Home audio

Onkyo's new iPhone app brings multiroom control

Onkyo has released a revamped iPod Touch/iPhone app that enables users to wirelessly control music and components in a multiroom setup.

The "Onkyo Remote 2" will control 2010/2011 network receivers, plus the TX-8050 Network Stereo Receiver, and enables control of Internet radio, full access to digital music libraries, and commonly used functions.

The remote will control connected components compatible with Onkyo's RI (remote interactive) system.

The app features an updated look and controls including play, stop, skip, and pause; volume, bass, and treble adjustments; listening mode and input source selection; network source selection; and radio stations.

The app is available for free from the Apple iTunes store, but Onkyo has yet to reveal details of iPad-specific control, or of an update to the Android Remote released in July that was based on version 1.… Read more

New Google TV 2.0 hardware coming soon

The Google TV 2.0 update is almost upon is, but unfortunately there will be no new hardware to accompany it...yet.

According to Google engineers, new hardware is planned for release later in the year, and while the company was unable to go into specifics, we believe this could include the Vizio Google TV the company previewed at CES 2011. It's rumored to go on sale in December 2011.… Read more

How to amplify the dialogue from your HDTV (Morrison's Mailbag)

CNET reader John asks:

I am a senior. My hearing abilities are deteriorating and I expect there are a lot of others with the same problem. Background music in a lot of programming drowns out the voice. Higher frequency and soft voices are more difficult to understand.

I would like to know if there is any way to control the audio portion of a HD cable TV signal? Would a home theater sound system give you any control?

I know I may require hearing aids eventually but was wondering about an interim solution. If control is not an option, would headphones work?

Thanks for your help, John

I can't speak to the question of hearing aids, but as far as TV audio is concerned, it's not entirely your ears.

The problem is: all TV speakers are crap. Many people can't hear dialogue from their TV speakers. Fortunately, there are several solutions.… Read more

Monoprice 8247 review: $84 for a 'good enough' 5.1 speaker system

Monoprice is an Internet retailer that made a name for itself providing tech accessories at insanely low prices. (It is, in our opinion, the best place to buy "good enough" HDMI cables at prices far lower than you'd ever find at Best Buy.)

Not content with accessories, Monoprice is now branching out into its own branded line of tech products. Even with Monoprice's reputation for bargains, we were shocked to see the Monoprice 8247: it's a 5.1 surround-sound speaker package you can buy for the seemingly impossible price of $84.10. That's less than $15 per speaker (including the subwoofer) and Monoprice doesn't chintz out with the accessories, including four swivel wall-mounts for each of the satellite speakers. The most impressive feat of all is that these ultrabudget speakers actually sound pretty good.… Read more

WD TV Live (2011) review: Full stream ahead

Following the success of the WD TV Live Hub, Western Digital has now introduced the diskless version in the new WD TV Live (2011).

The new Live adds a couple more killer features, namely built-in Wi-Fi and support for the Spotify music-streaming service, to the already long list of services and file formats handled by its predecessors. And all for only $99, but there is a lot of competition at this price level. There were still some bugs left to iron out and the Spotify service is a little daunting in comparison to its desktop counterpart, but in all this … Read more

How do I connect an Xbox 360 and PS3 to the same AV receiver? (Morrison's Mailbag)

CNET reader Jibran writes:

Hi, I need your help. Currently I have my PS3 connected to my 5.1 AV receiver through the PS3's optical out. The TV is connected via HDMI. I'm planning to get an Xbox 360 also, but my dilemma is that how do I connect the Xbox 360 to the same AV receiver? There is only one optical input on the receiver.

Anxiously looking forward to your help.

Regards, Jibran

Great question, Jibran. There are several options. … Read more

Bose intros $2,500 sound bar system

Just about every home audio manufacturer is getting into the sound bar business, and Bose is no exception. Bose has released two sound bar home theater systems, the Lifestyle 135 and CineMate 1 SR, each sporting a wireless subwoofer and programmable universal remote. They're the first sound bars ever released by Bose, and prices are entirely Bose-like: $2,500 for the Lifestyle 135 and $1,500 for the CineMate 1 SR.… Read more

LG BD690 review: Blu-ray player meets CD-ripper

If you haven't ripped your CD collection yet, you either have a runaway case of procrastination or you're just not that into technology. That's what makes LG's CD-ripping Blu-ray player, the BD690, a bit of a strange hybrid. The type of tech-oriented people who will appreciate the BD690's solid Blu-ray playback and excellent suite of streaming-media services probably ripped their CD collections years ago and are in no rush to revisit that tedious process. They're also better off going with the similarly priced Sony PlayStation 3 Slim ($250), which gets you HD gaming, streaming video, Blu-ray playback, and CD ripping.… Read more

Why iPhone speakers are ditching AirPlay for Bluetooth

Big-name iPhone/iPod speaker manufacturers like Bose and Logitech have recently rolled out new products designed to wirelessly stream music from your iOS devices using...Bluetooth. Wait, wasn't AirPlay supposed to take over in this space, promising better compatibility, range, and sound quality? It was, but as good as AirPlay is, it's not a great choice for iPod speakers this year, especially with the Bluetooth alternative. Here's why.

Bluetooth works nearly identically to AirPlay on iOS devices When we reviewed LG's LSB316 sound bar with built-in Bluetooth, we were surprised at how easily the Bluetooth feature worked with our iPhone 4. It felt exactly like AirPlay, offering the same compatibility between apps, and it even uses the AirPlay icon. If nobody told you it was Bluetooth, you probably wouldn't even realize you weren't using AirPlay.

AirPlay products are prohibitively expensive so far If you really want AirPlay, you can plunk down $600 for the B&W Zeppelin Air Speaker, but that's about four times more than most people want to spend on an iPhone speaker. JBL's On Air Wireless costs $350. Even iHome, known for its budget iPod speakers, is charging $300 for its AirPlay-equipped iW1.… Read more

Geoff Morrison's HDTV and home theater resource center and infotacular!

Come one, come all, to the greatest collection of knowledge ever assembled by human kind! Is it Wikipedia? No! Is it a digitization of the ancient Library of Alexandria? No! (And what's a library?)

Updated June 2012

Instead, it's an epic one-stop repository of home theater and HDTV info. Here you'll find the best and most helpful AV-centric articles written by me and others, both here on CNET and elsewhere on the Web.

They're categorized by topic and updated constantly, so check back regularly. Bookmark for fun and profit! Read every one and become an expert in all things audio/video! Better yet, once you're an expert, you don't have to answer your in-laws' questions; just send them this guide in a passive-aggressive fit of brilliance.

So without further babbling (and pompous hyperbolic dabbling)...