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Other Tech
Chuck's 'Buy More' Versus Best Buy
Nick Kolakowski  |  Sep 16, 2008  | 

On the NBC action-comedy series Chuck, geeky electronics store employee Chuck Bartowski (Zachary Levi) unwittingly becomes the U.S government's most valuable secret agent - helping save the world from the threat-of-the-week.

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Ask Theo: Design Discipline (and the lack thereof)
Theo Kalomirakis  |  Sep 15, 2008  | 

Ten years ago, when home theater was just becoming the hot trend in new-home construction, I came up with an inexpensive, ready-to-assemble theater design for a large corporation in the housing-supplies business. Our target was the builder of homes for the average American family.

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The House That Jim Built, Part 3
James K. Willcox  |  Sep 14, 2008  | 

Has it really been 2 years since I last wrote about my efforts to install the A/V and networking systems in the new addition to my home?

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Other Tech
Ask Theo: Design Discipline (and the lack thereof)
Theo Kalomirakis  |  Sep 14, 2008  | 

Ten years ago, when home theater was just becoming the hot trend in new-home construction, I came up with an inexpensive, ready-to-assemble theater design for a large corporation in the housing-supplies business. Our target was the builder of homes for the average American family.

Continue Reading »
Other Tech
Aerielle i2i Stream Two Pack
Michael Antonoff  |  Sep 11, 2008  | 
The Short Form
$119.95; additional i2i One Pack, $69.95; USB AC power plug adapter charger, $9.95; Home Stereo Adapter Kit, $12.95 / i2igear.com / 650-967-
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CEDIA Expo 2008
SV Staff  |  Sep 08, 2008  | 
There's this gig that's been on our minds All the time, CE-CE-CEDIA. Expo-oh-oh . . .Whoa - sorry about that, Phil Collins. But we here at S&V are still buzzing about the 2008 Custom Electronic Design & Installation Association (CEDIA) Expo! We hit the convention floor in full force, sticking our cold, wet noses into every little exhibit booth in Denver, Colorado.
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The Top Ten DVD 'Easter Eggs'
Reed Tucker  |  Sep 08, 2008  | 

No matter how much time you spend watching TV and DVDs, it's always comforting to know there are still people out there who spend more hours in front of the panel than you. Many, many, more hours.

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Runway Models (of Speakers)
Brent Butterworth  |  Sep 07, 2008  | 

Some people's idea of a perfect speaker might not be a big ugly black box that delivers pristine performance. Obviously, these folks' priorities are way out of whack.

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Front Projectors Hit New Lows -- and Highs, Part II
Kevin James  |  Sep 07, 2008  | 

Given the wide disparity of price points we're seeing at CEDIA, custom installers are hoping to maintain their steady stream of upscale customers while embracing a category relatively unknown just a few years ago: first-time projector owners with considerably lower budgets.

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Sooloos Nips at Kaleidescape's Heels
John Sciacca  |  Sep 05, 2008  | 

Regular readers know I'm a nut for media servers, especially ones capable of managing and streaming DVD movies around the home. Not too long ago, if you wanted to enjoy this awesomeness, you were pretty much limited to the pricey Kaleidescape system.

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Wireless HDMI: Out of the Ether
Brent Butterworth  |  Sep 04, 2008  | 

Ever notice how many custom installers are losing their hair? That's because they pulled it all out in frustration over HDMI.

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SACD: Night of the Living Format
John Sciacca  |  Sep 04, 2008  | 

Remember not too long ago we had a little format war between HD-DVD and Blu-ray? Whether you think Blu-ray won or HD-DVD just lost, the result was that one format knew when it was time to take their ball and go home.

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Dolby to TV: Shut Up!
Rob Medich  |  Sep 04, 2008  | 

Really, there should be a law. Oh, sure, the F.C.C. has a regulation that TV commercials can't be louder than the programming surrounding them, but the advertisers skirt around that with some kind of compression trick. So ultimately, the commercials still sound . . . loud. And as for why so many TV stations come in at different sound levels . . . anyone?

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Pure and Perfect?
Ken C. Pohlmann  |  Sep 02, 2008  | 

Audiophiles laughed when the CD was first marketed as "Perfect sound forever." They rejected the notion that digital was better than analog, or that the CD sounded better than the LP. Today, it's generally accepted that 44.1-kHz, 16-bit files (with modern improvements such as noise shaping) can challenge the ability of most listeners to detect aural format flaws.

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Front Projectors Hit New Lows -- and Highs
Kevin James  |  Sep 02, 2008  | 

Over the past 18 months, prices for entry-level 1080p front projectors have fallen faster than the Super Bowl repeat hopes of the NY Giants. As a result, you can get a pretty awesome DLP or 3LCD model for about $3,000, while an entry-level 1080p LCoS projector from Sony (SXRD) or JVC (D-ILA) will set you back about $4,500 to $5,000.

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