Home Audio Video Advisor

Samsung LN52B550 52-Inch 1080p LCD HDTV with Red Touch of Color

Samsung has released the following LN B-Series 1080p HDTVs:

• LN32B530 LN32B540 LN32B550 LN32B650
• LN37B530 LN37B550 LN37B650
• LN40B530 LN40B540 LN40B550 LN40B610 LN40B650 LN40B750
• LN46B530 LN46B540 LN46B550 LN46B610 LN46B650 LN46B750
• LN52B530 LN52B550 LN52B610 LN52B750

The 2009 model line-up comes with higher dynamic contrast ratio and one more HDMI input (4) than the 2008 models. As before some models come with a matte finish which we prefer over the gloss finish. They are a little thinner, weigh less and the high-end models feature 240Hz refresh rates.

Our early take is the Samsung LCD models continue to offer a great bang for the buck and have no glaring release issues. We recommend the 2009 models unless you happen to find a great close-out on the A-Series.

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Sonos ZP90/CR100 Bundle (SZ90)

For a limited time Sonos is offering savings of $149 to $199 when purchasing one of their bundles. Our guess is this is a direct result of the fantastic free applet Sonos has released for the iPhone and iPod touch that allows them to virtually replace their remote.

We have used Sonos for years and as slick as the new iPhone/touch remote works we still think you’ll find good use for the Sonos remote. It’s water-resistant (great for outdoor usage), a wonderful party passer to let guests select their own music, and much less likely to leave your house with one of your family members leaving you without any remote!

The Bourne Trilogy (The Bourne Identity | The Bourne Supremacy | The Bourne Ultimatum) [Blu-ray]

Blu-ray enhanced audio and video allow more of the movie experience to come home. This holds true for even chick flicks though to really appreciate your home theater you need thrilling action, suspense, fist fights, guns and finally a great story to bring them all together. If it’s all combined into three great movies (we are still hoping for a fourth) all the better.

The Bourne Trilogy fits all of the above and as easily as the three movies become one experience it’s almost a shame not to experience then one after another. This brings us to the weekend. Invite a few friends over and get lost in Jason’s world. After all that’s why weekends and home theater were invented.

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OPPO BDP-83 Blu-ray Disc Player with SACD & DVD-Audio

OPPO Digital, Inc. is about to release their first Blu-ray player the BDP-83. Known for making the best up-converting DVD players their Blu-ray player will be just as popular. It carries on their tradition with stellar DVD playback and supports both SACD and DVD-Audio. Making it a universal player priced at least a thousand dollars less than its competition.

The player uses Anchor Bay’s (DVDO) award winning Video Reference Series technology for image processing which insures you’ll get the best possible image whether it be DVD or Blu-ray. The player also comes with 7.1 analog output and will stream supported media files such as MKV.

List price and availability (around May 18th our guess) hasn’t been announced yet. Those luckily enough to have been selected for the Early Adoption Program paid $499. Hopefully it will be priced the same for the rest of us but don’t be surprised if it ends up being $599. If DVD performance is important to you or you’re looking for a universal player it will be a bargain at either price.

Order Your OPPO BDP-83 from Amazon

Read Our Take on the OPPO BDP-83

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DVDO EDGE High-Definition Video Processor

We have always loved the idea of using a scaler but in most cases the quickly changing technology or entrance fee has keep us from installing one in our racks. Then came along the DVDO Edge with scaling up to 1080p24. DVDO has been making great scalers for years and the Edge uses the same hardware as their other models which are several times more expensive.

The Edge looks sexy and the back-lit remote is one of the best we have ever used. Plus it’s a universal remote so there is a good chance it can control the rest of your equipment too. Although the real reason to acquire one is if you have numerous video sources that need to be scaled to the native resolution of your HD display.

With ten inputs (6 HDMI) you can scale, deinterlace, and apply advanced image processing like fine detail enhancement. You even have two HDMI outputs so you can run one directly to the display and the other to the A/V receiver. An elegant interface and wizards make set up a breeze. They also make it easy to configure each input for their optimal performance. We love the split  screen feature where one side shows the current image and the other reflects the proposed changes.

Once in a while a product redefines a category. In this case the Edge does just that as it brings the power of expensive scalers to an unheard of price and even has features not found on earlier models.

Logitech Harmony 550 Universal Remote Control – Refurbished

We have been using the Harmony 550 for a long time and it’s one of our favorites. It has all the buttons you’ll need, their placement and ease of use are superior to many of the more expensive Harmony remotes. It also features the same one-touch activity control and wizard programming via your PC or Mac. So when we saw Amazon selling refurbished models for $50 we couldn’t help but declare a Pick of the Day. 

The Lord of the Rings: The Motion Picture Trilogy (Theatrical Editions) [Blu-ray]

The movies included in this soon to be released trilogy aren’t the extended editions which to my thinking is a big plus. The 358 minutes released here are more than enough to sit through. However Lord of the Rings fanatics have taken umbrage and are refusing to purchase the trilogy until the extended editions are included. Which of course will happen the moment the casual fans have stopped purchasing their copy of this trilogy.

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Apple Airport Express

Whether you are a Mac or PC user the odds are overwhelming you’ll love using Apple’s AirPort Express. Sure you can purchase a docking station to play your iPod’s music on your home stereo but if you spend any amount of time in front of the computer listening to music AirPort Express is the way to go.

For less than $100 you get a wireless connection between your network and stereo system. You’ll be able to enjoy your entire digital music collection on your stereo along with podcasts and Internet based radio stations.

Audio output is available for analog and optical (cables and optical adaptor not included). The AirPort Express can be a lot more including a 802.11n 10-user wireless router, printer server, and our personal favorite a network extender. This comes in handy connecting network devices such as DVRs and Blu-ray players to your network when you don’t have wired access next to your equipment.

To connect one device place an ethernet cable between the AirPort Express and the device. If you need to connect more than one device place a hub between the AirPort Express and the devices. This feature alone will often make the purchase worthwhile as it will be the slickest method of getting everything online.

Down the road you can add additional units for playing music in other rooms and use your iPhone or iTouch as a remote control. For now if you use iTunes and have a home stereo we recommend picking one up today.

Sony Bravia XBR KDL-55XBR8 55-Inch 1080p 120Hz Triluminos LED LCD HDTV

Most of the manufacturers have recently introduced LED-based LCD models with features being more similar than different. We happen to prefer the Sony models as they offer the deepest blacks, widest viewing angles and other advantages or perhaps better stated fewer weaknesses.

However taken as a class LED-based LCD models aren’t worth investing in at this time. Especially if you aren’t willing to do some serious research before purchasing your new pride and joy. Currently as superior as they can appear over your traditional LCD models many have numerous weaknesses that make them perform worse in several areas.

I’m sure after another generation or two these issues will go away just as the extreme premium one has to currently pay. Not to say today you won’t end up with a better looking picture but just like about the first generation of anything it’s best avoided. If cost isn’t an issue and you have your heart set on purchasing the latest and greatest here are a few points to keep in mind when considering this new breed of TV.

• Reduced viewing angles
• Ambient light reflections
• “Blooming” during high-contrast scenes
• Color uniformity
• Discoloration in large dark areas

Not every model suffers from all of the above but these are issues which don’t exist at all or if they do to a lesser degree on traditional LCD models. The one killer feature to look for is called “local dimming” This is what makes the previous unheard of high-contrast ratios possible and the very reason LED-based LCD models were invented.

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