A Good Excuse to Upgrade Your Home Entertainment System

Tag : video cable accessory

(ARA) – Television has come a long way since its introductionto the world in 1925, when Scottish inventor John Logie Bairdsuccessfully transmitted the first recognizable image -- the headof a ventriloquist’s dummy.

At first, the image quality was poor, but it quickly improved andby the 1940s, more than one million American households had atelevision. The remote control arrived in the 1950s; colortelevision and videotape in the 1960s.

Fast-forward to the 21st century, and another major milestone is onthe horizon. On Feb. 17, 2009, television is going digital, a movethat will make millions of analog sets obsolete. The federalgovernment is requiring the change for two main reasons: first, soa valuable communications spectrum can be made available toemergency responders, such as police and fire departments; andsecond, because digital technology renders improvements inover-the-air TV, including clearer pictures, more channels andhigh-definition TV images.

So what should you do to get ready for the change? There are threeoptions for continuing service:

1. Purchase a DTV converter box that will convert the digitalsignal into analog for an existing television set;

2. Subscribe to cable, satellite or a telephone company televisionservice provider if all desired local broadcast stations arecarried by that service;

3. Purchase a new television set with a built-in digital tuner.

Improved technology makes option three hard to beat. New TVs offerclearer, crisper pictures than older sets, and they also offer moreflexibility. Their small size and minimal weight allow them to beput pretty much anywhere, and they’ve come down in pricesignificantly so they are relatively affordable.

If you decide to invest in a new TV, you have more options thansimply setting it on top of a stand or cabinet. You can also hangit from the wall like a picture frame, or even mount it overhead inthe corner of a room. “The possibilities are really endlessthanks to innovations in the technology available to support theseTVs,” says Jim Wohlford, vice president and general managerof Sanus Systems, a manufacturer of audio video furnishings, mountsand accessories.

Prefer a more traditional look? Rather than just setting your newTV on a dresser or TV stand, dress up your living space with apiece from the Sanus Component AV Foundations line. Sanus furniturelooks fantastic and is designed specifically for audio/videoequipment.

The features of Sanus’ furniture make it easier to store AVcomponents in the cabinets, while a convection cooling systemupholds the quality of the components so they don't overheat andbecome damaged. The furniture is also constructed to improve audioquality by virtually eliminating resonance from audio systems. Thecabinets have flexibility built into them such as deep adjustableshelves to accommodate the varying sizes of AV components. Everycomponent in your system will have multiple cables. Generous cablemanagement channels in the Foundations furniture hides all cablesfor a clean appearance.

If you prefer a contemporary look, the Sanus VisionMount lineoffers a variety of wall mounting options for flat-panel TVs,including many full-motion mounts that tilt, swivel and extend awayfrom the wall for limitless viewing angle options. Some of thecompany's most popular models include the VisionMount MF215 formedium TVs and the VisionMount VMAA26 for large TVs. People lookingfor an advanced, even more high-tech option might like Sanus'VisionMount LA112 automated wall mount, which lets the vieweradjust the TV angle with a remote control and pre-set favoriteangles for frequent use.

Not sure how you want to put your TV on display? Go towww.sanus.com for even more ideas. Sanus Systems products areavailable at thousands of retail locations nationwide. A storelocator is available on the website.

Courtesy of ARAcontent