Audio News for April 17, 2012

by | Apr 19, 2012 | Audio News

Green Solutions for the Home – Many homeowners overlook their home electronics as a source of energy consumption that can be reduced. Just turning the Off switch doesn’t necessarily mean the equipment is not longer using energy. Many components keep a small charge going at all times to reduce the time and wear and tear of starting up from scratch every time. Then there are the wall-wart power supplies of so much gear today. Use a power strip to allow turning off all the wall-warts simultaneously. Making sure your new HDTV has an Energy Star rating can help you conserve energy by as much as 40%. If your TV and computer have power management features, use them to save energy. It is no longer necessary to leave any computer running all night; the “housekeeping” functions are handled when you first turn it on the next day. There is also software to handle some of the maintenance work manually. Refrigerators are huge energy consumers and can also cause interference in the home’s AV system.  Don’t place it next to the stove or dishwasher, which makes it work harder to maintain cool temperatures. An energy-efficient refrigerator can save over $100 a year on the utility bill.
Techorating – is the term coined by LG Electronics to describe a blending of modern AV technology with the art of decorating to create a functional yet stylish environment. LG helps with its nearly frameless and super-thin TV displays. Here are some of their techorating tips: Choose the correct-sized TV, and the best position for it—generally eye-level with the screen. For the best sound quality add an area rug if you have lots of bare walls and windows. Or if you have wall-to-wall carpeting and cozy furniture, break up the sound waves with bookshelves, screens or art. Create depth with darker interior paint, hide messy wires; consider wireless as a solution—it’s ideal for wall-mounted displays. Arrange seating so everyone has a good view of the screen. Don’t make technology the afterthought. LG has an electronic product recycling program; last year they collected more than 10 million pounds of unused electronics.
Sony Warns of $6.4-billion Loss – Sony, which just fired about 6% of its global work force, has been overtaken by more innovative rivals such as Apple and Samsung. They forecast a record $6.4-billion net loss for the business year just ended. Sony now plans to axe 10,000 more jobs. They revived the sagging PlayStation section thru aggressive cost-cutting, and promise to get their TV business (which has lost $10-billion in the past decade) back on its feet in two years. Kazuo Hirai, who took over as CEO this month, says he is prepared to take painful steps to revive Sony and would not hesitate to scale back or withdraw from businesses if they were not competitive.

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