Home Theater Geeks Podcast

Barb Gonzalez, aka the Simple Tech Guru, talks about Logitech's recent announcement that it will no longer produce the Revue with Google TV as well as other aspects of the Google TV service, including the impending update, Sony's implementation, and LG's rumored involvement. She also reveals her initial impressions of the new Roku 2 streamer, answers chat-room questions, and more.

Run Time: 1:03:51

Michael Lavorgna, editor of our sibling site AudioStream.com, describes his listening room and discusses a variety of topics related to high-quality computer audio, including lossless FLAC compression versus uncompressed WAV, the difference between DACs, sample-rate conversion, DSD DACs, high-resolution music download sites, answers to chat-room questions, and more.

Run Time: 56:36

Kevin Voecks, speaker designer and manager of product development for Harman's Luxury Audio group, returns to the podcast to talk about box speakers versus dipole designs such as electrostats, speaker and subwoofer placement in a room, the importance of first reflections, Harman's new QuantumLogic Surround upmixing algorithms, the placement of multiple height speakers, in-wall/ceiling versus on-wall/ceiling speakers, answers to chat-room questions, and more.

Run Time: 56:23

In Part 2 of my conversation with Tyll Hertsens, editor of InnerFidelity.com, we get more headphone insight, including the distinction between around-the-ear (circumaural), on-the-ear (supra-aural), earbuds (intraconchal), and in-ear monitors as well as open versus closed designs, wireless headphones, surround simulation, electrostatic and magnaplanar models, Tyll's top picks for 2011, answers to chat-room questions, and more.

Run Time: 56:33

Chief Twit Leo Laporte and I explore the show floor at CES 2012. Our first stop is the DTS booth to interview legendary producer/engineer/musician Alan Parsons and engineer/producer Elliot Scheiner. Next, we head to the LG booth, where Leo is impressed with the 3D video wall and we take a look at the 55-inch OLED flat panel and Google TV. At the Sharp booth, Kerry Hodel explains the company's ICC-4K upscaling and shows us a stunning 8K display, after which we wander over to Samsung, where Stuart Silloway shows us the ES8000 LED-LCD TV, Samsung's 55-inch OLED, and the Verizon FiOS app. Finally, we take a quick look at Sony's Crystal LED flat panel, which seems to be that company's version of OLED.

Run Time: 1:43:46

Phil "Captain 3D" McNally, stereoscopic supervisor at DreamWorks Animation, talks about why he thinks 3D is here to stay after several previous attempts to bring it to the market, why people have such strong opinions about 3D, the difference between real-life 3D and stereoscopic images, what makes a good 3D presentation, how filmmakers can support the story with 3D while avoiding eye strain and other negative side effects, active versus passive glasses, autostereoscopic displays, answers to chat-room questions, and more.

Run Time: 1:01:30