Networked HD Media Players

Many big names have started entering into the networked media player segment to display what their product can perform in home entertainment business. For those, who have not heard about Networked High Definition media player, here is a small brief about what this gadget can achieve at your home. Hold on...I'm not talking about the software media player you get along with Windows/Linux or Mac, but the real hardware player just like your Bluray/DVD/CD player. Read on...

Networked HD Media player is similar like a Bluray/DVD player which can play almost all popular formats of Audio & Video files on your HDTV or the standard CRT Tv. The prime ability of these networked media players is to stream your collection from your personal computer or a standalone NAS harddisk server or Internet through wired LAN cable or Wi-Fi (though there are limitations). In simple layman's language, functionally it is more similar like your home computer and very smaller than your Laptop and can be used by anyone who don't require any computer knowledge.

In a nutshell, some of the features that a networked media player can do are as described below.
1) Ability to play any type of Video files like AVI, MPEG, MPG, VOB, MP4, MKV, FLV, MOV, ASF...the list goes on...you name it it should be there in the list of supported file formats.
2) Plays any type of Audio files like WAV, MP3, FLAC, AAC, OGG, AC3, DTS...you name it!
3) Streams from your PC/Laptop, NAS, Internet and displays on your HDTV or normal standard CRT TV.
4) Can be networked via wired LAN or Wi-Fi options.
5) You can view photos and supports mospt popular file formats like JPG, JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP etc.
6) You can even view TXT, HTM, HTML files, design your own 3rd party applications like jukebox based on html etc. for movie/music/photo categorisation.
7) Supports full High Definition media upto 1080p with Lossless High Definition sound in either Dolby True-HD or DTS-HD formats in 7.1, 5.1 etc. depending on the source material.
8) Can automatically create a jukebox for easy navigation of your collection by scraping data from internet and showing as movie posters with thumbnails for easy use. Some players have in built software pre-installed while others may need 3rd party installations.
9) Can be interfaced with your computer and other third party applications designed for your media player can installed.
10) Very compact, light weight and sits perfectly in your equipment rack with less foot print.

Now I hope you would have got a feel of what we are taking here....So, lets see a few popular NMT players who are already flooding the market.

1) Asus
2) D-Link
2) Popcorn Hour
3) Seagate
3) WD TV
4) Xtreamer the list goes on...(I would have missed some popular/reputed brands which doesn't mean to hurt users that they are not good)
OR
5) HTPC (Home Theater Personal Computer)

Personally, I have a Popcorn Hour A-110 bought 3½ years back and satisfied with its capabilities. I also have assembled a HTPC when I felt that my current popcorn Hour A-110 had some limitations. I could have bought Popcorn Hour C-200 or the latest A-300. But, the drawback in these hardware media players are that they cannot be upgraded in terms of memory/cpu etc except for Harddisk/optical drive options.


"I would personally recommend for a layman, a simple user interface networked media player which doesn't require one to learn greek/latin. For others who are always on the verge looking for latest capabilities the HTPC is the best choice (software and little hardware knowledge required)."

A separate article on HTPC would be discussed soon...

3D Television without 3D Glasses!

Yes, big companies Hitachi, LG, Philips, Samsung, Toshiba (in alphabetical order) are researching and have even developed prototype models of small size screens of 3D HDTV without the need of 3D glasses. LG has demonstrated that passive 3D glasses have its own advantages and less eye fatigue when compared to Active shutter 3D glasses. And further to this, they have even launched the glasses less models 3DTVs.

Currently, the market is overflowing with 3D HDTVs and the prices are gradually reducing day by day due to market demand. Entertainment can't be better without 3D invading our homes and making life easier. Hitachi, LG, Philips, Samsung, Toshiba (in alphabetical order) have gone a step ahead and it is still in developement stage of research where viewing 3D content without the help of any glasses or you may call as 3D glasses. Toshiba have launched their prototype small screen size 3DTV without glassess, I should say "Glassless". You can see below the promotional video of Toashiba showcasing their range of 3D HDTV without glasses.


Courtesy: http://www.diginfo.tv/

But they're expensive too, reportedly commanding a $1400 + price for the 12 inch REGZA 12GL1 3D TV which comes with just 466×350 resolution. The REGZA 20 inch steps in with a higher resolution and will cost nearer $2900. Larger screen models are expected to be priced proportionately higher in the early stages of availability. Don't worry about that, when technology stabilises the prices are going to drop as we have always seen until now.

Aside from the price, one other drawback of the new models is the need to sit close to the screen to get the 3D effect - users need to sit within a 40-degree range directly in front, and must also sit two feet in front of the 12-inch 3D TV and three feet in front of the 20-inch. This issue of positioning became even more apparent during the demos at CES 2011 of Toshiba's larger screen prototypes which have only three 3D viewing angles, though reports suggest that the 3D effect was impressive as long as you were in the right spot to get it (Toshiba had floor positions marked out). There was a problem with general image sharpness, despite the high resolution of the display. Resolution is a problem because the need to show multiple perspectives uses a significant number of pixels.

These issues can be expected to be ironed out by the time these larger models go on sale, and with Toshiba building in 2D and 3D capability they may gain an early advantage in the market. Clearly though, effective high quality 3D TV without glasses has some way to go. The Taiwanese flat panel TV producer AU Optronics announced in late 2010 that they had developed prototype no glasses 3D displays that can be viewed effectively from any angle, though these are similar to the Toshiba efforts whereby the 3D effects can so far only be delivered on small screens.

Courtesy: Cnet on Sony demonstration

On the above is CNETTV's video of the Sony no glasses 3D TV prototype model, as demonstrated at CES 2011. Sony used a wide viewing angle to showcase its capabilities, proving that viewers did not need to stand directly in front of the TV. However, the presenter mentions during the report that it's unlikely to be seen commercially any time soon.

So What Are The Different Technologies That Deliver 3D TV Without Glasses Solutions?

Parallax Barrier Technology
Parallax barrier 3D TVs work by using tiny lenses which are integrated into the TV screen - layered liquid crystal displays. Each layer contains small stripes that hide specific pixels so that some can only be seen by your left eye, while other pixels can only be seen by your right. The result is the two images our eyes need to see to send a 3D image to our brains. With the lenses being built into the screen, there's no longer a need for 3D glasses. The biggest drawback is that parallax barrier only works if the viewer remains in the same spot, hence the reason why the early Toshiba sets are on the small side. Screen brightness is also a possible problem.

Lenticular Lens Technology
Another method of delivering no glasses 3D TV is by the use of lenticular lenses , which are shaped and designed so that a different image is displayed to each eye depending on the viewing angle. This is achieved by building small lenses on to the display screen and then refracting the left and right images that are emitted. This gives slightly less reduction in brightness than parallax barrier displays and a wider range of viewing angles.

Head Tracking 3D Technology
Head tracking works by using a webcam that locks on to a viewers eyes and adjusts the images sent from the display as the viewer moves so they see in 3D. Clearly this only works for one viewer at a time and seems best employed with small screen devices such as mobile 3D TVs or laptops. In fact a Toshiba 3D laptop has already been demonstrated using this technology.

The 3D TV Box
The 3D TV Box is another recent development in 3D TV without glasses technology. The Hungarian company have demonstrated a Tridelity 65 inch LCD 3D autostereoscopic 3D combined with the prototype version of the Box. The technology works by taking a standard 3D image and transmitting it to the Box to be displayed. The 3D TV Box takes the image and projects it on to the TV display at the same depth you see when using 3D glasses on most 3D sets, and can take content from Internet, satellite, cable or any other services that currently offer streaming 3D content solutions.

There were some limits in viewing angles, which is to be expected, but in general the technology offers no worse results than any others seen so far and in fact does offer an improvement in quality to the extent that the depth of imaging at least equalled that achieved with glasses. There was an added bonus achieved in brightness because lasses are not being used.

The MIT Massachusetts Institute Of Technology Solution
Known as the HR3D development, this concept was first shown at at the SIGGRAPH Asia graphics conference in 2010. The technology works in similar fashion to the double LCD layer used in the Nintendo 3DS. Researchers at MIT have demonstrated a prototype where the top LCD can display an image which is customised to the one shown on the bottom layer.

The Disadvantages Of 3D TV Without Glasses

For parallax barrier viewing to work, one of the drawbacks is that the angle from which you watch the screen and your distance from the screen can be critical. So, to get a full and high quality effect you need to be sitting directly and squarely in front of the TV at the optimum viewing distance.

When will mass produced 3D TVs without glasses be available?
This is a difficult one to answer at this point. The 3D TV manufacturers are still working on perfecting the method, though it's likely to be some time before the technology is advanced enough to create massed numbers at an affordable price.The first no glasses sets are also on the small side, though advance reports from the Consumer Electronics Show 2011 suggest a number of the manufacturers have prototype models under development. Sony in particular plan to show glasses free 3D TVs in both LCD and light emitting diode models.

One thing is for sure, the current boom in the interest in 3D TV in general is already fuelling the need to develop no glasses 3D TV. If the major manufacturers want to hold an advantage over their competitors, it'll be critical for them to be looking at the best ways to deliver.

What does the future of no glasses 3D TV hold?
With the arrival of the first commercially available Toshiba sets, the precedent is already set for the development of bigger screen 3D TVs which use parallax barrier or lenticular lenses. Major manufacturers are already displaying prototype larger screen models. If they can deliver these commercially at a reasonable price, and with the same quality that you get from TVs that require active shutter glasses, then the predicted explosion in the acceptance and uptake of 3D viewing, whether for TV or for 3D games, may well be guaranteed.

There are a couple of other developments to be aware of. One is the potential of sets that contain tiny cameras which track the viewers position. These would adjust the emitted images so that the viewer is always in a sweet spot, relieving the need for keeping in a specific position or at a certain distance when watching. In fact, one of the latest prototype 3D laptops from Toshiba already uses this technology by use of a built in webcam which locks on to your eyes when you approach the screen. Further development is needed as at this stage it does not deliver the same quality as you get with active or passive 3D glasses.

Further future potential lies in holographic technology which of course begins to take us away from viewing images on a screen and starts to focus on the objects viewed, bringing us into the realms of science fiction - the real thing played out right in front of you. This is a little further away!

If 'with glasses 3D TV' is a problem, why are the manufacturers still introducing new models?
No single topic is causing as much debate on 3D TV related websites, forum threads or blog discussions as the 3D TV without glasses issue, and it's clear that those of us who are not ready to accept the need to wear 3D glasses are in the vast majority.

This might elicit a question over why the manufacturers are still announcing new 'with glasses' models. The obvious answer - and one that indicates a great future for 3D entertainment in general - is that they are so convinced of the potential for mass acceptance of 3D TV in the future that they are prepared to lose money now to position themselves with a competitive advantage later. That said, although recent reports indicate flat sales, 3D TVs are selling and general public interest is high.

So, affordable 3D TV without glasses is definitely on the horizon, if maybe a mid to distant one, with the promise of a whole new era of home entertainment.

Should I buy 3D now?

Many wonder what is happening with most advanced gadgets hitting the domestic segment bringing the latest addition to the technology called "3D" to homes. This year, I should say from mid of last year big names like Sony, Panasonic, Samsung, JVC, Hitachi etc have started manufacturing their 3D line of HDTVs and marketed extensively this 2010.

Last year few movies were released in 3D like My Bloody Valentine, Coraline, Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs, Monsters Vs Aliens, Up, G-Force, Final Destination 4, Cloudy with a chance of Meat Balls, Avatar. And this 2010, to our suprise more movies added to the list like Alice in Wonderland, How to train your Dragon, Clash of the Titans, Shrek forever after, Toy Story 3, Despicable Me, Cats & Dogs: the Revenge of Kitty Galore, Step Up 3D, Resident Evil: Afterlife, Piranha 3D, Legend of the Guardians, Megamind, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1, Yogi Bear. Except for Avatar in 2009 list of movies, all other movies have been released in BluRay 3D format.

So, are we going the 3D way?

Courtesy: Panasonic

    We see 3D HDTVs hitting the showrooms and the price is falling day by day due to competition. We also see more 3D movies (english) getting released in the theatres.
        In theatres, due to recent releases of 3D movies the theatre owners had gone bankrupt in welcoming the new 3D technology. Theatres replaced their projectors, screens, 3D glasses etc and even sound system in some cases. Obviously, cost of the tickets have also increased by paying an addition amount for the 3D glasses to experience the effect in the 3D movie. Likewise brands like Sony, Samsung, Panasonic, LG etc have released their latest 3D models LED/Plasma HDTV here in India.
         I had the opportunity to watch a few movies like Avatar, Resident Evil: Afterlife, Piranha 3D in Theatres and experienced how different dimensions could be brought before the audience with 3D technology adding more immersion to the movie. I remember in my school days that I watched the first 3D Indian film "My Dear Kuttichathan (tamil)" in a local and felt very excited watching it. Remember the scene, where the boy points to you the ice cream/candy where you almost feel touching you. In another scene, a toy helicopter flying towards you and the scary part where the witch points the flame torch towards you. Yes, it has made an impact - we need to accept that fact.


Lets see how 3D performs at home and at what cost...

Courtesy: Sony

        I happen to see the demo of both Sony and Samsung LED 3D HDTVs and would like to share with you. First I went to Sony showroom and the salesman was very polite in answering my queries and voluntarily without my asking played the demo 3D bluray disc. He then handed me the 3D glasses which almost looked as stylish as Rayban sunglasses and its seen in the price which you will know as you read on. In the 3D bluray demo disc, the salesman first played "IMAX Under the Sea" and I should say it is really an awesome experience. The 3D visuals showed depth and as the camera follows the fishes under the sea, you feel like that you are under the sea. And when suddenly all fishes splits out from its group, its feel like hitting to your face. Hats off! man for bringing this technology to homes. Then, the salesman played a trailer from the movie "Monsters Vs Aliens" as this is an animation movie, whereas the first movie trailer I watched was a documentary. Its the first time Iam seeing an 3D animation and I don't have words to descibe the depth created in the movie for a stunning visual effect. In Sony LED HDTV, there is an offer going on which says "Buy 40inch 3D LED TV and get 3D BluRay + a pair of 3D Glasses + Sony Home Theatre Sound Bar + 9 3D BluRay movies absolutely free for Rs.1,24,000/-" which definitely makes one tempted to grab it.
      I then left the showroom with those amazing 3D effects running before me and went to Samsung showroom. Here again the salesman was very polite and immediately played a demo 3D BluRay disc on a 46inch LED HDTV. The disc contained trailers from "Monsters Vs Aliens", music concert - which I don't remember the artist. And Samsung didn't showed a bit lower or higher and was in equal performance to Sony for displaying the 3D visuals. On asking about any offers, the salesman told that "Buy 46inch LED TV and get 3D BluRay + 3 3D Glasses for Rs.1,50,000/-" I thought the offer was not so attractive as Sony and bid goodbye to the salesman and walked out.
     From what I auditioned from both brands, 3D doesn't come to home cheap. There are 4 basic things involved to produce a 3D effect - 1) 3D TV, 2)  3D BluRay player and 3) 3D Glasses and 4) 3D Movie. Currently, less movies are available in 3D format in BluRays and these 3D movie bluray cost around Rs.1000 to Rs.2000 per movie. BluRay players prices starts from Rs.19,990/- (say for the case of Sony), likewise 3D TVs costs beyond 1 Lakh plus. Moreover, you need 3D glasses to watch those 3D effects which costs Rs.6,500/- per glass. So the question is should we go the 3D way only to watch those few 3D movies or should we wait patiently for the prices to drop and more and more 3D movie releasing in Bluray and obiviously making Bluray cheaper just like DVDs? The choice is yours...

How to setup a home theatre?

A typical 5.1 speaker setup

Setting up home theatre involves certain basic knowledge about where & how things work and a little common sense. Basically, 4 components are required to achieve the a home theatre setup for movies & music.

1) Source: CD/DVD/BluRay/HD Media player

2) Amplifier: Audio/Video Receiver (AVR)
3) Speakers & Subwoofer
4) Display Unit: Plasma/LCD/Projector
5) Setup, Connectivity & Cables
6) Tips & Tricks

Lets discuss the above points in detail to setup an amazing home theatre.



Courtesy: Sony BluRay Player

 1) Source: To view a movie or to listen to music we require a player which can play different types of media like CD/DVD/BluRay etc. Nowadays, BluRay players are becoming cheaper day by day to the increasing demand for BluRay movies and hence mass production of the same. You can get a Sony BluRay player for Rs.9,990/- which earlier cost in the range of 30 to 40k. The cost should further reduce in the coming days and DVD would be phased out completely due to the need of storage in higher capacities to maintain high definition picture and sound quality.
Few infos...

An audio compact disc (or music CD) can store upto 700MB of data i.e. maximum 16 tracks/songs or 80 minutes of audio or video data.

A DVD (Digital Versatile Disc) media comes in 2 forms - Single (4.7GB) & Double layer (8.5GB). Both forms are used to store Standard definition video (720 x 576 resolution). With the double layer DVD retaining maximum upto 9MBps bitrate of video. Even a single layer DVD can also retain the same 9MBps quality but not for very lengthy movies where the quality has to be compromised to accomodate the length of the movie in a single layer. In a double layer DVD, extra features, interviews can be added to the main movies additionally.

HD-DVD is High Definition DVD, which is now phased out after losing the war with BluRay. A HD-DVD also has 2 forms like in a DVD - single (15GB) & double (30GB), which can store High Definition video (1980 x 1080 resolution)  retaining around 29.4MBps and high definition audio track.

The upcoming BluRay disc comes as similar in 2 forms - single (25GB) & double (50GB) capacities. BluRay almost similiar to HD-DVD can store high definition video (1980 x 1080 resolution) but with bitrate achieving around 40MBps and at the same holding high definition audio soundtrack.




  Physically, all these different medias looks the same at 12cm diameter, but what distinguishes between them is the lase technology used in writing the data onto these discs using different wavelength and thickness. As you see in the fig. on the left, the various wavelength and thickness used by the laser for different media and how the data is accomodated more in a bluray though physically it appears like a audio CD.

Some DVD/BluRay players have built-in onboard decoders for Dolby & DTS (or only Dolby which is very common). In a DVD/BluRay disc the audio & videos track are separately written. The laser in the DVD/BluRay player picks these audio/video data signals and converts from optical to electrical signals and send to the analyser, where the analyser splits the audio & video signals and sends them to the respective decoders.

Fig.1

 A video decoder decodes the signal and send to the video outputs of the DVD/BluRay player. Similarly, the audio decoder decodes the encoded signal of Dolby or DTS audio and splits the audio to 6 tracks and send these signals to the analog multichannels 5.1 outputs of the DVD/Player. As you see in the above Fig. you will notice "Digital Audio Out = 1" which send the raw digital signals of Dolby/Dts to the AVR. "Multichannel 5.1 analog output = 2" outputs the processed audio from the onboard decoderin the DVD/BluRay player to 5.1 analog outputs. From these multichannel outputs individual cables are connected to the AVRs multichannel input to amplify these signals to the speakers. "HDMI = 3" this is the newly introduced connector for transmitting high definition audio/video to the AVR. By the way, what is HDMI?
   HDMI is High Definition Multimedia Interface which is used to transmit and receive high definition audio & video signals between devices like DVD/BluRay player to AVR or vice versa.

Typically, a DVD or BluRay player will be able to play your music audio CDs without any hassel hence need not require a separate standalone CD player (unless you are an audio purist who wants perfection in sound clarity). If you are choosing a BluRay player over a DVD player then there is no requirement for a separate CD/DVD player as it supports all formats like Audio CD, DVD, Photo CD, SACD, DVD-Audio, DTS Audio CD and ofcourse BluRay discs. Based on your budget and individual preference one is free to decide what player he/she wants.



Courtesy: Onkyo TX-SR608 AVR

 2) Amplifier or typically called as AVR: An AVR or Audio Video Receiver is similar like an amplifier which amplifies the signal received from a DVD/BluRay player and then send to speakers. An AVR has few extra job to do than a typical amplifier. The AVR is like a media hub where it helps to connect between any devices like CD player, Phono Turntable, Cassette Deck, VCR, Video Camera, DVD/BluRay player, Plasma/LCD/CRT/Projector etc. Apart from the amplification process,  an AVR has the ability to decode the incoming digital signals  received from the DVD/Bluray player to either Dolby or DTS formats which then amplifies and outputs to the speakers. To stay with the current trend, it is advisable to buy an AVR with the ability to decode the latest high definition audio Dolby TrueHD & DTS Master Audio formats as this will become standard during the course of time just as how Dolby Digital & DTS Surround has become. As how there is a vast difference in the picture quality from a Standard Definition to todays High Definition, the high definition audio does make a huge impact in the sound quality.

3) Speakers: Choosing speakers to match the AVR definitely play a great role in sound reproduction. Speakers comes in different sizes and shapes and in different budgets  which makes buying easy for the consumer. The important factor one has to note while buying speakers are the following.
  a) Size of the room
  b) AVR power matching with Speaker handling
  c) Obviously, your budget that don't burn a hole in your pocket.

Lets discuss about the different types of speakers available in the market. Basically, speakers are classified under Satellite, Bookshelf and Floor Standing speakers.

Satellite Speakers: These speakers are cute little speakers usually having only one or maximum 2 drivers (speakers) in a wooden or fibre enclosure. These type of speakers can handle frequency maximum upto 150Hz and can't go beyond. Wherein the so called LFE (".1") or typically called as Subwoofer does the job of reproducing those bass shakes & explosions to support these small satellite speakers. We have a separate discussion later in this article with regard to Subwoofers. Satellite speakers inspite of their small size doesn't compromise on the sound quality and can reproduce the sound in detail with clarity and thereby handing over the job to the subwoofer for reproducing the deep bass sound under 125Hz frequency range. These speakers are suitable for small rooms and as well medium rooms where space & style is consideration and can be wall mounted. Satellite speakers comes in different styles and merge with the interiors of a living room or decor without compromising sound quality. Nevertheless to say, Satellite speakers do have limitations in reproducing the full range of sound due to their physical size and can be only considered if one is very keen on space or decor issues.

Bookshelf Speakers: Bookshelf speakers are the big brothers of satellite speakers which are physically more bigger than the satellite, normally has 2 or 3 drivers (1 tweeter, 1 or 2 mid/woofer). Bookshelf is manufactured keeping in mind the pure music listeners  for stereo channel reproduction. Trend has changed and bookshelf speakers are now widely used in 5.1/7.1 channel home theatre setups for movies & music. Typical bookshelf speakers have wooden enclosures to ensure proper imaging & sound reproduction and there are bookshelf speakers which has drivers of size 8inch which can handle below 100Hz bass frequency eliminating the need of subwoofer. In a home theatre speaker package, bookshelf speakers comes in the range of 4", 5¼", 6½" driver sizes accompanied by 1inch tweeter. Driver sizes upto 6½" can handle bass frequency upto 100Hz and gives very good sound reproduction. Adding the subwoofer to the setup helps to reproduce very low notes below 100Hz. Though bookshelf are physically bigger than satellite they are still smaller in size and can placed in a shelf (so the name its been called), wall mounted and can be invisible in your living room eliminating the need for more space and are suitable for small to medium room sizes.

Floorstanding Speakers (or Tower Speakers): These speakers are constructed as per the law of sound. These are typically large speakers which doesn't require any mounting plates and made to stand on the floor as you in Fig. on the left. These consists of the typical 3 way sound reproduction technology covering the full range of frequency thus eliminating any compromise in the sound quality. Normally, 3 way speakers are classified into Tweeter - for reproducing the high frequency (range: 2KHz to 20KHz), Mid-range - for reproducing middle range frequency (range: 200Hz to 5KHz) and Woofer - for reproducing the bass frequency (range: 20Hz to 200Hz). The combination of these 3 types of speakers into a single wooden enclosure reproduces the full spectrum in sound reproduction. Typically, a 3-way speaker system can be divided into 4 or 6 speaker system by dividing the midrange to 3 speakers and bass range t 2 speakers, thereby equalising the sound distortions/reflections created from a single speakers. These floorstanding speakers require more space depending speaker system it is constructed. These floorstanding speakers gives the ultimate sound quality in a home theatre setup having very less job to do for the subwoofer to produce those deep impacts. These speaker packages are expensive when compared to bookshelf and are available in various price ranges.

Subwoofers: Subwoofers or LFE (Low Frequency Effect, the ".1" in a 5.1 or 7.1 setup) delivers only the bass frequency from 20Hz to200Hz depending on the type of speaker setup one has. Subwoofer consists of a single or even 3 speakers (I should say Woofer for more understanding) constructed in a Wooden or fibre enclosure using a separate amplifier within the enclosure or as a separate unit to create those deep bass sounds. Typically, subwoofer speaker size varies from 8inch to 21inch diameter based on the room size and sound output required for the setup. We would see common sizes of 8 to 10 inch for home use and > 10inch for dedicated home theatre setups.
   As said earlier, the subwoofer is conncted from the AVR using a sub-pre out which send the unamplified signals from the AVR to the subwoofer. The amplifier inside the subwoofer will then amplifies these signals from the AVR  and sends to the Woofer reproduce those bass sounds. The subwoofer has separate controls for adjusting the volume, cross-over, phase etc. to give the perfect matching bass for any kind of spealer setups. I will discuss what Volume, Cross-over and Phase means to you.

  Everyone would be aware of a "Volume" control in a subwoofer, which is used to increase or decrease the bass output. Now, this should be new to you "Cross-over" or "Cut off frequency". It is actually not crossing over but sounds similar with respect to frequency. This adjusts the frequency range that has to send to the amplifier in the subwoofer for a balanced bass output matching with the speaker setup. For eg. Lets say, one has 5 satellite speaker and it can reproduce bass upto 150Hz. So, the cross-over frequency has to be set to 150Hz in the subwoofer for reproducing those bass sound below 150Hz which are unable to reproduce by the satellite speakers.The cross-over frequency varies with different speaker types and driver sizes and has to be referred to the respective manuals for perfect adjustments. So, lets discuss about "Phase" and what is does to the output of the subwoofer. Changing the phase means giving delay to subwoofer thereby matching the sound with the main front speakers. There are some instances that you find a bass sound hearing first from the main front speakers and then after a fraction delay from the subwoofer. This means that the subwoofer is not in sync with the main speakers for reproducing the correct bass sound when required and plays it out of phase. The "Phase" control ensure that the subwoofer sound perfect in phase with the front main speakers.

Subwoofer are classified under 2 types - Active and Passive subwoofers. Active subwoofer consists of an built-in amplifier, whereas a Passive subwoofer is without the amplifier inside the subwoofer enclosure and depends either on the AVRs amplifier or a separate amplifier unit. Normally, an AVR does not amplifies sound for the LFE (or ".1") channel in a 5.1/7.1 system. Nowadays, you can notice in many entry level home theatre systems called as HTiB (Home Theatre in a Box) meaning an AVR with a 5.1 or 7.1 matching with respective speakers system as a whole package. This eliminates the need for buying separate speakers for a 5.1/7.1 AVR system and the company takes care of matching the speakers for the AVR perfectly. In HTiB packages, you can more easily find passive subwoofer used instead of active subwoofer to reduce cost and also making it a single driven box for all speakers. There are disadvantages in a passive subwoofer when compared to active subwoofers. The AVR has to amplify the 5 or 7 channels and also the ".1" of the LFE making it strain at higher volume levels. The main concept of the HTiBs is introduce the consumer to 5.1/7.1 setups within a very limited budget. So, if an AVR has to do amplification for ".1" channel, it has to require more power to balance the 5 or 7 channels bass management. Obviously, the quality suffers for all 5 or 7 channels inclusing the LFE or  ".1" channel when played at higher volumes. On the contrary, an active subwoofer takes half the load of the AVR in amplifying the bass and powering the speakers. In an action movie, where bass is involved more requires more power for amplification than a mid or high frequency amplification requires thereby straining the AVR when playint at higher volumes thus affecting the sound quality on all 5 or 7 channels. I would suggest to buy an active subwoofer which is worth the money for the extra bucks.

4) Display Unit: However powerful the sound is, it should be accompanied by a decent display unit to create the effect of a movie theatre at home. Nowadays, Plasma/LCD prices have drastically reduced making it affordable for most homes and available in various screen sizes from 26inch to 60inch. And for more than 60inch screen sizes the projector will be the best buy for money subject to setting it up in a dedicated home theatre room to control light. I would personally suggest that upto 50inch you can buy either Plasma/LCD and beyond opt for projector to give the theatre like feel and also to save your pocket. Now, the question arises between Plasma and LCD TV, which is the best? Earlier days, I would have personally recommended Plasma TVs beating the LCD in every department say, black levels, contrast, color reproduction, fast scenes. But, now time has turned around for LCD to prove that they are not meaner and does whatever the Plasma was doing before. Yes, nowadays the technology has improved a lot more featuring the same trump cards that Plasma possessed earlier. LED now plays a vital role in LCD for boosting that extra contrast, color uniformity, black levels, power consumption and obviously life of the TV. So, I won't be suggesting you any TV between Plasma or LCD because it is now become a personal preference and the individuals eye is the best judge. Likewise, in projectors there are many brands which offers different types of projectors, a detailed article will be discussed separately.

5) Setup, Connectivity & Cables:  Now connecting all the above devices perfectly and positioning plays a pivot role in the success of a home theatre setup. Choosing the best connectivity options from our devices certainly improves the viewing/listening experience. Like we said, HDMI provides the highest quality standard for passing High Definition audio & video signals to TV/projector, AVR etc. There are also other options in a DVD/BluRay player as seen in Fig.1 HDMI, Component Out, S-Video out and Composite out, begining with the highest quality to the least quality respectively. Similarly, an AVR does have inputs for receiving signals for all types connectivity as described in DVD/BluRay player. The same goes with a Plasma/LCD TV or projector. Since, the current market trend is focussing more on High Definition picture & sound, we will discuss more about the highest quality connectivity in this article. As you see in Fig.2 a sample connectivity of different devices to the AVR. Like you can see a DVD/BluRay player, CD audio player, HD DTH cable all connected to the AVR using the respective connectivity inputs/outputs. And the final picture output is connected to through the HDMI out from the AVR to the Plasma/LCD TV.

Fig.2



Fig.3

 As you see in Fig.2, in DVD/BluRay player there are two types of connector for passing the sound signals to the AVR, one as I have already mentioned the HDMI connector and the other connector is the Digital Audio. The main difference between the HDMI and Digital Audio connector is in a HDMI it can send and receive High Definition audio & video signals whereas Digital Audio can pass through only the RAW Digital signal of Dolby & DTS audio outputs. Meaning, the latest High Definition audio formats like Dolby TrueHD and DTS Master Audio cannot be passed through the Digital Audio output. Whereas, in a HDMI it supports along with HD video signals making HDMI a single cable for High Definition connectivity. The Digital Audio connectivity  option is provided in the DVD/BluRay player and AVR for supporting older audio formats like Dolby Digital and DTS Surround. I believe, you would have got an insight about the HDMI and its advantages. The AVR then process the audio signals either from the HDMI or the Digital Audio and process it to 5.1/7.1 Dolby or DTS signals and then amplifies and pass it to the speakers as seen in Fig.3. thus completing the full audio department. Similarly, from AVR respective HDMI out signal is connected to the HDTV or projector as seen Fig.2.

Lastly, we shouldn't forget the carriers of these signals called as "Cables" from DVD/BluRay player to AVR, HDTV etc. Because, the quality of the cable determines that the signals are carried with 100% quality to the AVR or HDTV etc. So, care should be given in selecting good quality cables to achieve the maximum quality transfers  for between your devices. There are lot of branded cables/interconnects respectively for each purpose and a detailed research in the market should help you in selecting a good quality based on your budget.

Fig.4

6) Tips & Tricks: As we discussed from Source to AVR to Speakers and more important the cables, every link in this chain plays an important role in forming the complete setup to gives the best picture & sound output. If we compromise any of these, then we are not doing justice to the components we buy. This doesn't mean that we need to buy the best of the best, but buy the best matching components within your budget for a awesome surround sound experience.

Fig.5

   Certain tips about positioning of speakers/display unit are critical in a home theatre setup to achieve the best  audio/visual experience. As you would be now familiar about the 5.1/7.1 setups as discussed earlier in this article. Lets now discuss the placement of the display unit matching with our 5.1 or 7.1 setup. Take in the case of a Plasma/LCD TV as seen in Fig.4, the angle of seating shouldn't exceed 178 degree, otherwise the person sitting at the extreme corner would unable to enjoy the visual with full color/light uniformity. Likewise in Fig.5, the TV should be placed not more than 15 degree angle of height, prolonged viewing when TV placed higher than the permissible limits will develop strain to neck and spoils the experience. This is applicable for HDTVs as well for projectors.

Fig.6

   Now coming to the speaker placement which plays the important role to achieve a realistic surround sound as intended by the film director. The Front Left and Right speakers should be place only on the respective left and right sides of the HDTV or projector screen. Say in the case of Satellite or Bookshelf speaker types, these speakers should be placed in the line with the ear level of the listeners ear thus providing good sound imaging to the surround setup. As for the Floorstanding speakers, it has to be placed on the floor as what it means to. The front speakers whether it is Satellite, Bookshelf or Floorstanding types these speakers have to angled towards the listening area as shown in Fig.6. Similarly, the Centre speaker should be placed either on the top or bottom of the HDTV or projector screen. As this channel is critical in reproducing the dialogue delivery in any movie. If this speaker is placed elsewhere, it would sound awkward where the dialogue would be out of sync from the visual. As for the Surround speakers, side surrounds in the case of 5.1 and additional back surrounds in the case of 7.1 channel setup should be placed atleast 2 feet above the listeners ear level to create a more realistic surround sound effect. Otherwise, placing the speakers straight to ear level very nearby to the listener gives an artificial feeling and spoils the surround sound. I have at times turned by head back during certain scenes of some movies were surround sound is so enveloping that creates a very realistic surround effect. This effect can be only achieved if all the speakers are placed as intended. As for the LFE channel or ".1" in a 5.1 or 7.1 setup, bass is unidirectional can be placed anywhere in the home theatre setup room. But thats how the theory goes, whereas practically subwoofer placement is critical in producing those bass effect with more depth rather than sounding it very boomy due to improper placement. A subwoofer should never be placed in the extreme corner, which will accumulates boominess to the total sound and feels artificial during explosions. Whereas, placing it with necessary space on all sides and angling onto either corner of the room or in the centre of front speakers would give exceptional bass effect matched to your front, centre & surround speakers. When you hear bass explosion, you should not be able to make out from where the bass sound is coming and should confuse whether the subwoofer is working or sitting idle. A subwoofer should merge with the main sound stage and should not be audibly noticeable during those explosions etc. this makes a very good placement.

Some tips you can consider in your setup.

  1) Please avoid bright light in your home theatre setup area and use only dim light  for HDTVs or completely dark room in the case of projector

  2) The Plasma/LCD/projector screen shouldn't be placed way above 15 degree angle as it will create strain in the neck on continuous viewing.

  3) Similarly. the HDTV/screen should be viewed within the 178 degree viewing angle or else the audience would experience less uniformity/color in the picture.

  4) The front speakers should be angled towards the listening position and in line with the ear level for better sound stage.

  5) Centre speaker should placed either top/bottom of HDTV or behind the screen (acoustic transparent) in the case of projector

  6) Surround speakers should never be placed very near to the listening position and it should be atleast 5 feet away and 2 feet above the listeners ear level. 

  7) Subwoofer shouldn't be placed in the extreme corner of the room, which creates boominess in sound and should be placed either leaving necessary space in the corner of the room or in the centre of the front speakers to create a tight bass.

  8) Always ensure quality cables are used to experience good audio and video reproduction thus doing justice to your electronic devices.

Now, many would have got confused which setup to choose between 5.1 and 7.1. I personally recommend to stick with a 5.1 setup as the 7.1 audio in BluRays are not so common and available in a very very few movies. It is always better to be tuned to the current trend in technology, so I would suggest to go for an AVR that supports the latest High Definition audio formats like Dolby TrueHD & DTS Master Audio with 7.1 decoding capability and configuring as a 5.1 setup. Later on, when 7.1 audio track becomes popular and is available in BluRay, then you add an additional pair of surround back speakers and change the 5.1 speaker config to 7.1 setup in the AVR. Moreover, 3D market is coming up slowly with entry of 3D HDTVs, BluRay players and which are 3D supported by the latest AVRs onboard. Keeping watching this space for more updates.

In case of any comments please do post your views for improving this article.

What does Dolby and DTS mean to me?

When cinema was invented, there was no sound it was only picture and later on after years of experimentation sound track was introduced which gave life to movies. Thus, the first step in sound technology started from a monaural (single or mono channe) to upto 22.2 Channel setups until now.

Before giving you an answer of what is Dolby or DTS, let me describe how these technologies evolved and how much both have grown as of today.

Dolby Laboratories was founded in 1965 by Ray Dolby and initially started in Britain. Later on, Ray Dolby moved his company to United States in 1976 and started researching and made a Type A prototype Dolby Noise Reduction (DNR, you can see in your old Tape decks) which suppress the tape noise generated while playing and marketed his technology to all tape recording companies under his trade mark Dolby. Many companies started implementing Dolby's technology. Later in 1975, Dolby introduced Dolby Stereo which gave a wider dimension to monaural track by adding one more track to it. Thus evolved the Stereo sound which we are still using currently as a standard format in our CD, MP3, Ipod, TVs etc.

2 Channel Stereo setup

Stereo gave more impact to a movie from a monaural sound giving a wider spectrum from a 2 channel track. The audio track is recorded in 2 channels separately and one can distinguish the 2 channels as different musical instruments sound distinctly from 2 channels. Movies were more life like when sound travelled from left to right and vice versa creating a wider spectrum to listening.

Later in 1976, Dolby Surround was introduced giving more life to 2 channel enhancing the spaciousness of both the channels. The first movie in Dolby Surround was released was "A Star is Born". Dolby introduced a compression technology which captured the surround effects to be mixed with 2 channels and when played giving more spaciousness to the sound with the introduction of a centre channel. Thus, there were 3 channels Left, Centre and Right where each channel recorded separately to capture the distinct sounds during the movie or music.



5.1 Surround Sound speaker setup

 In 1992, the first movie "Batman Returns" was recorded in Dolby Digital where the technology now called as Dolby AC3 5.1. In Dolby Digital technology, the sound track contains 6 separate channels for Front Left, Front Centre, Front Right, Surround Left, Surround Right and LFE (Low Frequency Level denotes the ".1" in "5.1") providing true surround sound enveloping around the listener when viewing movie. This was not introduced to the consumer market as the technology required specialised hardware to decode the sound track which was expensive for a home user.  Hence, Dolby Digital was available in commercial theatre to showcase movies in true surround sound.

During 1993, Digital Theatre Systems (shortly called as DTS Inc.) was founded in California. DTS started their research in 1991 was trying to implement a much more better compression technology that can supersede Dolby Digital. One of the initial investors is film director Stephen Spielberg who later released his movie "Jurassic Park" in 1993 with DTS Surround Sound technology.



7.1 Channel Surround Sound speaker setup

 Dolby started introducing technology in personal computers, softwares, headphones, mobiles, making the competition tougher for DTS. During 2005, an additional of 2 more channels were introduced to create more indepth surround field for immersive surround sound as 7.1 Channel surround sound started to be popular slowly. In a 7.1 surround sound, 2 additional surround back left & right channels are added to the existing 5.1 channel thus creating a more indepth surround field as seen in the figure on the right. So, I am now sure you would have understood what Dolby & DTS. In ahat as a layman's understanding Dolby and DTS. In a layman's language both are two different companies researching sound technology. For eg, like the case of Coke and Pepsi war which is still going strong in the market. Lets now don't debate which whether Dolby or DTS won the war rather than seeing the technical difference between both these technologies and how they are used commonly in various home entertainment appliances, media etc.

Difference between Dolby and DTS sound technologies...

Before answering this question, I should explain you how a typical film sound track appears as you see in figure on the right. As you have noticed, there is one more sound technology called SDDS (Sony Dynamic Digital Sound by Sony Corpn.) which is only available for professional use in selected theatres, so lets not discuss about it. Coming to the figure, you can notice how soundtrack is being laid in a commercial movie film. Dolby sound track between the perforated holes and DTS on a separate track on right side and ordinary stereo (analog) in parallel to the DTS soundtrack. One has to keep in mind the practical wear & tear of the movie film when played over again and again. As you see in the figure, DTS sound track consists of timecodes whereas Dolby has soundtrack encoded between the perforated holes. Lets see how both soundtrack performs, in a Dolby soundtrack over a period of time due to wear & tear of the movie film played so many time it starts to form scratches over the film and thus affecting the sound quality in Dolby giving ticks, clicks, breaks during playtime. The sound quality wouldn't be the same as the first show as we see the same movie after 50 days. Whereas, in DTS the soundtrack is in the form timecodes which contains digital information in '0s' & '1s' which is then sent to a special optical converter where these digital information is made to sync with a separate DTS audio track in a compact disc (CD) matching the '0s' & '1s' from the movie film timecodes and thus reproducing the sound during playtime. Here, since the soundtrack is available as timecodes, even though there are scratches or any information is missing the optical sync converter simply skips at the same matching with the DTS sound available in the separate CD thereby giving quality sound without any breaks, clicks or ticks even played after 100 days.

The fiilm technology was earlier used only in a commercial theatre projectors, but gone are the days where a movie theatre uses film to play movies. Technology enhancements gave boon to digital age to bring the best picture and sound quality for an immersive experience. Digital projectors phases out the old film/analogue projectors out of the market thereby bringing movies in the form of digital format like in harddisk, BluRay media. Both Dolby and DTS store their movie soundtrack in digital format along with the digital movie and played from a harddisk. Now, competition has become tougher for both the players since the digital format has become a common platform.

Soundtrack into BITS...

Sound has to be recorded in digital format and so the role of BITS come into play.  Well, BITS indicate the quality of the compression taken place from the original sound recorded in the studio. If an original sound has to be directly transferred to digital format in a movie without any compression, then one has to need more and more of storage space to hold the orginal studio master recording to reproduce the sound in a movie theatre. This is practically going to be an expensive solution, so thats the reason companies like Dolby/DTS are using their own patented algorithms to compress the original master audio to a compressed form without losing on the quality.

You would have noticed MP3 songs are smaller in size but at the same time reproduces CD quality sound which is less noticeable. For eg. If I were to store CD quality music in a 700MB CD, it can hold only max upto 16 tracks. Whereas, if I were to compress the CD to MP3 format and then store in the same 700MB CD with upto 150 songs.

Similarly, Dolby & DTS compresses the studio master sound to hold onto a much affordable storage size without compromising on the audio quality. Now, here comes the role of BITS which are talking about. As you are aware in a MP3 format the maximum BIT we can achieve as equivalent to CD quality is 320KBps. Likewise, there are BITS involved in Dolby & DTS technologies as seen in the below comparison table.

The above table clearly shows better bitrates for DTS over Dolby, theoritically this gives us the feeling of DTS winning the game. But, the role of the compression technology comes in to play when delivering the compressed sound quality, so as Dolby claims that they use a special algorithm to compress the master audio to without compromising on the sound quality. There is no denying that both Dolby & DTS formats new high definition audio bitrates sounds superior to their respective entry level variants.

Now, DTS like Dolby have become popular in home entertainment systems, DVD, BluRay and in movie theatres just like Dolby. Most of available DVD, BluRay movies disc features either of these technology and it is the people who choose upon personal hearing preference.

Test Bench: As far as I am concerned, there is subtle sound quality difference between Dolby and DTS. For testing purpose, I played the DVD movie "Dinosaurs" which contained both Dolby Digital 5.1 (448 KBps) and DTS surround 5.1 (1.536 MBps) audio tracks. I played the scene where a giant bird trying to hold the dinosaurs egg while flying to her nest and dropping in the midst, where the egg falls into the forest and hits the trees, leaves and finally landing softly on the bushes. Here I bookmarked this scene in my DVD player from A to B and played it using the Dolby & DTS audio tracks. I notices in Dolby, that the voice channel gets more wider and rest of the left, right, surround reproducing perfectly with balanced bass through the LFE '".1". Whereas in DTS, in the same scene the centre channel is not getting wider but producing the same effect produced in Dolby, but rather getting more wider in surround channels and front left/right and adding heaviness in bass to the LFE ".1". Frankly, I loved both the sound quality and would further say that if I have a movie with both Dolby & DTS sound tracks then based on the movie genre I would like to switch between the two formats. Like, say If I am watching a war/action movie like "Saving Private Ryan" or "Transformers" etc then I would probable switch to DTS, wherein for drama, comedy type I prefer Dolby. I also noticed that Dolby is more musical/balanced and DTS for that heavy impact scenes. But, my testing went all wrong when I listened to both high resolution audio formats of Dolby TrueHD & DTS Master Audio. I can hardly find any difference between the two high resolution formats and I personally say that we needn't worry whether it is Dolby or DTS but just listen to whatever the DVD/BluRay disc contains. Because, the brain behind these technologies have really worked hard to get the surround sound experience at par quality no matter if it Dolby or DTS - Both wins!

I will have a separate article about how to setup/configure 5.1/7.1 surround speakers using the correct equipments required to reproduce the desired theatre experience. Meanwhile, you can have a look at the common logos seen in your DVD/Bluray players, Audio/Video Receiver, CD/DVD/BluRay disc which get certification for using the respective brands.

So the war between Dolby & DTS is still on ......by the way we are the people who enjoy the outcome out of their war. Lets keep listening to them!

Building a Dedicated Home Theatre

This article describes about building a dedicated home theatre room with fully geared equipments to match with, ultimately giving you an immersive and spectacular visual/audio experience.These informations are gathered from various AV forums, home theatre consultants etc. I would like to get comments from reader if I had mentioned anything wrong. So, lets start...

A dedicated home theatre room can be divided into different sections as below..
 

A dedicated home theatre room



1. Basically, a dedicated home theatre room.
2. A display screen & Gadget for immersive visual experience
3. Supported by a powerful Audio equipment to create those shakes & impact
4. And, Sound treatment i.e. treating the sound to not to get outside from the home theatre room
   and similarly no other sound coming from outside to inside the home theatre room creating
   disturbances.

The above sections are elaborated in detail as we read through this article.

1) Home Theatre Room
      A dedicated HTR (from here on, I will be mentioning as HTR for Home Theatre Room) can be your existing living hall, bedroom or a separate room exclusively to view movies or listen to music. I would prefer a separate room for one to enjoy the maximum while seeing a movie or listening to music. This not only gives you more involvement while it also isolate the sound from reaching to your neighbours.

     The HTR has some thumb rules before finalising the dimensions. There are some golden ratios in achieving the HTR dimension while planning.

These are a few golden ratios
Room 1 - 1x, 1.14x, 1.39x
Room 2 - 1x, 1.28x, 1.54x
Room 3 - 1x, 1.60x, 2.33x

where '1' denotes the height of the room. There is no hard & fast rules that one should stick to these ratios, but it gives an approximate measurement while designing the HTR. For eg. lets say the height of the room is 8.5ft so to determine the width & length it should be calculated as follows.

8.5 (H) : 8.5 x 1.6 (W) : 8.5 x 2.33 (L) which results in 8.5ft (H) x 13.6ft (W) x 19.80ft (L)

NB: The above value are the final room dimensions after the completion of the acoustic treament. In other words, your actual room would be actually 14.6 ft wide and 20ft long, after the completion of adding the acoustic panelling etc the there would be a slight reduction in dimensions which has to match approximately to the golden ratio. There can be + or - 5% deviation from these golden ratios in that case is tolerable. But, the sad news is many could not comply with these golden ratio in their existing setups since mostly the matching doesn't happen. Either, one need to redesign the civil which is a difficult task or to extend/merge two rooms to achieve this ratio. Both is not practically possible unless one is building a new room from scratch keeping in mind these ratios.

More to discuss in detail about the acoustic treatment methods that is adopted in these dedicated HTR setups as explained in section (4).

2) The Display Screen
       Display can be categorised into two parts

1. Less than 50 inch diagonal screen
2. More than 50 inch diagonal screen      

Display can be right from a 21inch TV to 150inch massive projector screen. For a dedicated HTR setup I prefer the latter. Choosing the display depends on infrastructure, space and lighting conditions. Normally, everyone wants a big screen no matter what size the room is. Therefore, in this article I have described doing a projector screen of size say 130 inch or more. Lets see how much we can achieve with regard to our room size and other factors.

So, how to determine the screen size with the room size is the big question. I have seen in a movie theatre, while I choose a seat that is positioned little back (not the last row) and is in the centre to the screen. Others, may choose the front row or the last row or some, the corner seats. So, its ones individual preference he/she has to decide how big the screen should be. But, again there is no shortage for thumb rules for everything. 

The size of the screen is best found by dividing the room's length by 4.5. I've used 4.5 as it a 'round' number, but the actual number you use can be anything between 3.68 and 5.18 and where '4.5' is somewhere in the middle of that, but closer to the long end of the range. Dividing the room's length by the chosen number gives you an ideal screen height for that room that allows you to work out both Seating Distances and Throw Ratio (will be discussed in detail as we read through).

Eg: For Room length of 19.80ft / 4.5 = Screen height of 4.4ft, here the width of the screen can be easily determined reverse calculating the aspect ratio (this is discussed in detail as we read through).

I would like to mention here that there are a few jargon words that keeps appearing as we read through this. One need not be confused about these because it is not going to stop one making an HTR but it gives an insight about what is all about, atleast for the sake of academic interest.

Since, I have decided to choose a 130 inch display screen or more, it is practically impossible to buy that large Plasma or LCD which should cost you a fortune keeping in mind selling your house/property etc. There comes the Projector for the rescue to serve screens ranging from 40 inch to maximum 300 inch screens with a budget easily reachable.

Fig.1

All nice talking about large screens, but one has to do the math to see what screen size is suitable for the HTR. For that, I need to put you through some technical jargons at this point of time which should make you understand the logic behind why it is done, how it is done and you can visually see the end result right from the start. So, lets start from Throw Ratio (hereon I will be mentioning as TR). TR is the distance from the tip of the projector's lens to the screen (see Fig.1). Most commonly, the projectors have a TR of 2.0. Meaning, for each foot of image width the projector has to be 2 feet away from the screen i.e 2 / 1ft = 2.0. Eg, To achieve a 5 feet width image the projector has to be 5ft x 2 = 10ft away from the screen. So, using TR one can determine the throw distance or image width.

Now, here come another technical jargon Aspect Ratio (hereon i will be mentioning as AR) which is an important jargon to determine the screen size. AR is commonly categorised as below.





Fig.2


1. 1.33:1 (4:3 - Standard television)
2. 1.78:1 (16:9 - widescreen as seen in Plasma/LCD)
3. 2.35:1 (21:9 - superwide or cinemascope as seen in commercial theatre)

As you see, the image gets wider as you increase the numbers. What actually these numbers denotes? Well, it is the ratio of the width vs height. In other words, our 21 inch CRT TV is 4:3 ratio i.e. 4 divided by 3 gives you 1.33. So, the image is 1.33 times wider than height. Similarly, you see more and more Plasma/LCD TVs becoming cheaper day by day and affordable to everyone. These Plasma/LCD are all 16:9 AR i.e 16 divided by 9 gives you 1.78:1. When you go to a movie theatre, more than 90% of the movies screened are in superwide AR or Cinemascope which is 21 divided by 9 gives you 2.35:1 AR. 

Fig.3

  Commercial film makers choose the aspect ratio of the film based on the visual required for the story. Will you enjoy if the movie Transformers had been shot in 1.33:1 AR (see in the Fig.2). Since the film has visual effects it requires a much more wider spectrum to showcase it to the audience, hence 2.35:1 AR is chosen. Same goes with all movies that is being made today. A superwide or Cinemascope makes the audience immersed to the visual treat showcased in the movie. Now, see Fig.3 which shows how the actual movie which is shot in 16:9 appears in a normal television (4:3) and in a widescreen Plasma/LCD (16:9) TV. You can see black bars on the top and bottom of the screen appearing as seen in Fig.3 in a standard tv on the left, whereas the image fills perfectly to 16:9 Plasma/LCD on the right.

Why is this black bars appearing?
This is because the standard tv has to accomodate the full width of the movie so that the sides are not cropped and all detail in the movie is viewed. In doing so, the height of the movie has to be reduced thus creating black bars in the top and bottom of the screen. Similarly, when we view a 2.35:1 or Cinemascope movie on a Plasma/LCD (16:9) TV, there are still black bars appearing on the top and bottom because the 2.35:1 movie is wider than 16:9 as seen in the Fig.2.

So, hope you should have undergone some technical concepts which one should understand while building the HTR. Now, the question comes "Which type of AR should I choose?"

Before giving you an straight answer, I need to make you understand the following concepts for one to make the choice easier.

Choosing the right Aspect Ratio Screen: As you seen in Fig.2, the common AR are 4:3, 16:9 and 2.35:1 which has its own advantages/disadvantages and depends on viewers selection of movie/video that he/she is viewing. But before hand I would like you to take through the meaning of "Resolution of Video" for easier understanding of AR.

What is Resolution in a Video or TV?
Resolution in a video is the number of vertical and horizontal line present. Resolution can be categorised as 2 types a) Standard Definition b) High Definition.

a) Standard Definition (SD): Earlier, DVD movies and TV broadcast are all produced in standard definition resolution, i.e the number of vertical/horizontal lines are 728 x 576
b) High Definition (HD): Currently, most of the BluRay movies are encoded in 1080, i.e., 1920 lines horizontal by 1080 vertical lines. There is also 720 available which is still categorised under the High Definition giving resolution of 1280 x 720 lines. Meaning, the more number of horizontal/vertical lines gives amazing picture quality. Especially, you can notice in your school/business projectors, when you play a SD video on a big screen you notice square like appearing in fast moving scenes. Whereas, in HD videos there is no such pixelation because the more number of lines reduces these artifacts and gives you much clearer, sharper, stunning image quality.

Hope this gives an idea how the resolution important while viewing on big screens. Now, lets see how resolution relate to AR. The most common Aspect Ratios are explained below.

4:3 AR (1.33:1): Normally seen in a standard CRT tv, the olden days when we viewed movies on these TVs. This AR is now getting phased out and used mainly in business presentations/advertising/public displays etc.

16:9 AR (1.78:1): Since, due to emerge of HDTV (Hight Definition Television) as you seen during the days the introduction of SunDirect HD, TataSky HD, Airtel HD, Reliance HD, DishTv HD etc. More and more players are coming to market in the HDTV segment thus making the cost much more affordable during the course of time. HDTV transmission are in 16:9 AR (1.78:1 widescreen) and there is more resolution added to these signals and picture is now wider than the 4:3 AR. This AR is commonly used in DVD, Bluray, HDTV and even some movies.

21:9 AR (2.35:1): This is less common AR format to domestic segment, but common in commercial applications. As you see in a movie theatre, the picture is wider than your Plasma/LCD TV. Thats why you see black bars when viewing these movies on your Plasms/LCD TV. Now, most of the present movies are produced in 2.35:1 AR since it gives audience more immersive experience.

     Now saying all these, we the viewers need to choose what kind of AR would be suitable. Since, 4:3 AR is almost phased out and so the comparison would be between 16:9 vs 21:9 ARs.

This article below narrates the advantages/disadvantages of both the ARs and the choice of the viewer to choose which is best for him/her.

Comparison between 16:9 Vs 21:9 (Advantages & Disadvantages):
The AR is based on the viewing material that one is going to watch very often. Say, if a person is more interested in sports and would be viewing HDTV or SDTV broadcasts then 16:9 AR is the best one. Seldom, he may watch movies which are in 2.35:1 AR where black bars appear top and bottom of the screen.

Fig.4 (Cinemascope)

Fig.5 (16:9 AR with black bars on left & right sides)

Fig.6 (4:3 AR with broader black bars on left & right sides)

Say, if a person is going to view only for movies (like me) and may seldom watch TV broadcasts in that case 2.35:1 AR is the best option. A HTR often are 16:9 AR display screens balancing between both the AR formats.
What happens if a 16:9 AR is viewed on a 2.35:1 AR screen?
As you can see in Fig.4,5 & 6 the comparison how a 4:3, 16:9 and 2.35 ARs appear on a 2.35:1 AR display screen. This is same as you see in a commercial theatre.

Ok, now lets get into action...

As mentioned earlier, as we go big screen >100 inches, it is always better to go for projectors which is cheaper when compared to Plasma/LCD for that screen sizes. Say, I need to achieve 100" diagonal display screen then the cost would be approximate 10Lakhs plus based on Plasma/LCD. At the same time, a projector starts from Rs.30,000 onwards based on features, picture quality etc. There are different brands offering projectors in three different technology similar like Plasma/LCD in TVs.

Different technology in Projectors: It consists of DLP (Digital Light Processing) by Texas Instruments, LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) and LCoS (Liquid Crystal on Silicon). DLP technology is popular mainly for movie viewing just like Plasma TV where it gives theatre like feel with high Contrast Ratio. LCD are commonly used in business presentations etc where it is brighter than DLP at the same time Contrast Ratio is limited. Ok, I understand that you may ask what a Contrast Ratio (CR) means to you. CR defines the ratio between brighter areas to blacker areas i.e. 10000:1 CR means that the brightness is 10000 times more than the black area. So, more CR meaning better picture quality? not exactly, it again depends on projectors various factors like lumens, color etc. One need not require to know indepth knowledge about these ratios/factors but will be very helpful when buying a projector.
   Nowadays, LCD have improved their CR and can say they perform equally or outperform a DLP projector. It is not thumb rule that one should use only DLP projector, since many brands offers excellent features & enhancements in their respective DLP, LCD, LCoS technologies. It is upto the customer to decide which one is best for him/her depending on the budget.

Some of the few popular brands which are good in HTR setups are mentioned below for general guideline to make purchase easier.

• Benq (DLP)
• Digital Projection (DLP)
• Epson (LCD)
• Infocus (DLP)
• JVC (LCoS)
• LG (LCoS/LCD)
• Mitsubishi (DLP/LCD)
• Optoma (DLP
• Panasonic (LCD/DLP-Commercial)
• Runco (DLP)
• Sim2 (DLP)
• Sharp (LCD/DLP)
• Sony (LCoS)
• Vivitek (DLP)

Earlier, projectors had only 4:3 AR, nowdays all projectors have 16:9 AR. So, say one require a Cinemascope (2.35:1 AR) screen as seen in Fig.4 what he/she has to do to achieve the same if the projector AR is 16:9. Will the picture not have black bars on the top and bottom? Lets, learn more how it is done in the following section.

How to achieve a 2.35:1 AR from 16:9 AR projector?

Anamorphic lens

Basically, we need 3 components to make it possible
1) A projector (normally 16:9 AR)
2) Anamorphic Lens
3) 2.35:1 AR screen

Fig.7

Fig.8



Fig.9



Fig.10

See the above images for your understanding in three simple steps.  Fig.7 shows the 16:9 AR projected to a 2.35:1 screen. You can notice that a 2.35:1 image inside the 16:9 AR where you see black bars on the top, bottom, left and right sides. In Fig.8, you can see that the image now is vertically stretched using the projector's picture setting where the black bars in the top & bottom have gone and appearing only on left and right sides. But at the same time, you can notice in Fig.8 that since the image is stretched vertically it appears elongated not resulting like the original image. Finally, we place an Anamorphic lens in front of the projector as shown in Fig.9, here the lens would slide to the fron t of the projector lens using a motorised sled mechanism when viewing 2.35:1 movies. And in Fig.10 you can notice the image now expanded fitting perfectly to the 2.35:1 AR screen just like the original image in Fig.7 but eliminating the black bars completely. Thus bringing the experience as you enjoy in a commercial movie theatres.

3) Audio Setup

Fig.11 (5.1 Surround Setup)

      Audio plays a major role in HTR setup to bringing life to visual experience by creating much more feel that the audience is sitting right in the centre of the excitement. Audio department throughout these years have taken care to ensure that excitement never gets dull rather amazing as you hear more and more of the new movies released in future. This is because of the various technological research going on and implemented during the course of time. We do remember the days we were watching movies in Stereo (2 channels) in a movie theatre. But, when Dolby Laboratories introduced the Surround Sound concept thereby bringing enveloping surround sound to the audience making that he/she is sitting right in the centre of the action. This was with the introduction of 4 channels creating a psuedo surround effect from stereo source. Later on, 4 separate tracks were introduced and recorded separately thereby creating distinct reproduction of audio to the respective channels and creating more realistic surround effect. Technology didn't stop there, Dolby again introduced 5.1 channel where .1 refer to LFE (Low Frequency Effect) in otherwords called as Subwoofer to reproduce the low bass explosions/impact in a movie sound track. They called in Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound as seen Fig.11. Then came the evolution of DTS firm which offers same surround sound solution as Dolby. The only difference between Dolby and DTS is both are different companies offering same technology under different brand name called "Dolby" & "DTS" with some features giving real competition between the both. Then the came the introduction of 6.1 where a centre back surround speaker is introduced between the left and right surrounds giving more depth.  



Fig.12 (7.1 Surround Setup)



Unfortunately, not many movies are produced in 6.1 Ch and rather 5.1 Ch is still common currently and even in commercial movie theatres. Now, we have a some members to the surround stable 7.1, 7.2, 9.2 and even 11.2, wherein .2 is same as .1 but adding one more Sub for more balanced reproduction of the low frequency. As of now, movies are still produced common in 5.1 and a very few titles available in 7.1. As you see there is still no .2 recordings in a sound track. It is actually the amplifier which does splitting the .1 to two separate points making it .2 for a balanced bass effect in a HTR.  In a 7.1 Surround setup, 2 new surround back channel are introduced with the existing 5.1 Ch configuration thus creating a 360 degree enveloping surround sound effect as seen in Fig.12.  Like you see advancements in Video from SD to HD, similarly both Dolby & DTS have introduced the audience to experience HD-Audio thereby giving us names like "Dolby TrueHD", "DTS-HD" giving a major leap in the audio quality reproduction. There are certain loose ends where I have skipped abruptly and only had given a brief explanation to those terminlogy which we will discuss lateron in a separate article which will be coming soon. Hope you have a basic idea of surround sound technolgy and lets move into building the audio setup

Basically, the components that makes your audio setup are

• Source: A DVD, BluRay, HD Media player or HTPC (Home Theatre Personal Computer) for playing all your discs/media. Now, more number of 3D movies are releasing hence the market is flooded with 3D BluRay players, 3D Plasma/LCD, 3D Projectors becoming popular day by day and costs drastically reducing and more affordable. There will be a separate article with regard to 3D coming soon.


• Audio/Video Receiver (AVR): An AVR is just simple as an amplifier which amplifies the signals from various sources such as DVD, BluRay players etc. It is more similar to a normal stereo amplifier which does only 2 channel amplification. Whereas, an AVR can able to decode the Dolby/DTS signals coming from DVD, BluRay players and processing to 6 or 8 separate channels. Basically, in a 5.1Ch AVR it consists of Front Left, Front Right, Centre, Left Surround, Right Surround and Subwoofer preout (denoting .1 - LFE) and in a 7.1 Ch AVR it the same as 5.1Ch with 2 extra channels for Surround back Left & Right as you see in Fig.11 & 12. In a DVD, BluRay discs the soundtrack is encoded to respective Dolby/DTS signals and these signals are then passed from the player through either HDMI, Optical/Coaxial digital inputs of the AVR. Which then decodes the signal and splits these to either 5.1 or 7.1 signals depending on the AVR and then amplifies the respective channels and feed to the speakers.
  




Satellite Speakers

 



Bookshelf Speakers

 



Floorstanding Speakers


• Speakers: Speakers play a significiant role in reproducing the sound as accurate as the original recording. I need to have a separate article to discuss indepth about speakers and you may take your time reading the same later on. The speaker has to matched with the AVRs output and impedance. Nowadays, there more than 1000plus brands offering various speaker configurations for 5.1/7.1 setups matching the AVR specifications. Speakers generally come into three forms Satellite, Bookshelf and Floor Standing. One can choose from these 3 form factors based on the HTR size and budget. Satellite speakers are generally single driver speaker units which contains one single 4inch or 5inch speaker or may have a tweeter separately to reproduce the high frequency notes. They are very compact, stylist, sleek and mostly in plastic/fibre/wood type enclosures.These are for space conscious listeners who have very limited flexibility in installtion or want their speakers to be literally invisible in their HTR. Bookshelf speakers are little larger speakers commonly in wooden enclosures and can be easily mounted in a cupboard/bookshelf where it seats perfectly to the name its called. These speakers units normally are 2 way i.e. one tweeter and one woofer or in some cases 2 way, 3 drivers where 2 mid-woofers and 1 tweeters are present. Generally, these speakers are best for listening stereo (2 channels) reproducing sufficient bass without the help of a subwoofer and clean treble (high frequency). Bookshelf can definitely improve sound quality when compared to satellite speaker units becuase of their enclosure and multiple drivers. Floorstanding speakers are tallboy units which doesn't require any mounting options as it is placed directly on the floor. These speakers are mostly 3 way with 4 or even 6 separate drivers for maximum sound quality. The 3 way driver covers the full bandwidth in a frequency where it consists of a tweeter for high frequencies, a midrange/midwoofer for producing the mid frquency like voice in a music/movie and woofer for low frequency irerespective of the separate subwoofer as we refer to .1 LFE. It is upto the user to choose the best speaker for his/her setup based on the HTR and budget.
• Cables: Cables play important role in carrying signals to the speakers without signal loss from the AVR. So, selecting good cables significiantly improves sound quality and accurate reproduction in speakers. More we will discuss in a separate article coming soon.

4) Sound Treatment for HTR

      Sound treatment plays a major role in deciding the sound quality in HTR. Even though one has got the best of players, AVR and speakers and if the room is not acoustically treated the end result will be worst. Sound treatment ensures that proper absorption/diffusion treatments are done in HTR. Normally, sound waves reflects in all sides of the room and it has to be controlled by ensuring to reach to the listeners position with very less echo/reverberation. Likewise, diffusion is a process to spread the sound waves from highly concentrated area to a lower concentrated area. In otherwords, diffusers help in spreading the sound waves uniformly in a room just creating equal effect irrespective of where we sit and listen. As for Ceiling/flooring/walls, there are sound absorbant panels available on various budget. More coming soon in a  separate article.

Conclusion

Hope this gives you an overall idea of what is a dedicated HTR and the various process involved to setup with different options available in the market. I may have abruptly skipped a topic or missed something, in that case please feel free to post your comments so that this article can be improved further in helping others.