Home Theaters

The main complaint I hear from people about flat screen televisions is the price tag. Despite plummeting prices, trying to find an LCD or plasma television that suits your needs for less than $1000 is still not an easy task. Many models that do fit in this price range have drawbacks that may not be worth the money you save bringing them home, including lack of functionality and connectivity.

Fortunately, there are some choices out there that should satisfy your needs. On top of this list is the Samsung LN-T3253H HDTV. At 32″, it has a large enough picture for many small home theaters and produces the accurate colors and fine shadow detail often reserved for high-end models. It also offers versatile connectivity options (one PC and three HDMI inputs) in a stylish package.

Thanks to its combination of features, quality and style, it has been well-received by professionals and buyers alike.

Though most retailers are still selling this set for $1200-$1300, our friends at Amazon have recently lowered the price to just a tad over $900.

Not bad at all!

Perfect for your gaming needs and intimate settings, the Samsung LNS3251D 32″ LCD HDTV earns two green envy buttons.

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When shopping for a big screen television, one of the first things you are really going to be torn about is whether to choose a plasma or LCD display. As with other big ticket purchases, you are going to want to do your due diligence and find the option that fits best for you. To help you get started, here are a few things you may want to think about.

1. What is the difference? - Though similar in width and flatness of screen, there are some major differences in how the picture is rendered. Depending on your needs, this may not be a matter of importance.

2. Picture quality - Plasma screens are generally considered to have a slightly better picture because they can display blacks more accurately, giving a truer contrast.

3. Plasma’s advantages over LCD - Plasmas more or less offer a better viewing angle, brighter colors, have larger pictures and are very often less expensive.

4. LCD’s advantages over plasma - LCD sets typically have a better screen resolution, consume less energy, weigh less, have a longer lifespan and are less susceptible to image burn.

5. Which is the better value? - The larger screen you are seeking, the more likely plasma is a good way to go. On screens over 50″, plasmas have a noticeably clearer and lifelike picture.

Check out this video comparison for a few more tips.

You can also find more information on the big screen format war here, here, here, here and here.

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Aimed at the those who relish showing off their HDTV’s feature set, the Sony KDS-R60XBR2 is a 60-inch high-def magnet.

Loaded with just about every feature of today’s HDTV, the “Grand Wega” flaunts 720/1080p support and can handle any new video input with three HDMI slots. One is conveniently located under a flap in the front for short-term connections like your video camera or Playstation 3.

With the future in mind, Sony included a built-in HD Decoder that is capable of rendering both over-the-air and cable high-definition programming and a handy CableCard slot in the back hidden from view. Picture quality is superb for a rear-projection television of this size, as this video of “Flushed Away” can attest to.

Reviews for this model have been excellent all around, garnering an 8.3/10 at CNET and a 4.5/5 at Amazon. See a full list of features here.

On the flipside, the Sony KDS is quite large, no thanks to the speakers which extend 5″ on each side, and has received poor remarks for its use with next-generation video gaming consoles. Standard-definition reception could also be better, but as I said, this set was made for the HD future in mind.

Though reviews call it one of the best televisions you can buy for the money, the steep price tag could scare some away. I’ve seen numerous online retailers offering it for less than $2,500.

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In Friday’s post, a giant 110-inch projection screen was featured. Panasonic is apparently trying to keep up with projection size with its high-def televisions. Check out this massive 103-inch plasma.

So how much does it cost for nine-feet of crystal clear 1080p picture quality? Sadly, more than I make in a year. Prices should fall quickly, but for now, the ticket price is $70,000.

Suffice to say, this gargantuan gets three green envy buttons.

Whether you are in the market for a 720p projector or a 1080p projector, Panasonic has released a great solution for your needs, bringing together excellent picture quality with input versatility and powerful preloaded functionality.

Delivering near-seamless video quality, the PT AX100 series has garnered raving reviews from just about everyone that has tested it. It’s also gotten high marks for its ease of use out of the box, a nice shift lever tool that easily focuses the lens and its incorporation of nearly all of Panasonic’s highly-acclaimed projection technologies.

Panasonic is poised to be the major player in home theater projectors, offering a complete projection solution for under $2,000 in many cases. A little trip around the net finds it as low as $1,700 (with an average 5 star rating) on Amazon and even lower with a rebate through Buydig and some vendors at eBay.

Its large size seems to be the most common complaint, in addition to the expense of replacement bulbs, the usual drawback of projectors.

Quality high-def projectors with 1080p functionality are normally twice as much. For this reason, the Panasonic PT-AX100U earns itself two green envy buttons.

panasonic, home theater, projectors

Since posting about MobMov, a company that specializes in portable drive-ins, I have been extremely curious about the whole subject. Living in California, there are about six prime months of weather where watching movies outside is a fun family idea.

MobMov offers an affordable package you can set up on your own and watch drive-in style flicks wherever you want. Taking a different approach, Harmon Interiors designed this “both sides of the screen” projector theater that is sure to be the envy of video lovers.

Anchored by a SharpVision XV-Z3000 Projector, the screen is viewable from inside the home, and offers a reversed image of the screen to viewers outside on the patio. Imagine a world where all walls were made like this.

Audio is handled through an awesome Bose BuiltInvisible speaker system, completely built into the walls and ceiling of the house. The possibilities with a set up like this are endless (unless you share a wall with your kids and you get stuck watching Jimmy Neutron all day).

Whether you have the room for a double-sided theater or not, the components themselves are surprisingly affordable. The average price around the internet was $2,499 for the projector, but I found it here and here for considerably less.

The Bose AV38 Media Center that controls all the action was available at eBay for under $1,500.

For making it possible to watch your favorite movie and take the garbage out at the same time, this set up gets three green envy buttons.

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Finding a quality projector for your home theater needs that doesn’t include sleepless nights and creditors calling your momma’s house is a difficult proposition, one that Optoma seeks to destroy.

The Optoma HD72 not only breaks the price barrier for 1280×768p DLP projectors, at less than $2000, it also includes the majority of features normally reserved for projectors that cost two to three times as much. It incorporates Texas Instruments’ Brilliant Color, designed to deliver higher vibrancy and overall brightness and claims to provide truer colors to on screen images.

It also boasts a 3000-hour lamp-life, which is of major importance when factoring in the fact that all projectors need to have their expensive bulbs replaced every few years. To reduce buyer uncertainty, the projector also includes a 2 year limited warranty with a ZERO dead pixel policy, a move many of Optima’s competitors have yet to take with their entries.

As for picture quality, the projector utilizes a 3500:1 contrast ratio, but is capable of 5000:1 with its built-in AI turned on, a feature designed to automatically adjust the light output of the projector and deliver better contrast ratios while marinating high ANSI lumen output. This is the first projector in or near its price class to offer this feature. True Vivid technology is also integrated, adding a deeper three dimensional look to images, complimenting the TrueVision processor that effectively eliminates object jaggedness and smooths images for a cinema-style look.

This projector is also compatible with just about anything you can throw at it. The dual digital inputs are HDMI and HDCP compliant, important if you prefer to route video sources directly to the projector instead of through a video-switching device that could possibly degrade the signal performance, and also includes component video, S-video and composite video cpnnections.

As a true 720p DLP projector, the Optoma gives you a sharp, bright image up to 104 inches in size at a projection distance of 12 feet…for less than $2000! The only negatives concerning this projector are the maximum 1.2x zoom lens and the lack of lens shifting ability. Depending on the size of your room, these may or may not be important restrictions, but for the price, are almost expected. A full-function remote is also included.

Prices around the internet have generally been established at around $2000, but at least one seller has it for considerably less after a substantial rebate.

For offering affordable cinema-style quality and a movie experience you just don’t get with big screens, the Optoma HD72 earns an envy rating of two.

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If watching movies in true to life color is your thing, finding the highest aspect ratio is one of the most important factors when shopping for a home theater television. The Panasonic TH-50PX60U features a 1366 x 768-pixel resolution and an amazing contrast ratio of 10000:1, giving you true movie quality in the comfort of your own home.

Though it comes in four sizes (37″, 42″, 50″ and 58″), I was told the 50″ I looked at was indicative of each and the picture was fantastic. Spiderman 2 was playing and it really brought the movie theater experience to life, truly putting my current television to shame.

Sporting more holes than your grannie’s Afghan, the dual HDMI inputs, three component-video inputs, three S-Video inputs and SD memory card reader for digital photo viewing promise to handle all your multimedia needs with ease. To make room for all that input, Panasonic appears to have nixed the CableCard slot, so digital cable subscribers, BEWARE! To combat this chink in the armor, a built-in ATSC tuner was installed, allowing the set to receive over-the-air HDTV signals with no additional hardware.

The two built-in 10-watt speakers pump out virtual surround sound and are more than adequate for small home theaters like my own, but this television honestly deserves to have an audio compliment equal to the picture. The set is also extremely thin and can fit just about anywhere, including on the wall. Though it weighs nearly 90 lbs., it’s less than 4″ deep and would be a big upgrade to most wall art.

In addition to the superior picture and incredible amount of input options, the set also has many of the internal goodies people may find useful including a built-in closed-caption decoder, V-chip lockout controls, on screen input labeling and a sleep timer so you can ensure you never burn an image into the already resistant screen.

At less than $1750, I’ve seen no comparison for a screen like this right now. With a stunning picture at a 160 degree viewing angle at less than twice the width of an LCD monitor, this Panasonic plasma arouses three envy buttons.

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Much like the Beta vs. VHS battle back in the late 70’s, there is much at stake in the HD vs. Blu-Ray battle the DVD format finds itself embroiled in today. Back then, Beta had better picture clarity and came in a smaller size. Unfortunately, they only fit 60 minutes of recorded programming, a major factor of why the 3-hour VHS format eventually emerged victorious.

I would like to write my main Wednesday post covering DVD and CD players for your home theater, but I thought it would be best if I detailed the differences between the two DVD formats first, so you can make a more informed decision about which to purchase. For starters, let’s take a look at the history.

HD DVD is Toshiba’s offering in this new melee, which for all intents and purposes, has been going on since 1969 when Philips developed the LaserDisc. Philip’s partnered with Sony soon after, and from this association, the CD was born in 1979. In the early 1990’s, the two teamed together again in an attempt to create a next generation CD that could play video, as well.

Unfortunately for them, the Toshiba offering had all the major backers behind it. The two groups got together and agreed on a common format, later to be known as the DVD. Toshiba was contractually given the majority of royalties in the deal, and so the Philip’s/Sony partnership soon began work on their next generation DVD, which would come to be known as Blu-Ray. Toshiba followed suit, developing their next generation DVD which would become known as HD DVD.

Despite similarities in size and laser-usage, they are basically incompatible and cannot play on each other’s DVD players, thus forcing consumers to choose which format they are going to adopt. Eventually a winner may emerge, but for now, the two are in the midst of a marketing battle for your minds. To help guide you, here are the major differences:

Capacity -

HD DVD - Single layer, 15gb; Double layer, 30gb; Highest Test, 45gb; Theoretical Limit, 60gb

Blu-Ray - Single layer, 25gb; Double layer, 50gb; Highest Test, 100gb; Theoretical Limit, 200gb

Format Founders -

HD DVD - Toshiba Corp., Hitachi Corp.
Blu-Ray - Sony Corp., Royal Philips Electronics

Supporting Member Studios -

HD DVD - Buena Vista Home Entertainment, New Line Cinema, Paramount Pictures, The Walt Disney Company, Universal Studios, Warner Bros.
Blu-Ray - 20th Century Fox, Buena Vista Home Entertainment, Electronic Arts, MGM Studios, Paramount Pictures, Sony Pictures Entertainment, The Walt Disney Company, Vivendi Universal Games, Warner Bros.

For the most part, they are similar products with many of the same backers. The main difference is that Blu-Ray discs cost more and have more storage. This differs from the Beta/VHS battle, as Beta cost more to be manufactured, but had less storage. This time, it is up to the marketplace to decide on a winner, if there ever is one.

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