HDTV and Home Theater Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Podcast #1037: Are Streaming Delays Ruining Live sports on IPTV Services? Feb 04, 2022

Show notes

We have a shortened show this week but fear not we will go back to our regular show next week. For this week we ask if streaming delays an issue for you when watching live sports? We also have abbreviated email and news segments as well.

News:

Other:

Stu's Voice Activated Home Theater

Streaming TV Delays a Growing Headache for Sports Fans

Picture this: you're in the Kansas City metro area, watching last Sunday's thrilling Divisional Round matchup against the Bills. Josh Allen just connected with Gabriel Davis for what seems like their 10th TD of the night and you think your team is absolutely done for. You suddenly hear a roar from the viewing party across the street and your group chat blows up. You look up at your screen and…the kick returner is letting the ensuing kickoff go into the endzone. It's only once your feed catches up that you see what all the fuss was about. Full article here…

Podcast #1036: What's Next for Google TV and Smart Homes in 2022 Jan 28, 2022

Show notes

On today's show we look at what's next for Google TV and look at what the "Smart home" of 2022 will look like. We also read your emails and look at the news of the week.

What's next for Google TV

Google's living room strategy appears to be working: The company revealed at CES last week that there are now 110 million monthly active Android TV devices in the world. Thirty million of these have been added since last May alone, and a growing number are using the company's new Google TV interface, with TCL revealing at the trade show that it is now selling 10 million TV sets with the Google TV UI a year. So where does Google go from here?

Brave new home: 2022 will be remembered for how it redefined the smart home

2022 may well mark a final step toward incarnation for the smart home: Millions of people have been driven into their homes during the pandemic; millions more have begun building new homes according to the emergent needs of a world rewritten by COVID; average internet speeds can finally support connected homes, and those speeds will only continue to climb; a new communication protocol might finally unite a historically siloed industry; and, perhaps most importantly, people are more tech-literate, more tech-interested and readier to live in smart homes than ever before. Full article here…

Podcast #1035: Fixing the Dialog in the Movies Jan 21, 2022

Show notes

On today's show we help you determine if your new HDMI cable is Ultra High Speed certified and discuss whether Samsung's Mini LEDs are harmful to your eyes. We finished with why dialog in today's movies is so bad and how the movie studios can fix them. Plus we read your email and look at the week's news.

Ultra High Speed HDMI® Cable Certification Program

The HDMI 2.1 Specification includes a new cable - the Ultra High Speed HDMI® Cable. It's the only cable that complies with stringent specifications designed to ensure support for all HDMI 2.1 features including uncompressed 8k@60 and 4K@120. The cable's increased bandwidth capability supports up to 48Gbps. Full info here…

LG Display welcomes Samsung's QD-OLED, says miniLED is bad for eye health

LG Display is currently the sole supplier of OLED TV panels to all TV brands including Hisense, LG, Sony, Panasonic, Philips, and Vizio, but later in 2022 Samsung Display will introduce the first real alternative in the form of QD-OLED, which will be available in TVs from Samsung and Sony. Full info here…

Here's Why Movie Dialogue Has Gotten More Difficult To Understand (And Three Ways To Fix It)

I used to be able to understand 99% of the dialogue in Hollywood films. But over the past 10 years or so, I've noticed that percentage has dropped significantly — and it's not due to hearing loss on my end. It's gotten to the point where I find myself occasionally not being able to parse entire lines of dialogue when I see a movie in a theater, and when I watch things at home, I've defaulted to turning the subtitles on to make sure I don't miss anything crucial to the plot. Full article here…

Podcast 1034: 2022 CES Innovation Awards Jan 14, 2022

Show notes

2022 CES Innovation Awards

On today's show we rundown some of the 2022 Innovation Award winners. We are discussing products related to home theater and audio as well as the Smart Home for this discussion. The full list can be found here…

Headphones & Personal Audio, Portable Media Players & Accessories

Introducing the Anker Soundcore Frames—inspired by home audio systems and stylish eyewear. Soundcore Frames have a unique interchangeable frame design and the world's first OpenSurround System for open-ear surround sound which offers users a completely new lifestyle and technology experience. Starting at $199

Experience golden sound from true-wireless earbuds. Using ACAA 2.0, the second generation of the world's first coaxial hybrid driver unit, the Anker Liberty 3 Pro produce stunning sound which has achieved Hi-Res Audio Wireless certification and features Soundcore's innovative HearID ANC for noise cancelling that's tailored to your ears. $169

ROG Cetra TWS Pro in-ear headphones offer wireless and wired connections for total versatility and high-quality sound in a variety of scenarios. It features a hi-res ESS 9281 DAC for true-to-life audio, and an ASUS AI Noise-Canceling Microphone provides crystal clear communications. Also, low-latency wireless connections keep video and audio in-sync for advanced gaming experiences anywhere.

The SOUNDFORM Immerse Noise Cancelling Earbuds are high-fidelity earbuds featuring superior sound quality with Hybrid Active Noise Cancellation (ANC), advanced six (6) microphone technology, Bluetooth LE audio in Gaming Mode, and locating features using Apple Find My and the SOUNDFORM app. The SOUNDFORM Immerse earbuds are the next-generation edition of its original earbuds offering introduced in April 2021, one of the first-ever accessories to work with Apple's vast and global Find My network, made up of hundreds of millions of Apple devices. The Soundform Immerse noise-canceling earbuds will launch in the second quarter of 2022 for $180

High Performance Home Audio & Video

Nebula Cosmos Laser 4K shines with laser-powered brightness giving consumers the power to stream all day. Powered with ALPD 3.0 technology, the projector is the smallest 4K Android TV home projector, projecting content at 2,400 ANSI Lumens. The Smart Image Adaption Engine reduces setup time to seconds with the following features: Gridless Horizontal and Vertical Auto Keystone Correction, Autofocus, Auto-Obstacle Avoidance, and Screen Alignment. If consumers want to move Cosmos Laser 4K around the home, they can with its easy-to-use handle. Content options are abundant with 7,000+ applications available on the Android TV 10.0 operating system. The Cosmos Laser 4K will be available for pre-purchase on Kickstarter from Jan. 11 through mid-March for $2,100.

The PSB Speakers' Synchrony T600 towers represent the finest application of the brand's "True to Nature" design philosophy. Like all PSB Speakers products, the T600s were designed and engineered at Canada's National Research Council (NRC) by a team of highly regarded acoustic specialists guided by renowned PSB Speakers Founder and Chief Acoustic Designer, Paul Barton. This flagship tower features a new 5-way transitional driver array employing three 6½′′ woofers, a 5¼′′ midrange driver, and a 1′′ titanium dome tweeter, in a heavily braced, four-chamber MDF enclosure and custom IsoAcoustic isolators to deliver an immersive, tonally accurate, true to nature soundscape. $8,000/Pair

Immersive, jaw-dropping sound marries up with simple, seamless control, and versatile connectivity in the groundbreaking SVS Prime Wireless Pro Powered Speaker Pair. For the first time, all the benefits of wireless smart speakers with the stunning dynamics and pristine clarity of a complete HiFi system, at a fraction of the cost. The Prime Wireless Pro speakers will be available in March 2022 in black or white finish options and are expected to sell for $799/pair

Home Audio & Video Components & Accessories

Harman Kardon Citation Amp brings HD streaming to any loudspeaker and supports a multi-channel wireless surround sound system with other HK Citation products. User can play their favorite music via Chromecast built-in™ and AirPlay or connect to a TV via HDMI ARC. The simple and intuitive remote control allows the user to control Amp easily and efficiently. A local website provides detailed configuration options for the user to customize and enjoy the premium sound. No US pricing available but can be found for $1000 AUS ($715 USD)

Harman Kardon Citation MultiBeam 1100 is the first soundbar combining MultiBeam™ beam-forming surround sound and up-firing speakers that enable 3D-surround formats like Dolby Atmos enhances the TV sound with best-in-class acoustic performance. With the well-integrated LCD touch screen on the top panel, users can easily set up a Wi-Fi connection and stream music over AirPlay, Chromecast, Alexa MRM, Spotify connect. No US Pricing but can be found for £799.00 ($900 USD)

Smart Home

Homeowners can take control and give themselves 360° of protection with eufy Security Floodlight Cam 2 Pro. With pan and tilt, consumers can get peace of mind by rotating Floodlight Cam 2 Pro in a full circle and blasting 3,000 ANSI Lumens of brightness without a single blind spot. When something triggers Floodlight Cam 2 Pro, the smart subject lock and tracking follows any suspicious activity. Homeowners can then review tiny details with 2K resolution. The light color temperature is also adjustable to provide the most optimal and aesthetically pleasing viewing. $300

The Niro®2 is a wifi garage controller with an added functionality of the a 2K wifi camera. Open and close your garage door directly through the app from your smart phone and stream live in 2K HD resolution. Advanced features such as human shape detection, LED light, and auto motion tracking makes it the perfect home security product for a home.

Video Displays

The LG 83G2 83-inch 4K OLED TV takes home entertainment to the next level with its enormous screen, true-to-life picture quality, and crystal clear audio and advanced AI-based processing performance.

Designed with gamers in mind, the LG 86QNED99 Mini LED TV checks off all the boxes with its stunning picture quality, huge screen, and compelling gaming features. The 86-inch 8K ultra-large screen takes advantage of LG's Mini LED and Quantum Dot NanoCell Color Technology to ensure more precise light control for enhanced picture quality and more accurate color reproduction for dynamic, realistic, and vivid gaming experiences. $4500

The LG 97" G2 is the world's largest 4K OLED TV. At 97" it provides the best realistic sensory experience through its ultra-large OLED screen and 4.2 channels (virtual 7.1.2ch) of 100W of immersive audio. The G2 transforms into a stunning digital canvas when turned off. When not in use, its large screen can display various images, from iconic paintings and works of art to picturesque landscapes and famous landmarks.

PORTL is a human-sized, booth-shaped device with a 4K touch screen and high fidelity speakers designed to display live streamed and pre-recorded content. The volumetric presentation gives the viewer the impression that the person or object on screen is 3D. A built in forward camera with motion capability, as well as AI features, can create a fully interactive experience.

Podcast #1033: CES 2022 Jan 07, 2022

Show notes

This week it's all about CES 2022! So much to talk about including Sony getting into the electric vehicle market. We read your emails as well. Samsung Neo QLED - The powerful evolution of Samsung Neo QLED is built on Quantum Matrix Technology. It precisely controls Samsung's exclusive new Quantum Mini LED to express blacks, whites, and every shade in between, more accurately than ever. Enjoy great detail in dark and bright areas. Micro LED - MICRO LED is an inorganic, self-emitting LED designed to change the world of displays. Creating light and color on its own, MICRO LED delivers true-to-life color and contrast with optimum brightness in every scene. Discover stunning details on our biggest screen that surpass your greatest expectations. When you want more than one view, MICRO LED allows for four split-screen views. See up to four screens at once from a variety of sources — including the four HDMI ports — each giving you an immersive experience. The Frame - A minimalist-inspired design makes The Frame blend flawlessly with your interior. A slimmer profile, wider range of hues, and monochromatic back provide a sophisticated appearance from every angle. Connect the One Invisible Connection cable to discover what makes The Frame a modern masterpiece — on or off.³ The Premiere - Ultra-bright, high-resolution images are projected with cutting-edge Triple Laser Technology. The Premiere LSP9T uses a triple laser light source for dramatic home cinema viewing that nearly replicates a theater experience.⁸ Get precise color accuracy and incredible contrast with the Premiere LSP9T 4K Smart Triple Laser Projector.⁹ The Premiere LSP9T is the world's first HDR10+ certified projector for realistic, vibrant viewing. $3500 for 120" $6500 for 130" Eco Remote - combines a built-in solar panel with new wireless charging technology that uses radio waves emitted by Wi-Fi routers. It works by "collecting routers' radio waves and converting them to energy," Samsung explains. And because it doesn't require any special Wi-Fi technology, it's compatible with almost every router in use today. The Freestyle - is a projector, smart speaker and ambient lighting device all rolled into one lightweight, portable device weighing only 830 grams (1.8 lbs). The Freestyle comes with full auto keystone and auto leveling features that allow the device to automatically adjust its screen to any surface at any angle, providing a perfectly proportional image every time. SmartThings Cooking - A new service from Samsung SmartThings is designed to make your culinary journey seamless. An automatic Meal Planner powered by Whisk's Food AI recommends meals for the whole week, makes shopping lists with the ingredients you need, and connects to grocery retailers for one-stop shopping straight from the Family Hub™ refrigerator or your mobile screen. Recipe instructions can be sent directly to synced Samsung cooking devices to minimize hassles and mistakes. Samsung Health Smart Trainer on Samsung 2021 TVs: Samsung Health seamlessly transforms the home into a personal gym, and the new Smart Trainer4 feature tracks and analyzes posture in real-time, just like a personal trainer. During and post-workout, Smart Trainer provides feedback on form, helps you count your reps, and estimates calories burned. With video and interactive training via Bixby-enabled voice control, Samsung Health Smart Trainer elevates and personalizes the home workout experience. JetBot 90 AI+: Coming to the US 1H 2021, this new vacuum cleaner uses object recognition technology to identify and classify objects to decide the best cleaning path. LiDAR and 3D sensors allow JetBot 90 AI+ to avoid cables and small objects, while still cleaning hard-to-reach corners in your home. Also outfitted with a camera, JetBot90 AI+ is integrated with the SmartThings app to assist you with home monitoring. Samsung Bot™ Care is designed to use AI to recognize and respond to your behavior. It will be able to act as both a robotic assistant and companion, helping to take care of the details in your life. It will also learn your schedule and habits and send you reminders to help guide you throughout your busy day. Samsung Bot™ Handy: Also in development, Samsung Bot™ Handy will rely on advanced AI to recognize and pick up objects of varying sizes, shapes and weights, becoming an extension of you and helping you with work around the house. Sengled The Smart Health Monitoring Light bulb claims to read heart rate, body temperature and other vital signs through entirely non-invasive sensors. It uses a radar sensor instead of a passive infrared (PIR) sensor, meaning it can read through materials and detect more subtleties. Ideally, the higher sensitivity would allow for the light bulbs to detect different people, see movement through textiles and other complexities of off-skin health tracking. According to Sengled, a collection of Smart Health Monitoring Light bulbs connect via Bluetooth mesh to create a virtual map in your home, relying on several points of "view" for complete health tracking. To be clear, the light bulb doesn't have a camera or anything built in. It can't see or record you, just sense you. Kohler can now run you a bath with just a voice command PerfectFill - PerfectFill consists of a drain kit and digital valve that work together to draw the bath to your preferred temperature and depth. PerfectFill starts at $2,700; that doesn't include a Kohler spout and compatible Kohler bath. It also needs to be professionally installed. PerfectFill will be available to order in 2022. Kholer's Stillness Bath, which was teased at CES last year, will be available to purchase in 2022. It starts at $8,000 and incorporates that PerfectFill tech in a smart bathtub that combines water, light, fog, and aroma to create an "at home spa-like experience" Robern IQ Digital Lock Box — a smart lock box that fits in a bathroom vanity cabinet for storing medication and personal items. $450 Touchless Residential Bathroom Faucets starting at $199 Purist Suspend can be operated by the puck-shaped remote to turn the faucet on and off and adjust the temperature. The main concept here — beyond being quite the statement piece — is reducing counter clutter. With Suspend, your kitchen faucet will no longer be in the way when you're washing dishes (was it really ever?). The faucet hangs from the ceiling and has 180 degree rotation. LG LG OLED EVO Gallery Addition - The next evolution of Self-Lit Pixels brings a new definition of brightness. The latest LG OLED TV features the all-new Brightness Booster powered by an advanced processor making the display 30% brighter than before. This cutting-edge technology revolutionizes picture quality, producing deeper shades of black and brighter highlights to reveal incredible levels of detail and color. LG UltraGear Gaming Setup - This setup consists of a super fast IPS monitor with ATW Polarizer technology that supports high-fidelity color for reproducing vivid scenes. The monitor is compatible with next generation game consoles. Also included in the setup is the The LG UltraGear™ Gaming PC 17G90Q and the LG UltraGear speakers to elevate your gaming experience and deliver detailed, lifelike sounds. LG's smart TVs all run WebOS - now renamed WebOS 22 (for the year). The platform is getting a few updates, including the ability to add user profiles. Users will login and get their own mix of content—but not TV display settings. QNED Mini LED - LG is also updating its 4K QNED line for 2022. They all feature updated Quantum Dot technology in which the Nano Cell is now an emissive layer. The crux of quantum dot is the clarifying of the light from Blue LED to running some through the Quantum Dots to run them green and then a Nano Cell layer that emits red light. LG claims a 90%+ DCI-P3 wide color gamut reproduction compared to the 70% coverage on traditional LED-LCD TVs. The use of Mini LEDs gives the displays more discrete control of black levels and dampen haloing. Their 8K displays have 2,400 local dimming zones. LG's Magic Motion Remote has also seen some improvements, thanks to a reduction in redundant buttons and a smaller overall profile. LG Dolby Atmos Soundbars - LG has also implemented some notable improvements to is Dolby Atmos soundbars. In addition to a new dipole-style wireless surround speaker available in the company's flagship soundbar, LG is adding an up-firing speaker to the center channel to increase clarity, presence, and intelligibility for moments when voices can frequently get buried by otherwise explosive soundtracks for action sequences. Instaview Refrigerator - Simply knock twice to illuminate LG's largest, edge-to-edge InstaView™. See favorites in an instant without ever opening the door. Bring one of the hottest trends home with the Craft Ice™ maker that automatically makes batches of three or six slow-melting Craft Ice™ per day. The UVnano™ dispenser automatically removes up to 99.99% of bacteria on the nozzle after 24 hours.* Eve Systems' CES focus is on HomeKit, Matter, and Thread The Eve Outdoor Cam - The floodlight/security camera combo is expected to be available April 5 for $250. It's 1080p outdoor security camera with a 157-degree field of view and infrared night vision with an LED floodlight. Eve MotionBlinds will also support the Matter standard. The battery-powered motor, which can be recharged with a USB-C cable and power supply, will initially be available in custom roller shades Roku Announces Sharp Roku TV Partnership Sharp & Roku will be working to launch Sharp Roku TV models in 2022. Sharp will leverage the Roku TV hardware reference design and award-winning Roku OS to deliver a full line-up of exciting HD and 4K UHD TVs Cync Portfolio Announced GE Lighting, a Savant company, continues to expand its smart home ecosystem, Cync, with several new products. Cync Smart Thermostat - can be installed without a common wire, making it compatible in nearly every home. Its large, sleek, and high-contrast display makes on-site control easier than ever, and like all Cync products, no hub is required for 'away from home' control using the Cync app. The all-new Cync Room Temperature Sensors work with the Smart Thermostat to monitor individual rooms or the entire home and optimize the comfort accordingly. The new Cync Smart Thermostat and Temperature Sensor will be available to order in January from Lowe's, Best Buy and Amazon. The Smart Thermostat starts at $119.99 and the Temperature Sensor at $29.99. Cync Outdoor Smart Camera - comes in both wired and battery/solar powered options, so users can choose the setup that's optimal for their smart home. With 2K/1280P HD video and night vision, and a digital swivel head. Available to order in February from Lowe's, Best Buy and Amazon. Wired Cameras start at $99.99, Battery Cameras at $129.99 and Solar Panel Accessory at $44.99. Cync Lights - adds 11 new products, including smart decorative filament-style bulbs in various shapes and sizes, such as candelabra and globe and the ever-popular reveal® general purpose bulbs. These additions will be offered in both white and full color options. The new Cync smart lights will be available to order in March from Lowe's, Best Buy, Target and Amazon, starting at $11.99. Cync. In Sync with Matter - Cync devices can be controlled with both Alexa and Google. Cync devices will be included in the 2022 integration of the Matter protocol that allows all smart home devices to work together regardless of manufacturer or platform. TCL XL Collection - Big screens are a big deal at TCL. That's why we created the XL Collection, a curated collection of TVs with 85" displays and larger designed to meet fit any budget and exceed the highest performance standards to deliver big, big home entertainment. Now, the XL Collection is getting even bigger. Introducing TCL's 98" XL Collection QLED TV. $8K X9 OD ZERO TV - We've revolutionized the LED TV. Again. OD Zero, or Optical Depth Zero, refers to the distance between the Mini-LED backlight and the screen. In another industry first for TCL, that distance is zero. TCL 85" CLASS 8K OD ZERO QLED DOLBY VISION HDR SMART GOOGLE TV - 85X925PRO $10K Game Changing Display - This year, TCL high-performance TVs will support 4K at 144Hz, bringing smoother action and even faster game-feel to our most powerful big-screen QLED TVs featuring TCL's renowned Mini-LED technology. Alto Sound Bars - Alto Sound Bars will bring a whole new dimension of sound in 2022, with additional multi-channel options to make cinema-quality Dolby Atmos® 3D surround sound more accessible than ever. New Master Room Calibration technology analyzes the acoustics of a room and adjusts the sound to the space. We're also introducing a host of advanced features, including speaker expansion capabilities, Bluetooth® 5.2, DTS:X, and DTS Play-Fi®. Plus, the next-generation of TCL's RAY·DANZ technology will arrive, for an ultrawide soundstage. Arlo DIY Home Security System Introducing the award-winning Arlo Security System with All-in-One Sensors – the most versatile, customizable, and comprehensive smart home security system that you can easily setup yourself. Just power up the Keypad which serves as your command center with a built-in motion sensor. Then place the All-in-One Sensors anywhere you want across your home or business. These small but mighty universal sensors can detect motion, door and window openings, water leaks, smoke/CO alarms and even monitor light, temperature – all managed through the Arlo Secure app. We're proud to announce we've joined Matter to help develop industry standards that will make compatibility across smart home devices more seamless and intuitive. JBL JBL has unveiled a full slate of products for 2022, including new true-wireless earbuds, Bluetooth speakers and gaming headphones. Boombox 3 and Pulse 5 portable speakers and Reflect Aero and Live Pro 2 earbuds, are upgrades to earlier products. Many of these speakers and headphones won't be available for several months, Noveto N1 The N1 (Personal Soundbar) is the perfect device for the modern professional who works from home or in shared office spaces, values their comfort and efficiency, and whenever possible, uses smart products for communication and interaction experience.The N1 combines Smart Beaming with Alexa and multimodal interaction to create the first all-in-one home office and personalized wellness space. No pricing was given and the company is saying it will launch sometime in 2022. Tablo four-tuner ATSC 3.0 DVR Tablo's $300 TV-connected DVR offers four NextGen TV tuners on board and will accept external hard drives up to 8TB. The DVR is compatible with any TV featuring an HDMI port, though you will need a 4K HDR TV to make the most of it. The Tablo connects to any TV antenna and will work with existing OTA signals. The device comes with a 24-hour program guide and manual recording but also includes a 30-day free trial of the Tablo Premium Service ($20 a year). Premium Service enables the Automatic Commercial Skip function and Guide Data Service adds two weeks of guide data. Sony Sony A95K QD-OLED - promises improved color and viewing angle compared to current, conventional OLED TVs. It can display the full spectrum of colors even in the brightest scenes. Master Series Z9K and Premium X95K Mini LED TVs - XR Backlight Master Drive can intelligently control Mini LED power to reduce visibility of individual zones. Bravia Cam - The Sony Bravia Cam is a camera and ambient sensor that can sit atop all 2022 Sony televisions. It will come bundled with the Z9K Mini LED and A95K QD-OLED televisions and will also be sold separately for anyone who wants to add additional functionality to thei…

Full show notes at the publisher

Podcast #1032: 2021 in Review Dec 31, 2021

Show notes

Happy New Year! For our last show of 2021 we go through some of the news stories of the past year. We also have a few listener emails and some end of year news.

Five Home Theater Trends. Did they pan out?

People will spend more money on their home theaters
Shortening window between the theatrical release of a film and its release to home entertainment.
The cost to build and create a great home theater setup has lowered dramatically.
Source material quality will improve.
Immersive audio such as Dolby Atmos and DTS:X offer a high-quality sound experience to watching movies in the home.

ATSC 3.0 started rolling out

42 markets are online today. More info here NextGenTV

Ara tracked down wifi issues for the first part of the year

Eventually ending up with the Netgear Orbi Tri Band Wifi System

Harmony went end of life

But fortunately there are some worthy replacements. The SofaBatton and the far more expensive Yio look to fill the void left behind by the Harmony exiting the market. But with better CEC and Matter will these remotes be needed? The SofaBatton has a good universal remote already available for $50 and a Kickstarter campaign for the Harmony Replacement is well underway for $100. The Yio is also a kickstarter that will run you $420.

We did our 1000th Show!

A big thank you to all our listeners and supporters who make doing this show worthwhile

Apple Releases Spatial Audio

What do you think of this technology?

Scarlett Johansson Sued Disney and won!

Terms of the settlement were not released but it's safe to say the whole thing made Disney look bad.

DirecTV's streaming platform got yet another rebranding

What started as DireTV Now -> ATT TV Now -> ATT TV -> to DirecTV Stream

Locast Shut Down

A sad day it was!

Dune was released on HBO Max to great Fanfare

We didn't like/had no interest in the movie

Matter Picked up Steam

Samsung promised Matter support for SmartThings hubs, Galaxy devices, TVs, and fridges

Disney+ Got Imax Support

Podcast #1031: When HDMI 2.1 is not HDMI 2.1 Dec 24, 2021

Show notes

On this week's show we take a look at the best mesh routers for 2021 and discuss whether something labeled HDMI 2.1 is actually HDMI 2.1. We read your emails and take a look at the week's news stories as well.

Best mesh routers for 2021

The past couple of years have made it clear that having a dependable Wi-Fi network at home is essential -- especially if you're working or learning from home, gaming online with friends or calling loved ones for regular video chats. In cases like that, you might've noticed that the signal from your router isn't as strong as you'd like it to be in some parts of your house. Those wireless signals can only travel so far on their own before your speeds drop off, especially if you're connecting multiple devices and your home's layout and construction are creating obstructions that those signals struggle to penetrate. Full Article Here…

HDMI 2.0 No Longer Exists

This email came in from Stan in Pittsburg and we felt it deserved a deeper dive.

When it comes to HDMI features claimed by manufacturers it is definitely buyer beware. I am sure that most of the podcast listeners of the HT Guys might know to evaluate HDMI based on features not HDMI version, but I doubt most average consumers would know that a HDMI 2.1 tv claim by a manufacturer may not have HDMI 2.1 features. This seems like a free pass to mislead consumers.

HDMI 2.0 devices are now HDMI 2.1 devices: "HDMI 2.0 no longer exists" - FlatpanelsHD

HDMI 2.0 no longer exists, and devices should not claim compliance to v2.0 as it is not referenced any more
The features of HDMI 2.0 are now a sub-set of 2.1
All the new capabilities and features associated with HDMI 2.1 are optional (this includes FRL, the higher bandwidths, VRR, ALLM and everything else)
If a device claims compliance to 2.1 then they need to also state which features the device supports so there is "no confusion"

Podcast #1030: Audiophile Two Channel System Dec 17, 2021

Show notes

On today's show we take a look at two budget smart thermostats and discuss whether Matter will be the glue that ties your entire house together. Finally we listen to music on an almost $25,000 two channel system. We also read your emails and go through the week's news.

Amazon Smart Thermostat vs. Wyze Thermostat: Which budget model is best?

The Amazon Smart Thermostat and the Wyze Thermostat are the two most affordable connected thermostats I've tested. Both models can be controlled with an app or voice commands and both cost less than 100 bucks. So, which one is the best for you? We've got a side-by-side comparison below so you can see their main differences and determine which budget-friendly smart thermostat to choose. Full article here…

Matter Could Bring Universal Casting That Actually Works

The new smart home standard Matter is making a lot of grand promises, chief among them are fixing the interoperability mess the smart home is currently in and making Apple, Samsung, Google, and Amazon talk to each other. Big jobs. But it's also tackling one of the other pain points in the connected home: TV control. Full article here…

Audiophile Two Channel System

Components:

Total Cost - $23,900

Podcast #1029: Technics True Wireless Headphones Dec 10, 2021

Show notes

Technics True Wireless Headphones

A few weeks ago we read an email from one of our listeners who works for Technics announcing a slew of new products. Two of which were the AZ40 (Street Price $150) and AZ60 (Street Price $230) Wireless Headphones. We expressed interest in reviewing them and were sent two pairs for review.

There are two types of people who will benefit from these earbuds, professionals who are on phone calls and zoom meetings all day and the music lover who wants to escape the noise of the world. We'll talk about each separately.

Setup

But first let's discuss pairing and setting up the earbuds. Prior to pairing we suggest you try the different size ear tips to assure a proper fit. This will aid in the comfort, quality of the audio, and noise cancelation/isolation. To pair you take the fully charged earbuds and place them in your ear. A voice tells you they are in pairing mode. Go to your device's bluetooth settings and select the AZ40/60 and wait for the voice to tell you they are paired. Now you are ready to start listening. But if you want more control, Technics has an app that will let you dial the earbuds in to exactly how you like,

Go to your app store and download and launch the Technics Audio Connect App. It will automatically search for your earbuds. Once found you can rename them if you wish. Here you can turn on and off noise canceling for the AZ60 and activate Ambient Sound which allows audio from outside to be passed through the headphones. You can also set the sound enhancement with some presets or you can customize it to your liking. I found "off" to be the best for me.

On the AZ60 you can configure the Active noise Cancellation (ANC) to the level that sounds best for you. To do this I turned on white noise on my stereo and cranked it up. I adjusted the setting until the sound was the least detectable. Once that is done you have the ability to set the level of your noise canceling from 0 to 100%. Of course I took the headphones down to the wood shop to see how well they canceled the noise. The AZ40, without noise cancellation, did a good job at blocking the noise and allowed me to work while listening to music. The AZ60 worked so well that when I turned on the dust collection I had to remove the headphones to verify that it was actually on! Quite remarkable.

The app allows you to customize touch sensor settings like which ear activates your voice assistant and which gestures are play/pause for music and which ones answer calls.

Performance - Professional Working from Home

This use case has a different threshold for performance based mostly on how good the human voice sounds and how good the microphone picks up your voice when talking. Multiple calls were placed while driving, from noisy rooms, and a typical home office setting.

Technics has a technology that they call "Just My Voice" which cancels out the ambient sounds around you while amplifying the spoken word. In our tests all calls were perceived clearly on the other end. I made calls to two separate customer service reps and was not asked to repeat myself once. Then I had my wife use the headphones to call me from a room that had music playing at a loud level. I had no issue hearing her talk. The music in the background was squashed. This was done with both the AZ60 and AZ40. I could not detect any difference between them on phone call performance.

From a confort point of view both the AZ40 and AZ60 can be worn for hours without fatigue. If you are on the phone or video calls for work, these headphones are easy to wear for hours at a time.

Performance - Listening to Music

This is where these headphones excel! I listened to my standards (SRV - Tin Pan Alley, Snoop Dog - California Roll, Pearl Jam - Yellow Ledbetter, Diana Krall - Fly Me to the Moon). I also added Walker Hayes Fancy Like because first, it's a fun song and second it has a great bass line during the hook!

The AZ60 supports Hi-Res LDAC sound quality and for the test I put it into this mode which turns off Multipoint connections. No biggie as I am never connected to multiple devices simultaneously.

Both sound good. I would give the AZ60 an edge in music playback performance. I switched the earbuds in and out while listening to the same track and noticed improved sound in the AZ60 but if I didn't have both side by side'ish I would have found the AZ40s completely acceptable. The bass in both is outstanding! In general these headphones present a realistic soundstage with the clarity to pick out elements of the music that may be hidden by other headphones.

There is a part in "Fly Me to the Moon" where there is a piano and guitar playing off each other with the standup bass backing both up that sounded like you were in the room with them. This is a live recording that puts you right on stage with them. I listened to it over and over picking out each instrument clearly.

For fun I listened to some Christmas carols that were remixed with Spatial audio. To do this on non Apple Headphones you need to force Dolby Atmos to always be on in the Music app settings. As would be imagined there was no huge difference in the spatial aspect, but the songs did sound better than the originals. One song stood out as sounding so large it gave me chills Hark! The Herald-Angels Sing sung by the Choir of the King's College.

And then just for fun I went back to my B&W I7 (MSRP $399) headphones and listened to the same music and came away thinking the bass was sloppy sounding. The rest of the audio was on par with the Technics but I couldn't get over how boomy the bass was vs the tight controlled bass of both the AZ40 and AZ60.

Odds and Ends

The AZ40 is smaller than the AZ60. Both were comfortable and can be worn all day without issues. If you have small ears you may want to consider the AZ40.
The charging cases are small and light. Can easily fit in your pocket or purse.
You can use either earbud one at a time if you wish.
There is a mode called attention mode that enhances voices while canceling background noises. Technics claims that this may help hearing announcements in an airport setting. We did not test this setting.
Battery life is 7 hours for the AZ60 and 7.5 hours for the AZ40. Our testing confirmed this while working in the shop all day listening to music and podcasts.
Both are IPX4 Water Resistance.

Conclusion

The AZ40 and AZ60 will give headphone manufacturers a new target to aim for. The ANC on the AZ60 is remarkable at canceling out a woodshop full of noise. Office workers can wear these headphones all day without issue while coworkers on the other end of the call will have no problems hearing you even if you are working at a coffee shop. But the best thing about these headphones is how good they sound while listening to music.

Podcast #1028: Level Up your Home Theater Dec 03, 2021

Show notes

On this week's show we take a look at a cool gift idea for your technophobe friends that want to stay connected with you and we " Level Up" your home theater. We also read your emails and discuss the week's news. Plus Braden goes on a rant about his Internet provider.

Cool Gift Idea

New Skylight Frame

I bought one of these for my mom and mother-in-law

From their website:

The Skylight Frame has a gorgeous, 10'' color touch screen that displays your photos with extraordinary clarity, color, and brilliance. It is the perfect size for a desk, mantel, coffee table, or kitchen. Skylight is a striking gift that will make an unforgettable impression the moment your loved one turns it on!

Skylight is a beautiful touch-screen, Wi-Fi connected digital photo frame that lets you email photos from your phone or computer directly onto your loved one's Skylight - from anywhere in the world!

100% Satisfaction Guaranteed. If you don't love your Skylight, we'll offer you a full refund.

PRODUCT DETAILS:

-Screen size: 10'' Diagonal

-Resolution: 1280x800 IPS display

-Dimensions: 12'' x 8.5'' x 0.9''

-Time required to receive photos:

-Accepted digital photo file formats: JPEG, BMP, PNG, GIF

-Storage space on device: 8GB (enough for 8000+ photos)

-100% Satisfaction Guaranteed: If you don't love your Skylight, we'll offer you a full refund.

Level Up Your Home Theater

Many of our listeners put new home theater gear on their holiday shopping list. Even though you have had a decent home theater for a few years now, you want to take it to the next level. What do you ask your family (or yourself) to spend their/your money on? Better speakers, an external amplifier, or some other device?

Case for the Amplifier

Actually this is more like the case against the external amplifier. Before you spend money on an external amplifier you need to consider your speakers. Do they need the extra power? If you had a modest home theater with mid level speakers the external amplifier will be overkill. A forklift that can pickup a ton will also pick up 500 pounds. But so will a forklift that can pick up a half a ton. If you never need to pick up more than 500 pounds a bigger forklift is a waste of money. An amplifier in this case is the one ton forklift. For most mid level speakers, the amplifiers in your receiver will do a good job providing power to your speakers.

Then there is the case where your mid level receiver most likely doesn't even have pre-outs to support an external amplifier. If you are going to go this route, make sure your receiver is up to the task.

With that said, an argument can be made if your receiver can process more channels like an Atmos configuration but does not have the required amplifiers. This is really the only argument for an external amplifier with the typical mid level home theater setup.

For argument's sake, let's say you have really nice speakers that can handle more power and furthermore you have a receiver that has preouts. Should you still add an external amplifier? This is where Ara may differ from some others. Instead of an external amplifier you may want to consider a higher tier receiver with more and better amplifiers. It simplifies the installation and in this tier of receivers you will have plenty of power. Marantz has two receivers that will support a 7.1.2 Atmos setup and one that will support a 7.2.4 Atmos setup. They are the SR6015 ($2000), SR7015 ($2800) and SR8015 ($3800) respectively.

Case for new Speakers

Good speakers will make or break your home theater. While they can't turn low end equipment into audiophile grade, they will get the most out of your gear. Likewise good speakers will quickly show you the limits of your gear. Good speakers don't need to break the bank either.

However, since we are "Leveling Up" it will take a bit of a financial commitment to get to the next level. A 5.1.2 CG25 System from RSL Speakers will run you $2650. Other companies have high quality 7.1 systems for $3000 and much much more. Budget $3,500 to $5,000. But serious improvement can be had for less than $1500 from companies like JBL, SVS, and others.

Some Other Device

This is a broad category. But other than new speakers, receivers, or amplifiers maybe a new projector and very large format screen is in order. That will make a big impact visually. If we had to roadmap the upgrade from a mid level home theater we would first upgrade speakers, which includes the subwoofer, then amplification whether that be separates or a powerful receiver, then we'd upgrade the TV/Projector. The speakers will last more or less forever. Once you have enough amplification that will last for quite some time as well. Maybe even forever now that we have 3D audio and 8K pass through. It's the TV/Projector that will change the most. Whatever you can't afford now will be a black friday doorbuster in a few years. Buy the new screen once you have your audio in order.

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