LATEST ADDITIONS

Streaming Device Reviews
Review: Pro-Ject Box Design Stream Box DS and Media Box S
Daniel Kumin  |  May 22, 2012

Who wouldn’t want to play their growing horde of audio files – the same ones that feed the iPod and iTunes — on the “big” system, with big-system volume, quality, and impact?

Nobody, that’s who.

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CinemaStyle
Console Yourself
Jamie Sorcher  |  May 21, 2012
Put a flat panel on the wall, and you gain back valuable real estate in your living room or den. The challenge then becomes what to do with your A/V components, media, and accessories. An enclosed or even semi-enclosed cabinet offers a clutter-free look, eliminates eyesores, and lets your TV serve as the focal point of your room.
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Ask S&V
Inexpensive Projectors
Scott Wilkinson  |  May 21, 2012
I purchased a Sony VPL-HS20 in 2003, and I have enjoyed the picture quality until recently, when the projector started intermittently turning off without notice. I figure it's time for a new projector, although I can no longer afford one in the $3000 range. I live in Canada, and the Epson PowerLite Home Cinema 8345 (similar to the 8350) is around $1250. Also, if I wanted 3D (not urgent), the Epson 3010 is around $1400 on Amazon.

I currently project onto a 119-inch screen with some light control, although it is not perfect during the day. If I purchased a budget projector such as one of the Epsons mentioned above, will the quality be at least as good as what I've seen from my Sony? If not, can you recommend something else for me?

Paul Barnick

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Projector Reviews
Review: Epson MegaPlex MG-850HD LCD Projector
Geoffrey Morrison  |  May 21, 2012

There’s a coffee cup on the remote, an icon unmistakably a cup and saucer. Maybe it’s tea. It’s the largest button. It’s backlit. It might be taunting me.

So begins my time with the Epson MegaPlex MG-850HD Projector, a plucky little PJ that makes me question the logic of every flat panel in existence.

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Tech2
Review: Epson MegaPlex MG-850HD LCD Projector Page 2
Geoffrey Morrison  |  May 21, 2012

There's a coffee cup on the remote, an icon unmistakably a cup and saucer. Maybe it's tea. It's the largest button. It's backlit. It might be taunting me.

So begins my time with the Epson MegaPlex MG-850HD Projector, a plucky little PJ that makes me question the logic of every flat panel in existence.

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Vote
Is Your Flat Panel Wall-Mounted?
Scott Wilkinson  |  May 18, 2012
I'm starting to commission more reviews of soundbars from long-time home-theater writer Lawrence Ullman. Recently, he asked me how many people wall-mount their flat-panel TV and would therefore want to wall-mount a soundbar, which is easier said than done in some cases. The last time I saw any stats on this, the vast majority of flat-panel owners did not wall-mount their set, but rather attached the stand and placed it on top of a sturdy cabinet of some sort.

But I don't really know, so I'm asking you—is your flat-panel TV wall-mounted? If so, is it close to seated eye height, or do you have it mounted higher—say, above the fireplace? Did you do it yourself, or did you hire someone to do it? How did you hide the cables? Let us know in the comments.

Vote to see the results and leave a comment about your choice.

Is Your Flat Panel Wall-Mounted?
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Out Of The Blu
A Bullet for the General, The Aggression Scale, We Need to Talk About Kevin
Chris Chiarella  |  May 18, 2012
Spaghetti Westerns don't come more delicious than this edition's lead title, while audiences partial to contemporary domestic thrillers won't be disappointed with the little-seen Aggression Scale, either. But seriously: No Oscar love for Kevin?
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Surround Sound System ReviewsBlu-ray Player ReviewsHome Theater Systems ReviewsPower Amplifier ReviewsSurround Processor ReviewsTower Speaker Reviews
Dreaming the Not-Impossible Dream
Michael Fremer  |  May 18, 2012
Do you dream in surround sound? Since you’re reading this magazine, the answer is probably yes. Psychiatrists say dreaming is good for you. Thumb through any issue of Home Theater and you’re more likely than not to encounter components, systems, and lavish, dedicated rooms equipped with the latest 4K projectors and high-powered, surround-sound systems that most of us can only dream about.
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Tech2
Fixing the Other Car Audio Problem
Geoffrey Morrison  |  May 18, 2012

Carmakers have a problem. OK, I’m sure they have a lot of problems, but as this one has to do with sound, it’s relevant to us here at S+V.

As cars have gotten quieter, and as turbocharging finds its way onto more vehicles, we’re losing the sonorous soundtrack of the engines themselves.

So the engineering wizards are using technology to combat the progression of... technology?

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Vintage Gear
Sony D-5 Portable CD Player
Steve Guttenberg  |  May 17, 2012
Sony introduced the world’s first portable CD player, the D-5, in late 1984, just a year after its first home player, the CDP-101, revolutionized the audio market. In the 1970s, Sony Walkman cassette players were as ubiquitous as iPods are now, and the new Discman players were poised to be the next big thing.
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