Al Griffin

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CEDIA 2013
Wireless HD and HDMI 2.0 Switching From DVDO
Al Griffin  |  Sep 26, 2013
DVDO showed off its new Air3 WirelessHD adapter ($199), a wireless HDMI solution that sends uncompressed HD video (up to 1080p/60-rez) and 7.1 channel audio over the 60 GHz band. DVDO says that the new unit has a more robust radio its previous version of the Air, which means less possibility for interference. The Air3 also has a much smaller footprint, along with flexible mounting options that let you squeeze the receiver component behind a flat-panel TV mount. The receiver draws power via USB, so you can simply plug it into your TV’s USB port, while the transmitter features an MHL2-capable HDMI input that accepts up to 1080p/60-rez signals from a compatible smartphone or tablet.
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CEDIA 2013
Sonos Adds Surround
Al Griffin  |  Sep 26, 2013
Sonos’ Playbar soundbar uses proprietary tech to beam surround sound from its 9-driver array. To judge from the demo I caught at CEDIA — my first-ever experience with the Playbar — the effect is impressive. But some people may prefer real surround speakers located in the rear of the room. The company offers up its Play:3 wireless speakers for that very purpose, but custom installers have been bugging them to provide a solution that expands surround speaker options for the Playbar.
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CEDIA 2013
Stewart Filmscreen Transformed
Al Griffin  |  Sep 26, 2013
Stewart Filmscreen is a company whose name is strongly linked with the dedicated home theater concept, but even they acknowledge that the concept is in decline. People are starting to gravitate toward viewing movies and TV in open, multiple-use living spaces, not dark, isolated viewing vaults.
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Blu-ray SetupAsk S&V
Video Oppo-timization
Al Griffin  |  Sep 23, 2013
Got a tech question for Sound & Vision? Email us at AskSandV@gmail.com.

Q. I recently bought an Oppo BDP-103 Blu-ray player. A key reason for buying it was to connect a cable TV box to the Oppo’s HDMI input and tap the player’s superior video processing to improve TV picture quality. Will it be necessary to set the equipment up in such a way as to avoid the TV’s video processing? —Doug Crowley / Santa Monica, CA

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Blu-ray Player Reviews
Review: Oppo BDP-93 Blu-ray player
Al Griffin  |  Mar 23, 2011
With A/V streaming gaining ground on packaged media, those shiny plastic discs that arrive regularly in your mailbox might soon become a thing of the past. Physical formats like Blu-ray and CD are likely to stick around for at least a few years; even so, it’s probably time to put some thought into what machine you’ll use to play your disc collection in the future. Instead of maintaining multiple players, doesn’t it make sense to own just one that can handle any media you throw at it? Also, since we’re talking about the long haul here, shouldn’t you buy a sturdy model that’s unlikely to break down after a few short years of service?
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Blu-ray Movie Reviews
DVDs: Reference Disc
Al Griffin  |  Jan 14, 2006

An edgy update, CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY (Warner; Movie •••½, Picture/Sound ••••, Extras ••••) takes several liberties with Roald Dahl's classic book, but it also manages to convey the story's dark humor.

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iPod Speakers Get Serious
Al Griffin  |  Aug 31, 2005
The Short Form
klipsch.com/ifi / 800-554-7724 / $400 / Satellites 8.75 IN high / Subwoofer 10.75 x 10.75 x 14 IN, 25 LBS
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Other Tech
The High-Definition DVD Dance
Al Griffin  |  Jan 07, 2006

The Pioneer Elite BDP-HD1 Blu-ray player is due in May at a price of $1,800

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Other Tech
HDTV at CES 2006
Al Griffin  |  Jan 07, 2006

Sony Bravia KDL-46S200 46-inch, 1080p LCD HDTV

As usual, there's no shortage of cool HDTVs to check out here at CES. But a few new developments have caught my attention - all of them good, and all worth considering as you make plans to invest in a new high-def set.

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JBL Studio L Series Home Theater Speaker System
Al Griffin  |  Feb 03, 2006

Speaker maker JBL is just one part of the Harman International family, but for a brand that makes up only a single slice of a large pie, it has an incredibly diverse product mix. Along with home theater speakers, JBL makes systems for music-recording and film sound-mixing studios, movie theaters, concert halls, computers, and cars.

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