LATEST ADDITIONS

CES 2009
Flagship Sets Sail
Debbie Stampfli  |  Jan 07, 2009
It’s no surprise that Rotel is highlighting its RSX-1560 A/V receiver at this year’s CES. The flagship 7.1-channel model has 7 X 100 watts of power for an immersive home theater experience. Rotel’s RSX-1560 ($2,599) also boasts four HDMI v1.3 inputs, Faroudja video processing, and Class D power that sets out to impress even the toughest audiophile.
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CES 2009
Worldwide Radio
Debbie Stampfli  |  Jan 07, 2009
Tivoli Audio’s new global audio device will literally put the world at your fingertips. The NetWorks global audio device ($600) uses Wi-Fi technology to deliver thousands of radio stations directly to your home theater. Unlike satellite radio, NetWorks uses Wi-Fi technology to access free radio stations from around the world, including HD Multi-cast and DAB stations. Whether you prefer to search by genre or country, the NetWorks device will provide exactly what suits your mood.
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CES 2010
LG Comes Out Swinging
Scott Wilkinson  |  Jan 07, 2009

As in years past, LG had the distinction of holding the first press conference of CES—at 8:00 AM! Many new products were announced, including nine new lines of LCD TVs and three new lines of plasmas with a total of 30 new models in all. Among the LCDs is the 55LH90 pictured here, which uses LED backlighting to achieve a claimed contrast ratio of 2,000,000:1 as well as a 240Hz feature that combines 120Hz frame interpolation and backlight flashing. Other notable technologies include wireless HD built into the LH85 and LHX series LCDs that can convey uncompressed 1080p/60 at a maximum date rate of 3Gbps.

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CES 2009
Foxy Idea: Wireless HDMI
Shane Buettner  |  Jan 07, 2009
Last, wireless HDMI is also coming from LG in a big way. At the press event the company didn’t elaborate on too many details, but did suggest it can pass signals as high in resolution as 1080p/60 “uncompressed.” I’m guessing in this context that means the wireless system itself doesn’t apply on the fly video compression to restrict bandwidth requirements while moving the HD signals around. No mention was made of the other side of this equation, which in the case of Blu-ray is bandwidth intensive lossless audio. I’ll visit LG on the showroom floor once the show opens and find out more. While single wires are great, no wires is even better- as long as it’s really the free lunch LG is claiming it to be!
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CES 2009
A Bold Statement
Shane Buettner  |  Jan 07, 2009
On the TV side, LG is pushing its LCD flat panel HDTV offerings with LED backlighting and local dimming with 240 zones. While we weren’t aware that LG had local dimming LCDs in 2008, the 2009 “Mega Conrast” models are at least twice as good- 240 dimming zones compared to last year’s paltry 128. In the numbers game, 2,000,000:1 contrast ratios are claimed. In reality local dimming is very real, and has driven the LCDs we’ve seen that employ it to blacks and contrastlevels that are astounding. They’re on our list for 2009 for sure.
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CES 2009
LG=Life Is Good
Shane Buettner  |  Jan 07, 2009
LG was in its customary and brutal 8am time slot (11am on the east coast LG’s John Taylor reminded us- thanks for that John!) and got the 2009 show off with a big bang. Rather than buy into forcing consumers to choose Blu-ray vs. streaming/downloads, its answer is to offer both. Its 2008 Internet connected BD300 Blu-ray player connects to Netflix and Netflix HD. Expanding on that, LG’s 2009 BD players and select HDTVs will offer Netcast, which is LG’s proprietary name for a feature set that delivers Internet derived content. Partners will include Netflix (and Netflix HD), YouTube, and CinemaNow with more content partners coming online later. Pictured here is one of LG's Blu-ray powered HTiBs.
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CES 2010
Baker 92309
Scott Wilkinson  |  Jan 06, 2009  |  First Published: Jan 07, 2009

Driving to Vegas, I always stop in Baker, California, gateway to Death Valley and home of the world's tallest thermometer—134 feet, representing the highest recorded temperature in the US of 134 degrees in 1913. In this night shot, the thermometer is reflected in the 2009 Lincoln MKS that THX loaned me for the trip to check out the THX-certified sound system therein. Unlike past systems, this one can play multichannel DVD-Audio and even DVD video on the in-dash screen (as long as the car parked). Just like past systems, however, this one is quite boomy in the bass, and the only EQ controls are bass and treble. I got it sounding pretty good, especially on Donald Fagen's <I>Nightfly</I> DVD-A, though road noise—even in a car as quiet as this—can wreak havoc on something with a wide dynamic range like Stravinsky's <I>Firebird</I>.

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CES 2009
I’ve Only Just Arrived and Already Home Looks so Far Away…
Darryl Wilkinson  |  Jan 06, 2009  |  First Published: Jan 07, 2009
When you've come to CES as many times as I have, of course you've got baggage - serious mental baggage. At least, as a wonderful byproduct of my job, I can look like a happy idiot taking pictures of the baggage concourse sign in front of hundreds of other people who simply want to get their luggage and get away from me.
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Audio Video News
CES 2009: World's First Internet Car Radio
SV Staff  |  Jan 06, 2009
You have your favorite Internet radio stations, right? Listen to them whenever you're home, of course. Well, finally, you can listen on the road too - no other devices, no cords, nothing, except the new Blaupunkt radio. Blaupunkt is teaming...
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CES 2009
Create Your Own Harmony (without Joining a Barbershop Quartet)
Darryl Wilkinson  |  Jan 06, 2009
Although I haven’t put my hands on one yet (which is a good thing, too, since they’re too greasy from the overpriced turkey club sandwich from room service that I just ate), Logitech’s new Harmony 1100 universal remote control looks like just the kind of remote I’d want in my home theater. It’s classy looking, simple-to-operate, easy-on-the-brain when it comes to programming, and – at $499.99 – it’s a lot less pricey than most of the other touchscreen universal remotes.
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