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Mounting That TV
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Let's be honest, a TV isn’t cheap. You can invest a few hundred dollars to several to get the one just right for you, so it’s easy to understand why you would want to be so careful with one. A large, $250-$1,000 item made of glass? I think it’s safe to say our anxiety spikes a bit any time we have to set up the new television. When handling such an expensive and fragile product, it’s important to know how to set it up securely (and how not to set it up) to avoid future catastrophe. Mounting can be especially nerve-wracking as there’s absolutely no stable support underneath, so if that thing isn’t hooked to the wall just right...Catastrophe. Before mounting that television, let's go over a few things to avoid your TV lying broken on the floor. What to Avoid Location Just like the location of the TV has a positive impact, it can also have a negative. You’ll want to, of course, put it in the best spot to avoid that midday, as well a spot where it’s… Read more

There isn’t anything quite like mixing your favorite movie stars with the actual stars. Whether you’re in the city or the suburbs, there are ways to bring the magic outside. With Fall just around the corner, it’s the perfect opportunity to cozy up outside and watch a good movie. Setting Up Audio & Visuals Before we purge, we plan. What is this space for? What kind of entertainment do you want to provide? Entertainment can be incredibly versatile. While some may want to just relax by the pool with their favorite music hits playing in the background, some may want to completely bring their backyard to life. Most systems can do both! With the audio connected to any TV or projectors you have outside, no doubt you’ll be able to enjoy perfectly tuned sound while you watch your favorite film. Similar to any audio system set-ups, you’ll be able to choose from a variety of speaker styles. What’s great about outdoor entertainment is how well manufacturers make their products invisible. If you’re concerned about having large speakers distracting from your… Read more

From Tablet to TV
Content Writer

Screencasting has blown up, especially in areas like the office and classroom, and why wouldn’t it? No cords, no hassle! If you’re unaware of mirror casting, we’ll lay down the basics. Mirror casting is exactly what it sounds like—transferring what’s on the screen of one device onto a screen of another. Broadcasting photos, videos, music, and other media from your mobile device or PC to your TV. That’s right, not only are tablets capable of this awesome task, but a majority of recent handheld devices are able to mirror as well. Even better, if everything syncs up properly, there's almost no lag, so this makes it the perfect solution for watching videos or using productivity software such as Powerpoint and Excel. Devices Using Screen Casting Along with many smart TVs, a good majority of receivers/set-top boxes have this ability built in. Apple’s TV set-top-box (not to be confused with the actual television) is one of the many devices with mirror casting. AirPlay, as it’s called, is Apple’s proprietary wireless protocol suite that provides a simple and easy-to-understand way to mirror… Read more

We’ll begin with the basics: What is a DVR? DVR stands for digital video recorder. It typically comes as a set-top box that allows viewers to record and store television shows for viewing at a later time. They are essentially a computer-type device that saves videos in a digital format to a disk drive, USB flash drive, SD memory card, SSD, or other local or networked mass storage device. DVRs are definitely one of those things you don’t really think you need until you actually have it and begin using it. It doesn’t matter anymore that your favorite TV shows happen to be every Wednesday evening when you have projects to complete. It doesn’t even matter if you turned around for a brief second and missed the winning shot. This time-saving device allows you to: Record TV shows and movies to watch at any time Pause or stop your recording, finishing later to accommodate your busy day Skip commercials you’ve probably seem a million times Record multiple shows at once for those times you have two favorite shows on at once,… Read more

Great TV Antennas
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Purchasing an antenna is a great way to join the cord-cutters and keep things simple. Rather than using a satellite or internet connection, a TV antenna is a set of wires that pick up signals broadcasted by television networks. The TV antenna receives the signal and then converts that signal into audio and video signals that display on the television to display your selected program or channel. It is a much simpler option as antennas only pick up local stations and the major broadcast networks like ABC, NBC, and CBS. How many stations or channels available to you depends solely on where you live, but over 80% of those in the U.S. live where they can pick up at least a few stations, due to the major networks transmitting in every major city across the country. To receive more channels, you’ll just need to purchase an outside antenna. Now that TV stations are all digital, HD channels can now be broadcast over the air. It may seem strange, but an HD antenna actually provides a slightly better image quality than… Read more