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Q Is the HDMI plug for HDTV like a USB plug?
A No, it has numerous conductors and is much different, although it
is shaped the same.
T
Q Recently I read that digital coax cables provide
better bandwidth and better overall fidelity over optical cables. What are your
thoughts on this and how big of a difference do you feel it really makes?
A Digital coax will pass
24/192, while Toslink optical appears to be limited to 24/96. We will test this
at some point. Note that optical vs. coax differences have more to do with the
interfaces than the cable or method. Current S/PDIF is (or was recently) limited
to 24/96 on a single cable, though the cable itself can support far greater
bandwidth. I believe AES/EBU can do 24/96 on a single cable, be it coax or
balanced pair. Toslink's limitation is the LED on the output, which is limited
in bandwidth. Single mode glass fiber, used for networking, can support
bandwidth far greater than any electrical transmission standard. However,
Toslink is far from that, and is a mediocre optical transmission setup.
T
Q Why are the universal DVD
players so expensive? Isn't it just a different decoding chip?
A All new technology is
expensive for a time. By the end of this year (2003), we should see very
affordable universal DVD players (DVD-V, DVD-A, SACD), probably in the $200
range. The manufacturers are putting universal chips in all their future
products, it seems. However, the most important issue will be digital
transmission from the player to the receiver, and this is where DVI and HDMI
come in. Look for these connectors on DVD players, also towards the end of 2003.
This will eliminate the need for that set of 5.1 analog cables from the player
to the receiver, and also will allow digital video signals to be sent to the TV
without having to be converted to analog signals first.
T
Q I want to invest in home
theater products but am confused about all the 7.1 products out there. What
sources are in 7.1?
A No sources are in 7.1.
The extra channels are synthesized from the existing 5.1. In the case of THX EX
and DTS Discrete ES, it is just a sixth channel. There is no seventh channel
that is part of the sound track. 7.1 is a way of adding ambience to the surround
sound in between the front speakers and the rear speakers. To set it up
properly, you need two direct radiating speakers on the sides and two
bipolar/dipolar speakers in the rear.
T
Q Would you please suggest a few different specific
HDTVs that you would recommend for LCD, CRT and Plasma?
A Since DVI and HDMI are very
important, and will not be fully implemented into all the product lines for
several more months, wait
until Fall, 2003, and ask the question again. Also, note that D-ILA and LCOS are
really just variations on LCD, but are trademark names for the specific
companies that sell them. There are at least two big screen rear projection LCD
TVs that will be hitting the market shortly which have 1280 x 1920 panels,
for true, complete HDTV. Those are worth waiting for.
T
Q I have a two-channel stereo
audio system with floor-standing speakers. Since they are full range, do I still
need a subwoofer?
A Yes, I would suggest getting a subwoofer. "Full
range" floor-standing speakers are not really full range since none that we have
ever tested are flat to 20 Hz. Only a subwoofer does that.
T
Q I have 32" Panasonic Pro Logic TV and Sony DVD
player. I am looking to upgrade to a home cinema DVD player to play through my
existing TV. Any recommendations, and also what should I do with my existing TV
surround speakers?
A I assume you want to do this to save space.
Apparently, also, your TV is not progressive scan. My guess here is that you
really don't need to buy a new DVD player.
T
Q What are the advantages of waiting for HDMI as
opposed to just getting an HDTV now, with DVI?
A HDMI will carry the digital audio signal along
with the digital video signal. If you only have DVI, you need another route to
carry the audio, such as a digital coax cable or Toslink optical. HDMI will
carry many channels of uncompressed 24/192 digital audio, so it is worth waiting
for. It has enormous bandwidth.
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