64.2 surround sound!!!

The people down at Dolby are at it again... Their new Atmos system has arrived and is meant to be the most significant development in audio since the arrival of surround sound. 

Designed for movie theatres rather than the home use the Dolby® Atmos™ delivers audiences a more natural and realistic soundfield, transporting them into the story with a lifelike sensory experience. More speakers towards the front of the cinema and even speakers above enable the soundfield to create a more natural transition from front to back of the cinema.

Although Dolby Atmos is not designed for the home, any new technology in the cinema will filter down in some form to the home. Only being rolled out in a select few cinemas across the world to start off with, this new sound platform will become the norm in the near future.

Check their website for further details.

Broader than broadway.....

In 2009 Philips released a flat screen with a unique 21:9 (2.40:1) aspect ratio. Its appeal to home cinema aficionados was immediate and obvious. Your favourite movies would no longer be displayed with black bars top and bottom – instead, every inch of the TV would be used to display your hi-def movies in all their glory.

Now Philips has revisited the concept, but this time adding controllable LED backlighting, 3D playback and a couple more inches of screen size to boot. And what do we think... Wow!!

The Philips 58" Cinema 21

The Cinema 21:9 Platinum leave even the most 3D-skeptical boggle-eyed. But in a good way. Real-world contrast was measured at an exceptional 259,853:1, and only minor calibration was required to achieve class-leading picture performance – including 3D visuals that are pretty much free from crosstalk.

Impressive, too, is the Philips' audio and Smart TV features - in fact, it's only really the lack of a Freeview HD tuner that lets this set down.

At around €4,000 for a 58” it's not for nothing, but quality like this never comes cheap. Philips' Cinema 21:9 platinum is undoubtedly the most technologically advanced screen you can buy and challenges Samsung's UE55C9000 as the most desirable. It takes superb pictures, boasts solid audio and extensive features and wraps them in a gorgeous, uniquely-shaped frame.

Really, the only thing wrong with it is its lack of a Freeview HD tuner – but that doesn't stop it bagging full marks. It's not a question of should you buy one, it's just whether or not you can afford to.

To find out more about the latest in flat screen technology or to find out what size TV and type of screen would best suit your home, contact the Future Lifestyle team to book a free consultation.....