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3D Blu-ray Movie ReviewsBlu-ray Movie Reviews
Escape From Planet Earth
Thomas J. Norton  |  Mar 05, 2014
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Gary Supernova is an ace coordinator at Mission Control on the planet BAAB. His specialty is keeping his lunkheaded brother Scorch, the planet’s superhero-astronaut, from getting himself killed on dangerous missions. But when the most hazardous mission of all comes up—to the Dark Planet from which no one has ever returned—Gary doesn’t want his brother to risk it. Scorch takes the assignment anyway, and Gary refuses to help. But when Scorch gets captured on the Dark Planet and imprisoned in Area 51 along with other alien life forms, Gary comes to the rescue.
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A/V Veteran
Evaluating High Frame Rates: Billy Lynn's 60fps Walk
Thomas J. Norton  |  Feb 21, 2017
Before the era of sound movies the frame rates for silent films varied considerably due to the hand-cranked cameras of the time. When picture and sound became the future of movies in the late 1920s, however, the industry settled on 24Hz (24 frames per second) for both production and display standards. But 24fps alone would have produced significant jitter. For acceptably smooth motion, each film frame was flashed on the screen twice, using a two-bladed shutter in the projector (or, more rarely, three times with a triple blade shutter). This rate was also chosen, rather than an even higher one, to keep film costs manageable.

Even though the digital bits that now convey our films from the studio to the screen are far cheaper than celluloid, 24fps still dominates the films we see in both the multiplex and at home. But occasional efforts have tried to break the mold...

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CES 2016
Everybody Needs 8K
Thomas J. Norton  |  Jan 07, 2016
Both Samsung and LG were showing huge 8k displays (Samsung's is shown here) and drawing crowds (I couldn't get near enough to LG's to shoot a photo!). While clearly technological demonstrations (with 16 times the resolution of 1080p "Full HD,") someone in Korea thinks this would be a nifty idea. But on the size sets most people buy, I'm not at all sure, apart from the Wow factor at a CES.
A/V Veteran
Exceptional War-Themed Movies for Summer Viewing
Thomas J. Norton  |  Jul 02, 2019
A selection of discs and streaming content to watch during those lazy days of summer.
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A/V Veteran
Exploring the New Spears & Munsil 'Ultra HD Benchmark' Test Disc Set
Thomas J. Norton  |  Sep 19, 2023
Long-time readers and experienced videophiles will instantly recognize the Spears and Munsil brand. Over the years S&M has released what are arguably the best video evaluation discs on the market for setting up video displays of all descriptions. At $59.95, the new Spears & Munsil Ultra HD Benchmark is the company's priciest offering to date. But it's also the most thorough.
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Face Off at the HDTV Corral
Thomas J. Norton  |  Feb 17, 2009
Four premier flat-panel sets go head to head.

Panasonic VIERA TH-50PZ800U Plasma HDTV Review and Comments
Pioneer Elite KURO PRO-111FD Plasma HDTV Review and Comments
Samsung LN55A950 LCD HDTV Review and Comments
Sony BRAVIA KDL-55XBR8 LCD HDTV Review and Comments

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A/V Veteran
Factory Made or DIY
Thomas J. Norton  |  Aug 31, 2009

A couple of blogs down I talked about loudspeakers, and alluded to the small but enthusiastic click of hobbyists who choose to make their own, rather than rely on far more expensive commercial designs.

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Projector Reviews
Faroudja DILA1080pHD and DVP1080 D-ILA Video Projector and HD Digital Video Processor
Thomas J. Norton  |  Sep 25, 2005

While we've all been happily watching our 1280x720 digital video displays, manufacturers have been quietly working behind the scenes to bring us 1920x1080. Every display technology, it seems, has its own higher resolution displays in development. Some are even in stores as I write.

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Audio Video News
Faroudja Inside
Thomas J. Norton  |  Jul 01, 2005

Genesis Microchip, the parent company of Faroudja, has completed a licensing agreement with UK-based Meridian Audio Limited, giving Meridian the right to promote Genesis' Faroudja technologies, products, and brands worldwide. The agreement authorizes Meridian to incorporate, manufacture, and distribute Faroudja's video technologies and home theater solutions as part of its audio/video product line. Meridian will also work with Genesis to develop advanced video processing algorithms for use in future Meridian products.

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Blu-ray Movie ReviewsA/V Veteran
Farscape Far Away
Thomas J. Norton  |  Dec 23, 2013
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If you’re a fan of science fiction and haven’t heard of the TV series Farscape (1999-2003) you don’t get out much. If you’re not a sci-fi fan, this series might just make you one. It offers more compelling characters, action, humor, drama, weird plot twists, sudden mood shifts, poignancy, and stunning performances than any other dozen TV shows you might name.

It all begins when astronaut John Crichton encounters a wormhole on an experimental mission. He’s flung to a distant quadrant of the galaxy, encounters a gigantic vessel nearby, and docks with it. It turns out to be a living ship, know to the locals a leviathan, operated by a bonded pilot. The ship’s occupants are alien prisoners escaping from their captors. The latter, the Mr. Bigs in this area of space, call themselves the Peacekeepers, and from all appearances (externally at least) appear indistinguishable from humans.

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