AV Rant #968: Go Flat Panel and Go Home
Warner Bros. Discovery will rebrand Max back to HBO Max this summer. Kaleidescape Strato E is a standalone player that slots right between the Strato M and Strato V. Marantz AMP 20 is a 12-channel, Class-D amplifier, while the AV 20 is a 13.4-channel Pre-Pro that will get Dirac Live ART as an optional, paid upgrade via a future firmware update.
Pictures shown in this episode: https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjCeSpd
00:00:00 – Intro
Rob’s lining up for a Switch 2. Tom’s way off on a tangent.
00:16:21 – What We Watched
No movies watched this week. Rob’s been watching the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs, and he finished the final season of Mythic Quest.
00:29:55 – Listeners of the Week
Our Listeners of the Week are Brandon for his PayPal donation, plus our 132 Patreon Patrons, as well as both Infinite Gary and Greg for sending in Movies Anywhere codes for Tom to test out.
We also appreciate the notes of gratitude for keeping the podcast going from: Ilango, Mike, Manuel, Sebastian, Kevin, Greg, and Ray. Thank you to everyone for continuing to listen!
In the news:
00:33:11 – News: Max Renamed HBO Max
Yup. Warner Bros. Discovery is going back to the HBO Max name for their streaming service: https://tinyurl.com/yadvvkw7
00:39:29 – News: Kaleidescape Strato E
It’s the Strato M, but it can do 4K, for a price smack dab in between the Strato M and Strato V: https://tinyurl.com/2phup2ba
00:45:20 – News: Marantz AV 20 & AMP 20
Take the Denon AVR-A10H and make it into a Pre-Pro and you’ve got the Marantz AV 20. 13.4-channel processing. But it’s also the first Denon or Marantz to officially announce Dirac Live ART support (coming via a future firmware update, and you’ll have to pay extra for it). AMP 20 is a 12-channel, Class-D amplifier: https://tinyurl.com/bdefmfev
Comments:
00:51:33 – Comment: Mike – Shop With an Expert
Best Buy’s website has a Live Chat option that might be able to price match and give you a discount. Just ask!
00:54:13 – Comment: Sebastian – Pioneer LX505 Success
We mixed up which speakers he has, but the global crossover still worked out.
00:55:48 – Comment: Daniel – Android TV Flexibility
He’s a fan of being able to side-load and use 3rd party launchers.
00:58:42 – Comment: Gurinder – Inside that Resort Theatre
After last week’s tease, Gurinder got the code to get inside. Can’t say we’re impressed.
QUESTIONS:
01:02:23 – Tim: Golden Ratio Room Dimensions
We discuss why building your theater room to have Golden Ratio dimensions isn’t necessary anymore, as well as the general idea behind insulation-based acoustic treatments.
– https://avgadgets.com/room-acoustics-a-primer/
– https://avgadgets.com/how-to-add-absorption-panels-to-any-room/
– https://avgadgets.com/making-your-own-acoustic-panels-a-tutorial/
– https://avgadgets.com/where-to-place-absorptive-panels-in-your-home-theater/
– https://avgadgets.com/soundproofing-and-acoustically-treating-whats-the-difference/
– https://www.gikacoustics.com/
01:14:04 – Mohsen: UST Projector Upgrade Worth It?
We recommended a NexiGo Aurora Pro MK.II UST projector to him. And it does fit his requirements. But is it a big enough upgrade to justify spending his full budget?
01:22:56 – Ilango: Low-cost Outdoor Projection
We suggest some lower cost, outdoor screen and projector options.
– Elite Screens Yard Master Retractable: https://tinyurl.com/mwd8havs
– Yard Master Portable: https://tinyurl.com/8bp9nhrn
– BenQ HT2060: https://tinyurl.com/25s5xccb
– Optoma ZH420: https://tinyurl.com/5n7u7seu
– Optoma UHZ35: https://tinyurl.com/53m5vfca
01:32:22 – Brandon: Self-Powered Speakers & Bluetooth
A whole bunch of questions: HDR logos on TVs to indicate the signal change, Sony X900F Dolby Vision, self-powered speaker options under-$500 & under-$1,000, 3-channel SoundBars, wireless subwoofer kits, adding Bluetooth to speakers, and slim surge protectors.
– Fluance Ai41, Ai61 & Ri71: https://tinyurl.com/y6c5n4bv
– Kanto REN & TUK: https://tinyurl.com/4pcyzbw7
– https://avgadgets.com/svs-soundpath-tri-band-wireless-audio-adapter/
– Outlaw OAW4: https://tinyurl.com/4p89ud6v
– AudioEngine B1: https://tinyurl.com/55fbephu
– BluDento B1: https://tinyurl.com/yspn2jyy
– Sanus OWSP42: https://tinyurl.com/yumc7s8w
01:50:21 – Back to Ilango: IP Ratings
Tom wisely double-checked what the two numbers following “IP” for dust- and water-resistance actually mean.
01:52:06 – Infinite Gary: Adjusting OLED Gamma
Do the studios send streaming services more than one movie file? And why did he need to brighten his gamma on his LG OLED, but none of his other displays?
01:57:36 – Manuel: Epson 5050UB Vertical Bands
Some unfortunate, telltale LCD panel problems.
02:00:06 – Kevin: Subtitle Shift
LG G5 vs Panasonic Z95B. And raising the position of subtitles to get them above the black bars.
– Panasonic player Subtitle Shift: https://youtu.be/ekeVYvkhWK4
02:07:41 – Ray: Kaleidescape Disc-to-Digital
What are his options for adding his disc collection to his Kaleidescape interface?
– Disc-to-Digital: https://tinyurl.com/tw5ksf9k
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