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Setting Lip-Sync Delay
Scott Wilkinson  |  Jul 09, 2012  |  2 comments
Is there a test disc with content that helps you dial in audio delay so the video and audio are in sync? My receiver and my Blu-ray player both have this adjustment, but it's very difficult to get it right just watching people talk. My old TV never had this issue, but my new Vizio TV seems to have an inherent delay. What do you advise as a solution?

Craig Weinheimer

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Setting the Backlight Control
Scott Wilkinson  |  Oct 03, 2011  |  0 comments
What is the proper way to set an LCD TV's backlight? I have two calibration discs, and neither of them address this issue.

Jim Painter

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Setting Up an AVR for Multichannel DSD Playback
Al Griffin  |  Mar 10, 2016  |  2 comments
Got a tech question for Sound & Vision? Email us at AskSandV@gmail.com

Q I own a Sony BDP-BX57 Blu-ray player that can play SACDs. I also own a Pioneer VSX-820-K AV receiver that can only decode two-channel DSD signals from SACDs via its HDMI inputs. To get the best performance when playing multichannel SACDs, should I set the HDMI output on the Blu-ray player to bitstream? Also, which of the following listening modes on the AVR should I choose: Auto Surround, Direct, or Pure Direct? —Chris Murphy / via e-mail

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Setting Up Multiple Surround Speakers in the Same Channel
Al Griffin  |  Aug 10, 2015  |  4 comments
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Q How would I go about setting up multiple surround speakers in the same channel—two side left and two side right speakers, for example—as in a commercial movie theater? One more question: If I used a Y splitter and additional amplifiers to power the speakers, could I still employ Audyssey processing to calibrate the speakers? I am planning to build a home theater with two to three rows of seating. —William Lee / via e-mail

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Sharp Quattron, Hard of Hearing, Kuro Spoilage
Scott Wilkinson  |  Aug 11, 2010  |  13 comments
Oh My!
I was listening to Leo Laporte's recent "Tech Guy" podcast on which you discussed Sharp televisions and their new Quattron technology, which uses four colors (red, green, blue, and yellow). I agree with your comments that the goal should be to accurately reproduce the original colors. Is this technology akin to inkjet printers using more than three inks to more accurately reproduce colors? Do you know if Sharp is trying to create "extra" color or using a new technique to reproduce color content that isn't being properly generated?
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Shopping for a 70-inch Flat Panel
Scott Wilkinson  |  Mar 16, 2012  |  10 comments
I've recently installed some built-in cabinets in my family room, leaving me enough space to fit a 70-inch TV. Currently, I have a 50-inch Pioneer Kuro (non-Elite) that I've been extremely happy with. But now that I've got the space for a 70-incher, I'm strongly considering upgrading. The problem is that I've been pretty disappointed with what's currently available in the way of 70-inch TVs. I realize that I'm limited to the Sharp 70-inch models or the larger Elite (which is out of my price range). I could increase my options if I considered a 65-inch set from Samsung or Panasonic, but hate the thought of giving up those extra five inches.

Also, I'm pretty spoiled by the picture quality of the Kuro. I love the shadow detail and lack of motion artifacts on the plasma, and I'm worried that I'll be disappointed with the performance of some of the larger LED TVs. I was excited that Sharp announced the LE945U line at CES this year, which is supposedly going to include full-array local dimming, but I've seen recent reports that Sharp may not include local dimming on their 2012 sets. Have you heard anything about this? Is this feature really worth waiting for over the full-array LC-70LE735U (with no local dimming) that can currently be obtained at a substantial discount?

Jim Remus

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Should I Buy a 240Hz TV to Watch Sports?
Al Griffin  |  May 21, 2015  |  12 comments
Got a tech question for Sound & Vision? Email us at AskSandV@gmail.com

Q I went to Best Buy looking for a TV with the highest possible refresh rate. (I like to watch sports.)

The salesperson there explained to me that buying a 240Hz TV would be a waste of money since there are no broadcasts with that frame rate—TV networks, cable, and satellite providers all transmit either 60Hz or 120Hz signals. He also said that if a set receives a signal that doesn’t match from its native refresh rate (240 Hz, for example), it can’t convert it. Was the salesman right, or I should follow through with my initial plan to buy a 240Hz set? —Nelson Aleman

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Should I Buy a TV Now, or Wait for HDMI 2.1?
Al Griffin  |  Mar 02, 2017  |  8 comments
Got a tech question for Sound & Vision? Email us at AskSandV@gmail.com

Q I’m looking to buy a 65-inch LG OLED Ultra HDTV to replace my Pioneer Kuro plasma, which is now 9 years old. Here’s my question: Should I wait until TVs and other components all have HDMI 2.1 connections, or should I just buy current models? Also, can products with HDMI 2.0a connections be updated to HDMI 2.1? —Alan McClure

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Should I Do Speaker Setup in My Player or Receiver?
Al Griffin  |  Feb 23, 2017  |  1 comments
Got a tech question for Sound & Vision? Email us at AskSandV@gmail.com

Q Both of my universal disc players allow me to adjust for speaker size and distance in the audio setup menu. The receivers I’m using them with provide the same functionality, but one has manual setup (Arcam Diva AVR-350) and the other has Audyssey auto setup (Marantz SR7010). Which component should I use in each system to configure speaker size and distance: the player or the receiver? —Jan Nieuweboer / via email

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Should I Get a Projector or 85" TV for My Man Cave?
Al Griffin  |  Aug 04, 2016  |  4 comments
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Q I am looking to replace the 65-inch Panasonic plasma TV in my man cave/theater room with a larger, high dynamic range-compatible Ultra HD model that would be used for watching sports and movies. I was considering a Samsung 85-inch LCD, but am also looking into a projector like the JVC DLA-X550R, a Sound & Vision top pick. When all is said and done, I believe that the cost would be the same: roughly $8-10,000. My room is 30 feet long by 20 feet wide, so I have plenty of wall space for the new screen. What display should I buy? —Chris Amaral

A Since your room is a man cave, I’d say get a projector. To me, man cave implies an utter absence of aesthetic or lifestyle considerations that might interfere with the quest to get the biggest, best picture possible. It also means stuff like dartboards and mirrors embossed with the Jack Daniel’s logo, but that’s not our concern here.

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Should I Invest in a Home Theater Speaker System with Towers or Focus on the Center Speaker?
Al Griffin  |  Aug 27, 2015  |  3 comments
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Q Most multichannel speaker configurations I see advertised have large L/R tower speakers combined with smaller center and surround speakers. It seems to me, however, that money invested in large (mostly full-range) L/R towers would be wasted if you care more about multichannel movie soundtracks than two-channel stereo music. Given the conventional wisdom that movie soundtracks rely heavily on the center channel for dialogue reproduction, shouldn’t you buy a higher-performing center speaker instead of big front towers? —Rick James Boettger / via e-mail

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Should I Invest in IMAX Enhanced AV Gear?
Al Griffin  |  May 23, 2019  |  0 comments
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Q Is there any reason why I should invest in IMAX Enhanced AV gear and discs? Do you think this technology can survive against the established Dolby and DTS competition? —David Riley, via email

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Should I Put a Bias Light Behind My Flat Panel TV?
Al Griffin  |  Nov 06, 2014  |  6 comments
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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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Should I Put My Center Speaker Above or Below the TV Screen?
Al Griffin  |  Apr 25, 2016  |  5 comments
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Q I am coordinating the install of my new home theater system with a floating entertainment unit and a 75-inch Sony TV. The system will use three MartinLogan SLM XL speakers for the front channels. My dilemma is whether to position the center-channel speaker above or below the TV. The bottom location is closer to ear level but will require mounting the TV 6 inches higher than I’d like (because of the floating entertainment unit). My idea is to locate the center channel above the TV instead, which also isn’t ideal, but I feel that my ears will be able to adjust better to the configuration than my eyes. What do you think? —Fred Bredemeyer / via e-mail

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Should I Replace My 20-Year-Old Subwoofer?
Al Griffin  |  Apr 16, 2020  |  10 comments
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Q I have a modest home theater in my basement that I have been slowly upgrading over the last two decades. The only component I haven’t upgraded yet is my Polk Audio subwoofer since it was a pretty decent model when I purchased it 20 years ago. Would I benefit from upgrading to a new 12-inch sub? —Cal Rempel, via email

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