Darryl Wilkinson

Authentic Ltd says their new ASS-60AK Speaker Screen can produce high-quality sound directly from the screen itself - and do it without causing any degradation in picture quality.

If God watches TV, I have seen the one He watches.

FOSI wants you to see stars in your home theater – and not just on your big screen. The company’s star ceiling panels – like this 8-foot x 12 foot version – contain thousands of individual fiber optic cables that take light from three central light sources (either halogen or LED-based lamps) and create astronomically correct reproductions of the night sky on your theater (or other) room’s ceiling. Panels can be ordered in flat black or cloud-sky painted models. This particular setup included over 5,000 fiber optic runs to create a September night sky that included a comet, several shooting stars, and the ability to erupt into a brilliant fireworks display. Without the fireworks lighting, the DIY version – in which you get the fiber optic cables and a complete, full-size template for where to drill the holes for the cables in your own panel – starts at around $2,000. As far as a professionally installed, fully tricked out version with fireworks and a night sky that’s exactly the way you want it from a certain date in history (your wedding night or the evening the Normans invaded England, for example, either of which could be considered the start of epic battles) can cost, well, the sky’s the limit.

This is going to be the year of 3D. I know it’s been said before, but this time it’s really going to happen. More studios are producing more 3D films, and there is more 3D hardware than ever. Most importantly, the quality of the 3D experience is the best that it’s ever been. Look for lots of HDTVs with built-in 3D capabilities. 3D leader Sensio announced that they are now part of the HDMI spec, which means that – in the future – when you put a Sensio-encoded disc in your hi-def player, your HDTV and associated hardware will know that it’s a 3D movie and automatically switch into 3D mode. Simple is always better. In this case, it’s 3X simpler.