Home Entertainment
How to set up your surround speakers
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The world of home theater seems ever changing. New formats, new innovations and cheaper prices have made an altogether bigger audio-visual experience more accessible for everyone. Two channel systems have been common place in our lounge rooms for decades now, but you might need a few more tricks in your arsenal to get the best out of the latest multi-speaker systems. Tim LeFevre investigates. Read More
JL Audio Fathom f212 subwoofer
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Well known to car audio enthusiasts, JL Audio subwoofers set a high standard in clean, deep bass reproduction. So it’s not surprising that when they turn their attention to home audio the results are just as impressive. Enter the Fathom f212 dual 12-inch subwoofer. It employs JL Audio’s new 12W7 subwoofer drivers, boasting the most powerful and refined motor system JL Audio has ever used on a 12-inch woofer. The result is even greater output and accuracy than the single 12-inch Fathom subs in the range. Read More
Belkin's FlyWire provides wireless HD AV
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Available from January 2009, Belkin’s FlyWire wirelessly delivers uncompressed 1080p True Cinema HD content from Blu-ray players, receivers, video-game consoles, and set-top boxes to HDTVs and projectors. FlyWire operates in the open 5GHz band, and intelligently manages its own connection, adjusting frequency and power to avoid interference. Read More
Onkyo upgrades THX Certified Home Theater Package
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The new Onkyo HT-S9100THX combines a home theater receiver with a 7.1-channel home theater speaker system, all of which were designed to conform to THX's Integrated System Plus certification protocols. It also boasts1080p capable HDMI v.1.3 connectivity, Faroudja DCDi video upscaling, Audyssey 2EQ and Dynamic EQ, and complete decoding for the latest high resolution audio formats. The system also includes the new THX Loudness Plus technology which compensates for the tonal and spatial shifts that occur when the volume level is reduced below the reference levels. Read More
Mitsubishi's Laser TV now shipping in the US
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October 30, 2008 Following its premiere as a totally new display category at the CES in January, a 65-inch version of Mitsubishi's LaserVue high-definition television has hit U.S. stores. The world's first laser-powered TV, which promises unparalleled performance including twice the color and significantly lower power consumption than both its LCD and Plasma cousins, is being sold for USD$6,999. At 10 inches, it might be slightly thicker than some of the flat-screen offerings we've seen in recent times, but the trade-off is a set that delivers 1080p definition at 120Hz and operating power of approximately 135W using laser beams to provide "an extensive range of rich, complex colors, along with truly distinct clarity and immersive depth of field" according to Mitsubishi. Read More
Edifier S200V premium desktop speaker system
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In part created by renowned loudspeaker designer Phil Jones, the S2000V from Canadian based audio specialist Edifier International boasts a total power output of 80 Watts RMS with a newly developed 5.5” subwoofer with HSCC (high strength cotton composite) cone designed to deliver impressive bass and mid range performance. Read More
Sony's latest iPod dock range
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Sony's new range of iPod compatible products makes good on the company's stated promise to “continue to develop products that are compatible with popular hardware formats and audio codecs.” Not surprisingly, this includes Apple’s ubiquitous portable player. The five-strong range includes a mini hi-fi system with docks for two iPods and DJ functions, two designs of iPod speaker system and two clock radios, one having CD playback in addition to its iPod compatibility. Read More
Sharp AQUOS DX Series LCD TVs feature integrated Blu-ray recorders
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October 22, 2008 Sharp's new 16-model AQUOS line-up is the first series of LCD TV's in the world to be equipped with built-in Blu-ray Disc recorders. Ranging in size from 26-inch to 52-inch, the all-in-one DX Series design means there's no cords cluttering the back of your TV stand and viewing, disc-playing and recording can be simply controlled using one remote. Read More
Sony's BDP-S300 Blu-ray Disc Player reaches mass market price
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It seems that high-definition, 1080p viewing has well and truly entered the mainstream - at least when it comes to the players themselves. Our question is this: if you can pick-up a Sony BDP-S300 for under USD$250, why does it still cost $40 for a movie to feed it with? Read More
Philips’ next generation Aurea LCDs
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Philips is rolling-out its 2008 Aurea LCD TV range with new 37” and 42” models boasting an improved in refresh rate of 2ms (compared with 3ms for previous models), a contrast ratio 30000:1, plus the latest versions of the company's Perfect Pixel HD Engine and Active Frame technology. Read More
Infinity Systems Prelude Forty Loudspeakers
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To commemorate Infinity Systems 40th year in the industry, the company has released the Prelude Forty speaker system. Featuring a slim profile and the companies proprietary Maximum Radiating Surface (MRS) flat panel driver technology, the Prelude Forty aims to satisfy audiophiles and the design conscious alike, with it’s looks and the most advanced engineering innovations Infinity have to offer. Read More
Savant Systems' iPod media dock
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Savant Systems’ ROSIE Media Dock connects compatible iPod and iPhone models with SAVANT multi-room AV systems allowing users to navigate their personal media players via a ROSIE user interface, which also displays artist, album and track information. Read More
The MX-6000 RF and WiFi capable universal remote
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The MX-6000 touch-screen remote control provides users with access to their media library - including data on their PC and iPod - using both a narrow band 418 MHz transmitter and an 802.11 B/G WiFi transceiver. This makes it the first control to offer two independent communications and control methods simultaneously. Read More
Grundig's latest top model LCD - the Vision 9
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Due to hit stores in September, the key feature of Grundig's new Vision 9 range is its integrated sound projector - an array of 16 cone speakers located in a sound bar beneath the screen combined with two rear facing sub-woofers in the back of the housing. The system replicates the surround sound of 5.1 systems by activating the individual speakers with a small delay to produce directional packets of sound that are reflected off walls at different points around the room. Read More
Philips unveil CinemaOne home theater system
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Philips' new all-in-one DVD Home Theater System packs a range of home entertainment features into a distinctive, compact design. The CinemaOne includes an integrated universal iPod dock, built-in subwoofer and DVD player with HDMI 1080p upscaling in a unit that resembles a compacted, upturned trash can – only a lot more stylish. Read More
New Toshiba LCDs can process standard definition content into HD
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September 2, 2008 HDTV equipment is selling furiously across the world; it seems every second lounge room now boasts a massive high-def LCD or plasma screen - that, as often as not, is displaying standard-definition video, because there's still a lot of standard-def DVDs floating about the place and a lot of broadcast content is still standard-def too. Toshiba has decided to work within the limitations of the media by introducing instant image upscaling technology on its new ZF575D monitors, which take standard-definition feeds and convert them to near-HD resolution while sharpening edges and details to produce a much clearer picture. Read More
One-step VHS to digital conversion for your old movies
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Many of us remember the years when men were men, movies came on thick black VHS cassettes, and a well-dressed gent would wear an onion on his belt, as was the style of the time. Of course, these days we expect our media to be much more flexible, and with this in mind ION have released the VHS 2 PC - a VHS player with a simple USB output cable that lets you digitize all your old VHS content in one step and watch it online, on a DVD or a portable video player. Read More
ELAC 3D-13 single stereo speaker
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The ELAC 3D-13 is a fully active loudspeaker that is a modern solution for stereo listening from a single compact enclosure, replacing the more conventional pair of hi-fi stereo loudspeakers and amplifier. Designed for people than have no room for a conventional stereo setup, or those that never sit at the apex of the stereo triangle (the sweet spot), it uses a 3D speaker to transmit sound in all directions to flood the room with music. Read More
IFA eye-candy: Samsung all-in-one slimline TV
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August 30, 2008 Among the forest of flat screen TVs on display at IFA 2008, Samsung's 52" UltraSlim LCD TV grabbed our attention in terms of sheer head-turning good looks. While not achieving quite the wafer thin profile of the Sony ZX1, which is under half an inch (9.9mm) at its thinnest point, Samsung's offering makes up or this with a silkily attractive design which looks almost as good from the back as it does from the front. Read More
The Sountina sound fountain – 1.85 metre tall glass and leather column delivering 360 degree sound
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August 29, 2008 It’s taken us a few decades to fully wrap our brain cells around the fact that a loudspeaker doesn’t need to be box-shaped with an array of woofers and tweeters and equally, that remarkable sound quality can be produced from a single speaker. Taking it one step further is the new Sony Sountina: this single, elegant column, combining glass, leather and room-enhancing illumination, delivers music over 360 degrees, providing a sonic and visual focal-point for any room. The name comes from a fusion of the words ‘sound’ and ‘fountain’; just as people gather around a fountain, so the 1.85m tall Sountina will deliver amazing music to those all around it. Sony calls it a Circle Sound Stage, and it’s all made possible by brand-new Vertical Drive Technology. Check out the image library - beeeeautiful! Read More
Pioneer promises most powerful Blu-ray player ever built
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August 28, 2008 Pioneer is unleashing a Blu-ray player that will out-do the PS3 – and probably outweigh it too. The US$2,200 Elite BDP-09FD is hyped as the most powerful Blu-ray player ever built, and will feature Ethernet, BD-Live playback, and 4GB of internal memory for downloads. Read More
ELAC shows of world’s smallest subwoofer – ‘probably’
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August 28, 2008 German speaker manufacturer ELAC was showing off what they dubbed ‘probably the world's smallest hi-fi subwoofer’ IFA 2008 this week. Their 2.1 desktop speaker system is made up of two satellite speakers and the 2010 BT MicroSUB, which contains four amplifiers, (two for the two bass drivers and two for the two connected satellites), in a unit that measures just 21.8 cm tall, 15.0 cm wide and 17.8 cm deep, and weighs just 4.8kg. Read More
Hidden sounds from Revox speakers
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Revox of Switzerland manufactures a wide range of audio equipment that implements functional technology into everyday items. Two of its more notable products are speakers designed to replace traditional ceiling lights and bass speakers that double as stylish leather seats. Read More
Parasound introduces the Halo P7 dual-mode analogue pre-amp
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August 26, 2008 High-end Californian AV specialists Parasound have introduced their latest preamp, the Halo P7, which is designed to cater to multichannel music and surround sound from Blu-ray, HD DVD, DVD-Audio, and SACD players as well as to traditional stereo sources. To achieve this, it incorporates both a 2-channel and a 7.1-channel analog preamp, offering a range of balanced XLR and RCA stereo inputs and outputs. Read More
The US$2,900 NACSound Kayak Single Stereo Loudspeaker
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Sonance will introduce a striking new loudspeaker at the 2008 CEDIA Expo in Denver, next month. The NACSound for Sonance Kayak is a single-source stereo speaker able to reproduce natural stereo sound from a single visually striking component. The Kayak can be suspended vertically or horizontally, and utilizes elements of both omnidirectional and multidimensional sound reproduction to produce an unprecedented stereo effect in either orientation. Read More
VUDU streaming movies for 99 cents
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VUDU enables users with high-speed broadband to get instant access via their TV to video entertainment including 1080p HD movies and television shows. Now the company is offering a summer special, which will see customers rent one of 99 films for just US$0.99. Read More
Radio 5.1: DAB Surround broadcast first at IFA
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The Fraunhofer stand at the IFA consumer electronics trade show in Berlin will achieve a world first by broadcasting a radio station in DAB Surround and MP3 Surround Internet radio. ROCK ANTENNE will be transmitted in the MPEG Surround standard, which compresses the six channels of a surround music track to the extent that they require no more memory than a compressed stereo signal. Read More
Sony's X4500 and W4500 HD TVs
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Sony has announced the BRAVIA X4500 and W4500 series wide screen LCD TVs with full HD 1080p resolution and DLNA connectivity. The X4500 is available in 40-inch, 46-inch, and and an 8-speaker 55-inch model, all of which feature the BRAVIA ENGINE 2 PRO for filtering, cleaning and optimizing image data before it’s displayed. Read More
CMI's SYVIO-200 HD Player
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After Popcorn Hour made their networked media tank (the A-100), a Chinese company named CMI produced what looks like their own copy of the product – the SYVIO-200 HD Player. In fact, the model number A-100 was accidentally left in the SYVIO-200 specifications on CMI's web site (which were clearly copy/pasted from Popcorn Hours website). Read More
Popcorn Hour's A-110 Networked Media Tank
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AV enthusiasts need never leave the couch again with the aid of the Popcorn Hour A-110 networked media tank. The A-110 is a combination of a digital media player, network attached storage and a media server. Supporting a mammoth list of all the latest video and audio formats, the A-110 includes HDMI v1.3a for playing full 1080p video, and S/PDIF Optical Digital Audio. Retailing at USD$215, the A-110 is within reach of most home entertainment budgets, and is leaving the Apple TV for dead.
Criterion Collection's new reference Blu-ray player: a PlayStation 3
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The PS3’s credibility as a Blu-ray player has received another boost with the news that the folks at the Criterion Collection – the distributors of “important and classic and contemporary films” – use the PS3 as their reference Blu-ray player in their new HD home theater. The news might come as a surprise to those that would assume a stand-alone player would trump a game console/Blu-ray player in the picture quality department, but the PS3 has consistently received favorable reviews of its Blu-ray playback capabilities after overcoming some early teething problems... Read More
Iomega introduces ScreenPlay TV Link
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Iomega's new ScreenPlay TV Link is an compact, low-cost multimedia solution catering for playback of movies, music and photos on your TV from USB external storage devices without the need for a computer. Read More
Leon Speakers introduces Profile 404-X-A on-wall speakers and A3-SUB subwoofer
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August 12, 2008 Leon Speakers, established in 1995, is a world leader of high performance, on-wall loudspeakers. The company's new Profile 404-X-A speakers allow you to set them up on, or against a wall. The shallow profile (3.25-inches deep) helps them blend with their surroundings, and a choice of veneers and finishes (including paints) are available to finish the look. Read More
BRAVIA TV Stand with built-in 3.1ch surround, HDMI inputs
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Bringing a new spin to the term "functional furniture", Sony's BRAVIA™ Theatre TV stand (RHT-G500) integrates a 3.1-channel virtual surround sound system, three HDMI inputs, audio inputs for TV, DVD and Blu-ray Disc™, plus support for Bluetooth® and Wi-Fi... and it can all be controlled from a single remote. The sound system consists of center, left and right speakers plus a subwoofer and uses "S-Force PRO Front Surround", a technology that promises realistic surround sound without the need for rear speakers and therefore no wires to upset the system's clean lines. Read More
High-resolution, high-end projector system from Meridian
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Comprising the 810 Reference Video Projector and the 810 Reference Video Scaler, the new US$185,000 flagship front projection system from Meridian is capable of a resolution of 4096 x 2400 or 9.8 megapixels, boasts a a native contrast ratio of 10,000:1 and is designed to optimize both High and Standard Definition inputs. Read More
