http://www.audioholics.com/reviews/software/rss.xml Whether it's music, movies, TV shows or karaoke, it's all software as far as your A/V hardware is concerned. We give meticulous screenings to the content industry's audio and video offerings and let you know which discs rock and which suck, which bonus features are worth it and which aren't, which film-to-video transfers will sizzle your eyes and which will send you to sleep. hourly 12 2006-12-01T00:00 http://www.audioholics.com/static/logo.jpg http://www.audioholics.com/ http://www.audioholics.com/reviews/software/game-reviews/gta-4-behind-the-hype After all the hype and "best game in a million years" talk, I just couldn't resist. This is the first GTA game I've played mostly because of timing. I was out of gaming for all of the other GTA games so I'm looking at this through "virgin" eyes. First of all "The Best Game Ever?" Um... No. No it isn't. So far it is cool and I'm enjoying it but it is far from the best game. The sheer size of it it staggering and the thought put in to all the characters is great but the best game... sorry. tom 2008-05-05T16:23:50+00:00 Tech Article http://www.audioholics.com/reviews/software/game-reviews/army-of-two-game-review If you are an adult, especially one that is looking for a great co-op experience, Army of Two does not disappoint. While this seems like a hold over while we wait for Gears of War 2 to come out, it is a pretty good game in its own right. If nothing else, I applaud them for releasing a game that focuses on co-op play. While the story is a bit weak (if you pay attention to such things) and the ending blows, it doesn't distract from the gameplay. If you like co-op games, this one is a buy. If you are more into the solo missions, rent it and make a friend. You never know, it might be for you. tom 2008-03-24T10:38:29+00:00 Tech Article http://www.audioholics.com/reviews/software/hd-dvd-and-blu-ray-disc-reviews/into-the-wild-hd-dvd Into the Wild is among the last round of Paramount HD DVD releases. The Golden Globe winning movie tells the story of a young man who tried to escape civilization. It turns out to be one of the great road movies with a captivating musical soundtrack. wayde 2008-03-10T16:38:46+00:00 Tech Article http://www.audioholics.com/reviews/software/cd-reviews/ravels-greatest-hit-ultimate-bolero Ravel’s Bolero is a composition that rose from the depths of nonchalant dismissal by Ravel’s contemporaries to being one of the few truly recognizable melodies in classical music. Sadly, you rarely seem to see it on the concert bill these days. Perhaps it’s too disciplined for today’s classical conductors who struggle to maintain their freedom of self-expression while they pander to a diminishing audience of aging donors. Neil Roble 2008-02-25T14:01:06+00:00 Tech Article http://www.audioholics.com/reviews/software/hd-dvd-and-blu-ray-disc-reviews/eastern-promises-hd-dvd Academy Award Nominee Viggo Mortensen teams up for second time with director David Cronenberg for Eastern Promises a hard hitting crime thriller. This HD DVD review contains no spoilers! I highly recommend this film to anyone who likes action movies, thrillers, mystery or even art-house cinema, this film fits somewhere between them all. The HD transfer is brilliant and the multi-channel surround sound is well done. wayde 2008-01-22T18:13:10+00:00 News http://www.audioholics.com/reviews/software/game-reviews/call-of-duty-4 Have you been murdered recently? I mean, like actually shot in the face or blown up by a nuclear holocaust? If so, then I doubt you are reading this right now. But, if you would like to experience those things without real pain or the sting of death, then you should be playing Call of Duty 4! My statement might seem a little tongue-in-cheek, but it’s closer to the truth then you can realize from just reading a review. If you have a good home theater, then your time spent with CoD4 is beyond gaming entertainment, it’s a moving emotional experience. jim 2007-11-21T00:35:46+00:00 Tech Article http://www.audioholics.com/reviews/software/hd-dvd-and-blu-ray-disc-reviews/transformers-hd-dvd Once upon a time there were plastic Japanese toys that changed from cars into robots. Now we have huge blockbuster movies that change our childhood toys into reality! Ok, maybe not reality, but the latest Transformers movie does a pretty good job with the flashy animation and popcorn flick thrills. Drop in a kid, a hot girl, some good one-liners, and Michael Bay as the director and you'll get this summer's biggest movie on a plastic disc that's sure to please. jim 2007-10-25T15:19:25+00:00 Tech Article http://www.audioholics.com/reviews/software/game-reviews/lair-ps3-game Lair is a game which received much fanfare. It is, in fact, a game which has already been reviewed by several primary gaming magazines. While those sources focused on gameplay, we felt that the elements of audio and video quality were sorely lacking – at least in any sort of objective sense. As we unwrapped the Blu-ray packaging and inserted the game into the PS3 we realized we were going to be in for one heck of a sensory experience. clint 2007-10-24T09:00:21+00:00 Tech Article http://www.audioholics.com/reviews/software/game-reviews/orange-box-review Welcome to the Orange Box! The box is actually the standard Xbox green with a very orange label. If you actually want an orange box, you'll have to buy the PC version for $10 less. Now that the colors are out of the way, the "Orange Box" contains not just one or two titles, but five! Half Life 2, Half Life 2: Episode 1, Half Life 2: Episode 2, Portal, and Team Fortress 2 are all part of this deluxe game package. It really feels more like 3 games, as all of the Half Life 2 games follow the same story. jim 2007-10-22T15:46:46+00:00 Tech Article http://www.audioholics.com/reviews/software/game-reviews/halo-3-legendary Ok, there are a hundred other reviews out there that are surely very informative as to the content of this game. I am a home theater enthusiast so I want to touch on the good and bad of the game from an audioholic perspective. I know, when you look at my mini blog up there, it looks like I am some kind of fanboy, but rest assured that I am as critical as the next guy... jim 2007-09-27T20:59:08+00:00 Tech Article http://www.audioholics.com/reviews/software/hd-dvd-and-blu-ray-disc-reviews/we-were-soldiers I nabbed the We Were Soldiers HD DVD early on since it was a pairing of Randall Wallace and Mel Gibson. That's as good as calling it Braveheart II as far as I'm concerned. It turns out the HD DVD video quality wasn't all I had expected (OK, it was downright disappointing), but we'll get into more of that that below. clint 2007-08-29T10:09:25+00:00 Tech Article http://www.audioholics.com/reviews/software/hd-dvd-and-blu-ray-disc-reviews/batman-begins-hd-dvd If ever a movie was created to tap into the depths of just how far a DLP or LCD projector can go with regard to black levels you would think it was Batman Begins. Full of scene after scene of dark, detailed imagery, this movie is a veritable smörgåsbord of test clips for just how low your projector will go. Combined with an audio track that will throw you back in your seat, Batman Begins is a wild ride for both sight and sound. clint 2007-08-28T00:00:00+00:00 Tech Article http://www.audioholics.com/reviews/software/hd-dvd-and-blu-ray-disc-reviews/miami-vice-hd-dvd Miami Vice surprised me by being a "straight shooter" in the midst of a series of campy remakes that poked fun at their counterparts. As far as the technological side of the DVD, this is by far the most advanced HD DVD I've yet encountered. If you want to know what the menu system of an HD DVD can do, Miami Vice shows off quite a few of the features. The picture is beautiful, even though much of it is dark and shot in the evening when grain tends to creep into the film. clint 2007-06-04T16:47:20+00:00 Tech Article http://www.audioholics.com/reviews/software/hd-dvd-and-blu-ray-disc-reviews/departed-hd-dvd-review The Departed is a film that captured our attention for several reasons. First off, as an Academy Award winner it stood out for its apparent merit as a film. Secondly, the number of A-list actors in the film are mind-blowing and I knew the film would be enjoyable regardless of plot due to the sheer presence of the talent on the screen. The last reason we chose this disc was due to the fact that surely for such an eventful film as a Scorsese masterpiece the audio and video quality must have been meticulously attended to in the mastering process to HD DVD. clint 2007-05-29T08:40:49+00:00 Tech Article http://www.audioholics.com/reviews/software/hd-dvd-and-blu-ray-disc-reviews/audioholics-hd-dvd-review-methodology There are plenty of places reviewing HD-DVDs* these days, so why should Audioholics even bother? Well, we cruised around the web and the usual sources and found a distinct lack of technical information on the various discs with respect to audio and video quality. Since the entire point of HD DVD and Blu-ray Discs is to provide audio and video that far exceeds that of standard definition DVDs, it's important to focus on those aspects when reviewing the new format discs. clint 2007-05-04T11:03:59+00:00 Tech Article http://www.audioholics.com/reviews/software/dvd-audio-reviews/queen-2013-the-game-review-dts One of the aspects of Queen that excited me the most when reviewing this DVD-Audio disc is their predilection to use unusual sounds in their compositions. To me, 5.1 surround is a perfect venue for some of the more esoteric of Queen's songs. tom 2006-12-07T21:54:30+00:00 Tech Article http://www.audioholics.com/reviews/software/dvd-audio-reviews/porcupine-tree-in-absentia-dts Prior to writing this review I had never heard of the quartet Porcupine Tree. Where I live in New Hampshire , the selection of FM stations is limited unless you have a large outside antenna or live closer to Boston . I have digital radio with my DIRECTV package, however, I never find myself listening to it. Jeff Lawson 2006-12-07T21:54:30+00:00 Tech Article http://www.audioholics.com/reviews/software/dvd-audio-reviews/porcupine-tree-deadwing-dts I was so bitter that I wasn't able to review In Absentia that when the chance to review Deadwing came my way, I jumped at the opportunity. I've been reviewing everything from progressive rock to jazz fusion to folk with hard(er) rock being the one real absence. tom 2006-12-07T21:54:30+00:00 Tech Article http://www.audioholics.com/reviews/software/dvd-audio-reviews/nine-inch-nails-2013-with-teeth-dualdisc by Tom Andry Label: Interscope … tom 2006-12-07T21:54:30+00:00 Tech Article http://www.audioholics.com/reviews/software/dvd-audio-reviews/mutter-beethoven-concerto-romances-sacd When one begins listening to classical music, one of the most logical composers to start with would have to be Ludwig van Beethoven. Even the most novice listener knows Beethoven's most famous four notes. Aside from his symphonies, Beethoven also composed several other types of music. In 1806 he composed the Violin Concerto in D major. Rob Griffin 2006-12-07T21:54:30+00:00 Tech Article http://www.audioholics.com/reviews/software/dvd-audio-reviews/kaje-dvd-audio-disc-cd-review KAJE, pronounced "Kay-Jay" is probably a disc I would not have typically selected on my own, but man am I glad it came across my desk. KAJE wrote, recorded, mixed and mastered the stereo tracks and 3Bone Audio, Inc did the 5.1 mixing and mastering for the DVD-Audio 5.1 mixes (the stereo audio CD version is included on a separate disc). clint 2006-12-07T21:54:30+00:00 Tech Article http://www.audioholics.com/reviews/software/dvd-audio-reviews/graham-nash-2013-songs-for-survivors-dts Of course we all know Nash from Crosby , Stills, Nash, and Young fame, but, not knowing what to expect from this DVD, I cracked the case and looked inside. tom 2006-12-07T21:54:30+00:00 Tech Article http://www.audioholics.com/reviews/software/dvd-audio-reviews/esteban-enter-the-heart-dts Recorded in 1998, legendary Jazz-Latin guitarist Esteban embarked upon creating a new listening experience for his fans by encoding his latest CD with the best current multi channel surround sound scheme available. clint 2006-12-07T21:54:30+00:00 Tech Article http://www.audioholics.com/reviews/software/dvd-audio-reviews/eric-clapton-2013-back-home-dual-disc Eric Clapton's latest release Back Home is made up primarily of original material. This is his first such album in five years. The disc includes nine new tracks and three cover songs: George Harrison's "Love Comes To Everyone", the Spinners', "Love Don't Love Nobody", and Stevie Wonder & Syreeta Wright's "I'm Going Left". John Hopkins 2006-12-07T21:54:30+00:00 Tech Article http://www.audioholics.com/reviews/software/dvd-audio-reviews/eagles-hell-freezes-over-dts Fourteen years ago, the Eagles said they would get back together for a tour when "Hell Freezes Over". I can't recall if 1997 was a cold year, but it I remember it marked the day when the Eagles united for a tour. What made this tour especially nice was that the concert was performed unplugged and recorded in DTS 5.1 Channel Surround Sound. Gene 2006-12-07T21:54:30+00:00 Tech Article http://www.audioholics.com/reviews/software/dvd-audio-reviews/don-henley-end-of-the-innocence-dts Boy, I have to say that I wasn't exactly excited to see a Don Henley DVD on my doorstep, ready for my review. Not exactly my cup of tea. But then I started thinking about it and I realized that I knew at least three songs on the album and that Don Henley was a part of the Eagles Hell Freezes Over 5.1 disc that is well regarded for its audio performance. tom 2006-12-07T21:54:30+00:00 Tech Article http://www.audioholics.com/reviews/software/dvd-audio-reviews/dishwalla-2013-live-greetings-from-the-flow-state-dualdisc It is so easy to gravitate to the jazz section when doing music reviews. You know you will, for the most part, run into great musicians, above average performances, and great audio quality. Rock music doesn't exactly lend itself to fantastic audio quality but it is not outside of the realm of possibility. tom 2006-12-07T21:54:30+00:00 Tech Article http://www.audioholics.com/reviews/software/dvd-audio-reviews/diana-krall-love-scenes-dts You know who you are. You are out there on the web typing "Of course…" as we speak. I see you all the time in the forums just waiting for someone to post a question about what DVD's best show off your system and immediately 57 responses start with "Of course Diana Krall's… .(fill in the blank)." tom 2006-12-07T21:54:30+00:00 Tech Article http://www.audioholics.com/reviews/software/dvd-audio-reviews/death-cab-for-cutie-2013-transatlanticism-sacd-review Let's just say I was having a bad month…or two. I had ordered a few DVD-As for review and was told it would be 7-10 days because one was backordered. I was OK with that as I wasn't really in a rush and a backordered CD is usually a good sign. When I got my order, two of the discs were wrong and the other played... tom 2006-12-07T21:54:30+00:00 Tech Article http://www.audioholics.com/reviews/software/dvd-audio-reviews/crosby-nash-another-stoney-evening-dts Another Stoney Evening is a recording of a live performance given by the duo of David Crosby and Graham Nash on October 10 th , 1971 . Unfortunately, I couldn't make the performance that day because I was… oh… all of five DAYS old at the time. tom 2006-12-07T21:54:30+00:00 Tech Article