Panasonic Father's Day Event
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Sony XBR 4K TVs have arrived!
The highest resolution Sony has ever produced on a TV, with 4 t...
1. Great sound – can I really hear the difference?
2. What’s the deal with 3D TVs?
4. What’s the difference between Plasma and LCD/LED?
5. What is the appropriate screen size for my room?
7. Are TV speakers good enough?
8. How many remote controls do I need?
9. How do I get Netflix on my TV?
14. Can I put a home theatre in my condo?
15. How do I get better sound out of my TV?
16. How many speakers do I need?
17. I’m renovating my house. Can I hide my speakers?
18. What is Energy Star Certification?
1. Great sound – can I really hear the difference?
You don’t have to be a food critic to appreciate a good meal.
And you don’t have to be an audiophile to appreciate good sound.
People often say, “I can’t hear the difference, I’m not an audiophile.” The truth is, yes you can hear the difference when it’s properly demonstrated. That’s our job. There is a great deal of difference between average equipment and high-performance equipment, and the best news is that ‘high-performance’ does not always mean ‘high-priced.’
Our goal is to offer you great sound, and help you experience the magic of music.
2. What’s the deal with 3D TVs?
The goal of a great TV is to reproduce everything on screen with the depth and clarity of real life. The new 3D format uses active shutter technology to vastly improve picture quality from older technologies.
If you want to watch programming in 3D, you’ll need a 3D-ready TV, a 3D source (either HDTV or 3D Blu-ray), and a pair of 3D active shutter glasses.
The manufacturers are totally committed to this format, to the extent that most TVs above $1000 incorporate 3D as a standard feature. So if you’re looking for a great TV, think of 3D as a bonus feature. The best 3D TVs are also the best 2D TVs, because the same technology that delivers 3D will also greatly improve the quality in 2D.
A Blu-ray Player is a high definition disc player that plays Blu-ray discs, DVDs and CDs. Blu-ray discs offer up to 5 times the quality of DVDs. If you want to watch movies, TV shows or music in the highest possible quality at home, Blu-ray is the answer.
4. What’s the difference between Plasma and LCD/LED?
Plasma TVs vary in size from 42” to 65”
Their advantages are:
1. Better at depicting fast-moving images
2. Superior black levels
3. More accurate and lifelike colour reproduction
4. Superior off-axis viewing
5. Better performance in 3D mode
LCD TVs vary in size from 19” to 70”
LED are generally premium models using LED bulbs.
Their advantages are:
1. Thinner design, especially in new LED models
2. Best energy efficiency
3. Well suited for very bright rooms with little ambient light control
4. Lighter weight
5. What is the appropriate screen size for my room?
It’s based on seating distance. Our general rule of thumb is to sit a minimum distance of 2 times the width of the screen.
It’s a personal choice. Some people prefer sitting up close in a movie theatre, while others prefer the back row. With today’s technology and high-resolution source material, one can sit much closer than ever before without a loss in quality.
You need an HD signal from one of these sources : Rogers, Bell, Cogeco, Shaw, or any other cable provider. There are also a limited number of HDTV stations available using an off-air antenna, but picture quality and reception of specific channels can vary depending on location and weather.
7. Are TV speakers good enough?
TV speakers are an afterthought for TV manufacturers. As flat panel TVs have become even slimmer over the years, the sound performance has often declined. We have many simple solutions in a wide variety of price ranges to bring great sound to your TV.
8. How many remote controls do I need?
You only need one, as long as it’s an activity-based Universal Remote Control. It’s a unit programmed to perform the sequences you would usually do by using several remotes. For example, instead of using 3 separate remotes to a) turn on the TV, b) turn on and start a disc in your Blu-ray Player, and c) turn on your A/V receiver and switch it to the right setting, a universal remote can do it all with the touch of only one button. These remotes are professionally programmed, customized to your equipment and the way you use your system.
9. How do I get Netflix on my TV?
You’ll need a Netflix-ready device. These include the major video game consoles (PS3, Wii, Xbox 360), many new Blu-ray players, or streaming devices (such as Apple TV).
Apple TV is a digital media receiver designed to play digital content, including audio and video from iTunes, Netflix, YouTube, Flickr. Apple TV can also be used to stream music, videos and photos from any computer in your home running iTunes.
A Sonos Music System allows you to enjoy all your stored music on your computer, over 100,000 Internet radio stations, or various music services such as Napster or Rdio.
Sonos is an elegant, multi-room music system based a proprietary wireless network. Control it all with your iPhone, iPad, Android phone or Sonos Controller.
"If Apple did a home iPod digital music distribution system, we doubt it would be better than this." - CNET.com
A DAC is a Digital Analog Converter. Computers, CD players, HD cable boxes, Apple TV, Sonos and media servers all store music in a digital format. A DAC translates these digital ‘1s and 0s’ into analog. A good DAC can generally make substantial audio improvement on the aforementioned sources.
A 1-cable solution for digital picture and sound, allowing a single connection between digital A/V components.
14. Can I put a home theatre in my condo?
Yes, home theatre systems can be scaled appropriately to the size of your living space.
15. How do I get better sound out of my TV?
3 simple solutions: add a pair of powered speakers, hook it up to an existing stereo music system, or get a multi-channel system.
16. How many speakers do I need?
Some spaces may be overwhelmed by 5 to 7 speakers and a subwoofer, both acoustically and visually. There are many compact solutions. The placement of the left, centre and right speakers into a soundbar greatly reduces visual clutter, while providing a great sounding solution when married with a compact subwoofer. Another solution comes from Bose, who specialize in systems which utilize ultra-compact jewel cube speakers. Still another option is to have your HDTV and Blu-ray player wired into a two speaker stereo system.
17. I’m renovating my house. Can I hide my speakers?
Yes! We have many creative, discrete solutions to fit with your design needs. The days of built-in speakers sounding like a doctor’s office are long gone. Today, high quality in-ceiling, in-wall speaker systems can deliver true concert hall performance. When planning your construction project or renovation it is best to plan your speaker placement and controls the same way you would a lighting plan.
From the simplest plans, like adding speakers in your kitchen, to a full multiroom system with in-wall keypad controls, Bay Bloor Radio offers in-home consultation, system design and complete installation.
18. What is Energy Star Certification?
It’s the international standard for energy efficiency. Energy Star allows customers to identify the most energy efficient products.