AV Adviser

A movie to show off your home theater

Cleveland - Ask most anyone who works in a home theater store what movie they are most tired of.  The answer may well be the 1997 film The Fifth Element.  There's a reason for that.

We call it reference material.  The movie scenes or songs that best show off a system.  Much of it lies in the personal taste of  the salesperson.  It's much easier to convey the passion for a product when you are as dazzled by it as the customer.  So you choose songs you really like that sound great through a good pair of speakers, or a movie scene that pops on the screen.

There are reference movies that have a general consensus though.  Anything from Pixar qualifies as a proven winner in showing off a home theater.  The same goes for the weird sci-fi movie The Fifth Element starring Bruce Willis.  The results of a remastering in the 2000s made it one of the best video renderings of a motion picture.  It seemed every hi-fi store had a copy playing on a big screen.  Truth be told, I never saw the movie really.  I've seen just about every scene but in a jumbled order.  Anyway, I'm not big on the sci-fi genre. 

Once in awhile a new movie comes out that holds promise of becoming a reference piece.  This week sees the release of Life Of Pi, a gorgeous film.  With it's odd juxatposition of wide open seas and tiger close ups it's memorable and stunning.  And it's all digital trickery.  Here's a look at how they did it.

If you have a question or if I may be of service email me at radiohannibal@gmail.com

John Hannibal

Sony struggles to keep up with the IT guys

Cleveland - I love Sony.  I have one of their SXRD TVs.  It's fabulous.  The Sony name conjures up long lasting images of a company making quality products.  It all began with the Trinitron TV. 

The thing is they still make great products.  But they have been playing catch up and trying to combat the onslaught of the IT upstarts.  It's taking its toll as is pointed out in this story from Motley Fool, How Apple, Smartphones, and Tablets Are Killing Sony.

I still pitch Sony video products all the time.  As I say, their patented SXRD technology makes for a great looking projector image.  And their flat panels always look terrific.  I'm pulling for ya' Sony. 

If you have a question or if I may be of service email me at radiohannibal@gmail.com

John Hannibal

A projector for your iPhone or iPad

Cleveland - Here's a pretty cool video projector.  It's designed to project the image on your iPhone or iPad and it falls roughly between the size of the two. 

The HDMI Pocket Projector from Brookstone is certainly not a substitute for a home theater grade experience, but at $300 it may have a market.  College students can blow the image up on their dorm room wall.  A saleperson, always on the ready for a pitch, can whip this gadget out and be power pointing in moments. 

My son and I love Brookstone, which recently opened a store in Great Northern.  He likes gadgets as much as I do.  I'm so proud.  I plan on checking out this new projector of there's very soon. 

If you have question or if I may be of service email me at radiohannibal@gmail.com

John Hannibal

 

Industry name change from 4K to Ultra HD bad idea

So last week the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) set the standard for specs on consumer 4K technology and changed the name to Ultra HD, CEA Designates 4K As "Ultra HD".  That would seem like a good move but ultimately it'll lead to confusion and misrepresentation. 

4K is the term for digital video technology that is far greater than present day high definition TV.  The fact that HD is not that old compared to the image we lived with for decades is another story.  It's going to be a hard sell to motivate buyers to get rid of their present TV for 4K just as it was/is with 3D.  And just like HD, 4K needs new cameras and equipment to record in this new format.  That's an expenditure local TV stations are not thrilled to make as they see their viewership whittled away by competing cable networks and the internet.  So it's hard to say right now when 4K will be a viable alternative to HD. 

The CEA's idea to set the standard for 4K is great.  The organization does this all the time with new technology.  It's a way to clarify the technology and protect the consumer from differing specs and confusion.  Changing the name to Ultra HD, on the other hand, is a mistake.

First of all it sounds to close to HD and the name ultra is just a superfluous word. It sounds like another way of saying HD, just adding a hyped up adjective.  This is going to lead to confusion by the consumer and possible misreprestnation by manufacturers and retailers.  Look at LED TVs.  The reality is that they are not LED TVs.  They are LCD TVs with LED backlighting being marketed and sold as LED technology.  LED televisions are a totally different technology and have little presence, if any, in the consumer market.  The same slippery marketing is going to happen with Ultra HD. 

What's wrong with simply keeping the name 4K?  Sony thinks it's a good idea, Sony Will Keep 4K Name.  Granted, they'll tag the brand 4K with the Ultra High Definition as in 4KUHD.

The CEA did not get it right this time.  Ultra HD sounds like hyperbole and may just turn off the consumer. 

If you have a question or if I may be of service email me at radiohannibal@gmail.com

John Hannibal

21st century Top 5 home entertainment developments, number 3

Next on my list of top five home entertainment developments of the 21st centrury is the blu-ray disc.

The first blu-ray discs to hit the market in 2006.  Remember the battle between blu-ray and HD DVD?  My money was always on blu-ray to come out the winner. 

Watching a movie on a blu-ray disc for the first time was similar to experiencing high def but even more stunning.  After all there's no 1080P content on TV, the resolution of the blu-ray disc. 

Alas, as physical media slowly vanishes the same will hold for the blu-ray disc.  It'll become a niche market.  It pretty much is now. 

If you have a question or if I may be of service email me at radiohannibal@gmail.com

John Hannibal

Panasonic plasma still looks best

There was a time when Pioneer held the crown as making the best looking plasma TV on the market.  The problem was it cost too much to manufacture and consumers weren't convinced that spending a premium was worth the better picture.  Pioneer got out of the TV business.  It was a sad day.  

Since then Panasonic has taken over as the plasma TV to beat.  Plasma has lost a ton of market share to LCD but the fact remains that LCD is an inferior picture.  

Here's a new story touting, once again, the virtues of the Panasonic plasma, Best Home-Theater TV: Panasonic Viera 60-inch Plasma.  I say it often, TVs are nothing more than a commodity these days.  Still, certain ones do rise above the rest. 

If you have a question or if I may be of service email me at radiohannibal@gmail.com

John Hannibal

A look at distributed video in your home

To be honest, I'm not a big advocate for distributed video in the home.  It can be costly and, unless you've got a major collection of movies on disc it doesn't make much sense.  This is especially true today with wireless networks and streaming media devices. 

Still, I'm not going to stop anyone from doing something they've got there mind set on.  So how do you go about setting up a distributed video system?  Well the guys at HDTV Magazine have dedicated an entire podcast to the subject, HDTV and Home Theater Podcast - Podcast #537: Wiring Up Whole House Video…Or Not. 

Here you'll not only find a link to the show toward the bottom of the page but also an overall review in written form, including terms that may be unfamiliar to you.  If you decide that you'd like to pursue such a project then let me know.  I'd be happy to make it a reality for you.

If you have a question or if I may be of service email me at radiohannibal@gmail.com

John Hannibal

Sony releases 4K projector for your home theater

Forget about 3D, at least in its present form, what's more exciting is 4K resolution.  The idea of making a high def picture 4 times as detailed makes video fans salivate.  Well the future is here as Sony has just introduced its first 4k home theater projector. 

The Sony VPL-VW1000ES costs about $26,000.  Wait a couple of years when there will be more models and the price drops is my advice.  But if you have to be an early adopter then have at it.  Here's the lowdown from Gizmag, Sony releases world's first 4K home theater projector.

If you have a question or if I may be of service email me at radiohannibal@gmail.com

John Hannibal

A flat panel TV face off, what's the best TV on the market?

Kevin Miller of ISFTV, a company that specializes in TV calibration, recently conducted a flat panel TV face off.  Pitting TVs against each other to determine which TV is the best. 

Last week he spoke with Home Theater Geek host, Scott Wilkinson, and discussed the competition and the results.  Here's the show.

 

Calling Cleveland Crestron customers

Calling Cleveland Crestron customers (how about that for some alliteration).  If your home or business is equipped with a Crestron system, more specifically one that uses analog video here's your chance to trade in that equipment for dollars toward some new digital gear. 

In fact going digital is something everyone should consider.  Component (analog) video connections are going away and, if the powers that be have their way, existing component video will be downgraded to standard definition.  It happened in the Europe and it can happen here. 

For you non-Crestron folk that means possibly updating your TV and/or av receiver so that all your connections are HDMI (like the one pictured in my blog banner).  If you have Crestron equipment here's the lowdown, Get cash for analog trash. 

The easiest thing to do is send me an email .  We can set up a free walk thru so that I can assess your video situation and get you on the right digital track. Besides, digital means a better looking picture, less cables and easier operation.

If you have a question or if I may be of service email me at radiohannibal@gmail.com

John Hannibal