All Articles Tagged Review

Arlen Schweiger | 05/03 10:37 AM, 2 Comments

It’s been several years since iPod streaming docks were the rage, as manufacturers instead turned their attention to working with Apple’s iPad, but there’s no denying the benefits that a good iPod-based system can deliver as a single-room solution. And actually, there’s more than just good … iPod docks are prime candidates for the good/better/best scenarios, and NAD Electronics recently unveiled one for the “best” category in its VISO 1 Wireless Music System. At a recently reduced price tag of $600 (note: that’s down from the $700 mentioned in the… View this story

Fred Harding | 02/08 06:46 AM, 6 Comments

Russound has been making whole-house audio equipment for many years. Over the past several years, they have been producing equipment in their “C” series, offering well made, reasonably priced equipment with lots of features. They recently introduced their DMS3.1, also known as the Streamer, to complement their systems. The Streamer is a rack-mountable (1U) device with four separate outputs on it. One of the outputs is a traditional AM/FM tuner that supports RDS (Radio Data Service) metadata. The remaining three outputs are for cloud-based sources, including SiriusXM and other Internet… View this story

Julie Jacobson | 12/13 09:20 AM, 0 Comments

FAIL! That’s how DaniWeb.com sums up the new Gesture-enabled SmartControl Motion universal remote control from One For All. Reviewer Davey Winder says the “traditional” functionality of the remote control – learning and macros, for example – works just fine, but there’s nothing too interesting about that. The cool factor is the gesture control, in which flicking the remote, tapping it, and flipping it can trigger a variety of A/V commands. Cool, writes Winder, but not all that good: The thing is, the flicking thing works kind of. Sometimes it takes… View this story

Robert Archer | 03/22 07:17 AM, 0 Comments

I’ve covered numerous product introductions from North Carolina-based Cary Audio. To me there are several reasons to like this company that include the fact it offers a versatile line with products ranging from two-channel tube gear and solid-state electronics for home theater, to desktop audio systems for computer audio applications. In addition, the company is a U.S. manufacturer with a vision of where it wants to be and it prices its products to compete at levels that are approachable to a wide array of consumers. You could say the company’s… View this story

CE Pro Editors | 02/24 09:02 AM, 8 Comments

by Eyal Kattan You’ve seen the hype around Microsoft Kinect, and maybe you’ve seen the product in action at trade shows. But how much do you really know about it? If a client asks you about the gesture-based attachment to Xbox, can you answer intelligently? I wanted to try it for myself because clients were asking about it and, well, to have a little fun. I've met so many integrators who are embarrassed to admit they still know very little about Kinect. So here is a primer on the system… View this story

Robert Archer | 10/29 06:22 AM, 1 Comment

Atlanta-based Digital Projection International (DPI) has been turning heads for some time with its line of projectors built from a commercial perspective. This time, rather than wowing people with its high-horsepower projectors, it's winning installers over with its LED light engine-based M-Vision Cine LED Projector ($16,000-$17,000 depending on configuration), which is designed specifically for residential applications. Features The DLP single-chip projector uses an LED light source that, unlike a traditional UHP lamp, needs no replacing. DPI backs the projector with its Lifetime Illumination assurances and a choice of lens options… View this story

Robert Archer | 10/05 08:37 AM, 26 Comments

Driven by the development of HDTV, Blu-ray, active-shutter glasses and the Hollywood blockbuster Avatar, interest in 3D has never been higher. Movie fans can find 3D at their local Cineplex and can even experience the technology in the comfort of their own homes - thanks to companies like Samsung, Panasonic, Sony, Vizio and Digital Projection, among others. Consumers are once again confronted with the choice of LCD or plasma. For a closer look at how the two technologies compare in the same environment, I visited distributor AVAD in Woburn, Mass.,… View this story

Joe Whitaker | 09/08 06:54 AM, 14 Comments

It’s difficult for a manufacturer to distinguish itself in the A/V receiver category these days. After all, just how good can a 7.1 surround system sound? But Sony manages to bring plenty of innovation to the new STR-DA5600ES (Elevated Standard), available only through specialty A/V retailers and custom integrators. It sounds amazing, but it also networks beautifully via an on-board four-port Ethernet switch, and offers the best Control4 integration I’ve ever experienced with a third-party A/V component. The audio performance of the receiver is rivaled only by the video, with… View this story

Robert Archer | 08/03 09:42 AM, 0 Comments

I've admired RBH Sound and how it always seems to maximize its resources to provide its dealers with in-wall and in-room products that provide value and performance. A good example is its 8300 SE/R loudspeaker ($8,500/pair), which was developed after requests from dealers to produce a mid-sized speaker with broad dynamics and high sound pressure levels (SPL). Features The nearly 5-foot tall cabinet is about 11 inches wide and 17 inches deep. It's a 115-pound, three-way speaker that includes a third-order crossover network and a multiple driver array that features… View this story

Julie Jacobson | 07/28 07:13 AM, 14 Comments

The SOHO Shop LLC, a Control4 integration firm in St. Peters, Mo., was one of the first companies to install the recently released Atlona AT-PROHD1616M-SR 16x16 HDMI switch. Priced at $25,000, is the switch worth it? Reviewer Joe Whitaker, development director for the The SOHO Shop, thinks so. Atlona’s new 16x16 HDMI switch is the closest thing we have seen to the Crestron DigitalMedia switch, which has won all kinds of awards. But we’re a Control4 shop, so we’re partial to the Atlona piece. While most switcher reviews usually start… View this story