Monster Community - The Simple Tech Guru

Why You Should Buy "Real" Media Furniture

Barb Gonzalez

Dedicated audio video home theater furniture is definitely the way to go. Whether you are about to buy a TV stand, a media center shelving system or a media cabinet. I know this. But when a small, locally owned furniture store was having a blow-out sale, I saw a lovely mission style cabinet. Made of Oak and 1/3 the price. I had some friends help bring it in. Getting a heavy oak piece upstairs is a struggle, but that was the easy part! I offer my day from hell below, but here’s the brief: Buy furniture built for AV home theater The backs usually can be removed and replaced by sliding into place or with removable screws. There are often built in cable management to hold the cables neatly and shelves with holes to run cables. A good one will have a small light on the back that can be turned on to illuminate the connections on the backs of your components. It will have an internal fan to keep components (particularly an AV receiver) running cooler by circulating air, thereby giving it a longer life. The cabinets will give room to move the components around, and maybe even a...

More On Why To Use Quality HDMI Cables

Barb Gonzalez — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 15:34:42 GMT

I keep harping on why to use quality HDMI cables. It’s because there is so much information on the web to the contrary and very little of it talks about real life experience. Working on consumer education with Monster Cable, and watching the testing, I am never disappointed at the verified quality of the cables. And quality is important to me. Again, if I’m spending money for better quality in a TV, I want it to perform at its best. HDMI cable failed one day! So, the HDTV LCD in my bedroom didn’t have near the quality of the other HDTVs in my house (yes, I have a few…I need them for testing). Then one day I turned it on and there was this weird solarizing effect. I didn’t touch it and it just appeared one day. A friend of mine had pictures like these too and I wondered if they were real. Well, they are. The cable just failed. Now I had to crawl around and replace it, and luckily I had a Monster cable to hook up. Night and day difference. So, that’s what the HD picture is supposed to look like! Using the cheap cable, I hadn’t...

Quality Cables Make a Difference- Why Monster HDMI is Worth It

Barb Gonzalez — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 00:42:42 GMT

Having worked first in film production, and spending 10 years in selling, training, reviewing, and consumer education in home theater, I am what most would call somewhat of a videophile. I love a good picture, that is crisp, detailed, and has realistic color. And I have grown to love audio that brings the musicians or the action into my room. Once high definition TV came on the scene, the picture and today’s higher definition TVs thrilled me and high def disc players are even more true-to-life, more detailed. In the years on the sales floor selling home theater, I learned about Monster Cable and did my own blind tests (and continue to do so today). Often, I could see actual differences—better contrast, richer color, more details, less interference and artifacts—when I upgraded my cables and even when I couldn’t pinpoint it, I noticed a “feel” of more realism. I have heard that digital cables are all the same, but have seen for myself and since learned by interviewing the engineers and inventors of HDMI, this is not at all true, particularly with advanced high definition TVs and sources. There is a lot of information being transferred over cables with higher...

The Future of Plasma TV-Project Kuro- Video as Poetry

Barb Gonzalez — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 20:35:52 GMT

Project Kuro was my pick for the most awe-inspiring video innovation at this year’s CES. Pioneer came out with their new line of plasma TVs that were completely re-engineered this past year called “Kuro.” At CES 2008, they unveiled their future concept plasma in a screening room. (Showing off what their technology can do, sort of like a concept car.) It’s so flat (thinner than an iPhone) Project Kuro Side Viewthat it practically disappears when you try to take a picture from the side. Still it’s style is commonplace among the LCDs that were shown and it’s form is the least of its impressive traits. Pioneer demo’d the new prototype called “Project Kuro” in a small black screening room. In pitch-black darkness, they pulled back the curtains, and showed scenes on 3 screens. One on the left wall, one on the right and another in front of us, but to the left. I thought it odd that it wasn’t centered in front of us. They showed us beautiful video of cinematographers and other filmmakers talking about the importance of picture quality. Then it faded out. A white ring on a black background appeared on the screens. Then I noticed that...

150 Inch Plasma - Now that's bigger! News from CES Keynote

Barb Gonzalez — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 19:18:34 GMT

Just got out of the the CES 2008 keynote address where Panasonic chairman Toshishiro Sakamo talked about their newest and future technologies. I was so awestruck by the 150 inch plasma flat panel that I had to upload a picture. Pansonic sold 3,000 103 inch TVs in 2007. More than anyone expected. While this 150 inch plasma will begin as a commercial panel. With 2k by 4k resolution (that’s 2,000 by 4,000 pixels or 4 times the resolution of current high definition– this is a common digital cinema format). So basically, it’s a huge tv that looks beyone amazing. Mind blowing. Check out the 150 inch plasma picture Would you ever want this in your home…well, I’m sure there are those who will. True home cinema that is 11 feet wide. (or like nine 50 inch plasmas side-by-side). The technology that makes quality big screen plasmas available are only certain to trickle down to better technology in smaller screens. Ah, the search for bigger is better. I’m pretty sure that it’s a bit too big for my 14 x 20 living room! Will write later with more innovations from CES 2008. And on wednesday jan 10, I’ll write about the...

CES made simple

Barb Gonzalez — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 02:23:06 GMT

Tomorrow I’m off to CES, the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. I’m excited to see what new gadgets and features will be coming onto the shelves of stores this year. I always look with an eye to those companies who are designing products that are easier to use or for those who are beginning to explain their products in a way that anyone can understand. I will also be looking at the new DTV converter boxes so I can give you comparisons and a lowdown. My new book “Home Theater Made Simple” (coming out later this year) is in collaboration with Monster Cable and I am working with Monster to help educate consumers about home theater. So there will be lots of news from the Monster camp. The big event at CES this year is Monster’s retailer awards with a special concert by Mary J Blige . This Queen of R&B makes great dance music. Actually something I can enjoy listening to. If you want to see some videos of her (she’s a remarkable artist and seems very grounded) go to: Mary J Blige’s videos