Engadget

AVSForum app for Android released

Richard Lawler — Sat, 30 Oct 2010 17:48:00 EST

Coming just a few months after debuting on iPhone, the official AVSForum app for Android has now been released. Always a good source for some of the latest and greatest in home theater discussion, we're sure regulars who prefer their Google powered phones will enjoy the app, and next year, may even load up a calibration post directly on their Google TV. Hit the AppBrain link for a direct install or grab the QR code after the break.

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AVSForum app for Android released originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 30 Oct 2010 17:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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How to force your DirecTV receiver to output 3D

Ben Drawbaugh — Sun, 20 Jun 2010 10:12:00 EST

The entire point of frame compatible 3D is the ability to send a 3D signal via 2D equipment so that only the source and the display itself needs to be 3D aware. Now for a reason that we can't comprehend, DirecTV decided to try to make things simple and in the process completely disabled 3D for every customers except those who bought a select number of 3DTVs and have already upgraded their AV receiver to a 3D aware model. There is a solution though. You see DirecTV's receivers are simply checking for specific EDID information via HDMI, so a simple device like Gefen's HDMI Detective can trick the satellite receiver. All you have to do is connect the Detective to one of the officially supported 3DTVs (might require a trip to the TV store) and record the EDID information. Then you connect it inline to your DirecTV receiver and you can enjoy yourself some 3D -- or just watch the side by side image. This trick will probably also work for Samsung owners who want to use Mitsubishi's checkerboard converter and might even force your old HDMI equipped AV receiver to pass 3D -- Blu-ray's 1080p24 per eye signal actually requires less throughput than 1080p60 so it should work. It is an expensive test at $129, but at the very least it'll eliminate, or speed up, any HDMI handshake issues as well; so it might come in handy regardless.

How to force your DirecTV receiver to output 3D originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 20 Jun 2010 10:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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AVSForum launches free iPhone App

Ben Drawbaugh — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 21:31:00 EST

As HD geeks there aren't many things we enjoy more than a spirited debate on an online venue and for our interests none are matched by the great AVS Forum -- other than our very own comments of course. We've learned more from this single source than all others combined -- well maybe not if you include Wikipedia -- and often get into it pretty thick with other participants. So you can imagine our joy to learn we have a new way to call out those that are wrong while we're on the go without having to carry around a full laptop. Overall we have to say we find the app very useful and at free it sure is priced right.

AVSForum launches free iPhone App originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 02 Jun 2010 21:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Electronic House sifts through, selects 25 greatest DIY home theaters

Darren Murph — Tue, 18 May 2010 19:03:00 EST

Electronic House recently published their 2010 Home of the Year award winners, but one thing those medal swingers were lacking was a tried-and-true DIY touch. Sure, there's no doubt that cold, hard cheddar can buy a fairly swank home cinema, but it's another chore entirely to piece one together with your own two hands, using your own vacation time and fending off screams from spouses, children and fellow constituents. Now, the aforementioned site has crawled through AVS Forum in search of the top 25 DIY home theaters, and after what can only be described as a Herculean search, the proverbial cream has risen. From a Pirates of the Caribbean-inspired lair to one of the tightest attic-squeezed setups we've ever seen, it's (just about) all there in the source link. Have a gander to get your own creative juices flowing, and feel free to drop images of your own layout in comments below if you somehow got slighted here.

Electronic House sifts through, selects 25 greatest DIY home theaters originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 18 May 2010 19:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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TBS-HD gives the stretching a little break

Ben Drawbaugh — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 20:55:00 EST

A few sightings of non-stretched 4x3 content has finally showed up on TBS HD today, but the bad news is that so far it has only been during commercials. We can only hope that this is a prelude to no more stretch-o-vision on TBS-HD, but given the track record of TNT and TBS, we aren't holding our breath. As you can see, when it comes to stretching content, we don't see eye to eye with our Time Warner siblings.

[Thanks, Alan]

Filed under: Industry, Cable, Fiber, Satellite

TBS-HD gives the stretching a little break originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 30 Mar 2009 20:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Can your HDTV even properly display 1080p24?

Ben Drawbaugh — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 17:24:00 EST

Everyone loves to talk about how 1080p at 24 frames per second is the holy grail of the ultimate HD movie experience. But the truth is that even if you are watching a Blu-ray movie via HDMI with the latest player set to 24p, there's a good chance it's all for naught because your HDTV is just converting the signal to another frame rate. But not all TVs do this, some can actually do it right and instead of using 2:3 pulldown it can do something like a 3:3 conversion and display the signal at 72hz -- for example. The problem of course is how can you tell which TVs do it right and which do it wrong? Well, thankfully a resourceful member of the AVS Forum -- with some help of other members -- has comprised a list to save you the hassle. So if you're in the market for a new HDTV and you just have to watch your movies at the native frame rate, then head on over and pick one from the list of front projectors, rear projectors, LCDs, or plasmas.

Filed under: Industry, Misc, Blu-ray, DLP, LCD, LCoS, Plasma, Projector

Can your HDTV even properly display 1080p24? originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 21 Feb 2008 17:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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30 second skip discovered on Comcast TiVos

Ben Drawbaugh — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 11:06:00 EST

If you love TiVo, then there is no substitute, but at $300 many find HD TiVos too rich for their blood, when compared to the price of their provider's DVR. The Comcast TiVo offers a good compromise of price and experience, but there are some key TiVo features missing. Well it appears now that at least one of the most useful features of a stand-alone TiVo is now available for the Comcast TiVo: 30 second skip. So instead of hitting; select, play, 3, 0, select like you do on a stand-alone, you hit; Rewind, Slow, Fast Forward, Play, 3, 0, Advance and you now have a 30 second skip button.

[Via TVSquad.com]

Filed under: DIY, DVRs, Cable

30 second skip discovered on Comcast TiVos originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 31 Jan 2008 11:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Is the Netflix backup a conspiracy? Nope

Ben Drawbaugh — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 12:04:00 EST

A few Netflix users at AVS have reported that customer service reps are blaming the Netflix HD movie backup on the studios. The story goes on to say that it's a conspiracy devised by the studios as a way to get you to buy rather than rent. We dropped a quick email to a studio exec, and after he got done laughing, he gave us a call and said, "However fans want Blu-ray, we'll deliver it." So there you go Netflix, no more excuses. Just start pumping up the stock of new releases so we don't have to wait as long to enjoy the latest movies in Hi-Def.

Filed under: Industry, Blu-ray, HD DVD

Is the Netflix backup a conspiracy? Nope originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 Jan 2008 12:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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AVS Forum reopens Blu-ray / HD DVD boards, new rules abound

Darren Murph — Mon, 12 Nov 2007 16:25:00 EST

Format fanboys (and girls), we sure hope you've taken the time to cool your apparently heated jets, because AVS Forum is putting its foot down from here on out. Just days after the site shut down the HD DVD / Blu-ray boards due to the zaniness that was ensuing, it has reopened the forums for new postings -- but there's a laundry list of rules to go with it. Granted, the site does recommend finding a new home to vent your off-topic frustrations if you aren't down with the new regulations, but overall, we think they're pretty fair. Effectively immediately, users aren't allowed to throw out sales figures, troll others, attack statements or petition for one format or the other. For those who slip up and cross the newly drawn line, you will likely be banned and have your posts removed, so we'd recommend thinking thrice before pulling the trigger on a rage-filled writeup over there.

Filed under: Industry, Blu-ray, HD DVD

AVS Forum reopens Blu-ray / HD DVD boards, new rules abound originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 12 Nov 2007 16:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Format war gets more warlike

Darren Murph — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 17:41:00 EST

Not since the infamous PS3 crime wave of late 2006 have we seen anything like this. According to a notice posted on the heavily trafficked AVS Forum, the HD DVD and Blu-ray sections are being closed to new posts "for a short time," and the reasoning behind such a severe action may shock you. Apparently, a number of hot-headed posters have not only been dissin' supporters of (insert rival format here), but some have lashed out at other members with "physical threats that have involved police and possible legal action." While it's not exactly clear what pushed these extremists to the edge, there's no denying that the recent price drops on standalone HD DVD players have given the HD community as a whole a lot more to yap about, and we guess some folks just didn't know where to draw the line. The format war just took on a whole new meaning, and it's not one to be proud of.

[Via CNET, image courtesy of Olive-Drab]

Filed under: Industry, Blu-ray, HD DVD

Format war gets more warlike originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 07 Nov 2007 17:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Format war gets more warlike

Darren Murph — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 17:41:00 EST

Filed under: HDTV, Home Entertainment

Format war gets more warlike originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 07 Nov 2007 17:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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