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Panasonic VT25 vs. GT30
Scott Wilkinson  |  Jun 09, 2011  | 
Last year's Panasonic TC-P54VT25 and the new TC-P55GT30 are about the same cost. Which do you think is the better set?

Chris Wilson

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3D On Any TV
Scott Wilkinson  |  Jun 08, 2011  | 
Back in the late 1980s, Sega released the Sega Master System, a competitor to Nintendo's NES. This system could be purchased with 3D shutter glasses that plugged into the system. These glasses worked basically the same way as today's glasses, but because they sync'd to the game system, they worked with the TV you already had. Why doesn't someone make a 3D Blu-ray player with glasses that sync to it so that any TV could display 3D? This would lower the barrier of entry and maybe sell more 3D movies.

Robert Johnson

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TV Disappointment, Vizio 3D, Closed Captioning
Scott Wilkinson  |  Jun 08, 2011  | 
I'm unhappy with the LCD TV I bought, any suggestions? What do you think of the Vizio XVT3D650SV? Is there a TV that displays closed captions when you mute the volume?
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TV Popping Sound
Scott Wilkinson  |  Jun 07, 2011  | 
We bought a Sony XBR-52HX909 with full-array LED backlighting and local dimming, and we love it! But 30 seconds to a minute after turning it off, we hear a click/pop, almost like the sound you sometimes hear when turning off a fluorescent bulb. Is this typical of sets with full-array backlighting or most likely an internal issue?

John Diamantopoulos

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In-Wall Speakers in the Ceiling
Scott Wilkinson  |  Jun 06, 2011  | 
I'm setting up a home-theater area in our living room, and there can't be any freestanding speakers. I don't have side walls for surrounds, only ceiling space. Can in-wall dipoles be used in the ceiling? If so, what is the ideal placement and configuration? I'm setting up a 5.1 system, which is all the space will allow for.

Theo Nikolakis

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Passive vs. Active 3D
Scott Wilkinson  |  Jun 03, 2011  | 
My fiance and I will be buying a house soon, and once we're moved in and settled, we are going to buy a new HDTV. Unlike Leo Laporte, we are BIG fans of 3DTV. I have been following 3D and the various incarnations of 3DTV over the years. Now that real 3DTV is here, we can't wait!

The tough part will be deciding between the active-shutter system and the passive-polarized system. I have been looking at active systems for over a year, and I saw my first passive system at Best Buy about a month ago. It was quite impressive.

Is there any risk of a format war between the passive and active systems? Does all 3D programming work on both active and passive systems?

Frank Ireland

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Movie Aspect Ratios
Scott Wilkinson  |  Jun 02, 2011  | 
There's been talk on some home-theater forums about a few movies that have been cropped to an aspect ratio of 1.78:1. Why are they cropping these films? Videophiles are saying they hope this trend doesn't continue.

Mark Hudson

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Wireless Whole-House Audio
Scott Wilkinson  |  Jun 01, 2011  | 
I need a recommendation for wireless speakers. My in-laws have four sets of speakers throughout the house controlled with a hard-wired switch box, but the system crackles and pops so badly that they have stopped listening to music. In lieu of crawling under the house to rewire, I want to know if wireless speakers are a viable option. I was hoping that something like a wireless Bose Cube speaker system existed? We don't mind spending a bit on an initial set or two.

Greg Shaw

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TV Setup, 7.1 on 5.1 System, Ethernet Extension
Scott Wilkinson  |  Jun 01, 2011  | 
What features should I turn off before setting my Vizio TV's picture controls? What happens when you play a 7.1 Blu-ray on a 5.1 system? Can I extend an Ethernet cable by adding another cable with a female-female adaptor?
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Internet Apps in TV & Player
Scott Wilkinson  |  May 31, 2011  | 
I have a 47-inch TV with Internet apps. Is there an advantage to getting a DVD player with Internet apps as well?

Skip Compton

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TV & AVR Shopping
Scott Wilkinson  |  May 30, 2011  | 
I am in the market for some new gear—specifically, a new plasma and receiver. Is Home Theater planning to do a review of the Panasonic VT30 any time soon? I expect it to improve upon the VT25, but I would like to hear it from you or Tom Norton before I get it.

On the receiver front, I would like your opinion on the Denon AVR-4311CI versus AVR-4810CI. What are the differences between the two? In your opinion, do those differences or features justify the 4810CI's extra cost?

Spencer Torgan

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Center-Channel Speakers
Scott Wilkinson  |  May 27, 2011  | 
I'm looking at the B&W CMC and JBL LC2 center-channel speakers. Which do you prefer, or is there another I should consider?

David Sears

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Top-of-the-Line TV Shopping
Scott Wilkinson  |  May 26, 2011  | 
I'd like your help deciding on a new LED LCD TV. I was going to purchase a Samsung UN46C8000 in January based on Home Theater's review, but then I saw the D8000 series at CES and decided to wait for that TV. The UN55D8000 is finally available in my area, but I have not seen many reviews of it other than on CNET, which says it "exhibits poor screen uniformity with excessive brightness variation and banding." Do you have any experience with this TV model? Is it an improvement over the C8000? Is there a comparable television from another manufacturer that I should consider?

Luke Salsman

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Conference Room Theater
Scott Wilkinson  |  May 25, 2011  | 
I would like to set up a conference room with audio/video capabilities. I am planning to use a 7.1 A/V receiver for audio and InFocus 5124 LCD projector for video. This would be used for training and presentations as well as watching an occasional ball game or movie.

Ideally, a presenter would be able to use the A/V system for a slide show from a computer (potentially with a sound track) and talk over it with a wireless microphone. However, most receivers only allow a single input source to be selected. I have not been able to find an A/V receiver that would let me mix a microphone with the 7.1 sound system and watch a slide show from a computer video input. Do you have any suggestions?

Jim Kay

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Upscaling, DIY Repair, HDMI Handshaking
Scott Wilkinson  |  May 25, 2011  | 
Which device does the best upscaling? I want to replace the failing DMD chip in my DLP projector. My AVR has developed an HDMI handshaking issue with my cable box.
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