On today ’s episode of You enquire : We research why smart TVs do n’t include fast Ethernet connections , how much of all the gear I get to see I actually still use , and do you even need to plug anything else into your boob tube in 2024 ?
Why don’t top-tier TVs have faster Ethernet ports?
Dave writes : With the internet serving providers now provide superfast 1 - 2 Gbps modem / gateway , I ’m somewhat thwarted that the television receiver manufacturers only contain the ancient 10/100 Ethernet adapter in their novel readiness . I get that a ordered 50 Mbps connexion should be sufficient for watching streamed 4 K computer programming . But do you feel that the manufacturers are too cost - conscious to choose for a gigabit Ethernet transcriber on their top tiers of set ?
I get this interrogative sentence a lot . Why do n’t tv set brands get with the time and have eminent - bandwidth Ethernet porthole ? First , most brands do n’t make the board that has the inputs and end product — include HDMI ports and Ethernet port — as well the scheme - on - a - chip ( SoC ) that runs the processing . Perhaps the most popular shaper of that component is MediaTek . And that ’s why when the MediaTek Pentonic SoCs fall out , many of us were promising they would have four HDMI 2.1 input , because we knew that would mean TVs from brands like Sony and others would therefore have four HDMI 2.1 inputs .
The need for a gigabit Ethernet jack on a boob tube is jolly low-spirited . I imply , the folks most potential to take reward of such a affair are try out to stream 4 K Blu - light beam rips from their medium server straight to their telly . Way to be awe-inspiring , but there just ai n’t that many of ya out there .
LG and Samsung could do Gbit Ethernet if they wanted to shift their manufacturing in that management — they make their own chipsets . But I suspect they are n’t doing it for the same reasons MediaTek and others are n’t doing it . There just are n’t many usance sheath that could take advantage of it . And I imagine there are ramifications that go beyond just slapping a new wireless adapter in the admixture .
While it ’s convenient not to have to add a box , you’re able to always add an external streaming gadget that can handle higher bandwidth and fork over the video signaling via HDMI . It ’s not like you ’re whole out of fortune if the TV does n’t have that port on it . But , yeah , I get it . It sure would be squeamish , huh ?
What do you do with your vintage A/V gear?
Robert writes : hump your video on the GoldenEar T66 , and the manner it capture into the worked up position audio equipment can take you . It was excellent and really evocative . It also led me to a related to topic : Inevitably , you end up with equipment that you love that nevertheless loses its “ daily driver ” status . Great speakers , amps , headphones — quality stuff that you have a account with , but is n’t quite what you need for your current media and hearing habits . Do you keep any of it for down the road when you may need to hear a particular sound again , or might have a space to put it to use ? If you do , what are the things that tell apart a keepsake from old hardware ? If you do give ear on to old gear , do you ever in reality bring it back out to give it a spin , or does it end up amass dust ?
I am someone who would care to collect more gear than I can afford to keep around . I used to have a great Harman Kardon twin power pass receiver that I loved , but I terminate up make that to a friend who I wanted to have an awesome retro system , and I knew they would really bask it for what it was . Same story with some speakers I ’ve have over the years . They stand for a lot to me , but ultimately I wanted for them to be enjoyed rather than just gather dust . So , I put my efforts into retrieve someone who would value them as much as I did . That was rewarding in its own way .
There have only been a span of times I got rid of geared wheel that I wish I had n’t . Once was when I was really struggle financially and I sell my Dynaco ST-70 tube amp . But , well , I reacquired one of those . pay through the olfactory organ for it , but I got one back in the collection .
I also have some other Dynaco gear that I will never get go of . It makes for bang-up set pieces , but I am gaga in that I actually run a rotation of gear here . I get new stuff for review and that poppycock commonly goes back to the stain that send it . But I keep my personal material around because I like to apply it from fourth dimension to clip . deepen it up . Not everyone can do that — it just so happens that my chore is awesome and circles around this stuff .
I do have my eye on a couple of other vintage piece I want to buy . I daydream of get some Klipsch Cornwalls or La Salas just because they are monumental and nothing quite sound like them . But those are going to have to go into a dedicated hearing den or something . I am also crave after a couple of vintage Mrantz , Sansui , and Pioneer pieces from the recent 1960s and ’ 70s . And one of these Clarence Shepard Day Jr. , Metzger Vintage Audiois go to get some more of my money . He ’s always have just the best stuff .
But I must confess that I think storage unit of measurement are the heavy waste material of money on the satellite , and I think that manner too much real estate is run into storage units . So I ’m not into store matter that gather junk , unless they are heirlooms that I will never let go of . Otherwise , I desire others to love what I induce to savor . And maybe those piece will bring a special substance to them before they give them off to the next someone — and may the cycle bear on .
Thoughts on a new Android TV box?
Jayesh indite : How useful do you consider an Android TV gimmick is in 2024 ? With the hearsay of Sonos potentially releasing a boxful , what boast would you like to see in a high - end Android box ? I personally would like to have a competition to the Nvidia Shield Pro , which is a fan favorite among fancier . I would like something that supports more modernistic codecs like AV1 and YouTube HDR , as well as something that runs a bit more smoothly . The amount of television and audio affirm the Shield TV Pro has ( such as hold playback of a wide range of Dolby Vision profiles ) is why enthusiasts still lean to favor it five years on .
The idea of a rumor around a Sonos Android TV set - top boxwood is so laughable right now — it ’s already herald thattwo new products have been delayed . Sonos has plenty to conduct with just to get its core business sector back together after thefailed Sonos political platform updatein May . Also , I do n’t see any reason why Sonos would want to get into that variety of hardware . It just seems to go against everything Sonos has always been about . Less ironware , more app .
But , I will say that so long as there are enthusiasts out there with hyper - specific needs for certain codec livelihood , then there ’s enough need for someone to make that box or dongle . I do n’t think it ’s going to be big business — but it ’s a clientele .
I think Nvidia is in the best position to make a new boxful folks want to corrupt . I retrieve Apple could do it , too . But what we know about Apple ’s support for high - re lossless audio recording and video is that it invests just where it serves its interest group at a large weighing machine .
I cogitate Nvidia is so potent and so rich , it probably would n’t care if it drop off a little money on a ecological niche hobbyist box . And I trust it makes an amazing update to the Shield Pro . I wish you would Nvidia — you learn me ?
