HDTV and Home Theater Podcast
Episodes
Calibration Corner #3
21 Jul 2013
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode we cover the following topics: Manual audio calibration for older receivers Calibration for day and night Large or small speaker sett...
Podcast #592: Is Blu-ray a Dead Format?
18 Jul 2013
Contributed by Lukas
Ask anyone who knows something about home theater what is the highest quality audio and video available to mere mortals today and they will tell you B...
Blu-ray Review #62
16 Jul 2013
Contributed by Lukas
This biopic focuses on the relationship between baseball icon Jackie Robinson and Brooklyn Dodgers general manager Branch Rickey, who signed Robinson ...
Podcast #591: HDTV in the Great Outdoors
12 Jul 2013
Contributed by Lukas
For many avid campers and outdoor enthusiasts, time spent away in the wilderness is a great opportunity to unplug and distance yourself from all of th...
Podcast #590: HDMI 1.4a and Beyond
05 Jul 2013
Contributed by Lukas
We have been talking about HDMI for pretty much as long as we have been doing this show, that’s more than six years. Every now and then we do a deep...
Podcast #589: SID Display Week 2013
28 Jun 2013
Contributed by Lukas
The Society for Information Display held their annual Display Week conference in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada last month from May 19 - 24. Th...
Podcast #588: Netflix SuperHD
21 Jun 2013
Contributed by Lukas
We received an email from Mark in Watertown South Dakota asking us about our opinion of Netflix SuperHD and we thought it would make a great idea for ...
Podcast #587: CE Pro Brand Analysis 2013 and Home Theater Design Tips & Mistakes
14 Jun 2013
Contributed by Lukas
CE Pro, the magazine for professional consumer electronics installers, is back with another annual installment of the CE Pro Brand Analysis. They put ...
Podcast #586: Denon AVR-2313CI and HSU VTF-3 MK4 Subwoofer
07 Jun 2013
Contributed by Lukas
If you have been listening to the show for the last few weeks you probably know that Ara added some new gear to his home. In the family room he added ...
Podcast #585: Rec. 2020: UHD Decoded
31 May 2013
Contributed by Lukas
There’s a lot of buzz in the home theater industry around the forthcoming Ultra High Definition, or UHD televisions, sometimes called 4K TVs. It tur...
Podcast #584: Plasma vs LED
24 May 2013
Contributed by Lukas
We have been talking about the demise of plasma for at least three years. But with each passing year manufacturers come out with plasma TVs that are s...
Podcast #583: OLED vs 4K for your next TV
17 May 2013
Contributed by Lukas
We’re willing to admit, and we probably aren’t the only ones, that 3D simply is not the next big thing in home entertainment. Sure it sounded cool...
Podcast #582: Pioneer VSX-70 7.2 Home Theater Receiver
10 May 2013
Contributed by Lukas
Recently manufacturers announced their new AVR lines. Pioneer was no exception. We were able to obtain one of their entry Elite models the VSX-70. Th...
Podcast #581: TV Buying Trends and an Interview with OpenRemote.org
03 May 2013
Contributed by Lukas
We like to occasionally take a look at the top selling products at Amazon as a barometer of what is occurring in the larger Consumer Electronics marke...
Podcast #580: Mohu Sky HDTV Antenna
26 Apr 2013
Contributed by Lukas
We here at the HDTV and Home Theater Podcast are always looking for new products that make your home theater better. So when we find products that cla...
Podcast #579: Room Correction 101
19 Apr 2013
Contributed by Lukas
A lot of emphasis is traditionally placed on buying the best equipment you can afford for your home theater. Ask just about anyone and they’ll tell ...
Podcast #578: Is a 7.1 System Worth it?
12 Apr 2013
Contributed by Lukas
We recently received an email from a listener who was asking whether a 7.1 system was something that he should wire his home with. This got us thinkin...
Podcast #577: Roku 3 Review
05 Apr 2013
Contributed by Lukas
Despite Roku being the pioneer in modern streaming boxes, the Apple TV has become the device all others are measured by. But has that changed with t...
Podcast #576: One Week with a Tablet Remote
29 Mar 2013
Contributed by Lukas
We are on record of being huge fans of the Harmony remote control. Why not, before the Harmony our coffee tables had four remotes and practically requ...
Podcast #575: Tis the Season for Receivers: Yamaha, Denon, Onkyo, and Pioneer
22 Mar 2013
Contributed by Lukas
In an effort not to be outdone by their peers, many Consumer Electronics companies try to announce their new products at the same time everyone else d...
Podcast #574: WD TV Play and Projector vs Large Format TV
15 Mar 2013
Contributed by Lukas
Media players have become the bridge to all our content. Whether that content is located in the cloud or on a server somewhere on your local network, ...
Podcast #573: The Future of THX and Roku 3
08 Mar 2013
Contributed by Lukas
When Netflix decided to get into the streaming business, the company needed a device in your home theater to stream movies to. Just weeks before the b...
Podcast #572: iTunes vs Vudu vs Blu-ray
01 Mar 2013
Contributed by Lukas
We’ve watched streaming media go from incredibly choppy and blocky to smooth and nearly HD. As bandwidth increases so does the quality of streaming ...
Podcast #571: 802.11ac - Wireless you can believe in
22 Feb 2013
Contributed by Lukas
Most of us have wireless networks in our homes these days, there’s nothing like the convenience of instant Internet without wires. But we’ve also ...
Podcast #570: HDMI Cable Throwdown, High Priced vs Generic
15 Feb 2013
Contributed by Lukas
A few weeks ago we received an email from a good friend of the show, Jack, telling us about an article he read about HDMI cables. He pointed us to a c...
Podcast #569: Wireless HDMI Options
08 Feb 2013
Contributed by Lukas
We have reviewed a handful of wireless HDMI systems in the past, and have been impressed each time at how much better they’re getting and how quickl...
Podcast #568: Super Bowl 2013 and Smart Thermostats
01 Feb 2013
Contributed by Lukas
There are a few reasons you would want to automate your home. Very close to the top of the list is saving money. And the one item that uses the most e...
Podcast #567: Insteon Hub Review
25 Jan 2013
Contributed by Lukas
To take full advantage of an automation system, you need a server running that can take action based on events that may occur, these are often called ...
Podcast #566: Slingbox 500 Review
18 Jan 2013
Contributed by Lukas
We have had slingboxes for the past 5 years and they have come in quite handy! There have been plenty of Sundays where the Slingbox has allowed us to ...
Podcast #565: CES 2013 Wrapup
11 Jan 2013
Contributed by Lukas
Another CES has come and gone. At the risk of being permanently banned, we've brought back everything we saw and did in Vegas to share it with everyon...
Podcast #564: CES Preview 2013
04 Jan 2013
Contributed by Lukas
Each year we make our way through the California and Nevada deserts to spend some quality time with the latest in electronics. Today we will focus on ...
Podcast #563: Home Theater Predictions for 2013
28 Dec 2012
Contributed by Lukas
Time for the HT Guys to look into our crystal ball and try and predict the HDTV and Home Theater landscape for 2013. Our crystal ball is never as clea...
Podcast #562: 2012 Year in Review
21 Dec 2012
Contributed by Lukas
We go out on a limb every year and try to predict what the new year will bring in the realm of HDTV and Home Theater. More often than not, that limb s...
Podcast #561: HT Guys Home Theater in a Box 2012
14 Dec 2012
Contributed by Lukas
There are so many Home Theater in a Box systems out there many of which cost less than $400. But seriously, what can you get for $400. A good center c...
Podcast #560: Receiver Buying Guide 2012
07 Dec 2012
Contributed by Lukas
So if we haven’t spent enough of your money this year we get to spend some more. We continue our holiday buying guides with receivers. Our goal with...
Podcast #559: HDTV Buying Guide 2012
30 Nov 2012
Contributed by Lukas
As promised, we’re back for another annual edition of the HDTV buying guide and just in time for Christmas - we’d like to think it’s back by pop...
Podcast #558: Home Theater in a Box Buying Guide
23 Nov 2012
Contributed by Lukas
Each Holiday season we put together buying guides to help you make it a bit easier for you to make some decisions on what to spend your hard earned ca...
Podcast #557: Black Friday 2012
16 Nov 2012
Contributed by Lukas
It's almost Thanksgiving here in the US, and with that comes the biggest holiday of the HT Guys' year: Black Friday. The key to a successful Black Fri...
Podcast #556: 3M Streaming Projector with Roku
09 Nov 2012
Contributed by Lukas
We received an email about a month back asking us to take a look at the 3M Streaming projector with Roku and since we are suckers for this kind of st...
Podcast #555: Epson PowerLite Home Cinema 3010 Projector
03 Nov 2012
Contributed by Lukas
After Braden’s projector blew a second bulb, he thought that maybe being a little sneaky and buying a whole new projector was the right way to get t...
Podcast #554: Logitech Harmony Touch Review
26 Oct 2012
Contributed by Lukas
We love gear at the HT Guys and when a new remote comes out we have to take a look. Recently Logitech released the Harmony Touch - a remote that combi...
Podcast #553: New Boxee, Cloud DVR and Superhero Movies
19 Oct 2012
Contributed by Lukas
Cord cutters rejoice, the new $99 Boxee will delight and amaze you, and it is a much more normal size and shape. One unique feature of the new Boxee i...
Podcast #552: DIY Cabling, 4K TVs and Sci-Fi Movies
12 Oct 2012
Contributed by Lukas
This episode covers a wide range of topics, from various DIY ways to hide cables in your home theater to why 4K is more important than 3D, but maybe n...
Podcast #551: The CD Player Turns 30
05 Oct 2012
Contributed by Lukas
The HT Guys decided to do a little look back on the digital format that changed the music industry, and set the stage for other formats that would cha...
Podcast #550: Solid Signal HD Blade
28 Sep 2012
Contributed by Lukas
Every time we publish a story about cutting the cord we get a ton of interest. Whether it be a new online service or a new antenna to be used for pull...
Podcast #549: Black Friday 2012 Predictions
21 Sep 2012
Contributed by Lukas
Black Friday 2012 is coming. In about two months the deal seeking crowds will descend upon stores like Walmart, Target and Best Buy with reckless aban...
Podcast #548: CEDIA 2012
14 Sep 2012
Contributed by Lukas
Each year CEDIA (Custom Electronic Design and Installation Association) holds an event where the industry gathers to show new off new gadgets and tech...
Podcast #547: News and Announcements from IFA 2012
07 Sep 2012
Contributed by Lukas
The annual IFA show in Berlin, dubbed “Consumer Electronics Unlimited,” is the second largest consumer tech show in the world - second only to CES...
Podcast #546: New TV for Fall 2012
31 Aug 2012
Contributed by Lukas
It's not as bad as it used to be. Sure we all made it through another Summer with almost nothing to watch on TV. But between Gordon Ramsay, USA Netw...
Podcast #545: Vizio Co-Star with Google TV
24 Aug 2012
Contributed by Lukas
The Vizio Co-Star may have the Logitech Revue to thank for the uphill battle it faces in convincing consumers that Google TV is the right choice for t...
Podcast #544: SVS SB12-NSD Subwoofer Review
17 Aug 2012
Contributed by Lukas
If you have been listening to us for a while you know that we feel subwoofers are essential home theater gear. There are so many units on the market i...
Podcast #543: Google Fiber TV
10 Aug 2012
Contributed by Lukas
We’ve been wondering for a while when the Sage TV technology would make its way back to the market as a Google offering and rumor has it, the day ha...
Podcast #542: Traveling with all your Media
03 Aug 2012
Contributed by Lukas
Summer vacations have changed quite a bit since we were kids. We used to have to invent games to play to pass the time while in the car or on a plane....
Podcast #541: 3 Budget Receivers, Unique Remotes and WiFi Headphones
27 Jul 2012
Contributed by Lukas
Episode 541 is packed with information, from a CNet discussion on their favorite 3 (budget) receivers to the new STRIVA wi-fi headphones from Koss. Mi...
Podcast #540: 4 Great TVs, Home Tech Trends and more on the DTV Green Dish
20 Jul 2012
Contributed by Lukas
There was a disturbance in the HT Guys force after our initial revue of the DTV Green Dish, a.k.a Dishtenna so we decided to post a little bit of an u...
Podcast #539: DTV Green Dish - Dishtenna Review
13 Jul 2012
Contributed by Lukas
The best way to cut the cord without giving up TV is to go the old fashioned route, put up an antenna and watch all the HDTV you want absolutely free....
Podcast #538: Pioneer VSX-1122-K Review and Z-Wave Automated Door Locks
06 Jul 2012
Contributed by Lukas
We love getting new toys to play with so when the Pioneer VSX-1122-K ($599.99) showed up at the HT Guys HQ we couldn’t wait to put it through its pa...
Podcast #537: Wiring Up Whole House Video...Or Not
29 Jun 2012
Contributed by Lukas
The Mac Mini Video Server project has brought in a steady stream of interested readers over the years. Who wouldn’t want to build their own movie j...
Podcast #536: Movie and TV Piracy
22 Jun 2012
Contributed by Lukas
This is not a typical topic for the HT Guys but recently we received a lot of emails about the fact the HBO series “Game of Thrones” is the most...
Podcast #535: Cloudee, Watch It and CE Pro 100 Brand Analysis 2012
15 Jun 2012
Contributed by Lukas
CEPro, the magazine for professional consumer electronics installers, puts out a survey every year to determine what brands dealers, integrators and r...
Podcast #534: Show-off Blu-rays and Father's Day Gift Guide
08 Jun 2012
Contributed by Lukas
It's that time of year again where Dads get to to have the spotlight for a whole day! If you are like us, the love of your family is all you need t...
Podcast #533: Amazon, Dishtenna and Google Chromebox
01 Jun 2012
Contributed by Lukas
Google has been making slow and somewhat quiet attempts to enter the Operating System space for a while. The last major concerted effort manifested as...
Podcast #532: Cable Show 2012 and D-Link MovieNite
25 May 2012
Contributed by Lukas
Each year cable industry people meet to discuss topics like multi-screen video services, cloud-based business applications, and innovations in pers...
Podcast #531: Quantum Dot Display Technology
18 May 2012
Contributed by Lukas
OLED TVs may have stolen the show at CES 2012, but just when you think it’s safe to be an early adopter and pick one up, you might want to hold off....
Podcast #530: Harman Kardon AVR 2650
11 May 2012
Contributed by Lukas
Ever since we saw (or better yet heard) our first demo of Dolby Volume we couldn't wait to find a reason to upgrade one of our receivers with this ...
Podcast #529: Google Drive and Outdoor Theater Screens
04 May 2012
Contributed by Lukas
Until recently, it felt like the weather was changing here in Southern California. We clicked over to daylight savings time; we had a few days of...
Podcast #528: Mohu Leaf Plus Amplified Indoor HDTV Antenna
27 Apr 2012
Contributed by Lukas
We reviewed the Mohu Leaf Indoor HDTV Antenna back in July (Podcast #489) and thought it was the best indoor HDTV antenna we have ever tested. We’...
Podcast #527: The Hopper by Dish
20 Apr 2012
Contributed by Lukas
Sometimes it’s OK to arrive fashionably late. It doesn’t always matter when you arrive to the party, what matters is what you bring with you whe...
Podcast #526: Audioengine A5+ Premium Powered Speakers
13 Apr 2012
Contributed by Lukas
We love looking for speakers that make whole house audio simple and provide high quality sound. There are plenty of choices out there, but few can f...
Podcast #525: Acer H6500 DLP projector
06 Apr 2012
Contributed by Lukas
When we started the podcast back in 2005, CRT projectors dominated home theater. As great as they looked, they were big, expensive and required rou...
Mission Impossible - Ghost Protocol - Blu-ray Review #24
03 Apr 2012
Contributed by Lukas
Super-agent Ethan Hunt dangles from skyscrapers and otherwise takes daring to new heights on another operation from the Impossible Missions Force. H...
Podcast #524: Eden, Amazon and the Ultimate AVR
30 Mar 2012
Contributed by Lukas
This week we are going to design the AVR of the future. This is a group effort! We will provide you with initial specifications and we would like y...
Young Adult - Blu-ray Review #23
27 Mar 2012
Contributed by Lukas
Taken aback when she receives a letter from an old boyfriend announcing that he's just had a baby with his wife, divorced fiction writer Mavis Gary ...
Podcast #523: Google Play
23 Mar 2012
Contributed by Lukas
We promised more Android coverage, so here you go, our take on Google Play. If you’re familiar with iTunes and iCloud from Apple, you’re probably...
The Adventures of Tintin - Blu-ray Review #22
20 Mar 2012
Contributed by Lukas
Blockbuster filmmakers Steven Spielberg and Peter Jackson team up for this 3-D motion capture adaptation of Georges Remi's classic comic strip, cent...
Podcast #522: Crystal LED HDTV Technology
16 Mar 2012
Contributed by Lukas
It was pretty clear that the OLED TVs demonstrated by LG and Samsung stole the show at the last Consumer Electronics Show we went to. We were reall...
Immortals - Blu-ray Review #21
13 Mar 2012
Contributed by Lukas
In Ancient Greece, King Hyperion searches for a powerful weapon that will free the bloodthirsty Titans and enable them to overpower the gods and ens...
Podcast #521: Simple.TV - A DVR for a Connected World
09 Mar 2012
Contributed by Lukas
We were recently asked what DVR we would recommend for someone who wanted to cut the cord or simply connect a standalone DVR without paying additio...
Footloose - Blu-ray Review #20
06 Mar 2012
Contributed by Lukas
This musical remake of the infectious 1984 hit finds dance-lovin', big-city kid Ren MacCormack stuck in a small town where dancing is illegal. As he...
Podcast #520: Wireless Surround Speakers
02 Mar 2012
Contributed by Lukas
We receive emails from time to time asking us for advice on wireless surround speakers. When we first started the podcast there weren't too many op...
Tower Heist - Blu-ray Review #19
28 Feb 2012
Contributed by Lukas
When a group of workers at a ritzy Manhattan condo realize their boss has swindled them out of their pensions, they vow to reap their own justice. ...
Podcast #519: Skifta - May your stuff be with you.
24 Feb 2012
Contributed by Lukas
The concept of 'cutting the cord' is more than just dropping cable or satellite to get rid of a monthly bill. It’s also about the freedom and conve...
True Grit (1969) - Blu-ray Review #18
21 Feb 2012
Contributed by Lukas
John Wayne landed one of his last great screen roles as crusty lawman Reuben J. "Rooster" Cogburn, who reluctantly helps teenager Mattie Ross (Kim D...
Podcast #518: Cord Cutting - A Financial Analysis
17 Feb 2012
Contributed by Lukas
Cord cutting has been in the news quite a bit lately. A week doesn’t go by when we don’t receive an email from a listener telling us about how...
Podcast #517: What is OLED and why do we care?
10 Feb 2012
Contributed by Lukas
One of the big hits at CES this year were the Samsung and LG OLED displays. Sure we’ve seen OLED TVs in the past, but they were 55” screens this ...
Drive - Blu-ray Review #17
07 Feb 2012
Contributed by Lukas
A Hollywood stuntman who moonlights as a getaway driver is lured from his isolated life by a lovely neighbor and her young son. His newfound peace i...
Podcast #516: Listeners Respond
03 Feb 2012
Contributed by Lukas
There are many times when we ask our listeners for their opinions on topics we discus on the show. On last week’s show we asked you what you thou...
Dolphin Tale - Blu-ray Review #16
31 Jan 2012
Contributed by Lukas
A badly maimed juvenile dolphin is given a new tail, and a new life, through the efforts of the humans who save it in this true-life adventure saga....
Podcast #515: Pioneer Elite N-30 Networked Audio Player
27 Jan 2012
Contributed by Lukas
The HT Guys love music and when a product comes along that lets us enjoy it, we want to take a look. The Pioneer N-30 is just such a device. It's a ne...
Real Steel - Blu-ray Review #15
24 Jan 2012
Contributed by Lukas
In a future world where flesh-and-blood boxers have been replaced by towering mechanized fighters, pugilist-turned-promoter Charlie Kenton reconnect...
Podcast #514: CES 2012: Part 2
20 Jan 2012
Contributed by Lukas
It's never enough to just talk about CES, we have to put eyes on all the goodies for ourselves. This year we did a whirlwind, one day, Vegas and back,...
Moneyball - Blu-ray Review #14
17 Jan 2012
Contributed by Lukas
An all-star cast brings to life the true story of Billy Beane (Brad Pitt), a former jock turned general manager who uses unconventional methods to b...
Podcast #513: CES 2012: Part I
13 Jan 2012
Contributed by Lukas
It's that time of the year again, time to pack up and head out to Vegas, baby, Vegas for another Consumer Electronics Show. CES always has something f...
Contagion - Blu-ray Review #13
10 Jan 2012
Contributed by Lukas
Soon after her return from a business trip to Hong Kong, Beth Emhoff dies from what is a flu or some other type of infection. Her young son dies later...
Podcast #512: What's Hot Right Now (2012 Time Capsule)
06 Jan 2012
Contributed by Lukas
We often look back at the technologies and prices of years gone by with shock and amazement. Instead of simply trying to remember what things wer...
Podcast #511: HDTV and Home Theater Predictions for 2012
30 Dec 2011
Contributed by Lukas
2011 was in some ways a wild year for HDTV and home theater, but in many other ways, fairly uneventful. We didn’t fare so well in our 2011 predic...
Podcast #510: HT Guys 2011 Prediction Results
23 Dec 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Every year in late December or early January we look into our crystal ball to see what the coming year will bring in the way of HDTV and Home Theat...
Cowboys & Aliens - Blu-ray Review #12
20 Dec 2011
Contributed by Lukas
It’s 1873 when gunslinger Jake Lonergan (Daniel Craig) awakens in the Arizona desert with no memory of his past and a mysterious metal shackle encir...
Podcast #509: Home Theater "In a Box" 2011
16 Dec 2011
Contributed by Lukas
As you know, we typically are not big fans of Home Theater in a Box (HTIB) systems. In years past we've decided to put our own "box" systems togethe...
Rise of the Planet of the Apes - Blu-ray Review #11
13 Dec 2011
Contributed by Lukas
James Franco headlines the reboot of the immensely popular Planet of the Apes franchise, a prequel which boasts cutting-edge CGI effects and a gripp...