Supercharge your HDTV with LoungeV

Sometimes it’s a shame to leave your beautiful, flat screen television turned off.

Today’s HDTV sets deliver rich images that can transform an otherwise staid room into the most exciting space in your house. But it might be rude to power up “Dances with Wolves” or “Dr. Zhivago” just for their sumptuous visuals during a dinner party or social gathering. Sad to say, but not every guest will be as enamored with movies as you are.

That’s where LoungeV comes in.

The company, which opened for business earlier this year, offers HD nature videos that can be shown on your flat-screen televisions that won’t distract from the banter. In fact, it might spark a conversation or two.

The video options range from soothing waterfalls to underwater vistas that make you feel like you’re a thousand miles away from home.

It’s like the classic “Yule Log” presentation from my childhood, the fixed image of a burning fireplace shown on television around the holidays meant to inspire Christmas cheer. But these videos offer much more than merely a smoldering branch and seasonal tunes.

Some of the current LoungeV options include the “Coral Lounge” and “Pacifier,” the latter an expanse of greenery which grows more intensely colorful as the sun sweeps over it.

“In the past, people relied on a fish tank filled with exotic species for a relaxing ambience,” says LoungeV founder Dmitry Sergeev. “With the videos on our site, you feel as if you’re on a mini-vacation.”

Think of all the money saved on fish food.

The videos are produced in 1080i full HD format with 5.1 Dolby surround sound using advanced technology and knowledge of digital image capture. They come in both short film clips – 35-40 minutes in length – and longer editions. The company’s collection features both free content and videos which can be purchased for $7. For the technically challenged, the LoungeV site offers instructions on how to burn the videos to any Blu-ray or DVD disk. The files are around 3.5G in size per each 30-minute film.

The company plans to sell three-hour films on Blu-ray in the coming months.

The clips in question feature a static perspective that lets nature do all the work. Viewers aren’t distracted by fancy zooms or other slick camera movements. It’s as calming as a still photograph, but with a dynamism still pictures cannot match.

LoungeV’s videos can also be used to enhance office space, waiting rooms and other public areas, but home theater owners might see them as the best excuse to fire up the flat screen during non-movie times.

The 5.1 Dolby surround sound is captured on location, giving the footage a documentary-style feel. The folks at LoungeV do some minor tweaking to the footage to make sure the finished product is a smooth and comforting presentation.

The films come in both MP4 format and a Blu-ray folder structure depending on one’s needs. You can also sample the company’s videos on a smart phone, but you may long for the immersive experience of your flat screen soon enough.

The LoungeV site experiences between 80 to 100 downloads each day, with the free “Japanese Garden” video drawing the most interest.

Sergeev says the company prefers not to disclose the locations where the videos are shot “for fear of extensive tourism to virgin places.” But he does recall a close encounter while shooting an underwater video.

“I was scared to death as I had a very silent four-foot long visitor who approached me from the back,” he says. “I was wondering why coral fishes slowly left the place. I dropped the equipment attached to the ocean floor and couldn’t come back for some time wondering how the footage would come out from the stomach of this predator. It was a huge Barracuda.”

This film critic has been scolded in the past by the Missus for noting that a particular vacation view reminds me of something I might see on our flat screen TV back home. Does everything have to relate back to our home theater, she says.

With LoungeV videos, I feel a little less guilty for those observations.

LoungeV is sponsored by www.modernights.com

(Photo: Top – Scenes from a Japanese Garden can transform an ordinary HDTV into a peek into a faraway land thanks to LoungeV. Bottom – A soothing river scene is one of several image options the company provides. Stills supplied by LoungeV)

Related posts:

1. The current state of HDTV