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Audio Video News
Best Gear of May 2020
Bob Ankosko  |  May 28, 2020
Who know Ground Hog Day could last so long? Though not gone, the fear-inducing COVID-19 virus is loosening its grip on society, allowing Americans to finally start getting back to (or at least anticipate) something resembling normal life. For many of us, the return to normalcy means revisiting home entertainment aspirations with renewed vigor. To help with that quest, we present the latest round of Sound & Vision Top Picks — an eclectic ensemble that runs the gamut from a forward-looking AV receiver to an ingenious accessory that makes mounting a TV over your fireplace practical.
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SmartStream
Hands On: HBO Max
Barb Gonzalez  |  May 27, 2020
HBO Max launched today, and at first glance, it offers an impressive amount of content. HBO Max is basically HBO Now on steroids. Along with streaming HBO programming, HBO Max has added over 10,000 hours of TV shows. Here's all you need to know to get HBO Max, including a hands-on first-day review.
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AV Receiver Reviews
NAD T 778 AV Surround Sound Receiver Review
John Sciacca  |  May 27, 2020

Performance
Features
Ergonomics
Value
PRICE $2,999

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Striking front panel display
Excellent sound quality
Effective Dirac Live room correction
Future-ready MDC chassis
Minus
No analog video inputs
HDMI Out 2 only supports 1080p

THE VERDICT
Those who value sound quality will find much to love about the T 778, which features BluOS multiroom music streaming and Dirac Live room correction, along with an upgradeable chassis to prevent obsolescence.

While entry-level surround systems move increasingly toward less complicated designs that pair soundbars with wireless speakers and subs, the A/V receiver remains the steadfast workhorse of the media room. As such, it is arguably the most important component in your system, handling all audio/video switching, amplification, audio and room correction processing, and often much more. And as systems move from 5.1- to 11.2-channels-plus, the AVR is being called on to do even more.

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New Products
LG Readies Rollout of 48-Inch OLED Ultra HDTV
Al Griffin  |  May 27, 2020
One highlight of Sound & Vision’s CES 2020 TV coverage was LG’s 48-inch CX series 4K OLED TV, a model the company touts as a desktop monitor option for gamers, as well as viewers with limited living space. LG has been gradually rolling out its new OLED line this spring, including the 65-inch GX series model that recently earned our Top Pick, but there’s been no sight yet of its new baby OLED. That situation changes in late June, when LG will ship the 48CX in the U.S. following release in select European and Asian markets.
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Audio Video News
Sandy Gross Departs GoldenEar Technology
Al Griffin  |  May 27, 2020
Back in early January we reported that The Quest Group, California-based owner of AudioQuest, had purchased speaker maker GoldenEar Technology. The following week, I met with GoldenEar co-founder Sandy Gross in the AudioQuest suite at CES and was happy to learn he would be continuing in his old role at the new company for the time being. Well, that time is now up: Gross has announced he is leaving The Quest Group in order to pursue his “many interests.”
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Ask S&V
Can I Use an OLED TV for Bright Room Viewing?
Al Griffin  |  May 26, 2020
Got a tech question for Sound & Vision? Email us at AskSandV@gmail.com

Q My house has a well-lit living room where I watch TV. Are OLED sets bright enough to use in that space, or should I buy an LCD TV instead? —Paul G.

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Signals
So You Want To Be a Movie Mogul
Ken C. Pohlmann  |  May 25, 2020
Well the first thing you know ol' Jed's a millionaire. Kinfolk said, "Jed move away from there." Said, "Californy is the place you ought to be." So they loaded up the truck and moved to Beverly. Hills, that is. Swimmin' pools. Movie stars. Corona virus.

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Blu-ray Movie ReviewsUltra HD Blu-ray Movie Reviews
Remaster Class: Star Wars
Chris Chiarella  |  May 22, 2020
Enthralling in every way a movie can be, George Lucas' Star Wars (retconned as Episode IV: A New Hopein 1981) is simply one of the greatest achievements to ever hit the screen. A wildly imaginative yet classically inspired adventure, it has been entertaining audiences—and spawning prequels, sequels and spinoffs—since 1977.
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New Products
Samsung Unveils Terrace Outdoor 4K TV and Soundbar
Al Griffin  |  May 22, 2020
Sure, we’ve been home for the past few months, and some of us are just starting to make our first tentative forays into the outside world. The problem is, we’ve become completely addicted to watching TV in the interim and are now going to need bigscreen sets in our backyards as well. All of which makes Samsung’s announcement of its first outdoor TV and soundbar especially timely.
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Audio Video News
It’s a Great Time to Bring A/V Into Your Backyard
Bob Ankosko  |  May 21, 2020
The inimitable Robin Williams once said, “Spring is nature’s way of saying let’s party.” Living in the Northeast, I couldn’t agree more. Summer’s just around the corner and lockdown rules are finally being loosened to allow parks, beaches, and businesses to open. But the thing is, your backyard never closed. And what better time to take the music and other entertainment you enjoy inside your home to the great outdoors.
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