Home > Podcast > AV Rant #731: Harmony Remote Alternatives

AV Rant #731: Harmony Remote Alternatives

December 18th, 2020

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Our Listeners of the Week are Brian, Chris, and Brendan for their PayPal donations, plus our 126 Patreon Patrons. We also want to thank Jack, Nick, Chris, and Joe for their notes of gratitude to us for keeping the podcast going. Thank you to everyone for continuing to listen!

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

In the news:
– Headlines saying Denon & Marantz’ HDMI 2.1 AVRs work with 4K/120 now are a bit misleading: https://is.gd/ARW9MH
https://avgadgets.com/why-2020-21-is-a-terrible-time-to-buy-an-av-receiver/

– Samsung announced a non-modular, 110″, “consumer” micro-LED TV (pricing is higher than we’d heard at the time of recording): https://is.gd/bkiEso

– Disney announced oodles of new shows & movies for Disney+: https://is.gd/wrvTkP
– Disney+ prices are going up, and countries outside of the USA are getting Star (whether you want it or not) instead of Hulu: https://is.gd/KTzAVY

– 0:19:44 Harmony Remotes are getting hard to come by, and we don’t know if they’ll be around much longer, so we detail your alternatives:
https://avgadgets.com/logitech-discontinues-harmony-remotes/

Comments:
– Clara doesn’t think Power Sound Audio’s 18″ subwoofer models are fully optimized or particularly good, and suggests opting for Monoprice Monolith or JTR instead.
– Monoprice Monolith M-215: https://is.gd/sYyZlt
– JTR Home speakers & subs: https://is.gd/n2wLzw

– Nick B. auditioned KEF Q-Series speakers, but opted for Ascend SE Series instead.

– Jason S. heard from Amphony that their Model 1700 wireless speaker kit with amplification won’t be back in stock until February: https://is.gd/cf8Czo

0:32:04 Greg wants to know if streaming boxes will be updated to support the new Dolby AC-4 audio codec that is used by NextGen TV over-the-air broadcasts.

0:36:09 Brian F. wants to know why his new SVS PC-2000 dual cylinder subs sounded quieter than his old Klipsch subs when he switched how his subs are positioned in his room.
http://avrant.com/a-12-step-guide-to-setting-up-dual-subwoofers/

0:47:59 Martin asks if the new KEF LS50 Meta are worth it over the original LS50 speakers on clearance.

0:51:02 Mitch R. & Andrew L. both want to know if “curtaining” the frequency range of your AVR’s equalization (in other words, limiting the range of frequencies to which EQ is applied) is beneficial and noticeable.
https://avgadgets.com/digital-room-correction-systems-and-dsp/

0:58:15 Infinite Gary wants to hear about a time we struggled with a purchasing decision, and he’d like some input on his experiments with nearfield subwoofer placement.

1:06:36 Mario wants to know what he’ll need to upgrade in order to enjoy Atmos audio from the new game systems when his Receiver is on a different floor of his house.
https://avgadgets.com/why-2020-21-is-a-terrible-time-to-buy-an-av-receiver/

1:12:07 Eric C. has questions about his home theater and DIY subwoofer plans when it comes to placement.
http://avrant.com/a-12-step-guide-to-setting-up-dual-subwoofers/
– https://avgadgets.com/qotd-can-i-place-a-subwoofer-on-its-side/

1:23:32 Jacob B. asks which Def Tech Surrounds and Ultra Short Throw projector to buy.
– https://avgadgets.com/qotd-do-i-crossover-tower-speakers/
– https://avgadgets.com/whats-the-deal-with-ultra-short-throw-projectors/
– Optoma CinemaX P2: https://is.gd/RXOWBh

1:29:16 Nick B. is worried about using an OLED for gaming, and wonders if he should have three screens just in case.
– https://avgadgets.com/guide-to-screen-burn-in-and-image-retention/

1:37:07 Mark T. gets our take on North Carolina State University’s Artificial Chemist 2.0 Quantum Dot robot: https://is.gd/GqUGO5

1:41:24 Gurinder asks how to make sure his in-wall Surround speakers get positioned perfectly on the first try.

1:46:02 Chris C. wants to know the best way to handle bass when his Front Towers have built-in, self-powered, bass drivers. He also asks if now’s the time to upgrade his projector, and whether he should invest in a wider projection screen, since he cannot increase the height.
– https://avgadgets.com/qotd-do-i-crossover-tower-speakers/
– https://avgadgets.com/subwoofer-placement-crawling-bass/
– SVS SoundPath Isolation Feet: https://is.gd/50InVU
– https://avgadgets.com/why-169-is-the-best-projector-screen-aspect-ratio/
– SeymourAV 2.07:1 Constant Image Area screen option: https://is.gd/GxQDtR

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