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3D Blu-ray Movie ReviewsBlu-ray Movie Reviews
Live Die Repeat
David Vaughn  |  Feb 04, 2015
Picture
3D-ness
Sound
Extras
Although he’s never seen combat, Major William Cage crosses the wrong general and finds himself on the front lines of a D-Day-like battle in France where he stands no chance of survival against an onslaught of ridiculously superior alien invaders. Within minutes of landing on the beach, he’s killed by one of those aliens, but instead of heading toward a white light, he instantly wakes up the day before the attack, and now he is destined to live that day over and over. In lieu of becoming alien fodder again, he hooks up with a heroic Special Forces warrior, and they hatch a plan to get Cage trained for battle and embark on a journey to rid the planet of the aliens for good.
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New Products
February 2015 New Gear
Bob Ankosko  |  Feb 03, 2015
A swiveling TV pedestal, stand-alone Atmos-enabled speaker, tiny subwoofer, and more...
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Audio Video News
Will Tablets Kill TVs?
Mark Fleischmann  |  Feb 03, 2015
Until now, strong tablet sales and weak TV sales have suggested a massive shift from TVs to tablets. But a slowdown in tablet sales may bring the two categories into a different balance.
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Audio Video News
It’s Official: Toshiba Exits TV Business in U.S.
Bob Ankosko  |  Feb 02, 2015
In contrast to years past, TVs were in short supply in the Toshiba booth at the recent CES 2015 trade show.

Toshiba will no longer develop and sell TVs in North America as part of a restructuring and will license the TV business to Taiwan’s Compal Electronics. According to a press release issued in Tokyo, Compal will begin delivering Toshiba brand TVs to the North American market in March.

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Headphone ReviewsGrace Notes
Harman/Kardon Soho Wireless Headphones Review
Leslie Shapiro  |  Feb 02, 2015
It’s rare for a product to “wow” me right out of the box. So I surprised myself when I let out an audible “Ohh” as I opened the box containing the Harman/Kardon Soho Wireless headphones. They just oozed class and elegance—in fact, I’m reminded that I had a similar reaction to the Harman/Kardon Esquire Mini Bluetooth speaker. Black leather, stainless steel, and a hefty dose of panache. Could the Soho Wireless possibly sound as good as they look?

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Audio Video NewsTop Picks
2014 Top Picks Of the Year
Rob Sabin  |  Jan 30, 2015
2014 was an interesting year for AV enthusiasts. On the video side, plasma went away, while LCD technology, particularly the edge-lit models, took a leap forward, and OLED grew its presence. In audio, a slew of new competitors went chasing after Sonos in the app-based multiroom audio genre, high-res audio began to emerge from its audiophile obscurity, vinyl continued on its comeback path, Atmos came to the home theater market, and the best soundbars kept on getting better. Read on for our list of the crème de la crème...
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Editor's EyeTrack One
The Top of the Crop
Rob Sabin  |  Jan 30, 2015
And Some Personal Faves…

We’ve just posted our annual Top Picks of the Year list of the best products from among all those we tested in 2014, culled from all the Top Picks named throughout the year in consultation with our staff of reviewers. Even from among this list, though, there are a few that really stand out for me, not just because of their performance but because of what I think they represent in the evolution of our hobby and the AV marketplace. Here are some of my personal highlights...

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SmartStream
Dish Offers "Reverse AutoHop" Ad Skipping Feature for Super Bowl
Barb Gonzalez  |  Jan 29, 2015
Dish Network is offering a special feature for this year’s Super Bowl. Not everyone watching the Super Bowl is a football fan. There have been many years that I’ve been guilty of talking through the game only to stop and watch the commercials. The AutoHop feature on Dish’s Hopper DVR typically skips commercials but has been re-engineered for the Super Bowl game.
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Dolby Atmos Speaker ReviewsSurround Sound System ReviewsTower Speaker Reviews
Definitive Technology Atmos-Enabled BP-8060ST Speaker System Review
Daniel Kumin  |  Jan 29, 2015

Performance
Build Quality
Value
PRICE $5,693

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Awesome potential for clean loudness
Impressive tonal fidelity and finesse
No subwoofer required
Atmos!
Minus
Requires generous spacing and AC power
Connectivity is a bit complex

THE VERDICT
A one-stop, state-of-the-surround loudspeaker solution, especially apt for any who prefer not to accommodate a subwoofer—with the bonus of being Dolby Atmos enabled.

Definitive Technology’s BP-8060ST has remained a highlight of the Baltimore-area maker’s lineup for several years—a dog’s age in the new-and-improved, series-II world of high-end loudspeakers. The longevity suggests that Definitive considers this slim “power tower” a fully evolved design, and indeed it’s hard to argue the point.

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Blu-ray Movie Reviews
Free Fall
Chris Chiarella  |  Jan 29, 2015
Picture
Sound
Extras
After the apparent suicide of a key player at a major investment firm, up-and-coming financier Jane Porter (Sarah Butler, 2010’s remake of I Spit on Your Grave) is racked by grief but also struck by the strange behavior of her bosses. They seem to be increasingly interested in some recent high-level investments, but also in who might know about them. Were more sinister forces at work? And if so, will she be the next employee to meet a sudden end? Tensions mount with the after-hours arrival of the company crisis manager (D.B. Sweeney, looking like Chris Cooper), whose friendly interrogation grows more insistent. The building is locked down for the night with almost no one else inside; Sarah finds herself on the run for her life but is soon trapped inside the elevator, and a twisty game of cat-and-mouse ensues.
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