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Ultra HD Blu-ray Movie Reviews
Shadow
Al Griffin  |  Aug 30, 2019
Picture
Sound
Extras
Set in third century A.D. China, Shadow tells the story of the uneasy truce held by the Pei and Yang kingdoms. Years earlier, the Pei kingdom lost possession of the city of Jing following a duel between Pei army commander Zi Yu and the formidable warrior Yang Kang. As the kingdom's debauched monarch aims to maintain power by acquiescing to Yang Kang, Zi Yu plots to retake the lost city, an objective carried out with the help of a lookalike his family has been grooming since childhood. Directed by Zhang Yimou (House of Flying Daggers), a filmmaker known for his elegant visuals and bold use of color, Shadow's palette is mostly restricted to black-and-white and skin tones.
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The Connected Life
System Building Advice, Part 1
John Sciacca  |  Aug 30, 2019
During my many years in the custom installation industry, I've been involved in hundreds of projects of all sizes. These are some of the pearls of accumulated wisdom that I typically share when new customers come in to my shop with plans, or we are walking together through a jobsite.
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Audio Video News
Best Value Gear of 2019 (So Far)
SV Staff  |  Aug 29, 2019
Labor Day sales are in full swing but you may not feel the need for a discount when it comes to Sound & Vision’s recent Top Value Picks. From a $700 AV receiver with near-flagship chops to a kick-ass pair of desktop speakers from a revered audio brand, there’s a little something for everyone.
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Audio Video News
8K Association Announces Key TV Performance Specs
SV Staff  |  Aug 29, 2019
The 8K Association (8KA), a global industry group focused on facilitating the growth of the 8K ecosystem, today announced key performance attributes for next-generation 8K TVs that are already starting to trickle into the marketplace.
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The S&V Interview
Peter Frampton Is All About The Blues
Mike Mettler  |  Aug 29, 2019
We caught up with Peter Frampton on one of his days off from the road to discuss his band’s fine chart-topping new album All Blues, why first or second takes are the best options, why the sun is a recurring theme in his songwriting, and why he feels his Farewell Tour needs to be his final hurrah.
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4K TV ReviewsLCD TV ReviewsTV Reviews
Vizio M658-G1 M-Series Quantum LCD Ultra HDTV Review
Thomas J. Norton  |  Aug 28, 2019

Performance
Features
Ergonomics
Value
PRICE $1,000

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Dolby Vision, HDR10, and HLG support
Great post-calibration performance
Low price
Minus
Limited HDR brightness
Poor off-center picture uniformity
No useful motion-smoothing options

THE VERDICT
Vizio's $1,000 M-Series Quantum set offers impressive performance in a 65-inch screen size for those unwilling to spend hundreds or even thousands more to bring home a bigscreen Ultra HDTV experience.

Vizio has long been a value leader in the HDTV world. And despite recent challenges from Chinese companies at the low end, and even from established Korean and Japanese manufacturers with pricier but still affordable sets, Vizio appears determined to maintain, or even enhance, its position.

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Audio Video NewsNew Products
Stewart Filmscreen Unveils ‘Minimalist’ Screen
SV Staff  |  Aug 28, 2019
Stewart Filmscreen has introduced an “easy to assemble” projection screen featuring an ultra-thin black frame that creates a low-profile, “minimalist” look.
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Audio Video NewsNew Products
Pioneer Previews New Flagship AV Receiver
SV Staff  |  Aug 28, 2019
Pioneer today offered a preview of a new flagship AV receiver designed to deliver “best-in-class home theater functionality.”
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Audio Video NewsNew Products
UHD Alliance Teams with Hollywood to Deliver ‘Filmmaker Mode’ for 4K TVs
SV Staff  |  Aug 28, 2019
The UHD Alliance (UHDA) has teamed with Martin Scorsese and other top Hollywood directors and movie studios to collaborate on a viewing mode for 4K TVs that honors the filmmakers' creative intent by preserving the correct aspect ratios, colors, and frame rates.
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Soundbar Reviews
LG SL8YG 3.1.2 Atmos Soundbar Review
Al Griffin  |  Aug 27, 2019

Performance
Features
Ergonomics
Value
PRICE $600

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Good sound quality with movies and music
3.1.2 Atmos playback
Chromecast built-in for music streaming
Minus
Wireless surround speakers not included
Center channel lacks some clarity on dynamic scenes

THE VERDICT
LG’s 3.1.2 soundbar offers a solid, relatively affordable option for those seeking a dose of immersion minus the heavy hardware investment.

LG has been in the soundbar game for many years, churning out mainly lower-priced bars designed to mate with the company's TVs. The focus on affordable product has likely been a strategic one for LG—the average consumer reeling from the sticker-shock of an OLED TV purchase isn't likely to shell out another grand for a soundbar system, no matter how good it performs. For 2019, however, LG opted to go high-end, releasing a feature-packed trio of soundbars with commensurate price tags.

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