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HDTV SetupThe S&V Interview
Getting It Right
Bob Gatton  |  Oct 28, 2005
ISF's Joel Silver tells our readers what they can do to optimize their displays' performance.

BG: What was your goal in founding the Imaging Science Foundation (ISF)?

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AV GlossaryHDTV Tech
MPEG-4 EVER
Mark Fleischmann  |  Oct 28, 2005  |  First Published: Sep 28, 2005
How a new codec may change DTV as we know it.

MPEG-4 Advanced Video Coding (AVC) is a next-generation video codec (coder/decoder) that's about to change the face of digital television—slimming it down, enabling it to move into narrower channels, and probably changing how it looks. I can almost see your eyes glazing over: Lucy, you got some 'splainin' to do.

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Music ReviewsTest Tool Reviews
Our Favorite Test Material
Chris Lewis,  |  Oct 28, 2005  |  First Published: Aug 28, 2005
HT's audio and video editors share the test and demo discs they use to put a system through its paces.

Audio Test Discs

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Desktop Speaker ReviewsPortable Player Reviews
The Sky's the Limit
Adrienne Maxwell  |  Oct 28, 2005  |  First Published: Jul 28, 2005
At home, in the car, or on the go, there's a satellite radio product for you.

I learned two important things at this year's Consumer Electronics Show. One, you can slap an LED into just about anything and market it as a consumer electronics product. Two, satellite radio has hit full stride. Both XM and Sirius reported huge increases in the number of subscribers during 2004: XM added 1.8 million subscribers last year, for a total of 3.2 million—with more than 50,000 people signing up on Christmas Day alone. Sirius, meanwhile, grew from around 300,000 to 1.14 million subscribers. If you're starting to feel like you might be missing something, guess what. You are. If you're ready to do something about it, read on.

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Projector SetupProjector Tech
Transparent Ambition
Darryl Wilkinson  |  Oct 28, 2005  |  First Published: Jun 28, 2005
Acoustically transparent projection screens let you put the voices where the action is.

When you see a movie in a commercial cinema, it's easy to suspend disbelief and pretend you're watching the action through a window. One important reason for this is the fact that the sound of the characters' voices seems to come from their apparent location, rather than from above or below the screen.

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HDTV TechProjector Tech
Scaling: Size Matters
Jed Deame  |  Oct 28, 2005  |  First Published: Nov 28, 2005
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Projector TechGeoffrey Morrison Blog
Where The Money Goes: Those Elusive Projectors
Geoffrey Morrison  |  Oct 28, 2005
We frequently get e-mails from readers asking why they should spend big $s on a home theater product when they can get a similar product for much less. Good question! So, this is the first in a series of GearWorks in which we'll discuss that very topic. We'll start with perhaps the easiest component to track: projectors. Where does the money go?
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HDTV TechGeoffrey Morrison Blog
Lamps: Really Expensive Light Bulbs
Geoffrey Morrison  |  Oct 28, 2005  |  First Published: Sep 28, 2005
It's no secret that, if you have a new projection display (front or rear), you'll eventually need to replace its light source. Take one look at them, and you'll see that these aren't your ordinary 100-watt bulbs—that, and the fact that these light sources cost hundreds of dollars each.
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HDTV SetupHDTV TechGeoffrey Morrison Blog
Viewing Distance vs. Resolution–Round 2
Geoffrey Morrison  |  Oct 28, 2005  |  First Published: Aug 28, 2005
Putting the theory to the test.

In my GearWorks column in our January 2005 issue, I talked about how, depending on your viewing distance, the resolution of your display may not matter. To sum up, your eye has a finite resolution (like a digital camera), and, as objects get smaller with distance, there is a point where your eye can no longer distinguish between bigger and smaller pixels. Over long distances, this is obvious, but it surprised a lot of people that it could be so noticeable in shorter (in-room) distances.

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Other Tech
HT's HTPC, Part II
Geoffrey Morrison  |  Oct 28, 2005  |  First Published: Jul 28, 2005
Just Say No to "On Board"

I must admit, onboard video and audio have come a long way. It used to be that they were just a line item on a features list. Now both are far more capable. Compared with what you can get as a separate card, though. . .well, let's say it's not worth comparing (although I did, of course).

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