TV & Audio

I have always said that the most important features of a TV are size and clarity. I recently had the opportunity to review a new UHD TV from LG and it fit both of those criteria beautifully. At 65” a very big screen and a 4K UHD TV with picture clarity that is outstanding. It is also a 3D TV, and with the added clarity of 4K plus other picture enhancing technologies make the 3D images feel like you can reach out and touch them.

I’ve done a fair bit of traveling already this year, and couldn’t help but notice Best Buy Kiosks in quite a few airports that I ended up in. I never imagined buying electronics out of a vending machine, but actually it is a brilliant idea. Having done hundreds of business trips over the years, I inevitably had occasions where I forgot my headphones or an important cable. I hate arriving at the airport too early so I usually don’t have much time to spare. A kiosk is a perfect solution because it is a quick and secure way to quickly pick up important necessities.

            In Part 5 of our TV Features Explained series, we look at the importance of contrast ratio and black level … and whether you can trust the huge numbers manufacturers list for these specs.

So, you’ve just picked up that new TV you’ve been coveting. You’re beyond thrilled; and seeing as though you’ve spent the last several months pinning décor examples on Pinterest, you know exactly where it should be mounted. But before you jump headfirst into securing your new toy on the wall, there are a few things to keep in mind when selecting a TV mount. Here’s the skinny on the three key considerations you need to keep in mind.

TV resolution keeps getting better. We have gone from standard definition to high definition to now 4K. There are even 8K resolution “Full Ultra High Definition” TVs, although you would be hard pressed to buy one. Where will it all end and do I really need the higher resolution of 4K? Sure more resolution is always better than less resolution, but there are several circumstances where it doesn’t make sense paying more for all those extra pixels. It is good to know the finer points of resolution, no pun intended, so you don’t pay more for not much gain.

Refresh rates are marketed quite a bit with new HDTVs and 4K UHD TVs, using various branded jargon like “Motionflow 240” or “960 Motion Enhancement.” Higher numbers are bandied about making it difficult to understand or to make fair comparisons between TVs since there are no industry-standard definitions for these motion enhancement features. I will help you sort through this marketing muddle and let you know what you need to focus on regarding refresh rates.

Need headphones to block out the world while you watch TV? These Sennheiser versions should do the job, but do they deliver? Read our review.

This is Part 1 of a series of posts that will explain everything you need to know about today’s TVs.

Cable and satellite TV bills are high. There are few in Canada who haven’t felt the pinch of paying for access to hundreds of channels in order to watch a fraction of that. Depending on where you live, you can gain access to some of the most popular network channels in both Canada and the United States. With the right gear, you can also watch those channels throughout your home.

If you’re a Sony speaker enthusiast, you may look to the left and think that design looks familiar.  That’s the Sony SRS-X55, which looks exactly similar to last year’s SRS-X5. However, just like a new car, looks can be deceiving.  The extra year has given Sony the chance to re-evaluate last year’s successful design and make it even better.  The results include better sound quality and a longer battery life.  Keep reading on to find out more!