Home > Podcast > AV Rant #821: Bad Day for Optoma

AV Rant #821: Bad Day for Optoma

August 11th, 2022

Free tickets are still available for the Home Theater & Audio Show being hosted by Audio Advice in Raleigh, NC Aug 19 – 21. Email us if you’d like some. Or use our promo code: AVRANT22 for $5-off 3-day passes when you register: https://live.audioadvice.com/attend/register/

Warner Bros. Discovery is making big changes, particularly to HBO Max. ProjectorScreen and Projector Central had an Ultra Short Throw projector shootout with surprising winners. And we answer lots of questions, including prioritizing a huge list of potential upgrades.

Pictures shown in this episode:https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjA2myP

00:00:00 – Intro
Rob finished the 3rd season of The Orville: New Horizons. Tom watched Prey, and started The Sandman.

00:12:47 – Listeners of the Week
Our Listeners of the Week are Raf for his PayPal donation, plus our 139 Patreon Patrons, as well as Mario for his heads-up about Best Buy’s Sonance MAG6 in-ceiling speaker flash sale, and Seth for arranging our free tickets and promo code for the Audio Advice show.
Thanks also to Julian and Dane for sending photos with permission to use them on https://avgadgets.com/
And we appreciate the notes of gratitude for keeping the podcast going from: Matt, Ryan, Ilango, Julian, and Mark. Thank you to everyone for continuing to listen!

In the news:

00:17:16 – News: Warner Bros. Discovery Big Changes
Following their merger and new CEO taking over, there’s upheaval at Warner Bros. Discovery, with big impacts to HBO Max and its content: https://dcdr.me/3bKNK5q

00:30:49 – News: Ultra Short Throw Projector Shootout
ProjectorScreen.com and Projector Central hosted a UST projector shootout for 14 models under $6,500 with some surprising results: https://bit.ly/3PaEdCh

Comments:

00:33:31 – Comment: Infinite Gary – Spade-to-Banana Adapters
A successful way around plastic guards on speaker binding posts: https://amzn.to/3SgOr74

00:33:40 – Comment: Ryan – Refurbished Epson Projectors
Returned his Optoma UHD55, picked up a refurb Epson 6040UB.

00:35:09 – Comment: Dan – Adjusting Sub Position
Shared the experience of listening to bass sweeps in different seats with his girlfriend.

QUESTIONS:

00:38:24 – Bertrand: Super Chunk DIY Bass Traps
We discuss modifications for a lower ceiling, air gaps, and what he’ll actually hear.

00:48:02 – Mel: New Media Room Plans
We discuss soundproofing, acoustic treatment, seating distance, speaker placement, and using a system for both movies and 2-channel listening.

01:03:33 – Mike: Wiring Four Overhead Speakers
We discuss minimum distances, series vs parallel, and how to physically wire pairs of overhead speakers.

01:09:25 – Matt: ALL the Upgrades
A laundry list of ideas are prioritized for time and money.
– SVS 13-Ultra to 4000 Amp Upgrade Kit: https://bit.ly/3p8ZMIR
– Calibrated UMIK-1: https://bit.ly/3bHcs6T
– miniDSP 2×4 HD: https://bit.ly/2jWhfTb
– JVC Calibration Software: https://bit.ly/3vWvsFb
– Sherwin-Williams Gray Screen: https://bit.ly/3QvxST6
– Tricorn Black: https://bit.ly/3PchyFB
– Sonance MAG6 in-ceilings: https://bit.ly/3A6aiG7
– MAG6 Back Cans: https://bit.ly/3pbIOK6

01:40:04 – Eddie: NAD AVR not showing Atmos
We go over the reasons Atmos might not show up on a Receiver’s front panel.

01:41:42 – John: EIA vs FTC Wattage
How important is it for an amp’s wattage to meet or exceed a speaker’s power handling? And what’s EIA vs FTC Wattage?
– FTC & EIA Power Ratings: https://bit.ly/3QxAsrB

01:45:44 – Karl: Laser Projector Shootouts
We discuss the dangers of evaluating projectors based on side-by-side images and videos posted online.

01:50:44 – Daniel: Bedroom AV Receiver
If HDMI 2.1 isn’t a priority, and only 3 channels are needed, which AV Receiver should he get?
– Denon X1600H from A4L: https://bit.ly/3zSQQMW
– Denon S660H: https://bit.ly/3JLUKvn

01:52:40 – Infinite Gary: RCA Interconnects
If you just want a cleaner look and uniform lengths, which RCA interconnects do we recommend?
– Monoprice Digital Coax: https://bit.ly/3QwnudM
– Monoprice Stereo RCA: https://bit.ly/3QiM6qI
– Blue Jeans Cable LC-1: https://bit.ly/3dm9BQY
– SVS SoundPath RCA: https://bit.ly/3dnIB3O

01:54:33 – Jonathan: Cleaning Your Projector
What maintenance and cleaning should be done on his Sony projector?

01:57:30 – Raf: Audyssey Pro & MultEQ-X
We discuss options for either Audyssey Pro or MultEQ-X add-ons, and whether independent subwoofer EQ is possible.
– MultEQ-X Software for Windows only: https://bit.ly/3AcbXLh

Thanks for listening. Now, don't forget to:

  • Check out the AV Rant YouTube channel to watch our show videos.
  • Download Tom’s FREE superhero-themed ebook Bob Moore: No Hero.
  • Visit Tom's website for download links as well as links for the two full-length follow-ups -  Bob Moore: Desperate Times and Bob Moore: Hostile Territory.
  • Check out AVGadgets.com where Tom is the new Editor-in-Chief!
  • Download Tom's NEWEST book, Touch of Pain from Amazon now!

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