Sunday, December 29, 2013

Home Audio Systems - Giving Versatility and Affordability to Entertainment

The urge to be upgraded with the latest gadgets available has increased the frequency at which home audio systems are being sold today. With lots of choices for home audio systems, it can be very confusing to choose the perfect device for one's entertainment needs. In the past, when one wanted to buy a system, one normally went straight to an electronics store, and chose one based on its appearance, sound quality and price. This process was quite simple and after buying a system one used it for satisfying his or her desire for good music.
However, with many sophisticated technologies having been made available in systems today, one has lots of choices to make in terms of
1. The choice of features
2. Appearance
3. Acoustics
4. Portability and much more.
People often tend to stay away from portable home audio systems fearing that they will lack the audio quality. With the advancements in technology, popular manufacturers have made it possible to create ultra portable systems with no compromise in quality.
Hence, that underlying apprehension is no quite a rare occurrence.
However, when it comes to buying a portable home audio system with a great sound quality, one will have to spend a big amount. Top quality with great portability can never be cheap.
Everyone out there don't need outstanding music quality in their systems. Most of them buy home theatres mainly for a host of other reasons also. These reasons can be quite far fetched from the main purpose of having home system. One of those reasons is the enhancement of the interior design due to the classy looks of home audio system.
If a person is not addicted to outstanding sound quality then he/she should give first preference to the looks of the whole system. Great looking features with intermediate sound quality will not cost that much.
One should know that not all systems are costly. If one just wants to listen to music while accepting an affordable level of quality then there are many cheap audio systems available in the market. Though these audio systems don't come with the most impressive looks, they do fulfil the basic role of delivering pleasant music and reproducing quality sound for television and movies. So one should also look for discounted Home Audio Systems in order to save some cash.
The home audio systems that are made today are ones which match the needs of any person falling into any income group. All he or she has to do is to identify his or her needs in order to make better choices while buying home audio equipment.
There are lots of branded home systems available in the market. One can, therefore, make one's choice while having a large pool of options in the form of a large number of brands. One should know one's basic necessities while buying a system. A Home audio system with surround sound is certainly a better choice when looking for an audio device. It does cost a little higher than normal but one gets a higher number of features as well. There are lots of options and one just has to keep an eye on one's budget.

Thursday, December 26, 2013

Let's Resolve the Frequent Troubles of LCD Monitor Ourselvess

TFT LCD monitors are rapidly becoming shipped with new computers by default. On this page I explain you the frequent trouble of TFT monitor and how to resolve them.s
No display or white screen:
If this is a new install make sure the refresh rate is not set too high. If you installed a new video card in your system make sure the refresh rate is not set too high. Under Windows, reboot the system and go into "Safe Mode" (Use F8 key on boot up) select safe mode and change the refresh rate under display properties to either 60Hz or Default. Then reboot the system and the screen will turn on. Maximum mode on 15" TFT screens is 1024x768 and maximum mode on 17" and 19" TFT is 1280x1024. Check to see if the green light is on with the external power adapter. Make sure all plugs are secure and the video cable is properly attached to the computer.
Dark screen in games:
TFT Liquid Crystal Display monitors are a unique devices that are manufactured to meet excellent picture clarity and reproduction in a native mode. Outside a native mode graphics will be darker, fine lines and text will be thicker. Native mode for 15" TFT panels is 1024x768, 17" and 19" TFT panels are 1280x1024. Most games can be configured to run at 1024x768 which should produce clean graphics.
Thick text:s
As described above, TFT LCD monitors perform best in their native modes. Other modes can be used however the reproduction of text will vary in thickness depending on the mode the monitor is running in. Best text reproduction is view in the monitors native mode.
Faint or unseen text:
TFT monitors are Bright! So bright that sometimes text in a DOS program may be very faint or not seen. In order to see this text, you can reduce the contrast level down until the text is visible. TFT LCD monitors were manufactured to perform in a GUI environment such as Windows, Linux (X) and Macintosh. Older designed programs may have upgrades to enhance this effect to make the text legible.
Wavy lines on the screen:
In some instances you may encounter wavy lines on the screen. These are usually 1/4" thick and move in a vertical motion. This is caused by a noisy electrical feed from a wall outlet. If you change your vertical refresh rate under display properties to 75Hz this effect should disappear.
Small dot on screen:
TFT panels by their very nature are difficult to manufacture. KDS uses displays from various suppliers including; Samsung, Hyundai and Acer, who all guarantee the display to be 99.99% free from pixel defect. What that means is a 15" LCD display can have up to about 6-10 broken pixels and still be considered "acceptable". Broken pixels are individual pixels, which are stuck on, off, or as one particular color. Depending on their location and intensity, they can be next to invisible or obvious. This is common to ALL TFT screens and is not considered a defect by the screen manufacturer.
Dark areas:
Retail TFT LCD monitor products employ the use of a single TFT backlight. This backlight is responsible to deliver full edge to edge brightness across the screen. On some models the screen may not be as bright in the center or the edges as other areas. This is due to the design the actual panel manufacture took to keep costs down so that the TFT panel is affordable for the retail environment. Prices of TFT panels vary according to added features (TV tuner, SVIDEO etc.). They also vary according to the number of backlights that are in the panel. High-bright monitors with multiple backlights can cost upwards of $2,500.00 for a 15" panel.

Wednesday, December 25, 2013

Home Theater Screen Size and Seating Distance

Having just the right screen size and seating distance is very important when constructing a home theater room. A common mistake many people make is having a screen that is too large and a room that is not large enough to support the view. The last thing you want is the people in the back row squinting to see the screen, or those in the front row getting a headache from screen overload. Fortunately, there are calculate that take out all the guess work out.
If you're a person who likes to put the pen to the paper, there is a simple math formula you can use to calculate everything as well. If you don't have a TV or screen picked out yet, you'll need to measure the distance (in inches) from where the farthest seat will be placed, all the way to where you plan to put the TV/screen. Once you have the measurement, just plug it in to the following formula:
Screen Size = [Distance (inches)] / 1.6
As an example, if you had 10 feet (120 inches) of seating distance, you would need a TV or screen that is around 75 inches. Should you already have a TV / screen in place, I have a formula for you to help you calculate seating distance. Just take the size of your TV or screen (in inches) and plug it into the following formula.
Seating Distance (ft) = [Screen Size (inches) x 1.6 ] / 12
As an example, if you had 120" TV/screen, you would need around 16 feet in in distance from the screen.

Sunday, December 22, 2013

Best Home Theater Seating Ideas

One of the factors you need to consider is which size of seats do you want in your theater room. You could have individual seating, similar to what you would find at a movie theater, or you could resort to traditional family room/living room seating by having multiple types of sofas. Ultimately, you want to create the most comfortable environment, and that can be done by having single seating, loveseats, sectionals, recliners, sofas, or even convertible sleeper seating.
Once you've determine the style/size of seating, you will need to also evaluate what fabric upholstery for your home theater seats is going to be the most comfortable. There are four main types of fabrics that you'll find on theater seating: leather, fabric, suede, and microsuede. This decision is truly a matter of taste and comfort. Find the fabric that feels that best for you and suits the look to create the best home theater seating placement.
You are probably trying to drive comfort in your theater room, and the seating is a key element of this end objective. In order for that to happen, here are some other features that you can find in seating options: Cup Holder - most people will have some form of beverage while spending time in front of that theater screen. For your comfort, you may want to find home theater seats that have massages, lumbar support, detachable pillows, and even heating capabilities. If you are prone to eating while watching TV, have small children, or have pets, then you are probably well aware of the possibility of having stains on your furniture. Certain seating options will have stain resistant material options.
In addition to the seats themselves, lighting will prove to be very important in the home theater seating design of your choice. You should consider installing a light dimmer switch in this room so that you can get the light quality just right to avoid glares on your TV or even create a movie-theater like environment when watching a flick on your home projector. Lighting is just as important as the seats.
Lastly, think of the other decorations that will make for an optimal home theater seating experience. Do you want a classic feel with leather seats, dark walls, and sconces? Do you want a modern feel with bright colored chairs and wall paint with some unique artwork on the walls? Although you can create any look you want, browns, blacks, beiges, and creams are the most universal looks for seating in a home theater. You don't want the look of your home theater seats to take over the room, when the focus should be whatever is playing on the big screen

Wednesday, December 18, 2013

The Era of Wireless Audio and Video Experience Is Coming

With the increasingly fast pace of life today, people have to bear the greater pressure of work in exchange for more comfortable life. There is more use of portable headphones, portable speakers, laptop and ac adapter, home audio and video systems and other mobile audio and video devices. Out of the wire bundle is an urgent problem to enjoy the freedom of mobile life. In the past two years, wireless audio and video into public view. However, due to the lack of a correct understanding of wireless audio and video products, many users believe that the era of wireless audio and video products is yet to come. In fact, wireless audio and video products are getting into public life, to the major businesses of the new exhibition from the major audio and video. T
The earliest wireless device can be audio broadcast. The most popular wireless audio transmission technology includes: bluetooth, Wi-fi and air play. Each transmission technology differ emphasis applied to wireless audio and video products also are different, with different features.  
WiFi's biggest advantage is the high transmission speed which is up to 54Mbps. In addition,its effective distance is very long, with fast speed, high reliability, easy integration with existing wired Ethernet networking lower cost. Currently, the smart home industry is in full swing, the wireless WIFI technology, as well as the extensive application of the Internet will make the home control becomes more automated, intelligent and humane, and bound to the smart home onto a stage of rapid development. Smart structures can not be separated from the wireless home audio and video products.
A soft spot for Apple products, consumers must be AirPlay wireless technology to understand. AirPlay wireless technology is launched by the U.S. Apple WIFI-based wireless technology. AirPlay wireless technology allows users permission speaker dock, av receiver and stereo system and other equipment to use wireless synchronization of your entire iTunes library to play music.
Bluetooth technology is a short-range wireless communications technology. Classic Bluetooth there are some limitations of narrow bandwidth and large delay doomed it can not meet a large the HD audio documentation of the amount of information transmission, so that the sound quality of Bluetooth audio products has been denounced by professional home. Bluetooth 4.0 introduced its low-power energy-saving, high-bandwidth, 3ms low latency and long-distance transmission and other various characteristics are ideal for mobile high-quality audio products. My Love Electronics recently introduced the world's first Bluetooth 4.0 headset woowi HERO, to fill the vacancy. Bluetooth speaker has been to occupy an important position in the field of wireless speakers, portable and wireless transmission.
According to the analysis of the three mainstream wireless audio and video technology and related products, users can more in-depth understanding of wireless audio and video technology, and in accordance with the actual situation of the individual to select the most suitable wireless audio and video products. Whether you are a student or office worker, wireless audio and video products can bring a new audio-visual experience.

Tuesday, December 17, 2013

What's So Good About Home Audio Visual Systems?

Everyone would love to have a dedicated room in the house especially designed for recreational and entertainment purposes, however not many people even dare to dream about purchasing an audio-video system because these devices are considered not only very expensive, but also hard to connect together. In addition, there is also the misconception that you will make a large investment in a home theater system that you can only watch TV on or listen to your favorite music. However, nothing can be further from the truth, as these systems can provide a lot of fun for all the members of the family, regardless of age or gender.
For example, if you are enjoying a fine Sunday afternoon and your friends decide to come over and you did not finish watching a movie, you can prepare some snacks and continue watching that movie in the kitchen, if you have an audio video distribution system. At the same time, you can make a fine recording of your family or one of your members playing the piano for instance and send the perfect gift to an aunt or uncle that you did not see for a long time. As you may notice, the audio video systems allow you to do a lot of activities with the members of your family and friends, even though it is recommended that an adult is the one responsible with making the necessary adjustments to the devices.
Another advantage of the audio video systems, mostly on the professional devices, is the flexibility they provide. Most of the speakers, subwoofer, cables and the TV have handles or wheels on the table support, that allow you to easily move them around the room for the moments when you want to rearrange their position or clean up the place. In addition, the professional home audio video systems are usually more resilient and provide an extended warranty that can prove to be very useful in case of accidents.
However, one of the most appreciated benefits of an audio video system is the possibility to choose to watch what you want and exactly when you want it. Moreover, if you invest in a whole house audio video distribution system, you will no longer have any fights in the family regarding a certain TV channel. Every member will be able to watch their favorite programs in any room they want without disturbing the others.

Monday, December 16, 2013

Home Theater Room Shape and Size

The shape of your home theater is a very important decision. A properly shaped room will dramatically improve the acoustics and help you get the most out of your sound system. Often, audio problems such as difficulty understanding the dialogue are a result of improper room design. With these simple tips you'll be able to design the properly sized room, achieve the most out of your audio system, and build an affordable home theater.
If you've ever done research on acoustical science and optimal room setup you'll quickly become inundated with technical jargon and discover that many companies want to charge you a fortune to configure your room. You don't need to hire a pro to get the best results... In order to keep your home theater in budget all you need to do is follow this simple rule and you will be off to a great start. The key is this: avoid building your theater in a square-shaped room. Sounds simple...well it is. When your room is a square, the sounds emitted from your speakers "build up" and bounce off the walls, creating an effect similar to "singing in a shower". However, if you don't have this option and you decide to keep your room square you can minimize this affect by placing acoustical panels, furniture, or other padded surfaces in the correct locations which will absorb this reflection and dramatically improve your sound quality. And...you should always carpet your floors! Hard, flat surfaces should be avoided, as they will also contribute to standing waves. If you can go the rectangular route, the ideal ratio for your room shape is as follows

Room width should be 1.6 times the height and the length should be 2.6 times the room height...
This acoustic room ratio is deemed the perfect ratio by many and it will give your room the very best acoustical properties. The dimensions of my home theater are 22 feet long, 12-14 feet wide, and 8 feet high. Using the perfect ratio, it recommends my room width be 12.8 feet (1.6 times my 8 ft ceiling) and my room length be 20.8 (2.6 times my 8 ft ceiling). My room is pretty close to these measurements; I'm about a foot longer in recommended length and my room width is right in the middle. I've minimized the hard flat surfaces with several techniques. I've broken up the large side walls by making the front of my theater narrower than the rear and incorporating trim on the walls which breaks up the flat surfaces. The ceiling height also varies, ranging from 6 1/2 to 8 feet. I was able to accomplish this by the use of a rear riser and creating two boxed ceilings surrounded with perimeter soffits. These simple and effective design considerations tremendously contributed to my room's acoustical properties; and I was able to save money in the process by doing it myself.
Achieving good room acoustics does not need to be a budget breaker. By following these simple rules on room shape I was able to design my theater properly and achieve amazing results. The room size allows me to comfortably seat 7 and also accommodates a large 100" screen with two rows of seating, the second row seating 4 on a 12-inch riser platform. The screen size is proportional to the room size and the acoustics sound amazing! In fact, I had a friend bring over his high-end speakers and I did not even notice a difference (he calls my speaker's entry level)... I hope you find this article informative. Other important considerations we'll discuss include speaker placement, screen size, and how to determine the proper seating distance.

Sunday, December 15, 2013

Eliminating that Terrible Hum From Your Home Theater Speakerss

You've all heard it, that dreaded 60Hz hum through the speakers of a home theater or house audio system. Hopefully you heard it at a friend's house and not your own. It can drive you completely nuts. You may have even tried, unsuccessfully, to fix the little noise problem. That can make you even more crazy. What causes that horrendous noise through your speakers?
More often than not humming through your speakers is caused by a grounding problem. There are three main ground problems that cause problems in an audio / video system. These are ground loops, improper grounding and lack of a ground altogether. The other possible culprits that can cause noise are bad cables, a faulty piece of equipment or electrical noise from a lighting dimmer or electric motor. There are steps you can take to troubleshoot the noise and eliminate it from you theater.
The first step is find out where it is coming from. Disconnect your source and display equipment from your receiver or surround sound processor. If the noise stops, connect them back to the receiver or processor on at a time until the noise returns. When the hum comes back, you found where the noise is entering your system. Note that if you are connecting remote equipment, such as running the signal from your theater room DVD player to the TV in the bedroom, your chances to pick up noise increase dramatically. With such long runs, noise can be induced into the long cable runs from adjacent electrical wiring. It is also easy to create a ground loop, because the equipment is plugged into two different, widely separated outlets, on different electrical circuits.
If the noise is caused by a cable box, the noise is likely caused by the cable TV ground. To test this theory, disconnect the incoming cable TV feed to the rear of the cable box or TV while they are still connected to the rest of the system. If the noise is eliminated by disconnecting the Topping TP20-MARK2, the problem is the cable TV ground. You can electrically decouple the cable TV feed from your system with a ground breaking transformer. These are available from many sources. Be advised that many newer, digital cable TV systems require any device in the signal chain to pass a full 1,000 Mhz. Some of the older ground break transformers will not do this. Be sure to check the specifications of whatever device you are purchasing to verify it will pass the digital cable TV signal.
If the noise is from your projector, TV, or monitor, it is most likely caused because the video display device is plugged into a different outlet than the other a/v equipment. It could be on a different circuit as well. These circuits may have two different ground potentials. That is, the resistance to ground is different on each circuit. A difference in resistance to ground from one ground point to another can cause the dreaded ground loop. If you get a ground loop, current flows between the two components. If the current flows through the components internal audio signal ground, you will get a hum.
You can use an isolation transformer, similar to the type used for cable TV ground problems, to eliminate the electrical connection from one component to the other. These transformers are inserted in line with the audio signal connection between the two components. If there is no audio connection between the components, the problem may be current flowing through the video portion. In this case, a video isolation transformer should be used to eliminate the ground loop.
Sometimes power conditioners will stop noise problems by placing equipment on Chengsheng HS-9004 2-CH Amplifier, electrically isolated outlets. This is done using isolation transformers. Sometimes this is ineffective however, due to the differences in internal construction of different power conditioning equipment. Some safety regulations, such as UL 1950, specify that an isolation transformer is only allowed to isolate the hot and neutral wires; the grounding wire must be passed straight through. If this is the case, the ground loop problem may still exist because many communication circuits are connected to the grounding conductor and not the neutral. In this case, the isolation transformer, or any power conditioner or UPS with an isolation transformer will have absolutely no affect on the grounding problem.
The noise may be generated externally, from a dimmer or refrigerator compressor for example, and coming in through the main power input on the audio video equipment. In this case, a high quality power conditioner may be effective in reducing or eliminating the noise problem. You may also find that one of the signal interconnecting cables in your system is faulty. This can also cause noise problems. Check for this by swapping the cables with one that you know to be good.
You can solve most noise problems in your home theater or multi room audio/video system by taking the systematic, step-by-step approach. Work your way up the signal chain, eliminating each piece of equipment as you go. If you have nothing connected to your speakers except the speaker wiring, and they still hum, the problem is noise induced into the speaker wiring from adjacent power cables. Other than that case, most problems are caused by ground problems, which you can find, and solve, if you take it one step at a time.

Thursday, December 12, 2013

Trouble Shooting Home Theater Audio Problems

Experiencing audio problems with your new home cinema system can be very frustrating since sound is one of the basic elements of the home theater experience.Many people would likely agree that the audio quality of a home theater system is just as crucial and possibly even more so than the home theater system video quality. An excellent audio element makes the cinema come to life right in your residence.
There are many problems which can arise with your sound system. Some are significant and necessitate replacement of home theater components. Others can be fixed with a minor adjustment. This is not a complete troubleshooting manual, but rather some advice for you if your home theater system provides poor sound quality.
Usually your first thought might be to conclude that your poor audio quality is caused by your speakers, before you immediately race out to purchase a new home theater surround sound speaker package, check the basic things first.
The problem might not be in the speakers, but in the amplifier or the connections from the amplifier. Checking and ensuring that the speakers are correctly connected on both ends is the first step.
After the connections pass examination, the next step is to check if the problem lies with the amplifier or audio speaker. Some of the lower end home theater systems come with low powered amps. Most often they do not supply sufficient power to speakers to produce the quality audio you desire. This may show up particularly if the room is large when the sound doesn't fill up the room.
To determine if it is indeed the amplifier then hook up your speakers to a stereo; this generally will have a more powerful amp. If the speaker quality improves then the problem probably lies in your home theater amplifier. If you can not distinguish any difference, then your speakers could possibly be at fault.
Poor cable installation and audio speaker cable are another possible cause for consideration. Cheap workmanship can lower audio quality and home theater packages often come equipped with inexpensive poor quality cables.
If you experience problems with your theater system, it is always best to assume the problem lies in the connections between components first and then suspect the components themselves. To ensure a great sound experience ensure that everything is properly connected, your amp is of sufficient power, and the cables are of high quality. If a person makes use of these basic easy precautions a significant amount of frustration can be eliminated. If your home theater sound isn't where you need it to be, use those hints as a blueprint as you analyze your system. If it really is time to look for new components, consider those directives as you make your next purchase.

Wednesday, December 11, 2013

Home Audio Equipment and Speakers - Best Ways to Save Money While Maximizing the Quality

The average audio consumer is content to head to the nearest electronics giant super store in an effort to acquire the latest advertised best buy. Most of the time the uninitiated assumes that the selections of speakers put forth are at least good quality. Surprise, surprise!
There are many major well known brands whose commercial and pro lines are exceptionally superb. Unfortunately, much of the quality does not always crossover into home audio models. There are two avenues to explore when shopping for the good quality at the best price. Both, however, take a little extra time.
If there is a particular brand and model which has peaked one's interest, due research is recommended. The first option is to diligently search audio or speaker forums and reviews of different brands and models. Do not be afraid to join a few and ask other user's opinions on the speakers in question. Reading a few consumer magazines featuring articles about home audio speakers can be a good start as well.
The other option, which may be intimidating to most individuals, is to build a set of speakers. Do-it-yourself speaker kits are available just like do-it-yourself computer desktops. The local bookstore will usually have several good books on speaker construction. Many of these same books will provide plans for building the box or speaker enclosure. The internet, as well, has a wealth of information to provide and the price is can be free.
A word of caution: many online retailers are simply resellers. Many of these vendors do not have any experience in electronics and other audio equipment. Because of these types of "cookie cutter" merchant's lack of experience with the products with which the sell, the consumer should not expect any competent tech support or professional experience. Instead it is recommended that the shopper purchase from an online retailer who has years of experience with the electronic products that they do sell. Their experience can be a valuable tool.
Even though building a set of speakers is more time consuming than simply running out to the store and dropping hard earned cash on an overpriced set of speakers, often one can build a much better quality pair of speakers for the same amount of money or less. They key advantage of building a set of speakers is that the personal experience and skills gained from a do-it-yourself project, such as this. will be invaluable in future projects and repairs. In fact, many individual's careers

Tuesday, December 10, 2013

Home Audio and Home Theatre Options and Trends in 2013 a

Technology advances at lightening speed. You blink and there is something new on the horizon. Sometimes, it's challenging to keep up, but when it comes to home audio & theatre, nothing is more exciting than the prospect of accessible and affordable technology to help create a cutting-edge, comfortable and streamlined experience.
2013 has many exciting developments in store on the home theatre front and as experts in home theatre setup, design and support, we wanted to share some of those trends with our readers.
1. Seamless wireless integrationa
Airplay is an Apple functionality that allows you to stream music or video through your entire house, wirelessly. This technology can be integrated into speaker docks, AV receivers and stereo systems so that your iTunes playlists can be enjoyed in any room with the click of a button. And while most AirPlay products were somewhat pricey in 2011-2012, there is some expectation that prices will come down in 2013.
But if wireless isn't in your budget, you can give the impression of a streamlined, wireless system by strategically concealing all back-end power sources with a clean and tidy cable management approach. Cable management is the practice of using small and specialized cable ties and devices to hide cables from view and keep your home looking beautiful. Cable management can be extensive, used in larger server installations in businesses, or while building large homes. Cable management options can also be inexpensive and easy to undertake. Vendors such as Ikea or Best Buy offer many cable management devices for home use.
2. Bye-bye discs
It used to be that streaming video was the way of the future - the future is now.
While DVD and Blu-ray players still exist (and will for some time), more and more, consumers are demanding streaming functionality. Content streaming services continue to expand. Rogers on Demand offers more, Netflix invested heavily in its content in 2012, iTunes has an ever-expanding library, and all offer you entertainment when you want it. We can set up your Apple TV and integrate it with your Netflix or iTunes library so that you can stream any movie to any enabled screen in your home.
3. Multi room home audio
Imagine your favorite music, vibrant and clear, played softly or loudly in any room you choose, throughout your home. A strategically planned multi-room, multi-speaker home audio system is the ultimate in flexibility. And it is entirely possible in 2013.
All of your music is stored in one location (like your iPad, for instance) and we set up your audio system so that your favorite tunes can be transferred from your living room to your kitchen and even to your bathroom with the click of a single button. Enjoy bass thumping beats in the basement while you exercise, then switch to classical playing softly in the background while you work in your home office, and later, some sing along oldies while you prepare and cook dinner in the kitchen. Whole home audio amplifies joy in your life! The music to your ears is just a phone call away!
Tucu is Tech U Can Use. We offer installation and support services for at home or in the office technology needs in the Toronto and Greater Toronto area.
From home audio, home theatre and home security installations, with or without iPad integration, to network monitoring, cloud computing support and computer troubleshooting at the office, we offer personalized, referral worthy service.

Home Audio and Home Theatre Options and Trends in 2013

Technology advances at lightening speed. You blink and there is something new on the horizon. Sometimes, it's challenging to keep up, but when it comes to home audio & theatre, nothing is more exciting than the prospect of accessible and affordable technology to help create a cutting-edge, comfortable and streamlined experience.
2013 has many exciting developments in store on the home theatre front and as experts in home theatre setup, design and support, we wanted to share some of those trends with our readers.
1. Seamless wireless integration
Airplay is an Apple functionality that allows you to stream music or video through your entire house, wirelessly. This technology can be integrated into speaker docks, AV receivers and stereo systems so that your iTunes playlists can be enjoyed in any room with the click of a button. And while most AirPlay products were somewhat pricey in 2011-2012, there is some expectation that prices will come down in 2013.
But if wireless isn't in your budget, you can give the impression of a streamlined, wireless system by strategically concealing all back-end power sources with a clean and tidy cable management approach. Cable management is the practice of using small and specialized cable ties and devices to hide cables from view and keep your home looking beautiful. Cable management can be extensive, used in larger server installations in businesses, or while building large homes. Cable management options can also be inexpensive and easy to undertake. Vendors such as Ikea or Best Buy offer many cable management devices for home use.
2. Bye-bye discs
It used to be that streaming video was the way of the future - the future is now.
While DVD and Blu-ray players still exist (and will for some time), more and more, consumers are demanding streaming functionality. Content streaming services continue to expand. Rogers on Demand offers more, Netflix invested heavily in its content in 2012, iTunes has an ever-expanding library, and all offer you entertainment when you want it. We can set up your Apple TV and integrate it with your Netflix or iTunes library so that you can stream any movie to any enabled screen in your home.
3. Multi room home audio
Imagine your favorite music, vibrant and clear, played softly or loudly in any room you choose, throughout your home. A strategically planned multi-room, multi-speaker home audio system is the ultimate in flexibility. And it is entirely possible in 2013.
All of your music is stored in one location (like your iPad, for instance) and we set up your audio system so that your favorite tunes can be transferred from your living room to your kitchen and even to your bathroom with the click of a single button. Enjoy bass thumping beats in the basement while you exercise, then switch to classical playing softly in the background while you work in your home office, and later, some sing along oldies while you prepare and cook dinner in the kitchen. Whole home audio amplifies joy in your life! The music to your ears is just a phone call away!
Tucu is Tech U Can Use. We offer installation and support services for at home or in the office technology needs in the Toronto and Greater Toronto area.
From home audio, home theatre and home security installations, with or without iPad integration, to network monitoring, cloud computing support and computer troubleshooting at the office, we offer personalized, referral worthy service.

Monday, December 9, 2013

Professional Service and Repair For Home Audio Systemss

It is very common for people to have very elaborate sound systems in their homes in today's modern times, so it always important to be aware of companies that are out there to repair your system in case it gets damaged, or be aware that companies are out there that specialize in upgrading your systems. From sound systems that are set up around the house for PA systems, to elaborate theater sound systems for your home entertainment areas, there is always need to use a professional Home audio tech.s
Many people want to get the most out of their brand new huge plasma TV, and the best way to do that is to have a sound-system installed that compliments your new TV. Audio systems can be very complex, and have a lot more going on than just speakers and wires. There are equalizers, main boards, amplifiers, and everything in-between that runs your system. Many components in a sound system can easily be broken, or blown, and you want to call a professional to fix or replace what you need to have fixed.
Having your sound system properly installed, and set up, will make the difference of quality like you could have never imagined. Even speaker placement is important. Also, if you have a speaker go out, you want to make sure a proper replacement is installed. Audio systems are very complex, and hard to fix on your own properly, so its best just to leave it to the professionals to make sure you are getting the most out of what you have.

Sunday, December 8, 2013

The HDMI Cable: The Future of Home Entertainment

The term HDMI stands for High Definition Multimedia Interface. It was developed after a consensus reached by a consortium of the big players in electronics manufacturing industries, which included Silicon Image, Hitachi, Sony, Philips, Toshiba and Panasonic. This technology allows efficient and "future proof" transmission of HD-videos as well as multichannel audio in a variety of computers, video and audio products.
The efficiency of this innovation has made over 800 electronics manufacturers to adopt HDMI as a standard for their products. The biggest benefit for the end consumer is the fact that he gets to enjoy a high quality, single cable, and all digital solution which can be used to connect all the home electronic appliances for entertainment without minding which manufacturer it's from. Also HDMI allows your electronic components to communicate with each other. This will allow you to optimize and synchronize your electronics with HDMI in a trouble-free automatic manner.
Benefits of HDMI:
• It is currently the best and efficient audio/video connection available in the market. It delivers great quality and is the only way you can view 1080p full-HD videos at home. Simply put, if you want to experience true HD on your Blu-ray players, DVD players that are upconverting and HD set-top boxes, then you must connect all these appliances with the HDMI cable.
• One Cable Convenience: Before the HDMI cable, you had to have 3 video cables, and at least one audio cable so that you can connect a single video/audio component to the TV. However using HDMI, all these signals travel just through one cable: thus translating to less confusion, and a cleaner system with fewer wires involved.
• All signals transferred are digital: The previous interconnection cables such as S-Video, component video and composite video did not carry an uncompressed, purely digital version of the data they were transmitting between components. Thus it involved a lot of analog to digital and digital to analog processing at various stages where the cable was connected on the various components, thus distorting the data especially when it moved through many components and long connections. However HDMI transmits purely digital data, thus it is never distorted during the conversion stages.
When you go to look for an HDMI cable, there are a number of things you should consider such as: construction and materials, speed ratings, bit depth rating, in-wall rating and if they support a specific feature among others. When deciding on the length of the cable, you need to know whether the length will be to connect each of your components. When it comes to HDMI being compatible to 3D, you must look for any HDMI cable with a continuous throughput of 10.2Gbps and one that can support 3D.

Wednesday, December 4, 2013

At-Home Audio Recording Studios

In recent times the quality of the latest music recording software has advanced significantly. The initial series of music based software applications were first created in the 1960s, prior to that audio recording was mainly restricted to systems that where more hardware-based. The software at that time was typically more on the basic side. It is now possible to shop for a wide collection of audio equipment that is very similar to what is used by the professional sound engineers at very competitive prices.
The audio software is available in a range of qualities and configurations, from a quite basic setup for the novice just looking to get into studio recording for the first time to a complete professional home recording studio set-up. The main benefit of the recording software is its ability to clearly capture the audio sounds via a microphone, production equipment, or line-in ports. A user of the software application is given the opportunity to compose and edit the recordings, mix and lay tracks.
The benefits of installing a home recordings studio are wide-ranging. In general, the music recording applications are able to convert the received audio signals into a digital signal which is stored on a computer, which can then be manipulated to create the desired sounds and effects.
If you are able to install the right professional quality software and hardware it is possible to have an in-home recording studio at a cost of about $2000 or $3000. A well-chosen room with the right basic hardware and software application is all that is required to convert a spare room or basement into a place to record music. It was not that long ago that anyone attempting to replicate a professional quality studio at home would have expected to shell out a sizeable sum of money, which might have reached $50,000 or more. The latest advances in software has now made it so much simpler and it is no longer necessary to rely on the complex recording hardware that was once required.
It has also become the case that digital as a means of storing medium has started to become the preferred choice, as the previous recordable tapes are more likely to degrade after a prolonged period. This isn't however the case with the digital media as this is more likely to stay in its original condition while also being easier to transfer from one studio to the next.

Monday, December 2, 2013

Home Theater Installation Specialists asd

To a lot of consumers, home theater installation can be a mind boggling concept. Unfortunately for some, it can also be wallet draining. So it comes as no surprise that the average consumer would try to find ways to save any money they can. The normal place most try to save is home theater product itself, trying to go with entry level equipment expecting high end performance which often leads to dissatisfaction and high returns. Another unfortunate place home owners try to cut corners is on the actual install itself. There are a few notable reasons why this is a choice that saves money now but could end up costing more in the long run.
New construction homes are seeing a lot more than just electrical wiring ran. Surround sound wiring and pre-wiring for a HDTV above the fireplace are common place now. It is a great addition to your home during construction or renovation for immediate or future use and almost always adds resell value to the home. Who doesn't want the experience of theater quality sound in their home? As more and more home owners request this service, more and more contractors are becoming adept to world of home theater.ss
The place where the two worlds intersect is a notable place where homeowners try to save money on their Austin Home Theater Installation. The contractor offers a bundled "home theater installation" price to run speaker and video wiring and connect it all. The average consumer would think to themselves that the walls are down anyway and I am trusting this man to construct my wall so why not let him connect what he is already running for me? Why spend the extra time and money looking elsewhere for a home theater install team to come and do the same thing? A penny saved is a penny earned as the saying goes.
This is where it is wise to stands back and thinks about long term results. The contractor has been doing his job for twenty-plus years in most cases. He can build a house and make it livable, but does this mean he can set up my new home theater that I spent my hard earned money on? My new Smart LED HDTV lets me surf the internet wirelessly on it. My new surround sound receiver lets me multi-zone whole home audio.
With what I am paying this person for my home theater installation, is he going to make sure I am getting everything out of the four-thousand dollar cinema system I purchased, or is he going to simply plug it in and turn it on?
Sadly, the ladder is usually true. There is no disrespect intended, but twenty-plus years in one field do not make you a viable expert in another. There is a lot more to your entertainment system than an on and off button. Are the speakers going to properly be calibrated for phase, crossover, distance and EQ to have the best sound for the size of your room and location of the listener? Is the receiver going to be setup to properly control multiple zones of sound so that you can enjoy the game inside while your wife enjoys the radio outside? Are your audio sources going to properly be set for PCM or Bit stream in the receiver to receive the best quality sound from each of them? Probably the most important question of them all; Will you know how to properly work your entertainment system when installation is complete? With the contractor the answer is usually a no. With the home theater installer, the answer will always be a yes.
The Austin Home Theater installer knows the equipment inside and out. He keeps up to date on what's new in the audio/video world so he can properly recommend the right equipment for family. He knows the capabilities and limitations of your system. He knows the right settings for your speakers so your surround sound receiver has to do less work and get better results. He knows the best settings for your HDTV for the type of room it's in. To put it bluntly, the installer knows home theater installation.
The place where the two worlds intersect is a notable place where homeowners try to save money on their Austin Home Theater Installation. The Austin Home Theater installer knows the equipment inside and out. He keeps up to date on what's new in the audio/video world so he can properly recommend the right equipment for family.

Sunday, December 1, 2013

LCD Monitor Problems - Easy Way To Repair Itasd

Today's article talks about repairing the CMV 19" LCD Monitor problems model CM-922D. The complain was no power as what the customer told me. This power supply was not built into the circuit thus it need an external power adapter to power it up. The input to the hdmi monitors is 19V with 3.1 Amp from the adapter. Since the complain was no power, we have to test it out to check if the power adapter is at fault or the LCD Monitor.
The ac supply was plugged in to the power adapter and I could see the power LED was lighted up. Checking the output voltage of the power adapter I got about 19 volts which is good. Even though the LED has lit and correct output voltage, this doesn't mean that the power adapter can maintain when there is a load (the portable hdmi monitor) connected to it. I once came across a Compaq 17" LCD Monitor that have a precise output voltage from the power adapter but when connected to the Monitor, the display appeared for a fraction of a second before shutting down. Usually in this case, your experienced would tell you that it could be the inverter circuit are faulty or the lamps have problem. You would be surprised that the actual cause of the shutdown was due to the power adapter. It can't sustain the output voltage when there is a load on it.
This kind of fault was normally due to a bad filter capacitors located at the output of the secondary circuit. If you have ESR meter, you can actually locate the defective electrolytic capacitors fast. If you don't have the meter, just direct replace the caps. As mentioned in my previous repair articles, to confirm if the power adapter is truly working or not you need a light bulb to act as a load. Make sure the power no touch screen doesn't blink whenever the light bulb is connected. Even if it blinks one time, this proves that the regulation is not good and need to be check entirely. In the above china made LCD Monitor, the power adapter work perfectly fine!
Since I have already confirmed that the power adapter is good, my focus now was on the LCD boards. Removing this cover was very easy and you can easily access to the board when the metal casing was removed. The first thing that I checked was the SMD fuse located in the main board. If the fuse opens then there would be no supply to the ADC/SCALAR and the CPU IC thus the power LED would not light! Checking this SMD fuse was rather simple as the method of checking it is the same like a normal fuse. Use either an analog or a digital meter set to ohms range or continuity check. You can check the fuse while it is still in circuit. Yes, the fuse was found to be open circuit.
Now there is one question that needs to be answered by us. What makes the fuse to go open circuit? Well from what we have known about electronic repair, there are three possibilities as why a fuse opens circuit. First, the fuse can become open circuit due to its lifespan. Some fuses can last for many years while some only couple of years. In other words, the life span of a fuse depends on the qualities of the materials used. Secondly, the external factor such as a surge causing the fuse to open circuit in order to protect the main board. Thirdly, the main board itself have problem (such as a shorted IC's and other electronic components) that caused the fuse to open circuit.
If the LCD Monitor problems falls in the first and the second categories then replacing only the fuse will definitely solve the problem. However, for this LCD Monitor, replacing only the fuse didn't work at all and the fuse open circuit again. You have only two choices to solve this kind of problem. First you can use an external regulated power supply as explained in my previous repair articles and connect the negative output of the power supply to ground and the positive to the fuse (the line that leads to other circuitry) in order to detect the short circuit. Slowly vary the output voltage and monitor the current drawn. Once the current drawn about a amp or two, now place your finger to any electronic components in the main board. If you found any components that get very hot then that is the cause of the short circuit.
In this article, I'm going to do it differently to detect the short circuit. Are you ready? Now instead of replacing the fuse with the exact rating which is 3 amperes, I replaced it with a 5 amperes fuse. The purpose for me to put the 5 amp fuse instead of the 3 amp fuse was because "if the fuse doesn't blow then the component that have short circuit would blow". Do you get the idea? Three things can happen when you use this way to force out the culprit. First the power adapter may shut down due to heavy current draw from the main board. Second, the short circuit electronic components (either be a IC, diode, capacitors, transistor and etc) will get hot and you can quickly locate it easily by touching them. Remember don't on it for too long otherwise if the shorted components get too hot it will go open circuit and now you will have a hard time to locate the fault. Third, you may hear a pop sound and spark from the shorted component. Trace from where the spark came from and you can easily identify the location and sometimes to the actual component that generate the spark.
For the above LCD Monitor, I actually saw a small spark at the top part of the main board once the power input jack was connected. It prompted me to the exact location and when I check the SMD ceramic capacitor (that generated the spark underneath it) with analog meter set to X 10 K ohm range; it actually developed a slight short circuit. Replacing only the fuse and the SMD ceramic capacitor solved the no power problem in this 19" LCD Monitor. This Monitor uses the inverter IC (OZ960G), A1084-25CM (2.5 volts voltage regulator), AMC1117-3.3 (3.3 volts voltage regulator), ADC IC (MST8136B) and CPU IC (MYSON MTV312MV64).
Conclusion-There are always options as to which methods that you want to use to detect the short circuit. If you prefer the latter one, then I suggest you to take some photo shots first before anything really burnt out beyond description. With the photos, at least it will give you some hints of what the components might be or even the part numbers. Well, there's always an interesting way to solve electronic problems and this is one of the reason that I like electronic repair so much because you can always act as a detective to find out the culprit-real satisfaction! Oh! By the way, you can use the above method to any other electronic equipment and it is not limited only to problems repair. Have a great hunt my friend!

Wednesday, November 27, 2013

Onkyo 608 - A Home Theater Star

When purchasing a home theater, don't stop at just a big-screen HDTV and a Kinter MA-700 Amplifier player. You're not going to have a truly great cinema experience until you have a great surround-sound audio system. That's more than just a strong bass sub-woofer; you'll also want multiple speakers to envelope you in the audio experience.
The Onkyo 608 fits the bill nicely, offering the audio quality and long list of features you'd expect only in much more expensive units. It's still called a "receiver" from the old stereo tradition where the audio amplifier featured an AM/FM receiver. This Onkyo receiver adds audio surround-sound processing, video switching, and a lot more.
5.1 + 3 = 7.2?
You're may be familiar with 5.1 channel audio systems. They add 4 more speakers beyond the old stereo systems, for a total of 6 speakers. Starting with the 2 stereo speakers, add a center-speaker for a more solid sound. Then two (left and right) more speakers in the rear behind the listener so they're surrounded by sound. Finally add a sub-woofer for power at the really low frequencies so important to movie special effects. Now you have a 5.1 channel surround-sound system.
A 7.2 channel system adds 3 more speakers. First, there's a second sub-woofer. Now the really low stuff is in true stereo. The other 2 speakers are usually used as extra-wide speakers in the front for an even bigger cinema effect. With a 7.1 channel system, you don't get the second sub-woofer.
The Onkyo Topping TP21 can also process the audio for placing the 2 additional speakers higher up in the front for a more 3-dimensional effect. Or (with the 608) you can use those speakers as a stereo in another room. You can even feed them a separate audio source than that of the main room. Yep, the 608 can feed 9 speakers, with several different options.
Audiophile Sound
This home theater audio system isn't just for movies and games. It also receives very positive reviews and comments for it's sound quality and power - 100 watts per channel (though a bit over 700 watts total).
It's also packed with audio processing capabilities. It features Dolby TrueHD, and can even improve the sound from MP3 and other compressed sources. The Onkyo 608 can automatically adjust equalization to precisely tune the sound to your particular room, and even includes a microphone. It can also automatically adjust tone for different volumes.
Audio-Video Switching
With receivers like the 608, you no longer need switchers or converters to connect all the components of your home theater. With 6 HDMI inputs, you should be able to handle as many digital video and audio sources you're ever likely to have. Plus video and audio get switched together with a single remote-control command.
All video inputs are converted to 1080p resolution for the best viewing and no resolution changes when you switch sources. This isn't flawless, however. If you're watching slower video, such as the 30 frames-per-second you find on some cable channels, you'll get a momentary flicker if there's a data dropout on the input. The 608 doesn't process this away, although many HDTVs will do this themselves.
Summary
Despite some special-case video glitches, owners love this receiver for movies, music, gaming and more. The Onkyo 608 is a modestly priced surround-sound receiver that offers the features and quality of much more expensive equipment.

Tuesday, November 26, 2013

Explanation of Home Theater Speaker Systems Types

If you want to get better quality of home theater experience, then one of the best components are home theater speakers.
Let us first discuss what a home theater is:
It is used to create a movie theater experience at our home only. It is basically a combination of two media types, video and audio.
  • The video side of it includes a big screen or HDTV set and a DVD or HD DVD player.
  • In the audio side, its system includes a receiver which decodes specific formats e.g. Dolby and also consists of speakers positioned in such a way that audio is created everywhere inside the room
So now we can discuss home theater speakers which recreate sound like the way produced inside the movie cinema. In any normal home audio set up, one has a receiver with two speakers - one speaker for right channel and other for left channel. These speakers are to be properly placed in front of the room on the right side and the other one in front of room on the left.
The 5.1 set up is most common configuration for home theater speaker systems. Also the 5.1 set up, of it includes a right front channel, a left front channel, and a center channel.
Right Channel Speaker
Towards the right of TV is the front right channel and in most of the cases loudspeaker handles large signal range. This one is extremely powerful and fills up the room with high quality sound.
Left Channel Speaker
The left channel speaker is also important and works in stereo with the right channel. These are always sold in pairs and are quite powerful.
Center Channel Speaker
This one is located either underneath the TV or above the TV. It consists of a single speaker that handles midrange sound. These are usually rectangular in shape and are magnetically shielded.
Subwoofer
These are meant for low frequencies which travel in all directions and are Omni- directional and are placed anywhere within the room.
Surround Sound Speaker
Surround sound channel speakers are the two speakers which have been placed behind viewer. These are meant to give feel of a video environment and are commonly referred to as satellite speakers. These can be hanged on wall brackets or small stands. It has been noticed that if there is any large room, they can be paired with three surround sound channel speakers.

Monday, November 25, 2013

Working Online From Home As an Audio Transcriber

Working online from home as an audio transcriber has become very popular in recent years due to the internet. A transcribers job is to transcribe an audio tape, CD or file into written words. In this article you will learn what skills that is required and how you can start working from home as an audio transcriber.
When you are working online from home as an audio transcriber you will receive an audio file from the client via the internet. You will then write/transcribe each word you hear into a document and return the transcribed document to the client. There is a wide range of professional fields that are in need of a transcription service, such as medical, corporate and legal, but also authors, students and academics use audio transcribers that are working online from home.
The most important skill that you need is accurate and fast typing skills. Clients usually require you to be able to type 60-70 words pr minute. If you want to test how fast you are, visit typingtest.com to take a free typing test. A common requirement from clients in certain fields is to have knowledge of the terminology used in the profession your clients are in, such as knowledge of medical terminology if you are working for a health care service etc.
You can get started working online from home as an audio transcriber with your own computer with a good word processor such as MS Word installed. You will also need a good foot pedal so that you are able to start and stop the audio files as you are typing. This will speed up your typing a lot.
To find work as a transcriber working online from home, you can post or search for ads at online services such as CraigsList or freelance directories such as Elance and iFreelance.
Working online from home as an audio transcriber requires a few skills, but with a little bit of practice and study, an audio transcription job can make you a nice steady full time income.

Sunday, November 24, 2013

Pioneer VSX-9040TXH 7-Channel Direct Energy Amplification Home Theater Receiver Review

If you are a quality lover in audio and video and you want to enhance the quality of your wireless home theatre sound system than here is a good news for you! Pioneer presents you a new 7-channel A/V receiver designed for a multi-channel home theater system VSX-9040TXH 7.
What is Pioneer VSX-9040TXH 7?
Pioneer VSX-9040TXH 7 is a multi amplifier system which is used to enhance your theatre system sound quality. This is built to connect seamlessly for the pioneer products such as pioneer blu ray disc, your iphone and it supports the HDMI output. The power supply of 110 watts makes your home filled with surround sound. It gives new energy to your wireless home theatre system. It supports 7 channel working output. Working on Advanced Sound Retriever technology this amplifier system improves the quality of video sound tracks and makes them more robust in larger 5.1 channel systems.
Specifications:-
· Works with iPHone Certified with Digital USB input
· 110w x 7 Direct Energy Amplification
· THX Select 2 Plus: for dedicated Home Theatre rooms, Dolby True-HD/DTS-HD Master Audio: HD audio for Blu-Ray
· HDMI Repeaters: 4in/1out
· Faroudja 1080p Video Scaler
Experience New World
If you want to take full fun of cinema hall at your home itself than this amplifier is of great work. Decoding of the sound quality tracks to Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD this amplifier gives great sound. The Auto Level Control feature keeps an eye on the volume of the sound track. It always maintains a balance between the volume of sound track and amplifier system. It neither makes sudden blast off nor slow down the voice. This is its main feature by which it is getting more popular day by day.
Working
This is a very simple and easy to use machine. This amplifier system has 4 HDMI channels. You can connect your HD equipment with this machine and can listen to your great music. Pioneer's MCAAC room calibration system helps optimize sound quality for your home theater room. In addition to providing great sound quality, the Pioneer VSX-9040TXH also does a great job with video processing and upconverts analog signals to 1080p, which lets you lose of yourself in movie.
The next main feature of the Pioneer VSX-9040TXH is this that that you can attach your iPod or iPhone to the front-panel USB port with the included cable, and then navigate your playlists using the receiver's graphical user interface, which displays track info and album-art on your TV screen.
Conclusion
Pioneer VSX-9040TXH is an excellent machine which gives you tremendous return in terms of money you invested. This is a great machine which you great power input and higher outputs. This will make your life rocking and full of enjoy.
Editor's rating 9 out of 10

Thursday, November 21, 2013

Regarding Home Theater Audio Receivers

When contemplating how to put together a home theater system, one should not forget a crucial component to the audio and visual experience. Home theater audio and video are controlled by a receiver which is the central unit where the inputs and outputs of the home theater are based.
A home theater receiver combines the functions of three components. First, a tuner for AM and FM, in some cases high definition radio or Sirius Satellite or Internet radio. Second, a preamp that controls the audio or video source selected - Blu-ray play, DVD player, iPod etc. Last, a built in multi-channel amplifier that sends the surround sound signals to the speakers and also supplies power to the speakers.
The modern audio visual receiver (AVR) is a complex device, perhaps one of the more complex electronic devices in the home. It has a computer, amplifiers, audio signal processing chips, signal converter chips. Many AVRs have video processing chips as well. The main circuits in an AVR are: Power supply; Processor; Analog Audio; Digital Audio; Analog Video; Digital Video; Amplifier.
Each of these groups can be one or more circuit boards, or some could be combined onto a single circuit board. Care must be taken in the design such that circuits don't interfere with each other. There's also the need to deal with physical needs such as connector placement and air flow for proper cooling.
Stereo receivers have two channels of amplification, while AV receivers may have more than two. The standard for AV receivers is five channels of amplification. These are usually referred to as 5.1 receivers. This provides for a left, right, center, left surround and right surround speaker to be powered by the receiver. 7.1 receivers are becoming more common and provide for two additional surround channels, left rear surround and right rear surround.
AV receivers usually provide one or more decoders for sources with more than two channels of audio information. This is most common with movie soundtracks, which use one of a variety of different types of encoding formats.
As the number of playback channels were increased on receivers, more decoders have been added to some receivers. For example, Dolby Labs created Dolby Pro Logic IIx to take advantage of receivers with more than five channels of playback. With the introduction of high definition players like Blu-ray Disc and HD DVD, even more decoders have been added to some receivers. Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio decoders are available on many receivers.
All this information can be a lot to take in, however many web resources are dedicated to receivers alone. When choosing to revamp or build from scratch a home theater audio and video system, investigate the receivers offered to make the best choice for your personal theater needs

Wednesday, November 20, 2013

Best Bookshelf Speakers For Home Audio

One of the most enjoyable experiences someone can enjoy in their home, from an entertainment perspective, is quality audio pouring from a set of home speakers. A great quality sound system can apply to many different home scenarios: listening to your favorite band on your stereo system, watching a football game in your personal den, or even watching an action-packed movie with a surround sound audio system. Whatever the reason may be, it's definitely in your best interest to have a great audio setup for anything that involves sound.
Many people look for a great set of speakers to improve the aforementioned home activities, and bookshelf speakers are definitely some of the most popular types of speakers that people choose from. If you're looking for these types of speakers that you can place on your bookshelf or mantle, please consider the following options before making a final decision on a purchase. They're great models with great reviews to back them up.
Pinnacle Universal Satellite Speakers
This is a very reputable bookshelf speaker setup that can deliver great audio output from far distances. It has over 100 watts of amp power, more than capable of rattling the books off of your shelf, should you want it to. If you're concerned about price, you shouldn't be since you can find a pair of these satellite speakers for under $90 at many retailers around the net.
If you're looking to spruce up your home theatre for some movie watching, you can't go wrong with the Pinnacle speaker brand. Do yourself a favor and look into them!
Infinity Primus BookShelf Speaker
This is the perfect model for a younger person who wants both a high quality output of sound, as well as an up-to-date style of speaker to go along with their home décor. The Primus even sounds like something out of the future, so why wouldn't it live up to its name aesthetically? These can also be purchased for under $100, which is perfect for younger people who might not be making that much money yet.
IntelliTouch LoudSpeakers
Again, if you want something that can knock the books right off your shelf, this is one of the best choices for you. It's also perfect for a home theatre system, or simply something for rocking out at home. These are one of the best speakers you can find for under $100 as well.
Imagine yourself sitting at home in your living room watching a movie with your girlfriend, when suddenly an explosion comes across the screen, as well as from the speakers behind you on your bookshelf. It will feel like you're in the movie yourself and you'll be able to enjoy the experience that much more. It will be a wonderful experience with much more entertainment value than simply watching a movie with ONLY standard stock speakers from a stereo. Do yourself a huge favor and purchase cheap bookshelf speakers. You won't be disappointed.

Tuesday, November 19, 2013

Tips to Pick a Quality Home Theater Surround Sound System

One of the hardest parts about choosing a surround sound system is well, choosing the perfect one for your home theater. And that might not be as easy as it sounds if you don't know much about surround sound. There are a couple of important factors you always want to consider, one of the most important in my opinion is if the speakers will fit in the room exactly how you want them to. A good way to make sure of this is to measure the room and even take a picture of it to show the tech guy when you go to the store. Remember to consider exactly what kind of surround sound system you want (brand, size, # of speakers, just consider all of the facts before you purchase people! You don't want to go out and spend 3000$ on something that won't work with your home theater room.
Another awesome tip I can give you is to get the same brand speakers as everything else! For example if your TV and bluray player are Sony, you might want to go with Sony for your speakers. I found out that some components from the same company are built to work better together. Which makes perfect sense!
Something else to consider is exactly what you will be using your home theater for. For example if the surround sound speakers are for your game room, you might want to get a product that is professionally engineered for video games. Most people usually only have one home theater set up, but I myself have a game room and the main living room with a home theater setup.
Remember, don't just purchase the surround sound system online without any idea if it will work with your TV or anything like that. I would recommend doing some research at home on all of the possible products you are considering, then when you have your notes I would recommend checking out all of the different systems in person and at the store. But remember when you have decided on a product don't just dish out the price at the store. To save some extra cash, you can go back home and purchase the product you decided on online. I myself have saved thousands and thousands of dollars using this method. From surround sound systems to TV's everything is a lot cheaper online and you can usually find a promo that includes something for free.

Monday, November 18, 2013

Enjoy Quality Entertainment At Home By Getting A Home Theater Process Installed

Great sound & high-definition visuals on the huge screen - is not this what makes going to the theater much more enjoyable than watching the plain elderly television at home? For years, people went out to the cinema in the event that they desired to have the full pleasure of movie-watching & thought that it was impossible for to get the same audio-video experience while lounging in pajamas within the familiar & comfortable confines of one's home.

A home theater process has changed it all & made the impossible feasible! Installing it means bringing the cinema hall home & having a private theater for you & your relatives. Actually, the modern theater systems are so advanced that you can use them not only for watching movies, but also for listening to music, watching your favourite television show or match & even playing games.

In case you are interested in owning a theater, you must be planning to search online at a local business listing to find about the reputable electronics company in your region that can supply & install a top quality theater process at your place. Before going ahead with the acquisition, you would do well to learn a few things about the process so that you can make the right purchase choice.

The first thing is to pick about the size of the TV you would like to get installed. Although the screen ought to be at least 27 inches huge, you can go for a immense a screen as your room &, of coursework, your budget permit. The next thing is the speakers, which can be called the most important element of a home theater process because a powerful audio output with surround sound is what will turn your plain movie-viewing in to a theater-like experience. You will must pick about the number of speakers you require & also make a choice between wired & wireless speakers. Another key part of a theater process is the disc player. VCR's are passing now-a-days, & you are likely to buy either a Blu-Ray or a DVD.

In case you require to experience a complete theater atmosphere at your home, you may even have the room, where you get the home theater installed, fitted with special home theater chairs & custom lighting. Accessories such as pop corn machines, film posters, etc. may even be made a part of the room decor to enhance the experience further.

No matter how elaborate a home theater process you buy, make sure that you conduct a thorough research to pick the correct products & pick the right company for supplying & installing your home theater.

Sunday, November 17, 2013

What Components Are Needed for a Home Theater

A home theater is made up of several different pieces that are joined together to create an audio and video experience in your home that will be comparable to the experiences you would have in a movie theater. In the past fifteen years the home theater has become a very popular item because the price of having these components lowered to the point that the average person could afford to buy and install them.
The main component in a home theater is the DVD player or the equivalent of a DVD player that will play movies. You would have used to have needed a machine that would play reels of film in order to get the same experience at home that you get when you go downtown to see the movie. The DVD or Blu-Ray players allow people to see the pictures in private residences projected on to screens of many different sizes. You can also use a video projector and a projector screen to create the allure of the cinema in your own house.
You really need to get a television screen that is at least a fifty inch in order to get the real home theater experience. You can get larger screens and you of course can get smaller screens, but the bigger the screen that your film is airing on the more theatrical it is.
A surround sound system is required in order for the audio of the movie to have the same quality as the audio in the cinema houses have. You will want several speakers and a sub-woofer connected to project the sound where you feel like you hear everything that is transmitted.
You will need speaker wires to connect the speakers of the surround sound to the different components. You will need a surround sound decoder and a radio tuner for your cinema complex. You will need a remote control to operate the components of your system. You will also need a way to dim the lights in the room so that you get the full effect of the video on the screen.
No cinema in a home would be complete without seating for several people to join together and view the show. Of course popcorn machines and refreshment centers are also a big part of the movie going experiences so you will want to include things of this nature in your private screening room.

Thursday, November 14, 2013

Buy Cheap Home Audio Subwoofers

So you experienced nice sound in your automobile & you need to bring the same music to your living room. This is feasible.

Home audio subwoofers are now obtainable for your purchase. When investing in, the same rules on automobile audio subwoofers apply.

In a home theater technique, the subwoofer is the largest speaker. This is usually hidden in the back of the room but this is the unit that carries the lowest bass sound signals.

In case you have, it is like you brought the film house to your loved ones. You can truly be immersed in the DVDs that you pop in.

When you are watching a film that showcases the sound of thunder or the crash of earthquake, you would think that it is actually happening within your home.

There is something about speakers that are appealing to the audiophile & the film lover. It may not be as transportable as automobile subwoofers so in case you are purchasing, make definite that this is the you will use in your home. This ought to even be something that you can benefit from for a long period time.

Those who need to buy are on a lookout for nice looking subwoofers to add to their home theater sound technique. Home audio subwoofers, even when hidden, are still designed for aesthetic purposes.

You ought to also double check whether the amplifier goes well along with your subwoofers & speakers. Like in automobile subwoofers, the home audio subwoofers ought to be compatible with both the speakers & the amplifier.

The first thing you ought to do is set it up in such a way that it will look nice in your living room. The wires should not be cluttered. You can do this by getting the high-gauge cables & set it up near the speakers.

You may have the top notch home audio subwoofers obtainable in the market today but if these don't work well along with your speakers & your amplifiers, then it would be pointless.

Setting it up is simple, you may even do it yourself. You must connect the line level cable from the subwoofer preamp output of the AV receiver. Then you can plug this in to the subwoofer.

When you turn this on, modulate the volume in your ideal level. You can also manipulate the settings so that the home audio subwoofers give you the sound that you have got been intending to listen to.

Wednesday, November 13, 2013

Wireless Home Audio Executive Kit - An Innovation in Home Audio Systems

Electronics, , audio systems have, over the years, gone through processes of development & improvement with manufacturers trying to give their consumers, the best sound that music can afford. I used to think that the Record Changer with an in-built amplifier & speakers was the final until the advent of the Sound Process, comprising a turntable, a separate amplifier & speakers. You may require to add a separate equalizer to further synthesize & give the production of your sound process, a sharp twitter effect.

The Cisco Linksys Wireless Home Audio Executive Kit is audio electronic process, the crave for which an ardent music lover not very can resist. It consists of Director, a pair of wireless stereo Speakers & IR Remote. The director has a 50-watt integrated amplifier which allows it send rich, synthesized, powerful musical sound to its speakers.

The emergence of the Cassette Player & thereafter, the Compact Disc Player, gave the music world a touch of distinction & made process operation & listening to music a delight. The booming effect of the powerful speakers of the CD player could rock the foundations of any building. Then came the Home Theater Process which is currently making waves among home audio systems. While the world is yet celebrating the home theater, electronic giants recently introduced to the market, the Wireless Home Executive Kit.

You no longer must mess around with cables in a bid to connect your audio electronic process director to the speakers. It is wireless. The uniqueness of this wireless kit is that room partitions are no more barriers. It does not matter where you require to situate the speakers. The Linksys DMC250 director effectively delivers quality sound to its wireless stereo speakers from any location in the house. Thus, the Linksys director could be in the lounge & the speakers placed in different locations in your house - the bedroom, the reading room, kitchen, balcony, the lobby or by the swimming pool, etc.

You need not task your brain anymore to figure out the way you can pass cables around the house to different speakers either by bearing holes through the walls or knocking down wall partitions. That period was for the stone age. The Cisco Wireless Home Audio Kit has simplified matters by making it feasible for you to play & control music in every room in your house through a device known as Wireless-N router. You can send different music to different rooms or the same music in all the rooms.

The Cisco director accesses the digital music libraries on your computer, network hard drive or the net. Or you can connect it to your existing audio analog systems such as turntables, cassette decks, stereo surround sound systems or home theater receiver & still produce the same quality sound output. I recommend it to somebody who is seeking to buy the latest model in quality audio electronic gadget.

In the electronic world, you may be looking to buy home theater systems, multiroom music systems, turntables, CD players & recorders. Or perhaps you may prefer plasma TV sets, HDTVs, flat panel LCD, musical equipment set. Whatever your taste, they are going to be satisfied.

Tuesday, November 12, 2013

Article Marketing - How to Sell Home Audio Theater Systems & Speakers With Article Writing

The home audio system market is a lucrative market to be in. Because there is money to be made, there is also intense competition. Many distributors are starting to look at how to sell more audio products through their website. If you are looking for long term profits, article marketing would be an appropriate Internet marketing method.
Tip 1: Write about audio trends.
Tip 2: Capitalize on best selling systems by writing product reviews.
Tip 3: Provide tips on how to setup a home audio theater system properly.
Tip 1: Write about audio trends.
Technology and engineering methods are constantly evolving. Pick up any audio magazine and you will notice tons of new research being released by sound labs each month. These are interesting topics that you can write about. To position yourself as the expert, don't just provide content. Give opinions as well. For example, let your readers know what you think about the latest audio speakers released by brand X.
Tip 2: Capitalize on best selling systems by writing product reviews.
What is the number 1 selling home system in the market today? You can write articles based on these products and try to attract more customers. Since these models are best selling products, you already know that consumers will be searching for more information about these products on the Internet. All you have to do is to provide them with the information they want, and then sell them the products on your website.
Tip 3: Provide tips on how to setup a home audio theater system properly.
Provide basic tips for beginners and help them get started. The range of audio products is huge. Beginners often have a hard time making a buying decision. Help them refocus by writing articles on how to select the right speakers or audio systems. For example, you can recommend a few models that are ideal for smaller apartments. You can also write about the best spots to place home speakers. How about providing some tips on how to hide speaker wires? Such articles will attract beginners and hardcore audiophiles - your target customers.
Want to learn how to get to the top of Google using Article Marketing? I have the tools, knowledge, and resources to help you achieve your traffic and income goals.

Monday, November 11, 2013

How to Build a Wireless Digital Home Audio System with Apple iTunes and AirPlay

We want music throughout the home, but too often, our digital music gets stuck on our computers, and we cannot enjoy it in different rooms throughout the home. Building a wireless multi-zone music system, however, is now incredibly simple and affordable.
To get their music around the home, the solution that people often use is to plug an Apple iPod or iPhone into a pair of dedicated speakers. But the quality of these speakers is limited, and your iPod or iPhone is meant to be a mobile device that should not be tied down to one room of your home.
A better way to listen to your digital music around the home is to create a wireless multi-zone audio system. We can build this wireless music system using Apple iTunes and the new Apple AirPlay technology.
AirPlay allows you to stream any music in iTunes over a wireless network to any connected speakers in your home. You can wirelessly connect a pair of existing speakers to iTunes with the $99 Apple's Airport Express base station. Alternatively, new speakers and receivers are coming onto the market that have AirPlay connectivity already built-in.
Once you have your speakers connected, you then select the music in your iTunes collection on your computer, iPhone, iPod Touch or iPad and choose the speakers that will play the music. You can select multiple speakers, and hear your music in different rooms at once.
Building a wireless digital home audio system with Apple AirPlay is remarkably affordable. If you already have a wireless network and speakers in place, then a multi-zone system can be built for a few hundred dollars. In contrast, proprietary digital audio solutions, such as Sonos, or home automation systems, such as Control4, can cost you thousands of dollars.
The Apple AirPlay technology is a very easy way to listen to your iTunes music wirelessly around the home. AirPlay is not as easy to use for listening to internet radio, Rhapsody or other music services, however, there are tricks and techniques for getting these audio streams to play over your wireless home audio system.
We should be able to enjoy our music collections in any room of our home. With Apple iTunes and AirPlay, it is now easier and cheaper than ever to build a wireless multi-zone audio system that distributes our music and allow us to enjoy life in a digital home.

Sunday, November 10, 2013

Benefits of Home Audio Speakers

There is a reason with which home audio speakers become prized possessions in almost every home. The truth is that this has almost gone on to become a necessity from being a luxury item some years back. The prices of these units have gone spiraling down making it possible for almost anyone to buy these speakers for their homes. Some of these speakers have even made it to cars, but nothing really compares to the sense of pride claimed by homeowners when they have a speaker set installed.
First and foremost, these speakers amplify sound to a level that is just difficult to explain. With these speakers tuned on, even a whisper could be heard as loud as a shout. Name the technology and you get it with these speakers. Some of the top speakers in the market boast of neomydium magnets, gold posts and all such features, most of which may not make sense to anyone when they read the user manual. But the point is that these units amplify sound to a very high decibel level.
High decibel sounds may at times have a muffed clarity. But, that doesn't happen with these speakers. They are programmed very carefully and the circuitry of these gadgets is well-designed and tested, to produce sound of high decibels at top clarity. Thus, users of these speakers would get top quality sounds at all times playing from this gadget. The best thing about these devices is that it doesn't matter how big or how small they are. The sound quality would still be the same, though the amplification may be slightly reduced in some units compared to others.
The Internet seems to be flooded with a lot of home audio speakers, most of them swinging in the price range of some hundred dollars. Be sure you have researched for the top product before making the choice of purchasing a unit. The product manual must be read completely and if any confusions, the dealer should be presented with a list of questions.
This is an investment an individual would make for his home. Thus, people should try to find out all about the home audio speaker before purchasing it, just so that they don't get stuck with a bad product.

Thursday, November 7, 2013

Home Audio Systems for Use in Multiple Rooms

Imagine being able to take pleasure in your home by enjoying the sound of your favorite music flooding the rooms, hallways, kitchens and bathrooms. The technology of today has worked efficiently to make this sort of creative thinking possible by providing your household with in-ceiling speakers that are very easily controlled with just a keypad or wireless remote control. Dinner parties can now extend with no interruption from one room to the next without ever having to worry about the musical mood not following. If you would like to change the pace of the evening from calm to more upbeat, it is so easy with just the touch from your iPad. This makes it more convenient to enjoy your guests, your parties and your life.
Music has evolved into such an important part of everyday life. With such impressive advancements in technology, it is surprising that music does not follow us around everywhere. Well, now you can add a charming melody to a romantic evening. This greatly enhances the mood and allows you to stretch your creativity muscles. While setting a mood, take pleasure in entertaining simply by enjoying your favorite band or artist in accurate and detailed stereo sound.
Getting creative with technology and sound allows you to design a music system that is tailored to your personal interests. You can work with the company prior to installing to make sure that your needs are met from the perspective of the casual listener to even the most distinguished aficionado. Today's creative technology works happily in building systems that integrate very easily into clients' chaotic lifestyles while maintaining their invisible presence within the homes and businesses.
The options for audio for a home theater are overwhelming due to the array of possibilities offered with today's creative audio systems. Invite a specialist to your home to analyze your room acoustics. This will help the company prepare a tailored audio system for your room or perhaps recommend an existing system. Either way, your home theater will be equipped with the perfect speaker for every individual application. There are so many speaker choices available.
Calling or visiting a site will help to give you an idea as to what could possibly happen for your home theater. Express your ideas and let others take care of executing your creativity. The technology is here and it is possible. Impress yourself by being impressed by your home.

Wednesday, November 6, 2013

Audio Mastering Software: What You Need To Know Right Now

Audio mastering is perhaps one of the most important and the most difficult elements of music production.
If you want to master from home, what you are going to need is a really good audio mastering software.
Audio mastering is often mistaken for mixing - it’s not, and it is a completely separate process.
So what is it you may ask?
It is the audio step that comes just before the pressing of a CD, and most professionals would say it is a vital step in creating an awesome CD.
So, after you have finished recording and mixing your songs, you need to master them.
Mastering involves the shaping, sculpting, equalizing and compression of your final tracks.
It is vital because it is what creates the clarity, volume and intensity of your finished songs.
Without it, your songs just don’t have that same professional sound.
Until recently, mastering was mostly done in the studio by a mastering professional, but now, with great advances in technology you can get great audio mastering software and you can master your tracks yourself more affordably from home, giving you access to that same great professional sound!
Mastering is not an easy process.
It can be pretty tricky and takes a whole separate set of skills to making the actual music.
But this doesn’t mean only experts should do the mastering.
With all the great online audio mastering software available, it would be silly not to try it yourself!
Audio mastering software not only tightens up your recently studio recorded tracks but it can also do wonders for tracks that you might have recorded in a live gig recording.
You could just copy the recording and sell that, but mastering the track gives a much better listening experience and will make your homemade track sound much more professional.
When you are using audio mastering software, you have to make sure that you go through the following steps to get your track to a professional standard.
1. Volume level maximisation
2. Balance frequencies
3. Reduce any unnecessary noise
4. Encoding
5. Re-check for any errors
Any audio mastering software you choose should take you through the above steps, but how easy these steps are will depend on the design of the user interface.
Most audio mastering software are specialised editing audio programs, which offer great navigation so that you can zoom right in on wave forms and draw out any clicks.
It depends on how demanding the tracks you want to master are, or how tight you want your mastering to be.
Some mastering can be done using conventional multi-track beat recording programs.
And even though these programs don’t do all the tricks that the pro software does do, they can do some little things that the pros can’t... so it really depends on what you want.
You need to do your research on the audio mastering software so that you get the program that is in your budget and really does everything you require of it.
The great thing about audio mastering software is that you get a chance to practice and to learn about the mastering process.
You might not always do your own mastering, but start out learning the skills that will help you to understand your own music composition better.
And who knows you might find a hidden talent and another money making venture within your own creative skill base!