Hometainment!

Wii-fi: Nintendo Wii is for you and me

2006-09-22T02:48:00.000-07:00

Of the three next-generation videogame consoles, the Nintendo Wii is considered by many to be the most exciting. The Wii will easily be the most affordable of the three when it’s released later this year and at the same time one of the most innovative consoles in a long time.

The essence of Nintendo’s strategy is the belief that videogames have become too complicated for all but the most dedicated gamers. The Wii is designed to appeal to the kind of people who don’t normally play games. Perhaps the biggest attraction will be the amazing Wii remote which is unlike any controller ever seen before. The remote has inbuilt sensors which can sense motion in three dimensions allowing you to play games through natural movements instead of just pressing buttons.

To showcase the remote, the Wii will come bundled with a game called Wii Sports featuring a number of different games which you can play with natural movements: e.g. swinging the remote to play tennis or golf. Despite its strategy of innovation, Nintendo hasn’t forgotten its much loved franchises; one of the most hotly anticipated games of the year is the new Zelda game which will be available on launch.

The skinny on HD-DVD

2006-09-09T01:49:00.000-07:00

Of the two next-generation video formats fighting it out, HD-DVD appears to be less innovative but more affordable and convenient. Like Blu-Ray it’s being developed by a group of electronics companies, this time headed by Toshiba.

HD-DVD uses blue lasers like Blu-Ray but the underlying technology shares some basic features with the DVD. This means that HD-DVD has a simpler manufacturing process which allows for cheaper discs and players though the discs have less capacity per layer (15GB to Blu-Ray’s 25GB). Of course the dual-layer capacity of 30 GB is still massive: more than enough for a full-length movie in high definition along with ample extra features on the same disc. As with Blu-Ray, personal computers are a big, potential market and Toshiba has already released a desktop with an HD-DVD drive.

So far with more than 50 titles, HD-DVD is ahead of Blu-Ray when it comes to video releases. The titles include some fairly popular movies of recent years like the Tom Hanks space epic: “Apollo 13”, “The Last Samurai” with Tom Cruise and the award-winning “Ray”. Trek fans will be pleased to know that the entire Star Trek movie collection will be released on HD-DVD later this year.

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Blu-Ray | HD-DVD

True Blu? Sony's Blu-Ray

2006-09-08T00:53:00.000-07:00

Blu-Ray is one of the two formats competing for the next generation of home video and has been developed by a group of consumer electronics companies spearheaded by Sony.

Of the two formats, Blu-Ray is the bigger technological departure from DVD which means a more complicated manufacturing process but also bigger capacity. Currently a single layer disc stores 25 GB and 50 GB dual-layer discs are also available. The latter can hold 9 hours of high-definition video or 23 hours of regular video. 100 GB and even 200 GB discs are also being developed.

Such enormous storage means that Blu-Ray discs can be used to back up your computer hard drive; Sony laptops and desktops with blu-ray recorders are already available. As camcorders become more common and hard-drives overflow with enormous video files, high-capacity optical discs will become increasingly useful.

However what may determine the fate of Blu-ray is the number of popular titles which are available. So far there are more than 30 titles including the martial arts epic: House of Flying Daggers, the comedy Hitch and the award-winning Crash. A couple of this summer’s blockbusters: Superman Returns and Mission Impossible 3 are due to be released later this year.

The Indian Telly Wars: Cable v DTH?

2006-09-05T23:05:00.000-07:00

Did your cable TV viewing just get a bit more complicated with an alphabet soup of acronyms? CAS? DTH?

In an informative and easy-to-read article on CAS and DTH, Rediff.com gives you the lowdown on the technologies that promise to make your TV viewing cheaper and easier.

The DVD Wars: Blu-Ray versus HD-DVD

2006-09-05T22:34:00.000-07:00

The fight to decide the format that will replace DVD is one of the most intriguing and hotly contested battles in the consumer electronics world. The result will sway the fortunes of giant corporations and shape the home video market for the next decade.

The two contenders are Blu-Ray promoted by Sony and HD-DVD promoted by Toshiba. Both technologies use blue laser and provide discs with over 30GB of storage: more than six times that of a typical DVD. More disk space means higher resolution video which can take better advantage of the capabilities of the latest HDTV televisions.

HD-DVD has been faster off the blocks with its players and video releases and is also cheaper than Blu-Ray: the result of a simpler manufacturing process. Some observers think that these advantages will mean eventual victory just as VHS won over Sony’s Betamax in the video wars of the 80s.

However Sony’s ace up its sleeve is the Playstation 3: its hotly anticipated videogame console which will be released in a few months. The PS3 will be capable of playing blu-ray disks which means millions of homes with blu-ray players just when the format wars start heating up next year.

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Blu-Ray | HD-DVD

A girl's best friend? Plasma TV

2006-08-31T02:28:00.000-07:00

Next time you want to win your girlfriend over after a lover's tiff, buy her a plasma television instead of a diamond necklace.

According to a new study in the US, three in four women would prefer a new plasma television to a diamond necklace.

The study, conducted by Oxygen Network, a cable TV company owned and operated by women, found that women owned on average 6.6 technology devices as opposed to 6.9 devices by men. The survey, aptly titled Girls Gone Wired, also found that 46 per cent of women did their own computer trouble-shooting.

ABC of DVD players

2006-08-28T02:13:00.000-07:00

Compared to televisions and audio systems the DVD player is a relatively humble and inexpensive part of your home theatre. However if you want to get the best possible movie experience it’s important to choose one wisely. Here are a couple of things you should look out for.

Today’s DVD players aren’t just used to play regular DVD’s. You might want to play audio CD’s or your MP3 files or perhaps the home video you burnt on to a CD-ROM. Make sure your player is compatible with as many formats as possible: for instance both MP3 and WMA audio formats, both NTSC and PAL and the multitude of DVD formats: DVD+R, DVD-R, DVD-RW etc.

You should also take a close look at the remote control. You will often be watching movies in the dark and the remote should be easy to handle. The main buttons for stopping and moving forward and backward should be large and well placed and ideally the remote should light up in the dark. Since there are very few controls on the unit itself, the remote also indicates which features are available. Check for features like slow-motion or zoom which aren’t present on all players.

Home theatre receivers

2006-08-27T07:33:00.000-07:00

The receiver is like the brain of your audio-system: gathering and processing the audio-signals and sending them to the various speakers. Choosing the right receiver is very important in building a great home theatre system.

Home theatre receivers are often classified according to the number of speakers they support: e.g. 6.1 receiver supports 6 speakers and a subwoofer. Generally receivers range from 5.1 to 7.1. Make sure your receiver supports the number of speakers you wish to use.

It’s also important to ensure that your receiver is compatible with as many audio formats as possible: like Dolby Digital, DTS and Dolby Pro Logic. Though it’s not an audio format, THX certification is also highly desirable. THX is the technology used in top-notch theatre sound systems and THX certification means that your receiver is able to recreate an authentic theatre-like experience in your living room.

Home theatres also come with various special features. For instance the Yamaha RXV-457 comes with a feature for ensuring that image and sound are properly synchronized: e.g. when people are talking. Other special features include Night Listening Enhancer which maintains the quality and range of the sound when the volume is set low.

Gameboy Advance SP

2006-08-23T02:34:00.000-07:00

Nintendo’s Gameboy Advance (GBA) has been upstaged by more powerful devices like the Sony PSP and the Nintendo DS but it still remains a fantastic gaming device: affordable, easily available and with an enormous selection of games that stretches back more than a decade.

The SP is a redesign of the earlier GBA which features the same internal hardware but with a new and much improved external design. Immediately noticeable is the clamshell shape which does a better job of protecting the screen. The screen itself is much better lit than before making it easier to play even in poor light. The SP also features a rechargeable lithium-ion battery which can give up to ten hours of play with the light on.

The biggest strength of the GBA is the selection of games; it’s backward compatible with the earlier Gameboy devices and there are many great games released for the GBA as well. Given its Nintendo origin, it’s not surprising that many of these come from the famous Nintendo franchises like Zelda and Mario. But there is also Advance Wars: a surprisingly deep and cerebral strategy game and excellent skating games from the famous Tony Hawk series.

Record the magic: DVD Recorders

2006-08-10T05:06:00.000-07:00

For a long time a major disadvantage of DVD compared to VHS has been the absence of recording capabilities on most DVD players. However in recent years DVD recorders with excellent features are increasingly available and getting steadily cheaper.

DVD recorders can play your DVD’s like regular players and also come with DVD burners which allow you to record TV shows on DVD’s for later viewing. Note that there are a variety of DVD formats: DVD+R, DVD-R, DVD-RW etc; make sure you get a DVD recorder compatible with the most number of formats.

Some DVD recorders also come with hard drives which add greatly to their usefulness. For instance the Sony RDR-HX725 comes with a massive 160 GB hard drive which can store more than 200 hours of programming. This allows you to record long programmes at high quality without having to worry about your DVD running out. The player also lets you pause live TV which is handy if you need to take a break. Others players come with a built-in VCR which make it possible to transfer your old VHS tapes to DVD which is a great way of backing up those precious family videos.

Movies, music, magic: Home Theatre Systems

2006-07-28T01:17:00.000-07:00

Home theatre systems don’t just deliver great music; they greatly enhance your movie-watching experience: particularly modern movies which make such extensive use of sound effects.

The main parts of a home theatre system are the speakers and the receiver. Systems typically have five to seven speakers and a subwoofer for delivering bass. They are often named by the number of speakers; for instance the Yamaha 6.1 system has 6 speakers (the “.1” stands for the subwoofer). The speakers are placed in specific positions: the centre speaker usually goes on top of your TV with two satellites on either side. The surround speakers go behind your seat while the subwoofer can be placed almost anywhere in the room.

The receiver accepts inputs from devices like your DVD player and TV and transmits the corresponding signal to the speakers. Receivers usually come with an FM tuner and some also have a built-in DVD player.

Before buying a system, try to test it with your favourite music and movies; for instance make sure that the sub-woofer delivers on movie scenes with heavy bass. Obviously you should also check that the system you buy will fit properly in your living room.

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Home Theatre

All in one printers: HP OfficeJet & Canon Pixma

2006-07-25T02:37:00.000-07:00

Space is always at a premium in the Indian home and all-in-one printers are a great way of saving space while satisfying a variety of needs. The basic functions available on all-in-ones are printing, scanning and copying with many models also providing fax capabilities. All-in-ones can save time as well as space: for example you can fax and scan a document on the same machine.

All-in-ones come in a wide range of prices with more expensive models naturally having better features. A good budget model is the HP Officejet 4255. Not only does it have colour fax capabilities, it also features a phone handset which can be used to make regular phone calls.

Higher-end units generally produce better-quality prints at a faster rate. The resolution and overall quality of the scanning and copying is also higher. A good example is the Canon Pixma MP 780 which can print colour pages at 17 pages per minute. It can scan at a resolution of up to 2400X4800 dpi with 48-bit colour. It also has a document feeder which is convenient for scanning or copying a lot of pages. Another useful feature is double-sided printing to save on paper costs.

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HP OfficeJet | Canon Pixma

EyeToy for Playstation 2 (PS2)

2006-07-16T23:50:00.000-07:00

The EyeToy for the PS2 is an amazing gaming accessory which offers a glimpse into the future of gaming: where games are controlled directly through the movements of your body instead of keyboards or gamepads.

The EyeToy is basically a small motion-sensitive digcam that can be plugged into your PS2 and sits on top of your TV. It puts your image on the screen in the middle of the game allowing you to use any part of your body to play. It’s a great example of game immersion where the player becomes the star and of intuitive controls which can be picked up even by a video-game novice.

The EyeToy comes with a play disc with 12 mini-games including a football game called Soccer Craze and a dancing game called Beat Freak. In addition, there are a number of separately sold titles which use EyeToy technology: like Antigrav a hover-boarding game and Sega Superstars which features 12 minigames with classic videogame characters like Sonic.

The EyeToy isn’t just for gaming; it can also be used as a video-messaging device which allows you to record brief video-clips which are stored on a memory card for later viewing.

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Playstation | Eyetoy | PS2

Play it again: Playstation 2

2006-07-04T21:42:00.000-07:00

The Playstation 2 may not have the raw computing power of some of its counterparts but a good case can be made that it is the best value for money among all the gaming consoles out there. Far more games were created for the PS2 than for its competitors: the Nintendo Gamecube and Microsoft’s Xbox. Many of those games were among the best of the last six years: the Gran Turismo series of racing games, the Final Fantasy series of role-playing games and the Grand Theft Auto series. All these games first appeared on the PS2 and several of them are still exclusive to the console. Furthermore the PS2 is capable of playing PS1 games as well giving it another vast library of great games.

In addition the PS2 is probably the most easily available console in the Indian market both in terms of price and selection of games. And the new smaller version is more convenient than ever; it’s half the weight of the original and just a few centimeters thick. Like the old version it can play your DVDs and CDs making it an ideal device for saving space in your living room.

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Playstation | Xbox | Xbox-360 | Nintendo | Sony | Gaming

More fun in the box: Xbox 360

2006-06-28T08:37:00.000-07:00

This is an exciting time for PC and video gaming with a new generation of consoles in the process of being released. As in the last generation the three players are Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo and of the three, Microsoft is first out of the blocks with the Xbox 360 released in late 2005.

Compared with its predecessor, the Xbox 360 contains a far more powerful processor making it the most powerful console currently available. In most markets the 360 is released in two versions: the core system and the more expensive premium system which comes with extras like a 20 GB hard drive, a wireless controller and an Ethernet cable.

Normally the early games released in a console’s lifespan are relatively mediocre but there are several fine games already available for the Xbox 360. Perhaps the most impressive is Elder Scrolls 4: a role playing game set in a lushly created fantasy universe, which showcases the 360’s graphical prowess. Also available are the World War 2 shooter: Call of Duty 2 and the Japanese fighting game: Dead or Alive 4. And of course the Xbox 360 plays Xbox games, so you can play classics like the Halo series.

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Xbox | Xbox-360 | Nintendo | Sony | Gaming

TV Buying Guide-5: Front Projection Televisions

2006-06-21T03:28:00.000-07:00

Front projection TVs, which like movie projectors project images onto a screen or wall, are the closest that you can get to a theater experience in your home.

Traditionally projectors have been based on bulky and expensive CRT technology. However the product has been transformed by the arrival of inexpensive and extremely light DLP and LCD projectors.

Front projectors have several advantages over regular televisions. They have fewer parts than TVs and the average quality of those parts is usually higher. They can produce massive, near cinema-quality pictures and, because there is no glass involved in the screen, don’t suffer from glare or reflection.

The units themselves just weigh a few kg and can easily be placed in your cabinet after use.They do have a couple of disadvantages: they are best viewed in darkened rooms and the light bulbs have a typical life of a few thousand hours.

Hence projectors are perhaps not ideal as your primary TV. However they are rapidly getting cheaper and models like the BenQ PB7110 DLP projector are much cheaper per square inch than other technologies making them ideal as a second viewing device for special events like movie screenings and sports events.

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Television | CRT | Plasma | LCD | DLP

TV Buying Guide-4: DLP Televisions

2006-06-21T03:27:00.000-07:00

DLP (digital light processing) is among the newest and most exciting technologies in television. Developed by Texas Instruments, the technology consists of hundreds of thousands of tiny mirrors each of which represents one pixel of the image.

These mirrors can be repositioned very rapidly to vary the amount of light that is reflected out of the lens. DLP models like the Samsung 50 inch R-5067W produce great images with excellent contrast and colour depth and smooth pictures with no burn-in problems.

Compared to other technologies the thousands of DLP mirrors ensure that there is no light lost in the transition from lamp to mirror. They are lighter and smaller than CRT models though not quite as small as plasmas or LCDs.

DLP does have a couple of disadvantages: some models have a problem with fan noise and given that they consist of thousands of moving mirrors there is a small risk of mechanical failure. However DLP models are less expensive than plasma or LCD counterparts of similar size.

Considering that they offer images of comparable quality while being only a little bit bigger in size, they arguably offer the best value for money in high-end TV.

Next post: Front-projection TV

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Television | DLP | Plasma

TV Buying Guide-3: Plasma Televisions

2006-06-21T03:26:00.000-07:00

The name plasma comes from the gas inside the set which lights up when an electric charge is applied. Plasma TVs are light and thin enough to be hung on your wall. Models like the Samsung HPR5052 produce great pictures with excellent brightness and colour range.

Compared to LCDs they have a wide viewing angle of almost 180 degrees and produce more natural-looking pictures with better contrast. Plasmas are also capable of very large sizes making them perfect for home theatre. The best units have a long life of about 60,000 hours which is more than enough for the average user.

Though plasma models are perhaps the most expensive among high-end TV’s, their prices have been falling rapidly in recent years. Historically plasma has suffered from the problem of burn-in which means that that a static image like a channel logo gets etched onto the screen permanently if it’s on-screen for too long.

However this problem has been significantly reduced in recent models and can be reduced even more by taking a couple of precautions: keep your contrast levels moderate (say less than 50%) and avoid showing static images continuously for hours.

Next Post: DLP

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Television | CRT | Plasma | LCD

TV Buying Guide-2: LCD Televisions

2006-06-21T03:24:00.000-07:00

LCD (liquid crystal display) is best known as the technology behind high-quality PC monitors but in the last few years they have also established themselves in the consumer television market.

The basic technology consists of three LCD panels of blue, green and red colours through which light is passed to produce the picture. Like Plasma TVs they are extremely thin; as little as a couple of inches and therefore look great as part of your living-room. Another advantage is that LCD’s don’t have any problem with burn-in (when a static image gets permanently burnt on to the screen).

LCDs don’t produce blacks as well as plasma or CRT but they are very bright and easy to view in even brightly lit rooms. They have long lives of up to 60,000 hours. While they don’t reach the same size as plasma models they are continuously getting bigger and the largest available models of around 82 inches are more than enough for most home theatre needs.

LCD monitors are also getting cheaper every year and models like the 50 inch Sony KDFE50A10 are significantly cheaper than similarly sized plasmas and close to the price of DLPs.

Next post: Plasma

Technorati Tags
Television | CRT | Plasma

TV Buying Guide-Part 1: CRT Televisions

2006-06-21T03:22:00.000-07:00

Welcome to my guide to buying consumer electronics. To begin with, I will look at a gadget that takes pride of place in our drawing rooms: the humble television. Over the next few posts, I intend to give you a short introduction to the different kinds of televisions available in the market: CRT, LCD, Plasma, DLP and Front Projection TVs

The cathode ray tube has been the basic television technology for the last 80 years and gets its name from the cathode rays emitted by a heated cathode inside a vacuum tube at the rear end of the unit.

Though it is used mostly in plain-vanilla TV’s, high-end CRT models deliver surprisingly good quality; even better in some ways than fancier, more expensive technologies like LCD and Plasma. CRT models are especially good at black levels (the quality of black and other very dark colours in the picture).

They look good from any angle which means that several people sitting in different places can enjoy the picture. They have excellent brightness and can be enjoyed in a well-lit room.

They do have some disadvantages: primarily their large size and weight which means that models can weight around 85 kg and require two men to lift. They are also limited in screen-size and you don’t get the enormous screens that are possible with plasma. Still, even high-end CRT models are lower-priced than comparable LCDs and plasmas and given their excellent picture quality, they are a great buy if you have the space for them.

Next post: LCD

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Television | CRT | Plasma