HDTVs, projectors, and surround sound systems.
Home Theater
Scott Wilkinson ... Connected
Episode 1642
Scott joins Rich to talk about an issue connecting a tape deck to a modern AV receiver with no tape in/tape out option. Scott says older receivers had that feature to record and playback certain AV signals. But that went away about 20 years ago. No receiver that Scott knows supports that anymore. With modern streaming, nobody really records anymore. But with certain receivers, including the Marantz NR1509, you can still record it. Look for a preamp out or pre-out port.
How Can I DVR TV OTA?
Episode 1640
Von fromVon recently cut the cord and would like to use an antenna with a DVR. What can he use that doesn't require the internet? Rich says that Amazon Fire TV Recast can be set up with the internet and then disconnected. Trouble is, he has to do it over and over again every few weeks. TIVO may work for weeks without connecting to the internet. Rich says that TMobile has a new Internet for everyone's service.
Leo usually recommends ChannelMaster.
Scott Wilkinson ... at a higher bandwidth
Episode 1640
Scott answers questions this week. One reader is having the issue that he can't see his 4K AppleTV on his one HDMI port, but will on his other port. Scott says that some of those HDMI inputs operate at the highest possible bandwidth of 18GB per second, while the others operate at 10.2 GB per second. 4K will not work at 10.2GB per second, so chances are, the reader is plugging it into the wrong port. You may also need to go into the settings an tell the TV to stream at the highest bandwidth. This is due to manufacturers wanting to be as compatible as possible with legacy equipment.
Why is Netflix Buffering All the Time?
Episode 1640
David fromDavid is having trouble with constant buffering with Netflix on his PS3. But it doesn't do it with subtitles. What gives? Rich says the first thing to look at is what has changed before the buffering began. Often, a change can cause those things. Rich also recommends going to FAST.com and test your internet speed. Rich also recommends uninstalling the Netflix app from David's PS3 and then reinstall it. Also, make sure that the PS3 is updated. Rich suspects that an update may not have been completely installed and uninstalling and reinstalling usually clears things up.
Why can't I get my local channels on my TV?
Episode 1639
Debbie fromDebbie has always had channels 2-13 with an antenna. After a brief stay in the hospital, she came back and didn't get any channels at all. Leo suspects that while she was convalescing, the FCC moved the broadcast frequencies for all the local channels. It doesn't change the channel number, mind you, but what Debbie needs to do is rescan her TV to re-acquire them. Go into the TV menu and look for scan channels. The TV will then rescan the frequency range and re-acquire them.
How Can I Watch Videos and Music on My Network?
Episode 1638
Richard fromRichard is trying to use PLEX and he can't understand how to make it work. Leo says he can watch his own movies using a PLEX Server. That will serve up any media he has on the network.
Scott Wilkinson ... in position
Episode 1638
Scott joins Leo to answer a question about subwoofers. Dan bought a pair of subwoofers to go with his speaker system. Scott says that proper positioning of your subwoofer can make all the difference when setting up your home theater speakers, and these days, having two subwoofers is a good thing. But they also take up a lot of space. So, he's selling his speakers to get bookshelf models. Scott recommends listing them on AudioGon.com. It's designed to specifically sell your audio/video equipment. Another option is AVSForum.com.
Scott Wilkinson ... Advanced
Episode 1636
Scott Wilkinson joins to talk about CES, which is just around the corner in January. The big thing will likely be an advancement in microLED TV technology. There may also be the launch in ATSC 3.0. ATSC stands for Advanced, Television Systems Committee, and it's the standard for digital transmission over the air. ATSC 3 is the next generation, skipping over 2.0. Kinda weird, but there you go. It'll be 4K capable, and offer an online IP standard.
Scott Wilkinson ... More about Gemini Man
Episode 1634
Scott went and saw Gemini Man this week and said the film was shot at 120 fps, five times more than traditional cinematic frame rates. This made the film very sharp and detailed, something that not everyone likes, but Scott does. Ang Lee also shot it in pure 3D at 4K resolution. The irony is, there are no theaters in the US that can show 4K 3D at 120p. So you have to decide what you want. 3D. 4K. or 120p (2K). Scott says to see it in 120p if you can. There are 14 theaters around the country showing that option.
Can I Repair My TIVO?
Episode 1632
Tony fromTony has a TIVO Bolt and like Leo, he's getting the "red rainbow of death." He thinks it may be the power supply. Leo says he's already replaced the hard drive, and it's been booting up for five days. So a $25 power supply from WeakKnees may be the next best solution.
