OLED TVS: Good News and Bad
I’m a longtime subscriber with a Sony A9G OLED question that might be worthy of publication for other owners of that TV (an S&V 2019 Top Pick of the Year winner). Can different picture settings (contrast, brightness, color, etc.) be independently assigned to each of that TV’S inputs? Sony’s customer support says: “No.” However, I found an article on the internet that says that since the A9G lacks a “copy to all inputs” feature, you’ll need to enter your settings manually for each input. This leads me to
The Invisa Home Theater Reference 7000 from Goldenear Technology ($599 each) is designed for use as a ceiling-mounted left-, right-, or center-channel speaker, or as a side or rear surround. It can also serve as height-channel speaker in many home theater installations. A flat, round microperforation grille magnetically attaches to the HTR 7000’s facia, seamlessly covering the mounting flange for a nearly “invisible” look. Internally, the same 7-inch high-definition cast-basket driver used in the company’s Aon 3 is combined with one of
Goldenear’s Signature Technology HVFR tweeters, then blended via a complex crossover network that incorporates a high-frequency equalization switch.
Home Theater by Design
A/V retailer and e-commerce site Audio Advice has introduced Home Theater Designer, an interactive 3D design tool that lets consumers model a virtual home theater system. Users simply enter their room’s dimensions, and the tool helps them to create a three-dimensional visualization of an optimized A/ V space complete with speakers, TV or projector, and seating. The Home Theater Designer is available for free on the Audio Advice website (audioadvice.com).
When using Home Theater Designer, the tool asks questions about the desired seating configuration, display type (TV or projector), speaker configuration, distance from screen, and aisle position and width. Results are displayed in real-time, with the tool scaling the room dimension, seating, and screen size, as well as adding or subtracting speakers in response to user input. A powerful feature of the program is the guidance it provides when selections are inappropriate for a given space—atmos ceiling speakers in a 7.1.4 configuration too close to the back wall, for example. Another feature, the proprietary Immersion Level™ calculation algorithm, also helps users select an appropriate screen size to maximize immersive viewing.
The Tool’s 3D design capabilities allow for users to visualize the space from different angles or a seated viewpoint. You can also select lighted or dark room views, as well as a sound dispersion view (pictured above) that shows the immersive effects of a selected speaker configuration. Once your perfect theater has been designed, you can then save the project and generate a report with exact speaker locations, screen size, room dimensions, and an Immersive Level rating.