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The Concorde... HD Advisor '79Editor's Note: Each Friday, High-Def Digest's own HD Advisor will answer a new round of questions from our readers. If you have home theater questions you need answered, send an email to [email protected]. If you've already sent a question and don't see it answered yet, please be patient as we work our way through them. To browse through previously answered questions, visit the main HD Advisor page. Answers by Joshua Zyber Home Theater Connection Basics Q: I have an LCD TV (LG 32" LH70YR) and home-theater-in-a-box (LG HT353SD). For the time being, this is the only set up I can afford. I'm 15 years old, and I don't have the money yet to buy a real home theatre. What is the best (connection) for all this gears I have: cables, wires, or converters, etc. I really need your help. A: From what I've discovered through online searches, I'm going to assume that you live in the UK, because both of these products are UK models. I see that your HTiB has a DVD player built in. You haven't mentioned what or how many other video sources you will be connecting: Blu-ray, cable/satellite TV, video game consoles, etc. Without that, I can only make some general suggestions. Your TV appears to have both HDMI and Component Video inputs. HDMI is its best connection type for video, but Component Video (the set of red/green/blue RCA cables) is a close second. You will want to connect any video source to the TV by one of these. The DVD player in your HTiB doesn't have an HDMI output, but does have Component. So you should use that. If your HTiB didn't already come with any, you will need speaker wire to connect the main processor component to the speakers. Speaker wire is rated by gauge, which is a measure of its thickness. The lower the number, the thicker (and better) the wire. I would recommend at least 14 gauge wire for all speakers. If you had higher grade equipment, you might want to use 12 gauge wire for the front three speakers, where the most critical portions of the soundtrack are directed. However, with your particular system, I don't think this is necessary unless you have very long distances between the processor and the speakers. Unfortunately, your HTiB is a fully self-contained unit. It doesn't seem to have either any video inputs or audio inputs, just outputs. That means that you won't be able to connect any other video sources (like cable/satellite TV or game consoles) to it to benefit from surround sound. You will have to connect those directly to the TV – ideally by HDMI – and use the TV's own built-in speakers. HDMI will carry both video and audio together in one cable, so you won't need separate audio connections. You should note that Component Video cables are not necessarily the same as the yellow/red/white "A/V" packages of three RCA cables. Although those will work in a pinch, they may slightly compromise picture quality. Each of the cables in a Component Video connection should be rated for 75 ohm impedance. In the "A/V" sets, usually only the yellow "Video" cable meets that standard (if even). The red and white cables are typically only rated for 50 ohm. If it's more cost effective, you can substitute three of the yellow Video cables for one set of red/green/blue Component cables. However, I wouldn't recommend any cheap thin cables that may have come packaged in the box with some of your equipment. Component Video is an analog signal, and is more sensitive to interference or signal loss than digital transmission. Quality cables are more critical for this application. Home theater cables (especially HDMI) and speaker wire tend to be very overpriced at retail. You don't really need to spend a lot of money to get decent HDMI or Component cables. If you lived in the U.S., I would recommend buying from Monoprice.com. Perhaps some of our other readers can recommend similar value retailers in the UK? PS3 "Bitstream Direct" vs. "Bitstream Mix" Q: On my Playstation 3, I have the option of choosing "Bitstream Direct" or "Bitstream Mix" after a firmware update. I use an optical cable to get 5.1 surround sound. When I choose Mix, the audio sounds fuller and more clear. When I check the settings while the movie is playing, it displays DTS-HD MA or Dolby TrueHD, with a variable bit rate of 2.0 mbps and above, instead of DTS 1.5 mbps or Dolby Digital 640 kbps, like it did before. I was under the impression that you could not get lossless sound via optical, but it sure seems like I am when I choose Bitstream Mix. The official Sony page detailing the update only describes it as adding "sounds of button presses on the BD." So, am I actually getting lossless sound or is this a high bit rate lossy signal? A: Unfortunately, you were right the first time. It is not possible to transmit the Dolby TrueHD or DTS-HD Master Audio formats in full lossless quality over an S/PDIF cable (either Toslink optical or digital coaxial). This type of connection is limited to standard Dolby Digital 5.1, standard DTS (up to 6.1), or two channels of PCM. The difference between "Bitstream Direct" and "Bitstream Mix" determines whether the PS3 performs any internal audio decoding. The "Direct" setting will extract the data from the disc and send it to the A/V receiver without any audio processing. If you're using an optical cable, the console will only extract the DTS "core" (not the DTS lossless extension) or the backup Dolby Digital track embedded along with a TrueHD track (not the TrueHD signal itself). Because the console isn't doing any processing, it cannot perform live-mixing of any supplemental audio such as menu button noises or the audio content for Bonus View picture-in-picture features. You will only get the movie soundtrack itself. For the "Bitstream Mix" setting, the console will first decode the original Dolby or DTS soundtrack internally, live-mix in any of that supplemental audio, and then re-encode the results back to a Dolby or DTS form. Your A/V receiver will report receiving a Dolby or DTS bitstream signal, which it then has to decode again. But that bitstream is comprised of both the original soundtrack and new audio content mixed with it. As to why you seem to hear a difference in audio quality between these two settings, there are two possibilities. Allowing the PS3 to decode internally and then re-encode into Dolby or DTS may result in a volume difference if the PS3 were to strip away certain metadata such as Dialogue Normalization values. A difference in volume is not truly a difference in quality. A louder soundtrack is not actually better; it's just louder. If you make the effort to volume-match the soundtrack both ways with a sound level meter, the audible results should equalize. Perhaps even more likely is that this is simply placebo effect. Your brain expects to hear a difference between the two settings, and allows itself to be influenced by that expectation. Placebo effect is a very real and very powerful force in human perception. The best way to eliminate this factor is to perform a double-blind listening test where you must evaluate the options without knowing which is which. Reader Feedback Once again, I'm going to forego a Homework assignment this week in order to highlight this piece of Reader Feedback on an important issue. Misleading "HD" Advertising Q: This has more to do with the business side of HD than the hardware side. I just received a booklet letting me know about some "new" DirecTV features (I'd already been aware of them for a while). In a section bragging about the HD movie selection, it says that movies can be delivered in 1080p, "the same stunning quality as Blu-ray". Now I know this isn't true and that DirecTV doesn't approach Blu-ray's quality. 1080p is only the resolution and just one of many factors (like bit rate) that make up quality. I'm just wondering how they can even claim this. I had heard that Dish Network was made to pull ads claiming "same quality as Blu-ray" some time ago. I started to notice them saying "same resolution" instead, which is at least accurate. I work in the electronics section of a retail store and this is the type of thing that confuses people and makes them afraid of HD. I try to clarify because it all starts to sound too complex when you have to explain WHY Blu-ray is actually better. While I would love a world where everyone is simply well educated on the expensive things they buy, we depend on all types getting into Blu-ray to keep the movies coming. JZ: I fully agree that these sort of claims are misleading at best and borderline fraudulent. If our readers have seen similar advertisements for other sources that claim to be Blu-ray quality but clearly aren't, please discuss in the forum thread linked at the end of this article. Check back soon for another round of answers. Keep those questions coming. Joshua Zyber's opinions are his own and do not necessarily reflect those of this site, its owners or employees.Posted Fri Oct 15, 2010 at 11:00 AM PDT by: -
'My Dog Skip' Blu-ray Back on Track[teaser]The on again/off again Blu-ray release of the 1999 family drama starring Frankie Muniz ('Malcolm in the Middle') is back on again for January. [/teaser] As previously reported, Warner Brothers had canceled the release of 'My Dog Skip' co-starring Kevin Bacon, Diane Lane, and Luke Wilson originally scheduled for a Blu-ray release on October 19, but now the disc will be available on January 4. Specs have yet to be revealed, but supplements will include: Audio commentary with Frankie Muniz and animal trainer Mathilde de Cagney, Audio commentary with Director Jay Russell, Additional scenes, and Theatrical trailer. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $24.98. You can find the latest specs for 'My Dog Skip' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's now indexed under January 4.Posted Fri Oct 15, 2010 at 10:00 AM PDT by: -
Vudu Significantly Upgrades Set-Top Boxes[teaser] The dedicated Vudu set-tops will now match the capabilities of Vudu on other devices. [/teaser] The Vudu set-top box was launched with much excitement, but was then seemingly forgotten by Vudu. Now that the service is available on Blu-ray players, televisions, and home theater systems, there hasn't been a lot of help for the early adopters. Thankfully, the latest update brings Vudu set-top boxes up to date with the capabilities of less dedicated hardware platforms. You'll now have access to social media sites like Twitter and Facebook as well as the ability to watch previews. The biggest addition is of course the ability to stream HDX movies instead of waiting for them to download. All you need is a 4.5mbps connection speed and you're ready to go. Source: VuduPosted Fri Oct 15, 2010 at 09:00 AM PDT by: -
'A Beautiful Mind' & 'Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind' Announced for Blu-ray[teaser]Blu-ray will be playing mind games at the end of January. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Universal says 'A Beautiful Mind' and 'Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind' will hit Blu-ray on January 25. The Blu-rays will feature 1080p video, a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 soundtrack, and supplements for 'A Beautiful Mind' include: Audio commentaries with Director Ron Howard & Screenwriter Akiva Goldsman; A Beautiful Partnership: Ron Howard & Brian Grazer; Development of the Screenplay; Meeting John Nash; Casting Russell Crowe & Jennifer Connelly; The Process of Age Progression; Final Feature Comparisons; Creating of the Special Effects; Inside A Beautiful Mind; pocket BLU; BD-Live; and My Scenes. 'Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind' will include: Feature commentary with Michel Gondry and writer Charlie Kaufman; A Look inside Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind; A Conversation with Jim Carrey and Michel Gondry; Inside the Mind of Michel Gondry; Anatomy of a Scene: Saratoga Avenue; A Conversation with Kate Winslet and Director Michel Gondry; Music video: The Polyphonic Spree, "Light & Day"; Lacuna Infomercial; pocket BLU; and My Scenes. Suggested list price for each Blu-ray is $26.98. You can find the latest specs for 'A Beautiful Mind' and 'Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where they're indexed under January 25.Posted Fri Oct 15, 2010 at 08:00 AM PDT by: -
Artcoustic Intros Modular On-Wall Speakers[teaser]The new speakers are designed to fit your screen thanks to custom baffles. [/teaser] Your television is so large that it dwarfs your on-wall speakers, making them look out of place by comparison. It's the kind of problem you want to have. If you've got the new Arcoustic on-wall speakers, it's not a problem at all. The Modular One is the smallest speaker produced by Artcoustic, at just 9.8 inches by 3.1 inches by 2.1 inches. It may sound great, but it definitely doesn't look good on a wall. That's why Artcoustic offers custom baffles to make the speaker seem larger than it actually is. If you lean more towards concealing your home theater gear, there's an option for you too. Instead of a custom baffle in black, you can get a printed baffle that hides your speakers under a work of art. Pricing starts at $680 for the Modular One and goes up from there for the Modular L+C+R and Modular Cinema. Source: eCousticsPosted Fri Oct 15, 2010 at 07:00 AM PDT by: -
'Vampires Suck' Blu-ray Detailed[teaser]The spoof of 'Twilight' scheduled for a Blu-ray release this November has been fully detailed. [/teaser] As previously reported, 20th Century Fox will release 'Vampires Suck' on Blu-ray on November 30. Sink your teeth into the Extended Bite Me Edition of the hysterically funny spoof, 'Vampires Suck' -- with more outrageous humor and bloody good fun! Becca, an angst-ridden teenager at a new high school, finds herself torn between two supernatural suitors: a moody vampire and an extremely hairy werewolf. From Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer, two of the comedy masterminds who brought you 'Scary Movie,' and co-starring Ken Jeong ('The Hangover'), this laugh-out-loud comedy will leave you howling for more! The Blu-ray will include both the theatrical and unrated cuts of the film in 1080p video, a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 soundtrack, and supplements will include nine deleted scenes, gag reel, trailer, and a digital copy. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $39.99. You can find the latest specs for 'Vampires Suck' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under November 30.Posted Fri Oct 15, 2010 at 06:00 AM PDT by: -
HDD Spotlight Bargain: 'Torchwood' (Seasons 1 & 2) on Blu-ray 58 Percent Off at Amazon[teaser]Amazon's Gold Box Deal of the Day features the 'Doctor Who' spinoff series! [/teaser] The online retailer is now selling 'Torchwood: The Complete First Season' on Blu-ray for $41.99 and 'Torchwood: The Complete Second Season' for $33.99 (58% off suggested retail price). Each Blu-ray set can be purchased here and this offer will only last until midnight PST.Posted Thu Oct 14, 2010 at 01:30 PM PDT by: -
'Austin Powers' Blu-rays Available Separately at Best Buy[teaser]The three films in Mike Myers' spy spoof trilogy will be sold separately on Blu-ray in January, though High-Def Digest Editor in Chief Mike Attebery saw them as Best Buy exclusives yesterday! [/teaser] New Line/Warner has announced 'Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery,' 'Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me,' and 'Austin Powers in Goldmember' for individual Blu-ray releases on January 4, however they've already been spotted at Best Buy. Specs and content will be the same as the previously released 'Austin Powers Collection' box set. Suggested list price for each Blu-ray is $24.98, the prices marked at Best Buy were $22.99. You can find the latest specs for 'Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery,' 'Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me,' and 'Austin Powers in Goldmember' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where they're now indexed under January 4.Posted Thu Oct 14, 2010 at 01:10 PM PDT by: -
'Inception' Announced and Detailed for Blu-ray[teaser]Christopher Nolan's mind-bending smash hit has finally been announced for a high-definition release in early December! [/teaser] Warner Brothers has just revealed the psychological thriller 'Inception' starring Leonardo Dicaprio, Ken Watanbe, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Tom Berenger, and Michael Caine is coming to Blu-ray on December 7. The release will be a Blu-ray/DVD/Digital Copy combo pack with 1080p video, a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 soundtrack, and supplements (all of which appear to be Blu-ray exclusive) will include: Extraction Mode: infiltrate the dreamscape of Inception – with this in-movie experience – to learn how Christopher Nolan, Leonardo DiCaprio and the rest of the cast and crew designed and achieved the movies signature moments; Dreams: Cinema of the Subconscious: taking some of the most fascinating and cutting-edge dream research to-date on lucid dreaming, top scientists make the case that the dream world is not an altered state of consciousness, but a fully functional parallel reality; Inception: The Cobol Job: now in full animation and motion, check out this comic prologue to see how Cobb, Arthur, and Nash came to be enlisted by Cobol Engineering and perform an extraction on Saito; 5.1 Soundtrack selections from Hans Zimmer's score; Conceptual art gallery and promotional art archive; Trailers and TV spots; and BD-Live - Project Somnacin: Confidential Files: get access to the highly secure files that reveal the inception of the dream-share technology. Also beginning on November 15, consumers will be able to receive exclusive movie content on camera-enabled mobile devices via Inception Snap Tags that can be found on 'Inception' advertising materials. Just take a snapshot of the Snap Tag and send the photo via MMS to 95871 (for AT&T, Verizon, and Alltel subscribers) or email it to [email protected] to gain access to exclusive rewards. Each week, new rewards will be offered until December 7, when the final reward will be tied to the Blu-ray release. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $35.99. You can find the latest specs for 'Inception' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under December 7.Posted Thu Oct 14, 2010 at 01:00 PM PDT by: -
'Piranha - 3D' Announced for Blu-ray 3D[teaser]Deadly freshwater fish will be leaping out of TVs at the end of December! [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, it appears Alejandre Aja's 'Piranha - 3D' is coming to the Blu-ray 3D format on December 27. The film is a loose remake of Joe Dante's 'Piranha' already released on Blu-ray as part of Shout Factory's Corman Classics line and stars Elizabeth Shue, Jerry O'Connell, Richard Dreyfuss, and Ving Rhames. Specs and supplements have yet to be revealed, but suggested list price for the 3D Blu-ray is set at $39.95. You can find the latest specs for 'Piranha - 3D' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under December 27.Posted Thu Oct 14, 2010 at 12:50 PM PDT by:
