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Tech2
Philips Hue Review
Geoffrey Morrison  |  Feb 17, 2013

Lighting is a powerful thing. Lighting can set a mood consciously, and perhaps subconsciously too. Does anyone like the green, cold bluish look of a florescent-lit cubeland office? How about a candle-lit dinner? By a fireplace? What about a cool winter morning, or a hot summer sunset?

The color of light plays a significant role in our lives, and most of the time, we barely notice. The comely nature of incandescent light bulbs has been disappearing for years, replaced by CFLs that despite a similar color temperature, offer little of their predecessor's warmth (literally).

Enter LEDs: Energy efficient sure, but more importantly, with red, green, and blue diodes, able to generate any color imaginable. If only someone would hook one up to an app. Oh wait!

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Out Of The Blu
Seven Psychopaths, Jack & Diane, Batman: The Dark Knight Returns - Part 2
Chris Chiarella  |  Feb 15, 2013
A septet of flamboyant lunatics, twisted tale of young love, and The Caped Crusader's final curtain all fall on Blu-ray disc.
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CinemaStyle
A-List Oscar Party
Michelle McCarthy  |  Feb 15, 2013
For the past year, you’ve watched some of the best (and worst) Hollywood has to offer. Now it’s time for the Academy Awards. What better excuse to host a party? But you can’t just invite a bunch of friends over and pass the chip bowl. On a night that celebrates glitz and glamour, why not follow suit and roll out the red carpet? Here are some tips on how to throw the ultimate Oscar-viewing party.
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Tech2
Dead Space 3 Review
Geoffrey Morrison  |  Feb 14, 2013

I played the first Dead Space because I had to. It was one of my first game reviews for ­S+V. It was inconsistent, regularly annoying, but fairly enjoyable. The sequel was a better game overall, but lacking some of the first game's raw scariness.

The universe, story, and concept were sound enough that I was actually looking forward to DS3.

Here's what I found.

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Music Reviews
Happy Hi-Rez Valentine's Day from S+V and HDtracks!
Michael Berk  |  Feb 14, 2013

We all love music and great sound (I'm pretty sure you wouldn't be reading this if you didn't). And I'm pretty sure both you and your beloved can appreciate a great bargain - so why not put all three together this long post-Valentine's day weekend? Well, we've partnered with our friends over at HDtracks to bring you a sampler of some of their best-sounding high-resolution files.

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Audio Video News
Make Your Own Hollywood Monster
HT Staff  |  Feb 14, 2013
Ever wondered what it takes to create one of Hollywood’s fabled creatures? The Stan Winston School of Character Arts is offering free three-day trials to anyone who want to sample the craft of monster making without committing to a long-term online subscription plan.
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3D Projector ReviewsProjector Reviews
Panasonic PT-AE8000U 3D LCD Projector
Thomas J. Norton  |  Feb 14, 2013
2D Performance
3D Performance
Features
Ergonomics
Value
Price: $3,499 At A Glance: Crisp and detailed picture • Good black levels • Thorough but com- plex calibration controls

Panasonic entered the home theater projector market in 2001. But the company already had decades of experience in the business projector world, beginning with CRTs in 1975 and later moving into its current mix of LCDs and DLPs. All of the company’s home theater designs have used LCD imaging chips, however, and the PT-AE8000U is the latest link in a long chain dating back to that 2001 model, the PT-AE100.

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The S&V Interview
Mix Master: The Sound of Skyfall
Chris Chiarella  |  Feb 14, 2013
Spin a few of sound re-recording mixer Greg P. Russell’s movies on a proper 5.1 or 7.1 system, and you’ll soon realize that this guy loves home theater. Having worked on more than 200 movies, including every Michael Bay opus since The Rock (although he freely admits “Armageddon was over the top”), Russell has crafted some of the most thrilling soundtracks of our generation.
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Vintage Gear
Pioneer Kuro Plasma HDTV
Steve Guttenberg  |  Feb 14, 2013
The Pioneer Kuro plasma display broke new ground upon its introduction in 2007 and was quickly hailed by critics and buyers as The Greatest Television Ever Made. Incredibly, as many Home Theater readers know, the Kuro line that debuted in 2007 was phased out by 2010—which proves that just because you make the best, doesn’t mean people will buy it.
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Gadget Gary
Mike'd Up
Gary Dell'Abate  |  Feb 13, 2013

I've been working in radio for close to 30 years now, and I have access to all kinds of recording equipment, including some great microphones. Most of the gear I can get my hands on is pretty high-end stuff that uses XLR connectors and would require elaborate equipment that I just don't have at home. So I was really interested when the MXL Studio 1 USB microphone ($130) landed on my desk. It's a portable condenser microphone that connects to your computer via USB. MXL boasts that it's plug-and-play, and that's not a joke: No installation discs. No drivers. No preamps, mixers, or extra gear. Nice.

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