Asko HomePub

Since every party always winds up in the kitchen it makes since to serve the beer from the kitchen.

The Asko HomePub is a combination refrigerator-freezer with a through-the-door beer tap. An extra shelf for storing a 5-litre keg lets you chill your extra keg while you drink the first. Special features include an anti-bacterial system, CO2 cartridge and tap are designed into the door for maximum refrigerator storage, manual temperature controls, quiet (38dbA) operation and auto-defrost.

The unit is currently sold in Europe but plans are in the works to sell Asko Refrigeration Products in America.

October 3, 2007

Is Your TV too Big for Your Room?

Most people do a lot of research before they buy a new TV. They read various magazines, search the Internet and view various models in person for picture quality. Unfortunately many people only measure the length of the available wall and give little consideration to the seating distance.

The old rules stated the proper seating distance was 7 to 9 times the picture height from a 480p TV. This was so you were close enough to see the scan lines. When newer (720p) TVs came out the had pixels instead of scan lines. For the most part the same rules were applied; except that you can sit closer since the resolution is better.

The new debate is now about HD or 1080p TVs. Some experts say with a TV playing a perfect source (BluRay) a person can sit as close as 3 times the display height. I’ve seen another report that says you can sit as close as 1.5 times the diagonal with a perfect source. That seems really close to me but I can understand a gamer using this calculation. (Math: Screen Diagonal x 0.49 = Screen Height)

At 5 times the picture height, the screen may appear a little smaller than you like, but your eyes won’t be able to pick up as much noise on the screen. Unless you are sitting closer than 9.8 feet to the new 50″ TV you’ve had your eyes on, the difference between 720p and 1080p won’t be apparent. Most people sit about 10 feet from the TV.
To figure out what size is best for your room, divide the seating distance by 5. This will give you the desired screen height. Divide the screen height by .49 will give you the screen diagonal. If you want a larger screen than your viewing distance is capable of, then you need to increase your resolution. A 65″ TV for 10 feet needs to be 1080p to compensate for the closer distance.Here’s a chart from CNET that requires no math. It’s calculations are for HDTV.

You Might Also Like: Robern TViD

September 1, 2007

Cooktop for Visually Impaired

If you are familiar with induction cooking you know it is the safest. Now Diva de Provence has made it even safer for the 10 million blind individuals in North America by offering a tactile marking kit for its line of induction cooktops. The kit includes a choice of either raised letters or Braille symbols, as well as 3M Bumpons™ that can be placed on the controls for easier reading and identification. Since Diva cooktops use electromagnetic energy to heat only the cookware, the cooking/burner surface remains cool* to the touch.*The cook top will only reach a maximum temperature of 482° F (as compared to halogen at 1,112º F). The heat from the pan will transfer to the surface and cause it to be hotter the longer you cook.

August 23, 2007June 20, 2017

Jade French Door Wall Oven

My previous post about the French Door Wall Oven from American Range seemed to draw a lot of interest so I couldn’t wait to report the news that Jade Appliances is working on their own French door model for shipment in 2008.

The tandem doors open to 135 degrees on both sides, providing easy access. The doors are also spring-loaded from the 90 degree position to the fully open position to ensure that they never close inadvertently. The oven will have convection bake and broil capabilities with electronic controls and roller racks.