Podcasts about hdcp

Lords: * Andi * Casey Topics: * Lifehacks as communion with the divine * I decided to fire my computer * Winston is starting to forget things Microtopics: * A Star Trek watchalong podcast that doesn't exist yet. * Positing that what you said is no longer an NDA violation by the time this episode comes out. * Plugging a fake game that you worked on. * Astrobot. * Horror movie clinky noises that you can't hear over the PS4 fan noises. * Caffeine-infused mints with Tux the Penguin branding on Think Geek dot com. * The pre-eminent source for Life Hacks. * Using a hotel shower cap to bake bread. * Anime girls that are happy to see you. * That one time Film Crit Hulk broke character. * The joy of moving efficiently through the world. * More efficient ways to set the microwave timer. * Hotel rooms that you can bake bread in. * Whether bread should contain hair. * Tricking yourself into not being bored while doing something you have to do. * Reading 50 life hacks and applying none of them because. * Viral Life Hack that's killed 33 people. * A life hack that already had a body count in the double digits before someone made a TikTok about it. * Getting really fed up with computers. * Cryptographic signing processes that you can't participate in. * The HDCP certification board taking steps to ensure nobody can take a screen shot of their Crunchy Roll anime. * The analog hole. * Open source web browsers that can't see DRM content. * Microsoft-authenticated Linux installations. * Designing a circuit that solves a math problem. * Stamping a circuit onto your circuit clay. * An independent circuit re-implementation of video game hardware. * Should you use FPGA to do a thing? * Ridiculous multi-level memory caching systems. * Bootstrapping an FPGA design tool that runs on an FPGA device. * Every single circuit doing something on every single cycle. * Voltages going high and/or low. * Making a bunch of CPUs and testing them afterwards to see how many GHz they have. * Why the PS3 Cell processor had 7 SPUs * The industrial uses of the Cell processor. * A GLSL compiler that outputs FPGA circuits. * Mr. MiSTer. * Open-hardware laptops. * Inventing an open-source GPU. * Multics or Minix. * Writing a Breakout clone in Rust targeting the weird CPU your friend just invented. * Making a terrible first effort that is the right kind of good enough. * A laptop that has a FPGA where the CPU/GPU usually goes. * 1970s-era TV games. * The Epoch Cassette Vision. * A game console with interchangeable cartridges where the CPU is on the cartridge. * The Glasgow Interface Explorer. * Describing your FPGA circuit in Python. * Manufacturing homebrew Cassette Vision Homebrew cartridges for the audience of zero Cassette Vision owners. * Making art just for you, in the most overly elaborate and overly complicated way possible. * The programmer equivalent of going to swim with the dolphins. * Diagonal pixels. * Childhood amnesia. * Remembering your memories. * Using 10% of your brain. (And also the other 90%.) * Knowing things about stuff. * When one brother dies, the other brother gets their memories. * Memories that are formed before vs. after you learn to talk. * Being persecuted for being friends with a girl. * Rules of heteronormativity being enforced by three year olds. * Getting off of Wordpress.

In this episode: Justin goes to a birthday party, drives a Tesla, and configures your BIOS. The compliments department is, as always, available at podcast@searls.co. Have some URLs: This is the combination air fryer / grill I bought Microsoft dropped support for non-SecureBoot PC updates last month Aaron's puns, ranked Nobody Cares Things we learned about LLMs in 2024 Judge ends man's 11-year quest to dig up landfill and recover $765M in bitcoin The Consensus on Havana Syndrome Is Cracking (News+) Meta kills diversity programs, claiming DEI has become “too charged” Google kills JavaScript-free searches Sonos still seems kinda fucked 5090s seem kind of like a scam The official Elder Scrolls: Oblivion remake leaked Switch 2 was unveiled Guy with 200bpm heart rate complains his watch isn't working (before admitting his heart isn't working) The Diplomat Conclave Severance Season 2 is out Marvel Rivals is a hit (with the Thirstlords) Indiana Jones and the Great Circle P.T. A Short Hike Transcript: [00:00:29] Well, good morning, everyone. If it's evening, where you are, well, it's not here. So that's just what you get. You get a good morning. You can save it for later, put it in your pocket, and then the next time the sun comes up, you can just remember, ah, yes, someone did wish me a good morning today. [00:00:48] You are currently, your ears are residing inside of Breaking Change, which is an audio production. Not to be confused with Breaking Bad, certainly not Breaking Good, just broken. [00:01:03] You know, now that officially, officially or unofficially, TikTok is down. It's unreachable in the U.S. Aaron has reported, our Seattle correspondent, for the broadcast, that even over his VPN, he can't get to TikTok. [00:01:24] His arms are itchy. He's scratching. He, ah, I hope, wherever you are, I hope that you and your loved ones and your teenagers are okay. [00:01:33] But yeah, anyway, now the TikTok is down. Maybe some of you are here, because you've got nothing else to do, and you need something to fill that void. So thank you for joining. [00:01:45] Something that I've been meaning to do at the beginning of this, of the show, for the last, well, seven versions, has been to kindly ask that you go into your podcast player of choice, and you rate and review the show. [00:02:02] I would prefer five stars on a five-star scale, but if it was a ten-star scale, you know, ten stars would be better. [00:02:10] Thumbs up, or whatever. Write a little review explaining why the fuck somebody would want to listen to an explicit language, you know, tech-adjacent programmer-ish gaming movie, whatever the fuck this is. [00:02:23] Dialogue, uh, because, uh, I have found that breaking change is a really hard pitch, you know, when, when, when, when explaining to people, it's like, oh, this is me talking, just like drive-time AM radio used to be, except instead of talking about a bunch of politically charged propaganda, uh, we're just hanging out, uh, and instead of having a commute, you know, you're walking a dog, or you're doing the dishes. [00:02:50] Although, I guess, you know, maybe you listen on a commute. [00:02:53] I, I, I've heard, I've heard from, from listeners on road trips, listening to entire episodes all in one stretch, and that's something else. [00:03:03] Uh, I have not heard from a lot of commuters, so if you listen to this while you're commuting, shout out at podcast at searles.co, uh, you know, if you're driving, don't, don't try to rate and review, you know, in a distracted fashion. [00:03:16] But, but next time you think of it, you know, you, you, you slam that five-star button. [00:03:20] You know what, it's, it's, I got a lot of subversive elements, you know, in my cadre of people, because I am a total piece of shit, and I attract, I attract the good and the bad, everyone in between. [00:03:32] But some of us, you know, we, we, we appreciate a good troll. [00:03:35] There is no better way to stick it to the man and, and confuse the hell out of people than for all of you to go and give this five stars in, in, in iTunes and, in your podcast player. [00:03:46] And then have a whole bunch of people, you know, have it surface in the algorithm for others. [00:03:51] And then they listen to this, and then they're like, what, what, what the fuck is going on to my ears right now? [00:03:55] Uh, I am very confused. [00:03:57] And if that's you, hell, you know what? [00:03:59] Oh, shoot. [00:03:59] But I'm, I'm speaking from the past. [00:04:01] Maybe this is the, the future where this is a lot of five-star reviews and some, some, some rando outside of Argentina is, is, is getting this put into their feed for them. [00:04:11] And now they're like, four minutes have passed. [00:04:14] What am I doing with my life? [00:04:15] Well, hello. [00:04:16] You are also welcome. [00:04:17] Good morning to you as well. [00:04:18] Uh, by the time you're listening to this, you know, I'm recording Sunday morning. [00:04:24] First thing, uh, I know from experience that it can be hard to pretend to work during a Trump inauguration. [00:04:33] So, uh, I figured that instead of pretending to work, you could be here with me instead if you're listening on Monday. [00:04:41] And if you're, if you're fortunate enough to have Monday off, um, you know, I guess one difference between the, uh, uh, the previous Trump inauguration. [00:04:51] And this one is that the, you know, inclusivity backlash against the Trump admin, you know, that has now recently receded. [00:05:02] If you're to believe the Bezos and billionaire class, uh, uh, has resulted in way, way more people who don't work at post offices getting MLK junior day off. [00:05:13] So I suppose many of us are not working on Monday, but regardless, this is a version 29 of the program titled super switch. [00:05:24] Which, you know, depending on the audience, I think a lot of, you know, probably what I mean by that. [00:05:29] We'll, we'll talk about it later. [00:05:30] Uh, in life news, it feels like it's been a way more than two weeks since I talked to y'all. [00:05:37] Uh, uh, uh, when you live in a theme park, there's just a lot going on. [00:05:42] People coming and going stuff to do, uh, uh, stimulation overload. [00:05:49] That's why I sound so just, you know, demure downbeat chill here is because I am exhausted permanently all the time. [00:06:02] Cause every time I leave the house, I am, I am just overstimulated. [00:06:05] Uh, last night we went to a birthday party of a friend, uh, in the, uh, Orlando proper part of Orlando, [00:06:12] whereas we live in theme park, Orlando. [00:06:14] So we had to, uh, drive over the, uh, the treacherous terrain known as I four, the deadliest stretch of highway in the United States in terms of, uh, only in terms of the number of people who die on it. [00:06:26] And the party was, uh, it was funny cause our, our friends, uh, they're building a house on this beautiful lake, huge property. [00:06:34] It's, it's absolutely gorgeous. [00:06:36] It's going to, the house is a custom build. [00:06:39] And a couple of years ago, uh, the one who's, whose birthday ended up being said, you know, we're going to have my 45th birthday party here at the house. [00:06:47] After it opens the water slide, you're going to DJs. [00:06:50] We're going to have, it's going to be a big blowout fest. [00:06:52] It's going to be awesome. [00:06:53] And then his husband was like, you know, it's, it's not going to be ready yet. [00:06:57] Don't get your hopes up. [00:06:58] And, uh, uh, sure enough, uh, both things came to pass. [00:07:04] The house is nowhere near ready. [00:07:05] It is an active construction site. [00:07:07] And they trolled us hard. [00:07:08] They said, Hey, come to this hotel. [00:07:09] We're going to have, you know, uh, uh, free valet or whatever. [00:07:12] And then like, like we go into like a normal kind of like typical ballroom thing and you get a cocktail. [00:07:19] And then these construction workers show up and they, they, they, they heard us into buses. [00:07:24] Uh, and so people are in their cocktail attire, you know, Becky wore, uh, I don't know if you'd call them heels, [00:07:32] but elevated shoes for, for first time in a while, more of a flats person, which I respect. [00:07:39] Cause I'm also a flats person and, uh, we all get into the bus and everyone's dressed up. [00:07:44] And then, uh, they, they, they drive us to, uh, the active construction site. [00:07:47] That is our friend's house. [00:07:49] And, uh, they had, uh, the events planners and everyone like, like actually just decorate the shit out of, you know, what, what is a lot of concrete block first floor of most homes around here is concrete. [00:08:01] And so the bones of the house are up and they just decorated it with kind of construction paraphernalia, orange cones. [00:08:07] All of the staff had, uh, you know, orange vests on, uh, we were all given hard hats. [00:08:11] Uh, the theming was truly on point. [00:08:15] Weather was perfect. [00:08:16] Uh, and, uh, you know, it was a big raucous affair, raucous raucous, you know what I mean? [00:08:23] So that was great. [00:08:24] Uh, we didn't even stay out that late, but I feel like I got hit by a truck, uh, this morning. [00:08:29] Uh, I, I kept it to a two drink maximum, which is my new go-to rule of thumb. [00:08:34] Uh, uh, cause I always end up barely regretting the third from a, from a, an ability to sleep perspective. [00:08:43] Afterwards, uh, other life stuff, you know, like the logistics following the death of my father. [00:08:48] First of all, thank you very much for many of you wrote in to express sympathies, uh, probably don't, don't need to put them all in the mailbag. [00:08:55] Cause that after a certain point, it started reads like, you know, reading birthday cards on air, uh, in terms of they all, you know, not to diminish anyone's, uh, extension of grief, uh, or, or, or sharing their own stories. [00:09:08] But there's a certain, you know, beginning, middle and end format to, to, to, to, to, no one knows what the fuck to say. [00:09:15] I don't know what to thank you. [00:09:18] Um, but yeah, like I know just sort of like finances and, and forensics front of trying to figure out how to tease out all the complexities of his life that he never really told anyone about and didn't certainly didn't document, uh, that the work continues still trying to help my mom consolidate her situation. [00:09:36] It's been, you know, just a lot of very procedural. [00:09:42] All right, find all the stuff, organize the stuff, come up with a to-do list, figure out how to like approach this, make all the phone calls that you need to make to all these institutions to, to, to, to, to iron it out and to, to continue fact finding or to, to, to give, you know, furnish whatever documentation they need. [00:09:57] And, and, and because it's been so, uh, I guess transactional wrote, like not to say it's colored my perception of dad or anything, you know, one way or another. [00:10:11] Uh, but it's definitely, when I look back on this era of my life, of course, his passing is going to stand out in sharp relief, but like, that was like a week of stuff. [00:10:21] And then the rest of it is going to be like three months of stuff. [00:10:25] Uh, and so I wonder how that's going to affect how I, how I, how I look back on it. [00:10:28] But one of the things I noticed is a lot of different service providers, uh, like banks, for example, that have, uh, uh, you know, bills coming up, you know, you got a credit card bill and let's say it's due. [00:10:45] Uh, I, I don't know why I'm blanking, but January 25th and then January 18th comes around and it says, Hey, you have a statement due January 25th. [00:10:54] Or you got an upcoming bill or you, your bill is ready to be paid. [00:10:58] And when I get an email like that, so I just got one from dad or, you know, for dad's account from us bank. [00:11:05] And I was like, shit. [00:11:07] Cause I know he didn't have auto pay set up in a lot of places. [00:11:09] Uh, and like, do I have that login? [00:11:12] Like, you know, do I have to coordinate with mom to get the SMS thing? [00:11:15] Like I get into it. [00:11:16] And then sure enough, like, cause I thought I'd set up auto pay. [00:11:19] I even had a to-do list that said, set up auto pay for this. [00:11:21] And, uh, auto pay was set up. [00:11:23] It was just emailing me unnecessarily anyway. [00:11:25] You know, if you're going to have a recurring payment or an auto payment set up, it, you know, it's, it's okay to notify the customer that there's another bill coming, but it would be really sweet. [00:11:36] If like auto pay is enabled, just so you know, you're going to, you're set to auto pay this on X and X date, uh, because if you got, you know, as many cards as some people have, uh, it can get kind of exhausting to, to just worry about, uh, well, I hope that's, that's all set up. [00:11:53] So it's, uh, things like that are just like random nonsense stressors and the amount of context switching, because you're constantly getting emails and calls from different, from all corners. [00:12:03] I normally screen my calls really aggressively, but you know, this month I've got a pretty much [00:12:08] answer it no matter who's calling, which is not my favorite. [00:12:10] And I've, I've found myself falling into something that I never thought I would do. [00:12:17] Uh, maybe it's cause I turned 40 this week, but I'm, uh, I've always associated this with like [00:12:24] an old, a generational thing. [00:12:26] When somebody asks me a yes, no question, I've started saying yes or no. [00:12:31] Like the literal word, yes. [00:12:33] And that might sound mundane to you, but in my family growing up, the word, yes, always felt [00:12:41] violent because everyone always had more to say, or they had a compulsion to soften it, you know, [00:12:49] like, yeah, sounds a lot, um, neutral, accepting, open, soft. [00:12:58] Then yes, there's a certain like hardness to yes. [00:13:01] You ask a yes, no question. [00:13:02] The person says, yes, it feels like there's a period at the end of that. [00:13:05] And when you say, yeah, or okay, or all right, or, you know, you give some sort of like, you know, [00:13:11] like an invitation to either continue with a follow-up question or, you know, be, be open to maybe a retort or something. [00:13:20] And so I had a colleague once who is, you know, the previous generation who is my superior. [00:13:25] And, uh, his name was Daryl. [00:13:28] Daryl's a lovely person. [00:13:29] But every time I asked Daryl a question and I was asking him a lot of questions because I didn't know shit about fuck. [00:13:34] And he knew a lot of things about everything he would, he would answer every yes, no question with just the word yes or the word no. [00:13:43] And it felt so stifling and cruel and like, you know, like, why is he shutting me down like this? [00:13:51] Even though he's literally answering in the affirmative, there's something about the word yes. [00:13:55] When unadorned with any sort of softeners or explanation or exposition or, or, or, or, or justification or, or invitation to, to, to follow up that feel there's the finality of it feels just rude, even though it is very literally fine. [00:14:12] So I caught myself doing that and I guess I've become a yes man. [00:14:16] Other life stuff. [00:14:22] Our ninja, we have a, uh, we seem to have like every ninja kitchen appliance, um, just in some sort of rotation around, uh, you know, our, our kitchen and it feels to me like every modern home that every year, the, there's like a, a counter surface inflation where the counters keep getting bigger. [00:14:44] The kitchen islands keep getting bigger. [00:14:46] And then the, almost a, um, sort of like how a, a gas will expand to fill its container. [00:14:54] Like ninja appliances will continue getting invented to fill all available counter space in every home. [00:14:59] Uh, and the reason that ninjas been so successful is that unlike Hamilton beach and Cuisinart and stuff like their, their products are actually pretty good and do what they say on the tin. [00:15:09] But we had a, uh, one of the air fryer units that can also, you know, pretend to be a grill, even though like all that's really happening is a hairdryer is blowing downward onto your food and any sort of heating element underneath is indirect. [00:15:20] Uh, we had one of those and, you know, it just kind of got grody and gross from lots of oil and, and repeat washings and, you know, food stuck to the basket. [00:15:31] And it was, it was, it was no longer, you know, how sometimes you use one of these appliances, you don't clean it as intentionally or as frequently as maybe the instruction manual tells you to. [00:15:42] And eventually your food starts tasting like, you know, the bottom of the, uh, the, the, the, the, the deep fryer at, at McDonald's, like, just like that oil tarry kind of like, you know, afterglow. [00:15:55] Which makes, it takes, it really takes the shine off of, uh, whatever the omega threes that you're trying to get out of your fishes. [00:16:00] Uh, so, so we, we bought a new one and what I really wanted out of a new one was one with like multiple heating elements. [00:16:08] Like where, where there was an actual grill that could sear stuff and cook from the bottom up, but also a convection oven that could crisp it up and, and, and, and sort of dehumidify. [00:16:18] And amazingly, Ninja does sell this product. [00:16:22] Uh, it was called, uh, see if I can link to it. [00:16:25] The Ninja convection plus grill. [00:16:27] Oh no, that wasn't it. [00:16:28] It's, it's got a name. [00:16:29] Uh, something, something, grid IG 651. [00:16:35] Okay. [00:16:35] There you go. [00:16:35] I'll put a link in the show notes. [00:16:37] Uh, so the IG 651, whatever, it's got like a barbecue griddle on it. [00:16:41] It seems, it seems nice. [00:16:43] Uh, and it does exactly that. [00:16:46] It's got like a big wide surface element. [00:16:48] You can, you, you plug it in. [00:16:49] It's a very complicated, unnecessarily. [00:16:51] So a complicated thing where it's, it looks like you kind of take a George Foreman style griddle. [00:16:55] It's angled forward, meaning like it's got, you know, uh, I said griddle at just like the slabby kind of, of, of metal slats, slats, you know, where you, you put the burger on it. [00:17:07] And then it's like, you know, remember the George Foreman marketing? [00:17:10] I'm sure you do like, you know, like it's like at the, like, like the, the squeezing iconography to, to indicate like the fat is coming out and then that will make this healthier, even though the fat is often the best part. [00:17:20] Uh, so it's, it's got that it plugs into some like electrical, you know, electrode input thing with two little donguses. [00:17:28] I don't know why I'm even trying to explain this. [00:17:30] It's fine. [00:17:30] And you plug that in, you can wash it separately, but you can put a griddle on top that kind of maps to it. [00:17:36] So it'll pick up that heat. [00:17:37] And that is a flat surface, which can be nice. [00:17:40] If you're, if you're maybe, you know, toasting a sandwich or something. [00:17:46] And yeah, the thing about it, the thing about that search was that trying to answer the question of what heating elements are in this smart cooking appliance proved to be extremely difficult. [00:18:00] You go to the Amazon listing, you go to the product page. [00:18:03] I read up on every single Ninja product that does this. [00:18:06] I started looking at other products that do this. [00:18:09] I started looking at things that ran themselves as smart ovens that, you know, advertise having, uh, multiple heating elements, you know, like the June oven did this. [00:18:16] I think that's out of business now. [00:18:18] Tovala did this. [00:18:18] I think that's going out of business now where they would have, you know, like, um, maybe a microwave element plus a steam cooking element, or maybe they'd have a convection fan inside and also, um, an induction plate underneath. [00:18:31] And none of them have really taken off in the U S unfortunately, uh, such that. [00:18:39] It is a product category that the consumers are educated about, like what they're getting into in Japan. [00:18:45] There's a product called health. [00:18:46] You know, like literally like health EO, but THs are hard and it's got like the basic models have four or five different ways to heat your food. [00:18:56] And then like, it's really smart in that you, you punch in a code, like a recipe code, and it'll just do everything cradle to grave for you with the advanced sensors that it has. [00:19:04] And kind of move between whatever combination at whatever point in the cooking process, all of those heating elements need to be arranged. [00:19:11] And so things come out almost better than a human could do them because they never have to be removed from this hermetically sealed environment, you know, for people's hands to come in and, and, and adjust how the thing is being heated. [00:19:26] Because in Japan, that product has been so successful that the two or three different tiers of that product, not only are they all good, but like, no one needs to be explained what's there. [00:19:36] Like the, the, the, the, it could just be like the higher level of literacy and, and, and education generally in Japan. [00:19:42] But in general, like, it's just, it's really straightforward. [00:19:46] And here, it seems to be that like people just want a device that they can throw food in. [00:19:52] And then as long as they're picking off a menu and it has words like grill, they will feel good about it. [00:19:58] And no one's going to ask, where's the heat coming from? [00:20:01] How is this getting cooked? [00:20:02] Which now that I say it, of course, like Americans don't give a fuck how the thing gets accomplished or without it gets accomplished well, typically, uh, just that, uh, you know, they know what box to put the food in and then the button to hit, which is, you know, a little bit condescending, but, you know, y'all have earned it in my opinion. [00:20:20] Uh, so yeah, we got it. [00:20:22] It works. [00:20:22] Uh, uh, as far as I know, I turned it on the preheating started. [00:20:26] We have not yet, you know, broken the seal and actually cooked with it yet, but I'm glad, I'm glad to have that because I think, I think, I think. [00:20:32] Shit will turn out better, especially salmon, which is increasingly the number one thing that we were using our air fryer for, which was an inefficient, uh, use case. [00:20:40] Speaking of the parks being really busy, uh, and, and life here being overstimulating on Friday, I found myself really testing the fences on this new being 40 year old thing. [00:20:55] I, uh, got up at 5am with Becky. [00:20:59] We had a special event at Disney's Hollywood studios that started at six. [00:21:03] We got there. [00:21:04] There were other people there. [00:21:05] We went to bed early, you know, to, to, to, to be able to, to do this and not be super groggy and miserable, had a great time. [00:21:13] And then we had some friends coming into the park just about an hour after that, that, that event wrapped. [00:21:18] And so we went and visited with them for a little bit. [00:21:20] Then we came home and tried to recover some sort of a productive day by then it was noon. [00:21:25] Uh, and then that evening, cause the same friends that they had their big day, I wanted to debrief with, uh, uh, my buddy before he, uh, John, his name is John. [00:21:35] He is a listener of the program. [00:21:38] So hi, John. [00:21:38] Hello. [00:21:40] Uh, when to do debrief with him. [00:21:43] So we went over to a bar called trader Sam's, which is a grog grotto. [00:21:47] It's in the Polynesian resort hotel. [00:21:49] And it's one of my favorite bars because it's got like a lot of like little imagineering knickknacks and stage elements that, that have since become very common at Tiki bars. [00:21:58] But we got in there, we spent a couple hours and then pretty soon I realized, Oh fuck, it's midnight. [00:22:03] And I've literally been Disney it up to some extent, uh, since 6am. [00:22:10] And so, you know, I actually, I got a second wind in there, but I ultimately didn't get, get to bed until like two. [00:22:16] Uh, so that was a, it was a big day. [00:22:19] I feel like I did all right. [00:22:20] Uh, from an energy level perspective, I think I, I was the person that I needed to be in all of the interactions I had that day. [00:22:28] And that's probably the most I can say. [00:22:29] Uh, I'm simultaneously finding that my body is falling apart. [00:22:33] My, my, uh, left hip is pretty grumpy. [00:22:38] Uh, it's just some sort of like a constant dull discomfort, uh, feels like a dislocated shoulder, but no matter how much PT I do, [00:22:46] I, I, I seem to never fully, fully beat it. [00:22:49] Um, I need a smart, the smart oven equivalent for, for, uh, you know, muscle therapies that people do. [00:23:00] It's like, Oh, you can get some of the, it'll, it'll apply the icy hot and also, you know, drill you with a Theragun and also massage you and also use the, you know, resistant bands exercises to strengthen it. [00:23:09] Uh, just all simultaneously. [00:23:10] Cause it's like this round robin of, of attempts I've had to, to restore this fucking hip. [00:23:17] Uh, it has been great. [00:23:19] So that's been a constant thing. [00:23:21] New things are like my right knee now hurts like hell. [00:23:23] My left, my left heel, just the skin started cracking from how dry it's been here. [00:23:28] And of course it's still way more humid here than the rest of the nation, but apparently my skin is so used to the humidity, uh, that I just woke up one morning and it hurt to walk because all my skin was exposed because all my skin and my foot had cracked. [00:23:40] You know, like what the hell's going on? [00:23:42] So, uh, if you're, uh, approaching 40 and you're worried about it, good. [00:23:48] I don't know that I recommend it so far, uh, but I'm still here, still kicking. [00:23:53] Uh, uh, well, I, so far I almost didn't make it to be honest. [00:23:59] Uh, you know, well, I, if I'm going to talk about this next topic, uh, it's something that's come up in the show before. [00:24:09] And so I think that technically makes it follow up. [00:24:11] So let me hit this button right here. [00:24:13] Yeah. [00:24:20] So speaking of dying right before you turn 40, I, I'd mentioned that I four interstate four that runs east, west in, uh, through bisecting Orlando. [00:24:37] It's, uh, known to be, and I fact checked this against GPT cause I knew I'd probably end up talking about it. [00:24:45] Deadliest stretch of highway in the U S and you know, I'm a, I'm an experienced driver insofar as I've been driving for 24 years. [00:24:54] I don't like love it. [00:24:56] I'm not a car guy. [00:24:57] Uh, I, I feel like I drive fine, relatively safely, probably more on the conservative side. [00:25:05] Overall. [00:25:06] I do speed from time to time, but you know, as long as if you're in America and you're speeding, as long as you use the phrase flow of traffic, uh, you can do whatever you want. [00:25:17] And the problem is that when you live in theme park Orlando and you need literally anything that is not entertainment and hospitality related, uh, like for example, you know, I, I, and this is what puts this into the followup bucket of content. [00:25:35] Uh, I've been talking on and off about having, uh, struggling with snoring. [00:25:38] You know, I've been, uh, uh, doing that thing that a lot of middle-aged husbands start doing and deciding to interrupt their spouse's sleep by, by, by suddenly picking up this cool new habit. [00:25:49] That is just making wheezing sounds all night long. [00:25:53] And mine's really inconsistent. [00:25:56] It's clearly triggered by something. [00:25:57] Couldn't really tell what, you know, is it diet or whatever. [00:26:00] It's like clearly like none of the symptoms of apnea. [00:26:03] So that's probably not it. [00:26:04] Given that I feel fully rested after like four hours and I've never feeling short of breath. [00:26:08] Uh, you know, the new Apple watch has an apnea detection and it seems to not be detecting any apnea. [00:26:16] So I finally got a sleep study ordered and the doctor who is a very nice lady, she, you know, she's just like the reality of insurance right now is, uh, I will put in a request for an in, in a let in lab sleep study. [00:26:33] So we can watch you because the alternative is an at home sleep study. [00:26:36] And based on everything you're saying, there is a 0.0% chance that that at home sleep study is going to find anything. [00:26:44] Uh, and then I was like, well, then let's just do the in lab. [00:26:46] Like you're saying, well, she's like, oh, the insurance will surely deny based on what you're saying, uh, an in lab sleep study. [00:26:53] Uh, you have to do, you have to go through the motions of this at home sleep study first, and then it has to show nothing. [00:27:00] And then I can put in a script again for the in lab. [00:27:04] Uh, and, and then the prior authorization will go through and then you'll be able to do that. [00:27:09] And so I have to kind of do this performative nothing operation, just nothing like procedure, operation procedure. [00:27:18] It's over, you know, like diagnostic, you know, just to check some boxes and money is changing hands invisibly to me at every step. [00:27:27] Of course, for the most part, thanks, thanks to having health insurance. [00:27:30] So I, I, I schedule this and it's an at home sleep study. [00:27:36] Like there are services that mail these units, you know, they could ship it. [00:27:40] I could, I don't know, find a courier or something, but nope, this one, I have to drive to the other fucking side of Orlando, which is, you know, it's 20 miles, but it's like a 45 minute hour long adventure. [00:27:49] And I have to calling them the rules of the game were that I had to, uh, drive there Sunday night to pick it up, come back Tuesday night to drop it off. [00:28:00] And they, because of sleep study locations, this is like an actual, you know, testing center. [00:28:07] Uh, they literally open at 6 30 PM in the evening. [00:28:10] Uh, you know, so that's when their shift starts. [00:28:13] So I had to get there at 6 30. [00:28:15] So that means like, I'm basically fighting through rush hour into town and then pick it up and now I'm coming back home and now it's like eight. [00:28:22] So I guess I'll just eat dinner by myself or whatever. [00:28:25] Uh, and it's not like in a part of town where it's like, Hey, we can go downtown and like make a date, make a night date night out of it and go to like a fun restaurant. [00:28:33] It's like, this is a, I don't know what I, I have many times in this program suggested you should move to Orlando. [00:28:41] Orlando's great. [00:28:41] I love life in Orlando, but like whenever I leave the bubble of like theme park party time, Orlando, where everything's just really, really nice and customer service is incredible. [00:28:50] And the food's really great. [00:28:52] And, and it's just a party. [00:28:53] Uh, and I go to like real Florida. [00:28:56] I'm like, Oh yeah, I need to stop recommending people move to Orlando. [00:28:59] Cause this is like the median experience. [00:29:01] And I wouldn't, I would not, I can't do this for an hour. [00:29:05] I don't know how I would possibly live here. [00:29:07] No offense to Orlando, but I, uh, I went and I picked it up. [00:29:12] I drove my car there on Sunday night and traffic was pretty bad, but it's always pretty bad. [00:29:18] I had numerous cases of people jumping in front of the car on the way onto the highway. [00:29:23] Once I was on the highway, I get into the new express lanes, which do make things easier. [00:29:27] You pay a toll and you get, uh, you know, expedited traffic. [00:29:30] Um, and somebody had pulled over into the shoulder. [00:29:34] And as soon as he pulls over, he just whips open his, his driver's side door off of the shoulder. [00:29:41] And now the door is in my lane. [00:29:43] And there's of course, somebody on my left causing me to, uh, flip out and have to slam the brakes to, to the point of like, you know, bad enough that smoke is happening. [00:29:53] Right. [00:29:53] Like you can smell the burnt tire because this dude is just like, I'm on the highway. [00:29:57] I can open my door. [00:29:58] I'm a, I'm a big man. [00:29:59] I'm driving a truck. [00:30:00] So I chose not to blow his door off. [00:30:05] Uh, then on the way home, it was one of those ordeals where, uh, it's a, a sign said congestion, like eight, four miles ahead. [00:30:16] I was like, oh, four miles. [00:30:17] Okay. [00:30:17] Maybe I'll find an opportunity to take, get off the highway or I'll get onto the express lane and try to avoid it. [00:30:21] And, uh, Apple maps was saying I should turn right at the Kia center, which is like where the Orlando magic play. [00:30:27] And then take three more rights and then get back on the highway. [00:30:30] And I was like extremely convinced that this was just some sort of, you know, Apple maps fuckery. [00:30:36] Uh, and, and the nav and the computer being wrong because it often is, I was like, I'm going to stay on the highway. [00:30:42] I'm a smart guy and the instant that I passed that exit that it wanted me to take, everything became a parking lot and, and such a parking lot that it became road ragey pretty quickly with people driving and shoulders and honking and trying to edge each other out and motorcycles going between lanes. [00:30:58] And, and, and there's just a, you know, there's probably a metric that you could use for any civilization called like, uh, TTMM time to Mad Max. [00:31:10] And Florida has a very low TTMM, you know, it doesn't take long at all for every man for himself, uh, instincts to seemingly kick in. [00:31:22] So I, I did the rerouting and now, now the phone is telling me, all right, well, you know, literally it's so demoralizing. [00:31:32] You see the ETA to your home arrival move literally 40 minutes immediately because I chose not to take it's very wonky prescription of three right turns. [00:31:42] And now I realized in hindsight, the reason it wanted me to do that is there's a direct entrance onto the express lane. [00:31:47] And so not only did the ETA go up, not only do I have the regret that I didn't listen to the computer for, for telling me to do a stupid thing, but I also now am shamed by the insult on wounds here. [00:31:58] The left of me, the express lanes are wide open and there's just like five cars just having a great time going 80 miles an hour to get to where they want. [00:32:05] And everybody else is left in just this, this, this, this absolutely falling down style, uh, traffic jam, uh, or just after dark. [00:32:17] I did get home, I, I took a side street and it was one of those ordeals where you, you know, you take the side street, go up a couple of blocks, you go, you know, uh, turn left, kind of go, I don't know, maybe a half mile just past wherever, whatever accident was causing the congestion. [00:32:34] Then you get back on the highway. [00:32:34] And the problem was, of course, we all have automated navigation systems. [00:32:41] They all reroute us. [00:32:42] And so that was immediately backed up there that it was three traffic lights of people in the left lane, trying to, to turn onto that third traffic light. [00:32:52] And I, it would have been another 20 minutes just waiting for those light changes. [00:32:56] And so I just, you know, fortunately I had a brain and I was like, all right, I'm going to just blow past this and go in the right lane and drive forward three, three intersections and then do a U-turn turn right. [00:33:08] And then I, I successfully beat the rush and I got home and I, it merely only wasted 20 minutes of my time, but here, this story has already wasted five minutes of your time. [00:33:16] So it was death defying because even once off the highway, virtually none of those drivers had ever been on those side streets or in that neighborhood before. [00:33:27] And they were all driving like it and they were all driving like it and it was dark and there were not adequate streetlights. [00:33:31] So, uh, you know, it's not just that like Florida drivers are bad, but like you are surrounded by a certain number of frazzled dads who just picked up rental cards, cars from MCO, who are trying to get to their Disney hotel, who just had a flight delay, whose kids are screaming. [00:33:48] And nobody's happy like that is the default and that is the best case energy because like, you know, that's before you consider the, the, the capital F capital M Florida men and the tweakers and everyone else that just kind of contributes to this diverse fabric of society that we live in. [00:34:08] So, uh, that was a bad experience. [00:34:12] I, I did get home, you know, I am still with us, but by the time I got home, I was, I was so fried. [00:34:18] Like I, I, I, I, I didn't want to hang out. [00:34:22] I didn't want to talk to Becky. [00:34:22] Just wanted to like pour a whiskey and collapse. [00:34:25] Uh, the stress level is so high. [00:34:28] Like, and you can, I looked at my watch, right. [00:34:30] And I was looking at like the heart rate history and I was like, you know, I was white knuckling it. [00:34:34] Um, and that's, and that's partly on me, right? [00:34:36] Like I just, I don't, I don't like that kind of driving. [00:34:39] I don't like that stress. [00:34:39] Two days later, when I had to drop this device off, uh, the device itself was terrible, by the way, it was probably less sophisticated than my Apple watch and probably reading like less accurate, uh, heart rate. [00:34:57] And, and even the, the modern Apple watch like does track breathing. [00:35:00] That's how it does a sleep apnea thing, uh, uh, through the magic of gyroscopes. [00:35:05] And, uh, this device is a piece of shit and I'm sure somehow the rental fee for, for a one-time use was $1,500 to my insure. [00:35:12] Uh, and I'm sure it found nothing. [00:35:15] I can totally, like, I don't know how it would find anything. [00:35:17] Uh, it looked like it was built out of, you know, Teddy Ruxpin era, you know, technology in the mid eighties with, with the, the quality of the, the, the straps and the plastic. [00:35:29] I could just, but when I had to, when it, when time came to drop it off, I really did not want to repeat that experience on a weeknight when you, you know, traffic would be even worse. [00:35:41] And so I, I humbly asked my brother who has a Tesla, I said, Hey, uh, there's another follow-up item. [00:35:48] We, we, we, we picked it up together just in October. [00:35:51] I think, uh, I said, Hey man, like, can I swing by or you swing by drop off your Tesla? [00:35:59] He did some stuff to do at our house anyway. [00:36:01] And he's got the full self-driving like, like, uh, they keep renewing a 30 day trial for him. [00:36:09] And, uh, you know, full self-driving isn't, it is, uh, the car will drive itself. [00:36:14] You don't have to touch the wheel. [00:36:16] It, it, it, it, it's very conservative. [00:36:18] It has three modes, chill, uh, normal and hurried or hurry. [00:36:23] I've never tried hurry. [00:36:24] I don't need to try hurry. [00:36:26] I just stick on chill because at the end of the day, as long as I get to where I'm going, [00:36:29] I sort of don't care. [00:36:30] I'm not in a big rush. [00:36:32] Uh, I have the luxury of not needing to be anywhere in any particular pace. [00:36:37] As long as I leave on time, you know, I'm, and I'm going to get there by the time I promise [00:36:41] the chill is good with me and the, you have to supervise it. [00:36:48] And it was the case when the full self-driving crap and Tesla's first hit that people were, [00:36:55] you know, at first it was just like pressure testing the steering column. [00:36:58] And so people would like use like, uh, uh, weights, like, like weighted wristbands and [00:37:04] stuff to like make it trick the steering column into thinking that somebody was holding onto [00:37:08] the wheel. [00:37:08] Uh, and now they have cameras that look at you like inside the cabin and that, that camera [00:37:15] is using some amount of intelligence to determine that you're distracted or not. [00:37:19] So if you are looking a lot at the central, uh, tablet, it'll bark at you and say, Hey, pay [00:37:23] attention to the road. [00:37:25] If you're looking at your phone, it'll do the same. [00:37:26] If you're looking at a watch, you know, like I've had it even like when I'm talking to the [00:37:30] watch and looking forward, have it bark at me. [00:37:31] And as soon, as soon as it does it, it makes a beep and then it gets increasingly aggressive [00:37:36] and beeps louder. [00:37:37] You impressively. [00:37:39] I say this because like, you know, I'm sure that the reason it's like this is because Tesla [00:37:43] is trying to minimize it's like legal liability for accidents caused by its system. [00:37:47] If, if, if, if you ignore its beeps three times in a day, uh, you, you get a strike, the system [00:37:56] will disengage and you will be forced to manually drive your car like a plebeian for the rest [00:38:01] of the day. [00:38:01] At least that's how Jeremy explained it to me. [00:38:03] If you get five strikes, I want to say it is, um, you're just exited from your, you're ejected [00:38:12] from the full self-driving program. [00:38:14] And I am impressed not only that it's as aggressive as it is, like, you know, if you got to look [00:38:22] at the screen for something, you've got to adjust it. [00:38:23] You basically have seven or eight seconds to, you know, fix the mirrors or whatever it is [00:38:28] before you got to be looking at the road again. [00:38:29] I'm also like finding myself that when I'm driving his vehicle, I actually am significantly less [00:38:36] distracted than in my own Ford escape, which has car play. [00:38:39] And I typically don't touch the phone itself, but I, um, you know, I tune out a little bit [00:38:44] or, uh, you know, might look at something or might be tapping away at the, uh, you know, [00:38:49] the eye messages and, and, and, and whatnot seemingly longer in those cases than like what the Tesla [00:38:55] would let me get away with. [00:38:56] So I'm paying more attention to the road because the computer is telling me to, or forcing me [00:39:01] to, and I am also doing less of the driving. [00:39:05] So, you know, my foot's off the pedal, my foot, my hands are off the steering. [00:39:08] And when they say supervised, it's actually like the right word, like it is doing the [00:39:14] driving, but like the, it feels almost like a pilot co-pilot thing where I, your head's [00:39:22] on a swivel. [00:39:23] Like I can look to the left and I can look to the right and I have far greater situational [00:39:27] awareness as the car is driving. [00:39:28] Now, granted a lot of these like semi-autonomous and, and adaptive, you know, uh, uh, uh, assistance [00:39:35] in cars will for most people lull them into a false sense of security and result in further [00:39:44] driver inattentiveness and unsafety, right? [00:39:46] Like people will, you'll train them out of the vigilance that you need at all times when [00:39:52] you're the one driving a vehicle or being driven in a vehicle. [00:39:55] However, like the particular, and maybe it's just cause I'm kind of coming in and chapter [00:40:00] four of this particular saga of full self-driving and robo taxis will be here in six months as [00:40:05] Elon Musk. [00:40:06] And of course they're not there, but it seems like at least the way that I've experienced [00:40:13] full self-driving when I've used it, it seems to me like I feel a thousand times safer because [00:40:21] the combination of the car, mostly doing the right thing, mostly making the conservative [00:40:25] choice, absolute worst case. [00:40:27] It haunt, it blares at you and you need to take over, uh, combined with my own hypervigilance [00:40:35] of not, you know, I constitutionally do not trust computers and you know, Jeremy doesn't [00:40:41] either. [00:40:42] And so when we're driving these things, we're looking around all the time where we're, we're, [00:40:45] we're sort of, because we have a curiosity and how the technology works, like trying to think [00:40:49] about how is it thinking through this? [00:40:51] Like, like we have a lot of, for example, um, automated gated communities where like the, [00:40:56] the gates will open and closed when you're, when you're entering and exiting. [00:41:00] It's like, we, we look at the little like computer screens, like how does it, how does it, what [00:41:04] does it think is in front of it right now? [00:41:05] It sees that there's an obstruction. [00:41:07] Uh, and if it opens too slowly, is it thinking it's a permanent obstruction or is it going to [00:41:11] wait and then proceed after the thing opens automatically? [00:41:14] Like there's a lot of little moments like that, where it's actually kind of interesting [00:41:17] to see how, you know, how the car reacts and then it gets a software update and then how [00:41:22] the car reacts after that. [00:41:23] And then additionally, there's the typical ebb and flow of software updates generally where [00:41:28] there's regressions, right? [00:41:29] Like there was a version of this, uh, system that, that the ability, like it used to blow [00:41:35] past this one particular speed bump, uh, uh, near our neighborhood, uh, because it didn't [00:41:41] have sufficient paint on the road to indicate that it was a speed bump. [00:41:45] And then there was a software update and then it perfectly negotiated all four speed bumps [00:41:49] just right in a row every single time. [00:41:52] And then there was another update and now it blows past the third speed bump again. [00:41:56] And so, uh, I think that people who are technology enthusiasts who maybe follow this stuff and [00:42:05] understand how, what software is, how it works, that updates are not a pure linear, you know, [00:42:11] march of progress, I think the idea that there would be regressions in software releases or [00:42:18] even, uh, non-determinism in how the, how the computer car operates, that's totally natural [00:42:24] to me. [00:42:24] And I expect it now. [00:42:25] I, I grown at it and I think like, this is, this is probably a bad idea in aggregate and [00:42:31] at a population level. [00:42:33] I suspect that the average driver would be confused by that the same way that like the [00:42:38] average person is terrified of updating their phone or their computer because they associate [00:42:43] software updates with, uh, uh, you know, newness and unawareness and, and, and, and, and, and all [00:42:51] the things that they finally had working, no longer working. [00:42:54] And when they, but when you talk about the, the march of progress and technology, they sort [00:43:00] of have a, what it is, is whenever anything goes wrong with technology, if you're not, if [00:43:08] you're not primed to know that it's burning you is, it seems like people mostly blame themselves [00:43:13] instead of blaming the technology. [00:43:15] And if that's your, if that's the way you use your phone or your computer, uh, you [00:43:21] know, when, when the car makes a mistake, you might not realize it as a car making mistake [00:43:26] and you might not have the hypervigilance. [00:43:27] That's like, you know, a more adversarial, like, like, I feel like I'm constantly spot checking [00:43:31] it. [00:43:31] And I, and while I am surprisingly impressed with how well it's been negotiating everything [00:43:37] that we've thrown at it so far, it's made one or two mistakes and I've, I've, I've, [00:43:41] I've, I've dealt with it, but on net, like it's driving waste. [00:43:45] Way more safely than I am way. [00:43:47] And it's, it's taught me a few things. [00:43:49] It's like, Oh yeah. [00:43:49] Like whenever I do this at an intersection, like that's really dumb. [00:43:52] Like it's doing this way better. [00:43:53] Uh, I can't think of a specific example, but like, I'm pretty impressed. [00:43:58] And so I thought, well, I'll ask Jeremy to borrow the car because I've got this natural [00:44:03] experiment now, same time of day, uh, same location. [00:44:07] So I already know how to get there. [00:44:08] It's a, it's a little bit goofy, but like, because I was just there, I'm not going to feel [00:44:12] like I'm learning how to get, get there and also learning how to use this. [00:44:15] Auto driving system simultaneously. [00:44:17] And, uh, holy shit. [00:44:20] Like, yes, I had people jump out in front of the car. [00:44:23] It was even worse this time at the particular intersection before you get to the, to, to [00:44:27] I four and the car like saw them out of its blind spot while it was turning, right. [00:44:32] It saw them on the left camera and breaks perfectly. [00:44:37] Uh, and I, uh, my first reaction was like, I would not have caught that. [00:44:40] I probably would have cut it real close. [00:44:44] Uh, almost hitting these people. [00:44:45] Uh, you get onto the highway and then this is why I emphasize like I four is like the deadliest [00:44:51] highway in America because it's, it is, it is not like driving on the highway, wherever [00:44:59] the fuck you live like anywhere I was ever in Michigan or Ohio or anywhere else in the [00:45:04] U S or certainly anywhere I've driven in Japan. [00:45:06] Those are the only places I suppose I've driven or Canada. [00:45:09] Like, yes, sometimes it's a little stressful driving on the highway. [00:45:12] Like that's not what this is. [00:45:14] This is, you have to practice extreme defensive driving. [00:45:18] And if you actually want to get where you're going, you also have to practice offensive [00:45:21] driving. [00:45:21] Uh, so having, uh, you know, nine cameras and nine directions is just necessary for basic [00:45:28] like assurance of survival. [00:45:31] Like when I'm on I four, I, I feel constantly under threat. [00:45:35] Uh, and something happens every time. [00:45:39] So we get on the highway and that stuff does happen. [00:45:42] Uh, you know, the car on its own decided to take the express lanes by itself, which was [00:45:46] incredible, but like people were like, I was trying to merge into a lane. [00:45:50] And then as, as the things, well, it was trying to merge into a lane. [00:45:53] And as it was changing lanes, somebody who didn't even have a blinker on starts edging in [00:45:58] and the car knows I'm going to back off. [00:45:59] Uh, there was another case of somebody swerving into our lane, like very close to the car and [00:46:05] the car, you know, defensively, you know, switch to the right lane, which was wide open [00:46:11] to prevent the risk that like, you know, it might have to break. [00:46:14] Suddenly there wasn't enough distance between the cars. [00:46:16] And that was stuff that like, I only was actually even able to piece together. [00:46:19] What the fuck was it doing after the fact? [00:46:20] Like looking at the map and looking around me, it's just, it went great. [00:46:28] Got there, dropped the shit off, turned around, you know, the parking is wonderful too, because [00:46:34] it'll back into every parking spot. [00:46:36] You just tap the screen. [00:46:37] Like it'll see the parking spots. [00:46:38] You just tap which one you want and just, it handles it for you. [00:46:40] It parks way better than I park. [00:46:42] I don't know, man. [00:46:43] And on the ride home, not only, you know, everything around me felt like it was on fire and chaos, [00:46:50] but because I had a buddy who was doing the driving and I could just kind of be, you know, [00:46:54] patrolling and looking around, I actually got a, a low heart rate notification on my watch, [00:47:00] which I get, I get them frequently. [00:47:01] Cause I have a low resting heart rate, but like it would say, Hey, your, your heart rate's [00:47:05] been under 40 beats per minute for the last 10 minutes. [00:47:08] And, uh, which I, if that's not you, that's like, if that's not typical for you, that might [00:47:14] sound scary, but like, no, my, my resting heart rate when I'm actually like de-stressed and, [00:47:17] and just chill is like typically like 38. [00:47:20] So the fact that I could be on I4 with a heart rate under 40 feeling completely safe more than [00:47:27] anything, it's not about going fast or whatever. [00:47:29] It's like feeling like I've got a team of two that are dedicated to getting me home safely, [00:47:32] me and this computer. [00:47:34] Uh, it was a revelatory experience now that look, I realized it's a complicated situation [00:47:44] because Elon is a big old bucket of assholes and the politics of it are all fucked. [00:47:50] Uh, you know, the right time to buy a Tesla was, was when, uh, everyone agreed that, that [00:47:54] they were cool and EVs were good and the planet deserves saving. [00:47:57] Uh, but yeah, I got, I totally saw where, where my brother was coming from and all of his friends [00:48:03] who, who, who, who are similar technologists who, who have these things and who are, you [00:48:07] know, who got on board in the very recent hardware three or hardware four era of Tesla. [00:48:12] Um, particularly with like the, the, the entry level models that are higher volume and therefore [00:48:17] kind of more, uh, consistently produced, you know, the cyber truck, for example, more, most [00:48:26] expensive, but lowest volume and has the most problems. [00:48:29] The model Y at this point is pretty boring and dull, but like, you know, if, if you, if [00:48:34] you are like me and just kind of think of cars, the modern day car is just a tablet with wheels. [00:48:40] This is a, you know, and I, yes, I had, I had low expectations. [00:48:46] I had a high level of suspicion, but it went great. [00:48:48] And, uh, uh, I, I, I successfully dropped off my snoring thing. [00:48:55] I can't wait to get the results. [00:48:57] That'll tell me that, uh, you know, nothing happened. [00:48:59] Another bit of follow-up. [00:49:01] I think I'd mentioned that I, uh, I had used rocket money. [00:49:05] So, you know, it used to be called true bill and then quick and loans bought it. [00:49:08] And, uh, the, as quick and loan started branding itself as rocket and having this rocket suite [00:49:13] of products, rocket money became, it's, you know, a consumer entree into upselling it to [00:49:18] other products and rocket monies, you know, promises. [00:49:21] It's going to help you, uh, visualize all your subscriptions and even negotiate a tiny, tiny [00:49:27] sliver of those subscriptions. [00:49:28] And the one that I yielded to it was my spectrum account. [00:49:32] So my ISP had, had gradually been charging me more and more to the point where it was [00:49:36] like $145 after tax every month for the same internet program. [00:49:39] That was like a hundred dollars when I moved here. [00:49:41] And I was very skeptical when rocket money said, Hey, we just saved you $893 a year, uh, by, [00:49:48] by lowering your monthly bill to 70 bucks. [00:49:50] And they sent me a new modem as well. [00:49:53] And I was like, I don't need a new modem. [00:49:55] It's the, it's, it's the model number. [00:49:56] It looks almost identical. [00:49:57] And I, I was actually at UPS returning that modem. [00:50:01] And I just thought to myself, what if this modem is somehow better? [00:50:04] Cause I had not been super blown away by the performance of my current one. [00:50:09] And so I, I went to the trouble of unplugging the old one, plugging in the new one, setting [00:50:13] it up, calling to activate and it, my, my connection now is rock solid. [00:50:19] So, so just by doing this price hack thing, I now have a modem that works way better. [00:50:23] I was able to activate it myself without having some tech come over here. [00:50:25] So that's a, that's a win, but the statements were still showing up $140. [00:50:29] And I was really skeptical that like this would materialize, but sure enough, this week I got [00:50:35] a statement for $70. [00:50:36] Uh, and I guess that means I owe rocket money 35% of whatever it saved me. [00:50:42] And I don't know how that's, I don't know how that's paid or when that works. [00:50:45] I'll figure it out. [00:50:47] But if you're, if you're willing to, basically I would recommend rocket money to anyone who [00:50:52] is currently paying sticker price for whatever utilities, it's probably mostly ISPs and cell [00:51:00] phone bills. [00:51:01] If you're paying for like a normal plan that is still available and you're paying top dollar, [00:51:06] uh, call them, give it a try. [00:51:08] But if you're like, you know, like I am with T-Mobile grandfathered in on some 12 year old [00:51:13] plan that has been replaced five times. [00:51:15] And there's no like, like the most likely case then is it's going to put me on the latest plan [00:51:19] and sign me up for all of the new throttling and four ADP video and the shit that you don't [00:51:24] want, uh, in terms of limitations. [00:51:26] So check out rocket money. [00:51:30] I, I, I was extremely skeptical and now this is, this is a rocket money ad. [00:51:34] Uh, although it is unpaid. [00:51:36] If you want to be a sponsor of the program podcast at seerls.co, uh, another followup item. [00:51:47] I, let me tell you what it took to connect. [00:51:53] My Xbox controller to my, to my gaming PC. [00:51:58] So, uh, I have an Xbox series elite to whatever you call it. [00:52:04] A nice, the fancy Xbox controller that costs like $170. [00:52:07] And I like this controller. [00:52:09] It's got the little paddles in the back. [00:52:11] It's got, you know, a nicer grip, uh, interchangeable thumb sticks and D pad and stuff. [00:52:16] It's a very nice product, but it's, it's, you know, talk about low volume things that [00:52:21] aren't as reliable. [00:52:21] It has a lot of reliability issues and my right bumper button, like next to the right [00:52:27] shoulder, it had been like very, very, um, it would miss like 70% of the clicks. [00:52:36] And because the right bumper isn't the most important button in the world. [00:52:39] Like it just meant like, uh, I guess I'm just not the kind of guy to throw grenades or whatever [00:52:43] the right bumper is typically assigned to, I got a replacement relative, like a, a, a cheap [00:52:50] replacement through Microsoft support channel. [00:52:52] I think they charged me $70. [00:52:53] They didn't require me to ship back the old one. [00:52:55] Uh, the replacement came and I plugged it into the computer to start set up and pairing. [00:53:00] And the Xbox accessories app was like, this is too out of date to be able to configure your [00:53:06] controller, which was weird because windows update, which I checked frequently had said [00:53:10] that I was up to date, but there was a little message at the bottom saying, uh, windows is [00:53:16] up to date. [00:53:16] Important security updates have not been applied. [00:53:19] Make sure that your computer is turned on, which is weird because if I'm manually updating [00:53:22] and nothing's saying that it's like, where are these secret security updates that aren't [00:53:26] happening? [00:53:26] And when I dug into my actual windows version, it said I was on 21 H two. [00:53:32] So the naming scheme for these major windows releases seems to be the, the two digit year [00:53:39] followed by H one for first half of the year and H two for second half of the year, which [00:53:44] is, um, real dumb. [00:53:47] I'm going to say just a dumb way to name things, you know, numbers are good. [00:53:52] You know, I, I, I get it now why it's named that. [00:53:56] But 21 was, uh, if you, if you decode the version several, several numbers ago, it was [00:54:02] three, at least it was at least two H one ago. [00:54:05] And why was I on such an old version? [00:54:10] It turns out I'll share like a, an article from, from just December, the, the windows 11 [00:54:16] required computers to have secure boot enabled using the trusted platform module or TPM equivalent [00:54:22] encryption. [00:54:23] And that's to certify or to be able to attest that like the, the operating system has not [00:54:28] been tampered with and so forth. [00:54:29] And then this has all sorts of like DMCA, DR, DRM, um, uh, and, uh, HDCP, all this sort [00:54:36] of a content encryption, copyright protection, uh, ostensibly it's quote unquote security. [00:54:41] And it, and it's the, like making sure from a malware perspective that the veracity of [00:54:45] the system files are all in place and so forth. [00:54:47] But like a lot of nerds were not on board because they want to rip blue waves or whatever it is. [00:54:51] And this might make it marginally more difficult, but gaming motherboards were like the last ones [00:54:57] to the party to support secure boot. [00:54:59] And even though I built my gaming PC, well, after windows 11 launched the BIOS that it [00:55:04] shipped with did not support secure boot. [00:55:06] Um, it didn't support, uh, I don't think like booting from UEFI drives correctly either. [00:55:13] So I'd set it up just like a normal basic fucking computer and it worked for however long it [00:55:18] worked. [00:55:18] But apparently in December, Microsoft was just like, and you get no more updates at all. [00:55:22] No more security updates, no more, nothing, which is why I started getting that message. [00:55:25] Uh, if you want to be on the latest and greatest version of windows 11, you must have secure boot. [00:55:30] Problem now is like, it's been several years. [00:55:34] And so figuring out what kind of motherboard I even have, I'm too lazy to like open the case [00:55:38] up and look at it. [00:55:39] And so I, I found the particular model number in my Amazon orders. [00:55:42] So step one, you know, I figured out what was happening. [00:55:45] I guess step, step zero is I get this new controller and I immediately regret it. [00:55:49] Uh, step two, figure out what's happening. [00:55:52] Step three, check my Amazon orders, identify the motherboard. [00:55:55] Uh, step four, I went to the motherboard website. [00:55:58] I find that there, a BIOS update is available and it's, it adds the secure boot functionality [00:56:03] because apparently the encryption software hardware is on the device, which is great. [00:56:07] So I download the BIOS and then I start flashing it. [00:56:12] Uh, not, you know, not that kind of, get your head out of the gutter. [00:56:15] I, it, it requires, uh, you know, identifying there's a, there's a particular USB port on [00:56:23] the back of the, of the motherboard. [00:56:25] That is the only one that can flash the BIOS and you have to look for it. [00:56:30] This is like M dash flash on it. [00:56:31] So you put it in there, you know, you restart, you, uh, boot into the BIOS and I, uh, got [00:56:39] it to update that, that part was actually pretty easy. [00:56:41] Then you go into the, the BIOS and it, you know, I don't know what BIOS stands for. [00:56:45] So if you're not like a PC person, this might not make sense, but you, you, the, the, it's, [00:56:49] it's the little bit of software that runs before the computer really starts. [00:56:52] And you can typically get there by hitting a key like F12 or delete. [00:56:55] And it's, you know, if you weren't raised on windows, uh, it's, it's, it's a weird [00:56:59] under, underbelly that sometimes you have to go into. [00:57:02] It's got a lot of arcane settings. [00:57:04] None of them make any sense. [00:57:05] It's a lot of acronyms that aren't explained, even though modern BIOS systems typically have [00:57:09] tooltips, it'll be like, what is, you know, what is MDR? [00:57:12] And it's like this, this option determines whether you have MDR turned on and off. [00:57:16] And there's like room for two more paragraphs to just maybe spell out what the fuck MDR is. [00:57:20] Uh, I turned on the secure boot, figure that out. [00:57:25] Uh, chat GPT is wonderful for stuff like this. [00:57:27] Like it gave me step-by-step directions because like, there's probably 800 forum, forum posts, [00:57:31] like detailing the same thing. [00:57:33] Uh, after reboot, nothing worked and like the computer would not boot. [00:57:39] I turned on secure boot, which required turning on UEFI, which is like a related technology of [00:57:44] like a more modern boot system for computers. [00:57:46] And it turns out it's because that my drive partition map is master boot record MBR, which [00:57:51] is like from the DOS era. [00:57:53] And that was the default when I set it up in 21 or 2020. [00:57:56]

>>Join DECADE Golf - 20% off using code "WICKEDSMART" Also, my new book, Wicked Smart Golf II: The Blueprint to Breaking 80 Consistently is LIVE on Amazon (kindle + paperback + hardcover) and Audible sometime in February. Learn proven strategies to break 80 and play your best golf ever WITHOUT swing changes. Thanks for the support!  Enter the WSG2 Launch promotion (must have a Gmail address or send name, email, and proof of purchase to wickedsmartgolf@gmail.com).  Today's guest is a podcast listener and Wicked Smart fan who got to a single digit WITHOUT swing changes. When you listen to this episode, you will learn: Why DECADE Golf is a gamechanger. The power of self-talk to turn the round around. How he finally broke through his "bogey golf" plateau. Why short game is everything in your quest to lower scores.  How Rypstick transformed his driver game from 92 to 111 mph and added 25 yards!  Use this episode as inspiration to play your best golf ever in 2025 and beyond!  WICKED SMART GOLF Recommended Products Mental Golf Type - The Best Mental Game Training (use code WICKEDSMART to save 25%).  WHYGOLF Training Aids - The Best Training Aids to help your practice sessions (use code WICKEDSMART to save 15%).  Rypstick - The #1 Speed Trainer to Hit Bombs (use code WICKEDSMART to save 10%)  Mental Golf Coaching - Get 1:1 support to lower your handicap, master your mental game, and have more fun.  Wicked Smart Golf Academy - The FASTEST way to play consistent golf.  PrimePutt: The best putting mats in golf, use code “WICKEDSMART” to save 10% on your investment.  Arccos Golf - The easiest way to track and analyze your stats (use code WICKEDSMART to save 10% on sensors or grips).  Also, don't forget to connect on social media: Follow on TikTok Follow on Instagram   Subscribe on YouTube Buy my golf book on Amazon or Audible (“Wicked Smart Golf: How to Play Better Golf and Shoot Lower Scores Without Changing Your Swing”)

Let's recap the epic episode with Dr. Luke Benoit of Rypstick Golf from last week. If you're ready to start speed training with Rypstick make sure to use code "WICKEDSMART" at checkout or click this link to receive 10% off AND a FREE swing analysis from Dr. Luke himself.  When you listen to this recap episode, you will learn: The mindset for making swing changes. How foam balls can help you make lasting changes.  Why putting is a lot more mental than mechanical and how to practice effectively.  Why you need to start speed training = 20 yards in 90 days or less is the RYP guarantee.  The 80-year old perspective to help you get out of your comfort zone and play best in competition.  Start training with Rypstick now to add speed & hit bombs! Also, check out my goal setting checklist if you haven't confirmed your 2024 goals now that it's golf season!  WICKED SMART GOLF RESOURCES Work with Michael for Mental Golf Coaching  Master your pre-shot routine in golf to save 3–5 shots per round: Join Pre-Shot Like a Pro Also, don't forget to connect on social media: Follow on TikTok Follow on Instagram   Subscribe on YouTube Buy my golf book on Amazon or Audible (“Wicked Smart Golf: How to Play Better Golf and Shoot Lower Scores Without Changing Your Swing”) Lastly, don't forget to SUBSCRIBE to get new episodes each week so you can play better without swing changes.

What We're Playing this Week MTG Arena - All Will Be One Sealed Nintendo Online GBA (https://www.nintendo.com/store/products/game-boy-advance-nintendo-switch-online-switch/) Pokemon TCG About Dan All Time favorite video game series: Metroid All Time favorite video game: Super Metroid Other favorite video games: Final Fantasy Tactics Final Fantasy VII (series) Monster Hunter World Disgaea 4 (series) Command and Conquer: Red Alert 2 (series) Super Mario World (series) Sonic Mania (series) Gran Turismo series Super Smash Bro. Melee (series) Armored Core series My favorite MMO to play (back in the day): Final Fantasy XI Trading Card Game: Magic: The Gathering Capture hardware: Magewell USB Capture HDMI Plus - 32040 https://a.co/d/4eKYyEg HDMI Splitter 1 in 2 Out - 4K Aluminum Ver1.4 HDCP, Powered HDMI Splitter Supports 3D 4K@30HZ Full HD1080P for Xbox PS4 PS3 Fire Stick Roku Blu-Ray Player Apple TV HDTV - Cable Included, Grey https://a.co/d/aqNmpoZ Logitech Brio 4K Webcam, Ultra 4K HD Video Calling, Noise-Canceling mic, HD Auto Light Correction, Wide Field of View, Works with Microsoft Teams, Zoom, Google Voice, PC/Mac/Laptop/Macbook/Tablet https://a.co/d/69ATIEL Weilisi 6.5'' Ring Light for Computer with Adjustable Tripod,3 Light Modes Video Conference Lighting,Mini Ring Light for Laptop,Webcam Light,Zoom Light,Desk Ring Light,Selfie Ring Light https://a.co/d/bTp4bEY Capture software: OBS for Windows (Virtual Webcam) https://obsproject.com/download Discord for Windows https://discord.com/download Discord (https://discord.gg/k8e7gKUpEp) Mike on Twitter (https://twitter.com/dominucco) Alice (https://alice.dev) The Mad Botter (https://themadbotter.com) Daniel's Blog (https://daniel.melzaks.com)

Episode 205Highland Falls was GREAT! Matt's first trip around Highland Falls last week was a good one.Pebble Beach wrapped up on Monday after some serious weather conditions had the tourney stop early on Sunday. There was some crazy wind out there! Congrats to Justin Rose for returning to the winner's circle.Joe talked about his round at Boulder Creek, where he played as a 3 HDCP on a course where he's easily a 9; haha. Jeremy joined us a little late and missed out on the influencer talk.Matt Gontarek let us know about this weekend's Golf Forecast, and we wrapped up the show with the odds for the Waste Management Phoenix Open and made our picks.----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------If you haven't yet, please check out our NEW YouTube channel and hit that Subscribe Button. More content is coming to that channel as Matt learns the ins and outs of making better videos. Please check out one of our show supporters FN3P Golf. You can save some money using our code "CDPODCAST" at checkout.If you're starting a new podcast or have one and want to make some changes to better your show, we highly recommend RIVERSIDE.FM. Use our affiliate link below to check out the software and do your part to make a better product for your listeners.If you like how the show looks and sounds lately, check out RIVERSIDE.FM, their software is legit! The Las Vegas Golf Superstore The premier retail destination for golfers in the Las Vegas Valley!Bob West - The Golfing Real Estate Agent Former professional golfer turned Real Estate agent servicing the Las Vegas ValleyWe hope you enjoy this week's episode, and if you do, please consider leaving us a review on either Spotify or iTunes. Thank You!

Most of the time, the Roku HDCP error occurs on a single channel. Protects digital content with HDCP, a protocol that prevents illegal copying and distribution of digital content. Most digital equipment is HDCP supported. A Roku is an HDCP-protected device, which means the equipment used alongside it must also be HDCP-compliant. Errors occur when non-HDCP-compliant devices try to connect to HDCP-protected systems. There is an HDCP error Roku.

「イメージニクス、4K HDMIフレームシンクロナイザー「CRO-URS1」発売。各種4K HDR映像やHDCP規格に対応」　イメージニクス株式会社は、4K HDMIフレームシンクロナイザー「CRO-URS1」を2022年9月に発売する。希望小売価格は税込110,000円。

A caller is having issues with an application they recently installed. Why your computer monitor may not be suddenly receiving a signal from your computer. Is it worth transferring an old XP Pro license to a new computer? What steps you can take when you forget the password to your computer. Why are my WiFi speeds way slower than they should be? Also, conversations with Sam Abuelsamid, Chris Marquardt, and Rod Pyle! New Macs with M2 chips? Elon Musk wants to buy Twitter. Memory issues with a Mac application? There may be more to that. Sam Abuelsamid and the Toyota bZ4X. A caller is not getting video to his monitor from his computer. Transferring an old Pro XP license to a new laptop and upgrading it to Windows 11? HDCP error from Roku player after an over-the-air update. An older HP laptop hitting end of life after recent Windows 10 update? Chris Marquardt and the Expensive assignment review. What do to when you forget the password on a PC. Why WiFi speeds may be slower than they should be. Why emails are being bounced back from a different email address rather than the original address. Protecting yourself from online scammers & what you can do to remove malicious software safely. Rod Pyle & the Space Launch System. What is Dropbox & Microsoft OneDrive? Trouble pairing the new iPhone SE to a car's bluetooth system. Host: Leo Laporte Guests: Sam Abuelsamid, Chris Marquardt, and Rod Pyle Get episodes ad-free with Club TWiT at https://twit.tv/clubtwit Show notes and links for this episode are available at: https://twit.tv/shows/the-tech-guy/episodes/1886 Download or subscribe to this show at: https://twit.tv/shows/the-tech-guy Sponsor: wealthfront.com/techguy

A caller is having issues with an application they recently installed. Why your computer monitor may not be suddenly receiving a signal from your computer. Is it worth transferring an old XP Pro license to a new computer? What steps you can take when you forget the password to your computer. Why are my WiFi speeds way slower than they should be? Also, conversations with Sam Abuelsamid, Chris Marquardt, and Rod Pyle! New Macs with M2 chips? Elon Musk wants to buy Twitter. Memory issues with a Mac application? There may be more to that. Sam Abuelsamid and the Toyota bZ4X. A caller is not getting video to his monitor from his computer. Transferring an old Pro XP license to a new laptop and upgrading it to Windows 11? HDCP error from Roku player after an over-the-air update. An older HP laptop hitting end of life after recent Windows 10 update? Chris Marquardt and the Expensive assignment review. What do to when you forget the password on a PC. Why WiFi speeds may be slower than they should be. Why emails are being bounced back from a different email address rather than the original address. Protecting yourself from online scammers & what you can do to remove malicious software safely. Rod Pyle & the Space Launch System. What is Dropbox & Microsoft OneDrive? Trouble pairing the new iPhone SE to a car's bluetooth system. Host: Leo Laporte Guests: Sam Abuelsamid, Chris Marquardt, and Rod Pyle Get episodes ad-free with Club TWiT at https://twit.tv/clubtwit Show notes and links for this episode are available at: https://twit.tv/shows/the-tech-guy/episodes/1886 Download or subscribe to this show at: https://twit.tv/shows/all-twittv-shows Sponsor: wealthfront.com/techguy

A caller is having issues with an application they recently installed. Why your computer monitor may not be suddenly receiving a signal from your computer. Is it worth transferring an old XP Pro license to a new computer? What steps you can take when you forget the password to your computer. Why are my WiFi speeds way slower than they should be? Also, conversations with Sam Abuelsamid, Chris Marquardt, and Rod Pyle! New Macs with M2 chips? Elon Musk wants to buy Twitter. Memory issues with a Mac application? There may be more to that. Sam Abuelsamid and the Toyota bZ4X. A caller is not getting video to his monitor from his computer. Transferring an old Pro XP license to a new laptop and upgrading it to Windows 11? HDCP error from Roku player after an over-the-air update. An older HP laptop hitting end of life after recent Windows 10 update? Chris Marquardt and the Expensive assignment review. What do to when you forget the password on a PC. Why WiFi speeds may be slower than they should be. Why emails are being bounced back from a different email address rather than the original address. Protecting yourself from online scammers & what you can do to remove malicious software safely. Rod Pyle & the Space Launch System. What is Dropbox & Microsoft OneDrive? Trouble pairing the new iPhone SE to a car's bluetooth system. Host: Leo Laporte Guests: Sam Abuelsamid, Chris Marquardt, and Rod Pyle Get episodes ad-free with Club TWiT at https://twit.tv/clubtwit Show notes and links for this episode are available at: https://twit.tv/shows/the-tech-guy/episodes/1886 Download or subscribe to this show at: https://twit.tv/shows/radio-leo Sponsor: wealthfront.com/techguy

A caller is having issues with an application they recently installed. Why your computer monitor may not be suddenly receiving a signal from your computer. Is it worth transferring an old XP Pro license to a new computer? What steps you can take when you forget the password to your computer. Why are my WiFi speeds way slower than they should be? Also, conversations with Sam Abuelsamid, Chris Marquardt, and Rod Pyle! New Macs with M2 chips? Elon Musk wants to buy Twitter. Memory issues with a Mac application? There may be more to that. Sam Abuelsamid and the Toyota bZ4X. A caller is not getting video to his monitor from his computer. Transferring an old Pro XP license to a new laptop and upgrading it to Windows 11? HDCP error from Roku player after an over-the-air update. An older HP laptop hitting end of life after recent Windows 10 update? Chris Marquardt and the Expensive assignment review. What do to when you forget the password on a PC. Why WiFi speeds may be slower than they should be. Why emails are being bounced back from a different email address rather than the original address. Protecting yourself from online scammers & what you can do to remove malicious software safely. Rod Pyle & the Space Launch System. What is Dropbox & Microsoft OneDrive? Trouble pairing the new iPhone SE to a car's bluetooth system. Host: Leo Laporte Guests: Sam Abuelsamid, Chris Marquardt, and Rod Pyle Get episodes ad-free with Club TWiT at https://twit.tv/clubtwit Show notes and links for this episode are available at: https://twit.tv/shows/the-tech-guy/episodes/1886 Download or subscribe to this show at: https://twit.tv/shows/the-tech-guy Sponsor: wealthfront.com/techguy

A caller is having issues with an application they recently installed. Why your computer monitor may not be suddenly receiving a signal from your computer. Is it worth transferring an old XP Pro license to a new computer? What steps you can take when you forget the password to your computer. Why are my WiFi speeds way slower than they should be? Also, conversations with Sam Abuelsamid, Chris Marquardt, and Rod Pyle! New Macs with M2 chips? Elon Musk wants to buy Twitter. Memory issues with a Mac application? There may be more to that. Sam Abuelsamid and the Toyota bZ4X. A caller is not getting video to his monitor from his computer. Transferring an old Pro XP license to a new laptop and upgrading it to Windows 11? HDCP error from Roku player after an over-the-air update. An older HP laptop hitting end of life after recent Windows 10 update? Chris Marquardt and the Expensive assignment review. What do to when you forget the password on a PC. Why WiFi speeds may be slower than they should be. Why emails are being bounced back from a different email address rather than the original address. Protecting yourself from online scammers & what you can do to remove malicious software safely. Rod Pyle & the Space Launch System. What is Dropbox & Microsoft OneDrive? Trouble pairing the new iPhone SE to a car's bluetooth system. Host: Leo Laporte Guests: Sam Abuelsamid, Chris Marquardt, and Rod Pyle Get episodes ad-free with Club TWiT at https://twit.tv/clubtwit Show notes and links for this episode are available at: https://twit.tv/shows/the-tech-guy/episodes/1886 Download or subscribe to this show at: https://twit.tv/shows/all-twittv-shows Sponsor: wealthfront.com/techguy

El 2021😰 , un año marcado por una pandemia global 😷, fue difícil encontrar palabras bonitas para hablar de él, pero en Hora de cultura POP! hicimos un recuento para recordar lo mejor y lo peor con un análisis muy personal 😁 En compañía de nuestra querida @valzombie el equipo de HDCP (@emm_battleborn, @rulespp, @emelcho) hemos recogido los hechos, datos, series películas y videojuegos mas relevantes ocurridos en el año y se los traemos en este episodio especial 🤩 Hablamos de cómo el 2021 nos ha cambiado trayendo nuevas formas de entretenimiento, mientras la rutina y la vida cotidiana giran alrededor de las innovaciones 🌏 , trayendo nuevas formas de trabajar y de entretenimiento, los retos que hemos afrontado, las notas o personas que dan de que hablar en red o simplemente como logramos sobrevivir . Pésenle a un recuento anual mas y esperamos estar aqui con ustedes en el del 2022 🥳

In this week's show we look at the number of DVD, Blu-ray and UHD discs that have been released, run down the new flagship receivers from Denon and Yamaha, and answer the question, should I buy an 8K TV? Plus we read your email and take a look at the news.  DVD & Blu-Ray Release Report Your resource for DVD & BLU-RAY titles released in the domestic market. Latest Report...  New Flagship Receivers Launched It's that time of year again. Time when we drool over the new receivers that will be coming out soon. This week we have announcements from Yamaha, Denon, and Marantz. OK Denon and Marantz are essentially the same company but we like things in threes. Denon AVC-X8500HA  13- channel amplifier monolithic power amplifier 210W per channel 8K/60Hz pass-through or upscaling, 4K/120Hz pass-through for gaming, and support for the latest HDMI specifications. 13.2 channel processing to power up to a 7.2.6 or 9.2.4 speaker configuration HDR / HLG / Dolby Vision / HDR10+ / Dynamic HDR Full Specs here Price and availability $4299, June 2021, Upgrade to A-spec for existing AVC-X8500H owners: $599  Marantz AV8805A 13.2 channel processing, 15.2 channel XLR and RCA outputs, and flexible amplifier stages 8 HDMI inputs and 3 outputs. One dedicated 8K input supports 8K/60Hz or 4K/120Hz pass-through capability, while Dolby Vision, HLG, HDR10+, 21:9 video, 3D, BT.2020 pass-through and HDCP 2.3 copy protection standard is supported on all HDMI inputs. Features exclusive Marantz Hyper Dynamic Amplifier Module (HDAM) technology that provide ultra-fast slew rate, true wideband performance, and maximum dynamic range for optimum sound quality. Full Specs here Price and availability $4799, June 2021, Upgrade to A-spec for existing AV8805 owners: $599 Yamaha RX-A8A 11.2-channel 150-Watt with Zone 2/3/4 4K120 and 8K60 HDMI with HDCP 2.3 and eARC (7 in/3 out) Dolby Vision, HDR 10+ (with firmware update) pre-outs Full Specs here Price and availability $2999, June 2021 Yamaha RX-A6A 9.2-channel (with 11.2-channel processing) 150-Watt surround sound with Zone 2/3/4 4K120 and 8K60 HDMI with HDCP 2.3 and eARC (7 in/3 out) Dolby Vision, HDR 10+ (with firmware update) pre-outs Full Specs here Price and availability $2199, June 2021 There is also the RX-A4A and RX-A2A with lesser features costing $1299 and $799 respectively. The A2A being the only one without full pre-outs. You don't need an 8K TV — ask me again in a decade We found this article written by Brian Westover at Tom's Guide that confirms what we have been saying for a while now that you don't need an 8K TV. We feel that 8K is simply hype to get you to part with your money. Some of Brian's key arguments: Brian has seen demos, as have we, that are very impressive. Brian uses the analogy of looking through a window. He also states that these demos have been on very large screens. On smaller screens the excitement decreases. At smaller screen sizes — the sort that are actually affordable — 8K resolution is much less impressive. An 8K picture is best enjoyed on screens that measure between 75 and 100+ inches, much larger than most 4K TVs in the home, since an 8K display is essentially four 4K displays stitched together into one seamless picture. Larger screen sizes may be getting more popular, but 85-inch TVs are simply too large for most homes, and that's the range where 8K really looks its best. We agree with Brian that at smaller screen sizes the difference is negligible. We disagree with Brian that a 75 inch screen can showcase the benefit of 8K. At 75 inches one can barely see the benefits of 4K! No, for 8K you need 100+ at a minimum.  But the main issue is content. There isn't any and it will be a long time before it becomes available. The studios were already mastering in 4K and down converting to 1080P. Once TV technology caught up it was a matter of finding a way to get 4K content into consumers hands. It was easy enough to get 4K onto a disc. The main title fit on one disc while the extras were moved to supplemental discs. Streaming was made possible by better compression on more powerful hardware through bigger network pipes. And finally, ATSC 3.0 will allow for it to be broadcast straight into your home.  Moving to 8K is going to require far more bandwidth, new mastering technology, and of course new more expensive TVs. It is unlikely that there will be that kind of wholesale change in how content is created for years. All for the benefit of the third most important part of the TV specifications following contrast and color. Which brings us back to screen size. If and when there is 8K content, will you have room for a 100+ inch screen? Probably not. Save your money and pick up a nicer 4K TV now and don't worry about 8K.   

On today's show we look at a CNET article that covers the best home theater projectors for 2021 and then we ask if a $80,000 Sony projector is worth the money. We also take a look at a simple universal remote and ask if it can replace the Harmony. We read your emails and take a look at the week's news as well.  Best home theater projector for 2021 From portable projectors to affordable 1080p models to light cannons built for gaming or 4K HDR, these are the best projectors for the money. Full article here… Is the Sony VPLGTZ380 worth $80,000?? Realize an overwhelming native 4K image expression like you've never seen before. Sony's X1 processor is paired with a super high contrast 10,000 lumen Z-Phosphor laser light source and DCI-P3 wide color space make your ultimate vision a reality. Object based super resolution enhances color and contrast for greater depth, cleaner textures, and more realistic pictures. More info... A stunning 10,000 lumens achieve D65 industry-standard color balance and DCI-P3 color space without brightness loss. X1TM Ultimate for projector brings you the best of Sony's image processing Newly-developed, reliable, full 4K resolution on 3 SXRD™ panel for outstanding contrast Z-PhosphorTM laser with red laser diode enhances tones across DCI-P3 color space and deliver 1.35 wider color range than sRGB solutions Object based Super Resolution enhances color and contrast of individual objects for a clear picture. Dual database processing reduces digital noise for the lowest possible ambient noise With Object based HDR Remaster3, the color in individual objects on screen is analyzed and the contrast adjusted to reproduce greater depth, textures, and more realistic pictures Digital Contrast Optimizer minimizes unnecessary light from bright objects for more accurate focus. Dynamic HDR Enhancer brings a wider contrast range for striking and realistic picture quality HDR Reference Mode creates richer gradation that more accurately display the creator's intent. Enjoy the latest 4K content services with HDCP 2.3 compatibility on both 18Gbps HDMI inputs 4 Motionflow™ provides smooth motion for 4K & HD Advanced graphic processing and Input lag reduction ensures faster response time for gamers Up to 20,000 hours of virtually maintenance free operation This is a review of an owner (The Sony website says the projector will be available soon. We have to assume this is a pre-release model that is being reviewed): If you have ever viewed the VPL-VW5000ES & thought that machine had a brilliant picture at 5,000 lumens, the purely stunning display chip combined with the newest laser lamp that puts out a whopping 10,000 lumens makes the 5000ES model look like a Triniton from the 1980's! I recently upgraded from the 5000ES to the GTZ380 in my “man cave” with a 165” SI gray slate 1.3 gain screen. If the blacks are brightness of the 5,000 had an amazing image, the dual data/motion flow chipsets and double the lumens combined make for a viewing experience that's so immersive that only in the most gorgeous scenes from a solid, full HDR 4K source do you sit back and both admire the engineering behind this beyond words projector's imagining-that you chuckle at how much you spent to be so fortunate to buy one. Hands down, there is no imagination left to better what already seems that the human eyes can't possibly see anything technologically “better”. After this machine was conceived, I'd have to think that engineers are being laid off- or have abandoned any future development as there is no possibility of any picture quality improvement beyond this unit. Has to be the end of the line for any sort of television or movie watching device innovation- no way anything could ever top this picture quality and brightness that's so full of color and absolutely zero stutter. I can now rest easy, my wife can't be upset at my A/V “addiction”, as this is the last TV/Projector I will ever need or purchase. To spin a quote from the movie Field of Dreams “Is this heaven?....no, this is Sony”! Level of expertise Advanced Where purchased In person Sony products owned 6+ Inteset 4-in-1 Universal With Logitech discontinuing the Harmony Remote we have received a lot of emails asking us about alternatives. There are options that use your smartphone or tablet as well as some high end remotes tied to home automation. For today's discussion we decided to go old school with a simple 4-in-1 Universal remote from Inteset (Int-422 $25.95).  The remote is preconfigured to work with streaming devices like the Apple TV, Xbox One, Roku (excluding Stick) and others right out of the box with dedicated buttons. These buttons can be reprogrammed with the device codes of the components you have in your system by looking them up in their online database.  Typically a setup like this removes remote control clutter but doesn't really do anything for simplicity of use. The Inteset remote has some nice features that make it a better remote than the typical all-in-one.  Volume Lock - Most people use a single device such as a TV, sound-bar, or receiver for audio. You can set up the remote so that the volume and mute buttons control the audio of that device no matter what other mode is selected on the remote. Channel Lock - Lock the number pad to control the tuner/cable/satellite box, so you can change the channels no matter what device mode you have selected. This may not be as important as the volume lock. But it did simplify watching TV on a cable box.  Punch-through Support - Similar to Volume and Channel Lock, any button can be set to send the same IR signal no matter what device mode is selected. Macro Support -  You can program up to 32 commands into a single button. So, for example, you could turn on or off all of your devices, and switch inputs. The multiple symbol buttons on the bottom of the remote can be used for your macros. But this old school harmony remote style. We could not find any codes for direct input switching. Rather you had to hit the input button and then scroll to the input you want and then hit select.  This method is fraught with errors and grief. In our opinion the macros are best suited for turning on and off the devices you want for the activity you are watching. Then switch the input, more than likely using your receiver, manually. There is a special code to program the remote's display button to bring up the smart features of your TV.  The remote itself feels good in the hands. The buttons are logically placed and easy to select. It has a backlight which helps in low light conditions. Not much else to say about it. It's a modern remote. Bottom Line The Inteset 422 is a great improvement over the Universal remotes of fifteen years ago. Locking the volume and numbers buttons individually to a specific device just makes it easier to use. The macros are a good improvement as well but not what we are used to with the Harmony. This remote is perfectly suited for the person who has a cable or satellite box running through a receiver then out to the TV. It will turn them all on and off, control the volume and change channels with no issues. A more complex setup can be made to work, but it will be cumbersome to program and use. This remote will find a home at Ara's mom's house where her two remotes will be reduced to one. You can't beat it for this type of use at $26!  

Receiver Buying Guide 2020 It's that time of year where we get to spend your money. This season we start off with AV Receivers. We take a practical approach with these guides in that we try to get you the best bang for your buck. Well we do indulge with one of our selections. Here is our AV receiver buying guide for 2020. Under $500 Sony STR-DN1080 7.2ch Home Theater AV Receiver (MSRP $499.99) The Sony STR-DN1080 is a receiver that has been out for a few years but still checks all the boxes for a 4K receiver that won't break the bank. If you spent a few hundred dollars on a new 4K TV at a Black Friday sale or will do so between now or Christmas this is the perfect receiver for you. We are not going to recommend that you spend a thousand dollars on a receiver for a $300 TV.  Even still, this receiver is packed with a lot of features.  Features: 6-in/2-out HDMI connectivity with 4K/60p (4:4:4)7 pass-through, HDCP 2.2 support, and HDR support Dolby Atmos® and DTS:X support High-Resolution Audio-compatible Wi-Fi®, AirPlay and Chromecast built-in for music streaming One-cable HDMI eARC With Google Home $500 to $750 Onkyo TX-NR797 9.2 - Channel Network A/V Receiver (Street Price $750, Back Ordered) The Onkyo TX-NR797 makes our list as a solid mid-level receiver with high end features typically found in receivers costing more than $1000. This is the receiver you buy when you spent a little more on your TV but ran out of budget for a receiver to match.  Features: 100 Watts/Ch (8 Ohms 20-20kHz, 2 Channels Driven, FTC)  HDR (High Dynamic Range) video including HDR10, HLG, Dolby Vision®, and BT.2020 Six HDMI inputs, ARC-ready  MAIN OUT, and SUB OUT pass 4K/60p and HDR video from player to compatible TV and projector and all terminals are HDCP 2.2 compliant. Dolby Atmos® and DTS:X® compatible THX® Certified Select™ theater-reference sound Access streaming content from Amazon Music, Pandora®, Spotify®, TIDAL, Deezer, and TuneIn and share sound as part of a multi-room system via Works with Sonos, AirPlay 2, DTS Play-Fi®, and FlareConnect. Chromecast built-in with the Google Assistant Works with Sonos $750 - $1000 Denon AVR-X2700H 7.2ch 8K AV Receiver with 3D Audio, Voice Control and HEOS Built-in® (MSRP $849.00) The Denon AVR-X2700H is a receiver that is as future proof as it can get. Do we think you will need 8K support anytime in the near future? Probably not. But this receiver can handle it if you do. Of course it supports all the audio formats, HDMI eARC, HDCP 2.3, and so much more. This receiver does it all and at $850 it's hard to beat! Features: 95W per channel (8 ohms, 20Hz-20kHz, THD: 0.08%,2 ch. driven) 8K/60Hz pass-through, 4K/120Hz* pass-through for gaming, and support for the latest HDMI specifications Dolby Atmos, Dolby Atmos Height Virtualization Technology, DTS:X, DTS Virtual:X and IMAX Enhanced HDMI section (7 in/3 out) with a dedicated 8K input that will support 8K/6OHz and 4K/120Hz video pass-through and upscaling HDR10, HDR10+, Dolby Vision, Hybrid Log-Gamma (HLG), Dynamic HDR, 3D, and BT.2020 pass-through support 4K/120Hz* pass-through and upscaling, as well as Variable Refresh Rate (VRR), Quick Frame Transport (QFT), and Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM), which reduces or eliminates lag and frame tearing to offer a smoother, lag-free gaming experience. Works with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, Apple Siri and Josh.ai Greater than $1000 Denon AVR-X6700H 11.2 Ch. 8K AV Receiver with 3D Audio, HEOS® Built-in and Voice Control (MSRP $2499.00) If you have upgraded your room with a higher end TV/Projector and better speakers with full blown ATMOS/DTS:X you need a receiver to match. We are so impressed with Denon's 2020 lineup that we decided to stick with them for this category. Our top selection this year is the Denon AVR-X6700H. There are more expensive receivers out there but not necessarily better. The 6700 has everything we like about the 2700 but more!   Features: Premium 140W per channel (8 ohms, 20Hz-20kHz, THD: 0.08%, 2 ch. driven) amplifier designed specifically for demanding speakers  8K/60Hz pass-through, 4K/120Hz* pass-through for gaming, and support for the latest HDMI specifications Dolby Atmos, Dolby Atmos Height Virtualization Technology, DTS:X, DTS Virtual:X and IMAX Enhanced Support for DTS:X Pro via a future firmware update Can process 13.2 channels with an additional amplifier  HDMI section (7 in/3 out) with a dedicated 8K input that will support 8K/6OHz and 4K/120Hz video pass-through and upscaling HDR10, HDR10+, Dolby Vision, Hybrid Log-Gamma (HLG), Dynamic HDR, 3D, and BT.2020 pass-through support 4K/120Hz* pass-through and upscaling, as well as Variable Refresh Rate (VRR), Quick Frame Transport (QFT), and Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM), which reduces or eliminates lag and frame tearing to offer a smoother, lag-free gaming experience. Works with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, Apple Siri and Josh.ai  

New Denon X-Series Introduced Denon introduced four new receivers to the X-Series AVRs that are packed full of new features. You would expect support for HDMI 2.1 and you would be correct. The new models are the Denon AVR-X6700H ($2499), AVR-X4700H ($1699), AVR-X3700H ($1199), and AVR-X2700H ($849 MSRP).  Lineup Features 8K & HDMI 2.1 The X-Series features an advanced HDMI section with a dedicated 8K input that will support 8K/60Hz and 4K/120Hz video pass-through. All HDMI inputs feature 4:4:4 Pure Color sub sampling, HDR10, Dolby Vision, Hybrid Log-Gamma (HLG), 3D, and BT.2020 pass-through support for exceptional color, clarity and contrast. Enjoy 8K upscaling as well as HDCP 2.3 processing to play copy-protected content uninhibited. The X-Series also adopts eARC (enhanced Audio Return Channel) to enable uncompressed and object-based audio transmission, like Dolby Atmos and DTS:X, directly from your smart TV apps to your AV receiver. Dolby Atmos Height Virtualization AVR-X6700H - Set up a 7.1.4 or 9.1.2 with eleven channels of amplification built-in to the receiver AVR-X4700H - Set up a 5.1.4 or 7.1.2 with nine channels of amplification built-in to the receiver AVR-X3700H - Set up a 5.2.4 or 7.2.2 with nine channels of amplification built-in to the receiver AVR-X3700H - Set up a 5.1.2 using Dolby Atmos elevation speakers, or dedicated overhead speakers High Resolution Audio Support Enjoy superb audio fidelity with your favorite high-resolution audio tracks. The X-Series features the latest AKM 32-bit D/A converters allowing for high resolution audio decoding with multiple lossless file types All new Denon AV receivers are now Roon Tested. Get more out of your digital music library with searchable, surfable information about your favorite artists and songs. Find lyrics, concert dates, photos, bios, reviews and more. Bluetooth Audio Transmission Enjoy your favorite audio without waking your whole home by transmitting the audio coming from your AV receiver to your Bluetooth headphones. The X-Series even allows you to play the audio on both Bluetooth headphones and connected speakers simultaneously. If you have a family member or a friend who is hearing impaired, we recommend this setup. Custom Install Ready The Denon X-Series features external control and IP control capabilities for easy customization and compatibility with third-party integration solutions. It offers IP control capability for major third-party control devices, as well as Control4 SDPP (Simple Device Detection Protocol) certification for seamless integration with Control4 home automation equipment. Remote Monitoring Capability  The Denon X-Series AV receivers features Domotz Pro and OvrC remote monitoring and management interface and service compatibility. These programs allow custom integrators to monitor the status of connected products and troubleshoot remotely from the office or on the go, radically reducing the time it takes to address the issue. Model Specific Features Preamp Mode All but the 2700 support Preamp mode which was previously only found on the Denon flagship X8500H receiver. 13.2 Channel Processing The X6700H supports 13.2 channels with an external amplifier. HDMI Diagnostic Tool  Allows you to test cables up to 8K before you wire anything up. An input and output port is on the back panel. Simply plug both ends of the cable into the slots and run the test. Auro 3D This is IMAXs spatial sound format. It's only available on the 6700 and 4700

Speaker and Receiver Buying Guide Each year in December put out seperate buying guides for receivers, speakers, and TVs. This year with the shortened buying window we decided to double up on our guides. Today we take a look at speakers and receivers. The things that make sound!  We have also decided to give you a collective guide rather than our individual picks targeting an entry, mid, and “high” level product. We put high in quotes because in our hobby, high can be really high.  We are practical in our hobby. We don't want to break the bank but we do want a good experience. This list is for like minded people looking to either get into the hobby or move to the next level. Yes you may disagree with our picks. That's OK. Let us know what you would recommend via the comments section or send us an email and we can follow up on the next show. But for now, here is our list of speakers and receivers.  Monoprice Premium 5.1.2 Channel Immersive Home Theater System with Subwoofer  This first pick is really really entry level. It's for the person who wants a 7.1 system but decided that the speakers they really want will break the bank. So instead they buy a great TV, and receiver and just want something that makes sound. The system comes as a 5.1.2 setup with upfiring Atmos speakers built into the left and right speaker. Pretty clever but probably not really that good. You would need to purchase two additional bookshelf speakers to make it 7.1. But even with that the system comes in at $300! The speakers themselves can handle 100 watts and have a frequency response of 70Hz to 20kHz. They have a decent sensitivity rating as well, 88dB. That means you don't need as much power to make sound as most other speakers this size. The subwoofer goes down to 30Hz. Seriously on paper this looks pretty darn good. We have not listened to these speakers before but at $300 we have no problem recommending them to the person who spent most of their budget on the TV and/or receiver.  RSL CG3 7.1 Theater System For our mid level, we jump from a $300 set of speakers to a $1300 set. Speakers are very important and spending $1300 for a really good 7.1 system is really worth it. RSL makes outstanding speakers even though you probably haven't heard of them before.  The company has been around since the 70s back when sound was everything. The founder, Howard Rogers, wanted to create speakers that replicated the sound of a live performance. This passion led him to developing and patenting a compression wave guide speaker. This design uses a series of compressions and expansions that improves bass response and enhances dynamics while improving mid bass detail. We have listened to RSL speakers and were blown away by what they get out of their book shelf system. The CG3 is a great looking set of speakers that are rated to 125 watts and have a frequency response of 100Hz to 20kHz, the center channel is 85Hz to 20kHz. Their sensitivity rating is 87db for the satellites and 89 for the center channel. The subwoofer is reasonably sized (H: 16” W: 15” D: 16 3/4”) with a 300 watt amplifier that has a frequency response of 24-200 Hz. The system really has no risk for trying either. It comes with free shipping, free 30 day trial, free return shipping, and no restocking fees.  Prime Pinnacle Surround System We have been big fans of SVS since we reviewed their SB-1000 subwoofer many years ago. This year they introduced their Prime Pinnacle line of speakers that take it to another level. These are not cheap but won't break the bank either. For a little over $3100 you can have a 7.1 setup that compares to systems that cost more than twice as much! These are beautiful floor standing speakers with satellites for the surround. If you opt for the piano black finish it will cost about $600 more. For this system we spec'd out the PB-2000 for the subwoofer which should give you plenty of boom! With a rated bandwidth and power rating  of 29 Hz-25 kHz and 300 watts respectively, the Prime Pinnacle speakers are the most capable speakers on our list.These speakers perfect for those who have a dedicated listening/viewing room.  The subwoofer has a 12-inch driver and 500 watts RMS, 1,100 watts peak power that goes way down to 17Hz. You will feel this thing! SVS has a 45 day trial period with free shipping and returns and comes with a five year unconditional warranty Sony STR-DN1080 7.2ch Home Theater AV Receiver  If we had our choice we would spend the money on the RSL or SVS speakers and go cheap on the receiver until we were able to upgrade down the road. Our components have been swapped out so many times but I speakers seem to last for years. So if you allocated most of your budget to the speakers you are in need of a decent receiver  that is still pretty good. For that we have the Sony STR-DN1080 that will set you back about $450.   This receiver can handle all the new buzzwords: 4K and HDR passthrough, HDCP 2.2, Dolby Atmos, Airplay, Chromcast, Auto Calibration, and 165W per channel. Just a good basic receiver. Not much else to say. Actually in this price range you can pretty much go with any Yamaha, Denon, or Pioneer receiver and get the same performance. We had to pick one so we went with the Sony this year.   Pioneer VSX-LX503 9.2 Channel 4k UltraHD Network A/V Receiver Black Pioneer Elites were more “Elite” back in the day but they are still very good. Coming in at our mid-level receiver the VSX-LX503 still has some chops for a $550 receiver. The amazing thing to us is that we spent a thousand dollars for a Pioneer Elite back in 2008 that had nowhere near the capability.  Today for $550 you get a 9.2 channel receiver that has three zones, 120 watts a channel, passes through HDR10, HLG (Hybrid Log-Gamma), and Dolby Vision signals. If you have a Sonos setup in your home this receiver will fit right in with support. It also supports Airplay, DTS Play-Fi and Chromcast for whole home audio lovers.  Onkyo TX-RZ840 9.2 - Channel Network A/V Receiver Many may question our high end selection. But from a feature point of view the RZ840 is loaded. Yes there are other receivers that would fit more the “High End” moniker but like we said we are practical. Spend your money on speakers. This receiver will do everything you want and only set you back $750 at retail.  Just look at the features! THX® Certified Select™ theater-reference sound - THX Certified Select guarantees the same reference volume level of a commercial theater in rooms where the viewing position is about 10–12 ft. from the screen.  Power - 220 W (4 Ohms, Front) 130 W (8 Ohms, Front) All Channels Dynamic Audio Amplification -  DAA features a custom High-Current Low-Noise Power Transformer, customized capacitors, and discrete amp output stages. Unique topology prevents phase-shift while high current improves speaker control for true dynamic speed.    4K HDR -  HDR (High Dynamic Range) video including HDR10, HLG, Dolby Vision, and BT.2020. The 4:4:4 color space is also supported. Six HDMI inputs, ARC-ready MAIN OUT, and SUB OUT pass 4K/60p and HDR video from player to compatible TV and projector and all terminals are HDCP 2.2 compliant. Dolby Atmos and DTS:X SMART AV Receiver - Access streaming content from Amazon Music, Pandora®*, Spotify, TIDAL, Deezer, and TuneIn and share sound as part of a multi-room system via Works with Sonos, AirPlay 2, DTS Play-Fi®, and FlareConnect. IMAX Enhanced  - DTS:X sound technology optimized for the IMAX® signature experience, reproducing the full dynamic range of IMAX theatrical sound-mixes available with digitally re-mastered IMAX Enhanced content.  Chromecast built-in with the Google Assistant      

Optoma CinemaX P1 Review For the past year or two we have been talking about removing our projectors and replacing them with very large format TVs. There are a few manufacturers that produce TVs greater than 85” in size and we were stuck in analysis paralysis. There is a video that accompanies this review. Please watch it to help understand the capabilities of this projector.  That is until Optoma announced and shipped the CinemaX P1 Ultra Short Throw Projector (Street Price $3,299.00). This projector can sit as little as 8” away from your screen and project an 85” image. You will need a screen specifically designed for UST use for this review we paired it with a 90” Elite Aeon CLR (Street Price $600). All in the setup cost $3,900.  Let's compare to what is out there in comparable size: Sony XBR-X850G 85” $2,300 LG 86UM8070PUA 86” $2300 Samsung QN82Q70RAFXZA 82” $3300 So yes it does cost a little more, but if you go up those last 5” to 90” you won't find a TV anywhere close in price. And if you wanted to, for an additional $200, you could slide the projector back a few more inches and have a 100” screen. There is no TV that is 100” anywhere near this price! Plus, this was easier to bring into the house and get setup and that includes assembling the screen! Features Smart Control (We did not use any of these features) -  You can control your Smart+ projector with voice control using your Amazon Echo and Google Home devices. IFTTT support enables interoperability with thousands of other smart devices.  Built-In Soundbar by NuForce (We used our 6.1 system and did not turn this on) - The integrated soundbar is designed to produce detailed sound with clear dialogue thanks to its two full-range drivers and two woofers within isolated, ported chambers. InfoWall (Was fun for five minutes then we turned it off)- Transform your wall or screen into your own personal assistant with the InfoWall customizable information display. Configure it to display your calendar, weather information, daily news, and more using the Optoma companion app on your compatible mobile device. SmartFIT (Very helpful feature) - This automatic geometry correction system helps ensure a hassle-free setup that produces properly squared-off images using just your smartphone. LaserGuard - Two built-in PIR sensors detect objects in the light path and automatically dim the light source. Optoma CinemaX P1 Smart 4K UHD Laser Cinema Features: Resolution: 4K UHD (3,840 x 2,160) Lumens: 3,000 ANSI lumens Contrast: Up to 1,500,000 with Dynamic Black enabled Color: REC.2020, DCI-P3 wide color gamut, HDR10 compatible Throw Ratio: 0.25:1 Image size: 85”- 120” OS: Android 8.0 / Oreo Remote Control: Bluetooth smart home remote with air mouse HDMI-ARC for streamlined setups and reduced cable clutter with popular 5.1 soundbars Other I/Os: 1x HDMI 2.0 (HDCP 2.2), 1x HDMI 2.0 (HDCP 2.2, HDMI-ARC), 1x HDMI 2.0 (HDCP 2.2, side), 1x USB 2.0 (4K media player), USB 2.0 power (side), USB (service), optical S/PDIF out, audio out (3.5mm, subwoofer compatible), RJ45 Setup Setup was a bit more complicated than the typical TV. First you have to assemble the screen which is not terribly difficult. But you do need to be mindful of the screen material so you don't fold or crease it. The screen attaches to the frame with velcro and must be pulled tight for a clean image. Elite screen has a video that we recommend you watch before assembling the screen. It will make things easier. Once completed the screen is mounted via two clips that our screwed into the wall. Elite provides drywall anchors which are plenty strong for this application. The screen is not very heavy at all.  Positioning the screen is a little tricky because the projector does not have lens shift. What we did was project a 90” inch image on the wall and then mount the screen. That sounds easy but before you do that you have to square up the image. You can't use the Smartfit on the bare wall because there is no black screen outline, which is required for the SmartFit algorithm to work. Instead we manually used the geometry settings to square the image. We then pulled the projector back on the TV stand until we had about a 91” mage on the wall. We marked the corners and made sure the screen was mounted within that space. Once the screen was hung will pulled out our phone and used the SmartFIT app and voila! The image got pulled into the screen. It was 99% perfect. There was one corner that need a very slight adjustment. For that we went back to the geometry settings and stretched the image to the corner and we were done! It seems like it was harder to do but I say it was easier than hauling a 85” TV upstairs. Plus there was far less packaging to deal with when it was all done. As far as the TV settings go we did some very minor tweeks, not a full calibration. The only things that were changes off of the default values were the following: Display was set to HDR, HDR Picture was set to Standard, Brightness was set to -2, Contrast to 13, Sharpness to 9. We also made sure the Pure motion was set to off. I recommend you watch the video to see how good the picture looks. We realize that with proper calibration you will see improvements and we may end up doing a full calibration in the future, but we wanted everyone to know a really good picture can be had without the need to spend and additional $300-$500. Performance This is the only thing that really matters. Can this projector replace a large format TV in a room with no real light control? Well the answer is yes! The picture is great when watching anything bright like any sporting event. You can even watch movies with some shadow detail. Although it's not the best. But really, what screen can do dark scenes with good shadow detail in full brightness anyway? We looked at this screen in full daylight viewing and in early evening viewing for the purposes of this review. We recommend watching the video on our youtube channel where you can judge for yourself the quality of the picture. Full Daylight In full daylight we could easily make out the detail in everything we watched with the exception of a few night scenes in Blackhawk Down. The 3000 lumens of laser light combined with the CLR Elite screen make a huge difference when compared to a typical projector. Colors are accurate and the detail is good. There are no issues with off angle viewing. To sum it up, you can watch this projector in full daylight and not feel like you are missing something. Evening As good as the daylight viewing is, evening (or blinds closed) is amazing! Everything we liked about the daytime is amplified at night. Colors are richer, detail is more visible, and contrast is enhanced. It's like you are watching a plasma TV. For the first time since the 4K UHD TV craze it felt like all the additional resolution mattered. The blacks look really good in the evening much better than in the daytime. While watching football, hockey, and baseball we did not notice any motion blur.  We did not game on this projector but being a 60Hz projector at it's highest refresh rate, we'd say there might be some lag for hard core gamers.  Other  The Projector uses an eight segment DLP. We did not see any rainbows during our testing.  There is no chance of image retention. The remote is Bluetooth and as such we were not able to add it to our Harmony Remote. We did enable HDMI control so when a signal was present the projector would automatically turn on. When the signal was absent the projector would turn off. The projector is reasonably quiet. If the projector was on with no audio you could hear it but it wasn't distracting. However with any audio coming through the system the projector was inaudible. Conclusion The Optoma CinemaX P1 is the projector/TV we have been looking for. You can watch sports and even movies in full brightness, but it really shows it's stuff in a dark(er) room. It has good blacks that get even better in the evening. The wide viewing angle means you can sit anywhere in the room and enjoy a stunning 4K picture. This projector can truly replace your family room TV with no need to employ expensive lighting control. The Optoma CinemaX P1 is highly recommended by the HT Guys.  

IOGEAR Wireless 4K UHD One of the reasons Ara ended up buying his UST projector system is that he didn't want to route new cables in his hard to reach crawl space. However, he may have reconsidered that decision had he known about the IOGEAR 4K UHD transmitter/receiver kit (MSRP $299.95). The wireless video extender allows you to easily transmit 4K Ultra High Definition video and 7.1 audio from an HDMI source over distances up to 60 feet with near-zero latency. Check out the HT Guys YouTube Channel for an accompanying video to this review.   Features:  Wirelessly send 4K UHD video from one HDMI source to one HDMI TV/Projector Extends signals up to 60 Ft. in-room Uncompressed audio and video at near-zero latency - ideal for gaming and streaming Resolutions up to 3840 x 2160 @30Hz Minimal interference with existing Wi-Fi devices via 60GHz wireless frequency Support 7.1 surround sound audio, Dolby® True HD and DTS-HD® Master audio format Plug-n-Play - Transmitter and receiver come pre-paired from factory Dedicated closed wireless system - Requires no Wi-Fi network Advanced wireless technology speeds to 18 Gbps LED status lights for source/display connections and wireless link Supports dual power option via USB or included AC adapter Compact mountable design for easy placement HDMI 1.4 & HDCP 2.2 compliant Supports 4K UHD High Dynamic Range (HDR) TVs and content Setup Setup is trivial! Connect the transmitter to the source and power. Then connect the receiver to the receiver. In Ara's situation the source would have been the output of his AVR and the receiver would have been the input to the projector. If you watch the video for the purposes of the evaluation the source was a 4K Apple TV and the receiver was a 4K TV. Setup took two minutes. It should be noted that the transmitter should be turned on first followed by the receiver. The connection light blinks amber when the devices are looking for each other. The become solid amber when linked. Once that is done you are good to go. Performance Our tests were run at 10 and 20 feet with a clear line of sight and slightly obstructed. Just about flawless is how we would characterize the performance. In actuality, we only saw one hiccup.  Beyond that one breakup in the picture, the audio and video were rock solid. We got full Dolby digital with Plex, Apple Movies and Vudo. There really isn't much else to say which is a good thing. It just worked. Conclusion There really is nothing to dislike about the IOGEAR Wireless 4K UHD video extender. If you have a room where running an HDMI cable is difficult, using this device is a no brainer. The HT Guys highly recommend the IOGEAR Wireless 4K UHD video extender!  

CEDIA 2019 Last week more than 20,000 home tech pros and 500+ exhibitors convened in Denver for the 2019 CEDIA Expo. This week the HT Guys run down some of the cool product announcements that came out of the show. Sony Electronics Brings 16K-capable Display System to Consumers' Living Rooms with Crystal LED Residential Solutions PARAMUS, N.J., Sept. 12, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Sony Electronics Inc. today announced the availability of its award-winning Crystal LED display system for home installation. Having initially introduced the technology for use in commercial and entertainment venues, Sony Electronics now offers residential configurations and installation, giving consumers an unrivaled home theater technology capable of displaying 8K HDR video content and beyond – up to 16K. Crystal LED is a modular technology, enabling it to be installed in virtually any desired size and resolution to accommodate consumers' needs and residential space availability. Sample residential configurations include: Full HD Size (18 Units) ~110-inch Diagonal ~8ft (W) x 4ft (H) 4K Size (72 Units) ~220-inch Diagonal ~16ft (W) x 9ft (H) 8K Size (288 Units) ~440-inch Diagonal ~32ft (W) x 18ft (H) 16K Size (576 Units) ~790-inch Diagonal ~63ft (W) x 18ft (H) Sony's Crystal LED direct view display system uses ultra-fine micro-LED measuring 0.003 mm² – half the width of a human hair – which are 100 times smaller than traditional LEDs. The display recently received a prestigious 2019 Display Industry Award for "Display of the Year" from the Society of Information Display, recognizing Crystal LED's unprecedented visual experience. The technology delivers crisp, blur-free moving images with high frame rate up to 120p for razor-sharp motion rendition that is far beyond the reach of conventional video. Additional technical highlights: HDR with high brightness (1,000 nits)  10-bit grayscale  Precise color reproduction  Extraordinary color gamut – 140 percent of sRGB  High frame rates up to 120p  Nearly 180-degree viewing angle  Spectacular 3D  Non-standard aspect ratios  99 percent black surface area for delivering high contrast and high resolution Each module (360×360-pixel) will cost $10,000. Which means a 1080p setup will need 18 modules costing $180,000 and will produce a screen that is 120 inches on the diagonal. A 4K-capable display will require 16 feet of wall width and produce a 220-inch screen. For that you will need 72 modules and a whopping $720,000. LG Debuts Expanded 4K UHD CineBeam Projector Lineup In U.S. LG Electronics USA introduced a new LG CineBeam 4K UHD projector.  The new projector (model HU70LA), which is on display this week at the CEDIA EXPO 2019, has a suggested retail price of $1,799 and will be available at select LG-authorized retailers in October.   With a compact design, the HU70LA LG CineBeam LED Projector provides an impressive home theater experience with a deep and rich picture up to 140 inches (measured diagonally), and brightness of 1500 ANSI lumens that covers approximately 92 percent of the DCI-P3 color space. The projector employs a four-channel LED light source to generate red, green and blue, with the additional fourth LED boosting image brightness, contrast and generating more vivid colors with more nuanced tonality (compared to conventional LED projectors) by adjusting green levels. The HU70LA, as well as the HU85LA, are IP controllable via Control 4, Savant and Crestron.   The HU85LA CineBeam Laser Projector (MSRP $5999.99), also demonstrated at CEDIA Expo, is LG's first Ultra Short Throw model, generating 2,700 ANSI lumens to deliver vibrant and crisp images up to 120 inches (measured diagonally) from placement of only 7.2 inches away from the wall.  The stylish projector is housed in a minimal design for a cinematic viewing experience. Sony VPL-VW295ES 4K SXRD Home Cinema Projector Winning the TWICE VIP award for Home Theater Projectors is the Sony VPL-VW295ES (MSRP $4499.99).  Native 4K resolution for lifelike pictures 1500 Lumens Deep Blacks with 4K SXRD Panels HDR10 and HLG (Hybrid Log-Gamma)  TRILUMINOS™ color, reproducing more tones and textures than a standard projector system Both HDMI inputs are compatible with HDCP 2.2 Select from nine calibrated picture modes, including two theater film modes, theater digital, reference, TV, photo, game, bright cinema and bright TV.  Home Assistant Open source home automation that puts local control and privacy first. Powered by a worldwide community of tinkerers and DIY enthusiasts. Perfect to run on a Raspberry Pi or a local server. It works with 1467 products that include the Amazon Echo, ecobee Thermostats. Zwave, Zigbee, Plex and so many more. They have a demo you can check out here (Home Assistant Demo) Savant AppleTV App Savant®, a leader in smart home technology, has introduced the Smart Home App for Apple TV, an on-screen control platform that provides fast and intuitive access to smart home functionality via high-definition graphics. The graphical control icons can be shown full screen or as an overlay to live TV or a movie that is currently playing.  Savant's Smart Home App for Apple TV provides an easy-to-navigate menu of icons in a large visual format representing key features such as climate, lighting, audio, Savant Scenes and more. This amazing on-screen experience is part of the company's Pro App software that provides an intuitive interface with smart home functionality via touch panels, mobile devices, the award-winning Savant Pro Remote—and now the TV! Users can easily select their favorite channels, choose to control or view the status of a service in the home or to activate a Savant Scene. “The Savant Smart Home App for Apple TV has been designed to round out our control offering, delivering to the user a consistent and powerful experience whether they are controlling the system on a mobile device, touch panel or tablet, remote control, voice engine, TV, or even an Apple Watch,” said VP of Design Andy Hamm. “We strive to create experiences that are engaging and ultra-intuitive, making it easy, effortless and fun for anyone to interact with their Savant system. “  The Savant Smart Home App for Apple TV will become available late 2019. Redcarpet Home Cinema Streaming Server Red Carpet Home Cinema is a unique luxury service offering major Hollywood movies for personal viewing in the home during the theatrical window at a premium price. Red Carpet Home Cinema subscribers must have a credit card limit of at least $50,000, and need to pass Red Carpet's strict vetting process and install a special $15,000 media server in their home theater. Once that's done, customers can spend between $500 and $3,000 to watch first-run movies in the comfort of their own home. Blockbusters tend to cost more than dramas, but regardless of the final price tag, each customer can view their rentals twice over a single 36-hour period. Denon AVR-X3600H Winning the TWICE VIP award for A/V receivers is the Denon AVR-X3600H a 9.2 channel 4K Ultra HD AV receiver with 105W per channel and advanced HDMI (8in / 3out with eARC) section. Supports 3D audio formats Dolby Atmos®, Dolby Atmos Height Virtualization Technology, DTS:X™, DTS Virtual:X® and new IMAX Enhanced. Works with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and Apple Siri for seamless voice control. The 8 HDMI inputs and 3 outputs with eARC and full HDCP 2.3 support on all ports are compatible with the latest HD and Ultra HD TVs, Blu-ray players and game consoles. The powerful DSP is capable of 11.2 channel processing, allowing you to extend the system with an additional power amplifier. ($1100 MSRP More info)   SSF™ HDMI Active Optical Cables Cleerline SSF™ HDMI Active Optical Cables provide 4K UHD signal transmission and are fully 18 Gbps compatible. Each cable incorporates 4 strands of SSF™ optical fiber, giving the cable greater strength and flexibility as well as maximizing bandwidth potential. In addition to SSF™ fiber optic technology, SSF™ HDMI AOC incorporate the latest chipset technology, designed to eliminate heat production and improve the longevity of the cable. Unlike other HDMI Active Optical Cables, which may use plastic optical fibers or traditional glass, SSF™ AOC include SSF™ optical fibers. The Glass, Glass, Polymer construction of SSF™ fiber gives each fiber up to 200 times the durability of standard glass fiber. This increased strength allows SSF™ AOC to easily withstand higher loads during installation. SSF™ technology also provides a higher degree of flexibility to the glass. All cables feature a plenum outer jacket. Features And Benefits: 18 Gbps, 4K60 4:4:4 Full HDMI 2.0 features, 4K60 4:4:4 HDCP 2.2 HDR, WCG Audio Return Channel Increased durability and flexibility High definition signal transmission No pricing available at this time KLH Unveils Maxwell Monitor One Concentric-Driver Bookshelf A first for KLH, the Monitor One incorporates a concentric design meaning the tweeter is mounted directly into the center space of the voice coil of the mid/bass driver. This, along with use of premium internal components and fine attention paid to crossover points, top grade parts, and voicing, results in a balanced and nuanced sound with a very wide 180-degree dispersion, making the entire room the sweet spot. KLH is employing this same approach in its Maxwell In-Ceiling speakers which come to market this month. Both versions utilize a 1-inch silk dome tweeter and 6.5-inch Kevlar/fiberglass laminated cone, with an robust edge wound voice coil.  Boasting a new industrial design with exotic finishes including high-gloss Figured Koa, Cocobolo and Ferrari red, and utilizing premium components and concentric drivers, these powerful and nuanced $999 per pair 2-way monitors rival competitors similar designs up to twice the price. Samsung SmartThings Cam  The SmartThings Cam won the TWICE VIP award in the DIY Home Security Category. Coming in at $90 it does not require a hub to use. This could be the gateway drug to the rest of the SmartThings ecosystem.  Know what's going on when you're away from home. A full HD camera delivers a clear, detailed view, allowing you to monitor your home 24 hours a day from the convenience of your smartphone, tablet, Samsung TV or fridge. The SmartThings Cam intuitively distinguishes between a person and an object alerting you immediately if necessary, while minimizing false triggers. Control up to two SmartThings Cams and view rolling 24-hour recordings for free. All your footage is safely secured on your personal cloud and can be accessed remotely any time. Sony GTK-PG10 Portable wireless speaker The GTK-PG10 won the TWICE VIP award in the Home Audio Category. It kind of looks like a subwoofer that expands to look like a BBQ grill. It's not cheap at $250. It has 8 user reviews at Sony's site with a score of four out of five stars. With a dedicated outdoor party mode that spreads sound further, the GTK-PG10 is tailor-made for outdoor use — it even has a splash-proof top panel to rest your drinks on.  Outdoor party mode spreads sound further Splash-proof top panel with integrated cup holders Rechargeable battery provides up to 13hr playback (not using bluetooth) Bluetooth® connectivity for wireless music streaming FM tuner lets you enjoy your favorite radio shows Vivant Integrates two-way control with Control4 Leading security and smart home company, Vivant, has announced that it's system now provides two-way integration with Control4. With Control4's SDDP technology embedded in Vivint's Smart Hub panel, Control4 users will be able to monitor and control their Vivint security system via standard Control4 interfaces. In addition, any security sensor in the Vivint ecosystem can be incorporated into Control4 scenes and alerts. For example, if someone trips a motion sensor in the living room after sunset, the event could trigger Control4 to turn on the lights in that room to a dim level and flip the TV to CNN on mute. Monolith by Monoprice M-215 Dual 15" THX Certified Subwoofer A Tower of Bass! The Monolith THX® Ultra certified subwoofer sets the standard for bass output, low distortion, and affordability. With chest thumping bass that plays down to well under 16Hz, the Monolith THX Ultra Dual 15" (MSRP $2499.99) Subwoofer unleashes cinema level volume, with the ability to convey and articulate the subtle nuances of music. Dimensions  42.32" x 20.0" x 27.55" (1075 x 508 x 700 mm)  and 215.6lbs (98KG). Monoprice also unveiled their new Monolith speakers. The Monolith speakers are available with Atmos at $999, or without Atmos at $849, and are expected to be out November 2019. Epson launches LS-500 4K ultra short-throw Laser Projection TV Launching at CEDIA, the Epson LS-500 is a Laser Projection TV, delivering a 4K HDR image up to 130 inches in size from just centimetres away from the screen on your wall. Equipped with Epson's proprietary 4K PRO-UHD2 3LCD technology, Epson Laser Projection TV combines an advanced Ultra Short Throw Laser Projector – along with an Ultra High-Definition Ambient Light Rejecting Screen – to produce vivid colors and deep blacks for an exceptionally bright, colorful, and sharp picture – in virtually any viewing environment. Full 10-bit color processing accepting 100 percent of the HDR source information to faithfully reproduce HDR content for an exceptional visual performance. Capable of displaying 4K HDR content at an exceptional level of brightness for both color and white content. This not only provides for an amazing viewing experience but sets a new standard in this class of projection – allowing for all-day viewing in virtually any lighting environment. The Epson LS500 Laser Projection TV will be available in the first quarter of 2020 through Magnolia and Professional Home Theater Installers. The Epson Laser Projection TV will be available in black and white models with 100-inch (MSRP $4,999) and 120-inch (MSRP $5,999) SKUs.  

Ultimate Home Theater in a Box for 2018 Each year we design a Home Theater setup that is considerably better than a typical home theater in a box. We have seen complete setups for less than $500 from manufacturers like Sony and Panasonic that quite frankly do not sound good. While our system costs more than a name brand HTIB your satisfaction will be dramatically more. Plus we include EVERYTHING you need to actually setup a home theater.  Minimum components for our system are a HDTV, Receiver, and 7.1 speakers. For this feature we choose components that we either have direct experience with or have experience with a similar model made by the same manufacturer.  We are defining a system that can had by anyone who is serious about home theater. These systems will look and sound great by anyone's definition! Braden: Our goal has always been to build the Ultimate Home Theater in a Box without breaking the bank. The ultimate home theater on a budget, if you will. It has been interesting to watch the prices of equipment fall over the years to where we are able to build really nice, really brag-worthy systems without having to take out a personal loan. All of the gear in my Ultimate Box might total up to less than the cost of any year I've built yet. TV TCL 65" 65R617 4K UHD Dolby Vision HDR Roku Smart LCD TV $999 It wouldn't be a Braden TV list without a TCL on it. TCL's 6-Series delivers 4K HDR picture performance and the Roku TV smart platform in one. Dolby Vision for greater brightness and contrast, as well as a fuller palette of rich colors. TCL's Contrast Control Zone technology individually optimizes the image across up to 120 zones for better contrast. The 6-Series models' iPQ Engine™ provides precise color replication while HDR Pro Gamma is supposed to improve HDR performance in any setting. It has an enhanced remote control with Voice Control and 3 HDMI 2.0a ports with HDCP 2.2 (1 ARC). Receiver Marantz SR6012 $949 (MSRP $1499) 9.2 Channel Full 4K Ultra HD Network AV Surround Receiver with HEOS I just bought this receiver for myself - will be putting it under the tree just for me. The deal was too good to pass up. And I need a new one anyway. And it features Dolby Atmos and DTS:X surround decoding, with the ability to drive overhead speakers. It is equipped with 9 channel amplification, rated at 110 watts per channel, so you can set up a 7.1.2 or 5.1.4 3D experience without an external amplifier; with an additional amp the set-up can expand to 7.1.4, because it has 11.2 channel processing support. It has the latest HDMI and HDCP 2.2 specifications on all 8 HDMI inputs. With 4K Ultra HD 60Hz video, 4:4:4 Pure Color sub-sampling, High Dynamic Range (HDR), 21:9 video, 3D, and BT.2020 and Dolby Vision pass-through on every input. And in addition, HLG (Hybrid Log Gamma) pass-through is also supported for forthcoming HDR broadcasting contents, and eARC (Enhanced Audio Return Channel) will be supported via a firmware update as well. Speakers Klipsch Black Reference Theater Pack 5.1 Surround Sound System $849 Sure, this is only 5.1 and the receiver will do 9, but it's a great start with really great sounding speakers. You can add on as many additional satellite speakers, or Klipsch reference in wall or in ceiling speakers, as you have budget for them. Did I mention the subwoofer is wireless? Klipsch's exclusive Tractrix Horn Technology and aluminum tweeters deliver very clean and very natural sound. The down-firing wireless subwoofer is designed to deliver room-filling low frequencies without requiring too much floorspace. To complement the easy placement of the wireless subwoofer, each satellite speaker has a keyhole mount and a threaded insert for maximum mounting flexibility. The Reference Theater Pack brings the Klipsch cinematic sound into your home with an incredibly minimal footprint. Other/Total/Summary Yup. Looks and feels like me. TCL/Roku television, Marantz receiver (I'm typically Denon, but Marantz is a close sibling), and Klipsch speakers. All of that for a grand total of $2797.  That's less than half the price of my first plasma. And all you need to hook it up is a bit of speaker wire and a single HDMI cable. Your phone can control the Roku TV and the Receiver, so no need for a universal remote. The TV has all your apps and the receiver can get audio from the apps via ARC for surround sound. Unless you want to connect a traditional cable or satellite box, or a Blu-ray player, everything you need is in the box. Some years passed have had bigger TVs, some have had more speakers (7.1), some have had more accessories. But this system, for as basic as it seems, is really awesome. And very affordable. The 75” upgrade would add $1000 if you stick with TCL, but can be as little as $400 more if you choose a different brand (which may mean adding a streaming box as well). The 86” upgrade adds $2000 to the price, for a total of $4797. Also swaps TV brands to LG. Honestly, under $5000 for this system is unreal. Ara: This year I am striving for the lowest cost quality experience that I can assemble. I spent $3000 for my fist HDTV so my goal is to come in with a full system for less than that original HDTV. Other requirements will be 4K UHD, quality picture, and good sound. I am not including a blu-ray player as I feel streaming has come a long way and since this is geared towards the budget minded the quality will be just fine. TV LG 65" Class (64.5" Diag) 4K UHD LED LCD 65UK6090PUA  ($650 at Costco) This TV is larger, better, and much cheaper than my original HDTV. It's 4K my first DLP was 720p. It supports HDR and wide color and is a smart TV. Even though this is a “budget” pick it will produce a picture that you will have no issues watching regardless of what you are watching. Receiver Sony STR-DN1080 7.2 Channel Home Theater AV Receiver ($450 Street Price) For the receiver I went with my budget choice from the receiver buying guide. For the price this receiver is hard to beat! It's a 7.2 receiver that supports all the latest audio formats including Atmos and DTS:X. Throw in 4K UHD compatibility with support for HDR (HDR10, HLG (Hybrid Log-Gamma), and Dolby Vision) and you have a reasonably priced receiver that will serve you well for many years to come. Other features include: Hi-Res compatible, 6 HDMI in and 2 out, Bluetooth Connectivity with NFC one touch, and Wifi, Airplay, and Chromecast compatibility. Speakers SVS Prime Satellite 5.1 System ($1000) Even in my budget minded setup I spend a little more money on speakers than you would think. Sound is so important and bad speakers can ruin the experience. My original setup included a Yamaha home theater in a box that cost $1000 which included speakers that at most would have been about $150 of that total. These SVS speakers are high quality and include an excellent subwoofer (SB-1000) which is a 12 inch unit that goes as low as 24Hz!! Other/Total/Summary Set Top Box of your choice ($150) - AppleTV, FireTV, Roku, etc. You want a movie or TV service and all of these boxes have more or less the same experience. Wires/Cables $100 - Gotta hook it all up! Total Cost - $2350 For $2350 you will have a system that you can be proud to show off and use for years. At some point I would upgrade the receiver and TV but the speakers are something that will last for years. You may want to add more channels and maybe 3D audio but it would be just adding on not replacing.  

HDTV Buying Guide 2018 Tis the season for us to go shopping and to continue to help you spend your money - one of our favorite times of the year. If you or anyone in your life is looking for a new UHD TV this Christmas, but still aren't sure which one to buy, we've got you covered. We each pick two TVs and one ‘money is no object' / ‘dare to dream' TV for you to consider. Ara's Picks LG UK6570PUB 4K HDR Smart LED UHD TV w/ AI ThinQ® - 70" Class $999.99 Seventy inches for $1,000??? Are you kidding me? This can make any family room feel like  media room. Even though it's 70 inches it does not dominate the room. Measuring in at 61.9" (157cm) x 38.6" (98cm) x 11.7” (29cm) and weighing only 92 lbs (41Kg) it can be bought, moved, and installed by just about anyone. Features include: active HDR 4K (HDR10 and HLG), webOS 4.0, ultra Luminance which enhances brightness and provides better contrast, quad-Core Processor to continually process the video for best results regardless of source, ultra Surround Sound but really who cares about that? Hard to believe but this is my budget TV. It also comes in 75” and 86”. Sony XBR75X900F 75-Inch 4K Ultra HD Smart LED TV $2800 My second pick goes up in size picture quality and price (although the TV is available in 50 - 85 inch sizes). The reason I picked this Sony is it is a full array LED architecture which will give you deep blacks and high contrast. Also I have been very impressed with the X1 processor on Sony TVs. This model comes with the X1 Extreme processor which improved your 1080p content. The X900F can handle HDR10, Hybrid Log-Gamma and Dolby Vision™ making it a TV that is pretty much future proof! Other features include: compatible with Amazon Alexa & Google Home to change channels & more, dimensions 66 x 40 3/4 x 14 inch, 4 HDMI inputs. Braden's Picks TCL 65" 65R617 4K UHD Dolby Vision HDR Roku Smart LCD TV $999 It wouldn't be a Braden TV list without a TCL on it. TCL's 6-Series delivers 4K HDR picture performance and the Roku TV smart platform in one. Dolby Vision for greater brightness and contrast, as well as a fuller palette of rich colors. TCL's Contrast Control Zone technology individually optimizes the image across up to 120 zones for better contrast. The 6-Series models' iPQ Engine™ provides precise color replication while HDR Pro Gamma is supposed to improve HDR performance in any setting. It has an enhanced remote control with Voice Control and 3 HDMI 2.0a ports with HDCP 2.2 (1 ARC). Add a pair of Roku TV Wireless Speakers for soundbar performance with almost no setup or configuration. It's a great TV that can be the center of an awesome home theater or an impressive addition to a bonus room or game room. Samsung QN75Q6 Flat 75" QLED 4K UHD 6 Series Smart TV $2499 Stepping up a little in size and opting for better picture quality requires we more than double the price. And this isn't even the top of the line QLED series, but as the entry line, you can still get a pretty good value on a really good set. A 75” TV is a really good size for just about any room in most homes and QLED has emerged as a strong second place option to the significantly more expensive OLED sets on the market. In addition to the stellar QLED picture quality and HDR, it has a bunch of cool features like Ambient Mode that can put art on the TV so it blends perfectly with your décor, and can even play a bit of light background music. Bixby Voice search lets you search for content, flip channels, or even ask questions such as the current weather using only your voice. OneRemote automatically detects and controls all your compatible connected devices and content. The universal guide brings your favorite content from multiple devices and apps together in one easy-to-browse menu. And you can even download the SmartThings App on your mobile to control and monitor your new QLED TV and connected devices all in one screen! Ultimate Christmas Present Ara: Samsung QN88Q9FAMFXZA 88" Q9F QLED 4K TV $20,000 This TV will make you forget about your projector! QLED has not received the accolades that it really deserves. With Samsung's Elite Black+ with Infinite Array backlight system the Q9 gets very close to OLED in black and contrast. It can also provide a brighter picture. The only real knock we have is that off angle viewing is not as good as OLED. However, with a TV this size is there really someplace in the room that is off angle? Keep that in mind if this is a possibility for you. Other features include: 100% color volume, smart TV, OneRemote automatically detects and controls your connected devices (satellite, cable, Blu-ray, soundbar) and content with no manual programming required, Burn-In Free for life, Guaranteed. Braden: Samsung QN85Q900RAFXZA 85" Class Q900 QLED Smart 8K UHD TV $14,999 Not quite as big as Ara's 88 inch Samsung, but this 85 inch set is $5000 less and, yep, 8K. Before you say that 8K is a waste, there's no content and there won't be for a long time, an 85” TV is pretty big. It can actually be divided into the equivalent of 42 inch 4K TVs.  Although it has 4 HDMI inputs, it doesn't appear to have this split screen capability as a native feature, but it should. But you get all of the awesome quality of a QLED television, with all of the advanced features of a top of the line samsung, and 8K. What's not to love? Ok, sure, you can get an 85 inch 4k LCD for $2500, so it might be a it early to plop down such a premium for 8k. Or is it?  

Receiver Buying Guide 2018 This week starts our annual shopping spree where we get to spend your money on new products for your home theater. We'll start the spree with receivers. As always, our goal is to maximize the value for your dollar, so we aren't necessarily concerned about getting the latest product or the latest features. It's about getting a good product at a great price so you may even see some of last year's gear on the list. All these receivers are readily available online or at a big box store. We each pick three receivers in increasing price categories, less than $500, less than $1000 and over $1000. Prices stated are street prices from online retailers. Ara's Picks Sony STR-DN1080 7.2 Channel Home Theater AV Receiver ($450 Street Price) It's been a while since I have recommended a Sony product that wasn't part of their ES line. But for the price this receiver is hard to beat! It's a 7.2 receiver that supports all the latest audio formats including Atmos and DTS:X.  Through in 4K UHD compatibility with support for HDR (HDR10, HLG (Hybrid Log-Gamma), and Dolby Vision) and you have a reasonably priced receiver that will serve you well for many years to come. Other features include: Hi-Res compatible, 6 HDMI in and 2 out, Bluetooth Connectivity with NFC one touch,  and Wifi, Airplay, and CHromecast compatibility. Onkyo TX-RZ730 9.2-Channel Network A/V Receiver ($740 Street Price) I tried to not include an Onkyo receiver this year. It's just too easy to put an Onkyo on a list like this because of the tremendous bang for the buck. But when I looked at all the options open to me I just could leave this unit off the sub $1000 category. This unit is jam packed with features. For starters, it's THX Certified Select. You may not have a THX certified room, but having a receiver that is THX certified means that the receiver was sent to THX labs where everything from noise levels and distortion to frequency response and bass management have been tested and analyzed in over 1,000 laboratory tests. What that means to you is that the receiver will not be the weak link in your home theater. Features include: 4K UHD with support for HDR (HDR10, HLG (Hybrid Log-Gamma), and Dolby Vision), Native DTS:X™ and Dolby Atmos® to 5.2.4 Channels, 11.2 multi-channel pre-outs & processing for 7.2.4 (with amp), Chromecast built-in, AirPlay, Wi-Fi®, and Bluetooth®, AccuEQ Advance calibration with AccuReflex Technology, FlareConnect™ Multi-room Wireless Audio Distribution, HDMI® 7 In (1 Front), Main Out, Sub/Zone 2 Out This receiver is just about future proof! Yamaha RX-A3080 AVENTAGE 9.2-Channel AV Receiver with MusicCast ($1999.95 Street Price) If you watch movies or spend time listening to hi fidelity audio this receiver is for you! It's packed with components specifically designed to enhance your listening experience including two ESS SABRE™ DACs for some of the lowest noise levels in the any receiver in its class.  The 3080 comes with 9 amplifiers to support a 7.2.2 Atmos setup but has the processing available for a 7.2.4 Atmos or DTS:X setup with the use of an external amplifier. Features include: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth®, AirPlay®, Spotify Connect and MusicCast multi-room, New Surround:AI™ technology automatically optimizes the sound in real-time, HDMI with HDCP 2.2 (7-in/3-out), 4K Ultra HD support, HDR10, Dolby Vision™, Hybrid Log-Gamma and BT.2020, YPAO R.S.C., Multipoint, 3D and Precision EQ and much more! Braden's Picks This year I'm all about bang for the buck, maximizing features and performance for your hard earned dollars. I usually try to pick models from a few different manufacturers, to provide a bit of diversity, but this year is different. This year it's simply the best unit for the money, regardless of who makes it. Denon AVR-S940H $499 (MSRP $579) 7.2 Ch. High-Power 4K AV Receiver with Amazon Alexa Voice Control Featuring discrete high-current power amplifiers on all channels, the AVR-S940H delivers maximum performance and 185 watts of power per channel. The AVR-S940H offers Dolby Atmos®, DTS:X™ and DTS Virtual:X®, plus the latest video technologies such as Dolby Vision™, HDR, HLG and 4K video upscaling. Listen to music using Airplay 2, stream with Spotify, Pandora, Tidal and more with HEOS built-in and control it with your voice through Amazon Alexa.  8 HDMI inputs and 2 outputs features HDCP 2.2 support on all ports. The front-panel USB offers convenient audio playback of MP3, WAV, FLAC, ALAC and DSD (2.8/5.6MHz) files. Marantz SR6012 $949 (MSRP $1499) 9.2 Channel Full 4K Ultra HD Network AV Surround Receiver with HEOS Features Dolby Atmos and DTS:X surround decoding, with the ability to drive overhead speakers. It is equipped with 9 channel amplification, rated at 110 watts per channel, so you can set up a 7.1.2 or 5.1.4 3D experience without an external amplifier; with an additional amp the set-up can expand to 7.1.4, because it has 11.2 channel processing support. It has the latest HDMI and HDCP 2.2 specifications on all 8 HDMI inputs. With 4K Ultra HD 60Hz video, 4:4:4 Pure Color sub-sampling, High Dynamic Range (HDR), 21:9 video, 3D, and BT.2020 and Dolby Vision pass-through on every input. And in addition, HLG (Hybrid Log Gamma) pass-through is also supported for forthcoming HDR broadcasting contents, and eARC (Enhanced Audio Return Channel) will be supported via a firmware update as well. Denon AVR-X8500H $3999 (MSRP $3999)13.2-channel AV Receiver The Denon Flagship AVR-X8500H powers the next generation of home theater with the world's first 13.2 channel receiver that supports the latest immersive audio formats, including IMAX Enhanced, Dolby Atmos, DTS:X and (via future firmware update) Auro3D. It also has unparalleled music playback options, thanks to built-in HEOS technology, Apple AirPlay 2, and enjoy effortless voice control and total flexibility from the leading voice agents. Speak commands with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, Apple Siri and high-end smart home automation, Josh.ai. Ask to play your favorite music, turn the volume up, skip to the next track, switch inputs and more. Switch between voice agents, or pick a favorite to use — the choice is yours.  

Sub $500 Receiver Recommendation I received and email from Santosh in the Bay Area of California asking if I could recommend a receiver for a modest ho me theater system to go in his medium sized family room. I thought no problem! I know the exact receiver to recommend. However, like everyone, he did have some requirements the biggest one being that it could not exceed $500. On Santosh's must have list, 4K, HDR, and ARC to support Digital Audio from his smart TV. Three manufacturers immediately came to mind, Denon, Pioneer, and Yamaha. In this price range almost all of these receivers would provide similar results. For Santosh I decided to recommend the Yamaha RX-V685. It can be found for $499.99 at most online retailers most of which come with free shipping as well. From a feature set it does include 4K, HDR, and ARC which were the table stakes for Santosh's needs. But the receiver does so much more. The full feature set follows: 7.2-Channel powerful surround sound with Zone 2 Wi-Fi®, Bluetooth®, AirPlay®, Spotify Connect and MusicCast multi-room Pandora®, Spotify, SiriusXM Internet Radio, TIDAL, Deezer, Napster and more HDMI® with HDCP 2.2 (5 in/2 out) 4K Ultra HD, HDR10, Dolby Vision™, Hybrid Log-Gamma and BT.2020 Voice control using your Alexa device like Echo or Echo Dot MusicCast Surround capable: add MusicCast 20 or MusicCast 50 speakers to create a 5.1-channel setup with wireless rear surrounds There is so much to like about this receiver beyond the specs. We often hear about people being intimidated with setting up their receivers. Yamaha has you covered with an app that walks you through the setup. Sure manuals do that as well but an app can highlight and animate actual steps thus reducing setup time and errors. If you are an Amazon Echo  home you will like that the 685 supports voice control. Turn up the volume or cast music to another room. All done via voice! Although not on Santosh's list the receiver supports wireless surrounds which was an added bonus for him. With the addition of two MusicCast-20 wireless speakers ($399) Santosh was able to easily add surrounds. The receiver also supports Dolby Atmos and DTS:X immersive sound formats. Conclusion Odds are you will get a 4K TV before you swap out your receiver but you won't get the full benefits until your receiver supports 4K with HDR. Even though the Yamaha RX-V685 may not be the best receiver on the market, it surely can bridge the gap to allow you to get the most out of the many 4K devices you connect to it. I'll bet, for many of you,  this bridge receiver ends up being a workhorse for many years to come

CES 2018 CES (Consumer Electronics Show) is the world's gathering place for all those who thrive on the business of consumer technologies. It has served as the proving ground for innovators and breakthrough technologies for 50 years - the global stage where next-generation innovations are introduced to the marketplace. Owned and produced by the Consumer Technology Association (CTA), it attracts the world's business leaders and pioneering thinkers. Samsung Samsung's absurd 146-inch TV is an entire wall — hence its name, 'The Wall' This hulking, 146-inch TV isn't just huge — it's also sporting a fancy display technology known as "micro LED," which Samsung says is at the heart of "the screen of the future." "Modular, MicroLED" sounds like a bunch of nonsense jargon, right? It's pretty much exactly that. Here's a simple breakdown of these new buzzwords: MicroLED, in the case of this TV, means, according to Samsung: "It is a self-emitting TV with micrometer-scale LEDs — which are much smaller than current LEDs, and serve as their own source of light." What that means for the average human being is that the TV doesn't need a backlight. In terms of the TV being "modular," that means anyone buying "The Wall" can customize it. "The screen can adapt to serve different purposes," says Samsung, "such as creating a wall-size display for multiple spaces." Put more simply, "modular" means that you could customize this set to be even larger (or smaller) than 146 inches. For Samsung's purposes though, the version being released this year is the 146-inch variety. (MicroLED explained) LG LG Will Show Compact UHD Laser Projector At CES LG is bringing to CES next week a home cinema laser 4K Ultra HD projector in a compact form factor. The LG ProBeam HU80KA can project 4K UHD video content from eye level on up to a 150-inch screen image at 2,500 lumens brightness. It can also play HDR 10 content. The projector's mirror reflector allows users to direct the projected video straight ahead or on the ceiling, eliminating the need to lift or adjust the projector, making it useful in a variety of settings, including outdoors, the company said. It is equipped with LG's WebOS smart TV platform, which gives users access to popular online streaming apps with 4K content. The projector, which supports HDMI 2.0, USB 3.0 and HDCP 2.2, has optical ports and Bluetooth to enable digital and wireless connections to external sound systems, as well as connectivity with iOS, Android, Windows, Mac and other smart devices. It also features a built-in carry handle. The HU80KA also has a 1.2x optical zoom so that users can adjust the size of their screen without moving it. No pricing announced. LG Display's crazy 65-inch OLED TV can roll up like a poster Although some concept big-screen TVs shown at past CES shows have been bendy, this is the first one that's flexible enough to spin up into tube form. LG's images depict it descending into a little box the size of a sound bar, but the company also talks about making the display portable. The secret, as usual, is its paper-thin organic light emitting diode display (OLED). Video Link - https://www.cnet.com/videos/lg-oled-tv-rolls-up-like-a-piece-of-paper/     Sony Sony's new soundbars can virtualize Dolby Atmos sound Sony always makes home audio products a part of its CES presentations, and 2018 is no difference. Perhaps most notable are the HT-Z9F and HT-X9000F, two soundbars that include Dolby Atmos surround sound. Of course, true Atmos requires overhead speakers, and these are just 2.1(HT-X9000F) and 3.1 (HT-Z9F) soundbars. As such, this requires some virtualization, which happens courtesy Sony's "virtual surround engine," which the company claims can replicate the wide soundstage Atmos provides. And regardless of whether you're watching content mixed for Atmos or not, the more expensive HT-Z9F include a "Vertical S" button that Sony says will provide virtual 3D sound. The HT-Z9F will retail for $900 and the HT-X9000F will cost $600 when they arrive this spring. The new A8F series TVs are the Japanese tech giant's latest foray into the field of OLED displays and sport an X1 Extreme processor. On the LCD side, there's Sony's X900F series, which also includes the X1 Extreme. Looking toward the future, Hirai said that Sony is working on an X1 Ultimate processor that will provide twice the processing power of the Extreme. Sony's LSPX-A1 projector looks like a piece of modern furniture, and it can sit just 9.6 inches from the wall. Despite that close distance, the 2,500-lumen laser projector is capable of beaming a screen that measures up to 120 inches diagonally. The same enclosure houses a Glass Sound Speaker with 360° sound, ensuring the best possible home theater experience without the need for any additional equipment. It's aimed at the highest segment of the high-end market, and will carry a price tag of $30,000 when it launches. Panasonic Panasonic introduced the FZ950 and FZ800 series  line of OLED UHDTVs which use Panasonic's HCX video processor with support HDR10+. Panasonic has shown OLED TVs at previous CES but haven't released then in the US. They also introduced Ultra HD Blu-ray players, which will also have the HCX video processor, as well as support for Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. If you are into vinyl, Panasonic's high-end audio line, Technics, has two more models -- the SP-10R and SL-1000R. Panasonic has called the SP-10R “the most premium turntable ever”. No pricing info but the Technics turntables available today goes for around $1600.   Other This $319 thermostat has Cortana built-in We'll no doubt see a much more focused push on that front next week at CES, but in the meantime, here's a thermostat to hold you over. The company is getting a jump on the show by opening up pre-orders on GLAS, a thermostat designed by Johnson Controls, a 130-year-old HVAC company out of Ireland. The smart home device is one of only a handful of non-Windows 10 PC products to feature Cortana, a list that most notably also includes Harman Kardon's Invoke smart speaker. The assistant can be used for all of your standard home temperature related needs with controls like, say, “Hey Cortana, set the temperature to 68 degrees.” Like the Alexa-sporting Ecobee4, which was announced back in May, the thermostat also essentially doubles as a smart speaker-style product. Bang and Olufsen BEOSOUND SHAPE BeoSound Shape is a modular wall-mounted wireless speaker system  that consists of two-tone “tiles” that come in a wide range of colors. Each tile's hexagonal shape is designed to fit perfectly next to other BeoSound Shape tiles, allowing people to create works of art on any wall in a room. Tiles consist of speakers, amplifiers, sound-absorbing acoustic dampeners, and a “Core” that handles connectivity. The system supports AirPlay, Chromecast, Spotify Connect, Bluetooth 4.1, and wired audio inputs. Aura home monitoring made simple. Just plug the Aura Beacons right into the wall for a quick and easy setup. Aura monitors the Wi-Fi radio waves to create an RF signature of your home. When the signature is are altered, Aura knows that motion is occurring and it can set off alarms or trigger smart home events as a result. Aura can filter out pet movement to eliminate false alarms. See where motion occurs See live motion, a 12-hour and weekly view Know who comes and goes Choose between 5 scenes (Home, Away, Night, Pet, Guardian) Receive tailored notifications Your activity is even synchronized with timestamps so you'll know exactly what is happening in your home. Aura offers a starter kit for $199 that covers 700 sq ft and is available now. JBL LINK View JBL LINK View, a voice-controlled, smart display speaker with the Google Assistant built in. The JBL LINK View takes the listening experience a step further by incorporating an 8” high-definition display with a touch screen and a 5-megapixel front-facing camera. The LINK View provides excellent sound quality, and is ideal for anyone that consumes a large amount of content daily. Users can view pictures, stream audio and video, ask questions, scan recipes, and video call with family and friends, all with their voice. The JBL View will be available on JBL.com and at select retailers starting Summer 2018 in USA only, other regions will follow at a later date. Mars wireless earbuds can translate conversations in real-time The Google Pixel Buds made headlines last year thanks to their ability to seemingly translate speech on the fly. The headphones used Google Assistant and a Google Pixel 2 phone to translate foreign languages straight into your ears. The Mars earphones on show at CES 2018 promise to take it a step further, working with any Android or iOS phone, and enabling person-to-person real-time translation. Thanks to the two separate wireless earbuds, one user can wear one earbud, one person the other, and using an app on a smartphone you can translate a previously disjointed conversation. There's no official price as yet, but the Mars earbuds are scheduled for release in the summer. 5G With the first release of initial 5G standards in December 2017, flagship 5G smartphones will be on store shelves in early 2019, predicted Qualcomm president Cristiano Amon. And the rollout of 5G phones will occur “very fast” because of 5G's 30x improvement in latency, which lets phone makers keep the price of phones down by offloading phone memory to the Cloud. 5G can “transform industries,” added Verizon EVP Hans Vestberg. Nonetheless, 5G's capabilities will also benefit cellphone users and enable new smartphone use cases, said Qualcomm's Amon. Over a phone, social networks will deliver “social presence” with real-time interaction among users, and banks will be able to transform their consumer apps to let consumers execute more types of banking transactions over the phone instead of going to a bank branch, Amon added. For its initial 5G rollout, Verizon will turn on commercial wireless-broadband service to homes in three to five markets late this year, Vestberg said. Benefits: High bandwidth: This will let 5G replace broadband cable service, enabling streaming of even 4K VR/AR and 8K videos. Low latency: Enables autonomous cars to constantly coordinate with traffic systems and other vehicles. Security: Features to ensure security have been baked into 5G from the start to guarantee that vehicles cannot be taken over and weaponized. Larger networks: With plenty of spare capacity, larger networks will host millions of internet of things (IoT) devices, including low-bandwidth appliances that will intermittently connect to the internet. Greater scale: The massive scale of 5G will enable big public and privately owned spaces, including entire cities, hospitals, and manufacturing plants, to come online for remote access. This includes everything from cameras to computer systems. (5G was initially designed so that connected, automated businesses could be managed remotely.)  

Ultimate Home Theater in a Box for 2017 Each year we design a Home Theater setup that is considerably better than a typical home theater in a box. We have seen complete setups for less than $500 from manufacturers like Sony and Panasonic that quite frankly do not sound good. While our system costs more than a name brand HTIB your satisfaction will be dramatically more. Plus we include EVERYTHING you need to actually setup a home theater.  Minimum components for our system are a HDTV, Blu-ray Player, Receiver, and 7.1 speakers. For this feature we choose components that we either have direct experience with or have experience with a similar model made by the same manufacturer.  We are defining a system that can had by anyone who is serious about home theater. These systems will look and sound great by anyone's definition! Braden: LG Electronics 65UJ7700 65-Inch 4K Ultra HD Smart LED TV (2017 Model) ($1047) I was tempted to go with the TCL 65C807 65-Inch 4K Ultra HD Roku Smart LED TV because of my love for all things TCL and Roku, but the LG is a hair cheaper right now ($50) and packs a little more future-proofing inside. The LG has WebOS 3.5 for the smarts. I've never used it, but it sounds like it could work. It is full 4k, and supports all three HDR specs, HDR10, Dolby Vision and HLG. It has local dimming for those awesome, inky blacks, it supports wide color gamut and has LG technologies for True Color Accuracy and Ultra Luminance. I really wanted to go with a bigger TV, but this one packs quite a punch at only $1047. Denon AVR-S730H 7.2 Channel Full 4K Ultra HD AV Receiver ($429) This year's theme is bang for the buck, and you can't make your dollar go any further than the receiver both Ara and I chose as our entry model for this year's Receiver Buying Guide. At the time we did the guide, the unit was on sale for $349. It is now running for $429, but still an excellent value. It has built-in HEOS wireless technology, Bluetooth, Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, Audyssey MultEQ, Dolby Vision compatible, HDR, and you can control it with Amazon Alexa voice commands.  You also get full 4K Ultra HD, HDCP 2.2, HDR, BT.2020, Wide Color Gamut and 4:4:4 Pure Color sub-sampling. HLG (Hybrid Log Gamma) via future firmware update. Every feature you need to match the capability of the LG TV. LG 4K Ultra HD 3D Blu-ray Player with HDR ($149) Do you really need a Blu-ray player? Perhaps not. I haven't used one in years. But others swear by the quality you can only get on physical media. And if you're looking for good 4k content, that may be even more true. And besides, Ara and I agreed we needed one in the setup, so I had to include one. This LG unit is great for the occasional 4k Blu-ray movie night. It isn't videophile grade gear, but it's going to do a perfect job with 4K content, can probably hold its own on upscaling 1080p discs and supports HDR. What's not to love? Polk Audio TSi 300 7.1 Home Theater Speaker System ($1009) Speakers caused me the most consternation this year. I didn't know if I should go with speakers for Dolby Atmos, or just a classic 7.1, or maybe a 5.1 that could be upgraded to either, … too many options. So I took the cheap way out. The Polk TSi 300 system is an excellent value for a full 7.1 setup. It gives you flexibility to move some speakers around if you want to try some of the 3D audio formats. And, with tower speakers for the fronts, the setup looks legit in your home theater. The speakers aren't going to win any awards or change the way you perceive reality, but they will look great, sound great and absolutely compliment the Denon and LG. Summary Add $200 for a few cables and a remote and we're looking at an all-in cost of $2834. My total cost for a system back in 2015 that was a very similar 7.1 setup with a 65” TV was $1000 more expensive at $3960, and that was a 1080p TV, not 4K (granted the 2015 speakers were superior, thus explaining some of the cost difference). Ara: My theme this year is bang for the buck. I want to be able to get someone started in this hobby with a good system that doesn't break the bank. I am not getting the largest TV or best of anything. What my system will be is way better than any HTIB set you can buy and will make you happy every time you sit down to watch something. Sony KD55X720E 55-Inch 4k Ultra HD Smart LED TV (2017 Model) $698 I went with the Sony off of my TV buying guide. It checks all the boxes: HDR, Wide Color Gamut and a Smart TV to boot. But what really makes this TV special is that it does a great job with non-HDR content. This TV will serve you well now and when you are ready to upgrade in size you can move it out to a game room or man cave. Denon AVRS730H 7.2 Channel 165W AV Receiver with Built-in HEOS wireless technology $429 This receiver is my entry receiver from this year's buying guide. But there is nothing entry about it's set of features. The main thing here is that it supports 4K HDR as well as all the new object based audio codecs. This is a great entry receiver to hold you over for a few years until you are ready for an upgrade. Sony UBP-X800 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Player $198 There is not a whole lot to say about this player. Of course it supports 4K HDR and wide color. This player makes whole A/V chain 4K HDR compliant. Other features include Netflix, Amazon Prime, and youtube. There is even support for high res audio. Bottom line, this player can play just about every disc, audio, and video format available. We have come a very long way!! RSL CG3 7.1 Speaker System $1319 RSL (Rogersound Labs) has been building speakers since the early 70s. The CG3 line of speakers are small and thus perfect for the starter system. With CG3s it should be easy to convince the spouse that putting seven small(er) speakers in the family room will not interfere with the home decor. RSL speakers include their patented Compression Guide which reduces cabinet resonance. That means the sound coming out of your speakers are coming from the drivers and not sound wave reflections off the cabinet. This results in tight bass across all frequencies. If you are a music lover you know that many HTIB speakers are setup for movie watching. You won't have to compromise with these speakers because RSL speakers are designed to sound good with music first. The speakers themselves cost more than the rest of my system combined but they are also the one thing that will last you through multiple TV and Receiver upgrades. We have talked with their founder, Joe Rogers, and you won't meet anyone more passionate about building high performance speakers that the common person can buy. Summary I did not include a set top box this year since the TV and UHD player have you covered for just about any smart TV app you want. The total cost for my Ultimate Home Theater in a Box is... $2644. Throw in another $106 for cables and incidentals and you have a grand total of $2750. About $250 less than my first 720p DLP that I purchased all those years ago. Yes you can buy a traditional HTIB system for 1/10 this cost. But it won't have a TV or a UHD player. And the speakers will, quite frankly, sound like trash. My system is designed to get you up and running right out of the gate and will only need minimal upgrades over the next five to ten years.

HDTV Buying Guide 2017 It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas and whether you celebrate Christmas, a different holiday, or nothing at all, we can all agree that somehow getting a new HDTV in your life on or around the 25th of December would be a good thing. If you happen to be lucky enough to have budget for a new HDTV this Christmas season, but still aren't sure which one to buy, we've got you covered. We each pick three TVs and one ultimate HDTV present for you to consider. Braden's Picks TCL 49S305 49-Inch 1080p Roku Smart LED TV (2017 Model, $349.99) Last year I had the 40 inch 2016 model of this TV. This year we're stepping it up to the 49 inch for only $100 more. If you bought the 40” last year, this year it's time to go bigger and move the old one to a different room. It's the only sensible thing to do. In fact, I bought my second TCL TV with the built-in Roku interface this year and consistently use both on a daily basis. Built-in Roku is awesome. The new TV is sitting on a shelf and plugged into power. That's it. (the old one is still mounted to the wall and plugged into power. That's it.) We can get to all the apps we need whenever we want. Do searches across apps, you name it. The picture and sound quality are consistent with last year's models. It's a great, affordable television LG Electronics OLED55B7A 55-Inch 4K Ultra HD Smart OLED TV (2017 Model, $1596) If you don't need or can't accomodate a gigantic television, but you want to rock a more standard size set by getting the absolute best picture money can buy, you get the LG OLED. Last year a 55 inch OLED was around $2000, this year that drops to $1600. Quite a price drop in a year. The price has dropped, but the picture quality has remained second to none. Even Samsung's Quantum Dot QLED sets don't measure up in side by side tests. The TV comes with what LG calls “Cinematic Color on Perfect Black” - which sounds like Marketing speak for “man OLED looks good.” The set does have active HDR with Dolby Vision and the webOS 3.5 Smart TV interface, so it's an all around winner. TCL 75C807 75-Inch 4K Ultra HD Roku Smart LED TV (2017 Model, $1999) Although there's room to argue that a 75” set from Samsung or Sony or LG (not their OLEDs, of course) may outperform the TCL in terms of picture quality and performance, we'd would posit that the difference would be so minimal, you'd need to include TCL on your list if you're looking for a really big, great quality TV for a great price. Not only does it include Roku, just like my bargain set, but it is full 4k, and supports HDR and Dolby Vision. At $1999 it's a tremendous value. It has 3 HDMI 2.0 with ports that all support HDCP 2.2 and one supports HDMI ARC. We're nearly to the point where a set top box is a thing of the past. It may sound like I'm shilling for TCL, but we get nothing from them. They've never sent us even so mush as a sticker. Ara's Picks VIZIO SmartCast™ D-series 43” Class Full HD LED Smart TV (2018 Model) $349.99 In this size class I'm not too worried about 4K. However, I did consider it just because you can't find a 1080p TV with HDR. But in the end, I went with a nice 1080p TV that only costs $350 from a tier 1 manufacturer. Yes I am calling Vizio a tier 1 manufacturer. This TV has a Full Array LED backlight that provides better light uniformity and picture performance. It's a smart tv that includes apps like Netflix, Hulu, Vudu, and many many more. It comes with Chromecast built-in. Couple all that with a really nice picture and you have a TV that is perfect from a small room. Sony KD55X720E 55-Inch 4k Ultra HD Smart LED TV (2017 Model) $698 Sony has been building some nice TVs for the last few years and you don't have to pay a premium for the Sony name. This TV is perfect for a standard family room. While 4K is more or less a waste you do get the benefit of HDR and Sony's X1 processor. I have seen the X1 in action and it reallys does a great job of analyzing each frame to adjust the brightness to optimize the picture.  And their X-tended Dynamic Range™ PRO does a good job of making non HDR content look much better. For those who don't want to add a separate set top box the X720E is a smart TV. Nice TV for well under $1,000! VIZIO SmartCast™ P-Series™ 75” Class Ultra HD HDR XLED Pro™ Display $3,500 Yes I chose another Vizio but can you blame me? I have owned the original Vizio P-Series for about 4 years and have loved the TV. This generation is so much better than the one I own. For instance the original does not support HDR or the wider color gamut. This TV has what Vizio calls XHDR Pro! That's just marketing for saying that the TV supports HDR 10 and Dolby Vision, which are good things! The 2017 P-Series has 128 LED zones (mine only has 64) to improve contrast and clarity.  While it's not an OLED it still has deep blacks and for $3,500 you get a large format TV that will not disappoint. Ultimate Christmas Present Hisense 100 inch 4K Ultra HD Smart TV ($9999) So this isn't really a TV, it's a short throw projector. But it's a 100 inch 4K screen in your home for under $10 grand, and you don't have to run a single wire. You do need a cabinet under the screen you can set the projector on, so this may limit feasibility in some install locations, but it makes install super easy for anyone who wanted to run wires for a front projector, but just never got around to it. We've never seen the set in person, but in the video overview digital trends did from CES, the images on the screen in the background are stunning. According to Hisense the “super-thin, lightweight, anti-reflective, 100" screen by Screen Innovations® evenly distributes color and light, offering a crisp, bright picture in any setting, regardless of ambient light.” Sounds pretty great. (Compare with the NEC X981UHD-2 from last year at $29k) LG SIGNATURE OLED TV W - 4K HDR Smart TV - 77" OLED77W7P $15,000 Where to start? This is my biggest and most expensive TV. It's also probably the best TV I have seen. You have to go to BestBuy to see it but if you are out shopping drop in and take a look. The Best Buy near my office had one setup and calibrated. This TV has plasma like blacks and the color is lifelike. They were playing a 4K HDR demo through it which looked stunning. It supports Active HDR and Dolby Vision and it comes in two pieces each weighing less than 30 pounds. The display part of the TV is less than a ¼ inch!! That's just under 6 ½ mm. At 77 inches it's just under what I would call a projector replacement but with a picture like this you may not care.  

Receiver Buying Guide 2017 This week we get to spend your money on a new receiver for your home theater. Our goal with these guides is not necessarily about getting the latest product. It's about getting a good product at a great price so you may see some of last year's gear on the list. All these receivers are readily available online or at a big box store. We each pick four receivers in increasing price culminating in one ‘money's no object' / ‘dare to dream' receiver for you to consider. Note - These receivers have a ton of features which we won't be able to discuss in their entirety. So we have included links to the manufacturer's pages for your convenience. Prices stated are street prices from online retailers. Ara's Picks My goal for this year is that every receiver on my list will serve you well, now and into the foreseeable future. Nothing is future proof but these should last you at least five to ten years. Denon AVRS730H 7.2 Channel 165W AV Receiver with Built-in HEOS wireless technology $350 I didn't have a Denon on my list last year so I wanted to make sure I did this year. When you take a look at this receiver it's easy to see how this unit made the list. Of course it supports 4K HDR (Dolby Vision), but it also supports Dolby Atmos and DTS:X. The list of features is quite impressive: HEOS wireless multi-room music streaming, Built-in Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and AirPlay Capability, Audyssey Room Correction and the Denon 2016 AVR Remote app for easy setup. All of this for a measly $350. Unbelieveable if you ask me! Yamaha AVENTAGE RX-A770 7.2 100W AVReceiver $650 You knew my list was going to have at least one Yamaha on it. The one I chose this year is one that only a few years ago would have made my ultimate receiver choice. It supports 7.2 channels with Dolby Atmos and DTS:X 5.1.2 configurations. It will pass through 4K video with HDR and Dolby Vision. The RX-A770 is designed with the audiophile in mind from component selection to chassis characteristics. Almost all receivers are large rectangular boxes and this is no different but it just looks sleeker for some reason. For just three hundred dollars more than my entry receiver you step up to a machine with some pretty good pedigree. Onkyo TX-RZ1100 9.2 Channel 140W Network A/V Receiver $1,599 Onkyo is always a great bang for the buck product. You typically get one level higher in features for the price point. In years past there have been some issues with reliability mostly due to heat related failures. Most of these issues have been dealt with but it's always a good thing to make sure your components are in a well ventilated area. At $1,599 this is on the higher end of my list but from a feature point of view it's almost as good my top pick for this year. It supports 5.2.4 with built in amplifiers and can do 7.2.4 with use of two preouts. Of course it supports 4K and HDR, THX Certified, has audiophile grade components including a premium-quality AK4458 digital-to-analog converter from Asahi Kasei, and has Fire Connect Multi room wireless audio. Bottom line is that this is a high end receiver at a “reasonable” price. Pioneer Elite SC-LX901 11.2 Channel 140W Class D3 Network AV Receiver $2,499 I have owned three Pioneer Elite receivers over the years and have loved every one of them. But I have noticed that Pioneer kind of cheapened the line a bit by introducing some lower priced Elite models a few years ago. This unit is not one of the cheapened units by any stretch. And if you want to setup an Atmos or DTS:X setup in your home, this receiver has you covered without the need for an additional amplifier. 4K and HDR are supported and Apple's Airplay and Google's Chromecast are built in. The LX901 employs Pioneer's MCACC Pro Auto Room Tuning to get you as close to what the mixer wanted you to hear while their full band phase control eliminates lag which can interfere with how your ears hear surround effects making for an incredible home theater experience. Braden's Picks My take is a little different. I'm going to recommend you buy something that doesn't break the bank that does everything you need it to do for the next 12-24 months or so. Technology in this area just seems to be moving so fast. Right when we thought we had two HDR formats to contend with, a third pops up. Who knows what new audio, video, control, etc. technology will be big a year or two from now? I sure don't. If you really want to get more future-proof, buy an inexpensive(ish) processor (or receiver to use as a processor) and really, really good amps.  From a technology perspective, like good speakers, the amps will last next to forever. You just swap the processor out every few years as technology advances. Unfortunately it's difficult to find an inexpensive/entry receiver with analog pre-amp outputs, they tend to only be on the higher end units. So my list has a really inexpensive option so you can swap it out in a year or two, and a couple with pre-amp outputs that you could swap out if you had to, but it would be a bit more painful. Denon AVR-S730H 7.2 Channel Full 4K Ultra HD AV Receiver $349 I'm a Denon fan, there's no denying it. My Denon pick for a receiver that does not include pre-amp outputs is the same as Ara's, the S730H. MSRP is $479, Denon is running a sale that pushes the price down to $349 if you buy direct from them, which is the same street price you'll find if you buy from a major eTail site. The features that Denon packed into this $349 receiver are impressive. It has built-in HEOS wireless technology, Bluetooth, Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, Audyssey MultEQ, Dolby Vision compatible, HDR, and you can control it with Amazon Alexa voice commands.  You also get full 4K Ultra HD, HDCP 2.2, HDR, BT.2020, Wide Color Gamut and 4:4:4 Pure Color sub-sampling. It is even ready for Dolby Vision and HLG (Hybrid Log Gamma) via future firmware update. Not too shabby for the price. MSRP: $479 Marantz SR5012 7.2 Channel Full 4K Ultra HD Network AV Surround Receiver $899 Marantz receivers might be the best looking receivers on the market. So if you're planning to hide it in a cabinet, this may not be the right choice for you. But it's more than just looks, it's beautiful on the inside too. MSRP is $999, street price is $899, so right in the middle of your standard receiver price range. It has analog preouts, but only for 7 channels. You get 4K/60 Hz full-rate pass-through, 4:4:4 color resolution, HDR, BT.2020 , Dolby Vision and HLG (Hybrid Log Gamma) pass-through. It has 8 HDMI inputs with full HDCP 2.2 support, will do SD/HD to HD/4K Upscaling, supports Dolby Atmos (up to 5.1.2) and DTS:X, has built-in Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and HEOS wireless multi-room audio technology, AirPlay, Pandora, Spotify, Amazon Prime Music, and a litany of others. For your listening enjoyment you get Audyssey MultEQ XT, Dynamic Volume and Dynamic EQ. And like some of its Denon cousins, you can control it all with Amazon Alexa voice commands. MSRP: $999 Denon AVR-X4400H Premium 9.2 channel AV Surround Receiver $1399 My pick for the Denon receiver that does have pre-amp outputs is the X4400H. The MSRP is $1599, right now Denon has a $200 instant savings bringing it down to $1399, the same as Amazon. There are less expensive Denon models with pre-amp outputs, like the AVR-X3400H or the AVR-X3300W (both have an MSRP of $999), but they only have 7 channels of preout, the X4400H steps that up to 11 channels. The funny thing is that the feature list for this unit is nearly identical to the 730H. It does all the same things, it just does them better. The additional features that you don't get with the 730 are things like the 9 channel amp allows for setting up a 7.1.2 or 5.1.4 3D experience out of box. Or you can setup a 7.1.4 speaker configuration by adding an external stereo amplifier thanks to that 11.2 channel processing capability. And some time soon, via a future firmware update, it will support Enhanced Audio Return Channel (eARC) for 3D audio playback through TV apps. MSRP: $1599 Pioneer SC-LX701 9.2-ch Class D3 Network AV Receiver $1249 The little brother of Ara's LX-901 pick, at $1600 MSRP it certainly isn't cheap nor disposable. It has internal amplification for 9 channels but includes analog preamp outputs for 11.2 channel audio. If you add your own amps, or even just your own stereo amp, it can be an 11.2 channel processor. And to top it off, you get nearly all the features that come in the more expensive units - all the features you really need at least. It supports Dolby Atmos and DTS:X, Ultra HD (4K/60p/4:4:4) upscaling/pass-through with HDCP 2.2 and HDR/BT.2020/Dolby Vision. There are internet radio and various network streaming services, and also has AirPlay and Google Cast built-in. It does it all, and then some. MSRP: $1600

TCL C Series 2017 C807  (RTINGS.COM) This week we wanted to take a look at what on paper is an incredible TV bargain. Seriously, a 65 in 4K UHD that supports Dolby Vision HDR for about $1,100! We're talking about the TCL 65C807 65-Inch 4K Ultra HD Roku Smart LED TV (2017 Model). The question is whether it's worth it?  Read the full detailed review at RTINGS.COM   Features: Roku TV smart functionality offers access to over 4,000 streaming channels featuring more than 450,000 movies and TV episodes Pairs 4K Ultra HD picture clarity with the contrast, color, and detail of Dolby Vision HDR (High Dynamic Range) for the most lifelike picture Edge LED backlighting with Dynamic Contrast produces deep blacks and excellent picture quality Inputs: 3 HDMI 2.0 with HDCP 2.2 (one with HDMI ARC), 1 USB (media player), RF, Composite, Headphone Jack, Optical Audio Out, Ethernet The TCL C807 4k Roku TV is a decent LCD/LED TV with better than average build quality and design. It features a wider color gamut for vibrant HDR content and very low input lag for responsive gaming. Unfortunately, its blacks are not very uniform, and its picture quality deteriorates even at a slight angle. The TCL C Series C807 LED TV has an average picture quality. The high contrast ratio makes for a good dark room performance, with a high level of detail in dark scene. Unfortunately, the bad black uniformity and the lack of local dimming hurt the dark room performance in the end. When set in a bright room, the C807 performs better, since it can get fairly bright and deal decently with reflection and glare. The gray uniformity is average though and dirty screen effect is visible when watching sports like football. The very narrow viewing angle won't make it the best TV to watch sports event with all your friend since only people sitting right in front of the TV will have the best picture quality. Finally, HDR performance is ordinary since the TV can't really get brighter than in SDR and the lack of local dimming doesn't help even if it has a wide color gamut. The C807 has a below average handling of motion. It has an average response time, causing some visible trails to appear behind fast moving objects. It uses PWM to dim the backlight, but only at low backlight levels, and this isn't noticeable to most people. It can play movies from a Blu-ray or DVD player smoothly, but some minor judder is present when watching movies from a 60Hz source. Most people don't notice judder, so it isn't a big issue. The lack of motion interpolation features may disappoint fans of the soap opera effect. The TCL C807 runs the Roku TV smart platform, which is remarkably fluid to navigate and easy to use. It has a wide selection of apps to download and has a great companion app for phones and tablets. Its weak point is its remote, which has very few buttons and lacks some smart features found in the remotes of other platforms. Test Results: Design 9.0 Picture Quality 7.1 Motion 6.3 Inputs 9.3 Sound Quality 6.2 Smart Features 7.9 Usage Ratings: Mixed Usage 7.1 Movies 6.4 TV Shows 7.1 Sports 6.7 Video Games 7.9 HDR Movies 6.7 HDR Gaming 7.6 PC Monitor 7.3 Conclusion The TCL C807 is decent for a mixed usage. Its contrast is good, and it features a wide color gamut for HDR. Unfortunately, though, its motion and uniformity of the blacks leave a lot to be desired. Decent TV for watching series or broadcast TV in a bright room. The TCL C Series' brightness is decent, and its Roku smart OS gives very easy access to content. Unfortunately, though, it's not great at handling reflections. Mediocre TV for movies in a dark room. The C807 does have a good contrast ratio, but its poor black uniformity and lack of local dimming cause letterboxes to look cloudy and distracting. Mediocre TV for HDR. While the C807 has a wide color gamut and can reproduce smooth gradients, it cannot get bright enough to create a good HDR effect.

Oppo UDP-203 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Disc Player   Many of you (us included) have gone out and purchased a 4K TV sets but still have Blu-ray players connected to them. Sure these TVs do a good job at upconverting your 1080p content but we want more. We want native content at full bandwidth! There have been UHD players on the market for about a year that run about $300. Still many decided to wait. Some hoping for lower prices and others waiting for Oppo Digital to release their UHD player. If you were like us and waiting on the Oppo, your wait is over! The Oppo UDP-203 Ultra HD/Blu-ray player is available and it's only $549. We say only because it packs a lot of features in for that $549: Audio and Video Processing that has made Oppo a staple among those who are particular about their entertainment. Oppo has designed a custom quad-core processor for the video processing and they use a 32 bit 8 channel DAC from AKM to support audiophile grade audio. Fast Disc Loading using an optimized laser mechanism. HDR/Dolby Vision, the UDP203 supports the HDR10 format and will support Dolby Vision via a firmware upgrade. Upscaling is what put Oppo on the map in the early days of HDTV. Their new play takes that to a new level with the ability to upscale your Blu-ray discs to 4K. For the audiophile there is support for lossless audio All the latest surround formats are supported 7.1 Analog Output Well integrated with IR, RS-232, third party IP Control system, and HDMI CEC commands. The player also supports Trigger In and Out, so it can automatically turn on and off other devices connected to it for the ultimate convenience. Setup Setup was easy! We pulled out the old Oppo player and put this one in it's place. We did have to swap out all but the Ethernet cable. The HDMI cable only needs to be swapped out if it's not certified as high speed. Since Oppo includes one in the box we just used the one that came with the player. Since our receiver is HDMI 2.0 and HDCP 2.2 certified we went through it. But if you have a situation where you don't have a receiver that supports the latest standards you can use the HDMI 1.4 output on the Oppo to go to the receiver and use the HDMI 2.0 output to go to the TV. This will make it possible for a lot of people to enjoy high quality video and audio without having to buy a new receiver! For our testing we used two TVs. One that was 4K but did not support HDR and another one that did support 4K and HDR. The entire chain is described below: Oppo UDP203 ----> Yamaha RX-850A ---> Vizio 70 inch P-Series UHD TV Oppo UDP203 ---> LG 65UH6150  The Vizio was used for watching HDR content on TVs that don't support HDR and the LG was used for the full experience. BTW, you can find the LG 65UH615A at Costco or Sam's club for about $200 less than the 65UH6150 and from what we can tell they are identical in specs. After everything was connected we updated the firmware which took about 20 minutes. After that we were on our way. The menus are very basic but very functional. There are menus for Music, Photos, Movies, Network, Setup, and Favorites. The only menu we explored however is the network. We were somewhat surprised to see our Plex Server show up. It was a crude implementation but all our content was there. We were able to play some movies but the results weren't very good,. The playback was choppy. This was with a hardwired connection as well. Since that wasn't our main purpose of the review we got a few UHD discs and pushed forward. The Oppo allows you to tweak some video parameters. For our review we did not touch any of them. In fact the TVs were also left in their respective movie/cinema modes. We felt that this is how most people watch their TVs. If you have a professional calibrate your TVs you can expect even better results than what we experienced. Performance Our evaluation was conducted with The Magnificent 7, Independence Day Resurgence, and Keeping up with the Jones. By the way, buy the UHD version of any movies you plan on watching in the future even if you don't have a UHD player since they all have a Blu-ray option for purchase. First up was watching Blu-rays on the Vizio. For this we went back in our vault and pulled out Blackhawk Down. We were really looking at the night scenes and in particular the scene looking through the night scope. In these cases we were looking at how much detail was present. There would be no way to compare it against an HDR version but we were hoping that we would see more than the Blu-ray. And for this we were surprised. It did look better than the Blu-ray. The black levels were deep but not so deep that you couldn't see detail. You could easily make out details in people's faces and see the sweat and grime from a day of fighting. The night vision shot had clarity and a crispness that seemed to be enhanced by the player. The upconverter in the Oppo is very good. When examined up close we could not see any artifacts like in the old days of upconverting SD to HD. We wouldn't say that it made the picture and more detailed or sharper, but it certainly didn't make it worse. Then we watched Magnificent 7. For this movie the UDP-203 had to go from HDR to SDR on the Vizio. What we saw was very impressive. The movie was sharp and detailed. Colors were natural and warm. With that said, we didn't find the improvement over the Blu-ray really compelling. We felt the same about Independence Day and Keeping Up with the Jones. The audio in all cases sounded like it was at another level. Whether it was Dolby or DTS the audio made the movie. We did experience a few lipsync issues while watching however. We hit pause and then play and it got better. We had to do that about 6 times over the course of five movies. We only experienced this on the Vizio and attribute the issue to the video processing. The LG has a newer processor and did not have this issue. The real test was going to be with a TV that supports HDR. For that, Ara took the UHD player to his condo where he setup his recently purchased LG 65UH6150. Full review of the TV in an upcoming show. There is no receiver in this setup.  Braden was not able to view on the LG so the remainder of this section is written in the first person.  First up was “Keeping up with the Joneses” Other than the noticeable improvement in detail there wasn't much of an improvement. There were scenes where I could notice more realistic color and shadow details. This is a limitation of the disc not the player or the TV. Which brought us to a revelation. You really need to pay attention to your entire chain to get the most out of HDR. That includes the content. While I felt the Oppo did a great job with the movie, I  was let down by the movie itself. But that's OK I knew Magnificent 7 was going to be awesome! Next up was Independence day Resurgence. This was another disc that didn't meet my expectations. There are a lot of dark scenes and HDR should have made a bigger difference. The shadow detail really didn't look better than the Blu-ray. Again this is a limitation of the content. But that's OK I knew Magnificent 7 was going to be awesome! I had high expectations for Magnificent 7. It looked really good on a non-HDR 4K TV after all. The Movie, TV and most importantly the UDP-203 did not disappoint! The detail and color were so lifelike it felt as though I was transported to the wild west. I found myself watching the detail at times and not the movie. It felt like I was being introduced to HDTV for the first time. Skin tones were the most natural I have ever seen. The beard/stubble on Chris Pratt's face was so detailed I felt that he looked too groomed for the wild west. The detail in the dark scenes were more pronounced than on the Vizio. In fact the blacks seemed almost plasma like. The war paint on Red Harvest's face looked so good, again, it was almost too good! There were no visible artifacts that I could see even when I got up very close to the screen.  This is why you want to upgrade your HDTV and Blu-ray player. Odds and Ends Load Times are very good. Nothing like the first Blu-rays. In general we were up on screen in less that 15 seconds The menus are simple and easy to navigate. Quite honestly you won't be in them very much. The remote has a ton of buttons. Most you will never use. If you have a Harmony or other remote you can reduce it to the essentials. Dolby Vision firmware upgrade is slated for early 2017. To us that mean by tax day. Let's see if Oppo agrees For the audiophiles out there the UDP-203 can pretty much handle any file you throw at it. Multi-channel DSD64/128, as well as 192kHz/24-bit PCM in all the popular formats are supported. HDMI Input so external devices can take advantage of the UDP-203's audio and video processing. Conclusion If you have upgraded your HDTV to a UHD set that supports HDR you would be committing a crime if you didn't upgrade your Blu-ray player. There are a few options out there and while the Oppo costs a little more you get so much more. The best audio playback support of any UHD player on the market today, coupled with ability upconvert to 4K video streamed over your local network or played through the USB and HDMI inputs makes the UDP-203 the most capable UHD player available at any price. Support for Dolby Vision via a firmware upgrade makes this player the only one on the market today that is future proof!

Ultimate Home Theater in a Box for 2016 Each year we design a Home Theater setup that is considerably better than a typical home theater in a box. We have seen complete setups for less than $500 from manufacturers like Sony and Panasonic that quite frankly do not sound good. While our system costs more than a name brand HTIB your satisfaction will be dramatically more. Plus we include EVERYTHING you need to actually setup a home theater.  Minimum components for our system are a HDTV, Blu-ray Player, Receiver, and 7.1 speakers. For this feature we choose components that we either have direct experience with or have experience with a similar model made by the same manufacturer. This year we have set a maximum price of $5,000. The amount we paid for our first HDTVs.  We are defining a system that can had by anyone who is serious about home theater. These systems will look and sound great by anyone's definition! Rodney: Sony XBR65X850D 65-Inch 4K Ultra HD Smart TV (2016 model) $1,498.00 You'll be hard pressed to find a more capable 4K TV at this size and price.  It uses Sony's X1 processor which provides some of the best color, contrast, and clarity. It's also equipped with Android TV with Voice Search and Google Cast. Yamaha RX-A760BL 7.2 Channel Network AV Receiver $649.95 This receiver has everything you need to support 4K content and to listen to music streamed from your phone or off the internet. It supports 4K Ultra HD video upscaling with HDCP 2.2, HDR and BT.2020 support. Its features Dolby Atmos and DTS:X surround sound processing. It also has built-in Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, AirPlay, Spotify Connect, Pandora, Rhapsody, SiriusXM, vTuner, NAS support. BIC Acoustech PL-980 7.1 Home Theater System-NEW!! PL-200II Sub  $1,699.00 BIC America isn't as well known as Klipsch, but they've been in the speaker business for over 20 years and have a fan following. This 7.1 set comes with floor standing speakers that incorporate a 3-way multi-driver design rather than the standard 2-way design. The 4 surround speakers also have three way design and are angled so they can add more depth of sound. This set also includes a front-firing 12 inch long-throw subwoofer with BASH amplifier.  Xbox One S 500GB Console - Battlefield 1 Bundle $249.00 Instead of throwing in a standard Blu-ray player or a set top box, getting a 4K gaming system that supports HDR is way more versatile. You can watch UHD Blu-ray movies and stream 4K content on Netflix and Amazon Video. You can also play games that will utilize the home theater and put you right in the middle of the action. Logitech Harmony Companion All in One Remote Control for Smart Home and Entertainment Devices, works with Alexa $129.99 Of course a remote is needed to control all the awesomeness. So why not get a remote that can work with home automation and smartphones? You can use your Smartphone or Harmony Remote for one-touch control of your entertainment system and home automation devices. Plus it also works with Alexa. Summary With a grand total of $4,225.94 you will be the envy every man, woman, and child on your block. For that price you've got a complete 4K HDR system, with bombastic audio, gaming entertainment, and a remote that supports home automation. All that and you'll still have money leftover to buy a lots Blu-ray movies and video games.  Ara: My theme this year has been 4K HDR and Wide Color Gamut so there is no reason to move away from that now. My Ultimate Home Theater in a Box will serve you well for years to come! LG Electronics 65UH8500 65-Inch 4K Ultra HD Smart LED TV $1697 My first HDTV was a 50 inch DLP capable of 720p. This LG gives you 15 more inches and more than 4 times the resolution for less than than half the cost. Not only that, you get better color and contrast! It's a smart TV featuring WebOS 3.0 so you'll be able to stream your 4K content from Amazon and Netflix. We have come so far since 2002.  UDP-203 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Disc Player $549 This year I have gone back to Oppo for my Blu-ray player. We have increased our budget this year and since Oppo just released this product we felt why not include it in an ultimate HTiB setup. Since most of your library probably Blu-ray at this time you need a player that can upconvert well. The UDP-203 does just that with a custom developed quad-core processor. On the audio side the player features a 8 channel 32-bit DAC from AKM that will easily handle any hi-resolution format you throw at it. All the latest sound formats are supported. Suffice it to say this is the ultimate UHD Player on the market today! Yamaha RX-A1050 7.2-Channel MusicCast AV Receiver with Built-In Wi-Fi and Bluetooth $898 I went with a receiver from this years receiver buying guide. I kind of cut costs on the receiver this year because I felt it necessary to not skimp on the speakers.  From the buying guide: Plenty of power (110W), Auto Calibration, Multidimensional sound, and wireless connectivity. I went with this model over the A850 because in addition to Dolby Atmos you also get  DTS:X and and Advanced HDMI switching! You can watch different sources in different zones. Yamaha says that this receiver employs “audiophile grade design that incorporates a rigid chassis and symmetrical amp layout with the latest ESS SABRE DACs”. RSL CG3 5.1 Home Theater Speaker System - Special Edition $1270 There are so many choices when it comes to speakers. This year I decided to go with RSL CG3s. We had Howard and Joe Rogers from RSL speakers on our show a few years ago and have since been really impressed with the company's speakers. They are some of the best speakers you will listen to, and at $1270 for a complete 7.1 system, and incredible value! What struck me was how much effort the guys put into making their speakers accurately reproduce the sound of live music. No need to upgrade these in the future. This set will pretty much last you forever! Miscellaneous You will need a remote control to tie everything together. There are many options out there and rather than specify one, I'll just allocate $250 and let you choose between Harmony, Simple Control, or iRule. The last thing to consider are cables, power strips, and connectors. We will allocate an additional $200 for these items as well. Summary There you have it! An ultimate home theater in the box for less than I spent on my first HDTV. Last year my system came in at $2,995 plus tax, this year the grand total is $4,864 plus tax. Last year's system was not future proof. This system is! Well for the next few years anyway.  

Receiver Buying Guide 2016 It is that time of year where we get to spend your money again! This week we concentrate on receivers. Our goal with these guides is not necessarily about getting the latest product. It's about getting a good product at a great price so you may see some of last year's gear on the list. All these receivers are readily available online or at a big box store. Just like last year's Buying Guide, we're going to skip the budget categories jump right to our top picks. We each pick three receivers and one ‘money is no object' / ‘dare to dream' receiver for you to consider. Braden's Picks I tried to ignore Ara's picks when selecting mine, as to not be biased one way or the other. But his newfound love for Marantz did have an impact on my list. Sony STRDH770 7.2 Channel Home Theater 4K AV Receiver $199 I wanted to pick the Sony STRDH770 as my value option, but for some reason it is limited availability online so I'm not sure what that means. You can get it from Sony for $199. It has 7.2 channel x 145W of sound power, 4 HDMI Inputs / 1 Output with HDCP2.2 compatibility, supports 4K 60p 4:4:4 / HDR, front surround sound technology, Bluetooth and NFC for easy wireless streaming, USB connection for music playback, quick speaker set up with automatic calibration, DSD decoding thru HDMI, pretty much everything. All for under $200. If you want a model that is a bit more available online, you can step up to the STR-DN1070 for $449. It adds a few more watts per channel, a couple more HDMI ins/outs and second zone capabilities. Denon AVR-X3300W 7.2 Channel Full 4K Ultra HD A/V Receiver $799 No list of mine would be complete without a Denon.  They have so many great options for receivers, just looking at them made me feel like a kid in a candy store. This model, the X3300 feels like the perfect intersection of affordable and ultra capable. Let's rattle it off: 7.2 Channel Full 4K Ultra HD AV Receiver with built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, HDCP2.2, HDR, Audyssey MultEQ XT32, 8/2 HDMI In/Out, the list goes on. If you can swing $800 for a receiver, this is the one you get. If you can go higher, check out the Denon candy store. Marantz SR-6011 AV Audio & Video Component Receiver $1399 I've never owned a Marantz, but the way Ara raves about his (and how I've heard it perform), I may have to try one out. You know, for the show. If I was going to dip my toe in that water, I'd opt for the SR-6011. It's a bit on the pricey side, but wow does it pack a wallup. 9.2 channel receiver with 110W per channel with 11.2 channel processing capabilities. 3D and 4K Ultra HD/60Hz full rate pass-through with HDR, BT.2020, 4:4:4 Pure Color support; 8 HDMI inputs (incl. 1 front) and 2 outputs (Main/Zone 2) with full HCDP 2.2 support. 4K/60Hz Up-scaling. Built-in Bluetooth(R) and Wi-Fi. Streaming Content; Airplay, vTuner Internet Radio, Pandora, SiriusXM, Spotify Connect, DLNA. Dolby Atmos and DTS:X, Audyssey MultEQ XT32, Sub EQ HT, LFC (Low Frequency Containment) with Dynamic Volume and Dynamic EQ. Marantz HDAM (Hyper Dynamic Amplifier Module) technology. The works. Ara's Picks Like my TVs, this year's list will only consist of receivers that support 4K, HDR, and the Wide Color Gamut. My list may cost more than you want to spend right now but it will set you up for years of enjoyment! Onkyo TX-NR646 7.2-Channel Network A/V Receiver $389 This is my budget receiver on this years list. But don't let the price fool you, it's a full featured receiver that someone starting out would love to have. The NR646 puts out 170 w/channel supporting Dobly Atmos and DTS:X. The Onkyo has 8 HDMI 2.0 inputs with the first three supporting HDCP 2.2. The only real drawback, and you knew there had to be for the price, is the room correction firmware. Onkyo uses something called AccuEQ which is less demanding than Audyssey and thus not as good. Music streaming and high-res audio round out the receivers features. Pioneer SC-LX501 Elite 7.2 Channel D3 Network AV Receiver $999 I have owned three Pioneers over the years and they all have been great receivers. This receiver is ready to serve you now and well into the future. There is support for Dolby Atmos and DTS:X and it has enough power (120W) to fill large rooms with sound. Other features include support for Google Cast, Airplay, Pandora, Spotify, and Hi Res Audio round out this very capable receiver. Yamaha RX-A1050 7.2-Channel MusicCast AV Receiver with Built-In Wi-Fi and Bluetooth $899 This is the next model up from the one that I use in my family room. It has everything you want in a receiver and more. Plenty of power (110W), Auto Calibration, Multidimensional sound, and wireless connectivity. I went with this model over the A850 because in addition to Dolby Atmos you also get  DTS:X and and Advanced HDMI switching! You can watch different sources in different zones. Yamaha says that this receiver employs “audiophile grade design that incorporates a rigid chassis and symmetrical amp layout with the latest ESS SABRE DACs”. Translation - It will make those who really care about sound quite happy! Ultimate Present Marantz SR7011 9.2 Channel Full 4K Ultra HD AV Receiver with built-in HEOS wireless technology featuring Bluetooth and Wi-Fi $2199 When I was looking for a receiver to add ATMOS to my media room Rob H. from the AV Rant Podcast really urged me to take a look at the SR6010 which I ended up buying and really liking.  So based on that experience I am going to recommend the SR7011. It supports everything you need in next generation audio and video including a capable video processor and dual zone HDMI outputs. It has three HDMI outputs but only works with two sources. One of the outputs is a mirror of one of the sources. There are 9 amps outputting 125W and one of the best EQ systems available: Audyssey MultEQ XT32 automatic room acoustic measurement, which takes measurements in 8 locations. There is even an EQ for multiple subwoofer setups! We may differ on whether this is the ultimate receiver available, but if you got one, I don't think you would argue that it wasn't your ultimate present. Sony STRZA5000ES 9.2-channel AV Receiver $2798 According to Sony, the 5000ES should be the new center of your theater system. It  has up to 11.1-channel immersive sound (9.2ch discrete onboard amplifiers) from both Dolby® Atmos and DTS:X 2. Of course you get full-quality 4K/60p video pass-through, with HDR and HDCP 2.2 support, and a wealth of connection options for multi-room and network distribution. It even includes an 8 port ethernet switch in the back.  With premium ES build quality, and a focus on sound purity, we have no doubt it will live up to its flagship status. Sure, the two star review at Amazon is concerning. But if you read the review, it isn't about the quality of the unit, it is about the features that were removed between revisions of the ES flagship model. If you need those features, this probably isn't the unit for you. If you don't, this thing will rock your theater.

2016 TWICE VIP Award Nominations The VIPs are TWICE's (This Week In Consumer Electronics, a weekly trade magazine for professionals in the consumer electronics field) annual products awards, and only retailers and distributors can vote to honor the products that have made the biggest difference in their business. The awards are based on product features, product design and value to consumers. After voting is completed, ballots will be compiled and reviewed by TWICE editors. Winners will be announced in the Aug. 22 print issue of TWICE. Product categories are vast, anything you can imagine in consumer electronics, ranging from refrigerators and washers and dryers to dash cams, from computers to networked window coverings. And of course a few categories are in the home theater and audio visual categories. Those are the devices we'll take a look at. Remember that these are the products deemed best by retailers and distributors and they have a slightly different point of view than the rest of us who simply use the products. A/V Receivers $699 or less Onkyo TX-NR757 Stepping up to THX® Theater Reference Sound is easy with Onkyo's Dolby Atmos® and DTS:X™-ready powerhouse, the TX-NR757. Behind the sleek front panel is Onkyo's Dynamic Audio Amplification which include discrete hi-current amplifiers delivering 180 watts/ch. of distortion-free power. AccuEQ room acoustic calibration features AccuReflex to clearly focus the latest object-based soundtracks for an immersive movie experience. Music lovers can stream audio from mobile apps such as Spotify, Pandora or Tidal via Google Cast™, AirPlay, and Wi-Fi®. As well as controlling your home theater entertainment, the Onkyo Remote App lets you send any audio source wirelessly from the receiver to a compatible speaker in another room using FireConnect technology by BlackFire. The TX-NR757 is also ready for easy custom installation with features such as RS232, IR Input and a 12 V Trigger. Sony STR-DN1070 7.2 Channel Home Theater AV Receiver Take your home entertainment up a level with the STRDN1070. 4K and HDR-compatible HDMI inputs/output support the latest video standards, including HDCP 2.2 content protection for 4K content from broadcast, the Internet and UHD Blu-ray Discs. High-Resolution Audio delivers immersive sound, while Wireless Multi-room and Front Surround let you flexibly create your audio environment. This AV receiver is compatible with wireless surround, front surround, and, of course, 7.2ch real surround. Choose your preferred surround audio mode to flexibly suit the room environment. Don't forget to download the free SongPal and Network Audio Remote apps from iTunes® or the Google™ Play Store to use on your iPhone® or Android™ devices. The SongPal app allows you to control receiver functionality including volume and input selection. Price: $599.99 MSRP A/V Receivers $699+ Onkyo TX-RZ810 Engineered for immensely powerful yet refined THX® Theater Reference sound, the TX-RZ810 7.2 Ch. A/V receiver also deftly streams wireless audio with Google Cast™, AirPlay, Wi-Fi®, and Bluetooth. Enjoy different a host of audio sources in different zones with Powered Zone 2 and Zone 3 line outputs or wirelessly with FireConnect powered by BlackFire. Zone 2 HDMI® shares 4k video on a second display, making the TX-RZ810 not only a wall-shaking movie-room powerhouse at 200W/Ch, but also a hub for housewide entertainment. True to the Onkyo RZ Series, the TX-RZ810 seamlessly integrates with control and home automation systems and excels on audio quality featuring Vector Linear Shaping Circuitry, which removes digital pulse noise for a smooth analog signal on all channels for crystal clear audio reproduction. Built with separate analog and digital processing, massive transformer, huge capacitors, and discrete non-phase-shift amps—the TX-RZ810's sheer agility and dynamism exceeds the highest expectations. Sony STR-ZA5000ES – 9.2 Channel 4K AV Receiver The perfect center to your automated home entertainment universe now with just the right amount of: flexible, multi-zone, high-definition connectivity, easy IP integration with leading control systems, powerful browser-based configurability, and well-renowned ES build quality. With 130W per channel, the STR-ZA5000ES delivers cinema-like surround sound and crystal clear music reproduction for an incredible Audio/Video experience that you won't easily forget. Price: $2,799.99 Soundbars Sony HT-NT5 Sound Bar with High-Resolution Audio/Wi-Fi The ultimate Hi-Res sound bar for your 4K home theater experience. The NT5 packs power and performance worthy of any home theater into a sleek, beautiful design. Experience the sonic details of every movie, playlist, and videogame thanks to the clarity of Super Tweeters and support for Hi-Res Audio playback. And connect your compatible device wirelessly to stream music from all your favorite services. It's an easy way to expand your home theater setup. With three HDMI inputs, one HDMI ARC output, a USB input, as well as digital optical and analog connections, there's space for all your equipment. All in a sleek and stylish sound bar. Price: $799.99 MSRP Vizio SmartCast 38” 3.0 Sound Bar System Vizio's SmartCast 38” 3.0 Sound Bar System come with a free iOS and Android Smart Cast app to control the soundbar via Wi-Fi from anywhere in the house. The app lets users search, browse and discover content across multiple apps as well as play, pause, change volume and access all of a bar's settings. The soundbar also has an LCD display remote to control basic functions. Blu-ray Disc Player Philips 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray player with HDR BDP7501 The Philips BDP7501 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray player with HDR support is the best way to realize the full potential of your 4K television. With incredibly sharp 4K images with vivid colors and contrast made possible thanks to High Dynamic Range support. The beauty of 4K Ultra HD is in savoring every detail. • Premium compact design with real brushed aluminum chassis. • High Dynamic Range (HDR) for impressive detail in shadows and brilliant highlights. • Plays 3D Blu-ray and DVD as well with real 4K upscaler • Enjoy all your non-4K content in 4K UHD with a true 4K upscaling engine. Authentic and clear sound experience • Dolby TrueHD for high fidelity sound • DTS-HD Master audio for precise lossless sound quality Complete digital TV connectivity made simple. • HDMI 2.0a with HDCP 2.2 for years of worry free 4K interoperability. • Discrete HDMI 1.4b Audio output for connecting to legacy audio receivers. • Wireless LAN 802.11ac with MIMO antennas for seamless streaming of online 4K content. • Fantastic USB multimedia playback support with HEVC, H.264, AAC, MP3, JPEG and more. A world of online entertainment • Enjoy your favorite Netflix content in HD and 4K with fast Netflix performance. • A lean-back big screen YouTube experience for the entire family. Panasonic Smart Network 3D Blu-ray Disc/ DVD Player DMP-BDT27 The Panasonic DMP-BDT270 features 4K up-scaling, Internet apps, and External HDD Playback while playing FullHD 3D Blu-ray Discs. Content can be shared across devices via the Miracast technology. Home-Theater Projectors Sony VPL-VW5000ES 4K SXRD Home Cinema Projector The VPL-VW5000ES is the world's most advanced 4K projector designed specifically for home theater use. Enjoy 5,000 lumens of brightness, HDR compatibility, and the ability to simulate the new ITU-R BT2020 color gamut on top of the full DCI color space. The laser-based light source provides up to 20,000 hours of virtually maintenance-free operation for constant picture quality and reduced running costs. In addition, the SXRD® panel technology featured in the professional cinema projectors delivers native 4K resolution images, with no artificial pixel enhancement. Every detail is clear and natural, without jagged edges or visible pixels. For home installations with larger screens, this projector is the truly the ultimate home cinema display. Price: $60,000 MSRP Sony VPL-VW665ES 4K SXRD Home Cinema Projector Bring the immersive excitement of true 4K cinematic images into every living space. The VPL-VW665ES Home Cinema projector makes a stylish addition to any interior. With advanced SXRD® panel technology, this projector delivers incredible 4K images with four times the resolution of Full HD. You'll experience rich colors, impressive 1800 lumens brightness and huge 300,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio - for vibrant, detail-packed pictures with native 4K resolution that always look clear and sharp, even in day lit living rooms. Price: $14,999.99 MSRP BenQ i500 BenQ's i500 is a stylish mini projector designed for today's modern lifestyle. This compact WXGA device projects images up to 80 inches at just 3.3 feet from the wall, enabling big screen entertainment even in tight spaces. The projector's Colorific™ technology delivers pristine full HD picture quality with a 500 lumen LED light source for up to 20,000 hours of use — providing a long lasting experience. The lightweight, personal entertainment hub enables multimedia content streaming via Bluetooth®, so users can enjoy movies, music, games, photo slideshows and more at the push of a button from any smart device or computer. With an Android OS and a built-in media player, i500 can instantly launch today's most popular apps and streaming services like YouTube, Vimeo, Spotify, Netflix, Hulu, video games, and more — without any special cords, cables, or streaming boxes. The i500 sports a contemporary gold finish to seamlessly blend with existing décor, and dual 5W fine-mesh-covered chambered speakers specially tuned to produce clear voices and rich sound quality without external speaker connections. The stylish i500 does all of this via wireless LAN with no other connections required, and it can even play video or music content from a USB stick or display Excel, Word, or PowerPoint documents without a PC. For even more convenience and the ultimate versatility, the projector offers a selection of the latest inputs, including HDMI x 1, USB 2.0 x1, USB 3.0 x 1, audio I/O as well as a mic in. TVs: 40 to 57 inches Peerless-AV UltraView Outdoor TV Completely weatherproof and maintenance free, Peerless-AV's UltraView™ TVs make it easy and affordable for homeowners to add digital entertainment to their outdoor living spaces. Available in 49", 55", or 65", the TVs are equipped with an LED backlight to provide a full HD 1080p resolution for bright and crisp visuals. The UltraView™ TVs also come with an IP68 rated waterproof and dustproof universal remote that can be programmed to control up to three additional devices. The UltraView™ TVs are functional for all seasons, built with weatherproof internal speakers and the ability to operate at a range of -24°F to 122°F, offering users confidence in the TV's quality and performance. With a fully sealed design, there is no need to change filters or service the TV, creating a maintenance-free entertainment solution for year round use. Installation of the UltraView™ TVs is best suited for shaded outdoor areas, and out of direct sunlight. It is the perfect addition to a deck, patio, gazebo, hot tub, outdoor kitchen or any high-end outdoor entertainment area. Peerless-AV's line of UltraView™ TVs are available now through Peerless-AV direct sales representatives and authorized distribution networks. Hisense H8 Series In 2016, Hisense will offer High Dynamic Range technology to consumers at market-disrupting prices in its H8 series. The new 4K Smart TV series employs HDR for incomparable color accuracy, and multi-zone local dimming ensures supreme contrast ratio for an amazingly realistic image. Unique to Hisense TVs, the series also debuts HDR decode, which future-proofs the television for any content providers create. Available in 55” and 50” class screen size, the H8 series features UltraSmooth Motion™ to create and insert frames into the picture and enables backlight technologies for effortless transitions between fast action images. For a true sensory experience, this TV enhances sound through dbx-tv Total Technology audio suite, which makes it possible for even small television speakers to produce immersive sound with deeper bass and minimal distortion. Designed for uninhibited entertainment, the H8 series also offers 4K media player and receiver capabilities, and has a built-in app store and web browser for seamless searching. The H8 series embodies Hisense's mission to make groundbreaking, innovative technology available for the masses at an affordable price point. Driven by HDR capabilities, this TV will deliver the most authentic 4K picture quality directly to the living room next year. The Hisense H8 series is shipping to retailers in May 2016. LG SUPER UHD 4K HDR Smart LED TV Model 55UH8500 LG's 55-inch UH8500 is part of LG's premium “LG SUPER UHD TV” lineup, delivering LG's best 4K LED experience with advanced technologies that display a billion rich colors, smoother motion and elevated brightness plus High Dynamic Range (HDR). In fact, LG SUPER UHD TVs deliver the first complete HDR experience as they offer both available HDR formats – HDR 10 and Dolby Vision™ – offering access to more HDR content and making it easy for consumers to choose a premium TV with the confidence that they won't miss any content that becomes exclusively available in either format. TVs from other manufacturers, like Sony and Samsung, don't offer this. LG SUPER UHD TVs can reproduce a wider pallet of a billion rich colors for a more lifelike picture that is consistent at wider viewing angles, thanks to its IPS 4K Quantum Display. LG's Ultra Luminance algorithm and “Color Prime” technology work together to deliver improved peak brightness and a wider color palette. The TV's thin bezels offer an immersive viewing experience, and Harman/Kardon-designed speakers provide cinematic sound. The LG 55UH8500 includes an updated version of LG's award-winning Smart TV platform, webOS 3.0. Consumers can enjoy an intuitive interface with lightning-quick transitions between broadcast TV, streaming services and external devices, and stream 4K HDR content from services like Amazon Video, Netflix and VUDU and additional content from streaming services and IPTV channels. Philips 6000 series Google Cast TV 55PFL6921 Google Cast™ is a technology that lets you cast your favorite entertainment from your phone, tablet or laptop right to your TV. Easily control your TV with apps you already know and love from your iPhone®, iPad®, Android™ phone or tablet, Mac® or Windows® laptop, or Chromebook The beauty of 4K UltraHD TV is in savoring every detail: High Dynamic Range for a bright whites, deep blacks and stunning color contrast Micro Dimming LED array backlight reacts to the picture to produce a dramatic image every time BrightPro backlight with almost twice the brightness of a conventional TV for dynamic images 4K Ultra HD performance for years of worry free 4K enjoyment Pixel Plus UltraHD is a picture processing technology that delivers content that is vivid, natural, and real 120 Perfect Motion Rate gives you increased pixel response times Enjoy all your HD content in 4K UHD with a true 4K upscaling engine Authentic and clear sound experience: 20 Watts RMS of rich surround sound to complement lifelike 4K images Immersive sound with clear voice designed by sonic emotion Dolby Digital Plus for the ultimate movie experience Complete digital TV connectivity made simple: Wi-Fi 802.11ac with MIMO antennas for seamless streaming of online 4K content. HDMI 2.0a with HDCP 2.2 on all HDMI ports means years of worry free 4K interoperability. Fantastic USB multimedia playback support with HEVC, H.264, AAC, MP3, JPEG and more. TVs: 58 inches and larger Hisense H10 Series Hisense will offer consumers the third generation of its proprietary Ultra LED technology in the H10 series with 240-zone full array local dimming, quantum dot and the addition of streaming High Dynamic Range (HDR) content from Amazon. Available in 65” with a curved screen, the H10 series will feature new Ultra SmartPeaking™ technology that provides control of brightness, processing the image in different zones and overdriving the brighter spots up to 1000-nit peak brightness. The Quantum Dot Nanocrystal Backlight with Rec. 2020 Color Space delivers a much wider color spectrum and a more vibrant display than conventional LED TVs. The series will have unique UltraBlack™ Local Dimming for dynamic contrast and tight blacks for near-perfect quality. UHD Upscaler displays all Full HD and 4K UHD content to take advantage of the upgraded pixels. The H10 has High Dynamic Range that meets the UHD Alliance Premium. With 4 HDMI connections, built-in apps, and a curved screen, the H10 series is designed for the most immersive viewing experience for the consumer. Access to Netflix, Amazon, YouTube, UltraFlix 4K streaming, the app store and web browser guarantees constant 4K entertainment at the touch of a button. The Hisense H10 series utilizes the most sophisticated picture technologies to design a captivating viewing experience with leading-edge entertainment options. Revamped ULED technology with renewed focus on brilliant color and powerfully contrasting black and white levels delivers a TV that's a beacon for unprecedented home theater innovation. The H10 series is shipping to retailers in October 2016. Sony XBR-65X930D 4K HDR Ultra HD TV To support an enhanced viewing experience that goes beyond the screen, this X930D model shines with a 65 inch 4K High Dynamic Range (HDR) display. Powered by Sony's 4K Processor X1™ advanced image engine, this television delivers a better 4K and HDR viewing experience. The XBR-65X930D features dramatic brightness and black levels bringing scenes to life with dark, inky blacks and stunning bright whites. An ultra-thin design creates an expansive, border-less picture and the optional flush mount system enables the TV to be mounted closer to the wall than ever before. Bring your favorite content to life through the Google™'s Android TV™ operating system, making your home smarter with access to a growing number of apps and support for IoT (Internet of Things) devices; this TV is more than just a smart TV. Price: $4,999.99 MSRP Sony XBR-75X940D 4K HDR Ultra HD TV At just over 2 inches thin, this X940D model shines with a 75 inch High Dynamic Range display. Powered by Sony's 4K Processor X1™ advanced image engine, this television delivers a better 4K and HDR viewing experience. The XBR-75X940D is equipped with Sony's unique color technology. A TRILUMINOS Display and X1 picture engine that can provide a wider color range and more realistic color details, producing subtle shades and depth of color to maximize the HDR experience. An ultra-thin design creates an expansive, borderless picture and the optional flush mount system enables the TV to be mounted closer to the wall than ever before. TV lovers can bring their favorite content to life and watch hit shows and timeless movies from Google Play™, Amazon Video, YouTube, Netflix, Hulu, PBS and PBS KIDS. Users can also access a huge selection of games and additional apps from the Google Play store right on the TV; this TV is more than just a smart TV. Price: $7,999.99 MSRP LG SIGNATURE OLED TV (Model OLED65G6P) LG OLED TV is an entirely new category of television using revolutionary technology that delivers exceptional picture quality, with perfect blacks and incredible color even from wide viewing angles. The LG SIGNATURE OLED features an Ultra HD 4K OLED panel with HDR, the latest version of LG's award-winning webOS Smart TV platform, and a never-before-seen “Picture-on-Glass” design, making it the most coveted of any TV on the market. OLED HDR delivers a stunning high dynamic range picture because only OLED pixels can switch off completely to create infinite contrast and perfect blacks like no LCD TV can. The LG SIGNATURE OLED TV delivers the first complete HDR experience with both available HDR formats – HDR 10 (certified as “Ultra HD Premium” from UHDA) and Dolby Vision™ – for access to more HDR content. With both formats, LG makes it easy for consumers to choose a premium TV with the confidence that they won't miss content that becomes available exclusively in either format. The LG SIGNATURE OLED TV reproduces the most lifelike images of any television, while offering a truly unique design. The OLED65G6 boasts an impossibly slim profile, picture-on-glass design, redesigned stand and miniscule bezels. With LG's latest webOS 3.0 Smart TV platform, users can enjoy an intuitive interface with lightning-quick transitions between broadcast TV, streaming services and external devices, and stream 4K HDR content from services like Amazon Video, Netflix and VUDU and additional content from streaming services and IPTV channels.  

Yamaha RX-A850 Review     Last October Ara bought a Pioneer Elite VSX-90 7.2 Channel A/V Receiver for his family room. He was looking for something that would allow him to switch 4K content through to his Vizio P-Series 4K UHDTV. The receiver was able to do that and provide good quality sound but he was never happy with the reliability of the receiver. It wouldn't turn on at times requiring a physical reset and it took as many as 8 seconds for it to switch inputs. One day a few weeks ago Ara had enough and decided to swap it out with a new receiver. Since he hadn't bought a Yamaha in quite some time and was really interested in the Aventage line and decided that he RX-A850 had all the features he wanted at a decent price (Buy Now $900). It needed to support HDCP 2.2, 4K, HDR, and sound good! While not needed for Ara's family room, the 850 does support Atmos as well. If you want DTS:X support you'll need to move up to the RX-A1050 which will run you $300 more. The full feature list is listed below:   Features: Aluminum front panel and Anti-Resonance Technology Wedge MusicCast wireless multiroom audio support Bluetooth®, built-in Wi-Fi and Wireless Direct for wireless music streaming AirPlay®, Spotify®, Pandora® music streaming service and AV Controller App DSD 2.8 MHz / 5.6 MHz, FLAC / WAV / AIFF 192 kHz / 24-bit, Apple® Lossless 96 kHz / 24-bit playback YPAO™ - R.S.C. with multipoint measurement Dolby Atmos® Support Multi-zone audio support (Zone2) Phono input for vinyl playback Virtual Surround Back Speaker for playing 7.1-channel content with a 5.1-channel system HDMI 2.0a: 4K Ultra HD Full Support with 4K60p, HDCP2.2, HDR Video and BT.2020 pass-through Setup Setup was pretty simple. Connect the speakers and components then add power and then kick off the YPAO calibration. The initial pass through the calibration screen checks for phase issues  and in Ara's case all was good. Then it proceed to measure room acoustics. The results were good but we always like to tweak the sound to our tastes. We raised the level of the surrounds and subwoofer and called it done in about an hour, which included unboxing. The menus are simple to navigate. We did not use wifi as we have an Ethernet connection for our entertainment system. Performance This is Ara's first Aventage receiver so he was expecting some good things in the way of audio performance. According to Yamaha the Aventage uses higher quality parts and design: AVENTAGE brings studio-grade sound and sophisticated video enhancements to your home with unparalleled attention to detail in design, engineering and fabrication. Every electrical path, every part, every piece, was rethought and redesigned if necessary to achieve total performance excellence throughout the series. Materials were tested thoroughly and the finest were selected to maximize audio / video playback performance. You do pay a little more for the Aventage. A similar non-Aventage Yamaha receiver (RX-V781) goes for about $100 less. Other than the “Studio-grade” sound, the receivers are nearly identical. Settings: Decode Mode - Straight (we want it exactly as the mixers intended) YPAO Volume - We set this to off. However, if you are watching at night you may want to turn this on. It will adjust the high and low frequency sounds so the dialog doesn't get washed out. It worked as advertised in our testing. Video Processing - We are not big fans of the scaling on receivers. The 850A can scale to 4K (2160p50/60) if you own a UHD set. But with that said we felt that the picture wasn't as good as when we let the TV do the scaling. Object Decode Mode - On (see below) Movies The RX-850A performed quite well with movies regardless of format. There is enough power to drive extreme action scenes and yet the receiver was easily able to handle the subtleties of ambient sounds like rain or crowd noises.  We did not connect Atmos speakers but we did enable “Object Decode Mode” on our normally configured 7.1 setup. Perhaps we were fooling ourselves but it did seem as though we were enveloped in a bubble of sound giving us an Atmos like experience. For a larger room that may not be the case so you will want to use Atmos speakers if you can. If you do have a bigger media room the RX-850A, with it's 100 watts of power,  will have no issues filling it with sound! Music Although music isn't the primary use for our receiver we did do some critical listening. We found the receiver to be clear and bright regardless of position in the room. We listened to Stereo and and multi-channel tracks. In either case we could notice the placement of the instruments within the soundstage. The A850 behaved nicely never sounding too bright or edgy. We even tried some lower quality rips to check out the compressed music enhancer. It did make it sound better but why would you do that to yourself? Just go with 256Kbps mp3 or AAC or better yet lossless and never speak of the compressed music enhancer again! With CD quality music the RX-A850 really shines. Odds and Ends There is a smartphone (or tablet) app which makes configuring the unit easier. The remote seems cheap for the Aventage line. The letters are too small and kind of hard to read. And there is no backlight making it hard to use in a darkened room. Only the first three HDMI ports are HDCP 2.2 compliant. Big thanks to Yamaha for clearly marking that on the device itself. Bluetooth and Airplay are supported but we have two set top devices connected so we did not do much with these features other than verify that they work. Conclusion In a world where you can find good receivers for $500, it's nice to find a receiver built with high quality parts and and purposeful design, meant to enhance your listening experience for not much more. Whether you are watching a movie or listening to music we found the RX-850A to be a capable receiver that is worth it's price tag.  

On this week's episode of the HomeTech Podcast: Kohler gives new meaning to the Internet-of-S***. Insights on the demise of Staples Connect. A rather surprising opponent speaks out against FCC's plan to #UnlockTheBox. The HDCP mafia strikes again. Another national builder hops on the connected home train. And if Control4's looking for a Trojan Horse they need only shift their focus. Enjoy the show? Please consider supporting our efforts by becoming a Patron.

DirecTV 4K Review DirecTV has added 4K to some of it's Genie HD DVR and we are fortunate enough to have a listener who has upgraded to the new service. Ralph Smithers, good friend of the show, was kind enough to share his experience with the upgrade process and quality of the 4K content available. Before we get to Ralph's review here are a few notes: What You Need 4K Genie HD DVR - Model HR54 is required to view 4K Ultra HD channels.   4K HDTV   ULTIMATE or PREMIER TV Package - $92 and $145 respectively Review by Ralph Smithers I have been with DirecTV a little over two years and became eligible for a free upgrade to 4K with a two-year commitment and wanted to share my experience. The upgrade itself was pretty straight forward—three of my four boxes were upgraded to 4K equipment. I suspect those were all the boxes the installer had on hand. The old Genie Mini works fine with the new equipment and my 4K monitor is connected to one of the 4K Genie Mini boxes. None of the components of the dish (LNB) needed to be changed to support the upgrade. While the equipment swap was pretty straight forward, the installer was friendly but admittedly not knowledgeable about 4K. I ran into a number of issues once the installer left my house. Two calls to DirecTV did not resolve the problems and for most of the first weekend of having 4K, I spent more time behind my TV than in front of it. Here is a summary of the issues and how I resolved them.  I think this information will be useful to other listeners and there is one outstanding issue where the listeners may be able to assist me. The setup for my non 4K sets went without incident but there were significant issues with the 4K programming, specifically the special Master's Tournament broadcast. I was able to get the Master's 4K broadcast with the installer present but my first impression was that while the picture was pristine, it seemed choppy. Shortly thereafter, the channel went dark and a reset of my 4K Genie Mini box was required to get ANY programing. The Master's programming simply would not work and when I tried to tune to the particular channel where it was playing, the whole system went down. DirecTV has another 4K channel that plays continuous programming and that channel worked great. Everything came to a crash when I navigated to the Master's channel. I would also add that even the Master's programming I recorded on my DVR was causing my system to crash. I have a six month old Yamaha RX-V579 receiver that I use to switch my HDMI inputs that is HDCP 2.2 and 4K compliant. I have a Vizio M series 70 inch 4K TV that I purchased in November. My calls to DirecTV resulted in the technicians putting the blame for the issues on my equipment. Both of the technicians went out of their way tell me about people bootlegging content (which was annoying) and could not resolve my issues. Eventually, I was getting content protection notices on all channels and was starting to regret my decision to upgrade. My setup before the upgrade was to route all of my video gear into my receiver and use the Audio Return Channel feature to send the video to my TV and get sound from Smart TV applications into my receiver. In my case, this was working inconsistently at best and not at all on the Master's Channel. After hours of frustration, I made a cabling change on the TV side that resolved my issue.   I noticed that one of my HDMI inputs (non ARC input) on my TV was labeled for 4K 60hz instead of 4K 30hz so I switched the output from the receiver into this port. “Presto” everything worked perfectly on the DirecTV side, as well as other HDMI inputs from the receiver. Had DirecTV been able to direct me on this item, hours of frustration would have been saved so I hope this might help other listeners.  The downside of this configuration is that I cannot get my Smart TV app sound into my receiver, even with an optical cable. If anyone can give me advice on this issue, I'd appreciate it but I can manually switch the cabling around if I want to use this feature. So how was the 4K picture quality? Marvelous! The video was razor sharp, the colors were glorious the sound was excellent. I could read the logos and see the dimples on the golf balls on most of the putts. I could see the broken tees and the texture of the blades of grass on the greens. When I flipped over to standard 720p version of the broadcast, these details were obscured. I also noticed that when the camera was focused on the golf balls while they were in flight, they kept their round appearance. In the 720p version, the golf balls in flight had a slight oval appearance. Should note that my TV reported the DirecTV content as 2160p. The other DirecTV channel that pushes out 4K 24/7 broadcasts are mostly nature programming (like the early days of HD). Details were crisp and clear like the golf tournament. My 4K monitor does not support HDR but I noticed a significant improvement in the contrast between dark and light colors. The brighter images are bright enough cause eye discomfort if I were stare at them too long. I wonder if this would be an issue with HDR. I also downloaded some of the free on demand 4K programming. While it took a very long time to download, it played great once downloaded.  A full length movie would require several hours to download. Finally, my observation is that there is no comparison between the 4K content on Amazon Prime and DirecTV. The Amazon Prime content I have viewed in 4K is hard to distinguish from 1080 content. I have not tried Netflix 4k.  My assessment is that the DirecTV 4K content is the “real deal.” Overall, I'm glad I made the upgrade but I don't think this is ready for the masses. This is a bleeding edge upgrade right now that will improve as the DirecTV technicians get up to speed with the technology. Some firmware upgrades might help. The impact of the content protection should not wipe out the ability to watch all channels. Most people who ran into the issues I encountered would have had to have someone come to their home to try to make the fix, possibly to no avail (since the installers may not be fully up to speed). I still haven't resolved my audio issue to get Smart TV app audio back into my receiver but I'll tinker with this more in the coming days.

Marantz SR6010 It was a couple of years ago that we heard our first demo of immersive surround sound. It was at CES that the then SRS Laboratories made sounds dangle in mid air. Then we heard about Dolby Atmos which did the same thing first in the cinema and now in the home. Speaker manufacturers quickly jumped on board and created upfiring speakers that bounce sounds off the ceiling to create a dome of sound and receiver manufacturers developed products that made the speakers work. One such receiver is the Marantz SR6010 (Buy Now $1399). The SR6010 is loaded with features and specifically is Atmos capable. The major features are listed below:   Features: Dolby Atmos Built-In; DTS:X Ready - Supports 5.1.4 or 7.1.2 channel Atmos experience provided that you add an external stereo amplifier. Support for DTSX is provided with a firmware upgrade.   High Grade Audio Components   Built-in Bluetooth & Wi-Fi; Music Streaming; AirPlay Latest HDMI 2.0a Connectivity; HDCP 2.2 Compatible; ISF-Certified - The SR6010 is about as future proof as you can get right now. It supports 4K Ultra HD 60Hz video, 4:4:4 Pure Color sub-sampling, High Dynamic Range (HDR) and 21:9 video, 3D, and BT.2020 pass-through so you can buy your new Ultra HD player and connect it to this receiver with confidence. Certified by the Imaging Science Foundation and comes with a full suite of video calibration controls (for use by an ISF technician), along with ISF Day and ISF Night video modes. The SR6010 will upconvert standard definition and high definition analog and digital video content to 4K Ultra HD Powerful 7 Channel Discrete Amplifier with ECO Mode - Each channel is rated at 110 watts (8 ohms, 20Hz~20kHz, .08%THD), and all channels can drive 4 ohm speakers with no issues. The receiver adjusts power consumption according to signal level and the power reduction is displayed on your screen in real time.   Audyssey Platinum DSP Suite - With the supplied measurement microphone, MultEQ XT32 analyzes each speaker's output (including the subwoofers) at up to 8 measurement locations and generates precision digital filters that optimize each channel for the correct frequency and time domain response. Multi-Source/Multi-Room Dual Subwoofer Outputs External Control Capabilities - The SR6010 can also be set up and operated by a home computer on the network via IP control, either via wired LAN connection or via Wi-Fi wireless connection. The SR6010 also features Control4 SDDP (Simple Device Detection Protocol) and Crestron Connected certification for quick and easy integration with Control4 and Crestron home automation equipment.   Setup Setup was like just about every other receiver with the following notable points. In order to use the Atmos speakers you need an external amp. In Ara's case that meant disconnecting the rear surround speakers from the Emotiva amp and connecting them to the Marantz. The Kef Atmos speakers were connected to the Emotiva amp and the Atmos pre-outs connected the Marantz to the Emotiva. Setting up the receiver was really easy because of the cool setup wizard that Marantz developed. You simply respond to the questions on the screen and then listen to make sure the speaker is sup up correctly.  This eliminates the need to determine which mode you need to put the receiver in to get your Atmos setup right. To be honest Ara doesn't even know what the speaker settings have been set to, but he knows it works!   Next up was to run the Audyssey calibration. Marantz includes a cardboard mic stand which makes placing the mic in 8 locations easy. Give yourself some time for this step. The sequence is run for each speaker times eight spots. The onscreen guide tells you where to place the mic so you get a proper calibration. Albeit a long process. Music While we discuss how well music sounds on each receiver it's not the focus of our reviews. For completeness we'll tell you that the SR6010 sounds quite good. We listened to music via Airplay and through an AppleTV. Classical piano sounds phenomenal! Rock and roll was tight and jazz had some great bass. To Ara's ear the music sounded a little brighter than the Pioneer Elite that it replaced. It will play FLAC HD, ALAC, WAV192/24 and DSD.  In a nutshell, even audiophiles will find the SR6010 as a capable receiver.   From Marantz: The SR6010 uses very high grade audio components that have been carefully selected. The whole internal circuit further enhances audio quality by delicately handling all signals via the Marantz designed HDAMs in Current Feedback topology before they reach the speakers. Marantz HDAM (Hyper Dynamic Amplifier Module) technology found on the company's™ Reference Series components provides superior low noise wideband performance in an all-discrete configuration, compared to conventional op amp ICs. HDAM technology provides an ultra-fast slew rate for true wideband response and maximum dynamic range to deliver optimum sound quality with today's high resolution audio formats. Movies As stated earlier the SR6010 is as about future proof as you can get. From Atmos to 4K with HDR and the wider color gamut this receiver is made for video. We did not watch any 4K content or upconvert anything to 4K because this was installed in the projector room which is 1080p. The video was passed through without any processing and looked great. There was no noticeable change over the Pioneer that was replaced. But the main purpose of buying this receiver was to listen to Atmos movies. By the way, because we set it up in an Atmos configuration you are not able to use it with multiple zones.  Not an issue in our homes but something to consider.   First up was American Sniper. We didn't expect too much but we figured there would be some Atmos in helicopter scenes and the big dust storm. What we got was nothing. We removed the speaker grill to see if there was any movement on the speaker cone and we didn't see anything. This had us wondering if they were set up properly. After a quick check we determined that everything was fine and moved on to the next disc.   San Andreas was up next. In this movie we got a lot of action as buildings were falling everywhere. We saw that the Atmos speakers were getting a workout in the appropriate places. But there was so much going on it was hard to say yes, I hear the Atmos speakers. This led us to question the need for Atmos in a smallish (18X20) room. We can definitely see that in a big theater having more speakers can immerse you in the auditory experience. But we have felt that way about a 7.1 setup as well. Perhaps these examples are too bombastic but the experience in our room was not earth shattering. Maybe it's supposed to be subtle and maybe Atmos was doing exactly as it was supposed to.   Then we watched Divergent. Right from the beginning you could tell that this was what Atmos was supposed to be. There was a brief Atmos demo before the feature that showed off the technology. The demo had what sounded like footsteps running across the ceiling that highlighted the Atmos speakers. It sounded so good Ara immediately called downstairs to his wife and kids to come up and listen to the demo. Everyone agreed that the demo was truly immersive. But in this case there were no explosions or buildings falling down to drown out the Atmos speakers so Dolby was able highlight the technology well. Once the movie started you could tell that this was a very good Atmos mix. You did feel that there was a bubble of sound around you albeit subtle.   By the way, the audio in general sounded incredible! The SR6010 matched with the Kef Q series speakers and the Hsu subwoofer sounded better than most movie theaters. Dialog was crystal clear deep and rich. And effects put you in the middle of the action. The subwoofer let you feel what was going on. A definite improvement over the older Pioneer Elite that was in it's place. The upgrade was worth it for that alone. Plus I am now ready for 4K and UHD Blu-ray. Conclusion When done right an Atmos mix is more immersive even in a smaller room. Not drop everything and upgrade better, but more like if I am going to upgrade my receiver to 4K I better make sure it supports Atmos too. Atmos speakers mounted in the ceiling would be the best way to experience this technology but the upfiring speakers do a decent job as well. Expect that the change in your movie experience will be subtle but noticeable.

Receiver Buying Guide 2015 It is that time of year where we get to spend your money again! This week we concentrate on receivers. Our goal with these guides is not necessarily about getting the latest product. It's about getting a good product at a great price so you may see some of last year's gear on the list. All these receivers are readily available online or at a big box store. Just like last year's Buying Guide, we're going to skip the budget categories jump right to our top picks. We each pick three receivers and one ‘money is no object' / ‘dare to dream' receiver for you to consider. Braden's Picks Onkyo TX-NR545 7.2-Channel Network A/V Receiver ($440) This 7.2-channel receiver can power a 5.1.2-channel Dolby Atmos speaker setup: 5.1 standard surround configuration plus two in-ceiling or height channels: 5.1.2. All HDMI inputs support the latest TV video displays, and with three of six inputs handling HDCP 2.2. Built-in Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and Airplay (including Pandora and Spotify) to stream virtually any audio from your smartphone, tablet, or PC to your home theater. And support for playback of Compressed, Lossless, and Hi-Res Audio via Local Network (MP3, WMA, WMA Lossless, FLAC, WAV, Ogg Vorbis, AAC, Apple Lossless, DSD 5.6 MHz, LPCM). Denon AVR-X3200W 7.2-Channel Full 4K Ultra HD A/V Receiver with Bluetooth and Wi-Fi ($999) Because we all know Denon makes the best receivers...this bad boy is a 7.2 channel A/V receiver that packs 105W of power per channel. It has 3D and 4K Ultra HD/60Hz full rate pass-through with 4:4:4 color resolution, HDR, BT.2020. 8 HDMI 2.0a inputs (incl. 1 front) and 2 HDMI outputs with full HCDP 2.2 support. Of course, built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. And let's not forget Dolby Atmos (up to 5.1.2), DTS:X ready (via firmware update). Instant content Airplay, Spotify Connect, Pandora, SiriusXM Internet Radio Internet Radio, DLNA, DSD,FLAC, ALAC and AIFF High Resolution streaming. And the new IP control capability with the HEOS Link turns any stereo system into a wireless zone (HEOS LINK sold separately). Denon AVRX6200W 9.2 Channel Full 4K Ultra HD A/V Receiver with Bluetooth and Wi-Fi ($2199) Two Denons? Is that allowed? The X3200 is the reasonable choice. the X6200 is the less reasonable, but “wow” choice. The amplifier has 9 discrete output stages with identical circuit topology and high current transistors. Each channel is rated at 140 watts. Of course the AVR-X6200W features the next-generation sound formats Dolby Atmos, dts UHD and Auro 3D (upgradable) which allows you to add Height/Top speakers to dramatically expand the soundstage. Featuring a total of 8 HDMI inputs, the AVR-X6200W also has 3 HDMI outputs for flexible multi-room options, with full HDCP 2.2 support. This receiver is also equipped with advanced video circuitry capable of upscaling video signals to 1080p and up to 4K/60Hz full-rate video passthru with support for 4:4:4 color resolution, HDR, and BT.2020. Ara's Picks Yamaha RX-A850 7.2-Channel MusicCast AV Receiver with Built-In Wi-Fi and Bluetooth $899.99 This year I am only selecting receivers that are HDCP 2.2 compliant and support 3D sound. As a result my lowest cost receiver comes in at a penny under $900 but it supports a 5.2.2 Atmos setup and you can send it any 4K Ultra HD source with HDCP 2.2 and HDR. The 850 has support for Hi Res Audio as well as Pandora, Rhapsody, SiriusXM, and Internet Radio. There is also support for Yamaha's proprietary wireless multiroom audio system called MusicCast.   Pioneer SC-91 7.2 Channel Networked Class D3 AV Receiver with Built-in Bluetooth, Wi-Fi & Dolby Atmos $999 I have never been disappointed with the audio quality of a Pioneer Elite receiver and based on my recent experience with its little brother, the VSX-90, I can fully recommend this receiver to anyone who wants to take a step up in this department.  This unit is 130 watts per channel which will fill even large rooms with sound. It supports 4K pass through and of course Dolby Atmos. The SC-91 has MCACC Pro calibration, Subwoofer EQ, built-in AV Navigator, plus an easy initial setup app. Marantz SR6010 7.2 Channel Full 4K Ultra HD AV Sourround Receiver with Bluetooth and Wi-Fi $1399 I have one and so should you. While this unit only has 7 amps (110 Watts each) it does have 13 preouts which with an external amp will provide you with the most immersive audio experience! The 6010 supports both Dolby Atmos and dts UHD. Of course it supports 4K Pass through and is HDCP 2.2 compliant. It streams all kinds of services but we all have a set top box that can do that don't we! Ultimate Present Integra DTR-70.6 11.2-Channel AV Receiver $2,800 I have never been able to get my hands on an Integra receiver but if I can dream this is what I would want. It checks every box and then some. Its THX Select 2 Plus certified and can be calibrated so that the video processing in this receiver actually does something to improve the picture on your TV. Components are heavily screened to assure optimal sound. If you are big into automation the 70.6 supports AMX, Control 4, Crestron and Compass Control. This truly is an ultimate Christmas present for the A/V  lover in your life! And that just may be yourself!!

Review: Pioneer Elite VSX-90 7.2 Channel A/V Receiver     The HT Guys upgrade equipment faster than most just so we can stay on top of the latest technology. So when the 4K Fire TV product was released and our current receiver could not send a 4K signal to the TV we figured what better reason to upgrade. We chose the Pioneer Elite VSX-90 7.2 Channel Receiver with Atmos mainly because it is a capable receiver and it didn't break the bank (Buy Now $699.99)   Features: 7 HDMI inputs with 2 outputs 100 W/ch (8 ohms 20 Hz-20 kHz THD 0.08 % 2ch Driven FTC) 4K 60P Ultra HD upscaling and pass-through Built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth Simplified connection and setup Dolby Atmos DSD playback Subwoofer EQ and dual subwoofer pre-out Spotify Connect and Roku ready Energy-saving ECO Mode Intuitive setup with icon-based Graphical User Interface (GUI) Offers both RS-232c interface and full IP control   Setup: We have gotten really good at swapping out receivers. Probably a skill most will never need to master but it helps us from time to time. Our speakers are connected via Banana plugs so recabling the receiver took about three minutes which included 7.1 speakers, 5 HDMI connections, Ethernet, and power.   Then we ran the calibration setup which Pionner calls MCACC Multi-Channel Acoustic Calibration. The VSX-90 uses the Pro Version of this technology. Like pretty much every other auto calibration system, Pioneer's measures every speaker noting size and distance, sound levels and timbre from the listening point. The subwoofer is also analyzed and adjusted using four different frequency parameters to correct phase and timing errors.   The VSX-90 uses the ES9006 Sabre Premier audio DAC (Digital-to-Analog Converter) which should provide smoother audio. And you audiophiles may like to know that there is support for 192 kHz 24-bit AIFF, Multi-channel WAV, FLAC, and Apple Lossless up to 96kHz 24-Bit. The VSX-90 offers both RS-232c interface and full IP control providing compatibility with the most popular home automation systems. For custom-installed home theater solutions, it offers multi-zone capability audio video support. For tablet and smartphone users there is the iControl AV5 app available to make using the receiver a breeze.       Performance: First up is video. The main reason we upgraded our receiver was to be able to pass 4K content from our Amazon Fire TV device to the 4K TV.  In this regard it is important to note that only the first three HDMI ports are HDCP 2.2 compliant and without that you won't be able to pass protected 4K content through to the TV. The receiver will upscale all digital content to 4K but we found that the best picture was obtained by simply passing the original signal (Pure Mode) through and letting the TV do the upscaling.   The Amazon Fire TV looked fine with 4K content (See Review Here) that was unprocessed by the receiver. We subjectively compared the video straight from the Fire TV to that of video that went through the reveier. We could not see any difference which is what you would expect in the Pure mode. It should be noted that this receiver does not have video processing beyond a scalar. In general we feel this is a good thing because we have not found a good receiver that also processes video well.   Then it was time to listen to some audio. We had high expectations due to the Sabre DAC and we weren't let down. Our listening material included lossless audio, 256 Kbps AAC, and streaming audio. Everything we listened to had more punch and the midrange sounded clear and crisp. If we had to sum up the listening experience it would be that the music sounded bright. The VSX-90 had no issues with reproducing an accurate sound stage with good instrument separation. When it came time to watch (listen) to movies we were impressed with how good our subwoofer sounded. Same subwoofer same Dolby True HD content but a noticeable improvement in the bass.   The only real complaint we had with the unit was source switching. Whenever we switched between sources it took as long as six seconds to get video back on screen.   Odds and Ends: Dolby ATMOS sound technology - We did not test this feature Remote - Typical receiver remote. Multi-zones - The VSX-90 can send audio and video to a secondary room. WiFi - The unit also has dual antennas to extend the range. MHL compatibility - One port Bluetooth and Airplay Streaming Music - vTune, Pandora, and Spotify ready   Conclusion: The Pioneer Elite VSX-90 is a feature rich receiver that won't break the bank and allow room for some future growth. You may not be in a position to upgrade to Atmos but it's nice to know that when you want to the VSX-90 will be ready for you. It's relatively easy to setup and configure with the use of the onscreen instructions. For those who really like to listen to high quality music this receiver fits the bill. We couldn't ask for a better mid-range AVR to handle both movies and music.  

Amazon Fire TV (4K) We are big fans of streamers. Whether it be Roku, Apple, or Amazon there is a streamer out there that makes watching movies as convenient as pressing a button on your remote. So when all three updated their offerings we knew we were going to be spending some time in front of the TV evaluating them. First up is the Amazon Fire TV in 4K (Buy Now $99). Features: All-new Amazon Fire TV now supports 4K Ultra HD for true-to-life picture quality. Watch high-definition 1080p streams on Amazon Video, Netflix, Hulu and more, even without a 4K TV. Now with Alexa, use your Fire TV Voice Remote to check sports scores or the weather, play music, and more - instantly Enjoy over 250,000 TV episodes and movies on Netflix, Amazon Video, HBO GO, and Showtime Anytime, plus games, music, and apps Cutting the cord? Watch the best of live TV on NBC News, NBA Gametime, and Sling TV, which includes ESPN, CNN, HDTV, AMC, A&E, Cartoon Network, and more. Say it. Watch it. Simply say the name of what you want to watch and start enjoying in seconds. Now with 75% more processing power, a dedicated graphics engine, better Wi-Fi support, 2 GB of memory, 8 GB of storage and expandable storage of up to 128 GB With over 800 games - the most games of any other streaming media player - there is something for the entire family, including Minecraft, Lego Star Wars, and Pac-Man 256 Amazon Prime members get unlimited access to Prime Video, including original programming like Transparent, plus over 1 million songs with Prime Music Setup The physical setup is simple, connect the device to your TV (or receiver) via HDMI, connect the Ethernet cable or use wifi, and the plug it into power. If you are a Prime member it is already configured to your account so you can start watching Prime content immediately. The Fire TV comes with a few programs already installed but if you want Netflix or Hulu you'll need to install them. That takes a couple of minutes depending on your internet speed. You'll also want to update the firmware on the device. The main reason is that you get Dolby Digital Plus instead of Stereo on Netflix! Also, an update for older Dolby Digital systems (not Dolby Digital Plus) will be distributed on November 30th.   We did run into a few issues that were not a fault of the Fire TV but issues that you may run into as well. The first time we connected the device to our receiver, a Denon, that did not support HDCP 2.2. Of course everything worked, we just couldn't get an 4K content to display. A message on the video setup of the Fire TV told us that the port is connected but since it does not support HDCP 2.2 we would only be able to get 1080p.   We first verified that the TV supported HDCP 2.2. And it did on all HDMI inputs but only input five was HDMI 2.0. As it turned out, you can get 4K content over HDMI 1.4 as long as it supports HDCP 2.2! Next up was to upgrade the receiver. See what we do for you guys!! We ended up buying a Pioneer Elite VSX-90 7.2 ATMOS receiver. A review on that will be coming in a few weeks. We also verified that we were using high speed HDMI cables. For our test, they were Amazon Basic HDMI cables that cost about $10.   All the pieces were in place and we were ready for 4K! Unfortunately, there wasn't any to be had. As it turns out only the first three HDMI ports on the VSX-90 are HDCP 2.2 compatible and it says that nowhere except in some tiny print in the manual. In fact the sticker on the front proudly proclaims 7 HDMI inputs and HDCP 2.2. Regardless, the Fire TV was moved to an input that supported HDCP 2.2 and the message saying that 4K was not possible went away.   One last note. Removing the battery cover on the remote is one of the most difficult things I have had to do for any device I have owned. Seriously?? What were they thinking. Fortunately there is a video that will help you with this task (https://youtu.be/cjyUo18DQdg) Performance For our testing we looked at three apps, Netflix, Amazon Prime Videos, and Slingbox. There are plenty of video apps but we figured that Netflix and Amazon have a decent amount of 4K content so it made the most sense.   Slingbox The Slingbox app makes the Fire TV a killer product… well if you have a Slingbox anyway. You could take the Fire TV with you on vacation and have access to all your TV anywhere you go. Or you could setup a Slingbox someplace where you want access to local content and access on your TV at home. Regardless, this is a cool feature. Unfortunately it didn't work. The Slingbox app kept trying to load and never really worked. We'll try again later but right out of the shoot there were issues. In general, we found there to be some quirkiness with the player. Amazon may be one or two firmware updates away from a rock solid system.   Netflix Next up was Netflix and some 4K content. Amazon is touting something called ASAP (Advanced Streaming and Prediction). Its supposed to start streaming instantly. Here is what we found. If you select a movie and take the time to read the description or just look at the album art for a few seconds, streaming will start right away. But if you randomly select something that you would typically watch and hit play immediately the show will buffer. So the advanced streaming prediction is more like rudimentary prediction. In reality waiting a few seconds for you selection to start is not a big thing. But what a cool acronym right?   We loaded “The Black List” since it was a 4K show. It started rather quickly and the receiver displayed DD+!! But to be honest, it didn't sound much better than straight Dolby Digital. We are sure that is because the source material was probably not mastered for it. As far as the video goes, the picture looked very good. But is it better than 1080p? Some will be upset at us for saying this. But on a 70 inch screen sitting 12 feet away we couldn't see any difference between the 4K and 1080p version of the identical show. And to be complete, we also watched the same material on the native Netflix app on the Vizio P-Series with the same results.   This is no surprise. There are many calculators out there that will tell you what resolution you can discern at what distance with normal (20/20) vision.  For our readers/listeners outside the US, 20/20 vision means you can see what people with normal vision can at 20 feet. If your vision is 20/40, you see at 20 feet what people with normal vision see at 40 feet. The calculators tell us that with a 70 inch screen you will need to be seated between 4.5 and 9 feet (137 - 274 cm) to see the difference between 1080p and 4K.   The picture still looked good. It was sharp, color was good, and it played without any issues. We will say that the quality is approaching Blu-ray and that is a good thing. Streaming high quality content for those of us that have high speed Internet is the dream right? But is it better than the older version of the Fire TV. Not really.   Amazon Prime Amazon prime is similar to watching Netflix but without the same breadth and depth of content. There are Amazon originals like a cop drama called Bosch. It's actually pretty good and that is a good reason to invest in this product. Amazon will only get better and deeper in the future. Plus there are so many benefits to being a Prime member.   Odds and Ends Voice Control - The remote has a button that you press and hold while to say commands. Basic stuff like, “What's the weather like” and “Did my team win” work great. Finding shows only works in Amazon content. You can't say stuff like, “Show me movies starring Harrison Ford”. Music - If you have your music in Amazon's ecosystem you will have access to it through this device. All your playlists and radio stations are available to you. Plus you have access to Pandora, iHeartRadio, and TuneIn. Spotify will be available at some point in the future Navigation - Navigation is fast and fluid. But the GUI is cumbersome to navigate. It would be great if you could launch apps with your voice. Games - There are plenty of games and a dedicated game controller. We did not test any of these. But don't expect an Xbox or Playstation like experience. SD Card Slot - you can use microSD card up to 128 GB to make room for more games and apps. Plex Support Conclusion We have seen so many of these boxes and no one of them is the be all end all. That is still the case with the 4K Fire TV. If you are a Roku or AppleTV customer should you switch? Certainly not. If you have a Roku, AppleTV or any other set top box and you are a Prime member should you get this box as well. Sure! Well if you have $99 just laying around. The Fire TV makes a good addition to your home theater without taking up much real estate. Just stack your other box on top of it and use it when you just can't find something on your Roku or Apple TV.

CEDIA 2015 Each year CEDIA (Custom Electronic Design and Installation Association) holds an event where the industry gathers to show off their wares. Kinda like a mini-CES, but also like a best of CES, we've been to a few of these and actually enjoy the show more than CES. It takes the parts of CES that we are interested in and compresses it down to a more manageable show. We didn't go this year but that won't stop us from talking about some of the products we think are interesting. This year the show was from October 14-17 in Dallas, TX. Sony Electronics Announces 4K Home Theater Projectors at CEDIA 2015 Sony Electronics is expanding its home theater line-up by announcing new projectors at CEDIA 2015. The new projectors include the VPL-VW665ES and VPL-VW365ES, which deliver native 4K resolution and a new long-lasting lamp gives both up to 6,000 hours of performance, with high brightness and high contrast for even more vibrant images.   The VPL-VW665ES is compatible with HDMI input of HDR (High Dynamic Range) content with a 300,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio. Sony is developing HDR support across its portfolio and the VPL-VW665ES gives home cinema enthusiasts the opportunity to experience total immersion in whatever they are watching. The new VPL-VW665ES and VPL-VW365ES use advanced SXRD™ panels for a native 4K picture, with no artificial manipulation of pixels.   Both new models allow users to enjoy up-to-date 4K content services through the latest connectivity options using the latest HDMI standard and HDCP 2.2. The new projectors will be available in October 2015 at a suggested retail price of $3,999 for the VPL-HW65ES, $9,999 for the VPL-VW365ES and $14,999 for the VPL-VW665ES. SunBriteTV Unveils 84-, 55-Inch Outdoor 4K TVs SunBriteTV has announced its entry into 4K UHD with two new outdoor televisions, including an 84-inch Pro Series model (SB-8418UHD), its largest screen size to date, and a 55-inch Signature Series unit (SB-5574UHD). Designed for permanent outdoor installation, both the SB-8418UHD and the SB-5574UHD feature weatherproofing technology that protects internal components from rain, snow, dust, salt corrosion, insects, and humidity. Specialized high-brightness anti-glare screens differ from those of indoor televisions for a 3840 x 2160p 4K UHD viewing experience. Both units come with a 20W detachable weatherproof speaker bar.   Shipping dates and pricing for both units will be released later this year. The SB-8418UHD, part of SunBriteTV's Pro Series, also features a glass shield to provide extra protection for the LED panel. The unit has an (800 NIT) LED screen and Direct Sunlight-Readable capability with a built-in heating and cooling systems that keep it operating in temperatures from -40° to 122°F. The SB-5574UHD has a 3.5-inch depth and is fully functional in temperatures from -24° to 122°F. Epson Unveils New Line of Premium Ultra-Bright Pro Cinema Projectors Epson unveiled an expanded line of Full HD 1080p Ultra-Bright Pro Cinema Projectors, the Epson®  Pro Cinema G6970WU, Pro Cinema G6570WU, Pro Cinema 4855WU, and wireless Pro Cinema 1985. Featuring up to 6,000 lumens of color brightness and 6,000 lumens of white brightness. Epson's latest projectors provide custom installers, sports and AV enthusiasts versatile solutions specifically designed to provide exceptional image quality and wireless connectivity in large, open ambient light environments that compete directly with traditional flat panels.   The Pro Cinema 1985 wireless projector shines bright and supports the latest in connectivity – transforming the projector into a versatile home entertainment hub. Users can stream media from a smartphone, tablet, or laptop using wireless projection with Miracast® and Intel® WiDi. For brilliant entertainment right out of the box, the projector features built-in sound and two HDMI® ports to connect cable and satellite boxes, gaming consoles and more. In addition, the Pro Cinema 1985 supports MHL-enabled devices, including Chromecast, Roku®4 and Amazon® Fire TV Stick.   Pro Cinema G6970WU: $6,999 MSRP, 6,000 lumens Pro Cinema G6570WU: $5,499 MSRP, 5,200 lumens Pro Cinema 4855WU: $3,099 MSRP, 4,000 lumens Pro Cinema 1985: $2,499 MSRP, 4,800 lumens   The Pro Cinema G6970WU, G6570WU and 1985 will be available in November through CEDIA and specialty dealers. The Pro Cinema 4855WU is shipping now. Control4 Delivers Enhanced Smart Home Security and Entertainment Experiences Control4 released OS 2.8, the latest version of its smart home operating system. With OS 2.8, Control4 rolls out a reimagined smart home security experience that easily integrates with today's leading security systems, smart locks and cameras; offers native streaming of music services from Pandora, Deezer, and TIDAL; and updates other capabilities to make it easy for Control4 homeowners to search, browse, listen and watch their favorite media. Additionally, OS 2.8 delivers a number of enhanced dealer tools, most notably the ability to back up Control4 projects to the cloud and all-new “experience” drivers that simplify the creation of personalized smart home experiences.   Specifically, Control4 OS 2.8 brings several key new home security enhancements, including: A new user interface for families to arm or disarm their systems – or get emergency help – with a single tap directly on their touch screens, TV remotes, smart tablets, and mobile phones. A new iOS and Android mobile interface to manage smart locks, for family members to easily lock or unlock a door, add or delete users, and grant temporary home access. All security zones are now available in a single interface and simplifies the management of all the security zones in the smart home, including the ability to close a gate or a garage door with a single tap. A new searchable event-history agent that records security incidents throughout the home to provide a sequenced and contextual understanding of activity, which in turn can be used to inform homeowners via mobile alerts and push-notifications that are timely and relevant.   Control4 has also announced new “experience” drivers that help simplify programming for highly-personal experiences inside of a Control4 Smart Home. The all-new MockupancyTM capability remembers the every-day routines and actions of the household within the home, allowing a Control4 homeowner to play back those routines and actions while they are away – simulating the organic feel of an occupied residence. Specifically, Mockupancy can coordinate lighting, shades, and even TV entertainment and music streaming to mimic normal household occupancy. The all-new Snapshot driver simplifies the capture of the current state of connected devices throughout the home, including lighting, entertainment and comfort control. A dealer can then program the system to recall the scene with a single tap or button press. The driver database has expanded to integrate over 9,500 compatible devices; Control4 has released free drivers for over 700 devices since the acquisition of Extra Vegetables in September of 2014, including popular smart devices from Amazon, Sony, Samsung, TiVo, Hunter Douglass, Bang & Olufsen, and Bowers & Wilkins among many others. IC720 full 360 x 360 DIY home security camera The security manufacturer IC Realtime has been innovating in the camera category for a long time. At the 2015 CEDIA Expo, dealers can see the company's new IC720 camera. Utilizing IC Realtime's 360-degree by 360-degree virtual reality technologies, users can see 360-degrees horizontally and 360-degrees vertically in HD in real time. The IC720 is a pro-level product with a 24-megapixel dual-sensor 4K virtual PTZ product that works with IC Realtime's app. The ALLie is a $599 product for DIY'ers. ALLie incorporates Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, and 8GBs of memory. LP Smart Products Collaborates With Elite Home Theater Seating To Design Smart Seating Of The Future Leggett & Platt Smart Products announced a collaboration with Elite Home Theater Seating Inc. at CEDIA EXPO to create technology-enabled, high-end theater chairs that can detect human occupancy. The seating combines LP Smart Products' LPSense® and LPConnect® technology in its launch of LPConnect Package with Elite's luxury handmade theater seating. The LPConnect Package can be implemented into any piece of home furniture and includes several customizable features including auto stop safety control, easy integration with existing automation systems, memory presets, and control over Wi-Fi, Bluetooth low energy, and Zigbee.   When implemented into Elite's theater chairs, individual preferences can be stored into memory presets using LPSense and LPConnect. Its LPSense technology uses capacitive sensing to detect human presence and trigger actions based on activity, such as playing or pausing a movie when the user gets in or out of the theater chair. The chair and other connected furniture can also be programmed to adjust room settings with its LPConnect technology. Fibaro gesture control and first Wi-Fi-enabled doorbell/intercom/security camera To enable gesture control of devices connected to Fibaro's Home Center 2 Z-Wave hub, the company developed a battery-operated panel that can be placed behind picture frames, behind walls or under countertops to sense the capacitance of a moving hand. The panel recognizes six gestures: up, down, left, right, circle left, and circle right. It also recognizes combinations of gestures. Consumers would program in the devices or scenes that a gesture would control. The panel, called the Swipe, will be available the end of November at a targeted $149.   The company's first intercom/doorbell with integrated camera features Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and Power over Ethernet. The device, called the Fibaro Intercom, gets power from an existing doorbell system. It uses motion and sound sensing to launch 4K video recording, sends doorbell video over Wi-Fi for in-house or remote viewing on a mobile device, and incorporates Bluetooth. With Bluetooth, the Intercom senses when an authorized user's phone is within a set range, then automatically sends a 12-volt signal to unlock a connected electronic lock. Also to unlock a connected electronic lock, users rotate the device's bezel to enter a numeric security code. It will be available in December at around $500. Kaleidescape Unveils Strato 4K HDR Movie Player, New Alto Players, Terra Server The award-winning Kaleidescape Strato is the world's first and only 4K Ultra HD high-dynamic-range movie player. Strato plays movies in true 4K Ultra HD at up to 60 frames per second, without startup delays, buffering messages, or quality drops that are so common with streaming services. Strato supports lossless multichannel audio including Dolby Atmos, and bit-stream pass-through of Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio. The Strato onscreen user interface is also displayed in 4K Ultra HD, at 60 frames per second, resulting in fluid animation and a stunning visual impact.   Strato can be purchased with or without an internal 6 TB hard drive that can store up to 100 4K Ultra HD movies, 150 Blu-ray quality movies, or 900 DVD quality movies. Strato equipped with internal movie storage can be used standalone or in a system with other Encore components. Strato without internal storage plays movies from any movie server or disc server in its Encore system.   Kaleidescape Terra stores movies on hard drives and serves them to movie players in the home network. Terra also provides computing and caching services that enhance the performance of Strato and Alto players. A single Terra can simultaneously serve up to seven 4K movies, or up to 15 Blu-ray quality movies. Sonos Over in the whole-house audio category, wireless category leader Sonos is not resting on its past accomplishments. A few weeks ago the company introduced its new Play:5 active loudspeaker that incorporates new drivers, amplification, crossover networks and a new industrial design. Headlining its software tweaks, the company has added its TruePlay auto room equalization technology.   Demonstrating the technology, Sonos asks dealers to watch a quick video that shows how simple the EQ is. Taking approximately 55 seconds, TruePlay uses the microphone in users' iOS devices to measure room interactions. Once completed, TruePlay cleans up common sound issues such as muddy bass and smeared top end. Summing up the technology, Sonos states it underscores its pursuit of “pure musical truth.” The tenets of its musical truth include full-frequency clarity, stereo imaging and well defined bass performance.  

Sorting Through Atmos and DTS:X Receivers and Pre-Pros by Rob H.   A Couple of Thoughts on Immersive Audio Setups   There are differing opinions on which additional speakers beyond the standard 5.1 layout deliver the most immersive experience:   - Mark Henninger, Senior Writer at AVS Forum, stated during an episode of the Home Theater Geeks Podcast that he feels that four overhead speakers are necessary in order to get a good sense of panning and movement of the audio objects. If he were limited to 9 speakers, he would favor 5.1.4 over 7.1.2:   https://youtu.be/GTaBj-L8etI?t=1h1m42s   - Representatives from THX, Matt Severaid and Craig Buckley, stated on an episode of the AV Forums Podcast that they feel the Surround Back speakers actually play a critical role. They also feel that the Surround and Surround Back speakers should still be elevated as opposed to being at seated ear level, which is the new recommendation from Dolby. With elevated Surround and Surround Back speakers, they would opt for 7.1.2 with Surround Back and Top Middle speakers if limited to 9 speakers total.   https://youtu.be/hx_uOquSs44?t=18m4s General statements that might help you to quickly narrow down the field:   1) There are quite a few models that can decode Dolby Atmos but are unable to decode DTS:X (and will never get an update to do so). This is the case with ALL models that were released in 2014 - except for the flagship Denon AVR-X7200W Receiver and Marantz AV8802 Pre-Pro; those are the only two models that were released in 2014 that can be updated to decode DTS:X. There are also some 2015 models that decode Dolby Atmos but do not decode DTS:X.   This list from High Def Digest has done an excellent job of separating the DTS:X + Dolby Atmos models from the Dolby Atmos-only models:   LINK:http://www.highdefdigest.com/news/show/DTS/dtsx/Dolby/Atmos/Receivers/Home_Audio/Speakers/Pioneer/Denon/Marantz/Integra/Onkyo/Yamaha/KEF/Klipsch/hdds-dtsx-dolby-atmos-gear-buying-guide/24564 2) There were no models released in 2014 that included HDMI 2.0a with HDCP 2.2. While several 2014 Onkyo & Integra models touted HDCP 2.2 support, those ports were limited to 10.2 Gbps, which is insufficient for High Dynamic Range video signals that require the full 18 Gbps bandwidth of HDMI 2.0a. Once again, the only exceptions were the Denon AVR-X7200W and Marantz AV8802, which can have a hardware upgrade performed. No other 2014 models can be upgraded. Since the bandwidth (10.2 Gbps or 18 Gbps) is rarely listed on any spec sheets, the key features to look for are support for UltraHD/4K at 60 fps along with 4:4:4 chroma subsampling. Those features are the "code" that lets you know if a model has the full 18 Gbps bandwidth. 3) So far, in 2015, Pioneer & Pioneer Elite have not announced any models that can decode DTS:X or are able to receive an update to do so. This could change if they announce new models. 4) So far, in 2015, Onkyo & Integra have not announced any models capable of using more than 7 speakers simultaneously (5.2.2). This could change with the announcement of new models. 5) Denon & Marantz are the only mass market brands offering any models capable of decoding the Auro-3D immersive audio format. It is a $200 optional upgrade. It is only available on all models capable of using 9 or 11 speakers simultaneously. 6) In 2015, Denon & Marantz are the only mass market brands offering any models capable of using Front Wide speakers. Getting into some of the finer details:   7) Denon & Marantz have announced several models that are not yet listed in the High Def Digest article linked above. That is because the official announcements were made in Europe, but they have not yet been officially announced in North America. The official North American announcements are expected soon - certainly during or before CEDIA Expo 2015. You can view an English language translation of the European announcements below:   LINK:https://translate.google.com/translate?depth=1&hl=en&ie=UTF8&nv=1&prev=_t&rurl=translate.google.com&sl=auto&tl=en&u=http://www.areadvd.de/tests/special-dm-neuheiten-und-highlights-aus-dem-bereich-core-und-new-media/ 8) The additional Denon & Marantz models listed in a similar fashion as the High Def Digest article:   DTS:X & Dolby Atmos Receivers   Denon   AVR-X6200W - ($2299, October) 9.2 Channel A/V Receiver, Supports Additional Amp for 11.2 Channels, 4K HDCP 2.2 Compliant, Auro-3D ($200 option)   Marantz   SR6010 - ($1199, September) 7.2 Channel A/V Receiver, Supports Additional Amp for 9.2 Channels, 4K HDCP 2.2 Compliant, Auro-3D ($200 option)   SR7010 - ($1699, September) 9.2 Channel A/V Receiver, Supports Additional Amp for 11.2 Channels, 4K HDCP 2.2 Compliant, Auro-3D ($200 option)   AV7702 Mk. II - ($1999, October) 11.2 Channel A/V Pre-Amp/Processor, 4K HDCP 2.2 Compliant, Auro-3D ($200 option) 9) If you would like to be able to use 11 speakers simultaneously, the number of mass market DTS:X options is limited:   Denon   AVR-X7200WA AV Receiver with 9 internal amps - $2999, available now, the 'A' on the end of the model number is important and indicates HDMI 2.0a with HDCP 2.2 and DTS:X.   AVR-X7200W AV Receiver with 9 internal amps - $2999, available now. These do NOT have HDCP 2.2 nor DTS:X, but Denon will upgrade these units to AVR-X7200WA for free, although you have to pay to ship it to New York for the HDMI hardware upgrade.   AVR-X6200W AV Receiver with 9 internal amps - $2299, October.   Marantz   AV8802A Pre-amp/Processor with 13.2 XLR & 13.2 RCA - $3999, available now, the 'A' on the end of the model number is important and indicates HDMI 2.0a with HDCP 2.2 and DTS:X.   AV8802 Pre-amp/Processor with 13.2 XLR & 13.2 RCA - $3999, available now. These do NOT have HDCP 2.2 nor DTS:X, but Marantz will upgrade these units to AV8802A for free, although you have to pay to ship it to New York for the HDMI hardware upgrade.   AV7702 Mk. II Pre-amp/Processor with 11.2 XLR & 13.2 RCA - $1999, October. The "Mk. II" on the end of the model number is extremely important and indicates HDMI 2.0a with HDCP 2.2 and DTS:X. In 2014, there was an AV7702 model; it did NOT have HDCP 2.2 nor DTS:X, and it could NOT be upgraded. So be cautious about the "Mk. II" model number.   SR7010 AV Receiver with 9 internal amps - $1699, September.   Yamaha   RX-A3050 AV Receiver with 9 internal amps - $2199, September. 10) If you're ok with "only" using 9 speakers simultaneously, the number of mass market DTS:X options is even smaller:   Denon   AVR-X4200W AV Receiver with 7 internal amps - $1499, August.   Marantz   SR6010 AV Receiver with 7 internal amps - $1199, September.   Yamaha   RX-A2050 AV Receiver with 9 internal amps - $1699, available now. 11) Since Denon & Marantz, and Yamaha are the only mass market options right now for 9 or 11 speaker models that support DTS:X, what are some of the differences that might help you decide on a brand?   a) If you want Auro-3D and/or Front Wide speakers, only Denon & Marantz offer those features.   b) Room correction / auto-setup:   - Denon & Marantz use Audyssey MultEQ XT32 with SubEQ HT and LFC (Low Frequency Containment) in all of their 9 and 11 speaker models.   - Yamaha uses YPAO with RSC (Reflected Sound Control) and multi-point measurement. The RX-A3050 adds 3D angle measurement, but the speaker azimuth and elevation angles are only used by Yamaha's own proprietary Cinema DSP 3D Listening Mode.   c) Since Denon & Marantz use Audyssey, they also offer the Audyssey DSX Listening Mode, which expands 2-channel, 5.1, and 7.1 content to make use of Front Height and Front Wide speakers.   d) Denon & Marantz include ISFccc video calibration controls.   e) Denon & Marantz offer a greater number of potential speaker configurations for Dolby Atmos and DTS:X.   - In addition to the 7 main speakers (Front L/R, Center, Surround L/R, Surround Back L/R), Yamaha allows you to connect "Front Presence L/R", and "Rear Presence L/R" speakers. The Front Presence L/R speakers can be identified as Front Height, Top Front, or FRONT Dolby speakers. The Rear Presence L/R speakers can be identified as Rear Height, Top Rear, or REAR Dolby.   - In addition to the 7 main speakers and the optional Front Wide speakers, Denon & Marantz allow you to connect "Height 1" and "Height 2" speakers. The Height 1 speakers can be identified as Front Height, Top Front, Top Middle, FRONT Dolby, or SURROUND Dolby speakers. The Height 2 speakers can be identified as Top Middle, Top Rear, Rear Height, SURROUND Dolby, or REAR Dolby speakers.   Having the additional speaker position options allows you to better match the name of the speakers with their physical location in your room. This allows the Dolby Atmos and DTS:X Renderers to position audio objects more precisely.  

What the H? In the transition from High Definition Television to Ultra High Definition TV, we've seen the acronym dictionary go from bad to worse. On the good side, HDTV was multiple video resolutions and display formats, like 480p, 720p, 1080i and 1080p, while UHD is essentially just one. Some call it 4K, some call it UHD, some call it 2160p, but it all really boils down to the same thing for the TVs we'll buy as consumers - 4 times the resolution of 1080p.   HDTV to UHD There are differences between what the professional video industry considers 4K, which is a resolution of 4,096 by 2,160, and what the rest of of get when we buy a 4K TV, or an Ultra High Definition television set, which is typically 3,840 by 2,160 resolution, but the two are quite close. Some TVs support the slightly higher resolution, but for the most part we're dealing with the one, quad-HD format, that defines UHD.   In some ways, this makes the transition from HDTV to UHD very simple. In early HDTV days, there were the EDTVs: plasma TV sets that could display HDTV content but scaled it down to a native resolution of 480p. Then there were two dominant resolution formats, 720p and 1080i. 720p was better for fast moving action while 1080i had better resolution and produced sharper images. Eventually we got 1080p sets, the best of both worlds, and the debate was solved. With UHD, we don't have to worry about it,. We get 2160p televisions. That's it. Nice and simple.   But that's not the whole story. It isn't just a resolution change in the migration from HDTV to UHD. There are so many more changes under the covers, so many more changes built into the transition that are intended to improve our lives and make the entire viewing experience better and more advanced. We've talked about many of them before, but sometimes it's easy to get them confused or to gloss over the relationships between all of them. They build a somewhat twisted web of interconnected relationships it's easy to get turned around. It happens to us all the time.   HDMI 2.0 The High-Definition Multimedia Interface 2.0 specification is typically considered part of the UHD or 4K transition. HDMI cables have been heaven-sent. One cable that carries high definition audio and video in the same connection makes wiring up your home theater soe much easier - so much simpler than the days of old with a coax or SPDIF audio cable and three component video cables, or one DVI cable if you were so lucky to have digital video support on both ends.   As the demands for what you can watch on your HDTVs evolves, the HDMI spec has had to evolve as well to support the better video. HDMI 1.4 actually supports 4k resolution, but only at 24 or 30 frames per second. If you want full 4k resolution at 60 fps, you have to get a system that supports HDMI 2.0. In addition to the higher frame rates, the higher bandwidth supported by HDMI 2.0 also allows more audio and video information to travel across the cable. For example, HDMI 1.4 is limited to 8-bit color, HDMI 2.0 can go to 12-bit. That higher bandwidth paves the way for something called HDR or High Dynamic Range.   HDCP 2.2 But before we get to HDR, let's take a brief detour to discuss HDCP 2.2, the next rev of the High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection spec also commonly associated with Ultra High Def TV. HDCP has been around since the beginning of HDMI. It is the copy protection part of the spec aimed to keep pirates from getting their hands on pristine, high quality digital formats that they could turn right around and post on the Internet for anyone to download. It is designed to protect the content owners from the evil pirates who want to post movies and TV shows on bit torrent and other file sharing sites.   However, what it typically does is just make all of our lives harder. Many of the HDMI communication issues we've all experienced between set top boxes, receivers, and other home theater devices are due to the copy protection part of the spec. A part of the spec that probably, in most cases, isn't even enabled for the content we're viewing. But HDCP 2.2 is the next evolution, so if you want to make sure you'll be able to watch copy protected 4K content, you'll need gear that supports HDCP 2.2.   Odds are they'll never turn on the content protection for most of what we watch, because it would create so many issues with people trying to view it that it wouldn't be worth it, but if they do decide to enable it, all the devices in the chain: set top box, blu-ray player, receiver, television, etc. will all need to support it for you to see the content. The biggest bummer is that we'll probably have a whole new batch for HDMI incompatibility issues as some devices begin to roll out with HDCP 2.2 and try to talk with legacy devices that don't support it. HDMI, for all its benefits, hasn't been without its issues, and HDCP will most likely compound them, not make them any better.   HDR If you can get past the copy protection, and get your devices all talking with HDMI 2.0, you might very well be able to enjoy HDR content, or High Dynamic Range video. High dynamic range video is, in a nutshell, a better luminance range than typical video, providing whiter whites and blacker blacks, this gives you better contrast, better color response and better shadow detail in the videos you watch on TV. You don't get better resolution, but you get more realistic, more lifelike images because the contrast more closely resembles what we see in the world around us.   HDR isn't an essential part of UHD or 4K TV. You don't even need 4K resolution to enjoy the better color and contrast you can get from HDR video, but in most cases you'll need to upgrade to a 4K set if you want a TV that will display the High Dynamic Range content - not because the two are required or connected, but just because the latest and greatest TVs, the ones that support HDR, just so happen to be 4K sets. There may be 1080p OLED TVs in the future that have support for HDR, but why would you upgrade to that?   HEVC The last piece in the puzzle is our last ‘H' acronym: HEVC or High Efficiency Video Coding. It is the successor to the standard H.264/MPEG4 AVC codec used predominantly for our current HDTV content and is the codec used most often to encode or transmit UHD content. It has twice the compression capabilities without sacrificing video quality, or it can be used to transmit much higher quality video, up to 8K resolution, in the same bandwidth currently used for 1080p HDTV content.   One important note about HEVC is that it is currently the only mainstream codec that supports HDR content. so while it is possible to get HDR in your 1080p HDTV movies, you'd need those movies to be encoded with HEVC, not the old-school H.264 codec you have now. So you'd need a TV and a player that both support HDR and HEVC to get the benefit of higher dynamic range. Since HEVC is typically associated with UHD, it isn't likely that many manufacturers will introduce support for it in non-UHD devices. so while it might be possible to watch 1080p content with HDR, you'd probably need to do that on a 4k set anyways.   Conclusion The move from tons of resolution options in the HDTV spec to essentially one in the UHD world should have made our lives easier, but content providers and manufacturers wouldn't stand for it, so they gave us a bunch of new ‘H' acronyms we'd have to worry about to keep us on our toes. The good news is that in a couple years, when UHD is commonplace and reaches mass adoption, everything will support all the new acronyms and it won't really matter anymore. But for those of us on the early adopter curve, it can be tricky. For now, make sure you read the specs on everything you buy to make sure it'll support what you want now and in the near future. And if you have any questions, give us a shout.

Ultimate Home Theater in a Box for 2014 There are so many cheap Home Theater in a Box (HTIB) systems out there, most of which cost less than the price of a single good speaker! And none of them include a TV. You have to wonder how good a system that cheap can actually be? We thought, why not design a complete system, that anyone would be proud to show off but wouldn't break the bank. Our Home Theater in a Box(es) would actually look and sound really good! Minimum components for our system are a HDTV, Blu-ray Player, Receiver, and 7.1 speakers.   For this feature we choose components that we either have direct experience with or have experience with a similar model made by the same manufacturer. In years past we would set a maximum price but this year we are not doing that. We are defining a system that can had by anyone who is serious about home theater. These systems will look and sound great by anyone's definition!   Braden:   Sharp LC-70EQ10U 70-inch Aquos Q 1080p 240Hz Smart LED TV ($1598) My list is all about bang for the buck, and a 70 inch screen for under $1600 fits the bill for me. Of course, you should have bought it when we had it in our HDTV buying guide and it was $100 less, but $1598 is still a good deal.  This model Sharp is a great TV, and really, really big. You aren't getting a projection size home theater, but for most family rooms, 70 inches is more than enough.  And if you can't control ambient light well, the brighter LCD will give you a better overall experience than a really big screen you can't see during the day. This one includes Sharp's proprietary Quattron technology incorporates a fourth yellow subpixel to the standard red, green and blue, giving AQUOS Quattron televisions 33% more subpixels than a standard HDTV, for a total of 8 million subpixels. It is a smart TV and has 240 Hz refresh.   Onkyo TX-NR636 7.2-Ch Dolby Atmos Ready Network A/V Receiver w/ HDMI 2.0 ($449) Sticking with bang for the buck, Onkyo is my go-to brand for entry-level, bang for the buck receivers. If you want to get a bunch of features packed into a small price point, and a receiver that works well and sounds good, this unit from Onkyo is it. Five of the receiver's seven HDMI inputs support 4K video at 60 frames per second with support for HDMI 2.0 and HDCP 2.2.  The Onkyo TX-NR636 doubles the power with two 32-bit processing engines to decode and scale Dolby Atmos to to your home theater layout and to decode a huge variety of HD audio files. With 7 channels of high-current amplification, you can unlock the full experience with in-ceiling height channels or Dolby Atmos-enabled speakers to augment a standard surround sound home theater setup for stunningly detailed sound that comes alive from all directions, including overhead. It has built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth and the remote app streams any music stored on your phone or tablet.  And it can even locate and stream HD audio from network-attached devices. Qdeo upscaling technology also converts low-res DVDs and games into full 1080p HD or all the way up to 4K if you have an Ultra HD display.   Sony BDPS3200 Blu-ray Disc Player with Wi-Fi ($77) If you can get a Blu-ray player with all the apps you need to watch movies, TV shows and listen to music, there's really no reason to get an external streaming box. This model from Sony has Vudu, the most important app for streaming movies because they consistently have the best quality, and includes the other go-to apps like Netflix, Amazon Instant Video and YouTube. You can also wirelessly stream the display on your compatible Android device directly to your compatible TV with Miracast screen mirroring.  Oh yeah, and it plays Blu-ray movies too.   Klipsch RF-42 II Reference Series 7.1 Home Theater System with SW-450 Subwoofer ($1299) So I'm typically a Denon and a Klipsch fan-boy. Admittedly. Not ashamed. Denon didn't make my list this year because that Onkyo is really tough to compete with. But Klipsch did. A full 7.1 speaker system with two front towers, two bookshelves for the sides and two surround speakers for the rear (or vice versa depending on your room and acoustics), a center and a sub. The surrounds feature exclusive Wide Dispersion Surround Technology (WDST) that enables surrounds to reproduce localized and ambient sounds with unlimited placement flexibility. It is the most affordable set in the reference line, so you can always go bigger, but this set will get you movie theater sound in your home theater. Miscellaneous   Logitech Harmony 650 Remote Control ($60) Hard buttons FTW. $60 for the mega-win. Great remote, ties all your devices together, has hard buttons for everything you need to do, and barely even changes the total budget at all. It's a no brainer.   Add about $100 for cables and a power strip and you should be all set.  Sit back and watch some HDTV.   Summary   Total cost, end to end, for a killer, big screen, 7.1 home theater: $3583.  That's less than a 70” TV cost just a couple years ago. Ara: Samsung UN65H7150 65-Inch 1080p 240Hz 3D Smart LED TV ($1,800) This year I am going with at 1080p TV because I think dollar for dollar you will enjoy it more than a 4K TV. This Samsung is an edge lit LED with some local dimming. It does not have as many zones as a direct lit LED but it still produces higher contrast and better black levels than most LCD TVs. Colors are realistic and vivid. Being a Samsung TV means it has a ton of gimmicky smart features that you may or may not like, but you can't fault them for packing it all in.  Some notable features include: Voice Control, dual screen to watch TV and browse the web, and programming recommendations based on your preferences just to name a few. Its one of the best TVs that Samsung makes that's not 4K or curved!   Samsung BD-F5700 Wi-Fi Blu-Ray Player ($70) I normally select the Oppo Blu-ray player but this year I went basic. All blu-ray players do a good job with Blu-rays. What sets apart the Oppo, and other high end units, is how they handle DVD. I figured that if you are buying this system you are probably not one who demands that last 5% out of the picture and this unit will work just fine for you. It has smart features but so does the TV and many receivers. We will just ignore those since the system has a dedicated smart box. Besides, only spending $70 on the Blu-ray leaves us more money for the speakers!   Yamaha RX-V677 7.2-channel Wi-Fi Network AV Receiver with AirPlay ($550) I didn't go with a receiver from my buying guide because for this list I was looking for something that is approachable for most people (although some of you will think that this system is too much anyway). Easy setup and calibration, network features so you can stream music from your favorite service, great Yamaha sound, and Airplay for $550 make this an easy choice for my system.   Hsu Research 7.0 Speaker Package and VTF-1 MK2 Subwoofer ($1,520) I am a huge fan of Hsu Research. My subwoofer always blows people away when I show them what it is capable of. Many have not heard their speakers and I can tell you you will be hard pressed to find better sounding speakers for the money. You'll be on your fourth TV before you want to swap these babies out!   AppleTV ($90) Why get an AppleTV when your Blu-ray player and TV already support the same content. For me its about flexibility. Airplay makes it easy to stream content from my iOS devices to my TV plus I have a lot of purchases in iTunes so my music, TV, and Movies are in Apple's cloud and this device makes it easy to get to. If you are not into Apple you can swap out a Chromcast, Roku 3 or Amazon Fire for roughly the same price.   Miscellaneous This is where we throw in everything else. But in this case there really isn't much else left. Well maybe a cool remote control. A Harmony Remote would tie it all together nicely but if you have a tablet or smartphone you may want to consider a Roomie or iRule remote. Which ever route you choose we are allocating $200.   The last thing to consider are cables, power strips, and connectors. We will allocate an additional $250 for these items as well.   Summary   Last year I went a little higher end which cost ($7,810 plus taxes) more than most people felt comfortable spending, even for a nice system. This year I picked value without compromising on quality and that brought the whole thing in for $4,480 plus taxes!!! That's $3,330 less than last year! I never get tired of saying this but, this system comes in for less than my first HDTV!  

Projector Buying Guide 2014 We aren't done spending your money yet. And we're still loving every minute of it. This one hits really close to home; ever since we've made the move to front projection home theaters, we just sit around drooling over what our next projector might be. If you haven't jumped into the front projector yet, maybe 2015 will be your year. And you can start it with a wonderful Merry Christmas to yourself.  We each pick two projectors and one ultimate projector for those who may have more disposable income to play with. Ara's Picks Optoma HD26 Full 3D 1080p 3200 Lumen DLP Home Theater Projector with MHL Enabled HDMI Port ($700) I wanted to have at least one projector that won't break the bank and still provide a decent picture. The HD26 is that projector. Its very bright (3200 lumens), supports 3D, and has an MHL compatible HDMI input. The HD26 uses DLP technology which produces vivid colors and deep blacks. This is a budget projector so there is no lens shift or zoom capability. Keep that in mind if you are thinking about the HD26 as your entry into front projection world.   Panasonic PT-AE8000U 1080p Full HD Projector (2012 Model) $1,900 My second projector won't exactly break the bank either mainly due to it being a 2012 model. Paying $1,900 for a projector of this caliber is actually a great buy. The first time we saw this line was at CES in 2009 and that year's version was over $5,000. We were impressed by the picture quality and colors. It was in a dark room where most projectors really shine (get what I did there) so you would expect it. But if you have a room with some ambient light you should be fine too as this unit has 2,400 lumens. There is a lot of shadow detail and contrast with this unit. Placement of the 8000U is made a little easier because it has horizontal and vertical lens shift as well as 2X zoom. Originally priced at $3,500 you'll want to grab this while there is still stock! Braden's Picks Epson PowerLite Home Cinema 5030UB ($2299) This is the projector Braden would buy if his existing projector went up in smoke. Epson is excellent in dark rooms,  but their PowerLite models are light cannons that do very well in somewhat brighter environments where ambient light is difficult to control. It isn't a cheap projector, but if you're going to go through the steps of mounting and installing it, and hanging a screen, you should considering getting something that might stretch your budget a little. It'll be worth it. And when you compare it with how much a 100” or 120: TV would cost, if you could even fit it in the door, you're still saving a lot of money.   It has 2400 lumens of color brightness and 2400 lumens of white brightness. Deep black levels with a contrast ratio up to 600,000:1. Horizontal and vertical lens shift and a 2.1x zoom ratio gives you flexibility in difficult installation environments. It is THX certified, so it'll look like it's supposed to - but like any projector, you may need to get it professionally calibrated to get the most out of it. Plus, two pairs of RF 3D glasses are included, so you're always ready for exciting 3D experiences.   Epson PowerLite Pro Cinema LS10000 (MSRP $7999) This may be the most exciting projector on my list. Why? Lasers. Yep, Lasers. The LS10000 has Epson's new reflective laser technology they unveiled at CEDIA. The technology allows the projector to get an absolute black contrast ratio on full-black scenes, it says, without using an iris. It will accept a 4K input, but doesn't really have a 4k resolutions. But it uses a pixel-shift technique, similar to JVC, to simulate Ultra HD resolution. One of the biggest advantages to using lasers instead of a bulb is the total cost of ownership. This projector is more like a television with a 30,000 hour life expectancy instead of the much short life you get out of a standard projector lamp. Another interesting differentiator is that it doesn't require a warm-up period when you turn it on. It's ready to go when you are. But at only 1500 lumens it isn't the same standard Epson light cannon we're used to.   Honorable mention / for a little bit of variety:    Sony VPLHW40ES Full HD 3D Home Cinema Projector with SXRD Panels ($2299) It felt weird only picking Epson projectors, so I wanted to throw out one more option to add a little variety. This model from Sony is the same price as the Epson 5030, but a different technology for those with different tastes. It isn't quite as bright, and probably loses out to the Epson in overall bang for the buck, but you can be sure it'll have excellent black levels, color, and clarity and the overall film quality of the image is stellar.   Ultimate Present   Braden Sony VPL-VW600ES SXRD 4K Projector ($10,999) If you're going to go ultimate, you're going to have to go 4k. For most of us, it's tough to justify spending that much money on a projector. So if you're going to do it, you should at least get something you know will last a while. Buying the Ultra High Def projector now gets you a little more runway for the future. Sony makes amazing home theater projectors. Ever since the days of their early SXRD projectors like the Pearl VPL-VW50 in 2006/7, we've been huge fans of their projectors. They don't tend to be the most affordable, but they are excellent units.   This model is native 4k resolution, no tricks or gimmicks to simulate 4k. It also does 1080p to 4k upscaling for you. 200,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio for deep black levels and contrast. And it supports HDMI 2.0 for 4K resolution at up to 60 frames per second. There's no mention of HDCP 2.2, so that may kill the whole future-proof argument. But if you've got it to spend, you won't be disappointed with the 600ES. Ara JVC DLA-X900RKT 4K Projector (e-shift3) $12,000 Yes I picked a 4K projector for my ultimate present. And yes my criticisms of upscaled overly compressed 1080p are not only still valid but are magnified even more. So why then do I recommend a 4K projector? Simple! Its a PROJECTOR and the majority of viewing should be Blu-ray. And this projector will make Blu-ray look amazing.  No its not true 4K either but the e-shift technology does a great job of creating pixels in between pixels and gets you a 3840x2160 projected image. And yes, that's not full 4K either. But it still looks better than any 1080p image with everything else being equal. We saw the gen two version of this technology at CES a couple of years ago and were blown away by how good it looked. The reviews on the third gen all say its even better now. A big advancement for e-shift3 is that it will accept native 4K inputs. Previous JVCs would only upscale 1080p. Its THX certified and ISF C3 Licensed installers can really dial it in. There are three D-ILA devices (LCOS) which will produce plasma like pictures at a fraction of the cost of a 150 inch plasma. The price, $12,000, may seem like a lot of money, but inch for inch, you won't be able to beat it anywhere.

Receiver Buying Guide 2014 It is that time of year where we get to spend your money again! This week we concentrate on receivers. Our goal with these guides is not necessarily about getting the latest product. Its about getting a good product at a great price so you may see some of last year's gear on the list. All these receivers are readily available online or at a big box store. Just like the HDTV Buying Guide, we're going to skip the budget categories jump right to our top picks. We each pick three receivers and one ‘money is no object' / ‘dare to dream' receiver for you to consider.   Here are few of the receivers from last year that are still available along with their prices: Marantz SR7008 9.2-Channel 1080P and 4K Ultra HD Pass Through $2000 Now $1,599 Sony STR-DA5800ES 9.2 Channel 4K AV Receiver with Automation $2100 unchanged Denon AVR-X3000 7.2-Channel 4K Ultra HD Networking Receiver with AirPlay $900 Now $598 The entry and mid-tier receivers of last year are no longer available. The higher end receivers are still available at a reduced price.   Braden's Picks   Onkyo TX-NR636 7.2-Ch Dolby Atmos Ready Network A/V Receiver w/ HDMI 2.0 ($448) Onkyo is our go-to brand for entry-level, bang for the buck receivers. If you want to get a bunch of features packed into a small price point, and a receiver that works well and sounds good, this unit from Onkyo is worth a look. Five of the receiver's seven HDMI inputs support 4K video at 60 frames per second with support for HDMI 2.0 and HDCP 2.2.  The Onkyo TX-NR636 doubles the power with two 32-bit processing engines to decode and scale Dolby Atmos to to your home theater layout and to decode a huge variety of HD audio files. With 7 channels of high-current amplification, you can unlock the full experience with in-ceiling height channels or Dolby Atmos-enabled speakers to augment a standard surround sound home theater setup for stunningly detailed sound that comes alive from all directions, including overhead. It has built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth and the remote app streams any music stored on your phone or tablet.  And it can even locate and stream HD audio from network-attached devices. Qdeo upscaling technology also converts low-res DVDs and games into full 1080p HD or all the way up to 4K if you have an Ultra HD display.   Denon AVR-4520CI Networking Home Theater AV Receiver with AirPlay ($1150) This is a prior year's model, and has been discontinued by the manufacturer, but they are still available in limited quantities for a killer deal. The original list price was $2500, they're now selling for less than half of that at $1150. Sure you don't get Dolby Atmos or HDCP 2.2, but even the current model year Denon receivers don't have HDCP 2.2.  This receiver is beast. Fully discrete, mono AMP construction and high current power supply for all 9 channels (150 W x 9 ch, 8ohm). Powerful, dynamic yet silky smooth like you've come to expect from Denon. If you need HDCP 2.2, your options are limited right now. If you want pure power with a few Tim Allen grunts to go along with it, grab one of these Denon units while you still can. It isn't just brawn, it also has 3D and 4K pass-through technology, 4K upconversion, Audyssey MultEQ, Airplay, network capabilities for Pandora and Spotify, and the list goes on.   Pioneer Elite SC-85 9.2-Channel Class D3 Network A/V Receiver with HDMI 2.0 ($1600) Pioneer Elite receivers offer a very high end experience at an affordable price - or somewhat affordable depending on your budget. This unit is by no means inexpensive, but it is incredibly capable and will rock just about any home theater.  It doesn't have Dolby Atmos, but it is Dolby Atmos Upgradeable. It has class D3 amplification that pumps out 135 Watts x 9 channels (8 Ohms) and delivers a total of 760 Watts multi-channel simultaneous drive. While lesser amplifiers' output diminishes as channels are added, the SC-85's Class D3 amps have the power to drive multiple channels simultaneously with no significant drop in per-channel output. It has HDMI 2.0, but not HDCP2.2. Every Elite AV receiver can pass through 4K video signals to any compatible display and the Qdeo video processing technology by Marvell and built-in 4K Scaler allow you to upscale any video source to 4k. Spotify Connect, Airplay, Roku Ready, Internet radio, control apps for your smartphone - you name it, it's in there.   Ara's Picks Yamaha RX-A1030 7.2-Channel Network Aventage Audio Video Receiver ($800) My entry receiver this year is more of a mid-tier instead. Last Summer I came to the conclusion that if you buy an entry receiver from Yamaha, Pioneer, Denon, or Sony you will essentially have the same thing. Sure the sound may be slightly different but for the most part they are all on par as far as features go. But for a little more money you can have a very nice receiver that will last you for years. Take this Yamaha, its a 7.2 system from the Aventage line. They use higher quality components and design elements to produce purer sound. One example is the right and left channels have been laid out so as to minimize any crosstalk. If you have a 4K TV this unit will upscale your 1080p sources and pass through native 4K material. The 1030 also has a better auto calibration function than the regular Yamaha line. There are a ton of features for the audiophile and for $800 this should be the minimum standard for your home theater.   Denon AVR-X4100W 7.2 Network A/V Receiver with Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and Dolby Atmos ($1,500) My next receiver is almost twice the cost of the first. but it has a couple of notable features that the previous one doesn't. Mainly it supports Dolby Atmos. This feature adds speakers overhead to give you more of an audio bubble where sound can come from anywhere. The unit is 4K ready but it does not support HDCP 2.2 so there may be some issues connecting to future Blu-ray players. Note: if you want to use 4 ceiling speakers you will need an external amp for two of them. But what I really like about this receiver is the Audyssey Room Calibration. To date it is the best one we have used. Throw in Audyseey's Dynamic Volume to help keep the audio level and you have a great unit for anyone with neighbors in close proximity. The receiver supports IP control so it can be integrated into your Roomie or iRule remotes and provide two way feedback. Like all the receivers on the list there are way more features than we can cover here.   Sony STR-ZA3000ES 7.2 Channel 4K AV Receiver ($1,700) I tap the Sony ES line for my third unit. It does not support Dolby Atmos but it does support HDCP 2.2 which may be more important for some.  One of the neat features of the 3000 is that it is also an eight port Gigabit Ethernet switch with PoE, Power over Ethernet functionality. With all the connected gear in our home theaters this feature is really a nice touch. It has a web based interface to setup and is fully IP controllable.   All three of the above units plenty of power to fill your rooms with amazing sound. The Yamaha and Denon have connected features that makes streaming audio from all over the world as easy as pressing a button on your remote. Two have 8 HDMI inputs for those special times when you have to connect three Blu-ray players, two cable boxes, a Roku and an AppleTV but you still feel like you need an extra HDMI input just in case!   Ultimate Present   Onkyo TX-NR3030 11.2-Ch Dolby Atmos Ready Network A/V Receiver w/ HDMI 2.0 ($2,200) This is actually a first for us. Putting an Onkyo into the Ultimate category. Best bang for the buck, sure. Great budget receiver, absolutely. But Ultimate? When you take a look at the features this receiver has you'll immediately see why this is in the Ultimate category. First off, this is one of the rare receivers that supports HDMI 2.0, HDCP 2.2 and is Atmos ready.  Its THX Select 2 Plus certified so you know it can produce reference level audio. It has three HDMI outputs so it can serve as a video hub. There are a number of features that on other receivers would bump the price up to the $3,000+ price range.   We're sure you have head about issues Onkyo's have had in the past, overheating and  HDMI circuit board failures come to mind. So keep that in mind if you go this route. The HDMI issue has a recall on older receivers and shouldn't be an issue on this one. Heat, well that's all relative. The more amps you put into a receiver can potentially cause things to get hot. We have not heard of any recent heating issues with Onkyo's but if possible, install the receiver in a well ventilated place and you should be good to go for years to come.

Dolby Atmos Enabled Speakers and Receivers When we first read the press release about Dolby Atmos enabled speakers, we'll admit, it sounded a bit puzzling and we found ourselves scratching our heads. Atmos enabled receivers? Sure, that makes sense, but what does it take to make an Atmos enabled speaker? We've never heard of a Dolby TrueHD enabled speaker, or a DTS-HD Master Audio enabled speaker. So what is the difference with Atmos that it needs, or can even provide, a special speaker?   Background Dolby Atmos is a killer system for delivering multi-dimensional sound that can place and move specific sounds anywhere in the room, including overhead. It can even do this without the need for new speakers mounted overhead. The result is a captivating experience that can bring movies and TV shows alive all around you, in a movie theater and very soon, in your own home theater.   Pioneer announcement Pioneer Electronics has announced a dedicated line of Dolby Atmos enabled Elite speakers and Elite SC series home theater receivers that will be Dolby Atmos upgradable via a firmware update available by the end of the year. The new for 2014 flagship Elite SC receivers will provide the multi-channel processing and necessary power required to transform your home theater into a Dolby Atmos theater.   If you haven't been to an Atmos equipped movie theater, you owe it to yourself to check it out. The experience is impressive. You get so much more out of the movie when it is brought to life with an even more encompassing, multi-dimensional audio experience. Dolby Atmos brings the soundtrack to life, with sound coming at you from all directions, including overhead. It takes the notion of 5.1 or 7.1 surround sound to the next level. Getting this technology in the home will be awesome.   But does it really require special speakers? It doesn't sound like it. The press release states that they are a new line of specially designed speakers that “will produce exceptional sound quality that brings the technology to life.” Does that mean other speakers won't also be able to bring the technology to life? Of course not. But will they be good speakers that work really well for the kinds of surround effects and experiences you want from Dolby Atmos? We'd venture to guess that they will be.   Chris Walker, the director of AV product planning and marketing for the Home Electronics Division of Pioneer Electronics provided a little more detail in the press release. He said, “To ensure the best Dolby Atmos experience possible, Pioneer not only produced a series of ultra-high end receivers dedicated for the task, but also appointed Andrew Jones, our top speaker engineer, to design a speaker system worthy of the Elite brand and that can reproduce the sound quality that only Dolby Atmos can deliver.”   So bottom line, they designed, built and tested them together to make sure they provided the best possible Atmos experience out of the box. Probably a marketing ploy, but an understandable one. Pioneer's claim is that their years of experience and expertise in home theater gave them the opportunity to develop a complete Dolby Atmos system with both receivers and speaker products.  They believe that the availability of a single Pioneer branded system will provide better control of the Dolby Atmos experience and the advantage in delivering the technology.   Excitement for Retailers as well “Dolby Atmos is the next step in home entertainment and it's really something you have to experience for yourself to understand how truly amazing it is,” said Michael Crane, Senior Director of Merchandising for Magnolia Home Theater and Design Centers. “We're looking forward to demonstrating the technology in our Magnolia locations through Pioneer's complete Dolby Atmos-enabled system.”   Bottom line The truth, at least what we hope will be the truth, is that Dolby Atmos will probably be pretty cool in your home. Will you need the special Atmos enabled speakers? No. Will they somehow enhance the experience? Our honest gut reaction is that they won't, unless you're upgrading from inferior speakers at the same time. We'll have to wait and listen to them for ourselves, but on paper, we just aren't seeing it. Get the receiver, listen to the speakers for yourself.   Not just Pioneer And of course, the Atmos technology isn't unique to Pioneer. Onkyo has also announced a line of Atmos-enabled receivers. The THX Select2 Plus-certified 9.2-channel TX-NR1030 Network A/V Receiver will have an MSRP of $1,699, the 11.2-channel TX-NR3030 Network A/V Receiver will sell for $2,399, and the THX Ultra2 Plus-certified PR-SC5530 Network A/V Controller will go for $2,499. All three are expected to be available in August and will all support HDMI 2.0, HDCP 2.2, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, DTS Neo:X and ISF Video Calibration support.   Onkyo press release: “With Dolby Atmos, sound comes alive from all directions, including overhead, to fill the home theater with astonishing clarity, power, detail, and depth. Dolby Atmos multi-dimensional sound places and moves sounds around the room, like a bird chirping or rainfall from above, to make every sonic element come alive. All three Onkyo components feature Dual 32-bit DSP engines to decode, scale and calibrate Dolby Atmos to suit individual home theater configurations. With up to 11 channels of high-current amplification, users can unlock the full experience with in-ceiling height channels or Dolby Atmos-enabled speakers to augment a standard 5.1, 7.1, or 9.1 home theater setup.”   Sounds like Onkyo will be selling special Atmos-enabled speakers as well...

SONY 4K UHD TVs On the last show we read a news story that SONY announced pricing and availability for their new line for 4K TVs. This week we thought we discuss in a bit more depth the latest from SONY.  For starters there are a total of nine UHD TVs. The nine TVs are tiered on entry, mid, and high and range in price from $2,100 up to $25,000   All support HDMI 2.0 and the HEVC codec which cover two of the three must have features for a UHD TV according to HD Guru. The other being HDCP 2.2 which we couldn't verify. The TVs are also MHL 3.0 compatible so you can watch 4K content from your smartphones or tablets. All the new TVs will support Netflix 4K streaming as it becomes available on the Netflix service.   The SONY developed X Reality PRO picture engine, TRILUMINOS color spectrum, and X-tended Dynamic Range PRO technology are marketing terms for 4K upscaling, deeper color palette, and higher contrast. Entry Level For the entry level 4K market are four models in the XBR-X850B series: 49“ for $2,099 55“ for $2,999 65“ for $3,999 70” for $5,499 Mid-Tier For the Mid-Tier 4K market are three models in the XBR-X900B series:   55” for $3,999 66” for $4,999 79” for $8,999   These TVs use Edge lit LEDs and something SONY calls X-tended Dynamic Range technology to achieve better contrast than the entry level TVs. One thing that many people complain about with thin TVs is that the audio is bad. On these models SONY uses wedge shape design which maintains thinness and provides for better richer sound. Flagship SONY's flagship 4K UHD TVs the XBR-X950B series comes in two models:   65 “ for $7,999 85” for $24,999   The top tier SONYs use direct lit LEDs and something SONY calls X-tended Dynamic Range PRO technology for the highest contrast ratio among this year's line of 4K TVs. SONY has developed a unique backlighting algorithm to further enhance picture quality.