Projector Screen

While some users may opt for a white wall when using their projector, others may want to go with a screen. While white projector screens have been a staple for years, some home theater enthusiasts are opting for gray screens, which are considered “high contrast.”

As far as screen size goes, there are a variety of sizes to consider, and it all depends on the size of the room you’re in. You won’t want to buy the largest one available if the room you’re in is small, though if that room is dedicated only to being a home theater, consider getting a larger, permanent screen.

There are options to buy a 4 x 3 (full screen, squarish) or 16 x 9 (widescreen, film- and HD-friendly) screen; we recommend going with a 16 x 9, as more TV programming is going high definition widescreen, and movies are pretty much all widescreen now on DVD and Blu-ray. This cuts down on the letterboxing you’d see on a 4 x 3 screen.

There’s the option to purchase a permanent screen that will stay in place on the wall, great for a dedicated home theater room. Or you can opt for a screen that can be pulled down (like your teacher did back in school) and hung up on the wall, or from the ceiling – it’s semi-permanent and semi-portable. Then you could always go with a portable screen, which is affordable and might be a great option if the projector you’re buying is going to travel with you for business presentations. Consider your needs before making a decision, especially if you think you’ll be moving in the foreseeable future.

To decide where you should place your projector there are many things to take into account, including room size, the lamp’s lumens rating and more. Probably the best thing is to search online for a “viewing distance calculator,” which will help you place it properly.

Projectors - A Word about Lamps

The average lifespan of a lamp, perhaps the most important part of the projector, is between 2,000 and 4,000 hours. As time goes on, the image will stay nice and bright, but toward the end of its life, it will start to dim. If you run the projector often and at full power, expect it to last around 2,000 hours. If you use energy saving modes, it will last up to 4,000 hours. When a lamp goes out, it can cost around $200 to $400 to replace.
Some tips to help with lamp life: A little maintenance via filter cleanings will help extend that life; keep the exhaust fan open and away from objects that might obstruct it; and take care when turning it off right after the projector has been turned on – wait at least five minutes.

LED/LCD TVs

Man’s second best friend. His TV. The best thing you can do for you LED and LCD TV is to watch it. Which is pretty easy. Here are a few other tips to keep it in the best working order.

• Keep the screen lint and dust free with a soft cloth wipe down once a week.
• Keep the picture crystal clear, and all the colors correct with calibration. You can do this yourself, or have a professional come out and check your color spectrum for you.
• Make sure all cables are attached correctly and evenly.
• Keep the set turned off when it is not in use.
• Do NOT use cleaners, such as Windex, that contain ethyl alcohol, ammonia, acetone, ethyl acid or methyl chloride to clean your screen.

Digital Camera Care

Your digital camera can capture and upload your memories in moments. Depending on what type of camera you have, it can be an important investment. Here’s a way to treat it nice.

• Always keep a digital camera charged.
• Get a snug fitting bag to store it.
• Use the lens cover all the time (except when taking pictures).
• Clean the lens and body with a soft cloth.
• Don’t take pictures with your digital camera while sky diving.
• Keep liquids away from the camera at all times.
• Don’t drop your camera in hot lava. Stay away from volcanoes in general. 

Did You Know?  According to our internal research, the average repair cost for a digital camera or digital SLR camera is around $150.  Lot of money for just one, run of the mill, repair job.  Follow these simple steps and keep your camera in tip top order to reduce the risk of any kind of failure.

Camcorder Care

There are so many types of video cameras to choose, from high to low price, feature rich to basic varieties, the list goes on. Once you choose one, you want to take good care of it so it will be there to capture your special moments, funny accidents, and family fun.

• Always keep the video camera charged.
• Get a video camera bag. Keep it stored in the bag at all times. Except when using the camera, of course.
• Use the lens cover all the time to protect the lens.
• Clean the lens and body with a soft cloth once a month.
• Keep liquids away from the camera at all times.
• Don’t use your video camera as a doorstop. This will damage the video camera.

Desktop Care

In general your desktop computer should be easy to operate and pretty low maintenance. Here are a few simple tips for keeping it in great working order:

• Keep food and liquids away from your desktop. If you do spill, shut it off and unplug from its power source.
• Don’t roll over the power cord with your office chair. Tape the cord to your desk or to the wall.
• Have your laptop professionally cleaned once a year to remove internal dust.
• Virus and spyware software is a good investment.
• Run a defragmentation program.
• Back up your hard drive externally, just incase.
• Do NOT use cleaners, such as Windex, that contain ethyl alcohol, ammonia, acetone, ethyl acid or methyl chloride to clean your monitor.

Laptop Care

Your laptop is attached to you most of the time. Love/hate relationship. You take it everywhere. It’s your traveling lifeline and workstation – and access to Facebook and other social scenes. Don’t let anything bad happen to it. Caring for it is easy if you follow a few easy steps.

• Never pick your laptop up by its monitor/screen
• Don’t roll over the power cord with your office chair. Tape the cord to your desk or to the wall.
• Have your laptop professionally cleaned once a year to remove internal dust.
• Avoid using your laptop in bed. It will suck up dust and lint, possibly blocking the fan. And it’s not into “cuddling.”
• Keep food and liquids away from your laptop. It’s just a matter of time before you dump a piping hot Americano on the keyboard. If you do spill, shut it off and unplug from its power source.
• Virus and spyware software is a good investment.
• Run a defragmentation program.
• Back up your hard drive externally, just in case.
• Do NOT use cleaners, such as Windex, that contain ethyl alcohol, ammonia, acetone, ethyl acid or methyl chloride to clean your monitor.
• Never use bubble gum to keep your laptop shut.

HDTV Buying Guide: Making Sense of the Specifications Part 2

Video connections: You have to get the image from your disc player or set-top box into the TV set, and to do so you need to use a video connection. Only three connectors--HDMI, component video, and "VGA"--can deliver HD-resolution images, and of those only HDMI is capable of providing full 1080p HD over an HDCP-protected connection.

LED backlight: "LED TVs" are LCD TVs with an LED backlight instead of a standard fluorescent backlight. LEDs consume less power and produce better color response than traditional backlights do, and they also make it possible to create a much thinner LCD TV.

Dynamic backlight or local dimming: Some LCD TVs with LED backlights have the LEDs in a matrix behind the LCD panel, as opposed to other designs that put the LEDs along the edge of the panel to make a thinner TV set. It is possible to turn the LEDs in some sections down or even off, independently of the rest of the backlight. This means that the set can lower the backlight for portions of an image that are dimmer and do not need the backlight's full power. The result is that the set can increase the contrast significantly, as well as save energy.

120Hz refresh rate: A set running at the 120Hz rate takes the normal 60 images per second from the video signal and creates an intermediate image between every pair to create 120 images per second. This increase in refresh rate can help reduce motion blurring in LCD TVs.

240Hz refresh rate: Some sets double the 120Hz approach, creating three intermediate images per pair of frames. Other models simply use the 120 frames but flash the backlight two times per frame. Both of these approaches are intended to reduce motion blur even more, but you are not likely to notice the difference.

HDTV Buying Guide: Making Sense of the Specifications Part 1

Before you purchase an LCD or plasma flat-panel HDTV, read our comprehensive buying advice to learn what features to consider.

Whether you're buying your first HDTV or replacing an older model, you'll find all sorts of new specifications and features to consider when shopping. Some of these apply to both LCD and plasma sets, while others are significant for LCDs in particular. Here's a quick overview of the different choices and what they may mean for you.

Resolution: Almost all sets 40 inches or larger have 1080p resolution, which is 1920 by 1080 pixels. The 1080p resolution will give you the maximum detail available for almost all HD content. For some smaller HDTV sizes, 1366 by 768 pixels is often a lower-cost choice, but a 720p set has to scale 1080p images down to match its native resolution. This interpolation may introduce imaging artifacts, and the image may not appear quite as sharp or have the depth of the picture on a 1080p set.

While 720p models are available in many sizes as a lower-cost option, they remain prevalent in the 40-inches-or-smaller category. If you're shopping for a small HDTV, expect to pay about a 20 to 25 percent premium for a 1080p set over a 720p set. All else being equal, we recommend that you pick a 1080p model, which will better match much of the content you can now get from broadcast, streaming, and satellite services, and will match the native resolution of a Blu-ray Disc player.

Contrast: This spec (also known as "Contrast Ratio") refers to the difference between the darkest images and the lightest images that a screen can produce; in general, it is determined by how dark the blacks are. Contrast is probably the most important factor in determining image quality after resolution. If the blacks are gray and the contrast is lower, the whole image can look washed out. If the blacks are deep and strong, however, the image will look sharper and the colors will pop.

Unfortunately, manufacturers' methods for measuring and specifying contrast are almost useless for helping you predict how the screen will look. Manufacturers use full-screen measurements, all black and all white, in a darkened room. An all-black or all-white screen is not what people watch, and in computer terms it conveys precisely zero bits of information. When you have actual content on the screen, you get internal reflections, ambient lighting effects, and other optical crosstalk that results in the light from one section of an image affecting the light levels of another. Basically, pay attention to the contrast with your eyes, but don't worry about the reported "Contrast Ratio" spec.


Internet connectivity: These days, most big-brand HDTVs offer the ability to connect to your home network's router--either through a cable or wirelessly--so that you can view content stored on the computers on your network and access content from the Internet if you have broadband service. Different sets have different features, such as Amazon, Netflix, or YouTube, so if you want a particular service, make sure that it's included before you commit to an HDTV--or find a Blu-ray player or media streaming set-top box that has the service you want. Manufacturers are adding new services all the time, even to their existing models, so it pays to get the latest information. Note that if you use a wireless connection, 802.11n will give you the fastest performance.

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