Marantz is offering an online exclusive color option for their Cinema 40 & 50 AVRs. Hulu will be added to your Disney+ app by the end of the year, along with a price increase. SignUp Captions is a free browser extension that adds sign language to Disney+ and Netflix titles. And Samsung will start buying WOLED panels from LG Display.

Pictures shown in this episode: https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjADY1X

00:00:00 – Intro

00:04:54 – What We Watched

Rob watched Nope, and started Welcome to Wrexham. Tom watched A Man Called Otto.

00:15:40 – Listeners of the Week

Our Listeners of the Week are our 139 Patreon Patrons.

We also appreciate the notes of gratitude for keeping the podcast going from: Matt, Gurinder, Eric, Bob, Joseph, Ryan, Tyler, Mike, and Karl. Thank you to everyone for continuing to listen!

In the news:

00:17:53 – News: Marantz Luxurious Silver Gold

An online exclusive color option for Cinema 40 & 50 AVRs: https://bit.ly/3IjoIHv

00:20:07 – News: Disney+ to Combine with Hulu

By the end of the year, the price will go up, and Hulu will be added to the Disney+ app: https://bit.ly/3MgNiKv

00:22:14 – News: SignUp Captions

A free browser extension to add ASL & BSL to over 70 titles on Disney+ and Netflix: https://www.signupcaptions.com/

00:24:59 – News: Samsung Buying LG OLED Panels

LG Display will supply large WOLED panels to Samsung Electronics: https://reut.rs/4530N9f

Comments:

00:29:05 – Comment: Eric – Good Customer Service

BenQ and Klipsch both came through for him and deserve some praise.

00:31:54 – Comment: Andrew & Max – MyHarmony Still Works

Older, IR-only Harmony Remotes can still use the old desktop software.

00:32:42 – Comment: Infinite Gary – Importing Panasonic OLED

Overpacking should hopefully mean it arrives safely.

00:33:51 – Comment: Noah – Audiocrast Spring Feet

Maybe not the prettiest (or most stable?), but no reason the Audiocrast Spring Speaker Isolation Feet shouldn’t within their weight limits: https://amzn.to/42IFV5C

QUESTIONS:

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Rob is back! Premium Audio Company added new features to Onkyo, Integra & Pioneer AVRs, including Klipsch Optimized Mode. Disney+ added an ASL option to Ant-Man. LG Display’s 10.5G OLED factory is delayed again. And BenQ announced new projector models.

Pictures shown in this episode: https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjADb6k

00:00:00 – Intro

00:04:27 – What We Watched

Rob watched Barry. Tom watched Star Wars. Visions Vol. 2

00:12:47 – Listeners of the Week

Our Listeners of the Week are our 137 Patreon Patrons, including Jared, as well as Greg for sending Rob several Harmony Remotes and a couple pairs of earphones.

We also appreciate the notes of gratitude for keeping the podcast going from: Dan, Stan, Jared, Jeremy, Josh, Joseph, Bob, Julian, Brannon, and Rich. Thank you to everyone for continuing to listen!

In the news:

00:17:49 – News: New Onkyo + Klipsch Features

Via Andrew – Premium Audio Company updated Onkyo, Integra & Pioneer AVRs to provide more gaming info, and automatically set crossovers for Klipsch speakers: https://bit.ly/3VQbvvm

– https://avgadgets.com/speaker-specs-and-subwoofer-crossover-should-you-match-them/

00:21:01 – News: Disney+ Adds ASL Option

Ant-Man is the first movie on Disney+ to get an American Sign Language option: https://bit.ly/3HUEatF

00:24:02 – News: LG’s 10.5G OLED Factory Delayed

Cheaper, huge OLED panels probably won’t be coming until 2028 now: https://bit.ly/3LRq0KX

00:28:32 – News: New BenQ Projectors

BenQ announced TK860i, HT3560, HT4550i, and V5000i models: https://bit.ly/3pk1nik

– HDTV Test: 100″ UST projector vs 98″ TCL Flat Panel: https://youtu.be/6bqKbFj04IQ

Comments:

00:33:41 – Comment: Stan – Profound Hearing Loss

An expert opinion on hearing protection.

00:40:12 – Comment: Nathan – Don’t Turn Up that SoundBar

More hearing loss concerns, and a suggestion to switch to headphones.

00:40:38 – Comment: Jeremy – JPorter Studios Waterloo

A high-efficiency speaker design: https://bit.ly/3nM34Vx

QUESTIONS:

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Rob is away so Lee steps in. We’ll get to your questions next week! This week – rambling on random AV and home theater topics!

News:

PAC rolls back prices: https://www.soundandvision.com/content/pac-rolls-back-klipsch-pioneer-elite-pricing

Topics

Made In China (or wherever). What are we giving up for low-cost products?

Tom and Lee discuss overplanning your home theater – https://avgadgets.com/planning-vs-experimentation-in-home-theater/

Link – https://avgadgets.com/why-you-wont-make-your-home-theater-the-best-it-can-be-sunk-cost-fallacy/ 

Is our advice really useful – https://avgadgets.com/why-no-one-can-really-tell-you-which-speakers-you-should-buy/

Streaming service price creep and ESPN hostage situation

See you next week!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Sofabaton X1 Universal Hub-based Remote has been available for over a year now. Andrew from AVGadgets.com has written a “One Year Later” update. DVD.com a Netflix Company will mail its last red envelope on Sept. 29. And Amazon says they’re using AI to add Dialogue Boost to a selection of Prime Video shows and movies.

Special Announcement: Bright Side Home Theater Podcast is raffling off a pair of SVS Prime Wireless Pro speakers, with proceeds going to the Heather Abbott Foundation. Details are available in DJ’s interview with Roseann, a survivor of the Boston Marathon bombing: https://www.brightsidehometheater.com/episodes/roseannandmike . Thank you for your support.

Pictures shown in this episode: https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjABfVv

00:00:00 – Intro

00:03:41 – What We Watched

Rob watched Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Once & Always and the final episode of Star Trek: Picard. Tom finished Season 3 of The Mandalorian.

00:18:29 – Listeners of the Week

Our Listeners of the Week are Chad for his PayPal donation, plus our 137 Patreon Patrons, including Bill, as well as Greg for sending Rob a Harmony Hub Remote.

We also appreciate the notes of gratitude for keeping the podcast going from: The Lit Lion, Bill, Stefan, Gurinder, David, Eric, Karl, Ron, and Brian. Thank you to everyone for continuing to listen!

In the news:

00:24:46 – News: Sofabaton X1: 1 Year Later

Andrew from AVGadgets.com updates his Sofabaton X1 review after a full year of daily use: https://avgadgets.com/sofabaton-x1-review-is-this-the-harmony-killer-weve-been-waiting-for/

00:31:13 – News: DVD.com Shutting Down

The last red envelope will be mailed Sept 29: https://bit.ly/3oFvm3X

00:31:31 – News: Netflix Basic with Ads Upgraded

Now with 1080p and 2 screens at once: https://bit.ly/3V7bCCo

00:32:58 – News: Prime Video Dialogue Boost

Amazon’s AI Dialogue Boost option: https://bit.ly/3L7mYBP

– https://avgadgets.com/slap-echo-home-theater-101/

Comments:

00:38:49 – Comment: Herb – When to Get Mic Recalibrated

The head of Cross-Spectrum Acoustics says there’s no need for annual recalibration of your UMIK-1.

00:41:04 – Comment: Patrick – ISOTunes FREE Earphones

Hearing protection and wireless earbuds as reviewed by Pro Tool Reviews: https://www.protoolreviews.com/isotunes-free-wireless-earphones-review/

00:41:45 – Comment: Peter – Walker’s Silencer 2.0

High-priced wireless earphones designed for shooting: https://bit.ly/420I3op

00:43:37 – Comment: Gabriel – SureFire Sonic Defender

Earplugs designed for shooting: https://amzn.to/41HqR7N

00:44:53 – Comment: Paul – Acoustic Panel Results

How his Acoustic Panels Canada installation turned out.

QUESTIONS:

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

HBO Max and Discovery+ will merge May 23 to become Max, with a new app and pricing tiers. SMPTE is working with all the other industry acronyms to create a Cinema HDR standard. And Tom’s SVS subs bottomed out!

Pictures shown in this episode: https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjAAgVV

00:00:00 – Intro

00:03:02 – What We Watched

Rob watched The Menu. Tom finally watched Everything Everywhere All at Once, and he sort of came around on Willow, plus The Mandalorian bottomed out his subwoofers! What about yours?

00:17:48 – Listeners of the Week

Our Listeners of the Week are our 137 Patreon Patrons, including Alvin.

We also appreciate the notes of gratitude for keeping the podcast going from: Dan, Joseph, Adam, Nick, Alvin, Will, and Ilango. Thank you to everyone for continuing to listen!

In the news:

00:19:42 – News: HBO Max & Discovery+ Merge into Max

Starting May 23, Discovery+ will still be around, but HBO Max will become Max, with a new app, Discovery+’s content added to it, and new pricing tiers: https://bit.ly/41B2QP8

00:23:58 – News: SMPTE Working on Cinema HDR

Via Infinite Gary – at the NAB Show, SMPTE joined with other industry associations to announce their Cinema HDR plans that don’t have to rely on Dolby: https://bit.ly/3Aa5nnE

Comments:

00:27:41 – Comment: Joe – Portland Airport Theater

A joint venture with Portland’s Historic Non-Profit Theatre and the Erskine Group shows off home theater equipment and local short films.

QUESTIONS:

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS