theater

Recently, CNET started measuring input lag. This is the amount of time it takes for a TV or projector to produce an image. In the worse case, excessive input lag can cause lip sync issues. In most cases, it can lead to worse performance with certain games.

Since the article hit, there's been a surge of people ridiculing certain displays as "unacceptable" due to their input lag issues.

Hang on -- unacceptable? Just how important is input lag, anyway?… Read more

Both Samsung and LG, two of the biggest players in the burgeoning world of organic light-emitting diode televisions, have announced (or depending on where you live, are selling) curved OLED screens to go along with traditional "flat" OLED screens.

Curved screens have been used in theaters for decades, and more recently in some high-end home theaters, too. In a TV though, it's nothing more than a gimmick.

Here's why.… Read more

For some people, an ordinary old giant flat-screen television and Blu-ray player just aren't enough.

How much would you spend for the best of the best? Some hard-core videophiles and audiophiles dump incredible amounts of cash on home theater equipment (and fancy home theaters) that can cost as much as the average car or house. … Read more

Recently we took a poll where we asked "What's stopping you from getting a plasma?" A majority of voters rebuked my premise, picking "I love my plasma." The other responses were fairly evenly split among the choices.

However, there was a surprisingly common reason given in the comments that baffled me, and it's so bizarre it's clearly worth debunking, or at least shining the light on the facts.

So how much do TVs weigh?… Read more

It comes up again and again: "Steve, please recommend a great speaker." Good question, but there are a lot of factors to consider before coming up with a definitive answer. A lot depends on what you're looking for and how you define "great." Nailing down the price is the first step, but if there's one thing I've learned about audiophiles, it's that taste always plays a big part in evaluating sound quality. That's why, in my reviews, I describe how a speaker sounds with different kinds of music.

There's no … Read more

If you've done any research into TVs, Blu-ray players, or Blu-ray in general, you've likely seen the alphanumeric 1080p24 (or 1080p/24).

Understanding what it is, and keeping a lookout for products that can take advantage of it, can result in smoother, more natural-looking movie and TV show playback. I'm not talking about the artificially hypersmooth look of the Soap Opera Effect, but instead the correct cadence of motion at which the film or TV show was shot.

All the judder reducing -- and causing -- awesomeness after the jump.… Read more

For his contribution to seven Dream Theater albums, Jordan Rudess is regarded as one of the finest keyboardists of all time. In fact, MusicRadar.com bestowed that top honor upon him back in 2011 (over Elton John and Stevie Wonder), in a ranking of the top 27 keyboardists ever.

These days the synth wiz is applying his technical savvy to the development of new apps that allow fans to unleash their own musical masterpieces. Along with his company, Wizdom Music, Rudess recently released Shapesonix and Maestro. Shapesonix lets users can create stunning audio-visual extravaganzas with the movement of a finger. … Read more

The original "Spears and Munsil HD Benchmark", released in 2009, offered some excellent patterns to help setting up TVs, and ingenious test patterns to judge the performance of deinterlacers and scalers. Though anyone could buy it, it wasn't as entry-level or as user-friendly as "Disney's World of Wonder" setup discs.

The updated second edition adds myriad new setup patterns, and a host of new tests for 3D, refresh rates, motion interpolation, additional patterns for TV setup newbies, and more.

So is it worth your $30?… Read more

The Anthony Gallo Acoustics Micro SE speaker ($239) is a tiny steel sphere, just 4 inches in diameter -- that's the size of an orange. It's an audiophile quality performer, capable of delivering high-resolution sound and a big, downright spacious stereo image. In fact, the imaging of the Micro SE and the slightly larger A'Diva SE reminds me of the wide-open, boxless sound I get with large, flat-panel speakers. Since these Gallos have just one full-range driver, they don't need a crossover network to direct high frequencies to the tweeter and bass to the woofer, and … Read more