SRS TruVolume: Why another volume leveler?

Given that TV makers can already choose from at least two volume-leveling technologies— Audyssey Dynamic Volume and Dolby Volume—the announcement that SRS has launched a competing technology might be greeted with the same excitement as a new brand of HDMI cable. According to SRS chief technology officer Alan Kraemer, though, SRS’s TruVolume technology has a big advantage over its competitors … and his pitch is not the usual “we’re better” spiel.

Technologies such as TruVolume seek to solve the decades-old problem of loud commercials blaring out at double the volume of the TV show you’re watching. In the past, manufacturers have tried to quash such outbursts using primitive automatic level circuits, but in Kraemer’s words, “Those either did nothing or really messed up the sound.”

Michael Jackson: 1958–2009

When I heard the news, I was in the S&V sound room listening to (wait for it) "Shine On You Crazy Diamond." True! Specifically, when my mother called (a true rocker, she), I had just heard "Shine . . . Part VII," which ends with these lines:

Come on you boy child,
You winner and loser,
Come on you miner for truth and delusion, and shine!

After getting the news . . . what else could I do but press Play again? In came "Part VIII," where the funk meets the Floyd. It was almost as if the Ghost of Pop had entered the listening room and melded with the music.

Then, of course, came the concluding "Part IX" — which, according to David Gilmour, is "a slow 4/4 funeral march . . . the parting musical eulogy to Syd."

You can't make this stuff up.

(Why was I listening to "Shine On You Crazy Diamond" anyway? Well, an acquaintance had given me a DVD-Audio burn of the old quadraphonic mix of Wish You Were Here, now in 4.1. But that's a story for another time.)

Back to Michael Jackson . . .

U.S. I.T.C. blunts Sharp imports

The U.S. International Trade Commission is banning imports of certain models of Sharp LCD, due to an ongoing 2007 patent dispute with Samsung. Out of four patent infringement claims from Samsung, an ITC judge ruled that one was indeed violated by , leading the commission to block Sharp imports.

The ban affects Sharp's ability to sell LCD HDTVs, along with computer monitors and other devices that use LCDs. The ITC hasn't issued a final ruling yet, but the ban will be upheld for the time being.

— Will Greenwald

The sound of gaming

Video games and home theater enthusiasm seem like the perfect match. A far cry from the days of pixelated sprites and harshly synthesized sound effects, modern video games have all the hallmarks of a top-notch Blu-ray release: high-resolution graphics, Dolby Digital surround sound, and tons of interactive features. Unfortunately, the twin houses of gamers and home theater buffs almost never mingle, despite how well their equipment can work with each other.

I recently upgraded my modest home theater to a 5.1 surround system with an Onkyo SR607 receiver, some THX-certified Boston Acoustics speakers, and a Sony SA-W2500 100-watt subwoofer. It won't rock the house's foundations (which is good, since I live in an apartment), but it puts out some solid, clear sound, and it has seriously enhanced my gaming experience.

Before I put together my new system, I used my HDTV's mediocre built-in speakers. They were stereo, they got decently loud, they reproduced dialogue and sound effects well enough, but they simply weren't all that good. Since I'm a member of a generation that grew up on synthesized BGM tracks and beeps and bloops for sound effects all through the 8- and 16-bit gaming eras, the television's speakers were "good enough." I knew my Xbox 360 was capable of much more, but, like many other gamers, I was reasonably satisfied. The Xbox 360, like the Playstation 3, supports Dolby and DTS surround, and can play DVDs and stream Netflix video. Like its rival, the Blu-ray Disc-playing Playstation 3, the Xbox 360 has enough A/V bells and whistles to justify itself not only as a gaming platform, but as a media player. In fact, my Xbox 360 serves as my main DVD player, for convenience. Of course, it was built primarily to play games, so all of those audio and video features that work so well with movies and music can work just as well with games.

Until I got everything set up, plugged in (via a fiber optic TOSLink cable running from my Xbox 360 to my receiver), and turned on. Between the drastically improved fidelity of the dedicated speakers and the rich presence of the surround sound, my game was transformed from a diversion to an experience.

Belkin boasts 1,000-Mbps Powerline adapter

There is HD video flying all over the place, overworking wireless routers to the point of exhaustion. Belkin's new Gigabit Powerline HD Starter Kit does what any good Powerline system should do, sending heaps of data through a house's existing wiring. They're claiming their $149 kit is capable of 1,000 Mbps (in perfect fantasy, which is quite a bit, especially for a system at that price point). The unit itself is actually very slick-looking, which is in line with Belkin's reputation. Heck, they made an attractive router, which is an achievement in itself. The system is available now (in North America, early August for Euros) and we're hoping to get our hands on one soon to see just how much HD video it can handle.

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