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HDTV and Home Theater PodcastAuthor: HT Guys
The HT Guys, Ara Derderian and Braden Russell, are Engineers who formerly worked for the Advanced Digital Systems Group (ADSG) of Sony Pictures Entertainment. ADSG was the R&D unit of the sound department producing products for movie theaters and movie studios. Two of the products they worked on include the DCP-1000 and DADR-5000. The DCP is a digital cinema processor used in movie theaters around the world. The DADR-5000 is a disk-based audio dubber used on Hollywood sound stages. ADSG was awarded a Technical Academy Award by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in 2000 for the development of the DADR-5000. Ara holds three patents for his development work in Digital Cinema and Digital Audio Recording. Every week they put together a podcast about High Definition TV and Home Theater. Each episode brings news from the A/V world, helpful product reviews and insights and help in demystifying and simplifying HDTV and home theater. Our email address is hdtvpodcast@mac.com Language: en-us Genres: News, Tech News, Technology Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it |
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Podcast #1265: Garage Doors - AV Receivers - Atmos in the Family Room
Friday, 14 August, 2026
On today's show we discuss Ara's garage door plan for integrating it into HomeKit, we help a listener decide on which receiver to buy, and we ask whether Atmos is worth it for a family room. We also read your emails and take a look at the week's news. News: Get YouTube TV For Just $67.99 a Month Down From $82.99 For The Rest of 2026 How many subscribers do major live TV streamers have? Other: Bingebuster THIRDREALITY Smart Garage Door Opener Last week I discussed my garage door situation where MyQ does not integrate with Apple's HomeKit. I explained that I will be using a solution called ratgdo (Rage Against The Garage Door Opener). A few of the listeners emailed and suggested that I look at the ThirdReality Smart Garage Door Opener). Available at Amazon for $50. Issues for me: When you install it in Apple home it installs as a lightbulb. I added it to Home Assistant first because I knew Apple HomeKit was going to treat it like a light instead of a garage door. In Home Assistant, it shows up as a light entity, with the on off state following the tilt sensor. To make it behave like a real garage door, I created a Template Cover helper and set the device class to Garage. For the state, I used the template to report open when the light is on and closed when it's off. Then I set the Open and Close actions to call the light.turn_on service on the light entity, so pressing Open or Close in Home Assistant is basically the same as pressing the garage remote button. After that, it shows up and behaves like a garage door inside Home Assistant, with the right open/closed status based on the tilt sensor. It's mechanical. Batteries After Jorge's email,I am now looking past these issues and considering this solution. And yet another listener provided even more fuel for this fire! David writes in and says: Most door operators have a provision for a wall mounted pushbutton ( the same one used for years). It's a momentary pushbutton closure. There is a cold contacts switch which operates in the Matter smart home standard. As a result it works in all the various smart home systems. It's a Shelly 1 Mini Gen 4 device…about $25. I have installed mine into my Apple HomeKit system to operate my Genie garage door opener. There is no sensing of the position of the door in the Shelly 1 Mini Gen 4 - it is only for operating the door. I have used the IKEA "MYGGBETT" door/window sensor ($10) to sense the position of the door - it is also Matter compliant. It is the usual magnet/reed switch pair. I have used this sensor to also trigger a light inside my house to signal an open garage door. The Apple Home automation could be written to close and open door after 10 PM. Or close a door open for more than 1 hour. Marantz, Denon, or Onkyo • Marantz Cinema 70s • Denon AVR-X2800H • Onkyo TX-RZ30 Onkyo TX-RZ30 Pros 9 amplified channels (supports 5.2.4 or 7.2.2 Atmos) Full-bandwidth Dirac Live included (major value) THX Select + IMAX Enhanced certified Dual independent subwoofer outputs + full pre-outs Strong power (~100W/ch) and generally excellent reviews for sound and value Cons Dirac setup can be finicky Onkyo's past reliability reputation still in the back of my mind Denon AVR-X2800H Pros Reliable, polished, user-friendly experience Solid Audyssey MultEQ XT room correction Good, balanced sound and strong HDMI features Much better reliability and support Cons Only 7 channels (max 5.2.2 Atmos without external amps) No Dirac (Audyssey is good but not as advanced) Marantz Cinema 70s Pros Slim, stylish design that fits media cabinets Marantz sound Pre-outs for future expansion Cons Lower power (~50W/ch) — best for smaller/efficient speakers Only 7 channels More expensive relative to performance and channel count Recommendation: Onkyo TX-RZ30 It delivers the most meaningful advantages for the money — 9 channels, including full Dirac Live, THX certification, and independent dual subs. The Denon is the safer "set-it-and-forget-it" choice if you prioritize polish and reliability, while the Marantz is best if you specifically need a slim form factor. For performance and value in a modern Atmos setup, the RZ30 is the clear winner right now. Is Atmos Worth it for a Family Room? Yes, Atmos is usually worth it in a typical family room — but with some practical caveats. Why it's worth it The overhead effects (rain, helicopters, debris, ambiance) add noticeable immersion even in a normal living/family room. A lot of modern movies, streaming shows, and games take advantage of it. Realistic expectations for a family room The "wow" factor is more subtle than in a dedicated theater. You're not going to get the same dramatic height effects you hear in a big cinema. Placement matters a lot. Up-firing Atmos speakers work okay if your ceiling isn't too high or absorbent, but actual in-ceiling or on-ceiling speakers sound better. Aesthetics Committee — extra speakers on or near the ceiling are more noticeable in a shared family space. Bottom line recommendation If you are starting from scratch and have access to wire ceiling speakers do it. If you don't have access you won't miss too much. Skip if the budget is tight, ceiling placement is difficult, or you mostly watch TV/sports rather than movies. A solid 5.1.2 Atmos setup is the sweet spot for most family rooms. You'll get most of the benefit without needing a full 7.1.4 layout.
