LATEST ADDITIONS

Test Report: Epson Pro Cinema 9700UB LCD Projector
Geoffrey Morrison  |  Jan 26, 2011

Epson's new 9700UB projector offers a lot of letters for $3,200. Letters like ISF, THX, HQV, E-TORL, and 3LCD. All of those acronyms mean something to a knowing videophile, but they don't in themselves guarantee a good-looking picture. With projectors, however, certain acronyms can give some indication of the steps taken toward producing quality video.

Continue Reading »
3D Blu-ray Movie Reviews
Clash of the Titans 3D (Blu-ray 3D)
David Vaughn  |  Jan 26, 2011
As a war rages between men and kings and kings and god, the battle amongst the gods is the one that could ultimately destroy the world. Hope rests with Perseus (Sam Worthington), son of Zeus (Liam Neeson), who was raised as a man and sets off on a hazardous journey deep into forbidden worlds to avenge the death of his family and defeat Hades before he can seize power from Zeus and unleash hell on earth.

With only a 29% favorable rating on Rotten Tomatoes, I had extremely low expectations. I wouldn't consider the movie a classic, but it's a hell of a lot of fun and features adequate acting, a compelling story (revenge is a dish best served cold), and tons of action, especially compared to the slow-paced original from 1981. There's an occasional line of cringe-inducing dialog, but the positives far outweigh any negatives and even with a second watching I found myself drawn into the story.

Continue Reading »
Audio Video News
TW Wants Netflix Streamers to Pay More
Mark Fleischmann  |  Jan 26, 2011
The $7.99 per month that Netflix customers pay for unlimited streaming isn't enough, according to the folks at Time Warner and HBO. They want Netflix to raise the fee, and until that happens, they're withholding their content.

The story emerged in The Hollywood Reporter, which quoted a Time Warner executive saying Netflix streamers should pay $20 a month. Ouch. Until then, HBO refuses to license its premium content for Netflix streaming, citing the cost of producing that content and its value to viewers.

Continue Reading »
The Big Picture
3D Sickness Explained?
Scott Wilkinson  |  Jan 25, 2011
This week's poll question—Do You Suffer From 3D Sickness?—has yielded some interesting results. Of those who have voted so far, 38 percent say they never experience eye strain, headaches, nausea, etc. while watching stereoscopic content on 3D TVs or in 3D movie theaters, and 19 percent say they have never seen stereoscopic 3D. That leaves a whopping 43 percent who experience 3D sickness at least sometimes. Why?
Continue Reading »
Premiere Design
Boulder 3050 Monoblock Power Amp
Scott Wilkinson  |  Jan 25, 2011
If bigger is better, Boulder's new 3050 monoblock power amp is clearly among the best. This behemoth was unveiled at CES before being completely finished—the company is waiting for the transformers to arrive—but the specs are enough to make any audiophile drool.
Continue Reading »
The S+V Interview: Chris Robinson
Mike Mettler  |  Jan 25, 2011

Get a pair of passionate record collectors together in a dressing room a few hours before a gig, and rest assured that the scheduled show-time is instantly in jeopardy.

Continue Reading »
Audio Video News
Netflix Streaming Bumps Off Disc Option
Mark Fleischmann  |  Jan 25, 2011
Attention Netflix streamers: The "Add to DVD Queue" option will be eliminated from streaming devices. The move effectively means that you can rent a disc only by going to your computer, even if you pay the monthly rate for a combined streaming and disc plan.

The announcement came in a company blog. Here is the blog post in its entirety:

Continue Reading »
Blu-ray Movie Reviews
Cyrus—Fox Searchlight Pictures
Kris Deering  |  Jan 24, 2011
Video: 3/5
Audio: 3.5/5
Extras: 3/5
Still single seven years after the breakup of his marriage; John has all but given up on romance. But at the urging of his ex-wife and best friend Jamie, John grudgingly agrees to join her and her fiancé Tim at a party. To his and everyone else's surprise, he actually manages to meet someone: the gorgeous and spirited Molly. Their chemistry is immediate. The relationship takes off quickly but Molly is oddly reluctant to take the relationship beyond John's house. Perplexed, he follows her home and discovers the other man in Molly's life: her son, Cyrus. A 21-year-old new age musician, Cyrus is his mom's best friend and shares an unconventional relationship with her. Cyrus will go to any lengths to protect Molly and is definitely not ready to share her with anyone, especially John. Before long, the two are locked in a battle of wits for the woman they both love - and it appears only one man can be left standing when it's over.
Continue Reading »
Blu-ray Movie Reviews
Alice In Wonderland—Walt Disney Pictures
Kris Deering  |  Jan 24, 2011
Video: 4.5/5
Audio: 4/5
Extras: 3.5/5
Join Alice as she chases the White Rabbit and journeys into a topsy-turvy world that gets "curiouser and curiouser" as her fantastical adventures unfold. Meet the Mad Hatter, March Hare, Tweedledee & Tweedledum, the Cheshire Cat, the Queen of Hearts and more unforgettable characters, all set against a backdrop of awe-inspiring splendor.
Continue Reading »
Premiere Design
GoldenEar TritonCinema Speaker System
Scott Wilkinson  |  Jan 24, 2011
One of the biggest audio sensations at CES wasn't a megabucks speaker—it was the Triton Two tower from GoldenEar Technology. The company was recently started by Sandy Gross and Don Givogue, who had been partners at Definitive Technology (Gross also co-founded Polk), to raise the bar on speaker performance and value. They seem to have hit a home run with the Triton Two, which is available in a stereo pair or as part of the TritonCinema multichannel system for a price that will surprise you.
Continue Reading »

Pages

X