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World's first THX-certified soundproof door debuts at CEDIA


Just when you thought nothing else on this planet could ever earn THX certification, here comes Serious Materials to prove you wrong. The image you are inevitably peering at above is the world's first THX-certified soundproof door, the QuietHome. Boasting an STC rating of 51 in a 2.25-inch thick door, it's said to be the only door in the world to stand up to those mighty THX standards. Just for reference, it's noted that typical hollow-core doors have an STC rating of only 15 (and solid-core doors around 27), and we're told that this one will reduce noise between 65% and 85% compared to traditional alternatives. Of course, such a marvelous addition to your home won't run you cheap -- the QuietHome family ranges from $1,495 to $2,495 per door, so you better have dead silence really high on your list of priorities before pulling the trigger (on a silenced Walther PPK, of course).

Asus reveals uber-quiet HR-0205T HD DVD drive


Those not exactly thrilled with the noise levels produced by the Xbox 360 + HD DVD drive combo will likely adore Asus' latest, as it gives HTPC builders an uber-quiet alternative to playing back HD DVDs without having to replace one's rig or purchase a standalone player. The "world's quietest" HR-0205T optical drive handles dual-layer HD DVD discs and basically every flavor of DVD and CD, too. Asus swears the unit can play back an HD DVD while emitting just 21.1dB of noise, which could reportedly be compared to a "quiet auditorium." Regrettably, there's no word on a price or release date, but considering that this thing couldn't burn an HD DVD if its life depended on it, we'd hope the price would be fairly reasonable to compensate.




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