AVForums Podcast: Episode 261 - 15th April 2019

Phil Hinton

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00:00:22 - What has the team done this week?
00:08:20 - Current Competitions
00:09:17 - Beer52 sponsor message
00:10:38 - Samsung Q90R initial impressions
00:17:05 - Ed reviews the KEF LSX Speakers
00:23:13 - Steve reviews the Polk Command Bar Soundbar
00:33:26 - AV News
00:41:47 - Phil reviews Hellboy
00:49:49 - This week's cinema releases
00:53:20 - This week's 4K and Blu-ray disc releases
00:57:06 - This week's streaming release
01:03:16 - Star Wars Celebration news and trailers
01:13:36 - Too many new streaming services coming?
01:29:08 - Goodbyes

Presented by Phil Hinton with Ed Selley and Steve Withers

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Time: 01:30:07 | File Size: 134mb | Direct Link

The podcast is taking a break over the Easter weekend, we will be back on the 29th of April
 
Imagine digging out TLJ and the current state of the franchise, to the point of saying that you’ve got the original trilogy and that you’re done with the rest of it to:

“I’m gonna be there in December.”

Way to stick it to Disney fellas!

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:
 
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Sky is now fully owned by Comcast and has nothing to do with Rupert Murdoch anymore. Comcast also own Universal. Also Warners and HBO (includes Game of Thrones etc.) are owned by the same company (AT&T).

So unfortunately I think there will be lots more streaming services to come, unless Disney, Amazon or Netflix have enough money to buy Comcast and AT&T?
 
Anyone watching Line of Duty?

The show uses frequent acronyms, has occasional expletives, and the gang is headed up by a mysterious policeman believed to have an unusual accent who is known as H.

It’s a lot like this podcast really.
 
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Enjoyed the podcast as usual.

Not really sure on the Sky problem. It's going online shortly (next year?). The vast majority of people couldn't careless about atmos so not pushing it yet isn't a problem as I see.

A little story not talked about much with Sky at the moment is that every single F1 qualifying & race has been shown in full and live on Sky 1 so far. That is free with the most basic subs.
If I had paid for F1 on sky I wouldn't be happy.
 
Regarding a universal streaming service directory, haven't any of you used Apple's TV app? Unfortunately, Netflix haven't opted in and probably never will. Now TV are apparently testing a new beta app that may work with the TV app.
 
Hi Lads,

Where is Roon Review ? Am i missing something ? Ed mentioned that the review is up on the Forums.

Thanks
 
Anyone watching Line of Duty?

The show uses frequent acronyms, has occasional expletives, and the gang is headed up by a mysterious policeman believed to have an unusual accent who is known as H.

It’s a lot like this podcast really.

I love that show
 
Quote from This Is Spinal Tap :)

It's going to be interesting seeing how the streaming services develop. I can see myself occasionally dipping into Disney if the content is there. Netflix will be my go to as I've still got so much on there I want to watch. Amazon is just a bonus I get with my delivery. Apple doesn't interest me at all. Sky can go and do one on principle of their appalling streaming quality.
 
Was interested in the comments regarding "loss leaders" and other marketing strategies. Can someone explain the comments about Q Acoustics, what did they do on entering the market that was controversial?
 
I have two comments stemming from the podcast.

One, about 34 minutes in, you briefly mention a new Sony Blu-ray player, which you then quickly say should be overlooked in favour of the Panasonic 820. Mr Withers then mentions that he has recently bought a Panasonic UB9000 player (which is now £100 cheaper than the smaller of the two new Pioneers blu-ray players, the Pioneer LX500). I suspect that I am like many people on these forums, in that I have little realistic chance of A-B comparisons at a friendly local dealer (before buying from that dealer, not on the internet for 10% cheaper, which is morally dubious) and so I have to rely on magazine and on internet reviews. Regarding the Panasonic players, and in particular the UB9000 compared to the Pioneer LX500, Home Cinema Choice written magazine has recently reviewed all these players. They say that the Panasonics are perhaps fractionally better for video performance, but the audio performance of the Pioneer LX500 is better than that of the Panasonic UB9000, especially with CDs. How do Messrs Withers and Hinton find the audio performances of the two Panasonic players, with Blu-ray discs and also with CDs?

Two, at 50 minutes in, you say that film releases this week are scarce in view of "what's coming next week", I think. Mr Withers will be seeing this film on Monday 22nd April, I believe (and the next podcast isn't until Monday 29th April, so Mr Withers will be able to participate in the film review section, yes?). Mr Withers describes his efforts to monitor the ticket releases of this forthcoming film, and the website crashed, and by the time it was up again he couldn't get weekend tickets, so he'll be going on Monday. Now, I do realise that I'm not the best-connected person in Christendom, but ..... neither Mr Withers nor Mr Hinton actually say what this big new film next week is!!
 
Thank you.
 
I have two comments stemming from the podcast.

One, about 34 minutes in, you briefly mention a new Sony Blu-ray player, which you then quickly say should be overlooked in favour of the Panasonic 820. Mr Withers then mentions that he has recently bought a Panasonic UB9000 player (which is now £100 cheaper than the smaller of the two new Pioneers blu-ray players, the Pioneer LX500). I suspect that I am like many people on these forums, in that I have little realistic chance of A-B comparisons at a friendly local dealer (before buying from that dealer, not on the internet for 10% cheaper, which is morally dubious) and so I have to rely on magazine and on internet reviews. Regarding the Panasonic players, and in particular the UB9000 compared to the Pioneer LX500, Home Cinema Choice written magazine has recently reviewed all these players. They say that the Panasonics are perhaps fractionally better for video performance, but the audio performance of the Pioneer LX500 is better than that of the Panasonic UB9000, especially with CDs. How do Messrs Withers and Hinton find the audio performances of the two Panasonic players, with Blu-ray discs and also with CDs?

Two, at 50 minutes in, you say that film releases this week are scarce in view of "what's coming next week", I think. Mr Withers will be seeing this film on Monday 22nd April, I believe (and the next podcast isn't until Monday 29th April, so Mr Withers will be able to participate in the film review section, yes?). Mr Withers describes his efforts to monitor the ticket releases of this forthcoming film, and the website crashed, and by the time it was up again he couldn't get weekend tickets, so he'll be going on Monday. Now, I do realise that I'm not the best-connected person in Christendom, but ..... neither Mr Withers nor Mr Hinton actually say what this big new film next week is!!
Film wise I guess the saying goes if you have to ask then it is not for you?

I suspect the choice wise the options are simple for some, if your have SACD then you're buying the Pioneer. Movie wise then you're buy either, unless you have a projector then most likely the Panasonic. CD wise no idea as don't use CD these days

The case is for the latter CD/SACD and general music support you better off ripping them and getting a streamer. Enjoy the downloaded music and never look back, well unless you're Ed and want vinyl which non of the devices play.

Oppo/Cambridge/LG/Samsung have all dropped out the market and Pioneer have entered. While Sony seam to be in some parallel dimension. Tells you a lot about the market and purchases maybe better guided by choose players you consider most committed.

I've always found the comments made the guys as good and not brand bias. I might not always agree but the is another matter. Can't say mag are the same, some well known publications give very odd reviews not in line with my ears anyway.

On another matter I hope that polk quality is far better than Onkyo's. All those top reviews for their AVRs and they blew up with HDMI issues because they cut corners. For me anyway never again.

Keep up the good work guys!
 
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Regarding the Panasonic players, and in particular the UB9000 compared to the Pioneer LX500, Home Cinema Choice written magazine has recently reviewed all these players. They say that the Panasonics are perhaps fractionally better for video performance, but the audio performance of the Pioneer LX500 is better than that of the Panasonic UB9000, especially with CDs. How do Messrs Withers and Hinton find the audio performances of the two Panasonic players, with Blu-ray discs and also with CDs?
Hard to answer that question Ken because Pioneer's PR refuse to send any samples to us, so we've never actually seen one in action. On that basis alone I would never recommend a Pioneer player, plus I think they're way overpriced and there's no HDR10+ support.

So unless you specifically need SACD/DVD-Audio playback, I'd go for the UB9000. I think it's a great player for CDs and the analogue outputs are superb. If you don't want balanced XLR outputs, and the analogue performance is of less importance, then the UB820 is an absolute bargain. It even has 7.1-channel analogue outputs for those that might still need them Ken.
 
neither Mr Withers nor Mr Hinton actually say what this big new film next week is!!
Avengers: Endgame of course Ken. Forget everything else, this will be the biggest film of the year (possibly the decade) by a country mile.
 
Thanks gents, another good listen.

If the Polk strategy is to have a loss leader with their soundbar, I wish a few other companies would adapt a similar strategy.

If you are scared of Alexa and the information recorded, have a look at the following on your android devices

https://myactivity.google.com/myactivity

Sign in - Google Accounts

Noted your renewed enthusiasm for the next Star Wars film, a very different tone compared to previous conversations about it. Sounds like you may book the midnight screenings ;)
 
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Sounds like you may book the midnight screenings ;)
That would be too much of a stretch for me, I don't think I could stay awake after midnight at my age.
As for renewed enthusiasm? It's intriguing me to see how JJ gets out of this one and if we get any answers at all.
 
So unless you specifically need SACD/DVD-Audio playback, I'd go for the UB9000. I think it's a great player for CDs and the analogue outputs are superb.

And if you honestly do need SACD/DVD-A playback (I don't believe you but, I'll humour you), just buy one of the obsolete last gen universal players for peanuts and run it alongside.
 

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