Jon Cielo talks with THX Senior VP, Rick Dean about the exciting news surrounding THX Media Director at CES 2012.

THX Senior Systems Engineer, Jon Cielo talks with Paul Wasek from Onkyo about their new lineup of THX Certified AVRs being showcased at CES 2012.

Until now, smaller, more compact speaker systems have been about convenience and form factor rather than performance. Well, times are changing, and recent advances in technology and design have challenged this precedent. Today, it’s quite possible for smaller speaker systems to deliver excellent sound experiences.

THX is here to make sure you get the best performance for your buck by unveiling the THX Compact Speaker System certification program.

For many people, even a THX Select2 Certified system (speakers designed to power rooms up to 2,000 sq/ft) would be overkill given the size of their room. However, up until now the market for smaller spaces has been saturated by underperforming, highly promoted products – leading many people to believe that the best they could get was tinny sound, no bass, and limited upgrade options.

The goal at THX is, and has always been, to bring the best possible sound and video quality to the consumer. Speaker designs, build materials, components, amplifier power, and other factors have prevented smaller, less expensive systems from being able to pass the strict certification performance benchmarks.

With recent technology advancements in the audio world, THX has been able to develop a certification program, without lessening the criteria, for smaller systems that perform well above what their diminutive size would imply.

The Room

Now of course no small system could fill a big room, nor should it ever be asked to. Rather, the THX Compact Speaker System certification program is designed and engineered to power rooms up to 1,000 sq./ft. – for example, rooms that are approximately 13.5-feet long by 10-feet wide with 8-foot ceilings.

Just because the speakers power smaller rooms doesn’t mean the certification criteria isn’t asking them to do a lot. THX demands high output (up to 105 dB) with low distortion. In a radical change from many other small speakers, THX also requires a flat frequency response, just like all THX Certified speakers.

Understanding not all small rooms can fit a full surround sound system, the THX Compact Speaker System Certification program is flexible in that it will be found on 2.1 systems (two speakers and a sub) as well as up to 7.1 systems.

MK Sound M Series Speakers

The first THX Certified Compact Speaker System is based on the popular MK Sound M7. These speakers feature a two-way bookshelf design with 1-inch silk dome tweeters and a 4-inch polymer-coated pulp cone. Neodymium magnets drive the tweeters. Frequency response is 80 Hz to 20 kHz +/- 2 dB.

With the THX Certified Compact Speaker System program, it’s now possible to find speakers to fit any size room or application, from desktop systems (THX Certified Multimedia Products), to sound bars (THX Speaker Bar), to small-room integrated systems (THX I/S Plus Systems), to mid-sized (THX Select2) and large rooms (THX Ultra2).

For more information about the different Certification Performance Categories, click here.

Jon Cielo talks to Bard Williams from TiVo about the THX Certified TiVo Premiere Elite DVR being showcased at CES 2012.

Peter Vasay talks to THX Senior VP, Laurie Fincham about the new THX amplifier technology being showcased at CES 2012.

THX Senior Systems Engineer, Jon Cielo reports on JVC’s THX Certified projectors from CES 2012.

For decades, many consumers have struggled with the incredibly complex audio and video gear that populates the average living room. As technology advances, products have gotten harder, not easier, to use. The VCR that blinks “12:00” may be obsolete, but that doesn’t mean everything in a modern system is set correctly.

THX Media Director, now available in many devices, bypasses all the confusion, preserves the content creator’s artistic intent and enables the consumer to get the most out of their hard-earned home theater system. No menus, no buttons, just put in a Blu-ray and CE devices automatically select the most appropriate audio and video settings – allowing consumers to sit back and enjoy the show.

What do you need for a complete THX Media Director enabled system? Funny you should ask…

The Hardware

From the source to the display, companies are rolling out products that are THX Media Director enabled.

• The Dune HD Max and the Dune HD Smart B1 are the first Blu-ray players to integrate THX Media Director. If you already own a Dune HD media player, an automated firmware update will automatically add THX Media Director (it doesn’t get much easier than that).
• One of the bestselling projector brands worldwide, Epson, is being used for THX Media Director demonstrations at the THX suite at CES 2012. Epson is planning to offer THX Media Director in forthcoming models.
• Sharp is the number one selling TV brand for 60” plus screen sizes. The Elite LED LCD, a joint venture with Pioneer, offers some of the best picture quality available in a TV today. Elite TVs were the first displays to demonstrate THX Media Director technology, and will be shown in the THX suite and on the show floor at CES. Although current Elite models aren’t THX Media Director enabled, Sharp intends to integrate THX Media Director in future models.
• On the audio side, Indy Audio Labs’ stunning Acurus Act 4 is the first THX Media Director enabled preamplifier. The 7.1-surround preamp/processor has five HDMI inputs, high-rez audio decoding, and will be available in Q2 of this year.

The Software

The THX Media Director environment begins with the content itself. To that end, several of the largest authoring facilities have signed on to deliver THX Media Director enabled content.

• BluFocus Inc. is a premier facility to create content-related information, or “smart content,” required to support THX Media Director. Its clients include Fox Home Entertainment, Lionsgate, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, Walt Disney Home Entertainment, and many others. BluFocus is the first THX Media Director quality control facility.
• Deluxe Digital Studios was the first authoring facility in the U.S. to offer THX Media Director encoding with the THX Certified and THX Media Director enabled Star Wars: The Complete Saga. It is also the world’s largest Blu-ray and DVD authoring facility, a highly respected Hollywood institution for nearly a century.
• re:fine is the first THX Media Director partner in the U.K.. It authors content for 3D Blu-ray Discs and delivers digital content to BT Vision, Hulu and iTunes. Truth or Dare re:fine’s first THX Media Director enabled Blu-ray title, will be released next month.

2012 looks to be an exciting year for THX Media Director, and for consumers everywhere who want optimal performance from their home theater devices with as little hassle as possible.

Everything at THX revolves around presenting movies and other content exactly as the creator intended. Speakers should reproduce a soundtrack as close as possible to how the composer want it to sound. Receivers should transparently amplify and switch sources without negatively affecting the signal. Displays and projectors should reproduce an image as close as possible to what the director intended in the studio.

In fact, reproducing a great image on a display is so important to THX, that THX created a THX Movie Mode for certified displays, developed THX Optimizer, and established a custom installer educational program for professional calibrators – all tools to enable the best possible HDTV performance.

Best Picture, Out-of-the-Box

THX Movie Mode, found on THX Certified displays and projectors, is the industry’s best-performing out-of-the-box picture mode. The settings were researched and selected by THX Video Engineers to create the most accurate picture that can be produced using factory presets. If you do nothing else with your display, put it in this mode for optimal image performance.

THX Optimizer

Because there are small variances between different displays, even from the same company, the settings can’t be exactly perfect. To get your display even closer to ideal, there’s THX Optimizer. Available on most THX Certified DVDs and Blu-rays, and built in to THX Certified TiVo DVRs, THX Optimizer is an easy-to-use calibration tool containing a series of test patterns to help you get precise picture settings. And as an added bonus, folks who attend THX Certified Professional Education courses receive a complimentary THX Calibrator Blu-ray Disc, also containing an HD version of the tool, plus more advanced test patterns.

• Black Level
  Use the Black Level Setup pattern to set the Brightness control, which adjusts how dark the dark parts of the image are. If set too low, detail in dark objects are lost. For example, black jackets and shadows will disappear into blackness.
• White Level
  Use the White Level Setup pattern to adjust Contrast, which controls the bright parts of the image. If set too high, bright details will be lost. Clouds and snow will disappear into a white mush. Every TV has an exact setting that produces the best image, without crushing bright or dark detail.
• Color & Tint
  Color (the amount of it) and tint (adding more red or green to the image) should be correct if you’re using HDMI, but if they are slightly off, the Color Setup and Tint/Hue patterns (with the use of the blue glasses) will help perfect these controls. Other patterns, like Aspect Ratio, ensure the right picture size settings on DVD/BD players and displays.

After going through the THX Optimizer test patterns, view the select video clips to make sure everything is set correctly.

THX Certified Professional Calibration

Even though THX Optimizer is a great do-it-yourself tool, hiring a THX Certified Calibrator is still your best bet. Because viewing environments and personal preference can vary greatly from household to household, a THX Certified Calibrator can fine tune your display’s settings to more exact specifications.



A THX Certified Calibrator uses specialized equipment to ensure a display is performing to the best of its abilities for each particular environment. Color temperature/grayscale, perhaps even the colors of the display itself, can all be tweaked to perfection.

THX Certified Professionals go through significant training and testing to become experts at what they do. Multi-day, hands-on courses cover all aspects of TV performance and calibration. It’s the most extensive display calibration training in the world.

Click here to find a THX Certified Professional Video Calibrator in your area.

Become a THX Certified Professional

Intrigued? See for yourself. The THX Video Calibration 1 Professional Workshop is an intensive single-day seminar open to anyone with an interest in becoming a THX Certified Calibrator, or anyone looking to learn how to get the best from their home entertainment equipment.


Attendees learn the basics of how to calibrate a display, get insider tips, and learn all about how displays and projectors work. Passing the course allows entry into the THX Video Calibration 2 Professional Workshop, which has further extensive training using advanced equipment and techniques. At the end of course, students will have the knowledge be able to calibrate nearly any display.

Click here to sign up now – the next class is coming up soon, right after CES in Las Vegas, January 13, 2012. The Cal 2 class follows, January 14th and 15th.

]]> http://www.thx.com/test-bench-blog/getting-the-most-out-of-your-new-hdtv/feed/ 0 http://www.thx.com/test-bench-blog/what-ce-pros-are-saying-nick-foulds-of-soundtrap/ http://www.thx.com/test-bench-blog/what-ce-pros-are-saying-nick-foulds-of-soundtrap/#comments Mon, 19 Dec 2011 18:27:56 +0000 rhennigan http://www.thx.com/?p=7259

THX recently interviewed Nick Foulds, owner at Soundtrap & Intanium Theaters . Nick discusses the business of custom installations and the importance of being a THX Certified Professional.

Q: How long have you been in the custom install business? What got you interested?

A: Indirectly, I have been in the custom install business my entire life. My background and interest in the industry comes primarily from my father, Roger, an architectural noise control and acoustics specialist. In the late 80s, my father started to help local music and home theater enthusiasts fix problems associated with sound control and audio system performance. His work was commended by architects and engineers, and he was honored with a prestigious Canadian innovative new products and technology award at Construct Canada in 1995 as a result.

Q: What does your company specialize in?

A: Our companies, Soundtrap and Intainium, work hand-in-hand to build state-of-the-art home cinema rooms with uncompromised best-in-class sound control and room designs. We truly believe that we are the best in the business.

Q: Why did you decide to attend THX Certified Professional Training and what class(es) did you take?

A: We are often involved in high-end residential developments. With these types of projects, there is a team assembled by the builder, architect or client, which typically consists of an interior designer, A/V and automation integrator, and other trade consultants. If one member of the team makes a mistake, it reflects poorly on everyone else and the client’s experience and enjoyment can be jeopardized, or become jaded.

I decided to take THX Certified Professional Training to get the knowledge and expertise required for our company to provide our clients and the associates that we work with the best possible products and services. I graduated THX Certified Home Theater Professional Levels 1 and 2, in addition to the THX Video Calibration course. Even my wife, an interior designer, enrolled in the THX Certified Home Theater Professional Level 1 course to gain a better understanding of what goes into building an optimal home cinema.

Q: What was your favorite or most enjoyable part of the training? What was the most valuable?

A: I am a “people person” and it was a pure pleasure being trained by THX Professionals John Dahl, Michael Chen and Gregg Loewen. Also, meeting people from all over the world, people who share the same interest and passion, was a fantastic experience. The course content was well structured, extensive and informative. I was also very pleased with the amount of content that focused on room acoustics and sound control – and to find out that Soundtrap acoustics and sound control met THX standards. The reassurance that we were doing it right was great for our organizational confidence.

Q: How has the knowledge you gained through THX certification and training helped your business?

A: It ensures our clients that we will deliver the best possible home cinema experience. When we apply the knowledge and best practices learned through the THX trainings, we help create a memorable client experience. We follow up with our clients for annual service and maintenance (as the dynamics of electronics change over time) and we always receive positive feedback. Our clients not only use their home cinemas, they love them!

Q: What latest THX Certified products do you recommend and why?

A: I am an advocate of any product that meets THX standards and becomes THX Certified. I recommend THX Certified ‘systems’ comprising of appropriate products selected by a THX Certified Professional. For example, the Klipsch THX Ultra2 7.2 home theater surround sound system is very impressive.

Q: Which custom install projects are you particularly proud of?

A: I can say without any doubt that I am very proud of all of our projects. Whether large or small, ultra luxury or on a budget – we make our clients happy, which makes me proud. That’s my passion.

Q: How does your company differ from competitors?

A: With our extensive background and experience, our company differs in that while others are playing catch-up, we are already researching and developing new technologies, products and systems for tomorrow. We have our own R & D laboratory that is restricted to the general public—even to our employees.
In addition, where many competitors focus on Hollywood themes to give their clients the appearance of a cinema room, our rooms are engineered and designed to perform and perfectly marry form with function.

Q: Where do you see the custom install industry headed in the next 12 months? What trends do you foresee?

A: Over the years I have noticed that many profit centers associated with A/V and automation equipment and installations have become more competitive, driving the price down. This is great for the consumer because now there is more room in their budget for other items, such as acoustical treatments and sound control. I see the custom install industry becoming more versatile, better educated and ultimately offering their clients attainable, value-added packages that maximize the client’s overall budget and experience.

Q: Is there anything else you’d like to add?

A: Our involvement with THX is very important to us. In my opinion, THX is the industry standard and it is crucial for these standards to be maintained and passed on to the most important people in the entire equation—our clients.

There needs to be more client awareness of the importance of the listening and viewing environment to truly deliver a cinematic or moving musical experience. Much focus has been placed on equipment specs over the years. Better equipment can certainly enhance the consumer’s experience. However, even if top quality speakers and electronics are purchased and placed in a sonically or visually terrible room, the consumer will likely have an unpleasant experience. As the industry grows and continues to come out with new technologies, it is critical that our projects continue to exceed our client’s highest expectations.

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Interested in becoming a THX Certified Professional? Click here to learn more about the next available courses being held at CES 2012.

]]> http://www.thx.com/test-bench-blog/what-ce-pros-are-saying-nick-foulds-of-soundtrap/feed/ 0 http://www.thx.com/test-bench-blog/now-shipping-jvc-thx-certified-projectors/ http://www.thx.com/test-bench-blog/now-shipping-jvc-thx-certified-projectors/#comments Wed, 14 Dec 2011 01:57:42 +0000 rhennigan http://www.thx.com/?p=7233

JVC has starting shipping its latest line of THX 3D Certified Display projectors. Four models in all, they feature some of the best contrast ratios of any display, and new this year: 4K.

With more than four times the resolution of 1080p, 4K is poised to be the next big thing in home theater video technology. JVC’s new projectors are not only some of the first displays available with 4K, they are the first to be THX Certified with this resolution.

Like previous THX Certified JVC projectors, the new models feature three, 0.7-inch D-ILA (Direct Drive Image Light Amplifier) panels. Thanks to a proprietary technology called e-Shift, the 1,920 by 1,080 D-ILA chips are able to produce 3,840 by 2,160 on screen. The higher resolution allows for significantly larger screen sizes without the viewer seeing pixels or image blocks. If a larger screen isn’t possible in a particular room, this resolution also enables the audience to sit closer even to the screen and see a smooth image.

Like all THX 3D displays, each JVC model has to pass more than 400 rigorous laboratory tests. These tests include color accuracy with 2D and 3D, crosstalk, uniformity, grayscale tracking, deinterlacing, convergence and more. Each projector features a THX Cinema Mode – a picture preset mode that’s the most accurate out-of-the-box setting. And, for further fine-tuning, all THX Modes can be accessed by THX Professional Calibrators.

Projectors offer huge screens for comparatively little money for an ultimate, immersive home entertainment experience. With 4K e-Shift, JVC’s THX Certified projectors offer some of the best picture quality and highest resolution ratings available for the home.

The DLA-X90R and its sister model, the DLA-RS65, both feature 120,000:1 native contrast ratio and come with two pairs of 3D glasses and the sync emitter (making it possible to sync your glasses with the device). The DLA-X70R and its sister model, the DLA-RS55, feature an 80,000:1 native contrast ratio.

All models are shipping now. For more info and a dealer near you, check out JVC.com for the X90R and X70R, and pro.jvc.com for the RS65 and RS55.

Click here to learn more about JVC.

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