Podcast Home Theater United Episode 37 - New and returning hobbyists with Todd Rice and Dave Hahn (1 Viewer)

[Sam Posten]

Episode 37 - new and returning hobbyists with Todd Rice and Dave Hahn

Episode 37 June 27, 2022 7:30 PM EST New and returning hobbyists Todd Rice Dave Hahn Reconnection: Sam’s new toy: Rodecaster 2 - Robot Voices and spoiler alert Mini G2 review: HGIG is still broken but movies and HDR10 gaming are glorious New and returni...

www.hometheaterunited.com

Episode 37

June 27, 2022 7:30 PM EST

New and returning hobbyists
Todd Rice
Dave Hahn

Reconnection:

• Sam’s new toy: Rodecaster 2 - Robot Voices and spoiler alert
• Mini G2 review: HGIG is still broken but movies and HDR10 gaming are glorious

New and returning hobbyists:

• Where are you at with your current build? How long have you been assembling it?
• Dave: What’s different in your current build from where your last one was at? You thought your last one would be the ultimate build and get you 10-20 years. What changed your thinking?
• What do you wish someone had told you about home theater before you began? What are you still investigating? What do you wish the industry did a better job of explaining?
• What's got you jazzed about 2022 displays, and what other tech are you adding? Is Atmos on your radar?
• Are projectors part of your investigation? Are TVs big enough for you or do you desire and have room for bigger screens?
• Have we reached saturation and maturity on display tech? Are you into HDR? Have you experienced it yet? Are retail vendors able to demo it well for you?
• Do you read and participate on other forums besides HTF? Are you on AVS or Bluray.com?
• Got an opinion on physical media vs streaming / buying digitally? Is it “And” or “Or” for you?
• Where are you buying media? Are sites like the HTF’s WRU or HDDN’s bargain hunting useful to you?
• Are you a movie goer? Have you returned post pandemic?
• What do you see as the biggest home theater issues that most users are facing? It’s 2022 and we are still using one way (ie dumb) RF tech to try to coordinate all our components. How has nobody fixed this? CAN anyone ever fix it?
• Have you dealt with multiple HDMI and USB standards? Are they as big a mess as Sam thinks it is?

Quick Good Bad and Ugly:
Sam - In the heat of the night
Todd - Measure of a Man
Dave - The Contractor

 

[Sam Posten]

Rogue:

 

[Sam Posten]

The SLAP:


Sonos:

Sonos | Wireless Speakers and Home Sound Systems

Sonos is the wireless home sound system that fills as many rooms as you want with great-sounding music, movies, and TV. Our speakers are as easy to set up as they are powerful, so you can play whatever you’re craving and savor every moment with the most brilliant, pulse-pounding sound money can buy.

www.sonos.com

 

[Sam Posten]

Super rottttttten tomato:

They Call Me Mister Tibbs!

In this sequel to

www.rottentomatoes.com

 

[JohnRice]

No relation folks.

 

[JohnRice]

I forgot which one of the two guests got the Insignia TV, but I'd be curious about its performance. In the last few years, Vizio and TCL have really been shaking things up in the value category. Two years ago I got a Vizio M Series for the living room and a Vizio P Series for the HT. I had always assumed my next TV in the HT would be OLED, but thinking long term, and being somewhat frugal, spending nearly $2K for OLED as opposed to the $900 the 65" P Series cost me just didn't make sense. Currently, the TCL 6 and 5 Series seems to have a step on the P and M Series Vizio, but at the time I got the Vizios, Insignia didn't seem to be keeping pace. I wouldn't be surprised if that has changed. From what I recall in the podcast, my impression was the Insignia Series purchased was roughly in line with the Vizio M Series, which really is probably suitable for most regular viewers.

 

[Clinton McClure]

I’m curious as well since I might be replacing my 12+ year old 50” Toshiba living room LCD with a new 4K display this fall. Right now, I’m thinking Vizio M series but I might be persuaded to try Insignia if they’re greatly improved from what they were.

 

[Sam Posten]

I just saw visited with Todd today and saw he has an Insignia he was using for a bedroom TV. Was it this one? He is using it till his new c1 77”!gets delivered and put on a mantle mount

 

[Sam Posten]

BTW Rode had fixed most of my issues with the RCP2 and next show should be even more smooth. I promise to keep the robot voice to a minimum

 

[DaveF]

FYI: AppleTV streaming service app and Apple Music streaming app are both on most every streaming appliance and smart tv now.

I use Music in my 2019 LG TV all the time.

Apple’s degenerate naming confuses this, but lack of app is no longer a reason to not subscribe and watch For All Mankind and Ted Lasso.

 

[DaveF]

Thumbs up on the Denon 760H purchase. I‘ve got one too. I think it’s the best mid-range choice for the enthusiast. Enough features and power to drive a home theater for the normal person and affordable enough to be a casual living room AVR for the enthusiast.

 

[Clinton McClure]

I have the previous gen S750H and I wholeheartedly agree with Dave’s statement.

 

[Dave Hahn]

I forgot which one of the two guests got the Insignia TV, but I'd be curious about its performance. In the last few years, Vizio and TCL have really been shaking things up in the value category. Two years ago I got a Vizio M Series for the living room and a Vizio P Series for the HT. I had always assumed my next TV in the HT would be OLED, but thinking long term, and being somewhat frugal, spending nearly $2K for OLED as opposed to the $900 the 65" P Series cost me just didn't make sense. Currently, the TCL 6 and 5 Series seems to have a step on the P and M Series Vizio, but at the time I got the Vizios, Insignia didn't seem to be keeping pace. I wouldn't be surprised if that has changed. From what I recall in the podcast, my impression was the Insignia Series purchased was roughly in line with the Vizio M Series, which really is probably suitable for most regular viewers.

That was me. I got a 75" F series Insignia from Amazon for $650. It was impressive out of the box but after calibration with Spears & Munsil I found it very nice

 

[Todd Erwin]

I forgot which one of the two guests got the Insignia TV, but I'd be curious about its performance. In the last few years, Vizio and TCL have really been shaking things up in the value category. Two years ago I got a Vizio M Series for the living room and a Vizio P Series for the HT. I had always assumed my next TV in the HT would be OLED, but thinking long term, and being somewhat frugal, spending nearly $2K for OLED as opposed to the $900 the 65" P Series cost me just didn't make sense. Currently, the TCL 6 and 5 Series seems to have a step on the P and M Series Vizio, but at the time I got the Vizios, Insignia didn't seem to be keeping pace. I wouldn't be surprised if that has changed. From what I recall in the podcast, my impression was the Insignia Series purchased was roughly in line with the Vizio M Series, which really is probably suitable for most regular viewers.

I'm seriously considering replacing my 7-year old 65" LG 4K non-HDR 3D in the living room with a TCL 6-series when it goes caput, but this is the longest-running flat panel I have owned to date, so it could be awhile. I thought of replacing it with an OLED, but the way my wife watches TV, often pausing a program for long periods of time, plus the fact that she likes a bright room to watch TV in, leans me more towards a full-array LED backlit LCD instead.

 

[Todd Erwin]

The reason I have a Harmony remote:

 

[Todd Erwin]

FYI: AppleTV streaming service app and Apple Music streaming app are both on most every streaming appliance and smart tv now.

I use Music in my 2019 LG TV all the time.

Apple’s degenerate naming confuses this, but lack of app is no longer a reason to not subscribe and watch For All Mankind and Ted Lasso.

I just wish the Apple Music app on Roku supported Dolby Atmos.

 

[JohnRice]

I'm seriously considering replacing my 7-year old 65" LG 4K non-HDR 3D in the living room with a TCL 6-series when it goes caput, but this is the longest-running flat panel I have owned to date, so it could be awhile. I thought of replacing it with an OLED, but the way my wife watches TV, often pausing a program for long periods of time, plus the fact that she likes a bright room to watch TV in, leans me more towards a full-array LED backlit LCD instead.

One thing, unfortunately, will always keep me away from TCL TVs. At least the Roku based ones. I use OTA and they have NO direct channel access. You are forced to go through the program menu to select channels. So, no programmed channels on your Harmony.

 

[Todd Erwin]

One thing, unfortunately, will always keep me away from TCL TVs. At least the Roku based ones. I use OTA and they have NO direct channel access. You are forced to go through the program menu to select channels. So, no programmed channels on your Harmony.

We use the Amazon Fire Recast DVR, so that won't be an issue for us. The built-in Roku could be confusing for my wife, since we use a stand-alone Roku already (and prefer to use that, since I have not had much success with ARC), but I also hate the Android/Google TV OS - my Sony that died last summer had that and it was annoying how simple things like how to check for a firmware update would suddenly be moved to a different menu.

 

[JohnRice]

We use the Amazon Fire Recast DVR, so that won't be an issue for us. The built-in Roku could be confusing for my wife, since we use a stand-alone Roku already (and prefer to use that, since I have not had much success with ARC), but I also hate the Android/Google TV OS - my Sony that died last summer had that and it was annoying how simple things like how to check for a firmware update would suddenly be moved to a different menu.

I just always point that out, in case someone is using OTA and considering a TCL. It's a truly rotten limitation. When I discovered it, I hoped the Harmony would be able to select channels directly, but no luck. It really is a deal breaker for most people using OTA.

 

[Sam Posten]

I just saw visited with Todd today and saw he has an Insignia he was using for a bedroom TV. Was it this one? He is using it till his new c1 77”!gets delivered and put on a mantle mount View attachment 143431

And after and all done: