For a century we've been industriously broadcasting radio programs all across the globe, with the great majority of programs received free of charge. After light bulbs, radios are probably the most ubiquitous electrical devices on earth. Radio is cool. Life is good.
(Homepage illustration by Dan Vasconcellos) You've been on a long drive, but you're now close enough to home to receive your favorite hometown station, right on time for the local news and then some music. A couple of miles after you tune it in, the sound suddenly blossoms, and the radio's display starts showing you what's playing and who's performing it.
Apparently, Dolby isn't satisfied with getting its 7.1-channel Dolby Digital Plus and 8-channel lossless TrueHD technologies into the HD DVD and Blu-ray Disc systems (as requirements in the former, as options in the latter). At the Consumer Electronics Show, Dolby's Audistry subsidiary was demonstrating some new technology intended for the other end of the sound-reproduction scale.
Hey, have you heard? On February 17, 2009, over-the-air broadcasters throughout this great land are ditching their analog signals and switching over to digital (the F.C.C. is making them do it). That means all analog (non-digital) TVs that aren't connected to satellite dish or cable will go dark - unless you take the right steps.
I'm a huge fan of the video hard-disk recorders (HDRs), also known as digital video recorders (DVRs), that have revolutionized the TV viewing habits of millions. As the ads say, you can watch what you want when you want. But the options for time-shifting high-definition programs have been limited.
You dropped the money. You bought a 1080p LCD flat-screen big enough to play air hockey on if you laid it down (and had the right paddles). You have the Blu-ray Disc player. And, you have the kind of surround sound system powerful enough to propel Delaware into a geo-synchronous orbit.
Every night has come down to an impossible choice. Do I revel in the convenience of my video hard-disk recorder (HDR) or exalt in the splendor of high-definition TV? Why can't a set-top box enable me to pause a premium HDTV movie as readily as an ad-glutted network newscast?
By now, you've certainly checked out our Sony Google TV and Logitech Revue reviews, but today is the first day DISH subscribers will be able to get their eyeballs on the full google TV experience.
Here at S+V, we're lucky to have some of the most dedicated and capable home theater junkie readers around. We know you have all kinds of tips, tricks and DIY tactics to keep your home theater churning out amazing audio and video, and we want to hear about them. To enter: Send your best DIY tips to SandVDIY@gmail.com by January 15, 2010. Feel free to include pictures of your handywork.
If you're looking to build a powerful yet affordable home theater PC that won't take up too much space next to your TV, here's a quick list of components to get you started. The idea here is to build a Linux- or Windows-based system for less than the cost of a Mac Mini, and we'll also focus on getting all the parts from the same store.
Digital media streaming has exploded in recent years. It’s everywhere—from sharing digital photos (does anyone print photos anymore?), to streaming a missed TV show on Hulu Plus, to watching high-definition movies on Vudu. Internet and router speeds have increased to accommodate streaming high-quality audio and video. Find out what DLNA certification means and why it's important.
Bits are bits - just ones and zeros. Your digital music, video, and photos are all merely data; they're not stuck to some physical entity, such as a disc or a tape or a piece of paper. An MP3 file might come from your iPod, your computer, or your cellphone. A digital videoclip might originate on a DVD or a hard drive, or from a satellite receiver or a cable box.