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The High-Def Arcade
Will Greenwald  |  May 26, 2009

Classic games don't always age very well. While they mighty still play great, their low resolution and blocky sprites make the experience on an HDTV into a chore. Even if you grew up on games like Street Fighter II and Pac-Man, if you played them today on your nice, big HDTV you're more likely to get sharp, stabby, headachey feelings than warm, fuzzy, nostalgic feelings.

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Surround Processor Reviews
Integra DHC-9.9 Surround Processor
Kris Deering  |  May 26, 2009
Price: $2,000 At A Glance: Outstanding video processing • All of the latest audio flavors • Dynamic EQ offers exciting experiences at lower volumes

More Bang, Less Buck

Last year, I had the pleasure of reviewing the Integra DTC-9.8 surround processor (HT, May 2008). The DTC-9.8 was one of the first processors to offer full decoding abilities for Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio, and it included state-of-the-art video processing. But one of the DTC-9.8’s best features was its price. Seldom do we see a feature-rich processor that’s south of the $2,000 price point.

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Tower Speaker Reviews
Revel Ultima2 Salon2 Speaker System
Fred Manteghian  |  May 26, 2009

Performance
Value
Build Quality
Price: $45,993 (reviewed with B15a subwoofer, which has been discontinued)
At A Glance: Seductively powerful bass, with or without the sub • Complex midrange timbre • Depth and imaging maestro • What movie theaters should sound like

The Finest Money Can Build

I first heard Revel speakers many years ago at CES when they burst on the scene. The curiously modest-looking original Gem speakers were sitting behind their designer Kevin Voecks as he introduced them. Then he fired up an exquisitely calibrated 9-inch CRT projector. I remember this as the exact moment when I decided, by hook or by crook, there would be a front projector in my house someday. Such is the influence of great sound accompanying good video. All of this introduction is my way of saying that the Revel system here is once again best of show in my book.

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Audio Video News
$5 Napster Subscription Is Bargain
Mark Fleischmann  |  May 26, 2009
The days when Napster was the world's largest free music library are long gone. Soon, though, it may become the world's cheapest legitimate music subscription service, with a new plan that asks consumers for a mere $5/month for five free tracks and a whole lot of streaming. That's hardly even lunch money!
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Blu-ray Movie Reviews
Taken
David Vaughn  |  May 25, 2009

<IMG SRC="/images/archivesart/taken.jpg" WIDTH=200 BORDER=0 ALIGN=RIGHT>One of the best action movies I've seen in a long time offers a great picture and kick-ass audio. The AVC encode reveals phenomenal shadow detail and offers a razor-sharp image. The audio is just as impressive with an enveloping surround stage, first-rate frequency response, and pervasive ambience.

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Ask S&V
Legacy Connections, Power Strips, Bit Rate
Scott Wilkinson  |  May 22, 2009
Living Legacy
Why is it that most A/V receivers still have 2-channel RCA inputs? Why doesn't a company make a receiver that has only HDMI, maybe with a few component-video and digital-audio ins and outs? Why the need to include legacy stuff?
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Audio Video News
FCC Girds for Analog Armageddon
Mark Fleischmann  |  May 22, 2009
With just three weeks to go before the end of analog broadcasting, scheduled for June 12, the Federal Communications Commission is going into high gear to ensure that the final stage of the DTV transition goes smoothly.
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Audio Video News
Pandora One: well worth $36 a year
SV Staff  |  May 21, 2009
By now, you're almost certainly familiar with internet radio service Pandora. If you're not, you should definitely give it a shot. Basically, it uses your musical tastes to suggest other songs and artists, much like Apple's Genius,...
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Custom Installation Equipment ReviewsCustom Installation How-ToHome Movie Theaters
All-in-One TV Rack Solution
Kim Wilson  |  May 21, 2009

A perfect solution for a secondary AV system or for tight quarters, the Modena Series from Omnimount offers a convenient and inexpensive solution for mounting flat panel TV's and holding AV equipment. The three models (37FP, 47FP and 55FP) range in price from $199.95 to $329.95, depending on the size of your TV. The Modena series offers clean lines, smoky black glass shelves and a striking high gloss finish. OmniMount's Lift n Lock system allows for easy attachment of a flat panel TV and locks it securely in place. The supporting back post doubles as a cable management system, to neatly route and organize cables.

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Custom Installation Equipment ReviewsCustom Installation How-ToHome Movie Theaters
The Ultimate Plasma with a Price to Match
Kim Wilson  |  May 21, 2009

Bang & Olufsen (B&O), known for their killer designs, makes their 103" plasma TV available in the United States. The Beovision 4-103 is one of the largest TVs on the market. What makes the Beovision 4 stand out from all the others is that special B&O touch. The motorized floor stand lifts the TV from it's position near the ground, when you are ready to view movies or TV. By resting the TV inches from the floor, it becomes less prominent in the room when not in use, according to the B&O press materials. However, I'm not sure how a 103-inch TV is not prominent, no matter where in the room it is located.

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