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Tom Cruise Wants You To Turn Off Motion Smoothing and Here's How![teaser]Tired of watching movies with the "soap opera effect" turned on? This guide is here to help you deactivate it![/teaser] Motion Smoothing, otherwise known as motion interpolation or "the first thing I turn off when I unpack a new TV," is a common yet divisive feature found on many modern displays. Though the tech can have its benefits, many viewers prefer for it to be disabled... including movie stars like Tom Cruise. As detailed in a new video posted on the actor's Twitter account, Cruise and director Christopher McQuarrie are excited for viewers to check out Mission: Impossible - Fallout on Blu-ray, 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray, and digital -- but they'd prefer fans watch the movie with Motion Smoothing turned off. Check out the embedded tweet below to hear their plea... I’m taking a quick break from filming to tell you the best way to watch Mission: Impossible Fallout (or any movie you love) at home. pic.twitter.com/oW2eTm1IUA — Tom Cruise (@TomCruise) December 4, 2018 Sounds like a mission worth accepting to me, but just what exactly is Motion Smoothing and how can users turn it off? Well, let's break it down! Motion Smoothing is a picture feature implemented on most modern displays. The tech is designed to reduce blur and produce a more fluid and sharp image during motion. To do this, the setting artificially increases the natural 24fps cadence of film content to match the higher refresh rates used on many consumer TVs by generating and interpolating extra frames in between existing ones. Unfortunately, though the resulting picture is indeed smoother, this technique typically results in a "soap opera effect" with an unnatural and overly processed appearance. In other words, it might make sports look more fluid but it often makes movies look like cheap high-speed video recordings. Thankfully, while Motion Smoothing is usually turned on by default, the setting can be manually disabled on many TVs through a few simple steps. Here's a quick rundown of each major brand's term for Motion Smoothing along with details on how to turn off the setting on most current models: Sony - MotionFlow Open the Picture Settings menu Select the Advanced Picture Settings option Navigate to the Motion submenu Set the MotionFlow setting to Off to disable it completely Samsung - Auto Motion Plus Open the Picture Settings menu Select the Expert Settings option Navigate to the Auto Motion Plus submenu Set the Auto Motion Plus setting to Off to disable it completely LG - TruMotion Open the Picture Settings menu Select Picture Options Select TruMotion and set it to Off to disable it completely VIZIO - Motion Control Open the Picture Settings menu Select the More Picture option Select Motion Control Set Reduce Judder to 0 and Reduce Motion Blur to 0 Panasonic - Intelligent Frame Creation Open the Picture Settings menu Select Intelligent Frame Creation and set it to "Off" TCL - Action Smoothing Open the Options menu Select Advanced Picture Settings Navigate to Action Smoothing and set it to "Off" Hisense - Motion Enhancement Open the Picture Settings menu Select Advanced Picture Settings Navigate to Motion Enhancement and set it to "Off"Posted Tue Dec 4, 2018 at 05:15 PM PST by: -
Klipsch Releases "The Three" Wireless Speaker with Google Assistant[teaser]The company's latest wireless speaker model is now available.[/teaser] Klipsch has announced the release of its next generation Heritage Wireless speaker. The new version of The Three includes integrated Google Assistant support. The stereo table-top speaker features 2 x 2 1 /4” (57.15mm) full range drivers, a 5.25” (133.4mm) long-throw woofer, and 2 x 5.25” (133.4mm) dual opposed passive radiators. In addition, the unit is rated for 106dB (0.5M near field) and a frequency response of 45Hz ~20kHz @ -3dB. Meanwhile, Google Assistant support is now built-in as well, allowing users to stream music, ask questions, get information, control smart home devices, make phone calls, and more through hands-free voice commands. Bluetooth wireless connectivity, multi-room audio, and Chromecast capabilities are also implemented, along with 192kHz / 24-bit decoding for high-res audio playback from supported services. Here's a full rundown of key features per Klipsch: Hands-Free Voice Control with the Google Assistant built in Astounding, Room-Filling acoustics Multi-Room Ready Mid-century modern design Professionally-Tuned Stereo Sound Bluetooth® Wireless Connectivity Simple Setup with Google Home App The Three Heritage Wireless Table-Top Speaker with Google Assistant is now available with a genuine walnut veneer cabinet and a heather gray grille cloth for an MSRP of $499. And beyond The Three, Klipsch has also announced plans to release a Google Assistant version of The One wireless speaker. The One Klipsch Heritage Wireless is a smaller, semi-portable tabletop model with a rechargeable battery, giving users more freedom on where to place the unit. The One with the Google Assistant is expected to arrive in in the spring of 2019 for an MSRP $349 Source: KlipschPosted Mon Dec 3, 2018 at 08:50 AM PST by: -
Coming Soon to Streaming: THE GRAND TOUR, MARVEL'S RUNAWAYS, and More[teaser]The latest season of Amazon's popular motoring series is racing toward Prime Video in January.[/teaser] Netflix, Amazon, and Hulu have released new trailers and info for several of their upcoming series and movies. Here's a full rundown of titles scheduled to arrive on each streaming service: Russell Brand: Re:Birth (Netflix, December 4) - Russell Brand gets loquacious in London as he ruminates on the state of the world and marvels over how his life changed the moment he became a father. The Ranch: Part 6 (Netflix, December 7) - Set in present day on a Colorado ranch outside Denver, this multi-camera family comedy series stars Ashton Kutcher, Sam Elliott, Debra Winger and Elisha Cuthbert. The show follows Colt’s (Kutcher) return home after a brief and failed semi-pro football career to run the family ranching business with his father Beau (Elliott). Winger stars as Colt’s mother, Maggie, and Cuthbert stars as Abby (Colt's soon to be fiancé). ReMastered: Who Killed Jam Master Jay?: Track 3 (Netflix, December 7) - Run D.M.C legend Jam Master Jay made a huge impact on music and the hip-hop community. Over a decade after his unsolved murder, family and friends investigate to seek out the truth. Who Killed Jam Master Jay? Nailed It! Holiday! (Netflix, December 7) - Hosted by Nicole Byer and Jacques Torres, this holiday-themed competition sees home bakers with a terrible track record take a shot at recreating edible holiday masterpieces for a $10,000 prize. It’s part competition, part hot mess. Pine Gap: Season 1 (Netflix, December 7) - At top-secret U.S.-Australian joint defense facility Pine Gap, fissures appear in the critical alliance as spies work with, and against, each other. Fuller House: Season 4 (Netflix, December 14) - In the spinoff series, Fuller House, life can take you into unexpected directions and also back into familiar territory when veterinarian and recently widowed D.J. Tanner-Fuller finds herself living in her childhood home with younger sister and aspiring musician Stephanie Tanner and DJ’s lifelong best friend/fellow single mother Kimmy Gibbler. The women reuniting to help support one another navigate careers, parenting and relationships with the kind of love and humor you can only get from the people you grew up with. Tidelands: Season 1 (Netflix, December 14) - Follows Cal McTeer (Charlotte Best), a young woman who returns home to the small fishing village of Orphelin Bay after ten years in juvenile detention. But her hometown is shrouded in mysteries, the greatest of which is the commune of outcasts who live in a hidden pocket of the bay: the Tidelanders. Springsteen on Broadway (Netflix, December 16) - A solo acoustic performance written and performed by Tony Award, Academy Award, and 20-time Grammy Award winner Bruce Springsteen. Based on his worldwide best-selling autobiography 'Born to Run,' “Springsteen on Broadway” is a unique evening with Bruce, his guitar, a piano, and his very personal stories. In addition, it features a special appearance by Patti Scialfa. Netflix will allow global audiences to see the show critics have been raving about from anywhere they are. Perfume (Netflix, December 21) - Patrick Süskind’s best-selling novel about smell, passion and serial killing gets a shocking contemporary spin. While in boarding school, a group of six become friends through their intense passion for scent. When one is brutally murdered years later, disturbing secrets about the group are revealed when the police investigates each as a suspect. Selection Day (Netflix, December 28) - With the whole world against them, Manju and Radha get ready for the toughest innings of their life. As the pressures of teenage years and selection day mount, Manju has to choose between what's meant to be and what feels right. A Series of Unfortunate Events (Netflix, January 1) - Based on the internationally best-selling series of books by Lemony Snicket (aka Daniel Handler), the third and final season of the Peabody award-winning Netflix original premieres worldwide January 1, 2019. Starring Emmy and Tony Award-winner Neil Patrick Harris, A Series of Unfortunate Events recounts the tragic tale of the Baudelaire orphans – Violet, Klaus, and Sunny – whose evil uncle Count Olaf (Harris) will stop at nothing to get his hands on their inheritance. Ultraman (Netflix, April 1) - An action drama centered around a man possessing the spirit and DNA of the legendary hero “Ultraman” as he wears a metallic ultra suit and fights against evil. Neon Genesis Evangelion (Netflix, Spring 2019) - The 26 episode series that started it all, Neon Genesis Evangelion, and the two feature films The End of Evangelion & Evangelion: Death (True)2, will stream exclusively on Netflix from Spring 2019! The Grand Tour Season 3 (Amazon Prime Video, January 18) - Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May are back with The Grand Tour. A show about adventure, excitement and friendship... as long as you accept that the people you call friends are also the ones you find extremely annoying. Sometimes it's even a show about cars. Follow them on their global adventure. Marvel's Runaways: Season 2 (Hulu, December 21) - Every teenager thinks their parents are evil. What if you found out they actually were? Marvel’s Runaways is the story of six diverse teenagers who can barely stand each other but who must unite against a common foe – their parents. Future Man: Season 2 (Hulu, January 11) - Future Man stars Josh Hutcherson (The Hunger Games) as “Josh Futturman,” a janitor by day/gamer by night who is recruited by mysterious visitors to travel through time in order to prevent the extinction of humanity. - A current Netflix subscription starts at $11 per month for HD streaming and $14 per month for Ultra HD streaming. - A current Amazon Prime subscription costs $119 per year or $13 per month. Likewise, Prime Instant Video is available as a standalone service for $9 per month. - A current Hulu subscription starts at $8 per month with commercials. In addition, ad-free playback is available for $12 per month. Sources: Netflix (YouTube), Hulu (YouTube), Amazon (YouTube)Posted Sat Dec 1, 2018 at 10:50 AM PST by: -
Everything Coming to iTunes & the Apple TV App in December 2018[teaser]Check out all the new digital titles coming to the iTunes library and Apple TV App in December.[/teaser] Apple has revealed its December lineup of iTunes movies and TV shows. The collection includes films like Venom, Halloween, A Simple Favor, Night School, White Boy Rick, mid90s, and Goosebumps 2 And beyond iTunes, Apple has also compiled a list of December streaming titles set to be available via the Apple TV App on iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV devices. The Apple TV App allows users to browse through content from over 60 video services without switching from one app to the next, including titles from Amazon Prime Video, HBO Now, Showtime, CBS All Access, Hulu, and many other pay-TV subscriptions. Here's a full rundown of December iTunes and Apple TV app titles per Apple: iTunes Movies 12/4 Smallfoot 12/4 Colette 12/4 Pope Francis A Man of His Word 12/4 Viking Destiny 12/4 Support the Girls 12/4 Lizzie 12/4 Letter from Masanjia 12/4 Eating You Alive 12/4 God Bless the Broken Road 12/4 Fahrenheit 11/9 12/4 Pick of the Litter 12/4 Bob Lazar: Area 51 & Flying Saucers 12/4 Pick of the Litter 12/4 Song of Back and Neck 12/4 United We Fan 12/4 1985 12/4 All Creatures Were Stirring 12/7 Piercing 12/7 Tyrel (in theaters and on iTunes) 12/7 Divide and Conquer: The Story of Roger Ailes (in theaters and on iTunes) 12/7 An Acceptable Loss (in theaters and on iTunes) 12/7 Bernie the Dolphin (in theaters and on iTunes) 12/7 All the Devil's Men (in theaters and on iTunes) 12/7 The Appearance (in theaters and on iTunes) 12/7 Swimming with Men (in theaters and on iTunes) 12/7 Back Roads (in theaters and on iTunes) 12/11 A Simple Favor 12/11 Sagreant Stubby 12/11 Night School 12/11 Venom - with Exclusive Extras 12/11 I Still See You 12/11 The Wife 12/11 Kusama - Infinity 12/11 Social Animals 12/11 White Boy Rick 12/14 A Boy. A Girl. A Dream 12/14 Beyond White Space (in theaters and on iTunes) 12/14 The Quake (in theaters and on iTunes) 12/14 Swimming with Men (in theaters and on iTunes) 12/14 Antidote (in theaters and on iTunes) 12/14 The Insufferable Groo (in theaters and on iTunes) 12/14 The House That Jack Built (in theaters and on iTunes) 12/14 Backtrace (in theaters and on iTunes) 12/18 All About Nina 12/18 Matangi / Maya / M.I.A. 12/18 Little Women (2018) 12/18 Assassination Nation 12/18 Air Strike 12/18 The Super 12/18 Memoir of War 12/18 Weightless 12/18 Out on Stage 12/21 mid90s 12/21 AXL 12/21 Between Worlds (in theaters and on iTunes) 12/25 Goosebumps 2 12/28 The Oath 12/28 Hell Fest 12/28 Halloween 12/28 American Renegades Apple TV App: Now Streaming 12/1 The Wonder Years (Hulu) - all episodes available 12/2 Garth: Live at Notre Dame (CBS) 12/2 Nightflyers (SyFy) - Season 1 - all 10 episodes available in 1 week 12/2 Life-Size 2 (Freeform) 12/2 Berlin Station (Epix) - Season 3 12/2 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show (ABC) 12/3 Unanchored (Bravo) - Season 1 12/3 Pop Up Santa Holiday Special (Freeform) 12/3 Vanderpump Rules (Bravo) - Season 7 12/3 Who Do You Think You Are? (TLC) - Season 10 12/4 Legends of the Lost with Megan Fox (Travel Channel) - Season 1 12/4 SNL Best of Christmas 12/5 The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Amazon) - Season 2 12/6 Top Chef (Bravo) - Season 16 12/6 Botched (E!) - Season 5 12/6 The Great Holiday Baking Show: Holiday Edition (ABC) - Season 4 12/7 RuPaul’s Drag Race Holi-slay Spectacular (VH1) 12/9 Counterpart (Starz) - Season 2 12/10 CMA Country Christmas special (ABC) 12/ 11 The Challenge: CT’S Getting Married (MTV, new miniseries) 12/12 Ellen’s Game of Games Holiday Special (NBC) 12/14 RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars (VH1) 12/15 Canelo Alvarez vs. Rocky Fielding (DAZN) - boxing match will be available free with 1 month trial to new customers 12/17 American’s Got Talent Holiday Special (NBC) 12/ 20 Ex on the Beach (MTV, Season 2) 12/21 Marvel’s Runaways (Hulu) - Season 2 12/21 Vanity Fair (Amazon) 12/26 41st Annual Kennedy Center Honors (CBS) 12/30 The Orville (Fox) - Season 2 12/31 NYE Special (NBC) Source: iTunesPosted Fri Nov 30, 2018 at 11:00 AM PST by: -
LG Previews Alpha 9 Gen 2 Processor Features for 2019 OLED TVs[teaser]A new version of the Alpha 9 will be implemented in the company's 2019 OLED lineup.[/teaser] LG has revealed the first details about its upcoming second generation Alpha 9 (α9 Gen 2) intelligent processor for smart TVs. The first gen version made its debut in the company's 2018 displays, and the latest iteration will power LG's new 2019 OLED lineup. Though full details on the new OLED TVs are still forthcoming, the new α9 Gen 2 intelligent processor will include support for several enhanced picture quality features, including a four-step noise reduction process. This tech uses an advanced algorithm to enable more control in noise reduction, smoothing gradations and reducing artifacts to provide improved image clarity. In addition, the α9 Gen 2 will also offer advanced mapping capabilities and an enhanced color correction algorithm with over seven-times the reference color coordinates of previous versions to produce more realistic and natural colors. Finally, while it's not yet clear if the new displays will incorporate full HDMI 2.1 support, the α9 Gen 2 will include next-generation High Frame Rate (HFR) capabilities for playback of 120 frames per second (fps) content. Complete details on LG's new 2019 OLED displays are expected to be announced at CES 2019 in January. Meanwhile, holiday discounts on the company's award-winning 2018 C8 OLED 4K HDR TV with the first gen α9 processor continue to be offered from retailers like Amazon and Best Buy: LG OLED65C8PUA 65" 4K Ultra HD OLED TV via Amazon - Currently $2,699 (regularly $3,499) LG OLED65C8PUA 65" 4K Ultra HD OLED TV via Best Buy - Currently $2,699 (regularly $3,499) LG OLED55C8PUA 55" 4K Ultra HD OLED TV via Amazon - Currently $1,699 (regularly $2,499) LG OLED55C8PUA 55" 4K Ultra HD OLED TV via Best Buy - Currently $1,699 (regularly $2,499) Source: LGPosted Wed Nov 28, 2018 at 12:05 PM PST by: -
COWBOY BEBOP Live Action Series in the Works for Netflix[teaser]"Okay, three, two, one let's jam!"[/teaser] Netflix has announced plans to develop a live action show based on the popular anime series Cowboy Bebop. The anime originally premiered in Japan in 1998 and aired in the US as part of Cartoon Network's Adult Swim programming block. Though full details on the upcoming adaptation have not been revealed yet, here's a preliminary synopsis per Netflix: Based on the worldwide phenomenon from Sunrise Inc., Cowboy Bebop is the jazz-inspired, genre-bending story of Spike Spiegel, Jet Black, Faye Valentine and Radical Ed: a rag-tag crew of bounty hunters on the run from their pasts as they hunt down the solar system’s most dangerous criminals. They’ll even save the world…for the right price. The new live action series will be a co-production between Netflix and Tomorrow Studios (a partnership between Marty Adelstein and ITV Studios). The initial order will consist of 10 episodes, and Christopher Yost (Thor: The Dark World, Thor: Ragnarok) is set to pen the first installment. Meanwhile, Andre Nemec, Josh Appelbaum, Jeff Pinkner and Scott Rosenberg of Midnight Radio are all attached as Showrunners / Executive Producers. In addition, Marty Adelstein and Becky Clements of Tomorrow Studios (Snowpiercer, Good Behavior); Yasuo Miyakawa, Masayuki Ozaki, and Shin Sasaki of Sunrise Inc; and Tetsu Fujimura and Matthew Weinberg are all listed as Executive Producers as well. Likewise, the anime's original director, Shinichiro Watanabe, is on board as a consultant. The Cowboy Bebop anime series ran for 26 episodes. In addition, a feature-length anime film titled Cowboy Bebop: Knockin' on Heaven's Door was produced in 2001 following the end of the show. The complete series and movie are now available on Blu-ray. Source: NetflixPosted Wed Nov 28, 2018 at 09:30 AM PST by: -
Cyber Monday Deals: Up to $33% off Monitors from BenQ, ViewSonic, Asus, and Dell[teaser]Select monitors are now on sale for Cyber Monday![/teaser] As part of the retailer's Cyber Monday promotion, Amazon is currently offering big discounts on several monitors from ViewSonic, BenQ, Asus, and Dell, including HDR and UltraWide models. These limited time Deal of the Day discounts will only be active until 12:00AM PT/3:00AM ET while supplies last: ViewSonic VP3881 38" PRO UltraWide Curved HDR10 Monitor - $750 (33% off) BenQ EX3501R 35" HDR Gaming Curved Monitor - $600 (33% off) BenQ EX3203R 32" Curved HDR Gaming Monitor - $500 (29% off) Dell S Series LED-Lit 32" Monitor - $279 (27% off) ViewSonic VA2446MH-LED 24" 1080p LED Monitor - $90 (27% off) BenQ EW3270U 32" 4K HDR Monitor - $450 (25% off) ASUS VS278Q-P 27" Full HD Monitor - $135 (22% off) Be sure to check out our Black Friday and Cyber Monday Deals hub page and our Editors' Choice Winners: Best Gear of 2018 lists for more great discounts and holiday shopping recommendations!Posted Mon Nov 26, 2018 at 02:25 PM PST by: -
Cyber Monday Deals: Get a One-Year Hulu Subscription for 99¢ per Month![teaser]Hulu is offering a huge discount on its service today only![/teaser] As part of a special Cyber Monday promotion, Hulu is now discounting its standard subscription plan to just 99¢ per month for 12 months! The deal only applies to the platform's "Limited Commercials Plan" which usually costs $7.99 per month. New and eligible returning subscribers can now sign up for the deal at Hulu.com. The promotion will end at 11:59 PM PST on 11/26/18. After the first year, the monthly fee will return to the regular $7.99 price, though users can cancel anytime. Hulu offers a growing collection of original streaming series, current and past network shows, new and classic movies, and more. The platform's library of Hulu originals includes series like the Handmaid’s Tale, I Love You, America With Sarah Silverman, The Looming Tower, Future Man, Marvel's Runaways, Castle Rock, The First, and Casual, along with upcoming shows like Catch-22, Ramy, and Little Fires Everywhere. And beyond the company's Limited Commercials plan, Hulu also offers a full live TV option with access to channels and programming from 21st Century Fox, The Walt Disney Company, NBCUniversal, CBS Corporation, The CW, Turner Networks, A+E Networks and Scripps Networks Interactive. The Hulu Live TV plan currently costs $39.99 per month. Hulu's standard streaming and Live TV services are available via a variety of smart TVs and media players, including Roku devices, Fire TV products, Apple TV, Chromecast, PCs, iOS, and Android. Source: HuluPosted Mon Nov 26, 2018 at 10:15 AM PST by: -
Cyber Monday Deals: TCL 65" 6-Series 4K HDR Roku TV for Just $799 Today Only![teaser]TCL's highly-rated value TV is now available for $170 off its MSRP![/teaser] As part of the retailer's Cyber Monday promotion, Best Buy is now offering a limited time deal on the TCL 65" 6-Series 4K HDR Roku TV, bringing the price down to just $799.99 (regularly $969.99). The one-day sale will only be valid today via BestBuy.com until midnight CT, and at Best Buy stores across the U.S until they close, while supplies last. Order from Best Buy (Note: the Best Buy model does not include Voice Remote) The TCL 6-Series 4K HDR Roku TV features Dolby Vision and HDR10 support, along with the Roku OS smart TV platform. In addition, the set uses Contrast Control Zone Technology with 120 dimming zones on the 65-inch model. Likewise, the panel uses NBP Photon technology with LED phosphors to provide Wide Color Gamut support. A new iPQ Engine is implemented as well to maximize coverage of the DCI-P3 gamut and provide accurate color settings right out of the box. An HDR Pro Gamma feature is also offered to maintain details in dark and bright scenes regardless of a room's lighting conditions. Be sure to check out our Black Friday and Cyber Monday Deals hub page and our Editors' Choice Winners: Best Gear of 2018 lists for more great discounts and holiday shopping recommendations!Posted Mon Nov 26, 2018 at 09:00 AM PST by: -
Cyber Monday Deals: Headphones, Bluetooth Speakers, HDTVs, and More[teaser]Amazon is offering one-day only deals on select electronics.[/teaser] As part of the retailer's Cyber Monday promotion, Amazon is currently discounting headphones, Bluetooth speakers, HDTVs, and projectors from Bose, nuraphone, Marshall, Insignia, and Anker. These limited time Deal of the Day discounts will only be active until 12:00AM PT/3:00AM ET while supplies last: Bose QuietComfort 25 Acoustic Noise Cancelling Headphones for Apple Devices - $110 (63% off) Bose QuietComfort 25 Acoustic Noise Cancelling Headphones for Android Devices - $110 (49% off) Nuraphone Wireless Bluetooth Over Ear Headphones - $279 (30% off) Marshall Kilburn Portable Bluetooth Speaker - $150 (50% off) Insignia NS-24DF310NA19 24-inch 720p HD Smart LED TV - $100 (33% off) Anker Nebula Capsule Smart Mini Projector - $236 (33% off) Anker Nebula Prizm II 1080P Full HD Video LCD Projector - $200 (33% off) Be sure to check out our Black Friday and Cyber Monday Deals hub page and our Editors' Choice Winners: Best Gear of 2018 lists for more great discounts and holiday shopping recommendations!Posted Mon Nov 26, 2018 at 08:30 AM PST by:
