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Jan 26, 2012 - 3:35 PM - by Sonnie |
SpectraCal has a great offer going on right now through the end of January for the CalMAN DIY Software w/ i1Display2 OEM at $199.00, but you could also win one of these kits right here at Home Theater Shack.
Here's the scoop... if you are already a member here at Home Theater Shack and have 10 posts (no post padding) in our forums by January 31, 2012 (these do not have to be new posts), you can enter the giveaway by posting your entry in the SpectraCal Special Offer and Giveaway Qualification Thread.
Here's the catch... the drawing will be held on February 1, 2012, so you have less than 6 days to qualify and enter.
Shipping will be covered worldwide!
NOTE: If you don't want to miss out on the great deal of $199, don't worry, if you buy now and win the giveaway, SpectraCal will refund you the $199. Either way you can't lose! You get a great deal and you might just get it for free!
This is the announcement thread only... for discussion see the main giveaway thread in our Video Calibration forum.
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1 Reply | 165 Views | | The Thing - Blu-Ray Review | |
Jan 23, 2012 - 9:17 AM - by Dale Rasco | Title: The Thing
Starring: Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Joel Edgerton, Ulrich Thomsen
Directed by: Matthijs van Heijningen Jr.
Written by: Eric Heisserer, John W. Campbell Jr.
Studio: Universal
Rated: R
Runtime: 103 Minutes
Blu-Ray Release Date: 1/24/2012
Movie: 
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Extras: 
HTS Overall Score:85
Summary:
Paleontologist Kate Lloyd (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) has traveled to the desolate region for the expedition of her lifetime. Joining a Norwegian scientific team that has stumbled across an extraterrestrial ship buried in the ice, she discovers an organism that seems to have died in the crash eons ago. But it is about to wake up. When a simple experiment frees the alien from its frozen prison, Kate must join the crew's pilot, Carter (Joel Edgerton), to keep it from killing them off one at a time. And in this vast, intense land, a parasite that can mimic anything it touches will pit human against human as it tries to survive.
John Carpenter’s 1982 remake of the 1951...
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10 Replies | 303 Views | | Onkyo TX-NR3009 A/V Receiver Review | |
Jan 16, 2012 - 2:40 PM - by Dave Upton | | Onkyo TX-NR3009 AV Receiver
Onkyo's TX-NR3009 is their high-end receiver sitting just below the flagship TX-NR5009 in the line-up. This doesn't translate to much actually, with the 3009 offering just about every feature imaginable and differing from the 5009 only in terms of electronics. The primary differences between the 3009 and 5009 are the Toroidal transformer used in the 5009 alongside 4 independent power supplies, Burr-Brown DACs and rear panel USB connectivity. So all that said, what exactly does the TX-NR3009 offer?
Here's Onkyo's statement:
Quote:
The TX-NR3009 sports a huge array of digital and analog connections, including eight 3D-ready HDMI® inputs, 9.2 multichannel pre-outs, and a USB input for connecting flash drives and digital audio players. An Ethernet jack, meanwhile, supports networked content in the form of internet radio and streaming audio from a PC or media server. Processing, too, is top-class. Audyssey MultEQ® XT32 achieves optimal balance for movie soundtracks and breathtaking realism for music sources. Along with sophisticated surround-sound
technologies from Dolby and Audyssey, the TX-NR3009 employs DTS Neo:X™ to create an immersive nine-channel soundscape from any audio source. Video sources also get the red-carpet treatment, thanks to HQV® Vida™ processing, independent ISF calibration, and 4K upscaling via Qdeo™ technology. Onkyo’s dedication to build quality is reflected in the low-resonance |
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0 Replies | 613 Views | | Killer Elite - Blu-Ray Review | |
Jan 06, 2012 - 9:29 AM - by Dale Rasco | Title: Killer Elite
Starring: Jason Statham, Clive Owen, Robert De Nero, Dominic Purcell
Directed by: Gary McKendry
Written by:
Studio: Universal
Rated: R
Runtime: 117 Minutes
Blu-Ray Release Date: 1/10/2011
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HTS Overall Score:80
Summary:
Killer Elite opens with an assassination being carried out by two hit men, Danny (Statham) and Hunter (De Niro). As the attack is carried out with precision and mayhem, Danny is suddenly confronted with a moral dilemma. As he stands and ponders his life choices that have lead him to this point, he is shot in the arm by a police officer trying to protect the intended target from certain death. Un-phased by being shot, other than lying on the ground, Danny continues to stare aimlessly at the sky as his partner shoots his way to protect Danny and eventually snapping him out of his daze so the two of them can reach the getaway car and eventually reach safety. As they speed away, Danny announces to Hunter that he has...
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8 Replies | 497 Views | | Kung Fu Panda 2 - Blu-Ray Review | |
Jan 05, 2012 - 10:26 AM - by Dave Upton | Title: Kung Fu Panda 2
Starring: Jack Black, Angelina Jolie, Dustin Hoffman, Gary Oldman, Jackie Chan, Seth Rogen, Lucy Liu, David Cross
Directed by: Jennifer Yuh
Written by: Jonathan Aibel, Glenn Berger
Studio: Dreamworks
Rated: PG
Runtime: 91 min
Release Date: 12/13/2011 (Blu-Ray)
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HTS Overall Score:93
Summary:
Life seems to be perfect in the Valley of Peace, true to its name, peace has reigned since the defeat of Tai Lung at the hands of Po, the dragon warrior. Po and the Furious Five are in the temple training, or rather Po is playing a Chinese version of chubby bunny with bean dumplings while the Five cheer him on. Just as Po reaches the 40th dumpling, Master Shifu summons him. Shifu informs Po that a village has come under attack by wolves, and sends Po with The Five to defend them.
The village is being ransacked for its metal when they arrive, and a battle...
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6 Replies | 463 Views | | Shark Night - Blu-Ray Review | |
Jan 04, 2012 - 8:47 AM - by Dale Rasco | Title:Shark Night
Starring: Sara Paxton, Dustin Milligan, Chris Carmack, Donal Logue
Directed by: David R. Ellis
Written by: Will Hayes, Jesse Studenberg
Studio: 20th Century Fox
Rated: PG-13
Runtime: 90 minutes
Blu-Ray Release Date: 1/3/2011
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HTS Overall Score:68
Summary:
Arriving by boat at her family's Louisiana lake island cabin, Sara (Sara Paxton) and her friends quickly strip down to their swimsuits for a weekend of fun in the sun. But when star football player Malik (Sinqua Walls) stumbles from the salt-water lake with his arm torn off, the party mood quickly evaporates. Assuming the injury was caused by a freak wake-boarding accident, the group realizes they have to get Malik to a hospital on the other side of the lake, and fast. But as they set out in a tiny speedboat, the college friends discover the lake has been stocked with hundreds of massive, flesh-eating sharks! As they face one grisly death after another, Sara and the others struggle desperately...
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2 Replies | 354 Views | | Official Pioneer Elite SC-57 Review | |
Jan 01, 2012 - 2:33 PM - by Dale Rasco | | Pioneer Elite SC-57
The SC-57 is the Flagship in the Pioneer A/V receiver lineup and is loaded with enough features to overwhelm today’s modern tech-head and is the first Pioneer Elite AVR to boast 9.1 channels. The SC-57 also hosts Pioneer’s new Class D3 power amplifier that was completely re-engineered from the B&O Class-D’s used in previous models. It requires less energy to produce continuous power and it shows by the 4-ohm load that the SC-57 can carry without a loss in fidelity. That is one of the first things I noticed about the unit by comparing what I experienced with my older SC-05.
Below are some of the changes that were made to the overall amplifier design from the Pioneer website.
Quote:
Improved Thermal Dissipation – Redesigned from previous generations, the large aluminum heatsink is top mounted to achieve 360 degrees of heat dissipation. The technique enables heat generated during use to radiate from the top and bottom of the unit to increase reliability and high performance at any volume level.
Direct-Thru Signal Path – The amplifier section was reconfigured to achieve a much shorter audio signal path. A third shorter than last year’s design, audio signals are directed one-way from the audio input side to the power supply, eliminating any looping through the circuit board or the need for a loop circuit which can cause feedback, noise, and ringing, especially |
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0 Replies | 1,078 Views | | Colombiana - Blu-Ray Review | |
Jan 01, 2012 - 8:55 AM - by Dale Rasco | Title: Colombiana
Starring: Zoe Saldana, Jordi Molla, Lennie James, Cliff Curtis
Directed by: Oliver Megaton
Written by: Luc Besson, Robert Mark Kamen
Studio: Sony
Rated: PG-13
Runtime: 108 Minutes
Blu-Ray Release Date: 12/20/2011
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HTS Overall Score:90
Summary:
A young girl in Bogota witnesses the viscous murder of her parents by a drug lord and narrowly escapes the scene with her life, her ‘passport’ and an address in Chicago to a safe haven. Now, the young girl who dreamed of one day helping authorities fight crime in her home country, swears to her uncle she will one day avenge the deaths of her parents. 15 years later, the CIA and FBI are trying to find a professional killer that has been targeting drug lords and henchmen and who has racked up a total of 23 confirmed kills. Could it be our little 'Cataleya' is all grown up?...
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4 Replies | 556 Views | | Final Destination 5 - Blu-Ray Review | |
Dec 31, 2011 - 9:30 AM - by Dale Rasco | Title: Final Destination 5
Starring: Nicholas D’Agosto, Emma Bell, Miles Fisher, Tony Todd
Directed by: Steven Quale
Written by: Eric Heissner, Jeffrey Reddick
Studio: Warner
Rated: R
Runtime: 92 Minutes
Blu-Ray Release Date: 12/26/2011
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HTS Overall Score:77
Summary:
A group of co-workers are en route to a weekend team-building excursion. As they sit on a large suspension bridge, one of the group, Sam (D'Agosto) has a vision of the bridge collapsing. His premonition enables him to save his co-workers, one of which is his ex-girlfriend Molly. Now death has been cheated out of eight souls and it aims to collect them as one by one each of the survivors meets their doom in the most horrific scenarios imaginable.
Not long after the members of the...
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4 Replies | 409 Views | | SpectraCal C6 Review | |
Dec 30, 2011 - 8:53 PM - by mechman |   SpectraCal C6 Colorimeter Review 
SpectraCal recently sent the Home Theater Shack one of its new C6 Colorimeters for the C6 Giveaway to review. Some of the highlights of the C6 are:
● Up to 5x faster than similar-looking retail models
● Superb performance at low light levels
● Additional display characterizations for greater accuracy
● NIST Certificate - only device on the market with this document
● Included Sturdy protective case and tripod holder w/ extension
SpectraCal states that the C6 offers unparalleled low light performance, accuracy, speed and expanded display support. SpectraCal worked hand in hand with X-Rite for two years researching, developing and designing this new meter. Additionally, the C6 comes with a NIST Traceable Certificate of calibration from the SpectraCal lab. Some of the advantages of the C6 over both the retail and OEM models of the i1d3 are:
• NIST Certificate
• Field Upgradeable
• Carrying Case
• Included Tripod Mount/Holder
Along with the NIST Certificate from SpectraCal labs, they also profile this meter with the labs Konica Minolta CS-2000 Spectroradiometer to other display technologies. This increases the accuracy of the meter significantly from a tristimulus meter. The included profiles are:
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