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Home Theater

HDTV and Home Theater Podcast - Podcast #628: New Pioneer Receivers
Home Theater HDMI HD Receivers

HDTV and Home Theater Podcast - Podcast #628: New Pioneer Receivers

Pioneer's five new VSX-line receivers mark the first consumer AV receivers to support HDMI 2.0, enabling 4K/60fps passthrough and expanded color depth for Ultra HD displays. The flagship VSX-1124 ($599) pairs an ES9006S DAC running at 192kHz/24-bit with multi-channel FLAC/WAV playback and DSD 2.8 MHz support, while the Elite VSX-80 ($700) adds Crestron and Control4 compatibility with full two-way RS-232C-over-IP control. Buyers evaluating a 4K home theater upgrade will find these receivers cover both high-resolution audio and next-generation video connectivity in a single unit.

The HT Guys •
Podcasts
4K Ultra HD Home Theater Projection HD

HDTV and Home Theater Podcast - Podcast #627: JVC 4K UltraHD Projectors

JVC's Procision projectors, including the entry-level DLA-X500R at $5,000, use e-Shift3 technology to simulate 4K by offsetting two native 1080p D-ILA chips by half a pixel diagonally, achieving high pixel density rather than true 4K resolution. All 4K input signals are downscaled to 1080p before processing, meaning the projected image approaches but does not match a native 4K display like Sony's VPL-VW500ES at $10,000. Buyers gain impressive contrast ratios up to 150,000:1 native and strong color reproduction, making these a compelling compromise for home theater enthusiasts not yet ready to invest in true 4K.

The HT Guys •
Podcasts
Home Theater HD Audio

HDTV and Home Theater Podcast - Podcast #626: Interview with Jack Sharkey of Kef Speakers

KEF Speakers representative Jack Sharkey walks through a six-part series on transforming an acoustically problematic room into a functional product showcase space. The series covers practical acoustic treatment techniques including bass traps, absorption versus diffusion panels, subwoofer placement, rear channel configuration, and floor and ceiling treatment. Listeners dealing with difficult room acoustics will find actionable guidance on the specific challenges that affect low-frequency response and overall sound quality.

The HT Guys •
Podcasts
Home Theater HDMI

HDTV and Home Theater Podcast - Podcast #625: Gefen TV Wireless Extender for HDMI 60 GHz

The Gefen TV Wireless HDMI Extender (GTV-WHD-60G) operates on the 60 GHz frequency band, delivering uncompressed 1080p Full HD video with near-zero latency (less than one frame) and support for Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio up to 7.1 channels. Its strict line-of-sight requirement limits range to a reliable 33 feet and prevents through-wall use, but blind tests confirmed indistinguishable audio and video quality compared to a wired HDMI connection. At a street price of around $300, it is a strong choice for projector or flat panel installations where signal quality outweighs placement flexibility.

The HT Guys •
Podcasts
Home Theater Calibration

HDTV and Home Theater Podcast - Podcast #623: Home Theater Calibration Discs

Home theater calibration discs offer a cost-effective alternative to professional ISF calibration, with options ranging from Joe Kane's DVE HD Basics ($39.95) to the Spears and Munsil HD Benchmark ($29.97), each providing video and audio test patterns for HDTV optimization. Formats span DVD and Blu-ray, targeting everything from plasma and LCD to rear-projection displays, with varying levels of technical depth for novice and advanced users alike. Choosing the right disc depends on your familiarity with calibration concepts and whether you need basic setup guidance or direct access to advanced signal testing.

The HT Guys •
Podcasts
Home Theater HDMI Standards

Living with 4K - Bought an UHDTV? wait, is it Upgradeable?

Early UHDTV adopters face potential obsolescence as the ITU Rec. 2020 standard introduces features beyond 4K pixel resolution, including 10/12-bit color depth, 4:2:2 and 4:4:4 chroma subsampling, HDCP 2.2 content protection, and HDMI 2.0 support for 4K at 60fps - capabilities many current displays cannot handle. Most manufacturers offer no upgrade path, while Samsung's replaceable connectivity box and Sony's in-home hardware upgrades for models like the $25,000 VW-1000 projector represent notable exceptions. Buyers should carefully evaluate upgrade commitments before purchasing, as connectivity gaps similar to the HDTV-to-HDMI transition of 1998-2003 could strand millions of early adopters again.

Rodolfo La Maestra •
Articles
Home Theater HD Audio

HDTV and Home Theater Podcast - Podcast #621: Wireless Headphone Options

This roundup covers wireless headphone options for home theater use, spanning RF models operating on 900 MHz and 926 MHz bands to digital systems using 2.4-2.8 GHz KLEER lossless transmission and the Sony MDR-DS7500's 2 GHz spectrum with Dolby TrueHD and 7.1Ch decoding via HDMI inputs. Frequency range, battery life, and transmission distance vary significantly across the five featured models, from the budget JVC HAW600RF at $54 with a 164-foot range to the Sony MDR-DS7500 at $429 with a 5 Hz to 25 kHz dynamic reproduction range. Readers balancing audio quality against household disruption will find practical guidance on matching price points and wireless protocols to real-world home theater constraints.

The HT Guys •
Podcasts
Living with 4K - Nuvola 4K Player NP-1
Home Theater 4K Ultra HD HDMI

Living with 4K - Nuvola 4K Player NP-1

The Nuvola NP-1 is a $299 4K media player powered by an NVIDIA Tegra 4 quad-core processor with 72 GPU cores, running Android 4.2 and featuring a single HDMI 1.4 output limited to 4:2:0 chroma subsampling at 8-bit depth and 24/30 fps. It supports H.264-based 4K streaming and local playback via USB 3.0 storage, with H.265/HEVC support promised via firmware update, but its single-HDMI design forces buyers to use an HDMI splitter or sacrifice multichannel audio. Compared to Sony's $699 FMP-X1, the NP-1 offers broader TV compatibility and lower cost, though its video and audio connectivity limitations have real consequences for home theater installations.

Rodolfo La Maestra •
Articles
Kaleidescape Cinema One - Review
Home Theater Blu-ray HD Media Centers

Kaleidescape Cinema One - Review

The Kaleidescape Cinema One is a 4TB media server priced at $3,995, capable of storing up to 100 Blu-ray-quality or 600 DVD-quality movies, with bitstream pass-through of Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio over HDMI. Testing against an Oppo reference player in a high-end home theater revealed that a default-enabled detail enhancement setting degraded image quality when used alongside a Darblet video processor, and AACS licensing requires the physical Blu-ray disc to be present during playback of imported titles unless a $3,995 DV700 vault is added. Factoring in hardware amortization, per-movie cost-of-ownership for Blu-ray collectors ranges from roughly $60 to $105 depending on system configuration, making the value proposition heavily dependent on collection size and usage pattern.

Rodolfo La Maestra •
Articles
Living with 4K - Nuvola 4K Player NP-1
Home Theater 4K Ultra HD

Living with 4K - Nuvola 4K Player NP-1

The Nuvola NP-1 is a $299 4K streaming player powered by an NVIDIA Tegra 4 quad-core processor with 72 GPU cores, running Android 4.2 and outputting via a single HDMI 1.4 port at 4:2:0 chroma subsampling, 8-bit depth, and up to 30fps - specs comparable to the $699 Sony FMP-X1 but at less than half the price. Unlike Sony's proprietary player-TV pairing, the NP-1 claims compatibility with any UHDTV and supports USB 3.0 external storage for downloaded 4K content encoded in H.264, with H.265/HEVC support promised via firmware update. The single HDMI output creates real-world audio routing challenges for users with A/V receivers that cannot pass through 4K video, likely requiring an HDMI splitter or direct TV connection.

Shane Sturgeon •
Testing Grounds
Home Theater OLED TVs Events & Trade Shows

HDTV and Home Theater Podcast - Podcast #618: Best of CES 2014 and Top Tech to Watch this Year

Podcast episode 618 recaps home theater highlights from CES 2014, covering award winners across Digital Trends, Engadget, and CES Innovations categories, including the LG 77-inch Curved Ultra HD OLED TV (77EC9800) and Sony FMP-X1 4K Ultra HD Media Player pre-loaded with 10 feature films. Notable audio picks include the Philips Fidelio E5 wireless 5.1 surround system and Bang and Olufsen BeoLab 18, while the Samsung UN65H7150 touts a Real 240Hz Full HD panel with quad-core processing. Consumers tracking display and audio upgrades in 2014 will find a concise cross-source roundup of the year's most significant product launches.

The HT Guys •
Podcasts
Home Theater Events & Trade Shows 4K Ultra HD

HDTV and Home Theater Podcast - Podcast #617: CES 2014

CES 2014 brought a wave of 4K Ultra HD televisions from LG, Sony, Samsung, and Vizio, with standout entries like LG's 105-inch 21:9 webOS-powered 105UC9 and Vizio's P-Series featuring 64 Active LED Zones and HEVC codec support starting at $999.99. Sharp debuted the first WiSA-compliant universal player transmitting uncompressed 24-bit/96kHz audio wirelessly, while Sony's SRS-X9 added aptX Bluetooth, AirPlay, and DLNA to its 2.1 wireless speaker lineup. Consumers evaluating upgrades will find a broad range of price points and ecosystem integrations, from Netflix 4K streaming support to multi-room audio solutions.

The HT Guys •
Podcasts
Home Theater Streaming HD 4K Ultra HD

HDTV and Home Theater Podcast - Podcast #616: HDTV Predictions for 2014

Two home theater enthusiasts lay out their 2014 predictions for the HDTV and streaming landscape, including Netflix reaching at least 50 4K titles and 9.1 surround sound receivers displacing 7.1 as the mainstream standard. OLED is expected to remain a niche product due to its steep price premium over plasma and elite LCD panels, while 4K is forecast to gain traction driven by Chinese manufacturers pushing prices down rapidly. For consumers, these shifts signal a pivotal year for display and audio hardware upgrade decisions.

The HT Guys •
Podcasts
Home Theater Market Trends & Analysis

HDTV and Home Theater Podcast - Podcast #615: Prediction Results for 2013

A year-end review of 2013 HDTV and home theater predictions scores a combined 2 out of 10 correct calls, with the standout hit being Panasonic's confirmed exit from the plasma TV business, effectively ending the flat-screen technology it helped pioneer. Predictions that missed include Apple entering home automation, 42-inch 1080p LCD TVs dropping to $300 from $480, and new-release streaming via all-you-can-eat subscription services. Readers tracking the consumer electronics landscape will find useful context on where the industry landed versus expectations heading into 2014.

The HT Guys •
Podcasts
Home Theater HD Receivers

HDTV and Home Theater Podcast - Podcast #614: Ultimate Home Theater in a Box

Two home theater enthusiasts each build a complete 7.1 or 9.2 surround sound system anchored by large-screen displays, with one configuration pairing a Sharp 80-inch 240Hz Quattron LED with a Denon AVR-X3000 7.2-channel 4K receiver and Klipsch RF-42 II speakers for $6,439, and the other combining a Panasonic 65-inch 600Hz plasma with a Yamaha RX-A2030 9.2-channel Aventage receiver and an OPPO BDP-103 featuring Marvell Kyoto-G2H video processing for $7,810. Both builds demonstrate that a fully capable large-screen home theater with discrete surround sound is achievable without custom installation costs.

The HT Guys •
Podcasts