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Too Good: Monoprice Sued By Klipsch[teaser]The Monoprice 9774 5.1 speaker set is the source of contention.[/teaser] Monoprice has made a name and a serious business out of providing cables at prices that make local stores high margin prices look just like that, high. Since the company's beginnings in 2002, its success has grown beyond cables, and in some cases into legal entanglements. Specifically, CNET is reporting that the Monoprice 9774 5.1 speaker set is the subject of a copy infringement lawsuit by Klipsch. Klipsch unit Energy produces the Take Classic 5.1, which retails for $399, while the Monoprice 9774, which CNET cites as nearly identical to the Energy set, sells for $249. From CNET, "The speakers aren't just similar to the Energy system, and they don't just have the same dimensions and sound quality. Other than the logos, the two systems are virtually indistinguishable. 'Nearly everything -- from the finish, to the placement of the drivers, to the positioning of the speaker connectors -- is identical.'" The lawsuit was filed March 15th, and the Monoprice 9774 is still for sale. In understanding how Monoprice normally functions, the CNET article goes on to detail multiple examples of Monoprice licensing other audio products design from the companies that do the manufacturing, leaving the designers, such as Stillwater Designs to explain while their products cost more than the Monoprice version. While making designs exclusive would raise costs for companies like Stillwater Designs, allowing sub-licensing can be a source of profit, albeit a source that must be executed stealthily and without alerting too much of the customer base. Monoprice has major success in part by removing as many middlemen between cable producers and customers as possible, and in the case of sub-licensing designs, Monoprice's position is that the license holder is responsible for avoiding copyright infringement. In the lawsuit, Klipsch is seeking to halt sales of the Monoprice product and to receive triple the court-determined damages. Source: CNETPosted Wed Mar 27, 2013 at 09:00 AM PDT by: -
Don't Miss 'The Croods' in Dolby ATMOSBy Michael S. Palmer My favorite movie experiences are the surprises -- films from which you expect so little, everything on screen forces you to question avoiding it in the first place. Despite a filmmaking team that includes 'How to Train Your Dragon' co-director Chris Sanders, DreamWorks Animation's 'The Croods' was completely off my theatrical "must see" radar. Maybe it was the marketing; maybe I simply don't watch enough Saturday morning cartoons, but it just didn't seem worth my time. This gut-assumption continued when TV and radio ads quoted critics complimenting its "beautifully rendered" animation. 'Cause when a movie's no good, you can at least say it's pretty, right? God, I love being wrong. [teaser]Last week, Dolby called, offering a couple free passes to see 'The Croods' in Dolby Atmos (I'm fortunate to live quite close to one of the equipped cinemas). After a brief hesitation, I figured why not. A free movie. A new sound experience. And a chance to tell our readers where this flick ranks next to auditory Atmos spectacles like 'Life of Pi', 'The Hobbit', and 'Taken 2'.[/teaser] Basically, is it worth your hard-earned coin? Very much so. 'The Croods' is tremendous fun thanks to terrific voice performances, a well-structured script, and, yup, beautifully rendered animation. Sure, academics could argue the film's thematics and character arcs aren't exactly subtle. Yet, in a four-quadrant family film, I never count that as a bad thing. Also, some of the settings and animals seem a little too 'Avatar' influenced, but overall, 'The Croods' has something for every audience. Brilliant colors, cute animals, and endless sight gags for the kiddos. A buried stream of darker jokes for the adults (like a running gag about the father hoping his mother-in-law dies). Fully stunning landscapes for the animation geeks. And we could spend hours discussing various creatures, which are inventive multi-animal combinations (mutations?). Then there's Atmos for the sound geeks. Barring some catastrophe, this should make one hell of a 7.1 mix on Blu-ray, but if you live near an Atmos theatre (how do you know? check here), do yourself a favor check this movie out before the "print" moves. While not quite an audio masterpiece like 'Life of Pi', I enjoyed it more than 'The Hobbit' -- 'An Unexpected Journey' was a near-continuous assault, but 'The Croods' holds its show-stoppers for a few key sequences. Most of these involve The Croods running away from The End of the World, depicted as continents violently ripping apart, a thundering menace leveling mountains and splitting plains. These sequences are literally awesome. But my favorite Atmos moments were set in the cave sequence. After the family is separated in various tunnels, they call out to each other and, as this happens, the cinema auditorium turns INTO a cave environment. My second favorite part about going to see 'The Croods' in Atmos wasn't the movie itself, but rather listening to the family sitting directly behind me. A Grandfather and Grandmother had taken their three Grandkids to see what seemed like everyone's first 3D picture. I have to assume these folks had no idea they were sitting in one of the best cinema auditoriums in the country (in terms of access to this brand new format). The Grandfather was particularly struck when the Atmos trailer/logo played before the feature film; in this one, the camera moves through an animated forest as a Maple Tree "helicopter seed" detaches, whips around the room, and splashes into a glassy pond. I heard further murmurs as various sound effects panned on and off the screen, around the cinema, and over our heads. The movie, thanks in no small part to the sound, impressed everyone that I could see. There were a lot of smiling, surprised faces in the lobby as we exited the theatre. Obviously, that's just one family and sound mixes shouldn't really pull you OUT of the movie you're watching, but I go to movies with a slightly different analytical point of view compared to general audiences. I don't necessarily need an aggressive mix, but I try to compare and contrast various surround sound experiences to see how they're tricking my brain and affecting my emotional connection to the movie (to my suspension of disbelief). Most Atmos mixes are terrific, authored by the best craftsman and artists Hollywood has to offer; for audio geeks, 'The Croods' offers a range of subtle and dynamic sound sequences that perfectly complement my favorite 2013 movie-surprise (thus far). Check out this movie on a big screen with the best sound possible before it's too late.Posted Tue Mar 26, 2013 at 05:00 PM PDT by: -
High-Def Digest's Essential Picks: March 2013by Steven Cohen Every month, dozens of Blu-rays hit shelves, littering stores with high-def temptation. New releases, catalog titles, complete TV seasons, and elaborate box-sets all vie for affection, and with so many worthy releases targeting our wallets, choosing which discs to spend our hard earned cash on can be rather tricky. To make things a little easier, we here at High-Def Digest thought it might be helpful to bring you our top three must own recommendations for the month. From important classics to contemporary blockbusters, these are the discs that we consider to be the absolute cream of the crop. High quality releases with great video, audio, and supplements, these are the Blu-rays that are truly worth every penny. Last month we spotlighted a 007 blockbuster, an epic clash of kings, and a thrilling Best Picture winner. If you haven't already, be sure to check out the Essential Picks for November, December, January, and February. [teaser]This month, we're covering a noir mystery with an animated twist, a controversial historical thriller, and a visually stunning examination of survival.[/teaser] Please be aware, that if you haven't already seen them, there might be some spoilers for the films listed. If you can only buy three titles that hit Blu-ray in March, here's what we suggest you pick up, starting with the most essential... 'Who Framed Roger Rabbit?' - When I think back on my early movie watching experiences as a kid, there are five specific films that instantly jump to mind. Five particular films that left an indelible impression on me, helping to define my burgeoning taste in motion pictures. They are, in no particular order, 'The Wizard of Oz,' Richard Donner's 'Posted Tue Mar 26, 2013 at 12:30 PM PDT by: -
Screen Innovations Introduces Motorized Options for Its Black Diamond Screens[teaser]The resulting effect is a screen that can float and disappear at will.[/teaser] Screen Innovations has pulled together several innovations in order to produce a motorized version of their Black Diamond Screen that both impressive and extravagant. The Black Diamond itself is designed to diffuse ambient light to such a degree that the glaring power of the setting sun cannot separate the viewer from the content on screen. This resilience is coupled with plasma-like black levels. With the Black Diamond screen created in mind for residential application in living room environments, the goal was also to eliminate any unnecessary or unsightly aspect of the screen. Not only is taping unnecessary, but now, if desired, no edifice of screen is visible when not in use. The Black Diamond Motorized rests within a ceiling recess until needed, at which point the projector's housing lowers itself to the preset height before unrolling the screen. Ultimately the screen is suspend by two cables, for the absolute minimum non-screen visible out-crop when in use. Despite containing an elaborate motor system, the whole thing mounts with relative simplicity, and because the screen is hidden when not in use, it is actually cheaper than a wall mounted motorized version. Prices for the Black Diamond Motorized Screen line range from $5000 - $8000 depending on size and options. Source: Screen Innovations via Electronic HousePosted Tue Mar 26, 2013 at 09:00 AM PDT by: -
Jabra Brings Dolby Digital Plus to Bear with the The Revo[teaser]Both the Revo and Revo Wireless aim to improve tablet and Smartphone audio quality.[/teaser] Tinny. Nothing sums up the audio experience of today's mobile electronics more accurately than tinny. Even now, $1500 tablets and laptops are being designed with tinny sound. Jabra knows this, and has spent considerable time with products set around alleviating pathetic sound quality in the pursuit of business applications. With the Revo and its wireless twin, Jabra is aiming to take on the millions of tinny sounded pieces of tech everywhere. The Revo is Jabra's stylish can earphone option, and the Revo Wireless is its bluetooth equipped twin. The Jabra Vox is the small, in-ear option. These three products are pretty, but more importantly are meant to stand up to everyday use and are focused on stereo sound. By coupling their headphones with Dolby Digital Plus audio processing and a companion iOS and Android app, Jabra is subtly declaring that the same hardware manufacturers that stick consumers with tinny sound speakers have left something to be desired in the audio processing department. While Dolby has stressed that their Dolby Digital Plus mobile tech is a game changer, especially when applied to dialogue laden film content, Jabra is offering an aftermarket addition for every mobile device encountered throughout a typical day. Pricing for the new line has not yet been announced but should be soon ahead of their upcoming expected launch. Source: EngadgetPosted Tue Mar 26, 2013 at 07:00 AM PDT by: -
Overlooked: Video Discs Rentals to Reach $5.3 billion in 2013[teaser] Video rental stores expected to nab a $1 billion share. [/teaser] With digital rental services like Netflix and Amazon Prime competing to dominate digital video rentals, physical rentals are often overlooked when discussing the industry. There remain 1,500 video rental stores in the US, and that is before accounting for Redbox kiosks and disc by mail services. These numbers come as part of an analyst opinion presented in Home Media Magazine that stresses the billions of dollars to be made by catering those who desire physical disc rental. Eric World of B. Riley Caris, a notable investment research business, "We continue to believe there is a large group of consumers that prefer and will continue to prefer renting DVDs or Blu-ray Discs for a number of understandable reasons: the large cost differential between DVDs and VOD, a lack of appropriate broadband access or a desire for the better quality and enhanced content of Blu-ray vs. downloads (i.e., alternative endings, additional features, etc.)" At no point in the article is the category of discs that have been stripped of special features by the studios or discs that held back from rental by studio lockout addressed. Naturally, where physical video rental is seeing expansion is primarily at Redbox, which generated $1.9 billion in 2012, and Wold expects will grow in rental activity annually by 5 percent. Wold also sees Redbox's focus on movies over TV a legitimate strategy to successfully differentiate its offerings from Netflix. Cutting into Netflix's 8 million disc subscribers is one area where Wold sees Redbox continuing its success. "We believe the ability to get same-day discs at the kiosk (vs. waiting a day for Netflix delivery), along with the addition of unlimited streaming content could prove to be a motivating factor to get Netflix subscribers to cancel." Source: Home Media MagazinePosted Mon Mar 25, 2013 at 09:00 AM PDT by: -
Panasonic's 2013 Smart Viera Line Boasts of Voice Control[teaser]Nuance's Dragon TV powers Panasonic's new Voice feature.[/teaser] Several products in the tech realm now can be directed by voice control through products such as Microsoft's Kinect and Apple's Siri. Dragon TV manages voice control of televisions from changing channels, searching content, and even having the TV read aloud onscreen text. The technology derives from years of product software that enabled consumers to dictate to PCs. While Nuance is looking to add their abilities throughout living room products, Panasonic's Viera TVs are the kind of product always looking for an edge. Hiroyuki Iwaki, Panasonic TV product planning group manager,"Smart TVs provide an amazing digital living room experience, but traditional remotes and program guides make it challenging to find and access all that exists for content and entertainment. Voice eliminates those barriers, allowing our consumers to not only control but also interact with Panasonic's smart TVs." Nuance has produced a demonstration of Dragon TV features that helps illustrate this point. Panasonic has its own promotional video for Voice. Source: TWICEPosted Mon Mar 25, 2013 at 07:00 AM PDT by: -
BenQ Introduces a 3D HD Short Throw Projector for $1,299[teaser]The W1080ST is DLP powered and Nvidia 3DTV PC compatible.[/teaser] The W1080ST comes packed with features at an accessible price. The projector boasts a 100 inch projection from as little as 6 feet distance from the screen or even a 65 inch projection at just over three fee. Powered by Texas Instruments' Dark Chip 3, the W1080ST includes BenQ's SmartEco technology among a set of features designed to conserve power and preserve the life of the projector's bulb. The 3D support includes not only Blu-ray and broadcast standards, but also Nvidia 3DTV PC connectivity. The is 3D feature set follows BenQ's strategy of appealing to gamers. From BenQ, "By combining so many advanced features at such an affordable price, BenQ is proving once again its consumer commitment, offering accessible yet high-performance products that customers can enjoy,” said Lars Yoder, BenQ America president. “With the W1080ST projector, users get amazing image quality, short-throw performance for placement flexibility in any environment, rich connectivity options, and our energy-saving SmartEco technology for only $1,299. No other projector delivers this level of innovation and flexibility at this price point." Other specs touted by BenQ unsurprisingly include a 10,000:1 contrast ratio, a pair of built-in 10W speakers, and an "Eco Blank Mode" button, which can drop power consumption by 70% and is for use when say, pausing a move to make a sandwhich. Source: TWICEPosted Fri Mar 22, 2013 at 10:00 AM PDT by: -
LG Is Bringing Front Projection To a Lit Room with Laser TV[teaser]$9K nets you the projector and a 100" screen suitable for most any room.[/teaser] Twenty-two inches. That is all that LG's Laser TV projector asks in terms of distance away from its bundled 100 inch screen. What's more, the Ultra Short Throw projector's laser lamp works with the dark, angular reflection screen to produce a reported 150 nit brightness level in a moderately lit room. Not only can the projector handle normal lighting conditions, but LG claims that the bulb will last an incredibly 25,000 hours, something that customers used to replacing bulbs every other year can appreciate. The projector also includes an ATSC tuner which can pick over the HD with an antennae, 20W speakers, Wi-Fi enabled apps like Netflix and YouTube , 3 HDMI inputs, one optical output, and LG's Magic Remote. The LG Laser TV should be on sale in April for $8999. While not cheap, the DLP design is great for both portable projection usage and for rooms with normal light levels and without several feet of space between the projector and screen. Source: Slash GearPosted Fri Mar 22, 2013 at 07:00 AM PDT by: -
JVC Ready To Ship Its Pseudo 8K Projector[teaser]The staggered dual 4K (8K) projector will set back your local museum around $261,000. [/teaser] What's better than UHD? Naturally that would be 8K! What JVC has in mind though is something that they have been working on for years, the DLA-VS4800. This projector seeks to project a very expensive masquerade, one which JVC hopes is entirely appropriate for its intended audience, planetarium and museum goers. While 8K is the term that JVC uses regularly with the projector, what the device does is alternately project two 4,096 x 2,400 signals at 120Hz with one pixel diagonally offset. The resulting theater sized composite 8,192 x 4,800 image has stunned the tech press routinely for years. When applied to nature photography, the idea is to induce a 'pop' from the image at an ever increasing level. This display gimmick will be ready to ship this month, but comes at an institutional price of $25 million ($261,000). That price does not include any of the four lens options, which have yet to be priced. Source: EngadgetPosted Thu Mar 21, 2013 at 10:00 AM PDT by:
