Number of results 303 for TV

03/03/2010 - New DirecTV TiVo will be based on the old TiVo interface
DirecTV TiVo
Well isn't this a kick in the head -- first TiVo fans who subscribe to DirecTV were left high and dry years ago and now if it is actually released this Spring it'll have been almost two years since the two companies announced they'd join forces once again. As if all that waiting wasn't bad enough, these same fans were probably excited to see the new TiVo user interface -- even if they weren't excited about anything else -- only to hear Tom Rogers tell Light Reading that "Their [DirecTV's] next implementation of us is not going to have this look and feel. It's based on the classic TiVo." Oh man are you kidding? Rogers did say that a new tru2way version of the new look would be available in the future and that Comcast has already shown interest. And for those who think $300 is still too much for a DVR, Rogers confirms that "We don't make money on hardware. Hardware is really a way for us to get out our user experience."

New DirecTV TiVo will be based on the old TiVo interface originally appeared on Engadget HD on Wed, 03 Mar 2010 17:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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18/02/2010 - Eyes-on with HBO GO
HBO GO is the latest new service to bring pay TV content to your PC -- assuming you can prove you pay for cable. So today when FiOS announced that its subscribers were to be one of the first to use it, we decided to try it out. Honestly we didn't even expect it to work considering, you know, we don't subscribe to HBO. Now we're sure it won't take long before this is locked down to actual HBO subscribers, but in the meantime we spent some time playing so you'd know what you were, or weren't missing.

Continue reading Eyes-on with HBO GO

Eyes-on with HBO GO originally appeared on Engadget HD on Wed, 17 Feb 2010 20:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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17/02/2010 - PS3's Torne DVR adapter gets moved up to March in Japan
PS3's Torne DVR adapter gets moved up to March in Japan, still never elsewhere
Well, look at that. After a suite of delays and a confirmed launch in May, the Torne DTV DVR adapter for the PS3 (OMG, TLA overload) is actually getting released two months ahead of schedule. It'll ship on March 18, to be exact, which just so happens to be the birthday of a certain Engadget editor -- a certain editor who certainly won't be expecting one of these as a present, as it's highly unlikely that this device, or the all-inclusive bundle with a 250GB PS3, will ever see American shores. Meanwhile those in Japan can expect to pay ¥9,980 ($110) or ¥42,800 ($466.52) for the "limited edition" bundle, which we hear makes a lovely unbirthday present.

PS3's Torne DVR adapter gets moved up to March in Japan originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 17 Feb 2010 10:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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26/01/2010 - DirecTV's new HR24 DVR to reach customers this quarter
H24 DirecTV DVR
We showed you a video demo from CES that looked pretty good and apparently the new HR24 DVR and H24 thin client from DirecTV is already in production and will be reaching customers by the end of the quarter. No prices and specifics just yet, but we do know that this DVR has somewhere between three and either tuners, and you can connect up to eight H24 clients up via coax (thanks to MoCA) and watch recordings or live TV in up to three other rooms of the house at the same time. The best part is that since there's only server, no matter what room you're in, you get the same exact experience. We also expect to hear that both Samsung and Sony have built the RVU client directly into their new TVs, and if so, then you wouldn't even need a set-top at the TV to watch the HD DVR.

DirecTV's new HR24 DVR to reach customers this quarter originally appeared on Engadget HD on Tue, 26 Jan 2010 10:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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24/01/2010 - Poll: Did you buy an internet connected HDTV?
One last followup on the trends of CES '09, last time we checked about 20% of you were at least thinking about grabbing a new HDTV with internet features last year. Of course, that was before VIZIO's XVT 55-inch was delayed and we were slightly disappointed by the widget performance on Samsung's LED model and desires cooled off a bit. So, how many of you are currently watching the conference championships on screens with Ethernet or WiFi hookups embedded in them? Anyone actually tweeting or pulling in Facebook updates via their remote? According to what we saw this year, televisions acting as embedded platforms for more services is a trend that will keep growing, but how is it working out so far?

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Poll: Did you buy an internet connected HDTV? originally appeared on Engadget HD on Sun, 24 Jan 2010 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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20/01/2010 - DirecTV's public beta of multi-room viewing for existing DVRs is on
DirecTV MRV

We truly believe that one day the idea of having a DVR in just one room of the house will be forein to most and here's a new step in that direction. DirecTV has a new opt-in public beta of multi-room viewing software for its HR2x series of HD DVRs. Now this is not to be confused with the new hardware that uses RVU that we showed you from CES due later this year -- we wish -- this is simply adding new features to hardware you already bough leased. The way this will work is that you'll plug each DirecTV box into your home network via CAT5, enabled sharing, and pay an additional monthly fee. At that point you'll not only be able to stream shows between DVRs or standard HD set top boxes, but you'll also be able to delete shows as well as schedule new recordings. The big downer is it's far more complex than many will be willing to tackle, especially since the user must still manage the network and the sharing settings, as well as the fact as there still isn't one cohesive list of scheduled recordings. And worst of all, there is no resume sync, so if you start a show on one DVR, you'll have to figure out where you left out by fast forwarding when you decide to finish the rest in bed. Ultimately this is a great feature to offer and although it isn't what we're waiting for, it is a big step in the right direction.

Thanks Doug and Jonathan!

DirecTV's public beta of multi-room viewing for existing DVRs is on originally appeared on Engadget HD on Wed, 20 Jan 2010 07:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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14/01/2010 - Japan gets Torne PS3 DTV DVR adapter in May, all is right with the world
Japan gets Torne PS3 DTV DVR adapter in May, all is right with the world
When the PS3 was announced so many moons ago, one of the major functions that was touted about the thing would be its ability to record and process high-definition video. It's taken quite some time to get there, with the oft-delayed PlayTV tuner finally hitting Europe in late 2008, though the rest of the world still got left out in the cold. Sony's finally taking care of its home crew, announcing Torne, a DTV adapter for Japan that will enable recording of television and even video playback while surfing the web. The Torne will ship in March, priced ¥9980 ($110) on its own or ¥42,800 ($465) as part of yet another PS3 bundle. When will we in the US get a little tuner love? Probably never, at this rate.

Japan gets Torne PS3 DTV DVR adapter in May, all is right with the world originally appeared on Engadget HD on Thu, 14 Jan 2010 07:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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07/01/2010 - Sony OLED 3D TV eyes-on
Hey! Don't run away just because this here display has 3D in its name -- it's optional don't you know. Sony is showing off its 24.5-inch OLED television here at CES, and we have to admit to being blown away once more by the sheer vibrancy and clarity of the output. The jump from the 15-inch panels that are still very sparsely available in retail channels is most welcome. We can totally envision spending our happily ever after with one of these screens serving all of our visual needs, 3D or otherwise. Sony's reps couldn't tell us when these will make it to market, but the pics below should whet appetites appropriately.

Sony OLED 3D TV eyes-on originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 07 Jan 2010 17:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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07/01/2010 - DirecTV 3D broadcasts officially announced, coming in June
Buried in Panasonic's flood of CES 2010 announcements is the official confirmation that DirecTV will be first in the U.S. to offer 3D TV. The three dedicated channels (PPV, DirecTV On Demand and a free 3D sample demo) offered at launch will be "presented by Panasonic" for the first year they're on-air and available to all DirecTV HD customers via a software upgrade. Additional content partners include AEG/AEG Digital Media, CBS, Fox Sports/FSN, Golden Boy Promotions, HDNet, MTV, NBC Universal and Turner Broadcasting System -- are we the only ones hoping the Mayweather/Pacquiao bout gets pushed back and broadcast in 3D?

DirecTV 3D broadcasts officially announced, coming in June originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 06 Jan 2010 19:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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31/12/2009 - Trade show shocker: Sling to out some new gear at CES
Okay, you're not surprised that some companies are going to have new gear at CES, are you? Well, we''re hearing that Sling -- a company that's not had much news this year beyond the release of its iPhone app -- will definitely unleash some new stuff in Las Vegas, including "WiFi television, ultra-slim Slingboxes, and a next-generation touch screen device." Now, we don't want to get everyone overly excited this early in the day, but those all definitely sound like upgrades to us. We really don't know if Sling will let slip any more specific info between now and CES, but as you know, we'll be In Vegas when it all goes down, so sit back and be patient. It won't be long, now.

Trade show shocker: Sling to out some new gear at CES originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 30 Dec 2009 21:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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29/12/2009 - DirecTV raises a new satellite & its prices
With the successful launch of DirecTV 12 yesterday the satellite company has already announced it will expand to more than 200 HD channels. Of course, by the time it starts oprating in Q2 of 2010, viewers will already be paying off that launch in the form of increased rates. Multichannel News points out the email currently going out. highlighting increases from $3 to $5 for programming while DVR fees rise from $5.99 to an even $7 beginning February 9. At the same time subscribers will lose access to XM Satellite Radio channels in lieu of audio from SonicTap. Check out the rate increases for yourself (warning: PDF link) and tell us, are more channels and the prospect of a new DirecTiVo and 3D enough to keep you around?

DirecTV raises a new satellite & its prices originally appeared on Engadget HD on Tue, 29 Dec 2009 16:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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27/12/2009 - International HD news roundup
Here at Engadget HD, we'd prefer not to just focus on high-def happenings in the US of A. Thus, we round up the best of the best from the international front each week and present it here, bundled together in a single, easy to digest list. If something went down in your corner of the globe over the past seven days, let the rest of the world know it in comments. 'Til next week, Auf Wiedersehen!

Read - MGM breaks new ground in the UK with BSkyB
Read - E4 goes high-definition on Sky
Read - Sun Direct, Samsung tie up to launch HD TV services (India)
Read - Most of the UK missing out on high-definition
Read - Entertain IPTV service to expand HD programming content (Germany)
Read - SES Astra takes HD channels over 100
Read - Cox adds 13 HD channels in N. Virginia
Read - Fox and Nat Geo go HD for Spain
Read - ABC 7 Goes High Def on MCV (Guam)
Read - Exposed: TV cheats high-definition jinks (Hong Kong)

International HD news roundup originally appeared on Engadget HD on Sun, 27 Dec 2009 06:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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24/12/2009 - The Daily Show and Colbert Report switching up video capture tech for the switch to HDTV
That switch to HD for The Daily Show and Colbert Report has more results than just a sharper image of their star hosts, but also the problem of capturing HD versions of the news clips presented for skewering daily. To achieve the goal of archiving more than 30 HDTV channels daily, the show is upgrading from the bank of TiVos it previously relied on to SnapStream Server, the business option from the guys behind BeyondTV. No word on exactly how it's pulling in the channels, Dave Zatz suggests ClearQAM, Happauge's HD PVR or component capture cards as possibilities, but it looks like a couple of years of development have reduced starter costs from $6,000 to $2,000, just in case your YouTube clip show needs a little more oomph.

The Daily Show and Colbert Report switching up video capture tech for the switch to HDTV originally appeared on Engadget HD on Thu, 24 Dec 2009 13:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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22/12/2009 - Poor customer service earns DirecTV a lawsuit in Washington State
DirecTV LogoIt isn't hard to find someone that has at one time or another felt deceived by a big corporation -- which is why the bank commercial with the pony is so funny -- but usually consumers don't elevate the issue to the court system. Evidently there have been so many reports of deception by DirecTV that the Attorney General in Washington State has filed a suit against the nations largest DBS provider because it has "built deception into their business model." We have to say that this doesn't come as much of a shock to us as we've taken more than a few pouches at DirecTV's PR department for making claims that were so outlandish that we could see where one might argue they were down right lies. In this particular case, most of the issues are around billing and commitments and while we agree that some of them seem underhanded, we're sad to say it is pretty much par for the corporate America course. So in other words don't sign anything without reading the small print first.

Poor customer service earns DirecTV a lawsuit in Washington State originally appeared on Engadget HD on Tue, 22 Dec 2009 12:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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09/12/2009 - Boxee and D-Link Unveil The Boxee Box

At the Boxee Beta Unveiling event in Brooklyn, Boxee revealed that D-Link has been named first choice as the hardware partner to release a Boxee Box - Boxee branded set-top box.

The device brings HDMI-support, WiFi, Ethernet, an SD card slot and two USB 2.0 ports. It also comes with optical audio, RCA audio and RF remote and plays any non-DRM media.


03/12/2009 - DirecTV 12 on its way to the launch site
DirecTV satellite
No doubt DirecTV has spend a pretty penny on the great HD content race that we love so much, so of course it's no surprise that DirecTV's third new satellite in three years is on its way to the site of its December launch. According to Boeing, DirecTV 12 features both national and spot-beam Ka-band transmitters which will help boost DirecTV's HD offerings by 50 percent; and when combined with DirecTV 10 and 11, will allow DirecTV to offer a total of 200 national HD channels and 1500 HD locals. As for how long you'll have to wait for the additional HD goodness, DirecTV 11 took about four months after launch to get into service -- assuming nothing goes wrong that is.

DirecTV 12 on its way to the launch site originally appeared on Engadget HD on Thu, 03 Dec 2009 12:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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02/12/2009 - Boeing Ships HD Broadcasting Satellite DIRECTV 12 to Launch Site

Boeing, who has provided advanced satellite systems to DIRECTV for more than 16 years, announced that DIRECTV 12 was shipped Nov. 25 from Boeing's satellite manufacturing facility in El Segundo to the Baikonur Cosmodrome launch facility in Kazakhstan.

DIRECTV 12 is the 11th satellite Boeing has built for DIRECTV. According to the company, the new satellite will increase DIRECTV's high-definition capacity by 50 percent, and when combined with the DIRECTV 10 and 11 satellites that launched in 2007 and 2008, will enable DIRECTV to deliver 200 national and 1,500 local HDTV channels to “millions of U.S. households”.


27/11/2009 - iSuppli: California Regulations Could Cut LCD-TV Energy Use Worldwide in Half

New television power consumption limits imposed by California's Energy Commission (CEC) could cut aggregate annual power consumption of LCD-TVs worldwide in half by the year 2013, if these standards are adopted universally, according to iSuppli.

If all of the 200 million LCD TVs set to be shipped in 2013 complied with the CEC standard, they would use a total of 64.4 billion kilowatt hours for the year, compared to 126.8 billion if they didn't, iSuppli estimates.


23/11/2009 - Roku Channel Store delivers ten new content portals for zero dollars
Roku owners already have access to Netflix, Amazon Video On Demand and MLB.tv, but now the set-top box is about to get a lot more interesting. Starting tonight and running throughout the next fortnight, existing owners of the Roku SD, Roku HD and Roku HD-XR will receive an automatic (and free) update that delivers ten new content channels. Pandora, Facebook Photos, Revision3, Mediafly, TWiT, blip.tv, Flickr, FrameChannel, Motionbox and MobileTribe will be joining the fray, and while we wish the likes of Hulu and other television portals were included, we're holding out hope that such channels will be unveiled in due time. In fact, Roku admits that "many other developers are working on Roku Channels now, and Roku expects additional developers to adopt the Roku platform over time." So, have these guys convinced you that you need another box underneath your HDTV yet, or what?

Continue reading Roku Channel Store delivers ten new content portals for zero dollars

Roku Channel Store delivers ten new content portals for zero dollars originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 22 Nov 2009 23:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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19/11/2009 - Broadcasters predictably unsettled about FCC taking away spectrum
You had to know that the FCC's investigation into other uses for current broadcast DTV spectrum wouldn't be met warmly by broadcasters, now the NAB has come out and said it needs every bit of frequency available. Apparently up for discussion are its reasons why, as the group is at odds with FCC advisor Blair Levin over whether retrans fees are the only issue or, as NAB VP Jane Mago states, preserving HD for consumers is key. We're sure OTA viewers of channels leaving bandwidth on the table for multicasting, or worse simply unused as we discussed on the podcast would beg to differ, but the one thing that is for sure is the current broadcast TV system won't go quietly into the night, no matter what potential a new paradigm might hold.

Broadcasters predictably unsettled about FCC taking away spectrum originally appeared on Engadget HD on Thu, 19 Nov 2009 16:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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19/11/2009 - California Approves New Energy Efficient TV Regulations

The California Energy Commission approved the U.S. first energy efficiency standards for televisions.

When these standards are implemented in 2011, new TVs sold in California will be the most energy efficient in the nation, as the commission claims. After ten years, the commission estimates the regulations will save $8.1 billion in energy costs and save enough energy to power 864,000 single-family homes.


12/11/2009 - DirecTV exclusive Sunday Ticket is "in the consumers' best interest"

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You love the NFL's exclusive DirecTV deal for Sunday Ticket right? New York Giants chairman and co-owner Steve Tisch says you do, as it is "really in the consumers' best interest." We're suspecting the bang caused by millions of football lovers who can't / won't switch to the satellite service's heads exploding was muffled by all the cash stuffed in his ears as he continued, praising the "successful model" of the NFL Network channel and its quest for wider distribution. As long as the money keeps flowing and, as he claims, TV ratings are hitting record highs, don't expect anything to change any time soon.

DirecTV exclusive Sunday Ticket is "in the consumers' best interest" originally appeared on Engadget HD on Thu, 12 Nov 2009 15:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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12/11/2009 - DirecTV exclusive Sunday Ticket is 'in the consumers' best interest'
You love the NFL's exclusive DirecTV deal for Sunday Ticket right? New York Giants chairman and co-owner Steve Tisch says you do, as it is "really in the consumers' best interest." We're suspecting the bang caused by millions of football lovers who can't / won't switch to the satellite service's heads exploding was muffled by all the cash stuffed in his ears as he continued, praising the "successful model" of the NFL Network channel and its quest for wider distribution. As long as the money keeps flowing and, as he claims, TV ratings are hitting record highs, don't expect anything to change any time soon.

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DirecTV exclusive Sunday Ticket is 'in the consumers' best interest' originally appeared on Engadget HD on Thu, 12 Nov 2009 15:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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30/10/2009 - Apple Updates Apple TV with 3.0 Software: More HD Content to Be Sold

After months of speculations whether Apple will release completely new Apple TV device making it a high-end media center for our living rooms or rather leave it, more or less, as it is (means without all the latest true HD capibilities, IP streaming, Blu-ray, live TV ability, HD recorder, 1080p support, etc.)… we still don’t know the answer.

The company introduced new Apple TV 3.0 software that gives us not more than a redesigned main menu - which is said to give a faster access to the content, possibility to watch iTunes Extras and enjoy iTunes LP in fullscreen and listen to the internet radio (including stations in high-quality HE-ACC formats).


26/10/2009 - GlideTV Navigator gets a thorough hands-on and critiquing

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If you're not down with snapping up an HTPC-centric keyboard with an integrated trackpad or trackball, controlling the likes of Hulu, Boxee and ZeeVee's Zinc TV viewer can be a real chore. Dave Zatz was able to wrap his paws around the problem-solving GlideTV Navigator, and while he deemed the actual remote trackpad "the best he'd ever used," he couldn't unequivocally say that this beauty was worth a buck-fifty. He also found that the remote could be used one-handed with a bit of practice, and he expressed understandable concern about this thing's ability to stay functional as the software around it evolves. If you've been waffling on pulling the trigger here, you owe it to yourself to give the read link a look.

GlideTV Navigator gets a thorough hands-on and critiquing originally appeared on Engadget HD on Mon, 26 Oct 2009 12:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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22/10/2009 - Panasonic's 1-inch thick Z1 plasma reviewed: playing with perfection

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The plasma may be a dying breed, but the ones that are left are undoubtedly some of the best the world has ever seen. Take Panasonic's 54-inch TC-P54Z1 for example, which wowed audiences (us included) when it was first unveiled way back at CES. The HD Guru recently had an opportunity to take this very screen into his abode for review, and after a labor-intensive (around "one hour") setup process, the gazing was officially on. Panny's engineers were able to slim the set down to an inch by requiring that a dedicated (wireless) set-top-box be used for tuning OTA channels and managing connections, and the result was nothing less than elegant. If you're wondering what north of five large really buys in an HDTV these days, wonder no more -- the set was deemed darn near perfect, with "outstanding" color, contrast and deep black levels. Potentially best of all, there were no motion artifacts to speak of, and anyone with a 120Hz / 240Hz set can testify to just how annoying those things are. Hit the read link for a detailed unboxing, setup and review, but don't even bother if you're looking for someone to talk you out of what you're about to do.

Panasonic's 1-inch thick Z1 plasma reviewed: playing with perfection originally appeared on Engadget HD on Thu, 22 Oct 2009 09:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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20/10/2009 - VideoWeb Introduces World First Hybrid HDTV Satellite Receiver

VIDEO INTERVIEW. VideoWeb has developed a receiver that combines HDTV broadcasting, internet TV and numerous internet applications in a single unit.

Doris Kucera, Press Officer of VideoWeb gave Biz-News.com reporters a short introduction to the company as well as a live demonstration of Plus X Award-nominated WidoWeb S500.


13/10/2009 - GlideTV Navigator puts Media Center controls in the palm of your hand

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Otherwise content users of Boxee or Hulu on the big screen in the living room, the tyranny of the keyboard and mouse may finally be over! GlideTV Navigator is a palm-sized remote control that features a trackpad and backlit AV buttons, just the thing to further enable your YouTube addiction beyond the confines of your computer nook. Works with Windows XP or Vista (we're assuming there's a Windows 7 version on tap as well), Mac OS X, and the Sony PS3, and the package includes a charging cradle and USB receiver. Sadly, the on-screen keyboard and integrated search apps are Windows only for the time being. Look to spend about $149 -- but not before peeping the gallery below.

GlideTV Navigator puts Media Center controls in the palm of your hand originally appeared on Engadget HD on Tue, 13 Oct 2009 11:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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07/10/2009 - The Perspectives for Over the Top Television

INTERVIEW. The emergence of Over the Top Television (OTT) technologies is not widely viewed as a threat to the existence of telcos in their quest to transform IPTV services, an official has said.

Victor Dominguez, vice president of DS2, a leading provider of semiconductors for high-speed communications over existing wires, said fears doing the rounds in the information communication technology sector had no substance at the moment.


07/10/2009 - The Weather Channel's HD feed gets interactive on DirecTV

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A year after launching on The Weather Channel SD and receiving "nearly a billion impressions" there, DirecTV has added interactive Local on Demand and Local on the 8s widgets to The Weather Channel HD. sams as always, this lets viewers dial up weather alerts, the most recent updates for their area, or other weather info while still watching the main channel. While some may prefer the tried and true method of "looking out the window" to find out what the current weather conditions are, we're always glad to have options.

The Weather Channel's HD feed gets interactive on DirecTV originally appeared on Engadget HD on Tue, 06 Oct 2009 22:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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06/10/2009 - New Opportunities for IPTV

INTERVIEW. In a wide-ranging interview with Biz-news.com, Benjamin Schwarz, chief technology officer for CTO Innovation Consulting Group, who has 20 years of international experience in consulting and in Telco & Media organization, gave an insight into the IPTV development.

He also talks about the new opportunities the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa gives IPTV. He is convinced the World Cup would witness a tremendous shift to new and highly advanced 3D video demonstrations.


16/09/2009 - IFA 2009: iSuppli Analyst About HDTV Market

VIDEO INTREVIEW. This time at IFA 2009 our reporters interviewed Riddhi Patel, the iSuppli analyst. Riddhi is responsible for the television and plasma display panel (PDP) analysis. She shared with us her latest discoveries on HDTV market as well as her opinion of the nearest future of LCD technology that has dominated our living rooms.

She was visiting this year’s Berlin expo looking for some big innovations. Watch the video to check out if she has found anything that took her breath away.


08/09/2009 - Apple CFO says DVR, CableCARD not coming to Apple TV

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Although Apple has always referred to the Apple TV as a "hobby," there's been a lot of speculation regarding the future of the box recently -- it was first introduced nearly three years ago, and although the interface has since been upgraded, it's still essentially the same product, leading to whispers that Apple was working on a new DVR-enabled model with CableCARD tuners that would replace your cable box. Awesome, right? Not so fast -- according to analysts at Caris and Company, Apple CFO Peter Oppenheimer "pretty much killed" that idea when they asked him about it, saying it didn't mesh with Apple's business. Yeah, it's sad, but it makes a lot of sense -- Apple probably doesn't want you to record for free what you can buy from the iTunes Store, and we can't imagine anyone at Apple looking back at their experience with AT&T and deciding that partnering up with Comcast or Time Warner Cable was the next logical move. Still -- doesn't it seem like it's time for something to happen with the Apple TV? Who know, maybe we'll find out tomorrow.

[Via iLounge]

Apple CFO says DVR, CableCARD not coming to Apple TV originally appeared on Engadget HD on Tue, 08 Sep 2009 13:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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06/09/2009 - New talking TV technology assists the visually impaired

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Ocean Blue SoftwareIt is easy to forget that just because you can't see very well doesn't mean you don't want to watch TV -- or at least listen. So for those in the need, Ocean Blue Software and the charity RNIB are going to bring a "talking TV" to the market later this year. The long and the short of it is that in the age of on-screen program guides and DVRs, that just being able to find the channel and volume buttons on the remote isn't enough, so to make things easier this new technology will give voice feedback for on screen menus and guide data. Personally we'd also suggest a big TV and maybe a STB with a great zoom feature -- but then again, we'd always suggest the biggest TV you can't afford, so perhaps that goes without saying.

New talking TV technology assists the visually impaired originally appeared on Engadget HD on Sun, 06 Sep 2009 16:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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04/09/2009 - There's more to starting a cable company than just pirating DirecTV

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Blame it on the economy, lack of common sense, or lowered aspirations, but it seems like an awful lot of you guys think it's a good idea to re-sell DirecTV "on the sly," as they say in the business. Hell, this morning alone no less than two items have come across our desk to this effect -- and you know as well as we do that if both John Metzler, the owner and operator of Phoenix Communications and Pine River Cable in Michigan, is reselling premium digital channels, and if four unnamed Haysi, Virginia residents have also thought if it, then it's a growing concern. Our advice? Just don't do it. You don't want to be like OJ, do you? Didn't think so.

Read - DirecTV Sues Virginia Residents for Unauthorized Distribution of DIRECTV Programming
Read - DirecTV sues Michigan man for redistributing its content

There's more to starting a cable company than just pirating DirecTV originally appeared on Engadget HD on Fri, 04 Sep 2009 12:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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02/09/2009 - VUDU's 1080p movie streaming goes live on LG Netcast HDTVs

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You knew good and well it was coming, and come it has. Starting today, those fortunate enough to own an LG Broadband HDTV in the LH50 LCD series and PS80 plasma range can tap into VUDU's growing library of on-demand 1080p films. If you're still skeptical, we'll invite you to surf over to your set's Netcast interface; from there, you can either update your software to gain VUDU access or begin viewing right away (depending on when you purchased your tele). Oh, and if you're thinking of just lallygagging around while the rest of the world takes advantage, you should know that your first HD or HDX movie rental is gratis for a limited time, so there's some pretty obvious motivation to hop on it. Anyone given it a go? Impressed / unimpressed?

VUDU's 1080p movie streaming goes live on LG Netcast HDTVs originally appeared on Engadget HD on Wed, 02 Sep 2009 05:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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28/08/2009 - IFA 2009: The Countdown Is On!

IFA 2009 - the business event no. 1 for consumer electronics - will take place in Berlin from September 4-9.

For one week international media interest will be concentrated on IFA. Also the Biz-News journalists will be reporting directly from Berlin covering the latest in CE products.


26/08/2009 - DirecTV adds "dual live buffers" to its HD DVR

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DirecTV HR21
The feature we all know and love as dual live buffers has finally comes to DirecTV's HR21/HR20 with the snazzy name of Doubleplay. Not a moment too soon either as there's no better time to be able to pause and rewind live TV on two different channels at once than when watching football -- never did understand why all the NFL games were on at the same time. The other sports related feature, called Live Extension, to make it out of beta this week gives users the ability to easily extend a recording. The default is an extra 30 minutes, which is usually enough to grab a game that goes a little long, but if the game goes into overtime you can extend it up to three hours.

DirecTV adds "dual live buffers" to its HD DVR originally appeared on Engadget HD on Wed, 26 Aug 2009 10:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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19/08/2009 - Surround 3-D TV to Take Over the Living Rooms


For the first time, a team of researchers at the California Institute for Telecommunications and Information Technology (Calit2), have designed a 9-panel, 3-D visualization display from HDTV LCD flat-screens developed by JVC.

The NexCAVE's technology delivers a faithful, deep 3-D experience with great color saturation, contrast and really good stereo separation - claim the scientists.


30/07/2009 - Nielsen sees DTV unreadiness drop to just 1.1%

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According to Nielsen's surveys, only 1.1% of U.S. households still aren't able to receive TV signals since the digital TV switch June 12. That's 1.3 million homes that have made the necessary changes since analog said goodbye, with 229,000 doing so just in the last couple of weeks. If you're reading this and somehow still aren't ready, don't forget to pick up a coupon now. Need all the dirty details? Click over for the full PDF report.

Nielsen sees DTV unreadiness drop to just 1.1% originally appeared on Engadget HD on Thu, 30 Jul 2009 15:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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30/07/2009 - LG Integrates Broadcom Bluetooth Technology, Enables HDTVs to Connect with Mobiles and Headsets

LG Electronics has integrated Broadcom's advanced Bluetooth technology into a new line of digital televisions (DTVs) that are now shipping.
Having Bluetooth connectivity in its LH70 TV line of digital televisions allows the sets to connect with a wide range of Bluetooth devices, such as wireless stereo headphones and cell phones.

29/07/2009 - Sky Picks Pace STB to Roll-out HD Content in Germany and Austria

PayTV operator Sky has selected Pace's HD technology for its set-top box deployments in Germany and Austria, which will begin rolling out in August.
Pace has been a set-top box technology partner of Sky, formerly Premiere, for a number of years.

21/07/2009 - Pace Secures Brazilian HD Set-Top Box Deal

Pace is to provide an HD-capable set-top box to Latin America's largest multi-service cable provider.
Brazil's cable operator NET Serviços de Comunicação is buying the UK firms's new HD-capable set-top unit as part of its drive to establish a fully HD, digitised customer base.

16/07/2009 - Successful IFA Business Model Drives Markets in 2009

ADVERTORIAL: Product debuts and important industry topics such as ecology, lifestyle, HDTV & wireless communications the main features at IFA 2009
For the second time, and with an even more comprehensive show, the leading brands of the consumer electronics and electrical home appliances industries will be jointly represented on the Berlin Exhibition Grounds at IFA 2009.

15/07/2009 - ASUS Enters HDTV Monitor Market

ASUS has announced a range of HDTV monitors that it says offers the best in desktop monitor and LCD TV technology.
The TV Monitor T1 Series comes in 22- (22T1E), 24- (24T1E) and 27-inch (27T1E) sizes and offers a Full HD (1,920 x 1,080) panel, a 20,000:1 contrast ratio, 300 nits of brightness, five millisecond response time, built-in TV tuners (for the UK market) and a pair of seven-watt speakers.

09/07/2009 - Bristol Interactive Offers TV With PC - Not PC With TV

Being able to Skype or IM with your favorite app from your HDTV would be pretty useful.
Well, Bristol Interactive has developed a digital TV with an in-built Atom-powered netbook that would appear to allow users to do just that.

07/07/2009 - Digital Vision Launches USB Flash Drive DVR

Digital Vision has launched the first USB flash drive-based digital video recorder (DVR).
The UK company says its GiGo DV-DTR1 Digital TV recorder allows users to record content and then view it on devices such as laptops.

03/07/2009 - HD Streaming and Blu-ray "Can Co-exist" - For Now

There are already more digital delivery devices connected to HDTVs in US homes than Blu-ray players, thanks largely to the Xbox 360 and the likes of TiVo, Roku, AppleTV and Vudu.
Yet despite the numerical supremacy of players capable of streaming HD content, digital downloads are not expected to be a serious competitor to the Blu-ray format anytime soon.

01/07/2009 - LG introduces stylish, LED-backlit 22-inch W2286L LCD HDTV

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By and large, there's nothing too incredible about LG's latest LCD HDTV. It's 22-inches, can double as a PC monitor, boasts a deceiving 2,000,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio and consumes some 40 percent less power than the average Earth-hating 22-inch LCD. There's also a pair of HDMI sockets, a DVI port and a 1,680 x 1,050 resolution, not to mention an automatic brightness sensor that responds to ambient light. There's no word yet on how pricey the 20 millimeter-thick set will be nor when it'll ship stateside, but hopefully it -- along with its 24-inch Full HD sibling -- will make the trip in short order.

[Via AkihabaraNews]

LG introduces stylish, LED-backlit 22-inch W2286L LCD HDTV originally appeared on Engadget HD on Wed, 01 Jul 2009 10:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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30/06/2009 - Major US Broadcaster Networks Claim 53% Of Free Online TV

The major US broadcasters are evolving into multi-platform TV distribution networks in a "land-grab" attempt to replicate their traditional channels business online.
So much so that the online web-based TV services of the four major US TV networks – together with Hulu, the joint venture between NBC Universal, News Corporation and Disney - accounted for 53 per cent of an ad-supported US online TV market, according to a report from Screen Digest.

26/06/2009 - Hands-on with the Apple TV iPhone remote

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Around Engadget we're always looking for a better way to enjoy our HD home theater experience and a central part of that is the remote control. Now let us tell you, we've been through more programmable remotes then most people know exist and we still have yet to find one we're satisfied with. All that being said, we just can't believe that it's been well over a full year since capacitive touch screen devices have been readily available to consumers and no one other than Apple seems to understand the potential. As cool as touch screen interfaces look, for the most part they down right stink at controlling anything in a home theater. The root of the problem is that most require you to look at 'em, instead of the HDTV. This is such a bad idea on so many levels, but most of all, it doesn't work because just drawing a regular remote with buttons on a screen really defeats the entire point. Apple has shown it understands this in the past and with the latest update to its Apple TV/iTunes remote app it has stepped up its game a notch.

Continue reading Hands-on with the Apple TV iPhone remote

Hands-on with the Apple TV iPhone remote originally appeared on Engadget HD on Fri, 26 Jun 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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26/06/2009 - Outgoing CableLabs prez talks about the origins of HDTV as we know it

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Current CableLabs CEO & prez Richard Green is moving on later this year as Paul Liao from Panasonic takes over the reigns and the first part of Multichannel News' interview with him covers the first time he saw HDTV back in 1980 and the process that eventually gave us the standards we have today.That goes back through the first NFL game recorded in HD, and why high definition took so long to take off -- apparently not everyone wants a 1 million+ lb 40-inch CRT and broadcasters were never happy about spending all the money necessary to upgrade -- from the days of 5x3 with 1125 lines. It's not a crystal ball to the success of Blu-ray, digital downloads, 3D or anything else, but worth a read for some interesting anecdotes on how tough progress is.

Outgoing CableLabs prez talks about the origins of HDTV as we know it originally appeared on Engadget HD on Thu, 25 Jun 2009 17:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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17/06/2009 - DirecTV's HD Mix extended to cover the entire U.S. Open weekend

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The U.S. Open gets started tomorrow from Bethpage State Park, and beyond the ESPN & NBC coverage, DirecTV is extending its HD Mix channel for all four days for the first time. That should help keep an eye on the leaderboard, main broadcast and whatever combination of specific areas of the course, interviews, or particular golfers one wants to follow, all available in high definition of course. After the Mediate/Woods showdown last year, we hope they're not locked in to doing only four days of broadcasts.

DirecTV's HD Mix extended to cover the entire U.S. Open weekend originally appeared on Engadget HD on Wed, 17 Jun 2009 15:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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17/06/2009 - VuNow's internet video-to-TV streamer finds a home in Sherwood receivers

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The VuNow platform is sitting a lot prettier, as it has grabbed an OEM deal to be included in Sherwood's upcoming line of receivers. Already making an appearance as the Netgear ITV2000 standalone unit, now high end amps and surround sound systems will have access to a variety of internet video sources without additional hardware. Verismo's said it will be pursuing many different opportunities for its technology, we'll wait and see where the YouTube / CNN / ESPN and more streaming hardware shows up next, though your cable box would appear to be a safe bet.

Continue reading VuNow's internet video-to-TV streamer finds a home in Sherwood receivers

VuNow's internet video-to-TV streamer finds a home in Sherwood receivers originally appeared on Engadget HD on Tue, 16 Jun 2009 17:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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15/06/2009 - International HD news roundup

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Here at Engadget HD, we'd prefer not to just focus on high-def happenings in the US of A. Thus, we round up the best of the best from the international front each week and present it here, bundled together in a single, easy to digest list. If something went down in your corner of the globe over the past seven days, let the rest of the world know it in comments. 'Til next week, Auf Wiedersehen!

Read - Five to launch HD TV on Freeview
Read - Bell TV Adds New Channels to HD service
Read - Canadian over-the-air TV following U.S. down digital path
Read - Rogers SportsNet Now Offers More High Definition Programming With 4 HD Channels
Read - Astra wins kudos for HD plan
Read - Canal+ brings HD channels to CI Plus receivers
Read - Pace to launch new HD set-top box to Viasat across Scandinavia

International HD news roundup originally appeared on Engadget HD on Mon, 15 Jun 2009 03:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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11/06/2009 - ADVERTORIAL: IPTV World Forum North America - The Key Event For The IPTV Industry

North America is expected to account for a large proportion of the world's new IPTV subscriptions during the next few years.
But there are many themes needing to be addressed as this new digital TV platform is rolled out.
Next month, the leading IPTV service providers, content providers, analysts and key technology vendors will be coming together for the IPTV World Forum North America.
They will be considering all the key topical issues affecting the industry at the two-day event (21-22 July 2009) in New York.

10/06/2009 - US Transition to Digital TV Alters Viewing Behavior

This Friday sees US television going 100 per cent digital, a move that has impacted on over a quarter of households which have had to invest in new TV sets and/or services to prepare for the June 12th changeover.
However, researchers say that the switch to digital has changed traditional viewing habits.

10/06/2009 - Microsoft Unveils Motion Control Technology - Project Natal

Microsoft has just unveiled what it describes as a revolutionary new way to play Xbox 360 video games on HDTVs without the need for a controller.
Called Project Natal, the sensor, which combines an RGB camera, depth sensor, multi-array microphone and custom processor in one device, could have uses far beyond just gaming.

08/06/2009 - VIZIO introduces new XVT, M and E series HDTVs

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It's been a hot minute since we've seen any new kit from the cats at VIZIO, but it has evidently been hoarding up sets in anticipation for today. This morning, the company has let loose details on a veritable smorgasbord of new TVs, all of which fall within the XVT, M and E series. The XVT line is getting a boost from the new TruLED VF551XVT, which packs 240Hz dejudder technology, as well as a number of other companions ranging from 32- to 55-inches in size. The M series is amongst the prettiest of the bunch, boasting a JAVA design, 1080p panels and 120Hz technology. Finally, the E series (E is for Eco, get it?) sucks down far less energy than most, with screen sizes spanning from 19- to 42-inches. Far too many new sets are being unveiled to detail here, but you can feel free to dig in after the break.

Continue reading VIZIO introduces new XVT, M and E series HDTVs

VIZIO introduces new XVT, M and E series HDTVs originally appeared on Engadget HD on Mon, 08 Jun 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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04/06/2009 - Growth in HDTVs Driving Demand for HD STBs

Shipments of set-top boxes are expected to peak this year, at least in mature markets, and then commence a gradual decline.
However the rolling series of analog TV shutoffs in countries around the world, combined with the strong uptake of HDTV sets, mean that HD STBs will form a growing fraction of the total market, according to ABI Research.

04/06/2009 - Online Video Viewing Rates "Grossly Overstated"

The amount of time US viewers spend watching online video and mobile video is growing rapidly - but still accounts for a small fraction of total video content viewing.
That's the conclusion of a study into how people spend their time consuming media, including live TV programming, time-shifted television, DVDs, video games.

03/06/2009 - Poll: How much would you pay for Hulu on your TV?

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Hulu logo
Hulu has made it very clear that it doesn't want the likes of Boxee, or anyone else really, making Hulu work on your TV. Not only has Hulu been willing to play cat-and-mouse games with Boxee, but in the EULA of the new Hulu desktop application, it specifically states that "You may not download, install or use the Hulu Software on any device other than a Personal Computer including without limitation digital media receiver devices (such as Apple TV)." Analysis have previously stated that Hulu advertisements are generating "scant incremental revenue," so with the recent Xbox 360 and Roku rumors we wonder, how much would you pay for Hulu on your TV?

Poll: How much would you pay for Hulu on your TV? originally appeared on Engadget HD on Wed, 03 Jun 2009 10:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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30/05/2009 - Poll: Do you actually want to watch TV via your game console?

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We've just about gotten our head around game consoles being HD video delivery boxes, whether its downloads from the Xbox Live Video (or should we call it Zune) Marketplace or PSN, or Blu-ray discs slipping into our IR receiver-less PlayStation 3, but is anyone really ready to make the jump to watching live HDTV through a console? That's not necessarily possible yet even through the current PlayTV implementation in the UK or the yet to launch BSkyB / Xbox 360 tie-up, but one has to wonder if the desire for such products is out there, so we're putting the question to you.

View Poll

Poll: Do you actually want to watch TV via your game console? originally appeared on Engadget HD on Sat, 30 May 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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28/05/2009 - JVC Launches Full HD LCD Monitor Targeted at Digital SLR Users

JVC is launching a super slim 42-inch LCD TV monitor that features a color space that is wider than a typical HDTV's.
The company says this effectively means the JVC Xiview LT-42WX70 has established a new category in flat panel TV design.

28/05/2009 - NDS Chosen For Germany's First Cable HD DVR Service

Germany's two largest independent cable operators, Tele Columbus and PrimaCom, have selected NDS' DVR solution XTV to launch the country's first cable HD DVR service across their networks.
The two operators serve some 3.5 million cable-connected households and operate a large number of independent networks.

24/05/2009 - Poll: Still interested in a connected HDTV?

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Oh connected HDTV, you blew away the fans at CES just a few months ago, but it seems most still don't plan on buying one immediately. Looks like that feeling of putting a purchase off may be justified, with our hands-on finding performance on the latest Samsung model a bit laggy at the moment. So let us know, are you still intrigued by widget HDTVs?

View Poll

Poll: Still interested in a connected HDTV? originally appeared on Engadget HD on Sun, 24 May 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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22/05/2009 - US HDTV Ownership Shoots Up

A third (33.3%) of US households now have HDTVs, up from 19.3% a year ago, according to a Nielsen survey.
However, only 28.8% of all US homes received HD programming as of February 2009.

16/05/2009 - FiOS TV expansions: May 16, 2009

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This has been an odd week for Verizon FiOS TV news, with 69,000 subs finding out they will be Frontier customers within the next year (for what it's worth, the promise is there will be no changes, at least for a year.) Still, there's at least one bit of expansion to balance things out, with six new HD channels including Comedy.TV, Recipe.TV, ES.TV, MyDestination.TV, Cars.TV and Pets.TV. The future is also bright, with word that streaming internet video is coming to FiOS TV boxes with Dailymotion, Veoh Networks and Blip.TV signed on for the service launching sometime in the second quarter. It will require a PC running Media Manager software PlayOn-style to transcode the clips, but FiOS viewers cna browse with their standard remotes, plus Twitter and Facebook access is still on the way.

Read - Verizon FiOS TV Customers Get Six New HD Channels From Entertainment Studios
Read - Verizon to Divest Wireline Businesses in 14 States; Significant Benefits to Verizon Shareholders
Read - Next On FiOS: Web Videos On Your Flat-Panel TV

FiOS TV expansions: May 16, 2009 originally appeared on Engadget HD on Sat, 16 May 2009 03:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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15/05/2009 - VIZIO HDTV Sales Boosted By Economic Downturn

US TV-maker VIZIO remains the largest shipper of LCD HDTVs in North America - with an increased market share as consumers turn to value products.
Shipments have increased 21.6 per cent in the first quarter of 2009, which is a 69 per cent increase year over year (YOY), according to iSuppli.

14/05/2009 - HDMI 1.4 brings internet sharing, dreadful tiers of quality

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Okay, so there's good news and bad news. Given that we just love to tease, we'll start you off with the positives. HDMI 1.4 was just revealed, bringing with it an HDMI Ethernet Channel (HEC) that enables data transfers of up to 100 Mbps between supported connected devices. Put simply, this could allow a "broadband-connected television using its HEC-enabled HDMI port to provide internet connection sharing with another HEC-enabled device such as a game console or DVR." Furthermore, the spec's Audio Return Channel (ARC) enables broadcast audio to be easily streamed back to an external amplifier, and the Automatic Content Enhancement (ACE) provides support for "future 3D video standards, increased resolution support (up to 4,096 x 2,160 pixels at up to 30Hz), and content recognition that promises to automatically optimize the TV's picture settings based on content type."

The bad news? HEC will only work with new HDMI 1.4 spec cables, and those will be graded into two separate levels of performance: low- and high-data rate. We needn't describe to you what kind of ball Monster Cable is going to have with that one, but even outside of that, we're baffled by the decision to add one more complexity to a cable that should seriously be doing everything in its power to not be overshadowed by DisplayPort. At any rate, we're told that Silicon Image is hoping to ship chip samples to manufacturers in Q2 2009, while HDMI 1.4-enabled products could arrive as early as next year. We aren't holding our breath, but we'll gladly eat crow if need be.

HDMI 1.4 brings internet sharing, dreadful tiers of quality originally appeared on Engadget HD on Thu, 14 May 2009 09:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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06/05/2009 - Mass Adoption of Web-to-TV Video Will Be "Rapid"

Millions of viewers already watch Internet video on their TVs but that number is set to climb dramatically, according to In-Stat.
It forecasts that by 2013 web-to-TV video streaming services will drive nearly USD $3 billion in revenue.

05/05/2009 - DirecTV's ScoreGuide tool makes catching the quickest boxing matches even easier

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DirecTV subs may not notice the company has been spun off, but they might have peeped the new ScoreGuide, letting sports fans watch one channel while keeping scores and start times of live events posted on screen, then letting viewers switch to the appropriate channel easily. Accessed by tuning into any one of DirecTV's sports channels then punching the red button on your remote, it can collapse to show just one game or stay open to show all daily events. Want to avoid clicking over only to find the boxing match is already over two rounds in or you missed a great Kentucky Derby comeback, or yet another triple overtime thriller? We can see how this could be useful.

DirecTV's ScoreGuide tool makes catching the quickest boxing matches even easier originally appeared on Engadget HD on Mon, 04 May 2009 23:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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30/04/2009 - Demand For Web-Enabled TVs Surging, CEA Finds

TV makers have been quick to recognise consumer appetite for connected TVs - and their ability to act as a differentiator in a crowded market.
Rightly so, as new research shows that nearly half of prospective TV buyers in the US intend to purchase an Internet-ready TV in the next year.


07/04/2009 - Samsung Announces Next Generation LED HDTVs


Samsung revealed prices and market availability for its new species of flat-panel TVs, LED HDTV Series 8000, 7000 and 6000.
The new portfolio of LED HDTVs use edge-mounted LEDs as their primary light source rather than traditional Cold Cathode Fluorescent Lamps (CCFL).

02/04/2009 - Microsoft job ads hints at Zune services in the living room

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Well, what's this? A recent Zune job posting says the boys down Redmond-town are looking for someone to come up with "innovative user interfaces for delivering a rich, deep interactive media consumption experience in a living room environment." That sounds to us like integration of the Zune software team into the ConnectedTV division is starting to kick into gear -- the listing also specifically mentions on-demand audio and video content, which seem like a natural direction for ZunePass. We're not sure how any of this is going to pan out, but at least Microsoft is making moves to keep the struggling Zune platform alive -- whether or not that involves actual Zune hardware in the future is still up for debate.

[Via Slashgear]

Microsoft job ads hints at Zune services in the living room originally appeared on Engadget HD on Thu, 02 Apr 2009 15:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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01/04/2009 - AnySource Media: Simple UI is Key To Internet-enabled HDTV

INTERVIEW: Mike Harris, CEO of AnySource Media, talks to hdtv.biz-news about his company's Internet-enabled TV platform that will start appearing in HDTV sets in the second half of 2009. The Internet Video Navigator (IVN) allows users to view Internet video on their HDTVs alongside traditional TV networks - without requiring a separate box or complicated wiring.

30/03/2009 - ZillionTV adds The Weinstein Company films to its streaming library

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ZillionTV may not have a price, launch date or even confirmed areas of availability yet, but that hasn't stopped the outfit from racking up a deal to stream films from The Weinstein Company over its service whenever it launches. For those who've already forgotten, ZillionTV is the streaming to TV service with designs on selling its hardware to customers via their ISPs, then streaming content free with ads as well as providing pay video on-demand. Even without flicks like Zack and Miri Make a Porno, Vicky Cristina Barcelona and The Reader, it already had a competent lineup of content partners, but now ZillionTV is looking even more like a legitimate challenger, if only we had a few more details to go on.

ZillionTV adds The Weinstein Company films to its streaming library originally appeared on Engadget HD on Mon, 30 Mar 2009 08:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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29/03/2009 - Sony's BDZ-A950 / BDZ-A750 Blu-ray recorders do the network thing

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By and large, one Blu-ray recorder is just the same as the another. Not so with Sony's latest duo, which both come ready to toast material to blank BD-R media and tap into the wide world of internet video. Both the BDZ-A750 (320GB) and the BDZ-A950 (500GB) are able to stream and download video from Tsutaya TV and acTVila VOD services in Japan, and moreover, they can forward that material to a PSP or other compatible DAP via USB. In case that's not enough, the duo is also DLNA compatible, and the HDMI output ensures crisp, clean 1080p output. So, ready to change your mind on that whole "would you buy a Blu-ray recorder?" question?

[Via Akihabara News]

Sony's BDZ-A950 / BDZ-A750 Blu-ray recorders do the network thing originally appeared on Engadget HD on Sat, 28 Mar 2009 20:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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25/03/2009 - GE Delays Launch of HDTVs

General Electric is to delay its re-entry into the television market after a 20-year gap as a result of "marketing issues".
The company announced in September that it was to offer GE-branded HDTVs in partnership with a Taiwanese company.

25/03/2009 - GE quietly delays premium HDTV line

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General Electric came clean with its intentions to delve into the wide world of HDTVs last September... and then the economy, as well as GE itself, fell apart. Earlier this year, we were actually clued in on some of the details surrounding the Tatung-built sets, but now we're hearing that the company is pushing everything back by around three months. GE maintains that the setback is due to "marketing rather than operational or manufacturing issues," though we all know right about now isn't the greatest time to introduce new high-end televisions. We also get the idea that GE may use the time to better implement connected HDTV features given just how prevalent those were at CES, but again, we're really just shooting in the dark here. Oh, we forgot to even ask -- does anyone care that GE's getting back into the TV biz, let alone that its forthcoming sets are delayed?

GE quietly delays premium HDTV line originally appeared on Engadget HD on Tue, 24 Mar 2009 21:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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25/03/2009 - DTV voucher waitlist gone, expired coupon holders can re-apply

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Good news for those of you going bonkers over your expired DTV converter coupons -- the voucher waitlist has been cleared out a little early and the National Telecommunications and Information Administration is ready to accept new applications. No word on how many vouchers are left in the budget or how long it'll take for this last batch to clear out, but hey -- you should have had this taken care of months ago, Chico. Hop to it.

DTV voucher waitlist gone, expired coupon holders can re-apply originally appeared on Engadget HD on Tue, 24 Mar 2009 19:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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24/03/2009 - Toshiba shows off Cell TV interface, shoots for production in 2010

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Toshiba's been talking up / showing off its Cell TV for quite awhile now, but a recent demonstration seen by the UK branch of CNET shed some light on Tosh's future plans for the technology. The Japanese language user interface (shown above) was said to be downright gorgeous and stupendously fluid, and they were even clued in on a concept that could use one main Cell TV as a "central brain," while other sets around the home could act as "dumb screens" that simply borrow computing power from the big guy. We're also told that Cell TV may actually arrive as a two-piece set; a standard monitor plus a dedicated set-top-box with the TV tuner, processor, etc. We know lots could change between now and then, but given that "then" is slated to be 2010, we're definitely expecting to see more near-final prototypes crop up over the next few months.

Toshiba shows off Cell TV interface, shoots for production in 2010 originally appeared on Engadget HD on Tue, 24 Mar 2009 02:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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24/03/2009 - The NFL and DirecTV extend exclusive Sunday Ticket through 2014

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NFL Sunday Ticket banner
Bad news for NFL fans that can't see the southwestern sky, DirecTV and the NFL have once again extended the exclusive pay-per-view Sunday Ticket contract, and this time through 2014. The rumored 4 billion dollar deal includes a few other nuggets like broadband access for Sunday Ticket subscribers who also subscribe to the Superfan package (an additional $99 fee) in 2012 -- although we're not sure how it differs from today's services. The other thing worth mentioning in the deal is that also starting around 2010, the Redzone channel will no longer be exclusive to the Superfan package, and will in fact be offered to other carriers with no strings attached to the the leagues other cable channel, The NFL Network.

The NFL and DirecTV extend exclusive Sunday Ticket through 2014 originally appeared on Engadget HD on Mon, 23 Mar 2009 23:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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20/03/2009 - HD Movies Now For Sale on Apple's iTunes Store

HD movies are now available for purchase from Apple's iTunes for playing on Macs and PCs. Until now, high def movies had only been available to Apple TV owners.
HD Movies will be sold for USD $19.99, while HD rentals will be priced at USD $4.99. Both are in H.264 compressed 720p quality and will come with an HD file and an iPod/iPhone SD file.


20/03/2009 - Envivio Selected For Türk Telekom's New IPTV Service

Envivio has announced that its Convergence Series video headend has been selected for Türk Telekom's IPTV project in Turkey.
The IP video convergence provider said Türk Telekom will use its 4Caster C4 SD and 4Caster HD30 HD MPEG-4 AVC encoders and the 4Manager NMS, to deliver standard and high definition channels for its new IPTV service.

18/03/2009 - Sigmatek's HFDL-1080 brings an LCD to the mini-system desk party

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Sigmatek HFDL-1080 mini-system
The niche product segment dedicated to "executive desktop" solutions will be getting a new entry in the "hi-fi with articulated LCD" category in late April (€159) thanks to Sigmatek's HFDL-1080. This piece of desk jewelry comes with a DVD spinner, DVB-T and ATV tuners and an articulated 7-inch LCD. We're guessing the "1080" in the product name is just a byproduct of the predecessor's "HFDL-1070" moniker and not a spec, but for what it's worth, the HFDL-1070 came in at 500 lines of resolution, so the new model will at least meet ED spec. More to the point, we seriously doubt you're going to notice a dramatic difference between HD and ED on a 7-inch display; and shouldn't executive types be focused on work while at their desks anyways?

Sigmatek's HFDL-1080 brings an LCD to the mini-system desk party originally appeared on Engadget HD on Tue, 17 Mar 2009 20:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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12/03/2009 - On Demand Group Wins Greek VoD Contract for IPTV launch

On Demand Group has won the VOD and subscription VOD contract from OTE for its upcoming IPTV service in Greece.
ODG is Virgin Media TV’s content management partner for its VOD service in the UK, which is the largest VOD service outside of North America with over 50m views per month.

05/03/2009 - Hi-Den Launches First HDMI 1080p Photo Viewer

It seems peculiar that with the drive towards making HDTVs all-singing, all-dancing Internet-connected marvels, little had been done to improve something as simple as enjoying your photos on the big screen.
Now Hong-Kong-based Hi-Den Vision has popped up with what it claims is the world's first HDMI 1080p digital photo viewer.

05/03/2009 - Can Rising HDTV Prices Be Sustained?

After a period of steadily dropping HDTV prices the cost of sets to consumers appears to be climbing again.
The average selling price for HDTVs in the US jumped by more than 10 per cent in February, according to data from the Retrevo CE Index.

05/03/2009 - Panasonic's ultrathin TC-P54Z1 VIERA plasma priced at $5,999.95

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Yeah, we know -- six large for a 54-inch HDTV seems a bit much in today's society, but the same sort of thing was said last September when Mitsubishi threw a $6,999 sticker on its mesmerizing LaserVue set. Panasonic's one-inch thick TC-P54Z1 plasma, which just might be the last of its breed barring production of the NeoPDP concept, will undoubtedly serve a shrinking niche, but for those willing to pay for the best of what's new, they'll be getting an awful lot of sexy for $5,999.95. Speaking of that MSRP, that's the good word from the HD Guru himself, though we've yet to see an official confirmation from Panny. Honestly though, that's about what we reckoned it would list at after seeing it unveiled at CES, so now would probably be a good time to start hunting for any 10 percent off coupons for your favorite B&M HDTV outlet.

[Via CNET]

Panasonic's ultrathin TC-P54Z1 VIERA plasma priced at $5,999.95 originally appeared on Engadget HD on Thu, 05 Mar 2009 11:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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27/02/2009 - Celeno Technology Enables Multiple HDTV Streams Around Home

Technology that delivers multiple HDTV streams from PCs to TVs and other electronic devices around the home could be launched by the summer.
Israeli-based Celeno Communications is field-testing in-home WiFi networks with backing from Cisco.

25/02/2009 - Broadcast International and Fixstars Develop Software-based H.264 Real-time Encoder

A PC-based H.264 software encoder that offers advanced encoding solutions has been developed by Broadcast International and Fixstars Corporation.
The CodecSys CE-100/200 has been designed to improve the productivity of IPTV content creation in areas like Blu-ray disk authoring, digitization of video archives and large scale surveillance camera networks.

20/02/2009 - Samsung Leading Global TV Brand, Full HDTV Sets Now Fifth of Market

Samsung has maintained its place as the world's biggest TV brand for the third year running.
With a 21.9 per cent market share, the South Korean electronics manufacturer is some way ahead of second placed Sony, according to DisplaySearch.

20/02/2009 - Sony's New BRAVIA WE5 Cuts Power Use by 50%

Sony is making some impressive 'green' claims with its new BRAVIA WE5 series of Full HD LCDs.
Dubbed the "eco TV", the electronics giant says that the WE5 is equipped with the first-ever micro-tubular HCFL backlight. It claims this is the key to its ability to cut power consumption by more than 50 per cent.

20/02/2009 - SiS Launches HDTV chipset For Full-HD Digital LCD TV Market

Silicon Integrated Systems (SiS) is to enter the HDTV market with a ATSC HDTV SoC chipset designed to be implanted in LCD TVs.
Although it names no names, the Taiwanese company says SiS328 has already been widely adopted by major TV brand vendors for their next generation high quality Full-HD digital TVs.

18/02/2009 - Will Liberty Media's rescue of Sirius XM lead to DirecTV partnerships?

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It's the question that's everyone's wondering, so we'll just put it out there. Will Liberty Media's saving of Sirius XM lead to any sort of Sirius-DirecTV tie-up? Earlier this week, Liberty Media (which owns DirecTV) decided to loan the nearly bankrupt Sirius XM $530 million in exchange for a 40 percent equity stake. Now, DirecTV is a direct cousin of yet another satellite-based company. We already knew that both DirecTV and DISH were considering the merits of mobile TV, but according to a new report from Reuters, this could be the deal that finally urges the former to pursue it. Liberty Chief Executive Greg Maffei stated that it "would be looking at the possibilities of co-marketing DirecTV and Sirius XM to each other's subscribers and joint content deals, as well as working on a mobile video initiative." Of course, those weren't the primary reasons the deal was done, but only time will tell if it was lingering on the back of Liberty's mind as the ink dried.

[Thanks, Vanbrothers]

Will Liberty Media's rescue of Sirius XM lead to DirecTV partnerships? originally appeared on Engadget HD on Wed, 18 Feb 2009 10:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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11/02/2009 - LG intros power-sipping LH30FD LCD HDTVs in Korea

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Not even a month after LG outed its 50PQ60D and 42PQ60D Xcanvas plasmas over in South Korea, the company has introduced a trio of LCD HDTVs in the nation as well. The LH30FD models, all part of the burgeoning Scarlet series, are all presumably equipped with 1080p panels, inbuilt speakers and other modern amenities. While LG leaves out most of the details, we are told that all three sets boast a variety of picture modes, a trio of HDMI sockets and a four-step power saving mode that can purportedly "reduce power consumption by up to 70 percent." We've no way to prove or disprove that claim, but hopefully the stipulations will be spelled out more clearly when, er, if these migrate to America. As for those in Seoul, they can grab one later this month for ?2,400,000 ($1,725; 47-inch), ?1,650,000 ($1,186; 42-inch) or ?1,200,000 ($862; 32-inch).

[Via Slashgear]

LG intros power-sipping LH30FD LCD HDTVs in Korea originally appeared on Engadget HD on Wed, 11 Feb 2009 11:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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11/02/2009 - DirecTV Q4 aftermath: focusing on "middle market," receiving praises from everywhere
Make no mistake -- DirecTV had an amazing, if not unbelievable, fourth quarter of 2008. After reporting numbers that blew just about everyone away yesterday, analysts have been quick to pump out laudatory remarks. Sanford Bernstein's Craig Moffett noted that the satcaster "continued to defy gravity," and he suggested that "one could make a case that DirecTV has, at least so far, been as little impacted by the recession as any company in America." As for the company itself, it's looking to target "the middle market" going forward, which is a departure from its usual tactics of aiming straight for the higher-end. The outfit's CEO Chase Carey is anticipating Q1 2009 ARPU (average revenue per user) to grow around 2.5 percent, which makes sense given the upcoming price increases. Needless to say, DirecTV is on track for a very solid '09, and if you're interested in hearing more from both sides, just hop down to the links below.

[Thanks, Vanbrothers]

Read - DirecTV CEO
Read - Analyst reactions

DirecTV Q4 aftermath: focusing on "middle market," receiving praises from everywhere originally appeared on Engadget HD on Wed, 11 Feb 2009 10:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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11/02/2009 - Hundreds of TV Stations Switch To Digital Despite Delay Bill

An estimated 40 per cent of US TV stations plan to make the switchover to digital from 17 February.
This is despite the recent approval of a congressional bill supporting a four-month delay of the transition from analog to digital TV signals.

10/02/2009 - Verismo's VuNow internet TV platform ambushes OEM market

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If you're still resisting the onset of the internet TV revolution, we're here to inform you that your efforts are in vain. Shortly after launching a dedicated box at CES, Verismo Networks has announced an OEM program that's apparently drawing lots of attention from manufacturers of TVs, optical media players, AV receivers, etc. Essentially, the company is looking to get its open VuNow platform, which pulls in content from around the web, onto other standalone boxes and integrated within future devices -- much like Netflix's Watch Instantly has done. And don't think the cash flow stops at the consumer level, as there are also opportunities within education and medicine sectors for institutions seeking a streamlined way of distributing learning materials. Watch out, pay-TV -- we've got options here, and we aren't afraid to use 'em.

Verismo's VuNow internet TV platform ambushes OEM market originally appeared on Engadget HD on Tue, 10 Feb 2009 16:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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10/02/2009 - ARCHOS Offers Android-powered HD Media-playing Smartphone

ARCHOS, the company that "invented the PMP", is to bring out a touchscreen smartphone based on the Android operating system.
The new ultra-thin Internet Media Tablet (IMT) will allow playback of HD video while offline.

10/02/2009 - DirecTV records a monster Q4, adds 461,000 new net subscribers

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Say what you will about the economy, but don't dare touch an American's television. Clearly bucking the trend is DirecTV, who managed to slip into rarefied air with outfits like Netflix by recording an absolutely marvelous Q4 2008. Beating analyst expectations by a solid mile, the satcaster added an amazing 461,000 new net subscribers in the quarter, with 301,000 -- the most in over three years -- coming in the US. DirecTV Latin America picked up the other 160,000, while a 1.47 percent churn rate was the lowest in nine years. In case you're scouting more good news, the company saw increased revenues in Q4 of 9 percent, while net income did slip 5 percent to $332 million. Of course, that may help explain the forthcoming price hike -- clearly it can charge more and get away with, so why not?

[Thanks, Vanbrothers]

DirecTV records a monster Q4, adds 461,000 new net subscribers originally appeared on Engadget HD on Tue, 10 Feb 2009 09:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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06/02/2009 - DTV Transition Delayed Until June

The US House of Representatives has approved a delay in the cutoff date for analog television broadcasts.
The delay is to give more time to the estimated 6.5 million people unprepared for the switchover to digital broadcasts.

04/02/2009 - France's Digital Switchover Begins

The city of Coulommiers near Paris is the first in France to make the switch over to digital TV as part of a pilot project ahead of the full national transition.
France Télé Numérique said 94 per cent of households in the city of 14,700 were equipped with at least one digital TV set 20 days before the switchover.

04/02/2009 - DiBcom Launches Programmable Mobile TV Solution

DiBcom is to launch a new platform that offers device manufacturers a solution to the problem of multiple standards worldwide for fixed and mobile TV.
Known as Octopus, the platform is based on a programmable architecture that enables one design to be seamlessly and cost-effectively targeted at many existing and upcoming mobile TV standards.

02/02/2009 - FCC Acting Chairman acknowledges seamless DTV switch isn't happening, sets open meeting for February 5

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Saying what everyone else has already likely figured out, acting FCC Chairman Mike Copps recently issued a statement to the FCC Advisory committee indicating there is no way we can possibly have a seamless switch to digital TV broadcasts, whether it ends up delayed or not, but that we could definitely use the extra time to get ready. At least according to him, now that he's had a chance to take a look, things are even worse than they appeared, although the benefits will, in time, be worth it. You already know the deal, that many people will lose reception even with DTV compatible equipment, among other problems that required more preparation over the last several years. As it is, until something changes they're still girding for a switch this month, and the FCC will hold an open Commission meeting on the 5th with the aim of providing more information on the subject. Check out the read links for the PDFs, does that change your mind about a possible delay?

Read - Remarks of Acting Chairman Copps to the FCC Consumer Advisory Committee.
Read - FCC To Hold Open Commission Meeting Thursday, February 5, 2009.

FCC Acting Chairman acknowledges seamless DTV switch isn't happening, sets open meeting for February 5 originally appeared on Engadget HD on Mon, 02 Feb 2009 15:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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29/01/2009 - Bid To Delay US Switch To Digital TV Fails

A bill intended to delay the US's transition to digital TV has been defeated in the House of Representatives.
An estimated 6.5 million Americans are not yet prepared for the switch, which now reverts back to the original date of 17 February.

29/01/2009 - Thirst For HD Drives Freesat Sales To 200,000

Demand for HD content has helped drive sales of Freesat devices past the 200,000 mark since the UK service was launched last May.
While the figure is impressive, it further highlights the gulf that has opened up between the US and Japan and the rest of the world.

29/01/2009 - DirecTV pushing prices upwards in March

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So, you thought all those cable carriers out there were going to raise prices while DirecTV sat idly by, adding enough HD channels to push it well over the 100 mark and be totally content with its current revenue stream? Wrong. Word on the street has it that the satcaster will be pushing rates up on a number of packages starting March 4th. We've got to say -- if there's one operator out there that can justify marginal increases, it's DirecTV. We mean, it's the HD leader, after all. The list of changes is far too long to cover here, so tap the read link and start pinching those pennies.

[Thanks, Vanbrothers]

DirecTV pushing prices upwards in March originally appeared on Engadget HD on Thu, 29 Jan 2009 11:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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28/01/2009 - BSkyB Adds HD Customers And Promises More High Def Content

BSkyB has added 171,000 new customers in the second quarter and reduced churn to below 10 per cent.
It will be hoping to build on the interim results for the six months to 31 December 2008 helped by the the news that further investment is to be made in HD programming. The announcement that the price of the Sky+ HD receiver is to drop to £49 will undoubtedly provide a massive boost to that ambition.

28/01/2009 - UK Gets HD Programmes For AppleTV

Apple has announced that the first HD show is available for download from the iTunes store for AppleTV owners in the UK.
The first offerings in high def are episodes of the current series of ABC's Lost, which will be sold for £2.49 each.

26/01/2009 - 43% of US HDTV Owners Don't Watch HD Content

More than 39 million US households have an HDTV set - and the figure keeps on rising.
Yet a sizeable proportion - 43 per cent or 17 million - either don't have or don't watch HD content.

24/01/2009 - Poll: Will you buy an internet-connected HDTV?

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Outside of 3D, the hottest thing going at CES in terms of high-def was internet connectivity. When we outlined the HDTVs that are destined to ship this year, a huge chunk of 'em were spotted with Ethernet jacks and promises of widgets galore built-in. So, here's the question: are you planning to replace your perfectly good set this year with a connected HDTV? Does the concept of widgets and web content on your screen make you giddy inside? Feel free to discuss below after casting your vote.

Poll: Will you buy an internet-connected HDTV? originally appeared on Engadget HD on Sat, 24 Jan 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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22/01/2009 - AppleTV To Get Investment

Apple reaffirmed support for AppleTV after announcing first quarter sales of the digital media receiver were three times higher than for the same period last year.
Presenting its Q1 financial results, Peter Oppenheimer, Apple's senior vice president and chief financial officer, said they had beaten Wall Street estimates - with revenues surpassing USD $10bn for the first time in the company's history.

22/01/2009 - Flat-panel TV Price Falls Factor In LG Losses

Pricing pressure for flat-panel TVs was among the factors given as LG Electronics reported a net loss for the fourth quarter, ended 31 December.
On a parent-company basis, LG reported sales of USD $4.84 billion for the quarter, an operating loss of USD $228 million and a net loss of USD $493 million.

21/01/2009 - Final Chance to Nominate HDTV Person/Product Of The Year

The new year may well be firmly underway but there's still plenty of time to submit your nominations and votes for hdtv.biz-news' 2008 Man and Product of the Year awards.
With voting expected to be close in both award categories there's plenty of opportunity for latecomers to make their mark.

17/01/2009 - Hawaii activates DTV transition early: it's for the birds

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We'd say there's just a month left before most of the USA switches off its analog signals in favor of digital, but given the whole voucher fiasco, that may end up being inaccurate. Whatever the case, the wonderful state of Hawaii has decided to get a jump on everyone else by going digital this past week. The reason? Broadcasters and park rangers wanted to ensure that analog transmission towers on the slopes of Maui's Haleakala volcano (pictured) were down before the nesting season of the dark-rumped petrel. As expected, hundreds of calls have been pouring in from unprepared residents, but it seems that officials are taking it all in stride and helping frustrated viewers get the converter boxes they need. For the birds, it's all worth it.

Hawaii activates DTV transition early: it's for the birds originally appeared on Engadget HD on Sat, 17 Jan 2009 17:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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17/01/2009 - Pantel expands line of waterproof Mirror TVs, lowers prices

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Pantel has apparently decided that three waterproof Mirror TVs simply aren't enough, so it's expanding the family to four while lowering prices across the board. As of now, users looking for an outdoor HDTV that can withstand the elements can find a 20-, 26-, 32- and 42-inch solution from Pantel, all of which posses 1080p native resolutions, twin 10-watt speakers and optional touchscreen upgrades. As for pricing, they're running $1,999.99, $2,999.99, $3,499.99 and $4,499.99 from smallest to largest, which ain't half bad for a set that you can pour soda on while your favorite team gets pummeled.

Pantel expands line of waterproof Mirror TVs, lowers prices originally appeared on Engadget HD on Sat, 17 Jan 2009 07:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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15/01/2009 - DirecTV's 2009 Inauguration Mix channel brings every angle in HD

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At this point, we wouldn't even bother with trying to slip into the Metro DC area on January 20th, but we would recommend getting all buddy-buddy with a DirecTV subscriber. The satcaster is implementing its Mix Channel technology once again by offering up a 2009 Inauguration mosaic, which will bring together eight live broadcasts and enable viewers to go full-screen with the one they like best at any given moment. Of course, all eight blocks will be provided in high-definition, and it can be seen replacing the News Mix on viewer channel 102 and 352. The action gets going at 10:00AM ET on Inauguration Day.

DirecTV's 2009 Inauguration Mix channel brings every angle in HD originally appeared on Engadget HD on Thu, 15 Jan 2009 15:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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14/01/2009 - DirecTV fires up HD locals in Greenville-New Bern, NC

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The Greenville-New Bern, North Carolina market is one of the smaller big markets (if that makes any sense) that DirecTV serves, but apparently it's big enough to warrant the inclusion of HD locals. In fact, the move to light up the local stations in high-def comes just months after DISH Network decided to do so here, giving us the impression that it's simply trying to keep up. Whatever the reason, we're sure DirecTV subscribers in the region are ecstatic with the additions.

DirecTV fires up HD locals in Greenville-New Bern, NC originally appeared on Engadget HD on Tue, 13 Jan 2009 22:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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13/01/2009 - Move Networks streams over 100 million hours of HD video in 2008

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Move Networks has a pretty amazing statistic to share with the world: in 2008, it streamed over 100 million hours of high-definition content, and that's compared to 180 million hours of total content. Additionally, it experienced a 100% growth in the amount of people watching internet television, and if you're wondering why figures from this company are notable, have a listen. It's responsible for streaming 60% of the most popular TV shows and 11 or the top 20 primetime TV shows including Fringe, Lost, Gossip Girl and Ugly Betty. Even Bill Bradford, Chief Product Officer of Fox Digital Media, noted that it has seen "tremendous growth in its audience since partnering with Move Networks to deliver its programs online." No wonder TV manufacturers are champing at the bit to get online video portals on their sets.

Move Networks streams over 100 million hours of HD video in 2008 originally appeared on Engadget HD on Tue, 13 Jan 2009 06:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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12/01/2009 - Study finds interest high for connected HDTVs

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Connected TVs are being blasted out hot and heavy here at CES, so it's a good thing that early studies are showing quite a bit of consumer interest. New research carried out by Oregan Networks has discovered that 71% of respondents would prefer a media browser to be installed within their next HDTV, and if for some reason it didn't, 45% said they'd be inclined to download one while 29% "definitely would" download one. Researchers also found that online video portals such as YouTube and Hulu were seen as value-add inclusions, and having them baked into HDTVs would enable families to spend more time together enjoying the spoils of digital video. Moreover, those polled voiced their love for being able to access networked media around the home on their sets, which makes us wonder if either technophiles were intentionally asked or if the world really is swaying to appreciate media streaming.

Study finds interest high for connected HDTVs originally appeared on Engadget HD on Mon, 12 Jan 2009 08:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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10/01/2009 - NeuLion iPTV HD Box streams Internet videos to the TV

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NeuLion, the people behind the NFL's GamePass HD and Game Rewind online streaming video services, is launching a standalone IPTV receiver capable of decoding 720p or 1080i video. The iPTV HD TV Box not intended to be sold directly to consumers, but their partners may offer it so viewers can take their Silverlight, Flash or Move Networks encoded streams to the HDTV. No word whether any tuners are included but it can access a 7-day channel guide, output Dolby Digital 5.1 audio and serve as a DVR. A bit simpler than an HTPC and probably cheaper than a whole new HDTV, keep an eye out for the first boxes shipping in March.

NeuLion iPTV HD Box streams Internet videos to the TV originally appeared on Engadget HD on Sat, 10 Jan 2009 17:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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08/01/2009 - HD Content Helps Freesat Double Sales

Freesat doubled sales of its satellite packages in the last quarter of 2008.
Emma Scott, MD of the UK's free-to-air digital satellite television service, said high definition content from the BBC and ITV have helped drive sales.

07/01/2009 - NTT America talks up IPv6-based Hikari-TV IPTV at CES

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It has been awhile since we've heard the term IPv6 thrown around over here, but NTT America is looking to put it back on everyone's radar in Vegas. The outfit is all set to discuss Hikari-TV, the first large scale, commercially successful IPTV over IPv6 service, at CES, and we can't wait to give it a listen. For those out of the loop, the Hikari-TV service -- which is operated by NTT Plala -- comprises 76 channels including a number of HD stations, over 10,000 video-on-demand titles and over 13,000 titles in its "karaoke" section. Worldwide, IPTV still has quite a ways to go before it becomes even half as pervasive as traditional coax, but Gartner estimates that worldwide subscriptions to IPTV should be close to 20 million already.

NTT America talks up IPv6-based Hikari-TV IPTV at CES originally appeared on Engadget HD on Tue, 06 Jan 2009 23:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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05/01/2009 - Amazon Video On Demand Brings New-Release Movies To Roku

Roku has agreed a deal that will give its set-top box users access to Amazon’s video on demand (VOD) content.
The agreement means owners of Roku digital video players will be able to instantly purchase, rent and watch digital movies and TV episodes from the Amazon service.

05/01/2009 - Samsung Promises Thinnest Ever HDTV

Samsung is to unveil a flat-panel HDTV measuring a waif-like 6.5-millimeters at this week’s Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.
The TV set is reported to be between 6.5mm and 7mm across its width and has an LED (light emitting diode) backlight.

05/01/2009 - LG gets official with Netflix-enabled Broadband HDTVs

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Yup, it's official. LG will be showcasing the world's first Netflix-enabled HDTVs at CES this week. The so-called Broadband HDTVs will arrive in plasma and LCD flavors, though exact screen sizes and model names have yet to be disclosed. They'll arrive with Netflix streaming software baked right in, meaning that no external set-top-box will be required to suck down Watch Instantly material. Best of all, it sounds like HD Netflix content will also be supported, and with the accompanying remote, viewers will be able to "read synopses, rate movies and fast-forward / rewind the video stream." No word on pricing, but the family of sets should be shipping this Spring. Hop on past the break for a look at the full release.

Continue reading LG gets official with Netflix-enabled Broadband HDTVs

LG gets official with Netflix-enabled Broadband HDTVs originally appeared on Engadget HD on Mon, 05 Jan 2009 07:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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05/01/2009 - LG to release first HDTVs that instantly stream movies from Netflix

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It was really only a matter of time, but instant streaming from Netflix is finally getting piped straight to the tele. Until now, users needed an HTPC or a set-top-box / movie player that supported Watch Instantly, but we've received word that LG will debut the world's first Netflix-enabled HDTVs this Spring. Details are pretty light, but we're told that both plasma and LCD models will be unleashed; unfortunately, it's not entirely clear if HD Netflix will be included and if the sets will / won't be WiFi-enabled. Keep it locked here for anything more, we get the feeling we haven't heard the last about these beauties.

LG to release first HDTVs that instantly stream movies from Netflix originally appeared on Engadget HD on Mon, 05 Jan 2009 00:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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30/12/2008 - Sharp's LC-52XS1U-S reviewed: "a cool science experiment gone awry"

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We already saw the UK version of Sharp's limited edition XS1 LCD HDTV hit the review bench, but for Americans wondering if their version (that's the 52-inch LC-52XS1U-S) is any different, here's your sign. Reviewers at PC Mag were able to get the $11,999 (list price) set into the labs for testing, and while the contrast and HD detail were both lauded, the overall package just didn't warrant such a stratospheric sticker. In fact, critics asserted that the unit actually "required professional setup" in order to achieve results that were even close to desirable, and while there are a lot of details behind it, we think this all-compassing quote pretty much settles things: the flagship LC-52XS1U-S is "like a cool science experiment gone awry." Steer clear, people.

Sharp's LC-52XS1U-S reviewed: "a cool science experiment gone awry" originally appeared on Engadget HD on Tue, 30 Dec 2008 09:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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27/12/2008 - Tsutaya TV download HD to Blu-ray service tested

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In the next step for the download-to-own movement, Tsutaya TV offers Japanese viewers the opportunity to download high definition (1080i) videos from Paramount, Warner, NBC Universal or Disney and burn them to a Blu-ray disc to keep permanently. In a trial run, AV Watch downloaded a full length 8.8Gb movie (No Country for Old Men) in 28 minutes over a fiber connection, compared to 120 minutes via ADSL. The magic of Google Translate reveals video quality that was only slightly outpaced by Blu-ray standards, unfortunately accompanied by only a stereo audio soundtrack. The biggest handicap? Equipment incompatibilities, with a burned disc that wouldn't play in a PlayStation 3, we're not sure if the acTVila-based service is ready for prime time, but at the moment we're at loss for a better option that serves both our need for instant gratification and packrat mentality at the same time.

Tsutaya TV download HD to Blu-ray service tested originally appeared on Engadget HD on Sat, 27 Dec 2008 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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25/12/2008 - Sharp's pricey 52-inch LC-52XS1E LCD HDTV gets reviewed

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Sharp's 52-inch LC-52XS1E is absurdly expensive -- around £8,999 at last check in the UK -- but it's easily one of the most sophisticated, awe-inspiring sets that (lots of) money can buy. The critics over at TechRadar were able to give it a look, and while they were thoroughly impressed with pretty much every aspect, they couldn't justify the price for those not completely and utterly loaded. Words like "sensational," "stunning" and "superb" were littered throughout, and reviewers even stopped to notice that SD material still looked good on this expansive LCD. That said, we simply can't fathom a set looking good enough to make the price tag here understandable, so until the sticker starts to come back to down closer to reality, we'd probably wipe the drool from our lips and hold tight.

Sharp's pricey 52-inch LC-52XS1E LCD HDTV gets reviewed originally appeared on Engadget HD on Thu, 25 Dec 2008 08:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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24/12/2008 - Samsung's 61-inch HL61A650 RPTV HDTV reviewed

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Let's face it: there aren't too many new RPTVs hitting the market these days, but for those looking to save a little coin at the expense of a little depth, Samsung's HL61A650 is worth a look. The reviewers over at Home Theater Mag were able to take this beast in for a sit-down, and overall, they were duly impressed. The 61-incher included a respectable amount of ports, sufficient picture controls, very accurate colors and a swell remote. The main knock (outside of the bulky size) was the lackluster black level; in fact, critics noted that it was "among the worst that it had measured." That aside (if you can overlook it), but HDTV was said to perform "well above its pay grade," meaning that it could be an "ideal set at the right price for the casual viewer who will leave it in Dynamic mode and watch a heavy dose of sports in a brightly lit room."

Samsung's 61-inch HL61A650 RPTV HDTV reviewed originally appeared on Engadget HD on Wed, 24 Dec 2008 09:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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23/12/2008 - Verismo officially launches $99 VuNow PoD with YouTube support

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Just in time to snag some of that cash you're sure to have showing up right about now via greeting cards from around the world, Verismo Networks is officially launching its diminutive VuNow PoD. We've seen the device evolve quite a bit since June, but with a smorgasbord of competitors already grabbing market share left and right, we're left to wonder if this one won't be sitting on the outside looking in. The internet TV streamer hooks directly to one's TV and internet connection in order to deliver web content (YouTube, of note) to the tele. While specifics are conveniently omitted, we're told that users will have access to "a broad choice of online video content -- from movies, global Live TV channels, to user-generated content and viral videos." It's available now for $99, but can you stand yet another set-top-box beneath your flat-panel?

Verismo officially launches $99 VuNow PoD with YouTube support originally appeared on Engadget HD on Tue, 23 Dec 2008 14:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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22/12/2008 - YouTube HD Videos Now In Widescreen

After weeks of trialling its new HD capabilities YouTube has officially launched its high-def channel.
Users clicking on the newly added "watch in HD" option will automatically see the videos play in widescreen (16:9 aspect).

22/12/2008 - Panasonic's 37-inch VIERA TC-37LZ85 LCD HDTV reviewed

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Panasonic's first 37-inch VIERA didn't live up to the family name, or at least that's the gist of CNET's recent review of the TC-37LZ85. Sure, black levels were "relatively deep," screen uniformity was "solid" and off-angle viewing was commendable, but "being saddled with inaccurate color" caused it to fall quite sharply in the eyes of critics. More specifically, the "inaccurate grayscale" led to an evidently annoying reddish tinge, and the inability to adjust the color temperature or plug in an HTPC via VGA were just two more reasons to look elsewhere. At the end of the day, it was still deemed a "decent entry" into the smaller-screen 1080p realm, but 3 out of 5 stars just doesn't put forth the kind of satisfaction we'd like to see.

Panasonic's 37-inch VIERA TC-37LZ85 LCD HDTV reviewed originally appeared on Engadget HD on Mon, 22 Dec 2008 08:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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22/12/2008 - Nominations Open For The Outstanding HDTV Person and Product Of 2008

With 2008 fast drawing to a close biz-news.com is seeking YOUR help in choosing outstanding candidates for the titles of Man/Woman of the Year and Product/Service of the Year.
We would like you to nominate an individual and/or product/service that you feel has contributed greatly to the HDTV sector over the past 12 months.
The winner will be selected from the nominations submitted by our readers - professionals and technology enthusiasts in the industry.

19/12/2008 - YouTube makes finding high-def content easier with HD tab

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YouTube already made the HD transition, but now it seems that finding content without unacceptable levels of pixelation is a whole lot easier. One eagle-eyed tipster picked up on the apparently new "HD" tab that now sits prominently beside "Most Popular" and "Most Viewed." At present time, there doesn't seem to be a whole lot of interesting (or becoming, to be frank) material on the HD side, but just give it a few months to grow.

[Thanks, Victor]
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17/12/2008 - VUDU Brings The Web To TV

VUDU has launched a new platform that brings Web-hosted applications and services to consumer appliances, including its own Internet movie player.
The VUDU RIA (Rich Internet Application) platform will deliver TV shows as well as Web apps which enable users to share their photos and watch the tens of millions of YouTube videos on their HDTVs.
The company plans to open VUDU RIA up to third party developers in the first half of 2009.

15/12/2008 - Tried PC Videoconferencing - Well How About On An HDTV?

With webcams now commonplace on PCs and laptops it seems natural that they should take the next step - to HDTVs.
Videoconferencing expert Emblaze VCON says it has developed technology that allows up to six different users to interact through home TV screens.

14/12/2008 - Intel and China Central Television establish research lab for HD initiatives

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Not sure if you've been paying close attention, but Intel's been scrounging around in China for awhile now in hopes of latching on to a few television-related projects. Back in April, it paired with Legend Silicon to push USB dongles for HDTV viewing, and in March, it shook hands with OKI and Huashu to develop a next-generation STB. Now, the mega-corp is getting in bed with China Central Television (CCTV) in order to establish a research laboratory to "jointly study image processing technologies." Furthermore, the lab will provide "IT support for CCTV's high-definition programs," and it will help improve the processing of HD content in particular. Intel helping the global push for high-def adoption? Who woulda knew?

Intel and China Central Television establish research lab for HD initiatives originally appeared on Engadget HD on Sun, 14 Dec 2008 15:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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12/12/2008 - Tallahassee enjoys new DirecTV HD locals alone & lonely

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Tallahassee, Florida DirecTV customers, we hope you're enjoying your WCTV/CBS, WTWC/NBC and WTLH/Fox high definition locals, because you're getting them alone. This solo market addition to the DirecTV offerings brings the total to 116 (five left for 121), although we're not sure that will make Panhandle residents feel more included. Unofficially, a commenter reports WTTV in Indianapolis is live now as well, maybe you can form a support group?

Tallahassee enjoys new DirecTV HD locals alone & lonely originally appeared on Engadget HD on Fri, 12 Dec 2008 16:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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11/12/2008 - HD Video Download Service Allows Blu-ray Recording

Japan is to get the world's first HDTV video download service that allows users to export high-def content from HDDs to Blu-ray Disc.
Tsutaya online provides video content from a server to compatible digital home appliances and allows the content to be copied on Blu-ray Disc, iVDR-S and memory cards.

10/12/2008 - DirecTV brings PBS to 10 additional markets

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Nearly a year after an agreement was reached between DirecTV and the Association of Public Television Stations (APTS), it appears they didn't want to keep anyone waiting long after the first wave of deployments, with ten new markets chosen for PBS service via satellite. We know you've been missing your NOVA and Ken Burns docs so check after the break for areas and stations. Not listed? More rollouts are due before the end of this year and into the next.

Continue reading DirecTV brings PBS to 10 additional markets

DirecTV brings PBS to 10 additional markets originally appeared on Engadget HD on Wed, 10 Dec 2008 16:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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09/12/2008 - MTVNHD's second European invasion detailed

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Our ambivalence about its programming hasn't served to slow the progress of MTV International's HD baby, poised to launch in ten new countries by the end of the year. The UK adds MTVNHD on Sky, Israel lights it up on HOT while the Latin American tour kicks off in Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Venezuela, Peru, Ecuador, Caribbean Islands and Uruguay via DirecTV Panamerica. We already know that's not the end, with France queued up and the network prez noting interest from providers around the world including the Far East. Promising a (not-so) massive 300 hours of original programming commissioned for the next two years, sleep easy knowing repeats of the same old concerts will be available in 1080i no matter where in the world you are.

MTVNHD's second European invasion detailed originally appeared on Engadget HD on Tue, 09 Dec 2008 10:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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05/12/2008 - NXP Chip Brings High-end HDTV Quality Into Mainstream

NXP has launched a new global single-chip LCD TV platform that it claims will give mid-range TVs an HD viewing experience previously only available on higher end sets.
Founded by Philips, the semiconductor company believes its new platform will allow manufacturers and content providers to bring a broad range of Internet and digital video content to a significantly wider audience.

04/12/2008 - Beyond TV 4.9 officially released, packs in placeshifting, h.264, ClearQAM for $99

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Dumping the beta tag, Snapstream's officially rolled out the placeshifting, Clear QAM-compatible singing and dancing Beyond TV 4.9, rolling previously optional $29.99 h.264 and DVD burning plugins into the standard package, upping the pricetag for new users from $69 to $99 (upgraders who never bought the plugins and don't want them can still hop in for the old price). If watching place shifted TV via web browser isn't interesting enough by itself, Snapstream threw in beta support for the Hauppage HD-PVR, new Web admin features and more. Enough to convince you to upgrade, or dive into the build it yourself DVR market for the first time?

[Via eHomeUpgrade]

Beyond TV 4.9 officially released, packs in placeshifting, h.264, ClearQAM for $99 originally appeared on Engadget HD on Thu, 04 Dec 2008 11:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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03/12/2008 - Panasonic's VIERA TH-50PZ850U plasma gets reviewed

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We've seen a couple of Panasonic's plasmas reviewed in recent months, but the 50-inch TH-50PZ85OU has somehow eluded us thus far. The cats over at E-Gear just got ahold of this very unit and spent the bulk of its time testing things out over the Thanksgiving holiday. Right from the top, the HDTV was praised for its image quality, with critics noting that it "soared above most of the competition, both in feature offerings and in performance." Blacks were black, Blu-ray Discs were stunning and the colors were vivid. Sure, the bundled remote left a bit to be desired, but it's not like you don't have a universal remote to handle that "on / off stuff" anyway, right? We must say, we're a bit shocked that a Panny PDP was regarded this highly, but it's good to see the current king bringing out the best in all of the rivals.

Panasonic's VIERA TH-50PZ850U plasma gets reviewed originally appeared on Engadget HD on Wed, 03 Dec 2008 13:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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03/12/2008 - DirecTV brings PBS HD to 14 local markets

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DirecTV's taking a break from its usual HD rollout escapades to focus specifically on PBS. Millions of subscribers will now be able to enjoy Public Broadcasting Service content in glistening high-definition, with 14 markets going live today and more planned before the year's end. As of now, customers in Cedar Rapids-Waterloo-Iowa City-Dubuque, Iowa; Chicago; Davenport, Iowa-Rock Island-Moline, Ill.; Detroit, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami-Fort Lauderdale, Minneapolis-St. Paul, New York, Norfolk-Newport News, Va.; Phoenix; Portland, Ore.; Rochester, N.Y.; and Waco-Temple-Bryan, Texas have access, and the rest of ya will just have to wait.

DirecTV brings PBS HD to 14 local markets originally appeared on Engadget HD on Wed, 03 Dec 2008 13:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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02/12/2008 - Sling.com internet TV portal opens to the public, Hulu quakes

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Internet TV portals are a dime a dozen, and most of them can't hold a candle to the current king of the hill: Hulu. Thankfully, some real competition has just waltzed in, as the Sling.com online viewing network is now open and available to the general populace. The service will deliver content from over 90 providers (including a bunch you've actually heard of), original editorial content and social networking features to keep you coming back. Now that it's open, why not hop over and give it a spin -- let us know how you like / dislike things in comments below.

Sling.com internet TV portal opens to the public, Hulu quakes originally appeared on Engadget HD on Tue, 02 Dec 2008 14:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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02/12/2008 - JVC's iPod-lovin' LT-47P789 LCD HDTV gets in-depth review

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It's nearly time for JVC to drop yet another iPod dock-infused HDTV on us at CES 2009 (just a guess, is all), but for those looking for the model first introduced in January 2008, here's a bit of introspective. If you'll recall, we already heard pretty positive things about the 42-inch version of this same set, but AV Revolution took things much, much deeper with its look at the 47-inch LT-47P789. We'll save the details for those who care, but the long and short of it is this: in the case of this particular unit, "neither the TV's performance nor the TeleDock implementation is as good as it could be." That said, the street price of around $1,500 isn't half bad, and while it won't put a smile on the face of a videophile, it should function just fine as an "everyday or second-room TV" for those who can't seem to escape their iPod.

JVC's iPod-lovin' LT-47P789 LCD HDTV gets in-depth review originally appeared on Engadget HD on Tue, 02 Dec 2008 11:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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27/11/2008 - Could Savings Ratios Give A Clue To Market Robustness?

Black Friday has arrived in the US and many retailers are hoping fears of prolonged economic difficulties will not hamper consumers' appetite for spending - not least for HDTVs.
Paul Gray, Display Search's director of European TV research, has added some intriguing analysis to the various predictions about how robust consumer demand is likely to be in key markets in the coming months.

27/11/2008 - Growth Towards 3D HDTV Gains Pace

Panasonic has submitted a proposal for a 3D Blu-ray standard to the Blu-ray Disc Association.
The submission comes as Korea's LG announces its intentions to bring 3D TVs to some markets in 2009.

26/11/2008 - Orange Brings Mobile HDTV to Hybrid Phones

Orange is to offer high definition mobile TV to users of hybrid mobile/fixed Unik handsets.
From next month, its customers in France will have access to more than 60 HD mobile TV channels, 20 of which will be with unlimited access.

22/11/2008 - FetchTV STB bundles Freeview and HD VOD support

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Tough to say how well this will catch on across the pond, but we're definitely digging the direction this box is headed. IP Vision's latest set-top-box is quite the interesting character, being completely carrier-independent and boasting no subscription fees whatsoever. The unit includes an HDD for storing up to 40 hours of content, a Freeview tuner, an export-to-USB feature (read: external storage support) and the ability to tap into a wide library of video-on-demand content. Speaking of the latter (FetchTV), users can suck down material from Paramount, ITV, Turner Broadcasting, Eagle Vision, Fremantle, Entertainment Rights and Aardman, with movies priced between £1.99 and £3.50 and other shows costing £0.29 to £1.99. The unit itself can be purchased now for £149.99 (or £129.99 for a limited time) -- tell us, UKers, is this something you might be interested in?

[Via TechDigest]

FetchTV STB bundles Freeview and HD VOD support originally appeared on Engadget HD on Fri, 21 Nov 2008 23:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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21/11/2008 - Zoran's New Processors Spell Thinner HDTVs

HDTVs may seem wafer thin already but don't expect the drive for even slimmer models to stop anytime soon.
The Zoran Corporation has just announced a pair of new HDTV processors that should help set manufacturers shave a tad more off their future sets.

21/11/2008 - REVIEW BoinxTV: Mac-based Live Video Recording Studio

In his interview with hdtv.biz-news Oliver Breidenbach, CEO and co-founder of Bonix Software, explained how he believed that BonixTV is a “game changer” providing tools to create “TV-style” quality recordings at an affordable price.
Jordi Duran has had the opportunity to play with the application and here you have his first insights.

19/11/2008 - The Media Center DirecTV HDPC-20 caught in action

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Microsoft invited us, with a few others, to tour the eHome team office and lab's and of all the great things we saw -- pictured in the gallery -- the one that got us the most excited was to see the rumored DirecTV HDPC-20 USB tuner in action. Our dreams were a little dashed though, as we were reminded on numerous occasions that although Microsoft tests lots of hardware, not everything makes it to market. So in other words, the presence of any hardware in the lab is no way an announcement of future products. But this here tuner wasn't the only thing we saw, as there were even a few indications that DISH Network was being tested as well, and while we did see DISH multi-switches and a DISH TV screen up on a Media Center PC, we didn't see any specific DISH equipment connected to Media Center. This could mean the tuners are internal or maybe the tuners were just cleared out before we came through. More pictures of the HDPC-20 in action after the jump.

Continue reading The Media Center DirecTV HDPC-20 caught in action

The Media Center DirecTV HDPC-20 caught in action originally appeared on Engadget HD on Wed, 19 Nov 2008 13:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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19/11/2008 - How will Xbox's streaming HD Fare Against PS3's Blu-ray?

For a while now, Sony's PS3 has done very well out of being the best Blu-ray player in its price range - oh, and you can play games with it too.
So it will be interesting to see how it fares now that Microsoft's Xbox is offering US users streaming HD content from Netflix.
That, and the fact that Blu-ray player prices generally are falling, may have some impact on the Sony console.

19/11/2008 - Funai Seeks To Ban US Imports Of TV Makers

A US judge has ruled that the digital television products of 14 companies, including Vizio, infringe patents held by Funai.
The Japanese company is seeking a limited exclusion order barring importation of the infringing products into the US as well as a cease and desist order to prevent sale or distribution of infringing products there.

16/11/2008 - Verismo Networks' PoD web video-to-TV box grabs release date

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Remember that totally forgettable PoD that popped up and vanished back in June? You know -- that minuscule box (around the size of two cigarette packs) that plays back practically anything (torrents, web videos, etc.) on your TV without a PC in between? Yeah, that very unit has finally secured a legitimate release date and price, and we can safely say that we're riveted. For those needing a refresher, the wired / wireless unit scans your local network and detects any type of multimedia stored anywhere; from there, it streams content directly to your TV without any fuss -- much like the Neuros-powered WhereverTV, but with far fewer limitations. If you're intrigued, get set to pony up $99 on December 15th to quell your curiosity.

Verismo Networks' PoD web video-to-TV box grabs release date originally appeared on Engadget HD on Sat, 15 Nov 2008 23:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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12/11/2008 - HDTV Now In Over A Third Of US Households

HDTV penetration has doubled in the past two years with 34 per cent of US households having at least one high definition television (HDTV) set.
Representing about 40 million households, this figure is set to double again over the next two years, according to consumer research from the Leichtman Research Group.

12/11/2008 - HDTV penetration rises to 40 million, 34% of U.S. households

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The Leichtman Research Group is back again, with its sixth annual study on all things HDTV, extrapolating from a 1,302 household survey that the number of homes with an HDTV has reached 40 million. Overall, HDTV penetration has crossed a third of households, up to 34% from 20% last year, while those with an HDTV set who thought they were watching HD, but actually weren't, dropped slightly to 18%. Also less than pleasing to our eye is the finding that just a 1% increase from last year in the number of customer reporting they were told how to get high definition programming, but the percentage of homes watching HD jumped 5 points to 58%. The read link has a few more numbers for those seeking their yearly update, but we're already wondering how things will read next year.

HDTV penetration rises to 40 million, 34% of U.S. households originally appeared on Engadget HD on Wed, 12 Nov 2008 14:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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11/11/2008 - When Will Wii Go HD?

Nintendo's lead game designer, Shigeru Miyamoto, has been making comments that suggest Wii could go HD sometime soon.
The ability to support true next-gen graphics on HDTVs is one area the Wii falls down on compared to competitors Xbox 360 or PlayStation 3.

11/11/2008 - Toshiba's 1080p REGZA ZV series LCD HDTVs get priced and dated

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Ready for some Resolution+ in your LCD HDTV? Yeah? Then get ready for Toshiba's REGZA ZV series, which is gearing up to take the UK by storm and completely change the way you see SD content. Okay, so maybe that's a touch overblown, but the upscaling sets are slated to launch in the UK on November 29th. The 42-inch 42ZV555D will sell for £899.99 ($1,419), while the 46-inch 46ZV555D will go for £1199.99 ($1,893), and both will make your collection of HD footage immensely envious.

[Via Pocket-lint]

Toshiba's 1080p REGZA ZV series LCD HDTVs get priced and dated originally appeared on Engadget HD on Tue, 11 Nov 2008 08:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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06/11/2008 - HDTV Was Too Far From HP's Core Business

Hewlett-Packard is just the latest PC OEM to learn a lesson about straying from its core business, according to Michael Wolf, Digital Home research director at ABI Research.
Citing the experiences of Dell and Gateway, he asserts that it's hard for a PC company to make a business in living room consumer electronics.

04/11/2008 - Price Deals Fuelling Surge in HDTV Sales

Sales of high definition plasma TVs have risen by 37 per cent in the third quarter compared to last year's figures.
A survey by DisplaySearch has shown that consumers are being enticed to buy plasma sets by sweeping price cuts, especially on 32-inch sets.

04/11/2008 - WD Brings Simplicity To Streaming

Storage expert Western Digital has launched a standalone media box that streams content from your USB drive.
Rather than hooking your computer to your HDTV and streaming video and other multimedia files, the WD TV HD Media Player accepts content from a separate WD portable backup drive.

04/11/2008 - DirecTV goes live with HD service in Latin America

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So, that's what those HBO HD ads down in Latin America were all about, huh? As of this week, DirecTV is now taking orders for HD service in Latin America, and reportedly, those that sign up can receive an HD DVR capable of storing 400 hours of SD or 100 hours of high-def footage. Initially, there will only be four high-definition channels available (HBO HD, Movie City HD, Fox HD and DirecTV HD), but we suppose you've got to start somewhere. Has anyone down that way signed up? How's the image / audio quality?

[Thanks, Eduardo]

Read - DirecTV launching in Latin America
Read - DirecTV's official HD site (Peru)

DirecTV goes live with HD service in Latin America originally appeared on Engadget HD on Tue, 04 Nov 2008 11:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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03/11/2008 - DirecTV's HR23-700 HD DVR gets an early look

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Ah, the pains of progress. Not even two full months after DirecTV's HR22 began filtering out to eager users, in flies a first look at the forthcoming HR23-700. But don't fret -- there aren't too many differences here. It looks as if the HDD of the HD DVR is the same size as that in the HR22, with the major changes being a few cosmetic tweaks and internal swaps that could amount to better picture quality. It still looks as if there's no OTA tuner, and it'll be sporting the same wide band tuners as in the H23. Check the read link for the full writeup, and trust us, there's a lot in there to digest.

[Thanks, Anthony]

DirecTV's HR23-700 HD DVR gets an early look originally appeared on Engadget HD on Mon, 03 Nov 2008 15:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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03/11/2008 - Pioneer's 37-inch KRL-37V KURO LCD reviewed: other LCDs should be scared

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Anyone remotely familiar with the KURO brand knows that with it comes the expectation of awesomeness (and a large price tag), and the question on everyone's mind has been: will the KURO LCD line live up to the name? According to TrustedReview's critique of the 37-inch KRL-37V, the answer is a resounding "yes." The reviewers put together five long-winded pages detailing the ins and outs of this here set, but in general, they found that it produced better pictures than most other LCDs on the market today, and that's saying something. Sure, it wasn't without its flaws -- there were occurrences where odd color tones popped up in SD footage, black levels weren't astonishing and the viewing angles weren't the greatest -- but the colors in HD were simply terrific. 'Tis a shame we North Americans will have to wait until sometime next year before we can even have a look for ourselves, but those in Europe may want to give this one some serious attention.

[Via HDTV Lounge]

Pioneer's 37-inch KRL-37V KURO LCD reviewed: other LCDs should be scared originally appeared on Engadget HD on Mon, 03 Nov 2008 14:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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01/11/2008 - Vudu's HD selection now outnumbers Apple TV's, Blu-ray might be next

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For the fourth week in a row, Vudu leaves the flood gates open and continues adding HD movies to the its library in record numbers. Now with this week's additional 120 HD movies, it has replaced the Apple TV as the download service with the best selection of HD. According to Vudu, there are now 769 movies available (or coming in the next few weeks) compared to about 690 HD movies that are offered on the Apple TV. So at this rate, Vudu should also surpass Blu-ray's HD selection in about two weeks. Of course we are talking about quantity here, and not quality, which we're sure could be debated continuously. Unfortunately for movie fans, it's still not quite the ultimate solution, as there's no way to purchase movies in HD, rentals are still limited by 30 days and 24 hours, and worst of all, there is still about a 30 day window between when the latest movies are released on disc and when they show up on download services. But this does make us wonder what would happen if Hollywood eliminated the artificial differences between downloads and discs.

Vudu's HD selection now outnumbers Apple TV's, Blu-ray might be next originally appeared on Engadget HD on Fri, 31 Oct 2008 18:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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30/10/2008 - Engadget HD Podcast Roundtable - Downloads vs Discs

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With all the excitement around the latest news in the world of digital downloads, we though we'd take a cue from our good friends at gdgt.com and hold a roundtable on the subject. Rather than choose other profesionals on the subject for the panel, we reached out to fans of digital downloads to get real world impressions of what is actually out there. We get deep into the why people want downloads, why the market has yet to reach the masses, and finally, we all make our predictions of when we think Blu-ray Discs will be like VHS is today. So if you have strong feelings about the future of discs, you're going to really love this.


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Hosts: Ben Drawbaugh and Steve Kim

Guests:
Eddie Valenzuela of Apple TV Junkie
Jon Ogden, a Vudu evangelist
Tyler Pruitt of Format War Central

Producer: Trent Wolbe

LISTEN (MP3)
LISTEN (AAC)
LISTEN (OGG)

Engadget HDEngadget HD Podcast Roundtable - Downloads vs Discs originally appeared on Engadget HD on Thu, 30 Oct 2008 16:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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30/10/2008 - Mitusbishi iSP LT-52149 LCD TV with integrated soundbar hands-on

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No, it's not the hot new LaserVue set, but we've gotten to play with Mitsubishi's new LT-52149 120Hz LCD with integrated soundbar for a week or so now, and while we're impressed with the soundbar's simulated surround, the picture quality just isn't there on the $3,799 display. First off, we're not at all sold on the value of 120Hz dejuddering -- it makes everything look like it was shot on VHS on a soap opera set. We're totally unclear on who likes this, since we think it's pretty nasty. It does work well with sports programming, but for the most part we just left it off and didn't miss it. We also saw some gradient banding issues on HD content, and SD looked terrible, leading us to believe the built-in scaler isn't all that great -- an issue on a large 1080p set where almost everything has be scaled or deinterlaced in some way. That said, there's always a chance we didn't spend enough time tweaking settings, since Mitsu lets you get pretty deep -- we liked the PerfectColor adjustments, and the discrete brightness and backlight controls were much appreciated. Speaking of which, the LED backlight is one of the brightest we've ever seen, and it makes a huge impression when you first see the display -- it's incredibly vibrant. Too bad the image quality didn't hold up to harsher scrutiny -- the integrated soundbar is super easy to set up, sounds good, and would have made this set a perfect choice for rooms where traditional surround systems don't work. As it is, however, we just can't see dropping nearly four grand on a less-than-perfect picture. Check the gallery for some more hands-on shots.

Engadget HDMitusbishi iSP LT-52149 LCD TV with integrated soundbar hands-on originally appeared on Engadget HD on Thu, 30 Oct 2008 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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28/10/2008 - Global TV pricing sinks 22% year-over-year in September

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Those price drops you've been noticing are more than a figment of your imagination. In fact, they're very, very real. According to hot-off-the-press research from DisplaySearch, global TV internet pricing for TVs declined 22% on average this September compared to a year ago. More specifically, plasma prices sank (on average) 27%, while CRT stickers actually rose 4%. When looking at the all-important LCD TV category, we're told that prices in Europe declined the most at 30%, while China, North America and Japan were down 20 percent, 16 percent and 4 percent, respectively. Also of note, it was the big screen sets plummeting the most, as 52-inch LCD TVs sank nearly 30% year-over-year while 20-inch LCD TVs dropped just 4%. Oh, and we'd totally expect to see things head further south exactly one month from today -- at least in America.

[Via CNET, image courtesy of DayLife]

Engadget HDGlobal TV pricing sinks 22% year-over-year in September originally appeared on Engadget HD on Tue, 28 Oct 2008 13:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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28/10/2008 - Consumers Driving Indian HDTV Market

The secret to success of the HDTV market in India depends mainly on the intense desire of the consumers. In fact, the women are keener about getting these high definition televisions just like the other consumer durable products.

27/10/2008 - Netflix "Watch Instantly" Comes To Macs

Online movie rental giant Netflix is finally offering Mac users its instant watching service.
Windows users have been able to watch movies and TV episodes instantly since early 2007.
The upgraded service will initially only work on Macs with Intel chips - but the Los Gatos, California-based online DVD rental pioneer said that was around 70 per cent of their Mac subscribers.

27/10/2008 - HD Option A Big Hit For MyToons

MyToons only launched its high definition channel a few months ago but already it's attracting attention from several major TV and film studios.
Paul Ford, president of the animation website, spoke to HDTV.biz-news.com about the burgeoning HD animation community and the challenges of offering high def cartoons on the internet.

22/10/2008 - DirecTV DVR software update hits the stage again, now with slightly less fail

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That botched DirecTV software update a couple weeks ago that locked up DVRs everywhere, causing missed shows, global warming, spousal abuse and general melancholy amongst the populace? It's back and locking up boxes across the land again, however this time, after rebooting their HR2x units and wondering how they'll go on without a DVR'd episode of this afternoon's Judge Judy, DirecTV subs will be greeted with a message proclaiming them the proud owners of a 1080p video on-demand capable set-top box, with improved "cellphone style" search via the remote and enhanced channel guide info including more actors. We probably can't expect more than another apology letter from the satcaster, but tell us, does knowing what all this pain was for make it any easier?

[Thanks to Chris for the pic & everyone who sent this in]
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22/10/2008 - A new HD tide is rising at VUDU

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It's no secret that we're hard on VUDU around here. It isn't that we don't like the service, it's just that our expectations are so high. One of our biggest complaints has been the relatively limited selection of HD movies, but apparently that has changed recently. We follow a weekly post that lists the new HD movies on the various download services and had become very accustomed to the Apple TV adding more movies than any other. That was until a few weeks ago. Starting on the week of October 3rd, VUDU started to outpace the Apple TV, and this week released an astonishing 153 new HD offerings in one week. This is almost three times as many movies in one week as VUDU has ever added before, and way more than the 37 movies added to Apple TV's HD movie lineup or the 20 movies added to Blu-ray -- no, TV shows weren't counted. As of today, Vudu offers 553 HD movies, which is still less than the number of Blu-ray titles available (around 1000) or the Apple TV at 684. So at this rate, both Vudu and the Apple TV are on track to surpass Blu-ray's title count. But unfortunately, neither seem to be getting many of the new releases in HD day-and-date with DVD -- like Iron Man and Indiana Jones, which are due on Vudu in mid November. Now if only VUDU addressed the rest of our concerns, like the 24 hour window, the HDMI requirement, no lossless audio, and the $300 box that only does one thing.
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21/10/2008 - DirecTV's Election Mix channel brings maximum coverage to one place

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DirecTV has a thing for offering up exclusives such as this in order to help fencesitters make the leap, so it's no shock to see the satcaster taking the multi-pane approach used primarily for sporting events to cover election night. As the US presidential election unfolds on November 4th, DirecTV customers will be able to catch eight feeds of coverage on a single channel alongside a real-time election blog that will "track the announcements and analysis on each channel as votes are counted, exit polling data is evaluated and electoral count projections roll in." The Election Mix Channel will be seen on slots 102 and 352 (for SD and HD, respectively) and will feature feeds from the four broadcast networks, CNN, FOX News, MSNBC and alternating feeds of Comedy Central (when it's doing live election coverage) and BBC America. Users will be able to hover over any of the eight blocks to select audio from each, and you can catch the mayhem beginning at 7:00PM ET on that fateful Tuesday.

[Thanks, Bryan]
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20/10/2008 - Boxee delivers Hulu to Apple TV

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For Apple TV owners who don't shy away from tinkering, we've got some excellent news. As of today, video viewers can now catch Hulu.com content from within Boxee (and by extension, on their Apple TVs). No need to wipe the sleep from your eyes -- Hulu accessibility has arrived on Apple's set-top-box. Additionally, Boxee has added CBS.com to its list of viewable internet video sources; head on down to Boxee's website for more, and jump past the break for the full release.

Continue reading Boxee delivers Hulu to Apple TV

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17/10/2008 - FOX News turns HD on DirecTV

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Without any official word from DirecTV, users across the nation are now reporting that FOX News has gone high-def. Yeah, we wish there were a few others being introduced right alongside of it, but we suppose we're okay with baby steps. Enjoy!

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
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16/10/2008 - DirecTV & The Weather Channel team up on new interactive TV apps

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The Weather Channel's the latest to get a taste of DirecTV's interactive treatment, adding new severe weather alerts, Local on the 8's weather reports, Local On Demand weather and a featured spot on the DirecTV Active application. The Weather Channel HD feed doesn't feature the local on the 8's app yet, but it is on the way, while the Local On Demand feature lets customers click through a bevy of information while still watching TWC live. A ticker at the bottom of the screen plus the red button on your remote should shed more light on the subject for the interested.
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16/10/2008 - First US Cities Get Tru2way Digital Cable Service

Consumers in Chicago and Denver will be the first in the US to experience Comcast's video-on-demand without a set-top box.
Panasonic and Comcast today unveiled a tru2way digital cable service for the two cities with additional cities expected to go live in the coming months.

15/10/2008 - LifeSize Launches Full-HD Telepresence System

LifeSize Communications has unveiled what it describes as the next generation in video communications - a full HD telepresence solution called Room 200.
The system provides life-size HD images and audio for as many as six participants at one time.

14/10/2008 - Poll: Which HD download service do you prefer?

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Digi Downlaods
Now that Vudu has stepped up the bit-rates of its HD downloadable movies, have you been drawn away from Apple TV's gigantic selection of movies, or the Xbox 360's impressive array of Hi-Def TV shows? Although it seems like not one box offers everything anyone could want, we still want to know: which HD download service do you prefer?

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10/10/2008 - DirecTV now carrying HD locals in 100 markets

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While DISH Network just recently hit market number 70, DirecTV is throwing itself a party after reaching the big 100. With the addition of Columbia-Jefferson City, Missouri and Evansville, Indiana, the satcaster can now claim to have HD locals available in a hundred US regions. The milestone means that some 83% of the US can now get DirecTV and their HD locals sans an OTA antenna, and if all goes to plan, it'll hit 121 cities by the year's end. We suppose a round of golf claps is in order.
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08/10/2008 - DirecTV confirms HD DVR / receiver glitch, apologizes profusely

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So it's true -- hordes of DirecTV users weren't just dreaming about a glitch that required a painstaking reboot to start the week off. DirecTV has sent out e-mails to loads of affected users which were unexpectedly forced to mash the red "Reset" button located within a door on the front panel of their HD DVR / receiver in order to get things going again. Of course, even the mighty satcaster can't replace any missed recordings that were scheduled, but it is "sincerely" sorry for the inconvenience. You'll still be paying your full bill, though, so it's not that sorry.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
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07/10/2008 - Solar-powered and Wireless - HDTV Doesn't Come Much Cleaner

Japan’s cutting edge electronics fair CEATEC just ended but it tossed a few interesting titbits into the mix, including a solar-powered HDTV from Sharp.
The LED-backlit 52-inch set receives up to 220kWh of power from a solar floor panel.

07/10/2008 - Jewelry TV goes HD on October 15th

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Jewelry TV logoAlthough we have to admit we've never been big on doing our shopping on TV, as we prefer the interwebs for that type of thing, we could really see where HD would be the perfect application for selling jewelry to those who are too lazy to get off the couch. But even if you do enjoy a nice trip to your local jewelry store, you might like the idea of being able to check out that new ring blown up in glorious HD on your 60-inch HDTV. Either way, Jewelry TV is hoping that with a little help from its new HD channel, it can sustain its $500 million in revenues it enjoyed last year. We're not sure about that, but we'll bet at least one guy will use this as leverage when convincing his wife it's time to make the jump to HD, but we have feeling he just might live to regret playing that card.
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06/10/2008 - Botched DirecTV software update requiring HR2X STBs to be restarted?

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Generally, we'd pass something like this off as just coincidence, but when over 95% of 1,000+ respondents confess to sharing the same issue, we simply can't turn the other cheek. It's assumed that DirecTV botched up a software update early this morning that affected a number of HR2X set-tops. Over at DBSTalk, the vast majority of readers who voluntarily took part in a poll affirmed that at least one of their HR2X units required a restart / reboot this morning. We know there's no real point in asking if you too were affected, but that aside, what was DirecTV attempting to send down? The world may never know.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
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03/10/2008 - Apple TV update finally lets you buy hi-def TV shows from the couch

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Apple TV HD TV show list
Now sure why this update wasn't available at launch, but starting today Apple TV fans can download update 2.2 which among some security updates and Genius features, finally allows you to buy hi-def TV shows from the comfort of your own couch. Of course this begs the question, does it matter where you buy 'em? Because as much as we are lazy, we also really like the fact that when you buy a show via iTunes, you also get an iPod friendly version.

[Via Apple TV Junkie]
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02/10/2008 - Hitachi Camcorder Wirelessly Streams HD

Hitachi have been showing off a prototype digital camcorder that can stream HD video on a TV via a wireless LAN, according to Tech-On.
The camcorder, which was being exhibited at CEATEC JAPAN 2008, can output video recorded on its HDD or video being shot live to a Hitachi HDTV.

01/10/2008 - DirecTV uncorks HD locals in Springfield-Holyoke, MA / Savannah, GA

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Now that we've officially hit fall here in the US of A, we suppose DirecTV should revamp is HD rollout plans to include this season. Nevertheless, the satcaster is slowly but surely wrapping up its summer plans by bringing HD locals to the Springfield-Holyoke, Massachusetts and Savannah, Georgia DMAs. Both markets can now tune into their local CBS, NBC and ABC affiliates in HD, though FOX was strangely omitted for both. Hope you weren't looking forward to the World Series in high-def or anything...

Read - Springfield-Holyoke, MA rollout
Read - Savannah, Georgia
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01/10/2008 - JVC's iPod-friendly LT-42P789 LCD HDTV gets reviewed

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JVC's iPod dock-infused LT-42P789 was announced way back when at CES 2008, but we're just now starting to see the flat-panel leak out onto the market. The cats over at E-Gear were able to house one for a review, and all in all, they were quite pleased. Image quality while watching Blu-ray Discs was exceptional, the iPod playback / UI navigation was satisfactory and the inbuilt speakers were actually not half bad. To be frank, we don't see many potential LCD HDTV buyers looking heavily at this one unless they're simply dead-set on having integrated iPod support -- but hey, if that's you, this one may be the next set you want consuming your den.
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30/09/2008 - Hands-on and unboxing: Nero LiquidTV | TiVo PC

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We received our Nero Liquid TV review kit today and before got knee deep in experiencing TiVo on a PC, we paused and took some pictures for your enjoyment. Although we wonder how big the market is for yet another piece of DVR, HTPC software, we do want to find out if the $200 price point, and $99 a year for service, is worth it for a remote, IR transceiver, hybrid tuner, antenna and software. We'll be trying this with our Vista Media Center hardware -- including CableCARD tuners that we don't expect to work -- as well as the included remote and tuner, so stay tuned.

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30/09/2008 - Comstar Launches Stream-branded HDTV

Russian telecomms operator Comstar-UTS has fully launched Stream-branded HDTV services in Moscow in the upgraded sections of the MGTS network.
It has also introduced a package offering broadband internet access at speeds of up to 20Mbps.

30/09/2008 - Intellian delivers first DirecTV Ka-band capable marine satellite TV systems

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Hitting the high seas (or the slightly lower lakes and rivers, whatever works) shouldn't keep you from all those new HDTV channels DirecTV's been adding, requiring Intellian Technologies' new k4 and k6, the first marine satellite systems that will tune into Ka-band broadcasts. With their 17.7- and 23.6-inch antennas packed into all-in-one domes they should be be able to track and switch among Ka- and older Ku-band satellites as necessary, even on a fast moving boat. We're sure you've already switched to MPEG-4 compatible hardware at home, the dinghy is next.
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27/09/2008 - DirecTV replaces DISH as AT&T's BFF, Advanced TV partner

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The AT&T / DISH Network breakup is official, with DirecTV satellite service sliding into place alongside U-Verse as a triple-play option for customers beginning January 31, 2009. No word whether AT&T plans to scale back the scope of these partnership deals as it continues to expand U-Verse, but with the big guys' love for bundling we wouldn't be surprised to see the same game of musical chairs going on all next year as well.

[Image courtesy GiftsByExpressions]
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25/09/2008 - AT&T To Boost HD Line-up With MPEG-4

AT&T is to continue growing its high-definition channel line-up in the US with the help of increasingly efficient MPEG-4 compression.
The efficiency gains will allow the telco to support more simultaneous IPTV streams, upping the live HD streams to three and the recorded HD streams to four in 2009.

23/09/2008 - TV3 stops HDTV transmissions

Catalan public broadcaster TV3 has halted its HDTV transmissions via digital terrestrial.
The broadcasts were the first of their type in Spain.

23/09/2008 - General Electric To Make Premium HDTVs

After a 20-year gap, General Electric is returning to television-set making in partnership with a Taiwanese company to launch high definition TV sets.
Among the joint venture’s various intentions are plans to produce a Blu-ray Disc player with BD-Live capability.

22/09/2008 - Entertainment Studios to launch six HD networks on Verizon's FiOS TV

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Be still our hearts! Out of nowhere, in flies word that six all new high-definition channels are emerging here in the United States. Entertainment Studios, an independent producer and distributor of first-run syndicated television programming for broadcast television stations, has just announced that it will launch six "targeted" HD networks: Cars.TV, Pets.TV, Comedy.TV, MyDestination.TV, ES.TV and Recipe.TV. All six stations do a decent job of explaining themselves, and at least initially, they'll be viewable on Verizon's FiOS TV service. Regrettably, there's no telling when the half dozen will go live on FiOS TV, and even worse, there's absolutely no way to know whether your own programming provider will pick 'em up or not. Here's hoping, huh?
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18/09/2008 - Pioneer to launch LCD HDTVs in North America next year

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On the whole, we'd say KURO plasma owners are pretty stoked about their sets. Those who'd prefer a KURO-branded LCD, however, have been waiting anxiously to hear something more from ole Pioneer for months. Thankfully, the firm has finally spoken, and while it doesn't mention any brand / model names specifically, we can assume that those LCD HDTVs we saw emerge in Europe will be gracing US shores in mere months. During the first half of 2009, Pioneer LCD HDTVs will be loosed in North America and Asia, and unless plans change, the panels within will actually be supplied by Sharp. Might we be on the lookout for a sneak peek at CES '09?
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15/09/2008 - The Future is 3-D HDTV

Jeffrey Katzenberg, CEO of Dream Works, believes that 3-D HDTV is the future of the TV and movie industries.
Fittingly he made his comments in a speech that was beamed by satellite across the Atlantic and displayed in glorious 3D HDTV at the International Broadcasting Convention (IBC) 2008 in Amsterdam.

15/09/2008 - Fujitsu intros digital HDTV SoC with integrated video processing engine

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Panasonic pumped out its UniPhier SoC for worldwide digital TVs earlier this year, and now Fujitsu is hitting back with its MB86H70. The digital HDTV SoC (system-on-chip) boasts an inbuilt video processing engine, support for Full HD (1,920 x 1,080) resolution and a multi-decoder that decodes both MPEG-2 and H.264 video compression formats. The chip is actually designed for digital TVs receiving HD broadcasts in Europe, and supposedly, the LSI will enable TV manufacturers to "improve their design efficiencies with regard to picture quality settings." Look for samples to start shipping without your knowledge in mid-October.
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15/09/2008 - DirecTV's HR22 HD DVR filtering out

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About a month ago, the DirecTV HR22 HD DVR popped online at Best Buy's website without any rhyme or reason. Four weeks later, we've realized it's not a mistake. The $199.99 unit is listed with capacity to hold up to 100 hours of HD programming (or 400 hours of SD footage), and word on the street puts a 500GB HDD in there. Additionally, our tipster has let us know that without any action on his part, an HR22 showed up unannounced when he had DirecTV installed just a few days ago. Anyone else managed to secure one of these? Any noteworthy differences from its predecessor?

[Thanks, Michael]
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10/09/2008 - Set-top Box Capable of HD Content Over DVB-T2

Pace plc, a developer of digital TV technologies, has made the first set-top box capable of receiving and displaying DVB-T2 HD content.
DVB-T2 brings efficiencies of between 30-50 per cent in its use of spectrum compared to DVB-T and is expected to be a key enabler to the roll out of high definition TV in the UK over Freeview.

10/09/2008 - BeyondTV 4.9 Beta adds placeshifting to the DIY DVR formula

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Windows Media Center alternative BeyondTV is actually taking advantage of Microsoft's Silerverlight technology for its latest feature, placeshifting recorded TV, Slingbox-style. Download Squad mentions the 4.9 beta release allows users to log in remotely via a webpage, view a list of stored programs, and select them for real-time transcoding and streaming. That's not all BeyondTV's added since we last checked in on version 4.3 -- real-time ShowSqueeze, the aforementioned Web Admin access and more make this worth a look. BeyondTV is $70, but there's a free trial if you've just got to start slinging HDTV around the neighborhood, or the world, right now.

[Via Download Squad]
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27/08/2008 - Flat-screen TVs highlight undimmed consumer confidence

The IFA consumer and trade fair got underway today with the opening focus very much on flat screen TVs.
Launching the event with a decidedly European spin – well it is in Berlin – much was made of strong consumer confidence despite reports to the contrary.

27/08/2008 - Full HD broadcasting claims mislead consumers

Satellite and cable providers on both sides of the Atlantic have recently claimed they are offering full HD - or 1080p - programming.
The Blu-ray Disc Association is objecting to these claims of equality, suggesting the comparisons are irresponsible and misleading, and says it will take “appropriate action”.

26/08/2008 - DISH Network first to offer all HD programming in MPEG-4

Dish Network is claiming a pay-TV industry first with its announcement that it is to transmit all standard and HDTV programming in the MPEG-4 Advanced Video Coding Standard.
Always keen to stress any competitive advantage over its rivals, the satellite provider asserts this is just the latest in a series of market-leading offerings.

25/08/2008 - DirecTV launches HD locals in Rochester, NY and Lincoln, NE

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No surprises here, but we figured you'd be interested in knowing that DirecTV is indeed keeping its promise of rolling out HD locals in a few new markets this summer. According to an attentive local in Rochester, New York, high-def locals have been fired up in his area, and according to official verbiage from the satcaster, Lincoln, NE can say the same. With 44 DMAs on tap, we suspect this will be the first two in a long, long list that will unfold as the months progress.

[Thanks, Jim]
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21/08/2008 - Mitsubishi goes ultrathin with 40-mm LCD TV prototype

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Mitsubishi 40-mm thick LCD TV
When you're an industrial giant like Mitsubishi, it pays to cover your bets. In addition to the recently-announced MZW-, MXW- and MX-series LCD TVs, it is also showing off an unnamed 40-mm thick LCD TV prototype. As we've seen in the war of supermodel svelte TVs, getting down to these levels requires that the tuner is moved to an external box (those chunky boxes in the pic). The elegance of the panel just can't be spoiled by ugly cables, so just like we've seen with the Hitachi Wooo LCD TVs, the signal will get the wireless treatment. A production model of this TV is slated for a fall release, in a size over 40-inches. That's right around the corner, so we've got a feeling more details will be flowing soon. Meanwhile, hit that link for more pics.

[Image courtesy TechOn]
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21/08/2008 - Samsung expands lead over global TV makers

Samsung is the leading global TV brand in revenue terms for the tenth straight quarter, expanding its market share to a record 22.8 per cent.
North America enjoyed strong Q2 TV shipments growth in Q2, helping global TV shipments to improve by 11 per cent Y/Y to 47.5M units.

19/08/2008 - Impressive growth for Asian LCD HDTVs sales

Demand for consumer electronics in the Asian market is growing strongly despite reports of a gloomy economic outlook, according to research company GfK.
Its Pan Asia Consumer Electronics Data Summary shows a retail spend of approximately US$ 11.5 Billion dollars in the first half of 2008, which is an increase of 13 per cent year on year.

15/08/2008 - Funai announce LCD TVs with built in Blu-ray


Funai is to launch an LCD TV with an integrated Blu-ray player in a move that is certain to widen the appeal of the format with consumers.
Sony recently said that it plans to put Blu-ray into a variety of CE products.

12/08/2008 - Broadcast and online TV can co-exist

Video on demand shouldn’t be viewed as a threat to broadcast TV but helps promote it, according to a report.
Thinkbox, the marketing body for the UK’s commercial broadcasters, says that online VOD services do not detract from linear television viewing.

12/08/2008 - DisplayPort offers serious challenge to HDMI dominance


High Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) has become the dominant interface technology for connecting HD devices, featuring in more than 70 per cent of digital televisions sold worldwide in 2007.
hdtv.biz-news.com asked Randy Lawson, senior analyst with iSuppli Corporation, about his new report Hogging the Spotlight: HDMI Growth Continues in Spite of DisplayPort.

12/08/2008 - Mitsubishi's 1080p LT-52148 LCD HDTV gets reviewed

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If Mitsubishi's WD-65735 proved a bit too, shall we say, bulky for your needs, those loyal to the brand may be wondering how the remarkably thinner LT-52148 performed. PC Magazine was able to get a set over on the test bench, and while the 52-inch 1080p panel was stunning (as was the ultrathin bezel), the excessive sharpening artifacts, elevated greens and above average (read: more than desired) power consumption left reviewers underwhelmed. Furthermore, the speakers consistently distorted when pushed over halfway on the volume scale, and the menu navigation was deemed "sluggish" at best. Overall, the set was a perfectly mixed bag, with just enough negatives to persuade prospective customers to check other options first. Think we're bluffing? Check out the read link below and see for yourself.
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09/08/2008 - The new HD downloads that're available each week

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Digital downloadsWith all the sources for digital downloads these days, it can be hard to keep track of what platforms have which movies. We noticed a few weeks ago that our friends over at Format War Central have taken on the tedious task of summing up all the sources of HD content each week on a single post. All the legit sources of HD downloads are included like Vudu, Xbox Live, PS3, and the Apple TV. From a purely selection standpoint -- this week at least -- it appears that while the Xbox Live Market Place has the most HD TV shows, while the Apple TV has the most HD movies (12 vs. 4) -- oddly enough though, Vudu only has one this week, but we doubt that is the norm. So if digital downloads are you thing, be sure to head on over each week to find out what's new and in HD.
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07/08/2008 - DISH Network might attempt DirecTV merger again?

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DirecTV and DISH Network trying to get together again? That's the idea according to the Wall Street Journal, apparently in response to DISH making "a major strategic shift" after losing 25,000 subscribers in Q2. Of course the last time these two tried U + me = Us back in 2001, regulators put the smackdown on the idea, but apparently DISH CEO Charlie Ergen thinks things may be different now. We can see how a 90% drop in subscriber growth (and a blown satellite or two) could cause anyone to reevaluate things, but as our extensive experience watchnig daytime TV proves, running into a new relationship to escape ones problems never works out long term, but it is interesting to see if either is really willing to stop the constant one-upsmanship and concentrate on taking on the cable (& telco) companies together.

[Thanks, Adam]
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06/08/2008 - Carolyn Fairbairn appointed Freesat chairman

ITV director of group development and strategy Carolyn Fairbairn will succeed Tim Davie as chairman of the UK’s free-to-air digital satellite television service Freesat in September.
Davie, currently the BBC’s director of marketing, communications and audiences, will relinquish the Freesat when he becomes the corporation’s new director of audio and music.

06/08/2008 - DirecTV's PGA Championship package almost makes up for Tiger not playing

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Not headed out to Oakland Hills August 7? Even if you were, it's hard to imagine you'd get a better look at the action than DirecTV has lined up for the 90th PGA Championship on channel 701 through 709. As seen previously during the Masters Tournament, there'll be a PGA Interactive Mix channel, showing images of the four HD channels covering the tournament: One either from TNT or CBS, along with three unique feeds focusing on specific groups, holes or player background and stat information. Pretty much the only thing this interactive coverage won't do is take a few strokes off our score (some things are beyond help or altered scorecards, we've tried) but along with coverage on PGA.com it should make watching the Tiger-less PGA Championship a less painful event.
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01/08/2008 - HDTV to grow to 255m by 2013

The number of households worldwide viewing HDTV is set to rise from 45 million today to 255 million in 2013, according to a study by IMS Research.
It estimates that 45 million households worldwide received HDTV service via Direct to Home (DTH), cable, IPTV and Digital Terrestrial TV (DTT) at the end of 2007, with approximately the same number of HDTV sets shipping during the year.

31/07/2008 - DirecTV 11 starts broadcasting HD, simulcast of MPEG2 HD channels are live

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DirecTV 11
Ever since DirecTV 10 went operational and started broadcasting MPEG-4 HD to fans everywhere, many have wondered, "what about the older HD channels?" DirecTV was one of the first to broadcast some of our favorite HD channels, like HD.net and ESPN HD, but HD Lite has taken most of the fun out of 'em. So while DirecTV would love to just move everything to MPEG-4, all the existing MPEG-2 customers wouldn't be that happy -- specifically all those DirecTiVo HD holdouts. Starting today DirecTV started broadcasting a simulcast of the most popular MPEG-2 HD channels in MPEG-4 using DirecTV 11. So far the response has been great, and many are wondering how they ever got by watching all that HD lite for this long. So while this is a step in the right direction, we'll be a bit more excited when DirecTV starts making good on their recent promises and launches the rest of the HD channels needed to get to the promised 130.
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29/07/2008 - HDTV-enabled receivers boost Pace's STB shipments

UK set-top box specialist Pace saw box shipments rise 55 per cent in the first half of this year with HDTV-enabled receivers with built-in hard drives fuelling the growth.
Pace is now working with 17 of the world’s top 25 pay-TV operators, and reported a CAGR of its HD-PVR shipments up 49%.

29/07/2008 - Sales of Full HD TVs rising in UK

Demand for Full HD TVs is helping to offset the declining market value for UK consumer electronics products, according to a report from market research specialists GfK.
The total market for electrical goods fell in value for the first time for years in May, with A/V turnover down 7 per cent compared to the same period last year.

26/07/2008 - Pantel readies trio of weatherproof Mirror TVs

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Just because you haven't been remotely interested in seen a mirror TV in, oh, years, doesn't mean that companies aren't still interested in exploiting the niche. Take Pantel, for instance, who is totally stoked about debuting a trio of 'em at CEDIA 2008. Set to launch in 20-, 32- and 42-inch flavors, the Mirror TV line is aimed at folks looking to add a multipurpose display in their bathroom, shower or sauna. The 20- and 32-inch editions arrive with a 720p panel, while the 42-incher checks in with a full 1080p resolution. Price wise, you're looking at $1,200 for the little guy, $2,755 for the 32-inch sibling and $5,800 for the mack daddy.
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22/07/2008 - Samsung's 61-inch Samsung HL61A750 RPTV gets reviewed

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You're probably dusting the dirt from your spectacles as we speak, but yes, the set you see above is an RPTV. You know, those not exactly wafer-thin rear-projection TVs that used to be all the rage? This 61-inch set provides an awful lot of screen space for not a lot of dough (comparatively speaking), and as with most sets with a little junk in the trunk, picture quality was seen as "excellent" in a recent CNET review. On the downside, off-angle performance was expectedly poor and there was no 2:3 pulldown for SD sources, but the positives here far outweighed the negatives. For under $1,800 (way under in some places), you can get 61-inches of LED-backlit goodness in your den -- just have to make room for it, is all.

[Thanks, Matthew]
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22/07/2008 - Breakthrough claimed for live HD video transmission

Cable, satellite and IPTV providers will be able to pack more HD video onto limited bandwidth using technology developed by NextIO and Broadcast International.
The companies have teamed up to combine NextIO’s ExpressConnect solution and BI’s ultra-high speed video compression technology.
By combining the technologies it will be possible for video providers to deliver live HDTV at compression levels four to six times higher than is currently possible.

21/07/2008 - Good hotel? Then today's guests expect HDTV

Hotels upgrading old CRT-TVs in guest rooms to flat-panel HDTV sets will cause global hotel TV sales to reach 9.7 million by 2012, according to research.
A report by analysts iSuppli says that worldwide macroeconomic fundamentals suggest that the hotel market will continue growing for the next few years despite the economic woes affecting many western nations.
It said that a greater appetite for luxury accommodation was leading to rising occupancy and increased travel rates among both business people and consumers.

18/07/2008 - DirecTV & NBC queue up Olympics HD video on-demand

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A nation full of DVR subscribers with access to DirecTV On Demand have something new to watch, now that a partnership with NBC is pushing a special Olympics package on the service in SD and HD. Consisting of athlete features, Beijing previews and other related content, there should be ten VOD titles each week, with more than 500 by the time the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games are over. It's been a couple of weeks since the service exited beta status, are you not entertained?
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16/07/2008 - Mark Cuban figures out how to "save internet video"

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We won't restate the irony found in an internet tycoon bashing online TV (oops...), but Mark Cuban has seemingly come up with a few brilliant ideas since claiming that internet video was a failing enterprise back in March. Essentially, Mr. Cuban reckons that HDTV currently being delivered over the internet to LCD monitors around the globe should actually not be transmitted via the compressed methods currently used. Rather, he asserts that we should "move the video cloud to the node and encode and insert into traditional video distribution systems." In other words, deliver internet TV to your existing cable / satellite set-top-box, giving end-users the ability to create playlists and customize shows. We'll admit, we're warming to the idea in general, but trapping users into a cable / satellite bill isn't that appealing for those who lavish the ability to watch some of their HD via OTA and some of it via the 'net. Still, we're sure he's got that niggle all figured out too -- but why would he reveal his secrets before taking it to the bank?

[Thanks, VANBROTHERS]
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14/07/2008 - Westinghouse's 40-inch VK-40F580D LCD HDTV / DVD combo gets reviewed

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While we tend to view a built-in, non-upscaling DVD player as a bit of a waste, CNET reviewers felt otherwise. Westy's latest 40-incher, the VK-40F580D, recently hit the test bench at the aforementioned site, and while nothing seemed to drop jaws, the entire package appeared decent enough for the casual buyer. The relatively inexpensive sticker, deep blacks, accurate colors and satisfactory picture controls will likely be everything the HDTV novice is looking for, but those with loftier demands may be put off by the limited port selection (two HDMI, one component) and lackluster remote. All in all, it sounds like this one's not too bad for the price, but unless you're actually intending to pay a bit more for integrated DVD support, you could probably do better elsewhere.
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11/07/2008 - UK viewers reluctant to pay for HDTV

The digital revolution is sweeping the UK but viewers appear unwilling to pay for the limited range of HD channels on offer.
UK households with digital televisions as their main set now account for 87.2 per cent of the total, according to a study by Ofcom.
The survey by the independent communications industry regulator reveals how the digital TV market is divided up between the three main forms – digital terrestrial television (DTT), satellite and cable television.

10/07/2008 - Soaps at the fore of switch to HD

Emmerdale has become the British network ITV’s first soap production to be recorded in high def.
It joins Channel 4’s Hollyoaks and the BBC’s Doctors, while the long-running Coronation Street is expected to make the change from SD shortly.
The show’s stars were reportedly concerned about the transition, worried that the new HD video would draw attention to facial wrinkles.

09/07/2008 - HDTV to follow lead of smartphone

BY 2015 nobody will refer to “high definition” TV because HD will be the standard form of free television everywhere.
But the HD broadcast offering in Europe will largely remain patchy during the intervening transition period, according to a report by Screen Digest.
The study says HDTV will mainly develop as a pay TV product in Europe over the next five years - and mostly as a satellite product.

09/07/2008 - Geek Brief's live switching call answered by Vidblaster

Geek Brief star Cali Lewis’ request for someone to come up with an affordable live switching application that would work with services like Ustream.tv and Stickam has been answered.
Lewis wanted a lower-cost live switching application for the growing network of video-podcasters streaming out near-professional HDTV quality live shows.
She said there were analogue solutions but they cost over US$1,000, while the best options were priced at US$9,000 or more.
Now on her latest webcast, Lewis said Mike Versteeg, the developer of Vidblaster, has adapted its software to make it work with streaming services.

07/07/2008 - Pantel's 20-, 52- and 65-inch weatherproof LCD HDTVs now shipping

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Unlike Sanyo, Pantel has a pretty good idea of when outdoor displays will sell: summertime. That being the case, Pantel has jubilantly announced that its 20-, 52-, and 65-inch models are all shipping. Each display boasts a "weatherproof" enclosure that keeps the panel within safe from unpredictable weather. These units were designed to withstand water, extreme heat / cold, wind and dust, and judging by a few unofficial tests, they'll hold their own against sugary beverages as well. Grab yours now for $2,999, $9,999 or $25,999 (respectively) and make your way over to the deep end.
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06/07/2008 - No DirecTV HD for Vista Media Center until 2010?

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Fiji update
It has been three months since we received leaked confirmation that the yet to be officially announced DirecTV HD tuner for Vista Media Center (VMC) was part of an upcoming update code named Fiji (expected in October). The fact that so much time has passed and our sources still haven't actually received a tuner was really starting to bother us. So we got even more concerned when we learned that the first release candidate issued to testers was missing required pieces to make the HDPC-20 possible. Unlike the previous beta releases, RC0 was missing native H.264 support which is vital to both DirecTV support and the latest Hauppauge HD PVR component capture device. Then to add insult to injury, many are now reporting that the update that will be officially called Windows Media Center TV Pack will only be available through OEMs. We're not sure if this means you'll have to download the update from Dell (for example) rather than Windows Update, but we can't see how the update could effectively be restricted to OEM installs. The testers we've talked to have reportedly been told that H.264 and DirecTV support have been pushed to Windows 7, which would mean it'll be 2010 before we see it. More about Fiji after the jump.

Continue reading No DirecTV HD for Vista Media Center until 2010?

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04/07/2008 - Commuters on London Underground to be shown adverts on giant HD screens

Passengers waiting for the tube will have no shortage of distractions now that 14-foot HDTV screens are being installed in stations.
The cross-track projection (XTP) system, which allows high-quality digital images to be projected on to the walls opposite platforms, has been installed by advertising company CBS Outdoor for London Underground.
The system, which formally went live on Monday, means that commuters waiting for trains are now faced with moving advertising images displayed on the biggest screens in Europe
Any profits London Underground receives from XTP will be reinvested to improve the Tube. Before rolling out the ads to other stations the system was tested at Euston Tube station.
Following the success of the pilot, stations at Piccadilly Circus, Euston, Bank, Liverpool Street and Bond Street have now been kitted out with 23 high definition projectors and giant soundless screens that will show trailers for new film releases and other advertising.

04/07/2008 - High definition sports schedules continue to grow as coverage of major sporting events like Wimbledon and Beijing Olympics become more commonplace

The US’s NBC network is to broadcast both the women’s Wimbledon final between the Williams sisters and the men’s match between Nadal and Federer on its HD channel.
The addition of this year’s Centre Court battles is just the latest addition to a growing selection of sporting events being shown in high def.
Sports programming is perfectly suited to high definition because of the fast motion and action in sports.
The 16:9 aspect ratio of HD provides a vastly better perspective and coverage of a game than SD.
Viewers can see, for instance, the entire ice in a hockey game or the baseball field in a baseball game.
So impressive are the results that they influenced an estimated 2.4 million high-definition television sales prior to this season’s Super Bowl in the US.

03/07/2008 - Gas released from HDTVs potentially far worse for climate change than CO2

A gas used in the production of flat-panel displays for HDTVs is 17,200 times better at trapping heat in the atmosphere over a hundred-year period than carbon dioxide, the gas most associated with global warming.
Michael Prather, of the University of California at Irvine, has completed a study into nitrogen trifluoride (NF3), which he describes as the “missing greenhouse gas”.
Yet the synthetic chemical produced in industrial quantities is not included in the Kyoto Protocol’s basket of greenhouse gases or in national reporting under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
Concerns have led Toshiba Matsushita Display Technology to avoid using the gas, although Air Products, which produces it for the electronics industry, said very little NF3 is released into the atmosphere.
Prather argues that as the gas is not controlled in the same way as other greenhouse gases, companies may be careless with it.
The scientist, whose findings are reported in the latest issue of the journal Geophysical Research Letters, is calling for NF3 emissions to be monitored.

03/07/2008 - High definition broadcast of 4th of July fireworks from US capital promises to be a spectacular affair

It’s billed as America’s biggest birthday party and one that even those not able to attend in person will be able to enjoy on HDTV.
Demand from viewers has led to coverage of this year’s Capitol Fourth celebrations from Washington DC being given extended coverage on the US public broadcast network PBS.
The Independence Day fireworks will be captured live by 18 cameras positioned around the capital as national landmarks such as the US Capitol, the Washington Monument, the Lincoln and Jefferson Memorials are silhouetted on the skyline.
An estimated 100 million homes in the US own HDTVs – around 41 per cent of TV owners.
Jerry Colbert, executive producer of Capital Concerts, said that if you couldn’t be in Washington, DC for the event, watching it on HDTV would be the next best thing.

02/07/2008 - Former backer of Toshiba's "defeated" HD DVD format to release first Blu-ray Disk player

Onkyo, the A/V manufacturer that backed the high def DVD format and sold around 2,000 players, is to launch its first BD player later this year.
The company had flagged up its intention to let bygones be bygones and join the other “side” shortly after Toshiba announced that it would concede the format war last February.
It discontinued production of its HD DVD players, while assuring existing customers they would continue to receive full product support and service.
A company statement also said it’s R&D team had “maintained a parallel development programme for the competing Blu-ray technology”.

02/07/2008 - Engadget HD Podcast 091 - 07.02.2008

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The summer of slow HD news continues but there is some Blu-ray buzz as things are really starting to ramp up for the holiday season. So we cover how Blu-ray is poised to take over the packaged media world, but at the same time, we still have our doubts. There's some programming news as well, as we once again go over the age old -- in the HD world anyways -- debate of satellite vs cable. Finally, we throw in a little home automation for a change and long for more MKV support in our hardware.

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Hosts: Ben Drawbaugh and Steve Kim

Producer: Trent Wolbe

Program
02:30 - Comments from Engadget HD Podcast 090 - 06.26.2008
07:35 - Weinstein to finally go Blu in August with The Mist
09:52 - Warner includes download-only iTunes Digital Copy with 10,000 B.C. Blu-ray
13:11 - Japanese researchers devise method for cramming 42GB on a DVD
16:21 - Satellite customers more satisfied than cable customers?
19:03 - Verizon rolls out 23 new FiOS TV HD channels in Fort Wayne
21:29 - Poll: Do you tune into OTA programming?
25:03 - Orlando passes its simulated analog shutoff
28:17 - Netflix reverses decision, Profiles here to stay
30:03 - The mystery of Netflix's queue system gets tackled, throttling all but confirmed
31:58 - Control4 announces 7-inch POE wall-mounted touch panel
35:41 - DivX 7 to officially support MKV

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01/07/2008 - HDTV coverage of Beijing Olympics offers athletics action in immediate slow motion
Belgian company I-Movix is to provide its SprintCam Live 2 HDTV cameras to cover much of the action from the Olympic games in Beijing.
Able to record events at speeds up to 8,000 frames per second, a rate which is more than 260 times that of normal video.
And while the cameras produce incredible slow-motion images, there is nothing slow about replay times - clips are available for immediate re-viewing.
The HDTV cameras will be deployed with mobile units at all the major games venues.

01/07/2008 - Cable operators will continue to shoulder the cost of STBs unless testing is adopted to ensure all devices work in all cable systems.

A retail market for tru2way compliant set-top boxes (STBs) in the US will never emerge unless they are portable across cable systems.
That’s the conclusion of Steve Wilson, principal analyst with ABI Research, who expects the biggest challenge to tru2way to be interoperability.
In his research brief, “The Outlook for tru2way”, Wilson describes it as a “double-edged sword” for operators.
“On one hand, cable operators want to ‘own’ the customer’s entire user experience and they aren’t ready to allow others to start loading applications into the STB,” he said.
“On the other, an open cable standard will reduce the tremendous cost burden custom systems and STBs place on the entire cable business.”

01/07/2008 - TVonics rolls out tiny MFR-300 Freeview tuner

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Good luck convincing Grandma to pack a DVR-250 next to the same telly that's been avoiding TV detectors for years, but how about a "match box-sized" addition that gives all the benefits of the digital switchover and without taking up a lot of space? TVonics MFR-300 improves on previous versions with support for Audio Description allowing people with sight problems to hear subtle on screen changes described, plus interactive TV features, EPG and parental controls. The 70mm x 27mm x 54mm box is available for £59.99 and can actually mount behind the TV, so all that's left is teaching your family how to use it -- good luck with that.
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30/06/2008 - Japan to use audience rating system to discover IPTV programme preferences
A viewer rating system developed by Oki Electric Industry is to be used in Japan to collect information on the viewing habits of IPTV users.
Existing ground-based broadcasting systems have the means to gather viewership data, such as user preference and viewer history.
Broadcasting companies say this information is important in enabling them to improve services.
However, until now there has been are no equivalent user information collection functions for IPTV services.
OKI’s IPTV Audience Rating Information System allows service providers, with the authorisation of users, to obtain information about when and which channel and programs the users watched.

30/06/2008 - Survey shows viewers shifting towards web but preference is still for television screen

Over a third of all US broadband users have watched at least one TV show on the Internet, according to a study conducted on behalf of the Cable & Telecommunications Association for Marketing (CTAM).
But the research found that while broadband users are increasingly turning to the web for their video content fix, 94 per cent still prefer to do their viewing on a television screen.
For cable and satellite networks concerned about the growing threat of online TV shows and movies, the survey provided some comfort.
Of those who watched online shows, 82 per cent did so because they had missed a specific programme on TV.
Based on this, the report points out the “critical importance of strong marketing for the initial TV showing".

30/06/2008 - LCD HDTV to be sold in Japan which allows simple transfer of high def content from the PC to the TV

Watching high def content downloaded from the Internet is going to get a whole lot easier for viewers in Japan.
A liquid crystal display high-definition television made by byd:sign Corporation is to be the first with DivX Certification sold in the Japanese market.
The video format will let viewers watch digital content from PCs on the HDTV – rather than on a PC monitor.
Katsumi Iizuka, chief executive officer of byd:sign Corporation, said DivX videos had enabled consumers to enjoy high-quality content through the internet.
“DivX Certification enhances our HDTV features and gives added value,” he said.

30/06/2008 - DirecTV On Demand now available across the country

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While DirecTV On Demand surfaced for select HR21 owners way back in February, the satcaster has finally pulled the service from beta to release it nationwide. Starting today, subscribers with a DirecTV Plus HD DVR or R22 DVR receiver will have access to over 4,000 SD and HD titles whenever they choose, and yes, everything will be delivered gratis. Additionally, the service will offer up customized programmer home pages, internet remote scheduling and an expanded array of pay-per-view titles. Of course, we couldn't close this out without asking for some feedback, so be sure to put the screws to DOD when you get home and let us know how things turn out.
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30/06/2008 - Mitsubishi's new iSP 149 series LCDs have it all in one place

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If you're a lazy ass consumer (the very best kind), bent on pulling a device out of the box, plugging it into a wall, and never messing with another bit of "setup" again, you're certainly not alone. In fact, most folks never lift a finger to calibrate their displays, plug better speakers in, or place those speakers in actually advantageous spots. To that end, Mitsubishi is debuting its new LT-46149 and LT-52149 LCDs with integrated 16-speaker sound projectors. Similar to the sound bars offered up by many home audio manufacturers, the "Integrated Sound Projector" (iSP) is designed to bounce sound off walls and around the room to give the illusion of surround sound. The perk of TV integration is an easy to use room configuration on-screen tool to specify your room's dimensions, couch placement and preferred sweet spot size. At the end of the day, your sound is all coming from one spot, so directionality isn't going to quite match a for-realsie surround sound setup, and the system we listened to was a little sharp in the high end, but it's certainly a unique and appealing offering from Mitsu to the everyman TV watcher. The TV itself is CableCard ready, can support sound over HDMI and PCM inputs, and offers Mitsu's 120Hz film dejuddering -- that rather awkwardly makes your favorite films look like they were shot by a TV news crew. The 46-inch and 52-inch LCDs will sell for $3,299 and $3,699, respectively.
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27/06/2008 - Olympics and Tour de France to be aired as Europe's public channels add to their high definition options

The UK’s BBC has begun testing the transmission of high def services over Freeview in a move that could see the introduction of full HD terrestrial by the end of 2009.
The broadcaster has started transmissions from a Guildford-based transmitter using the second-generation DVB-T specification DVB-T2.
Justin Mitchell, leader of the DVB-T2 modem development team at the BBC, said the trial could enable the introduction of HD onto Freeview by December next year.
DVB-T2 is said to offer 30 per cent more data carrying capacity as DVB-T under the same conditions.
Across the Channel, the HD version of public channel France 2 has been launched on several platforms, including CanalSat DTH and Numéricable.
As has been the case with other broadcasters across Europe, including VRT in Belgium and Nederland 1 in The Netherlands, France 2 will show sport events such as the Tour de France and the Beijing Olympics in HD.

27/06/2008 - Sony outlines plans for Blu-ray, PS3 video downloads, games and BRIC nations

The world’s second-largest maker of consumer electronics aims to double its revenue in Brazil, Russia, India and China within three years by bolstering sales in seven main businesses including Bravia televisions and Blu-ray disc players.
Sony’s plans for sales of electronics to so-called BRIC nations will rise to 1.2 trillion yen (US$11.1 billion) by the 12 months ending March 31, 2011, from 600 billion yen last fiscal year.
Speaking in Tokyo, Sony chairman and CEO, Howard Stringer, was presenting the company’s mid-term corporate strategy, which included the first concrete details on the plan for on-demand video content, including a launch window of later this summer.
After touting an installed base of 50 million network-enabled PS3 and PSP units and a plan to achieve profitability this year, Stringer outlined a large-scale video service for Sony’s entire empire.
The as-yet-unnamed video store is described as a “premium film and TV service”. Aside from Sony titles, no other content deals have been announced.

26/06/2008 - Engadget HD Podcast 090 - 06.26.2008

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Although the show is a little late this week, we have plenty to go over. For starters, we once again enjoy laughing at Toshiba and Kaleidescape for trying to tell us to stop trusting our eyes and start trusting them instead. Next, we try to figure out how long it'll take for Blu-ray discs to start out selling DVDs. We talk a little Vista Media Center, some digital transition, and finally a budget HT system that evidently is well worth the cost of admission.


Get the podcast

[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes (MP3).
[RSS] Add the Engadget HD Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator and have the show delivered automatically
[Zune]Subscribe to the Podcast directly in the Zune Marketplace
[MP3] Download the show (MP3).

Hosts: Ben Drawbaugh and Steve Kim

Producer: Trent Wolbe

Program
00:44 - Comments from Engadget HD Podcast 088 - 06.11.2008
02:56 - Toshiba remains stubborn, looks to DVD upscaling while brushing Blu-ray off
04:05 - Kaleidescape's overpriced upscaling DVD players get reviewed
08:52 - Blu-ray Disc sales estimated to exceed DVDs in 2012
12:00 - SlySoft keeps AnyDVD HD current, circumvents latest BD+
16:21 - Ask Engadget HD: Using a HDTV to distribute audio
18:56 - Poll: Do you utilize picture-in-picture functionality?
21:27 - The Media Center Extender shootout
30:20 - Netflix to do away with Profiles
33:41 - Comcast plans to go all digital in 20% of its markets by year's end
36:04 - NFL Network to become ESPN 8, THE "OCHO"?
39:50 - Cannon PC showcases Media Center with six CableCARDs
41:22 - $50 JVC SXXSW6000 5.1 surround system gets reviewed


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25/06/2008 - Report says HDTV will not become the new "normal" television until around 2015

The uptake of HD technology in Europe is accelerating rapidly but there remains a “significant” content gap caused by the lack of HD programming on free-to-air platforms across the region.
That’s the conclusion of the latest report from media analysts Screen Digest which says that by the end of 2007, 18 per cent of the 165 million European TV households were equipped with HD displays.
But less than one per cent of these (approximately one million) were fully “HD enabled” – that is equipped with an HD set-top box and an HD subscription enabling them to watch HD broadcasts.
The report forecasts that by 2012 the situation will have improved little – only 20 per cent of the 85 per cent of European households with HD displays will actually be watching in HD.
It says that ultimately HD will become the default choice of TV viewers but in the most part they will have to wait at least until 2015 to enjoy the content for free.

24/06/2008 - DVD still dominates the movie market but Blu-ray set to overtake by 2012

The Entertainment Merchants Association (EMA) expects sales of Blu-ray disks in the US to exceed those of standard DVDs by 2012.
In its latest Annual Report on the Home Entertainment Industry, the EMA reports that home video continues to dominate the movie market.
This segment of the market had sales of approximately US$24 billion, making it the largest segment of consumer movie spending by far, accounting for 49% of total consumer movie spending in 2007.
In the video game market, game software sales increased 34% in 2007, to a total of US$8.6 billion.

23/06/2008 - HDTV sets will need new features for sales to continue improving
Manufacturers will have to install features currently only available as paid-for add-ons in top-of-the-range HDTV models if sales growth is to be sustained.
That is the conclusion of a report by research firm DisplaySearch which suggests that sales of HDTVs will peak in the next two or three years.
It goes on to say that sales will then fall unless manufacturers can add compelling features that consumers are willing to pay for.
Calvin Hsieh, the director of research at DisplaySearch, said internet connectivity, full 1080p resolution, PVR capabilities and upgraded HDMI port specifications need to become standard fare by next year.

23/06/2008 - Number of LCD TVs being returned rises as viewers demand better quality for HDTV
The refund rate on LCD TVs has increased to 25-30 per cent in North America despite a drop in prices by branded TV retailers.
Many vendors reduced prices for 32-inch and 40-inch LCD TVs in May in an attempt to boost sales.
However, the move has led to a rise in the number of products being returned as viewer expectations about the quality of high-definition images rises.

23/06/2008 - Savor the carnival atmosphere of Cirque Du Sole as Blu-ray brings the excitement of the big top into your living room
Sony Pictures has announced that it is bringing one of the world famous Cirque Du Soleil’s performances to Blu-ray later this year.
“Cirque Du Soleil: Corteo”, by the celebrated troupe that has thrilled audiences on five continents, is due to be released on September 2nd.
Sony said disk would capture all the magic of the performance in stunning high definition. No specs or special features have been announced at this time.
The move is the latest digital venture by the circus, which has been seen by close to 80 million spectators in over 200 cities.

23/06/2008 - Free high definition content is the future as viewers grow accustomed to the new "normal" television

The head of the UK’s Freesat digital service believes viewers will begin to resent paying for HDTV as increasing numbers regard it as the new “standard”.
Emma Scott, managing director of Freesat, which launched in May, said there were already over 10m HD ready TV sets in UK homes.
But at the time of Freesat’s launch only around 5 per cent of those HD ready homes were actually watching television programmes in high definition – and by subscription.
Addressing the Broadcast Digital Channels Conference 2008 earlier this month, she said consumers and retailers wanted HD content– but it was the broadcasters that had taken a while to catch up.
“Free HD is a long term opportunity for broadcasters and for Freesat,” she said. “HD is not a gimmick, it’s a new standard for television and one which every broadcaster I’ve met would love to deliver its content in."

23/06/2008 - DirectTV says high definition content is helping attract new subscribers
The US’s leading provider of HDTV has credited its 95 channels of HD content as one of the main reason for increasing subscribers even as the economy falters.
Paul Guyardo, DirecTV’s chief marketing officer, said the company had not been greatly affected by the US economic slowdown.
DirecTV added 275,000 subscribers in the first quarter, compared to just 35,000 for rival Dish Network.
He attributed the satcaster’s market-leading HD offering as a major factor in the increase.
“I don’t want to say that we are recession-proof, but I will say that we have not been dramatically affected by the recession,” he said.

21/06/2008 - NHL Network HD skates onto IP-PRIME IPTV

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Okay, so maybe this deal is going down a little later than we would have liked (considering the NHL season is over and all), but there's always next year, right? Not quite two months after the NFL Network landed on IP-PRIME's IPTV network, NHL Network has followed suit. For hardcore fans using this service, you can look forward to blowout coverage of the NHL Entry Draft on June 20 - 21, and better still, 75 games during the 2008 - 2009 season will be broadcast in high-definition. The recently inked agreement ensures that each and every IP-PRIME operator in the United States will have access to the SD and HD feeds, and it sounds like the channel should be live as we speak.
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20/06/2008 - No mention of Olympic factor as US market for flat-panel HDTVs remains strong despite economic down-turn

Sales of LCD and plasma TVs showed a 53 per cent year-on-year increase in the US for the first quarter of 2008, with more than 7.5 million units sold.
This represents a 7 per cent increase over industry projections for the period.
While analysts in Japan have attributed a 35 per cent increase in flat-panel TV sales during the first half of June to the upcoming Beijing Olympics, industry executives in the US are being more cagey.
But what those attending the DisplaySearch TV Supply Chain Conference in San Diego did agree on was that despite the state of the US economy, the North America TV market remains robust - so far.

19/06/2008 - Shift towards wireless HDTV expected to be gradual as technology evolves

The race to perfect a wireless HDTV system is being contested by three competing technologies, each one with particular advantages without offering the complete package.
But within three years one will have emerged as the dominant system, according to a study by ABI Research.
This is expected to take global installations from an estimated 100,000 this year to the milestone one million by 2012.
Steve Wilson, principal analyst on the report “Wireless Video Cable Replacement Market and Technologies”, said the wireless HDTV market was still in its “incubation” stage.
He said a “battle of technologies” was being fought by the three contending systems, loosely characterised as 5 GHz, 60 GHz, and ultra wideband (UWB).

18/06/2008 - Surging demand for mobile connectivity and services such as HD streaming IPTV poses dilemma for broadband network operators in Europe

The number of notebook PCs with HSPA/LTE mobile broadband connectivity in Europe will grow from 8.4 million in 2007 to 49 million in 2013, according to researchers.
A study by analyst firm Berg Insight says the development will be driven by consumer demand for ubiquitous internet access.
It forecasts that rather than replacing fixed networks for internet access, mobile broadband will be a complementary access technology to the connection available at home.
But Tobias Ryberg, a senior analyst at Berg Insight, said the explosion in network utilisation – which equates to a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 34.1 – will present the mobile network infrastructure with a “formidable challenge”.

18/06/2008 - Engadget goes hands-on with new Philips and DLO gear

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Check it -- our brethren over at Engadget Classic wound up on an elevator heading skyward to a room filled with Philips and DLO gear. Yep, most of that new kit introduced earlier today was on hand, so head on over and take a gander at what they found.
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17/06/2008 - DirecTV keeps multi-screen trend alive with Wimbledon Interactive coverage

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If you enjoy juggling six screens at once, you should seriously considering switching to DirecTV or DISH Network. As the back-and-forth action between the two continues, DirecTV is serving up Wimbledon Interactive in order to provide viewers with a multi-screen montage of grass court action. The satcaster is teaming up once again with ESPN2 in order to "provide nearly 200 hours of live interactive coverage of the first five days of the 2008 Wimbledon Championship." The half dozen screens will include live ESPN2 coverage, a Wimbledon Extra for keying in on crucial matches / highlights, and shots from four other courts which can be expanded to full screen at the touch of a button. As you know, the first fuzzy ball flies on June 23rd.
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17/06/2008 - Study says 2008 will be the year of HDTV in Asia

Seventy-five per cent of pay TV operators in Asia have, or expect to have, HDTV programming by the end of 2008.
But the lack of substantial HDTV content – both local and international – is seen as being the most important roadblock for developing the HDTV sector in the region.
These are among of the findings of a survey carried out for MEASAT Satellite Systems by Euroconsult into the development of high definition television in the Asia-Pacific region.
The study, which was conducted during May, polled the rationale, benefits, challenges and expectations of HDTV amongst the regions’ leading pay TV
operators.
A total of 25 operators in 15 markets, collectively serving more than 24 million subscribers, were interviewed.

16/06/2008 - HDTV poses challenge to crowds at live sports events as fans opt for armchairs
It used to be that fighting your way through crowds to get a close-up of sporting stars such as Tiger Woods and Rafael Nadal was infinitely better than sitting at home watching the TV coverage.
But as growing numbers of sports fans upgrade to HDTVs it would appear that the lure of live events could be diminishing.
In the US, a top football club is experiencing what is likely to be a growing trend: a fall in season tickets sales as supporters decide they get a better view staying at home and watching games on their HDTVs.
Steve LaCroix, the Minnesota Vikings’ vice president of sales and marketing, said that HDTV is making his job more difficult.

15/06/2008 - Deal signed with Intelsat to provide HD transmissions from Beijing Olympic Games
The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) has signed a multi transponder deal with Intelsat Ltd for the video carriage of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games to Europe.
C-/Ku-band cross-strap capacity on the Intelsat 706 satellite, located at 50.2 degrees East, will be used to distribute the all high definition event to EBU members.
Intelsat is the only global satellite operator to have provided coverage of every Olympic Games since 1968.

15/06/2008 - The iPhone takes on new role as universal remote control

A new application is to go on sale in July that turns the iPhone into an all-purpose remote control capable of operating everything from your HDTV to audio, video and lighting.
While the iPhone is popular as an interface for home-control systems such as home automation (HAI, Savant), multiroom audio (SpeakerCraft) and media servers (Sooloos), so far there hasn’t been a low-cost solution for using the iPhone (or iPod Touch) as an ordinary universal remote control.
Now London-based integrator, Steve Moore, has launched the AirRemote application which he modestly describes as “the greatest little TV remote you’ve ever used”.

14/06/2008 - Geek Brief star calls for low-cost live streaming hardware to satisfy growing network of internet broadcasters

First there were YouTube videos and podcasts made on webcams and camcorders, now there’s a growing network of video-podcasters streaming out near-professional HDTV quality live shows.
Some – like Leo Laporte and Diggnations’s Kevin and Alex – attract many thousands of viewers to their live network-style webcasts using portable productions systems such as Tricaster.
Yet while this technology has plumetted in price it’s still out of the reach of the new generation of low-budget producers – everyone from churches and community organisations to individual bloggers.
Now the American internet podcaster Cali Lewis has launched an appeal on her popular Geek Brief show.
She is calling for someone in the industry to come up with switching hardware aimed at this emerging market.

13/06/2008 - Hispanics in the US more likely to buy HDTV in next 12 months than non-Hispanics

Twenty-eight per cent of Hispanics questioned in a US survey say they will buy a large-screen television or HDTV in the next 12 months.
They also say that TV advertising is the medium that mostly influenced their decision, according to research by Vertis Communications.
This compares to just 23 per cent of non-Hispanics planning to purchase a large-screen or HDTV in the next 12 months.
The study - Customer Focus® OPINIONES – also showed that Hispanics found inserts and circulars to be the second most influential form of advertising.
Internet marketing was the third-most selected medium.

12/06/2008 - Wireless high definition transmitter removes clutter of cables

Monster Cable has unveiled a transmitter that wirelessly sends HD video signals from a device such as a Blu-ray player to a high definition TV up to 10m away.
The transmitter sends the video signal using ultra-wideband, or UWB, technology from Sigma Designs Inc.
It will also upscale non-HD signals to high-def resolution before displaying on screen. A receiver plugs into a HDMI port on the back of the TV.
To back up the short-range wireless capability, the boxes can also connect via coaxial cable to reach each other in different rooms, up to 110m away.

08/06/2008 - Europe must think globally if it wants to catch up with the US and Japan in HDTV

If Europe wants to benefit from the growing HDTV market, broadcasters and production companies must take a broader view.
That is the advice of Jaume Rey, director of Professional & Broadcast IT Systems Business Unit (PBITS), part of the Panasonic group.
Urging those involved in producing TV programmes to look beyond local markets, he noted that while European consumers have embraced HD acquisition technology, many viewers are still watching television on SD sets.
“In countries such as Spain, broadcasters and production companies must show a lead in the introduction of HD," he said. "In a growing market, manufacturers need to think globally instead of locally where content production and distribution is concerned.”

08/06/2008 - Soccer fans enjoy ITV's first HD programming as Euro 2008 matches broadcast on Freesat

The UK’s ITV network has launched its HD service on Freesat by broadcasting the opening games from Euro 2008.
Freesat is a subscription-free, digital satellite TV service from ITV and the BBC.
Viewers can see all the games the BBC has rights to in high definition on Virgin Media and Sky, but ITV announced that its debut HD programmes would be matches on the opening few days of the football tournament.
The first HD offering from ITV was the Portugal v Turkey match on Saturday.

08/06/2008 - Japan's HD offerings boosted by launch of new VOD service
The growing market for high definition television in Japan has received a further boost with the start of a VOD service by the country’s largest retail chain, Tsutaya.
Users will be able to download titles from home using the acTVila portal that is popular on Japanese plasma and LCD HDTVs.
They will have 48 hours to watch the films or TV shows as many times as they want.
The new service from Tsutaya, which counts 27.2 million members at its 1,330 branches across Japan, is the latest sign of the growing popularity of HDTV in the country.

08/06/2008 - Leading HDTV manufacturers take legal action against Vizio over patents

Mitsubishi, Samsung, Sony, and Philips have filed a patent suit against low-cost HDTV maker Vizio claiming the company is violating 15 patents key to supporting MPEG-2 video in its products.
The legal action is seeking an order to prevent Vizio from using the patents, as well as financial compensation.
According to the complaint – other parties to which also include Columbia University of New York, Victor Co. of Japan, and Thompson - the individual companies have pursued Vizio about licensing the patents, but the company has refused to deal with them.
It is claimed that Vizio has also declined to discuss the matter with the MPEG Licensing Authority trade group.

08/06/2008 - Chinese firm launches USB dongle for live HDTV

European viewers can now watch live high-definition television programming on their mobile devices using a USB TV dongle developed by the Chinese company Aigo.
The dongle, first released for the Chinese market in April, is compatible with European HDTV standards.
It will enable users to watch live HDTV on their laptops, desktop computers, portable video players and portable navigation (GPS) devices.
Viewers simply plug the device into their PC or portable video player’s USB port to capture HD programming wirelessly from local TV stations.
Feng Jun, president and founder of Aigo, said: “People across China, and now also in Europe, will have access to live HDTV on their laptops and portable video players.”

07/06/2008 - Japan's top rental chain launches Tsutaya TV HD download-on-demand video service

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Thanks to the fiber optic connections that connect nearly 12 million of Japan's 48 million households, video rental giant Tsutaya is probably laughing at Netflix's silly set-top box as it launches its Tsutaya TV HD download-on-demand rental service. Based on the acTVila service (a joint venture supported by Sony, Matsushita (Panasonic), Sharp, Toshiba and Hitachi, movies can download directly to connected HDTVs. Transformers, Heroes, Lost and Desperate Housewives will be among the first titles available in a library expected to grow to 2,000 titles by year-end, targeting older customers between their 40s and 50s, as opposed to the company's main in-store customers in their 20s. Full-length flicks run 735 yen (about $7), with a 48-hour rental period. Sure would be nice to have a standard feature set for digital downloads on this side of the Pacific, our jealousy threat level is: high.

Read - Japan's top film rental chain offers high-definition downloads
Read - Tsutaya To Offer 2,000 Video Titles On Demand Via Internet TV
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05/06/2008 - Netflix Player, Apple TV and VUDU compared: movie STB shootout

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Talk about timely, yeah? Just hours after our latest Ask Engadget HD question pondered which of the three big hitters in the movie set-top-box arena was superior, along comes a comparison of the trio from PopSci. Of course, this being Engadget HD, we've all ideas many of you won't agree with the verdict put out (hint: Roku's box is deemed the winner), but some decent points are made nonetheless. For starters, the Netflix library is far more expansive than those offered up by Apple and VUDU; for folks looking for the widest range of titles (and cheapest method of renting), it's hard to overlook the Netflix Player. For junkies that just have to have HD, your choices are clearly defined, and between the Apple TV and VUDU, critics noted that the former's ability to dabble in YouTube was a perk that may sway certain buyers. Regardless of your feelings on the matter, be sure and hit up the read link if for nothing more than the pros / cons -- the decision's still yours, you know.
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03/06/2008 - Blu-ray awareness and potential rising in the US but barriers remain

High cost and a belief that standard-definition DVD is “good enough” are the main barriers to US consumers purchasing Blu-ray players.
These are the conclusions of a study by the NPD Group, which found that manufacturers still face challenges despite rising awareness of Blu-ray.
The market research company found that 45 per cent of HDTV owners in the US now claim to be familiar with Blu-ray Disc (BD), up from 35 percent in June 2007.
And, while only 6 per cent of all consumers surveyed said they plan to purchase a BD device in the next six months, NPD found purchase intent to be higher among the growing population of HDTV owners, boding well for the future of the format.

02/06/2008 - Austria's aonTV launches HD programming, Timeshift TV

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As the admittedly light adoption of HD continues on continents not named North America, we see Austria's own aonTV hopping on the HD bandwagon. The Vienna-based IPTV carrier has just launched HD-Videothek -- which will carry a mix of hit movies, documentaries and music videos -- and ORF HD, which will be used to carry the upcoming Euro 2008 in high-definition. The cost for picking up the tier is €4.90 on top of the basic €34.90 subscription, though a new service dubbed Timeshift TV is being made available gratis. As the title implies, the feature enables viewers to "replay content from the previous 90 minutes" on 11 different channels. Not exactly a DVR, but we suppose it's better than nothing.
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01/06/2008 - Australian market first to get recordable Blu-ray player outside of Japan

Panasonic is to roll-out sales of a range of Blu-ray recorders in Australia, making it only the second country after Japan to receive the devices.
A 500GB Twin High Definition Tuner and VIERA Link model is to go on sale this month as well as various lower-spec recorders, the first 46” plasma TV and new 37” Full HD LCD TV models.
Paul Reid, Panasonic Australia’s Director for Consumer Electronics Group, described the move as a “significant breakthrough” for Blu-ray.

31/05/2008 - Pantel reveals 20-, 52- and 65-inch weatherproof LCD HDTVs

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You've already seen what kind of chaos Pantel's weatherproof HDTVs can live through, and now it's unveiled a trio of new panel sizes to complement the 32- and 42-inch variants already available. Set to debut at InfoComm 2008, the 20-inch PAN-200, 52-inch PAN-520 and 65-inch PAN-650 really help to flesh out the lineup. Aside from shedding water, dust, snow and Play-Doh (among other foreign objects), you'll find a 1,366 x 768 (PAN-200) or 1,920 x 1,080 (PAN-520 and PAN-650) resolution, 16:9 aspect ratio, an anti-glare screen and a single HDMI port. The 20-incher checks in with a 700:1 contrast ratio, while the larger two offer 2,000:1, and the whole lot boasts an 802.11a wireless video package that claims to work up to 150-feet. Looking for prices? Try these on for size: $2,999 / $9,999 / $25,999 from smallest to largest.
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29/05/2008 - Higher sales of HD devices helps TiVo report soaring Q1 profits
Digital video recorder maker TiVo has reported soaring income for the first quarter of 2008 boosted by higher sales of HD devices and reduced advertising costs.
The California-based company said it earned $3.6 million, or 4 cents per share, for the three months ending April 30.
Tom Rogers, President and CEO of TiVo, said the most significant activity being worked on to boost stand-alone sales of HD devices was relationships with third parties.
He said tests were begun last quarter with bundling with HDTV set sales.

29/05/2008 - Freesat's mix of HDTV programmes and subscription-free service is likely to appeal to "millions" of customers unhappy with the UK's digital TV providers
Dissatisfaction with the UK’s top three digital TV providers is likely to make customers consider switching to freesat’s combination of HD programmes without subscription.
That is the conclusion of Steve Weller, communications expert at uSwitch.com, which carried out a customer satisfaction study on the UK’s top three digital TV providers - who hold 95% of the market.
Almost 9 out of 10 homes in the UK have now ‘gone digital’ and spend a total of £4.2 billion on receiving the service every year.
However, the independent price comparison and switching service found that more than 1 in 4 customers are not satisfied with their digital service.

28/05/2008 - Samsung HDTV earns top slot in customer loyalty survey
Samsung Electronics has come first in a customer loyalty survey in the US for both its HDTVs and DVD players.
The company was winner in the two categories in the Loyalty Engagement Index, a nationwide survey carried out by Brand Keys Customer.
It identifies brands that are best able to engage consumers by meeting or exceeding their expectations, which creates loyal customers.
The report forecasts which products consumers are most likely to purchase over the next 12 to 18 months.

28/05/2008 - Engadget HD Podcast 086 - 05.28.2008

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After an almost two week hiatus, we're back to try and add some insightful commentary to all the HD news. The Cable Show was the biggest thing going down, and in retrospect there wasn't much to it. But moving forward with tru2way is kind of interesting and we can't wait to see how it all turns out. At the same time the Blu-ray news is pretty slow right now, but we are looking forward to all the releases in June. Blu-ray isn't the only way to watch movies these days as downloads are ramping up with a new player in the way of Ruku via Netflix, but we're not impressed. The other thing that doesn't impress us is the new ESPN WiFi remote, which we just don't understand, while at the same time wish the remote had a better button layout.


Get the podcast

[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes (MP3).
[RSS] Add the Engadget HD Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator and have the show delivered automatically
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[MP3] Download the show (MP3).

Hosts: Ben Drawbaugh and Steve Kim

Producer: Trent Wolbe

Program
05:01 - The Cable Show 2008 roundup
05:43 - Tuning Adapter support for Media Center imminent?
14:28 - Sony signs up to support tru2way
17:35 - Verizon's CableCARD waiver expires July 1
19:50 - Poll: Do you still watch SD programming?
22:16 - Broadcast Flag rides again, courtesy of NBC & Microsoft?
25:29 - Transformers 2-disc Blu-ray edition coming September 2?
27:53 - Amazon Unbox content going HD on TiVo
29:17 - Roku reveals first Netflix set-top-box, reviews flow in
33:37 - DirecTV HD, now with one wire!
35:36 - ESPN unveils The Ultimate Remote, is WiFi worth $300?
42:18 - All NFL games on CBS will be in HD this season, Finally!


LISTEN (MP3)
LISTEN (AAC)
LISTEN (OGG)
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28/05/2008 - Sony commits to Tru2way TV
Sony has signed an agreement with the US’s six largest cable companies to produce a TV that will receive digital signals without the need for a set-top box.
The Japanese electronics company will make an LCD set based on the Tru2way cable platform introduced in January at CES by Comcast.
Kyle McSlarrow, president of the National Cable & Telecommunications Association, said: “This is a landmark agreement which will provide a national, open and interactive platform resulting in more choices of services and products for consumers.”

24/05/2008 - Samsung continues re-structuring following management changes
Samsung’s home-theater, DVD and Blu-ray-player businesses will be merged with the TV section as part of moves to change the way it operates.
Samsung Electronics Co, the flagship company of South Korean conglomerate Samsung Group, said the re-organisation within the digital-media division was part of a wider re-structuring.

24/05/2008 - Blue Ray Technologies expansion includes Hollywood plant to serve new BD and HD demand

Blue Ray Technologies is planning to open multiple Blu-Ray disc production facilities across the U.S, starting with a facility near Hollywood to be close to the indie and major studios that have now all adopted Blu-ray.
The new facilities are designed to be capable of handling the next generation of movie and game discs, Blue-ray 2.0, which gives an interactive web dimension to the consumer, and offer up to “five layers of entertainment”, according to BRT founder Erick Hansen.

24/05/2008 - Results shows global LCD TV sales outstripped plasma TV by 8:1 for Q1 of 2008

Over 21 million LCD TVs were sold in the first three months of 2008 compared to 2.8 million plasma sets, according to a data compiled by research firm DisplaySearch.
The total number of TVs sold during the period was 46.1 million, up only 1% compared to sales in 2007.
The slow-down in sales is largely attributed to a weaker US economy.

23/05/2008 - FCC grants DirecTV 30 day test period for DirecTV 11 satellite

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As our tipster Rob so eloquently put it: "Gentlemen, start your satellite." According to fresh documentation from the FCC, the agency has granted DirecTV "temporary authority" to operate its recently launched DirecTV 11 satellite and "conduct in-orbit testing." The satcaster will also be allowed to "conduct telemetry, tracking and control operations" when the window opens on May 25th. September's getting closer all the time, eh? [Warning: PDF read link]

[Thanks, Rob]
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20/05/2008 - DirecTV HD, now with one wire!

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One of the challenges satellite providers have faced when deploying multi-tuner DVRs and HD, is the fact that most homes only have one wire running into the house and each tuner in each HD DVR needs its own wire -- so if you have four HD DVRs, you need eight wires! That is about to change and our friends over at Satelliteguys.us have gotten a chance to spend some time with DirecTV's new Swing Wire LNB. Using the Single Wire LNB on your DirecTV satellite dish, a single wire can with splitters can service all your dual tuner DVRs and you can still record two shows at once. You will also no longer need those annoying B-Band converter and you can finally use OTA diplexers again -- but odds are the splitters in your house will have to be upgraded, as well as any old receivers. A Single Wire Multi-switch that was also recently released can be used with four coax runs to your existing LNB, includes an OTA input for diplexers, and still eliminates the need to run two coax cables to each dual tuner DVR. Of course you really don't need to know any of this, because the DirecTV installers will just start using the new equipment in the near future to ease the burden on themselves when doing new installs, but either way here's one less reason not to switch to satellite.
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19/05/2008 - Young adults aged between 16-27 are driving demand for HDTV, according to Motorola study

Research by Motorola shows that young adults have a huge influence on their parents' buying decisions for HDTV sets and programming packages.
The “always-on” generation are hungry for more control over when and where they access rich content such as high-definition (HD) programming and cable TV, the study found.
The ability to time-shift with DVRs and have access to HD programming were both highly desirable features.

19/05/2008 - Samsung reveals first ultra HD 82-inch LCD panel

Samsung has unveiled the first ultra HD 82-inch LCD panel at the Society for Information Display (SID) 2008 International Symposium in the US.
The company rolled out the monster with an ultra definition (UD) resolution of 3840 x 2160 pixels with a 120Hz refresh rate - double the pixel count of Full HD, which stands at 1920 x 1080 pixels.

Video is refreshed at 120Hz – currently the highest refresh rate on LCD TVs – which makes fast-moving video less blurry.
Kim Sang-soo, executive vice president of Samsung’s LCD Technology Center, said: “I personally hope the next-generation ultra-high definition level in the LCD panel market will open soon, with increasing consumer demand for clear viewing in households and public spaces, he said.
Samsung also exhibited an 82-inch LCD e-Board using Ultra-HD technology.

18/05/2008 - US cable network leads the HD revolution

18 May 2008
Innovation and focusing on the customer is ensuring the US cable network leads the digital and high-definition revolution, according to the president and CEO of the National Cable & Telecommunications Association (NCTA).
Speaking on the eve of the 2008 Cable Show in New Orleans, Kyle McSlarrow said that in the space of a few years US viewers had gone from having just nine HD networks to more than 75 today.
“Our entire industry is leading the digital and high definition revolution,” he said.

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