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-------------------------------------------------------------- This story was printed from CNET Asia. --------------------------------------------------------------
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Euro 2004 fever: Ole! Ole! Ole!
By Farihan Bahrin
11/06/2004 URL: http://asia.cnet.com/digitalliving/tips/0,3800004921,39183036,00.htm
After the FIFA World Cup, the European Soccer Championship--which occurs once in every four years--is undisputably the second-largest and most popular international soccer event. All the big names in soccer will be in town to compete: Zidane, Beckham, van Nistlerooy, Henry, et al. As such, it represents a major sporting attraction for the hordes of regional soccer fans--Singaporeans included. But while some of you may be lucky enough to earn a once-in-a-lifetime trip to watch it live in Portugal, for the rest of us poor sods, the Euro 2004 tournament will be strictly an indoor-in-front-of-TV-type affair. Not that watching from home is disadvantageous: For one, you don't have to worry about accommodation and food. Plus you can always invite your buddies to a night over for some real, rowdy ruckus. And for big-spending homestayers and soccer fans, here're also some stuff you can indulge in to make your Euro 2004 experience a truly memorable one. Visual pleasure There's no better way to enjoy soccer action than to watch it on a big, clear screen. So it's out with that aging 29-inch CRT and in with 34- and 40-inch plasmas and rear projection TVs. For the record Use DVD recorders, streaming servers and Media Center PCs to capture those Euro 2004 magic moments digitally. Other creature comforts Inviting soccer buddies to your humble abode for a Euro sleepover is a smashing idea but before you do so you might want to cater to some basic amenities.
Visual pleasure
When you want to go big, nothing beats a rear projector, at least not for the price. These giant sets deliver the most screen estate for your buck, and some offer cutting-edge technology such as LCD engines. A few models offer widescreen, too, for that great cinematic picture, and our list includes slim 42-inch sets all the way up to 65-inch behemoths. Soccer was made for big screens, and a rear projector is a great way to enjoy it. With prices of projection TV falling, investing in one of these gargantuan boxes makes absolute sense for any quality-conscious soccer fan. After all, 40 inches of hardcore visual real estate will easily impress friends and neighbors, not to mention leave your eyes glued to the set for the whole 90-minute duration of the England-France match. Take a look at Samsung's SP-43T8HF projection TV. This set is perfect for the bleeding-edge TV shopper who doesn't have S$20,000 for a similarly sized plasma. The SP-43T8HF comes equipped with a 42-inch screen, computer-friendly input bays, Dolby Pro-Logic speakers and sports a slim form factor. Sure, it costs about twice as much as a comparable CRT-based set, but inch for inch, it's still much less expensive than a plasma and in performance it's a step ahead of other CRT replacements. Plasma screen
A prime example is Panasonic's least expensive consumer 42-inch model, the TH-42PA20. Sure, at US$4,499, it costs far more than the model it replaces (the excellent PT-42PD3-P), but the payoff is a bigger input selection, picture-in-picture and a built-in tuner. Those mainstream features may not justify the high price of admission to everyone, so Panasonic also offers a stripped-down version, the TH-42PWD6UY, for a good deal less. No matter which of the two you choose, you'll receive a nearly tube-quality picture in a slim, swanky package. LCD TV
The Sharp LC30HV4 is one of the most impressive LCD panels we've seen to date, with performance in key areas such as black level and video processing. At 30 inches diagonally, this widescreen set doesn't really qualify as a home-theater display, but for bedrooms, dens, and those unusual living rooms where a TV isn't the centerpiece, it will serve nicely.
For the record
Immortalize those golden Euro 2004 moments with some digital magic. We're talking about DVD recorders. These set-top devices can do everything your old, tape-based machine can, and the resulting discs are smaller, more durable, and much cooler than bulky cassettes. Our list includes our favorite recorders, from entry-level to high-end, from DVD-R to DVD+R to DVD-RAM. Other pluses: They can transfer your old VHS soccer footage, home videos, and TV shows to DVDs that play back in just about any DVD player. Get ready to toss that VCR into the trash. Sitting atop Panasonic's four-product pyramid of 2003 DVD recorders, the DMR-E100H has more features than a lot full of Lexuses. Its 120GB hard disk drive (HDD), currently the largest available in a self-contained deck, can store up to 160 hours of video and be used for basic editing. You can transfer programs from HDD to DVD and even to any type of memory card. All this flexibility and power creates a tough learning curve, however, so people with little patience for user manuals and technical details should steer clear of the E100H. But everyone else in the market for a high-end DVD recorder will find plenty to like. Media Center PCs
HP's first-ever Media Center PC is an all-in-one digital entertainment hub that's designed for small apartments and cramped boarding rooms. Besides handling digital photo, music and movie features already available with the current Windows XP operating system, the new PC also serves as a TV tuner and digital video recorder (DVRs) for copying TV shows to the computer's hard drive. Streaming media servers
This slick box of tricks is Pinnacle's first foray into consumer AV electronics. The ShowCenter is a super-slim media streaming server that--like other devices of its ilk--lets you share audio, video, and photo slide shows over a home network--MP3 and WMA audio, and MPEG-1/2/4, DivX and XviD video are just some of the popular downloadable formats supported by this multimedia decathlete. Factor in digital image slideshows and Internet browsing and you've a one-box home entertainment solution. The latest firmware (version 1.51) upgrades this neo entertainment device into a video recording server, too, giving you the luxury of saving those Euro 2004 matches to your computer's hard drive.
Other creature comforts
If you're inviting your soccer buddies for a Euro 2004 sleepover, then you'd better make sure they have something to sleep on. Unless you happen to own a portable bed, lugging your king-sized bed from the master bedroom is out of the question. Fortunately, you can get around this slight problem by utilizing other common household stuff. Foam pads are cheap, accomodates easily on the living room floor and their extendability means you can increase their surface length to suit the size of your sleepover population. Ditto for portable airbeds, though these are slightly more expensive than pads. Finally, consider getting inflatable travel pillows or bean bags to provide sufficient headrest for your soccer manic guests. On the other hand, tiredness and fatigue are every football fan's worst enemy, more so when that crucial must-see qualifying match is being played at 2am. Now, if you're watching the European 2004 Championship solo, you could splurge extra dough on a really smart and comfortable massage chair to relieve you of some of that sleepiness. The OSIM iSymphonic AV is expensive but that's because it's also equipped with a multimedia controller plus a wide range of manual massage courses, allowing you to select the most desirable personal massage programs for your body. Activate the massaging function and you can enjoy a relaxing and theurapathic 15 minutes while waiting during the half-time break, and return for the second-half rejuvenated and--perhaps--less sleepy. Cooling and conditioning
Installing an air purifier/refreshener ahead of time is a pretty good idea as well. Having half a dozen sweaty bodies in one room can really stink up your living room--and it's worse after all that beer and snacks. There's plenty of models to choose from in the market and they are not all that expensive. One example is the Sharp FU-21SE-S purifier. It not only gets rid of harmful bacteria and viruses but odor-causing molecules, too, leaving your living room smelling as fresh as morning dew. OK, so maybe not, but it's quite effective nevertheless at limiting the spread of unsavory smells. Food and beverage
Disclaimer: Although CNETAsia doesn't promote excessive alcohol consumption, a quick beer party before every big match helps raises everyone's spirit by a notch. But heed these words of caution: Ensure that you're of a legal age before you go consuming alcholic beverages or you could end up in serious trouble with the law. With the Euro tournament just a short four weeks, getting thrown in the brig is the last thing an avid soccer fan needs. And as always, when you drink, don't drive! Dress code
Official soccer jerseys can cost a pretty penny, especially if you order them from overseas. We've seen them retail online for as much as US$55! True blue soccer fans may wear their hearts on their sleeves but if you can't afford the original kit, there's no shame in getting an el cheapo imitation shirt for S$15 from the local sweatshop.
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