Customer Reviews

How Home Theater and HDTV Work

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I needed a book to tell me the DIFFERENCE between cables. - Optical? Digital? Coaxial? S-Video? Composite? Fiber optic? Analog? Shielded? Unshielded? Banana plug? Bare wire?
For that, this book is PERFECT. It worked out nicely for me, when I had to decide how I was to wire up a new stereo receiver with a DirecTV box and a DVD-VCR combo box. A couple of years later, it helped me decipher the difference between (a.) a universal remote; (b.) a learning remote.
I bought this book over others on the shelf at a BORDERS because (a.) the illustrations are in COLOR; (b.) the illustrations are on EVERY PAGE; (c.) the text only focuses on the "how" or "why" and not on the technical or engineering aspects.
I see that the other review before mine gave the book only one star because the book does not tell you how to buy a television set. That is TRUE. The book is not written to tell you which BRAND to buy. The book WILL give you enough info to decide between (a.) plasma; (b.) LCD; (c.) rear projection; (d.) front projection (e.) flat panel.
Likewise, the chapter on "aspect ratios" helped me understand how the new TVs distort their picture, to either CROP or STRETCH the picture, depending on how you set the aspect ratio.
For example: Do you know the difference between (a.) pan-and-scan? (b.) letterbox? The illustrations in the book lay it out clear as a bell.
For example: Do you what the Texas Instruments slogan, "It's the mirrors!" means, and how it relates to DLP? The book tells you.
This book is much better than depending on a dozen (a hundred?) individual PDF documents or manufacturer brochures to teach the DIFFERENCES between the technologies out there for audio and video!

This book is OK if you are going to buy a HDTV but useless if you are a technician and need an understanding on repairing a HDTV.

It was obsolete when first printed. The technology is moving so fast that many of today's technologies are not mentioned. I would eliminate all analog television since it is no longer available. I would love to see a revised issue.

This is a good comprehensive guide that explains the basics and the science in a way that the layman can understand.