Unfortunately, there are some impediments to the immediate widespread availability of 4K. For example, it costs much more to make a 4K display, which must be very large to take full advantage of the extra resolution, so such products would be a lot more expensive in an era of rapidly falling prices and a weak economy. And even if 4K displays were available and affordable, what about content? Studios routinely scan and archive their movies at 4K or higher, and some now shoot with 4K digital cameras, but there's no delivery system for that much data to the home. A physical medium would need much more capacity and much higher bitrate than Blu-ray currently offers, and online streaming is impossible without a major upgrade to consumer broadband services.
The big question is how long will it take to resolve these issues so consumers can watch 4K content on 4K displays in their homes? When do you think this will happen?
Vote to see the results and leave a comment about your choice.
In addition, multichannel recordings offer more options than 2-channel—in particular, a choice of perspectives. Mixing engineers can put you in the audience with ambience (room reverb, audience noises during live shows, etc.) in the surround channels, or they can put you in the middle of the ensemble, what AIX calls the "stage perspective." On the other hand, the sweet spot for multichannel is much smaller than for 2-channel—a point in the middle of the speaker array instead of a line perpendicular to the plane of two speakers.
Which leads me to ask: When you sit down to listen to music, do you prefer 2-channel or multichannel recordings? If multichannel, do you prefer the audience or stage perspective?
Vote to see the results and leave a comment about your choice.
I sure as hell hope we'll still be watching TV at home in 10 years—I know I will be if I'm still around—but I also recognize that this activity is becoming more mobile, especially among younger viewers. Still, I expect both forms of TV consumption to remain viable for a long time—at home for the big-screen, high-quality experience and on a mobile device to pass the commute time (assuming you don't drive to and from work!).
Guttenberg's question got me wondering about the time our readers spend watching TV at home versus on the go—what is that ratio for you? When you cast your vote, select the ratio that most closely reflects your viewing habits. It will be very interesting to see the distribution of responses, and perhaps I'll run this question again in a year or two—or 10—to see how that distribution changes.
Vote to see the results and leave a comment about your choice.
This week, I'm asking the same question about music—how much do you listen at home versus on the go? Of course, the same issues arise in this case—the audio quality of your home system is likely far better than your iPod or other portable music player, but the portable player is far more convenient. On the other hand, portable music players have been around a lot longer than portable video players, and you can be doing other things while listening to music as opposed to watching video. So I suspect the distribution of answers might be somewhat different, with more people listening to music on the go more of the time. But I could be wrong…
Vote to see the results and leave a comment about your choice. Select the ratio that most closely reflects your listening habits.
Vote to see the results and leave a comment about your choice.
At the other end of the spectrum are systems that include only two speakers with or without a sub (2.1 or 2.0, respectively) or maybe three front speakers (left, center, right) and a sub, which is designated as 3.1. Finally, many folks, especially those with their main system in a small room, opt for a soundbar—a long, thin cabinet with several speaker drivers that, in some cases, simulates the sound of a surround system and might or might not include a separate subwoofer.
So I ask you—what is the speaker configuration in your main system? Some elaborate systems might have more than one subwoofer, in which case, select the option that reflects the number of main speakers. Then, I really hope you'll leave a comment describing your speaker system, including brand, models, and placement.
Vote to see the results and leave a comment about your choice.
Last November, I asked if you prefer an A/V receiver or separate components, but now I'm asking which you actually use in your main system. Select the item below that most closely reflects your system, and then please leave a comment with the make(s) and model(s) of your A/V electronics and why you chose them.
Vote to see the results and leave a comment about your choice.
Vote to see the results and leave a comment about your choice.
These days, few topics engage—or enrage—home-theater enthusiasts like 3D. This was clearly demonstrated by a recent news story on our sibling website HomeTheater.com—3DTV Boom Fails to Materialize. The story cites an online poll conducted by Vision Critical that indicates little support for the fledgling format among consumers in the US, Great Britain, and Canada.
As soon as that story was posted, a flurry of comments followed, some quite lengthy and thoughtful, which I encourage you to read. Meanwhile, I wonder if you think 3D is here to stay? After all, it has come and gone several times over the last few decades in commercial cinemas, so perhaps the current craze is nothing more than another cycle that will soon disappear. On the other hand, perhaps the Vision Critical poll was premature, and improvements in the technology and strong support from TV manufacturers and movie studios will tip the scale toward a permanent presence in the entertainment landscape.
I really look forward to reading your thoughts on this question, which is sure to stir strong sentiments on both sides of the debate. So let 'er rip!
Vote to see the results and leave a comment about your choice.
David has featured nearly 60 titles in Ultimate Demos, and he will continue to add to the list. But there are many more movies available on Blu-ray than he can possibly cover, so I'm asking for your help in identifying more demo-worthy discs.
This week, I'd like to know which 2D Blu-ray you think has the best video qualities—detail, color, black, shadow detail, etc.—with which to demonstrate the capabilities of a display system. (Next week, I'll ask the same question about audio.) Simply select "Here it is" below and leave a comment with your favorite title(s) and which qualities of the video are particularly outstanding; you might even identify specific scenes to help the rest of us find the best moments.
Vote to see the results and leave a comment with your favorite title(s); thanks for your input!
Now, I'm asking the same question with regard to audio quality. What Blu-ray titles do you think provide the best audio—surround envelopment, dynamic range, frequency response, foundation-rattling bass, etc.—with which to demonstrate the capabilities of an audio system? As before, simply select "Here it is" below and leave a comment with your favorite title(s) and which audio qualities are particularly outstanding. I really hope more of you who click on "Here it is" also post a comment!
Vote to see the results and leave a comment with your favorite title(s); thanks for your input!
So far, Vizio is the only company to announce 21:9 flat panels for the US market, which will be available "sometime this year" in three screen sizes—50, 58, and 71 inches (diagonal)—though no pricing has yet been revealed. Philips has offered a 21:9 set in Europe for a couple of years, but it's not available in the US. Will other manufacturers follow suit? I suppose that depends on consumer demand.
Which leads me to this week's poll question: What do you think of 21:9 flat panels? Are you eager to get one, or do you think this just another gimmick designed to sell more TVs? Once you make your selection below, please leave a comment explaining your choice. Opinions seem to run hot on this topic, and I'd love to hear yours!
Vote to see the results and leave a comment about your choice.
As always, I really hope you leave a comment about your choice. If you use a server, which one? Why do you like using a server over a disc player? If you don't use a server, why not?
Vote to see the results and leave a comment about your choice.
As always, I really hope you'll leave a comment about your choice, especially if you enjoy 3D only with certain genres. In your opinion, which genres work well in 3D, and which do not? But I strongly encourage you to leave a comment no matter which choice you make—inquiring minds want to know what you think!
Vote to see the results and leave a comment about your choice.
Now, I'd like to know how you feel about 3D in the home. Perhaps you own a 3D TV or projector, or you've seen one at a friend's place. And even if you own a 3D display, you might or might not enjoy that particular feature—after all, 3D TVs often provide the best 2D performance, so you might have gotten one for that reason, even if you hate 3D. So I ask you: Do you enjoy 3D in a home setting?
As always, I really hope you'll leave a comment about your choice, especially if you enjoy 3D only with certain types of shows. In your opinion, what programming works well in 3D, and what does not? In any event, I strongly encourage you to leave a comment no matter which choice you make—your fellow readers and I want to know what you think!
Vote to see the results and leave a comment about your choice.
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