Enter the latest models of blu-ray players, which are no longer content to just display 3D discs. They are prepared to take your current collection to the third dimension without having to wait for the latest version to come to blu-ray. They make the perfect companion for your new 3D television, and of course they do add additional connectivity options as well.

First up are the Panasonic DMP-BDT310 and DMP-BDT210, the latest models available from Panasonic. Both models, offer the 2D to 3D conversion, access to Skype, NetFlix, YouTube, and a host of web widgets. The players also offer an ability to adjust the 3D effect on the player. The last of the stand out feature is the Touch-Free Sensor. This allows you to activate the display, by simply waiving you hand in front of the player rather than fumbling around for the buttons.

Samsung’s latest blu-ray players have also started to include the 2D to 3D conversion for standard 2D discs. As always Samsung has a plethora of apps and web widgets available for their players. The Samsung BD-D7500, BD-D6700 and BD-D6500 offer the touch panel control, fast start up time, and Samsung’s new Smart TV interface.

There are sure to be others that will arrive on the market later this year. In the meantime I’m grabbing my glasses and going to the movies.

Lee R

Lee is one of our resident camera experts! Lee joined the retail division of Huppin’s Hi-Fi Photo & Video in 1999 and transferred to the OneCall mail order division in 2006. While Lee is well versed in all the products we carry, he favors cameras and home theater. He uses a Marantz receiver and a Canon SLR. Lee loves to talk to customers, so give him a call!

Learn more about the Mitsubishi 3DC-1000 3D Starterkit at OneCall and upgrade your movie experience today.

Holley E

Upon opening the box, I pulled out both of the supplied remotes (the main remote control and a simplified secondary remote control), power cable, FM antenna and an AM loop antenna. Although; on a personal note, I recommend definitely upgrade the antennas to something that can receive and boost lower strength radio signals. I hastily made all my connections with HDMI, and connected my speakers. In a flash, I was ready to run the receiver through the Audyssey MultEQ XT speaker setup process. Like most Audessy equipped receivers the process takes roughly 5 to 10 minutes of having the room sound like giant bats are invading your living space.

The Denon AVR-4310CI 7.1 channel receiver boasts an impressive 130 watts of power output per channel and features 6 HDMI 1.3a inputs (5 rear, 1 front), dual HDMI video output, 3 component video inputs, 1 component output, dual USB, Ethernet, Denon link, 3 optical, 3 digital coax and a host of analog connections. In short you will not be want of a place to plug in your gear. The receiver is also equipped generously with decoding for Dolby TrueHD, Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby Digital Surround EX, Dolby Pro Logic IIz decoding, DTS-HD Master Audio, DTS-HD High Resolution, DTS ES 6.1 Discrete, DTS ES 6.1 Matrix, and DTS Neo:6 decoding. The AVR-4310CI also makes use of Audessy’s speaker calibration and set up system, with supplied microphone.

Now, I have been very happy with my current receiver for the last three years, going on a fourth. The first thing I noticed with the Denon AVR-4310CI, however, was that it really liked my subwoofer. I mean really liked my subwoofer, almost as if they had been long lost friends getting back together after many years apart. My speakers also reacted similarly, taking on a new life. With Denon’s processor amazing high and mid-range frequencies were rendered superbly from a Dolby TruHD music sampler blu-ray disc. Next up was to watch a couple of movies using both of the main HD audio codecs. How to Train Your Dragon, was first on the list. I like the disc for all of the fast motion, and an incredible sound track that offers a lot of sound effects and great orchestral score. The Denon AVR-4310CI deftly handled the challenging opening sequence with the pounding drums and explosions. Next into the PS3 was Master and Commander, another movie with great score and tons of sound effects. Once again, the AVR-4310CI delivered all of the explosions of canon fire and orders barked with ease.

Next up on my testing was to see if the video upconversion was up to par. It did not fail to impress. Every source that I threw at the receiver looked better in some way. Increases in image clarity were clearly visible in all of my non HD sources. My Nintendo Wii, which normally looks fairly soft when stretched to its limits to fill my 1080p screen, was noticeably more detailed.

My overall impression of the receiver is nothing short of astounding. The receivers performance matched with its aggressive price point makes this a must have for an audio enthusiast looking for a huge amount of sound. Anyone looking for a fantastic deal on an amazing piece of audio gear; grab your hip waders and harpoon as the barrel of fish is now before you.

Lee R

Lee is one of our resident camera experts! Lee joined the retail division of Huppin’s Hi-Fi Photo & Video in 1999 and transferred to the OneCall mail order division in 2006. While Lee is well versed in all the products we carry, he favors cameras and home theater. He uses a Marantz receiver and a Canon SLR. Lee loves to talk to customers, so give him a call!

Of course this isn’t your run of the mill subwoofer. As a part of the Klipsch Reference Series this subwoofer is packed with a number of cool features and technologies that make sure it sounds great, and is easy to use.

To start with, all woofers are not the same. The Cerametallic woofer Klipsch uses is more rigid than a paper cone driver while still being light and responsive to signal from the amplifier. Klipsch also incorporates their exclusive corner port technology making the port tube as long as possible without bending which reduces the “chuffing” or port noise from air rushing out of the subwoofer cabinet. All this serves to reduce distortion and deliver tight accurate bass whether you’re watching TV, listening to music or rattling the rafters watching your favorite movie on your home theater system.

Talk about easy to use; the DCS (Digitally Controlled Subwoofer) user interface places all the controls right on top of the subwoofer. That means it’s a cinch to setup and you can make adjustments to the volume, EQ mode, crossover settings and more quickly and easily. Imagine being able to adjust your subwoofer’s performance to an optimized output for Music or Movies with the push of a button. Don’t worry; there’s even a keypad lock function that means if you have little people in the house who like to push buttons your settings are safe.

Learn more about the Klipsch RW-10D Reference Series Subwoofer at OneCall.

Michael C

They’re Back!! The NHT SuperZero 2.0 is essentially the same speaker with improvements in the crossover design and cabinet. Touted as a true high-end mini monitor speaker the SuperZero 2.0 definitely lives up to that claim and delivers stunning high frequency and mid-bass performance. For the best full-range performance I would recommend adding the Super 8 powered subwoofer to supplement the low frequency response.

The SuperZero 2.0 speakers can be used for a small 5.1 system, or add 2 more as rear and effects channels for a 7.1 system, or match them up with a small amplifier and use them for your computer speakers. You can even pair them with the Fatman tube IPod docks for a great IPod sound system.

Patrick G

Patrick is our most experienced sales person, and has worked at OneCall longer than any other sales associate. He is a wealth of knowledge in all aspects of the electronics business and is a great go to guy for those tough questions that come up on a daily basis. Patrick was born and raised in Washington State, growing up in the Bellingham area before relocating to Spokane where he has lived for well over 12 years….he is a true Washington State native. When he’s not selling Electronics and helping our customers at OneCall, Patrick enjoys working in his garden, cooking and playing video games on his Sharp TV. If he could have any electronics product available, at the moment, he would go with the 65” Panasonic 3D Plasma TV and if he could go anywhere in the world on an ultimate vacation he would go to Australia.

The unboxing
Polk does a great job of packaging the unit and the instructions are on a single page with clear step-by-step setup instructions on the quick start guide. In the box you’ll find the SurroundBar 3000 speaker bar, Subwoofer, a power cord for the subwoofer as well as a 20v power supply for the SurroundBar 3000. Polk also includes a 6 foot optical digital cable for connecting to your HDTV and a guide for programming the included remote control.

Installation
It is very easy to get going with simple installation and easy to follow instructions. Start by connecting your SurroundBar 3000 to the digital audio output from your TV with the supplied optical cable. The wireless connection between the SurroundBar 3000 and subwoofer further simplifies the installation process and you can place the subwoofer virtually anywhere in the room. Once you’ve decided where you want the subwoofer and connected the SurroundBar 3000 and subwoofer power cords to an A/C outlet you’re done. The included remote control is handy for adjusting the volume and the level of the subwoofer to match whatever you are watching or turn it down while the baby is sleeping. The remote functions can also be programmed into a universal remote control for added convenience.

The sound test
The first thing I tried was Madden11 on XBOX360 and as soon as I turned the XBOX on, I could tell I was going to be impressed. The opening XBOX logo sound did give me a feeling that there were speakers behind me and a nice bass note from the subwoofer. Sound quality for the game was incredible although some minor audio adjustments in the game menu were necessary to balance out the sound of the announcers, cheering crowd and sound effects. From there I moved on to one of my favorite movie scenes of all time which is in Matrix, when Neo and Trinity hijack the helicopter to save Morphius. So, I skipped forward to that scene and Neo was operating the minigun from the chopper. The bullets casings were falling from the copter and you could hear each little casing falling with detail from the SurroundBar 3000, while the blades of the helicopter cutting though the air above could be heard from the subwoofer. I was so enveloped by the sound that I ended up watching the movie the rest of the movie.

To sum it up the sound quality is incredible and the SurroundBar 3000 does a great job delivering a 5.1 channel experience and the illusion of having speakers behind you. If your TV does not have an optical output then you will need to use the red/white audio out on the TV with a mini adaptor to the SurroundBar 3000. I also tested it mounted on the wall with the two keyhole mounts on the back of the bar. It looked great but definitely sounded better on the shelf with something solid below it.

Chad G

How long have you been working with OneCall? 5 yrs What do you think has been the greatest consumer electronic advancement that has come in your lifetime? Wireless internet What is your favorite thing about working at OneCall? Learning about new technologies.

Here is some information from Mitsubishi . “Sony has publicly announced the plans to provide software upgrades for the Playstation3 to provide both 3D gaming and 3D Blu-ray playback.* Mitsubishi believes our 3D adapter will be compatible with the 3D signal output from the PS3 but until Sony provides the upgrade this cannot be guaranteed. For details on Sony’s plans, please contact Sony. There are a few individual games developed for PS3 and Xbox 360 that have 3D settings which include the checkerboard format needed for Mitsubishi 3D Ready TVs .”

More details from Sony regarding Playstation 3D upgrade.

Patrick G

Patrick is our most experienced sales person, and has worked at OneCall longer than any other sales associate. He is a wealth of knowledge in all aspects of the electronics business and is a great go to guy for those tough questions that come up on a daily basis. Patrick was born and raised in Washington State, growing up in the Bellingham area before relocating to Spokane where he has lived for well over 12 years….he is a true Washington State native. When he’s not selling Electronics and helping our customers at OneCall, Patrick enjoys working in his garden, cooking and playing video games on his Sharp TV. If he could have any electronics product available, at the moment, he would go with the 65” Panasonic 3D Plasma TV and if he could go anywhere in the world on an ultimate vacation he would go to Australia.

This is a great question, and with the available configurations and setup options on the Onkyo TX-SR508 home theater receiver not an uncommon question.

7.1 Channel Speaker Setup
If you have 7 speakers and a subwoofer available to connect with your Onkyo TXSR508 receiver you can choose from the following home theater configurations.

5.1 channel plus Front Height speakers – front left, center, front right, surround right, surround left and powered subwoofer plus front left height and front right height speakers.

or

7.1 channel – front left, center, front right, surround right, surround-back right, surround-back left, surround left and powered subwoofer.

Once your speakers and audio/video components are connected as outlined in your Onkyo TX-SR508 owner’s manual you’re ready to start the setup process. Although the Audyssey 2EQ®room correction and speaker setup process is very intuitive and makes the process of calibrating your speaker system a breeze you still need to tell the receiver how your speakers are positioned in your room before running the Audyssey 2EQ process. The first steps in the Audyssey 2EQ® process will help you accomplish exactly that.

The first step in speaker configuration will be making sure the “Speaker Type” is set to “Normal” and not “Bi-AMP”. Since the Bi-AMP, Front High Speaker and powered Zone 2 modes all share the same amplifiers as the Surround Back speakers you’re not able to use more than one of these options at a time. After the “Speaker Type” is set as “Normal” you’ll move on to the “Speaker Terminal Assignment” where you can tell the receiver which function the speakers connected to the “Surround Back or Front High Speakers” terminals as well as the “Front High or Zone 2 Speakers” terminals. After telling the receiver how your home theater speaker system is configured you can run the Audyssey 2EQ®process which will allow the receiver to efficiently calibrate the speaker system for optimum performance in your room. Now the only thing missing are your favorite movie and snacks to start enjoying your home theater system.

During the Audyssey process you should have heard sound from each of the 7 speakers and powered subwoofer connected to your receiver and it’s important to note that your most likely will not hear sound from all 7 speakers all of the time. Depending on the audio format of the movie you’re watching you may only hear sound from each speaker when sound is intended to be heard from each speaker. By referring to pages 30-33 of the owner’s manual for your Onkyo TX-SR508 receiver and the different listening modes available you’ll have a much better idea of when and from which speakers you should be hearing sound depending on the listening mode the receiver is in.

Zone 2
With the Powered Zone 2 function of your Onkyo TX-SR508 receiver you can listen to music or audio from the source components connected to your receiver through speakers in a different room or even outside without the necessity of adding more stereo equipment; including the freedom to listen to a different analog audio source in each room or Zone. That’s right; as is common with most Powered Zone 2 capable receivers, the TX-SR508 receiver will allow you to listen to only those analog audio sources connected to your receiver so it’s important to plan ahead and connect not only the digital audio or HDMI cables as well as the Left/Right analog audio cables as well. I would also point out you won’t hear any sound from the Surround Back speakers in your home theater system while the Power Zone 2 is in use. Once you have the analog connections in place and the speakers from the other room connected all you need to do is press the “Zone 2” button on the front panel of your receiver and make your input selection within 8 seconds (reference pages 47-48 of your owner’s manual for complete details on Zone 2 operation).

If you have any comments or questions please post them here on the OneCallBlog.

Matt P

Home audio/video enthusiast and merchandising specialist at OneCall.com

	Boston Acoustics VR3 loudspeakers Boston Acoustics created a special pair of speakers when it designed the VR3 Floorstanding speakers Dual 7-inch woofers provide deep and rich bass in this classic 3-way tower.  They are rounded out by a 4- and ½-inch mid-range driver with a 1-inch VR tweeter.  The sound the speaker reproduces is a warm mix of, what I like to call, mellow.  The highs are not overly sharp, being a metal dome tweeter, and the lows are not muddy.  I would consider this an excellent anchor point to a surround sound system or perfect for a two channel set up as well.
	Definitive Technology BP7006 TheBP7006 bi-polar speaker features a built-in 8-inch 300-watt amplifiedsubwoofer for pulse pounding bass. It is equipped with dual 4 ½-inch woofer and dual 1-inch tweeters.  With an impressive frequency response of 17 hz to 30 Khz, you will be hard pressed to find audio thisDefinitive Technology speaker can’t reproduce.
	Polk Audio RTi 8 The soft silk dome tweeter in thePolk Audio RTi 8 speaker provides amazing clear and sweet highs.  Dual 6 ½-inch woofers along with Polk’s patented power port allow this speaker to get low with the best of them.  Polk’s power handling provides the ability to go with very large amplifiers.

Bargains like these allow you to add to your sound field, so whether you are looking to increase the performance of your surround system or enjoy you music with the detail and clarity you expect to hear. Enjoy and get your ear into the gear!

Lee R

Lee is one of our resident camera experts! Lee joined the retail division of Huppin’s Hi-Fi Photo & Video in 1999 and transferred to the OneCall mail order division in 2006. While Lee is well versed in all the products we carry, he favors cameras and home theater. He uses a Marantz receiver and a Canon SLR. Lee loves to talk to customers, so give him a call!

The enhanced network capability includes Internet Radio and network audio/photo streaming via Ethernet connection to your home network. As well as Pandora, Rhapsody, flicker, Napster and FLAC HD – High-resolution audio format.

This receiver will also come with a great multi room section with an 11 channel Pre Amp Mode which can be used in combination with external Power Amplifiers. A generous 140 watts per channel with seven HDMI inputs and 2 HDMI outputs ensures exceptional performance even without a separate power amplifier. And, for all you home theater warriors with 4 ohm speakers, no problem!

As an added touch this special edition receiver includes a 5 year manufacturer’s warranty, a certificate of authenticity and a Denon “Brand Book” that details the prestigious 100 year history of Denon.

Upon the decent of the AVR-A100, man kind’s life will change in how we access our photos and music through our home theater system.

Learn more about the Denon 100th Anniversary special edition products.

Accept this  gift from the Gods and be the king of your Castle
“Domitor Sonos”

Domitor Sonus

Defender of truth, Slayer of Misinformation, a champion in the arena of Home Theater. For I am Domitor Sonus.