IPod (an audio/video device with computer parts) at some point needs a computer. And you wouldn’t want to walk around the health club with your computer to listen to your music collection. So your computer at some point relies on your IPod (or portable music player). Maybe that’s a bad example, but ever since the Compact Disc was invented, audio and video has been going digital. And that paved the way for integration.

New A/V receivers, TVs, BluRay players, and other components are now shipping with network connections as standard inputs. Services like Pandora, Netflix, Vudu, Skype and more, are pre-loaded for our home entertainment. Why listen to Pandora (a free internet music service) on your computer speakers, when you can listen on your surround sound system? Upload the photos from your recent vacation to an internet site to be viewed by friends and family on their Hi-Def TVs. And if you want to video chat live with someone, log on to your free Skype account. It’s not necessary to use your computer, because your TV connects directly to your network router. Why stare at a 17” computer monitor when the whole family can Skype with distant relatives on the 65” TV in the Family room. Or Facebook, or Rhapsody, or other services that are becoming mainstream in our cyberworld. All you need is an internet connection.

I think of the internet as a huge pipe. It might be wired or wireless, and it carries massive amounts of information. Maybe the word information loses some people. Information can come in many forms. Sure “text” is information, but full motion video, audio, still photos, are also examples of information. Hey, if they could digitize a Big Mac…..nah, let’s not go there.

You might not think of Apple Computer as being in the music business. But Apple’s ITunes software and website has made Apple a Music Industry Giant!

How’s that for the Perfect Marriage!]]>user@domain.comTech Talk2011-05-11T22:53:10-04:00http://chesapeakehometheatre.com/blog/files/c59257a2be71ef8424128a92b2167837-27.html#unique-entry-id-27http://chesapeakehometheatre.com/blog/files/c59257a2be71ef8424128a92b2167837-27.html#unique-entry-id-27I don’t mean surrounded as in “The Little Big Horn”, but surrounded as in “Surround Sound”. What exactly is it? Why would I want it? How do I get it? What is this 5.1 thing? And what was wrong with left and right Stereo?

It’s kind of funny, a lot of people’s perception of surround sound is a lot of speakers and loud volume. And that’s not totally incorrect. But let’s fine tune the definition a little bit. The most common type of surround sound is known as 5.1. There’s nothing complicated about the term. It means 5 speakers; left, right, center in the front, 2 speakers in the rear, and the dot 1 is a subwoofer. Larger rooms might implement a 7.1 system which adds 2 speakers on the sides (usually dipole speakers). Today’s largest systems go to 9.2. That’s a 7.1 system, add 2 more front speakers (usually up high) and a second subwoofer. Hey, stop rolling your eyes, I know 9.2 might seem a little excessive, but in larger rooms, 9.2 is awesome.

What can a person expect out of a 5.1 system when compared to a good ole stereo system? Believe or not, Compact Discs (CDs) are native 2 channel stereo and so is your IPod. I will be the first to admit, sometimes music from a CD really sounds better in stereo. But when you add video, like a DVD or BluRay movie, surround sound really comes to life. The additional speakers give the audio depth, height, and directional realism. Example, if a train crosses your screen from right to left, you will hear it from right to left. If a helicopter comes in the picture from behind, the rear speakers kick in and you will hear the chopper from back to front and even coming down if it lands. The added data capacity of a DVD or BluRay disc allows 6 separate native tracks of audio to be experienced. Remember the 5.1 term? That’s 6 separate tracks of audio. And no, it doesn’t have to be loud. If a pin drops in the movie, you will sense where it landed. And if a door bell rings, you will sense where the front door is in the movie. Even footsteps or raindrops can be interesting effects if you sense where they are coming from.

Most of us focus on the video, but Hollywood will admit that the audio portion of a movie is more than 50% of the entertainment experience. That’s why movie producers have been more than open to the added expense of a surround sound production. The idea is to create realism, like loud explosions, tires squealing, or even a pin drop.

OK sound guy, so what is needed to set up a 5.1 system? Assuming you already have a TV, at a minimum you will need 5 speakers, a subwoofer, a surround sound receiver, and a DVD player (or BluRay). I think of the systems in 3 groups. On the low end there are systems called HTIBs. That means Home Theater in a Box. Everything needed is in one box, including the speaker wire. These systems are OK, but don’t expect Carnegie Hall. Stepping up in both price and performance would be purchasing everything separate. There are several well known manufacturers competing for you entertainment system dollar. Bringing in a professional to conceal the wires, integrate all of the components, and program a single remote control will cost you the most and usually give you the best performance.

And that subwoofer thing, is that really necessary? That’s an easy question to answer, YES! The subwoofer can go almost anywhere in the room because to the human ear, subsonic sounds are non-directional. All you need is an electric outlet to power the sub’s built-in amplifier. The subwoofer really adds presence, feeling and warmth to whole experience. If you don’t add a subwoofer, you will be missing out on a whole lot.

Treat the family to a fantastic home entertainment experience and get surround sound installed in your home.

Uh, General Custer, I heard something and it sounds like we’re surrounded!]]>user@domain.comTech Talk2011-05-21T22:52:20-04:00http://chesapeakehometheatre.com/blog/files/ffc085460000e4fc96c74232b09e0a5d-26.html#unique-entry-id-26http://chesapeakehometheatre.com/blog/files/ffc085460000e4fc96c74232b09e0a5d-26.html#unique-entry-id-26Complaining about the price of gasoline is a common topic of conversion these days. And America’s dependence on oil and foreign oil is just as scary. But if our country is dependent on anything, it is Electric Power!

Think about it, we depend on electricity for heating, communicating, cooking, lighting, entertainment, and many, many more everyday necessities that we take for granted. You would probably be OK if you had to go a few days without your car. But, the electric meter at your house never stops. If you’re old enough to remember the New York City blackout, you know what I am talking about. People were trapped in elevators. The city was dark and almost everything stopped in the city they say “never sleeps”. Other than the fact that there was a baby boom 9 months later (that minor detail is true!) the Big Apple came to a screeching halt when the electric power went out.

Yeah, but let me ask the question again. What’s the worst that could happen? Without electricity, you wouldn’t have a computer or TV! It’s funny, if someone’s telephone goes out they will appear a little concerned and want it fixed in a few days. But if a family’s TV goes out, it needs immediate attention! And what could be worse than no electricity? How about having electricity and a “fried” TV!?!

I might be wrong, but it sure seems like this time of the year, the Eastern Shore has more lightning strikes than other parts of the country. I have witnessed 3 strikes in my neighborhood in the past few years. And you guessed it, one of them fried my a/v receiver. Sure, I had it powered through an expensive surge protector, but the surge came in over the coax cable I had connected to an FM antenna. My DirecTV receiver was also fried. I have to guess that the power surge device did its job, but the spike came in via the cable connected to the dish. In our world of electronics, internet, telephones, computers, and even invisible dog fences, power surges might be the worst that could happen. And yes, I have a friend that in addition to losing every TV and appliance in his house, his invisible pet fence was rendered useless too.

I know what you’re thinking, just go to the hardware and get an inexpensive power strip with built-in surge. That might work to some extent, but how about that TV that is mounted on the wall? Is it protected? And remember, power surges can enter appliances via telephone lines, coax cables and any connected wire or cable. Some people might think their 5 year extended warranty will cover a surge. Check your coverage, most warranties specifically exclude power surges. Your homeowner’s or renter’s insurance will cover surges, but what is the deductible amount on your policy? It’s just a bad situation and at the least a major inconvenience when a family’s TV (or other component) doesn’t respond to the “on” button. And usually there are no visible signs of damage.

The leading manufacturers of both plasma and LCD TVs claim that the average life span of current generation flat panels is roughly 40 years! That’s 40,000 hours to an average household’s TV daily use. But that number is concluded from labs with perfect conditions. Let’s assume you’re protected from big surges like lightning storms. The second power protection has to be a steady 120 volts of power. Electronic devices do not like peaks and valleys in voltage. If you live an older home or your neighborhood has power fluctuations you should consider a power conditioner. These devices protect against both power spikes and maintains a steady 120 volts to your electronic components. If the power drops or spikes a power conditioner will actually turn your components off to protect them. Your cost will be a few hundred bucks, but it will prolong the life of your family’s audio and video investments and computers.

A not-so-wise man once told me something I considered very wise. “Don’t mess with anything you can’t see!” The first thing I can relate that to is Electricity!

You’ve got the power!
]]>user@domain.comTech Talk2011-05-30T22:50:20-04:00http://chesapeakehometheatre.com/blog/files/d93d99667005dbb773e29fbe4bcdc6cd-25.html#unique-entry-id-25http://chesapeakehometheatre.com/blog/files/d93d99667005dbb773e29fbe4bcdc6cd-25.html#unique-entry-id-25In case you missed it, Bob Dylan had his 70th birthday last week. He is arguably, one of the best songwriters (or even poets) of our lifetime. I was never a big fan of his singing, but his lyrics are amazing. “Like a Rolling Stone”, “Tangled Up in Blue”, “Subterranean Homesick Blues”, “Visions of Johanna”, Knockin’ on Heavens Door”, just to name a few of his writings. And Jimi Hendrix might have made “All Along the Watchtower” famous, but Dylan wrote that one too. So, what’s with the Dylan love today dude?

Well, it’s like the title of this article, the times, they are a changin’. And portable electronics are a huge part of the world’s changing times. Like it or not, almost all of us own cell phones. These little devices have actually become what I refer to as “personal communication devices”. They’re great for convenience, entertainment, business, multi-tasking, and wonderful in an emergency. But the cell phone function is only a spit in the ocean when considering everything these portable devices are capable of.

My wife and I prefer to use IPhones. But there are several other companies competing for the personal electronic device dollar. They are referred to as “smartphones” or PDAs. Most of us know that an IPhone (or similar Droid device) can also be used as a portable music player capable of storing thousands of songs. And teenagers take the camera (or full motion video cam) for granted. It’s a good time to live if you’re a gadget loving teenager. And how about that texting feature? All the kids have that! Need some information fast, a smartphone can also surf the internet.

Yeah, yeah, yeah (hey, that was a Beatles lyric, not Bob Dylan!) that’s all cool Einstein, but its also old news! OK, I just thought I would start off with a short review. Now on to just a few amazing features of these palm sized gadgets. Since these devices connect to the internet, all kinds of entertainment possibilities become reality. If you travel, with a device called Slingbox, you can watch whatever is on your home TV or DVR right on your PDA. Many radio stations now broadcast over the internet. So, if you want to listen to that station you heard in Key West, or San Francisco, or Tahiti, you can. With the help of a simple cable you can connect to your car’s audio or your home surround system or just listen via your personal headphones (standard equipment in health clubs!). I have a “level” app (as in carpenter’s level), a compass app, and of course a GPS package. Live 2 way Video chat is a reality all in a device that fits in the palm of your hand. Of course the stampeding “tablet” market (aka IPad and competitors) has the same capabilities with a larger screen minus the cell phone capability.

I am sensing a few skeptics out there! Ever hear, “but I just want to talk on the phone!?” “People get in accidents talking on their phones!” “This obnoxious man talked on his cell phone all through lunch!” And then there’s the teenagers! Thanksgiving dinner and their thumbs are going 100 mph. They’re texting, checking Facebook or Twitter or who knows what! Then they put their headphones on and are in another world! I’m thinking that generation might need “thumb specialists” in a few years! Anyway, they say that every action creates an opposite re-action. So with communication, connectivity and convenience comes uh, kids with priorities??. I will admit, if internet ready PDAs existed when I was in school, my buddy Steve and I would have saved a lot of quarters from the pay phone (OMG what’s a pay phone!?). And all those cassette tapes I used to carry around! OK kid, that’s history NOT ancient history!

I won’t suggest that everyone likes or has to have the latest technology. But I think it is good to know what it is all about. And ultimately, like it or not, “the times they are a changing!” And these changes fit in the palm of your hand!

Thank you, Bob Dylan.]]>user@domain.comTech Talk2011-04-17T22:49:15-04:00http://chesapeakehometheatre.com/blog/files/11e3ba9f9d88e0a54a478c0013f7996e-24.html#unique-entry-id-24http://chesapeakehometheatre.com/blog/files/11e3ba9f9d88e0a54a478c0013f7996e-24.html#unique-entry-id-24In case you didn’t notice, Hollywood is and has been a huge influence in our lives. And how those guys have delivered their audio/video productions to the public has been an amazing evolution. Going way back, if you wanted to see a movie you went to the theater. Then television brought an in-home experience (to some extent) in black and white. Hey, my Dad watched Gunsmoke the day I was born. I’m talkin’ Marshall Matt Dillon baby!! Color television was invented and then the Video Cassette Recorder. Cable and Satellite gave us HBO and Pay Per View.

The VCR became one of the fastest selling consumer devices ever, starting out with prices around $1000 (remember the Sony Beta-max?). That price didn’t last long, and now you couldn’t give a VCR away. Video stores appeared on the scene. The pessimists said it would be the end of the movie making business. But, actually it was a boom in entertainment revenues. A few movie theaters are still around, but not like back in the day. And now video stores are disappearing fast, i.e. Kent Island Blockbuster.

The DVD player (that’s short for Digital Video Disc) improved on the VCR’s video capabilities. And the audio was better too, with on-board surround sound processing. You might still be using yours. Then like everything in electronics, another one bites the dust.

Blu-discs look very similar to their predecessor (the DVD). But, the major technical difference is a BluRay disc holds around 20 gigabytes, while the DVD maxed out at 6 gigabytes. We all know more is better, but what can 20 Gigabytes do for us? Basically it can squeeze the highest definition digital video and audio onto the same size disc as a DVD…… I get it, 20 vs.6, that’s easy enough to figure out.

OK Larry, but you already said that video stores were disappearing and streaming movies via the internet will become the norm. Why should I buy another disc player? Great question! And here’s your answer(s). First, BluRay players are downward compatible, meaning they will play standard DVDs and CDs. Your existing collection can be played from a BluRay player. Secondly, most BluRay players can connect to the Internet. So, if your slightly older TV is not net-workable, a BluRay player can be used to download Netflix, Pandora, Rhapsody, and other services without upgrading your other components. And yes, it integrates easily with your home’s audio/video system. The third answer to your question, it will actually upconvert your DVDs to make a better video image. I think of DVDs as mid-def, and BluRay discs as Hi-Def. A BluRay player will upconvert your DVDs to true Hi-Definition (automatically).

But how much will this technology cost?? And when I hear the word “network”, I get nervous. OH-KAY! (remember Alvin and the chipmunks?) One question at a time…..you can buy an excellent BluRay player for under $200. And as for connecting to your home’s network, no worries. A blind-folded teenager could do it! (What is it with the young people and their intuitive abilities with today’s technology?) Anyway, I call it “Plug and Pray”! But in reality, it is almost always Plug and Play! If your network is up, the BluRay should connect.

And, one more major detail. Everyone expects BluRay players to deliver outstanding, razor sharp video, and they do. But honestly, my big attraction is the AUDIO! BluRay players sound AWESOME! But more on that later.

So, Hoo-Ray for Hollywood! And Hoo-Ray for BluRay! ]]>user@domain.comTech Talk2011-06-13T22:48:45-04:00http://chesapeakehometheatre.com/blog/files/2264da312af9a8ad27acb0f344c902ac-23.html#unique-entry-id-23http://chesapeakehometheatre.com/blog/files/2264da312af9a8ad27acb0f344c902ac-23.html#unique-entry-id-23Let’s talk audio and video system components! Maybe the best place to start is the heart of any system, the audio / video receiver. I refer to this “black box” as Grand Central Station. Today’s a/v receivers are so sophisticated I sometimes wonder how manufacturers can sell them for profit. Companies like Denon, Yamaha, Onkyo and Sherwood are a few of the mid to upper end manufacturers competing for our family’s time and entertainment dollar..

OK LD, so what exactly is an A/V Receiver? Well, if we break down the guts of our system’s Grand Central Station this is what we will find inside the box. If money were no object, you might have several “separate” components that a receiver has inside of one box. First there is the “pre-amp” or the traffic cop as I like to call it. The pre-amp section accepts inputs from source components like a CD, Blu-Ray, IPod, XBox or Cable TV receiver (or Satellite TV). Today’s “source“ components might output via a digital or analog connection. So our a/v receiver needs to be both digital, analog, audio and video capable.

A few years ago, receivers were analog audio capable only, and probably only 2 channel stereo. But today’s receivers process both audio, video and can have as many as 7 or 9 separate power amplifiers built into their one enclosure (the black box!). That means we now have a pre-amp and several power amplifiers in our a/v receiver. What else dude? OK, we’re having fun now! Let’s add a surround sound processor to our list, so we can listen to our favorite music or movie in a 5, 7, or even 9.2 nice surround sound mode, i.e. orchestra, dolby hi-def, cinema, stadium, unplugged or whatever.

Is that it, a pre-amp, several power amps, and a surround processor? This is a busy unit here! No, today’s a/v receivers also add an FM tuner, and a network connection. WHAT, a network connection? YES, an Ethernet connection that connects to your home network to play internet services like Pandora or Sirius XM (to name a few), through your family’s system with no other add-on devices. Pop a flash drive into the USB connection on the front of the receiver and you can watch the family’s vacation taken from your video cam or digital camera on the big TV in the Family Room.

That’s a lot of stuff Yo, sounds expensive. Well you can purchase a receiver with all of the above capabilities in the $500 range. There are less expensive units, but $500 is a real good place to start. Think of it as the “sweet spot” If you want more power and features plan on $1000 and up. So what does $1000 get you? Since today’s a/v receivers accept video as well as audio, the higher end units actually will upscale a standard video signal to hi-definition and the built-in surround sound processor will be upgraded. With more power even audio at lower volume levels sounds fabulous. Like a half ton truck will get the job done, but a one ton truck won’t struggle.

If you’re OK with listening to your TV via your TVs speakers, you probably don’t need an a/v receiver. But if you want to add control, surround sound and upgraded video, think about adding Grand Central Station to your family’s entertainment system. And if you have an IPhone or Droid, most receiver manufacturers offer free remote control apps for download. Yes. Remote control from your cell phone to that new a/v receiver!

Now boarding on Track Number Nine!]]>user@domain.comTech Talk2011-06-27T22:47:04-04:00http://chesapeakehometheatre.com/blog/files/5daeac1ef8e8fae8902df3f3f0472811-22.html#unique-entry-id-22http://chesapeakehometheatre.com/blog/files/5daeac1ef8e8fae8902df3f3f0472811-22.html#unique-entry-id-22You may have heard the sad news last week that Clarence Clemons passed away. Also known as the “Big Man”, he was of course known for playing tenor saxophone with Bruce Springsteen and “The E Street Band”. He was a soulful musician that jammed with many people and bands. But you may not have known that he attended Maryland State College (now University of MD Eastern Shore) and was awarded a music and athletic scholarship. In addition to being a musician, Clarence was a gifted athlete scouted by the Dallas Cowboys and Cleveland Browns. A knee injury prevented him from making the NFL, but didn’t stop his passion for music.

After hearing the news about Clarence, I tried to remember the first time I heard Springsteen’s band, and it all came back to me. It was back in the early to mid seventies. There was a bunch of guys at a small college in North Carolina I attended from New Jersey that blasted their stereos all day and all night. We didn’t have air conditioning so everybody’s windows on campus were usually open. I thought the music was OK, but these guys were convinced that this new guy, Bruce Springsteen was the next big-time artist. Well, Elvis will always be King, but this Springsteen dude quickly became the “Boss”. And his new sax player was a big part of the band’s success. Bruce even wrote lyrics in the hit song “Tenth Avenue Freeze-out” about Clarence Clemons.

“when the change was made uptown
and the Big Man joined the band
from the coastline to the city
all the pretties raise their hands”

And how was this music played back then? On vinyl record albums, of course. 8 track tapes were on their way out. Cassette tapes were just coming in, but everybody had a vinyl record collection. Nice try kid, T- Rex had vacated the premises years before! Anyway, vinyl records were very inconvenient. Vinyl albums developed snap crackle and pops, weighed a ton, took up space, and created un-friendly confrontations if that needle was accidentally touched or pushed. But they sounded great! Vinyl records utilized analog technology (hey, digital wasn’t invented yet!), produced a very warm deep sound that believe or not, isn’t reproduced digitally to this day. And there was one more thing, the album cover. For starters, kids today play and buy songs. But if you put a vinyl album on the turntable back then, you probably listened to the entire side of the album. I learned to love many tunes that I would have missed if I had only purchased a single song as a lot of us now do from ITunes..

Then there was the album cover. My friends and I used to love to read every little piece of info on the album cover. Most people to this day think Eric Clapton played all those guitar licks on the album “Layla and other Assorted Love Songs ”. Sorry, Eric played mostly rhythmn guitar, but if you read the album cover you knew that Duane Allman played lead guitar . And who sat in on keyboards? Who was the producer of “Eat a Peach” (Tom Dowd)? Who was Jimi Hendrix’s drummer? If you had a “low tech” album cover you would have known that Jimi’s drummer was Buddy Miles also known for his song “Them Changes”. And you would have known the name of the sax player in the “E Street Band”.

Don’t get me wrong, I love the latest entertainment electronic technology. But sometimes “low tech” can be a good thing too. I will miss my album covers, and we’ll all miss Clarence Clemons.

Rest in peace “Big Man”.]]>user@domain.comTech Talk2011-07-11T22:40:01-04:00http://chesapeakehometheatre.com/blog/files/253a8ab1067c6aa315f26505b3b6bce0-21.html#unique-entry-id-21http://chesapeakehometheatre.com/blog/files/253a8ab1067c6aa315f26505b3b6bce0-21.html#unique-entry-id-21I like to keep this article fun, loose, informing and casual. But, we have a serious situation to talk about!

A few weeks ago I was at a small residential renovation job site in Annapolis. The General Contractor and the homeowner met with me to discuss the scope of work and what could be done within budget for the audio and video systems to be installed in the house. OK, that’s cool. But, when I say the General Contractor was not very technical, I am being kind. In fact, I doubt his ability to spell iPod. He was good with a broom, but that’s about it. OK, we all have our strengths, but this individual’s strength was being opinionated. He really didn’t know “jack” about much of anything, but he sure had opinions on everything and was happy to share. And, he was also happy to say that he owned an iPod. That’s when things really went downhill!

To quote him, “I got an iPod and (a well known Eastern Shore DJ’s name to remain anonymous) put 1500 songs on it for me for free! OK, dude so you can’t spell iPod but you do know how to hit “play”. I’ll give you that! When I pointed out that digital coping was both wrong and illegal, he looked at me like I was from another planet. Why, what’s the problem? Nobody knows. I didn’t hurt anybody. It’s just music. What’s the problem? The problem was that 1500 songs were digitally duplicated illegally to his iPod.

Would any of us steal a pack of gum? Probably not, how about $100? How about $1000? Most of us wouldn’t think of stealing $1500! At 99 cents a song this guy had stolen almost $1500. And the commercially paid DJ with the big catalog of music was the source. I can only imagine how many other friends of the DJ received illegal duplicates.

Back in the day my friends and I thought we were really cool to make a cassette tape of an album, another tape or even a Compact Disc (CD). The reason it wasn’t illegal was because we were using analog technology. Each copy degraded a little from the previous source. Sure you could make 100 copies of a clean master, but that rarely happened. Ultimately we were making copies of copies and the 50th copy was really bad. Musicians, record labels and hollywood didn’t care if you copied a movie from a VHS tape to another VHS tape. But with today’s digital technology, the 100th copy is an exact image of the “master”. The music and movie industries are getting ripped off every minute of the day by the general population, aka, digital bandits! As you can imagine, it’s not that hard to get around ”copy protection software” and make mirror identical images of the source content. Just ask your local teenager! I’m not picking on teenagers, they’re just incredibly smarter than they should be! They’re on tight budgets, and if they can get music or movies for free, that is a good thing?

All of us can “rationalize” almost anything. But make no mistake, if you own a digital copy of “intellectual content” that you didn’t pay for, you stole something. The buzz-word here is “intellectual content”. What if you copied a paperback novel (soon to be a thing of our past!) and sold paper copies? That isn’t right even if you gave the copies away for free. The author is experiencing lost revenue, not to mention the publisher, and on and on down the food chain. It’s the same deal with digital entertainment copying, music, movies, and software. It’s all “intellectual property”. How about that copy of Microsoft Word you acquired? HMMMMM.

If you or your children don’t own stolen intellectual property, you know someone that does. Lots of people think its fun, free and “why should we pay when we can get it for free?” Nobody knows we have it, and we’re not hurting anybody.

“Sweet Home Alabama”. I bet there are more than a million unpaid copies of that tune. That’s conservatively $1 million. Southern Skies are So Blue! SKYNYRD!

Sorry if this sounds harsh, but, there is a word that refers to people that steal. Don’t be a “thief”!

]]>user@domain.comTech Talk2011-07-25T22:38:44-04:00http://chesapeakehometheatre.com/blog/files/3052abe08ac8815f1abe7c0b09a372e6-20.html#unique-entry-id-20http://chesapeakehometheatre.com/blog/files/3052abe08ac8815f1abe7c0b09a372e6-20.html#unique-entry-id-20I think I’ve been using the word “change” too much lately. How about “evolve” instead? Yeah, I like that better. OK, so what’s evolving in audio and video technology these days? Well, if you’ve read this column before you know that consumer electronics and entertainment are evolving all the time. Yeah, yeah Larry, we all know that, tell us where you are going with this? Specifically, I am referring to the evolution of the number of payments we make each month.

History credits Henry Ford with inventing the “assembly line” back in the 1900’s. Detroit became known as “Motown” and America was a manufacturing giant. But it seems like America has moved away from manufacturing and evolved into providing services. I’m not saying that is good or bad. I’m just saying, we’re doctors, lawyers, insurance providers, internet and communication providers, mechanics, drivers, etc. Manufacturing has moved to more cost competitive countries. Verizon might provide cell phone service, but the cell phone you use probably wasn’t made in the USA. Software giants like Google and Microsoft aren’t manufacturers. Computers might be designed in the US, but they are probably made in Asia. Electronics are a great example of foreign manufacturing. Not long ago, Darrell Waltrip mentioned during a NASCAR race that of the four auto manufacturers with cars on the racetrack, only the Toyota Camry was manufactured in the US. The other three auto manufacturers included Ford, Chevy, and Dodge. Where did you go Henry?

When I was finished with school (or was school finished with me?). I probably had less than ten checks to write each month. Let’s see, rent, electric, telephone, maybe a car payment. But now with all these new services we have many more monthly payments. Almost everybody has cable or satellite TV service. How about cell phone service? Internet service? Maybe Netflix and satellite radio service. I hear ads about protecting one’s identity, and backing up computer files. Do I really need to pay for credit history protection?

iTunes, Netflix, cable TV, Sirius XM radio, Tivo, DVR, premium movie channels, high definition, video on demand, NFL Ticket, are all examples of the really cool entertainment “services” available to consumers these days. The TV you watch wasn’t made in this country. But the video content you watch was delivered by a company that is in this country. Last week I wrote about IPTV, I think we can look forward to writing yet another check each month. Like it or not, that’s evolution.

I am thinking of lyrics in a song, “nobody rides for nothin’, so step up and pay the price!”]]>user@domain.comTech Talk2011-08-01T22:37:16-04:00http://chesapeakehometheatre.com/blog/files/16d8ea8c57b8226fd998a255cfd010d7-19.html#unique-entry-id-19http://chesapeakehometheatre.com/blog/files/16d8ea8c57b8226fd998a255cfd010d7-19.html#unique-entry-id-19A few weeks ago I wrote about the big news that Apple Computer will start making and selling flat panel TVs within the next 12 months. If you read that column, sorry, some of this will be redundant. But the news is not only HUGE, it’s worth repeating!

Back in the late 1990’s I really believed that Microsoft would put Steve Jobs’ little computer company out of business. That shows what I know! A week or so ago, Apple announced incredible earnings and has passed Microsoft in both earnings and revenues. “Down goes Frasier!” I think it was $39B in earnings for the quarter. Shut up kid, Joe Frasier was a great boxing champion!

As I’ve mentioned before, Apple didn’t get there with computer sales. It was the “i” devices, i.e. iPod, iPhone, and iPad that really saved the company and launched the revenue growth. But the real genius is not the devices, it is the iTunes service. Apple could have dropped iPods out of airplanes for free and still made tons of money from the iTunes online service. Let’s translate that to the upcoming Apple flat panel TVs. Sure Apple will care about the new TV sales, but the real genius will be the online video service.

Most of us know that we can download music and videos from iTunes to either an Apple Macintosh or a Windows based computer. But having all Apple hardware is really cool. Let’s add the new Apple flat panel TV to that equation. The result, Apple will sell tons of TV hardware and control the video service that comes into our homes via the internet. It might be called iTunes or something else. In addition Apple could include a TV model that includes a computer, in the same box with the TV. Maybe add a wireless keyboard and mouse? You would have a computer, a flat panel TV, a DVR, all of your music, photos and movies in one really sharp box.

Let’s throw another video service’s hat in the ring that will compete directly with cable and satellite tv. I don’t know what Apple will call it, but it’s currently being referred to as “IPTV”. In other words, tv content delivered to your home via the internet. Satellite tv service providers include Dish Network and DirecTV. We have Atlantic Broadband in QA County for cable tv. Other areas might have Comcast (Infinity) and the Verizon service known as FIOS for cable tv. In about a year, you will have another video choice from Apple.

Services like Netflix and hulu.com already stream video over the internet. And based on Apple’s success, the cable and satellite tv providers better get ready for a “knockout” competitor that slammed Microsoft and is still climbing. Of course you will need an internet connection, but most of us already have internet capability.

Apple is entering into a whole new marketplace and revenue stream. I think we’re about to witness a “knockout!”]]>user@domain.comTech Talk2011-08-07T22:36:33-04:00http://chesapeakehometheatre.com/blog/files/dc72a7abcdbfebe55118d2638b62f3b3-18.html#unique-entry-id-18http://chesapeakehometheatre.com/blog/files/dc72a7abcdbfebe55118d2638b62f3b3-18.html#unique-entry-id-18This past Saturday would have been Lucille Ball’s 100th birthday. The news made me think of those funny episodes on her hit show, “I Love Lucy”. She was one of the first successful comediennes and just hilarious. And just like technology, entertainment culture evolves too. I don’t know if it was an FCC regulation or not, but remember the separate beds in the apartment? Compared to some of today’s sitcoms that was pretty uptight, but normal for the times. And if you’ve ever watched an old classic movie or show, at some point you had to think WOW, that was corny! Did we evolve on our own, or did technology have a role in changing our culture? Look at the difference between an episode of “Friends” and “I Love Lucy” and what we now consider the norm.

I am guessing that most homes purchased their first black and white television maybe back in the 1940’s? No kid, that was after the “dark ages”! Television was a great source of not only entertainment, but information. Now we have big, flat panel color 3D TVs, hundreds of channels, and an internet! My old laptop with a built-in dial up modem was really amazing. What could be better than that? Now we not only have high speed internet, we have wireless internet. You can drive down the road and if you have a 3G signal, play Pandora on your car’s sound system. Or surf the internet, and check your e-mail while you’re sitting at a local dock bar.

Wireless technology is not only convenient, it’s relatively inexpensive. Sure, wired connections are the best, but not always practical. You can purchase a wireless router for your home for less than $100 and probably connect to the internet from almost any room. If you don’t turn on security, your neighbors can probably connect also. We have wireless cell phones, wireless internet, and all of the associated services available without cables. OK Larry, how about wireless speakers?

I am asked that question at least weekly. And the answer is probably not. Wireless is not for all devices. But dude, we can connect to the world wirelessly, why can’t we have audio without wires? There is an exception or 2 to this which I will explain, but this is why. Humans don’t hear digital. We sense analog sound waves. All of our digital music and movies must be converted to analog for us to sense sound. Sure, you can get a signal from point A to point B, but sound requires amplification for humans to hear. And we know that amplifiers require power. There are subwoofers that are wireless, but a subwoofer is a large box with space for a built-in amp. And it also needs to be plugged into an electric outlet. How are you going to get an amp into that small cube speaker and get electricity to it?

There is at least one company that makes an outdoor speaker that is completely wireless. But, the batteries need to be re-charged every ten hours. And the cost is around $1000. So for the most part, speakers still need wires. If you’re building or renovating your home, don’t forget to have speaker wire installed before the drywall goes up.

Wireless technology is really nice and convenient and will continue to get better. But don’t expect wireless speakers to hit the scene anytime soon.

Lucy, you were GREAT! Happy Birthday! ]]>user@domain.comTech Talk2011-08-16T22:34:22-04:00http://chesapeakehometheatre.com/blog/files/16826fe396e4fdf4b476c73302040761-17.html#unique-entry-id-17http://chesapeakehometheatre.com/blog/files/16826fe396e4fdf4b476c73302040761-17.html#unique-entry-id-17I like to turn the news on when I wake up in the morning. Last week a story called “next gen 911” caught my attention. The news was really about taking advantage of the cell phones and personal digital assistants (PDAs) that most of us carry around 24/7. Let’s take a look at some of the capabilities of today’s cell phone hardware.

Of course we make phone calls. We can take photos and even full motion videos. These devices store our contacts, phone numbers, email addresses, and music. If you don’t text, you’re missing out on a really convenient way to communicate. And if you’re not sure where you’re going, turn on the GPS feature. You can surf the internet, schedule your DVR to record a show, or even Skype live events taking place now. PDAs like the iPhone and the Droid have 1000s of apps available for download that turn our cell phones into digital “swiss army knives”. I know some people just want to talk on their phones (like Walt!), but these amazing hand-held devices have and will continue to change our lives.

OK Larry, so what is this “next gen 911” thing all about? Well, imagine if a 911 operator could actually see a photo or video or even watch live events taking place. So, if someone witnesses an emergency event, they could easily send a photo, or video to the 911 people seconds after or possibly even during an emergency situation. A doctor could see a patient before they arrived at the hospital. Police and EMS personnel could be informed visually while they were in route. And there would be a permanent record of the events.
Of course our 911 systems will need to be upgraded. But the source of the events doing the recording and transmitting will be the public’s cell phones. The networks are in place and people with cell phones are everywhere!

Or consider a non-emergency event. What if your little leaguer hits a fastball over the left fielder’s head? You didn’t bring you camera, but here he comes rounding third base. You get the PDA out of your pocket, hit the “record video” button. It’s going to be close at the plate! The umpire shouts...”YOU’RE OUT!” “Hey Ump! He missed the tag and I can prove it!”]]>user@domain.comTech Talk2011-09-05T22:33:13-04:00http://chesapeakehometheatre.com/blog/files/3a4ffa24a39f7ed0fa4353f874f318a0-16.html#unique-entry-id-16http://chesapeakehometheatre.com/blog/files/3a4ffa24a39f7ed0fa4353f874f318a0-16.html#unique-entry-id-16If you’re familiar with this column you’re already aware that almost all electronic audio and video devices are now shipping with network capability. That means that theses components can connect to the internet. The internet provides a perfect distribution pipeline for movies, music, personal photos and videos, and home entertainment in general.

That new flat panel TV or Blu-Ray player you want, can connect to Netflix to download movies. And your new a/v receiver can connect to Pandora, Slacker and other internet music services. OK Larry, we all know about that from previous articles. What’s the deal here? The deal is the internet service that almost of us use on a daily basis. Thirty years ago we wouldn’t have dreamed of something called the internet, or even e-mail. Now it seems like there is a race for companies like Sprint, AT&T, Verizon, Atlantic Broadband, and Comcast to be our Internet Service Provider (ISP).

It’s another monthly bill to pay, but really, most of us would not want to be without internet service. We need it for business, school and entertainment. A friend of mine recently applied for a job at a large retail food store. He was told that they only accept applications online. The internet is a huge part of our lives, like it or not. But how do we get to the world wide web and what does the (near) future look like?

There are several ways to get there. In Queen Anne’s County we have Atlantic Broadband, Verizon DSL, Satellite, Sprint wireless, and a few other smaller ISPs. A few years ago we had dial-up. Remember how slow that was! Network speeds are much faster today but still not totally there for large files like full motion hi-definition movies. I would think competition will drive speeds up and maybe even prices down. Last week I read about a fairly new product from Verizon that really caught my attention. They call it Mi-Fi.

We all know about wi-fi which gives us the convenience to connect to our wireless router with our laptops, iPods, iPads etc. But what if you could take an internet connection with you? The mi-fi device and service is designed to do just that. Basically Verizon packages a small device that connects to the internet via its 3G or 4G LTE wireless network. The small device allows 5 devices (laptops, iPhones, iPads etc) to connect to the internet and can be powered with a built-in battery. So its kinda like carrying your wireless router with you. A contractor could connect his laptop to the internet from the jobsite, just like he would from his office. If you travel, take your internet connection with you and download movies, e-mail photos, and maybe even check your office e-mail.

Currently I am paying for internet service at my home and at my office. If I had a device such as the Verizon mi-fi that I took with me, I could save as much as $30 a month. Well that a no-brainer Einstein! What’s the holdup? The holdup is that the network is not quite ready for prime time. I read many reviews and while the concept is fabulous, the network speeds are just not quite happening. But sometime in the not too distant future you will be able to take the internet with you and create your own “hotspot”.

I don’t how AT&T, Sprint, and the other players will respond. But connecting to the internet will be everywhere and I’m guessing that competition will probably bring prices down. It’s all about connecting to the network.

Mi-fi, Oh My!]]>user@domain.comTech Talk2011-09-25T22:32:05-04:00http://chesapeakehometheatre.com/blog/files/6e5c36b764c5668e546328a22e614034-15.html#unique-entry-id-15http://chesapeakehometheatre.com/blog/files/6e5c36b764c5668e546328a22e614034-15.html#unique-entry-id-15If you’ve purchased or shopped for a new LCD or plasma TV in the past few years, you probably have seen the numbers, 1080i, 1080p, 720p, 480i, 4:3, 16:9. What does it all mean?

The invention of high definition TV has made things a little complicated. Back in the day we all had an antenna or rabbit ears and whatever our TV received was what we watched. Cable and Satellite service gave us more channels. And then we all saw a picture improvement with the DVD. But technically, if you watch a DVD, you’re actually seeing standard definition images. Yes, the DVD was an improvement in resolution, but not as good as high definition as we know it today. OK dude, so what are all of those numbers about?

Those numbers refer to the video resolution that a TV is capable of displaying. Specifically, I am referring to the pixel count. You won’t see pixels a few feet away from the screen, but if you get up close, take a look at the screen. Those little square dots are called pixels. And of course with more pixels, higher definition images are possible. When you move back from the screen the dots appear to merge together and you hopefully have a sharp, bright picture.

DVD players gave us a much improved picture with a format called 480i. If you’re a real Geek, that equates to 704 lines of pixels stacked 480 times. The “i” stands for interlaced, which actually means that there are 240 alternating lines of pixels scanned every 1/60 of a second. We all like to think that the higher the number means the better the resolution. That is true to some extent, but the suffixes “i” and “p” are important too. As I mentioned, “i” stands for interlaced. The suffix “p” stands for progressive. Progressive formats are not interlaced. So a format like 720p, actually has more information than 1080i.

To the human eye, 720p and 1080i will look very much alike. You would have to be very well trained and have phenomenal eyes to be able to see the difference. That brings us to the highest resolution currently available, 1080p. Believe it or not there is not much 1080p video content which we have access to. But if you want to be sure you are seeing 1080p, connect a BluRay player with a “native” BluRay disc and you will have 1080p.

Technology is pushing the limits of the human eye. I’ve read that if you stand 8 feet back from your TV, most people cannot tell the difference between 720p and 1080p. This is true particularly with smaller TVs. If you have a 32” 1080p TV, you probably could have saved a few dollars by buying a 720p set. Almost all broadcasts are in either 720p or 1080i.
Yeah Larry, but what about those “black bars” I see on some channels. I bought a 50” TV and I want a 50” picture! Those bars on each side have to do with something called “aspect ratio”. Standard definition is broadcast in a 4:3 aspect ration. If you think about it, 4:3 is an almost square ratio. Older TVs were square in shape for that very reason. Today’s hi-def TVs are rectangle to accommodate the 16:9 aspect ratio. So, if you see the bars, you are watching square video content on a rectangle TV. Most TVs have a button on the remote control to remove the bars. But by forcing the picture to fill the rectangular screen you will notice some distortion. People may appear to be shorter and gained weight as a result. As more and more programming becomes high definition, the 4:3 aspect ratio will probably fade away.

OK, let’s recap the numbers, 480i was not bad. 720p and 1080i are excellent and very similar to the human eye. 1080p is the highest resolution available and more noticeable in larger TVs. And set your cable or satellite receiver to the 16:9 aspect ration to watch hi-def shows that fill your new TV screen.

Remember that old Beatles tune? Say you want a resolution? ]]>user@domain.comTech Talk2011-10-03T22:30:53-04:00http://chesapeakehometheatre.com/blog/files/7b0bcfe000c46b810e9eb188493e2a2a-14.html#unique-entry-id-14http://chesapeakehometheatre.com/blog/files/7b0bcfe000c46b810e9eb188493e2a2a-14.html#unique-entry-id-14Remember the Jetsons! I really loved that old cartoon show. There was George, Jane, Judy, Elroy and the dog, Astro. Jane cooked by pushing a few buttons, kind of like we use microwave ovens now. And George went to work in that really cool flying car. Whether we’re commuting to work, running errands, or working, most of us spend a lot of time in our vehicles, just like George Jetson. I wonder what kind of electronics George would have had in that flying bubble car?

Back in the day AM radios were offered as an option from the automobile manufacturers. Now we have AM/FM/XM radios with iPod jacks. There might be a multi-disc CD player in the trunk. How about a built-in GPS, aka Navigation System? Touchscreen sound systems, surround sound and video monitors that drop down from the ceiling or are mounted in the headrests are fairly commonplace. All the kids in the neighborhood watch DVDs while riding in the car. Then there is that backup camera in SUVs when they are in reverse. There are Lo-Jack security systems for locating stolen vehicles. You might call them “creature comforts” or whatever, but make no mistake electronics have invaded our vehicles!

Built-in cell phones were nice, but with portable cell phones, who needs them? GM has its very successful OnStar service. OnStar provides various services for emergencies, security, navigation and even hands free calling. Yes, GM is in the cellular telephone business!

What else could they possibly put in our cars? How about the internet? C’mon Man, really, the internet? Yes, dude, I said the internet! GM has announced that seven Chevrolet models will offer an internet ”hotspot” device and service. Yes, your car could have the ability to be an Internet Service Provider (ISP). GM claims that the service will enable PDAs, computers and similar devices to connect to the internet via WiFi up to 150 feet away.

What would you do with an ISP capable vehicle? Connect to the internet of course! Your kids will never need another disc to watch because you could download a movie to your car. Online music services like Pandora and Slacker will take market share away from FM radio. Of course you should park before checking email or searching Google. I know you can do a lot of those things now with your PDA or iPad on the 3G network. But, companies are always looking for new revenue streams and now it looks like GM wants to be in the Internet business.

That means another monthly bill to pay. GM announced that pricing starts at $29 for 3G performance and a 1GB data plan. Ford has a similar product and even offers an in-dash personal computer option as part of its Work Solutions package.

I am sure that I am only scratching the surface for possible applications. But it looks more and more like everything is utilizing the internet, and now that includes our automobiles. A contractor could Skype a customer, check a supplier’s pricing and inventory or search for information at a jobsite. When you are separated from your car or truck you could check on it’s location from anywhere. You might even see live video if the vehicle had an internet camera onboard. It is getting difficult to hide in this world! Maybe your car could send you an email if it were moved or violated in some way. Hey who is that in the driver’s seat? Electronics are part of our lives and automobile manufacturers are not going to be left out.

Entertainment, business, security and even law enforcement are just a few industries that have benefited from mobile electronics. And now we have a mobile ISP.

Remember at the end of the show George would walk Astro on the treadmill? “JANE, STOP THIS CRAZY THING!”
]]>user@domain.comTech Talk2011-10-08T22:29:32-04:00http://chesapeakehometheatre.com/blog/files/a8a1f1d616b53654ae9f17f30d931f92-13.html#unique-entry-id-13http://chesapeakehometheatre.com/blog/files/a8a1f1d616b53654ae9f17f30d931f92-13.html#unique-entry-id-13The passing of Steve Jobs last week marked the end of a brilliant man’s life whose career(s) changed the lives of many of us. Most of us heard of his many technical accomplishments on the news broadcasts covering his life.

I won’t repeat last week’s news but I will mention a few innovations that really grabbed my attention. The first was co-inventing the personal computer in his parent’s garage. C’mon man, how could anyone in my lifetime invent the personal computer? We all take PCs for granted these days, its hard to imagine a time without a computer. And how could someone born in the same month and year as myself be credited along with Steve Wozniak as inventing the personal computer? In his parent’s garage?? You gotta be kidding me!

He was able to take the PC and found Apple Computer. Back then people weren’t sure what to do computers, but Apple soon added application software that would change everything. Xerox had invented the first mouse driven graphical user interface (aka, GUI), and Steve Jobs saw the commercial potential. The first Macintosh computers were a huge hit. A lot of people might think that Microsoft’s Windows OS was the first GUI on the market, but that was not the case. Macintosh Computers were the first small computers employing a GUI.

In 1985 Apple was not doing very well. They brought in John Sculley, a Pepsi executive to turn things around. Acting just like a lot of predictable, insecure corporate executives, Sculley convinced the Apple Board of Directors to fire the man that founded the company. There is no loyalty in Corporate America and Apple did the unthinkable. Way to go Scully, you fired one of the most innovative men of our time! Forget loyalty and throw common sense out the window, Corporate America ultimately answers to Wall Street.

What did the unemployed Steve Jobs do then? How about one of the most incredible things of his time? He acquired the computer graphics division of Lucasfilm and called the new company Pixar Animation Studios. If you’ve ever seen Toy Story, Cars or any Pixar movie, you know how good a Pixar production can be. On today’s flat panel hi-def TVs, a Pixar movie is amazing. And the sound track is pretty special too.

OK, so lets see, he invented the Personal Computer and founded Pixar Animation and showed Hollywood how to improve movie production. Is that it dude? All in a days work right? Well no, that wasn’t it. After agreeing to handing over complete control, Apple brought Steve Jobs back making him the permanent CEO in 2000. We all know of the success of the “i” products, and today Apple Computer is the world’s largest technology company. Oh, I forgot to mention that along the way he became the largest stockholder of The Walt Disney Company. And it is rumored that there are at least 4 more years of his innovations waiting for production. Hey Sculley, way to go! That maneuver has to be right up there with the Red Sox selling Babe Ruth to the Yankees!

Yes, this past week was a sad one for the tech world. But let’s shift gears a little and go back 71 years from today. That was October 8, 1940. While German planes were bombing Liverpool, England, John Lennon was born. Happy Birthday John! Thanks to people like Steve Jobs, Lennon’s words, ideals and music will be with us forever. Lennon’s music and lyrics are on our iPods, iPads, iPhones, and available from iTunes. What good is technology without entertainment, music and culture. Known as the “outspoken” Beatle, John Lennon was way ahead of his time, just like Steve Jobs.

Imagine!]]>user@domain.comTech Talk2011-11-07T22:25:25-05:00http://chesapeakehometheatre.com/blog/files/660b2beb88e212a414aae52e2c441736-12.html#unique-entry-id-12http://chesapeakehometheatre.com/blog/files/660b2beb88e212a414aae52e2c441736-12.html#unique-entry-id-12The Veterans Day National Ceremony is held each year on November 11th at Arlington National Cemetery. The ceremony commences at 11:00 a.m. with a wreath laying at the Tomb of the Unknowns and continues inside the Memorial Amphitheater with a parade of colors by veterans' organizations and remarks from dignitaries. The ceremony is intended to honor and thank all who served in the United States Armed Forces.
Since this is the Veteran’s Day issue, Joyce from the Islander Weekly suggested that I write about how technology has changed the way military families stay in touch when they are half a world apart. I have never personally experienced the military lifestyle, so I had to do a little bit of homework.

Before I met my wife, she served in the Air Force in Europe. That was back in the eighties. She confirmed what I already assumed. Even if you had access to a telephone back then, “long distance” rates were ridiculously expensive. And to make a long distance call, she had to go into the local town to the local phone company, and have the operator make the call and hope for a connection to the correct person on the other end. All for about $6.00 a minute. The telephone was an amazing invention, but it had some limitations.

As we all can imagine, phone calls were kept to a minimum, if at all. During the several years that she served, she received one phone call from her father. To speak with her, he had to connect with the Base Commander who had her tracked down to let her know of a death in the family. Communication with families overseas was minimal, expensive, and almost impossible at times. I asked her how long it took for letters to arrive from home. It took about 3 weeks back then for a letter to arrive where she was stationed. The Pony Express was faster!

But that was a few years ago and today is now. Enter the Internet! I don’t know exactly what the armed forces allow, and it probably varies according to location and situation. But the internet allows many ways for families to communicate. First, there’s good old e-mail. Funny I called e-mail old, it really isn’t that old! Anyway, e-mail has to be up there with the some of the best inventions of the twentieth century. Photos and videos can be attached to e-mails. Photos from yesterday’s birthday party might be posted to a website and accessed by the overseas family member serving our country.

E-mail is great, but text messaging provides instant interaction. Teenagers these days wouldn’t survive an hour without text messaging on their cell phones! Since our soldiers overseas probably don’t have cell phones, they do have the ability to “instant message”. It is similar to text messaging, except you would use a computer instead of a cell phone. Services like Facebook, AOL, Yahoo and others allow “IM-ing” within their websites.

And then there is Skype. Skype can be a free online video conferencing application that provides face to face video and audio. I am sure our armed forces IT managers and engineers keep their networks secure, so I don’t know how much Skype-ing is allowed. But the capability is there. Long distance rates are almost gone and internationally we have “voice over internet”, aka VOIP. The days of $6.00 a minute phone calls, bad connections and inconveniences are gone.

I’ve only mentioned the obvious consumer level services available. I have to think that our military has their own internal services keeping families in touch. Serving one’s country is a huge sacrifice, and if technology can make being separated a little better, that’s a good thing.

Families are a large part of our culture and when a family member leaves to serve our country, it is a stressful situation. But technology has the ability to connect the separated parties with daily happenings on both ends of the wire.

Thank you to all of America’s Armed Forces Veterans.]]>user@domain.comTech Talk2011-08-23T20:33:42-04:00http://chesapeakehometheatre.com/blog/files/10d9349912050cfe2ab4f063fef1e308-11.html#unique-entry-id-11http://chesapeakehometheatre.com/blog/files/10d9349912050cfe2ab4f063fef1e308-11.html#unique-entry-id-11The big news in the tech world last week came from software giant, Google. The announcement was that an agreement to acquire Motorola Mobility had been reached. I think I heard $12B to be the price tag. So, how might that affect us and what is a Google anyway?

Most of us know Google as the software giant online search engine. But Google does a lot more than just provide the world’s most popular search engine. They offer Google Apps, Google Ads, Google Maps, Google Earth, GMail, Google Docs, Google Calandar, and Google Chrome to name a few. Google also owns YouTube. Yeah Larry, most of us already know that. Tell us why a software company would want to buy a hardware company? OK dude, ever hear of the Droid operating system?

Probably known as the only serious competitor to the iPhone, Android PDAs (PDA is a cell phone on steroids) run Google’s “Droid” software operating system. Business partners like Dell, Acer, Samsung and Motorola have provided the hardware in the past. When the acquisition is completed, Google will be able to control both the hardware and software for its cell phone PDA products. Just like Apple does now. I wonder what Michael Dell, Steve Jobs and Bill Gates are thinking? The tech world’s corporate lawyer’s heads must be spinning! Corporate acquisitions mean patent rights, and that can be huge in the world of high technology. Google is basically purchasing 17,000 patents by acquiring Motorola Mobility.

Yeah, but what’s a Google anyway? Google is a fairly new company, founded in 1998 and growing very fast to become the $30 billion company that it is today. Shortly after Google took the online search engine business by storm, Microsoft founder Bill Gates admitted that he completely underestimated how large that market segment could become. Microsoft’s Bing search engine doesn’t even begin to compete with Google.

So, is that it? A software giant will be able to make its own cell phones? Well, not really. There’s a bigger piece to this Motorola puzzle. If you live in Queen Anne’s County and subscribe to cable TV service, there is a Motorola set top box in your home right now. Motorola is the largest manufacturer of cable TV set top boxes. It supplies the two largest cable TV providers in the country, Comcast and Time Warner. By purchasing Motorola, Google is instantly in your Family Room.

If you read this column a few weeks ago, I wrote that Apple plans to offer an internet Video service to compete with Cable and Satellite TV sometime in the next 12 months.. Apple’s strategy to enter your home will be via its own internet flat panel TV. And now it looks like Google might be positioning itself for a shot at our entertainment dollar.
Google already knows what you search for. Could they use that information to determine what commercials you will see on TV?

How will all of this shake out? Your guess is as good as mine, but it sure seems like there are there are some big players trying to invade our Family Rooms.]]>user@domain.comTech Talk2011-07-18T20:24:08-04:00http://chesapeakehometheatre.com/blog/files/d5796921db8ce6001e0670b87c5f8d58-10.html#unique-entry-id-10http://chesapeakehometheatre.com/blog/files/d5796921db8ce6001e0670b87c5f8d58-10.html#unique-entry-id-10If you think consumer electronics is approaching a plateau, think again. What else could “they” invent and what else could consumers possibly need? Remember that saying, “the only thing certain is death, taxes and change.” I read two articles this week that will change everything, and we can look for that change in the next 12 months.

The first column I read was about IPTV. What could IPTV possibly be? OK, we all know what TV stands for, and a lot of people know that IP stands for “internet protocol”. Let’s combine the IP and the TV and we have “Internet TV”. If you think about it, what distribution network could be better for audio, video and consumer entertainment than the internet? I am guessing that the only reason it took this long for this concept to become reality was that our networks weren’t fast enough to support the large data streams. But that’s all changing, network speeds, both wired and wireless are getting faster and faster. "Bandwidth” is the buzzword.

Netflix put rival company Blockbuster in Chapter 11 with its “first to market” digital video streaming service. So, why not deliver television content the same way? The Cable and Satellite TV providers better pay attention because market share will change quickly. OK Larry, but I already have cable TV, why would I change to this IPTV thing? In other words, what’s in it for me? Great question, and I have two immediate answers for you. With IPTV, you will be able to purchase digital content “a la carte”. Currently our Cable and Satellite providers give us packages that we pay for. But a lot of those channels we pay for in a package go unused. IPTV will offer much more flexibility. And the second answer is, since the TV content will arrive via the internet, it will pass through your home’s router. So any device like your iPhone, laptop, or Droid will now become a TV. Pretty cool huh? Let’s put the IPTV concept on hold for a minute and move on.

It was leaked that Apple Computer will enter the flat screen TV business within the next 12 months. If it was any other company, I would think they were crazy, but due to the success of Apple’s “i” devices they might just take existing TV manufacturers to school. I have to be honest, profit margins in flat screen TVs are very slim. The big retailers offset that by selling extended warranties, expensive cables, and installation services. But Apple not only invented the iPod, they also invented the iTunes service. Do you think maybe Apple Computer will offer an IPTV service?

The hardware and service combo will give Apple a huge advantage. It is estimated that IPTV will take 10% of the cable and satellite market share in the first year. And since Apple devices have been so successful you can bet that a TV from them will be amazing. What if your computer, DVR, music, videos, and TV all resided in one device? Are there any manufacturers that could put all of that together? You can bet “the ranch” that Apple could put all of that together. I won’t even mention Apple’s incredible and intuitive operating system software that will tie all of the functions together.

FORGET EVERYTHING, because it all is about to change.]]>user@domain.comTech Talk2011-08-28T20:21:19-04:00http://chesapeakehometheatre.com/blog/files/443b11b5e91ca68ec98c8c1d571d8969-9.html#unique-entry-id-9http://chesapeakehometheatre.com/blog/files/443b11b5e91ca68ec98c8c1d571d8969-9.html#unique-entry-id-9What a crazy week! First we had an earthquake. That was a first for me. Then Steve Jobs resigned as CEO of Apple Computer. Then a hurricane the size of Texas blew up the east coast. And that was all in the same week.

The hurricane was so vast and dangerous that Queen Anne’s county ordered businesses closed and mandatory evacuations in certain areas. That was a first for me too. I was really surprised when the mayor of New York City closed the city and shut NYCs mass transit down. Don’t mess with Mother Nature I guess.

So if you did stay in your own home, you probably looked forward to a family night with home entertainment. Except what if the electric power went out? I have to admit that my electronic component rack is pretty obnoxious. But without electricity, it’s all worthless! I haven’t invested in a generator because Delmarva Power does a great job in my neighborhood. But the few hours that we are without power everything shuts down. Except FM radio that is!

I remember back in the 70s a friend of mine bought a new car that had an am/fm radio. We didn’t know what FM was all about at the time, maybe just a new set of stations to listen to? Then we stumbled across an FM station from Bethesda that played album music. That was cool, but the real difference was the sound quality when compared to AM radio. This was the post Woodstock era, and a major music renaissance was taking place. The typical AM radio format was to play 1-3 minutes songs and then go to commercial. Maybe that’s one reason The Beatles were so popular. Their songs fit the AM radio format perfectly.

Then a group named Led Zeppelin recorded an 8 minute song we all know as “Stairway to Heaven”. Led Zep’s management told the band it was a ridiculous idea because radio stations wouldn’t play an 8 minute song. But FM radio was on the rise and renegade stations like the one in Bethesda wanted to set themselves apart from the norm. Of course Stairway to Heaven was a huge hit and sounded fabulous on FM.

DJs named John Hall, Damian, and Cerphe played music from groups like The Allman Brothers Band, Janis Joplin, Jefferson Airplane, Santana, and Jimi Hendrix. This wasn’t your 1-3 minute AM radio music. Those guys played album rock n roll jams. And it sounded great!

Howard Stern calls FM radio “terrestrial radio”. The FCC enforces censorship and strict territories. FM radio has huge competition now with Satellite Radio, Internet radio, iPods, and services like Pandora that we can listen to at home or in our cars. But somehow FM hangs on. And if your power goes out while you’re waiting for a hurricane to pass, an FM radio will work just fine. Maybe keep a few extra batteries on hand and you will be set.

Remember that Steely Dan tune?

“nothing but blues and Elvis
and somebody else’s favorite song
FM, No Static at All”]]>user@domain.comTech Talk2011-06-06T20:20:12-04:00http://chesapeakehometheatre.com/blog/files/cf5ec56b7ab77759d132f2b8477860d8-8.html#unique-entry-id-8http://chesapeakehometheatre.com/blog/files/cf5ec56b7ab77759d132f2b8477860d8-8.html#unique-entry-id-8Entertainment content these days is offered to us in many ways. The internet changed the music, video, and even book business forever. Companies like Blockbuster and Tower Records that didn’t adapt soon enough are now history. Entertainment distribution is now just a click away. I remember one of my first lessons in business, “make it easy for the customer to buy”. Well if you want to watch a movie, purchase the right to listen to music, or even read a book, just log on, point and click.

The entertainment business is so successful that services like Pandora can afford to offer music for free. Sure, there is a “pay for premium” service, but advertising revenue is the real lifeblood of many online services. That’s good news for consumers, because free is nice! If we use Pandora as an example, while you listen to the music if you look closely there will also be a window that asks if you want to purchase the song. That’s what I call making it easy for the customer to buy! Just point and click. Don’t know what to get someone for their birthday? How about an ITunes card? It’s really pretty cool when I hear a song that I want and all I have to do is log into my account and the song downloads to my laptop.

By entertainment I am talking about intellectual content that reaches out to 3 of our 5 senses. Three? Are you kidding me dude? Yeah, there’s sight (video), sound (hearing), and feeling. OK, maybe the sense of touch (feeling) is a stretch, but with upscale home theater systems you will actually feel the music and movie effects.

OK, so what do we have here? There’s ppv movies, downloadable movies, online music, downloadable music (for purchase), online radio (listen to many radio broadcasts from anywhere in the world), downloadable art, and even downloadable books. As much as I love the latest home theater electronics, sometimes a good book is just awesome. Devices like the Kindle and even IPad make reading a book nice. You don’t have to carry that paperback, and they even included graphics that look like a page turning.

Is there anything else dude? Well yes there is! Remember good ole FM radio? Actually AM radio is still alive, but I don’t anyone that still listens to AM (hey, that’s just me). Otherwise known as “terrestrial radio”, FM is doing just fine. Since most of us drive to work, FM still has a large marketplace. If you can handle or support the FCC regulations that govern communications, FM is still a great free broadcast service. And then we have Satellite Radio. Sirius XM is also competing for our attention and entertainment dollar. The FCC has no control over this service’s content, so “adult” content is aired on certain channels. There are many music channels (by category), talk shows (i.e. Howard Stern, Martha Stewart, and even Oprah), comedy shows, Sports, BBC, Playboy Radio, and more. Satellite radio is very cool, but how much stuff can we digest? Ever hear the expression, “drinking from a firehose!” And let’s not forget Cable TV, Satellite TV, and the 4 major networks that bradcast in Hi-Definition.

Sometimes I picture a scene from the1920s where a rural midwest family is sitting around a tube AM radio listening to a weekly broadcast. The father probably turned the set on 15 minutes early to let it warm up and everybody looked forward to the show. And then I think of my college days when 7 guys would be in my friend’s dorm room huddled around a 15 inch black and white TV watching “The Fonz”, Richie and Potsie on “Happy Days’.

We’ve come a long way Charlie Brown! Whether you prefer books, radio, TV, internet streaming, or whatever I missed, entertainment is COMING TO YOUR SENSES!]]>user@domain.comTech Talk2011-10-16T20:19:04-04:00http://chesapeakehometheatre.com/blog/files/153348fd1ee0939f9cd4b3754dc8ed2f-7.html#unique-entry-id-7http://chesapeakehometheatre.com/blog/files/153348fd1ee0939f9cd4b3754dc8ed2f-7.html#unique-entry-id-7I am going to guess that most of us have at least a few electronics in our homes. And some of us have a lot of electronics at home. How many TVs are in your house? You might have a surround sound system, CD player(s), iPod, DVD player(s) or maybe a Blu-Ray player or two. Cable TV or Satellite box(es), speakers, subwoofer, remote controls are just a few of the electronic components in our homes. And that’s just the audio and video components. I’m not even mentioning our computers, routers, and printers.

I am also going to guess that most interior designers really don’t like TVs. But unless you want to live in a museum, the issue becomes “function”. Let’s face it, most people spend a lot of time with the TV on. What good is a family room if there is no TV displaying the big game? Sure there are a few people that don’t want that lifestyle. But for most of us, audio and video entertainment is a big part of the time spent in our homes. Let’s add surround sound to that family room which requires 5 speakers and a subwoofer and there goes the décor and the interior designer’s blood pressure.

No problem Larry, why not get a cabinet and stuff all of those components in it, turn everything on, crank them up and slam the doors shut? I hope that sounds funny to you, but the reality is that is exactly what a lot of people try to do. Find or build the cabinet you like and then make the electronics fit! Yeah RIGHT!! Just put that receiver on the chop saw and make it fit in the cabinet?? YEAH RIGHT!!!!

Here is why that mentality will not work. First, most electronic components create heat. If you look at a surround sound receiver or cable box it will have vents on top of it. The vents are for ventilation! So when another component is placed on top of the receiver, it gets hot. And those solid doors won’t allow any heat to escape. Alright Einsten, how about if we drill holes in the bottom of the cabinet? That is actually kind of funny since we all know that heat rises! And that beautiful custom built-in wall cabinet with the solid doors won’t allow for infra-red signals to pass. So leave the doors open, or spend more money and install an IR sensor or RF remote control system if you want to be able to use remote controls.

Yeah but Larry, I measured and the components will fit. Will they? A lot of custom cabinet makers and even a/v furniture makers like to make furniture about 15 inches deep. So, if you measure that surround sound receiver it will probably be about 15 inches deep. So, where’s the beef? Here’s the beef, how about the connections on the back? They require about 2 more inches of depth. And that volume control knob on the front, count on another inch at least. And how about all of those wires? Lets see, each speaker gets a wire, that’s 5 plus the subwoofer. The TV gets an HDMI cable, The BluRay player gets an HDMI cable, and everything has a power cord. And I am just getting started. So those little access holes are virtually worthless when they get filled up with wires. And hard shelves are ridiculous. Components communicate with each other, meaning wires within the cabinet run up and down as well as in and out.

Most components are 17 inches wide. So cabinets should be 19 inches wide at a minimum. Heights vary depending on the component. And we already talked about the forgotten dimension, depth. So are we slaves to our furniture and décor leaving us functionally challenged? Well, yes if we allow that to happen.

Yeah, but my friend stuffed everything into her cabinet and it all works. OK, but how about a year from now, when she adds a BluRay player into that cabinet? It will turn a 10 minute job into a half day nightmare. And remember, heat is the number one enemy to all electronics.

All right dude, so what’s the answer? Well, there are several ways to approach the cabinet nightmare. I will first mention priorities. Décor is important, but leave décor for last. What good is a nice looking cabinet if it doesn’t work? You need ACCESS, VENTILATION, SPACING and then DÉCOR.

If you purchase an a/v stand from a big box retailer, understand that it might pretend to be used for storing electronics. Check the dimensions. The best units do not have backs, leaving access and ventilation. If you want doors, glass or metal mesh work best.

Ideally, rack systems are the best. They don’t always integrate with existing wall units, but if you are having one built any time soon, look into a sliding rack unit. They are not that expensive, are able to fit within a cabinet and slide out and spin for access.

The other answer is to have a metal component rack in a closet, basement or other area connected to the speakers and TV in the family room. That’s not always an option, but if you are building new or renovating your home, consider having the wiring done before insulation and drywall goes up.

Most of the ladies don’t want to see a bunch of black boxes. With the right planning, electronics and décor can “coexist”. Low tech, meet hi tech!]]>user@domain.comTech Talk2011-10-31T20:18:19-04:00http://chesapeakehometheatre.com/blog/files/1867bd09c0ecf7882fb938d0cad0da7c-6.html#unique-entry-id-6http://chesapeakehometheatre.com/blog/files/1867bd09c0ecf7882fb938d0cad0da7c-6.html#unique-entry-id-6Technology changes our lives, I don’t think anyone can argue against that point. And the state of Maryland was a different place before cell phones were invented. Cell phones were not only invented, they are everywhere. Almost everyone pretty much has access to a cell phone. Monthly rates are consumer level low and long distance charges are a thing of the past. In addition to providing verbal communication, most cell phones have the “text” capability. You can add surfing the internet and checking your e-mail to the new PDA cell phones capabilities.

OK, Larry we all know that stuff, who is breaking the law? A lot of us are breaking the law, that’s who. The next time you are on the road in your car, look around and see how many people are talking on their cell phones or texting or maybe even reading their email. Yeah dude, but everybody uses their cell phones in the car, who is breaking the law?

I might not have all of the legal-ese correct, but as I understand it, hand-held use of a cell phone while driving, is now against the law in MD. Yeah, but everybody talks on their phone in the car, how can that be illegal? I didn’t say that talking was illegal, hand-held use of a cell phone is illegal. Enter another technology, “Bluetooth”. I get it, so holding a cell phone is illegal, but using a “hands free” device with a cell phone is permitted.

So what’s a “Bluetooth”? Bluetooth is a wireless technology that transmits and receives signals over short distances. So a Bluetooth headset or ear bud can be used wirelessly with a cell phone. There are also Bluetooth keyboards, mouses (or is it mice?), heart rate monitors and other devices which eliminate the wires.

I have to admit that I have questions about the new law. If you use a hands free device like a Bluetooth ear bud, you are legal. But you still have to search your contacts or dial the phone to make a call. To me its not the talking that is dangerous but the eyes off the road and dialing that is dangerous. So is dialing illegal? I understand that texting and surfing the internet are just bad ideas while driving and should be illegal. But who is to say that I am dialing and not texting?

Maybe the new law puts the judgment on Police Officers. Was that driver texting, dialing, or talking without a hands free device? Or if a driver has a hands free device, does the violation go away? I have and use a Bluetooth hands free ear bud. It took some getting use to, but I really like it now. But admittedly, there are times such as dialing that I have to touch the phone and look away from the road.

What if sometime in the future, there was a phone that you could talk to and operate totally hands free? Something like, hey phone, read me my text messages? Or my wife might say to her iPhone, call Larry (she never calls me). Then of course her iPhone would actually dial my number and she would talk on her Bluetooth hands free headset. Now that’s “hands free”! Yeah, but hey Einstein, that will never happen on a small device like a PDA or cell phone. Sorry dude, it is already on the market!

The new iPhone 4S has something called “Siri”. Siri turns the new iPhone into a speech recognition device. It will read you your texts, emails, record and send outgoing texts, reminders and manage your calendar, all by simply talking to it. The other day my wife wanted to check on a prescription while driving. She simply said, “Siri, please call Rite Aid in Chester, MD.

And what if that capability was integrated with our home audio and video systems? I could say something like, go to ESPN. Or what time are the Ravens on this week? Or please play the Allman Brothers Band in Dolby Digital. HOLD UP! That’s a whole ‘nother article waiting to be written! Today is about keeping our eyes on the road!

The new MD cell phone law says that fines will range from $40 to $100 for violations. I don’t know of anyone that has been fined, but I see many, many violators. Maybe the court of public opinion doesn’t yet recognize the danger or potential of driver inattention. But Officer, my mother called me, I had to answer. Sorry, tell it to the Judge!

Steve Jobs is gone, but another one of his technologies is here and making us safer. I will look for Siri to be integrated with many new devices in the very near future. You might not own an iPhone 4S, but please, keep your eyes on the road and your hands behind the wheel! ]]>user@domain.comTech Talk2011-06-20T20:16:04-04:00http://chesapeakehometheatre.com/blog/files/0053331a9b0c56722ef8c1f232551e3a-5.html#unique-entry-id-5http://chesapeakehometheatre.com/blog/files/0053331a9b0c56722ef8c1f232551e3a-5.html#unique-entry-id-5If you’re renovating or building a new home anytime soon you should consider wiring for a “whole house” audio system. So, what is a whole house audio system, and why don’t I just put a boom box in every room?

New construction has changed a little in the last few years and audio and video are a part of that change. Most people think to have telephone and cable TV wires installed during the construction phase, but how about internet and speakers throughout the house? Sure you can probably connect to the internet via your wireless router, but there’s nothing better than a wired connection. And forget about wireless speakers, I will explain why in a future article. Don’t forget about high definition video and surround sound. A few years ago we had “cable ready” TVs. But if you want hi-definition, that single co-ax cable connected to your TV isn’t going work.

There are many choices of entertainment content these days. First you have your good ole CD collection and FM radio. Then we have satellite radio, digital music from your cable or satellite TV provider, or maybe your IPod or similar portable music player. What did I miss? Maybe internet radio? Some people even have large hard drives that store all of their movies, music, photos that are known as media servers. OK, so let’s make a name for all this media that brings us entertainment. How about “sources”? A source could be a CD player, or maybe Sirius XM radio or whatever you connect to your system. So a “source” is really an input signal that originates from a device, computer or player or even the internet.

Whole house audio systems range from small systems that accept 1 or 2 sources and output to a few rooms with speakers. Larger systems can accept up to 8 sources and output to an almost unlimited number of rooms with speakers. Alright electronics guy, but what if I am on one side of the house and want to change the volume or XM station I have playing? Great question! What is being asked is how do we locally control a central system that might reside in a closet or basement somewhere else in the house? The more sophisticated systems utilize keypads installed in each room. The keypad is wired back to a central controller allowing local control for volume, song selection and source selection. And if you want to really show off, your IPhone or IPad can be also be used as a wireless keypad. The really hi-end systems will allow control of lighting, thermostat, and even display who is standing at your front door. But let’s focus on entertainment for now.

Sounds pretty nice, but when I am sitting by the pool, I don’t want to hear what my teenager is playing in her room. That is a huge point, and most whole house systems allow each room to be independent from each other. So you might listen to FM by the pool, your daughter can listen to her IPod in her bedroom and someone else might listen to NASCAR in another room via XM radio. Companies like Sonos, Nuvo, Russound, Niles and Crestron are a few of the manufacturers competing in the whole house system arena.

So you can listen to any CD you want, wherever you want , without carrying it from room to room. Yeah but LD, I don’t plan to be doing any new construction now and I really don’t want to tear up my walls and ceilings running new wires. No worries, there are systems that can be installed in existing homes with minimal drywall damage. There are even a few systems that utilize your home’s existing electric wires to distribute internet and entertainment. I like to refer to these systems as “retro-fit” systems.

OK, so what does one of these systems cost? Well, the more basic whole house systems might be less expensive than you think. If you want to go to the high middle range with 8 rooms and 8 sources, you’re in the $10k to $15k range. But remember, since this is a system in your house you could almost look at it as an investment versus an expense. A house with an audio system will be more desirable than one without. If you have a new construction project coming up, consider at least getting the wiring in place. The system can be added later.

Or you could carry your CD collection around and play them in one your boom boxes!]]>user@domain.comTech Talk2011-07-05T20:14:22-04:00http://chesapeakehometheatre.com/blog/files/320f359ee014e29d8cb44ccbae2e6942-4.html#unique-entry-id-4http://chesapeakehometheatre.com/blog/files/320f359ee014e29d8cb44ccbae2e6942-4.html#unique-entry-id-4I have to admit that I own a fairly large “live bootleg concert” collection of cassette tapes and CD-R’s. Everything I have is legal (DON’T SHOOT OFFICER!). Back in the day there were several touring bands that not only allowed taping of live shows, but encouraged taping and trading of their live performances. It was a lot of fun, duplicating analog tapes and meeting new fans with similar musical tastes. You might even consider it a large “counter culture”. Everybody called the tapes “bootleg” because there were no record studio labels on them. We circulated tapes below the retail radar and it was a lot of fun. I would hear phrases like, hey man, I got that Merriweather Post or Red Rocks Show from 85”, Jerry was incredible on “Shakedown Street”! Anyway, last week I was thinking of a cool jam, so I dusted off the tape deck and put in the show I wanted to hear. It sounded OK, a little flat, certainly acceptable, but it just didn’t reach out and grab me. Then it hit me, “Great Scott! I gotta get back to the future”!

By now you should be remembering Christopher Lloyd, Michael J. Fox, a DeLorean, and the infamous “flux capacitor”. A few button clicks later and my new “network” a/v receiver was in motion and my favorite Pandora digital music was playing via the internet. Almost stuck in the not so distant analog past! That was a CLOSE CALL! GREAT SCOTT! I am wondering who the Scot was that Christopher Lloyd was referring to?

So, if we had a DeLorean time machine with a “flux capacitor” and could advance ourselves to the future, what might we find? OK, predicting the future is never an easy thing, but I think we can easily say that the “internet” will be a part of the immediate future. We refer to the world wide web as the internet, but it might called something else one day. Then there are private network service providers that connect us to the www like Verizon, Sprint and AT&T that we pay for. A few years ago, we carried around cassette tapes for our Sony Walkmans (spell check on the plural of Walkman). Then we had CD Walkmans (or is it Walkmen?). Now we have IPods or Droids or similar portable devices that store our music, photos and even videos (if you have the storage capacity). We don’t carry tapes or discs anymore (aka media), because our devices have miniature hard drives built in. These devices are capable of storing days and days of audio and video entertainment. Yeah, but that’s old news LD, let’s get back to the future!

I don’t think I’m going out on a limb when I say that personal hard drives might go away. A few weeks ago Steve Jobs (CEO of Apple Computer) announced a new Apple service known as “The I-Cloud”. As I understand it, this computer hardware manufacturer is launching yet another service (remember the ITunes service?). The I-Cloud service will automatically sync all of your photos, videos, and music to Apple’s huge storage silos with your computer, IPod, IPad or similar device. In the event of a lost IPod, or damaged device, the I-Cloud service will be there to upload all of your digital entertainment to the new device. Transferring your music to a new generation device will be easy. Your investment in music and videos as well as your personal photos will be backed up and safe.

Now, let’s consider the networks of the future. The wireless 3G network of today is nice, but speed and availability can become an issue. For instance, I can drive down the highway and listen to Pandora (or similar service) wirelessly from the internet via my IPhone. My IPhone outputs the Pandora signal to my vehicle’s sound system and usually doesn’t miss a note. That probably wouldn’t be the case with video, which requires a lot more “bandwidth”. The wireless 4G network is available now and is 10 times faster than the 3G network. So if we go back to the future, how fast will our networks be? Your guess is as good as mine, but I think it’s safe to say future networks will be highly available and very fast. Entire cities will be networked, and if you’re under the umbrella, you will have wi-fi connectivity. Maybe networks will be like cell phones now, you leave one cell zone and enter another cell zone? I’m not sure about that idea, but I would bet that network service providers will make their service highly available and very, very fast. And consumers will take network connectivity for granted.

Let’s combine the idea of very fast, highly available networks with desktop and portable devices. Guess what? Nobody will need that hard drive. All of your software, photos, music, and videos will reside somewhere else in the world and you will have immediate access to whatever you want whenever you want. To the user, the experience will be transparent All of your “stuff” will actually reside on a huge storage device(s) in India, Taiwan, East Jah-blip or wherever. And when future network communications are fast enough, personal computers and other devices won’t need processing capabilities at all. Remember “dumb terminals” from the old mainframe computer days? Immediate access to whatever audio or video file or software program you want will be available. I’m thinking the phrase “full circle” might be appropriate. The downside? Sorry, it also means another monthly service payment! Hey technology is cool, but it ain’t free!

Microsoft is also talking about “cloud computing” and I’m sure many other companies will embrace and market the concept. It will be very interesting to see where the concept will go. But somehow “the cloud” will no doubt be a big part of consumer level home entertainment. Hey, really our entertainment future is really “ALL ABOUT THE NETWORK”!

So, let’s see, Apple markets I-devices and I-services. If Steve Jobs was Batman, would we have Bat-pads? Bat-pods? The Bat-cloud? And sorry, but “I” have to do this…..Bat-phones? If you’re not asleep yet, thanks for reading for this column!

Great Scott! I have to get back to the future!]]>user@domain.comTech Talk2011-09-12T20:09:04-04:00http://chesapeakehometheatre.com/blog/files/f19d37f9d7d9b6c90d82b7ceb5da8ddb-3.html#unique-entry-id-3http://chesapeakehometheatre.com/blog/files/f19d37f9d7d9b6c90d82b7ceb5da8ddb-3.html#unique-entry-id-3
We’ve all contemplated the old “chicken or the egg” dilemma. And a famous standup comedian posed the question, does the wind make the trees shake or do the trees shake and make the wind? Hey, it was funny when he said it! Yeah yeah Larry, but what does that have to do with a column titled “Tech Talk?”

I am referring to the concept of how technology has changed our lives. Does culture drive technology or does a new technology change culture? Look at the events that took place recently in Egypt and Libya. It seems like if you want to be an oppressive dictator, you better keep your people in the dark. Back in the Cold War days, there was something called Radio Free Europe. The internet wasn’t invented yet, but radio was and informing populations in communist block countries brought major political changes.

The Berlin Wall is gone. The USSR is over. I wonder what extent the internet had in informing the Russian population and bringing about political change? Maybe Russian girls saw American blue jeans on the internet, and said, hey get our leaders out of here. We want American blue jeans!

So where are we now? It’s the beginning of football season of course! Like it or not, the National Football League is a huge part of American culture these days. And the NFL has embraced technology and created an entertainment giant. C’mon dude, football is about running, blocking and hitting people. You know, Rumblin’, Bumblin’, Stumblin’! What do you mean technology is a part of the gridiron?

Back in the dark ages, professional football made money at the gate. They sold tickets, beer and hotdogs and that was the extent of the revenue. Then television was invented, and TV revenue easily exceeded ticket revenues. Las Vegas contributed to the NFL’s popularity. Football is the perfect game for gamblers. Due to the nature of the scoring, the Vegas point spread has become a big piece of the pie. How about instant replay? Or ESPN? Fantasy Football over the internet? They are just a few examples of the add-ons that increase the NFL’s popularity and footprint.

Let’s not forget the actual video production of a game. The networks that produce the games must be using the most advanced cameras I’ve ever seen. High definition video from an NFL game is fabulous! You can read the coaches lips, and if you get the right angle even read the lips of a player through his face mask! DirecTV has the NFL package. And 3D video is on the league’s horizon. I wonder what a 30 second commercial in this year’s Super Bowl will cost? Want to watch a game on your smartphone or iPad?

I consider the NFL owners to be among the shrewdest business people in the world. How can you squeeze 111 million fans into a stadium to see the most recent Super Bowl? Easy, all you have to do is broadcast the game in the highest definition video available (1080p) with 54 cameras and Dolby 5.1 surround sound to create an at home experience almost as real as being there, that’s how! And a lot of us would prefer to watch from home.

So, did the NFL become the billion dollar entertainment business on its own and casually adopt new technology along the way? Or did technology push the NFL into becoming the billion dollar entertainment industry that it is today? Maybe the chicken knows?

Are you ready for some FOOTBALL??
]]>user@domain.comTech Talk2011-10-24T20:02:33-04:00http://chesapeakehometheatre.com/blog/files/e053849c1ff7bc7663186843a6927f78-2.html#unique-entry-id-2http://chesapeakehometheatre.com/blog/files/e053849c1ff7bc7663186843a6927f78-2.html#unique-entry-id-2Last week had to be a tough week for dictators and deceitful leaders all over the world. So what really contributed to the fall of Muammar Gaddafi? We’ve all heard the saying, “It’s good to be King”. I’m not so sure about that anymore.

The Libyan people just couldn’t be kept in the dark any longer. Technology has reached levels that allow communication and information to flow freely to people around the world, and that includes Libya. And if the king can’t keep his citizens in the dark, he might have some splainin’ to do. Note to world leaders, whatever you do will be shared, scrutinized and communicated to billions of people. Good, bad or otherwise, the people have a world wide web! The days of the telegraph are gone. Information is being shared around the world at lightning like speeds. There is nowhere to hide.

I like to watch a weekly show called CBS Sunday Morning. There was a short segment this week that really caught my attention. It should have been titled, “A Great Time to be Alive”. It pointed out something very true and kind of scary. The world’s population will reach 7 billion sometime around this coming Halloween, (that is next week). Instead of reporting on the negatives going on, the show objectively focused on the positive aspects of 7 billion people sharing one planet.

The overall message of the segment was that right now is really the best time in history to be alive. The author based his premise on 4 factors; lifespan, healthcare, economic opportunity, and literacy. Sure, I know our current economy is down but compared to 250 years ago, things aren’t so bad. And how did we get here? Technology has reached levels that allow communication and information to flow freely around the world at lightning like speeds. Hey is there an echo in here? That’s what I was thinking. So will more people cause more problems or will more people solve more problems?

Gifted and skilled individuals now have the tools to collaborate with colleagues and almost anyone with an interest, around the world at a moments notice. Think about world-wide collaboration and the possible advances in healthcare. And in Libya’s case, freedom vs. oppression? Hmmm, we saw what the now informed people of Libya decided. Maybe think of your computer and the internet as communication devices. “The pen is mightier than the sword” is and old and wise quotation. If the pen is powerful, a keyboard must be a pen on steroids! Make keyboards available to billions of people and you will have a very informed powerful planet. Power to the people, Right On!

Our cell phones can be used as portable cameras to capture photos and videos and then send the graphic information to anyone. We have laptops, desktops, tablets, PDAs that effortlessly give us information and allow us to share our experiences in real time. If you can type g-o-o-g-l-e, you have access to almost any topic that you can think of. And the world’s networks are getting faster and faster.

It took over 2000 years for the world’s population to reach one billion. It took 110 years to reach 7 billion. What will the population be 100 years from now? Your guess is as good as mine, but I do know that technology will need to play a big part in keeping our planet safe and peaceful. Time will tell if more people will cause more problems or solve more problems. But speaking as one of seven billion, I have to say, it’s a great time to be alive!]]>user@domain.comTech Talk2011-04-25T20:01:17-04:00http://chesapeakehometheatre.com/blog/files/b8fa0ce1da9fbf9f6f02fac5181021cc-1.html#unique-entry-id-1http://chesapeakehometheatre.com/blog/files/b8fa0ce1da9fbf9f6f02fac5181021cc-1.html#unique-entry-id-1So, what’s new in home entertainment? You have audio and you have video, what could be simpler? On the audio side, we first had a single signal called monaural (mono). Mono wasn’t bad, then they figured out that 2 separate soundtracks (left and right) gave audio depth (key word here, depth!) and realism. It was called stereo. Now we have surround sound which can have up to as many as 11 separate soundtracks for amazing audio effects. On the video side, we first had black and white, then color video (remember the word “technicolor”?). Then the DVD improved the standard video resolution. And then we were given high definition! What could be better than that? Razor sharp images, brilliant colors all from a device that was maybe 3 or 4 inches thick.

About a year ago TV manufacturers starting shipping 3D high definition TVs. Sales were disappointing, and there wasn’t a whole lot of 3D video available. If you bought one, you purchased a fabulous hi-end 2D TV also capable of 3D video. Life on the “bleeding edge”! But really, what’s the big deal? Will 3D really catch on? And what’s with those glasses?

Kind of like our old friend 2 track stereo, 3D video is produced with 2 lens cameras giving images depth. And yes, at least for now, you have to wear special glasses to experience the third dimension. Hollywood is not exactly jumping in the 3D ocean. But they are maybe getting their toes wet. The NFL aired a playoff game in 3D this past season. One of the satellite video services has one channel with 3D programming. So what’s it going to take to make 3D video mainstream?

It’s hard to talk about technology without offering an opinion. And here comes one. 3D will catch on when the glasses go away. I’ve read that in 2 to 5 years that will happen. Manufacturers are working with surfaces on the front of the TV that will work like 3D glasses do now. And of course Hollywood will have to embrace the “depth” dimension. If NFL games are produced in 3D, count on it becoming mainstream. To be honest, I have not sat through an entire 3D movie. But I have seen 3D demo videos, and yes, 3D is for real.

You will need a 3D capable TV, and a source that produces 3D. The source could be a 3D BluRay player or a cable or satellite signal. Oops, your monthly video bill just went up! Don’t shoot! I’m just the messenger! Imagine Ray Lewis jumping out of your television and into your Family Room! Or a movie like Jaws in 3D? Nobody will ever get in the water again! Ahh-nold is almost done being a governor, maybe he’ll make a new action movie in 3D?? He said he’d be back! And how about the video game industry? That’s a whole additional market that will explode with 3D.

Don’t feel obsolete, you’re hi-definition 2D TV is still awesome. But, if they figure out how to get rid of the glasses, 3D will happen. I’m not kiddin’!
]]>user@domain.comTech Talk2011-03-23T19:56:05-04:00http://chesapeakehometheatre.com/blog/files/d0301777c978ca5ece916bbade6c2255-0.html#unique-entry-id-0http://chesapeakehometheatre.com/blog/files/d0301777c978ca5ece916bbade6c2255-0.html#unique-entry-id-0OK, you invested in that awesome flat panel TV. You might even have surround sound creating a very nice audio and video experience. Your kids connect their Wii game to the system and the neighbors had a great time at the Super Bowl Party. The Daytona 500 never looked better. But, now it’s time to have that family movie night. OOPS, the local video store has closed. Now what??

If you’re a teenager, you already know this. But for the rest of us, getting almost any movie you want to watch has never been easier. All you need is an Internet connection and a very inexpensive online account with a movie service. Most newer model TVs (and other a/v components) have internet capability built-in. If your TV does not have this ability, don’t worry, there are other inexpensive ways to stream movies and watch them on your TV.

That means, NO disc to return, mail back, pay late fees or even rewind (remember tapes?) And you have the same control just as if a disc was in your DVD player (we will talk about Blu-Ray later). That means, if the phone rings, you can pause. Tired? Resume tomorrow. Missed that last scene? Slow rewind, just like a disc was in your DVD player.

Technology has made video distribution virtually effortless. You even don’t have to leave your home. Just select a movie from the on-screen guide, and instant movie delivered to your family room. You thought the internet was for e-mail? Duh! It was obviously invented so you wouldn’t have to leave the house to go to the Video Store!
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