What Features Come On The Best Compact Digital Cameras?

Compact digital cameras are improving all the time, making snapshots and photos easier and better all the time. And certainly the march toward digital cameras and away from film cameras is in full swing. So what features can be expected to be found on the best compact digital cameras that most people like to use?

* The megapixel rating is important to understand because it determines how much information is stored about every photo taken. In essence, it has to do with the resolution of the photo, and so higher megapixel cameras can store more information and produce larger high quality enlargements. However, most people don't use their camera for anything more than 4x6 photos, and if that is the case a 3 megapixel camera will often work just fine, and a 4-6 megapixel camera will be good for just about anything you will usually need.

* Battery usage varies considerably between compact digital camera models, with some sipping power consumption and others being relative power hogs. Even the worst cameras will provide about 50 shots from a set of batteries, but when you consider that the best cameras will take between 400-500 shots per battery set, it's a huge difference. And it's also a good idea to get a camera that uses AA batteries to save money on power in the long run as you can then use rechargeable batteries instead of throwaways each time.

* The best compact digital cameras also are fast. Each digital camera has to take some time to process an image when the shutter is pressed. Some do this very quickly, others don't. In fact, some can take up to 4-5 seconds to process a shot, during which time you have to just wait until it's done to be able to take the next shot. This can be very frustrating in rapid action sequences. Another problem with speed can be what is called the shutter lag, or time it takes for the autofocus mechanism to finish and then trip the shutter to begin with. Some do this in under a half second, others take a full second or more. When you add up the extra time taken for the shutter lag and processing the digital image afterward, you can see why getting the fastest camera you can is an important feature of the best compact digital cameras.

* The best cameras also have a flexible optical zoom rate of 5X - 10X or more which allows you more ability to zoom in and get great close-up shots when needed.

Of course, all of these top quality features do come at a cost, so you can expect to pay more for some of them as opposed to just the standard camera. But if price is not as much of a consideration in the search, and you want to find the best compact digital cameras for sale, look for the kind of features mentioned above when you shop.

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

Battery Devouring Digital Cameras and the People Who Love Them

Millions of people have fallen in love with their digital camera; and for good reason. They are compact making them easy to tote along anywhere a person may wander, they are capable of producing images of outstanding quality which can easily be shared online with others anywhere in the world, and with digital storage, they are a space saving wonder. In addition, digital cameras allow users to save the expense of film and developing. But perhaps the greatest attraction of these cameras is the control they provide over the images one creates during the editing process.

Unfortunately, most of those who love digital cameras have also come to know their dark side; their thirst for power. From the first touch of the button to power a digital camera on, setting the focus, shutter speed, zooming, and providing a flash for image capture, to reviewing images taken and editing, these cameras are energy junkies.

The good news is that there are things that can be done to help to make it easier to live with power craving cameras and to curb their appetite. Certainly, having a camera with rechargeable batteries is by far the best option and charging the battery per manufacturer's guidelines can help sustain optimal functioning. For the people who love their digital camera, there are also steps that can be taken in the way they use it to help reduce the rate of power consumption.

?When finished shooting, remove the batteries from the camera if it will not be used for another 2 or 3 weeks. This will prevent a trickling discharge that can occur when left in the camera.

?Use the on/off function appropriately. Certainly a digital camera should not be left on for any extended period of time as the energy is wasted. However, if another shot will be taken within a few minutes it is better to leave the camera on as it consumes a great deal of energy to power on/off. If the camera has a sleep mode, it is best to set the timer for that function to the shortest interval in case the user forgets to turn the camera off.

?Disable or don't use features that aren't needed. Zoom for instance uses a great deal of power. If the same result can easily be achieved by simply moving the subject or stepping closer, do that instead. Use of the flash function is also energy intensive. Flash should be used only when it will be effective. For instance, if lighting is already sufficient or the subject is out of flash range anyway, don't use the flash function.

?When possible use the viewfinder to set up a shot as the LCD screen consumes a great deal of battery power. Use of the LCD screen can improve some shots such as in the case of close-up/macro photography but in most instances use of the viewfinder is sufficient. (Remember, photographers operated without LCD screens for most of the history of photography!)

?Use other power sources when appropriate. For instance use an AC adapter when downloading images and use the computer for review and image deletion rather than performing such functions directly on the camera.

?Do things manually when feasible. From powering the camera off to focusing; auto anything takes more power.

?Some experts indicate that some types of media storage consume more energy as well. For instance, Compact Flash is said to be a more energy conscious form of storage than MicroDrive Media.

Certainly, the many features offered on a digital camera are convenient and desirable. Users merely need to be aware of the tremendous demands placed on the camera battery by these same features. Understanding this allows a digital camera owner to make a choice between ease of use and conservation of the battery.

Christine Peppler shares information on home entertainment and home electronics products, including digital cameras, on her website at: http://www.homemedias.info

Plasma TV and LCD TV: Televisions of the Future

Although both Plasma TV's and LCD TV's display a big picture in a thin case, there are many notable differences between the two devices.

The plasma television sets are larger than LCD's and measure about 42 inches. The size of the LCD is approximately 37 inches. But a 42-inch LCD TV would cost $1000 more than the plasma television set. The LCD TV?s weigh lesser than the plasma set. The plasma television sets are bulky and therefore they constantly require installation. They are well structured in order to prevent overheating due to constant usage by a means of proper ventilation.

The plasma televisions exhibit a contrast background and therefore are very appropriate for watching movies as you experience the enjoyment of a home theatre. LCD TV?s are mostly bright screened and appropriate if your room is brightly lit. The plasma TV?s do not appear lucid when the room is brightly lit. At the same time, the LCD TV's seem to emit strong rays when the room is darker.

You can watch your television from different angles when you are watching the plasma TV. The same convenience is not available in case of LCD as it bears a flat screen. As you move further we can feel the loss of brightness.

But there are a few disadvantages when you own a plasma television set. When it is linked to video, it often tends to leave an image for a long time. These images often get permanently etched on the screen. At the bottom of the screen, the text or the logos of the other networks are often seen and it causes a disturbance to the viewer. The estimated life of a plasma TV is around 25000 to 35000 hours.

According to Alfred Poor?s anticipations, the LCD television will continue to be an expensive set compared to the other televisions.

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The Results Of Portable MP3 Player Reviews

A portable mp3 player makes it so easy to take your favorite songs with you almost anywhere that you want to go and under almost any conditions. Unlike CD players that have to read the digital music from a CD, mp3 players are much smaller and more compact. That's because the data storage devices used are much smaller than CDs, so the players can be tucked into a pocket of your shirt or pants and be almost invisible as you listen. But there are already many models to choose from, so here are some top picks from examining online portable mp3 player reviews and customer feedback:

1. In the flash memory category, which is the smallest and lightest of mp3 players, almost everyone still favors the Apple Ipod Nano even though some other great players are starting to provide more competition. But Apple dominates in the mp3 player area and the Nano shows why. It has an impressive 2GB of memory which can hold around 500 songs. and is compatible with both Windows and Mac computers. The firmware is upgradeable which is also a plus to keep you up to date with the latest changes in the mp3 field, and has equalizer presets to help you adjust the sound to your liking. The display is especially good even in low light situations, so this model gets a solid pick.

2. In the micro-drive player category the RCA Lyra is a fine choice with 5GB of file storage. It is also compatible with both Mac and Windows and has equalizer presets for customized sound. It's display is not quite up to the Apple standards, but otherwise, it's a solid, quality player.

3. As far as hard drive mp3 players are concerned the nod again has to go to Apple with the Apple Ipod. Apple totally dominates this category selling almost 90% of the high capacity hard drive mp3 players on the market. The Ipod has 30GB of storage space and that is enough to store the entire song collection of many people. It's display is again very good in all conditions, is compatible with both Windows and Mac, and comes with equalizer presets for custom sound. It also has the ability to play video files as well, with excellent picture and sound quality.

As you can see from the above list Apple is still producing the best portable mp3 players, and that is certainly reflected in the high number of units already sold to very satisfied customers. Expect that in the months and years ahead more challengers will emerge with better and better quality and features to give Apple a good run for the money, but at the time of this writing, Apple is still the best overall bet as voiced by many portable mp3 player reviews and consumer feedback as well.

Thad Pickering writes on many consumer related topics including audio and video. You can find out more about best portable mp3 players and best rated mp3 players by visiting our Home Theater website.

Receiver And Subwoofer Crossover Setup

One of the I don't want to talk about it subject for owners of a home theater, is the receiver and subwoofer crossover setup.

One of the complicated things to do when you buy a home theater setting the speakers and crossover menu. Ok, first you must know that you just have to make one adjustment, you just need to make the adjustment in the receiver system and not in the subwoofer system like I was doing it the first time that I setup my first home theater; a waste of time.

Please don't forget to turn the subwoofer on before starting with the setup and putting it in 80 Hz crossover frequency.

When you are doing the setup in the receiver you'll see in the screen of your TV a question regarding wether you have a subwoofer running and what crossover frequency you want to use (many people just told that me the their receivers didn't give them a choice of frequency, that they only have the factory set at 80 Hz. that?s ok). like this the receiver will route all the deep bass frequencies below 80 Hz to the subwoofer via the subwoofer out jack from the receiver.

Note: Before you continue, remember if your receiver has 100 Hz and no other choice, you have to use that instead of the 80 Hz that I was explaining before, I only put 80 Hz because it?s the most common in most applications.

Ok, I was telling you, I recommend to experiment with all the settings, mix them all and see which settings is better for your room, depending of the size, you can select the large settings on your receiver for the front speakers ( the main ones) and small settings for the subwoofer and the surround sound speakers, like this the sounds with frequencies above 80 Hz will go to the front speakers and the sounds with frequencies below 80 Hz are going to the sub and the surround sound speakers. But remember, please, be a child!!! experiment with the frequencies and see which mix you like the most, because, it's your home theater, your room and of course your taste, everybody is different so, it's up to you.

Note: Please don't misunderstand what I am saying above, but remember when I am saying that if you put the subwoofer more than 80Hz, , that is its function and it could turn in to another speaker instead of the sub for your home theater.

Good Luck.

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LCD TVs

Liquid crystal display television or LCD TV uses LCD TFT technology, more often than not, for visual output as opposed to the conventional cathode ray (of the original TV) or plasma technology.

LCD television initially faced problems entering the market, particularly when it came to viewing fast paced action. Also, the viewing angle was rather limited. However, with the advancement in technology, these problems have more or less been wiped out. Today LCD television commands a burgeoning market, especially in the Asian region.

For quite a long time, the general consensus was that the technology used for LCD television was appropriate for small televisions only, and would invariably fall short of plasma technology when it came to bigger televisions. However giant corporations like Samsung, Sharp Corporation and LG Philips have challenged this notion by coming up with LCD televisions with distinctly large panels. 40 to 45 televisions were widely in the market a year ago. Sharp Corporation has successfully produced a 65 panel LCD television. In 2004, Samsung and Sony joined hands to build a factory, with the intention of manufacturing 60,000 panels every month. In 2005, Samsung proclaimed the successful completion of an 82 HDTV TFT panel. It is believed that the LCD market is potentially worth billions of dollars, and television is seen as the main market.

TVs based on S-PVA LCD panels produce good viewing angles. They also give sufficient contrast ratio for viewing scenes that are bright, as well as dark scenes in bright conditions. Also dynamic contrast technology improves contrast when one is viewing dark scenes in dark conditions. Also, there are LCD televisions that throw light on the background to help make dark scenes look darker.

Today, LCD televisions are offering greater viewing angles and better quality images. LCD televisions can also be deemed direct competition to the fashionable plasma televisions. However, LCDs are distinctly lighter and comparatively more durable.

LCD technology is non-emissive, in that it does not give off radiation like conventional televisions. Furthermore, their operation requires less power than plasma or CRT technology.

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LCD TV Monitors

LCD monitors have an edge over other monitors as they have better resolution and sleek design. Due to the liquid crystal display technology, an LCD monitor can produce 16.7 million colors, which means, the tiniest of hues can be detected. LCD monitors are sleekly built, so they occupy less space on the table. They are also lightweight and very easy to transport.

LCD TV monitors are a combination of monitors used for computers and a normal television. They have a TV tuner built into them, which can allow them to function as both. They also have audio visual inputs, which can allow speakers and even woofers to be attached.

LCD TV monitors work on the principle of blocking unwanted colors from the white spectrum. Their screens have a large number of pixels, each of which twist and turn at appropriate angles to produce an image. The pixels are illuminated by a thin lamp or a projector LCD. Due to this, the LCD TV monitors can be designed very compactly. They also offer great viewing angles. Some LCD TV monitors can also produce good quality images when viewed at an angle as obtuse as 170 degrees.

LCD TV monitors also have non glare screens. This makes them easy on the eyes, even when viewed very closely. Also, they are not affected by light falling on them. Even in a bright room, the quality of image on an LCD monitor will be as crisp as in a dark room.

LCD TV monitors are available in general sizes of 19', 20', 21', and 23' and upward. Smaller LCD TV monitors are also available in sizes of 14' and 17'. LCD TV monitors provide good image qualities irrespective of their sizes. There are some complaints. LCD TVs suffer from high burn rates; which means the image persists on the pixels for longer times. Also some LCD monitors cannot run high density games, which require HD compatibility. Some LCD monitors also produce a ghosting effect. However constant improvements are being made in LCD TV monitors to make these anomalies redundant.

In order to make LCD TV monitors sleeker, companies make their buttons small. Sometimes this becomes an issue if the buttons are too small to be read.

A new type of LCD TV monitor is being designed, which will allow people to watch different programs on the same TV by just changing their angle of viewing.

LCD TVs provides detailed information about LCD TVs, LCD TV reviews, LCD TV monitors, LCD TV wall mounts and more. LCD TVs is the sister site of Industrial LCD Monitors.

Which Portable DVD Player is the Right Choice for You?

Of all the gadgets and technology we have available to us, portable DVD players are among the coolest. While our home AV systems have a standard DVD player, or even an HDTV & DVD player, while we're on the road we like to take our entertainment with us. Whether it's keeping the kids occupied in the back of the van, or amusing ourselves with the latest comedy, portable DVD players are the way to go.

But which is the best portable on the market? Which will give you the biggest bang for the buck? There are a number of differences you should be aware of before you make your selection. The first difference you'll notice is the price difference between a portable DVD and your home entertainment center version. Home versions - basic models, that is - start at under $100 on average, while a portable DVD player starts around $300-$400 for a good quality model.

The things you need to consider when choosing a portable DVD player are picture quality, sound quality, size of screen and battery life. If you choose one that has a great picture display but muddy sound quality, you'll likely be dissatisfied with your choice. By the same token, if your choice has excellent sound features but the picture bites - you'll need to reconsider which model you want. My advice is to see your choices in person - don't buy them over the Internet, unless you choose a vendor that has a great return policy with no re-stocking fees - just in case you don't like your choice when you see it in person.

If money's no object, you may want to start with the Panasonic DVD-LX9, which will set you back about $400. The advantage to this model is that it displays the best picture currently available on its 9-inch screen. A big downside for the Panasonic DVD-LX9 is the short battery life - look for about 90 minutes of playtime for your average movie. This is not for someone looking for hours and hours of movie watching enjoyment. For the price, it may be a better deal to buy a laptop with a 15-inch screen and a DVD drive - you'd have almost comparable picture quality and many more useable features with a laptop.

Panasonic does offer another model that you should take a look at - that's the DVD-LS50 - at about $350 it comes with sharp picture quality, excellent sound, easy-to-use features and about a 3 hour battery life. The screen is only a 7-inch, but that's pretty comparable to other models in this price range. It also has dual headphone jacks, so two people (i.e. kids in the back seat?) can listen at the same time without distracting the driver or others in the room.

If you're looking for longer playtimes - RCA offers a model (DRC618N) that starts at about $200 and registers a playtime of about 3 hours and 45 minutes. The 7-inch screen displays a good quality picture, but the sound quality leaves a bit to be desired. One advantage is the carry-case it comes with - which will strap onto the back of a car's headrest. This model has a single jack for headphones.

For those looking for the lower-priced models, GoVideo offers one (DP7240) at around $200 that has decent sound and picture quality - although not on par with the Panasonic and RCA models. Battery life on this one is only about 2 hours, but the package does include a battery charger, which will extend your playtimes as long as you're driving around. With only a 90-day warranty and a 7-inch screen, the GoVideo model may be a good cheaper addition to your viewing pleasure.

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Guide to Buying a Camcorder

Today's camcorder market is full of new brands and changing technology, with products moving towards greater compactness and more 'cross-platform' features. Choosing the right camcorder for you need not be a daunting task provided you take the time to answer some basic questions about yourself and the technology. You can search for exactly the right product, all the way from brand through model number and vendor right here at Myshopping.com.au. It will take a lot of pressure off you.

What kind of camcorder user are you?

At the outset, you need to think a little about why you are buying a camcorder. There are essentially six loosely defined categories:

1) the traveller, buying a camcorder to record travel experiences;

2) the family, usually with young children or soon to be, wanting to record family lifestyle experiences as the children grow up;

3) the grandparent or retiree, often with a little time to look at the world through the lens and capture moments of life that would otherwise slip by;

4) the technophobe, a person with a genuine interest in finding the best bit of gear to make movies and record things of importance;

5) the artist, similar to the technophobe, but has a deeper interest in the pictures and less interest in the technical specification, usually wanting to make movies and document items of interest;

6) the educator or student, maybe a school or classroom teacher, or student with an interest in multimedia. We can add a seventh category: that of the I just want one brigade who has no real underlying purpose for the purchase.

Once you have some idea of which category your purchase might fall into, then you have some way of being guided through the maze of choices. There are possibly five basic judgements you need to make about the camcorder you want to buy.

1) How comfortable it is in your hand? Remember, if you're a traveller, you will want to lug your camcorder wherever you go. The last thing you want is a lead weight that makes your hand tired before you've even squeezed the trigger.

2) How easy is it to use? You need to be able to easily understand the basic functions of the camera and reach the controls as you need them.

3) Similar to 3 above, how convenient it is to playback your footage and copy it onto another storage medium.

4) What is the picture quality like? Naturally some picture quality is sacrificed for lower prices and added features in some of the range. But at the end of the day, you really want the best picture quality you can get for the money you are willing to spend. After all, it is picture quality-subjective though it is-that you will judge the camera on in years to come.

5) How much you are prepared to spend. Your purchase decision needs to be balanced between the features and accessories you want in your camcorder and the amount of funds you have available.

The technology

The latest digital video cameras make shooting and editing as easy as falling off the back of a truck, and can help you along the way to winning the grand Funniest Home Video prize. Coupling your digital camcorders with video-editing programs on your computer means you can edit, add visual effects, create titles, add sound effects and play it back at different speeds.

Most digital camcorders use videotape, the most common being a format called MiniDV making it easy to edit it on a computer and output your finished movie to tape, Video CD or DVD. All you need along with your digital camcorder is a FireWire interface on your PC, and a video-editing program.

Some camcorders now use flash media memory cards or sticks to store video, which allows for a smaller camera than digital tape types, but at the expense of lower video quality and smaller storage (although this is quickly changing.) There are two big advantages with the memory stick cameras: one is their portability, especially for travellers, and the other is the small size and easy 'plug-in' accessibility of the storage media

There are also camcorders that record directly onto mini DVD discs, which you can then play it back in your DVD player. These cameras use an 8-centimeter recordable DVD discs that can hold up to an hour of video, and record a good quality image. One drawback, however is that the discs have to be 'finalised' by the camera before they can be used in a DVD player. However, there are constantly changing standards in disc technology, and it is worthwhile looking at any new developments in this media.

Main Features

Battery: Power consumption varies from camcorder to camcorder. Although it stands to reason that a camera recording to memory stick will have a longer battery life than one recording to DVD or MiniDV tape. However recording and playback time runs out a lot faster than you expect. There are a different ways to address this issue. In many instances you can buy batteries that provider a longer discharge life than the original one that comes with the camera. Ordinarily a camcorder has its battery at the back of the body in an indented housing that has no cover or door, enabling a larger battery (extended life) to fit. A camcorder with room for an expandable battery will give you plenty of recording time while you're still learning.

Screen: One feature commonly espoused by the camera manufacturers is the size of the LCD screen. The bigger it is, the more you can see what you're recording and what you've captured. But the bigger it is, the more battery power it requires too. Also, some LCD screens are not very effective in bright sunlight, and that's one place you will likely be using your camcorder often. Having a viewfinder as well as an LCD screen is a useful option, enabling you to see what you are recording when seeing the screen in bright light is difficult and saving battery power.

Lens: Camcorders come with a zoom lens allowing you to shoot close-up images of distant subjects. Like digital cameras, there is a distinction between digital (zoom) and optical (telephoto) lens capability. A digital zoom enlarges part of the image to fill the screen, whereas optical zoom is the telephoto capacity of the lens itself. The difference is in the final images. Images with high levels of digital zoom can be grainy and lack definition because only a part of the image that is captured through the lens is recorded. With optical zoom, the full image that passes through the lens is captured. Consequently a higher optical zoom is desirable.

Sound capture. Camcorders usually have a front-mounted microphone. Those with a microphone located below the lens, or at the bottom of the front housing usually produce a better sound capture than those with a microphone mounted on top of the camera. Some camcorders have zoom or highly directional microphones that can zoom into the subject when the zoom lens is used. If you are frequently filming in difficult auditory environments or want to capture 'news style' content, it is best to have a socket for using an external microphone.

Stills: Most digital camcorders allow you to take still images and save them to a memory card. However they rarely offer the same level of control or quality as dedicated digital still cameras.

Controls: Comfort and control go somewhat hand-in-hand. Be sure that the camera you choose is comfortable in your hand and that the important controls are easy to access with your fingers while your eye is glued to the viewfinder. Confusing layouts and labels on much current technology conditions many of us to accept automatic functions and controls. But sometimes the automatic settings simply don't cut it with the conditions in which we're filming. Check out how much of the camera's functionality can be turned 'manual'. You should be able to, for example, make a manual 'white balance,' control the aperture on the lens to adjust the amount of light that is let in, and possibly digitally adjust the gain of the captured image.

Low light functions: Choosing a camcorder that has the ability to film in very dull light may be important, especially if you want to shoot at night or indoors. A special slow shutter mode helped by an infrared light can make filming in ambient lighting very effective, as can built-in illumination from one or more LEDs.

Accessories

Some accessories are necessary for you to have success with your camcorder. You might consider the type of carry case, with good pockets to house additional batteries; storage media lens cleaners and so on. You should consider additional battery power, preferably one with an extended life. You may want to consider a tripod, additional lenses, and a camera-mounted light. You will certainly need storage media for which system you choose. You can check out the full range of accessories for any brand or model by searching our database at Myshopping.com.au.

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Andrew Gates for comparison online shopping service MyShopping.com.au. MyShopping.com.au helps you compare the different camcorders from different brands in terms of specifications and accessories. You can also compare prices from hundreds of different brands and vendors

DVD Players

DVD players are electronic devices that spin discs - shaped exactly like a compact disc - and then read the data on the disc to create image and sound on your television screen. They are a relatively new arrival, but are now very familiar. It truly is an adventure to track the advances that technology?s innovation has made in our lives. In movie viewing, players have considerably been metamorphic. First came the betamax system, then the VHS player. Now, we have the DVD player. There is no doubt -- DVD players have become basic components of home entertainment systems.

The home entertainment system has traversed a long road. More and more gadgetries are introduced as years pass by and the expansion includes much sought-after electronics like computers, GPS devices, cell phones, television, radio components and the likes.

Home entertainment systems have made an effort to bind family and friends to enjoy quality time. Watching a movie with family members or pals has become affordable and convenient through movie players. Admit it ? you feel a certain good when you?re watching a movie on your DVD players at home. With DVD players, movie watching is made more convenient and much less expensive.

DVD players are so accessible. You will find them in shopping malls and department stores all over the world. The raving wave made by the DVD players? fame prompted a lot of manufacturers to produce them in large volumes, thus, radically reducing the price. For an added fun in your life, DVD players are worth the purchase.

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The Lcd TV

There is little doubt that the LCD TV is one of the fastest growing markets for television makers around the world. Because they just look so great, people around the world are demanding this amazing experience and they want it at great prices. The LCD TV is one that will be more and more available throughout the next few years. Will you have one?

The first LCD TV?s that came out were not as good as they could have been. Although the technology was new and improving, people did not think that the LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) would be worth the investment. In larger versions, faster moving images were harder to see than other types of televisions including plasma screens and cathode ray televisions. But, that has changed dramatically.

In many areas of the world, the LCD TV is in demand. Now that it has been made more effectively through improved technology, you will have no problems with seeing a view clearly. In 2004, television giants Sony and Samsung come together to build a factory that would produce upwards of 60,000 screens for the LCD TV each and every month. Other competitors tried to disprove the quality of these televisions but they were not as successful as they hoped.

In Asia, there is a huge demand for the LCD TV and it continues to grow. Technology keeps expanding as well. Throughout the world, sales are said to be climbing and the expectation is for many televisions in this display would be available and in homes.

If you have not seen the LCD TV, it is worth a trip to take a look at. The pictures are amazing in their quality and you will likely not find a more beautiful display of colors and graphics. You will even realize price savings on these televisions throughout the next years as technology brings costs down as well on the LCD TV.

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The Advantages of Buying A LCD HDTV

If you are in the market for a new television set, there just hasn't been a better time to get high quality equipment that will last for years at low prices. Of course, TV technology continues to improve and as the new HDTV broadcasting format becomes more standardized the prices will continue to fall, but not the precipitous drops that we have seen in the past few years though.

So what about these LCD HDTVs? What makes them so special, and what should you look for when buying one?

Well, LCD monitors have been used in computers for several years now, and they are known for their bright, exquisite color rendition, so it was a natural leap to adapt that technology to the HDTV format. LCD screens are much thinner and lighter than projection TVs and older CRT screens too, so they can be very useful in smaller rooms that just could not support a larger screen before LCD or plasma screens came along. Many people even mount LCD screens to the wall using special brackets that hold them securely in place, and this is perhaps the ultimate in space saving design.

If you have such a great, eye-pleasing monitor you now need to have programming that takes full advantage of the screen's viewing capability, and that's where HDTV comes in. It is two technologies that were meant for each other. HDTV allows television broadcasting to be sent in a signal that is very dense with digital information about both the video and sound. It is a huge leap over the older analog TV broadcasts that most TV stations have been using for years.

In fact, the HDTV signal can carry screen resolution information up to ten times that of the old analog signals. So when you marry that much sharper and rich resolution with a LCD screen that is capable of displaying the signal in all it's intended glory, you have a combination that is hard to beat for sheer viewing pleasure.

Just make sure that the LCD TV that you buy either has a HDTV tuner already in it or is labeled as HDTV Ready which means that it can be hooked up to a HDTV tuner like those used by satellite and cable companies who feature HDTV programming.

Once you view television programming with the combined technologies of HDTV and a LCD monitor, you will wonder how you managed without it all this time.

Jim Johnson is a successful author and publisher on consumer related matters. You can find out more about a sharp lcd tv and lcd tv reviews by visiting our HDTV website.

HD DVD Players: An Introduction

If we take a look at the way the home video technology has progressed over the years, we will be amazed at the extent to which it has changed in such a short period. The VHS (Video Home System) technology brought motion pictures into our living rooms and bedrooms. It was followed by the CDs, VCDs, and SVCDs that were more expensive, but provided excellent quality and utility. This was followed by the DVDs and DVD players that took the market by storm and became the most preferred mode for recording and viewing of movies. Most recently however, the latest technology that has joined the race is HD DVD (High Definition Digital Video Disc), that has much higher storage capacity and enhanced quality attributes.

Correspondingly, there has been a similar evolution in the digital data storage and handling industry. This journey started with the floppy, followed by the CDs, the laser discs, the DVDs, and then the HD DVDs. Data storage and handling are a field by itself and has grown at a phenomenal rate.

VHS

The first step towards home theater was the Video Home System (VHS), introduced in September 1976. It was developed by JVC along with some licensing agreements with Sony. The VHS is a recording and playing standard for the Video Cassette Recorders, well known all over the world as the VCRs. The VHS could record and play back all the analog television signals in existence at the time it was devised. By today?s standards, it is one of the poorest quality video formats. The video recording cassette being big, its recording camera was also big and cumbersome. This led to problems of handling and transportation.

The VHS-C is the Video Home System-Compact, which is the same in quality as compared to the standard VHS, that is, half inch size and 240 lines of resolution. But as the name suggests, it is more compact and allows for the video camera to be lighter, smaller, and more convenient. The VHS-C has to be placed in a regular VHS sized case to enable it to be played on the VHS player. The 8mm VHS tapes are smaller in size and are very convenient to use in recording cameras, but are not compatible with the regular VCRs and cannot be played directly on the VCRs.

CD and VCD

The Compact Disc (CD) is an optical disc that is read by a laser. It is a polycarbonate disc designed to store data, music and video formats. These were played on CD players and were of the CD-R and CD-RW type in particular. It was designed by Philips and Sony in 1988. In 1993, Matsushita, Philips, Sony, and JVC introduced a CD format that could hold a full- motion video. It was called the Video CD (VCD) or the compact disc digital video and had a standard digital format for storing video on a compact disc. These VCDs could be played on VCD players and computers. A video CD can hold VHS-quality video of 74 minutes and has a CD-quality sound using MPEG-1 compression. The VCDs were very popular in the Asian countries due to their affordability factor, but did not get much popularity in the U.S. or Europe.

The low cost of media resulted in rampant unauthorized copying of movies and was hence not widely supported by the United States entertainment fraternity. The Super Video CD introduced later using the MPEG-2 compression was of better quality, but its playing time got diminished to 35 minutes. A DVDV or double VCD had also been designed, in which, a regular CD was ?Over-burned? to incorporate 100 minutes of video.

DVD and HD DVD

The DVDs came into the market in 1997 and were an instant success. This was mainly because of the reason, that even their cheapest version was capable of giving a better picture and sound quality than a VHS, and could process information much more effectively than CDs. With a DVD played back on a DVD player, a consumer could have a much better home entertainment experience. DVD players have been designed to play multi region DVDs, and can playback any TV standard like NTSC, PAL or SECAM. The DVD players are compatible with a wide range of media such as CD-R, CD-RW, DVD-R, DVD-RW, MP3, DivX, and many more.

Riding on the success of the DVD market, the HD DVD or High Definition DVD was introduced in 2005 and was an adaptation of the existing basic structure of the DVD. The HD DVD has a greater storage capacity and can provide better audio and video quality as compared to a DVD. All this is achievable at a marginal cost increase, mainly because the HD DVD can be manufactured using the existing manufacturing facilities for DVDs. This affordability factor is a great contributor to the success of HD DVDs. The HD DVDs are available in ROM, readable and re-writable formats. The HD DVD players are designed using all the features provided in the DVD players. The HD DVDs are integrated with a state-of-the-art content protection technology which is unique to this medium.

The storage capacity is 15 GB for single layer, 30BG for dual layer, and 45GB for a triple layer HD DVD. Also it uses highly sophisticated compression techniques using MPEG-4 for increased capacity. A 15 GB HD DVD can store a full movie and incorporate additional features, with space to spare. Whereas as 30 GB HD DVD can store three movies of 150 minutes each and provide the high definition quality of playback. These features make HD DVDs a favored medium for storage and viewing of movies. With the widespread support from the entertainment industry leaders and the high quality service provided by HD DVDs, they are certainly poised for a highly successful stint.

Where to get REGION FREE DVD players/recorders and High Definition, HD DVD players, Blu-ray,Advanced Optical players/recorders in Blu-Ray DVD players/recorders. A multi region (aka codefree) DVD player or recorders is capable of playing DVD discs from anywhere in the world, that is all 8 regions and both PAL and NTSC standards. That's every DVD movie on earth! Many can not only play them but convert from one standard to the other for showing movies on any TV on earth. There are also PAL-NTSC 110-220 volts DVD/VCR Combos for use worldwide. CODEFREE DVD / PAL-NTSC VCR combos and MULTISTANDARD VCRs will play 100% all known DVD discs including FRENCH DVDs. You can buy region free and region free converting DVD players and region free DVD recorders from http://www.mindlogic.com in California. They give you a LIFETIME Warranty and ship worldwide. They also carry PAL-SECAM-NTSC TVs, PAL plasma, PAL LCD and PAL DLP multisystem TVs and multisystem converting and non-converting VCRs, voltage transformers, video standards converters and more than 140,000 products. Tel.800-514-2984 or tel. 925-686-9945

Home Audio Hurricane Proof Installations

Are you considering a home audio system for your humble habitat? If you are considering a home audio system you may also want to consider making it hurricane proof and weatherproof and that includes the ability to withstand a lightning strike on your home. Home audio systems can be very expensive and chances are during a large storm you will want to turn on the music and forget about the weather outside.

The only problem with this scenario is the weather has not forgotten about you. For instance if you live in a mobile home, they are considered ?Tornado Magnets? and you are sure to get hit with a Tornado. But a hurricane will bring with it very strong winds like a Tornado, as well as lightning and thunderstorms, which can last for 10 to 12 hours before it passes.

This is a lot for your home to endure and the chances of a lightning strike are far greater during this time period. You should therefore consider this when installing your home audio system of the potential eventuality of a lightning strike on your house. If you do not have a home audio system yet and you are going to batten down the hatches and refuse to evacuate, then perhaps while the power is out it might be a good time to install a home audio system.

This makes sense and as long as you have your Mikita battery-operated drills and power tools available so you can still work even though the power is out and you will have all day or all week to install the system and do it to perfection. Maybe the hurricane might be a good thing, as it will give you free time to install your new home audio system. Consider all this in 2006.

Lance Winslow

Best LCD TVs

Buying an LCD TV is more of an art than a purchase. Originally LCD TVs were available in only smaller sizes, but now they are available in sizes as big as 50 inches. Whether big or small screen, LCD TVs suffer from certain flaws: they have lower contrast ratios, slower refresh rates and narrow viewing angles. Despite that, if certain precautions are taken, you could end up with the best LCD TV in the market.

Currently Sony, LG, Samsung, Panasonic, Philips, Sharp are the bigger brands in the LCD TV market. Even computer monitor manufacturers like Dell and Gateway have made a foray into the LCD TV market. But a big brand name does not ensure that the TV is the best. Even reputed companies purchase monitors and other parts from other countries to save on costs. This affects the overall quality of the TV. It is essential to check out the TV while it is in the showroom before buying.

One thing to consider is the aspect ratio. Some widescreen LCD TVs boast of an aspect ratio of 16 to 9. However, believing blindly in this could be a mistake. Some screens just stretch the image to fit the screen. In doing so, the images become jagged and washed out. Best LCD TVs are those that can retain their resolutions even when the image is stretched to fit a 16 to 9 screen. Trust your eyes to judge that.

Another thing is the viewing angle. LCD TVs were big duds earlier regarding their viewing angles. Due to the pixel twisting principle of liquid crystal display monitors, LCD visuals would be almost invisible from more obtuse angles. But now, this problem is diminishing rapidly. Contemporary LCD TVs have viewing angles as obtuse as 160 degrees.

LCD TVs are available in three varieties: standard definition (SD), enhanced definition (ED) and high definition (HD). High definition TVs are the best as they can be used both as computer monitors as well as regular TVs as they can produce both digital as well as analog signals. These TVs have higher freeze rates and so they can better reproduce moving visuals.

These are basically the important features to check while considering a good LCD TV. Best LCD TVs could be those that have all the above features along with sleekness in design, lightness of weight and easy button controls.

LCD TVs provides detailed information about LCD TVs, LCD TV reviews, LCD TV monitors, LCD TV wall mounts and more. LCD TVs is the sister site of Industrial LCD Monitors.