HDTV and Home Theater Podcast
367 episodes - English - Latest episode: 1 day ago - ★★★★★ - 352 ratingsAll the HDTV and Home Theater news and info you need, without all the reading.
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Episodes
Podcast #867: Speaker Bar Giveaway
October 26, 2018 08:00Ara was called away for an emergency. Everything is A-OK, but it was one of those things that just had to be handled immediately. In the mean time, we have a brief micro-cast announcing our latest giveaway. Details can be found at: www.htguys.com/soundbar
Podcast #866: Receiver Recommendation, Under $500
October 19, 2018 08:00We received an email from Santosh in the Bay Area of California asking if we could recommend a receiver for a modest home theater system to go in his medium sized family room. We thought, "no problem! We know the exact receiver to recommend." However, like everyone, he did have some requirements; the biggest one being that it could not exceed $500. On Santosh’s must have list: 4K, HDR, and ARC to support Digital Audio from his smart TV.
Podcast #865: Top Home Theater Design Mistakes
October 12, 2018 08:00Sound & Vision author John Sciacca has spent the past 20 years in the custom installation industry, and has worked with at least a thousand clients during that time. A regular part of his job is consulting with clients on the design and installation of media rooms and home theaters. Sometimes the project is a new build (the best). Other times it involves repurposing a room or trying to fix and improve an existing room.
Podcast #864: The 7 Best 70-75-77 inch TVs
October 05, 2018 08:00Large TVs are becoming increasingly popular, with manufacturers releasing more models in the 70-75-77" range. The 2017 models in these sizes are becoming cheaper while the 2018 ones are now the flagships of each manufacturer. Rtings.com tested 33 TVs available in a 70-75-77" size and provided their recommendations for the best ones to buy in 2018.
Podcast #863: New TV Shows for Fall 2018
September 28, 2018 08:00This year’s batch of Fall TV Premieres snuck up on us a bit. Here we are, the last show in September, and just now getting to the new shows coming out. In fact, this prior week may have been the biggest week for new and returning show premieres of the season. If you missed something that looks great, the good news is that you can probably find it on Hulu or the Networks’ streaming app.
Podcast #862: Best of CEDIA 2018
September 21, 2018 08:00TWICE has announced the winners of their annual Best of Show awards at CEDIA Expo. The products were nominated by the manufacturers and a team of judges was employed to walk the floor and rate the products on a number of criteria, including its value, impact, and how unique it was to the market.
Podcast #861: Monoprice Stitch and CEDIA 2018
September 14, 2018 08:00The 2018 edition of CEDIA Expo is now history. CEDIA is one of the two big annual trade-only shows covering AV gear. CES, held each January in Las Vegas, is the big Kahuna. Apart from every electronic gadget on the planet (and some not so electronic) the main event at CES is the launch of all the new Ultra HD TVs for the coming year (not to mention the 8K sets waiting for their close-ups)...
Podcast #860: Konnected.io
September 07, 2018 08:00The idea behind Konnected is pretty great: It works as a bridge to connect your traditional wired alarm system to your smart / home automation system. We have a good friend, Rod, of prior Blu-ray Review fame for those who remember them, who has used Konnected. We were able to get him to join Ara to share his experience with it on the podcast.
Podcast #859: One week with FuboTV
August 31, 2018 08:00The HT Guys have officially joined the ranks of the cord cutters with Braden opting to cancel his Cable TV service entirely. We have been working on trimming the cord for a while, but this is cold turkey… Was cold turnkey. Braden quickly found something lacking and turned to fuboTV to fill that missing hole in his home theater.
Podcast #858: Streaming TV: SiliconDust, Netflix, Amazon...
August 24, 2018 08:00Everything new is still the same old thing. Netflix is the new HBO, SlingTV is the new Comcast; we aren't creating anything new, we're just recreating the same old paradigms. Are consumers really benefitting from the shift from traditional cable and satellite to streaming? Perhaps its too soon to tell.
Podcast #857: HT Guys Origins: Sony Pictures / ADSG
August 17, 2018 08:00Another very special episode, keeping the streak alive while on vacation, we take the opportunity to share some behind the scenes moments leading up to the formation of the HT Guys and the HDTV and Home Theater Podcast, specifically the Sony Pictures / ADSG years.
Podcast #856: 75 inch TV Recommendation
August 10, 2018 08:00We had a listener ask for a recommendation on a 75 inch HDTV in his price range. In true HT Guys fashion, we got a bit too involved in the research and comparisons and had to put a show together all about it. There's also some info on DIY Automation and OLED vs QLED TVs.
Podcast #855: Roku Wireless Speakers and AI
August 03, 2018 08:00"This solves the conundrum that lies at the heart of modern technology, threading its way from your phone to your dishwasher to your air conditioner: “Currently you need to be smart to use a smartphone,” ...At this stage AI is just the tip of the iceberg of what’s going to happen in the future, When we talk about AI many people think of voice assistants, but it’s much more than that. It’s going to be voice plus vision plus gesture recognition, plus context, plus knowledge … You need to unders...
Podcast #854: Samsung’s 34-foot Onyx LED TV
July 27, 2018 08:00Last month we read a news story about the bid by Samsung to replace projectors in movie theaters. Now Digital Trends has an article that provides a few more details about this technology. Our hope is that it can find it's way into our living rooms in the not too distant future.
Podcast #853: Buttshaker Bonanza
July 20, 2018 08:00It’s been quite a while since we’ve talked about turning the low frequency effects from your movies and tv shows into physical movement you can feel in your furniture. We reviewed a system many years ago and loved it, but it was pricey at the time and neither of us ended up installing it. Turns out Amazon has some options that make it affordable enough to put the buttshaker experience in a lot more seats.
Podcast #852: The best projectors
July 13, 2018 08:00Whether you're outfitting a small space for an occasional movie night, upgrading your living-room home-entertainment system, or building a dedicated home theater, Engadget has a projector recommendation for you.
Podcast #851: 4K Streaming and Home Theater Earbuds
July 06, 2018 09:00fuboTV (fubo.tv), the leading sports-first live streaming TV service in the U.S., has launched 4K HDR10 support in Beta, becoming the first virtual multichannel video programming distributor (vMVPD) to offer content in ultra-high definition and high dynamic range.
Podcast #850: OLED and HDR
June 29, 2018 08:00We have a few topics to cover, some arising from emails from listeners, some ripped straight from the headlines, and a couple from articles we've enjoyed and wanted to share. All of this culminating with a discussion on how HDR could potentially impact the expected lifespan of an OLED TV.
Podcast #849: A very special...
June 22, 2018 08:00This week's episode is a very special one: The HT Guys go on vaction. With limited time to plan and record, and no access to email or news stories, the guys still work hard to bring a short show together. Braden shares a story about bridging the past and the present and Ara recalls a very special moment for him from his time at Sony Pictures/ADSG. Until next week!
Podcast #848: E3 Show with Rod Williams
June 15, 2018 08:00HT Guys Senior Correspondent Rod Williams found himself at the E3 show and had some great insights and stories to share with the HT Guys audience. E3 is short for the Electronic Entertainment Expo and 2018 marks 24 years of E3. At the show, hardware manufacturers, software developers, and publishers from the video game industry present new and upcoming products to the attendees, primarily retailers and members of the video game press. The event, organized by the Entertainment Software Associ...
Podcast #847: Father’s Day Wish List
June 08, 2018 08:00Whether you are a dad, have a dad, know a dad or are married to a dad, odds are there’s some sort of a Farther in your life somewhere. And odds are that Father would really enjoy having their home theater tricked out for Father’s Day this year. If you’re wondering what you should gift, here are a few of the items on our wish lists.
Podcast #846: Canceled or Renewed 2018
June 01, 2018 08:00If you’re getting dizzy watching shows that were canceled a while ago, make a revival on a different network, only to have that network cancel some shows that were also quite popular, causing them to move to yet another network, or a number one rated comeback show that was practically guaranteed another season get abruptly canceled for crazy tweets, don’t worry. We’ve got you covered. Here’s the full list of what’s gone, what‘s coming back, and what network to find it on.
Podcast #845: HDR Explained and SVS Soundpath Review
May 25, 2018 08:00HDR stands for high dynamic range. Theoretically, the technology can provide a higher level of contrast between light and dark images on the screen to create a much more realistic image. We say theoretically because some of the first titles coming out of Hollywood have been somewhat underwhelming. Just like going to HD, Hollywood will get better at mastering in HD. As will the move to better HDR formats.
Podcast #844: CNET’s Guide to Smart Living
May 18, 2018 08:00While this may or may not be the year of home automation (or maybe it was last year?), the idea of making some aspects of your home more automated or “smarter” is becoming much more approachable and affordable. CNET recently put together a collection of articles about how to get into the game that offer some interesting tips and pointers. This isn’t a definitive guide for the hard core home or life hacker, but it helps those who aren’t yet in the game to dip a toe in the water.
Podcast #843: Sony A8F Review from RTINGS.COM
May 11, 2018 08:00Today we have a review of a Sony A8F OLED TV from RTINGS.com. The A8F is a OLED 4K HDR TV with 4K HDR Processor X1™ Extreme, Acoustic Surface™ technology and Android TV. The Acoustic Surface is supposed to produce deeper bass by vibrating the glass. We’ll see if that is what the reviewers experienced below. It comes in three sizes 55”, 65”, and 77”. Read the full detailed review at RTINGS.com.
Podcast #842: VR Jackets and Mobile Movie Theaters
May 04, 2018 08:00Disney Research teamed with MIT to build a bizarre virtual-reality "force jacket" that can simulate physical sensations. Including creepy ones. Combine that with the Royole Moon, a virtual 800-inch curved movie screen (about 66 feet) you can strap to your head and home theater just got a lot weirder.
Podcast #841: OLED Burn-in Follow Up
April 27, 2018 08:00We asked our listeners - who are also OLED owners - to give us their own direct experience with OLED, especially related to burn-in. We got some great feedback. Maybe it'll change your mind on buying an OLED. Or maybe not.
Podcast #840: Real Life OLED Burn In Test
April 20, 2018 08:00Walking through a large electronics store the other day something caught our eye on one of their OLED display televisions. While you’d like to hope it was the vivid, realistic images on screen, it wasn’t. It was the obvious burn-in. And it was bad. You could clearly see a shadow of the bottom logo bar / ticker from content they must use regularly peeking through what would have otherwise been a stellar video presentation. The burn-in scare was one of the factors that ultimately led to the dem...
Podcast #839: Channel Master SMARTenna+ Review
April 13, 2018 08:13Channel Master has introduced a new indoor antenna that gives the Mohu Leaf a run for the money. The Channel Master SMARTenna+ is a mostly paper thin amplified antenna that can easily be placed inside your home and pulls in quite a few channels. There is a processor built into the bottom of the antenna which helps “Steer” the antenna to maximize the reception. No more moving the antenna around until you find the right position. Just press a button and the signal is locked in.
Podcast #838: Short Throw Projector Follow Up
April 06, 2018 08:00On Episode 836 we talked about the idea of short throw projectors for home theater use and asked the question: Why aren’t more people using them in their homes? Their price per square inch of screen real estate seems like, at least on paper, the most cost effective way to get a huge screen at home. So why aren’t they flying off the shelves? We had a ton of great listener feedback on it, so we decided to create a feature out of it.
Podcast #837: Interview with ReelGood.com founder David Sanderson
March 30, 2018 08:30James from Illinois sent us an email tipping us off to a service at Reelgood.com. Reelgood is an extensive streaming guide, with every TV show and movie available to stream online. Browse through every TV series and movie and sort by title, release year, genre, IMDB rating, and, most important -- see where to watch it. Then play with a single click or tap.
Podcast #836: Short Throw Projectors
March 23, 2018 08:00There was a short throw projector on Woot! this week for $999. Not a bad price at all for the potential to have a 100” television in your family room or home theater. That got us thinking… Why aren’t more people using short throw projectors in their homes? Their price per square inch of screen real estate is by far the most cost effective way to get a huge screen at home, and the install and setup is a snap. So what gives? Why aren’t people using them.
Podcast #835: Control4 & Home Automation with Adam Pizzo
March 16, 2018 08:00Interview with Adam Pizzo. He is a home integrator specializing in Control4. Adam is based in Toronto and was kind enough to come on the show and talk about what a home integrator can do for your home.
Podcast #834: The Devices We Can’t Live Without
March 09, 2018 10:00Research firm iQor recently commissioned an online survey called the Customer and Product Experience (CPX) 360 Survey (part 2). It was conducted online and polled 1,004 U.S. adults 18 and up living in a “smart household” environment from Nov. 9 to Nov. 17, 2017. The goal was to gauge customer experience and customer service expectations of buyers of consumer technology in today’s digital age. All respondents indicated they own or regularly use: a smartphone, a computer (desktop, laptop or tab...
Podcast #833: Philips Hue Lights
March 02, 2018 10:03For many home automation is limited to lights turning on and off at prescribed times. Others would like the ability to control their lights while they are away from home. For these people full blown automation is not necessary. There are a growing number of products that will let you do this. They range from smart wall plugs to wifi connected light bulbs. One such solution are Hue lights.
Podcast #832: Smart Speakers and Dumb Aspect Ratios
February 23, 2018 09:00If you haven’t already invested in one of the many smart home speakers on the market, this summer you’ll have even more options, as Facebook plans to unveil its own version of voice-enabled smart home speakers, called Fiona and Aloha. Looking like something one might buy at Hobby Lobby, the $70 ClearStream View is a large, black picture frame with cutouts for family photos. Concealed in its back is a flat HDTV antenna.
Podcast #831: Apple HomePod Review
February 16, 2018 10:16Most are probably well aware that Apple released it's smart speaker, the HomePod ($349), last week. As you would imagine you can’t click a link without somehow landing on a page that has a review. Well we’re adding our two cents to the discussion. But we’ll try to be succinct.
Podcast #830: Disney Streaming Service, Subwoofers and High End DIY
February 09, 2018 10:09Disney's Netflix competitor, a streaming service for movies from Disney properties like Marvel, Pixar and Star Wars, will arrive in late 2019. AVSForum compiled their list of the best subwoofers of 2017. And with the CA-1, Control4 introduces their most affordable smart-home controller yet with Wi-Fi, ZigBee, and optional Z-Wave support.
Podcast #829: Five Reasons to Automate Your Home
February 02, 2018 10:02The HT Guys have been singing the praises of home automation for about ten years now. It starts slow with one device and then quickly becomes an obsession. But it's the one thing that we have added to our homes that gets no pushback from family members. So if you are thinking about going down the home automation rabbit hole and are looking for a way to justify it, we have you covered. This is our list of five reasons to automate your home.
Podcast #828: Samsung’s MicroLED Bet
January 26, 2018 09:00We first stumbled across Samsung’s new MicroLED technology when we were reading up on CES, and specifically the giant 146” TV the South Korean electronics giant had on display this year. A TV so big, they actually just call it “the wall.” The technology intrigued us, and we thought it may have intrigued a few of you as well, so we took it on ourselves to dive a bit deeper into what it is and why we, as lovers of great televisions, should care.
Podcast #827: Speaker Cables - What does High Quality Cost?
January 19, 2018 09:00Ara was going through some of his typical AV websites the other day and came upon an article at Electronic House about speaker wires and was very interested to see what a site for installers had to say about the subject. We have been saying for years now that you should buy high quality cables to get the most out of your system. However, we have also been saying that high quality cables don’t have to cost a lot of money. We will examine the article, credited to EH Contributor, and give you ...
Podcast #826: CES 2018
January 12, 2018 09:00CES (Consumer Electronics Show) is the world's gathering place for all those who thrive on the business of consumer technologies. It has served as the proving ground for innovators and breakthrough technologies for 50 years - the global stage where next-generation innovations are introduced to the marketplace. Owned and produced by the Consumer Technology Association (CTA), it attracts the world's business leaders and pioneering thinkers.
Podcast #825: Predictions for 2018
January 05, 2018 09:00Time for the HT Guys to look into our crystal ball and try and predict the HDTV and Home Theater landscape for 2018. Our crystal ball isn’t as clear as a good HDTV but we faithfully give it another shot nonetheless.
Podcast #824: Prediction Review for 2017
December 29, 2017 09:00It's hard to believe that another year has gone by! With that it's time to see how we did with our 2017 predictions.
Podcast #823: Happy Holidays 2017
December 22, 2017 09:00The HT Guys are officially on Christmas Vacation right now, but that won’t stop us from putting up a new podcast. The HDTV and Home Theater Podcast doesn’t take vacation. It’s not like home theater or the consumer electronics industry takes a break at the end of the year, so how can we? We hope you’re surrounded by friends and loved ones and can cozy up by a nice warm fire and enjoy another installment of the show. Merry Christmas.
Podcast #822: Ultimate Home Theater in a Box for 2017
December 15, 2017 09:00Each year we design a Home Theater setup that is considerably better than a typical home theater in a box. We have seen complete setups for less than $500 from manufacturers like Sony and Panasonic that quite frankly do not sound good. While our system costs more than a name brand HTIB your satisfaction will be dramatically more. Plus we include EVERYTHING you need to actually setup a home theater. Minimum components for our system are a HDTV, Blu-ray Player, Receiver, and 7.1 speakers.
Podcast #821: HDTV Buying Guide 2017
December 08, 2017 09:00It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas and whether you celebrate Christmas, a different holiday, or nothing at all, we can all agree that somehow getting a new HDTV in your life on or around the 25th of December would be a good thing. If you happen to be lucky enough to have budget for a new HDTV this Christmas season, but still aren’t sure which one to buy, we’ve got you covered. We each pick three TVs and one ultimate HDTV present for you to consider.
Podcast #820: Receiver Buying Guide 2017
December 01, 2017 09:00This week we get to spend your money on a new receiver for your home theater. Our goal with these guides is not necessarily about getting the latest product. It's about getting a good product at a great price so you may see some of last year’s gear on the list. All these receivers are readily available online or at a big box store. We each pick four receivers in increasing price culminating in one ‘money's no object’ / ‘dare to dream’ receiver for you to consider. Note - These receivers have ...
Podcast #819: What we're thankful for '17
November 24, 2017 09:00Each year at this time of year we do a show where we discuss what we are thankful for. There are the obvious things to be thankful for like our families, especially our wives who put up with our home theater obsessions. And of course we are thankful for you, the listener/reader of our show. So as is tradition over the last many Thanksgivings, on today's show we give you our list of consumer electronics things we are thankful for.
Podcast #818: Black Friday 2017
November 17, 2017 09:00Another year passes, another Black Friday approaches. This year there are some exceptional deals out there. The question is where to you put your focus. We are focusing on TVs since many want to upgrade to 4K HDR. There are some really good ones out there. We also throw in some UHD Players and home automation to round out the list.