Latest in Home Theater, Cool Homes and Home Electronics

Revel just turned up the loudness of its Concerta Series. The company added a big bang to the lineup with the addition of the new B120 Powered Subwoofer. This thumping box will add some complementary low end to the whole line of Concerta Series speakers such as the M8, M10, C10 and LCR 8 on-wall speakers. The B120 includes a… View this story

Add Verizon to the growing list of retailers and service providers who have launched new and improved technical support for their customers. “Expert Care” offers round-the-clock help for issues involving computer software and hardware, TVs and telephones. Obviously, this type of emergency service comes with a price. Here’s a breakdown of the plans and cost: Device Protection - Provides repair… View this story

Q. Will a cable splitter hurt my modem or HDTV signal strength? A. This can be a technical question, but I am going to treat this as it relates to the average homeowner, HD cable recipient. For simplification purposes, the cable company has limited bandwidth to deliver over the medium of cable. The more people on a trunk-line, the slower/lower… View this story

Genelec has the active loudspeaker technology thing down pat. The company’s been making active speakers for three decades, but it hadn’t created an active in-wall subwoofer until now. Following the custom install trend of in-wall everything these days—the common “I want to hear it but not see any of the technology” plea—Genelec has introduced its AIWS5041A Active In-Wall Subwoofer, available… View this story

I thought it was all over until November…those tiresome, sometimes boring but occasionally fruitful audio/video press conferences. The big manufacturers occupied the summer holiday-preview slots and now the smaller companies take their turn showing off their wares at smaller venues. Most of the time, the well meaning media relations people were demonstrating a $600 Blu-ray player or $500 home theater… View this story

In terms of the big computer manufacturers, we’re not sure if Microsoft rumors tend to be as spot on as some of those regarding Apple (big surprise when the new Nanos came out!), but PC hardware watchdog X-bit labs says look for an Xbox 360 external Blu-ray drive soon. Like really soon—perhaps by the holiday shopping season, but more likely… View this story

High definition television, for most readers, is almost passé. OK, not quite, but it’s certainly nothing that amazes our readers in and of itself. For the most part, any display can get HD content to the screen. The key to visual bliss is found in one of two categories: a) which displays do it best, or b) which displays do… View this story

After months of waiting and wondering, SlingMedia announced that the SlingCatcher is finally available. The set-top box brings all of your media, including broadcast TV, web favorites, and other personal PC content to the TV. Just hook the box to your home network, and the TV, of course. Now those web favorites do include sites like YouTube, Hulu, ABC.com, Netflix… View this story

Do you mind paying a dollar more per month for unlimited high-definition movie access? Looks like Netflix has officially given the word to subscribers that in November it will begin adding the $1 charge to their accounts (plus “applicable taxes") to add unlimited Blu-ray rental access, notes one CNET blogger who received his letter of notice. Rumors began about the… View this story

If things go as planned, the home’s service bundle subscription – which can currently include phone, digital television, internet, and wireless – may get a little bigger. Home control and home security product manufacturers are in an effort to partner with telecommunication companies and MSOs to include their home automation and remote monitoring products and services into established service providers’… View this story

Just how blue can one man be? That question will be answered on November 4 when Rhino releases ”How to be a Megastar Live!” on Blu-ray disc and CD/DVD. This will be the label’s first entry into the high-def format. The 1080/24p high-def picture will certainly highlight the show’s effects, audience reaction, and the shine on that thick makeup. Also,… View this story

Well someone must have been running around, collecting up those “Iron Man” retail exclusives. Paramount has decided to give those buying “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” the same types of incentives. Circuit City shoppers will get two lithographs of concept art from the movie. Best Buy will have a gift set with a Sideshow Collectibles replica… View this story