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Q I recently discovered your website when researching a TV purchase.
I now find myself checking it almost obsessively to catch the next installment
of your DVD Shootout. I just finished your article on SSP which left me with a
burning question:
where are the recommendations? The conclusions section implies that you have
rated several processors but I can’t seem to access that information from the
article itself. If that information is still being organized to be posted at a
later date then a simple “it’s coming” will suffice as a response. If it’s just
that I can’t access it from my particular web browser would you mind e-mailing me
your recommendations? Without those it’s like reaching the end of a mystery
novel and finding that the page detailing who did it has been torn out!
A Now that the SSP Benchmark specs have been published, we have
started publishing SSP Benchmark reviews. The first one is the
Yamaha
RX-Z1. The second one will be published shortly, followed by a few more
before Christmas. We are still getting our feet wet with the SSP Benchmark, so
be patient. Also, see below regarding the Onkyo TX-SR800.
T
Q In one of your previous answers, you indicated
that the optimum height placement for a TV was to have it so that your eyes line
up with the middle of the screen. This is a sound ergonomic approach. However,
some people are wall mounting their Plasma televisions. Doesn't this mean that
these sets are being placed too high? Or does the standard not apply in this
case?
A Although there are
standards for all components, most people set equipment up to suit themselves in
practice, and that is the way it should be. For a wall mounted Plasma that is
for watching DVDs in a home theater, the standard is for the eyes of those in
front to line up with the bottom of the screen. Again though, it is a matter of
convenience and what you prefer. For my home theater, I like to have the
projection screen low so that I don't have to look up, which otherwise causes me
to have neck strain and a headache by the end of the movie.
T
Q I really appreciate your
in-depth product reviews. I was wondering if you were planning on reviewing the
Sanyo Z2 LCD projector? I've been reading a lot of good things about it and
would like your magazine's opinion. Its street price is under $2000, which would
make it the bargain of the century if it's as good as I've read.
A We will get one as soon as
possible, but in the meantime, we feel it has an excellent image quality and
will probably turn out to be a best buy. The problem is that when a new unit
hits the market and is obviously a hot item, it is difficult to get one for
review.
T
Q When movies that are shot
at 2.35:1 and 1.85:1 are converted to HD, aren't the movies being cropped
because HD aspect ratio is 1.78:1? Unless the HD signal contains black bars on
top and bottom of the picture, wouldn't the movies be cut off at the right and
left edge of the film?
A My experiences with
HDTV movie broadcasts are that most of them are shown in their original aspect
ratio, such as 2.35:1 or 1.85:1, which means that there are black bars at the
top and bottom when on a 1.78:1 (16:9) HDTV screen. For some odd reason, an
occasional 2.35:1 movie is shown at 16:9, with no bars at the top or bottom.
This was the case for the recently broadcast Star Wars film. I have to say
though, that HDTV shows movies like we have never seen them before, with
incredible detail. Even DVDs look pitiful next to HDTV. The best HDTV images are
from video taped or live broadcasts, where no film is involved. I suspect this
means that HDTV is approaching the detail limits of the Academy Film Space (the small
area on motion picture film where the image is located). I hope that some of the
old 70mm movies will be shown on HDTV from the original 70mm film rather than
from 35mm copies. They should be spectacular.
T
Q I have a Sony KDP57WS550 HDTV. Why are some
Hi Definition signals shown with black bars on the sides of the image? For
example, I was able to watch the Nascar high def signal on NBC, but it had black
bars on the sides. The picture wasn't as clear as high definition should be. I
know it was the digital NBC channel for my city and my tuner display says it's
HD, but obviously the picture wasn't up to par. What am I missing here? One more
note, I was able to watch other HD signals on that same channel without any
black bars.
A HDTV is in a transition
stage, with most networks having HD, but not all, and the broadcasts are in
different resolutions. Also, the HD channels often broadcast signals that are
what they call "High Resolution" rather than "High Definition". These are
essentially 16:9 and 480p, and which are not high definition. Lastly, some
broadcasts on the HD channels are not even High Resolution. They are scheduled
for the HD channel along with the SD counterpart, and just end up as 4:3. Your
HDTV will up-convert them to 480p or perhaps even 720p or 1080i. They do indeed
look pretty bad. So, it is the programming that is at fault, not your HDTV. The
HDTV channels have a mix of HD and SD material, and it may take 10 years before
everything on all channels is in HDTV, i.e., no more NTSC broadcasts.
T
Q In your SSP Benchmark
Specs, you say that you know of at least one SSP that gets it right. Can you
elaborate on this, as I want to buy one for a Christmas present to someone? Is
it the Outlaw 950?
A The piece we alluded to in the article is the
Anthem AVM-20 2.1
which is 99% there. The only bone of contention we have with them right now is
that they do not offer a choice of 4th order high pass slope (for use with "full
range" speakers). Other than that, I believe they've nailed it.
As for the Outlaw 950, I (Brian Florian) received one for review and subsequently returned it
with extensive notes on what needs to be corrected. We will provide a review
once that is done.
In the price range of the 950 I believe you will find the
Onkyo TX-SR800
receiver (now replaced by the 801) to be as close to our criteria as possible,
and it can be used as an SSP preamp by ignoring its amplifiers and connecting it
to outboard amplification. Against our criteria, it is missing AD conversion of
the multi-channel analog input (for bass management and time alignment), slope
choice (see above), they goofed on their implementation of the Academy Filter
(see review), and there is no EQ for the subwoofer output. I also want to see
them make the headphone more independent and the front panel dim even darker
than it does now (AVM-20 gets both of these perfect).
T
Q I am purchasing a DVD player from Best Buy.
It is an RCA DRC313N. Under the product specs on Best Buys 's website it says it
decodes DD and DTS, but then it says "5.1 audio: no". Is this an error on their
website? Does this player decode DD and DTS but only in two-channel or something
less than 5.1?
A What this means is that the player does not have
a set of 5.1 analog output jacks, so that you would otherwise be able to connect
it to the 5.1 analog input set on a receiver. It also means that it will not
play DVD-A or SACD discs. The digital output jack on the player will send a full
5.1 DD or DTS signal to your receiver for decoding into 5.1 channels.
T
Q I have a good quality non-powered subwoofer from
a stereo system that I want to use as the subwoofer in my home theater. My
receiver has a subwoofer pre-out, but it has to go to a powered sub. Can you
recommend a mono amplifier that I could use to drive my unpowered subwoofer?
A There are lots of mono amps (called monoblocks)
out there, but you will need one that is set up for subs, which includes a
crossover and volume control. Here are some links:
http://www.everythingav.com.au/product.asp?productid=1733
http://www.madisound.com/kgamps.html
http://www.speakercity.com/sub_amp.shtml
http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?DID=7&Product_ID=15985. Get as
much power as you can afford.
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