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Joe Kane Digital<br />
Video Essentials<br />
HD DVD<br />
$35 • videoessentials.com<br />
You could hire a high-priced professional<br />
to fine-tune your home theater for you,<br />
or you could drop this disc into your<br />
DVD or HD DVD player to calibrate<br />
everything yourself. It’s like a collegelevel<br />
course in audio, video, and acoustics.<br />
The disc’s menu interface gets a<br />
failing grade, however.<br />
BLU-RAY AND<br />
HD DVD PLAYERS<br />
DVRS<br />
MEDIA STREAMERS<br />
UNIVERSAL REMOTES<br />
Model Price Disc Format HD Video Resolutions Audio Formats Rating<br />
Samsung BD-P1200 $600 Blu-ray 1080p, 1080i, 720p Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby Digital, DTS 8<br />
Sony BDP-S300 $500 Blu-ray 1080p, 1080i, 720p Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby Digital, DTS 6<br />
Toshiba HD-A20 $400 HD DVD 1080p, 1080i, 720p Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD, Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby Digital, DTS 6<br />
LG BH100 Super Blu $999 Both 1080p, 1080i, 720p Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD, Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby Digital, DTS 5<br />
Model Price Inputs Outputs HD Tuners Capacity Rating<br />
TiVo HD<br />
Velocity Micro CineMagix<br />
Grand Theater<br />
MMDesign<br />
DiscSox DVD Pro<br />
Metal Tray<br />
$22 • mmdesign.com<br />
Most DVD racks are decor-killing space<br />
hogs. Not so this simple, industrialchic<br />
tray. Measuring about a foot long,<br />
the tray fits almost anywhere and holds<br />
up to 75 discs in clear vinyl sleeves.<br />
The sleeves are pricey ($27 for 25),<br />
but we like this compact storage solution<br />
better than others.<br />
Video Gear | ACCESSORIES<br />
Scorecard<br />
$300 plus<br />
$17 monthly<br />
$5,223<br />
2 CableCard, ATSC, digital<br />
antenna, cable, Ethernet, phone<br />
2 CableCard, ATSC digital<br />
antenna, cable, Ethernet<br />
HDMI, component, S-video,<br />
composite, S/PDIF, analog audio<br />
2 DVI, S-video, S/PDIF, analog audio,<br />
8 USB, FireWire, E-SATA<br />
Shuttle XPC X200 M $1,997 Cable, FM, Ethernet DVI, analog audio, 5 USB 0<br />
Comcast Motorola DCT3416 $10 monthly Cable<br />
Cable out, HDMI, component, S-video,<br />
composite, S/PDIF, analog audio<br />
2<br />
3<br />
2<br />
WIRED TEST<br />
160 GB / 20 hours<br />
HD, 180 hours SD<br />
2 TB / 300 hours<br />
HD, 960 hours SD<br />
750 GB / 94 hours<br />
HD, 250 hours SD<br />
80 GB / 15 hours<br />
HD, 80 hours SD<br />
Model Price Connection DRM Support Compatibility Rating<br />
Vudu $399 Ethernet N/A N/A 9<br />
Sonos Digital Music System Bundle 130 $999 Ethernet, RCA, Coax, Toslink WMA Mac, PC 8<br />
Sling Media Slingbox Pro $230 Ethernet, 802.11g N/A Mac, PC 7<br />
Apple TV $399 Ethernet, 802.11n iTunes Mac, PC 6<br />
Netgear Digital Entertainer EVA8000 $349 Ethernet, 802.11g, USB iTunes, WMA Mac, PC 6<br />
Model Price Screen Setup Software Size (inches, HxWxD) Rating<br />
Universal Electronics NevoSL $1,099 Color touchscreen<br />
Logitech Harmony 1000 $500 Color touchscreen<br />
Monster Central AVL300 $500 Color<br />
X10 IconRemote $80 Color<br />
Monster PowerCenter<br />
HTS 1000 MKIII<br />
$200 • monstercable.com<br />
Dirty power is said to degrade<br />
your home theater experience. The<br />
PowerCenter cleans up electricity’s<br />
act while at the same time protecting<br />
your gear from power surges—to the<br />
tune of a $350,000 warranty. That<br />
part’s good, but our eyes and ears<br />
couldn’t discern any difference after<br />
plugging in the PowerCenter.<br />
PC programmable plus<br />
learning mode<br />
PC programmable plus<br />
learning mode<br />
PC programmable plus<br />
learning mode<br />
On-unit programmable plus<br />
learning mode<br />
SkipDr AutoMax<br />
$40 • digitalinnovations.com<br />
The disc doctor is in da house. This<br />
battery-powered gizmo buffs the<br />
scuffs and scratches from well-worn<br />
DVDs, CDs, and game discs. Just spritz<br />
one with the cleaning solution and run<br />
it through the machine; 60 seconds<br />
later, it’s as good as new. Our scratchedto-hell<br />
Empire Strikes Back DVD<br />
played like a fresh copy after a single<br />
whirl in the AutoMax washer.<br />
PC 7.5 x 3 x 0.8 7<br />
Mac, PC 4.1 x 5.5 x 0.7 6<br />
Mac, PC 8.1 x 2.3 x 1 6<br />
N/A 9 x 2.3 x 1 4<br />
0 9 1<br />
8<br />
8<br />
6<br />
5
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