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AV Rant #916: The Standard Advice

June 6th, 2024 Comments off

Sony’s PlayStation VR2 is getting a PC adapter. MIT researchers created a sound-suppressing fabric. Measurements of acoustically transparent fabrics. A spreadsheet tool for getting subwoofer recommendations. And our Godzilla Minus One reviews!

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

00:00:00 – Intro

Our minor mishaps while recording our previous episode were clearly the only significant event last week.

00:07:13 – What We Watched

Rob watched The Big Short. Tom finished his The Good Place rewatch. And we both saw Godzilla Minus One.

00:32:35 – Listeners of the Week

Our Listeners of the Week are our 135 Patreon Patrons.

We also appreciate the notes of gratitude for keeping the podcast going from: Mike, Sasi, Dazz, and Adam. Thank you to everyone for continuing to listen!

In the news:

00:33:58 – News: PS VR2 PC Adapter

Sony announced a PC Adapter for the PS VR2 headset & Sense controllers coming Aug 7 for $60: https://tinyurl.com/3hxcrn6c

00:38:38 – News: MIT Sound Curtain

A piezoelectric fabric that can reduce sound wave transmission. But the headlines and images are a bit misleading: https://avgadgets.com/beyond-the-clickbait-the-mit-sound-curtain/

Comments:

00:46:55 – Comment: Nathan – AT Fabric Measurements

Nathan compiled a forum thread with info about absorption panels, including measurements of popular DIY acoustically transparent fabrics: https://tinyurl.com/2x37yhk3

– Mellotone Premium Grill Cloth: https://tinyurl.com/ymmknu44

QUESTIONS:

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AV Rant #915: Time Crunch

May 30th, 2024 Comments off

Sonos Ace Headphones fail to impress us. Comcast’s StreamSaver bundle gets a price and complicated rules to go ad-free. Apple TV 4K settings. And we have tech issues and a hard out this week!

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

00:00:00 – Intro

00:03:15 – What We Watched

Rob watched Evil (S.4, Ep.1), Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, and American Fiction. Tom watched Kaleidoscope on Netflix.

00:20:15 – Listeners of the Week

Our Listeners of the Week are our 134 Patreon Patrons, including Terry, as well as J.D. for sending a Movies Anywhere code to Tom to test out.

We also appreciate the notes of gratitude for keeping the podcast going from: Ilango, Terry, Tom, Andrew, and Dan. Thank you to everyone for continuing to listen!

In the news:

00:22:41 – News: Sonos Ace Headphones

They’re just Bluetooth headphones. Expensive, ANC, Bluetooth headphones. Their one trick is being able to swap with a Sonos Arc SoundBar. But they don’t synchronize. We can’t understand the hype: https://tinyurl.com/bdcbktcn

00:36:21 – News: StreamSaver Bundle Price

Comcast StreamSaver bundle of Peacock, Netflix & Apple TV+ is available now for $15/month: https://tinyurl.com/3tt5wtfe

Comments:

00:40:44 – Comment: Andrew – Denon/Marantz EDID Control

If you access the web interface for custom installers, there have been HDMI & EDID controls available for years.

00:41:29 – Comment: Dan – Furious About Sonos App

Sonos is the worst it’s ever been after their latest app update.

QUESTIONS:

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AV Rant #914: Best Value 75″ TV

May 23rd, 2024 Comments off

Onkyo & Integra have new Stereo Receivers, and the Integra packs exciting features for installers while costing less than expected. Comcast StreamSaver bundles Peacock, Netflix & Apple TV+. ESPN, Fox Sports & Warner Bros. Discovery’s sports streaming bundle is named Venu. And LG’s Signature OLED R rollable OLED TV is discontinued.

Pictures shown in this episode: https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjBrmy8

00:00:00 – Intro

The Sonos Ace headphones were officially announced moments before we started recording, so we only have extremely early and incomplete first impressions this week!

00:07:06 – What We Watched

Tom continued on with The Good Place. Rob watched the Vancouver Canucks lose in Round 2 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, finished X-Men ’97, enjoyed The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes, and loved “Asteroid City”.

00:23:37 – Listeners of the Week

Our Listeners of the Week are Raf for his PayPal donation, plus our 133 Patreon Patrons.

We also appreciate the notes of gratitude for keeping the podcast going from: Mohsen, Adam, and Joe. Thank you to everyone for continuing to listen!

In the news:

00:24:50 – News: Onkyo & Integra Stereo Receivers

Onkyo TX-8470 is a capable 2-Ch Receiver for $799. But the Integra DTM-7.4 steps up the features in some surprising ways for only $101 more: https://avgadgets.com/onkyo-tx-8470-and-integra-dtm-7-4-which-is-the-best-stereo-receiver-for-you/

00:36:29 – News: Comcast StreamSaver

A streaming bundle of Peacock, Netflix & Apple TV+: https://tinyurl.com/4rwmd4d6

00:38:54 – News: Streaming Sports Bundle Named Venu

The ESPN, Fox Sports & Warner Bros. Discovery streaming sports bundle has a name: https://tinyurl.com/4taauvda

00:40:08 – News: LG Signature OLED R Discontinued

If you didn’t already buy LG’s $100,000 “Roll-LED” TV, you missed your chance: https://tinyurl.com/msnb2sxm

Comments:

00:41:11 – Comment: Kevin & Mike – TV Price Guesses

We weren’t flooded with guesses for how much regular people spend on a TV, after all.

00:42:19 – Comment: Jay – Turbine Media Picks Up 3D Blu-ray Mantle

Region-free 3D Blu-rays with Atmos can still be found. You just have to import from Germany: https://tinyurl.com/mr3acpne

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AV Rant #913: Hisense/Samsung Beef

May 16th, 2024 Comments off

Apple’s newest iPad Pro models feature Tandem OLED screens with 1,000 nit full-screen brightness. Hisense goes straight after Samsung’s The Frame with their new CanvasTV. Hisense also slots their new U9N Series between their U8N and UX. Disney+, Hulu & Max will form a streaming bundle.

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

00:00:00 – Intro

00:03:53 – What We Watched

Rob watched The Northman, and You Were Never Really Here. Tom rewatched The Good Place.

00:24:14 – Listeners of the Week

Our Listeners of the Week are Tyler for his PayPal donation, plus our 133 Patreon Patrons, including Toke.

We also appreciate the notes of gratitude for keeping the podcast going from: Karl, Toke, and Bertrand. Thank you to everyone for continuing to listen!

In the news:

00:27:39 – News: iPad Pro Tandem OLED

New dual layer OLED screens with 1,000 nits full-screen brightness hint at potential advancements for TVs: https://tinyurl.com/4pppzhm6

– Why 11″ iPad Pros might be in short supply: https://tinyurl.com/3bbyfyfh

00:36:35 – News: Hisense CanvasTV

Hisense aims straight for Samsung’s The Frame with lower prices, and what seems like a better actual TV: https://tinyurl.com/vc8wy382

00:40:36 – News: Hisense U9N

With over 5,000 local-dimming zones and 5,000 nits peak brightness, the U9N slots in between the U8N and UX Series: https://tinyurl.com/4jh8zsrt

00:44:10 – News: Disney+ Hulu & Max Bundle

Disney and Warner Bros. Discovery are teaming up for a new streaming bundle: https://tinyurl.com/2wn97dcn

Comments:

00:47:00 – Comment: James – Favorite Theaters in LA

James’ suggestions for the best theaters to visit if you come to LA.

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AV Rant #912: Once a Week? More Like Once a Quarter!

May 9th, 2024 Comments off

JVC announced new NZ800 & NZ900 8K e-ShiftX projectors to replace the NZ8 & NZ9. LG TVs all the way back to 2018 get an updated Apple Music App now with Dolby Atmos Music support. YouTube pause ads are coming. And Tom has an earthshaking update to his SOUNDPEATS Space headphones review.

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

00:00:00 – Intro

00:02:08 – SOUNDPEATS Space Headphones Update

Tom achieved the seemingly impossible.

– https://avgadgets.com/charge-your-headphones-once-a-week-soundpeats-space-headphones-review/

00:12:08 – What We Watched

Rob’s been watching the NHL Playoffs. And saw The Zone of Interest, and The Beekeeper. Tom spent all his time engrossed in the Drake vs Kendrick drama.

00:25:59 – Listeners of the Week

Our Listeners of the Week are our 132 Patreon Patrons, as well as Aaron for sending Rob another movie code to test.

We also appreciate the notes of gratitude for keeping the podcast going from: Aaron, Mike, Casey, and Bill. Thank you to everyone for continuing to listen!

In the news:

00:34:42 – News: JVC NZ800 & NZ900

New 8K e-ShiftX laser projectors replace the NZ8 & NZ9: https://tinyurl.com/3c6hrc7z

00:41:02 – News: LG TVs Get Dolby Atmos Apple Music

LG TV models going all the way back to 2018 get an updated Apple Music App: https://tinyurl.com/3mua6cas

00:43:02 – News: YouTube Pause Ads are Coming

Thank goodness YouTube found another place to show us ads: https://tinyurl.com/yxxe5ph8

Comments:

00:47:02 – Comment: Dazz – Painting Tips

A few tips about painting rooms learned through experience.

00:52:52 – Comment: Casey – Clarifications

We now know what’s above his TV, what’s under his subs, and which speakers he’ll buy.

00:54:22 – Comment: Bill – Monoprice Customer Service

Not all Monoprice service stories are happy, but Bill’s experience with them was great!

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