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A Deeper Dive into the World of Dolby Atmos; Is This Audio’s 3D?

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GUEST POST

Pioneer slide showing Atmos logoIs Dolby’s new Atmos format the next frontier in surround sound processing? Or will it merit a repeat of Paul Klipsch’s famous line: “Ho, hum, another breakthrough”?

You’d certainly think the former after prowling the aisles at the just-concluded CE Week in NYC. Both Onkyo and Pioneer showed prototype Atmos-enabled A/V receivers (complete with demonstrations under what must be called “challenging” conditions) while Yamaha, Denon, Marantz, and Integra all indicate they’ll be ready with an array of products in late Q3 or early Q4 this year. But will Paul Klipsch be proven prophetic once again, even if posthumously? That remains to be seen.

The Thinking Behind Atmos…

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Atmos Attacks at CE Week 2014

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Dolby Atmos logoOne of the big themes at CE Week 2014 was the unofficial official rollout of Dolby’s latest surround sound technology – Atmos. Both Onkyo and Pioneer intro’d, displayed, and demo’d Atmos systems. However, since both companies showed prototypes, what we heard was only an approximation of what the final production units should sound like.

We participated in demos of, and closely listened to, BOTH the Onkyo and the Pioneer Atmos systems.

What did we think of our first Atmos demos? See more below… [Read more…] about Atmos Attacks at CE Week 2014

CE Week 2014 – As Others Talk Atmos, Denon Talks Heos

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Denon's Paul Belanger

At times during CE Week 2014 we felt as though we were caught in some kind of a clash of the unknown Greek gods – Atmos vs. Heos. In one corner – Pioneer and Onkyo announced, displayed, and demonstrated the all-new 7+ channel Dolby Atmos surround sound systems…with a fair amount of fanfare. In the other corner, calmly confident Denon executives showed HEOS, the company’s new wireless multi-room Sonos-killing (they hope) system. Who would win the day???

See more on Denon’s HEOS system… [Read more…] about CE Week 2014 – As Others Talk Atmos, Denon Talks Heos

CE Week: An Odd, Undefined Show Actually Surprises This Year

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CE Week logoHeading to the train station at 6:15am Wednesday morning, I exited my air-conditioned home and was immediately slapped across the face with so much humidity my glasses instantly fogged up – momentarily blinding me. And although it was still somewhat cool this early in the morning, the sun rays made it clear we’d be headed into the mid- to upper 80s in just a few short hours. Here we go again, I told myself. Welcome to another hot, humid, sweaty June in New York. Must be time for CE Week.

I didn’t know it at the time, but CE Week was actually going to surprise me this year…

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Velodyne President Calls Strata-gee to Set the Record Straight

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Velodyne LogoRegular readers of Strata-gee know that we have recently covered news of layoffs and distribution changes by Velodyne – a long-time specialty industry player. Although we had made many attempts to get the company to comment prior to our posting of these stories, we were told that no company executives were available at that time.

However, the day after our second story appeared, we heard from Velodyne’s press representative who said the company’s President was now available to speak with us about what is going on at Velodyne.

See what Velodyne’s President told us about these recent events… [Read more…] about Velodyne President Calls Strata-gee to Set the Record Straight

HDBaseT Alliance Announces Sony Will Join Group

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HDBaseT logoThe HDBaseT Alliance, an organization formed to promote the HDBaseT technology and grow its market, announced today that Sony Corporation will join the group as a Contributor member. One of their biggest “gets” yet, Sony is said to be introducing new energy-efficient HD projectors with the HDBaseT functionality.

See more on this significant announcement from the ever-growing alliance… [Read more…] about HDBaseT Alliance Announces Sony Will Join Group

Velodyne Authorizes Powerhouse Alliance as National Distribution Partner for Subwoofers

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PowerhouseAllianceLOGOJust one day after we reported on layoffs at Velodyne’s audio division, we received word from the company that it is authorizing the Powerhouse Alliance, a national group of distributors, for its line of subwoofers. The agreement will make Velodyne subwoofers available to Powerhouse Alliances’ nationwide network of retailers and installers.

See more on this new announcement from Velodyne… [Read more…] about Velodyne Authorizes Powerhouse Alliance as National Distribution Partner for Subwoofers

Layoffs Hit Velodyne’s Audio Division as Company Bets All on LIDAR

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BREAKING NEWS

Velodyne LogoMultiple sources are reporting that Velodyne Acoustics, Inc. – a once high-flying specialty subwoofer manufacturer – has had a significant layoff in its audio division last week as the company seeks to redeploy its resources full-scale behind its LIDAR business. The company, which is driven by its enigmatic founder, David Hall, is betting its future (betting the farm, some would say) on its LIDAR technology which is used in self-driving vehicles (such as Google’s).

See more on this dramatic shift in business by a former audio high-flyer… [Read more…] about Layoffs Hit Velodyne’s Audio Division as Company Bets All on LIDAR

The Hottest New Trend in Mobile Phones? Get Ready for This: RETRO

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Photo of Motorola StarTACYogi Berra once said, “It’s like Deja-Vu, all over again!” A report out of Japan tells of a hot new trend in Europe. Apparently, the latest trend in mobile phones…is consumers going retro. Seem counter-intuitive? It’s even a bit of a fashion statement…the story originates out of Paris, France!

See why retro phones are selling like crazy in Europe…you won’t believe how much they cost!… [Read more…] about The Hottest New Trend in Mobile Phones? Get Ready for This: RETRO

CEA Launches a Working Group to Set Standards for Home Automation Device Interoperability

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‘Home Automation is Experiencing Dramatic Growth’ Group Says

CEA logoThe Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) announced today that it has launched a new “Working Group” to develop new technical standards for the industry in order to facilitate greater device interoperability in home automation systems. The announcement was made today at the Technology & Standards Forum the group is holding now in Seattle.

What does this mean & how can you get involved?…See more below… [Read more…] about CEA Launches a Working Group to Set Standards for Home Automation Device Interoperability