Recent content by Mark Dill

This is just one dummy's opinion, but that seems to be what you are looking for. Paradigm >>> Polk However, B&W > Paradigm (the second opinion is probably not as universally accepted as the first one)

Personally, I wouldn't consider maximum brightness to be a significant feature in my TV decision. When I first setup my plasma, one of the first things I did was to turn the brightness and contrast way DOWN. This helps it last longer, reduces the chance of burn-in (which is minimal), and makes...

One more thing that may help you: if your center is smaller than your L/R speakers, it may not do a good job "keeping up" with them. I've never been happy with a smaller center, as I feel it shortchanges the dialogue and the center-FX. I prefer to run in phantom mode, without a center, and let...

Well, his first post is a little unclear actually, but I think my interpretation makes sense, since he says he is turning it down during FX scenes and up during dialogue. That wouldn't really help him if it was a case of FX drowning out dialogue that is occurring simultaneously. Although, simply...

I think this problem is actually a little simpler. You are used to watching movies through your TV speakers and this is your first home theater right? The problem is largely psychological. The movies are mixed for "theater loud", and you are just not used to being in your living room and...

Hmmm, I was under the impression that 720p sets are also 1080i, but perhaps this is not so?

Yep, when I put the TV in 4:3 mode while watching 1080i content, it cuts off the edges. This happens on DVD's and while watching HD TV shows. Actually, it looks like it compresses it a little bit and cuts off a little bit. Weird. There's a logo on the lower right on the HD channel I'm watching...

OK, I understand that a 1080p TV can refresh all of its lines of resolution in every cycle. So effectively, it is capable of double the refresh rate of 1080i. This much I understand. But here's what I don't understand: what device outputs a signal that takes advantage of 1080p? Movies are...

OK, this is weird, but I cannot get full screen DVD's to display in the proper aspect ratio on my widescreen HDTV. They are stretched by default. My DVD player is a Toshiba upconverting model. The TV is a Panasonic 720p plasma. The player is set to 16:9 and "Original" view mode. If I then set...

Don't get me wrong, I actually like ROTS and enjoy watching it, for the most part. But the scenes I mentioned are truly cringeworthy, and they hurt the film. Yep, to each his own :D

It has become fashionable to bash ROTJ, but it's still my favorite! 1. ROTJ 2. ANH 3. ESB ~~ ridiculously huge gap ~~~ 4. AOTC 5. ROTS 6. TPM I wanted to like ROTS more, but the ridiculous scene with Anakin's turn and Palpatine's self-mutilation ruins it for me. Grievous is bad...

The Center does not just do dialogue. Basically all the sound effects of the movie will be played out of the center. Movies usually seem to be mixed along these lines: Left and Right channels - sound FX and music Center - dialogue and sound FX, basically everything but music Rear - Surround...

The Bose center channel is awful. I actually auditioned that thing because it was the only thing to fit in the space above my TV. Wow, just terrible. Go listen and you decide what you like. I like B&W and Paradigm, but everyone has different audio tastes.

I just checked out B&W's site and wow! There are no current speakers comparable to the old 602's. Like Philip, I have the original 602's (not s2 or s3 - bought in '96) and I am blown away by how great they sound every day. They no longer offer a large bookshelf speaker in the 600 range. The...

Interesting, good to know, Jeff. I'm surprised that the TV would downmix it. Even if I connect from optical out on the TV to my receiver? Direct to the receiver it is, then.