Apr
25
Motorized Curtain Kits
Filed Under Universal Remotes | Leave a Comment
You’ve probably seen remote controllable dimmers and switches that can be controlled from the comfort of your couch, but what about the curtains? Fear not, that too can be automated just like your water sprinklers, thermostat and light switches. You’ll want a split curtain (two sides that join together in the middle) especially if you’re using a heavy curtain material and the motorized curtain kit itself.
We use Makita kits but there are others on the market (BTX, Hunter Douglas etc.) these motorized drapery kits can be found for as little as $300 for the entry level models and on up to $500-$600 for the Makita kits that handle average sized curtains. The nicer kits seem to handle heavier curtains a bit better but I certainly wouldn’t rule out using the budget kits.
Installation of the motorized curtain kits is pretty straightforward; you simply hang the new rod, attach the curtain and then install the motor on one end. After that it’s just a matter of interfacing the curtains remote or control interface with your universal remote. Then modifying the start-up and shut-down macros to include the curtain opening and closing with the start and finish of the movie.
Apr
24
Separates versus Receivers
Filed Under Surround Sound | Leave a Comment
The whole separates versus receivers debate has raged on for as long as I can remember and I see no sign of it going away anytime soon. In essence the proponents of separates claim they give you the best sound quality and the best upgrade path. While on the other side of the fence; fans of receivers state that it’s easier (and ultimately less expensive) to just replace a receiver every four to five years when significant advances in technology warrant doing so.
Here’s the thing, both sides are right and wrong to some extent. Firstly receivers do offer the best bang for the buck, more features and the latest advancements are usually what you can expect going with a receiver over separates but that’s not to say separates don’t offer advantages over receivers.
Separates offer you the ability to keep the amplifier section and only change out the pre-processor or vice versa. Often times the amplifier doesn’t really benefit from an upgrade (assuming we’re starting with a relatively good amplifier to begin with) as much as the pre-processor.
Apr
23
Television or Monitor?
Filed Under HDTV | Leave a Comment
Quick tip today so I’ll get right to it, I see a lot of unnecessary confusion around the differences between what counts as a television and what classifies as a monitor and wanted to explain it real quick. All in all the differences between televisions and monitors are really simple but as with many things in the world of consumer electronics, some salespeople have a tendency to overcomplicate the terminology.
In a nutshell televisions come with built-in tuners monitors do not. Now that alone in many circles sums up the difference between a television and a monitor, but some salespeople have taken it upon themselves to throw built-in speakers into the mix as a quantifier for what constitutes a television or not.
Here’s the problem with using speakers as a gauge for what is or isn’t a television versus a monitor. While it’s true almost all televisions will have built-in speakers some monitors (aka tuner-less displays) also have built-in speakers, but clearly the presence of speakers doesn’t make up for the absence of a tuner.
Apr
22
Bipole or Dipolar Speakers
Filed Under Home Theater Speakers | Leave a Comment
The question of bipole or dipole speakers is older than home theater itself but there’s really nothing all that difficult or mysterious about the question, just a few different schools of thought on which one to go with. Bipoles are speakers with drivers on two sides of the cabinet versus just one side (the front) with typical front-firing free standing speakers.
Dipoles also have drivers on two “sides” (angles technically) of their cabinets but the two sets of dipole drivers are out of phase from one another whereas bipoles aren’t. Many people describe the sound of dipoles as fuller or more spacious but a dipole in a smaller home theater could have just the opposite effect.
Like any buying decision and especially any buying decision that involves speakers, take the time to go to a displaying dealer, one that can demonstrate the speakers and explain the difference first hand. In my experience bipoles and dipoles need to be heard before any definitive decision between the two can be made.
Apr
21
Off-Air HDTV Antennas
Filed Under HDTV | Leave a Comment
As I’m sure many of you know by now, off-air antennas are back and, in some circles, back in a big way. You can receive crystal clear HDTV images from local broadcasters off-air (ABC, NBC, CBS prominently) but there are a few tips I may be able to provide to help you get the most out of off-air HDTV.
Rabbit ear antennas have been eclipsed by newer designs but that doesn’t mean they’ve lost all usefulness. If you live relatively close to your cities broadcaster, rabbit ears may be all you need to receive off-air HDTV signals.
However, if you live far away from those transmitter towers like I do, you may need something a little more powerful. Most ATSC antennas are no more than a few feet long but if you have the room (in an attic perhaps) Radio Shack sells some large, sensitive off-air antennas that can pull signals from over 90 miles away.
Apr
18
Power Conditioners and Surge Protectors
Filed Under Equipment | Leave a Comment
Firstly know that power conditioners don’t necessarily protect against surges and most surge protectors don’t “condition” power. Those aren’t necessarily bad things (as far as I’m concerned) because as I’ll explain I’m not a proponent of one of the two devices. Surge protectors are a vital, necessary part of protecting any home theater but power conditioners have to be judged on a case by case basis.
In a nutshell, surge protectors are used to (you guessed it) protect your system against power surges. Power conditioners are intended to “condition” your homes AC power before it reaches your gear, under the guise of improving or enhancing the audio and or video performance of your system.
Years ago while working in a high-end audio boutique, we received a power conditioner from a well know vendor for evaluation. This particular conditioner was intended to “clean up” video noise, and while we could indeed see a small improvement in clarity with our display plugged into the device, the audio we were hearing through the surround system, also plugged into the device, sounded noticeably worse.
I’m sure the inferior sound was due to current limiting but my point is, unless you want to have three or four of these devices behind your equipment rack, all doing slightly different jobs with slightly different levels of performance, my recommendation is to stick to surge protection and spend the difference on better gear.
Apr
17
Satellite or Cable
Filed Under Satellite Television | Leave a Comment
The question of satellite or cable television in a home theater setting is almost as old as home theater itself, I seem to remember the term home theater being used even before DirecTV’s first satellite launched. Way back then it was generally accepted that satellite offered more for the big-screen watcher than cable but this was due to the fact that digital cable was still in its infancy, obviously we’re well past that stage.
Now that digital cable is commonplace, and well for that matter HD cable along with DVR’s, it’s easier to make an apples to apples comparison between HD cable and HD satellite for use in our home theaters. I suppose for me it’s not about image quality. I’ve seen really good and bad examples from both cable and satellite, and since DVR capabilities are available from both that isn’t really much of a decider either.
No, for me it really boils down to this. Yes, there are a few more channels on HD satellite than cable (at least in my area) and yes the image quality is good but cables cost of entry, i.e. what it takes to monetarily to get someone out to your house and get you up and running is generally still less with cable. Combine that low cost of entry with the fact that the cable company still (in most cases) has an advantage in being able to offer you blazing fast internet service, the choice for me is almost always cable.
Apr
16
From time to time I have to tell people, 8’ ceilings aren’t ideal for full-sized home theater recliners sitting on elevated rear platforms. The ceiling’s just not high enough to make something like that work with this particular screen size (usually over 100” diagonal). Sometimes they look at me as if I just shot their kitten or told them their lifelong dream isn’t attainable.
Room dimensions, realistic expectations and budgets are rarely forgiving and often times the single most limiting factors when it comes to dedicated home theaters. Simply put, you need to keep in mind that front projectors often hang down into the room and a rear riser, combined with a hanging projector in a room at 8’ or shorter quickly becomes an obstacle. At 9’ or greater the chances of this becoming a problem quickly diminish.
That’s not to say 8’ ceilings won’t work, but the rear riser may have to be sacrificed and or a projector (with lens shift) that can be placed at the top of the ceiling, i.e. without a drop-pole, may have to be used. Remember dimensions, perspective and hardware aren’t forgiving but imagination can often overcome those limits.
Apr
15
Peak vs. Continuous Power
Filed Under Speakers, Surround Sound | Leave a Comment
The whole peak vs. continuous power thing is a sticky wicket (I’ve wanted to say that all day long) as there are so many variables to consider, even trying to describe the pitfalls of relying on the measurements is a pitfall unto itself. However there are a few rules you should keep in mind whenever you’re trying to decipher amplifier power ratings from electronics manufacturers, and specifically power ratings from Japanese consumer electronics companies.
The whole peak versus continuous wattage rating Shtick has gone on so long that most people don’t even give it a second thought. Rightfully so because by now with as much stretching of the truth, ok who am I kidding, lying that’s gone on surround the idea, that’s about all it’s worth.
Listen I’ve got a 15 year old amplifier nominally rated at 50 watts that would devour all but the very best of the current 130 watt plus surround receivers. Simply put a lot of companies, maybe even most companies exaggerate their continuous wattage ratings so badly that we’ve all shifted into a kind of well if 12 = 10, 14 must equal 12 mentality when even that isn’t very telling of what these ratings are actually capable of telling us.
Apr
14
Older Displays with DVI Inputs
Filed Under Equipment Cables | Leave a Comment
HDMI may be all the rage but it wasn’t too long ago that the premier digital video connection was DVI (Digital Visual Interface for short) and many sets in service still use the connection. The biggest difference between HDMI and DVI involve bandwidth and the ability to transmit audio on the same cable, with HDMI winning out on both fronts.
DVI cables and interfaces come in many different types; some (older versions) are analog video only, while others have the ability to carry analog or digital video. In a nutshell if your display only accepts digital visual interface (DVI) you still have the ability to receive digital audio and video.
You’ll want to use DVI cable (of course) and pair it with a digital optical or coaxial cable to carry the video. While you might not get the exact same pristine digital audio and video as you would a newer HDMI revision, you’re probably not that far off either. More information can be found here on digital visual interface in all its varied forms.
Apr
11
You may have seen pictures of home theater systems or even know someone running dual subwoofers. I’m often asked if this is the way to go and I have to say in my experience it rarely adds anything to the equation that a better, single subwoofer couldn’t accomplish. Of course as with many things audio visual, there are exceptions.
I suppose extremely large home theaters could, in theory at least, benefit from two, lesser subwoofers versus one single; from the standpoint that the sound could be attenuated somewhat over long distances and after firing through dense seating. Once again however a single subwoofer placed closer to the center of the room could overcome much of this.
If after all that, if you still want to try and use two subwoofers I’d caution against using Y-splitters to split the signal. Y-splitters might work just fine for short cable runs but be careful if you’re using them in conjunction with long cable lengths.
Apr
10
Speaker Grilles - On or Off?
Filed Under Home Theater Speakers | Leave a Comment
Yeah I know this might sound like an odd subject but believe it or not speaker grilles do matter. Well, I guess I should elaborate on that. Speaker grilles are designed just like any other part of the speaker and have their own sonic footprint as well. That might sound a little hard to believe and given the fact that many of them are little more than a frame with sheer cloth stretched over them, I can see how it would be easy to think that way.
Grilles most often affect high frequencies, let’s face it they just don’t stop enough airflow to influence low or mid-range frequencies but they certainly have the ability to alter high frequencies. Most manufacturers tune their speakers with the grilles on and this is something to keep in mind before removing or altering them.
I say most manufacturers tune their speakers with the grilles on but that doesn’t mean all, it’s not unheard of to have a pair of speakers that actually sound better with the grilles off than on. This likely means the speaker was designed, built and tuned with the grille off. Hey go ahead and experiment and see if taking the grille off makes an improvement, if not it makes more sense to leave it on for safety considerations.
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