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TV Popping Sound
Scott Wilkinson  |  Jun 07, 2011  |  3 comments
We bought a Sony XBR-52HX909 with full-array LED backlighting and local dimming, and we love it! But 30 seconds to a minute after turning it off, we hear a click/pop, almost like the sound you sometimes hear when turning off a fluorescent bulb. Is this typical of sets with full-array backlighting or most likely an internal issue?

John Diamantopoulos

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TV Recommendation, In-Ceiling Speakers, Panasonic or Samsung Plasma
Scott Wilkinson  |  Jun 23, 2011  |  0 comments
Which 46-inch non-plasma, non-3D TV do you recommend? Can I get in-ceiling speakers individually instead of in pairs? Should I get a Panasonic VT30 or Samsung D8000 plasma?
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TV Recommendation, In-Ceiling Speakers, Panasonic or Samsung Plasma
Scott Wilkinson  |  Jun 23, 2011  |  2 comments
Which 46-inch non-plasma, non-3D TV do you recommend? Can I get in-ceiling speakers individually instead of in pairs? Should I get a Panasonic VT30 or Samsung D8000 plasma?
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TV Resolution, Apps, 3D Compatibility
Scott Wilkinson  |  Mar 09, 2011  |  0 comments
How much resolution am I actually seeing on my CRT RPTV? Is it better to have apps in the TV or Blu-ray player? Are there compatibility issues between 3D content and active or passive glasses?
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TV Setup
Scott Wilkinson  |  Sep 19, 2011  |  10 comments
I recently bought a Sony KDL-60NX810 TV, and I used the Spears and Munsil High-Definition Benchmark Blu-ray setup disc to optimize the picture controls. A friend has Digital Video Essentials: HD Basics from Joe Kane. Should I try it too, or have I gotten it as good as it will be?

Dennis O'Neill

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TV Setup, 7.1 on 5.1 System, Ethernet Extension
Scott Wilkinson  |  Jun 01, 2011  |  0 comments
What features should I turn off before setting my Vizio TV's picture controls? What happens when you play a 7.1 Blu-ray on a 5.1 system? Can I extend an Ethernet cable by adding another cable with a female-female adaptor?
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TV Shopping
Scott Wilkinson  |  Jun 27, 2011  |  0 comments
It's time to get rid of my Sony Wega 40-inch TV, which cost over $3000 when I bought it years ago. My local A/V retailer carries Sony, Samsung, LG, and Sharp, and a local furniture store offers Panasonic, Toshiba, and Hitachi. The most important features to me are sports, movies, and Ethernet (I have a lot of movies on my new Windows 7 PC).

Chris MacDonald

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TV Skype
Scott Wilkinson  |  May 18, 2011  |  1 comments
I purchased a Panasonic TC-P58VT25 TV from Best Buy in early January. When I asked about the Panasonic webcam to use with Skype, the price was too high. I asked if any USB webcam would work, and I was told that it probably would.

Later, I got a good deal on a Logitech 1080p HD webcam—not cheap, but about half the price of the Panasonic. However, it does not work; the TV doesn't recognize it. A little research leads me to believe that the Best Buy folks gave me bad info, and the Panasonic webcam is the only one that will work.

Can you shed any light on this? Do you know of a workaround so I can use a less expensive webcam for Skype calls on my new Panasonic TV? I really think others should be warned of this problem.

Jerry Gifford

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TV Testing: How Do You Measure Brightness?
Al Griffin  |  Mar 11, 2021  |  0 comments
Got a tech question for Sound & Vision? Email us at AskSandV@gmail.com

Q How do you measure the brightness of a TV and convert that number to nits? —Gary Eickmeier, Lakeland, FL

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TVs, Adaptors, Tuners
Scott Wilkinson  |  Sep 23, 2009  |  2 comments
Funny You Should Ask
I'm looking for a reasonably priced 42-inch HDTV. A standard-definition DVD player will be connected to it as well as digital cable, but no HD service. Plasma or LCD? I can go either way. It won't be wall mounted. I was thinking a 720p set would okay since we don't plan to have HD cable service, but I'd be very interested to hear what you think.
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Unconventional Subwoofer Configuration
Scott Wilkinson  |  Jun 27, 2012  |  9 comments
I have a Marantz SR6004 A/V receiver with a 5.1 speaker system, including Focal Chorus 826 V speakers for the front left and right, Chorus CC 800 V for the center channel, Chorus 806 V speakers for the surrounds, and Chorus SW 800 V subwoofer. In the receiver, I set the front left and right as Large and the others as Small. I set the subwoofer output to Off and use the receiver's Speaker C function to drive the sub's high-level inputs from the receiver's surround-back speaker outputs with the sub's internal crossover set to 60Hz. This configuration produces a very nice sound; I feel that the bass is more structured and integrated than when I use the crossover in the receiver. My question is, does the receiver lose power in this configuration?

Santiago Blint

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Universal Remotes, Budget PJs, Subwoofers
Scott Wilkinson  |  May 05, 2011  |  1 comments
Should I buy a Logitech Harmony remote to replace my broken TiVo remote? Which budget projector do you recommend? Which subwoofer should I get?
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Up Close with Panasonic’s 2016 OLED UHDTV
Al Griffin  |  Jan 08, 2016  |  1 comments
LG made a bold statement with its Signature model and other OLED TVs at CES, but it isn’t the only company hawking the technology. A surprisingly small A/V product showcase in Panasonic’s booth featured the company’s forthcoming 65CZ950 OLED UHDTV.
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Upconverting S-video to HDMI
Scott Wilkinson  |  Mar 28, 2012  |  7 comments
I need a new A/V receiver to replace my non-HDMI Denon AVR-3805. Among my source devices are two JVC S-VHS VCRs, so I hope to find an AVR with at least one S-video input that is upconverted to HDMI. What would you recommend for under $1000?

Stan Sexton

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Upgrade Dilemma
Scott Wilkinson  |  Mar 26, 2012  |  14 comments
I currently own a Yamaha RX-V661 A/V receiver, and I play DVDs and Blu-rays on a PS3. My receiver is only compatible with HDMI 1.2a. Is it true that the PS3 decodes Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio and sends them losslessly to my receiver? I ask because I just bought a new house, and I am setting up an entry-level home theater with a projector. I am stuck between buying new surround speakers or a new AVR such as the Pioneer VSX-1021 or Onkyo TX-NR609. I currently have some outdated Bose speakers that I use for surrounds and rears, and I would like to upgrade them to match the Klipsch speakers I have for my front left and right, center, and powered sub.

Jerry VanOort

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