Post by dkennedy on Apr 28, 2006 4:36:41 GMT -5
Today's high-tech gadgets need help that's not always included
April 28, 2006
By René A. Guzman, San Antonio Express-News
Batteries aren't the only necessities not included with consumer electronics. From cables for HDTV (high-definition television) to memory cards for digital cameras, the little things do mean a lot when it comes to maximizing gadgets.
Unfortunately, these must-haves often don't enter your mind, much less your budget, until you're well into the store. "That's normally where that moment of 'Oh god' happens," says Mark McClusky, product editor at Wired magazine.
To get the most out of your big-ticket device, you need more than what's inside the box. Here are some familiar electronics and their necessary extras, along with some buying tips and estimated prices to help you factor your finances for the complete package.
HDTV
Cable connection
$65 for HDMI, $50 for DVI and $20 for component video. Price typically increases with cable length.
If you've invested in HDTV you should get the best audio and video connection. That means a cable(s) that can handle high-def digital data, the better to see gorgeous HD picture and hear amazing HD sound.
Chances are that optimal connection doesn't come with the TV, and it won't come from that coaxial sticking out of the wall.
"To get the full impact of most high defs you're going to need either a component or HDMI or DVI cable," McClusky says.
HDMI (high-definition multimedia interface) is the best of the bunch, offering HD audio and video via one cable. Alas, that convenience can get expensive. For example, a 4-foot HDMI cable by Monster Cable, one of the more recognized brands, usually goes for $100.
Yet look at online customer reviews and you'll notice most people say HDMI cables work the same regardless of brand. This reporter bought a no-name HDMI cable on eBay for $10 with shipping, so by all means shop around.
DVI (digital video interface) ranks second in convenience and cost. It offers the same picture as HDMI, but since DVI only covers video you'll need an extra cable(s) for audio. Depending on your HDTV and what you're connecting to it, you might need a DVI-to-HDMI cable or adapter.
Next up is component video, "that red, green and blue cable," says Barb Gonzalez, author and illustrator of "The Home Electronics Survival Guide" (Home Electronics Survival, $19.95).
Gonzalez says this three-plug cable is the very least you need to get high-definition picture. Component video also requires a separate audio connection. Component is cheapest of the three HDTV connections mentioned, though you might get it free if your cable or satellite provider throws it in with its set-top box or digital video recorder.
Gonzalez notes a component video cable sends digital content as an analog signal, so you lose picture quality. But keep in mind component video still gives an HD picture. "You can certainly get by with component and be thrilled," McClusky says.
Which connection is best? HDMI by a high-def mile.
HDTV antenna
$25 and up.
Remember the good old TV antenna? It's still around, only now it picks up HD, too. That's right: If you crave HD without the cable or satellite provider, all you need is an indoor or outdoor antenna.
HD antennas get local over-the-air HD channels, so you can avoid the monthly fees of cable or satellite. But before you buy an antenna, Gonzalez says make sure your HDTV has a built-in tuner capable of receiving the HD signal. (The TV should say "HD built-in" or "integrated tuner.")
McClusky says HD antennas are fairly alike in performance, so let your budget — not brand names — dictate your choice.
Surge protector
$20 and up
A lot goes into HDTV — like a cable or satellite box, DVD player, video-game console, etc. What you don't want going into all those doodads is a damaging jolt of electricity. A quality power strip should handle all the component plugs and prevent power surges.
Gonzalez suggests a surge protector with a power conditioner to prevent electronic "noise" or interference that can compromise audio or video quality, along with a warranty that covers what's plugged into it.
Display stand or wall mount
Prices vary, though figure on several hundred dollars
Unless your old armoire can contain a 40-inch plus HDTV, you'll need a display stand. Before you buy, measure the area in your home for the TV and stand. (What you see in the showroom will look bigger in your living room.)
If you want your HDTV mounted on the wall, Gonzalez strongly recommends professional installation. To give you an idea of cost, Best Buy charges $500 to wall-mount a flat-panel TV 30 inches or larger — wall bracket sold separately.
DIGITAL CAMERA
Spare camera battery
$25 and up for rechargeable battery, $30 and up for charger
Digital cameras use a lot of juice, so it pays to have an extra rechargeable battery handy. McClusky notes today's digital cameras often have their own proprietary battery, so buy according to your camera model. Oh, and make sure you charge the spare before you head out for the next photo shoot.
"You always want to have a spare battery," Gonzalez says, "because there's nothing worse than finding that you have less battery life than you wanted at a special event or vacation or something."
Camera memory card
$30 for 256MB to $90 for 1GB
When the occasion calls for plenty of pictures, a digital camera's built-in memory just isn't enough. Enter the memory card, the most common "film" for a digital camera. As with batteries, you want a card or other storage device specific to your camera.
How many photos you can put on a card depends on each pic's file size, so look at the storage features on the memory-card packaging. McClusky recommends you get the most memory you can afford. More memory means less fuss with deleting or editing images on the fly.
Camera case
$15 and up
Why get a holster for that digital shooter? Says Gonzales: A case protects a digital camera's LCD screen.
AN iPOD OR MP3 PLAYER
Online music service
99 cents per song download at iTunes, $9.95 a month for unlimited access at Napster, $30 per month for high-speed Internet service
We'll assume you already have a computer to store music and video files for transfer to your iPod or other digital media player. But what about getting that content off the Web?
Whether you hit iTunes for your iPod or Napster for your MP3 player, the beat goes on online, but only for a price. Besides the cost of online content, consider the price to get online. After all, when it comes to downloads, dial-up just won't do.
"If you're going to rely on purchasing music online," McClusky says, "you're going to want broadband."
Protective case
$20 and up
The market's teeming with cases, so follow Gonzalez's advice and pick one that offers enough protection should you drop your player, and one that covers the player's LCD screen.
PERSONAL COMPUTER
Surge protector
$20 and up
You need a plug for at least the hard drive, monitor and printer. Looks like a job again for the mighty power strip.
Blank CDs or DVDs
50 cents each in a bulk spindle
Today's gigabyte drives hold tons of data, but you should still get some disks to backup files in case said hard drive suddenly dies. (Oh yes, it can happen.)
Computer CDs and DVDs come in two basic formats: R ("recordable") permanently stores data while RW ("rewritable") lets you record on the disk and then erase the whole thing to start over. A CD typically stores 700 MB or 80 minutes of recording time while a DVD holds 4.7 GB or 120 minutes of video.
USB flash drive
$30 for 256MB to $80 for 1GB
Disks are nice, but for computer files on the go you should go with a little USB flash drive. "Because then you can share between friends or take things with you to the home or to the office," Gonzalez says.
April 28, 2006
By René A. Guzman, San Antonio Express-News
Batteries aren't the only necessities not included with consumer electronics. From cables for HDTV (high-definition television) to memory cards for digital cameras, the little things do mean a lot when it comes to maximizing gadgets.
Unfortunately, these must-haves often don't enter your mind, much less your budget, until you're well into the store. "That's normally where that moment of 'Oh god' happens," says Mark McClusky, product editor at Wired magazine.
To get the most out of your big-ticket device, you need more than what's inside the box. Here are some familiar electronics and their necessary extras, along with some buying tips and estimated prices to help you factor your finances for the complete package.
HDTV
Cable connection
$65 for HDMI, $50 for DVI and $20 for component video. Price typically increases with cable length.
If you've invested in HDTV you should get the best audio and video connection. That means a cable(s) that can handle high-def digital data, the better to see gorgeous HD picture and hear amazing HD sound.
Chances are that optimal connection doesn't come with the TV, and it won't come from that coaxial sticking out of the wall.
"To get the full impact of most high defs you're going to need either a component or HDMI or DVI cable," McClusky says.
HDMI (high-definition multimedia interface) is the best of the bunch, offering HD audio and video via one cable. Alas, that convenience can get expensive. For example, a 4-foot HDMI cable by Monster Cable, one of the more recognized brands, usually goes for $100.
Yet look at online customer reviews and you'll notice most people say HDMI cables work the same regardless of brand. This reporter bought a no-name HDMI cable on eBay for $10 with shipping, so by all means shop around.
DVI (digital video interface) ranks second in convenience and cost. It offers the same picture as HDMI, but since DVI only covers video you'll need an extra cable(s) for audio. Depending on your HDTV and what you're connecting to it, you might need a DVI-to-HDMI cable or adapter.
Next up is component video, "that red, green and blue cable," says Barb Gonzalez, author and illustrator of "The Home Electronics Survival Guide" (Home Electronics Survival, $19.95).
Gonzalez says this three-plug cable is the very least you need to get high-definition picture. Component video also requires a separate audio connection. Component is cheapest of the three HDTV connections mentioned, though you might get it free if your cable or satellite provider throws it in with its set-top box or digital video recorder.
Gonzalez notes a component video cable sends digital content as an analog signal, so you lose picture quality. But keep in mind component video still gives an HD picture. "You can certainly get by with component and be thrilled," McClusky says.
Which connection is best? HDMI by a high-def mile.
HDTV antenna
$25 and up.
Remember the good old TV antenna? It's still around, only now it picks up HD, too. That's right: If you crave HD without the cable or satellite provider, all you need is an indoor or outdoor antenna.
HD antennas get local over-the-air HD channels, so you can avoid the monthly fees of cable or satellite. But before you buy an antenna, Gonzalez says make sure your HDTV has a built-in tuner capable of receiving the HD signal. (The TV should say "HD built-in" or "integrated tuner.")
McClusky says HD antennas are fairly alike in performance, so let your budget — not brand names — dictate your choice.
Surge protector
$20 and up
A lot goes into HDTV — like a cable or satellite box, DVD player, video-game console, etc. What you don't want going into all those doodads is a damaging jolt of electricity. A quality power strip should handle all the component plugs and prevent power surges.
Gonzalez suggests a surge protector with a power conditioner to prevent electronic "noise" or interference that can compromise audio or video quality, along with a warranty that covers what's plugged into it.
Display stand or wall mount
Prices vary, though figure on several hundred dollars
Unless your old armoire can contain a 40-inch plus HDTV, you'll need a display stand. Before you buy, measure the area in your home for the TV and stand. (What you see in the showroom will look bigger in your living room.)
If you want your HDTV mounted on the wall, Gonzalez strongly recommends professional installation. To give you an idea of cost, Best Buy charges $500 to wall-mount a flat-panel TV 30 inches or larger — wall bracket sold separately.
DIGITAL CAMERA
Spare camera battery
$25 and up for rechargeable battery, $30 and up for charger
Digital cameras use a lot of juice, so it pays to have an extra rechargeable battery handy. McClusky notes today's digital cameras often have their own proprietary battery, so buy according to your camera model. Oh, and make sure you charge the spare before you head out for the next photo shoot.
"You always want to have a spare battery," Gonzalez says, "because there's nothing worse than finding that you have less battery life than you wanted at a special event or vacation or something."
Camera memory card
$30 for 256MB to $90 for 1GB
When the occasion calls for plenty of pictures, a digital camera's built-in memory just isn't enough. Enter the memory card, the most common "film" for a digital camera. As with batteries, you want a card or other storage device specific to your camera.
How many photos you can put on a card depends on each pic's file size, so look at the storage features on the memory-card packaging. McClusky recommends you get the most memory you can afford. More memory means less fuss with deleting or editing images on the fly.
Camera case
$15 and up
Why get a holster for that digital shooter? Says Gonzales: A case protects a digital camera's LCD screen.
AN iPOD OR MP3 PLAYER
Online music service
99 cents per song download at iTunes, $9.95 a month for unlimited access at Napster, $30 per month for high-speed Internet service
We'll assume you already have a computer to store music and video files for transfer to your iPod or other digital media player. But what about getting that content off the Web?
Whether you hit iTunes for your iPod or Napster for your MP3 player, the beat goes on online, but only for a price. Besides the cost of online content, consider the price to get online. After all, when it comes to downloads, dial-up just won't do.
"If you're going to rely on purchasing music online," McClusky says, "you're going to want broadband."
Protective case
$20 and up
The market's teeming with cases, so follow Gonzalez's advice and pick one that offers enough protection should you drop your player, and one that covers the player's LCD screen.
PERSONAL COMPUTER
Surge protector
$20 and up
You need a plug for at least the hard drive, monitor and printer. Looks like a job again for the mighty power strip.
Blank CDs or DVDs
50 cents each in a bulk spindle
Today's gigabyte drives hold tons of data, but you should still get some disks to backup files in case said hard drive suddenly dies. (Oh yes, it can happen.)
Computer CDs and DVDs come in two basic formats: R ("recordable") permanently stores data while RW ("rewritable") lets you record on the disk and then erase the whole thing to start over. A CD typically stores 700 MB or 80 minutes of recording time while a DVD holds 4.7 GB or 120 minutes of video.
USB flash drive
$30 for 256MB to $80 for 1GB
Disks are nice, but for computer files on the go you should go with a little USB flash drive. "Because then you can share between friends or take things with you to the home or to the office," Gonzalez says.