John Sciacca

Remember awhile back when Tom Cruise and Top Gun: Maverick director Christopher McQuarrie took to the Internet to blast on the ill-effects of using motion smoothing to ruin movies by turning them into video mush that looked like a telenovela soap opera? Well, the UHD Alliance (UHDA), comprised of nearly 40 member companies, is out to make Cruise’s dream come true by getting more manufacturers and industry professionals on board to support a new Filmmaker Mode setting that will ensure you are watching movies as closely resembles the filmmaker’s intention and to the best of your display’s capability.

Ultra-short-throw (UST) projectors that can produce 100-plus-inch images when placed only a foot or so from a wall are gaining popularity. In addition to being way easier to install than traditional ceiling-mount projectors, they are suitable for daytime viewing and have become reasonably affordable. If the idea of a UST projector appeals to you, here are a few things to keep in mind.

$1,198 / UNIVERSALREMOTE.COM / 800-901-0800

While remote controls are one of the greatest inventions ever, that pile of them cluttering up your coffee table is an example of home automation gone awry.

Got a tech question for Sound & Vision? Email us at AskSandV@gmail.com

Q I have a 5.1.2 setup based around an Onkyo TX-RZ840 receiver and a Monitor Audio Bronze speaker package using the Bronze 2 stand mounts. My left and right front speakers are bi-amped and I’m looking to upgrade to 5.1.4. I wish to add external amplifiers plus an AV receiver in preamp mode or a preamp processor. Would I get a worthwhile upgrade in audio quality choosing the preamp processor? —Dan Pinnock, via email