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Paramount To Release Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos Ultra HD Blu-ray Titles

July 20th, 2017 · 2160p, 3LCD front projectors, 3LCD projectors, 4K Flat Panel, 4K LED LCD, Blu-ray Discs, Blu-ray Players, Blu-ray Titles, Connected TVs, Dolby Atmos, HDR, height channels, LCD Flat Panel, LED LCD Flat Panels, News, object-based audio, OTT services, Streaming Services, Surround Sound, UHDTV

Paramount Home Media Distribution will start mastering and releasing movies with Dolby Vision high dynamic range (HDR) and, in some cases, with Dolby Atmos object-based surround sound on Ultra HD Blu-ray Discs and video streaming, Dolby revealed Thursday.

Paramount joins a list of top Hollywood studios that have committed to Dolby’s HDR format, which among other things, enables dynamic metadata that makes use of material color graded at varying brightness levels on a scene-by-scene or even shot-by-shot basis, instead of grading at one set level across an entire production.

The added flexibility is said to produce images that are more lifelike and detailed.

Because support for HDR10 is deemed mandatory in Ultra HD Blu-ray specifications when using HDR, and because Dolby Vision also shares the same Electro Optical Transfer Function (EOTF) as HDR10 any UHD Blu-ray Dolby Vision HDR discs are also expected to include support for HDR10.

Read more about Paramount joining the Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos list after the jump:

EPA Issues `Final Draft’ Of Energy Star V.8 For TVs

July 18th, 2017 · 2160p, 4K Flat Panel, 4K LED LCD, Connected TVs, electronic program guides, Full HD 1080p, HDR, LCD Flat Panel, LED LCD Flat Panels, News, OLED, OLED, Test Equipment, TV Tables, UHD 4K OLED, UHDTV

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) this week issued the Final Draft Version 8.0 of its Energy Star TV specifications, which are to take effect April 16, 2018.

In the process of completing the draft, the EPA offered industry stake holders an opportunity to comment on any concerns in criteria outlined in the second draft of the specifications that were being updated and revised.

The EPA said many of the submitted comments concerned proposals to require Automatic Brightness Controls (ABCs) on all or most of the pre-established picture modes in a television as well as requests that software updates delivered after the initial setup of a television not be allowed to boost power consumption levels above that which was tested and certified for Energy Star approvals.

The EPA said most of the fielded comments were “generally supportive.”

Read more on the EPA’s Engery Star for Televisions v.8 final draft after the jump:

Sharp P7000, P8000, P5000 LED LCD TV Lines Hit Retail

July 17th, 2017 · 2160p, 4K Flat Panel, 4K LED LCD, Amazon, Connected TVs, Full Array LED Backlit with Local Dimming, Full HD 1080p, HDR, LCD Flat Panel, LED LCD Flat Panels, News, UHDTV

New 2017 Sharp TVs from manufacturer Hisense USA are now available at select retail stores across the country, including Abt.

The line, which was first introduced at CES 17, offers a combination of advanced picture quality and value price points – a theme, which carries throughout the assortment, including the new P7000 and P8000 lines, with 4K Ultra HD HDR capability.

The company did not mention the shipping or availability schedule for its P9500 or P9000 4K Ultra HD QLED TV lines, which were also announced in January and are to add advanced quantum dot technology for wide color and HDR enhancement.

Read more on the Sharp 4K Ultra HD LED LCD TV models after the jump:

AT&T To Bring Multi-Platform Cloud DVR Feature To Pay-TV Services

July 14th, 2017 · 2160p, 4K Flat Panel, 4K LED LCD, Connected TVs, DVR, electronic program guides, HDR, LCD Flat Panel, LED LCD Flat Panels, Live OTT services, News, OLED, OTT services, Satellite TV, Satellite UHD 4K TV, Skinny TV services, Sling Box, Streaming Services, UHD (4K) Media Players, UHDTV

AT&T said it will launch a “cloud DVR” feature to enable subscribers to its DirecTV Now live over-the-top streaming service, DirecTV satellite TV service, and U-verse telco-tv service to store recorded programs on remote servers instead of hard drives in a set-top box.

AT&T revealed through a press statement this week that new cloud DVR capability is slated to begin this summer through an invitation-only beta trial of the new feature that will enable DVR recording on DirecTV Now.

The company didn’t reveal how it plans to select the initial beta testers.

Read more on AT&T’s multi-platform cloudDVR plans after the jump:

LG 4K OLED TV Wins TV Shootout For 4th Consecutive Year

July 13th, 2017 · 2160p, 4K Flat Panel, 4K LED LCD, Calibration, Connected TVs, Dolby Atmos, Full Array LED Backlit with Local Dimming, HDR, LCD Flat Panel, LED LCD Flat Panels, LG Electronics, News, OLED, OLED, Streaming Services, Test Equipment, UHD 4K OLED, UHDTV

ISF President Joel Silver discusses the 2017 TV Shootout Criteria during CE Week Wednesday.

LG’s OLED TV technology, represented this year by the 65-inch OLED65E7P, continued to take top honors in the Annual TV Shootout during the CE Week Show in New York by sweeping three categories in votes by a panel of expert judges, Thursday.

The LG 65-inch Signature Series E7P OLED TV ($4,797) won best television for 2017 for studio lighting/home theater, HDR viewing and for streaming video presentation. It was one of six televisions selected to compete.

This marked the fourth consecutive year an LG OLED TV had come out on top in voting during the Shootout event. In prior years, the TVs had been crowned King of TV by the shootout event originator.

Read more about the 2017 TV Shootout at CE Week after the jump:

Samsung Delivers MS750 Sound+ Soundbar

July 12th, 2017 · 2160p, 4K Flat Panel, 4K LED LCD, Audio, center channel, Full Array LED Backlit with Local Dimming, HDMI, HDR, LCD Flat Panel, LED LCD Flat Panels, News, Sound Bars, Sound Systems, sub woofer, Surround Sound, Surround Sound Systems, UHDTV

Samsung said Wednesday that the affordably priced MS750 Sound+ single-unit soundbar offering a vertically expanded soundstage with distortion cancelling, enhanced bass and, multi-speaker control is coming to retailers now.

The MS750, which carries a $699.95 average street price, was first introduced at CES 2017 last January, when it won the show’s Best Soundbar Award from HD Guru. It offers 5-channel sound from 11 drivers, each having a dedicated amplifier. This includes three wide-range tweeters, six woofers and two vertical wide-range tweeters.

Using simultaneous multi-array performance and long-excursion technology, the sound of the MS750’s bass is said to have increased depth and coverage.

Read more on the Samsung MS750 Sound+ Soundbar after the jump:

Review: Sony HT-ST5000 Dolby Atmos Soundbar Offers Wide Sound Stage

July 10th, 2017 · 2160p, 4K Flat Panel, 4K LED LCD, Audio, Blu-ray Players, center channel, Dolby Atmos, front channels, HDMI, HDR, height channels, LED LCD Flat Panels, object-based audio, OTT services, rear surround channel, Sound Bars, Sound Systems, Streaming Services, sub woofer, Surround Sound, Surround Sound Systems, UHDTV, Ultra HD Blu-ray Players

Sony’s HT-ST5000 Dolby Atmos soundbar was quite a surprise. For only a 2-piece system, this attractively styled unit delivered big sound with a widely dispersed soundstage and clear dialog.

What’s more, this $1,498 system , reproduces music as well or better than some entry home theater in a box systems, offering bright wide musicality, rear and overhead effects in high ranges and a mid-range that is less boxy sounding than some competitors in this class.

What stands out in this soundbar is the Dolby Atmos capability, which emits sound that at times seems to come from above the picture to give images a more lifelike quality.

This is no substitute for a high-performing surround sound system with a 7.1.2 or 7.1.4 speaker array, but for those who lack the budget, space or interior design to accommodate a full home theater system, the HT-ST5000 is a worthy substitute.

Read more of our review of the Sony HT-ST5000 Dolby Atmos soundbar after the jump:

Amazon Prime Day Sale Kicks Off Today

July 10th, 2017 · 2160p, 4K Flat Panel, 4K LED LCD, Amazon, Blu-ray Discs, Blu-ray Players, Blu-ray Titles, Connected TVs, Digital Camera/Camcorder, front projectors, Headphones, Home Automation, LG Electronics, News, OLED, Sound Bars, Sound Systems, Streaming Services, sub woofer, Surround Sound Systems, UHD 4K OLED, UHDTV, Ultra HD Blu-ray Players

The national shopping holiday — that Amazon, at least, would like us all to start celebrating – known as Amazon Prime Day begins tonight with thousands of bargains running throughout the day on Tuesday, July 11^th.

Anxious bargain hunters can begin scouring the e-commerce site starting at 6 p.m. Pacific / 9 p.m. Eastern tonight. Anyone with a Prime membership can participate. This means, if you want in on the action and don’t already qualify, sign up for a trial membership now. In addition to participating in special Prime Day sales, Prime will qualify users for free shipping on Prime-qualified items sold through Amazon and to stream thousands of hours of entertainment through Amazon Video, among other perks.

Read more on Amazon Prime Day 2017 after the jump: