Portable DVD Players

What makes portable DVD players so popular? Movie viewing has come out of the theatres and into the comfort of your home with the onset of DVD players. About a decade ago, the world of electronics and gadgetries burst onto the scene with equipment like personal and laptop computers, PDAs, GPS devices, plasma televisions, cell phones and more. The most popular electronic device however, is the DVD player.

Watching a great movie takes away your boredom especially when you?re traveling. A portable DVD player can go with you anywhere?on planes, buses, cruise ships, etc. You can watch a movie, sit back and relax. Your destination is secondary, when you have a great movie to keep you entertained. With a set of

reliable headphones, you can further enjoy your movie without having to be distracted by the various chatters around you. Portable DVD players are a must when you?re on the road. Kids enjoy them while traveling in automobiles. Many luxury cars are now equipped with DVD players to keep families entertained for hours. Face it, you can?t leave home without a DVD portable player, so check your local department store or search online. There are thousands to choose from in a price range that is sure to fit your budget.

The Best Features of Portable DVD Players to Consider

Whether you want a big or small screen, the dimension and weight of the portable DVD player must be borne in mind. It is advisable to ask about the disc formats that are supported by the portable DVD player. For instance, can a CD be played on it, or can it support a CD-R, CD-RW, OR DVD-R? The most important factor to look for is the quality output it offers whether you want to use the player for video or audio purposes. Most portable DVD players come installed with built-in screens that make for pleasurable viewing. Larger screens are definitely the best.

Also, take note if the DVD player you are interested in has virtual surround sound so it will not impair your movie viewing even without hooking it on your home entertainment system.

DVD Players provides detailed information on DVD Players, Portable DVD Players, Headrest DVD Players, Free DVD Movie Players and more. DVD Players is affiliated with Portable DVD Player Reviews.

A Look at the Various Formats of Plasma TV Technology

It is also important for those in the market for a plasma TV to be aware of other purchases that may be required besides the television itself. One of the most important things to keep in mind is the fact that in most cases these TVs will not come with their own tuner. The buyer of the television therefore needs to be prepared to provide a cable TV, satellite TV, DVD, VCR or computer input.

It is also important to purchase only the highest quality cables to connect these external devices to the plasma TV. These high quality televisions are very sensitive, and using the highest quality cabling will help owners get the most out of their new TVs.

The PAL Format

PAL is short for phase alternating line, and it is a color encoding system that is used to broadcast television signals in large portions of the world. The PAL form

The terminology PAL is generally used to refer to the 625 line/50Hz television system found primarily in European countries, and to differentiate the system form the 525 line/60Hz systems, known as NTSC, that have become the norm in North America, Central America and Japan. It is important for buyers of DVDs to understand this difference, since not all DVD players are capable of playing both formats.

PAL formats are used in a number of different countries throughout the world, including all of Europe, many parts of Asia, and many parts of Africa as well.

The NTSC Format

The NTSC format, on the other hand, is primarily used throughout Central and South America, including the United States, as well as in Japan. Again, it is important for both television shoppers and DVD purchasers to be aware of the differences between the competing PAL and NTSC formats, and to make sure they purchase the right products for their part of the world.

The term NTSC is an acronym for National Television System Committee, the industry wide standardization body that was responsible for the creation of the format.

The National Television System Committee was first established back in 1940 by the Federal Communications Committee (FCC) in order to resolve conflicts which had arisen over the introduction of a national analog television system in the United States. In March of 1941, the committee issued a technical standard for black and while television, built on an earlier recommendation by the Radio Manufacturers Association.

After a few years of inaction, the National Television System Committee came back into being in 1950, this time in order to make a decision about color TV. The committee unanimously approved what is now known as the NTSC color television standard in 1953.

Throughout the years there have been a number of changes in the NTSC standard, known as NTSC I, NTSC II and NTSC III. The specifics on each type of NTSC are as follows:

*NTSC I first became the standard in 1941, starting in the US and later moving to Canada. The NTSC I standard was the original black and white broadcasting standard.

*NTSC II is the color version of the NTSC standard.

*NTSC III was developed to deal with the new digital television revolution which began in the 1980s,and unlike NTSC all aspects of the NTSC III format have been rigidly designed.

The NTSC format is used throughout North America, including the United States, Canada and Mexico, as well as throughout Central America and the Caribbean, including Cuba, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Bermuda, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Panama among others. The NTSC format is also used extensively throughout South America, including Chile, Peru, Ecuador and Venezuela, as well as Japan and many other parts of Asia.

The SECAM Standard

The SECAM standard is commonly used throughout France, and in fact the acronym SECAM is short for sequential couleur avec memoire, or ?sequential color with memory?. SECAM is an analog color TV system first used in France, and recognized as the first color television standard to be used in Europe.

Like PAL, NTSC and other color standards, SECAM is a compatible standard, meaning that those black and white television receivers that predate its adoption are still able to show the programs, although only in monochrome. This compatibility is achieved by adding a second signal to the basic black and white signal. This signal is designed to carry the color information to the television set.

The work on the SECAM standard began in 1956, and by the end of the 1950s the standard was in place. It was still too early, however for widespread introduction of the standard and the devices capable of playing its signals.

The first SECAM standard was introduced in France during the 1960s, but the color television was not an instant hit in France. A year after the final SECAM standard came online, only about 200,000 color sets had been sold, in contrast to the million that were expected.

In addition to France, the SECAM standard was eventually adopted by the former colonies of France and Belgium, as well as the countries of Eastern Europe, the Middle East and the Soviet Union. With the fall of the Soviet Union, however, came the introduction of competing standards, and many Eastern European countries have since made the switch to the PAL format.

With all these competing color television standards on the market, it is easy to understand why it can be so important to choose a plasma TV capable of playing several different formats. The advent of these multiformat capable plasma televisions has been one of the most important technological improvements in the world of electronics, and those in the market for a new television set or DVD player would do well to keep these standards in mind as they shop.

For more info. see: http://www.planetomni.com

110-220 Volt Electronics - A multisystem TV is a TV capable of receiving and displaying different video systems like PAL, SECAM and NTSC. You'll be able to operate a multisystem TV in 99% of the world. Their dual voltage design allows them to be plugged into either a 110 voltage source or a 220 voltage source. In some cases, the plug on the television will not fit your country's outlet, so an inexpensive plug-adapter will be needed. They can generally be picked up at an electronics store such as http://www.planetomni.com for $1.95. With a multisystem TV, such as a plasma, CRT tube type, LCD or DLP, you'll likely need a codefree (sometimes called region free) DVD player. These exist in many forms. When used with a PAL-NTSC TV you'll be able to see the full 625 lines of resolution available in the PAL system and the full 525 lines used in the USA NTSC system. There exists a converting type of DVD player which is codefree in that it can read all of the world's 6 regions and both standards, PAL and NTSC. 140,000 other products are available here: http://www.planetomni.com Tel. # 800-514-2984

Tips On How To Choose A Digital Camcorder

Not too long ago digital camcorders were very pricey, and so most bought an analog camcorder instead, but as always technology marches on and what was expensive yesterday can be very affordable today. So it is with digital camcorders. They have a lot of advantages that make them the clear choice if you can afford it, and here are some tips on how to choose a digital camcorder:

* It's a good idea not to buy any camcorder until you have had a chance to actually hold and use it yourself. This is true because miniDV camcorders are the most popular camcorders out there, and they are so small that they may actually be too tiny for some folks with large hands to even use. They typically only weigh about a pound, and they can fit easily into the palm of your hand. So just imagine how difficult it can be for some to fiddle with the tiny controls and dials on these petite camcorders.

* Be sure that you understand the zoom feature and how it works so you get what you need when you buy. There two kinds of zooms used on digital camcorders, the optical zoom and the digital zoom. An optical zoom refers to the lens capability itself and zooms in on a subject before it is digitally recorded. The digital zoom is done by taking the digital image that has been recorded and magnifying it. What you need to know about this is that the optical zoom does not result in any video degradation, but because the digital zoom is just magnifying the image that is already recorded, you can easily begin to see graininess in the video image. So try to rely on the optical zoom as much as possible for most shots, and choosing a camera that has at least a 10z optical zoom should work fine.

* It good to try to get a digital camcorder that can also take still shots too as this makes it so much more convenient to take both video and stills at the same event. Otherwise, you would have to carry along both a digital camera and a digital camcorder at the same time and switch back and forth. But getting a camcorder that allows you to take still digital shots eliminates this hassle. Often the camcorder will even have a built-in flash for low light camera situations too. Most often the digital pictures are saved onto a removable media card that you can use to upload them to your computer and print them out later on.

A digital camcorder opens up lots of possibilities as it allows you to even transfer the video to your computer and add text or music if you like. In essence, you can become your own little movie director with the high quality miniDV camcorders that are available today.

Thad Pickering writes on many consumer related topics including audio and video. You can find out more about digital camcorders review and cannon camcorders by visiting our Home Theater website.

LCD Projectors

LCD projectors are the modern equivalent of the slide and overhead projector. LCD projectors use a small and usually colored LCD panel placed before a bright lamp, with the images on the screen provided by sources such as a DVD, VCR or a computer. LCD projectors are generally smaller in size and more easily transportable than former systems. Armed with a lens capable of projecting the images on any surface with a flat plane and not requiring supporting furniture like a big-sized television would, LCD projectors are getting increasingly viable with each passing day.

There are certain things to take into account when purchasing an LCD projector. The projector's resolution generally determines the price; the higher the resolution, the greater the price. If the need is for minute details to be precisely displayed, then higher resolution projectors are the way to go. The LCD projector's light output depends on the lumens rating, i.e. the higher the lumens rating the brighter the light output. For classrooms, projectors of 1000-2000 lumens suffice; for big conference rooms, the ideal projectors would be those between 2000-3000 lumens.

The ratio between the brightest and darkest spots of an image is called the projector contrast. When purchasing LCD projectors, it is feasible to go for contrasts of 400:1 or higher. This way the best and the clearest pictures are achieved.

If the projector is to be carried around to different locations, then it is best to purchase a light projector. Many LCD projectors today weigh below five pounds. The lighter projectors generally cost more though. Also, it is viable to get an LCD projector with multiple ports, in the event that you want to connect multiple video or computer sources to the projector simultaneously. Another factor that should be considered is the durability of the lamp. Replacements can be an exorbitant deal. A lamp life of 2000 hours is just about ideal.

LCD provides detailed information on LCD, LCD Projectors, LCD Monitors, LCD Tvs and more. LCD is affiliated with LED Displays.

Buying Advice for Purchasing a New HDV Camcorder How to Get the Best Deal

If you are in the market for an HDV camcorder, what model should you choose? Ultimately, it depends on what type of shooting you plan to do, the level of experience you posses, and your shooting style.

Each manufacturer has geared their HDV products to different target markets. Weigh up the features that you feel you will most benefit from, and then see which camera fulfils those criteria.

Obviously, budget plays a part too. It?s important not to lose sight of the fact that the whole point of the HDV format is to enable you to record High Definition in a cost-effective way. The problem with that is that everyone has a different idea of what is considered ?cost-effective.? Hence, if your ideal camera is out of your price range, you can still step into the world of HDV with a cheaper but capable HDV camera.

Beware of Dodgy Dealers

While we?re on the subject of spending your hard-earned money, please don?t get sucked in by one of the many advertisers on the Internet who offer HDV camcorders at prices that seem too good to be true. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

The mark-up (profit) on most electronics is fairly small, so it?s simply not possible for any legitimate company to offer prices that are considerably cheaper than the norm. Many New York establishments in particular have developed a bad name for shady business practices. They have been known to attract customers with amazing offers for Product X, only to cleverly manipulate them into buying Product Y, on which they make far more profit. Another tactic is to sell camcorders without any power supply, cables, manuals, or accessories.

A further scam is to take payment for a camcorder over the Internet or over the phone, with no intention of fulfilling the order for that product. When you contact the company to find out why your product has not been delivered, they will try and force you into exchanging your order for something else, or only fulfil the initial order if you agree to buy overpriced accessories.

The aim of telling you this is not to scare you, but to make you aware and hopefully prevent you becoming a victim. It?s sad that the authorities do not do more to drive these unscrupulous dealers out of business.

A notable exception is B&H Video in Manhattan. They are authorised dealers for various manufacturers and they offer fair prices and good service. Likewise, Edgewise Media based in California offer both competitive prices and outstanding customer service. These companies will take care of you. Of course, they are not alone.

If you are in any doubt about a particular dealer, there is an excellent free service on the Internet which allows you to check independent reviews of a company by individuals who have used them, at: www.resellerratings.com. Read a few reviews and look at the ratings and you?ll soon see if a company has a good reputation or not.

If you enjoy getting the best deal on your equipment and software purchases, check out: www.techbargains.com. It?s a daily updated list of computer and electronics items that are on sale in stores or on the Internet. If you are considering a purchase, I highly recommend checking out this useful resource before you buy, but always remember to check that the seller has a good reputation.

Andrew Lock is a video producer, consultant and trainer with more than 12 years experience. He has fulfilled video marketing projects for high profile corporate clients such as Sony, Disney, BritishAirways, Merrill Lynch, Royal Caribbean Cruises & others.

Lock is a noted advisor within the video production and film industry, and his articles and books are highly regarded as some of the most insightful and practical.

As a Brit who now resides in the U.S., he?s been dubbed by his peers as the ?Simon Cowell? of the video industry - his frank, honest and direct approach is a breath of fresh air to those that seek honest answers.

Lock's latest book, 'How to Shoot, Edit & Distribute HDV' is available direct from the publisher at a special price: http://www.hdvbook.com

Copy DVD Movies

DVD movies can be copied to a hard drive or blank DVD disc without any loss of quality. Most DVD movies are encrypted to prevent the dropping and dragging of their content with a view to secure data. So the copy facility is a highly sought-after process in the case of DVD movies. There are a number of tools available to eliminate problems such as CSS (Content Scrambling System) and region protection. For this purpose, you want a ripper such as DVD Decrypter, DVDShrink, or SmartRipper, which are free and available online. After the ripping process, you need an authoring or mastering software to burn the movie into a blank disc. For copying a DVD movie, just place the source disc in the drive, click the copy button, and place a blank disc in the drive where copying is prompted. A lot of software is available to create easy and quick DVD movie copies with exceptional quality. Most of these software can make backup copies of any copy protected DVD movie by using decrypters integrated with them.

Before copying a movie, you should consider several things. You have to convert the target movie size to fit your copy disc. Care should be taken to copy completely all the audios, subtitles, and features to the target disc. To save disc space, compress dual-layer movies into a single-layer disc. In case your DVD movie is damaged accidentally while copying, use DVD Cloner, a professional copying and restoring tool. You can copy DVD movies into a number of video formats including SVCD (MPEG-2 format) and VCD (MPEG-1 format). The system requirements for DVD copying include DVD writer drives, a RAM capacity is 64 MB and more, and 10 GB or higher free disk space.

DVD Movies provides detailed information on DVD Movies, Download DVD Movies, DVD Movie Rentals, Copy DVD Movies and more. DVD Movies is affiliated with Buy Home Theater Systems.

RMS and Peak (PMPO) Wattage Ratings Explained

When choosing an Amplifier and Speakers, it is very easy to get mislead by confusing the many values, associated with power outputs. This short article aims to advise you on what figures to look at and which ignore.

RMS = Root Mean Square this is the industry standard method of measuring the output values associated with Power Outputs and also the MOST ACCURATE!!!.

Continuous = The continuous power which the item will handle for long periods of time. This is also an accurate way of determining the power handling of the product, and is much the same as RMS rating.

Program Power = Similar to RMS values and can be taken as being accurate figures.

Peak = This is the MAXIMUM power that a product can handle before damage occurs, and should NOT be used as an accurate measure of power.

PMPO = Peak Music Power Output, this again is a misleading figure and represents the maximum surge value that an item will withstand under ideal lab conditions before permanent damage occurs. PMPO figures are often exaggerated and should be ignored when making power comparisons.

To sum up:-

(1) When choosing an Amplifier and Loudspeakers, Pay attention only to the RMS, Continuous or Program Power Specifications.

(2) Always compare like for like comparisions. For instance correctly match the RMS power of an amplifier with the RMS Power of a Loudspeaker.

Never be tempted to match the Peak Power of a Speaker to the RMS Power of an Amplifier!.

Chris Pointon, a working DJ based in the UK. For more technical articles please visit my knowledgebase at http://www.djsite.info.

For information on DJ'ing visit our Mobile DJ Forum and Community at http://www.dj-forum.co.uk.