Thomas J. Norton

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A/V Veteran
7 Films Remastered in 4K You May Not Know About
Thomas J. Norton  |  Oct 22, 2019  |  4 comments
I've said it before, but it's still true, that whenever we have a new video format the movie studios eagerly line up to sell us our favorites all over again—from VHS tape to Laserdisc to DVD to Blu-ray. But today, with movie streaming swamping video discs sales, the line of consumers eager to replace their existing discs is now shorter than ever.

Ultra HD's, however, appear to be fighting the trend. UHD re-releases of popular films are showing up like flies to a picnic.

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4K TV ReviewsLCD TV ReviewsTV Reviews
Samsung QN65Q90R LCD Ultra HDTV Review
Thomas J. Norton  |  Oct 16, 2019  |  6 comments

Performance
Features
Ergonomics
Value
PRICE $3,500

AT A GLANCE
Plus
High brightness
Good off-center picture uniformity
Vivid HDR
Minus
No Dolby Vision support
Remote control ergonomics

THE VERDICT
There's little to criticize, and much to like, about Samsung's new flagship LCD UHDTV.

TVs are cheaper than ever. Really. When you see a set priced at $3,500 and your first reaction is a gag reflex, ponder this: a CRT color TV in 1970 might well have cost you $350. That would be a simple tabletop model offering glorious 480i standard definition on a 19-inch screen, and it would cost $2,400 in today's money. Current-day premium sets do command similarly high prices, but they now offer more features and better performance than ever before. The 65-inch Samsung Q90R reviewed here has a suggested retail price of $3,500, though it can be found online for significantly less. There are also 75- and 82-inch Q90R series models, the latter retailing for $6,500. One couldn't even dream of a 65-inch set in 1970, much less an 82-incher.

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A/V Veteran
TV Technology and Prices: Then and Now
Thomas J. Norton  |  Oct 01, 2019  |  7 comments
In a recent review, not yet published, I opened with a few remarks on the cost of today's premium Ultra HDTVs. Are they much more expensive than they were decades ago when adjusted for inflation? It's question worth revisiting in more detail.

In the early 1970s a good, 21-inch console color television might cost you $500. In today's money that would be around $3300

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A/V Veteran
Finis: CEDIA Expo 2019
Thomas J. Norton  |  Sep 17, 2019  |  1 comments
The old Blue Bear kept trying to break in but was forever doomed to be on the outside looking in. But the rest of us were more successful, and for three days last week the Denver Convention Center was full of all sorts of goodies needed by custom installers.
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CEDIA 2019
Atlantic Spotlights New Tower Speaker at CEDIA
Thomas J. Norton  |  Sep 16, 2019  |  0 comments
Atlantic Technology showed (on static display) its new 8600eLR, a tall, 3-way design featuring four 8-inch fiberglass-coned woofers.
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CEDIA 2019
Starke Sound Draws Attention to Sound with 7.1 Demo
Thomas J. Norton  |  Sep 16, 2019  |  0 comments
Starke Sound demonstrated its relatively small, floor-standing IC-H2 Elite loudspeakers ($4398/pair) together with the new IC-H2C Elite center ($2199 each) and a pair of the company's Sub35 woofers ($1880/each) in a 7.1 channel system.
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CEDIA 2019
Wolf Hosts Stellar Demo at CEDIA
Thomas J. Norton  |  Sep 16, 2019  |  0 comments
Wolf Cinema put up some of the best projected images of CEDIA 2019 in demo featuring a 160-inch-wide, 2.2:1 Enlightor Neo acoustically transparent screen from Seymour-Screen Excellence and impressive sound system courtesy of Audio Excellence.
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CEDIA 2019
GoldenEar Stages Compelling In-Wall Surround Demo
Thomas J. Norton  |  Sep 16, 2019  |  0 comments
On my first visit to GoldenEar’s sound room I listened to the featured attraction — the new BRX bookshelf speaker. But the company was also running an all-in-wall/ceiling Dolby Atmos demo for anyone who asked to hear it.
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CEDIA 2019
LG's 8K NanoCell TV Ups Off-Center Performance
Thomas J. Norton  |  Sep 16, 2019  |  0 comments
Although LG's superb but pricey ($30,000) 88-inch 8K OLED TV and new 4K CineBeam short-throw projection system were the stars of the booth, LG also featured a new LCD-based 8K TV.
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CEDIA 2019
SIM2 Returns to CEDIA with a Bang
Thomas J. Norton  |  Sep 16, 2019  |  2 comments
We've missed seeing Italy's SIM2 projector manufacturer at recent CEDIA EXPOs, as they've always showed something interesting. Well, the company returned this year with something that was more than just interesting.
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