Scart / Peritel Cables

The signals carried by Scart are -

Composite Signals - which is the lowest quality, signal carried by Scart where luminance and chrominance signals are mixed. Due to the interference that is caused by this mix of signals, it is considered to be of low quality and such a mix of signals would be produced by VHS VCR equipment.

S-Video - This is a high quality video. S-Video has the luminance and chrominance signals in the same way as the composite, but these are two separate signals, without any possibility of any interference between them.

RGB - RGB stands for Red, Green and Blue. This is similar to S-Video, and is a high quality video interface. These are the colours representing the picture in a TV. In a domestic source, a synchronisation signal is also required, which is present on the composite line.

Scart has become the common connector for audio visual equipment in Europe and has become the standard connector for such applications. Different Pin configurations exist in Scart, depending upon the configuration available in your video device. Sometimes the configuration could be chosen, such as, composite or S-video, by simply changing a software setting.

Scart is a bi-directional connector as far as standard composite video and analog audio signals are concerned. The feature of a Scart being bi-directional is used for a Pay TV, and in the past, used for decoding a tele-text. But now it is being applied to set-top boxes. A set-top box is a device, which is connected between a TV set and an external device and is used to decode the signal and send it to the TV for display. A TV sends its antenna video and audio signals to Scart sockets all the time and receives back these signals and displays them reproducing the audio and video. This process allows the concept of transparent set-top boxes having no tuner. It just hooks on the TV and pre-process the television signals.

A VCR has typically two Scart sockets. One is connected to the TV and the other one goes to the set-top box. When the power is off or when it is in an idling state, the VCR will forward the signals received, to the set-top box decoder for processing and then the signals would go to the TV. In recording a scrambled show, the set-top box will be driven by the VCR from its own tuner and send the unscrambled signals to the TV set for viewing or simple recording control purposes. As mentioned earlier, Scart can also power on and off a TV, more precisely bring it alive from a stand-by mode in a way a remote control would. Many TV sets have two Scart sockets, where one is used for switching from a composite input to RGB input, while the other switches a composite input to S-Video input.

Before Scart, there were no standard connectors or sockets for signal inputs for a consumer TV. It was only the RF antenna that plugged into the TV and even this socket differed between countries in its design. Incompatible standards of plug-ins existed in TVs manufactured by different companies, such as, a VHS VCR equipment would have composite video signal through a German-originated DIN-style connector, a RCA connector, which is of American origin, or a BNC connector.

Scart sockets have now become the standard in connecting audio video devices together and have provided a much simpler solution, with one socket/plug containing all necessary signals. With Scart being a standard all over the world, it has provided a real solution to connectivity, with even one cable connecting two Scart compatible devices. There is, what is termed as 'polarisation' in the connector, which will not to let you insert it in the wrong way. Multiple Scarts can be daisy chained in handling multiple signal sources into a single TV socket. Scart connectors can pass the signals unchanged when not active. The voltage levels of the signals are generally around 1 volt, which provides good noise immunity.

A Scart enables a device to command a TV set to switch between signals, in order that overlays in the TV picture image could be created. A VCR would have its power coming on as soon as the cassette is inserted and the TV set would change into video mode and then start playing immediately if the cassette's write protection tab is absent. When switched off, the VCR will send a signal to the TV set to power off, if the set has been powered on by the VCR and is still in the video mode all along.

It is always preferable to buy a commercial cable because of the detailed pin-crossovers and close pin connections, though it is possible to build your own connecting cable. Different cables have different applications. A cable for connecting a VCR or a TV set to a high-fidelity audio system needs to use only three of the 21 pins. Connecting a VCR to a computer monitor is a difficult proposition with a Scart connector. This is for the reason why it is difficult to synchronise composite video signal, consisting of red, green and blue, from the VCR with the RGB signals required by a computer monitor.

In order to achieve the connectivity, you will need a digital SCART adapter, along with the reverse one, turning your DVD or Video player into a serial digital interface (SDI). A professional SDI monitor costs more that $2,000 and the above solution is cheaper, and brings to you the same solution of a separate SDI.

Where to get SCART or PERITEL cables, adapters, a/v cables,scart to RCA, SCART to S-VIDEO,SCART a/v,REGION FREE DVD players/recorders and High Definition, HD DVD players, Blu-ray,. A multi region (aka codefree) DVD player or recorder is capable of playing DVD discs from anywhere in the world, that is all 8 regions and both PAL and NTSC standards. http://www.planetomni.com has many. Many 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 much more. Tel.800-514-2984 or tel. 925-686-994

Wall Speaker Jacks

Wall speaker jacks are used to provide removable connections between the in-wall wiring and free-standing speakers. It can also be used to connect in-wall wiring and amplifier or receivers. Normal wall speaker jacks will require soldering of wires to the terminals at the rear of the jack. Wall speaker jacks that use screw method are also available in the market. Most sockets used along with wall speaker jacks are plated or color-coded. Wall speaker jacks allow neat connections to the wires and are concealed inside the walls. This allows you to neatly set your wall speakers.

The fast paced development that is taking place in the field of audio equipments can be seen in the area of wall speaker jacks. Several manufactures are producing high quality jacks that look great and are high performance. Some manufactures also produce gold plated socket. Gold plated are costly but their advantage out run the cost. Gold is a good electrical conductor and this property is used efficiently in wall speaker jacks. Gold is also resistant to oxidation and corrosion. It also gives a clean look.

For those on the look out for wall speaker jacks, there are several choices. Most of the manufactures display their product online. This gives you an opportunity to find the specifications and suitability for your environment. Most manufactures also display the pictures of wall speak jacks. The different websites of manufactures will also give you an idea about the average price of wall speaker jacks. Apart from searching the websites of manufactures, you can also get opinion from users. User reviews of wall speaker jacks are posted on several websites. This gives you an opportunity to find more about wall speaker jacks that manufactures might not indulge in. Several bloggers write their opinions on wall speaker jacks. This can also be used as a guideline. Before zeroing in down on a wall speaker jack, it is wise to seek professional help or advice.

In Wall Speakers provides detailed information on In Wall Speakers, In Wall Speaker Review, In Wall Speaker Wire, In Wall Speaker Systems and more. In Wall Speakers is affiliated with Portable DVD Player Cases.

Region Free Dvd Players

You have got with you that British TV series DVD that you have been after for ages. Now you are back home in USA. You are waiting impatiently to put it in your DVD player and watch the series. Something wrong! The only thing that you can see is the display, Wrong Region or words to that effect. You are quite amazed to see that. Is your DVD player not working? Or is the DVD faulty? Which one is it? The box, in which the DVD came in, says that the disc is Region Free, which would mean that it is meant for Region 0 or All Region. Doesn?t it mean that the DVD will play anywhere in the world? Well, good news is, that there is nothing wrong with your DVD player or the DVD disc. The bad news id that you are experiencing the wonderful world of DVD Region Coding or Region Locking as sometimes termed as. Are you asking me, what is DVD Region Coding and why it is needed?

A Region Free, Region Free, Region Zero or All Region disc is supposed to play on any Region Locked player, but there is that question of compatibility between PAL and NTSC video formats. For example, suppose you got a Region Free DVD from UK and try to play it in a US NTSC player. The DVD will not play, since the disc is in PAL video format. There is a misconception that since the DVD is based on digital format, it matters less if your player plays NTSC or PAL. All digital video formats are based on either PAL or NTSC video systems.

But what are PAL and NTSC video systems? Let me briefly explain.

Countries all over the world use one of the three main TV broadcast standards. These three standards are - PAL NTSC and SECAM. But these three standards are incomplete with the other. Take for example the Region Free DVD, which you purchased in UK. It did not play correctly on a US NTSC DVD player because the DVD is in PAL video format. That misconception that I mentioned somewhere in my discussion above, does not hold good and as I said, all digital video formats, including DVD are still based on the PAL or NTSC video systems.

Let me briefly outline PAL and NTSC systems for a better understanding.

The first ever colour broadcast came to USA in 1953. This was based on NTSC - National Television System Committee standard. NTSC is being used by many countries in the American continent and as well as in Asia too, in countries including Japan. NTSC runs on 525 lines/frame.

Phase Alternating Line (PAL) system was introduced in early 1960s and was available in most European countries except France. PAL utilises a wider chanel-bandwidth than NTSC, which provides a better picture quality. This system runs on 625 lines/frame.

Sequential Couleur Avec Memoire or Sequential Colour with Memory (SECAM) standard was introduced in early 1960s and was implemented in France. SECAM transmits colour information sequentially but uses the same bandwidth as PAL. The standard runs on 625 lines/frame.

For a better understanding the following is presented:

NTSC Standard

SYSTEMNTSC M

Lines/Field525/60
Horizontal Frequency15.734 kHz
Vertical Frequency60 Hz
Video Bandwidth4.2 MHz
Sound Carrier4.5 MHz

PAL Standard

SYSTEMPAL
B,G,HPAL
IPAL
DPAL
MPAL
N
Line/Field625/50625/50625/50625/50525/60
Horizontal Frequency50 Hz50 Hz50 Hz50 Hz60 Hz
Colour Sub-carrier Frequency4.433618 MHz4.433618 MHz4.433618 MHz3.582056 MHz3.575611 MHz
Video Bandwidth5.0 MHz5.5 MHz6.0 MHz4.2 MHz4.2 MHz
Sound Carrier5.5 MHz6.0 MHz6.5 MHz4.5 MHz4.5 MHz

SECAM Standard

SYSTEMSECAM B,G,HSECAM D,K,K1,L
Line/Field625/50625/50
Horizontal Frequency15.625 kHz15.625 kHz
Vertical Frequency50 Hz50 Hz
Video Bandwidth5.0 MHz6.0 MHz
Sound Carrier5.5 MHz6.5 MHz

Similar to multi-system VCRs, DVD players will not convert video standards. A PAL standard DVD player will not accept a DVD disc formatted in SECAM.

There is a point to consider to end your despair. If you have a multi-system TV, which is able to receive both PAL and NTSC video signals, you can very well watch that DVD you got from UK. You could also use a converter, which would convert a PAL into NTSC and vice-versa. In that way you can watch that DVD from UK, played on a standard NTSC TV, with converter doing all the processing for you. You could very well purchase a Region Free DVD Player, also known as a Multi Region DVD Player or a Code Free DVD Player, with a built in video standards converter.

The so called regions, that we hear so much about when buying a DVD disc or a player, are catagorised in the following way:

1.Region 1 - The U.S., U.S. territories and Canada
2.Region 2 - Europe, Japan, the Middle East, Egypt, South Africa, Greenland
3.Region 3 - Taiwan, Korea, the Philippines, Indonesia, Hong Kong
4.Region 4 - Mexico, South America, Central America, Australia, New Zealand, Pacific Islands, Caribbean
5.Region 5 - Russia (okay, former Russia), Eastern Europe, India, most of Africa, North Korea, Mongolia
6.Region 6 ? China

In a conventional manner, statistics say that, people in Region 1 get to see the DVD first. Region 2 will have to wait another 6 months and Region 3 people will have a year to see their favorite movie on DVD.

The DVD has brought home entertainment to life. Players and movie DVD discs have been selling like hot cakes through-out the world as prices tumble for both the products. The concept of the Home Theater comes along, with the superior quality of audio visual presented by the DVD. Entire rooms in many homes are kept reserved just for the home theater.. However, with this success of DVD, comes that dirty little secret: Region Coding or the Region Lock.

Why this coding, you might want to know. Well, what they tell us is it is the way that they wish to protect the copyright. However, another aspect of this Region Coding is surfacing lately. It is perhaps because of price fixing of the DVDs at different regions.

According to many views, code enforcement is a violation under WTO free trade agreement, which reflects at the competition law. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has taken a serious view to this coding and warned that such coding may violate the Trade Practices Act. A similar ruling has been done by the government of New Zealand. Therefore in practice, the DVD players sold in their countries have to be of Region 0. The Region 0 DVD players are required to incorporate Region 1 to 6 simultaneously, there-by providing the capability to plat any disc, no matter what region it belongs to.

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 recorder is capable of playing DVD discs from anywhere in the world, that is all 8 regions and both PAL and NTSC standards. http://www.mindlogic.com has many. Many 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. 925-686-994

HDTV Tuners

High definition TV tuners or HDTV tuners are designed to receive high definition programs by connecting to an external antenna. HDTV tuners will not only show movies and DVD?s at high definition, but will improve the viewing of normal TV. It is because of the improved definition or color and picture quality of DVD?s and programs that make HDTV tuners very popular with viewers.

Television sets often come with HDTV tuners already built into them, these are called integrated HDTV?s. If you are considering buying an external high definition TV tuner for your television, make sure that your TV set is HDTV compatible. A separate tuner may also be needed. This can be either a cable or satellite box for watching high definition programs.

Most people have heard that there is a mandate on televisions to make integrated HDTVs. This is not entirely correct. Certain televisions that are for sale after a certain date will be required to have built in tuners. The tuners required won?t be HDTV. The mandate is actually referring to ATSC tuners. It is not even necessary that TV?s be able to display HDTV resolutions without either an internal or external tuner. This new mandate will not apply to plasma and front projectors. The mandate will not take effect for some time. Until then there will be no change in television manufacture or tuners.

It is important to ask about features of high definition TV tuners before making a choice. If you are not sure what some of the features are, ask for clarification. Make sure that your television is compatible, HDTV tuners may not work with older televisions. Ask your cable or satellite company weather they support high definition TV, as many people find out later down the road that they cannot receive HDTV programs through cable or satellite.

Ask about what kind of warranties are available and what parts they actually cover before buying. External high definition TV tuners are quite reasonably priced. Prices start at around $150. If you are on a budget, make sure not to buy cheaply made appliances. Always wait for specials or price reductions on reliable brands.

One of the most popular brands available is the Samsung SIR-T451. This one is ideal for high definition programming on any high definition TV compatible television. There are many more HDTV tuners available on the market. By doing a quick search on your favorite search engine, you will be able to find a HDTV tuner that will fit both your budget and your TV?s requirements.

Simon Oldmann has been studying personality with focus on the effects of financial planning on health and mental stability. Simon is currently writing tips and advice on smart purchases such as a High Definition Television Antenna

Home Audio Furniture for Beginners

There are many choices in home furniture for a home theatre. Some choices are better for your needs than others. In order to get the best furniture to meet your needs, you should have a clear idea of what you need, seek out a reputable company, and have clear knowledge of what all options are.

The most important concept in buying furniture that many people often overlook is the idea that the furniture should be not what?s best, but what is ?best for you.? The most expensive furniture does not always yield the highest satisfaction. However, furniture that was purchased after a well-thought-out decision will often leave the buyer with a higher degree of satisfaction. Remember, while it is a good idea to take other?s opinions into consideration, the important thing is that the furniture works for you.

In order to know what you need, you should have an accurate idea of what goals you want to achieve with your home theatre system. If your goal is a state-of-the-art home theatre experience, then your furniture should reflect your systems. Comfortable chairs and high-quality tables can enhance the home theatre experience. Consider every detail, including the color of the furniture. The most appealing home theatre systems often have a color scheme that is very pleasing to the eye. Always get second opinions when deciding on colors. Depending on the type of speakers you have, you might also want to have something special to hold the speakers in. Some of the best home-theatres have surround sound. This effect can be achieved by spreading the speakers around high quality furniture. Depending on what you want, you can decide beforehand how much money you are willing to spend on your home theatre arrangement.

Additionally, before one goes to make a purchase, the layout of the room should be measured accurately. This can be done very simply with measuring tape. You could possibly mark spots on the walls where the furniture will go. It is always a good idea to draw plans and view multiple arrangements. Some furniture takes up a significantly higher amount of space than other furniture. Therefore, knowing how much room you have to work with can make the furniture choice much more efficient and enjoyable.

The final thing that you should consider before buying furniture is the company. There are lots of furniture companies out there, and some of them have lower quality furniture, and bad service. The best companies will be willing to invest their time in order to help you create the best home theatre possible. It is always a good idea to get recommendations from friends about a certain company. Some companies may offer bad advice or try to convince you to spend more money on furniture that will not best fit your needs.

Buying furniture for a home theatre can seem like an extremely daunting task. However, it can be efficient and enjoyable if you take the time to educate yourself about what options are available, what exactly you are looking for, and what are the best companies out there. Well-educated decisions are always more rewarding than decisions made with a severe lack of knowledge. If you inform yourself, your home theatre system will surely be the envy of your friends and family.

Kevin Willard is a home audio enthusiast. To learn more about home audio furniture, visit http://www.sjgreatdeals.com/

Why A Compact Digital Camera Should Be In Your Future

For most of us photography is not necessarily as much about being an art form as it is a way to preserve cherished memories and moments of our lives so we can go back and visit them again later. For that kind of purpose, a multi-function digital camera that has all the bells and whistles that you could ever want is overkill. And buying one could result in serious overpaying too as those kind of digital cameras are still very expensive.

But the average person just wants to be able to get great shots that they can enjoy with no muss or fuss. And if that describes you then you need to consider getting a compact digital camera for your photo needs. Here is why:

* You could get a compact film camera if you wish but why would you want to do that these days? Digital cameras will afford you so much more flexibility and control over the shots that you take. For instance, when you take a snapshot with a film camera, you just don't klnow how it's going to look until you develop the film. With a digital camera you can see what the shot looks like immediately and decide right away if it's a keeper, or if you need to just delete it and shoot all over again. What an important option to have at those special occasions that can't be redone again later like weddings, birthdays, etc.

* Compact digital cameras let you do so much with each image that you take that you just couldn't do with film. Of course, you can get scanned images of your film photos but you have to wait until the film is processed first and you have to pay extra for the processing and scanning. With a digital camera you just store the photos on a reusable media card and then pop it into a photo printer for printing, or you can also upload the photos to your home computer where you can play around with them until they are just the way you want in a photo editing program. After printing them out you can store them on your hard drive, transfer them to CDs or whatever you like. And best of all, because they are digital, they will never fade with time or how many times you make copies from those image files. Once all your files are uploaded, just wipe the camera card clean and start over again. How's that for easy and simple?

Here are a few recommendations that show up on many compact digital camera reviews by both photo websites and consumers alike:

* Fuji FinePix F10, Canon Powershot A510 & Canon Powershot A520, Olympus Stylus 800, and the Kodak EasyShare Z700.

All of these compact digital cameras produce excellent photo results and most of them have a good mix of features and options that would please the average digital camera user. And most are inexpensive units that won't break your wallet either.

So if you have struggled about making the switch to digital from film cameras, now is the time to finally let go of the old ways, and embrace the newer, better technology of compact digital cameras instead.

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.

What You Need To Know About The Best Portable MP3 Players

Portable mp3 players are taking the music world by storm. They offer convenience, portability, and ease of use, all in a small, feature rich package. There's not much to not like about them. But mp3 player models are constantly changing. Therefore it's a good idea to know what features are most important when you are trying to choose a portable mp3 player for your own use. Here are some tips to consider:

* Consider how you plan to use your mp3 player before buying it. Will you be using it on very long trips where you have no access to your computer song collection? If so, you may want to opt for a portable mp3 player that uses a hard drive to store songs as they can hold thousands of songs at a time and you can go for a long time without hearing the same song twice. In many cases you may be able to have your entire song collection on your mp3 player that way. However, most people will probably be using their portable mp3 player just for a few hours at a time on shorter trips. In that case a flash memory player should work just fine. They can usually handle 50- 75 songs at a time and that may be all you need.

* The best portable mp3 players also allow you to be able to upgrade the operating system of the unit whenever needed. This can be very important as the mp3 player equipment is changing constantly because it's still a relatively new technology. So you want to be able to keep up as advancements are made, and newer file formats or compressions are introduced. Otherwise you could wind up with an obsolete player very quickly.

* Before you buy any portable mp3 player be sure that you personally physically inspect it. This is especially critical for smaller players as they can be so small and compact that some folks with larger hands have a difficult time operating the controls. You also want to be sure that the display will meet your needs too, as some players display more information at a time than others do, and some are more readable even in low light situations than others.

* The best portable mp3 players conserve power well too. This can be an important issue as you will most likely not have a permanent power source when you are on the go, so your battery is all you have to power the unit. Some players can go for days on a set of batteries and others can only go a few hours. So make sure that the player you choose will fit the way you intend to use it. Also be aware that some players use a battery that is rechargeable but also can't be removed, and so must be sent back to the factory for an expensive battery replacement. The best portable mp3 players use batteries that are easy to find and change, such as AA or AAA batteries.

Since mp3 players are still fairly new to the marketplace, many people are not as familiar with them as other pieces of electronic equipment like CD players. So it's good to understand what features are important in the best rated mp3 players in order to make the best choice. Hopefully, the tips above can help you make the best choice.

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.

Movie Posters for that Unique Finishing Touch to Your Home Theater

Poster Presentation - Framing, Mounting and Light Boxes

Poster presentation is a most important aspect that should be taken into consideration when hanging a poster of your favorite movie on a wall. Appropriate presentation that matches with the rest of the room decor can help bring about the movie experience, but not only.

Presenting your newly acquired movie poster by framing or mounting will result in a more attractive finished product in any room. In particular, framed movie posters are most appropriate in a ?shared' room home theater e.g. a living room or a bedroom home theater.

However, mounting and in particular framing a poster, offers a further important advantage - it also represents an important step towards helping your posters stay nice for much longer.

While both frames and mounts offer a great way of presenting a more attractive finish in any room, yet in the case of a dedicated home theater room, the ultimate in movie poster presentation is the backlit poster light box. The use of a backlit box will better help bring about the cinematic 'feeling' into your home.

Movie poster light boxes add a unique finishing touch to your home theater, or in that case, anywhere you want to display your favorite poster.

The Poster Light Box:

The classical way to illuminate movie posters for display is from behind. Most poster light boxes operate in this manner by having a light source mounted on the rear side of a box frame. A diffuser plate is used to help eliminate the formation of possible hot spots of light over the movie poster area.

These poster light boxes are also referred to as 'backlit poster boxes' and are normally designed to take 1 Sheet posters. The latter are typically 27 inches in width by 40 to 41 inches in height, depending on whether the poster is a pre 1983/85 or otherwise. (More information on movie poster sizes is available at http://www.practical-home-theater-guide.com/poster-sizes.html).

Take care, however! Not all one-sheet size movie posters are best suited for display in a backlit poster light box. Why?

One sheet comes in either single-sided or double-sided prints, with the latter being designated as ?DS' 1-Sheet. While it is possible to mount either type in a poster light box, yet the best posters to use in a backlit poster light box are double-sided posters.

DS 1 Sheet posters have printing on both the front and the back of the paper stock, with the printing on the backside being in precise alignment with that on the front and a mirror image of the printing on the front side.

Light from behind the 1-sheet poster will have to pass through both prints, with the poster acting as if it is a strip of film. The two prints on either side of the poster will render for a more robust and rich illumination of the poster artwork.

That is not to say that the cheaper and more common single-sided posters are not suitable for use in backlit light boxes. It is just that one-sided 1-Sheet posters look somewhat washed-out when illuminated from behind.

Andrew Ghigo ? A Telecoms/Electronics engineer by profession, with specialization in digital switching and telecoms fraud management systems.

Editor and publisher of http://www.practical-home-theater-guide.com - a comprehensive home theater guide to home theater systems, product reviews and home theater design.

This article is an excerpt from a series of guides appearing under the Movie Posters section of the site. Topics discussed include movie poster basics, poster sizes, poster presentation, and tips for building a DIY poster Light Box.

Audio DVD Ripper Downloads

Got a bunch of movie soundtracks you wish to compile? If you?ve fallen in love with the music from your collection of DVD movies and concerts and you wish to convert them to MP3 or WAV files, you can easily do so with audio DVD ripper software.

Audio DVD ripper is software that makes it possible to extract soundtracks from your most favorite DVDs and rip them into an MP3 or WAV format. The audio DVD ripper offers high-speed ripping that will automatically save you time. Even though you are a novice in audio DVD ripping, this software allows you to work with such ease and confidence. Apart from these advantages, an audio DVD ripper helps you extract complete music information from a DVD while providing quality sound.

Audio DVD ripper downloads save you the trouble of working with multiple programs in a complicated copying progress. Top-notch software companies allow free downloads of audio DVD ripper software, while there are those who sell them online so they can be downloaded into your hard drive.

Audio DVD rippers feature adjustable output audio quality when converting music into an MP3 format. It sustains ripping by chapters, custom time and custom file size, and covers DVD ripping to WAV and MP3 formats. While ripping a movie clip, you can indicate a beginning and ending time.

It also allows the editing of ID3 tag for a quality DVD sound effect. It also features a language or audio track selector when ripping DVDs with multi-languages, and supports IFO records. Audio DVD Rippers likewise allow fast sound track extraction and batch conversion.

Whether it is a movie soundtrack, concert series, or audio recordings that you want to rip into one file, audio DVD ripper downloads will save your day.

DVD Ripper provides detailed information on DVD Ripper, Free DVD Ripper, Audio DVD Ripper Downloads, Super DVD Ripper and more. DVD Ripper is affiliated with DVD Player Software.

A Buyer's Guide to LCD TVs

As one would expect, the prices of LCD televisions will vary quite a bit depending on the size of the display, the quality of the display, the resolution of the screen, the brand name of the television and a number of other factors. The prices of LCD TVs has come down quite a bit, and the smaller models are generally available for a couple hundred dollars at many discount retailers and electronics stores.

When it comes to the high end of the market, however, the sky is still the limit, and it is possible to purchase a room filling LCD or plasma display that can run to $10,000 or even more.

Most LCD TV shoppers, of course, will fall somewhere in the middle, and most consumer sized TVs, those in the 23? to 40? inch range, will have retail prices set from just under $1,000 to just under $3,000. The world of LCD technology is populated by the biggest names in the world of electronics manufacturers, including such names as Samsung, Sony, Sharp, Phillips, Panasonic and Toshiba. Computer maker Dell also makes a line of LCD television displays that have been generating a great deal of excitement with all kinds of technology buffs.

While the prices of these LCD televisions are still quite a bit higher than traditional CRT (cathode ray tube) models, consumers do get a number of important advantages for this extra outlay of cash. Some of the most significant benefits of the new LCD TV technology include:

Perfectly Flat Screens

The curvature built into the display of a traditional CRT television can introduce edge distortion and shadows on the screen. The true flat nature of the LCD screen eliminates this edge distortion and provides a steady and more reliable display.

True Widescreen Performance

Unlike traditional televisions, the LCD television display uses a widescreen aspect ratio of 16:9. This aspect ratio is the relationship of the width and height of the screen, and the LCD display will appear much longer than it is high. The 16:9 aspect ratio is used to send HDTV signals, and it is also used in the production of widescreen DVDs and VHS videos. The LCD aspect ratio allows owners of these TVs to watch movies as they were intended to be seen in the theater.

Superior Viewing Angle

Compared to rear projection TVs, LCD television displays provide a 160 degree viewing angle, and they can be viewed at virtually any angle, horizontally or vertically.

Exceptional Color Accuracy

The best LCD displays are capable of producing more than 16 million unique colors, and this incredible depth of color provides for exceptional color quality and superior color accuracy.

Flexibility and Versatility

Many LCD televisions are designed to accept input from a variety of different devices, including computers, DVD players, VCRs, Laser Disc players and of course satellite and cable TV systems. In addition, multisystem LCD displays are designed to work with a variety of different television signals, including PAL, NTSC and SECAM. This allows the same television to be used in a variety of different countries, as the television broadcast standards vary from location to location.

Better Expected Reliability

Tests of LCD and plasma TVs have found that the average life expectancy for such devices are approximately 35,000 hours. That means that if the display was used for four hours a day it should last about 20 years.

In order to better understand these important advantages it is a good idea to understand just how this technology works. The LCD display is made up of a large number of picture elements, known in the industry as pixels. The number of pixels is one of the elements that will determine the overall quality of the picture. The number of pixels used in an LCD display will vary from hundreds of thousands to many millions, and the higher the number of pixels the better and sharper the display of the unit should be.

The aspect ratio of the LCD display is also different from that of the traditional CRT television. While the traditional CRT display uses a 4:3 aspect ratio, the LCD display uses a 16:9 aspect ratio. Simply put the aspect ratio is the relationship between the length and height of the TV, and the 16:9 aspect ratio is used to broadcast HDTV signals, as well as being used by manufacturers of widescreen DVDs and VHS tapes. This widescreen aspect ratio allows watchers of LCD displays to experience movies in true movie theatre format.

There are a number of considerations when looking shopping for an LCD display, including the tuner used by the set. The LCD TV should be able to accept inputs from a variety of different tuning sources, including satellite TV boxes, cable TV boxes, DVD players, VCRs and the like. For those living around the world, it is also important to make sure that the LCD TV you choose be capable of accepting not only NTSC video signals, which are the standard in North America and Japan, but also the PAL and SECAM standards used around the world.

Of course it is important to shop for the highest quality LCD TV you can afford, just as it is important to shop for the best price on the highest quality TVs. It is often possible to shave hundreds of dollars off of the retail price of an LCD display simply by shopping around at a wide variety of retailers, both on and off the internet.

In addition, it is important that the accessories and cables you purchase are of the highest quality. The right cables will enhance the value and versatility of the television itself, and it is important to spend a little more and get the highest quality cables to connect your DVD player, VCR, game console, computer or other device to that great looking LCD display. For information on LCD TVs and PAL LCD TVs 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

Regionfree DVD Players in United Kingdom

United Kingdom DVD Region

In UK, the DVDs and DVD players that are manufactured and sold are coded for Region 2, since UK falls in the Region 2 code. These local DVD players are able to play only the DVDs that have the region code 2 marked on them. However, regionfree or code free DVD players will be capable of playing back a DVD from anywhere in the world. It is perfectly legitimate to own and use a region free DVD player in the UK; however it should not be misused for illegal activities.

United Kingdom's Video and TV Format

The video and television format used widely in UK is PAL standard, however, in certain products, NTSC standard is also available. The Pal and NTSC standards are incompatible and are limited to playing only the same format discs. This problem is overcome by using a regionfree DVD player in the UK that has the provision for switching between PAL and NTSC, as per the disc requirement.

Electricity Facts for the UK

The electricity supply in UK is 220-240 volts and all the local appliances are designed to run at this voltage. However, an American make of DVD player would normally not be able to operate in this voltage, since it is designed for 110 volts. To overcome the differences in voltage supplies for different parts of the world, some of the regionfree DVD players have the dual voltage feature, which enables the customer to use his DVD player anywhere in the world.

A Variety of Features for UK Codefree DVD Players

Most of the regionfree DVD players in the UK come with some great standard features, some of which include language choice, which makes it possible to select video scenes, menus, audio tracks and subtitle tracks automatically. Special effects for playback can be used for the functions called freeze, slow, step, scan and fast. The parental lock facility can enable parents to restrict the access of their children to play back certain discs. Programmability, random and repeat play, and digital audio output are other great features. They can also recognize DTS Digital Surround audio tracks.

Also available are the wall mountable DVD players that can be good space savers around the house, and the portable DVD players that can be taken along in a car.

Advanced Features of Code Free DVD Players

Some of the more expensive code free DVD players in the UK have certain enhanced features, such as playback for video CDs and super video CDs, MP3 CDs, MP3 DVDs, laser discs, CDVs, and picture and photo CDs. They can also play back video files in unique formats like MPEG-4 and DivX. These DVD players can give a better picture quality through the component video output and progressive scan component output (YUV or RGB).

They also have multi lingual on-screen display feature, reverse single-frame stepping and reverse play at normal speed. They can provide a perfect digital picture quality using SDI, DVI, or HDMI digital video outputs. They have a 6-channel analog output using MLP, Dolby digital or DTS. The advanced models also have a Digital Zoom feature that gives a 2 ? or 4 ? enlargement of part of the picture.

There is a wide choice of brands available, and the information about the models and their pricing can be obtained from the Internet easily. Web sites are springing up everywhere that offer a lot of information related to types of codefree DVD players and their features, rates, and availability. The commonly available brands include Toshiba, Samsung, Sony, Panasonic, Pioneer, Philips, Nissan, Yamada, Denon, and several others.

The price range of code free DVD players in the United Kingdom varies widely according to the choice of features in each brand. To state broadly, one can buy a DVD player from around $90 to $800 based on one?s choice and requirement. No matter where you live, you're sure to find the regionfree DVD player that's right for you.

In the USA you can buy region free DVD players, both that convert to PAL or NTSC or don't convert and some that do all three, starting at $79.95 from a company called MIND LOGIC at http://www.mindlogic.com They ship worldwide and offer lifetime warranties on all their codefree dvd players. You can call them from inside the states toll free at 800-514-2984 or from overseas at 925-686-9945.

They have more thank 140,000 consumer electronics including multisystem pal TVs such as plasma, LCD, DLP etc. They also have free standing video standards converters from Tenlab and converting PAL-SECAM,NTSC, PAL-N, PAL-M VCRs and much more.

To prevent the latest movies from reaching countries where a particular film has not reached the theaters yet, Hollywood film studios imposed an encoding technique. This regional coding is a digital flag on the disc that tells the DVD player where a particular DVD comes from. This is supposed to prevent the disc from being used by an incompatible player in another country. A normal DVD player can only play discs designated for the player's own particular region. However, a codefree DVD player is a capable of playing DVD discs from anywhere around the world. So while a normal, non-codefree DVD player can only play DVD's from one region, a codefree DVD player can play DVD discs from all 6 regions. PAL-NTSC 110-220 volts DVD/VCR Combos for use worldwide. The Sharp DV-NC85 and most other combo CODEFREE DVD and MULTISTANDARD VCRs will play 100% all known DVD discs including FRENCH PAL (there is no such thing as a SECAM DVD disc, all SECAM countries use PAL DVD) and all PAL-NTSC tapes but you'll need one of our VIDEO STANDARDS CONVERTERS http://www.mindlogic.com/CONVTNLB.shtml

Coming Soon More Radio Listening Choices Thanks to a New Concept Called HD2

While HD radio increases the quality of AM and FM broadcasts dramatically, this may not be the main reason to buy an HD radio.

You may buy it because of a new concept called HD2.

HD radio is digital radio. It requires less radio spectrum which, in turn, enables a concept called multicasting. In other words, radio stations with HD radio technology will be able to broadcast their primary FM channel in digital while offering up to two additional side channels on the same frequency. These extra channels have been named HD2.

What to expect from HD2

Seven of the nation's largest broadcasters have joined together to form the HD Digital Radio Alliance to promote HD radio and to coordinate the use of HD2. One of the goals of this Alliance is to help create new programming content to put on those HD2 signals. The Alliance intends to coordinate the use of the new HD2 channels to offer variety ? music, news and entertainment ? across formats. Early next year, it will announce specific HD2 programming and promotional efforts for the country's top 25 markets.

The Alliance also pointed out that HD radio offers more than just entertainment. It can also transmit text messages such as traffic reports, and real-time weather forecasts. It also has an interactive capability. For example, the day may come when you will be able to instantly download or purchase a song you're hearing on your radio simply by pressing a Buy It Now key.

Free and commercial free

Alliance members have said that HD2 channels will be free and commercial free, at least initially. Just as important, they will be locally programmed in each market ? unlike satellite radio which cannot offer local material. How long these HD2 channels will remain commercial free is hard to guess. However, Alliance members have said that these HD2 channels will remain free to listeners, just like today's AM and FM broadcasts. with the possible exception of premium multicast services such as concerts or traffic updates.

25 stations now with dozens more coming

Last May, Chicago's WUSN became the USA's first commercial FM outlet to multicast. Infinity Broadcasting recently added a second digital channel to Chicago's WJMK. Three Detroit stations have announced a new companion multicast channel, and a number of National Public Radio stations have begun multicasting. It is believed that more than 25 stations are now broadcasting HD2 and dozens more are expected to add these channels by year's end.

In other words, HD radio and HD2 are on the march. Now, all we need are more HD radios so we can actually hear this amazing new technology.

To learn more about HD radio, please go my Web site, http://www.hd-radio-home.com, to get all the buzz.

Douglas Hanna is a retired marketing executive and the author of numerous articles on HD radio, the Internet and family finances.

Bluray Vs HDDVD

Do we really need more capacity?

Cynics amongst us may say that it?s just another way for the computer and consumer electronics industry to sell us all something new. While there is an element of truth in this, as not everyone needs the additional capacity but computers, software and applications do continue to be increasingly data hungry.

Many users will welcome the additional amount of storage that both formats offer, as they are getting to full capacity with DVD and are starting to need multi-disc sets. The new formats will be the equivalent to five and ten times the size of a DVD. In addition to this, faster broadband speeds are allowing users to download increasingly larger amounts of data.

High definition television will begin broadcasting throughout Europe in 2006 and will allow consumers the best possible television experience in both watching and recording. In the United States over seven million digital televisions have already been sold and Europe is not far behind. In Europe, it is expected that broadcasting the World Cup in 2006 in high definition and will be a major factor for many to make their first purchase of a high definition digital television.

The fast transfer rate of blue laser disc - coupled with the larger capacity on a disc - also makes it ideal for archive applications, medical records and high resolution assets that need instant access or retrieval.

First of all, let?s take a quick look at the differences between the two formats that both utilise blue laser disc recording:

Blu-ray

Blu-ray is backed by over 100 companies who are members of the Blu-ray Disc Association (http://www.blu-raydisc.com). The key members include; Sony, Pioneer, HP, Dell, Philips, Mitsubishi Chemical, Walt Disney, TDK, Hitachi, 20th Century Fox and Apple.

Initial storage capacity of a Blu-ray disc will be 25GB (or 135 minutes of high definition film and two hours of bonus features in standard definition quality) for a single layer and 50GB with dual layer (or three hours of film and nine hours of bonus materials). Prototypes have already been developed by TDK that will take this to 100GB on a single side. The Blu-ray group estimate the technology will be viable as a format standard for 10-15 years.

Similar to CD and DVD, Blu-ray discs will be available as once only recordable (BD-R), re-writable (BD-E) and in a pre-recorded disc format (BD-ROM). There will also be two other types of Blu-ray disc that are contained in cartridges for specific use in the broadcast and data archiving industries. These are called PD and PDD respectively.

Blu-ray disc products will be launched to cover three major application areas: 1.Desktop computer use and home video applications.
2.Professional broadcasting.
3.Professional data backup applications.

Blu-ray discs are manufactured using a single disc substrate, with the recording layer very close to the disc surface. This should result in less potential distortion, higher precision and shorter production times and costs.

In terms of backward compatibility, it is likely that Blu-ray disc products will play both DVD and CD formats. It is also expected that Blu-ray PC and Mac recorders will also be able to record onto CD and DVD discs. Sony have recently announced that their next generation Playstation 3 console will have Blu-ray capability.

High Density DVD

There are fewer companies in the HD-DVD Promotion Group (http://www.hddvdprg.com), but still some significant ones none the less. Companies include; NEC, Toshiba, Sanyo, Thomson and Universal Pictures. The format is also supported by the DVD Forum.

Initial storage capacity is around 15/20GB, 30/32GB and 45 GB as a maximum with dual layer. In its present shape, the capacity is unable to go beyond that due to the position of the recording layer, which is further away from the disc surface.

Disc manufacturers will be able to transition over to HD-DVD more easily as it is a similar disc structure to DVD. However, the limited capacity could see it end up as an interim solution and manufacturers will inevitably need to invest in Blu-ray production lines.

Like DVD, HD-DVD disc is manufactured by bonding two surfaces (substrates) together. It is likely that HD-DVD devices will also be able to play DVD and CD content. Discs will be available in a recordable (HD-DVD-R), re-writable (HD-DVD-RW) and pre-recorded version (HD-DVD-ROM).

89 film titles will be introduced in late 2005.

Why can blue laser expand capacity?

With the same disc surface size as both CD and DVD a blue laser disc can record and store more information by using a laser beam with a much smaller focus than CD or DVD. This laser can record smaller and higher density pits, enabling more data storage.

A closer look at Blu-ray

Within the Blu-ray family there are three types of discs available, which are optimised for specific applications. The main demand and usage will be for the standard Blu-ray product, but there are also two other types of Blu-ray discs available that have been specifically developed for the broadcast and data storage market:

Professional Disc (PD)

PD has been developed specifically for the news gathering and broadcast markets. Products are already being introduced by Sony. These include; a recording and editing system - ENG (Electronic News Gathering) - as well as the XDCAM series of professional camcorders.

PD has a faster data transfer rate, 72 Mpbs as opposed to 36Mbps, than the standard Blu-ray product and is seen as a replacement for traditional tape loaded broadcast cameras. The disc is re-writable and contained in a cartridge for added protection in field use. PD disc media is being manufactured by both Sony and TDK.

Professional Disc for Data (PDD)

PDD has been developed as a replacement for traditional magneto optical (MO) applications, such as data juke boxes for online or archive access and storage. PDD is physically almost identical to Professional disc (PD) and is available as re-writable and recordable. The disc is contained in a cartridge for protection and ease of use by the robotics in any juke box or library system. Typical users will be medical, banking, government and telecom businesses who need fast network access to large amounts of data or information.

Standard Blu-ray

Standard Blu-ray will be the main Blu-ray product for mass use in consumer recorders and players, PC drives and games consoles, such as PlayStation 3. The disc media can be supplied ?naked? and is not contained in a cartridge due to the application at manufacture of a hard coat protective layer. The first manufacturer to introduce this is TDK with their ?Durabis? coating technology.

Dell and HP have committed to begin shipment of their high end PC?s with Blu-ray by the end of 2005. Blu-ray will have built-in encryption and copy protection within the hardware and at the media manufacturing level to minimise piracy and illegal copying.

Why the need for a protective layer?

One immediate reason for the protective layer is that by packing more and more data onto the same size disc surface the recorded data can be more susceptible to playback problems caused by damage from handling, scratches and static. Also, in order to obtain the highest capacity from the Blu-ray disc format and to ensure higher precision, the recording layer in a Blu-ray disc is manufactured closer to the disc surface than both DVD and HD-DVD. This means that the Blu-ray disc has a far higher capacity than other blue laser discs such as HD-DVD, but this does mean that the disc needs to be encased in a caddy like PD and PDD or protected by an additional coating layer. By being able to manufacture a disc that can be used in its ?naked? form without a caddy it will ensure a more widespread use and uptake of the Blu-ray format. This is because the disc will be used in a number of different drives and consumer electronic products. Disposing of the caddy will also dramatically reduce the manufacturing and end user unit costs.

Disc Structure Comparison

With the need to have a protective coating on a ?naked? Blu-ray disc, TDK were the first media manufacturer to introduce a ?scratchproof? coating. This has been available for some time as an option on their DVD product range, but recently they have taken this technology even further with the latest version of coating technology called ?Urbis?. The advantages of the ?Urbis? coating mean that discs can be used without a caddy and are far less likely to be damaged by scratches, UV light, fingerprints and dust attracted by static.

And finally....When will it all become available?

Toshiba Corp. has announced a March 2006 commercial launch date for the first HD-DVD player in the United States.

Blu-ray disc recorders were first launched in Japan in 2003. Blu-ray is available in Japan in caddy format and it is expected to be available in the US by summer 2006.

Professional Disc (PD) for broadcasting has limited availability already. It is mainly being tested and trialled in high definition TV projects by the major broadcast companies and authorities.

Professional Disc for Data (PDD), which is used for archiving and back up also has limited availability.

Both the Blu-ray group and HD-DVD group are talking together about a single format to avoid a format clash. However, as each party?s proposal appears to be that the other one drops their format, it seems unlikely it will lead to ?peace in our time?.

CD Team, the authors of this article, are a CD and DVD duplication company based in Oxfordshire. CD Team have been specialists in the supply of CD and DVD duplication services and solutions since 1995. In that time they have gained invaluable experience about CD and DVD discs and duplication equipment and how to assess which solution is the best for each of their customers. Please visit their website for more information: http://www.cdteam.co.uk

This article is also available as a PDF at CD Team? website: http://www.cdteam.co.uk/blu-ray.htm

Why You'll Replace Your DVD's After HD

Good fortune allowed me the opportunity to run out and purchase an affordable High Definition TV recently. This HDTV's only claim to fame is that the tuner is built in and it reads and delivers the 1080i resolution that defines ?HD.? Naturally, it's reverse compatible with the old 480p and 720p resolution standards but I didn't have to worry about that, right?

I'll refrain from specifying what I got in detail, only to tell you that it rocks! It's the smartest $750 you can spend in visual entertainment with a 30-inch diagonal and a perfectly flat Cathode Ray Tube that happens to be a pithy 16-inches deep. The manufacturer has labeled this a, ?SlimFit? model and rightly so. (At 120 pounds, it's still a team lift, however.)

I get the thing upstairs, unpack it, go through the first time set up and auto program to my new TV's content. The happy surprise is that there are hidden channels your new HD tuner decodes for you! After almost cutting myself on razor-sharp pictures broadcast in proper 1080i HD resolution, I think, ?now I'll have some REAL fun and see a DVD like I've never seen it before.?

In went the goofy adventure of Captain Sparrow, ?The Curse of The Black Pearl.? The kid in me wanted to play with the new toy... I was totally silent as I watched the opening scenes in horror: Letter box's black-line haters haven't seen anything yet. All of our beloved DVD's are lacking 100% in the HD category; THEY DON'T MAKE HD DVD's! It is the next big sell!

Remember your record albums? Yeah. Remember buying them on tape? Uh-huh. Remember buying them AGAIN on CD. Yup. Remember seeing that movie you loved in the theater? Uh-huh. Remember buying the DVD version. Your next vivid memory will be cursing your DVD collection for looking awful on your next TV which may well be properly HD compatible meaning loaded with 1080i resolution that your DVD can't keep up with.

Briefly, here's the current method to watch that DVD on a proper HD TV. The TV probably has five settings: 16:9, Panorama, Zoom 1, Zoom 2 and 3:4 picture settings. The first is the HD standard, lovely; and the last is the standard that's phasing out. Everything in the middle is a fatherless child. Standard set shows on 16:9 look stretched left and right. Standard set shows on your 16:9 screen set to 3:4 get the black lines to the left and right. Your standard DVD in letterbox format gets black lines EVERYWHERE: Top, bottom, left and right. The picture is ridiculously small. But mighty sharp!

Your only option? Set the TV to display at Zoom 1 which takes the DVD's 720p and forces 1.5 pixels on your HDTV to try, fruitlessly, to display 1 pixel from the DVD. The result is a jittery, dancing image that will gray any video-phile's hair halfway into the first film. As holidays and birthdays arrive, take care not to build that glorious DVD collection you've always wanted. Change is coming, like it always does. You've been warned.

Bryan Applegate works for Dinarius, Inc. as a private tutor and content provider. As more technology enters his life, he is compelled to write.

After Mp3 Players It's Time to Switch to Portable Video Players

Technology is taking manifolds with each day passing by whereby once mobile phones, computers used to be considered as technological tools. Then MP3 players and other digital accessories came into picture for them who had a passion for music and entertainment. But now there are portable video players that have captured the market.

These portable video players make it easier for you to take the A/V excitement out from your house onto the road. Portable video players are getting smaller, lighter weight and also at the same time more advanced. Portable DVD players let you watch all your favorite movies in any kind of place whereas digital video portables have other range of capabilities.

Convenient, lightweight portable DVD players are a smash hit in the market. Most of these players are slim, laptop style pieces with a DVD deck and a built in, flip up screen. These usually include a headphone output plus a wide variety of digital and analog outputs for other connection possibilities. Other portable DVD players lack an attached screen but they could be easily plugged into TV monitors wherever you go in a car, boat or vacation house. You have also the option to use one as regular player at your home. There are even portable video players especially designed to be used inside a car some of which could be installed and others can be hooked up for long road trips or put away for regular about town driving.

There are certain other players which rely on digital video files stored on to a tiny hard drive instead of the DVD?s. These players are great when they are used in conjunction with a computer with in-built TV tuner because then you can easily record your favorite TV shows and store them as videos or load them onto your portable and carry them with you. These players usually handle MP3 files and digital photos as well.

It is immaterial which type of portable you choose but you should consider buying a pair of headphones separately. Most of the portable players include headphones but you could get better sound by replacing them with an inexpensive pair.

And if you are used to a great sound at the time when you watch DVD movies on your player, then you should look around for a set of Dolby Digital headphones and you can enjoy impressive surround sound from your portable DVD player.

For more information, visit http://www.freedownloadmp3song.info

Olivia Andrews, writer of http://www.freedownloadmp3song.info is a freelance journalist and has written many reviews on subjects such as finance, education, health, entertainment, music, gifts, crafts, travel, apparels and mobile phones.