Toshiba HD-A2 - Will the Toshiba HD-A2 Bring an End to the HD DVD vs Blu-Ray War

As the consumer market continues to gobble up new HDTV's and a higher percentage of homes have access to high definition tv, the desire for high definition content to display on these tvs will continue to grow as well. Consumers have many options to consider in the HD DVD vs Blu-ray war, including the Toshiba HD-A2 HD DVD player.

For those unfamiliar with the HD DVD vs Blu-ray war, there are two competing technologies that are vying for our hard earned electronics spending dollars. Similar to the VHS vs Beta wars of old, the two competing technologies are going all out to gain market share and become the sole survivor in their quest to be the next generation movie disc player and the successor to DVD.

Both formats offer six times the resolution of current DVDs along with improved audio capabilities such as Dolby TrueHD and DTS HD through HDMI for lossless digital audio for superior movie sound. The discs also offer a greatly expanded disc capacity among other benefits.

Enter the Toshiba HD-A2. Toshiba has made some bold moves at the end of 2007 in offering the Toshiba HD-A2 at mass market outlets such as Wal-mart. The prices for the players have dropped to around $200 and even some lucky buyers were able to take advantage of pre Black Friday sales at Wal-mart where the HD-A2 was on sale for under $100.

Toshiba's goals appear to be to try to turn the tide of the format war by flooding the market with high quality, affordable players in order to gain market share. As more and more consumers own Toshiba HD-A2 and other HD DVD players, they will put pressure on the movie studios to offer more HD DVD content and become more profitable for both the studios and the manufacturers.

It is important to point out that while Toshiba offers a variety of HD DVD player options and appears to be dominating sales of stand alone high definition players, the Sony PS3 includes a Blu-ray player in it and has sold millions.

So will the Toshiba HD-A2 and it's affordable, high quality player turn the tide of the HD DVD vs Blu-ray format war? Let's face it, while price is certainly a strong driving force in winning the war, the availability of content is just as important. Blu-ray currently has a bit of an edge in the studios that they have offering exclusive content to them.

Now is a great time to come on board with a next generation DVD player. The Toshiba HD-A2 is a logical player to consider due to it's recent price drop. The video and audio quality offered by these players will blow you away and give you something to proudly show off on your brand new flat screen HDTV.

Check out the Family Home Theater Guide for a complete review of the Toshiba HD-A2 HD DVD player and for more information about HD DVD vs Blu-ray.

The Family Home Theater Guide at http://familyhometheaterguide.com is an informative guide to home theater, with a particular emphasis on family entertainment. Jared has a wife and three children that love to experience the magic of the big screen in the comfort of their own home.

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DVD Players - The High-Definition DVD Players

A digital versatile disc player is a device that plays discs produced in video and audio formats. Most of these players allow users to play audio and video compact discs (CDs) also. The player reads and obeys the DVD's regional lockout codes and displays a warning if it is not authorised to play it. These players usually read a DVD disc in ISO - UDF version 1.2 format. Mostly these are of the same dimensions as a CD but can store up to 6 times as much data.
Some new players also play videos in MPEG-4 ASP video compression format. They are usually cheaper than VCRs. Presently; China is the largest producer of DVD players. There is also another variety of players that is called software DVD players. These players allow the users to view videos on a computer. Some examples of these include VLC Media Player, PowerDVD and WinDVD.
The LG's DivX (PDP) has a 7 inch wide swivel LCD screen. The player supports a number of file formats like VCD, JPEG, DivX, CD-R and WMA. The player's 100x High Speed Smooth Scan allows the users to view videos and movies with crystal clear resolutions. Its user-friendly on-screen Graphics User Interface makes it very simple to operate and use. The device comes packaged with a removable battery pack and an in-car charger. Other big players like Sony, Philips and Panasonic have also come up with a range of slim and lightweight players.
Most portable DVD players come equipped with a LCD monitor and stereo speakers. PDPs are best suited for use during long travels. Most common PDP screen size is 7 inches although there are some models that have screen size of up to 12 inches. Some models of PDPs are offering a high screen resolution of 800 x 480 pixels. Newest models of PDPs come with a swivel screen that can be rotated through 180 degrees. Some PDPs also have built-in iPod docks, USB & SD card slots and fold flat.

Jayson Pablo, a dedicated writer of Rupizcompare.co.uk which provide information on consumer electronics as sony dvd player.

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Building A Home Theater System - On A Budget

TV, we just love it - we're TV junkies. We Americans spend more time in front of the television - we are addicted to entertainment. And if we make a good investment in our home theaters we will become even more addicted to our TV screens because the sound quality and picture will be immense.

Home theaters are all the rage, so popular in fact, that there is terrific competition out there. Which has led to new technology being introduced and prices ever decreasing. This is excellent news but most consumers have budgets that cannot meet the costs of upgrading continually and waiting is a idea for yesterdays technology and save bundle in the long run.

Its true to say that technology is ever evolving, its not being developing terribly fast, and if you want great quality and exciting bargain prices you'll be amazed what you can find on places like Ebay and your local paper. If you have some sort of budget constraint you will find excellent alternative out there for second hand home theater components. While true buying second user goods will not come with have any warranty, some people do not like to purchase used goods for this reason alone. It's understandable, and this one option is not the only one.

You could build your home theater - one component at a time. You can save big and be surprised how you can end up with a higher spec system to those you find in at the moment.

We would love to have Bose speakers or Dolby Digital Surround sound, but the fact remains these makes can really stretch our already overstretched budgets and this limitation forces us to turn down such gorgeous equipment. The key is to take your time, go down the electronics store, compare each system to your liking and what you find disagreeable, this way you will be informed and up-to-date end user.

Next get on the Internet, compare the prices you found in the electronics store with what you find online.Most likely you will find the Internet to be more agreeable on price. But watch out! Is the retailer a reputable one?

Go back to the electronics store with your online information printed, see if they will match or better the price.They may not better the price, but they might throw some freebie like a DVD player, that could bridge the pricing gap.

Conclusion

Receiving the most excellent home theater system need not break the bank, keep your options open and you do this by doing your research, not only will you be knowledgeable amassed, knowing the really prices of things compared to their value.

Most of the time the cost of things is really down to the name, taking a chance on other brands can get you equivalent equipment at a more sensible price. Just do your research first and find out as much about the company.

Its your money, you worked hard for it, expect the best.

Robert Cacciatore is a publisher of Home Theater Entertainment Center where you will find information about home theaters, all in one entertainment centers, wireless equipment. Including how to prolong the life of your Home Theater system.

Home Theater System can be a great addition to you house providing you select the right one. The options and choices to make can be quite frustrating and need not happen to you if you have the right knowledge. You can attain the right knowledge by going to home-theater-entertainment-centers.com

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Blu Ray VS HD DVD - Who Will Win The Format War ?

Blu-ray and HD DVD (High Definition DVD) are two conflicting storage technologies for digital media like high definition movies, games and other audio visual material. There are a few other technologies emerging but it seems that these two rivals are the big players in the battle for home consumers hearts and minds. So what are they, which one is better and who is likely to win the latest technology format war.

Blu-ray was created by the Blu ray Disc Association, an association of major consumer electronics producers, like Sony and Panasonic, as a high capacity storage device to replace the standard DVD format. HD DVD was developed by the DVD forum, an alternative association of high tech electronics producers, including Toshiba and NEC, as their replacement of standard DVD.

Both work on the same principle. They use a blue laser with a shorter wavelength than the standard red laser of Dvd's and CD's (405 nm compared to 650 nm). This allows for more storage space on a disc. More storage is vital as high definition video becomes an industry standard in movies, TV and video games.

Latest information on the storage capacities of each format sees blu-ray out in front. A single layer blu-ray disc can store 25 GB compared to HD DVD of 15GB. A dual layer blu-ray can store 50 GB while the HD DVD stores 30 GB. This would suggest that blu-ray can store more detail and thus provide better extra features to movies etc. Although this is not completely true as video compression influences the amount of information stored on a disc, the capacity is a significant difference between the two formats.

Initial blu-ray discs stored data close to the surface of the disk. This meant that if the disc was scratched in any way it would probably malfunction or jam when playing. Apparently a protective layer has now been introduced to newer blu-ray disc that protects the data much more. HD DVD have always stored the data deeper in the disc and are resistant to most minor scratching and wear and tear.

Although the underlying technology is important in a format war, it is more often the case of the people supporting each format that has more influence on the outcome.

Again, it seems like blu-ray has the advantage.

Blu-ray is supported by consumer electronics companies Sony, Panasonic, Philips, sharp and Pioneer and a number of others. This suggests that they will produce products that are exclusively devoted to using the blu-ray technology. The most recent instance of this is the Sony Playstation 3 that features a blu-ray disc player.

In terms of computer technology companies, blu-ray is supported by Apple, Dell, Sun Microsystems and Hewlett Packard. Their disk drives will use blu-ray.

Possibly more significant for people interested in home entertainment are the major movie companies supporting blu-ray. These are 20th Century Fox, Walt Disney and Warner Bros. Although Walt Disney and Warner Bros. are not supporting them exclusively and will produce movies in HD DVD format. At this point only Universal Pictures has an exclusive deal to produce HD DVD pictures.

On the HD DVD side possibly the biggest player is Microsoft. They have HD DVD readers in the X box games console and seem determined to throw their weight behind HD DVD.

Of the major consumer electronics companies, the most significant supporters of HD DVD are Toshiba, NEC and Kenwood.

In terms of computer component manufacturers, Intel is behind HD DVD.

Although it is still unclear who is winning the format war, it would seem that blu ray has some big supporters. Although HD DVD have some big names too, notably Microsoft. Prices of individual players and recording devices might also impact the success of each format. At this point most products are quite expensive but this will change with time.

Find reviews on the latest home theater components, including Home theater speakers at http://www.hometheaterreviewed.com Adrian Whittle writes reviews and features on home theater equipment and accessories.

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Refurbished TVs - 3 Things You Need to Know Before Buying a Refurbished TV

If you're thinking about purchasing a refurbished TV, (and you should!) then this article is made for you. Buying refurbished products is definitely becoming the "cool" thing to do. And, why not? With refurbished TVs, you can get a name brand, quality TV, at really deep discounts. Read on to discover the 3 things you that are essential to know before buying refurbished TVs.

1. Prior to buying refurbished TVs, know what model you're looking for. Measure your space available, and know what you will primarily be using the TV for. If you'll mainly use the TV for games, buy an LCD TV... You should know the lighting conditions and the advantages and disadvantages of plasma and LCD. Look around at prices... see what the regular prices for TVs are and then look at the prices for refurbished TVs. You'll be surprised at the big difference!

2. You should know the difference of refurbished, reconditioned, used and secondhand. Well let me tell you real quick -refurbished and reconditioned are usually the same; different companies use different lingo. And used and secondhand are also the same; namely they're used. When you buy a refurbished television from an honest seller you are not getting someone else's junk... A lot depends on where you get it from.

3. Do refurbished televisions come with warranties? Are they in-home warranties? And are these warranties from the manufacturers themselves? Ideally, they should be.

Before spending any money on refurbished TVs, make sure you've done your research. Gotta get the facts. If you're an educated customer, you're a smart customer.

One major thing to look out for when buying a refurbished TV is to buy it from a reputable dealer. The number one concern when looking for any refurbished product is if it's safe. Spending even a dime for a broken TV is like throwing money in the garbage. Find out exactly what to look out for here: refurbished TVs.

You definitely can get a name brand, high quality TV at incredible savings! Thousands have already done so. Telling your friends and family that you bought a refurbished TV is your choice. They will never know if you don't tell them! It looks (and practically is) brand new. It comes with a manufacturer's warranty and yes, the warranty is in-home! Learn more about refurbished TVs and the most reliable place to get them. Put your fears about safety to rest once and for all.

Also, we have compiled the research for you. Want to know who makes the best LCD TV?

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Prefabricated Office Buildings

A Prefabricated Office Building is a modular, almost 90% ready-made structure that is assembled at the location to create an office building. It can have a main building and office interiors. Mostly, the exterior structure of the Prefabricated Office Building is made from steel while inside, the rooms and partitions can be made from wood, aluminum, fiberglass, steel or plastic. Prefabricated Office Buildings can have two stories, as well.

Prefabricated Office Buildings are available with fixed or sliding windows, doors, partition walls, load-bearing roofs, and various security features. For efficient sound control, one could opt for laminated walls or insulation. Prefabricated Office Buildings can be relocated, reused and redesigned, if required. Their main advantage is that it is a no mess job and takes very little time to erect. And they can be constructed without much disruption. Above all, they cost less than the permanent concrete and brick buildings. No wonder so many retail companies, corporations, offices, banks, clubs and franchise chains are going in for Prefabricated Office Buildings.

Nowadays a wide range of exteriors, rooflines and installation options exist for those clients for whom aesthetics plays an important role. Even Prefabricated Office Buildings can be custom-designed to meet the complex functional requirements of any type of office.

Prefabricated Office Buildings can be rented, leased or purchased. Before going in for a Prefabricated Office Building, make sure that it supports rapid installation, is strong and expandable, and has passed safety, building, fire and electrical norms. Some suppliers and manufacturers provide only the main building, while some may also provide partitions for interiors. Otherwise, there are special suppliers and manufacturers of interior partitioning. Check out their credentials before placing your order.

Prefabricated Buildings provides detailed information about prefabricated building, prefabricated metal buildings, small prefabricated buildings, prefabricated building manufacturers and more. Prefabricated Buildings is the sister site of Home Improvement Loans Info.

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8 Tips for Protecting a Digital Camera's Memory Card

It's Monday evening, you've made it through the first day back into your routine after a much needed and memorable vacation. You pull out the memory card from your digital camera thinking you'll download the photographs that record the spectacular sights, reunions with seldom seen loved ones, and memorable events that you experienced in the previous days.

But then the unthinkable happens. With your digital camera in hand you connect to the PC but the photographs can not be retrieved; they are lost. What could cause such a catastrophic failure and more importantly, how could a repeat of this scenario be avoided?

The way that memory cards for your digital camera are handled, used, and stored can greatly influence the length of their useful life and dependability. Observing a few precautions can be the difference between the disappointment of lost images and the pleasure of having pictures with which to reminisce.

Avoid physically damaging memory cards:

• avoid exposure to direct sunlight and temperature extremes

• protect memory cards from exposure to moisture and store in a low humidity environment

• do not write or put stickers on the cards

• store cards in a protective case or leave them in the camera to avoid accidentally breaking them or getting dirt or dust on them

Protect memory cards through proper use:

• keep the batteries of the digital camera fully charged to assure they don't fail while shooting pictures as a failure may result in lost images and permanent damage to the card

• be sure data has been saved, the process completed, before removing the card from the camera or card reader; it's best to turn the digital camera off before removing the card

• move images to the computer to edit rather than editing photos on the card itself

• delete images and re-format the card in the digital camera after downloading on a regular basis

Although the failure of a digital camera's memory card is a rare occurrence, the results can feel tragic nonetheless. Observing manufacturer's guidelines and some of the precautions reviewed above can help to circumvent the unnecessary loss of photographs.

Christine Peppler shares information on home entertainment and home electronics products, including digital cameras, on her website at: http://www.homemedias.info

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TV Wall Mounts Will Maximize Your Viewing Pleasure

One of the reasons why you should get one of these TV wall mounts is because you want to maximize your viewing pleasure. Nothing is better than watching your favorite films and television shows on a television placed on a wall mounted TV stand. Finally, you will be able to stretch out and relax without feeling cramped.

Wall mounted televisions are very ideal for small homes. These TV wall mounts are specifically designed to make sure that your television is still secure and offer you great viewing angles. With a TV wall mount, you no longer need to buy a bulky stand that will take up precious space. Indeed, these wall mounting TV stands are the answer to space problems.

It is not surprising that TV wall mounts are the preferred TV stands in most public institutions like hospitals and cafeterias. A wall mounted TV stand, when placed strategically, will be able to please many viewers.

Luckily for you, there is quite a huge selection of TV wall mounts available for sale in the market today. They include lcd TV mounts, plasma mounts and standard TV mounts too. When it comes to durability, you can be sure that the television wall mount you will buy can be relied on to be secure and safe.

For added convenience, you can always choose to check out the selection of TV wall mounts offered online. The best thing is you can compare prices as you make your selection. At the end of the day, you will be getting the best quality wall mount TV bracket at a very, very reasonable price. It will even be delivered right to your doorstep!

Just a reminder, though. When installing, make sure that the TV wall mount is put together correctly and properly attached to the walls before fixing your television to it. This way, you will be able to prevent any unfortunate accidents. Good luck in your search and enjoy!

About the Author:
Antonio Gabellone is the Owner/Author of Nice-TV-Stands.com - The Site is a great resource aimed at information on TV Stands, TV Wall Mounts and LCD TV Wall Mounts from many online TV Stand Manufacturers.

Copyright© Nice-TV-Stands.com 2008 - Permission is granted to reprint this article provided the webmaster supplies a *LIVE* link to the authors website.

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Home Theater - Plasma TV VS Projectors

Many homeowners are struggling with an important, electronic question: What is the ideal display for my home theater? Many people have fought this debate, but I'll try to make clear some important considerations.

The most important detail to consider when deciding between a projector and a large plasma television is ambient light. A room with lots of windows presents a problem for a projector because every little bit of ambient lighting degrades the projected image. The ideal environment for a projector is one where you have total control over the lighting. If your home theater uses a projector, you are limited to using it when you can eliminate other light. A plasma screen can be used anyplace, anytime.

Assuming your home theater has blackout curtains, or exists deep underground; let's examine differences between a plasma television and a projector. One advantage of a projector is that you can get a much larger picture than is available in plasma. Projectors can produce images comparable to an 81-inch screen and larger. This just isn't possible with a plasma screen. However, plasma's have the advantage of not needing any amount of space. A projector must have a long enough corridor to project its image on the wall or screen. To get an 81-inch or greater image, you need a decent distance between the projector and the target. Second, a projector's image is dependent on more than the quality of the projector; you must be projecting onto a specialized surface or you lose detail. A top of the line HD projector with a very high native resolution would be wasted if you were just projecting the image onto a wall. You need an equally high quality screen with features such as a matte finish to eliminate reflection and glare. A plasma display requires no additional equipment.

Overall, a projector has the potential of creating a beautiful image, but it needs too much to work effectively. If you're creating a private movie theater with lighting control and an investment in a screen, mounting equipment, and blackout curtains, then a projector is your piece of equipment. For everyone else, I suggest a plasma television.

Jakob Culver is founder of the website http://www.plasmatvarena.com providing information, articles and reviews about plasma tv's. To find more articles like this one visit the site http://www.plasmatvarena.com.

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This article may be reprinted for use in websites provided that the information box is kept intact. Email notice of intent to publish is appreciated but not required: millenniumonlinemarketing@hotmail.com

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Being Overweight - 3 Health Risks

Being overweight isn't just a looks problem, it can be down right dangerous for your health! All that extra weight causes physical stress on almost every part of your body. You may not notice it (unless you're climbing some stairs), but critical organs like your lungs and heart have to work overtime because of all that extra weight.

Let's take a look at 3 serious health risks for being overweight.

Cancer - I should start off with saying that there is no scientifically confirmed reason why the risk for cancer increases in individual who are overweight, however the statistics show a marked increase of cancer in those who are clinically obese as compared to those in a healthy weight range.
Type 2 Diabetes - More than 70% of those with type 2 diabetes are overweight. Type 2 diabetes is one of those deadly diseases that is intrinsically part of being obese. You can drastically lower your risk of developing type 2 diabetes by staying in shape and never getting to the point where you're overweight. If you already have type 2 diabetes then losing weight can make your glucose levels much easier to manage and in some cases you can actually reverse type 2 diabetes so much that you may not need to take medicine for it.
Heart Disease - You've probably heard about this one simply because it can kill you instantly! 70% of those diagnosed with heart disease are clinically obese. Reducing your weight allows your heart to work less which can add years onto your life. It's also a fact that a healthy weight promotes the reduction in LDL cholesterol (the bad cholesterol) while at the same time raising HDL (the good cholesterol).

So remember, reducing your weight does more than make you look good, it can be a real lifesaver!

I've been writing articles on many subjects throughout the years. Besides writing about health I'm a big tech guy who writes about things like the Sharp Aquos 32 LCD TV and Panasonic Flat Screen TV's [http://hdtv-deals.net/panasonic-flat-screen-tv/panasonic-flat-screen-tv-panasonic-viera-tc-37lz800-37-inch-1080p-lcd-hdtv].

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