Podcast #760: ATSC 3.0

In the United States and a few other parts of the globe, the standard that defines how digital television transmissions work over terrestrial, cable and satellite broadcasts is called ATSC, named after the Advanced Television Systems Committee. ATSC 1.0 is in use now as the current standard, adopted by the FCC in 1996. But the committee is actively working on the next generation of broadcast standards and has released both 2.0 and 3.0 versions - neither of which are actually in use yet. Some feel that ATSC 3.0 may leapfrog 2.0 and make it obsolete before it even gets any serious mileage on it.

Click to read more ...

Podcast #691: 4DX: The Savior of Cinema?

Movie theaters are faltering, at least in our opinion. The large format home theater has reached a price point where it is attainable for many of us. And TVs are so big, you can practically create a large format home theater with just an LCD TV. No need for a projector or a screen or the hassle of running wires to the back of the room. And if anyone can have a huge home theater, what’s the allure of the traditional movie theater?

Click to read more ...

Podcast #686: Dolby Vision

There has been a lot of talk about the HDR content for our new 4K TVs. There have been a lot of questions too. We decided it was best to go to a well respected source for some answers. On this podcast we speak with Roland Vlaicu Vice President of Consumer Imaging at Dolby and we discuss Dolby Vision.

Click to read more ...

Podcast #637: Glasses-free 3D projector concept

Nothing says "the future of display technology" like holograms. If you’re a Star Wars or a Star Trek fan, you know that someday we’ll have holograms for real, interacting with us. Until now that notion has existing only in science fiction and our imaginations. But fueled by the same dreams you have, over the past three years, researchers in the Camera Culture group at the MIT Media Lab have steadily refined a design for a 3D video technology that doesn’t require glasses at all.

Click to read more ...

Podcast #625: Gefen TV Wireless Extender for HDMI 60 GHz

Through the years we’ve had the opportunity to check out several wireless audio, video and wireless HDMI systems. Everytime we do it, the quality goes up and the price goes down. This week we’re adding one more option to your list of choices for wireless HDMI. It’s the Gefen TV Wireless Extender for HDMI (GTV-WHD-60G). List price is $449. But if you look around, you can find it for around $300 online. The first Gefen wireless HDMI system we reviewed back in 2009 had a list price of $999.

Click to read more ...

Podcast #605: Is Virtual Reality the Next Big Thing in Home Theater?

Many of us are constantly on the lookout for the next big thing in Home Theater. When the HDTV revolution hit, we couldn’t get enough. Then there was HD-DVD and Blu-ray, followed by a flop or two, like 3D. Right now it looks like it might be 4K HD. But what if 3D was just the precursor to the real next big thing, Virtual Reality.

Click to read more ...