Home Cinema Choice Xmas 2019

The reason we're all home cinema enthusiasts is that we like – no, love – watching movies. The clue is in the name. Yet I imagine many of you will have found that what begins as an interest in doing justice to films with a big TV and sound system, develops into an interest in the technology itself; the formats and processes, display types and encoders. And it's not long before you're the go-to when a friend or family member is in need of technical help. This issue we take a look at UHD HDR Benchmark, a 4K HDR evaluation disc loaded with patterns, charts and demo material that may well appeal to your inner geek. It might also prove useful the next time someone asks you to pop round…

The reason we're all home cinema enthusiasts is that we like – no, love – watching movies. The clue is in the name. Yet I imagine many of you will have found that what begins as an interest in doing justice to films with a big TV and sound system, develops into an interest in the technology itself; the formats and processes, display types and encoders. And it's not long before you're the go-to when a friend or family member is in need of technical help. This issue we take a look at UHD HDR Benchmark, a 4K HDR evaluation disc loaded with patterns, charts and demo material that may well appeal to your inner geek. It might also prove useful the next time someone asks you to pop round and…

Adding an in-built 4K media player, screen mirroring and Amazon/Google voice control to its high-brightness spec (a claimed 3,500 Lumens), Optoma's new UHD52ALV projector is billed as offering 'the ultimate convenience,' while its 1.21:1-1.59:1 throw ratio, 1.3x zoom and vertical lens shift aid installation. Picture tricks include PureMotion frame interpolation, and Optoma's Reference Mode promising REC.709 colour accuracy out of the box. HCC ONLINE… For breaking AV news, blogs, features and reviews visit www.homecinemachoice.com Follow us on Twitter @hccmag Like us on Facebook facebook.com/homecinemachoice…

Adding an in-built 4K media player, screen mirroring and Amazon/Google voice control to its high-brightness spec (a claimed 3,500 Lumens), Optoma's new UHD52ALV projector is billed as offering 'the ultimate convenience,' while its 1.21:1-1.59:1 throw ratio, 1.3x zoom and vertical lens shift aid installation. Picture tricks include PureMotion frame interpolation, and Optoma's Reference Mode promising REC.709 colour accuracy out of the box. HCC ONLINE… For breaking AV news, blogs, features and reviews visit www.homecinemachoice.com Follow us on Twitter @hccmag Like us on Facebook facebook.com/homecinemachoice…

Wharfedale EVO4 → www.wharfedale.co.uk Packing both centre and on-wall surround models in addition to traditional designs, Wharfedale's new EVO4 Series looks well suited to home cinema buyers. Engineered at the same time as the brand's incoming flagship Elysian speakers, it shares some tech traits including Air Motion Transducer (AMT) high-frequency drivers. Pricing ranges from £450-per-pair for the EVO4.1 standmount to £1,200 (p/p) for the EVO4.4 floorstander. Wharfedale says a second, smaller centre channel model will follow.…

Media player mogul Nvidia has launched two new models in its Shield range of Android TV devices, introducing beefed-up processing, a new hardware design, and Dolby Atmos/Vision compatibility. The more affordable Shield TV device (£150) is styled to sit out of sight in your media room, adopting a compact cylindrical design (just 4cm across). Sofa-bound operation comes via a new Bluetooth-based Shield remote, which also doubles as an IR controller of your TV or sound system's volume and power functions. The pricier Shield TV Pro (£200) sports a more traditional form factor, similar to previous generations. Once again it's a relatively slim box with angled fascia details, and a flash of green lighting when the device is switched on. Both players use Nvidia's new Tegra X1+ processor, which the company claims offers a…