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Audio Video News
TWC and Viacom Tussle Over iPad App
Mark Fleischmann  |  Apr 11, 2011  |  0 comments
Time Warner Cable and Viacom are in court over TWC's recently announced iPad app. Viacom, owner of CBS and other TV networks, says the cable operator has violated their licensing agreements. TWC sued back, asking the federal court to declare the iPad app legal once and for all.

Viacom isn't the only content power to oppose the TWC app. News Corp., Scripps Networks, and Discovery Communications have also objected. But Viacom has the sharpest teeth, demanding millions in damages.

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The Big Picture
Greetings from NAB
Scott Wilkinson  |  Apr 11, 2011  |  6 comments
This week, I'm in Las Vegas for the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) convention. (It seems like only yesterday that I was here for CES, but it was actually three months ago!) Many have questioned my reasons for attending this trade show, which is aimed at broadcasting and content professionals rather than consumers. It's quite simple, really—I'm here to answer one basic question: How is the consumer experience impacted and improved by what is we see at NAB?
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Blu-ray Movie Reviews
The Incredibles (Blu-ray)
David Vaughn  |  Apr 11, 2011  |  0 comments
Once one of the world's top crime fighters, Bob Parr (a.k.a. Mr. Incredible) fought evil and saved lives on a daily basis. But 15 years later, he and his wife Helen (the former Elastigirl) have been forced to take on civilian identities and retreat to the suburbs. Itching for action, Mr. Incredible gets his chance when a mysterious communication summons him to a remote island for a top-secret assignment.

Pixar has quite a track record with its films, and this is one of their best. I love how they take something from our society (rampant personal injury lawsuits) and weave it into a story about superheroes that can no longer practice their craft because someone gets a sore neck when being saved from certain death! The cast is brilliant here with Craig T. Nelson and Holly Hunter as the husband and wife crime fighting team along with Samuel L. Jackson as Lucius Best/Frozone.

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Blu-ray Movie Reviews
Somewhere—Universal
Kris Deering  |  Apr 10, 2011  |  0 comments
Video: 3.5/5
Audio: 4/5
Extras: 2/5
You have probably seen him in the tabloids; Johnny is living at the legendary Chateau Marmont hotel in Hollywood. He has a Ferrari to drive around in, and a constant stream of girls and pills to stay in with. Comfortably numbed, Johnny drifts along. Then, his 11-year-old daughter Cleo from his failed marriage arrives unexpectedly at the Chateau. Their encounters encourage Johnny to face up to where he is in life and confront the question that we all must: which path in life will you take.
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Blu-ray Movie Reviews
Little Fockers—Universal
Kris Deering  |  Apr 09, 2011  |  0 comments
Video: 4.5/5
Audio: 3/5
Extras: 3.5/5
It has taken 10 years, two little Fockers with wife Pam and countless hurdles for Greg to finally get "in" with his tightly wound father-in-law, Jack. After the cash-strapped dad takes a job moonlighting for a drug company, however, Jack's suspicions about his favorite male nurse come roaring back. When Greg and Pam's entire clan - including Pam's lovelorn ex, Kevin - descends for the twins' birthday party, Greg must prove to the skeptical Jack that he's fully capable as the man of the house. But with all the misunderstandings, spying and covert missions, will Greg pass Jack's final test and become the family's next patriarch... or will the circle of trust be broken for good.
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Vote
Is 3D Here To Stay?
Scott Wilkinson  |  Apr 08, 2011  |  12 comments
This is an autostereogram; to see the 3D image, relax and cross your eyes slightly, or shine a small flashlight at the screen and concentrate on the reflection until you see the 3D effect.

These days, few topics engage—or enrage—home-theater enthusiasts like 3D. This was clearly demonstrated by a recent news story on our sibling website HomeTheater.com—3DTV Boom Fails to Materialize. The story cites an online poll conducted by Vision Critical that indicates little support for the fledgling format among consumers in the US, Great Britain, and Canada.

As soon as that story was posted, a flurry of comments followed, some quite lengthy and thoughtful, which I encourage you to read. Meanwhile, I wonder if you think 3D is here to stay? After all, it has come and gone several times over the last few decades in commercial cinemas, so perhaps the current craze is nothing more than another cycle that will soon disappear. On the other hand, perhaps the Vision Critical poll was premature, and improvements in the technology and strong support from TV manufacturers and movie studios will tip the scale toward a permanent presence in the entertainment landscape.

I really look forward to reading your thoughts on this question, which is sure to stir strong sentiments on both sides of the debate. So let 'er rip!

Vote to see the results and leave a comment about your choice.

Is 3D Here To Stay?
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Blu-ray Movie Reviews
A.I. Artificial Intelligence
David Vaughn  |  Apr 08, 2011  |  1 comments
In the future, the polar ice caps have melted, the sea waters have flooded coastal cities, and you must obtain a license to have a child. Science has evolved to the point of creating artificial beings, called mechas, to serve humans and preserve precious natural resources. One such mecha, David (Haley Joel Osment), is the first of its kind; an artificial kid that can give and receive unconditional love to his adoptive parents.

Of all of Spielberg's films, this is probably my least favorite. Its pacing is horrendous, it runs much too long at 145 minutes, and its last 40 minutes are a bizarre waste of time. While the acting and special effects are very good they can't overcome the boring second act and the horrendous ending(s).

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Audio Video News
Cablevision App Uses Own Network
Mark Fleischmann  |  Apr 08, 2011  |  0 comments
Cablevision has followed Time Warner Cable's introduction of a live cable TV app with one of its own. But unlike the TWC app, which has some program producers crying foul over unauthorized internet distribution, Cablevision's app uses the company's own Advanced Digital Cable network.

Therefore, Cablevision says, it has the right to distribute programming to iPads "under existing distribution agreements." As a plus, iPad-loving Cablevision TV subscribers needn't get internet service just to use the app. It "allows the iPad to function as a television," says CEO Tom Rutledge.

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Audio Video News
Samsung Offers $50 Active 3D Glasses
Scott Wilkinson  |  Apr 07, 2011  |  0 comments
One of the biggest impediments to the adoption of 3D in the home is the cost of active-shutter glasses—typically around $150 a pop, making it prohibitively expensive to outfit an entire family, even after you account for the one or maybe two pairs included with some (but not all) 3D TVs. So when I read that Samsung will be offering active 3D glasses at less than $50 each, I sat up and took notice.
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Premiere Design
BMC M1 Monoblock Power Amp
Scott Wilkinson  |  Apr 07, 2011  |  0 comments
As anyone interested in high-end audio knows, balanced signals are far superior to unbalanced ones because of their ability to reject induced noise and interference. German newcomer BMC knows this well—in fact, the company name stands for Balanced Music Concept. Its products are distributed in the US by Aaudio Imports and include the M1 monoblock power amp profiled here.
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