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Audio Video News
"Source Code," "Super," "Win Win" at SXSW
Ken Richardson  |  Mar 15, 2011

Why does Jake Gyllenhaal suddenly find himself on a commuter train headed to Chicago? And why is Michelle Monaghan so interested in him?

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Audio Video News
Japan Tragedy May Disrupt Manufacturing
Mark Fleischmann  |  Mar 15, 2011
While human misery is the most horrifying outcome of the Japanese earthquake and tsunami, the natural disaster also has implications for the manufacturing of consumer electronics.

Japan makes finished CE products like TVs as well as components such as LCD panels and chips, which it supplies to manufacturers all over the world. The disruption may result in shortages and higher pricing for these products and parts.

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Audio Video News
Standard Sought for 3D Glasses
Mark Fleischmann  |  Mar 14, 2011
There isn't a unified standard for 3D glasses. That's a problem for consumers and the Consumer Electronics Association is looking for a solution.

CEA has started the process of building a standard for 3D eyewear. Interested parties are invited to make their initial proposals by March 31, 2011.

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Audio Video News
Disney Gives Bambi 2nd Screen Treatment
Mark Fleischmann  |  Mar 11, 2011
Disney's latest video release of Bambi will use Second Screen technology to simultaneously display the movie and derivative features on multiple platforms, including TV, computer, or iPad.

Download the Disney Second Screen app and you'll be able to sync a broadband-connected computer or iPad to the movie as it plays on your primary video display. Then you can "dive deeper into the film by engaging with fun interactive elements like animated flipbooks, galleries, photos, trivia, and more," says the press release.

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Audio Video News
Panasonic Debuts New Blu-ray Players That Open With a Wave
Thomas J. Norton  |  Mar 10, 2011
Panasonic's name may evoke sound, but its reputation is built on video. Nevertheless, the company does produce audio products, though its U.S. offerings in that space differ from those of many Asian manufacturers. It has never been a major player here in AV receivers or stand-alone speaker systems, but instead puts most of its efforts into home theaters in a box (HTiBs), compact one-piece stereo systems, and related all-in-one packages. Panasonic's new 2011 introductions in these categories include a single sound bar (the fully-powered, $400 SC-HTB520, which includes a wireless subwoofer), four compact stereo systems, and three new Blu-ray HTiBs with 3D capability. Four new stand-alone Blu-ray players were also launched.
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Audio Video News
Sony Enhances iTunes Movie Downloads
Mark Fleischmann  |  Mar 10, 2011
Though disc releases are festooned with special features, movies sold as downloads tend to be unadorned. However, Sony Pictures is beginning to add features to movies sold as downloads through iTunes.

You'll be able to search for actors and dialogue, choose clips to share on social networking sites, and find songs embedded in soundtracks. Not surprisingly, the latter will be linked for purchase in the iTunes music store.

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Audio Video News
Pioneer Announces 2011 Receivers, Apple AirPlay Support and More
Thomas J. Norton  |  Mar 09, 2011
For its 2011 lineup of AV receivers, Pioneer has gone Apple in a big way. The four new models, introduced at a press event in San Francisco, range in price from $249 for the VSX-521 to $549 for the top-of-the-line VSX-1021.

To various degrees, depending on model, the receivers incorporate a high level of compatibility with iDevices from Apple, including iPhone and iPad, with no external dock required. All four feature at least 110 watts per channel (120W per in the VSX-1021, all measured at 1kHz and 8Ω) using traditional class-AB amplification. The two lower end models sport 110W x 5 and the top two are equipped to drive 7 channels. Among their features are compatibility with today's most widely used audio formats (including Dolby Pro Logic IIz's height-channel option), 3D pass-through via multiple HDMI 1.4 inputs, and Pioneer's proprietary MCACC room calibration. All of the new units are Bluetooth-ready (with the addition of an optional adapter).

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Audio Video News
Warner Movies to Hit Facebook
Mark Fleischmann  |  Mar 09, 2011
Warner Bros. will distribute movies through Facebook, the studio revealed this week. The first movie to hit the social networking site will be The Dark Knight.

The move is experimental. It comes on the heels of another unorthodox movie-distribution move, in which the studio offered two movies as Apple Store apps for the iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch.

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Audio Video News
Panasonic 2011 Blu-ray Players
Scott Wilkinson  |  Mar 08, 2011
Panasonic today held press briefings at its Panasonic Hollywood Labs facility near Universal City, CA, regarding its 2011 line of Blu-ray players, HTIBs (home-theater-in-a-box systems), self-contained iPod microsystems, and a soundbar. This being Ultimate AV, I'll focus on the Blu-ray players here.
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Audio Video NewsPortable Player ReviewsHeadphone Amp/DAC Reviews
Pioneer's New Receivers Really Love Apple
Brent Butterworth  |  Mar 08, 2011

DVD, say your prayers. Blu-ray Disc, better get your affairs in order. Judging from the new A/V receivers Pioneer introduced on Monday at the W Hotel in San Francisco, one could easily conclude that the old "hard" media formats have pretty much played out.

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Audio Video News
iTunes Now Does Home Sharing
Mark Fleischmann  |  Mar 08, 2011
Apple has a new trick, one all but overlooked in its recent announcement of the second-generation iPad. Devices running iOS 4.3 now do Home Sharing of iTunes 10.2 library content via wi-fi.

So if you have an iPad, iPhone, or iPod touch running iOS 4.3, you can stream movies, music, and other stuff from your PC or Mac running iTunes 10.2. This does not include the streaming and transfer of movie rentals.

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Audio Video News
Apple Seeks to Offer Cloud Access
Mark Fleischmann  |  Mar 07, 2011
Don't you hate it when you've paid for a download but can't enjoy it—because it's on a device that's either unauthorized, lost, or dead? Apple is proposing a solution to the music industry in the form of cloud-based content access.

The proposal under discussion would "give users more flexibility in how they access purchased music," says Bloomberg News, which broke the story. "A deal would provide iTunes customers with a permanent backup of music purchases if the originals are damaged or lost."

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Audio Video News
Win the Polk F/X Wireless Surround
Mark Fleischmann  |  Mar 04, 2011
Polk Audio is staging a contest that will put F/X Wireless Surround speakers into the hands of happy surround buffs. You can enter every day between now and March 31, 2011. No purchase is required.

The F/X Wireless Surround looks more like a squat subwoofer than a surround speaker. This unorthodox product is designed to be placed behind the main seating area, providing surround effects without intruding into the room.

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Audio Video News
Roku Embraces Amazon Prime Video
Mark Fleischmann  |  Mar 03, 2011
Roku is adding another feather to its cap. Its set-top box will stream Amazon Prime Instant Video.

Amazon Prime Instant Video is itself fairly new. Its initial purpose was to give free two-day shipping. Now it also includes Instant Video streaming of 5000 movie and TV show titles.

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Music ReviewsAudio Video News
The Rolling Stones Catalog Comes to HDTracks.
Stan Horaczek  |  Mar 03, 2011

It was kind of a big deal with The Beatles finally made their way onto the ever-growing digital music behemoth that is iTunes, but we find this news just as, um, satisfying. Starting this week, 27 Stones records will be finding their way onto the audiophile music service, HDTracks.com. The tracks have been pulled from remasters that were originally created for and released on SACD in the early 2000s.

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