Mortgage, Loans, Insurance, Real Estate, Investment, Tax and Financial Services

How to Select a Video Display for Your Home Theater

First of all, don't assume you need a huge video screen in your media room. If your screen is too large, visual fatigue will detract from your theater experience. A good, but general rule for screen size is to select a screen width that is half to one third the distance from the screen to the primary viewing location. You should keep the viewing cone, formed by a line going from your eyes to each side of the screen, to about thirty degrees.

You can use any display device and there advantages and disadvantages to each type. DLP units tend to have better black levels than LCD units. LCOS units and variations have the tightest pixel structure.

Front Projection:

Advantages

A front projection set will produce the largest, most dynamic image. With a good projector and screen combination the image will be quite stunning, especially when watching native HDTV content. If you have never seen the picture produced by a good, front projection set up, you really should see one before you make any decisions.

Disadvantages:

Needs ambient light control. You need to control ambient light to get a really good picture because a front projection system cannot produce black. It must rely on the absence of light being reflected from the screen to show black or dark colors.

You have to have a physical projector mounted somewhere. This problem has improved tremendously in the last few years as CRT projectors have basically gone away and digital projectors have improved and shrunk to miniscule proportions.

Video projectors are noisy. They require cooling fans and these are loud. Some recent units however, are much quieter.

The larger picture and better detail reproduction will allow you to really see problems so you need to have quality video sources or the picture will suffer.

Many of the projectors on the market are either business presentation units or adapted from them. Business presentation projectors have much different requirements than home theater projectors. The most important requirement for business units is brightness. They sacrifice other performance parameters to achieve this. Home theater projectors need extremely accurate color rendition, accurate grey scale tracking, deep blacks, and freedom from motion artifacts.

Plasma:

Advantages

They're thin! Only 3 to 4 inches thick.

They look great when displaying HDTV. (most of them)

Disadvantages

They can suffer image burn-in when displaying static images. Many retailers and manufactures downplay the dangers, but the phenomenon occurs with many different units. Do not leave the cable or DSS menu screen up for an hour or two. Be careful when displaying HTPC or computer game video with static images.

Many of them look really bad when displaying non HD TV. This problem has lessened with improved internal video processing and scaling technology. Some plasmas actually look pretty good with a better quality DVD feed.

Many plasmas suffer from rather severe image artifacts although this is also improving greatly due to the better internal processing.

Some plasma displays have high power consumption. (Can be three times that of a standard tube TV)

LCD flat panel:

Advantages

They're thin! Some are only three inches thick.

They have no image burn problems like plasmas do.

Good picture on most newer sets.

Long life (50,000 – 60,000 hours)

You can get a true, 1080P native resolution display.

Disadvantages

Sizes over 30 inches are priced above equivalent sized plasma displays.

The older units don't have picture quality as good as plasma displays.

Black and dark reproduction is not as good as plasma yet.

Rear Projection TV can be either digital or CRT based. The CRT units are going away fast as consumers move to thinner, lighter digital rear projection TVs. At this point, the better CRT rear projection sets offer fantastic performance for the money. You can get a 50+" HDTV ready CRT set from good companies such as Panasonic and Sony for under $1,500. These bargains will be gone soon as production of CRT rear projection sets stops. Panasonic has indicated the 2005 model year will be their last for CRT RPTVs.

The disadvantage to CRT rear projection TVs is size and weight. They too will suffer image burn problems if left with a static image for too long. They require accurate convergence to look their best. Most newer units offer multi-point convergence adjustments to facilitate this.

There are some new types of flat panel displays that will be released for consumer use soon including Organic Light Emitting Diode (OLED) and SED. These promise even better image quality than either LCD or plasma when fully developed, in addition to lower cost, thinner profiles and much lower power consumption.

In a nutshell:

Front Projection – Large image, can have spectacular picture quality even on a huge screen – More difficult to set up, need to place the projector in the center of the room somewhere, noisy(some), must use better quality sources to get the most benefit.

Plasma – cool factor, thin, look good for HDTV – Image burn problems, can sometimes have a mediocre picture for all but HDTV sources

LCD - cool factor, thin, look good for HDTV, no Image burn problems, - Expensive for larger sizes, can sometimes have a mediocre picture for all but HDTV sources.

There are many display technologies available today. No one display is best for all situations. Select the one that best fits your select your specific requirements.

Steve Faber has almost 15 years in the custom installation industry. He is a CEDIA certified designer and Installer 2 with certifications from both the ISF and THX. His experience spans many facets of the industry, from the trenches as an installer and control systems programmer, and system designer, to a business unit director for a specialty importer of high end audio video equipment, a sales rep for a large, regional consumer electronics distributor, and principal of a $1.5M+ custom installation firm. Steve is currently is senior sales engineer for Digital Cinema Design, a CEDIA member firm in Redmond, WA. He is on the web at http://www.1touchmovie.com

Student loan consolidation with federal debt program
If you are a college student (parents please take note), this Federal Government program can help you cut monthly payments on your student loans. You can consolidate now and lock in a low fixed rate. When you consolidate student loans with a Federal Consolidation Loan, you not only can take advantage of these low rates, you can lock in that rate for the life of your loan. One easy process, one low fixed rate, one low monthly payment, one lender. This is a free U.S. Government program (no fees or other charges). Really Great Rate is an authorized agency for this program - you can check your eligibility in a minute or two, with no obligation

Home Equity Loans: Expert Tips and Advice
Get expert advice, tips, and timely information. Manage your own Real Estate and Investment Portfolio to generate an income so you can take control of your financial life and do the things you want to do.

MORE ARTICLES:

Interest Only Home Equity Loans Featuring a Fixed Second Mortgage Rate from BD Nationwide
BD Nationwide Mortgage introduces an affordable only home equity loan that features an interest only payment option with a fixed rate. This second mortgage allows borrowers to get a fixed mortgage rate while also benefitting from a reduced payment and increased cash flow. Homeowners have the luxury of converting their home equity line of credit into a fixed rate second mortgage while keeping the interest only option. BD Nationwide has released several new second mortgage products in 2006 that have offered additional "cash out" opportunities for homeowners without requiring them to refinance their existing first mortgage.

Adjustable Rate (ARM) Mortgage Holders Should Refinance to Fixed Rates, Recommends the Katz Mortgage Team
Katz Mortgage Team, www.KatzMortgageTeam.net, of Amtrust Mortgage Corporation, has announced that Fixed Mortgage Rates are now at their lowest point in over a year. They are officially changing their recommendation from "HOLD" to "REFI" for many of their clients who took advantage of the extremely low adjustable rate mortgages of 2002 and 2003.

Low Rate Home Equity Loans - Refinancing For A Shorter Term And Better Rate
Looking for a better rate is a common reason people choose to refinance their home equity loan. But did you know that shortening your loan term can save you more money than reducing rates? Combine the two and you will save yourself thousands in interest costs and trim years off your payment schedule.

Newest Rate and Payment Mortgage Calculators for Home Loans from The Mortgage Store Online
The Mortgage Store Online (TMSO) today released its complete set of free home mortgage loan calculators on their website at themortgagestoreonline.com. These highly accurate mortgage calculators use current and true rate information to give borrowers the most realistic mortgage payment calculations.

A secured bad credit home mortgage loan comes with reduced interest rates
A secured bad credit home mortgage loan comes with reduced interest rates

Mortgage Loans, Construction Loans, Refinancing Mortgage Rate
TheLoansStore.com was created with the interests of the consumer in mind. If you have ever wondered if owning your own home or refinancing your current home would be possible, dont wonder anymore. From new Construction Loans to Mortgages Loans, Bad Credit Home Loans and Refinancing Mortgage Rate. Whether you have great credit, marginal or bad credit, theLoansStore.com can help. We know one size never fits all borrowers.

Loan Application Mortgage Rate Calculator for your Mortgage Loan
Are you thinking of purchasing land, a piece of property, or your dream house? Then maybe you have considered applying for a mortgage loan. If you have already decided that you are getting a mortgage loan, then let a loan application mortgage rate calculator help you.

Affordable Bad Credit Mortgage Loans - 3 Tips to Reasonable Bad Credit Mortgage Loans
Finding a mortgage loan with a bad credit rating can be an absolute nightmare: Driving from broker to broker, bank to bank, getting turned down every time, all the while your credit keeps dropping with every credit check. Fortunately, this painful process can be avoided with just a few simple tips.

Home Mortgage Lenders - How to Find A Good Mortgage Broker Online
Mortgage lenders have set up shop online, but they aren't all reputable mortgage brokers. To find a good mortgage lender you need to compare rates and research to find reputable companies.

Bad Credit Mortgage Company - Recognizing Mortgage Lender Scams
Mortgage lenders recognize the value of owning a home. Because some people will not easily qualify for a home loan, several lenders have begun offering home loans to tailor a variety of needs. For this matter, bad credit mortgage lenders have gained widespread popularity. The majority of bad credit lenders are sincere in their efforts to help you finance a home. However, some lenders are only concerned about their profit, and will not offer the best rate and terms.

Bad Credit Loan Mortgage Rate And The Good Lender
"Blessed are the young," says Herbert Hoover, "for they shall inherit the national debt." Debt, in whatever language or guise, is bad. But what if you've incurred debts and find it hard to dig yourself out of them? Does this mean you are forever disqualified from owning a home? Some would say yes. Bad credit loan mortgage rates show otherwise.

Bad Credit Home Loans - Dealing With Bad Credit Mortgage Companies Online
Dealing with mortgage companies online can enable you to get a home loan even with bad credit. Bank associates' skepticism and talk around are avoided when you apply online with a mortgage broker.

Bad Credit Home Loan Mortgage Services - What To Consider When Applying For A Mortgage
Most new homebuyers are unfamiliar with how mortgage loans work. Because of this, several people accept bad loans. This results in homebuyers paying more than necessary. If you have bad credit, accepting a mortgage with good terms is a must. Many lenders prey on those with bad credit. Their objective is to charge higher fees and boost their profit. Before applying for a mortgage loan, consider the following factors.

Refinancing Your Home Equity Loan Or Refinancing Your Home Equity Line Of Credit
Ask yourself these questions before you refinance your home equity loan or line of credit: