HDTVs, projectors, and surround sound systems.
Home Theater
How do I connect the DISH Network Hopper?
Episode 967
Rich just upgraded to DISH Network's Hopper, but is only getting a green screen by HDMI connection. Leo says that it could be a copy protection issue and recommends trying a different HDMI. It may also be that Rich's TV doesn't support HDCP, and the Hopper is HDCP compliant. Also, he should make sure he's plugging the cable into the proper port. The port or cable could be bad. Try the easy stuff first. Then contact DISH.
Scott Wilkinson
Episode 967
Scott has a new poll at AVS Forum - Is the end of physical media inevitable? With more people choosing streaming options for their entertainment needs, what's the point of getting physical media? Well, Leo says that while streaming is convenient, the enthusiast will play the quality card and say that Blu-ray discs are a far better experience because streaming is highly compressed. Streaming is also hard on films, like Lincoln, that have a lot of dark lighting and colors.
How does the new Time Warner app on Roku work?
Episode 966
Mike is excited that he can use the Roku 3 as his Time Warner cable box. Leo says that while Mike still has to pay for Time Warner Cable, he can finally use a quality, tiny box, rather than that large and junky box by Time Warner.
Scott Wilkinson
Episode 965
Scott is going to see a movie with a projector that will be projecting with lasers! The film is GI Joe: Retaliation. The projector uses a red, blue, and green laser which hits the chip and then reflects out to the screen. It's based on the Texas Instruments DLP design. Experts claim that with lasers they'll be able to get them as bright as a conventional projected movie, and twice as bright as a regular 3D movie.
Why can't I get sound from the HDMI connection on my TV? (Part 2)
Episode 964
Tony has his computer plugged into the HDMI port on his TV, but he's not getting the audio from the computer through the TV. Leo says to make sure the default sound setting is HDMI TV so that the TV will receive sound via HDMI.
What is XBMC and is it legal? (Part 1)
Episode 964
Leo says that XBMC comes from XBox Media Center. It's a lean-back interface to navigate through and watch content. Leo says it really isn't legal or illegal, but like any computer, it can be used to watch pirated movies from bittorrent and other sources. Leo likes Plex a bit more because it's more polished, but XBMC is a great player.
What do you think of the Sonos PlayBar?
Episode 963
Ralph from
Ralph wants to know Leo's thoughts about the SONOS PlayBar Sound Bar he bought a few months ago. Leo says he hasn't really set it up yet, but the cool thing about sound bars is that they simulate surround sound for those who don't' have the room, budget or interest in having a conventional home theater surround sound system. It's not really perfect, and it tries to fool the listener into thinking it's surround, but it's better than nothing.
Scott Wilkinson
Episode 963
Scott has been getting tons of questions lately on whether people should buy a 4K TV. Scott says that they're not even out yet, but sure, if you can afford the $25-40,000 price tag! The Sony 4K TV costs $25K, and comes with a nice video server and 10 blu-ray quality movies loaded on. Sony also plans to update that server with more movies.
What's the best way to watch TV from out of the country?
Episode 962
Tammy from
Tammy is going to Europe for about 8 months and wants to know if the SlingBox would be a good way to watch US TV. Leo advises getting the Slingbox 500. It has HDMI, HD, and WiFi and it's easy to set up. And yes, they'd be great for accessing a DVR at home while they're traveling. As long as they have an internet connection, they can access the Slingbox.
Scott Wilkinson
Episode 961
Scott got a question from Dominick about whether he needs a sub woofer. He lives in an apartment and he can't get anything too big. Leo says that a sub woofer got him in trouble when he was living in his studio apartment. Scott says that's because of the low range of the woofer that travels very far, and even if it's not at high volume, it can really carry in every direction. Where would he connect it with a two channel system anyway? Scott says that most preamps have two sets of speaker outputs.
