How To Create A Kick Ass High-Def Gaming Setup

Picking and choosing all of the right products to optimize your high-def gaming setup can be pretty complicated. The choices that have to be made between different HDTV's, gaming systems, and routers can be not only infinite, but for hardcore gamers, beyond stressful. But gamers of the world can now relax, because the AVSForum has come up with guide to choosing the right HD gaming gear. Their recommendations? When it comes to displays, don't get sucked in by the Game Mode featured on some of the newer models. The gains are so small as not to be worth the money spent. The best sets to buy are average 1080p models with HDMI and component video inputs such as the Samsung PN50A550 and Sony Bravia KDL-46XBR4. If you want to take advantage of digital downloads or online gaming, a network adapter is a must-have. Look for a good 802.11b, or preferably 802.11g, model such as the Linksys WRT54G, Linksys WRT54GS or D-Link's DGL-4300 Wireless 108G Gaming Router. And what about speakers? Full surround sound is the way to go. If you own an Xbox 350, which only supports 5.1-channels, try the Logitech Z-5500 or the Pioneer HTS-GS1. On the other hand, if you own a PS3 which supports 7.1 channels and you want to go all out, try the Onkyo HT-SP908.

Via AVSForum

Holiday Gift Guide: Last Chance For Online Shoppers To Get High-Def Gifts By December 24

If you're planning on doing any last minute online Christmas shopping at Amazon.com, today is the last full day to order using one day shipping guaranteeing delivery by December 24. Back in November we posted our Holiday Gift Guide comprised of all the best Amazon products and prices and today is the last day to check it out if you want to get your high-def gift by Christmas Eve. Take a look at the best plasmas, LCD's, projectors, media streamers, and HD disc players of 2007. Just click on the text link above or the pic at the top of the posting.

Christmas Approaching Fast; Use Our Holiday Gift Guide For Last Minute Shopping

Christmas Day is approaching fast and the next few days are critical for those looking to order gifts online. Most online retailers are stating that you must order within the next 4 days to receive your gifts by December 24, just in time to get them wrapped up and under the tree.

So, for those of you who are really pushing things to the last minute, our Holiday Gift Guide is still going strong and will save you the precious time required to research the best HDTV models and prices on the web. We've already done it for you and have linked right to the product pages to make it as easy for you as possible.

The guide is separated into 5 separate mini-guides featuring the best products of 2007 in each category. The mini-guides outline the best LCD's, plasma's, HD DVD and Blu-ray players, media streamers and projectors of 2007. Just click on the gift guide image above to access the main page for the guide.

The Woman's Guide To Buying Audio Gear

Me Strong Like TVSnob Woman!
Audio technology dealer Klipsch has an awesome article entitled "Get Turned On: A Woman's Guide To Purchasing Audio Gear". Being the Christmas season, alot of TVSnob men are going to be asking for audio equipment to spiff up their home theater, and it usually falls on the significant other to go out and make the requested purchase. The problem is that alot of women tend to look at electronics as a "man thing" and find the concept of entering a big-box electronics retailer or specialty shop to buy speakers more than a daunting prospect.

Sarah Knight of Klipsch turns this myth on its head by explaining how she went from "audio illiterate" to a virtual technical connoisseur in the span of a few years. Rather than try to impress us with her knowledge, she lays out some excellent tips in laywoman's terms for women expecting to make speaker purchases. I encourage you to head over to Klipsch and read the article, but I'll condense it here into ten of the more relevant points. Before I do that though, I should also point out that this would be a great read for a lot of men looking to make speaker purchases as well.

Ten Tips To Remember When Purchasing Speakers

1. Don't buy into the myth that audio is a "man thing". Quality home theater sound should be enjoyed by everyone.

2. Do not let the box filled with a bunch of wires and plastic parts intimidate you.

3. The environment where the speakers are set up will effect the sound quality. Room dimensions, wall ornaments and furniture placement affect sound. Before going out to search for the perfect speaker system, draw up a diagram of the room you will place them in.

4. Know what the speakers will be used for. If they are to be used solely for listening to music, you'll need a different system than one that'll be used for TV, movies, and video games.

5. Pick up copies of well-known audio magazines such as Sound And Vision and Home Theater to familiarize yourself with brands.

6. Decide on your budget and then decide whether you'll be purchasing your speakers at a big-box retailer, specialty shop, or through a custom installer. The price tends to increase in the order of the three options listed.

7. Bring your favorite CD or movie when shopping for speakers so you can test it on different brands of equipment.

8. Do not buy speakers based on their looks.

9. Don't let a salesperson confuse you with technical jargon. They want the sale, so if you don't know what they're talking about, work with a different salesperson.

10. Once you have your speakers, you will need a receiver to funnel sound through those speakers. The more stuff you have hooked into your home theater system, the bigger the receiver you'll need. Buy a receiver with a little more capacity than you need in case you decide to add another component to your entertainment center at a later date.

TVSnob's 2007 Holiday Buying Guide Finally Here

We've posted the initial segment of our long-awaited 2007 Holiday Buyer's Guide detailing the best plasma's and LCD's of 2007. We worked hard to find the best models that combined both value for you money and the best performance found on the HDTV market. This year we've also covered projectors, HD DVD and Blu-ray players, and media streamers. This evening stay tuned for the next segment of our Christmas guide with the best remote controls and gadgets for purchase this holiday season. Just follow the links below to find what you're looking for:

Holiday Buyer's Guide 2007: Top 7 Plasma HDTV's of '07
Holiday Buying Guide 2007: Top 7 LCD HDTV's Of '07
Holiday Buying Guide 2007: Best Media Streamers of '07
Holiday Buying Guide 2007: Best HD DVD And Blu-ray Players of '07
Holiday Buyer's Guide 2007: Best Projectors Of '07

Looking for more amazing gift ideas? Check out our extensive set of holiday shopping guides on electronics, fashion, cooking, and more.

The Black Friday Battle Plan

Gizmodo has come up with a Black Friday Plan, basically a listing of the best deals in each electronics category from GPS to HDTV, so you don't have to spend hours digging through the online Black Friday circulars trying to separate the real deals from the fillers. They do a good job of summarizing the existing circulars, but that unfortunately puts an emphasis on Best Buy, Walmart, and Circuit City for nearly all the best deals on the Gizmodo list. Definitely check it out, but we're pretty sure the best of the best deals will be found online.

If you're looking for something a little more comprehensive, not sorted by best deal, but still organized by product category, check out the DailyTech Black Friday Deals Roundup.

Via Gizmodo

TVSnob Recommends Retrevo, Consumer Electronics Search Engine

There is so much consumer electronics info on the web, it can make your head spin somedays. Finding reliable information and good deals is tough. You really never know what you can rely on. The first piece of advice I'd like to dish out is that you can rely on TVSnob, so keep coming back! The second piece of advice I have for you is in regards to a new search engine devoted specifically to consumer electronics called Retrevo. The beta search engine aggregates all of the information, how-to's, and best deals found on the web for any consumer electronics search term you enter.

I tried to enter a more general term, HDTV, and it pulled up fairly quickly in-depth information on 956 models, including the best current deals for each one and aggregated all of the related consumer education articles on the web. This is really an incredible resource. They even have a blog to keep you updated on the latest news in the electronics industry.

If you plan on going anywhere other than TVSnob for your TV fix, I would definitely head over to Retrevo.

Holiday Buyer's Guide 2007: Top 7 Plasma HDTV's of '07

The variety of plasma brands, models, size ranges, and prices is becoming nearly impossible to navigate for the average holiday buyer looking for a flat panel plasma TV. Knowing this we've searched far and wide, sourcing some of the best consumer reviewers and reviews in the United States to come up with a guide detailing the best plasma purchases for this 2007 holiday shopping season.

Pioneer KURO PDP-6010FD 60" 1080p Plasma

A full 23% off the list price of $6500 at Amazon.com brings one of the best TV's of all time down to $4989 and is shipped to your door for free. That's over a huge $1500 in savings! The Kuro features full 1920x1080 pixel resolution, a state-of-the-art, advanced cell structure for impossible blacks and amazing detail, and a ully integrated ATSC and Dual NTSC Tuners with a built-in CableCARD Slot. It also includes 4 HDMI inputs making this the perfect centerpiece for your home theater setup. The one major problem with this is the price, although this is a hot deal for a 60" plasma!

Continue reading: "Holiday Buyer's Guide 2007: Top 7 Plasma HDTV's of '07"

Holiday Buying Guide 2007: Top 7 LCD HDTV's Of '07

LCD's have come a long way in the last couple of years. Faster refresh rates and response times have greatly eliminated motion blur and artifacting so common in earlier models, and while plasmas on average probably still have slightly better picture quality, LCD's have greater come down in price making them more economical purchases per dollar for the quality you receive. To make your holiday LCD shopping a little easier, TVSnob has come up with the top 7 LCD TV's for purchase during this 2007 holiday season.

Sony Bravia XBR KDL-46XBR4 46 Inch 1080p LCD

Sony's 10-bit 16:9 Full HD 1080p Panel features the one of the deepest blacks in an LCD ever according to CNET.com and it's not surprising. The 10-bit display with 10-bit color processing means an extremely large color palette for true-to-life color and smooth transition from one color to the next. This results in a detailed, vibrant picture that is so good it seems real. Featuring the renowned Bravia Engine, the KDL-46XBR4 has an HDMI 1.3 interface and upconverts all video signals to 1080p. 24 frames-per-second video support and a 120hz refresh rate means you'll have an incredibly smooth picture with very little judder. Three HDMI and one PC connection makes this the perfect home theater centerpiece, and despite its amazing functionality, the Bravia's magnificent design almost trumps it. Its uniques floating glass frame is surrounded by a black bezel with interchanging colors to the TV can be integrated into the viewing room's decor. The most amazing part of it all is that you'll only pay $2788 for the Bravia this holiday season, a full 23% or $812 off the list price of $3600! And it's shipped to your door for free!

Continue reading: "Holiday Buying Guide 2007: Top 7 LCD HDTV's Of '07"

Holiday Buying Guide 2007: Media Streamers

These days, home theaters are just not complete without a media streamer or set-top box to both bring web TV content to your HDTV, or HDTV content to your PC. It always helps in our busy lives to be able to record favorite TV shows for viewing at a later time, and fast forwarding and rewinding live TV and skipping through commercials. Convenience is the name of the game when it comes to streaming video, so we've compiled a list of media streamers that are not only cost efficient, but give you the most portability, flexibility, and ease of use.

Microsoft XBox 360 Pro

The Xbox 360 Pro Value Bundle has built-in support for 1080i HDTV, supports 16:9 format, and 3 USB slots can be used to stream digital media content from your PC, mp3 player, or digital camera. The Pro Value Bundle also comes with a 20GB detachable hard drive, wireless controller, Xbox Live headset, HDMI port, AV and Ethernet cables and two games, Forza 2 and Marvel Alliance. Definitely a multimedia deal at only $350.

Continue reading: "Holiday Buying Guide 2007: Media Streamers"

Holiday Buying Guide 2007: HD DVD And Blu-ray

The Blu-ray/HD DVD war is going strong and we love it here at TVSnob. We are of the opinion that good old fashioned competition lowers prices, which is what we want for you this holiday season. Low prices aren't everything though, especially when it comes to high-def players. There is no point in "saving" a bunch of money only to find out your Blu-ray or HD DVD player is a dud. So we've compiled a list via our own research and that of some of the world's best consumer product reviewers, leading you to the best buys this 2007 holiday season, combining both price and value.

Note:Purchasers of Blu-ray players download this form to receive 5 free Blu-ray discs
Purchasers of HD DVD players download this form to receive 5 free HD DVD discs

Sony PlayStation 3 (80GB) Blu-ray Player

The PlayStation 3 is hands-down responsible for the sales lead Blu-ray has over HD DVD at the moment. Too bad the majority of owners don't even know their machine has a Blu-ray player! The new 80GB Motorstorm Pack, in addition to its state-of-the-art video gaming capacity, also contains a Blu-ray player. Enhanced by IBM's "Cell" processor and exclusive Nvidia graphics processor, the PS3's Blu-ray connects to your HDTV through an HDMI output, bringing 128-bit pixel precision and 1080p resolution to your screen. Currently $499.99 including free shipping, the PS3 comes with the game Motorstorm and 5 free Blu-ray movies using this rebate until January 31, 2008.

Continue reading: "Holiday Buying Guide 2007: HD DVD And Blu-ray"

Holiday Buyer's Guide 2007: Projectors

There are those home theater fanatics who still appreciate the projector despite it's typical large hit on the pocketbook and the fun of setting it up and calibrating it. For those willing to go for it though, they're rewarded with the most theater-like experience outside of the movie theater around. This list is for you. TVSnob's 5 recommended projector buy's this holiday season.

SharpVision XV-Z20000 Projector

Damn expensive, but a damn fine projector. Prepare to take a hit with the $9980 price tag, but after you've dealt with it, prepare to be wowed by this front projector from Sharp. Utilizing DLP 0.95" DarkChip3 1920 x 1080 technology from Texas Instruments in addition to Sharp's Computer Video & Integrated Composer (CV-IC System III) technology, the SharpVision will electrify you with full 1080p, 12000:1 contrast ratio, 1000 ANSI lumens and a 100 inch screen throw distance.

Continue reading: "Holiday Buyer's Guide 2007: Projectors"

Black Friday Ads Appearing On The Web

The self-professed official site for Black Friday ads is now online. There is not a lot of ads yet, but there are a few. Sears will have the following unconfirmed deals on HDTV's:

Hitachi 42" 720p Plasma HDTV - $599.99
Olevia 52" LCD HDTV - $1299.99
Sharp 42" LCD HDTV - $799.99
Sharp 46" LCD HDTV - $899.99

Wal-mart also had a scanned ad posted, but the chain store's legal team sent the site a letter demanding it be taken down.

Sam's Club will also be opening their stores nationwide at 5 AM on Black Friday and will serve shoppers a continental breakfast until 9 AM. Just don't take to long to eat or the HDTV deals might all be gone!

Other sites you might watch are Dealtaker and Gottadeal for leaked Black Friday ads.

Uh Oh! Only 10 Days Till Christmas!

In case you didn't notice, this weekend is probably your last chance to get your online shopping done so that it's delivered by Christmas. To help you ot, we just wanted to remind you of our handy-dandy Buying Guides from the Blogpire Network. Be sure to check out the TVSnob Shopping Guide first and then check out these:

• Holiday Gift Guide from CriticalGamers.com
• Holiday Shopping Guide from GPSLodge.com
• Holiday Shopping Guide from LiquorSnob.com
• Holiday Shopping Guide from ReallyNatural.com
• Holiday Shopping Guide from KitchenContraptions.com
• Holiday Gift Guide from ShavingStuff.com
• Holiday Gift Guide from The Cooking News.com
• Holiday Gift Guide from SingleServeCoffee.com
• Holiday Gift Guide from SuperCoolBaby.com
• Holiday Gift Guide from CasinoSnob.com
• Holiday Gift Guide from SingleServeEspresso.com

Enjoy and have a safe and happy shopping weekend!