http://www.ecoustics.com/latest/articles Latest articles, updated every five minutes http://www.ecoustics.com/hemag/articles/21397 Best Media Room Installation Robert's Home Audio & Video of Los Angeles, Calif. Wed, 04 Nov 2009 03:20:01 -0500 http://www.ecoustics.com/dt/guide/300 Nothing beats kicking back in a cushy recliner for taking in last night’s episode of Sons of Anarchy, South Park or even all three hours of The Godfather. But with the rise of digital video, home theaters have moved out of the living room to just about anywhere you might care to catch a show: the bedroom, your hotel room on vacation, even the car. And with sites like Hulu, YouTube and Joost, enjoying video digitally no longer entails a lengthy process of DVD ripping or piracy. Video is truly everywhere now, and enjoying it is truly simple. Here’s how to get started.On the ComputerWith crisp high-definition laptop screens that now span up 18.4 inches...Read | Permalink | Linking Blogs Tue, 08 Sep 2009 03:00:00 -0400 http://forum.ecoustics.com/bbs/messages/34579/588303.html Sat, 29 Aug 2009 18:20:00 -0400 http://www.ecoustics.com/dt/guide/285 Are you ready to turn outlaw?Hollywood wants you to buy its movies on DVD and Blu-ray disc, but then it wants to control what you do with them once you get home. We’re going to show you how to do something that Hollywood most definitely does not want you to do: Copy those movies to your hard drive or media server so that you can enjoy them without ever having to get off your couch to drop a disc in your DVD player.Once you have the movie on your hard drive, you can do all kinds of other neat stuff with it, such as transcode it to another format so you can watch it on a handheld digital media player—or delete those annoying messages from the FBI and Interpol messages...Read | Permalink | Linking Blogs Fri, 24 Jul 2009 03:00:00 -0400 http://www.ecoustics.com/dt/guide/280 With technology evolving at such a rapid pace, buying a new TV can be an intimidating proposition. After all, no one wants to invest in a high-definition television that'll be outdated by the time you take it home and plug it into the wall. Complicating matters is all the confusing jargon thrown around, be it 1080p, 16:9, HDMI, ATSC, 120Hz and Blu-ray. Huh? You probably -- and justifiably -- feel like you need a degree in electrical engineering just to understand it all. And then there's the sheer number of choices at retail. Take a stroll into your local retailers and you'll stare at a sea of never-ending television sets. How on earth do you know which one to buy?While manufacturer, screen size and technology (e.g. LCD,...Read | Permalink | Linking Blogs Mon, 13 Jul 2009 03:00:00 -0400 http://www.ecoustics.com/dt/guide/276 Spending a lot of money on your home theater and then not getting the most out of it is like eating pizza without tomato sauce. It’s really just a bunch of cheesy bread. To get that special sauce for your room, we recommend making a few simple adjustments and enhancements to let your theater truly shine. From a budget system to a high-end pin-up of a system, the following tips will get you dialed in, quick. 1) The Mirror Trick. “One of the most important aspects of a great home theater is the sound,”...Read | Permalink | Linking Blogs Wed, 01 Jul 2009 03:00:00 -0400 http://www.ecoustics.com/dt/guide/271 We don’t know about you, but we’re tired of hearing about the economy. Who says you can’t have a little fun during tough times? While building a home theater may not sound like the most prudent idea, you can do it for relatively cheap – if you do it yourself! You’ll save money on the cost of an electronic systems consultant, the cost of gear, learn some really cool tricks, and have a blast doing it. Here are a few of our favorite DIY tips for your home theater. Just think of all the money you’ll save never going out to the movies again!Do It Yourself ScreensMaking your own projector screen probably ranks as one of the most hotly discussed topics on the...Read | Permalink | Linking Blogs Thu, 18 Jun 2009 03:00:00 -0400 http://www.ecoustics.com/dt/guide/267 We’ve experimented with any number of home media servers that will stream YouTube, play movies across a home network, and stream music from a library of connected home storage appliance. And they’re nice if that’s all you ever want to do. But for ultimate flexibility, nothing beats a true home theater PC. Using a fully functional PC, you throw away all the limitations of a traditional set top box, building up a box that does exactly what you want it to, the way you want it to.With that in mind, blowing $1,000 on a custom-built computer just for the task seems like a waste. In the big scale of computing tasks, playing video isn’t a particularly taxing task, and computers have been able to do it for...Read | Permalink | Linking Blogs Wed, 10 Jun 2009 03:00:00 -0400 http://www.ecoustics.com/dt/guide/262 Want a sexy new home theater in your living room but don’t know where to begin? A good jumping-off point is your budget. It can be very difficult to come up with the right amount to spend on decking out one’s pad, especially if you’re a newcomer to the hobby and don’t know what gear and materials you need. This short guide will help you get on the path to budgeting for your home theater though, as well as getting the most from every d...Read | Permalink | Linking Blogs Wed, 27 May 2009 03:00:00 -0400 http://www.ecoustics.com/dt/guide/263 What you see is no longer what you get. With the advent of Blu-ray Profile 2.0, also known as BD-Live, the content pressed onto a disc when it leaves the factory no longer represents the limit of the experience. A live Internet connection allows Profile 2.0 players to deliver extra content through the Web: everything from trivia games and extra clips to mini games. And to really take advantage of the Internet connectivity that these players carry, many manufacturers have pushed the limits even further, packing compatibility with Netflix streaming, YouTube, Pandora and other online content into the same boxes.Though these features used to carry a hefty premium, prices have dropped in the past six months, and any first-tim...Read | Permalink | Linking Blogs Wed, 27 May 2009 03:00:00 -0400 http://www.ecoustics.com/dt/talk/299 Over the last couple of weeks, I've been testing three new home servers, two from HP and a potential revolutionary concept called a nano-plug server. This last one uses Marvell technology, comes from a company called CloudEngines, and it is called the Pogoplug. Let's talk about home servers today, why you may want one, and what makes these particular models stand out.What Is A Home Server?A home server is a device that provides data access 24 hours a day. They are typically used for three things: data access, backup, and media storage (think more video than MP3 files). The data access part typically encompasses media extenders like the...Read | Permalink | Linking Blogs Thu, 07 May 2009 03:00:00 -0400 http://www.ecoustics.com/dt/guide/233 When you have your first child, people seem to come out of the woodwork with all kinds of advice. There are endless unsolicited tips on diapering, feeding and sleep schedules. Well, to many, a home theater is like a baby, and with its birth comes a lot of opinion. Everyone and their installer has ideas, tweaks, products and plenty of other info. After all, there are endless audio and video products, as well as spaces, setups and resources. We asked 10 do-it-yourselfers to throw out the best advice for your growing baby. Here’s what they had to share.1) Search OnlineI shopped on eBay and Craigslist...Read | Permalink | Linking Blogs Tue, 24 Mar 2009 03:00:00 -0400 http://www.ecoustics.com/dt/guide/225 It’s a digital world, but most of us are still holding on to a lot of analog media. There are the vinyl records we couldn’t bear to part with; the home movies shot with an analog camcorder; the lovingly-created mixtapes on cassette; and, of course, the photographic prints and 35mm slides from holidays, vacations and family gatherings of yesteryear. Service bureaus are getting rich charging exorbitant fees to bring these analog memories into the digital realm, but there are plenty of good tools available for anyone who’s interested in taking the do-it-yourself approach. Here are some the best.Audio-Technica AT-LP2D-USB...Read | Permalink | Linking Blogs Mon, 09 Mar 2009 03:00:00 -0400 http://www.ecoustics.com/dt/guide/220 The race is on. Every device from the digital camera to the DVR to the HDTV is vying for the position of becoming a digital hub for all your home multimedia. And it’s not just about photos and music anymore: The push for true video-on-demand (VOD)—and high-def video at that—even has home theater manufacturers including Internet connections on their wares out of the box. (See: Countless custom networked...Read | Permalink | Linking Blogs Fri, 27 Feb 2009 03:00:00 -0500 http://www.ecoustics.com/dt/guide/215 The television set has to be the most loved device in the house. After all, how many hours do you spend in front of the toaster each day? Despite all of that adoration, though, the boob tube no longer corners the market when it comes to audiovisual excitement. Thanks to advancements in online multimedia delivery, services such as YouTube, Picasa and iTunes also offer a lot of Web-based entertainment to get you through the wee hours of the morning. Still, no matter how much you can contort your body, sitting in an office chair is definitely not a “sweet spot” when it comes to enjoying your favorite film or soap opera. Mercifully, these days, there a...Read | Permalink | Linking Blogs Wed, 18 Feb 2009 03:00:00 -0500 http://www.ecoustics.com/dt/guide/213 Want it all when it comes to the ultimate home theater, but don’t have the spare funds to afford splurging? Behold a few simple ways to build the ultimate A/V center without breaking the bank, or shortchanging the kids’ college fund.1. Shop Online or Buy Gently Used EquipmentTrue: Shopping online or buying used home theater components carries risks. Most of the time, you can’t get warranties on used equipment because some manufacturers don’t authorize online vendors to sell their gear. Additionally, returns are difficult, if not impossible....Read | Permalink | Linking Blogs Thu, 12 Feb 2009 03:00:00 -0500 http://www.ecoustics.com/dt/feature/107 Some home theater enthusiasts dream of kitting out their pad with 50-inch plasma HDTVs and surround sound audio in every room. Others refuse to settle, instead shooting for the moon with the type of custom cinemas guaranteed to shame the local Cineplex and make the neighbors’ jaws drop. From over-the-top entertainment centers to house-sized residential theaters, here’s a look at five incredible home cinemas that’ll give any audio- or videophile something to dream about:The Ultimate Entertainment Com...Read | Permalink | Linking Blogs Tue, 10 Feb 2009 03:00:00 -0500 http://www.ecoustics.com/dt/guide/209 There is nothing quite like popping a Blu-ray disc or DVD into your new system, hearing that first explosion or the swelling score, and witnessing the opening scenes of a truly great film. No doubt you’ve read many articles about the best discs to show off your system with. Unfortunately, you’d be hard-pressed to actually sit through some of these recommended movies, because despite how great the audio and video may sound and look, the film may suck. So toss your Fifth Element and Speedracer discs aside and enjoy one of these 10 films that feature excellent audio and video, not to mention incredible stories....Read | Permalink | Linking Blogs Thu, 05 Feb 2009 03:00:00 -0500 http://www.ecoustics.com/dt/guide/200 Although today’s high-definition televisions (HDTVs) are more technically advanced than ever, the good news for everyday users is that connecting home theater components keeps getting simpler. Thank the advent of HDMI, an all-in-one digital cable that carries both audio and video signals between individual pieces of equipment. With just one cable connecting each device to your AV receiver or your TV, it’s easy to mix and match parts in minutes. Here’s a step-by-step guide to connecting standard home theater components using the format, including a Bl...Read | Permalink | Linking Blogs Thu, 29 Jan 2009 03:00:00 -0500 http://www.ecoustics.com/dt/guide/194 Listen to two tech-savvy people chat away and your head will spin: It’s all gigahertz this and megapixel that. Thankfully for those who can’t tell the difference between Blu-ray and Bluetooth, HDMI and HDTV, we’re happy to provide a handy glossary to several common acronyms, phrases and other industry jargon relating to televisions, computers, mobile phones and other consumer electronics:1080p: This term refers to the maximum resolution of some high-definition televisions (HDTVs). A 1080p-compatible television means all 1,080 lines on the...Read | Permalink | Linking Blogs Tue, 20 Jan 2009 03:00:00 -0500 http://www.ecoustics.com/dt/guide/191 The question is as old as the audio-video industry itself: Do high-quality cables really matter? In fact, it may not surprise you to note that it’s even one of the most common questions that custom installers are asked by clients building high-performance systems. But finally, we here at DT can provide an answer: Predictably, it’s an emphatic “yes!”While high-end A/V cables can be more expensive, if you consider that all of the sound and video you hear and see passes through these wires, it seems silly not to invest a few extra dollars to make sure your wires are passing the best possible signal. Or, to make an analogy, skimping here is like gassing up a Ferrari with low-grade diesel instead of pre...Read | Permalink | Linking Blogs Wed, 14 Jan 2009 03:00:00 -0500 http://www.ecoustics.com/dt/guide/167 Flat panel HDTVs are certainly popular, but to get a really big picture, you’re talking really big money. At sizes over 100 inches, expect to pay five or six figures – and that’s before considering the cost of the hassles associated with actually installing one of these gargantuan beasts.Home projectors, on the other hand, can offer a very large (100-inch-plus) image for under $5,000, with some 720p models actually dipping below the $1,000 mark. Throw in a projection screen and you’re talking high-quality video viewing at a fraction of the price of a similarly-sized flat-panel set.Following are ten of our favorite home cinema projectors that offer excellent picture on a very large scale....Read | Permalink | Linking Blogs Thu, 04 Dec 2008 03:00:00 -0500 http://www.ecoustics.com/dt/guide/163 Who could’ve guessed even a few years ago that our beloved PCs – machines once reserved strictly for productivity, web surfing and email – would one day be a hub for all things entertainment-related, including music, TV shows, feature films, home movies, video games, radio, audiobooks, digital photos and more?Then again, perhaps it shouldn’t come as that much of a surprise, considering that a hard drive can store large amounts of media, and broadband Internet connectivity serves as a fast and convenient distribution method for beaming content from cyberspace to your space.But while more and more PC users are turning to their computer to collect and store all of this digital conten...Read | Permalink | Linking Blogs Tue, 25 Nov 2008 03:00:00 -0500 http://www.ecoustics.com/dt/guide/158 While the weather outside is indeed frightful, gathering around the fireplace has never been more delightful thanks to cutting-edge advancements in home video hardware. Don’t have access to the Yule Log DVD, let alone in high-definition (HD)? Ease up off the egg nog – there’s no need to panic. You can stay nice and cozy indoors this holiday season curled up with one of these great gifts instead. Download Your Favorite Flicks - Samsung B...Read | Permalink | Linking Blogs Fri, 14 Nov 2008 03:00:00 -0500 http://www.ecoustics.com/dt/guide/149 So you’ve already got the perfect design in mind and picked out one or two essential pieces of audiovisual hardware? Congratulations: The goal of enjoying a great home theater is almost in sight. Following are just a few crucial tips that can help you make the most of your new system, cut down on clutter, effectively complement central components and minimize the hassle of any upgrades going forward.Calibrate Your DisplayWe can’t stress it enough, setting up your home theater and not tweaking your video display is l...Read | Permalink | Linking Blogs Thu, 06 Nov 2008 03:00:00 -0500