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Tron: Ares vs. Predator: Badlands—Streaming Showdowns and Early HT Demo Kings

What a week and what a show! And it could’t have come at a better time! Spoiler alert: we have a couple of potential Home theatre experiences of the year… In January!!
Enjoy!

Lets get into ALL our Home Theater Experiences!
So much fun!
“If you can’t laugh while talking Home Theater, you’re doing something wrong.”
Right?
Push Play and hear for yourself.

In this week’s Bright Side Home Theater, Steve and DJ shake off the rust after a brief schedule shuffle, catch up with a lively live chat, and dig into a stack of fresh home theater experiences. The guys debate the surprising quality of IMAX Enhanced streaming for Tron: Ares on Disney+, weigh it against the Kaleidescape version, and discuss why—story quibbles aside—it’s the early front-runner for Home Theater Experience of the Year. They then jump to Apple’s digital release of Predator: Badlands, where the Atmos mix and inky black levels (even on the stream) make it a thrilling at-home upgrade over our theatrical viewings. On Netflix, The Rip (Affleck/Damon) delivers punchy gunfire and rock-solid HDR even if the plot is predictable fun. They also hit the big screen for 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple in 4K HDR Barco—great psychological swings and a notable commercial HDR presentation, though they still prefer the home setup.

Disc-wise, they celebrate Arrow’s new 4K/Atmos Under Siege—impressively tasteful HDR and a room-filling mix with smart overhead cues—and rave about DreamWorks’ Kung Fu Panda 4K upgrades: Part 1 is demo-grade video with lively Atmos, while Part 2 is very strong with a few jaw-dropping HDR moments. Along the way they guys talk AirPods Pro 3 ANC, Xreal glasses’ incoming real 3D update, variable aspect ratios vs. fixed, the value of calibration for streaming HDR, and a viral “home theaters are a boomer waste” take that gets properly set straight. They close with community shout-outs, a Patreon welcome, and a quick world tour—hello to our first listener in China!

CHAPTERS


1. (00:00:00) Cold open, banter, and easing back into the show
2. (00:01:40) Tech, warfare, and ethics: guns, drones, and video games
3. (00:05:35) Schedule changes, life updates, and a resilient community
4. (00:08:45) Live chat roll call and welcoming new listeners
5. (00:16:00) Gear corner: AirPods Pro 3 noise canceling impresses
6. (00:21:55) XR glasses update: real 3D coming to Xreal and use cases
7. (00:27:45) Listener support shout‑outs and Patreon thanks
8. (00:32:55) Friends hearing the show and the oddity of being recognized
9. (00:33:55) Debate: are home theaters a "boomer" waste or a passion?
10. (00:37:55) Awards talk: Hashtag Dork picks F1 for Bright Side HT Award
11. (00:42:45) Theatrical review: 28 Years Later – The Bone Temple (format notes)
12. (00:50:55) Cinema vs home: HDR Barco projection and why home still wins
13. (00:51:45) Netflix spotlight: The Rip (Damon & Affleck) – story and mix
14. (00:56:35) Artists, AI writing, and streaming economics (Artists Equity)
15. (01:01:00) Home theater take on The Rip: dark‑scene HDR and punchy gunfire
16. (01:08:00) Disc demo time: Kung Fu Panda 1 & 2 in 4K HDR and Atmos
17. (01:15:40) Top home theater contenders: Tron Ares (IMAX Enhanced stream)
18. (01:21:55) A/B talk: streaming vs disc for Tron Ares and VAR impact
19. (01:30:08) Predator: Badlands – stronger film, playful Atmos, vibrant HDR
20. (01:41:20) Variable aspect ratios: Oppenheimer vs Tron Ares preferences
21. (01:41:45) Catalog upgrade: Under Siege 4K (Arrow) – image and Atmos gains
22. (01:48:20) Die Hard in a… everything? Comparing genre clones with Under Siege
23. (01:53:16) Looking ahead, more reviews queued, and global listener count


Follow & Say Hi to the Guys on Twitter

DJ - Bright Side Home Theater (@BrightSideHT) / Twitter
John - John Circone ⚽️ (@JohnCircone) / Twitter
Steve - Steve George (@LegalBeagleOK) / Twitter

And if you’d like to contribute to the show…

Here are Two Ways YOU CAN BE ON THE SHOW

1. Email the guys and put “HT Experience” in the subject line they will talk about your comment on the Podcast.  
2. Email or DM Them on Twitter to schedule to record a Take Over Tuesday episode.

• A movie you liked or a Movie you hated? 
• A favorite scene?  
• Good or Bad Experience with Home Theater gear? 
• Comments about past Bright Side Home Theater podcasts?

Anything about your Home Theater Experience, just let them know and you’ll be on the show!

Links
Patreon: patreon.com/brightsidehometheater
Twitter: @BrightSideHT
email: [email protected]
web: Brightsidehometheater.com
Merch: www.teepublic.com/user/bright-side-home-theater

Thanks to:
Theme Music by Jeff Bernheart/Throne Vault Productions.
https://thronevaultproductions.bandcamp.com/