Updated 2016.11.30
It's been a great 10+ years, but I've decided to no longer provide Optimization services to Digital Home members/friends/relatives. It takes a great deal of work to keep up-to-date with all the latest products in order to optimize them properly. The latest change to "break the camel's back" has come with many people purchasing 4K TVs, 4K STBs (many of which cause issues with AVRs/TVs) as well as many people using streaming technologies instead of DVDs/BDs. Although I could probably continue, there are simply too few people contacting me for these services to make it worth my while. I would like to thank all those people who have utilized my services.
This post has been approved by the admin.
Not optimizing your home theatre is like purchasing a furnace without a thermostat. (Home Entertainment Magazine - Paraphrased)
57’s Home Theatre Setup, Assistance, Optimization, Consulting and Training Service
Many of you know me as a moderator on this forum. I can be of assistance to people who are setting up their home theatres and wish them optimized. I specialize in optimizing all of the equipment in your home theatre, not just the TV.
I have done hundreds of optimizations for people with a huge variety of different equipment. Please read their comments on the pages that follow.
I am able to assist with the following:
- Setup/optimization of a TV using several different test DVDs/BDs and your DVD/BD player (user settings only).
- Connecting various components to each other, to optimize performance
- Recommending placement of the components, speakers
- Setting up and optimizing A/V receiver/speakers (SPL Meter, DSPs, Connections, input assignment, naming, etc)
- Optimizing the setup of all other equipment including BD/DVD Players/recorders, STBs, VCRs, Game Systems, CD players, etc.
- Recommending alternate ways of connecting components
- Recommending alternate seating arrangements and lighting
- Recommendations regarding cables, connections, placement.
- Discuss A/V connections through A/V Receiver, or direct to TV, or through TV
- Help with “translation” of your operating manual(s) into layman’s English
- Show you how to operate your system best
- Tips on “better/easier” ways to do things
- Basic assistance with remote control(s).
- Assistance in getting your remote(s) to control other equipment (not always possible depending on the remote and equipment)
- Assistance with spouses, children in operating the equipment.
- Supply of cables if requested (at prices lower than most stores)
- Answering any questions you may have about your system.
- Very minor installation services - but I do not wish to go inside walls or outside the home.
- Yes I optimize front projectors, I use the test patterns from Spyder, AVIA, etc.
- I do not go into the service menu of your TV.
- - Consultation before purchase, including home survey, recommendations, etc. Most people who've had a consultation have commented back to me saying they saved much more than the cost of the consultation in equipment purchases, or recommendations, or installations, not purchasing the wrong equipment, etc.
The default settings for the equipment are never the proper ones for an optimized system. BD players, STBs, TVs AVRs usually have hundreds of user menu settings, all of which need to be set appropriately for an optimized system.
Quick Consultation:
When you're ready to arrange the Optimization, it's a good idea to contact me if you're planning on purchasing any new equipment just before the setup. Many people purchase equipment that they regret because it doesn't do what they expect.
For example, people buy a HTiB, but it doesn't have any digital audio inputs for DD5.1 sound, or it doesn't have enough of them if they need more than one device connected.
Also, many people are confused about HDMI inputs on AVRs. People assume that they will be able to use the HDMI for audio in the AVR, when some less expensive AVRs/HTiBs don't handle the HDMI audio at all, requiring separate digital audio connections. etc.
This can usually be done in a few minutes at no charge. If it takes longer, then we can negotiate a fee depending on the time and location.
Operating Manuals:
It's a good idea to have the operating manuals handy. I can usually find my way around without them, but sometimes some obscure function may require a visit to the manual
Price List:
The price for my optimization service is $100. This includes up to 3 hours of my time on-site for any of the items listed above, at your home, at your convenience. (this $100 covers about 4-5 hours total time, including travel, pre-discussions, some research on your equipment and my vehicle costs)
Additional or a shorter time is possible and can be negotiated. Additional time is usually $30/hour.
If your TV is in the default (store) mode, the cost of my services can be recouped though energy savings alone over the life of the TV. A properly optimized TV uses less power than one in the default (store) mode.
A typical optimization takes about 3 hours (TV, STB, AVR, speakers, etc). This assumes that that all the equipment is already set up and connected. I can assist with setup/connection, sometimes minor installation, but additional time is usually required for this work.
Where available?
In and around the GTA. Distances of more than 5 km from Yonge & Eglinton will typically be priced at $1 per additional km one way over 5 km. (So, if you're 30 km away, the price would be roughly $125 instead of $100) I don't think it'd be economical for me to travel more than say 200k one way, so that an overnight stay is not required.
Smokers:
I am allergic to cigarette smoke, so if you are smokers, I will be pleased to come to your home, provided no one smokes inside while I’m there. (Pets are fine)
My Background:
I’m a semi-retired professional engineer, who sold technology into the Oil/Gas industry for 31 years.
My hobbies and interests include: Home Theatre, computers, good red wine, good beer, X-C skiing, cycling, running, travel, BBQ’ing and cooking. I've always been very interested in audio/video equipment.
I have no “store association”, therefore I act as an independent consultant if requested.
(I do not wish to assist with setting up HTPCs - not my specialty, but I can certainly work with an HTPC that's incorporated into the overall HT)
I am not interested in making a full time business out of this. I'm currently doing this a couple of days a week.
In the same way that people hire a contractor to add a deck to their home or for a bathroom renovation or an interior decorator or architect before renovating, they should not be embarrassed to hire someone to consult with or to properly set up and optimize their Home Theatre equipment.
For more on optimization, see the following article on Digital Home Canada:
Why you should optimize your Home Theatre : Digital Home
Please PM me with your contact information - e-mail address and phone number if you're interested. (PM is a private message, that can be sent by clicking on my username and scrolling down to send a private message.)
Post with additional information:
http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/14-...home-theatre-optimization-16.html#post2666089
It's been a great 10+ years, but I've decided to no longer provide Optimization services to Digital Home members/friends/relatives. It takes a great deal of work to keep up-to-date with all the latest products in order to optimize them properly. The latest change to "break the camel's back" has come with many people purchasing 4K TVs, 4K STBs (many of which cause issues with AVRs/TVs) as well as many people using streaming technologies instead of DVDs/BDs. Although I could probably continue, there are simply too few people contacting me for these services to make it worth my while. I would like to thank all those people who have utilized my services.
This post has been approved by the admin.
Not optimizing your home theatre is like purchasing a furnace without a thermostat. (Home Entertainment Magazine - Paraphrased)
57’s Home Theatre Setup, Assistance, Optimization, Consulting and Training Service
Many of you know me as a moderator on this forum. I can be of assistance to people who are setting up their home theatres and wish them optimized. I specialize in optimizing all of the equipment in your home theatre, not just the TV.
I have done hundreds of optimizations for people with a huge variety of different equipment. Please read their comments on the pages that follow.
I am able to assist with the following:
- Setup/optimization of a TV using several different test DVDs/BDs and your DVD/BD player (user settings only).
- Connecting various components to each other, to optimize performance
- Recommending placement of the components, speakers
- Setting up and optimizing A/V receiver/speakers (SPL Meter, DSPs, Connections, input assignment, naming, etc)
- Optimizing the setup of all other equipment including BD/DVD Players/recorders, STBs, VCRs, Game Systems, CD players, etc.
- Recommending alternate ways of connecting components
- Recommending alternate seating arrangements and lighting
- Recommendations regarding cables, connections, placement.
- Discuss A/V connections through A/V Receiver, or direct to TV, or through TV
- Help with “translation” of your operating manual(s) into layman’s English
- Show you how to operate your system best
- Tips on “better/easier” ways to do things
- Basic assistance with remote control(s).
- Assistance in getting your remote(s) to control other equipment (not always possible depending on the remote and equipment)
- Assistance with spouses, children in operating the equipment.
- Supply of cables if requested (at prices lower than most stores)
- Answering any questions you may have about your system.
- Very minor installation services - but I do not wish to go inside walls or outside the home.
- Yes I optimize front projectors, I use the test patterns from Spyder, AVIA, etc.
- I do not go into the service menu of your TV.
- - Consultation before purchase, including home survey, recommendations, etc. Most people who've had a consultation have commented back to me saying they saved much more than the cost of the consultation in equipment purchases, or recommendations, or installations, not purchasing the wrong equipment, etc.
The default settings for the equipment are never the proper ones for an optimized system. BD players, STBs, TVs AVRs usually have hundreds of user menu settings, all of which need to be set appropriately for an optimized system.
Quick Consultation:
When you're ready to arrange the Optimization, it's a good idea to contact me if you're planning on purchasing any new equipment just before the setup. Many people purchase equipment that they regret because it doesn't do what they expect.
For example, people buy a HTiB, but it doesn't have any digital audio inputs for DD5.1 sound, or it doesn't have enough of them if they need more than one device connected.
Also, many people are confused about HDMI inputs on AVRs. People assume that they will be able to use the HDMI for audio in the AVR, when some less expensive AVRs/HTiBs don't handle the HDMI audio at all, requiring separate digital audio connections. etc.
This can usually be done in a few minutes at no charge. If it takes longer, then we can negotiate a fee depending on the time and location.
Operating Manuals:
It's a good idea to have the operating manuals handy. I can usually find my way around without them, but sometimes some obscure function may require a visit to the manual
Price List:
The price for my optimization service is $100. This includes up to 3 hours of my time on-site for any of the items listed above, at your home, at your convenience. (this $100 covers about 4-5 hours total time, including travel, pre-discussions, some research on your equipment and my vehicle costs)
Additional or a shorter time is possible and can be negotiated. Additional time is usually $30/hour.
If your TV is in the default (store) mode, the cost of my services can be recouped though energy savings alone over the life of the TV. A properly optimized TV uses less power than one in the default (store) mode.
A typical optimization takes about 3 hours (TV, STB, AVR, speakers, etc). This assumes that that all the equipment is already set up and connected. I can assist with setup/connection, sometimes minor installation, but additional time is usually required for this work.
Where available?
In and around the GTA. Distances of more than 5 km from Yonge & Eglinton will typically be priced at $1 per additional km one way over 5 km. (So, if you're 30 km away, the price would be roughly $125 instead of $100) I don't think it'd be economical for me to travel more than say 200k one way, so that an overnight stay is not required.
Smokers:
I am allergic to cigarette smoke, so if you are smokers, I will be pleased to come to your home, provided no one smokes inside while I’m there. (Pets are fine)
My Background:
I’m a semi-retired professional engineer, who sold technology into the Oil/Gas industry for 31 years.
My hobbies and interests include: Home Theatre, computers, good red wine, good beer, X-C skiing, cycling, running, travel, BBQ’ing and cooking. I've always been very interested in audio/video equipment.
I have no “store association”, therefore I act as an independent consultant if requested.
(I do not wish to assist with setting up HTPCs - not my specialty, but I can certainly work with an HTPC that's incorporated into the overall HT)
I am not interested in making a full time business out of this. I'm currently doing this a couple of days a week.
In the same way that people hire a contractor to add a deck to their home or for a bathroom renovation or an interior decorator or architect before renovating, they should not be embarrassed to hire someone to consult with or to properly set up and optimize their Home Theatre equipment.
For more on optimization, see the following article on Digital Home Canada:
Why you should optimize your Home Theatre : Digital Home
Please PM me with your contact information - e-mail address and phone number if you're interested. (PM is a private message, that can be sent by clicking on my username and scrolling down to send a private message.)
Post with additional information:
http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/14-...home-theatre-optimization-16.html#post2666089