It's easy to write off movie special effects as "computer generated," and leave it at that. Take film, run it through a computer, and effects happen! Of course, the actual production of these effects is much more complex than simply feeding video...
My, surround sound, how you've grown. I remember when you were a wee bairn of 5.1 channels. Then Surround EX added up to two back surround speakers, Dolby Pro Logic IIz added two front height channels, and now those wild men at Audyssey are talking about two front width channels, for a potential maximum of 11.1.
Sonance is now shipping its Invisible speaker series, in-wall speakers designed to blend completely in with the decor.
While they still reflect light (and are not, technically speaking, invisible), the speakers are completely flat and sit flush...
I'm not the world's biggest fan of Jane's Addiction (far from it), but the Limited Edition of A Cabinet of Curiosities (Rhino) is so compelling visually that it draws me in, like C.S. Lewis's wardrobe. As such, it's a lock...
Yesterday, Audyssey Labs announced DSX, a new technology designed to add extra channels to a 5.1 or 7.1 surround-sound system. DSX, or Dynamic Surround Expansion, adds two front height-channel speakers, just as Dolby’s new Pro Logic IIz technology...
Wireless HD has been a slow train coming. But a new chipset may finally bring it to HDTVs, Blu-ray players, transmitter/receiver kits, and other products.
Do consumers have a right to copy DVDs? That's the central question of a lawsuit pitting the Motion Picture Association of America against RealNetworks, which introduced a DVD copying application called RealDVD last fall, only to see sales suspended a month later. The case came to trial last week in San Francisco and seems to be throwing off new controversies every day.
Longtime S&V readers know how much your humble Editor-In-Chief loves vinyl. But my old turntable was, well, old, and the more I listened to my LPs, the more I realized I had to bite the bullet and get a new 'table. I never enter new-gear...
Do you think you know — or do you think you are — the drummer who has everything? Well, he/she/you will now have to make room for the Miles Davis Kind of Blue 50th Anniversary Snare Drum, offered by the Innovation Drum Company (in conjunction with...
Triad Speakers has announced a new line of subwoofers, ranging from tiny floor-warmers to big, hidden wall-rockers. The InRoom, InWall, and InCeiling subwoofers are the first new subwoofers announced by Triad in 8 years.
As indicated by their...
Screen Innovations has announced that its Reference Motorized projector screens are now shipping.
Like the name implies, SI took its Reference series of fixed screens and put it on a low voltage motor drive. Instead of feeding power directly to...
Are height channels the next big thing in surround sound? If so, Atlantic Technology is ready with the first speaker designed expressly for height-enhanced surround.
In one of those nice instances of serendipity, classical music — specifically, Beethoven — is the foundation of a new play and a new film.On Broadway is Moisés Kaufman's 33 Variations. The play was first seen in 2007 in Washington, D.C., and...
"Guitar Hero Aerosmith Presents: Aerosmith." Hmmm. Isn't that kinda like the cartoon TV series of the Beatles presenting the Beatles?The more I mull this over, the odder it seems. Then again, anything goes in the 21st century!Tour...