Video
Toshiba Releases the BDX2000 - Their First Blu-ray Player
Toshiba has officially accepted defeat. It’s been almost two years since the demise of their HD DVD format, the lone high definition, physical disc medium that was a viable threat to blu-ray. However, they sure took their time to release a blu-ray deck.
Toshiba has finally licked their wounds, and have gone on to release the new BDX2000. It’s the real deal. It has a sleek, modern, svelte design, with premium fit and finish.
In terms of specs, the BDX2000 does everything any modern blu-ray player is capable of. It’s Profile 2.0, so it will support BD Live content. It will bitstream and decode both Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio for maximum fidelity. Video quality is fantastic with a 1080p24 signal. In short, you simply can’t go wrong with this player. Kudos to Toshiba for finally coming around. Life is good in the winners circle, isn’t it Toshiba.
Continue Reading »
How To Shop For A Plasma Display
Buying a new HDTV should be a very thorough process. You must first decide on how much you are willing to spend. Once you have a realistic budget, then you can proceed from there.
If shopping for a plasma panel, the first thing you need to be aware of is the lighting in the store. Is it bright? You should know that a typical store with industrial fluorescent lights is the last place you would want to judge the picture quality of a plasma. Many reputable stores counter this by only displaying their HDTVs in a darkened room, or in a room with soft lights comparable to the lighting in most people’s homes. However, I have been to many stores that clearly don’t know what they are doing. They have plasma displays front and center, under harsh, bright fluorescent lights. Those are conditions in which no one watches a TV, so do not make a judgment under those circumstances. Ask the manager or an employee to see if they can dim the lights, if they can’t, then go to another store. It may seem a bit melodramatic, but if you are going to spend your hard earned money, then the store should accommodate you if they are not displaying their wares in an optimal environment.
Continue Reading »
Where Do Plasma Displays Go From Here?
The cream rises to the top, at least that’s how the saying goes. However, when it comes to consumer electronics, nothing could be further from the truth. In this arena, mediocrity reigns supreme. The life of an electronics enthusiast and early adopter is tough, just ask Laserdisc and HD DVD fanboys. However, the one constant seems to be that when electronics are marketed to the general public, it’s never based on how well the said product performs, it’s all about convenience and useless gimmicks. This is the bane of anyone who cares about quality because mass appeal usually comes at a price, and that price is usually performance.
Continue Reading »
