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AV Receiver Reviews
Pioneer Elite SC-09TX A/V Receiver
Thomas J. Norton  |  Nov 03, 2008
Price: $7,000 Highlights: Superb sound for both movies and music • 10 channels of powerful Class D amplification • Sets a steep learning curve but rewards with immense flexibility • Video processing has limitations, including no upconversion of HDMI sources

And the Kitchen Sink

Sometimes I get nostalgic for the early days of home theater. For example, I fondly remember the Proceed AVP processor I reviewed for Stereophile Guide to Home Theater in 1997. Conventional Dolby Digital and DTS were its most exotic operating modes, the remote had fewer than a dozen buttons, and it didn’t provide room equalization, extra surround modes, or onboard video processing. In fact, it didn’t have any video switching beyond S-video. We didn’t need no stinkin’ component, and no one had even heard of HDMI. Laserdisc was the most established source, DVD was brand new, and consumer high definition was still a mote in the FCC’s eye.

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Pioneer Elite KURO PRO-111FD Plasma HDTV
Thomas J. Norton  |  Nov 03, 2008
Price: $5,000 Highlights: Blacks to die for • Precise color and excellent resolution • 72-hertz operation on film-based sources for judder-free motion • Video processing could be better

Once More, With Feeling

My review schedule is starting to look a bit like the Pioneer Channel. But timing is everything. Pioneer is introducing a boatload of interesting new products, including the newest KURO flat panels. These include the upcoming Signature Series KURO monitor plasma models. Pioneer says these models will offer enough adjustments to inspire video calibrators to set up shop in buyers’ homes. “Will calibrate for room and board.”

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Audio Video News
TiVo Is Latest Netflix Rental Medium
Mark Fleischmann  |  Nov 03, 2008
Netflix will bring its streaming movie service to owners of TiVo Series3, HD, and HD XL DVRs. Testing began last week, with the rollout to all TiVo subscribers following in December.
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Audio Video News
Samsung's 4K x 2K 63-inch Plasma
SV Staff  |  Oct 31, 2008
Samsung is certainly getting a lot of press out of the FPD International 2008. We've seen their flexy OLED, their 40-inch Full HD OLED, and now, they're really pulling out all the stops. Samsung unveiled a 63-inch plasma screen with...
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Custom Installation Equipment ReviewsCustom Installation How-ToHome Movie Theaters
Integra Enters the Blu-ray Fray
Kim Wilson  |  Oct 31, 2008

There may be plenty of Blu-ray players out there already but Integra believes they have something special to offer their dedicated customers. Known for their premium performance products, Integra releases the DBS-6.9, their first Blu-ray player, which delivers full 1080p video at 24 frames per second, the native frame rate for most original motion pictures and HD content.

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Audio Video News
Smackdown: DVR vs. DVD
SV Staff  |  Oct 31, 2008
Since getting your DVR, have your DVD viewing habits changed? A new study from Knowledge Networks Inc. found that DVRs aren't cutting into TV watching — they're cutting into DVD watching. The study, reported at The Canadian Press, found...
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Audio Video News
Texas Instruments: Double the Pleasure, Double the Fun
SV Staff  |  Oct 31, 2008
You want to spend time with the family.  That's good. You want to watch Survivor, the kids want to watch Ugly Betty. So, you slog off to the home theater, alone, and leave the rest of the family sharing popcorn. Bummer for you.If Texas...
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Kim Wilson Blog
Fright Night
uavKim Wilson  |  Oct 31, 2008

<A HREF=http://www.fearnet.com>FEARnet.com</A> is the perfect online destination for you hardcore horror fans, offering free movies of Halloween classics, and original web shows such as the 30 Days of Night series produced by Sam Raimi. Every Thursday the website swaps out 10 new movies that you can view for free. Of course, its on the small screen and only available as a stream, not a download. For Halloween, FEARNet is premiering Clive Barker's Midnight Meat Train.

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Audio Video News
Verizon's VueKey vs. tru2way and CableCards
SV Staff  |  Oct 31, 2008
Verizon, along with some other providers, have been kicking and screaming about tru2way and CableCARD systems. Instead of jumping reluctantly on the tru2way bandwagon, they've developed VueKey as a way to grant plug-and-play access to your...
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Audio Video News
Gamers Meet the Beatles
Mark Fleischmann  |  Oct 31, 2008
MTV-Harmonix, maker of the game platform Rock Band, will develop a new game based around the Beatles. It will become the first non-hard-copy digital distribution medium for music by the Beatles.
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