Sep 06 2013 by Alex

Enjoy better graphics on your gaming console with a HDMI cable

Posted in Accessories

The entertainment experience is no longer limited to turning on your TV and watching scheduled programming. Technology has enabled viewers to download or stream their movies, TV shows, etc. from the Internet. Your laptop, iPad, or smart phone has enough storage for the films or shows that you want to watch. But for a complete experience of the story and visuals, you’ll want to connect the device to a flat screen TV. This is when your HDMI cable comes in. HDMI stands for high definition multimedia interface; it is the connector responsible for transferring uncompressed video and audio to another device such as a digital TV, digital audio device, video projector, or computer monitor. HDMI cables are handy for both practical and leisure purposes.

Owners of an HDTV can expect to connect their device to a computer or gadget with an HDMI cable socket. But getting an HDMI isn’t just about plug and play—it’s important to know the HDMI cable quality you’re buying and the device’s compatibility with your brand. There are four kinds of HDMI cables on the market: the high speed, standard, standard with Ethernet, and the high speed with Ethernet. Signals for the standard are either 1080i or 720p; if your HDTV can handle 3D, you will have to look for a High speed HDMI cable. If you plan to transfer streamed or data transferred audio and video on the device, Ethernet based HDMI cable is the best choice.

There are also HDMI cables for high-def camcorders. For this device, the camcorder carries a mini HDMI port to connect the device to the TV or projector. No need to transfer your raw footage to a laptop. You can directly present your work as long as your camcorder has the mini HDMI ports. Just make sure you look for a cable that includes an HDMI connector and a standard HDMI connection.

ProAudioVisual provides several HDMI cable options for customers. All the cables in stock are the latest 1.4b version, and can work with any type of device with an HDMI slot. When going through the site’s options, you will not just base the cable on the type but also on its length. Consider the length of the room you’ll be using and the distance you are willing to go between the device and the HDTV. HDMI cables lengths range from 1.5m to 20m. A longer range is suggested for anyone working a major event and has other devices plugged into the TV or display device.


Aug 26 2013 by Alex

Is it worth buying an optical audio cable for sound?

Posted in Accessories

optical audio cable

If you own an Xbox 360 or PS3, you may notice that it has a slot for an optical audio cable. While a HDMI cable will transfer both sound and video from your console, an optical audio cable will give you far superior audio quality.

What is an optical audio cable?

An optical audio cable, also known as TOSLINK cable, is a fiber optic cable which is used to connect digital electronic devices such as DVDs, TV, media players, or home entertainment systems. This type of cable carries an audio stream digitally from different electronic devices such as computers, game consoles, DVD players, and other devices to an AV receiver that decodes two channels of compressed 5.1/7.1 surround sound or lossless PCM audio. An optical audio cable lacks the capacity to carry lossless versions of DTS-HD Master Audio and Dolby TrueHD. TOSLINK cables can be sued on a wide array of formats and electronic devices.

Optical audio cables are often made with many, small diameter fibers. Cables are round and the connectors are polished to provide users with maximum performance and little to know interference. Optical cables should not be bent, but they can be curved, to get the best performance possible.

How does an optical audio cable work?

Optical audio cables transmit digital signals like the pulses made by red light that travels between electronic components. The red light used by this type of cable is a basic LED light. Optical cables such as this are immune to interference created by electromagnets and radio frequencies. To get the best out of the optical audio cables you purchase, the cable must have a bandwidth between 9 MHz to 11 MHz.

How to install optical audio cables?

Installing an optical audio cable is easy even you can do it yourself. Check the component and make sure that it can use optical cables. There is often a label at the connection port stating that it uses digital or optical cables. After checking for compatibility, remove and save the plastic covers of each end of the optical cable you have. Then, connect the cable to its respective port on the component you have. Afterwards, connect the other end to the port named ‘optical out’. There will be a clicking sound to signify that the cable is secure. Turn on the devices that are connected to each other and test the connection and find out if they are working properly.

Once you have installed the optical cables, you can now sit back and enjoy the music you want to play or the movie you want to watch. Optical cables provide you with a better overall experience when you watch movies or play games at home.

Where can you find the best TOSLINK cables?

You can find the TOSLINK cables you are looking for by searching online. By searching the Internet, you can find different cables that you can use for your home entertainment system. You can also compare prices and specifications of the cables you want to purchase. You can also read reviews about the optical cables that you are eyeing.


Jul 31 2013 by Alex

Xbox 360 or Xbox One? We way up the pros and cons.

Posted in Game Consoles

xboxone

Bought the Xbox 360 recently? That could have been a mistake. The latest batch has a problem with the preset settings however there are 2 ways you can fix this. You could send your console to Microsoft, or you can correct it yourself with support from a fix manual. Be careful though as this error might be hard to fix, but this does not signify that you are unable to repair it by yourself.

If you go with the self repair option there is very good Xbox 360 repair service assistance to help you and there are a few guides which demonstrate how to do this on the internet. You need to make sure you find a good manual which includes video demonstrations as you don’t want to end up damaging your console which will void the Microsoft warranty.

If you don’t want to take the risk of damaging your console then you can send it back for repair to Microsoft for free provided that it is still under warranty. The only downside to this is the amount of time it will take for you to receive your Xbox back. It is not unheard of for it to take over one month for you to have your Xbox repaired.

Another Concern with the Xbox 360 is the safety breach of Xbox Live. These rumours have been confirmed by Microsoft and it is understood that a number of credit card numbers were accessed.
Considering this, I’m not sure exactly how keen I would be to give my personal details to Xbox Live as if there security could be breached once then it’s possible that this could happen again.

Taking all this into account it may be worth waiting for the new Xbox One. Microsoft has announced that the Xbox One will be released later this year and there are a number of added features which make it a much more attractive option when compared to the older Xbox 360. The price is quite expensive however with the first release costing over $500. If money is a concern you may wish to wait a few months and the price should drop considerably. The other problem with buying the older version is the fact that no new games will be released. Microsoft has stated that they will be concentrating all new game developments on the Xbox One so there will be a limited number of games available on the older console. My advice is to wait a little while and get the new console once the price has dropped a little.

Cheers

FallenComic


Jul 25 2013 by Alex

Marvel Vs Capcom 3

Posted in Video Games

marvelvcapcom3

The new Marvel vs Capcom 3 game was recently released on PS3 and Xbox 360. The controls for the game have changed quite a bit from the older Marvel vs Capcom games. Originally the gameplay was very similar to the Mortal Kombat series which featured one player vs one player fighting with the victor winning 2 out of 3 rounds. Marvel vs Capcom 3 includes several changes to the original gameplay format including tag team fighting in which the player can switch between the 2 fighters, both of which start each round with a full bar of health. The game also has an additional feature known as assist which allows the player to perform a special move from the other team partner without the need to change the character. So far I am pretty impressed with the game play and I would strongly recommend it to any gamer who enjoys multi-player fighting games.