Since the video transmitters on the market vary in price and functionality, as opposed to the technology which primarily features a 5 GHz signal for stability and distance, the decision you’ll need to make is whether the transmitter can do 1080p Full HD video and surround audio (should you have 3D-capabilities, you’ll also want it to be 3D compatible). But what about needing more than one device to be transmitting wirelessly?

Enter Belkin’s ScreenCast AV 4. Physically it’s just a transmitter box and a receiver box — but the “4” stands for the total of devices it can accept A/V signals from. So if you want the capabilities to switch between transmitting video from a Blu-ray player AND a game console and a set-top box (etc.) without having to pull out and insert cables every time, this is your new option.

The transmitter is about the size of two paperback books placed side-by-side, with the receiver even smaller. Both have a slightly raised antenna panel on the top and for cooling there’s slots on the bottom (a good suggestion is to always allow for air circulation around any electronic device, of which these two are no exception). The power button on both transmitter and receiver should be turned on and left on — no reason not to — and the addition of a USB port on their back for future updates is a nice touch.

Belkin touts the simplicity of using their ScreenCast, so I’ll give it a go. In the bedroom, I connect my Xbox 360’s HDMI cable (used for watching streaming movies and playing games) to input 1 on the transmitter’s back. I follow this with the output from my Dish Network satellite receiver, going into the transmitter’s input #2. The transmitter goes on the corner of the TV stand and I connect the power for it. You’ll notice that I’ve made no changes to the setup systems on either of the two devices — I’m expecting the A/V of each to make its way through the transmitter with the same results as if they were still plugged into the HDTV: being 1080p high-def resolution of the video and 5.1 surround audio.

The only real effort is to connect the included IR (infrared) cable to the transmitter’s IR socket. I line up one of the 4 bulb-tipped ends in front of each of the device’s IR panels (rather than just placing them in front to “strike” the panels, I secure each with a piece of cellophane tape). And since I can run 3D films on my PlayStation 3, and the ScreenCast includes that in its specs, I’ll connect this game console to input #3 — keeping in mind that its Bluetooth remote reception won’t work with one of the IR cables.

Setting up the receiver is similar to that of the transmitter — actually it’s even easier. I place it next to my front projector’s switcher in the living room, plug one end of a HDMI cable into the output socket and then swap the other end for the input on the amplifier that works as both a switcher for the projector as well as providing the audio through a 7:1 channel speaker setup. The transmitter’s power plug then goes into an AC outlet.

Now you might have noticed that I didn’t have to worry about there being line-of-sight between the transmitter and receiver. That’s because the wireless signal works through walls and can connect up to 100 feet away (I’m less than 90 feet in distance here). Also, I didn’t need to press the syncing buttons on the back of the transmitter/receiver because they’re already paired. And there’s no channel switching or other technical things to worry about.

There’s a manual “Source” button on the receiver for switching between the devices playing, but you’ll find using the credit card-sized remote, as I did, more useful for this. For controlling the devices from a distance, just aim its remote control at the receiver so that the IR signal can be transmitted back to the transmitter and outputted through the IR cable (the solid blue light on the receiver will flash when a remote’s signal is entered). The ScreenCast remote is pretty simple too: Up/Down arrows for cycling through the outputs, with an onscreen confirmation, and an “OK” button. The remote will be used with the receiver when it has first been turned on to cycle through a short setup.

So here we go. I turn on the amplifier and fire up the projector. As soon as the light hits full illumination (2 minutes), I press the StreamCast remote to bring up its menu. The only thing I want to do with it is select names for the inputs from the pre-formatted list so I don’t have to rely on memory as to which input is connected to what. Once done, I select the Xbox’s input and then aim the Xbox remote at the receiver, punch “On” and there in all its glory is Microsoft’s baby. I cycle through to the Netflix app and run through a few scenes of films and TV episodes I’m familiar with. Predictably, the image looks good and if there’s any lag in the transmission from the Xbox to what the projector’s outputting, I can’t see it.

Switching to the Dish receiver (first using the StreamCast remote and then the Dish remote), I play some movies from HBO and even though the TV signal is a compressed one, the video displayed on the projection screen is free of artifact and “noise” — it doesn’t look any better than what I’m used to, but it certainly doesn’t look any worse. I also go into some of the Dish’s static menus to check out whether the text is breaking up — it isn’t. So for all practical purposes, it’s like I have the Dish hooked up directly to the projector. And the audio is no less dynamic or multi-channel than it would be in the bedroom.

Now I don’t want you to think that I’m just sitting on the couch for all of this. During the transmission tests I’ve kept my wireless network on to see if that would interfere with the signal — some 6 hours of testing while streaming through he wireless network didn’t seem to faze the StreamCast any. Nor did turning on the microwave do anything either. Finally, I walked around the living room having a conversation on my cell phone and the cellular signal didn’t seem to have any impact on the StreamCast or vise versa. So okay, after an hour of walking, I did sit back down — sue me.

The last test was to switch to the PS3. I ran the 2D version of Iron Man and, as expected, it looked great on the projection screen. I then ejected the disc from the PS3 and replaced it with the 3D version and, other than the fact that the image was now in 3D and I had to put on 3D glasses, there was no difference in the image being presented. This was also the case when I ran a few other 3D discs that I had 2D versions of. The end result is that the StreamCast handled 3D transmissions with no more difficulty than it did 2D.

Editor’s Rating:

4.5 out of 5 stars

Excellent

Bottom Line: At a price point of $249, the StreamCast is a good choice for those who find wiring their components distasteful, difficult or impractical (a display in the basement needing the set-top box from upstairs comes to mind). Technophobes will find the StreamCast no more complicated to set up and use than that of a DVD or Blu-ray player — and yes you can connect other types of video creating devices to the StreamCast too, providing the PC or tablet or smartphone can output a HDMI-compatible signal to connect to one of the StreamCast’s inputs. Add the StreamCast’s dependability and its being able to connect to multiple HD devices, and you’ve got just so much icing added to one tasty cake.

Pros

• Multiple A/V inputs
• Option for additional transmitters/receivers
• Wall mount kit for receiver included

Cons

• Switching between inputs can take up to 20 seconds
• No paper-based manual
• Credit card-sized remote is easily lost

The evolution of the TV might be ongoing, but one thing that’s constant is the desire for as big an image as possible. Granted that we’re all spoiled with our flat panels and front projection systems, compared to the days of the 19-inch TV tube, but “bigger is better,” continues to dominate our minds. The biggest barrier between “bigger” TVs and us is having to buy a new display — you can’t “upgrade” from a 42-inch to a 55, 60 or larger. And if your recently purchased HDTV doesn’t do 3D and you want it — again you’re stuck with buying a new set or going without.

Okay, there’s a third alternative: the Sony Personal 3D Viewer. It’s a headset that brings any video being fed to it up close and personal, giving you the equivalent of a 750-inch screen from 65 feet away to glom at. And not just a high-definition image either because it also does 3D. Difficult to use? Nah.

Physically setting up the Viewer is simple: to start, you plug a video source (like a Blu-ray player) into the HDMI input on the back of the stand-alone box that houses all the electronics, with another HDMI cable going into an output to go back to your display (if you want). The box is about the size of one of those audio amps you place in a car’s trunk and only has a single light to verify that the power is active; there are no controls on it.

A 12 foot cable is permanently attached to the Viewer and goes into a connector on the front of the box; it’s a proprietary type, which explains the cable’s length since you can’t extend it. Then you insert the AC cord in to its corresponding socket and plug it into the wall outlet.

All the controls are on the right underside of the Viewer, consisting of a click wheel with a center button and two smaller buttons side-by-side for volume. The power button is farther away so as to avoid it being accidentally pressed. Because of its placement, I recommend you press it prior to putting on the Viewer (a red light on the box will change to green to indicate “On”).

Putting the Sony on for the first time is a bit involved because a correct fit is vital to seeing a uniform image. Place it on your head as if it was a catcher’s mitt or, for those less sports inclined, as if you were putting on a baseball cap starting from behind the crown of your head. Pull the Viewer forward and down until your nose meets the bridge at the front. Now you make two adjustments — one changing the distance between the two lenses and the front of your eyes using push-in tabs for forward/backward movement; then readjusting the clips attached to a plastic strap framework that grips the side of your head. Once this is done, look straight ahead at the “Welcome” screen that now consumes your view. Reach under each eye and move the protruding tab on the Viewer in/out until the text is in focus. Then press the wheel’s center button to move to the next screen and confirm another image, this one of horizontal and vertical lines. Continue on through a warning screen, disengage the menus and see whatever video is being received.

In my case, I’m using a switcher to start with HD television through a Dish Network satellite receiver. I’ll now adjust the Viewer’s settings to “average” and go from there. The menus include an information screen, which shows the controls the Sony uses and a “Lens-span adjustment” for physically readjusting the two lens panels you’re looking. The “3D” setting lets you set the 3D so that it kicks in automatically or not just when a signal is received, while the “Picture” menu lets you adjust brightness, contrast, color temperature and the like (leave the digital noise reduction off unless you are viewing standard-definition video, is my recommendation). The “Audio” setting lets you set the multichannel controls for surround, along with treble and bass levels. There’s also a general menu to do such things as turn off the Viewer if you remove it or activate/deactivate the HDMI pass-through.

Once all this is done, you’re ready to enjoy a humongously big picture. I don’t know how to measure it, but it’s certainly bigger in perception compared to my 100-inch projection screen when I stood before it and flipped the Viewer on/off my head.

That picture you’re seeing is really something too, especially when watching high-definition (you get an indicator of the resolution feed when it first appears at the screen’s upper left corner). It might be 720p, not 1080p,  as far as your eyes go — but does that matter? No. There’s no light fall off from the corners as the entire image is uniformly lit and, obviously, you’re always seated in the “sweet spot” in relationship to the lenses.

The Viewer uses OLED panels, rather than LCD, resulting in what is, to me, an obvious improvement in the clarity, color intensity and brightness (I’ve worn a lot of these LCD glasses over the years so I feel comfortable making this assessment). While the Viewer is fairly lightweight, there is some discernible strain on the bridge of the nose to get used to. This is especially true for those of us who wear eyeglasses, as there aren’t optical adjustments to eliminate the need for prescription lenses. Here’s a tip — patient adjustment of the two earphone cups can help in reducing the pressure on the nose.

Switching from the Dish to my PlayStation 3 (which does 3D), I brought up Netflix to see how a streaming video would look. I had expected to run a few minutes of “Iron Man 2,” but an hour went by before I put the brakes on. The image was rock-solid 2D and there wasn’t any smearing when the iron guys flew across the screen. To say streaming looks impressive through the Viewer, even though it’s not high-def, would be an understatement. I also ran a cartoon to check out whether solid panels of color were bleeding, but again had no complaints.

Keeping with the super hero thing, I popped in the 3D disc of Green Lantern and powered through some of the scenes that I’ve watched many times on my 3D TV. Besides having a much bigger view, the 3D effects were much more obvious to my eye; not to say that there was a lack of subtlety at times, just that tracking the 3D didn’t require any effort — it was just there “in my face.” I also found the 3D version of Toy Story 3 a good exercise in catching the 3D “moments” and for fans of the series, 3D is really a much better way to watch (“the claw, the claw!”).  Colors were outstanding too and I never ran across any noticeable image flickering either. Yes you should take it off every now and then to rest both your eyes and face, but once the viewing starts, you pretty much forget all of that.

The Bottom Line: It’s not hard to tout the obvious benefit of the Sony Personal 3D Viewer, even at a $800 price tag: you get your own movie theater screen without needing a “man-cave” or having to readjust your living room. For those without 3D in the home, this and a sub-$300 3D-capable Blu-ray player are all you need. Those already invested in 3D can up their viewing size without having to buy new equipment. And in both cases, the one wearing the Viewer will be enjoying themselves immensely. Plus the front of it has a cool blue glow to impress anyone looking your way.

  Editor’s Rating:

4 out of 5 stars

Great

Pros:

• OLED panels provide clear, bright and colorful video
• High-resolution view that is many times bigger than most home theaters
• 3D-capable

Cons:

• Expensive
• Proprietary cable permanently attached to the Viewer
• Headset weight will be uncomfortable to some

For the most part, the home theater debacle has been solved thanks to the advent of the soundbar.  A wide array of companies produce them and offer packages that range from just a soundbar (2-channel), to a soundbar with a subwoofeer (2.1-channel), to a soundbar with a subwoofer that supports a set of wireless rear speakers (5.1-channel).  Toss in a PS3, which has a Blu-ray player and plays back movies and TV shows from a variety of sources, and you’ve pretty much got the home entertainment conundrum solved for under $1,000.   However, this hasn’t stopped the folks at In2Technologies from developing an all-in-one setup designed to take you from “zero to 5.1 Surround Sound in 15 minutes.”

At first blush it appears to be a glorified stand outfitted with a set of speakers.  Peer a bit closer, though, and you’ll notice that it packs in much more: a Blu-ray player; dual 10-inch subwoofers; integrated left, right and center channels; dual down firing 5.25” midbass in the center channel; an iPhone/iPod dock;Ethernet connectivity and support for a set of wireless speakers (they haven’t mentioned how they are powered).  All of this connects to your choice of flat screen via one HDMI 1.4a port.

So will it succeed?  We’re skeptical.  If the price is right, which would have to be in the sub $1000 range.  But the odds of that happening is extremley slim. Perhaps it will boast unparalled sound quality, but that doesn’t negate the design, which isn’t all that slick and looks more like two pieces of wood with an HTPC wedged in between.  That said, we’ll reserve judgement until we can get our hands on one or see a final production model, which we might have missed at CES.

Even though it’s the time for giving, many won’t be getting an HDTV in their stocking this Christmas. But with the beginning of the post game season of football looming on the horizon, it’s also the time of year that people start thinking about getting a new HDTV to watch all the big games on New Year’s Day. Here’s a few tips on what to look for when choosing an HDTV.

Summary:

• Know your lingo
• Size Matters
• 3D is optional
• Internet capability means cutting the cable
• Calibrate your HDTV

1. Definitions

First, it may be a good idea to go over nomenclature. When you head over to the local big box store to shop for a TV, you’re going to hear a lot of lingo. So understanding vocabulary is key to not getting lost. Here’s a few terms to learn:

• LCD – Liquid Crystal Display. The image is produced by passing light through pixels that are turned on/off like little shutters. The pixels also have red/green/blue filters to change the color when necessary. Most newer LCDs right now are either edge-lit or back-lit by LEDs, although many budget LCDs still use a series of from florescent tubes to emit their light.  This cannot be overstated as all LED TVs are LCDs, but not all LCDs are LEDs.  Budget LCD TVs may opt for displaying with florescent light rather than LEDs, which we will talk about next.
• LED – Light emitting diode.  Rather than using florescecnt backlite, the current trend in LCD design using LEDs as the light source.    This has several advantages since they are very stingy on power consumption and are also infinitely controllable thanks to a concept called “local dimming,” where each individual LED can be turned on, off, or even dimmed slightly.
• EdgeLit vs. BackLit - With LEDs, the TV can control the light and provide much better detail in color and shadows.  Edge lit LEDs are more popular and cost effective and consist of an array of LED lights on each side of the TV itself. But they can provide an uneven light on screen. This is where back-lit (or local) LEDs come in handy, as the light is coming directly behind the image, rather than being cast from the side.  This provides the best spread of light and better color and contrast.
• Contrast Ratio/Brightness – defined officially as “ratio of the luminance of the brightest color (white) to that of the darkest color (black),” Contrast ratio is essentially how “black” your blacks are.  This is really important for getting greater detail in shadow.  You’ll hear some pretty wild figures from salesmen as to how much a CR ratio should be, but unfortunately, there really isn’t a standard here.  Manufacturers are all over the map in how they measure and rate the contrast ratio, which can make it very difficult to compare from one set to another based on the specs.   And as stated above, edge lit LCDs will have lesser blacks than backlits will, even if the contrast ratio is higher.  So in the end, it depends on how good those blacks look to you personally.
• Resolution – We’ll get to size later, but in general, when trying to choose between 720p or 1080p, smaller 1080p TVs (under 40”) are simply a waste because you can’t really get the advantage of it. Additionally, the TV will also downscale the 1080p image from a Blu-ray disc which can cause some artifacting. So screens larger than 40” should go with 1080p. Smaller screens, like those that are also used for computer screens do just fine with 720p. But in the end, broadcast television looks the same with either.
• Interlaced – your TV signal comes interlaced, meaning that every other line is projected on a screen at any given time. Your eye sees it as an entire image because the frames move at 60 frames a second, but you’re really on seeing half the image with a 1080i TV. The standard for broadcast television is 1080i, meaning that 540 lines are procast with each frame. Older HDTVs were 1080i by design.
• Progressive – Nowadays, HDTV standards are progressive, meaning that they show the entire image, with every line of resolution, with each frame. TVs can come in 720p or 1080p, meaning 720 lines of resolution or 1080 lines of resolution. Naturally, the higher the number, the sharper and more colorful the image. Some stations broadcast in 720p, but not many, especially in cable or satellite, where the image is compressed.
• Hertz (hz) – Hertz is essentially the number of frames per second, or times the pixels turn on and off. The more Hz you have on you picture, the more sharp it becomes. But it also can reduce motion blur and make your image look more plastic … called the “soap opera effect.” Most TVs now are 120 to 240 hz.  Now your salesman will be pushing you towards 240hz.  But for most, that’s overkill.  Broadcast signals are usually sent at 60hz since that is the standard. This requires the TV to “interpolate” or add frames in between to the image and that’s what causes the effect. It’s great for sports and action films, but not so much on dramas, which cause the plastic look. But frame interpolation can be turned off which will cause the kind of motion blur that we are used to.  Blu-ray, however, does take advantage of 120hz, so if you watch a lot of movies on Blu-ray, that may be a good option.  And if the soap opera effect is off putting, most TVs have the option to turn off frame interpolation and bring back the motion blur you are used to.
• Plasma – Plasma uses a trapped gas that is charged by electricity to create incredible light to pass through. It usually produces far bolder colors and great blacks, which are marvelous for shadow scenes. The downside with Plasma is that they are usually poor in bright, ambient lit rooms and originally suffered from a “burn in effect” (which has been overcome in recent years). These drawbacks have allowed LCDs to pass them in popularity to the point that Plasma is becoming less and less a factor in HDTV as more manufacturers abandon it for more popular and cheaper LCD designs. Since LCD has greatly improved in quality (thanks to LED backlighting), the contrast ratio gap between plasma and LCD has greatly reduced to the point where paying more for Plasma’s benefits is largely wasted on the average viewer.

2. Size Matters

Now that we have definitions out of the way, we can turn out attention to the most important factor when buying an LCD TV … Size. Most people tend to buy HDTVs that are smaller than they really need. They do this in an attempt to save money. But the trade offs can really affect the viewing experience. As a rule of thumb is to get a screen large enough to fill a 30 degree viewing angle at the distance that you are sitting. Anything less will cause you to be pulled out of the program. Here’s a handy calcuation to determine the best size for your room:

• Minimum size= Viewing distance/3
• Maximum size=Viewing distance/1.5

Using this calculation, and the average viewing distance of about 10-12 feet, the proper HDTV size would be about 42-55 inches, or more depending on your budget.

3. To 3D or not 3D … that is the question

These days, most higher end TVs are 3D.   But more budget conscious designs are also offering 3D, making it just another feature. And many experts say that the best 2D TVs are 3D capable. However, there are some drawbacks with a 3DTV, chiefly being the lack of programming and having to buy glasses. Active or Passive? Active more expensive. And it pretty much puts the kabosh on viewing parties unless everyone has the same pair of glasses.  Another important consideration with 3D is that the best refresh rate for 3D is 120Hz minimum. This is because 3D splits the frames, one for the left eye, one for the right and as such, the resolution is halved for each frame.  To that end, if you had a 60hz 3DTV, the refresh rate to each eye would only be 30hz which would be terrible.  So manufacturers made the spec 120hz minimum to keep up with broadcast standards.  On the other side of the coin, though, we’re starting to see 240hz TVs and frankly, that’s a waste of money since there really is no broadcast signal at 240hz and the TV ends up doing way too much interpolating and again, making hte images look like a  soap opera.  But some prefer it because the look is essentially flicker free.

4. Wired or Wireless Connectivity?

HDTVs that are Internet capable are rapidly becoming a standard feature. In fact, most new HDTVs are now able to stream video directly from the Internet. And with over a third of all internet traffic being streaming video from services like Netflix, and with more people “cutting the cable” and getting free from payTV services, streaming is a solid option. So having an internet capable TV is beneficial. But not required, as many Blu-ray players are also internet capable, along with streaming boxes like AppleTV, Roku, and the Boxee box.

Wired considerations also lead to having a wireless connection that will hook into your Network wirelessly.  This is of great advantage because then you don’t have to string long ethernet cables from your router to your TV.  However, wireless does have the drawback of signal interference and slower speeds.  If you have your router on the other side of the house, or maybe in a room upstairs, you may need to get a repeater to pass the signal along for better streaming of video.

5. A little input

What inputs should one look for in a good LCDTV?  Well, at this stage, you want to keep things all digital. HDMI is the digital standard and every TV comes with it.  This also allows you to hook it into a current home theater, satellite box, and keep both audio and video signals completely digital.  The more HDMI connectors you have, the better, but 3 is the minimum since that would allow you to connect to to your cable or satellite box, video game console, and Blu-ray/DVD player.  Other inputs would be component-video (red, green and blue), SVideo or standard composite connections (red, white, and yellow) for older components.  But some are looking to use LCDTVs as computer monitors and for that you can use a DVI connector. But with DVI, you’ll also need an audio cable connector to handle your sound since DVI doesn’t carry the audio signal.  Another input option is Ethernet.  If you have a computer or networked attached storage to stream video and audio, an Ethernet connector will give you access to that network.

6. Sound choices

Should you rely on the speakers that are built into the TV or go with a home theater or sound bar? I haven’t found a TV that has a speaker setup that rivals a home theater system. If you can swing a system, which usually comes with at least 6 speakers and a subwoofer, and a Blu-ray player, I’d say go for it. But if you don’t have space in your room, then by all means look at a soundbar. But if you’re on a budget, then sometimes the reality is that the home theater system will have to wait. Just start saving up for it. As for which one to get? That’s another show.

7.  App obsessions

Many TVs have apps built into them.  Applications that can be used to stream video from Netflix, do video conferencing via Skype, and even enjoy photographs you’ve uploaded to flickr.  There are dozens of them.  Is this a key feature not to miss?  Not really.  If your TV has them, that’s great, but chances are, if they don’t have the app you want, your new Blu-ray player will.

8.  What’s on the horizon?

The future is bringing all kinds of innovations, including glasses free 3D, 4K resolution, Skype support and even holographic projection. But at this point, they are largely prototypical, limited in viewing area, and there isn’t much in the way of content to support 4K or laser based TVs. And they are quite expensive.  So for now, they are on the horizon and something to keep an eye on for your NEXT HDTV.  The only exception is Skype support as many models do offer this as an “app” built into the system.

9. Which ones to choose?

So, what are the best LCD TVs out there? Samsung and Panasonic are top sellers, as is SONY’s Bravia line. But don’t count out Vizio, who makes a great LCD for the money. Still, there are plenty of great TVs out there and it’s a good do your research. HomeTheaterMag.com is a great resource for reviews on HDTVs.  Also, keep in mind that Costco is a great source of LCD TVs, as they offer a 90-day warranty and 2-year warranty on all their sets.  Amazon is another great place to look as they don’t charge tax in many states, which can often ad upwards of 10% to the price tag.

10. Setting them up

Once you get the TV home, you’ll need to calibrate your TV to fit your room’s lighting conditions. Every TV is set for a “dynamic mode,” at the factory to look great on the showroom floor. That’s because they don’t know which one will be chosen to demo the model. But that also doesn’t look that great when you get it home. You can spend hundreds having a professional calibrate your TV, or you can go the DIY route with a great DVD called Digital Video Essentials: HD Basics, by Joe Kane. This DVD has special test patterns and audio calibration signals that will help to optimize your HDTV for the special conditions of your viewing room, and it will do it in under a half hour. Well worth it’s $20 price tag. But you can get 80% there by drilling into your TVs setup menu and selecting “cinema” or “movie” mode rather than “dynamic.”

Since the advent of Plasma and LCD, big screen TVs can fit just about any where you stick it.  However, it’s an entirely different story when it comes to home theater systems.  They generally require more space and for a true surround sound experience take sometime to setup.  As a result sound bars have surged in popularity in the last few years and now the marketplace is littered with a myriad of options.

Yamaha’s YAS-101 is the cheapest of their sound bars, yet still packs an audio punch that is most certainly a notch above any TV’s built-in speaker system.  But the real question is whether it will play complement to your big screen investment.

Housed inside the glossy black box are  two 2-1/2” cone speakers with a dual-driver (3” cones) subwoofer.  It’s all driven by a built-in digital amplifier with a total output of 120w.  On the right side of the box is a bass reflex port to help with the lows, which Yamaha says is shaped like  a trumpet bell to help reduce wind noise and ultimately improve sound quality.

The YAS-101 is far from a feature rich soundbar, though Yamaha was sure to include a few of the standards.  These include compatibility with Dolby Digital and DTS surround sound, a clear voice option to raise the level of the dialogue and a Univolume option that maintains a consistent volume between different channels, scenes or even commercial breaks.  They’ve also tossed in a mini, yet underwhelming remote and an optical Toslink cord.  The front is adorned with your usual buttons, such as volume, power and input and includes a few glowing LED indicator lights.   The rear boasts a system connect port to play nice with other Yamaha gear, two optical inputs, a sub out and 1 coxial digital connection.

The YAS-101, like all soundbars is designed to be placed in front of the TV or mounted just below it on the wall using the built-in “keyholes” – you’ll just want to remove the feet before doing this.  In the event you place the soundbar in front of your TV and cover up your display’s IR port, the YAS-101 is capable of passing on the commands to the TV.  That said, the soundbar is also capable of learning your TV’s remote control power and volume functions with a few key presses.

In the event you’re looking for some added lows, the YAS-101 has a subwoofer input for adding extra oomph to your audio experience.  But as far as I’m concerned Yamaha’s soundbar produces a fair amount of bass, especially considering its rather slender size.  Though, the only way I could experience it, was by cranking the subwoofer volume to maximum.

Sonically the YAS-101 is very capable given its low price tag and size.  However, it most certainly won’t replace a full home theater system for a variety of reasons.  Why?  Its amplitude and spectrum is sound is some what limited.  I had no problems watching TVs and movies, but I most certainly was left yearning for more.   I also wasn’t able to detect, as in hear, any surround sound, virtual or not, so for all intents and purposes it served as a set of stereo speaker to my ears.

I also tested the YAS-101 with a variety of music and was impressed with the playback quality.  In fact, I almost preferred the YAS-101 when I had jams pumping through it.  Bass response was sharp and the room felt full with sound, unlike my TV’s speakers, which are tiny and anything but a practical resolve to listening to tunes.  That said, placing the YAS-101 on a counter, as opposed to wall hanging it, should improve the bass output since its woofer is of the downward firing ilk, giving it something to reflect off of.

For $250 I really can’t complain or wax poetic about Yamaha’s YAS-101.  It’s easy to operate and while it won’t replace a full home theater setup anytime soon, it’s a great add to any TV in a bedroom or a place that can’t support a larger setup.

Bottom line: Good bang for buck, looks nice, but don’t ditch your surround speakers since this won’t be able to match or replace that audio experience.

Editor’s Rating:

3.5 out of 5 stars

Very Good

Pros:

• Good bass response considering its size
• Well built with a black glossy piano finish that gives it a high perceived value
• Easy to setup and use

12►

Sound bar home theater systems have always intrigued me – I’ve always had systems with the most speakers I could fit in my house, so why would I want to drop down to only one?  Still, I had heard from a number of friends that the technology behind the sound bar system really works, and it can trick you into thinking you’re really listening to a full on surround sound system.  In order to test it, I decided to try out the Sony BDV-F7 model, and while my experience wasn’t enough to make me get rid of what I have now, it definitely made me rethink future purchases.

The BDV-F7 is an extremely sleek and sexy looking system, that would do well with any decor.  The use of right angles makes it just look slick as hell against other audio video components, and if you’re running all Sony products then it will fit right in.  The sub woofer also looks neat, with how it is raised off of the ground slightly, but most everyone I know puts their subs behind the TV or behind the couch for more effect so it won’t be as highlighted as it could be.  One thing I didn’t like, is that I couldn’t use my standard speaker cables with this system.  I’ve seen different systems using proprietary connectors before, and it’s always annoying – especially when you’re used to running very large gauge speaker wire.

Even with using smaller speaker wire than I’m used to, I found the sound that this system produced to be quite pleasing.  The sub has quite a decent punch to it – especially when playing any sort of game (Battlefield 3 sounded amazing on it), and there’s no distortion or rattle at higher levels.  The sound bar itself is also quite impressive, and I’ll have to admit that it did an extremely good job of tricking me into thinking I was listening to a real 5.1 surround system.  Trying movies on my normal surround, and then switching to the same movies on this showed very little difference, and I really had to strain myself to notice anything “off”.  The sound bar also is very thin, and fit undr my TV with no issues, and wasn’t even close to covering up any of the actual screen.

The BDV-F7 system is also loaded with a lot of audio technology – Dolby, DD+, DDTrue HD, DTS, and 3D Pass Through are all included here.  While I did not have a 3D TV or 3D monitor to test it out on during the course of my examination (I’m not super huge into the 3D scene), I have talked to a few other people that have this model and who have used that feature – they all said that it worked as well as you would expect it to, but you need to make sure you have the right HDMI cables for it.  That means running the 1.4 HDMI cables would probably be your best bet with this system (although 1.3 would probably work in a pinch).

The reason this system isn’t for me though doesn’t have to do with what it has, it’s all about what’s missing.  You see, I have a lot of crap hooked up to my system now – Playstation 3, XBOX 360, Wii, and an OnLive Micro Console are all standard components in my living room, with the occasional hook up of my Dreamcast.  The problem here is that three of those things run with HDMI on my system, and the BDV-F7 only has a single HDMI in port.  I don’t want to continually have to reach behind everything just to switch what system is currently being played – likewise I don’t want to spend a boatload on an HDMI switcher (I know there’s cheap ones, but they generally suck and only switch right for video).  Had this system shipped with three HDMI in ports, I would be much more excited about picking one up for keeps.

Another thing with this system that’s a double edged sword, is the ease of set up; let me explain.  The BDV-F7 is pretty much plug and play right out of the box.  There’s no fuss with wires, as everything is clearly color coded, and most people will be happy with how the sound is without messing with the settings.  If you’re into sound though, you’ll want to make the sound as good as you can by tweaking options, and that’s a bit of an issue.  The menus aren’t very easy to navigate, and there were a number of times I changed the wrong option and had to find my way back once I realized that.  Again, this isn’t that big of a deal for a normal user – just for those of us that know exactly how we like our systems to both sound, and “feel”.

Editor’s Rating

4 out of 5 stars

Very Good

The Bottom Line:  The BDV-F7 is a nice entry piece if you’re thinking about getting a sound bar; it’s small and compact, and ridiculously easy to set up – if you have a lot of additional components to hook up though, be warned that this probably isn’t your best option.

Pros:

• Extremely well designed look; the BDV-F7 is refined and elegant no matter the setup it’s paired with
• The sub hits a lot harder than others I’ve tried that were the same size, with no discernible distortion at even the highest levels
• The ease of setup is pretty much out of this world – my father could set this up without issue

Cons:

• Only one HDMI input is a tremendous problem for anyone with more than one add on in their audio video repertoire
• Proprietary speaker connectors are very annoying to work with if you’ve invested a lot in other wires (like Monster cables)
• The menus aren’t the easiest to navigate, but again the normal user won’t feel the need to delve into them

You can pick up the Sony BDV-F7 Home Theater System from Amazon the decent price of $297.98

So the details are a bit skimp, but this universal remote, officially called the Bridge, might actually be the solution that anyone with an HTPC connected to their TV is looking for.  They haven’t told us if it will work over Bluetooth, IR or RF but we do know that they have plans for it to support your computer, big screen TV and other components.

The three young designers have opted for a video game controller form factor, which is logical in today’s home theater environment since it is both ergonomic and plays to the familiarity of gamers.  However, don’t expect the Bridge to be compatible with your Xbox 360 or PS3, at least in terms of gaming, though that would make for the ultimate universal remote.

As you can see, the Bridge remote is outfitted with a joystick surrounded by a variety of common media keys. To the right of that is a full QWERTY keyboard, ideal for surfing the web or punching in a Hulu video.  They haven’t specifically told us what all the shoulder buttons do, but we’re gonna assume that they can be mapped to any function of your liking or perhaps perform a set of macros.  Lastly, a set of keys line the top of the Bridge, allowing you to access your TV’s menu, power on/off your devices and more.

Right now they’re looking to raise $59,000 via Kickstarter.  Unfortunately, they might have a hard time raising that kind of money, unless of course they get more specific about the details of their product, such as supported wireless protocols, battery life and accompanying software to program the remote.  Without that kind of information it’s a massive leap of faith in a product that most certainly sounds good in theory, but we’ve seen too many universal remotes come and go.  Nevertheless, if you’re still interested you can pledge as little as $65 and you’ll receive one once they begin to ship.

4 out of 5 stars

Vuzix has been making video eyewear for a number of years now, but the technology is just now reaching the level of maturity that it is usable for the average consumer. Before now it was prohibitively expensive and the set up process was just too clunky for normal people.

I tested out the Vuzix Wrap 1200 model, which is their newest addition to their video eyewear line. Most people are probably asking themselves just what the heck video eyewear is, and rightly so. Until now, it has been mostly for nerds. Video eyewear is Vuzix’s term for glasses with screens in them. You put on the Wrap 1200 and you feel like you are watching a 75-inch television screen. The effect is pretty impressive when you first put the glasses on.

The glasses themselves are quite sturdy. They feel well-built and don’t feel cheap or overly plastic-y as many gadgets are prone to do. These feel like the expensive piece of technology that they are. That said, they aren’t so heavy that you’ll feel like you’re wearing a lead weight on your face when you put them on.

Getting the glasses set up does take a bit of work. The glasses attach to one end of a small remote control u, the other end of which has a slot for a plug for an adapter which you can use to hook the glasses up to a variety of different electronics. Vuzix is pretty generous with the adapters they include in the box, giving you component, composite and 30 pin dock connector adapters. This box serves as both the remote control and the battery pack for the glasses themselves. The glasses are powered by two rechargeable AA batteries (included in the box) and can last for around 5 hours per charge.

The composite and component adapters allow you to hook the Wrap 1200 up to almost any entertainment device that you might have sitting in your A/V rack, such as a DVD player or television. The 30 pin connector is the most useful, since it can be used to hook the Wrap 1200 up to any Apple device, including the iPod Classic, iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch.

I was pleasantly surprised with how well the glasses work. Once you plug them into a video source, the screens light up and you are treated to a high quality video screen right before your eyes (literally).

The video looked sharp and the contrast ratio and color reproduction were surprisingly good. The only disappointing aspect of the picture quality were the black levels. They weren’t bad, they were just mediocre. It’s not too much of a shock that the black levels were not the best, since having such a small screen makes it hard to keep the light from the individual pixels from bleeding together.

You can adjust the contrast and other video properties from an onscreen menu but the text is blocky and white over a blue background. Anyone who used a VCR in the 1990s will immediately know what I mean.

Video played back smoothly and there was no motion blur during the actions scenes of That Matrix or Attack of the Killer Tomatoes. The Matrix (which was playing from a standard DVD player) looked as good as it does on my HD television. There were some parts of the movie that had a static background for a long period of time and I was able to see the individual pixels, but for the most part, you can’t even tell.

The fact that the you can’t really make out individual pixels is due in part to the two LCD screens that are housed inside the glasses. Each screen has a resolution of 852 by 480 pixels. For comparison, the iPhone 4’s Retina Display has a resolution of 960 by 640 pixels but it is almost twice as large.

The image quality was high from a variety of different sources. I played back clips using an iPod Classic and digital copies of movies from the iTunes Store and video from both Hulu and Netflix running on my iPad 2 and iPhone 4, respectively. Since the Vuzix Wrap 1200 comes with component connectors, I decided to hook it up to my TiVo Premiere to see how well it would handle playing back 1080p content. The text on the menus was crisp and easy to read. Video looked just as good as it would had I played it back through my HDTV.

According to Vuzix, the Wrap 1200 supports 3D. I wasn’t able to test it out, however, since the only 3D-enabled device I own is a PS3 and the Wrap does not use the same type of 3D. Because of that I can’t speak to how well the 3D works.

The Wrap 1200 also includes a pair of earbuds that plug into either side of the glasses. The audio quality is about what you would expect from any bundled headphone set– good enough, but not anything to write home about. If you are using the 30 pin dock adapter and have a more comfortable pair of headphones or just prefer to use your own (as I do), you can simply plug your own headphones into the headphone jack of your iOS device and use them like normal.

There is one other problem with the Vuzix Wrap 1200 though, and that’s the price. They cost $499 for a pair. That’s a pretty hefty price for something that you, quite honestly, won’t use all that much. Why would you use them around the house when you can just turn on the television? I can see how they would be useful for someone who travels a lot and has to sit on airplanes for hours on end– they let you block out the world and just enjoy your video.

The bottom line: The Vuzix Wrap 1200 performs well and is definitely a slick gadget, but $499 is a high price tag to pay. If they could cut the price in half, I would recommend them in a second.

Pros:

• Video looked great
• Lots of pack in items (headphones, adapters and batteries included in the box)
• Works with many iPad apps via display mirroring

Cons:

• Expensive
• You look silly wearing them
• No VGA, DVI or HDMI adapters in the box
• 90s style menus make the glasses feel somewhat cheap

You can get your own pair of Vuzix Wrap 1200s from Amazon for $499.99

4 out of 5 stars

While it’s been long enough that some of us have probably  sold our VCRs at garage sales or tossed them with all of our tapes in the garbage long ago, there are still a select few (myself included) who have hung on to some of those VHS cassettes for sentimental value or to hold on to personally-recorded memories of events and family gatherings. With the Elgato Video Capture, any computer running Mac OS X or Windows 7 can now convert these antiquated black video monoliths into the sleek, convenient digital age. iPhones and iPods are also supported, allowing you to take any video you may have taken with these devices and convert them into formats that are easier to share and distribute amongst friends.

The device itself is small and lightweight, with a USB connector for the PC, and composite outs as well as S-Video. Also included is an adapter for converting a SCART port (for any European hardware) to the supported standard composite jacks. The wire lengths and size make it just as ideal for carrying around in a laptop bag as it is for home usage. It does heat up a small bit while in use, but not enough to be uncomfortable or dangerous to the touch.

As a Windows user, when I received the Elgato Video Capture I was required to use the packaged version of CyberLink PowerDirector 8 which came with the device. Since then, Elgato has released a Windows-compatible version of their software for PC users (free for download on their website) so I will be covering both options. First, using PowerDirector is great, as it comes with plenty of options and is an otherwise complete program for doing more than just converting and capturing video. Edits can be made, a specific file format and compression rate can be selected, and charts are present to let you know up to the minute just how big your video is going to be. There are a lot of options present, which can be a little difficult to get used to, but the overall experience is rich and customizable.

As for Elgato’s proprietary software, the key here is simplicity. Once the software is started it basically walks you through a wizard, having you test the video and audio first, then recording what you want. At the end of recording, the beginning and end of the file can be cropped down and then saved. There aren’t a whole lot of options here as far as what kind of video you can make or what to do if you wanted to trim something that was in the middle without stopping there and creating two separate videos. Still, using the Elgato software is as easy as it gets. With just a few mouse clicks you’ll have a captured video, and it’s virtually impossible to make any mistakes.

Purchased purely as a video converter from older formats, the Elgato Video Capture is a fantastic device that delivers on its promise and does so quite well. The packaged software is not so flexible when it comes to doing more than that(PowerDirector certainly has many more options, but neither is great for creating streaming content or using as an alternate video source), and so it feels as if it might limit the product. Obviously, it will function perfectly well in conjunction with other programs like Skype or webcasters as a viable audio/video feed, I was just disappointed that the enclosed software didn’t give me those options out of the box. Overall, the Elgato Video Capture will definitely help you bring what’s left of your older media into the new formats, and would be just as easy for your parents or grandparents to put to use.

Pros:

• Perfect for converting VHS tapes to digital format with absolutely no added artifacting, looks just as good as the tape
• Small, compact, and effective, the Elgato Video Capture does its job without getting in the way
• Elgato software is so easy to use, once you’re installed you can convert videos within minutes

Cons:

• Small amount of available file format options means you’ll either wind up with some big files or bad looking videos
• Neither packaged software solution is really ideal for using as a live feed, so people looking to stream content or use in a presentation setting may want to look elsewhere
• As a converter first, the Elgato Video Capture has no inputs for more modern types of cables like component or HDMI

The Elgato Video Capture is available on Amazon for $82.

Bose must be nuts, but we already knew that.  They’re asking $2,500 for their newest sound bar system, the Lifestyle 135.

It includes a wireless subwoofer, remote, iPod dock and a wall mountable speaker that fabricates full surround sound.  The remote connects via RF so you can increase or decrease the volume despite not having line of sight to the system.  The wireless subwoofer is a nice touch as well, since you can hide it in a closest, provided of course you’ve got a plug near by.

The Lifestyle 135 is designed to work with up to 6 devices and even upscales DVD players or any video device that doesn’t put out a 1080p signal.  We’re talking 4 HDMI connections and 2 HD audio inputs.  There is also an FM/AM radio.

Inside the Soundbar is Bose’s Flexmount and ADAPTiQ tech.  Flexmount determines if the soundbar is placed on a table or mounted on a wall, which automatically adjusts the audio accordingly.  ADAPTiQ anaylyzes the room’s dimensions and interior, and calibrates the speaker to its acoustics.  So we half expect, based on this tech, that it can produce top notch sound for movies and music.

Despite the fact that Bose is over priced gear, there is no disputing how simple their systems are to setup.  To streamline the installation process Bose has integrated a step-by-step visual walk through that appears directly on the TV screen.  Not the biggest takeaway by any account in terms of its feature set, but a nice addition nonetheless.

The Bose Lifestyle 135 is available now.

Stop us if you’ve heard this one before.  A gadgets walks into a living room and promises to connect your iPad to your home theater gear utilizing a small box that translates WiFi signals into infrared commands.  Sound familiar?  If it does, that’s because we’ve seen this gadget before, more specifically the Red Eye.

Today, Logitech announced the Harmony Link.   It’s effectively the same product as the Red Eye, but appears to come in a neater, sleeker package.  It’s a small hockey puck sized device that faces your home theater gear, including your TV and receiver, and transmits infrared commands sent from the iPad through your home’s WiFi network.

An accompanying app, which includes programming info from Rovio, allows you to setup macro commands, such as turn on the TV and the Blu-ray in one stroke, as well as increase the volume of your speakers with the swipe of a finger or flip between channels.  For equipment that is hidden from view, Logitech will include an IR blaster that extends its reach behind closed doors presumambly using a wired connection.

We can only assume that the Harmony Link works better than Thinkflood’s Red Eye remote.  During our testing of that product we discovered that the lag between box and router was just too painstaking to deal with, especially when it came to incessant channel flipping.  So it should be interesting to see if Logitech has already addressed this concern.

However, we’re still skeptical as to whether or not the iPad or iPhone, which is also compatible with the Harmony Link, will ever become the home theater remote.  We’ve seen a variety of comparable devices in the last 18 months that plug into the headphone port of the iOS devices, so safe to say the market is pretty saturated.  Furthermore, unlike the aformentioned products, which take little to no setup thanks to their plug and play nature, the Harmony Link takes a tad more tech know-how in the setup up department.

The Logitech Harmony Link will be available this October for $99.99.

For a while there Super Audio CDs along with audio DVDs were getting pushed as the next big evolution in terms of music playback at home.  Fortunately, the tech never took off and the market shifted to a digital format, large in part due to iTunes.  However, many an audiophile will probably still wax poetic about the upsides of those formats, despite their archaic like delivery system.  Nevertheless, the smartphone has to a large degree replaced all other music playback devices despite its shortcomings.  So what’s an audio snob to do?  Simple.  Invest in Nuforce Icon iDo.

It’s a standalone box that bypasses the iPhone’s digital to analog converter.  So instead of the iPhone (iPod or iPad) performing the heavy lifting, which can only sport so much audio hardware muscle given its diminutive size, this box takes over the process and in turn prevents as much loss as possible from iDevice to your home theater’s speakers; it can support 24-bit HD DAC audio.  Put a little bit more elegantly “you’re only as strong as your weakest link,” which is further echoed by their press release:

ALE files only sound as good as the default DAC (digital-to-analog converter) found within the mobile digital device. Icon iDo bypasses the built-in DAC and extracts the audio data stored on the device in its original digital form in USB Host Mode. It then converts the high-quality files for bit-perfect and low-jitter music playback.

We’re a bit surprised that it only supports iDevice since the interface is a USB port.  But perhaps there is a room for a firmware update, or a version that supports other smartphones, such as Android.  Despite that one shortcoming, they have included a headphone amp and input, which is probably where this device will really shine.  An RCA and digital coaxial input rounds out the feature set, allowing you to connect it to your home theater equipment.

The Nuforce Icon iDo is available now for $249.

Update: Checkout our Yamaha YAS-101 review.

Sound bars aren’t exactly a home theater solution, at least not for the true audiophile.  However, if you’re tight on budget and space then it’s a reasonable and practical solution.  They’re especially ideal for bedrooms, which in our opinion is the last place that should be jam packed with speakers.

Yamaha is promising that their latest sound bar, the YAS-101 Front Surround System, is a game changer.  Through the magic of digital sound processing, and some Yamaha tech called Air Surround Xtreme, they say they can deliver “7.1 channels of highly accurate surround sound, with precise positioning to more distinctly deliver dialog, sound effects and music soundtracks that immerse the listener in movies, sporting events, concerts or any other programming.”  Probably a bit of a long shot, but we’ll reserve our judgement until we test it.  There is however a dual-driver speaker design with a powerful built-in 60-watt subwoofer, support for Dolby Digital and DTS surround sound formats and Yamaha’s UniVolume function which eliminates the volume spikes found in commercials.

Since many a sound bar sit in front of the TV, Yamaha has gone to great lengths to ensure that you can still control your TV.  In addition to being able to pass IR commands to the connected TV (patent pending), it can be programmed to work with any (we think) TV or Blu-ray player’s remote to adjust volume and power the sound bar on.

To connect the YAS-101 to an HDTV, Yamaha has provided a single cable and included two optical inputs, 1 coaxial input, as well as a subwoofer output.

No word on a release date, but you can expect the Yamaha YAS-101 Front Surround System to retail for $300.

Belkin has long been regarded as a company that makes routers and switches.  That is all about to change thanks to their newest product introduced today, the ScreenCast AV 4.

The ScreenCast AV 4 can wirelessly beam HD video from any HDMI equipped Blu-ray player to an HDTV.  The system consists of a transmitter and a receiver.  The transmitter plugs into the source device’s (Blu-ray Player, video game system, etc) HDMI port, while the receiver plugs into the HDTV’s HDMI input.  It works over the 5Ghz spectrum and is WHDI compliant.

Belkin says the receiver and transmitter need to be within a 100-foot proximity for them to connect.  But if the case is such you should be able to achieve full 1080 video, 3D video and 5.1-channel surround sound.  Belkin didn’t explicitly say, but we assume 5.1-channel sound and HD video can occur simultaneously.

But the buck doesn’t stop there.  The ScreenCast AV 4 features a built-in Leapfrog like remote system, which lets you control your device’s even when they’re located in the other room and out of sight.  So in theory you should be able to watch TV in your bedroom and still play/pause/rewind the wirelessly connected Blu-ray player in the living room.  Since the transmitter plugs into the source device’s HDMI port, which are generally located on the back, far from the infrared input, we assume they’ve got plans to include a dongle or eye like system that reaches around to the front.

The ScreenCast AV 4 will be available this October for $249.99

Full press release below.

ScreenCast AV 4

ScreenCast AV 4 wirelessly connects your home theater equipment to your HDTV via a transmitter connected to the device’s HDMI connection. Installation is easy—simply plug the HDMI® transmitter into your source device, such as a Blu-ray™ player, and plug the receiver into your HDTV. The powerful transmitter enables you to locate AV equipment up to 100 feet away within a room, or hide them in a closet or adjacent room at a reduced distance.

ScreenCast AV 4 allows you to enjoy the best picture and sound quality with full-HD 1080p resolution, 3D video, and up to 5.1 channels of surround sound. ScreenCast AV also gives you total control of your home entertainment system. The included infrared emitter connects to the ScreenCast AV transmitter and relays the signal from your AV devices’ remote controls, allowing you to use the existing controllers, even when the devices are located in another room.

“ScreenCast AV 4 is the perfect solution for both home theater buffs and interior design enthusiasts as it enables you to wall-mount your HDTV for ideal viewing without costly rewiring or drilling holes in your wall,” said Kraft.

Universal Wireless HDTV Adapter and Universal Wireless AV Adapter

Belkin’s Universal Wireless products turn any Internet-ready TV into a Wi-Fi-enabled TV and make getting connected to services like Netflix®, Pandora®, and Hulu Plus® easy. Both the Universal Wireless HDTV Adapter and the Universal Wireless AV Adapter work with all brands of Internet-ready TVs and provide dual-band performance for better wireless signals and high-quality 3D and HD video streaming. Both feature easy setup and plug-and-play wireless streaming using your existing home network and wireless router.

The Universal Wireless HDTV Adapter is designed specifically for smart TV applications. Powered by a USB cable that connects to any compatible smart TV, it offers superior wireless performance over USB dongles. Unlike wireless adapters from TV manufacturers, the Belkin Universal Wireless HDTV Adapter works with all brands of smart TVs and can be mounted anywhere on the back of the TV for enhanced streaming capabilities.

While the Universal Wireless HDTV Adapter enables Wi-Fi access for a single Internet-ready TV and mounts directly to the back of the TV through the Ethernet port, the Universal Wireless AV Adapter is designed to connect up to four AV devices for streaming to multiple components. Devices are connected to the Universal Wireless Adapter, which then accesses the Internet through your existing home network. This allows you to have wireless access in your living room even if your router lives elsewhere in the home.

“Streaming content is changing the way we watch television, play video games, and use our home theater systems, and Belkin’s Universal Wireless products help you get your gaming console, smart TV, or Blu-ray player connected to your home network without having to rearrange or reconfigure your wireless router,” said Kraft.

ScreenCast AV 4 Wireless AV-to-HDTV Adapter – F7D4515

· Store AV equipment up to 100 feet away or at a reduced distance through walls or closet doors
· Enjoy full-HD 1080p resolution, 3D video, and 5.1 channel surround sound
· The IR Blaster gives you total device control. Just point your remote at the TV, and ScreenCast does the rest.
· Tabletop or wall-mountable receiver, ideal for wall-mounted HDTVs
· Easy, professional-looking installation without the professional price. Connect your AV devices to the transmitter and hide them away.
· Uses 5GHz spectrum to minimize interference and provide superior audio and video quality
· HDCP-enabled; works with protected content like Blu-ray Disc™
· Compliant with WHDI™ standard
· $249.99
· Available in October 2011

Roku is back baby, and this time it’s smaller, faster and more energy efficient.  The company’s first box just streamed Netflix.  But over the last few years they’ve added a variety of streaming content of the set top box which includes Pandora, Crackle, UFC, Foxnews.com and more.

The new boxes, which are available in three flavors – Roku 2 HD, Roku 2 XD and Roku 2 XS – sport a smaller footprint, use just 2 watts of power and get this, can now play video games.  They’ll continue to output 5.1-channel surround sound with compatible content.  The Roku 2 HD is limited to just 720p, while the XD and XS can playback full HD video.  However, all models are compatible with Roku’s gaming platform, which will launch with, what else, Angry Birds.  The game will ship for free with the XS model, the highest of the three, and will include a bluetooth, motion sensing gaming controller.  This model, unlike the other two, will also sport an Ethernet port for a wired connection and USB port for playing back media off any USB drive.   All models ship with built-in WiFi, though the lower tier ones will not include a free copy of Angry Birds or Roku’s gaming controller.

The Roku 2 HD, Roku XD and Roku XS will ship at the end of this month for $59.99, $79.99 and $99.99 respectively.

Read

4.5 out of 5 stars

With the advent of services such as Hulu Plus, Amazon VOD, and of course NetFlix a lot of people are finding it hard to justify continuing to pay for a cable subscription.  One of the issues though, is that if you have a non-internet connected television, then you need to either drag computer everywhere you want to watch things (kinda hard with a desktop), or purchase something that enables your TV to connect to the net.  This is LG’s incursion into that field…

Normally when I want to watch Netflix, I use my PS3 to do so (or the 360 when I’m feeling adventurous), so I was kind of skeptical when the Smart TV Upgrader showed up here, after all how much use could it really be?  It’s not like I ever used any of the other services (besides YouTube) that it connected to – NetFlix had everything I needed, so how much would I actually have this thing on?  Well, as I soon discovered, quite a lot actually.  What started out as me wearily testing out something I figured I wouldn’t care for, quickly turned into me constantly using a product that worked great.

The LG Smart TV Upgrader is unbelievably simple to set up for any TV that has an open HDMI port – just plug in and go.  You can do extra things like connect an optical cable if needed, and an Ethernet cable if you want a wired connection, but neither are necessary.  The internal antenna for the Smart TV Upgrader’s WiFi has a really good amount of range, and I was able to pick up a good signal throughout my house (even in the back upstairs room where reception can be spotty).  Setup of the WiFi was simple as well – just like connecting a laptop or a gaming console.

The response time in the menus could have been faster (in fact that’s one of my biggest complaints) – in a world where everything is moving faster all the time, the menus on the Smart TV Upgrader are sluggish.  The remote is also very small and basic (plus the up and down navigation buttons on the one I received needed to be pressed hard to get any kind of response), and could easily get lost I would think.  I’m all for making things smaller (the actual Upgrader itself is very small), but with three kids and five dogs, remotes tend to get lost in my house.  As an option though, you can download a remote for your iPhone, or Android powered smartphone, and then you can hide the little remote for emergencies.

The Smart TV Upgrader also has Apps you can download, but I didn’t see anything really that great to bother with.  It’s a fairly new product in the USA though, so I’m hoping that will change down the line.  If you look at their Korean library, there are a large number of apps there (some of which I’ve been told are really good), so I would sincerely hope that they bring those over.  Another thing it has is a web browser – but I’m not sure anyone would ever use it.  I mean it’s a nice feature and all, but I feel like it was just a bullet point for the back of the box.  In a day and age where practically everything else has a web browser though, I can see why they did it.

The biggest selling point for the Smart TV Upgrader is the sheer amount of services it connects to.  Want to listen to music without your computer?  It’s got Pandora.  Want to check out something on YouTube?  It’s got you covered there too.  Want to watch something on VUDU or DivxTV?  Yeah, it’s got those too.  I’ve seen other boxes like this before that don’t connect to half of these services, let alone new things like Amazon VOD.

Something else that was truly useful for me, is that it allowed me to stream content on my own computers to it.  Since I have a number of digital movies downloaded to my desktop, it was very nice to watch them on the big TV with really no extra effort involved.  The Smart TV Upgrader also supports playback via a usb memory stick (for pictures and the like).

Because of how much use the Smart TV Upgrader has been getting in my house, and because of the ease of use, I’m rating it with four and a half stars out of five.  If it was a little faster, and had more useful extra Apps, it would have gotten the full five.  As it is though, this is probably the best solution out there for doing what it does.

Pros:

• Super easy setup
• Connects to a wide variety of services
• Very tiny and pleasing form factor

Cons:

• UI is slow
• Not many Apps yet, and the ones there are “o.k.” at best
• Menu design could be better

You can get the LG Smart TV Upgrader from Amazon for $107.99

Wurlitzer is synonymous with the word jukebox, so it’s no surprise to see the company whip up a digital version called the Lyra.  At the center of this music machine is a 15-inch touchscreen that incorporates their own special interface that replicates the turntable experience.  From there you can access Internet radio or 320GB of stored music thanks to the built-in hard drive.  Adding tunes is as simple as popping in a disc into it’s CD/DVD burner.  Alternatively, you can just plug-in a portable device or memory card into one of its compatible slots.  Two high fidelity speakers blast out the high and mids, while a 10-inch active subwoofer handles the lows all powered by a 200 watt amplifier.

We’re hearing that costs close to $5,000.  For that kind of money we’d rather have the real thing.  After all, nothing beats old world charm.

Via: Gearpatrol

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4 out of 5 stars

For those that want sound outside on a deck or a patio, there’s a few options. One is that you could just bring your source of sound (laptop, boombox, cd player, etc) outside with you – but you would usually need to bring those sources back inside when you were done (especially if the weather was supposed to be inclement). You could turn whatever you were listening to up and hope to be able to hear it outside (and kill the eardrums of anyone inside). You could spend a ridiculous amount on outdoor speakers, or you could go with Audio Unlimited – provided their speakers live up to the promises.

Audio Unlimited is a brand of Cables Unlimited, one of the biggest manufacturers of performance cables for audio and video – when I found out they also made sound systems and speakers, I was practically giddy with excitement to try one (since I’ve used their cables for years).  The SPK-24GX comes with one speaker, one transmitter, a plug for each, and cables to plug it into pretty much any audio source.  You could also get the DUO model, which comes with two speakers – actually, one of the neat features of the SPK-24GX, is the fact that you can actually pair up to six speakers with one transmitter.  That way, you can have stereo sound radiate from all around you.

The SPK-24GX says it has a 150′ range in open areas, and while I had slightly less open space than that, I can confirm that it went around 120′ without any static or issues with the signal.  Of course, that’s with NO obstructions – when I moved it to my deck there was a completely different tale to tell.  From where my desktop sits to where I had the speaker was only about 30′, with one wall in-between.  If the screen door closed, the sound would get static.  If someone stood in the doorway, the sound went out completely, and forget about it if the outside door itself was closed.

I made sure I wasn’t doing something wrong by reading over the instructions one more time – in it they tell you to make sure the volume of the source is turned all the way to maximum, so you get maximum range, and I checked my computer to see that that was the case.  It’s not so much of an issue, than an annoyance – I’m 99% sure that my walls aren’t lined with lead either, so apparently obstructions like that just kill the transmission.

The speaker otherwise works as intended – the design shape is what makes it all-weather.  The speaker is situated in the top half of the container, facing downward.  The Hershey kiss-shaped piece of plastic in the center radiates the sound outward, and protects the speaker itself from rain or snow.  All of the connector ports on the container are covered with rubber grommets, and they each seal up when not in use.

One other important thing to note, is that the SPK-24GX doesn’t play stereo sound unless you have at least two of them.  That’s not that big of a deal if you’re just using it to listen to music, but if you plan on doing more with them, I’d recommend getting a second.  Even with one though, the sound is very crisp (when the signal is strong) – I mainly use mine to listen to Pandora while working outside, and can’t complain about the fidelity or the loudness (although I bet my neighbors could).

All things considered, I give the SPK-24GX by Audio Unlimited (Cables Unlimited) a 4 out of 5 rating.

Pros:

• Works in all weather
• Sound is very crisp and clear
• Not as expensive as other similar products

Cons:

• Obstructions KILL the signal
• Drains batteries quick if not plugged in
• Only way for stereo sound is to buy a second

You can pick up the SPK-24GX from Amazon for only $142.47

Tivo is just one of those companies that refuses to die, and because of that we love them.  While they’ve managed to win a fair bit of lawsuit money for patent infringement, the company hasn’t stopped trying to release new hardware.  And now coming soon to a cable operator near you, Tivo will release two new boxes, the TiVo Premiere Q and Preview.

The Premiere Q is their first DVR box that offers the same great features from previous boxes, but includes the ability to records up to 4 HD streams simultaneously.  The recorded content can then be played back on up to 3 devices all at the same time, which in this case is the Preview box.  The Preview box lacks the DVR functionality (a hard drive), and simply allows you to access the Premiere Q’s recorded content along with any On Demand content via the Web.   Both boxes are compatible with Apple’s devices and connect to one and other over your home’s network via Ethernet.

There is no word on a launch date, but Tivo says that both boxes will be available sometime later this year from cable providers.

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Looks like a memory card reader, don’t it?  In essence it is, but look at bit closer and you’ll realize it’s a whole lot more.  The PicoHD5.1 is in fact a media player that connects to your television via RCA and HDMI – shocking we know.  On the front are ports for a USB storage device or SD card, separated by an IR receiver for the included remote control.  But don’t be fooled by its minuscule size.  5.1-channel isn’t beyond reach and nor is full HD playback.  And it doesn’t hurt that its packed inside a heavy duty aluminum enclosure.

Unfortunately, it’s availability seems to be limited to the EU, where it costs about $80.

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