Tom Brauser

Blu-Ray players used to be just that, able to only play Blu-Ray discs. Blu-Ray players today come with a myriad of additional capabilities and Samsung’s BD-H6500 is no exception. It is fully loaded and is 4K Ultra HD ready so if you have a 4K TV or plan to get one in the future this is the ideal Blu-Ray media player. One of the great things about this player is that it will upconvert HD content to be much closer to UHD resolution. It is loaded with other features too. Although it costs a little bit more than most other Blu-Ray players, I got my hands on one and given all its features and capabilities it is a great buy.  

Monster manufactures high quality accessories that are needed for any TV & Home Theatre system. You know, cables and surge protectors that you typically just take for granted or simply buy as an after thought. They are extremely well made, but with that typically comes a higher price. You get what you pay for, but with these relatively mundane accessories is it worth spending the extra dough? You just bought a fancy new HDTV or better yet a shiny stunning 4K UHD model, so do you need high-end cables to make sure you get the best picture?   I had the opportunity to try out a couple of excellent Monster HDMI cables and a Power Surge Protector so I can give you my first-hand perspective on why you may or may not consider them for your system.

    You may be thinking it will be a little while before you can afford an upgrade to a stunning 4K UHD new technology TV. That time may be closer than you think with LG’s new 4K 55” 3D Smart TV (55UB8500). They have priced it very aggressively while keeping all the excellent features that you could want in such a TV. It is one of the lowest priced 4K TV’s on the market and comes as a WebOS powered Smart TV, an IPS panel, and passive 3D. This is probably the best value 4K TV on the market.

With so many two-income families at work each day, home security is important. It can even provide safety for families that are at home. Someone tried to break-in to my home while we were asleep, and fortunately I woke up in time and was able to scare him away. That was before I had a security system! A security system is an excellent deterrent as there are so many unprotected homes burglars generally won’t  risk a protected one. I particularly like camera systems because they not only deter thieves but also vandals who get some sick joy out of destroying property.   I already have a Q-See Surveillance System installed in my house, but recently got a chance to test out a couple of Lorex Wireless Security Surveillance Systems and see how they compare. In fairness, the 2 Lorex packages that I tested out were smaller configurations, but with the same primary function – cameras that can monitor and record activity. All three systems have some significant differences that are worth knowing about.

  I have always been a big fan of Denon electronics, having several Denon components in my home today. I find Denon to be great value with high quality equipment that is at a reasonable price. They are now launching a new product line, HEOS, which is a wireless multi-room speaker system that is poised to compete with the likes of Sonos and Bose Soundtouch. It is great to see Denon enter this market as they are a formidable competitor that will force everyone to continue improving their products. Here is the lowdown on their new HEOS line.

I have always thought smart home gadgets are a bit gimmicky, until I broke down and installed a few. I am now a convert as they are not only practical but so convenient they can actually improve your quality of life. For instance, I have a keyless lock in my home so I never worry about carrying around keys that I can lose. If I have friends or family that arrive when I am not there, I can let them in remotely until I show up. It’s great!   HUE is Philips line of smart home products that is all about lighting that can be controlled using your Smartphone or tablet. It brings the Internet of Things to reality and there are so many excellent ways to use HUE lighting products. Let’s explore just a few to give you an idea how they can improve life at home.

      If you are in the market for a new TV, you can kill a lot of brain cells trying to figure out all the available models.  It is perfectly acceptable to kill a few more afterward with a few celebratory libations, basking in the glory of a new HDTV. You will especially want to celebrate if you selected one of Samsung’s UNH6350 LED sets, as this new line has some of the best mid-range TVs on the market. If you want a great performing HDTV with an excellent Smart platform you will not go wrong with the H6350’s from Samsung.

          As a person who regularly reviews products, you won’t be surprised to hear that I am a big fan of reviews. And I don’t mean my reviews, but from consumers that have bought the product, used it for a while and discovered the nuances about it, both good and bad. I would never buy a product unless I read quite a number of reviews about it as nothing can replace that user experience and associated perspective. So what I thought I would do is provide you a summary of what I found to the be top 5 best rated TVs, purely based on customer ratings and share some of their reviews.

  With so much content available from such a variety of sources, more and more Canadians are looking at cutting their cable bills. One option to consider is taking advantage of TV stations that broadcast free over-the-air (OTA). I was able to test out the Homeworx HD Digital Converter Box combined with the Clearstream 4 Outdoor antenna and a Philips PVR and was surprised how many channels I was able to pick up in my little corner of the world. With this equipment it is a very economical and simple way to get a bunch of free OTA TV channels.

Dolby Laboratories has been in the business of improving and perfecting the sound experience since 1965. They started with Dolby Noise Reduction, which got rid of the hiss on audiocassette tapes. In the early 90’s they introduced Dolby Digital, which gave rise to ever-improving surround sound, ultimately evolving to Dolby TrueHD, which further improved the purity of sound reproduction. Their latest sound technology is Dolby Atmos, which has taken the sound experience to yet a new level. Atmos is to sound what 4K is to TV resolution.