April 21 , 2005 - Podcast #4

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This weeks show

On tap today we will cover the news, explain the term PSIP, explain how a DLP projector works, and talk about projectors.

The Program and System Information Protocol PSIP is the protocol used by digital tuners for decoding data about each channel. It defines virtual channels and content ratings, as well as program guides with titles and descriptions. It also transmits the time of day, the station ID, and conditional access information. PSIP is defined in ATSC standard A/65A.

The following tables are transmitted in the data stream from the broadcast tower. We will discuss this protocol in more detail on the podcast.

Master Guide Table* (MGT)
System Time Table* (STT)

Virtual Channel Table* (VCT)

Rating Region Table* (RRT)

Event Information Table* (EIT)

Extended Text Table (ETT)

Directed Channel Change Table (DCCT)

Directed Channel Change Selection Code Table (DCCST)

* Required Table

DLP This information is taken from the TI website. There is a link at

DLP stands for Digital Light Processing. Every DLP projection system has an optical semiconductor known as the Digital Micromirror Device which was invented by Dr. Larry Hornbeck of Texas Instruments in 1987.

Single chip DLP TVs can generate 16.7 million colors and 1,024 shades of gray. Three chip systems found in DLP Cinema™ projection systems are capable of producing 35 trillion colors.

Today most consumer level DLP TVs are single chip. The three chip systems are used for movie theaters. Look for three chip DLPs in the not too distant future.

Projectors

There is a difference now between having a home theater and having a theater
in your home.  'Home Theater' is everywhere, you can even buy an entire
'Home Theater in a Box.'  But an actual theater in your home ... that's a
different story.  To get that, you'll need a projector and a screen.  There
are three main projector technologies available today:

DLP
LCD
CRT

DLP and LCD are digital display technologies, CRT is analog.  The "purists"
will tell you that CRT is the only way to go, but be careful.  CRT
projectors need to be calibrated by a (usually quite expensive) professional
at least once a year.  DLP and LCD never need calibration after their
initial setup.  A home user can typically do their own setup with a special
DVD such as:
Digital Video Essentials
Avia Guide to Home Theater

But don't forget the screen.  A good screen will make the picture vibrant
and crisp, a bad screen will make it dull and fuzzy.  Pay attention to
screen gain based on the ambient light levels of your room.  Two types of
HDTV screens:

Gray
White

Infocus ScreenPlay projectors are very good, and they have a model to fit
almost any budget.

If you plan on buying one of these projectors please support this site by using the following links. We appreciate it!
Infocus ScreenPlay 5000 LCD HDTV projector
Infocus ScreenPlay 5700 DLP HDTV projector
Infocus ScreenPlay 7205 DLP HDTV projector
Infocus ScreenPlay 7210 DLP HDTV projector
Infocus ScreenPlay 777  3 Chip DLP HDTV projector
http://www.infocushome.com/amer/eng/products/screenplay/sp777.asp

For more information on projectors and screens, visit
Projector Central

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Receivers

The receiver is the hub for your entire HDTV system.  It handles all of the
audio and can usually be used to handle video switching as well.  Things to
look out for:

Audio format support
Video upconversion
Watts per channel, continuous, not peak
Sufficient video inputs

The Denon AVR 3805 is the best receiver on the market for the price.  It comes in blackand silver.  If the price is a little too high for your budget, look into
the Denon AVR 2805 or even the newly introduced  AVR 1905.

A receiver is essentially a combination of three electronic components: an
audio processor, an amplifier, and a radio tuner.  There are reasons why
buying the three components as individual units can improve your HDTV
experience, but most people opt not to spend the extra thousands of dollars
for it.  If you want a true 'Theater in you home,' separates are the way to
go, but make sure you can hear a difference before you shell out $15,000.

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