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Ask S&V
Why Do I Hear Static When I Stream Netflix or Vudu Movies?
Al Griffin  |  Jun 04, 2014
Got a tech question for Sound & Vision? Email us at AskSandV@gmail.com

Q I want to get better sound when watching movies on my new Panasonic ZT60 plasma TV. (I stream a lot of Netflix and Vudu via the Panasonic’s built-in apps.) To that end, I recently bought a small stereo setup: an NAD C326BEE integrated amp, a Musical Fidelity V90 DAC, and a pair of Monitor Audio Apex 10 speakers. The only way to connect the TV to my audio system is by using an optical digital output from the Panasonic to the DAC, which then connects to one of the NAD’s stereo RCA inputs. Here’s the problem I’ve been having: When I watch Netflix or Vudu, I hear nothing but static noise coming from the speakers, though the sound is fine when I watch DirecTV (I have my satellite receiver connected directly to the TV via HDMI). This noise went away when I switched from 5.1 to 2.0 audio in Netflix, but I don’t get the same option for Vudu. I’m kinda stumped at this point. Shouldn’t the Musical Fidelity DAC automatically dumb down 5.1 signals to stereo? Is there another possible configuration that can solve my problem? —Gilbert Solis / via e-mail

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Blu-ray Movie Reviews
Prisoners
Anthony Chiarella  |  Jun 04, 2014
Picture
Sound
Extras
Interactivity
When six-year-old Anna Dover and her neighbor disappear, father Keller (Hugh Jackman) tramples the law to find her. While Detective Loki (Jake Gyllenhaal) methodically investigates, the impatient Keller kidnaps his daughter’s alleged kidnapper and attempts to extract a confession through torture. Prisoners is a perfectly paced psycho-drama that engrosses and rewards its audience.
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Other Source Component Reviews
Nuvyyo Tablo DVR
John Sciacca  |  Jun 03, 2014

Performance
Features
Ergonomics
Value
PRICE $220

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Terrific interface
Fast and simple setup
Stream shows to anywhere via Internet
Minus
No direct HDMI output
Must add your own hard drive
Long buffer time for channel surfing
No “resume play” function for recordings

THE VERDICT
Tablo offers cord cutters an affordable option to enjoy DVR features and view TV from anywhere in the world.

Cord cutting is a trend that continues to gain momentum. And why not? With low-cost/free services like Netflix and YouTube accounting for more than 50 percent of Web traffic in the U.S., it’s obvious that people are happy to get their content from any place that doesn’t require a monthly pound of flesh. Even TV networks have started accepting the streaming mentality by offering shows online, typically a day (or more) after they have aired live but still giving viewers an alternative to the traditional cable or satellite pay-to-view option.

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Blu-ray Movie Reviews
The Hunger Games: Catching Fire
David Vaughn  |  Jun 03, 2014
Picture
Sound
Extras
After securing victory in the Hunger Games the previous year by sticking the finger to President Snow by threatening suicide, Katniss and Peta must leave their homes and loved ones behind in order to embark on the Victory Tour through the districts. As they travel around the various locales, Katniss begins to sense a rebellion is afoot and believes she’s the unlikely inspiration for the movement. Still, Snow gets the last laugh by announcing a special 75th Hunger Games that will pit previous winners against each other in a winner-take-all showdown in a made-for-TV event that will be a winner in the ratings—take that, Everdeen!
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Music Reviews
Circa Zero
Mike Mettler  |  Jun 03, 2014
Performance
Sound
Never one to favor flash over substance, Andy Summers may very well be the most underrated guitarist of the rock era. Summers took a minimalist approach with his work for the juggernaut pop-alternative trio known as The Police, letting atmospherics and not pyrotechnics fuel such indelible hits as “Don’t Stand So Close to Me” and “Every Breath You Take.” His echoing, chorused, chordal-centric technique schooled a generation of players from U2’s The Edge to The Fixx’s Jamie West-Oram. Even a player as accomplished as Rush’s Alex Lifeson added a Summersesque “less is more” dimension to his repertoire during the ’80s.
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Editor's Eye
Multiroom Mania: It’s All About Your Lifestyle
Rob Sabin  |  Jun 03, 2014
As a longtime observer of the audio/video scene, I can state with confidence that things have changed more in the last five years than they did in the prior 25. I say that with full acknowledgement of the breakthroughs I’ve been lucky enough to report on during my career, including the introductions of the VCR, camcorders, Laserdiscs, Compact Discs, DVDs, high-definition television and its HD disc formats, surround sound in its various incarnations, flat panels, digital music downloads, and others.
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Signals
DVD, Destroyer of Worlds?
Ken C. Pohlmann  |  Jun 02, 2014
I am so very, very, very disappointed in you. You recycle. You installed solar panels on your roof. You put up a wind turbine. You voted for Al Gore. You phased out incandescents. You bring your own hemp bags to the grocery store. You compost. You ride a bicycle to work. You water your xeriscape with gray water. You have a Greenpeace bumper sticker on your Prius. And then you have to go and ruin it all. You play a DVD. You traitor. I hate you.

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Audio Video News
Denon Introduces Multiroom Wireless Sound System
SV Staff  |  Jun 02, 2014
Denon today introduced its first multiroom wireless sound system. Dubbed HEOS, the compact system is available in three versions ranging in price from $299 to $599 and operated by an iOS/Android app designed for whole-house control.
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Vote
What Kind of Outdoor Music Setup Do You Have?
SV Staff  |  Jun 02, 2014
Summertime is just around the corner even if it feels like it has already arrived in some parts of the country. Backyard barbecues, lazy afternoons, pool parties…listening to your favorite tunes on the patio or deck. All of which leads us to this week’s question. Which of the selections below best describes your outdoor audio setup? Leave a comment and tell us how you bring music to the great outdoors.
What Kind of Outdoor Music Setup Do You Have?
I just move my indoor speakers to the window and crank ‘em up.
7% (19 votes)
I run wires from an indoor stereo to the patio/deck and hook up a pair of speakers.
9% (23 votes)
I bring my battery-powered Bluetooth speaker outside and stream music from my phone.
14% (36 votes)
I put my Sonos (or Sonos-like) speaker on the patio/deck and stream music from Pandora (or another other Internet music site).
10% (26 votes)
I have a set of hard-wired weatherproof speakers mounted outside (under the eaves, etc.)
36% (94 votes)
I have weatherproof speakers hidden in the landscaping.
8% (20 votes)
I have weatherproof speakers and an in-ground subwoofer hidden in the landscaping.
7% (19 votes)
I don’t need no stinkin’ speakers — I listen to my iPod/MP3 player through earbuds/headphones.
8% (21 votes)
Total votes: 258
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Speaker Setup
The Cabinet & the Subwoofer
Darryl Wilkinson  |  May 30, 2014
I’m in the interesting position of telling you how to do something with a subwoofer that you shouldn’t do. No, it’s not illegal. But in the ears of those for whom sound quality is more important than ergonomics, décor, and/or domestic tranquility, it’s definitely heretical.
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