Differnce in HD Resolutions

Why do HDTV's look so amazing?
     Simply because there are 1,000,000+ more pixels that combine together to give you a stunning HD picture. Everyone knows that 1080P is the best, but still people settle for less. Here is the difference between the various resolutions.

1080p

Pixels- 1920x1080
Progressive Scan- Yes (hence the "p" after 1080) (Check below for what progressive scan is)
Widescreen- Yes
Supported- Playstation 3, Xbox 360, Blu-ray, ROKU, etc.

1080i

Pixels- 1920x1080
Progressive Scan- No (hence no "p" after 1080)
Widescreen- Yes
Supported- CBS, NBC, PBS, Discovery HD Theater (the broadcast is 1080i)

720p

Pixels- 1280x720
Progressive Scan- Yes (again note the "p")
Widescreen- Yes
Supported- ABC, FOX, ESPNHD

480p

Pixels- 852x480
Progressive Scan- Yes
Widescreen- Yes
Supported- Progressive Scan DVD Players

480i

Pixels- Up to 480 lines
Progressive Scan- No
Widescreen- No (This is why when you are watching an HD channel and a commercial comes on you have 2 black rectangles on both sides of the commercial)
Supported- All standard TV broadcasts

Progressive Scan- A way of displaying, storing, or transmitting moving images in which all the lines of each frame are drawn in sequence. (This helps with eye strain)

Word of advice: If someone tells you that 1080i & 720p (which there are alot of those people out there) they are not well educated in the Home Entertainment world. Just look @ the information above 1080i has more pixels yes but does not offer progressive scan. My advice is to get a HDTV that is 1080p/64.

Quick A/V Tip

Today i went and troubleshot a Yamaha receiver and a Comcast/Xfinity receiver. There was sound coming out of the right side speakers in 2 separate rooms, but not the left side speakers. I swapped out the existing Red/White Audio cable for another one and it worked.

Tip: If you are getting sound through all of your components besides 1 then it has to do with something between the 2 units. Then figure out what is not working, in this case it was sound. If you have a spare, matching cable try replacing it. That is most likely the problem.

Canning the Cable Company Cont.

Helleo everyone

I found a website last night that is amazing to check what channels you can pick up over the air (its very colorful too) www.tvfool.com

Heres what my address shows.
The Signal Analysis Report lists the broadcasters in your area, ranked from strongest to weakest, according to 3D propagation modeling of the location and height (optional) that you entered. The background color of each transmitter in the table is color coded as follows:

Background color	Estimated signal strength
Green	An indoor "set-top" antenna is probably sufficient to pick up these channels
Yellow	An attic-mounted antenna is probably needed to pick up channels at this level and above
Red	A roof-mounted antenna is probably needed to pick up channels at this level and above
Grey	These channels are very weak and will most likely require extreme measures to try and pick them up

If you need help running your address send me an email @ harborav@gmail.com
Enjoy!!!

Soundbars

Soundbars have become increasingly popular over the past few years. The reason being is because it is a single speaker solution to home entertainment/theater systems. Unlike standard 5.1 or 7.1 surround sound you don't have to string 5-7 speakers throughout your room.

Placement:
Soundbars were designed to be placed underneath your television. This allows for your walls to naturally reflect the sound throughout the room. Thus if you have a very open room a soundbar might not be best. Here is a picture of how it works.



Set-Up
Setting up a soundbar can be a very simple process. Different types of soundbars have different audio/video connections. Once you have determined what connections it has find the same on your television/components in which you want to route your audio through and "plug 'n' play".

If you are planning to set up a soundbar as opposed to surround sound refer to the image above. If you have walls for the sound to bounce off of then a soundbar would be a good choice if not i would recommend sticking to 5.1 or even 7.1 surround sound.

Want to improve the quality. Add a subwoofer. A subwoofer will amplify the bass of your TV, video games, Blu-Ray, etc. It will give you the felling of having a true "Cinematic Adventure"

Here is a link to CNet Reviews on Soundbars Enjoy!

http://reviews.cnet.com/best-virtual-surround-sound-speakers/







Awesome Ipod magic video

Peter Kirn has this video where he does a video on deception with ipods check it out @ http://createdigitalmotion.com/2011/06/sleight-of-hand-with-screens-ipod-magic-and-marcos-ruminations-on-the-power-of-deception/

Unlocked Iphone 4's now for sell

Hello Apple lovers,
I was reading CNET this morning and stumbled across an article that announced the selling of unlocked IPhone 4's.

Pricing

• IPhone 4 16GB- $649
• IPhone 4 32GB- $749

The GSM phones will run on both AT&T and the T-Mobile Network. If this interests you and you would like to read the full article here is the link.

• http://news.cnet.com/8301-13506_3-20070980-17/apple-starts-selling-unlocked-iphone-4-for-$649-$749/?tag=topStories1
• http://store.apple.com/us/product/MC603LL/A?mco=MjI4NTM2NTM

Connect Ipod/Smart Phone to Car Stereo

This behind "How do I connect my computer to my TV?" is a day to day conversation that I have with people.

*Determine if your car has an input method.

1. Cassette Deck
2. Auxiliary In
3. Ipod Direct Connect (USB Sync Cable)

*If you have one of these input methods you will need one of the following

1. Cassette Adapter (Cassette tape w/ 1/8" connector)
2. 1/8" to 1/8" Auxiliary cable (**Note blog entry: Crackle in your car speakers**)
3. Ipod/Iphone Sync Cable

*If you were unfortunate not to have one of the 3 mentioned input methods you can use an FM Transmitter. (If you live in the South Sound I recommend you to just buy a new stereo for your car, because the reception on the FM Transmitter's are very fuzzy).




How & Why the Quality of an HDMI Cable Makes a Difference

The Cables Bandwidth

• For HD-TV's that can only get 1080i or less resolution you can get by with a cable that is rated @ 2.25 Gbps (gigabytes per second).
• For HD-TV's that are rated for 1080p a category 2 or "HIGH SPEED" cable must meet or exceed 10.2 Gbps in order to receive true 1080p resolution.

Connectors & Pins

• The pins within the connectors of an HDMI cable are either nickel or gold plated. Gold transfers electronic signals the best and will not tarnish.

Inner Cable Materials
Other than the connectors of an HDMI cable the inner materials also makes the difference between a standard cable and a quality cable.

• Some cable makers will use 24-gauge wire instead of using 28-gauge wire. This makes for a strong cable which can handle longer runs.
• Shielding within the cable helps protect the signal from outside interference, so the better shielding the less signal interference.

Workmanship

• Properly made cables make the difference
• Cheap, poorly manufactured cables may not securely fit into sockets on your TV and equipment properly, which can lead to broken connectors on your equipment.
• Look for a guarantee on the packaging on the package. Companies who are proud of their work often times guarantee it.

My Suggestion

• Beware of HDMI cables that claim to be "HIGH SPEED" and don't give you the speed rating.
• Don't buy the $1.00 cables on the Internet. They are garbage.
• If you value true HD, find what is best for your system and go with it. Taking shortcuts can lead to a poor Home Audio/Video experience.

Sites for more info:

• www.hdmi.org/index.aspx
• www.hdmi.org/consumer/buying_guide.aspx