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Audioholics Wants You to Maximize Your Center Channel Speaker Effectiveness[teaser]Center speaker height, angle, and resonance all listed as common pitfalls. [/teaser] Audiholics has posted a guide the begins by bemoaning the sad state of common center channel speaker set-ups. In short, with the center channel shouldering a film's dialogue and anchoring the soundtrack and Foley, some common missed adjustments can make a huge difference on home theaters ranging in cost from a few hundred to several thousand dollars. First off, try to ensure that there is clear air between the center channel and the listener's ear. While this seems simple, the secondary listening positions (for friends and neighbors) is often overlooked and can easily cause volume issues as well as dampening the overall audio enjoyment. This means the height of the center channel in important, but Audiholics also suggest that if necessary, the center speaker should be angled up, which can be accomplished soundly with foam. The fastidious type may even use a laser pointer to verify the right unobstructed vectors for each listening position. Further suggestions include positioning the speaker close to the edge of whatever it is sitting on to avoid unwanted reflections, using sand in hollow speaker stands to gain a sound solidity, and carpeting anything such as a noise reflecting floor. Audioholics also suggests that the center channel be set to "small" in order to redirect bass to the sub for the majority of full set-ups. And of course, re-calibrating after making adjustments. Source: AudioholicsPosted Mon Apr 1, 2013 at 07:00 AM PDT by: -
Blu-ray Highlights: Week of March 31st, 2013Pickings are pretty slim when the top Blu-ray title of the week is a TV miniseries that just aired for free on cable yesterday. Nevertheless, we have a roundup of the week's paltry few new discs in the blog today. Give it a read.Posted Mon Apr 1, 2013 at 07:00 AM PDT by: -
'Movie 43' Blu-ray Announced[teaser]The star-studded comedy anthology is hitting Blu-ray in June. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, 20th Century Fox is bringing 'Movie 43' to Blu-ray on June 18. From the twisted minds of producers Peter Farrelly ('Hall Pass,' 'Shallow Hal') and Charles Wessler ('There's Something About Mary,' 'Dumb & Dumber'), comes 'Movie 43' -- the outrageous new ensemble comedy starring some of the biggest names in Hollywood. 'Movie 43' is not for the easily-offended and contains jaw-dropping, sometimes shockingly disturbing, but always entertaining intertwined storylines you'll have to see to believe. The all-star cast includes Emma Stone, Kate Winslet, Justin Long, Jason Sudeikis, Kristin Bell, Gerard Butler, and Halle Berry. Specs and supplements have not been announced yet but the suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $39.99. You can find the latest specs for 'Movie 43' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under June 18.Posted Mon Apr 1, 2013 at 06:00 AM PDT by: -
Bonus View Digest - March 29, 2013[teaser]The end of March is upon us, yet The Bonus View continues to roll out the latest news, reviews, and free Blu-ray contests. That's right, we're still running contests on the blog. This is like four weeks straight. Come try your hand at winning some free Blu-ray swag.[/teaser] Monster Madness The tournament finally came to an end. After a long, heated battle, Godzilla finally emerged the victor against Predator. You can check out the final match here, and we also have a tournament recap post to remind us of how crazy this tournament really was. Thanks to everyone who voted. Blu-ray News Last week we gave away a huge prize! Check out who won a free copy of 'The Hobbit.' This week we continue our giving ways with a contest for a copy of the second season of Showtime's 'The Borgias.' TV seasons are usually pretty pricey on Blu-ray, so get in on this contest while you can. Today is the last day to enter. This week was filled with a pretty eclectic array of Blu-ray releases. We had new day-and-date releases like 'Lincoln' and 'Killing them Softly;' treasured catalog releases like 'The Sandlot: 20th Anniversary Edition,' and a standalone 'Jurassic Park;' and some highly anticipated TV titles like 'Star Trek: Enterprise' and 'Continuum.' It's one of those weeks where there's something for everyone. What are you picking up? Let us know in the comments of our Blu-ray Highlights posts. Into collectible packaging? Check out these awesome steelbooks for your 'Indiana Jones' Blu-ray set. Now each movie can have its own artistic case for display. Theatrical News Want to know what to see this weekend? Check out our reviews for 'G.I. Joe: Retaliation,' 'The Host,' and 'The Place Beyond the Pines.' In his somewhat regular column "How to Ruin a Good Thing," blog contributor Dan Hirshleifer discusses how detrimental the 'Matrix' sequels really were. TV Recaps 'The Walking Dead' is almost over. Check out our recap of the second to last episode of season three. We also have a recap of 'Community.' Special Features Last week's Weekend Roundtable focused on canceled TV shows that we thought could use a Kickstarter funded movie to finish them off properly. What are some TV shows that you lament losing too soon? That's it for this week, and this month for that matter. See you all in April. Have a safe and happy weekend.Posted Fri Mar 29, 2013 at 12:05 PM PDT by: -
Weekend Roundtable: Favorite Zombie MoviesWith the season finale of 'The Walking Dead' coming up on Sunday, we thought this would be a fun time to look at some of our favorite zombie movies. Join us in the blog for this week's Roundtable to share your picks.Posted Fri Mar 29, 2013 at 12:00 PM PDT by: -
'The Sweeney' Blu-ray Announced[teaser]The British action drama will be hitting Blu-ray in April. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Entertainment One is bringing 'The Sweeney' to Blu-ray on April 2. Tearing up the streets of London, 'The Sweeney' is a stylish and exhilarating action thriller proving sometimes you have to act like a criminal to catch a criminal. Directed by Nick Love and based on the popular 1970s U.K. television show of the same name, the U.K. box office smash is based on the Sweeney Flying Squad, London's elite crime-fighting force - a branch of the Metropolitan Police specializing in tackling armed robbery and violent crime. Led by legendary Detective Jack Regan (Winstone) and his loyal partner, the group is not afraid to use old school, bare-knuckle tactics to bring down the modern underworld. Now, with a master criminal on the loose and a major bank heist in progress, Regan will do whatever it takes to get the job done, even if that means defying the orders of his boss (Lewis) and taking the law into his own hands. Supplements have not yet been revealed, but the Blu-ray/DVD combo pack will feature 1080p video and a DTS-HD MA 5.1 soundtrack. The suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $24.98. You can find the latest specs for 'The Sweeney' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it is indexed under April 2.Posted Fri Mar 29, 2013 at 10:00 AM PDT by: -
Panasonic Will Exit TV Production Only as a "Last Resort"[teaser]Panasonic's chairman will step down in June.[/teaser] Panasonic continues to grapple with its position as an employer of 300,000 people that is nevertheless looking at a loss $8.1 billion for the fiscal year, which is marginally smaller than the loss from the previous fiscal year. As the company attempts to consolidate and reorganize without initiating layoffs, it has a stated desire to not surrender its TV business to the surging Samsung and LG. While the company has shed 40,000 jobs in the last two years, those jobs often involve three years of severance. The biggest immediate hope for Panasonic is the weakening Yen, and the company managed $32 million in operating profit from October -December just from a comparably favorable exchange rate. Accepting responsibility for the company's dire straits, Chairman Fumio Otsubo will step down in June. The company's current two year plan is to return to profitability next year with a projected $532 million forecasted profit through next March and a $3.7 billion profit in the next two years. Looking at the last ten years and Panasonic is currently down about $13 billion. While the company has chaffed against the Japanese media reports of the incoming end to their plasma TVs. The current language suggests that it was the entire TV business that may have been cut. Unfortunately, if Panasonic cannot do better than losing billions soon, the company may be forced to exit consumer electronics altogether in favor of its auto and housing interests. Panasonic has already said that it will sell its majority stake in Nippon Express Co. Ltd, which had been Panasonic's logistics interest. When discussing Panasonic's struggling TV business, Panasonic President Kazuhiro Tsuga stated, "To get out would be the final resort. That possibility is not zero.'' Source: EngadgetPosted Fri Mar 29, 2013 at 09:00 AM PDT by: -
'A Haunted House' Blu-ray Detailed[teaser]The paranormal parody will creep its way to Blu-ray in April. [/teaser] As previously reported, Universal is bringing 'A Haunted House' to Blu-ray on April 23. Go beyond the supernatural in 'A Haunted House,' the hilarious comedy starring Marlon Wayans ('White Chicks,' 'G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra') and Cedric the Entertainer ('Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted,' 'Ice Age') that pokes no-holds-barred fun at our deepest fears. When a young couple moves in to their dream place, they soon discover they’re not alone. Now, Malcolm will go to hilarious extremes - including hiring a priest, a psychic, and a team of modern-day Ghostbusters to get his place and his sex life back to normal. Co-starring Essence Atkins ('Smart Guy'), Nick Swardson ('Just Go with It') and David Koechner ('Anchorman'), the film is demonically good fun that critics are calling “the funniest scary movie about scary movies ever!” (Shawn Edwards, Fox-TV). The Blu-ray/DVD/Digital Copy/UltraViolet combo pack will feature 1080p video, a DTS-HD MA 5.1 soundtrack, and supplements will include: How to Survive a Paranormal Presence; and Previews. The suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $39.99. You can find the latest specs for 'A Haunted House' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under April 23.Posted Fri Mar 29, 2013 at 08:00 AM PDT by: -
CNET: "AV receivers are terrible."[teaser]AV receivers are "embarrassingly backward compared with the rest of your home theater gear."[/teaser] Nearly every week around this time, a major electronics producer are unveils their latest line of AV receivers. Topping the list of must-have features? Connectivity options with a growing array of streaming standards throw-in. Understandably, AV receiver makers compete by attempting to add features that are dazzling with techno jargon and a growing extent of capability. In an article on CNET, however, the modern day receiver is being decried as backward, ugly, space-hogging, packed with useless features, and only for enthusiasts who know what they are doing. The standard receiver footprint and black casing are called out. Those dazzling features? "Featuritis." "We end up with receivers that can do everything, but nothing well." The Pioneer VSX-823-K on-screen display and the Yamaha RX-V475 remote are lambasted as a "bad experience" and "completely intimidating to anyone who's not a home theater enthusiast." Ultimately, the article makes clear that while many people enjoy and utilize many features of mainstream receivers, (at least those that are not unnecessary or poorly executed,) what the mainstream consumers need is more like an amplifier with HDMI inputs. The alternative is to continue to feed sound bar sales until most AV receivers are just discontinued altogether. Source: CNETPosted Fri Mar 29, 2013 at 07:00 AM PDT by: -
Theatrical Review: 'The Host'Now that she's finished ruining the vampire genre with 'Twilight', author Stephenie Meyer has set her sights on doing to the same to science fiction. The first movie based on her alien invasion saga hits theaters this weekend, and High-Def Digest's Aaron Peck has taken a bullet for the team by reviewing 'The Host'. Don't let his efforts be in vain. Read his review in the blog today.Posted Fri Mar 29, 2013 at 07:00 AM PDT by:
