On this month's bumper podcast - Ed Selley gives us the rundown of the best Hi-Fi products we have reviewed this year in the Editor’s Choice Awards. Phil and Ian look at the latest TV deals for Black Friday and suggest that this is not the best time of year to be buying a mid-range or high-end TV. Plus, in the Home AV section, we are looking at the predictions we made at the end of 2023 to see where things are right now in terms of big-screen TVs vs. projectors, AV Receivers vs. two-channel...

Which movies have flopped hard so far this year? We look at 2024's disappointments including some surprise underperformers and ask why some films look great on paper but just don't capture the audience's interest... and others just plain suck! Plus the guys select their top ten cinema and streaming titles for the month along with the best discs to help you with your purchasing choices for this month.

This week we report back from the EI Live custom installation trade show and look at some of the interesting AV products we saw, including the return of 21:9 TVs! Plus, we say goodbye to Home Cinema Choice magazine as it closes its doors and discuss how the CI sector can get its services over to a much larger market.

Danny Tack from TP Vision joins us to discuss the Philips flagship TVs for 2024, the OLED+959 and the OLED+909. We talk picture quality, META panel, P5 AI Dual Engine processor, Game bar, Ambilight and sound upgrades.

We examine the role of bricks-and-mortar Hi-Fi dealers in 2024: are in-person demos still necessary with YouTube reviews, and do product special editions drive sales? Plus, get a preview of the Newcastle Audio Show (1st–3rd Nov 2024), featuring demos, product launches, and the chance to meet leading audio brand reps.

We share our Blu-ray picks for September 2024 plus list our top 15 favourite horror 4K Blu-rays

In our September Movies and TV podcast, we offer a Top 10 list of must-watch picks for the month. Then, we dive into our featured topic: Workprints – the elusive Holy Grail for dedicated movie fans.

Once you've got your AV space correctly set up and your display calibrated for accuracy, there's still the question of making sure your video sources are up to the task. In this Home AV podcast, we look at how to get the best from the entire video chain. We also discuss the changing nature of accessing content. Plus, we find out more about industry body CEDIA.

We bust a few myths about TV calibration on this edition of the AVForums TV, Display and Calibration podcast. For example, what qualifies as calibration… and what doesn't? What is Filmmaker Mode and do you actually need your TV calibrated if it’s accurate out of the box? Is it always best to get a professional in or can you have a go yourself? What exactly are the standards that are used? We explain the answers to these questions and more.

We cut through the many confusing options for streaming music to help you decide which path to take. From choosing a streaming service on a mobile device to investing in a dedicated hardware module, we examine the advantages and disadvantages of the various approaches, suggest some options and also examine whether there's a quality trade off for the convenience of so much music.

The team members each pick their favourites of the year taking film quality, extras and packaging into account to come up with 15 best discs to add to your physical media collection. Plus the guys select their top recommended 4K & Blu-ray releases to help you with your purchasing choices for this month.

The Movies Team takes a deep dive into Furiosa, the latest entry in the Mad Max franchise and asks whether it misses the iconic central character, whether the 'A Mad Max Saga' subtitle is necessary, and where the film succeeds and fails. Plus the guys select their recommended TV shows and movies for the month so you know what to keep an eye out for.

We look at the differences between Screening Rooms, Home Cinemas and Media Rooms and discuss which you should go for when designing your project and how each might affect your video chain choices. Plus, now that huge TV screens are a viable alternative to a projector for your home cinema, which should you choose?

On this episode, we interview guest Rob Andrews, Head of Strategy and Go To Market from Hisense, who tells us about the company's TV line-up for 2024 and its overall plans for the TV market going forward. Plus, as prices edge further downwards and more models become available, we look into whether huge screens are driving the next TV growth area.

We look at integrated amplifiers and whether it's best to opt for a simple or smart model. We ask why they are so popular, what are the features you should be considering for your own Hi-Fi system? Plus, do you actually need one and what are the alternatives? We also have special guest Ashton Wagner from Rega, who designs some of the very best Hi-Fi amplifiers you can buy.

On our sophomore edition of the AVForums Gaming Podcast, we look at the factors that get you excited about playing a game. From genre preferences to the platform on which you like to play, and whether you prefer a lengthy immersive dip into a long running campaign or a short online run-and-gun session with friends. We examine the combination of elements that get players hitting the Start Game/Continue button.

We examine the value of disc Extras. Do the documentaries, interviews behind the scenes EPKs and commentaries that chart the journey a movie has taken to get to the screen enhance the film experience or just prove to be a time suck filled with unnecessary info? And what about off-disc extras such as cards, maps, badges and booklets? Would you pay extra for these?

Is the marketing of movies part of the problem with modern cinema? This episode sees the team discuss movie and TV marketing in the internet age including how the audience experience is affected by bad trailers, misleading interview comments and, occasionally, no promotion at all! Plus the guys give their recommendations for this month.

Floorstanders, standmounts, sub/sats, in-wall - which speaker approach is best for your AV project? On this episode of the Home AV Podcast we look at how to go about deciding on your home theater speaker setup including; how important the design phase is in informing this choice; and whether you really need different speakers depending on whether you're going down the full black-out home cinema route or a more family friendly media room?

We interview Paul Gray from Omdia who tells us what his research shows about the current winners and losers in the TV market. He pulls back the curtain on the future of OLED TVs and why MicroLED is taking so long to appear in consumer television sets. Plus he explains why there are likely to be more adverts appearing on your TV and what consumers can expect going forward.

Does build quality and materials matter to you when choosing your Hi-Fi equipment or is it all about the sound quality? Phil and Ed delve into the subject and invite your thoughts and comments.

Now that Aliens, True Lies and The Abyss are finally available on 4K, what are the UHD discs that we're most looking forward to? Will The Terminator have James Cameron’s now signature 4K look? Is Civil War the most mainstream upcoming release and what's on offer for completists, collectors and cult fans? Plus the guys select their top ten 4K discs to help you with your purchasing choices for this month.

With Marvel's movies no longer a guarantee of interesting character arcs, thrilling stories and exciting spectacle, this week the Movies Team asks, "What's the next big thing for Hollywood now that the superhero star has faded"? Plus the guys select their top eleven TV shows and movies so you know what to keep an eye out for in the next month.

This week we look at home cinema, media rooms and living spaces in 2024 and ask what are the best positions for the use of surround sound and Dolby Atmos speakers? Plus, do you actually need all those speakers and has home theater gone mad with the number of audio channels now available?