LATEST ADDITIONS

Throwback Thursday
Flashback 1954: Color TV for Sale
SV Staff  |  Mar 02, 2017
Photos: Early Television Foundation and Museum

Sixty-three years ago this month the first color TVs were offered for sale to the U.S. public.

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Ask S&V
Should I Buy a TV Now, or Wait for HDMI 2.1?
Al Griffin  |  Mar 02, 2017
Got a tech question for Sound & Vision? Email us at AskSandV@gmail.com

Q I’m looking to buy a 65-inch LG OLED Ultra HDTV to replace my Pioneer Kuro plasma, which is now 9 years old. Here’s my question: Should I wait until TVs and other components all have HDMI 2.1 connections, or should I just buy current models? Also, can products with HDMI 2.0a connections be updated to HDMI 2.1? —Alan McClure

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Editor's EyeAudio Video News
Are You the Victim of a Silent Home?
Rob Sabin  |  Mar 01, 2017  |  First Published: Mar 02, 2017
If something seems off-kilter in your life—for example, you've been feeling alienated and isolated from your family, or you're wondering why you're not having enough sex—Sonos thinks it may have found the answer.

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Custom Installation Equipment ReviewsStreaming Device Reviews
Russound MCA-88X Whole-House Audio Streamer Review
John Sciacca  |  Mar 01, 2017

Performance
Features
Ergonomics
Value
PRICE $3,499 ($4,477 as reviewed)

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Fast setup/programming
Supports modern and legacy sources
Integrates with many third-party systems
AirPlay gives virtually unlimited access
Minus
NAS streaming has quirks
Native app support is fairly limited

THE VERDICT
Russound delivers whole-home audio entertainment in a single, massively expandable chassis, allowing you to enjoy legacy analog/digital sources or modern streaming.

Streaming and app-based control may be all the rage for music listening, but they ignore the fact that many people still have older, legacy gear they want to enjoy around their homes. Sometimes, whether it’s a CD player, turntable, or cable/satellite set-top box, “stream it from the cloud” isn’t a workable solution. Also, most modern wireless streaming music systems, such as Sonos and Play-Fi, eschew any type of wall-based control, relying solely on a smartphone or tablet interface.

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Audio Video News
February 2017 Top Picks at a Glance
SV Staff  |  Mar 01, 2017
February may be the shortest month of the year but it was long on noteworthy product recommendations from your favorite magazine, including three that made our Top Picks of the Year list. Among these most recent picks is a cinema-caliber projector, an affordable yet powerful home automation system, a killer subwoofer, and a speaker system that is striking sonically and visually.
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The Connected Life
How to Maximize Your Network Performance
John Sciacca  |  Mar 01, 2017
The number-one service call issue at my custom installation firm used to be cable TV related—generally resolved by rebooting the cable company’s crappy set-top box. But as people increasingly “cord cut” away from traditional entertainment means, the majority of calls we receive now are internet and network related, specifically of the, “My Wi-Fi sucks. Can you fix it?” variety.
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Audio Video News
Audio’s New Powerhouse: Sound United Acquires D+M
SV Staff  |  Mar 01, 2017
Sound United today announced its acquisition of the D+M Group, a move that unites five venerable brands in one of the biggest brand consolidations in the history of audio.
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Signals
Harman's Wireless CarPlay May Offer Hope for Audio
Ken C. Pohlmann  |  Feb 28, 2017
I am not a fan of Bluetooth. In particular, I regard Bluetooth audio as the worst thing to happen to audio fidelity in 20 years. When Harman first announced its wireless CarPlay technology, I recoiled at the thought of yet another wireless audio option. But, now I see there is a glimmer of hope.

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Audio Video NewsNew Products
Vizio Kicks Off New E-Series with 75" and 80" Screens
SV Staff  |  Feb 28, 2017
Vizio today unveiled the new SmartCast E-Series of video displays featuring built-in Chromecast streaming, full-array LED backlighting in screen sizes from 32 to 80 inches, and high dynamic range (HDR) capability in models with screens 55 inches and larger.
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Audio Video News
Alexa Update Coming to Yamaha MusicCast Products
SV Staff  |  Feb 28, 2017
Yamaha today announced that a free firmware update due out this fall will bring Amazon Alexa voice control to its MusicCast series of wireless multiroom products.
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