The Front Row

We’re back with part three of our HDMI series featuring James Chen, Managing Director of Kordz. This time, we’re taking a look at the physical side of HDMI: how the cables are manufactured, what testing looks like, and what’s really going on inside once you strip away the jacket. James walks us through the cable-building process and gives us a clear understanding of how design and build quality play a role in performance and longevity. We talk about what makes a high-quality cable, how shielding and conductor design impact performance, and why some cables are rigid and unforgiving while others feel like they might fall apart in your hand. We also discuss why some cables fail, what standards really mean, and how to look past flashy packaging and buzzwords when picking the right one for your system. Coming up in Episode 10, we’re shifting focus to the video side of the chain. Rob Brennan joins us to talk tone mapping and projectors, how HDR gets interpreted by different systems, and why your image might not always look the way you expect it to. And after that? We’re stepping away from video for a bit and finally moving into audio, so be on the lookout for that. So grab a drink, get comfortable, and join us to take a closer look at how the cables are manufactured and what to look for when you’re on the hunt for a new HDMI cable. We want to give a big thank you to our podcast sponsor, ⁠⁠Martin Logan⁠⁠. MartinLogan delivers high-performance audio that fuses cutting-edge technology with sleek, elegant design. Engineered for audiophiles and home theater enthusiasts alike, MartinLogan products bring every sound to life with incredible clarity and power. ⁠⁠MartinLogan – Bringing you truth in sound since 1983.⁠⁠ Listen to The Front Row Podcast on your favorite platform and be sure to follow and leave a review on Apple & Spotify: ⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠ ⁠⁠iHeartRadio⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Amazon Music⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Pandora

This week, we’re switching gears for a special CEDIA 2025 recap episode. It’s a more relaxed conversation, more like a roundtable hangout, and we’re joined by a few friends we caught up with at the show: Don from Horizon Home Theater, Ike from EasyHT Tech, and Paul from Brews and Views. CEDIA is one of those events that’s hard to explain unless you’ve been there. Yes, it’s about gear and demos, but it’s also about reconnecting with people you only see once a year, finding weird surprises in the back of a booth, or getting into a long discussion over a single speaker placement. In this episode, we talk through the demos that stood out, the gear that caught us off guard, and the conversations that kept coming up while walking the show floor. It’s not a best of list and we’re not ranking anything, this one’s more about the moments that stuck with us and the things that had us thinking long after the show ended. We also touch on what we’re optimistic about, where we think the industry might be spinning its wheels, and the little details that often get overlooked in the bigger headlines. If you missed CEDIA this year or just want to hear some honest takes from folks who were there, this one’s for you. And while this episode is a bit of a detour from our HDMI series, we’re not done with that topic. James Chen will be back next episode to dig into HDMI issues and how to fix them. In the meantime, grab a coffee or a drink and hang out with us as we decompress from a packed few days in Denver. We want to give a big thank you to our podcast sponsor, ⁠Martin Logan⁠. MartinLogan delivers high-performance audio that fuses cutting-edge technology with sleek, elegant design. Engineered for audiophiles and home theater enthusiasts alike, MartinLogan products bring every sound to life with incredible clarity and power. ⁠MartinLogan – Bringing you truth in sound since 1983.⁠ Listen to The Front Row Podcast on your favorite platform and be sure to follow and leave a review on Apple & Spotify: ⁠Spotify⁠ ⁠Apple Podcasts⁠ ⁠iHeartRadio⁠ ⁠Amazon Music⁠ ⁠Pandora

In Episode 7 of The Front Row Podcast, we’re back with part two of our deep dive into HDMI with James Chen, Managing Director of Kordz. Last episode, we set the stage by unpacking the fundamentals, from pin layouts to protocols like TMDS and FRL. This time, we’re going further down the rabbit hole. We start by breaking down HDMI 2.2 and what it actually means in a real-world setup. From there, we look at the different types of HDMI cables and their use cases. We also start to touch on one of the most requested topics from Episode 6: HDMI issues. What do they look like, what causes them, and how do you fix them? We’re just getting started here, but this episode sets the stage for an even deeper dive into real-world HDMI problems. So if you’ve ever had gear mysteriously stop working or been stuck in a signal handshake loop, you’re going to want to stick around. This is part two of our four-part series with James, because honestly, there’s just too much to cover in one or even two episodes. Part three is already in the works and will air after CEDIA, so keep an eye out for that. And speaking of CEDIA, we’ll be on-site this week with some of the highlights from the show in our next episode. We want to give a big thank you to our podcast sponsor, Martin Logan. MartinLogan delivers high-performance audio that fuses cutting-edge technology with sleek, elegant design. Engineered for audiophiles and home theater enthusiasts alike, MartinLogan products bring every sound to life with incredible clarity and power. MartinLogan – Bringing you truth in sound since 1983. Listen to The Front Row Podcast on your favorite platform and be sure to follow and leave a review on Apple & Spotify: Spotify Apple Podcasts iHeartRadio Amazon Music Pandora

In Episode 6 of The Front Row Podcast, we’re joined by James Chen, Managing Director of Kordz, for a deep dive into HDMI—what it is, how it works, and why it’s been both a blessing and a headache. In Episode 4, we laid the foundation by explaining the basics and frustrations around HDMI. This one peels back the layers and gets into the engineering and signal science behind the cable we all love to hate. We explore what actually goes on inside that little port, from the role of each pin to how HDMI communicates through EDID (Extended Display Identification Data), and what makes TMDS different from FRL (Fixed Rate Link) in newer cable specs. James also walks us through the certifications and what they mean, which ones matter, and how manufacturers use (and sometimes misuse) them. One of the most fascinating parts of this episode is the physical anatomy of the HDMI cable. If you’ve ever cracked one open or wondered why some cables are incredibly stiff while others feel like they might fall apart, we explain why that is and how it affects performance. We also break down why HDMI has remained the standard despite its quirks and what the future of the connection might look like as bandwidth demands increase. So if you’ve ever asked yourself, “Why does my HDMI setup sometimes just stop working?” or been caught swapping cables in the middle of movie night, this episode is for you. It’s everything you never thought you needed to know about HDMI, and you’ll walk away with a better understanding of why these cables continue to be such a critical, and often misunderstood, part of every home theater. This is part one of a three-part series with James, because there’s simply too much ground to cover in a single episode. Part two airs September 2, so stay tuned. And if you have questions you’d like us to ask James in part three, feel free to drop them below! We want to give a big thank you to our podcast sponsor, Anthem Electronics. Anthem isn’t just about power, it’s about precision. From clean amplification to intelligent room calibration, every element is engineered to deliver pure, articulate sound. Unlock the performance your system was made for. Anthem – Elevate. Refine. Enhance Listen to The Front Row Podcast on your favorite platform and be sure to follow and leave a review on Apple & Spotify: Spotify Apple Podcasts iHeartRadio Amazon Music Pandora

Episode five of The Front Row Podcast is here, and this week we’re sitting down with the one and only Rob Brennan. He’s the Technical Account Manager at Epson and someone who’s been around the industry for a long time. Some of you probably remember him from his Sony days, and let’s be honest, Rob knows his stuff! We all know projectors are awesome, but choosing the right one isn’t always easy. There’s a lot of different technology out there, and in this episode, we dive straight into it. We start by talking about how projectors made the jump from commercial cinemas to home setups and how that shift helped shape the tech we see today. Ever wonder how bright the projector is at your local movie theater? We cover that too. From there, we break down the different types of projection tech like single-chip DLP, multi-chip DLP, LCOS, and 3LCD. Rob breaks down the differences, where each shines (pun intended), and where each might fall short. We also get into brightness levels, touch briefly on pixel-shifting tech, and talk about what all of this means for your setup at home. We had so much fun, he’s already planning to come back in September. Next time, we’ll be digging into a topic that doesn’t get enough attention, how projectors were never really built for HDR and what manufacturers are doing to make HDR actually look good in a home theater. We’ll also get into why tone mapping matters more than you think. If you’ve got questions about anything we covered, or if there’s something you want us to ask Rob next time he’s on, drop it in the comments below. We want to give a big thank you to our podcast sponsor, Paradigm Electronics. At Paradigm, sound is not just heard, it’s felt. It’s audio that stirs emotion and is designed to move you. Paradigm - Authentically Canadian, Acoustically Brilliant. Listen to The Front Row Podcast on your favorite platform and be sure to follow and leave a review on Apple & Spotify: Spotify Apple Podcasts iHeartRadio Amazon Music Pandora

This week on The Front Row Podcast, we’re joined by Eric Bodley, founder of Future Ready Solutions and a well respected voice in the AV industry. Eric’s career spans over four decades and includes everything from launching Monster Cable programs and developing the Perfect Path brand of locking HDMI cables, to training hundreds of installers through his IHAVS certification program. He’s also a former CEDIA President and serves on multiple CTA boards. Simply put, if there’s anyone who can break down HDMI in a way that actually makes sense, it’s Eric. In this episode, we take a deep dive into HDMI cables. We talk about why the industry moved to HDMI in the first place, walk through how it’s evolved over the years, and get into that age-old question, what really is the difference between a cheap cable and an expensive one? We also touch on some of the most common HDMI problems and how to avoid them. Anyone who’s ever had a blank or “no signal” screen knows how frustrating it is to swap out gear only to find it was one little cable causing the problem. This episode brings some clarity to one of the most overlooked parts of any setup. And we’re not stopping here. Next episode, we’ll keep the HDMI conversation with James Chen, Managing Director of Kordz HDMI, with a deeper dive into specs and standards and all the things that make people love and hate these cables at the same time. So like always, if you have any questions you would like us to ask, please drop them down below. We want to give a big thank you to our podcast sponsor, Anthem Electronics. Anthem isn’t just about power, it’s about precision. From clean amplification to intelligent room calibration, every element is engineered to deliver pure, articulate sound. Unlock the performance your system was made for. Anthem – Elevate. Refine. Enhance Listen to The Front Row Podcast on your favorite platform and be sure to follow and leave a review on Apple & Spotify: Spotify Apple Podcasts iHeartRadio Amazon Music Pandora

In Episode 3 of The Front Row Podcast, we’re back with part two of our conversation with Jason Dustal, who brings over 25 years of expertise as an ISF trainer, Level 3 calibrator, CTS certified professional, CEDIA certified instructor, and Certified for Envy Product Specialist. This time, we dig deeper into the video technology and how we went from 1080p LED TVs to today’s 4K HDR display. We talk through the differences between HDR formats, what makes Dolby Vision unique, what bit depth really means, and why it matters. We also get into tone mapping and how it can make or break your HDR experience. We got a lot of great feedback on Episode 2, so it only made sense to keep the conversation going. We cover a lot in this one, and if you care about getting the best out of your TV, it’s definitely one you won’t want to miss! We want to give a big thank you to our podcast sponsor, ⁠Anthem Electronics⁠. Anthem isn’t just about power,  it’s about precision. From clean amplification to intelligent room calibration, every element is engineered to deliver pure, articulate sound. Unlock the performance your system was made for. ⁠Anthem – Elevate. Refine. Enhance⁠ Listen to The Front Row Podcast on your favorite platform and be sure to follow and leave a review on Apple & Spotify: ⁠Spotify⁠ ⁠Apple Podcasts⁠ ⁠iHeartRadio⁠ ⁠Amazon Music⁠ ⁠Pandora

Welcome to episode two of The Front Row Podcast, and the first where we sit down with a guest - Jason Dustal! As a well-known and highly respected figure in the AV industry, Jason brings over 25 years of expertise as an ISF trainer and Level 3 calibrator, CTS certified professional, CEDIA certified instructor, and Certified for Envy Product Specialist. He also serves as co-chair on multiple CEDIA standards committees, helping shape best practices for video system design and calibration. His contributions have earned him a spot on Dealerscope’s “40 Under 40” list. In this episode, we dive into the basics of video calibration, things like why it matters, what to look for and what some TV settings actually do. From SDR on old CRT TVs to how calibration has evolved over the years, Jason walks us through where calibration started and where it’s headed. This is part one of a two-part series, with the next episode diving deeper into today’s standards such as HDR, tone mapping and much more! So sit back, relax, and join us for a conversation with one of the true experts in video calibration. We want to give a big thank you to our podcast sponsor, Anthem Electronics. Anthem isn’t just about power,  it’s about precision. From clean amplification to intelligent room calibration, every element is engineered to deliver pure, articulate sound. Unlock the performance your system was made for. Anthem – Elevate. Refine. Enhance Listen to The Front Row Podcast on your favorite platform and be sure to follow and leave a review on Apple & Spotify: Spotify Apple Podcasts iHeartRadio Amazon Music Pandora

In case our written reviews and video content weren’t enough, AVSForum has officially entered the world of podcasts! Say hello to The Front Row Podcast, hosted by Erik Wesley and Ryan Charpentier. In our very first episode, we talk about what the podcast will focus on, how often you can expect new episodes and why we think it’s  worth tuning in. We also share how we each got into the AV industry and our journeys that led us to where we are today. Since this is our very first episode, we would really appreciate your feedback. If there is something we can do better or something you want more or less of, please let us know in the comments. There is also a quick teaser for the next episode at the end and if you have any questions you would like us to ask on the next episode, feel free to drop those below. We want to give a big thank you to our podcast sponsor, Paradigm Electronics. At Paradigm, sound is not just heard, it’s felt. It’s audio that stirs emotion and is designed to move you. Paradigm - Authentically Canadian, Acoustically Brilliant. Listen to The Front Row Podcast on your favorite platform: Spotify Apple Podcasts iHeartRadio Amazon Music Pandora