Introduction to 3D Game Programming with Direct X 9 0c A Shader Approach Wordware Game and Graphics Library
Posted by HDTV in eBooks Jun 30th, 2009 | No Comments
Introduction to 3D Game Programming with DirectX 9.0c: A Shader Approach presents an introduction to programming interactive computer graphics, with an emphasis on game development, using real-time shaders with DirectX 9.0. The book is divided into three parts that explain basic mathematical and 3D concepts, show how to describe 3D worlds and implement fundamental 3D rendering techniques, and demonstrate the application of Direct3D to create a variety of special effects.With this book: * Understand basic mathematical tools used in video game creation such as vectors, matrices, and transformations. * Discover how to describe and draw interactive 3D scenes using Direct3D and the D3DX library. * Learn how to implement lighting, texture mapping, alpha blending, and stenciling using shaders and the high-level shading language (HLSL). * Explore a variety of techniques for creating special effects, including vertex blending, character animation, terrain rendering, multi-texturing, particle systems, reflections, shadows, and normal mapping. * Find out how to work with meshes, load and render .X files, program terrain/camera collision detection, and implement 3D object picking. * Review key ideas, gain programming experience, and explore new topics with the end-of-chapter exercises.
User Ratings and Reviews
5 Stars Great Book
Great read, I read 3D Math Primer for Graphics and Game Development (Wordware Game Math Library) along with this book to cover the math portion in greater depth.
5 Stars Excellent intro to DirectX 9.0c
Excellent introduction to DirectX 9.0c. Material is explained very clearly. You need to have at least an intermediate knowledge of C++. What is good about this book is that it also improves your knowledge of C++. I consider myself an average C++ programmer because I only use it occasionally for my work projects but this book has also improved my C++. Strongly recommended as an intro text to Direct3D. Keep a reference book like Deitel’s C how to program or Horton’s Visual C++ 2008 at hand in case you get lost and you are golden as far as how much you will learn.
4 Stars Fantastic at what it does do, but missing some stuff
In terms of learning Direct3D and HLSL, this book is absolutely fantastic, 5 stars, can’t fault it.
However.
The title is somewhat misleading. This book isn’t really about 3D game programming. It’s about 3D graphics programming, in a games context. As some others have written, it lacks detailed info on things like how to structure your whole game to bring it all together, how to construct a proper scene graph, or how to implement other important things for a game like collision detection etc etc.
That said, you can’t expect to get everything out of one book, no matter what some books try to sell themselves as. So don’t let my criticism put you off getting this wonderful text! This is still my number one recommendation for anyone looking to get a D3D book! Just be aware that you’re going to need other resources for things beyond the graphical side of your game. But with the amount of books and tutorials specifically for things like AI, game physics etc, and websites like gamedev.net, this is hardly an issue.
In short, buy this book, you won’t regret it!
4 Stars Good DirectX Book Using OOP
This is a very good book for DirectX. The author uses a Framework for all of his examples. I have always been against using Frameworks when learning a new subject, but Luna does a good job presenting it. You must know the ins-and-outs of object oriented programming to fully understand this book.
As far as the code. The code was written for Visual Studio 2005, but you can use it in VS2003 by opening up the .vcproj file in a text editor, (like Notepad), and changing the number at the top of the file from 8.00 to 7.10 (7.00 for VS 2002). Then open the .vcproj (not the .sln file) file in VS200X and re-save everything and your ready to go.
5 Stars Excellent resource for Direct3D 9
I have the previous version of this book also, and I must say Frank Luna has done an excellent job of beefing up the text with many more techniques and samples. There is a ton of stuff in here, including 2D sprites, texture mapping, blending, shadow mapping, terrain generation, cameras, particles, meshes and skeletal animation. The framework he develops for the chapters is actually pretty good and could be used as the basis for a basic game.
It can be quite heavy going, as he also explains the maths behind a lot of the techniques. But I think this is still the best Direct3D 9 book out there. Note he has also produced a sequel for Direct3D 10.
Dual Arm Articulating and Swivels Wall Mount Bracket for 32 36 37 40 42 46 47 50 52 55 inch Flat Panel Displays
Posted by HDTV in Electronics Jun 30th, 2009 | No Comments
This Super strong Aluminum Arm Universal wall mount will fit most flat panel plasma and LCD TVs with mounting patterns up to VESA 770×480. Note: Mounting holes on television should be 30 in. or less apart horizontally and 18.75 in. or less apart vertically. Included in Box -Mount, Mounting hardware, User manual
Photoshop for Video Third Edition DV Expert Series
Posted by HDTV in eBooks Jun 30th, 2009 | No CommentsPhotoshop for Video Third Edition DV Expert Series
“…I literally could not put it down…What distinguishes [Rich Harrington] is his eye for high production value.” — Mike Ashcraft, editor, Musicvideoinsider.com
“…one book every Photoshop user should have in their arsenal.” — Aaron Fisher, Creative Cow
…zero fluff and solid information that every NLE owner should have, and every Photoshop user–period–should have access to. — Douglas Spotted Eagle, Digitalproduction.com
4 out of 5 stars! — Peter Bauer, Photoshop User magazine
User Ratings and Reviews
3 Stars 3.5 Stars: Useful Information, But Needs More Video Workflow
[Updated March 2009 - after reviewing the free bonus chapters on CS3 Extended (which does have a fair amount of video-centric content and the changes to CS4 (which doesn't), I have added a half star to account for the fact that the author has made extra efforts to keep this product updated and provide more insights into where the Extended and CS4 editions might be useful to video editors.
However, I stand by my original observation which is that this book is not tightly focused on video workflows and problem solving, on the whole. It IS a good reference for Photoshop usage and it DOES provide some very useful video-centric information in certain chapters, but I think for future versions, readers would benefit from a stronger focus on how Photoshop fits into the video workflow, and perhaps the exclusion of the chapters which are purely general interest Photoshop tips. Not because they tips aren't useful but because the average reader likely isn't expecting to pay for them in this particular book, IMHO.]
…as a professional photographer and someone who teaches Photoshop (as well as Premiere Pro), this book is really not what it’s cracked up to be. Makes me wonder if some of the reviewers are acquainted with the author in some way. I don’t think someone who is doing a lot of work with video frames in Photoshop Extended could read through this book and not realize it’s 65% general Photoshop techniques (that you would find in a book about editing still images) and 35% video-centric information.
That is not to say that the information given is wrong or unhelpful, merely that much of it is not at all specific to video editing in Photoshop, and many of the examples are not video related either. What would’ve been much better is: “X is a general technique used to complete this type of edit; in the world of video, this is what we would do, using this technique, and here are the before, during and after screenshots.” There is virtually none of that in this book. And in some cases entire chapters look like they might’ve been pulled from any other ordinary Photoshop reference book. The layout and copy reads more like a “tips and tricks” book than anything that focuses on video post-production.
For example; there are over a dozen pages that list and show thumbnails of the various Blend Modes and Creative filters, but with no examples of how you use any of them to solve video-related problems or creative new looks for your video as part of transitions, etc. You could tear these pages out of this book and compare them to pages torn out of a “Learn Photoshop in 24 hours” type book and you wouldn’t be able to tell which is which. Basic descriptions of why layers are important, how to use Levels, how to select things, what a mask is, what erasing is… none of it is “bad” or poorly written… but neither is much of it what I would expect to find in an advanced Photoshop for video “toolkit”. WAY too much basic stuff here for the price, and way too little video problem-solving. There is a section called “Editing Still Images for Video”… in fact, I believe this would have been a more accurate title for the book. I recognize also that a frame of video is technically nothing but a still image, however the workflow is very different and I didn’t see much of that here.
The silver lining: the first two chapters on setting up a system and understanding the differences between DAR, PAR, television color spaces, etc… have a ton of useful info. These two chapters alone give the book two stars and the remaining random tidbits throughout the book (color correction techniques, creating backgrounds, etc.) that focus in on video, give it the third. It is a book worth having, especially if you don’t own any good general Photoshop references, but don’t be expecting an advanced Photoshop video workflow because it’s not here IMHO.
The perfect ending example: there is a page that talks about Clone Stamping, with no mention at all of the Clone Source panel, which was designed specifically with video editors in mind, as well as photographers. The ability to place an overlay of your source frame over the target frame, rotate and scale the cloned pixels, are all extremely valuable to video editors but there is zero mention of it anywhere. There is also no mention anywhere of the new and improved Timeline. This makes me wonder if this was repurposed from CS2 content (where the new CS3 advances didn’t exist yet), rather than a true look at CS3 video tools. Hopefully the CS4 version does a better job with these tasks, as there are even more video-related improvements to CS4 Extended.
5 Stars the world of still meet vdo
you can’t find the book that write the photoshop file for vdo
the name of this book talk itself
you will be the best preparation photoshop file for vdo editing
if you are the vdo editing
the book is the must
5 Stars Easy and thorough
As an “old school” Avid editor from big post houses, Photoshop was used for simple titles and the rest went to the graphics department or our hands were slapped.
The book only goes through the usefulness and purpose of nearly all Photoshop tools and their relevancy to video. It has tutorials showing all common video uses from cutting out photos, lower thirds, backgrounds, creating elements for motion graphics programs like After Effects, uses of masks and alpha channels and the many ways you can create them depending on circumstance and content. In addition, the book points out some of the differences with different versions of Photoshop so you can work through aspects even if you haven’t updated to CS3 yet.
The accompanying DVD not only includes all the elements needed to complete each task, there’s also supplemental “Podcasts” in which Richard Harrington actually SHOWS you how to do many of the key aspects of each tutorial.
This is a must have book for video editors who must now do it all since Photoshop is the Swiss Army Knife of video graphics.
5 Stars Great as a Reference or reading from beginning to end
Great read whether you are a beginner or an advance user of Photoshop. There is always more than one way to skin a cat, but the book offers various ways of using the tools in Photoshop for almost all your needs. Am waiting for the CS4 version.
5 Stars Great resource!
I bought this book since I’m studying motion graphics and compositing/visual effects at college and my Photoshop knowledge isn’t quite at the level I’d like it to be. The nice thing about this book is the techniques are all geared towards those using PS for video related work - an excellent resource and a good companion book to “Creating Motion Graphics with After Effects” by Chris and Trish Meyer…
Sony BRAVIA Theater System with S AIR Technology DAVHDX277W Black
Posted by HDTV in Electronics Jun 30th, 2009 | No CommentsSony BRAVIA Theater System with S AIR Technology DAVHDX277W Black
The Sony DAV-HDX277WC 5.1-Channel BRAVIA Theatre System brings you all the best features, with support for wireless S-AIR (optional) - comes equipped with a plug and listen multi-room receiver/speaker, for listening to music or audio from the TV wirelessly in other rooms. AirStation automatically syncs to allow multi-room listening through simple, wireless plug-and-play technology to let you control what you listen to. This system can support up to 4 S-AIR units along with an optional S-AIR wireless rear speaker surround sound kit. Now the optimal speaker settings for your living room are only a press of a button away. Simply place the included microphone in your listening position and allow the strength of Sony’s Digital Signal Processing to take over. Speaker placement, distance, and delays are all calibrated automatically to ensure a worry-free listening experience. With One Touch Play, operations that took several steps have been reduced to one. Press the PLAY button on the remote, watch the audio and/or the video components turn on; then the BRAVIA television will turn on and switch to the correct video input. 5 DVD CD Player Surround Effect - Movie/Music Mode, Multi-stereo link, Speaker formation, and Virtual Speaker Mode (Headphone) Amplifier Audio Power Output - 1000-Watt (RMS) / 512W (FTC) Center Speaker Audio Power Output - 84-Watt (FTC 0.7%THD) / 143-Watt (RMS) Front Speaker Audio Power Output - 84-Watt x 2 (FTC 0.7%THD) / 143-Watt x 2 (RMS 10%THD) Subwoofer Speaker Audio Power Output - 160-Watt (FTC 0.7%THD) / 285-Watt (RMS) Surround Speaker Audio Power Output - 50-Watt x 2 (FTC 0.7%THD) / 142-Watt x 2 (RMS) Ports - 1 Analog Audio Input (Rear), 1 Optical Audio Input (Rear), 1 Coaxial Audio Digital Input (Rear), 1 3.5mm Headphone Input (Rear), Digital Media Port Input, 1 Composite Video Input (Rear), 1 Component Video (Y/Pb/Pr) Input (Rear), and 1 HDMI Connection Output The system
User Ratings and Reviews
4 Stars Not Much Contribution from Rear Speakers
Sound is GREAT through Audio-Tech headphones, but the rear surround speakers produce little sound, almost imperceptible in most situations, and there is NO CONTROL to bring up the volume and balance the sound to my ear from the different speakers like my old Panasonic had. Spending the $50 more to get capability for surround wireless in the future is a rip off. I recommend just get the plain wired, or pay the extra for the surround speaker in the wireless. Programs with my new Panasonic plasma just fine. Good features: 5-disk tray, HDMI ready, automatically lowers the sound level to low on shutdown so you are not blasted out of the room when next turning it on.
4 Stars The little HTIB that could…
Installed this yesterday w/a new Sony Bravia 46″ LCD TV.
The TV and the receiver interface pretty well…out of the box they can “talk” to each other if connected via HDMI and optical out from the TV to the receiver, and the changing inputs on the TV will make appropriate changes to the audio output selected. There is an option to tell the Sony TV remote which AV/Receiver you are using, so that it can do double duty. So now I can turn both the TV and the reciever on/off with one button, choose a video input and the audio is switched automatically, etc. (The Sony feature is called something like “HDMI Sync.”)
The sound of the unit is much better than I expected. It’s not going to make an audiophile give up their high-end systems, and can’t match the setup in my main room, but it is going to be more than adequate for most listeners and for folks looking for a compact system. It has enough power to fill a big room nicely with a big sound, and the subwoofer is powerful enough to rattle your walls and windows. 
It comes with a nice feature…a microphone you attach to the receiver and then set in the middle of the room. The receiver then automatically tunes the speaker levels to the appropriate level. I haven’t done that yet (have to get the rear surrounds hung), but if it works OK it will be a nice feature.
The iPod dock included only supports audio…a big disappointment. Why they stopped at audio is hard to understand…iPod video is at least as important now as audio playback. Oh well…
The included wireless speaker seems like a solution in search of a problem we don’t have. Allows listening to the audio playing on the receiver in different rooms (or outside).
We’re really not sure if we’ll use it or not…we have radios pretty much anywhere we want to listen to the radio, and don’t see any need to hear the TV from another room where I can’t see the TV.
This is an all-plastic speaker set…you won’t find any fabric or wood here, but they still look nice and don’t feel cheap.
Overall I’d say this is a good system with a nice sound. Paired w/a Sony Bravia TV it makes a nice, easy to use combination.
4 Stars sony with samsung tv
Read the description and it sounded great to have wireless audio in separate rooms from one source. As this system was intended to install directly with new Sony TV, systems compatibility wasn’t questioned. TV couldn’t be delivered - out of stock - and was ‘upgraded’ to ~better Samsung model. System sounds great, but all these speakers are ‘hard wired’ to source. Wireless receiver module is included, but one needs to buy other wireless compatible speakers to augment this system for the main room or for other rooms. So, for a true surround sound system out of the box, it’s not wireless. You still need to run wire, drill holes, crawl the attic or under-floor, etc. to install the basic system. Other rooms can get wireless speaker/s, but you gotta buy them. If it stated that this system couldn’t operate all speakers provided wirelessly, I would have continued looking. Doesn’t really tell you this and the photo doesn’t show a bunch of dangly wires protruding out the back, but that’s marketing for you. Still, this cranks the living room of my small house and sounds better that the new TV speakers alone but still, it’s not as nice as my Onkyo receiver and two powerful in-wall speakers and one wired sub from an install 5 years ago. You can feel the walls and floor vibrating. Could of just as easily crawled the attic and installed a few more speakers and connected to the existing system. Still, I didn’t send it back, did I?
2 Stars Below Par….Grossly disappointing
I bought it on the labor day sale at [...] for a neat discount. Used it for 2 weeks and then packed it and its in storage right now. Replaced it with Onkyo S5100. Wanted to send it back after 3 days, got a RMA too but then planned to gift it to my parents with 5 speakers from other company because my parents are not audiophiles at all.
Features I Loved: I loved the subwoofer. Compact but very nice and punchy bass, looks good too.
Features I felt Good: 5 disk DVD changer is handy in that you donot have to stand up to change disks. Amplifier seems to output decent power.
Average Features: 1080p upscaling very average. I have a oppo-980H which is far better.Remote is OK.
Bad Features:
1. The system works on 48KHz Signal. It is surprising that when most other companies are pushing almost to 192KHz signal, this top of the Sony Line(Including HDX275, 279, 576 etc etc). My sound card is at least an order magnitude clearer.
2. Horrible speakers, I have no words to emphasis this. Not even worth 10$ for all five of them. I threw them to make space. Sounded hollow and do not know why they have a port(Bass reflex). Its a joke that these are sold as full range as they have only 2.5″ drivers which produce only some below average midrange, forget anything else. About Audio power, I think Sony missed decimals in all the figures. 84W should have been 8.4W
3. Proprietary connectors. Why?? No idea!!!! Cheap plastic. If one breaks, you will have to call sony and considering that the warranty is only one year, you know what you can run into. Wiring is too cheap.
4. S-Air is a joke too. First of all, Let me confess that I do not believe in wireless audio connector for fidelity and interference . But still thought can make a use of it in the bathroom, but it the signal is far from steady even when separated by a thin 1 cm wooden wall. The walls in my apartment are cheap but still it does not work and yes it will not give you loud sound just may be a total of 10W and why somebody will use it in the same room as the Home theater might be a stupid question.
5. False information about Wireless technology. This system is NOT supposed to have wireless rear speakers. Rear speakers need to be wired. Its called wireless because it comes with the SA unit which is not more than a over hyped FM-Radio set (or if you know, not even that as it needs to communicate with the central unit for radio too)
6. Cheap Ipod stand.
7. Central Unit has only 2 digital inputs and the preference for inputs is automatic.
Most of this should also be true for DAVHDX279 and DAVHDX576W as they come with the same central unit, speakers and subwoofer. DAVHDX279 may have wireless speakers which is a plus point and DAVHDX576 is DAVHDX279 with the same SA unit I talked above.
Samsung LN52A750 52 Inch 1080p DLNA LCD HDTV with Red Touch of Color
Posted by HDTV in Electronics Jun 30th, 2009 | No CommentsSamsung LN52A750 52 Inch 1080p DLNA LCD HDTV with Red Touch of Color
Enjoy pre-loaded HD content, including cooking, fitness, children’s entertainment, and a photo gallery on the LN52A750 52″ Full High Definition TV with 1080p Resolution. Full 1080p HD resolution and 50,000:1 dynamic-contrast ratio offer stunning image detail and vivid colors. Auto Motion Plus 120Hz and Ultra Clear Panel technology work together to offer the smoothest motion and boldest bright and dark tones. Stay connected to your home network via the DLNA networking feature. The InfoLink feature provides RSS web content from USA Today. The WiseLink USB 2.0 input and user-friendly interface gives you access to pictures and playlists from a specially designed Wheel Remote. Ultra clear panel allows you to enjoy crisp image details, natural skin tones, excellent shadow detail and vibrant colors. SRS TruSurround XT is a patented SRS technology that solves the problem of playing 5.1 multichannel content over two speakers. TruSurround delivers a compelling, virtual surround sound experience through any two-speaker playback system, including internal television speakers and headphones. It is fully compatible with all multichannel formats up to 5.1 channels. High-resolution HD-Grade 1920×1080 pixel resolution has built-in image scaler to handle inputs from a variety of digital and analog audio/video sources. Wide Color Enhancer optimizes a color’s hue resulting in more natural colors. Fast 4ms response time minimizes blurring of moving video. Entertainment Mode allows customized picture settings, optimized for different content. SRS TruSurround XT Down firing speakers CATV/VHF/UFH 75-ohm, F-type Antenna Connections - 4 HDMI High Definition Multimedia Interface, 2 Component video inputs (rear), 1 S-video input (side), Side and Rear composite inputs, PC input (rear), Wiselink Pro (USB 2.0), RF antenna inputs, and Headphone Dimensions - 52.0 x 33.9 x 13.3 / 52.0 x 31.7 x 4.2 without stand Weight - 66.4 pounds /
User Ratings and Reviews
5 Stars LN52A750 — Things that make a difference…
Have you spent hours, days, or even weeks trying to make the best decision possible? Of course, but please, take the pressure off of yourself and KNOW that most of these tv’s will provide an utterly astonishing picture, so it doesn’t really matter which one you choose — unless there are known issues, you will be happy!
I had a chance to see many of these tv’s lined up, side-by-side, various brands, all playing the same Blu-Ray, all hooked up via HDMI. The sales rep showed me how he could make a “lesser” TV dominate the others by merely adjusting the “STD” and “DYNAMIC” settings and multiple other settings — and vice-versa. There are a wide range of adjustments to toy with, for sure!
Regarding LCD’s, 120hz (even 240hz), 52-55″ screens, — if someone was to hide the frame from view — so that you could see only the screen, it would be almost impossible to distinguish whether you are looking at a Sony, Samsung, Toshiba, etc. There’s just no significant difference.
However, there is a subtle difference with the newer LED screens that are out now, but it’s only noticeable when you are close-up, about 12″ away from the screen (it’s almost impossible to see pixels — really beautiful!) But back away about 5 feet from any of them, and again, they all look the same. (Again, just my opinion)…
At this point, in this price range with these manufacturers, it all boils down to features, appearance and design of the frame (bezel) and price. Some have internet links, some have usb or memory card ports, some have swivel stands, black bezels, red bezels, glossy, matte, etc. Pick what matters to you.
After hours of going back and forth, I finally settled on the LN52A750. It was being displayed right next to the LN52B750 and another Samsung with a 46″ LED screen. From about 5 feet away, the A750 was just as beautiful as the LED set — and $800 cheaper.
HDMI vs Component…
Once home, I set the TV up and since this was my first HDMI experience, out of curiosity, I set up the TV with component first, then with HDMI. The video/audio diference was noticeable, but not much. If for example, the HDMI give you 100% quality, I’d say thet component gives you 95% quality, and it’s noticeable only if you really analyze it by playing a particular scene over and over, toggling back and forth.
Also, I couldn’t seem to capture the “feel” of the “MotionFlow” that I experienced at the store unti I realized that my Blu-Ray was set at 720×480 for some reason. I set it to 1980×1080p and BAM… huge difference. (And yes, the Blu-Rays do make a HUGE difference in quality over standard dvd’s when you are viewing with these sets!)
The little things really add up to make a nice difference.
Final note — all HD channels are not the same. Some are “crap”, some are breathtakingly gorgeous. So don’t blame the TV or get buyer’s remorse if you happen upon a crap channel. The TV does the best it can with the channel it’s displaying. HGTV-HD, for example is hit-n-miss. Some shows are filmed with high tech equipment and display beautifully. Some are horrible.
And watching standard definition channels… well, let’s just say that the Blu-ray and HD channels will spoil you rotten (but in a fun way)!
Back to this particular model — I’ve looked for and can’t find the “halo effect” that some complain about, so it’s likely been redesigned since it’s launch. I also have no problem with the “dial” on the remote. I actually like it — and I also like that you can set it to where it lites up on it’s own if you touch it in the dark — cool feature”. (There’s a very quiet rattle in the remote that you can hear which is a motion detecting device). The settings are very intuitive, and the manual is layed out beautifully.
I can’t imagine how the manufactures can improve on the picture quality, but whatever they do, I’m sure that any revolutionary changes will be a few years down the road, and crazy expensive in the beginning –so for now — and at least for the next few years, I’m thrilled with this purchase.
5 Stars Perfect TV
I cannot describe it in other way, this LCD is amazing, from the first moment you turn it on will impress you.
I’m very sattisfied and will recommend it.
5 Stars Simply Amazing!!!
I waited awhile to write my reveiw to see if any problems arose such as the halo effect. None did. This Tv is amazing. I am stunned by the picture quality everytime I watch it. I ordered it straight from Amazon in Feb. with the free standard shipping and it arrived in 7days. I would very much recommend this tv especially at the discounted price compared to the new models Samsung recently came out with.
5 Stars don’t be misled, this is a GREAT TV… (read on)
(Model number added) I bought the LN52A750R1F for my wife’s birthday–not the red Touch of Color, but the shiny all black one with Black ToC.
The picture is AWESOME. This TV is off the hook. Outrageous…
We have DirecTV in SD transmission because much of what we watch is still in SD transmission. The SD programs from Russian Channel 1 are a bit grainy when examined from 3 inches in front of the screen. From the other side of the room, i.e. 15 feet, the image is fabulous. Other SD transmissions from here in the States have the same effect. It’s the SD transmission quality, not the TV.
DVD’s are outrageous even in standard DVD quality. For about $80 you can find a major-brand up-grade converter to transform standard DVD’s into near-HD quality. Be sure to use a quality HDMI cable available for < $10 on-line.
Now, when you go to TV broadcasts in HD, eg. the local news, Fox Sports, Robin Meade on CNN, then you see what looks like a 3-D image that blows you away. We watched National Geographic’s “Inside the Vietnam War”, MLB, Nascar, various music performances, and were very impressed. They ran a “Burn Notice Marathon” on USA Network–it’s like looking through a window.
There is a reflection issue around the screen, but all you have to do is dim your lights at night. It’s so cool to watch the TV in the dark, like at the movies. The easy way to kill the reflections is not to put black tape on the set. RECOMMENDATION: just set the unit further back in your furniture enclosure and the reflections will disappear since the ambiant light will no longer reach the screen from the sides.
The TV looks so stylish, similar in style to my wife’s Toshiba laptop. It completely fills the open space in our huge furniture home entertainment center. A killer TV.
BTW, our big room measures 16′ by 32′ and the kitchen looks out into the room. Now I can wash the dishes and enjoy the show. The sofa is at about 15′ from the screen and is just perfect.
As for the speakers: many people complain that they don’t like the sound, whine, whine, whine. 1) I did a custom settings myself (for free) and the sound is excellent! 20W speakers sound fantastic, no need to turn it above 25 on the scale 0-100. 2) For a bigger-than-life experience, I connected it to our “old” Sony 200W home entertainment system which has several pre-set sound mixes (large/small concert hall, automatic, 5.1 surround sound, game, jazz, “house music”, etc.) which does the job with ease. Rock on Wayne, with AC/DC’s tour videos.
Forget the reflections, watch the show.
Also, I did a custom settings myself and the picture is a quantum-leap better viewing than with the standard settings. You can always revert back to the out-of-the-box settings. The remote control menu settings is very intuitive, extremely well thought out.
Party on, Garth….
4 Stars SAMSUNG 52LN750
PICTURE IS EXCELLENT. ONLY ISSUE IS THAT SOMETIMES I SEE A SLIGHT GREEN HALO. I DON’T KNOW IF ANYONE ESLE HAS EXPERIENE THIS OR IT’S JUST A PROBLEM WITH MY CABLE. OTHER THAN THAT, I WOULD RECOMMEND THIS TV.
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