| Secret #1: WHAT YOU BUY TODAY WILL BE | | | | So, you can't trust what you see in most stores. But |
| OBSOLETE TOMORROW, IF IT ISN'T ALREADY. | | | | wait, there's more. |
| What you should do about it: | | | | 2- Many of the sets are being fed video poorly. A |
| Don't sweat it. Just read what you can before you buy | | | | distribution amp or humungous splitter shares the |
| to educate yourself so you don't make a terrible | | | | picture among the displays. That hurts the picture. A |
| mistake. If you shop wisely, you can get a tremendous | | | | store might have 40 sets on one distribution, but the |
| leap over what you have come to know as television. | | | | ones they really want to move on a purer source, |
| The good news is the better stuff coming down the | | | | showing a better picture. You'll never know. |
| pipe is knocking prices down on the stuff out now. | | | | 3- What you see may or may not be high definition or |
| Plus, consumer surveys SCREAM to the electronics | | | | even good quality. Just as bad, it might be super fidelity |
| companies that people WANT these new, slim, high | | | | you won't likely ever see again. Because, what you |
| resolution Home Theater setups. There are billions of | | | | watch at home might not be broadcast or cablecast |
| dollars to be made. Those surveys snapped the head | | | | with a good picture. So, you can see misaligned sets |
| of every exec in the biz. They geared up to make | | | | fed bad pictures that bear little resemblance to |
| more. "Make more" equals "economies of scale" | | | | anything you'd see at home. Ready to drop several |
| equals "make MORE money," even at lower price | | | | THOUSAND on that? Didn't think so. But tens of |
| points! The first one costs a bazillion dollars: research, | | | | thousands of people do. Probably WILL this weekend. |
| tooling up, marketing. Then, with volume, the cost per | | | | Eager commissioned salespeople will confide that THIS |
| unit plummets. The guys who want to have very latest | | | | unit is the superior one. No hidden agenda there, do |
| get to pay the most. Why be that person? | | | | you think, huh?! |
| If you've already purchased a particular technology - | | | | Secret #3. THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG WITH |
| Plasma, DLP, LCD, front or rear projector, whatever, | | | | EVERYTHING. |
| ENJOY it. It IS important to realize that wide screen | | | | What you should do about it: |
| aspect ratio does not equal high-definition TV, though. | | | | Relax. Don't obsess. It's more a matter of things being |
| Some think if the picture is wide, they're there. That | | | | done different ways by different designers. For |
| might be FAR from there. I hate to say this because | | | | example, on this set, the colors are spot on, but the |
| I'm a guy and guys hate this - you might want to read | | | | resolution is a little off. On that set over there, the |
| the instructions. | | | | resolution is incredible, but the red... You are still going to |
| Secret #2. And this is really, really big: YOU CAN'T | | | | love the setup you buy - and remember - you just |
| TELL WHAT THE PICTURE LOOKS LIKE FROM | | | | might have it for 10 years or MORE! You'll look at it |
| WHAT YOU SEE IN THE STORE. | | | | more than you look at your wife, husband or kids. I'm |
| What you should do about it: | | | | talking face time. Relax. We'll get you through this. |
| What you are doing now. Research. The hard part is | | | | A personal note to THE OBSESSIVES: |
| cutting through the opinions of weenies who want to | | | | If you haven't already left this article, I want you to think |
| see a feather clearly, blowing in the wind at 50 yards. I'll | | | | about the fact that there are millions of screen dots to |
| help you there. Read on. | | | | go wrong. Not that they will, but the 317th one from the |
| There are three reasons why Home Theater Ugly | | | | left and 119th from the bottom IS a little shaky, don't |
| Secret #2 is true. | | | | you think? Time to take a deep breath. One, two, |
| 1- The sets aren't adjusted right. They are turned way | | | | three. Exhale. Even though there's something wrong |
| up to dazzle you. The dazzle will bother you when you | | | | with everything, if you embrace that thought and LET |
| get home. Worse, it drives the set to what you'd call | | | | IT GO you'll be able to enjoy the - uh - big picture. The |
| distortion. The better picture happens when the picture | | | | state of the Home Theater art - even if it IS |
| is turned down in brightness, sharpness, contrast, and | | | | yesterday's art, is very very nice. |
| whatever else has been goosed. Why do they let this | | | | Relax. |
| happen? It's like a conspiracy that everyone is in on - | | | | Why a Home Theater? And what's it MEAN |
| except you. Because when they are all lined up, 40 | | | | anyway? Good questions. A Home Theater is simply |
| sets in a row, the manufacturers know you might think | | | | the natural; evolution of the TV experience. Now that |
| theirs is different and better. But they ALL do it, so it's | | | | we can, we do. It's how it goes. Basically, you get a |
| a wipe. And if a store is a little bit shady, with some | | | | shorter, wider picture (more like a movie in a... theater) |
| hi-def sets to move at a higher profit margin, well, now, | | | | and the picture is much clearer than the TV you sat |
| those might have been "optimized" to look better than | | | | too close to as a kid - remember Mom yelling? And |
| the others. | | | | you can have better sound too. It can be all around |
| Yes, most of the hi-def sets CAN be adjusted | | | | you, or just in the front. You choose. You can have a |
| correctly for you in your home. MAYBE by you. | | | | box that plays the deep notes - fun things like car |
| Did I mention that Bubba the shopper-doofus was | | | | crashes, earthquakes, whale farts, cannons. You get to |
| there, just before you browsed in, that he found the | | | | experience them like never before. It's not essential, but |
| remote control and screwed up all the settings | | | | it's there if you want it. |
| anyway? | | | | |