HDTV and Home Theater Podcast

On this week's show we look at the annual Consumer Electronics Show inLas Vegas Nevada. In years past there was more for us home theater fans but we still find some cool products that will eventually find their way into our homes. News: More than 60% of audiences use TV as primary streaming device Which sports will Netflix have in 2026? LG Key Highlights Return of the Wallpaper OLED TV (LG OLED evo W6) — LG revived its iconic ultra-thin "Wallpaper" design after a multi-year hiatus. The W6 is just 9mm thick, fully wireless (with a separate connection box up to 10 meters away), uses Hyper Radiant Color Technology for improved brightness and colors, and supports features like art display via Gallery+ service. It's marketed as reflection-free and significantly brighter than average OLEDs. New OLED Lineup — Including the brighter flagship G6 (up to 20% brighter than the G5 with Primary RGB Tandem 2.0 panels and reduced reflections), split C6 series (with varying tech tiers), and claims of the world's first TVs supporting 4K 120Hz cloud gaming with low-latency controllers. Micro RGB evo TV — LG's first flagship Mini-LED TV with Micro RGB technology for vastly expanded color range and brightness, available in large sizes including the "world's largest" Micro RGB LCD TV, the 130-inch R95H. Gallery TV — A direct competitor to Samsung's The Frame, with anti-glare screens and curated art modes (designed with museum input). CLOiD Home Robot — A standout AI-powered housekeeper robot demoed on stage. It performs complex chores like folding laundry, loading/unloading dishwashers, preparing simple meals (baking croissants), and coordinating with connected appliances for a "Zero Labor Home" vision. LG Sound Suite (with Dolby) - Includes the H7 soundbar, optional M7/M5 wireless surround speakers, and W7 subwoofer. Allows free placement of speakers; the system auto-configures channels for optimal immersion, solving a major pain point in traditional wired or rigidly positioned Atmos setups.Hands-on reports highlighted its ease for real-world living rooms, delivering expansive sound without cables or furniture rearrangement. Samsung Key Highlights World's first 130-inch Micro RGB TV (): The largest in their Micro RGB lineup, featuring next-generation color accuracy (100% Rec.2020 coverage), bold new design, HDR10+ ADVANCED support, Eclipsa Audio, and AI enhancements like conversational search, proactive recommendations, AI Football (Soccer) Mode Pro, and integrations with Microsoft Copilot and Perplexity. AI Soccer Mode delivers a more exciting gameday experience through AI-driven picture and sound tuning to stadium-level quality. AI Sound Controller Pro lets you raise or lower the volume of the crowd, commentary, or background music, providing a personalized listening experience for TV shows and movies. Users can simply make verbal requests, and any TV equipped with VAC – which includes Micro LED, Micro RGB, OLED, Neo QLED, Mini LED and UHD TV – contextually carries out those requests. Expanded Micro RGB TV lineup: New sizes including 55-, 65-, 75-, 85-, 100-, 115-inch models, alongside upgrades to Neo QLED and OLED TVs  The Freestyle+ portable projector: An upgraded AI-powered version with improved brightness, support for projecting on uneven surfaces (walls, ceilings, corners, curtains), and smarter entertainment features. New audio products: Music Studio 5 and 7 wireless speakers (Bluetooth/Wi-Fi, unique designs), and soundbars like the HW-QS90H (all-in-one 7.1.2 with Quad Bass Woofer system). Broader AI focus: Enhanced experiences in home appliances (e.g., Bespoke AI), TVs, and ecosystem integration. Press releases  Sony No major announcements were made regarding Sony's traditional consumer products, such as new Bravia TVs, headphones, cameras, or PlayStation hardware. Sony's focus shifted toward the future of mobility and software-defined vehicles. TCL Key Highlights X11L SQD-Mini LED TV - as its 2026 flagship. It features new "SQD-Mini LED" technology (Super Quantum Dot Mini-LED), emphasizing superior color accuracy and performance. Features 10,000 Nits, 20,000 dimming zones, 100% coverage of BT.2020 color gamut. Available initially in 98-inch and 85-inch sizes (75-inch later), with launches starting as early as January 2026. Some who have seen it are saying it rivals Micro RGB TVs from competitors like Samsung and LG, potentially challenging OLED in brightness and contrast. A65K Design Series soundbar — A compact 3.1.2-channel Dolby Atmos model with Bang & Olufsen tuning and wireless subwoofer. Hisense Key Highlights RGB MiniLED evo Technology — Hisense introduced an evolved version of its RGB MiniLED backlight system, which adds a fourth primary color to improve accuracy and fill spectral gaps (especially in the 500-600nm range) for more natural and vibrant colors. This debuts in the flagship 116UXS large-screen TV, positioned for premium cinematic home viewing. Expanded RGB MiniLED Lineup — The company is bringing RGB MiniLED to more accessible screen sizes and models, including new UR9 and UR8 series TVs, making the technology available beyond ultra-premium flagships. Industry-First RGBY MicroLED Display — Hisense unveiled a new MicroLED prototype using four primary colors (Red, Green, Blue, Yellow), aimed at future ultra-large screens with enhanced color reproduction. Laser Projection and Other Displays — Extensions of multi-primary color tech to laser projectors, emphasizing better color accuracy and flexible installations. Additional Mentions — New projectors, smart home AI assistants, and support for advanced formats like Dolby Vision 2 on upcoming 2026 MiniLED models (via OTA updates). Home Audio Announcements Budget brand Ultimea surprised with the Skywave X100 Dual, a premium compact system boasting up to 9.2.6 channels across seven modular units.Focuses on high-channel-count immersion in a small footprint, positioning it as an affordable yet powerful alternative for space-constrained home theaters. SVS R|Evolution SeriesAudio specialist SVS debuted the 3000 R|Evolution subwoofers and a new Dolby Atmos soundbar, demonstrated in a full 5.2.4-channel cabin setup for reference-level performance. Klipsch Powered Speakers UpdateKlipsch refreshed its powered lineup with The Fives II, Sevens II, and Nines II, building on heritage horn-loaded designs with modern connectivity, plus concept teases for future innovations.Other mentions included Cambridge Audio's new active bookshelf speakers and various AI-enhanced EQ features across brands, but the Dolby Atmos FlexConnect implementations (especially LG's) stood out as the truly novel leap forward for effortless, high-quality home audio in 2026. The Fives II: $1,399.99/pair USD. The Sevens II: $1,999.99/pair USD. The Nines II: $2,399.99/pair USD Home Automation Announcements The standout trend was humanoid or multi-purpose home robots moving beyond single tasks (like vacuuming) to general household help, embodying a vision of embodied AI. LG CLOiD: LG's flagship reveal was this wheeled, dual-armed AI home robot designed for a "Zero Labor Home." It autonomously handles diverse chores like retrieving items from the fridge, heating food in the oven, folding laundry, and coordinating with other smart appliances. Powered by advanced AI and sensors, it demonstrates real-world household automation in demo setups. SwitchBot onero H1: SwitchBot introduced this accessible humanoid household robot as part of its "Smart Home 2.0" vision. It represents a shift to multi-task embodied AI, going beyond specialized devices to perform varied daily tasks. Accompanied by other AI robotics integrations for intuitive automation. Other mentions included updates like Samsung's AI Jet Bot Steam Ultra (with AI object/liquid recognition for smarter cleaning) and emerging players like 1X NEO, signaling a wave of practical home robotics. Devices are increasingly using on-device AI to automate routines without user programming. Conversational AI and Butler-Style Control: Widespread demos of voice assistants that learn habits and respond to natural commands, turning smart homes into proactive "housekeepers." Sorcerics Lens (CES Innovation Award honoree): An AI hub using on-device computer vision for fully contextual automation of housework, understanding environments to trigger actions intelligently. Lights turn on because the AI recognizes you're reading - not just because you moved. Lights turn off only when the AI understands you're about to sleep - not simply on a routineWhat motion and presence sensors fail to see, Sorcerics AI sees the difference. Govee Smart Lighting Advancements: New lights (e.g., Ceiling Light Ultra) that proactively adjust based on time of day, mood, space usage, and user patterns—rethinking lighting as adaptive rather than reactive. SwitchBot AI MindClip: AI MindClip continuously captures meetings, conversations, and everyday moments, transforming them into structured summaries, actionable to-dos, and a searchable personal knowledge base. Acting as a "second brain" fueled by subscribed cloud AI service, it allows users to retrieve past discussions, reminders, and learning materials on demand, ask questions when details are forgotten, and turn fragmented information into usable insight. Weighing just 18 grams and supporting over 100 languages, AI MindClip helps people organize and recall the growing volume of spoken information they encounter every day, enabling them to think more clearly, work more efficiently, and manage modern life with less cognitive load. Innovative Access and Security Aqara U400 Smart Deadbolt: Uses Ultra-Wideband (UWB) for precise, hands-free unlocking as you approach—more reliable than traditional geofencing/Bluetooth mixes. Lockin V7 Max: Features wireless AuraCharge (recharges within 4 meters) and fast unlocking, earning a CES Innovation Award. SwitchBot's biometric 3D locks with advanced vision. Other Notable Smart Home Innovations Expanded Matter ecosystem support across brands, enabling broader interoperability. Smarter kitchen tech, like Govee's Smart Nugget Ice Maker Pro. Enhanced security cameras with deeper AI context for automation triggers.

Happy New Year from the HT Guys!

On this week's show we look at the streamable awards and we read your emails and look at the week's news. News: Matter 1.5 is arriving in Samsung SmartThings Why Gen Z and Gen Alpha are feasting on TV comfort food Other: Wireless Carplay Adapter Report: Gen Z Helping To Keep Cinemas Alive - Dark Horizons The Streamable Awards Let's be honest, being a cord-cutter in 2025 wasn't for the faint of heart. If you felt like you needed a spreadsheet to track which app housed your favorite shows or a law degree to understand why the sports you wanted to watch were blacked out, you weren't alone. This was the year that the industry seemingly threw everything at the wall — dizzying rebrands, the demise of standalone apps, and the aggressive return of the "bundle" — to see what would stick. It was chaotic, expensive, and often frustrating, but the pressure also forced a level of innovation we haven't seen in streaming for nearly a decade. Full article: The Streamable Awards: Recaping streaming's best and worst in 2025

On this week's show DJ Briggs from Brightside Home Theater fills in for Braden who is away on business. We ask DJ to give us his opinion on using a large format TV as a replacement for a projector. We also read your emails and take a look at the week's news. News: LG will debut its first Micro RGB television at CES Local ABC, CBS, FOX, & NBC Stations Are Demanding Up to a 50% Price Hike for Cable TV Customers WBD board recommends rejection of Paramount's takeover bid Other: YouTube TV Wants to Unbundle the Cable Package That Streamers Were Meant to Kill in the First Place Tailwind Meross Garage Door Opener HT Guys Amazon List Swapping a projector for a 100" TV  Jon Taylor recently purchased a TCL 98QM7K (2025 model, QD-Mini LED QLED with Google TV) during Black Friday for $1,999.99 (50% off the $3,999.99 retail price). After using it for a couple of weeks in his basement home theater (replacing an older 82" Samsung and supplementing a projector setup), he shares highly positive impressions. Key Highlights: Size and Installation: The 98" screen is enormous and immersive. Delivery and installation (included from Best Buy) went smoothly, though modifications to basement stairs were needed to fit the massive box. Picture Quality: Exceptional deep blacks (best non-OLED he's seen, rivaling his old Panasonic plasma), vibrant colors, and strong contrast. Upscaling of lower-resolution content (720p/1080p from cable, Blu-ray, streaming) is excellent. 4K sources, including Ultra HD Blu-ray and YouTube, look stunning with minimal motion blur. Performance Across Sources: Built-in Google TV streaming: Clear and smooth. Roku Premier: Deep blacks and popping colors. Standout: Apple TV 4K shines brightest, leveraging Dolby Vision for an incredibly vivid, "popping" image—far superior to non-Dolby Vision devices on his previous Samsung. Gaming and Features: 144Hz refresh rate delivers outstanding performance with low motion lag. Fun feature: Displays four simultaneous 48" screens for NFL Sunday Ticket on YouTube TV. Observations: Large size exposes weaknesses in poor cable signals (fixed by rerouting). He notes TCL (and Hisense) are seriously challenging premium brands (Samsung, LG, Sony) with high-end specs at budget prices, earning praise from reviewers like RTINGS.com. Jon historically preferred established brands for reliability but now sees TCL/Hisense as the new value leaders, similar to how Samsung/LG rose decades ago. He recommends checking out the latest high-end TCL models, especially for large sizes where premium brands were too expensive for him. He's also considering switching from Verizon Fios to a streaming TV service to cut costs. Overall, Jon is thrilled with the TV's performance and value, calling it a "force to be reckoned with."

On this week's show we come back after taking a week off and read your emails and take a look at the week's news. News: Netflix Officially Announces a Deal to Buy Warner Bros. Discovery & HBO Max For $82.7 Billion Paramount makes $108bn all-cash bid for Warner Bros. Discovery Kaleidescape Launches Mini Terra Prime Movie Server Other: HT Guys Amazon Lists Listener Emails On this week's show we read your emails. The following are links that are discussed on the show. Brady's 98" TV Dilemma - Samsung 98" Class - DU9000D Series - 4K UHD Smart TV | Costco $1800 vs Sony 98" Class BRAVIA 5 Mini LED 4K UHD Smart Google TV (2025) K98XR50 - Best Buy $5000 Eric's recommendation for The Chair Company. Scott's email about connecting your set top box correctly - Your Apple TV Is Probably Plugged Into The Wrong HDMI Port - Here's Why - BGR and The Reason Why Amazon Basics Tech Is So Cheap and Hisense 116-Inch UX Series RGB-MiniLED 4K UHD HDR Google Smart TV(116UX, 2025) $20,000 Mark's solution for Chamberlain dropping support for Google Home, Apple Home, and Amazon A-Lady. Chamberlain blocks smart home integrations with its garage door openers — again Smart Garage Door Opener – ThirdReality And we finish the main part of this episode with Joe's app recommendation A Cool New Cord Cutting App: Multiview for Apple TV and Android / Google TV link to the app here ->Multiview App Stick around after the show to hear Ara's solution to the College Football playoff!