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Year-End Tech Alternatives
By Michael Heiss
While some hold to a regimen of “spring cleaning,” others clear things out at year-end. You know the drill: Throw out those magazines that have piled up unread, remember to make those year-end tax payments and charitable contributions, prepare to replace the current calendars with ones for the new year. I’m certain that you have a similar routine.
Mine, however, is a bit different. Over the course of a year, it is simply not possible to write about all the new products that are appropriate in our business space and personal lives. The mess that passes for my office has a few shelves devoted to products I couldn’t mention or review simply due to the press of other news in our constantly evolving industry. However, as the year comes to a close it seems appropriate to let you in on some of these interesting products, either as the solution to an installation challenge, as a holiday gift for others, or just to reward yourself.
The theme here will be alternatives. In some cases, the way to use a brand or product you might not have thought of, or in some cases a product that does something different than the solution you might otherwise have used.
Let’s start with cord-cutting. To many, that means cutting the cable cord to switch to streaming services. This is all well and good, and the devices, smart TVs, and services for that are something that you will continue to see covered here. However, there is one cord I suggest that you might not want to cut, and that is the one to your TV antenna, either indoors or outdoors. Why pay for the local and network stations when they are free? Even better, why miss out on the wide range of educational, ethnic, religious, nostalgia, special interest, and shopping channels typically not carried on either cable or streaming services?
Sling AirTV
Two alternative answers for that here, particularly if you would like more than one tuner and would like to “DVR” the off-air channels. Two options are the AirTV products from Sling. Both connect to the antenna and do not need a direct connection to the TV. Instead, you load the Sling app for free to your streaming device, smart TV or mobile device and simply select the channels to watch there. The grid guide makes it easy to select those that you would like to record.
The AirTV 2 ($99.99) has two tuners with the caveat that you also need to add an external USB drive for recording. For those who want even more recordings at the same time, the AirTV Anywhere ($199.99) has four tuners and a built-in 1TB drive. Discounts for both are available with the purchase of a three-month subscription to Sling and there are also add-ons for both indoor and outdoor antennae.
Thanks to Sling, I’ve used the AirTV products with an outdoor antenna and received 178 offair channels. That’s great, but what if the viewer prefers a traditional remote rather than an app interface and needs a direct connection to the display rather than depending on a Wi-Fi connection? That’s where Tablo’s new DUAL or QUAD HDMI models shine. Tablo’s other models, which I have used with great success, operate in the same way as the AirTV2 other than you connect to them using the Tablo app. The interface is clean, easy to view, and navigate. There is also a “commercial skip,” which is particularly useful for over-the-air broadcasts.
The real benefit of the new models is that the direct HDMI connection makes it easy to use an over-the-air DVR on a “not smart” TV. Even better, the included remote makes it easy to navigate the guide and menus, and there are
Sling AirTV
“transport controls” for fast forward and rewind as well as pause/play. As a CEC device, there is a power on/off toggle as well as mute and volume control. To make it easier for digital novices to change channels, there are channel up/down and “last channel” buttons. The ability to control a product of this type with a remote, as well as through the Tablo app makes a good product even better.
The Dual (two tuner) model lists at $149.99 and the Quad (four tuner) model is $199.99. An external USB-connected hard drive is required for recording, and there are monthly, yearly, or lifetime options for access to a 14-day program guide and other additional features after a 30day free trial.
Both iterations of the OTA DVR concept provide an interesting alternative to cloud recording or a traditional DVR using a cable box.
THX Onyx
Another cord that some people might not want to cut is the one to your headphones. Despite the popularity and increasing performance quality of wireless and TWS ear buds and headphones, there are limitations on the quality of the DAC circuits on many phones and devices. That is where the THX Onyx comes into play. Rather than cutting and replacing a cord, it enables you to connect your headphones to any digital output using a USB-A or USB-C jack, or when using an optional adapter, a Lightning jack. Then, thanks to a design centered on the ESS 9281Pro DAC, the digital output is converted to analog and output to a standard 3.5mm jack.
The end result is much better sound, particularly with the high-resolution streams available through services such as Tidal and Roon. At an MSRP of $199, some may consider the external DAC approach somewhat excessive when compared with Bluetooth, but this may be yet another alternative to something more familiar that delivers the goods.
Austere V-Series Power
Even for the most aggressive cord-cutters, it is always necessary at some point along the way to plug in a power cord, whether it is for AC, “wall wart” transformers, or low voltage charging to USB-A or USB-C ports. Over the years I have seen and used power strips from the under $10 options you get at the local hardware or drug store to some mega-strips with significant power protection or the 6-foot rackmount units that line the periphery of my office desktops. I thought I had seen them all until the folks at Austere provided me with one of their “V-Series Power” products.
The six-outlet model I’ve tested (there is also an 8-outlet) is probably heavier than some of the audio/video components plugged into it. No plastic here, but rather a brushed aluminum housing. On the top are the AC outlets, all surge protected, power filtered and sporting over current and thermal protection to prevent fires due to overload. The outlets are in two groups of three, and each set is in the opposite direction and with room to fit some of the clunkier power adapters. Yes, this is a six-outlet power strip where you can really use all six outlets without having the power supplies bump up against each other!
On one outer end there are two USB-A and three USB-C ports for charging mobile devices or powering streamers and similar devices. Each port delivers 2.4A, with a total load draw of 6 amps and 30 watts. Connected to the edge is a power switch and a very heavy duty WonderArmor, High-Flex power cable that befits the 1,800-watt power limit.
At $149.99 and $179.99 for the six- and eightoutlet versions, respectively, these are far from the least expensive power strips, but they definitely provide design and features that justify the price.
PLA6456 from Zyxel
Even in the wireless world, there is one other cord that can’t be cut, and for that I have yet
THX Onyx
Austere’s V-Series Power Strip
Zyxel PLA6456
another alternative. Yes, virtually everyone uses Wi-Fi for broadband connectivity, and with recent advancements such as Wi-Fi 6e and TriBand communication, wireless is better than ever. But, there are also cases where even the best wireless products can’t reach part of an installation, where you need to put a repeater/ extender in a location where the wireless can’t be received, or for devices that require a hardwired RJ-45 connection for speed or security.
What to do as an alternative to Wi-Fi? Powerline connectivity products have long been an answer, and the latest models are not burdened by the speed limitations of earlier designs. One example that I have tried is the PLA6456 from Zyxel. The name may not sound familiar, but they are a global leader in the enterprise and home networking products space.
Installation is simple: Plug each of the two units into a wall outlet (preferably not to a power strip), connect the RJ-45 port on one side to your router or switch, and the target device to the port on the other end of your devices. There is even an AC pass-through outlet along with the indicator lights so that you don’t lose a power connection.
The innovative G.hn Wave 2 technology is said to deliver Gigabit speed, up to 2400 Mbps that is sent over the power lines in the installation up to 300 meters, as long as they are on the same electrical system. Along with the speed, the data may be password protected and uses 128-bit AES encryption. That means content up to 8K video may be sent without a problem. At $89.99 this is a good thing to keep in your quiver of connectivity alternatives.
AverMedia PW315
Along with toilet paper, one of the hardest things to find during the early days of the pandemic was a webcam. Now that things have eased up a bit there is a new model to suggest, again from a reliable brand that might be considered as an alternative as it may not be totally at your front of mind.
AverMedia is actually a well-known brand in the video creation, collaboration, and education space. Their PW315 checks all the boxes and more and is an almost certainly a step up from the, “I’ll buy whatever I can get” days of last year.
Along with an impressive 1080p/60fps imaging system, a key benefit is a 95-degree, ultrawide, field of view. That is perfect for conference rooms where you want to show the whole team, or for closer-in monitor top mounting. This, along with a standard tripod mounting hole that supplements the built-in monitor mount clip makes it easier to place it steadily and securely place the PW315 just far enough away from the couch to get everyone in the frame. As many of us begin another season of virtual holidays, this is a major benefit.
There is even a privacy shutter to block the camera lens when not in use, and a dual-mic array that rounds out a package that is worth considering at the MSRP of $119.99.
Zvox AV157
Finally, one more “alternative.” The Accuvoice soundbars from Zvox. They perform well from a sonic standpoint, but that is not their strongest selling point. Using Zvox’s patent-pending technology, based on the techniques originally developed for hearing aids, the Accuvoice does a great job of lifting voices out of soundtracks to make them clearer and more understandable.
At first glance you might say that this can be done by simply raising the center channel volume level on a 3.1 soundbar or any multichannel AVR or soundbar, or using equalization, but this is a totally different approach. Accuvoice uses sophisticated, custom-designed processing that combines compression, consonant-range boost, and slightly minimized bass output to literally lift the dialogue out of the audio mix.
I admit to being a bit skeptical about all of this, so I put the AV157 provided by Zvox to the test with a variety of program material and types of soundtracks. With 12 different adjustment levels, it took a bit of experimentation to find the setting that worked best for me, but it really does work. Is the total sonic performance as good as my 5.1 channel system with high-end discrete speakers driven by a 100wpc AVR? No.
On the other hand, even with the center channel level raised, the Zvox proved its merits by presenting clear dialog – albeit from two channels – without raising the total background noise. Pricing for the Accuvoice models ranges from $99.99 to $299.99, depending on the number of boost levels, the input types, cabinet materials, and amplifier power. Again, certainly not the same as a full-out 7.1 soundbar with Dolby Atmos, but the Zvox models don’t pretend to be that. Rather, they have a very well-defined task to perform, and they do that very well.
So, as the year ends, let’s all clean out the things that have accumulated during the year, but also look carefully at alternatives that you may have put aside or overlooked. You just may find something that will increase your productivity, connectivity, or entertainment presentation in the year ahead. May that year be a happy, productive, profitable, peaceful, and, most importantly, a healthy one for us all. x
Zvox
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