home theater

Scott joins Leo to talk about streaming. Leo recently wired his streaming box with Cat6 Ethernet to get a much more consistent stream, and it made a huge difference. Scott agrees and says that Ethernet doesn't really have distance limitations like WiFi can. Some thing ethernet will only last up to 50 feet, but Scott says that isn't true, per se. It really comes down to your bandwidth, the kind of ethernet cable you have, etc. Ultimately, you can get up to a gigabit of bandwidth up to 120 feet with Cat6 Ethernet, and that's plenty for most people's needs.

Scott Wilkinson is reviewing new speakers from Klipsch called The Fives. They are five in speakers that have a dedicated phono preamp, bluetooth connectivity, and other connections. Scott says that they are pretty darned good. Sounds quality is refined, but a bit restrained. Still very good. Check out Scott's TechHive review here.

Scott is back to talk about a listener question that could affect all of us. He's been looking at the Denon AVRX4700, and it's supposed to have Dolby 5.1.4 or 7.1.2. What's the third digit for? Scott says that the third digit tells you how many speakers you can use overhead. It's a Dolby Atmos at Home Specs.The first mask is the number of surround speakers you can have, the middle number is the subwoofer. But if you want an Atmos system, the third number is the one you want to pay attention to.

Leo talks with Scott about his new home wiring project, where he's wiring all his devices with cat6 ethernet. Scott says that the viewer wireless points you have, the better the quality you'll have, and wiring everything will make them play the best they can. 

Scott joins Leo to talk about the Helm Audio DB12 AAA pocket headphone amp. It uses THX amplifier technology. Noise measurements are far lower in total harmonic distortion than any chip-based amp. And while the price of the DB12AAA is $200, it does make a huge difference in audio from a mobile device. But since mobile phones have eliminated the headphone jack in favor of Bluetooth headphones, users would need an adapter to use it.

Scott joins Leo to talk about the latest wave of virtual trade shows and conventions that have caught on in 2020. Even the political conventions have caught on to this. The benefits are that you can watch the keynotes, sessions, and other conference opportunities when you want, and you don't catch COVID. The downside is the human interaction is limited. Check out his Interview on NET Critical Conversations here.

Scott joins Leo to talk about a big announcement in Home Theater. Scott wrote an article this week about the different technologies behind today's digital home theater, digital cinema, and education projectors. The three technologies include LCD, LCOS, and DLP. All three work roughly the same way with 1" screens with micropic pixels. Those screens are then projected through lenses onto the screen. LCOS tends to be more expensive than LCD or one chip DLP projectors.