Students Of Success

If you are still not on the flat-panel monitor bandwagon, you must be considering doing it soon. And, if not, then you should! It’s the coolest peripheral to own. It represents power, fashion and all things young and happening. Until you replace your CRT screen you wouldn’t realize how much you hated that monstrosity! But before you dish out your hard earned money, getting to know the ‘object of desire’ will stand you in good stead.

Shopping tips:

1. Flat panel monitors use interfaces - analog or digital. The newer models have digital interface but an all-digital environment costs more. If you are buying an analog flat panel, you will have to attach it with a digital interface to your video card with a digital out jack to mainstream the signal.

If you are planning to buy a digital interface, you need to check its compatibility. There are several digital interface standards available todayPlug and Display (P&D) from the Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA), Digital Flat Panel (DFP) from the Digital Flat Panel Working Group, and Digital Video Interface (DVI) from the Digital Display Working Group (DDWG).

The P&D interface is the oldest of the three standards and chances are your new model won’t sport this standard. Support for DFP standard is seen across many hardware vendors. The DVI standard is the latest and the most popular. Do your research and whichever standard you chose, you need to match its components that include cables and video cards!

2. Pixel-refresh response time: In an LCD display, the time required to switch from light to dark objects or vice versa, is referred to as Pixel-refresh response time. If the response time is poor (more than 40ms), you may see ghosting effect, i.e., the image seems to remain longer on the screen than it actually is!

Whereas in a text environment this would hardly matter, in a gaming or media centric environment the effect could be a deterrent. Cheaper models give more ghosting than their expensive counterparts. Also, pixel-refresh response time is not mentioned on the monitors. You need to watch closely to judge the performance of each model.

3. Viewing angle: One problem with a flat panel monitor is its viewing angle. Laptop users must have experienced this problem. Moving away from the monitor in any direction causes the screen to look black! Different models offer different viewing angles horizontally and vertically.

Find the one best suited to your pocket! In any case, for a home PC, the viewing angle doesn’t make much difference but if the monitor is going to be used for official presentations then it should have viewing angle of at least 120 degrees horizontal and 100 degrees vertical. Also, ask for peripherals like pivoting frames.

4. Size: bigger is better, but with flat panel, remember 15-inch screen gives you the experience of a 17-inch CRT monitor. If you can afford 17-inch flat panel, by all means, go for it, if not, a 15-inch screen should not be a disappointment.

Other things to check when buying a flat panel are guarantees and warranties. A three-year warranty is satisfactory. People change the monitor settings in stores and while purchasing; make sure that you check the piece adequately. You now have the basic information; all you need is time to check out the market!

We don’t need to understand quantum physics entirely in order to appreciate it. Even those who have devoted their lives to the study of the universe and its atomic structure will admit that many mysteries remain. Well, I love mysteries, so let’s set the scene for this one…

There’s a Big Bang. “Whoosh!” go all the molecules. Much swirling commences. Fast forward 12 billion years (give or take a billion) to present day. People all over the world watch sci-fi movies, read physics texts, attend harmonic convergence gatherings, study nanotechnology, and gaze at the stars. Our questions: How did we get here? Who are we? Where is here? Why? What next?

If you’re expecting quantum theory to answer those questions, you’re going to be disappointed. However, it does give us some heady new ways to anticipate those answers.

Let’s take a look at some terms. Back in the fifth century BC, our Greek friend Democritus had the idea that all matter is ultimately made up of tiny grains that cannot be divided into smaller pieces. He called these little pieces “atoms” for the Greek phrase “a-tomos” which means “uncuttable”. Poor Democritus didn’t have the advantage of sophisticated microscopes, so it’s not surprising that, centuries later, it was discovered that atoms are actually cuttable. In fact, atoms are themselves made up of tiny particles we’ve dubbed neutrons, protons, electrons and neutrinos.

But it doesn’t stop there. Now we’re thinking that leptons, along with quarks, are the tiniest of particles of all and currently considered the ultimate building blocks of nature. Since we keep finding particles inside particles and adding new names to pieces of atoms, it’s easier to refer to the smallest chunks into which something can be divided as quanta. The German physicist Max Planck first proposed that energy might come in little pieces called quanta back in the early 1900s. So when we talk about quantum theory, we’re just referring to the whole set of ideas surrounding the microscopic world of atoms.

Along comes Albert Einstein, who recognizes that this whole idea of quantum physics turns classical physics on its head and spins it around. Here all these scientists had developed theories and precise formulas for calculating predictably and consistently the ways in which bodies move. Now there’s this idea that little particles actually behave in ways we can’t predict with certainty. These tiny quanta are mysterious. They respond sometimes as particles, and sometimes as waves, and we can’t always tell which way they’re going to go. If a particle is traveling from point A to point B, we can guess its path, but the tinier the particle, the less sure we are that that exact path is the one taken. In facthold on to your hat herewe’ve come to understand that not only do we not know the exact path, but that the particles may actually be in two places at once.

Think that’s radical? Back in 1957, a Princeton graduate student named Hugh Everett proposed what is called the “Many Worlds” interpretation. According to his dissertation, quantum theory (the variable behavior of atoms) is true not just for atoms but for everythinglike tables, flower pots, SUVs, and even people. Everett was actually stating that these big things could, like tiny pieces of atoms, be in many places at once.

It gets wilder. Everett hypothesized that if you observe a sports utility vehicle (SUV) which is in two places at once, your mind will also end up in two states at onceone which perceives that SUV in one place, and another which perceives it in another place! So, really, there would be two versions of you and each one would perceive a world in which there is a different version of the SUV. Not only that, but these two selves and these two SUVs don’t exist in a vacuum. They actually interact with each other!

This whole concept of multiple realities was a big boon for science fiction writers. The truth is that these ideas are generally considered plausible but not in relation to the large-scale world. We don’t have a way of manifesting alternate universes full of multiple SUVs (thankfully) so we can’t really test it.

But there is one area of the Big World (that which we can see without microscopes) that will be completely revolutionized by quantum theory, and that’s the development of quantum computers. In quantum computers, experimenters are taking advantage of the ability of particles such as atoms to be in many places at once to do many calculations simultaneously.

Talk about high-speed connections. Quantum computers could solve in seconds problems that would take conventional computers millions of years to decipher.

We’re talking WAY beyond quickly downloading your email, obviously. What does this mean for the world? What will these quantum computers do? The staggering truth is that a quantum computer will actually perform in different realitiesit will be engaging huge numbers of versions of other computers in alternate universes.

Freaky, huh? But real, and coming soonor at least, eventually.

Next time you find yourself daydreaming about how your life could be different, ramp it up a notch. Think about quantum physics and the Many Worlds theory. Consider that your life might already be different in some other reality! If it’s possible that it exists exactly as you dream it, there’s no reason you can’t create it here. And heck, you only have to do it in one universe. Piece of cake!

Make that multiple pieces.

About The Author

Maya Talisman Frost is a mind masseuse. Her work has inspired thinkers in over 90 countries. To subscribe to her free weekly ezine, the Friday Mind Massage, visit http://www.massageyourmind.com.

maya@massageyourmind.com

It’s never been easier to copy a DVD movie thanks to the latest technology. With some DVD movie copy software programs it’s as easy as clicking a few buttons. Since there are many DVD copying software programs available it is important to know what features you need.

The first thing that you should consider is how difficult the program is to use. We’ve all done it, bought a program that sounded really cool - until you tried to use and found out that it would take a lot more time learning it than you wanted to spend. Don’t worry; there are a few amazingly simple DVD movie copy software programs available today.

What will you use the software for? Many of the DVD movie copy softwares available today do more than just copy a DVD. Here are some additional things you may want to consider:

• Will you need to copy a CSS encrypted movie?. This would be just about any full length movie.
  
• Do you have a damaged or scratched DVD that you would like to repair and copy? Some programs include limited error correction which may be able to make an undamaged DVD copy.
  
• Do you want to copy data from CDs?
  
• Do you want to copy VHS tapes?
  
• Would you like to copy music CD’s from MP2 & WMA files?
  
• Do you have any video games such as Xbox, Playstation, PSP, Dreamcast, etc. that you would like to copy?

Something else to consider are the speed and quality of the DVD copy. What’s the point in copying a DVD if it is going to look like a VHS recording? Many of the programs available will produce such a high quality copy that you would be hard pressed to see the difference between the original and the copy. Here’s something else to look out for, some programs take hours to copy and burn a DVD while others take less than 45 minutes - so speed is also an important consideration.

Here’s a feature that I love - try before you buy. DVD copy software free trials are a great way to try it before you buy it. It’s nice to try the program before you actually buy it - that way you’ll know it is what you want, that it’s easy to use and has all the features you need. Many manufacturers will even allow you to burn a couple DVDs.

As you are researching you may come across free dvd copy software - use caution before downloading. A lot of freeware also comes with free spyware - not a good thing. You will not find the features, support or piece of mind from free dvd copying software that you will find with a program that you must buy. Just keep in mind, you get what you pay for.

So before you buy any DVD copy software know what features you need - this will make your comparison shopping a lot easier. Also find a DVD copy software free trial, download it and give it a try. It’s quick and easy to copy a DVD with high quality results as long as you have the right program.

Jay Smith makes it easy to understand your DVD copying choices with honest reviews, informative articles & free trials. Visit today to download your Free DVD Copy Software Trial.

Over-the-air (OTA) HDTV becomes more and more popular. For someone who is used to noisy analog TV pictures, it is hard to believe how amazing a quality of HDTV broadcasts can be. In fact, HDTV channels received over the air free of charge often have better quality than the same channels received through a paid satellite HDTV subscription. All you need to enjoy OTA HDTV is a HD television with a built-in HDTV tuner and an HDTV antenna.

Huh? Which kind of antenna?! If you have Ph.D in Electrical Engineering and have never heard about the antenna type called “HDTV antenna”, it’s not because you were a bad student. HDTV antenna has nothing to do with physics and engineering. It was invented in marketing departments. Marketing found an effective trick to boost TV antenna sales. HDTV is a hot thing these days. Call essentially the same device HDTV antenna, and it sells better. It makes people to believe they must buy an HDTV model or HDTV optimized antenna to watch HDTV broadcasts. This is very far from truth.

HDTV antenna hype created a huge misconception with regard to TV antennas used for HDTV reception. This article is an attempt to clarify this issue.

Do you know what a regular antenna is? Antenna is a piece of metal designed to resonate at a specific frequency and to be responsive over a certain range of frequencies. TV antennas are designed to work either in the range of Ultra High Frequencies (UHF), Very High Frequencies (VHF) or both. Any station transmitting in the VHF/UHF frequency bands, can be picked up by a VHF/UHF antenna and transferred to the TV set.

All television broadcasts, digital and analog, are in the VHF and UHF bands. Over 90% of the HDTV broadcasts are in the UHF, and less than 10% in the VHF band. What is important from the antenna perspective is that HDTV falls in the bandwidth of a regular VHF/UHF antenna. Not HDTV antenna, not HDTV optimized antenna, just a normal regular TV antenna. What makes a signal to be HD is its content, the way a signal is modulated, and not the carrier frequency it is transmitted on. On the contrary, the antenna knows nothing about the signal modulation and content. Hence, you don’t need an HDTV antenna to pick up the HD signal. An antenna has absolutely no idea what the signal resolution is. It can be HDTV, SDTV, NTSC, whatever. It is the job of a HDTV tuner and HD television set to demodulate the signal and to present the actual content on the screen.

Well, the antenna bandwidth and frequency response are not the only parameters that are important for clear TV reception. An antenna has other important electrical and spatial properties, such as antenna gain (directivity) and high front-to-back (F/B) ratio. One might assume that an HDTV antenna should be more powerful in terms of F/B and gain parameters. Does HDTV reception impose more stringent requirements on antenna gain and F/B ratio?

There is a wrong, yet widespread belief that you need more antenna gain to receive digital television. I don’t know where the hell this belief comes from, cause the situation is exactly the opposite. HDTV has much better noise and interference immunity than the analog television and can produce high quality video at significantly lower signal-to-noise ratios.

Another important specification, F/B ratio, has to do with the antenna ability to cope with a multi-path signal propagation from the towers to the receiving antenna. The higher F/B ratio is, the better is multi-path rejection (also known as ghost suppression). Without going into technical details, we must say that HDTV signal is a bit more sensitive to multi-path cause it has slightly larger bandwidth. Multi-path causes dips in the signal spectrum, whereas we want to keep the spectrum as flat as possible. When signal content is spread over a larger portion of spectrum it is more likely to be distorted by multi-path. Basically, what TV equipment manufacturers are trying to do in the so called HDTV optimization is to keep the spectrum flat in the whole frequency band. It is important for HDTV antenna to have a high F/B ratio in some areas where ghosts may be a problem. The point is, however, that most directional, old fashioned and cheap TV antennas have F/B ratio good enough to handle multi-path propagation of HDTV signal and keep spectrum distortion at minimum. If an antenna can handle an analog signal, it can handle a digital signal as well.

There is nothing specific about a TV antenna that is used to receive HDTV. When choosing an HDTV antenna, check the really important parameters such as directivity, gain, F/B ratio. These specifications are important for reception of both, digital and analog broadcasts. The HDTV optimization is probably the least important factor you should take into account.

HDTV Antenna Labs features step-by-step antenna selection guide and reviews.
For more information visit http://www.HDTvAntennaLabs.com/

Change, like almost every other life experience, is a learning process. With each new idea or situation comes the need to learn about it…what is it? How does it work? How do I fit in? What are the good and bad aspects of it? So let’s talk for a moment about the process of learning.
LEARNING is a lifelong process. It neither starts nor ends with formal schooling. In fact, school mostly teaches us how to learn. Experience teaches us what we need to know, but it’s up to us to go out there and get the knowledge and the information. Change is a learning experience (if you let it be). So here are the four skills you’ll need and some questions for you to answer.

STUDYING AND DEVELOPING NEW TECHNICAL AND HUMAN SKILLS

- Do you hold back until you are forced to learn, or do you reach out for the information you need or want?

- Would additional study, perhaps formal courses at a college or junior college or adult education program, help in this situation?

SEEK OUT LEARNERS – people who know more than you do…or are learning

- Do you seek out the advice of people who have already been through the learning process, asking how they did it?

- Are you open to seeking out a mentor…or two…or three?

PUSH YOURSELF

- Do you recognize that you may be trapped in old ways? Can you tell yourself there must be a better way? Remember the old saying, “If you always do what you always did, you’ll always get what you always got.”
LEARN TO ACT WITHOUT HAVING ALL THE INFORMATION IN HAND

- Do you believe in hunches? Can you risk enough to act even though you don’t necessarily (or can’t) have all the facts? You need to assess, at every stage of change, the wisdom of acting, even when it feels risky. The fact is, it is risky, but perhaps it’s more risky NOT to act than to act.
Reproduced below is a “Change Checklist.” In order to give yourself some insight into the level of stress you may have endured recently – and therefore to help you realize what need to change in your life, what process needs to be undertaken. There is a scoring key at the end of the exercise.

CHANGE CHECKLIST

Change comes in many forms — expected and predictable (which
you can plan for — and should), or unexpected (whoops!),
sudden (ouch!!), and unsettling (oh, oh!). Planned change
often doesn’t feel like “change,” because we know it’s coming
and it doesn’t seem to hurt like the other kind.

Then there’s “sea change” — overwhelming change that
envelops us — such as economic or political change, social
change (like the Los Angeles Riots), or natural changes
such as fires, floods, tornadoes, snowstorms, earthquakes.
We need to recognize that change of all sorts affects us —
even when we’re not aware of it. What’s more, change is a way
of life today, and the degree and rapidity of change —
societal, environmental, political, social and personal —
is increasing. For an in-depth look at this phenomenon, read
The Third Wave by Alvin Toffler.

But for the moment, read the list below and check off any
change that you’ve gone through in the last year.

WORK

_ Changed to a new type of work
_ Changed work hours, conditions
_ Increased or decreased job responsibilities
_ Experienced company merger, acquisition, re-organization
_ Had trouble (dispute) with co-workers, supervisors, subordinates
_ Taken work-related educational courses
_ Been introduced to a new technology or work process
_ Fired or laid off
_ Retired

HOME, FAMILY

_ Death of spouse or other primary family member
_ Death of relative, close friend
_ Got married
_ Became a parent or took in a relative
_ Spouse started or stopped working outside home
_ Had serious argument with spouse
_ Separated or reconciled with spouse
_ Got divorced
_ Changed residence
_ Undertook major home improvements or repairs
_ In-law problems
_ Child left home — or returned to live
_ Change in habits of family gathering
_ Change in health or behavior of family member (substance abuse, etc.)

PERSONAL, SOCIAL

_ Started or stopped school, college
_ Realized major achievement (personal)
_ Took a vacation
_ Changed a social activity (joined, resigned from club, et
_ Changed religious beliefs
_ Made major decision about your future
_ Had sexual difficulties
_ Had legal problems
_ Changed political party or beliefs
_ Started a new personal relationship
_ Terminated a personal relationship other than marriage
_ Had loss by theft, damage to personal property (car or belongings)
_ Had an accident (automobile, fall, etc.)

HEALTH

_ Had an illness or injury requiring hospitalization or bed
rest
_ Changed eating habits (including weight loss program)
_ Experienced change in sleeping habits
_ Changed recreational activities

FINANCES

_ Bought a home or made other major purchase (car, boat, vacation property)
_ Had business failure or major uninsured financial loss
_ Had change in personal finances or significant change in income or expenses (up or down)

_____ Record the Total Number of Checkmarks

What your score means:

1 - 15: You’re in good shape, the year’s been easy.
16 - 25: This has been a challenging year. Take a deep breath.
26 - 35: Perhaps you may need a professional counselor to help
you through the changes.
36+: Your stress level is near boiling — slow down,
re-group, get help.

Copyright 2002, 2005 Optimum Performance Associates/Paul McNeese.

Paul McNeese is CEO of Optimum Performance Associates, a consulting firm
specializing in transitional and transformational change for individuals
and institutions through publication. His publishing company,
OPA Publishing, is an advocacy for self-publishing authors of
informational, instructional, inspirational and insightful nonfiction.

Email: pmcneese@opapublishing.com
Websites: http://www.opapublishing.com and http://www.opapresents.com

Recording your favorite television shows from your Dish Network or DirecTV Satellite TV or Cable service, then watching them when it is convenient for you, was the promise of VCRs. However, that promise was never truly fulfilled. Few of us, including myself, could ever set the clock on a typical VCR, or figure out the programming routine to have the VCR “wake up” and record the correct channel at the chosen hour. One time, I actually dug out the instruction manual and tried to set my VCR to record the last episode of Seinfeld while I was away. Inevitably, I forgot to put a blank tape in the machine and ended up with nothing to show for my efforts. I, for one, believe that most Video Cassette Recorders spent their entire existence only playing prerecorded tapes and flashing 12:00 from their front panel.

Thankfully, Digital technology has made it possible to realize the original promise of VCRs. Now, with the addition of a Digital Video Recorder, or DVR, and an Interactive Program Guide to your Dish Network or DirecTV Satellite TV Receiver or Cable Box, everyday recording of favorite programs is within the reach of even the most technologically challenged among us.

The DVR system is simple and intuitive. You find programs for recording by scrolling through an on-screen guide which displays channels and times in a familiar grid format. Then you select the show you want to record with a single button on your remote. That’s all! You never have to set a clock or timer. You never have to remember to put a blank tape in the machine. All your recorded shows are stored (up to the capacity of the hard disc) and viewed as a list at one touch of a button.

Digital Video Recorders make recording and playback so easy that there is little reason to watch shows when they broadcast. You can watch shows whenever it is convenient for you, and you escape the tyranny of the broadcast schedule. If you choose to sit down and watch a program when it is broadcast, which is most appropriate for news and weather, major sporting events and political debates, then great. But, if you are like most people who have a busy schedule and would rather watch TV when it is more convenient for them, then a DVR is perfect for you.

Even beyond the remarkable ease with which you can record and playback programs on a DVR, the coolest element of this technology is the ability to pause the live feed of a broadcast while the hard disc continues to record in the background. You can take a snack break, answer the phone, check your email, then get back to whatever you were watching without missing a second of the show. This feature in particular civilizes the TV viewing experience and eliminates the need to jump up and rush back during commercials. And speaking of commercials… with a DVR it is deviously easy to skip through all the ads you’d really rather not watch. Just pause for a few minutes when an ad starts, and then use the convenient skip ahead button to jump to the other side of the commercial break. If you decide for some reason that you actually wanted to watch that advertisement, then you can skip back just as quickly as you jump ahead. In addition, you can rewind, watch the beginning of a show again for the benefit of those who just arrived. Or, rewind and watch that last play of the “Game” in slow motion, even frame by frame. No more guessing about those bad line calls or questionable fouls and penalties.

Cable companies use various brands of DVR hardware, quite often from Scientific Atlanta. Dish Network has developed a version they call the Dish Player DVR System. DirecTV uses TiVo (TiVo is the brand name for a proprietary DVR system). In future articles, I will examine the pros and cons of the competing DVR systems.

If all this DVR technology sounds confusing and difficult to use, believe me, it is not. Even though the technology is sophisticated, Digital Video Recorders are so easy to use that the original promise of VCRs is finally realized and you will never miss another favorite program again.

Chuck DeVries is the owner of SkyBlue Home Systems in Hanover, New Hampshire. He has been selling, installing and writing about Satellite TV and related subjects for over 12 years. You can find more of his thoughts and musings on the Sat Biz at http://www.KissMyDish.com

This article may be reused in whole or in part, provided the author’s name and all links are preserved. Copyright, KissMyDish 2006

What to look for when buying a Plasma Television

As with all big screen TVs, the choice of a plasma television is in reality a function of finding the right trade-off between screen size and supported features for your available budget.

This budget issue is even more important when it comes to plasma TVs. It is true that we are seeing more and more of the so-called cheap plasma TVs in the sub-$2000 price tag, yet as one starts stretching the screen size over and above the 42-inch entry-level mark, price increases drastically.

Before you start shopping around for your plasma display, it is important that you make a prioritized list of the features that are most important to your needs; this should include:

• Screen Size
• Display resolution
• Support for HDTV
• Connectivity
• Appearance

When evaluating your options, keep in mind that plasma’s are expensive - hence the end approach is a trade-off between the desired features and price in order to match your budget.

Ultimately, it is your budget that will drive your purchase - hence you may have to scale-back accordingly.

Always start with Screen Size

Plasma TV screens range in size from typically 37-inches to the latest 70-inch and 80-inch big screen giants.

Screen size is a big factor in plasma pricing and is the most important feature you need to decide on. You can always find smaller screens in the 37-inch to 42-inch domain, for $2,000 to $3,000. Some bare-bones models from major manufactures like Panasonic and Samsung, are even selling at slight less than $2,000.

Therefore, the best way to start choosing your plasma TV is to select the screen size you want, and then evaluate your options.

This is not an issue where if you can afford it, buy it! Here there is a very important aspect to take into consideration when deciding on your Plasma TV screen size – you need to choose one that fits your room. This does not simply mean a screen size that will fit your wall or available cabinet space only. Even more important is the need to match the chosen screen size with your available viewing distance. (More on this can be found in our detailed article on TV Viewing Distance and Screen Placement in the home theater.)

Many argue that TV viewing distance is a matter of personal preference. To a certain extent, this is true, but there are a few guidelines worth considering if you want to enjoy the best possible viewing experience. In essence, a 42″ EDTV plasma television would require 10 feet between you and your screen - you may get close to 9 feet for a HDTV plasma TV of the same screen size. However, try not to get closer than this as you may start seeing the pixel build-up structure on the screen - which can be extremely annoying.

Display Resolution and Support for HDTV

The native resolution of a plasma display is another important factor to take into consideration when choosing your plasma TV.

Although generally, picture quality from a plasma TV is very good irrespective of the set resolution, yet higher resolution plasmas will be able to display certain video content better.

This becomes an issue especially when watching an HDTV signal on your Plasma TV. A 720p HDTV signal supports a resolution of 1280 pixels by 720 lines while 1080i/p supports 1920 pixels by 1080 lines.

This means that to be considered true HD, the plasma display must have a native resolution of at least 1024×720. Normally HDTV plasma displays in this category will support a resolution of 1024 x 768 though some come with a higher resolution of at least 1280 x 768 or 1366 x 768. These higher resolutions will enable the respective sets to display a full 720p HDTV image without any re-scaling.

Plasma TV sets with a lower resolution will still be able to display a high definition video signal if they have the necessary electronics - by re-scaling the image. This re-scaling process means disposing of some of the information in order to fit the set native resolution. These plasmas tend to have a resolution of 852×480 and are referred as EDTV plasma TVs.

This resolution is actually what progressive scan DVDs and Digital Television are in and looks as good as any plasma with a higher resolution when displaying these signals. The only visible difference between plasmas with a resolution of 1024×720 (or higher) and 852×480, is when watching true HD material.

A few words about Digital Television and HDTV: While HDTV offers a clearer picture than regular television, yet not all setups allow you to take full advantage of HDTV. It all depends on the quality of your HD source. If your source is a compressed signal e.g. TiVo, then you cannot take full advantage of the quality supported by HDTV.

It is also important to remember that HD still represents a small portion of all available TV content.

Connectivity and Features

Inputs: A plasma TV should include the inputs you need to plug in the various video components. These should include composite, S-Video, component video, DVI, HDMI, and RGB. Preferably, look for a model that would also provide you with a set of front or side-panel A/V inputs for convenient camcorder or video game hookup.

RGB is a standard 15-pin computer input. Composite video is a single line video output that is typical on VCRs, cable/satellite receivers, and DVD players. The next step up in quality is S-video. This can be found on DVD players and most cable/satellite boxes. Component video, which is of a higher quality than S-Video, divides the video signal into red, green, and blue; it is mainly found on progressive scan DVDs and some newer cable/satellite boxes.

DVI and HDMI are purely digital connections; the main difference between the two is that HDMI carries also the audio on the same interconnect used for the video. Both interfaces are capable of supporting up to 1080 lines of picture resolution. In order words, they both can handle HDTV.

Additional Features: Supported connectivity and additional features all add up to the final product price. If you can afford to add a little more to your available budget, you can normally find models with additional features that support a wider range of video inputs, better control options, and support for HDTV.

Final Advice

Keep in mind that price does not equate to performance. It may mean a bigger screen size but not necessary a better picture. Hence, if you are still uncertain as to the best way to go, your primary consideration here should always be - how good the picture will look on your big screen plasma TV.

(c) 2004/2005 www.practical-home-theater-guide.com. All rights reserved.

Andrew Ghigo – A Telecoms/Electronics engineer by profession.
Editor and publisher of http://www.practical-home-theater-guide.com - a comprehensive home theater guide to home theater systems, product reviews and home theater design.

This article is an excerpt from a series of informative guides appearing under the Plasma TV Guides section of the site.

In the United States, more and more people are taking advantage of using their personal computers to gain unlimited access to the world of entertainment in the form of movie downloads. Movies are available in the comfort of one’s home by the simple click of a mouse. In this technologically oriented era of highly developed software programs, movie downloads have come to be an every day practice. Movie players are a form of software for the computer that allows movies to be played. There are many different versions of movie players available.

Not only can the computer be used to gain valuable knowledge, it can also take you to a world of thrills and fun though the medium of movie downloading. To download, you need a movie player that is a program specifically designed to provide unlimited pleasure to movie buffs. Movies are downloaded into movie files using a variety of movie players available on the Internet. These include Window’s Media Player and Real Player, although there are dozens and dozens of movie player downloads available on the Net. They usually prompt you to give permission to download their particular movie player format before viewing whatever the website has to offer.

Internationally acclaimed Hollywood films are available for downloading and can be played over the Internet on your computer.

Also uunderstand that, on the Internet, the term “movie” does not necessarily refer to a feature film. A movie on the Internet can also be a short newscast, a short cartoon, even a commercial of whimsical graphic for a quick laugh.

“Nothing is accidental … use everything.” — Keith Johnstone

Even the best-laid plans, the proverb goes, go oft astray. And by learning how to improvise like actors or jazz musicians, corporate types can better adapt to the always changing situations that you face.

What is improvisation? Trying to explain improvisation is like to trying to describe to someone how to ride a bike. The actual experience of riding a bike is much different than the description. Improvisation comprises the crucial mental skills needed for individuals, teams and organizations to thrive in change, innovate and think effectively under pressure.

Although many people are familiar with improv through the television show “Whose Line Is It, Anyway?”, few know this interactive art form has been highly valued for its ability to empower performers to respond immediately and inventively to each other and their environment. It originated in Europe in the mid-1500s.

Improvisational structures are governed by rules that require participants to accept and cooperate with each other, listen interactively, and jointly advance the action of a given task while continually supporting each other to be successful.

Improvisation fosters successful collaboration. To succeed, participants must attend to their partners’ communication and accept and build upon each other’s actions while remaining as flexible as possible. As a result, everyone is empowered to interactively discover his or her inherent creative potential.

When I first was exposed to an improvisational workshop many years ago, I saw the tools that we learned to use — such as taking risks, accepting each others ideas, exploring them and moving them forward — were exactly the tools that people in the business world would have to develop to foster ideas under pressure. If people in organizations are unable to think under pressure, build ideas, challenge assumptions and think creatively, their survival will be hampered.

Most people aren’t thinking about how they can improvise at work, however. But what they do want to know is: “How do I get my people to share ideas with each other?” Most of the trouble with sharing our ideas derives from our fear that we’ll be judged for our ideas and our fear of looking foolish.

To break down barriers and generate ideas, try this fun improvisational exercise, called Ad Room.

Everyone who participates in Ad Room is part of an ad agency. Your goal is to come up with an ad campaign for a fictional product — gasoline that you can drink, for example — that would include the customer benefits, slogans, spokesman and jingles.

Have everyone agree not to block new ideas and instead accept and explore ideas together, no matter how bizarre or strange the initial idea sounds. Pay attention to the reticent ones in the group and encourage them to share. If this is next to impossible in the group session, encourage quick one-on-one sharing.

Always debrief by asking what happened. Inquire how they felt about having their ideas agreed with and expanded? Where they stopped themselves? This post-discussion can help everyone learn about how they collaborate with each other.

Improvisation also requires taking risks, which in turn requires tolerance for making mistakes. When you can embrace failure, you can open the door for better innovation. For example, you wouldn’t want your airline pilot improvising on takeoff, but you might want the airline to innovate and improvise in other areas, such as ticketing or baggage handling. Even zero-tolerance environments require the skills of improvisation in crisis, as demonstrated by the Apollo 13 mission when the team of astronauts and ground crew had to come up with an innovative solution to filter carbon dioxide out of their space module.

The lesson here is, you’ll never have all the information you need to feel totally confident. You just need to leap ahead with the information you do have and trust you’ll handle things as you encounter them.

A number of years ago after I had started learning how to improvise better, I was selling radio advertising. I was making a big sales pitch to a retailer on how we could help his business attract new customers. He didn’t like my sales pitch and asked me: “What else have you got?”

At that point, I stepped into the unknown and started to improvise other solutions with him. After about 30 minutes, we had created a new, more exciting ad campaign for his establishment. As a result, I got even a bigger sale.

Had I argued with him, I’m sure I would have left with nothing, but by improvising in that situation, I realized there were more ideas to explore. Eventually I found one he liked and bought.

Another improvisational exercise, called “Freeze Tag,” demonstrates the challenges associated with changing situations.

Two people begin to play out a scene. When one observer sees an opportunity to step in, he or she calls “freeze” and replaces a player by assuming his or her physical position. The new player restarts the action, taking the scene in an entirely new direction. Individuals must be open to the opportunities in the situation and what they can offer to advance the scene forward. When a new person enters, the person remaining must be ready to support the new direction.

Finally, remember that life is like improv. It’s a performance; make it a performance that you’re proud to participate in. Be willing to take more risks, accept and advance others’ ideas, and trust you’ll know what to do. The magic of improv is it nurtures us as creative, connected human beings — not because it increases your profits.

Copyright In the Moment Productions, Inc. 2002

www.inthemoment.biz

About The Author

Terrill Fischer, the Chief Entertainment Officer of In the Moment Productions, has given over 1000 paid presentations to audiences of all ages as a professional comedian, Improvisational performer and trainer. He is also the Co-founder of Humor University, and the co-author of the book Making Work Fun: 139 Ways to Lighten Up the Workplace.

terrill@inthemoment.biz

One problem-solving technique you should master is changing perspectives to redefine the problem.

The way you define a problem is often the key to solving it. Take a current problem from your life that you’re having difficulty solving. Then ask yourself: How can this problem be redefined as a financial problem? A health problem? A time management problem? A human resource or staffing problem? A technology problem? A prioritization problem? A communication problem? An education problem?

Here’s a simple example. Let’s say you’re a guy who really wants to have a girlfriend, but you’re becoming frustrated by a lack of progress in this area. How have you been defining the problem? As a problem meeting the right person? How else could you define it? Maybe your real problem is your career, which forces you to work in a male dominated industry — might the problem be a lot easier to solve if you worked in a female-dominated industry? Maybe your hobbies keep you homebound and alone, so you have to go out of your way to meet new people instead of naturally encountering them in the course of your normal life. Maybe your communication skills are poor, turning people away before they get a chance to know you. Maybe you’re putting everything else first in your life, and you’re not giving this problem the attention it requires. Maybe your finances are so poor you can’t afford to go out much.

Consider how the problem would change if you were to tackle it via one of these alternate definitions. What would happen to the problem if… you were a masterful and confident communicator? your income doubled? you worked in a totally different industry? you moved? you made it your #1 priority in life? you recruited a partner to help you solve it? you read 20 books on the subject?

Some problems that are really tough to solve via one route will more easily succumb to another approach. For example, many problems can be solved just by throwing enough money at them. While obviously money can’t solve every problem, money can hire a personal assistant, a nanny, a housekeeper, a private tutor, a personal coach, a personal trainer, etc.

A simple perspective change can open up a whole new world of possible solutions. When you consider only one perspective — one limited way of defining the problem — you automatically rule out an enormous number of potentially viable solutions. But blanket the problem with a multi-perspective attack, and your odds of success increase dramatically.

Often we fall into a pattern of being stuck with a single favorite perspective. I.e. if all you have is a hammer, then every problem looks like a nail. My personal weakness is technology. I love solving problems via technology — a little PHP and MySQL can automate just about anything — so I often get stuck trying to solve problems via technology when they’d be more easily solved another way. It’s hard to break the favorite-perspective addiction, but when you start thinking through what it costs in terms of overall effectiveness, that helps provide the push needed to branch out.

You can use this approach with business problems too. Reframe your current big challenge as a marketing problem, a sales problem, a product development problem, a financing problem, a hiring problem, a “not firing” problem, a focus problem, a procedures problem, a values problem, etc.

Sometimes you’ll find that a multi-perspective solution is best. You may see that there are two or three perspectives which individually aren’t sufficient, but together they can provide a complete solution.

Pull out one of your big hairy problems, and try it for yourself. See what the problem looks like from different angles. What would happen if you threw money at your weight loss problem by setting up a home gym and hiring a personal trainer? What if you threw people and brainpower at your financial difficulties by forming a mastermind group? What about throwing education at your spiritual troubles by studying the lives of people you admire?

Copyright © Steve Pavlina

Steve Pavlina
Personal Development for Smart People
http://www.stevepavlina.com
http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog (blog)
http://www.stevepavlina.com/articles (articles)

Steve is intensely growth-oriented. He trained in martial arts, ran the L.A. Marathon, and graduated from college in three semesters with two degrees. He can juggle, count cards at blackjack, and make damn good guacamole. Steve is also a polyphasic sleeper, sleeping just 2-3 hours per day and only 20 minutes at a time. So chances are good that he’s awake right now.