HDTV and Home Theater Podcast

HDTV Podcast #251

Tue, 19 Feb 2008 05:35:44 -0800

Today we go through an article published in Sound and Vision Magazine entitled M-Card: Possible Its a guide that will help you obtain and use the new Multi Stream Cable Card.

Braden has been contemplating a new screen for his home theater, and the 73" DLP from Mitsubishi would fit quite nicely. So just like any good audio video enthusiasts would do on the weekend, he packed up the kids and spent some quality time at Best Buy and Magnolia to check it out.

HDTV Podcast #250

Fri, 15 Feb 2008 06:37:22 -0800

When Steve jobs introduced the next generation of AppleTV it took Ara about 30 seconds to decide it was worth buying the device. If for only satisfying his curiosities. So Ara purchased the new AppleTV about a month ago and there it sat until Tuesday of this week. That's because the device is essentially identical to the previous AppleTV but now with a new version of software the AppleTV is a brand new Machine. Ara gives his 'Take' on it, and we discuss Netflix and Best Buy going Blu.

HDTV Podcast #249

Tue, 12 Feb 2008 05:32:03 -0800

Most of us believe that what color you choose to put on the walls is a decision that should be left firmly in the hands of the aesthetics committee. But according to an article from the online version Electronic House magazine, the home theater enthusiast may want to weigh in on the decision. It seems there are some very good colors to use in the home theater, and some very bad colors.

And yes we went to CES, but no we didn't see everything. Insight Media just released their "Best Buzz" awards for CES 2008 and they mentioned a few products we either didn't see or didn't talk much about, so we thought it would be good to go over some of them. The Best Buzz awards are given by Insight Media at CES, and other trade shows each year. You can't petition to win - you win by showing a product or technology that gets people talking - something that creates buzz because of its uniqueness, innovation, styling, boldness or is just plain cool.

Finally a listener put together a A/V room with components that cost less than $5,000. This is something that you would be proud to show in your home. Take a look for yourself. Listener Joe's $5K Theater

HDTV Podcast #248

Fri, 08 Feb 2008 05:28:38 -0800

Listener Mike sent in a review of the Samsung BD-UP5000 combo Blu-ray and HD-DVD player. We review the Audioengine AW1 Wireless Audio Adapter. And the top 10 things we really wish could have been in high definition.

HDTV Podcast #247

Tue, 05 Feb 2008 05:27:59 -0800

We go over an article published at ElectronicHouse.com entitled How Much Will my Home Theater Cost? It describes what you can expect to get for $5K, $10K, $20K, $50K and $100k. We give your our take on the article. This is an audio feature but you can follow along with the link to the original article.

We also review the Monoprice HS-102 1X2 HDMI Distribution Amplifier.

HDTV Podcast #246

Fri, 01 Feb 2008 06:21:12 -0800

The Super Show; everything you'd ever want to know about Super Bowl XLII. There's something for everyone, even those who'd rather watch the Golden Girls than a sporting event, as we look at the technical production details behind the game, what TV to buy...even the somewhat odd way we decided who to pull for this year. You name it, it's all in there.

HDTV Podcast #245

Tue, 29 Jan 2008 05:41:18 -0800

This year's CES was as big as ever. Its too big for us to see and talk about everything so we try to stay focused on what most of our listeners are interested in. We recently received an email from Dale in McPherson, KS asking us to look into a product that was not shown on the main floor but in the Venetian hotel. The product is the Neosonik wireless home theater and hi-fi system. We have requested an evaluation system but we thought that the product would make a good topic for discussion.
Also,
We've discussed compression in the past, on Episode 13 and then again on Episode 107, but with all the talk about downloading HD content to your Vudu or Apple TV, and how that measures up to HD-DVD or Blu-ray, we thought it might be a good time to revisit the topic.

HDTV Podcast #244

Fri, 25 Jan 2008 06:30:30 -0800

There's lots of news and email to discuss, including the 'Save HD-DVD' petition. Will it work to slow the momentum Blu-ray is building? And DirecTV has some new features that aren't new to the market, but new for DirecTV subscribers, so we'll use them to get into deeper discussions on High Definition movies, specifically downloads versus discs.

HDTV Podcast #243

Tue, 22 Jan 2008 05:34:23 -0800

We witnessed the death of CRT a few years ago when we searched high and low all over the CES show floor for somebody showing anything resembling a tube TV and came up empty. This year, if you don't count the Texas Instruments DLP booth, we saw only three rear projection sets at the entire show. Sony has announced their exiting the market because it wasn't profitable. By not announcing anything new, JVC has all but announced that they won't be in the game for very much longer. Samsung announced a hand full of new models and Mitsubishi is is touting their new laser based unit that should be available before the end of the year. So for today's show we give you some tips that will help you decide if buying a Rear Projection TV is right for you.
Also,
Until now the concept of a media center PC, or a computer in your home theater has largely remained in the realm of the IT expert or extreme enthusiast. There hasn't really been a product yet that has bridged the gap between the IT side of your life and the consumer electronics side. We discuss our odds-on favorites to successfully mass market a computer for the Home Theater and "Bridge the Gap" from your computer to your TV.

HDTV Podcast #242

Fri, 18 Jan 2008 06:34:43 -0800

Last week it was CES and this week its Macworld. On today's show we cover Macworld from the perspective of HDTV and Home Theater. This year's Macworld was not as exciting as last year's but there were four announcements that you may be interested in.

HDTV Podcast #241

Tue, 15 Jan 2008 05:39:27 -0800

On Day two we walked the Central Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center, scouring the thousands of booths to find stuff you'd want to hear about. Listen to the show for all the details, but we've got highlights a bunch of great companies.

HDTV Podcast #240

Fri, 11 Jan 2008 07:05:55 -0800

We walked the South Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center, scouring the thousands of booths to find stuff you'd want to hear about. Listen to the show for all the details, but we've got highlights a bunch of great companies.

HDTV Podcast #239

Tue, 08 Jan 2008 04:53:09 -0800

What we will be looking for at CES

HDTV Podcast #238

Fri, 04 Jan 2008 06:55:55 -0800

Since we received positive feedback on the Transformers technical review we did a few months back, we decided to make them monthly features. We'll alternate between Blu Ray Discs and HD DVD discs. For our second technical movie review we chose Close Encounters of the Third Kind on Blu-ray.

HDTV Podcast #237

Tue, 01 Jan 2008 07:04:58 -0800

This being our first show for 2008 we decided to give you our predictions on what we see happening. We have ten items and they are in no particular order. Please feel free to send us your predictions for 2008.

Happy New Year from the HT Guys!!

HDTV Podcast #236

Fri, 28 Dec 2007 06:13:43 -0800

As we close another year on the HDTV Podcast, we look back over what happened in 2007. We also revisit the predictions we made back in January to see how well we did. We hope you had a wonderful 2007 and look forward to an exciting and prosperous 2008.

HDTV Podcast #235

Mon, 24 Dec 2007 22:44:15 -0800

Merry Christmas from the HT Guys. We would like to thank all our listeners for your continued support! Today's show pretty much empties out our email and voice mail. We hope you enjoy!

Ara Derderian and Braden Russell

HDTV Podcast #234

Fri, 21 Dec 2007 05:33:34 -0800

Ever wonder who made the best Holiday turkey in High Definition, or what is the most watched animal in High Definition? DirecTV did a survey of some very off-beat HD topics. We'll go over the results.

HDTV Podcast #233

Tue, 18 Dec 2007 05:48:27 -0800

We recently did a review of the Pioneer Elite PRO-150FD 60" Plasma TV back in November (Podcast 224) so when Pioneer offered us the 42 inch model we weren't sure that we wanted to review a TV that was so similar. Since the TV was 720p we decided that it was different enough to warrant a review.

HDTV Podcast #232

Fri, 14 Dec 2007 04:42:18 -0800

Last year we assembled two starter systems (see Podcast 132 for details) that we felt was a nice entry into the world of HDTV and Home Theater. This year we do the same. Last year Braden designed a system with a 42 inch plasma, 5.1 sound, upconverting DVD player and a universal remote all for $3032. Ara's system included a 56 inch LCoS rear projection, 7.1 sound, upconverting DVD player and a universal remote all for $3359. Both systems cost less than our original HDTVs did by themselves.

HDTV Podcast #231

Tue, 11 Dec 2007 05:39:02 -0800

So you've been listening to the show for a while and now you are ready to buy your HDTV. We have some tips for you to get the most out of your HDTV once you get it out of the box. With permission from Audioholics we go through Clint DeBoer's Basic Television Setup Tips.

HDTV Podcast #230

Fri, 07 Dec 2007 05:58:59 -0800

So far this year we have given you our HTIB and HDTV buying guide. Our series would not be complete without a Home Theater Receiver buying guide. This year our list contains receivers that will support Dolby True HD and DTS HD. We feel recommending a receiver without this capability would be wrong. There are cheaper receivers out there that will produce good sound but without next generation audio to go with your next generation DVD it would be like watching a VHS movie on your new HDTV.

HDTV Podcast #229

Tue, 04 Dec 2007 05:39:47 -0800

It's time for our annual HDTV buyers guide. Today we list TVs from three categories that we would like to own. The range from very affordable to if money was not an issues this is what we'd buy. Last year our most expensive TV was the $6000 for a 50 inch Pioneer Elite Plasma. This year out top of the line plasma is $7500 but for the additional money you get 60 inches of pure plasma fun. Our lowest cost TV in 2006 was a 32 inch Westinghouse LCD TV. It went for $600. This year for the same amount you get a 37 inch LCD. Last year $3200 got you a 60 inch SONY SXRD TV. This year we have a 73 inch 1080p DLP from Mitsubishi for $2500! Without further ado here is this year's list:

HDTV Podcast #228

Fri, 30 Nov 2007 06:25:25 -0800

The HT Guys 2007 Home Theater in a Box Buying Guide. We list and briefly discuss eight systems ranging from just under $300 to about $1000. Most systems do not include a DVD player. Why when you can get a great upconverting DVD player from Oppo Digital or buy and HD DVD player for less than $200!

HDTV Podcast #227

Tue, 27 Nov 2007 05:39:17 -0800

Our first place-shifting review happened way back in October of 2005 on Episode 40 when we first looked at the Sling Media Slingbox. It's been two years, and we're now looking at a device that bills itself as the Slingbox Killer - the HAVA. Place shifting isn't exactly the revolution that it might have been 2 years ago, but it's still cool, and the HAVA adds some unique twist to the application that are really nice. In a nutshell the HAVA allows you to watch TV on virtually any PC on your home network, or on any Internet connected PC anywhere in the world.

HDTV Podcast #226

Fri, 23 Nov 2007 04:41:13 -0800

Today we put together a special Thanksgiving episode. You'll have to listen to hear what the HT Guys are thankful for. Have a great Thanksgiving weekend!

HDTV Podcast #225

Tue, 20 Nov 2007 05:40:03 -0800

With Black Friday rapidly approaching, here are some of the deals our listeners may be interested in. This way you'll know where to camp out Thursday night. Our research came from various sites including: www.bfads.net, www.blackfriday.info, and blackfriday.gottadeal.com.

HDTV Podcast #224

Fri, 16 Nov 2007 06:41:41 -0800

When Ara went to CEDIA last September one of his favorite demonstrations was the Pioneer Elite Kuro plasma TV. Today we take a look at this TV and help you decide if you want to convince Santa to load this monster in his sleigh. The first thing you notice about the TV is how large and black it is. It measures 57-15/16 x 34-23/32 x 4-13/16 inches (WxHxD) without the stand and it weighs in 122 pounds without speakers. The speakers are optional and can be added onto the sides of the panel. It looks beautiful and the fit and finish are very nice. Its so black when its off. Actually, loosely translated Kuro, means deep blacks in Japanese and the TV delivers on its name.

HDTV Podcast #223

Tue, 13 Nov 2007 05:36:27 -0800

Netflix Watch Instantly Technology - Quick Review

There are so many ways to get movies from the Internet, and they seem to be multiplying daily. We've talked about the Netflix Watch Instantly feature in the past, but want to take a few minute to give it a closer look. Sometimes you need a movie right away. With Blockbuster you just swing by the store, withVUDU you just queue a download, but with Netflix you're our of luck, right? Wrong. If you have a computer connected to the TV - or at least one you can get to the TV pretty easily, you can download and watch any of a selection of movies instantly.

DRM - Digital Rights Management

We came across a blog post about DRM the other day and decided that it might be a good idea to put together a brief overview of the topic. Most of us have heard the acronym, and are probably pretty familiar with it, but for those who aren't, DRM, or Digital Rights Management, is a technological way to protect copyrighted content, such as a song or movie. A multimedia file with DRM is usually restricted to play back only on specific, authorized, pieces of hardware.

HDTV Podcast #222

Fri, 09 Nov 2007 07:26:52 -0800

Apple updated the Mac Operating System, and with it came some updates to Front Row and the DVD player, moving the platform even closer to the video server system we've put together. We'll fill you in on the details. We also have a review of the Audioengine A2 speakers.

HDTV Podcast #221

Tue, 06 Nov 2007 05:31:39 -0700

We already know that you can buy TVs and HTiB systems at Costco. But this weekend while shopping for much less important stuff I found that Costco has come a long way in selling gear that you would want in your home theater. While its not a Best Buy or Circuit City it does offer some essential gear at reasonable prices. Today we talk about what you might expect to find while walking down the electronics section of your local Costco. Note: not all products are available in all Costcos. This is what we found at our Irvine and Tustin Costco.

We also discuss an article at Electronic House called Common Pitfalls of Home Theater Installation.

HDTV Podcast #220

Fri, 02 Nov 2007 06:48:20 -0700

Ever since the Transformers HD-DVD episode there have been questions about audio formats, especially Dolby Digital Plus versus Dolby TrueHD. Questions like: Why would we want one instead of the other? What's the difference? Should we be upset if TrueHD is missing from a disc? We had the opportunity to ask Dolby experts Jack Buser and Craig Eggers these very questions. It's a great interview with a ton of great info.

HDTV Podcast #219

Tue, 30 Oct 2007 05:58:00 -0700

The features we have for you today are both listener requested. Ashton sent us an email asking to to explain PCM, Linear PCM and Bitstreams and Nathan wanted more information about Aspect Ratios.

HDTV Podcast #218

Fri, 26 Oct 2007 06:41:42 -0700

We try to be as format neutral as possible, after all what really matters is that you're watching movies in high definition. Who cares what disc format you use, right? To be fair, and to set the record straight, we'll go over all the specs for the two formats and see who has the edge in each category. By all accounts this format war is still neck and neck.

HDTV Podcast #217

Tue, 23 Oct 2007 05:34:34 -0700

We are big proponents of movie downloads and we always have our eyes peeled for a good solution. To date, all the solutions out there have something that the HT Guys don't like. The biggest issue we have is video quality but other issues include the payment system or requiring a computer to download and store the movie. Enter Vudu. It is a $400 set top box not much bigger than a Mac Mini that promises to deliver movies on demand that passes the HT Guys video quality requirements. The Video is DVD quality with HDTV promised for the future. You don't need a computer like Amazon's Unbox or Netflix streaming videos. And unlike the Xbox 360 Marketplace you know exactly what the movie is going to cost.

HDTV Podcast #216

Fri, 19 Oct 2007 05:49:50 -0700

Paramount released the Transformers HD-DVD on Tuesday and if you have an HD-DVD player, this one is a must buy. If you don't have a player yet, this movie might be a good reason to finally pull the trigger and get one. As a quick overview, the video quality is amazing, the surround sound is awesome and it's packed with special features. We aren't typically big fans of special features, but some of them are really worth your time.

HDTV Podcast #215

Tue, 16 Oct 2007 05:33:27 -0700

We update our discussion on Audio and Video cables

HDTV Podcast #214

Fri, 12 Oct 2007 05:19:20 -0700

An update to the Mac Mini Video Server project using new new 4.0 release of DVDPedia.

HDTV Podcast #213

Tue, 09 Oct 2007 05:55:13 -0700

So you've got your eye on a shiny new Plasma or LCD TV and think, well if I buy the flat panel TV, I might as well mount it to the wall, right? For some it may seem like a walk in the park. For others it might sound like a daunting task. But really, no matter what your background or skill level, mounting a flat panel TV is pretty easy.

HDTV Podcast #212

Fri, 05 Oct 2007 06:52:25 -0700

With more and more devices on the market supporting digital interfaces like HDMI and DVI it has become a necessity for TV manufacturers to build TVs with more than one HDMI input. That's great if you are buying a TV today. But what do you do if you have a relatively new TV with one HDMI input? You certainly are not going to trade it in. You have two choices, buy a new A/V receiver with HDMI switching capability or you can buy an HDMI Switch. Today we take a very quick look at a new product built by Oppo Digital that will take three HDMI inputs and switch them into one output.

HDTV Podcast #211

Tue, 02 Oct 2007 05:47:00 -0700

This is the time of year when we add the most new listeners to the HDTV and Home Theater Podcast. First of all, welcome to the show, we're glad you found us. Some of you new listeners are new to the world of HDTV, having just installed your first one. Maybe you wanted to see this Football season in high def, or the world series, or the 2007 Fall dramas. Whatever it is, congratulations on your new TV. Or maybe you're anticipating jumping into the world of high definition with you first HDTV this Christmas are are doing the research early, trying to figure out what it all means and what you need to do to make it happen. Keep listening, we're here to help.

HDTV Podcast #210

Fri, 28 Sep 2007 06:05:55 -0700

A few weeks ago we learned that most consumers put a heavier emphasis on cost than any other specification when selecting an HDTV. So we decided to obtain and review a TV that can be considered a value brand. While not the cheapest TV on the market today the Westinghouse TX-42F430S is definitely a value for what you get. This Westy has many of the cool features that the more expensive tier 1 TVs do and a couple that they don't.

HDTV Podcast #209

Tue, 25 Sep 2007 05:51:23 -0700

Al Gore recently won an Emmy Award for interactive television for his Current TV network. The network features a mix of professionally produced and viewer submitted content. It's almost like the Cable TV version of YouTube. Gore says that we live in a world where viewers want to be in control of their media. Whether the Current TV model is actually what one would call "Interactive TV" is probably debatable. Just because there's a network devoted to running home movies, like a 24 hour Funniest Home Videos, and I can see see the next Star Wars Kid video on Cable doesn't necessarily mean I'm in control, or I can interact with it, but evidently the Academy believes it is.

HDTV Podcast #208

Fri, 21 Sep 2007 06:00:06 -0700

Recently, Kevin from Wright City Missouri sent in an email asking us if we had heard anything more about any Microsoft plans for IPTV using their Xbox360 as a platform. Way back in January, Robbie Bach, president of The Microsoft Entertainment and Devices Division, showed the IPTV service at CES and since then we have not heard much more about it. At that time they said the service would be available around the Holiday season, which is just around the corner. So what will the service provide?

HDTV Podcast #207

Tue, 18 Sep 2007 05:40:35 -0700

Part 2 of our CEDIA Roundup. We'd like to talk about the companies that we visited and what we saw. Use the following as a guide to follow along with the discussion on the podcast. We have provided as many links as we can to help in your information gathering. So here we go in no particular order...

HDTV Podcast #206

Fri, 14 Sep 2007 05:36:11 -0700

Now that we have had some time to collect our thoughts on the recent CEDIA Expo. We'd like to talk about the companies that we visited and what we saw. Use the website as a guide to follow along with the discussion on the podcast. We have provided as many links as we can to help in your information gathering.

HDTV Podcast #205

Tue, 11 Sep 2007 05:43:24 -0700

Today's show is mostly news and email. Ara spent the weekend in Denver Colorado at the CEDIA expo. We will have a full CEDIA rundown on Friday's podcast. For today, Ara briefly talks about his experience at the show. We wrap up with the top ten selling Blu Ray Discs and HD DVDs as ranked by Amazon.com on Monday September 10th.

HDTV Podcast #204

Fri, 07 Sep 2007 04:28:19 -0700

We received a question from a listener regarding HDMI and it's various versions. That led us into a full discussion on everything from what all the various versions are capable of, how they inter-operate, backward compatibility issues, you name it. Today it's all about the HDMI.

HDTV Podcast #203

Tue, 04 Sep 2007 06:07:57 -0700

In Ara's never ending search for the perfect low cost whole house audio system he has experimented with many powered speaker systems but its always been a compromise. Either the speakers were too small and did not produce enough volume, or they did not produce an acceptable level of audio quality, or they were just plain ugly. Today we talk about a speaker system that gives him everything he was looking for without compromise.

HDTV Podcast #202

Fri, 31 Aug 2007 05:19:29 -0700

We all know that HDTV is a sports fan's best friend. In many aspects watching your favorite sport on a big screen HDTV in the comfort of your own home is even better than being there live. You get a better view, you don't have to worry about any kind of weather issues, and you control the remote and the concessions. What could be better? With the football season in full swing, we thought we'd take a look at what you need to enjoy the full sports experience at home. Whether you watch college football or the pros, love baseball or soccer, tune in for the world track and field championships or team tennis tournaments, here's what you need to really get all you can out of it from right in your own living room.

HDTV Podcast #201

Tue, 28 Aug 2007 05:50:36 -0700

We've talked in the past about the Yamaha Sound Projector. It's a box that looks like one center channel speaker, but really it simulates a full surround sound experience. In demos we've had, it actually works really well, better than we would have guessed, but it needs some help from the environment. It's really at its best when the room it's in is fairly rectangular and doesn't have too much sound dampeneing material, like drapes, on the walls. But there seems to be some competition encroaching on the YSPs virtual surround world. Since we did a feature on 2.1 home theater systems a few episodes ago, we decided to put together a "1.1 that really sounds like 5.1" home theater system roundup for today.

HDTV Podcast #200

Fri, 24 Aug 2007 05:07:09 -0700

We announce the Winners of the show 200 giveaway contest and by now you have probably heard that Paramount and DreamWorks Animation are now exclusive HD DVD studios. So if you want to watch Shrek the III or Transformers on a next generation format you'll need an HD DVD player. We'll give you our take on the big announcement.

HDTV Podcast #199

Tue, 21 Aug 2007 06:55:21 -0700

It seems like the concept of IPTV or Internet video or downloadable movies comes up almost weekly on the HDTV Podcast. We're excited about the idea that one day we'll be able to just queue a Netflix movie and have it download straight to some sort of STB or HTPC. Hopefully it will be at least DVD quality. But getting the movie selection of Netflix or Blockbuster, without having to wait for a DVD to arrive in the mail or having to visit a store, will be great. The next step is to actually subscribe to TV shows so that new episodes download automatically. Other than the live content problem, this totally solves the a lacarte Cable question. But all these discussions revolve around the word "someday." ...

HDTV Podcast #198

Fri, 17 Aug 2007 05:18:19 -0700

We've received a few emails lately asking us to talk about 2.1 home theater systems. This is not something that would necessarily go into a large dedicated home theater but something that would work well in a small apartment or a master bedroom. It consists of a receiver. left and right speakers, a sub woofer. You would supply your own DVD player and television set top box.

HDTV Podcast #197

Tue, 14 Aug 2007 05:38:13 -0700

It seems like a lot of what we've been talking about on the show lately has revolved around something Braden is doing. But if it matters to one of us, odds are it might matter to some of you, so here's another one. With the addition of boy number four to the Russell home, we've realized that our current car just doesn't quite fit our needs. We spent the whole weekend minivan shopping, and loved every minute of it. But the one thing in the van that mattered most to Braden was the rear entertainment system - the DVD player. After all the looking around and shopping and everything, it turns out they're all pretty much the same, a DVD player and an LCD screen. You can listen to the movie through the car speakers, or with wireless headphones. And that's it. No glitz, no glamor, just circa 2001 technology billed as the latest and greatest. ...

HDTV Podcast #196

Fri, 10 Aug 2007 05:00:00 -0700

From time to time we like to run down to our local Best Buy and see what they have in their Magnolia Home Center. This weekend we saw the 65 inch LCD from Sharp (LC-65D93U) that just grabbed our attention and said take a look at me.

HDTV Podcast #195

Tue, 07 Aug 2007 05:53:33 -0700

Most of us have had a computer just give up on us at one point or another. For whatever reason it just decides to give up and die. It can happen to a PC, a Mac, a Linux box, you name it. Nowadays there are so many options on replacements, it's tough to decide what to do. What are the options? We also announce a show 200 giveaway!

HDTV Podcast #194

Fri, 03 Aug 2007 03:55:44 -0700

It is no secret that the HT Guys like and recommend Oppo Digital upconverting DVD players. We have reviewed the current lineup of DV-970HD, OPDV971H, and DV-981HD players in the past. Today we take a look at the new Oppo Digital DV-980H. Essentially the 980 is the same as a 970 but with 1080p and better audio capability for just $20 more. This review will not be as detailed as previous Oppo reviews because we found that the performance was similar to the 970. We'll concentrate on what is new or what has improved.

HDTV Podcast #193

Tue, 31 Jul 2007 05:52:43 -0700

Back in April of 2005, Episode #2 in fact, we did a comparison between LCD, DLP and Plasma as your three main choices for living room HDTVs. The landscape has changed a little since then, so we've decided to update the comparison. We also had to add flat panel LCD and LCoS to the discussion. Like the original, we're sticking with only the digital display types. Sorry CRT fans.

HDTV Podcast #192

Fri, 27 Jul 2007 06:20:55 -0700

Today, we are taking a look at the Gefen Home Theater Scaler; a scaler that costs $450 and can scale your video, convert your analog sources to digital, and act as a switch box for up to four video sources.

HDTV Podcast #191

Tue, 24 Jul 2007 03:17:18 -0700

Braden is back (sort of) from paternity leave, so the show is almost back to the regular format. There's a little news, some listener email and a detailed discussion of Ara's experience with the Mac Airport Express for whole house audio.

HDTV Podcast #190

Fri, 20 Jul 2007 05:41:17 -0700

Braden's is a father again. His son was born on Wednesday July 18th. Mother, Baby, and HT Guy are doing fine. I would love it if you could send the Russell family a congratulations email or e-card. Please send it to babyforbraden@gmail.com. Braden and I know we have the best listeners out there. It would be real cool for Braden's wife to get the same appreciation.

We still have a full show for this week. I (Ara) will talk to my wife Lina about what its like living with an HD nut. I'll try and get some tips for you guys to get the finance committee on your side. Finally Braden and I pre-recorded a short segment knowing that this day would get here.

HDTV Podcast #189

Tue, 17 Jul 2007 05:49:13 -0700

We talk about the Family and Consumer Act of 2007 and how it may bring a la carte pricing to your TV. We also revisit a subject that we have received allot of email about. Should you go and buy a 1080p when you can get a great deal on 720p TVs. For a refresher we are including information from our November 14th show as well as a link to an interview at Electronic house with SIM2 marketing Manager Greg Nicoloso.

HDTV Podcast #188

Fri, 13 Jul 2007 06:08:07 -0700

Back to our normal, lively format we review the HDHomeRun from Silicon Dust. Then we diverge into a topic we can't really explain - you just have to listen to it. I bet you never thought you'd hear this phrase ever uttered on the HDTV and Home Theater Podcast. Enjoy!

HDTV Podcast #187

Tue, 10 Jul 2007 05:51:48 -0700

We are still on vacation. But that didn't keep us from pre-recording a great show for you today. We have the usual listener emails but we also have a listener review of the Sharp LC- 37D62U LCD TV and we have a listener's first impression of the SONY BDP-S300 Blu Ray Player.

HDTV Podcast #186

Fri, 06 Jul 2007 05:53:22 -0700

We are officially on vacation today, but just like the post office, we continue to deliver - even in the face of really nice weather and hawaiian shirts. We consider this one to be a "casual dress" Friday; no formal content, just classic HT Guys discussion. On the list of topics: * Creating a Wii Media Server * Managed copy for standard DVDs * ESPN HD on Dish Network * Sitcoms in HD - what's up with that? * Is Disk Size (file size) the new DRM?

HDTV Podcast #185

Tue, 03 Jul 2007 05:55:39 -0700

CE Pro produces a list of the top 100 custom electronics dealers every year, ranked by revenue. Then they take that information and ask each of those dealers what their favorite products are to sell in a bunch of different categories. They call it the Top 100 Products Analysis. We go over this information every year not because we believe these are necessarily the best you can buy, but because it provides some really good insight.

We came across an article recently at cable360.net entitled From Nature to News: HD's Learning Curve. The article got us thinking about how far HDTV has come since we started the podcast, and how much territory is still left to cover. The article focuses on the nonfiction HD programming available today - everything except sports, that is. Sports has always dominated HDTV, but the landscape may be changing. Much of what was in the article answers any argument as to why a reality show, like Survivor, isn't in HD. We talked about that at the beginning of June.

HDTV Podcast #184

Fri, 29 Jun 2007 05:52:25 -0700

Today we talk about the DVD Copy Control Associations attempt to add an amendment to its licensing agreement that requires a DVD to be present during playback. Then we move on to discuss an email from Jason in Brooklyn, NY which spurred some debate around the offices of the HT Guys. Jason asked us to convince him why he should upgrade to the next generation DVD format.

HDTV Podcast #183

Tue, 26 Jun 2007 05:54:49 -0700

We finally talk about our MythTV experience. For this show we have invited Jeff Davis to be our guest. Jeff was critical in putting our MythTV project together. He did most of the Low Level LINUX work for us including finding and installing device drivers.

HDTV Podcast #182

Fri, 22 Jun 2007 07:22:23 -0700

First we cover the ins and outs of the FCC CableCard mandate. Then we review the Toshiba HD-A2 HD-DVD player. You can find some great deals on the Toshiba HD-DVD players right now, we'll let you know whether or not to take advantage of them.

HDTV Podcast #181

Tue, 19 Jun 2007 05:49:37 -0700

We have heard, and read, countless stories about listeners, and their friends, ordering HD only to find out that their service was not properly set up. Today we are going to give you a check list of things to ask your installer to Make sure you you get all the HD you pay for!

Also, we throw a bunch of terms around when talking about Home Theater receivers, and, based on some of the emails we have received, it has come to our attention that a few of you may not understand some of them. We thought it might be time for a review.

HDTV Podcast #180

Fri, 15 Jun 2007 06:11:12 -0700

Last week we talked about Microsoft Vista Media Center using the HP Pavilion Media Center m8000n. After getting a ton of emails on the subject, we decided to revisit the topic and install some add-on programs to trick out the Media Center a little. While Microsoft has done a solid job at creating a well rounded home theater PC interface, there are a few companies and individuals out there that have extended the original design to create the ultimate experience.

HDTV Podcast #179

Tue, 12 Jun 2007 05:57:39 -0700

There are have been a allot of stories going around the Internet about how Major League Baseball may go after Sling Media. Today we will talk about the issues and give you the HT Guys take on the subject. As always feel free to send us your thoughts on the subject.

The HT Guys are both dads, and yes we both have some idea of what would make a nice Father's Day present. As we're sure everyone already knows, especially our wives and kids, Father's Day this year falls on June 17th. Instead of waiting until the Friday show to talk about gift ideas, we decided to give you a little time. This way if you're a dad, you have some time to plant subliminal gift suggestions, or if you have a dad or husband you need to buy something for, you have plenty of time get it. Of course, being HT Guys suggestions, these are all very high tech gifts for the techno minded dad.

HDTV Podcast #178

Fri, 08 Jun 2007 05:40:15 -0700

Using a computer in your home theater in one way or another has been a hot topic on the show for a while now; we have looked at the Mac Mini, we're looking at Linux and MythTV, various Windows topics have come up, etc. Today we want discus another HTPC product, but this time it's an off-the-shelf Media Center running Microsoft Vista, the HP Pavilion Media Center m8000n.

HDTV Podcast #177

Tue, 05 Jun 2007 05:42:26 -0700

We cover two topics that appeared online recently. The first is an article from Electronic House and it discusses what the networked home of the future will be like. The second comes from ProAV Magazine and it covers Outdoor Speaker Design.

HDTV Podcast #176

Fri, 01 Jun 2007 05:58:56 -0700

We'd all love it if every show we watched was in HD; and for many of us that includes a reality show or two. We'll discuss a few reasons why they may not be in High Def yet, and why those reasons may not be valid. Then we have a review of the Panasonic TH-50PZ700U 1080p plasma television.

HDTV Podcast #175

Tue, 29 May 2007 05:44:57 -0700

We give you a debrief about our recent visit to Dolby Laboratories. And since the TV season in the US just ended this week, we want discuss what we enjoyed in HD and what we stopped watching.

HDTV Podcast #174

Fri, 25 May 2007 06:00:00 -0700

A very special HDTV and Home Theater Podcast. We have an abreviated one for you today. Braden was called away on an emergency so Ara had to fly solo. The show today was just email and news. Back to the regular podcast on Tuesday. Thanks for understanding!

HDTV Podcast #173

Tue, 22 May 2007 05:47:18 -0700

We have a review of the Panasonic TH-50PX75U 50 Inch Plasma TV we also give you our thoughts on an article from Connected Home Magazine titled The Future of Media in the Networked Home.

HDTV Podcast #172

Fri, 18 May 2007 05:31:02 -0700

After listener emails and the news, we go over a few tips on buying speakers. Then we close it out with a review of the Rocketfish Wireless Rear Speaker System.

HDTV Podcast #171

Tue, 15 May 2007 05:46:58 -0700

We have a discussion about building a do it yourself Drive-In Theater. The idea comes to us from Popular Mechanics magazine. We also talk about a fantastic 3D movie experience from Real D.

HDTV Podcast #170

Fri, 11 May 2007 03:02:01 -0700

Highlights from the 2007 Cable Industry Show in Las Vegas and a discussion on DVD on Demand technology. There's some really great stuff on the horizon, you don't want to miss it.

HDTV Podcast #169

Tue, 08 May 2007 06:03:33 -0700

We have a review of the Samsung LN-T2332H 23" LCD HDTV and we discuss an article in Electronic House Magazine called 10 Things About Sound That You Were Afraid to Ask.

HDTV Podcast #168

Fri, 04 May 2007 05:34:18 -0700

Ever wonder how you would design the perfect Xbox 360 Home Theater Edition? Gizmodo thought about it, and came up with some cool ideas. We also have a review of the Panasonic DMR-EZ47VK DVD Recorder; it received the coveted 'digital video Swiss Army knife' award.

HDTV Podcast #167

Tue, 01 May 2007 05:58:21 -0700

Just when we were ready to pronounce traditional movie theaters dead and buried, they may be in the early stages of a very strong comeback. We received an email from listener Darin about some work Peter Jackson, the director of the Lord of the Rings Trilogy, had done using a new camera from a company simply called Red. We talk about what impact this can have on both the cinema and the home theater.

HDTV Podcast #166

Fri, 27 Apr 2007 06:30:38 -0700

We throw around terms like Dolby Pro Logic and Matrix Decoding all the time. In today's show we actually define the terms, give a little background on the technology and hopefully explain it a bit.

HDTV Podcast #165

Tue, 24 Apr 2007 05:46:48 -0700

The timing was almost perfect. We did a little feature on home automation a few episodes ago, then started to receive a ton of email on the subject. Not long after the April 2007 edition of CE Pro magazine showed up. It had a feature in it entitled "The Ultimate Guide to Home Automation." We go through a list of DIY home automation products. We also discuss a recent blog by Mark Cuban that talks about the HDTV becoming the new PC.

HDTV Podcast #164

Fri, 20 Apr 2007 06:47:41 -0700

We discuss a blog about the top 20 reasons why Home Theater is better than the Movie Theater. Then we review the Mitsubishi WD-65831 65" 1080p DLP.

HDTV Podcast #163

Tue, 17 Apr 2007 05:56:01 -0700

When you go out to buy an HDTV you are usually bombarded with all kinds of specifications and numbers. One of the most misused is Contrast Ratio. Today we help you understand what Contrast Ratio is all about. We also opine about being able to control your system over HDMI via CEC (Consumer Electronics Control)

HDTV Podcast #162

Fri, 13 Apr 2007 05:12:45 -0700

In this, our spooky Friday the 13th episode, we cover some really scary stuff, like the DLO Homedock Pro and HD Radio. OK, so they really aren't all that scary, but it's a fun show. Take a listen.

HDTV Podcast #161

Tue, 10 Apr 2007 06:15:29 -0700

We decompose an article in Home in Home Media Magazine entitled Katzenberg: HD is a Niche. We try to get to the real meaning behind Jeffrey Katzenberg's statements. We also talk about the Digital Living Network Alliance, or DLNA and what their view of the future is.

HDTV Podcast #160

Fri, 06 Apr 2007 07:32:23 -0700

We discuss what might happen in the DVD server market now that Kaleidescape has put their legal struggles behind them, including devices like the T2 Media Server from Interact-TV. We also picked our 10 favorite shows in High Definition, but we each used slightly different criteria to pick them. You'll have to listen to find out more.

HDTV Podcast #159

Tue, 03 Apr 2007 06:21:01 -0700

We go through the 2007 RAVE awards from Home Theater Magazine and we provide a basic introduction to home automation.

HDTV Podcast #158

Fri, 30 Mar 2007 06:44:44 -0700

In response to emails about those on a limited budget, we put together a complete HDTV setup for under $1200 to get you in the game. We also have a review of the Intimus 532 speakers from Aperion.

HDTV Podcast #157

Tue, 27 Mar 2007 06:21:13 -0700

We have a review of the JVC HD-61FN97 61" 1080p HDTV we also have a discussion on home automation that the home owner can program. Well sort of.

HDTV Podcast #156

Fri, 23 Mar 2007 06:55:27 -0700

Today we provide what we think is a definitive list of what HD channels are available, and what one's are coming in 2007 and 2008. Then we discuss the HQV Benchmark DVD from Silicon Optix.

HDTV Podcast #155

Tue, 20 Mar 2007 06:18:59 -0800

Today we have the pleasure of speaking with Jack Buser and Craig Eggers of the DolbyCast. We talk about their latest audio technology and other audio related topics.

HDTV Podcast #154

Fri, 16 Mar 2007 06:41:14 -0800

Just two guys hanging out in Ara's new media room, talking home theater and having a good time. We go over all the ins and outs of Ara's new setup.

HDTV Podcast #153

Tue, 13 Mar 2007 06:07:03 -0800

We discuss an article from Electronic House entitled "Home Theater for Small Rooms" And we remember Dr Robert Adler, the father of the remote control, by talking a bit about the history and technology behind the one product in the home theater that we all take for granted.

HDTV Podcast #152

Fri, 09 Mar 2007 06:08:43 -0800

This is part one in our one part interview with Ara Derderian, co-host of the HDTV and Home Theater podcast. We pick his brain about setting up a do-it-yourself video server and home entertainment network. He based his on the Mac Mini from Apple.

HDTV Podcast #151

Tue, 06 Mar 2007 06:04:27 -0800

When we saw the new Vizio 60 inch Plasma (the MAXIMVS) via a press release a few weeks ago we were very impressed by its specifications. This week we take an in store look at the TV (Vizio does not send out evaluation samples). There's a new acronym emerging that we want to give you a heads-up on. It's called 'iDCR' and stands for 'Interactive Digital Cable Ready..

HDTV Podcast #150

Fri, 02 Mar 2007 08:18:18 -0800

Part three of our three part interview with Phil Dade of Cavalti Home Theater.

HDTV Podcast #149

Tue, 27 Feb 2007 05:48:33 -0800

We run down a list of the top 10 "Must Have" home technology trends from a Market watch article and we talk about three cool home theater gadgets that we found interesting.

HDTV Podcast #148

Fri, 23 Feb 2007 07:11:12 -0800

Last Friday (Episode 146) we played part one of an interview we did with custom home theater designer Phil Dade of Cavalti Home Theater in Newport Beach. Today's show is part two of the Q and A session. Great stuff!