Biggest home theater innovations of the last 5 years?

The death of anaglyph 3D for the rise of full color 3D at HD resolution.

OLED TVs and digital projectors.

Doesn't Bluray fit in that time frame?

+1 on Blu-ray.

Also, Audyssey room correction software.

Prices, that's the biggest part. It's so cheap now even budget user can get a decent projector setup.!

basically this and does quality of streaming content count?

lol, streaming content? probably not :P

End of Format Wars II
Room Correction
DLNA (Same window???)
Truly functional MRV
OLED - Gonna be an awesome decade...

TrueHD/DTS Master Audio.HD Video has been out for sometime now.Prices coming down on Pre-Pro's and High Current Amps.

Audissey room correction

I'd go for bluray but I think it's been more than 5 years. So it's a toss-up between quad and OLED.

OLED isn't quite ready for primetime. (It's still in early adopter mode.)

So, I'll go with DLNA.

In the next two years I'd say OLED.

USB inputs on turntables.

1080p projectors at reasonable prices.

I wouldn't consider PRICES to be innovations.

I do think that streaming media has made a significant impact on the industry, and that has definitely taken off in the last 5 yrs. Over half of the content I enjoy now either streamed or watched via DVR. Definitely NOT the case 5 yrs ago.

Control has also made very large strides. iPhone/iPad control, wifi/zigbee interfaces, even the newer gesture stuff... many great things coming to the home theater in that regard.

What about gaming? I think back to when I camped outside Walmart in 2007 for the release of the PS3... never did I think I'd be using that same platform, REGULARLY, for the next 5 years. Being able to update games, download upgrades and add-ons, and use them as media centers makes them incredibly valuable and versatile home theater products.

And, though I'm equipped to use it and never do, I still think 3D needs to be recognized. It may not be everyone's cup of tea... but the availability of both content and price points have made it accessible to the average consumer.

What about frame interpolation???

Sharp needs to be commended for bringing monster HT Size panels of 70", 80", soon to be 90" at Consumer friendly prices and of course reviving the Elite Name and PQ that no one thought an LCD could present. It's forcing others to step up at Samsung with a 75" and LG 84" Consumer panel. Raising the bar for all and the consumer is the beneficiary.

Also, the growth of HD Channels and source material versus five years ago is dramatic so much so now that the industry will be seeking something better that 1080 for the next five years, aka Super HiVision.

Streaming could qualify if frustrating crap was considered innovative.

In my opinion, The means to be able to purchase digital downloaded copies of movies (sorry I dont stream rented material) through the likes of programs like Ultraviolet and this will only get better with the release of the UV CFF later this year.

sub-$1000 1080p projectors bring big screen HD to the masses. Black Diamond screens lessen the need for a dedicated room for HT.

Okay. So I would say BluRay but that actually came out June of 2006. So to go along with those lines, how about the PS3? It's about 5.5 years old with it's release Nov of 2006. That thing has been a great do it all component. I think it changed home theater forever and the key reason why BluRay won the format war over HD-DVD. PS3 Hands down!
Last but not least, if you want me to play by the rules and pick something within the past 5 years. Internet Direct companies. I know they have been around for awhile but the quality, affordability and selection from ID companies had really taken off over the past few years. I can buy very high end components today from an internet direct company that would have cost me $4000 10 years ago but cost me $800 today. One can truly enjoy high end home audio and video for a fraction of what you would have paid over 5 years ago.

Im hearing that projector sales are on the steady increase recently. They are now in the affordable range.

The iPad (as a home & a/v automation device)

The transition from rear projection displays to wall mountable LED/Plasma flat panel displays.

In really trying to stay within the 5 year criteria the choice become pretty small. OLED can't count because I can't go out and see one. Blu-ray has been out for more than 5 years. Not sure how long the LED technology has been out but that should be pretty close. Whole home DVR's like the Hopper is kind of big. Sharp's bringing the 70"+ screens to the general public is a big deal. That's all I can think of. Plenty of evolution of existing technology but really, plasma's are still having burn in (IR) concerns and lots of buzzing complaints, LED/LCD's are having clouding issues and flashlighting issues. Local dimming seems to be going away except for the highest end models. Considering NEW technology the last 5 years has been pretty boring.

Technologies that benefit the mass market:

1. 1080P Full HD
2. General availability and recognition of room correction
3. Price reduction in HD display

Netflix (or other streaming media's mass adoption.)


It sure changed my home theater direction. I was collecting DVD's like they were going out of style. I have over 500 (around here I know that size of collection is small, but it's big for the average non avsforum junkie). I started collecting blurays and HD-DVDs but only have about 50 before I got hooked into netflix, now I only pick up movies I really enjoy on DVD or Bluray -- whereas before I'd just roll the dice on movies tha went on sale. (Which is why I have 500 some odd DVDs) Thing is, if you figure a DVD or BluRay is about $15 bucks it costs more than that to go to the theater and I justified the purchases by saying I can buy the movie for $15 or pay $20 to go to the movie theater and see it. Netflix and Amazon Prime have changed all that.

the fact rthey finally standardized avr's., with all being somewhat equal in features,
DTS MA music at 96/24! ( multi-channel of course!)
Oppo digital

Home Automation and Control, without question. Twelve years ago I had to spend 20 minutes talking up the value of purchasing a DTMF card for limited remote control of macros in an AMX or Crestron home automation system. Now people ask "why can't my toaster send me status updates and live streaming video to my iPhone while I surf the web on my TV!!!!" That's a HUGE change in perspective, particularly in the last five years since the advent of iPhones and iPads.