3D or not 3D

3D is here and looks like it’s going to be cool. I had the opportunity to preview the prototype in Atlanta at CEDIA and it was 1000 times better than the 3D Movies in the recent past. I have to caution you that there is no set format yet and there is the slim possibility that the 3D TVs being produced now are not going to be compatible with the final format when 3D becomes main stream. The Biggest players in the 3D TV market are Samsung and Panasonic. My money is defiantly on Samsung. Samsung just started shipping their 1st true 3D TV models (the new LED UNC7000 series) comes in 46 and 55 inches. The retail price is actually lower than the model it’s replacing and the specs are better (240Hz and 6 million to one contrast ratio (the B7000 is 120Hz and 3 million to one). So for me the UN46C7000 or UN55C700 is a great choice. Their 3D Blu-Ray (BD-C6900) DVD player (coming soon) will be needed to see movies in 3D and TV (ESPN will be in 3D and other channels will follow) the necessary 3D Glasses are also necessary and they are expensive (for now) $150 a pair. The TV also has internet capability for cool Apps like the built in Skype. If you only have wireless internet then you need to buy Samsung’s wireless adapter not included (it looks like a USB stick) and cost $79.

If you’re shopping for a new TV, and want to save money then I would go with the previous model the UN46B7000. The few that are left are selling for much less than the C7000 but you’re giving up the 3D, and better specs.

As soon as the Blu-Ray ships I will add a 55” 3D TV to my Showroom and you are invited to make an appointment to see it for yourself.

I promise it will be impressive!

Is your Installer a true “Technician”?

Webster’s Dictionary defines a technician as:

1. Someone whose occupation involves training in a specific technical process.
   
   
2. Someone known for high skill in some intellectual or artistic technique.

True, for an installer to earn the title "Audio Video Technician" they have to have had the proper training and field experience. But this alone is not enough to have what it takes to be a true Technician. An artist knows his work inside and out, he doesn’t just know how to make it work, he knows how and why it works. In other words, a trained installer knows how to connect the equipment (he is installing) so that the end result is a working system. But with the knowledge of how the equipment works, the “true Technician” has the talent to easily diagnose a problem when it arises and can correct it on the spot.
There is great value in having a True Technician working on your system

You know what you want. So just go out and buy it, right?

It’s easy. You know exactly what you want, a big TV with a great picture and awesome sound that puts you right in the movie or game. So all you need to do now is go to the store get a great deal on that hot new 1080p model the sales guy tells you all about. Then pick up that complete 5.1 home theater package that includes every thing you need even comes with a built in DVD and wireless speakers! The sales guy tells you how easy it is to setup, just a few plugs and your on your way.

OK so now you get it home, it takes a wile and it’s not nearly as easy as you thought but you have it unpacked and you’re pretty sure it’s all plugged in the right way. Finally the big moment, you can’t wait to see and hear it. After you find what remote to use you turn it on and figure out how get all the settings and inputs right. You turn it on, sit back in your favorite couch, put up your feet and you’re ready to enjoy!

For some reason your not satisfied. It’s not what you had envisioned. The TV was supposed to be on the wall and why am I seeing all of those wires and boxes of equipment there? Why is the picture not as good as it was in the store? The sound isn’t so impressive. To make maters worse everyone in your family is not at all happy about all the remotes they need to use. And you’re hearing things like “the old TV was so much easier. Tell me again why we had to change it”

Now you’re asking your self (where did I go wrong?). I guess this is the way it is, this is how the TV should look and how it should operate. You must have hyped it up in your mind. It’s just a TV after all.

The truth (in this not so exaggerated tale) is you simply got bad advice. Whether that advice came from your friend, coworker, cousin or the sales man is not important.

Here is what you should have experienced………

You know what you want. So just call us for guidance, unselfish advice and all the help you need every step of the way, in fact there are no steps for you, we do it all.

We will look at your room because every room and environment is different and therefore plays apart on how your new system will look and sound. You won’t be sold a “package” system but rather a system that is designed based on what we learn from speaking to you, finding out your expectations so that we can deliver a system that will exceed them.

You will work with the same person continually and that same person will be the one installing your new system. When he is done you’re left with a spotless wire and clutter free installation. The job goes flawlessly. The TV is mounted cleanly on the wall the speakers are barley visible. The sound blows you away even when it’s not playing loudly it sounds fantastic. You have a new blu-ray DVD player with its stunning picture that takes full advantage of what your 1080p Flat screen TV can do. Best of all you have one remote and you barley have to show anyone how to use it.

The ironic part is that it wasn’t as expensive as you thought and you have no regrets about spending money on what you wanted. It was worth every penny.

I’m on call!

Let’s say its Sunday and you’re having a big holiday party at your house. You are excited to use your whole house music system. You walk up to the keypad on your kitchen wall, press play and nothing happens. Or its 10:00PM, you just sat down to watch that new DVD you just got and you forgot what button to push on your remote.

These are just two of many scenarios that my clients have called me with in the past. Fortunately for them I am just a phone call away! I am on call for my clients 24/7. All they have to do is give me a call and (in most cases) I can walk them through a few quick steps and they are back in business.

And best of all, I answer the phone, not some automated computer asking you to enter endless numeric prompts wile waiting on hold forever. If for some reason I can’t answer the call my clients know that they can simply leave me a voice mail and I return there call right away.

In today’s age of communication and technology, you would think it would be easy to reach the person you want. My clients are never more than a phone call away from my help. You may think you would have to pay more for service like this. Not true, my customer’s still pay the same price they would at the big box stores but get the service they deserve!

Do you have a coffee table full of remotes?

Remotes (or clickers) as some of my clients call them are the heart of your entertainment system. Today they can do anything from turning on your lights to opening your blinds. But having all these remote can be confusing if not out right annoying.

A simple task like watching a DVD can involve up to 3 remotes. You need to turn on your TV, turn on your DVD player, and turn on your surround sound receiver. You’re not done yet, now you need to make sure your TV is in the proper input and your surround sound receiver is set to “DVD”. Ok now it’s all on, but what remote do you use for the volume? What if you need to pause the movie, then what remote do you use?

What if I told you that you can do all of this with one remote? And better yet you can turn everything on with the touch of one button! No, you don’t need to be “technically savvy”. There are many universal remotes on the market today that are very simple to use and you won’t need hours of training or even need to read a single page of an owner’s manual to know how to use it.

“It’s all in the programming” One think to know is that a universal remote is only as good as the programmer. If a universal remote is complicated to use then its not solving your problem. A remote that is programmed properly is very intuitive, it just makes sense. How you use it should feel natural. I recommend a remote that does not require you to aim at what you’re controlling, like your traditional IR (inferred) remote. Instead you should opt for one that works over radio frequency (RF) this makes it easier because you won’t miss or have to rapidly hit a button to get a command to work.

The true test of a good remote is when you have someone else using your system. If you can simply hand them the remote and they can use it without any instruction, then you have a great remote. I have tested many of the most popular remotes available today. The remotes that if feel work the best are the ones that can run your system without you having to know what components are on and what input they are in. The touch screen remotes are “cool” and flashy but can be complicated to operate; having to change pages and look for a button can be frustrating, look for a remote that has a simple lay out of easy to find buttons. The remote I most often recommend is made by a company called (surprisingly enough) Universal Remote. They keep their remotes simple yet effective. The most popular remote in their line is the MX-900. It can make even the most advanced system user friendly.

Remember you have invested a lot in your new entertainment system and you should be able to enjoy it with ease.

Happy Clicking!