LATEST ADDITIONS

Custom Installation How-ToHome Movie Theaters
Computer Controlled DIY
Edward Pawlick  |  Jun 30, 2010

I have been an avid reader and subscriber to <i>Home Theater</i> magazine over the years, when the new issue comes in I thoroughly enjoy reading it and always refer to past issues. My favorite part of the magazine is the home installs, reading about what other people put into their homes and to what lengths they go. Crazy stuff!

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Ask S&V
CRT Upgrade, 3D PJs, Best Connections
Scott Wilkinson  |  Jun 30, 2010
Golden Oldie
I have a 34-inch Sony KD-34XBR960 direct-view CRT HDTV, which works fine, but it's a beast. Are the current LCD/LED TVs equal in picture quality to the 960? Other than multiple HDMI inputs, weighing less, and consuming less electricity, are there any visual benefits to replacing the 960?
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Audio Video News
Is 3D Dying on the Sales Floor?
Mark Fleischmann  |  Jun 30, 2010
What would an average consumer find if he or she went to the local mega-chain store for a 3D demo? Our colleague Pete Putman made just such an expedition with disappointing results.
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Home Theater Geeks Podcast
Podcast 25: Greg Le Duc and Dave Gregory
Scott Wilkinson  |  Jun 29, 2010  |  First Published: Jun 30, 2010
Hollywood stereographers Greg Le Duc and Dave Gregory talk about their work shooting 3D video for AIX Records' latest sessions, what makes good and bad 3D, how filmmakers can avoid giving viewers eye strain and headaches, screen size, 2D-to-3D conversion, whether or not 3D enhances the movie experience, and answers to listener questions.

Run Time: 51:48

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Audio Video News
Hulu Plus Finally Does HD...For a Price
SV Staff  |  Jun 29, 2010
 There has been talk (arguments, even) about a premium subscription service from Hulu for quite some time, but today it became official with the announcement of Hulu Plus. $9.99 a month brings about many of the features Hulu fans have been...
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3D Tech
3D Broadcast Formats
Scott Wilkinson  |  Jun 29, 2010

Now that 3D broadcasts have begun in earnest with the World Cup on ESPN, I'd like to explain how this system works. It's not the same as Blu-ray 3D, which I'll cover in a future blog.

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Audio Video News
24/7 n3D channel on DirecTV starts July 1
SV Staff  |  Jun 29, 2010
If you have DirecTV and a 3D-capable HDTV, starting in July you'll have a reason to wear your shutter glasses all day, every day. The first 24-hour n3D channel starts broadcasting over the satellite service at 9:30 a.m. EDT. The channel is...
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Audio Video News
Samsung Adopts SRS for TVs
Mark Fleischmann  |  Jun 29, 2010
Samsung is adding SRS TheaterSound to its entire TV line.
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Blu-ray Movie Reviews
A Star is Born (Blu-ray)
David Vaughn  |  Jun 29, 2010
An alcoholic movie star (James Mason) stumbles on stage when a young singer (Judy Garland) is performing. The kindness she shows him after the incident makes an impression on him and he convinces her to leave her band and take a shot to be a movie star. The two eventually marry and when her star shines brighter than his there's bound to be problems.

For the record, I generally like musicals but for some reason I couldn't get into this film. The dramatic elements are great, but just when things start to get interesting Garland will burst into an overlong and unmemorable song. At nearly three hours, the films pacing is severely challenged and I can see why Warner shortened it over 30 minutes for its theatrical run in 1954. The restored cut includes some still shots since the original footage was destroyed, but the studio found the original full-length audio tracks to make thing coherent.

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Blu-ray Player Reviews
Denon DBP-4010UDCI Blu-ray Player
Shane Buettner  |  Jun 28, 2010
Price: $1,999 At A Glance: Reference-quality picture and sound • Anchor Bay video processing • Slow disc access and load times

A Chip Off the Flagship’s Block?

Denon turned the Blu-ray world on end when it introduced the $4,500 DVD-A1UDCI universal Blu-ray player (HT, October 2009). At 41 pounds, that player is overbuilt for an A/V receiver. It played all past and current high-end audio and video formats and offered astonishing pure audio and video performance and the most impressive host of performance-enhancing features we’ve yet seen on a Blu-ray player. But ergonomically, it was sluggish loading and playing Blu-ray Discs. When you consider that, along with the hefty price tag and the superlative performance we’ve seen from lower-priced players, Denon’s flagship rated too low on the value scale to earn an unqualified Home Theater Top Pick. Now comes Denon’s DBP-4010UDCI, another universal Blu-ray Disc player. This player has an impressive number of performance-oriented features, and at $1,999, it’s less than half the flagship’s price. So, at this lower price point, is this Denon a solid choice in a high-end-priced player?

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