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Blu-ray Movie Reviews
Gladiator (Blu-ray)
David Vaughn  |  Jul 30, 2010
Last October, I was disappointed with one of the debut titles of Paramount's new Sapphire Series Blu-rays, Gladiator. While the audio track was outstanding, the video encode left a lot to be desired due to some excessive digital manipulation and rampant edge enhancement. At the time, I asked Paramount to recall the disc and offer a replacement program as Sony did with the original release of The Fifth Element.

Ask and ye shall receive! The studio has implemented a limited exchange program with a new video encode that drastically improves the disc. If you own the original release, call Paramount at (888) 889-9456 to exchange it. For consumers wishing to buy the new version, it will be available in stores with a yellow barcode versus white on the original release.

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Audio Video News
IETV Beating 3DTV
Mark Fleischmann  |  Jul 30, 2010
Internet-enabled sets are being shipped in far greater numbers than 3D sets.
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Audio Video News
Redbox Blu-ray rentals going nationwide this Fall
SV Staff  |  Jul 29, 2010
Redbox is finally making its roll-out of Blu-ray rentals official. After vending machines with Blu-ray Disc rentals started appearing back in June, the company has just announced that it's loading 13,000 vending machines with Blu-ray Discs, and...
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Premiere Design
Continuum Caliburn Turntable
Scott Wilkinson  |  Jul 29, 2010

During Michael Fremer's recent appearance on my podcast, he told the story about how he fell in love with a turntable he had reviewed for Stereophile—and how his wife had wholeheartedly approved of buying it, even though it cost as much as a high-end luxury car. That turntable is the Caliburn with Cobra tonearm from Continuum Audio Labs in Australia.

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Audio Video News
Will Redbox Stream?
Mark Fleischmann  |  Jul 29, 2010
Until now, Redbox has been known and loved for its bright red kiosks which rent 200 DVD and Blu-ray titles. But the company is looking beyond that, into the brave new world of streaming.
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Audio Video News
Toshiba releases three CELL Regza 3D HDTVs
SV Staff  |  Jul 28, 2010
Toshiba has announced a trio of 3D HDTVs in Japan, continuing the industry's steady march toward 3D adoption. All three models feature CELL processors, which lets them use realtime 2D-to-3D conversion on videos (although the effectiveness of the...
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Custom Installation Equipment ReviewsCustom Installation How-ToHome Movie Theaters
Six Versatile Entertainment Centers
Kim Wilson  |  Jul 28, 2010

<B>Sanus JFV60 ($540)</B><BR>
The versatile JFV60 can be mounted directly on the wall, appearing to float in midair, or it can be placed on the floor like any other cabinet. It provides a sleek, low-profile sophistication that blends right into the interior decor in either configuration. The unit can support up to 200lbs (all components and TV) when mounted on the wall, or 350 lbs when floor standing.

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Ask S&V
Picture Presets, AVR Shopping, Soundbar Center
Scott Wilkinson  |  Jul 28, 2010
Black Hole Mode
You often talk about the advantages of professional calibration, but why couldn't TV makers include a mode for a blacked-out room? Or am I missing something? I have a ninth-gen, 50-inch Pioneer Kuro and a PS3. I set the TV's picture mode to Movie for standard-def TV and Standard for Blu-ray (with film mode set to Advance).
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Audio Video News
Video Streaming Explodes
Mark Fleischmann  |  Jul 28, 2010
Video streaming has grown from an emerging category of program delivery to an option enjoyed by the majority of Netflix subscribers. And for TV addicts, the selection of shows from various online sources is near comprehensive.
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Premiere Design
Marantz UD9004, UD7005, & UD5005 Universal Disc Players
Scott Wilkinson  |  Jul 27, 2010

D&M Holdings is the corporate umbrella under which both Denon and Marantz live, so it's no surprise that the flagship Denon DVD-A1UDCI (reviewed by Shane Buettner for Home Theater) and Marantz UD9004 universal disc players are both based on a common platform. So why is the Marantz $1500 more than the already very-expensive Denon?

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