When setting up the display system for a home theater, many video enthusiasts face the choice of using a flat panel TV or a projector. Here is a brief overview of flat panel TVs and projectors that can help you understand their differences, advantages, and disadvantages.

• Image size and resolution: A high-definition television has a constant image resolution and size that cannot be changed. Images from projectors can be adjusted to a degree by varying the distance between the projector and the screen.
• Image quality: You can count on the image quality in a flat panel TV to stay consistent. The image from a projector can be affected by the brightness of the light source for projection. If there are problems with the video, they will likely be more noticeable in the larger projection image.
• Space considerations: A flat-panel TV, though much smaller than previous generations of tube-based television sets, will still take up a significant amount of space in any room. Projectors are often mounted on the ceiling or in an out-of-the-way spot where they aren’t obtrusive. Screens for projectors can be rolled up and put away. In cases where the wall of the room is used as the screen, the only space needs are for the projector itself.
• Convenience: Once your flat panel TV is set up, you usually don’t have to do much else to it. Projection systems that use portable screens will need to have the screen set up and taken down each time its used. Image adjustments may also require physically detaching, moving, and resecuring the projector.
• Operating costs and lifespan: You can expect to pay for your flat panel TV once and get around 60,000 hours of use out of it. Projector bulbs can burn out frequently, requiring the investment of hundreds of dollars and the aggravation of changing bulbs.

Have you ever heard of room correction in reference to audio equipment? You might be surprised to learn that with most audio systems, more than half of the sound you hear doesn’t come from your speakers alone. The shape and dynamics of the room, including your furnishings, play a big part of what you do hear in terms of echoes, reflections and absorption of sound. In the past that meant placing your speakers in the best spot acoustically, but not necessarily aesthetically.

Enter the Danish engineers at Lyngdorf who have created the most advanced and user-friendly room correction system on the market. More than twenty years of research have gone into this stylish integrated stereo amplifier that identifies the characteristics of your speakers and the influences of your room, and then takes the room out of the equation. With built-in RoomPerfect™ room correction, you hear exactly what the music is supposed to sound like, not the way your room makes the speakers make it sound.

This award-winning amplifier is the audiophile’s friend. A fully digital component, the TDAI-2170 has flexible upgrade modules that use the RoomPerfect™ technology. It is easy to set up and use, and enhances all speaker systems.

Good News for Design Enthusiasts

“I like it because with RoomPerfect™ you can place the speakers where they look best, not necessarily where they sound best,” says AVD president Brad Smith. “That’s why interior designers and architects should like it, too. And the sound is shockingly good.”

No more worrying about minimalistic spaces with echoes or rooms with a lot of upholstery absorbing too much sound. Applying RoomPerfect™ calibration allows homeowners and designers to position speakers in a way that best reflects the style of a room.

Summer will be here before you know it. Since the season is so short in New England, we want to make the most of it when we spend time outdoors. The trend to entertain outside gets stronger every year with improved technology and products. Here are 10 tips to enhance your outdoor A/V experience.

1. Wireless audio can be your new BFF if not exposed to the elements.  Soundcast has weatherproof wireless  speakers that we would recommend. They are portable and battery powered so you can even take them to the beach! While we always prefer a hardwired connection for quality audio, wireless systems are great for getting music outside temporarily, without a lot of planning or structural wiring.
2. Plan for permanent fixtures when building or renovating. The more speakers the better! It’s important to plan for permanent outdoor electronics. For example, you need to install pool speakers before the concrete is poured, and conduit will need to be run to any permanent outdoor video displays.
3. Look for speakers that blend in. In the beginning rock speakers were all the rage, but there are more advanced speakers now that can be hidden among plantings. Compact speakers designed with flexible mounting options are increasingly popular because you can place them in trees, bushes, or virtually anywhere.
4. Allocate the proper space for in-ground subwoofers, which produce great bass outdoors.
5. Invest in a waterproof, rugged iPad cover or remote for outdoor control.
6. Never use indoor gear outdoors. You can’t simply take your TV outside, install it and expect it to hold up to the elements. That is one reason why we like the products from Seura, especially their Storm series. Splash is made to be waterproof! Install the largest size screen you can accommodate for maximum viewing pleasure.
7. Wow your guests with an outdoor movie theater, complete with a weatherproof screen and drop down projector. Just remember that appropriate housing is important.
8. Run video wiring to several locations so that you can put video in one or more spots should you decide to add another screen, or move your screen, in the future.
9. Add outdoor wireless access points to boost your signal for continuous Wi-Fi coverage outside. Or talk with us about some of our advanced network solutions.
10. Light it right to set the mood and add to your home’s safety. We can program lighting for various activities, like watching TV outside, a late night dip in the pool or soak in the hot tub.

It’s not too late to get your property ready for summer. Get in touch with our System Design team. And don’t forget all the other elements that go into fabulous summer entertaining: a great play list, comfortable seating, an outdoor kitchen and, most important of all, family and friends.

‘Tis the season for giving gifts. It’s not too late to present the technophile in your life with something special from Audio Video Design! We even have great ideas for technophobes, too, because AVD makes your digital home easy.

Listen Up…

• May we recommend speakers from Bang & Olufsen? AVD now carries B&O products and can set them up for you. Our staff has recently finished B&O training, so our customers can relax and enjoy the holiday with great sound.Mid-century modern design lovers rejoice! We think this Beoplay A9 speaker is very cool. It offers 480 watts of powerful sound and wirelessly connects to everything! (B&O) Comes in a few color choices (black, white, and smoked oak. Covers are available in a variety of colors). 
• We have often touted the fun products from BlueSound. We think their wireless speakers bring the party to wherever you are! And we’re excited about their Pulse Soundbar. “The PULSE SOUNDBAR delivers a fully immersive sonic experience that brings any soundtrack to life in vivid, cinematic detail. Designed specifically to fit perfectly under your HD TV, the PULSE SOUNDBAR is the world’s first multi-room high-res soundbar to feature crystal clear, 24-bit resolution and audiophile-grade bass response – without a subwoofer. This is the soundbar your TV deserves.” (BlueSound)

• One of our new product lines, we recommend Golden Ear speakers. For this holiday gift giving season, why not give the Aon2 or Aon3 – exceptionally compact, ultra-high-performance bookshelf speakers that were originally developed for use a near-field monitors in professional mixing applications. Audiophiles, contain your happiness!“The design goal was to produce modestly-sized shelf or stand-mountable speakers that would achieve  accurate high-definition sonic reproduction, with superb three-dimensional imaging, comparable to that achieved by Golden Ear’s award-winning Triton Two Towers. Although they don’t have quite the awe-inspiring bass of the floor-standing Tritons, great care has been taken, and extensive technology has been incorporated, to ensure that the Aons can deliver a remarkably satisfying listening experience without the need for a separate subwoofer.” (Golden Ear)
  

Watch in Style

• Speaking of Bang & Olufsen, we love the BeoVision Avant model from B&O. A celebration of movement, this product is an unforgettable fusion of Ultra High-Definition (4K) picture and the iconic Bang & Olufsen sound that engages your senses.

• We’re also fans of the SonyXBR55930 TV. With its slim backlight Drive+, 4K HDR Processor X1 Extreme and Triluminos display, it looks as great as it works. Design conscious homeowners will love it!
  

And…more to love and share

• We’re also big fans of the products from Paradigm. This Millienia CT2 is high-performance design inspired by the award-winning Paradigm Reference MilleniaOne speakers, winners of Sound & Vision’s Product of the Year. It’s a fully powered audio/multimedia system, no receiver required! (Paradigm)

Happy shopping and happy holidays from everyone at AVD!

Let’s face it – New England winters were made for TV binge-watching, from Netflix to the televised events we gather around: The Golden Globes, The Oscars, the Super Bowl, the Winter Olympics and March Madness. 

Our viewers guide is below, but first let’s talk TV. What do you view your favorite programs on? Then we’ll talk about where you watch and finally, all of the extras that enhance the television experience.

TVs

We are big fans of Samsung’s The Frame TV in either 43” or 55” because when you’re not watching it as a television, it appears as a framed piece of art on your wall. It looks phenomenal. But don’t take our word for it – come see it for yourself in our newly renovated interactive Home Technology Design Center.

We also love the Sony OLED line and recommend the 65” or 75” or 85” 4K models. They are utterly reliable and offer a beautiful picture resolution.

Finally we highly recommend the Seura mirror TV in several sizes and styles – in your bathroom mirror perhaps? Watch the morning news while shaving? Watch Big Little Lies while bathing? And for outdoor locations, we can’t say enough good words about the Seura Storm line. Simply made for viewing by the pool or hottub!

2019: The Year of the Television?

TV’s reigned supreme at the 2019 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. Today’s AV consumers have witnessed a remarkable television evolution in their lifetimes. When furniture-cased models and their massive projection descendants gave way to flat screen technology, we marveled at displays that seemed like science fiction made real. TV manufacturers are still pushing the boundaries of what’s possible— with truly remarkable results. Curious? Read on to discover some of the jaw-dropping new TV technology unveiled in Las Vegas.

LG Is On a Roll

Want a TV that’s only there when you need it? LG’s Signature OLED R rises to the challenge— literally. Capitalizing on OLED’s inherent flexibility, OLED R rises from its sleek aluminum case with the touch of a button, spooling back into hiding when not in use. When its stunning display is retracted, OLED R capably serves as a Bluetooth sound system. With 4.2-channel Dolby Atmos audio, audiophiles won’t be disappointed! If you prefer state-of-the-art audio video with a minimalist aesthetic, start saving for OLED R’s arrival (late 2019).

8K TV’s: Is It Upgrade Time?

8K TV’s made waves at CES 2019, but are they worth the investment? 8K refers to a television’s resolution— specifically, how many pixels its display contains. More pixels result in a clearer, more lifelike picture. For TV’s over 40-inches, 4K, with nearly 4,000 horizontal pixels, is now the industry standard. With 8,000 horizontal pixels, 8K is a whopping improvement on the industry standard. Up close, the pixels of an 8K display are virtually impossible to distinguish, resulting in a video that’s incomparably clear and bright. Read about Sony’s 8K technology.

LG, Samsung, Sony and others will bring 8K to US audio video consumers in 2019, but is it worth the investment? While 8K is a remarkable technical achievement, it’s important to remember that none of the programming we love (films, live sports, streaming content, etc.) is available in 8K yet, and this isn’t likely to change soon. Also, you’ll need a really big TV (think 80+ inches) to notice any real difference between 4K and 8K. So, unless you have one heck of a living room, it’s probably sensible to admire this technology from afar, at least for now.

Home automation and audio-video technologies are, by their nature, flashy and exciting. Unsurprisingly, many AV companies in the Greater Boston area offer deals, promotions, and promises just as glitter. Because of this, selecting an AV company might seem overwhelming. How can you separate the substance from the hype?

Whether you’re shopping for a Sonos multi-room speaker system or full-scale automation for your new home, here are a handful of questions that you should ask before choosing an audio video company.

Do They Value Customers’ Time?

Home automation and related technologies make life more efficient. If the process of installing and maintaining these smart home systems becomes time-consuming, though, how “smart” is it, really? A quality AV company makes customers’ lives easier. This could mean guaranteed response times, skilled email and phone support, or top-flight preventive maintenance to head off problems before they begin. A truly excellent audio video company ensures that you enjoy your in-home technology as much as possible.

Are They There When You Need Them?

If you need help operating your home technology, your audio-visual company should be there for you. Look for skilled service managers and technicians who are available when you need them. A leading audio video company will offer comprehensive phone and email support and remedy issues through remote diagnostics. When on-site AV service is needed, choose a company that offers guaranteed response times. Life can’t be put on hold until the next available appointment. The best AV companies know this and are there when you need them.

Do They Listen to You?

Look for an AV consultant who is interested in your needs, not just the services they can sell. One of the first questions they should ask is, “What do you need your home to do that it’s not currently doing?” A great AV company will ask the right questions and create innovative solutions for your home, lifestyle, and budget.