Sat Sound Frequently Asked Questions

Let's face it, technology changes fast! As a result, there's always something new to learn. No worries for you. However, Sat Sound offers friendly and free advice. We're here to answer ALL your questions. Some frequently asked questions about Home Theatre are below.

Q. What You Need for 3DTV?

A. A 3D-ready HDTV, Digital Cable from DirecTV or Cable with an HD or HD DVR.
Either "passive" or "active shutter" 3D glasses, depending on the HDTV set.

Here's a list of 3DTV facts from a recent joint-study by the Consumer Electronics Association and the ETC:

• CEA estimates that nearly 2.2 million 3DTVs will be sold in 2010, and that by 2013 more than 25 percent of all televisions sold will be 3DTVs.
• 3DTV is a very new technology and 57 percent of those planning to buy a 3DTV within the next three years consider themselves an early adopter of technology.
• Approximately 25 percent of US Online Adults plan to buy a 3DTV within the next 3 years.
• Sixty seven percent of those planning to buy within the next 3 years say they will be more likely to buy if they can receive and watch 3DTV programs through an antenna, cable, satellite, or fiber to the home service provider.
• Approximately 33 percent of US online adults who have seen a 3D movie or event in the last 12 months report that they would like to watch all television programs in 3D. While 36 percent say the primary reason to buy a 3DTV is to play 3D video games in their home, and 65 percent say the primary reason to buy a 3DTV is to watch 3D movies in their home.

Q. What is HDTV?

A. HDTV or high definition television is a new form of TV. With the use of digital technology, HDTV sets can display a sharper, more true-to-life image that makes regular TV look fuzzy and primitive.

Q. What do I need to see HDTV?

A. To see HDTV in all its glory, you will need a set designed to display high-definition images.

Q. Once I have an HDTV set, will everything I watch be in high-definition?

A. No. While the FCC told broadcasters they had to switch from analog to digital, it never said they had to broadcast HDTV. It’s up to the broadcasters whether to transmit a program in standard-definition or high-definition.

Q. HDTV are full of numbers like 720p, 1080i, 1080p and 16:9, but do they really matter?

A.Yes! Analog TVs, or “regular TVs,” are designed to display only one type of signal, 480-line interlaced NTSC programs, or what’s now called the 480i (interlaced) format. Digital TV, on the other hand, can broadcast in several signal formats at various pixel resolutions and in two screen shapes, or aspect ratios. But any HDTV with a built-in digital tuner can receive and display all of them. Keep in mind, though, that “receiving” and “displaying” are different concepts. While all HDTV tuners can receive every digital transmission, many convert some formats to fit the display capabilities of the monitor they’re built into or connected to. An HDTV picture has a wide-screen 16:9 aspect ratio – as opposed to the square 4:3 ratio of traditional TV - and is made up either of 1,080 scanning lines transmitted in an interlaced format (1080i) or 720 scanning lines transmitted progressively (720p). Progressive-scan formats tend to do better with programs that have a lot of fast-moving action and provide full vertical resolution at all lines.

Q. What is a Plasma TV?

A. A plasma TV is a flat panel electronic visual display technology. Plasma technology consists of hundreds of thousands of individual pixel cells, which allow electronic pulses to excite rare natural gases-usually xenon and neon-causing them to glow and produce light.

Q. What is LCD?

A. LCD – Liquid Crystal Display is a thin, flat display device made up of any number of color or monochrome pixels arrayed in front of a light source or reflector.

Q. Which is better, Plasma or LCD?

A. This is a much debated topic and a fun one. When choosing between plasma and LCD TVs, you’re actually selecting between two competing technologies, both of which achieve similar features (i.e. bright crystal-clear images, super color filled pictures) and come in similar packages (i.e. 3.5 inch depth flat screen casing). To complicate the decision-making process further, price and size are two previous considerations that are rapidly becoming non-issues as LCD TVs are now being made in larger sizes and at competing prices with plasma. Despite their similarities, the two technologies are very different in the way they deliver the image to the viewer.

Q. Why is my Picture not as sharp and my Sound System, doesn't sound as good as it is said to be?

A. Most audio and videophiles spend a lot of time and money selecting their gear, but barely give a second to how they’re going to hook everything up until it’s unpacked in the living or bedroom. That’s when were really tempted to just use the “freebie” cables that comes in the box. But like cheap liquor, cheap cables can cause some headaches that will take more than a few aspirin to cure. That doesn't’t mean that you have to spend a fortune on cables. However, reserving even 5% to 10% of your system budget for quality cables can buy you visual and sonic improvements, but the peace of mind that comes with not having to troubleshoot annoying buzzes, hums, or flat-out signal failures.

Q. What is Home Theater?

A. A home theater is a collection of speakers and audio-video components designed to reproduce the movie-theater experience in the comfort of your home.