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Audio Video News
Introducing Top Picks
Scott Wilkinson  |  Aug 19, 2011
Here at HomeTheater.com, our primary mission is to help you choose the best audio/video gear for your needs and budget, and then get the most out of it when you set it up at home. The first step in that process is deciding which product to buy from among the myriad options available, which is where our product reviews come in. Of course, we review a lot of products, far more than any shopper would be willing to wade through to find the gems—so we've done it for you in our new section called Top Picks.
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Ask S&V
Where's the Black?
Scott Wilkinson  |  Aug 17, 2011
I'm a Home Theater subscriber, and I always read your blogs. I can't believe there are no plasmas with deep blacks similar to the Pioneer Kuros. I'm a happy owner of the PRO-110FD (family room) and PRO-111FD (master bedroom). What new model is closest to the Pioneer Kuros that you would recommend to a friend who is looking for a plasma or LCD?

Second question: Do the new JVC 3D projectors support anamorphic lenses? Are you aware of any 3D projector (other than Runco's, which is too expensive) that supports anamorphic lenses?

Israel Javier Alvarado-Suarez

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Home Theater Geeks Podcast
Podcast 77: The Chat Room
Scott Wilkinson  |  Aug 16, 2011
In this episode, I fly solo, answering questions from the chat room about everything from plasma versus LCD to tonally matching the front speakers to my opinion of various specific makes and models of AVRs, TV, and speakers, and many things in between. Plus, for those who watch the video, I show you around my new podcast set and point out some of the interesting items that appear behind me as I do the show each week.

Run Time: 1:06:51

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Ask S&V
Time to Upgrade
Scott Wilkinson  |  Aug 15, 2011
I have an old (1997) Bose Acoustimass Lifestyle 12, and the AM/FM/CD player has stopped working. I want to know if I can still use the five cube speakers with a new A/V receiver and a new subwoofer. I hate to throw it all away, and I like the look of the cubes. Can I expect the speakers to work, and will I get a good sound out of them?

Dennis Couch

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SRS iWow 3D
Scott Wilkinson  |  Aug 12, 2011
I just bought an audio dongle recommended by Dick DiBartolo and Leo Laporte on the GizWiz podcast. It's called the iWow 3D by SRS, and it makes the sound seem three-dimensional. I can't explain it, but I'm addicted to it. It's available as a hardware dongle for headphones and earbuds and as software for computer speakers. Have you heard about this technology and how it works? I'm interested in what you think.

Adam Davis

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HDTV Buying TipsHDTV Tech
Should You Get an LCD or Plasma Flat Panel?
Scott Wilkinson  |  Aug 11, 2011

Buying a new TV ain't what it used to be—there are a lot more choices and features to think about than yesteryear, when the only decision you needed to make was screen size. Among the most common questions I'm asked these days is, "Should I get an LCD or plasma flat-panel TV?" If you want the quick answer, jump to the end of this article. But if you want to understand the answer, read on.

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New AVR, Old Speakers
Scott Wilkinson  |  Aug 10, 2011
I just got the new Onkyo TX-NR809 receiver, and I'm wondering how inadequate my speaker setup is. I have a pair of DCM KX-12 Series Twos for the front left and right, DCM KX Center, DCM SW10 sub, and a pair of DCM KX-6 Series Two for the surround channels. I know these speakers were primarily built for loud "party" music, and they are about 12 years old. Am I going to miss out on the quality and features of the Onkyo with this setup? If I were to upgrade the speakers, what do you recommend in the $2000-ish range?

Jason

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Home Theater Geeks Podcast
Podcast 76: Michael Fremer
Scott Wilkinson  |  Aug 09, 2011
In his second appearance on the podcast, our own Michael Fremer, audiophile extraordinaire and redoubtable raconteur, waxes rhapsodic about the dichotomy of the quality of physical media versus the convenience of streaming, then takes us on a tour of his listening room and his incredible collection of vinyl records. He also opines on the audible effect of different cables and demagnetizing black vinyl records (really!), objective versus subjective (what he calls "observational") listening, and comments and questions from the chat room.

Run Time: 51:14

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Rooftop-Antenna Rotors
Scott Wilkinson  |  Aug 08, 2011
I'm an avid listener of TWiT and have heard you on the Tech Guy and your podcast. Because of TWiT and the fact that I don't watch a lot of TV, I have decided to "cut the cord"—that is, dump cable and satellite. However, I would like to take advantage of digital over-the-air broadcasting. I remember hearing that you have a rooftop antenna with a motorized rotor for orientation adjustments. What options are available for different qualities and prices?

Juan E.

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TV ReviewsLCD TV Reviews
Samsung UN46D6000 LED LCD HDTV
Scott Wilkinson  |  Aug 08, 2011

Performance
Features
Ergonomics
Value
Price: $1300 At A Glance: Exceptional color and detail • Deep blacks • Non-uniformity clearly visible in letterbox bars and dark scenes • Smart TV functions well implemented

The Samsung UN46D6000 LED-edgelit LCD TV is among the best-selling flat panels from several retailers, and for good reason—it's a superb performer in almost every respect. Out of the box, it turned in the most accurate measurements of any TV I've ever reviewed (that is, after I selected the Movie picture mode), its color and detail are exquisite, its blacks are very deep, and the Smart TV online content looked better than I've seen from most displays. The only real fly in the ointment is the non-uniformity of illumination in dark scenes and letterbox bars, which is endemic of just about all LED-edgelit LCDs. But if you can get past that, the UN46D6000 is an exceptional value I would recommend to anyone looking for a flat panel on a budget.

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