Tips for Choosing The Right Home Entertainment System

For everyone who loves to watch big budget movies, listen to their favourite music and play the latest blockbuster video games, the entertainment system in your home plays the key role in creating the ultimate in escapism. With the latest in ultra-high definition picture clarity and crystal clear audio from television and audio systems available today, choosing the right setup for your entertainment room can not only give you a boost in entertainment, but also save you a small fortune in the process.

 

Gone are the days when everyone had to crowd around a small square glass box that gave us a grainy low definition interpretation of the movies we saw in the cinema. Today there is a wealth of options when it comes to recreating the home cinema of our dreams, allowing us to enjoy all of our entertainment in perfect digital clarity like never before. The technology involved in the various televisions and playback devices has made leaps and bounds in recent years, so let’s look at the range of options available when it comes to televisions.

Sony

 

From analogue to digital, HD to 3D and 4K; television has come a long way over the past decade and with an ever growing number of options when it comes to choosing a type of television set, your budget plays a key role in what is available to you. The price High Definition LCD television has come down incredibly over the past decade, and with the average price of a 42-inch LCD TV coming in at around $600, LCD TVs have become the most economically viable option for building a home theatre system.

 

Plasma screen televisions have also come down in price, as well as seeing a rise in their quality. The first generation of plasma screen televisions suffered from screen burn and colour issues, but today’s sets can be bought for similar prices to LCD TVs. Plasma screens often offer a wider range in size, with some of the biggest plasma sets coming in at over 100 inches and the decision of many television manufacturers to exit the plasma market, these screens are only a good choice for those wanting a crisper, colour-rich image compared with LCD TVs but on a larger scale.

LG

 

LED and OLED televisions are currently the most popular on the market, allowing these televisions to be just a few inches in thickness – perfect for hanging on a wall or to make the centrepiece of your home entertainment system. LED and OLED sets offer a huge advantage in power saving, and minimisation of screen burn combined with a richer palette of colours and contrast that leave LCD TVs in their wake. Though they are the cutting edge of the television technology, their size comes at a premium in the price department.

 

The latest generation of OLED often come with 1080p HD as standard, and with many now featuring the popular wave of 3D technologies, choosing the right combination depending on your budget will be a tough decision. Most 3D television sets come with two pairs of 3D glasses as standard and with additional glasses available for big families or sports nights. Add into the mix of HD projectors and the arrival of 4K television which brings with it multiples of picture definition over standard 1080p, the choice may be harder to make when it comes to your viewing pleasure.

 

Samsung & Blu ray 3D

 

As with any decent home entertainment system, movie playback, gaming and audio is high on the checklist. With many Blu-ray DVD players and recording systems coming down in price, you can pick up the latest and greatest movies to watch cheaper than ever. Taking care to ensure that you get the best picture and audio possible, using an audio amplifier and surround sound system into the mix will truly boost your viewing pleasure.

 

A 7.1 audio surround sound system is often bundled with a Blu-ray player to give you that out of the box experience, and whilst the best systems can cost anything up to $30k keeping on budget could be easier than you think if you invest in a video games console. With the latest round of video games consoles being released into the wild recently, you can pick up an Xbox One or a PlayStation 4 for the price of a premium Blu-ray player, and enjoy your Blu-ray movies, HD gaming and surround sound audio all in a single box for that ultimate all-round package.

 

About the Author:

Ruth Hawtree works at Local Bloke Antenna Services (Sunshine Coast) . He is a specialist on Antenna Services, Home theatre system, Digital Antenna and frequently writes on interesting topics in these areas. He has been in the industry for more than a decade.

 

TV Wall Mount Installation

Ever wondered whether you should invest in a TV wall mount installation? Even if you hire a professional to do the job, your main concern is probably the fact that your wall may be damaged from the process of the wall mount installation. To put your mind at ease the only significant damage that will be done to your wall are the holes for the TV wall mount to be installed in. What you must know is that these holes in the wall are not impossible to cover up, in fact, a simple plastering job and a final paint over will do the trick in hiding the holes that used to exist - it would be as though nothing had ever happened.

The benefit of having a TV wall mount installation is that having a flat screen TV mounted onto the wall without a stand adds a very modern and elegant look to the room the TV is placed in. Not only will this design save space in your home, but also allows you to invest in a wider screen thus enhancing your TV experience. If you are worried about changing the angle of your TV, the installed wall mounts provide the option of moving the angles around. Although there are restrictions to how far an angle you can turn your TV to, these restrictions will almost never affect you unless you intend to turn your TV to a 90 degree angle, which for obvious reasons would be impossible. A TV wall mount installation will allow you to view your screen from a direct perspective without any obstructions which a stand may introduce.

 

TV wall mount installation may seem like a pretty easy job to do by yourself, especially with the prices companies charge for what appears to be a simple job. However, the truth is that it is actually a lot more complicated than you think. There are countless factors and reasons as to why you should work with a professional. What would you rather lose out on? Around $200 or your brand new TV being completely destroyed due to your poor handiwork? Unless you have an all around insurance coverage that excuses accidental damage, it looks like you will have to buy a new TV or make do without one until you can afford a new one.

The very first thing you have to think about with your TV wall mount installation is the site you intend to place your TV in. The site will have to hold a high digital reception quality in order to gain the fastest and highest quality TV service possible.

The second obstacle would be to choose which TV wall mount is suitable to your specific TV. The TV wall mount is also dependant on your intended use of the TV, whether you wish to change the angles of the TV, whether you wish for it to be placed at eye level or whether you require tilting TV wall mounts. There are also different brands of TV wall mounts that may be more suitable for your specific TV compared to others. This is where you often require advice from the experts and professionals in the industry. The appropriate TV wall mount is also dependent upon the weight of your TV to ensure that the wall mount is secure and strong enough to sustain the weight without giving way. If you’re doing it yourself, you will also have to deal with the messy cables. This is of course assuming that you haven’t harmed your TV beforehand!

As a result it is always safer to go with the professionals when considering TV wall mount installation because if there are any mistakes you can be certain that you will be compensated for any damage you have suffered.

 

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Common Reception and Television Problems

Professional antenna installers use a range of gadgets that can test the signal in your area check the optimum direction of your aerial and offer a repair or service to your existing antenna setup that often solves the majority of reception problems. But it pays to understand a little about your TV and what problems it can have. In this article, we look at some of the most common problems a television could encounter.

Common faults

With the majority of modern televisions being the flat panel HDTV variety, the common causes of problems and issues associated with them can vary. For instance, checking the televisions internal fuses for any signs that they have blown, as well as checking the power cord can often be overlooked as a possible cause.

If your television set is one of the first generations of LCD TVs, then the natural life expectancy of those devices manufactured 5-10 years ago is currently expiring. LCD display technology has improved greatly in the last five years, and early models of HDTV often have a 5-10 year panel life cycle that cannot be overlooked.

In these instances where the LCD panel of the television has come to the end of its life, it is often the case that replacing the television may end up cheaper than a repair job. If it is the LCD backlight that has died, then again depending on the model of television you have, a new HDTV may be the cheaper option.

Fuses are often the first port of call when you first notice that your television doesn’t turn on. Replacing one of these internal fuses can be relatively inexpensive. Internal power supply units are prone to malfunctioning, but can easily be replaced by a qualified technician at a low price.

TV Antenna repairs

Your local antenna technician will be able to sort out just about any issue you have regarding your reception issues. They will follow the trail from the antenna itself to your television and through any affected equipment you may have hooked up. Let’s take a look at some of the common causes of TV reception problems and how to address them.

One of the biggest issues is obviously with the antenna itself. Most modern antennas don’t need weekly services and are built to withstand the elements on your roof. But sometimes a breeze can reposition the antenna, water can slowly seep into the coaxial cabling attached, and even rust can erode important parts of the unit.

If your aerial is heavily rusted and weathered, it may need replacing, otherwise an engineer will be able to replace the connecting cable box and rewire the aerial the way you want it. To test for cable problems, the engineer will test the signal strength and diagnose. The majority of TV reception problems are either caused by the antenna or the cable not feeding the signal properly.

Other possible problems include bad positioning of the antennae, which can cause reception outages and being prone to interference. In situations where a replacement or repositioning of the antennae is inappropriate (such as a shared antenna in an apartment building) you can purchase signal boosters to enhance your signal. These are simply placed ‘in-line’ of your antennae cable and often use a low-powered power-pack to boost and amplify the signal.

TV Wall Mount Installation For A New 3D Television

Just recently, I bought a new Panasonic 3D TV. It is a 42 inch Panasonic TX-P42GT50 which was on sale and I had been planning to make the purchase for some time. Since I love to play games on my PS3, I was actually looking for a cheap 3D TV so that I could enjoy my games and occasional 3D movies from time to time. So I didn’t have to think twice when I saw the TV on sale. However, it was much more difficult for me to find a TV wall mount installation service than it was to buy the TV and bring to my house. TV wall mounts have been modified as televisions have changed in shape, size and weight. The days when you just bought a random wall mount and installed it on your own with a drill machine are long gone. My new TV is very large and heavy as well. If I had a smaller TV like a 20 or 22 inch, I probably could have handled it on my own. However, when I was going through all the details, I realised that it was almost impossible for me to install the TV on my own. The job needed a heavy duty wall mount, a powerful drill machine and lots of other tools, not to mention the experience required. So I decided that my best bet was to seek professional help. 

Unfortunately, getting a technician to install a TV wall mount quickly and inexpensively is not that easy. Initially, I looked for them on the internet, hoping to find a cheap quote. However, once I made a search on Google with different keywords like ‘TV wall mount installation’, I didn’t get as many results as I expected I would. At this point, one of my friends told me that I should look for people who also provide TV antenna installation services, since many of them also provide wall mount installation solutions for TVs. However, I live in a remote place and it was really tough for me to get an appointment with them. Sometimes you might need to wait a couple of days for the wall mount technicians to arrive at your doorstep and this really wasn’t an option for me. Further, the rate of the service varies depending on which company you go with, and I found it difficult to find one that I was happy with.

With all these things to decide, I was a little bit puzzled and decided to call one of my cousins for help. He told me that the guys at the TV shops could help me out on this. So I made a call to a shop he suggested and luckily they had a technician who was available. So the technician came to my house, installed the wall mount, and hanged the TV in no time. And he was also very helpful in fixing my digital antenna as well, so I’m getting many more channels and couldn’t be happier.

Simple solutions to TV Reception Problems

You’re at home watching your favourite soap opera, and things are heating up. You love the characters, and two of your favourite ones seem to be falling in love. You think that they might kiss during this episode. They share a romantic moment, and look into each other’s eyes. He reaches out to push her hair behind her ear and… The television’s out! Now you’ll never see them kiss. Bloody signal.

If this scenario sounds familiar, then you know that uninterrupted reception is important. Reception problems can make even your favourite program frustrating to watch. While using an antenna instead of a cable service is a great way to save money, reception problems can make you regret that decision. You can fix these problems by having your TV antenna professionally installed. While it may be tempting to try and fix it on your own, most individual homes don’t have the tools needed to even diagnose the problem. Calling a professional will give you access to the full suite of tools and techniques you need to fix your reception problem. You’ll never have to miss a crucial television moment again!

Diagnosing the Problem: Signal Detection

Professional antenna installers will figure out the source of your problem, and the best way to fix it. They’ll start by using a signal meter, a device that can cost up to thousands of dollars, to determine what signal strength you can receive and the best direction for your antenna. After the diagnosis, the antenna installers can help you decide what to do to fix your reception problems.

Possible Solutions

It may be that fixing your reception problem was as simple as changing the antenna’s position. In many cases, more drastic measures are needed.

Signal Boosting

Your antenna installer may recommend the installation of a signal booster or amplifier to fix your reception. This is a great time to have an antenna expert on hand, since they can recommend and install the best signal booster for your particular reception problem.

Antenna Replacement

Not all antennas are made equal. Some antennas provide better reception at low signal strength, while others work better with higher signal strength. Excellent antenna installers will have many types of antenna available, and can help advise you on which is best for your home.

Other Upgrades

Reception problems are a good opportunity to upgrade to HD service or go digital (if you haven’t already). Sunshine Coast is switching over to all digital broadcasting soon, so prepare now to make sure you aren’t left behind during the switch. Professional antenna installers can put in the new digital set top box for you while they are fixing your reception problems. Some installers can bring a top box for you, even one set up for HD service. Because they are antenna experts, professional installers can make sure everything is working properly for the best reception possible.

Finding a Professional Antenna Installer in Sunshine Coast

 

Look for installers with the “get ready for digital TV” logo on their site. This logo means that they are an officially endorsed antenna installer and can help you with your reception problems. Companies that provide installation are preferable to individuals: with a company you are more likely to find punctual, safe, and friendly service. To reduce costs, look for companies that can provide antennas, signal boosters/amplifiers, and help you with other services such as outlet cabling. Some companies will “beat any written quote” or offer pensioner discounts, ensuring a great price. When in doubt, it never hurts to call, and many companies will be happy to consult with you about fixing your reception problems