TV & Audio

            What has been clear at CES 2015 is that 4K Ultra High Definition is going mainstream with all the brands. Everyone seems to be introducing more 4K sets than 1080p HD and are making 4K that much more affordable. Everyone always tries to out-do each other at CES, and Sharp’s one-upmanship is not based on another unique approach to 4K technology. Instead they want to leap-frog everyone else by bringing in 8K technology.

          LG brought 7 new 4K OLED TVs to CES, and not to be outdone Sony is bringing 10 new 4K TVs to the show. Sony has always been a big proponent of 4K Ultra- High Definition TV, and with a lot more 4K models they are making it their mainstream product. What is obvious out from CES is that Sony is taking a different approach than their competitors.  

  CES 2015 started today and LG made some big announcements about where they are going with their TV lineup. CES always provides an excellent preview of what the upcoming year will bring. It looks like 4K is going mainstream, which isn’t a big surprise. But where LG is going with 4K is a bit of a surprise, and a nice one at that!

        The one thing that will round out that awesome big screen TV and sound system is the proper home theatre seating arrangement. Do you only have one recliner that everyone fights for? Are most of your seats not directly in front of the TV? Are you really comfortable when you spend a few hours watching TV? Is theatre seating only available at the movie theatre? The good news is you can now get excellent theatre seating for your home, and it has better features than they have at the movie theatre!

The Polk Audio SB1 Soundbar is one of the most impressive soundbars you will find. Not only does it have excellent sound that greatly improves your home theatre experience, you can use it to wirelessly fill your home with sound by adding other speakers, and they don’t even have to be Polk. Similar to Sonos, Denon HEOS, or Bose Soundtouch you can create a variety of sound experiences throughout your home with a tremendous amount of ease and no messy wires.

      We have done quite a number of TV reviews or detailed overviews this year, so I thought it would be good to look back at all that investigation and identify what I think are the best TVs this year. If you are shopping for a new TV it is a hard decision to make because there are so many brands and models to choose from. Here are my top picks for 2014, and each for different reasons.

Is there anything a tablet can’t do? Tablets today are extremely versatile. You can use them for video games, taking photos, listening to music, surfing the web—even controlling your home automation. But one of the coolest things you can do with a tablet is turn it into a handheld HDTV. There is a lot of high quality streaming video content available, thought thanks to cross-border media licensing complications finding content is a little more difficult in Canada than it is in the US. To help you out, I’ve put together a list of some great streaming video sources.

TVs keep getting bigger with a clearer, richer picture and Christmas or Boxing Day is a very popular time for people to upgrade their technology. If you are getting a new TV, and even if you aren’t, it is also a great time to get those accessories that will make any TV experience a lot better. These must-have accessories make great Christmas presents and if Santa was not so nice, Boxing Day sales are sure to give you a second chance.

Christmas is just over a week away! A Bluetooth speaker is a great last minute gift option for anyone on your list!

The Pioneer X-CM32BT Micro System is a relatively compact little unit that can be deceiving. If asked to describe where it lands in the crowded arena of audio playback systems, I’d have to say it lies somewhere between massive amplifier/receiver systems and compact all-in-one mobile device docking stations. It reminded me of hi-fi systems of a couple of decades ago, but in a much smaller package. The system will play many audio formats and media. Radio, CD’s and digital audio files (MP3/WMA) are all supported.