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How Should I Handle Long HDMI Runs to a TV?
Al Griffin  |  Dec 10, 2014
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Q I just moved into a new house. Because of the way my home theater room is configured, the distance between the surround sound receiver and HDTV is about 30-40 feet. How would you suggest I make this connection? What about wireless solutions? —Joe Feller

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How Can I Salvage an Unfinalized DVD?
Al Griffin  |  Dec 08, 2014
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Q I transferred video from a VHS tape to a DVR/DVD recorder a few years ago but did not finalize the disc and now no longer have the machine. My current DVD player, a Magnavox, won’t even recognize the disc, and my computer won’t either. Is there any way now that I can finalize that disc? —Joe Simone / via e-mail

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How Important Is a TV’s Video Processing?
Al Griffin  |  Dec 04, 2014
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Q How important is a TV’s video processing? Sound & Vision’s recent review of the Vizio P65ui-B2 UHDTV gave it a poor rating for that category. My Oppo Blu-ray player has excellent video processing. Can a disc player’s video processing overcome a TV’s shortcomings in that area? —David Hall

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What Can I Do When Movie Dialogue Gets “Lost”?
Al Griffin  |  Nov 25, 2014
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Q I plan to buy a KEF R300 surround speaker system and an Anthem MRX 310 AV receiver and use the system almost exclusively for watching movies. I’m getting older, and movie dialogue sometimes gets lost. (My wife says I don’t listen sometimes, but that is another subject.) What are your thoughts and recommendations here? —Michael Wood / via e-mail

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Will the DVD Format Disappear?
Al Griffin  |  Nov 19, 2014
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Q Some of my friends argue that spending extra money on Blu-ray Discs is unreasonable since DVDs offer almost equal picture quality for less money. Worldwide, DVDs sell much better than Blu-rays, which many people still consider to be a format for videophiles. Do you think it’s possible that DVDs will ever disappear from the market? —Tomek Ciecwierz, Warsaw, Poland

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Direct or Dipolar Speakers for Dolby Atmos?
Al Griffin  |  Nov 17, 2014
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Q I am building out a dedicated 7.2-channel home theater and was planning on buying dipolar surround speakers to help “spray” sound along the side and back walls. After reading a few articles on Dolby Atmos, however, it seems that direct-radiating speakers would be the more appropriate option since they can better pinpoint objects in the room. Am I correct in thinking that direct-radiating speakers would serve better in an Atmos environment, or do I have things totally wrong? —Adam Tremai / via e-mail

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Why Can’t They Format Blu-rays to Fit 16:9 TVs?
Al Griffin  |  Nov 13, 2014
Got a tech question for Sound & Vision? Email us at AskSandV@gmail.com

Q Back in the days of VHS, movies were formatted to fit 4:3 aspect ratio TV screens. Why can't widescreen movies on Blu-ray be formatted to fit today’s 16:9 TV screens? I don't like to use my player’s zoom function to remove black letterbox bars; it degrades the picture.—Alfred Escoto

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Should I Put a Bias Light Behind My Flat Panel TV?
Al Griffin  |  Nov 06, 2014
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Q Is there any benefit to using a bias light behind a flat-panel HDTV? —Mike Hassold

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How Do I Adjust Movie Images to Fit My 16:9 Screen?
Al Griffin  |  Nov 03, 2014
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Q I have a Samsung plasma TV and a Panasonic Blu-ray player. Almost none of the movies I watch are in the right aspect ratio to fill the screen. This is annoying—I never get to enjoy the movie as I should. The player has no settings that I know of to stretch the picture. Is there a device on the market that will format the picture to fill my TV’s 16:9 aspect ratio screen? —Gary Roberts / via e-mail

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Do I Need an HDCP 2.2-Compliant Receiver for 4K/Ultra HD TV?
Al Griffin  |  Oct 30, 2014
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Q I’m trying to choose between new AV receivers from Sony, Denon, and Yamaha. The Sony is the frontrunner, but I am hesitant to pull the trigger because it’s not HDCP 2.2 compliant. If I connect an HTPC to this AVR, will I have problems in the future playing Ultra HD movies? How about satellite? Will I have the same problem if I eventually upgrade to an Ultra HD-capable satellite receiver?—Sam Shirzadegan

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Which Receivers Provide Separate Crossover Adjustments For Each Speaker Type?
Al Griffin  |  Oct 23, 2014
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Q Are there any AV receivers available that provide crossover frequencies assignable by speaker type in a surround sound system? Say, 60 Hz for the fronts, 80 Hz for the center, and 100 Hz for the rears? —Jason BF

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What’s the Difference Between Relative and Absolute Volume?
Al Griffin  |  Oct 16, 2014
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Q I’m confused by the volume display on my AV receiver. There are two settings to choose from, Relative and Absolute. What’s the difference, and what do they mean? —Scott Oakley / via e-mail

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How Do I Separate HDMI Audio From Video?
Al Griffin  |  Oct 08, 2014
Got a tech question for Sound & Vision? Email us at AskSandV@gmail.com

Q I just bought a Roku 2 streaming box that only has one output type: HDMI. My Adcom preamp-processor lacks HDMI switching, however, so I am forced to connect the Roku to an HDMI input on my Samsung TV and use its optical digital output to route audio signals to the Adcom. My problem is that the Samsung TV only passes two-channel audio through its digital audio output. Is there a reasonably priced device that can separate 5.1 digital audio from the HDMI signal, or am I stuck forever with two-channel sound? —Joe Simone

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How Do I Arrange Seating For a Dual Screen Setup?
Al Griffin  |  Oct 02, 2014  |  First Published: Sep 30, 2014
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Q I’ve seen a couple of instances in Sound & Vision magazine of installations with a flat-panel TV for normal viewing and a projector and large screen for special viewings. If the screen comes down in front of the flat panel, how do you arrange room seating to accommodate both screen sizes? A 60-inch flat panel and a 100-inch projection screen for instance?—W. Ladd Romans, Jr. / via e-mail

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Can I Use My In-Ceiling Speakers For Dolby Atmos?
Al Griffin  |  Sep 25, 2014
Got a tech question for Sound & Vision? Email us at AskSandV@gmail.com

Q I have a 7.1-channel in-ceiling speaker system in my home theater. How can I adapt this for a Dolby Atmos configuration? My plan is to add a standard 5.1 channel speaker system and use the in-ceiling speakers for the height effects.—Paul Wright

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