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Audio Video News
May 2016 Top Picks at a Glance
SV Staff  |  May 31, 2016  |  First Published: May 30, 2016
As we usher in June and count the days to summer, let’s pause a moment to take in May—a standout month for Top Pick posts. From a state-of-the-art amplifier/digital audio converter (DAC) to a new sonically transformative flagship AV receiver to the world’s first Ultra HD Blu-ray player, the pinnacle of home theater beckons. Read on and let us know if you’re adding any of these beauties to your collection.
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Ask S&V
Can I Route 4K Movies Through My Soundbar?
Al Griffin  |  May 30, 2016
Got a tech question for Sound & Vision? Email us at AskSandV@gmail.com

Q I have a Vizio M70-C3 UHD TV, a Roku 4 streaming media device, and a Sony HT-XT1 Sound Base. My question is, can the Sony’s HDMI passthrough route 4K movies from the Roku to the HDMI 2.0/HDCP 2.2 input on the Vizio TV? — Damon J. Jackson / via email

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Tech2
Overwatch Review
Geoffrey Morrison  |  May 29, 2016
Blizzard has finally released their long-awaited online first-person shooter, Overwatch. It looks like a highly-stylized cross between a FPS and a MOBA (think Dota 2 or Heroes of the Storm).

We’ve been teased with screenshots and videos for what seems like ages.

So it’s finally here. Is it worth the $40?

Well, it’s Blizzard, so…

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3D Blu-ray Movie ReviewsBlu-ray Movie Reviews
Everest
Avi Greengart  |  May 27, 2016
Picture
3D-Ness
Sound
Extras
The opening titles of Everest promise that this movie is based on a true story, but then we are led through what appears to be a standard Hollywood man-versus-nature tale, complete with distinct one-note characters to root for. There’s the super-climber who built a business around adventure tourism, complete with a pregnant wife at home. A former protégé,
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Blu-ray Movie Reviews
Straight Outta Compton
David Vaughn  |  May 27, 2016
Picture
Sound
Extras
This is the true story of the rise of N.W.A., a Compton, California rap group who changed the musical landscape in the late 1980s with their blend of dope beats and hard-hitting lyrics about life in South Central L.A. Collaboration between Dr. Dre, Ice Cube, and Easy-E led to the hit release of Boyz in the Hood, which caught the ear of music manager Jerry Heller, who helped the group sign with Priority Records. Their first studio album, Straight Outta Compton, featured their controversial song “F*** the Police,” describing the reality of being a black man in L.A. in the 1980s.
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Audio Video News
Meet the Z4 Aurora Smart Projector
SV Staff  |  May 27, 2016
Chinese startup XGIMI is planning to ship its Z4 Aurora Smart LED Projector in June, having successfully funded the project on Indiegogo. Overfunding is actually a more apt description since the company raised more than $300,000, or 600 percent of its goal.
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Other Tech
Streaming 4K Video: What You Need to Know
John Sciacca  |  May 27, 2016
Your new 4K, Ultra High Definition (UHD) TV is finally home and now you’re ready to start enjoying 8 million pixels of next-gen, ultra-video awesomeness. But that screen isn’t gonna just fill itself with UHD. Doing so is going to take a bit of planning and logistics to ensure you wring every bit of performance you can from it. Should you buy one of the new UHD Blu-ray players? If you care first about image quality, you probably should. But what about Ultra HD streaming from Netflix, Amazon, Vudu, and others—should you write them off? Negative!
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Media Server Reviews
TiVo Bolt Unified Entertainment System Review
Michael Antonoff  |  May 26, 2016

Performance
Features
Ergonomics
Value
PRICE $300 (500 GB), $400 (1 TB)

AT A GLANCE
Plus
One-touch leapfrogging of any size commercial block
Four tuners
Can play shows 30 percent faster
Mobile device transfer
Integrated search functions
4K UHD compatible
Minus
On-demand cable may not be available
No component video output
No clock on front panel

THE VERDICT
TiVo Bolt is an indispensable tool for TV-obsessed viewers who hate commercials and value the ease of managing all their cable, online, and local-network-stored entertainment from one smartly designed receiver/recorder.

With 412 scripted TV series originating on broadcast, cable, and online channels last year, viewers face the twin challenges of finding shows that appeal to them and having enough waking hours to watch them. TiVo’s new flagship digital video recorder, Bolt, purports to help solve both problems. An admitted TV addict, I bolted for a Bolt to see if it could rekindle the excitement I felt when TiVo debuted in 1999.

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SmartStream
How Will We Search for TV Shows in the Future?
Barb Gonzalez  |  May 26, 2016
Representatives from traditional pay TV and from Over the Top (“OTT” or online streaming) companies gathered at the 20th Annual CONNECTIONS conference in South San Francisco to discuss TV and video content delivery. In a series of keynotes and panels, the conversation was centered on the future of home entertainment and how we will find and manage what we want to watch.
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Audio Video NewsNew Products
Philips to Launch 4K/HDR TVs with Google Cast
SV Staff  |  May 26, 2016
P&F USA, the exclusive North American licensee for Philips TVs and video products, today announced plans to launch a line of Philips 4K/Ultra HD (UHD) TVs featuring high dynamic range (HDR) capability and Google Cast.
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