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Blu-ray Movie ReviewsUltra HD Blu-ray Movie Reviews
War for the Planet of the Apes
Thomas J. Norton  |  Mar 09, 2018
Picture
Sound
Extras
War for the Planet of the Apes concludes a trilogy that began with Rise of the Planet of the Apes in 2011. It tells the story of Caesar, from a nascent, intelligent ape to the leader of a band of smart simians. Humankind here has been nearly wiped out, with the survivors fighting to retain their freedom and humanity. In a twist from the classic 1968 original, however, the humans here are the villains, and the apes, fleeing the remnants of an army led by an obsessed, Ahab-like colonel, are the heroes. We’re driven to root for the Apes, from the story’s beginning to its near-biblical conclusion.
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Blu-ray Movie ReviewsUltra HD Blu-ray Movie Reviews
The Dark Tower
John Sciacca  |  Mar 09, 2018
Picture
Sound
Extras
Bringing Stephen King novels to the big screen is always fraught with conundrums, the expansive detail not often translating well to film. Condensing the eight Dark Tower novels into a single sub-100 minute movie seemed especially ambitious. The Dark Tower screenwriters plucked bits and pieces from the series, beginning in the middle and crafting a tale from there.

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The Connected Life
The Big Screen Debate: Direct-View TV Vs. Projection
John Sciacca  |  Mar 09, 2018
There are lots of cool aspects to my job as a custom installer, but my favorite is installing home theater systems. And when designing a surround system with a customer, one of the first discussions is whether they should go with a direct-view, flat-panel display or with a two-piece projection system. Sometimes this choice is obvious; either due to room size, budget, aesthetic demands, or some construction issue that dictates one over another. Other times it becomes a gray area.
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Audio Video News
SpectraCal Updates Auto-Calibration for Samsung QLED TVs
SV Staff  |  Mar 09, 2018
Video-calibration software leader SpectraCal has extended its partnership with Samsung and expanded the CalMAN color-calibration control options in Samsung’s 2018 QLED TVs.
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AV Receiver Reviews
Denon AVR-X3400H A/V Receiver Review
Daniel Kumin  |  Mar 08, 2018

Performance
Features
Ergonomics
Value
PRICE $999

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Solid two-channel and multichannel power
3.1.2-channel Dolby Atmos/DTS:X virtual height effects
Excellent Audyssey MultEQ XT32 room correction
HEOS wireless multiroom
Minus
Wired multiroom limited to one zone

THE VERDICT
A fine seven-channel amp, attractive ergonomics, full 4K/HDR-readiness, and 5.2.2 Dolby Atmos and DTS:X make for a very competitive midrange option.

Denon’s new AVR-X3400H A/V receiver scored points with me even before I got it out of its box: The four-piece packaging foam (top/bottom front and back) allows for easy removal of a heavy-ish item without battling box flaps, splintering full end-cap pieces, or leaving a trail of Styrofoam crumbs behind. (Yes, I’m packing-material obsessive.) But let me not prejudge.

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Throwback Thursday
Flashback 1999: New Mag Met (Mostly) with Praise
SV Staff  |  Mar 08, 2018
Nineteen years ago this week, the second issue of Stereo Review’s Sound & Vision hit newsstands. Stunning cover (and content) notwithstanding, the 152-page second act of the magazine that replaced Stereo Review (which enjoyed a prosperous 40-year run) and Video (which was the videophile’s go-to magazine for 21 years) was met with much praise…but not everyone was happy.
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Audio Video NewsNew Products
Samsung Unveils New Features for QLED TVs & More
SV Staff  |  Mar 08, 2018
Samsung staged a First Look event at the American Stock Exchange building in New York City yesterday to introduce new, forward-looking features for its flagship QLED 4K/Ultra HD (UHD) TVs and showcase its 2018 lineup of home entertainment products, most of which will be available this month.
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Ask S&V
Why Can’t My Receiver Pass Dolby Vision From an Apple TV?
Al Griffin  |  Mar 08, 2018
Got a tech question for Sound & Vision? Email us at AskSandV@gmail.com

Q My Denon AVR-S930H receiver supports pass-through of Dolby Vision high dynamic range. However, when I connect my Apple 4K TV to it, the Dolby Vision setting on the Apple box becomes unavailable and the signal changes to the HDR10 high dynamic range format.

I know the Denon passes Dolby Vision because when I connect my Oppo Ultra HD Blu-ray player to it, movies are displayed in the Dolby Vision format on my LG TV. I also know the Apple box isn’t the problem because Dolby Vision works when I connect it directly to the TV. Is there a setting in either the Denon receiver or Apple TV that I’m overlooking? —David A. Pilsner

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Audio Video News
Vizio Announces ‘Slam Dunk’ Deals
SV Staff  |  Mar 07, 2018
Not one to let a perfectly good event pass by without a sale, Vizio has put together a Slam Dunk Deals page to help kick off March Madness, which starts with Selection Sunday this weekend and ends with the Championship game on April 2.
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The S&V Interview
The Music Is Out There: David Duchovny Shares His Every Third Thought
Mike Mettler  |  Mar 07, 2018
David Duchovny is no weekend music hobbyist. The original music of the noted actor/director/writer (The X-Files, Californication) is now on full display on his second album, Every Third Thought. I got on the line with Duchovny to discuss the importance of vocal enunciation, leaving what he feels sounds “real” in final mixes, and why you’ll never hear his singing voice on The X-Files — even though you’ve heard one of his songs appear on the show.
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