HDTVs, projectors, and surround sound systems.
Home Theater
Should I Buy the New Tivo Edge OTA DVR?
Episode 1699
Stan fromStan wants to buy the TIVO Edge recently. Leo says that the current deal of $249 is a pretty good deal, but he'll also have to pay for the service, guide, and commercial skip. Stan wants to get a model that he can use over the air with no cable. Leo says that's a good way to go if he's within range of the towers by line of sight.
Scott Wilkinson and the very low tech thing
Episode 1699
Scott joins Leo again to talk about an email he got from a listener who has a Sony Bravia 65" 4k HDTV and he's wondering if he should replace it with an ultra-short throw projector. Would the image quality be the same even though the screen is a larger area? Scott says that you couldn't sit close enough to see the individual pixels, so it would be a pretty good upgrade. What is key is viewing distance to have the field of view encompassing the screen. And there are calculators online that can help with that.
How can I add a turntable to my home theater AV system?
Episode 1698
G. Scott fromGScott has a ton of vinyl records and he'd like to listen to them again. How can he connect a record player to his AV receivers without disconnecting his home theater system? Optical out to the TV, and then use the composite connections? Leo says yes. You'll have a setting in your TV that turns on the optical audio option. The turntable he is getting will have a preamp in it as well as a USB to capture. Leo says that as long as the audio is balanced by a preamp, it'll work just fine.
Scott Wilkinson ... Projected
Episode 1697
Scott joins Leo today to talk about ultra-short-throw (UST) projectors. It's a box that you put about six inches away from your wall, and it can project the light against the screen from a very sharp angle. The screen you use is an ambient light rejecting screen, which means you can use your project under any light conditions. Scott has an article about ambient light rejecting screens on ProjectorCentral.com right now.
Scott Wilkinson and the Test Pattern
Episode 1695
Scott joins Leo to talk about a new app that will help users set up their TVs. THX offers a great app called THX TuneUp. It's been around for a few years, but it generates it's own test patterns from your mobile device. Available to iOS and Google Play. How do you move the test patterns over to the TV?
There's a New App for Finding Channels OTA
Episode 1695
Stan fromStan used to have a Channel Master over the air DVR, but the service has gotten really bad. He's looking at the Tablo DVR now. Leo also says that the Silicon Dust HD Home Run is a good option. Stan also says there's a new app called Antenna Point that will enable him to know where to point his antenna to get his favorite channels.
Is QLED the same as OLED?
Episode 1694
Charles fromCharles wants to know the difference between QLED and OLED. Is QLED better? Leo says that it's more marketing. Samsung wants people to think that QLED is as good as OLED, but it's really just another LED technology with backlit LCDs. OLED is a better technology with bolder, more accurate colors and deeper, richer blacks. Is there a risk of burn-in? Leo says that modern OLEDs have solved that problem.
Should I Re-balance My Home Theater System?
Episode 1693
Paul fromChris has a home theater system with a balancing mic to adjust the quality of his system for his home. Leo says that is a great thing to be able to do, especially if he will add speakers over time. So if you add a piece of furniture or a subwoofer, definitely rebalance the system.
What is a Good Soundbar for a Condo?
Episode 1693
Chris fromChris lives in a condo and he wants a good soundbar that won't drive the neighbors nuts. Leo says that the low-frequency stuff from a subwoofer tends to go right through walls. He can get soundbars with subwoofers, even wireless ones. And they provide a richer sound from that soundbar. And there's a soundbar for every budget. Vizio is a great performance price for the money. Under $300. He can even get one supporting Atmos at Home. Klipsch is another brand.
How Can I Get 4k With My AV Receiver?
Episode 1693
Larry fromLarry has 12-year-old florescent backlit TV and it's time to upgrade to 4K. It's in a surround sound system with a Denon receiver and he would rather not upgrade that as well. Leo says there is an "upgrade cascade" that happens when there is a home theater system. If an AV system drives video, then users have to upgrade it. But if it's just running the audio, they'll be fine. Just use the optical out on a new TV. Upgrade the ROKU box to 4K capable. But what's even more important is the HDR support 4K brings.
