What is OLED Technology?

OLED is the latest flat display technology and it stands for Organic Light Emitting Diode. This technology uses a series of thin organic films between 2 conductors to produce light. They operate on the attraction between negatively and positively charged particles. When electricity is applied, one layer becomes negatively charged relative to another layer. When energy passes from one layer to another, it excites the organic material between the layers and produces light.

To produce color, the OLED primary color matrix is arranged in red, green, and blue pixels, which are mounted directly to a printed circuit board. A color filter is also added to purify the colors without the use of a polarizer that can reduce overall brightness.

Can I mount a TV over the fireplace?

The fireplace is the focal point of the family room.  That means that the family TV is stuck in the corner.  Why not go with a television that compliments your décor and works with the space you have?  The area right above the mantle is a great spot for a new flat-panel television. 

Just keep in mind there are few things to consider before going this route... 

A Tip... Tip It!

Q:   Muddy Sound...
I have a home theater system with 5.1 channel sound, a good quality surround sound receiver, and a 50” projection TV on a stand. The problem is that dialogue sounds unclear; kind of muddy. Any ideas?

A: My first question would be, "Is your center speaker on a shelf in the stand beneath your TV?"

If so, check to see where it’s aimed. Most speakers in that situation are aimed at the listener’s knees. Since mid and high notes are fairy directional (they travel more like a spotlight than a floodlight), chances are good that those notes aren’t making it to your ears directly. Instead they’re either bouncing off the floor, or being absorbed by the rug if there is one, and neither of those is a good thing. Try tipping the center speaker back so that it’s aimed more directly at your ears. There are several good center speaker stands on the market, but you can test the idea with a spare remote slid beneath the front edge of the speaker. Chances are you’ll get a big performance boost for free.

My MP3s sound tinny in my car. How do I fix that?

The tinny sound might not be your deck. MP3s are compressed digital tracks that leave out some audio info. A good stereo can make your MP3s sound better, but it’s not the ‘playa’ that's the problem…it’s the format.

For better sound, save files in lossless formats or CD-quality. Yeah, they take up more room but the sound is worth it. Often a quality stereo will be able to get your digital files closer to full sound. But, if that doesn't work, drop by Tweeter with your 'Pod or a CD of MP3s and try it on our stuff to see if an amp or new speakers can tweak your sound for the better.

Do floor standing speakers give the same performance as a subwoofer/satellite speaker combination?

All things being equal, most experts will tell you that you can get the best overall sound from a good set of floor standing speakers.

They can play to louder volume levels in larger rooms and deliver rich, clean bass along with great details in the midtones and high notes. If you have the space for floor standers, go for them. But if your room space or décor won't work for floor speakers, today's subwoofer/satellite speaker systems can sound great. The small satellite speakers can almost disappear into shelves, or be wall mounted for convenience, and subwoofers can go into or behind furniture for the ultimate in “stealth” appearance.

What does a "Zone 2" or "Multi-zone" House System mean?

“Zone 2” is a set of connections on a receiver/control center that allow you to run two different music sources at the same time: watch a movie in the family room while listening to FM radio in the den.  On many better  surround receivers, these “Zone 2” connections have a 2 channel amplifier available to them, so you can have music in more than one room without buying an additional amplifier. It’s a great value if you’re adding music to just a room or two in addition to the main room. 
 
“Multi-zone” is usually coupled with the term “multi-room”, as in “multi-room, multi-zone system”.  A zone is any room, or group of rooms, that can have a separate music source playing while another zone plays another music source.

Which of the new TV types has the widest viewing angle?

Many experts would rate Plasma TVs as having the most uniform brightness and widest viewing angle.

Both DLP and LCD sets would rate below Plasma, though the gap is starting to narrow.  Don't go by the listed manufacturer's specifications here!  There's no industry standardized measurement method, so the best way to judge viewing angle is with your eyes in the store.  Walk from side to side and judge the different sets on your list of contenders to find the one that looks best to you. 

On HDTV sets, what does HD-Ready mean vs. HD-Integrated?

High Definition TVs that are HD-Ready do not have built-in HD tuners inside them. That means you need an "outboard" HD tuner in order to tune in and watch your favorite shows in Hi Definition. 

This outboard box could be from a Satellite TV system (like DirecTV), or a High Definition box from your Cable company, or a stand-alone High Definition tuner connected to an outside TV antenna for over-the-air broadcasts.

HD-Integrated means that the set has a High Definition tuner built in.  These TVs can receive over-the-air HD broadcasts when connected to an outside TV antenna.  If the set is labeled "DCR" or Digital Cable Ready, you can rent a CableCard from your local Cable Company to receive HD shows.  This CableCard goes into a special slot on the TV and eliminates the need for an outboard cable box, a nice convenience.  You may give up getting Pay-Per-View/Video on Demand and an on-screen Cable channel guide when you use a Cable Card because you may need the cable box to get those features. 

What's the significance of the RMS wattage rating on speakers?

Frankly, this is one of the least useful specifications for speakers.

At best, it's a guess by the manufacturer of the minimum and maximum power capabilities of the speaker.  In reality, it means very little!  There's no industry standard for specifying speaker power ratings, so a “200 watt” Brand A speaker isn't any better or worse than one from Brand B rated at “100 watts”.  Speakers don't generate power, receivers and amplifiers do.  Don't go by the specifications when evaluating speakers, trust your ears!  And just about everyone can hear the difference between a good speaker and a better one, so it pays to buy the best speakers you can. 

Do you have to cut into the headrest to install monitor screens?

For some vehicles, we can get replacement headrests with monitors already installed, so your original headrests are swapped out.  For most other situations, our installers carefully cut out the headrest and install the screen.  The end result is that the monitors look like they came with the car.  That's professionalism!

How do Tweeter's labor rates compare to the competition, and what do you get for the price?

Tweeter's in-home installation rates are typically in the middle range in the market.We're not the cheapest or the most expensive; we are however a great value. 

Here's why: All of our installers are our employees, they're insured, and we train them carefully. That means you're getting a professional installation complete with proper equipment set-up, for a system that performs as it should and looks great, guaranteed. Literally. You see, Tweeter backs up its installation with a 6 month warranty, and also offers optional coverage for 5 years on the labor and on all the key components in your home system.  Better yet, with our flat-rate pricing structure, you're not charged an hourly rate, so there are no surprises whne it comes to cost.  And with all the new technology available, it's good to know that Tweeter installers are trained regularly- it's your house, and we figure you deserve cutting edge people working in it.

Shouldn't I always go for the biggest subwoofer size I can get?

Bigger in subwoofers is not always better!  A single 15” subwoofer may look more impressive than two 10” subs, but not perform as well.

Most experts will tell you that multiple smaller subwoofers will give you better results than one massive subwoofer.  Smaller subwoofer sizes, like 8” or 10” can stop moving quicker, so they can have much tighter, harder-hitting bass than a 15” or 18” can.  Smaller subs also can use smaller enclosures, which can save you money and leave some trunk/hatch space for other things!  And the enclosures will cost less as well.  What's more, two smaller subwoofers may actually move more air than a single larger one, so they could actually play louder or go deeper.  Determining the best subwoofer choice comes down to knowing what kind of bass you want to get and how loud you want your subwoofer system to play while considering factors like trunk space, vehicle construction, and enclosure style.  The Tweeter experts can help you with the whole process from idea to final installation. 

Can I control different music playing in different rooms at the same time?

Yes you can!  This is one of the nicest benefits of a well-designed whole-house music system. 

You can have a movie playing in the family room while a CD plays in the kitchen.  That is just the starting point—more flexible systems can even go beyond that: FM radio plays in the study, music from Satellite Radio or Satellite TV plays outside by the patio, CDs are going in the master bedroom, while a movie is showing in the den, all at the same time, with independent control over volume, content, even tone!  The number of rooms you can have music in is only limited by your imagination and budget!  All of this is operated with an easy-to-use keypad control, or even a touchscreen, on the wall, or a sophisticated but simple-to-operate wireless remote control.  Our in-home system designers and installers can make it happen.

How can I use an iPod in my car?

There are a number of ways to get your iPod tunes to play in the car. 

First, Tweeter carries aftermarket in-dash radios that have iPod adapters available so you can operate the iPod from the head unit's radio's controls (very cool), and use its large display to see your song and album titles.  Some stock radios may also be adaptable as well.  Second, many aftermarket radios have an extra set of inputs to allow the use of an audio cable that can attach to your iPod, letting you play it through the car system. You won't see the iPod display on the radio's screen, and you'll need to control the iPod directly.  Finally, you can get an FM Modulator, which lets you play an iPod through any car stereo; just tune in to the special FM station indicated by the Modulator and your iPod will be playing on it!  For more details, ask your local Tweeter Mobile Audio Expert team to suggest the best solution for you.

What TV screen size is best for my room?

Here's a good rule of thumb. If you're looking at an HDTV, then take the seating distance to the screen in inches and divide that by 2.5. Let's say your distance is 12 feet, which is 144 inches. Using this formula, your optimum screen size would be 144 ÷ 2.5 = 57 inches. So a 56-inch size screen would fit your needs best. By the way, this works for any type of TV you're considering.

Can Tweeter do custom car installations?

Yes! Our installers have the skill and experience to do all sorts of customized installations. “If you can dream it, we can build it” is their motto.

Custom subwoofer and speaker enclosures, motorized amplifier racks, lighting, custom dashboard work, are just a few of the services offered. And for the video fans: monitor screens in headrests, drop-down screens, videogames in the trunk, LCD screens in the hatch area, and more! Whether you want to compete in custom car shows, or just want the coolest ride on the road, the Tweeter Install Team can make it happen. For great examples of what can be done, check out the Tweeter Mobile Dream Book at your nearest store.