“Which one should I buy?” Trying to sort through the onslaught of technical jargon and conflicting advice usually ends with the customer making a rash decision driven by a desire to end the headaches and waiting instead of accurate and helpful information. We’ve already discussed the differences between resolutions (eg: 720p vs. 1080p ) and the importance of investing in HD technology (eg: digital transition in February 2009 ), but little has been said about screen size, viewing distance, or which panel technology is right for particular conditions and uses. Below you will find information to help you determine if you should buy a DLP , plasma , or LCD ; how big of a screen you should get; what the different technologies are best at doing; and how and where to position yourself/TV to maximize your HD experience. Read the rest of this entry »

Everyone knows the iPod revolutionized the music industry - not to mention the way we experience and think about music - but the same problem remains: how to maximize the listening experience. Many people spend their day with tiny earbuds tinning away, others plug their iPods into large stereos and blast themselves with sound. But what if you also like listening to the radio, or want an alarm clock for your bedstand? Wouldn’t it be nice to have a radio that sounds amazing and also accepted your iPod, providing a simple dock-and-play experience that respects the music through quality components and innovative designs? If you want a true music system, one that integrates the iPod, radio, and alarm functions, then I recommend the Boston Acoustics Horizon Duo-i . Read the rest of this entry »

Have you ever needed to run an audio or video cable hundreds of feet but couldn’t find a cable long enough to do it? An audio or video balun is a very easy way to complete a job that requires extremely long runs of video or audio cable from room to room using a CAT 5 cable. Read the rest of this entry »

February 17, 2009 will be the day that analog TV broadcast ends and the U.S. will jump into a new digital generation. The switch to digital has already stirred some discussion and will probably be talked about more and more as we get closer to ‘09. I have already heard several misleading statements about digital television and what is needed in order to receive it. Hopefully this article will help you get a better understanding of what the DTV switch is, and what you will need in order to prepare for it. Read the rest of this entry »

High quality HDMI vs. Cheap HDMI is always one of my favorite debates just because I like hearing some of the ridiculous things people come up with. If you go into any forum that discusses this topic it will be filled with people who are trying to convince everyone to buy the cheapest HDMI cable they can find because all HDMI cables are the same. This statement could not be further from the truth. High quality cables will give you better results and are going to become more and more important as technology advances. Read the rest of this entry »

Bose® Lifestyle® Home Theater Systems are best known for having excellent sound quality while blending seamlessly into any home decor. Bose products are well known for being extremely user friendly and simple to hook-up. What most people don’t know however, is how a Bose Lifestyle® System can be used as the media hub for a multi-room or whole house audio system. Read the rest of this entry »

Bose® Lifestyle® Home Entertainment Systems are world renowned for their superior technology, top-quality sound and simplicity. With the introduction of the Bose Lifestyle® VS-2 Video Enhancer , Bose Lifestyle® Systems will also be known as some of the most versatile home theater systems on the market. The VS-2 gives Lifestyle® owners 2 HDMI connections, Automatic Video Upscaling capability and One-Button remote control simplicity. Read the rest of this entry »

Now that you know what components and connections to use for your High Definition System you need to know how to properly connect everything to your home theater system . This is a very crucial part of the process because a wrong connection can cause you a problem that you may mistake as a flaw in the component itself. Read the rest of this entry »

The Bose Corporation has unveiled their brand new home theater systems the Bose Lifestyle® V20 and Lifestyle® V30 . Bose created the new Lifestyle® systems for consumers with existing DVD players other components like: Blu Ray or HD-DVD Players, Playstation 3, Xbox 360, HD Cable/Satellite boxes and iPod Docks. The Lifestyle® V20 and V30 share most of the same features as the Lifestyle® 48, 38, 35 and 28 systems with a few major upgrades. Read the rest of this entry »

Remember the days when the only connections available on TV’s were stereo audio and composite video (the red, white and yellow inputs) and it only took about a minute to hook up components? Well those days are over and things have gotten a little more complex. For those of you who have never owned a high def or flat panel TV , you might be a little intimidated by the back panel the first time you look at it. Read the rest of this entry »