AVexcel - Episode 57

Recorded on September 20, 2017. 

Hosts: Patrick Norton and Robert Heron 

The rundown: 
  - ATMOS upgrade options
  - Noise-canceling earphones
  - An excellent mobile DAC/Amp
  - HULU + Spotify super deal
  - CEDIA 2017: amps/procs
  - Projection aspect ratios
  - Low-latency 4K TVs
  - Constant-beamwidth transducers
  - Your excellent feedback & questions 

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AVexcel - Episode 56

Recorded on September 14, 2017. 

Hosts: Patrick Norton and Robert Heron 

The rundown: 
  - Apple TV goes 4K
  - CEDIA 2017 roundup
  - New laser projectors
  - Sweet looking screens
  - Superb speakers for all
  - Useful AV gear
  - Cordcutting grows
  - Your excellent feedback & questions 

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AVexcel - Episode 55

Recorded on September 1, 2017 

Hosts: Patrick Norton and Robert Heron 

The rundown: 

  - CEDIA 2017
  - Great cables
  - Samsung's new OLED
  - LG's new superphone
  - 24-bit vs 16-bit recordings
  - HDR10+ brings dynamic metadata
  - A great free CD ripper
  - Your excellent feedback & questions 

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AVexcel - Episode 54

Recorded on August 24, 2017 

Hosts: Patrick Norton and Robert Heron 

The rundown: 

•   Post-eclipse glow 
•   LG's new Dolby Vision 4K Blu-ray player 
•   Roku ruling the world 
•   CD archiving app of choice 
•   4K UHD streaming gear 
•   TV moving/installation tips 
•   Your excellent feedback & questions 

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AVexcel - Episode 53

Recorded on August 17, 2017 

Hosts: Patrick Norton and Robert Heron 

The rundown: 

• Netflix vs Disney 
• Star Trek Discovery 
• MQA on Tidal 
• Apple going 4K 
• Canon does color in the dark 
• Excellent feedback & questions 

AVexcel is 100% powered by our awesome crew of Patreon supporters - thank you! 

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AVexcel - Episode 52

Recorded on July 21, 2017 

Hosts: Patrick Norton and Robert Heron

The rundown:

• A Tidal rant
• Traveling with good AV
• CEDIA - a favorite trade show
• Answering your awesome questions
  • Video compression
  • Searching for great OLED deals
  • TV speaker upgrade on a budget
  • Bigger screen TVs
  • Rear-channel speaker options
  • Your first Blu-ray movie
  • Headphones for everyone

AVexcel is 100% powered by our awesome crew of Patreon supporters - thank you! 

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AVexcel - Episode 51

Recorded on July 21, 2017 

Hosts: Patrick Norton and Robert Heron

The rundown:

• Affordable HDTV reception
• Dolby Cinema's milestone
• Tweeter upgrades
• The people's UHD TV
• Answering your awesome questions

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AVexcel - Episode 50

Recorded on July 14, 2017 - Patrick and Robert celebrate a milestone with details of Alexa on Android TV, VR's increasing affordability, a little AV101 with LOUDNESS, an interview with the quantum dot masters at Nanosys, and so much more!

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AVexcel - Episode 49

Recorded on July 7, 2017 - Patrick and Robert celebrate Disney’s first UHD Blu-ray release, pit QLED vs. OLED, witness vinyl's resurgence, consider exotic speaker components, prepare themselves for Cord Cutting Day, and so much more! 

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AVexcel - Episode 48

Recorded on June 30, 2017 

Patrick Norton and Robert Heron are upgrading the home theater goodness 

Our Patreon supporters make AVexcel possible, and we thank 'em all 

The tingly bits

• LG's 77-inch Wallpaper OLED arrives
• Dolby Atmos coming to Netflix
  • LG 2017 OLEDs ready to go
  • Xbox One S/X
  • Atmos title list
• Loving dynamic metadata
• Photo-emissive QD LCDs in 2018

Sub-$2500 projector delights

• Sony sweet 45ES 1080p 3D
• LG's sub-$1500 1080p laser
• Xiaomi's sub-$1500 5K-lumen laser
• DCI color options
  • Epson Home Cinema 4000
    • Projector Central's preview
  • Optoma UHD60/UHD65
• DCI + laser = (still) expensive

Amazon Prime Day

• camelcamelcamel
• Wirecutter deals

DAC doings

• JDS Labs
  • EL DAC
  • True Performance Design
• Schiit Fulla 2
  • Original Fulla = great deal
• audioquest DragonFly
• Sean Olive on blind testing

Thank you

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AVexcel - Episode 47

Recorded on June 22, 2017 

Patrick Norton and Robert Heron are embracing the home theater goodness 

Our Patreon supporters make AVexcel possible, and we thank 'em all 

The tingly bits

• CPU doings
• The Verge loves TCL P-Series
  • Claiming good DCI-P3 color
  • Roku bringing it all together

Thank you for your support of AVexcel

Pat soaks in Focal

• Sopra N°3
• Sphear
• Spark - TekThing review
• 1MORE Triple Driver

Your great communications

Christian's archiving discs

• RedFox for Blu-rays
• MakeMKV
• HandBrake

Tyler needs a good headphone cable

• Eying HIFIMAN Crystalline Cable
• Good strain relief is good
• Best in the Verse Cables
• Mimic Cables
• Blue Jeans Cable

@KBraunPhoto needs surge protection

• Wirecutter's best recommendation
• Tripp Lite
• Power conditioner

@cousin_dave's Pioneer Home AV sighting

• Became part of Onkyo in 2015
• Pioneer Electronics USA still doing
  • Car electronics
  • Optical discs
  • Technical Audio Devices

Robert's LUT adventures

• Blackmagic Teranex Mini 12G
• SDI-to-HDMI
• Programmable LUT support
• Look Up Table

Happy birthday, dear Quake

Thank you

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AVexcel - Episode 46

Recorded on June 15, 2017 

Patrick Norton and Robert Heron are building the home theater goodness 

Our Patreon supporters make AVexcel possible, and we thank 'em all 

The tingly bits

More 4K projection

• Optoma's $2000 4K wonder
• Dell's 5000-lumen Laser
• Christie Digital D13HD-HS
  • Blue + red lasers can do wide color
  • 11,500 ANSI lumen
  • 4.5x the cost of the Dell
  • Not 4K, but that color...

AV101 - a quiet base

• Quiet rooms make for better listening

Sweet Q&A

• Mike wants a UHD disc player w/Dolby Vision
  • Oppo UDP-203/UDP-205 or bust
  • Chance: Xbox One S future update
• James considers a Definitive setup
  • Definitive Technology
  • ProMonitor 1000
  • BP9060
• Kevin's looks at OLED TV burn-in
  • aka uneven pixel wear
  • aka permanent image retention
  • More robust than plasma
  • Less than LCDs
  • Modern projectors very burn-in resistant
  • Mix up viewed content

OTA adventures

• Upgraded flat antenna
• WallTenna
• Live channel goodness

Thank you

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AVexcel - Episode 45

Recorded on June 9, 2017 

Patrick Norton and Robert Heron are igniting the home theater goodness 

Our Patreon supporters make AVexcel possible, and we thank 'em all 

The tingly bits

• Tired of 720p broadcasts
  • In a 4K world...
  • <1M video pixels on 8MP TVs
• Oppo 203 gets Dolby Vision update
  • Thank you, @Locobooff
  • DV movies arrive
    • Despicable Me
    • Lego Batman
    • Fate of the Furious
    • Power Rangers
• Apple's WWDC17
  • Amazon (video) on Apple
  • AirPods + tvOS 11 = automagic
• NVIDIA SHIELD update loves NAS

Pat's Buffy-o-rama

• SD-to-HD or SDR-to-HDR
• Buffy is a butt
• Nerdist article
• Gizmodo's take
• The Verge details a mess

Your awesome feedback

• Jeff needs a 55-inch TV
  • Budget ~$2k, then OLED
  • Otherwise, go good 2017 LCD
• Much love: Optoma 4K projectors
  • UHD60
  • UHD65
  • Projector Central's 4K DLP article
• @chrishoage reminds us that CableCARD + PLEX = OK

AV101

• Geoffrey Morrison's HDMI explainer

Eyeballs on...

• NBA Finals in glorious 720p
• Civ 6
• John Wick
• Wonder Woman

Listening time

• Amber Rubharth
  • Sessions from the 17th Ward
• Chesky Records
• Vandersteen 2ci
• Tekton Mini Lore

Thank you 

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AVexcel - Episode 44

Recorded on June 1, 2017 

Patrick Norton and Robert Heron are absorbing the home theater goodness 

Our Patreon supporters make AVexcel possible, and we thank 'em all 

The tingly bits

• Plex Live TV for OTA enthuasiasts
• 4K broadcasting spec getting closer
• Toshiba's new OLED
• BOE's 'true QLED'

You asked

• @tomprossima asked about sdr-to-hdr conversion
  • Film has incredible contrast/color performance
• Mikkel inquired if stereo is enough in a 4K world
• Josh asked about the (potential) beauty of a look up table (LUT)

Patrick Norton's super-interview w/Audeze co-founder and CEO, Sankar Thiagasamudram

Thank you

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AVexcel - Episode 43

Recorded on May 25, 2017 

Patrick Norton and Robert Heron are modding the home theater goodness 

Our Patreon supporters make AVexcel possible, and we thank 'em all 

The tingly bits

• Sweet deal on KEF's T105
  • UltraThin 5.1 kit
• No-projection cinema
  • DCI says OK
• Samsung's new LCDs
  • MU9000 + MU8000
    • 1000-nits
    • Low-lag 240Hz
    • Anti-reflective
    • No quantum dot tech

Sweet Q&A

• @shana_tornado desires a smart-less display
• @Nat_The_Gooner wants the 4K box
• @bucketo searches for TV OS nirvana
• @SconnieTek seeks a soundbar
  • Sonos sounds great
  • More great soundbar options
  • Hsu Research = superb subs
  • Monoprice's amazing $100 sub

Headphone design redux

• Housing/earcup design
• Driver design
• Frame design
• Fostex T50RP Mods/Measurements
• InnerFidelity

Final words

• @mike_shay reminds us that YouTube TV includes Red Originals but not an ad-free experience
• @rgherrera's looking for TV's w/BT
  • Mid-to-premium TVs often have Bluetooth
  • Could add a Roku Ultra
• Vincent Teoh's YouTube channel
• Remembering John Hurt

Thank you

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AVexcel - Episode 42

Recorded on May 18, 2017 

Patrick Norton and Robert Heron are rectifying the home theater goodness 

Our Patreon supporters make AVexcel possible, and we thank 'em all 

The tingly bits

• Element's Amazon Fire (4K) TV
  • Arriving June 14, 2017
• YouTube TV adds more channels
• Mr. Rogers on Twitch
• MP3 is probably free
• Hearables
• Vizio's HDR update for E-Series
• Pioneer's UHD BD PC ODD

Direct input

• @scottphillips88 is in search of budget 4K projection
  • Look for news at CEDIA 2017
• @ruairi wonders what makes a good headphone
  • "It's everything"
  • Cool new magnets

Remembering

• Powers Boothe
• Bill Paxton

Calibration doings

• 2016 LG C6 OLED
  • Best 3D TV ever made
  • Terrible power plug
• 2015 Samsung JS8500 LCD
  • Best flat LCD of that year
• Both TVs: superb white balance/color after setup
• TIP: avoid adjusting WB controls higher - go lower

Thank you

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AVexcel - Episode 41

Recorded on May 11, 2017 

Patrick Norton and Robert Heron are amplifying the home theater goodness 

Our Patreon supporters make AVexcel possible, and we thank 'em all 

Stuff we love

• Amazon Video is coming to the Apple TV
• Sony's A1E OLED TV looks awesome
• Netflix rolling out Mobile HDR
• Luminoodle

Pat's Time Phase Alignment Link-o-rama

• Vandersteen FAQ
• MiniDSP - Audio delay
• AV sync
• Audio latency
• PC audio latency
• Time/phase coherence
• Callisto loudspeaker
• Time/phase alignment
• Phase-coherent loudspeakers
• Focal Sopra N°2
• Focal Grande Utopia EM
• Phase Audibility
• Crossovers Are Evil
• Loudspeaker Crossovers
• Time, Frequency, Phase and Delay
• Phase + Time Coherence
• Phase Tech by MSE Audio
• Danley speaker tech
• Speed of sound
• Frequency vs speed
• Loudspeaker time alignment

Questions/Answers/Clarity

• Christian's LCD has a glowing cloud
• Mike delivers DSP clarity

Eyeball grabbers

• Still fascinated by The Get Down
• American Gods
• In search of Formula 1 in 4K
• Dunkirk
• Heat
• Reservoir Dogs
  • Has Reservoir Dogs Aged Well
• Pulp Fiction

The interview

• Jason Lord
  • The Source AV Design Group

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AVexcel - Episode 40

Recorded on May 4, 2017 

Patrick Norton and Robert Heron are nurturing the home theater goodness 

Our Patreon supporters make AVexcel possible, and we thank 'em all 

Time to double-check the levels

May the 4th be with you

• SFGate - 11 movies that inspired Star Wars

Bandwidth sucking neighbors

• A good network helps
• Better CPUs on UHD streamers
• The beauty of discs

Patrick's MiniDSP project

• Creating sub-channel from stereo source

Vizio is Vizio again

• CTO dropping P-Series details
  • Thank you, @FmHolty
• *logarithmic

So many lumens

• Epson Home Cinema 1450
• 3LCD, 1080p, 4,200-lumens
• Light-rejecting screens

Scott's in search of a great $500 TV

• Consider screen size first
• Built-in apps generally suck
• Add an HDMI switch if needed
• The best $500 TV
  is a projector
• We love Hisense and TCL too

Pat's interview preview

• Audeze
• MrSpeakers
• More next week

What we’re watching

• Planet Earth II in UHD Blu-ray
• Thankful for Unlocator
• Archer - season 8
• LOTS of IP cameras
• American Gods
• The Get Down

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AVexcel - Episode 39

Recorded on March 14, 2017 

Patrick Norton and Robert Heron are returning to the home theater goodness 

Our Patreon supporters make AVexcel possible, and we thank 'em all 

Great 2017 TVs Arrive

• Sony XBR-A1E BRAVIA OLED
  • Available April
  • Acoustic Surface
  • X1 Extreme processor
  • Super Bit-Mapping 4K HDR
  • Less banding artifacts
  • Android TV
  • Google Assistant
• Samsung Q9 QLED TV
  • Improved AR coating
  • Metal quantum dots
  • New sub-pixel design
  • Fiber optic link to input box
  • New “The Frame” design
    • 55-inch + 65-inches only
• Q8 (curved) Pricing
  • 55-inches $3500
  • 65-inches $4800
• Q7 (flat) Pricing
  • 55-inches $2800
  • 65-inches $4000
  • 75-inches $6000

AV101: bi-wiring

• Each speaker gets its own amp wire
• Not bi-amping

Pat's speaker doings

• Wirecutter: best speaker wire
• miniDSP UMIK-1 USB mic
• miniDSP 2x4 kit

Great questions

• John needs to try Tidal
  • Has Pioneer AVR
    • Load mobile app + try AirPlay
  • Volumio
  • Roon Labs
  • ELAC Discovery Music Server
• @KyleEJohnson looking at HDMI 2.x mobos
  • DisplayPort 1.2 to HDMI 2.0 adapter
• @SconnieTek needs a big screen value
  • Love the Roku TVs
  • This 65-inch Hisense 4K screen
• @erikbelusic's triple-driver needs
  • Start w/Monoprice 8323
  • V-MODA Forza In-Ear
  • 1MORE Quad Driver In-Ear
  • 1MORE Triple Driver

Viewing doings

• Wolf Children
• Game of Thrones
• MLB.tv

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AVexcel - Episode 38

Recorded on March 7, 2017 

Patrick Norton and Robert Heron are listening to the home theater goodness 

Our Patreon supporters make AVexcel possible, and we thank 'em all 

Exciting the senses

• Patreon Google Hangouts
  • March 16th and 30th
• YouTube TV
  • "TV made for you"
  • $35/mo
  • 6 accounts
  • 40+ channels
  • Unlimited DVR
• Spotify to offer lossless
• Netflix's AI video optimizations

Pat's electrostatic adventures

• The Source AV
• Sennheiser Orpheus HE 1
• HIFIMAN Shangri-La
• MrSpeakers Aeon

AV 101: Electrostatic loudspeaker

• Dynamic (speaker) headphones
  • Monoprice 8323
  • Focal Utopia
• Planar magnetic speakers
  • Fostex T50RP
  • HIFIMAN HE400s
  • MrSpeakers ETHER Flow

Sonos PLAYBASE

• Sound-base design
• ~2.3 inches high
• 10 speakers
  • Class D drivers for each
  • 6 mids
  • 3 tweeters
  • 1 sub
• $700

LG W7 Wallpaper OLED

• An all around better OLED
• Superb HD reproduction
• New 2-pt HDR calibration
• ~20ms HDR game mode
• 65-/77-inches

And then some...

• Samsung QLED TVs available now
• Dolby Lab tour
  • Great view

What we're watching

• Blu-rays
  • Moana
  • Jackie
  • S.O.B.

Gaming goodness

• Firewatch
• Nintendo Switch

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