Pm Crash Course, Premier Edition

How can an average person navigate the maze of audio/video technologies in a home theater system? Turn to Mark Fleischmann's Practical Home Theater: A Guide to Video and Audio Systems, now in its fifth edition, thoroughly revised and updated for 2006. The ultimate answer book, it tells you everything you need to know when shopping for HDTV and surround gear -- including how to read a spec sheet, how to separate fact from hype, and how to get good value for your money. This edition has 16 pages of new content, including a detailed section on how to recognize different types of video noise and what each of them means. It weighs the pros and cons of HDTV display technologies such as plasma, LCD, DLP, and tube-based sets. It explains the differences between Dolby Digital EX, Pro Logic II, DTS-ES, and other surround technologies. And it covers all formats under the sun including the new Blu-ray and HD DVD discs, DVD-Video, DVD-Audio, SACD, and MP3. The book also explores often ignored topics such as buying a DTV antenna, power-line accessories, and cables. A richly detailed connections chapter tells how to hook up every component and how to solve common problems. By knowledgably guiding readers through the briar patch of video and audio, Practical Home Theater has become the standard reference work for home theater buffs. Future annual editions will continue to track changes in home theater technology.