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How Do I Get the Best Picture and Sound From an Apple TV 4K?
Al Griffin  |  Oct 05, 2017  |  6 comments
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Q I just bought the new Apple TV 4K streaming box and am wondering how to get the best picture and sound from it. My system consists of an LG OLED Ultra HDTV and a Marantz SR7010 receiver. Should I route the signal from the box through my Marantz receiver via HDMI, or connect it directly to the TV? —Mike Franchek

A I would connect the Apple TV 4K directly to your TV — for now. Here’s why.

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Is HDR the Same for Video and Photography?
Al Griffin  |  Oct 02, 2017  |  2 comments
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A Does the metadata used to enhance video for high dynamic range TVs also work with still photographs? —George Yeoh / via e-mail

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What Does a TV’s Backlight Control Do?
Al Griffin  |  Sep 28, 2017  |  0 comments
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Q I am trying to find a TV with low light intensity since my eyes are extremely sensitive to light. I have been told that an LCD TV with a full array LED backlight will let me dim the screen’s intensity without compromising picture quality. Is this true? If so, how does that work? —Patrick Forte

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Is HDR Available on Regular Blu-ray Discs?
Al Griffin  |  Sep 25, 2017  |  0 comments
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A I own an Ultra HDTV but am still using a regular Blu-ray player. I have no interest in buying Ultra HD Blu-ray Discs but would like to get the benefits of the HDR 10 and Dolby Vision High Dynamic Range (HDR) formats on my TV. Would an Ultra HD Blu-ray player apply HDR 10 and Dolby Vision HDR effects when upscaling regular Blu-rays to 4K, or are those benefits only available with Ultra HD discs? —Jason BF / via e-mail

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What Do I Need to Watch Movies in Dolby Vision?
Al Griffin  |  Sep 21, 2017  |  2 comments
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Q I am buying an LG OLED TV that supports the Dolby Vision high dynamic range (HDR) format. Will my Denon receiver support Dolby Vision as well? What other things will I need to make Dolby Vision work? —Dave Poulson

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What Is MQA?
Al Griffin  |  Sep 18, 2017  |  2 comments
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A I’ve seen references to MQA. What is it? —Phis Tomaskovic / via e-mail

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Are 4K Ultra HD Blu-rays Really 4K?
Al Griffin  |  Sep 14, 2017  |  2 comments
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Q I'm a big proponent of physical media and was an earlier adopter of the Ultra HD Blu-ray format. I understand that certain movies may have been shot in 4K or higher resolution (or on 35mm film, which provides enough detail to scan at 4K), but then mastered for release from a 2K digital intermediate. I’ve been able to appreciate the benefits of the Ultra HD format almost immediately thanks in large part to high dynamic range, but am bothered that some disc titles are mastered at less than Ultra HD resolution. It seems like we’ll soon be seeing "New 4K Remaster" versions of movies previously released in Ultra HD. What’s the issue here? —Jason Acosta

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What’s the Problem with HDMI Audio Return Channel?
Al Griffin  |  Sep 01, 2017  |  3 comments
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A What’s the problem with HDMI Audio Return Channel (ARC)? I’ve heard that most people simply give up on ARC and use an optical digital audio connection from their TV to their receiver instead because they can rarely get it to work between devices, especially ones from different manufacturers. What can the HDMI Forum do to improve the situation? —Phis Tomaskovic / via e-mail

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What HDMI Splitter Should I Use With an Xbox?
Al Griffin  |  Aug 24, 2017  |  9 comments
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Q I recently upgraded my TV to an LG 65B7P OLED. My receiver is an older Pioneer model that I'm loathe to give up. I plan on using an Xbox console, either the One S or the forthcoming One X, as my 4K source. Here’s my problem: both Xbox versions provide only a single HDMI output. I know I could use the TV’s HDMI ARC port to route audio back to a receiver, but my Pioneer doesn’t support that feature. Another problem is that HDMI ARC doesn't support the Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD MA lossless audio codecs. Which gets me to my question: Is there some kind of HDMI splitter I can buy that will let me route the Xbox’s output separately to the TV and AVR? —David Becker

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High (HDMI) Anxiety
Al Griffin  |  Aug 17, 2017  |  1 comments
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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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Which In-Ceiling Speaker Should I Use for Dolby Atmos?
Al Griffin  |  Aug 10, 2017  |  0 comments
Q I have a 5.1-channel surround speaker setup in my basement that uses Infinity speakers. Is it better to have overhead speakers that are angled toward the viewer, or ones that fire directly down at the sitting position? —Steve Thompson
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Can My TV Display 10-Bit Color?
Al Griffin  |  Aug 03, 2017  |  2 comments
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Q How can I tell if a TV has a 10-bit panel to process the full 10-bit color of high dynamic range (HDR) video?  I’ve heard that certain TVs accept 10-bit signals, but display them at 8-bit resolution. I’m interested in buying Samsung’s 2016 KS9810 SUHD TV, a top-of-the-line model from 2016, but want to make sure it has 10-bit display. How will I be able to tell the difference?—Jerry Peterson

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Do I Need a Dolby Vision-Compatible Receiver?
Al Griffin  |  Jul 27, 2017  |  3 comments
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Q I’m looking to buy a new AV receiver. Denon just came out with the AVR-S930H, a 7.2-channel model that’s Dolby Vision compatible. Should I instead buy a 2016 model with similar features minus the Dolby Vision support? It would save me a few hundred dollars. The only Ultra HD source I plan to use it with is a Roku player.  —Steve Guminy

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Can I Use Dipole Speakers in a 7.1.4 Atmos Setup?
Al Griffin  |  Jul 20, 2017  |  0 comments
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A Here’s a question that has probably been asked and answered a thousand times. I plan to upgrade my system from a 7.1-channel to a 7.1.4 Dolby Atmos configuration. Should I replace my current dipole surround speakers with direct-radiating speakers? Also, which 11.2-channel AV receivers should I consider buying? —Dave Brown / via e-mail

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How Do I Set Up Rear Speakers?
Al Griffin  |  Jul 13, 2017  |  0 comments
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I recently bought a 7.1-channel receiver, along with a 5.1 speaker system. Due to space limitations, I plan to install the surround speakers in the rear of room behind the seating area. Here’s my question: Should I configure the rear speakers in my receiver’s setup menu as Surrounds or Back Surrounds? —Greg Smith

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