OTHER TECH

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.

The Bally, Liverpool, September 19, 1962. Baby, you can drive . . . well, maybe not. (Photo © Apple Corps. Ltd. 2009)

Whenever I'm going to a big event that I want to document for all posterity - like my sons' concerts or championship football games - I find myself staring at my arsenal of weapons. For these events, a really good video camera is a must. I already have several on hand, so I usually take the one that has a good zoom and takes high-quality video.

LEDs have risen from their original occupation as humble indicator lamps to serving as the light source for some of today's most advanced TVs. Electronics engineers prize the LED for its brightness and cool-running efficiency. Environmentalists and utility companies tout its low power consumption. Videophiles are warming to it for the performance enhancements it facilitates.

Let's get right to the point: For home theater, a good audio system is just as important as a good video display. Sure, large-screen LCD, plasma, and DLP TVs and video projectors look spectacular.