The Holidays are Coming...as Are the Latest, Best Ways to View Movies

So, the holidays are coming. You walk into stores and already they've sprung on you holiday decorations, festive trees, fake snow, and special discounts on just about everything. And music! Let's not forget the music. Can we please just get past Halloween, people? Apparently not.

What's especially curious is that as we get closer to the holidays, my email box has been unusually filled with questions about what LCD TV to get, what Blu-ray player do I recommend, what sound bar is best for a flatscreen TV. After 13 years of doing this professionally, I can offer an informed opinion.

Here's the deal--and, in fact, let's talk about deals. Because over at Amazon, where I buy pretty much everything because it's really tough to beat their prices, there are several televisions, Blu-ray players, and other electronic equipment that I do recommend.

In the no-brainer category for which Blu-ray player to purchase, I have to recommend the PlayStation 3. It's $299. Not only is it a great gaming system, but it also is one of the best Blu-ray players on the market. It's what I use in my office and just wait until you surf the Web with it. Killer. For a remote, I use the Sony PlayStation 3 Blu-ray Disc Remote. Just under $20.

Once you have this set up, you can buy just about every Blu-ray disc that's been released on the market here: Blu-ray Discs. And let's not forget the games since you likely will be playing your share of them. Check them out here: PlayStation 3 Games

If you're seeking a more traditional Blu-ray player, prices have come way down. You can't go wrong with Sony, since they created the technology.

You'll find a list of Blu-ray players here: Blu-ray Players.




Okay, so now LCD TVs. I'm all for Samsung, Sony and Panasonic--I think they easily have the best products on the market. Make sure you go with 1080p. Make sure that you have plenty of HDMI ports (I'd recommend three), so you can connect your many devices to it (such as that PlayStation 3 above, a soundbar, TiVo, etc.).

Also, while you're at it, see if the TV that catches your eye has a USB port--that way, you can add your computer to it to play, say, Hulu wirelessly on your TV. It's amazing. And nearly commercial free.

(By the way, if you're seeking computers, check out Amazon's great prices on them. We recommend Apple but you'll find all computers here.) Back to LCD TVs. Here are your best options for reliability, clarity and quality:

Samsung
Sony
Panasonic

All 1080p LCD TVs are Here

Now, as for sound bars or sound equipment, you're going to need to buy something in order to have the best experience. The quality of sound on these TVs are okay, but they are far from great. They need assistance. I really like the Sony system you see at the left. I use it myself and love the quality of the sound--it's terrific and not terribly expensive. You can find it here: Sony HTCT100 Sound Bar with Sub-Woofer - Black.

You can find a list of all sound bars here: Sounds Bars. If you're seeking something more elaborate, you can go all out and literally be surrounded by speakers. In this case, there's nothing better than Bose. A list of all surround sound system is here: Surround Sound Systems. Make sure you consider wireless systems--they'll make you're life a lot easier, particularly when it comes to installation. Trust me on this!

Good luck shopping--and here's hoping that if you are looking, you find the right system for you.