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Blu-ray Movie Reviews
The A-Team—20th Century Fox (Blu-ray)
Kris Deering  |  Dec 16, 2010
Video: 4/5
Audio: 5/5
Extras: 3/5
The A-Team follows the exciting and daring exploits of a colorful team of former Special Forces soldiers who were set up for a crime they did not commit. Going "rogue", they utilize their unique talents to try and clear their names and find the true culprit.
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Blu-ray Movie Reviews
Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole—Warner Bros. Pictures (Blu-ray)
Kris Deering  |  Dec 16, 2010
Video: 5/5
Audio: 5/5
Extras: 4/5
Young owl Soren marvels at tales of the Guardians of Ga'Hoole, mythic winged warriors who battled to save all owl kind from the evil Pure Ones. When he and brother Kludd fall into the talons of the Pure Ones, it's up to Soren to make a daring escape with the help of other brave owls and seek out the Great Tree, home of the Guardians.
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Blu-ray Movie Reviews
Despicable Me—Universal (Blu-ray)
Kris Deering  |  Dec 16, 2010
Video: 4.5/5
Audio: 4/5
Extras: 4/5
Vying for the title of "World's Greatest Villain", Gru - along with his hilarious crew of mischievous minions - plots to pull off the craziest crime of the century: steal the moon! But when Gru enlists the help of three little girls, they see something in him nobody else has ever seen: the perfect dad.
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The Big Picture
Tron: Legacy Ultimate Preview
Scott Wilkinson  |  Dec 16, 2010
It's nice to have connected friends. Last night, I got to attend a SAG (Screen Actors Guild) screening of Tron: Legacy, which opens in theatrical release tomorrow, as a guest of member Nina Goldin, a talented voice actress and singer/songwriter. The screening was held at the Main Theater on Disney Studios' backlot in Burbank, CA, where security was pretty tight—metal-detector wands to prevent any cell phones or cameras (or sound-level meters) in the theater.
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Audio Video News
Comcast STB Combines TV and Net
Mark Fleischmann  |  Dec 16, 2010
Another day, another Comcast story. While the cable giant has been attracting headlines over its controversial net-neutrality stance, it's also quietly trying out new things, one of which is a set-top box that handles both television and internet content.

The Xcalibur box can search live TV, on demand, and recorded material including web material. No, it doesn't offer the same broad selection of web video that you'd get on a PC or other browser-equipped device. But Comcast people say the selection will broaden over time as the device moves from the current testing stage to more widespread use.

The Wall Street Journal describes the interface as "fluid and graphical. A menu displays a strip of images representing recently watched channels and programs, which expand when selected. A redesigned 'guide' displays a cleaner grid of programs by network and airtime so that it's possible to watch TV on part of the screen while browsing."

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Custom Installation How-ToHome Movie Theaters
French-Influenced Theater
Kim Wilson Photography by Robert Fox  |  Dec 15, 2010

When the client didn’t have anything specific in mind, while providing the directive of something unique, stylish and cutting edge, Mike Fox of Fox Audio Video in Springfield, IL. Immediately suggested a column design he’d seen in Paris in the Montparnasse Tower’s observatory floor (56th) in Paris, France.

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Home Theater Geeks Podcast
Podcast 46: Kevin Wines
Scott Wilkinson  |  Dec 15, 2010
Kevin Wines, Image Technology Director for THX, talks about the history of THX and its commitment to preserving the content creators' artistic intent, what's involved in THX certification of 2D and 3D displays, the variability of measurements in THX mode, 3D technology at home and in the commercial cinema, how to optimize the 3D experience at home, THX Optimizer on discs and in set-top boxes, and answers to chat-room questions.

Run Time: 58:22

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Shane Buettner Blog
Extended Surround Sound: To Boldly Go Beyond 5.1?
Shane Buettner  |  Dec 15, 2010
Extended surround sound is nothing new. The staple surround sound configuration for movie theaters and home theaters is digitally delivered, discrete 5.1-channel surround sound. But in both arenas there have also been numerous pushes to move beyond that paradigm. In the DVD era we were given a number of options for expanding our surround sound experience toward the back of the room, from the base 5.1-channel paradigm to 6.1- and 7.1-channels. Although only select DVD titles were encoded with extended surround, within a few years virtually every AV receiver and surround processor in existence offered tool sets that would decode these soundtracks- or any 5.1-channel soundtrack- to 6.1- or 7.1-channels on playback. And just about any AVR you look at today will include seven channels of amplification.
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AV Receiver Reviews
Denon AVR-2311CI A/V Receiver
Mark Fleischmann  |  Dec 15, 2010
Price: $899 At A Glance: 3D and HDMI 1.4a • Audyssey MultEQ, Dynamic EQ, Dynamic Volume • DPLIIz height enhancement with seven channels • Built-in digital HD Radio tuner

Installer’s Pet

It’s not every day that I get to review a product from a 100-year-old brand name. But Denon is indeed celebrating its centenary in 2010.

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Ask S&V
UPS, MEMC, HTG
Scott Wilkinson  |  Dec 15, 2010
Power to the People
I'm buying a new HDTV for my girlfriend for Christmas, but her neighborhood has more then a few power outages a year. What kind of protection do you recommend?

Ron

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