Indholdsfortegnelse for June 2024 i Home Cinema Choice

If you've got it, flaunt it, or so the saying goes. But it doesn't really apply to the rarefied world of custom home cinema. Here, the adage is often 'if you've got it, rack it away or build it out of sight'. This is part of what makes our dream theatre this issue (p32) so appealing. The owner of this room clearly isn't interested in AV discretion. Most of the speakers and all of the subwoofers are gloriously on show. And when one of your subs is a 24-incher with 6kW of grunt and rated to maintain a cool 120dB at 20Hz, I say 'flaunt away.' Of course, it doesn't have to be like this. AV hardware comes in all shapes and sizes, and some of it – like Focal’s…

Comprising three floorstander models, two bookshelf units, a centre enclosure and a dedicated Elevation height/on-wall speaker, SVS’s new Ultra Evolution series has home cinema builders in its sights – and replaces the US manufacturer’s previous Ultra range as its top-flight proposition. Gone are the trapezoidal cabinets of the original Ultra, although SVS still hasn't opted for a conventional look. The Ultra Evolution Pinnacle, Titan and Tower floorstanders all feature curved front baffles to enable physical time alignment of their tweeter/mid/woofer driver arrays. Timbre-matching to the manufacturer’s more affordable Prime speakers (HCC #318), plus the earlier Ultra designs, enables owners to assemble mixed systems if they want, says SVS. There are new driver technologies, however, including aluminium dome tweeters with a vapour-deposited diamond coating said to offer 'more seamless blending' with…

1 Bass beasts Definitely requiring at least a two-person lift, Vivid Audio’s flagship Moya M1 loudspeaker is a 1.6m-high behemoth weighing in at a whopping 346kg per cabinet. The asking price is equally eye-opening at £400,000, but that gets you a four-part cabinet featuring eight 9in woofers, plus bass/mid, midrange, upper-mid and tweeter units, and the promise of 'clarity and precision to the nth degree.' 2 4K Finchers Two David Fincher thrillers have moved a step closer to reaching the 4K Blu-ray format. A new 8K restoration of Se7en (1995) premiered at April’s TCM Classic Film Festival, with a 4K disc release expected before the year is out. At the same screening Fincher also confirmed that work has now begun on restoring 2002’s Panic Room. 3 Superpowered sonics Disney+ has started shifting its…

FOUNDED IN 2003 by two experienced home cinema professionals (chief operating officer Mike Beatty and technical director Kapes Patel), Pulse Cinemas is one of the UK’s major suppliers of home cinema systems to professional installers. The company distributes and supports brands including Anthem, Paradigm, Krix, Trinnov, Kaleidescape, Lutron, Sony, Screen Research and smart remote specialist AVA, and acts as a training centre for installers, letting operators hone their skills and advance the designs and capabilities of their projects. Its HQ, in Stansted Mountfitchet, just off the M11 and close to Stansted Airport, functions as a demonstration centre for installers and their customers. When I visited, Simon Gibbs, Pulse’s head of projects and sales, showed me around its most recently updated demo spaces, one a dedicated cinema and the other a…

THESE DAYS THE announcement of a new Star Wars movie is pretty much business as usual in Hollywood. Back in the 1990s, however, things were very different. While George Lucas had originally conceived of an epic space opera spanning 12 films, the stress of producing the first three Star Wars entries led to him putting those plans on hold. Beyond Caravan of Courage: An Ewok Adventure (1984) and Ewoks: The Battle for Endor (1985) – two Ewok-centric TV movies given a limited theatrical release outside of the US – by the end of the decade Star Wars had become a fading force in an increasingly competitive media landscape. That all changed in 1993 when Lucas revealed that he was going to begin work on a prequel trilogy. At the time…

THIS HOME CINEMA came to Edinburgh-based The Sound Counsel as an upgrade project. Its owner already had a dedicated room in a 5.2m x 6.5m outhouse, but – in the words of installer Nick Wearmouth – was looking to increase the performance to 'a reference level'. Once involved, The Sound Counsel reasoned that merely adding a new projector and processor wasn't enough. 'With the upgrade in performance desired, the current equipment and layout was falling short even working at its limit.' The solution was to replace the 'much-loved' B&W 800 series speakers that had been deployed in-room. By speccing new units in-wall, the projector screen could be enlarged, while also delivering a better sound performance. A Sony VPL-GTZ380 PJ was chosen to make the most of a new 4m-wide display…

Born in 1979, French marque Focal is often thought of as a hi-fi specialist, especially since its corporate merger with two-channel darling Naim in 2011. Yet, as its Sib Evo 5.1.2 system – the world’s first Dolby Atmos sub/sat package – proved in 2017, it takes home cinema sound seriously too. That EISA Award-winning bundle of fun (see HCC #276) was followed in early 2020 by its Chora range. This was more conventional, with floorstander, bookshelf and centre options, but still innovative – the top-priced Chora 826-D floorstander incorporated an integrated upfiring Dolby Atmos driver. Now the company has returned to that idea for its new Theva series. Replacing Chora as the entry point into what Focal calls the 'Focal Universe', these new models sit below the Vestia speakers (where…

Although an AV processor and separate power amps are the usual solution for a premium home theatre, French brand Storm Audio reasons that it can deliver the same level of quality from one box, in the shape of its ISR Fusion 20 AV receiver. Ticketed at a cool £19,995, this offers 20 channels of audio decoding, 16 channels of amplification and the full Dirac Live with ART suite onboard. The ISR Fusion 20 is the only integrated model in the company’s small product arsenal, rubbing shoulders with three AV processors (ISP Elite MK3, ISP Evo and ISP Core 16), and eight-and 16-channel power amps (HCC #324). The one-box design makes it ostensibly more consumer-friendly, but given its price and in-depth setup, it’s clearly designed with custom installation in mind. And…

EVERSOLO’S DMP-A8 MIGHTwell be one of the most talked about audio products of 2024 – and we're not yet halfway through the year. There are a few reasons for this, including an implementation of a novel new two-chip DAC solution from AKM, and nifty software (based on Android) offering a good haul of streaming options. Add-in loads of inputs and outputs, optional internal storage for music files, and the sort of slick R2R volume control that gets audiophiles excited, and you have a highly flexible device that can be used as a streamer, DAC or preamplifier as it suits you. All eyes on the screen Offering good build quality but a slightly non-descript design, it’s the DMP-A8’s 6in colour touchscreen that grabs the attention with its five large icons and row…

ROBERT, OUR AV-HOLIC this issue (p80), has what can only be described as a lot of hardware, from vintage JVC cassette decks to state-of-the-art processors and power amplifiers. This is why I was slightly surprised to read that he is considering upgrading his flatscreen TV from his current 85in model to one as big as 100in, if only because he'd have to move a few things about. The existence of TVs around that size, for which the industry really needs to coalesce around a new term ('bigscreen' doesn't really seem to cut it), interests me, particularly as some manufacturers are more invested in it than others. TCL and Hisense, two brands name-checked by Robert, are leading the charge. Indeed, they appear to be engaged in a 'mine’s bigger than yours'…

Will my lamp outlast my PJ? Regards Mark Craven’s Digital Copy article in the last issue (HCC #351), yes, a ban on UHP mercury lamps or projectors in the EU affects me! In late 2020 I bought my first projector and it was a lamp-based Optoma UHD30 (or should it be UHP30?), which had been reviewed favourably in HCC. I live in the Netherlands, so part of the EU. Luckily, I already purchased a replacement lamp through an online retailer, though I am still using the first lamp that came with the PJ. If my UHD30 actually exceeds the lifespan of two lamps, I will have to buy a new (laser?) model. But who knows what the TV and projector markets will be then? And maybe my present Optoma will…

Welcome to the AV-Holics Hall of Fame – introduce yourself! Hi, I'm Robert Llewellyn, age 54, from Cardiff. How long have you been into home cinema, and what was the first setup you had? My interest in home cinema started when I was a child and a local family used to invite us around to show cine films on a Super 8 projector. The sound came from a single speaker built into the projector case so was not great but I was mesmerised by the fact you could have a large screen in your home. My own first attempt at home cinema started in 1996 with a 'massive' 29in Mitsubishi TV and Sony VCR coupled up to my hi-fi separates and speakers. My interest in hi-fi was already well established…

Poor Things The success of 2018’s relatively straightforward The Favourite had us wondering if filmmaker Yorgos Lanthimos was moving away from the weirdness that made his earlier films Lobster and The Killing of a Sacred Deer so unique. Last year’s Poor Things proved this couldn't be further from the truth. In author Alasdair Gray’s horny Frankenstein pastiche, Lanthimos has found the perfect match for his distinctive and unconventional filmmaking style. Fully deserving the many awards the role brought her, Emma Stone stars as Bella, the strange young ward of surgeon Dr. Godwin 'God' Baxter (Willem Dafoe). She is also God’s creation, the result of an experiment to transplant the brain of an unborn baby into the head of its deceased mother. As Bella’s mind develops so does her eagerness to…

Dragon’s Dogma 2 Capcom ➜ PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC ➜ £60 It’s a while since Dragon’s Dogma graced our lives but we've always remembered it fondly. The open-world RPG had its flakey moments, but was different to many others. We'd always hoped for a sequel and now that’s exactly what we've got. True to course, Dragon’s Dogma 2 is equally quirky and clunky, and satisfyingly familiar. Indeed, if it wasn't for updated graphics with some of today’s technological enhancements (such as ray tracing), you could be forgiven for thinking it was 2012 all over again. Some might see that as bad, but we respect the adherence to the series' tropes, warts and all. For starters, unlike many sandbox games, there is relatively little hand-holding with this sequel –…

Witchfinder General: LE Famously described by playwright Alan Bennett as 'the most persistently sadistic and morally rotten film I've ever seen,' this nihilistic 1968 flick from filmmaker Michael Reeves tells a fictionalised account of real-life 17th century witch-hunter Matthew Hopkins, claimed to be responsible for the death of over 200 women in just a handful of years. As played by Vincent Price, Hopkins is a truly repellent creature, a ruthless source of evil who weaponises belief for his own ends. Opposing him is a dashing young Roundhead (Reeves regular Ian Ogilvy), desperate to save the woman he loves (Hilary Dwyer). Not your typical horror picture, Reeves' bleak and violent revenge saga eschews simple scares for a far more disturbing exploration of the depths of brutality people can sink to. It’s…

THOSE WHO REMEMBER the launch of digital TV in the UK, and the demise of ITV Digital in 2002, will forgive Freeview for feeling pretty pleased with itself for selling 23million TVs in the UK in the last decade. What was once a bit of a mess has now stabilised. But for how long? The end of the TV aerial is surely nigh. Maybe not today, or tomorrow, but the direction of travel is clear. TV transmissions are shifting from OTA to IP and I kinda think it’s OK. Looking behind the Glass At the front of this push is Sky, helped by its Sky Glass platform. On a recent visit to the company’s broadcast campus in West London, the Sky Glass team unveiled a raft of improvements coming to…

After previously giving its award-winning 'toon Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse a concert tour that partnered screenings of the film with live music, Sony is doing it again for the film’s …Across the Spider-Verse sequel. Kicking off at the Royal Festival Hall in London on June 30, before further dates around the UK, the show, arranged by Sony Music Entertainment and events outfit Senbla, features the movie playing on a 'huge HD screen' accompanied by an orchestra, electronic instruments and even a turntablist. The inclusion of the latter is necessitated by the movie’s eclectic score by London-born composer Daniel Pemberton. 'Across The Spider-Verse is probably the most exciting, ground breaking and impactful score I've written', he says. 'Watching the film with the live band performing in a huge room of people…

IF May 17: A Quiet Place’s John Krasinski writes and directs this fantasy comedy about a young girl (Cailey Fleming) and her neighbour (Ryan Reynolds) trying to find new homes for imaginary friends that have been 'left behind'. Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga May 24: Filmmaker George Miller puts pedal to metal once again with this prequel to Mad Max: Fury Road. Anya Taylor-Joy headlines as the young Imperator Furiosa while Chris Hemsworth is the tyrannical Warlord Immortus. Bad Boys: Ride or Die June 7: Miami cops Lowry (Will Smith) and Burnett (Martin Lawrence) are on the run after being framed for a crime they didn't commit in this fourth entry in the money-spinning action comedy franchise.…

May 20 The Colour Room Columbia Noir #6: The Whistler Columbo: Seasons 1-7 Crimson Peak: Limited Edition 4K The Falcon and The Winter Solider: S1 4K Steelbook The Goldfinger [2023] Raging Bull 4K Source Code 4K May 27 Bob Marley: One Love 4K Dune: Part Two 4K Fist of Legend 4K Hunt Her, Kill Her The Long Good Friday: Ltd. Ed. 4K Pandemonium: Limited Edition Passenger [2024] Planet of the Vampires: Limited Ed. A Queen’s Ransom Santa Sangre: Limited Edition 4K Shinobi: Triple-Pack - Limited Ed. Shout at the Devil Star Trek III: …Search for Spock 4K Train to Busan 4K Trenque Lauquen: Limited Edition The Valiant Ones 4K June 3 The Italian Job: 55th Anniv. 4K The Crow 4K Lisa Frankenstein 4K Mad Max: Fury Road: 4K Steelbook Nightsiren:…

Turtle power Paramount has announced plans to make an 'R-rated' live-action adaptation of the acclaimed Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin comic book. Set in a battle-ravaged New York, the dystopian tale follows the sole surviving Turtle as he battles Shredder’s grandson. Jurassic stars Casting is gathering pace on Gareth Edwards' Jurassic World sequel (rumoured to be titled Jurassic City). Scarlett Johansson is reportedly in talks to take the lead role, with Monkey Man actor-director Dev Patel linked to another major part. Kraven delayed Sony Pictures has pushed back the release of superhero/villain flick Kraven The Hunter to December. The film had been set for an August debut, but will now fill a slot earmarked for the Karate Kid reboot, itself now bumped to 2025.…

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Seventh heaven? The entry product in Denon’s X series AV receivers, the AVR-X1800H offers seven channels of power, gamer-friendly HDMI connections and streaming skills aplenty. We judge its bargain appeal on p52 All prices quoted are approximate and may have changed HCC RATINGS KEY… Outstanding Above average Acceptable Disappointing Dire…

Since the introduction of the Q950A (HCC #324), Samsung's top-level soundbars have been in a holding pattern when it comes to their channel count, sticking with an expansive 11.1.4 configuration. So for upgrades, the brand has tweaked performance or added features to differentiate each successive generation. And it's at it again here. Perhaps most obviously, with the HW-Q990D Samsung now caters to the next-gen gaming crowd, with its HDMI stage supporting passthrough for 4K/120Hz and VRR. This is great news for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and high-end PC owners, and is complemented by a dedicated Game Mode that adjusts the system's processing depending on genre when used in conjunction with a compatible Samsung TV. Channel hopping Whether you feed it games or movies, the HW-Q990D is one of the…

IT WAS TAYLOR Swift that sold me on this new projector from Optoma. The pop artist’s Eras Tour concert show, streaming on Disney+, is dazzling 4K eye-candy, and appears… well, tailor made for the UHZ55. As Swift patrolled the stage, her sequinned outfit glittering under dancing spotlights, I couldn't imagine how any rival projector around this price point could look better. Its pristine performance stayed with me long after the show finished. I couldn't shake it off. Let it shine Dark room or bright, Optoma’s new 4K laser projector is a star in both [that’s enough puns now – Ed]. A minor update of 2022’s UHZ50 model (see HCC #334), but with a launch price of £1,999 rather than £2,699, it again uses the brand’s 'DuraCore' laser light source, here…

IT MIGHT HAVE taken longer than we'd hoped, but king-sized TVs are starting to hit prices us regular Joes can actually afford. No brand is leading this 'massive screens for less cash' charge more aggressively than TCL – and no other giant TCL TV proves this point more than the 85in 85C805K, which can be yours for £1,575. The first thing that will strike you once you (and a pal) have freed it from its box is just how big an 85in screen looks. Stepping up to even a 75in display from a 65in model feels like moving from watching TV to being at the cinema. This feeling increases exponentially with the extra 10 inches that the 85C805K adds to the mix. Get in the zone Helpfully, for those with…

WHEN IT COMES to iconic, era-defining quotes from the last century, 'Hello, ladies and gentlemen, I'm Ronald Haver, and I'm here to do something which we feel is rather unique…' might not be quite up there with Neil Armstrong’s 'That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.' But in the world of home entertainment, the legacy of Haver’s words is still felt 35 years after they were first uttered. For those unfamiliar with the quote, it’s the opening statement from an alternate audio track included on Criterion’s 1989 LaserDisc release of the classic monster movie King Kong (1933, pictured). Haver then describes making use of LaserDisc technology to take viewers on a 'lecture tour' of the movie while watching it. In other words, this was the birth…

Road House The 1989 Patrick Swayze actioner Road House is such a perfectly ludicrous product of its time that it’s hard to understand why anybody thought remaking it was a good idea. Other than drawing unfavourable comparisons with the much-loved original, what did they really hope to get out of it? Well, consider us surprised. Directed by Doug (The Bourne Identity) Liman, this Road House remix manages to land some knockout blows of its own and has a whale of a time doing it. It’s certainly a funnier and more self-aware take on the material we were expecting; co-writer Anthony Bagarozzi clearly has a knack for this sort of thing, having previously written Shane Black’s 2016 film The Nice Guys. Wisely swerving the whole notion of trying to outdo Swayze’s philosophical…

The Abyss: Ultimate Collector’s Edition James Cameron’s follow-up to Aliens (p88) was considered a flop at the time. Partly because the 1989 theatrical release switches from nail-biting disaster/thriller to E.T… during the third act, and partly due to ballooning costs from shooting for real in a giant tank built at an unfinished nuclear reactor. The Special Edition of 1993 reinstates important character development, Cold War tensions that better explain the aliens' motivations and an improved climax, while the realism pays off with stunning photography and effects that still hold up, including the groundbreaking CGI water tentacle. Last released on disc in 2000 as a non-anamorphic DVD, The Abyss essentially skips Blu-ray entirely and now hits 4K in every territory except the UK for well documented reasons (see HCC #351). Picture:…

SAVE 36% ON THE SHOP PRICE 3 ISSUES FOR £11.50! With FREE P&P, never miss an issue! SUBSCRIBE SECURELY ONLINE TODAY! https://checkout.avtechmedia.co.uk/EGENHC OR CALL 01858 438446 LINES OPEN MONDAY TO FRIDAY – 9AM - 6PM Calls are charged at the same rate as standard UK landlines and are included as part of any inclusive or free minutes allowances. There are no additional charges with this number. Overseas calls will cost more. TERMS & CONDITIONS:. *UK print subscriptions offer only. AV Tech Media Ltd collects your data so that we can fulfil your subscription. We may also, from time to time, send you details of AV Tech Media Ltd offers, events and competitions but you always have a choice and can opt out by clicking on the unsubscribe button at the bottom of…

Looking For a new 4K TV? Our Top 15 guide is here to help HCC RATINGS KEY… Outstanding Above average Acceptable Disappointing Dire Top 15 Televisions Panasonic TX-55MZ2000 ➜ £2,699 The most striking Panasonic OLED to date, the MZ2000’s sensational colour depth, excellent multi-format HDR support and superior Atmos sound system make for a formidable flatscreen that offers a real upgrade over its 2022 predecessor. HCC #345 Samsung QE65S95D ➜ £3,499 For its third-gen Quantum Dot OLED flagship, Samsung has taken its hardware and AI processing to new HDR brightness and colour highs, while adding an anti-glare panel layer that’s a boon in bright rooms. Still no Dolby Vision playback, though. HCC #351 Philips 55OLED808 ➜ £1,299 Mid-range 4K OLED TV has no problem holding its own against newer screen…

At your convenience LG Cinebeam Q ➜ www.lg.com First shown at this year’s CES, LG’s retro-styled Cinebeam Q projector has now reached UK shops, with a price tag of £1,299. With one eye on portability thanks to its rotatable carry handle/stand, the beamer combines 4K DLP optics with an RGB laser engine, and claims a brightness of 500 Lumens. Automated focus and image alignment boost its 'place and play' credentials, as does integration of LG’s webOS smart platform. Other tricks include Bluetooth audio out, HDMI, HDR support and AirPlay. HCC ONLINE… For breaking AV news, blogs, features and reviews visit www.homecinemachoice.com Follow us on Twitter @hccmag Like us on Facebook facebook.com/homecinemachoice…

3 Body Problem: S1 Netflix’s brainy alien invasion series takes a little while to get going, but once it does it goes like a rocket. Roll on Season Two. The Lavender Hill Mob Classic Ealing Studios heist comedy starring Alec Guinness receives a criminally good 4K BD upgrade courtesy of Studiocanal. Patrick Telekinetic terrors abound in this landmark 1978 Australian cult chiller, now available to revisit on Indcator’s 4K Blu-ray. Raging Bull Criterion comes out fighting with a stunning UHD restoration of Martin Scorsese’s hard-hitting biopic of boxer Jake LaMotta. The Bat Woman A bikini-clad lady luchadore battles crime in this wild Mexican wrestling spin on the '60s Batman TV show. Grab it on BD.…

Loudspeaker maker Mission has announced a new model with retro styling, although unlike the 770 and 700 standmounts released in 2022, the 750 doesn't seek to re-engineer a 1970s/'80s fave for the 21st century. Instead, this £899 speaker is entirely new, albeit adhering to Mission’s 'classic' styling with its white baffle contrasting a choice of walnut or black wood veneer cabinet, and prominent logo and model number. More compact than the 770 and 700 at 35cm high and 21cm wide, the speaker is intended for both bookshelf or stand installation, the latter perhaps with Mission’s Stance stands, which sell for £129 per pair. The cabinet features an internally braced and damped 'twin-wall' construction using MDF and particle board. Drivers – a 5.25in polypropylene bass/mid and 1in microfibre dome tweeter, both…

UK brand Mitchell & Brown has launched a new soundbar to complement its range of affordable TVs. The Symphony BAR400 is a 2.1-channel design with 200W wireless subwoofer, and is on sale now for £200. Rated by the company as its 'best-sounding' model to date, the 77cm-wide BAR400 features a stereo driver configuration (size unspecified) powered by 2 x 100W amplification. There’s no Dolby Atmos compatibility, but '3D Effect' processing works to big up Dolby Digital signals. Connectivity, as expected from Mitchell & Brown, aims to please those with legacy kit, with analogue 3.5mm and both coaxial and optical digital inputs alongside HDMI eARC. USB and Bluetooth are included, and voice notification can be set so the BAR400 alerts you to the selected source and sound mode (Standard or Movie).…

IT’S EASY TO become star-struck on the Sony Pictures Studio lot, in Culver City, California. Walking past Walter White’s RV from Breaking Bad, via the John Williams Music Building and on the way to the Wheel of Fortune set, my brain is in pop culture meltdown. But the real stars of this particular show are Sony’s new 2024 TVs. The Japanese major has chosen its world famous movie studio to unveil a fresh new home entertainment strategy, built around the tagline 'Cinema is coming home'. There’s a range of TVs and sound systems under the Bravia moniker that dispenses with old-school model numbers, and – perhaps controversially – it’s a Mini LED TV, not an OLED, that’s positioned as its flagship 4K display. Joseph Kosinski, director of Top Gun: Maverick,…

The Force Awakens Kicking off the final act of the 'Skywalker Saga' in 2015, J.J. Abrams' blockbuster introduces viewers to Force-sensitive orphan Rey (Daisy Ridley), shows a new galactic threat in the First Order, and says farewell to a fan-favourite character from the original trilogy. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story Taking place immediately before the events of Star Wars: A New Hope, director Gareth Edwards' 2016 spin-off follows the group of Rebels responsible for stealing the plans to the Death Star. Rogue One… received its own prequel with the acclaimed Disney+ series Andor. The Last Jedi Rian Johnson’s 2017 sequel continues Rey’s journey as she struggles to convince Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) to join the Resistance. Her search for answers into her past leads to a fateful encounter with…

When Jason Statham lays waste to a phishing call centre in The Beekeeper (Sky Cinema), I fear the incessant gunfire erupting in my movie room is going to alarm the neighbours. Denon’s new entry-level Dolby Atmos AVR is to blame, hitting hard like our titular hero. On paper, the AVR-X1800H doesn't appear the most muscular of receivers. Sure, discrete high-current amplifiers on all channels claim to deliver up to 145W per channel, but that’s a single-channel, 1kHz, 6ohm measurement at a high THD of 1%. Denon’s full-band 80W/8ohm figure, with two channels driven, is more indicative of its inherent power, as is the £699 asking price at Peter Tyson, the amp’s exclusive retailer in the UK. But in my average-sized listening room, it translates to a whole heap of real…

KALEIDESCAPE HARDWARE HAS been around almost since movies on disc shifted from LaserDisc to DVD. The platform, developed in the US, started out as a system of servers/players for DVD-sourced content with a searchable interface, bringing the sort of movie access convenience we now take for granted with streaming services. Fast-forward a couple of decades and Kaleidescape’s offering is more about bringing quality to that now widely accepted convenience. The Strato C player and fabulously named Terra Prime movie server aim for crystal-clear, reference-quality movie playback as close to commercial digital cinema releases as it’s going to get in the home. Download and serve Having formed partnerships with 18 big-ticket movie houses and publishers, Kaleidescape allows you to purchase/rent and download near-uncompressed versions of movies (up to four times the…

SHARP ANNOUNCED ITS latest crop of soundbars at CES in January. Among the new entrants was what the company describes as its 'most compact soundbar to date', the 2.0.2-channel HT-SB700. This stubby yet stylish table-top unit retails for £200 and sits within a nine-strong range. It’s not Sharp’s most affordable, but is the most budget-friendly model sporting Dolby Atmos immersive chops. Rather than go for the routine lengthy strip that characterises the look of most soundbars, Sharp has plumped for a shorter, thickset design for the HT-SB700. This is quite an uncommon but appealing choice, and on close inspection the bar’s aesthetic is striking, with a well-built matt-black steel frame and mesh grille covering the entire front side. The 52cm-wide form factor suggests this soundbar could be tucked away on…

THE SECRET TO great acoustics is learning how to tame room modes, or standing waves as they're sometimes called. These are created by sounds reflecting off a room’s surfaces, sloshing about like water in a bath and interfering with the primary sound waves from the speakers themselves. While room modes at higher frequencies are relatively easy to mitigate, once you go below around 150Hz things get much trickier. At these lower frequencies a room’s modal response has the greatest influence on sound quality, often impacting bass reproduction in profound ways. A room’s dimensions are an important factor, but unless you're building a house from scratch there isn't much you can do if they're not ideal. Speaker and especially subwoofer placement is also important, and if you can avoid obvious peaks…

The Dreamers A young American embarks on a voyage of desire and discovery in director Bernardo Bertolucci’s love letter to cinema, set against the backdrop of the 1968 Paris student riots. Newly restored in 4K for its 20th anniversary, The Dreamers comes to 4K Blu-ray and BD alongside over three hours of bonus bits, including a director’s commentary and interviews. Thanks to Icon Film Distribution we have three copies of The Dreamers 4K Blu-ray to give away! Question: The Dreamers star Eva Green played which Bond girl opposite Daniel Craig? Answer: A) Vesper Lynd B) Strawberry Fields C) Lucia Sciarra Backbeat Exploring the beginnings of the Fab Four and the relationship between 'fifth Beatle' Stuart Sutcliffe and photographer Astrid Kirchherr, Iain Softley’s Backbeat turns 30 this year. To celebrate, Fabulous…

Fight club Road House ➜ Prime Video In this fresh remake of the 1989 Patrick Swazye movie Road House, Jake Gyllenhaal is the dive-bar bouncer with lightning reflexes going up against a gang of villains, including ex-UFC champ Conor McGregor (pictured). Turn to p91 to see if it packs a punch. HCC RATINGS KEY… Outstanding Above average Acceptable Disappointing Dire…

Aliens/True Lies Recasting Ridley Scott’s 1979 sci-fi horror classic Alien as a high-octane action movie, James Cameron’s Aliens (1986) is widely regarded as one of the greatest sequels ever made – and with good reason. From beginning to end it’s a rollercoaster ride of thrills and spills, underpinned by a thematically rich battle of maternal instincts as Sigourney Weaver’s Ripley defends orphan Newt (Carrie Henn) against the Alien Queen and her deadly brood. An adaptation of the French film La Totale! (1991), big-budget action-comedy True Lies (1994) features Arnold Schwarzenegger as a secret agent whose family think he’s a dull computer salesman. There are some terrific Bond-esque set-pieces here and some fun moments of near-spoof comedy, but it never quite nails the blend of the two genres. Picture: James Cameron…

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Mad Max: Fury Road ➜ 4K Blu-ray Steelbook, Warner Bros. 'I don't understand two things,' said Steven Soderbergh of Mad Max: Fury Road during a 2017 interview. 'I don't understand how they're not still shooting that film and I don't understand how hundreds of people aren't dead.' Racing onto screens in 2015, the fourth instalment in Australian filmmaker George Miller’s Mad Max franchise proved a hit with audiences and critics, topping numerous 'best of the year' lists before scooping six Academy Awards. But even if nobody actually died making the film, its journey to the bigscreen was anything but smooth. 'Am I awaited?' As long ago as 1987 Miller had started toying with the idea of a third Mad Max sequel that was essentially one long chase sequence. Yet it…

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