Home Theater RSS Feed

Swap Warner DVDs for BDs

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 07:40:00 EST

California Adopts TV Energy Regs

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 08:50:00 EST

BD Managed Copy Slowly Emerging

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 09:29:00 EST

Cartoon Net Offers Custom DVDs

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 09:55:00 EST

The Gift of Giving

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 13:35:00 EST

As you know from reading our book month in and month out, our focus is tight here at Home Theater. Our coverage sticks to the technology and gear that goes into your home theater or the dedicated theater spaces you create in your homes to watch movies, listen to music, and consume broadcast media. But all the livelong year, our editors and writers are immersed in all kinds of technology, even if we don’t get many opportunities to write about all of them. This gift guide is the perfect chance for us to stray a little from the prescribed path and spread some holiday cheer. We’ll help you find tech gifts that will keep on giving!

Here Comes YouTube 1080p

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 09:17:00 EST

Marantz Offers Blu-ray Rebate

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 09:24:00 EST

Blockbuster Rents Movies on SD Cards

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 08:39:00 EST

ATSC Takes Aim at Loud TV Ads

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 09:44:00 EST

Pioneer BDP-320 Blu-ray Player

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 13:08:00 EST

With a long history in optical disc technology, Pioneer has been slow to develop new and innovative features in its Blu-ray players. While its previous offerings have been on the upper end of the pricing range, the company’s players have left a lot to be desired. Last fall, I reviewed the Pioneer Elite BDP-05FD player for our sister publication, UltimateAVMag.com. While I was very impressed by its sturdy build quality, it was unreliable, with lip-sync issues and player lockups. It also couldn’t internally decode DTS-HD Master Audio. Granted, a firmware upgrade eventually fixed most of these issues, but the DTS-HD Master Audio upgrade didn’t happen until early this summer—more than six months later than Pioneer promised. As a founding member of the Blu-ray Disc Association, you’d expect Pioneer’s players to be among the most innovative on the market. Sadly, that hasn’t been the case.

Samsung BD-P4600 Blu-ray Player

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 13:06:00 EST

Back in 2006, Samsung was the first manufacturer to release a Blu-ray player to the masses. It contributed to the format’s less than stellar launch reportedly due to an incorrect default setting in the video processing chip set used in the player.

LG BD390 Blu-ray Player

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 12:57:00 EST

Established in South Korea in 1958 under the name of Goldstar, LG Electronics has been manufacturing home appliances and electronics for more than 50 years. In 1995, it acquired Zenith (the company that invented the remote control) and started to gain market share in North America with cell phone technology, digital set-top boxes, and televisions. When the format war was in full swing in 2007, LG became the Switzerland of electronics companies by releasing the BH100 dual-format Blu-ray/HD DVD player. It received tepid reviews due primarily to playback glitches on HD DVDs, but you have to admire the company for attempting to appeal to a wider range of consumers.

Sony Bravia Owners Get Free Movie

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 09:12:00 EST

Move It on Over

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 20:16:00 EST

After being a stable homeowner for many years, the last three years have seen me moving more often than an aging knuckleball pitcher. This may seem like a negative—after all, moving is an event that many people view with as much enthusiasm as getting hit by a garbage truck or accidentally light-ing one’s hair on fire. But I prefer to look at the positives. Chief among them, I have become something of an expert at dismantling and reassembling a complex home theater system. Allow me to pass on my wisdom.

Best Buy, CinemaNow Make Streaming Pact

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 10:00:00 EST

Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory—Warner Bros. (Blu-ray)

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 19:57:00 EST

Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory—Warner Bros. (Blu-ray)

Up—Walt Disney/Pixar (Blu-ray)

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 19:56:00 EST

Up—Walt Disney/Pixar (Blu-ray)

The Taking of Pelham 123—Columbia Pictures (Blu-ray)

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 19:55:00 EST

The Taking of Pelham 123—Columbia Pictures (Blu-ray)

Monster’s Inc—Walt Disney/Pixar (Blu-ray)

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 19:54:00 EST

Monster’s Inc—Walt Disney/Pixar (Blu-ray)

Heat—Warner Bros. (Blu-ray)

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 19:53:00 EST

Heat—Warner Bros. (Blu-ray)