John Sciacca Writes...

Features, Reviews and a Blog by John Sciacca
Random Thoughts (Blog)
Random Thoughts (Blog)
Random Thoughts (Blog)
3D Goes For Resurrection With Glasses-Free
Posted on January 16, 2014 at 11:05 AM |
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In a way, 3D is kind of like a technological cockroach; no one really wants it, but it also just won’t seem to die. The TV manufacturers are making another attempt to bring 3D back to the market, but this time in a glasses-free version.
Technically known as auto-stereoscopic 3D, glasses-free 3D was being implemented in a variety of ways by multiple manufacturers at CES 2014, and I did my best to visit all of the booths and see the ...
Read Full Post »Video Booth Highlights From CES 2014
Posted on January 16, 2014 at 11:00 AM |
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If you’ve never made it out to Vegas for CES, then it is hard to imagine the immensity of the booths that the major video manufacturers build. Samsung, Sony, LG, Panasonic, Sharp…these are giant, walled fortresses in the midst of the convention center all showing the latest technologies that will be gracing the world in the coming months/years.
I combed the Las Vegas Convention Center’s Central Hall and visited each of t...
Read Full Post »Why 3-D IS and ISN'T Dead
Posted on November 1, 2013 at 11:05 AM |
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There was a time not that long ago when you couldn’t walk 10 paces at an electronics’ trade show without being bombarded by some TV huckster wanting you to see their latest 3-D demonstration.
There would be people lined up like cattle at a feeding trough, crowding around for their turn to grab a pair of glasses and then stand ogling a screen playing an endless demo loop of some carefully selected, overly-bright eye-popping 3-...
Read Full Post »Is 3D still a thing?
Posted on October 4, 2012 at 3:25 PM |
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“Penny: Um, okay. Tell Bernadette to tell Priya that I’m on my way to Prague to shoot a movie with Angelina Jolie.
Amy: Got it. Is it going to be in 3-D?
Penny: What? I don’t know. It doesn’t matter.
Amy: I’m gonna say 3-D. That’ll let her know the studio has faith in it.̶...
Read Full Post »Pushed off the Episode I fence
Posted on February 13, 2012 at 4:55 PM |
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As you likely know Star Wars: Episode I: The Phantom Menace was re-released to theaters this past Friday. In addition to little bits cut back in – identical to the recent Blu-ray release from what I’ve read – the big news is that this release is the first Star Wars film to be released in 3D. (I’m going to avoid the obvious, long-hanging Jar Jar in 3D jokes here.) And I have been straddling the fence about whether to pony up and go see this or not....
Read Full Post »CEDIA 2011: The Video Stuff (pt 1)
Posted on September 20, 2011 at 5:25 PM |
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As a home theater nut, the video portion of CEDIA is what really puts the peanut butter in my chocolate. Sadly, the show has definitely devolved over time; in the past, glorious ,financial windfall heydays of yesteryear – you know, before the pin was thrust into the economic balloon – there would be giant, mega booths competing for best demo of the show, blasting out SPLs that would make your cochlea both tingle and whither. There would be these sick dedicated scree...
Read Full Post »First Look! Runco D-73D 3D Video Projector
Posted on March 17, 2011 at 4:42 PM |
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I first experienced Runco’s new D-73d 3D projector at the CEDIA Expo last September and was pretty impressed. By “pretty impressed” I mean that it was the best display of 3D technology I witnessed at the show. I find myself prone to headaches and discomfort when viewing many 3D demonstrations, and the D-73d was the easiest-on-the-eyes solution I’d seen. But there is a big difference between being wowed by a 10-minute demo and evaluating something critica...
Read Full Post »Should You Really Avoid Stacking Projectors for Passive 3D?
Posted on March 10, 2011 at 3:02 PM |
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There was a blog post a few weeks ago titled “Four Reasons to Avoid Stacking Projectors for Passive 3D Installs.” I read it. Chances are you read it too. (Come on, you know you can't get enough about 3D!) And after reading the post I thought, “Yeah, those are all good reasons why you wouldn’t want to stack projectors. Heck, I don’t even real...
Read Full Post »Mastering the Art of Home Cinema
Posted on March 8, 2011 at 12:09 PM |
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Outside of control companies like Crestron, Control4 and even Lutron where dealers are required to attend training to be certified before they can sell and install systems, not many companies even offer any formal factory training. And this is especially true in the video segment, where generally a pulse and hot PO is all that is required to sell the latest flat panel set.
One company that stands apart from this is Runco. They have been c...
Read Full Post »3D: I just can't quit you!
Posted on March 3, 2011 at 3:58 PM |
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OK, so a BIG part of my trip out to Oregon to visit Runcoland was to get my 3D on. Runco was out to convince me that their new D73 projector was the shizzle of 3D and that there ain’t no 3D party like a Runco 3D party. So, to that end, I spent all day – as in ALL DAY, as in from 9 AM to 6 PM – Tuesday reviewing and assessing and assimilating myself into Runco’s new 3D video projector.
This was time spent in...
Read Full Post »Accept 3D and be saved!
Posted on February 16, 2011 at 10:26 AM |
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The particular part of the country that I live in is often referred to as “The Bible Belt.” And living in the Bible Belt, there are no shortage of churches. I haven’t kept an exact count – plus new ones are being added all the time – but I pass literally *dozens* on my to and from work. In fact, I pretty much pass dozens on my way to and from anywhere. While we have couple of large ones – though none of them are the mega-opolis types w...
Read Full Post »Tron: Irony, Fatigue and Dislike in the Third Dimension
Posted on February 2, 2011 at 5:19 PM |
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For a number of reasons (OK, that exact number of reasons is three. 1) The inconvenience; it is difficult to just run out and see a movie with Lauryn. Also, our schedule is very fluid. There are times when we’ll start a movie at 9:13 other times at 9:58; to have to conform to some schedule set by “The Man” because he thinks shows should start at a specific time is often tough. And if I miss that "let's go out to the lobby, let's go out to the lobby..." jingle,...
Read Full Post »3D: I STILL pretty much hate you!
Posted on January 23, 2011 at 9:07 PM |
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One of my first posts here was titled “3D: I kind of already hate you.” Disenchanted by the overwhelming marketing hype that was cramming this new technology down our throats with a giant, splinterey, 3D battering ram – even though 3D sets hadn’t even ...
Read Full Post »The Big White Elephant of Inspiration
Posted on January 13, 2011 at 5:10 PM |
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For the second straight day, I’m assuming the role of babysitter. I’ve got a 9 year old, picked up early from school for supposed sickness, Kinsley, upstairs watching some Amanda Bynes movie on VHS and eating through a package of Saltines and a 4-year old, Lauryn, sitting next to me on the couch watching Open Season on DVD on
Read Full Post »Nintendo 3DS: Loves your children blind
Posted on January 6, 2011 at 3:13 PM |
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Remember several months ago when I told you that 3D hated babies, old people and drunks? And how Samsung said cautioned warned was likely prodded at the urging of their entire legal department to issue the decree that “Viewing TV using the 3D function” could cause little...
Best Buy minus 3D = Dropping, Dropping, Dropped!
Posted on December 19, 2010 at 4:05 PM |
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With an entire weekend between us and my last post, I’m hoping that you’ll remember that I was reading through one of the latest issues of TWICE recently that recapped the Black Friday after action report. One of the things that the Weekly – that̵...
Read Full Post »Polo raises awesome to the 4th D!
Posted on November 13, 2010 at 11:51 AM |
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I’ll admit... I’m a Polo Ralph Lauren fan boy. Like big time. And if you thought that it was just a happy irony that Lauryn is named Lauryn, well, sorry to spoil it for you. (Also, the inspiration for her middle name was a Mont Blanc pen slogan.) It’s also not an exaggeration to say that like 75% of my clothing (if not more) is Polo Ralph Lauren. When I was a golf professional, I had a personal contact at Polo Golf named Karen that I would call to...
Read Full Post »Guess who's back? Back again? Runco's back! Tell a friend
Posted on September 29, 2010 at 4:35 PM |
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3D’s created a monster, ‘cos nobody wants to see 2D no more they want 3D. 2D’s chopped liver. Well if you want 3D, then this is what I’ll give ya, a little bit of Runco mixed with some big picture. Some eyewear that will calm down your eyes quicker...
OK, enough with the Real Slim Shady. If there was anything I learned at the CEDIA Expo this year it was this: Do NOT attempt to walk to ...
Read Full Post »Panasonic Support Sucks in 3D
Posted on August 17, 2010 at 6:15 PM |
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If you recall, I mentioned receiving a new 65-inch Panasonic (I’ll not use the term Panny here. In fact, it makes me hate you a little-bit when I hear you use it. Also, if I find that you used the term “Panny” in an on-line forum post, I’m going to just assume that you are a sweaty, pale-skinned shut-in who lives in your parent’s basement and spends a...
Read Full Post »Avatar does NOT equal all 3D
Posted on July 23, 2010 at 6:55 AM |
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Admittedly, I’ve done my share of 3D bashing. In fact, one of my first posts on the subject was 3D: I kind of already hate you
which *pretty* much sums it all up. Then I pointed out that 3D kinda hates old people, babies and drunks.
...
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