Podcasts about avrs

Episode Summary: On the latest edition of HTNR, we've got a packed show full of spicy industry news to dig into — including headlines from Netflix, Samsung, JVC, Kaleidescape, JBL, and a potentially game-changing tech announcement out of China. Plus, we pull back the curtain with a bona fide insider who explains why most AVRs and processors with HDMI 2.1 top out at 40 Gbps — well short of the full spec.We've also have a full rundown of key industry news stories, disc talk (including a 4K concert review by Bob Rapport). some cool leads you'll want to check out, and a deep dive into the moment that launched commercial movie theaters as we know them.This episode of HTNR is sponsored by SVS: Visit them at: https://fave.co/4bCbL9rThis episode is also sponsored by madVR Labs: Visit them at https://madvrenvy.com/Join our home theater community at AVNirvana.com. Build relationships with other Home Theater Enthusiasts and talk shop about speakers, processors, projectors, TVs, and more. We look forward to having you join our community!*DISC DEALS on AMAZON* -Skyscraper BD - $6.49 https://amzn.to/3GirezQ-San Andreas BD - $9.69 https://amzn.to/3GkLgto-Rampage BD - $699 https://amzn.to/42UApz9*Gear Deal of the Week*- THX HDMI Interconnects by Pixelgen 15% off: https://www.pixelgendesign.com/home00:01 Intro01:10 Show Sponsor: madVR01:53 Show Sponsor: SVS03:24 Time Machine Segment: April 14, 189405:38 First copyrighted film06:16 Begin Lightning News Round: JBL SDP-80 Processor08:00 Samsung QD-OLED S95F, The Frame Pro09:11 Netflix, HDR10+, Samsung, Philips10:20 Kaleidescape, Australia, kOS upgrade12:21 JVC NZ500, NZ70014:05 Magentar, Oasys Residential Technology Group14:13 End Lighting Round: Passing of Han Jong Hee15:14 Headline News Story: HDMI/GPMI22:11 Check in with Michael Scott Disc Reviews23:19 New to Disc this Week24:54 Kaleidescape Content Update25:54 Disc Sales Numbers26:40 Disc Charts28:03 Movie/TV Stream Charts28:41 Disc and Gear Deals*Forum Links*-For the latest disc reviews, go to: https://www.avnirvana.com/forums/blu-ray-media-reviews.12/-For the latest news, including stories covered in this episode:https://www.avnirvana.com/forums/av-industry-news.6/*PODCAST LINKS*-Subscribe to the podcast on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2XZc1WVL7gGazxGLiURw0ESubscribe to the podcast on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/av-nirvanas-home-theater-news-review-htnr/id1715862636Keywords: home theater HDR Dolby Vision HDR10+ SVS subwoofer madVR Envy Kaleidescape Strato AVR HDMI HDMI 2.1 48Gbps HDMI JVC projector NZ700 projector NZ500 projector INXS Live Baby Live 4K Blu-ray Tombstone 4K Bob Rapoport Kinetoscope Edison film Fred Ott sneeze Samsung S95F QD-OLED TV Netflix HDR10+ Magnetar UDP800 Magnetar UDP9000 THX HDMI cable Pixelgen HDMI SVS PB5000 SVS SB5000 Ultra Evolution speakers Criterion Collection Jean de Florette Manon of the Spring Sneakers 4K The Hunt 4K Shout Factory Kino Lorber Strato M player Terra Prime server madvrenvy S95F review Samsung Frame Pro 8K Association DisplayPort 2.1 GPMI connector Hisense GPMI Skyworth GPMI Trinnov EQ JBL SDP-80 Roon Ready processor Auro 3D support DTS X Pro Dolby Atmos AVR Apple TV 4K Blu-ray deal Disc reviews HDMI cable test SVSound Pixelgen sale THX certified HDMI subwoofer review home cinema gear projector deal media room setup streaming vs disc HDMI 2.2 GPMI vs HDMI audiophile system JVC laser projector BLU-Escent engine home cinema setup HTNR podcast AV Nirvana forum 4K disc release audio calibration speaker deal 4K HDR concert best subwoofer 2025 HDR calibration video wall processor HDMI 40Gbps UHD disc sale Dolby Vision 4K HDR tone mapping audio review SDP-80 processor SVS speaker review AV forum news Kaleidescape firmware audio gear deals Apple Podcasts HTNR Spotify podcast AV YouTube home theater movie history trivia

Nick Kennedy, Atari Morse Code Keyer   I was adding a batch of ham radio newsletters to the Internet Archive's Digital Library of Amateur Radio And Communications, and I noticed the word "Atari" on one of the pages.   In the September 2019 issue of Solid Copy, the newsletter of The CW Operators Club, Nick Kennedy had written: "Few hams who are both CW [morse code] enthusiasts and programmers of microcontrollers have been able to resist trying their hand at a keyer or two. I've done several in the past 30+ years, starting with one for the 6502 in an Atari 800 and on through PICs, AVRs and now...the Arduino."   So I contacted Nick, amateur radio call sign WA5BDU, to find out what his Atari project was all about.   First, a tiny bit of ham radio background: Morse code, that language of dots and dashes, can be sent over the radio waves using a Morse code key. Even if you know nothing about ham radio, I bet you picture a basic Morse code key: when tap the little lever, it makes an electrical connection that makes a sound. That's called a straight key. Avid Morse code enthusiasts may prefer a fancier "paddle" key: with two levers, one for short beeps and one for longer ones. A keyer is a device that is connected between the paddle key and the radio: it allows the sender to control timing of the transmitted signals, and other factors.   Nick's software, WA5BDU Computer Keyer, turned his Atari computer into a keyer. He wired his Morse code paddle and his ham radio to joystick port 2. As he sent a message using his paddle, the Atari interpreted the signal, adjusted it as necessary, displayed the outgoing message on the screen, and sent the signal to the radio. Or, Nick could simply type on the Atari's keyboard to send Morse code messages, skipping the paddle key altogether.   Nick sent me the keyer program and source code — as well as a packet radio terminal program that he wrote, and a tank game written by his brother. Check the show notes for links to all of those.   Our interview took place on January 21, 2023.   Video version of this interview   Keyer software and source code at Internet Archive   Ham Terminal software (with source code) at Internet Archive   Various amateur radio software for for Atari 8-bit   Nick interviewed by the QSO Today podcast in 2015   Nick's keyer article in Solid Copy   Nick's web site   Ad Astra magazine   Pat Kennedy's tank game   Digital Library of Amateur Radio & Communications   Support Kay's interviews on Patreon

Galliford Try Holdings PLC (LSE:GFRD) Finance Director Andrew Duxbury shares insights into the company's half-year results in an interview with Proactive's Stephen Gunnion. Galliford Try, a leading UK construction company, is known for delivering profitable, predictable results, focusing on non-cyclical sectors across the UK like schools, hospitals, prisons, roads, and water treatment works. Duxbury noted that the company reported a strong performance for the half-year ending December 2023, with notable increases in revenue, divisional operating margin, profit before tax, and interim dividends. This growth was attributed to excellent operational execution, people, supply chains, and strong risk management practices. Revenue was up 21% from the previous year, with a 2.5% divisional operating margin, up from 2.3%, and a 33% increase in profit before tax, alongside a 50% rise in earnings per share, resulting in a 33% hike in the interim dividend to four pence per share. Duxbury expressed confidence in the company's future performance, citing eased macroeconomic challenges and a strong order book that provides visibility beyond the election cycle. Growth has been consistent across its building and infrastructure divisions, with significant contract wins including a £3.2 billion affordable housing framework and the acquisition of engineering specialist AVRS, enhancing its water business capabilities. Investors can expect an update on the company's strategy at a capital markets event in May, outlining plans for growth beyond 2026 through to 2030, based on a strong balance sheet and disciplined risk management. Duxbury highlighted the company's momentum, non-cyclical market sectors, robust order book, and committed team as key investment highlights, underscoring Galliford Try's sustainable growth strategy. #GallifordTry #ConstructionIndustry #UKInfrastructure #FinancialResults #SustainableGrowth #InvestmentOpportunity #BuildingSector #InfrastructureDevelopment #EconomicInfrastructure #StrategicUpdate #ProactiveInvestors #invest #investing #investment #investor #stockmarket #stocks #stock #stockmarketnews

One of the most enduring companies serving the custom integration industry is Russound. The New Hampshire-based company has some exciting products for 2024, highlighted by its AVA-Series of mini-AV receivers (AVRs) to expand its audio riches for the CEDIA channel.In the latest edition of the CE Pro Podcast, Russound CEO Charlie Porritt joins to chat about the latest happenings and R&D developments from the audio company.

On this week's show: TJ discovers something magical, Russound announces new mini-AVRs, thieves are jamming Wi-Fi cameras, El Taco matters, Home Assistant joins Z-Wave, project updates, batteries, and a genius pic of the week.

This week's EYE ON NPI is the 'top' pick for the 'top' of the year: our first NPI choice of 2024 is Microchip's MPLAB PICkit 5 in-circuit debugger! (https://www.digikey.com/en/product-highlight/m/microchip-technology/mplab-pickit-5-in-circuit-debugger) This is the latest all-in-one toolkit for programming and debugging any chip available from Microchip, and believe us when we say there's a lot of chips available with different program/debug systems that need supporting! MCP purchased Atmel in 2016 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atmel#Acquisition_by_Microchip_Technology) and since then has been slowly integrating Atmel chips such as AVR/SAM/ATtiny/ATmega into the MCP toolchains and workflows. For that reason, the PICkit is powered by a advanced 300MHz ATSAME70 chip, which provides ICSP, MIPS EJTAG, SWD, AVR JTAG, AVR UPDI & PDI, AVR ISP, TPI and debugWire. To do that, there's an 8-pin 0.1" socket connector on the end, you're expected to select the right grouping of pins for whatever chip you're targeting. You can make a custom wire harness, but we think you might be best off also picking up the AC102015 Adapter Kit (https://www.digikey.com/short/tr3bhf52) which comes with every popular cable adapter. OK since we are talking about a PICkit, it's not surprising that all of the PIC microcontrollers are supported - these use an "ICSP" programming method (https://ww1.microchip.com/downloads/en/DeviceDoc/30277d.pdf) with power, ground, two data pins and a VPP high-voltage line for FLASH reprogramming. We still use this interface to program chips like the PIC12 on the pixie 3W LED driver (https://www.adafruit.com/product/2741) This interface is ancient and will program basically every PIC12, PIC16 and beyond - Microchip was thankfully very consistent on this interface. Of course, you probably are also using Cortex-based chips: these use JTAG and SWD (https://developer.arm.com/documentation/101636/latest/Debug-and-Trace/JTAG-SWD-Interface). Those are also supported! Since this is a programmer plug debugger, you can also connect SWO for trace. The same JTAG/SWD interface is used for programming and debug. Supporting AVRs is also included, and for less than the price of the ATMEL ICE (https://www.digikey.com/en/products/detail/microchip-technology/ATATMEL-ICE-BASIC/4753381) you get all the same chips supported. Aaaand there's a lot more required to support the whole AVR family. For example, many small older ATtiny chips, you'll be using TPI (https://ww1.microchip.com/downloads/en/Appnotes/doc8373.pdf) because you only have a couple pins available. On newer ATtiny chips (and maybe even ATmegas) the async-uart-single-wire UPDI interface (https://onlinedocs.microchip.com/pr/GUID-DDB0017E-84E3-4E77-AAE9-7AC4290E5E8B-en-US-4/index.html?GUID-9B349315-2842-4189-B88C-49F4E1055D7F) is becoming more popular, that's available with an optional high-voltage mode which would let you use the UPDI pin as a reset pin as well. Standard ISP is supported for programming those Arduino compatibles you've got in a drawer, and there's also debugWire support! This was a one-wire debugging interface for AVRs that we never got to try out, so maybe now I will be able to! Don't forget you'll want that AC102105 Adapter Kit (https://www.digikey.com/short/tr3bhf52) to make wiring to various dev boards easier. The most interesting new features that we haven't seen on other programmers is the 'Programmer To Go' field-reprogramming capability which allows burning full programming configuration files off of a micro SD card to any target, it can even be powered from the target if needed! Use MPLAB X to create the file that contains all the fuses and data to be transferred. Save to any FAT32 formatted uSD card, then on site you can press the button to re-program the device. The indicator LED strip will give some visual feedback so you know what it's up to. If you want more control over the setup, use the iOS or Android app to pair over Bluetooth, then select which file and also get error reports in readable text. For any development needs you've got with PIC or AVR or SAM chips, the Microchip MPLAB PICkit 5 in-circuit debugger (https://www.digikey.com/short/fznt5mnh) is going to be the best and most-supported tool - being an official Microchip product means you don't have to worry about future chip support or historic chip maintenance. And best of all it is in stock right now at DigiKey for under $100.(https://www.digikey.com/short/fznt5mnh) Add one to your cart and it will ship immediately so you can be PIC'ing, debugWire'ing and UPDI'ing by tomorrow afternoon.

Summary: In this episode, Daniel Newman and Mark Powell discuss various aspects of AV receivers (AVRs) and provide insights into choosing the right one for your needs. They cover topics such as comparing audio technologies, integration with control systems, and additional considerations when selecting an AVR. They emphasize the importance of working with a designer and asking the right questions to make informed decisions. They also caution against relying solely on built-in features like Bluetooth and Wi-Fi for music playback, recommending separate devices for better sound quality. The episode concludes with a reminder to subscribe, comment, and share the podcast. Takeaways When comparing audio technologies, it's important to work with a designer and gather opinions from experts to make informed decisions. Integration with control systems involves considering features like 12 volt triggers, RS232 connections, and network IP control. Built-in features like Bluetooth and Wi-Fi in AV receivers may not offer the best sound quality for music playback, so separate devices may be preferable. Subscribing, commenting, and sharing the podcast helps support its growth and future episodes. If you have questions or want a design for your home or business, reach out at thesoundofdesign.com

The WGA ratified their new 3-year contract. Sony Bravia Core rebrands to Sony Pictures Core and comes to PlayStation, but without Pure Stream. Onkyo, Integra & Pioneer Elite flagship AVRs get optional Dirac Live Bass Control. And Tom reviews a pair of affordable, ribbon headphones. Pictures shown in this episode: https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjAXWLt 00:00:00 – Intro 00:03:58 – […] The post AV Rant #882: Sineaptic SE-1 Wireless Headphones Review appeared first on AV Rant.

Mark and Dan talk about upgrade paths for different kinds of systems, specifically for Stereo: integrated, separates amplification, bi-amping, upgraded speakers, adding subs, adding sources, adding power conditioners and adding outlets, acoustics, sources including computers and audio interfaces. We also talk about Surround sound: AVRs, speakers, subs, separate amplification, TVs doing the shuffle to other rooms, upgrading projectors, adding lighting, adding acoustics, and more.   We talk about white van speakers, we talk about a Korean man who showed honor by giving a stereo, we talk about the long term and specifically time and budget. How to think about audio the right way.   Join us as we get into understanding the strategy of home technology!! This episode is great for those looking at home speakers, those moving into new homes, those remodeling homes or doing a remodel project, here in Nashville, Franklin, Brentwood, Mt Juliet, Hendersonville, Murfreesboro, Antioch, Belle Meade, West Meade, The Gulch, East Nashville, Green Hills, Nolensville, Arrington, and more!!    

Marantz is offering an online exclusive color option for their Cinema 40 & 50 AVRs. Hulu will be added to your Disney+ app by the end of the year, along with a price increase. SignUp Captions is a free browser extension that adds sign language to Disney+ and Netflix titles. And Samsung will start buying […] The post AV Rant #861: Go Out and Listen to Something! appeared first on AV Rant.

HDMI QMS disappoints. JOLED closing down. New Onkyo, Pioneer & Integra flagship AVRs. And what is soundstage anyway? The post AV Rant #855: Defining Soundstage appeared first on AV Rant.

Aktive oder passive Lautsprecher – Was sind die wesentlichen Unterschiede und was bringt es uns im Heimkino? Dieser Frage gehen wir hier im Detail nach. 00:44 Aktiv oder passiv: Was ist der Unterschied? 03:21 Wo machen aktive Lautsprecher Sinn? 08:14 Vorteil: Endstufe und Chassis aufeinander abgestimmt 10:07 Nachteil: Komponenten nicht einzeln austauschbar 11:38 Vorteil: DSP an Bord möglich 12:22 Nachteil: Steckdose benötigt 13:49 Vorteil: Praktisch für AVRs mit zu wenig Endstufen 15:25 Nachteil: Aktivmodul kaputt → Ruhe 17:23 Vorteil: Gut geeignet für schlanke Systeme 21:14 Subwoofer = häufig Aktivlautsprecher 28:29 Hybrid-Lautsprecher (passiv+aktiv) https://www.heimkino-praxis.de/hybrid-lautsprecher/ 31:18 Filmtipp: Fame (1980) – https://amzn.to/3o01ZGB (Affiliate) Fame (2009) – https://amzn.to/3KKjFPY (Affiliate)

This week we help a listener future proof his new AVR purchase and we answer the question, “Where can you watch ATSC 3.0 Content?” We wrap up with the best Non-OLED TV available. We also read your emails and look at the week's news. Future Proofing your new Receiver Install We received an email from Brian who has recently moved and has an opportunity to setup a Home Theater System from scratch. He is in the market for a new receiver and wants to know what are the must have requirements for a receiver so that the receiver does not become obsolete in a year or two. Also, what is not important.  Must Have: HDMI 2.1 Support Includes HDCP - This gives you the most options in the future. While 8K may not be a big deal, there may be some new tech that transmits additional data through the HDMI cable and having the increased bandwidth (48 vs 18 Gbps) may come in handy. 4K HDR Support - This is pretty much a given now and standard on most receivers eARC support - We see a day when TVs will be able to support the set top box format of your choice with a USB style stick. eARC will be required to get the full audio capability  ATMOS, Airplay 2, Chromcast, Network Connectivity, Auto Calibration, Plenty of HDMI Inputs, Two Subwoofer outputs, Network/App Interface - These are all pretty much table stakes now but some budget AVRs may not support some of these features.  Not Required: 8K - while this seems like it should be twice as good as 4K you won't be able to see the difference on a screen less than 120 inches.  200W - More power is not required for most people. Going from 100W to 200W increases max volume by 3dB. 75w to 100W per channel is fine for the typical family/living room.  ATSC 3.0 Deployments ATSC expects 60 markets to launch NextGen TV by mid-2021. Full list here... Best 4K TV that isn't an OLED So you want the best 75 inch TV that money can buy? You check online and see that the LG CX OLED (RTINGS Review) is more or less the consensus choice for best TV available today. Then you realize the best TV that money can buy at $3,300 is $1,500 more than what you have available to spend. Now you're thinking, I want the best TV that $1,900 can buy.  Fortunately, we know of such a TV. It's the new Vizio P-Series Quantum X- H1. They even have an 85” model if you can spare a few hundred dollars more (RTINGS Review 2020 Model). RTINGS.com scores the Quantum X pretty high: From RTINGS.com The Vizio P Series Quantum X 2020 is great for most uses. It gets very bright and handles reflections well, making it a good choice for watching TV shows or sports during the day. It performs incredibly well in dark rooms, as it can produce deep and inky blacks for watching movies or playing video games. It has low input lag, a fast response time, and a high refresh rate to deliver an extremely responsive gaming and desktop experience. Unfortunately, its VA panel has narrow viewing angles, so it isn't the best option for wide seating areas. 8.3 Mixed Usage  8.5 Movies  8.0 TV Shows  7.9 Sports  8.5 Video Games  8.6 HDR Movies  8.5 HDR Gaming  7.9 PC Monitor  For comparison RTINGS.com rates the OLED: 8.8 Mixed Usage  9.3 Movies  8.2 TV Shows  8.6 Sports  9.1 Video Games  8.7 HDR Movies  8.8 HDR Gaming  8.6 PC Monitor   

On today’s show we take a look at Denon’s new X-Series AVRs that are packed full of new features. The new models are the Denon AVR-X6700H ($2499), AVR-X4700H ($1699), AVR-X3700H ($1199), and AVR-X2700H ($849 MSRP).

Power Amplifiers for the Rest of Us As we add more speakers to our home theaters our current AVRs may not have enough amplifiers to drive the system. A solution to this problem is a seperate amplifier. Power amplifiers have minimal functionality beyond driving speakers but they have quite a bit in the way of design to provide a clean signal to get the most out of your speakers. So why go with a seperate amp? There are a few reasons. First is power. Seperate amps typically have more power and can drive low impedance speakers more easily than low to mid range receivers. Of course high end AVRs can do this as well so why not just buy a high end receiver? That brings us to our second reason. More channels. If you want to run a 7.2.4 Atmos system you need 11 amps. Sure there are AVRs that have 11 amplifiers but they really cost a pretty penny. An alternative is buying a mid range AVR that can support an Atmos 7.2.4 system via pre-outs and augment it with and external amp. The last reason we will discuss, although there are a few more, is the quality of the power. Since amplifiers do one thing they can maximize the design for that one thing. AVRs have to do a lot and it all has to packed into an enclosure that is about the same size as a seven channel amplifier. There are plenty of amplifiers and some cost more than our entire home theater! We provide you with a couple “entry” options to consider. Emotiva A-500 $530 Best Bang for the Buck! We start out with a five channel amp from Emotiva. You absolutely can not go wrong with this amp! Ara uses the seven channel version of it in his media room and loves it! You'll want to power your front speakers with this and use the remaining two channels for your surround. Then you can use the amplifiers in your receiver for the remaining channels, Atmos and rear surrounds. If your receiver does not allow you to assign amps to channels then route any channel (probably your Atmos) that does not have an amplifier to this amp and use the AVR to power what's left.    From the Emotiva Website:  The BasX A-500 is a five channel power amplifier that offers true audiophile sound quality at an affordable price. The BasX A-500 includes a carefully chosen set of important features, including a heavy-duty power supply, high-quality Class A/B amplification, transparent audiophile-quality fault protection, a trigger input and output, and industry standard unbalanced audio inputs. Modern manufacturing techniques, and careful design and parts selection, have enabled us to deliver all of this performance and great sound quality in the BasX A-500 at a far lower price than you might imagine. Monolith by Monoprice $1600 Hey it's Monoprice We have always been fans of Monoprice for their high quality cables at low prices. But they are much more than that today selling all kinds of electronics from home theater to home automation. Ara has a pair of their Planar Headphones that sound like headphones costing three times more. We don't have direct experience with this amp but it's five star customer rating and positive review from Audioholics (4½ star) make it something you should really consider for your home theater. From the Monoprice Website: The Monolith 7X is a state-of-the-art, high-performance, audiophile-grade multichannel home theater amplifier. Rated at a full 200 watts per channel into 8 ohms and 300 watts per channel into 4 ohms, the Monolith 7X is capable of driving the most demanding home theater systems and reproducing the most dynamic soundtracks, while also articulating all the subtle sonic details found in music. Supercharge your existing receiver or create the foundation of a no compromise home theater system with the Monolith 7X.

As we add more speakers to our home theaters our current AVRs may not have enough amplifiers to drive the system. A solution to this problem is a seperate amplifier. Power amplifiers have minimal functionality beyond driving speakers but they have quite a bit in the way of design to provide a clean signal to get the most out of your speakers.

On this week’s show we discuss whether the new Ultra Short Throw projectors that Hisense is making are a viable replacement for large format LCD/OLED display. And are AVRs too complicated which accounts for the rise in sound bar sales. Finally we go through a list of the best Smart Plugs for 2019 as decided by CNET.

Are AVRs too complicated? And the Best Smart Plugs for 2019 On this week's show we discuss whether the new Ultra Short Throw projectors that Hisense is making are a viable replacement for large format LCD/OLED display. And are AVRs too complicated which accounts for the rise in sound bar sales. Finally we go through a list of the best Smart Plugs for 2019 as decided by CNET. Weighing Ultra Short Throw (UST) Projection Versus Flat-Panels Longer life, larger screens and the ability to overcome challenging lighting conditions make UST projectors from companies like Hisense a viable solution versus flat-panel TV displays. Are complicated AV receivers responsible for sound bars' booming popularity? Consumers are finding out that after they set up their AVR they find it hard to play music or movies and then when they do figure it out the sound is out of whack. The subwoofer can be too loud, or even stop working. As a result they are turing to sound bars for their easy setup and use. But are they really easier or are people just using them as fancy external speakers? We discuss. Best smart plugs for 2019 Plenty of products for our homes have gotten smart makeovers in recent years. But what about the ones that haven't? That's where smart plugs come in. These nifty gadgets connect your regular old coffee maker, lamp, fan or nearly anything else to your smart home for voice control and automation.   

Thoughts on the State of Home Audio In a recent interview with TWICE Magazine Tom Summer of Yamaha shared some thoughts on the state of home audio. The following are excerpts from that interview. What is Yamaha? - Tom states that Yamaha is the largest musical instrument in the world and that they produce 25% of the musical instruments that are sold world wide. Music and sound are Yamaha's expertise. What is the Heath of the Home Audio Market? - It's healthy overall. Headphones are doing great, although, Yamaha is not a big player in that market. Smart Speakers, Sound Bars, and two channel are doing quite well. AVRs are are so so. It's actually down 3% but four or five years ago the AVR market was considered doomed. Most of the sales were to 40, 50, and 60 year olds replacing gear to support newer technologies. Recently things have started to turn around with buyers in their 20s and 30s entering the market. Yamaha is not totally down on their future. They still have some customers that are not dying off. Who are you selling to now? - The replacement market is a driver. Consumers who wish to use the latest technology like 4K and HDR are needing newer receivers. For younger buyers it's all about an immersive gaming experience. Finally, families still want a great experience when watching Netflix and Blu-rays. What are the Important Features? - Simplicity is key but the most important feature is great immersive sound. However with immersive sound comes dialog that is hard to hear. Yamaha has developed Surround:AI (Artificial Intelligence) to make dialog easier to hear during loud action scenes. The other pain for consumers are the rear speakers. For that they have developed MusicCast Surround which is a wireless solution for the surround speakers. What is the Biggest Market Challenge? - Time for people to sit and enjoy their system. Tom mentions that in Europe it's common for people to go home from work and pour a glass of wine to relax while playing music. In the US it's about squeezing in 30 minutes at lunch to stream the latest episode of a Netflix show. If you are not spending time with your TV then you really don't need a sophisticated system. What is Yamaha's Play in the Smart Home? - Yamaha is all in on Alexa. They have incorporated the technology on quite a few products. The issue they have is when you are playing the music loud Alexa can't always here you. Apparently the solution is more microphones. What is on the Roadmap? -  Building out the MusicCast platform. Further improvements to the Vinyl 500 wireless turntable. Continue to develop two channel products. There has been great growth in the two channel market. It's still small but there seems to be a resurgence in high quality audio.

Mark Kithcart is the Vice President of Marketing, Sales, Client Management and Contracts at AVRS a software service for the automotive industry. Post graduation from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo Mark worked as a mechanical engineer, but he trained himself in the late hours of the night to be a professional marketer. In this interview we discussed topics like: Why customer service is the lifeblood of any business? How to find a mentor? Why marketing comes down to human behavior? Why is it important to marry the right person when you are an entrepreneur?   Contact Mark: Email: MarkKithcart@gmail.com LinkedIn: Mark Kithcart Articles Mentioned: The Complete Guide to Understanding Equity Compensation at Tech Companies

https://blog.adafruit.com/2017/08/01/the-atsamd51-is-here-adafruit-microchipmakes-atsamd51/ Wow some awesome release news from Microchip about a fancy new chip that just dropped. If you know us (and you’re reading this blog so yeah you probably do) you know we just luuuuv the ATSAMD21 – featured in our M0 Feathers, Metro M0 and even the new Gemma M0 we just put in the shop. The ATSAMD21 has always felt to us like the next evolution for fans of the 8-bit AVRs like the ATmega and ATtiny series – with 256 KB of flash, 32 KB of RAM, 48 MHz Cortex M0+ chipset, USB, tons of timers, peripherals, ADC, DAC, up to 6 SPI/I2C/UART devices… using the SAMD21 feels so roomy and comfortable. Adafruit 2132 One of the most fun projects we’ve had over the last year is porting MicroPython to the ATSAMD21 (which we call CircuitPython since the API deviated a bit). Now, MicroPython works just fine on the SAMD21 and you can build many projects quickly, using the built in Python 3 interpretter. And while we absolutely adore it, it’s just a *little bit* sluggish on the ATSAMD21 as its only a Cortex M0 at 48MHz, and doesn’t have any hardware floating point support. And 32KB of RAM is huge for Arduino but CircuitPython can run out of memory if you’re doing a lot. As we started exploring CircuitPython more and more it became clear we could really use an upgrade path. So we asked Microchip “heyyyy so is there like an upgrade to the atsamd21 that’s maybe a cortex m3 or m4, with more RAM and maybe 100 MHz?” and they were all like “maaaybeeee….plz sign this NDA” and we were like “sweet!” and we got a bunch of ATSAMD51 chips and a datasheet! You can check out the no-longer-sekret datasheet here (PDF). The ATSAMD51 is to the ATSAMD21 as it was in turn to the ATMega328. More! Better! Faster! Here are some quick specs: Cortex M4 core running at 120 MHz Hardware DSP and floating point support Up to 1 MByte flash, 192 KB RAM Sizes ranging from 48-QFN to 128-TQFP (the 48 QFN is *nearly* pin compatible with the ATSAMD21 but it isnt 100% drop in compatible) Some neat new peripherals/upgrades: Built in 1.8V buck for lower power uses (needs an external inductor) Dual 1MSPS DAC Dual 1MSPS ADC Parallel capture controller (for camera/video in) Built in crypto engines with AES (256 bit), true RNG, Pubkey controller Ethernet MAC on the SAME5 series QSPI for fast SPI transfers CAN Bus SD/MMC controller “configurable custom logic” – this one is particularly interesting/weird, you get latches and LUT you can link up PDEC – rotary encoder hardware support The speed, and extra space makes it excellent for our next generation of CircuitPython boards, and the price is pretty good too – only about $3 each for the ATSAMD51G19 in reel qty. Considering its the same list price as an ATmega32u4 it’s an easy choice for us! We also like that the pricing is so competitive with other Cortex M4 suppliers, e.g. STM32F405RGT6 is ~$6.50/1K pcs and the similar ATSAMD51J20A is $3.70 (the STM is faster, the SAM has more RAM, it was hard to find a perfect 1:1 comparison) compared to the Kinetis K20 series (famous for being used in the Teensy 3.2) the MK20DX256 has 25% of the Flash size, 25% as much RAM, 60% of the speed, but costs $1-1.25 more. Competition is heating up! Ambahlahdolnogpf Any how, the Atmel ATSAMD51 series looks really awesome to me, and its now public and you can order some chips even from microchip direct. Some chips are in stock now, such as the ATSAMD51N20A-AU, ATSAMD51P19A-AU, others will be shipping in late October. We’ve already started designing a Feather M4 and Metro M4 and we’ve even gotten it going with Arduino core with some tweaks to the current SAMD core. Img 7279 Excited to try out this chip? We don’t have hardware for sale quite yet (and likely won’t until chips are shipping in larger qty in November) but if you have early hardware access for some reason you can check out our forked Arduino SAMD codebase at https://github.com/adafruit/ArduinoCore-samd/tree/samd51 for our latest code – full 120MHz clocking, GPIO, ADC, DAC, I2C/SPI/UART, USB all basically work but there’s a few tweaks and bugfixes still. The BOSSA bootloader working here: https://github.com/adafruit/ArduinoCore-samd/tree/samd51/bootloaders/x1 and the software bootloader tool here: https://github.com/adafruit/BOSSA_x1/tree/arduino We hope to get these all merged into mainline soon, and also a CircuitPython port that can take advantage of the awesome power that can be unleashed! ----------------------------------------- Visit the Adafruit shop online - http://www.adafruit.com Subscribe to Adafruit on YouTube: http://adafru.it/subscribe Join our weekly Show & Tell on G+ Hangouts On Air: http://adafru.it/showtell Watch our latest project videos: http://adafru.it/latest New tutorials on the Adafruit Learning System: http://learn.adafruit.com/ Music by bartlebeats: http://soundcloud.com/bartlebeats -----------------------------------------

Young African American men dying at the hands of white police officers. White police officers gunned down by African American men. Protests in the streets - the rallying cry, "Black Lives Matter"! Opinion polls stating the racial divide in America is growing. With this social unrest as the backdrop, Another View, along with our partners, the Virginia Wesleyan College Center for Religious Studies, and the Fort Monroe Foundation, will launch a new community initiative called "Race: Let's Talk About It".

The second topic in our Race: Let's Talk About It initiative addresses the controversial issue of "white privilege" - defined as "any advantage that is unearned, exclusive and socially conferred"

NuForce AVP-18 Processor and MCA-20 Amplifier We don't need to repeat ourselves, but we will anyways: Home Theater without surround sound isn't really Home Theater at all. It's only half of the experience. Without surround sound, you're just watching moving pictures on the wall. But we've also stated that modern AV receivers are good enough and going the separate processor and amp route is overkill for most people. Today we put that theory to the test.   We caved under continual listener pressure and decided to take a pair of separates from Fremont, CA based NuForce for a test drive. They were nice enough to let us use the AVP-18 all-digital HT preamp/processor (MSRP $1095) paired with their top of the line MCA-20 multi-channel amplifier (MSRP $1995). All-in the setup would run a cool $3090 - a bit higher than we're used to paying for a self-contained home theater receiver. You can buy them online from a couple authorized resellers, but not Amazon, and not at a discount.   Setup Setting up the pair of separates is in some ways a bit more work than a standard AVR, but in other ways actually much simpler. The one extra step is the RCA cables you have to run from the processor to the amp, one per channel. Audiophiles would recommend “high quality” cables for this. In reality you can use just about any RCA cable you have and never hear a difference (more on that later). You can pick up some good, short, RCA interconnect cables at Amazon for only $5.60. Each cable supports two channels, so you only need 4 of them for a 7 channel system. and a subwoofer cable.   Once you get your interconnects plugged in, you simply plug your speakers in to the amplifier like you would any other receiver (don't forget the banana plugs), hook up your HDMI sources and your HDMI output (TV or projector), and you're done. The part that is much simpler is the elimination of all the extra bells and whistles you get on the typical AVR these days. The features you get but never use. All the extra inputs you have to navigate through or figure out how to disable in a menu option somewhere. NuForce is all about the audio.   But the AVP-18 isn't without all the features you'd want to see in a great audio device. It does have an auto room calibration option and includes the mic to make it work. The calibration works like most other AVRs - just plug in the mic and hit go. Once that is done, setup is complete and you're ready to watch movies, listen to music or anything else that delights your ears.   Features AVP-18: Fully HDMI 1.4 compliant Supports the standard audio decoding from Dolby and DTS, and the latest HD audio decoding; including Dolby TrueHD, Dolby Digital Plus, DTS Master, DTS Hi Res, etc. Automated or manual room acoustics/speaker equalization option Eleven programmable, fully parametric equalizers per channel Four HDMI inputs and one HDMI output employing high-speed switching technology Supports HDMI 1080P, YUV, RGB, DVI, HD audio, and 8 CH LPCM 3D video playback compatibility HDMI CEC control, HDMI ARC audio return Video input compatibility: HDMI/DVI, 480P, 576P, 720P50, 720P60, 1080i 50, 1080i 60, 1080P 50, 1080P 60, 1080P 24 Support RS232 control for custom installation Support HD Headphone Surround Sound   Please note that the AVP-18 DOES NOT support USB Audio (as in a USB DAC). The USB connector (B-style) is used for firmware upgrades only. The USB connector that looks like a USB-3 marked 'Bluetooth' is reserved for a future Bluetooth audio option that will soon be available from NuForce.   MCA-20 features and specs: Proprietary high-speed, negative feedback design Very high efficiency PWM circuit topology Power Output: 278W/Ch. X 8 (4 ohm), 150W/Ch. X 8 (8 ohm) Peak Power Output:352W/Ch. X 8 (4 ohm), 187W/Ch. X 8 (8 ohm) Gain:26.5 dB Input Impedance:20k ohm Sensitivity: 0.89 V to rated power Frequency Response:10 Hz - 50kHz   Performance We compared the AVP-18 and MCA-20 combo with a few home theater receivers we had around; a Pioneer VSX-1120-K, a Denon AVR-3806 and an Onkyo TX-SR608. All three of the AVRs would have been significantly less expensive if bought brand new when they were released. The Denon, at $1300, would have been the most expensive but still not quite half the price of the NuForce setup. That said, we still went into the review not expecting to hear much of a difference, if any at all.   And we were wrong. We tried the comparison with Klipsch Reference speakers, HSU Research speakers and even some KEF T-series speakers. In all cases, when paired with high quality audio like we get from a typical Blu-ray disk, the NuForce system sounded better. The striking difference was the clarity of the sound. It almost felt as if we could hear subtle details in a soundtrack that we just weren't picking up before. And at high volume the detail remained crisp and intact. Nothing went muddy or mushy just because we were pushing it harder.   We had the biggest impact with the HSU speakers for some reason, with lesser impact noticed on the Klipsch and KEF speakers. But pairing the NuForce processor and amp with the HSU speakers made us very, very happy. We tried movies, soundtracks, video games, anything we could get our hands on, and loved it.   Conclusion We freely admit that pitting the NuForce AVP-18 and MCA-20 against an 8 year old $1300 Denon wasn't exactly a fair fight. A better comparison would have been with the Denon AVR-4520CI (MSRP $2499) or the Pioneer Elite SC-79 (MSRP $3000). But we didn't have one of those lying around. Likewise we didn't match the NuForce against a $20,000 setup from Krell, McIntosh or Mark Levinson. But what we did find is that there is clearly an audio difference between the $3000 NuForce system and a ~$700-1000 AVR. Whether the difference is enough to get you to fork over the extra money is up to you. But if you were in the price range already, NuForce is a great option.

Trends at this year's CES Show: 4K TVs - Actually we saw a lot of this last year as well. Perhaps Braden's prediction of a 4K TV year may actually come true! OLED TVs - Again, we saw OLED last year too. But this year we saw larger sizes. LG is a big player here. Sound Bars - Now you may be seeing why we decided not to go to CES. Sound Bars are big because the speakers on most modern thin TVs are terrible. But its genius!! This now gives manufacturers an opportunity to sell another piece of gear. Wireless Speakers - Offerings from manufacturers like Sonos and some other companies that you have never heard of before as well made an impact this year. Smart Home/ Home Automation - Nothing new here! Wasn't last year the year of home automation?? Even more manufacturers to get into the automation game this year. Higher Resolution Audio -  This is a new trend and we like seeing it. The only issue is that high quality audio typically comes a high cost. Samsung Samsung showed a 110” UHD TV -  We talked about the 85” model that forced a family to sell one of their daughters into slavery so they could pay the $40K pricetag. It looks like the 110 inch model won't be produced. At least at this time. Its more of a concept TV brought to CES to show what they can do. Will TVs like this ever get down in price to the point where projectors are no longer necessary? They also demonstrated an 85” that is “Bendable”. Turn it on and the edges curve towards you. Turn it off and its flat! Samsung to Unveil Secret Weapon at 2014 International CES - Samsung is reportedly planning to unveil its secret weapon, the V1 Bomb, a high-definition TV called Quantum-dot LED TV (QLED TV) at the 2014 International CES Samsung To Debut Wireless Streaming Speaker, Home Theater System, Portable Stereo And Two TV Soundbars Samsung unveils a new foundation for the smart home LG LG unveiled twelve 4K televisions for 2014 - They introduced the 105-inch 4K 105UC9 that has an aspect ratio of  21:9 and is powered by the webOS Smart TV platform. If you can't find any 4K content for these spiffy new TVs have no fear. LG has developed something called Tru-ULTRA HD Engine Pro.  Its supposed to improve overall Ultra HD picture quality. That along with a new proprietary upscaling chip will make SD and HD content look better on Ultra HD televisions. Well at least according to LG. On the Audio side of things, LG says it worked with Harman Kardon to develop premium audio systems for each TV. But seriously, with TVs like these are you really thinking about not using a receiver?  The remaining lineup: LG UB9800 Series - 4K, WebOS, Tru-Ultra HD Engine Pro, IPS, passive 3D, 65, 79, 84, 98 inches LG UB9500 Series - 4K, WebOS, IPS, passive 3D, 55, 65 inches LG UB8500 Series - 4K, WebOS, IPS, passive 3D, 49, 55 inches LG EC9800 - 4K, WebOS, OLED,  Bendable, 77 inches LG EC9700 - 4K, WebOS, OLED, 55, 65 inches Panasonic TC-AX800U series - 4K, edge-lit local dimming, 65 and 58 inches. The 58 inch is available now. The 65 inch will be available in the spring. TC-55AS680U - 1080p, 240Hz refresh rate TC-AS650U series - 1080p, 3D, 60, 55, and 50. Cool touch pad remote! Available Today TC-60AS660U series - 1080p, Home Theater System Bundle, Touch Pad Remote TC-AS530U series - 1080p, 60, 55, 50, 39 inches Available Now TC-A400U series - 1080p, 50, 39, 32 inches. Available Today - Entry Series ZT80 Plasma 50, 55, 60, and 65 inches. Available in our dreams! Sony All 4K TVs support Netflix 4K Streaming! XBR-X950B series - 4K resolution, direct LED local dimming 85, 65 inches XBR-X900B series - 4K resolution, edge-lit LED local dimming, 79, 65, 55 inches XBR-X850B series - 4K resolution, Triluminous display, 70, 65, 55, 49 inches KDL-W950B series - 1080p resolution, edge-lit LED local dimming, 65, 55 inches KDL-W850B series - 1080p resolution, Wedge design, 70, 60 inches KDL-W800B series - 1080p resolution, 55, 50 inches KDL-60W630B - 1080p resolution, Smart TV, 60 inches KDL-W600B series - 1080p resolution, Smart TV, 48, 40 inches Wireless Speakers SRS-X9 -  2.1 wireless speaker with a bi-amped subwoofer, high-res audio files, Bluetooth, aptX, NFC, Wi-Fi, AirPlay, and DLNA. SRS-X7 - Similar to the X9 but without high-res audio, Wi-Fi, NFC and aptX Bluetooth, Airplay and DLNA support, and compatibility with Music Unlimited, Spotify and TuneIn Radio SRS-X5 - portable, built-in Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and NFC, and can double as a hands free speakerphone when paired with your smartphone. Sharp SHARP delivers the first WISA compliant Universal Player - The SD-WH1000U Universal Player is the first, Wireless Speaker and Audio (WiSA™) Association, compliant component to transmit uncompressed sound at 24-bit/96kHz and video at Full HD (1080p) — wirelessly. The Sharp Universal Player has already been named a 2014 International CES Innovations Design and Engineering Awards Honoree in the High Performance Home Audio category. The SD-WH1000U will have an MSRP of $3,999.99 and will begin shipping in the spring of 2014 Sharp Aquos Quattron Plus TV - At half the price of a 4K TV of the same screen size the Plus has 10 million more sub pixels than a regular 1080p TV. Retina Display for TVs?? The TV will accept 4K content and will scale 1080p content to make use of every one of the 10 Million sub pixels! Sharp claims they have put more TVs over 60 inches into American homes than any other manufacturer. Sharp Sound Bar -  The HT-SB602, is designed to compliment 60" and larger flat panel televisions. Its a 2.1-channel, 310-watt sound bar system with a wireless subwoofer. It has built-in Bluetooth and can be paired using NFC.  This system can be set up horizontally either in front of a TV base (including an IR extender for the TV) or wall-mounted and features dual HDMI inputs and output, 3D sound support, Dolby and DTS decoding and an optical input. $500 available in the Spring. Vizio VIZIO announced its all-new P-Series Ultra HD Full-Array LED Smart TV collection. Featuring a backlight that consists of 64 Active LED Zones, HEVC Codec for Ultra HD streaming and VIZIO's V6 six-core processor that combines a quad-core GPU and dual-core CPU for performance and speed. The VIZIO P-Series Ultra HD Full-Array LED Smart TV collection comes in 50”, 55”, 60”, 65”and 70” screen sizes. Prices start at $999.99 for the 50” model and go up to $2599.99 for the 70” model. Looks like these TVs will support Netflix 4K content. JVC JVC introduced three new Ultra HD LCD TVs. The 55-inch DM55UXA ($1,899.99), 65-inch DM65UXA ($2,499.99) and the largest JVC TV to date, the 85-inch DM85UXA ($9,999.99). These are Direct LED TVs. JVC already announced their new line of projectors at CEDIA Other Announcements Home Automation - ADT showed a package called Pulse that can be controlled by voice along with the traditional methods. Belkin showed a device that controls anything than can be turned on and off via a DC switch called the Maker Kit. No pricing. Lowe's showed more devices from their Iris line of home automation The Canary system uses HD video camera and safety sensors to track everything from motion, temperature and air quality to vibration, sound, and activity to help keep you, your family and your belongings safe. Samsung SmartCam - Samsung's new SmartCam HD and SmartCam HD Outdoor offer 1080p Full HD streaming and 128 degree ultra-wide angle lenses, giving consumers the ability to remotely monitor activity - both indoor and out - with full detail and clarity, via any computer or mobile device with no additional monthly video storage or monitoring fees. Outdoor model goes for $299. Revolv - Makers of the $299 Home Automation hub that unites differing protocols announced that their product will be available at Home Depot stores. Look for them by the end of January. NETGEAR - announced a couple of wireless IP Cameras that are HD. The HMNC100 and HMNC500 are 720p and support 802.11n dual band. We have requested an evaluation unit. Pricing and availability to come. NETGEAR - NETGEAR had a few announcements some of the ones we thought were cool are: The AC750 Range Extender. Its supports 802.11b/g/n and ac and plugs into a wall outlet. You simply connect it to your network and then it creates a powerful hotspot! They also released a free Android app that analyzes your wireless network. Finally, NETGEAR showed the NeoMediacat HDMI Dongle. Its essentially an Android set top box in a USB stick. Its Miracast enabled so you can send content from your mobile devices to the connected TV. Polaroid - Introduced a 50-inch LED 4K Ultra HD TV (50GSR9000) for $999. They also introduced a 50-inch LED Smart TV (50GSR7100 ) that's Roku Ready via an included Roku Streaming Stick that plugs into the sets MHL port. The Smart TV will sell for $599 US. Dolby unveils technology to improve TV brightness - On Monday, at the International CES gadget show, the company unveiled Dolby Vision, a technology that increases the brightness and contrast of TV sets. Prototype models will be on display from TV manufacturers such as Sharp and TCL. Standard TV sets emit about 100 nits -- a unit of brightness roughly equivalent to one candle per square meter. As a reference, a 100-watt lightbulb emits 18,000 nits. Dolby says its prototype monitor can put out 4,000 nits. Intel plans a CES coup: Android and Windows in the same computer -  Internally known as "Dual OS," Intel's idea is that Android would run inside of Windows using virtualization techniques, so you could have Android and Windows apps side by side without rebooting your machine. Netflix -  Confirmed that it will stream House of Cards in 4K this year. This will only be available to 4K TVs that have a Netflix app embedded in them. Confirmed Samsung UHD TVs will have this capability. Roku - Announced a partnership with TCL and Hisense that will have the Roku player embedded into some models. The Roku will make money off of advertising that comes through the app. TV sizes will range between 32 and 55 inches. Channel Master DVR+ - Wins Innovations 2014 Design and Engineering Award. DVR+ is a thin (1/2 inch high) device that allows consumers to receive and record local broadcast programming without a subscription or contract, utilizing a simple digital antenna. In addition, consumers have access to streaming video services and enhanced guide data with a broadband connection. For the TV Everywhere enthusiast, DVR+ is compatible with the Slingbox® 500, providing access to all live and recorded content on any connected mobile device, either around the home or around the world. DVR+, priced at $249.99, is available now from Channel Master at www.channelmaster.com HAL: The Next Generation of Home Entertainment System -  HAL®, the voice and gesture activated, remote control replacement that connects easily to a user's TV, was demoed for the first-time ever at CES 2014. With HAL, users can change channels, set the DVR to record the latest episode of any show, browse the internet, stream movies, make video calls, play games and much more. With just the sound of a user's voice or the wave a hand HAL, which stands for Human Algorithm LTE,  is able to handle the following commands: Stream movies and music on Netflix and Pandora Change channels on any cable box by channel number or specific network Control the volume of the TV Set the DVR to record an upcoming show Place video and phone calls over Skype or on a cell phone Set picture-in-picture so users can answer a Skype call while watching a movie Display a user's Facebook feed and photos Conduct internet searches Show the latest viral videos from YouTube Play Angry Birds or Fruit Ninja Dish announces streaming app for PlayStation consoles - Have a PS3 or PS4 and a Hopper. Well now there is an app that turns it into a Joey. You can even use the game controller as the remote. Dish announces wireless Joey - An 802.11ac WiFi access point is used to create a closed network. You can connect up to two set-top boxes per access point. Phorus PR5 Receiver with DTS PLAY-FI - Making its debut at the 2014 International Consumer Electronics Show, the new Phorus (a DTS subsidiary) PR5 Receiver with Play-Fi will allow you to stream high-quality audio directly from a connected smartphones, tablets or PC, wirelessly to existing audio systems over a standard home Wi-Fi network, with zero loss in music quality. Compatible with nearly all AVRs, HTiBs, soundbars, and powered speakers, Play-Fi forges a seamless connection between audio systems, mobile devices and music, creating the ultimate infrastructure within the home to play your music from any device, in as many rooms as you want to listen to it. In addition to multi-room and multi-zone streaming from any device running the Play-Fi application, the Phorus PR5 Receiver with Play-Fi also supports Bluetooth(R) AptX(R), and AAC streaming, as well as direct streaming from iTunes on OSX and Windows. STEIGER DYNAMICS Introduces MAVEN - MAVEN, the most powerful custom-built HTPC in its segment, is setting a new standard for the modern living room. Due to its sleek design, ultra-silent operation, and easy integration with other home theater components, the systems blend perfectly into any existing setup. Combined with a large-screen Full HD or 4K TV, the MAVEN replaces numerous devices like Blu-ray players, DVRs, Desktop PCs and gaming consoles. Up to 12 TB of WD storage provide the capacity for 1,000 Full HD Blu-ray movies, 3 million MP3s, or 3,000 hours of HD TV recording. The integrated home server functionality allows the streaming of the entire media library to mobile devices. All components are designed for continuous operation and are carefully selected based on durability, performance, and quietness. MSRP $999 Tivo demoed Network DVR Prototype - TiVo showed off a prototype of a network-based DVR. A network-based approach will also help cable operators and programmers manage complex content rights, enabling them to create catch-up TV services and other new tiers, and to splice targeted ads shows that are recorded in the cloud. TiVo has not announced any customers for its nDVR. Gefen Wireless HDMI Extender - The GefenTV Wireless for HDMI 60 GHz extender system sends high definition audio and video to any HDTV display up to 33 feet (10 meters). This wireless product is comprised of small table-top Sender and Receiver units. It supports resolutions up to 1080p Full HD, 3DTV, CEC, and 7.1-channels of High Bit Rate (HBR) lossless digital audio such as Dolby® TrueHD, DTS-HD Master Audio™. The Wireless for HDMI 60 GHz is specifically designed to transmit within a room. Its signal will not penetrate through walls, facilitating interference-free operation of multiple units in adjacent venues and close proximity. Line-of-sight placement of transceivers, however, is not necessary. Thanks to its small form-factor, high performance, and near-zero latency, this product is ideal for high-definition A/V extension within a conference room or home theater installation. Available now for $450.