Audio Video News

I half expected an ordeal as I walked into Walmart carrying a small shopping bag with several movies, ready to take the new Disc-to-Digital service for a spin. I was directed to the electronics department where I was greeted by a large placard that read: “Access your movie collection. Any time. Any place. 3 Easy Steps...” Offered in Walmart stores across the country, the service is operated through the chain’s online streaming service, Vudu, and is intended to provide an easy way to set up a cloud-based digital movie library with DVDs and Blu-ray Discs you already own.

Panasonic TC-L55ET5 3D LCD HDTV
Images are said to be bright and clear from almost any seat in the room thanks to a new high-efficiency LED-backlit LCD panel that maintains brightness over a wide viewing angle, while consuming 25 percent less power than Panasonic’s 2011 LCD HDTVs. A Web browser and built-in Wi-Fi make it easy to access online content, select apps from the Viera Connect Market, and video chat (optional camera required). The TV supports passive (polarized) 3D viewing and can convert any video to 3D; four pair of 3D glasses are included.

Cue Indiana Jones theme.

To celebrate the release of the Indiana Jones: The Complete Adventures on Blu-ray on September 18th, the good people at Paramount and Lucasfilm were kind enough to invite us to a once-in-a-lifetime press shindig at Skywalker Ranch in Marin County, California and what an experience it was.

DENON AVR-1913 A/V RECEIVER

Home theater brawn and cutting-edge connectivity define the AVR-1913, which packs seven 90-watt amplifiers for room-shaking 7.1-channel movie action and supports AirPlay technology for wireless music streaming from your favorite Apple device. Highlights include more than a dozen sound modes, six HDMI inputs (including one up front for quick camcorder hookups), a front-panel USB input, and an Ethernet port so you can access Pandora, Flickr, and other Web content from your living room. Speaker setup is fully automated thanks to Audyssey MultEQ processing, and an onboard video upscaler converts standard-def video to 1080p.

ACCELL ULTRAAV 5x1 HDMI SWITCH

Got four or five HDMI components but only a couple of HDMI inputs on your TV or projector? No problem. Accell’s UltraAV lets you manually switch between up to five HDMI sources using buttons on its front panel or the supplied remote control. If you prefer autopilot, the switcher will detect the active input and switch to it automatically. Resolutions up to 1080p are supported, and maximum throughput is 6.75 Gbps.

Bonus Booster: A built-in signal repeater regenerates the audio/video signal, allowing it to be shuttled over a cable up to 49 feet long—perfect for when your component stack is on the other side of a huge room or tucked away in a basement closet. Price: $90

Accell • (877) 353-0772 • accellcables.com

In a surprising move, Japanese competitors Panasonic and Sony announced in a press release today that they have signed an agreement to collaborate on the development of OLED (organic light-emitting diode) panels for TVs and other large-size displays. The companies intend to establish mass-production technology during 2013 by integrating their individual strengths to improve the efficiency of development.

As I recount in my coverage of the world premier of Brave, it's the first movie with a soundtrack mixed for the Dolby Atmos sound system, which envelops the audience much more than conventional 5.1 or 7.1. But as a brand new technology, Atmos is currently installed in only 14 theaters around the country.

Do you live near one of them? If so, I strongly recommend seeing Brave there so you can experience the next generation of cinema sound. Here's a list of theaters with Dolby Atmos: