| Another PVR-building tutorial
We've given you tips time and time again on how to build your own PVR. You can go out and purchase some new parts, or you can dedicate an old computer to the task.But the voyeur in me just can't get enough of these tutorials, because I love seeing how other folks' home-built PVRs stack up against mine. Shawn Kent has written up a pretty simple tutorial on building a relatively inexpensive HTPC using parts from an old computer, a new case, hard drive, video card, and TV tuner.The problem with tutorials like this is that they're getting outdated by the minute. Yes, it's true that you can build a home theater PC to handle standard definition content for just a few hundred dollars. But as the push towards high definition video and high definition television sets continue, these systems may not really suit your needs much longer.
Plasma Panel Shipments Disappoint in Q4 2006, DisplaySearch Reports
DisplaySearch reported in its "Quarterly PDP Module and TV Shipment and Forecast Report" that plasma panel shipments fell 4% Q/Q while rising just 3% Y/Y in Q4 2006 to 2.7 million panels. Q4 2006 was just the second quarter since Q1 2003 that plasma panels declined Q/Q. In addition, it was the first quarter that plasma panels -- which are found in plasma TVs and public displays -- grew less than 47% Y/Y.
Plasma panel shipments were 15% lower than the suppliers' aggregate forecast and 9% below DisplaySearch's forecast. The lower than expected unit growth resulted in the first Y/Y decline to date in plasma panel revenues, down 15% Y/Y and 11% Q/Q to US$1.8 billion. This decline came despite increasingly attractive plasma TV prices enabled by 7% Q/Q and 17% Y/Y reductions in plasma panel prices to a record low US$670.
Region's Bowl day often super TV day
Christy Suppa and Julio Montes have traditionally incorporated the guacamole, barbecue and beer as the chief components of their Super Bowl party. Saturday, just a day shy of game day, the Santa Maria couple considered adding a new ingredient to the ultimate experience: A 50-inch flat-screen TV. But don't think the couple will spend their tax refund money for the $2,000 Sony LCD television just for the sake of the game. Sure, Montes is rooting for the Indianapolis Colts against the Chicago Bears, but Suppa says she's mostly looking forward to watching movies on their new living room TV. A new age of television - often confounding consumers with awesome colors and technical acronyms - has been a leading commodity among sports fans, says Wes Robb, a sales supervisor at Best Buy.
Performance Furniture Fills Void in Home Theater Market
When Steven Bell couldn't find fine furniture for his home theater HDTV and electronics, he launched Performance Furniture to fill the void. Today the company is one of the only manufacturers of high-quality LCD TV and entertainment furniture, which it sells over the Internet -- directly to consumers at substantial savings. Miami, FL (PRWeb) January 18, 2007 -- When Steven Bell couldn't find a quality armoire or cabinet to hold his top-of-the-line HDTV, he discovered a huge void in the Home Theater market: There wasn't any fine furniture that could accommodate the newest electronic equipment.
So Bell launched Performance Furniture® to fill the void. That was in 1998. Today, the company manufactures high-quality Home Theater and LCD TV furniture and sells it over the Internet directly to consumers at substantial savings.
|
