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Amazon Cuts Fire Phone Price to $199 without Contract[teaser]The unlocked smartphone is now on sale. [/teaser] Amazon has dropped the price of its Fire Phone. The unlocked, off-contract 32GB model is now just $199, which is $250 off of its previous retail price of $449. The price cut comes just in time for the holiday shopping season and is likely an attempt to help move units after very dissapointing initial sales and previous missteps. Under the hood, the Fire Phone is powered by a 2.2GHz Quad-core Snapdragon 800 CPU, with Adreno 330 GPU and 2GB of RAM, all running Fire OS 3.5.0. The smartphone features a 4.7-inch IPS screen with a resolution of 1280 x 720, 315 ppi, 590 cd/m2 brightness, and a 1000:1 contrast ratio. A 13MP rear camera with OIS, a 2.1MP front camera, and dual stereo speakers with Dolby Digital Plus are included as well. What really makes the Fire Phone special, however, is its Dynamic Perspective Technology. Using four specially designed cameras, the phone is able to track a user's face, allowing the device to shift the perspective of the images on display as you tilt the phone. In addition, the Fire Phone also features Amazon's Mayday customer support; Firefly technology to identify phone numbers, movies, music, and a variety of real world items; and one free year of Amazon Prime. Finally, the mobile device includes a premium tangle-free headset and uses a 2400mAh battery. The 32GB Fire Phone is now available for $199 unlocked and without a contract. In addition, users who opt for an AT&T plan can snag the phone for as little as 99 cents. Source: AmazonPosted Wed Nov 26, 2014 at 08:00 AM PST by: -
Black Friday Gear Deals Week Spotlight: Samsung Galaxy Tab S Tablets up to $120 Off![teaser]For a limited time, Amazon is offering significant discounts on select Samsung tablets! [/teaser] As part of the online retailer's Black Friday Week electronic sales and promotions, Amazon is running limited time deals on Samsung 8.4-inch and 10.5-inch Galaxy Tab S tablets. Samsung Galaxy Tab S 8.4-Inch Tablet (16 GB, Dazzling White) - Currently $349 (13 percent off its retail price). Samsung Galaxy Tab S 8.4-Inch Tablet (16 GB, Titanium Bronze) - Currently $349 (13 percent off its retail price). Samsung Galaxy Tab S 10.5-Inch Tablet (16 GB, Titanium Bronze) - Currently $380 (24 percent off its retail price). Samsung Galaxy Tab S 10.5-Inch Tablet (16 GB, Dazzling White) - Currently $399 (20 percent off its retail price). As always, these deals will only be active for a limited time while supplies last. Make sure to stay tuned to High-Def Digest for more sales and special promotions!Posted Tue Nov 25, 2014 at 07:30 PM PST by: -
Ultra HD TV Shipments up More than 500 Percent in Q3 2014[teaser]A new report reveals strong growth in the 4K TV market. [/teaser] According to a new report by DisplaySearch, global TV shipments grew 4 percent in Q3 2014. The increase was led by strong improvements in LCD and Ultra HD shipments. "While the last several years in the TV business have been difficult in terms of overall shipments and revenue, the market is showing some broad resiliency now, with most regions enjoying growth in the third quarter," said Paul Gagnon, director of global TV research at DisplaySearch. "Consumption for primary TVs is entering a renewed replacement cycle in some key regions, while adoption of larger screens and 4K and other higher resolutions will keep consumers upgrading." As detailed in the report, 4K shipments grew more than 500 percent in Q3 2014 resulting in about 3 million units and a total of 6.4 million units shipped throughout the year. Of that number, China is responsible for more than 60 percent of Q3 4K shipments. Likewise, Samsung is the top manufacturer in the Ultra HD market, accounting for about 36 percent of 4K TV revenue in Q3 2014. LG follows with 15 percent. Research indicates that many consumers are now ready to upgrade their current HD sets, and many retailers are gearing up to offer some great Black Friday deals for 4K sets. Be sure to check out our Gear Gift Guide for several Ultra HD TV suggestions and deals. Source: DisplaySearchPosted Tue Nov 25, 2014 at 04:30 PM PST by: -
Chromecast Adds Seven More Apps, Including Comedy Central & Nickelodeon[teaser]The media dongle now offers support for several more streaming options. [/teaser] Google has announced the arrival of seven more apps for its streaming stick. The new lineup includes the likes of Comedy Central, Sesame Street Go, Nickelodeon, TuneIn, EPIX, YuppTV and ENCORE Play. With the Comedy Central app, Chromecast users can now stream programming like the 'Daily Show' and 'South Park. Sesame Street Go and Nickelodeon bring family friendly content to the device while TuneIn offers international radio stations and millions of podcast. Finally, EPIX, YuppTV and ENCORE Play provide a healthy assortment of shows, sports, games and movie. The Google Chromecast is currently on sale for $32. Source: GooglePosted Tue Nov 25, 2014 at 11:30 AM PST by: -
Black Friday Gear Deals Week Spotlight: Soundbars & Speaker Systems up to 71 Percent Off![teaser]For a limited time, Amazon is offering significant discounts on select home audio products! [/teaser] As part of the online retailer's Black Friday Week electronic sales and promotions, Amazon is running limited time deals on soundbars and speaker systems from Sony, Philips, Yamaha, and JBL. JBL CS480 5.1 Channel Home Theater Speaker System - Currently $230 (71 percent off its retail price). Yamaha YHT-4910UBL 5.1-Channel Home Theater System - Currently $350 (27 percent off its retail price). Sony HTST7 HD Sound Bar with Wireless Subwoofer - Currently $998 (23 percent off its retail price). Philips CSS2123B/F7 Soundbar with Subwoofer - Currently $99 (24 percent off its retail price). Philips HTL2153B 120W, HDMI Soundbar Speaker - Currently $100 (17 percent off its retail price). Philips HTL3110B/F7 Soundbar Speaker - Currently $128 (15 percent off its retail price). As always, these deals will only be active for a limited time while supplies last. Make sure to stay tuned to High-Def Digest for more sales and special promotions!Posted Mon Nov 24, 2014 at 07:30 PM PST by: -
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Dish Regains Turner Broadcasting Channels, Including CNN, TCM & Cartoon Network[teaser]The broadcasting company and satellite service have agreed to extend their contract. [/teaser] After suspending access to several Turner Broadcasting channels, Dish and Turner have reinstated their carriage agreement. The deal restores service to several previously removed stations. As part of the extension, Dish customers can once again watch CNN, Cartoon Network, Adult Swim, truTV, TCM, HLN, CNN en Espanol and Boomerang. The channels were temporarily removed from the satellite service in October when both companies failed to come to terms for a new agreement. Along with the aforementioned restored channels, Turner and Dish have also extended their deal for TNT and TBS. Dish and Turner have not provided any more details on their negotiations, and it's unclear whether or not this extension will lead to a full contract renewal. Source: DishPosted Mon Nov 24, 2014 at 12:00 PM PST by: -
Re-recording Near-field Mixes for Dolby Atmos Blu-rays[teaser]Dolby was kind enough to invite HDD to its Burbank Laboratory for an in-person demonstration given by Atmos re-recording sound mixer, Tim Hoogenakker, and to watch 'The Expendables 3' on Blu-ray in their Home Theatre room.[/teaser] Full disclosure: in addition to excellent audio, I was plied with hefeweizen and pizza, and, therefore, have subsequently started burning all of my DTS-encoded Blu-rays and will now say pretty much anything Dolby wants.[1] You can read my full thoughts over at 'The Expendables 3' Blu-ray review, so let's get into the Dolby Atmos Blu-ray re-recording process. Inside Dolby's Burbank Lab, The Atmos Project Studio is a smallish mixing room where all the current Atmos Blu-rays have been re-recorded -- Paramount and Lionsgate titles including 'Transformers: Age of Extinction', 'Step Up All In', 'The Expendables 3', and the upcoming 'Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles'.[2] Other titles have been mixed here too, though they can't yet say which ones. Warners too is excited about Atmos -- with the already announced 'Gravity' Diamond Luxe Edition hitting stores in February -- and has their own on-lot studio room. In addition to ProTools gear, Dolby's Atmos Project Room features a 9.1.4 configuration -- left, center, right, two pairs of side surrounds, two rear surrounds, and four overhead speakers -- but all of the Atmos mixes thus far have been mixed in 7.1.4 (only one pair of side surrounds running). Genelec 1037B active studio speakers (they cost almost $6,000 each!) handle left, center, and right channels. Niles DS8HD in-walls (and in-ceilings), driven by Crown Drivecore 300N amps, service all surrounds. Two Ken Kreisel subs (which Dolby "LOVES") -- one for mains bass management and LFE, and one for the surrounds -- pump out the low end. First new fun fact learned: in the absence of an Atmos AVR, all Dolby Atmos Blu-rays fold down to 7.1 TrueHD even if the film was originally mixed in 5.1 like 'Step Up All In'. They're also capable of folding down to 5.1 or 2.0, of course, but there aren't going to be any Atmos titles that fold down to 5.1 on a 7.1 system unless the studio provides a separate 5.1 option. That should also mean, for example, the new 'Gravity' Blu-ray will be an audio upgrade regardless of whether or not you have already adopted Atmos. Cool. We first met re-recording mixer Tim Hoogenakker a few years ago when he was up-mixing 5.1 theatrical mixes to 7.1 Blu-rays for clients like Lionsgate. When Tim sets out to do what's called a Near-field Mix, he typically receives the film's theatrical Atmos sound mix in the form of a ProTools session. Inside this file, Tim will find the 5.1 or 7.1 channel bed that includes dialog, music, and sound effects PLUS hundreds of individual sound objects that have been positioned using a special Dolby Atmos controller like this: Pardon my iPhone Photography. Sigh. This blurry image was taken as we played the Dolby "Unfold" Atmos trailer (embedded below). The left monitor houses all of the tracks. Eight of those handle that 7.1 bed, with the others are individual objects. On the right monitor, you'll see two windows. The left window is a map of a 7.1.4 Atmos configuration as seen from above. When mapping an object to the soundscape, re-recording mixers like Tim are able to position individual effects and music stems to specific channels or the space between channels, and add height. In this window, the yellow dots are smallest at ear level, and become larger when you pull object up to height channels. The right window (on the right monitor) is a 3D map of all the individual objects moving through space in real time. Since this is a Dolby Atmos demo trailer designed to show off the format's full capabilities, original mixer Erik Aadahl used 118 separate objects to create an orchestra of sound ping-ponging all around the audiences. Many Atmos mix moments are much more simple -- a lone helicopter moving, a bit of the orchestral score pulled up into height channels, for example -- but all mixes are filled with dozens of little sounds designed to enhance story and build emotion. Tim's job, as the near-field re-recording mixer, is to preserve the integrity of filmmaker intent; he wants to make sure the theatrical experience and the home entertainment experience match. The challenges comes from the fact that most professional cinema auditoriums are (obviously) much larger than our living rooms, media rooms, and dedicated home theatres. Basically, theatrical surround mixes need to "move a lot of air." A near-field mix is essentially 95% theatrical mix. Yet, if you don't adjust for the home, your Blu-ray might be too loud, all of these moving objects may drown out the dialog, muffled sound or overly bright sounds can be exaggerated, and lastly LFE can overload and become a mess of booming noise. Tim's tweaking generally includes bass management, ensuring dialog clarity, balancing volume levels, and, overall, just making sure you can hear everything the filmmakers intended you to hear. 'The Expendables' re-recording sessions provided their own unique challenge because this Blu-ray includes both theatrical and unrated cuts fused together by seamless branching. Why so hard? First, only the theatrical cut was mixed in Atmos (a 7.1 bed, plus objects). The unrated cut files were delivered in 5.1 stems, leaving Tim to first up-mix the new sound elements -- dialog, sound effects, and music -- to 7.1, and then to Atmos so that anyone watching the Blu-ray could watch either cut of the film, and not know -- from a sound perspective -- where new material branched in. This meant matching reverb and positioning and tones and all other sorts of very intricate aural variables. As the final part of Tim's demonstration, he played three or four 'Expendables 3' sequences, ranging from action mayhem to a quiet club scene where he had to level the voices of two lead characters. It was also fun to demo individual objects (ie, no other sounds or music) like a helicopter as it whirred around our heads. Interesting to note: Atmos really works well for scores, given mixers a chance to pull the music into the height channels to give a wider feeling. We then moved from the professional mixing environment to a well-equipped home theatre with awesome KEF speakers. The crazy part? It wasn't a downgrade. Sure, fifteen grand in KEFs isn't exactly a budget setup for everyone. You expect it to sound pretty damned great. But what blew my (feeble) mind was how well bounce-off-the-ceiling Atmos on Blu-ray sounded in a very good, but imperfect room... in direct comparison to in-ceiling Atmos via the original ProTools session in the literal room where it was mixed. Virtually identical. That's how incredibly good Atmos in the home sounds when we crack open a Blu-ray. As I personally prepare to upgrade to Atmos, which may or may not be in the immediate future, I can't help but use these Dolby Events as personal demos -- what sounds the best to the pros? What configuration do I need? What can I afford? At this time, consider me fully in love with 7.1.4 as an optimal Atmos configuration, but perhaps more impressive than this format's ability to recreate The Studio Master, its flexibility to adapt to multiple listening environments. I still don't know if I'll end up with add-on modules or in-ceiling speakers, but I'm happy to note there's zero trade-off between the two. Okay, studios, your ball. What titles are you releasing next? When do we get to hear Atmos via VUDU? ~~~ [1]...he said, joking, tongue firmly planted in his cheek... or is it? #willwriteforbeerandpizza #andhealthinsurance #andspeakers [2] 'Hercules' too was announced for Atmos, but arrived with a soundmix encoded in 7.1 DTS-HD MA; I'm not sure if it was mixed for Atmos or not.Posted Mon Nov 24, 2014 at 08:05 AM PST by: -
Black Friday Gear Deals Week Spotlight: ViewSonic 4K Monitor & Boston Acoustics Speakers![teaser]For a limited time, Amazon is offering significant discounts on select gear items! [/teaser] As part of the online retailer's Black Friday Week electronic sales and promotions, Amazon is running limited time lightning deals on a ViewSonic 4K monitor and a Boston Acoustics Speaker System. ViewSonic VX2880ml 28-Inch 4K Ultra HD LED Monitor - Currently $425 (49 percent off its retail price , deal active until 10:40am PST). Boston Acoustics Soundware XS Digital Cinema - Lightning Deal Starts at 2:50pm PST. As always, these deals will only be active for a limited time while supplies last. Make sure to stay tuned to High-Def Digest for more sales and special promotions!Posted Mon Nov 24, 2014 at 06:45 AM PST by: -
High-Def Digest's Gear Gift Guide 2014Well, it's that time of year again. You know, the season to be jolly… and endure weeks of unrelenting cold with your loved ones! And for home theater enthusiasts like us, nothing could make us jollier -- or warmer -- than all of the latest and greatest HD gear and gadgets powered up in our living rooms. Forget the fire place, the holiday's real best source for heat is a brand new shiny 60-inch TV. But just what gear items are really worth your hard earned money? [teaser]With so many great TV, audio, tablet, and streaming player options out there, figuring out exactly what gift to buy your HD-loving family and friends can be a very daunting task. Thankfully, we here at High-Def Digest have got you covered with the ultimate list of worthy gear gifts. [/teaser] That's right, you'll find no naughty items here! So, without further ado, here's our 2014 gear gift guide, filled with all of the year's top home theater products and gadgets. From Ultra HD TVs to streaming sticks, we've got every resolution, dongle, app, and budget accounted for (all prices reflect Amazon's prices at press time). Displays & Projectors: 2014 has been quite a year for the television industry. In the last 12 months we've witnessed the continued growth of the 4K market, a push for curved-screens, the sad demise of plasma, and the slow emergence of OLED panels. But with all of these competing brands and technologies, a few specific models have managed to rise to the top when it comes to quality and affordability. VIZIO E-Series & M-Series 1080p TVs Though once known mainly for their cheap prices, VIZIO has stepped up their game considerably when it comes to performance, becoming one of the top bang-for-your-buck TV brands on the market. With their focus on picture quality, the company's latest 1080p LCD sets have been getting great reviews. Both the E-Series and M-Series offer smart TV options and full-array local dimming with up to 36 active zones for superior black levels. With that said, neither model includes 3D support. VIZIO E500i-B1 50-Inch 1080p Smart LED HDTV – Currently $548 VIZIO E550i-B2 55-Inch 1080p Smart LED HDTV – Currently $648 VIZIO E600i-B3 60-Inch 1080p Smart LED HDTV – Currently $798 VIZIO M552i-B2 55-Inch 1080p Smart LED HDTV – Currently $798 VIZIO M602i-B3 60-Inch 1080p Smart LED HDTV – Currently $1,148 Samsung PNF8500 Plasma 1080p TVs Following in Pioneer and Panasonic's footsteps, Samsung recently announced that they will be terminating plasma panel production. While this is rather devastating news for home theater enthusiasts, on the bright side, the company's highly rated PNF8500 plasma series is still available… for now. With their inky blacks, fantastic off-angle viewing, exceptional bright room performance, smart TV functions, and 3D support, these sets remain some of the best TVs on the market. Though Amazon is currently out of stock of the 51-inch and 60-inch models, Best Buy is running great holiday sales on their remaining inventory. Get them quick while they're still around! Samsung - 51" Plasma HDTV - $999.98 Samsung - 60" Plasma HDTV - $1,499.98 Samsung 64" Plasma HDTV - $2,647.99 LG OLED 1080p TVs With the death of plasma, the industry is now looking toward new display technologies -- and OLED just might be the next big thing. While the promising tech has had a slow and pricey start, LG remains committed to OLED production and has churned out some stellar 1080p models. Combining many of the benefits of LCDs and plasmas with few of their drawbacks, these TVs offers some of the best picture quality performance available. With that said, they're still quite expensive, there are some minor issues with video processing, and there are still some questions about the longevity of OLED panels. LG 55EC930 55-inch Curved Screen OLED TV – Currently $3,499 55EA9800 55-inch Curved Screen OLED TV - Currently $3,349 55EA8800 55-inch Flat Screen OLED TV - Currently $3,999 Samsung 8550 Ultra HD TVs Now that 4K content is finally becoming more and more prevalent -- particularly on Samsung models -- Ultra HD TVs are starting to become more and more attractive. Samsung's 8550 series ranks among the best when it comes to the essentials, offering very solid accuracy and strong black levels for an edge-lit local dimming LED. Likewise, it doesn't feature a curved screen which can be a point of contention among some buyers, and it does include 3D support. With a growing number of 4K streaming and on-demand services currently available or on the way -- including, Netflix, Amazon, DirecTV, and M-GO -- Samsung is looking like the top player to beat in the 4K market. Customers looking for a Samsung 4K set should also check out Amazon's special Black Friday Pre-Order Deals for models as low as $598! Samsung UN50HU8550 50-Inch 4K Ultra HD TV - Currently $1,597.99 Samsung UN55HU8550 55-Inch 4K Ultra HD TV - Currently $1,797.99 VIZIO P-Series Ultra HD TVs Similar to its HD E-Series and M-Series siblings, the VIZIO P-Series offers a rather amazing bang-for-your-buck 4K experience. Marked by full-array local dimming with up to 72 active zones, these sets provide fantastic black levels and uniformity along with an Ultra HD resolution of 3840 X 2160 -- all for incredibly affordable prices. Likewise, the TVs include HEVC H.265 decoding for integrated 4K streaming through services like Netflix. Unfortunately, early reviews have indicated some issues with the model's video processing, resulting in some artifacts and unnecessary sharpening, and like the rest of VIZIO's 2014 lineup, there is no 3D support. Still, considering their price, the P-Series remains a very attractive buy and VIZIO is working on a firmware update to correct the TV's processing problems. VIZIO P502ui-B1 50-Inch 4K Ultra HD TV – Currently $999.99 VIZIO P552ui-B2 55-Inch 4K Ultra HD TV - Currently $1,349 VIZIO P602ui-B3 60-Inch 4K Ultra HD TV - Currently $1,499 Projectors Is 60-inches just not big enough for you? Well, I don't blame you! For a true home theater experience, projectors are really where it's at. Thankfully, there are several worthy 1080p models out there -- and even a ridiculously expensive short throw 4K model for you especially lucky readers with the cash to spare. BenQ HT-series HT1075 Full HD Projector – ($846.78) 1080p, 100" picture at under 8ft, 3D support, 2,200 ANSI Lumens, 10,000:1 High Contrast Ratio, built-in 10W speaker. BenQ HT-Series HT1085ST Full HD Short Throw Projector – ($986.60) 1080p, 100" picture at under 5ft, 3D support, 2,200 ANSI Lumens, 10,000:1 High Contrast Ratio, built-in 10W speaker. Epson 5030UB 2D/3D 1080p 3LCD Projector - ($2,299) 1080p, 3D support, 2400 lumens, Up to 600,000:1 contrast ratio, THX certified. Sony LSPX-W1S 4K Ultra Short Throw Projector - ($50,000) 4096 x 2160, 3D support, 147-inch 4K image and sits just seven inches from your wall. Home Audio: The audio market has also seen some great new products released throughout 2014 -- many spearheaded by the arrival of Dolby Atmos. The object-based mixing platform recently launched in home theaters and promises to offer a new level of immersion. That is, for a price. Still, there are some great Atmos products available for solid prices, along with many gift-worthy standard soundbars systems. Receivers Though they can be a bit on the expensive side, buyers looking for a new receiver this holiday season will likely want to go ahead and invest in an Atmos-supported device. The current crop of Atmos AVRs offer support for a variety of set-ups, starting at a 5.1.2 speaker arrangement and going on up to a 9.1.2 configuration. Here's a rundown of some of the more inexpensive models along with a few pricier but more feature-intensive options. TX-NR636 - ($599) 7.2 Channel A/V Receiver with Atmos support for a 5.1.2 speaker configuration. TX-NR737 - ($899) 7.2 Channel A/V Receiver with Atmos support for a 5.1.2 speaker configuration. TX-NR1030 - ($1,599) 9.2 Channel A/V Receiver with integrated Atmos support for 5.1.2, 5.1.4, and 7.1.2 setups. TX-NR3030 ($2,299) 11.2 Channel A/V Receiver with integrated Atmos support for 5.1.2, 5.1.4, 7.1.2, 7.1.4, and 9.1.2 setups. Pioneer Elite SC-85 - ($1,599) 9.2 Channel A/V Receiver with Atmos support for 5.1.2, 5.1.4, and 7.1.2 setups. Denon X4100W - ($1,499) 7.2 Channel A/V Receiver with integrated Atmos support for a 5.1.2 speaker configuration. A separate two-channel amplifier can also be added to provide support for 5.1.4 or 7.1.2 Atmos configurations. Auro-3D audio support through $199 firmware download. Denon X5200W - ($1,999) 9.2 Channel A/V Receiver with integrated Atmos support for 5.1.2, 5.1.4, and 7.1.2 Atmos setups. A separate two-channel amplifier can be added to provide 7.1.4 and 9.1.2 Atmos options as well. Auro-3D audio support through $199 firmware download. Speakers & Modules One of the main benefits of Atmos in the home, is the addition of overhead effects to the soundstage. In order to achieve this, customers can buy speakers to mount to their ceilings or get specially designed Atmos-enabled floor-standing and bookshelf speakers. These special models include an extra top driver that can bounce sound off of the ceiling to simulate overhead effects. Likewise, users can also opt to purchase an Atmos module that can be placed on top of existing speakers in order to achieve the same effect. If you're looking to build an Atmos system for the holidays but don't have the room for ceiling mounted speakers, these are a few models you should keep in mind. Elite SP-EBS73-LR Bookshelf Speakers - ($749 for a pair) Features an additional driver mounted on top to simulate overhead sound effects. Elite SP-EFS73 Floorstanding Speakers - ($699 each) Features an additional driver mounted on top to simulate overhead sound effects. Definitive Technology's A60 Atmos Module - ($499) Sits atop the Definitive Technology BP-8060ST, adding overhead sound to a user's Dolby Atmos home theater. Onkyo SKH-410 Atmos Module - ($149 for a pair) Sits on top of your floorstanding front speakers or on an entertainment unit, adding overhead sound to a user's Dolby Atmos home theater. Home Theater Systems For those looking for a cheap and simple way to upgrade to Atmos this holiday season, Onkyo has two Atmos capable systems on the market for very reasonable prices. With that said, both systems only support the basic 5.1.2 Atmos configuration, and like most home-theater-in-a-box offerings, they can't compete with higher-priced premium speakers and receivers when it comes to audio quality. Still, for the price and convenience, this is an attractive and easy way for customers to take advantage of Dolby Atmos. Onkyo HT-S7700 - ($799) 5.1.2-Channel Dolby Atmos Ready Network A/V Receiver/Speaker Package with Atmos-enabled speakers. Onkyo HT-S9700THX - ($1,199) 5.1.2-Channel Dolby Atmos Ready Network A/V Receiver/Speaker Package with included front height speakers. Soundbars Don't have the space or cash for a full 5.1 system or fancy new Atmos setup? Well then, a soundbar designed to sit right in front of your TV could be the perfect gift for you. There's lots of great single unit and even multiple speaker soundbar systems available now, including strong offerings from VIZIO and Pioneer. VIZIO S3851w-D4 38" 5.1 Sound Bar System - ($248.99) 38-inch soundbar unit with wireless subwoofer and separate satellite speakers. Check out our full review! VIZIO S5451w-C2 54" 5.1 Sound Bar System - ($442.95) 54-inch soundbar unit with wireless subwoofer and separate satellite speakers. Pioneer SP-SB23W Andrew Jones Soundbar System - ($396.99) 36-inch soundbar unit with 4 x 3" Structured Surface Mid-Woofers, 2 x 1" Soft Dome Tweeters, 6 x 28 Watt Amplifiers, and a wireless subwoofer. Media Players & Tablets: Smart Blu-ray players, streaming set-top boxes, dongles, and tablets have all become popular ways to play media content from a variety of sources. With several worthy options from the likes of Samsung, Google, Amazon, Apple, and Roku, here's a few solid gift suggestions. Blu-ray Disc Players While separate streaming players are becoming more and more prevalent, a reliable Blu-ray player is still an essential piece of any complete home theater system. The Samsung D-H6500 currently offers some of the fastest loading times on the market, a robust collection of streaming services and apps, 3D support, and 4K upscaling -- making it one of the best performing models available for its price. Samsung BD-H6500 3D Smart Blu-ray Disc Player - Currently $137.99. Streaming Set-Top Boxes There are many worthy contenders in this category, with each device offering a slightly different collection of apps and features. By most accounts, the Roku 3 is the still the best all around-streaming player when it comes to performance and content. With that said, the Apple TV remains a solid device and Amazon's Fire TV continues to improve with new apps, expanded support for its voice search feature, and gaming options. Roku 3 - Currently $84.99. Apple TV - Currently $92. Fire TV - Currently $99. Check out our full review! Streaming Sticks For an even more simple, cheap, and space-saving way to access streaming content on your TV, buyers should also consider a streaming dongle. These sticks plug right into a TV's HDMI port (but also require an extra power source), offering numerous apps and services. Early word on the Fire TV Stick has been very positive, and Amazon's dongle provides seamless access to Prime Instant Video, several third party apps, and voice search through an Android smartphone app or add on remote. Meanwhile, the cheaper Google Chromecast works a little differently. Instead of having apps directly on the device, it allows users to "cast" content and services from their mobile devices, laptops, and PCs through the stick to their TVs. Finally, even though it is the most expensive option, when it comes to overall app support and performance, Roku's stick is still considered the most robust streaming dongle on the market. Fire TV Stick - Currently $39 (will be in stock on January 15). Chromecast - Currently $32.18 Roku Streaming Stick - Currently $49 Tablets Serving as portable multimedia hubs capable of HD video, music, books, internet, and games -- tablets are becoming essential tools for entertainment on the go. And with their mirroring and second screen features, the devices are also becoming integral additions to the home theater environment, expanding the traditional movie watching experience. Here's a rundown of some of the top tablet models available now. Amazon Fire HDX 8.9 16GB Tablet - ($379) 8.9-inch IPS screen with a resolution of 2560x1600, 2.5 GHz Snapdragon 805 processor, 2GB of RAM, 720p front facing camera, 8MP rear camera, Dolby Atmos mobile support. Check our full review! Apple iPad Air 2 16 GB Tablet - ($490) 9.7-inch IPS display with a resolution of 2048x1536, A8X chip with 64‑bit architecture and an M8 motion coprocessor, 8MP iSight camera, 1.2MP FaceTime camera Samsung Galaxy Tab S 8.4 16GB Tablet - ($377.32) 8.4-inch Super AMOLED screen with a resolution of 2560x1600, 1.9 GHz Exynos 5 Octa Processor, 3GB of RAM, 8MP rear camera, 2.1MP front camera. Google Nexus 9 16GB Tablet ($399.99) - 8.9-inch IPS Screen with a resolution of 2048x1536, NVIDIA Tegra K1 2.3 GHz Processor, 2GB of RAM, 1.6MP Front Camera, 8MP Rear Camera, Android 5.0. So, there you have it. Those are our top gear gift suggestions for 2014. We hope this guide helps out in your holiday shopping endeavors. For now, though, what do you think of our gift choices? Do you have any other gear suggestions for the holiday season? And be sure to check out High-Def Digest every day throughout the next few weeks for all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals!Posted Fri Nov 21, 2014 at 06:30 PM PST by: -
Amazon Rumored to Be Prepping an Ad-Supported Streaming Service[teaser]The online retail giant could be launching a new streaming service separate from Prime Instant Video. [/teaser] According to a report from the New York Post, Amazon is gearing up to launch a new streaming video platform. Unlike its current Prime Instant Video option, the new service will be supported through ads. Amazon currently has a limited number of TV show episodes available to preview for free with commercials through its Prime Service. Though details are still forthcoming, it's likely that this new platform will offer titles in a similar manner. The move is being seen as a way for Amazon to better compete with rivals like Netflix and Hulu, giving them another edge in the streaming video war. A cheap or free ad-supported option could prove very enticing for cord-cutters on a budget. Likewise, those happy with the service will be more likely to eventually upgrade to a full Prime membership. A launch date for Amazon's rumored ad-supported streaming video service has not been announced. An Amazon Prime membership currently costs $99 per year, and includes free 2-day shipping, Prime Instant Video, Prime Music, Prime Photos, the Kindle Owners' Lending Library, and more. Source: New York Post via EngadgetPosted Fri Nov 21, 2014 at 02:00 PM PST by:
