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Help! Get Me Out of HDMI Hell!
Al Griffin  |  Dec 15, 2016  |  9 comments
Got a tech question for Sound & Vision? Email us at AskSandV@gmail.com

Al Griffin helps out an early adopter caught in the crossfire of emerging technologies—in this case, HDMI.

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Help! I Have Legacy Gear & Want to Stream in Hi-Res
Al Griffin  |  Jun 22, 2021  |  3 comments
Got a tech question for Sound & Vision? Email us at AskSandV@gmail.com

Q My partner and I want to get set up for high-resolution audio and are hoping to use the Tidal service for better-than-CD-quality streaming. We have a Sherwood stereo integrated amplifier from the 1980s, along with big, beautiful, fantastic-sounding speakers and we don’t want to give those up. I’ve tried researching the huge range of available tech options but just don’t know how to make it work. We use Android devices and own a Fosi Audio DAC-Q4 [digital-to-analog converter/headphone amp]. We also have a spare computer that can be used to run Tidal. —Victoria Baker, via email

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Hi-Res Conundrum: Should I Go for 24/192 or Is 24/96 All I Need?
Al Griffin  |  Oct 24, 2019  |  18 comments
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If I subscribe to Tidal Hi-Fi should I bother with 24-bit/192-kHz playback or is 24/96 all I need?

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High (HDMI) Anxiety
Al Griffin  |  Aug 17, 2017  |  1 comments
Got a tech question for Sound & Vision? Email us at AskSandV@gmail.com

A I want to upgrade my AV receiver but plan to wait until high-end brands like Anthem and Cambridge Audio provide support for HDMI passthrough of the HDR10, Dolby Vision, and Hybrid Log-Gamma (HLG) high dynamic range formats. Am I making the right decision? / via e-mail—Estuardo / via e-mail

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High Def to Older HDTV
Scott Wilkinson  |  Jul 26, 2011  |  8 comments
I bought a new Sony Blu-ray player with an HDMI output that I want to connect to an older Mitsubishi HDTV that only has component and composite inputs. I've seen HDMI-to-component converters on the Internet, but will they improve the picture quality over just staying with the Blu-ray component outputs?

Joseph Bernard

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High Frame Rate 3D
Scott Wilkinson  |  May 10, 2011  |  3 comments
I just listened to episode 63 of your Home Theater Geeks podcast and heard that 3D may be making a move to 48 or 60 frames per second. Am I correct that this is a problem for Blu-ray because it cannot accommodate this higher frame rate? Does this mean we will soon see a new disc format?

Charlie Raskob

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High-Quality Audio
Scott Wilkinson  |  May 05, 2011  |  1 comments
Why should I purchase high-quality audio equipment if the new groups, and even most of the legacy artists, aren't committed to manufacturing/mixing their oeuvre with high quality? What are your sources to purchase current and backstock music?

Dave Butler

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High-Rez Music Server
Scott Wilkinson  |  May 13, 2011  |  4 comments
I'm interested in building a music server for high-rez audio files. I'd like something such as a Mac Mini but with more drive space and lower cost. Dell Zino perhaps? Most importantly, I need a player that will handle all music file formats, including lossless. Also, I need a DAC for under $1000. Any suggestions on how best to pull this off?

Scott Kaplan

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HiSense Offers Its ULED Alternative to OLED
Al Griffin  |  Jan 08, 2016  |  0 comments
OLED TV. Maybe you’ve heard of it. In the HiSense booth at CES, the company made a point of displaying the lauded technology to great disadvantage. What does it offer as an alternative? ULED.
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Home Theater in a Game Room
Scott Wilkinson  |  Nov 23, 2011  |  0 comments
I have a $15,000 budget (display, speakers, components) for a home theater in a 11x14 section of a 16x25 game room. However, I am limited to ceiling-mounted surround speakers. Does anyone make in-ceiling rear speakers that tonally match a killer set of front towers and center channel? I read all the in-ceiling reviews and the Top Picks, but I can't figure out how to blend a system. Also, I've read your reviews of the Marantz components; the AV7005 looks awesome, but maybe it's overpowered for my dual-use game room and home theater? I love the Ask Home Theater column; please send some help this way!

Joe Boyle

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How Big a Screen Do I Need for My Projector?
Al Griffin  |  Dec 18, 2014  |  2 comments
Got a tech question for Sound & Vision? Email us at AskSandV@gmail.com

Q I bought a Benq W1070 projector and plan to install it in my 22-foot long by 18-foot wide by 8.5-foot high basement. The room was pre-wired by the previous owner and there’s a ceiling mount with an electric outlet close to it. The mount is about 16 feet away from the front wall. Is that too far for this projector? I was originally planning to buy a 120 inch screen, but it appears that I would need at least a 150 to 170 inch screen for that distance.—Srikanth Athipatla

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How Big a Subwoofer Do I Need?
Al Griffin  |  Nov 11, 2013  |  2 comments
Q How big a subwoofer would I need to produce good home theater-quality bass in a 3,100-cubic-foot room? Would the Hsu VTF-15H be up to the job, or is there a better choice in my target price range (around $1,000)? —Steven Winter / via e-mail
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How Can I Add CD-Quality Streaming to My Old AVR?
Al Griffin  |  Sep 22, 2022  |  1 comments
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Q I am interested in listening to music from Spotify using my older Pioneer Elite SC-07 A/V receiver. I tried connecting my smart TV to the receiver via an optical digital connection and then streaming using the TV’s built-in Spotify app, but was disappointed with the sound quality. Will adding a network media player like the Marantz NA6006 to my system and using that to stream Spotify provide the CD-quality fidelity I am after? —Rob Pileski, Burlington, WI

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How Can I Add Streaming to My Old HK Receiver?
Al Griffin  |  Apr 30, 2014  |  3 comments
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Q I have an old Harman Kardon receiver that has served me well for several years and would like to continue using it. Do you have any suggestions for a way I could stream audio from my computer (primarily from iTunes and Spotify) to my receiver over Wi-Fi? —Doug Burton / via e-mail

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How Can I Avoid Turning Up the Volume to Hear Movie Dialogue?
Al Griffin  |  Mar 17, 2014  |  6 comments
The effects of dynamic volume control are illustrated in this diagram from Audyssey.

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Q When watching a movie, I often have to turn the volume up to hear the dialogue but then find that the action scenes are too loud and have to turn it down again. My speakers are all from the same product line, so I know they are meant to play well together. I also use the automatic room correction on my Pioneer VSX-914-K AV receiver to adjust levels and distances for the speakers. Is the volume issue due to the way movies are mixed these days? —Ricky Meadows / via e-mail Ricky Meadows / via e-mail

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