The Magic Window Your TV screen is a flat two-dimensional magic window.  Increasing video resolution, expanding color volume, and a faster frame rate extend the magical illusion.  The best magic windows attempt to convince us the window is reality.  Does UHD 8K TV expand the magic window? Pixels At a comfortable viewing distance, it’s hard… Continue reading 8K Magic or Hype?

A speaker back-box can be used to protect an architectural in-wall/ceiling speaker from construction insulation and/or comply with commercial fire codes.  And if the box is also audio-engineered for the speaker, you’re good.  However, a generic back-box can severely compromise audio performance. I sourced the following information from reputable manufacturers*, plus my 5 decades of… Continue reading Should I use an architectural speaker back box?

Part 4 of 4 Goodbye LCD Your video source defines potential possible performance.  Connected AV components and interconnecting cable must allow the video to pass unaltered.  Your TV determines the ultimate result.   OLED & IOLED The organic light-emitting diode’s contrast ratio has led OLED TV to the high-performance leader.  Advanced inorganic light-emitting diode technology, IOLED,… Continue reading #4 Next Wave / OLED IOLED Contrast Ratio

Part 3 of 4 UltraHD (referred to as 4K) quadruples video resolution from about two million HDTV pixels to more than eight million pixels.  That’s good.  Pixel count is easy to explain, but difficult to see.  8K UltraHD doubles UltraHD (UHD) resolution, which quadruples the number of UHD pixels.   Again, the pixel-count is easy to… Continue reading #3 Next Wave / UltraHD (UHD), 8K UHD, HDR

Part 2 of 4 I travel a strip of historic US40 almost daily.  Long ago, the interstate highway system drove the old highway off the road map as an obscure alternate route.  Remnants of its past still lie in the trees and brush at the side of the old road — the foundation of a… Continue reading #2 Next Wave / Channels Of Distribution

(1st of 4 parts) Virtual events, trade mags, and web-search cannot replace personal meetings with friends and reps.  Trade shows, product seminars, and distributor events, and our sales reps are primary sources of industry news and first-hand product information.  I count on their hands-on experience to separate noise from meaningful information.  This hands-on exchange of… Continue reading #1 The Next Wave

Keeping pace with our industry and technology is essential.  Reliable sources of information and instruction are needed.  We must maintain a solid foundation in the basics of audio and video, which are too often assumed.  More on that soon.  Primary resources include industry associations, manufacturers, and distributors.  For example, CEDIA offers training at a cost. … Continue reading Keep Pace

Terms such as audiophile, videophile, or custom AV pro do not adequately characterize the skill of my late friend Steve. Steve was an AV wizard.  He based the foundation of his craft on his assertion that “everything makes a difference.” He would add that his objective was to “minimize the compromise” of the distorting differences. … Continue reading Frisson

Several years ago, Samsung released a very good TV.  But this blog is not about their TV.  It’s about manufacturers misleading their customers and right vs wrong. Let’s begin with a historical perspective.  In the fall of 2007 or thereabout, Samsung introduced an LED television.  At the time, I was perplexed.  I didn’t think real… Continue reading Fidelity without truth?