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Audio Video NewsNew Products
Epson Announces ‘Ultra-Bright’ Portable Projector
SV Staff  |  Apr 10, 2017
Epson says its new portable 1080p LCD projector is up to three times brighter than competitive models, making it suitable for watching movies and sports or playing video games in a large room with the lights on.
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Ears On
WNEW-FM and the Golden Age of Streaming
Mark Fleischmann  |  Apr 10, 2017
Back when I was a kid, music streaming was awesome. The music of that era—I'm talking about the late 1960s to the mid '70s—was so good, it would eventually become known as classic rock. The streams were in high-quality analog sound, spun from actual LPs. And there were no monthly fees—all streaming was free!

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Audio Video News
The Young Pope Available for Download Today
SV Staff  |  Apr 10, 2017
Season 1 of the HBO limited series The Young Pope, starring Jude Law and Diane Keaton, is available for download today, with Blu-ray and DVD releases to follow June 6.
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Blu-ray Movie Reviews
Phantasm: Ravager
Brandon A. DuHamel  |  Apr 07, 2017
Picture
Sound
Extras
Thirty-seven years after the horror franchise Phantasm debuted, director Don Coscarelli passes the directorial reins to David Hartman for what is being billed as the final installment in the popular mind-twisting series. Although there isn’t much left here for fans of the original to really cling to, there is a sense of the series getting back to its roots. Actor Reggie Bannister returns as Reggie, and other series regulars A. Michael Baldwin, Bill Thornbury, and Kathy Lester also return for a tale that brings the story right into the core of the Tall Man’s (Angus Scrimm reprising his role) home world.
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Blu-ray Movie Reviews
Sully
Avi Greengart  |  Apr 07, 2017
Picture
Sound
Extras
How do you make a two-hour movie about a forced water landing in the Hudson River that lasted 208 seconds, where everyone already knows the happy outcome? You don’t. You keep it to a 90-minute running time and make two mini-movies: one about the exceptional skill and decision-making that saved lives in the air and on the ground, and one about bureaucrats second-guessing that decision-making. Weaving the stories together keeps Sully from being overly dull, but a documentary format might have been more interesting.
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Projector Buying Tips
Projection's Reinvention
Rob Sabin  |  Apr 07, 2017
There’s something big goin’ on in the flat-panel TV market, in more ways than one. Sales of 4K Ultra HD displays are taking over new TV purchases at 55 inches and above, and once-pricey 75-inch 4K sets are suddenly very attainable, with some coming in well under $3,000.
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Audio Video News
Add-On Smart Interface Exceeds Crowdfunding Goal
SV Staff  |  Apr 07, 2017
With 35 days to go, China-based Maxus Tech has successfully crowdfunded a device that uses sonar technology to turn any surface into a gesture-based control interface. The company actually exceeded its $20,000 goal on the first day and as of today has raised more than $45,000.
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Audio Video NewsNew Products
McIntosh Expands Hi-Res Capabilities of its Compact Audio System
SV Staff  |  Apr 07, 2017
McIntosh has announced an updated version of the MXA70 compact, all-in-one audio system it introduced in 2014.
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Projector Reviews
Epson PowerLite Pro Cinema LS10500 LCD Projector Review
Thomas J. Norton  |  Apr 06, 2017

2D Performance
3D Performance
Features
Ergonomics
Value
PRICE $8,000

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Stunning resolution
Excellent blacks and shadow detail
Compatible with 4K content
Minus
Some clipping in HDR

THE VERDICT
If you want a projector illuminated by laser light, this Epson is the only game in town for less than five figures. But there’s a lot more here to rave about than just the lasers.

If video projectors have one serious limitation as display devices, at least for the home, it’s lamp life. Manufacturers make glowing claims for this, sometimes as high as 6,000 hours; that’s to half brightness. However, the video perfectionist is unlikely to get to half that figure, or even a third of it, before he or she senses that the picture is growing dim. It’s not unheard of for critical users to replace the lamp at 1,000 hours to maintain the projector’s youthful good looks. But projection lamps aren’t cheap.

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Ask S&V
What’s the Best Soundbar Option for an Apartment?
Al Griffin  |  Apr 06, 2017
Got a tech question for Sound & Vision? Email us at AskSandV@gmail.com

Q After reading soundbar reviews in Sound & Vision, one thing seems clear: to get the best sound, you need to combine a soundbar with a subwoofer. My problem is that I will soon be moving from a house to an apartment. As I’m sure you’re aware, the tenant with a subwoofer in an apartment building is usually the least favorite neighbor.  

My current 5.1 setup includes Definitive Technology ProMonitor 800s, a ProCenter 1000 and ProSub 1000. Everything is hooked up to a Marantz 7701 preamp/processor and matching amp. Do you have any suggestions for replacing my system with a standalone soundbar that won't compromise on bass? I would ideally like to continue using the Marantz amp and preamp. —Brian Morgan

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