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Audio Video News
Coming Attractions
HT Staff  |  Feb 14, 2005
JBL
Now this is what we call a deal. With JBL's new Cinema Vision system, you get a 7.1-channel loudspeaker package, a 50-inch plasma HD monitor, and an A/V system controller that includes a five-disc DVD-Audio/-Video changer, a surround receiver, and a digital amplifier. The 16:9 monitor works with the A/V controller to automatically display any video source in widescreen mode. The A/V controller has a rated power output of 100 watts times seven, and the JBL Digital Link maintains all-digital audio and video signal paths. Each speaker uses multiple 5.5-inch woofers, along with a 0.75-inch titanium-laminate dome tweeter. The Cinema Vision is available as a system only, for $15,000.
JBL
(516) 496-3400
www.jbl.com
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Audio Video News
Latest Software Reviews
HT Staff  |  Feb 14, 2005
DVD: The Grudge—Columbia TriStar
Audio: 3
Video: 3
Extras: 3
Since I didn't see this in the theater, I'm gonna have to assume that the audio on my disc wasn't screwed up and that the noise that's supposed to be terrifying the characters in the movie (and by association the viewer) as it signals the "Grudge" is approaching really does sound a lot like "creaaaaakkkkkkkkkk." Yep, kind of like a door hinge that needs to be oiled. It's just, not exactly terror inducing, at all—not even in Dolby Digital 5.1 surround. Overall, though, this film does compensate for weird plot twists and creaking noises with a decent-sounding DVD. Check out chapter 23 for a good dose of the nice horror movie soundtrack interlaced with the sound of splashing and the cries of that creepy little boy.
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AV Receiver Reviews
Harman Kardon AVR 7300 AV Receiver
Lawrence E. Ullman  |  Feb 13, 2005  |  First Published: Feb 14, 2005

For a company that recently celebrated its 50th anniversary, Harman Kardon looks maahvelous. Consider the sleek industrial design of the company's new AVR-series receivers. With minimalist gloss-black front panels and distinctive, ring-shaped, blue-illuminated volume controls, these components look both strikingly modern and a tad retro—an appropriate synthesis coming from the company that introduced the world's first receiver back in 1954.

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Blu-ray Movie Reviews
Chariots of Fire
Thomas J. Norton  |  Feb 13, 2005

<I>Ben Cross, Ian Charleson, Nigel Havers, Cheryl Campbell, Alice Krige. Directed by Hugh Hudson. Aspect ratio: 1.85:1(anamorphic). 124 minutes. 1981. Dolby Digital 5.1 (English), Dolby Digital mono (French). Warner Brothers 31908. PG. $26.99.</I>

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Blu-ray Movie Reviews
Shall We Dance?
Thomas J. Norton  |  Feb 13, 2005

<I>Richard Gere, Jennifer Lopez, Susan Sarandon, Stanley Tucci. Directed by Peter Chelsom. Aspect ratio: 1.85:1 (anamorphic). 106 minutes. 2004. Dolby Digital 5.1 (English and French). Miramax 39202. PG-13. $29.99.</I>

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Audio Video News
Teeny, Tiny, Itty-Bitty Home Theater Projector
Darryl Wilkinson  |  Feb 12, 2005
What's 14 ounces, fits in the palm of your hand, and can be used with an optional battery pack?
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Audio Video News
Custom-made Home Theater Gear
Darryl Wilkinson  |  Feb 12, 2005
Anyone who has ever shopped for A/V equipment knows the pain of having to choose between two (or more) pieces of gear. Although each one may be almost exactly what you wanted, neither is 100 percent perfect in terms of features and performance. A new web-based build-to-order product configuration tool from Integra and Integra Research aims to eliminate such buying dilemmas.
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The Custom Installer: To Err Is Human
John Sciacca  |  Feb 08, 2005

Like most people planning on "popping the question," I wanted everything to be perfect the night I asked my wife to marry me. We started the evening with coffee at the café in San Francisco where we met, followed by dinner where we had our first date, then Phantom of the Opera, and finally dessert at a restaurant overlooking the city.

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The Big Picture
Don't Get Me Started: The Truth is Not There
Scott Wilkinson  |  Feb 07, 2005

<IMG SRC="/images/archivesart/headshot150.sw.jpg" WIDTH=150 HEIGHT=200 HSPACE=6 VSPACE=4 BORDER=0 ALIGN=RIGHT>Most of the content on this Web site concerns how to get the most out of watching movies in a home theater. However, I readily admit that I spend most of my tube time watching television programming, both HD and SD. Now, don't get me wrong&mdash;I love watching a fine film from a high-quality DVD on a big screen with surround sound in cozy comfort. But I also love to watch TV, and a quality home theater system enhances this pastime as well.

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Audio Video News
Macrovision and Microsoft Collaborate
Scott Wilkinson  |  Feb 06, 2005

With all the hoopla surrounding digital rights management (DRM), which strives to protect A/V content from being illegally copied in the digital domain, there's been little attention paid to copies made from analog outputs. That could soon change if the recent agreements between Macrovision and Microsoft are any indication.

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