HDTV and Home Theater Podcast

This week Monoprice introduces three new THX Certified compact on-wall home theater speakers and we discuss Plex's latest beta features that can help you navigate every streaming service you have. We also ask the question if all the content creation going on right now dilutes the quality of what we are watching. Plus we read your emails and discuss the week's news. News: YOUTUBE TV ADDS 5 CHANNELS TO LINEUP AirPods security flaw could put some private data at risk HBO Max's Apple TV app gets a much-needed overhaul TP-Link's first WiFi 6E mesh system is available to order TCL's latest smart TVs boast 144HZ refresh rates, HDR10+ Other: 35mm cinema film and digital audio - by Nava Whiteford Michael J. Kohut - Wikipedia Michael J. Kohut Inventions, Patents and Patent Applications Monoprice Introduces three new THX Certified compact on-wall home theater speakers Monoprice has just added three THX certified on-wall home theater speakers to its popular Monolith line. The Monolith M-OW3 combines front left, center, and right channels into a single thin wall-mounted speaker. Each channel features a high-performance 4.5-inch concentric driver with an inset 20mm silk dome tweeter, an optimized waveguide, and two 4.5-inch passive radiators. Monoprice claims a flat frequency response from 70Hz to 20kHz and it has been THX Certified Select Certified. Sensitivity is 84.8dB with 4 ohms nominal impedance, five-way spring-loaded binding posts and keyhole slots on the back for easy wall mounting. The smaller Monolith M-OW1 speaker pair also uses the same drivers per unit. Ideally suited for use as front-, center- and surround-channel speakers. Lastly, the Monoprice's Monolith THX Certified Compact Satellite speaker pair. Monoprice bills them as a perfect solution for front left and right, height or surround channels, again featuring the same drivers. Though smaller in form factor than the other on-wall options, these cube shaped speakers have a flat frequency response down to 80Hz. All of the speakers are available immediately. The Monoprice Monolith M-OW3 is $500; the Monoprice Monolith M-OW1 also costs $500, and the Monoprice Monolith Compact Satellite speakers are $250 per pair Plex's latest beta features can help you navigate every streaming service you have Plex's latest beta features are a modern solution to a modern problem — having to search through HBO Max, Netflix, Disney Plus, and like, three other services to find something to watch. The company announced a new "Discover" feature, which aggregates and recommends content from various streaming services and a universal watchlist that gathers everything you want to watch all in one place. Full article here… State of Play The video streaming industry has reached a tipping point The amount of video programming today is staggering—and growing. As of February 2022, Gracenote, a Nielsen company, listed more than 817,000 unique program titles across U.S. traditional TV and streaming services, with many of those titles featuring hundreds of individual episodes and chapters. Back in December 2019, there were just over 646,000 unique program titles. While many of those titles form the bedrock of the traditional TV universe, more recent content, especially during the past two years, has been developed for over-the-top (OTT) release across the growing expanse of streaming services. And as choice proliferates, consumers will increasingly rely on content platforms and services to provide them with the content they're most interested in.

This week we discuss the number one streaming films/shows on Netflix across the world and we take an in-depth view into streaming trends and motivations of Samsung TV owners. Plus we read your email and take a look at the week's news. News: Bluetooth devices set to hit new high by 2026 Roku Extends Deal to Support Amazon Prime Video, IMDb TV LG's next OLED panels should suffer fewer dead pixels QD-OLED is great for TV lovers, but not for the reason you think TCL closes the gap to LG when it comes to smart TV sales Other: F-14s vs MiG-28s - May 1986, a Danger Zone in the Indian Ocean You Should Probably Stop Using Your Wyze Camera Right Now What is the World Streaming on Netflix? Number 1 in Film English Language - The Adam Project with 17.72 million hours viewed. After accidentally crash-landing in 2022, time-traveling fighter pilot Adam Reed teams up with his 12-year-old self for a mission to save the future. IMDB Rating 6.7 out of 10 Rotten Tomatoes 68% Critics 76% Audience Number 1 in Film Non-English Language - All Hail with 24.28 million hours viewed. After failing to predict a destructive hailstorm, a famous meteorologist flees to his hometown and soon finds himself on a journey of self-discovery. The Argentinian dramedy made the Top 10 in 32 countries. IMDB Rating 5.6 out of 10 Rotten Tomatoes N/A Critics 33% Audience Number 1 in TV English Language - Bridgerton with 251.74 million hours viewed. Wealth, lust, and betrayal set against the backdrop of Regency-era England, seen through the eyes of the powerful Bridgerton family. IMDB Rating 7.4 out of 10 Rotten Tomatoes 82% Critics 77% Audience Number 1 in TV Non-English Language - Business Proposal with 32.52 million hours viewed. In disguise as her friend, Ha-ri shows up on a blind date to scare away her friend's prospective suitor, but plans go awry when he turns out to be Ha-ri's CEO -- and he makes a proposal. IMDB Rating 8.8 out of 10 Rotten Tomatoes N/A Critics 94% Audience Is it Cake Skilled cake artists create mouthwatering replicas of handbags, sewing machines and more in a mind-bending baking contest inspired by a popular meme. Is it Cake came in at #3 with 26.51M hours viewed. IMDB Rating 5.7 out of 10 Rotten Tomatoes N/A Critics 39% Audience

This week we discuss Sonos adding "Smart TV" Features to their Sound Bars and we take a look at the Best 4K Projectors according to CNET. We also read your emails and take a look at the week's news. News: LG's 97-inch G2 OLED looks set to cost as much as a fancy new car Bowers & Wilkins Introduces Panorama 3 Soundbar Samsung's S95B QD-OLED TV Finally Has A Release Date And Price, But Where's The 'QD' Bit? 5.1 surround sound for YouTube TV is on the way to Roku and Android/Googe TV Apple confirms Friday Night Baseball free for at least 12 weeks Sonos starts hiring to build "Home Theater OS" Sonos has ambitions not just to be the platform of choice for home audio but for home theater, too, according to several new job postings discovered and reported by Protocol. The job listings suggest several new areas of expansion for Sonos, and they paint a picture of a much broader home theater strategy than the sound bar-driven one the company focuses on now. Full article here… Best 4K Projectors for 2022 (CNET) 4K projectors offer huge, ultra high resolution images for the ultimate movie night. Here are the best ones. Full article here…

This week we further discuss the beginning of the "Fuzz Tone" in music, give you some fun facts of the Compact Disc and rundown the availability and pricing of the 2022 LG line of HDTVs. Plus we read your emails and go over the week's news. Ara's Latest Speaker Build News: ESPN's iOS app adds SharePlay to help you watch sports with friends Apple TV 4K gets seriously useful upgrade — it's now a travel essential Epson unveils 4K 120Hz laser projector Xiaomi launches a huge 100-inch 4K TV in China for $3,150 Other: Lutron Caseta Wireless - Smart Lighting Control System Ready Wholesale Electric Supply Matter home automation full release delayed until Fall 2022 | AppleInsider Join the Neat Exchange - Social Media for Whiskey Drinkers Ara's Woodworking Join the Flaviar Whisky Club and get a free bottle How Sam Phillips Invented the Sound of Rock and Roll Here is some more information about the story Ara told last week about the broken amp that created a new sound. Full article here… From the article: It was around this time that a baby-faced Beale Street regular came into the studio. His name was Riley King, but everyone called him the "Beale Street Blues Boy," a name that later boiled down to simply "B.B. King." With singles like "Mistreated Woman" and "She's Dynamite," King became one of Phillips' first successful artists, and far from the last. In early 1951, King recommended Phillips' services to the Mississippi-based band "Kings of Rhythm," led by teenager Ike Turner. In their haste to fix an unlucky flat tire on a road trip to Memphis, one of their amps fell out of the trunk and onto the pavement. Upon arriving at Phillips' studio, guitarist Willie Kizart plugged in the amp and got a horrible, fuzzy, distorted noise. The speaker cone of the vacuum tube amp seemed to have broken in the fall, or maybe was damaged during a rainstorm that befell the band on their way to the studio. Whatever the case, the amp was shot and the group, crestfallen, feared their shot at recording a song was over before it had even started. Phillips, however, had a different idea. Running to the diner next door, he grabbed some paper—the legend differs on whether it was brown paper or day-old newspaper—and stuffed it into the amp, giving it a new, unique sound, a muffled saxophone-like bass. For Phillips, this wasn't just a quick fix, but in fact something better: something different. When you listen to the the song widely hailed as rock and roll's first, "Rocket 88," you'll hear exactly what he created. A sound that helped launch a genre. "Instead of trying to hide that sound," says Jerry Phillips, "he brought it to the forefront." While this may not have been the first instance of fuzz tone or distortion in a song, it was the first commercially successful song with this soon-to-be-iconic manipulation of sound that would go on to define songs from The Kinks' "You Really Got Me Going" to The Rolling Stones' "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" to The Beastie Boys' "Sabotage." Rocket 88 (Original Version) - Ike Turner/Jackie Brenston Fun facts about the CD Sony worked with Philips to develop the first CD. The Sony CDP-101 was the first CD player and it cost around $900 in 1982. Compact discs themselves were at first extremely expensive at $30 each. CDs were manufactured at only two facilities in the entire world, each owned by Philips and Sony. The manufacturing process was tedious and required masked technicians in labs. There were soon six factories, and the price per disc dropped to $25, and then to $20. As venture capital poured in, there were soon 40 factories manufacturing discs. The first portable CD player was released in 1982, but it was not possible to skip songs you didn't like.That technology came out in the mid 1990's. Sony's first portable CD player, the Discman D-50, was introduced in November 1984. At first, the D-50 was not profitable but as the product gained popularity, it soon became profitable, and Sony began to create a portable CD market. The Discman range was later re-named to CD Walkman. The first ever CD was a 1982 album by Swedish pop group Abba called The Visitors The biggest selling CD of all time is the Eagles 1976 Their Greatest Hits album, which sold over 38 million copies If all the CDs in the world were piled up, they'd circle the Earth six times Vinyl sales in 2021 topped CDs in the United States for the first time in 30 years. According to data from Billboard, 38% of all album sales in the country last year were in vinyl format, accounting for over 50% of all physical album sales. This marked the first time more vinyls were sold than CDs in the US since 1991. LG's 2022 OLED televisions start shipping this spring LG today announced pricing and availability for its 2022 line of OLED televisions. That includes four series of 4K sets (we've got info for three of them, anyway), as well two 8K models. Full article here…

This week we take a look at aptX HD Bluetooth: What is it? What devices and headphones support it? We also ask if Lutron Caseta Smart Home Products are the answer to Wifi Issues for homes with a lot of 2.4Ghz wifi devices? We read your emails and look at the week's news as well. News: Denon Expands Hi-Res Speaker Ecosystem With Denon Home Wireless Subwoofer Netflix Testing Shared Account Discount Pricing 'Daredevil,' 'Jessica Jones,' 'The Punisher' and more are now streaming on Disney Plus Sky Looks Set To Broadcast Live Formula 1 In 4K HDR For The First Time This Weekend aptX HD Bluetooth: What is it? What devices and headphones support it? If there's one thing we've learned over the years it's that plenty of people will happily sacrifice audio quality for convenience. The popularity of music streaming services and wireless headphones are proof of that. Although seldom a match for a well-recorded LP or good pair of wired headphones, they sure are mighty handy. Full article here… Lutron Caseta Smart Home Products - The answer to Wifi Issues? A couple of weeks ago we received an email from Robert Iadevaia extolling the virtues of hub based smart home devices. Specifically Lutron Caseta. Robert pointed out that using a hub connected to the network with an ethernet cable that in turn talks with the wireless devices on a separate proprietary network offloads the demands on the Wifi network, which will increase the reliability of both the Wifi network and the smart home devices. I did a deeper dive into this after receiving an email from Robert Spivack of DoItForMe.Solutions. Robert and I had a conversation discussing the way Lutron works and after the call I bought a Starter kit that included a Hub, two dimmers, and two pico remote controls for $170 from Amazon. Note - If you plan on installing the Pico remote in place of another switch as part of a three way light control you will need two wall plate brackets that cost $6 each. Hub Features: Works with Alexa, Apple HomeKit, and the Google Assistant Does not interfere or compete with Wi-Fi connected devices because it transmits on the same frequencies as a garage door opener. The lower frequency the devices operate on extend the range of devices. Supports up to 75 Caseta devices Switch Installation: These are the easiest switches I have ever installed! There are only two wires and a ground. The switches do not need the white neutral wire which makes it a great choice for older homes. The other interesting part of the install is that it doesn't matter where you connect the line and load wires on the switch. You can install these without a volt meter. Just make sure you turn off the power! The three way switch is just as easy. There is no need for the traveler wire so you cap it off. You will, however, need to connect the line and load lines in the remote switch location so that the circuit is completed. But other than that, you install the wall plate bracket and put the remote into it and put the switch cover on and you are done. Lutron App: The app is pretty basic but gets the job done. If you use Alexa, HomeKit, or Google Home, you will use it to add the devices and nothing else. But you can manage your entire Luton based home with the app if you choose. Adding devices is much faster than using the Home app and the nice thing is when the device is added it automatically shows up in the Home app. This is provided that you added the hub to Homekit. The other automation systems work just as easily. You have to add and pair the remote as well. However, you can pair remotes with switches without the need of the app. The remote does not show up in the Home app so it can only control Lutron devices. You can control the Lutron devices with other remotes in your automation system if you want. Performance: Lightning fast! 100% reliable! Yes it's only been four days but one of the switches that was replaced needed to be reset about every three days. I like the switches so much I bought three more! And on a side note, they have wall plugs that cost $45 but they are only two prongs. They do dim however. Not a requirement for me. In my quest to reduce the number of wifi devices I wanted to swap out a few of my current wall plugs but the two prong socket is an issue for me. Fortunately el Gato sells a three prong plug that is bluetooth based that supports Thread for $40. When I was done. I replaced Five wall switches and two wall plugs for about $500. My automation got more responsive and reliable and as a side benefit, my wifi performance for the other devices on my network improved dramatically. If you have a lot of devices in your system and the response is a bit flaky, you should seriously consider trying out Lutron Caseta Smart Home Products!

This week we explore a world where Netflix uses ads to support it's massive hunger for content and consider an approach where smart TVs are replaced by a mechanism that lets set top box manufacturers integrate their software with the TV. We also explore the sub $400 tower speaker world. All this plus your emails and the week's news on this week's show. News: Is Google fortifying its audio plans? Disney+ will introduce ad-supported tier at lower price The Beatles' Biggest Hits Turn 3D on Apple Music Amazon Launches Standalone IMDb TV App for Samsung Smart TVs Apple and Major League Baseball to offer "Friday Night Baseball" Hulu to Lose Next-Day Streams of NBC Shows, Shifting to Peacock Instead Netflix CFO has no plans for advertising but 'never say never' A senior Netflix Inc executive said on Tuesday the company had no current plans to offer a streaming option that included advertising but declined to rule it out in the future. Full article here… Roku CEO Wood: Samsung, LG and Vizio Will Eventually Give Up on Their Own OS The major smart TV makers who supply their own operating system will eventually give up and license a third-party OS from either Roku, Amazon or Google, Roku CEO Anthony Wood said. Full article here… Inexpensive Tower Speakers We saw a post over at AVS Forum where someone was asking about which sub $400 tower speaker would make a good addition to his theater. The poster was asking other members to chime in on the merits of the Klipsch R-820F vs the JBL Studio 590. Both are highly rated by users. Well this got us wondering about other quality sub $400 tower speakers. Before we get into the list, why would you want floor standing speakers? Loudness - Floor standing speakers typically get louder than satellites so if you have a larger room or simply like your music and movies loud, Towers are the way to go. Full Range - Tower speakers have better frequency range and can typically go to lower frequency lessening the reliance on a large subwoofer. We are not saying you don't need a subwoofer but the Klipsch can reproduce sound down to 35Hz. Higher Sensitivity - This is a spec that many people ignore because we have such big amplifiers. But the higher the sensitivity the less your speakers have to work to create sound. A typical bookshelf speaker has a sensitivity of 85db. That means that it speaker produces a level of 85dB when driven with 1 watt of power and measured 1 meter in front. The JBL has a sensitivity of 92db. The translation is that your amplifier doesn't need to work as hard which will extend it's life. The Klipsch has a sensitivity of a whopping 97db! They Sound Better - This is a general statement and needs further context. There are plenty of bookshelf speakers that will sound better than tower speakers. However, within a manufacturers line the tower speakers will sound better than the same model's bookshelf version. Of course there is the pesky issue with size. Tower speakers don't fit easily in some rooms and typically cost more than their bookshelf counterparts. Which finally brings us to our list of some fantastic tower speakers that won't break the bank. Klipsch R-820F ($399 each) Frequency Response 35Hz - 21kHz +/- 3dB Sensetivity 97 dB @ 2.83V/1M Power handling (cont/peak) 150W/600W 1" Aluminum LTS tweeter 90x90 Square Tractrix Horn Dual 8" Spun-Copper IMG Woofers Bass-Reflex via Rear-Firing Tractrix® ports Strong, Flexible Removable Magnetic Grille Dimensions: 43" x 10.9" x 17.5" (1093mm x 277mm x 443mm) Weight 54 Lbs (25.5 Kg) JBL Studio 590 ($399.99 each) Frequency Response 35Hz - 40kHz +/- 3dB Sensetivity 92 dB @ 2.83V/1M Power handling 25 - 250W 1" (25mm) compression driver with neodymium magnet and one-piece Teonex diaphragm on a glass-filled ABS Bi-Radial horn, magnetically shielded tweeter Two 8" (200mm) PolyPlas cones with Symmetrical Field Geometry magnet structures, cast frames and rubber surrounds, magnetically shielded woofers Dimensions: 49.75" x 12.7" x 16.25" (1263mm x 322mm x 413mm) Weight 69.5 Lbs (31.5 Kg) Debut 2.0 5.25″ Floorstanding Speaker – DF52 ($399.98 each) Frequency Response 42Hz - 35kHz +/- 3dB Sensitivity 86 dB @ 2.83V/1M Power handling 140W 1″ Cloth Dome tweeter Three 5-1/4″ Aramid Fiber woofer Dimensions: 40" x 7" x 9.2" (1016mm x 178mm x 233mm) Weight 69.5 Lbs (31.5 Kg) Monolith by Monoprice Encore T6 Tower Speaker ($399.99 Each) Frequency Response 37Hz - 20kHz +/- 3dB Sensitivity 87.8 dB @ 2.83V/1M Power handling 50-180W 1″ Silk Dome with Waveguide tweeter 6.5" Long Fiber Pulp Cone with NBR Surround mid woofer 2x 6.5" Long Fiber Pulp Cone with NBR Surround woofer Dimensions: 40" x 7.9" x 13.8" (1016mm x 201mm x 351mm) Weight 49.2 Lbs (22.3 Kg)

This week we look at an article that claims a QLED TV is finally on par with OLED. We are not as convinced. We also review the Audioengine S6 Powered Desktop Subwoofer. And as usual we read your email and cover some of the week's news. News: Eve Water Guard leak monitor integrates with Thread LG Launches First 2022 4K LG CineBeam Projectors Average Broadband Usage Hits A Record Half a Terabyte In 4Q21 Other: Join the Neat Exchange - Social Media for Whiskey Drinkers Ara's Woodworking Join the Flaviar Whisky Club and get a free bottle HT Tours #1 John's 5.1.4 Soundbar Theater Why 2021 was the year QLED finally beat OLED When it comes to grading the best TVs, Tom's Guide takes a two-pronged approach. We arrive at a verdict after first analyzing lab test results, then reporting anecdotal viewing experience. In both assessments, QLED beat OLED this year. Full article here… Audioengine S6 Powered Subwoofer Review The HT Guys have been using Audioengine products pretty much since there was an HT Guys! From their powered desktop speakers, wireless audio adapters and now to the new S6 desktop subwoofer. The S6 (MSRP $299) is a small subwoofer that packs a huge punch. Measuring a mere 10″ (25.2 cm) x 8.7″ (22.2 cm) x 10″ (25.3 cm) and weighing a paltry 15.4 lb (6.98 kg), the S6 is the smallest subwoofer we have reviewed to date. Specifications: Amplifier Type - Class D Power Output - 210 W peak power total (140 W RMS), AES Drivers - 6″ long throw front-firing woofer Inputs - 3.5 mm stereo mini-jack, RCA L/R Input Voltages - 100-240 V AC, 50/60 Hz auto-switching SNR - >100 dB (typical A-weighted) Frequency Response - 33Hz – 132Hz ±1.5dB Input Impedance - 10K ohms unbalanced Crossover Frequency - 40Hz – 130Hz Protection - Output current limiting, thermal over-temperature, power on/off transient protection Standby Consumption - Phase - 0 / 180 degrees The S6 is designed to fit on a desktop but it is certainly capable of being part of a typical family room entertainment center. The S6 produces a clean tight bass right out of the box. Which is a good thing since there aren't many adjustments on the subwoofer rear panel. The rear panel has volume, crossover, phase (0 or 180), auto sensing standby toggle, inputs, and a USB Port that can charge a device or better yet, power a wireless adapter (not included) that frees the subwoofer to be placed anywhere in the room. You can use RCA or a 3.5mm cable to connect your sub to your source. For our testing we set the crossover frequency to 100Hz, the low end of some full range speaker that I built a few months ago. The S6 comes in any color you want as long as it's matte black, and is solidly built. Performance We ran through our typical subwoofer test tone sweeps and verified that the subwoofer does go down to the low 30hz range producing sound. We did have to crank up the volume on the subwoofer to "feel" it at the lower frequencies. But in typical listening to music, the S6 brought the low end that my speakers couldn't produce. It turned a simple homemade desktop speaker using a three inch driver into something that sounded big and full. The transformation was quite remarkable. After doing frequency sweeps we listened to our standard music playlist for speaker evaluation, Tin Pan Alley by Stevie Ray Vaughn and California Roll by Snoop Dog and Fly Me to the Moon by Diana Krall. The bass was prominent and blended with the higher frequencies beautifully. The sub added a pleasant texture especially with the bass in Fly Me to the Moon. The output of this subwoofer feels natural and enhances what you are listening to. We did watch some movies with it and found the sub did a decent job but don't think it will replace a full sized subwoofer even in a modest sized room. The 50 cal in Act of Valor did exercise the sub and provided a good amount of effect. Just not the visceral experience of our 15" HSU subwoofer. For a family room your approach should be that if there isn't room for a full sized sub this will add some LFE. But you will probably have to run it at max volume. Where does this S6 Shine? The S6 is a must for the desktop! If you spend a lot of time working on your computer and listen to music you can now buy small speakers that do well with mid and higher frequencies and let the S6 handle the low end. If you game on a PC the S6 will take your experience to the next level. Conclusion At $299 the Audioengine S6 is an exceptional value. Especially when you consider that it fits in less than a cubic foot and produces sound well above its size. Audioengine includes a 30 day free in-home audition with free shipping both ways. This is a no lose proposition if you are in the market for a desktop subwoofer.

This week we discuss how vulnerable your DIY Home Security System is. We help you with your LED bulb buying and give you three reasons why the HT Guys feel that set top streamers are not going anywhere soon. Plus we read your email and the week's news. News: Epson Releases Its Most Advanced Laser Projector To Date Sony's A95K QD-OLED TV might be cheaper than expected Important change to your Prime membership Other: Booze & Vinyl Join the Neat Exchange - Social Media for Whiskey Drinkers Ara's Woodworking Join the Flaviar Whisky Club and get a free bottle Ring, SimpliSafe, and Three Other DIY Home Security Systems Vulnerable to Hacking If you've seen the latest Scream movie, you might be haunted by the scene of the killer disabling a home security system to get inside a victim's house. (Warning: the trailer is chilling.) The portrayed attack method is highly unlikely to happen in real life, but the scary scene might make you wonder just how tamper-resistant your own home security system is. And that's a legitimate concern. Full article here… 5 things you need to know before buying LED bulbs If you haven't switched to LED bulbs, now is the time. The reasons why are compelling. For starters, LED bulbs last much longer than incandescent bulbs, and they put out the same amount of light using significantly less energy. That's great for the environment, and it can save you money on your electricity bill in the long term. Full article here… Three Reasons a Set Top Streamer will not be Replaced by a Smart TV We read an article about the CEO of Roku saying that the company isn't ready to give up on dongles: Company executives told reporters and analysts that streaming adapters remain a key part of the company's business, despite reports of consumers increasingly migrating to smart TVs for their binge-watching needs. He was responding to a recent report from streaming analytics company Conviva, which detailed that the global usage of streaming adapters had fallen for the first time in Q4 of 2021, while smart TVs continue to see double-digit usage growth. Here are the three reasons the HT Guys feel the streamer isn't going anywhere. A consistent experience - you may have multiple TVs in your house made by different manufacturers. Using an external device keeps the experience consistent across manufacturers. Technology changes fast - you spent your hard earned money on a TV two years ago and now want to stream the latest 4K content from Netflix. Turns out to get the best resolution Netflix updated their software with better compression. Only a setup box or TV made in the last six months has the processing power to decode the new algorithm. As a result you get the lower resolution version of the program even though your TV can display the 4K picture in all it's glory. Applications - There are far more applications developed for streamers. There are a lot of local, national, and global news stations with apps that simply are not available on smart TVs. Many will never be available. In a strategic shift, Roku plans to make its own TV sets

This week we have a top ten list of what is popular on Vudu, five advancements that will "fix" the smart home and the best OLED under $1,500. Plus we read your emails and go through the week's news. News: Discovery+ is Bringing an Ad-Lite Version to the U.K. and Ireland NFL Exec: Sunday Ticket Deal Isn't Done Fox to Stream Big Ten, Big East Basketball Tournaments In 4K ViacomCBS Gets a New Name: Paramount Other: Black Leather - YouTube Black Leather - Spotify Join the Neat Exchange - Social Media for Whiskey Drinkers Ara's Woodworking Join the Flaviar Whisky Club and get a free bottle Top Ten Titles on Vudu This Week Ghostbusters: Afterlife Sing 2 American Underdog Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City House of Gucci Dune King Richard Redeeming Love The Matrix Resurrections Encanto These five advancements promise to "fix" the smart home in 2022 In less than a decade, smart home tech has gone from a luxury for the rich to something relatively commonplace. Even if you can't afford high-end Sonos speakers or a wall covered in Nanoleaf panels, you can probably afford an Echo Dot or a Lenovo Smart Clock. Yet adoption hasn't been as strong as some tech companies have been hungry for. There are reasons for this, but 2022 promises to lift some of the barriers and "fix" the smart home. By the end of the year, the smart home industry could look very different, and here's why. Full article here… Best 65" OLED TV Under $1,500 (RTINGS.COM) According to RTINGS.COM the best TV under $1,500 ($1,400 at Best Buy) with an OLED panel is the LG OLED65A1PUA from 2021. The A1 is a no-frills basic TV for people who don't care about the extra features. It delivers very similar picture quality to the high-end models, with the deep, inky, uniform blacks that OLEDs are known for. Full Review… Like all OLED TVs, it has superb viewing angles, so it's a great choice if you have a wide seating arrangement. It's not quite as bright as other OLEDs, so despite its superb reflection handling, it's not as well-suited for a bright room. It runs the LG webOS platform, which is easy-to-use and has a huge selection of streaming apps. It also supports casting from your mobile device, so you can easily watch content in a matter of a few seconds. Sadly, this TV has limited gaming features, so it's best-suited for watching TV shows or movies. However, it's still excellent for casual gamers who don't care about those extra features. Also, like all OLED TVs, there's a chance of permanent burn-in, but we don't expect this to be an issue for most people. Overall, it's an excellent TV that should please most people. Mixed Usage 8.5 Movies 9.2 TV Shows 8.0 Sports 8.0 Video Games 8.7 HDR Movies 8.6 HDR Gaming 8.5 PC Monitor 8.5 PROS Near-infinite contrast ratio. Wide color gamut. Perfect black uniformity. CONS Not bright enough for small highlights to stand out. Some stutter in low frame rate content. Can't remove judder from all sources.

On today's show we define "Reference Level" and what it means for your home theater and we look at the 9 things you need to consider if you are in the market for a new TV. We also read your emails and look at the news stories of the week. News: Sonos acquisition fuels new headphone rumors The cheapest 2022 Samsung MicroLED TV will reportedly cost $80,000 Samsung Display apparently struggling with QD-OLED production Streaming device wars: Smart TV viewing time surges, dongles see first-ever decline Other: Join the Neat Exchange - Social Media for Whiskey Drinkers Ara's Woodworking Join the Flaviar Whisky Club and get a free bottle Mike's Star Wars Inspired Home Theater Reference Level Reference level is a calibrated volume setting used for movie production, Sound and dubbing stages, and movie theaters (and now the home theater) A reference is critical if the mix is to translate from one production house to another and audiences are to hear the director's intent in terms of the balance in the soundtrack between dialog, effects and ambiance. So how do we set up a theater for Reference? Reference level for all channels except the subwoofer is calibrated by adjusting the gain of each channel when a pink noise signal recorded at -20dB relative to full scale (0dB) is played through the system and measures 85dB with a C weighted sound pressure meter at the seating locations. This is what your receiver's auto calibration tries to do. What is Pink Noise? To answer that we have to tell you what white noise is. White noise consists of an equal amount of every frequency, all played at once. If you are old enough to remember "snow" on TVs that had no signal. That was white noise. Pink noise is essentially bass-boosted white noise, where the amplitude decreases as the frequencies get higher. It got its name thanks to the pink / violet hues present at the lowest frequencies of light. This is the perceptually 'balanced' white noise that many of us are comfortable with; After each channel is individually adjusted until they read 85dB. The master volume control setting associated with this playback level is then set to a nominal 0dB, or reference level. The history behind this is that sound engineers and producers generally work so that the average recording level for dialog in movie soundtrack is -20dB. This allows for 20dB of dynamic range in the soundtrack. The Subwoofer is calibrated higher, so that a -20dB signal reaches 95dBC at the seating locations. In the home it works slightly differently. Most receivers have calibration test tones used for level setting that are recorded at -30dB relative to full scale. Using these tones the level of individual speakers are adjusted to 75dB at the seating position. That is 10db less than movie theaters and sound stages. Can my speakers and subwoofer support reference levels? If your system is properly calibrated to output 85dB for a -20dB signal at the seats then the speakers and amplifiers could be asked to produce 105dB for a 0dB signal. The Subwoofer is handled slightly differently and has a 10dB boost relative to the other channels. The maximum SPL that subwoofers could be asked to reproduce from the low frequency effects track is therefore 115dB at the seats. More than likely the typical home theater setup will not handle reference levels. But that is OK. Most of us don't need that level of sound. If you have a theater with a large volume you should look for a set of highly efficient speakers specifically designed to handle reference levels. You may also need a better receiver to achieve this as well. TV buying guide: 9 things you need to know In the market for a new TV, and feeling overwhelmed? This TV buying guide is here to help. If you've been browsing in-store or online for a new TV, you might have found yourself a bit confused by huge selection of different technologies, features and functionality that come with buying a TV in 2022. And that's before we get started on the acronyms… Full article here… Screen size: Finding the sweet spot - A good rule of thumb is that you should sit at a distance from the TV that is three times more than the height of the screen for HD and just 1.5 times the screen height for 4K Ultra HD. In other words, you can sit twice as close to a 4K UHD TV. Don't buy a TV with less than 4K resolution. Avoid full HD or 1080p sets. You can skip 8K TVs (for now). 8K TVs are super expensive, and 8K movies and shows aren't available yet. Expect to pay about $500 for a good budget 55-inch 4K TV. And at least $900 for a 65-inch model. Models with a better picture, upgraded speakers and next-gen features will cost more. Look for 60 Hz or 120 Hz refresh rate: When it comes to refresh rates, 60 Hz is good, but 120 Hz is better. A higher refresh rate provides smoother motion for everything from movies and shows, to live sports and gaming. Look for an HDR-compatible set: This offers more realistic colors and better contrast. Preferably consider a TV that support

We have a shortened show this week but fear not we will go back to our regular show next week. For this week we ask if streaming delays an issue for you when watching live sports? We also have abbreviated email and news segments as well. News: Super Bowl 2022 won't stream in 4K on NBC Wyze discontinues its original WyzeCam Other: Why Matter matters, and how does WiFi and Thread fit into it. What is Matter and how will it affect your smart home? Thread smart home explained: Everything you need to know about the wireless protocol Stu's Voice Activated Home Theater Streaming TV Delays a Growing Headache for Sports Fans Picture this: you're in the Kansas City metro area, watching last Sunday's thrilling Divisional Round matchup against the Bills. Josh Allen just connected with Gabriel Davis for what seems like their 10th TD of the night and you think your team is absolutely done for. You suddenly hear a roar from the viewing party across the street and your group chat blows up. You look up at your screen and…the kick returner is letting the ensuing kickoff go into the endzone. It's only once your feed catches up that you see what all the fuss was about. Full article here…

On today's show we look at what's next for Google TV and look at what the "Smart home" of 2022 will look like. We also read your emails and look at the news of the week. What's next for Google TV Google's living room strategy appears to be working: The company revealed at CES last week that there are now 110 million monthly active Android TV devices in the world. Thirty million of these have been added since last May alone, and a growing number are using the company's new Google TV interface, with TCL revealing at the trade show that it is now selling 10 million TV sets with the Google TV UI a year. So where does Google go from here? Brave new home: 2022 will be remembered for how it redefined the smart home 2022 may well mark a final step toward incarnation for the smart home: Millions of people have been driven into their homes during the pandemic; millions more have begun building new homes according to the emergent needs of a world rewritten by COVID; average internet speeds can finally support connected homes, and those speeds will only continue to climb; a new communication protocol might finally unite a historically siloed industry; and, perhaps most importantly, people are more tech-literate, more tech-interested and readier to live in smart homes than ever before. Full article here…

On today's show we help you determine if your new HDMI cable is Ultra High Speed certified and discuss whether Samsung's Mini LEDs are harmful to your eyes. We finished with why dialog in today's movies is so bad and how the movie studios can fix them. Plus we read your email and look at the week's news. Ultra High Speed HDMI® Cable Certification Program The HDMI 2.1 Specification includes a new cable - the Ultra High Speed HDMI® Cable. It's the only cable that complies with stringent specifications designed to ensure support for all HDMI 2.1 features including uncompressed 8k@60 and 4K@120. The cable's increased bandwidth capability supports up to 48Gbps. Full info here… LG Display welcomes Samsung's QD-OLED, says miniLED is bad for eye health LG Display is currently the sole supplier of OLED TV panels to all TV brands including Hisense, LG, Sony, Panasonic, Philips, and Vizio, but later in 2022 Samsung Display will introduce the first real alternative in the form of QD-OLED, which will be available in TVs from Samsung and Sony. Full info here… Here's Why Movie Dialogue Has Gotten More Difficult To Understand (And Three Ways To Fix It) I used to be able to understand 99% of the dialogue in Hollywood films. But over the past 10 years or so, I've noticed that percentage has dropped significantly — and it's not due to hearing loss on my end. It's gotten to the point where I find myself occasionally not being able to parse entire lines of dialogue when I see a movie in a theater, and when I watch things at home, I've defaulted to turning the subtitles on to make sure I don't miss anything crucial to the plot. Full article here…

2022 CES Innovation Awards On today's show we rundown some of the 2022 Innovation Award winners. We are discussing products related to home theater and audio as well as the Smart Home for this discussion. The full list can be found here… Headphones & Personal Audio, Portable Media Players & Accessories Introducing the Anker Soundcore Frames—inspired by home audio systems and stylish eyewear. Soundcore Frames have a unique interchangeable frame design and the world's first OpenSurround System for open-ear surround sound which offers users a completely new lifestyle and technology experience. Starting at $199 Experience golden sound from true-wireless earbuds. Using ACAA 2.0, the second generation of the world's first coaxial hybrid driver unit, the Anker Liberty 3 Pro produce stunning sound which has achieved Hi-Res Audio Wireless certification and features Soundcore's innovative HearID ANC for noise cancelling that's tailored to your ears. $169 ROG Cetra TWS Pro in-ear headphones offer wireless and wired connections for total versatility and high-quality sound in a variety of scenarios. It features a hi-res ESS 9281 DAC for true-to-life audio, and an ASUS AI Noise-Canceling Microphone provides crystal clear communications. Also, low-latency wireless connections keep video and audio in-sync for advanced gaming experiences anywhere. The SOUNDFORM Immerse Noise Cancelling Earbuds are high-fidelity earbuds featuring superior sound quality with Hybrid Active Noise Cancellation (ANC), advanced six (6) microphone technology, Bluetooth LE audio in Gaming Mode, and locating features using Apple Find My and the SOUNDFORM app. The SOUNDFORM Immerse earbuds are the next-generation edition of its original earbuds offering introduced in April 2021, one of the first-ever accessories to work with Apple's vast and global Find My network, made up of hundreds of millions of Apple devices. The Soundform Immerse noise-canceling earbuds will launch in the second quarter of 2022 for $180 High Performance Home Audio & Video Nebula Cosmos Laser 4K shines with laser-powered brightness giving consumers the power to stream all day. Powered with ALPD 3.0 technology, the projector is the smallest 4K Android TV home projector, projecting content at 2,400 ANSI Lumens. The Smart Image Adaption Engine reduces setup time to seconds with the following features: Gridless Horizontal and Vertical Auto Keystone Correction, Autofocus, Auto-Obstacle Avoidance, and Screen Alignment. If consumers want to move Cosmos Laser 4K around the home, they can with its easy-to-use handle. Content options are abundant with 7,000+ applications available on the Android TV 10.0 operating system. The Cosmos Laser 4K will be available for pre-purchase on Kickstarter from Jan. 11 through mid-March for $2,100. The PSB Speakers' Synchrony T600 towers represent the finest application of the brand's "True to Nature" design philosophy. Like all PSB Speakers products, the T600s were designed and engineered at Canada's National Research Council (NRC) by a team of highly regarded acoustic specialists guided by renowned PSB Speakers Founder and Chief Acoustic Designer, Paul Barton. This flagship tower features a new 5-way transitional driver array employing three 6½′′ woofers, a 5¼′′ midrange driver, and a 1′′ titanium dome tweeter, in a heavily braced, four-chamber MDF enclosure and custom IsoAcoustic isolators to deliver an immersive, tonally accurate, true to nature soundscape. $8,000/Pair Immersive, jaw-dropping sound marries up with simple, seamless control, and versatile connectivity in the groundbreaking SVS Prime Wireless Pro Powered Speaker Pair. For the first time, all the benefits of wireless smart speakers with the stunning dynamics and pristine clarity of a complete HiFi system, at a fraction of the cost. The Prime Wireless Pro speakers will be available in March 2022 in black or white finish options and are expected to sell for $799/pair Home Audio & Video Components & Accessories Harman Kardon Citation Amp brings HD streaming to any loudspeaker and supports a multi-channel wireless surround sound system with other HK Citation products. User can play their favorite music via Chromecast built-in™ and AirPlay or connect to a TV via HDMI ARC. The simple and intuitive remote control allows the user to control Amp easily and efficiently. A local website provides detailed configuration options for the user to customize and enjoy the premium sound. No US pricing available but can be found for $1000 AUS ($715 USD) Harman Kardon Citation MultiBeam 1100 is the first soundbar combining MultiBeam™ beam-forming surround sound and up-firing speakers that enable 3D-surround formats like Dolby Atmos enhances the TV sound with best-in-class acoustic performance. With the well-integrated LCD touch screen on the top panel, users can easily set up a Wi-Fi connection and stream music over AirPlay, Chromecast, Alexa MRM, Spotify connect. No US Pricing but can be found for £799.00 ($9

This week it's all about CES 2022! So much to talk about including Sony getting into the electric vehicle market. We read your emails as well. Samsung Neo QLED - The powerful evolution of Samsung Neo QLED is built on Quantum Matrix Technology. It precisely controls Samsung's exclusive new Quantum Mini LED to express blacks, whites, and every shade in between, more accurately than ever. Enjoy great detail in dark and bright areas. Micro LED - MICRO LED is an inorganic, self-emitting LED designed to change the world of displays. Creating light and color on its own, MICRO LED delivers true-to-life color and contrast with optimum brightness in every scene. Discover stunning details on our biggest screen that surpass your greatest expectations. When you want more than one view, MICRO LED allows for four split-screen views. See up to four screens at once from a variety of sources — including the four HDMI ports — each giving you an immersive experience. The Frame - A minimalist-inspired design makes The Frame blend flawlessly with your interior. A slimmer profile, wider range of hues, and monochromatic back provide a sophisticated appearance from every angle. Connect the One Invisible Connection cable to discover what makes The Frame a modern masterpiece — on or off.³ The Premiere - Ultra-bright, high-resolution images are projected with cutting-edge Triple Laser Technology. The Premiere LSP9T uses a triple laser light source for dramatic home cinema viewing that nearly replicates a theater experience.⁸ Get precise color accuracy and incredible contrast with the Premiere LSP9T 4K Smart Triple Laser Projector.⁹ The Premiere LSP9T is the world's first HDR10+ certified projector for realistic, vibrant viewing. $3500 for 120" $6500 for 130" Eco Remote - combines a built-in solar panel with new wireless charging technology that uses radio waves emitted by Wi-Fi routers. It works by "collecting routers' radio waves and converting them to energy," Samsung explains. And because it doesn't require any special Wi-Fi technology, it's compatible with almost every router in use today. The Freestyle - is a projector, smart speaker and ambient lighting device all rolled into one lightweight, portable device weighing only 830 grams (1.8 lbs). The Freestyle comes with full auto keystone and auto leveling features that allow the device to automatically adjust its screen to any surface at any angle, providing a perfectly proportional image every time. SmartThings Cooking - A new service from Samsung SmartThings is designed to make your culinary journey seamless. An automatic Meal Planner powered by Whisk's Food AI recommends meals for the whole week, makes shopping lists with the ingredients you need, and connects to grocery retailers for one-stop shopping straight from the Family Hub™ refrigerator or your mobile screen. Recipe instructions can be sent directly to synced Samsung cooking devices to minimize hassles and mistakes. Samsung Health Smart Trainer on Samsung 2021 TVs: Samsung Health seamlessly transforms the home into a personal gym, and the new Smart Trainer4 feature tracks and analyzes posture in real-time, just like a personal trainer. During and post-workout, Smart Trainer provides feedback on form, helps you count your reps, and estimates calories burned. With video and interactive training via Bixby-enabled voice control, Samsung Health Smart Trainer elevates and personalizes the home workout experience. JetBot 90 AI+: Coming to the US 1H 2021, this new vacuum cleaner uses object recognition technology to identify and classify objects to decide the best cleaning path. LiDAR and 3D sensors allow JetBot 90 AI+ to avoid cables and small objects, while still cleaning hard-to-reach corners in your home. Also outfitted with a camera, JetBot90 AI+ is integrated with the SmartThings app to assist you with home monitoring. Samsung Bot™ Care is designed to use AI to recognize and respond to your behavior. It will be able to act as both a robotic assistant and companion, helping to take care of the details in your life. It will also learn your schedule and habits and send you reminders to help guide you throughout your busy day. Samsung Bot™ Handy: Also in development, Samsung Bot™ Handy will rely on advanced AI to recognize and pick up objects of varying sizes, shapes and weights, becoming an extension of you and helping you with work around the house. Sengled The Smart Health Monitoring Light bulb claims to read heart rate, body temperature and other vital signs through entirely non-invasive sensors. It uses a radar sensor instead of a passive infrared (PIR) sensor, meaning it can read through materials and detect more subtleties. Ideally, the higher sensitivity would allow for the light bulbs to detect different people, see movement through textiles and other complexities of off-skin health tracking. According to Sengled, a collection of Smart Health Monitoring Light bulbs connect via Bluetooth mesh to create a virtual map i

Happy New Year! For our last show of 2021 we go through some of the news stories of the past year. We also have a few listener emails and some end of year news. Five Home Theater Trends. Did they pan out? People will spend more money on their home theaters Shortening window between the theatrical release of a film and its release to home entertainment. The cost to build and create a great home theater setup has lowered dramatically. Source material quality will improve. Immersive audio such as Dolby Atmos and DTS:X offer a high-quality sound experience to watching movies in the home. ATSC 3.0 started rolling out 42 markets are online today. More info here NextGenTV Ara tracked down wifi issues for the first part of the year Eventually ending up with the Netgear Orbi Tri Band Wifi System Harmony went end of life But fortunately there are some worthy replacements. The SofaBatton and the far more expensive Yio look to fill the void left behind by the Harmony exiting the market. But with better CEC and Matter will these remotes be needed? The SofaBatton has a good universal remote already available for $50 and a Kickstarter campaign for the Harmony Replacement is well underway for $100. The Yio is also a kickstarter that will run you $420. We did our 1000th Show! A big thank you to all our listeners and supporters who make doing this show worthwhile Apple Releases Spatial Audio What do you think of this technology? Scarlett Johansson Sued Disney and won! Terms of the settlement were not released but it's safe to say the whole thing made Disney look bad. DirecTV's streaming platform got yet another rebranding What started as DireTV Now -> ATT TV Now -> ATT TV -> to DirecTV Stream Locast Shut Down A sad day it was! Dune was released on HBO Max to great Fanfare We didn't like/had no interest in the movie Matter Picked up Steam Samsung promised Matter support for SmartThings hubs, Galaxy devices, TVs, and fridges Disney+ Got Imax Support

On this week's show we take a look at the best mesh routers for 2021 and discuss whether something labeled HDMI 2.1 is actually HDMI 2.1. We read your emails and take a look at the week's news stories as well. Best mesh routers for 2021 The past couple of years have made it clear that having a dependable Wi-Fi network at home is essential -- especially if you're working or learning from home, gaming online with friends or calling loved ones for regular video chats. In cases like that, you might've noticed that the signal from your router isn't as strong as you'd like it to be in some parts of your house. Those wireless signals can only travel so far on their own before your speeds drop off, especially if you're connecting multiple devices and your home's layout and construction are creating obstructions that those signals struggle to penetrate. Full Article Here… HDMI 2.0 No Longer Exists This email came in from Stan in Pittsburg and we felt it deserved a deeper dive. When it comes to HDMI features claimed by manufacturers it is definitely buyer beware. I am sure that most of the podcast listeners of the HT Guys might know to evaluate HDMI based on features not HDMI version, but I doubt most average consumers would know that a HDMI 2.1 tv claim by a manufacturer may not have HDMI 2.1 features. This seems like a free pass to mislead consumers. HDMI 2.0 devices are now HDMI 2.1 devices: "HDMI 2.0 no longer exists" - FlatpanelsHD HDMI 2.0 no longer exists, and devices should not claim compliance to v2.0 as it is not referenced any more The features of HDMI 2.0 are now a sub-set of 2.1 All the new capabilities and features associated with HDMI 2.1 are optional (this includes FRL, the higher bandwidths, VRR, ALLM and everything else) If a device claims compliance to 2.1 then they need to also state which features the device supports so there is "no confusion"

On today's show we take a look at two budget smart thermostats and discuss whether Matter will be the glue that ties your entire house together. Finally we listen to music on an almost $25,000 two channel system. We also read your emails and go through the week's news. Amazon Smart Thermostat vs. Wyze Thermostat: Which budget model is best? The Amazon Smart Thermostat and the Wyze Thermostat are the two most affordable connected thermostats I've tested. Both models can be controlled with an app or voice commands and both cost less than 100 bucks. So, which one is the best for you? We've got a side-by-side comparison below so you can see their main differences and determine which budget-friendly smart thermostat to choose. Full article here… Matter Could Bring Universal Casting That Actually Works The new smart home standard Matter is making a lot of grand promises, chief among them are fixing the interoperability mess the smart home is currently in and making Apple, Samsung, Google, and Amazon talk to each other. Big jobs. But it's also tackling one of the other pain points in the connected home: TV control. Full article here… Audiophile Two Channel System Components: PrimaLuna EVO400 - $5000 Furman Power Conditioner HT 20A - $1500 Rega P5 Turntable - $2000 Manley Chinook Phono Amp - $2900 Schiit Audio YGGDRASIL DAC - $2200 AURALIC ARIES G1 - $2800 Bowers and Wilkins 702S2 - $5000 REL S/510 10" Subwoofer - $2500 Total Cost - $23,900

Technics True Wireless Headphones A few weeks ago we read an email from one of our listeners who works for Technics announcing a slew of new products. Two of which were the AZ40 (Street Price $150) and AZ60 (Street Price $230) Wireless Headphones. We expressed interest in reviewing them and were sent two pairs for review. There are two types of people who will benefit from these earbuds, professionals who are on phone calls and zoom meetings all day and the music lover who wants to escape the noise of the world. We'll talk about each separately. Setup But first let's discuss pairing and setting up the earbuds. Prior to pairing we suggest you try the different size ear tips to assure a proper fit. This will aid in the comfort, quality of the audio, and noise cancelation/isolation. To pair you take the fully charged earbuds and place them in your ear. A voice tells you they are in pairing mode. Go to your device's bluetooth settings and select the AZ40/60 and wait for the voice to tell you they are paired. Now you are ready to start listening. But if you want more control, Technics has an app that will let you dial the earbuds in to exactly how you like, Go to your app store and download and launch the Technics Audio Connect App. It will automatically search for your earbuds. Once found you can rename them if you wish. Here you can turn on and off noise canceling for the AZ60 and activate Ambient Sound which allows audio from outside to be passed through the headphones. You can also set the sound enhancement with some presets or you can customize it to your liking. I found "off" to be the best for me. On the AZ60 you can configure the Active noise Cancellation (ANC) to the level that sounds best for you. To do this I turned on white noise on my stereo and cranked it up. I adjusted the setting until the sound was the least detectable. Once that is done you have the ability to set the level of your noise canceling from 0 to 100%. Of course I took the headphones down to the wood shop to see how well they canceled the noise. The AZ40, without noise cancellation, did a good job at blocking the noise and allowed me to work while listening to music. The AZ60 worked so well that when I turned on the dust collection I had to remove the headphones to verify that it was actually on! Quite remarkable. The app allows you to customize touch sensor settings like which ear activates your voice assistant and which gestures are play/pause for music and which ones answer calls. Performance - Professional Working from Home This use case has a different threshold for performance based mostly on how good the human voice sounds and how good the microphone picks up your voice when talking. Multiple calls were placed while driving, from noisy rooms, and a typical home office setting. Technics has a technology that they call "Just My Voice" which cancels out the ambient sounds around you while amplifying the spoken word. In our tests all calls were perceived clearly on the other end. I made calls to two separate customer service reps and was not asked to repeat myself once. Then I had my wife use the headphones to call me from a room that had music playing at a loud level. I had no issue hearing her talk. The music in the background was squashed. This was done with both the AZ60 and AZ40. I could not detect any difference between them on phone call performance. From a confort point of view both the AZ40 and AZ60 can be worn for hours without fatigue. If you are on the phone or video calls for work, these headphones are easy to wear for hours at a time. Performance - Listening to Music This is where these headphones excel! I listened to my standards (SRV - Tin Pan Alley, Snoop Dog - California Roll, Pearl Jam - Yellow Ledbetter, Diana Krall - Fly Me to the Moon). I also added Walker Hayes Fancy Like because first, it's a fun song and second it has a great bass line during the hook! The AZ60 supports Hi-Res LDAC sound quality and for the test I put it into this mode which turns off Multipoint connections. No biggie as I am never connected to multiple devices simultaneously. Both sound good. I would give the AZ60 an edge in music playback performance. I switched the earbuds in and out while listening to the same track and noticed improved sound in the AZ60 but if I didn't have both side by side'ish I would have found the AZ40s completely acceptable. The bass in both is outstanding! In general these headphones present a realistic soundstage with the clarity to pick out elements of the music that may be hidden by other headphones. There is a part in "Fly Me to the Moon" where there is a piano and guitar playing off each other with the standup bass backing both up that sounded like you were in the room with them. This is a live recording that puts you right on stage with them. I listened to it over and over picking out each instrument clearly. For fun I listened to some Christmas carols that were remixed with Spatial audio. To do this on no

On this week's show we take a look at a cool gift idea for your technophobe friends that want to stay connected with you and we " Level Up" your home theater. We also read your emails and discuss the week's news. Plus Braden goes on a rant about his Internet provider. Cool Gift Idea New Skylight Frame I bought one of these for my mom and mother-in-law From their website: The Skylight Frame has a gorgeous, 10'' color touch screen that displays your photos with extraordinary clarity, color, and brilliance. It is the perfect size for a desk, mantel, coffee table, or kitchen. Skylight is a striking gift that will make an unforgettable impression the moment your loved one turns it on! Skylight is a beautiful touch-screen, Wi-Fi connected digital photo frame that lets you email photos from your phone or computer directly onto your loved one's Skylight - from anywhere in the world! 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed. If you don't love your Skylight, we'll offer you a full refund. PRODUCT DETAILS: -Screen size: 10'' Diagonal -Resolution: 1280x800 IPS display -Dimensions: 12'' x 8.5'' x 0.9'' -Time required to receive photos: -Accepted digital photo file formats: JPEG, BMP, PNG, GIF -Storage space on device: 8GB (enough for 8000+ photos) -100% Satisfaction Guaranteed: If you don't love your Skylight, we'll offer you a full refund. Level Up Your Home Theater Many of our listeners put new home theater gear on their holiday shopping list. Even though you have had a decent home theater for a few years now, you want to take it to the next level. What do you ask your family (or yourself) to spend their/your money on? Better speakers, an external amplifier, or some other device? Case for the Amplifier Actually this is more like the case against the external amplifier. Before you spend money on an external amplifier you need to consider your speakers. Do they need the extra power? If you had a modest home theater with mid level speakers the external amplifier will be overkill. A forklift that can pickup a ton will also pick up 500 pounds. But so will a forklift that can pick up a half a ton. If you never need to pick up more than 500 pounds a bigger forklift is a waste of money. An amplifier in this case is the one ton forklift. For most mid level speakers, the amplifiers in your receiver will do a good job providing power to your speakers. Then there is the case where your mid level receiver most likely doesn't even have pre-outs to support an external amplifier. If you are going to go this route, make sure your receiver is up to the task. With that said, an argument can be made if your receiver can process more channels like an Atmos configuration but does not have the required amplifiers. This is really the only argument for an external amplifier with the typical mid level home theater setup. For argument's sake, let's say you have really nice speakers that can handle more power and furthermore you have a receiver that has preouts. Should you still add an external amplifier? This is where Ara may differ from some others. Instead of an external amplifier you may want to consider a higher tier receiver with more and better amplifiers. It simplifies the installation and in this tier of receivers you will have plenty of power. Marantz has two receivers that will support a 7.1.2 Atmos setup and one that will support a 7.2.4 Atmos setup. They are the SR6015 ($2000), SR7015 ($2800) and SR8015 ($3800) respectively. Case for new Speakers Good speakers will make or break your home theater. While they can't turn low end equipment into audiophile grade, they will get the most out of your gear. Likewise good speakers will quickly show you the limits of your gear. Good speakers don't need to break the bank either. However, since we are "Leveling Up" it will take a bit of a financial commitment to get to the next level. A 5.1.2 CG25 System from RSL Speakers will run you $2650. Other companies have high quality 7.1 systems for $3000 and much much more. Budget $3,500 to $5,000. But serious improvement can be had for less than $1500 from companies like JBL, SVS, and others. Some Other Device This is a broad category. But other than new speakers, receivers, or amplifiers maybe a new projector and very large format screen is in order. That will make a big impact visually. If we had to roadmap the upgrade from a mid level home theater we would first upgrade speakers, which includes the subwoofer, then amplification whether that be separates or a powerful receiver, then we'd upgrade the TV/Projector. The speakers will last more or less forever. Once you have enough amplification that will last for quite some time as well. Maybe even forever now that we have 3D audio and 8K pass through. It's the TV/Projector that will change the most. Whatever you can't afford now will be a black friday doorbuster in a few years. Buy the new screen once you have your audio in order.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! We have a special show for you all. It's our second annual crossover podcast with the guys from AV Rant and The Bright Side of Home Theater. There is also a video version available on our YouTube Channel "The HT Guys". So sit back and enjoy some Turkey while you listen to this week's show.

Black Friday Roundup 2021 It's that time of year again! We get to enjoy a big meal with family and friends and then start the Holiday shopping season in earnest. On today's show we run down some of the deals we find interesting. We also read your emails and take a look at the week's news. BestBuy Black Friday 2021 Thanksgiving 2021: TBD Black Friday 2021: Most stores will reopen at TBD a.m. local time Samsung 75" Class QN84A Neo QLED 4K UHD Smart Tizen TV $1,899.99 was $2,799.99 Insignia™ - 58" Class F30 Series LED 4K UHD Smart Fire TV $349.99 was $579.99 the 32" F20 is $149.99 was $199.99 LG - 55" Class C1 Series OLED 4K UHD Smart webOS TV $1,299.99 was $1,499.99 LG - 50" Class UP7000 Series LED 4K UHD Smart webOS TV $399.99 was $459.99 Samsung 7.1-Channel Soundbar with Dolby 5.1/DTS Virtual:X $279.99 was $499.99 Apple AirPods Max $479.00 was $549.00 Belkin - SOUNDFORM Move Plus True Wireless Earbuds - Black $39.99 was $69.99 Target Black Friday 2021 Thanksgiving 2021: Closed Black Friday 2021: Most stores will reopen at 7 a.m. local time LG 70" Class 4K UHD Smart LED HDR TV 70UP7070 $649.99 was $749.99 LG 75" Class 4K UHD Smart LED HDR TV - 75UP7070PUD $849.99 was $969.99 Element 65" 4K UHD Roku TV $299.99 was $649.99 Available 11/21 VIZIO 58" 4K V-Series UHD HDR Smart TV + Free $30 Target Gift Card $479.99 was $559.99 VIZIO V-Series 70" Class 4K HDR Smart TV - V705-J03 $599.99 was $739.99 Samsung 55" Smart 4K Crystal HDR UHD TV TU7000 Series (Titan Gray) $479.99 was $499.99 TCL 55" Class 4-Series 4K UHD HDR Smart Roku TV – 55S435 $379.99 was $519.99 VIZIO V-Series 2.0 Compact Sound Bar $49.99 was $99.99 Roku Premiere | HD/4K/HDR Streaming Media Player with Simple Remote and Premium HDMI Cable $19.99 was $34.99 Amazon Fire TV Stick with 4K Ultra HD Streaming Media Player and Alexa Voice Remote (2nd Generation) $24.99 was $49.99 JBL Tune 225 True Wireless Earbuds $49.99 was $99.99 Apple AirPods Pro $189.99 was $249.99 Google Nest Doorbell (Battery) $129.99 was $179.99 Amazon Blink 1080p WiFi Mini 1 Camera $19.99 was $34.99 Walmart Black Friday 2021 Thanksgiving 2021: Closed Black Friday 2021: Stores open at 5 a.m. local time VIZIO 70" Class 4K UHD LED SmartCast Smart TV V-Series $548.00 onn. 40" Class FHD (1080P) LED Roku Smart TV HDR $128.00 onn. 70" Class 4K UHD LED Roku Smart TV HDR $398.00 Samsung 55" Class 4K Crystal UHD LED Smart TV w/HDR $478.00 was $498.00 Samsung 60" Class 4K Crystal UHD LED Smart TV w/ HDR $548.00 was $849.99 TCL TS6 Dolby Audio 2 Channel Sound bar w/ Roku TV Ready $44.00 VIZIO 36" 5.1 Home Theater Sound Bar with Bluetooth and DTS Virtual:X $148.00 Available 11/22 SAMSUNG 170W 2.1ch Soundbar with Wireless Subwoofer $99.00 Available 11/22 Apple AirPods Pro $159.00 was $197.00 Google Nest Hub 2nd Gen - Smart Home Display with Google Assistant $49.98 was $79.98 Available 11/22 Merkury Innovations Dimmable 75W Equivalent Wi-Fi Smart Bulb, Color, (4 Pack) works with Google and Alexa $19.98 Kohl's Black Friday 2021 Thanksgiving 2021: Closed Black Friday 2021: Stores open 5 a.m. local time. Amazon Fire TV Stick (3rd Gen) with Alexa Voice Remote - HD Streaming Device $19.99 was $39.99 Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max Streaming Device with Alexa Voice Remote $24.99 was $49.99 Available 11/21 Amazon Echo Show 8 Smart Display with Alexa and 8" HD Screen + Free $15 Kohls Cash $59.99 was $109.99 Google Nest Learning Thermostat + Free $45 Kohls Cash $179.00 was $249.99 Google Nest Video Doorbell + Free $30 Kohls Cash $129.99 $179.99 Available 11/21 Ring Stick Up Cam Battery + Free $15 Kohls Cash $74.99 was $99.99 Available 11/21 Amazon Black Friday 2021 Like Denny's they are Always Open Up to 28% off select LG C1 Series 4K OLED Smart TVs 77" 2896.99 65" 1796.99 Up to 18% off select LG NANO90 4K Smart UHD TVs 75" 1696.99 55" 896.99 Introducing Amazon Fire TV 4-Series 4K UHD smart TV 43" $269.99 50" $329.99 55" 379.99 Up to 25% off Polk Audio Monitor XT Series $129 for XT15 bookshelf pair ($199 for the XT20), $249 12" subwoofer Costco Black Friday 2021 Thanksgiving 2021: Closed Sony 75" Class - X90CJ Series - 4K UHD LED LCD TV - Allstate 3-Year Protection Plan Bundle Included for 5 years of total coverage (Online and in Store) $1599.99 there is a 65 inch for $1199.99 Sony 85" Class - X91CJ Series - 4K UHD LED LCD TV - Allstate 3-Year Protection Plan Bundle Included for 5 years of total coverage (Online and in Store) $2199.99 Hisense 55" Class - U6GR5 Series - 4K ULED LCD TV (Online and in Store) $449.99 Samsung QN850 Series - 8K UHD Neo QLED LCD TV - Allstate 3-Year Protection Plan Bundle Included for 5 years of total coverage (ONLINE ONLY and available now) 85" $4199.99 75" $3299.99 65" $2499.99 LG NANO85 Series - 4K UHD LED LCD TV - Allstate 3-Year Protection Plan Bundle Included for 5 years of total coverage (Online and in Store) 75" $1399.99 65" $949.99 VIZIO V51-H6 36" 5.1 Channel Home Theater Soundbar System (Online and in Store) $169.99 was $199.99 SimpliSafe Home Security Kit with HD Camera (

On this week's show, Disney+ Gets the iMax treatment and we look at some smart devices that you didn't even know existed. We also give you a heads up on some early Blak Friday Deals. Plus we look at the news and read your emails. IMAX Enhanced aspect ratio Starting November 12 (Disney+ Day), subscribers will get the option to watch 13 Marvel movies (full list in the table) in an expanded IMAX aspect ratio (1.90:1) for a picture that is up to 26% taller compared to regular widescreen. Full article here... Smart Home Devices You Probably Didn't Know Existed More and more people have been turning their homes into smart homes or simply been using smart devices these days. It may be out of a person's laziness or curiosity about these devices, or the convenience these devices bring are just so hard to resist. Full article here… Best Early Black Friday Deals 2021 The holidays are right around the corner and retailers are wasting no time offering deals for early shoppers. Below, we're rounding up some of the best deals on products for cord cutters and highlighting the sales at some of your favorite online stores. Full article here...

On today's show we discuss watching Dune from our home theaters, Seven Alexa commands you are probably not using, and why we think Matter really matters. Plus we have two weeks of emails and news. Dune - Our thoughts 7 Alexa commands you're probably not using (but should be) With Alexa and the range of Echo devices, -- including smart displays and smart speakers -- Amazon has built a robust service that can deliver seemingly endless information and control your home. But, are you actually taking full advantage of all it can do? Full article here… Samsung promises Matter support for SmartThings hubs, Galaxy devices, TVs, and fridges The Matter smart home train is picking up steam. Following Google's commitment to the new standard at its developer conference last week and Apple's addition of Matter support in iOS 15 at WWDC, Samsung is now following suit. The company announced a complete adoption of Matter across ​Samsung's Galaxy devices, televisions, Family Hub appliances, and SmartThings hubs at SDC21, its virtual developer conference being held this week. Full article here… Matter is the foundation for connected things. This industry–unifying standard is a promise of reliable, secure connectivity—a seal of approval that devices will work seamlessly together, today and tomorrow. Matter is creating more connections between more objects, simplifying development for manufacturers and increasing compatibility for consumers. This collaborative breakthrough is built on proven technologies and guided by the Connectivity Standards Alliance (formerly Zigbee Alliance), whose members come together from across industries to transform the future of connectivity. Companies from across the industry are contributing market-proven technologies and best practices. Matter is built around a shared belief that smart home devices should be secure, reliable, and seamless to use. By building upon Internet Protocol (IP), Matter will enable communication across smart home devices, mobile app and cloud services, and to define a specific set of IP-based networking technologies for device certification. Foundation for connected things: Simplicity - Easy to purchase and use Interoperability - Devices from multiple brands work natively together Reliability - Consistent and responsive local connectivity Security - Robust and streamlined for developers and users An open-source approach Members of the Alliance have taken an open-source approach to the development and implementation of this new, unified connectivity protocol. We are using best-in-class contributions from market-tested smart home technologies, such as those from Amazon, Apple, Google, the Connectivity Standards Alliance (formerly the Zigbee Alliance), and others. By leveraging these technologies' contributions, we have been able to accelerate the development of the protocol and deliver benefits to manufacturers and consumers faster. IP-Based Matter makes it easier for device manufacturers to build devices that are compatible with smart home and voice services such as Amazon's Alexa, Apple's Siri, Google's Assistant, and others. The first specification release of the Matter protocol will run on Wi-Fi and Thread network layers and will use Bluetooth Low Energy for commissioning.

We are on vacation this week but we still have a show. Its a little different than our typical show. This week we tell you the origin of how we became the HT Guys. We'll be back next week with new content and your emails and news.

On today's show we look at the top 15 most popular shows on Netflix and run down the ten best smart light switches according to Tom's Guide. We comment as we have had experience with all but three of them. As usual, we read your email and discuss the news of the week. Netflix's most popular shows The following are Netflix's most sampled TV series by number of accounts that have watched at least two minutes in the first 28 days of release. Netflix's stats also aren't independently verified, nor are they backed up by detailed data from the company, putting Netflix in the position to cherry-pick highlights without much transparency. This ranking includes only the shows that Netflix has chosen to disclose; other Netflix titles certainly have accrued enough sampling in the first month of release to make it on this list, but Netflix gets to pick which titles get viewership disclosures. Squid Game (season 1), a dark Korean thriller -- 111 million accounts. Bridgerton (season 1), a period romance -- 82 million accounts. Lupin (part 1), a French heist series -- 76 million accounts. The Witcher (season 1), a fantasy series based on an existing franchise of books and video games -- 76 million accounts. Sex/Life (season 1), a risque drama about a love triangle -- 67 million accounts. Stranger Things (season 3), a retro sci-fi series -- 67 million accounts. La Casa de Papel (part 4), or Money Heist, a Spanish-language heist thriller series -- 65 million accounts. Tiger King, a viral docuseries -- 64 million households. The Queen's Gambit, a limited series about a chess prodigy -- 62 million accounts. Sweet Tooth (season 1), a series based on a DC comic -- 60 million accounts. Emily in Paris (season 1), a comedy series -- 58 million accounts. Fate: The Winx Saga (season 1), a teen drama about fairies -- 57 million accounts. Shadow and Bone (season 1), a fantasy series -- more than 55 million accounts. Who Killed Sara? (season 1), a Mexican series about a brother's hunt for revenge -- 55 million accounts projected. You (season 2), a psychological thriller series -- 54 million accounts projected. Best smart light switches in 2021 The best smart light switches are an economical way of making all your lights "smart," without having to replace a ton of bulbs. Like traditional wall switches, a smart light switch can turn your fixtures on and off, but because the switch is linked to the cloud, you can also control it remotely from your phone. This allows you do to a bunch of neat things, like setting a schedule for when lights will turn on and off, and controlling them with a voice assistant like Alexa, Google Assistant, or Siri. If you go on vacation, you can even set them to turn on and off randomly, to make it look like you're home. Full article here...

On today's show we look at three 4K TVs that won't break the bank and look at the new soundbars coming from Hisense. We also read your emails and look at the news of the week. Three 65" 4K TVs That won't Break the Bank Sony X80J 65-Inch 4K Ultra HD Smart Google TV: $850 Hisense 65A6G 65-Inch 4K Ultra HD Android Smart TV: $510 Toshiba 65-inch 65C350KU 4K UHD Smart Fire TV: $540 Hisense Releases Three New Soundbars HS312 ($399.99) HS219 ($279.99) HS212F ($199.99) Designed to augment the TV experience, the new HS Series of soundbars features a compact and sleek design that makes them easy to place and connect. The HS212F (120 watts), the four speaker HS219 (320 watts), and the Dolby Atmos supporting HS312 (300 watts). The new soundbars all support Bluetooth, which allows you to stream music from your smartphone, tablet or laptop. You can optimize the sound based on what you are watching. Whether it's a loud sporting event or a drama with quiet dialogue, you can switch to your desired setting via presets on the remote. The soundbars come with a wall mount kit and guide. They measure roughly 40 x 2.5 x 3.5 inches. The Subwoofer measures 10 x 15 x 10 inches. Sizes will vary slightly depending on the model. You can control Soundbar functions like power and volume with your Hisense TV remote. This functionality will be available for all current and new soundbars through a software update and will be compatible with the U7, U8 and U9 Series TVs.

This week we explain what Wide Color Gamut is and how it affects your TV viewing experience. We also discovered a new remote that wants to be your Harmony Replacement. It's really sexy but it costs a pretty penny. Finally we discuss why you don't want to mount your TV over the fireplace. All that plus your emails and the week's news. Wide Color Gamut We mention wide color quite a bit when we talk about 4K TVs. But what does that mean? In general when we talk about wide color we mean "Redder" reds, "greener" greens, "bluer" blues. More specifically the color space covers 75.8%of the visible spectrum, the DCI-P3 digital cinema color space covers 53.6%. What can you expect? The improvement in color will not blow you away, but you can tell in a side-by-side comparison. It's more pronounced in red and green. Some TVs will be capable of more colors than others, even if they are labeled WCG. Look for a percentage of P3 color to determine Wide Color capability. The recent Hisense UST Projector is capable of 107% of P3 color YIO Remote Two Another remote is on the horizon and it looks to be an elegant Harmony replacement. And by elegant we mean expensive . It's available on Kickstarter for a pledge of 369 Euros and delivers in July 2022. From the Kickstart page: With Remote Two you can control your smart home and multiple devices under one unified interface. No searching for apps on your phone. You get instant control at your fingertips. Remote Two runs fully locally and doesn't require subscriptions to function. Replace all your remotes with one and create activities to simplify control of your entertainment centre. Remote Two even comes with an open API, making it easy for the community to add support for new custom integrations. With Remote Two, you can control devices via WiFi, Bluetooth and - through the smart charging dock - infrared (IR). There is no need for a hub, other than the one you already own. Remote Two connects to your WiFi network and to your home automation system and can control your devices. The charging dock is not just charging the remote, but has its own smarts too. It has built in WiFi and Bluetooth to communicate with the remote. It has infrared LEDs all around to make sure you get a good coverage. We ship an IR extender in the box, so you can use that to control devices inside a cabinet. You can choose to send IR commands to the extender, the built-in IR LEDs or both. The dock can also learn IR commands from your old remotes, so if you cannot find the codes in a database, you can make Remote Two learn the IR commands. The remote looks amazing. It's the combination of a remote with buttons and a tiny tablet. The buttons you would want to be physical are and stuff like automation, activities, and other functions can be mapped to the small screen. The only question is if it's worth the cost. We'll wait until July to possibly check it out. You shouldn't mount your TV above the fireplace. It's actually a terrible place for it Mounting a TV above a fireplace seems like the most logical spot. It's out of the way, looks nice and is often the most convenient place to put it in a room. However, there are serious issues with such placement. Full article here…

This week we take a look at the latest product announcements from Amazon. There are a slew of smart home products and a new FireTV that's actually TV! Then there is the Value Electronics TV Shootout where they pick the best TV in three categories. As usual we look at the week's news and read your emails. Amazon Product Announcements Amazon announced a bunch of new products this week. Here are a few that caught our attention: Amazon Smart Thermostat ($60 November 4th) - Amazon Smart Thermostat is ENERGY STAR® certified. Certified thermostats are required to save an average of $50 on yearly energy bills. Alexa does the programming for you, automatically adjusting the temperature to suit your preferences. The thermostat can even be set to your preferred temperature if Alexa has a hunch you're home, away, or asleep. Echo Show 15 ($250 coming soon)- Reimagine how your family stays organized and entertained with a personalized smart display that helps keep everyone on track and in sync. You can mount it on a wall or display it with a compatible stand (sold separately) in portrait or landscape orientation. Leave each other sticky notes, update shopping and to-do lists, and see your shared and individual calendars. Family members can create profiles and use visual ID and voice ID so Alexa can recognize who's who and show the right information to the right person—like appointments, reminders, recently played music, and more. Catch up on the news, watch shows and movies, cook along with demo videos, and more. Enjoy Amazon Music with lyrics you can see on the screen, plus podcasts, radio stations, and audiobooks. For a multi-room music experience, you can connect to other compatible Echo devices. Amazon Glow, Interactive Projector + Video Calling ($250 request invitation to buy) - The Amazon Glow is a new interactive projector and video-calling device designed to build rich family connections by transforming the way children bond with remote loved ones. A new way to connect - Glow uniquely fuses projection, video, and sensing technologies to create a virtual experience that feels like being together in-person, no matter how far away you are. Halo View fitness tracker ($80 coming soon) - Essentially a FitBit for $80 Ring Alarm Pro, 8-piece - built-in eero Wi-Fi 6 router and optional 24/7 monitoring ($299 November 3rd) - This kit includes one Alarm Pro Base Station, one Keypad, four Contact Sensors, one Motion Detector, and one Alarm Range Extender. Built-in eero Wi-Fi 6 router creates a secure network for our strongest protection yet. Arm and disarm Ring Alarm with your voice and get mobile alerts about the sound of broken glass or smoke alarms with Alexa Guard. Call trained agents from your Echo who can request the dispatch of emergency responders with Alexa Guard Plus, included with an eligible Ring Protect Plan ($100 a year) Ring Always Home Cam | Flying indoor cam ($250 request invitation to buy) - The Ring Always Home Cam is a first-of-its-kind flying indoor security camera for your home that flies along custom flight paths so you can see what's happening around your home no matter where you are. See what's going on in 1440x1440 HD video, with a built-in LED that automatically lights up the path when recording at night or in dim environments. Left a window open or the stove on? Create flight paths ahead of time so you can manually check in with the Ring App from anywhere. If your Ring Alarm contact sensors or motion detectors are triggered, Always Home Cam will automatically fly to see what's happening. Always Home Cam's camera never records when the device is docked and only records during trained flight paths. Amazon Astro, Household Robot for Home Monitoring ($1000 equest invitation to buy) - Meet Astro, the household robot for home monitoring, with Alexa. Amazon Astro uses advanced navigation technology to find its way around your home and go where you need it. When you're not using Astro, it will hang out close by at the ready. Remotely send Astro to check on specific rooms, people, or things. Plus, get alerts if Astro detects an unrecognized person or certain sounds when you're away. Activate your 6-month free trial of Ring Protect Pro subscription and have Astro proactively patrol, investigate activity, save videos in Ring's cloud storage for up to 60 days, and more. Astro comes with a detachable cup holder and can carry other items (sold separately) like a Ziploc container, the OMRON blood pressure monitor, and a Furbo Dog Camera that tosses treats to your pet. Amazon Fire TV 65" Omni Series 4K UHD smart TV with Dolby Vision (55" $560, 65" $830, 75" $1100 October 27) - Get true-to-life picture quality and rich, brilliant colors with support for 4K Ultra HD, Dolby Vision, HDR 10, HLG, and Dolby Digital Plus, and control the TV hands-free with Alexa. Dolby Vision brings spectacular color, contrast, clarity, and brightness to your screen. With built-in microphones, just ask to turn on the TV, and find, launch

On today's show we reveal the 2021 TCL TV lineup and discuss FAST (free, ad-supported streaming television) channels. Is this the beginning of truly free TV? We also go through the list of the 2021 CEDIA Expo Best of show winners. Plus we read your emails and look at the news of the week. TCL TV 2021 range: every new TCL TV for this year In 2020, TCL launched a number of new TVs, proving you don't need to pay a small fortune to get a good new TV. Now we're more than halfway through 2021, the brand is continuing this trend. Full article here… Google's latest plans for Chromecast are all about free TV Google is looking to make its Chromecast streaming device more appealing to cord cutters. The company has plans to add free TV channels to Google TV, the Android-based smart TV platform that powers Chromecast as well as select smart TVs from companies including Sony and TCL, Protocol has learned. Full article here... 2021 CEDIA Expo Best Of Show Winners Announced TWICE, Residential Systems and What HiFi? have announced the winners of their annual Best of Show awards at CEDIA Expo 2021. The products were nominated by the manufacturers and a team of judges was employed to read through the entries and rate the products on a number of criteria, including its value, impact, and how unique it was to the market. TWICE Best of Show Winners at CEDIA Crestron Home Crestron started in the 1980s in New Jersey and sells its products internationally. They sell their home automation products through authorized dealers. Crestron does not list pricing on their website because each system is custom-tailored to the homeowner's needs and installed through a home integrator. Their products are high quality and you will pay for an equally high amount. Systems typically start at $10,000 and go up from there. Way up! Crestron Horizon Thermostat With their ultra-slim profile and luxurious aesthetic, Horizon smart thermostats are always neat and discreet, while also delivering advanced functionality. Intuitive control and bright high-resolution touch screen makes settings as easy to see as they are to adjust Touch screen displays in light and/or dark mode Light sensor adjusts display brightness and switches to dark mode at night Built-in proximity sensor eliminates need to swipe or touch to wake up thermostat Quick-look RGB backlit status bar indicates current status and provides sophisticated design accent No batteries, so you'll never return home or wake up to a too hot or cold house because the batteries ran out Silent operation iRoom iO touchDock The touchDock is iRoom's flagship docking station, made entirely with scratch-resistant tempered glass and features the latest technologies iRoom has been implementing in its docking solutions. touchDock turns your iPad into a dual-purpose control device with convenient motorized iPad removal for mobile use. Convenient motorized Removal of the iPad. High Quality Tempered & Scratch-Proof Glass in Black or White. Horizontal or Vertical Flush-Mount Installation. Built-In Touch Keypad for AV Control independent of the iPad. Control Drivers for Crestron, Control4, Savant, RTI, Elan, URC and many more. Smart Battery Management extends the iPad Battery Life. Code-Protected Antitheft Protection of the iPad. Built-in sensor package for room temperature, humidity, brightness, and air quality (CO2) (Coming soon) Price $1,299.00 – $1,699.00 Samsung QN90A 4K TV The next-gen Neo Quantum Processor 4K utilizes advanced AI based deep-learning analysis to analyze the signal, source, and scene-by-scene content to deliver our best 4K optimized experiences. Quantum HDR 32x brings details to life with ultra-rich color, deep contrast, and HDR10+ dynamic tone mapping that shifts the color and contrast scene by scene for spectacular clarity. Feel like you're in the middle of the action with directional, realistic sound that projects from speakers built into all sides of the TV Never miss a beat with minimized blur and enhanced motion clarity, and catch all the fast-moving action whether you're watching sports or taking advantage of newer Next-Gen gaming capabilities. Get our finest picture ever with Color Volume 100%, Quantum Dot, which transforms light into breathtaking, stay-true color at any brightness. See every detail at any angle. Ultra Viewing Angle gives you the consistent detailed picture, even when sitting off to the side. So every seat is the best one in the house. 85" $4,000 55" $1,550 GDC Espedeo Supra-5000 RBB Plus Laser Phosphor Cinema Projector The Supra-5000 is a 5000-lumen DCI-compliant projection system certified by Hollywood studios to playback encrypted digital cinema content and suitable for screens up to 20 feet wide. It features patented ALPD 4.0 laser technology to deliver vibrant colors in P3 color space and achieving 98.5 percent of REC2020. It is engineered with GDC's all-in-one board, which is designed with near-zero maintenance electronics and tested by SGS for 100,000 hours Mean Time B

On this week's show we wrap up the Summer Box Office numbers with the top ten movies based on ticket sales and we look at two contradicting studies about streaming vs cable. We also have a review of Apple's AirPod Pro. We also read your email and look at the news of the week. Summer Box Office Wraps with $1.75 Billion, It Closes on a High Note No one expected this summer to be a close comparison to the last pre-pandemic summer and it wasn't. Total North American box office for the 17-week summer period, including the Labor Day holiday weekend, totaled about $1.75 billion. That's a little more than 40 percent of the $4.34 billion recorded in 2019, a period that did not include $474 million for the first week of "Avengers: Endgame." (That opened on the last Friday in April.) Full article here… Is Roku Right? Has TV Streaming Really 'Passed the Tipping Point'? Roku's 'Streaming Decade' report describes OTT as the dominant means of viewing video in the American home … despite recent data from Nielsen indicating that it's still somewhat of a niche behavior Full Article Here… AirPods Pro The Apple AirPods Pro are wireless earbuds with noise cancelling, water resistance and a customizable fit. Are these the ultimate wireless earbuds everyone is talking about? Braden gives us his take. Features: Active Noise Cancellation Transparency mode Adaptive EQ Vent system for pressure equalization Custom high-excursion Apple driver Custom high dynamic range amplifier Spatial audio with dynamic head tracking

We have a fantastic show for you today! Hisense announced what appears to be one of the best Ultra Short Throw Projectors on the market. We discuss Ara's experience with his and how this may be the one to replace your regular TV. Qualcomm has something for audiophiles with their AptX Lossless codec for CD Quality Sound Over Bluetooth. Finally we take a look at a $5 smart plug from monoprice. Who would have thought that you can start your home automation journey for $5. As usual we read your emails and news stories for the week. Hisense's new laser TV is pricey, but could prove its best home cinema experience yet Hisense has just announced its latest laser TV, the new L9G. In what promises to be a premium home entertainment device, the L9G TriChroma laser TV will use a 3000 Lumen ultra-short throw projection to create a razor-sharp and color-accurate image. Full article here Hisense L9G TV Series features 4K Ultra-Short Throw – Positioned just inches from the wall, the L9G Laser TV casts a massive image at beautiful 4K resolution. Up to 3.5x more screen than a 65" TV. TriChroma Laser Engine – The L9G uses pure red, green, and blue lasers to achieve new levels of color performance, reaching 107% of the BT.2020 color space. High Dynamic Range – With a brightness of 3000 Lumens, L9G's High Dynamic Range delivers incredible specular highlights and depth of color, to give every scene the stunning details it deserves. Smooth Motion – The Digital Micromirror Device reacts faster to movement than LED or OLED, creating motion that's smoother than any other type of display. MEMC Technology helps too, making fast-action in sports, movies, and games more fluid. DLP Technology Powered by Texas Instruments – The projection technology used in 9 out of 10 cinemas worldwide to create laser-focused detail is now available at home. Every piece of content feels like it's fresh from the theater. Long Lifespan – X-Fusion™ laser light technology provides up to 25,000+ hours of entertainment without the need of replacing a bulb – because there is none. Ambient Light Rejecting Screen – The included UST ALR screen is perfectly paired with the L9G projector to produce a color-accurate picture with incredible viewing angles and brightness uniformity. Dolby Atmos® – L9G's 40W Dolby Atmos sound reveals every detail of the audio mix with unparalleled clarity and depth. A high-speed HDMI port with eARC also allows pass-through so users can enjoy high bitrate audio through their home theater. Android TV OS – Android TV OS brings more than 5,000 apps and games to the biggest screen in the home. Watch live sports and news from popular channels or gather around to watch the hottest videos with 1,000+ Chromecast compatible apps. WiSA Ready – integrate your wireless multi-channel surround sound, the L9G is WiSA Ready. Smart Home Ready – Built-in WiFi, Google Assistant, Works with Alexa and Control4 certified, the L9G can integrate with smart home IoT devices and control systems. Eye-Safety (And Kid Resilient) – The L9G features a proximity sensor that shuts off the laser light source when a moving body gets too close. This protects the eyes and is also a great feature to stop the little ones from placing items on the laser console. Users also have the option to turn off the eye-safety feature. Qualcomm AptX Lossless Offers CD Quality Sound Over Bluetooth But It Won't Be Available On Existing Devices Qualcomm has done something nice for all the audiophiles who are still getting used to listening to music on Bluetooth headphones. The company has decided to announce the latest Bluetooth audio codec called the aptX Lossless. Full Article Here … Stitch Wifi Outlet One of our listeners, Tom, sent us an email a couple weeks ago alerting us to a really inexpensive smart home outlet made by Monoprice called "The Stitch". This line has been around for at least a couple of years but this was the first we had heard of it. We purchased it for $5 but it's currently being sold for $8.50. The Stitch is a 10A Outlet that works with Alexa and Google Home and has an iOS and Android app. The outlet is really small and can be used anywhere and does not require a hub. Setup was a tale of two experiences. The first attempt resulted in nothing but frustration then ended with us giving up and thinking that the outlet was not working. So we set the outlet aside and went on with our day. Being stubborn and not being happy that a smart home device got the better of us, we tried again the following day. This time everything worked exactly as advertised and within seconds had the device connected to our network. Now that the outlet was functioning we were able to put it through its paces. To sum it up, it worked well. We were able to set up scenes and automations based on time of day, events, and timers. We liked the timers which could come in handy if you needed to set up a temporary automation. There is even a "Circulate" mode which turns on devices for configured duration

We have a really big show this week! First off there is the news about Locast shutting down. We have what we think could be a good candidate to replace the Harmony Remote. We look at suggested seating distances based on screen size. You won't believe this one. Then we look at an article that tries to tell you how to evangelize Hi-res audio to your friends. Plus we read your emails and look at the news. SofabatonX1-Most Versatile Universal ALL-IN-ONE Smart Remote Sofabaton is launching X1, which is targeted at multi-device scenario-based Activity control, while adding a wireless Hub, which we believe can better meet the needs of power users. This looks like an actual Harmony Remote replacement with a hub. It's a Kickstarter project and has a cost of about $100. We will of course do a review when they become available. TV sizes: How big a screen do I really need? Your TV is probably too small. Use these rules of thumb to determine what size TV to buy. Full Article Here … SONY'S RECOMMENDED SEATING DISTANCE TV size Viewing distance range (approx.) 43-inch 35 inches (2.95 feet) 49-inch 39 inches (3.28 feet) 55-inch 39 inches (3.28 feet) 65-inch 47 inches (3.94 feet) 75-inch 55 inches (4.59 feet) 85-inch 63 inches (5.25 feet) Bottom line: You could go much, much bigger with your next TV The ultimate decision is one of personal preference. My goal here was to point out a rough idea of what's possible or recommended. For me, I would always err on the side of "too big." An old boss of mine used to say that no one regretted buying a TV they thought might be "too big." My opinion is that a 50-inch TV is too small for most rooms. That's not to say I think everyone should get a 102-inch screen, but the reality is a 50-inch flat panel is really not that much larger than the 36-inch CRTs of the old days. Since 65- and even 75-inch TVs are now far more affordable, they're worth considering if you've got the space. If you want to go really big, consider a projector instead if you've got control over the ambient light in your room. Another View: Breaking the Sound Barrier – How To Talk To Your Friends About High Quality Audio To stay abreast of everything Home Theater, Smart Home, and Audio, we subscribe to a lot of News Feeds, Blogs, and Newsletters and we also receive emails from our listeners alerting us to articles. This one came across in one of our news feeds from TWICE (Full Article Here) (This Week in Consumer Electronics) and thought it was interesting to discuss because we are completely on the opposite side of this discussion. The premise of the article is that with all the music sites going Hi-res, most listeners don't think they can hear the difference and somehow need you to tell them that they can. From the first paragraph of the article: For 25 years now, mainstream listeners have become accustomed to lossy, low-bitrate music. For audio enthusiasts that's been a longstanding gripe, but it appears to be finally over. With lossless and hi-res streaming about to go mainstream, bit-reduced audio will now go the way of the 8-track. That leaves an entire generation of listeners that don't know anything better and probably thinks they can't hear a difference. Audiophiles — this is a moment for true public service. Spread the word: high-quality audio is not only back, it's better than ever. Yes AAC and mp3 are lossy file formats, but low bit rate? The days of 96Kbps mp3 files on Napster are long gone. Apple, Amazon, Google, Spotify and others have been serving up 256Kbps AAC and mp3 files for years! This may be lower bit rate than Hi-res but we wouldn't call it low bit rate. Most people can't hear or even have equipment capable of reproducing the sound so that you can hear the difference. To be fair, most people would hear an improvement with 256Kbps files if they listened on good equipment instead of cheap earbuds or their talking tube devices. We argue you would be doing a better service if you convinced people to get higher fidelity playback equipment than trying to tell friends that their music would sound better on the same crappy equipment because it's Hi-res. From the article: Begin your public service by assuring your friends and all who'll listen that they really can hear the difference. The rational among them will immediately understand that more digital information means more sound. We call to the stand Rick Beato and his video Audiophile or Audio-Fooled? How Good Are Your Ears? In this video Rick explores the differences between MP3s, WAV, FLAC (lossless), AAC and whether you can tell the difference? He says it comes down to how you listen to music and whether it sounds pleasing or not. It's not about mp3, AAC, or Hi-res. If you listen to music in your car or on a run with earbuds, you have a different experience than someone who listens in a dedicated room with proper acoustics. From the article: Now that master-quality audio content is going mainstream, so too will the equipment to play it back. This

This week we look at what everyone has been streaming based on minutes streamed. This is a new metric that Nielsen has developed to survive in a world where less and less of us watch live linear TV. Speaking of live linear TV we do a comparison of your IPTV options available to you. Between the two of us we have used them all. We also read your emails and take a look at some of the news stories of the week. Weekly Streaming Minutes Top ten streaming series as determined by Nielsen SVOD Content Ratings. Viewing through Television. Rank/Provider/Show/Eps/Mins (in Millions) 1/Netflix/Virgin River/30/1,2702/Netflix/Never Have I Ever/20/5673/Netflix/Atypical/38/4224/Disney+/LOKI/6/3865/Netflix/Heist (2021)/6/3166/Netflix/Lucifer/83/2777/Amazon/Bosch/64/2318/Netflix/Sex/Life/8/2169/Netflix/The Cook of Castamar/12/17910/Netflix The Movies that Made Us/8/165 Top ten streaming movies as determined by Nielsen SVOD Content Ratings. Viewing through Television. Rank/Provider/Show /Mins (in Millions) 1/Disney+/Luca (2021)/4542/Netflix/Twilight/3423/Netflix/Blood Red Sky/2964/Netflix/Gunpowder Milkshake/2905/Netflix/The Twilight Saga: New Moon/2846/Netflix/The Twilight Saga: Eclipse/2447/Netflix/The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2/1988/Amazon/The Tomorrow War/1949/Disney+/Raya The Last Dragon/18710/Netflix/Trollhunters: Rise of the Titans/187 Best live TV streaming service for cutting cable Maybe you've thought about cutting the cable cord, but that one channel or show stopped you from taking the plunge. Enter live TV streaming services. These streaming services give you access to all the familiar TV channels you love, as well as live sports (including major league baseball and NBA basketball) plus national and local news. All this with just an inexpensive streaming device -- no antenna or cable box required. Full article here...

This week we solve the mystery of what happened to HDNET and we ask the question if Set Top Hardware is still needed. Finally we go through the list of the 2021 TWICE VIP Awards. We also read your emails and give you the news of the week. What Happened to HDNET A listener sent us a link to Wikipedia where the following was taken from: AXS TV (pronounced "access") is an American specialty television channel. Majority-owned by Anthem Sports & Entertainment, it is devoted primarily to live music programming, entertainment, and combat sports—including mixed martial arts and professional wrestling. The network was originally established in 2001 as HDNet, with investor Mark Cuban as a founding partner. HDNet was originally intended as an exclusively-high-definition network, carrying general entertainment, concerts, and sporting events in the format. In 2012, with the network's original purpose becoming redundant (due to most mainstream cable networks now having HD feeds), HDNet sold stakes to Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG), Creative Artists Agency, and Ryan Seacrest (with Cuban retaining a majority stake), and rebranded under its current name (taken from AEG's online ticket platform AXS.com) on July 2, 2012—with the network shifting its content to include more entertainment and pop culture-oriented programming, alongside its existing live music content. In September 2019, Anthem acquired a majority stake in AXS, with AEG and Cuban retaining minority stakes. AXS TV is available to 50 million households in the United States as of December 2020. What's the Point of AppleTV Hardware? Buying an Apple TV no longer gives users a content advantage. We are in the age of streaming services like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and Hulu, and business models have shifted so that every service is available on every device — phones, tablets, TV sets, streaming sticks and game consoles. (Full Article Here…) The product isn't without its benefits, though, for the Apple ecosystem's most loyal users. Integration with HomeKit, Fitness+, AirPods and the iOS remote app is useful. The new remote control and faster chip in this year's version are definite improvements, and the box is getting SharePlay and Spatial Audio support later this year [this was written prior to the release of these technologies]. Still, I don't see these enhancements moving the needle for most people. Twice VIP Awards 2021 The TWICE VIP Awards are not decided by consumers but rather they are voted on by industry leaders, consumer tech retailers and distributors who are looking for great products, innovation and what makes the biggest difference in the business. The awards cover a wide range of products from projectors, truly wireless headphones to the latest TVs and major appliances. On this show we will focus on Home Theater and Home Automation products. The full list of award winners can be found here (Announcing The Winners Of The 2021 TWICE VIP Awards!) Accessories THX Onyx (MSRP $220) is an innovative Digital-to- Analog Converter (DAC)/Amplifier that brings crystal clear audio to consumers on the go for enjoyment of music, movies, and games. This leading-edge product brings vast audio quality improvements that's enjoyed over nearly any mobile device and headset, based upon the award-winning patented THX Achromatic Audio Amplifier (THX AAA™) technology. THX AAA provides impactful power and ensures the ultimate no-compromise headphone audio experience by delivering the highest audio fidelity with infinitesimally low levels of noise and distortion. Currently, THX Onyx is the first portable DAC/Amp to feature THX AAA-78, the highest-powered mobile THX AAA configuration, in such a small amp. Whether you're enjoying the audio timbre of a Bach sonata or want to hear the full range of emotional frequencies within your favorite feature film's musical score, THX Onyx brings the clarity and joy of crystal clear audio with you wherever you go. A/V Receivers Denon AVR-A110 (MSRP $6,000 Backordered) is the ultimate 8K/13.2- channel home theater receiver, providing CEDIA integrators with a high-performance immersive solution from the most trusted brand in audio/video. In addition to astonishing home theater performance, the HEOS® built-in wireless multi-room streaming technology puts the listener's favorite content anywhere throughout the home (requires HEOS-compatible speakers) and adds Apple® AirPlay 2 for effortless streaming from mobile devices. The AVR-A110 also offers access to the most popular streaming services, providing users with limitless access to their favorite music, podcasts and more. Headphones Truly Wireless Klipsch T5 II ANC earphones (MSRP $299) deliver a truly hands-free listening experience. They are the FIRST set of earphones to feature and combine: A built-in Bragi® operating system with embedded artificial intelligence which allows for hands-free, advanced gesture-controlled experiences. Dual-mic noise cancellation utilizes both a microphone aimed

On this week's show we opine on what is going on at AT&T and their DireTV Stream video service and we review the sofabaton U1 Universal Remote control. Can it make you forget about the Harmony? We also read your emails and go over some of the week's news. What on Earth is going on over at AT&T This week AT&T spun off DirecTV as a separate video company. According to a company Press Release: Under this new company, DIRECTV owns and operates the former AT&T U.S. and Puerto Rico video business unit consisting of satellite, streaming and IP video services. The new structure allows for greater focus, flexibility and resources to best position the business to succeed in the long term as well as deliver on a commitment to current and future customers, employees and shareholders. For those who stream it, the newly branded DIRECTV STREAM will become the single brand for video streaming services previously launched by AT&T, excluding HBO Max. The transition will happen later this month, and service will continue to be available with no term commitment or hidden fees. To enjoy the best of live TV and on-demand, customers can either bring their own streaming device, or use DIRECTV's exclusive streaming device. Our Takeaway AT&T really messed up badly by acquiring DirecTV. In the end both companies were hurt. AT&T has a massive debt load, although they had debt issues before acquiring DirecTV, it got worse after acquisition. DirecTV lost their focus and then lost subscribers. Then there is WarnerMedia (Turner cable channels, HBO and HBO Max) which will also be spun off and eventually merge with Discovery and its Discovery+ streaming service. AT&T bought Time/Warner (WarnerMedia today) for $85 billion in 2018. AT&T is a disaster! sofabaton U1 Universal Remote The sofabaton U1 is the next universal remote that we test in our quest to find a replacement for the Harmony. This one comes real close for most of us and for others it will be all that they will ever need. The U1 goes for about $50 available at Amazon and has been seen as low as $37.99 during a Flash sale. The U1 looks very similar to the Harmony remote but feels much cheaper. Both the Harmony and U1 are made of plastic, but the U1 feels cheaply made with slick plastic that will slip out of your hand. Lastly, the U1 has sharper edges that makes your grip less comfortable. Features: Support for 500,000+ devices from 6000+ brands Support for IR and Blutooth Smartphone APP for setup (Device Selection, Button Remapping, Macro definition) Setup and Use: This is where the sofabaton actually exceeds the Harmony. The configuration is done via an app that connects via bluetooth. Here you will select your devices. No codes to enter, just press the button on the app until you see the desired reaction of the device. Super simple. If you don't mind switching between devices to turn on your system and control it, you are done. One remote will control everything. There is a scroll wheel just below the LCD screen to select the device that you want to control. When highlighted, all the buttons map to that device. You can inadvertently hit the wheel and end up controlling the wrong device. We'll discuss a way around this in a bit. Through the app there is a mechanism to override buttons for the selected device with those of another device. This is very convenient for a typical setup of a set top box, AVR, and TV. As with the last remote we reviewed, the Inteset 4-in-1 Universal on Podcast #999, you can have the numbers mapped to the cable box, volume and mute to the AVR, and any other button you want access to from your main device. You will have to map every button one at a time. So it is a bit time consuming but you only have to do this once. The sofabaton is leaps and bounds easier to do this function than the $25 Inteset because of the app. That same app makes setting up macros easier too. You can assign macros to any button on the remote. For our test, we assigned a macro to the power button in the AppleTV device to turn our system on and off. Within the app you select a key on the device then you say you want to tie a macro to it. The next step is to add commands with delays between subsequent commands. You can customize the delay between commands. Easy and straight forward. Things to Consider: The IR signal of the remote is not strong and you must keep your remote aimed at the devices without anything in between. If you don't and your devices get out of sync you will have to manually bring them into sync by either using the individual remote or walking up to the device in question and manually correcting the issue. The remote has bluetooth capability which works great. But when you are using the device in Bluetooth mode it will disconnect from the app. This is a bit of a pain when you are making changes and then want to test them out. To reconnect to the app you have to press the - and E button for a second or two. So not a big deal but it can become a pain if you are doing

On this week's show we talk about the possibility of renting out your home theater space a'la AirBnB and we also chime in on the Scarlett Johansson's breach-of-contract lawsuit. We also have a lot of email and news to discuss! Swimply lets you swim in a stranger's pool. It's less weird than you think Stan Liang sent us this story but wondered what if you rented out your home theater space? Swimply is the brainchild of co-founders Asher Weinberger, 35, and Bunim Laskin, 24, who met at a networking event Weinberger hosted for entrepreneurs in New York City. Laskin, then a college student, pitched Weinberger on the idea of monetizing home swimming pools. Full Article here… 'Black Widow' Lawsuit Could Upend Talent Compensation Agreements Scarlett Johansson's breach-of-contract lawsuit — filed July 29 against Walt Disney Studios and Marvel Entertainment regarding the studio's decision to simultaneously release Marvel Studios' Black Widow in theaters and on the Disney+ subscription streaming platform — could upend Hollywood contracts with actors, producers and distributors. Full Article here...

This week we discuss free TV on your Samsung TVs and mobile devices via Samsung's TV Plus service. We also have a review of Belkin's Soundform Connect AirPlay2 Adapter. And as usual, we read your emails and talk about the week's news. Samsung TV Plus: the free TV streaming service explained Curious about Samsung TV Plus? If you've just bought a new Samsung TV, are seriously considering it, or are just now exploring every inch of your smart TV interface, you might be wondering what this free (yes, free) content service is all about. Full Article here… What is Samsung TV Plus? A free, ad-supported content service, available on Samsung TVs and (if you're in the US) your web browser. Despite similar naming conventions, it is not a paid subscription service in the vein of Disney Plus or Apple TV Plus When did it launch? Samsung TV Plus was created in 2015 How many Samsung TV Plus channels are there? Varies between regions (more on this below) Can I remove Samsung TV Plus? You can't delete the entire app from your Samsung TV, though you can remove individual channels within the app for a cleaner interface Is Samsung TV Plus free? You betcha. Save those coins for a new soundbar or something Is Samsung TV Plus the same as Rakuten TV? No. The TV Plus app does include some Rakuten TV channels, though. There are over 500 TV channels available worldwide through Samsung TV Plus, though you'll only get a portion of that total in each region: US: 120 Germany: 64 Austria: 64 Switzerland: 64 UK: 49 Canada: 35 Korea: 35 Thailand: 30 France: 26 Spain: 18 Italy: 18 Which TVs support Samsung TV Plus? The exact Samsung TV models that support Samsung TV Plus will, again, vary between regions, but you can count on it featuring on new and recent models. We're told by Samsung that all 2016-2020 smart TVs in the US, Europe and Thailand support the service, while those of you in Canada can access it on Samsung TVs made in 2017 onwards. In Samsung's home nation of Korea, though, TVs as old as 2013 support the service. New-for-2020 models like the Q950TS or Q80T QLED will come with dedicated Samsung TV Plus buttons on the TV remote, too – that is, in the US and Canada. Belkin Soundform Connect Belkin has released a $99 adapter called the Soundform Connect that turns any powered speaker, receiver/amplifier, or soundbar into an AirPlay2 compatible device. The Soundform Connect is in limited supply. It took us about four weeks after we ordered it to receive ours. The first thing we noticed after opening the package was how small it is. It's about the size of two Tic Tac cases stacked on top of each other (43.4mm / 1.71in x 62mm / 2.44in x 19mm / 0.75in). Power comes from a typical mobile phone adapter with a USB-C cable. The size makes it a viable alternative to finding a used Airport Express on eBay. Although the Airport Express does have one advantage that we will talk about in a bit. Features: Stream from iOS and Mac devices on your existing stereo Play music in multiple rooms with other AirPlay 2-enabled speakers Easy AirPlay 2 pairing Connect to any speaker or receiver with an optical or 3.5mm audio input (Cables not included) 2-year warranty Setup Setup took about five minutes. You power on the device and move your iPhone close to it. Then you choose the "setup device" in the wifi settings. There is a step where you aim your camera at the code on the back of the unit. This was problematic for us because the printing was difficult for our camera to differentiate from the background. At this point we entered the code manually. Once connected we gave our device a meaningful name and connected an optical cable to our amplifier. You can also use a 3.5mm cable if desired. Once all the connections were made we were on our way. Performance There is not a whole bunch to say about performance here. It worked like all other AirPlay2 devices on our network. The music was clear with no dropouts during our testing. When playing with multiple AirPlay2 devices, there were no sync issues. The specs on the Soundform Connect state that it supports CD-quality sample rates of 16-bit, 44,100 Hz (44.1 kHz) resolution. Which is the highest resolution AirPlay will support. We did play Hi-Res Lossless content from our computer which was transcoded to CD quality. It sounded fantastic! Conclusion If you have a need to convert a powered speaker, soundbar, or receiver to AirPlay2, the Belkin Soundform Connect is a no brainer. It's small, easy to set up, and works flawlessly. But with that said, if you don't mind a slightly bigger form factor, you may want to consider buying an Airport Express on ebay for about $50. It has the exact same functionality for $50 less.

This week we take a look at a new Drywall Screw that supposedly will isolate your theater from adjacent rooms. We also take a look at the differences between Dolby and DTS. Does it still matter in the era of their high definition codecs? We also read your emails and discuss the week's news. New Spring-Loaded Screw Turns Drywall Into Sound-Absorbing Panels The smooth featureless walls around your home are easy to paint and great for hanging artwork, but they're also very effective at transmitting soundwaves from room to room—a less desired feature. Adding soundproofing is one solution, but a cheaper and easier way is to install drywall using these clever spring-loaded, sound-damping screws instead. Full article here... Dolby Digital Vs DTS: What's The Difference? As home cinema has improved, new surround sound formats have sprung up, bringing more detail and realism to movie nights. But let's go back to basics and look at the two most popular surround sound formats: DTS and Dolby Digital. Full article here... Both DTS and Dolby Digital are audio compression technologies. In their most basic form, both DTS and Dolby Digital support 5.1-channel audio. And more advanced versions of the formats support 7.1-channels, HD surround sound and overhead speakers, in the form of DTS:X and Dolby Atmos. DTS is encoded at a higher bit-rate and therefore is considered by some experts to be better quality. Others argue that Dolby Digital's technology is more advanced and produces better sound quality at a lower bit-rate. The first film to use Dolby Digital was Batman Returns in 1992. Since then, Dolby has released a slew of increasingly advanced codecs, including Dolby Digital Plus, which supports HD surround sound and up to 7.1 speaker channels. Want the best? Dolby TrueHD is a lossless format that promises to be identical to the movie studio's master recording. Then there's the object-based audio system Dolby Atmos. DTS (originally Digital Theater Systems) was founded in 1993 to compete with Dolby Labs. The first film to use DTS was Jurassic Park also in 1993. The major differences are the compression levels and bit-rates. Dolby Digital compresses 5.1 digital audio down to a bit-rate of 640 kbits/s (kilobits per second) for Blu-ray discs (448 kbits/s for DVD). DTS is less compressed and supports higher bit-rates of up to 1.5Mb/s (megabits per second) (768 kbits/s for DVD). In HD formats, Dolby Digital Plus supports up to 1.7Mbps, while DTS-HD High Resolution supports up to 6Mb/s. In True HD vs DTS:HD Master Audio theoretically there shouldn't be any difference since both are lossless. Which is better: DTS or Dolby Digital?Many people have done A/B testing of DD and DTS and in most cases DTS comes out on top. We too agree that there is a richer and more detailed sound. Even if you accept that Dolby has a better compression algorithm, in 1993, the computing power of machines were not strong enough to bridge the 1Mbps data rate gap. And probably more importantly, like everything in our hobby you need equipment that is precise enough to be able to hear the difference between these formats. If you have a $500 system, speakers included, you are not going to hear the difference. Fast forward to the Blu-ray era. Discs now have the capacity for more data storage and higher data rates. Compression is better and computing power more grew by 100X from 1992. Lossless is on the scene and there is no longer a difference. But both Dolby and DTS have lossy formats that claim to sound as good as their lossless formats. But DD+ does so at 4Mbps less than the other. We have done tests with DD+ and DTS MA High Resolution and can't tell the difference between the two and their lossless counterparts. But who cares about the lossy formats because Bluray discs have enough space that there is no reason compress the audio anyway. True, but streaming does have bandwidth limitations and that's where DD+ wins. Indeed there are some streaming services using DD+ in their streams. What about Object Based Audio? Both Dolby and DTS have object based audio. Dolby calls theirs ATMOS and DTS uses the X moniker. ATMOS is what the streaming services are using. Why is Dolby Seemingly the Format of Choice? We think it comes down to two things, data rate and tools. Currently, data rates limit the quality of streaming. The more bits you can set aside for picture quality the better it's going to look. If you can get studio quality audio at 1.5 Mbps vs 6 Mbps the choice is pretty obvious. Then there are the tools. Dolby has developed great tools and have trained the mixers to use them. They have plugins for all their formats built right into ProTools and other commonly used authoring software. DTS also has similar tools but were later to the game and have fewer mixers familiar with them. These two factors are huge for the adoption of Dolby. Which one is Best? It's like Bourbon. There are really good and extremely good Bourbons out there. You can find really good bourb

Are Apple and the NFL close to a deal that will bring Sunday Ticket to AppleTV+? We give our thoughts on a possible deal between the two companies. We also start putting the last nails into TV and cinema operator's coffins. All of this plus your emails and news await you on this week's show! Apple in Early Talks With NFL on Sunday Ticket Games Apple has expressed interest in the streaming rights for a package of National Football League games the NFL is now auctioning, said people familiar with the situation, a possible sign the tech giant is looking to beef up the audience for its Apple TV+ streaming service. Full article (membership required) DirecTV's Sunday Ticket deal is due to expire after 2022 DirecTV allegedly pays $1.5 billion a year for Sunday Ticket rights and the NFL is expected to charge even more for the next buyer. Further, DirecTV is said to be losing money on its time holding the rights – up to $2.5 billion. It's unclear how Apple would approach NFL Sunday Ticket if it did buy the rights, but it's possible it would be an add-on to the regular monthly Apple TV+ cost. Notably, others interested in NFL's Sunday Ticket include Disney and possibly Amazon alongside other more traditional media companies. An argument against this that DirecTV will attempt to renew their contract at all costs otherwise they will lose millions of business customers (such as sports bars). But what if the NFL opened up licensing to all, similar to MLB, NHL, and NBA. For example you can get MLB extra innings on your cable system or on your AppleTV. What if the NFL said you can have the package for a split of the revenue or some small nominal amount plus a split of the revenue. Exposing the package to more than just the DirecTV subscribers can bring in way more subscribers and more money for all. Do you think a sports bar would rewire everything just because it can now use a RokuTV or an AppleTV? DirecTV will make less revenue but it will also cost it much less so it may actually make a profit. Android TV shines as pay-TV market declines Android TV and Huawei's HarmonyOS are set to dominate the coming years across both the shrinking footprint of operator set tops, and the ballooning number of smart TVs and connected TV (CTV) devices, according to forecasts from Rethink TV. Pay-TV households will decline from an estimated 921 million in 2020 to 680 million in 2026, impacting the annual shipments of Operator Set Tops, which falls from 242.6 million to 184.8 million, propped up by the upgrade cycle for new Set Top Box operating systems. Full article here... Harbinger of Death Barry Diller Declares Movies "Over" "The movie business is over," Barry Diller, former chairman and CEO of Paramount Pictures and 20th Century Fox, told NPR in a recent interview. "The movie business as before is finished and will never come back." Full article here… He sees streaming as an irreversible alteration of traditional movie success ranging from promotional efforts and accessibility. Marketing a theatrical film is a costly endeavor, particularly when compared to the recommendation algorithms that do much of the heavy lifting for streaming. "There used to be a whole run-up," Diller said of the pre-release marketing push theatrical films require. Mass marketing provides movies with a sense of event prestige and helps to sustain audience interest in new movies over an extended period of time. "That's finished," "These streaming services have been making something that they call 'movies,' " he said. "They ain't movies. They are some weird algorithmic process that has created things that last 100 minutes or so." Our take (which has been our take for a few years) Movie theaters will be reduced to high end experiences. No more megaplexs that banish five week old releases to small screens in the back of the theater. Now those movies will go to the studios streaming service within a few weeks. Some Real world info to back up our claims According to the site "The Numbers" The US Box office numbers for Black widow put it in 98th place. This 98th place does not include the impact of rising ticket prices. A lot of the movies that beat "Black Widow" debuted many years ago, when ticket prices were a lot lower, and it took a lot more tickets to get there, including "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone," which opened in November 2001 and grossed $90 million. At the time, the average ticket price was $5.66, compared to $9.16 in 2019. Box office info from the weekend: BlackWidow hits over $215M worldwide in opening weekend 🇺🇸 $80M domestic of which 50% goes to the theater operators 🌎 $78M international 💰 $60M+ Disney+ Premier Access 100% goes Disney We now have a choice and it's clear that a large percentage of us with big screens want to watch at home!

Is the power in your house dirty enough to affect your Home Theater experience? We quantify how to determine if you have dirty power and how to clean it up. We also look at our favorite Home Automation Scenes, read your emails and go through the week's news. Dirty Power Howard's email got us thinking about power and power conditioners. There is a lot of talk about dirty power and how it affects the life and performance of your electronics. Some say you will see and hear a difference. Others say it doesn't make a difference unless the power is really dirty. How do you know if you have dirty power? You measure it with a Line Noise EMI Meter that measures the harmonics or dirty electricity on your home's electrical wiring in millivolts. Acceptable readings are generally between 200 and 400 mV. When you get over 800mV some sort of power line filtering is needed. Well at least that's what some experts say. The Line noise meters aren't cheap. The one we use costs about $130 (AlphLabs Inc Power Line Meter). If you have dirty power, a good power conditioner will cost you anywhere between $50 and $150. There are some that run about $500. Almost all provide surge suppression so for that alone you may want to consider one for about $50. Real World Results We measured the line noise in Ara's house in two places. The room where the podcast is recorded and he has his music listening setup as well as the family room theater. The podcast studio is an addition that was done about 15 years ago. The family room was original construction from 1992. The results were a little surprising: Podcast Studio - The Line Meter measured 150 millivolts which is good. The socket that was used was one the above the one used for a Furman power conditioner. The measurement from a socket on the power conditioner was 160mV. For fun we unplugged the Airport Express, audio amplifier, and the mixing board used for recording the podcast from the power conditioner and remeasured. The measurement dropped to 130mV in the unconditioned and power conditioned outlets. Family Room Theater - The Line Meter measured 30 millivolts which is excellent. It also measured 30mV for the power conditioned outlets. Conclusion - Ara's home has clean power! And the power conditioner didn't have to do anything to the power. Can You Hear and See the Difference? This is a touchy subject similar to Hi Res Audio. In our tests, there was no perceptual change in sound or picture quality using a Furman and Belkin Power conditioner. Which makes sense since the filtering essentially left the low noise levels untouched. Do we have power conditioners? Yes, because they act as high falootin power strips and they don't cost much more than a quality power strip. If you have very dirty power or even grounding issues, a power conditioner will definitely clean it up and improve your experience. Dirty power can be caused by a number of different electrical issues, some examples of these issues include: Smart Meters Dimmer Switches Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs (CFL) Switch-mode power supplies (Computers, Phone and Tablet Chargers, etc) Surges or transients in voltage Power interruptions Variations in the frequency of power Waveform distortions Non-linear loads If you suspect you have dirty power it may be a good investment to buy a similar meter and know for sure. If you have some buddies you can all chip in and buy one together. When one is done you can ship it to the other buddy if they don't live nearby. You can ship it anywhere in the US for about $8 with the USPS "If it fits it ships" box. Our Home Automations/Scenes Home automation has three basic functions: Remote control of devices around the house - by this we mean something as simple turning on a light from the comfort of the couch or as complex as closing the garage door from another state Controlling devices throughout the house at specified times - You can set your porch light to come on at sunset and turn off at 11:00PM for example. Scenes - Scenes are more or less the same thing as controlling a device at a specific time but usually entail controlling more devices or they can be a reaction to an event, or they can be enabled on demand. Here is a list of some of the time based automations we use in our homes: 30 min before sunset if people are present - Kitchen ceiling lights are turned on. At this time it's starting to get dark in the kitchen so it's nice to have the extra light. You'd be surprised how long you will work in low light before your mind tells you to turn on the lights and see everything better. You may think this is no big deal but something so simple comes in handy when you are in the middle of cooking. Note that if it's cloudy 30 minutes is not early enough. Next improvement is to tie it in with the weather. 15 min before sunset - The rest of the indoor lights are turned on. Sunset - All outdoor lights are turned on 8:45 PM - The kitchen light bleeds into the family room and at this point we have settled

This week we take a look at two articles comparing Apple services to Google and Amazon. Which service is right for you? It will be a shocker how they decide! We also spent some time with the smallest thing in subwoofers this week. The SVS 3000 Micro. This small subwoofer packs a big punch. We also read your emails and take a look at the week's news. Apple HomeKit vs Google Assistant If you are trying to decide between Google Home or Apple Home for your smart home system, we've researched and compared the two platforms to help you decide which is the best smart home system for your home. Full article here... Apple Music vs. Amazon Music: Which music service wins? Both Apple Music and Amazon Music have made some big changes. Apple Music has launched both lossless music streaming and spatial audio support, while Amazon has taken the lossless capabilities of its Amazon Music HD tier and added the high-fidelity feature to Amazon Music Unlimited at no extra charge. Full article here... SVS 3000 Micro Subwoofer Review We all know that sound is a huge part of our home theater experience and the subwoofer is a huge part of the sound. What if we told you the subwoofer is actually a Micro part? See what we did there?? SVS has designed and built a subwoofer that is small enough to fit into any space but packs a huge punch! We are talking about the 3000 Micro which is available today for $799. Specifications: Dimensions (including grilles): 10.9" (278mm) H X 11.7" (297mm) W X 10.7" (271mm) D Weight: 22.5lbs (10.2kg) Dual opposing 8-inch active drivers designed acoustically and electrically in parallel 800-watt RMS, 2,500-watt peak Sledge STA-800D amplifier with fully discrete MOSFET output Frequency Response 23Hz to 240Hz +/-3dB When we first saw this subwoofer we thought it would be perfect for use with a computer. Most desktop speakers do not provide enough bass and considering the size of the 3000 Micro we thought it would be a perfect marriage. And it was! The Mico produces a clean, tight bass that makes listening to music on the computer almost as fun as listening on a dedicated music setup. Being less than a foot cubed it can easily fit on, next to, or under any desk. The rear panel has all the controls you need to tune the subwoofer to your liking including presets so you can easily change the output to match what you are doing. But even better than that, SVS has an app that connects to the 3000 Micro via bluetooth to make configuring and changing the settings simple and easy. This allowed us to really explore and dial in the subwoofer to our liking. All subwoofers going forward need this kind of control! The fit and finish on all SVS products is amazing and the 3000 Micro is no exception. It comes in two colors, Piano Gloss black and Piano Gloss white. Dare we say there is not one athstetics committee member that can complain about the diminutive subwoofer being displayed proudly in any room of the house. Performance We take a practical approach to measuring subwoofer performance. Can it rattle the walls? Do our spouses yell at us to turn down the bass? Do we feel the bass in our chest? The answer to all three is a resounding yes!! For a test of the pure bass capabilities we used the track Woofer Test by Bad Ass Sound System (BASS). If you try playing this on your phone or normal desktop speakers you get a bunch of dead air because your speakers can not reproduce frequencies that go that low. The 3000 Micro had no issues whatsoever with this track! You could clearly hear the sweep of frequencies until it went so low that you could only feel it. And you knew it was working because it was rattling the walls. At one point Ara's wife came into the office from the adjoining room asking what the hell was going on. Fortunately she just laughed and said, "Oh a new toy, have fun but I'm trying to work so try not to break anything!" So nice having a wife who understands!! After the raw sound tests we listened to music on full range speakers that Ara built. We set the amplifier to send everything below 100Hz to the subwoofer. We listened to our standards, Tin Pan Alley by Stevie Ray Vaughn and California Roll by Snoop Dog. Really it's only the first ten seconds of California Roll. Both were tight and clean. It was hard to believe a small subwoofer like this could produce sound so big. The 3000 Micro exceeded our expectations not only for a subwoofer this size but of subwoofers in general. Who is the 3000 Micro for? Everyone! Seriously, you can justify buying this subwoofer If you own an apartment and want to add bass to your home theater without taking up a lot of space. If you live in a house but can't find a good spot for a subwoofer because they are too big, this is a great solution. Not only because it's small, but because it performs like subwoofers twice it's size. You've heard the term "punches above its weight class"? That fully applies here. If you spend a lot of time working on your computer but want to listen to

We were on vacation this week but that didn't stop us from putting together a show for you. We take a look at the best OTA DVR for cord cutters and we have an abbreviated email and news segment. Best OTA DVR for cord cutters: Amazon Fire TV Recast, TiVo, AirTV and Tablo CNET's picks for devices that record and stream free, live over-the-air television from an antenna. Full article here…

Are you ready for Netflixland? We discuss how Netflix is opening up an e-commerce site. We also take a look at the best Roku TVs in 2021 and why you should not set your TV's sharpness very high. As usual we read your emails and discuss the week's news. Netflix Shop?? Netflix opened an e-commerce site on Thursday where you can buy things like caps, necklaces, hoodies, and, yes, underwear—much of it branded with popular Netflix movies and TV series. The move is part of a larger push for the company to compete with Disney's streaming business, which is propped up by revenue from its merchandising and theme parks. Shop at Netflix The Best Roku TVs in 2021 (Tom's Guide) The best Roku TVs combine great smart TV features with value prices, but not all Roku TVs are created equal. Full article here... Why you should never increase the sharpness on your TV Let's say you're adjusting your TV settings and you think it wouldn't hurt to get a sharper and better image. You should know that increasing the sharpness is, in fact, counterintuitive. On most TVs, maxing out the sharpness will actually add something called "edge enhancement," which can diminish the fine resolution in the image you're looking at. Full article here... If your sharpness is set too high, you might not be benefiting from all the crisp detail that's possible in that fancy 4K TV. Sometimes the best setting is actually 0, while on most TVs the setting is best in the bottom 20% or so. Here's why you should turn down the sharpness control. Your eyes will thank you. Sharpness means edge enhancement On nearly all TVs, the sharpness control adds something called "edge enhancement." That's exactly what it sounds like. The edges in the image are enhanced, essentially by adding a thin outline or halo to them. This makes them more visible. While unenhanced images can look soft by comparison, especially at first, they're actually more detailed because they show fine textures in walls, pores on faces and tiny hairs -- all of which can be hidden by too much edge enhancement. What's the best TV setting then? The easiest way to check is switch your TV to the Movie or Cinema picture preset, and see where the sharpness control is in that mode. Whatever that number is, it's a good place to start. Want to fine-tune it? While watching a variety of content, especially 4K if you have a 4K TV, turn the control down from that starting point and see what happens. Does the fine detail disappear? If so, that's too low. Ideally, you'll be able to find the spot that offers the most actual detail and the least additional noise. Don't be surprised if that number is 0. Looking sharp? Keep looking TV manufacturers love edge enhancement, largely because it makes their TVs seem super detailed when viewed in a store. If you go to your TV right now and turn the sharpness control all the way down the picture is absolutely going to look soft. Much like with high color temperatures, anyone who isn't used to making fine adjustments to their TV controls has gotten used to a certain "look" to their TV's picture. So at first, even the correct sharpness setting might seem soft, especially if your TV has been in the Vivid or Dynamic picture mode. Try the new, lower sharpness setting for a few days. If you then don't like the look of the un-enhanced image, that's fine. Turn it back up. But I bet when you do the "original" setting will look weird.

On today's show it's all about Dolby Atmos. First up is the ten best Dolby Atmos scenes and if that is not enough we discuss how to stream Dolby Atmos music. We end with our impressions of listening to Dolby Atmos music on Apple Music. We also read your emails and the week's news. 10 of the best Dolby Atmos movie scenes It's in your soundbar; it might be on your phone; soon, you may even find it in your car. Dolby Atmos is seemingly everywhere. But even if you have equipment that supports 3D audio playback, what should you watch to make sure you get the most of it? Full article here… Dolby Atmos Music Streaming Services At Audio Advice, we are big fans of Dolby Atmos — and right now, with all the exciting hi-res music streaming news and support for Dolby Atmos coming to Apple Music and others, you do not want to choose a streaming service for music until you read this. You may even consider switching to one of the streaming services in this comparison after reading this. Full article here… Apple's Spatial audio Although this discussion is with Apple's Spatial Audio (ATMOS). The comments will apply to all services and devices that support Dolby Atmos streaming Works with Headphones and Atmos Home Theaters via AppleTV. Listening through headphones is good but a full blown Atmos 5.1.2 or 7.1.2 system sounds better Listening on a stereo pair of speakers had no difference than without Atmos Even a 5.1 or 7.1 system sounds more open but not as enveloping as a true Atmos setup. More like SACD or DVD-Audio Ara's favorite tracks to demo: Riders on the Storm - The Doors Like Someone in Love - Diana Krall Country Again - Thomas Rhett Mr Perfectly Fine - Taylor Swift There is a huge playlist at Apple Music with the more popular genres. I found the newer music was mixed better. Apple claims that their devices support spatial audio without headphones. Listened on my iPhone. Very underwhelming. Listened on iPad and noticed a more "spatial" sound. Nowhere as good as my 7.1.2 system but pretty darn good for listening on a tablet. Finally a reason to set up an Atmos system!

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

On this week's show we play catch up with your emails and the news from the past two weeks. We'll have a traditional shw next week.

1000 Episodes in Review It's our 1000th episode so we thought it would be fun to go down memory lane. It has been so much fun getting to know all of you. Some we know well and have developed personal relationships with. Others came and went as things in their lives changed. To Industry members, thank you for your support! To our listeners, thank you for subscribing, downloading and listening to our show. It's because of you that we are here today and will be here tomorrow! There was a big gap in our records between 2005 and 2007. We switched to Google Docs in 2007 and have been able to keep everything we wrote archived there. But from memory some highlights were: We became the official podcast of AVS Forum and were introduced to members at their CES Party We had an affiliation with HDTV Magazine Met Mark Cuban (owner of HDNet at the time) and Interviewed the President of Syntax-Brillian at the HDTV Conference in Beverly Hills Dolby Flew us to San Francisco to demo some of their projects they were working on. While there we recorded two shows of their now defunct Dolby podcast Oppo and Monoprice were big supporters of the show early on as was Olevia TVs Sonos - The first real product we reviewed on the show back in 2005 A few of our day job colleagues mocked us for doing a podcast. LOL jokes on them HT Guys TV Tech Timeline Braden (Sony CRT...) -> Panasonic Plasma 480p EDTV -> JVC LCoS 1080p Rear Projection -> Epson 1080p Projector(s) -> (Lots of 4k TCLs) -> Sony 4k LED Ara RCA CRT -> Samsung DLP-> Panasonic Plasma-> JVC Projector-> Vizio 4K TV Optoma UST Reviews of all the Rear Projection TVs from 2007 - JVC HD-61FN97 61" HD-ILA Our bottom line at the time - The JVC HD-61FN97 is an excellent value. It looks great, does a wonderful job with HD content, a great job with DVDs and a pretty good job with standard definition TV. Blacks are good, contrast is solid, colors are excellent and detail is vivid. We try to look for great values to help you (and us for that matter) get a little more out of each hard earned dollar. You'd be hard pressed to find a better looking 61" TV at its price. At an online street price of $2125 this is an awesome TV for the money. It really helps bring the big screen home. Our first mention of home automation was in March of 2007. We wrapped up our discussion with - One day home automation will be standard. We'll wonder what people ever did without them. But for now your options are somewhat limited. You can spend a lot of money to get it custom built and done just right, with a system like Crestron, AMX or Control4, or you can try to put it together yourself if you don't mind the occasional hiccup that comes with a home made system. This can be one of the most fun home projects you've ever worked on. And it lasts forever - it's the gift that just keeps on giving. Our earliest "Kaleidescape Killer" comment was also in 2007 when we showcased a $2500 Linux based machine with full DVR and DVD server capabilities. The company was called Interact-TV and they are no longer in business. Our Top Ten shows in HD from 2007: Ara: American Idol (Fox) Dancing with the Stars (ABC) Football/Basketball/Sports Center/Etc on ESPN Planet Earth/Sunrise Earth (Discovery HD Theater) Lost (ABC) CSI Miami (CBS) CSI (CBS) Bikini Destinations (HD Net) Heroes (NBC) NHL Hockey on HD Net Braden: The Unit (CBS) Las Vegas (NBC) Numb3rs (CBS) Monday Night Football (ESPN) Lakers Basketball on KCAL 24 (Fox) I Shouldn't Be Alive (Discovery HD) Destination HD (Discovery HD) Planet Earth (Discovery HD) CSI Miami (CBS) SlingMedia VS Major League Baseball Issue: Slingboxes infringe on the local cable company's right to broadcast the content. Interactive TV Still not a thing DVDpedia In an attempt to build a video server or "Kaleidescape Killer" out of a Mac Mini Ara used DVDpedia to catalog and display album art and id3 data about his library. It worked OK but was quickly abandoned for Boxee and then eventually Plex. Plex is indeed the Kaleidescape Killer! Vudu Movie Download Set Top Box ($399) - October 2007 What we liked: High quality movies on demand Large selection with more coming every week Easy to use remote and easy menu navigation Up and running in five minutes What we disliked: No lease option to defray $400 entry price Not a large selection of Dolby 5.1 Downloads interfered with VOIP telephone service Bottom Line: This is the best home video on demand system the HT Guys have seen. The video quality is first rate! The user interface is clean and simple. You will have the system up and running in no time. All of this is with the initial release of the system software. With more movie releases coming, HD, external storage, and new software updates this product will only get better. At $400 for the Vudu box its not for everyone, but you will get a very good video on demand system for the investment. HDDVD - Bluray - a comparison Conclusion Blu-ray clearly has an advantage in specs, higher storage capacity and higher

On today's show we look at a CNET article that covers the best home theater projectors for 2021 and then we ask if a $80,000 Sony projector is worth the money. We also take a look at a simple universal remote and ask if it can replace the Harmony. We read your emails and take a look at the week's news as well. Best home theater projector for 2021 From portable projectors to affordable 1080p models to light cannons built for gaming or 4K HDR, these are the best projectors for the money. Full article here… Is the Sony VPLGTZ380 worth $80,000?? Realize an overwhelming native 4K image expression like you've never seen before. Sony's X1 processor is paired with a super high contrast 10,000 lumen Z-Phosphor laser light source and DCI-P3 wide color space make your ultimate vision a reality. Object based super resolution enhances color and contrast for greater depth, cleaner textures, and more realistic pictures. More info... A stunning 10,000 lumens achieve D65 industry-standard color balance and DCI-P3 color space without brightness loss. X1TM Ultimate for projector brings you the best of Sony's image processing Newly-developed, reliable, full 4K resolution on 3 SXRD™ panel for outstanding contrast Z-PhosphorTM laser with red laser diode enhances tones across DCI-P3 color space and deliver 1.35 wider color range than sRGB solutions Object based Super Resolution enhances color and contrast of individual objects for a clear picture. Dual database processing reduces digital noise for the lowest possible ambient noise With Object based HDR Remaster3, the color in individual objects on screen is analyzed and the contrast adjusted to reproduce greater depth, textures, and more realistic pictures Digital Contrast Optimizer minimizes unnecessary light from bright objects for more accurate focus. Dynamic HDR Enhancer brings a wider contrast range for striking and realistic picture quality HDR Reference Mode creates richer gradation that more accurately display the creator's intent. Enjoy the latest 4K content services with HDCP 2.3 compatibility on both 18Gbps HDMI inputs 4 Motionflow™ provides smooth motion for 4K & HD Advanced graphic processing and Input lag reduction ensures faster response time for gamers Up to 20,000 hours of virtually maintenance free operation This is a review of an owner (The Sony website says the projector will be available soon. We have to assume this is a pre-release model that is being reviewed): If you have ever viewed the VPL-VW5000ES & thought that machine had a brilliant picture at 5,000 lumens, the purely stunning display chip combined with the newest laser lamp that puts out a whopping 10,000 lumens makes the 5000ES model look like a Triniton from the 1980's! I recently upgraded from the 5000ES to the GTZ380 in my "man cave" with a 165" SI gray slate 1.3 gain screen. If the blacks are brightness of the 5,000 had an amazing image, the dual data/motion flow chipsets and double the lumens combined make for a viewing experience that's so immersive that only in the most gorgeous scenes from a solid, full HDR 4K source do you sit back and both admire the engineering behind this beyond words projector's imagining-that you chuckle at how much you spent to be so fortunate to buy one. Hands down, there is no imagination left to better what already seems that the human eyes can't possibly see anything technologically "better". After this machine was conceived, I'd have to think that engineers are being laid off- or have abandoned any future development as there is no possibility of any picture quality improvement beyond this unit. Has to be the end of the line for any sort of television or movie watching device innovation- no way anything could ever top this picture quality and brightness that's so full of color and absolutely zero stutter. I can now rest easy, my wife can't be upset at my A/V "addiction", as this is the last TV/Projector I will ever need or purchase. To spin a quote from the movie Field of Dreams "Is this heaven?....no, this is Sony"! Level of expertise Advanced Where purchased In person Sony products owned 6+ Inteset 4-in-1 Universal With Logitech discontinuing the Harmony Remote we have received a lot of emails asking us about alternatives. There are options that use your smartphone or tablet as well as some high end remotes tied to home automation. For today's discussion we decided to go old school with a simple 4-in-1 Universal remote from Inteset (Int-422 $25.95). The remote is preconfigured to work with streaming devices like the Apple TV, Xbox One, Roku (excluding Stick) and others right out of the box with dedicated buttons. These buttons can be reprogrammed with the device codes of the components you have in your system by looking them up in their online database. Typically a setup like this removes remote control clutter but doesn't really do anything for simplicity of use. The Inteset remote has some nice features that make it a better remote than the typical all-in-on

On today's show we take a look at the top five movie rentals for the week, discuss a movie called Nobody, invite ourselves onto The Bright Side of Home Theater Podcast, and answer the question, "What's the Best LED TV" right now. Pulse we read emails and discuss the news of the week. Don't forget to enter to win a fantastic SVS sound system to celebrate our 1000th episode. Top Five Movie Rentals for the Week 5 - The Croods: A New Age - The prehistoric family the Croods are challenged by a rival family the Bettermans, who claim to be better and more evolved. 7/10 IMDB Rating, Rotten Tomato Critic Score 77 Audience Score 94 4 - Willy's Wonderland - A quiet drifter is tricked into a janitorial job at the now condemned Willy's Wonderland. The mundane tasks suddenly become an all-out fight for survival against wave after wave of demonic animatronics. Fists fly, kicks land, titans clash -- and only one side will make it out alive. 5.5/10 IMDB Rating, Rotten Tomato Critic Score 62 Audience Score 74 3 - News of the World - A Civil War veteran agrees to deliver a girl, taken by the Kiowa people years ago, to her aunt and uncle, against her will. They travel hundreds of miles and face grave dangers as they search for a place that either can call home. 6.8/10 IMDB Rating, Rotten Tomato Critic Score 88 Audience Score 89 2 - Wonder Woman 1984 - Diana must contend with a work colleague and businessman, whose desire for extreme wealth sends the world down a path of destruction, after an ancient artifact that grants wishes goes missing. 5.4/10 IMDB Rating, Rotten Tomato Critic Score 59 Audience Score 74 1 - Vanquish - A mother, Victoria, is trying to put her dark past as a Russian drug courier behind her, but retired cop Damon forces Victoria to do his bidding by holding her daughter hostage. 2.6/10 IMDB Rating, Rotten Tomato Critic Score 6 Audience Score 16 A movie Ara is waiting to be available for streaming, Nobody Emmy winner Bob Odenkirk (Better Call Saul, The Post, Nebraska) stars as Hutch Mansell, an underestimated and overlooked dad and husband, taking life's indignities on the chin and never pushing back. A nobody. When two thieves break into his suburban home one night, Hutch declines to defend himself or his family, hoping to prevent serious violence. His teenage son, Blake, is disappointed in him and his wife, Becca, seems to pull only further away. The aftermath of the incident strikes a match to Hutch's long-simmering rage, triggering dormant instincts and propelling him on a brutal path that will surface dark secrets and lethal skills. In a barrage of fists, gunfire and squealing tires, Hutch must save his family from a dangerous adversary and ensure that he will never be underestimated as a nobody again. 7.4/10 IMDB Rating, Rotten Tomato Critic Score 82 Audience Score 94 Best LED TV (RTINGS.COM) Knocking the Samsung Q80/Q80T QLED off it's perch as the best LED TV, the Sony X90J ($1599.99 MSRP 65") 2021 model is the new king of LED TVs. With better contrast, local dimming, and a slightly cheaper price tag the Sony is a solid choice. The 6 Best LED LCD TVs - Spring 2021 from RTINGS.COM It feels well-built and comes with Google TV, giving you access to a ton of apps so you can easily find all your favorite content. Whether watching movies and shows or doing some gaming, most people should be happy with this model. It has a VA panel with a fantastic contrast ratio, producing deep inky blacks and making it well-suited to dark room viewing or gaming. It has a full-array local dimming feature as well to further improve contrast. It also performs well in bright rooms, with impressive SDR brightness that can overcome glare in most lighting conditions. If you like HDR content, you'll also be pleased with its HDR brightness, which is very good and makes highlights pop. That said, it doesn't technically have a wide color gamut for HDR, although it just barely falls short and should be good enough for a satisfying HDR experience. Unfortunately, it doesn't yet have the advertised variable refresh rate (VRR) support. However, it should be implemented in an upcoming firmware update. Aside from that, it still has a great response time for smooth motion in fast-moving content with minimal smearing or blur. It also has low input lag and two HDMI 2.1 ports, allowing it to display up to a 4k @ 120Hz signal from the Xbox Series X or PlayStation 5. All in all, this is among the best LED TVs we've tested. 8.1 Mixed Usage 8.6 Movies 7.7 TV Shows 7.5 Sports 8.4 Video Games 8.3 HDR Movies 8.3 HDR Gaming 7.8 PC Monitor