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Our VerdictThe KestrelMet 6000 isn’t for casual weather observers, but hardcore weather enthusiasts should consider it the home weather station of choice. Price When Reviewed$999.00 Best Prices Today: KestrelMet 6000
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$1,098.00
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Weather enthusiasts take note. There’s a new standard in high-end home weather stations: The high-performance KestrelMet 6000 is manufactured by Kestrel Instruments, a company previously best known for its excellent handheld meters and other types of mobile weather devices. Outdoor enthusiasts know Kestrel well, and you’ve probably seen meteorologists such as the Weather Channel’s Jim Cantore and storm chasers use Kestrel instruments during live coverage of landfalling hurricanes and in storm-chasing videos. Kestrel has perfected its hardware over the years, making them indispensable for precise weather measurements in easy-to-use handheld devices. Sure, you can pick up a wind meter on Amazon for as little as $30, but you’ll get what you paid for–meaning you probably won’t get accurate readings. The KestrelMet 6000 is a radical departure from anything Kestrel has produced to date. Where the company’s top-end 5500 series meters can be used as portable weather stations, thanks to a special mount combined with a standard tripod, the KestrelMet 6000 is designed for fixed installation. It’s easily the biggest weather station I’ve tested, measuring 11 x 23 x 36 inches, but that large size packs in many features, which should be expected given its price $999 tag.
KestrelMet 6000 models for Wi-Fi or cellular connectivityEd Oswald/Foundry In terms of network connectivity, the KestrelMet 6000 is available in two flavors: Wi-Fi and cellular. The $999 Wi-Fi version is your best choice if you’re setting up the station within range of your Wi-Fi network. Choose the $1,299 cellular model if you’re installing it in a remote location—a vacation home, for instance—or anywhere that doesn’t have any other type of broadband connectivity. Kestrel offers one model for Verizon networks and another for AT&T (select your carrier at the time of purchase). Apart from network connectivity, there is no difference in functionality between the three models. The KestrelMet 6000 measures all the basics: temperature, humidity, wind speed and direction, barometric pressure, and rainfall. That should be sufficient for most people, but farmers and gardening enthusiasts can add optional components to gather even more data, including a leaf wetness sensor ($149), a solar irradiance sensor ($199), and a soil sensor kit ($599). You’ll also need a mount. Kestrel sent me its own tripod ($99), but if you already possess an antenna mast or something similar, you can save $30 by opting for Kestrel’s mono mount. I found the mast that comes with the station to be a little short, so unless your current mount is already above your roofline, you might need the additional hardware to ensure the station is high enough that it obstructed. (See our weather station buyers guide for more tips). How to install the KestrelMet 6000 weather stationEd Oswald/Foundry Unlike most weather stations, the KestrelMet 6000 comes almost completely preassembled. The station comes with a screwdriver, an Allen wrench, and even extra screws, in case you lose one (assemble it somewhere you’ll see black screws easily, I lost one in my lawn). All I needed to do was attach the anemometer to the top of the station. You will need a wrench to tighten the bolts securing the mast to your mount of choice. It was great to see almost everything I needed included in the box. That—and an excellent instruction manual—made installation fast: I had the entire station together in minutes, and reporting in less than 30. I think I spent more time getting the station level in its mount (important for the rain gauge and anemometer to work correctly) than setting it up. To limit false readings during setup, join the sensor suite to your Wi-Fi network, and then flip the power switch on the bottom of unit to the off position until after you’ve installed the system on its mount. Just don’t forget to turn it back on. Kestrel advises toggling power sparingly to prevent connectivity errors, and there’s no reason to turn it off apart from installation or periodic cleanings. Kestrel is a division of Nielsen-Kellerman, which also owns Ambient Weather, so the KestrelMet 6000 connects with the Ambient Weather Network. There is no console for the system, so you must use the AWN website or app to access your data. KestrelMet 6000 versus the competitionEd Oswald/Foundry The KestrelMet 6000’s high price tag puts it nearly in a class of its own: the only comparable consumer home weather stations are Davis Instruments’ Vantage Pro2 and Vantage Pro2 Plus. Both of those models, however, need additional hardware for connectivity (either WeatherLink Live or the new WeatherLink Console), which means you’ll need to spend another $500 just to connect those systems to the internet. The Vantage Pro2 also requires a fair bit of assembly, something you don’t have with the KestrelMet 6000; otherwise, Kestrel’s system does everything the base model Vantage Pro2 can does, but better. What’s more, only the Vantage Pro2 Plus has fan aspiration, to avoid overstated readings on sunny and hot days. Fan aspiration is a standard feature on the Kestrel product. Using the KestrelMet 6000Ed Oswald/Foundry After a great installation experience, I was prepared to be disappointed in other respects. I hate returning to the price, but it’s a significant factor. Very few weather stations are this expensive, so I held the KestrelMet 6000 to a much higher standard than any other station I’ve tested. I am happy to report that this station met even my highest expectations. The included 24-hour aspirating fan keeps readings accurate even in direct sunlight. Bird spikes keep your feathered friends from relieving themselves in your rain gauge. The accuracy of the remaining sensors is also on par, if not better, than most stations I’ve tested. More on that later. I’ve discussed the Ambient Weather app in other reviews, and my opinion of it hasn’t changed: It’s well laid out and easy to use. Adding new sensors to the KestrelMet 6000 is straightforward: the station comes with a cord to connect them, which are automatically detected and sent to AWN, so there’s minimal setup. I did need to recalibrate the barometer. During setup, the station searches for the closest official weather station, and then adjusts based on the elevation difference. That didn’t seem to work, as my readings were still off. But I’ve had to do this with nearly every station I’ve tested, so it’s hard to call that a shortcoming with this one. Ed Oswald/Foundry I found Wi-Fi connectivity to be reliable, and the sensor suite had a stable connection with my router, which was roughly 200 feet away. If I had a bigger yard, I think I might have been able to get another 50 feet or so without encountering connectivity issues. That’s impressive for a station that uses Wi-Fi to communicate with its sensors, as opposed to the longer-range, sub-GHz VHF frequencies that most console-based stations use. If there’s one thing I will ding the KestrelMet 6000 for, it’s the omission of solar/UV data from the standard feature set. These sensors are included in even the least-expensive Ambient Weather stations as well as the WeatherFlow Tempest, so it’s odd that a station several times more expensive doesn’t have it. Then again, that data isn’t necessarily important—unless you need it. There’s also no lightning sensor (at least at the moment); if you’re looking for that feature, I’d recommend the Tempest, instead. Is the KestrelMet 6000 accurate?Before I discuss accuracy, note that our test station was mounted roughly 4 to 6 above the ground; as such, I couldn’t get a good idea of the accuracy of its anemometer. As you’ll read in our home weather station buyers’ guide, official meteorological readings are taken at 33 feet above the ground. That said, the other sensors are meant to be installed at eye level. I found that the fan aspiration feature helps with the accuracy of the thermometer and hygrometer. We’re experiencing a dry spring here in the mid-Atlantic states, so there’s been a lot of cloud-free sunny days, the type of weather that will have non-aspirated stations running a bit hot. The KestrelMet 6000 doesn’t have that issue. Ed Oswald/Foundry I also found the anemometer highly sensitive, even more so than the Davis Vantage Vue, which I’ve had in place since 2016. It could be age, too (Davis recommends replacing the anemometer assembly every few years); but in lighter winds, the KestrelMet seemed to work better. It uses a propeller system rather than the common cup and vane, which might also explain some of the difference. The aforementioned dry spring nearly prevented me from testing KestrelMet’s rain gauge, but Mother Nature came through towards the end of the review period, if barely. To test the accuracy, I compared it with the readings from my Stratus Precision Rain Gauge, an analog rain gauge built to National Weather Service specifications. I also compared it to readings from the Davis Vantage Vue, known to be one of the most accurate digital rain gauges for home weather stations.
As you can see, both the KestrelMet 6000 and the Davis Vantage Vue were as accurate as the analog rain gauge, despite both being tipping-bucket designs, which tend to undercount precipitation in lighter rainfall and overcount it in downpours. While Mother Nature didn’t fully cooperate during our test, the fact that the KestrelMet 6000 did well on this score is promising. If we get the opportunity to test this weather station over a longer period and experience heavier rainfall events, we’ll update this review with the additional data. Can the KestrelMet 6000 be integrated with other smart home devices?Since the KestrelMet 6000 uses Ambient Weather Net for connectivity, you gain all the smart home features that service provides. This includes IFTTT support, which allows you to use your weather data to trigger various devices, such as a smart sprinkler controller, your smart thermostat, or anything else where weather data might be helpful. In addition, you can quickly set up your KestrelMet 6000 to share your weather data with aggregators such as Weather Underground and Aeris Weather’s PWS Weather. There are even skills for Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant, which allow you to ask those assistants for reports on your backyard weather. It’s one of the standout Ambient Weather features that have made that family of stations so popular among tech-savvy weather enthusiasts. Bottom line: Kestrel sets the bar very highEd Oswald/Foundry While Davis Instruments has finally brought its weather stations into the 21st Century with the new WeatherLink Console, its sensor suite hasn’t changed much in nearly two decades—and it still doesn’t have built-in connectivity. Kestrel took advantage of that situation to produce a top-tier weather station built for the future. And in many cases, you’ll spend far less for the same–if not better–accuracy, but far more functionality. Purchase one of the cellular models, and you’ll be able to set it up anywhere Verizon or AT&T service is available. To get similar functionality from a Davis weather station, you’ll need to spend more than $2,000 on top of the weather station. If your weather-station budget can’t stretch to $1,000, I’d recommend the WeatherFlow Tempest ($339) or the Ambient Weather WS-5000 ($450). Apart from the lower prices, both of those solutions have shortcomings: You’ll gain an integrated lightning detector and solar sensors with the Tempest, but it’s not expandable and its haptic rain gauge isn’t as accurate as I’d hoped, even after software updates released after our initial review from several years ago. The Ambient Weather WS-5000, meanwhile, offers expandability and generally better accuracy than the Tempest, but you won’t get fan aspiration (a feature not found on the Tempest, either), which means your temperature and humidity readings might run high if the station is exposed to direct sunlight. That can be particularly problematic during the summer. If you’re serious about accuracy and functionality, and your pockets are deep enough, the KestrelMet 6000 is the absolute best choice in pro-grade home weather stations. via TechHive https://ift.tt/bDLdo5X
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Our VerdictOfuzzi’s top-end pool cleaning robot packs plenty of power, but it has a price to match. Price When Reviewed$399.99 Best Prices Today: Ofuzzi Cyber 1200 Pro
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$319.99
Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide
The Ofuzzi Cyber 1200 Pro is a pricey pool-cleaning robot, but it’s also one of the most effective devices we’re reviewed to date. And as of this writing, it’s available at a $100 discount from its $400 list price. Like most robotic pool cleaning robots, the Ofuzzi Cyber 1200 Pro uses its rechargeable battery to scoot back and forth across the bottom of your pool, vacuuming up all the debris it can until it’s out of juice. It’s a sizable device, measuring 15 x 13 inches and weighing about 13 pounds. It becomes considerably heavier when you’re hauling it out of the pool via its tethered, floating handle. How large of a pool can the Ofuzzi Cyber 1200 Pro clean?Designed to cover a maximum area of 1,076 square feet, the Cyber 1200 Pro is Ofuzzi’s highest-end cleaner. It comes with a 6600mAh battery and a promised two-hour running time. It’s also equipped with a quick-charge system, allowing the battery to be juiced up in just three hours. Ofuzzi Before you drop the device into the pool, you’ll need to do some basic assembly, including snapping a brush onto the bottom of the device and installing an odd plastic paddle, Ofuzzi calls it a “swing plate,” on top of the robot. I’m not entirely sure what function the swing plate serves, but it seems to have something to do with helping the robot move in wide arcs, letting it cover the floor of the pool more effectively, depending on the shape and size of your pool. As with most robotic cleaners, you can change this movement route directly by adjusting the nozzles on either end of the robot to set it on a smaller or larger arc. The Ofuzzi charges through a top-mounted power port secreted beneath a rubberized screwcap that protects it when it’s submerged. Getting this cap on and off is a bit difficult (and prone to coming free from its tether), but it’s convenient to have the power port mounted on top of the bot. The device is turned on and off through a dial that surrounds the power input port. Another lighted ring gives you a quick look at how the unit is doing while it’s in the water: green for good, red if there’s a problem, and so on. Is the Ofuzzi Cyber 1200 Pro an effective robot pool cleaner?Christopher Null/Foundry The Ofuzzi proved effective cleaning my 468-square-foot pool, which has dimensions of 12 x 36 feet, with a small leg jutting to add another 6 x 6 feet at the shallow end. A testing note: I recently started testing pool robots with artificial silk leaves to improve testing consistency and repeatability. The Ofuzzi did well on this front, spending the full, promised two hours traversing the bottom of my pool and collecting about 80 percent of the test leaves, mostly leaving debris in the corners of the deep end. I did notice the unit spending an inordinate amount of time running over the same patch of (clean) pool-floor surface in the center of the pool for quite a while, but the unit eventually found its way out of the rut and continued on its way. After recharging the device and doing a second run, it collected all the remaining debris except for a single leaf. All in all, the unit made a very good showing that puts it at or near the top of the devices I’ve tested to date. While the Ofuzzi Cyber 1200 Pro can be difficult to remove from the pool when dragging it up by its tethered string, it at least drains quickly. Disassembling the unit to clean it is a bit more cumbersome than other units I’ve tested; but again, I’ve encountered worse, and unlike some robots, the screen doesn’t have a particular front or back and can go in either direction, saving time and frustration. (It does have a top and bottom, mind you.) A quick spray of a garden hose to the interior and the filter screen is all it takes to get the unit ready for charging and round two. The Ofuzzi Cyber 1200 Pro is worth the moneyOfuzzi’s aesthetics might not be the most elegant, and the company bizarrely includes stickers in the box that you can use to make things even gaudier, but the nearly all-white design does at least give you the option of selecting an accent color in either blue or orange. The bigger downside is the price. At $320—$80 off the list price with the currently available coupons—it’s still on the high side for pool robots. That said, its solid operational ability should merit the modest additional outlay. via TechHive https://ift.tt/B3fdCqZ
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Samsung has already unleashed most of its 2023 soundbars, including the 11.1.4 flagship that debuted during CES in Las Vegas, but the home theater manufacturer has one more high-end soundbar up its sleeves. Slated to go on sale today for $1,399.99, the 7.1.2-channel HW-Q900C sits just below the massive HW-Q990C in Samsung’s top-tier Q-series soundbar lineup.
The HW-Q990C looks similar to the HW-Q990C, which is currently on sale for a hair under $1,600 (that soundbar has a $1,899.99 list price). The main difference between the two is that the HW-Q900C lacks the wireless rear speakers that come with the flagship, although it does come with a wireless subwoofer. We’ve asked Samsung whether the Q900C can be upgraded with a rear speaker kit, and we’ll update this story once we hear back. While the HW-Q900C doesn’t come with rear speakers like the pricier HW-Q990C, the two soundbars share many other features in common, including Samsung’s upgraded Q-Symphony technology, which allows the manufacturer’s soundbars to sync with the speakers in its high-end TVs. Introduced back at CES in January, Q-Symphony 3.0 leverages a Samsung TV’s Neo Quantum processor to hone in on dialogue and pipe it through the soundbar’s speakers, while surround audio gets sent to the TV’s speakers, thus providing (according to Samsung) “more detailed and three-dimensional sound.” The HW-Q900C also supports wireless Dolby Atmos when paired with a compatible Samsung TV (DTS:X is supported via wired HDMI), while SpaceFit Sound Pro room calibration can analyze both lower frequencies as well as surround audio. Like the top-end HW-Q990C, the HW-Q900C comes with built-in Alexa, while AirPlay 2 allows you to stream audio to the soundbar from an Apple device, as well as use the speaker in AirPlay 2 multi-room audio setups. Spotify Connect and Tidal connect are also supported. Two HDMI inputs and an HDMI-eARC connector sit in the back, along with an optical (Toslink) input. We’ll have a full review of the Samsung HW-Q900C once we spend quality time with a sample unit. via TechHive https://ift.tt/6gmjsUM
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Technology has enabled TVs to become ever flatter, thinner, and lighter, but it can’t overcome the laws of physics when it comes to audio. Filling a room with sound requires substantial speakers that can move a lot of air, and those types of speakers just won’t fit inside a thin TV chassis. That’s where soundbars come in. These are our current top picks in budget, mid-range, and high-end categories, with brief summaries explaining our reasoning. These will change over time as new models come in for evaluation. Our soundbar reviews go into some depth, so we encourage you to follow the links to read them in their entirety so you can find exactly the right one for your needs.. Scroll down a little further and you’ll find our guidance on shopping for a soundbar, followed by explanations of the features you should consider when choosing one. We’ll explain all the latest soundbar technology and discuss the most important features you should look for. Updated May 25, 2023 to add a link to our news story about Samsung’s HW-Q900C, a 7.1.2-channel soundbar with wireless Dolby Atmos support. Best soundbars for every budgetPolk Audio React — Best budget soundbarPros
Cons
Price When Reviewed: $199.00
Best Prices Today: $255.27 at Amazon$269.00 at Adorama$269.99 at Best Buy
It doesn’t pack in Dolby Atmos support like many pricier soundbars do, but the Polk React sounds better than any competitors we’ve heard in its $250-ish price range, complete with detailed, nuanced audio and a surprisingly wide soundstage. The React comes with built-in Alexa, perfect for teeing up streaming music via voice commands, and the soundbar also supports Alexa Multi-Room Music, which means you can use it in Alexa speaker groups. Finally, you can upgrade the Polk React’s sound with Polk Audio’s optional wireless subwoofer and surround speaker kit. Roku Streambar — Best budget soundbar, runner-upPros
Cons
If you’re strapped for cash but long to improve both your audio and streaming experiences, take a look at the Roku Streambar. It’s stronger in the latter category than the former, but its $130 price tag ($99 street price) makes it a very strong value. Vizio M-Series M512a-H6 — Best mid-range soundbarPros
Cons
Price When Reviewed: $499.99
Best Prices Today: $374.43 at Amazon$399.99 at Best Buy
Vizio’s M512a-H6 soundbar delivers powerful, vibrant sound for a reasonable price, complete with Dolby Atmos and DTS:X support, an easy setup process, and plenty of adjustments for tinkering with audio settings. There’s no Wi-Fi support, but that’s not unusual for a soundbar in this price range. Sonos Beam (2nd gen) — Best mid-range soundbar, runner-upPros
Cons
Price When Reviewed: $449.99
Best Prices Today: $449.99 at Best Buy
The second-gen Sonos Beam is our runner-up pick for best mid-priced soundbar. A powerful speaker for its size, the refreshed Beam adds Dolby Atmos and eARC support, and you can expand it into a full-fledged 5.1-channel system by adding a wireless sub and wireless surround speakers. The Beam also has built-in support for your choice of Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant, so it can become a key element in your smart home system. Apple fans, meanwhile, will appreciate the Beam’s support for AirPlay 2. LG S95QR — Best high-end soundbarPros
Cons
Price When Reviewed: $1,799.99
Best Prices Today: $1499.99 at Best Buy$1499.99 at LG
It costs a cool $1,800 and we wish the power cords for the rear speakers were longer, but if you’re looking for the very best in Dolby Atmos and DTS:X performance from a soundbar, the LG S95QR is our reigning champ for most users (although Samsung TV owners should instead consider the Samsung HW-Q990B below). Equipped with an extra height speaker for the center channel, the LG S95QR puts you in a bubble of thrillingly immersive sound, and it also boasts AirPlay 2, Chromecast, and AI-powered room correction. Vizio Elevate — Best high-end soundbar, runner-upPros
Cons
Price When Reviewed: $999.99
Best Prices Today: $798.00 at Amazon$999.99 at Best Buy
Vizio came up with a truly innovative alternative to installing speakers in your ceiling to enjoy immersive Dolby Atmos and DTS:X object-based soundtracks. In addition to building up-firing drivers in its soundbar and surround speakers, the drivers on the soundbar are motorized and automatically rotate up when the speaker detects the appropriate type of audio signal. When you want to hear stereo, these drivers rotate to face forward. We found the included subwoofer to be a bit too much of a good thing, but the Vizio Elevate is one of the most exciting soundbars we’ve heard in some time. Samsung HW-Q990B — Best high-end soundbar for Samsung TV ownersPros
Cons
Price When Reviewed: $1,599.99
Best Prices Today: $1599.99 at Samsung$1,887.95 at Amazon
The Samsung HW-Q990B delivers 11.1.4 channels of thrilling, room-filling sound, including support for both Dolby Atmos and DTS:X. Alexa comes built-in, and a new version of Samsung’s SpaceFit Sound room-correction technology now works for everyone, not just Samsung TV owners. But another killer feature, the TV speaker-synching Q-Symphony, does require a (compatible) Samsung TV set, as does Samsung’s new wireless Dolby Atmos functionality. The HW-Q990B is a great soundbar, but even with the new SpaceFit, it only realizes its true potential when paired with a Samsung television. Sony HT-A5000 — Best high-end soundbar and wireless speaker packagePros
Cons
Price When Reviewed: $999.99
Best Prices Today: $798.00 at Amazon$999.99 at Sony
Plenty of all-on-one soundbars and compatible with wireless subwoofers and surround speaker kits, but Sony has really knocked it out of the park with the HT-A5000. Accompanied by the optional–and truly wireless–SA-RS5 rear speakers and SA-SW3 subwoofer, the HT-A5000 delivers an immersive and practical solution for audio enthusiasts looking to customize their speaker setups without dealing with a snarl of wires, while one-touch sound field optimization makes it easy to quickly change speaker positions. The total cost of all three Sony components is just shy of $2,000, however, and we detected a certain boxiness to the audio, particularly in terms of music. A slightly less expensive but still impressive option is the Sony HT-A3000, a 3.1-channel soundbar that we also tested with the SA-RS5 rear speakers and SA-SW3 sub. What exactly is a soundbar?A soundbar is typically a one- or two-piece speaker system whose primary purpose is to bring quality sound back to modern TVs (two-piece systems include a subwoofer). Soundbars are designed to appeal to people who can’t or won’t install freestanding loudspeakers. The former because of the the wiring requirements and/or expense associated with traditional home theater audio, and the latter because they object to the visual intrusion an A/V receiver and six or more loudspeaker cabinets presents. The audio performance of nearly any soundbar will surpass the quality of just about any modern TV while consuming minimal space and requiring little more than a power cord and one or two cables. Soundbars are designed to fit in front of your TV if your TV is resting on a piece of furniture, or beneath your TV if it’s hanging on the wall. You can even find soundbars from TV manufacturers that are designed to match the aesthetic of the TV it’s paired with, and some of those models deliver extra features you won’t get if you pair the speaker with a different manufacturer’s TV. Michael Brown/Foundry Nearly all modern TV and movie soundtracks are recorded in surround sound, so most soundbars are equipped to decode at least Dolby Digital and play back discrete left, right, and center channels, plus low-frequency effects (LFE). A great many models include a separate self-amplified subwoofer to handle LFE. Subwoofers are often wireless models needing only a power cable. Purchasing a soundbar doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll miss out on a full home-theater experience; in fact, some models offer optional surround speakers and others can even support object-based formats such as Dolby Atmos and DTS:X to deliver a sensation of height. The number of channels supported by an audio system uses the format X.Y.Z, where X represents the number of channels at or near ear level, Y represents the number of speakers that deliver low-frequency effects (LFE), and Z represents the number of speakers producing height cues. The speakers can be mounted in cabinets on stands, on the wall, or in the ceiling. With some soundbars, all of the channels are produced from the cabinet, with up-firing drivers bouncing height cues off the ceiling. What size soundbar should I buy?Most people buy a soundbar that is either the same width or slightly narrower than their TV, but that really has more to do with aesthetics than audio performance. If your TV is on a piece of furniture, and you’re buying a soundbar that will sit in front of it, take the speaker’s height into consideration, so that it doesn’t encroach on the screen or block the TV’s infrared receiver. Some soundbars include an IR repeater for this reason. Everything else being equal, the smaller the sound soundbar, the less room it has for larger speakers and features (codec support, wireless connectivity, multiple inputs and outputs, and so on). That’s not to say, however, that a bigger speaker will always sound better than a smaller one. Do soundbars support Dolby Atmos and DTS:X?Buying a soundbar doesn’t mean you need to give up an immersive home theater experience, but be prepared to pay for that feature. Most soundbars are two-channel stereo or left-, center-, and right-channel speakers. Many of these soundbars claim to deliver a true surround-sound experience. For soundbars to achieve the magic of surround sound, they must rely on the shape of your room, sophisticated digital signal processing, and psychoacoustics. Consequently, your mileage may vary. Some rooms will be more conducive to a good surround-sound experience than others. Some soundbars eschew this artificial processing and offer you the option of adding surround speakers, often wireless ones, to deliver a true 5.1-surround sound. More soundbars are starting to support Dolby Atmos and/or DTS:X object-based audio. These soundbars have multiple speakers in the cabinet, some dedicated to left-, center-, and right-channel duty while others handle the surround and height cues. Most soundbars in this class support 5.1.2- or 7.1.2-channel setups, rendering only the front height channels. Once again, you’ll need the right kind of room—with the right kind ceiling—to take advantage of an object-based audio soundbar. Do I need an A/V Receiver with a soundbar?Nearly all modern soundbars are active speakers, meaning they’re more or less self contained with their own amplifier, digital signal processing, and volume control, all in the same cabinet as the drivers. Some active soundbars can even accommodate multiple HDMI sources. If you choose a model with HDMI support, make sure it has at least one HDMI port that supports the audio return channel (ARC). This will reduce the number of cables you’ll need between the soundbar and your TV. Models that support the newer enhanced Audio Return Channel (eARC) are even better, because they can decode the higher-resolution audio codecs Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio. The original ARC doesn’t have the bandwidth for this. A passive soundbar relies on the amplifier in an A/V receiver, just like a traditional loudspeaker. You connect the audio output from your TV (along with your Blu-ray player, media-streamer, and other components) to the A/V receiver’s inputs and the passive soundbar to the A/V receiver’s loudspeaker connections. The A/V receiver amplifies the signal and sends it to the speaker. Soundbar features you should look forSorting through different soundbars can be a dizzying experience. Here’s an alphabetized list of some of the most important features you’ll encounter App control: If you want to control everything from your smartphone or tablet, you’ll want to know if the manufacturer offers an app for your mobile operating system of choice. ARC: The acronym stands for Audio Return Channel. First introduced with HDMI 1.4, ARC enables your TV to send its audio output back through the HDMI cable to your soundbar or A/V receiver. This is especially important if you’re using your smart-TV’s onboard tuner or any of its media-streaming apps (Netflix, YouTube, Vudu, etc.). A newer variant, eARC (enhanced Audio Return Channel) provides more bandwidth than the original ARC, enabling it to handle lossless high-resolution audio, including Dolby True HD and DTS:X. This article provides in-depth explanations of both HDMI ARC and HDMI eARC. Dialog enhancement: If you find yourself turning on closed captions because you can’t make out what people on your TV are saying, you might want to invest in a soundbar that offers dialog enhancement. This feature uses an algorithm that identifies frequencies commonly associated with speech and runs them through a digital signal processor to make them easier to distinguish from sound effects, music, and other background audio. Dolby Atmos and DTS:X: Some of today’s top-of-the-line soundbars will let you take advantage of the latest object-based audio technologies, such as Dolby Atmos and DTS:X. Some soundbars that feature object-based audio are limited to 5.1.2 or 7.1.2 configuration, meaning they only reproduce the two front height effects channels. (A 5.1.2-channel system has front left, center, front right, left surround, right surround, subwoofer, left height, and right height. A 7.1.2-channel is the same configuration plus left rear surround and right rear surround.) EQ: Some soundbars have onboard EQ (equalization) to help tune the soundbar for a particular placement, such as on the wall or in a cabinet. The EQ adjusts certain sonic characteristics that happen to the speaker in a typical scenario. Don’t confuse EQ with room correction. Room correction far more sophisticated (we’ll cover that lower down). HDMI If you don’t already have a 4K UHD TV that supports HDR (high dynamic range), the next set you buy probably will. You can learn more about HDR in this story, but it basically pumps up the contrast to reveal more detail and produce vibrant color. You’ll need a soundbar that supports HDMI 2.0a or later to ensure HDR information is passed through the soundbar from the source (e.g., an Ultra HD Blu-ray player) to your television. Lossless audio: Do you have a growing collection of high-resolution music files in FLAC or ALAC formats? If you want to listen to them through your soundbar, you’ll want to make sure it can decode those files. Multi-room audio: Many soundbars can be components in a multi-room audio system, so you can hear music all over your house. Sonos is the king in this category, and its technology allows you to combine multiple speakers into a true surround-sound system. You can put a Sonos soundbar at the front of the room, for instance, and use a pair of Sonos Ones as surround channels in the back of the room, with a Sonos Sub handle low-frequency effects. Apple’s AirPlay technology is also very popular and many speaker manufacturers–including Sonos–supports it in addition to its own technology. Denon has its own solution for its speakers (Heos) and so does Yamaha (MusicCast). Music streaming: Many of today’s soundbars can stream music over Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, but only a handful support Bluetooth with aptX or–better yet–aptX HD or aptX Adative for CD-quality streaming. Apple’s AirPlay comes into play here as well, especially for people who use iPhones and iPads. Audio enthusiasts will want to know if the soundbar can decode lossless codecs such as FLAC and ALAC. Room correction: Your room plays a critical part in how your soundbar will sound. Some manufacturers, such as Paradigm, build sophisticated and highly effective room-correction technology into their soundbars. Sonos’ TruePlay is also incredibly effective. The sonic benefits of a good soundbar with well-implemented room correction can be jaw-dropping. Subwoofer support: If you love good, deep bass, and you want to hear all the low-frequency effects in movie soundtracks, you’ll want to scope out a soundbar that can connect to a subwoofer. Some soundbars come pre-packaged with a sub (in many cases, a wireless model), while others provide a subwoofer output so you can use a cable to hook up your model of choice. The pre-packaged route might look attractive, but it typically means you can’t upgrade either component without junking them both. Soundbars that didn’t make the cutNow that you’ve seen our top picks in three price categories, you might be wondering about other models that didn’t make the cut. In many cases, it will have been a close call. In others, the speaker just didn’t the value or the experience we demand. In still others, a soundbar that won our Editors’ Choice award has been bested by a new contender. Our CineHome Pro | CineHub Edition THX Certified review concluded that this system is more than a soundbar, it’s a high-end wireless home theater system with six discrete speakers and a massive 10-inch subwoofer. What it lacks is support for Dolby Pro HD and DTS HD Master Audio, not to mention Dolby Atmos and DTS:X. If you’re looking for a soundbar that delivers an immersive audio experience, take a look at our JBL Bar 9.1 review. This high-end soundbar boasts truly wireless surround speakers–they’re battery powered! Many of our fellow critics have swooned over Sennheiser’s first soundbar, but our home theater pro wrote in his Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar review that this very expensive 5.1.4-channel audio system failed to create a fully immersive audio experience. Yamaha builds some great mid-range and higher audio gear, but our Yamaha YAS-209 soundbar review discovered a speaker that sounds “distractingly harsh” while operating in DTS Virtual:X-powered 3D surround mode. It does have Alexa built in, though, and Yamaha’s MusicCast is one of the best multi-room audio systems on the market. Our Sony HT-G700 soundbar review faulted the manufacturer for not supporting Wi-Fi in this mid-priced speaker, but we did like the speakers “crisp, punchy sound. Chromecast is a popular multi-room audio platform, and it was one of the bright spots in our Polk Audio MagniFi 2 soundbar review, but we weren’t as enthused with this system’s bundled subwoofer. It is possible to get a good experience with a budget-priced soundbar, but shoppers at this level need to take care to avoid the type of dreck we found in our Tribit Soundbar review. Selling for $120 at the time, it’s still no bargain at a current street price of just $60. Sonos’s new budget soundbar, the Sonos Ray, delivers impressively full-bodied sound, but it’s held back by its lack of an HDMI port, an omission that’s hard to understand for a soundbar made in 2022. Panasonic surprised us in our Panasonic SoundSlayer review, where the speaker delivered a great gaming-oriented near-field experience, but it won’t be what everyone is looking for. via TechHive https://ift.tt/LBfeR0c
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Abode, one of the earliest players in DIY home security—and one of our long-time favorites in that space—has launched a simpler and less-expensive DIY home security system. Removing most of the smart home capabilities present in its two previous offerings, which will stay on the market, has enabled the company to offer its new Abode Security Kit (pictured up top) at a suggested price of $159.99, including the central hub, a door/window sensor, and a key fob.
“This is a more basic system that can compete better with DIY home security systems like Ring and Simplisafe,” said Abode founder and CEO Christopher Carney in an interview ahead of the announcement. The new Abode Security Kit will work with Abode sensors and other devices that communicate over Abode’s proprietary RF system, and users will be able to take advantage of all the same cloud integrations, including Nest cameras and thermostats, Philips Hue lighting products, Amazon Alexa and Google Home voice assistants, and Bose and Sonos wireless speakers. Unlike Abode’s two previous home security systems—the $280 Smart Security Kit and the $330 Iota Security Kit—the new hub will not have Zigbee or Z-Wave radios for local integration of smart home products such as lighting, door locks, or water shut-off valves. The new Abode Security Kit will also not have Apple HomeKit certification. Abode Systems Asked about Matter certification, Carney replied that Abode is “tracking Matter, but we don’t see any benefit to the user today. It’s more of a marketing play to say ‘we have a Matter [certified] device.’ Why waste our development resources on something that doesn’t benefit the customer?” As for HomeKit compatibility, Carney said that certification “takes time and effort during development, which makes products more expensive.” Buyers who want HomeKit compatibility can consider Abode’s two other systems, which do have that feature. The Abode Security Kit has a 93dB siren on board and a battery backup. It can be expanded with any of Abode’s outboard sensors—including its door/window, motion, water-leak, glass-break, and recessed door/window sensors. The new kit is also compatible with Abode’s smoke alarm monitor; indoor and outdoor sirens; panic button; and numeric keypad. Buyers can round out their security systems with the Abode Cam 2 security camera and Abode Video Doorbell in addition to Google Nest indoor and outdoor cameras. Abode offers two monitoring options with each of its security systems. The Standard plan is a self-monitoring option ($6.99/mo or $69.99/year) that includes cellular backup in case you lose your broadband connection, event-based video recording and downloads, push notifications, and in-app panic alarms that set off the system’s siren in an emergency. Meanwhile, Abode’s Pro plan ($22.99/mo. or $219.99/year) includes the same benefits as the Standard plan but adds professional monitoring of your system, including the ability to have first responders dispatched to your home in the event of a break-in or other emergency. The Abode Security Kit is priced at $159.99, but for a limited time, consumers can buy this starter kit for $139.99. We’re expecting to receive a review unit soon and will follow this coverage with an in-depth hands-on review. via TechHive https://ift.tt/roY3PQF
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Netflix really wants people to know that password sharing isn’t allowed anymore. The extent to which it’ll enforce its new rules is another matter. Despite widespread reports that Netflix will begin “blocking” users who regularly stream from outside the home, the company has not yet committed to a timeline for cutting people off. For now, account holders will receive warnings to stop their password sharing, along with options to either move the other user onto their own account or pay extra on their behalf. These measures are now rolling out for U.S. users after months of testing in select markets, but calling them a “crackdown” isn’t quite accurate. For now, at least, sharing your password is still technically possible; it’ll just become more annoying to do so. Netflix’s “paid sharing” pushTo be clear, Netflix’s terms of service say that password sharing with anyone outside your household is against the rules without paying extra. If your child is away at college, for instance, Netflix now expects them to have their own account or to be part of a “paid sharing” plan. Those paid sharing plans cost $8 per month in the United States. Account holders can add one extra user on Standard ($15.49 per month) plans, and up to two users on Premium ($19.99 per month) plans. Alternatively, Netflix offers a profile transfer tool for users who want to set up their own accounts while keeping their watchlists and recommendations. To detect password sharing, the company says it will use a combination of factors such as IP addresses, device IDs, and “account activity.” While this type of location detection has caused some issues in the past (most notably with Hulu + Live TV on T-Mobile’s home internet service), Netflix says it doesn’t anticipate any problems using the service with 5G home internet providers. Netflix does make accommodations for things like extended work trips or second homes. On TV devices, heading to Get Help > Manage Netflix Household will bring up options to set or update your home location. You’ll then get a code via email or text message to confirm the change. For regular vacations, users will be able to access the service for an unspecified period of time without running into any warnings, even on TV devices. Users who operate multiple Wi-Fi networks could run afoul of the rules, though. A page on Netflix’s help site says the company “may” associate only one of those networks with the user’s Netflix Household. Cracks in the Netflix paywallAs for what happens when you break Netflix’s new password sharing rules, that’s where things get murky. MoMo Zhou, a Netflix spokesperson, confirmed that the company is not currently blocking users suspected of password sharing, as the company wants to give people time to consider their options. Asked when Netflix would prevent password sharers from accessing the service outright, Zhou declined to provide a timeline. Also unclear is whether Netflix will try to cut off users who only access the service on computers or mobile devices. Netflix will not comment on how mobile sharing will work in the United States, but in test markets, users have found they can stream on non-TV devices without restrictions. Meanwhile, the ability to change your home location presents its own kind of loophole. At present, Netflix is not specifying a limit on how many times people can switch home locations. If Netflix starts blocking users suspected of sharing a password, far-flung family members could theoretically set up a shared email address and help themselves to authentication codes whenever they need access. Netflix’s next steps in discouraging password sharingThe point here is not to encourage brazen terms-of-service violations, but to illustrate the mess Netflix has stepped in as it searches for more money. Until now, Netflix only limited usage based on simultaneous streams, and while this wasn’t the best way to prevent password sharing, at least the rules were easy to understand. Limiting usage by location raises lots of extra questions and leads to all kinds of unusual edge cases, some of which might inconvenience legitimate customers. So, while Netflix is publicly talking tough about password sharing, it’s applying a lighter touch to the actual enforcement. With no shortage of competing services—none of which have the same restrictions—Netflix does not want to outrage legitimate users and create a big backlash. The company even delayed the rollout of new password sharing rules to the U.S. after taking criticism for its confusing policies elsewhere. That doesn’t mean Netflix will always take a lenient approach toward password sharing, but it’s clearly in no rush to wield more draconian countermeasures, such as blocking users outright. If the goal is to eke out a little extra subscription revenue, scare tactics might be enough. Get more streaming TV advice and insights with Jared’s Cord Cutter Weekly newsletter. via TechHive https://ift.tt/Z3R0wvP
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Wondering when Apple will finally unveil a smart display? It could be sooner than you think, albeit in an unexpected form factor. According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, a planned feature for the next version of iOS is a smart display-like mode that shows items such as calendar appointments, the weather, and other notifications on an iPhone’s lock screen when the handset is placed in landscape orientation. Of course, iOS 16 already allows for lock-screen widgets (pictured above), including ones that are visible on the always-on displays of the latest iPhone Pro models. But what Gurman is describing for iOS 17 sounds more elaborate, akin to the smart home widgets shown on Amazon’s Echo Show and Google’s Nest Hub smart displays, not to mention Amazon’s Fire tablets. The new iPhone mode would boast a “dark background with bright text” for better readability, and it will build on the concept of iOS 16’s lock-screen widgets, Gurman wrote. All well and good, but if you’re waiting for a true smart display from Apple, don’t hold your breath. There’s been a steady drip of reports that Apple is working on some type of tablet device, and in his most recent report, Gurman writes that a “low-cost tablet” is one of the ideas under consideration in Cupertino. The device could be “magnetically attached to walls and stands” and would be able to control common smart-home devices such as lights, thermostats, and so on, but work on the tablet has been “slow going,” Gurman notes. In other words, a smart home-style mode in iOS 17 might be as close as we get to an Apple smart display for a very long time. Gurman’s report comes roughly a couple weeks after Google announced the Pixel Tablet, which comes with a magnetic dock that allows the tablet to double as a smart display. The fabric-covered dock that comes with the $499 Pixel Tablet has an integrated speaker, while a series of magnets holds the tablet in place. When docked, the Pixel Tablet enters a “hub mode” that serves up a panel with smart home controls, as well as a digital photo frame. It’s a great concept, and one that doesn’t appear to be happening for the iPad, or at least not in the near future. via TechHive https://ift.tt/gi5DA6q
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Maybe you’re sick of the price hikes. Maybe you’re not keen on the whole password-sharing crackdown thing. Or maybe there’s just nothing you want to watch anymore. Whatever the reason, you might be wondering: Is it time for a Netflix break? The idea of putting Netflix on pause is more complicated than it is for other streaming services. After all, many of us only sign up for certain streamers (like, say, Paramount+ and Peacock) when there’s something specific we want to watch. Oh, no more Tulsa King or Poker Face? Cancel! Netflix, on the other hand, has become a utility for many of us–you know, something you just pay for automatically, like your electricity bill. What makes Netflix any different? Good question. One could argue that if you’re going to have one go-to streaming service, Netflix should be it, but I keep flicking through all the rows and rows of shows and movies, and they’re always the same ones that I either a) have already seen or b) have no interest in watching. Of course, I’m sure there’s something really good on Netflix that I could watch, but for now, I have a serious case of Netflix fatigue. So, repeat after me: You can take a break from Netflix. It’s OK. And just because you leave doesn’t mean you can’t go back. (As someone who’s subscribed to Netflix continuously for more than 20 years, I’m mainly talking to myself here.) How to take a break from your Netflix subscriptionNetflix doesn’t offer an option for putting your membership on pause. Instead, you’ll need to cancel your subscription outright. But here’s the thing: Netflix will keep your membership details, including your profiles, watch list, video ratings, and recommendations, for up to 10 months after you cancel. Provided you restart your subscription before those 10 months are up, you’re effectively putting your membership on hold.
At a glance
1.
Go to your Netflix account settingsBen Patterson/Foundry Open Netflix on the web, click your profile icon in the top-right corner of the screen, then click Account.
2.
Click the Cancel Membership buttonBen Patterson/Foundry In the top-left corner of the Account screen, just below where it says how long you’ve been a member (guilt!), you’ll find the Cancel Membership button. Take a deep breath and click it.
3.
Finish the cancellation processBen Patterson/Foundry You’ve now reached the final step–well, final for now, anyway. Click the Finish Cancellation button, and you’re done. Provided you come back before your 10 months are up, your profiles will be waiting for you once you return. One of our favorite streamersRoku Streaming Stick 4K
Price When Reviewed: $49.99
Best Prices Today: $39 at Walmart | $39.99 at Amazon | $39.99 at Best Buy
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At a glance
Expert's RatingPros
Cons
Our VerdictThis great-sounding phono preamp’s analog-to-digital converter and USB output allows you to make high-quality digital copies of your vinyl using almost any turntable. Price When Reviewed$149.00 Best Prices Today: Pro-Ject Record Box E
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Pro-Ject remained committed to vinyl during the dark days early in the 21st century, and they continue to manufacture a wide variety of turntables, phono preamplifiers, and accessories that appeal to new listeners, hardcore audiophiles, and anyone who falls somewhere in the middle of that spectrum. The Pro-Ject Record Box E is a phono preamplifier with a built-in analog-to-digital converter and USB output that allows a user to plug into a computer and make digital copies of their vinyl collection. The Record Box E, which is a modified version of Pro-Ject’s entry-level $89 Phono Box E, is the one of the least expensive ways to add digitization capabilities to a turntable you already own. Who needs a Record Box E?Despite the massive music catalogs on streaming services such as Apple Music, Qobuz, Spotify, Tidal, and others, there are lots of vinyl LPs that aren’t available on those platforms. And if your taste runs to more obscure artists and genres, there are millions of titles that were never even reissued on CD. Your best way to get such rarities into your digital music library is to do the conversion yourself.
Even if you could time-travel back to the glory days of the original Napster and Limewire, those sharing services usually featured low-resolution MP3 files, because of the era’s limits on both storage and broadband speed. Whether you’re looking to enjoy listening to digital music without subscribing to a music service, or you’re looking to expand your selection to include music not available via subscription, you’ll need to learn how to rip music from physical media like CD or vinyl. James Barber/Foundry Making digital versions of CDs is easy, but transferring vinyl is more complicated. You’ll need patience and computer software that can record the signal from the Record Box E and allow you to tag the resulting files with the song and artist metadata needed integrate those files into your music library. How does the Pro-Ject Record Box E work?The Record Box E is a standard phono preamplifier that adds an analog-to-digital converter that creates a signal that can be captured by audio software on your computer. Audacity is a free application that works on macOS, Windows, and Linux. That app should get the job done for most users, but users looking for additional features can buy VinylStudio ($29.95) or VinylStudio Pro ($49.95). Anyone who’s already familiar with audio recording software like GarageBand, Pro Tools, or Logic Pro might prefer to use those apps if they’re already mastered the respective learning curves associated with them. Many turntables come with a built-in phono preamplifier. The better ones have a switch that lets you bypass that preamp in favor of your own. You’ll need a turntable with no preamp or one with a bypass switch if you want to use the Record Box E. James Barber/Foundry The Record Box E is designed to work with both moving magnet and moving coil cartridges, so it’s versatile enough to work with whatever turntable and cartridge you might have. How is the Record Box E built?The Record Box E is tiny, measuring 1.26 x 4.5 x 4.7 inches (HxWxD) and weighing just under 9 ounces. It’s available in gloss black or gloss white and costs $125. The front, top, and sides are blank except for a Pro-Ject logo and branding on the front panel. The back is where all the action is. There are two sets of RCA jacks, one as the input for moving magnet and moving coil cartridges and the other for output to a receiver or amplifier. There’s a ground post for turntables that need a ground wire, a switch to change between MM and MC circuitry, a somewhat archaic mini-B USB port, and an 18-volt power input. Inside, there’s a Burr Brown PCM2904 16-bit A/D converter. For the moving magnet circuit, the gain is 40dB, the noise floor is 94dB and THD is <0.01%. For the moving coil, the gain is 60dB, the noise floor is 75dB and THD is 0.05%. How well does the Record Box E perform?The Pro-Ject Phono Box E is a superior entry-level preamp and the Record Box E replicates the sound of that model. This is a truly outstanding phono preamp, one that outperforms the built-in preamps on any turntable I’ve heard priced less than $1,000. James Barber/Foundry I tested the Record Box E with the 2021 Record Store Day compilation Behind the Dykes 2, a collection of “more Beat, Blues and Psychedelic Nuggets from the Lowlands 1966-1971” that’s the second release in a trio of excellent RSD releases featuring music from the Netherlands. Few of these tracks are available on Spotify or any other streaming service, and there’s no CD version of the release. If you want a portable or streaming version, you’ll need to make your own. I’m particularly taken with “Be Mine Again,” a 1966 single by the Dutch band the Skopes that’s based on “Piangi Con Me,” the same Italian rock song that was the basis for The Grass Roots’ 1967 Top Ten hit “Let’s Live for Today.” Lyricists wrote different English-language lyrics for the song, but both versions retain the “sha-la-la” chorus and the count-off that are the memorable hooks for the record. The LPs were released by the Music on Vinyl label, a Netherlands-based label that’s responsible for reissuing popular rock and pop titles on heavyweight vinyl, without making the same promises about tape sourcing that have gotten audiophile labels such as Mobile Fidelity in trouble lately. The vinyl sounds good, but it’s exactly the kind of non-streaming title that seems perfectly matched to the Record Box E’s bit-rate limitations. I recorded a digital file of “Be Mine Again” with Audacity on a Mac computer. I’d never used Audacity on this laptop, so I had to fiddle with several layers of settings to get the recording process up and running. Fortunately, the Audacity website has outstanding troubleshooting FAQs that will help any user figure out how to work around the odd way macOS handles audio signals. James Barber/Foundry After exporting a WAV file, I burned the song to CD and converted it to ALAC before uploading it to my Apple Music cloud library. One decided advantage Apple Music has over its competitors is the scan-and-match feature that allows a user to listen to personal files not included in the streamer’s licensed library. Using the Record Box E and Audacity, you can generate digital audio files that sound great, far better than the MP3 vinyl rips I did in the early aughts. Users might not be looking to burn as many CDs as they did 20 years ago, but the CDs I made from Record Box E files sound great. The same goes for the digital audio files that match the lossless minimum quality available from Tidal, Qobuz, and Apple Music—and surpass Spotify’s audio quality. What you won’t get from either Audacity or VinylStudio is a slick app experience. Both have primitive interfaces that echo the shareware era of the 1990s and look out of place on modern Windows or macOS computers. Here’s hoping the current vinyl revival inspires some ambitious developer to create software that delivers a user experience that looks as good as it sounds. Should you buy the Record Box E?If you have vinyl you want to convert to digital files, the Pro-Ject Record Box E is an excellent, low-cost way to get the job done. If you think there’s some point in the future when you might want to rip your vinyl, the Record Box E only costs $40 more than the Phono Box E, and you’ll be set to go without having to buy new hardware. If, on the other hand, you’re committed to high-res audio or are looking to create archive-quality vinyl copies, the 16-bit/48kHz files the Record Box E generates might not be up to the standards you’re aiming for. But if you’re planning to stream to Sonos or similarly wireless speakers, or if you’ll be burning CD copies of your converted vinyl, the Record Box E will yield excellent results. For the overwhelming majority users who already own a turntable, this Pro-Ject preamp will be the easiest way to convert your vinyl collection to digital files. via TechHive https://ift.tt/ikWPmbU
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Netflix is rolling out a welcome improvement to “My List“, the watchlist feature that lets you save all the shows you still want to stream. The update should make it easier for Netflix users to find the saved TV shows and movies that they haven’t watched yet. The key change is the addition of new filter options for the watchlist. Thanks to the filters, you can now sort your watch list by either films or TV shows. You can also filter by “Not started” and “Started.” Those “Not Started” and “Started” filters will come in handy for users who have a particularly large number of unwatched titles on their watchlists, as TechCrunch points out. You can also sort by the time you added a title to your list, by release date, or by alphabetical order, as The Verge writes. Netflix Until now, “My List” offered no manual filtering functions at all, so you always had to search through your entire list to pinpoint a specific title. Previously, the arrangement of My List was performed by a Netflix algorithm. Another key improvement to My List: You can now remove a title with a simple finger swipe. When will the new sorting functions be available?Netflix says it will deploy the new My List filter options on its Android app first, with iOS to follow in the next few weeks. Netflix hasn’t announced any plans for rolling out the new filter functions to smart TVs. Besides the improved My List sorting features, Netflix is also introducing a “Coming Soon” line for the start screen of the TV version of its app, including a reminder function. Netflix is expected to roll out this feature in the next few weeks. This article was translated from German to English and originally appeared on PC-Welt. via TechHive https://ift.tt/4qsDhHC |