On this week's show we take a look at the summer's best TVs according to RTINGS.COM. We also read your emails and take a look at the week's news.

News:

• This 'Google TV Streamer' set-top box is what comes after Chromecast
• Spotify HiFi likely to cost $17 or $18 a month
• Verizon Can Get Free NFL Sunday Ticket on YouTube TV or YouTube
• DirecTV Warns FCC: Without Early Termination Fees, Our Equipment and Installation Costs Are Going To Be Paid For by Our Customers Upfront

RTINGS.COM has published an article "The 8 Best TVs - Summer 2024" and we take a look at four of them. The article has the entire list.

Best Budget TV - Hisense U6/U6K (Street Price $780 for 75" if you can find it)

If you want to spend less, the best budget TV we've tested is the Hisense U6/U6K. It delivers a surprisingly great performance for the price. The Hisense has excellent contrast, so dark scenes look amazing in a dark room, with little blooming around bright areas of the screen. It also has good peak brightness in SDR and decent reflection handling, so glare isn't an issue in a brighter room. It has an excellent color volume, making this TV very colorful overall. It's bright enough in HDR for a pleasant viewing experience, and just like the Hisense U7N, it supports both HDR10+ and Dolby Vision HDR, although it doesn't support advanced DTS audio formats. Full Review…

Mixed Usage 7.4, TV Shows 6.9, Sports 7.0, Video Games 7.8, HDR Movies 7.5, HDR Gaming 8.0, PC Monitor 7.7

Best Mid-Range TV - LG B3 OLED (Street Price $1800 for 77")

The LG B3 OLED is the best mid-range TV we've tested if you want something cheaper and still want high-end features. It's a great mid-range TV and can be an excellent entry point into the OLED market. The TV has all the features of the more expensive LG C3 OLED, but the B3 is dimmer and has only two HDMI 2.1 ports. It still delivers outstanding picture quality, especially in a dark room, with its near-infinite contrast ratio delivering deep, inky blacks with no distracting blooming. Its built-in webOS platform is just as fast on this lower-tier model, and it still has very good image processing, so it has no issues upscaling lower-resolution content if you watch DVDs, cable boxes, or Blu-rays. It also has Dolby Vision HDR and supports DTS advanced audio formats, which is great for physical media as it tends to use DTS for their audio tracks. Full Review…

Mixed Usage 8.7, TV Shows 8.3, Sports 8.5, Video Games 9.3, HDR Movies 8.8, HDR Gaming 9.0, PC Monitor 9.2

Best Bright Room TV - Sony BRAVIA 9 QLED (Street Price $3500 for 75")

If you need a TV for a room with a lot of lights on, the Sony BRAVIA 9 QLED is an amazing option. Its superb reflection handling and SDR brightness mean it easily overcomes glare in the brightest rooms, so you aren't distracted by reflections on your TV screen. As impressive as this TV is in a bright room, it's also spectacular for use in a dark room. It has exceptional contrast that delivers incredibly deep blacks that are close to what you get from an OLED, with almost no blooming, thanks to its highly effective local dimming control. It's also a great option for 4k Blu-ray collectors or those looking to get the most out of high-quality streaming services due to its support for Dolby Vision and DTS audio formats. Full Review…

Mixed Usage 8.8, TV Shows 8.4, Sports 8.3, Video Games 9.1, HDR Movies 9.0, HDR Gaming 9.0, PC Monitor 8.7

Best Home Theater TV - Sony A95L OLED (Street Price $5000 for 77")

If you're looking for the absolute best TV for a home theater setup and don't care as much about the price, check out the Sony A95L OLED. Although it's a very similar TV to the Samsung S90C OLED, it's better for home theaters thanks to its advanced video format support. Compared to Samsung's HDR10+ format, the Sony TV supports the more popular Dolby Vision HDR, so you'll enjoy the most advanced HDR experience possible from almost any source. Sony's processing does a better job following the content creator's intent, so the brightness and colors of HDR content look the way they're supposed to. It also offers better audio format support than the Samsung, including DTS:X passthrough over eARC, so you can simplify your connection to your audio-video receiver by running everything through your TV without sacrificing audio quality. Full Review…

Mixed Usage 9.2, TV Shows 8.9, Sports 9.1, Video Games 9.3, HDR Movies 9.3, HDR Gaming 9.1, PC Monitor 9.4

On this week's show we have an AppleTV and a native GoogleTV comparison from a listener. We also read your emails and take a look at the week's news.

News:

• Samsung is helping to bring AirPlay to more hotel rooms
• NBCUniversal to Offer 400+ Hours of 4K HDR Olympics Coverage on USA Network, a Record
• Turns out Netflix makes more money if it just acts like regular TV

Other:

• Handcrafted in the USA - Vintage Reclaimed Maple & Elm Speakers
• Doitforme.solutions
• Apollo Group TV

Around Thanksgiving the finance committee allowed me to purchase a new Hisense U7K 75" 4K TV. However, once I got the TV setup and ready to go, something weird happened with my Apple TV that I had been using on the TV in that room. Max just stopped working. I did all the troubleshooting to no avail. I decided that I would give the built in Google TV a shot to see if that could be a long-term solution. Over the course of six months I went back and forth with the two platforms and took notes. I thought I would write up my findings for everyone.

A few caveats:

1. This is my first experience with Google TV
2. The Google TV is the built in version on my TV
3. I live in the Apple ecosystem and I have owned every Apple TV from the 1st gen to the current. So, I do know the Apple TV a lot better, but I did my best to be fair.

User Interface

Apple TV: The user interface is very nice, it seems lighter, crisp and clean. You can easily design the Home Screen the way you would like it laid out and create folders. I have a folder for my main TV/Movie apps, then one for sports, another for movies, etc. Because you can customize the Home Screen it is very easy to navigate to where you want to go.

Google TV: When you open it, you are at the top of google TV page with their offerings and everything is laid out in rows. The App icons seem smaller than apps on the Apple TV and smaller than the "Google Recommended" apps. You must scroll past those to get to your apps. I have not found a way to rearrange the main page so I can move my apps above the recommended offerings. You can move your apps in the order you would like but it is not as nice. I did try to find out if you can use folders on Google TV and it does not look like you can. The interface is what it is.

Remotes:

Apple TV: The metal Siri remote in my opinion is one of the best remotes out there. I can control 98% of what I need to use from that one remote. The other 2% is for those times I can't find a digital copy of a movie I own and need to use the Blu-Ray or tweak the picture of the TV. Very quick to navigate with the remote around the Apple TV. Also, the iPhone companion remote is really good too.

Google TV: The remote that came with the TV controls my HT gear and if I used Google home I'm sure the remote's mic would give me voice control of lights and thermostat similar to the Apple remote. Additionally, I find swiping over the touch-enabled clickpad much easier than clicking up/down/left/right buttons on the TV's remote. I didn't have luck setting up the iPhone remote with the TV, this is probably a me item and I didn't spend a lot of time worrying about it.

Apple TV+ vs Google TV's Home app:

Both apps have a lot in common, like Movie/TV suggestions, an area for your purchased content, etc. Apple's implementation is self-contained and can be placed anywhere on your home screen. Google's version is fixed at the top of the screen and you must scroll down the screen to get to your apps.

Picture quality, audio and App Responsiveness:

So the last test was to actually watch some video to see if there was any difference.

The setup:

• Internet – AT&T 1.0 GPS fiber, using a TPLink Mesh router – delivering 300 Mbs to the TV
• Denon AVR-X3200W receiver – running Dolby Atmos
• Speakers – RSL home theater package, 12" RSL speedwoofer and mirage omni-directional Atmos speakers

I set up both the TV and my Apple TV for Dolby Vision and started watching content on both services. One thing I couldn't do was turn on Dolby Vision for the Google TV which shocked me. The TV did auto switch and even though HBO Max said the movie was in Dolby Vision it would only do HDR. I tried to figure out the issue but couldn't quickly find an answer. I quickly realized that any movie purchased from the Apple store was of higher quality than those from any of the streaming companies both in picture and sound.

I watched a few scenes from the latest Aqua man as there were some really dark scenes with good color and then some Star Wars. With the Google TV setup to use HDR and the TV in the Movie preset, the picture was good. The AppleTV produced a little bit better picture with the same TV preset. The AppleTV sounded better too. I could hear some additional sounds on the AppleTV that I couldn't hear while using GoogleTV.

The biggest difference was App responsiveness. When opening an app on the AppleTV, its click and it opens. GoogleTV took a few seconds. Then clicking the play button would buffer for about 10-20 seconds before playing and the picture was lower resolution for a few seconds. The video on the AppleTV started right up and I didn't notice any picture issues.

Built in vs Stand Alone Box

Built in OS strengths:

• Built into the TV
• Pretty easy to setup right out of the box
• Integrated into the TV and remote

Stand Alone Strengths:

• Both hardware and software designed for a singular purpose
• Not TV dependent
• You can take it with you when you travel
• If new features are not supported due to hardware limitations you can buy a new STB

Built in OS weakness:

• If new features are not supported due to hardware limitations you are stuck
• Hardware more likely designed for the TV and the OS a secondary
• If you have multiple TVs with different OSes you will have an inconsistent experience
• May cause you to stay within a manufacturer's product line to keep the same OS within the home
• Can become slower than the stand-alone devices over time

Stand Alone weakness:

• They cost extra
• Hard to switch eco-systems due to cost of devices if you wanted to

Summary:

I was really surprised by a few things after doing the comparison. The first being the lack of Dolby Vision on the Google OS built into my Hisense TV. The option was not available for the Google Home app. I usually leave the TV in Dolby Vision on the Apple TV as I find the picture pretty good with all content and I'm not a fan of my TV's auto switching (going black for a few seconds).

The second was the difference in app responsiveness and picture start up times. The Apple TV was quicker in both aspects. The last was the difference in the quality of purchased movies from Apple versus the streamers and purchases from Amazon. Streamers and Amazon were inferior to the same content from Apple. I did not compare streamers and Amazon versus Google using native apps on the GoogleTV.

Bottom line I believe an Apple TV is like a well-made German car, over engineered, nice looking with features you didn't know you wanted until you lose them. Google OS is your typical mid-range SUV that everyone makes, most people drive and they all look similar and they get the job done of getting you from here to there.

On this week's show we look at the "Must Keep" TV brands and 5 surefire signs it's time to upgrade your TV according to Tom's Guide. We also read your emails and look at the week's news.

News:

• Netflix Boots Legacy Subscribers Off Its $11.99 Basic Ad-Free Plan
• Stars and APMC pioneer game-changing VICTORY+ Sports Network
• LG Introduces Its First Curated Content Channel
• YouTube TV Still Dominates, But Frndly TV & Philo See Strong Growth in 2024

Other:

• Dear Roku, you ruined my TV
• My Media for Alexa

A survey of 1,400 U.S. consumers aged 12 and up conducted in May found Netflix was the top choice for consumers for the fifth straight year, with ABC, Prime Video, CBS and Fox all finishing in the top five. Full article here…

It's no secret that TVs always improve year-over-year, whether that's because they offer higher brightness, better color vibrancy, better contrast or some mixture of the three. That said, unless you have plenty of cash to spare and make it your passion project, it's unlikely you're upgrading every year. Full article here…

On this week's show we continue our discussion of Rick Beato's argument that music is too easy to make. We read your emails and take a look at the week's news.

News:

• Dish to Bundle Netflix Free for Existing Customers Who Re-Up for 2 Years
• Fubo Launches on Xumo and Xfinity Flex Streaming Devices
• Redbox Owner Files for Bankruptcy
• Apple TV+ continues to grow in the US, this time overtaking Paramount+
• Netflix Just Commissioned Its Largest Number of Titles in 3 Years (ICYMI)

Other:

• A song about the HT Guys
• Haptique RS90: A True universal remote controller by Cantata — Kickstarter
• I Know You're Angry, So Am I..

I just listened to your podcast episode "Is Music Getting Worse," related to Rick Beato's YouTube video, which I also watched a few days ago. He raised some intriguing points, both about changes over the years with sampling, autotune, and quantization, as well as how AI will undoubtedly impact the industry as well. It's a fascinating and complex topic, and I wanted to share some thoughts.

First off, my daughter is a professional opera singer, so I am very sensitive to the fact that I would not want artists who are deep in their craft to be supplanted by technology. Losing the human aspect altogether would be a tragedy for us all, whether as creators or as consumers of music. Selfishly, for my daughter and for all artists, I want humans to be respected and compensated for the obvious heart and soul that they put into their craft.

With respect to AI, one major and well-founded concern is that relying too heavily on AI could lead to a homogenization of music, where unique, human-driven creativity could become overshadowed by algorithms, resulting in music that degrades to the mean and lacks soul. Which I would argue has happened well before AI has come on the scene.

Having said that, AI also has the potential to enhance music production by automating tedious tasks and providing new tools for musicians, which could free up artists to focus more on the creative aspects of their work.

One aspect that often gets overlooked in these discussions is that music production isn't just about the creative performers—the singers and musicians. It involves a vast array of professionals, including audio and sound engineers, mastering engineers, and various other technical experts who all play a crucial role in shaping the final product. The Beatles used these talented engineers at Abbey Road to come up with iconic sounds that would never have been achievable by the members of the Beatles alone. So, one must ask, where is the line?

As AI improves and enables the creation of individual tracks, or stems (currently most AI song generators provide fully formed sound waves), it could open up new avenues to innovate and bring different types of music together by mixing and arranging music in virtually unlimited ways.

While the focus tends to be on how AI might impact the creative people who write, sing, and play songs, it's also worth considering how it could empower the broader community of producers. This technology might unlock new channels of creativity and collaboration that we haven't even imagined yet.

In addition, for the creators, the use of AI song/sound generators as "sketch pads" for fleshing out songs, similar to how demo tapes were used prior to final recording, is a fascinating thought exercise. It could serve as a tool to experiment and develop ideas before committing to a final version. Or to bring an idea to a group of real musicians to refine and play live.

I'm a child of the 70s and 80s. I love Cheap Trick and the Scorps! I also love British new wave, Alt and Psychedelia. To "prove" a point, I used a service called UDIO. It is one of the services that you mentioned are being sued at the moment. I prompted the AI to give me song snippets in the style of British pop, Alt Rock, Psychedelia, etc. I took a bunch of these song snippets and stitched them together in a DAW (Digital Audio Workstation), very much the same way that music producers currently "create" full-blown songs. I have attached the MP3 for your listening "pleasure" (take with a big grain of salt!).

I share this with you as a simple example of what could be. It is not a great song by any means; it's derivative, it's corny, and it will never make the charts, but that's not the point. If it was streaming at a bar in the background, I wouldn't think it was horrible; in fact, it might be great background music for that setting. And this is version 1 of this new technology. What will it be like in the next 5-10 years? I've been listening to you guys for at least that long. Think about how the audio and video industries have changed so dramatically during that time, whether with the 400-pound TVs you guys referenced or in the quality of streaming vs physical media we have seen over that time.

You guys questioned whether AI would be successful in music. I only have to look at throngs of people going to EDM concerts where there is no band, just a DJ playing "stream of consciousness" with audio loops to know that this technology will definitely have a place. The questions are, where, to what extent and how will the money flow??

Eager to hear your thoughts. Great show, and I appreciate your perspectives on all things home audio, video, and automation.

Joe Albanian

On this week's show Ara and Braden discuss a video made by Rick Beato where he posits that new music is getting worse. We also read your emails and take a look at the week's news.

News:

• Amid Another Worst Quarter Ever for U.S. Pay TV, Even YouTube TV Lost Subscribers in Q1, Analyst Says
• LG Launches OLED B4 4K TV Series
• Five Men Convicted of Operating Massive, Illegal Streaming Service
• Mini LED Backlight LCD Display Market to Surpass OLED Displays in 2025

Others:

• The biggest CRT ever made: Sony's PVM-4300
• Twisters Movie

Robert Spivack sent us an email with a link to this Rick Beato video titled The Real Reason Why Music Is Getting Worse. This immediately appealed to me since I spend a lot of time creating speakers to make the music I listen to sound as good as it possibly can.

On this week's show we give a brief lesson on American Antitrust law and how it applies to Hollywood. We also review the SofaBaton X1S Universal Remote. Is it a Harmony Replacement? We also read your emails and take a look at the week's news.

News:

• New YouTube TV Customers Can Get Can Get NFL Sunday Ticket For Just $179 a Year
• Disney Bundle Cuts Hulu Churn Nearly in Half (Charts of the Day) | Next TV
• Brad Pitt's Formula 1 Film Gets June 2025 Release Date From Apple
• Sony Pictures Buys Alamo Drafthouse

Other:

• Only 100 cinemas can show 'Inside Out 2' as Pixar intended
• The HDR Superchannel
• Stop the FOMO

We have been searching for a Harmony Replacement since they discontinued what we felt was the best "consumer grade" remote on the market. We reviewed the SofaBaton X1 last november and felt it came close to being the Harmony Replacement. It worked but it still had some rough edges.

Well, SofaBaton is back with the X1S ($189.99). The X1S has enhanced performance and compatibility compared to the X1. The X1S boasts features like "Raise to Wake" and supports a vast array of devices, over 500,000 across IR, Bluetooth, and WiFi thanks to its use of the "cloud code library".

There is even a Smart SofaBaton App, that allows you to manage devices, personalize buttons and activities. The X1S makes use of a hub that offers 360 degree control, 40 foot infrared range, and has support for IR blasters for devices in different rooms or in cabinets.

There is also support for hands free control with Alexa and Google Assistant, personalized macro buttons, and API integration allows for third parties to further expand on the X1S' capabilities. The X1S also has backlit buttons, and a 45 day battery. The full feature list is below:

Features:

SofaBaton X1S Universal Remote:

• Enhanced performance and compatibility over X1
• Supports 500,000+ devices (IR, Bluetooth, WiFi)
• Includes powerful cloud code library

Smart SofaBaton App:

• Device management and customization
• Favorite channel organization
• Remote tracking and phone backup control

Effortless OneClick Activities:

• Initiates predefined device settings with one command
• Example: "Music Time" activity for automated device control

Powerful Hub:

• 360degree control
• 40foot infrared range
• 2 IR blasters for signal coverage
• Can be hidden in cabinet
• Voice Control with Alexa and Google Assistant

Personalized Macro Buttons:

• Customizable key functions
• Create sequences for complex operations

API Integration:

• Integration with other applications
• Personalized control through simple configurations

Highlight Design:

• Raise To Wake function
• Backlight buttons
• Rechargeable battery lasting up to 45 days
• Thumb scroll wheel for quick device switching

Setup:

The setup process started out intuitive, but it required additional effort and time to fine tune the configuration. The Harmony had some configuration issues too but the X1S was a little more cumbersome. Once you grasp the app's workflow you can work through the issues. The app provides a step by step guide to help you quickly connect your devices. Like other remotes you can personalize buttons and set up macros for specific functions allowing you to customize the remote to suit your preferences.

It took me 90 minutes to get my system (AppleTV, Oppo UHD Player, SONY TV, and Yamaha Receiver) up and running. Like the Harmony, once you have added your devices you then create activities. Then you test and then you tweak and you finally get it dialed in.

One oddity was how the remote dealt with power. It has a concept of the steady state of the power setting for each device, which I thought was odd. So our tip is just say that your devices are always powered off. Then go into the startup settings and add the power on command for your devices. Do the opposite for the shutdown settings. This caused me at least 30 minutes of grief in setting it up. But once the setup was done the remote worked flawlessly!

Performance:

The SofaBaton X1S remote's build quality is top notch! And battery life is as advertised. The display is simple, clean and nothing fancy. I had to add delays between some commands for some activities to respond properly. The scroll wheel on the X1S is tighter and smoother than the X1, providing a more precise user experience. The inclusion of a USB C charging port allows usage while charging which is a nice added touch.

Syncing commands from the phone to the remote takes a long time which can be annoying while making tweaks to dial in the exact commands you want. But once it's set up you no longer have to worry about this. Also, the battery charging level is only visible from the main screen. It would be nice if you could see it from any screen.

We have used the remote for over a week and the family approves. No missed commands, easy to use. I still like my Harmony a little better but I am confident that the Sofabaton will improve with better configuration software and become the replacement to the Harmony we have all been wanting!

Pros:

• Pleasing design and buttons with solid tactile response.
• Backlit buttons are great for dark rooms.
• The IR blaster sends signals omnidirectional.
• Handy "find the remote" button.

Cons:

• The setup process proved challenging, particularly concerning the power settings. An unusual default configuration involved separate power on and power off buttons for each device, such as my receiver and TV.
• No Direct Number input
• No Dock for charging. Plugging in a cable is cumbersome
• Sync times are too slow
• The remote does not emit IR commands.

On this week's show we look at the best movie scenes to test your home cinema according to Denon and we examine Potential ways AI can enhance home automation. As usual, we read your email and take a look at the week's news.

News:

• Over Half of the Top 10 Most-Watched TV Networks Are Now Free with an Antenna
• AppleTV Improvements
• Apple Home App Improvements
• Hisense's VIDAA Is Now the No. 2 Smart TV OS Globally Behind Samsung Tizen

What's the purpose of a decent AV Receiver and surround speaker setup? To bring real cinema feeling to your home, with all the room-shaking bass, stuff flying all around and the feeling you are pulled directly into the action. Here are three outstanding movie scenes to really test your home theater's ability to suspend disbelief. Full article here…

AI can significantly enhance home automation by enabling smarter and more intuitive control of various devices, leading to increased convenience, energy efficiency, and security. Here are several ways AI can help in home automation:

Voice Programming

AI-powered virtual assistants like Amazon's Alexa, Google Assistant, or Apple's Siri can enable voice commands to program automations. Instead of using the GUI to select lights that you want to turn on at sunset. You will be able to just say something like: A-Lady set a routine turn on the family room lamp and the kitchen lights and the living room lamp fifteen minutes after sunset. And turn them off at 11:30 every day of the week. Or once it learns your routines you may just have to say: S-Lady turn on the appropriate lights fifteen minutes after sunset and off at 11:30 every day of the week.

Intelligent Automation

AI algorithms can learn household routines and preferences over time to automate tasks like adjusting the thermostat based on weather forecasts, turning off lights when rooms are unoccupied, or setting the coffee maker to start brewing when you wake up. This takes what our thermostats do today but applies it across all your devices.

AI algorithms can further optimize energy usage by intelligently controlling heating, cooling, and lighting based on factors like electricity rates, thereby reducing energy consumption and utility bills.

Predictive Maintenance

AI can monitor the performance of smart home devices and predict potential failures before they occur, allowing for proactive maintenance and potentially avoiding costly repairs. Especially handy for stuff like water heaters and air conditioners.

Enhanced Security

AI-powered cameras and sensors can analyze activity patterns to detect suspicious behavior, alert homeowners of potential threats, and even differentiate between familiar and unfamiliar faces to prevent false alarms.

Personalized Experiences

AI can tailor home environments to individual preferences, such as adjusting lighting, music playlists, or room temperatures based on the occupants' habits, schedules, and comfort levels.

Remote Monitoring and Control

AI enables homeowners to remotely access and control smart devices from anywhere using smartphones or other connected devices, offering peace of mind and flexibility. You can already do this with the big three with little to no networking skills required. But we envision a day when you don't need Homekit or Google Home to get this type of functionally without any knowledge of networking

Data Insights

AI can analyze data from various sensors and devices to provide insights into home usage patterns, energy consumption, and potential areas for improvement.

By integrating AI technologies into home automation systems, homeowners can enjoy a more comfortable, convenient, and efficient living environment while also potentially saving time, energy, and money.

On this week's show, Ara has a conversation with Robert Spivack of DoItForMe.Solutions about the state of "Matter". Not on a metaphysical level! We also read your emails and take a look at the week's news.

News:

• Apple TV Plus is finally coming to Android according to new report
• Nearly 60% of Sports Fans Age 18-49 Say They'll 'Likely' Subscribe to Venu Sports
• Older SVOD Subscribers Unfazed by Price Hikes Will Drive Revenue Growth
• A New Streaming Service Is Launching That Uses AI To Create Any Show You Would Want

Other:

• Sewel SW-29863-12
• Amazon Basics Speaker Connector Banana Plug

• LG 55-inch C3 Series OLED 4K TV: $1,300 Save $100 BestBuy
• Samsung 65-inch S95C OLED 4K TV: $2,300 Save $300 Best Buy
• Sony 65-inch Bravia XR A80L OLED 4K Google TV: $1,800 Save $200 Best Buy
• LG 77-inch B3 Series OLED 4K TV: 1,800 Save $200 Best Buy

Ara has a conversation with Robert Spivack of DoItForMe.Solutions about the state of "Matter". Not on a metaphysical level! ;-) Robert is a home automation technologist and he'll help you with your smart home and back control of your home automation system. You can find Robert at www.doitforme.solutions or give him a call at (408) 647-4687.

More information about Matter can be found here Connectivity Standards Alliance.

On this week's show we ask you to try an experiment with your friends and family. We also look at the history of VHS. Finally we read your emails and take a look at the week's news.

News:

• YouTube TV is testing an enhanced 720p quality setting too
• Most Cord Cutters Do Not Pay for a Live Service Like YouTube TV, Fubo, or Hulu + Live TV
• Roku Debuts Pro Series TV With Mini-LED Starting at $900

The other day we were watching a movie on Netflix and between my wife, brother-in-law, and his wife I noticed that everyone was periodically glancing at their phones. This kind of irritated me mainly because I have spent a lot of money on sound and picture and thought, they might as well be watching on a phone or tablet.

The next night, I asked my wife and kids to not only silence their phones but also put them away. We watched a movie and the family was a bit irritated. It seems that the only place they can really immerse themselves into a movie is actually at the cinema. I encourage you to try the following experiment:

• Minimize Distractions - this is any distraction digital or otherwise.
• Silence your devices - Put phones and tablets on silent and turn off any notifications on all the devices within ear shot.
• Quiet Environment - Choose a time when household noise is minimal. Shut doors and windows if external noise is an issue.

VHS, or Video Home System, was a home video recording format developed by JVC (Victor Company of Japan) in the 1970s. It became one of the dominant formats for home video playback and recording during the 1980s and 1990s.

Here is a brief history of VHS:

• Development - JVC unveiled the VHS system in Japan in 1976, offering consumers the ability to record and play back video content on videocassette recorders (VCRs) using magnetic tape. VHS was in direct competition with Sony's Betamax format, but thanks to longer recording time and lower production costs, VHS eventually emerged as the preferred choice among consumers.
• Market Dominance - Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, VHS gained widespread popularity and became the standard format for home video recording and distribution. Major Hollywood studios began releasing movies on VHS, leading to a booming rental market, especially with the rise of video rental stores like Blockbuster.
• Format Wars - The battle between VHS and Betamax is often cited as one of the most famous format wars in consumer electronics history. Despite Betamax's superior picture quality, VHS's longer recording time and lower cost attracted more consumers and content producers. By the late 1980s, VHS had clearly won the format war, leading to the eventual decline of Betamax.
• Expansion into Other Markets - VHS technology expanded beyond home video recording to become a standard format for recording television shows, archiving video content, and even for use in educational and industrial settings.
• Evolution and Decline - VHS continued to evolve with the introduction of VHS-C (compact VHS) for camcorders and Hi-Fi stereo sound capabilities. However, with the emergence of digital video formats like DVDs and later Blu-ray discs, VHS began its decline in the late 1990s and early 2000s. The last known major Hollywood film released on VHS was in 2006.
• Legacy - Despite its eventual obsolescence, VHS left a lasting impact on the home entertainment industry. Its widespread adoption paved the way for the concept of home video consumption and laid the foundation for the home entertainment market we see today.

VHS was a revolutionary technology that revolutionized the way people consumed and enjoyed video content at home. While it has been replaced by newer digital formats, its legacy as a pioneering home entertainment medium remains significant.

On this week's show TCL introduces new TVs and Soundbars for 2024 and can the newly named Venu Sports streaming service make cable operators obsolete? We also read your emails and take a look at the week's news.

News:

• Sports Streaming JV Gets a Name, Venu Sports
• Netflix Will Stream Two NFL Games This Christmas Day
• Panasonic Selects TiVo TVOS to Power Its Mid- and Entry-Level Smart TVs
• Sonos AceComcast Prices StreamSaver Bundle at $15 a Month

Other:

• Forums - Squeezebox
• piCorePlayer
• Lyrion Music Server
• HiFiBerry
• Forums - Slimdevices DIY

TCL is expanding its offerings for 2024 with the launch of an expansive TV and soundbar portfolio. The new releases include TV and sound bar models for multiple price points. The new TCL TV lineup aims to provide a home theater solution for virtually every need across its Smart S Class and QLED Q Class, along with an expanded range of sizes from 32″ to 115″. Full Article here…

TCL Q Class Smart TVTCL's new Q Class Smart TV models utilize Quantum Dot technology featuring UltraWide Color Gamut for enhanced QLED color. The TCL Q Class includes the Q65, Q68, QM7 and QM8 models, including three new 98" TVs and the world's largest QD-Mini LED TV. While TCL's 98″ TV offerings can satisfy virtually any cinephile or sports enthusiast, the 115″ QM89 is TCL's top-of-the-line QD-Mini LED TV for those looking to create or upgrade their theater room with an elevated viewing experience.

TCL S Class Smart TV

The S Class family of smart TVs include the S2 and S3, which will carry over into 2024's lineup. New to this year is the S5, which includes TCL's AiPQ Processor for enhanced image processing. Additionally, 55″+ S Class models feature Game Accelerator 120 for 120 VRR gaming.

TCL Q Class Sound Bar: High Quality Home Theater

The Q Class is TCL's premium sound bar family, supporting Dolby Atmos for high-quality home theater audio. The Q75H is a 5.1.2 sound bar featuring built-in side surround speakers, while the Q85H is a 7.1.4 sound bar that adds wireless rear speakers, incorporating rear Dolby Atmos up-firing drivers.

TCL S Class Sound Bar: Home Theater Made Simple

The new S Class sound bars include TCL's S45H and S55H models, now upgraded with Dolby Atmos and Auto Room calibration. These models also include other key features such as DTS Virtual:X Virtual 3D Surround, HDMI with eARC, Bluetooth, TCL TV Ready capability, and are wall mountable.

According to Aluma's Michael Greeson, the sports JV alone could cause 10% of users to cut the cord, and that would 'severely diminish the ability of operators to stay afloat' Full article here…

It boils down to the fact that the U.S. pay TV industry could face a lot of competition due to the newly named sports streaming service "Venu Sports". A recent survey indicated that about 32% of traditional cable subscribers and 38% of IPTV subscribers indicated some level of "likelihood" that they'd sign up for the new service.

The article says that if pay TV providers lose 10% of their customers due to the new service, it will severely diminish the ability of pay TV operators to sustain their businesses. Additionally, the impending direct-to-consumer launch of ESPN by Disney is also anticipated to pose a threat, with a significant percentage of potential ESPN subscribers indicating a likelihood to cancel their pay TV service, potentially impacting operators further.

These developments could have a detrimental impact on the pay TV industry, endangering the survival of operators struggling with declining subscriber bases. Side note - if the joint venture intends to rely on pull from those who have completely cut the cord, they can forget about it. Only 9% are legitimate prospects for the service."