LATEST ADDITIONS

Ask S&V
Is the Qdeo Video Processing in My BD Player and Receiver the Same?
Al Griffin  |  Jan 23, 2014
Q I recently updated my old receiver with a Pioneer VSX-1123-K. The difference in picture and sound quality is fantastic. I had also planned to update my old Blu-ray player with an Oppo, which I hear has superior picture quality due to its use of a Marvell Qdeo video processing chip. I’ve heard that the VSX-1123-K also uses the same processor. Does that mean I wouldn't see a difference in picture quality if I upgraded to the Oppo? —Al Baran / Stratford, CT
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Remotely Possible
CES 2014: Been There, Missed That
Darryl Wilkinson  |  Jan 22, 2014
CES is just too big for any one human being - or, in our case, nine human beings - to cover completely. And, unless you’re a word-factory like my compatriot, John “The Sciacca” (who, I believe, outsources his blogs and reviews to a small company in Sri Lanka), it’s damn near impossible to write about everything you see at CES while you’re in Las Vegas. And then, of course, there are all the things you didn’t see but wished you had...
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Audio Video News
MGM Celebrates 90 Years of Filmmaking
SV Staff  |  Jan 22, 2014
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) announced today a yearlong campaign to honor the studio’s storied 90-year legacy. Founded in 1924 when theater magnate Marcus Loew bought and merged Metro Pictures Corp. with Goldwyn Pictures and Louis B. Mayer Productions, MGM and its legendary roaring lion signify the golden era of Hollywood. Since its inception, the company has produced more than 175 Academy Award-winning films, including 14 Best Pictures.
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Signals
Rock and Roll Can Never Die. (Or Can It?)
Ken C. Pohlmann  |  Jan 21, 2014
“My my, hey hey. Rock and roll is here to stay. It's better to burn out than to fade away. My my, hey hey. Out of the blue and into the black. They give you this, but you pay for that. And once you're gone, you can never come back. When you're out of the blue, and into the black. Hey hey, my my. Rock and roll can never die.”

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Headphone ReviewsGrace Notes
Sennheiser Momentum On-Ear Headphone
Leslie Shapiro  |  Jan 20, 2014
The new Sennheiser Momentum On-Ear headphone takes everything I loved about the original Momentum over-ear headphone and puts it in a smaller, infinitely more stylish and affordable package. Coming in a range of colors, and at a lower price, this headphone retains the sound quality and voice of the original but makes it more accessible to more people.

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Ask S&V
Does it Make Sense to Salvage an Old CRT Projector?
Al Griffin  |  Jan 20, 2014
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Soundbar Reviews
Vizio S5430w-C2 Soundbar
Steve Guttenberg  |  Jan 17, 2014

Performance
Features
Ergonomics
Value
PRICE $300

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Three-channel soundbar
Impressive soundstage width
Excellent price/performance ratio
Minus
May block your TV’s remote sensor
No supplied subwoofer

THE VERDICT
Vizio’s affordable S5430w-C2 sounds great with movies and music, and adding your own sub cranks it up a notch.

The sonics of soundbars have improved steadily over the years. It wasn’t that long ago that even the priciest flagship models were marginal performers, but Vizio’s affordably priced S5430w-C2 can provide a surprisingly satisfying home theater experience. That says a lot about Vizio’s commitment to push the limits of the category without straying too far from the entry-level price point. The all-plastic construction may be the most obvious price concession here, but since you’ll rarely touch the soundbar in use, I’d consider that a cost-effective design choice. Its understated appearance is easy on the eyes.

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Tech2
The Top 8 Things I Learned at My First CES
Lauren Dragan  |  Jan 16, 2014
This was the first year I made the trek to Las Vegas to experience the CES mayhem. I had heard many things about CES, and while a lot of it was true, there were also some aspects that I never anticipated. Here, in no particular order are the top 8 things I learned at CES.
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SmartStream
2014 CES Revisited: Streaming and Smart TV Technology Matures
Barb Gonzalez  |  Jan 16, 2014
Here are a few more tidbits about streaming media players and Smart TVs that were revealed at CES 2014.
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Ask S&V
What’s Expanded Color and Do I Need to Calibrate My TV for It?
Al Griffin  |  Jan 16, 2014
Q Sony has produced some Blu-ray discs that are mastered at 4K resolution and have an expanded color gamut called xvYCC. Is this the same thing as Deep Color or the DCI color space on Panasonic Plasma TVs?  Also, do I need to calibrate my TV for xvYCC, Deep Color, or DCI instead of the Rec. 709 color space to see expanded color with these discs?— William Lee via email
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