Heron Fidelity

I'm frequently asked for home theater and other tech product recommendations, and to better serve the visitors of this site, there is now a dedicated section that lists the products I wholeheartedly recommend.

Finding this list is easy: just click the Favorite Gear link in the navigation bar at the top of the page.  This page will be updated regularly with links to everything that I discuss here and on my Twitter feed.

If you are considering a purchase of new home theater gear, please feel free to ping me with any comments or questions.  Wondering how to get ahold of me?  Well...

I've also added a nifty Contact link that makes it easier for anyone to reach me via email - I realize not everyone is into social media.

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Every time I walk into a super store's electronics section, I inevitably find myself stopping to chuckle at the ridiculously expensive AV (audio/video) cables awaiting uninformed shoppers.  Rule of thumb: if you are paying more than USD$10 for an HDMI cable, you are wasting your money.  I'm not saying that all $10 HDMI cables are created equal, but there are more than a few quality $10 options to be had without a lot of hassle.

During a recent store visit, I spotted a generic-looking 6.5 feet (2 meters) HDMI cable for $60.  A similar length of more capable cable from my favorite online retailer?  Yup, $10...er, $7.

Here are my top three AV cabling tips to keep in mind:

• Keep it tidy.  Excessively long AV cable runs are unwieldy, unseemly, and may degrade the signal - purchase a length of cable that makes the connection with a little extra left over for easy dressing.  I'm particularly fond of using very short HDMI cables for stacked components and 3 feet/1 yard lengths (0.91 meters) for slightly longer connections.


• Stop using composite video!  That yellow video port (composite) is the lowest form of life in the video food chain.  For improved picture detail, use an S-Video connection, or better yet, a component video (YPbPr) connection.  When possible, use HDMI to connect your AV devices for the best picture and sound quality.


• Avoid devices that convert analog video signals into digital/HDMI.  These types of products are costly and most provide no picture quality improvements over feeding an analog signal directly to a HDTV.

Examples of common AV cables (worst-to-best/left-to-right):

Here is a selection of quality AV cables for less than $10 each - I've purchased many of these, and have had nothing but excellent results.

Many people, myself included, also shop at MonoPrice for good inexpensive AV cables.

If a particular project calls for a high-quality AV cable (e.g. an especially long run; about 4m or longer), I highly recommend visiting the good folks at Blue Jeans Cable.

Own a  Nintendo Wii and an HDTV?  If so, pick up this affordable component AV cable and enjoy superior picture quality!  Be sure to enable widescreen mode as well as 480p output on your Wii after connecting this cable!

And, here is more of my favorite HDMI gear that includes ultra-thin cables, switchers, and extenders.

Right now is prime time for HDTV shopping, and I'm receiving a steady stream of requests for product recommendations.  A recently received query inquired about what big screen HDTV options there were for around USD$800.  This person wanted a screen size of about 50-inches and they were partial to the sublime picture quality of plasma displays, or perhaps a decent LCD if one stood out.

Here are three of my 'must have' prerequisites for big screen HDTVs (at any price):

• 1080p screen resolution (1,920 by 1,080 pixels)
• Ample HDMI inputs (at least 3)
• Can display 24p video (Blu-ray) at a 24x refresh rate

That last item is for cinema purists who prefer a display that can evenly repeat the frames within a 24fps video stream (Blu-ray movies/players) for display at higher refresh rates such as 48Hz, 72Hz, 96Hz, 120Hz, or 240Hz - all even multiples of 24.  This type of video processing (frame repeating) maintains the film-like look of the original presentation unlike frame interpolation methods that can can introduce judder or oddly/overly smoothed on-screen motion.

Considering our $800 budget and desire for some big screen goodness, available candidates will most likely lack today's premium TV features such as support for 3D content and Internet-based multimedia streaming services (e.g., Netflix, Pandora, Vudu) - the latter could be added to any TV via a capable Blu-ray player or other set top box.

Generally speaking, plasma televisions provide more screen area per dollar spent than LCDs, but plasma TVs can be energy hogs especially if the brightest picture mode preset (often labeled 'vivid') is selected.  Also keep in mind that most plasma TVs are designed for use at altitudes of less than 10,000 feet (3,048 meters) - plasma TVs tend to emit more electromechanical noise (often perceived as high pitched squealing) as elevation increases.

Plasma
Here are two solid $800-ish plasma TVs:

LG 50PK550

• 50 inch screen size
• 3 HDMI ports [1 side]
• 2 component video inputs
• Analog PC input (VGA)
• USB [music, pictures]
• 24x refresh rate: yes (72Hz)
• Swivel stand
• Panel depth: 2.2 inches
• Warranty: 2 years panel; 1year parts/labor

Panasonic TC-P50S2

• 49.9 inch screen size
• 3 HDMI ports [1 side]
• 2 component video inputs
• SD card reader [pictures]
• 24x refresh rate: no
• Panel depth: 3.7 inches
• Warranty: 1 year parts/labor

Comparing the specs of the aforementioned plasma televisions, LG's PK550 provides these advantages over Panasonic's S2:

• Improved warranty
• Analog PC input (VGA)
• Swivel stand
• Slim cabinet depth
• Can display 24p video at a 24x refresh rate

The Panasonic (like most modern HDTVs, 1080p or not) accepts a 1080p24 video signal without complaint, but the signal is immediately converted to 60Hz (the TV's refresh rate) - see related: Telecine judder.  The LG also provides a superior selection of picture calibration controls.

Liquid Crystal Display
Looking at LCD televisions, our budget and prerequisites put us in the 46/47 inch screen size category.  A slightly smaller screen, but significantly brighter and with excellent energy efficiency.  LCD's main weakness is that its picture contrast, color saturation, and hue degrade when the screen is viewed outside of its sweet spot (front and center).  The picture quality of plasma televisions is negligibly affected as viewing angle increases.

Toshiba 46G300U

• 46 inch screen
• 4 HDMI [1 side] w/InstaPort
• 1 component video input
• Analog PC input (VGA)
• USB [music, photos]
• Ethernet port for DLNA streaming [photo, music, MPEG2 video]
• Panel depth: 3.52 inches
• Warranty: 1 year parts/labor

LG 47LD520

• 47 inch screen
• 3 HDMI [1 side]
• 1 component video input
• Analog PC input (VGA)
• USB [music, photos]
• Picture Wizard [calibration tool]
• Headphone output
• Panel depth: 4.00 inches
• Swivel stand
• Warranty: 1 year parts/labor

Both LCDs feature 120Hz display technology that can present 24p video using a 5x frame repeat for a more cinema-like viewing experience.  The Toshiba G300U's network multimedia streaming abilities certainly add to its appeal as does its extra InstaPort-enabled HDMI port.

Recently an HD Nation viewer asked for HDTV recommendations in the USD $800 range that would be suitable for console gaming - this person's nephew was apparently hogging the household's primary TV with their extended gaming sessions and it was time for a second set.

After researching the 2010 lineup, I ended up with a list of three TVs in the 40- to 42-inch range that shared some common features.

• 1080p screen resolution
• 120Hz LCD display tech
• HDMI, component, and VGA video inputs
• USB music/photo file support
• Excellent energy efficiency

Modern 1080p televisions include picture size controls that eliminate detail-destroying overscan when displaying HD video sources, and 120Hz LCD display tech helps minimize blurring with fast-action video (including games).  Also, LCD televisions that operate at 120Hz (and 240Hz) can more accurately display cinema content that was originally captured at 24 frames per second (most movies).

My recommendations in no particular order:

Toshiba G300 (40G300U)

LG LD520 (42LD520)

My local Wal*mart had a stack of Magnavox NB530MGX Blu-ray Disc Players ready for purchase at a non-sale price of $98 USD.  The NB530MGX's sub-$100 price is a historic first for a brand new Blu-ray disc (BD) player, and I'm looking forward to writing up a full review of this value priced player in the coming days.  In the mean time, here are the player's specs as taken from the Magnavox website:

Blu-ray / DVD

• Plays BD Video, BD-RE (Single/Dual), BD-R (Single/Dual), DVD Video, DVD-R/RW, CD-R/RW, Audio CD, DTS-CD, HD JPEG
• BD Profile 1.1 (BONUSVIEW)
• HDMI Full-HD 1080 24p / 60p Output
• HDMI 1080p Up-Conversion Output
• Progressive Scan Video Output
• HDMI 1.3a - Deep Color Processing
• HDMI Audio Output: Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby True HD,DTS, DTS HD, Linear PCM

Convenience

• FL (Fluorescent) Display
• Trilingual On Screen Display (English / Spanish / French)
• Parental Lock
• Remote Control

Input/Output

• Composite Video Output
• Component Video Out
• RCA Audio Output (L+R)
• Digital Audio Output (Coaxial)
• Digital Audio Output (Optical)
• HDMI Output
• SD Memory Slot

Some notable items from the above list includes an SD card slot for simplified picture browsing, coaxial and optical digital audio outputs, and 1080p24 output (via HDMI) - not bad at all for the least expensive BD player around.  However, the NB530MGX lacks network support (Ethernet or otherwise) for simplified firmware updates and it is a Profile 1.1 BD player so it supports picture-in-picture but not the online interactive features of BD-Live - considering the poor quality of most BD-Live content, this missing feature may be a non-issue for most shoppers.

Stay tuned.