By Liam Peters

Why have 2 dimensions when you can have 3? That is the simple message and proposition consumer electronics giants like Sony, Samsung and Panasonic are preaching to consumers who have shelled out significant cash to upgrade to a flat panel LCD, LED or Plasma TV.

The most obvious drawback to 3D television is the need to wear 3D glasses, in a classic maneuver the electrical giants have developed different formats of 3D, and guess what each format will require unique 3D glasses. So if you buy a 3D Sony for your living room and you want to enjoy the benefits of 3D in another room you will have to buy Sony or buy a new set of 3D glasses. With a typical pair costing £99 the Japanese executives must be rubbing their hands in delight, not only will consumers have to pay a stiff premium for extra glasses, household warfare between children will probably create the need for replacements.

However, it has come to light that the technologies used by some companies are so similar a degree of compatibility exists, Panasonic and Samsung’s technologies are so similar that if you wear the glasses upside down they will provide the full benefits of 3D TV technology. This highlights just how greedy the manufacturers have been when they could have easily agreed on a standard format, clearly fear of outrageous profit margins being slashed they have developed individual 3D formats. They made this “mistake” with cantilever TV stands for LCD TV’s with the VESA bracket format, almost every flat panel TV has mount bracket spacing in the same place meaning that third party manufacturers were able to produce and sell similar products for a fraction of the price.

So how will this affect the growth of 3D TV, with tough financial conditions throughout the vast majority of the world market conditions look bleak for such a lavish innovation. However the benefits of 3D are very real and the potential for movies, sport and gaming is arguably much more promising than high definition technology which clearly has taken off now.

3D is being supported with most cinemas offering 2D and 3D versions of the blockbusters. Additionally SKY have got behind 3D and are heavily investing. Brand new 3D blu ray players are on the way and expected to be released in 2010. As son as the games consoles inevitably jump on board maybe 3D will have enough momentum to successfully penetrate the mass market, unfortunately we will all have to pay horrific premiums on 3D glasses until a standard format is agreed.

About the Author

Liam Peters is an expert in the field of consumer electronics, he has wide industry experience matched by a technical understanding. Currently Liam is working at Big AV an e-commerce website specializing in TV Stands. His wide understanding of new technologies provides insight into future market developments.

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By Peter Nisbet

Why is it better to rent movies online than to buy them? In today’s age of cheap supermarket DVD prices is better to purchase your movies or are online movie rentals the better deal?

1. Once you have purchased a movie and then watched it, what do you do with it? Retain it in your ‘video library’ for future viewing? But will you? By the time most people watch videos twice it has already been screened on TV and you could then record it free of charge: so where is the benefit other than for your first viewing? Online movie rental allows you to watch a Blu-ray or DVD movie at home immediately it has been released on video and then replace with another movie – something you cannot do if you purchase the movie.

2. When renting for the price of just one movie each month you can choose three in your own home at any time and change them as frequently as you want. In theory, it is possible to view about thirty rented movies for the same price as you would pay to buy just one. Not that it would be possible for you to view a movie a day – or would you? If you are housebound 24/7 then perhaps you would welcome this opportunity. It is something to think about.

So these are the two major reasons to rent movies online rather than buy them, although there are many other reasons for doing so. Among these is the large choice of movies you have with an online video rental site, and generally a lot more than you would expect to find in any offline video rental store. An additional, and very important benefit, is that you would be enabled to make advanced bookings of videos of any newly released movies. According to where you are in the queue, you would be provided with these videos in your next order.

Another benefit is connected with the great classic movies, such as ‘The African Queen’ and many of the Charlie Chaplin movies, that is one of the main reason for some movie buffs joining online movie rental sites. Many of these older movies are difficult to purchase online in good condition, and this can be a major benefit.

Other benefits such as being able to search for any movie you want by means of title, actor or genre, and having free self-addressed envelopes back for your video returns are added bonuses, but all in all, there appears to be few arguments against renting or in favor of purchasing DVDs. You can not only rent standard DVDs, but also Blu-ray discs, so if you rent movies online you are likely making the better decision.

About the Author

Further information on the benefits of online movie rentals are available on Pete’s website http://www.blogging-profit.com/rent-dvd-movies-online.html where you find how you will benefit if you Rent DVD Movies Online rather than purchase them.

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By Jon Jacobson

There are many people who are still stuck in the dark ages in terms of television programming and don’t even have high definition television. For those of you who still don’t have high definition television, you will need to brace yourself for the next revolution in television which will be the 3d television programming. You will need a satellite television subscription and a special television set to receive the latest features in television technology. There are now more than 100 channels that are broadcast in high definition with hundreds more on the way, so if you have yet to experience HD, then you should start doing so today.

Three dimensional programming has been around for a while, but just recently there has been a resurgence in popularity, primarily brought on by movies in the movie theaters. 3D movies have become much more common compared to what they previously were. Earlier, the only place to experience the intense effects of 3D movies were at the large theme parks like Disney World, and Universal Studios. These parks also offered other physical effects, such as moving seats, to make the experience even more powerful. Most movie theaters do not have these special features, but watching a movie in 3D on the big screen can enhance the experience.

You can now bring the 3D big screen into your home living room with newly designed televisions from international companies like Sony and Samsung. To experience three dimensional television or movies, the viewer needs special glasses that change the way the eyes see the movement of the picture. Typically the glasses come with one red lens and one blue lens. More often than not, the 3D glasses are made of card board and plastic and needless to say they are uncomfortable. As a result of being cheaply made and disposable, the glasses can tear easily and the user often needs to push the glasses back into place.

These television companies have designed special glasses that will share a style similar to sunglasses. They will no longer need the multicolored lenses, and they will comfortable stay on the users face. These electronic companies are going to be dependent on the cable and satellite companies to bring the 3D television programming to their subscribers. Just as the satellite and cable companies have rushed to meet the demand for high definition television, they will do the same to accommodate subscribers with 3D televisions.

Initially the cost of a High Definition television was extreme, but the prices quickly dropped with the increased demand. At first there were only a few channels available in high definition, but now there are 150 and counting in just the span of a few years. The first 3D televisions will be a little pricey, but just like the HD televisions the price will come down quickly as satellite broadcasters quickly offer more and more programming for 3D televisions. Watching sports in high definition is incredible, so just imagine the unbelievable feeling of watching a professional sporting event in three dimensions. In the near future, many satellite television subscribers will have this feature available.

About the Author

Get ready to watch the 2010 World Cup in 3D with a subscription to direct tv A subscription to satellite tv will provide you with the best television programming in both 2D and 3D.

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By Gilford Blankenship

3D Television

Did you get to check out “Avatar, ” 2009’s spectacular blockbuster? If you did, then you’re likely among those people that were awestruck by the wonderful technology that James Cameron utilized in making this film. But beyond its awesomeness, what makes this flick so outstanding is that it has made 3D TV once more a buzz word in the home entertainment industry.

Does this mean that 3D television has become the future of home entertainment and a vision of this future is now upon us? The reply to this question is a definite “Yes. ” With more and more television and electronic makers showcasing their first-generation 3D TV offerings since the 2010 Consumer Electronics Show, we will be able to really now say that the future of home entertainment is making a good progress.

Not A Newfangled idea

It isn’t like the idea of 3D television is a new concept, at any rate. Any colleague of the engineering and design crew or ETD of any television maker can tell you the idea for 3D TV has been around since the 1950s. It just didn’t catch on as fast with the general public as stereo and surround sound did.

But thanks to “Avatar ” and similar 3D movies released in recent times, the idea is quickly catching on. Many consumers all around the planet are getting interested in copying the 3D picture theater experience right in their own living rooms and home theaters. Television manufacturers are busy stokingthat interest by offering their present interpretations of the 3D TV system.

That is not to assume that the 3D TV concept does not have its share of dissenters. Just as viewing TV on 3D is slowly gaining a devout fan base globally so are the ones that think that this trend is nothing less than merely a profit-making fad started by TV makers. Still, 3D TV is part of the way forward for home entertainment and nobody can dispute that the future is occurring now.

About the Author

For information about DVD recorders HDD, check out this article: DVD Recorders HDD. You will also find links to articles about various manufacturers of DVD recorders at http://DVDRecordersHDD.com.

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By John Lenihan

A white paper about high definition videography

Different types of HD

If you have recently been shopping for a High Definition Television, you know that there are a lot of specifications and numbers that are in use today. When high definition was agreed upon by the technical committees, they defined more than one standard for high definition. This was useful because the technology initially could not reach the highest level.

The TV display is made up of color dots called picture elements, shortened to pixels, arranged in a grid. Standard definition TV has 740 pixels across and 480 pixels down. These are refreshed 30 times per second (a slight simplification for now).

HD definition can be any one of the following:
1. 1280 x 720 HD (also called HDV)
2. 1440 x 1080 HD ( also called HDV)
3. 1920 x 1080 HD (also called True HD)

If we multiply the horizontal times the vertical, then divide by 1000, we can get the number of megapixels for each type.

1. 720 x 480 = 0.35 megapixels SD
2. 1280 x 720 = 0.9 megapixels HDV<br. 3. 1440 x 1080 = 1.5 megapixels HDV
4. 1920 x 1080 = 2.1 megapixels True HD

Compared to Standard Def of 740 x 480, HDV is either 3 or 4 times more detailed.

The 1920 is the best HD with 2.1 megapixels. This is 6 times the detail of standard definition.

Videographers who have purchased HD cameras in the last five years are using one of the two HDV standards above. That is 1280 x 720 or 1440 x 1080. Your TV automatically stretches the pixels to fit your screen, so you may not notice the lower detail right away. But if you saw them next to each other, you would notice it in a minute.

Increased camera requirements for HD

Filming in HD presents three new challenges to any serious videographer who is already very good at standard definition videography. These are depth of field, focus sensitivity, and low light performance.

1. Depth of Field- Because there are more pixels in HD, more things in the scene are visible to the viewer. This is wonderful for the things that you want to see. However, sometimes there is a person in the background walking that you wish was not there. With most cameras, there is not much that can be done. With the best cameras, one can adjust the depth of field to make the background go out of focus, and leaves the subject in focus. This way the viewer’s attention is held.

2. Focus Sensitivity – Because more details are present, if the automatic focus settles on the wrong subject in the scene, it is far more distracting than back in the standard definition days. With most cameras, it is hard to catch that type of thing looking at a relatively small view finder. With the best cameras, one can press a button to accentuate the focus so it becomes easier to spot and then manually adjust the focus.

3. Low Light Performance – Because the light coming into the camera has to be shared with more pixels, it is hard for most HD cameras to work in low light. For sports and interviews, this is not a problem because the lights can be turned up. For weddings and receptions the videographer doesn’t have the option of turning up the lights, so the low light video looks grainy and muddy. The best cameras, ones produced since about January 2009, have new technology sensors which are able to deal with the low light and produce low light video in real life situations.

Blu-ray equipment is required to deliver HD

Standard DVD discs and standard DVD players only know how to play 740 x 480 standard definition video. Blu-ray players know how to play all the variations of high definition plus standard definition.

Some videographers advertise that filming in HD is either free or only an extra $100 per camera. However, the fine print describes how much more you have to pay if you want the end product to be delivered on a Blu-ray disc. If the final video is delivered on a standard DVD, then the video had to be down converted to standard definition. To record in HD only to down convert it to SD is a waste. Because of the three problems listed in the Increased camera requirements for HD above, chances are you will end up with worse than just recording in straight SD from the beginning.

About the Author

John is the owner of LeniCam Video Productions, a Dallas, TX area professional video company, specializing in HD quality video production. Contact us for all of your Dallas wedding videography needs.

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