How To Gain The Best Price Possible When Shopping For Home Theatre Products.
Home theatre is the most competitive area in all retail sales. The associated profit margins can be extremely low on the big name high value products,
(1% - 10% profit margins). This is the reason why so many no-name or generic based brands have started to hit the market in such a big way. The so called no-name brand is where the real profit is for a retail store, (20% - 40% profit margins). So if you are going to buy this no name type of item you will need to first do your research, get online and check out the home theatre and sound product forums, gain good reliable feedback and if the results are just right for your needs, start shopping around for the very best price you can get. There is good news however when it comes to the floor stock age of a big brand name product, the older it is the cheaper it will always get, to a point when it will even be sold well below product cost.
Home Theatre covers a huge variety of products below is just a small sample of what products are available in this whole retail product area.
- Audio Video Products for Home Theater
- Ceiling Mounts for Projectors
- Home Theater Audio Video Cables
- Plasma Televisions and Plasma TV
- Rear Projection DLP & LCD TV's
- Video Scalers, Line Doublers and Quadruplers
- IR Remote Control Extenders
- Home Theater Audio Video Receivers, Amplifiers
- HDTV Receivers, TV Antennas, Satellite Dishes
- Power Conditioners and Surge Protectors
- Audio and Video Switchers
- DVD Players and Recorders
- Video Calibration Products and DVD
- Lighting, Signs, Decor & Carpeting
- Velour Rope, Posts, and Wall Plates
- Floor Pillows, Throw Pillows, and Blankets
- Signage - Sound System Logos and Marquees
- Wall Art and Wall Paper Border
- Classic Paintings in Film History
- Popcorn Machines and Popcorn Supplies
- Concession Stands, Candy Cases & Ticket Booth
- Cotton Candy Machines and Supplies
As you can see there are a lot of products available so we will just concentrate today on the main product that customers are very interested in and this is the topic of Television Screen Technology.
- If you are after information about any of the other Home Theatre Products listed above. Here is a very valuable information link which will answer all of your questions. http://hometheater.about.com/
And here is a free ebook about Home Theatre Design and Construction. (Simply Right Click & Save On The Link Below)
With so many types of TV screens available on the market it is important that you know exactly what you are buying and just how well it is going to suit your own needs. Go to a retail electronics store and view all the screens that are available and simply see which TV screen type most appeals to you. Research is absolutely important before making any real TV screen buying decisions, because then you will be making an informed purchase. I will say it again always learn before you buy, because then you will always purchase exactly the product that you want, not just the product that the salesman wants to sell to you.
Here is a link to a complete information resource of all the different tv screen types that are available. Just follow the associated links provided to find all the information you will need.
Cabling, accessories, warranties and generic products are fast becoming the lifeblood of home theatre sales. Without these type of items to boost sales profit margins, to cover up the low margins in the high-end brand name products, I doubt that it would even be profitable to bother selling home theatre in the first place. (New brand name TV screens generally sell with a 1% to 10% margin.) So remember Cabling, accessories, warranties and generic products are all the high mark up items, so you should be shopping around so that you can gain the best possible price on these type of products. And once you have found that best price, you will always need to negotiate that price even further, by simply pushing for and getting a further discounted price.
Value Tips:
- You may need to have a little patience. If a retail store cannot turn a new screen over quickly then the price really starts to drop dramatically. I have seen screens sold for $2000 under cost. Why?, simply because it is 6 months old.
- Never Ever pay marked retail product prices for cables or connections. (50% - 1000% profit margins)
- Plasma televisions do have a shorter lifespan than other types of televisions and the gasses inside them cannot be replaced. Once these have deteriorated you will have to buy another television.
- It may be tempting to buy a cheap television that is not HDTV capable. But in the future you're probably going to want access to this exciting technology and by trying to save money now, you could lead yourself to extra costs down the track.
- Home theatre installation can be tricky, so you may need to pay a professional to set it all up for you. Most retail stores have contractors that can set the system up for you, so if you buy everything from the same retailer, you should be able to negotiate the installation for a lesser price or even free.
- CRT TVs are the oldest television technology and as such are the best value for money. They still look good and they can be bought very cheaply.
- If you really want a flat screen television, remember the price of both plasma and LCD televisions has really dropped in recent years. Never buy beyond your requirements, however, remember a massive flat screen and a powerful speaker system will simply overwhelm a small room.
- And if you are already satisfied with your current television. Maybe you should just focus your home theatre dream on creating a sound system that will enhance the television you already have.
The best and simplest advice I can ever give you on home theatre, is for you to just simply view these technology products for yourself and start doing your homework. Home theatre products are both extremely visual and audial and really require you to see and/or hear exactly what you like for yourself.
I have also provided quite a bit of information below as a real guidepoint for you to start your own research about this topic.
How To Choose The Best For Your
Home Theater System.
Watching movies is a neat escape from the stressful lifestyle we live.
Watching movies in widescreen and surround sound can take you far away and right into the movie scene you are watching. You can really watch it as if you were right there. In the past we have only been able to experience this visual and audial feast in cinemas. However, new technology has been able to deliver this same sight and sound experience right into your own living room. We will discuss the basic components of a home theater system in this article. Read on to understand how these basic components can deliver the best cinematic experience to a home theater system.
Home theater experts state that the most important consideration in setting up a home theater system is the size of the room where you will be setting it up. The most important component of the home theater system, which is the television, is dependent on the size of the room. Although, the recommendation is a 27 inch television at a bare minimum for a good home theatre set up. It is also recommended that a flat television is good for a home theater system because it exhibits fewer glares and produces a much crisper image. Another major component of a home theater system that depends on the size of the room is the speaker. The number of speakers for your home theater system is also dependent on the size of the room. You may add up to six speakers from the basic three speakers if you want a more lifelike sound. Adding a subwoofer may also be good to achieve a complete surround sound feel just like in movie theaters. Three speakers should be the bare minimum; but you may go up to six if the room is big.
Another major want for your home theater system is a good DVD player. It is a recommendation that DVD players with progressive scan are the best choice. This is because progressive scan produces sharp and flicker-free pictures. This however points back to the choice of television unit; you may need to check if the flat television set supports progressive scan signals. You may also acquire a five-disk carrousel DVD player. This will avoid having to stand up from your seat to change discs every so often. A minor consideration is the power rating that will determine how loud your speaker can be. Of course, almost all these depend on the size of the room to where the home theater system is going to be set up.
So What Does All That Confusing Home Theatre Terminology Really Mean?
The Glossary Of Important Terms:
A
- AC-3: Also known as Dolby Digital, it is a 5.1 channel sound system meant for HDTV. It provides CD-quality digital audio, sub-woofer, low frequency effect and five full bandwidth channels for front left, front right, center, surround left and surround right speakers.
- ATSC: Advanced Television Systems Committee that is responsible for developing and establishing Digital-HDTV Standards, as well as all formats of Digital TV.
- A/D: This is the analog to digital conversion or converter used at the transmission end of broadcasting.
- Addressable Resolution: It is the highest resolution signal that a display device like a monitor or a TV can accept. Although it may receive the resolution signal, the device may not be able to display it.
- Analog TV: It is the NTSC standard for traditional television broadcast. Analog signal vary continuously representing fluctuations in color and brightness.
- Artifacts: Refer to unwanted visual images caused due to disturbances in transmission or image processing. They are referred to as hanging dots’ or ‘edge crawl’ in analog pictures, and ‘pixelation’ in digital pictures.
- Aspect Ratio: It refers to a width of a picture in relation to its height. The 4:3 aspect ratio means the picture is 4 feet wide and 3 feet high. HDTV has a 16:9 aspect ratio.
- ATV: A term used to refer to the advances and development of a digital television, now referred to as DTV.
B
- Bandwidth: It refers to a range of frequencies to transmit information such as audio or video. The FCC has allocated 6 MHz for each channel. For a DTV the maximum bit rate possible within a bandwidth is 19.4Mbps, which can accommodate 1 HDTV channel.
- Bit Rate: It is used to express the rate at which data is transmitted or processes and measured as bits per second. The higher the bit rates the higher the pictures resolution.
C
- Channel: It is the 6MHz section of a broadcasting spectrum allocated for one analog NTSC transmission.
- Component (HD) Video Connection: It refers to the output of a HDTV set-top box or the input of a HDTV monitor or receiver.
- Composite Video: It includes vertical and horizontal synchronizing Information in an analog encoded video signal. Since brightness and color signal are encoded together, a single connection wire is sufficient such as a RCA cable.
- Contrast ratio refers to the brightest and darkest light values a display can produce at the same time.
- Compression: It refers to the method of electronically reducing the number of bits required to store or transmit data within a specified time or space. MPEG2 is the compression method adopted by DTV.
D
- D/A: Refers to the conversion of digital signals to analog signals. A D/A converter is used to convert and decode digital signals to analog signals.
- DBS: Digital Broadcasting Satellite refers to digital TV transmission through satellite.
- DLP: Digital light processing is based on a Digital Micro-Mirror device {DMD}. It is a chip with microscopic mirrors attached to it. Red, Blue and green light filtered through a colored wheel are directed at the DMD which switches on and off up to 5,000 times a second. The reflected light is directed to a lens and onto a screen, creating an image. HDTV use 3 chips each for red, blue and green colors.
- Dolby Digital: Means the same as AC3.
- Down Convert: With regards to DTV refers to the conversion of a higher resolution input signal to a lower one. Some DTV receivers can down convert HDTV signals to those that any TV can transmit.
- DTCP: Digital Transmission Copy Protection of a HDTV is otherwise referred to as the 5C.
- DTLA: Digital Transmission Licensing Administrator is the licensing organization for the 5C DTCP HDTV copy-protection technology.
- DTS: Digital Theater Systems sound similar to a Dolby Digital system, used in movie theaters and DVD.
- DVI: Digital Visual Interface is a high-bandwidth video connection that carries digitized RGB picture information and can support copy-protection methods.
- D-VHS: Digital-Video Home System capable of recording HDTV, manufactured by Mitsubishi and JVC.
- DVR: Digital video recorder is a TV recorder and it can record an entire series or programming defined by keywords, genre, or personnel. It offers pause control over ‘live’ broadcasts and is also called personal video recorder (PVR) or hard disk video recorder.
E
- EPG: Electronic program guide is an on-screen display of channels and program data.
- Enhanced-definition displays are better than standard-definition for 480p content such as that from progressive-scan DVD players.
F
- Frequency: It refers to the number of times per second that a signal fluctuates. Television is broadcast in frequencies ranging from 54 MHz to 216 MHz (VHF) and 470 MHz to 806 MHz (UHF).
H
- HDTV: High Definition Television has twice the horizontal and vertical resolution of a normal NTSC TV; therefore the picture is twice as clear and sharp. HDTV offers reduced motion artifacts and offers 5.1 independent channels of Dolby Digital Quality.
- HDCP: High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection to be used in conjunction with DVI and HDMI connections.
- HDMI: High-Definition Multimedia Interface that is like an USB that can transmit uncompressed digital audio and video signals.
- HD-DVD: High-definition digital videodisc has several formats including Blu-ray.
I
- IEEE 1394 Fire Wire: It is a digital interface that can transport data at 100, 200, or 400 Mbps. It can be used to connect digital television devices together.
- Interactive Television: This TV will enable the viewer to interact with the TV programs, combining normal TV viewing with the interactivity of a personal computer.
- Interlaced Scanning: Refers to the process of re-assembling a picture from a series of electrical video signals.
- I/O: Refers to the input/output or sending information or data signals to and from devices.
- ISDN: Integrated Services Digital Network enables transmission of data at high speeds, Basic Rate of 64 Kb/sec up to a Primary Rate of 2 Mbps, using a telephone line.
L
- LCD: Liquid Crystal Display television or monitor uses liquid crystals that behave like "shutters" within the television screen. LCD monitors typically only display video signals in a progressive scan format, do not use phosphors and are not susceptible to screen burn.
- Line Doubling: It refers to the method of presenting wide screen images on a standard screen television.
- Lossy compression: It refers to the reduction of data by discarding data that is not important. Both audio and video for DTV use this method.
- Luminance: Refers to the component in video signals providing information about its brightness.
M
- Megabyte: Refers to 1000 kb or kilobytes.
- Modem: It is used to transform a typical two-level computer signal into a form suitable for transmission over a telephone line and vice versa.
- MPEG: It is the Compression standards for moving images advanced by the Motion Pictures Expert Group {MPEG}.
- MPEG-2: It is the compression used by the ATSC and DVB standards.
N
- NTSC: National Television System Committee standard combines blue, red, and green signals modulated as an AM signal with an FM signal for audio.
P
- PAL: Phase Alternate Line is the television broadcast standard in Europe and parts of Asia. PAL signals have 25 frames per second, making them incompatible with NTSC TV.
- Pan and Scan: Refers to the method by which an original wide screen picture is cropped to fit a conventional TV, some times resulting in critical loss of details.
- Parallel cable: Refers to a multi-conductor cable carrying simultaneous transmission of digital data bits.
- Parallel data: Transmission of data bits through a collection of wires called a bus.
- Parallel digital: It is a Digital video interface that utilizes twisted pair wiring and 25-pin d connectors to transmit bits of a digital video signal in parallel.
- PCM: Pulse code modulation refers to the method by which sounds are reproduced by modulating the playback rate and amplitude of the sampled digital pulses.
- Pillar-box: When conventional TV images are made to fit a wide screen causing the picture to display black bars on both the sides of the picture.
- Pixel: This is short form of referring to Picture cell or Picture element. HDTV Pixels are virtually square-shaped and fairly smaller.
- Progressive Scan: Method by which all, horizontal scan lines are scanned on to the screen at the same time.
- Protocol: Set of rules defining exchange of data including items such as timing, format, sequencing, error checking, etc.
- PSIP: Program and System Information Protocol enables a DTV receiver to identify program information from a station and use it to create easy-to-recognize electronic program guides for the viewer.
- Plasma Display: A Plasma TV display makes use of numerous embedded cells to produce a picture. However, plasma pixel-cells deteriorate over time causing the picture quality to diminish significantly.
R
- Resolution: Refers to the measurement of the smallest that is visible in a video image. It is expresses in terms of the number of pixels in an image.
Standard Digital TV Resolutions:
- SDTV: 480i - The picture is 704x480 pixels, sent at 60 interlaced frames per second (30 complete frames per second).
- NTSC-Analog TV: 480p - The picture is 704x480 pixels, sent at 60 complete frames per second.
- HDTV: 720p - The picture is 1280x720 pixels, sent at 60 complete frames per second.
- 1080i - The picture is 1920x1080 pixels, sent at 60 interlaced frames per second (30 complete frames per second).
- 1080p - The picture is 1920x1080 pixels, sent at 60 complete frames per second.
- Return Loss: Refers to the ratio of the signal power transmitted into a system, to the power reflected or returned.
- RGB: Refers to the red, green and blue, the primary colors of television. TV screens have red, green and blue phosphors that are illuminated by red, green and blue guns.
S
- SECAM: Système Electronique Couleur Avec Mémoire (SECAM) is a signal format used in video equipment in France and the former Soviet Union.
- Set-top Box: This is also known as a decoder, receiver or tuner. It is a unit that is capable of receiving and decoding DTV broadcasts.
- Spectrum: Refers to the range of frequencies available for over-the-air transmission.
- SDTV: Standard Definition Television refers to digital transmissions with 480-line resolution, either in interlaced or progressive scanned formats.
- S-Video: Separated video is encoded video signal that separates the brightness from color data.
U
- UHF: Ultra high frequency refers to the range used by TV channels.
- Upconvert: Refers to the conversion of a lower apparent resolution to a higher number.
V
- VHF: Very high frequency refers to the range used by some TV channels.
- VGA: Video graphics array is a high-quality analog connection used mainly for computer based connections.
Y
- Y/Pb/Pr: Refers to an advanced method for interconnecting decoded video data. It is generally used designation for HDTV component type connections.
- Y/U/V or Y/Cr/Cb: Refers to Component" type Digital TV connector/cable. Three wires are used, one wire for "Y"- designates Light or Brightness; one wire is "Cr" - Red; and the last wire is "Cb"- Blue.
And as technology changes so quickly here is some information all about HDTV. It emphasizes the point again that information is king when is comes to buying products, so always do your research thoroughly before you buy.
HDTV's Surging Popularity
This year alone sales of HDTV's is expected to reach 20 million units. In fact, HDTV sales is on track to post a one week record shortly before the Super Bowl, as fans want to be able to enjoy the big game in all of its high-definition glory. HDTV comes in a variety of different prices and sizes. Whether it is DLP, LCD and Plasma. Consumers are confused on what to buy because of their unfamiliarity with this technology.
Studies show that nearly 60% of HDTV buyers are not sure on the difference between LCD, Plasma and Micro Displays. Many HDTV shoppers do take the time to research and still need to be guided on which product is appropriate for their demands and budget.
- HDTV - a new breed of TV that combines the capabilities of a HD-tuner and HD-ready display. Nearly all of the HDTV's being sold on the market today use the 16:9 widescreen aspect ratio. And a HDTV tuner can receive both analog and digital broadcasts over-the-air.
- HD compatible TV- only composes the high-resolution display. And can only accept digital broadcasts if hooked with a separate HDTV tuner. HD-compatible TVs can have the 16:9 widescreen ratio or the square-ish 4:3 aspect ratio.
Starting on HDTV
A recent study by the Consumer Electronics Association indicated that 71% of consumers it has surveyed plan to purchase a HDTV set. However, one reality in the consumer market today is that stores do not have the right number of salespeople that have a good grasp on these new technologies.
Most are more concerned on making a quick sale rather than making it easy for the consumer to understand this new technology. However translating or explaining complicated technology terms is never an easy task.
It's hard enough to explain the difference between HDTV and analog TV and it will be more complicated to clearly tell the difference between HDTV and EDTV.
Would You Like To Find Out
Even More About HDTV?
Then Simply Click The Link Provided Below To Read My Ebook.
And before you go don't forget to also grab yourself a copy of this very highly informative ebook.
* Did You Know These Absolute Facts?
- You will always get the best price when you shop online!
- There are no offline retail technology stores that can compete with online prices!
So Do You Want
The Best Value Online Home Theatre Deals?
If you are in The USA, Australia, Canada, The UK, France, Germany or in just about any other country in the entire world and you just want the best technology prices online then I recommend you visit TigerDirect.
