SofaBaton X1 Universal Remote gets a revisit one month in. We dig into projector selection, small room setup, crossover setup, and reliable ceiling mounts. We also talk about turning Towers sideways, and where the heck Onkyo hid their HDMI bandwidth setting!

Check out Tom’s novel, “Touch of Pain”: https://amzn.to/3JRVzSu

Pictures shown in this episode: https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjzRje8

00:00:00 – Intro

Rob watched “Her” and “Old”. Tom watched more Mythic Quest, and High School Musical.

00:19:29 – Listeners of the Week

Our Listeners of the Week are George and Dan for their PayPal donations, plus our 143 Patreon Patrons, as well as Dan for generously sending Tom a Harmony Remote + Hub for Tom’s parents.

We also appreciate the notes of gratitude for keeping the podcast going from: Dale, David, Kevin, Andrew, and Gurinder. Thank you to everyone for continuing to listen!

In the news:

00:23:21 – News: EA is keen on a merger

The biggest of gaming giants doesn’t want to go it alone anymore: https://engt.co/3MM7VND

00:25:24 – News: BOE showcased True QLED TV

Dubbed AMQLED, this is fully electroluminescent quantum dots self-emitting all of the TV’s light. And inkjet printed, to boot: https://bit.ly/38mXWiX

00:29:05 – News: SofaBaton X1 Remote Update

Andrew updated his review, one month into using it every day: https://avgadgets.com/sofabaton-x1-review-is-this-the-harmony-killer-weve-been-waiting-for/

Comments:

00:31:49 – Comment: Jason – Landscape Lighting Wire as Outdoor Speaker Wire

“Insanely” tough, and inexpensive for outdoor use: https://thd.co/3lN9Wx7

00:33:03 – Comment: Aras – Shares His Music & Artwork

Truly impressive drawings and paintings, and a sample of his music recorded with “traditional methods”:

– https://arasvolodka.tumblr.com/

– https://youtu.be/UhTr_qU_6HA

QUESTIONS:

00:34:22 – Aras: Projector Concerns & Comfortable Earphones

We have a well-reasoned argument for Aras to spend less (still a lot) on a projector than he anticipated, as we discuss throw distance, screen size, black levels, HDR & Dolby Vision, and gaming. Then we suggest comfortable, wireless earphones.

– JVC DLA-NP5: https://bit.ly/38qjeMA

– NP5 Throw Calculator: https://bit.ly/3wOpI00

– https://avgadgets.com/is-dolby-vision-worth-it/

– https://avgadgets.com/the-pros-and-cons-of-glossy-speakers/

– https://avgadgets.com/tcl-moveaudio-s600-in-ear-earbuds/

– Shure Aonic 215: https://bit.ly/3PK9LjZ

– Samsung Galaxy Buds 2: https://bit.ly/3PW3nX4

00:57:01 – Dale: Small Room Theater Plans

We help pick between two bedrooms to convert into a dedicated theater. We discuss layout, speaker placement, and acoustic treatment.

– https://avgadgets.com/where-to-place-absorptive-panels-in-your-home-theater/

01:11:21 – Raf: Crossover & LFE Experiments

We explain the LPF for LFE setting, THX crossover scheme, and why raising his crossover unexpectedly sounded better.

01:25:02 – Mike: Wide Open Room Treatments

Carpet padding, GiK Impression Series, panels directly behind speakers, and short Super Chunks.

– 1/2″ Felt Rug Pad: https://amzn.to/3lOp5hM

– GiK Impression 4″ Panels: https://bit.ly/3yZRJEi

01:31:52 – Kevin: Horizontal Tower Speakers?

Would Towers sound horrible laying on their sides?

– https://avgadgets.com/qotd-can-i-lay-a-bookshelf-speaker-on-its-side-for-a-center/

01:37:54 – Nathan: Good Ceiling Speaker Mounts

We recommend ceiling mounts that can handle more than 10 lbs and hold your speakers at an angle without sagging or cracking.

– Mount-It MI-SB03: https://bit.ly/3NyfZBw

– https://avgadgets.com/best-speaker-mounts-for-walls-or-ceilings/

01:41:14 – Timothy: What Makes a Bad Speaker?

We discussed “ideal” speakers. Now, what’s the main reason some speakers sound bad?

01:51:26 – Brian: Onkyo’s Hidden HDMI 4K Menu

Getting more than 10.2 Gbps through your Onkyo Receiver’s HDMI ports isn’t as easy as it should be.

– https://www.onkyo.com/manual/sup/upd/hdmi_4k_onk.pdf

– https://youtube.com/shorts/74KTgk3hob8

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