Plasma TV boosts Gateway picture - (42 " HDTV flat-panel display for $3,000)

The San Diego Union Tribune ^ | December 28, 2002 | Bruce V. Bigelow

[Dan Day]

Dude...Hollywood is dead. With the DVD rippers and new MediaCenterPC's, you can pop out a secondary CD drive and insert a DVD drive. Reinitialize and begin ripping "home movies" on DVD.

And how many people are going to be able to make "home movies" as worth watching as a big-budget Hollywood film? Not many of us can hire top-notch actors, afford to film "on location", or hire the services of a special-effects house, world-class cinematographer, costume designer, etc. etc.

There's a reason you see the names of *hundreds* of people in the credits of a major movie.

Hollywood's going to be around for many years to come.

[Vast Buffalo Wing Conspiracy]

What in the heck are you smoking/snorting/injecting/drinking? That made absolutely no sense whatever. What on earth does HDTV have to do with DV cameras, and why do you think they are incompatible somehow? What a bizarre "stream of consciousness" rant!

[Vast Buffalo Wing Conspiracy]

In your shilling for Microsoft, you forgot to point out that the new Windows media formats are DRM compliant (DRM=Digital Rights Management): that is, they are designed to protect Hollywood's control over their content, and to deny you your fair use rights over the media you purchase. You posit an opposition between Microsoft and Hollywood which does not exist; in fact, Microsoft is on the same "dark side" team as Hollywood.

[Vast Buffalo Wing Conspiracy]

Macs doing poorly? Then why is Apple doing so much better financially than the PC makers? Speaking relatively for the industry as a whole, Apple is doing pretty good. It's just that the whole market is in a bit of a slump. But less so for Apple.

[Vast Buffalo Wing Conspiracy]

Yes: it almost does about half what TiVo does, and does it half as well, for about four times the price. Such a deal!

[weegee]

Does a bigger boob tube mean seeing bigger boobs? Especially on the nightly news?

I'll pass...

[Vast Buffalo Wing Conspiracy]

Since the Feds absolutely refuse to recognize the RIAA or the MPAA as illegal cartels (which is, in fact, what they are, if our antitrust laws mean anything), I'm betting that this "Hollywood is dead" yahoo-cry is a little premature. This is one group of buggy-whip makers who intend to use their influence in Washington to force us to buy buggy whips long after the buggy whip has gone the way of the horse and buggy. We're already doing that, in effect, when we pay extra tax to the RIAA for music CD-R's.

[ContentiousObjector]

lets see here, Apple reported a loss last quarter, their marketshare has been falling for 5 years straight and Apple is chasing away their core publishing and education customers with a shotgun

Yeah, I would say Apple is doing poorly, and I have been a mac user since 1985.

Maybe if Apple gets rid of that leftist hippie bastard Steve Jobs and bring back John Sculley they will start moving again

[bonesmccoy]

correct...
here's the info on the projector I use


INFOCUS
RP10x Business Projector
Projector, Micro Portable, TFT, 1024 x 768, 900 ANSI Lumens, 5.7 lbs, Remote Included, Built-in speaker

$2,399.00


Depth: 26.9 cm
Height: 7.6 cm
Weight: 2.6 kg
Width: 21.1 cm
Analog Video Format: SECAM, PAL, PAL-N, PAL-M, NTSC 4.43, NTSC 3.58
Analog Video Signal: RGB
Analog Video Signal: RGB, S-Video, composite video
Audio Output: Speaker(s) - integrated
Built-in Devices: Speaker
Cable(s) included: 1 x S-Video cable - external ¦ 1 x A/V cable - external ¦ 1 x display cable - external ¦ 1 x mouse cable - external ¦ 1 x USB cable - external
Color Support: 24-bit (16.7M colors)
Compliant Standards: UL, CE, cUL, FCC-A, NOM, GOST
Connectivity Technology: Wireless
Device Type: LCD projector
Dimensions (WxDxH): 21.1 cm x 26.9 cm x 7.6 cm
Display Format / Technology: 2,359,296 pixels (1,024 x 768 x 3) TFT active matrix
Environmental Parameters: Temperature: 10 °C - 35 °C Humidity: 20 - 80%
Image Aspect Ratio: 4:3
Image Brightness: 900 ANSI lumens
Image Contrast Ratio: 400:1
Image Size: 0.65 m - 6.6 m
Included Accessories: Carrying case
Input Device: Remote control
Lamp Type: UHP 132 Watt ( 2000 hour(s) )
Lens Aperture: F/1.7-1.9
Max Resolution: 1024 x 768
Max Resolution: 1024 x 768 (native) / 1400 x 1050 (compressed)
Max Sync Rate (V x H): 130 Hz x 100 kHz
Output Power / Channel: 1 Watt
Power: AC 110/220 V ± 10% ( 50/60 Hz )
Power Consumption Operational: 220 Watt
Projection Distance: 1 m - 7.8 m
Software included: Drivers & Utilities
Sound Emission: 34 dBA
Sound Output Mode: Mono
Sound Output Mode: Mono 1 Watt
Speaker(s): 2 x mixed channel
Technology: TFT active matrix
Type: Remote control - external
Type: Speaker(s) - integrated
Video Input: SECAM, PAL, PAL-N, PAL-M, NTSC 4.43, NTSC 3.58
Voltage Required: AC 110/220 V ± 10% ( 50/60 Hz )
Warranty: 1 year warranty
Max Altitude Operating: 3 km
Video Bandwidth: 160 MHz
Zoom Factor: 1.3x
Port(s) Total / Connector Type: 1 x S-video input - 4 pin mini-DIN ¦ 1 x composite video input - RCA ¦ 1 x VGA input - 15 pin HD D-Sub (HD-15) ¦ 1 x VGA output - 15 pin HD D-Sub (HD-15) ¦ 1 x audio line-in - mini-phone stereo 3.5 mm
Product Description: InFocus RP 10x - LCD projector
Power Device: Power supply - integrated
Service & Support: 1 year warranty
Service & Support Details: Limited warranty - parts and labor - 2 years ¦ Limited warranty - lamp - 90 days

[John Jamieson]

Looks like a good one. I'll check it out. Thanks.

[bonesmccoy]

what's the equivalent pixel depth of 1080i?

Although the projector states the tech specs listed, I'm actually projecting at 1400 x 1050 pixels

[bonesmccoy]

if hiring Alec Baldwin is your love, go ahead... go see their film.

as for me... bleeachh.

[bonesmccoy]

I noticed that Hauppage wants to sell another product for DV editing and importing. It would be interesting to quantify the digital video cards in the Windows Media Center PC's vs. Hauppage's cards.

If the Media Center PC's can do MPG2 encoding and sustain a pixel depth that matches 720x480 or greater pixel depth, we're talking about a machine that surpasses the analog video editing machines for broadcast TV.

Although broadcast TV is moving to a higher pixel depth (HDTV), the PC industry needs to match hardware specs.

The Bush Administration needs to level the media playing field and democratize media in the US.

Why should the entry price be so high for TV broadcast?

It shouldn't be.

David Dennis proved that he could do more than CBS or CNN this past summer.

He's set the standard.

We all need to match.

[John Jamieson]

what's the equivalent pixel depth of 1080i?

I don't understand "pixel depth"?

1080i is supposed to be like 1850x1080 but I understand that no one is really broadcasting that kindof horizontal resolution. What are you using for a source? I want to do HDTV over the air (Dallas towers). What kind of tuner do you use?

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

BTTT!

[webstersII]

We have one of the plasma HDTV screens at work, and several tube HDTVs as well.

It's personal preference, but most prefer the tube over the plasma. The plasma makes the picture softer. I like both of them okay, but I do prefer the tube.

As far as HDTV resolution, though, I have one word: AWESOME! And if you think movies are great on HDTV, you should see sports. HDTV is definitely the wave of the future.

[bonesmccoy]

yes, by "pixel depth", I meant the number of pixels horizontal x verticle.

1080i seems to beat the LCD projector I have.

But, then again, what should I expect for 2K vs. 10K.

:)

[A Navy Vet]

"1080i seems to beat the LCD projector I have. But, then again, what should I expect for 2K vs. 10K."

Thanks. You just made my point, which was...you don't know what "great home theater" is. BTW, we're in agreement about room size effect on speaker performance, but you're the one who claimed to entertain 15-20 people...I can just see the crowd squinting to see your InFocus on the painted wall with the $200 sound system straining against the underpowered amp. BTW, notice you didn't debate the DLP v. LCD.

Those of you who want a really good home projector and don't have the $28,000 plus for a CRT system should take a look at the the latest generation DLP systems (Marantz and Sharp for two). Coupled with the included scaler (doubler/quadrupler), they are the closest thing to the holy grail of home theatre viewing, just barely less performance than CRT at a third the cost. Oh, and you may want an actual screen to reflect the light properly, rather than a dull painted wall. Stewart home screens are widely acclaimed.

And yes, celluloid still has the most resolution (NO pixels) and tonal balance of any of the display systems. Ever wonder why they don't make movies in digital? ... because they haven't overcome the lack of warmth inherent to the digital medium.

[A Navy Vet]

"Image Aspect Ratio: 4:3"

Now I know you're totally lost on this home theater thing. You don't even get a wide screen frame. How could you possibly claim enjoying a "great" home theater experience when you can't see the entire picture? Sheeesh, I've been wasting time with a Pan and Scan viewer.

[A Navy Vet]

"AOTC was filmed on totally digital cameras and the editing was done almost immediately by their production team."

Oops, missed that. Well, if it looks the same as film or better than great.

Also, you missed by decription of my gear above...the front main speakers have subs built into them with their own dedicated amp right in the speaker enclosure. If you want the difference between a booming base and a sub-frequency thumb in an average home room, you need to move some air...so yes, you need subs.