Al Griffin

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Hitachi P50T501 50-inch Plasma HDTV
Al Griffin • Posted: Jun 03, 2007 • 0 comments

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Home Theater Workout
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BLU-RAY MOVIE REVIEWS
Al Griffin • Posted: Jun 29, 2003 • 0 comments

The following reviews appeared as "Reference DVD" features in the Movies section of Sound & Vision. Out of the 22 discs chosen for their exceptional audio and video from September 2000 through July/August 2003, I consider these five the standouts. BLUE CRUSH Universal

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Homespun DVDs
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OTHER TECH
Al Griffin • Posted: Dec 31, 2004 • 0 comments

They say memories are precious. Well, if that's the case, why do so many of us have years of treasured moments captured on videotapes gathering dust in closets? Recordable DVDs would make a better resting place for your home videos.

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Honey's Not Dead: The Jesus and Mary Chain Live
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WIDE ANGLE
Al Griffin • Posted: Aug 06, 2012 • 0 comments

It's summertime, and that means outdoor concerts. Here in the far other end of New York state, we typically get to lay out our blankets and take in a predictable bunch of touring acts from the '70s and '80s. Peter Frampton? Check. Huey Lewis and the News? Check. Yes? Yes. The Jesus and Mary Chain. Um, did you say "The Jesus And Mary Chain?"

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How Big a Screen Do I Need for My Projector?
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ASK S&V
Al Griffin • Posted: 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?
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ASK S&V
Al Griffin • Posted: 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 Streaming to My Old HK Receiver?
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ASK S&V
Al Griffin • Posted: Apr 30, 2014 • 3 comments
Got a tech question for Sound & Vision? Email us at AskSandV@gmail.com

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?
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ASK S&V
Al Griffin • Posted: Mar 17, 2014 • 6 comments
The effects of dynamic volume control are illustrated in this diagram from Audyssey.

Got a tech question for Sound & Vision? Email us at AskSandV@gmail.com

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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How Can I Connect an iPhone to an Old AV Receiver?
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ASK S&V
Al Griffin • Posted: Jul 17, 2014 • 4 comments
Got a tech question for Sound & Vision? Email us at AskSandV@gmail.com

Can you recommend an affordable device to connect an iPhone or iPod to an old AV receiver and still get good sound? — Stan Reed 

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How Can I Convert LPs and Cassette Tapes to Digital Files on a Laptop?
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ASK S&V
Al Griffin • Posted: Jul 03, 2014 • 5 comments
Got a tech question for Sound & Vision? Email us at AskSandV@gmail.com

Q Are there any inexpensive options for converting LPs and cassette tapes to digital files on a laptop via USB? I know of several software programs (such as Audacity) that can capture and edit the audio files, but what about the hardware? I own quite a number of LPs and cassette tapes that I would like to archive, and I don’t want to have to buy a USB-equipped tape deck (provided there is such a thing) and turntable. Instead, I would prefer to connect my components directly to the converter or use my AV receiver’s record loop ouput. —Eric Tang / via email

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