Plasma TV - Making the Connection


So, while waiting for the TV stand to arrive, I finally got up the nerve to connect the Panasonic to my home theater system. After much thought and foreboding, chose the S-VHS video connector, sometimes known as S-Y, which is a 4 pin cable that vastly improves the signal quality. You might recall that in '82-83, S-VHS came out to upgrade VHS, which was crap, and to replace U-Matic, the 3/4" format that at one time was broadcast quality, long before Sony Beta-SP came out. Anyway, high end components all have that connector and since I am not using the HDMI connectors yet, that seemed the best choice for the time being.
And it turned out to be the correct choice!! The picture quality is amazing. Especially off DVDs. We don't have a HD Dish receiver yet, so we are looking at analog broadcast most of the time, even if it is in the 16/9 format. But the DVD images are very, very sharp. Can't imagine what the Blu-Rays will be like!




Zone Music in Cotati Honors Bill Bowker of KRSH radio!


Seems Bill has been on the air in and around Sonoma county for 30 years. That's a lot of hot air!
And good music choices.






While there I ran into another long time DJ, the iconic and original Dallas Dobro, of KFAT, Gilroy, fame!!
He also has been part of the success of stations KHIP and KPIG in the Monterey-Watsonville area (tho now San Francisco residents can now get KPIG on am radio, 1510, I believe). Now doing weekends on KRSH, it's a joy to listen to him and to remember what quality radio used to be like (and occasionally can be now).
We are very fortunate to have KRSH in our neighborhood and if you want to find out for yourself, it's streamed at KRSH.com.
In the photo, with Dallas in the middle, is also Big Dave, from the Saturday morning "Rockabilly Roadhouse" also on the KRSH. Fun music, makes me want to grab the Gibson and play along. Got sore fingertips at the moment from practicing that Hayes Carll song.

And speaking of good music, the Hellhounds were performing at the Zone when we got there. Great blues group, all local boys and an excellent lead guitar. Worth seeing if they come to your neighborhood!

And since it would not be Sonoma County without an excellent lunch, Kay and I headed to Willi's Wine Bar in Windsor. One of our all time favorite restaurants for small plates and wine flights, we were not disappointed in our choices:
Tunisian carrots,












seared scallops, pork pot stickers and flat bread with figs, arugula, and prosciutto. Can you say "Yum?"

What a rough life! Later, y'all.......

Plasma TV forces tv stand upgrade, or, highlights of how I spent my weekend.

Based on this weekend's experience, there is a thriving market for TV stands and the like, now that so many people, like me, are switching to flat screen LCD or Plasma TVs. The wife and I finally made the decision to upgrade from our perfectly good SONY 25" Trinitron connected to the Dish Satellite and a perfectly good Sony DVD player, all happily ensconced in a custom made ash wood armoire.
After visiting the local Best Buy and Magnolia stores (where prices were much higher than I expected) we opted for Costco's deal on a Panasonic Viera 42" Plasma 1080p beauty. There goes the armoire... no way a 42" screen is gonna fit. So, back we go looking for something that looks good but also has AV requirements in mind; ventilation holes are good, openings for cables are nice.
So many new names: Sanus, Bush Furniture, Bello, Tech Craft, BDI, JSP and all sorts of other initials!! Kathy Ireland even has some models (pun intended). Whoa, who knew there were so many makers of this stuff. Prices all over the map.
Choosing is gonna be slow, I can tell, since there are several criteria that have to be satisfied, from the female and male view points.
Speaker cloth and glass doors are suddenly critical. Gotta find the spot to place the center channel speaker, very important in the home theater, surround sound environment. Just throwing it up on top of the armoire is not gonna get it anymore.

I'll be glad when this part is all over with. Then we can start the search for the perfect Blu-Ray dvd player.
Next installment on this blog: A discussion on the advantages of Plasma and 1080p. Just as soon as I learn what they are!!

And remember: No McCain; No Palin; No Way!!!