LATEST ADDITIONS

New ProductsPremiere Design
All Aboard: James Loudspeaker Steampunk Speaker
Bob Ankosko  |  May 02, 2018
James Loudspeaker sells just about any kind of speaker you could want—or imagine. You can choose among its dozens of high-performance models and buy “off the shelf” or have a particular model customized with a special finish or feature. Or, you can get creative and dream up your own speaker design. The California-based company prides itself on its ability to meet the unique needs of its customers, whether that means solving an installation problem or creating something special…and personal. James built more than 300 custom products in 2017 alone, but the Steampunk Speaker is perhaps its most interesting—and unusual—project.
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Audio Video News
Sales of 4K TVs Help Market Recover from 2017 Dip
SV Staff  |  May 02, 2018
Global shipments of TVs were down in 2017 but robust sales of 4K/Ultra HDTVs will push worldwide demand for television back into a growth mode in 2018, according to U.K.-based Futuresource Consulting.
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Portable Player Reviews
Royole Moon 3D Mobile Theater Review
Rob Sabin  |  May 01, 2018

Performance
Features
Build Quality
Value
PRICE $800

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Excellent video and audio quality
Smart ergonomics
Solid build quality
Minus
Potential for viewer fatigue
Battery gets hot
Propensity toward video noise with low-bitrate streams

THE VERDICT
Royole’s Moon successfully pulls off a serious home theater experience in a portable, wearable package.

Quick story: Back in the mid ’90s, I was the editor of a gadget review magazine. As long as a product was geeky enough and ran on AC or batteries, it was fair game for a test. This led me to bring home a variety of doodads that had nothing to do with audio/video— a self-cleaning litter box, a sports radar gun, et al. One day I walked in with what was claimed to be a “personal air conditioner,” basically a black beanbag neck wrap that had an imbedded metal cooling strip; the idea was that applying the band to your neck would keep you chilled in hot weather. When I tried it on for my wife, she walked by dismissively without even pausing. “That’s a good look for you,” she said.

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Audio Video NewsNew Products
Como Audio Kickstarts Voice Controlled Music System
SV Staff  |  May 01, 2018
Como Audio, the Boston-based maker of the Top Pick-designated Solo and Duetto music systems, today launched a Kickstarter campaign to introduce a portable Wi-Fi-based multiroom music system that can be controlled by voice. The company also announced its first turntable.
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Audio Video NewsNew Products
SVS Audio Adapter Makes Wired Speakers Wireless
SV Staff  |  May 01, 2018
SVS has introduced an audio adapter that makes it easy to add wireless connectivity to subwoofers, speakers, and other audio gear.
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Audio Video NewsNew Products
Pioneer Rounds Out Elite Series with $799 AVR
SV Staff  |  Apr 30, 2018
Pioneer today introduced a new $799 addition to its Elite family of AV receivers.
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Audio Video News
‘Die Hard’ Gets Remastered in 4K for 30th Anniversary
SV Staff  |  Apr 30, 2018
Twentieth Century Fox is celebrating the 30th anniversary of the 1988 action classic Die Hard with a remastered 4K/Ultra HD Blu-ray release of the film, a limited-edition Steelbook version, and a box set featuring the five-film series — all due out May 15.
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Audio Video News
Crestron Home Automation Now Supports 3rd Party AV
SV Staff  |  Apr 30, 2018
Crestron has announced that its Pyng home automation platform will support IP control of third party AV devices, including LG’s 2017 and 2018 OLED, SUPER UHD, and UHD TV’s.
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Editor's Eye
The Big Picture: How Big Is Big Enough?
Rob Sabin  |  Apr 27, 2018
The Technology changes, but the goal remains the same.

In prepping for the May print issue’s focus on front projection, I found myself philosophizing on the value of having a big image for viewing movies, TV serials, and sports. Not just big, but really big.

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Blu-ray Movie ReviewsUltra HD Blu-ray Movie Reviews
Earth: One Amazing Day
Chris Chiarella  |  Apr 27, 2018
Picture
Sound
Extras
Remember those A Day in the Life of… coffee table books that gave us glimpses of Hollywood and the Soviet Union and the like over a single 24-hour span? Imagine that same dynamic applied to some carefully selected, human-free locales across the globe, and you start to get the idea behind Earth: One Amazing Day. This sequel to the 2007 nature documentary Earth takes us from the pre-dawn hours well into the night, revealing visions of flora and fauna we’ve likely never seen before. (Giraffe smack-down!)
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