Going to 7.1-Channel Surround Sound

Almost everyone loves surround sound, (except for an eccentric actor whom I know who actually prefers mono!) and what’s not to love? Our ears are on each side of our head, canted forward, but we hear sounds from every direction with almost equal precision. For that reason multi-channel sound reproduction is intrinsically more realistic and believable. But how many surround speakers are required to present a plausible illusion of the real thing?

While Dolby Digital 5.1 (six channels total, including the subwoofer and two discrete surround channels) is the current standard for the digital audio component of digital TV and HDTV and has been the reigning surround format for more than ten years, there are increasing numbers of movies available that utilize the “extra” two back surround channels that define 7.1-channel surround sound.

For newcomers, “Dolby Digital 5.1” consists of three main front channels (Left, Center and Right), the center used to anchor movie dialog and/or vocalists; two surround channels (Left Side, Right Side) and one dedicated Low Frequency Effects (LFE) channel, more commonly known as the subwoofer channel, intended to handle deep bass effects below 100 Hz, hence the “.1” designation of 5.1.

So how is it there are now two additional channels (Left Rear, Right Rear) offered on virtually every current surround-sound receiver?

The short answer is realism: dating back to early experiments in the 1930s by Bell Lab engineers in New Jersey, the more channels of discrete separate channels of sound used to record and reproduce music and sound effects, the greater the realism of the auditory experience. All Bell Labs could manage back then was three channels at the front, but even so engineers and listeners considered three channels “essential” to convey the realism of a live broadcast of the Philadelphia Orchestra piped via three telephone lines to an auditorium a few miles away.

Leap forward 80 years, and digital recording technology makes it comparatively easy to add extra surround channels to the existing Dolby Digital 5.1-channel broadcast standard. The introduction of Blu-ray High-Definition disc technology with its huge storage capacity enables discrete channels of sound moving to 7.1 and even greater numbers. Tomlinson Holman, one of the early pioneers with George Lucas of THX sound systems in cinemas demonstrated a 10.2-channel system that I heard a number of years ago at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, and he continues efforts to popularize that system. Even Dolby Lab’s latest “lossy” algorithm, Dolby Digital Plus, enables up to 13 discrete channels of sound. The more popular “lossless” Dolby TruHD and dts HD Master Audio systems contained on many Blu-ray discs permit 8 channels of sound with no sonic compromises.
All About Immersion

What are the benefits of adding the two extra rear surround channels to achieve 7.1, and what circumstances would justify the upgrade? The benefits are greater surround envelopment, depth, and “immersion” in the surround effects field, both for movie effects and for musical ambience, plus much improved surround coverage for various listeners seated throughout the room.

One requirement for 7.1-channel surround is sufficient space behind your couch and listening area—at least 5 feet or more. If your couch is jammed up against the rear wall or you have a comparatively small room of less than about 2,100 cu. ft. (length x width x height), the addition of two rear surround speakers will not likely add significant improvements in envelopment, especially if you are already using Axiom’s QS8 or QS4 “multi-polar” surround speakers. However, if you have the space behind the listening area to play with, and/or your room is medium to large sized (especially so-called great rooms and family rooms), four surround speakers will deliver noticeably improved surround envelopment and coverage for all viewers in different seating locations.

While the great bulk of movie soundtracks (including all SACD and DVD-Audio music discs) are mixed in 5.1 channels, there are increasing numbers of movies (the Harry Potter movies and other movie “spectaculars”) mixed in 6.1 and 7.1 channels, including a surprising number of games. But the real justification for upgrading to 7.1 is the sophistication of smart decoding algorithms from Dolby Labs, dts, and Logic7 (the latter exclusive to Harman-owned companies).

Among its many virtues, Dolby Pro Logic IIx (DPLIIx) as well as earlier versions has the ability to extract or interpolate extra surround data from a standard 5.1-channel mix or even from stereo sources, and re-direct that information to both side and rear surround channels, all of which will increase the sense of depth and precision of the surround experience. (Don’t confuse this process with the “seven-channel stereo” option offered on many AV surround receivers. While pleasant, it only parcels out two-channel stereo among all the speakers in a system.)
Reasons to Believe

No matter how you look at it, there are persuasive reasons to consider upgrading to 7.1 channels with its four surround speakers. Incidentally, there is nothing fake or phony about electronically extracting surround data from existing 5.1 or even 2-channel stereo soundtracks. Just two microphones in a conventional stereo purist recording will pick up all kinds of out-of-phase information, which commonly characterizes ambient surround data, so re-directing those sounds to the sides and rear is really just placing them where they would occur in a dedicated elaborate multi-microphone recording array.

On the road to 7.1 channels, both Dolby Labs and dts previously introduced extended surround formats that use 6.1 channels (a single rear center speaker is utilized besides the left side and right side surrounds), namely Dolby Surround EX 6.1 and DTS-ES 6.1, respectively. The presence of these formats on some DVDs needn’t confuse you (you may even have a 6.1-channel setup already) because both Dolby and DTS processors (and Logic7) will redistribute the surround information to a 7.1-channel setup so long as your AV receiver contains the necessary seven amplifier channels.
Type of Surround Speaker

Finally, the still-debated (except by owners of Axiom multi-polar QS8 surrounds) subject of what type of surround speaker is required for the extra Left and Right rear surround channels continues to surface, in part because of some control-room monitoring setups for SACD and DVD-Audio recordings, where conventional forward-firing surround speakers were used in the back channels. While there are still some who recommend forward-firing speakers for the back surrounds, I’d point out that the original development of dipole, bipole and multi-polar surrounds was to increase diffusion and envelopment in the surround field to simulate the presence of 8 or 10 surround speakers in a large cinema. As such, the Axiom QS8 (or QS4), with its top and bottom-firing woofers and angled dual tweeters comes as close to the ideal for both ambient sound field generation without giving up the specific directional cues sometimes found in movie soundtracks and multi-channel music recordings.
By Alan Lofft of Axiom Audio

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Your Screen: How big should it be?

If you are setting up a home theater, you need to make some basic decisions right up front. First on the list is choosing the ideal aspect ratio for your theater. Should the screen be 16:9, which is the standard HDTV widescreen format? Should you go with 4:3 to match the old classic film format? Or how about the super-widescreen 2.35:1 aspect ratio that many contemporary movies are made in? If you have not decided which aspect ratio you want, read this before continuing.

After you have determined the aspect ratio that is right for you, the next obvious questions are, "How big should the screen be?" and "What is the ideal viewing distance?" We get a lot of email asking these questions, and the answer is always the same: this is a personal preference. There is no right answer. However, there are some general guidelines that may be of help.

I don't go to movie theaters much anymore, but the last time I did I selected my normal row, about two-thirds the way back. Another couple came in and promptly climbed the steps to the uppermost seats that were farthest from the screen. Another group arrived and chose seats about a third of the way back. Two teen-aged boys took the front row. Another dozen people filed in and took places randomly throughout the theater.

The point is that everyone has his or her own preferences for seating in a movie theater. Some like a bigger picture with a wider angle of view; others prefer a less overwhelming presentation more in the center of their field of vision. The beauty of designing your own home theater with a front projection system is that you can set it up exactly as big as you want it. There are no formulaic "ideals." In essence, when you select the size of your screen for your given viewing distance, you are "choosing the row" you want to sit in.

Now. Having said that, there are two things to be aware of. Both have to do with over-doing it. Since we have total freedom to go as big as we want, many folks err on the side of going too big and sitting too close, on the theory that if big is good, bigger must be better. And while it is true that size counts when it comes to home theater, it can be overdone to the point where it is not enjoyable.

So as you plan your theater's layout, be aware that watching a very big screen up close is physically demanding. Have you ever tried to watch a tennis match from side court in the first row? Your head is moving constantly and your eyes go buggy. It is not a pleasant experience. If you go too big with your screen, you will have the same effect. The huge image might have awesome impact for the first 30 minutes of viewing, but it will be a chore to watch it for long periods of time.

Before you choose your video projector and screen combo, one practical exercise is to mark out on your wall the size screen you think you might want. You can use black electrician's tape to define the corners of your future screen. Place your seating at the distance you prefer, sit down, and look at the marked out screen area for a while. Imagine action happening in the screen space and get a sense of how much work your eyes need to do to view the image. Work with the image size and viewing distance until you feel it is a comfortable solution for you and anyone else in your household who might be a regular viewer.

Meanwhile, as you experiment with your ideal screen size, there is a second thing to be aware of. The more you enlarge a projector's image and the closer you sit to the screen, the more visible various artifacts become. By the way, the same is true of television. If you view a 2-foot wide television screen from a distance of 2 feet, you will see a blinding mass of scanlines and artifacts. But that same picture viewed from ten feet away looks great. There's nothing different about a projector except the scale.

As a rule of thumb with 720p resolution projectors, a viewing distance of less than 1.5 times the screen width will get you into the trouble zone where pixelation and artifacts become more visibly intrusive. While it is true you have a very BIG image in front of you, these distractions can compromise viewing satisfaction. On the other hand, with the new 1080p resolution projectors, you can sit a bit closer, say at 1.2x the screen width, without worrying about pixelation and artifacts. That still might be too close for comfort from an aesthetic point of view, but some people like to have that very large image in front of them. The 1080p projectors make it easier to do that and still get a clean image.

Keep in mind also that the screen's height will influence ideal viewing distance. Let's assume you have a 16:9 screen that is eight feet wide, and you find that 12 feet, or 1.5x the screen width, is a comfortable viewing distance. If you were to replace that 16:9 screen with an eight foot wide 4:3 screen, you might suddenly feel like your 12 foot viewing distance is too close--for any given screen width, the 4:3 format is always a larger surface area than 16:9, and is thus more visually demanding. You might want to move back a few feet to take it all in.

These are just rules of thumb. Clearly the projector you choose will have some impact upon ideal viewing ranges. 1080p resolution projectors will allow for larger screens and closer viewing distances without compromising image integrity. On the other hand, entry level 480p projectors require you to sit further from the screen if you want to avoid visible pixelation.

Conclusion

The bottom line is that two issues need to be considered in your ultimate decision on screen size. One is your personal aesthetic preference, and the other is the technical limitations of your projector to produce a fully resolved image at any given viewing distance.

Choosing the right screen size and the right aspect ratio will have a huge impact on your long term enjoyment of your theater. So give these matters serious thought. When it comes to a successful home theater design, these factors are much more important than the projector you choose.

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Samsung HT-TX72T Home Theater System

# Product Name: HT-TX72T Home Theater System
# Manufacturer: Samsung Electronics
# Review Date: January 03, 2008
# MSRP: $399.99
First time home theater users may appreciate the simplicity provided by a Home Theater in a Box, and the Samsung HT-TX72T is a great starting point. With a low profile 5-disc CD/DVD changer, included speakers, and excellent remote control, this system is a breeze to install and configure.

First, we'll start off with the "tallboy" speakers. It seems that is the term used by Samsung to describe the two tall and skinny speakers that are used for the front channels - and it fits. They have a sleek finish and assemble rather quickly. A small matching center and surround speakers are also included. Samsung has a particular sound to its small speakers that I found rather pleasing. With clear vocals and a good range of sound for smaller units, the speakers didn't feel fatiguing after longer listening. Of course, what good is a home theater without some boom? The subwoofer module handles the lower mid-bass ranges very well, and will most certainly provide you with a feel you don't get from your TV speakers. Also, if you aren't into tower speakers, the Samsung HT-TX70 system is identical to this system, but has bookshelf height speakers for the fronts as well as the rears. Like tower speakers a lot? They you might be interested in the HT-TX75 system as it has 4 tower speakers all around.

The slick-looking HT-TX72 has some cool features for the price. There is an HDMI output that scales to 720p or 1080i for your new flat panel TV. Also included is an HDMI input for other devices, like an HD cable or satellite box. If your TV doesn't support HDMI, then the composite or component video jacks should do the trick. Other audio inputs include a single optical input, a stereo analogue jack on the back, and a stereo mini jack on the front. AM/FM and XM radio is also supported. Not only can the HT-TX72 use normal discs and devices, but it can also support computer files from its front USB port or those burned onto media for use in the 5-disc changer. Lastly, the Samsung universal remote control is excellent. It can be programmed to be used with many types of TVs and has a very logical layout for the buttons.

Since the Samsung HT-TX72 can typically be found on sale, it's a good value for a system with this many features. For well under $400 this system seems like a good match for those looking to "accessorize" their new flat panel television with a fully-featured surround audio setup.

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Denon New Blu-ray Offerings Almost Affordable

* Product Name: BDP-2010CI, BDP-1610
* Manufacturer: Denon Electronics
* Review Date: May 12, 2009
* MSRP: $699, $499
Specifications
* BD-Live (Profile 2.0)
* BD/DVD/CD, WMA, MP3, JPEG, GIF
* Rigid chassis
* Center drive mechanism
* Internal video processing (DBP-1610)
* ABT1030 processor (DBP-2010CI)
* 1080p/24 support

Denon surprised us this week by releasing two new Blu-ray players. It wasn't so surprising that they had new offerings - just that they were almost value conscience, something Denon Blu-ray players have long been lacking. The BD-Live (Profile 2.0) $500 DBP-1610 and $700 DBP-2010CI sound downright bargain basement compared to the flagship universal $4500 DVD-A1HDCI.

Both the models offer a slew of features including Profile 2.0 and BD-Live. The big difference between the 2010 and the 1610 is the 2010 includes ABT VRS upconversion technology. ABT (Anchor Bay Technologies) has been on the leading edge of upconversion and IP scaling (to 1080p on the DBP-2010CI via HDMI) for the last few years and the higher end Denon offerings all sport it. It also has internal high-definition audio decoding. The DBP-1610 can only bitstream the audio to a decoding capable receiver since there are no analogue multi-channel outputs. The 2010CI includes an RS-232 port for advanced programming by your custom installer.

Both the DBP-1610 and DBP-2010CI Blu-ray players include built-in BD-Live and Bonus View functionality and an onboard Ethernet port for Internet connectivity for BD-Live as well as for firmware updates. They also offer DivXHD playback and support for AVCHD playback from BD discs made from newer HD camcorders. Other than the required HDMI port and mentioned Ethernet, both the players include component, composite, and analogue audio outputs. The Analogue audio takes the form of a stereo pair that are supported by Burr-Brown D/A converters for high quality two channel output of CD or high definition (not DVD-A or SACD of course) sources.

A new feature of both of these Blu-ray players is what Denon has dubbed "Source Direct." If you know that your player has worse scaling than something else down the line (like your receiver, outboard scaler, or display) and you want to pass the signal natively, you can now do that. For standard definition DVDs, this means that it will be output at 480i, for Blu-ray that's typically 1080p/24.

2010_back

What is especially nice about the 2010CI is that it has 7.1 analogue outputs. At a $700 price point, that's about what we'd expect... just not from Denon. This allows the player to decode internally and connect to legacy receivers. With the high quality two channel outputs, you are looking at a very capable player for CDs, DVDs, and Blu-ray discs. Other universal formats like DTS-CDs should also be supported, though your SACD and DVD-A collection will have to go elsewhere. The last feature, maybe not utilized by many, is the DBP-2010CI's ability to output DVDs at 1080p at native 24 frames per second. This eliminates the need for the display (if it is capable of natively displaying a 24p signal) to perform 3:2 pulldown. You'll need a newer display to take advantage of this, but if you have it, it should make for a better viewing experience.
Conclusion

Denon seems to be getting back in the value game with these recent Blu-ray player releases. While not exactly undercutting the competition, you can bet that what they do, they'll do well. The advanced ABT VRS upconversion processing on the DBP-2010CI along with the 7.1 analogue outputs makes it a very attractive player for those with legacy gear and a love of the brand. The DBP-1610 is a decent, if a bit expensive, entry level player. We're particularly impressed with the Source Direct feature which will help newbies who splurge on the display but then buy the entry level player get the best picture possible.

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Room Modes and Dealing with Them

The boundaries of a room create what is known as room modes. Room modes accentuate or elevate the frequency response. In many instances certain dimensions work together to create very strong elevations in certain bass frequencies. When this occurs the listeners perception is one of a reduced midrange and soundstage. Very frankly, if you don't get the bass right, nothing ever comes together very well. Contrarily, once the bass is right everything else gets much easier.

The basic function of the PARC is to equalize bass anomalies in the room, commonly referred to as room modes. The most prominent bass anomalies occur when two parallel walls (or floor and ceiling) excite a particular frequency (an axial mode). The distance between the two walls determines which frequency is excited. The most problematic, or highest amplitude, is generally ½ of a wavelength between two walls. The way to calculate the distance is:
½ * speed of sound / distance between walls = Frequency

The speed of sound is ~1130 feet per second (room temperature, sea level). Thus a room with 17 foot spaced walls would have a frequency bump at:
565 / 17 = 33.2 Hz.

This is considered the first mode between those two walls. The second mode is for a full wavelength, which would be at 66.4 Hz. The third mode would be at 3/2 wavelengths, or 99.6 Hz. Each mode has lower amplitude than the previous mode. However, imagine a room where the length is 2 times the width. In this example 34 feet long. The first mode for that room is at the same frequency of the second mode of the width, or 66.4 Hz. When modes combine like this the problem is compounded, and the bass can become very bloated and distorted.

Even at Rives Audio we recommend reducing any bass anomalies as much as possible before employing the PARC; the less electrical equalization the better. However, overdamping a room, or filling it with bass traps can be impractical, expensive, and may not lead to the best sounding environment. The PARC employs the highest grade components and shortest signal paths possible. The goal is to make these alterations to compensate for bass problems with as little effect as possible on anything else in the audio chain.

The PARC operates between 18 and 350 Hz. It attenuates ONLY, there is no gain in the PARC. The purpose is to reduce the frequencies caused by room excitation and elevation in those bass frequencies.There are three bands per channel. These three bands were originally designed to compensate for the 3 parallel surfaces in most rectangular rooms (side to side, front to back, and floor to ceiling). However, they can be cascaded or used in a variety of settings to best suit the room.
1st Axial 2nd Axial 3rd Axial
Height 70 Hz 140 Hz 210 Hz
Width 35 Hz 70 Hz 105 Hz
Length 23.5 Hz 47 Hz 70.5 Hz

For each band there are 3 settings: frequency, width, and attenuation. Frequency is the center frequency that will be attenuated. It is represented in Hz. Attenuation is the dB in attenuation. The number is positive, but the function is reducing the amplitude at that frequency by the dB shown on the display. The range is from 0 to 18 dB. If it is set to zero, then no attenuation is employed. Width is expressed by a Q factor. The Q factor is expressed as:

Center Frequency (Hz) / Width of Frequency (Hz)

Thus the higher the Q the wider the band of attenuation. The width is expressed at 3 db below maximum peak.

parc_graph1.gif

As an example a Center Frequency at 100 Hz, with a width of 25 Hz, would have a Q of 4. Also, Q can be expressed in terms of Octaves. One Octave doubles the frequency. Keep in mind that Frequency is a log function of Octaves, so a center frequency of 100 Hz with a width of one octave is not exactly 100Hz, it's slightly less than 100Hz. In our example of 100 Hz center frequency and a width of 25Hz, the relative octave width is approximately ¼. The Q factor is inversely proportional to the octave width. This is not important, unless you are a musician and more comfortable with octaves. All instructions for set-up will be relative to Hertz, and the Q factor.

The width will change depending on what types of walls, floor, or ceiling you have. In general hard, rigid surfaces, such as concrete, will exhibit a high Q factor, whereas sheetrock on wood studs will exhibit a low Q factor. The lowest Q factor the PARC can produce is 1, which is slightly more than one full octave. This is much broader than we ever anticipate using. The narrowest Q factor is 10, which also corresponds to approximately 1/10 octaves. This entire method is far more comprehensive, accurate, and well suited than the traditional graphic equalizer. Only a parametric can compensate naturally and bring the frequency response, including phase back into balance.

Once the PARC is set up and calibrated the bass response will be near flat. The result will be better bass definition, but also a perceived increase in clarity throughout the midrange and even high frequencies.

Adding the PARC can bring back the clarity and reference quality sound your system deserves.

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BenQ GP1 mini LED Projector

An extremely versatile projector indeed, the BenQ GP1 LED projector makes a compelling case for boardroom, living room, games room, or campsite use. Small and medium sized businesses, entrepreneurs and traveling salespeople, gamers and consumers with large-screen needs have little reason not to take a hard look at this little gem.

Review Verdict

* An extremely versatile projector indeed, the BenQ GP1 LED projector makes a compelling case for boardroom, living room, games room, or campsite use. Small and medium sized businesses, entrepreneurs and traveling salespeople, gamers and consumers with large-screen needs have little reason not to take a hard look at this little gem.

The Good & Bad
* Sleek, compact design
* Built-in USB reader with audio and video decoding support
* Auto keystone function
* Excellent image quality, contrast and sharpness
* Long-life LED lamps need no replacement
* Intuitive, comprehensive menu system
* VGA cable a bit short
* Native resolution too low to support HD content
* Lacks DVI input
* Short supported codecs list
* MSRP a bit steep
* Non-intuitive remote control button arrangement
Essential Specs & Stats
* Projection system: Texas Instruments' DLP
* Image size: 15" to 80"
* Native Resolution: 858 x 600
* Input(s): VGA, composite video + analog audio (L/R), component video, USB
* Outputs(s): 3.5mm stereo audio
* Brightness: 100 ANSI lumens
* Contrast ratio: 2000:1
* Lamps: 3 LEDs
* Lamp life: 20,000 hrs.
* Extra(s): iPod dock (optional), 2W speakers
* Dimensions: 5.3" X 2.1" X 4.7"
* Weight: 1.4 lb.
* Release date: June 2009
* Warranty: One year
Package Content
* BenQ GP1 LED digital projector
* Infrared remote control
* Power supply and AC cable
* Carry case
* Input cables
* CD User Manual
* Printed Quick Start Guide
* Safety Manual

GP1 - Good Things Come in Small package
Unboxing the BenQ GP1 LED projector is a very pleasant experience because it is hard not to marvel at how small everything is. If you're like me, digital projectors bring up memories of large, heavy boxes fragile enough to be stationary fixtures in main meeting rooms, too expensive to put in every room, and too bulky to easily cart around on demand for each different meeting venue.

The box the BenQ GP1 ships in is tiny, but once you open it, you realize the projector is really something special. The LED projector itself is encased in glossy plastic - snow white on the sides and bottom and glossy black on the top of the unit. Fit and finish is top notch, with tight seams and an overall feeling of heft and solidity. The top of the unit contains a large circular pad which is a touch-sensitive control panel, backlit in cool blue LED lighting. Almost all functions can be accessed using this touch panel, and redundant controls (albeit in a different button arrangement) are provided on the included infrared remote control.


The BenQ GP1 weighs only 1.4 lb., and measures at 5.3" X 2.1" X 4.7".

On the top left corner of the LED projector is the focus control, recessed to avoid being accidentally tweaked while in use. This focus slider has very little travel and is capable of focussing the lens for razor sharp images from a distance of 12 inches to 16 feet. This translates into a viewable image size of 15 to 80 inches, measured diagonally. The lens, being fixed focal length, has no zoom function, meaning one has to move the projector to change the image size.


The front of the GP1 projector contains the lens recess, trimmed elegantly with a chrome-plated ring. Occupying the rest of the front panel are a sizable opening for the fan vent, and the IR receiver. At the bottom of the front is a smaller, threaded rubber foot that lets you adjust the height of the projected image.

Moving on to the back side of the unit, you'll find a USB port, and audio out port and a proprietary connector similar to a female iPod docking connector, but larger and wider. This is where the included combo cable plugs, giving you three options for analog signal input: VGA, component video, or, sharing the same RCA jacks, composite video with stereo audio. Unfortunately, there is no DVI, or audio input available when component video is being used on the GP1 LED projector. All are reasonable compromises given the mission and price point of this particular projector.

The sides of the unit are mainly featureless, with a DC power input on one side and another vent for the internal speaker. BenQ does place both its PhlatLight logo and the DLP by Texas Instruments graphics on the side of the unit for the benefit of your audience.


Overall, the BenQ GP1 LED projector is an impressive piece of kit. Aesthetics have really been executed well, and the entire unit has a really pleasant "stance", with its sides ever so slightly canted outwards to give it much more visual interest than just a square boxy shape.

Given its size, you wouldn't expect the power supply to be built-in, and it's not. Sadly, there doesn't seem to be much that BenQ could have done about this. The included carry case has room only for the projector itself - you'll need to stuff the power adapter, AC cable, remote control, and video input cables into your briefcase or another box. All of this required paraphernalia weighs about the same as the projector itself, and takes up about the same space, too. In case you were wondering, there is no option to run the projector from batteries, rechargeable or not. Some might think this is a disadvantage, but I don't. The GP1 LED projector is easily moved from place to place, and adding batteries would make the unit much heavier, and thus less mobile.

On the bottom of the unit, you'll find a super-useful tripod mount, and generously sized, white no-slip feet. The front of the unit has a single screw-on "foot" that serves as a simple height adjustment for the GP1 projector. Rather intuitively, the projected image is by default canted upwards so that the image, if the GP1 is placed on a table in its least-tilted position, casts up for easier viewing by your presentation audience.

One optional accessory which I was not able to test, but which makes a lot of sense given the target market, is the iPod dock with cable. Using this optional iPod input enables video and audio to be played directly from the iPod through the projector, opening up some interesting possibilities for your iPod to serve as a real slideshow or video source.

LED versus Traditional Lamps
Moving on to the functional aspects of the GP1, I certainly was overjoyed to learn that changing or replacing bulbs is truly a thing of the past. Bulbs for modern super-bright projectors run in the hundreds of dollars and last as little as a few hundred hours. Lamp life is affected by shock as well as heat which is why all bulb projectors use high output fans that make a lot of noise and kick out a lot of heat. Remembering to power off the lamp but leave the fan running for several minutes is another hassle that is eliminated completely with LED projectors. I found it a bit disconcerting to note that the fan on the GP1 projector would turn off immediately when the projector was turned off, with no provision to leave the fan running. I can only assume it's not needed. No bulbs also means the GP1 is far more travel friendly, able to take the odd bump or vibration with no ill-effects to the light source.

Brightness is perhaps the most important spec particularly for LED projectors, as generally speaking, LED projects as a group are far dimmer than their expensive, heavy, lamp-based counterparts. At 100 ANSI lumens, the GP1 projector ranks near the top of the LED heap, but far, far short of the 1000 to 2000 lumens commonly available from traditional projectors. In order to answer the question, "Is 100 lumens enough?", I tested the GP1 in the home during the day under bright sunlight, under rapidly diminishing evening light, and in moderately dark situations. I also took the GP1 LED projector on the road and used it for lengthy daytime office boardroom meetings.


This was taken during daytime, with moderate light. Projector is 3m from the wall. You can see the light allows you to see the projector itself and the image, although the contrast is not good in daylight.

My conclusion is that if the images you plan to project are on the dark side, containing lots of shadows or black areas, you are pretty much out of luck in bright daylight (not to mention direct sunlight). Brightly-lit boardrooms posed less of a problem, so long as the projector was maximum 6 feet from the wall or projection screen. Darker images were still difficult to make out detail in, but when the projector was used to project computer desktops or documents with light backgrounds, the results were quite pleasing. There's no doubt that you'll want to pull the shades or blinds, and turn off any room lighting for best results. For presentations with a small audience of three or four, you'll look extra-smart for bringing a real projector instead of using your laptop screen.

Nighttime use naturally brings out the best looking images, and in a relatively dark environment, you can be confident to stretch the viewing area out to the 80 inch maximum. Video gaming and movie watching are best done in dimly lit rooms or dark home theater settings, and under these conditions, I can't imagine anyone having much to complain about. More brightness is always better, but 100 lumens under the right situations is enough.


The BenQ GP1 is 3m away from the projection screen; photo was taken during nighttime.

BenQ claims that the GP1 LED projector features an unrivaled 120% NTSC color gamut, significantly better than most projectors. I had no scientific way to test this claim, other than to throw up library after library of photo images and stare with amazement at the fidelity and contrast with which everything was displayed. Subtle tones and gradations were all apparent, and images were contrasty, so long as the lighting conditions were favorable. Since I'm very picky and very used to critical review of DSLR output, I think it's fair to say that BenQ's GP1 would make an excellent slideshow display unit.

World's First Projector with USB Storage Support
One of the headlining features of the GP1 projector is its inclusion of a USB port for connecting mass storage devices such as hard drives and flash drives. The addition of this USB port opens up a whole new set of possibilities for projector operation sans PC or other video source because the projector has built-in video/audio decoding capabilities. Perhaps the most obvious use for the USB port is movie playback, and indeed, I probably spent the most time trying out this feature and converting videos to one of the supported formats for playback. Other uses for the USB port include: photo slideshow presentations of graphics files in a specific directory on the USB media, and PC-less presentations if the slides are put into an appropriate video format.

Still photo formats supported are all of the popular ones (except PNG) but include: JPEG, GIF, BMP, TIFF. Photo formats are scaled by the GP1 prior to display. Supported video formats include: MPEG-4, MJPEG, XviD, 3ivX. In reality, I was able to convert to all of these video formats except 3ivX. All performed flawlessly from a video perspective. Supported audio formats include: AAC, PCM, uLaw, aLaw. Finding the right supported audio format was more of a challenge. Using the BenQ recommended conversion utility, movies with sound would only playback correctly when the audio was encoded using PCM format. Perhaps I got an early version of firmware with limited support, but clearly this is an area for improvement.

In practice, our experience was mixed with the video playback over USB, mainly because of the limited video codec support, and because of the native resolution. Playback of any 720p videos (typically 1280 x 720 pixels) is out of the question, as the GP1 LED projector will not attempt to decode any videos with more than pixels than are available (it won't downscale). Thus, the maximum support resolution, while a bit oddball, is 858x600. Also, videos encoded in DivX or MPEG-1 format will not play. Oftentimes, I found various .avi, .mov and .mkv files I had archived from various sources would not play because they contained audio streams in unsupported formats, even though the video would play.

In the end, to avoid frustration, I just followed BenQ's instructions for converting video to supported video and audio formats so that I could be sure each one would play. Their suggestions involved converting video to MJPEG format (not many videos on the Internet come in MJPEG format) and the audio to PCM. In some cases, the file size grew, but the videos were complete with soundtrack and they all played flawlessly on the GP1 projector once so converted.

I wonder if the codec support will improve over time as BenQ engineers are able to build more supported formats into the firmware, or if the number of supported formats has anything to do with the available processing power for the GP1's CPU. Regardless, life would be much better if the projector "just worked". It doesn't, so whether you as a movie watcher has the time and patience to convert videos before storing them on your USB media for projector playback. If not, and BenQ doesn't improve the codec support, then this projector's not for you.

GP1's Performance
BenQ has really built in some useful features to their first pico projector. Apart from the integrated USB reader and decoding on the fly, some features worth noting are: picture modes, auto scaling, wall color correction, and auto keystone.

* Picture modes: Brightness: use when maximum brightness is required
* PC mode: for presentations. Colors are tuned to match PC output. Truth be told it didn't look all that different from the other modes.
* Photo mode: suitable for slideshows and PC screen viewing. Maximizes the display of RGB signals for best color realism.
* Movie mode: optimized for dark environments
* User mode: recalls customized settings

Wall color correction: choose from the following presets: light yellow, pink, light green, blue and blackboard.

Auto keystone is one of the best features of the GP1 LED projector, as it provides worry-free setup and automatically adjusts the image to compensate for the tilt of the projector. In days past, you would have to adjust keystone after changing the tilt of the projector for "square" images. Now, the GP1 does it all for you. It's fun to tilt the projector and watch in real-time the GP1 adjust its image to keep the edges square.


Shameless self-promotion by BenQ ;-)
The GP1 doesn't disappoint either in the visual fidelity department, with a claimed color response of 120% NTSC gamut. I had no way to test this claim, other than to say images and text looked crisp, contrasty, and very realistic. Since I'm very picky and very used to critical review of DSLR output, I think it's fair to say that BenQ's GP1 would make an excellent slide-show display unit.

Recap
Digital projectors have come a long way over the past 10 to 15 years, with resolution, brightness and colour accuracy, and most notably, size and price improvements. With BenQ's new entrant into the ever-growing LED projector market and a USB port for true product differentiation, this pico projector suddenly makes sense to a much wider audience. Whether your needs include gaming, multimedia viewing, presentations, or even just video display, I recommend you take a good hard look at the BenQ GP1 LED projector. Traveling professionals in particular may find that after their laptop and smartphone, this little gem may be their favourite gadget because of the ability to impress clients - pulling the GP1 out of your bag will indeed wow. Never having to worry about leaving the projector on for extended periods of time and never needing to replace expensive, short-lasting lamps is just icing on the cake.

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StudioTech DP-2 Flat Panel TV Stand Review

Summary

* Product Name: DP-2 Flat Panel TV Stand
* Manufacturer: StudioTech
* Performance Rating: * * * *
* Value Rating: * * * *
* Review Date: December 03, 2006
* MSRP: $499 ($549 w/optional pillars)

Specifications

Height: 19.5 inches
Width: 47 inches
Depth: 22.75 inches
Shelf spacing (bottom to top): 8-inch / 6-inch
Usable shelf width: 37 inches
Usable shelf depth: 18-19 inches (adjustable)
Max. weight (total): 300 lbs
Max. weight (top shelf): 250 lbs
Recommended weight (per glass shelf): 100 lbs (distributed)
Recommended weight (display on pillars): 150 lbs
Number of casters: 4
Shipping weight: 105 lbs (multiple boxes)

Pros

* Priced to compete well with mass market electronic store options
* Deep (adjustable to 19-inch depth) shelving for easy access to components
* Excellent flat panel mounting option through the use of pillars and a wall-mounting bracket.

Cons

* Veneer is always susceptible to scratches

Introduction

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Yamaha RX-Z7 7.1 Channel Networking A/V Receiver Review

Summary

* Product Name: Yamaha RX-Z7 7.1 Channel Networking A/V Receiver
* Manufacturer: Yamaha Electronics Corporation
* Performance Rating: StarStarStarStarStar
* Value Rating: StarStarStarStar
* Review Date: February 08, 2009
* MSRP: $2699

Specifications

*140 watts x 7 into 8 ohms (20-20,000 Hz) at 0.04% THD
*Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD™ Master Audio, Dolby Digital Plus, DTS-HD™ High Resolution Audio, Dolby Digital EX, DTS-ES™, Pro Logic® IIx, DTS Neo:6, and SRS Circle Surround II decoding
*1080p-compatible HDMI switching: 5 in, 2 out (including 1 front-panel input)
*Selectable 480p/720p/1080i/1080p video upconversion for all non-HD and HDMI sources (upconverted video available through HDMI output only)
*HDMI version 1.3a with support for Deep Color, x.v.Color, 120Hz and 24Hz refresh rates, and auto lip-sync compensation
*Home PC networking capability with Web browser control
*Built-in HD Radio tuner with multi-casting reception and iTunes® tagging
*Cinema DSP 3D modes and enhanced Adaptive DSP level for fuller surround effects at low volumes
*Enhanced Adaptive DRC (dynamic range control) for better clarity at lower listening levels
*Anchor Bay PReP™ and VRS™ video processing

*XM / SIRIUS Satellite Radio Ready (requires XM subscription and optional XM Mini-Tuner package)
*iPod integration (requires optional Yamaha YDS-11)
*Neural-THX Surround decoder for XM's HD Surround channels
*Improved Compressed Music Enhancer for MP3s and other digital music files, including multi-channel sources
*Four-room/four-source output: powered and line-level stereo audio output for second and third rooms, digital audio optical out for 4th room
*Front-panel USB port for audio playback from USB flash drives and portable USB music players
*6 audio/video inputs, including phono
*Digital audio: 5 optical inputs (including 1 front-panel) and 2 outputs, 3 coaxial inputs
*7.1-channel analog audio preamp input and outputs
*Back surround speaker channels re-assignable for bi-amping front left and right speakers
*Assignable component video output with HD pass-through and 480i to 480p conversion of composite/S-video signals for second room
*Composite video output for second and third rooms (same source for both rooms)
*Digital ToP-ART design with high-current, low-impedance amplifier construction
*192kHz/24-bit Burr-Brown digital-to-analog converters for all channels
*Pure Direct mode for better sound from stereo sources
*Silent Cinema for simulated surround sound via standard stereo headphones
*On-screen GUI (Graphic User Interface) with display overlay
*Learning/multibrand remote
*Basic remote for second or third listening room (requires remote control extender system, not included)
*RS-232C port for automated control systems
*Detachable power cord
*Weight: 40.6lbs
*Dimensions: 17-1/8"W x 7-1/8"H x 17-1/4"D
*Warranty: 5 year

Pros

* Benchmark audio and video performance
* Unparalleled multi channel experience for music and movies
* One box solution for whole home audio and video distribution
* Excellent Network Streaming and Web Browsing functionality

Cons

* Runs hot and needs adequate ventilation
* Complex setup
* Lame secondary remote control with limited functionality

Introduction
The Yamaha RX-Z7 offers benchmark performance in virtually every category with the only caveat being it generates a lot of heat. Armed to the teeth with all of the latest audio and video processing features, along with a host of multi room and networking capabilities, the RX-Z7 leaves little to be desired for even the most sophisticated home theater installs. Its ability to transform your listening space into a concert venue or mega Cineplex is unrivaled. The RX-Z7 proudly lives up to the "Z" heritage and in some aspects out Z's their very own flagship RX-Z11.

1. Yamaha RX-Z7 7.1 Design Overview
2. Yamaha RX-Z7 7.1 System Setup and Configuration
3. Yamaha RX-Z7 7.1 Video Setup and Test Results
4. Yamaha RX-Z7 7.1 DSP Processing & Network Configuration
5. Yamaha RX-Z7 7.1 Listening Tests
6. Yamaha RX-Z7 7.1 Measurements and Analysis
7. Yamaha RX-Z7 7.1 Conclusion

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Understanding the Differences between HDMI Versions

HDMI has changed versions so many times it's been hard to keep up for most people. We've talked about the versions as part of other articles and documents, but it seemed fitting that we'd formulate and maintain a definitive document outlining the changes in a straightforward and easy-to-digest manner for all concerned.

Hopefully this article helps you understand the format differences and aids in your ability to discern what features are important to you as you shop for HDMI-equipped products.

HDMI 1.0

Release date: December 2002

Specs:

* Single-cable digital audio/video connection with a maximum bitrate of 4.9Gbps.
* Supports up to 165Mpixels/sec video (1080p at 60Hz or UXGA)
* 8-channels of 192kHz/24-bit audio (PCM)

Abstract: The original HDMI v1.0 spec was and remains sufficient for most purposes. The reason is that it is a solid backwards-compatible format that can , through PCM audio handle all of the high definition audio formats present today. The key is having a player that can decode these native HD audio formats to uncompressed PCM. DSD and DVD-audio cannot be natively sent over HDMI 1.0. What HDMI 1.0 fails to do, is account for additional bandwidth provided by Deep Color (10- 12 and 16-bit color depths). It also does not support the new xvYCC color space.

Practical Issues and tips: Most CableTV set-top boxes use HDMI 1.0. The maximum output for this spec is 1080p at 60Hz with 8-bit color depth. Regardless of any display of higher version of HDMI you may have, the source will always limit the maximum bit-depth potential. An HDMI 1.0 device can still pull 8 channels of uncompressed PCM audio and as is perfectly fine for most users.
HDMI 1.1

Release date: May 2004

Specs:

* Added support for DVD Audio
* Slight mechanical and electrical spec changes

Abstract: HDMI 1.1 simply added the ability for the system to transmit DVD-Audio signal over the cbale form the player to the receiving device. If both devices are rated to v1.1 then a DVD-Audio signal can be sent and received. Please note that by "DVD-Audio" we mean the high resolution audio format, not the audio present on a typical DVD disc.

Practical Issues and tips: HDMI 1.1 is very common and was the first spec to hit the mass market apart from CableTV set-top boxes. Many AV receivers came out with this spec and are fine for handling DVD-Audio and uncompressed PCM audio.
HDMI 1.2

Release date: August 2005

Specs:

* Added DSD (Direct Stream Digital) support, allowing native transmission of Super Audio CD (SACD) content at up to 8 channels
* Enabled and acknowledged an HDMI Type A connector for PC-based sources
* Permitted PC sources to use native RGB color-space with the optional ability to also support the YCbCr color space for consumer electronics applications
* Mandated that HDMI 1.2 and later displays support low-voltage sources such as those found with PCI Express technology (the current display interface standard for PC video cards)

Abstract: HDMI 1.2 was the biggest jump since the introduction of HDMI. It really brought the PC market into focus and was developed and announced so as to compete better with the emerging VESA DisplayPort standard. For those still clinging to their universal DVD players, HDMI v1.2 finally delivered the promise of a true one-cable solution for all current high-definition audio sources.

Practical Issues and tips: If you want to utilize a fully native universal DVD player without converting the SACD to PCM then HDMI 1.2 is required. We've found that if the player does a good job at conversion, however, v1.2 isn't always that important.
HDMI 1.2a

Release date: December 2005

Specs:

* Fully specified Consumer Electronic Control (CEC) features, command sets, and compliance tests
* Minor changes to CEC (Consumer Electronic Control) spec

Abstract: This incremental change clarified one of the earlier promises of HDMI, Consumer Electronic Control - a feature that promised "smart" interoperability between components. Unfortunately, this wasn't exactly standardized across the board and, as a result, nearly all manufacturers products only interface within their own brands. Of all things, this is the most disappointing failure of HDMI to-date.

Practical Issues and tips: This is a common format for manufacturers using CEC. There is no practical reason to prefer 1.2a over 1.2. If you don't intend to use the native DSD signal from an SACD player via HDMI, v1.1 is just as good as 1.2 or 1.2a.
HDMI 1.3

Release date: June 2006

Specs:

* Increased single-link bandwidth to 340 MHz (10.2 Gbps)
* Optionally supports 10-bit, 12-bit, and 16-bit "Deep Color" per channel (over one billion colors) up from 8-bit
* Allowed the use of xvYCC color space (previously just sRGB or YCbCr)
* Incorporated automatic audio "lip" syncing capability
* Supported output of native Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio streams for external decoding by AV receivers
* Made available a new Type C "mini" connector for devices such as camcorders
* Added gamut Metadata transmission capability
* Added Reference Cable Equalizer mandate to high frequency displays to recapture degraded copper cable signal

Abstract: To be plain, this update was a complete disaster. First of all, nobody asked for HDMI 1.3, except perhaps the companies behind the new high definition audio formats. Of course TrueHD and DTS-HD, the lossless audio codec formats used on HD DVDs and Blu-ray Discs could be decoded into uncompressed audio by the players. This makes 1.3 irrelevant for audio. What made HDMI 1.3 such as disaster was the increased bandwidth requirements - which hit an already suffering cable market with new requirements for digital signal transmission. Before HDMI 1.3, it was almost impossible to get a non-active copper HDMI cable to pass 1080p at distances greater than 50 feet. After HDMI 1.3, with the addition of Deep Color, that distance shrank to less than 20 feet, causing industry-wide failures on installed cabling systems.

Expensive active solutions started coming on-board to alleviate some of the problems within several months but even today there is a large amount of consumer confusion regarding cable certification and how far a signal will travel over copper cables. The spec also mandated that HDMI 1.3-compliant displays (sinks) which took advantage of high frequency content (Deep Color) must implement built-in cable equalization to help compensate for cable losses through copper cables. Thanks to several companies dedicated to certifying their products for specific distances, this issue is slowly becoming more manageable. The first product on the market with HDMI 1.3 was the PlayStation 3 gaming console.

Practical Issues and tips: HDMI 1.3 is a requirement for Deep Color support or use of the new xvYCC expanded color space. If high definition audio is important to you, you still may not need v1.3 if your player can decode the native HD audio formats into uncompressed PCM audio. This uncompressed audio, up to 8 channels, can be sent over HDMI 1.0.Typically, 24p support coincides with v1.3, however this is nothing more than coincidence of when both format and spec came into popularity.

HDMI 1.3a

Release date: November 2006

Specs:

* Cable and Sink modifications for Type C
* Source termination recommendation
* Removed undershoot and maximum rise/fall time limits.
* CEC capacitance limits changed
* RGB video quantization range clarification
* audio control commands added to CEC and commands for timer control brought back in an altered form
* Concurrently released compliance test specification included

Abstract: An incremental change, v1.3a is mostly an adjustment for manufacturers utilizing CEC features as well as those integrating the new Type C connector (seen only in smaller form factor products and quite rare to-date).

Practical Issues and tips: There is no consumer-focused practical difference between HDMI v1.3a and v1.3.
Summary

We'll be sure to keep this document up to date as soon as any HDMI changes are made and will attempt to clarify any questions or issues raised by readers when going through this list. HDMI seems confusing at first, but if handled well by a manufacturer, the differences can be nearly transparent to consumers. The difficulty comes when selecting budget products that may not implement all of the capabilities needed to maximize the potential of HDMI. In these scenarios it's important to not just pay attention to the version of HDMI, but how HDMI is utilized within the product. For example, HDMI "switching" on a receiver implies that no audio is pulled from the HDMI cable, however if the receiver functions as an HDMI "repeater" then users can expect to pull at least multi-channel PCM audio from the connection.

Stay tuned, because if the past is any indication of the future (and it is) HDMI isn't done yet and will continue to evolve in the years to come.

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Home Theater Set-up Basics 101

Recently, at the Audioholics Showcase Home we've been able to survey some of our neighbors' home theater systems. Despite the fact we don't openly disclose to our neighbors what we do, we've been branded as the "go to" place for any questions related to home theater, speakers and even iPods. Have your builder run 10,000 ft of speaker and audio cable during the framing stage of your house, and the news travels fast among the neighborhood that these guys must know something about home theater.

While most of our neighbors still don't understand what Audioholics is all about, they know that it's a safe bet to come to us with their audio woes. To our surprise we discovered that out of all of neighbors' theater systems we surveyed (nearly a dozen), about 90% of them didn't even have a digital connection between their DVD players and receivers and 100% of them didn't even bother with level calibration or proper bass management setup!

Here are some basic tips we offer for Audiophytes wanting the most from their theater systems:

* clip_image004_172.jpg Properly wire your speakers to your receiver. Use consistent polarity from each speaker to the receiver [red = (+), black = (-)]. Connect the appropriate speaker to the designated speaker terminals in the back of the receiver (ie. your front left speaker should connect to the front left speaker input in your receiver)

* Use the right cables to connect your sources (ie. DVD player, cable box, etc) to your receiver.

References:

Basic Audio & Video Set-Up Guide

Receiver Setup and Connections

DVD Player Setup

Setting Up Your Home Theater System - Basics

Audio & Video Connections Guide

Cable Principles

* Properly set up your speaker system (speaker placement, bass management, etc)

References:

An Easy Solution To Subwoofer Calibration

Bass Management Basics - Settings Made Simple

Home Theater Speaker Layout - An Essential Guide

Subwoofer Placement Guidelines

An Important Note About Volume Controls:

Most modern AV receivers' volume controls don't operate on a 10 point incremental scale where 0 is mute and 10 is full on. Instead they operate on a more precise, usually ½ dB, scale where the larger the negative number is, the lower the volume will be and 0dB is usually very loud and at or near max volume. Remember the volume gets increasingly louder with each clockwise rotation and increasingly lower to each counterclockwise rotation. Always set the volume control to its minimum setting (counterclockwise) when powering up your system for the first time.

A few additional useful tips when planning a Home Theater System:

* Try to avoid placing the primary three front speakers on the ceiling. If they have to be above ear level, angle them down using a device such as the Auralex MoPAD or a proper mounting bracket that can support the speaker.

* Avoid " Cubed" speakers " at all costs. Better sounding speakers with only a modest size increase can be had for the same money or much less. You can also find speakers that integrate better with the aesthetics of your room much more so than those little white or black cubes.

Note: If you already purchased a Cubed speaker system and don't have the ability to return it, make sure you set it up as follows for proper operation.

* Connect all cube speakers to their corresponding connections on the bass module.
* Connect each speaker level connection from the bass module to the corresponding connection on the receiver (ie. center channel to center channel, right rear to right rear, etc)
* Connect an RCA level cable from the sub out of your receiver to the sub in of your bass module
* Set all of the speakers to "Large" in the receivers bass management and the subwoofer to "Yes".
* When in doubt, consult your dealer or the manufacturer.

* Invest in basic calibration gear such as a Radio Shack SPL Meter and Avia Test Disc. Having these tools will ensure more accurate calibration that you simply cannot achieve with just your ear.

* Purchase your equipment from a competent and authorized dealer. If all else fails, solicit their help in setting up your home theater system. Spending your hard earned cash on all of this gear is futile if it isn't properly setup and configured.

Apply the same measures of properly caring for and operating your home theater equipment like you do when you purchase a new car or swimming pool for your home. Doing so will ensure years of carefree listening and viewing enjoyment which can come close to or often exceed the experience you have at your local Cineplex. Now all you need is a pop corn machine and some reclining chairs and you're all set.

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Setting Up Your First Home Theater Surround System: Do's and Don'ts

by Alan Lofft,
Do find the digital output on the back of your DVD player before you connect any other cables to your equipment. It will be labeled "Optical" or "Coaxial" (your DVD player may have both or just one). An optical digital output uses a fiber-optic cable with a square plastic connector (Toslink) on each end. A coaxial digital output uses a standard shielded RCA cable that plugs into the female RCA jack labeled "Coaxial Digital". Both sound the same. Use only one. An optical cable sometimes helps to avoid "ground loops" (see below). This single digital cable, optical or coaxial, carries all six channels of sound from a Dolby Digital 5.1 or dts movie soundtrack. It will also carry 2-channel digital PCM stereo (that's what the data stream from a CD is called, should you use your DVD player to play your CDs). This digital cable does NOT carry video, only audio. Connect it to a digital audio input on the rear of your receiver.

Next, connect the video.

Decide at the outset if you want to route your video cables through the A/V receiver and then to the TV. Doing it this way has two advantages: convenience when you switch the receiver to watch a DVD, as well as the ability to see the on-screen menu for your AV receiver on your TV screen. If you route your video cables directly to the TV display, it's initially easier to connect, but you won't be able to see the receiver's on-screen menu for setup purposes, and you'll have to switch your TV display from the cable or satellite source to the "DVD Input", which might be called "Video 1". In well-designed AV receivers, routing the video through the receiver does not degrade picture quality so long as the component video inputs are "wideband" to 37 Megahertz (MHz) or greater, which will carry HDTV signals with no losses.

In any case, you must connect separate cables to your DVD player to carry the video signal to your TV display or AV/ receiver and then to your TV display. In most cases, your DVD player will have three different types of video outputs. If your TV and/or AV receiver handles Component Video, use those connections. This will deliver the highest image clarity possible from DVDs. There will be three RCA cables required, color-coded Red, Green and Blue and they are sometimes bundled together. If you have an older TV that lacks component video inputs, use the DVD player's S-Video output (it's a single cable with a multi-pin plug). It's the next best. Finally, your TV may only have a Composite Video input, color-coded Yellow. That will yield a decent picture but not the maximum quality available from a DVD.

Your new HDTV and DVD player may also have HDMI or DVI connectors, single multi-pin cables that keep the video in its digital form, rather than converting it to analog, which is what Component Video connections carry. You can try the HDMI or DVI connectors but you may or may not see any difference in video quality over the component video connections. Use whichever connection yields the best picture on your TV display. Note, however, that some new receivers that offer HDMI switching may not process the HDMI signal correctly so that it will display on your TV.

Don't turn the levels of your surround speakers up too high because you can't "hear" them. You aren't supposed to hear them in the conventional sense; that is, if they're set at the correct levels, the surrounds should not call attention to themselves. Surround speakers are primarily used to deliver ambient effects for the on-screen action or to enhance the musical experience by adding the third dimension of space. Their purpose is to provide subtle envelopment of you, the listener/viewer, in the "sound field" or spatial experience of the place or scene occurring on-screen and to immerse you in the delayed secondary reflections of the space where the musical recording was made.

The surround isn't intended to blast you with precise directional cues except for certain hard-mixed sounds that happen off-screen during gun battles, fights, chase sequences and the like. Much of the time, you may wonder if the surrounds are even on-until say, a rainstorm or outdoor sequence or perhaps a phone ringing off-screen suddenly reminds you of how much realism a surround system is capable of.

Note also that surrounds may not be used for long sequences during a movie. Low-budget independent feature films may have few or no surround effects at all. Big-budget action spectaculars, by contrast, will often make remarkable use of the surrounds to involve you in the action.

Don't run your new HDTV (rear- or front-projection), plasma, or LCD panel at its brightest setting and shorten the life of the set (or the projector bulb). In the A/V business, that's called "torching" the set. The brighter you run them, the shorter the longevity of the plasma panel or the DLP/LCD projector bulb. Besides, you'll generally get much-improved highlight and shadow detail and smoother, more natural skin tones when you scale down the brightness and contrast. And that applies to older CRT (picture tube) sets as well.

Try this simple visual test to determine if you have your video image too bright or contrasty. Look at any white area on the screen during scenes from live TV or a movie. It could be the white shirt or blouse on an actor or TV host. Are you able to see detail within the white areas? If you can't, then you are likely running the brightness too high, which washes out fine detail in bright areas. So lower the brightness and/or contrast. There's a reason why control rooms for TV productions and telecasts are always dimly lit: it's because video images on the monitors look best in a dim or darker room and the greatest range of colors and tones can be displayed.

Don't just plunk down that subwoofer in the nearest corner and leave it there, making rash judgments on its performance before you've taken time to experiment with different subwoofer locations in the room. Subwoofer performance is so dependent on individual room dimensions and placement, as well as the relative position of chairs and couches, that you must experiment. A corner sub location will give you the greatest bass output at the risk of boomy or thumpy deep bass. You can always try a corner first; if the bass is too boomy, gradually reposition the sub away from the corner along one wall or the other. Try the "crawl" test, which you can read about here. It works quite well to determine the optimal placement for your subwoofer in any room.

Don't turn up the subwoofer volume too high so you can "hear" it when you've first connected it. Start with the subwoofer turned all the way down while you play a selection of music (not a movie), then gradually increase the subwoofer volume until you detect the foundation of deep bass. Gradually increase the subwoofer level until it's nicely in balance with the midrange and treble. If you've set it correctly, test it with a movie noted for its low-frequency content and you'll likely find that the subwoofer level is ideal. You may still want to make slight adjustments of the subwoofer level using the A/V receiver's remote control during movies or TV shows. Some directors or sound mixers get bass-obsessed and mix the bass levels too loud, which may be distracting and inhibit dialog clarity.

Look at the controls on the back panel of your subwoofer. There should be a control labeled "Crossover" and nearby it may have a switch labeled "Bypass". In most home theater setups that use an A/V receiver, you will set the crossover control inside the receiver (a default setting of 80 Hz works very well in most installations) so the subwoofer's internal crossover won't be needed. Nor do you want to use it together with the crossover in the receiver. That's called "cascading" crossovers and it's not desirable. So if your subwoofer has a "Bypass," then set it to that position. If the sub does not have a bypass setting, turn the crossover control to the highest frequency setting, usually around 150 Hz. That will effectively remove the subwoofer's internal crossover from the circuit.

With all AV receivers and subwoofers, you'll only need a single shielded RCA coaxial cable from the receiver's Subwoofer Out connection (color-coded purple) to the subwoofers "line-level" or "low-level" female RCA input jack. Don't use speaker cable to connect the subwoofer to an AV receiver. That would only be required for a receiver or amplifier that lacks a subwoofer output jack, e.g., an older stereo receiver or integrated stereo amplifier or a stereo "separates" installation. In those cases, you run two speaker cables from the stereo receiver's left and right speaker outputs to the subwoofer's left and right speaker inputs (they will be labeled "Speaker Level Inputs" or "High-Level Inputs") and then from the subwoofer to your main speakers. For that installation, you would set the subwoofer's own internal crossover. Try about 80 Hz as a crossover frequency.

Don't get too fixated on perfectly "calibrating" the level of each channel so they are identical in a 5.1 or 7.1 system. Balancing the relative channel levels is an excellent starting point, but be prepared to make individual channel adjustments until you get a smooth, seamless blend of front channel music and effects, dialog clarity, and surround effects when they're needed, and just the right amount of subwoofer bass. Note that dialog recording quality may vary quite a lot from one movie to the next, or even from scene to scene in the same movie. Some foreign or independent movies are poorly done, with dialog levels that vary constantly from scene to scene. The regional accents may make matters worse. So don't be afraid to make center-channel level adjustments while you're watching if you have trouble hearing the dialog. That's what the center-channel level control is there for.

Do experiment with the location of your center-channel speaker and its sound quality before you drill holes or string wires. Human hearing is especially acute in the midrange where human voices (spoken and sung) reside, and it's where we notice tiny discrepancies and tonal variations most. Moving the center channel speaker either below the TV or above it or even mounted to the wall may dramatically change the tonal balance of the speaker and greatly influence how well it blends with your front left and right speakers. So play a movie as you try different locations and listen to any tonal changes in the male or female voices of the actors. Pick the location that sounds best and works well with your setup. Some compromises are unavoidable, but a little experimentation always pays off in more natural-sounding dialog and better clarity.

Do set your center channel speaker and surround speakers to the "Small" setting. This will route the deep bass to the subwoofer and/or the main left and right front speakers (if they are set to "Large") which is where the bass belongs. Setting a center to "Large" will inhibit dialog clarity and often add some tonal anomalies that you do not want. The vast majority of center channel and surround speakers do not have deep bass capabilities, nor are they intended to because soundtracks mix the bass to the ".1" subwoofer channel.

Do consider getting a test or setup DVD that will help you calibrate and adjust the surround sound levels as well as the video display. After all, you'll likely spend thousands for the HDTV and home theater system. Spending from $20 to $40 for a test DVD and $40 for a Sound Level Meter will help you get the best out of your entire system. Here are several popular test discs, listed in ascending order of ease of use and complexity of test signals: Sound & Vision Magazine Home Theater Tune-Up (DVDI 0790); Avia Guide to Home Theater (Ovation Software); Digital Video Essentials (DVDI 0712). These test DVDs are mostly sold on-line. Try a Google search for outlets.

Don't panic if you hear a loud deep bass hum when you first turn on your AV receiver, speakers and powered subwoofer together with your TV display. The hum is called a "ground loop" and it's a very common side effect of linking audio, video, subwoofers and cable or satellite TV equipment together. There are specific ways to get rid of the hum and often it's as simple as installing a ground-isolating transformer between the incoming cable-TV feed and your set-top box or TV display. Some cable TV system guys even know what a ground loop is and will install an isolation transformer for you. Occasionally just plugging the powered subwoofer into a different AC outlet in the room will eliminate the problem. In every case, however, all ground-loop hum problems are fixable.

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valkyrie review

It was curious timing to release this film on Christmas Day. As David Letterman quipped on last night's monologue: "Nothing says Holidays like a good Nazi death plot".

Release timing not withstanding, this is a very powerful movie and by all accounts comports with the historical record. There was little embellishment for dramatic effect here. Hitler murder conspiracy dramas are abundant in Hollywood, but this one actually happened and was nearly successful. The story is riveting, and even though the outcome was already known (at least to anyone who had a rudimentary knowledge of WWII), the excitement level was sustained by not really knowing the precise timing of events or, more importantly, who would be spared in the end.

Tom Cruise was very good in the lead role as the chief conspirator (Col. von Stauffenberg). The rest of the cast was first rate, including Tom Wilkinson as Gen'l Fromm, a Nazi head honcho who was playing both sides of the fence, and many other notable actors, such as Kenneth Branagh and Terence Stamp, all excellent.

For fans of "Downfall", the German film documenting Hitler's final week in the bunker (one of the all time great WWII films and #75 on the IMDb top 250), there were two actors from that movie playing in this one. Thomas Kretschmann and Christian Berkel both were key figures in "Downfall" had supporting roles in this film.

For people with an interest in WWII or history in general, this is one film worth checking out.

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JAPAN NEWS: Pioneer kills off Kuro TVs, refocuses itself on car electronics

by what hi-fi

As rumoured last weekend, Pioneer has decided to withdraw from the display business, signalling the end of its Kuro TV line.

The products now on sale will be its last TV line-up.

The company says it "will terminate any further in-house display product development after its products currently available on the market, and withdraw from the display business by March 2010."

Instead, Pioneer is planning to "transform itself into an enterprise centred on the Car Electronics business". While it will continue to develop home electronics products, these will be "centered on three areas, namely audio products, DJ equipment and cable TV set-top box businesses.

"We will focus on our specialisation in 'sound,' as we take advantage of our extensive audio technologies and expertise developed over the years to develop new business domains."

A spokeswoman for Pioneer UK has confirmed that Pioneer will continue to manufacture its own Blu-ray players, AV receivers and all-in-one systems, and that the new models scheduled for launch this summer and autumn will be released as planned. But the current G9 plasmas will be the company's last.

Pioneer is looking closely at the possibility of a joint venture in the optical disk business, and is "in talks with other manufacturers" about working together on the development of future Blu-ray products.

Display resources switched to in-car
Resources in the display sector will be switched to in-car development, and the company is taking a long hard look at its optical disc business: "we are considering measures for improving profitability, including forming a joint venture," it says.

Pioneer says it "will continue to provide after-sales services [for display products] even after the withdrawal", a statement from Pioneer GB adding that "the company will continue to honour warranties and after-sales services."

Factory closures
The company had already announced plans to stop in-house production of plasma displays at its facilities in the UK and USA – the UK operation finishes this month, the USA in April.

Furthermore, it's planning to reduce its overseas production companies by about 30%, suggesting that as many as ten of the current 30 could be axed.

Having already reduced its full-time workforce by almost 6000 to just under 37,000 during 2008, Pioneer now plans another reduction on the same scale this year. Similarly, in addition to the 4000 temporary staff lost last year, the company will lose another 4000 in 2009.

The restructuring plans, described by the company as "drastic", come as Pioneer announced losses of 26.147bn Yen (around £205m) for the last three months of 2008, compared to compared to a profit of £13m for the same period in 2007.

£1bn losses forecast
It's predicting a net loss for the 2008-9 financial year of Y130bn (or just over £1bn), against 2007-8 losses of about £141m. Much of this is down to a near 50% drop in operating revenue as a result of lower sales of plasma TVs, DVD drives and audio products, and the continued strength of the Yen on world currency markets.

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Yamaha AV Receiver

Exceptional sound quality, superior reliability and easy to use features are the hallmarks of the Yamaha home theater experience. With each Yamaha AV receiver, you’ll enjoy extraordinary audio quality and advanced video features that allow these products to become the centerpiece of your home entertainment system. Offering flexible configurations, automatic system calibration, advanced video capabilities and now satellite radio plus iPod capabilities Yamaha receivers ensure that you’ll enjoy the complete home theater experience.

RX-V / RX-Z / RX-N Series

HTR Series

HIGHLIGHTS

RX-Z11 Yamaha introduces a new benchmark for home theater receiver performance: the RX-Z11. The RX-Z11 performance sets a new standard in home theater experience and includes extensive multi-zone custom installation and convenience features, plus a Web Browser Control.

RX-V3900 This 7.1-channel network AV receiver offers unsurpassed versatility with access to today’s most popular music sources including Internet Radio, Rhapsody online music service, music streaming from PC, HD Radio with iTunes tagging, XM and SIRIUS Satellite Radio ready, USB, iPod and Bluetooth compatibility, as well as extensive multi-zone custom installation and convenience features, plus a Web Browser Control.

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Denon Receiver

Denon AVR-2309

£ 550 4

* * * *

A good all-rounder, but sounds too safe for our tastes

• For

  Big, smooth, refined sound; never loses its rag; well kitted out

• Against

  Lacks agility, clarity and bite

Like the Pioneer SC-LX71 we've just reviewed, the Denon AVR-2309 is a seven-channel receiver that's made it into our listening rooms for the first time this month. It delivers 100W per channel, and comes with four HDMI inputs, 1080p upscaling and Audyssey Multi EQ auto setup.

Although the '2309 is an unknown quantity, our first impressions are of a receiver that produces a strong, burly sound that's warm and inviting.

You're encouraged to sit back, relax and enjoy the show. This is a receiver that concentrates on delivering a big, smooth and refined sound.

It certainly knows how to keep its composure at high volumes, never sounding harsh or edgy, and it pans surround effects with precision.

Untapped potential
But, compared with price rivals such as the Sony STR-DA2400ES, and even the cheaper Sony STR-DG820, the Denon lacks clarity, agility and dynamics.

Surround effects don't hit you with the same sense of drama, and there isn't the same expanse of sound. It needs to work harder to hold your attention.

The truth is that the AVR-2309 sounds overly safe, lacks the necessary attack for film soundtracks and needs more grip in the bass. It's a good all-rounder, but we know you can achieve greater things with a better amp.

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