Sound & Vision

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On The Web Log on to soundandvision.com and sign up for our free monthly enewsletter. You’ll get exclusive tips, news, trends, and reviews from your favorite S&V writers. Customer Service And Subscriptions soundandvision@email-customerservice.com Call (800) 666-3746 (international calls: 386-447-6383) or write to: Sound & Vision, P.O. Box 420235, Palm Coast, FL 32142-0235 Please include your full name, address, and phone number on any inquiries. Selective Streaming PUTTING TOGETHER the Wide Angle column for this issue (page 16), it was hard to avoid registering the overwhelming number of streaming options either currently available or on the horizon. Depending on how you look at it, the situation could be considered either a glut or an embarrassment of riches. I’ve been a Netflix subscriber for many years and was more than happy to upgrade to that service’s $16/month Premium plan to take advantage of…

sound & vision

EDITOR: Al Griffin SENIOR EDITOR, TECHNICAL EDITOR: Tom Norton EDITORS-AT-LARGE: Bob Ankosko, Darryl Wilkinson CONTRIBUTING TECHNICAL EDITORS: Kris Deering, Barb Gonzalez, Steve Guttenberg, Michael P. Hamilton, Daniel Kumin, Rob Sabin, John Sciacca, Michael Trei, David Vaughn CONTRIBUTORS: Michael Antonoff, Brandon A. DuHamel, Roger Kanno, Fred Kaplan, Josef Krebs, Ken C. Pohlmann, Leslie Shapiro, Stewart Wolpin MUSIC EDITOR: Mike Mettler MOVIES EDITOR: Chris Chiarella TECHNICAL CONSULTANT Joel Silver, Imaging Science Foundation ART DIRECTOR Jeremy Moyler WEB MONKEY Jon Iverson AVTech Media Americas Inc EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Paul Miller FINANCE DIRECTOR Owen Davies General Manager Keith Pray kpray@avtechmediausa.com Advertising Manager Ed DiBenedetto edibenedetto@avtechmediausa.com Sales Coordinator Rosemarie Torcivia rtorcivia@avtechmediausa.com Digital inquiries Keith Pray, kpray@avtechmediausa.com…

letters

Down the Stream My disc library continues to grow rapidly even as the focus of home media shifts to the ever-popular streaming services. I don’t think I have to explain my continued reliance on discs, and that’s not the point of this letter. Basically, I’m met with frustration as a consumer and hobbyist. Here’s the main reason why I believe disc formats might disappear in the near future: TV makers and studios don’t care about how media is delivered as long as manufacturers can still sell TVs and Hollywood can receive residuals from streaming. After replacing my last Blu-ray player with Panasonic’s fantastic DP-UB9000, I began to look at the player market as a whole. My local retailers carry approximately three players, all of them low build-quality models that are missing basic…

wideangle

AT&T TV LAUNCHES This past August, AT&T launched a pilot version of its new AT&T TV video streaming service in 10 U.S. cities. Not to be confused with other AT&T services including AT&T TV Now and Watch TV, the new offering distinguishes itself by adding live TV streaming of local network and sports channels to the mix. Subscribers to AT&T TV receive a free set-top box powered by Android TV that will allow streaming of 4K video and features Google Assistant for smart home control. Another feature is free cloud DVR service, with the ability to store of up to 500 hours of programming for up to 90 days. Along with a standard suite of channels, users can add premium channels including HBO and Showtime, as well as add apps like Netflix.…

lg sl8yg 3.1.2 atmos soundbar

Intro to Atmos LG has been in the soundbar game for many years, churning out mainly lower-priced bars designed to mate with the company’s TVs. The focus on affordable product has likely been a strategic one for LG—the average consumer reeling from the sticker-shock of an OLED TV purchase isn’t likely to shell out another grand for a soundbar system, no matter how good it performs. For 2019, however, LG opted to go high-end, releasing a feature-packed trio of soundbars with commensurate price tags. At $800 list (and $600 on various websites at the time I’m writing this) the SL8YG reviewed here is the least expensive soundbar in the new LG lineup. A 3.1.2 model that can be expanded for 5.1.2 playback by adding LG’s optional SPK8 wireless surround speakers ($180/pair), it…

your ice car is the next lp

You have absolutely no idea how hip you are. Seriously. No idea. Well, what I mean is that if you time-traveled yourself 30 years into the future, you would be really hip. Maybe not now, but in 2049 you will be awesome. Some things age well, and some don’t. That pastel leisure suit in the back of your closet, for example, no longer provides a good look for you. You might have better luck with something in your garage. No, really. I am talking about your car. In particular, the one that your neighbors are always complaining about. Most of us drive vehicles that are powered by an internal-combustion engine (ICE). It is universally understood that within 30 years (or sooner), ICE vehicles will be largely unavailable. They will be banned from…