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With your budget decided, the next step is to book a series of demonstrations with a specialist hi-fi dealer. We'll cover that in more depth in our Buying Advice section, but the basic points are these: while judging a product on its brand name the quality of your dealer's demonstration or even on the strengths of its magazine reviews can be a useful way to narrow down your options, in the end, only you can decide whether the equipment is right for you. That's partially because personal preferences have a huge part to play in the listening experience, but it's also because hi-fi components interact with each other in a remarkably organic way. Combine three well-reviewed components in a system that should, in theory, be fantastic and you could well find that the results disappoint. Ancillary components, such as cables, supports and stands, can make a difference in this regard, but it's the intrinsic sonic properties of each core component that have the biggest impact. This is where an experienced dealer can be of most help.

While the best way to judge if a system will meet your needs is to hear it correctly set-up in a dedicated listening environment, always be mindful of the size of your own listening space before signing on the dotted line. And always insist on being able to listen using your own music at the sort of volume you are likely to use at home. Great hi-fi is tailor-made, not off-the-peg.

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Boston Reflection

Reflection Series unerringly does just about
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Home Theatre Magazine
February 2010

All things being considered equal then I would buy 1080p but it isn’t as simple as just buying 1080p and being done with it. There is so much more to consider than just native resolution. My advice is to take the native resolution into consideration but don't let that be the sole purpose for buying a HDTV. In other words, look beyond the 720p, 1080i and 1080p specifications.

Learn about the technology inside the TV and options it has. It is my opinion that you’ll be happier with a 720p or 1080i that has a great picture enhancement system than a 1080p HDTV with no picture enhancement.

TV is not 1080p

Most, if not all, broadcast and cable channels send a high definition signal in 720p or 1080i. A 1080p television might scale the image to 1080p but it isn’t a true 1080p image. This has to do with native resolution, which you might see in some TV specifications. For example, a TV with a 720p native resolution will receive a 1080i image and convert it to 720p.

Lack of programming being viewed in 1080p is the biggest issue right now with respect to 1080p televisions. However, the future will undoubtedly turn toward 1080p.

Movies in 1080p

Blu-ray disc players have 1080p capabilities now and TV Technology.com reports that the film industry I’ve read reports online about the film industry moving toward a 1080p production standard but this is still a work in progress.

1080p and Game Consoles

Sony is the leader in 1080p potential with the Playstation. XBOX 360 took a shot to the chin with the demise of HD-DVD so I expect it to take a while before they get with the Blu-ray camp. Still, most, if not all, games are not being produced in 1080p.

The Bottom Line

The bottom line is that a high definition image is better than a non-high definition image. While 1080p has the potential for producing a better picture than 1080i or 720p, the realism is that 1080p isn't really in the market yet as far as programming. This is a case of technology moving faster than the content producers.

The subwoofer is a vital element in good home theater sound, because aside from the obvious dynamic benefits it can impart, a sub can also open up the midrange, contribute to musical bass lines and even drive the room’s acoustics more effectively. However, a bad subwoofer will do more harm than good, by slowing the balance down, softening the system’s attack and generally making a sonic nuisance of itself. In our view, you’re better off having no subwoofer at all, than opting for a compromised design.

Once you’ve specified a sub, the next stage is to integrate it into the system. One school of thought holds that subwoofers can be positioned anywhere in your room, as bass is ‘non-directional’, but we’d disagree. A spot of fine-tuning can notably improve your system’s speed and integration, both with movies and music.

Here’s how. Put your subwoofer next to where you normally sit. Disconnect the speakers (at the amplifier/reciever end), but leave the subwoofer connected. Play a loud piece of music, with a consistent bass beat. Walk around the room, listening to the bass as you walk. You'll find it sounds louder in perhaps two or three places in the room (usually the corners). Put the subwoofer in one of these positions, which are referred to as ‘nodes’. If this turns out to be behind you rather than in front of you, you may need to reverse the sub’s phase, using a switch fitted to its amplifier control panel.

Entertaining in the summer is almost always a delight, so why not take your music with you? You needn’t compromise on sound quality with portable radios or other compact audio systems as weatherproof outdoor speakers can deliver much the same hi-fi quality as conventional indoor designs. They can also be set up to play exactly the same range of audio sources as your main system. Our Leisure Monitor ranges offer a variety of designs suited to differing budgets and garden sizes,our highest performance models have bass response to rival a substantial pair of conventional cabinet speakers.

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RXV 2065

We've already mentioned that a room's size can have a fundamental impact on the size and type of loudspeaker you should buy now we'll explain why.

The moving components in a loudspeaker are called drive units, because they work to drive the air in your room. The bigger the loudspeaker and the bigger its drive units, or in some cases the more drive units it employs, then the more air it can move. This is relevant, because the larger your room, the more air your speakers will be asked to move and as a result the harder they'll have to work. To use the most extreme example, the tiny drive units fitted to most desktop speaker systems would sound lost in a large concert hall. By the same token, a massive pair of floorstanders will excite too much air in a small space, sounding both sonically and to a surprisingly real extent, physically intimidating.

For that reason, choosing speakers of an appropriate size to fit your available space is a significant step towards better hi-fi. That means being realistic not only about the room you have available, but also about where you can actually position your speakers within that space. If you have to place your speakers close to a wall, or a corner, you might find your buying choices are more limited than you'd first hoped.

Why? Simply because every loudspeaker will interact with its environment and especially with nearby walls. Place your speakers close up to a back wall and in almost all cases you'll find the level of bass on offer increases, but this can be at the expense of openness, stereo imaging and 'speed'. Bigger speakers will simply exacerbate this effect, sounding bigger and more bass heavy than ever. Conversely, place small speakers too far out into the room, and they can sound lost, again because they're being asked to drive too much air. For that reason its vital you plan where you propose to put your speakers before you buy, taking account of the specific space requirements of each model relative to your room. The precise science of positioning can vary from speaker to speaker, often being influenced by cabinet design, but most manufacturers and dealers will be able to give you guidelines. One hard-and-fast rule almost everyone will agree on is that corners are a definite no-no, as they cause significant amounts of boom that no amount of high-quality amplification and source kit can overcome.

The acoustics of your room can also influence sound in other ways. Place your speakers on a hard, polished floor, and you'll find the sound takes on a significantly different character to the results you'd get from a warmer, softer, carpeted room. This is caused by sonic reflections, a minimalist modern room is more acoustically live than one awash with soft furnishings. Its immensely difficult for your dealer to compensate for this effect in a typical demonstration area, but its worth mentioning the particular properties of your living room to him just the same, he may be able to recommend kit that can compensate for its acoustics.

Denon AVR-2310 (R15000.00) & Denon DBP-1610 (R8900.00)
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Denon AVR-2310 (R15000.00) & Denon DVD-1740(R3300.00)
Total Package Value R18400.00
Combo Package Value R14900.00

Whether it’s raw rock, powerful arias or any of the choral repertoire, voices are central to musical communication and conveying all the emotion requires the very best midrange rendition – the finest driver operating in an ideal enclosure. Taking the simple tube concept of the original 4-way Nautilus™ a stage further, we perfected the Nautilus™ ’head’ to allow a single driver to cover the whole of the critical mid band in one seamless sweep. Crafted from inert Marlan® composite, the internal cavity – a sphere closely coupled to a short tube - absorbs most of the sound from the back of the driver, with the fibre filling mopping up the last vestiges. On the outside, the glossy teardrop shape smoothly disperses the sound around the speaker creating a solid, three-dimensional image.

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Whichever system you buy, at whatever price point, the appropriate cables will help it to perform at its best. There’s no black magic or ‘weird science’ to this phenomenon, by the way, whatever you might read to the contrary. Better-quality audio cables simply relay more of the musical signal than cheaper or ‘freebie’ wires.

So, how much should you spend? Most specialist magazines advocate spending a total of 10% of your available system budget on cabling to optimise its performance – so, around R2000 in a R20 000 hi-fi. This should cover speaker cabling, to link your amplifier to your speakers, and interconnects, to hook your source component (or components) into your amp. Choosing interconnects is a relatively straightforward process – the shortest possible length of an appropriately priced link will give optimum results – although some electronics manufacturers recommend specific brands, as they believe they give better results with their kit, so it can pay to do your homework.

Speaker cabling, meanwhile, should be of equal length wherever possible, since this ensures an even ‘load’ is presented to the amplifier. You should also aim to use the shortest possible lengths you can, taking the most direct path possible from amplifier to speakers, and avoiding any kinks, coils or other undesirable twisting in the cable itself.

That aside, you can find that speaker cables have a specific tonal character, which can help to fine-tune the balance of your system. Cables with a high silver content, for example, tend to sound tonally sweet, while substantial solid-core cables often provide a more powerful sound. However, there’s no hard-and-fast rule here: the best option is to ask to audition some suitable cables with your proposed hi-fi system, and judge the effects (or lack of them!) for yourself.

So, how should you go about building a hi-fi speaker system? The first and most crucial element is deciding on a budget. That is essentially a personal issue but be aware that certain other factors should be considered when deciding how much you should spend and what you should spend it on. For example, your room has a fundamental impact on the type of system you should get. Larger rooms tend to require larger loudspeakers, which in turn merit better amplification to deliver satisfactory results. Similarly, if your listening space is small, you could find that large speakers are simply inappropriate for your needs. Specialist audio magazines and independent hi-fi dealers can be an invaluable source of advice here, but you should also try to be as realistic as possible about your needs.
Before you begin any in-depth research, the first step is to list the music sources you would like to listen to. This will fundamentally impact on the performance and balance of the hi-fi speaker system you plan to build. If you opt for fewer source components, you'll be able to spend more of your available budget on each element, thus ensuring better performance for your money. Opting for a system that includes a record player, a CD player and a radio inevitably means splitting your total source component budget three ways, which in turn means less chance of high-quality results. Unless, of course, you can afford to lavish equal sums on premium components straight away. If, on the other hand, you're prepared to build your system in gradual stages you stand a better chance of creating a set-up that has solid sonic foundations. To that end, consider investing about one-third of your budget on your principal source, which for most music lovers will probably be a CD player.
The next key element in your system is amplification and this also involves some forethought. If you plan to listen at high volumes in a large room, possibly via large floor standing speakers, it's sensible to budget for an amplifier with ample reserves of power. Unfortunately, power is one of the most commonly misunderstood measures of quality in hi-fi, and watts while important do not dictate performance alone. For example, Rotel's RA 1520, one of the finest budget hi-fi amplifiers on the market, has a mere 60 watts of output per channel, yet it's easily capable of very substantial volume levels with most speakers. If, however, you want to use some of the larger designs, such as the acclaimed 800-series range, you'll have to plan for better-quality hence, more expensive, amplification. Again, for recommendations, you can consult the specialist press or your dealer, but as a guideline, around one-third of your available budget should be invested in amplification.
That leaves loudspeakers, again a broad one third rule of budgeting applies. You've more choice over design in this category than in any other, loudspeakers are available in sizes both large and small, with aesthetics both traditional and modern. In general, larger speakers produce bigger, deeper sounds than their smaller siblings. But if you opt for high-performance compact designs like Bowers and Wilkins 805 Bookshelf Speakers, that delineation is less clear-cut. Speakers of this quality can produce bass levels that equal many larger, lesser alternatives, making them an ideal option for rooms where space is at a premium. However, you must remember that Bookshelf speakers will only perform at their best when mounted on dedicated loudspeaker stands, which are an additional cost over and above the price of the speakers themselves.

Marantz's 2009 Blu-ray line up includes four new models: two lower-priced players (the BD5004 and BD7004) and two high-end, reference models (the BD8004 and UD9004 universal disc player). The BD5004 is Marantz's least expensive Blu-ray model to date. We have not performed a hands-on review of the BD5004, but here is an overview of the player's features. This Profile 2.0 Blu-ray player supports Bonus View/picture-in-picture playback and BD-Live Web functionality, and it offers both onboard decoding and bit stream output of Dolby True HD and DTS-HD Master Audio. The BD5004 does not support any type of video-on-demand streaming or download service, such as those offered by Netflix, Amazon, and CinemaNow.

In terms of video connections, the BD5004 offers HDMI, component video and composite video outputs (no S-video). This player supports both 1080p/60 and 1080p/24 output resolutions via HDMI, and it has a Source Direct mode that allows it to output all discs at their native resolution. The menu includes a solid assortment of picture adjustments: contrast, brightness, sharpness, gamma correction, colour, black level, and noise reduction.

Audio outputs include HDMI, coaxial digital (no optical), and stereo analog. As I mentioned, the BD5004 has onboard Dolby True HD and DTS-HD Master Audio decoding, and it also passes these high-resolution audio formats in their native bitstream form over HDMI, for your A/V receiver to decode. The player lacks multichannel analog audio outputs, so the only way to pass decoded high-resolution audio formats is via HDMI. The setup menu allows you to adjust speaker size, level, and delay for LPCM output over HDMI. For those who also plan to use this device as a music player, the BD5004 features a Pure Direct mode that shuts down unneeded video circuitry to achieve higher-quality audio performance.



The BD5004's disc drive supports the following formats: BD, DVD, CD audio, AVCHD, JPEG, MP3, WMA, and Divx. The back panel features an Ethernet port for BD-Live Web features, as well as quick firmware updates. The player doesn't include a wireless network connection option. The BD5004 lacks internal memory, so the addition of an external storage device is required to download BD-Live features; an SD card slot is provided for this purpose. The front-panel SD card slot also supports playback of AVCHD, JPEG, MP3, and WMA files. Finally, the BD5004 sports IR in/out ports for integration with an advanced control system.

The step-up BD7004 adds Anchor Bay's VRS video processing chip, with a more comprehensive set of picture adjustments, as well as a higher-quality 12-bit/297-MHz video DAC, multichannel analog audio outputs, and an RS-232 port.

High Points
• The BD5004 supports 1080p/24 playback of Blu-ray discs.
• The player has internal Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio decoding and can pass these formats in bitstream form over HDMI.
• It supports BD-Live Web content and can play picture-in-picture bonus content.
• This player offers a Source Direct mode to output all discs at their native resolution via HDMI.
• The SD card slot allows for easy playback of digital movies, music, and photos.
• IR in/out ports are provided.

Low Points
• The BD5004 lacks multichannel analog audio outputs, so it's not the best choice for someone who owns an older, non-HDMI A/V receiver.
• This player does not support any type of video-on-demand or music streaming, nor does it feature a wireless option for connection to your home network.
• The player lacks internal memory, and Marantz does not supply an SD card for storage of downloadable BD-Live content.

Conclusion
The BD5004 has the Blu-ray essentials--like BD-Live support, 1080p/24 output, and onboard high-resolution audio decoding--but you can find less-expensive models that add multichannel analog audio outputs, video-on-demand, and wireless network connectivity. This Marantz product has better build quality than you'll find in many budget models, and the company puts a greater emphasis on analog audio quality, for those who also wish to use their Blu-ray player for music playback.

A crossover has to do three things: equalise the driver responses; blend them seamlessly; and do both while inflicting minimum degradation on the signal. The first two can be measured by sophisticated laboratory equipment. For the third, we bring in the most sophisticated piece of equipment available: the human ear. The sound of a capacitor, for example, is not something that can be discerned from numbers on a spec sheet or tables of lab figures. So, once we are close to creating a crossover that can perform its first two tasks to our standards, our expert listeners audition different components - over and over and over again - until they find the purest, most natural-sounding B&W combination

Why use diamond for tweeter domes? It may seem extravagant, but the move is simply an extension of B&W’s pursuit of the perfect loudspeaker. One element of our quest for the best is the development of drive units that neither add nor subtract from the signal. In a tweeter, that means creating a dome that remains rigid, exhibiting perfectly piston-like behaviour, as far up the frequency scale as possible. Best for this are materials with a high stiffness to density ratio - which is where diamond comes in.

Over the years, B&W has optimised the design of its aluminium tweeter dome to raise its break-up frequency and bring about a cleaner sound. But the material that gets closest to the behaviour of a hypothetical perfect tweeter – one with infinite stiffness and zero mass that can only exist in a computer - is diamond. Working with the world’s foremost industrial diamond producer, we’ve created the ultimate tweeter dome and the sweetest-sounding tweeter you’ve ever heard.

The midrange is where the real musical action is invariably found, and a smooth midband is an invaluable loudspeaker quality. Enter Kevlar. It’s been B&W’s cone material of choice since 1974, and with good reason. The basic woven fabric is first impregnated with a stiffening resin that cures during the cone forming process. The cone is then further treated with a polymer coat, which seals the fibres and adds damping. The result is a semi-flexible cone, which exhibits a peculiar style of break-up behaviour, not found in more conventional materials, that maintains a more constant dispersion pattern at all frequencies in its range and transmits far fewer delayed, time-smearing sounds to the listener. Not only does it deliver a cleaner sound, it can do so to a wider group of listeners.

Yamaha Electronics Corporation, the innovator in home theatre and digital audio and video reproduction, today introduces a free downloadable iPhone and iPod touch application that enables users to easily control the most-used functions of its network receivers (available inputs, volume levels, mute and power commands) from anywhere in or around their homes. The app, which can be downloaded now from the company’s site (www.yamaha.com/hometheater) or directly from the iPhone App Store, can be used with the recently introduced Yamaha RX-V2065 receiver as well as the RX- -Z7 and RX-V3900 models. Depending on the network receiver model with which it is being used, the new app can simultaneously control audio in up to four zones in and around the house. For instance, users can set up their multi-zone system to enjoy a Blu-ray movie in the living room, satellite radio in the bedroom and HD Radio in the back yard. To power up any zone, users selects the room or zone on the app interface and press the corresponding power button. The selected zone is now active, giving the user control of volume level and input source selection. YAMAHA UNVEILS iPHONE/iPOD touch RECEIVER CONTROL APP, 2 PROVIDING MULTI-ZONE CONTROL OF MOST-USED A/V FUNCTIONS. Once downloaded, it is easy to set up the iPhone/iPod touch app. Users need only to have the IP address from their network receiver and make sure their iPhone/iPod touch is configured to the same local area network as their receiver. The app identifies the receiver and lists its model number to denote the connection. Once quick setting adjustments are complete, the user presses the control button to make the app fully functional.

The Rotel RSX-1560 is not just a science experiment in Class D amplification. It is a fine-tuned product that maintains the manufacturer’s effortlessly musical personality while projecting it onto a new amplifier topology. If I agonized over this receiver, I can only imagine how many sleepless nights Rotel’s designers spent trying to make it sound as good as its shiny front panel looks. With Mother Nature giving us dirty looks, it’s nice to know that such a thing is possible.

You may have noticed recently that some Blu-ray DVDs make reference that they are D-BOX Motion enhanced. If you are unfamiliar with D-BOX, then this review may prove to be rather enlightening as I examine this cutting edge technology and how it impacts the home theater experience.

What is D-BOX? The D-BOX Motion Code™ System is a Motion simulator system currently available for consumer purchase that adds the next level to the home theater experience beyond traditional audio and visual. D-BOX adds the elements of motion and vibration to movies through Motion Actuators that are attached to the viewer’s seating area. These Motion Actuators are fed a signal by a Motion Controller that is in-synch with the on-screen action of the movie.

Assembly and installation of the universal platform. Professional installation of the SRP-230 universal platform is available from an authorized D-BOX installer.

Installation of stand-alone Motion Controller. The installation of the stand-alone Motion Controller is much easier. The Motion Controller works in conjunction with your existing DVD player in a loop fashion. The optical or coaxial digital-out signal from your DVD player is sent to the corresponding optical or coaxial digital-in of the D-BOX Motion Controller. The optical or coaxial digital-out signal from the D-BOX Motion Controller is then sent to your A/V receiver. In essence, the D-BOX Motion Controller extracts the information it needs from the DVD before passing through the audio signal to the A/V receiver to be decoded in its normal fashion. Additional connections for the D-BOX Motion Controller include a CAT-5 wire to the Motion Actuators, a power cord, and an optional internet connection to take advantage of Motion Code downloads for additional movie titles. Once both the platform and Motion Controller are installed, all that remains is to insert a D-BOX compatible DVD into your DVD player and press play.

How does the system work? The SRP-230 universal platform has four direct drive Actuators that are aligned under the four corners of your sofa/loveseat/chair. The Actuators are capable of producing 2Gs of acceleration and lifting up to 250 pounds each (1,000 pounds in total for the four Actuators). A control cable runs from the Motion Controller to the SRP-230 universal platform carrying the digital information that was extracted from the DVD in your DVD player. This digital information tells the Actuators when, and to what degree, to engage in order to synchronize its motion and vibration to what is happening on-screen with the movie.

How well does D-BOX perform? I watched three DVD movies for this review, “The Guardian” (Blu-ray), “The Bourne Ultimatum” (standard), and “The 6th Day” (Blu-ray), all three of which have had D-BOX Motion Code written for them. The first movie I watched was “The Guardian” (a movie about Coast Guard rescue swimmers) and accordingly it has several scenes that take place in rough ocean waters. D-BOX generated both side-to-side, and up-and-down, motion to simulate being caught in the treacherous waves. The motion was continuous, smooth, and not at all violent or jerky. I truly felt like I was bobbing up and down in the water, waiting to be rescued. The second movie that I viewed was “The Bourne Ultimatum” (a movie about a spy with amnesia who is trying to uncover his true identity). There is a great deal of action in this movie, including hand-to-hand combat scenes and car chases. The motion created by D-BOX for the fight between the main character, Bourne, and a hired assassin, made the scene quite realistic as I felt as though I was experiencing each punch, kick and body blow happening on-screen. Similarly with the car chase and ensuing crashes, I felt like I was riding in the passenger seat of the vehicle as it swerved into the turns and was jolted by the impact from the other vehicles. The third movie that I watched was “The 6th Day” (a movie about a helicopter pilot who, after being cloned without his knowledge, battles to recapture his identity and life). While there were plenty of great motion and vibration scenes in this movie, one in particular stood out for me. The main character attempts a helicopter escape in which the helicopter needs to quickly climb in flight in order to avoid crashing into a building. D-BOX generated some real G-Force here and made me feel very much a part of this climatic action scene. Overall, D-BOX performed extremely well and it made my viewing experience for these three movies much more realistic and enjoyable.

D-BOX compatible DVD titles. D-BOX does not require a special type of standard or Blu-ray DVD be used, rather the same big-studio DVDs that you already own, or can purchase from the typical retail or on-line store, will work just fine. Some Blu-ray DVDs have D-BOX Motion Code directly embedded on the DVD itself (i.e. “The 6th Day”, “National Treasure 2”, “Die Hard 4”), but the majority of Motion Codes for Blu-ray and standard DVDs is available from D-Box’s Motion Code library which is stored in the Motion Controller. The Motion Controller automatically downloads the Motion Code from its hard drive for the movie titles when a DVD is played. That being said, not every Blu-ray or standard DVD has D-BOX Motion Code currently programmed for it. Presently, there are a total of over 800 standard and Blu-ray DVD titles that are D-BOX compatible. The list of compatible titles is available on D-BOX’s website and new titles are continually being added (which in turn can be downloaded to the Motion Controller via an internet connection). In the event that a movie that does not have Motion Code written for it is played through the D-BOX Motion Controller, no motion will be created, however, the D-BOX will still produce Vibration from the movie’s bass soundtrack (much in the same way that bass shakers and tactile transducers operate).

Conclusion. For that reason, I am excited about the wonderful qualities that Blu-ray DVD brings to home theater. And just as Blu-ray DVD elevates video and audio capability to the next level in home theater, I believe that D-BOX adds yet another level of excitement with its elements of motion and vibration. The ability to feel and experience the action that is taking place on-screen in a movie cannot be underestimated. I believe that D-BOX has achieved the perfect balance of motion and vibration as its effects are strong enough to be felt, yet never too powerful to distract attention from the movie itself. Having signed licensing agreements with several high-profile home entertainment studios (including Disney, Fox, Sony and Lionsgate), D-BOX appears to be much more than a niche technology. Be fairly warned, once you experience what D-BOX brings to much home theater, you will no longer want to go back to watching a movie without it. Audio and visual alone will lack this extra dimension that helps draw you deeper into the movie experience than ever before.

Building on its commitment to deliver high-quality home entertainment experiences, Epson America today announced that its award-winning Home Cinema 8500 UB and Pro Cinema 9500 UB projectors have received THX® certification. Designed for custom installers and home entertainment enthusiasts, the native 1080p 3LCD(TM) home theater projectors deliver accurate and exceptional picture quality with THX Movie Mode, a playback setting that lets consumers experience studio color, black levels and clean signal processing right out-of-the-box.(i)

"We are constantly working to develop high-quality products that deliver the optimal balance of image quality, performance, display flexibility and affordability to enable home theater enthusiasts to create unforgettable wide-screen experiences in their homes," said Marge Ang, senior product manager, Epson America. "Receiving THX certification clearly demonstrates that these latest Home and Pro Cinema projectors offer the best in their respective price and performance classes."

THX sets strict performance standards for black levels, resolution, contrast, color gamut, and signal processing. The THX Certified Home Cinema 8500 UB and Pro Cinema 9500 UB feature THX Movie Mode, a playback setting designed to recreate the cinema experience at home by adjusting the projector's gamma, luminance, color temperature and other settings to match those used by filmmakers in the studio.