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Plasma Burn-in

Yes, screen burn-in is a reality with Plasma televisions. Here is what you need to know to protect your investment. What is burn-in? If an image is left on a television screen for too long, that image can become permanently “burned in” to the screen. You will see it as a ghost image whenever you watch television, even if the program doesn’t have that image as part of its show. In some cases, it only take a few hours to cause burn-in. What are some things that cause burn-in? If you watch 4:3 video on a widescreen display, you’ll get … Continue reading →

Need a Little “Fun Money”? Donate Plasma

Perhaps I should start by clarifying. I am not talking about your plasma television. I am talking about your blood. Okay, technically the yellow liquid part of your blood that suspends blood cells. I used to sell my plasma back in college. At the time, I sold my plasma for purely selfish reasons – pizza, beer and text books. If you live in a town near a college, the chances are probably pretty good that you have a plasma donation center near you. The process is actually quite simple (if you are not squeamish about needles, that is). You start … Continue reading →

Are You Dissapointed with Your New Flat Screen TV?

I remember being able to buy a TV knowing it would last for a decade or more. In recent years, you knew they would at run for at least 305 years, but the new Flat screen TV’s are incredibly disappointing with many of them needing repair or replacement in a matter of month. I have one Philips flat screen TV that died in 18 months and cost $200 to repair. We chalked that up to bad luck and got a smaller version for the bedroom. Granted, it was a floor model as our frugal side would never allow us to … Continue reading →

Are Flat Screen Televisions Green?

Unless you are ready to give up television altogether (perhaps not a bad idea) you will impact the environment in different ways, depending on the type of television you choose. Here is a breakdown of what is in your television and how it may be impacting the environment. The best choice for a television is the plain old CRT. This was the original standard for television technology before the gorgeous flat screens came along. CRTs use less energy when they are running, and they don’t have anything to do with nitrogen trifluoride, a chemical that is used in the making … Continue reading →

Judging TV Picture Quality on the Sales Floor

When shopping for a new television, you walk into the electronics store and are instantly confronted by a bank of televisions all showing the same signal that has been split multiple times. It is hard to judge the quality of the picture while staring at all of those images. In addition, the stores set the televisions to attract you, often giving the televisions that they want to sell the brightest settings, and dimming other less expensive models. So what exactly should you look for when trying to judge the picture quality at the store? Here are some tips. First of … Continue reading →

Computing Review: March 24th Through March 30th

How is your home theater set up these days? We are introducing a new category here in the Computing Blog. In it, we will have articles that are all about home theater, from high definition technology to how to guides. Also, be sure to check the televisions category as well for now. Meanwhile, take a look at last week’s articles. This is the Computing Blog week in review for March 24th through March 30th. March 24th Computing Week in Review: March 17th Through March 23rd Did you know that you might be able to return your outdated HD DVD for … Continue reading →

Down and Dirty Guide to TV Types

Trying to decide between a plasma television and a flat screen television? Or wait, a plasma television does have a flat screen, doesn’t it? Choosing among the various television types can be very confusing. That is why I created this down and dirty guide to the different television technology. You’ll learn what it all means, as well as the pros and the cons. CRT The CRT is the traditional Cathode-ray tube television, the analog TV that we have all grown up with. There are some newer CRTs that are digital, and some even include high definition viewing (HDTV). The pro … Continue reading →

Traveling With Children—More Airport Play Areas

In a previous blog about traveling with children I detailed two very welcome sights at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport and the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport—designated play areas for restless tots. What parent wouldn’t break into a smile upon seeing specially designed play areas where kids could burn off some steam after being cooped up in an aircraft for hours? While the creators of these play areas say they were crafted to help pint-size travelers understand the air-travel experience we parents know better, these places are like oases in the middle of a barren desert. A place where we can sit … Continue reading →

Repair or Replace Part 1–Televisions

Most of us are savvy shoppers, we’ve heard of (or at times even taken advantage of) pre and post holiday sales where you can find DVD players for $50, TV/VCRs for $89.99 or computers for $99. Let’s face it, in the fluid world of high tech gadgets, it seems if you wait long enough the price on high-end electronics will eventually dip into an affordable range. That’s why whenever my computer, printer or TV breaks I am always faced with the question: “Do I repair it or replace it?” I was faced with this question about six months ago when … Continue reading →

Televisions – Display types

There are various types of ways to display an image on a television. I’ll save scientific descriptions and explanations and for another time and place and focus here on the types of TV displays you’re likely to see when out shopping or browsing for a new TV. I’ll first describe each display type, hopefully providing you with the basic knowledge you’ll need to choose a TV that best fits your needs. Then, check out the links at the bottom of the page as they have comparison charts and descriptions of the technology types I discuss here. Also, be sure to … Continue reading →