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Streaming Device Reviews
Amazon Fire TV Cube 3 Review
Barb Gonzalez  |  Jan 22, 2023  |  0 comments

Performance
Features
Ergonomics
Value
PRICE $140

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Super Resolution Upscaling to 4K improves HD and SD content
Hands-free control of the Fire TV Cube and Smart Home Devices
Fast navigation and loading of content
Connect thumb drive or external drive to view/listen to media
Connect webcam for video calling
Minus
Sponsored apps, ads, and Amazon’s FreeVee monopolize home screen and search
Set-top box integration didn’t work with DISH Hopper

THE VERDICT
If you have Amazon Prime, cable or satellite, and smart home devices, definitely consider upgrading to the Fire TV Cube 3rd generation.

The 3rd generation Fire TV Cube has several new features that may make it worth upgrading from your current Fire TV. One of these features is HDMI pass-through, which allows for easy integration with set-top boxes. Additionally, the cube has a more powerful processor that improves picture quality. As the top-of-the-line Fire TV model, the cube combines the functionality of a smart Echo speaker and a streaming Amazon Fire TV.

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Audio Video News
Buyer Beware: Phony Apple AirPods Abound
Bob Ankosko  |  Jan 19, 2023  |  3 comments
I saw a curious post on Facebook Marketplace with the heading: “*FAKE* Airpods Pro - $50.” My first thought was why would anyone want to buy a set of fake Apple earbuds? Then I decided to dig a little deeper…
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Audio Video News
LG Expands Free Streaming Service
SV Staff  |  Jan 19, 2023  |  0 comments
LG today announced an expansion of LG Channels, the free streaming service available to owners of LG smart TVs.
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Smart Speaker ReviewsNew Products
Apple HomePod 2nd Generation - First Impressions
Mark Henninger  |  Jan 18, 2023  |  2 comments
Today I took a trip to Manhattan to hear the new HomePod Generation 2 from Apple. First impressions of how it handled music playback made me emotional because I realized Apple has achieved that blend of performance plus stylish minimalism it is so well known for. This second-generation HomePod is a game changer because at $300 each, it only costs $600 to put a full-fledged, spatial audio-capable sound system anywhere you want and enjoy jaw-dropping fidelity.
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SmartStream
Epix Channel Becomes MGM+
Barb Gonzalez  |  Jan 18, 2023  |  0 comments
On January 15th, MGM+ launched as an independent app and Amazon Prime channel. This comes as no surprise after Amazon bought MGM in 2021. The vast library of high-quality titles, previously available on the now-closed Epix channel, is now live on MGM+. This is no B-movie service. It's MGM, founded 99 years ago, the makers of all the movies in That's Entertainment .
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AV Receiver Reviews
Marantz CINEMA 50 AV Receiver Review
Daniel Kumin  |  Jan 17, 2023  |  6 comments

Performance
Features
Ergonomics
Value
PRICE $2500

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Audyssey room correction (Dirac Live coming soon)
9 powered channels for full Atmos/DTS:X
Precisely integrate up to four subs via Audyssey
Full compatibility with Marantz/Denon’s HEOS
Two-way Bluetooth (for wireless headphones, speakers)
Minus
Native streaming mostly requires HEOS app
No affirmation of surround mode (Atmos) when streaming from TV

THE VERDICT
A refined AVR offering 9-channel power for a full Atmos or DTS:X setup. It has excellent room-correction capabilities with an innovative multiple-subwoofer option.

With the advent of features such as room correction, object-oriented surround, and networked/wireless streaming (to name but three), AV receivers have become more elaborate than ever. So much so that just to enumerate all the features and functions of the Cinema 50, the next-to-top model in Marantz's newest AVR lineup, would easily exceed the column inches allotted to this entire report; pity the poor AV reviewer! (I know you all do.)

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A/V Veteran
Ghosts of CESs Past
Thomas J. Norton  |  Jan 17, 2023  |  0 comments
I didn't attend the recent CES in Las Vegas. I haven't gone since 2017. CES can be exceptionally expensive these days; the hotels and restaurants dramatically increased their prices some years ago. I once heard a possible reason why: CES attendees, it was said, didn't gamble enough to keep the lower hotel rates profitable. The obvious solution: jack up the hotel rates, both for room and food!

The disruptions of the past three years have been hard on the biggest trade shows...

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Audio Video NewsNew Products
Klipsch Partners with McLaren Racing to Create Legends Series
Bob Ankosko  |  Jan 17, 2023  |  0 comments
Klipsch has once again teamed up with the McLaren Formula 1 Team, this time to create a series of speakers featuring “papaya orange” accents that recall the distinctive color racing legend Bruce McLaren chose for the F1 cars he drove to victory in the late ’60s.
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The Connected Life
Working With a Custom Installer, Part 2
John Sciacca  |  Jan 16, 2023  |  63 comments
If you’re looking to hire an installer for a job — or really have any trade come and work in your home — here are some suggestions to help make the project go smoother for everyone. In Part 1 of this mini-series we covered what to do and be aware of leading up to installation day. Here, we cover what to expect on the day of the installation.
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Blu-ray Movie ReviewsUltra HD Blu-ray Movie Reviews
Heat
Chris Chiarella  |  Jan 14, 2023  |  0 comments
Picture
Sound
Extras

Michael Mann's preeminent crime thriller somehow eluded wide audiences in 1995 but has since become an absolute classic of the genre. As he did with Thief several years prior, the writer/director goes deep into the world of career crooks, imparting specific tricks of the trade while revealing the perpetrators as utterly no-nonsense individuals. We can't dismiss them as heartless—their attempts to establish or maintain relationships yield much of the film's fascinating character drama—yet they are incredibly dangerous, willing to kill without hesitation as needed.

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