'Stray birds of summer come to my window

to sing and fly away.

And yellow leaves of autumn,

which have no songs,

flutter and fall there with a sign....'

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Vastu Shastra to better life
---By AKN

We hear a lot of Vastu Shastra and Feng Shui, these days. Does it really work? Does it lead to a better life? Is it a science?

Vastu Shastra is an old science practiced in ancient India. Vastu Shastra means to be one with nature. It is the science of aligning places, of dwelling with nature. This science was evolved in ancient India as a fine  system of civil Engineering and architecture for maximizing the positive influence of dwelling on human beings.

Apart from the ancient Indians, it is said the people who designed and built the great pyramids of Egypt, the Inca temples and the lost city of Atlantis also  knew of this science. The moot  question is, what is the link between inert structures of concrete, steel and wood and human life.

People say, there is no place like home. And they are bound to it. Getting ‘homesick’ also indicates,the intensity of our bonding with our home. Which means that every home has an energy,  a character, a distinct quality and life.

Every house emits a feeling. There are luxurious houses in which the members live in isolation and visitors feel as if they are in a hotel. On the other hand there are houses which are simple, with basic furniture interiors and facilities, but which emits warmth and energy where the family stays together with love and affection and the guests feel at home.

In some homes, members especially  women may be  perenially sick, or couples may not be in the best of terms.There are instances of a family fortunes rising after they have moved into a new house.The use in fortunes and the structure of the house are co-related. Experts say, analysis show that there is a pattern of such events which is directly related to the structure of the house and its alignment to a particular direction.

Since home is an integral part of a human’s life; a home can, at least be described as an extension of ourselves. After all human beings is the law of nature. It is common knowledge that our success depends on how closely we follow the law of nature. Going against nature invites failure, even disaster. Today experts are now linking macro issues, like ecology and environment to micro issues like health and survival of individual life.

According to experts, the human body has a static electrical charge as well as a magnetic field due to the action of neurons (which transmit information throughout the body based on electrical activity) and iron in red blood corpuscles found in our blood. Earth too has a charge as well as a geo-magnetic field. The alignment of the human body (and so the home) to the earth field enhances health and prosperity.

In ancient India, the learned identified five elements known as ‘Panch Tatwa’ that constitute all matter and creation. They are earth, water, fire, air and space, each being more rarified and subtle than the preceding one . These five elements exist and operate in a combination of three modes – balance, action and inertia.

Vastu Shastra is basically to  go with the laws of nature. It works on the principle of aligning a house (or an office, factory etc) with the five elements of nature and the eight principle directions. ----East provides life-giving energy. North transmits geomagnetic energy. So these directions are considered positive and space is left open in these directions.

West sends out ultra-violet, negative energy of the afternoon sun. South has the flowing out of the geomagnetic energy. Hence these two directions are considered negative and therefore  covered and blocked with construction.

The location of drawing room and bedroom is based on the earth and air elements, the kitchen and toilets on fire and water elements, and the staircases, windows and doors on the space elements of nature. Vastu Shastra also deals  with the nature of activities in the house, behaviour of individuals and general life pattern. For offices, these are principles to determine the right location of sales and marketing staff, those of finance and other departments. As well as of the Chief Executive and senior staff. In factories, positive placement of raw material, finished goods, and the machinery itself is said to bring about increased productivity, efficiency and a congenial atmosphere among the labour.

Vastu is a science. It is a systematic study of the geological impact of the rays of the sun on the Earth. The geological conditions caused by this impact of the rays of the sun on the earth. These geological conditions caused by this impact prove to be congenial for the construction of an ideal house.

Vaastu …………for Hassle-free life

At the micro level, Vaastu aligns natural elements like fire and water with the design of your building and flat. This has an impact on your well-being, claim believers If you are a believer, it is time to get down to brass tacks. How should you organize things at home based on Vaastu? What about your lifestyle and habits? Here are some broad hints.

Your building

If you are constructing a building on a piece of land, go for a rectangular or square plot. Avoid a triangular-shaped plot. That’s not going to do you any good. Don’t prefer a small narrow plot sandwiched between two big plots.
Ideally, the side of the plot on east-west direction should be longer than the side in the north-south direction. It is not advisable to have more vacant space in the south and west sides of the building than in north and east.

Your apartment

When you sleep, let your head face east or south. Never ever sleep with feet towards south. The room for worshipping gods (puja room), if you have one, should be in the north-east corner of the flat. Your kitchen should be in the south-east corner.(Since Vaastu Shastra tries to align natural elements like fire, water, earth, etc., with your well-being, south-east, a direction associated with fire, is considered best for kitchen) Ideally, there should be only one main door to the house. The upper edges of the doors and windows of the house should be at the same height in a straight line.
Lighter object in the house should be preferably in the north, north east or north-west directions and heavier stuff should be moved to the south and south-west. See that the positions of doors and windows and locations of bedroom, bathroom, kitchen and gas burner in the kitchen are strictly according to Vaastu tenets.
The Entertainment corner of the house-the area where you keep TV, amplifier, radio, music systems, etc- should be in the south-west. Walls of the house need to fit in with the Vaastu prescriptions for measurement. For example, in the main hall of the house, the wall in which the main door is to be kept should be divided into nine equal parts. The door should be on the seventh part, leaving five parts on the right and three on the left.

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Antiques and rare Artifacts
---By Pradeep Goyal

Do you love antiques – furniture and artifacts? The important thing is not just to showcase these pieces but to make them an integral part of your house interior.

Things to remember when buying antiques :
It is not genuine if it has nails, screw or glass.
Heavy lacquer or paint might be an excuse to hide something.

Check around hinges, back panel of cabinets, inside drawers – it is in these hard-to-get-at-places that you will find evidence if the aging process has been applied.

Beware of pieces with large amounts of new wood used under the guise of renovation.

Ask the salesperson to show you the certificate of antiquity.  

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Carpets – enhances the beauty
---By Asha Pradhan

Carpets were used from time immemorial. It was quite popular during the reign of ancient rulers, especially the Moghuls and Nawabs in India. A carpet with the elegance of a room. It is worthwhile to invest in a good quality wall-to-wall carpet which adds  to the beauty of a house.

Pattern selection is very important when you have decided to buy a carpet . For that we must think about the look of the room. It is modern, old or a combination of both? And which quality we would like to highlight, regardless of colour?

Quality check mark for carpets :
Dye fastness and raw material : Dyer should not run and should look lustrous.
Knot density (knots per square inch):
The more-knots per square inch, the better.

Knot types: Knots for Persian or Turkish styles are tied around 2 wrap strings. Jufti or false knots, may be tied around 4 wrap strings, instead of 2.

Edge bindings, reinforced selvages and fringes : These keep the pila-knots tightly finished at the carpet ends.

Design elements : Quality is judged by accuracy in weaving symmetrical designs,harmonious colour combination and textures .

Wool : This is the original carpet fibre.

Nylon : It is a tough synthetic fibre, used with other fibres to give durability.

Acrylic : This is a resilients fibre which wears well and resembles wool in feel.

Rayon : This is the economy fibre. It is less resilient than other fibres.

Blends : Some manaufacturers who use all these types of fibres according to their suitability.

Tufted : These are produced on fast machines which insert needles into a backing fabric, forming loops which are later cut to create the pile and are locked in by a latex film.

Handmade carpets have their place everywhere from modern homes, modest houses, palaces, hotels and offices. In India, the skills of carpet making--- variety in design and craftsmanship reflect traditions handed down from one generation to the next.  

To remove tea or coffee stains from your carpet, pour soda water over the stain and blot dry.

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Home Sweet Home ........by Anshu Rai

Interior  --- Its all a matter of good taste

There’s  more to doing of the interiors of your house than picking up expensive pieces of furniture and buying exorbitantly priced artefacts. The most important thing is to strike the right balance. The interiors of your house should not look like you have tried very hard.

Decoration Tips  

•  Don’t be afraid to mix textures, styles and colours in the living room.
• Make sure that there is a variation in your seating heights.
• You can easily bring colour to a room by just adding colourful cushions.
• Indirect lighting creates the best atmosphere, so add more lampshades.
• Don’t try painting effects in the whole house.
• A good flooring or even a carpet adds to the decor of the room.  

Living Room Layout

Is a full-blown overhaul of your living room still in the dreaming stage? Here are a few smaller – scale projects that can spice up your old living room.

• See things in a new light. Install dimmer switches.
  

• Paint one wall a different colour. Make a new focal point by using a contrasting colour.
  

• Move the television.
  

• Change window treatments. Instead of curtains, try blinds, sheer panels, light – 
  diffusing shades.
  

• Mirror a wall to create a feeling of spaciousness.

Designing an Effective Kitchen

There are some basic rule for designing a perfect kitchen in terms of utility, look etc. Here are some of the ingredients that go into creating the perfect workplace.

• Firstly, consider the type of the kitchen layout that fits your home space. Usually there are three possible of layouts…. The U shaped layouts, the L shaped layout and the Corridor kitchen.
  

• Once you decide on the layout, you will also need to think about who uses your kitchen and how they use it. For instance, if two of you prepare meals together, you’ll want a food preparation centre large enough for both people to use at the same time.
  

• Also a good kitchen design has well thought of places for doing specific tasks.These places are usually called work centres, and they can make your kitchen more functional and a more enjoyable place to work.

The concept of low level furniture is culturally connected to Indians, Japanese and South East Asians.

Silks or velvets with rich colours, like emerald green, can make a room look seductive and moody.

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Tips to create a rock garden

Incorporate a lot of large rocks (some weighing 200 pounds or more), You can also group three to four rocks together to create the effect of one large rock.
Set the rocks in the lowest and frontal part  of the garden first and work upwards. Shovel enough soil around each rock to anchor it firmly. You  may need to bury half or more of each rock.
After the rocks re in place, let the soil settle for three to four days. Then look at the layout before adding the plants.
While planting, dig a hole and gently spread the roots.

 How to maintain the garden

Loosen the soil in every area occasionally.
Most rock plants grow well in poor soil but the occasional addition of manure or compost will give them a boost.  
Routine care includes cutting back on plants after flowering, clipping-off dead portions and dividing plants.  
Check for insects and diseases regularly.  
Never allow weeds to grow.
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Hometips to reduce indoor pollution

It has been found that indoor pollution levels can be anywhere from 2 to 100 times than found outdoors.

Prohibit smoking indoors. Secondhand smoke is harmful to everyone.

Its fine if you like to read in bed, but avoid storing books, magazines and paper in the bedroom because they offer refuge for dust mites.

House plants are aircleaners, removing pollutants, and gases in the process of photosynthesis. High on the list are aloe vera, English ivy, ficus, golden pothos and spider plant.

For window coverings, polyester fabrics and vinyl window shades emit vapours or ‘outgas’ even further when warmed by the sun. Options include aluminium or wood mini-blinds, or natural –fibre curtains, draperies or blinds.

Make  it a habit to clean all the rooms atleast once a month with a vacuum cleaner. And if you have wall-to-wall carpet, you should clean every week end.

Stains on the inside lining of a freezer can be removed with water and some soda

bicarbonate.

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Interiors –It’s a matter of taste

Just as how you look at things, similarly there’s more to doing up the interiors of your house than picking up expensive pieces of furniture and buying exorbitantly—priced artifacts. The most import thing is to strike the right balance. Good interior is like good taste .

Some decoration tips to strike the right balance:

Don’t be afraid to mix textures, styles and colour in the living room

Make sure that there is a variation in your seating heights

You can easily bring colour to a room by just adding colourful cushions.

Indirect lightning creates the best atmosphere, so add more lampshades.

Don’t try painting effects in the whole house.

Bright colours for upholstery and drapes are in vogue this season. Lemon yellows, deep reds and flaming oranges are in vogue. Fabrics in voile for the drapes and cotton for the sofas are being picked up. 

To create an illusion of space in a dark room, go in for colours that are bright and not light. If you have a lively base colour, the room displays warmth.

Plants placed anywhere in the house generate good energy. However, if you can find place for them in the Eastern sector to South-Eastern sectors of your home or office, it will activate positive energies to enhance good health and prosperity. Avoid plants with thorns, you do not want negative energy to be circulating around you. The colour red is symbolic of happiness, so get red flowers to activate joy in your life.

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Baby Care -- Cleaning Tips for Families raising Babies
It is very important to clean the kitchen corners which are always clogged with cobwebs and dust. Do not use soap and water for cleaning cobwebs, dust and mildew. Use a disinfectant cleaner, which has the right amount of sodium hupochlorite and detergent. It destroys all the germs when used undiluted and keeps the surface spic and span.

Babies have the habit of putting all that they find on the floor, into their mouth. Clean the floor, with a disinfectant diluted in half-a-bucket of water. Bear in mind that a surface that appears clean may not necessarily be clean.

To clean kitchen flooring, put two teaspoons of soda bi-carb on a wet sponge, rub on the floor and wash after a few minutes.

Keep the doors, floors, walls, corridors, kitchen areas, cribs, play areas and baby cots clean.

Walls generally face the problem of ants, termites and insects --- all of which are harmful for a child. To avoid infection, ensure that the walls are clean.

Do not overlook edges, corners and the area underneath television sets, beds and drawers.

Make sure the tools you clean with are dirt-free. Clean the tools with the same disinfectant used for cleaning surfaces. It makes a big difference if the instruments you use to clean the house are clean themselves. 

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How to make an indoor rock garden

Materials required

• Container – could be anywhere above feet long, depending on the size of the rock garden you want to plant.

• Pieces of pottery to cover the drainage hole

• Potting soil

• Plants

• Rocks

(All these material will be available at a nursery)

Method

Place broken pieces of pottery in the bottom of the container to prevent soil from washing out.

Fill half of the container with a potting soil.

Select rock with interesting textures and shapes, and experiment with their placement until you like the look of the container. Place the tallest rock toward the back of the container.

Place taller plants towards the back of the pot, gently loosening their root balls before planting. After planting, water well.

When selected rocks, always choose shapes and sizes that are proportionate to the surrounding plants and that suit the general size of the area it is being kept in. Look for colours, shapes and textures that suit your own personal taste.

Position the plants around the rocks, placing some on the outside and some in the spaces between the rock. Once you’ve determined where each plant works best, plant it in the soil.

Allow trailing stems of plants like lichens to lie across a natural look

Water the plants thoroughly once they’re final place.  

Gardening tips

* During rainy season even flowering plants should be watered less.

* Creepers should be pruned and shaped so that they do not grow wildly.

* Keep a plastic tray beneath the pot as the excess water will collect in the 

tray and keep nourishing the 

Plant even if you do not water it for some days.

* Indoor ornamental plants need to be watered only once in 3 days.

* Plants should be watered only when they are completely dried out.

* Fertilizers like Top Rose or Green Gold should be used once after planting 

the sapling or seed and then 

maybe every month, but not  frequently.

* If  the plant is infested with pests than take it out and spray it with insecticide. 

If the plant is completely infested

 Then it is better to do away with it.

* Select only those foliage plants, which appear to be insect and disease free. 

Select plants that look sturdy’ clean

 Well-potted, shapely, and well-covered with leaves.

* Choose plants with healthy foliage.

* Plants that have new flowers and leaf buds alongwith young growth are usually 

of superior quality.

* Remember to purchase a plant that requires the same environmental conditions 

your residence has to offer.

* Light, water, temperature, humidity, ventilation, fertilization, and soil are chief factors 

affecting plant growth,

* And if any one of these factors is in incorrect proportion, it will prevent proper 

plant growth indoors.

* Houseplants, especially flowering varieties, are very sensitive to drafts or heat from 

registers. They are sensitive

 to natural or blended gas.

* The intensity of light a plant receives indoors depends upon the nearness of the

 light source to the plant.

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How to Give a Victorian Look to the House

Victorian era was the period of abundance. In order to achieve a Victorian style try different combinations of decorative items. Here are a few tips to help you achieve it at less cost.

Stain glass is an integral part of the Victorian style. It is very expensive to have stained glass windows or doors that are custom-made. So stain them with permanent stain glass colours. For more flexibility you could get designs made on separate glass pieces and attach them to a window or a door.

The preferred colour-scheme of this period was a combination of dark shades. Dark and rich colours were used for all the important rooms. For better illumination, keep only one or two walls in dark colours and paint the rest of the room in a lighter shade.

Wallpapers were used in abundance. Fruit, floral-designed wallpapers and tapestry papers can be used to get this effect. If you are good at stenciling, then try stenciling an original design of that period.

Victorians always admired Renaissance thing and reproduced all types of hardware. Try using doorknobs, drawer pulls etc

All the woodwork was in dark colour. This effect is very easy to get. Just paint the woodwork with dark polish or stain it in a darker shade. There are numerous shades available in the market.

The Victorian furniture is heavily upholstered. Seasonal variations can be achieved by slip covering the furniture.

Use fabric everywhere, for upholstery, curtains, valences and windows. You can also use fabric as wall covering in place of a wallpaper. Use starch to paste the fabric on the wall. This makes it easy to replace the fabric when it gets dull and old. Just wet the wall and the fabric comes out. Then you can  wipe the wall clean.

To achieve a quick and temporary Victorian look, decorate dining table with lots of flowers, candles and trays with fruits in them. Cover the furniture with rugs or oriental shawls.  

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TECHNOLOGY FOR YOUR COMFORT

Safe and Secure

The Godrej & Boyce securities equipment division has introduced the ‘Eagle Electronic Burglar and Fire Alarm System’, which uses microprocessor technology programmed to provide a high level of safety. The system comprises of an intelligent 3 zone tamperproof main control panel with a range of detectors and sensors including a magnetic door sensor, vibration sensors, glasses break sensor, panic switch and smoke detectors. It is available in two colours, netural and off white in a price ranging from Rs 6,500 to 10,000.

Cool Kitchens

Doorwin Enterprises at Mahim have introduced water proff and termite proof modular kitchens and furniture for long-lasting use. These custom-made kitchens are also easy to assemble on site and come with a variety of appliances and accessories to suit individual requirements. Convenient and functional, they are ideal for those who want to optimize the space usage in their home. Doorwin Kitchens have a price range between Rs. 30,000 to Rs 2,00,000

Reach Up

The Bathla range of ladders are ideal for hard to reach spots like the tops of ceiling fans, chandeliers, cupboards, etc. Made from aluminium alloy, they are strong, yet lightweight. These ladders are  sleek and can be  folded away for easy storage when not required. They come with safety fetures like knee guards, self-locking systems, non-skid PVC shoes and non-slip ribbed steps. The range also has features like hand rails for extra support, oval tubes for greater strength and knee guards.

Roll it out

Birla TransAsia Carpets Ltd. presents the Bohemia range of carpets and works of art by JehangirJani, which are being displayed exclusively at Yantra, the lifestyle store. In an attempt to incorporate  art into the carpet industry, the artist has looked into the various generes of carpet making and attempted to understand the language of the carpet as a canvas. The Bohemia range has been fashioned from the finest quality of New Zealand wool and a four per cent blend of nylon. The range comprises various  designs including a canvas type medallion originated from woven quchan northeast Iran; the missing link, inspired by the motif in Kilim and Greta, inspired by the  Quashaai tribals. Biria Trans Asia Carpets has also launched a new synthetic range of both cut-pile and loop-pile carpets known as Renaissance and Astral.

Play it safe

Waterwise systems has launched “Drinksafe’ a water purifier with international U.V. technology. The purifier also has an easy-to-clean polypropylene filter bag, a carbon candle to filter out impurities and a special chamber to remove odour and micro-organisms. Easy to maintain, it has a dual coloured optical indicator and a flow rate of one litre per minute.

Your Masseur

Sanyo Electric of Japan has come out with a chair that not only mechanically massages your back and shoulders but selects the areas which suffer the most stiffness and tension and need the most massage. Users place their thumb and forefinger in a sensor that detects changes in perspiration, plus and skin temperature when the mechanical masseur reaches sensitive areas of the body. This enables the mechanical masseur to measure degrees of stress. The sensors could also be used to adjust air conditioning for instance. All that you need to do is to put your finger on the wall concealing these sensors.

Netizen’s Door Bell

Roke Manor Research, UK, is planning to use the Net to turn your calling bell into an answering service. When there’s a visitor at your door, while you’re away, a loudspeaker tells him to leave his message while a video camera records them. A personal computer or WAP cell phone downloads the video message to the homepage of your site. You can then pick up your message by logging on to your homepage. And if you are online at the time of the call, you can even talk back to your visitor in real time

Designer Sets

World  At Home, the sister concern of Amardeep seating system, has launched a range of designer Indian and imported furniture, including chairs, sofas, dining table sets, as well as Malaysian and Indian bedroom furniture. There is a wide variety of looks and materials to choose from. The designer chairs  range from Rs. 1,500 to Rs.4,000, sofa sets from Rs.25,000 to Rs. 60,000, and dining tables from  Rs. 7,000 to Rs. 25,000. There is also a range of stainless steel accessories and wooden articles to match the furniture. Its Design Studio at Daman is in the process of developing innovatively designed school furniture as well. The company uses imported glass and teakwood with veneer finishing for dining tables. The bedroom sets are made out of the new technology of post-forming of laminates, according to a company representative. Post-formed furniture is said to be user-friendly, attractive and long-lasting, while imparting a contemporary touch.

Furnished Homes

Neelam Gulati presents her range of home furnishing under the label Ultra Marine. All the furnishings are made of 100 per cent virgin cotton and a wide range of bright and vibrant colours are used. The designs vary from solid colours to intricately worked checks, giving a contemporary look. The products include curtains, divan covers, cushions, bolsters, tablecloth, placemats, napkins breadbaskets, eggcups, napkin rings, candle stands, potholders, mittens,  and bedcovers, amongst others. Prices range  anywhere between Rs. 50 for a candle stand to Rs. 1,500 for a double bedcover.

Vinita Kumar, Sonal Merchant and Manisha Shah present the Mode range of furniture, at Hacienda, Fort. This range of contemporary furniture comes in simple designs – “that are often the most difficult to find” – with clean-cut forms, clear lines and simplicity with a modern sensibility. In addition to the ready-made pieces, Mode also offers an entire range of customized home furniture, designed to meet the specific needs of individual homes. The first line of furniture is designed to add a stylish final touch to all living areas in a wenge and walnut finish, according to the Mode team.  

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Easy to Use Feng Shui – By Lillian Too

Price: Rs 1,199

Feng Shui expert Lillian Too introduces 168 of her favourite tips for success. She makes Feng Shui easy for beginners. The book provides expert advice with beautiful photo illustrations. The read is interesting and the recommendations are easy to follow. Too provides solutions to problems per training to every area of our lives – from home and relationship to one’s image, well-being and career.

Too’s personal tips include practical advice on using crystal to attract romance and simple steps to running a successful business and gaining control of your working life. This beautifully illustrated guide provides all the information you need to enhance your personal surroundings and enjoy great health, wealth and happiness.  

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Shopping Guide

How to buy a Microwave
Over the last few decades microwaves have become increasingly prevalent in many family’s cooking habits. This is because all the energy goes into heating the food and isn’t wasted on heating the surrounding air or the oven itself. If you are planning to buy one, you are sure to have several questions on your mind.

Types
There are three basic types available in the Indian market :

1.  Standard
These microwaves can be used for all sorts of everyday tasks such as defrosting, reheating and general cooking.

2.  Microwave with grill
These are microwaves with a grilling option which allows you to brown and crisp food after you’ve cooked it.

3.  Combination
These are normal ovens, which heat with microwave and also by convection.The convection process makes the food brown and crisp.

Costs
DON’T BUY CHEAP. Really check around before making your selection. Microwave prices range from around Rs.6000/- to well over Rs.25,000/-. Capacity of less than 20 litres would suit a family of 2-3 which would cost you around Rs.15,000/- or may be less. Families of 4 or more people should opt for microwave with capacity of 20-25 litres or more which may cost somewhere between Rs.10,000/- to Rs.20,000/-.

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How to buy an Air Conditioner
Well this is not really advice in the sense of advice but I hope I will be able to give you a few important points to keep in mind while buying an A.C.

An important term while considering an air conditioner is the tonnage. It literally means the amount of energy required to convert 1 ton of water into 1 ton of ice.

Some basic points :
The size of the room – the bigger the room, the larger the tonnage. For an average room at home or office (example with an area of 8-9 metre square) 1.5 tonnes is sufficient.

The height of the window of A.C. -  if the window is very high up then you will need larger A.C.

If the room is closed easily, a small tonnage will do.

The flooring / ceiling of room also matters.

If the room is not furnished much, lighter A.C. can be employed since with that too the circulation of air will be good.

If the room is in north or south facing, it does not get direct sun and so smaller tonnage will do.

Ask your friends and relatives about their experiences. Personal experience tells more than glossy advertising.

Last but not the least never cringe or forget to have a good stabilizer with you’re A.C. – it may seem like an extra expense at that time but please remember without it the performance of your air conditioner will deteriorate and costly parts may get burnt.

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How to buy a Television
When buying a new TV you need to consider most importantly the screen types and size, picture quality and audio capability.Besides these important factors take a good look at the remote control. And other features such as the number of connectors and the channel selection the set offers you.

Direct-View Television
Standard : The Standard TV screen is curved. This picture tube is the conventional type, without any special modifications to it.

Full Flat Square Tube : The screen is significantly flattened, reducing picture distortion and glare, along with brighter colours and deeper blacks.The screen is flatter and provides a more theatre-like experience.

Flat Tube : The screen is completely flat with no visible curves or bends at the corners or edges. They greatly reduce room-light reflection, maximize and brighten contrast and colours, and have a wide viewing angle. There are no distortions present in the pictures.

Project Television
These are real theatre like experience within the ambience of your home. Obviously, they are also some of the most expensive TV’s.

Projection sets are the really large screen sets, offering sizes from about 46 to 120 inches (and more-provided you have the room and the income).They are available in two kinds : front and rear projection.

Rear Projection : They offer big, bright pictures that can be viewed from just about any angle.

Home Theatre

Home theatres are as coveted by the elite as say a Mercedes Benz. “Many of the larger homes in the suburb are now including home theatres with state-of-the-art equipment and theatre-style seating in their interior plans”, says interior designer Deepak Malhotra. The home theatre system allows you to watch movies precisely the way the director intended it to look and sound. 

What you can buy

Bose Lifestyle 28 DVD Home Theatre System

 Features: It has five tiny speaker arrays, a hideaway bass module, a conventional large-screen TV, a surround-sound audio component with six speakers, a dolby digital receiver and a DVD player.

Price: Rs 85,000 upwards 

Sony Home Theatre System

Features: It comes with five mandatory speakers, a 29 inch television screen and the latest DVD player.

Price: Rs 38,000 onwards

AIWA DVD Home Theatres

Features: Dolby surround 5 speakers and with three DVD / VCD / CD changer and recording.

Price: Rs 34,990 

Marantz SR-7200

Features: It has a 32-inch screen, two main front speakers, centre speaker and two surround speakers and sub-woofers.

Price: Rs 45,000 onwards 

Frequently asked questions

What is home theatre?

Home theatre makes possible thrilling multi-channel surround sound, which was previously reserved only for movie theatres. “Multichannel sound consists of four sound channels as compared to regular systems that have two sound channels,” explains Asish Ranade, a tech-freak who works as a sound engineer with Sony, which is a leading manufacturer of home theatre systems.

“Two channels are sent to the left and right front speakers, providing sound that moves with the action. One channel is sent to a centre speaker, enabling the main dialogue and on-screen effects to be projected from the centre speaker,” he adds.

Another one channel is sent to a pair of surround speakers that are usually mounted high on the back walls. This sound channel is responsible for ambient sounds and special effects e.g., street noise or the background ‘buzz’. The interaction of these four elements of sound result in the same kind of ‘live’ sound”, says Ranade.

How many speakers does a home theatre system need?

“In order to achieve true surround sound like that experienced in movie theatres, you need at least five speakers in your home theatre setup,” says Ranade.

Can I get superior digital home theatre surround sound?

If you are looking to make do with a basic stereo home theatre system, connect your television to your current stereo. But if you are looking for the utmost in home entertainment, buy a DVD.