AVIA Guide to Home Theater

Rating:
Summary: Good DVD for adjusting VIDEO
Review: I purchased Avia, my third Audio/Video setup DVD. This DVD is basically good for adjusting your COLOR and TINT. It includes all three color filters: red, blue, and green, which should have been given with ALL calibration DVDs. But this one has it all.

I didn't test my audio because I don't have a 5.1 system, but for video you should get this disc OR try to get those 3 filters somewhere else, instead of paying $30 on this DVD for them.

Overall, I recommend Video Essentials first, Avia second. I DON'T recommend Ultimate DVD Platinum.

Rating:
Summary: A MUST HAVE for CRT-based TV owners
Review: I used this DVD to prepare for my Super Bowl party this weekend. The results are nothing short of amazing, I was complimented many times on the quality of my picture by many guests. If you are a home AV enthusiast with a rear projection set, you must have this DVD.

While it was very helpful I also used many tweaks from HomeTheaterSpot.com, all in all I spent $60 (Aiva DVD and HTS "spottie" membership)and 6 hours tuning my TV and it was worth every penny and every second.

My main TV is a 55" HDTV and my other TV is a 24" CRT, this DVD produced great results on both sets.

Rating:
Summary: A NECESSARY TOOL FOR HOME THEATER
Review: I used this test disc and I was amazed the difference after setting up my system up THE RIGHT WAY and I was blown away by the results...

Rating:
Summary: Too expensive for what it provides
Review: If you know how to turn TV knobs, you probably don't need this DVD.

Only useful things on this DVD are test patterns which help you to adjust your TV somewhat. For that, I believe that the right price for this DVD should be around $5-10.

Besides, if you have a HD TV, this won't help you that much at all. Just call an ISF certified technician to calibrate it for you. It might cost you 3 to 4 times as much but they can perform true hardware calibration on your set.

Rating:
Summary: Problems in Audio Track authoring
Review: On my copy of the Avia disc, the audio mutes at the test where tonal character is compared between the Left main monitor and the center channel speaker. It has done this consistently on 2 different model Pioneer DVD players. I suspect there is a "glitch" in the authoring here. Would you care to comment? Currently, the studio computer network is undergoing improvements. Please contact me by FAX at [phone] or the studio direct line at [phone]. Regards, Ron Rolland Fine Audio Recording Services Lake Forest, Illinois 60045 (Chicago Metro)

Rating:
Summary: Dont waste you time
Review: One word : useless. Let me tell you why. 1. All TV's are not the same 2. All cable, satellite, etc are not the same. What works for one tv may not work for another. I had my tv adjusted to what my eyes thought looked good. After using avia and adjusting to their guidelines my picture stunk. The best way to view your tv is to adjust with your eyes and watch it the way it looks good to you. This dvd can only tell you that your tv is setup according to nt standards but it cannot tell you how you like watching tv. Do yourself a favor and watch the way you like it and save 40 bucks.

Rating:
Summary: Must have for HT tweakers.
Review: The Avia disc is a must have if you have any desire to derive the full benefit from your HT expenditure. The color bar calibration alone is worth the price, as it adjusts for insidious red push. The picture that a weekender can get from a direct view, front projection or rear projection system by tweaking with Avia is stunning.

The audio calibration section is amazing. The Radio Shack Sound Pressure Meter highlighted in the DVD is also a must have. The difference between calibrating the audio with the test tones built into the audio/video receiver versus calibrating the whole playback chain by including the Avia disc in the DVD is astounding. I thought my system was near perfect by using the test tones in the receiver until I did it again with the Avia disc and the SPL meter. Only then did the "sound stage" of my system become seamless and incredible. Guests now comment on the sound as often as they do the High Definition images on the screen.

Invest an hour with this disc and you'll get several hundred hours of incredible HT enjoyment. Very highly recommended.

Rating:
Summary: Great tool!
Review: The Avia Guide to Home Theater is a great tool for optimizing your home theater system. Although it lacks the audio/video examples that Video Essentials has, it is much more useful in calibrating. And it's much easier to use; Video Essentials is harder to navigate and the narration is harder to comprehend. I got good results recalibrating my television using Video Essentials. But when I did it again using Avia, the results were simply outstanding. It's like getting a new TV, although without proper calibration, even a new TV wouldn't look this good! As to audio calibration, Avia also goes way beyond Video Essentials. Avia is a "must have" for any home theater enthusiast.

Rating:
Summary: AVIA is a must!
Review: The AVIA Guide to Home Theater is a must for any home theater owner. The disc starts with a demonstration which carefully and eloquently explains the basics of home theater. It's a great way to show your friends what they should be doing - as well as confirming that you got it right. The tuning part of the disc is top notch! The basic patterns get the job done, but after that you can find a pattern for anything you want. My TV has never looked better. Throw in the Dolby Digital trailers, and you've got a complete calibration and demo disc! All HT fans need this disc! It's golden at twice the price.

Rating:
Summary: Must have - easy to use
Review: The guy that claims he could not effectively utilize this disc is full of it. I have zero previous technical audio/video expertise; was able to use the disc to achieve great results very quickly in setting up and correctly tuning my system (57" widescreen, DVD player, VCR, A/V receiver + 5.1ch speakers).

Pros: excellent content, both instruction and tools.

Cons: some undocumented advanced test patterns, menu system could be a little easier to navigate.

Summary: well worth the money; I borrowed the disk from a co-worker, but decided to buy my own copy after using his, so I can have it around for future use.