HDTV and Home Theater Podcast

HDTV Podcast #380

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 21:23:44 -0700

It's been almost a year since we first checked out the beta of PlayOn from MediaMall Technologies. Now there's some new beta functionality in PlayOn, so we've decided to do a little update. The new feature allows you to stream local media content to your connected players.

HDTV Podcast #379

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 23:42:16 -0700

An HD picture is only half of the Home Theater experience. To complete it you need a good sound system. On this show we routinely talk about receivers that cost $750 and more which frustrates many listeners who want advanced features without spending a ton of money. The Yamaha RX V565 may be the machine that some of you have been looking for. At $430 its not the most capable machine out there but for some it will be a major step up over what they currently have been listening to.

HDTV Podcast #378

Fri, 19 Jun 2009 00:52:44 -0700

Never a shortage of things to talk about, topics in this episode range from the best football movie of all time - and yes, we are talking about American football (although Goal! would have been up there if we weren't). We dive into projectors a little bit and talk about the new HD streaming service Epix. The show closes with a discussion of an article from Electronic House about how to tune your surround sound system.

HDTV Podcast #377

Thu, 11 Jun 2009 23:32:16 -0700

Some say that Plasma is dead but they forgot to tell Panasonic. Today we take a look at the G10 line of plasmas more specifically the TC-P54G10 54 inch THX Certified 1080p TV. From what we can tell, plasmas are not dead yet! At $1900 it the best bang for the buck flat panel on the market.

HDTV Podcast #376

Thu, 04 Jun 2009 23:16:27 -0700

It's almost become an annual tradition for us to do a feature on backyard HDTV for summertime. This time of year there isn't much to watch on TV, so we have concentrated mostly on movie setups. We'll expand the scope a little this year, and hopefully provide a little something for everyone.

HDTV Podcast #375

Thu, 28 May 2009 22:12:21 -0700

It seems like all of the HDTV shows we watch have ended for the season, so we're clearing out the divvers and watching alot of Netflix. While the world of HDTV may not be terribly exciting right now, we still have a ton of stuff to talk about. One of our favorites, 1080p, is back. We get into two-way communication and finish with HDMI 1.4. Enhancements in the new HDMI spec include Ethernet networking, audio return channel, 3D capability, improved performance and new connectors.

HDTV Podcast #374

Fri, 22 May 2009 00:01:44 -0700

The major networks have all finally released their fall TV line ups. We now know for sure what's coming back and what's been terminated. If you've been waiting and waiting to hear what will happen to your favorite shows, wait no longer. We have all the details.

HDTV Podcast #373

Thu, 14 May 2009 10:52:28 -0700

With the digital switch taking place right in the middle of Hurricane and Tornado season many of our listeners wonder what will replace the trusty old portable analog TV in emergencies.Apparently a lot of people have been thinking about this. In Amazon.com's list of popular TVs there are two portable digital models. So for today's show we thought we'd rundown your options.

HDTV Podcast Call In Show #3

Mon, 11 May 2009 19:59:01 -0700

Today we talk to listeners about: The state of HD in New Zealand and South Africa - Streaming services may be ruining HD - U-Verse - Calibration - What will Home Theater be like in the year 2020

HDTV Podcast #372

Thu, 07 May 2009 10:52:28 -0700

The secret ingredient in any home theater is the right universal remote control. And it's no secret that our special blend involves a few different Harmony Remotes strategic placed throughout our homes. If you're still living without a universal remote control, still forcing friends and relatives to sort through multiple remotes just to do the simplest things, you owe it to yourself to spice it up a bit. Give it a try, you'll love it.

HDTV Podcast #371

Thu, 30 Apr 2009 10:42:18 -0700

If you listen to our show chances are you have a lot of media stored on your computer. Everything form mp3s to DVDs to family videos and pictures. It probably took you a while to take, scan, rip or download all this stuff and you certainly don't want to lose it since you probably can't recreate it all if you did. What we all need is a good backup strategy. One that works well and does not require much thought beyond the initial setup. That's where the Drobo comes in. The Drobo is a device that will protect your data from loss and is extremely simple to setup and use.

HDTV Podcast #370

Thu, 23 Apr 2009 11:14:33 -0700

Ara had a chance to speak with audio expert Kevin LaTour about speaker cables. Kevin presented the other side of the argument that says you really should spend more on your speaker wire. He explains why he believes it's worth it.

HDTV Podcast Call In Show #2

Mon, 20 Apr 2009 20:05:21 -0700

We talk about shows on the bubble - Hollywood Reporter Online - Shipping a TV to Europe - Will it work with European Sources - Should you wait for Dolby Volume or buy receiver that decodes Dolby True HD? - DIRECTV referral offer upped to $100

HDTV Podcast #369

Thu, 16 Apr 2009 10:34:21 -0700

We got an email recently from a listener named William asking what we think about the future of the high end audio/video retailer. There's no doubt this economy has been rough, hitting both the specialty dealers and the big stores like Circuit City alike. Eventually the economy will rebound, we all know it works in cycles. But will the downturn have a permanent impact on the way we buy gear?

HDTV Podcast #368

Fri, 10 Apr 2009 00:03:15 -0700

Today we want to go over some of the news that came out of the recently concluded Cable Show. The show was held in Washington DC and ran from April 1st to April 3rd. The show drew record attendance this year with more than 12,000 attendees.

HDTV Podcast #367

Fri, 03 Apr 2009 00:01:22 -0700

It's annual income tax time here in the United States, and odds are quite a few of those listening will be getting a refund back from the government. If you haven't left things to the last minute, you may already know how much is coming back. If you have to pay this year, we're sorry for you. Better luck next year.

HDTV Podcast Call In Show #1

Mon, 30 Mar 2009 18:58:21 -0700

We are trying an experiment. Today we did a call in show. If you like what you hear please let us know and we'll keep doing it. If not it was a fun experiment for us.

HDTV Podcast #366

Fri, 27 Mar 2009 00:07:21 -0700

Today we tackle some of the myths we have heard related to speaker wiring.

HDTV Podcast #365

Tue, 24 Mar 2009 00:11:44 -0700

One issue many of us come across when setting up our home theaters is that the TV would look great in a particular spot in the room that is not necessarily the best spot for the source equipment. The dilemma is how do you get the video to the TV or projector. Gefen has you covered in this case. Their new wireless HDMI adapter will transmit HDMI audio and video up to 30 feet using Ultra-Wideband technology. But that is going to come at a cost. For that capability Gefen is selling the WDHDMI for $999. Still for some of you that cost is less than the cost of ripping up walls and running physical cables.

HDTV Podcast #364

Thu, 19 Mar 2009 23:28:24 -0700

We first talked about using a Mac Mini as a video server way back in March of 2007. It has served us well now housing more than 150 movies, almost 1500 songs and podcasts, and dozens of HDTV that was recorded via the HD Homerun. Just over two years later we have upgraded one of our three Mac Minis with the latest offering from Cupertino. The version the HT Guys chose was the $799 model that comes with 2GB of RAM and a 320GB hard drive. The older Minis did a good job with almost all the video we through at it. The one exception is overly compressed 1080i content. So how does the new Mini hold up with 1080i and 1080p? Listen in...

HDTV Podcast #363

Tue, 17 Mar 2009 05:57:17 -0700

Have you ever wondered how other guys get away with some of the home theater purchases they make? It seems like they always have a creative way to either get the finance committee to authorize the purchase or to slip it past them like a magician. There's a great blog post from Elemental Designs Audio with some of the ways their customers have pulled off some rather large purchases. And when you think of the most influential inventions of the last 30 years, what would you put on that list? That's exactly what a panel of eight judges from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania was asked to do. The Internet and mobile phones made the top of their list. There's a few items missing from their list that have changed our lives dramatically.

HDTV Podcast #362

Thu, 12 Mar 2009 23:59:37 -0700

If you have been listening to our show for a while you know that Braden would really like an a la carte sway to buy TV. It makes sense, why pay for 300 channels when in reality you only watch about 30 or 40. And really you probably only watch about 10 to 15 90% of the time. So the other day Ara missed an episode of Lost and was forced to watch it via the ABC website. After about 5 minutes of so called streaming HD video he got fed up and downloaded an HD version from iTunes. It cost $2.99 but had no commercials. The quality was quite good and it even had 5.1 audio. Something that makes watching Lost quite enjoyable. That got us wondering. Could heavy TV watchers like ourselves get by with buying TV programming A la Carte style via AppleTV. This would also work if you have an HTPC with iTunes on it.

HDTV Podcast #361

Mon, 09 Mar 2009 23:46:55 -0700

We get a handful of emails every week asking about Refresh Rates and Response Times: what are they? are they different? do I care? While refresh rate applies to any TV technology, response time is something an LCD buyer needs to know about. And with the rapid growth of LCD sales, it looks like just about everyone these days is an LCD buyer. So what do they mean and why do you care? We're glad you asked...

HDTV Podcast #360

Thu, 05 Mar 2009 23:30:32 -0800

Lots of content to cover in this episode. Of course there's news and email. We also have the monthly review of the top 20 shows on TV. The core of the show covers a couple articles that we thought were interesting. First off, is Blu-ray a rental format, or should you buy discs? And then a few cool, cheap home theater tips and tricks.

HDTV Podcast #359

Tue, 03 Mar 2009 00:05:06 -0800

We first mentioned the AirRemote application for the iPhone on Episode #286, noting that it should be coming soon and that it looked pretty cool. CE Pro recently posted a nice writeup about it. While we haven't tried it ourselves just yet, it does look like a very interesting concept. Although the power isn't just in using the iPhone to control your TV and Surround Sound receiver, it goes much deeper than that. Unfortunately we aren't quite there yet.

HDTV Podcast #358

Thu, 26 Feb 2009 23:54:16 -0800

With more products entering the marketplace that support network connectivity it has become important for you to have network access near your electronics. For many a wireless adapter is enough to do the trick. But if you want to stream HD content you need 802.11N which will work well in most cases. Wireless works well until you have interference from other electronics or a neighbor's wifi setup. So what can you do to install a secure hardwired network without crawling through attics and ripping up drywall?

HDTV Podcast #357

Tue, 24 Feb 2009 00:25:30 -0800

From time to time we take a look at the top ten selling TVs at Amazon.com. This time we are not really going to list the TVs individually but will instead focus on the overall statistics about the TVs. They're pretty enlightening if you can trust them to really indicate trends in the retail TV landscape. The list is updated hourly, so we pulled the statistics from a particular point in time. We're assuming the top ten is fairly stable, at least from an overall trend breakdown and that the list doesn't change too rapidly.

HDTV Podcast #356

Fri, 20 Feb 2009 00:05:50 -0800

We got a ton of great feedback from our 1080p Projector Options show in January (Episode 349). For today we're reviewing the Mitsubishi HC6500 3LCD projector to make good on the promise we made in a bunch of emails to do more front projection content. Let's face it, projectors rock. Those with them know it and those of us who don't have them really wish we did.

HDTV Podcast #355

Mon, 16 Feb 2009 23:56:34 -0800

Each year Insight Media releases their CES Best Buzz awards to showcase some of the hottest items from CES. We expected to see a couple of the items that made the list, a few of the them surprised us and several made us really wish we'd been able to attend this year. Hopefully next year. We also went over some of the items in a resent article from Lifehacker about how to upgrade your home theater without spending much money. Some of the items on the list were pretty cool. Check it out.

HDTV Podcast #354

Thu, 12 Feb 2009 23:37:18 -0800

If you have been listening to our show for a while you know that we have love the ability to watch TV or listen to music in any room in the house. So when we were given the chance to live with the HP TouchSmart PC we jumped at the chance. The TouchSmart PC is an extremely capable PC that will do your email, spreadsheets, and word processing. But for this review, we will strictly focus on the Multi Media Aspects of the computer. In fact, in our minds, this is a TV that also is a computer.

HDTV Podcast #353

Mon, 09 Feb 2009 10:53:22 -0800

There's nothing better than a really good food fight, a close second is a really good technology battle. The Charlotte Observer's Eye on Electronics column recently featured point-counterpoint on some of the hottest technology debates of our time: Satellite vs. Cable, Wired or wireless networking, DSL vs. Cable high speed Internet, and a few more. All that and 5 Digital Television Transition Myths to wash it down.

HDTV Podcast #352

Fri, 06 Feb 2009 00:08:18 -0800

Although the US Government has opted to push the digital transition back a few months, we're still fairly confident that it will eventually happen. When it does, everyone receiving over the air television will still need a converter box if their TV doesn't have a built in digital tuner. Dish Network has three options available if you find yourself in that situation. We've had a chance to check out their DVR option, the DTVPal DVR.

HDTV Podcast #351

Mon, 02 Feb 2009 23:44:17 -0800

Here in the United States we use a technology standard called ATSC (Advanced Television Systems Committee) for digital, over-the-air (free-to-air) television broadcasts. Sometime this year, hopefully, we'll migrate all TV signals off of the legacy analog system and on to ATSC. Once that happens, we'll certainly need to be planning for the "next big thing." From what we can tell the ATSC is already moving on defining what will come next in high definition.

HDTV Podcast #350

Fri, 30 Jan 2009 01:02:03 -0800

We discuss reactions to an article on why people aren't watching HDTV and go over some of the cool HDTV techie facts for the 2009 Super Bowl.

HDTV Podcast #349

Mon, 26 Jan 2009 23:57:02 -0800

We get asked via email to spend more time talking about front projection setups. While the idea is something we're big fans of, and often drool over, neither of us have a front projector, and to be perfectly honest, neither does the vast majority of our audience. But that doesn't diminish the fact that a 110" screen comes a lot closer to being a true "theater in your home" than even a massive 65" TV does. But 65" is great, don't get us wrong. We drool over those, too.

HDTV Podcast #348

Fri, 23 Jan 2009 00:10:35 -0800

Its been a while since we reviewed an HDTV so for today's show we put the LG 47LG70 through its paces. This is a 120Hz 47 inch 1080p LCD TV that can easily be used as your primary TV. While it may be a bit too big for your bedroom it will fit nicely in most people's living rooms. The TV has a street price of about $1700 but you get a lot for the price.

HDTV Podcast #347

Mon, 19 Jan 2009 23:11:12 -0800

We've touched on Yahoo's platform for Internet connected television, sometimes called the Widget Engine, briefly in the past. One of the really big themes we saw come out of CES this year was streamed or Internet video content in the family room. What started as a hardcore geek experiment using Home Theater and Media Center PCs slowly grew into a legitimate consumer electronics phenomenon in 2008 with the help of products like Vudu, Apple TV and TiVO. We're now poised for an all out explosion in 2009 and one company vying to be at the forefront is Yahoo!

HDTV Podcast #346

Thu, 15 Jan 2009 23:29:17 -0800

We mentioned in our CES roundup that Netbooks are fast becoming a popular class of personal computer. Their main use is for web browsing, email, and light general computing. Their main draw is cost and size when compared to a regular laptop. When Ara saw the new HP Mini Netbook in Costco he wondered if this device could be used as a portable media device. This feature will only concentrate on using this device in that capacity. This will not be a full review of the Netbook.

HDTV Podcast #345

Tue, 13 Jan 2009 05:48:19 -0800

Second round of our overview of all the news and announcements from the 2009 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas (CES 2009).

HDTV Podcast #344

Thu, 08 Jan 2009 23:16:32 -0800

First round of our overview of all the news and announcements from the 2009 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas (CES 2009).

HDTV Podcast #343

Tue, 06 Jan 2009 00:44:32 -0800

That's right, time has come again for us to make our annual trek to Las Vegas to see all that the world of Consumer Electronics has to offer. Some years we see some really great stuff. Other years we get home really tired with not much to show for it except a bunch of free giveaway junk. So here's our list of things we expect to see, or are at least really hoping for. If we see all of them, it'll be a home run.

HDTV Podcast #342

Fri, 02 Jan 2009 05:49:12 -0800

It's that time of year again. We try to predict the future, at least the future of HDTV and Home Theater. We'll try to stay away from the real obvious ones like TV prices will come down or Blu Ray players will be more affordable.

HDTV Podcast #341

Mon, 29 Dec 2008 23:47:18 -0800

It's an awesome show to close out 2008. Ara had to fly solo because Braden lost his voice, but there's still a ton of great news, emails and articles to cover. The "Beware of the Dog House" video may be one of the instant classics for this year. You've got to check it out.

HDTV Podcast #340

Thu, 25 Dec 2008 22:52:00 -0800

Technology moves faster now than it ever has before. Things that were cutting edge just a year ago are almost antiques already. 2008 saw some really great and exciting things in the world of HDTV and Home Theater. Back in January we tried to predict what we thought would happen. Let's take a look at our predictions to see how we fared.

HDTV Podcast #339

Mon, 22 Dec 2008 23:26:29 -0800

It's almost Christmas and maybe you've been too busy watching LCD prices fall, trying to figure out the best time to grab one, and you forgot to pick up a gift for that special someone in your life. Or maybe you're just one of those crazy people who likes to do all their shopping last minute. Whatever your circumstance, we have some tips for you. These are gift suggestions for that special someone in your life. The person who maybe doesn't share your passion for all things Home Theater.

HDTV Podcast #338

Thu, 18 Dec 2008 22:57:35 -0800

We've talked about wanting to give our television providers the boot for the past two years now. In the end, at least for us, there is no way to eliminate them completely. This week while reading an article in Broadcasting and Cable entitled Web Sports Enters HD Arena we thought it would be a good idea to revisit the subject. For this study we looked at our viewing habits and tried to come up with online equivalents.

HDTV Podcast #337

Tue, 16 Dec 2008 00:19:12 -0800

Just when you might think that you have enough gadgets, you come across a new one that reminds you: you can never have enough cool stuff. We were lucky enough to get our hands on the "world's smallest HD camcorder," the Flip Video Mino HD. Not only was it a lot of fun to play with, it was very useful and extremely convenient. If you'd like to record some Holiday memories this year in true 720p high definition, or you need to find a cool, unique gift for the techie who has everything, the Mino HD is a sure hit.

HDTV Podcast #336

Thu, 11 Dec 2008 22:03:55 -0800

Each year we put together an entire starter home theater system. This year we know money is tight so we assembled something that we feel will provide a great experience without breaking the bank.

HDTV Podcast #335

Mon, 08 Dec 2008 23:34:18 -0800

We start off the main content in today's show talking about a couple of low cost options we found for recording your Holiday memories in High Definition. Then we move on to the 2008 edition of our annual Home Theater Receiver buying guide. Like last year, this year we have given you our HTIB and HDTV buying guide. Once again our series would not be complete without talking about the hub of your Home Theater, the Receiver. This year we have three categories, $500 or less, greater than $500 and less than $1000, and greater than $1000. Last year the cheapest receiver supporting Dolby True HD was the Onkyo TX-SR605 which went for an incredible $380.

HDTV Podcast #334

Thu, 04 Dec 2008 23:35:47 -0800

Its time for our annual HDTV buying guide. This year we are listing them by size instead of technology. Last year's most expensive model was the Pioneer Elite Pro-150FD 60 inch plasma TV which came in at $7500. This year the same TV can be found online for less than $5000. Our most inexpensive TV was the Olevia 237T 37 inch LCD which came in at $765. This year the prices for tier one manufacturers are quite affordable. Without further ado, here is the list for 2008:

HDTV Podcast #333

Mon, 01 Dec 2008 22:22:22 -0800

We did this a couple years ago, and it's probably just as good an idea now as it was then. Being that many of you may have recently purchased your first HDTV at a great price on "Black Friday," we wanted to do a show that will help you decide on a Home Theater in a Box (HTIB) system that will bring the other half of the HD experience into your HD Theater. We list and briefly discuss 5 systems; all of which support Blu-ray - some even include it.

HDTV Podcast #332

Thu, 27 Nov 2008 22:30:18 -0800

Each year at this time we stop to give thanks for everything we have in our lives. Home electronics is pretty far down the list in the bigger picture. It goes without saying that we are thankful for our families, our health, our friends, and our wonderful listeners. With that said, there are a few things that we are thankful for in the home electronics area. As is tradition over the last four Thanksgivings, on today's show we give you our list of things we are thankful for.

HDTV Podcast #331

Mon, 24 Nov 2008 22:56:55 -0800

There's never a bad reason to watch another Blu-ray movie, especially if that movie is about a Marvel comics hero. We've compiled lists in the past of our favorite DVDs to use to show off a home theater. It seems like just about every Blu-ray movie coming out these days can easily be added to the list - for sure the block-bluster movies from the big studios. Iron Man is no exception. If you're looking for a fun movie that looks and sounds great, look no further.

HDTV Podcast #330

Fri, 21 Nov 2008 06:25:32 -0800

On today's show we will discuss the expected Black Friday deals we can all look forward to on the day after Thanksgiving. We will also see how our predicitions we made back in September turned out.

HDTV Podcast #329

Tue, 18 Nov 2008 06:49:19 -0800

Every year the Consumer Electronics Association compiles Five Technology Trends to Watch. The full document is about 25 pages long, but it has some great information in it, so we went through it to pull out the highlights. The CEA claims that the "topics chosen this year by CEA market analysts cover a wide range of digital technologies that will impact the world." While they may not end world hunger or and end to war, we do agree that they are interesting trends that we all will want to keep an eye on. We'll give the HT Guys Digest version, but please read the whole article if we pique your interest.

HDTV Podcast #328

Fri, 14 Nov 2008 06:44:18 -0800

Today we take a look at the Western Digital WD TV HD Media player. The WD TV HD Media Player is a device about the size of an external hard drive that plays A/V content from USB storage media. The WD TV HD Media player is optimized for the WD "My Passport" line of hard drives but it will work with other USB devices. The player supports 1080p for content and menus navigation.

HDTV Podcast #327

Mon, 10 Nov 2008 22:56:45 -0800

There are quite a few solutions on the market for wireless digital audio. When Logitech acquired Slim Devices a couple years ago, they jumped into the fray with the Squeezebox line of products. Logitech quickly turned out their own twist on the product line, the Squeezebox Duet. We've had one in the HT Guys lab for quite a while and recently got the chance to plug it in, power it on and give it a listen.

HDTV Podcast #326

Fri, 07 Nov 2008 06:33:45 -0800

Ara got a chance to speak with Avner Ronen, Founder and Chief Executive Officer at Boxee Inc. Boxee is billed as the open, connected, social media center for Mac OSX and Linux. It is a fork of the XBMC project that has taken the media center application in a new 'social networking' direction. Currently in a limited alpha release, big things are already happening and it's gaining a lot of traction. It's a fun piece of software and was a fun interview.

HDTV Podcast #325

Mon, 03 Nov 2008 22:32:05 -0800

CE Pro magazine has put together another list of amazingly priced home electronics products. We're looking for ideas to put on our wish lists for Christmas, so we figured this list would be a good place to start. And Yahoo has a list of new TV shows that have either already been picked up for a whole season or are looking promising. So if you're wondering if that new show you've really gotten addicted to will be around in the springtime and beyond, you'll want to have a listen.

HDTV Podcast #324

Thu, 30 Oct 2008 23:29:26 -0700

As the first Halloween with one High Definition movie disc format, we compiled a list of the ten best spooky movies on Blu-ray, just in case you don't have anything to do and want to watch something scary. But before we get too far on that, we also cover some recent reports about Blu-ray being a temporary format and not having that much life left. Who knows, maybe next year we'll give the list of the top ten high definition downloads for Halloween.

HDTV Podcast #323

Mon, 27 Oct 2008 22:10:22 -0700

We've compile a few lists of some of the top selling items at Amazon.com. A few of the lists shocked us a little bit. Of course, we have an opinion on what they mean, and what we might see for the Holiday shopping season.

HDTV Podcast #322

Thu, 23 Oct 2008 23:32:22 -0700

We've both seen the entire Indiana Jones Trilogy, so when Paramount said they were filming a fourth movie we both became very excited. Braden saw the movie in the theater and Ara waited for it to come out on Blu Ray. While this review is technical in nature, be fore warned, we may throw out a few spoilers.

We talked about a Vudu's new HD Technology (HDX) back on Show #316. For those of you that did not hear that show, Vudu's HDX technology, according to Vudu, is a new video format that delivers the highest quality true High Definition 1080p content available from any Internet, broadcast or satellite on-demand service. We decided to put that statement to a test.

HDTV Podcast #321

Mon, 20 Oct 2008 21:50:55 -0700

It's no secret we're into projects; we like to geek out every now and then to see what we can put together without breaking the bank. We've built our own MythTV server, assembled a Mac based video server and have messed around with whole house audio as well. Another project we've had in the back of our minds for years now is the infamous DIY Home Theater Projector project. As we started to do our research, a thought hit us. Would it be better to build a projector ourselves, or just pay a little extra and buy one on eBay?

HDTV Podcast #320

Thu, 16 Oct 2008 23:29:25 -0700

We first saw the Yamaha YSP-4000 Sound Projector in use at CES 2007. At that time we were quite impressed that a single unit could generate a 5.1 sound field. For those of you who are not familiar with what the Yamaha Sound Projector, it is single unit resembling an oversized center channel that decodes surround sound and generates multi-channel experience by bouncing sound waves off the walls in your room. The advantages are obvious, no running of speaker wire, easy placement of a single component, no clutter! This type of device is ideal for an apartment dweller or for use in a master bedroom, or for the person who wants surround sound but doesn't want to deal with the installation of a multi piece system.

HDTV Podcast #319

Mon, 13 Oct 2008 23:32:33 -0700

MediaMall has released a new version of PlayOn that now supports Netflix Watch Instantly streaming. This is the feature we've all been waiting for, so we had to check it out. Setup is simple, you just add your Netflix username and password and you're done. There's even a test button to make sure you typed your password correctly.

For the last couple weeks, since we did Episode #315 complaining about the lack of good choices for DLNA servers, we've received a ton of recommendations and tried out almost a thousand of them. For the short term we had to focus on software-based options, but there are also a bunch of hardware solutions available as well. We're trying to get our hands on some of them to add to the trials. With so many options, something was sure to blow us away, right?

HDTV Podcast #318

Thu, 09 Oct 2008 23:14:22 -0700

Apple recently released a firmware update for its AppleTV to add support for HD TV Shows. On today's show we talk about the update and our latest experience with the AppleTV. The latest firmware brings the version to 2.2 and, according to Apple, it promises to provide bug fixes, improve stability, and add a feature or two.

HDTV Podcast #317

Mon, 06 Oct 2008 23:04:44 -0700

Amazon has an excellent write-up on four super slim HDTVs. They offer a glimpse into the future of what television may be like in a few years. Imagine what the family room or the home theater will look like when wireless HDMI removes the need to tether your TV to a set top box or a Bu-ray player. And it also removes the need to have your speakers wired to your receiver or amplifier. Couple that with a giant 60, 70 or even 80-inch flat panel TV only millimeters thick, mounted directly to the wall. Now we're talking Jetson's technology. And by the looks of things, it may not be that far off.

HDTV Podcast #316

Fri, 03 Oct 2008 00:02:33 -0700

We reviewed the original Slingbox way back in 2005. Ara currently has two of them and has been able to watch TV from his hotel in Chicago, Denver, and Europe. But the main way the Slingbox is used in the Derderian family is to extend TV reception to any room in the house. While the Slingbox works well via the Internet it works really well on your local network. The issue with Internet usage is bandwidth. First, if your upstream bandwidth is limited it really doesn't matter how much downstream bandwidth you have. In Ara's home the upstream is capped at 1 Mbps (although lately he has exceeded that).

HDTV Podcast #315

Mon, 29 Sep 2008 23:02:44 -0700

We've talked about DLNA, or Digital Living Network Alliance, several times before - on Episodes 264 and 161 both get into the nitty gritty on what it is and what it's for. Let's just cut it short and say that it's a way for consumer electronic devices to share media content. You've got DLNA servers that dish out content and DLNA players that play it back. There are a ton of great options out there for DLNA players, as well as a bunch of server options. While many of the players are top notch, we're having trouble tracking down a really good server.

HDTV Podcast #314

Thu, 25 Sep 2008 23:40:10 -0700

Dennis from Medina OH sent us a link to an article that ran down a list of Black Friday Predictions at BlackFriday @ GottaDeal.com. We want to do the same thing. The only rules we had were not to read the article prior to making our predictions. The article has predictions about computers, computer peripherals, GPS, and all things electronic. Our predictions will stay in the realm of HDTV and Home Theater. We also recently received an email asking us for a good solution to archive old family videos that are locked away on VHS tapes. Many options require you to use the hard drive of your computer for the recording process. Today we take a look at a devices that easily connects to your analog sources and records to multiple destinations. The Neuros OSD lets you convert your treasured videos to digital so they can be enjoyed for years to come.

HDTV Podcast #313

Mon, 22 Sep 2008 22:13:14 -0700

There's a lot of talk about the economy these days. Things are slowing down and people are trying more than ever to make their hard earned money work for them. We don't claim to be financial advisers or economic experts, we don't even play them on the Internet, but we do have a few options for those looking to enjoy HDTV while riding out a difficult economy. Because as we all know, some things in life are optional, Starbucks, Swedish massages, expensive creams and lotions ... but HDTV is not.

HDTV Podcast #312

Thu, 18 Sep 2008 22:23:24 -0700

We have a listener review of the ps3toothfairy and a bunch of cool gadgets for your home theater or home theater-centric lifestyle.

HDTV Podcast #311

Mon, 15 Sep 2008 22:54:18 -0700

We had to do it. When we reviewed the HD-DVD version of Transformers back in October of 2007 (Episode #216) it was, at the time, one of the best, if not the best, home movie experiences we had ever had. The video was flawless and the audio was amazing - straight 10's across the board. So now that the Blu-ray version is out, is it even better? Is there anything it could do to improve the experience? But first, are we ready for the digital cut-over? They ran a test in Wilmington NC and the results may surprise you.

HDTV Podcast #310

Fri, 12 Sep 2008 00:02:22 -0700

Lately when we have been talking about VOD we have been talking abut AppleTV or Vudu. After going to CEDIA last week and visiting with DirecTV and Dish Network we decided to see what improvements both companies have implemented in their respective products.

HDTV Podcast #309

Mon, 08 Sep 2008 23:05:55 -0700

CEDIA 2008 Round-up, Day 2: Samsung, Sony (again), Mitsubishi, Blu-ray, Yamaha, Audessey, much, much more!

HDTV Podcast #308

Thu, 04 Sep 2008 23:44:50 -0700

CEDIA 2008 Round-up, Day 1: Universal, Panasonic, Dolby, Sony, Blu-ray, Niveus, Tivo, much, much more!

HDTV Podcast #307

Mon, 01 Sep 2008 23:20:32 -0700

It was a hot topic in the inbox last week, and we promised to check it out. So keeping to our word, we spent some quality time with the PlayOn Beta from MediaMall Technologies. MediaMall is all about allowing set top boxes to access Internet video. PlayOn is the consumer software version of that technology. In short, it's really cool; well worth installing if you have a windows computer and a PS3, Xbox 360 or HP MediaSmart TV.

HDTV Podcast #306

Thu, 28 Aug 2008 20:40:30 -0700

Each year since we've been doing this show we tale a look at the Fall TV season and try to pick shows that we'd like to watch. Back in 2006 when we first starting doing this, a good number of shows were in SD. Today pretty much all of them are in HD with the exception of a few reality shows.

HDTV Podcast #305

Mon, 25 Aug 2008 22:52:02 -0700

On a recent family vacation to Sequoia National Park, Braden's trusty digital camera finally died. Sure losing an old gadget is great because you know you get to replace it with the latest and greatest, but it certainly isn't ideal when you're in one of the most scenic places on the planet and happen to be the only tourist with a circa 1990 disposable camera. Since the newest digital cameras also allow for HD video capture, we thought the quest for a new camera would make nice content for the show.

HDTV Podcast #304

Thu, 21 Aug 2008 23:55:05 -0700

Anyone who owns a home theater system knows that a Subwoofer is essential to the experience. Watching a movie in HD with surround sound is great, but some scenes require that you feel the bass. A subwoofer does just that. An issue some have is Subwoofer placement. Its not always convenient to place the subwoofer next to the receiver. This requires that you run cable to a spot that is more conducive for the placement of the speaker. The ULS-15 has a nice feature that makes this no longer necessary. The subwoofer has a wireless connection that in most cases works great. More on that later.

HDTV Podcast #303

Tue, 19 Aug 2008 06:45:15 -0700

Not a week goes by that we don't hear something about the Popcorn Hour A-100 network media player. We tried relentlessly to get a demo unit for review, but to no avail. Finally, slightly weary but committed whole-heartedly to the show, Ara decided to pony up the cash and purchase one. It arrived last week and we got a chance to play with it. All in all, not a bad little unit.

HDTV Podcast #302

Thu, 14 Aug 2008 23:15:30 -0700

For the week Ara was on vacation and was away from his HDTV. This really made him appreciate what was missing at home. It also gave him time to think about a few things. For example, would a DirecTV and Dish Network merger be a good thing? Today we'll bring to you his thoughts and listener responses.

HDTV Podcast #301

Tue, 12 Aug 2008 06:48:49 -0700

In a ruling on August 4th, the U.S. Court of Appeals overturned a district court decision that barred Cablevision from launching a new technology it is calling Remote-Storage DVR (RS-DVR). The district court had blocked release of this service to Cablevision subscribers, but as of Monday, it's back on the table. Remote-Storage DVR provides all of the benefit of a DVR, without all of the drawbacks. You can record, playback, pause, fast-forward and rewind television just like a DVR, but you don't have to worry about ever running out of storage and you can view the programs from any TV in your home.

HDTV Podcast #300

Fri, 08 Aug 2008 00:16:32 -0700

After being chastised for spending too much time talking about HDTV gear and equipment and not enough time talking about what to actually watch in High Definition, we devote an entire episode to just that: what we watch on TV. As part of the discussion, we cover all the shows that are returning for the 2008-2009 season as well as those that have been canceled.

HDTV Podcast #299

Mon, 04 Aug 2008 23:49:43 -0700

Good News for Blu-ray Early Adopters. Since we last talked about the coming of the BD-Live era on Episode #289, we've had a chance to check out some Blu-ray titles with BD-Live functionality.So far, BD-Live is pointless - no need to rush out and upgrade your player.

HDTV Podcast #298

Thu, 31 Jul 2008 23:19:23 -0700

We talk about one of Ara's favorite movies, Patton. Over the weekend he watched it on Blu Ray and will tell you if Blu Ray breathes new life into the nearly 40 year old movie. And with the analog cutoff around the corner we found a small outdoor antenna that we that will make the transition a bit easier for you.

HDTV Podcast #297

Mon, 28 Jul 2008 22:47:44 -0700

Listener Kevin sent us a link to TidalTV.com a new service that mimics the Cable or Satellite experience over the Internet. You get a complete channel guide and can tune into shows on various networks such as CBS, MSNBC, Food Network, HGTV, Sports Illustrated and the Weather Channel. What Hulu might be to a DVR replacement, TidalTV wants to be for your set top box replacement. It's currently in Beta, so we decided to have a look to see if it might be the next big thing.

HDTV Podcast #296

Thu, 24 Jul 2008 23:16:15 -0700

From time to time our listeners send us emails asking us to review equipment that they are interested in buying or themselves. Recently we received an email from Kris asking us to take a look at the Orb Audio line of speakers. We were able to obtain the Orb Audio Mod 2 speakers with an upgraded Uber Ten subwoofer. The total cost for the 5.1 system was $1597 including standard ground shipping.

HDTV Podcast #295

Mon, 21 Jul 2008 22:41:15 -0700

For today's show Ara had a chance to connect with Clint DeBoer, editor-in-chief of Audioholics.com about a recent article they published entitled Long HDMI Cable Bench Tests - Monster Cable Shootout. It's a great article and a great interview.

HDTV Podcast #294

Thu, 17 Jul 2008 23:32:23 -0700

Sony announced on Tuesday that that they would begin offering movies and TV shows for download to the Playstation 3 through the Playstation store. Movies are available from Disney, Fox and Warner Bros in addition to the obvious inclusion of Sony Pictures titles. The system is setup much like Vudu and AppleTV, new release movies can be rented for $3.99 in standard def and $5.99 in high definition or purchased in SD for $14.99. Older titles are available for rent for $2.99 for SD, $4.50 for HD and $9.99 for purchase. So the big question is, "How does Sony's offering stack up against Vudu or AppleTV?"

HDTV Podcast #293

Mon, 14 Jul 2008 22:30:19 -0700

We get email after email asking for advice on when is the right time to upgrade your home theater equipment. The answer, of course, is always "right now," but that isn't always possible. Often we have to compromise in one area to upgrade another. So what components are the most important to keep up to date? Which ones can wait a while? Let's take a look.

HDTV Podcast #292

Thu, 10 Jul 2008 22:48:10 -0700

With money tight and more of it going to fill up your gas tank instead of your AV rack we thought it would be a great time to discuss an article on haggling. Jennifer DeFeo has written an article for Electronic House entitled "10 Tips for Haggling with A/V Retailers". We also discuss the highlights of the Entertainment Merchant Association 2008 Annual Report.

HDTV Podcast #291

Mon, 07 Jul 2008 23:21:22 -0700

We have been trying to get a hold of a Vizio TV for review for some time now but with no luck. This weekend while the family was in Costco stocking up on supplies Ara spent some time looking at the Vizio 50 inch 1080p Plasma. In actuality this feature is more of a Costco roundup than an in depth review of the TV.

HDTV Podcast #290

Fri, 04 Jul 2008 00:07:08 -0700

Happy Fourth of July! If you have the day off, we hope you're enjoying it; if you have to work, we hope you get a day off real soon. We didn't take the day off but instead interviewed John Griffin from Dolby Laboratories and tested out Google's new MediaServer gadget.

HDTV Podcast #289

Tue, 01 Jul 2008 00:23:24 -0700

We've never really been into special features on discs, but what if the special features weren't actually on the disc, but were on the Internet? Like it or not, BD Live looks like it's coming in full force very soon. It could be cool, or it could just be a lot of hype.