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'Taken 2' Will be Shown with Dolby Atmos in 12 US Theaters[teaser]We've got the list for those that want to check out the latest sound innovation from Dolby. [/teaser] Dolby Atmos is a new tech that allows for sound to be presented in – for lack of a better term – 3D. Our own Josh Zyber explains the tech in detail, but the basic thrust is that Dolby Atmos allows mixers to send audio overhead, pan it left to right or front to back without deadspots, and even pinpoint where they want sounds to take place. It's incredibly impressive. If you want to check out Atmos for yourself, you can hit up one of the 12 theaters its being used in for 'Taken 2,' the latest from Liam Neeson and Olivier Megaton. The full list is below. Canada Cineplex® SilverCity Yonge-Eglinton Cinemas (Toronto, ON) China Shanghai Film Art Center (Shanghai) Lumière Pavilions Chengdu Raffles City Cinema (Chengdu) United States AMC Aventura 24 (Aventura, FL) AMC Barrywoods 24 (Kansas City, MO) AMC Downtown Disney 24 (Lake Buena Vista, FL) AMC Empire 25 (New York, NY) AMC Metreon 16 (San Francisco, CA) AMC Ontario Mills 30 (Ontario, CA) ArcLight Sherman Oaks (Sherman Oaks, CA) Brenden Theatres at the Palms (Las Vegas, NV) Cinemark Century at Pacific Commons (Fremont, CA) Cinemark West Plano and XD (Plano, TX) Cinetopia Vancouver Mall 23 (Vancouver, WA) ShowPlace ICON at Roosevelt Collection (Chicago, IL)Posted Thu Oct 4, 2012 at 11:00 AM PDT by: -
Bowers & Wilkins Unveils a New Proximity-Sensitive Soundbar[teaser]The new Panorama 2 only lights up its control panel when you're near it – otherwise it stays nice and dark. [/teaser] One of the frustrating things about home theater components is a marked tendency towards bright lights. Being able to see the controls and read the panels is nice, but when you're not using the device and you're just trying to watch a movie, they can be distracting. The newest soundbar from Bowers & Wilkins helps to solve that thanks to a proximity sensing panel that only turns on when you approach it. If you're not approaching the soundbar to adjust it, the lights stay off and your soundbar stays hidden. There's more to the Panorama 2 than just a nice lighting feature though. The soundbar offers up nine drivers powered by six Class D amps. It also promises deeper bass than the previous version, thanks to new low frequency drivers. The Panorama 2 will be available later this month at a price of $2,200. Source: Electronic HousePosted Thu Oct 4, 2012 at 09:00 AM PDT by: -
Logitech Launches a Remote Featuring a 2.4-Inch Touchscreen[teaser]Those who prefer a more tactile remote will be happy to find that it's not touchscreen only – there are still a decent amount of button controls. [/teaser] The new Harmony Touch combines the tactile experience of old with the touchscreen controls of new. With smartphones and tablets usable as remotes, adding a touchscreen is just what Logitech needs to do to keep up with the impressive ease of use that comes with it. Simple controls like volume are available as buttons, but more complex things are handled by the touchscreen. Take automation for instance. You can set the system up in such a way that simply pressing the AMC button will start up your TV, make sure you're on the right input, turn the sound system on and switch to the right channel. There's a lot of customizability here. The Harmony Touch is available now at $249. Source: Electronic HousePosted Wed Oct 3, 2012 at 11:00 AM PDT by: -
MoviePass Subscription Theater Service Launches an iPhone App[teaser]The service itself is still operating on an invitation only basis, but the closed beta has completed. [/teaser] If you go to the theater a lot, MoviePass will almost certainly be something that interests you. It's a subscription movie service that provides you with a ticket to whatever movie you want to see. You need to pick your theater and movie through MoviePass and then present the box office with your MoviePass card – essentially a credit card that's only good for the movie you select. MoviePass just launched an iPhone app that will allow subscribers to simply scroll through to the theater and movie they'd like to see and activate the card accordingly. An Android app will be following. MoviePass subscription pricing changes by region, but the average is $30 a month. If you're the kind of person who sees a movie every weekend, this will pay off very quickly. Source: EngadgetPosted Wed Oct 3, 2012 at 07:00 AM PDT by: -
Vizio is Betting on Big Screens This Holiday Season[teaser]The company's new sets will range from 55 inches on up to 70 inches. [/teaser] The folks at Vizio have announced a new lineup of TV sets that's due out this winter. The focus of this lineup is mixing size with economy – you're not going to need to shell out as much as you might expect for the TV you're getting. The model that Vizio is highlighting is the E601i-A3, a 60 inch set with Smart TV capabilities. It features Razor LED edge lighting and gives you access to Netflix, Amazon, Vudu, Hulu and a variety of other streaming sources. The E601i-A3 comes in at $999, just $50 more than the 55 inch version. At the top of the lineup is the E701i-A3, which comes in at 70 inches and $1,999. There's a 65 inch model as well, which goes for $1,499 or $1,699 if you want 3D. Source: EngadgetPosted Tue Oct 2, 2012 at 11:00 AM PDT by: -
JBL's New SoundFly Wireless Speakers Plug In Like Nightlights[teaser]You can stream audio to the speakers anywhere in your home – simply plug them into an outlet and you're good to go. [/teaser] JBL's SoundFly speakers aren't exactly going to dominate your home theater, but if you want to listen to music around the house, they offer you a new way to do it. SoundFly speakers are fairly simple. They plug into your AC outlet and play music streamed to them from your device of choice. There are two different varieties of speakers. The SoundFly BT gives you a Bluetooth connection so you can stream from your phone for $179, while the SoundFly Air packs in AirPlay and Wi-Fi for use with a computer or Apple device. The speakers themselves are about seven inches wide and plugs right in to an AC outlet. The sound won't be staggering, and the amp only puts out five watts to each of two channels, but it gets audio where you need it. If you're listening to a podcast or book-on-tape that you don't want to pause, or if you simply want some tunes going in the kitchen, the SoundFly might be the right setup. Source: TWICEPosted Tue Oct 2, 2012 at 09:00 AM PDT by: -
New Home Audio Gear is Coming from Infinity[teaser]It's been years since we've seen anything new from the company in that category – we should get our first peek at the new goods in early 2013. [/teaser] Daniel Lee, head of marketing for Harman, says that the Infinity brand is currently developing home theater audio products – something it hasn't done in years. There's no word yet on just what Infinity has up its sleeve, but we're guessing more in-wall speakers, in-ceiling speakers and similar. Lee says that the company has not yet determined whether or not to enter new speaker categories. If all goes according to plan, we'll be seeing Infinity's latest at CES 2013 in January. Source: TWICEPosted Tue Oct 2, 2012 at 07:00 AM PDT by: -
AMC is Giving DISH Subscribers a Free 'Walking Dead' Season Premiere Stream[teaser]Just like they did with 'Breaking Bad,' AMC is making an effort to lure customers away from DISH. [/teaser] AMC wants viewers. DISH doesn't carry AMC. As a result, AMC doesn't much care for DISH. In order to let potential viewers get a taste of what they're missing and lure them away from DISH, AMC is offering a free live stream of their hit show 'The Walking Dead' to any DISH customer. The episode airs on October 14th, but you can register to watch the show now. AMC does check to see if you're a DISH customer or not before you get access to the stream, which means the rest of us are out of luck on the streaming front. Of course, the rest of us probably have AMC, so it works out. Source: AMCPosted Mon Oct 1, 2012 at 08:59 AM PDT by: -
Wharfedale Reveals a Pair of New Ultra Power Cube Subs[teaser]The UPC-8 and UPC-10 sport a remote control for adjustments, so you don't have to leave the sweet spot while you're tweaking. [/teaser] If you're the kind of person who loves tweaking their gear, you've almost certainly run into the issue of having to go make adjustments to your sub and then having to run back to where you'll be listening. It makes it a bit difficult to A/B your settings. That's why Wharfedale's new UPC-8 and UPC-10 both offer a remote control to make all the adjustments you want. Of course, there's more to these subs than just their control mechanism. The UPC-8 and UPC-10 give you bass down to 30Hz thanks to the eight and 10 inch woofers – we'll assume you can guess which has which. The UPC-8 is equipped with a 350 watt amp and comes in at $1,199 and the $1,599 UPC-10 kicks that up to an even 500 watts. On a side note, what's with subwoofers and the word "ultra"? It's a great word but there's a whole thesaurus full of other options. Source:Posted Fri Sep 28, 2012 at 11:00 AM PDT by: -
SVS Launches the SB13-Ultra Subwoofer[teaser]The sub is designed to fit nicely in any room. [/teaser] The folks over at SVS have a new sub that's made to complement any room you put it in, both in looks and in audio thanks to highly adjustable settings. The SB13-Ultra packs a punch, with a massive 13.5-inch front firing driver and a 1000 watt amplifier with a 3600 watt peak. You'll find a 3-inch voice coil, an FEA optimized motor and a Rohacell composite cone that's extra-light and rigid. That's not to say the sub itself is light though – it comes in at a whopping 92 pounds. The SB13, with its Sledge STA-1000D amplifier, offers a bevy of adjustments through a single knob and LED interface. The sub features advanced DSP control and a wide array of other options made to get the sound of the sub just right for whatever room you've put it in. Depending on how its set up, you can get a frequency response as low as 10Hz. The SB13 begins shipping on September 30th with a list price of $1,599. Source: Electronic HousePosted Fri Sep 28, 2012 at 09:00 AM PDT by:
