HDTV and Home Theater Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Podcast #1017: Summer Box office Wrap-up and AirPods Pro Review Sep 17, 2021

Show notes

On this week's show we wrap up the Summer Box Office numbers with the top ten movies based on ticket sales and we look at two contradicting studies about streaming vs cable. We also have a review of Apple's AirPod Pro. We also read your email and look at the news of the week.

Summer Box Office Wraps with $1.75 Billion, It Closes on a High Note

No one expected this summer to be a close comparison to the last pre-pandemic summer and it wasn't. Total North American box office for the 17-week summer period, including the Labor Day holiday weekend, totaled about $1.75 billion. That's a little more than 40 percent of the $4.34 billion recorded in 2019, a period that did not include $474 million for the first week of "Avengers: Endgame." (That opened on the last Friday in April.) Full article here…

Is Roku Right? Has TV Streaming Really 'Passed the Tipping Point'?

Roku's 'Streaming Decade' report describes OTT as the dominant means of viewing video in the American home … despite recent data from Nielsen indicating that it's still somewhat of a niche behavior Full Article Here…

AirPods Pro

The Apple AirPods Pro are wireless earbuds with noise cancelling, water resistance and a customizable fit. Are these the ultimate wireless earbuds everyone is talking about? Braden gives us his take.

Features:

Active Noise Cancellation
Transparency mode
Adaptive EQ
Vent system for pressure equalization
Custom high-excursion Apple driver
Custom high dynamic range amplifier
Spatial audio with dynamic head tracking

Podcast #1016:Hisense's new laser TV, Bluetooth for Audiophiles and a review of a $5 smart plug Sep 10, 2021

Show notes

We have a fantastic show for you today! Hisense announced what appears to be one of the best Ultra Short Throw Projectors on the market. We discuss Ara's experience with his and how this may be the one to replace your regular TV. Qualcomm has something for audiophiles with their AptX Lossless codec for CD Quality Sound Over Bluetooth. Finally we take a look at a $5 smart plug from monoprice. Who would have thought that you can start your home automation journey for $5. As usual we read your emails and news stories for the week.

Hisense's new laser TV is pricey, but could prove its best home cinema experience yet

Hisense has just announced its latest laser TV, the new L9G. In what promises to be a premium home entertainment device, the L9G TriChroma laser TV will use a 3000 Lumen ultra-short throw projection to create a razor-sharp and color-accurate image. Full article here

Hisense L9G TV Series features

4K Ultra-Short Throw – Positioned just inches from the wall, the L9G Laser TV casts a massive image at beautiful 4K resolution. Up to 3.5x more screen than a 65" TV.
TriChroma Laser Engine – The L9G uses pure red, green, and blue lasers to achieve new levels of color performance, reaching 107% of the BT.2020 color space.
High Dynamic Range – With a brightness of 3000 Lumens, L9G's High Dynamic Range delivers incredible specular highlights and depth of color, to give every scene the stunning details it deserves.
Smooth Motion – The Digital Micromirror Device reacts faster to movement than LED or OLED, creating motion that's smoother than any other type of display. MEMC Technology helps too, making fast-action in sports, movies, and games more fluid.
DLP Technology Powered by Texas Instruments – The projection technology used in 9 out of 10 cinemas worldwide to create laser-focused detail is now available at home. Every piece of content feels like it's fresh from the theater.
Long Lifespan – X-Fusion™ laser light technology provides up to 25,000+ hours of entertainment without the need of replacing a bulb – because there is none.
Ambient Light Rejecting Screen – The included UST ALR screen is perfectly paired with the L9G projector to produce a color-accurate picture with incredible viewing angles and brightness uniformity.
Dolby Atmos® – L9G's 40W Dolby Atmos sound reveals every detail of the audio mix with unparalleled clarity and depth. A high-speed HDMI port with eARC also allows pass-through so users can enjoy high bitrate audio through their home theater.
Android TV OS – Android TV OS brings more than 5,000 apps and games to the biggest screen in the home. Watch live sports and news from popular channels or gather around to watch the hottest videos with 1,000+ Chromecast compatible apps.
WiSA Ready – integrate your wireless multi-channel surround sound, the L9G is WiSA Ready.
Smart Home Ready – Built-in WiFi, Google Assistant, Works with Alexa and Control4 certified, the L9G can integrate with smart home IoT devices and control systems.
Eye-Safety (And Kid Resilient) – The L9G features a proximity sensor that shuts off the laser light source when a moving body gets too close. This protects the eyes and is also a great feature to stop the little ones from placing items on the laser console. Users also have the option to turn off the eye-safety feature.

Qualcomm AptX Lossless Offers CD Quality Sound Over Bluetooth But It Won't Be Available On Existing Devices

Qualcomm has done something nice for all the audiophiles who are still getting used to listening to music on Bluetooth headphones. The company has decided to announce the latest Bluetooth audio codec called the aptX Lossless. Full Article Here …

Stitch Wifi Outlet

One of our listeners, Tom, sent us an email a couple weeks ago alerting us to a really inexpensive smart home outlet made by Monoprice called "The Stitch". This line has been around for at least a couple of years but this was the first we had heard of it. We purchased it for $5 but it's currently being sold for $8.50.

The Stitch is a 10A Outlet that works with Alexa and Google Home and has an iOS and Android app. The outlet is really small and can be used anywhere and does not require a hub.

Setup was a tale of two experiences. The first attempt resulted in nothing but frustration then ended with us giving up and thinking that the outlet was not working. So we set the outlet aside and went on with our day. Being stubborn and not being happy that a smart home device got the better of us, we tried again the following day. This time everything worked exactly as advertised and within seconds had the device connected to our network.

Now that the outlet was functioning we were able to put it through its paces. To sum it up, it worked well. We were able to set up scenes and automations based on time of day, events, and timers. We liked the timers which could come in handy if you needed to set up a temporary automation. There is even a "Circulate" mode which turns on devices for configured durations at times defined by you.

There is not much more that needs to be said about a $5 outlet so we will leave this here. If you are on Google Home or Alexa we highly recommend this outlet for your automation needs. If you are on HomeKit you can still use this in your home but more for standalone types of tasks like turning lights on and off at specific times. This device is the deal of the year for simple home automation.

Beyond the outlet, Stitch has an entire line of home automation products. There is a five piece starter kit for $90 that includes:

Smart LED Light Bulb
Smart Outlet
Door/Window Sensor
Motion Sensor
Water Sensor

Podcast #1015: Locast Shuts Down and Should You Evangelize Hi-res Audio to Your Friends Sep 03, 2021

Show notes

We have a really big show this week! First off there is the news about Locast shutting down. We have what we think could be a good candidate to replace the Harmony Remote. We look at suggested seating distances based on screen size. You won't believe this one. Then we look at an article that tries to tell you how to evangelize Hi-res audio to your friends. Plus we read your emails and look at the news.

SofabatonX1-Most Versatile Universal ALL-IN-ONE Smart Remote

Sofabaton is launching X1, which is targeted at multi-device scenario-based Activity control, while adding a wireless Hub, which we believe can better meet the needs of power users.

This looks like an actual Harmony Remote replacement with a hub. It's a Kickstarter project and has a cost of about $100. We will of course do a review when they become available.

TV sizes: How big a screen do I really need?

Your TV is probably too small. Use these rules of thumb to determine what size TV to buy. Full Article Here …

SONY'S RECOMMENDED SEATING DISTANCE

TV size Viewing distance range (approx.)

43-inch 35 inches (2.95 feet)

49-inch 39 inches (3.28 feet)

55-inch 39 inches (3.28 feet)

65-inch 47 inches (3.94 feet)

75-inch 55 inches (4.59 feet)

85-inch 63 inches (5.25 feet)

Bottom line: You could go much, much bigger with your next TV

The ultimate decision is one of personal preference. My goal here was to point out a rough idea of what's possible or recommended. For me, I would always err on the side of "too big." An old boss of mine used to say that no one regretted buying a TV they thought might be "too big." My opinion is that a 50-inch TV is too small for most rooms. That's not to say I think everyone should get a 102-inch screen, but the reality is a 50-inch flat panel is really not that much larger than the 36-inch CRTs of the old days. Since 65- and even 75-inch TVs are now far more affordable, they're worth considering if you've got the space.

If you want to go really big, consider a projector instead if you've got control over the ambient light in your room.

Another View: Breaking the Sound Barrier – How To Talk To Your Friends About High Quality Audio

To stay abreast of everything Home Theater, Smart Home, and Audio, we subscribe to a lot of News Feeds, Blogs, and Newsletters and we also receive emails from our listeners alerting us to articles. This one came across in one of our news feeds from TWICE (Full Article Here) (This Week in Consumer Electronics) and thought it was interesting to discuss because we are completely on the opposite side of this discussion.

The premise of the article is that with all the music sites going Hi-res, most listeners don't think they can hear the difference and somehow need you to tell them that they can. From the first paragraph of the article:

For 25 years now, mainstream listeners have become accustomed to lossy, low-bitrate music. For audio enthusiasts that's been a longstanding gripe, but it appears to be finally over. With lossless and hi-res streaming about to go mainstream, bit-reduced audio will now go the way of the 8-track. That leaves an entire generation of listeners that don't know anything better and probably thinks they can't hear a difference. Audiophiles — this is a moment for true public service. Spread the word: high-quality audio is not only back, it's better than ever.

Yes AAC and mp3 are lossy file formats, but low bit rate? The days of 96Kbps mp3 files on Napster are long gone. Apple, Amazon, Google, Spotify and others have been serving up 256Kbps AAC and mp3 files for years! This may be lower bit rate than Hi-res but we wouldn't call it low bit rate. Most people can't hear or even have equipment capable of reproducing the sound so that you can hear the difference.

To be fair, most people would hear an improvement with 256Kbps files if they listened on good equipment instead of cheap earbuds or their talking tube devices. We argue you would be doing a better service if you convinced people to get higher fidelity playback equipment than trying to tell friends that their music would sound better on the same crappy equipment because it's Hi-res.

From the article:

Begin your public service by assuring your friends and all who'll listen that they really can hear the difference. The rational among them will immediately understand that more digital information means more sound.

We call to the stand Rick Beato and his video Audiophile or Audio-Fooled? How Good Are Your Ears? In this video Rick explores the differences between MP3s, WAV, FLAC (lossless), AAC and whether you can tell the difference? He says it comes down to how you listen to music and whether it sounds pleasing or not. It's not about mp3, AAC, or Hi-res. If you listen to music in your car or on a run with earbuds, you have a different experience than someone who listens in a dedicated room with proper acoustics.

From the article:

Now that master-quality audio content is going mainstream, so too will the equipment to play it back. This will be particularly true of personal listening, because headphones/earbuds have become a dominant product category.

We agree here, but not because of Hi-res, but because we are used to listening on comprised equipment. That's not to say it's bad, there is a place for lower quality gear. But if you really like high quality audio, invest in some hi quality speakers, amplifiers and headphones.

The author finishes with:

There's never been a better time to be an audiophile. Digital audio has made tremendous strides and will continue to evolve even further. Some lossless services will even deliver spatial 3-D audio; imagine the benefits for gamers and cinephiles. Good quality sound finally matters again. To those who already know the pleasures of deep listening and flawless reproduction, company's coming. If we help people find out about it, just watch how fast the audio world will grow.

We agree! But it has nothing to do with Hi-res files because we are not living in the year 2005 any longer. Good quality sound always mattered and we have been listening to it for years. It's just that many people do not know what really listening to music is all about. Introduce your friends to the concept of truly enjoying music. Take your friends on this journey. Pour a glass of your favorite beverage and enjoy the music and where it takes you. Just don't be a snob about it.

Podcast #1014: What we are streaming and IPTV Services Compared Aug 27, 2021

Show notes

This week we look at what everyone has been streaming based on minutes streamed. This is a new metric that Nielsen has developed to survive in a world where less and less of us watch live linear TV. Speaking of live linear TV we do a comparison of your IPTV options available to you. Between the two of us we have used them all. We also read your emails and take a look at some of the news stories of the week.

Weekly Streaming Minutes

Top ten streaming series as determined by Nielsen SVOD Content Ratings. Viewing through Television.

Rank/Provider/Show/Eps/Mins (in Millions)

1/Netflix/Virgin River/30/1,2702/Netflix/Never Have I Ever/20/5673/Netflix/Atypical/38/4224/Disney+/LOKI/6/3865/Netflix/Heist (2021)/6/3166/Netflix/Lucifer/83/2777/Amazon/Bosch/64/2318/Netflix/Sex/Life/8/2169/Netflix/The Cook of Castamar/12/17910/Netflix The Movies that Made Us/8/165

Top ten streaming movies as determined by Nielsen SVOD Content Ratings. Viewing through Television.

Rank/Provider/Show /Mins (in Millions)

1/Disney+/Luca (2021)/4542/Netflix/Twilight/3423/Netflix/Blood Red Sky/2964/Netflix/Gunpowder Milkshake/2905/Netflix/The Twilight Saga: New Moon/2846/Netflix/The Twilight Saga: Eclipse/2447/Netflix/The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2/1988/Amazon/The Tomorrow War/1949/Disney+/Raya The Last Dragon/18710/Netflix/Trollhunters: Rise of the Titans/187

Best live TV streaming service for cutting cable

Maybe you've thought about cutting the cable cord, but that one channel or show stopped you from taking the plunge. Enter live TV streaming services. These streaming services give you access to all the familiar TV channels you love, as well as live sports (including major league baseball and NBA basketball) plus national and local news. All this with just an inexpensive streaming device -- no antenna or cable box required. Full article here...

Podcast #1013: Do you still Need a Set Top Box and the TWICE 2021 VIP Awards Aug 20, 2021

Show notes

This week we solve the mystery of what happened to HDNET and we ask the question if Set Top Hardware is still needed. Finally we go through the list of the 2021 TWICE VIP Awards. We also read your emails and give you the news of the week.

What Happened to HDNET

A listener sent us a link to Wikipedia where the following was taken from:

AXS TV (pronounced "access") is an American specialty television channel. Majority-owned by Anthem Sports & Entertainment, it is devoted primarily to live music programming, entertainment, and combat sports—including mixed martial arts and professional wrestling.

The network was originally established in 2001 as HDNet, with investor Mark Cuban as a founding partner. HDNet was originally intended as an exclusively-high-definition network, carrying general entertainment, concerts, and sporting events in the format. In 2012, with the network's original purpose becoming redundant (due to most mainstream cable networks now having HD feeds), HDNet sold stakes to Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG), Creative Artists Agency, and Ryan Seacrest (with Cuban retaining a majority stake), and rebranded under its current name (taken from AEG's online ticket platform AXS.com) on July 2, 2012—with the network shifting its content to include more entertainment and pop culture-oriented programming, alongside its existing live music content.

In September 2019, Anthem acquired a majority stake in AXS, with AEG and Cuban retaining minority stakes.

AXS TV is available to 50 million households in the United States as of December 2020.

What's the Point of AppleTV Hardware?

Buying an Apple TV no longer gives users a content advantage. We are in the age of streaming services like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and Hulu, and business models have shifted so that every service is available on every device — phones, tablets, TV sets, streaming sticks and game consoles. (Full Article Here…)

The product isn't without its benefits, though, for the Apple ecosystem's most loyal users. Integration with HomeKit, Fitness+, AirPods and the iOS remote app is useful. The new remote control and faster chip in this year's version are definite improvements, and the box is getting SharePlay and Spatial Audio support later this year [this was written prior to the release of these technologies]. Still, I don't see these enhancements moving the needle for most people.

Twice VIP Awards 2021

The TWICE VIP Awards are not decided by consumers but rather they are voted on by industry leaders, consumer tech retailers and distributors who are looking for great products, innovation and what makes the biggest difference in the business.

The awards cover a wide range of products from projectors, truly wireless headphones to the latest TVs and major appliances. On this show we will focus on Home Theater and Home Automation products. The full list of award winners can be found here (Announcing The Winners Of The 2021 TWICE VIP Awards!)

Accessories

THX Onyx (MSRP $220) is an innovative Digital-to- Analog Converter (DAC)/Amplifier that

brings crystal clear audio to consumers on the go for enjoyment of music, movies, and games. This leading-edge product brings vast audio quality improvements that's enjoyed over nearly any mobile device and headset, based upon the award-winning patented THX Achromatic Audio Amplifier (THX AAA™) technology. THX AAA provides impactful power and ensures the ultimate no-compromise headphone audio experience by delivering the highest audio fidelity with infinitesimally low levels of noise and distortion. Currently, THX Onyx is the first portable DAC/Amp to feature THX AAA-78, the highest-powered mobile THX AAA configuration, in such a small amp. Whether you're enjoying the audio timbre of a Bach sonata or want to hear the full range of emotional frequencies within your favorite feature film's musical score, THX Onyx brings the clarity and joy of crystal clear audio with you wherever you go.

A/V Receivers

Denon AVR-A110 (MSRP $6,000 Backordered) is the ultimate 8K/13.2- channel home theater receiver, providing CEDIA integrators with a high-performance immersive solution from the most trusted brand in audio/video. In addition to astonishing home theater performance, the HEOS® built-in wireless multi-room streaming technology puts the listener's favorite content anywhere throughout the home (requires HEOS-compatible speakers) and adds Apple® AirPlay 2 for effortless streaming from mobile devices. The AVR-A110 also offers access to the most popular streaming services, providing users with limitless access to their favorite music, podcasts and more.

Headphones Truly Wireless

Klipsch T5 II ANC earphones (MSRP $299) deliver a truly hands-free listening experience. They are the FIRST set of earphones to feature and combine: A built-in Bragi® operating system with embedded artificial intelligence which allows for hands-free, advanced gesture-controlled experiences. Dual-mic noise cancellation utilizes both a microphone aimed at the outside and one in front of the speaker for maximum noise cancellation. Integrated Dirac® HD Sound technology optimizes sound performance digitally for clearer, richer and more balanced sound.

Home Theater Audio

Samsung's Q950A (MSRP $1500) is the first Samsung soundbar to offer true 11.1.4 channel sound, enhanced by 21 custom- designed speakers and audio certifications including Dolby Atmos and DTS:X.

Polk Audio Reserve Series R700 (MSRP $1,100 each)is a high-performance, versatile floor-standing loudspeaker designed to deliver serious performance for music, movies and gaming. Polk Audio engineers created rigid, internally braced cabinets while leveraging driver and port technologies from the Legend Series speakers to achieve breathtaking levels of balance and realism.

Projectors

Sony VPL-VW1025ES (MSRP $40K). The X1™ processor for projector and a 2,200 lumen Z-Phosphor laser light source bring exceptionally bright and clear colors, contrast, and motion to all your content for over 20,000 hours of play time. With the ARC-F lens equipped for ultra-crisp images, you'll wonder how you watched movies before installing the VW1025ES.

Epson's EpiqVision Mini EF12 Smart Streaming Laser Projector (MSRP $900) creates an epic viewing experience right out of the box with its stunning picture quality, built-in Android TV, sound by Yamaha, and wireless connectivity. Stream big, bright Full-HD content up to 150-inches for immersive viewing of TV shows, sporting events, gaming, and movies from virtually anywhere in the home - even outside. Powered by Android TV, the EF12 offers instant streaming the moment it is turned on and connected to Wi-Fi through popular streaming services including Hulu, HBO and YouTube™. Yamaha's leading Acoustic Engineers designed a unique sound system exclusively for the EF12 to deliver a true audiophile performance that rivals soundbars and connects via Bluetooth® for use as a standalone speaker. Designed with simplicity in mind, the EF12 weighs under five pounds with a compact, portable and modern design to fit beautifully within any décor and project seamlessly with no screen required.

Portable Streaming Speakers: Soundbars $499 or less

Polk Audio React Soundbar (MSRP $250) Big surround sound driven by Dolby

and DTS integration delivers a true cinematic television experience. Optional subwoofer and wireless surrounds makes true 5.1 home theater possible without adding wires.

Portable Streaming Speakers: Soundbars $500 and up

Polk Audio Studio 3D Mini - Could not find any info on this device under Polk Audio. However, we did find a Studio 3D Mini made by Definitive Technology that has an MSRP of $900.

Smart Home & Automation: Automation OS

Crestron Home (MSRP $$$$$$)

Smart Home & Automation: Climate Control

Crestron Horizon Thermostats (MSRP $$$)

Video & TV: 4K

LG 65-inch G1 OLED evo 4K TV (65G1) (MSRP $2800) fusing state-of-the-art display and AI technologies with beautiful design. Thanks to stunning picture quality, Zero Gap wall mountable design, and new OLED evo technology, the stunning 65G1 delivers better brightness and punchy images with amazing clarity, detail and realism. The TV runs LG's own webOS

6.0 smart TV platform, providing intuitive navigation and control and offering multi-AI"' which comprises LG ThinQ AI, as well as built-in Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa.

Video & TV: 8K

Samsung QN900A Neo QLED 8K TV - (MSRP $4500 65") with the new Neo Quantum Processor 8K to deliver exemplary picture quality, smart features and design. Thanks to Samsung's Neo QLED panel technology, LEDs are 40x smaller than conventional LED units, allowing more light to be packed into the same area. Unlike other LED backlights, the QN900A eliminates lenses that capture and transmit light from the backlight. Instead, each compact LED chip is designed to emit light on its own. Brightness is more controlled while blooming is minimized, resulting in higher contrast ratios and one of the best non-OLED TVs ever. The Neo Quantum Processor 8K leverages innovations in deep learning, machine learning and a neural network to upscale content sources to 8K-resolution picture quality. Its pristine image is matched by an immersive design. Its thin black matrix means that 99% of the QN900A's panel displays the content, as compared to the industry standard of ~95% screen-to- body ratio.

Video & TV: OLED

Sony BRAVIA XR A80J (MSRP $2300 65") - Enjoy premium OLED picture with contrast and color that feels deep, natural, and real with the A80J. The revolutionary Cognitive Processor XR™ optimizes thousands of on-screen elements simultaneously for a lifelike picture. Feel the action with Acoustic Surface Audio+ and experience a truly immersive sound that perfectly matches the picture on screen.

Video & TV: TVs: 40 to 57 Inches

LG 48-inch C1 4K OLED TV (48C1) (MSRP $1300) is ideal for gaming, providing many characteristics offered by the latest gaming monitors. LG's latest intelligent processor, the a (Alpha) 9 Gen 4 AI leverages deep learning to analyze and optimize content, making content of any quality look picture-perfect. The processor features AI Picture Pro, which recognizes content, removes noise, and optimizes picture quality. The 48C1 features the latest webOS 6.0 with ThinQ AI letting users easily discover and access content from popular services offered on its smart TV ecosystem, such as Twitch.

Video & TV: TVs: 58 inches and larger

LG 83-inch C1 4K OLED TV (83C1) (MSRP $5500) Powered by the upgraded a (Alpha) 9 Gen 4 AI processor, the 83C1 uses deep-learning algorithms to detect scenes and genres to make content look it's best no matter what or when you're watching. LG's 2021 OLED TVs offer an immersive experience with support for Dolby Vision IQ, Dolby Atmos,® HDR10 PRO and Filmmaker Mode. The C1 series includes 4 inputs with HDMI 2.1 features such as support for 4K 120 content, VRR, ALLM and eARC making OLED the TV of choice for gamers and home theater enthusiasts alike. The new webOS 6.0 interface provides faster access to apps and simpler content discovery with personalized recommendations.

Super VIP Award

LG Electronics – Winners in 6 categories

Computer and Gaming: Monitor
Health & Lifestyle: Air Purifiers
Major Appliances: Front-load Washer
Video & TV 4K
Video & TV: 40 to 57 Inches
Video & TV: 58 inches and larger

Podcast #1012: DirecTV Stream and the sofabaton Universal remote Control Aug 13, 2021

Show notes

On this week's show we opine on what is going on at AT&T and their DireTV Stream video service and we review the sofabaton U1 Universal Remote control. Can it make you forget about the Harmony? We also read your emails and go over some of the week's news.

What on Earth is going on over at AT&T

This week AT&T spun off DirecTV as a separate video company. According to a company Press Release:

Under this new company, DIRECTV owns and operates the former AT&T U.S. and Puerto Rico video business unit consisting of satellite, streaming and IP video services. The new structure allows for greater focus, flexibility and resources to best position the business to succeed in the long term as well as deliver on a commitment to current and future customers, employees and shareholders.

For those who stream it, the newly branded DIRECTV STREAM will become the single brand for video streaming services previously launched by AT&T, excluding HBO Max. The transition will happen later this month, and service will continue to be available with no term commitment or hidden fees. To enjoy the best of live TV and on-demand, customers can either bring their own streaming device, or use DIRECTV's exclusive streaming device.

Our Takeaway

AT&T really messed up badly by acquiring DirecTV. In the end both companies were hurt. AT&T has a massive debt load, although they had debt issues before acquiring DirecTV, it got worse after acquisition. DirecTV lost their focus and then lost subscribers.

Then there is WarnerMedia (Turner cable channels, HBO and HBO Max) which will also be spun off and eventually merge with Discovery and its Discovery+ streaming service. AT&T bought Time/Warner (WarnerMedia today) for $85 billion in 2018.

AT&T is a disaster!

sofabaton U1 Universal Remote

The sofabaton U1 is the next universal remote that we test in our quest to find a replacement for the Harmony. This one comes real close for most of us and for others it will be all that they will ever need. The U1 goes for about $50 available at Amazon and has been seen as low as $37.99 during a Flash sale.

The U1 looks very similar to the Harmony remote but feels much cheaper. Both the Harmony and U1 are made of plastic, but the U1 feels cheaply made with slick plastic that will slip out of your hand. Lastly, the U1 has sharper edges that makes your grip less comfortable.

Features:

Support for 500,000+ devices from 6000+ brands
Support for IR and Blutooth
Smartphone APP for setup (Device Selection, Button Remapping, Macro definition)

Setup and Use:

This is where the sofabaton actually exceeds the Harmony. The configuration is done via an app that connects via bluetooth. Here you will select your devices. No codes to enter, just press the button on the app until you see the desired reaction of the device. Super simple. If you don't mind switching between devices to turn on your system and control it, you are done. One remote will control everything. There is a scroll wheel just below the LCD screen to select the device that you want to control. When highlighted, all the buttons map to that device. You can inadvertently hit the wheel and end up controlling the wrong device. We'll discuss a way around this in a bit.

Through the app there is a mechanism to override buttons for the selected device with those of another device. This is very convenient for a typical setup of a set top box, AVR, and TV. As with the last remote we reviewed, the Inteset 4-in-1 Universal on Podcast #999, you can have the numbers mapped to the cable box, volume and mute to the AVR, and any other button you want access to from your main device. You will have to map every button one at a time. So it is a bit time consuming but you only have to do this once. The sofabaton is leaps and bounds easier to do this function than the $25 Inteset because of the app.

That same app makes setting up macros easier too. You can assign macros to any button on the remote. For our test, we assigned a macro to the power button in the AppleTV device to turn our system on and off. Within the app you select a key on the device then you say you want to tie a macro to it. The next step is to add commands with delays between subsequent commands. You can customize the delay between commands. Easy and straight forward.

Things to Consider:

The IR signal of the remote is not strong and you must keep your remote aimed at the devices without anything in between. If you don't and your devices get out of sync you will have to manually bring them into sync by either using the individual remote or walking up to the device in question and manually correcting the issue.

The remote has bluetooth capability which works great. But when you are using the device in Bluetooth mode it will disconnect from the app. This is a bit of a pain when you are making changes and then want to test them out. To reconnect to the app you have to press the - and E button for a second or two. So not a big deal but it can become a pain if you are doing a lot if programming.

For whatever reason, our remote would not work with Apple's bluetooth volume commands. To work around this we mapped the volume control to the AVR's volume commands. This works fine but with the weak IR we were hoping that the Bluetooth would make up for not worrying about pointing the remote directly at the AVR. Another annoyance was that we could not map and of the AppleTV bluetooth commands to a macro. To get around this we added AppleTV that was IR controlled. We then mapped the buttons that were not available to us via bluetooth through their IR counterparts.

Having two AppleTV devices show up on the screen was a little confusing so we named one AppleTV IR. This helped but then you had to remember not to use one since the button remapping only applied to the no IR AppleTV. The sofabaton has a great solution for you. In the app you can choose to hide devices so that it does not show up on the screen. This is a huge thing, not only for what we just described, but for Ara's mom who constantly hits the device buttons on her Inteset remote making her remote useless. By hiding the other devices there is no way to accidentally hit a different device and send the commands to the wrong devices. This is as close to fool proof as you can get.

Conclusion:

This is the best Harmony replacement we have found for the typical home setup. If you have a lot of devices on different inputs the Harmony is still your best bet. But if you have a set top box, AVR or soundbar connected to your TV. This remote is the one to go with. Check back in a few weeks to see if it works better for Ara's mom. Our prediction is that it will.

Podcast #1011: Renting Out Your Home Theater and Scarlett Johansson Aug 06, 2021

Show notes

On this week's show we talk about the possibility of renting out your home theater space a'la AirBnB and we also chime in on the Scarlett Johansson's breach-of-contract lawsuit. We also have a lot of email and news to discuss!

Swimply lets you swim in a stranger's pool. It's less weird than you think

Stan Liang sent us this story but wondered what if you rented out your home theater space? Swimply is the brainchild of co-founders Asher Weinberger, 35, and Bunim Laskin, 24, who met at a networking event Weinberger hosted for entrepreneurs in New York City. Laskin, then a college student, pitched Weinberger on the idea of monetizing home swimming pools. Full Article here…

'Black Widow' Lawsuit Could Upend Talent Compensation Agreements

Scarlett Johansson's breach-of-contract lawsuit — filed July 29 against Walt Disney Studios and Marvel Entertainment regarding the studio's decision to simultaneously release Marvel Studios' Black Widow in theaters and on the Disney+ subscription streaming platform — could upend Hollywood contracts with actors, producers and distributors. Full Article here...

Podcast #1010: Samsung TV Plus and Belkin's Soundform Connect AirPlay2 Adapter Review Jul 30, 2021

Show notes

This week we discuss free TV on your Samsung TVs and mobile devices via Samsung's TV Plus service. We also have a review of Belkin's Soundform Connect AirPlay2 Adapter. And as usual, we read your emails and talk about the week's news.

Samsung TV Plus: the free TV streaming service explained

Curious about Samsung TV Plus? If you've just bought a new Samsung TV, are seriously considering it, or are just now exploring every inch of your smart TV interface, you might be wondering what this free (yes, free) content service is all about. Full Article here…

What is Samsung TV Plus? A free, ad-supported content service, available on Samsung TVs and (if you're in the US) your web browser. Despite similar naming conventions, it is not a paid subscription service in the vein of Disney Plus or Apple TV Plus
When did it launch? Samsung TV Plus was created in 2015
How many Samsung TV Plus channels are there? Varies between regions (more on this below)
Can I remove Samsung TV Plus? You can't delete the entire app from your Samsung TV, though you can remove individual channels within the app for a cleaner interface
Is Samsung TV Plus free? You betcha. Save those coins for a new soundbar or something
Is Samsung TV Plus the same as Rakuten TV? No. The TV Plus app does include some Rakuten TV channels, though.

There are over 500 TV channels available worldwide through Samsung TV Plus, though you'll only get a portion of that total in each region:

US: 120
Germany: 64
Austria: 64
Switzerland: 64
UK: 49
Canada: 35
Korea: 35
Thailand: 30
France: 26
Spain: 18
Italy: 18

Which TVs support Samsung TV Plus?

The exact Samsung TV models that support Samsung TV Plus will, again, vary between regions, but you can count on it featuring on new and recent models.

We're told by Samsung that all 2016-2020 smart TVs in the US, Europe and Thailand support the service, while those of you in Canada can access it on Samsung TVs made in 2017 onwards. In Samsung's home nation of Korea, though, TVs as old as 2013 support the service.

New-for-2020 models like the Q950TS or Q80T QLED will come with dedicated Samsung TV Plus buttons on the TV remote, too – that is, in the US and Canada.

Belkin Soundform Connect

Belkin has released a $99 adapter called the Soundform Connect that turns any powered speaker, receiver/amplifier, or soundbar into an AirPlay2 compatible device. The Soundform Connect is in limited supply. It took us about four weeks after we ordered it to receive ours.

The first thing we noticed after opening the package was how small it is. It's about the size of two Tic Tac cases stacked on top of each other (43.4mm / 1.71in x 62mm / 2.44in x 19mm / 0.75in). Power comes from a typical mobile phone adapter with a USB-C cable. The size makes it a viable alternative to finding a used Airport Express on eBay. Although the Airport Express does have one advantage that we will talk about in a bit.

Features:

Stream from iOS and Mac devices on your existing stereo
Play music in multiple rooms with other AirPlay 2-enabled speakers
Easy AirPlay 2 pairing
Connect to any speaker or receiver with an optical or 3.5mm audio input (Cables not included)
2-year warranty

Setup

Setup took about five minutes. You power on the device and move your iPhone close to it. Then you choose the "setup device" in the wifi settings. There is a step where you aim your camera at the code on the back of the unit. This was problematic for us because the printing was difficult for our camera to differentiate from the background. At this point we entered the code manually. Once connected we gave our device a meaningful name and connected an optical cable to our amplifier. You can also use a 3.5mm cable if desired. Once all the connections were made we were on our way.

Performance

There is not a whole bunch to say about performance here. It worked like all other AirPlay2 devices on our network. The music was clear with no dropouts during our testing. When playing with multiple AirPlay2 devices, there were no sync issues. The specs on the Soundform Connect state that it supports CD-quality sample rates of 16-bit, 44,100 Hz (44.1 kHz) resolution. Which is the highest resolution AirPlay will support. We did play Hi-Res Lossless content from our computer which was transcoded to CD quality. It sounded fantastic!

Conclusion

If you have a need to convert a powered speaker, soundbar, or receiver to AirPlay2, the Belkin Soundform Connect is a no brainer. It's small, easy to set up, and works flawlessly. But with that said, if you don't mind a slightly bigger form factor, you may want to consider buying an Airport Express on ebay for about $50. It has the exact same functionality for $50 less.

Podcast #1009: Dolby vs DTS - Does it still matter? Jul 23, 2021

Show notes

This week we take a look at a new Drywall Screw that supposedly will isolate your theater from adjacent rooms. We also take a look at the differences between Dolby and DTS. Does it still matter in the era of their high definition codecs? We also read your emails and discuss the week's news.

New Spring-Loaded Screw Turns Drywall Into Sound-Absorbing Panels

The smooth featureless walls around your home are easy to paint and great for hanging artwork, but they're also very effective at transmitting soundwaves from room to room—a less desired feature. Adding soundproofing is one solution, but a cheaper and easier way is to install drywall using these clever spring-loaded, sound-damping screws instead. Full article here...

Dolby Digital Vs DTS: What's The Difference?

As home cinema has improved, new surround sound formats have sprung up, bringing more detail and realism to movie nights. But let's go back to basics and look at the two most popular surround sound formats: DTS and Dolby Digital. Full article here...

Both DTS and Dolby Digital are audio compression technologies. In their most basic form, both DTS and Dolby Digital support 5.1-channel audio. And more advanced versions of the formats support 7.1-channels, HD surround sound and overhead speakers, in the form of DTS:X and Dolby Atmos.
DTS is encoded at a higher bit-rate and therefore is considered by some experts to be better quality. Others argue that Dolby Digital's technology is more advanced and produces better sound quality at a lower bit-rate.
The first film to use Dolby Digital was Batman Returns in 1992. Since then, Dolby has released a slew of increasingly advanced codecs, including Dolby Digital Plus, which supports HD surround sound and up to 7.1 speaker channels. Want the best? Dolby TrueHD is a lossless format that promises to be identical to the movie studio's master recording. Then there's the object-based audio system Dolby Atmos.
DTS (originally Digital Theater Systems) was founded in 1993 to compete with Dolby Labs. The first film to use DTS was Jurassic Park also in 1993.
The major differences are the compression levels and bit-rates. Dolby Digital compresses 5.1 digital audio down to a bit-rate of 640 kbits/s (kilobits per second) for Blu-ray discs (448 kbits/s for DVD). DTS is less compressed and supports higher bit-rates of up to 1.5Mb/s (megabits per second) (768 kbits/s for DVD).
In HD formats, Dolby Digital Plus supports up to 1.7Mbps, while DTS-HD High Resolution supports up to 6Mb/s.
In True HD vs DTS:HD Master Audio theoretically there shouldn't be any difference since both are lossless.

Which is better: DTS or Dolby Digital?Many people have done A/B testing of DD and DTS and in most cases DTS comes out on top. We too agree that there is a richer and more detailed sound. Even if you accept that Dolby has a better compression algorithm, in 1993, the computing power of machines were not strong enough to bridge the 1Mbps data rate gap. And probably more importantly, like everything in our hobby you need equipment that is precise enough to be able to hear the difference between these formats. If you have a $500 system, speakers included, you are not going to hear the difference.

Fast forward to the Blu-ray era. Discs now have the capacity for more data storage and higher data rates. Compression is better and computing power more grew by 100X from 1992. Lossless is on the scene and there is no longer a difference. But both Dolby and DTS have lossy formats that claim to sound as good as their lossless formats. But DD+ does so at 4Mbps less than the other.

We have done tests with DD+ and DTS MA High Resolution and can't tell the difference between the two and their lossless counterparts. But who cares about the lossy formats because Bluray discs have enough space that there is no reason compress the audio anyway. True, but streaming does have bandwidth limitations and that's where DD+ wins. Indeed there are some streaming services using DD+ in their streams.

What about Object Based Audio?

Both Dolby and DTS have object based audio. Dolby calls theirs ATMOS and DTS uses the X moniker. ATMOS is what the streaming services are using.

Why is Dolby Seemingly the Format of Choice?

We think it comes down to two things, data rate and tools. Currently, data rates limit the quality of streaming. The more bits you can set aside for picture quality the better it's going to look. If you can get studio quality audio at 1.5 Mbps vs 6 Mbps the choice is pretty obvious. Then there are the tools. Dolby has developed great tools and have trained the mixers to use them. They have plugins for all their formats built right into ProTools and other commonly used authoring software. DTS also has similar tools but were later to the game and have fewer mixers familiar with them. These two factors are huge for the adoption of Dolby.

Which one is Best?

It's like Bourbon. There are really good and extremely good Bourbons out there. You can find really good bourbons everywhere. You buy and enjoy them and know there is better but if you can't find any, who cares? DD, DD+, and Dolby ATMOS are everywhere DTS is harder to find. Enjoy Dolby like a good Bourbon. But if you have a UHD player and you want to up your experience, pour yourself a Pappy pop in a disc and enjoy your DTS!

Podcast #1008: Cinemas are done and possible NFL and Apple Marriage Jul 16, 2021

Show notes

Are Apple and the NFL close to a deal that will bring Sunday Ticket to AppleTV+? We give our thoughts on a possible deal between the two companies. We also start putting the last nails into TV and cinema operator's coffins. All of this plus your emails and news await you on this week's show!

Apple in Early Talks With NFL on Sunday Ticket Games

Apple has expressed interest in the streaming rights for a package of National Football League games the NFL is now auctioning, said people familiar with the situation, a possible sign the tech giant is looking to beef up the audience for its Apple TV+ streaming service. Full article (membership required)

DirecTV's Sunday Ticket deal is due to expire after 2022
DirecTV allegedly pays $1.5 billion a year for Sunday Ticket rights and the NFL is expected to charge even more for the next buyer. Further, DirecTV is said to be losing money on its time holding the rights – up to $2.5 billion.
It's unclear how Apple would approach NFL Sunday Ticket if it did buy the rights, but it's possible it would be an add-on to the regular monthly Apple TV+ cost.
Notably, others interested in NFL's Sunday Ticket include Disney and possibly Amazon alongside other more traditional media companies.

An argument against this that DirecTV will attempt to renew their contract at all costs otherwise they will lose millions of business customers (such as sports bars). But what if the NFL opened up licensing to all, similar to MLB, NHL, and NBA.

For example you can get MLB extra innings on your cable system or on your AppleTV. What if the NFL said you can have the package for a split of the revenue or some small nominal amount plus a split of the revenue. Exposing the package to more than just the DirecTV subscribers can bring in way more subscribers and more money for all.

Do you think a sports bar would rewire everything just because it can now use a RokuTV or an AppleTV? DirecTV will make less revenue but it will also cost it much less so it may actually make a profit.

Android TV shines as pay-TV market declines

Android TV and Huawei's HarmonyOS are set to dominate the coming years across both the shrinking footprint of operator set tops, and the ballooning number of smart TVs and connected TV (CTV) devices, according to forecasts from Rethink TV.

Pay-TV households will decline from an estimated 921 million in 2020 to 680 million in 2026, impacting the annual shipments of Operator Set Tops, which falls from 242.6 million to 184.8 million, propped up by the upgrade cycle for new Set Top Box operating systems. Full article here...

Harbinger of Death Barry Diller Declares Movies "Over"

"The movie business is over," Barry Diller, former chairman and CEO of Paramount Pictures and 20th Century Fox, told NPR in a recent interview. "The movie business as before is finished and will never come back." Full article here…

He sees streaming as an irreversible alteration of traditional movie success ranging from promotional efforts and accessibility.
Marketing a theatrical film is a costly endeavor, particularly when compared to the recommendation algorithms that do much of the heavy lifting for streaming.
"There used to be a whole run-up," Diller said of the pre-release marketing push theatrical films require. Mass marketing provides movies with a sense of event prestige and helps to sustain audience interest in new movies over an extended period of time. "That's finished,"
"These streaming services have been making something that they call 'movies,' " he said. "They ain't movies. They are some weird algorithmic process that has created things that last 100 minutes or so."

Our take (which has been our take for a few years)

Movie theaters will be reduced to high end experiences. No more megaplexs that banish five week old releases to small screens in the back of the theater. Now those movies will go to the studios streaming service within a few weeks.

Some Real world info to back up our claims

According to the site "The Numbers" The US Box office numbers for Black widow put it in 98th place. This 98th place does not include the impact of rising ticket prices. A lot of the movies that beat "Black Widow" debuted many years ago, when ticket prices were a lot lower, and it took a lot more tickets to get there, including "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone," which opened in November 2001 and grossed $90 million. At the time, the average ticket price was $5.66, compared to $9.16 in 2019.

Box office info from the weekend: BlackWidow hits over $215M worldwide in opening weekend

🇺🇸 $80M domestic of which 50% goes to the theater operators

🌎 $78M international

💰 $60M+ Disney+ Premier Access 100% goes Disney

We now have a choice and it's clear that a large percentage of us with big screens want to watch at home!

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