Elite Home Theater Seating Blog

Super Bowl 2013

January 28th, 2013

Home theater and football enthusiats are gearing up for this Sunday’s big Super Bowl game. Super Bowl 47 features the Baltimore Ravens and San Francisco 49ers. This one game is the biggest attraction in all of professional sports in North America. Here in Canada, we don’t have and NFL team but we still love the Super Bowl. Home theaters everywhere will be filled with football fans this coming Sunday. Wal Mart even has Super Bowl specials on home theater equipment from TV’s to surround sound systems.

Since home theaters can be used for many different things, from movies to concerts and sports, games like the Super Bowl are a perfect combination. It brings friends and family together to spend an afternoon or evening rooting for one of the teams while sharing a few snacks and beverages with one another. The Super Bowl is also child-friendly so people of all ages can be together and enjoy the game. With this game, people are just as excited to watch the commercials!  Super Bowl commercials can be more exciting than the game itself.

Some people have dedicated sports themed home theater rooms, click here to read our blog about this! There’s something about sports and home theaters that just go perfectly together. This Sunday’s Super Bowl game between the Baltimore Ravens and San Francisco 49ers will be no exception. Let us know what you will be doing for this upcoming Super Bowl game. There are going to be parties all around North America this Sunday.

We always appreciate your comments and feedback so contact through FacebookTwitteremail or by phone.

 

Canadian Head Office
Unit 406, 17665 66A Ave.
Surrey, BC V3S 2A7
Tel. 604-575-8310
Fax. 604-575-8329

U.S. Head Office
1927 Boblett Street
Blaine, WA 98230
Tel. 1-800-490-1595

email: sales@elitehts.com



Die Hard: The 25th Anniversary Edition

January 26th, 2013

Yippee ki yay, the Die Hard series is reaching the 25th anniversary with a great new Blu-ray release. John McClane (Bruce WIllis), has become a beloved movie character and with a new movie coming out this year (A Good Day To Die Hard), to coincide with the 25th anniversary, 20th Century Fox is releasing the first four movies in a special edition Blu-ray DVD. This five disc edition will be released on January 29th, 2013. The contents of this collection: (click on each movie to watch the theatrical trailer)

Disc 1: Die Hard (1988)
Disc 2: Die Hard 2: Die Harder (1990) 
Disc 3: Die Hard with a Vengeance (1995)
Disc 4: Live Free or Die Hard (2007)

 

Disc 5: Decoding Die Hard 
Modern-Day Hero — Casting, evolution and legacy of John McClane
Along For The Ride — Engaging sidekicks who have teamed up with McClane
Bad To The Bone — McClane’s well-armed and formidable foes
Punishing Blows — Creating the intense action sequences, fistfights and stunts
Explosive Effects — Role of groundbreaking visual and special effects including some of the biggest explosions on screen
Reinventing The Action Genre — Development of the franchise from concept to character to story
The Right Hero For The Right Time — Appeal and influence of Die Hard films on pop culture

Here’s the trailer for part 5, A Good Day To Die Hard (2013) (not included in this anniversary edition as it will be in theaters this year)

Die Hard is an action packed franchise with amazing action sequences, car chases, explosions, and great casts. Your home theater or your man cave has one necessity (besides the home theater seating and equipment) and that is Die Hard!

We always appreciate your comments and feedback so contact through FacebookTwitteremail or by phone.

 

Canadian Head Office
Unit 406, 17665 66A Ave.
Surrey, BC V3S 2A7
Tel. 604-575-8310
Fax. 604-575-8329

U.S. Head Office
1927 Boblett Street
Blaine, WA 98230
Tel. 1-800-490-1595

email: sales@elitehts.com



Will Streaming Movies Wipe Out Blu-ray’s?

January 21st, 2013

With the popularity of streaming services like Apple TV and Netflix, will Blu-ray DVD’s become a thing of the past? For home theater enthusiasts, this may never occur because the quality of blu-ray’s are far more superior than streaming services. Last July, we spoke about this in our blog, (click here to view it), and just yesterday I had a conversation about this with a friend which made me want to revisit this subject again today.

Personally, I cannot see streaming services replace blu-ray because of the audio and video quality. The difference is substantial and for those who love home theater systems, they too also won’t settle for subpar sound and video. It’s true that streaming has now started streaming HD content but the clarity is just not the same. If you stream content to a smartphone or a tablet, the quality is amazing but for a large screen projector or TV, there is a difference.

There is also the concern of available content. When you own a blu-ray, you can access it anytime however with streaming services, you are limited to what they provide thus causing an issue if there is something you love to watch but they don’t provide it.  

Personally I do not think streaming services like Apple TV and Netflix will ever take over entirely. Home theater enthusiasts want the best quality and as of right now, blu-ray DVD’s are the best. Comparing the quality to streaming services doesn’t even make sense since the quality of streaming is good but nothing like the clarity of a blu-ray disc.

We always appreciate your comments and feedback so contact through FacebookTwitteremail or by phone.

 

Canadian Head Office
Unit 406, 17665 66A Ave.
Surrey, BC V3S 2A7
Tel. 604-575-8310
Fax. 604-575-8329

U.S. Head Office
1927 Boblett Street
Blaine, WA 98230
Tel. 1-800-490-1595

email: sales@elitehts.com



I Am Bruce Lee on Blu-ray

January 18th, 2013

Showing off is the fool’s idea of glory” – Bruce Lee

Bruce Lee is the undisputed greatest martial artist to ever step in a ring. His movies are legendary, his style is even more legendary, and he has been celebrated in documentaries and even a feature film but this movie, I Am Bruce Lee, takes it one step further. 

I Am Bruce Lee celebrates the life and legacy of the king of martial arts with appearances by Kobe Bryant, Manny Pacquiao, Ed O’Neill, Dana White, Chuck Norris, Gina Carano, and Mickey Rourke. Bruce’s wife  Linda Lee Caldwell and his daughter Shannon Lee speak about Bruce Lee which gives us insight on the person and not just the martial arts master. Alongside the interviews, there are lots of archival footage and the most famous one inch punch in history. The death of Bruce Lee is discussed in detail including the conspiracy theories that surround his death. 

The impact of Bruce Lee cannot be understated. The UFC would not exist (MMA mixed martial arts) without the style of Bruce Lee. We all love Jackie Chan but there is no denying the impact Bruce Lee had on his style. Click here to watch a clip of Bruce Lee breaking Jackie Chan  neck in Enter The Dragon.

Blu-ray Special Features:

1) Backyard Training – Bruce Lee’s Personal Films
2) Inspiration – Bruce Lee’s Global Impact
3) Bruce Lee In Action
4) Theatrical Trailer
5) Bruce Lee’s Hollywood Audition

I Am Bruce Lee isn’t only for Bruce Lee fans nor is it for martial arts fans only. This movie is for anyone that enjoys a great documentary about a legendary person that changed the world.

We always appreciate your comments and feedback so contact through FacebookTwitteremail or by phone.

 

Canadian Head Office
Unit 406, 17665 66A Ave.
Surrey, BC V3S 2A7
Tel. 604-575-8310
Fax. 604-575-8329

U.S. Head Office
1927 Boblett Street
Blaine, WA 98230
Tel. 1-800-490-1595

email: sales@elitehts.com



The New Vizio 42-inch 5.1 Home Theater Soundbar

January 17th, 2013

Vizio has announced a new addition of the Vizio 42-inch 5.1 Home Theater Soundbar with expected ship date to be in the spring of these year and an MSRP of $330.

“We’re very proud our 42” 5.1 Home Theater Sound Bar was named Best of CES 2013, This product is engineered to elevate the consumer home theater experience to new heights at an unparalleled value. VIZIO’s new slim, modern, size-matched design complements a range of HDTV sizes and are packed with technologies to amplify audio to match the visual experience consumers have grown to expect from their HDTVs.” - John Schindler, VIZIO Vice President of Product Management

As we’ve reported previously, Soundbars are gaining a lot of popularity. With pristine sound quality and a speaker system without the clutter and vast amount of wires used in traditional home theater speakers, there’s no wonder why Soundbars are catching on.

The Vizio  42-inch 5.1 Home Theater Soundbar can push out 102dB of output with less than 1% total harmonic distortion. With Bluetooth support for streaming audio directly from a Bluetooth enabled device like a tablet or smartphone, this new line of Soundbars may attract a huge audience.

We always appreciate your comments and feedback so contact through FacebookTwitteremail or by phone.

 

Canadian Head Office
Unit 406, 17665 66A Ave.
Surrey, BC V3S 2A7
Tel. 604-575-8310
Fax. 604-575-8329

U.S. Head Office
1927 Boblett Street
Blaine, WA 98230
Tel. 1-800-490-1595

email: sales@elitehts.com

 



Dredd on Blu-ray (3D)

January 15th, 2013

DreddLast week, (January 8), Dredd was released on Blu-ray! Directed by Pete Travis and starring Karl UrbanEvan Rachel Wood, and Lena HeadeyDredd is set in a violent, futuristic city where the police have the authority to act as judge, jury, and executioner.When released to theaters last year, the movie was liked by science fiction and comic book fans. Rotten Tomatoes gave it an overall rating of 77%.

“Lionsgate offers ‘Dredd‘ on a single 50 GB dual-layer disc with both the 3D and 2D versions of the film. The package comes in a slipcover that reproduces the cover art and an insert with a code for the Ultraviolet and Digital Copy included. The disc has several skippable trailers at the start, specifically ‘The Last Stand’, ‘Alex Cross’, ‘The Cold Light of Day’, an ad for the Tarantino XX’ collection, The Expendables 2, ‘The Men Who Built America’, and an ad for ‘Epix.’ (High Def Digest, 2012)

Dredd shouldn’t be mistaken for the Sylvester Stallone movie, Judge Dredd which was released in 1995. For those of you that haven’t seen this film, click here to watch the entire movie via YouTube. We have no affiliation with the person that uploaded the entire movie so if there are any copy write issues, we just posted a link to it here!

The special features:

1) Mega-City Masters: 35 Years of Judge Dredd
2) ‘Dredd‘ Featurette
3) Day of Chaos: The Visual Effects of ‘Dredd 3D’
4) Dredd’s Gear
5) The 3rd Dimension
6) Welcome to Peach Trees
7) ‘Dredd‘ Motion Comic Prequel
8) Trailers

We always appreciate your comments and feedback so contact through FacebookTwitteremail or by phone.

 

Canadian Head Office
Unit 406, 17665 66A Ave.
Surrey, BC V3S 2A7
Tel. 604-575-8310
Fax. 604-575-8329

U.S. Head Office
1927 Boblett Street
Blaine, WA 98230
Tel. 1-800-490-1595

email: sales@elitehts.com

 



Belkin’s “Thunderstorm” Handheld Home Theater Case

January 7th, 2013

Belkin has introduced a handheld home theater case for the iPad. MSRP $199.99, the Thunderstorm  is a form-fitting case that protects the iPad the same way as a traditional case does but the Thunderstorm has a large stereo speaker along the side edges of the iPad. With an app you can purchase, the Thunderstorm is marketed as a handheld home theater system that allows the user to adjust the sound for different uses such as music, movies, or games.

There is one negative to the Thunderstorm and that would be the size and weight of the iPad. You may not want to hold on to it for too long as it does weight a lot more than your traditional iPad. The Thunderstorm comes with a stand so you don’t have to hold it the entire time.

Belkin has two versions of the Thunderstorm. One is for the fourth-generation iPad and fits its Lightning dock connector. The other is for the third-generation iPad and the iPad 2, which have the older Apple 30-pin connector.

Would you want a case like this just to have better sound? We always appreciate your comments and feedback so contact through FacebookTwitteremail or by phone.

Canadian Head Office
Unit 406, 17665 66A Ave.
Surrey, BC V3S 2A7
Tel. 604-575-8310
Fax. 604-575-8329

U.S. Head Office
1927 Boblett Street
Blaine, WA 98230
Tel. 1-800-490-1595

email: sales@elitehts.com



Looper on Blu-ray

January 5th, 2013

Looper, directed by Rian Johnson and starring  Joseph Gordon-LevittBruce Willis, and Emily Blunt was released on Blu-ray DVD this past Monday (New Years Eve). While Looper wasn’t a huge success at the box office ($66 million US and $166 million worldwide), the movie has slowly gained the attention of the public making this a highly anticipated release on Bluray. According to The HD RoomLooper  gained high sales from Amazon prior to release, making this an anticipated release. 

Looper revolves around criminal organizations that use time travel in the year 2074 to  send those they want killed into the past where they are killed by “Looper“, (assassins paid with silver bars strapped to their targets). Joe, (Joseph Gordon-Levitta looper, encounters himself when his older self (Bruce Willisis sent back in time to be killed. In Loopertime travel was invented in 2044 but outlawed and used by criminals for their own personal gain. These ”Looper“, dispose of the bodies in a time where the victim doesn’t exist but the only catch to this is that these ”Loopers“, are sent to kill their future selves. It sounds a little confusing but if you think back to how time travel operated in Back To The Future, the premise here is pretty much the same; what you change in the future changes the present.

The special features included on the Blu-ray are: 

1) Feature Commentary with Director Rian Johnson, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and Emily Blunt  
2) Looper: From the Beginning – Making-of Featurette
3) 5 Deleted Scenes with Commentary
4) Scoring Looper
5) Looper Animated Trailer

Blu-ray Exclusives

1) The Science of Time Travel Featurette
2) 17 Additional Deleted Scenes with Commentary

With the holidays over most of us have time to relax and watch TV once again. This is a good way to kick it off.

We always appreciate your comments and feedback so contact through FacebookTwitteremail or by phone.

Canadian Head Office
Unit 406, 17665 66A Ave.
Surrey, BC V3S 2A7
Tel. 604-575-8310
Fax. 604-575-8329

U.S. Head Office
1927 Boblett Street
Blaine, WA 98230
Tel. 1-800-490-1595

email: sales@elitehts.com



Home Theater PC’s (HTPC)

January 3rd, 2013

Steiger Dynamics offer gamers a new home theater PC experience. For many years, home theater PC’s have been less than exciting and frequently ignored. In a recent interview with Gaming IllustratedSteiger Dynamics CTO Martin Gossner sheds some light on the improvements of HTPC’s. Here are some excerpts of that interview:

“Gaming Illustrated: The concept of an HTPC (Home Theater Personal Computer) has always been a dumbed-down version of your main PC. You’ve challenged that concept with your line of HTPCs. How do you plan on changing the consumer dynamic to make them expect more from an HTPC and the higher price tag that goes along with it?”

“Martin Gossner: Home Theater PCs are typically characterized by features like silent operation, a form factor tailored to living room furniture, and a sleek looking chassis that allows a seamless integration into a home theater setup. Meeting these criteria traditionally came with a compromise in processing performance, gaming capability, and storage capacity. Our systems break with that tradition and are the first and only on the market to incorporate high-performance state-of-the-art hardware, while meeting all of the traditional HTPC characteristics. The key to this is our sophisticated chassis design, the sole use of liquid cooling solutions, and the consistent implementation of highly efficient components. Another crucial enabler is the increasing spread of TVs with a screen size of 55 inches and above, allowing for the full-fledged use of Windows from the couch. Connected to such a TV, the LEET completely replaces your desktop PC and at the same time integrates home server, TV, Blu-ray playback, and gaming functionalities. This lets you get rid of multiple devices in your household, making the LEET extremely efficient and the center of your digital life. Especially the gaming experience is elevated to a completely new level. The bigger and better picture and the precise surround sound make it incredibly real. And playing from the sofa with your friends is much more social and comfortable than using a desktop setup. We strongly believe that high-end PC Gaming is conquering the living room – and the LEET is paving the way.”

“Gaming Illustrated: What are some great home theater tips you can give our gamers that represent some common mistakes that degrade the overall experience of watching movies or playing games in the living room / man cave?”

“Martin Gossner: First, the picture: For lag free gaming in the living room it is essential to decrease the TV’s input lag to its minimum. Therefore, make sure to deactivate picture processing of your TV by enabling Game Mode in your TV settings.”

“Second, the sound: proper calibration of the surround sound system makes a huge difference. It lets you locate sounds more precisely, giving you competitive advantage especially in multiplayer games.”

“Third, the control: Whereas most wireless mice and keyboards work well with short distance desktop setups, many of them struggle with random hangs or lags in long distance living room environments.”

The full interview will give you insight on HTPC and what Steiger Dynamics has in store for us. Click here to read the entire interview from Gaming Illustrated and judge for yourself if you would prefer the HTPC. For many years HTPC’s have lagged excitement but just maybe, Steiger Dynamics may be able to change that perception.

We always appreciate your comments and feedback so contact through FacebookTwitteremail or by phone.

Canadian Head Office
Unit 406, 17665 66A Ave.
Surrey, BC V3S 2A7
Tel. 604-575-8310
Fax. 604-575-8329

U.S. Head Office
1927 Boblett Street
Blaine, WA 98230
Tel. 1-800-490-1595

email: sales@elitehts.com