Entries in Reviews (27)
Review: Sony FMP-X10 4K Media Player
Tuesday, October 14, 2014 at 10:13PM 
Owners of 4K ultra high-definition (UHD) televisions soon discover that the current selection of 4K movies and TV shows is pathetically limited. The Sony FMP-X10 4K Media Player delivers more 4K content than any other set top box, and a recent update frees the FMP-X10 from Sony-only TV use enabling it to work with any 4K UHD display that supports HDCP v2.2 copy protection.
Simple setup
The X10 is simple to setup and use, and it features a second audio-only HDMI output that enables it to easily integrate with HDMI AV receivers that lack support for the necessary copy protection (most).
Robert's Favorite Home Theater Gear
Conveniently, Netflix 4K streaming is built in, and Amazon 4K Instant Video will be added early 2015. Sony uses the AVC (H.264) codec for downloaded 4K movies saved to the FMP-X10's 1TB internal hard drive, and streaming 4K content is encoded with HEVC (H.265). The high bitrate of the downloaded movies I sampled made for an exceptionally detailed viewing experience - particularly with newer digital productions. The more time I spent viewing the X10's impressive high resolution imagery the more it increased my urge to upgrade to a larger TV or 4K projector to better appreciate it.
To buy or not to buy
Sony has created a terrific 4K viewing experience with the FMP-X10, but I wanted more. The X10's selection of movies and TV shows must expand with regular updates to ensure long term enjoyment. Many titles have affordable rental options, but some content is only available for purchase and prices are not exactly cheap. It's still early in the 4K UHD scene, and gear like the Sony FMP-X10 4K Media Player is helping to fill in the current content gaps - even it the price of admission is a bit steep.
Update
Sony has confirmed that its 4K movie library is encoded in lossless multichannel LPCM audio - it sounded lossless! Also, most of the 4K feature films and TV episodes available via Sony's Video Unlimited service are encoded using x.v.Color, a wider color gamut than BT.709, which "delivers deeper colors, especially reds." However, we await further details regarding the proper method of evaluating displays and video optimized for the expanded color palette the x.v.Color spec.
Read the full review of the Sony FMP-X10 4K Media Player at HD Guru!
Review: Sony XBR-X900B 4K TV
Monday, October 6, 2014 at 4:36PM Updated October 9, 2014: added a note about HDCP v2.2 support
One rarely encounters a TV with good built in speakers, and it's rarer still when the same TV provides gaming entertainment that doesn't feel like a bunch of rejected smartphone apps. The Sony XBR-X900B Series 4K Ultra HD TV brings fun, style, and sound while delivering some of the best calibrated imagery that I've seen this year.
4K60 ready
The X900B is one of the few TV's currently available that accepts PC graphics output at 4K resolutions up to a 60Hz refresh rate (4K60). While 4K60 isn't critical for home theater viewing (yet), it is a sign that this Sony LCD can handle the gear you currently own and stands ready for what's coming in the near future.
Gaming goodness
And while this TV won't replace a next-generation gaming console, having Sony's PlayStation Now cloud gaming service built in adds dozens of decent games ready for easy rental enjoyment - just add your own DualShock controller.
In the lab
For an edge-lit LCD with local dimming technology, the X900B's screen had good brightness uniformity, and movies with letterbox bars held up well in a dimly lit room. Its selection of apps, media playback capabilities, and sensitive over-the-air tuner also pleased the cordcutter in me.
Robert's Favorite Home Theater Gear
Impressive all-around
The Sony X900B Series 4K Ultra HD TV impressed my eyes with its accurate calibrated color and picture contrast. That it sounded as good as it looked was a bonus I appreciated whenever I wasn't in the mood to fire up the AV receiver.
Note: A test of the X900B's HDMI ports revealed that ports 1 and 2 accepted a UHD video source that required HDCP v2.2.
Read the full review of the Sony XBR-X900B Series 4K Ultra HD TV at HD Guru.
Review: Tablo DVR
Saturday, September 27, 2014 at 9:57AM 
Updated September 29, 2014 - added "More AV Details" section
The digital video recorder (DVR) has freed us from the shackles of watching our favorite TV programs on the broadcasters' fixed schedule. The DVR has enabled TV enthusiasts to capture their escapism and enjoy it minutes, hours, or weeks later – and pause playback at anytime, for any reason. When people think about DVRs, most envision a remote controlled set top box connected to a display device. The Tablo differentiates itself from other DVRs by connecting to a home network and delivering over-the-air (OTA) HD television goodness directly to smartphones, tablets, PCs, and popular streaming appliances connected to traditional televisions.
The Tablo is made for cordcutters that want receive a TV fix on the screen of their choice anytime and anywhere. The Tablo experience included a few quirks but no showstoppers, and steady updates have added new features and improved performance.
Size, style, and setup
The Tablo's compact black chassis measures about 7 inches wide by 4.5 inches deep and 1.5 inches high. The unit's matte finished top helped hide dust and fingerprints while glossy sides and a brilliant blue indicator light added a bit of bling - the latter was easily tamed (if desired) in the settings menu.
Setup is simple: connect an antenna, add up to two external hard drives (up to 2TB capacity each) via the USB ports on the back of the unit, decide between Ethernet or WiFi networking, and connect the power. Tablo's WiFi setup requires a direct connection from another wireless device in order to select a local network – once completed, my mobile device automatically reconnected to my local wireless network.
Controlling Tablo depends on the viewing plaform. Dedicated apps are available for newer Android and Apple tablets. Roku users can add a custom channel, and a browser-based app that is optimized for Chrome and Safari is for all other mobile devices and PCs.
Channel guide
Tablo includes 30 days of its custom channel guide data service that features high quality cover art and episode synopses. This data also enables recordings that may be scheduled by time, episode, or series. After the trial period, guide data subscriptions cost $5 a month, $50 a year, or $150 for the lifetime of the units associated to a user account. Without guide data, the Tablo offers only basic manual recording.
Tuner tech
The Tablo hardware is available in a 2-tuner and 4-tuner configuration. Its OTA tuners are from MaxLinear and a ViXS transcoding chipset converts broadcast MPEG-2 transport streams into h.264 video for expanded compatibiltity of live and recorded video delivery. Tuner sensitivity appeared good as all of my local HD channels reported full strength reception using a quality indoor antenna – distance and local topography have the greatest influence on OTA channel reception. The Tablo defaults to displaying only HD channels, but it's easy to edit the channel lineup however you see fit.
Up to six devices may access Tablo tuners and recorded content simultaneously. Live program viewing is limited by the number of available tuners, but multiple devices may watch the same tuned channel(s) and recorded content – the channel guide highlights in-use live channels as well as potential recording conflicts. Even on a relatively busy home network, I was able to cleanly stream video to four devices simultaneously. I also found that an Ethernet-connected Tablo was generally more stable when streaming to multiple screens than when using the DVR's WiFi connection – your mileage may vary.
Heron Fidelity's Cord Cutting Guide
Remote enjoyment
One of Tablo's most impressive features is its ability to deliver an OTA DVR experience outside of the home – aka Tablo Connect. Setup of this feature involves forwarding three ports to the Tablo's local IP address and selecting a remote streaming quality preset (an auto-quality option is reportedly coming soon). Mobile devices must first connect and sync to the Tablo on the local network, but after that, I enjoyed Tablo's live and recorded programming on my 4G LTE smartphone anywhere I could receive a cell sevice or WiFi. Impressively, the Tablo Connect experience functioned identically to being connected to its local network.
More AV Details
The Tablo's current audio configuration is for stereo output only, but the company is considering support for surround sound as a possible future update.
Also, whatever recording quality level is configured in the Tablo settings menu is how the video is stored on the hard drive. When configured for 1080p recording, all content is transcoded and stored in the 1080p format - including SD (480i) broadcasts.
Robert's Favorite Home Theater Gear!
Playing beta tester
My experience with the Tablo over the last few weeks wasn't all perfect, but regular firmware updates have improved usage to the point were I would recommend it to interested cordcutters. However, even with the latest firmware update (v2.1.16 at the time of this article) that incorporates a Chromecast/Roku streaming quality preset, I continued to experience occasional freezing with Google Chromecast playback. Also, choppy full-screen playback plagued my HTPC's admittedly aging Intel HD 2000 graphics (windowed playback was fine) – I did see this as a good excuse to upgrade the system's GPU.
Mobile performance with an iPhone 4S running Safari on iOS 8 was flawless, but an Android smartphone (OS v4.4.4) required the use of Chrome Beta (v38.x and later) for full functionality.
The Tablo browser interface could use a few tweaks as well. Keyboard cursor support for channel guide navigation is missing, and the mouse cursor remains visible during playback unless moved into the control bar at the bottom of the screen. When selecting a recorded program to view, the large cover art required scrolling on 720p/768p screens to reach the play button next to each recorded episode.
The above issues noted, Tablo has implemented numerous tweaks and improvements related to stability and video quality with every firmware update. Given the complex nature of this network-enable DVR, I appreciate the company's timely response to feedback, community support, and apparent desire to improve their product.
Price comparison
Compared to other OTA DVR options, the Tablo is a good deal. A Tablo with lifetime channel guide data starts at $370 (2-tuners) and $450 (4-tuners) without necessary storage – a new 1TB external drive is less than $65. The Channel Master DVR+ (read review) with an integrated 1TB hard drive is $400 and that includes lifetime guide data, but it lacks the Tablo's useful ability to record only new programs in a series as well as its network/remote streaming features. The TiVo Roamio OTA features four OTA tuners and 500GB of integrated storage for $50 plus $180 a year for channel guide service, or $590 for three years of use. There is no lifetime guide option with the Roamio OTA. Adding a TiVo Stream for downloading and streaming recorded shows to Apple iOS devices adds another $130 – Android support is reportedly coming soon.
Bottom line
If you want to get rid of an expensive cable, fiber, or satellite subscription and you happen to live near free-to-air broadcast towers, cordcutting becomes an increasingly viable option. The Tablo is a uniquely capable multi-tuner DVR that can feed a decent sized household live and recorded television entertainment throughout the home or on the road. Tablo also keeps things simple by focusing on being a good DVR while avoiding the urge to pile on unnecessary or unwanted apps – at least so far.
Review: DVDO AVLab TPG
Monday, September 22, 2014 at 11:14AM 
Video calibration and testing is tedious, exacting work. The end result, however, is our ability to objectively convey relevant information to you, plus make our favorite projectors and TVs look and perform at their absolute best. The need to examine dozens (if not hundreds) of video test patterns to properly evaluate display performance is the primary time-sink in the whole process.
Enthusiasts with a little know-how, a Blu-ray player, and a decent test disc can perform their own basic display evaluation and setup. Manually navigating a disc is tedious though, and there are limited test patterns available. If you wish to increase the speed and accuracy of the job at hand, a dedicated test pattern generator (TPG) will change your life.
Most test pattern generators are bulky, expensive boxes that can cost as much as a used car. If you need a TPG that supports the latest features, like 4K/2160p, we're talking about gear that can cost as much as a nice used car.
The signal processing masters at DVDO have introduced the AVLab TPG that eschews the bulk and cost of its competitors by delivering digital video goodness in a package that literally fits in your pocket.
Robert's Favorite Home Theater Gear
Design
About the size of a deck of playing cards, the AVLab TPG is wrapped in a tough metal enclosure that provides a bit of heft for the diminutive unit. Fragile it is not, and that's a good thing for any piece of kit that's expected to perform flawlessly in the field.
One reason for the TPG's compact design is that it’s an HDMI-only video device. The lack of analog video support isn't really critical anymore. The HDMI-passthrough design of the TPG allows for in-line placement: slotting between a display and a source device like a Blu-ray player.
The TPG’s HDMI input is also MHL-enabled for easy charging of connected mobile devices. Keeping with the all-digital theme, a S/PDIF optical audio output is also present if needed.
Control
The AVLab TPG keeps on-device control simple with two easily operated buttons. One for output format and one for test pattern selection. An infrared remote enables selection and control of the TPG's numerous output capabilities via a clean and legible on-screen menu system. This includes access to:
- More than 85 built in test patterns
- 20+ video format output options
- BT.601, BT.709, and full range RGB color spaces
- 8, 10, and 12-bit output
Video format support includes SD through 4K, as well as 50Hz/60Hz refresh rates, and 4K/2160p at 60Hz using YCbCr 4:2:0 as defined in the HDMI 2.0 spec.
An information menu option is useful for verifying incoming and outgoing signals.
Updates and integration
The TPG's USB port makes it easy for owners to apply firmware updates (I tested with v1.02) that add new features and functionality after its initial release. However, the best use of the AVLab TPG's USB port is for supplying power, along with direct PC control. This allows automation of the display calibration and testing process.
Calibration software packages compatible with the TPG include: SpectraCAL's CalMAN v5 or later, ChromaPure Professional v2.5.1 or later, and HCFR Colormeter. If you don’t have compatible software, the AVLab TPG is slightly less exciting, as the user misses out on automated control and the ability to generate variable window sizes and RGB triplets for custom color measurements.
The TPG's user guide provides a nicely organized chart of serial command protocols for anyone interested in crafting their own software control scheme.
In the box
The DVDO AVLab TPG includes everything you need to get it up and running with a minimum of fuss:
- HDMI cable
- Micro USB adapter cable
- A/C power adapter
- Padded travel case
Cost
Video generators like the DVDO AVLab TPG are not cheap, but compared to the alternatives, its $1,300 price tag is a downright bargain. Other HDMI-only video generators, like the VideoForge HDMI, only provide 1080p output for the same price as the AVLab TPG. A 4K VideoForge unit bumps the price up to $4,000. The Quantum Data 804A is among the most capable 4K HDMI generators currently available, but is $6000.
Bottom line
With its ease of use, firmware updatability, and relatively low price, the DVDO AVLab TPG enables a display professional or hard-core enthusiast to spend less time in the calibration and setup process and more time appreciating the end result.
Review: LG 55EC9300 OLED TV
Tuesday, September 16, 2014 at 2:06PM 
Updated March 27, 2015: added additional testing information
Plasma televisions that I would still recommend are all but extinct, however, my desire for a worthy successor is being fulfilled by OLED technology. OLED televisions deliver pure video black (as in 'the absence of light'!) while simultaneously rendering bright details at LCD luminance levels. OLED TVs also surpass the viewing angle performance of LCD and plasma televisions by maintaining incredible picture contrast and color saturation from every seat in the room.
Sublime imagery
The LG 55EC9300 1080p Smart 3D Curved OLED TV produced imagery that wowed me visually - more so than any of the hundreds of televisions I've previously tested. The 55EC9300 also represents the best value for this new display technology with a price that is a fraction of what it was only months ago.
Plasma black - LCD bright
The LG 55EC9300 features a glossy screen that may appear to be problematic for brightly lit rooms, but its bright imagery and effective anti-reflective surface made it ideal for even the most sun-drenched environments. And, the 55EC9300's LCD-like energy efficiency minimized heat output while keeping operating costs low.
Gaming and burn-in
Gamers looking for a TV with low video lag will find the EC9300 a good choice. Enabling the TV's game mode video option reduced lag from 107ms to 49ms (about 3 frames of delay with 60Hz input). Interestingly, selecting the "PC" input label further reduced video lag to 34ms (about 2 frames of delay).
Given the price of OLED technology, the robustness of the display is a valid concern. Uneven pixel wear, or burn-in, can occur with LCDs, OLEDs, and (of course) plasma TVs. I place LG's OLED displays closer to LCDs than plasmas when it comes to burn-in resistance. The EC9300's white sub-pixel in addition to red, green, and blue (RGB) has an added benefit of reducing wear on the OLED materials when generating white/bright video.
Robert's Favorite Home Theater Gear!
Color king
One of the first things I look at with any new TV is the quality of its factory calibration. In the case of the EC9300, I found its Cinema picture preset delivered an exceptionally accurate color response that averaged the lowest error I have recorded to date! This particular test examined a couple dozen hues including simulated skin tones, foliage, and grayscale levels. Owners will find LG's color setup for the EC9300 superb right out of the box.
Contrast is king
OLED televisions are still new technology and there is always room for improvement, but I couldn't be more pleased to see this once 'future' display technology available today. And as I recently predicted, I believe 1080p OLED TVs will be at mainstream prices within a year while 2160p OLED TVs will quickly take over as the new premium home theater display - (picture) contrast is king!
Read the full review of the LG 55EC9300 OLED TV at HD Guru!
