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Pixar is at it again with the pristine additions of Toy Story and Toy Story 2 on high-def Blu-ray this week.

Pixar’s at it again. Whether you’re looking for razor-sharp demo material as a custom installer or a good reason to sit through some high-def animation with your children, Pixar has always come through with its standard-def and Blu-ray releases. This week is no exception, as we get both Toy Story and Toy Story 2 sequel on Blu-ray for the first time.

We can’t wait to see all of the details of Andy’s room and his toys in high-definition, along with the enveloping surround sound. No, the Toy Story movies aren’t in super-wide 2.35:1 format like some more recent Pixar Blu-rays such as Wall-E and A Bug’s Life, but those of you with traditional 16:9 screens (especially projection screens) should still have a blast taking in the game-changing animation of the 1995 original and its 1999 sequel.

For a more recent children’s-oriented theatrical release, Fantastic Mr. Fox arrives on Blu-ray format as well this week. Unlike Pixar you don’t get the voice talent of John Ratzenberger (hey, we know he’s not the Toy Story star but we love that he’s in every Pixar movie), but you do get to hear the likes of George Clooney, Bill Murray and Meryl Streep in this Wes Anderson-directed movie.

Speaking of Clooney, even if you’re a fan of his films you may have missed the short-lived Men Who Stare at Goats in theaters. Obviously it’s no Up in the Air, but the solid ensemble cast includes Clooney, Kevin Spacey, Oscar-winner Jeff Bridges and Ewan McGregor, and at 94 minutes it could make for a good high-def rental. For an Oscar-acclaimed release this week, check out Sandra Bullock’s performance in The Blind Side—and it doesn’t matter if you’re a football fan or not.

If you’re interested in catching up on some TV, the best bet this week is the continuing saga featuring the men and women of AMC’s Mad Men—this week marks Season Three’s arrival on Blu-ray disc.

And in case you missed it, the tweeny-bopper fave Twilight got a jump on the traditional Tuesday release date by sending out Twilight Saga: New Moon just after midnight on March 20.

Here’s the full slate of Blu-ray releases for the week (schedule and slideshow synopses courtesy of Blu-ray.com):
The African Queen
Alter Bridge: Live from Amsterdam
Bigger Than Life
The Blind Side
Brothers
Days of Heaven
Fantastic Mr. Fox
Free Willy: Escape from Pirate’s Cove
The Men Who Stare at Goats
Mad Men: Season Three
Nabari No Ou: The Complete Series
Phantom Punch
Red Cliff Part 1 & 2
Smokin’ Aces: 2-movie collection
Spring 1941
Toy Story
Toy Story 2
Trinity Blood: The Complete Series
The Twilight Saga: New Moon
The Vans Warped Tour 15th Anniversary Celebration
Yojimbo/Sanjuro

by Arlen Schweiger

http://www.electronichouse.com/article/top_10_blu-ray_releases_for_march_23/

Custom Installation Services, LLC - Audio/Video Sales, Service and Installation in North Carolina and South Carolina

You can’t have an audio system without speakers, however, it’s the speakers that cause the most problems, especially with respect to interior design. Known for their wide selection of residential ceiling fans, Hunter has teamed up with Soundolier Integrated Wireless Technologies to create the Concert Breeze, a combination ceiling fan and powered audio system.

At first glance, the Concert Breeze looks like any common ceiling fan, yet hidden inside the fan’s light is a proprietary 2.4GHz wireless audio system. Without the hassle and expense of running wires, the Concert Breeze receives full range digital quality audio from any source, up to 300ft away. Simply connect a Soundolier Maestro wireless transmitter to any audio source – TV, mp3 player, etc. – through the speaker level or 3.5mm input jack and send stereo DSP audio to the Concert Breeze. Four selectable stereo signal channels virtually eliminate interference and one transmitter can send the signal to an unlimited number of receiver devices within the signal range.

According to Brendan Byrne, Senior Vice President of ceiling fans for Hunter, “The ceiling fan’s central location in the room naturally makes for a more premium sound since the speaker location can greatly affect the overall audio quality. With this design, the speaker is optimally located in the center of the room, so, the music literally showers over everyone equally.”

Paul Schleipfer, Marketing Manager for Soundolier explains the advantages further, “When distributing sound, audio coming from overhead has an all-encompassing effect that fills a room more naturally. It’s the reason airports, restaurants and other public buildings place speakers in the ceiling. However, with custom built speakers in the ceiling the challenge is incorporating them with lighting, electrical, and of course, ceiling fans. When a speaker is placed above the fan, it creates a strobing effect and destroys audio clarity. With the high quality speaker system and light housed beneath the fan in a single powered unit, the sound quality is preserved plus it blends in seamlessly with the environment and decor.”

The fan can be used in conjunction with a subwoofer and other audio components for a complete home audio experience. The unit comes with a credit card sized wireless remote that controls both the volume of the sound system and the brightness of the lamp. The Concert Breeze comes in two options: an indoor rated model available in brushed nickel with dark cherry blades and an indoor-outdoor model with bronze finish for covered porches or sunrooms. The Concert Breeze sells for $499 and is available at authorized Hunter and Soundolier dealers.

Courtesy of http://www.hometheaterdesignmag.com

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