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Audio / Video Features

The Blu-ray cases of Blade Runner 2049, Ratatouille, and Akira with an iPhone displaying streaming apps all lying on a wooden table.

Should we be worried we don’t own our media anymore?

With the gradual decline of physical media, should we be concerned that all of our content will only live in the cloud?
You Asked

You Asked: Black bar mystery solved and virtual mode explained

On today’s You Asked: Are dumb TVs now extinct and what does that mean, what does Samsung’s virtual mode do in its soundbars, and why are there sometimes black bars on movies and sometimes not??
An iPhone 15 Pro Max on a wooden table displaying streaming apps Amazon Music, Qobuz, Apple Music, Tidal, Sonos, and Spotify.

My favorite Dolby Atmos songs from 2024 to add to your playlist

There were lots of excellent songs released in 2024 that deserve to be added to your playlists. Here are some of our favorite Atmos releases.
You Asked Ep 71

You Asked: soundbar space woes and best big TV bets

On today’s You Asked: What if your soundbar blocks the bottom of your TV? What’s the best big TV for $5,000? What’s the best-sounding bedroom TV for dialogue?
Apple's hearing test in iOS 18.1.

Here’s how Apple’s AirPods Pro hearing assistance stacks up to professional results

Can Apple's AirPods Pro 2 really help those who need hearing assistance? Here's what the experts say.
Vibrant flora shown on a Samsung 76-inch MicroLED TV.

Your next TV won’t be micro-LED. Here’s why

We've been teased by micro-LED TVs for years, so is 2025 finally going to be the year we can get one in our home? We don't think the chances are good, and here's why.
You Asked

You Asked: best dark-room TVs, and Dolby Vision gaming desires

On today’s You Asked: Can you force Dolby Vision onto the PlayStation 5? Do you need the internet to use newer Sony TVs? What is the best dark-room TV?
lg bp620 review blu ray player remote

LG exits Blu-ray player production, but that doesn’t mean discs are dead

While LG is stepping away from the Blu-ray player market, it's not necessarily the doom and gloom some are making it out to be.
The center console touchscreen in a Rivian R1S displaying Dolby Atmos Music tracks on Apple Music.

Dolby Atmos Music in a Rivian R1S is a transformative experience

Many of us spend many hours in our car listening to music. If that listening for everyone was Dolby Atmos in a Rivian R1S, it would be a better world.
You Asked

You Asked: cinematic TV sizes and 4K Blu-ray-quality digital downloads

On today’s You Asked: The differences between HDMI 2.1, 2.1a, and 2.1b? Why 4K Blu-ray-quality digital downloads don’t exist? Best screen sizes for achieving a cinematic experience at home? Plus, TCL’s Bruce Walker joins Caleb in the studio.
You Asked Tech Gifts

You Asked: The Editor’s Cut — The most impactful tech gifts we’ve ever received

Our roundtable of editors, led by Caleb Denison, discuss the tech-related holiday gifts that had a profound impact on them.
You Asked Ep 67

You Asked: Noisy 4K Blu-rays and soundbars in corners

On today’s You Asked: Why do so many movies considered to have great transfers to 4K Blu-ray look so noisy? How many calibrations should a TV get?
You Asked

You Asked: New device vs. new TV, connection conundrums, and CRT calibrations

On today’s You Asked: When are streaming boxes and sticks better than smart TVs? And should a CRT TV and retro gaming fan try to calibrate his own TV?
A TV hanging on a wall displaying the Xumo TV UI.

Is a Xumo TV worth it?

Xumo announced that Hisense TVs with the Xumo TV OS would be available at Target, but are they worth your money?
you asked brightness meters who wins natural color contest ep 65 on site

You Asked: Brightness meters, and who wins the natural color contest

On today’s You Asked: Is the Hisense 110 UX the brightest TV ever made? And do older TVs like CRT and Plasma TVs actually have better color than modern TVs?
You Asked Editors Cut

You Asked: The Editor’s Cut — Is subscription culture out of control?

Explore the rise of subscription culture with You Asked: The Editor’s Cut as we discuss the pros, cons, and future of paying for access over ownership. Is subscription fatigue setting in?
You Asked

You Asked: Blu-ray picture fix, lossy vs. lossless, and AI self-calibration

On this episode of You Asked: What's the best 4K Blu-ray picture? Which is better: lossless or Atmos? And is an AI self-calibrating TV possible?
You Asked

You Asked: 8K TVs and gaming, upscaling best bets, and the cone connection

Do 8K TVs for gaming make sense now? When is it time to replace a TV? How does the way a TV makes a picture match up with how our vision works?
You Asked Ep 61

You Asked: Laser TV vs. UX, speaker break-in tips, and re-boxing tales

On today’s You Asked: Laser TV versus a huge mini-LED TV. What happens to the TVs after we test them? And breaking in TV speakers — is that even a thing?
The Weather Channel on Roku.

How to watch The Weather Channel without cable

The Weather Channel is available on a surprisingly few streaming services. Here's how to watch it if you don't have cable.
You Asked Ep 60

You Asked: A/V gremlins, soundbar solutions, and best Prime Day buys

In this week's You Asked, where to start on upgrading your A/V system, ChatGPT weighs in on soundbars, and what I'll be looking to pick up on Prime Day
The bio page for Sonos executive Eddie Lazarus as seen on an iPhone in front of Sonos speakers.

The Sonos update interview: ‘We just got taken by surprise’

Phil Nickinson catches up with Sonos executive Eddie Lazarus for a deep dive on the company's catastrophic 2024 update, and how Sonos is moving forward.
You Asked

You Asked: Troubleshooting TVs at home, and teaching trolls

This week on You Asked: Can you fix freezing discs and weird audio dropouts at home? Also, we feed some trolls.
Google TV Streamer alongside Onn 4K Pro and Chromecast With Google TV.

Google TV Streamer vs. Onn 4K Pro

Google TV Streamer and the Onn 4K Pro have a lot of similarities. But it's around the edges where you might find that one fits you better than the other.
The Nothing Ear Open earbud.

Nothing’s cool Ear Open earbuds have an unexpected rival

I've listened to Nothing's new Ear Open earbuds. And while I've been impressed, I've also wondered why I wasn't using my Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses instead.
google tv streamer price specs features review 1 b646ac

Google TV Streamer: everything you need to know

The Google TV Streamer has arrived to replace the company's Chromecast with Google TV for your media consumption needs. Here's everything you need to know.
The Plex app running on a TV.

I canceled my streaming services and built a Plex server — I’m never going back

I've been slowly canceling all of my streaming services after setting up a seamless Plex server. Here's how I did it.
You Asked

You Asked: Panasonic is back, what is IAMF, and more on the LG C4

Panasonic is back — so, what comes next? Rtings.com weighs in on the LG C4. And remember that Samsung and Google partnership?
Sony Bravia 9 Review.

What is mini-LED TV? How smaller, brighter LEDs can deliver better picture quality

Mini-LED lighting is one of the reasons that TVs using the tech are able to deliver such a detailed picture. Here’s everything you need to know about it.
You Asked Ep 57

You Asked: Blu-ray sales, Samsung and Dolby Vision

On today’s episode of You Asked: Time to check the pulse on Blu-ray again. Plus, do Samsung soundbars support Dolby Vision or not?
OLED vs QLED

Sony Bravia 9 vs. Sony A95L — or why there’s no perfect TV

Here's why no matter if you're talking about a mini-LED or OLED TV, there's no such thing as a perfect display.
You Asked Feature

You Asked: Mini-LED brightness, even more on calibration

On today’s episode of You Asked: Should you worry that a mini-LED TV is going to be too bright? What’s up with Netflix and Amazon Prime Video calibrated modes?
A person wearing the Soundcore Space One Pro headphones.

I loved traveling with these clever folding headphones

The foldable Soundcore Space One Pro headphones seem made for travel, so I took them on a trip to see if they lived up to expectations.
You Asked Ep 55

You Asked: TV calibrations, off-angle viewing — and burn-in

On today’s episode of You Asked: lots of questions about calibration. And lots of questions about the off-angle performance of the LG C4 and the Bravia 9.