We just love when analysts make obvious statements, it makes us wonder why we aren't professional analysts -- Ralph Schackart, digital media analyst with William Blair & Co. states that companies who rent movies digitally have the most to gain from the recent Warner/Netflix deal. If this doesn't seem obvious to you then consider this. Right now the only (legal) way to rent a new release without leaving the house in the first thirty days is via Netflix. If Netflix strikes similar deals with the other studios, it'll really level the playing field between physical media and digital distribution rental services. It is obvious now that studios want to find a way to roll back the 2009 trend of renting instead of buying, but we're not so sure this new window will have the intended effect. Netflix said that most customers won't notice the new window and in our own personal experience, a 30 day window isn't going to make us buy anything we wern't going to buy already. Assuming we are right, the sooner Hollywood figures this out, the sooner we won't have to wait the extra 30 days, no matter what our preferred distribution channel is.

Digital distribution is the real winner of Warner/Netflix deal originally appeared on Engadget HD on Tue, 19 Jan 2010 14:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Contrary to popular belief, this economy and the digital transition have actually motivated more people to subscribe to pay TV. You often hear those in the "future is now" camp say that people are looking for ways to save money and they're looking to free internet TV alternatives and to free over-the-air TV, but it just isn't true. Our first indication of this was a few weeks ago when Nielsen released a study that showed that about 25 percent of those who used to relay on antennas for TV, just switched to cable or satellite instead of getting a free converter box; and now the NPD group is reporting that the monthly per-capita spending on entertainment subscriptions is now up to $115 a month. At this point the internet video movement isn't looking that disruptive after all, but with all the technology out there, we just have to believe that something is going to disrupt the existing archaic model.

Filed under: Industry, Internet, OTA

Spending on cable and satellite services are up originally appeared on Engadget HD on Fri, 20 Nov 2009 08:13:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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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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Filed under: Industry, Blu-ray, Apple

A Blu-ray "upgrade kit" for Apple's revamped Mac mini... sounds like the ultimate for home theater buffs right? After all, such a device holds the promise of adding Blu-ray playback to a relatively powerful, off-the-shelf micro computer starting at $599 that'll run any of the amazing media center apps available for either Windows 7 (with some extra legwork) or OS X. Not so fast bub, remember, OS X still doesn't support native playback of Blu-ray discs pressed by Hollywood's media fairies. As such, Blu-ray films purchased on disc can only be played by booting into Windows -- under OS X you are limited to reading and writing data assuming you already have software like Adobe's Premiere Pro CS3 with Encore or Roxio's Toast with Blu-ray plug-in. Unfortunately, AMEX Digital is purposely unclear on this point by suggesting that the kit will simply "play Hollywood Blu-ray Disc movies on a properly configured PC or MAC." For the extra $199 required to take the BD-UG1 home, we'd suggest a native PC solution, cheapo standalone Blu-ray player or PS3 and avoid these headaches altogether. Image of the drive laid bare after the break.

[Via I4U]

Continue reading AMEX DIGITAL's Mac mini Blu-ray drive upgrade kit is not what it seems

AMEX DIGITAL's Mac mini Blu-ray drive upgrade kit is not what it seems originally appeared on Engadget HD on Wed, 11 Nov 2009 04:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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A Blu-ray "upgrade kit" for Apple's revamped Mac mini... sounds like the ultimate for home theater buffs right? After all, such a device holds the promise of adding Blu-ray playback to a relatively powerful, off-the-shelf micro computer starting at $599 that'll run any of the amazing media center apps available for either Windows 7 (with some extra legwork) or OS X. Not so fast bub, remember, OS X still doesn't support native playback of Blu-ray discs pressed by Hollywood's media fairies. As such, Blu-ray films purchased on disc can only be played by booting into Windows -- under OS X you are limited to reading and writing data assuming you already have software like Adobe's Premiere Pro CS3 with Encore or Roxio's Toast with Blu-ray plug-in. Unfortunately, AMEX Digital is purposely unclear on this point by suggesting that the kit will simply "play Hollywood Blu-ray Disc movies on a properly configured PC or MAC." For the extra $199 required to take the BD-UG1 home, we'd suggest a native PC solution, cheapo standalone Blu-ray player or PS3 and avoid these headaches altogether. Image of the drive laid bare after the break.

[Via I4U]

Continue reading AMEX DIGITAL's Mac mini Blu-ray drive upgrade kit is not what it seems

Filed under: Industry, Blu-ray, Apple

AMEX DIGITAL's Mac mini Blu-ray drive upgrade kit is not what it seems originally appeared on Engadget HD on Wed, 11 Nov 2009 04:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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While the market for High-Definition TV has hit the mainstream, the industry has already started speculating about the commercialization of Ultra-High Definition (UHD).

UHD formats provide between four and sixteen times the resolution of Blu-ray or 1080p high definition as well as 22.2 multichannel three-dimensional sound.

The In-Stat report says the rising popularity of high resolution digital cinema will expose consumers to high resolution content. Then, early UHDTVs will be made available to provide a digital cinema high resolution viewing experience in the home.

Filed under: Internet

Move over opera, the theater is coming home via HD streaming as Digital Theatre has launched, offering downloads of theatrical productions for a mere £8.99 ($14.72.) There's no mention of any region lock, and since it uses Adobe Air the DT Player promises to work across platforms and browsers, with productions from The Almeida Theatre, Royal Court, Young Vic, Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) and English Touring Theatre lined up first, all filmed from several angles over multiple performances, rather than a single static camera position. Now that the Concorde is offline, really, how else were you planning on getting the British theatre experience this afternoon?

[Via The Hollywood Reporter]

$15 buys the U.K. theatre experience in HD right on your PC originally appeared on Engadget HD on Tue, 27 Oct 2009 03:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Industry, Internet

Other than the lack of HD content, Hulu is a pretty slick service -- in fact it is a glimpse of our content dream, whatever you want, whenever you want. But according to NBC Universal's TV chief, Marc Graboff, Hulu is still looking for ways "to turn those digital pennies into digital dollars." Although the technology for digital delivery has been around for some time, actually making money on it has been another story. Hulu is determined to make it work though and is trying all kinds of things "like adding inventory (more advertising) or creating a subscription model with different windows" -- now when he says Windows, he doesn't mean the things we look out of, he means limited availability of shows. We'd argue that release windows are currently the worst part of all the digital delivery services today, but as much as we hope Hulu figures it out, based on our own polls, most aren't willing to pay a subscription for Hulu's current offerings.

Hulu might be looking to subscriptions to turn digital pennies into digital dollars originally appeared on Engadget HD on Thu, 22 Oct 2009 11:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Media streamers

Netgear's EVA2000 Digital Entertainer Live came packin' a lot of promise for just $150, but according to a critique over at TrustedReviews, those into a thing dubbed "high-definition" may want to keep on saving and pass over this one. You see, the only 720p content it's capable of playing back is MPEG-2; other than that, you're stuck watching SD material or upscaled-to-720p SD material. To the box's credit, it did manage to play back content satisfactorily, and the built-in PlayOn software was indeed a boon to the device's overall utility. In the world of media streamers, though, you've got oodles of options, and it seems as if one from WD or ASUS just might be a better overall value. Tap the read link to decide for yourself.

Netgear's EVA2000 Digital Entertainer Live gets reviewed: decent, but lacking originally appeared on Engadget HD on Thu, 22 Oct 2009 10:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Tuners, Others, OTA

Continue reading picoStick USB Digital TV tuner is insanely small, but only in Europe

picoStick USB Digital TV tuner is insanely small, but only in Europe originally appeared on Engadget HD on Wed, 16 Sep 2009 18:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: OTA

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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Filed under: Misc, Media PCs

A picture is worth a thousand words, which is why we wish we would've been the ones who thought of making a screencast that exposes the new Windows Home Server Power Pack 3 (Beta) features for Media Center. Our friend Adam from the Digital Media Zone takes us through the TV show archiving and converting feature as well as the new remote console that lets you check to see if your backups are running from the comfort of the couch. Although we're not super excited by any of these particular features, we are encouraged to see more evidence that our vision of the future of Windows Media Center might be in line with Microsoft's. Full screencast after the jump

Continue reading New Media Center features in WHS Power Pack 3 exposed in a screencast

New Media Center features in WHS Power Pack 3 exposed in a screencast originally appeared on Engadget HD on Sat, 18 Jul 2009 14:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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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.

Filed under: Features, Others

With AV software and hardware alike carrying at least one Dolby logo, not to mention the presence of that same branding on big screen cinema, Dolby is truly a household name. If you ask people exactly what Dolby does, however, you're likely to get a pretty fuzzy picture, which isn't too surprising -- the brand is so prevalent in the media space that it's kind of like asking a fish to describe what water feels like. So when Dolby invited us to spend a day with them to talk about their current goings-on in home theater, we just couldn't pass up the opportunity.

To get a look behind the familiar logo, we spent a day at Dolby's lab in San Francisco. During our time there we talked about TrueHD, Digital Plus, Dolby Volume, the new Pro Logic IIz, and even got a short peek at some current research efforts. It was a fast run over a lot of ground, for sure!

Continue reading Engadget goes behind the Dolby logo

Engadget goes behind the Dolby logo originally appeared on Engadget HD on Wed, 08 Jul 2009 13:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Features

A new report from In-Stat indicates what we already suspected; because of the ridiculous DRM on digital downloads, most people are opting to obtain content illegally. Consumers will come up with just about any justification because the current offerings from Hollywood are just way too draconian to buy in to. For us that is good news and we can't wait for the video industry to follow the music's lead and give up on all of this overly complicated DRM, that really just doesn't work. Like us, In-Stat believes that watermarking will become the preferred way to control the distribution of digital content. It really is win-win because while consumers are free to use the content as they deem fit, it is very easy for Hollywood to catch up with them if they decide to share it with the whole world.

85 percent of the 14 billion videos downloaded last year were illegal originally appeared on Engadget HD on Tue, 07 Jul 2009 20:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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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.

Mvix has announces the worldwide launch of the Mvix Ultio, a hard-disk based media center capable of HD digital media playback with video output as high as 1080p.
The company claims the device supports the largest array of AV formats and codecs of any media player.

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.

Filed under: Industry, Misc

We're not saying we've ever downloaded anything off the internet that wasn't 100% on the up and up, or that we're here to judge those who have. We just thought it'd be fun to to post all the various rationales we've heard over the years by those who do to justify their potentially shady activities. Some of these sound like pretty good reasons to us, but we doubt any of them would hold up in court if the MPAA ever came a knocking. Regardless, if you do download gray area content you might want to have a couple of these ready, and by all means let us know which ones we missed.

1. I ran out of tuners on my DVR.
2. I accidentally deleted the show.
3. My DVR hard drive crashed.
4. I don't get that channel in HD.
5. My cable was out.
6. I have satellite and it was poring rain.
7. I don't live in the US and the show isn't available here.
8. I delete the shows after I watch them once.
9. The show isn't available on Blu-ray.
10. I live in a valley and can't get over-the-air.

Top ten rationales for illegally downloading HDTV shows originally appeared on Engadget HD on Tue, 30 Jun 2009 14:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Industry, OTA

With less than 24 hours to go until analog TV goes dark for a certain segment of American, and the NAB wants to make sure everyone is aware that Nielsen's unreadiness claims aren't accepted by all. The point of contention is a mere 1 million people and really comes down to those who are "almost ready." Meaning, the NAB doesn't count respondents who claimed to have already started getting ready, but aren't in any hurry to make the actual switch until the very last minute. Differences in opinion aside one thing is for sure, at some point tomorrow every TV watcher in the US will be digital ready, or they will no longer be a TV watcher.

NAB disputes Nielsen's numbers, claims only 1.75 million unready for transition originally appeared on Engadget HD on Thu, 11 Jun 2009 16:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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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.

Filed under: DIY, OTA

We've long been a fan of free over-the-air (OTA) HD and have been over to antennaweb.org on a number of occasions to help others assess the viability of going cable-less. And while this has worked pretty well for us, we were excited to see this new tool on the FCC's site that shows a much prettier map and even more useful stats that try to predict the signal strength available at your house. We're not sure how accurate the "receive power" estimates are, but we're sure they are more useful than no data at all. So if you're trying to figure out if you need to make any changes to your antenna farm post-transition on the 12th, head on over and check it out.

[Via The Digital Media Zone]

A cool new DTV map from the FCC to help you prepare for the transition originally appeared on Engadget HD on Thu, 04 Jun 2009 10:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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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.

Watching movies and other video content on DVD and Blu-ray Disc accounts for 88 per cent of home entertainment spending - even although newer digital methods are beginning to gain a foothold in the consumer market.
The average US home video consumer reported spending an average of USD $25 per month on all types of home video purchases and rentals, according to NPD Group.

Filed under: Misc

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, Allez ciao!

Read - Canal Digital launches HD over IP
Read - Freeview picks up marketing push
Read - Freesat: How we'll compete with Freeview HD
Read - iBAHN Launches High Definition with Hilton Hotels
Read - Virgin adds new 'Dexter' in HD
Read - Du goes HD IPTV in Dubai
Read - Free HD From FRANSAT Finds ATLANTIC BIRD 3 Highly Beamable
Read - Fox International to simulcast FXHD channel

International HD news roundup originally appeared on Engadget HD on Sun, 26 Apr 2009 09:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Media streamers, Others

The verdict is already out on Netgear's EVA 9150 Digital Entertainer Elite, and now the ball's squarely in your court. The self-proclaimed "flexible digital media player" -- complete with its dual-band 802.11n WiFi, integrated 500GB hard drive and broad video codec support -- is now shipping worldwide. In case you've forgotten, this unit plays nice with Windows, Mac and Linux platforms and boasts a pair of USB ports for adding flash drives and additional storage. Worth $399? Answer with your wallet, bub.

Netgear Digital Entertainer Elite available worldwide for $399 originally appeared on Engadget HD on Mon, 20 Apr 2009 16:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Industry, Cable

Not to be confused with the OTA switch to digital, Comcast is apparently ready to resume shoving customers off the analog coil and making room for more HD, DOCSIS 3.0 high speed Internet and other things we like, starting with Boston and Atlanta. Termed "Project Cavalry" it's not removing every channel from analog, but about 40 of them, and as the FCC directed giving customers two digital terminal adapters (pictured) and one digital box for free as long as they remain with Comcast. According to Cable Digital News, Chattanooga picked up 22 new high definition networks and 50Mb Internet service after the digital migration, so it really can't happen fast enough.

Comcast extending all digital push in Boston and Atlanta originally appeared on Engadget HD on Sat, 18 Apr 2009 01:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Media streamers

When we last got some hands-on time with Netgear's EVA9150 Digital Entertainer Elite at CES, we found it to be a pretty impressive media streamer. The aptly-titled MyDigitalEntertainer's managed to get an early unit -- packaged and everything -- and has provided ample unboxing pictures and some hands-on impressions. It's love all around, with a faster interface, extended support, and a new buffer ability that makes it a lot smoother than its predecessors. The RSS feature is functional enough, but any video podcast streams you subscribe to should be great. YouTube HD support is an added plus, but we've got no word on CinemaNow and we're admittedly a bit bummed by no Netflix. Hit up the read link for the full preview.

Netflix EVA 9150 Digital Entertainer Elite unboxed, previewed, well loved originally appeared on Engadget HD on Tue, 07 Apr 2009 07:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Media PCs

Media Center fans woke up to a rude awakening late last week when they realized that many of their OTA HD channels were missing guide data. After a number of reports at The Green Button -- where Microsoft is usually very receptive to programming data problems -- it become apparent that almost all the channels missing data were the very same ones where the broadcasters stayed on schedule and shut off their analog transmitters in February. We dropped a quick note to Microsoft to see what the deal is, but while we wait for a response we theorized that this might have something to do with the way OTA HD used to work in Windows Media Center Edition. Back in those days you had to have an analog tuner in order to add an HD tuner, so it makes some sense that the two were linked together, at least at some point. Further lending to this theory is the fact that those running the infamous TV Pack aren't affected and nor are those running a Windows 7 Beta -- MS completely rewrote how the tuners work in the newer releases. Now if you'll please excuse us while we go manually schedule all of our recordings, you know, like on an old VCR.

Windows Media Center isn't ready for the digital transition originally appeared on Engadget HD on Tue, 17 Mar 2009 19:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Other hardware, Set-top boxes, Others, Internet

Since Xbox Live Marketplace was already home to NBC Universal movies and TV (at home and abroad) Microsoft's seen fit to fire back at Sony's PSN announcement with the relatively incremental additions of content from The Weinstein Company and TNA, while mentioning the Video Marketplace has already served up 42 million pieces of content, with its pace doubling since the NXE debuted last year. So far at least, all of TNA's offerings (PPV events from last year) are in SD, while The Weinstein Company hasn't hesitated in tossing up Vicky Cristina Barcelona and Zack and Miri Make a Porno in 5GB 720p files for all interested. Microsoft may not be able to claim "all the major movie studios" (we're guessing Sony Pictures has made their decision on who to support) but they're still finding a way to lead the download-to-consoles race, for now.

Xbox Live Video Marketplace welcomes The Weinstein Company and TNA originally appeared on Engadget HD on Wed, 11 Mar 2009 12:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Reviews, Receivers, Pioneer

The loveliness that trickle-down is, Pioneer's flagship SC-09TX receiver is no longer the only member of the family packing the B&O-sourced ICEpower Class D amplification. The $2,200, 110-Watt 7.1-channel SC-07 went under review at digitaltrends and to no one's surprise, it was liked. Taking top honors were the clean front panel and powerful, warm sound. The remote, however, wasn't so well-liked and much like other reviews, the lack of HDMI video processing didn't slip by unnoticed for this target market or price point. As much as we admire Pioneer's purist approach and even feel that it's likely that a display paired with an SC-07 is probably more than capable of handling HDMI scaling duties, it's a notable missing check mark relative to the competition.

Pioneer's SC-07 receiver gets reviewed with an approving nod originally appeared on Engadget HD on Mon, 09 Mar 2009 08:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Displays, Projector

Transparent "ViVid Screen" can be affixed to windows, cut into shapes originally appeared on Engadget HD on Thu, 05 Mar 2009 16:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sorenson Media has named Peter Csathy as its president and chief executive officer (CEO).
Csathy is a 20-year veteran of the digital media industry with significant expertise in the online video arena.
Sorenson Media, which specializes in online video compression and encoding technology and solutions, is looking to move into new high growth areas.

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.

BitGravity announced today that it is launching a live digital video service that will allow users to stream Flash-based HD video over the Internet.
The BG Live HD service can stream live events in 1080p or 720p resolution and doesn't require a viewing client to be downloaded.

Filed under: Displays, Mitsubishi, LCD

Mitsubishi may be having some trouble with its LaserVue set, but those in the commercial realm probably aren't too concerned. What they may be interested in, however, are these two. Mitsu has introduced the 46-inch LDTV146 and 52-inch LDTV152 at the Digital Signage Show in Las Vegas, both of which boast 1080p 10-bit LCD panels. These were designed to last and last (and last), with a backlight estimated to survive 30,000 hours -- or around seven years when turned on for 12 hours per day. Other specifications include a 10,000:1 contrast ratio, 500 nits of brightness and $2,995 / $3,995 price tags, and if you're into either, you'll be glad to know they're available now.

Mitsubishi unveils LDTV146 and LDTV152 1080p LCD monitors originally appeared on Engadget HD on Thu, 26 Feb 2009 17:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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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.

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.

Filed under: Media streamers, Other hardware, Internet

Bad news first: there might be a bit more competition than you expected for that home theater giveaway. Good luck bringing down Netflix's shooting star though, as if last week's good news train wasn't enough comes news that over a million Xbox Live Gold members have already downloaded and activated the Watch Instantly app since its NXE debut last November. That's more than 10% of Netflix's just announced 9.4 million subscribers who've already watched over 1.5 billion minutes of TV and movies through their consoles. They're not the only ones happy, while streaming may be eating into DVD rentals, Xbox Live Marketplace rentals are up 174 percent year over year. The streaming library is up to 12,000 titles, with a "growing percentage" in high definition, for the rest of the celebratory details check the full PR after the break. Nothing left for us to say but congratulations and hey, if you get a minute, could you fix Nilay's HD streaming on the Xbox? Appreciated.

Continue reading Xbox Live tallies 1 million Netflix Watch Instantly activations, 1.5 billion minutes served

Xbox Live tallies 1 million Netflix Watch Instantly activations, 1.5 billion minutes served originally appeared on Engadget HD on Thu, 05 Feb 2009 03:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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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.

Filed under: Regulatory, OTA

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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Filed under: Industry, Internet

Oh c'mon -- you had to know this was a possibility, right? As Netflix's Watch Instantly service becomes more viable and its library expands, more and more users are going to start tapping into those servers for instantaneous enjoyment. Eventually, suggests Cowen and Company analyst James Friedland, all that instant gratification could lead to more costs, and not surprisingly, it'll be the end-user paying up. As an increasing amount of subscribers use the online streaming feature, Netflix is asked to shell out more cash to studios for the content. Friedland predicts that "the company will charge an extra fee for the service [if it] starts to squeeze profit margins," just like it already did with Blu-ray Discs. We get the feeling most customers wouldn't balk at another $1 per month charge so long as the instant library started to include new releases, but if not, who knows what the backlash would be.

Analyst sees Netflix adding surcharge if Watch Instantly gets too popular originally appeared on Engadget HD on Fri, 23 Jan 2009 19:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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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.

Filed under: Industry, Regulatory

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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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.

Filed under: Industry, Blu-ray, Other formats

Is it any wonder that Blu-ray Disc buyers are taking advantage of Digital Copy more frequently than ever? According to a recent writeup at TWICE, it's becoming even easier to find 'em. Today, a grand total of 52 BDs, practically all from seven major studios, are available with Digital Copy versions of the movie for playback on portable media players and computers. Unfortunately, the total of Digital Copy-enabled DVDs wasn't available to compare, but we are told that Warner Home Video is leading the charge on the Blu side with 19 Digital Copy-equipped Blu-ray Discs. As for the other guys, Lionsgate and Universal offer eight apiece, while Disney offers up three with a fourth coming in February. So, have you taken advantage of Digital Copy on the BD flicks that you've purchased?

Digital Copy becoming more prevalent on Blu-ray Discs originally appeared on Engadget HD on Sun, 04 Jan 2009 01:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Cables, Other hardware, Ports, Switches, Others

Gefen knows all too well how easy it is for new wares to get lost in the shuffle at CES, so it's opting to disclose its freshest gear a few days beforehand. This year's show will see four new devices in particular, so we'll start from the top. The Digital Audio Decoder with Dolby will be used to combine older, analog-based audio systems with digital devices of today by converting 5.1 audio to L/R analog audio. Next, the Volume Controller is a completely elusive "fully automated solution which equalizes audio to maintain the same levels consistently." The 2x1 Digital Audio Switcher makes it easy to hook up two TOSlink cables to one AV receiver, while the 1:2 Digital Audio Splitter does the opposite by splitting a single TOSlink signal into two streams. The full spill is just after the break.

Continue reading Gefen's CES bounty squealed about early

Gefen's CES bounty squealed about early originally appeared on Engadget HD on Thu, 01 Jan 2009 05:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Media PCs, Other formats, Internet

We haven't really heard much from the single entity that emerged after VideoGiants and MusicGiants ran full force into one another, but Niveus Media is keeping said outfit relevant by bringing its movie collections to the Media Server and Storage Server - Cargo Edition. Films will be made available to dealers and consumers in packages of 50 ($1,099) or 100 ($2,099) titles, and of course, each title will come with all of the snazzy cover art and metadata to make searching a breeze. At least for now, the flicks are delivered to dealers on hard drives (50+ movies is a lot to download, holmes), but at least you know you'll be getting the best quality material. Full release is after the break.

Continue reading Niveus and HDGiants link up on movie distribution deal

Niveus and HDGiants link up on movie distribution deal originally appeared on Engadget HD on Tue, 23 Dec 2008 09:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Set-top boxes, Internet

A few lucky Netflix Player owners have been enjoying the spoils of Netflix in high-definition all weekend, but for those not selected to join the elite in the first wave of rollouts, all is now well. Roku has just announced that every last one of its Netflix Player customers are now eligible for an upgrade that brings along HD Netflix support, just as we knew would happen. Slipping in just under the wire, are we Roku? Either way, we appreciate the tidings of joy.

Roku makes it so: HD Netflix streaming comes to Netflix Player originally appeared on Engadget HD on Mon, 22 Dec 2008 13:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Set-top boxes, Internet

Good thing Netflix / Roku got those finicky quality issues ironed out, as the latest firmware update is all about clarity. Version 1.5, which is evidently being pushed out in waves, is allowing individuals to stream high-def Netflix content. So, for those of you lucky enough to have the new firmware already, how do things look and sound? Are you pleased? Not really? Speak up below!

[Thanks, TheManTheyCallJayne]

Roku v1.5 firmware update brings HD Netflix streaming originally appeared on Engadget HD on Sat, 20 Dec 2008 22:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Misc, Other formats

With the teams finally set (sorry Texas) Fox Sports' 3D broadcast is being beamed live not only to CES, but also to theaters in 35 states. Courtesy of the same Cinedigm satellite network playing host to the 3D NBA All-Star Game in February, 80 RealD-outfitted theaters are airing the game while In Las Vegas, Paris Hotel and Casino will be set up with Sony 4K SXRD projectors showing 3ality Digital's 3D production in all its glory. Even with DeMarco Murray pulling out due to injury, a national championship game featuring the last two Heisman Trophy winning QBs seems worth catching in the best quality available -- outside of actually heading down to Dolphin Stadium and staring at the big screen. Check out the Cinedigm website for a list of theaters, tickets are expected to be between $18 - $22.

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Filed under: Media streamers, Others

Talk about broadening one's product portfolio. Popcorn Hour, the outfit that started small with a heralded media streamer last Fall, has delved head first into the wide, wacky world of digital signage. The minuscule S-210 media streamer was built to run around the clock with little power consumption, and it packs 2GB of internal USB flash storage along with no "complicated PC architecture." Everything that goes through the device is controlled by a bundled PC app, and the included HDMI 1.1a / VGA outputs link your advertisements (or other media) to a display. Check the read link for the lengthy list of file format compatibility, and if you're into it, add one to your cart at $219.

[Thanks, elmopio]

Popcorn Hour caters to digital signage applications with S-210 originally appeared on Engadget HD on Sat, 13 Dec 2008 07:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Industry, Cable

You already know what Comcast's Digital Transport Adapter looks like, and for folks in Salem, Eugene and Corvallis, Oregon (not to mention Seattle, Washington), you'll be seeing 'em in the flesh soon enough. Comcast has announced that its all digital transition will be heading up from Portland and into Seattle in the near future, and it's upsetting quite a few locals with Media Center PC / TiVo setups. Of course, these are just the growing (or should we say "changing") pains associated with a mass switch from analog to digital, but at least in theory, the conversion should free up oodles of bandwidth for the carrier to expand its HD lineup. And remember, a cable company choosing to pipe its channels out in digital is very different than the broadcast change coming in February 2009 -- it's confusing, we know, but the read link does a fairly decent job of spelling everything out.

[Thanks, Doug]

Comcast going all digital in Seattle, bringing DTAs to the Pacific Northwest originally appeared on Engadget HD on Fri, 12 Dec 2008 06:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Media streamers, Set-top boxes, Others

We had the bare essentials when we spotted Netgear's Digital Entertainer Elite trying to waltz through the FCC unnoticed, but now we've got the hot, juicy details required to make those things called "purchasing decisions." Wired has it that the media streamer will check in during Q1 2009 at $400, which will buy you a roomy 500GB hard drive, "an updated user interface that allows users to choose content from free sources such as YouTube and Flickr," full 1080p support and the ability to swap out the HDD should the owner choose. The catch, however, is that the box is currently disconnected from most major content providers, and without a link to Netflix (or similar), users will have to either provide their own material or simply surf over to online portals such as Hulu. Four bills is a lot to ask for something in the "been there, done that" bucket -- we'll give it three months before the first substantial price cut.

Details flow on Netgear's EVA9150 Digital Entertainer Elite originally appeared on Engadget HD on Wed, 10 Dec 2008 23:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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DiBcom has launched an HD-ready digital terrestrial decoder in a USB key device that gives viewers free high-def content on their PCs.
The French mobile TV hardware maker claims the device is a world first - other manufacturers are already offering USB devices that receive over-the-air HD broadcasts although not in such a small package.

Filed under: Industry, DVRs, Other formats, Set-top boxes, Internet

Man, if we aren't careful, Netflix is going to turn into a behemoth right before our very eyes. The company once known for taking physical discs right to your mailbox is now getting all sorts of attention for its workings in the online delivery space, and if you thought hooking up with Microsoft was hot stuff, have a listen at this. Starting today, Series 3, TiVo HD and TiVo HD XL owners can access thousands of Netflix movies on their set-top-box, and better still, these same owners can access a growing library of high-def titles. Of course, this new functionality comes at no additional cost, though you will need a Netflix account to take advantage. So Netflix, what's next? Infiltrating DirecTV / DISH Network boxes? Seeping inside of our actual TV sets? Breathing new life into the Atari Jaguar? Full release is after the break.

Continue reading Netflix HD streaming comes to TiVo

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Filed under: Set-top boxes, Tuners, Cable

We know, this whole "digital age" is quite confusing, but what you're looking at above is one of the first Digital Transport Adapters (a Pace DC50X) doled out by Comcast. First and foremost, this box has nothing to do with the impending analog shutoff of broadcast networks in February of next year; instead, Comcast (like many other programming providers) is choosing to push many markets to "all digital" in order to free up bandwidth currently hogged by analog stations. Enter the DTA, which is being used to allow older TVs to still receive channels without the need for a pricey HD DVR. Even the unboxer notes that it's pretty unimpressive, but check the gallery in the read link if you're so inclined.

[Thanks, cypherstream]

Pace-built Comcast Digital Transport Adapter gets unboxed originally appeared on Engadget HD on Wed, 03 Dec 2008 12:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Media streamers, Others

Netgear returns with the Digital Entertainer Elite network media streamer taking an early peek from cover to go through its paces at the FCC test center. Two years after the EVA8000 Digital Entertainer HD, the EVA9000 model adds support for a 3.5-inch SATA internal HDD, 802.11n and more to its predecessor's lengthy list of features. The leaked spec comparison after the break reveals AVI, XviD, DivX and h.264 decoding returning plus Dolby True HD, DTS-HD Master Audio, MKV, TS, M2TS file support that should chew through any HD files you've got and then some. Why wait for an official announcement, shipping date or price? The FCC already had its fun, so check out the PDFs for a full manual plus pictures inside & out, then once this box hits the stage at CES just pretend like you never saw it with the cover off.

[Pictures via AVSForum]

Continue reading Netgear Digital Entertainer Elite media streamer says hello to the FCC

Netgear Digital Entertainer Elite media streamer says hello to the FCC originally appeared on Engadget HD on Fri, 28 Nov 2008 10:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Industry, Other formats, Sports

As the NFL gobbles up even more market share in the United States, it follows logic to see the next big in-home entertainment push side with it in order to garner attention. With every company and its third subsidiary twice removed trying to shove 3D into the home, we'd say starting with the NFL is a brilliant move. In a closed-to-the-public "proof of concept" demonstration, next week's matchup between the San Diego Chargers and the Oakland Raiders will air live in 3D to select theaters in Los Angeles, New York and Boston. Third-dimension mainstays 3ality Digital and RealD will play critical roles in the delivery, though it remains unclear what exactly the NFL and 3D backers in general plan to do afterwards. If you'll recall, this isn't the first pro sporting event this year that was beamed in 3D to nearby theaters, but we can't think of anything more appealing than 300-pound gentleman crushing each other just inches from your retinas.

[Thanks, Jesse]

Live NFL broadcast to air in 3D as "proof of concept" originally appeared on Engadget HD on Mon, 24 Nov 2008 12:13:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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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.

Filed under: Industry, Media streamers, Set-top boxes, Internet

It's impossible to say what kind of impact Gregory K. Peters will have on Netflix as a whole, but one thing is for sure: we certainly dig his job description. Recently hired on by Netflix as the vice president of partner products, Mr. Peters will be responsible for "bringing to market a range of devices from leading consumer electronics manufacturers that are capable of instantly streaming movies and TV episodes from Netflix directly to consumers' TVs." The new role was established shortly after Netflix decided to deliver HD streaming to the Xbox 360 (and other boxes in the future), and it's a clear signal that the company understands the importance of digital downloads in a world currently dominated by physical discs. The overriding goal? To enable "all US households to stream Netflix to their TVs." Looks like ole Greg will be putting those degrees in physics and astrophysics to good use, huh? Full release is after the jump.

Continue reading Netflix hires VP of partner products to focus on streaming devices

Netflix hires VP of partner products to focus on streaming devices originally appeared on Engadget HD on Thu, 13 Nov 2008 12:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Misc, Media streamers, Others

Call it coincidence or call it fate, but it seems something is afoot in the land of the Roku Netflix Player. Out of seemingly nowhere, a fair amount of users are finding that their once beautiful downloads have turned to pixelated iterations of their old selves, and to no fault of their internet connection. As the story goes, some users have found that their box is forcing streaming at "one-dot," or the lowest quality selection available, rather than the four-dot connection they were using just last week. As you'd expect, the quality of the one-dot stream is rather dreadful, and for those who've tried forcing a higher quality setting, they're stuck waiting eons for buffering and such. Have you too encountered this issue? Or are the internet elves looking out for you?

[Image courtesy of PreGameLobby, thanks Tyler]

Is your Roku Netflix Player stuck on one-dot streaming? originally appeared on Engadget HD on Thu, 13 Nov 2008 09:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Remotes, Others

Back at CEDIA, you witnessed the best Universal Remote Control had to offer for the high-end and custom-install market, but the outfit's latest caters to the commercial crowd. Hailed as its new flagship unit for the consumer retail channel, the URC Digital R50 features a backlit, customizable color screen, PC-free setup, an IR blaster, support for up to 18 home theater components, an ARM7 microprocessor and backlit buttons for good measure. The unit gets powered by four AA cells and weighs just nine ounces with the batteries installed, and for those who are already drooling, you can snap it up now through major retailers for $149.

Universal Remote reveals $149 URC Digital R50 originally appeared on Engadget HD on Thu, 13 Nov 2008 08:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The incredibly popular Flip camcorder is going high def with the launch of the MinoHD.
Flip makers Pure Digital says its new baby is the the world's smallest HD camcorder - and at a mere 3oz it's hard to disagree.

Filed under: Industry, Set-top boxes, Internet

We realized that VUDU was on some sort of mission with its ferocious adding of high-def titles last month, and now we know what the company was up to. Indeed, it was adding around 150 HD titles per week in October in order to pump out this glowing release. As of today, there are over 1,100 HD titles available to VUDU users for instant, on-demand viewing, or as VUDU would say, "the largest library of HD content in existence." Thankfully, the company isn't planning to just rest on its laurels, as it's fully expecting to maintain its "leadership" position with continued HD rollouts in the near future. Funny how we were all questioning VUDU's viability just a few months back, huh?

VUDU now home to 1,100 HD titles: "largest HD library in existence" originally appeared on Engadget HD on Mon, 10 Nov 2008 08:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Media streamers, Internet

If you're not a Netflix subscriber and aren't interested in becoming one, please pardon yet another post about streaming content from the formerly DVD-exclusive renter -- but for those non-Xbox owning, non-Live subscribing readers who want to get in on some HD Watch it Now action, we have some good news for you. Earlier indications were that other Netflix-friendly devices would see updates enabling high-def support and now, in what appears to be an official confirmation from Roku's VP of Consumer Products, that company's little $99 box will indeed be "delivering Netflix in HD by the end of the year," complete with a tweaked interface to suit all those extra pixels. Additionally, streaming here will operate over lower bitrates than the Xbox is expecting; good for those with iffy download speeds, but perhaps coming at the cost of quality. Finally, and teasingly, Roku devs are said to be working on "another major new feature" that will blow your mind. Oh, how we do love surprises.

[Via Hacking Netflix]

Roku's Netflix Player handling HD content "by the end of the year" originally appeared on Engadget HD on Mon, 03 Nov 2008 02:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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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.

Filed under: Cable

Project Analog Crush is in full swing, and RCN's next target is the nation's capital. The carrier is reclaiming analog spectrum and converting it to all digital in the Washington, D.C. area next month, and it's hoping to use all that freed bandwidth to deliver 75+ high-definition channels in the near future. Be on the lookout for notification of the changes real soon -- you'll be needing a digital converter box or CableCARD if you're still tapping into pure analog cable.

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Filed under: Regulatory, Cable

It was inevitable, really. As RCN's quest to smash analog and introduce all-digital cable to all of its markets continues, we've finally received word that it will do so in the Big Apple. Starting next month, the carrier will begin switching its New York network to all-digital, which will obviously enable it to "reclaim existing analog channels, improve the picture quality, make the network easier to maintain, and dramatically increase the number of standard and HD channels it can offer to subscribers." RCN CEO and President Peter Aquino even stated that it hopes to offer "approximately 100 HD channels or more in the future," which couldn't possibly sound sweeter. Now, if only we knew how long it would be before "in the future" became "today."

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Filed under: Industry, New content

Although Viacom, Paramount, Lionsgate and MGM pitched in together to form a premium movie channel a while back, the group is now trying to secure itself a place more towards the digital-basic service level to the hefty tune of $1 - $2 per subscriber, per month. Even with market exclusivity and considerable studio marketing muscle on the table, though, we doubt there will be much traction among MSOs at this price point; and honestly, we'd hate to see the content chopped up with ads, um, ad nauseum. Worst of all, though, is that we imagine HD could be one of the first items to get the axe if this service is a digital-basic offering. Don't get us wrong -- we're not looking to spend more money every month -- but we are willing to pay for a quality experience.

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Filed under: Misc, Other hardware, Others

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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Filed under: OTA

A few UK residents felt the pain Raid-style after the latest Freeview signal upgrade knocked certain receivers out of service last week. The upgrade has been rolling out in waves for the last month, unfortunately owners of some Daewoo, Labgear, Triax and Portland digital boxes have no choice but to buy a new box to keep getting television service. Hopefully our own digital transition doesn't end up with people trashing their box after a couple of years -- while Freeview says only a "minority" were affected by the enhancement, we're pretty sure it doesn't seem that way if your TV is one of the ones knocked out.

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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.

DivX has announced the high-definition DivX certification of Broadcom Corporation’s BCM7405 system-on-a-chip (SoC) solution.
It supports the playback of DivX 1080p content, and other key integrated features for digital television content such as recording, playback, time-shifting and trick modes.

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.

Strong demand for digital STBs led to record shipments totalling 143 million units in 2007, according to market analysts In-Stat.
The results ensure that the digital STB market remains one of the fastest growing segments of the consumer electronics industry.

Filed under: OTA, New content

Those located in Macau can start gearing up for a little HD in their lives, as Teledifusao de Macau (TDM) has just started internal testing of a trio of new channels. The new digital broadcasting stations should be opened up to the public during the Olympic Games, with Macau HD airing in high-definition and TDM / Canal Macau showing in SD. Initially, Macau HD will simulcast material from TDM, but it will be developed into a channel with its own identity in due time. Also of note, it's unclear whether any of the stations will actually be used to show Olympics coverage, but we doubt the mention would've been made otherwise.

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Just three months after going live in New Zealand, the free-to-air digital television and radio service Freeview has reported an impressive response to its new high def offering.
Since its launch in April, 7,594 HD enabled homes have taken the Freeview HD service
Steve Browning, Freeview’s general manager, admitted that he hadn’t expected uptake to be “quite this fast”.

Filed under: HBO-HD, Cable, Sports, New content

Although Hungarians have tasted HD in their homeland before, we're pretty sure having a full platter is much preferred. National broadcaster Antenna Hugária has just announced that it will be launching HDTV services via its Antenna Digital cable platform at the close of this month. Reportedly, the service will be available initially in Budapest and surrounding locales, though we aren't told if plans are in place to spread it elsewhere. Two new packages are slated to become available, the first of which includes National Geographic HD, Eurosport HD and m2; as for the second, you'll find HBO HD. Better still, those who subscribe to m2 HD will already have a ticket to the televised version of the 2008 Olympics in Beijing (in HD, of course). Prospective consumers will be asked to upgrade to an HD-capable set-top-box as well as hand over HU 990 per month ($6.16) for the first HD tier and HU 799 per month ($5.50) for HBO HD.

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Filed under: Industry, Set-top boxes, OTA

Looks like Movie Gallery finally got something for the assortment of PBS bandwidth and spare parts remaining from the now-defunct MovieBeam service. The new owner is Indian conglomerate The Valuable Group, headed by Sanjay Gaikwad who apparently thinks serving up a remarkably limited assortment of heavily compressed HD and SD movies on demand is an idea that deserves to fail all over the world, instead of just in the U.S. Since $100 million burned up by Disney and others wasn't enough to make things work, he plans to invest a similar amount over the next two years to relaunch the service in North America, the U.K. and "other overseas markets". Variety notes The Valuable Group already delivers movies digitally to India and South Asian theaters via satellite so maybe they know something we don't about this business model, and with plans to roll out service in three markets with "new, cutting edge features" by year end we'll get to find out soon.

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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.

Filed under: DVRs

It's hard to look around your house without seeing a bunch of devices that could be affected by the upcoming digital transition in 222 days. From old TVs, to emergency radios, to digital video recorders; if you have an antenna hooked up to it and it doesn't have an ATSC tuner, then it's going to stop working. For the most part it's going to be up to consumers to figure out what they need to do to be ready, but TiVo is taking an interesting approach. TiVo is looking at the configuration of your DVRs and when you have analog antenna connected, TiVo is sending out letters giving you your options. The options aren't too bad either, it includes a list of digital convert boxes that will make your old TiVo keep ticking, or if you want to "treat yourself" TiVo is offering a $40 discount on the TiVo HD -- puts it at $269. So yeah, sure, $40 isn't that great of a discount, but it's more than we've heard of any other consumer electronics company offering.

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Filed under: Industry, Cable

New England cable customers better get used to the digital cable box, as both RCN and Comcast made moves in the last week to shrink analog lineups with an eye towards eliminating them entirely in the future, making room for more HD. Comcast says its HD stations in Western Massachusetts will go from 30 to 50 by the end of the year, plus more VOD options, while analog customers can expect to have their channels halved within the next two years. Meanwhile RCN kicked off project Analog Crush on July 4 to go all digital, planning to double its current 40 HD channels and increase to more than 100. Dedham is first on the chopping block, while other Boston-area residences will go digital throughout the rest of the year. Got a TV still connected to analog? Check out the links below to find out when you'll be moving to digital or losing service entirely.

Read - RCN
Read - Comcast

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Filed under: Other hardware, Set-top boxes, Internet

This week's installment of How Would You Change over on Engadget Classic involves the first dedicated set-top-box to enable Netflix streaming right to your TV. Did you pony up $99 for one of these things? If so, head on over and let the world know if that was a good move.

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Filed under: Misc, Other hardware, Set-top boxes

Hope you're not too sleepy, you hacker you, 'cause we've got a juicy one coming your way. No sooner did we find that the Netflix Player would be streaming content from other players in the industry later this year than Roku opens up the source code vault. You heard right -- the GPL code has now been posted for the world to see, meaning that there's just one link standing between you and umpteen delicious tarballs. Mmm, tarballs.

[Via Hack-A-Day]

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Filed under: Other hardware, Set-top boxes, Internet

Roku's Netflix Player got off to a hot start after launching just over a month ago, and apparently its creator has big plans for the plainly designed $99 box. According to a recent report over on Forbes, Tim Twerdahl, Roku's vice president of consumer products, has affirmed that a routine software update would be hitting later this year to enable content to be fetched and streamed from other "big name" providers. Regrettably, the conversation ended there, so there's absolutely no telling which "providers" he's referring to. Still, we're certainly intrigued by the idea of this thing becoming more versatile in the coming months, but wouldn't the name have to be tweaked at the very least?

[Via Silicon Alley Insider]

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Filed under: Tuners, OTA

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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Filed under: Misc, Internet

Disney already made crystal clear that it was planning on dishing out a few films of its own via the internet this summer, but a recently inked pact between it and ReelTime will give Disney fans one more outlet for viewing content. In the agreement, it's noted that ReelTime Rentals will "provide popular video on demand rentals as they become available from The Walt Disney Studios, including new and classic titles from Walt Disney Pictures, Disney-Pixar, Touchstone Pictures, Hollywood Pictures and Miramax Films." And judging by that screen capture above, we'd say ReelTime isn't wasting any time putting its newfound partnership to good use.

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Filed under: Internet, New content

Never afraid to hedge its bets on high definition content distribution, Sony Pictures Television International has joined its counterpart in the U.S. by enabling online retailers to sell its feature films and TV shows in DivX format. With even more DivX Certified hardware in homes and hitting the shelves soon, we just want to see who will put this content on the market, and how.

[Via eHomeUpgrade]

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Filed under: Other hardware, Set-top boxes, Sony, Internet

Ok, we know the PlayStation 3 is getting a movie download service this year - but apparently much work remains to be done. Variety checked into the situation and sees the number of movie studios signed on at present stands at exactly one: Sony Pictures. Never fear, because being late to the party could benefit Sony as it negotiates deals with other studios similar to the ones already in place for Xbox Live Video Marketplace and iTunes. Also on board is the possiblity of transferring flicks to PSP, although that and any other features that expand on the functionality already seen on other services could slow down a deal. We're torn, while having another competitor in digital downloads (and another way to enjoy movies on our PS3) as soon as possible sounds good, we might be willing to wait if it means Sony's leverage can swing more features (or at least some leeway to the DRM currently in place on other services).

[Via PS3 Fanboy]

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Filed under: DLP, Projector

Keep an eye out for a new development at IMAX theaters near you, as it starts to roll out digital projection to its 296 theaters next month. Two sites in Washington and one in Philadelphia are first (not to mention those new theaters in Russia), with 50 expected to be complete by the end of the year. The big deal here is that the savings cost, switching from a $22,000 70mm IMAX print to $800 hard drive copies, along with more joint venture deals, should lead the company to profitability according to analysts. Look for more flicks available in IMAX format as a result, with Madagascar 2 making the first big jump to digital, with plans to hit 35 screens on November 7.

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Filed under: Displays, Others, LCD

ViewSonic's first mention from InfoComm was less than enthralling, but it's second attempt at making waves today is actually fairly decent. Marketed as an all-in-one digital signage solution for small businesses, the DSM3210 includes a 32-inch HDTV (complete with an HD tuner and HDMI / VGA inputs) along with authoring, packaging and presentation software to "create a complete digital signage and multimedia visual entertainment experience." Of note, the software bundled in is designed for Windows, so OS X / Linux users look to be clean out of luck. Reportedly, the kit will be available in July for just $999, but there's a good chance you'll have to wait until then to see what everything looks like.

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Filed under: Industry, Regulatory, Cable

RCN already pulled the trigger and shot down any remaining analog stations in Chicago earlier this year, and now the time has come for the same merciless execution to hit Boston. Starting next month, the cable company will be nixing analog channels in order to "make room for more digital channels." Notably, RCN will be offering up converter boxes gratis for those currently without ($2.95 per month for additional ones), although it's estimated that 80% of the carrier's Bay State subscribers are already well equipped for the digital shift. Mum's the word on when this change will enable it to toss in a few more high-def offerings, but here's to hoping it's sooner rather than later.

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A leading maker of adult movies is to release all new titles on Blu-ray Disc as well as on standard definition DVD.
Digital Playground says it is the first mainstream studio to opt for the “same day” treatment for HD discs.
The porn maker will also begin converting one previously released title to Blu-ray every week.
Such a move is likely to lead to a dramatic increase in the number of adult titles available on Blu-ray.

Apple has released HD footage of a demonstration of the upcoming iPhone fantasy game Krull created by Barcelona-based Digital Legends Entertainment.
The 3D mobile game uses a combination of touch-based controls and accelerometer mechanics.
Dynamic shadows and other handheld-level effects are also on display in the footage received by Shacknews.
Xavier Carillo Costa, CEO of Digital Legends, said his team only got the iPhone SDK two weeks before the demo, and that the port itself took just four days to create.
Krull is expected to be available available from the upcoming iPhone App Store in September, following the July launch of                                                                                                                the new iPhone 2.0

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.

Filed under: Industry, Blu-ray

We've grown pretty accustomed to seeing Digital Copy on Fox Blu-ray titles, but word on the street is putting said feature on a Disney film this August. If whispers prove accurate, Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas: Collector's Edition will be Disney's first film released with Digital Copy, which the studio will of course rechristen Disneyfile. As of now, there's no word on what types of devices will be able to play back the copy, but we are told to expect quite a few extras / featurettes with the movie. You'll need to save up quite a few pennies to throw this one on your shelf -- the Blu-ray edition will retail for $39.99, while the two-disc DVD set rings up at $32.99.

[Via TheManRoom, image courtesy of KensForce]

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Filed under: Industry, Set-top boxes, Others

One thing's for certain: VUDU doesn't let a firmware update get stale. Just two months after v1.3 hit the scenes, v1.5 has already been detailed / spotted. The big hitter in this update is the Discounted Extended Rentals, which enables users to extend the viewing window of a 24 / 48-hour rental within seven days after the conclusion of the original rental. Once extended, you get the same "privileges" as before -- you can store it for up to 30 days with 24 / 48-hours to watch it once you've started it. The rub is the pricing: you only get $2 off when extending $5.99 HD rentals, $1 off most everything else and $0.50 off of $0.99 rentals. Oh, and you can only extend once. Other changes include full-screen trailers, parental controls for browsing and revised sort functionality. Check the read link for the full changelog, and feel free to twiddle your thumbs waiting for the update to be passed on to your STB.

[Via Yahoo]

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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.

Filed under: Other hardware, Set-top boxes, Internet

Well well, what have we here? Our boys over at Engadget Classic were able to get their paws on the fresh new Roku Netflix Player, and they were even able to sit down and play with the interface, catch a flick and unload a bevy of photos for you to gaze upon. Nah, HD support hasn't been added in (yet), but head on over and see what's what with the current iteration. It can only get better, one would hope.

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