Sure we knew the PlayStation 3 had added search to its Watch Instantly repertoire (some of you have known longer than others) but just in case, there's a post on the official Netflix blog from VP of product development Greg Peters saying so. The truly interesting element is that this may be just the tip of the iceberg for any Netflix watcher, as he explains this upgrade is a result of the company's "continuous improvement architecture" that will allow it to add more features. No word on specifically what "cool features" (closed captions? 1080p? surround sound? offline viewing?) could be in store, but we certainly can't wait to find out. Seriously -- we can't wait, we want to know right now. Tell us.

Netflix officially announces PS3 search, promises 'more cool features in store' originally appeared on Engadget HD on Wed, 28 Jul 2010 23:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Yes, the world needs another high-definition media streamer like it needs a shot in the foot, but never let it be said we passed up the chance to try a promising product simply because the competition was good. We're talking about the Uebo M200 --a never-before-seen box from storage company UIT -- whose claim to fame is a $130 price for everything-but-the-kitchen-sink media center functionality. Out of the box it's your standard streamer, playing loads of media formats from memory cards, attached storage and thumbdrives, plus ShoutCast internet radio, RSS feeds and UPnP shares from your PC, but also the usual suspects Hulu, Netflix, CBS and more via PlayOn media server. Pop in a 3.5-inch SATA disk, however, and things get more entertaining, as the box itself turns into an external hard drive, a network-attached storage device and even a Bittorrent client. It also doesn't hurt that the Uebo can hook up to most any entertainment system, with not only HDMI, component and composite connections but also every standard (HD, NTSC and PAL) video mode, there's a $30 optional wireless dongle, and the digital audio front includes both optical and coaxial jacks for output.

Sadly, in practice the above functionality isn't as streamlined as it sounds -- as is usually the case with these devices image quality can suffer slightly, and Uebo's GUI has a face only a mother could love. While the device admirably played the vast majority of one editor's anime music video collection (though it stumbled over XviD and Sorenson Video 3), sorting through nested menus to get to our content was a hell of a chore. PlayOn and Bittorrent seemed to work, though their roundabout implementation left much to be desired, with the former only accessible through a deep dive of the UPnP menu, and the latter requiring torrent trackers to be uploaded from a separate PC using a web client. We had a couple of crashes when testing the device, too, including a Bittorrent-related one where the Uebo completely stopped responding to input, but the majority of the time we enjoyed HD and SD content on the fairly capable little TV server. All in all, it's not the most polished product and shouldn't distract you from popcorn-eating elephants in the room, but if you're looking for a cheaper alternative it's hard to argue with Uebo. Take a brief tour with our gallery below, or hit up the more coverage link for a full datasheet.

Uebo introduces versatile M200 media streamer, we go hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 20 Jul 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Sony Defense Force has reason to celebrate today, as the circle is now complete -- where Netflix HD once spited PS3 for Xbox 360, today Hulu Plus has chosen the PlayStation for limited console exclusivity through the end of the year. Today, "a select group" of PlayStation Plus subscribers can download the Hulu Plus app and start watching immediately, while regular ol' paying members can ask nicely (via the same app) and wait patiently for the privilege of shelling out an additional $10 a month. Those who aren't dropping $50 a year on PlayStation Plus aren't entirely out of luck, they'll just have to wait till the end of the preview period to get their Hulu on. Press release after the break, more info at the official PlayStation.Blog.

Continue reading Hulu Plus launches on PS3, exclusive to Sony's console through 2010

Hulu Plus launches on PS3, exclusive to Sony's console through 2010 originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Jul 2010 16:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Movie lovers connected to Blockbuster from the days when renting involved begging mom for a ride to the store can take heart knowing the company is still expanding its On Demand service. Specifically the company has added two Philips Blu-ray players, the 5320 and 7320 (both of which scored Netflix back in January), to its short list of supported streaming hardware. Will this move turn the tide for the ailing company whose streaming claim to fame involves offering new releases on the same day as their Blu-ray and DVD release? Probably not, but at least it does show the brand isn't ceding the platform fight to Netflix and the recently announced Hulu Plus just yet. Read the press release after the jump.

Continue reading Blockbuster On Demand comes to select Philips Blu-ray players

Blockbuster On Demand comes to select Philips Blu-ray players originally appeared on Engadget HD on Wed, 07 Jul 2010 23:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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International PlayStation 3 owners have long since enjoyed spoils unavailable to North American consumers (PlayTV, anyone?), but one area where they're lagging is the availability of on-demand films. Thanks to a couple of serendipitously timed announcements, PS3 owners in Australia, New Zealand and far-flung corners of Europe will soon have a couple of new options for bringing digital movies to their television via their favorite Sony-branded game console. For starters, Sony itself will be launching the hotly-anticipated Australian on-demand movie rental / purchase service on Thursday, which will offer up (initially, anyway) 600 titles, though the breakdown of HD vs. SD isn't given. We're told that around 50 new movies will be added each month, and after paying the rental fee, you'll have a scant 48 hours to ingest it as many times as you so desire. In related news, MUBI will also be bringing a similar service to a smattering of overseas nations. So far as we can tell, this is what a child would look like if parented by Facebook and Vudu, and the concept is admittedly intriguing. Unfortunately, HD streams won't be available at launch, but hopefully it'll get with the program in short order. Speaking of the program, hit those source links for more details on both.

Continue reading Sony bringing on-demand movies to Aussie PS3 owners, MUBI doing similar in Europe

Sony bringing on-demand movies to Aussie PS3 owners, MUBI doing similar in Europe originally appeared on Engadget HD on Tue, 18 May 2010 21:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Still waiting on that big-screen OLED TV? Yeah, so are we, but here's some news that could mean they're coming soon: OLED tech has just been obsoleted. Seriously. We still can't even afford an 11-inch model and now we have to start pining for something new: OLET. That's Organic Light Emitting Transistor, tech that researcher Michele Muccini at the Institute of Nanustructured Materials has just proven can be between two and 100 times as efficient as OLED. OLETs rely on three layers of material, with the bottom layers carrying a charge, the middle layer (the meat in this high-tech sandwich) emitting photons when excited by the bottom, and the top layer selectively letting those photos through. All three combined are just 62nm thick. It's this separation of layers and horizontal flow of current that gives OLET its efficiency and it's believed that it could not only be used for (next) next-generation displays but also for on-chip optical interconnects. When will an OLET HDTV will hit the market? Don't even go there.

Organic Light Emitting Transistors might make us forget all about OLED originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 06 May 2010 13:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Electronic House crowns 2010 Home of the Year award winners originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 04 May 2010 07:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Blockbuster and the cable VOD consortium have been busy trumpeting the fact they're getting many of the new releases in HD as soon as they hit shelves for sale... while Netflix and Redbox aren't. But will that matter to customers lulled into an all-you-can-eat & $1 per night stupor by the latest gladiators to dominate the rental arena? Let us know how it looks to you.

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[Image via eHomeUpgrade]

Poll: Will 30-day rental windows pull you away from Netflix & Redbox? originally appeared on Engadget HD on Sun, 18 Apr 2010 12:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The always optimistic Kogan isn't just aiming at tablets, it's posted a video showing off a new IPTV that could do what the big boys won't when (if) it ships later this year. These Chinese built HDTVs feature WiFi and video on-demand widgets similar to what everyone else is doing, but things start to get interesting in this YouTube video (embedded after the break) around the 1:05 mark when he pulls up a Chrome browser window and navigates the internet easily using the remote, as well as testing out some gesture controlled games and a Bluetooth keyboard. More than a few no-name builders had displays with similar capabilities up and running at CES so while it's easy to see someone shipping one or two of these but with Kogan's track record (what happened to those OLED TVs?) it's difficult to disguise our doubt it will be among them. True believers are invited to post suggestions for other features on the company blog -- we're thinking a dedicated Engadget Show channel is just what the doctor ordered.

Continue reading Kogan's latest fantasy product? An IPTV with Chrome browser, WiFi & gaming

Kogan's latest fantasy product? An IPTV with Chrome browser, WiFi & gaming originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 10 Apr 2010 11:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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While we weren't able to see the "wealth of cloud infotainment" touted in the official release, we did get a chance on the CeBIT show floor to see up close and personal ASUS' new O!Play HD2 media server. The design's a beaut and it's actually quite small in form factor. As for precisely what's running under its hood, the local ASUS rep was pretty mum -- what we do know is that it's HDMI 1.3 compliant and also boasts Composite / Component / Optical outputs and USB 2.0 / eSATA inputs, card readers for CF, SD, and Memory Stick, and that coveted USB 3.0 PC link. We'll try to dig deeper on a return trip, but in the meantime, check out our images and video below!

Continue reading ASUS O! Play HD2 spotted, spec'd, explained

ASUS O! Play HD2 spotted, spec'd, explained originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 04 Mar 2010 10:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Chances are you're not a part of the SuperSpeed revolution yet, and that's okay. It's early days yet, but ASUS is doing its part to make that transition to USB 3.0 a little more appealing with its O!Play HD2. A follow-up to the earlier O!Play models, the HD2 offers what looks to be plenty of connectivity options (we're seeing USB, memory cards, and eSATA) and promises a "wealth of cloud infotainment." ASUS isn't sharing any more details than that right now, but we're going to try to track this guy down on the CeBIT show floor and, when we find, it you can be sure we won't spare the hard questions.

ASUS introduces O!Play HD2, first networked media player with USB 3.0 originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 03 Mar 2010 09:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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It's a sad truth experienced by too many travelers, far too many of the HDTVs installed in hotels over the last few years don't have any high definition programming coming to them. While the experienced traveler is prepared for all circumstances we've all been stranded somewhere with only stretched, blurry SD programming as our only option. The USA Today recaps the issue, with execs from Marriott, InterContinental Hotel Group (owners of Holiday Inn & Crowne Plaza hotels) and Hilton chiming in about their plans to expand HD services over the next year. That won't completely erase the horrors of our last hotel stay, but at least we can be at ease knowing a change is coming.

Hotel room HDTVs still stuck with standard definition TV have an upgrade on the way originally appeared on Engadget HD on Tue, 09 Feb 2010 16:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The DVD rental kiosk war continues to heat up, with NCR acquiring competitor DVDPlay to add around 1,300 kiosks under its Blockbuster Express umbrella, while Coinstar joyfully announced its surpassed expectations with the rollout of Redbox, now numbering 22,210 installations. For the last six months its maintained a pace of more than one kiosk every hour, 24/7. Is there anywhere you'd like to see one of these automated dispensaries that doesn't have one yet? Odds are there will be three new ones by the time you finish reading this post.

Blockbuster, Redbox adding rental kiosks at ridiculous speed originally appeared on Engadget HD on Thu, 10 Dec 2009 15:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NVIDIA, along with the PC manufacturers, notebook panel manufacturers, and content developers, announced the expansion of the NVIDIA 3D Vision ecosystem to include HD notebook platforms that integrate advanced 120Hz 3D Vision-capable displays directly into the chassis for on-the-go 3D.

The first notebook utilizing NVIDIA 3D Vision is the G51J 3D, introduced last week by ASUS.

Filed under: Other formats

Blockbuster's been trying all sorts of, um, innovative things to get more foot traffic in its stores, but thanks to a dastardly invention known only as "Netflix," that very task has proven exceptionally difficult. Now, it seems the flagging movie rental company is giving one more far-flung idea a whirl: movies on SD cards. Around six Blockbuster and Hollywood Video stores will soon begin offering titles on SD cards, though the included DRM only allows customers 30 days from the purchase date to view it, and once it's fired up, you've just 48 hours before it vanishes completely. Each rental will cost $1.99, and while we definitely see the benefit of renting something that you don't have to return, we're still skeptical that folks will be more willing to make even one trek for a card when Netflix brings it all to one's mailbox (and PC, etc.) for just $8.99 per month.

[Via FastCompany]

Blockbuster kiosks to offer movies on SD cards, you some candy as you checkout originally appeared on Engadget HD on Wed, 11 Nov 2009 09:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Blockbuster's been trying all sorts of, um, innovative things to get more foot traffic in its stores, but thanks to a dastardly invention known only as "Netflix," that very task has proven exceptionally difficult. Now, it seems the flagging movie rental company is giving one more far-flung idea a whirl: movies on SD cards. Around six Blockbuster and Hollywood Video stores will soon begin offering titles on SD cards, though the included DRM only allows customers 30 days from the purchase date to view it, and once it's fired up, you've just 48 hours before it vanishes completely. Each rental will cost $1.99, and while we definitely see the benefit of renting something that you don't have to return, we're still skeptical that folks will be more willing to make even one trek for a card when Netflix brings it all to one's mailbox (and PC, etc.) for just $8.99 per month.

[Via FastCompany]

Filed under: Other formats

Blockbuster kiosks to offer movies on SD cards, you some candy as you checkout originally appeared on Engadget HD on Wed, 11 Nov 2009 09:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Best Buy and Sonic Solutions announced a strategic relationship that will result in a new Best Buy customer offering in its line-up of digital entertainment products.

The new on-demand movie and entertainment service will be powered by Sonic's Roxio CinemaNow.

The software required to access CinemaNow's video library will be included on all the Web-connected devices sold in Best Buy's more than 1,000 U.S. stores.

Filed under: Industry, Internet

Expect various movie streaming services to pop up in every store brand TV, Blu-ray player and set-top box around shortly, now that Funai and CinemaNow have announced a business deal. The two companies have a lot in common, while you may see Sylvania, Magnavox, Philips and Emerson as the brand on the shelf, Funai puts together the lower end electronics that end up flying off the shelves of local Wal-marts, while CinemaNow 's movie store is behind the online efforts of giants like Blockbuster. Be prepared to notice on-device streaming as the next checkbox next to "3D digital comb filter" on every generic cardboard box in the electronics aisle, though until the experience improves we don't see too many customers taking advantage.

Funai, CinemaNow team up to include online video store access in devices worldwide originally appeared on Engadget HD on Fri, 16 Oct 2009 16:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Defying hard economic times, the Russian LCD-TV market is set for strong growth this year, with shipments rising by 13.6 percent in 2009, according to iSuppli.

“One of the main reasons for the switch to LCD-TVs in Russia is that they have become a status symbol. Consumers in Russia are very image conscious and prefer to own televisions that they can show off to neighbors and family members,” said Riddhi Patel, principal analyst for television systems for iSuppli.

Filed under: DVRs, Media streamers, Internet

We knew good and well it was coming, and now the deed has been done. As promised, Blockbuster's On Demand movie rental service has gone live on a bevy of TiVo boxes, enabling Series2, Series3, TiVo HD and TiVo HD XL DVRs to watch all sorts of releases without needing to purchase another set-top-box or tap into their cable company's VOD system. We're told that most rentals will range from $2.99 (for the classics) to $3.99 (for new releases), with the film catalog expected to expand over the coming weeks. HD aficionados will have to wait a tick before seeing any movies available in high-def, but those looking to pick up a new TiVo can now saunter into any Blockbuster retail location in order to claim one. Eager to get in on the action? Fire up your box and hit the "Video On Demand" screen from TiVo Central.

Blockbuster On Demand goes live on TiVo boxes originally appeared on Engadget HD on Tue, 13 Oct 2009 08:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Media streamers, Others

Hey, you -- yeah, you. Remember that O!Play HDP-R1 media player that ASUS teased us with back in June? Remember how you dedicated a calender to it so you could count down the days 'til its arrival? Time to stop all that madness, as said box is finally on sale and shipping right now within the US of A. For the surprisingly reasonable price of $99.99, users can utilize this very device to stream and play back an array of formats with 1080p resolution support. Heck, there's even an eSATA and Ethernet port there, just waiting for your love. So, will you show it? Or is life still worth living knowing what you've neglected?

[Via Slashgear]

ASUS ships $100 O!Play HDP-R1 HD media streamer originally appeared on Engadget HD on Thu, 01 Oct 2009 09:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Speakers

It's a bit hard to tell if Artcoustic's latest wall-mounted, ultrathin loudspeakers, the Crystal line, are incredibly horrid or insanely awesome. There's no denying that high-end loving audiophiles are enticed by the brand -- but the Crystal line? Well, let's just say that adding a bunch of Swarovskis to any product won't necessarily make it better. Regardless, these bad boys are customizable and if you're into ostentation, they probably belong in your apartment. There's also a matching iPod dock available, and it'll run you about $3700 to get one, speaker included.

Artcoustic vomits bling allover its Crystal line of wall-mounted speakers originally appeared on Engadget HD on Fri, 25 Sep 2009 13:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Misc, Cable, Internet

As a part of its "transformation to a Multi-Channel Brand" Blockbuster continues to use its name recognition to reach new markets, simultaneously trumpeting the success of a partnership with CinemaNow, resulting in Blockbuster OnDemand on Samsung HDTVs, Blu-ray players, as well as other hardware and soon, Motorola phones, while also easing into the cable video on-demand arena. In deals with Suddenlink and Mediacom via their VOD provider, Avail-TVN, they'll start off slowly by rebranding parts of their VOD service under the Blockbuster name, do some cross-promotion and then eventually take their relationship to the next level by allowing customers to search the rental giant's Blu-ray and DVD library for movies that might not be on VOD right now. The old dog seems willing to try anything to get back on top, but alone or all together, it's tough to see these strategies restoring the customer base Netflix and Redbox continue to eat away.

Read - Blockbuster Enters Strategic Alliance With Cable Operators Suddenlink Communications and Mediacom Communications

Continue reading Blockbuster announces cable VOD tie-ups, expanding CinemaNow OnDemand deal

Blockbuster announces cable VOD tie-ups, expanding CinemaNow OnDemand deal originally appeared on Engadget HD on Tue, 22 Sep 2009 09:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Industry, Other formats

Seriously, Blockbuster can't seem to get a break. In a recent SEC filing, the company identified 18 percent of its retail outlets it deemed unprofitable and announced plans to close up to 960 stores by the end of 2010. That's divided into up to 685 by the end of this year and the remaining 275 the year after, but the filing continues to say that up to 1,560 locations, or 22 percent of its total retail coverage, could end up falling the wayside. Another slide indicates how the company sees itself going forward, with an expansion of kiosks and its Total Access subscriber base, and putting OnDemand in "nearly every connected device." Of course, if this brings Blockbuster back to profitability as it expects to be, then more power to it, but it's clear that the one-time king is fighting wars on a number of sides and has a long way to go if it intends to stay afloat, much less reclaim its crown.


[Via CNET]

Blockbuster plans to part with 960 retail stores by end of 2010 originally appeared on Engadget HD on Tue, 15 Sep 2009 20:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Industry, Displays, Sharp, LCD

Sharp and Sony are planning to dazzle and amaze us with the latest and greatest 10G LCDs rolling off the production lines of their shared facility in 2011, but there will still be plenty of money to made on older tech. With an eye on the bottom line, Sharp has partnered up with the generically-named China Electronics Corp. (CEC) in Nanjing. Not only will Sharp be selling 6G equipment for smaller displays to the Panda group of CEC, but the two will also be firing up an 8G LCD plant in Nanjing in March of 2011. Thanks in part to government stimulus action, China's developed a voracious appetite for affordable LCDs, and the Nanjing plant will aim to serve up 80,000 cheap panels to the market. So far, this collaboration is all about LCDs, so don't expect any CHBD-infused toys from Sharp any time soon.

Sharp, CEC partner up for cheap LCDs in China originally appeared on Engadget HD on Wed, 02 Sep 2009 08:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Industry, Displays, Sharp, LCD

Sharp and Sony are planning to dazzle and amaze us with the latest and greatest 10G LCDs rolling off the production lines of their shared facility in 2011, but there will still be plenty of money to made on older tech. With an eye on the bottom line, Sharp has partnered up with the generically-named China Electronics Corp. (CEC) in Nanjing. Not only will Sharp be selling 6G equipment for smaller displays to the Panda group of CEC, but the two will also be firing up an 8G LCD plant in Nanjing in March of 2011. Thanks in part to government stimulus action, China's developed a voracious appetite for affordable LCDs, and the Nanjing plant will aim to serve up 80,000 cheap panels to the market. So far, this collaboration is all about LCDs, so don't expect any CHBD-infused toys from Sharp any time soon.

Sharp, CEC partner up for cheap LCDs in China originally appeared on Engadget HD on Tue, 01 Sep 2009 20:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Misc

Look out Redbox, Blockbuster is coming. The rental giant is expanding its test program with NCR, planning to deploy kiosks in all 57 Big Y locations in Massachussetts and Connecticut by September 3, with a familiar $1 per night pricing scheme. No word on any Blu-ray discs being tucked into these automated movie towers, and while 57 locations is hardly on the level of Redbox's thousands of self service locations, we wonder if this is just the beginning of a push to the "10,000 kiosks installed within 18 months" goal stated by NCR CEO Bill Nuti a year ago, but we suppose we'll know they're big time when the movie studios start suing.

Blockbuster DVD kiosks creeping into New England supermarkets originally appeared on Engadget HD on Fri, 28 Aug 2009 10:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Industry, Displays, LCD, Plasma

Strange days, indeed -- we never would have thought it, but in the second quarter of 2009 plasma was the only large screen (greater than 40-inches) TV technology to show growth in the US market. Compared to the first three months of the year, plasma was up 31-percent in volume and 35-percent in dollars according to research firm Quixel. Take the DTV transition and add in the soft economy, and you've got a recipe for moving low-priced and good-looking 42-inch, 720p plasmas -- a whopping 40-percent more units. Even plasma fanboys like us wouldn't mistake this as a comeback, but we're happy to see evidence that consumers are using their eyes for more than peeping spec sheets when figuring a set's value. The revenue figures clearly show plasma's 50-inch battle line -- a large decrease in 46 - 50-inch 1080p sets was outweighed by gains in 1080p sets larger than 50-inches, and the 237-percent increase in sets 60-inches and up shows the way forward. [Warning - PDF read link]

Plasma steals a round from LCD in the second quarter of 2009 originally appeared on Engadget HD on Thu, 20 Aug 2009 18:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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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.

Filed under: Other hardware

Have you ever yearned for more immediate control over your surroundings? No, we don't mean Magneto car-flipping abilities. We mean more like wrangling all of the gear in a room into some kind of understandable and connected system. If you said yes -- and you're a Sims aficionado -- you'll want to check into CRISTAL. We're not talking expensive champagne here, we're talking about the "Control of Remotely Interfaced Systems using Touch-based Actions in Living spaces" system (c'mon, it sort of makes sense). The premise is simple: instead of having to juggle multiple remotes and input systems to deal with a room full of technology, CRISTAL merges a Surface-like touch area (your coffee table in this scenario), an overhead camera, and connected devices to form a frighteningly intuitive control scheme. The idea allows for all sorts of handy arrangements, like being able to virtually drag media from a server on one side of the room to your TV on the other, dim lights in a particular area by swiping on that location, or draw a path for a Roomba to clean using the overhead view. Right now this is just a research project, of course, but the team working on the concept believes costs could move down from the astronomic $10,000-$15,000 the setup would cost now to a more affordable range. Until that happens, you'll have the video of CRISTAL in action after the break.

Continue reading CRISTAL combines 'The Sims' and Surface for full room control

CRISTAL combines 'The Sims' and Surface for full room control originally appeared on Engadget HD on Sat, 15 Aug 2009 11:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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A recent Cable & Telecommunications Association for Marketing (CTAM) report shows strong growth over the past year in HDTV ownership. In 2009, 53 percent of total U.S. households report owning a high definition television.

Blu-ray Disc player household penetration is up to 12.3 million in the US for the first quarter of 2009, a 71 per cent gain year over year, according to a survey.
Research firm Centris also found that the number of American households with an HDTV is up to 50.5 million - a gain of 33 per cent from the first quarter of 2008.

The number of people watching video-on-demand (VOD) programming in the US surged in June - fuelled by rises in the popularity of pay-per-view content and more children taking advantage of free programming, according to Rentrak.
The increases made June the most-viewed month for video-on-demand this year, delivering more than 589 million transactions.

Filed under: Speakers, Others

Thin is all the rage for TVs, so why not loudspeakers, too? At least that's what Boston Acoustics' VS 344 speakers hope -- the addition to the Vista VS line packs four 4.5-inch woofers alongside a 4-inch midrange and 1-inch tweeter into each slender cabinet, and the relatively tall 44-inch profile only enhances the svelte look. That's a bunch of fours in the specs that we'll just keep rolling with -- $5,000 for a set of four (but available individually). Of course, everything is an acoustic and aesthetic match to other VS speakers, with glossy cabinets capped by wood panels, Super Wide Bandwidth tweeters and Organic Composite Cone Material woofers and mids.

Boston Acoustics VS 344 speaker dishes up lots of four on the floor originally appeared on Engadget HD on Wed, 22 Jul 2009 11:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Blu-ray, Other hardware

Samsung's latest Blu-ray HTIB features just about anything an all-in-one customer could want; in fact we're not sure how you can even build a 5.1 system with rear wireless speakers and a Blu-ray player for $799. The HT-BD3252 of course supports the latest HD audio codecs like TrueHD and DTS-HD, and a mic for automatic calibration. Not wanting to leave anything out from its stand-alone players, Samsung has also included the same internet services like Pandora, Netflix and Blockbuster via the included WiFi dongle. Oh, and don't forget the very important iPod dock, we mean, who would buy a HTIB in this day and age without one? Not us, that's for sure.

Continue reading Samsung has a new Blu-ray HTIB with the HT-BD3252

Samsung has a new Blu-ray HTIB with the HT-BD3252 originally appeared on Engadget HD on Tue, 21 Jul 2009 11:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Blu-ray, Media streamers, Samsung

Questionable longevity or no, Blockbuster's taking some strides to get itself firmly into the video on demand business, and this latest announcement will go a long way with that. The company announced that it's integrating its OnDemand service into Samsung HDTVs, home theater systems, and Blu-ray players starting Fall 2009. Better still, those with LED HDTVs series 7000 or above, LCD / Plasmas series 650 or above, and select 2009 Blu-ray players / theater systems can get the service later via firmware update. It's still got a ways to go if it wants to catch up to Netflix, but every little bit helps, right?

Blockbuster OnDemand en route to Samsung HDTVs, Blu-ray players, and home theater systems originally appeared on Engadget HD on Tue, 14 Jul 2009 01:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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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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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.

Filed under: Speakers, Others

With each of the five satellite speakers measuring less than 4-inches (on a side) each and missing any obvious Goldmund badging, we're going to go out on a limb and guess that the "XS" in Boston Acoustics' SoundWare XS 5.1-channel speaker system stands for "extra small" rather than "excess." We have to take issue with calling the 2.5-inch driver in each satellite a "woofer," and just hope that Boston Acoustics isn't trying to get into a race for the "smallest speakers available that don't fit in your ears" title. Boston Acoustics mercifully adds an 8-inch, 100-Watt subwoofer module to restore any tones below a few hundred Hertz for the psychologically safe price of $499, your choice of black or white.

Boston Acoustics' SoundWare XS 5.1 speaker system -- think "extra small," not "excess" originally appeared on Engadget HD on Mon, 06 Jul 2009 09:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Industry

If you thought the well-to-do crowd wasn't feeling the pinch from the rotten economy, consider this -- D&M is not going to be at CEDIA Expo 2009 in a couple of months. You know, the show that features pricey, high-end custom install toys. Not being able to get our paws on the latest toys from Denon, Marantz, McIntosh, Boston Acoustics, Snell and Escient breaks our hearts, but D&M has decided to commit its resources to dealer training (and promotions, we hope); all the better to drive new customer sales. To be clear, D&M will have a presence at CEDIA, it just won't be on the Expo floor -- meetings will be by appointment only. We're just keeping our fingers crossed that similar measures won't have to be taken at CES in January. Planar (and by association, Runco) may take a similar CEDIA approach, not entirely surprising given its recent performance.

Tough economy sidelines D&M Holdings, Planar at CEDIA Expo 2009 originally appeared on Engadget HD on Sat, 04 Jul 2009 14:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Cable

Remember that tru2way-related Memorandum of Understanding that was all the rage about this time last year? It appears the 6 cable companies haven't lived up to at least one part of their agreement, collectively missing the deadline of July 1 to have 100% of their digital cable headends compatible. No word on how close they got, but Comcast, Cox, Time Warner, Charter, Cablevision and Bright House still insist it's "not that far off" though we don't see how missing important milestones is helping move the technology forwards.

Cable companies miss tru2way deadline, insist it's no big deal originally appeared on Engadget HD on Thu, 02 Jul 2009 04:13:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Blu-ray

ASUS unleashes USB 2.0 Blu-ray drive -- government denies knowledge originally appeared on Engadget HD on Mon, 29 Jun 2009 15:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Misc, HBO-HD

Larry David mentioned in an Esquire interview that this seventh season of Curb Your Enthusiasm will be the first in high definition, although he has no idea why anyone would watch that way since "No one wants to see this old man on TV." True or not, you can still check him out on HBO in 1080i, but you can always flip back to SD if you want, we're sure it will still be funny.

[Via TV Scoop]

Curb Your Enthusiasm going HD this season, if you really want to see Larry David in HD originally appeared on Engadget HD on Fri, 26 Jun 2009 08:13:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ZINNET has unveiled a new HD multi-media player and BitTorrent downloader with networking capabilities. Called the CinemaCube, it connects to an HDTV and plays media content from USB mass storage devices.
The device is also networkable, allowing users to enjoy media content stored on a remote PC on a living room TV.

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.

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.

Filed under: Industry, Media streamers

We knew it was coming, now the ASUS O!Play is official. The HDP-R1 HD Media Player supports HD video playback in a variety of codecs including MPEG1/2/4, H.264, VC-1, and RM/RMVB in a multitude of packages including .mp4, .mov, .avi, .divx, and .mkv just to name a few. FLAC and OGG audio? Yup, no problem. The box connects to your display over HDMI or composite A/V with an option for optical digital audio for multi-channel setups. Media can be slung off a single USB 2.0/eSATA combo port, second vanilla USB 2.0 jack, or streamed over fixed Ethernet if you prefer to keep your content on the other side of the house. Sorry, no 802.11n because, you know, everyone's home is wired with Cat 5 (riiiight). No price or release date given; but it would have to be cheap and soon for us to be even remotely interested.

ASUS O!Play HDP-R1 media player won't likely get an O-face originally appeared on Engadget HD on Wed, 03 Jun 2009 01:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Media streamers, Others

Wait, what's this? ASUS diving head first into the HD media streamer game? Based on images and details acquired by Hardware, we'd say chances are looking pretty good. Reportedly, the aforementioned outfit will showcase its very own media player at Computex next week in Taiwan, and our expectations are already fairly lofty. The O!Play (codename HDP-R1) is said to be a fair bit quicker than competing models, and the file compatibility list is also worthy of laud. Port wise, this one's packing eSATA, USB, HDMI, stereo audio jacks, optical digital audio, Ethernet and an AC port. If all goes well, we could see this little bugger in European stores by July, with a price tag pegged at €119 ($168). Unfortunately, it doesn't seem as if that price nets you an internal HDD, but we'll find out for sure soon enough.

[Via The Inquirer]

ASUS to introduce O!Play media player at Computex originally appeared on Engadget HD on Sat, 30 May 2009 17:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Industry, Panasonic

The corporate cultures at Pansonic and Sony are quite different, but the two companies now have something in common -- annual losses for the first time in a long time. At seven years long, Panasonic's run of profitability was only half that of Sony's, but this economy doesn't discriminate -- Panasonic wrapped up the fiscal year in March with parentheses surrounding a ¥444 billion ($4.6 billion) figure. All the product sectors we love -- TVs, digicams, appliances and semiconductors -- are hurting, falling short of the previous year's sales figures by 14.4-percent. With cost-cutting a top priority for the coming year, Panasonic's plasma TVs will have to pull in some numbers to avoid the axe -- we're hoping the NeoPDPs are as much of a hit with consumers as they are with reviewers.

Red is the new black as Panasonic joins Sony in posting annual losses originally appeared on Engadget HD on Tue, 19 May 2009 09:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Other hardware, Others

We tend to associate the ATC (Acoustic Transducer Company) brand with active speaker systems, but the British firm has a number of passive speakers in its lineup as well. You just know with its powered speaker heritage, the company has some definite opinions about what kind of amp to partner up with those passive loudspeakers, and it's a safe bet that ATC's own P1 amp would come highly recommended, indeed. The dual mono, Class A/B juicebox boasts 150-Watts (into 8-Ohms) and specs out at better than 110dB signal to noise ratio with distortion way down at -95dB. Definitely a piece for the well-heeled, the $3,700 P1 also packs the XLR inputs that will keep your British audiophile cred intact.

ATC's P1 amplifier gives its passive speakers some teeth originally appeared on Engadget HD on Fri, 15 May 2009 11:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Industry, Other hardware, Others

Apparently, Klipsch has decided it's had enough of the notched design motif on Acurus and Aragon amplifiers and has decided to break off the two brands and sell them to Indy Audio Labs. We're hoping for a brighter future for the two lines under their new ownership; it certainly can't get a whole lot worse, as Klipsch ceased production of products wearing the Aragon badge 4 years after buying it from Mondial Designs in 2001. Both no-holds-barred Aragon and the more cost-conscious (but not cheap) Acurus names seem to be in capable hands -- Indy Audio Labs has two former Klipsch employees as its founders who plan to deliver products under the same brand names familiar to crusty audio nuts. Press release after the break.

Continue reading Klipsch says goodbye to Aragon and Acurus amplifiers

Klipsch says goodbye to Aragon and Acurus amplifiers originally appeared on Engadget HD on Wed, 13 May 2009 13:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Media PCs

Despite earlier claims to the contrary, it looks like the new ASUS Eee Box, the B206, isn't quite the high-def powerhouse it was intended to be. According to Register Hardware's review, the poor little thing had a real hard time playing even 720p video, only managing to render every frame when video was played back in DirectX Video Acceleration-capable players. That rules out many popular choices like QuickTime and VLC, and you can forget about 1080p entirely. Benchmark scores were low, as you'd expect given the standard 1.6GHz Atom N270 internals and 1GB of memory, leaving it best suited for casual web surfing and SD video playback -- and making it seem like not much of an upgrade over its predecessor.

ASUS Eee Box 206 reviewed; has HDMI but can't handle high-def originally appeared on Engadget HD on Thu, 07 May 2009 08:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Industry, Satellite

Hmm, now isn't this interesting? Just months after Liberty Media reached out at the eleventh hour and rescued Sirius XM from imminent bankruptcy, it's now spinning off its entertainment division (Liberty Entertainment) and combining it with DirecTV (which Liberty already controls). We're told that the new Liberty Entertainment will hold 54 percent of DirecTV Group shares and 65 percent interest in the Game Show Network, not to mention three regional sports networks and a few other things not worth mentioning. The move is being made as the "John Malone-controlled vehicle looks to simplify its capital structure," and if all goes well, the paperwork should be completed by the end of the year. Oh, and so far as we can tell, DirecTV consumers won't even notice the shuffling going on behind the scenes.

DirecTV to merge with majority shareholder Liberty Entertainment originally appeared on Engadget HD on Mon, 04 May 2009 09:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Cable, Satellite, New content

Once upon a time, a smattering of new HD channels in one major metropolitan area was a huge deal. Nowadays, it's almost expected that one area or another will experience some HD expansion each week. In order to keep things nice and tidy around here, we deliver high-def expansions, market expansions and anything else dealing with HD channel growth right here. If we missed an area that you're familiar with, drop us a line in comments so everyone can catch up. The more the merrier, we say!

Read - DIRECTV Delivers Local HD Programming to Customers in Harrisonburg, Va.
Read - Telemundo 47 Now Available In HD On Time Warner Cable New York
Read - Bright House Connects With YES 'National' In Orlando
Read - Time Warner adds HD movie channel, expands HD tier 33%
Read - Some Oceanic Time Warner customers can soon watch Smithsonian Networks (Hawaii)

HD channel expansion roundup originally appeared on Engadget HD on Sat, 02 May 2009 22:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Media PCs, Recorders, Tuners, OTA

We can't say that the market has been calling out for a USB stick that combines both a tuner and a flash drive into one tidy package, but that's just what ASUS has delivered with its new Express TV Stick. Aimed at markets outside the US, the Express TV Stick makes good use of the storage by packing all the software necessary to run the hybrid DVB-T / analog tuner right on the device itself. Plug into a USB 2.0 port, install a driver, and away you go. If you can record right to the flash drive -- and we don't see why you shouldn't be able to -- we think TV junkies who need a DVR with truly grab-and-go portability might find room for this among their gear.

ASUS adds 4GB of storage to its USB Express TV Stick tuner originally appeared on Engadget HD on Mon, 27 Apr 2009 03:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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LG Electronics' new range of HDTVs will be capable of playing full DivX HD 1080p videos.
The company says the upcoming models will be the first device series capable of doing this - enabling consumers to play DivX HD videos from a PC or the Internet through a USB slot.

Filed under: Misc, LG, OTA

Raleigh, North Carolina buses get on-board DTV originally appeared on Engadget HD on Tue, 14 Apr 2009 17:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Industry, Regulatory, Displays, LCD, Plasma

Oh, brother -- you had to see this coming, didn't you? Soon after details of the California Energy Commission's proposed TV efficiency standards leaked out, the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) has fired back a shocking press release in order to sound the alarm and get people in opposition. According to its "research," setting arbitrary limits on television electricity usage will end up costing California $50 million annually in state tax revenue and will destroy some 4,600 jobs in the TV sales, distribution and installation business. In the CEA's eyes, this proposal "eliminates consumer choice and will remove 25 percent of televisions from the market." Naturally, all of these assertions pay no attention whatsoever to the environment, and while we won't bother with inserting any politics here, we'd advise hitting the read link just to see what blatant bias looks like in its purest form.

CEA rails on California's proposed TV energy standards, rings doomsday bell originally appeared on Engadget HD on Fri, 10 Apr 2009 22:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: New content

Say hello to the first Spanish-language network offering HD at "both the local and network levels," we'll be checking out not only telenovelas in high definition, as Telemundo kicks things off with the 2009 Billboard Latin Music Awards April 23. Stats have shown a high rate of acceptance of HDTV within the Spanish speaking community, and Telemundo cited a survey indicating half of the respondents own an HDTV already. The first cities with HD on deck are Los Angeles, Miami, Las Vegas, Chicago, New York, Dallas, San Francisco, Houston and Puerto Rico, with the rest falling in line over the next year. Univision, you're up.

Telemundo kicks off national HD broadcasts April 23 originally appeared on Engadget HD on Thu, 02 Apr 2009 22:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Displays, Sony, OLED

Sony's XEL-1, widely known as the first consumer-level OLED TV to hit the market, has done a pretty decent job of traversing the globe. For reasons unknown, however, it has yet to touch down in the great nation of Australia. Thankfully for deep-pocketed Aussies who passed up on the Kevin37 deal, all that changes next month. CNET is reporting that Sony will launch its 11-inch wonder Down Under in "mid-April," with pricing expected to be anywhere from AU$6,000 ($4,209) to AU$8,000 ($5,612). Call us looney, but we get the idea that most mates will be passing this opportunity up without thinking twice. We mean, do you have any idea how much, um, stuff that kind of dough buys in Nimbin?

[Via Sony Insider]

Sony's XEL-1 OLED TV finally coming to Australia next month originally appeared on Engadget HD on Wed, 25 Mar 2009 19:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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

Looks like TiVo's gone all Switzerland on us by announcing plans to add support for Blockbuster OnDemand to its Series3, TiVo HD and TiVo HD XL boxes -- plus the older Series2 hardware that Netflix missed. Due in the second half of 2009, the marketing deal will put TiVo's on the shelves of local rental outlets and put Blockbuster's service in front of many new users. So far its $4 per movie SD fare has failed to impress, we'll see if it can keep up with the competition when they're on the same box, while TiVo's managed to carve out a position squarely in the middle of the digital download revolution, with Blockbuster, Netflix, CinemaNow and more already available, it could be the big winner in this streaming battle, full press release is after the break.

Continue reading Blockbuster OnDemand coming to TiVo

Blockbuster OnDemand coming to TiVo originally appeared on Engadget HD on Wed, 25 Mar 2009 00:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Industry, Displays, Sharp, Sony, LCD

It's been just over a year since we first heard that your next Sony LCD TV may actually be a Sharp, and while the joint venture has been flipped on and off again during the past 13 months, it seems that the stars are finally aligning in order to make this thing happen. Reportedly, Sharp is preparing a unit that will be launched on April 1st in order to act as "a base to be transformed into the joint venture." The unit will be christened Sharp Display Products Corporation, with Sharp owning 66 percent (and thus, the namesake) and Sony taking the remaining 34 percent. The two currently plan to start up production of LCD panels by March of 2010, which gives Sharp a solid dozen months to construct the facility in Sakai, Japan. Better hurry, folks -- it's not like OLED is breathing down your neck or anything.

Sharp Display Products launching April 1 as base for joint venture with Sony originally appeared on Engadget HD on Tue, 24 Mar 2009 16:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Displays, Tuners, Others, LCD

Details are frustratingly sparse at the moment, but Smarthouse has it that Sharp is gearing up to offer HDTVs in Australia with a unique Freeview tuning system. Specifically, these sets will boast MPEG4 and MPEG2 tuners which will allow consumers to continue receiving their digital TV signals "without the threat of their TV recording being restricted." You see, the MPEG4 tuners would be used to restrict recording and limit ad skipping, but apparently no such strings can be attached to MPEG2 processors. It's said that the sets should be available "soon," but details like size, features and price have yet to be revealed. Patience, mates.

Sharp bringing dual Freeview tuning HDTVs to Australia originally appeared on Engadget HD on Tue, 24 Mar 2009 05:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Misc, Blu-ray, Other formats

You know what the last thing a losing company should do? Something that makes even more of its customers jump ship. As Blockbuster looks to cut costs and buy fewer DVDs from studios, the company is also hoping that Total Access customers don't notice a tiny change (posted in full after the break) in the fine print. Up until now, Total Access customers could swap their by-mail rentals in store for a DVD that didn't count against their maximum out-at-a-time number; starting right about now in most locations, "all free movie in-store exchange rentals will count towards the number of DVDs you are allowed out under your Total Access plan at any one time." Of course, it also removed the return date limitation on all movies rented in-store while still a paying Total Access subscriber, but clearly the cons outweigh the pros here. Anyone considering Netflix now that Blockbuster has pulled a fast one?

[Thanks, Michael]

Continue reading Blockbuster hamstrings Total Access rental plan

Blockbuster hamstrings Total Access rental plan originally appeared on Engadget HD on Mon, 23 Mar 2009 09:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Industry, Blu-ray, Other formats

Maybe we're way off our rocker here, but it seems like every quarter Blockbuster is trying something new to get its business out of the dumpster. We've heard everything from potential mergers to boosted rental prices to yes / no on enhanced digital delivery, and now we're hearing that it'll be slashing costs by offering less of what you want more of. While the company saw same-store sales increase 4.4 percent in Q4 and 6.4 percent for the full-year 2008, it still managed to post a $435 million loss on an impairment charge for the most previous ending quarter. In order to shave costs, we're hearing that it'll be buying fewer DVDs from studios and lobbying for "better revenue-sharing participation from movie studios and video games publishers." In reality, though, we see all of this as just a band-aid for a stupendously large gash; it's going to take a serious overhaul for Blockbuster to survive the next decade, and buying a few less discs ain't it.

[Via TomsPayde]

Blockbuster to cut costs, buy fewer DVDs from studios originally appeared on Engadget HD on Sat, 21 Mar 2009 20:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Details are still sparse, but Wired has it that LG Electronics has just inked a deal with OLED mainstay Kodak in order to use the latter's technology in all sorts of future devices. For those unaware, Kodak's actually been dabbling in OLED for ages now, though it rarely offers up dedicated products in order to take credit. Reportedly, LG could bake Kodak's OLED magic into devices such as mobile phones, televisions and digital photo frames, though we suspect LG has a few other out-of-the-box widgets planned as well. As much as we love the idea of an OLED watch phone, what we're really clamoring for is a big screen Scarlet with an OLED panel. Let's make it happen, alright folks?

[Via OLED-Display]

LG teams with Kodak for future OLED devices originally appeared on Engadget HD on Thu, 19 Mar 2009 14:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Cable, Satellite

Just under a year ago, we heard that the relatively unknown Cavalier (bizarre slogan and all) was looking to make a dent in the Hampton Roads, Virginia TV market. Not sure what all went wrong there, but now it's looking to television mainstay DirecTV to help it get things off the ground. The company will be offering locals the shot at a Triple Play package, with the high-speed internet and digital phone service coming directly from Cavalier and the TV service coming from DirecTV. We're told that this C3 bundle could save customers upwards of $240 per year compared to similar packages, but we'd definitely call 'em up and run the numbers before jumping in blind.

Cavalier grabs DirecTV to complete its Triple Play bundle originally appeared on Engadget HD on Wed, 18 Mar 2009 00:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Podcasts

Engadget HD Podcast 126 - 03.08.2009 originally appeared on Engadget HD on Tue, 10 Mar 2009 15:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Displays, Panasonic, Plasma

Panasonic isn't exiting the plasma market (well, at least not yet) and if you've got a need for plasma image quality in your signage or you want input flexibility for your living room set, a Panny commercial plasma might be just the thing for you. The new TH-58PF11WK, TH-50PF11WK and TH-42PF11WK models for our friends in Autralasia come with "Full HD" (FHD) 1920x1080 pixels and three user-configurable slots that can house modules for audio and/or video input; there's even a module for wireless connection. Yeah, wireless sounds nice, but we'll give the ability to tile up to 25 plasmas in a 5x5 array as the real feature you should try on for size.

Panasonic updates its commercial plasmas down under originally appeared on Engadget HD on Mon, 09 Mar 2009 14:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Displays, Others, LCD

This, folks, is the tell-tale sign of someone eager and willing to capitalize. Kogan, the guy who almost made a QWERTY-packin' Android phone, has conjured up a brilliant way for Aussies to spend their forthcoming stimulus checks. You see, the Australian government has sent out AU$900 checks to citizens who made under AU$100,000 last year in an effort to boost the overall economy, and lo and behold, this 37-inch HDTV (comically named Kevin37 -- the locals know what's up) is priced at exactly AU$900. As for specs, you're looking at a 1,366 x 768 resolution panel, 1,200:1 contrast ratio, six-millisecond response time, 600 nits of brightness, a PAL / SECAM / NTSC tuner and a slew of connectors. Get your orders in now before you think better of it, and watch for it to head your way in late April.

[Via Gizmag]

Kogan hopes you'll spend stimulus bucks on Kevin37 HDTV originally appeared on Engadget HD on Sun, 08 Mar 2009 00:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Industry, Satellite

Unlike DirecTV, which managed to post remarkable Q4 numbers across the board, DISH Network is only able to partially celebrate. You see, the satcaster did see profits in the fourth quarter rise some 24 percent, but at the same time, 102,000 (net) subscribers decided to head elsewhere. A recent report on the matter suggests that DISH is hurting from increased competition from main rival DirecTV, not to mention fiber-based entrants such as AT&T and Verizon. Of course, the general economic environment hasn't exactly helped matters, but DISH's smaller amount of high-def channels seems to be a magnified issue when money's tight. Oh, and if DirecTV is somehow able to integrate Sirius service into its pay-TV offering, we'd say DISH will need to think fast if it hopes to stop the bleeding of customers. Speaking of, have any of you recently jumped from DISH to DirecTV? Vice-versa?

[Image courtesy of PropertyWorld]

DISH Network sees Q4 profit grow 24%, still sheds over 100,000 subscribers originally appeared on Engadget HD on Thu, 05 Mar 2009 20:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Industry, Cable

This won't affect the most of you one single bit, but for those that have a vested interested in either Time Warner, Inc. or Time Warner Cable, the details of the spinoff are now public. The tax-free separation of TWC from Time Warner will involve a dividend distribution of all of the Time Warner Cable common stock held by Time Warner to Time Warner stockholders; said distribution will be made on March 27th to Time Warner stockholders of record at 8PM on March 12th. Time Warner Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Jeff Bewkes noted that he was "confident that this separation would benefit Time Warner and Time Warner Cable stockholders," suggesting that the move would enable each entity to be "better positioned to compete, with capital structures more suited to their respective needs as well as greater operational, financial and strategic flexibility." Maybe TWC will get around to adding a few more HD channels now that daddy isn't looking over its shoulder 24/7, but we wouldn't bet the farm on it.

Time Warner spills details on TWC spinoff originally appeared on Engadget HD on Tue, 03 Mar 2009 18:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Displays, LG, Plasma

Man, plasma's headed downhill -- and fast. Hot on the heels of both Pioneer and VIZIO tendering their resignation in the plasma market, LG's vice president Lee Gyu-hong has reportedly stated that his company is currently pondering its own future in the sector. Should LG pull out, just Panasonic and Hitachi will be left holding down the PDP fort. Purportedly, LG's plasma business is deteriorating in terms of profitability, and the VP stated that future cost savings were practically impossible. At this point (and after coming clean like this), it'd be sort of crazy for LG not to drop out, but what's even crazier is going from five major plasma makers to two within the course of two months. Yikes.

[Via Whirlpool, thanks Stas]

LG considering withdrawal from plasma market originally appeared on Engadget HD on Thu, 26 Feb 2009 12:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Industry, Other hardware

The major news outlets seem to think there's some sort of "recession" going on, but those with cash are still spending like it's 1999. D-BOX, the outfit famous for its rumbling theater seats and corresponding Motion Code system, has just reported its best ever quarter in terms of sales, notching revenues of $1,227,340 for the third quarter of its 2009 fiscal year. Sales increased some 29 percent year-over-year, and it's hoping to keep the momentum going with its comparatively affordable hybrid GPH-120 system ($2,999; available summer 2009) for gamers who love to rock. And to think, most of us laughed this company off. Kudos, D-BOX.

D-BOX rumbles to best ever quarter in terms of sales originally appeared on Engadget HD on Wed, 25 Feb 2009 14:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Reviews, Speakers, Others

You remember the curvy-looking Boston Acoustics speakers that came in under the "Vista" name, only to get re-branded "VS" to avoid confusion with other products sharing the Vista moniker? Well, the top of the line model VS 336 floorstanders grabbed a pretty good review from CE Pro, with the soundstaging and bass response earning good remarks. But speakers being subjective, you'd be advised to kick the tires on the $3,400 per pair boxes before you drive them home -- the review turned up a bit of excess presence in the upper bass and midrange that gives a lot of detail but also turned into a "forwardness" as notes moved up the scale. If you're considering them, judge for yourself if you like the effect or not; at this price point you've got plenty of choices that combine looks and performance.

Boston Acoustics' VS 336 floorstanding speakers get reviewed originally appeared on Engadget HD on Mon, 23 Feb 2009 04:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Industry, Cable

Wait, what? Time Warner Cable is still a part of Time Warner, Inc.? Weren't they supposed to split, like, almost a year ago? We've always heard that old flames are hard to extinguish, so we guess we shouldn't be too shocked to hear that this drawn-out separation is still being, well, drawn out. According to a fresh release from parent company Time Warner, it has "elected to complete the separation of the two companies through a spin-off distribution involving a pro rata dividend of all of the Time Warner Cable common stock held by Time Warner to Time Warner stockholders." If you're hungry for details beyond that, we're afraid you'll have to wait -- all we're told is that the two "continue to expect that the separation will be completed by the end of the current quarter." Cute how "continue" was thrown in there, yeah?

Time Warner to finalize TWC spinoff this quarter originally appeared on Engadget HD on Sat, 21 Feb 2009 20:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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On2 Technologies has announced a 1080p video encoder aimed at improving image quality and compression performance in battery operated devices and consumer electronics.
The new hardware design, the Hantro 8270, supports H.264 Baseline, Main and High Profile video along with 16Mpixel JPEG still images.

Filed under: Industry, Displays, Pioneer, Plasma

Pioneer exec touches on exit from plasma business originally appeared on Engadget HD on Mon, 16 Feb 2009 10:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Misc

Aw, snap! Just months after Funai took the reins from Philips in North America, along comes a lawsuit for its lawyers to deal with. VIZIO, still feeling proud after its all-business Super Bowl ad, has thrown a potent antitrust and unfair competition lawsuit in Funai's direction. The outfit alleges that Funai, "acting alone and in concert with others, unlawfully restrained trade and monopolized the market for the licensing of technology used to interpret and retrieve information from a digital television broadcast signal, as well as the market for digital television sets and receivers." Specifically, VIZIO seems perturbed that Funai inappropriately acquired the rights to one single US patent, and ever since it has "unfairly discriminated against VIZIO in the licensing and enforcement" of said patent to the "detriment of trade and commerce." There's no mention of how many bills VIZIO thinks will fix the problem, but Funai better not try filling stacks of hundies with Washingtons in between.

[Image courtesy of TooMuchNick / WireImage]

VIZIO files antitrust and unfair competition lawsuit against Funai originally appeared on Engadget HD on Sat, 14 Feb 2009 12:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Industry

Here's a story that's all too rare amid all of the recent news of store closings, layoffs and corporate exits -- now-independent TheaterXtreme franchises are doing well in the wake of the parent company's Chapter 7 bankruptcy. The linked story tells a story of entrepreneurial franchise owners who broke from the parent company after experiencing evaporating support, and have since adopted a "customers first" attitude on their way to growing business. We can't imagine why the corporate offices didn't take the advice to get into products central to custom home theaters like lighting control and distributed audio, but thankfully these franchises had an eye on the ball and decided to break ranks. Kudos to these owners who focused on delivering quality to customers and came out on top.

TheaterXtreme franchises going strong after corporate namesake goes under originally appeared on Engadget HD on Sun, 08 Feb 2009 19:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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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: Speakers, Others

We didn't think that the soundbar market would one-up B&W's $2,200 Panorama model, but Leon speakers just couldn't leave well enough alone. For all the people who go to the expense of buying a flatscreen more than 100-inches big and yet can't be bothered to pick up some discrete multichannel speakers, Leon has added the OS (over-sized) soundbar to its Horizon lineup. Give Leon 3-5 days and $6,500 and it'll build your OS custom so it fits your display -- up to 120-inches wide -- in an LCR, L/R or center-only configuration. Leon says that the last install required a crane to lift the soundbar through an apartment window. We guess if you've aready got a crane to get your display into the abode, you might as well make use of it for the speakers, too; but we'd recommend you skip the crane and put the $6,500 towards a nice set of speakers for real surround sound.

Leon's OS soundbar custom built to fit your 120-inch display, drain your wallet originally appeared on Engadget HD on Thu, 05 Feb 2009 10:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Industry, Blu-ray

It sounds like Blu-ray is ever so slowly catching a toe-hold in Australia, where the format just landed in 5-percent of homes and disc sales crested the 1-million units. Not great numbers, but considering there are only 29 titles on the market there, it's not insignificant either. That's some good news/bad news if you ask us, but consistent with what the BDA has been saying, the growth has outpaced DVD's initial start. Color us cautiously optimistic -- getting into 5-percent of homes a whole year sooner than DVD did is nothing to sneeze at, but let's see how the numbers scale in a country with very similar broadband penetration to the US.

Blu-ray catching on in Australia originally appeared on Engadget HD on Mon, 02 Feb 2009 14:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Blu-ray, Other formats, Internet

It's no secret that the movie lovers of the world are leaning more and more towards that instantly gratifying digital download option, and judging by Q4 numbers, we'd say Netflix has done a better job at exploiting that demand than rival Blockbuster. In a move we're honestly thrilled to see happen, the latter firm is apparently waking up and attempting to play catch-up. Here in the past week Blockbuster has hired on former Philips executive Kevin Lewis as Senior Vice President of Digital Entertainment, a spot that'll be responsible for "strengthening commitment to multi-channel entertainment delivery." Additionally, Robert Barr was selected as VP to Blockbuster.com, a move that signals the company's seriousness about getting its online division formidable. As easy as it is to kick the guy that's already down, no consumer in their right mind wants Netflix running this show solo -- there's a word for that type of situation, and it ain't good for your wallet.

[Image courtesy of Manda Mia]

Read - Kevin Lewis hire
Read - Robert Barr hire

Blockbuster takes a hint, makes push for better digital distribution model originally appeared on Engadget HD on Fri, 30 Jan 2009 00:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Blu-ray, Other formats

We've listened to Netflix founder and CEO Reed Hastings talk business about his company, but how's about a little background? After announcing a momentous Q4 while practically every other outfit on the planet hung their head in shame, the understandably elated exec sat down with Fortune to explain how Netflix came to be. As the story goes, Reed lamented the $40 fee he was nailed with upon returning a VHS copy of Apollo 13 in 1997. Soon after, he began to research the idea of starting a rental-by-mail outfit. Interestingly enough, the subscription based model that nearly 10 million people enjoy today was something that came after the first concept, but obviously he hasn't tried to mess with the magical elixir very much sense. Have a look at the read link for the full writeup.

Netflix concept spurred by $40 VHS late fee -- who knew? originally appeared on Engadget HD on Thu, 29 Jan 2009 15:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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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.

Filed under: Industry, Blu-ray, Other formats, Internet

Analysts were already anticipating a killer Q4 for Netflix, and unlike practically every other company on the face of the planet, it delivered. The movie rental firm somehow managed to see net income rise to $22.7 million in the quarter, up from $15.7 million in Q4 2007. Revenue was also up by 19 percent, and subscriber growth was pegged at an amazing 26 percent. All told, the firm ended the quarter with 9.4 million subscribers, decimating its own forecast of ending Q4 with 9.15 million customers. Of course, some (Netflix included) are quick to assert that the recession has actually boosted business, with many consumers opting to stay home and rent versus taking the family out for a pricey night at the cinema. Netflix is now projecting to end 2009 with anywhere between 10.6 million to 11.3 million customers, and given all the hardware deals it keeps landing, we don't see a reason why it won't get there. Way to buck the trend, Netflix -- we needed some bright news today.

[Via AP]

Netflix profit up 45% in Q4, nears 10 million total subscribers originally appeared on Engadget HD on Mon, 26 Jan 2009 17:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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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.

This year's Home Media Expo has been cancelled after a 27-year run as a result of the current economic conditions.
With the financial situation worsening, the technology event is unlikely to be the only casualty among industry tradeshows.

Filed under: Industry, Displays, LG, Mitsubishi, Others, Panasonic, Philips, Samsung, Sharp, Sony, Toshiba

It's a question that's always asked during downturns, but we actually believe there's a remote possibility of it happening this go 'round. A recent Wall Street Journal report suggests that industry experts anticipate only the top-tier brands -- Sony, Samsung, Panasonic, Sharp, LG and Toshiba, for example -- making it through the current economic slowdown without consolidation. They also suggest that everyone else could be "forced to either pull out of the TV business or join forces with a surviving entity." Quite frankly, we feel that's probably a bit extreme, as we can't imagine names like Insignia and VIZIO vanishing (or crazier still, merging) when it's price that matters most. Still, we can appreciate that the big firms could likely outlast the others in terms of coping with weak sales, but we still refuse to believe that Westingneer is even close to becoming a reality.

Will TV makers consolidate during downturn? originally appeared on Engadget HD on Thu, 22 Jan 2009 11:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Industry, Blu-ray, Other formats

CES 2009 may be a fading memory, but Netflix's founder and chief executive Reed Hastings took time in Vegas to talk about technologies that should be affecting us for years to come. In an interview with The New York Times, Hastings proudly confessed his belief that within two years, "WiFi and Netflix would be built into all televisions." He also speaks at length about how the world wide web is becoming more accessible on the TV, noting that big things could happen if more potent processors and additional memory were stuffed into future HDTVs. Sadly, when asked about why Watch Instantly didn't include brand new releases, Reed simply stated that Netflix "doesn't think of it in title count... it thinks about it in terms of volume and having an even better experience" than is currently offered. Sure, we appreciate improvements in speed / quality / etc., but don't pretend like new releases aren't high (high!) up on the wish list of avid Watch Instantly users.

[Image courtesy of Syracuse]

Netflix's Reed Hastings talks future technologies, streaming originally appeared on Engadget HD on Thu, 22 Jan 2009 10:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Displays, Others

When we heard last September that General Electric was aiming to enter the "premium" HDTV market, we all had a brief laugh and continued on about our day. Apparently, our doubts are completely unfounded. According to an interview with numerous GE executives tied in with the initiative, the GE-branded sets will be serious contenders. In fact, bigwigs are hoping to make their sets "a top-tier brand that rivals the likes of Sony, Samsung, and Sharp." The secret sauce is the differentiation, as GE is looking to stuff internet connectivity, wireless audio and many other "advanced features" onto its sets in order to show up rivals. Among the early prototypes shown at CES earlier this month was a 46-inch HDTV with a GLT edgelight that utilized white Luminus LEDs and GLT's lightguide blades. It's also looking to expand into wireless video boxes with 1080i support, which means the sky really could be the limit here. Obviously, we're keeping our skeptic hats on until a commercial device hits the market, but you can definitely color us intrigued.

[Image courtesy of DecoRadios]

GE lets loose premium details about premium HDTV line originally appeared on Engadget HD on Wed, 21 Jan 2009 23:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Industry, Regulatory, Set-top boxes, Cable

On the eve of his resignation, now-former FCC chairman Kevin Martin got in one last shot against nine of the biggest cable companies -- including Comcast, Time Warner, Cox and Charter -- to the tune of $25,000 each. Citing the MSOs (Multiple System Operators) for failing to respond to the FCC's investigation of how they moved channels from analog to digital tiers, additional fines were then added on, bringing the total damages to all nine companies to a cool $510,000. Top honors go to Time Warner, which racked up a $137,000 bill. Wielding his poisoned pen, Martin wrote that the actions of the MSOs "... exhibits contempt for the FCC's authority," and by forcing customers to pay for digital set-top boxes, "... customers have been receiving less from the cable companies but paying the same price." Strong words, but would we wouldn't expect anything less from the FCC chairman who oversaw some of the biggest changes in telco this country's seen.
[Disclosure: Engadget is part of the Time Warner family]

FCC's Martin fines nine carriers on his way out the door originally appeared on Engadget HD on Wed, 21 Jan 2009 18:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Industry, Regulatory, Cable

RCN's Analog Crush initiative has been steamrolling for a few months now, and according to the cable carrier, the elimination of old school analog is all but complete in its major markets. By the end of January, RCN anticipates 100% digital penetration in the Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Washington DC, and Chicago markets, which will free up spectrum in order to get more HD (and SD, and international) programming onto the EPG. In fact, the company is hoping to surpass 100 high-definition channels by March, which makes us wonder why every other cable company out there isn't on this very same warpath.

[Image courtesy of TJooning]

RCN's Analog Crush nears completion, 100 HD channels coming soon originally appeared on Engadget HD on Wed, 21 Jan 2009 08:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Industry, Displays, Panasonic

Panasonic already notified the world that it would be moving all plasma panel production to two facilities, and now it's announcing a cut back in investment dollars previously earmarked for a separate pair of plants under construction in Hyogo prefecture. In an effort to take slumping flat-panel demand into account, it's scaling back its investment through 2012 by around $1.5 billion to ¥445 billion ($4.9 billion). Interestingly enough, Panny is simultaneously aiming to "boost its flat TV unit sales by 50 percent next business year," which should be pretty tough unless it steals some serious share from Samsung and LG. Let the battle wage on, we say.

Panasonic scales back flat-panel production investments originally appeared on Engadget HD on Mon, 19 Jan 2009 13:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Satellite, Sports

We tell ya, DirecTV has the cable carriers at their mercy when it comes to these Mix Channels. For tennis enthusiasts in particular, you'll be hard pressed to find a viewing setup superior to this. Starting on January 18th with the Australian Open, the company will be integrating ESPN2 and Tennis Channel feeds into its six-screens-in-one Mix Channel, and for the first time ever, it will all be in high-definition. Viewers will be able to see the network channel and five court channels on a single screen, with each screen providing its own audio stream. Better still, DirecTV subscribers can expect the same kind of coverage for the French Open, Wimbledon and US Open tournaments later this year. And don't be shocked to hear of something similar for the upcoming golf season -- we get the feeling DirecTV is really going for the jugular here.

DirecTV provides best HD view of Grand Slam tennis tournaments originally appeared on Engadget HD on Fri, 16 Jan 2009 09:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Industry, Displays, Samsung

Samsung, like most other companies in the free world, has suffered of late. To that end, it has just announced a reshuffling of divisions that will actually separate its LCD manufacturing business and its television business into two distinct areas. Reportedly, Samsung's semiconductor and liquid crystal display (LCD) units will be bundled into a "parts" division, which will be headed up by current CEO Lee Yoon-woo. The TV unit will be joined by the mobile phone and "other electronic products" in the "products" division, which will be led by the current head of the telecommunications business, Choi Gee-sung. It's not clear the financial impact that these adjustments are expected to make, but we are told that they're being made "in response to the global downturn and [in an effort to] reinvigorate the company."

Samsung seperates LCD and television units in restructuring originally appeared on Engadget HD on Fri, 16 Jan 2009 01:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Set-top boxes, Internet

Oh, Blockbuster -- what will we ever do with you? After first launching that branded MediaPoint box that all of four people purchased, you're now waltzing into the digital distribution party a few months late. According to a somewhat ambiguous report issued this morning, the movie giant has teamed up with Sonic Solutions in order to "give consumers access to a vast library of premium digital entertainment across a wide assortment of home and mobile electronic devices." In other words, those kosher with downloading content via Sonic's existing CinemaNow products and the like can soon have Blockbuster material on their handhelds, laptops and LCD-equipped threads. At least initially, BB will still be selling this material on a pay-per-view type system, though a subscription model could be implemented (read: should be implemented) shortly.

[Via CNET]

Blockbuster, Sonic Solutions team up for online movie delivery originally appeared on Engadget HD on Wed, 14 Jan 2009 01:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Imagination Technologies has announced a new graphics processor IP core - the PowerVR SGX543.
The UK-based company is the designer of the PowerVR MBX hardware used in the iPhone and iPod Touch.
Its new four-pipeline SGX543 is expected to be able to support HD resolution video and graphics output.

Filed under: Displays, Other formats, Others

Okay Yahoo!, we're sorry we teased, we give up, you win. After what certainly seemed on this end to be an endless run of HDTV manufacturers announcing support for the Widget Engine today -- and serving up a hefty slap in the face to Microsoft and others who've been moving the Internet to TV movement for some time now -- all we can do is look over the carnage. Signed up on the app side of platform formerly known as Konfabulator are content providers like eBay, MySpace, CBS, Blockbuster OnDemand (in its first off-2Wire MediaPoint appearance), Netflix, Showtime, USA Today and Twitter, while the Widget Development Kit has opened up to developers interested in putting their apps on the screens of millions. Hardware should street starting this spring from the likes of Samsung, LG, Sony and Vizio leaving the biggest question mark as how the competition and their clumsy external boxes can possibly respond.

Yahoo! recaps a day of setting the Internet-on-TV movement on fire with Widgets originally appeared on Engadget HD on Thu, 08 Jan 2009 04:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Displays, Others

Netflix streaming is one thing, but Vizio seems to be taking its new status as a premium HDTV manufacturer very well, with the new Connected HDTV platform featuring support for Yahoo! Widgets, Flash, Blockbuster OnDemand (!), Flickr, Pandora, Rhapsody and Accedo Broadband. Due Fall 2009, owners can feel free to go wired or 802.11n style to connect to any of these services in HD, if supported. Clearly missing? Yahoo!, Media Center Extender, but the 2H 2009 fight of Internet-ready televisions is on - set-top boxes better watch their back.

Vizio takes the cover off Connected HDTV: Netflix, Blockbuster, Amazon, Yahoo! and more originally appeared on Engadget HD on Wed, 07 Jan 2009 18:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Speakers, Others

British audiophile speaker outfit Acoustic Energy is introducing the new Radiance flagship HT speaker line at CES. Getting top billing is the new DXT Lens that reshapes the tweeter response to match that of the bass driver, "naturalizing" the overall soundfield. Not sure what exactly what that means, but hopefully it's good, because all the LCR Radiance models get treated to the DXT Lens (the subwoofer obviously goes without). Prices start at $3,000 per pair for the Radiance 3 and stretch down to $1,200 for the stand-mount Radiance 1 -- not exactly cheap, but not in the stratospheric realm like some of the company's other offerings. These should be available in February, so start saving now.

Acoustic Energy brings new flagship Radiance HT speakers to CES originally appeared on Engadget HD on Wed, 07 Jan 2009 10:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Reviews, Speakers, Others

It sure didn't take long for Polk's SurroundBar SDA Instant Home Theater (IHT) to find its way into the hands of the review crew at Gaming Nexus, and it sounds like it lived up to the billing. The "instant" bit certainly came through, as the kit was set up inside of five minutes; as far as "home theater," the virtual surround did a good job of putting at least the "sweet spot" listener in a soundfield that was convincing. The 2.4GHz wireless subwoofer connection held up just fine, and the boom from the little box was satisfactory. All said, it sounds like a candidate for the short list if you're shopping all-in-one speaker systems.

Polk SurroundBar SDA IHT gets reviewed, lives up to its name originally appeared on Engadget HD on Wed, 07 Jan 2009 08:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Industry, Other formats, Speakers

DTS, the company responsible for all those DTS-HD Master Audio tracks that you adore, has just announced that it's picking up Neural Audio in order to expand its reach. The company that it's acquiring is described as an "audio technology business that licenses branded intellectual property solutions for the creation, distribution and playback of music, movies, broadcast programs and video games," and DTS is hoping to use this to get branded technology offerings into satellite radio, automotive and gaming markets. The deal cost DTS a stiff $7.5 million for "certain assets and liabilities," and it may end up forking out up to $7.5 million more over the next five years if "certain conditions" are met. Way to look ahead, DTS -- now, we're totally expecting 7.1-channel Blu-ray surround systems in our 2010 model year vehicles. Cool?

DTS looks to expand its reach with Neural Audio acquisition originally appeared on Engadget HD on Wed, 07 Jan 2009 07:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: OTA, Sports, New content

Australia's Seven, Nine and Ten -- the three free-to-air networks in the country -- are now free to launch new digital channels to supplement their current offerings, but on the whole, there's not much excitement about doing so. Thus far, the only one that has even announced plans to launch a new channel with distinct programming is Ten, which hopes to debut a 24-hour HD sports channel dubbed One. If everyone would follow suit, the commercial networks alone could offer a total of nine stations with unique programming. Sadly, the networks have known about this opportunity for two years now, but it seems to us that everyone might be waiting around for another to seriously approach the opportunity before they follow suit. Monkey see, monkey do, right?

Australia's Seven, Nine and Ten not leaping to add new digital channels originally appeared on Engadget HD on Sat, 03 Jan 2009 15:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Industry, Misc, HD DVD

Missed out on those fire sales held right after HD DVD's funeral, did you? Fret not, as Blockbuster is looking to make the most of your HD DVD player purchase. As of now, the rental outfit is selling over 300 HD DVD titles at just $7.99 each, which gives you a perfect excuse to blow that Christmas cash before 2008 is even over. In related news, Frys is offering up an Xbox 360 HD DVD player along with HD DVD box sets of Heroes: Season One and Battlestar Galactica: Season One for just $49.99. Better hurry on that one, though -- the deal's up at the stroke of midnight.

[Via HighDefDigest]

Read - Frys deal
Read - Blockbuster sale

Blockbuster selling oodles of HD DVDs for $7.99 a pop originally appeared on Engadget HD on Tue, 30 Dec 2008 14:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Industry

The pessimistic among us will insist that Netflix is implementing this change in order to avoid acquiring more new releases and ditching the infamous throttling process, but we still maintain that it's better than nothing. For absolutely zero dollars more per month, Netflix has committed to shipping the next "Available" movie in your queue from a local distribution hub as well as the number one unavailable title in your list from another hub (when available) in order to better meet demand and keep subscribers happy. In essence, this change gives users a free (albeit less desired) flick while a more highly sought after disc gets shipped from somewhere else. Netflix only recently announced that this process was in effect, though it was supposedly put into place a few weeks ago -- so, has anyone benefited yet?

Netflix makes pro-consumer shipping adjustment to deal with long waits originally appeared on Engadget HD on Tue, 30 Dec 2008 10:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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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.

Filed under: Polls, Blu-ray

We've beaten this bush down before, but it seems that the issue is cropping up once more: Blu-ray Discs are taking ages to ship from Netflix. A recent CNET piece on the quandary took a closer look at why we're all paying more ($1 per month, but still) to get less. According to company spokesman Steve Swasey, the problem is twofold. First off, Hollywood simply "isn't providing enough Blu-ray copies of newly released films as the company would like to get," and secondly, Netflix is being ultra-cautious about spending too much dough on BD. Sure, some 500,000 customers are signed up to receive them, but that's a small chunk of the 9 million total that it serves. According to Steve: "These things [Blu-ray Discs] cost money. We deploy money where we think it's going to be most efficient to keep subscribers and investors happy. It's always check and balances." So, we're interested in seeing just how bad the issue is for our readers in particular -- drop your vote / rants below.

Poll: Are your Blu-ray Discs taking forever to ship from Netflix? originally appeared on Engadget HD on Sat, 20 Dec 2008 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Industry, Displays, LG, Plasma

Come one, come all to the flat-panel production cutting party. Just look at these spectacles on stage -- AU Optronics, Sharp, LG, Panasonic, Sony, Toshiba, Hitachi, et al. We'd say that this is getting downright bizarre, but we suspect that's plainly obvious by now. As the output-cutting bandwagon continues to take on passengers, LG has too decided (purportedly, at least) to downsize its plasma panel output starting in 2009. Potentially more striking is the assertion that it may "completely halt production of its 32-inch panels," which are losing it money hand over fist. The interesting bit is that nearly half of LG's PDP output is at the 32-inch level, so unless it starts digging into another size, it'll have quite a bit of equipment (and employees, we imagine) sitting idle. And to think -- things looked so much brighter just three years back.

LG to trim plasma panel output, ditch 32-inch line altogether originally appeared on Engadget HD on Fri, 19 Dec 2008 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Cable, New content

Augusta just picked up three from Comcast in late October, and now the famed Georgia town has another three to mount up on its wall. As the wave of expansion continues, Augusta has been struck with E! HD, Toon HD and Travel Channel HD. Any guesses where Comcast will strike next?

[Thanks, Caleb]

Comcast adds E!, Toon and Travel Channel HD in Augusta, Georgia originally appeared on Engadget HD on Fri, 19 Dec 2008 17:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Misc, Blu-ray, Other formats

It's not tough to say what ails Blockbuster, but it's incredibly hard to see what will turn it around. As the world at large decided to pass up renting from brick-and-mortar locations in favor of by-mail renting or digital downloads, Blockbuster remains stuck in 1983. We already had a clue that it may be jacking rates up further to help with near-term financials, and now those increases are all but set in stone. CFO Thomas Casey noted at a conference in Santa Monica that it would be focusing on "boosting rental prices over broadening its digital delivery service," which is quite amazing given that the outfit just pumped out its own movie set-top-box not two months ago. Oh sure, digital delivery is a much smaller market than the DVD rental sector, but how exactly does Blockbuster plan on raking in revenue with higher prices? It's not like it's about to undercut Netflix.

[Image courtesy of Wired]

Blockbuster aims to boost rental prices, not fret over expanding digital delivery originally appeared on Engadget HD on Fri, 19 Dec 2008 09:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Internet

iiNet, which is based in Western Australia, has reportedly achieved download speeds topping out at 85Mbps and upload rates of around 47Mbps in field trials held in Perth. The live VDSL2 trials are being used to determine the feasibility of eventually wiring up multi-dwelling units with an array of services. In theory, the service could bring high-speed internet, digital phone and HDTV to apartment complexes via a single wire, much like AT&T's U-verse and Verizon's FiOS suites in America. Regrettably, there's no mention of when this will move beyond the testing phase and into the for sale stage, but as always, here's hoping for the answer to be sooner rather than later.

Australia's iiNet hits 85Mbps in VDSL2 trials, could bring HDTV / internet to apartments originally appeared on Engadget HD on Thu, 18 Dec 2008 21:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Industry, Blu-ray, Other formats, Internet

While snagging 500,000 Blu-ray subscribers is admirable, the big picture helps to explain Netflix's dominance even more. Sometime during the third quarter of 2008, the rental giant managed to secure its nine millionth customer. Needless to say, the DVD rental portion of the business is doing just fine, but CFO Barry McCarthy confessed that its Watch Instantly digital delivery aspect was still "a tax on the P&L." Essentially, he reiterated that it was an investment in the future, noting that if it didn't start it, someone else would have. He also proclaimed that more content could easily be added to its library of online-accessible titles, but that it wouldn't come free. At present time, we suspect Watch Instantly isn't really hurting for users, which means you could very well be hurting for a new wave of content for some time to come.

Netflix snatches 9 millionth subscriber, says Watch Instantly still not profitable originally appeared on Engadget HD on Thu, 18 Dec 2008 19:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Industry, Displays, Sony

Honestly, it's surprising to us that Sony still had any TV manufacturing was still in the U.S., but sadly, the company will be turning the lights out on its last U.S.-based plant early next year. The Westmoreland, PA plant is set to cease TV production in February 2009 and finally close in March 2010 when TV and Blu-ray disc repair are relocated as well. Reliability be damned, the plant just couldn't avoid the axe this time around -- it had already shifted from RPTVs to LCD TVs since opening in 1990 -- but this last round of "5 or 6" worldwide plant closings for Sony will spell curtains for the Pittsburgh Technology Center. Our hearts go out to the 560 folks who will lose their jobs.

[Image courtesy Westmoreland County, PA]

Sony calls it quits on US TV production originally appeared on Engadget HD on Mon, 15 Dec 2008 17:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Industry

Apparently bouyed by the initial response to its Circuit City gift card offer and now happily sitting on top of a pile of the red and yellow plastic cash substitute, retailer hhgregg is extending the program through the Super Bowl weekend. It's all about lemons and lemonade, we suppose, but the conditions of the deal haven't changed -- your Circuit City card is good for up to 20-percent off your hhgregg (brick and mortar only) purchase, and the card gets handed over to hhgregg when used. Still, if Black Friday ended with you holding a Circuit City card and no toys, you could do worse than to pass the buck on to hhgregg.

hhgregg extends Circuit City gift card deal through Super Bowl weekend originally appeared on Engadget HD on Mon, 15 Dec 2008 15:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Other hardware, Tuners, Cable

We knew that Time Warner Cable was allowing customers in various regions around the country to pre-order their tuning adapter, and tonight we've received the first report of delivery. For those out of the loop, these free adapters enable CableCARD users to tune into any channel that's delivered via switched digital video (SDV); without one, your current TiVo (for example) won't ever be able to see any channel beamed out with the new technology. The lucky locale is Austin, Texas, but we get the idea that other places should be seeing them soon. Give your local TWC office a call, and do report back (bonus points for images) if you've found that your city now has 'em as well. [Disclosure: Engadget is part of the Time Warner family]

[Thanks, Andy]

TWC now handing out tuning adapters in Austin, Texas originally appeared on Engadget HD on Fri, 12 Dec 2008 21:33:00 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.

Blu-ray players bucked generally weak Black Friday sales in the US - helped considerable by average prices dropping to USD $200, according to DisplaySearch.
Stripping out sales of Sony's PlayStation 3, the researchers report that US Blu-ray Disc player revenue "more than tripled from a year earlier" during the week of Thanksgiving and Black Friday .

Filed under: Industry, Displays, Others, OLED

If you're setting out to develop PHOLED (phosphorescent OLED) technology, it can't hurt to have friends in the chemical industry, which explains why Universal Display and Korean company SFC have become industrial BFFs. The two companies have agreed to jointly develop and commercialize those super-efficient PHOLED materials that our HD-loving eyes will want to have in displays if we're to soak up visuals without putting the planet in meltdown. Universal Display will help SFC with non-emitter materials and in return, SFC will transfer "certain existing phosphorescent" materials to Universal Display. Sounds good to us, and we're hoping to see Universal Display's numerous industrial partnerships to pay off in the form of tangible tech soon.

Universal Display, SFC partner up to develop PHOLED tech originally appeared on Engadget HD on Mon, 08 Dec 2008 07:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Sports

Go ahead, pick your jaw up off of the floor. We'll wait. On the real, you can't possibly be surprised to hear that high-def makes sports entirely more palatable, and a recent Nielsen study on the matter has found that HD broadcasting of sporting events has increased ratings on those very events by quite a margin. The numbers show that at least 22% of US households receive HDTV programming (up from 10% in September 2007), and its ratings for TV sports are 20% higher than the US overall. Even though we know the answer (or, so we think), we'll pose the question to you -- are you more inclined to tune to sports if an event is in HD?

[Via SED-HDTV]

High-def found to increase ratings in sports programming originally appeared on Engadget HD on Sun, 07 Dec 2008 16:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Displays, Sony, LCoS, Projector

So let's say you're an industrial-type who needs a projector for your simulation or visualization "setup" (aka your home theater), but Sony's SRX-T110 / SRX-T105 4k x 2k models are a bit overkill (or over-budget) -- what do you reach for? Sony's new VPL-GH10 model might be just the thing. Packing a more modest 1920x1080 pixels and Sony's 120Hz Motionflow technology with dark frame insertion, you should get crispy images, even during the most intense Call of Duty sessions. Motorized lens shifts, adjustments via Ethernet and a DVI interface for connection to honest-to-goodness image generators round out the package. Heck, those motorized lens shifts alone might make your couch-potato self eye this model over the VPL-HW10; just know the price is sure to be targeted more towards "industrial" than "consumer" use when it shows up this spring.

Sony rolls out VPL-GH10 SXRD projector for industrial types originally appeared on Engadget HD on Sat, 06 Dec 2008 17:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Reviews, Cables, Other hardware, Others

Generally speaking, anything over powerline has received tepid reviews at best, and sure enough, Audiovox's promising HDP100 is just more of the same. The kit seeks to shuttle HDMI signals over your existing power lines within the home, but in CNET's review lair, critics found that the signal was "slightly degraded over what it expected from a true HDMI cable (i.e. perfection), showing lower resolution and some subtle choppiness, as if it was dropping frames." Still, those with smaller TVs or less demanding eyes may find this desirable over running all sorts of cabling across your floors; if we just rang your bell, you can snap the package up now for around $399 (or less on the street).

Audiovox HDP100 HDMI-over-powerline kit tested, on sale originally appeared on Engadget HD on Fri, 05 Dec 2008 22:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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There are undoubtedly pros and cons to having a single optical disc that can pack in 400GB of data - movies, music...whatever you can throw at it.
Pioneer is preparing for release a 16-layer Blu-ray disc that not only offers this colossal storage capacity but will play back on most current standalone Blu-ray players, including the Sony PlayStation 3.

Filed under: Media PCs, Ports, Others

Man, talk about maturing early. ASUS' Eee Box just hit the shelves here in America a few months back, and now the company is already pushing out a pair of successors. Both the Eee Box B204 and B206 retain the same overall design and processor (1.6GHz Intel Atom N270), but you will find a 256MB ATI Radeon HD 3400 GPU to complement the 1GB of RAM, 160GB SATA II hard drive, multicard reader, 802.11n WiFi, Windows XP Home, 10GB of online Eee Storage, gigabit Ethernet, four USB 2.0 ports, DVI connector and the freshly added HDMI socket. The B204 trumps the B206 (weird, right?) with the inclusion of Bluetooth and a built-in battery that acts as a UPS in case of power failure. We've already seen just how decently the B202 could handle 1080p playback; it's just that much easier with a dedicated HDMI port. As is par for the course with ASUS, there's nary a mention of price / availability.

ASUS Eee Box B204 / B206 grows an HDMI port, handles high-def material originally appeared on Engadget HD on Wed, 03 Dec 2008 08:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Industry, Misc, Displays, Other hardware, Toshiba

What's up with Australia and its promotions? Last year, the big deal was Toshiba giving away free HD DVD players with an LCD HDTV purchase and Sony tossing in a PS3 with select 1080p BRAVIAs. This year, we've got Panasonic throwing in a Wii with an HDTV and Toshiba handing out netbooks. You heard right -- for Aussies who plunk down for an XV500 series HDTV at 37-, 42- or 46-inches between now and January 15, 2009, they'll also receive an 8.9-inch NB100 (AU$799) netbook free of charge. Of course, that's "while supplies last," so we'd get on this pronto if you're even mildly interested. As for we Americans? We're taking home free movies with pricey Blu-ray decks. Awesome.

[Via SmartHouse]

Buy a Toshiba XV500 HDTV, get a NB100 netbook free (in Australia) originally appeared on Engadget HD on Wed, 03 Dec 2008 02:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Blockbuster may be hinting at offering its download service on Blu-ray players - Netflix is actually doing it.
From next week two Samsung Blu-ray players are to provide Netflix videos in high definition.

Filed under: Industry, Displays, LCD

With practically every other flat-panel maker out there cutting back production like it's going out of style, it's no shock that rumors were a-flowin' that LCD maker Chi Mei Optoelectronic would soon be following suit. After suffering a $125 million loss in Q3 and facing a grim Q4, the outfit has proudly proclaimed that it has zero intentions of shutting down factories or otherwise lowering production in order to counter the slump. 'Course, CMO did trim output by around 20% last quarter, but in an official filing with the Taiwan Stock Exchange, it clearly stated that it currently had "no plans to close factories as reported by the media." So, what exactly is it doing? Encouraging employees to take unpaid vacations. Interesting.

[Image courtesy of UberGizmo]

Chi Mei Optoelectronic votes "no" to cutting LCD production originally appeared on Engadget HD on Fri, 28 Nov 2008 10:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Reviews, Blu-ray, Players, Pioneer

Don't freak out, Americans -- you haven't seen Pioneer's BDP-LX71 hanging around at your favorite A/V store for one simple reason: it caters to the European / Australian crowd. And with an MSRP of AU$1,299, it obviously caters to the affluent, too. The Aussies over at CNET's AU branch were able to get ahold of the spectacularly shiny deck, and while they admired the lovely picture and sound quality, styling and selection of ports, they couldn't easily overlook the elephantine price tag, lack of Profile 2.0 and omission of internal DTS-HD decoding. Additionally, the slow loading speed put more of a damper on things, but all of those knocks still didn't sway critics from recommending it for those with the cash. For everyone else, we'd probably definitely look elsewhere.

Pioneer's pricey BDP-LX71 Blu-ray deck reviewed: great, mate originally appeared on Engadget HD on Thu, 27 Nov 2008 19:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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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.

Blockbuster is rising to the challenge posed by cable companies and Netflix by launching a movie rental service via set-top boxes.
It is offering a STB made by 2Wire that plays movies downloaded over a broadband line.

Filed under: Blu-ray, Players, Others

Well, would you have a look at this. Out of seemingly nowhere, Aussies have been shown a remarkably affordable option for diving into the deep, crystal clear world of Blu-ray. Kogan Technologies is just 24 hours away from releasing its apparently unnamed Profile 1.1 Blu-ray player in the aforesaid continent / country, and with it will come 1080p output, an HDMI 1.3 port, DVD upconversion and Dolby TrueHD / DTS-HD decoding. The online-only e-tailer is taking orders for the unit as we speak, and for just AU$349 (that's $218 in greenbacks), we can definitely see it moving quite a few units.

[Via ITWire]

Kogan intros AU$349 Profile 1.1 Blu-ray player for Australia originally appeared on Engadget HD on Thu, 20 Nov 2008 09:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Industry

In case you can't make it to the bargain hunting unfolding at Circuit City stores, or just don't want to face the frenzied atmosphere tinged with gloom, retailer hhgregg will gladly take any Circuit City gift cards you have lying around off your hands. So if your local Circuit City just got closed, or if it just doesn't have that model you're craving, you can cash in your gift cards at hhgregg, to the tune of (up to) 20-percent of your register total. The offer does not extend to online purchases, and you better make sure you use up the entire card value, too, because you'll have to surrender the card to hhgregg before they hand you the goods. Use it or lose it, friends!

[Via TV Lamps N Bulbs]

hhgregg accepting Circuit City gift cards, some strings attached originally appeared on Engadget HD on Wed, 19 Nov 2008 16:35:00 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: Misc, DVRs, Set-top boxes

It's no iQ2, but it's free, and free is hard to complain with. Australians teetering on the fence about buying into pay-TV from Foxtel have a little more incentive thanks to a fresh offer from the company. For folks who sign up, they'll receive a free iQ DVR for a full 12 months, and better still, installation will also be free. We're actually a bit fuzzy on whether this deal is in effect now or starting in 2009, but it can't hurt to call and plead, right?

Foxtel offers up free iQ DVR for 12 months originally appeared on Engadget HD on Mon, 17 Nov 2008 09:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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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.

Filed under: Other hardware, Speakers, Apple

Acoustic Research is on a roll today at CES Unveiled in New York, and if you've somehow managed to avoid the overload of other iPod docking systems up until now, we've got yet another you can have a look at. The AR5100 audio docking system doubles as a tabletop music center or an iPod video source for a display. Of note, AR designed the unit so that it could actually be hung (you know, beneath a flat-panel HDTV), and gussied it up with backlit white graphics, touch-sensitive buttons, horn-loaded tweeters, a ported enclosure, a component-video output and a bundled IR remote. Check it this December for $199.99, and catch the release in its entirety after the break.

Continue reading Acoustic Research intros iPod-friendly AR5100 audio docking station

Acoustic Research intros iPod-friendly AR5100 audio docking station originally appeared on Engadget HD on Tue, 11 Nov 2008 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Industry, Cables, Speakers

While even audio amateurs have been struggling for years to figure out an efficient way to ditch / conceal the wires in their 5.1-channel audio systems, solutions from manufacturers have been limited. Sure, there's the Rocketfish amplifier, which essentially makes the rear speakers in a 5.1 rig cordless, but there's still tons of room for growth in the sector. Enter Acoustic Research, which is introducing its 5.1 modular wireless speaker conversion system. The ARW51's claim to fame is this: its point-to-multipoint technology can take "any 5.1 speaker system and make it wireless." Better still, AR promises six full bandwidth, 16-bit audio channels, and the "code-hopping circuitry" enables it to deliver CD-quality sound while "avoiding any potential interference from cordless phones, 802.11 computer networks and microwave ovens." No word on release just yet, but the MSRP has been set at $699.99. Full release is after the break.

Continue reading Acoustic Research ARW51 takes any 5.1 system and makes it wireless

Acoustic Research ARW51 takes any 5.1 system and makes it wireless originally appeared on Engadget HD on Tue, 11 Nov 2008 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Industry, Set-top boxes, Internet

Well, well -- what have we here? As Microsoft's Xbox 360 skyrockets up the list of most wanted movie set-top-boxes and units like the Roku Netflix Player hold the promise of incorporating HD downloads in the near future, along comes the flagging Blockbuster to put up a mild fight. In a move that's half baffling and half expected, the DVD rental company is reportedly looking to pump out a movie STB of its own for the holiday season. That's according to CEO Jim Keyes, who said as much on a recent conference call with investors. Unfortunately, he passed along no other pertinent information whatsoever, though he did mention a "Blockbuster-branded widget on Intel-manufactured chips embedded in IPTV monitors" for next year. Good luck Blockbuster, you'll probably need it.

[Via NewTeeVee]

Blockbuster could release its own movie set-top-box originally appeared on Engadget HD on Mon, 10 Nov 2008 10:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Canon is to launch a pair of updates to its pro HDV tape camcorders in December.
The XH A1S and XH G1S have had their 20X zoom lenses upgraded, with improvements to focus, irising and zoom.
They are also to get upgraded camera firmware that allows users to adjust the zooming speed during pull-in or pull-out shots.

Filed under: Industry, Satellite

While many mega-corps are struggling just to make ends meet, DirecTV is basking in the glow of a rather awesome Q3. The satcaster proudly announced that it saw revenues increase by 15% to $4.98 billion, all while operating profit scooted up 16% to $658 million and net income shot up 14% to $363 million. As has been the trend of late, a fair chunk of its good fortunes came from subscribers opting for "premium" services, which is a fancy way of saying that customers are totally digging HDTV, HD DVRs and video-on-demand. Oh, and now that HD is live in Latin America, we actually wouldn't be surprised to see a fruitful Q4 just a few months from now. Recession? What recession?

[Image courtesy of DayLife]

DirecTV gives recession the cold shoulder, sees increased profits in Q3 originally appeared on Engadget HD on Fri, 07 Nov 2008 15:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Industry

It's not like folks in the market for custom-install gear go to big box retailers like Circuit City and Tweeter for their "fix," but who can deny the way that those Sunday paper ads get the imagination going about how to improve your digital lifestyle? Prognosticators of all things CE, NPD Group, says that the diminishing fortunes of these big box stores will be felt at specialty dealers, and not necessarily in a good way. Sure, the disappearance of all that advertisement money from the CE pool might hurt awareness; but in the end, we know all those displaced regular customers of Circuit City and/or Tweeter will need to shop somewhere, so it's also an opportunity for smaller shops. Tough times are ahad, but there's also opportunity for retailers who can provide top-notch service.

Ripples from Circuit City and Tweeter to affect upscale dealers? originally appeared on Engadget HD on Wed, 05 Nov 2008 10:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: New content

Time Warner Cable subscribers in Austin / Waco, Texas have long complained about getting the proverbial shaft on HD channels, and if you take a gander at lineups in the other major cities in the Lone Star state, it's easy to see the root of their frustrations. That being said, we can tell you that a lowly twosome is headed down the pike, with FOX News HD available right now and MGM HD coming on December 1st. Unfortunately, MGM is essentially replacing the soon-to-vanish MOJO HD, so you're left with a net gain of one. Sad, we know. [Disclosure: Engadget is part of the Time Warner family]

[Thanks, Chad]

Time Warner Cable adds FOX News HD, MGM HD in Austin / Waco, TX originally appeared on Engadget HD on Wed, 05 Nov 2008 04:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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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.

Filed under: Industry, Displays, Others, LCD, Plasma

In case it's not glaringly apparent to you: price matters. And it matters a lot. While most other HDTV manufacturers are sobbing at sales figures (or the lack thereof) right now, Vizio is grinning from ear-to-ear. The outfit's low-cost flat-panels have evidently struck a chord with bargain-minded consumers, as the privately-held company has confessed to having a profitable Q3. Of course, it won't be releasing actual numbers due to its private status, but according to business operations and marketing VP Jeff Schindler, the firm has "never had an unprofitable quarter." Furthermore, the company is expecting even more growth in Q4 as consumers look to get the most bang for their buck when buying new sets. Can't say we doubt its optimism.

Vizio bucks the trend with Q3 growth, positive expectations for Q4 originally appeared on Engadget HD on Tue, 04 Nov 2008 12:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Industry, Displays, Pioneer, LCD, Plasma

As the flagging economy wreaks havoc on just about every mega-corp out there, the latest to publicly admit to being affected is Pioneer. After posting a rather significant loss earlier this year, the company is now guiding to a wider-than-forecast net loss of ¥78 billion ($789.9 million) for the year to March 31, blaming the surging yen and the slowing economy. The company is scheduled to nix its unprofitable plasma-panel operations by February and slash 2,000 jobs this fiscal year in order to counter the bleeding, and it looks as if former president Tamihiko Sudo is one of the first bigwigs to fall. As of November 16th, Susumu Kotani (pictured right) will take over that role, though we can't imagine he's looking forward to grabbing the captain's chair in such a turbulent environment.

[Via PC World, image courtesy of DayLife]

Pioneer forecasts even wider net loss, names new president originally appeared on Engadget HD on Mon, 03 Nov 2008 16:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Industry, Fiber

Man, this is just downright eerie. If you'll recall, AT&T managed to add 232,000 net U-verse subscribers in Q3. Lo and behold, its biggest fiber rival (that'd be Verizon) added 233,000 net new FiOS TV customers in the same quarter. Coincidences aside, Verizon's pretty proud of its current position in the market, now claiming 1.6 million FiOS TV subscribers and offering the service for sale to 8.2 million premises in the United States. Just for comparisons sake, the outfit only had 700,000 subs at the end of Q3 2007, and it added just 176,000 newcomers in Q2 2008. In related news, it also managed to acquire 225,000 net new FiOS internet customers, and with cable companies jacking up rates left and right, we wouldn't be shocked at all to see even more frustrated pay-TV users make the leap to fiber in Q4.

Verizon adds 233,000 net new FiOS TV customers in Q3, up to 1.6 million total originally appeared on Engadget HD on Sat, 01 Nov 2008 23:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Cables, Other hardware, Others

If you're tired of waiting to beam your HD signals across the room over thin air but still crave that tidy install devoid of snaking wires, you might want to give HDMI over powerline a try. For $400, Audiovox will hook you up with its HDP100 HD Powerlink system (apparently under the Acoustic Research brand) -- a single transmitter, receiver and accessories that will transmit HDMI and IR remote signals over the Romex already in your walls. Of course, as with all things with names ending in "over powerline," performance can vary based on things like your home's wiring, what other devices are placed on the circuit, how the HDP100 units are plugged in and maybe even the phase of the moon; but that same $400 will disappear pretty quickly if you have a pro pull some wires through the walls.

Audiovox HDP100 sends HDMI over powerline originally appeared on Engadget HD on Fri, 31 Oct 2008 20:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Industry

It's Halloween, and things are looking scary for Tweeter, which has already risen once from the grave. The company was purchased by a liquidator last night and the entire stock of goodies at the distribution centers has been forwarded to the retail stores. Sure, that's one way to shave $12 million off the operating costs, but asking manufacturers to ship to individual retail outlets probably isn't the most efficient way to run things. As if that's not bad enough, calls to the corporate office by TWICE have been greeted by a recording that states the corporate offices have been closed and then go unanswered. Optimists see this change in operations as a way for Tweeter to forge ahead, but this looks like a clear-out if you ask us. What's your take?

[Via CEPro]

Tweeter gets a rock, closes distribution centers originally appeared on Engadget HD on Fri, 31 Oct 2008 19:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Industry, Displays, Media streamers, HP

Chalk this one up as rampant speculation for now, but word on the street has it that HP may be fixing to axe its LCD TV business and kill the MediaSmart HDTV while it's at it. In taking a step back, it's easy to see how logical this move seems -- HP has never been a giant in the LCD HDTV arena, and its MediaSmart line serves an even smaller niche. Couple those facts with plummeting LCD prices and diminishing margins, and you've got yourself a pretty strong case to hit the eject button. If all of this pans out, it'll surely hurt Microsoft's chances of getting even more TV manufacturers to sell sets with Media Center Extenders built in, but at least those still on the hunt for a MediaSmart HDTV on the cheap would have an opportunity to find just that.

[Via ElectronicHouse]

HP exiting LCD TV biz, killing MediaSmart HDTV line? originally appeared on Engadget HD on Tue, 28 Oct 2008 12:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Cable, Sports, New content

With the weather growing a bit too chilly for golf in Augusta, wouldn't you say it's about time you stayed in for the night and caught some HDTV? Comcast sure thinks so, evidenced by the fresh trio of high-def channels that it beamed up to the aforesaid region over the weekend. As of now, Augusta-area subscribers can check out FOX News Channel HD, SPEED HD and FX HD, which ought to keep you occupied for at least a week or two.

[Thanks, Caleb]

Comcast adds FX, FOX News and SPEED HD in Augusta, Georgia originally appeared on Engadget HD on Tue, 28 Oct 2008 08:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Industry, LCD

Chi Mei Optoelectronics, one of the world's leading manufacturers of TFT-LCDs, is licking its wounds after announcing a staggering $125 million loss in Q3 of this year. Of course, it's not like this was difficult to see coming -- after all, those plummeting LCD prices that we consumers love so dearly have to be detested somewhere along the supply chain. At any rate, CMO's profit suffered a " three-fold decline compared to that in the same period last year," and there doesn't seem to be any end in sight for the free fall of LCD panel prices. President Ho Jau-yang asserted that the company would "review and modify its operational orientation" while "safeguarding liquidity" as it rode out the storm. We could be badly off, but we'd say the real beatings are yet to come.

[Image courtesy of GigaComputers]

LCD maker Chi Mei Optoelectronics suffers $125 million loss in Q3 originally appeared on Engadget HD on Tue, 28 Oct 2008 07:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: OTA, Sports

Australia's Channel Ten has been known to snag some pretty enticing sporting events in the past, but all that will pale in comparison to a new channel launching next year. Yes, Aussies -- in mere months, you'll have the pleasure of enjoying a free-to-air 24-hour sports channel in glorious high-definition. For those not paying attention, you should also know that Ten has thrown down winning bids to show US NBA basketball, US Major League Baseball and the US Open golf tournament (among other events). There's no set time frame for launch outside of sometime in '09, but worst case scenario, you've got just over 13 months to wait.

Australia's Network Ten to launch 24-hour HD sports channel in 2009 originally appeared on Engadget HD on Tue, 28 Oct 2008 00:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Industry, Displays, Samsung, LCD

Ah, how quickly things can change in this volatile, volatile world. At the tail-end of June, Samsung seemed pretty adamant that it would be keeping its flat-panel production lines humming along as usual. Enter a tiny factor called the worldwide credit crisis, and that plan begins to look terrible. In an effort to "cope with excess inventory amid lackluster demand from global markets," Sammy has decided to lower its panel output by about 5% (which it has been doing since August, actually), though it is keeping a close eye on demand in case it needs to ramp back up in short order. Whatever happens, we're just hoping for lower prices for consumers come Black Friday (and beyond).

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Filed under: Industry, Displays, LCD, Plasma

Here we are again, smack dab in the crossfire as another plasma versus LCD battle rages on. This time, it's plasma surprisingly on top, with sales of LCD TVs seeming to slow as PDP adoption grows. One may assume that the global economic situation would cause a drop in sales across all platforms, but according to a new report from DisplaySearch, that's hardly the case. In fact, one David Hsieh (VP of DisplaySearch in China) even asserted that "plasma sales are booming while LCD TV sales are beginning to slow." The reason? Low prices. Now more than ever, consumers are able to snatch up big screen PDPs for a remarkably small outlay, and in many cases, comparable PDPs are priced a hair lower than a similar LCD. Of course, we very much expect LCD TVs to be all the rage when prices tank during Black Friday, but it's good see plasma showing signs of life once more. It had us worried there for awhile.

[Thanks, Vanbrothers]

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Filed under: Industry, Cable

Don't even think about saying we didn't warn you. Just as we expected at the first of the year, Comcast is gearing up to hike rates on unsuspecting cable customers, and it's consoling us all by stating that the increase is still well below the rate of inflation (wait, for real?). Beginning on November 1st, the carrier will be raising rates on most cable TV services, DVRs and HD STBs on the average of 4.6%. Interestingly, we're told that high-speed internet and digital home phone services won't see bumps, and neither will bundles. You know what that means? Bundle up or switch out.

[Via ABC, image courtesy of Flickr; thanks Garst]

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

Blusens hit the scene in a big way last October, but for whatever reason, we haven't heard from 'em since... until now, that is. The Blu:Brain Home Entertainment Device features a somewhat misleading name, as there's (regrettably) no built-in Blu-ray drive to speak of. What it does have, however, is a remarkably sexy shell, twin digital TV tuners (DVB-T), a removable internal hard drive, Ethernet / WiFi connectivity and a USB port. Essentially, this here box can serve up all sorts of multimedia (high-def content included) via HDMI, though word on the street says it won't even be available to order until 2009.

[Via Gizmos]

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Filed under: Industry, Other formats

Good news, DVDPlay addicts. That little movie kiosk that you can't seem to ever avoid as you exit your local food mart is about to become less of a drain on your wallet. Reportedly, the company has decided to lower its per-movie rental fee from $1.49 to $1.00, with president Charlie Piper stating that in "an economy of rising prices, our customers are looking for value for their entertainment dollars." The price change went into effect on October 1st, and it seems that Blu-ray rentals will also be ratcheted down to a buck. Not bad, if we should say so ourselves.

[Image courtesy of SelfServiceWorld]

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Filed under: Displays

The word "TEAC" doesn't generally bring about images of dancing HDTVs under a moonlit sky, but that very company is rolling out its own set over in Australia. The 32-inch LCDV3253HD arrives toting a built-in digital TV tuner (or analog tuner, depending on sales region), a modular DVD player, three HDMI ports and bottom-mounted speakers. It's available now for $1,299 in any color you like, so long as it's black.

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Filed under: Speakers, Others

Engadget HD public service announcement -- the Boston Acoustics Vista speakers have nothing to do with any other products (HT-related or not) in the marketplace using the name Vista. For both of the people out there who may have been confused on that point, Boston Acoustics is renaming the entire model line "VS," to signify the speakers as "a new Vision in great Sound." The company is not making even a suggestion that Microsoft applied any pressure, which makes us even more disappointed in the new name -- the "Vista" moniker was a lot easier to remember. We hope another PSA clarifying that these speakers can do more than play a certain Pearl Jam album is not called for.

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Filed under: Industry, Displays, Panasonic

We've been hearing that Matsushita was jonesing to become Panasonic for months now, but at long last, the company (companies?) has finally pulled the trigger. As of October 2008, Matsushita Electric Industrial Company has become Panasonic Corporation, and its stock ticker symbol on the NYSE has been changed from MC to PC. Additionally, Panny is working on "brand changeover from National to Panasonic within Japan," which probably won't be completed until March of 2010. So yeah, Matsushita's logo actually isn't going anywhere just yet, but we appreciate the effort, guys.

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Filed under: Industry, OTA

Alright -- what's a bloke got to do to get some more HD? Clearly the demand is growing, as evidenced by the 100,000th FreeSat box being gleefully picked up and used to catch a meager amount of free HDTV material. Since launching just five months ago, the free-to-air satellite service has captivated quite a few citizens, though we're left wondering what it will really take to get more content providers to push their material on the service. 500,000 subs? A million?

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Filed under: Blu-ray, Other formats

Blockbuster CFO Tom Casey can say whatever he wants, but to push aside the threat of digital downloads altogether just seems silly. At a recent conference, said bigwig was in attendance to pump up his company, noting that DVD / Blu-ray rentals were still tops in its mind. He pointed out that it's still supporting a $36 billion industry, while the VOD market was remarkably tiny in comparison. He also noted that same-store revenue had recently risen 9%, and while it has been taking big losses of late, he still expects to pull a profit for the year. In related news, further price hikes on rentals could be coming as Blockbuster spends to freshen up stores, add stock and insert kiosks to draw more folks in. We still find it tough to believe that relying on a B&M model in a mail-order / download-at-will world is the best thing to do, but to each his own, we guess.

[Image courtesy of Street Knowledge]

Read - Blockbuster CFO speaks
Read - Blockbuster could raise rental rates

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Filed under: Industry, Displays, Others, RCA

Who says there are too many players in the HDTV realm? With current mainstays partnering up like it's going out of style, we've found two firms that see something no one else does. General Electric has just announced a joint venture with Taiwan-based Tatung in which the pair plans on making two million HDTVs annually when production gets going in 2009. The two hope to capture at least 5% to 10% of the global TV market in due time, and according to Peter Weedfald, president of North America and global chief marketing officer for the JV, the resulting product will be a "premium brand" that will be "very competitive with current leadership brands." We'll be interested to see what all becomes of this, and hopefully we'll have some prototypes to gawk at come CES / IFA / CEDIA 2009.

[Image courtesy of VintageTVSets]

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Filed under: Industry, Satellite

Not that DirecTV CEO Chase Casey and his chairman John Malone have begun grabbing each other by the ties yet, but reports are flowing that the two aren't in agreement about the future structure of DirecTV Latin America. Liberty Media, which has a controlling stake in the satcaster, could actually spin DirecTV LA off once Liberty gains full control -- at least, that's the vibe being felt from Liberty CEO Greg Maffei. Carey commented that he wasn't "a fan of financial re-engineering," noting that spinoffs and "similar engineering options haven't been particularly successful." On a slightly related note, he also made mention that the satcaster's exclusive NFL Sunday Ticket deal may not remain that way after it expired in 2011 due to "cost considerations." Hate to say it, DirecTV, but we're pretty sure cable / fiber users nationwide won't feel sorry for you.

[Image courtesy of Business Week, thanks Vanbrothers]

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Filed under: Industry, Displays, Hitachi, Panasonic, Plasma

Hitachi is the latest manufacturer looking towards the door as the party at plasma's house is winding down, and the cost cutting isn't surprising in light of the company's steep losses on plasma TVs. Just to spare plasma's feelings, though, it has agreed to buy some panels from Panasonic (which looks to be last man standing at the dwindling party). It's hard to see the move as anything but inevitable -- as LCDs take over and OLEDs ramp up, Hitachi's 7.5-percent stake in the plasma market isn't the issue, it's the shrinking overall plasma market that's the problem (matched only by the thinning physical profiles). UltraThin, 1.5-inch thick plasmas or no, we wouldn't be surprised to see a complete exit from the plasma market in the foreseeable future.

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Filed under: Discovery-HD

Looking to chime in on what kind of programming gets placed on any of Discovery Communications' many networks? No, we mean are you really looking to make an impact? If so, you can put your money where your mouth is now that the firm is listed on the NASDAQ. Yeah, it chose an odd and arguably terrible time in our history to go public, but it also ushered in a new corporate logo and website to fall more in line with that new Discovery HD logo that was unveiled this summer. It's hard to say if going public will have any immediate (and more importantly, visible) impact on programming, but if you're interested in getting involved, all the ticker details and whatnot are listed in the read link.

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Filed under: Industry, Blu-ray

If you've been left disappointed by the BD-J interactive features on Blu-ray discs, you're not alone -- all of that Java power is great, but the production tools leave it in the hands of programmers rather than artists. Sonic Solutions has introduced two applications to help keep the creative side of the house a little closer to the final product: BD Fusion is based on Clickstream's Multimedia Fusion game development environment and BD-J Converter converts Flash animations into Java code for use in BD-J projects. Now we'd be the first to say that rich BD-J features are pretty far down on our own wishlist for Blu-ray, but lowering the barrier to producing BD-J features that are actually interesting (even for kids) can't hurt, right?

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Filed under: Remotes, Others

While you may be more familiar with the word Gyration paired with mouse, Movea has decided to combine its excellence in cursor-pointing with its knowledge of remote-making. The HTPC universal remote, christened Gyration Air Music Remote, includes a backlit LCD that can display music choices from WMP / iTunes, a motion sensor for inputting mouse commands from your couch (up to 100-feet away) and RF / IR support. If all that fits your bill, you can grab one now for $179.99 or $229.99 when bundled with a wireless portable keyboard.

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Filed under: Blu-ray

Ready for even more double dipping? Warner is returning December 9 with the I Am Legend Ultimate collectors Edition in a 2-disc Blu-ray set with a $59.99 MSRP. Exclusive on Blu-ray are picture-in-picture Focus Points that let you watch the making of during the movie on a Bonus View-capable player. As pictured above, the box packs in a 44-page sketch book, art cards and more. That's quite a spread for one movie (and yes, the alternate ending is included in this release also), enough to make you go back for more?

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Filed under: Satellite, New content

Coming right back is DirecTV, just a few days after activating HD locals in New York and Nebraska comes word that Johnstown-Altoona, PA, Chattanooga, TN and Augusta, GA are the latest in its 44 planned local rollouts this summer/fall. Better hurry DirecTV, the days are already getting shorter. Beyond the read links is the list of newly-added local networks, proceed with caution, or reckless abandon, it's pretty much the same to us either way.

Read - Johnstown-Altoona, Pa
Read - Chattanooga, Tenn
Read - Augusta, Ga

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Filed under: Industry, Set-top boxes, Tuners

For all of our complaining about the long run-up to the analog shutoff here in the US, this story illustrates the benefits of taking time to do a little consumer education. In Australia, it turns out that not everyone was aware that TVs with analog-only tuners are unable to receive the HD programming that Seven and Ten are advertising so heavily. This all came to a boil with Ten's HD-only Masters golf broadcast, and some customers returned to stores with talk of "misrepresentation." Retailers are giving away digital set-top boxes to smooth things over, though, so hopefully things are cleared up for now. This sounds exactly like the kind of thing US big-box retailers avoided by clearing shelves of analog-only TVs, and we might suggest some similar action for other global HD citizens.

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Filed under: Speakers

In today's rush to crank out new models, it's refreshing to see some steady benchmark pieces of gear. The speaker world has its share of stalwarts -- in no small part due to its high-end audio roots -- and Acoustic Energy's AE1 qualifies as one of those long-time references. We remember reading about the AE1 back in the late 80's, and the model is still in existence today (albeit in a Mk III iteration). To celebrate this continued success, Acoustic Energy has made up a special edition batch of 100 pairs of the speaker, appropriately dubbed the AE1 Mk III SE. It features a laundry list of audiophile features, like a steel-lined 18-mm thick cabinet, 110-mm aluminum mid-woofer, 38-mm ring-radiator tweeter and a crossover constructed with top-shelf parts. Available in a variety of finishes for a no-kidding, audiophiles-only price of $5,000 per pair.

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Filed under: Misc, Blu-ray

Warner Bros. isn't content with just loosing The Polar Express on 3D Blu-ray -- oh no, it's got another pair of titles set for a holiday launch. Famed classic Casablanca will finally be getting the Blu-ray treatment it deserves this December 2nd when it arrives in Ultimate Collector's Edition form. The $64.99 package ($59.98 on DVD) is reportedly "elegantly boxed in an intricate laser-cut Moroccan design and will include such collectibles as replicas of actual props (Victor Laszlo's "Letter of Transit") as well as a number of Warner studio documents. Going from one of the greatest love stories of all time to one of the raunchiest comedies of the past, oh, score, Austin Powers Collection: Shagadelic Edition, Loaded With Extra Mojo will be uncomfortably landing alongside the aforementioned gem on the same day. The collection-only package will include the entire trilogy in Blu-ray high-def for $74.98.

[Image courtesy of ValleyArts]

Read - Casablanca release
Read - Austin Powers release

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Filed under: Other hardware, Speakers, Others, Apple

It only takes a glance to realize that Boston Acoustics' Horizon i-DS2 iPod boombox is merely a cleaned up version of the knobby Duo-i, but we must say, the new look is pretty sleek. Built to function with any dock-connecting iPod, this 60-watt speaker system includes twin 3.5-inch full-range drivers, a composite video output, USB connector and an auxiliary input for plugging in other DAPs / PMPs. The unit itself arrives in glossy white or glossy black, though users with an itch to customize can select from a variety of P.O.P. metal grilles. On paper, the unit isn't too shabby, but the $179.99 price tag is somewhat of a drag.

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Filed under: Industry, Cable

Only a few months have passed since Australia's Foxtel launched its HD+ service, and judging by the numbers, Aussies are warming to high-def. The carrier just posted a 17% rise in revenue (up to $1.7 billion), and it's expecting the numbers to remain high as more consumers cave to the temptation of high-definition programming. Furthermore, 40,000 new users have signed on since the HD+ launch, and the average revenue per user has skyrocketed to nearly $85 per month "as a result of a higher take-up of additional services such as Foxtel iQ." There's no specific mention of additional HD channels, but given that bigwigs surely realize how critical they are to revenue growth, we can't imagine them not giving you folks a few more here shortly.

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Filed under: DIY, Displays, Other hardware, Projector

It's one thing to craft a home theater that keeps guests coming back weekend after weekend, but it's another to create one that keeps them rolling (literally) in by the dozens. Kevin Van fulfilled what we can only imagine was a mid-20s fantasy by building his very own backyard theater, complete with an Epson 77c projector, homemade 6-foot retractable screen and 8 vintage drive-in speakers rigged up to deliver 5.1 surround sound on his deck and 2-channel stereo around the pool. There's also a concession stand, a homegrown outdoor subwoofer being pushed by 1,100 watts and a whole slew of other audio / video components. Those cruising through Fraser, Michigan should seriously look this guy up -- sounds like a great way to spend a few hours.

[Via UberReview]

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Filed under: Polls, Blu-ray, Other formats, Internet

After reading a somewhat shocking survey here recently which found that most Americans saw in-store renting as a fading habit, we began to wonder if those sentiments were reflected by the actions of our readers. Of course, even Blockbuster is making moves to protect itself should people resort to by-mail / online rentals en masse, so it's not like folks aren't already going to the store less often. How do you get your rentals the majority of the time? By walking to your mailbox? By utilizing that broadband internet you pay so dearly for? Or do you still enjoy taking the family out to your local rental store at ~$4.00 / gallon?

[Image courtesy of Boston]

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Filed under: Industry, Satellite

Compared to competitor DISH Network, DirecTV is having The Best Week Ever. Second quarter results posted today were up to analysts estimates, adding 129,000 to its 17.2 million subscribers in the U.S. and lowering its churn rate to 1.49 percent. Average revnue per user (i.e. how much cash they get from you every month) rose 7% thanks to people signing up for high definition and DVR service, while revenue in Latin America jumped 49%. Add to that news that DISH Network wants to give things another go, and we imagine they're feeling pretty good about themselves in El Segundo, you'd think they could find the time to return our wallet one of these days.

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Filed under: Media streamers

SlingPlayer 2.0 was announced way back at CES 2007 (and, uh, re-announced this year) and it looks you'll finally be able to get a taste, public beta style -- but only a taste, since it's missing its most hyped feature, Clip+Sling. If you'll recall, C+S was supposed to let you nab up to 5 minutes of content and share it online with your friends, but it looks like only the local DVR features have made the cut, so while we're still excited about the new 60-minute buffer and EPG, it's not all we've been promised. On the bright side, the holdup isn't technical, it's legal, so once all the appropriate networkd partnerships and contracts have been signed, you'll be clipping and slinging like there's no tomorrow. Other minor changes include a tweaked UI (skin support has been dropped) and (finally!) the death of Slingbox Finder IDs in favor of user accounts. Windows-only for now, with a video demo after the break -- let us know how you're doing in comments!

Read - Slingcommunity announcement
Read - Dave Zatz's take

Continue reading SlingPlayer 2.0 enters public beta -- without Clip+Sling

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Filed under: Industry, Misc, Blu-ray, Other formats, Internet

As Blockbuster flounders around in an attempt to determine what it really wants to be, we're seeing that it's finally taking advantage of that whole Movielink purchase from last year. A new download section on the company's website has gone live, encouraging XP / Vista users running Internet Explorer (feel alienated yet?) to simply pick a flick, download and watch. In related news, the rental outfit has announced an expanded partnership with NCR that will see 50 DVD rental kiosks deployed in a pilot test, which is separate from the download-only kiosks which are being tested in Dallas, Texas. Anyone tried out the new download service? Do you prefer it more / less than Netflix's Watch Now?

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Read - Blockbuster download service
Read - Blockbuster DVD kiosks

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Filed under: DIY, Industry, Misc, Displays, Other hardware, Speakers

Target -- the big box retailer best known 'round these parts for its preferential Blu-ray treatment (back in the day, of course) and its infatuation with releasing new Xbox 360s early -- is finally diving head first into the home installation realm. Not content to just let competitors rake in all that extra cash for simply following a customer home and plugging in a few wires, the outfit has teamed up with Zip Express Installation to offer home install packages anytime a consumer makes a "large CE purchase." Furthermore, Target.com shoppers will soon be graced with a notification that their shiny new HDTV can be delivered and installed by professionals should they so choose, with services starting at $129 and ranging from TV setup, wall mounting, home theater arrangement, computer networking and furniture assembly. We have all ideas most of you will just brush this off, but don't be alarmed to hear that your grandmother just threw down some extra cash for a nice young man in a bulls eye-emblazoned uniform to setup her new gear.

[Image courtesy of JSOnline]

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Filed under: Industry, Cable

Here's an interesting one. Australia's AUSTAR (a pay-TV provider, for those not in the know) is seemingly not in any hurry whatsoever to do as staunch rival Foxtel did and begin offering HD to its customers. Rather than catching up to the competition (and splurging on an investment), AUSTAR is pinching its pennies. According to the company's chief executive, he doesn't feel "a huge amount of pressure" to embrace high-def, suggesting that the increase in customers from the addition of high-definition isn't worth the steep cost. Of course, he did admit that HD would likely be in the carrier's future, but probably not until "mid-2010" or later. C'mon people, how many times do the experts have to tell you? Build it (first), and they will come.

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Kodak has long been known for producing imaging and photographic material.
hdtv.biz-news.com asked Matthew Yarrow, Kodak country business manager for the UK and Ireland, to explain the rationale behind his company’s decision to move into new territory with the launch of a set-top box.

Filed under: Industry, Displays, Panasonic

So Sony didn't do so hot this quarter, but that's not to say someone else can't have fun at its expense. Matsushita Electric just posted its most recent quarterly earnings, and needless to say, it's probably pretty stoked about the 86% rise in profit. According to reports, the majority of the credit goes to digital camera and flat-panel television sales, and even though sales actually decreased 4%, operating profit still rose 48% from a year prior. Good to see someone's making sure that flat-panels rule the consumer electronics roost in 2008.

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Filed under: Industry, Displays, Samsung

Samsung SDI has definitely been on the offensive of late, producing the world's first WVGA OLED panels for handhelds, a 3D AMOLED display and plans to crank out medium to large OLED TVs in just a year or so. Its efforts are paying off, as the firm is expected to post its first profit since dipping into (and remaining in) the red back in Q1 2005. According to Kim Dong-won, an analyst at Hyundai Securities, the outfit is forecasting a ?3.1 billion ($3.05 million) profit for Q2 2008 -- quite a bit better than the ?31 billion ($30.5 million) in losses analysts were expecting. Here's a hint for staying in the black: get a few big screen OLED HDTVs out before everyone else. Simple, right?

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Filed under: Industry, Blu-ray, HD DVD, Other formats

Even we would agree that digital downloads aren't apt to siphon away a significant amount of physical media market share in the immediate future, but a recent survey conducted by CinemaNow (read: your skeptic hat should now be firmly in place) suggests that the vast majority of Americans feel otherwise. As a matter of fact, 87% of those surveyed agreed that "renting DVDs at the video store or through mail service will become a thing of the past," and 94% of those same folks reportedly felt that movie downloads were just "better for the environment." Not like the average joe / jane understands how much energy is consumed by warehouses full of drives, gigantic air-conditioned server rooms and legions of PCs sucking down content, but yeah, these results are totally representative of the truth.

[Image courtesy of Street Knowledge]

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Filed under: DVRs, Set-top boxes, Others

The Beyonwiz DP-S1 dual-tuner HD DVR was a pretty hot piece for those in Australia last year, but we'd agree that it's about time a suitable replacement hit the market. Enter the DP-P2, a 300GB twin-tuner HD DVR created to capture both pay-TV and free-to-air signals on its internal hard drive. The unit supports IceTV Remote, which enables users to "choose from multiple remote recording options using any web browser, web-enabled mobile phone or while using the all new IceTV Widget." Furthermore, the unit can connect to a home network in order to stream local media (music, images, videos, etc.) on the living room TV, and those with another Beyonwiz in the house can have this newcomer stream content from the old one onto the primary set. A bit steep at AU$999 (that's 969 of those Greenbacks), but it's available now for those with deep wallets and an incurable infatuation with high-def.

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Filed under: Industry, Misc, Displays, Other hardware, Panasonic, Plasma

Europe isn't much on HD programming (yet), but that doesn't mean there's no demand for HDTVs. A recent article highlighting Matsushita's (Panasonic's parent company) European presence states that its share there is now bigger than ever thanks to a "combination of marketing and restructuring efforts over the past several years." As the competition within the North American sector has skyrocketed, Matsushita has been able to reap profits from Europeans willing to pay for a quality product. Europe actually made up 45% of its overseas sales of all digital electronics during the fiscal year ended March 2008, while just 25% came from the US, Canada and Mexico. It's also suggested that one of Matsushita's missteps here in the US was its reliance on selling pricey plasma TVs at a limited number of stores, and anyone that lives here knows that we Americans appreciate cheap. A pretty interesting read, though we still wish Europe would stop spending cash on digital photo frames and start investing in high-def programming. Yeah, selfish.

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Filed under: Industry, Displays, Mitsubishi, Panasonic, Samsung, Sony, LCD, Plasma

We've yet to be able to confirm any of this in our local stores, but HD Guru has it that major television manufacturers are lowering their retail prices in order to deal with swelling inventories. Despite upticks in demand from the upcoming Olympics, the overall economy here in America has apparently taken a toll on HDTV sales. Samsung, Sharp, Mitsubishi and Panasonic have reportedly notified their dealers of the drops, with some sets plummeting as much as $400. Of course, in-store (read: street) pricing will vary (sometime significantly) from the figures posted in the read link, but regardless, you ought to save a few bucks from just weeks ago. Oh, and if you're not desperate for a new flat-panel right this moment, let us remind you that Black Friday 2008 is barely two months away.

[Via The Boy Genius Report, image courtesy of StarTribune]]

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Filed under: Cable, New content

Time Warner Cable just finished adding 11 high-def stations to the EPG in Irving / Las Colinas, Texas, but it seems to only be able to add channels in Waco / Austin in threes. Case in point: late last month, said region picked up a new trio, and now, we're hearing that a new trifecta is headed in starting July 17th. Curious for details? How's about Biography HD, Hallmark Movie Channel HD and Travel Channel HD. Sure, anything is better than nothing, but we have a sneaking suspicion that locals won't take too kindly to TWC choosing these three out of all the possibilities. Are we right, or are we right? [Disclosure: Engadget is part of the Time Warner family]

[Thanks, Chad]

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Filed under: Fiber

Okay, so we're not really sure what makes Verizon's FiOS TV for Business that much different than vanilla FiOS TV -- besides the sweet bundle deal with those ultra-speedy Business internet plans -- but whatever the case, it's here. Nothing to bust out the party hats over, but select areas within the FiOS TV footprint can now sign up for a FiOS TV service "designed for small and medium-sized businesses (saywha?)." We're told that pricing for the service begins at $49.99 per month, and so far as we can tell, everything that's available to current FiOS TV subscribers is available here. Thanks for the head scratcher, Verizon.

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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.

Filed under: Displays, Sharp, LCD

Nothing too exceptional here, but Sharp is livening up its AQUOS LCD TV family with the introduction of three new (currently unpriced) kids. First up is the 19-inch LC-19D1E (available in black or white), which features a 1,366 x 768 resolution, 7,500:1 contrast ratio, built-in Freeview tuner, PC / HDMI inputs and 176-degree viewing angles. Next, we've got the 32-inch LC-32XL8E and 37-inch LC-37XL8E (piano black only), both of which boast 1080p panels, 100Hz technology, a 10,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio, 6-millisecond response time, three HDMI sockets, SRS TruSound and a Freeview digital tuner to boot. Folks in the UK can find the smallest of the three right now, while the newest duo in the XL8E series can be procured later this month.

[Via TechDigest]

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Filed under: Tuners, OTA

You're going to have to sit this one out, Americans -- unless you own a vacation cottage in Europe, that is. ASUS' latest PCIe TV tuner is aimed squarely at those in DVB-T territories, as the My Cinema-PE6300 hybrid card tunes both digital (DVB-T, obviously) and analog (PAL / NTSC) signals. There's also a hardware MPEG2 encoder to take some of the strain away from your CPU, not to mention an IR sensor input and FM radio tuner. In typical ASUS fashion, it's not even trying to dish out a price or release date, so our best advice is to simply keep an eye out if this is the card for you.

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Filed under: Industry, Displays, DLP, Projector

In a bid to assure you, the prospective customer, that Texas Instruments' DLP chip is "bullet-proof" (its word, not ours), said outfit is stretching the warranty on any single-chip DLP module to five full years. Of note, this announcement covers chips within education, business, and home theater projectors only, and each manufacturer will be responsible for "providing details regarding their warranty programs, taking into consideration this new five year extension." Curiously enough, we can't decipher whether units that have already been purchased will be covered under the extension or if only new units purchased post-July 1, 2008 will be affected. If we owned one such device, we'd sure be on the phone with our manufacturer with this press release (in the read link) in hand.

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Filed under: HDNet, Primetime, New content

Ready for another concert series from HDNet? This time around the 1080i, 5.1 surround series is titled Hard Drive HD and has been created in partnership with AOL Music. The idea is for concerts to air Sunday nights on HDNet, then Monday on AOL music when the show airs regularly starting in October. All 13 concerts come from the House of Blues in Atlantic City, the sneak peek coming July 13 at 8 p.m. features Good Charlotte, ahead of HDNet's usual Concert Series.

[Disclosure: Engadget is owned by AOL which, we're going to go out on a limb here, probably also owns AOL Music]

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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.

Filed under: Cable, New content

Just a few weeks later than the planned June 22nd date, Discovery HD has officially launched in Australia. This is just the officially-official announcement -- we wouldn't be surprised if the rollout actually started up on June 22 -- so we'd like to hear from Aussie readers in the comments below. Discovery certainly has some some great content to offer up, but filling up a 24/7 schedule on the Foxtel HD+ service will be challenging. We're not compaining -- spreading the HD word always gets a thumbs up from us! Add in the Samsung/Foxtel HD+ promo and the Australian TiVos, and we're pretty sure there will be lots of HD grins going around in Oz.

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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.

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.

Filed under: Misc, Displays, Samsung

Simmer down, North Americans / Europeans / Africans / etc. -- you should know this here deal is being reserved for those in Australia, so don't go ordering yourself a new Sammy without reading the fine print (or buying yourself a plane ticket). Reportedly, Samsung is looking to rival Sony's "Free PS3" promotion by tossing in a newly launched Foxtel iQ2 HD DVR for folks picking up a Samsung flat-panel HDTV and connecting to the HD+ service. Better still, Samsung will pick up the tab on the $200 connection fee as well. An official announcement of the partnership is expected within a fortnight, so if you've been looking to snag a new HDTV and make the dive into pay-HDTV, we'd hold off just a bit longer if you're even mildly fond of fantastic freebies.

[Via CNET]

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Filed under: DVRs, Set-top boxes, Others

Ah, so whispers did prove true. TiVo went all out today Down Under as it trumpeted the forthcoming release of its heralded set-top-box in Australia. As we'd already heard, the box will be available exclusively through Harvey Norman stores for three months starting on July 29th, after which the AUD$699 device will find its way into other retail outlets. On the plus side, the HD DVR will have all of the standard features as seen on the US model (Season Pass, Wish List, etc.) and there will be no monthly fee. On the downside, most of the networking extras we're accustomed to in America -- TiVoToGo, music playback, photo viewing, etc. -- won't be immediately available. The unit itself is based on the TiVo HD, as it features a 160GB hard drive, dual tuners, an eSATA port and support for SD / HD broadcasts. Hit the read link for all the gory details, okay mate?

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Filed under: Blu-ray

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Filed under: Industry, Displays, Sharp, LCD

Ever notice that all the hot-on-OLED firms, um, aren't named Sharp? Yeah, we've seen intentions to plow full speed ahead into OLED development from Panasonic, Sony (obviously), LG and a host of others, yet Sharp seems quite content with rocking the world with its LCDs. During a brief chat with TechRadar, the outfit's Miyuki Nakayama was quoted as saying that "LCD isn't mature yet, [as] there is still a lot to come in the future," specifically noting that LCD resolutions could be jacked to 4K2K. Better still, when pushed to comment on the OLED bandwagon (and more specifically, Sharp's decision to stand aside), he stated that "organic EL screens aren't a threat to LCD and they won't be for at least another decade." The reason? "The screens don't last long and they can't easily be made bigger." In all honesty, we can see Sharp's point -- after all, it makes LCDs for quite a few applications not named HDTV. Still, some pretty bold words, no?

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Japan’s Matsushita is aiming to mass-produce 37-inch OLED televisions within three years in a move that could ignite the OLED market.
The Japanese trade daily, Sankei Shimbun, reports that the electronics giant – the parent of better-known sub-brand Panasonic - is putting the finishing touches on plans to mass-produce 37-inch OLED televisions within three years.
If the plans bear out, it would make Matsushita the first manufacturer producing OLED televisions over 30 inches in size, and could enable Matsushita to challenge Samsung for the top spot in the flat-screen television market.

Filed under: DVRs, Set-top boxes, Others

Foxtel's HD+ services may have launched a few days back in Australia, but that's not stopping OpenTV from pushing out a release trumpeting the arrival of the iQ2. As you could likely guess, the set-top-box is powered by OpenTV's Core2 middleware, but frankly, that's not the part we're interested in. Merely hearing the words "quad-tuner" just gets our juices flowing, and with nearly "double the recordable capacity" of the current Foxtel iQ, we'd say it's a surefire winner for Aussies looking to delve into the beautiful world of high-definition.

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Filed under: Industry, DVRs, Set-top boxes, OTA

Great news, Aussies -- you too can enjoy the same box Americans have been using for eons starting next month. Yep, as of July, the TiVo Series 3 will go on sale via Seven for $700, and while Harvey Norman will sell the device exclusively for three months, it'll filter into "all major electronics chains" shortly after that window of time closes. Of note, Seven claims that it is not attempting to compete with Foxtel and its newly announced iQ2 box, and that it is instead aiming for subscribers who want the functionality of a DVR without the costly Foxtel subscription fees. If whispers prove true, you folks can expect to see this on sale in late July following a July 1st media launch.

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Filed under: Media PCs, Media streamers, Other hardware, Others

It's been a hot minute since we've seen any new kit from CodexNovus, but just recently the firm upped its DML offers and introduced the all new DMS-6000, all of which are worth taking a look at. Picking up where the 400GB DML-400 and 1TB DML-1000 left off, the 1.6TB DML-1600 enables owners to store loads of data, send out multiple streams of media to other HDcodex Players and Player / Servers and view / listen to networked media in surround sound / 1080p. If you're desperately in need of a place to actually house all of that media you don't own just yet, the rack-mountable 6TB DMS-6000 (pictured) should hold plenty. We haven't heard any pricing details yet, but judging by history, we don't reckon they'll be cheap.

Read - DML expansion
Read - DMS-6000 introduction

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Filed under: Cable, Sports, New content

Not even a week after Time Warner Cable gifted subscribers in San Antonio with Disney HD and ABC Family HD, we've now learned that those very two have made their way over to the Austin system. Oh, but TWC threw in the totally enviable ESPNews HD while it was at it. Don't even think about griping SA -- even you know you're this carrier's favorite in the Lone Star State. [Disclosure: Engadget is part of the Time Warner family]

[Thanks, Chad]

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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).

Filed under: Cable

You've known this day was coming, but it still has to feel good to have a hard figure to wrap your noodle around. Foxtel's HD+ is reportedly set to go live on June 22nd, with an HD VOD service and two puny HD tiers available at launch. The first tier consists of Fox Sports HD and ESPN HD, while the HD Explore package includes footage from BBC HD, National Geographic HD and Discovery HD. The tiers will set you back AUD $9.95 each per month (or AUD $14.95 for both), but how on Earth could you resist seeing the World Cup Qualifier between Australia and China in glorious high-definition this Sunday? That's right, you can't.

[Via iTWire]

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The first ever AVC/MPEG-2 HD camcorders are to go on sale this summer.
JVC’s Everio HD30 and HD40 are the first camcorders that capture picture in AVCHD (H.264) or MPEG-2 format with the ability to use either.
The dual-format provides access to the superior long time compression afforded by AVCHD, as well as MPEG-2’s superior editing and post-production environment.
With the ability to record up to 50 hours of 1920x1080 video in Extended Play mode, the HD40 also claims to be the “longest-running HD camcorder available”.

The market leader in the manufacture of optical disc production lines has upgraded its 2008 forecast for Blu-ray machines by 50% after receiving strong orders in the first three months of the year.
Along with “numerous orders” for Blu-ray lines from Europe and Asia, the company received its first major order for Blu-ray from the US.
Stefan Baustert, CEO of Singulus Technologies, said its order projections had been upped from 20 Blu-ray machines to “about 30 machines” for 2008.
He said a market share of more than 65 % was targeted for the Blu-ray segment.

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.”

Filed under: Displays, Others, LCD

As ASUS continues to rapidly dilute its Eee brand like it's going out of style, we still find the 42-inch Eee TV somewhat intriguing. It seems that the set was bolted up with a PlayStation 3 'round back, which was obviously used to pipe the Blu-ray version of Cars on-screen for onlookers to fawn over. Check out a few more snaps of the sides at Engadget Chinese.

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Filed under: Fiber

You downtown Portland residents must be cringing right now. Shortly after Happy Valley received word that FiOS TV was on the way, yet another locale on the outskirts of town is getting the same notification. Damascus is one step closer to having yet another option when it comes to programming, as the City Council voted to grant Verizon a cable franchise just this week. At this rate, the entire city of Portland will be surrounded with this stuff in a matter of months, but we all know how Verizon is about infiltrating actual metropolises.

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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.

Filed under: Displays, Hitachi, LCD, Plasma

Hitachi, like most every other flat-panel producer out there, has hit some shaky ground of late. Still, the outfit isn't planning to ditch its bread-and-butter anytime soon, and that's straight from the mouth of President Kazuo Furukawa. During a recent corporate strategy meeting, the exec affirmed that it would continue to position its flat-panel TV and hard drive divisions as "core businesses," as he saw promise in the fact that "the flat-panel TV market is growing on a global basis." He also made mention of a "Wooonet" networking service for TVs, which would reportedly get going next month. Sure sounds inviting, yeah?

[Via Reuters]

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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.

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.”

Filed under: Industry, Cable

We knew last month that Time Warner was looking to spin off its Time Warner Cable unit, but now the nitty-gritty details are starting to surface. Parent company Time Warner, Inc. will receive a $9.25 billion one-time cash dividend in the transaction, while TWC will "borrow $10.9 billion to fund the payout to its parent, which owns 84 percent, and other shareholders." CEO Jeffrey Bewkes was quoted as saying that "Time Warner no longer needs to own a cable operator to carry its movies and TV shows because it has established brands and more options for distribution," though the exact distribution form hasn't been decided upon just yet. [Disclosure: Engadget is part of the Time Warner family]

[Thanks, J. Goodwin]

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Filed under: Industry, Displays, Others, Sony

Although Sony's mesmerizing XEL-1 has been picked apart (and not entirely in a good way), the firm has just announced a breakthrough in OLED technology in conjunction with Idemitsu Kosan. The two have teamed up to achieve 28.5-percent internal quantum efficiency (IQE) in deep blue fluorescent OLED devices, the "world's highest level of luminous efficiency for this technology." Though there's quite a bit of technobabble behind all of this, the gist is this: blue OLEDs are the most energy-intensive of the three primary RGB colors, and the development is expected to "significantly reduce the power consumption of OLED panels." Granted, most of the release is just bragging, but we ought to find out what this really means for consumers in the not-too-distant future.

[Via FarEastGizmos]

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Filed under: Misc

Hear this, Australians: we know you're pretty stoked about the forthcoming launch of Foxtel's high-def services, but a few more stations could be on the way shortly. Reportedly, post facility Omnilab Media has landed a long-term agreement with Movie Network Channels that will see an HD studio constructed for the channels. Currently, Omnilab handles all post-production work for MNC, which consists of Movie One, Movie Two, Movie Extra and Movie Greats -- all of which are seen on Foxtel. If all goes well, the facility will be completed in August, but what exactly it plans on using the sweet new equipment for remains to be seen.

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Filed under: Industry, Cable, Internet

After being accused of slowing traffic on peer-to-peer applications and eventually fessing up at least somewhat to controlling throughput, Comcast has went and sunk some cash into a P2P video-delivery startup. Seattle-based GridNetworks announced this week that the mega-corp would make "an unspecified investment in the company and collaborate on developing so-called peer-to-peer file-sharing techniques that are friendly to internet service providers." Outside of that, what the deal means for either party has yet to be fully revealed, but regardless of future plans, one can't help but chuckle at the glaring irony of the whole ordeal.

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