HDTV and Home Theater Podcast

On this week's show Ara catches up with email and news. Braden is back next week! Also, sorry for the aggressive noise gate. Trust me it's better than hearing me wheeze! News: DirecTV and Dish to Merge Fubo Launches 'Multiview' Beta on Roku SVS Launches 17-Ultra R|Evolution Subwoofers - A Quantum Leap Forward in Subwoofer Design. Other: Victory+ Sports Network Inovelli Smart Home Google TV Streamer 4K User Interface Review Vintage Review – Technics SL-5200 Turntable AUDIO Cu | Multi-Room Audio Over Power Lines 100" Class U76N ULED 4K Google TV

I got home late last night and thought I could put a regular show together. Well I couldn't. So instead this is my (and Braden's) Origin story.

The State of Consumer Video: Transitioning from Cable to Streaming The landscape of consumer video has experienced a significant transformation over the past two decades, moving from the traditional cable television and movie theater experience to the era dominated by streaming services. Before the streaming revolution, cable television was the main way we consumed content, offering viewers a set number of channels bundled within packages that often included sports, news, series, and movies. Viewers scheduled their lives around broadcast times, and rentals of physical media like VHS and DVDs provided an alternative for those who sought to enjoy movies at home. While this landscape offered a reliable viewing experience, it was also limited by the constraints of channel programming and geographical restrictions regarding content access. One of the most notable changes in this new age of video consumption is the impact of streaming on live sports. Previously, fans would rely on cable networks for airtime of their favorite sports teams, creating predictable viewing habits. However, with the advent of streaming, the broadcasting rights for sports have become increasingly fragmented. Leagues like the NFL, NBA, and MLB have sought to maximize profits by licensing content across multiple platforms. This has led to challenges for fans who may need to subscribe to several services—often at a premium—to catch games from their favorite teams. The complexities of accessing live sports have frustrated fans, particularly those less tech-savvy or unfamiliar with navigating multiple apps and platforms. Consequently, many fans feel that the accessibility and enjoyment of live sports have diminished, as the once straightforward experience of flipping on the TV to catch a game has morphed into an increasingly intricate endeavor. Convenience represents another important aspect of the current state of consumer video. The rise of streaming services has undeniably enhanced the ability to watch content on demand. Rather than adhering to predetermined broadcast schedules, viewers can enjoy shows and movies whenever it suits them, utilizing smartphones, tablets, and smart TVs to access content anywhere. However, this convenience is tempered by the challenges of searching for content. With an overwhelming number of options available, finding a specific show or movie can feel like searching for a needle in a haystack. In practice, many users find that they are better off searching through Google than relying on the clunky search functions offered by various streaming services. Despite advancements in technology, the complexity of content discovery remains a significant pain point for consumers in this new era. Quality, both in streaming technology and the resulting content produced, has improved significantly since the early days of streaming. High-definition and, more recently, 4K streaming have elevated viewers' experiences, offering sharper images and better sound quality than many traditional cable broadcasts. In addition, the influx of investment in original programming from platforms like Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime has resulted in a wealth of quality content that often surpasses what is offered on cable. Audiences now have access to diverse genres, innovative storytelling, and international content that previously would have been hard to find. Yet, as the volume of content increases, concerns persist about the saturation of the market and whether the overall quality will continue to maintain its standards amidst an ever-expanding catalog. Despite the many advantages that streaming offers, the economic implications for consumers cannot be overlooked. A common assertion is that streaming is a cheaper alternative to traditional cable, but this perspective can be somewhat misleading. As streaming platforms invest heavily in securing broadcasting rights for popular sports and producing high-quality original content, the costs for consumers can accumulate rapidly. Many people find themselves subscribing to multiple services to access all the content they desire, resulting in monthly bills that may rival, if not exceed, the cost of traditional cable packages. While the value that consumers receive has shifted from purely a cable-dependent model to a more content-competitive landscape, the overall expenditure on video viewing is increasingly a question of balancing financial considerations against personal entertainment preferences. In conclusion, the state of consumer video has undergone a seismic shift characterized by both newfound convenience and emerging complications. As the industry moves forward, it remains essential for content providers to streamline content discovery and access while also ensuring the quality of both the delivery mechanisms and the programming. Navigating the complicated terrain of fragmented sports broadcasting, the ease of on-demand viewing, improvements in streaming quality, and the associated costs wi

On this week's show we look at the best Streaming Service for 4K content according to CNET. We also read your emails and look at the week's news. News: Disney, DirecTV Reach Agreement To End Blackout DirecTV Stream Adds Customized User Profiles Venu Sports Antitrust Trial Set for October 2025 Netflix ad tier surges in popularity Best Streaming Service for 4K Content - CNET When looking for the best 4K content on streaming services, the top contender is Netflix. It does cost extra to get the higher quality, but it's one of the easiest platforms to use with a fair amount of good original content, regular updates and optimized features. While Max and Apple TV are also good choices, they aren't as good as Netflix. Full article here…

On this week's show DJ gives us a recap of what he liked at CEDIA and we go through the What Hi-Fi Best of Show winners. We also read your email and take a look at the week's news. News: YouTube TV, Sling, Fubo, Hulu, & More Added Just 49,000 Subscribers SwitchBot Launches Universal Remote With Matter Support Replace a pile of battery-hungry remotes with this solar-powered universal Other: Unfolded Circle What Hi-Fi? Best of Show Awards Winners SVS Ultra Evolution Pinnacle - Ultra Evolution is a complete reimagining of speaker design for SVS. This unprecedented marriage of acoustic design breakthroughs and passion for audio excellence has never existed and elevates the new series into the echelon of the finest loudspeakers in the world. Consisting of seven new models with advancements in driver design, cabinet architecture, and component materials, Ultra Evolution ushers in a new era of reference quality sound that transcends their class. $5K per pair for the top of the line Pinnacle. Sony Electronics BRAVIA Theater Quad Wireless Speaker System - The true sound of cinema. With four wireless speakers and 360 Spatial Sound Mapping, our flagship Home Theater System brings the true sound of cinema home. $2500 Sony Electronics BRAVIA 9 65" class Mini LED QLED 4K HDR Google TV - Thousands of Mini LEDs are precisely controlled by XR Backlight Master Drive™ to deliver authentic contrast and our brightest ever 4K TV. Access billions of accurate real-world colors with QLED technology and XR Triluminos Pro™. XR Processor™ intelligently enhances every scene in real-time boosting color, contrast, and clarity. $3K Sony Electronics BRAVIA Theater U Wearable TV Speaker - Experience true surround sound audio with Sony's 360 Spatial Sound Personalizer technology. Enjoy crystal clear sound with newly developed upward-facing X-Balanced Speaker Unit. Connect to your devices with a stable Bluetooth connection. $300 Sony Electronics BRAVIA Projector 9 VPL-XW8100ES - Up to 3,400 lumens of brightness, generated by a long-lasting laser light source, for vibrant images even on a large screen. Native 4K SXRD panel provides full 4K resolution with 3,840 x 2,160 resolution. XR Processor for projector brings you the best of Sony's image processing. $32K Sony Electronics BRAVIA Theater Bar 8 with 11 speakers, Dolby Atmos®/DTS:X® - Hear cinema-style surround sound all around you with 360 Spatial Sound Mapping. Sound is auto calibrated to your room's characteristics with Sound Field Optimization. Supports industry-standard audio formats including Dolby Atmos®, DTS:X®, and IMAX® Enhanced. $700 Kaleidescape, Inc. Kaleidescape Terra Prime 123TB Solid-State Movie Server - Terra Prime movie servers store Kaleidescape movies, TV series, and concerts. Kaleidescape movies have lossless audio and reference video, are downloaded asynchronously and then played back from local storage. This enables playback with full fidelity, irrespective of internet connectivity. Couldn't find pricing for the 123TB but the 31TB goes for $25K Coastal Source Coastal Source CUBE™ Subwoofer - The CUBE Subwoofer enhances the Coastal Source Outdoor Experience by providing high-performance bass (low-frequency) in a small and elegant package. CUBE makes outdoor music more three-dimensional. It provides audiophile bass from a classic, compact shape that blends into your landscape and provides years of outstanding performance in even the most challenging environments. Pricing TBD Linkplay Technology Inc. WiiM CI MOD A80 - Combines an ESS 9018K2M DAC with a TI TPA3255 Class-D amplifier, delivering 60W per channel at 8 ohms, and supporting the latest Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3 technologies. The inaugural batch of these products is scheduled to ship by October 2024. Hisense PX3-PRO Laser Cinema - The World's First Designed for XBOX UST Projector - With the HSR 240 high refresh rate and low-latency mode, get ready for smooth, lag-free gaming. $3.5K Hisense C2 Ultra - C2 Ultra redefines what's possible in home cinema. Featuring Hisense's advanced Tri-Chroma laser technology, the C2 Ultra delivers breathtaking visuals with 3,000 ANSI lumens of brightness and a 2,000:1 contrast ratio, ensuring that every scene is vivid and lifelike. This model also boasts IMAX Enhanced and Dolby Vision® certification, providing a cinematic experience that rivals the best theaters. The built-in JBL 2.1 channel audio system, complete with a subwoofer, delivers powerful, room-filling sound that complements its top-tier visual performance. The C2 Ultra is the ultimate choice for those who want an all-in-one premium entertainment solution. $3K L-Acoustics Xi Series - The Xi Series offers a range of installation-focused coaxial enclosures with distinct formats, bandwidth, and SPL specifically tailored for short-throw applications. These enclosures provide pristine sound quality and discreet design, allowing them to integrate elegantly into venues requiring natural and powerful sound. Meridian Meridian Elli

On this week's show DJ travels to Denver CO to attend CEDIA and we get a field report. We also read your email and take a look at the week's news. News: Samsung "Premieres" Two New 4K Ultra-Short Throw Projectors US Open, college football coverage pulled for millions of DirecTV customers over carriage dispute with Disney Panasonic TVs return to the US with a huge 85-inch Mini LED screen Other: Radio Shack Catalogs CEDIA EXPO 2024 CEDIA Expo, the only show dedicated to residential tech, will connect home tech pros in Denver, CO, September 5-7, 2024. The CEDIA Smart Home Technology Conference will run September 4-6, 2024. CEDIA Expo 2024 will also be co-located with the Commercial Integrator Expo.

On this week's show Ara and DJ discuss data usage in a world that is relying more and more on streaming for entertainment. They also discuss a future where you can smell what is going on on screen. They also read your emails and discuss the week's news. News: YouTube TV adding custom multiview to NFL Sunday Ticket Chick-fil-A Is Launching a Streaming Service DIRECTV & DIRECTV STREAM Could Soon Lose ESPN & Other Disney-Owned Channels Unless a New Deal is Reached Comcast Begins to Sunset CableCARD Other: 3D-Bluray Rental Choovie Rentals GameFly Many U.S. Broadband Users Consume More than 1 TB of Data Each Month More than 18% of U.S. broadband users now consume 1 terabyte or more of data each month, according to the latest quarterly report from OpenVault. Full article here… MovieScent brings sense of smell to home entertainment Elevated Perceptions, a specialist in the realm of immersive gaming and entertainment experiences, has unveiled MovieScent, an AI-powered device that releases real-time scents based on events and environments within movies, TV shows, televised sporting events and streams. Full Article here…

On this week's show we discuss a couple of solutions to Chuck's Ethernet problem including a revisit of Powerline Ethernet Adapters. We also read your emails and take a look at the week's news. News: Venu Sports Faces Very Real Prospect of Preliminary Injunction NHL's Florida Panthers Sign ViewLift to Take Them DTC More FAST Viewers Are Dropping Subscription Streaming Services Other: The Ultimate CEDIA 2024 VIP Experience Giveaway! FAQnatics YouTube Nexuslink Gigabit Powerline Adapter A few weeks ago one of our listeners asked us for help trying to run Ethernet data over an HDMI cable. Today, in our email segment, we discussed a novel approach to his problem by just using the HDMI cable as an Ethernet cable by simply removing the connectors and using the existing wires. There is another approach, one that we have discussed many many years ago, using Powerline Adapters. Back in the day, we were happy getting one or two Mbps via these cables and for what we were doing back then it was good enough. However, streaming companies increased their data rates to improve quality and suddenly this approach was dead. If it weren't for listening to a podcast recently I would have never thought to consider this approach. The podcast made the claim that Powerline adapters have gotten much better. To the point where they can reach gigabit speeds. Very skeptical, I went on Amazon and bought the cheapest adapters I could find, the Nexuslinlk G.HN 1200 Wave 1 Powerline Adapter Kit (GPL-1200-KIT) for $40. Features: Includes everything you need in order to turn your electrical outlets into an ultra fast network. Expand your internet anywhere in the home with up to 16 devices in one network. Enhance your network performance for streaming and gaming. Reduces Lag and dropped frames using LDPC/FEC (Forward Error Correction) technology. Designed for high density environments (eg. Apartments, business offices, condos, hotels, etc.) using NDIM Signal Segregation Technology. Delivers better real world performance with unique G.hn algorithms that improve upon older powerline standards. Technology like MIMO Dual Phase Technology delivers a faster and more reliable connection and LDPC to reliably cross phases Installing Ethernet Cable can be expensive and troublesome. Get a strong, direct internet connection without the trouble. Setup: Plug one device into a wall socket and connect the provided Ethernet into your router. It is important that the device is plugged directly into the wall. We tested with extension cables and socket expanders and found they degrade the speed. We also found that wiring into a switch slows the signal down a bit. But to be honest we don't know if that was because we plugged into a switch or that particular wall socket was noisier than the rest. The second adapter can be plugged in anywhere you need a network connection. In our test we chose a socket on the kitchen island and then wired into a laptop. The entire process took about ten minutes. Performance: To measure performance we ran a speed test. We did multiple tests.The fastest time were: Ping 16ms Down 64.13Mbs Up 51.34 Typical speeds were off by three or four Mbps both up and down. For comparison. Using wifi at that location saw: Ping 116ms Down 272.56Mbs Up 109.23 Which is significantly faster! So is it worth it? The speeds we got in our test were nowhere near what was advertised in the product literature. Your results may vary so keep that in mind. However, if you have a spot where your wifi can't reach and you don't want to run Ethernet cables, this solution is recommended without hesitation. At 40 dollars getting 60Mbps to your entertainment system will more than allow you to stream 4K!

On this week's show Ara and DJ discuss what streaming services to keep and which one to let go. We also look at how going to movies are changing through charts and graphs. We also read your emails and look at the week's news. News: Roku to Launch Dedicated FAST Sports Channel New chip design heralds arrival of compact low-power 4K projectors Netflix Christmas Day NFL Games To Be Produced By CBS Sports The Drew Carey Show Is Now Streaming for Free Online Other: onn. Google TV 4K Pro Streaming Device (New, 2024), 4K UHD resolution, Dolby Vision & Dolby ATMOS, Hands-Free Voice Control, Smart Hub I'd Keep Peacock but Skip These Streaming Services in August 2024 Streaming TV will really take off in the fall when shows like "Agatha All Along" and "The Penguin" hit the scene, but August isn't dry at all. The "Umbrella Academy" bows out for good on Netflix while "KAOS" and "A Good Girl's Guide to Murder" debut. But there are at least two streamers -- that aren't Netflix -- with worthy lineups this month, and Peacock is one of them. Full article here… How Going to the Movies Is Changing, in Charts We received an email from one of our listeners (John Lyman) in the Wall Street Journal titled - How Going to the Movies Is Changing, in Charts (paywall). John was kind enough to paste the charts in his email for our review. So here is our take on how going to the movies is changing.

On this week's show DJ Briggs (Bright Side Home Theater) joins me while Braden is taking the month off. We discuss the Key Findings from the RTINGS.COM HDTV Stress Test and we read your emails and take a look at the week's news. News: Venu Sports Stays Below vMVPD Partners on Price DirecTV UX Update for Satellite Customers Is Its First in Five Years … And Perhaps Its Last U.S. Subscription Streaming Had Its Most Watched Week Ever Roku Most-Used Streaming Media Device Key Findings From Running 100 TVs for Over 10,000 Hours RTINGS.COM We have been following RTINGS.COM's accelerated longevity test on 100 TVs pretty much from the beginning. They started this experiment back in October 2022. They have some key findings out which led them to conclude that thin LCD TVs break faster under prolonged use. They concluded: The goal of RTINGS.com's ongoing 100 TV longevity test is to push TVs to the limits of their durability to examine failure points as they happen. One clear trend we've observed and investigated is that thin, edge-lit LCD TVs fail prematurely compared to LCD TVs with other backlighting technology. The results of this investigation are unequivocal: edge-lit TVs are inherently prone to significant durability issues, including warped reflector sheets, cracked light guide plates, and burnt-out LEDs due to concentrated heat. These problems manifest after prolonged use at maximum brightness, posing a significant risk to their long-term reliability. This analysis, corroborated by real-world observations, highlights a crucial consideration for consumers and the industry. As manufacturers continue to push for thinner designs, addressing these durability concerns is imperative to ensure consumer satisfaction and trust. For consumers in the market for an LCD TV to whom the durability of their purchase is important, we recommend prioritizing models with better heat distribution, such as direct-lit or FALD TVs, for improved longevity and performance.

On this week's show we look at the Best Home Theater Systems of 2024 according to CNET. Then we define a system that actually is a home theater system! We also read your emails and look at the week's news. News: MLB Network Launches Standalone Streaming Service, Available Without a Pay-TV Subscription Roku's ad director wants to bring Instagram-style shoppable ads to your smart TV Warner Bros. Discovery and Disney launch Hulu, Disney+, Max bundle Roku Acquires Streaming Rights for Beloved Sitcom "The Goldbergs" from Sony Pictures Television Other: NOTICE OF PROPOSED RULEMAKING FOR UNLOCKING MOBILE PHONES DIRECTV Equipment Best Home Theater Systems of 2024 When we saw this article over at CNET we remembered the days of Home Theater in a Box setup. Do those even exist anymore? Anyway, we checked out this article wondering what is considered the Best Home Theater System. We came away thinking we may have taken steps backwards for the sake of simplicity. Full article here… Best Budget Soundbar - Roku Streambar Street Price ~$125 Best Budget Surround Sound Speaker Package Klipsch Reference Theater Pack 5.1 System Street Price ~ $400 Best Bookshelf Speakers Elac Debut 2.0 B6.2 Street Price ~$400 Best Home Theater Soundbar System Vizio Elevate Street Price ~$700 Best 8K receiver Onkyo TX-NR6100 Street Price ~$475 If you are looking for a capable but value 5.1 system we have designed a "Home Theater in a Box System" for you! Our system will cost you more. However, it will sound much better! And for the record, we receive nothing from the manufacturers. For speakers - The RSL CG3M 5.1 home theater system. This is a 5.1 system that includes four bookshelf, one center, and one subwoofer. The cost is $850. For the receiver - Denon AVR-X1800H. It's a 7.2 or 5.2.2 receiver (room for growth) that supports all the things we care about! It goes for $560. Total cost $1410. Yes, that's $535 more than the Onkyo and Klipsch system from the CNET article but it's much better and can grow with you.

On this week's show we take a look at the summer's best TVs according to RTINGS.COM. We also read your emails and take a look at the week's news. News: This 'Google TV Streamer' set-top box is what comes after Chromecast Spotify HiFi likely to cost $17 or $18 a month Verizon Can Get Free NFL Sunday Ticket on YouTube TV or YouTube DirecTV Warns FCC: Without Early Termination Fees, Our Equipment and Installation Costs Are Going To Be Paid For by Our Customers Upfront The Best TVs - Summer 2024 - RTINGS.COM RTINGS.COM has published an article "The 8 Best TVs - Summer 2024" and we take a look at four of them. The article has the entire list. Best Budget TV - Hisense U6/U6K (Street Price $780 for 75" if you can find it) If you want to spend less, the best budget TV we've tested is the Hisense U6/U6K. It delivers a surprisingly great performance for the price. The Hisense has excellent contrast, so dark scenes look amazing in a dark room, with little blooming around bright areas of the screen. It also has good peak brightness in SDR and decent reflection handling, so glare isn't an issue in a brighter room. It has an excellent color volume, making this TV very colorful overall. It's bright enough in HDR for a pleasant viewing experience, and just like the Hisense U7N, it supports both HDR10+ and Dolby Vision HDR, although it doesn't support advanced DTS audio formats. Full Review… Mixed Usage 7.4, TV Shows 6.9, Sports 7.0, Video Games 7.8, HDR Movies 7.5, HDR Gaming 8.0, PC Monitor 7.7 Best Mid-Range TV - LG B3 OLED (Street Price $1800 for 77") The LG B3 OLED is the best mid-range TV we've tested if you want something cheaper and still want high-end features. It's a great mid-range TV and can be an excellent entry point into the OLED market. The TV has all the features of the more expensive LG C3 OLED, but the B3 is dimmer and has only two HDMI 2.1 ports. It still delivers outstanding picture quality, especially in a dark room, with its near-infinite contrast ratio delivering deep, inky blacks with no distracting blooming. Its built-in webOS platform is just as fast on this lower-tier model, and it still has very good image processing, so it has no issues upscaling lower-resolution content if you watch DVDs, cable boxes, or Blu-rays. It also has Dolby Vision HDR and supports DTS advanced audio formats, which is great for physical media as it tends to use DTS for their audio tracks. Full Review… Mixed Usage 8.7, TV Shows 8.3, Sports 8.5, Video Games 9.3, HDR Movies 8.8, HDR Gaming 9.0, PC Monitor 9.2 Best Bright Room TV - Sony BRAVIA 9 QLED (Street Price $3500 for 75") If you need a TV for a room with a lot of lights on, the Sony BRAVIA 9 QLED is an amazing option. Its superb reflection handling and SDR brightness mean it easily overcomes glare in the brightest rooms, so you aren't distracted by reflections on your TV screen. As impressive as this TV is in a bright room, it's also spectacular for use in a dark room. It has exceptional contrast that delivers incredibly deep blacks that are close to what you get from an OLED, with almost no blooming, thanks to its highly effective local dimming control. It's also a great option for 4k Blu-ray collectors or those looking to get the most out of high-quality streaming services due to its support for Dolby Vision and DTS audio formats. Full Review… Mixed Usage 8.8, TV Shows 8.4, Sports 8.3, Video Games 9.1, HDR Movies 9.0, HDR Gaming 9.0, PC Monitor 8.7 Best Home Theater TV - Sony A95L OLED (Street Price $5000 for 77") If you're looking for the absolute best TV for a home theater setup and don't care as much about the price, check out the Sony A95L OLED. Although it's a very similar TV to the Samsung S90C OLED, it's better for home theaters thanks to its advanced video format support. Compared to Samsung's HDR10+ format, the Sony TV supports the more popular Dolby Vision HDR, so you'll enjoy the most advanced HDR experience possible from almost any source. Sony's processing does a better job following the content creator's intent, so the brightness and colors of HDR content look the way they're supposed to. It also offers better audio format support than the Samsung, including DTS:X passthrough over eARC, so you can simplify your connection to your audio-video receiver by running everything through your TV without sacrificing audio quality. Full Review… Mixed Usage 9.2, TV Shows 8.9, Sports 9.1, Video Games 9.3, HDR Movies 9.3, HDR Gaming 9.1, PC Monitor 9.4

On this week's show we have an AppleTV and a native GoogleTV comparison from a listener. We also read your emails and take a look at the week's news. News: Samsung is helping to bring AirPlay to more hotel rooms NBCUniversal to Offer 400+ Hours of 4K HDR Olympics Coverage on USA Network, a Record Turns out Netflix makes more money if it just acts like regular TV Other: Handcrafted in the USA - Vintage Reclaimed Maple & Elm Speakers Doitforme.solutions Apollo Group TV Apple TV vs Google TV - John Lyman Around Thanksgiving the finance committee allowed me to purchase a new Hisense U7K 75" 4K TV. However, once I got the TV setup and ready to go, something weird happened with my Apple TV that I had been using on the TV in that room. Max just stopped working. I did all the troubleshooting to no avail. I decided that I would give the built in Google TV a shot to see if that could be a long-term solution. Over the course of six months I went back and forth with the two platforms and took notes. I thought I would write up my findings for everyone. A few caveats: This is my first experience with Google TV The Google TV is the built in version on my TV I live in the Apple ecosystem and I have owned every Apple TV from the 1st gen to the current. So, I do know the Apple TV a lot better, but I did my best to be fair. User Interface Apple TV: The user interface is very nice, it seems lighter, crisp and clean. You can easily design the Home Screen the way you would like it laid out and create folders. I have a folder for my main TV/Movie apps, then one for sports, another for movies, etc. Because you can customize the Home Screen it is very easy to navigate to where you want to go. Google TV: When you open it, you are at the top of google TV page with their offerings and everything is laid out in rows. The App icons seem smaller than apps on the Apple TV and smaller than the "Google Recommended" apps. You must scroll past those to get to your apps. I have not found a way to rearrange the main page so I can move my apps above the recommended offerings. You can move your apps in the order you would like but it is not as nice. I did try to find out if you can use folders on Google TV and it does not look like you can. The interface is what it is. Remotes: Apple TV: The metal Siri remote in my opinion is one of the best remotes out there. I can control 98% of what I need to use from that one remote. The other 2% is for those times I can't find a digital copy of a movie I own and need to use the Blu-Ray or tweak the picture of the TV. Very quick to navigate with the remote around the Apple TV. Also, the iPhone companion remote is really good too. Google TV: The remote that came with the TV controls my HT gear and if I used Google home I'm sure the remote's mic would give me voice control of lights and thermostat similar to the Apple remote. Additionally, I find swiping over the touch-enabled clickpad much easier than clicking up/down/left/right buttons on the TV's remote. I didn't have luck setting up the iPhone remote with the TV, this is probably a me item and I didn't spend a lot of time worrying about it. Apple TV+ vs Google TV's Home app: Both apps have a lot in common, like Movie/TV suggestions, an area for your purchased content, etc. Apple's implementation is self-contained and can be placed anywhere on your home screen. Google's version is fixed at the top of the screen and you must scroll down the screen to get to your apps. Picture quality, audio and App Responsiveness: So the last test was to actually watch some video to see if there was any difference. The setup: Internet – AT&T 1.0 GPS fiber, using a TPLink Mesh router – delivering 300 Mbs to the TV Denon AVR-X3200W receiver – running Dolby Atmos Speakers – RSL home theater package, 12" RSL speedwoofer and mirage omni-directional Atmos speakers I set up both the TV and my Apple TV for Dolby Vision and started watching content on both services. One thing I couldn't do was turn on Dolby Vision for the Google TV which shocked me. The TV did auto switch and even though HBO Max said the movie was in Dolby Vision it would only do HDR. I tried to figure out the issue but couldn't quickly find an answer. I quickly realized that any movie purchased from the Apple store was of higher quality than those from any of the streaming companies both in picture and sound. I watched a few scenes from the latest Aqua man as there were some really dark scenes with good color and then some Star Wars. With the Google TV setup to use HDR and the TV in the Movie preset, the picture was good. The AppleTV produced a little bit better picture with the same TV preset. The AppleTV sounded better too. I could hear some additional sounds on the AppleTV that I couldn't hear while using GoogleTV. The biggest difference was App responsiveness. When opening an app on the AppleTV, its click and it opens. GoogleTV took a few seconds. Then clicking the play button would buffer for about 10-20 seconds

On this week's show we look at the "Must Keep" TV brands and 5 surefire signs it's time to upgrade your TV according to Tom's Guide. We also read your emails and look at the week's news. News: Netflix Boots Legacy Subscribers Off Its $11.99 Basic Ad-Free Plan Stars and APMC pioneer game-changing VICTORY+ Sports Network LG Introduces Its First Curated Content Channel YouTube TV Still Dominates, But Frndly TV & Philo See Strong Growth in 2024 Other: Dear Roku, you ruined my TV My Media for Alexa 'Must-Keep' TV Brands A survey of 1,400 U.S. consumers aged 12 and up conducted in May found Netflix was the top choice for consumers for the fifth straight year, with ABC, Prime Video, CBS and Fox all finishing in the top five. Full article here… 5 surefire signs it's time to upgrade your TV It's no secret that TVs always improve year-over-year, whether that's because they offer higher brightness, better color vibrancy, better contrast or some mixture of the three. That said, unless you have plenty of cash to spare and make it your passion project, it's unlikely you're upgrading every year. Full article here…

On this week's show we continue our discussion of Rick Beato's argument that music is too easy to make. We read your emails and take a look at the week's news. News: Dish to Bundle Netflix Free for Existing Customers Who Re-Up for 2 Years Fubo Launches on Xumo and Xfinity Flex Streaming Devices Redbox Owner Files for Bankruptcy Apple TV+ continues to grow in the US, this time overtaking Paramount+ Netflix Just Commissioned Its Largest Number of Titles in 3 Years (ICYMI) Other: A song about the HT Guys Haptique RS90: A True universal remote controller by Cantata — Kickstarter I Know You're Angry, So Am I.. Is Music Getting Worse? - A listener followup I just listened to your podcast episode "Is Music Getting Worse," related to Rick Beato's YouTube video, which I also watched a few days ago. He raised some intriguing points, both about changes over the years with sampling, autotune, and quantization, as well as how AI will undoubtedly impact the industry as well. It's a fascinating and complex topic, and I wanted to share some thoughts. First off, my daughter is a professional opera singer, so I am very sensitive to the fact that I would not want artists who are deep in their craft to be supplanted by technology. Losing the human aspect altogether would be a tragedy for us all, whether as creators or as consumers of music. Selfishly, for my daughter and for all artists, I want humans to be respected and compensated for the obvious heart and soul that they put into their craft. With respect to AI, one major and well-founded concern is that relying too heavily on AI could lead to a homogenization of music, where unique, human-driven creativity could become overshadowed by algorithms, resulting in music that degrades to the mean and lacks soul. Which I would argue has happened well before AI has come on the scene. Having said that, AI also has the potential to enhance music production by automating tedious tasks and providing new tools for musicians, which could free up artists to focus more on the creative aspects of their work. One aspect that often gets overlooked in these discussions is that music production isn't just about the creative performers—the singers and musicians. It involves a vast array of professionals, including audio and sound engineers, mastering engineers, and various other technical experts who all play a crucial role in shaping the final product. The Beatles used these talented engineers at Abbey Road to come up with iconic sounds that would never have been achievable by the members of the Beatles alone. So, one must ask, where is the line? As AI improves and enables the creation of individual tracks, or stems (currently most AI song generators provide fully formed sound waves), it could open up new avenues to innovate and bring different types of music together by mixing and arranging music in virtually unlimited ways. While the focus tends to be on how AI might impact the creative people who write, sing, and play songs, it's also worth considering how it could empower the broader community of producers. This technology might unlock new channels of creativity and collaboration that we haven't even imagined yet. In addition, for the creators, the use of AI song/sound generators as "sketch pads" for fleshing out songs, similar to how demo tapes were used prior to final recording, is a fascinating thought exercise. It could serve as a tool to experiment and develop ideas before committing to a final version. Or to bring an idea to a group of real musicians to refine and play live. I'm a child of the 70s and 80s. I love Cheap Trick and the Scorps! I also love British new wave, Alt and Psychedelia. To "prove" a point, I used a service called UDIO. It is one of the services that you mentioned are being sued at the moment. I prompted the AI to give me song snippets in the style of British pop, Alt Rock, Psychedelia, etc. I took a bunch of these song snippets and stitched them together in a DAW (Digital Audio Workstation), very much the same way that music producers currently "create" full-blown songs. I have attached the MP3 for your listening "pleasure" (take with a big grain of salt!). I share this with you as a simple example of what could be. It is not a great song by any means; it's derivative, it's corny, and it will never make the charts, but that's not the point. If it was streaming at a bar in the background, I wouldn't think it was horrible; in fact, it might be great background music for that setting. And this is version 1 of this new technology. What will it be like in the next 5-10 years? I've been listening to you guys for at least that long. Think about how the audio and video industries have changed so dramatically during that time, whether with the 400-pound TVs you guys referenced or in the quality of streaming vs physical media we have seen over that time. You guys questioned whether AI would be successful in music. I only have to look at throngs of people going to EDM concer

On this week's show Ara and Braden discuss a video made by Rick Beato where he posits that new music is getting worse. We also read your emails and take a look at the week's news. News: Amid Another Worst Quarter Ever for U.S. Pay TV, Even YouTube TV Lost Subscribers in Q1, Analyst Says LG Launches OLED B4 4K TV Series Five Men Convicted of Operating Massive, Illegal Streaming Service Mini LED Backlight LCD Display Market to Surpass OLED Displays in 2025 Others: The biggest CRT ever made: Sony's PVM-4300 Twisters Movie The Real Reason Why Music Is Getting Worse Robert Spivack sent us an email with a link to this Rick Beato video titled The Real Reason Why Music Is Getting Worse. This immediately appealed to me since I spend a lot of time creating speakers to make the music I listen to sound as good as it possibly can.

On this week's show we give a brief lesson on American Antitrust law and how it applies to Hollywood. We also review the SofaBaton X1S Universal Remote. Is it a Harmony Replacement? We also read your emails and take a look at the week's news. News: New YouTube TV Customers Can Get Can Get NFL Sunday Ticket For Just $179 a Year Disney Bundle Cuts Hulu Churn Nearly in Half (Charts of the Day) | Next TV Brad Pitt's Formula 1 Film Gets June 2025 Release Date From Apple Sony Pictures Buys Alamo Drafthouse Other: Only 100 cinemas can show 'Inside Out 2' as Pixar intended The HDR Superchannel Stop the FOMO SofaBaton X1S Review We have been searching for a Harmony Replacement since they discontinued what we felt was the best "consumer grade" remote on the market. We reviewed the SofaBaton X1 last november and felt it came close to being the Harmony Replacement. It worked but it still had some rough edges. Well, SofaBaton is back with the X1S ($189.99). The X1S has enhanced performance and compatibility compared to the X1. The X1S boasts features like "Raise to Wake" and supports a vast array of devices, over 500,000 across IR, Bluetooth, and WiFi thanks to its use of the "cloud code library". There is even a Smart SofaBaton App, that allows you to manage devices, personalize buttons and activities. The X1S makes use of a hub that offers 360 degree control, 40 foot infrared range, and has support for IR blasters for devices in different rooms or in cabinets. There is also support for hands free control with Alexa and Google Assistant, personalized macro buttons, and API integration allows for third parties to further expand on the X1S' capabilities. The X1S also has backlit buttons, and a 45 day battery. The full feature list is below: Features: SofaBaton X1S Universal Remote: Enhanced performance and compatibility over X1 Supports 500,000+ devices (IR, Bluetooth, WiFi) Includes powerful cloud code library Smart SofaBaton App: Device management and customization Favorite channel organization Remote tracking and phone backup control Effortless OneClick Activities: Initiates predefined device settings with one command Example: "Music Time" activity for automated device control Powerful Hub: 360degree control 40foot infrared range 2 IR blasters for signal coverage Can be hidden in cabinet Voice Control with Alexa and Google Assistant Personalized Macro Buttons: Customizable key functions Create sequences for complex operations API Integration: Integration with other applications Personalized control through simple configurations Highlight Design: Raise To Wake function Backlight buttons Rechargeable battery lasting up to 45 days Thumb scroll wheel for quick device switching Setup: The setup process started out intuitive, but it required additional effort and time to fine tune the configuration. The Harmony had some configuration issues too but the X1S was a little more cumbersome. Once you grasp the app's workflow you can work through the issues. The app provides a step by step guide to help you quickly connect your devices. Like other remotes you can personalize buttons and set up macros for specific functions allowing you to customize the remote to suit your preferences. It took me 90 minutes to get my system (AppleTV, Oppo UHD Player, SONY TV, and Yamaha Receiver) up and running. Like the Harmony, once you have added your devices you then create activities. Then you test and then you tweak and you finally get it dialed in. One oddity was how the remote dealt with power. It has a concept of the steady state of the power setting for each device, which I thought was odd. So our tip is just say that your devices are always powered off. Then go into the startup settings and add the power on command for your devices. Do the opposite for the shutdown settings. This caused me at least 30 minutes of grief in setting it up. But once the setup was done the remote worked flawlessly! Performance: The SofaBaton X1S remote's build quality is top notch! And battery life is as advertised. The display is simple, clean and nothing fancy. I had to add delays between some commands for some activities to respond properly. The scroll wheel on the X1S is tighter and smoother than the X1, providing a more precise user experience. The inclusion of a USB C charging port allows usage while charging which is a nice added touch. Syncing commands from the phone to the remote takes a long time which can be annoying while making tweaks to dial in the exact commands you want. But once it's set up you no longer have to worry about this. Also, the battery charging level is only visible from the main screen. It would be nice if you could see it from any screen. We have used the remote for over a week and the family approves. No missed commands, easy to use. I still like my Harmony a little better but I am confident that the Sofabaton will improve with better configuration software and become the replacement to the Harmony we have all been wanting! Pros

On this week's show we look at the best movie scenes to test your home cinema according to Denon and we examine Potential ways AI can enhance home automation. As usual, we read your email and take a look at the week's news. News: Over Half of the Top 10 Most-Watched TV Networks Are Now Free with an Antenna AppleTV Improvements Apple Home App Improvements Hisense's VIDAA Is Now the No. 2 Smart TV OS Globally Behind Samsung Tizen Best Movie Scenes to Test Your Home Cinema According to Denon What's the purpose of a decent AV Receiver and surround speaker setup? To bring real cinema feeling to your home, with all the room-shaking bass, stuff flying all around and the feeling you are pulled directly into the action. Here are three outstanding movie scenes to really test your home theater's ability to suspend disbelief. Full article here… Potential Ways AI Can Enhance Home Automation AI can significantly enhance home automation by enabling smarter and more intuitive control of various devices, leading to increased convenience, energy efficiency, and security. Here are several ways AI can help in home automation: Voice Programming AI-powered virtual assistants like Amazon's Alexa, Google Assistant, or Apple's Siri can enable voice commands to program automations. Instead of using the GUI to select lights that you want to turn on at sunset. You will be able to just say something like: A-Lady set a routine turn on the family room lamp and the kitchen lights and the living room lamp fifteen minutes after sunset. And turn them off at 11:30 every day of the week. Or once it learns your routines you may just have to say: S-Lady turn on the appropriate lights fifteen minutes after sunset and off at 11:30 every day of the week. Intelligent Automation AI algorithms can learn household routines and preferences over time to automate tasks like adjusting the thermostat based on weather forecasts, turning off lights when rooms are unoccupied, or setting the coffee maker to start brewing when you wake up. This takes what our thermostats do today but applies it across all your devices. AI algorithms can further optimize energy usage by intelligently controlling heating, cooling, and lighting based on factors like electricity rates, thereby reducing energy consumption and utility bills. Predictive Maintenance AI can monitor the performance of smart home devices and predict potential failures before they occur, allowing for proactive maintenance and potentially avoiding costly repairs. Especially handy for stuff like water heaters and air conditioners. Enhanced Security AI-powered cameras and sensors can analyze activity patterns to detect suspicious behavior, alert homeowners of potential threats, and even differentiate between familiar and unfamiliar faces to prevent false alarms. Personalized Experiences AI can tailor home environments to individual preferences, such as adjusting lighting, music playlists, or room temperatures based on the occupants' habits, schedules, and comfort levels. Remote Monitoring and Control AI enables homeowners to remotely access and control smart devices from anywhere using smartphones or other connected devices, offering peace of mind and flexibility. You can already do this with the big three with little to no networking skills required. But we envision a day when you don't need Homekit or Google Home to get this type of functionally without any knowledge of networking Data Insights AI can analyze data from various sensors and devices to provide insights into home usage patterns, energy consumption, and potential areas for improvement. By integrating AI technologies into home automation systems, homeowners can enjoy a more comfortable, convenient, and efficient living environment while also potentially saving time, energy, and money.

On this week's show, Ara has a conversation with Robert Spivack of DoItForMe.Solutions about the state of "Matter". Not on a metaphysical level! We also read your emails and take a look at the week's news. News: Apple TV Plus is finally coming to Android according to new report Nearly 60% of Sports Fans Age 18-49 Say They'll 'Likely' Subscribe to Venu Sports Older SVOD Subscribers Unfazed by Price Hikes Will Drive Revenue Growth A New Streaming Service Is Launching That Uses AI To Create Any Show You Would Want Other: Sewel SW-29863-12 Amazon Basics Speaker Connector Banana Plug Deals on OLED TVs at Best Buy LG 55-inch C3 Series OLED 4K TV: $1,300 Save $100 BestBuy Samsung 65-inch S95C OLED 4K TV: $2,300 Save $300 Best Buy Sony 65-inch Bravia XR A80L OLED 4K Google TV: $1,800 Save $200 Best Buy LG 77-inch B3 Series OLED 4K TV: 1,800 Save $200 Best Buy What is the state of Matter Ara has a conversation with Robert Spivack of DoItForMe.Solutions about the state of "Matter". Not on a metaphysical level! ;-) Robert is a home automation technologist and he'll help you with your smart home and back control of your home automation system. You can find Robert at www.doitforme.solutions or give him a call at (408) 647-4687. More information about Matter can be found here Connectivity Standards Alliance.

On this week's show we ask you to try an experiment with your friends and family. We also look at the history of VHS. Finally we read your emails and take a look at the week's news. News: YouTube TV is testing an enhanced 720p quality setting too Most Cord Cutters Do Not Pay for a Live Service Like YouTube TV, Fubo, or Hulu + Live TV Roku Debuts Pro Series TV With Mini-LED Starting at $900 Home Cinema Viewing Experiment The other day we were watching a movie on Netflix and between my wife, brother-in-law, and his wife I noticed that everyone was periodically glancing at their phones. This kind of irritated me mainly because I have spent a lot of money on sound and picture and thought, they might as well be watching on a phone or tablet. The next night, I asked my wife and kids to not only silence their phones but also put them away. We watched a movie and the family was a bit irritated. It seems that the only place they can really immerse themselves into a movie is actually at the cinema. I encourage you to try the following experiment: Minimize Distractions - this is any distraction digital or otherwise. Silence your devices - Put phones and tablets on silent and turn off any notifications on all the devices within ear shot. Quiet Environment - Choose a time when household noise is minimal. Shut doors and windows if external noise is an issue. History of VHS VHS, or Video Home System, was a home video recording format developed by JVC (Victor Company of Japan) in the 1970s. It became one of the dominant formats for home video playback and recording during the 1980s and 1990s. Here is a brief history of VHS: Development - JVC unveiled the VHS system in Japan in 1976, offering consumers the ability to record and play back video content on videocassette recorders (VCRs) using magnetic tape. VHS was in direct competition with Sony's Betamax format, but thanks to longer recording time and lower production costs, VHS eventually emerged as the preferred choice among consumers. Market Dominance - Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, VHS gained widespread popularity and became the standard format for home video recording and distribution. Major Hollywood studios began releasing movies on VHS, leading to a booming rental market, especially with the rise of video rental stores like Blockbuster. Format Wars - The battle between VHS and Betamax is often cited as one of the most famous format wars in consumer electronics history. Despite Betamax's superior picture quality, VHS's longer recording time and lower cost attracted more consumers and content producers. By the late 1980s, VHS had clearly won the format war, leading to the eventual decline of Betamax. Expansion into Other Markets - VHS technology expanded beyond home video recording to become a standard format for recording television shows, archiving video content, and even for use in educational and industrial settings. Evolution and Decline - VHS continued to evolve with the introduction of VHS-C (compact VHS) for camcorders and Hi-Fi stereo sound capabilities. However, with the emergence of digital video formats like DVDs and later Blu-ray discs, VHS began its decline in the late 1990s and early 2000s. The last known major Hollywood film released on VHS was in 2006. Legacy - Despite its eventual obsolescence, VHS left a lasting impact on the home entertainment industry. Its widespread adoption paved the way for the concept of home video consumption and laid the foundation for the home entertainment market we see today. VHS was a revolutionary technology that revolutionized the way people consumed and enjoyed video content at home. While it has been replaced by newer digital formats, its legacy as a pioneering home entertainment medium remains significant.

On this week's show TCL introduces new TVs and Soundbars for 2024 and can the newly named Venu Sports streaming service make cable operators obsolete? We also read your emails and take a look at the week's news. News: Sports Streaming JV Gets a Name, Venu Sports Netflix Will Stream Two NFL Games This Christmas Day Panasonic Selects TiVo TVOS to Power Its Mid- and Entry-Level Smart TVs Sonos AceComcast Prices StreamSaver Bundle at $15 a Month Other: Forums - Squeezebox piCorePlayer Lyrion Music Server HiFiBerry Forums - Slimdevices DIY TCL Launches 2024 Home Theater Lineup With Multiple TV And Sound Bar Offerings TCL is expanding its offerings for 2024 with the launch of an expansive TV and soundbar portfolio. The new releases include TV and sound bar models for multiple price points. The new TCL TV lineup aims to provide a home theater solution for virtually every need across its Smart S Class and QLED Q Class, along with an expanded range of sizes from 32″ to 115″. Full Article here… TCL Q Class Smart TVTCL's new Q Class Smart TV models utilize Quantum Dot technology featuring UltraWide Color Gamut for enhanced QLED color. The TCL Q Class includes the Q65, Q68, QM7 and QM8 models, including three new 98" TVs and the world's largest QD-Mini LED TV. While TCL's 98″ TV offerings can satisfy virtually any cinephile or sports enthusiast, the 115″ QM89 is TCL's top-of-the-line QD-Mini LED TV for those looking to create or upgrade their theater room with an elevated viewing experience. TCL S Class Smart TV The S Class family of smart TVs include the S2 and S3, which will carry over into 2024's lineup. New to this year is the S5, which includes TCL's AiPQ Processor for enhanced image processing. Additionally, 55″+ S Class models feature Game Accelerator 120 for 120 VRR gaming. TCL Q Class Sound Bar: High Quality Home Theater The Q Class is TCL's premium sound bar family, supporting Dolby Atmos for high-quality home theater audio. The Q75H is a 5.1.2 sound bar featuring built-in side surround speakers, while the Q85H is a 7.1.4 sound bar that adds wireless rear speakers, incorporating rear Dolby Atmos up-firing drivers. TCL S Class Sound Bar: Home Theater Made Simple The new S Class sound bars include TCL's S45H and S55H models, now upgraded with Dolby Atmos and Auto Room calibration. These models also include other key features such as DTS Virtual:X Virtual 3D Surround, HDMI with eARC, Bluetooth, TCL TV Ready capability, and are wall mountable. Venu Sports and ESPN DTC Could Sink U.S. Pay TV Operators According to Aluma's Michael Greeson, the sports JV alone could cause 10% of users to cut the cord, and that would 'severely diminish the ability of operators to stay afloat' Full article here… It boils down to the fact that the U.S. pay TV industry could face a lot of competition due to the newly named sports streaming service "Venu Sports". A recent survey indicated that about 32% of traditional cable subscribers and 38% of IPTV subscribers indicated some level of "likelihood" that they'd sign up for the new service. The article says that if pay TV providers lose 10% of their customers due to the new service, it will severely diminish the ability of pay TV operators to sustain their businesses. Additionally, the impending direct-to-consumer launch of ESPN by Disney is also anticipated to pose a threat, with a significant percentage of potential ESPN subscribers indicating a likelihood to cancel their pay TV service, potentially impacting operators further. These developments could have a detrimental impact on the pay TV industry, endangering the survival of operators struggling with declining subscriber bases. Side note - if the joint venture intends to rely on pull from those who have completely cut the cord, they can forget about it. Only 9% are legitimate prospects for the service."

On this week's show Ara gets a new TV! It came down to a UST Projector and a Mini LED. We also read your emails and take a look at the week's news. News: Amazon Debuts New Streaming Ads on Prime Disney and Warner Set to Bundle Disney Plus, Max and Hulu Starting This Summer Fox Says Tubi Now Has 80 Million Average Monthly Users; FAST Platform's Engagement Also Up 36% Sunday Leadoff' Is Coming to The Roku Channel Apple, Netflix Amazon Want to Change How They Pay Hollywood Stars Comcast Plans Peacock, Netflix, Apple TV+ Streaming Bundle Other: SportsNet Pittsburgh launches direct-to-consumer streaming service My ideal TV has no tuner, no speakers and no smart platform I've had my current TV for about a year now, and do you know how many times I've used its built-in tuner? None. I've not even plugged in the aerial. I've not used any of the built-in apps, either, and the built-in speakers have emitted a sound only a handful of times, and only because the connected sound system didn't automatically switch on as it should have. Full article here… New TV for Ara Ara's original Vizio P-Series UHD TV finally gave out. After posting this information on X, he received a few suggestions on how it could possibly be revived. Unfortunately nothing worked. Vizio customer service even offered to help resolve the issue. But after ten years of trusty service, it was time to move on. Ara posted to X that it was between a Sony Mini LED and an AWOL UST projector. The response was mixed. So where did he land? The field was quickly narrowed down to: The AWOL LTV-2500 4K 3D Triple Laser Projector $3000 + $1000 for a 100" screen. Bring The Cinematic Experience to Your Home: AWOL VISION LTV-2500 powered with a cutting edge Triple Laser without Color Wheel Technology, Dolby Vision & Dolby Atmos 4K UHD Resolution, HDR10+, 3D available, brings you a stunning 150", 4K Movie Theater experience. Coupled with exceptional audio immersion technology with Dolby Atmos, LTV-2500 is the most colorful with details' ultra short throw 4K laser projector for controlled light environment. and The BRAVIA XR 75" Class X93L Mini LED 4K HDR Google TV (2023) $2500 The Cognitive Processor XR™ delivers a picture with wide dynamic contrast and natural colors, replicating how we see the real world. See ultimate contrast from thousands of Mini LEDs and billions of accurate colors, all precision-controlled by the XR Backlight Master™ Drive and XR Triluminos Pro™. The winner is…. The Sony Bravia. The Process: Cost was a factor but not as big a factor as Lina not wanting to rearrange the artwork above the current TV. Some on X said that the UST was only an option if I had good control of the light in the room. Even my first gen UST looks decent in full daylight and it does not have the lumens of this projector. So that was not and issue that disqualified the UST While I would have liked a 100" screen. The 75" Sony is a small step up from the 70" Vizio. Tip! Regardless of choice I was going to have to get rid of my old Vizio. I'm thinking I'd have to call my trash company and pay to have it hauled away. So I thought let me try to see if someone wanted a free broken UHD TV. And to my surprise, four people reached out to me. The person who ended up with it worked at a youth center and had a friend who fixed TVs. So he came and picked it up and just like that, problem solved. Once the Bravia was delivered I simply plugged the cables in exactly as the Vizio. The output of the Yamaha RX-850 to the eARC port, power, and Ethernet. It's actually pretty heavy (97 lbs or 42Kgs). I powered it up and went through the setup. By the way, I did not accept anything that I interpreted as them spying on me. The TV is also a GoogleTV. I did not log into my account. For calibration I selected cinema mode and turned off motion flow and automated adjustments. I did enable calibrated mode for any programming that sends that info in the stream. First issue… My Yamaha for some reason would not pass HDR data even though it says it will. Solution… Connect Oppo and AppleTV to the Sony and use eARC for audio, Second issue…I could not send ATMOS data through to the receiver because it does not support eARC. Not a big deal because this is the family room and there is no ATMOS. But I also can't get Dolby digital. Solution… Set AppleTV to force DD 5.1 and set Sony to pass signal untouched to Yamaha. Not the best solution but hey! I don't have to explain to my wife why we now need a new receiver. There is a high probability that there will be a new receiver purchased on Black Friday! The picture looks phenomenal! A few times I caught myself saying it's like looking out a window. The colors are so saturated and beautiful! And while the black levels are not like OLED. They are quite good! No regrets. Not even a letter ;-) Review to come after I have had a chance to use the TV and dial it in.

On this week's show we discuss the merits of an expensive wired whole home audio streamer vs putting one together with Airplay 2 or Chromecast. We also read your emails and take a look at the week's news. News: YouTube introduces pause ads to TV app LG TVs are getting a free audio upgrade that Apple users will absolutely love 85% of Amazon Prime Video Subscribers Are on the Ad-Supported Tier Samsung's new, cheaper OLED TVs are now available to buy EchoStar Loses 348,000 Pay TV Subs in 1st Quarter Juke+ Audio Streamer Juke+, as described on their website, is an audio distribution system designed to provide high-quality sound across multiple rooms in a house. It runs about $2,500 and that's without speakers. So here is our question; do you think it's worth the money when you can put a high end wireless system together including speakers for significantly less money? First let's take a look at what the $2500 Juke+ System gets you: Audio Quality and Control - The Juke+ system can power 6 audio zones with 12 speaker channels at 100 watts per channel, ensuring pristine audio quality. Users can fine-tune the audio settings in each room through an app-controlled audio equalizer for optimal sound customization. Wireless Control - The Juke Audio application enables comprehensive control of the audio system via Android and Apple devices. Various features include playing to any combination of zones, independent volume control for each zone, simultaneous streaming from multiple users/devices, and access through a web interface on PCs. All-in-One Solution - The Juke system integrates the functions of powering, controlling, and streaming audio to multiple speaker sets throughout the house, eliminating the need for separate receivers, streamers, or in-wall controllers. Airplay 2 Integration - Juke displays connected speaker zones as independent Airplay inputs, facilitating streaming from Apple devices to specific audio zones. Users can group zones directly within the Airplay menu and stream to Juke and other Airplay 2 devices simultaneously, maintaining audio sync. Spotify Connect Support - Each connected speaker zone is independently recognized in Spotify, allowing premium users to stream content seamlessly. The Juke app's grouping feature enables setting multi-zone endpoints in Spotify for convenient whole-house or room-specific playback. Bluetooth Connectivity - Juke supports Bluetooth streaming from any compatible device, allowing users to play content without relying on a local Wi-Fi network. Juke+ provides multiple options to enjoy TV audio through its audio distribution system. Wireless Audio from Apple TV via Airplay - You can wirelessly send audio from any app on Apple TV to Juke using Airplay over the Wi-Fi network. Bluetooth Connectivity from Compatible Smart TVs - Juke supports receiving audio from compatible Smart TVs via Bluetooth. Hardwired Connection from TV to Juke - For a more traditional setup, you can run a hardwired connection from the audio output of your TV back to the Juke system. Our wireless system consists of a Belkin SoundForm Connect AirPlay 2 Adapter or a Chromecast Audio ($80) and a pair of Audioengine A5+ ($500 per pair) for a grand total of $580 per zone or $3480 for six zones with speakers included! Similar passive speakers from Audioengine cost $400 which would bring a similar system to $4900. A difference of $1420. Let's see if you miss anything: Audio Quality and Control - You can control each room with any app that plays music on your phone or tablet but you can't set separate EQ. +1 to Juke+ Wireless Control - Our system does the same as the Juke+. No advantage to either All-in-One Solution - Our system does the same as the Juke+. No advantage to either Airplay 2 Integration - If you use the SoundForm you have identical capabilities. However, if you use a Chromecast you have capability that the Juke+ does not have. +1 to our DIY system Spotify Connect Support - if you have the Spotify app on your device you essentially have this capability through Airplay or Chromecast. No advantage to either Bluetooth Connectivity - The Audioengine A5+ supports AptX while the Juke+ supports Bluetooth 5. +1 to our DIY TV Support - identical capabilities. No advantage to either Our DIY system is better in two categories and equivalent in all others. Room EQ being the only category that the Juke+ is better. Plus you save $1420! Our DIY system is not meant for everyone. Our speakers are harder to discretely place throughout your house. In addition the Juke+ gives you greater choice in speaker selection since you don't have to limit yourself to powered bookshelf or desktop speakers. However, you don't need to buy expensive speakers for all zones. But this applies to both systems. You could also use the Airplay2/Chromecast capability of your receiver to add a zone for essentially no cost and add the ability to EQ a room. So what do you think? Which system would you choose?

On this week's show you get what you pay for! Ara's experience buying cheap automated wall plugs. Plus we wrap up the 2024 TV season and read your emails and take a look at the week's news. News: Roku Said to Be in the Running to Take Over the MLB 'Sunday Leadoff' Game Package From Peacock | Next TV YouTube TV starting to roll out Multiview on Android phones, tablets Peacock Hikes Price $2 Ahead of Paris Summer Olympics Fubo's Warner Bros. Beef Worsens -- TLC, HGTV and Other Discovery Networks Blacked Out on vMVPD | Next TV Other: 'Life of Pi' director abandons 3D and HFR: "Whole ecosystem is bad" - FlatpanelsHD How Las Vegas' Sphere Actually Works You get what you pay for! Recently I purchased some thread based wall plugs to turn a night light on at sunset and off at sunrise. It was an extremely inexpensive Wemo plug that ran on thread. I was excited because thread based products are extremely fast and reliable. Well that's what I thought. Wemo Smart Plug with Thread - I bought them for $80 for a four pack. You can get them for $30 individually. I deployed four, Two lose connection with the thread router every few days. Unplug and plug back in and repeat. Two are rock solid Belkin Customer Service won't refund my money because its well past the 30 days. No info on a firmware update Useless product! GE CYNC Indoor Smart Plug, Matter Compatible $30 for three pack This product has no support for Homekit so this was a good test to see if a Matter plug would work in an Homekit environment. Connecting to my home is just as easy as a Homekit device. Worked for three days and then disconnected. Unplug and plug back in did nothing. Did full reset and the device can not be added to homekit or GE Cync app. DOA Added a second plug to my home. Just as easy as the first. Three days later, we are still in business. I have not contacted customer support. Other than the device failing, connecting a matter plug to Homekit was trivial. Eve Energy - (Matter Compatible) $40 I currently have four plugs deployed for six months They are connected using thread and bluetooth Super fast and super reliable You get what you pay for 2024 TV Season Wrap Up Although this year's TV Season got a late start, we did have one however short it was. It seems like we just got new episodes and now we are looking at season finales. But even with shortened TV seasons, executives have to make tough decisions on what shows get another season and which ones say good-bye. The following is what TV Line is reporting for the end of the 2024 Television Season: ABC 9-1-1: Officially renewed for Season 8 Abbott Elementary: Officially renewed for Season 4. The Conners: A safe bet. The Good Doctor: Officially canceled; series finale airs this Spring. Grey's Anatomy: Officially renewed for Season 21. Not Dead Yet: Could go either way. The Rookie: Officially renewed for Season 7 Station 19: Officially canceled; series finale airs this Spring. Will Trent: Officially renewed for Season 3 CBS Blue Bloods: Officially canceled; series finale airs in Fall 2024. Bob Hearts Abishola: Officially canceled; series finale airs May 6. CSI: Vegas: Officially canceled. The Equalizer: Officially renewed for Season 5 Elsbeth: Officially renewed for Season 2 FBI: Officially renewed (through Season 9) FBI: International: Officially renewed for Season 4 FBI: Most Wanted: Officially renewed for Season 6 Fire Country: Officially renewed for Season 3 Ghosts: Officially renewed for Season 4 NCIS: Officially renewed for Season 22 NCIS: Hawai'i: Officially canceled. The Neighborhood: Officially renewed for Season 7 So Help Me Todd: Officially canceled. S.W.A.T.: Officially uncancelled, renewed for Season 8 Tracker: Officially renewed for Season 2 Young Sheldon: Officially canceled; series finale airs May 16; spinoff ordered FOX 9-1-1: Lone Star: Season 5 delayed until Fall 2024. Accused: Too early to tell. Alert: Missing Persons Unit: Too early to tell. Animal Control: Officially renewed for Season 3. Bob's Burgers: Officially renewed for Season 15. The Cleaning Lady: Could go either way. Family Guy: Officially renewed for Season 23. The Great North: Could go either way. Grimsburg: Officially renewed for Season 2. HouseBroken: In perpetual limbo. Krapopolis: Officially renewed for Seasons 2 and 3. The Simpsons: Officially renewed for Season 36. NBC Chicago Fire: Officially renewed. Chicago Med: Officially renewed. Chicago P.D.: Officially renewed. Extended Family: Could go either way. Found: Officially renewed for Season 2. The Irrational: Officially renewed for Season 2. Law & Order: Officially renewed. Law & Order: Organized Crime: A safe bet. Law & Order: SVU: Officially renewed. Lopez vs. Lopez: Could go either way. Night Court: A safe bet. Quantum Leap: Officially canceled. The CW All American: Too early to tell. All American: Homecoming: Too early to tell Sight Unseen: Too early to tell Sullivan's Crossing: Officially renewed for Season 2. Superman & Lois: Officially canceled; fina

On this week's show we look at the Nielsen "The Gauge™" report for March 2024 and the new Sony Bravia Line of TVs. We also ask if QDEL is the future of TV Technology. We round out the show with your emails and a look at the week's news. News: Plex Flex: FAST Boasts That It Has Exceeded 1100 Channels Netflix Makes Major Changes to Its Plans - RetailWire Source: 4K Chromecast with Google TV sequel is coming with new remote Other: Cambridge Audio USA | eBay Stores Cambridge Audio Minx X201 (Black) Ultra-compact powered subwoofer at Crutchfield S6 Powered Subwoofer for $300 Sony might have perfected Mini LED TVs with its new 2024 lineup - The Verge Neilsen's Total TV and Streaming Snapshot Nielsen today released The Gauge™ report for March 2024, which revealed that TV usage changes from February to March were very similar to those exhibited in the same interval last year, as seasonality—of both content and viewing behavior—has started to take effect. As such, the 3% drop in overall TV usage in March does not come as a surprise, but a closer look at shifts in viewing behavior over a longer period of time highlights greater changes across the broader media landscape. Full Press Release here… Sony Bows New Premium Bravia Mini-LED TVs Sony unveiled four new Bravia TV models, "flagship" and "premium" mini-LED editions, the Bravia 9 and Bravia 8, respectively, a "core" full-array LED Bravia 7, and a "standard" direct LED Bravia 6. Full Article Here… Is QDEL The Future of Display Technology In the realm of premium display technologies, Quantum Dot Electroluminescent (QDEL) is emerging as a promising innovation that could potentially replace OLED in high-end TVs and monitors. Unlike traditional LEDS, QDEL displays do not require a traditional backlight; instead, they utilize quantum dots as the light source, offering various advantages in terms of image quality, affordability, and longevity. So what makes QDEL so enticing to TV manufacturers? Evolution from OLED With OLED technology becoming more common and affordable, the focus has shifted toward identifying the next breakthrough in consumer display technology. While concepts like Micro LED, transparent screens, and foldable displays are under development, quantum dots have surfaced as a leading contender to address key user concerns effectively. Quantum Dot Technology Quantum dots are semiconductor nanocrystals that emit light when subjected to an electric current, offering superior color accuracy and brightness compared to traditional displays. QDEL leverages quantum dots to produce vibrant colors, high brightness, and enhanced energy efficiency without relying on a separate backlight system. Advantages of QDEL Wider Color Gamut: QDEL displays are expected to surpass QD-OLEDs in terms of color accuracy and vibrancy, enhancing the viewing experience for consumers. Improved Brightness: By using quantum dots as the light source, QDEL screens can achieve higher brightness levels, making them suitable for various environments, including well-lit rooms. Cost Efficiency: The elimination of backlight components in QDEL technology may lead to more affordable displays for consumers in the future. Burn-In Resistance: QDEL displays are designed to be resistant to issues like burn-in, which have been a concern with certain display technologies. Nanotechnology Development Nanosys, a leading quantum dot supplier, is actively involved in developing QDEL technology under the name NanoLED. This innovative approach aims to enhance display performance while offering a competitive edge in the premium display market. QDEL represents a promising advancement in display technology, offering a backlight-less solution with improved color reproduction, brightness, affordability, and durability. As the industry continues to evolve, QDEL stands out as a technology to watch for enthusiasts and consumers looking for the next generation of premium displays.

On this week's show we compare Mini-LED vs OLED and we put a high end listening room based on products that were exhibited at this year's AXPONA show. We also read your email and look at the week's news. News: DirecTV and Dish Back Fubo in Its Spulu Antitrust Suit | Next TV Roku Upgrades Viewing Experience with New Features | TV Tech Hub: Smart TVs Now in Nearly 8 of 10 Homes | TV Tech Disney Plus Looking To Integrate Always-On Linear Channels Other: Credit cards abused again in second Roku hack affecting 576,000 - FlatpanelsHD NBCUniversal Launches Personalized, Hyperlocal Services via ATSC 3.0 | TV Tech Mini-LED vs OLED We are asked from time to time to recommend a particular TV or in some cases a technology. Right now, in our opinion, the best TV technology is OLED. But is it really the best overall? Let's take a look at OLED vs mini-LED in six important criteria. Sharpness and Resolution: Both OLED and Mini-LED TVs typically offer 4K resolution, with some models supporting higher resolutions. Therefore, in terms of sharpness and resolution, it's a tie between OLED and Mini-LED. Black Levels: OLED TVs excel in producing true blacks by individually turning off pixels. Mini-LED displays have not completely achieved this level of per-pixel control. In this aspect, OLED emerges as the winner for its superior black levels. Brightness and Contrast: OLED TVs offer deep blacks for infinite contrast ratio, while Mini-LED TVs can achieve higher brightness levels. Mini-LED takes the lead in brightness, while OLED wins in terms of contrast ratio. Color Quality: OLED TVs typically exhibit excellent color quality, often surpassing 100% of the sRGB color gamut. Although Mini-LED TVs may not reach these levels, this is more due to other factors like color filters rather than the Mini-LED technology itself. The winner in color quality is OLED. Viewing Angles: OLED TVs generally have wider viewing angles compared to LCD TVs, including those using Mini-LED technology. While Mini-LED TVs can vary based on the type of display used, OLED usually outperforms them in terms of viewing angles. Size and Price: In terms of size, both OLED and Mini-LED TVs are available in various sizes to suit different preferences. However, traditionally, OLED TVs have been more expensive compared to Mini-LED TVs, which could be a consideration for some buyers. Price and size considerations may vary based on individual preferences and budgets. So which one wins? It's our opinion that OLED has the absolute best picture but mini-LED is very close and unless you are looking at them side by side you won't notice. It really comes down to cost and since you can buy some really big mini-LED TVs for a quarter of the price, we give the nod to mini-LED. AXPONA 2024 AXPONA 2024 wrapped up last week. What is AXPONA you might ask? From their website: AXPONA is a three-day experience featuring multiple hotel floors packed with over 200 listening rooms. The Expo Hall featuring The Record Fair, The Ear Gear Experience, and seminars. Whether you're a serious audiophile, a newcomer to high-end audio or simply a music lover, you'll find everything you need to immerse yourself in your favorite sounds. It's very similar to "The Show" that we have out here in CA every year. This year it will be June 7-9 in Costa Mesa so come out and let's all go! While AXPONA exhibited products that most of us can buy, there are some that, quite frankly, are priced for people fly on their own jets. They probably don't even listen to podcasts, so let's make fun of them!! Kidding of course. Today, our very rich uncle who has $150,000 laying around has asked us to put a system together so he can listen to his extensive vinyl collection! Transrotor Tourbillon FMD The Tourbillon FMD is a premium turntable model with high-end features designed to deliver exceptional performance in the audio playback experience. The Transrotor Tourbillon FMD stands out as a top-of-the-line turntable with innovative features and premium construction materials aimed at audiophiles seeking unparalleled sound quality and precision in vinyl playback. With its advanced FMD bearing technology, dual tone arm support, and included accessories, it offers a premium and comprehensive audio experience for discerning enthusiasts in the high-end turntable market. $60K with Cartridge Fern and Roby Amp No. 2 Amp No. 2 is our second collaboration with Michael Bettinger who has been designing and building amplifiers for nearly 40 years. Integrated amps make building a great high fidelity audio system easy. Our goal in this project was to produce something that will turn your living room into the best listening room possible. Fewer components, cables, and cost, but delivering world class audio into your home. $8500 (Add $350 if you want Isolation Feet) Acora SRB Reference Loudspeaker Acora Acoustics loudspeakers are constructed using hand crafted, specially treated granite enclosures. The rigidity of granite far exceeds that of

On this week's show we preview the upcoming WiFi 7 specification and we review the Technics SU-GX70 Network Audio Amplifier Review. We also read your emails and take a look at the week's news. News: Roku just announced a free NBA channel ESPN's Stand-Alone Streaming Service Will Be Available Through Disney+ Apple TV+ share grows in the US, but still lags behind its competitors LG TV owners should update their firmware, webOS vulnerability found in a few models Other: Ridiculous 150" AWOL Vision Theater Setup Roku patent invents a way to show ads over anything you plug into your TV | Ars Technica A Giga-Sunset For Gigaset IoT Devices | Hackaday WiFi 7 May be What We Have All Been Waiting For Why WiFi 7 is the future of wireless technology As of now, the finalized specifications for WiFi 7 (also known as 802.11be) have not been officially released, as the standard is still in development. However, based on industry discussions and proposals, some expected features of the proposed WiFi 7 specification include: Increased Speeds: WiFi 7 is anticipated to offer even higher data rates than its predecessors, potentially reaching multi-gigabit speeds Enhanced Efficiency: Improved spectrum efficiency will allowi for better performance in crowded environments and increased capacity for simultaneous connections. Low Latency: WiFi 7 is likely to target reduced latency to support real-time applications such as online gaming, video streaming, and video conferencing with minimal delay. Advanced Security: Multi-User MIMO: More advanced Multi-User Multiple Input Multiple Output (MU-MIMO) technology Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA): The use of OFDMA will enhance spectral efficiency and enable better resource allocation for various types of traffic. Improved Beamforming: Enhanced beamforming techniques will optimize signal transmission and reception, improving network coverage and reliability. Wider Spectrum Utilization: WiFi 7 may explore the use of new frequency bands or spectrum sharing techniques to accommodate more devices and applications and deliver better performance. IoT Optimization: Features tailored for Internet of Things (IoT) devices to support the increasing number of connected devices and diverse IoT applications. Power Efficiency Enhancements: Efforts to improve power efficiency to extend battery life in wireless devices and reduce energy consumption overall. It's important to note that these features are based on expectations and early proposals for WiFi 7. The final specifications may vary as the standard progresses through the development and approval process. Technics SU-GX70 Network Audio Amplifier Review Listening to music takes three elements, the music itself, the speakers, and the amplification. If one of these elements is not up to the task, your entire experience will be less than desired. Great speakers take high quality audio to even higher levels. The converse is also true, poor quality audio files will sound even worse. There is a middle layer that we don't talk about as much, and that's the amplification. Back in the 70's all we cared about were watts! The more, the better! As a teenager I did not appreciate that not all power is created equal. Smart amplifier design can make your music sound even better and that's what the engineers at Technics have done with the SU-GX70 Network Audio Amplifier (MSRP $1999.95). The GX70 is a box that has something for everyone. First and foremost it's a digital amplifier that outputs a total of 80 Watts into 8 ohms and supports a ton of physical connections including: Line level x2, phono, HDMI ARC, optical x2, coaxial, USB Type A, USB Type B. Supporting HDMI ARC allows you to connect your own speakers as a soundbar alternative. As far as wireless connection goes, you have Wi-fi, ethernet, Bluetooth, Google Chromecast and Apple AirPlay 2. DAB (Digital Audio Broadcast) and FM. You can also get access to Spotify, Tidal, Qobuz through the app. Hi Res is supported via the USB port with a DAC that can decode 32-bit/384kHz PCM and DSD512 files and it can handle MQA streams from Tidal. This is one versatile integrated amp!! Setup To connect the GX70 to the network you use the Apple Home (or Google Home) app. Which seemed odd to us since there is a remote control and display screen. But once you are connected to your network you can use the Technics Audio Center App to control the system. Actually, the only reason you would need the app is if you want to send MQA streams to the amp. All the radio stations that are available through the app are available on your phone or tablet via apps source apps like iHeart Radio. You can tweak the amp to dial it in for your speakers through a calibration on the amp. But it sounded really good right out of the box. We'll give it an 8 out of 10 for setup, knocking off two points because you have to use Apple/Google Home to get it connected to your network. The aforementioned remote is a better way to use and inte

On this week's show the HT Guys are on spring break but no worries we still have a brief show for you. Are Sports Fans willing to pay $50 a month to stream their favorite teams? We have a couple of emails and news stories. News: YouTube TV estimated to have more subscribers than Comcast and Spectrum by 2026 Kaleidescape Introduces 96TB Terra Prime Movie Server Other: Smart devices are turning out to be a poor investment 57% of Sports Fans Willing to Pay $50 Monthly For Live Streaming App More than 57% of TV sports fans said they would pay $50 monthly for a sports-only streaming app service in a February online survey of 2,000 respondents conducted by CasinoReviews.net, an advocate for online wagering. Full article here…

On this week's show SVS officially launches their Ultra Evolution Speakers, Amazon Echo Dot with LED Display is the best home automation device, and RTINGS.com is not impressed with the Formovie UST Projector. We also read your emails and take a look at the week's news. News: One-in-ten borrow streaming passwords Warner Sets Rollout Date for Max in Europe Mediacom Launches Xumo Stream Box TCL Adds NFL FAST Channel to TCLtv Plus Streaming Service Other: Apple TV+ Is the New HBO | WIRED SVS Launches Ultra Evolution Speakers We had Nick Brown and Smith Freeman on the live stream last Friday where we talked about the speakers and had a fun time. At that time we could not discuss all the details of their new Ultra Evolution speakers. Well this week SVS announced the availability and pricing. From the Press Release: At first glance, the most striking design feature is the acoustically centered time alignment cabinet architecture. A curve in the front baffle aligns the sound emanation point of the tweeter and each driver on a vertical plane ensuring sound from each driver arrives at a listener's ear in the exact same instant. This maximizes phase coherence for a more convincing and immersive soundstage with pinpoint accuracy and imaging. For the tower models specifically, midrange drivers and woofers positioned above and below the tweeter allow for seamless crossover blending to create an idealized "point-source" where sound flows from a single point in front of the speaker to optimize dispersion characteristics. The diamond-coated aluminum dome tweeter is also completely new for SVS. Using a modern technology called vapor deposition, a layer of diamond carbon is grown on the surface of the aluminum dome to improve rigidity and critical acoustic properties. This breakthrough in material science raises the frequency response well beyond the limits of human hearing resulting in effortless, airy, and unveiled highs with no measurable distortion. It also pushes low frequency extension of the tweeter deeper for more seamless blending with the midrange. Details and pricing on the new models are included below. Ultra Evolution Pinnacle: 3-way floorstanding speaker - $4,999.98/pair Ultra Evolution Titan: 3-way floorstanding speaker - $3,999.98/pair Ultra Evolution Tower: 3-way floorstanding speaker - $2,999.98/pair Ultra Evolution Bookshelf: 2-way bookshelf speaker - $1,199.98/pair Ultra Evolution Nano: Compact 2-way bookshelf speaker - $899.98/pair Ultra Evolution Center: 3-way center channel speaker - $799.99 Ultra Elevation: Versatile home theater speaker with multi-angle wall/ceiling mounting bracket - $899.98/pair Ultra Evolution Nano and Ultra Evolution Tower models will ship later in Q2. Finish options will be limited at launch. All models will soon be available in Piano Gloss Black, Piano Gloss White, and Premium Black Oak Wood Veneer finishes. All SVS products are backed by a five-year unconditional warranty, 45-day in-home trial, fast and free shipping, expert lifetime support, SoundPoints loyalty program, and all the guarantees of the SVS Customer Bill of Rights. Amazon Echo Dot with Clock Best Smart Home Device Overall? I was reading an article on Tom's Guide titled "The best smart home devices in 2024" and saw that they deemed the Amazon Echo Dot with Clock ($50) as the best smart home device overall. I wondered why? Once you dive in, you can see how they got there. From the article: The name says it all: this is an Echo Dot with a clever LED clock built in its face. However, this seemingly simple addition adds a ton of functionality to the Echo Dot, making an even better smart home companion. In fact, we wish more smart home companies took Amazon's cue and make minor — yet effective — enhancements to already excellent devices. I started searching online and found other reviewers saying the same thing. The Dot does everything you'd expect a device of this type to do but it's the LED that sets it apart from its competition. And if you read some of the 65,000 comments you'll see a lot of others agree! The LED can display a clock, timers, weather, song titles, and more. So do you think a $50 smart speaker with an LED display is worthy of the title "Best Smart Home Device"? Here is what some owners are saying: Replaced my 20 year old alarm clock I was looking for an "Atomic" alarm clock which automatically sets the current time and found this. I bought this Echo Dot for our bedroom when the old alarm clock finally quit working. This is bright, lights up when you speak and shows the time in the dark. Love it! A great clock for any room RTINGS what are you doing? Over at AVS forum a thread caught our eye titled "RTINGS what are you doing?". The author of the thread was not happy with a review of the Formovie UST Projector the site had posted. RTINGS gave the projector a 7.1 out of 10 for movies. Reading through the thread it was clear that owners of the Formovie were upset. One poster thought it was possible that t

On this week's show we take a look at some audiophile myths and debunk them. We also read your emails and take a look at the week's news. News: LG Debuts Wireless Dolby Soundbar For G4 OLED evo TVs Have You Signed Up for a Streamer to Watch a Specific Show? DirecTV Drops Local Stations From Lower-Priced Bundle CSA unveils smart home security standard ESPN Signs Six-Year, $7.8 Billion Extension for the Expanding College Football Playoff Tournament Other: TV Station Launches Multiple 4K Broadcasts OTA on ATSC 1.0 Audiophile Myths Why do some in our hobby spend so much money on their gear? And for this discussion we are not talking about reasonably priced quality products that can cost a few thousand dollars. We're talking about really expensive stuff like speakers that cost $20,000 each, speaker wire that costs $100 a foot, or any other product that needlessly separates you from your money all in the name of squeezing out the last bit of performance. On today's show we will dispel a few Audiophile Myths and hopefully save you money and help you get more out of the equipment you own. Myth: Even though people cannot hear frequencies above 20 KHz, it is important that audio equipment be able to reproduce higher frequencies to maintain clarity. Fact: Producing sounds at a frequency beyond what humans can hear is not sonically useful. However, a good amplifier and speaker generally have a frequency response beyond the limits of hearing. Conversely, the lack of an extended response can indicate that the amplifier designers cut some corners. Keep in mind you don't have to pay a lot of money for this. A Fosi amp goes for $100 and produces frequencies from 20Hz to 20kHz. Myth: Gold-plated connectors sound better than connectors made of standard materials (Copper, Nickel. Or Tin). Fact: Gold does not oxidize, and oxidized connectors can cause problems. With that said, gold on it's own will not make your audio better. As far as oxidation goes, good quality wire and connectors will take years to oxidize under normal circumstances. Don't waste money on gold plated when copper will do the exact same thing! Myth: Speakers Need Time to Break In Fact: I used to believe this based on my own listening. But there was no way for me to actually remember what my speakers sounded like from day one to compare them with day five after 30 hours of use. It wasn't until I saw objective tests performed on speakers when they were new and again when they were used for 30 hours. The wave forms were sonically identical. Conclusive scientific results. End of story! Now some bigger drivers like woofers and subwoofers use spiders as stiffening agents instead of thicker, more rigid materials in their production. These do lose stiffness in their suspension with use, but it usually happens within minutes — not hours or days. Myth: All acoustic treatments will improve the sound. Fact: You can't throw up acoustic treatments just anywhere and expect an improvement in sound. Acoustic treatments are made to address specific problems. With that said, if you have a room with bare walls and wood or tile floors, get soft materials on the walls and rugs on the floor. In this case dampening the echos will help. But to do a full treatment you need to be more exact, Here is a list of articles from Audioholics that can help you treat your room. "Room Reflections and Human Adaptation for Small Room Acoustics," "Early Reflections and Bass for Small Room Acoustics," and "Early Reflections in Home Theater Rooms: Beneficial or Detrimental?" Myth: Speakers need to be isolated to get the most out of them. Fact: Well designed loudspeakers don't transmit much mechanical energy through their enclosures. Loudspeakers are transmitting most of their energy into the air which then exerts force on objects in the room. You are likely getting more vibrations from pressure waves hitting other objects in the room as opposed to the cabinet vibrating. In my room I have played some of my speakers at very loud volumes. I then touched the drivers on the speakers that were adjacent and there was some movement. I'm not sure that they did anything to distort the sound in the room, but they were vibrating more than the cabinets of the speaker that I was using. There may be some aesthetic reasons you may want to isolate your speakers including pads to protect your floor. Myth: All your speaker wire should be the same length. Fact: Speed of electricity is 186,000 miles a second. That means that a 5 meter and 10 meter cable have statistically no difference as to when the signal gets to the drivers. But using similar length speaker wire will increase the resale value of your speakers should you choose to sell them! Myth: You need to break in your speaker wire. Fact: Yes!! Do not drive them past 10 for the first 12,000 miles. After that if your amp goes to 11, have at it!! Seriously, when it comes to speaker wire buy high quality wire. Just don't pay exorbitant prices. Solid copper 14 Gauge spe

On this week's show we discuss John Campeas video where he claims streaming is about to get a lot more expensive and irritating. We also take a look at the top ten shows both domestically and globally at Netflix and Vudu is now officially "Fandango at Home". We also read your emails and take a look at the week's news. News: LAPD issues warning about residential burglars using WiFi jammers to disable alarms, cameras LG's $1 billion investment boosts OLED production Roku Has More than 15,000 User Accounts Hacked YouTube TV is Going to Make it Easier to Browse & Still Watch Your Show Other: The Downfall of Streaming TV | The Bubble has Burst Roku's Ransom: Agree to Forced Arbitration or Lose Your TV! First Look 2024: A new era of Samsung AI TV | Samsung Vudu Is Now Called 'Fandango at Home' Here is what you need to know: FandangoNow users will need to move their accounts to Vudu Once FandangoNow users move their accounts to Vudu and log in again, they'll be able to access their libraries and promo codes. Vudu users won't need to take any action unless they want to link their existing Fandango account. Vudu and FandangoNow subscribers can also use the same username and password to log in on the rebranded service. Users won't lose any content from their libraries Under Fandango at Home, users can take advantage of new Vudu gift cards, reward loyalty programs, and partner programs coming soon. Clicking on the "Buy Tickets" link goes to the Fandango website. If you don't have an account you'll have to create a seperate one to purchase movie tickets. No word on when or if the two sites will be merged. From the Fandango website you can preorder food and drinks after you buy tickets. Available at select theaters. The Top Ten TV shows on Netflix Netflix Top Ten TV Globally # Title Weeks in Top 10 Hours Viewed Runtime Views 1 The Gentlemen: S1 1 81,500,000 6:41 12,200,000 2 Avatar The Last Airbender: S1 3 65,700,000 7:15 9,100,000 3 The Program: Cons, Cults and Kidnapping: Limited Series 1 22,700,000 3:12 7,100,000 4 Hot Wheels Let's Race: S1 1 16,300,000 4:02 4,000,000 5 Love Is Blind: S6 4 43,800,000 12:42 3,400,000 6 One Day: Limited Series 5 20,400,000 6:40 3,100,000 7 American Conspiracy: The Octopus Murders: Season 1 2 8,900,000 3:44 2,400,000 8 Blood & Water: S4 1 10,500,000 4:40 2,200,000 9 Resident Alien: S1 4 16,200,000 7:33 2,100,000 10 The Tourist: S2 1 11,300,000 5:45 2,000,000 Netflix Top Ten TV in The US The Program: Cons, Cults and Kidnapping: Limited Series 3 Globally The Gentlemen: Season 1 1 Globally Love Is Blind: Season 6 5 Globally Avatar The Last Airbender: Season 1 2 Globally American Conspiracy: The Octopus Murders: Season 1 7 Globally Furies: Season 1 N/A Globally The Tourist: Season 2 10 Globally The Signal: Limited Series N/A Globally Hot Wheels Let's Race: Season 1 4 Globally Brooklyn Nine-Nine: Season 1 N/A Globally How Streaming Is About To Get A Lot More Expensive And Irritating We received an email from John pointing us to this video: How Streaming Is About To Get A Lot More Expensive And Irritating The Host John Campea had some really good thoughts on why Streaming is about to get a lot more expensive.

On this week's show we look at using a two channel powered speaker with ARC as a soundbar alternative and we look at the best 85" HDTVs you can purchase today. We also read your email and take a look at the week's news. News: Dish Network Loses 314,000 Pay TV Subs Fubo Adds 173,000 Subs and Cuts Loss in Q4 Warner to Crack Down on Max Password Sharing Later This Year Fox predicts sports venture will reach 5M in 5 years Other: Best Smart Home Gadgets To Avoid The Cloud Kanto's new active speakers - with HDMI ARC - could be a nifty soundbar alternative The new Kanto Ren are well-connected, featuring an HDMI input for hooking up to a TV as well as a USB-C input for playing files up to 24-bit/96kHz from a source player. An optical Toslink supports up to 24-bit/96kHz transmission, and there's a single RCA input alongside a 3.5mm jack. If you don't want to plug in directly, they're also kitted out with Bluetooth 5.3. Outputs, meanwhile, come courtesy of a single sub-out line and a single USB Charge. The new units are supplied with a remote control and feature a choice of two extra sound modes – vocal boost and night mode. The latter does one of two things. if a subwoofer is connected, the sub-out signal will be switched off and the low-frequencies will only be emitted from the speaker itself. If no subwoofer is connected, the Ren's bass will be reduced, presumably so as not to disturb your lower-floor neighbors when they're trying to get some kip. There's also a quarter-inch hole at the base of the units for mounting. The new units will be on sale from July, priced at $599 per pair, and are available in a choice of six colors: black, cream, white, green, brown and orange. Potential system to rival the Kento Ren for $250 less: Arylic Bluetooth aptX HD Stereo Amplifier $140 paired with RSL CG3M BOOKSHELF SPEAKER $210 for the pair total cost $350 The 5 Best 80-83-85 Inch TVs - Winter 2024 RTINGS.com We talk about large format HDTVs all the time and they range in super expensive to pretty darn cheap. But what are you getting for your money. RTINGS.com has posted their list of the 5 Best 80 - 85 inch TVs. We run them down for you on today's show. Best 80-85 Inch TV The best TV you can buy that's available in 80+ inches is the LG OLED83C3PUA ($3596). It's an excellent TV with stunning picture quality, especially in a dark room. It looks amazing in the dark thanks to its near-infinite contrast ratio that results in perfect inky blacks, with no distracting blooming or halos around bright highlights or subtitles. Combined with its high peak brightness and wide color gamut, the latest movies and shows in HDR look amazing. It's no slouch in a bright room either, as it's bright enough to fight glare, and its reflection handling is fantastic. Mixed Usage 9.0, TV Shows 8.6, Sports 8.8, Video Games 9.4, HDR Movies 9.0, HDR Gaming 9.1, PC Monitor 9.4 See full test results. Best Bright Room 80-85 Inch TV If you're rarely in a completely dark room, check out the Sony XR-85X95L ($4498) instead. It's a slightly larger TV than the LG C3 OLED, making it the best 85-inch TV you can get if you want something slightly bigger. It doesn't have the same perfect black levels as the OLED, but it has a truly incredible contrast ratio and black uniformity, leading to extremely deep blacks. Plus, it gets much brighter than the LG, so it's a better choice if you're in a very bright room, as it can overcome more glare. It also delivers brighter highlights in HDR. This, combined with its excellent color gamut, makes it an impressive choice for watching content in HDR10 or Dolby Vision HDR. Mixed Usage 8.6; TV Shows 8.3, Sports 8.4, Video Games 8.9, HDR Movies 8.8, HDR Gaming 8.9, PC Monitor 8.7 See full test results. Best Mid-Range 80-85 Inch TV If you don't want to spend an arm and a leg but still want good picture quality, then a mid-range TV like the Hisense 85U8K ($2198) is a good alternative. It's significantly cheaper than the Sony X95L or LG C3 OLED but still delivers amazing picture quality. It's just as bright as the Sony, and its contrast is almost as good due to a better overall local dimming solution. The Hisense displays a wide color gamut, has surprisingly good image processing, and supports advanced audio and video formats like our top two picks, so it's an amazing home theater TV for a lower price than the Sony or the LG. Mixed Usage 8.5; TV Shows 8.0, Sports 7.9, Video Games 8.8, HDR Movies 8.8, HDR Gaming 8.9, PC Monitor 8.5 See full test results. Best Lower Mid-Range 80-85 Inch TV If you're on a budget but want better picture quality than the budget option below, the Hisense 85U7K ($1798) is the best lower mid-range TV we've tested available in an 80 to 85-inch size. It's a great TV, with very good picture quality and a wide selection of additional features. It's basically a dimmer Hisense U8/U8K with a nearly identical feature set. It's still bright enough for a pleasant viewing experience in bright rooms. Its contrast, while wor

On this week's show we run down the top ten streaming shows of 2023 and give you ten cool automations for your home. We also read your email and take a look at the week's news. News: Amazon Denies Report Saying Freevee Is Shutting Down Sports Big Influence in Viewers' Platform Choice Get Ready for Another Netflix Price Hike This Year, Analyst Says Other: What REALLY Happens Backstage in Live Broadcasts - INSANE Adrenaline! 10 most streamed shows of 2023 According to Neilson Here are the 10 most streamed shows of 2023, according to Neilson, along with how many minutes that it's been watched last year: 10) "Supernatural": 22.8 billion minutes 9) "Heartland": 22.8 billion minutes 8) "Friends": 25 billion minutes 7) "Gilmore Girls": 25.2 billion minutes 6) "The Big Bang Theory": 27.8 billion minutes 5) "Cocomelon": 36.3 billion minutes 4) "Grey's Anatomy": 38.6 billion minutes 3) "NCIS": 39.4 billion minutes 2) "Bluey": 43.9 billion minutes 1) "Suits": 57.7 billion minutes viewed When it comes to original streaming shows, "Ted Lasso" topped the list with an impressive — but notably lesser — 16.9 billion minutes viewed. No other original streaming show cracked 15 billion minutes viewed last year. When it comes to streaming movies, Disney's 2016 hit "Moana" topped viewership minutes with 11.6 billion minutes viewed. No other streaming movie topped 10 billion minutes viewed. Combining the total viewership minutes of "Ted Lasso" and "Moana" brings you to 28.5 billion. That's less than half the total minutes viewed of "Suits," a show that ended nearly four years ago. Ten Cool Home Automations Home automation has come such a long way since the Insteon X10 systems of the 1980s and 1990s. Today there are numerous systems available and just about all of us have some form of automation that we use daily. We pulled together 10 cool automation routines that you may want to try yourself. Have your lights slowly dim just before bedtime. I was a skeptic when I saw this as an option but when I go to bed I do some reading and having the lights dim as I do is a nice way to doze off. I started out with the dimming taking 10 minutes. I liked it so much I now start it a full 30 minutes before my "official" bedtime. Set the lights to randomly flash to make it appear as if you're home when away. We all have lights that turn on automatically. This takes it to the next level. You could define a set of routines that only work when you set a "Vacation Mode" on your system. Set up different ones for each day of the week. Flash your lights when your doorbell rings. This is handy if you are out in the garage, basement, or any other room where you can't hear the doorbell. Comes in handy if you are blasting music. For bonus points you can have your wireless speakers play Men at Work's Who Can it Be Now. Create individual access codes for kids, guests, and extended family members. Then, get a phone notification when specific people arrive home. Have a certain song play out your speakers when certain people arrive. Just like walk up music for baseball. It's fun and you know who just walked in or opened the garage. Install a sensor on or inside your mailbox that alerts you when your mail has arrived/been picked up. I also set a virtual light switch that gets set to on when the sensor goes off. That way if I miss the actual notification I can see that the virtual light is on in my automation app. I clear it when I get the mail. One button press turns on all lighting for a given room, floor or entire house. Great for when you are walking into a dark house or to scare away someone who should not be there. At night, when motion is sensed, ramp lights to 15% (just enough light to see, not to be blinded). Set your door to automatically lock after a set amount of time has passed. With most smart locks, you can pick intervals between 30 seconds and one hour long. Dinner Bell. Set an automation tied to a button that plays a dinner bell through your wireless speakers that dinner is ready. Can also just send out a notification if people are outside.

On this week's show we take a brief look at a $120 wireless HDMI solution and we ask, who Needs to Buy Physical Media? We also read your emails and take a look at the news. News: Pay TV Companies, and the DOJ, Push Back on Big 'Spulu' Sports Streaming Joint Venture Roku (ROKU) shares down 16% after FQ4 earnings, Oppenheimer downgrades Comcast and Paramount Talk About Combining U.S. Streaming Services Walmart to acquire Vizio in $2.3 billion deal BMOSTE Wireless HDMI Transmitter and Receiver Small transmitter and receiver. About the size of USB Stick Dual-Band WI-FI. Long range (30m) stable connection Plug and play 1080p $120 Easily to setup but you need to provide power via the USB cable that is included. My Macbook Pro and Projector USB did not have enough power to run the device. I needed to add an external power supply to make it work. Once it was connected I immediately saw my computer screen. The picture looked good with no breakups while the laptop was in the same room. There was a lag that was noticeable and made it quirky to use the mouse. I think for gaming this is going to be a big issue. But for watching movies it's not really an issue at all. When I moved the laptop into another room that was about twenty feet away with two walls between the transmitter and receiver, the picture froze . However putting the laptop in the room directly behind the projector with one wall had no impact on the picture. If the TX and RX are in the same room you will have no issues. One wall will probably work but it will decrease the distance that you can transmit. Two walls will probably not work. If you need a wireless 1080p solution you can't beat this device on size and cost. Just keep distance and the number of walls you are going through in mind. We'll take a look at their 4K solution which is much bigger in size and costs about $50 more. Who Needs to Buy Physical Media Last week we received an email from a listener named Bob with a link to an article that discussed what "forever" means in the terms of digital content. The article pointed out that a streaming service owned by Sony was dumping libraries after April 2nd. You may not have heard about this because the streaming service is for Anime and is called Funimation. It's not like you'll be losing movies from Warner Brothers or Sony Pictures. There is a lot of talk about physical media vs digital. Which one would you rather have and use? Do you even need discs anymore? In this episode we will examine why or who would want to buy physical discs. Let's take a look at one of the biggest movies of last year and determine if you should buy the disc, buy the digital version, rent, or stream the movie. Oppenheimer - The story of American scientist J. Robert Oppenheimer and his role in the development of the atomic bomb. UHD - $23 includes Blu-Ray and Digital Code Blu-Ray - $18 include DVD and Digital Code Amazon Prime Video/AppleTV $19.99 Amazon Prime Video/AppleTV Rent $5.99 Peacock included with Service With all these options what makes the most sense? Are you going to watch it over and over in a theater that you spent thousands of dollars on and want every ounce of performance out of your system? Then by all means get the UHD Disc. That will be your best looking and sounding experience. You have a digital code as well, so if you just want to watch Oppenheimer for the tenth time without having to go through your library to find the disc and pop it into your player, you can call it up on whatever STB you use. If you just want to watch it once, even in your theater that cost thousands of dollars, rent it on Apple, Amazon, Vudu, or whatever service you use. If you decide later that you want to watch it once or twice more, you're still ahead of the game! There may be a slight perceivable degradation in quality but is it worth $12-$18 to barely notice an improvement in picture and sound? If you are sitting in a room with an awesome OLED and a high quality soundbar you may want to sign up for Peacock and stream it through the service for $12 a month. This option allows you to stream the many other shows available and then cancel if you don't find more value. Peacock allows you to stream Oppenheimer for $6 if you don't mind limited commercials. Only do this if there are other shows/movies you want to check out otherwise you can rent it for $6 on the various platforms without commercials. Disc sales have been declining for the last five years as people switch to streaming services to watch movies instead of disc purchase and rentals. There are less and less reasons for studios to manufacture discs. Those who like to have the physical copy of the disc are the vast minority. Whether you use Vudu, Amazon, or Apple, you have a huge library at your fingertips. Buy the digital copy of the movies you like to watch on repeat, rent the ones you want to watch once. Hell we'll say it, it's like having a Kaleidescape! If your hangup is quality, the difference in quality is pretty sma

On this week's show we take a look at a new report on the state of TV viewership. We also read your emails and take a look at the week's news. Finally We congratulate Eric Melton of Riverside CA on winning the CSS Audio Torii P2 Tower Speakers! News: Walmart in talks to buy Vizio for more than $2 bln TV Giants Team Up for Sports Comeback vs. Streamers Amazon's Prime Video Gets Exclusive NFL Playoff Game Next Season YouTube TV rolling out shortcut to switch between last-viewed channels on Roku Other: Prime Video cuts Dolby Vision, Atmos support from ad tier—and didn't tell subs | Ars Technica The State of TV Viewership Samba TV gathers viewership data via its proprietary Automatic Content Recognition (ACR) technology from tens of millions of opted- in Smart TVs. Samba TV's ACR is integrated at the chipset level across 24 of the top Smart TVs sold in more than 100 countries globally and captures content that crosses the TV screen, regardless of source. This results in unbiased, comprehensive viewership insights from around the world. In this report, Samba TV first-party data is supplemented with data from a nationwide survey conducted within the U.S. from 8/22/23- 8/30/23 among 2,507 adults by HarrisX. Results were weighted for age, gender, region, race/ethnicity, and income where necessary to align them with their actual proportions in the population. Monthly cable or satellite TV subscription Gen Z 39% Millennials 47% Gen X 47% Baby Boomers 57% Total TV hours watched: OTT & linear OTT Linear Q3 '22 1.40M 22B Q4 '22 1.39M 23B Q1 '23 1.45M 23B Q2 '23 1.30M 18.5B Q3 '23 1.75M 21.5B Q4 '23 1.62M 21.5B What TV Services viewers are watching less because they are watching FAST? 18% Transactional video-on-demand(TVOD) services (Pay per view or rent through Amazon or Apple ) 22% Virtual pay-TV services (IPTV) 23% Traditional broadcast/pay-TV services 32% Subscription video-on-demand(SVOD) services (Netflix Etc) 34% Not watching less of any service Subscribers to virtual multichannel TV services watch eight TV channels, on average, compared to 10 TV channels for traditional multichannel TV households, according to a recent Kagan US Consumer Insights survey. Video cord cutters and cord nevers who receive over-the-air local broadcast TV programming report watching three to four TV channels. Percentage of Cable and Satellite subscribers said they watch: ABC 62% CBS 60% NBC 60% Fox 50% ESPN 39% HIST 38% TNT 34% DISC 33% USA 33% TBS 32% Top TV Channels for IPTV subscribers ABC 45% CBS 43% NBC 40% Fox 37% ESPN 31% HBO 26% DISN 26% FX 26% Top three SVOD Services for Cable and Satellite subscribers Netflix 52% Amazon Prime Video 49% Hulu 32% Top four SVOD Services for IPTV subscribers Netflix 62% Amazon Prime Video 60% Hulu 55% Disney+ 43% Top three FAST Services for Cable and Satellite subscribers Tubi 22% Pluto TV 22% Freevee 17% Top four FAST Services for IPTV subscribers Tubi 34% Pluto TV 33% Roku Channel 32% Freevee 26% Percentage of population that streams content on mobile Gen Z 91% Millennials 88% Gen X 73% Baby Boomers 43% Silent 30% Most popular program amongst single program viewers for the second half of 2023 Netflix Quarterback S1 Disney+ Ahsoka S1 AppleTV+ Hijack S1 Prime Video Jack Ryan S4 Max And Just Like That S2 Paramount+ Special Ops Lioness S1 Hulu The Kardashians S4 45% of households that watched the top bingeable premieres of the second half of 2023 finished the season in five days. 68% of U.S. adults identify themselves as binge-watchers, while 76% of millennials do. 89 out of the 100 most watched linear programs of the second half of 2023 were related to sports. 76% of those 89 programs were NFL football. Top five second half of 2023 linear programs ABC - Monday Night Football - Kansas City Chiefs vs Philadelphia Eagles NBC - Sunday Night Football - New York Jets vs Kansas City Chiefs ABC - Monday Night Football - New York Jets vs Buffalo Bills NBC - Sunday Night Football - San Francisco 49ers vs Dallas Cowboys NBC - Sunday Night Football - Dallas Cowboys vs Philadelphia Eagles Top five second half of 2023 linear programs (excluding sports) NBC - 97th Annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade CBS - 60 Minutes 11/26 - Rise; Sealand; Ancient Vines CBS - 60 Minutes 12/10 - The Resistance; Red and Green; Novak Djokovic CBS - 60 Minutes 10/29 - Vice President Harris; A Quiet Invasion; The Air We Breathe; The State of the Blues CBS - 60 Minutes 9/17 - President Zelenskyy; Into the Streets; Prime Time in Colorado Despite the resounding success that Barbie vs. Oppenheimer saw, one pre-pandemic behavior has stuck around: strong viewership once these movies hit streaming platforms. While many movies land on paid video-on-demand platforms like Apple TV and Amazon Prime Video first, the data shows that it isn't until these titles hit popular streaming platforms for free that viewers opt to watch, making rights to these movies a huge win for streamers. Average number of TV ads seen per day by the top 50% of linear TV

On this week's show we discuss how Boutique Blu-ray labels are keeping physical media alive, we give you the pros and cons of streaming vs physical media and we talk a bit about password sharing. Plus we read your emails and take a look at the week's news. News: Hulu is cracking down on password sharing, just like Disney Plus and Netflix YouTube now has more than 100 million Premium subscribers YouTube plans to create a native app for Apple Vision Pro after all Netflix to Start Billing Florida Subscribers an Additional 5.07% for State Communications Taxes Other: Lovesac - Sactionals with StealthTech Sound + Charge Boutique Blu-ray Labels Keep Physical Media Alive — and Preserve Film History in the Process The supposed demise of physical media has been well covered and long lamented, with each passing year bringing reports of yet another nail in the coffin of the once flourishing DVD and Blu-ray market. Fall 2023 brought a double whammy of bad news: Netflix shipped its final discs to customers before closing up its DVD department for good, and a month later, Best Buy announced that it would be phasing out the sale of physical media. Yet, while DVDs are no longer the massive revenue generator for studios that they were throughout the first decade of the 2000s, it has never been a better time to be a physical media enthusiast. Thanks to independent labels like Criterion, Kino Lorber, Shout! Factory, Arrow, Imprint, Indicator, and many others, every month sees the release of well over a dozen exceptional titles, often lovingly restored and with indispensable scholarly extras. Full article here… Blu-ray vs Streaming 4K Blu-ray discs run at up to 128Mbps. This is the amount of data sent to your screen every second. By contrast, streaming services tend to top out at around 17Mbps. This also means you'll get better color and blacker blacks via disc since there will be compression artifacts with streaming. As far as audio goes, Dolby Atmos is available both on disc and via streaming, but streaming services deliver it in the compressed Dolby Digital+ format while discs have the full Dolby TrueHD track. If you want DTS:X, you need to be watching on a disc. Here the difference is not as great. Compressed Dolby Digital+ is almost indistinguishable from True HD. Some players may add noise, fan noise into your environment. During loud passages this is not an issue. But if there are long periods of low volume some players can actually be distracting. Of course if you have a good setup, you AV gear will be out of sight and out of earshot. If your setup consists of a 60" or less TV with a soundbar, this may all be moot for you. You can't beat the convenience of streaming either. Buy once, stream everywhere, including at 30,000 feet! Password Sharing With an increasing number of streaming services following Netflix's and Disney+'s lead in cracking down on password sharing, one in three U.S. TV content viewers (33%) are still borrowing log-in credentials or sharing the costs of at least one streaming service they can access, according to findings from Horowitz's "State of Media, Entertainment, and Tech: Disruptions" report. Main Drivers Someone I know already had an account I can't afford it at this time I am just doing it to access a specific show/type of content for a short period of time." Concerns 23% very worried access will be blocked 26% somewhat worried access will be blocked Half of those who borrow the log-in or share the cost for Netflix, Max, Disney+, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, and Paramount+ would be willing to pay the full price for those services if they were not able to share anymore. Password Sharing By Age 18-34 54% 35-49 37% 50+ 17% Think it is unethical 18-34 13% 35-49 24% 50+ 41% Younger viewers are also more likely to believe it is OK to password share even with people who are not family members.

On this week's show we look at the Box Office Report Card for the major studios and we review the TV Winners and Losers for 2023. We also read your emails and take a look at the week's news. News: Samsung will Eliminate Standalone SmartThings Hubs In 2024 Abode Announces Ultra Long Range, Battery Powered, AI-Enabled Security Camera FAST Channels Are Capturing Viewer Attention The Nickelodeon App Has Shut Down Along With The Comedy Central, MTV, Showtime, and Paramount Network Other: What Is WiSA? What You Need to Know and How it Works - ecoustics.com What is WiSA? The wireless home theater technology fully explained | Digital Trends TCL 98" Class S5 Series LED 4K UHD Smart Google TV 98S550G - Best Buy Enter to win custom built Torii P2 Tower Speakers Entry Page Box Office Report Card: Grading Disney, Warner Bros. and Other Studios on 2023 Movies Where would the 2023 box office be without the bomb and the bombshell? Full article… TV Winners And Losers Of 2023 It's been a big year for TVs. Across the board, from OLED and QLED to mini-LED, the best TV technologies have only gotten better – but it's clear that some display types have fared better than others, and that consumer demand is continuing to shape the market in some interesting ways. Full article here…

On this week's show we review the Victrola Hi-Res Carbon Turntable that retails for $599. We also read your emails and take a look at the week's news. News: Apple's Vision Pro Won't Launch With Netflix App Plex is about to launch a store for movies and TV shows Netflix Will Be The New Home of WWE Monday Night Raw in 2025 Is Hollywood Headed for a Massive Crash? Other: Samsung expands self-repair program to include home entertainment devices CSS-Audio Torii Tower Youtube Shorts Playlist Victrola Hi-Res Carbon Turntable In an era dominated by digital music and streaming, the Victrola Hi-Res Carbon Turntable emerges as a beacon of nostalgia, offering a captivating journey back to the golden age of vinyl - but with a few modern twists. Designed for discerning audio enthusiasts and music aficionados alike, this remarkable record player promises superior performance and effortless setup, making it a highly recommended addition to any audiophile's collection. It retails for $599. Overview Product highlights: semi-automatic belt-driven turntable built-in Bluetooth with high-quality aptX HD and aptX Adaptive streaming to compatible speakers and headphones anti-resonant die-cast aluminum platter straight carbon fiber tonearm Ortofon 2M Red moving magnet cartridge on removable curved headshell included auto-stop feature (user must select "auto-stop" using button on rear of turntable) platter starts spinning when you hover the tonearm over the leading edge of a record platter stops spinning at the end of a side switchable built-in phono preamp adjustable anti-skating and counterweight speeds: 33-1/3 and 45 rpm Connections: gold plated RCA output with ground for making wired connection to an existing hi-fi system detachable power cord Performance specs: wow and flutter: 0.175% signal-to-noise ratio: 45dB Setup The Victrola Hi-Res Carbon is designed to be user-friendly, ensuring a smooth and hassle-free setup process even for those new to turntables. As soon as you open the box, before you even pull the player out, you're greeted with a clear diagram and description of the 7 steps required to get the unit to start playing records. The diagram has clear and concise instructions guiding you through each of the fairly typical steps involved in setting up a turntable. If you've done it before, you know the steps; if you've never done it, the steps are simple. It is the easiest record player we've ever set up. Depending on how you opt to install, you can be listening to vinyl in under 5 minutes. The turntable has two output options, there are RCA connectors in the back that you can run to a traditional amplifier and speakers. But it also has Bluetooth - so you can send your music to your bluetooth speakers totally wirelessly. We set it up so we could test both options. For the RCA wired connection we used a Yamaha A-S701 amplifier powering a set of Ara Derderian signature tower speakers. For Bluetooth we got our hands on a couple different pairs of AptX headphones. We didn't have any AptX wireless speakers to test with, but the headphones gave us a pretty good idea of what to expect. All told, from unboxing to savoring the first notes of your cherished records, the entire experience is streamlined and simple. Performance As simple as it is to install, where the Victrola Hi-Res Carbon truly shines is in its exceptional audio performance. We compared it with Braden's current record player, a Yamaha MusicCast VINYL 500 turntable that retails for $100 more than the Victrola at $699. The audio performance difference between the two was astonishing. We would play a song from an album on one player, then transfer the record to the other player and listen to it again. The first time we went from Yamana to Victrola, we had to double check that nobody bumped the EQ. The base was cleaner and more pronounced, everything in each song we tested just sounded better, clearer, more dynamic coming from the Vicrtola. It's rare for one piece of home audio gear to so wildly change your view of the world. Listening to records is a fun, nostalgic experience. Oftentimes you revel in and enjoy some of the static, the crackling and popping that we remember so fondly from our youth. But with records, we never really stop to ask ourselves if what we're hearing is the best that record can sound. You pull out a record, you play it, and that's it. But the Victrola has changed, at least Braden's approach, to record players - it made every record we played sound better than his Yamaha. Next step was testing Bluetooth performance. You'd be surprised how rare AptX still is in headphones, so we had to procure a few pairs to make sure we were hearing the best the Victrola could offer, and it did not disappoint. While the listening experience is vastly different between a pair of tower speakers and a pair of wireless headphones, The Victrola performed incredibly well. The music sounded clear, clean and very rich. We can imagine that paired with a set of high qual

On this week's show Ara and DJ of Brightside Home Theater Podcast rundown the best of CES 2024. Are also reads your emails and takes a look at the week's news. News: NBC Claims Streaming Crown, Angers NFL Fans Fire TV's New Feature Lets You Create AI-Generated Artwork With Help From Alexa Sling TV Freestream Adds A Free DVR Other: SONUS FABER LAUNCHES SUPREMA, ITS MOST ASPIRATIONAL LOUDSPEAKER SYSTEM YET, IN CELEBRATION OF THE BRAND'S 40TH ANNIVERSARY - HomeTheaterHifi.com He spent his life building a $1 million stereo. The real cost was unfathomable QDEL Is Real | Sharp Display Ready To Make Self-Emissive Quantum Dot Displays Xgimi shows off projector that doubles as a ceiling light, also a $3,000 IMAX-certified model | TechSpot CSS-Audio Torii Tower Youtube Shorts Playlist The Best of CES 2024 Samsung's glare-free OLED TV - Samsung has developed a Glare-Free technology that it claims will be great in both low light and brighter rooms, won't be affected by viewing angles, and won't mess with contrast or colors either. Look for this in the S95D and S90D. People who have seen this tech say "It's where light goes to die". The Best TV according to The Verge and Best Audio/Video according to Digital Trends and CNET [Best of CES 2024] TCL QM89 115-inch QLED TV - the world's largest QD Mini LED TV! With a 115" screen, the new mega-size 115QM89 truly becomes the ultimate home theater. This model includes QD Mini LED ULTIMATE with a massively high 20,000 dimming zones. It also incorporates the TCL AIPQ ULTRA Processor, as even more horsepower is needed for such high zone control to ensure huge, yet pristine images. This new 115" model includes all the features of the other QM8 models, plus a 6.2.2 Channel Speaker system for truly room filling sound. Best Audio/Video according to Digital Trends Samsung The Premiere 8K - The Premiere 8K is the world's first projector offering wireless connectivity. Removing the need for cables, this solution allows consumers to keep their living spaces neat and tidy. The ultra-short throw projector comes packed with smart features — such as picture-off premium home audio, cloud gaming, always-on voice with far-field mic and four multi-view screen splits — to extend usability and provide almost increased use cases. The projector incorporates Samsung's patented "Sound-on-Screen" technology, integrating the top speaker module and software algorithms for an immersive sound experience. Best projector according to Tech Radar (best Gadgets) Hisense 110UX TV - The 110UX incorporates over 40,000 backlight zones across a 110-inch screen. That high-output mini-LEDs produce 10,000-nit maximum brightness which is about five times brighter than the typical high end TV. Hisense says the 110UX can achieve 95% of the BT.2020 Spec. No mention on HDR support but why would they build a TV like this and not support Dolby Vision? No pricing of availability has been announced. Best Audio/Video according to Digital Trends Ballie - Introduced in 2020 Ballie is a smart home companion that welcomes users home by taking care of household tasks, displaying the day's events and sharing weather updates. It got an upgrade thai year and has added a moving projector, in case you want it to display a workout video onto your wall or project a little greeting message on your floor when you come home. Most irrationally loved product according to The Verge and Engadget [Best of CES 2024] Lockly Visage and Philips Palm Recognition Deadbolt- TechRadar (The Best smart Home Tech) Sennheiser Momentum 4 True Wireless - adding Qualcomm's new chip with Snapdragon Sound for CD-quality audio if you have a compatible phone, but they're also ready for the future of regular Bluetooth with support for Bluetooth 5.4 and LE Audio and Auracast. Best Headphones according to Tech Radar (best Gadgets) and Engadget [Best of CES 2024] LG Signature OLED T - it's only available in 77". It uses LG's wireless transmission technology so the only wire running to the television is power. A separate box that can be placed up to 30 feet away from the TV transmits source video. Future versions could go bigger or smaller depending on customer feedback. Pricing has not been set. Best in show according to The Verge and Best TV according to Tech Radar (best Gadgets) and Best Audio/Video according to Digital Trends and Engadget [Best of CES 2024] and CNET [Best of CES 2024] Samsung HW-Q990D - This soundbar features a 11.1.4-channel configuration, immersive Dolby Atmos sound and supports pass through of content in 4K 120Hz. It analyzes audio and uses AI to optimize sound for the perfect experience across a wide range of content. Best Soundbar according to Tech Radar (best Gadgets) Samsung Music Frame - According to Samsung this customizable speaker seamlessly blends into its environment by camouflaging as a modern picture frame that can display art or photography. It features built-in woofers along with intelligent audio processing for a premium audio experie

It's that time of year where the tech world descends on Las Vegas for CES. On this week's show we discuss a few announcements that we found interesting. We also read your emails and look at the week's news. News: Roku Introduces High-End 'Pro Series' Lineup of Its Self-Branded Smart TVs Netflix Released 16% Fewer Shows in 2023 Roku To Launch Pro Series TVs Sony's prototype TV backlight tech and it looks amazing Other: The BEST Streaming! | Wakanda Forever 4K UHD HDR Streaming Review CES 2024 TCL 115" Mini LED TV - For 2024, TCL introduces the world's largest QD Mini LED TV! With a 115" screen, the new mega-size 115QM89 truly becomes the ultimate home theater. This model includes QD Mini LED ULTIMATE with a massively high 20,000 dimming zones. It also incorporates the TCL AIPQ ULTRA Processor, as even more horsepower is needed for such high zone control to ensure huge, yet pristine images. This new 115" model includes all the features of the other QM8 models, plus a 6.2.2 Channel Speaker system for truly room filling sound. Full Press Release on all Mini LED TVs can be found here. Estimated Price $20K Also - TCL introduced several new product lines with NextGen TV tuners. This comes after LG said it would not include ATSC 3.0 tuners back in September due to patent concerns. TCL Q75H is a 5.1.2 Channel Dolby Atmos Sound Bar. In addition to the features of the S55H, the Q75H includes the Ray-Danz Acoustic Wave-Guide Reflectors to direct sound across the width of the room. This model also includes a Center Channel Speaker, built-in tweeters, built-in up-firing Dolby Atmos Speakers, and built-in Side Surround Speakers. TCL Q85H is a 7.1.4 Channel Dolby Atmos Sound Bar. Stepping up from the Q75H, it adds rear speakers that are wireless but also include rear up-firing Dolby Atmos Drivers. The Q85H creates a truly enveloping sound, and a sound experience that needs to be auditioned. Press Release Hisense 110UX TV - The 110UX incorporates over 40,000 backlight zones across a 110-inch screen. That high-output mini-LEDs produce 10,000-nit maximum brightness which is about five times brighter than the typical high end TV. Hisense says the 110UX can achieve 95% of the BT.2020 Spec. No mention on HDR support but why would they build a TV like this and not support Dolby Vision? No pricing of availability has been announced. Press Release LG Transparent OLED - Called OLED T, it's only available in 77". It uses LG's wireless transmission technology so the only wire running to the television is power. A separate box that can be placed up to 30 feet away from the TV transmits source video. Future versions could go bigger or smaller depending on customer feedback. Pricing has not been set. Also - LG revealed that the company's new OLED TVs for 2024 will be the first sets to feature a Dolby Vision Filmmaker Mode. Filmmaker Mode, it's a standardized picture preset for TVs that was developed by the UHD Alliance in response to filmmakers unhappy with the way their films looked on most TVs, with inaccurate color and aggressive motion "smoothing" being two of the main sticking points. Full LG CES info can be found here Philips 5000 Series Wi-Fi Palm Recognition Smart Deadbolt - With this Philips smart lock, the world's first deadbolt with palm recognition, enjoy the most secure and convenient unlocking experience. Or unlock with a key, PIN code, or the Philips Home Access app to make returning home stress-free. The Smart Lock will go on sale in the US early this year and will retail for $360. Lockly - With Visage you can unlock your property by simply approaching it, or with your Apple Home Keys or Apple Watch. Integrate with your smart home devices with Matter™ Arriving this summer. Samsung Anti Glare OLED - Samsung has developed a Glare-Free technology that it claims will be great in both low light and brighter rooms, won't be affected by viewing angles, and won't mess with contrast or colors either. Look for this in the S95D and S90D. People who have seen this tech say "It's where light goes to die". Also - Samsung launched a new "map view" for SmartThings. It shows an interactive map of your home complete with the location of any smart home devices within. Maps can be created manually or automatically with the help of a photo of an existing floor plan or with a lidar-enabled Samsung device, like the company's forthcoming Ballie robot or new JetBot robot vacuum. Maps have to be generated using the SmartThings app on a smartphone or tablet. But once that's done, they'll display on supported Samsung TVs, the screen of the Samsung Family Hub smart fridge and Samsung's M8 monitors. Nanoleaf - Nanoleaf announced the launch of several new Matter-enabled lighting options, including its first outdoor lights. The company is also debuting a new music feature using Orchestrator software for the Nanoleaf Desktop App, which will use real-time music analysis to create light shows that match with the beat. Orchestrator is able to connect direct

Happy New Year! We are excited to be back for another year. On this week's show we look at five reasons why you need a 4K Blu-ray player. We also have a backlog of emails and news. News: Warner Bros. Discovery Reportedly in Merger Talks With Paramount An update on Prime Video 2024 Box-Office To Drop A Billion Dollars? Americans are canceling their streaming subscriptions Netflix Viewing Declined By 17% in 2023 Other: I tested Blu-ray vs Netflix and Disney Plus on the same movies, and the biggest difference surprised me | TechRadar Sony won't take away your PlayStation-bought Discovery shows after all 5 reasons why you need a 4K Blu-ray player It's hard to deny that streaming has overtaken disc-based formats like Blu-ray and DVD as the main method for watching movies at home. The best streaming services like HBO Max (now just Max), Netflix, and Amazon Prime Video offer a wide selection of movies, and smaller services like The Criterion Channel, Shudder, Mubi, and many others are there to fill in any gaps for film fanatics with a wide assortment of classic, genre, and independent fare. Full article here…

We are taking the week off. Happy New Year from the HT Guys!

On this week's show, Inflation is up but Electronics have never been Cheaper! We also read your emails and the week's news. There is no show next week. Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and Happy New Year from the HT Guys! News: Smart TV Shipments Have Fallen to a Decade Low in 2023 Say goodbye to the Netflix app on these old Sony TVs and Blu-ray players Genius Move? Amazon Reportedly in Talks to Bail Out Bankrupt Bally Sports RSNs YouTube TV adding a button shortcut to switch between last-viewed channels Other: The 100 Greatest Shows of all Time Inflation is up but Electronics have never been Cheaper! On last week's show I said that a $4600 TV would have cost $26000 in 1975. I even went to a calculator to get my result. But when I entered the amounts I had the years reversed. Instead of getting what $4600 today would be worth in 1975 I got what $4600 in 1975 would be worth today. For the record, $4600 in 1975 was worth $805. I got a couple of emails from listeners and a phone call from DJ of Brightside Home Theater telling me I was wrong. But in speaking with DJ I realized what I was trying to say and had a week to get it straight. The main point I was trying to make was that a TV of the caliber of the 77" Sony OLED ($4600) would cost more than the equivalent of $4600 in 2023. For this analysis we will consider the cost of electronics as a percentage of the median income vs today. Median income 1970 ~$8,500 1975 ~$11,500 1979 ~$16,000 2023 ~$99,000 Here are some TV of the day: Basic Bedroom TV 1970 Admiral Color TV - 12" Admiral Precision crafted K-10 Chassis $249.95. In today's dollars $1978.03. As a percentage of income 2.3% in 1970 dollars Generic Family TV 1975 Montgomery Wards Brand TV - 25" Solid State Chassis, bright super vivid picture tube, twin 4" speakers etc $499.99. In today's dollars $2853.58. As a percentage of income 4.3% in 1975 dollars. Large format Screen 1979 General Electric Widescreen 1000 75" 4:3 TV with an option for a VCR sold for $2800. The VCR Option cost $1000. In today's dollars $11842.10 and $4229.35. As a percentage of income 17.5% and 6.25% respectively in 1970 dollars. Now let's look at comparable setups today. Small Bedroom TV - I am going to say that a 43" Vizio V Series would be the equivalent of the 12" admiral. It goes for $250 or 2.5% of the median income. You can say that it's essentially the same percent of the median income. But what you get is 100 times better than the best TV of the day. You can even find something cheaper with minimal effort. Generic Family TV - I am going to say that the Best Buy Insignia line fits that niche. For this one we will go with the 65" F30 Series LED 4K UHD Smart Fire TV at $330. Which is 3.3% of the median income. It's 1% cheaper in equivalent dollars but again, you get 100 times the performance. Large format Screen For this we will use the TV that started this whole conversation, the 77" Sony OLED for $4600. That is 4.6% of today's median income which is 13% less than the 75" GE. And throw in an AppleTV instead of the VCR for $200 or less than 1% and you have a system we could only dream about in 1979! So yes things cost way more today than a couple of years ago, but at least our electronics are cheaper than ever! And just for fun, here is an ad for a Sony front projection system from 1983.

On this week's show we look at the 7 best TVs for your Holiday Shopping. We also read your emails and take a look at the week's news. News: YouTube TV looks to lessen live latency with broadcast delay feature Sorry, Stranger Things season 5 isn't likely to make its Netflix debut in 2024 Comcast Starts Doling Out Xumo Stream Box to Its Internet Customers Google TV is Getting Updated With 14 New Free Channels & A Speed Boost The 7 Best TVs For your Holiday Shopping If you are looking for an idea for a family gift for the holidays we have you covered. These are the 7 best TVs to make your holidays a little brighter. Plus these TVs will make watching the Rose Parade a spectacle of color and detail. This is comes from RTINGS.com Best Cheap TV TCL S4/S450G (50" $240 - 85" $799) - If you want something cheap that gets the job done, the TCL S4/S450G is the best widely available cheap TV we've tested. It's an okay entry-level TV, delivering a surprisingly good picture quality for a cheap TV. It's a decent choice for a dark room, with its satisfactory contrast ratio and decent black uniformity. It has good reflection handling, so even though it doesn't get very bright, it's certainly good enough for a moderately lit room. The TV supports Dolby Vision HDR, but it isn't nearly bright enough for it to matter. Full Review here… Mixed Usage 6.7, TV Shows 6.3, Sports 6.2, Video Games 7.1, HDR Movies 6.9; HDR Gaming 7.3 PC Monitor 6.6 Best Budget TV Hisense U6/U6K (55" $448 - 75" $798) - If you want to spend less, the best budget TV we've tested is the Hisense U6/U6K. It delivers surprisingly great performance for the price. The Hisense has excellent contrast, so dark scenes look amazing in a dark room, with little blooming around bright areas of the screen. It also has good peak brightness in SDR and decent reflection handling, so glare isn't an issue in a brighter room. It has an excellent color volume, making this TV very colorful overall. It's bright enough in HDR for a pleasant viewing experience, and just like the Hisense U8/U8K, it supports both HDR10+ and Dolby Vision HDR, although it doesn't support advanced DTS audio formats. Full Review here… Mixed Usage 7.4, TV Shows 6.9, Sports 7.0, Video Games 7.8, HDR Movies 7.5, HDR Gaming 8.0, PC Monitor 7.7 Best Upper Mid-Range TV LG C3 OLED (42" $896 - 83" $3996) - If you want a good home entertainment OLED but don 't want to get the expensive Sony A95L OLED, check out one of the best upper mid-range TVs we've tested, the LG C3 OLED. It's a premium TV that delivers stunning picture quality, especially in dark rooms; thanks to its near-infinite contrast ratio, there's no blooming around bright objects. It gets bright enough to fight glare even in moderately-lit rooms, and the reflection handling is incredible, but it doesn't use quantum dot technology, so colors aren't as bright as some of our other picks. The LG partly makes up for it with its versatility, as it has very good image processing, Dolby Vision HDR support with Dolby Vision gaming at 120Hz, and can passthrough advanced DTS audio formats. Like the Sony TVs, the LG supports Dolby Vision HDR, which is more widely used than Samsung's competing HDR10+. Full Review here… Mixed Usage 9.0, TV Shows 8.6, Sports 8.8, Video Games 9.4, HDR Movies 9.0, HDR Gaming 9.1, PC Monitor 9.4 Best Bright Room TV (Sony X93L/X93CL (65" $1598 - 85" $3498) - If you mainly watch TV in a bright room, a TV with an LED backlight and higher peak brightness, like the Sony X93L/X93CL, is a better choice than the top two picks on this list. It's an excellent TV with impressive picture quality and an incredible peak brightness that helps it overcome glare in a bright room. It still looks good in a dark room thanks to its high contrast ratio and Mini LED local dimming feature, but there's more distracting blooming around bright highlights and subtitles in darker scenes compared to an OLED TV. Full Review here… Mixed Usage 8.5, TV Shows 8.2, Sports 8.3, Video Games 8.8, HDR Movies 8.5, HDR Gaming 8.8, PC Monitor 8.6 Best Home Theater TV Sony A95L OLED (55" 2498 - 77" $4598) - If you're looking for the absolute best TV for a home theater setup and don't care as much about the price, check out the Sony A95L OLED. Although it's a very similar TV to the Samsung S90C OLED, it's better for home theaters thanks to its advanced video format support. Compared to Samsung's HDR10+ format, the Sony TV supports the more popular Dolby Vision HDR, so you'll enjoy the most advanced HDR experience possible from almost any source. Sony's processing does a better job following the content creator's intent, so the brightness and colors of HDR content look the way they're supposed to. It also offers better audio format support than the Samsung, including DTS:X passthrough over eARC, so you can simplify your connection to your audio-video receiver by running everything through your TV without sacrificing audio quality. Full Review here… Mixed Usage 9.2, TV Shows 8.9, S

On this week's show, now that the SAG strike is over we take a look at the network TV lineup. We also read your emails and take a look at the week's news. News: Amazon Prime Video to kick off Premier League matches in HDR Apple TV Plus and Paramount Plus reportedly discussing cheap bundle plan to take on Netflix Roku Adds Food and Home Destinations to Home Screen Disney Has Merged Hulu Into The Disney+ App Today Other: Scentsy Flameless Candles PlayStation deleting users' purchased TV shows without refunds - FlatpanelsHD Zappiti Calls It Quits | Audioholics Network Premiere Schedule Post Strike CBS Sunday, Feb. 11: "Tracker" - approximately 10 pm EST/7 PST Monday, Feb. 12: "The Neighborhood" Season 6 - 8 pm "Bob Hearts Abishola" Season 5 - 8:30 pm "NCIS" Season 21 - 9 pm "NCIS: Hawai'i" Season 3 - 10 pm Tuesday, Feb. 13: "FBI" Season 6 - 8 "FBI: Internation" Season 3 - 9 pm "FBI: Most Wanted" Season 5 - 10 pm Thursday, Feb. 15: "Young Sheldon" Season 7 - 8 pm "Ghosts" Season 3 - 8:30 pm "So Help Me Todd" Season 2 - 9 pm "Tracker" (regular time slot) - 10 pm Friday, Feb. 16: "S.W.A.T." Season 7 - 8 pm "Fire Country" Season 2 - 9 pm "Blue Bloods" Season 14 - 10 pm Sunday, Feb. 18: "The Equalizer" Season 4 - 8 pm "CSI: Vegas" Season 3 - 10 pm Wednesday, Feb. 28: "Survivor" Season 46 - 8 pm Thursday, Feb. 29: "Elsbeth" Series premiere - 10 pm Wednesday, March 13: "The Amazing Race" Season 36 - 9:30 pm NBC Most NBC series are eyeing 13-episode seasons. Saturday, Dec. 23: Extended Family (Series premiere) - 8 pm Night Court (Special holiday episode) - 8:30 pm Monday, Jan. 1 AMERICA'S GOT TALENT: FANTASY LEAGUE (Series premiere) - 8 pm Tuesday, Jan. 2 Night Court (Time period premiere) - 8 pm EXTENDED FAMILY (Time period premiere) - 8:30 pm Tuesday, Jan. 9 La Brea (Final season premiere) - 9 pm Found (First of final two episodes of season) - 10 pm Wednesday, Jan. 17 Chicago Med (Season premiere) - 8 pm Chicago Fire (Season premiere) - 9 pm Chicago P.D. (Season premiere) - 10 pm Thursday, Jan. 18 Law & Order (Season premiere) - 8 pm Law & Order: SVU (Season premiere) - 9 pm Law & Order: Organized Crime (Season premiere) - 10 pm Friday, Jan. 19 Transplant (Time period premiere) - 8 pm Monday, Jan. 29 The Irrational (First of final four episodes of season) - 10 pm Monday, FEB. 26 The Voice (Season premiere, part 1) - 8 pm DEAL OR NO DEAL ISLAND (Season premiere) - 9:30 pm Tuesday, Feb. 27 The Voice (Season premiere, part 2) - 8 pm Monday, March 4 DEAL OR NO DEAL ISLAND (Time period premiere) - 10 pm ABC Monday, January 22nd The Bachelor Season 28 - 8pm 20/20 "True Crime Edition" - 10pm Wednesday, February 7th The Conners Season 6 - 8pm Not Dead Yet Season 2 - 8:30pm Abbott Elementary Season 3 (one-hour premiere) - 9pm Judge Steve Harvey - 10pm Wednesday, February 14th Abbott Elementary (single episode) - 9pm (TBA) - 9:30pm Sunday, February 18th American Idol Season 22 - 8pm What Would You Do? - 10pm Tuesday, February 20th Will Trent Season 2 - 8pm The Rookie Season 6 - 9pm The Good Doctor Season 7 - 10pm Thursday, March 14th 9-1-1 Season 7 (ABC premiere, formerly on Fox) - 8pm Grey's Anatomy Season 20 - 9pm Station 19 Season 7 - 10pm Fox Tuesday, Jan. 2 Celebrity Name That Tune (winter premiere) - 8 pm THE FLOOR (series premiere) - 9 pm Wednesday, Jan. 3 I Can See Your Voice (season premiere) - 8 pm WE ARE FAMILY (series premiere) - 9 pm Sunday, Jan. 7 GRIMSBURG (special preview) - 8 pm Krapopolis - 8:30 pm Bob's Burgers - 9 pm The Great North (season premiere) - 9:30 pm Mondays, beginning Jan. 22 TMZ Investigates (season premiere) - 8 pm America's Most Wanted (season premiere) - 9 pm Sunday, Jan. 28 Next Level Chef (special preview) - 10 pm Thursdays, beginning Feb. 1 Next Level Chef (time slot premiere) - 8 pm Farmer Wants a Wife (season premiere) - 9 pm Sundays, beginning Feb. 18 The Simpsons - 8 pm Krapopolis - 8:30 pm The Great North (time period premiere) - 9 pm GRIMSBURG (time period premiere) - 9:30 pm Tuesdays, beginning Mar. 5 The Cleaning Lady (season premiere) - 8 pm Alert: Missing Persons Unit (season premiere) - 9 pm Wednesdays, beginning Mar. 6 The Masked Singer (season premiere) - 8 pm Animal Control (season premiere) - 9 pm Family Guy (spring premiere, new time slot) - 9:30 pm

On this week's show Ara discusses his automated Holiday lights by Nanoleaf. And John Lyman was kind enough to review the 75" Hisense U7K which he picked up for $999! We also read your emails and take a look at the week's news. News: Chromecast With Google TV 4K is On Sale At Its Lowest Price Ever In a Post Black Friday Sale Streaming Services Will Double the Number of Pricing Tiers in 2024 Cord Cutters Will Outnumber Cable TV Subscribers By The End of The Year Sonos Plans To Launch $400 AirPods Max Rival, Set-Top Box And Much More Other: Finally! A home automation hub that makes sense--Homey Pro Review Chuck Ackermn's Amazing Light Show Nanoleaf Christmas Lights Review I recently bought the Nanoleaf Smart Holliday String lights for the sale price of $90. They are now at the regular price of $100 at the Nanoleaf Website. I just installed them and have mixed feelings about them. Features: 250 Addressable LEDs | 20m 16+ Million Colors and Tunable Whites Use with Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or Matter over Wi-Fi Control with Attached Controller, Nanoleaf App or through a Smart Home Ecosystem I connected the lights to my home prior to putting them up under my eaves. It was pretty straight forward and like pretty much every smart home product you buy it needed a firmware upgrade. The whole process took about ten minutes. Installation is like any other Christmas light installation right down to the frustration with the LEDs not wanting to lay flat against the eaves. Be prepared to do a lot of clamping to make your lights look like good little soldiers. The first pass was to make the lights completely hidden under the eaves. When it was complete, it looked good but not nearly bright enough to give the desired effect. Round two was to remove the lights that took forever to get perfectly installed and attach them to flush to the bottom of the eaves. Again taking time to make the wire look as uniform as possible. The lights don't look like Christmas lights and being flush should placate any HOA that has rules about leaving your Christmas Lights up all year long. Using the new configuration delivered the desired effect of being able to change how my lights look just by pressing a button. There are a lot of different scenes that people have developed so finding something you like is very easy. I may add a thin track to hide the wire but for now I am happy with the lights. There are other options out there that are far more sophisticated and can produce a dazzling light show. But those cost ten times the Nanoleaf's $100 price tag. Chuck Ackermn's Amazing Light Show Hisense U7K Review From time to time our very talented listeners share a review of a product that they have been using. Today, John Lyman was kind enough to review the 75" Hisense U7K which he picked up for $999! Features: Mini-LED - Full array local dimming Quantum Dot technology creates over a billion shades of color HDR - Dolby Vision, HDR10, HDR10+, and HLG. 144Hz Game Mode Pro 2.1.2 50W driving 5 speakers including rear 'overhead' speakers and a built-in subwoofer Hands Free Voice Control Google TV Supports HDMI 2.1, Apple Home, Apple AirPlay, Wifi 6E, Wisa, NextGenTV Four or five years ago we redid our media room to make it more usable. The downside was I lost my beloved projector and 110" screen. I originally replaced the projector with a 70" Vizio E Series after holiday pricing and our Costco rebate. I paid about $250 knowing I would be upgrading down the road. This fall I was given the green light from the financial committee that I could upgrade the TV. As much as I wanted a bigger screen, we decided that a 75" would be the best fit for the space and keep it safe from our 14-year-old son. I started doing my research on the web and came away with a short list of TVs that was made shorter when a lot of last year's models were not available. I ended up with about 8 TV's (Samsung, LG, etc.) in the under $1300 range and did a RTings shoot-out between them using their TV compare feature. This gave me three finalists. A Vizio P Series Quantum (2021 model), TCL Q7 and the Hisense U7K. The Hisense U7K came out with the best overall score 8.2 with sports and TV viewing receiving a 7.8 and movies receiving an 8.3. These are the 3 things I care most about. The TCL Q7 came in a close second. I then looked for an online review and saw great reviews about the Hisense and TCL - finding comparisons to the 2021 P Series was much harder. Basically, it became a coin toss between the TCL Q7 and Hisense U7K. Reviewers liked both TV's. I ended up picking the Hisense - why you ask - because I'm a good dad and they offered a free copy of NBA 2k24 Black Mamba edition with purchase (see above about my 14-year-old son). Once I had the TV here I found this review from Caleb at Digital Trends Hisense U7K ULED mini-LED TV review: | Digital Trends basically calling it the Best TV for most people. I have also recommended this TV to my boss who purchased the TV. Once the TV arrived it took me a

On this week's show the HT Guys take a trip down memory lane and discuss what they are thankful for. We also read your emails and take a look at the week's news. News: Bankrupt Diamond Sports Group 'Is Now Going To Shut Down' Sonos fixes its Dolby Atmos loud pop issue after years of complaints Samsung TV Plus Touts 60% Global Viewership Increase in 1 Year Cable TV and Satellite 'Risk Fading Into the Background Faster Than Anyone Expected' Other: Club Hotel - Book a Reservation! - Each room has a 40" TCL Roku TV and high speed internet. Button Worx - Remote Control Button Repair Mark's Wyze Garage Door Controller Installation Hints Close all the apps on the smartphone. Shut it down and restart it, opening only the Wyze app and home Wi-Fi software. I have an eero Wi-Fi system. I enabled "Legacy Mode" in case the camera had trouble with IPV6. Also, I disabled the 5 Ghz band for 10 minutes because the camera uses the 2.4 Ghz band. I used my eero Guest Network to set up the camera because it is far less crowded that my "regular" eero network. The QR code's 8 ½ x 11-inch size made it too big for a single panel of my garage door. I solved this by scanning the letter-size QR code, and then printing it at 60 pct. so it would fit on a single panel. This way, when the garage door opens and closes, it doesn't crease or wrinkle the QR code sticker. I had a licensed electrician connect the two wires to my garage door opener, which was installed in 2006. My reasoning was that I know nothing about electrical wiring, and if anything went wrong, the electrician could fix it. Nothing went wrong, and the electrician did the hook-up in 15 seconds. A-Lady integration involved setting up the Wyze "skill," which was easy and which the Wyze directions explained. HT Guys Reminisce about the early days of their Podcast This is the link to the winner of the HT Guys Ultimate Home Theater contest from 12 years ago. Become part of the Dolby Digital Experience

On this week's show it's time for Black Friday! We scoured the Internet to find you the best deals! We also read your emails and the week's news. News: WOW! Says More Than 13% of New Customers Are Taking YouTube TV Dish Network and Hearst Come to Retrans Agreement, End Two-Month Blackout Netflix and Prime Video Have Longest Subscription Durations Sharp is set to unveil the new Roku OLED TV with Dolby Atmos and Dolby Vision IQ Other: Top 5 Smart Home Products for 2023 from CEDIA Expo - Can you afford them? Back Friday Deals Best Buy Roku TV 55" Plus Series 4K QLED TV: was $499 now $399 TCL 65" Q5 4K QLED TV: was $599 now $399 Insignia 55" F30 4K Fire TV: was $399 now $259 Samsung 50" 4K TV: was $379 now $299 LG 55" UQ70 4K TV: was $499 now $299 Roku TV 75" Plus Series 4K QLED TV: was $999 now $799 Beats Flex Wireless Earbuds: was $69 now $49 Google Nest Cam (Indoor/Wired): was $99 now $69 Arlo Essential Video Doorbell Wired: was $149 now $99 Apple - AirPods Max - Space Gray $480 was $550 Amazon Ring Video Doorbell (Satin Nickel) bundle with Echo Show 5 (3rd Gen) $65 Amazon eero Pro 6E mesh Wi-Fi System | Fast and reliable gigabit + speeds | supports blazing fast gaming | Coverage up to 6,000 sq. ft. | 3-pack, 2022 release $400 TCL 55-Inch Q6 QLED 4K Smart TV with Google (55Q650G, 2023 Model) $350 was $500 Hisense 75" U6 Mini-LED ULED 4K TV: was $1,200 now $650 LG 55" B3 OLED 4K TV: was $1,296 now $996 Denon AVR-X6700H 11.2 Ch. 140W 8K AV Receiver with HEOS® Built-in $1,999.00 Price reduced from $2,999.00 AVR-S660H 5.2 Ch. 75W 8K AV Receiver with HEOS® Built-in $379.00 Price reduced from $499.00 Denon Noise Cancelling Earbuds True Wireless In-Ear Headphones with active noise canceling $79.00 Price reduced from $159.00 Target 75" TCL 4K UHD HDR LED TV with GoogleTV $530 regularly priced $600 in store 65" LG 4K OLED Smart TV $1600 regularly priced $2000 in store 55" LG 4K UHD Smart LED TV $350 regularly priced $400 in store No name wireless in-ear headphones $15 regularly priced $20 in store Walmart Apple Airpods starting at $59 up to $200 for AirPods Pro (2nd generation) with MagSafe Case (USB‑C) 50" ONN Roku TV $148 Roku Premiere | 4K/HDR Streaming Media Player Wi-Fi® Enabled with Premium High Speed HDMI® Cable and Simple Remote $19 Sony WF-C500 Truly Wireless in-Ear Headphones $29 SAMSUNG 65" Class TU690T Crystal UHD 4K Smart Television - UN65TU690TFXZA $398 Hisense 75" Class R6 Series 4K UHD LED Roku Smart TV - 75R6030K (New) $398 Costco LG 77" Class - OLED G3 Series - 4K UHD OLED TV - Allstate 3-Year Protection Plan Bundle Included for 5 Years of Total Coverage $3500 LG 70" Class - UR8000 Series - 4K UHD LED LCD TV $500 Samsung 85" Class - CU7000D Series - 4K UHD LED LCD TV $900 Sony WH1000XM5 Wireless Noise-Canceling Over-the-Ear Headphones - Black $329 (Save $70) Hisense 50" Class - A65K Series - 4K UHD LED LCD TV $250 Sony 85" Class - X90CL Series - 4K UHD LED LCD TV - Allstate 3-Year Protection Plan Bundle Included for 5 Years of Total Coverage* $2000 SVS Prime Bookshelf Speaker $300 each speaker regularly priced $350 each Prime Tower: Premium Black Ash $500 regularly priced $600 3000 Micro: Piano Gloss Black Subwoofer $800 regularly $900 Prime Tower Surround System: Premium Black Ash 5.1 $1650 regularly priced $1950 All their deals can be found here AWOL LTV-3000 Pro Plus Free 100''-120'' ALR Screen Bundle $4000 Regular price $5400 LTV-3500 Pro Plus 100''-120'' Wall-Mount ALR Screen Bundle $6000 Regular price $7400 All their deals can be found here Monoprice Monolith by Monoprice THX-265B THX Select Certified Dolby Atmos Enabled Bookshelf Speaker (Each) $269.99 was $399.99 Monolith by Monoprice Encore B5 Bookshelf Speakers (Each) $49.99 was $149.99 Monoprice SSW-12 12in 150-Watt Powered Slim Subwoofer $134.99 was $219.99 All other deals

On this week's show Vertical Framing of content is becoming a big thing now. Will this affect how movies and TV are shot? A listener talks about how he solved his parent's remote control problem. We also read your emails, and we had a bunch of good ones. We also take a look at the week's news. News: Disney Expects to Pay Comcast at Least $8.6 Billion to Buy Out Hulu Stake NFL Sunday Ticket price on YouTube TV gets a 50% cut through the rest of the season Roku Reports Solid Growth in Q3 Walmart+ Comes With Free Paramount+, 10 Cents Off Gas, & More For Just $4.16 a Month if You Pay Annually During Its Black Friday Sale Other: Are Dodgers Games On Spectrum SportsNet+ Streaming? Disney's ESPN Challenge: Keeping a Cash Cow From Keeling Over Vertical Framing of content What is Vertical Content? Vertical content is a media type consumed vertically on the screen. It is unlike horizontal content that is seen on desktop computers and television. This content type is a natural progression that stems from the growing popularity of mobile devices. Because more people are using smartphones, which generally have a vertical orientation, they are now browsing content online using the default vertical orientation of mobile devices. Just for Social? Producers understand that some of what is being shot will end up on social media in the form of advertisements. But simply cropping a movie will not yield quality results. Instead, shots are being redone on set with social in mind. To the point where special brackets are made to accommodate flipping a camera on it's side. Right now this is limited to advertisements but what happens if they shoot entire features this way? Dual Framing Someone who's become particularly used to dealing with it is Anna Gudbrands, a London-based cinematographer whose work includes short-form pieces for Relentless, Wonderbra and Zegna's campaign with Jose Mourinho. Gudbrands' recent projects have, she says, heavily involved dual framing. "I've been doing a lot of fashion and skincare in the summer... almost every single job I do now, they want an option for 9:16 which is Instagram, but they want the hero to be 16:9. It's a situation that inevitably involves compromise. Should Studios Start Using Dual Framing in Feature Films? Remote option An Idea from a listener Rob Listening to this week's show and the discussion for a remote that's easy to use, I will mention another option. The Echo Cube, I have it set up for my parents and they love it. They can tell the TV to turn on or off, the Ring doorbell shows up in the corner if someone's at the door, and now after switching to YouTube TV fully they can just tell it to "----tune to ABC'' and it works, with DirecTV it wouldn't always respond correctly to changing channels via voice. I have also upgraded to the premium Echo remote with the 2 programmable buttons along with the 4 standard ones. Now they have quick buttons to the services they use the most, YTTV (button 1), Peacock (button 2) and the ones for Prime, Netflix etc. The other great thing about this option for them is they can just say "Echo watch the Thursday Night game" and it switches over. (I have changed the Cube's name from Alexa to Echo to keep the Kitchen Echo from responding). Honestly the hardest part for them was getting out of the habit of channel numbers and going with channel names-they were so used to "Tune to Channel 7" instead of "tune to ABC'' etc. But now that they have gotten the hang of it they really like it, my Mom has no issue changing to Peacock to watch Days of Our Lives and then changing back to traditional TV. One other note on the remote, if you use the upgraded remote with YTTV you can change channels up/down like linear TV and if you change around your guide to be those you watch most of the time it actually is a nice option. I am personally using an Apple TV that can offer some of these same things, but YTTV hasn't enabled channel changing via a Home Pod so at this point I'd say the Echo beats the Apple TV if you mostly watch traditional TV.

On this week's show Ara discusses the addition of some inexpensive acoustic panels to his recording room and we have a listener review of the Sofabaton X1 Smart Remote. We also read your emails and take a look at some of the week's news. News: Apple TV+ ups monthly subscription to $9.99 YouTube Has Around 1.5 Million 'NFL Sunday Ticket' Subscribers, Will Lose Over $1.2 Billion This Season YouTube TV lagging, ruining Sunday Ticket viewing for NFL fans Netflix's New Ad Chief Touts Growth to 15 Million Users Other: CSS Audio for your DIY Speaker Kits Sonic Acoustics Panels $25-30 for a 12 pack Hex Shape 14" X 12" X 0.4" No adhesive included. Simple Installation Amazon has plenty of acoustic panels to choose from including many with decorative prints. The entire treatment cost me $100. Sofabaton X1 Smart Remote Control I was looking for a product for my father-in-law to simplify the 3 remotes needed to control his TV, cable, and Roku. The Sofabaton is described on Amazon as "The most advanced X1 universal remote comes with a hub that can control most of your home entertainment devices. The powerful database is compatible with up to 500,000 IR & Bluetooth devices, From your TV, and gaming console, to your AV receiver and Blu-Ray, even your Philip Hue, Sonos Speaker." At the time of purchase it was $189.99. Here are my thoughts on the product. Packaging / Presentation The packaging was nicely done, similar to what you expect from a high end phone...each of the included components nestled neatly in their allotted spots. Remote Description The remote is narrow, about 2 " x 7 1⁄2 " long. It's a matte black finish all the way around with a slightly rubberized feel to it. The screen itself is relatively small - a little less than 2"x 1 1⁄2 . As you would expect with that size, the button layout is minimal. It has a scroll wheel - up, down, left, right - and basic buttons below such as volume, channel, etc. The buttons are lit for night viewing or a dark theater which is a nice feature. The included hub is a glossy black and about the size of a glass coaster or a deck of cards. Also included are 3 infrared blasters - one single and one with 2 blasters on 1 wire. Lastly, there is a power adapter for the hub and another USB-C cable to charge it. Programming Programming has to be done via the sofabaton app on your phone. You must link the hub and remote together, then add your devices. They are searchable if you don't know your model numbers. If you know your exact model, obviously that will speed things up. I didn't have to, but the Sofabaton remote can learn your device, or you can contact customer support and ask them to add your device if necessary. Once that is done, it will confirm your power configuration for that device. For example, does your device have a separate on/off switch. Once that is done you can add Activities , like Watch TV or Play Music. I made a "watch tv " activity. This macro turns on the TV, soundbar, and Roku to the correct input. After the commands are finished the remote controls the Roku and volume on the soundbar. Performance To summarize my experience, in a nutshell I must say there is a bit of a learning curve. I am used to using 3 different remotes. I know what I need to do. It took a while to get everything dialed in right. I had to experiment with the IR blasters and move them around to get a good signal to the device. When syncing the Hub I needed to try again by re-pairing with the button on the back. Adding devices took a while. I thought it was stuck because upon loading a device, it seemed like I lost my wi-fi connection until I realized it was just loading all the device info. When you finish an activity and something doesn't work, there is an option on your app to repair it. You can reconfigure any of the buttons to do what you want them to do. I made one of the colored buttons on the bottom to go right to the TV sleep menu. After you make a change it'll sync to the remote. After using it for roughly 2 weeks I feel more comfortable with it. I would get confused with the clicker wheel which in turn navigates the screen on the remote and the up/down left/right enter button in the middle which operates the device itself. The back arrow button at the top right that's for going back to activities, devices, or settings on the remote isn't easily reachable. I also learned I cannot turn on my PS5 via bluetooth because Sony doesn't allow third party vendors to access it via bluetooth. There is a workaround by having the activity switch to the playstation HDMI input, which will turn it on. With my setup this isn't necessary because the controller turns it on anyway and it automatically switches. ConclusionI would say this isn't for everyone because there is a long set up process and many potential bugs/issues along the way. If you're easily frustrated, not willing to put in the time to set it up correctly and allow yourself an adjustment period, this is not the remote for you. With that sa