MojoLists

 First, I want to say that overall The Cosmos Rocks by Queen + Paul Rodgers is sonically a first class album or to be more accurate in this case, CD. The musicianship and vocals are top notch as well with a mix of thumping rock and power ballads that take you back to the late 70s.

 Paul Rodgers, also known as The Voice, throws his vocal weight around and makes the band his own, perhaps to much his own. After listening to the album I didn’t have a song from the CD stuck in my head, I had a Bad Company song humming away from the depths of my brain. Pull out your old t-shirt with the picture of a wolf on it when listening, it should heighten the time travel aspect of this CD.

Cosmos Rocks didn’t grab me, not a single track stood, it felt like three masters of their art getting together and playing songs they left off of previous albums. The album is good enough to merit a listen but I would be surprised if this gets past a second play or even has a song slip into a playlist on my iPod.

For some, the amazing capabilities of the musicians alone will warrant owning this disc but for the casual listener, pull out your old Queen or Bad Company albums and give them another play.

Big, Bigger, Biggest is the reason I have a front projector in my theater. I want a picture as big as the sound my system produces. I looked at LCD, DLP and CRT televisions but to reach the size I wanted the cost was way out of line with my budget. I was fortunate that InFocus had recently released the X1 800x600 projector. The reviews, based on its very good HD capabilities for under $1000 sold me and I have been content through 2.5 lamps or about 8,000 hours of use.

I won’t pretend that the picture competes with a 1080p projector but it is as good as some of the 720p projectors I have run across. My point here is that you can have a big picture for a lot less than a 42” television and unless you must have the absolute best possible picture you will be happy, even amazed at the latest sub $1,000 projectors.

My projector is almost 6 years old now and I will need to replace it soon. I have seen the same model on Ebay, new, for around $400 recently. The InFocus 4800 and X3 are also about the same cost and there are many options now for under $500 that will give you the picture you crave with a very nice picture.

For those willing to spend a tad more, the options for 720p and 1080p projectors has fallen below $1500 and continues to drop. Sanyo, Optima, Panasonic and Mitsubishi all have excellent models in this price range.

There are a few considerations to discuss before making a swap though. If you can adjust to the requirements of a front projector, do it, you will not be disappointed.

Things to consider:

• A projector needs a screen or does it? I have found http://goosystems.com/screen paint rolled onto a flat wall is as good as any screen I have seen. Goo also provides a reference tool to assist in selecting the exact mixture that will work best for your projector.
• It isn’t a television and some projectors have a delay between being turned off and turned back on again. This has never been an issue for me but it is different than most of us are used to.
• Long cable runs. This is a problem in both additional cost and aesthetics. Most projectors are ceiling mounted and hiding the cables is difficult unless your room is pre-wired for it. Once you set up you never have to think about it again though.

Some people believe the need to replace lamps after 3,000+ hours of use is a hassle but it is very easy and much better than tossing out a TV and buying a new one.

If a front projector can work in your room, go for it, it is cheaper than a TV half the size and todays technology gives you a great picture at any price point.

Big bass from a booming sub is the cornerstone of any good home theater. Unfortunately, people that live in apartments or watch movies while the rest of the house is sleeping are forced to live without the realism a subwoofer brings to the game.

There is a great solution and it fits in even the tightest budgets. Bass shakers are a great addition even for those who already have a sub and they are easy to set up. Low frequency bass transducers are mounted under the seating in your theater or living room, depending on your system. They take the signal from your subwoofer output and vibrate, sometimes violently with the low frequency signal.

The realism bass shakers bring to your movies and games is impressive and it is one of the best upgrades you can make. It also impresses friends and to my surprise, are very friendly on the wife acceptance factor.

ButtKicker is the most common brand of low frequency transducers however lower cost alternatives that work as well are easy to find on Ebay and other sites across the web.

Bass shakers use an amp, which may be included in a kit, or you can use an old receiver, subwoofer amp or anything that delivers 50 watts. No need to worry about high quality power here, any old amp will do.

Stop living without the bass you so badly need to maximize your home movie experience and install bass shakers now.