Audio Video News

Major TV manufacturers are collaborating in field tests that would bring a new ATSC 3.0 television broadcast standard, which would include a new IP-based Ultra HD video standard and a broadcast- and streaming-friendly surround standard.

Sony announced plans to introduce a lineup of Hi-Res car audio products in time for the holidays.

McIntosh has introduced three retro-styled, reference grade preamplifiers, including a dual-chassis tube model said to have the lowest noise of any McIntosh preamp ever produced.

Once a soundbar is mounted on the wall below the TV, a lot of folks are tempted to use it for music. An NPD Group survey found that 55 percent of soundbar owners use it for such things as podcasts and radio (though probably not vinyl). That makes sense, since more than 80 percent of bars have Bluetooth capability to communicate with mobile devices. Among 18-to-34-year-olds, 66 percent use the bar for music. As soundbars wax, other product categories wane. Forty-five percent of soundbar owners retired a home theater in a box system and 35 percent retired an A/V receiver.

In what may be the most creative (and craziest) stunt for a music video, UK director Joe Connor hitched a pair of vintage Sony TVs to a weather balloon with GoPro cameras in tow and sent them to orbit. All to promote the song “Call You Home” by Kelvin Jones. A YouTube post of Jones singing the song went viral last year, eventually leading to a deal with Sony Music.

Marantz has announced plans to ship an updated version of last year’s AV7702 preamp/processor in October.

The LG Smart Security hub was developed with ADT. It includes a 1080p night-vision camera, motion detection, sensors for light, temperature, humidity, and air pressure, and compatibility with Z-Wave and ZigBee home automation standards...