A paradigm shift is defined as a change from one way of thinking to another. This change does not just happen, but rather is driven by agents of change. So when speaker manufacturer Paradigm decided to produce products for a new type of audio customer, the name of the new company was kind of a no-brainer. Thus far, they have brought out 3 different ear buds which are quite nice, with headphones and gaming headsets on the way. But the product that has us singing is the A2 Powered Speaker.

To be honest, ParadigmShift is not the first company to introduce a powered speaker. Powered computer speakers have been around almost as long as computers. And even high-end speaker manufacturers like Martin Logan have produced powered speakers. What makes the ParadigmShift A2 speakers cool is how versatile they are. A lot of thought went into this speaker, and it shows.
First of all, the speaker looks like a real bookshelf speaker, not a funky high-tech computer speaker. But much more important than looking like a real speaker, it sounds like a real speaker! Sparkling highs, warm mids, and a surprising amount of bass for such a small cabinet. The only giveaway that we are dealing with a different type of beast is the faint blue light that glows beneath the speaker grill. Until you look closer that is.

Turn the speaker around and you know that you’re not in Kansas anymore. The typical speaker binding posts are noticeably absent. In their place – a detachable power cord, a power switch, a volume control, two sets of inputs (RCA and mini-jack) and two sets of outputs (ditto). Two sets of ins and outs you ask? Why certainly I answer. The RCA input can be used for CD Players, TVs and the like. The mini-jack is perfect for your iPod-type device. The output jacks are used if you want to use two of these speakers in stereo. Each speaker comes with a switch that lets it be a left, right, or mono speaker. How cool is that?

My favorite part of these speakers, besides how they sound, is the power outlet on the back. Power outlet you scoff? Yes, thus eliminating the last obstacle for purchasing these speakers, which is: “I would love to buy them, but I have used up all my power outlets and I have a fear of power strips.” Actually, it turns out that having a power outlet lets you plug an Apple Airport Express to the back of the speaker, thus allowing you to wirelessly transmit your music to the speaker in one perfect little package. That is the very definition of cool.

Each speaker has 2 amplifiers built in, 50 watts for the 1” tweeter and 50 watts for the 5 ½” woofer. That’s 100 watts of digital power to rock AND to roll. And you get to choose from five awesome finishes with equally awesome names: storm black satin, polar white, vermillion red, gunmetal grey, and ash black (for those who are less daring!) And at $329.99 each, they are affordable to boot. Remember, $329.99 includes a 100 watt amp built into the speaker!

Come in and give these babies a listen. We promise you will be pleasantly surprised.

Most days I really like my job. Some days – I LOVE my job. Last Thursday was one such day. That was the day we installed a Runco Video Wall in our showroom. Before I go any further, I must give full disclosure here: I was against putting this in. I mean, it’s not for everyone and is very expensive. But I have since changed my mind. I’m not sure if it happened once the install was completed or at some point during the installation, but it happened. Big time. I guess I am just a sucker for things that are cool – and the Runco Video Wall is very cool.

WHAT IS A VIDEO WALL?
At first glance, it looks like a bunch of flat panel TVs grouped together and hung on the wall. But that would just be a bunch of flat panel TVs grouped together and hung on the wall. A Runco Video Wall is a group of specially designed flat panel TVs (or tiles, as Runco calls them) that can be arranged in configurations limited only by the wall size and your imagination. Each tile can display its own video image, or be part of a larger image. This is what makes a video wall so cool. Sure, it’s neat to watch 4 (or more) different sporting events at the same time, but every now and then you just want to watch one game and you want it big. With a Runco Video Wall, you decide what you watch, and on how many tiles you want to watch it on. Very cool.

WHY RUNCO?
Runco has long been known as the premier manufacturer of high end home theater projectors and flat panel TVs. So who better than to create a video wall? The individual flat panel TVs are unique in several ways. The first thing you notice is that they have almost no bezel, or frame around the screen. This is important as it lets you mount them together to create a near seamless image. Second, they have almost all of their electronics removed: no power supply, no video boards, no processing. That’s all done with equipment you mount up to 100 feet away. The benefit: these flat panel TVs are lighter, generate less heat (no fans) and are easier to install. Very cool.

LET THE FUN BEGIN
I could go on and on, but I really wanted this blog to show you how the wall went up and the finished results. So away we go …

First, you need a nice big wall. The red paint is optional.

The key to a properly mounted video wall is the bracket. The Runco bracket makes installation easier, and allows you to access individual TVs without having to remove them from the bracket.

Our video wall will be a 4 x 4 configuration of 55 inch flat panel tiles. Each panel has 3 cables run to it, one for power, one for video, one for control.

Two panels are up. Runco suggests spacing them the thickness of a piece of paper apart, allowing you to access individual panels if needed.

Adding the third panel.

Looking good!

The fourth and final panel goes in ... like a glove!

Finished. Just need to add the trim kit around the video wall, and then fire this baby up!

Let the fun begin. Four different programs for your viewing pleasure ...

... or 110 inches (diagonally measured) of baseball nirvana.

IS A RUNCO VIDEO WALL FOR EVERYONE?
Nope. Not everyone has the space or budget for such a high-tech toy. But the applications you could use a video wall for extend far beyond the game room environment. A video wall could be used to display moving art, displaying slide shows of your favorite photos, advertising in a business lobby, multi-player video gaming, and so much more. Or you could just watch 4 hockey games at the same time – like I do. Go Sharks!

Friends don't let friends use multiple remotes!

Let’s face it, controlling even a modest A/V system can be a daunting experience. If you’ve put together your own system, chances are you are using multiple remote controls. If this sounds familiar, don’t be too embarrassed … we’ve all been there at one time. But multiple remotes and a four page “cheat sheet” on which button to press, on which remote, and in what order gets old very fast.

Enter the infamous “all-in-one remotes”. These do-it-yourself remotes are more like politicians – they make a lot of promises, but they rarely deliver. Quite often they are confusing and not very intuitive, and people end up going back to the multiple remote system. So that “deal” you got on the holy grail of remotes turns out to be a big waste of money. And time.

Here at Hermary’s, we don’t sell all-in-one remotes, we sell system remotes that offer one touch control. What’s the difference? It’s quite simple – a system remote is an easy to use device that allows simple control of even the most complex systems. A system remote should be intuitive – a simple explanation is all that you should need to be off and running. A system remote should be reliable – it should properly control your system without sources getting “out of sync” (hello “H” remote users – I’m talking to you!) A system remote should be expandable – it should control as few or as many devices as you wish. And it should be able to control more than just A/V equipment. I’m talking about your lights, your thermostat, your security system, and more. And finally a system remote should be affordable. That goes without saying.

At Hermary’s we have several different system remote options available. Come in and spend a few minutes with us, and we will help you find the one that is perfect for your system, your lifestyle, and your budget. We can even show you how to turn your iPhone or iPad into a system remote. Allowing you to once and for all put away the remotes cluttering the coffee table, toss the cheat sheet, and spend more time enjoying your a/V system – and less time trying to turn it on and off!

Happiness

I love the months that follow the CES show in Las Vegas. First because I get to re-coop from the crazy late-night hours and way too much food and alcohol that normally accompanies any trip to Las Vegas. But mostly because that’s when all the cool new electronics that we see and hear for the first time at the show actually make their way into our anxious little hands. First it was Sony’s remarkable new 4K projector, a real game changer that we can’t stop drooling over. And now comes the second of three items that got my heart racing at the show: GoldenEar Technology’s AON, their first bookshelf speakers.

History

The GoldenEar Triton Two’s are one of our best selling speakers. And they are also one of the best reviewed speakers, ever. And they are one of the best reviewed speakers that mere mortals can actually afford. Don’t believe me? Google them. It’s almost like the reviewers go out of their way to out-do each other with their praise for these speakers!

But the Triton Two’s are not for everyone. While audiophiles scoff at their ridiculously low price of $1500 each, that’s still not exactly cheap. And not everyone is a fan of their look (basically a tall pedestal covered with a black sock.) But considering that for $3000 you get a pair of floor standing speakers with built in powered sub-woofers that make the speaker truly full-range (even for home theater) these a real bargain.

The folks at GoldenEar recognized that the Triton Two’s were not for everybody and created a speaker call the Triton Three’s. While 3 is a higher number than 2 (yay – all the schoolin’ finally paid off!) the Triton Three’s are actually the baby brothers of the Two’s. They are a bit smaller and $1000 a pair less expensive, but have managed to capture most of what everyone loves about their bigger brother. But they still have that look. And while I agree that this was a smart move on GoldenEar’s part, they are not the speaker that got me excited.

Disclaimer

Hopefully this doesn’t come back and bite me in the back section some day, but while I really, really like the Triton’s, I don’t love them. And I really want to. Especially every time I read a new review that tells me that I should love them. But that’s OK – each and every one of us hears things very differently. What sounds good to me may not sound good to you, though you would be wrong. I’m just kidding of course, but there was a time in my younger days when I could have said that and meant it! I was a bit of a snob, and if music wasn’t coming from an electrostatic speaker – well then it just wasn’t for me.

So what a complete surprise it was to step into the GoldenEar room at CES and hear everything I loved about the Triton’s sound and nothing that I didn’t. What a bigger surprise to discover it coming from a bookshelf speaker. What an even bigger surprise to find out the price that these babies would be selling for. More on that later.

Excitedness

The new speakers are called the Aon 2 and Aon 3. GoldenEar calls them “ultra-high performance compact bookshelf monitors.” And that is exactly what they are. They utilize much of same drivers and technology found in the Tritons, but without the built in powered sub-woofers. Let’s start with the tweeters, the driver that put GoldenEar on the map. They call it a high-velocity folded ribbon tweeter. I could go into boring details about what it is and how it works, but I won’t. Suffice it to say, this is what gives these (and all GoldenEar speakers) their unique sound. These tweeter produce sparking highs that fill the room without the harshness of many traditional tweeters.

The Aon 2 then adds a 6” mid-bass driver, while the Aon 3 adds a 7”. This, combined with a two side-mounted low-frequency radiators (6 ½” in the 2’s, 8” in the 3’s) give this bookshelf speaker remarkable bass. Do they go as deep as the Tritons? Nope. Do you need a sub-woofer for music enjoyment? Nope. The bass is very impressive, especially for a speaker that stands a whopping 12″ (Aon 2) or 14” (Aon 3) tall.

Unfortunately, they do have the grill sock fabric that covers the majority of the speaker. But in such a small cabinet, I don’t mind the look at all. Plus, these are not your traditional box-shaped speakers. Goldenear calls them truncated pyramids, and in addition to making them look cool, the shape also helps improve the sound. No, really.

Nirvana

Within minutes of receiving our first shipment, I had a pair of Aon 3’s on stands and breaking in. It’s only been 24 hours, and I know they are going to continue to sound better over the next few weeks. But what I hear now is what I heard at the show. This is a small, good-looking speaker that produces a huge soundstage, way beyond the width and height of the speakers. Yet it also produces a rock solid phantom center (where the singer sounds like he or see is standing between the speakers) – something that is important to me. It gets just about everything right. It sounds sweet and airy when it should. It sounds deep and commanding when it should. I guess the best way to sum up the sound is, when listening to well-recorded music, the speakers disappear and you are left with a deep, wide wall of gorgeous sound.

And the price for all this audio goodness? $399.99 each for the Aon 2’s, and $499.99 each for the Aon 3’s. That, my friends, is the frosting on the cake. I will be ordering a pair for myself very soon. Good thing I’m not one of those reviewers who fall over themselves praising the latest GoldenEar offering. I need to maintain my street cred, after all.

As is common in my blogs, I try to make sure they are not overly technical and a little entertaining (some might argue this last point). But I feel as if I must insert a little education in them to avoid doing a real disservice. Kind of like when you were a kid and your mom used to disguise vegetables as something they were not. You knew you were eating vegetables, but you had to give her credit for trying and then gag a few down. Perhaps this was just my childhood. So with that thought in mind, it’s time to gag down a few facts about the various projector technologies in order to appreciate the main course … the Sony VPL-VW10000ES 4K projector.

For all intents and purposes, there are 4 different technologies most commonly used in front projection: DLP, LCD, D-ILA, and SXRD. To be fair, D-ILA and SXRD are variations on LCD technology, so one could argue that there are really 2 basic technologies. If I were to go into detail about each, this would quickly become a very long and boring article. That’s what Wikipedia is for. Suffice it to say that each technology has its merits, and each can be utilized to create an amazing home theater experience. Sony has embraced SXRD, and because so has been able to bring amazing technology and performance at very enticing prices.

Pixel pixel on the wall, who’s the fairest of them all

Now we need to talk about resolution. While there are still a large number of STANDARD DEFINITION or EXTENDED DEFINITION projectors out there, no respectable home theater would ever utilize one of these. To compare the differences in resolution, or how sharp the picture is, we must talk about number of pixels. The picture we see on any display, flat panel or front projection, is made up of vertical and horizontal rows of pixels. By multiplying them together, you get the total number of pixels. Standard Definition (SD) is 720 horizontal by 480 vertical, or 345,600 total pixels. Why this may seem like a lot, it is not. High definition (HD) is 1920 horizontal by 1080 vertical, or 2,073,600. And we all can agree that HD looks way better then SD. In the front projection world, HD was the best we could hope for. And as long as you don’t make the screen too big, or sit too close, the experience can be remarkable.

Meanwhile, in the world of ACTUAL movie theaters, a transition is occurring. In the past, movies were shot and distributed on film. Film is very expensive. It’s expensive to make, and expensive to ship. No two prints of the same film look exactly the same. And every time the movie is played, the projector inflicts damage to the film. So you could argue that the transition to digital was inevitable. Hollywood has started using digital to shoot more and more movies, and movie theaters are replacing film projectors with digital projectors. Those early films and projectors used 2K equipment, which is 2048 horizontal x 1080 vertical, slightly better than standard HD that we enjoy today. But it was pretty obvious that this was simply not enough pixels to replace film. You see, movie theater screens are, for the most part, big. I remember seeing “Star Wars – Attack of the Clones” in 2K, and being very disappointed. The solution was easy … more pixels. Enter 4K.

The revolution WILL be televised, thanks to Sony

4K is made up of 4096 horizontal by 2160 vertical pixels, or 8,847,360 pixels. That, my friends, is a lot of pixels. If you’ve been to one of the better movie theaters recently, you’ve probably already experienced 4K for yourself. I myself will only see modern movies in 4K equipment movie houses. It’s that good.

There are approximately 40,000 movie screens in the U.S., and about 24,000 of them have been converted to digital. Of those, about 8000 are using 4K technology from Sony, including just about every IMAX theater. Sony has been on the forefront of helping theaters convert from film to digital. So it was a natural progression that they would want to do the same for home theaters.

Bigger is better

The big question is: do we really need almost 9 million pixels for a home theater? Need is a funny thing. We need air, and food, and water, and sleep. No – we don’t need a projector that can display 9 million pixels. Unless you want the best home theater possible. Unless you want a picture that matches the sound in “wow” factor. Unless you want to push the envelope and get a screen that’s a bit too big for the room. Unless you want your buddies to have a serious case of theater envy. And unless you want a projector that is ready for the future … today.

Which brings us to the Sony VPL-VW1000ES 4K SXRD projector. We received our demo unit last week. Within minutes it was unboxed and sitting on a table in front of our biggest home theater screen, a temporary set-up to allow us to put it through the paces. While we had seen this projector before at the CEDIA and CES shows, and were blown away by it, nothing prepared us for our first night with 4K. Wait, that sounds a little dirty.

Usually first generation products are more hype than substance, more trade-off than actual performance. Not here. This projector lives up to the hype, and more. The image it produces is bright, vibrant, realistic and razor sharp. Pixels are nowhere to be found. And the 3D performance is the best we’ve seen, period. Heck, the projector itself is even kind of sexy looking, as big projectors go. More important, it’s very quiet. No need to hide this projector in a soffit or hush box.

But wait, you ask, what are you watching that has 4K resolution? Simple answer: nothing. Native 4K content is still in the future. The great news is that currently available Blu-ray discs have the capacity to hold 4K resolution and current HDMI standards can pass 4K. So the infrastructure is in place, it’s just going to take a while to implement. In the mean time, the Sony 4K projector up-converts standard HD to 4K resolution. And it does an amazing job of it. No matter what we threw at this projector, it simply excels. This is especially true of less than perfect Blu-ray discs, the ones that we call “projector killers”. It seems as though everything just looks better in 4K.

The shameless plug

So is the Sony VPL-VW1000ES the benchmark by which all other projectors are to be measured? We think so, and this includes projectors costing many times more. If you are setting up a home theater, you must come and audition this projector, even if it is out of your budget. It’s important to see the benchmark, the performance you are aiming for. Then Hermary’s can demonstrate other options available to help you create the ultimate home theater experience. Of course, once you see 4K, there may be no going back. You have been warned.

If you know what this is, you may be old.

Chapter 1, where I give away just how old I really am

Do you remember going to your favorite record store (what are these records you speak of? Heck, what are these record STORES you speak of?) Do you remember spending hours searching through bins looking for your new favorite artist or an album that had slipped in under the radar? Back then we didn’t have the internet, so we relied on record stores and their knowledgeable employees for our music information. Do you remember racing home to play your new music, listening to every song, IN ORDER, while reading the album’s liner notes over and over until you had them memorized? There was something special about this whole experience. Collecting and listening to music was life changing for many people. It was for me. And it was fun.

Bins and bins of vinyl heaven.

Setting aside time to listen to music, an entire album, is something few of us do any more. We simply don’t have the time, partially because we are simply too busy. But I think another reason is that the way we collect music has changed. Record stores are becoming a thing of the past, as your favorite music is just a mouse click away. Now you can purchase a new album while sitting in your underwear, never leaving your house (if you do – put some pants on please) and enjoy it seconds later. This has revolutionized the music industry, for better and for worse. Better because a wider variety of music is now readily available, and smaller bands can have successful careers. I have discovered some fantastic music while surfing through iTunes, music I would have never been exposed to otherwise. Oh, and owning music has become cheaper. And I guess you could argue more environmentally friendly (fewer CDs in land fills.) So what could possible be bad about this? Read on.

Oh, I’m 47 by the way.

Chapter 2, where convenience trumps quality

Delivering music via the internet, and storing it on computers and iPods, requires that the music be compressed to smaller file sizes. Or so we were told. You see, back when music was first becoming digital downloads we had slow internet speeds. And hard drives were small and expensive. So the “powers that be” decided that music should become compressed into tiny little files called MP3s. For all intents and purposes, an MP3 is a compressed version of the original song. A song can be converted to an MP3 using different bit rates. The lower the bit rate, the smaller the file, and the more songs you can fit on your computer or iPod. However, the lower the bit rate, the lower the sound quality. And unfortunately, most music downloaded from the internet is at very low bit rates.

This little guy forever changed the course of music.

And so people became obsessed with owning as much music as possible, and loved that fact that it could be easily transported almost anywhere. I think if someone had told me when I was a growing up that I would one day be able to carry thousands of albums around with me on something the size of a pack of playing cards, I would have thought they were either insane or on drugs. Or both. And yet we do this everyday, and take it for granted! I use my iPods (yes – I have several of them) and could not imagine ever giving them up. But I also recognized what I had to give up for this convenience … mainly quality. And the magical experience of listening to an entire album while immersed in the liner notes.

The “high-end” audio community lashed out against this form of music. They tried to convince us that it sounded horrible. That we weren’t “listening” to music. That anyone who loved music would never be caught dead listening to an iPod unless it was in our car or while jogging. Which of course, according to them, isn’t “listening” to music anyway. They even created music formats that were much higher quality than the CD (DTS music CDs? SACD? DVD-Audio? Anyone? Anyone?)

Of course, we all realized how right they were, threw away our iPods and digital downloads, invested tens of thousands of dollars (or more) in high end audio gear, and got back to listening to music, right?

Chapter 3, where a few smart companies realize that music is music, no matter where it comes from

An iPod dock unlike any other.

So a few intelligent manufacturers (and one local retailer – see below) decided that if this was to be the future of music, then why not embrace it rather then fear it. Peachtree Audio is one such company that decided to focus on how to make the music we now have on our computers and our iPods sound better. And they have been very successful doing just that. From simple external DACs (digital to analog converters that breath new life into old equipment) to iPod docs (that make your music sound so much better) to complete integrated solutions (just add speakers and a computer for music nirvana) Peachtree has carved a nice little niche for themselves.

And you want to know a secret? A secret that much of the “high end” audio community does not want you to know? It’s this: that a computer can be the best source for high-end music. Better than CDs, LPs, anything. This is a fascinating topic that I will save for a future article. But suffice it to say that if you really care about the quality reproduction of music, high definition music downloads will be in your future soon. You already own a computer, so you’re part of the way there already!

That said, there are things you can do to improve the sound quality of music stored on your computer and iPod that cost little or no money. Start by increasing the bit rate at which you rip your CDs. 320 is the highest MP3 bit rate, and it’s the only MP3 bit rate I would ever consider. A better option is to rip your music in a “lossless” format. In the PC world this is called FLAC, and Apple uses Apple Lossless. These are interesting options that shrink the file size of each song to roughly half, but maintain the same sound quality as the original CD. It’s a shame that Apple didn’t just go ahead and support FLAC, and it’s for this reason that Hermary’s prefers AIFF as the best option for ripping your music. It’s basically a bit for bit copy of the original CD. Just realize that your music library will take up a lot more room on your computer hard drive, and you may not be able to get all your music onto your iPod.

iTunes getting a boost from Pure Music.

iTunes is one of the most popular programs used for ripping and playing back music on a computer. And it does a decent job. But there’s a wealth of programs available that you can use instead of, or in addition to iTunes to improve the sound quality of your digital music. One of my favorite ways to quickly and (relatively) cheaply improve iTunes sound quality is with a program called “Pure Music”. The main advantage of this program is that you still use iTunes as your interface to your music. But Pure Music takes over all of the sound reproduction, and simply sounds better. It also allows iTunes to play back FLAC files, and opens the world of high resolution digital music downloads to you. Come in for a demo, or download the program for a 15 day trial period for free.

Chapter 4, where listening to music becomes fun again

Apple's free ap REMOTE on the iPad.

So you’ve got your music on your computer and/or your iPod. But who wants to walk over to a computer to start the music playing? Not me. And I’m really not THAT lazy. Since most of us already have iPhones, or iPads, Apple has made it very easy to talk to your iTunes music library from these devices. It’s a free app called “Remote”, and if you are using iTunes, and have an iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad, it’s indispensible. What a joy to be able to browse all your album covers, and with the touch of a button have said album begin playing instantly. Of course, it’s not the only option available. And this article has just scratched the surface of what is out there.

There are many options available, but suffice it to say that they all begin with music residing on a computer or, better yet, a networked hard drive. But where on Earth could you possibly go to help navigate the wealth of information and choices?

Chapter 5, where this somewhat informative article turns to blatant self promotion

A cool new home for your iPad.

So while many A/V retailers (no names please) continue to tell their customers that digital music is the devil’s doing, or have forgotten all about music and only focus on home theater, Hermary’s has quietly positioned itself to be your computer audio specialist. Need proof? Simply come visit our showroom. Is that an iPod doc in our 2-channel listening room? Why yes it is, thank you very much – but no ordinary iPod dock. This iPod dock will make the music on your iPod sound better than ever, no matter what bit rate it was recorded at. Don’t believe me? Bring yours in and we will prove it! Is that wall-mounted iPad really streaming music wirelessly to a pair of speakers, speakers sitting all by themselves with no receiver or amp hooked up to them? You bet. And what’s that Apple iMac doing over there in the corner? Is it possible that the music coming from a computer and small but gorgeous looking speakers can really sound that good? Yes. Absolutely.

How can something this cool looking sound so good?

Our staff can show you the many options that are available, and help you select that one that is best for your needs and your budget. Of course, this is what we’ve been doing for over 40 years, and why we are still around while other retailers have come and gone. Best of all, we will help fuel your desire to discover your music collection all over again. And if you love music, that’s really what it’s all about.

In a future installment, I will talk about manufacturers who have embraced high-end audio sound and build quality without the high end audio price tag. But next will be the annual report of what impressed us at this years Consumer Electronics Show, which is the second week of January in Las Vegas.

IN THE BEGINNING

I must begin this blog with a full disclosure: I have been a fan and a subscriber of both DirecTv and TiVo since the day they both became available. Actually, I was able to play with a TiVo DVR before it was officially released to the public. Oh, those were the days. DirecTv with its tiny 18” dish and 100 digital channels let me say goodbye to my mediocre cable service. TiVo, and its intuitive interface and hard drive capabilities forever changed the way many of us watched TV. No longer were we bound by the air times of our favorite shows, nor forced to watch endless commercials. And the day DirecTv and TiVo joined forces to create the ultimate TV viewing experience – well that ranks right up there with the birth of my son. I know … sad.

Times have changed. DirecTv broke ties with TiVo to create their own DVR, and after several attempts finally got it mostly right. TiVo, on the other hand, kept on surviving, despite the naysayers who predicted their demise over and over again. Which brings me to the point of this article: to discuss the latest release from the TiVo folks. They call it the TiVo Premiere Elite, which is one too many adjectives in my opinion. What’s next TiVo, the Premiere Elite Crème de la Crème For You And No One Else?

If you are reading this, you probably already know what a DVR is. But for those who still think VCRs are a technological marvel, allow me to get you up to speed. A DVR, or digital video recorder, allows television programming to be stored on a hard drive to watch at a later time. But this is just the beginning. A DVR can be programmed to record all episodes of your favorite show, or just the new episodes. Multiple shows can be recorded at the same time, depending on the DVR manufacturer. You don’t need to know what time or channel your shows are on, the DVR handles that for you. And when you do get around to watching them, you can skip over the endless commercials in a matter of seconds.

So what sets the TiVo Premiere Elite apart from the competition? In a word: more. More recording capacity. More tuners. More features. Perhaps a better name would have been the TiVo T1000 Steroid Edition. The TiVo Elite has 2 terabytes of recording capacity, which translates into over 300 hours of HD. That’s four times what DirecTv offers. And TWENTY times what Comcast offers in their typical HD DVR. Oh – and if that’s not enough for you, just hook up an external drive to its eSATA port. The TiVo Elite can record 4 shows at the same time, and you can watch a fifth previously recorded show while it’s doing this. It is not compatible with DirecTv or Dish Network, but rather uses a card called an M-CARD to receive cable programming. And in the case of the Elite, only digital channels can be received, no analog and no over the air channels. Sorry, Grandpa.

So what happens if there’s nothing on TV worth watching? Well, TiVo has you covered by giving you access to streaming content from Netflix, Blockbuster, Hulu Plus, Amazon, YouTube, and more. In the mood for music? No problem. TiVo gives you access to Pandora, Rhapsody, and other streaming internet music stations. Oh – and because your favorite music is the music you already own – TiVo can stream your music from iTunes. The goal was to create a single entertainment hub. Did they succeed? Read on.

HOUSTON, WE HAVE LIFT-OFF

I unboxed my TiVo, and installed and activated in a matter of minutes. Activated? Oh yes – did you think all of this TiVo goodness was free? Nope – in addition to the cost of the box, you must pay TiVo $19.99 a month for the TiVo service. Or you can pay $499 for a lifetime subscription. While this may sound steep, you break even at 25 months, so it makes a lot of sense to me. Anyway, TiVo suggests hooking the unit up and getting it going before your cable guy comes out to install the M-CARD. And I agree, as it downloads a lot of program information when first activated. Even without the cable card, you can still enjoy all the other non-TV features the Elite offers, such as Netflix, Pandora, etc.

Because I am a trained A/V professional, or at least play one on TV, I decided that I would pick up the M-CARD and handle the install myself. I returned my 1 week old Comcast DVR to a local branch and asked for an M-CARD instead. I was hoping that the representative would ask me why so I could launch into a tirade about how poor their DVR was, but instead she smiled, and said “Oh, you must have purchased a TiVo.” Darn! Needless to say, the person at Comcast was friendly, helpful, and knowledgeable. I almost felt bad for returning their DVR. Almost.

Bruce Cockburn sings a song called “Wondering Where The Lions Are”, and that’s exactly what I was doing. But thus far everything had gone smoothly. As a matter of fact, the only speed bump I encountered was getting the M-CARD and TiVo to be friends. The unit stayed on the “Downloading channel information” screen all afternoon. Re-booting the TiVo did not help. Several calls to Comcast did not help. Unplugging the unit, then plugging it back in solved the problem. When all else fails …

Several hours later, way past midnight, I was done setting up my new toy. All my season passes were set (a season pass is when you tell the TiVo unit to record all or just new episodes of a favorite TV series.) Channels that I do not subscribe to or watch were deleted. Options that I will never use were made to not show up on the screen. It’s what I like to call “dialed”, and it was very easy to do. Not once did I need to consult the owners manual. Here are some early impressions:

THE GOOD:

Excellent picture quality, far exceeding that of a normal Comcast DVR, and perhaps better than DirecTv. The unit is THX-certified, the only DVR to have such certification, and it shows.

4 Tuners and 300 hour HD recording capacity should be more than enough for 99.9% of the TV viewing population.

Netflix and Pandora load quickly and function perfectly – with well thought-out GUIs.

A fantastic way to get your music and podcast content that resides on your computer over to you’re a/V system – even wirelessly.

Very quiet – no audible fan noise.

THE NOT-SO-GOOD:

You will not be able to access Comcast Cable’s extensive library of on-demand programming. Then again, with 300 plus hours of HD recording capacity (or 2000 SD), you can create your own on-demand library!

You have to purchase it, but for an avid TV viewer the $499 price tag is acceptable. (TiVo does make $99 and $299 units, but these have less recording capacity and only two tuners.) And then you have to pay a monthly fee or purchase a lifetime subscription.

Only about one-third of the menus are high-def. The majority are the same standard def menus TiVo has had for years. Hopefully this will be corrected with a future software update.

THE BOTTOM LINE:

I love DirecTv. But I am unable to have it at my new residence. Comcast DVRs are, how can I put this mildly … lacking? I am told that they are working on a 4 tuner model with a larger hard drive, but who knows when that will become available. If you are a serious TV watcher, and are using cable as your provider, this TiVo Premiere Elite is just what the doctor ordered.

Sony VPL-HW30ES

So what if you don’t have a spare room, or a spare half million dollars, but want something bigger than a 65” flat panel? Fear not, Hermary’s has a solution for you. We start with Sony’s brand new 3D SXRD front projector. The model VPL-HW30AES is based on Sony’s revolutionary SXRD technology, which produces stunning 1080p hi-definition images that are bright, sharp and very realistic. And with the addition of 3D, well … you’ve never seen anything like it. As a matter of fact, this projector can even turn standard 2D television programs and DVDs into 3D viewing experiences.

But the problem with all projectors is that they need a dark room to produce a life-like image. Well, not any more. Enter Screen Innovations. This company makes some of the best projections screens out there, and developed a new screen material that produces bright vibrant pictures, even with the lights on! The screen actually absorbs unwanted ambient light in a room, and only the projector’s light is reflected back to the viewer’s eyes. You really have to see it to believe it.

Come in today for a demonstration of this remarkable combination. Oh, and don’t worry if you fall in love. The new Sony 3D SXRD and a fixed 110” SI Black Diamond screen will only set you back around $7000, excluding sales tax and installation, leaving you $493,000 to do other things with, like buy a second house.