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Blu-ray Movie Reviews
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
Avi Greengart  |  Jul 28, 2017
Picture
Sound
Extras
The opening scroll of the original Star Wars states, “Rebel spaceships, striking from a hidden base, have won their first victory against the evil Galactic Empire.” If you ever thought, “Hey, I’d like to see a movie version of those 17 words,” Rogue One is for you. There’s plenty of plot-driven action, minimal character development, and ample fan service. It’s certainly entertaining. Wisecracking droid K-2SO in particular is terrific. However, the movie is anchored by the serious theme of sacrifice. If you’re looking for a jaunty kiddie flick, try a different Disney movie.
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Blu-ray Movie Reviews
Manchester by the Sea
Josef Krebs  |  Jul 28, 2017
Picture
Sound
Extras
Writer-director Kenneth Lonergan’s Manchester by the Sea is a story of ordinary folk who are sideswiped by life. Lee is a stiff working as a janitor-handyman in Boston, his inexpressive, glum detachment occasionally interrupted by outbursts of anger or self-punishing bar fighting. After his brother, Joe, dies due to a heart condition, Lee travels back to his hometown of Manchester to break the news to Joe’s teenage son, Patrick. While awaiting the funeral—which cannot take place until the ground thaws in the spring enough to allow the grave to be dug—Lee discovers that Joe has named him as Patrick’s legal guardian.
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Audio Video News
Apple Drops iPod Nano and Shuffle
SV Staff  |  Jul 28, 2017
Is the iPod headed for extinction? Let’s put it this way, if you had been meaning to pick up the newer version of your outdated nano or shuffle you’d better move fast. Apple has quietly dropped both models from its iPod product page, which now highlights only its top selling iPod touch.
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Audio Video NewsNew Products
Marantz Touts New ‘Futureproof’ AV Receivers
SV Staff  |  Jul 28, 2017
Marantz has introduced the first models in its 'full-size' AV receiver theater line.
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Audio Video News
A Facebook Smart Speaker?
SV Staff  |  Jul 27, 2017
The smart speaker market is so hot we wouldn’t be surprised if Facebook decided to get into the act, even though hardware isn’t its forte. Of course, the same could be said about Google, which is on its way to capturing close to a quarter of the market dominated by Amazon, according to a recent eMarketer forecast.
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New Products
August 2017 New Gear
SV Staff  |  Jul 27, 2017
New B&W subwoofers, a light-rejecting screen, Oppo’s new super-charged 4k Blu-ray player, and more.
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Ask S&V
Do I Need a Dolby Vision-Compatible Receiver?
Al Griffin  |  Jul 27, 2017
Got a tech question for Sound & Vision? Email us at AskSandV@gmail.com

Q I’m looking to buy a new AV receiver. Denon just came out with the AVR-S930H, a 7.2-channel model that’s Dolby Vision compatible. Should I instead buy a 2016 model with similar features minus the Dolby Vision support? It would save me a few hundred dollars. The only Ultra HD source I plan to use it with is a Roku player.  —Steve Guminy

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Throwback Thursday
Flashback 2008: FCC Approves Sirius XM Merger
SV Staff  |  Jul 27, 2017
Nine years ago this week, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) approved the controversial merger of rival satellite radio companies Sirius and XM.
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SmartStream
Reelgood: TV Guide for the Streaming World
Barb Gonzalez  |  Jul 26, 2017
The Reelgood web app makes it easy to find something you want to watch by aggregating movies and TV shows across many streaming services.
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Headphone Reviews
Tidal Force Wave 5 Headpones
Steve Guttenberg  |  Jul 26, 2017
Performance
Build Quality
Comfort
Value
PRICE $299

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Open-back, planar magnetic design
Solid build quality
Handsome look
Minus
Can sound bright

THE VERDICT
These Tidal Force headphones face stiff competition from other comparably priced planar magnetic designs.

Tidal Force is a brand spanking new headphone company, and at the time I started working on this review, the Wave 5 was their one and only set of headphones. They’re off to a good start; build quality is excellent, and the mostly metal design felt great in my hands.

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