LATEST ADDITIONS

Projector Reviews
Acer VL7860 DLP Projector Review
Al Griffin  |  Jun 28, 2018

Performance
Features
Ergonomics
Value
PRICE $3,999

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Bright picture with powerful contrast
Detailed Ultra HD image
Maintenance-free laser light engine
Minus
Some loss of highlight detail with HDR
Requires calibration for best performance
Limited wide color gamut display

THE VERDICT
The Acer VL7860’s detailed picture and impressive contrast elevate it above the entry-level 4K DLP projector pack. In this case, 4K for 4K is a good deal.

With DLP projectors capable of displaying 4K Ultra HD signals now selling for $1,500 or even less, they present an affordable alternative to higher-cost 4K LCOS models from Sony and JVC. Even longtime LCOS stalwart JVC has jumped in on the game, with the company recently announcing its first DLP projector, a $2,500 4K-capable model.

Continue Reading »
Throwback Thursday
Flashback 1975: The VCR Is Born
SV Staff  |  Jun 28, 2018
Forty-three years ago this month, Sony introduced the Betamax videocassette recorder in America, a month after the iconic product made its worldwide debut in Japan.
Continue Reading »
Audio Video News
Best Speakers of the Year (So Far)
SV Staff  |  Jun 27, 2018
With almost half of 2018 behind us, now is the perfect time to reflect on the good AV fortune that has come our way over the past 147 days. We’ve reviewed dozens of products so far this year, including six shining examples of what a speaker system can and should be. Whether you’re just starting out or in the market for an upgrade, each of these systems — presented from least to most expensive — deserves serious consideration.
Continue Reading »
SmartStream
Hands On: Trying Out the TiVo Bolt Vox with Alexa
Barb Gonzalez  |  Jun 27, 2018
TiVo recently added Amazon Alexa voice control to the TiVo Bolt Vox we recently reviewed. While the media streamer/DVR combo already has voice command capabilities through TiVo’s Vox remote, control via an Alexa-enabled speaker or device brings a truly hands-free experience.
Continue Reading »
Remotely Possible
Kansas City Maker Faire Made Great Geeky Fun For All
Darryl Wilkinson  |  Jun 27, 2018
Over the weekend, I attended the Maker Faire Kansas City. I'd never been to a Maker Faire before, although I've wanted to attend one for quite a while. A couple members of my family asked me to explain what a Maker Faire is; and, even after spending two incredibly interesting days wandering the halls and grounds of Kansas City, Missouri's beautiful and historic Union Station, I'm still trying to figure out how to describe it...
Continue Reading »
Headphone Reviews
Etymotic ER3 Extended Response Headphones Review
Steve Guttenberg  |  Jun 26, 2018

Performance
Build Quality
Comfort
Value
PRICE $179

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Accurate sound, with a gentle bass bump
Best-in-class noise isolation
Two-year replacement warranty
Minus
Requires deep ear tip insertion

THE VERDICT
The Etymotic ER3XR delivers accurate, transparent sound at a very affordable price.

Have you noticed that most headphones, including plenty of models with audiophile aspirations, have pumped-up bass and highs? That intentionally less-than-accurate sound is likely due to their designers knowing that most people enjoy boosted bass and the extra “detail” of tipped-up treble. Etymotic is a company that doesn’t play by those rules, and its new ER3 Extended Response (ER3XR) is just the ticket for anyone who craves accurate sound from in-ear headphones.

Continue Reading »
Audio Video NewsNew Products
House of Marley's New Earbuds are 'Earth Friendly'
SV Staff  |  Jun 26, 2018
House of Marley, the company co-founded by the son of the late reggae icon Bob Marley, has introduced a new “earth-friendly” set of Bluetooth earbuds designed with vacation travel and outdoor workouts in mind.
Continue Reading »
Audio Video News
Rhino to Commemorate 50th Anniversary of Doors Classic ‘Waiting for the Sun’
SV Staff  |  Jun 26, 2018
Rhino Entertainment today announced that it will commemorate the 50th anniversary of the 1968 Door’s classic Waiting For The Sun with a special package featuring a remastered version of the original stereo mix on CD and 180-gram vinyl LP plus a second CD with 14 previously unreleased tracks.
Continue Reading »
Audio Video News
IDC: Video and Smart Speakers Lead the Smart Home
SV Staff  |  Jun 26, 2018
After years of promises, false starts, and slow growth, the smart home might finally be starting to gel. Market research company IDC is forecasting that some 550 million smart home devices will ship worldwide this year...
Continue Reading »
A/V Veteran
Phones and Groans
Thomas J. Norton  |  Jun 25, 2018
We rarely discuss smartphones here at Sound & Vision, but I suspect that most readers, if forced to choose which device they’d choose to keep if they had to divest themselves of all but one, would choose their smartphone. But that wouldn’t include me. I don’t check my phone 20 times a day, and Facebook and Twitter are strangers to me. In the past I’ve used my phone mainly for e-mails, news, Listen-In radio, and phone calls.

But my recent experience with a new smartphone offers cautionary lessons also applicable to our more house-bound entertainment goodies: televisions, AVRs, speakers, home assistants, home automation, and more...

Continue Reading »

Pages

X