Brent Butterworth

Phony Sony

FakeTV is a product that promises to ward off intruders by making them think you're home watching Leno. Does it work? Only a test in one of America's most dangerous neighborhoods could tell for sure.

By Brent Butterworth
Posted August 19, 2008

Some people have the common sense to get alarm systems. Others set up all sorts of lights and timers to make the bad guys think they're home when they're not. I thought I was pretty smart for being a member of the latter group - until last week when my neighbor asked, "Were you gone Monday and Tuesday? I noticed your light timer was on."

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Stretch Your Screen -- and Your Pennies

Constant-height 2.35:1 video projection is all the rage in high-end custom home theaters. Here are 7 ways to do it on the cheap.

By Brent Butterworth
Posted August 26, 2008

Everyone who's hip to home theater knows the state-of-the-art in video is a constant-height projection system. And everyone who's hip to home theater also knows they can't afford one.

Or can they?

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Wireless HDMI: Out of the Ether

If the CEDIA Expo is a reliable barometer, the long-desired, long-promised Wireless HDMI technology is finally becoming a reality.

By Brent Butterworth
Posted September 5, 2008

Ever notice how many custom installers are losing their hair? That's because they pulled it all out in frustration over HDMI.

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Runway Models (of Speakers)

It's hard to improve on the performance of today's best speakers -- but it's always possible to come up with wild new designs. Here's a fashion show of our CEDIA faves.

By Brent Butterworth
Posted September 8, 2008

Some people's idea of a perfect speaker might not be a big ugly black box that delivers pristine performance. Obviously, these folks' priorities are way out of whack.

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Soundmatters Foxl Portable Speaker System

Test Report

By Brent Butterworth
Posted September 11, 2008

Foxl: A David Among Goliaths foxLmb/ Foxl foxLmb These days, traveling sucks for everyone, but it's always been hard on the audiophile.

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A Tale of Two Theaters

S&V's Theo Kalomirakis helps a family of best-selling authors build two home theaters that work exactly the same — but couldn't be more different.

By Brent Butterworth
Posted September 26, 2008

Many A/V enthusiasts dream of having a custom theater designed by home theater pioneer and Sound & Vision columnist Theo Kalomirakis. But mystery novelists Jonathan and Faye Kellerman (Capital Crimes, When the Bough Breaks) have something twice as nice: two theaters designed by Theo.

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LCD Turbocharger

The Sanyo PLC-XP200L's new four-panel LCD projection technology (the extra, fourth panel being yellow) promises more intense color and deeper blacks -- and it just may have delivered.

By Brent Butterworth
Posted September 26, 2008

Most video display demos aren't terribly convincing. First, the manufacturer spends 15 minutes telling you about his whiz-bang new technology. Next, he turns on the display and shows you pictures of flowers, vegetables, and Japanese girls in bikinis.

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Sunfire HRS home theater speaker system

Test Report

By Brent Butterworth
Posted October 9, 2008

The Short Form $3,850 (as tested) / SUNFIRE.COM / 425-335-4748 Snapshot

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Satellite vs. Blu-ray: DISHing up 1080p

After seeing about 1,080 ads for DISH Network's new 1080p video-on-demand service, we just had to know: Does the satellite provider really deliver on its promise of "Blu-ray quality?"

By Brent Butterworth
Posted October 10, 2008

Audio and video often seem like nothing more than numbers games. So much is specified in some kind of figure: 7.1 channels, 200 watts, 800 lumens, 90 decibels. Sure, it's simplistic and pandering, but on the whole it's good. If Match.com could deliver this level of precision, I'd be a much happier man.

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The Big-Box Chill

Can you get a decent, practical TV demo at a big-box retailer? And if not, how do you test-drive TVs in the store? (WEB ONLY)

By Brent Butterworth
Posted October 15, 2008

On my very first visit to Costco, I saw something that burned itself into my brain: a shopping cart loaded with baby formula, junk food, and a 23-inch flat-panel TV set. I felt the same way a fashionista would watching someone use an Armani shirt as a dust rag.

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