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Criterion Collection Blu-ray Disc review roundup

by Darren Murph posted Dec 12th 2008 at 5:05PM


Sometime between the third crescent moon and a witch's equinox (or early last week, to be specific), Criterion began shipping out its long-awaited Blu-ray Disc collection. The question remains, though: are these much ballyhooed discs worth their weight in gold, or what? We've rounded up a number of reviews from around the web covering a wide range of the first wave titles, and generally speaking, critics were floored. Almost every single reviewer had a difficult time hitting the "stop" button on their praises of the visual / auditory qualities, and while the plots of each film are completely subjective, it's safe to say that these are quite the must-haves for strict audio- / videophiles. The only title that didn't receive an inordinate amount of laud was Chungking Express, with the reviewer noting that it had "a somewhat erratic look on Blu-ray, alternately semi-soft and sharp." Outside of that, however, it's all glowing.

Read - The Third Man review
Read - Bottle Rocket review
Read - The Man Who Feel To Earth review
Read - Chungking Express review
Read - Overview of Blu-ray transfer process

The Dark Knight Blu-ray Disc review roundup

by Darren Murph posted Nov 28th 2008 at 3:01PM


To (mis)quote the infamous Dennis Green: "It was what we thought it'd be." In other words, Warner Brothers' The Dark Knight truly is as mesmerizing and awesome on Blu-ray as it was in theaters. Some very early (and very thorough) reviews have already hit the 'net days before the film's sure-to-be-monumental release, and we've found nothing but praise across the board. Sure, varying critics had varying levels of appreciation for the plot, but when it comes to visual and auditory quality, the Blu-ray transfer delivers. Utterances of "wow," "stunning," and "spectacle" were peppered throughout each and every review, dashing any fears one may have had that the BD would fall short of the hype. For those who really want to dig deep, we've linked thousands of words below. But truthfully, they all come to the same conclusion: The Dark Knight is a must-own Blu-ray Disc.

Read - Big Picture Big Sound
Read - The HD Room
Read - Rope Of Silicon
Read - Home Cinema Choice
Read - HighDefDigest

JVC's 47-inch LT-47X899 1080p LCD HDTV review roundup

by Darren Murph posted Nov 11th 2008 at 10:56PM


With the plethora of 40-some-odd-inch HDTVs with 120Hz dejudder technology, it's tough for a name like JVC to cut through the marketing campaigns of those other guys. That said, the 47-inch LT-47X899 is a solid, if not upper-level set that's easy to overlook, but a glance around the web proves that you probably shouldn't. For starters, the 120Hz tech built in here actually improves the image quality -- something that can't be said about all sets. Furthermore, it produced crisp, clear details, excellent screen uniformity and a decent array of ports... at least in most eyes. One particular review found the image quality subpar for the price (around $1,900 on the street), so we'd probably suggest having a look in-store before buying blind. There's plenty more reading material below if you're interested.

Read - Home Theater review
Read - Sound & Vision review
Read - TelevisionInfo review
Read - UltimateAVmag review

The Ultimate Matrix Collection on Blu-ray review roundup

by Darren Murph posted Oct 13th 2008 at 3:59PM


We know you've got 14 alarms set to remind you, but The Ultimate Matrix Collection on Blu-ray will be all over store shelves tomorrow. If you're still unsure if the massive 10-disc set is worth the investment (or re-investment), a few long-winded reviews have already hit the 'net to help you decide. Put simply, the collection was deemed "a visual and aural extravaganza," and according to one reviewer, Blu-ray fanatics shouldn't hesitate to "consider the upgrade to this best-yet high-def edition." Of course, critics at IGN seemed less enthusiastic about just how worthwhile the upgrade was, noting that it's probably not worth it (from SD) unless you just cannot live without the superior audio and video transfers. We'll leave the final decision up to you, but one thing's for sure -- if you've got the cash to spare, you won't be disappointed.

Read - DVD Talk review
Read - Big Picture Big Sound review
Read - IGN review

Projector Reviews breaks down the best 1080p projectors

by Darren Murph posted Apr 1st 2008 at 9:36AM


We know, trying to digest all of the 1080p projectors out at the moment is a fairly daunting task, but thankfully, the hard-working folks over at Projector Reviews took on the challenge for you. In its latest roundup of "best 1080p projectors," the Panasonic PT-AE2000U, Epson Home Cinema 1080p UB and JVC DLA-RS2 took home the gold in the entry-level, mid-range and high-end categories (respectively). Still, quite a few other beamers came exceptionally close to winning it all, so be sure and hit the read link below to figure out which one is right for you (and your budget).

[Via AboutProjectors]

TiVo HD review roundup

by Joshua Topolsky posted Jul 24th 2007 at 3:19PM


A critical eye is peering in on TiVo's personal-flotation-device known as the TiVo HD, a $300 entry-level option into the company's DVR world, and we've got the roundup to prove it. The box, which TiVo hopes will attract thriftier (read, any) users to the previously pricey platform, features HDMI and component outs up to 1080i, dual CableCARD and M-Card compatibility, and Series3-style ATSC and NTSC tuners. It appears that the general feeling on the little black box is positive, with almost everyone loving the price-point, the CableCARD functionality, and all the standard TiVo amenities, though we wouldn't go so far to say that everyone is a 100% pleased. Most of the reviews take issue with the device's sluggish UI, lack of TiVo ToGo, and the tempting, yet inactive eSATA port (which the company says it's planning to activate down the road). Browse on over to the read links for the full reviews.

Read -- PC Magazine (4.5 out of 5)
Read -- CNET (7.7 out of 10)
Read -- PC World (88 out of 100)
Read -- TiVo Lovers (Megazone's massive unboxing and review)

Apple TV early review roundup

by Ryan Block posted Mar 22nd 2007 at 3:36PM


It's still a bit early yet for all the reviews to hit the internets, but peeps fortunate enough to have snagged an Apple TV early -- namely the WSJ, PC Mag, and The NY Times -- have already passed judgment. What do they think? Well, no one was without their niggles regarding the unit: as we know, Walt seemed bummed about the lack of photo streaming, Pogue chides Apple for not supporting HD downloads or TVs without high def inputs, and PC Mag had some problems playing iTunes video content back (although it was home video footage). The Xbox 360 receives frequent mention as the Apple TV's one true competitor right now, but the differences in the products and approaches still cause a rift, and it's hard to keep the parallels going for too long. But the one thing they can all agree on is their appreciation for the unit's simplicity, design, and ample ability to tackle digital video in the living room. (Yeah, watch out for our own Apple TV review shortly, we know you're all frothing at the mouth to learn the Engadget take.)

Read - NYT (Pogue thumbs up, way up)
Read - WSJ ("It has some notable limitations, but we really liked it. It is classic Apple: simple and elegant.")
Read - PC Mag (4/5, "I think Apple TV is a fantastic product-but I won't be buying one...")




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