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LG’s Announces ‘Super UHD’ TV Pricing, Availability
SV Staff  |  Mar 10, 2016
LG today announced pricing and availability for the Super UHD TV series it previewed at CES 2016 and said all models will support the HDR10 and Dolby Vision high-dynamic range (HDR) formats. Dolby Vision will be added via a firmware update in Early April.

The 2016 lineup, featuring IPS 4K Quantum display technology, 10-bit color processing, and LG’s webOS smart TV platform, comprises nine models with 55- to 86-inch screen sizes. Models with 55-, 60- and 65-inch screens from the UH7700 and UH8500 series will be available later this month at prices ranging from $1,800 for the 55UD7700 to $3,000 for the 65UH8500.

LG said 65- and 86-inch models in the flagship UH9500 series will be available later this spring at $4,000 and $10,000, respectively. The 75-inch 75UH8500 is also slated for later introduction at $5,000.

The company said it is working with Amazon Video, Netflix, and VUDU to offer HDR content streaming via its webOS interface.

Most major studios have announced support for Dolby Vision and Dolby estimates as many as 100 titles could be available by the end of 2016.

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Ask S&V
Setting Up an AVR for Multichannel DSD Playback
Al Griffin  |  Mar 10, 2016
Got a tech question for Sound & Vision? Email us at AskSandV@gmail.com

Q I own a Sony BDP-BX57 Blu-ray player that can play SACDs. I also own a Pioneer VSX-820-K AV receiver that can only decode two-channel DSD signals from SACDs via its HDMI inputs. To get the best performance when playing multichannel SACDs, should I set the HDMI output on the Blu-ray player to bitstream? Also, which of the following listening modes on the AVR should I choose: Auto Surround, Direct, or Pure Direct? —Chris Murphy / via e-mail

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SmartStream
Sony, AT&T Offer Streaming Alternatives to Cable
Barb Gonzalez  |  Mar 10, 2016
Sony's Playstation Vue and AT&T's DirecTV Now promise a streaming alternative to cable TV programming. These bundles and the FCC's proposal to open access to cable channels without a cable box are changing the way we get our TV programming.
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A/V Veteran
HDR Is Here!
Tom Norton  |  Mar 09, 2016
High dynamic range source material (HDR) has been available for downloading for months now, but the offerings have been spotty and, like the other enhancements that comprise the new Ultra HD format (4K 2160p resolution and longer, lower and wider color) constrained by the often limited bandwidth of Internet delivery. While popular notions of ever expanding bandwidth and more efficient compression abound, no one can know the future. And even now not all areas of the country are served by even the minimum Internet bandwidth required for fully featured Ultra HD delivery, much less at the highest possible quality
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Audio Video News
Magnasonic Introduces Pocket DLP Projector
SV Staff  |  Mar 09, 2016
Magnasonic today introduced what it’s calling the world’s smallest portable DLP projector, the LED Pocket Pico Video Projector.
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Audio Video News
Half of U.S. Households Set Up for Streaming
SV Staff  |  Mar 09, 2016
Just over half (52 percent) of all U.S. Internet homes have at least one TV connected to the Internet, representing an increase of 6 million homes over the past year, according to a new report from NPD
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Road Gear
Sound On Wheels: Who Makes The Best Luxury Car Audio System?
Rob Sabin  |  Mar 08, 2016
Many people spend as much or more time listening to music in their cars as they do at home. Between a demanding job and a busy family life, the drive to and from work may be the easiest or even the only time to immerse yourself in music. And that’s not necessarily a bad thing. The best OEM (original equipment manufacturer) audio systems supplied with luxury automobiles these days are designed by well-respected home audio brands, and the car environment, despite a few caveats, allows engineers to factor in the known acoustics of the vehicle and the location of the listeners’ ears to create a highly controlled sonic experience.
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Audio Video News
High-End Projection Brand Runco Fades Away
SV Staff  |  Mar 08, 2016
Sam Runco, the founder and driving force behind Runco International, with the Emmy Award he received in 2013 for his pioneering development of aspect ratio control.

Remember Runco? The brand founded by larger-than-life personality Sam Runco, who built a company that became synonymous with high-end video projection, is being quietly laid to rest, according to a recent report in the trade magazine CEPro.

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Audio Video NewsNew Products
Germany's Ceratec Introduces Chrome Speaker
SV Staff  |  Mar 08, 2016
Germany's Ceratec has introduced a new polished chrome version of the stylish, wall-mountable effeqt speaker we covered in January New Gear.
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Grace Notes
Libratone Zipp & Zipp Mini Portable Wi-Fi Speakers
Leslie Shapiro  |  Mar 07, 2016
One of the hottest trends in consumer electronics is multi-room speaker systems. While single, portable Bluetooth speakers are fine for travel and using outdoors, many people are seeking simple and elegant solutions for whole-home listening. The new Libratone Zipp ($300) and Libratone Zipp Mini ($250) are certainly interesting options.

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