Harman Kardon has just unveiled their brand new Cinespecial 29, bringing the high end 29 DVD player and the uber powerful AVR 350 A/V receiver in a totally new industrial design. Let’s sit back and see what the AVR 350 has to offer for consumers. For starters, the 7.1 channel AVR 350 receiver comes with a couple of HDMI 1.2a inputs that offer the ability to send and receive video signals in full HD (1080p) - you really can’t get anything better than that these days in your home. Not only that, you also benefit from the processing of associated audio signals along with upscaling of analog S-video or composite video signals to 720p (HDTV) thanks to Faroudja technology.
Other features include the EzSet/EQ automatic-calibration system, A/V Sync Delay for synchronizing audio and video signals, as well as the integration of The Bridge interface with expanded iPod audio and video playback, docking station, and remote control capability - all possible through the system remote. You can even configure the AVR 350 for multiroom operation, with the ability to configure back surround output levels in order to pipe audio to other rooms without the help of additional amplifiers courtesy of the A-BUS Ready system.
Components used by the AVR 350 include a Cirrus Logic CS49510 DSP processor, a high-resolution 192kHz/24-bit digital audio analog converter, a comprehensive bass manager and proprietary Harman Kardon Logic 7 processing, ensure realistic, detailed and pristine sound. As for the 29 DVD player, the extremely flat form factor might not look like much, but it does house a bunch of functions. Features include DVD Audio playback, all current video and audio formats, an integrated scaler for video upscaling, pixel-by-pixel image processing in progressive scan mode, and DivX technology for compressed video file support and playback. If you are not one who settles for less, the Harman Kardon Cinespecial 29 system will retail for €1,299 when it is released in October.
Source: http://www.coolest-gadgets.com
Friday, August 31, 2007
BURMESTER INTRODUCES NEW CLASSIC LINE CD PLAYER
CEDIA EXPO, DENVER, Sept. 6, 2007 — Burmester US, a division of Burmester Audiosysteme, Germany’s leading manufacturer of high-performance electronics and speakers, introduces the 061 Classic Line CD Player, combining a warm, natural musicality with a classically elegant design, at CEDIA EXPO ‘07, beginning here today.
The newest member of Burmester’s Classic Line, the 061 CD Player is a dedicated top-loading CD Playback system, refined for demanding audiophiles who recognize sophisticated product design and demand uncompromised sound quality equally matched with superior build quality. Completing an overhaul of the Classic Line, the 061 CD player features a Phillips CD 2 Pro direct drive with a modified servo board that guarantees high-resolution audio as well as an intensely musical sound. Further contributing to its superb performance are advanced converter technology with switchable upsampling rates of 96 and 192 kHz, and top-of-the-line analog output stages.
The precision top loader is made of milled aluminum with a 10-millimeter thick tray that opens and closes as softly as butter on Teflon rails, making it a pleasure to insert a CD.
The 061 CD Player is also strongly protected against early obsolescence. Its built-in D/A converters are mounted on a separate D/A converter module that can be upgraded or retrofitted as needed for future developments. A multimedia Interface slot for future applications is also included, further enabling the 061 CD Player to accommodate new digital enhancements.
The 061 CD Player’s connection panel includes two digital RCA inputs and outputs, one Toslink optical digital input and output, a balanced XLR stereo output, and two unbalanced stereo RCA stereo outputs. All incoming digital signals are upsampled to the sample rate selected by the sample rate converter, and the D/A converter can also be used externally through the CD Player’s digital inputs. A remote control and Burmester Power 1.5 Cable are supplied as standard.
The 061 CD Player also features a unique security measure. Its serial number is indelibly stored in its control chips, and can be displayed by the user on the front-panel’s dot-matrix display. Any unauthorized change of the number will shut down the player, to be revived exclusively by Burmester.
The 061 CD Player can be optionally equipped with the newest version of Burmester’s BurLinkTM interface, which features RS-232 and USB2.0 ports. It’s ideal for integration with home automation systems, such as those from CrestronTM, AMXTM and other manufacturers.
Burmester’s new 061 Classic Line CD Player is available now in silver housing with a chrome front panel at a suggested price of $11,995. It can be seen with the company’s other outstanding products at the Hilton Garden Inn Downtown, 1400 Welton Street (2 blocks from the Colorado Convention Center), during CEDIA EXPO.
About Burmester US
Burmester US is a wholly owned operation of Burmester Audiosysteme GMBH, Germany’s leader in high-end audio and one of the most respected names among manufacturers of high-quality stereo systems worldwide. Burmester’s product line goes back 30 years. Today, product lines include the moderately priced Rondo Line, the ambitious Classic Line, the Top Line (suiting listeners’ highest needs), and the no-compromise Reference Line. These lines include pre amplifiers and power amplifiers, multichannel amplifiers, integrated amplifiers, CD and DVD players, surround sound processors, FM tuners, power conditioners, speakers, and accessories for both two-channel and multichannel systems. Burmester offerings vary in price but never in their dedication to quality and musical performance at the highest level. All Burmester components fulfill the most stringent demands with respect to sound quality, reliability and ease of use, and all are beautifully, elegantly finished.
Burmester is also the appointed, exclusive partner for Bugatti to supply the sound systems for the Veyron 16.4.
For further technical information, visit www.burmester.de, or call Burmester US at 877-287-6310.
source: http://www.hometoys.com
The newest member of Burmester’s Classic Line, the 061 CD Player is a dedicated top-loading CD Playback system, refined for demanding audiophiles who recognize sophisticated product design and demand uncompromised sound quality equally matched with superior build quality. Completing an overhaul of the Classic Line, the 061 CD player features a Phillips CD 2 Pro direct drive with a modified servo board that guarantees high-resolution audio as well as an intensely musical sound. Further contributing to its superb performance are advanced converter technology with switchable upsampling rates of 96 and 192 kHz, and top-of-the-line analog output stages.
The precision top loader is made of milled aluminum with a 10-millimeter thick tray that opens and closes as softly as butter on Teflon rails, making it a pleasure to insert a CD.
The 061 CD Player is also strongly protected against early obsolescence. Its built-in D/A converters are mounted on a separate D/A converter module that can be upgraded or retrofitted as needed for future developments. A multimedia Interface slot for future applications is also included, further enabling the 061 CD Player to accommodate new digital enhancements.
The 061 CD Player’s connection panel includes two digital RCA inputs and outputs, one Toslink optical digital input and output, a balanced XLR stereo output, and two unbalanced stereo RCA stereo outputs. All incoming digital signals are upsampled to the sample rate selected by the sample rate converter, and the D/A converter can also be used externally through the CD Player’s digital inputs. A remote control and Burmester Power 1.5 Cable are supplied as standard.
The 061 CD Player also features a unique security measure. Its serial number is indelibly stored in its control chips, and can be displayed by the user on the front-panel’s dot-matrix display. Any unauthorized change of the number will shut down the player, to be revived exclusively by Burmester.
The 061 CD Player can be optionally equipped with the newest version of Burmester’s BurLinkTM interface, which features RS-232 and USB2.0 ports. It’s ideal for integration with home automation systems, such as those from CrestronTM, AMXTM and other manufacturers.
Burmester’s new 061 Classic Line CD Player is available now in silver housing with a chrome front panel at a suggested price of $11,995. It can be seen with the company’s other outstanding products at the Hilton Garden Inn Downtown, 1400 Welton Street (2 blocks from the Colorado Convention Center), during CEDIA EXPO.
About Burmester US
Burmester US is a wholly owned operation of Burmester Audiosysteme GMBH, Germany’s leader in high-end audio and one of the most respected names among manufacturers of high-quality stereo systems worldwide. Burmester’s product line goes back 30 years. Today, product lines include the moderately priced Rondo Line, the ambitious Classic Line, the Top Line (suiting listeners’ highest needs), and the no-compromise Reference Line. These lines include pre amplifiers and power amplifiers, multichannel amplifiers, integrated amplifiers, CD and DVD players, surround sound processors, FM tuners, power conditioners, speakers, and accessories for both two-channel and multichannel systems. Burmester offerings vary in price but never in their dedication to quality and musical performance at the highest level. All Burmester components fulfill the most stringent demands with respect to sound quality, reliability and ease of use, and all are beautifully, elegantly finished.
Burmester is also the appointed, exclusive partner for Bugatti to supply the sound systems for the Veyron 16.4.
For further technical information, visit www.burmester.de, or call Burmester US at 877-287-6310.
source: http://www.hometoys.com
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Toshiba GigaBeat U Review
Toshiba has continually improved its gigabeat line of MP3 players since the release of its F series, but apparently last year’s S series was the peak. The latest in the line is the gigabeat U, a tiny flash-based player with Toshiba’s signature crossbar controls. Unfortunately, it doesn’t have its big brother’s sweet Windows Mobile interface, making it feel pretty much like the rest of the also-ran flash players. For some reason, Toshiba is playing up the line-in MP3 recording feature, but we’re more impressed with the fact that you get a decent-sounding 2GB music player for under 100 bucks.
If cheaper is better, the gigabeat U ranks up near the top. But other than the aggressive price, there’s not a whole to differentiate it from the rest of the pack. The player is very compact at 3 by 1.4 by 0.5 inches, and it has a squint-worthy 1.1-inch OLED screen. The four-way cross-shaped controls surround a center select button, and just beneath the screen are Back and contextual menu buttons marked with an arrow and an odd-looking squiggle, respectively.
On top there’s a power/hold switch, and on the bottom there’s a standard mini-USB 2.0 connector and an eighth-inch headphone/line-in jack. The player’s metallic textured finish isn’t nearly as attractive as the glossy finish on the larger S series, but it still manages to look cute.
The gigabeat U is exclusively a Media Transfer Protocol device, meaning it only syncs with Windows-based music management software like Windows Media Player and Yahoo Music Jukebox. Once again, Mac users and Audible audiobook fans are left out in the cold. It supports WMA, protected WMA (download and subscription), WAV, and MP3 files, and it’s one of the only players out there to support WMA Lossless, though that’s not particularly useful on a 2GB player given the size of lossless files.
Navigating the gigabeat’s simple but unpolished interface isn’t difficult, but it’s definitely no Windows Mobile; I wouldn’t mind the boring menus if my expectations hadn’t been set by previous gigabeat models. There’s a slight lag when browsing your music, but it’s not frustratingly slow.
You can see six lines of text plus the header line, but scrolling through long lists (at least, as long as you’re going to get with only 2GB of storage) isn’t painful. It’s not very precise either; when you scroll extensively, lists keep scrolling for a couple lines after you release the up or down button. One thing I like is that when you get to the end of a list, you’re automatically brought back to the top of the list.
Every time you make a selection, there’s an audible high-pitched sound that’s not annoying enough to make me stop using the player, but one does wonder why Toshiba didn’t catch this before release.
You can create playlists on the fly via the misnamed bookmarking feature, but you can’t actually make bookmarks (automatic go-to spots within a file). Musicians and language learners will be glad to know there’s an A-B repeat feature for looping parts of a track.
The system noise is limited to button presses and isn’t present during playback, thankfully. The gigabeat’s overall sound quality when paired with decent headphones (like my Shure SE 420’s) is very good across the entire audible frequency range, and I didn’t hear any significant distortion at top volume. The headphone output is powerful enough to hit moderate volumes on full-size cans from the likes of Sennheiser and Grado, and it has no problem with any of the in-ear headphones I tried.
The included earbuds suck, and I’m not impressed by any of the sound-enhancement settings (a 5-band EQ and a handful of presets), but those are par for the course. At least you get a very respectable 30 hours of audio playback time on a single charge.
The combo headphone/input jack is for lining in audio and recording in MP3 format — in real time (45 minute CD takes 45 minutes to record). Although you can’t monitor your recordings via headphones, there are left and right level monitors on the screen. I could hear the compression on recordings, but the quality is certainly passable. If you’ve got a powered mic, the gigabeat could make a good recorder in a pinch, but I’d prefer something that records uncompressed audio, or at least higher bit rate MP3s.
The gigabeat lacks a voice recorder, but it’s got an FM tuner that can pick up stations reasonably well, though fringe stations (like 88.3FM in Newark, New Jersey) aren’t particularly clear. You can also record from the radio, which I find more useful than line-in recording.
Photos look pretty lame (blocky and low-res) on the OLED screen, and the colors are oversaturated. Then again, do you really want to look at pictures on a 1.1 inch screen? I’ll pass. The only other extra is a countdown/sleep timer.
The gigabeat U clearly isn’t out to impress anyone, but it could make a decent stocking stuffer by the time the holidays roll around — if other players like the iPod nano and iRiver Clix haven’t dropped in price by then, that is. At this price, the Creative Zen V Plus is the gigabeat’s main competitor; I prefer the Zen slightly for its better radio reception, voice recorder, video support, and bigger screen.
Source: http://crunchgear.com
If cheaper is better, the gigabeat U ranks up near the top. But other than the aggressive price, there’s not a whole to differentiate it from the rest of the pack. The player is very compact at 3 by 1.4 by 0.5 inches, and it has a squint-worthy 1.1-inch OLED screen. The four-way cross-shaped controls surround a center select button, and just beneath the screen are Back and contextual menu buttons marked with an arrow and an odd-looking squiggle, respectively.
On top there’s a power/hold switch, and on the bottom there’s a standard mini-USB 2.0 connector and an eighth-inch headphone/line-in jack. The player’s metallic textured finish isn’t nearly as attractive as the glossy finish on the larger S series, but it still manages to look cute.
The gigabeat U is exclusively a Media Transfer Protocol device, meaning it only syncs with Windows-based music management software like Windows Media Player and Yahoo Music Jukebox. Once again, Mac users and Audible audiobook fans are left out in the cold. It supports WMA, protected WMA (download and subscription), WAV, and MP3 files, and it’s one of the only players out there to support WMA Lossless, though that’s not particularly useful on a 2GB player given the size of lossless files.
Navigating the gigabeat’s simple but unpolished interface isn’t difficult, but it’s definitely no Windows Mobile; I wouldn’t mind the boring menus if my expectations hadn’t been set by previous gigabeat models. There’s a slight lag when browsing your music, but it’s not frustratingly slow.
You can see six lines of text plus the header line, but scrolling through long lists (at least, as long as you’re going to get with only 2GB of storage) isn’t painful. It’s not very precise either; when you scroll extensively, lists keep scrolling for a couple lines after you release the up or down button. One thing I like is that when you get to the end of a list, you’re automatically brought back to the top of the list.
Every time you make a selection, there’s an audible high-pitched sound that’s not annoying enough to make me stop using the player, but one does wonder why Toshiba didn’t catch this before release.
You can create playlists on the fly via the misnamed bookmarking feature, but you can’t actually make bookmarks (automatic go-to spots within a file). Musicians and language learners will be glad to know there’s an A-B repeat feature for looping parts of a track.
The system noise is limited to button presses and isn’t present during playback, thankfully. The gigabeat’s overall sound quality when paired with decent headphones (like my Shure SE 420’s) is very good across the entire audible frequency range, and I didn’t hear any significant distortion at top volume. The headphone output is powerful enough to hit moderate volumes on full-size cans from the likes of Sennheiser and Grado, and it has no problem with any of the in-ear headphones I tried.
The included earbuds suck, and I’m not impressed by any of the sound-enhancement settings (a 5-band EQ and a handful of presets), but those are par for the course. At least you get a very respectable 30 hours of audio playback time on a single charge.
The combo headphone/input jack is for lining in audio and recording in MP3 format — in real time (45 minute CD takes 45 minutes to record). Although you can’t monitor your recordings via headphones, there are left and right level monitors on the screen. I could hear the compression on recordings, but the quality is certainly passable. If you’ve got a powered mic, the gigabeat could make a good recorder in a pinch, but I’d prefer something that records uncompressed audio, or at least higher bit rate MP3s.
The gigabeat lacks a voice recorder, but it’s got an FM tuner that can pick up stations reasonably well, though fringe stations (like 88.3FM in Newark, New Jersey) aren’t particularly clear. You can also record from the radio, which I find more useful than line-in recording.
Photos look pretty lame (blocky and low-res) on the OLED screen, and the colors are oversaturated. Then again, do you really want to look at pictures on a 1.1 inch screen? I’ll pass. The only other extra is a countdown/sleep timer.
The gigabeat U clearly isn’t out to impress anyone, but it could make a decent stocking stuffer by the time the holidays roll around — if other players like the iPod nano and iRiver Clix haven’t dropped in price by then, that is. At this price, the Creative Zen V Plus is the gigabeat’s main competitor; I prefer the Zen slightly for its better radio reception, voice recorder, video support, and bigger screen.
Source: http://crunchgear.com
NordicTrack(R) Kicks Off Its Official Football Season Treadmill
LOGAN, UT -- 08/29/07 -- NordicTrack's Official Football Season Treadmill combines sports entertainment and exercise with a personal flat screen TV built into the console of the NordicTrack ViewPoint 3000. Now you don't have to sacrifice your workout to watch your favorite team, and you can transform "couch potato" time by walking and watching simultaneously.
The treadmill's cable and DVD-ready TV with built-in speakers also includes a multicolor display that shows your speed, time, distance and calories burned, so you don't have to miss a minute of the game to track your workout progress. And the progress will be phenomenal... if you walk at just 3 mph the entire game, you could burn more than 1,000 calories -- enough to balance out a plateful of chips and salsa! And with the extra wide treadbelt, there's no need to worry about losing your footing due to the excitement of the game.
For stadium-like sound experience, this NordicTrack treadmill boasts high-end surround-sound speakers that amplify the excitement of the game. Two 3-inch high-fidelity equalized speakers provide an optimum range of frequencies. There is also a built-in port to allow a full-range bass speaker, as well as an audio amplifier to maximize sound. And to keep everyone in the room happy, there's a built-in headphone jack so you can enjoy the game without disturbing others in the room... you'll just have to try to keep the cheers down!
With an integrated MP3 port, you can play football audio or video podcasts. Integrated speakers and a secure shelf mean you don't have to worry about losing your headphones or dropping your MP3 player while running.
For a pro-level workout, the NordicTrack® ViewPoint 3000 treadmill also offers users the voice and intelligence of a personal trainer using iFit® technology. Each iFit® workout card contains 24 different workouts in an eight-week program that builds toward a specific goal, such as weight loss or endurance. iFit® plans a new treadmill routine three times a week, each routine more challenging than the last. iFit® also coaches the user through the workout, providing tips for breathing correctly, reminding you to maintain good posture and automatically adjusting the treadmill's incline and speed.
The NordicTrack® ViewPoint 3000 treadmill has many other innovative features including:
-- QuickSpeed(TM) Control--instantly changes the speed from 0-12 MPH with
the touch of a button.
-- QuickIncline(TM) Control--instantly changes the incline from 0-12%
with the touch of a button.
-- Carb Counter(TM)--tracks the carbohydrates burned during a workout.
-- 14 Preset Workouts--allows you to choose everything from a low-
intensity walk to a high-intensity run, while the treadmill automatically
adjusts the speed and incline for goal-specific results.
-- 2 Learn Workouts--allows you to create and save up to two customized
workouts to be used over and over again for personalized results.
-- AutoBreeze(TM) Workout Fan--cools you down with four settings: low,
medium, high or AutoBreeze(TM), which matches the fan's airflow to your
speed.
-- EKG(TM) Heart Rate Monitor--provides a quick, accurate heart rate
reading with easy-grip sensors in the handlebars.
-- 350-lb. User Capacity
-- Warranty--lifetime motor warranty
-- Space Saver--folds for easy storage
The NordicTrack® ViewPoint 3000 is available exclusively at www.nordictrack.com for $1,199.
About NordicTrack
NordicTrack has a complete line of exercise equipment for the home: treadmills, elliptical machines, exercise bikes, strength training, yoga, and Pilates products, as well as fitness apparel for men and women which can be found at www.nordictrack.com.
NordicTrack is a brand owned by ICON Health and Fitness. ICON is one of the world's largest manufacturers of fitness equipment.
Source: http://www.earthtimes.org
The treadmill's cable and DVD-ready TV with built-in speakers also includes a multicolor display that shows your speed, time, distance and calories burned, so you don't have to miss a minute of the game to track your workout progress. And the progress will be phenomenal... if you walk at just 3 mph the entire game, you could burn more than 1,000 calories -- enough to balance out a plateful of chips and salsa! And with the extra wide treadbelt, there's no need to worry about losing your footing due to the excitement of the game.
For stadium-like sound experience, this NordicTrack treadmill boasts high-end surround-sound speakers that amplify the excitement of the game. Two 3-inch high-fidelity equalized speakers provide an optimum range of frequencies. There is also a built-in port to allow a full-range bass speaker, as well as an audio amplifier to maximize sound. And to keep everyone in the room happy, there's a built-in headphone jack so you can enjoy the game without disturbing others in the room... you'll just have to try to keep the cheers down!
With an integrated MP3 port, you can play football audio or video podcasts. Integrated speakers and a secure shelf mean you don't have to worry about losing your headphones or dropping your MP3 player while running.
For a pro-level workout, the NordicTrack® ViewPoint 3000 treadmill also offers users the voice and intelligence of a personal trainer using iFit® technology. Each iFit® workout card contains 24 different workouts in an eight-week program that builds toward a specific goal, such as weight loss or endurance. iFit® plans a new treadmill routine three times a week, each routine more challenging than the last. iFit® also coaches the user through the workout, providing tips for breathing correctly, reminding you to maintain good posture and automatically adjusting the treadmill's incline and speed.
The NordicTrack® ViewPoint 3000 treadmill has many other innovative features including:
-- QuickSpeed(TM) Control--instantly changes the speed from 0-12 MPH with
the touch of a button.
-- QuickIncline(TM) Control--instantly changes the incline from 0-12%
with the touch of a button.
-- Carb Counter(TM)--tracks the carbohydrates burned during a workout.
-- 14 Preset Workouts--allows you to choose everything from a low-
intensity walk to a high-intensity run, while the treadmill automatically
adjusts the speed and incline for goal-specific results.
-- 2 Learn Workouts--allows you to create and save up to two customized
workouts to be used over and over again for personalized results.
-- AutoBreeze(TM) Workout Fan--cools you down with four settings: low,
medium, high or AutoBreeze(TM), which matches the fan's airflow to your
speed.
-- EKG(TM) Heart Rate Monitor--provides a quick, accurate heart rate
reading with easy-grip sensors in the handlebars.
-- 350-lb. User Capacity
-- Warranty--lifetime motor warranty
-- Space Saver--folds for easy storage
The NordicTrack® ViewPoint 3000 is available exclusively at www.nordictrack.com for $1,199.
About NordicTrack
NordicTrack has a complete line of exercise equipment for the home: treadmills, elliptical machines, exercise bikes, strength training, yoga, and Pilates products, as well as fitness apparel for men and women which can be found at www.nordictrack.com.
NordicTrack is a brand owned by ICON Health and Fitness. ICON is one of the world's largest manufacturers of fitness equipment.
Source: http://www.earthtimes.org
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
TVs, PCs fight for living room space at tech fair
Internet TV, mobile TV and video on demand may be the talk of the technology sector. But when it comes to buying decisions at this week's IFA electronics fair, television sets are set to be bigger business than ever.
Exhibitors from around the world will descend on Berlin hoping to tempt almost a quarter of a million visitors expected at the show to upgrade to slimmer, sleeker TV sets promising sharper pictures and helped by rapidly falling prices.
"Glass, in the form of TVs, is going to be huge again," Gartner analyst Mike McGuire said. "I don't see the TV losing the space in the living room just yet."
Globally, more than 200 million TV sets are expected to be sold this year, worth about $115 billion, or more than a third of total consumer electronics sales. Of those, most will still be traditional curved-screen cathode-ray tube TVs.
Electronics manufacturers are hoping a looming cut-off of analog TV signals in the United States, Europe and parts of Japan together with slowly starting high-definition TV (HDTV) broadcasts will persuade consumers to exchange their old sets.
Thin-screen LCD or plasma versions are on average five times more expensive.
A TV from Grundig that can be watched outdoors and a Loewe HDTV that can communicate with digital cameras, MP3 players and PC networks will be among the thousands of models on display at Europe's biggest consumer electronics fair.
In time, though, televisions and other analog equipment are expected to be replaced by PC-based systems. Gartner estimates this will take another three to four years. By that time, most market researchers expect TV set sales to begin falling.
That development is being pushed not only by PC makers such as Hewlett-Packard or Fujitsu-Siemens who have been offering complete home-entertainment systems for years, but also telecom operators keen to enter a new market.
This year's IFA will include a daylong conference on IPTV, which is still being held back by limited broadband delivery capacity and content rights issues. Deutsche Telekom's stand display will focus on IPTV.
While frenzied demand for hot consumer electronics products such as MP3 portable music players has slowed this year, PC sales are reviving.
Makers of video games consoles are also vying for their devices to take a central place in the living room while the portable versions are gaining new features.
Sony, for example, is expanding a planned video download service for its PlayStation Portable and aims to start selling an accessory next year that will turn it into a satellite navigation device.
Navigation devices themselves, meantime, are becoming much more than route finders: iPublish will be showing off its Merian Scout Navigator that comes complete with audio guides that automatically play when you pass a place of interest.
Gartner's McGuire says the new generation of young adults will drive a move away from TV-centered homes.
"If you're a young adult who grew up playing on a PlayStation 3 it's easier conceptually to add on features, it's a kind of logical extension if those subsystems perform well," he says. "They're a kind of Trojan horse into the living room."
The IFA opens to the public on Friday and runs until Sept 5.
Source: http://news.com.com
Exhibitors from around the world will descend on Berlin hoping to tempt almost a quarter of a million visitors expected at the show to upgrade to slimmer, sleeker TV sets promising sharper pictures and helped by rapidly falling prices.
"Glass, in the form of TVs, is going to be huge again," Gartner analyst Mike McGuire said. "I don't see the TV losing the space in the living room just yet."
Globally, more than 200 million TV sets are expected to be sold this year, worth about $115 billion, or more than a third of total consumer electronics sales. Of those, most will still be traditional curved-screen cathode-ray tube TVs.
Electronics manufacturers are hoping a looming cut-off of analog TV signals in the United States, Europe and parts of Japan together with slowly starting high-definition TV (HDTV) broadcasts will persuade consumers to exchange their old sets.
Thin-screen LCD or plasma versions are on average five times more expensive.
A TV from Grundig that can be watched outdoors and a Loewe HDTV that can communicate with digital cameras, MP3 players and PC networks will be among the thousands of models on display at Europe's biggest consumer electronics fair.
In time, though, televisions and other analog equipment are expected to be replaced by PC-based systems. Gartner estimates this will take another three to four years. By that time, most market researchers expect TV set sales to begin falling.
That development is being pushed not only by PC makers such as Hewlett-Packard or Fujitsu-Siemens who have been offering complete home-entertainment systems for years, but also telecom operators keen to enter a new market.
This year's IFA will include a daylong conference on IPTV, which is still being held back by limited broadband delivery capacity and content rights issues. Deutsche Telekom's stand display will focus on IPTV.
While frenzied demand for hot consumer electronics products such as MP3 portable music players has slowed this year, PC sales are reviving.
Makers of video games consoles are also vying for their devices to take a central place in the living room while the portable versions are gaining new features.
Sony, for example, is expanding a planned video download service for its PlayStation Portable and aims to start selling an accessory next year that will turn it into a satellite navigation device.
Navigation devices themselves, meantime, are becoming much more than route finders: iPublish will be showing off its Merian Scout Navigator that comes complete with audio guides that automatically play when you pass a place of interest.
Gartner's McGuire says the new generation of young adults will drive a move away from TV-centered homes.
"If you're a young adult who grew up playing on a PlayStation 3 it's easier conceptually to add on features, it's a kind of logical extension if those subsystems perform well," he says. "They're a kind of Trojan horse into the living room."
The IFA opens to the public on Friday and runs until Sept 5.
Source: http://news.com.com
Akamai Brings High Definition to the Internet
Company defines key technology criteria for delivering high-definition (HD) Internet video
* Akamai's unique edge distribution architecture enables a quality HD experience by reducing latency and increasing capacity
CAMBRIDGE, MA, August 27, 2007 -- Akamai Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: AKAM), the leading global service provider for accelerating content and applications online, today announced that a consistent, high-definition video experience is now possible online via its global content distribution network. Akamai’s customers are now delivering HD quality content on Akamai’s uniquely distributed edge delivery network that is specifically tuned for optimal delivery of HD files online.
"As broadband connectivity becomes more ubiquitous, users are demanding – and frankly should expect – a high-quality, high-definition video experience on the Internet," said Mike Afergan, chief technology officer, Akamai. "Delivering premium HD content is a critical way for our customers to attract and delight their audiences in today's highly competitive media environment. We are just at the beginning of a very exciting market opportunity for delivering premium HD content. Consumer demand exists, broadband is ready, and businesses are looking for ways to maximize the value of their high-production HD content."
Technical Criteria for delivering HD
HDTV is defined by the industry to be video with significantly high pixel resolution of 1080i, 1080p or 720p. In the broadcast world, the industry is undergoing a series of transformations that are standardizing the delivery of high-definition video to the home. For the Internet, Akamai is making the HD web possible by continuing to refine the infrastructure required to bring the HDTV experience to online audiences. Additionally, Akamai will continue to lead this effort with new service launches, device integration, and partnerships with technology vendors, expected in the coming months.
Akamai has architected its platform to comply with the following technical criteria that content owners must leverage to successfully enable an HD web. Akamai believes that it is the first and only platform to meet these technical requirements which include offering:
* Technology and an operational model to operate serving devices in the largest high-throughput networks around the world (servers need to be physically in the networks, as that is where the capacity lies)
* Established relationships with the largest high throughput networks
* Support for delivery, storage, and management of files greater than 2 Gigabytes
* Support of VC-1 and MPEG-4 video standards, achieving visual parity with other broadcast video networks
* Support for files with resolutions of 720p, 1080i and 1080p
* Client-side technology that is deeply integrated into its delivery system to be deployed as appropriate
Industry studies have proven that without meeting these criteria, online audiences will become impatient, tune out, and find premium HD content that works elsewhere. By ensuring these requirements are met, content providers are able to avoid slow or delayed downloads, the inability to serve HD content in its entirety, download interruptions, limited audience reach, and overall poor end-user satisfaction, which often accompany the download of large files. In addition, multi-player compatibility is crucial to meet the needs of a diverse end user community.
The Market is Ready
"As broadband video viewership has escalated, consumers have raised the stakes by demanding better and better content experiences," said Will Richmond, president and founder of Broadband Directions LLC, a market intelligence and consulting firm specializing in broadband-delivered video. "To deliver against these requirements, media and entertainment companies need to offer higher bit rate files with enhanced online fidelity of video and audio files. Doing so in a scalable and cost-effective manner requires that the necessary infrastructure to support high definition content must be deployed."
"The capacity to deliver high throughput files already exists at the 'edge' – leveraging the massive build-outs occurring in hundreds of individual networks. The challenge comes from how you tap into that capacity. The only way to solve this problem is to deliver from within these networks," continued Akamai's Afergan. "For example, on our distributed platform, we serve more than half of all the files, 500 MB or greater, at more than 1.4 Mbps, and this is only increasing. This demonstrates that, by leveraging the right architecture, there are already a large number of end-users capable of downloading higher quality content. This technical capability coupled with the market demand is exciting for the industry."
Akamai's Unique Architecture for High Throughput Media
To realize this same vision and fidelity in the online world, a 2-hour feature-length movie would need to be encoded at a bit rate of at least 6-8 Mbps, which would result in the file being a size of 5-8 GB. This presents numerous technical challenges to deliver such a high-quality, large file. For instance, delivering a file encoded at 6 Mbps to an audience of one Nielsen ratings point (1,102,000 households) would require 6.6 Terabits of sustained bandwidth, and that doesn’t even take into account latency and network congestion.
The availability of very large, last-mile bandwidth connections does not always mean that an end user will be able to completely leverage that access. A critical factor to enable high bit rate delivery of very large HD files is the proximity of the end-user to the server sending the file. As the distance from the server becomes greater, throughput dramatically decreases. Even a seemingly small distance can result in lost throughput due to lower throughput, higher packet loss, and increased latency.
As an example, the only way to achieve 10 to 20 Mbps throughput for typical PC end-users is if the server is less than 20 milliseconds away. The more latency, the longer it takes to download the file, which interrupts the viewing experience and results in a poor end-user experience. Compared with other centralized models, the results that Akamai's network offers high quality content are unmatched on a global scale.
Broadband subscribers are guaranteed to have a faster download, and enjoy a quality HD experience, when downloading content from servers nearby the request. With servers distributed in over 750 cities, Akamai addresses these technology requirements with its unique edge delivery model that reduces latency to levels necessary for a quality HD experience. Because distance matters for high-quality large files, all content, whether it is frequently or rarely requested, must be served closest to the end user. Akamai's unique technology automatically and instantly spreads popular content on-demand for better scalability.
In addition, many large HD videos are not always watched in their entirety. It is therefore optimal to locally cache only the portion of a file that is most requested by end users, which on average is the beginning of the file or movie. This partial caching of HD video enables both popular and less popular, long-tail content to be served from the edge to guarantee optimal performance.
"Akamai's goal is to be able to support 100 Terabits per second of traffic. Our flexible and distributed architecture uniquely positions us to realize that vision and we are aggressively progressing toward that goal," said Afergan. "We are also committed to the long-term objective of building an ecosystem linking content owners, network providers and video platform players to ensure a superior HD web experience wherever last-mile infrastructure permits."
About Akamai
Akamai® is the leading global service provider for accelerating content and business processes online. Thousands of organizations have formed trusted relationships with Akamai, improving their revenue and reducing costs by maximizing the performance of their online businesses. Leveraging the Akamai EdgePlatform, these organizations gain business advantage today, and have the foundation for the emerging Web solutions of tomorrow. Akamai is "The Trusted Choice for Online Business." For more information, visit www.akamai.com.
Source: http://www.allamericanpatriots.com
* Akamai's unique edge distribution architecture enables a quality HD experience by reducing latency and increasing capacity
CAMBRIDGE, MA, August 27, 2007 -- Akamai Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: AKAM), the leading global service provider for accelerating content and applications online, today announced that a consistent, high-definition video experience is now possible online via its global content distribution network. Akamai’s customers are now delivering HD quality content on Akamai’s uniquely distributed edge delivery network that is specifically tuned for optimal delivery of HD files online.
"As broadband connectivity becomes more ubiquitous, users are demanding – and frankly should expect – a high-quality, high-definition video experience on the Internet," said Mike Afergan, chief technology officer, Akamai. "Delivering premium HD content is a critical way for our customers to attract and delight their audiences in today's highly competitive media environment. We are just at the beginning of a very exciting market opportunity for delivering premium HD content. Consumer demand exists, broadband is ready, and businesses are looking for ways to maximize the value of their high-production HD content."
Technical Criteria for delivering HD
HDTV is defined by the industry to be video with significantly high pixel resolution of 1080i, 1080p or 720p. In the broadcast world, the industry is undergoing a series of transformations that are standardizing the delivery of high-definition video to the home. For the Internet, Akamai is making the HD web possible by continuing to refine the infrastructure required to bring the HDTV experience to online audiences. Additionally, Akamai will continue to lead this effort with new service launches, device integration, and partnerships with technology vendors, expected in the coming months.
Akamai has architected its platform to comply with the following technical criteria that content owners must leverage to successfully enable an HD web. Akamai believes that it is the first and only platform to meet these technical requirements which include offering:
* Technology and an operational model to operate serving devices in the largest high-throughput networks around the world (servers need to be physically in the networks, as that is where the capacity lies)
* Established relationships with the largest high throughput networks
* Support for delivery, storage, and management of files greater than 2 Gigabytes
* Support of VC-1 and MPEG-4 video standards, achieving visual parity with other broadcast video networks
* Support for files with resolutions of 720p, 1080i and 1080p
* Client-side technology that is deeply integrated into its delivery system to be deployed as appropriate
Industry studies have proven that without meeting these criteria, online audiences will become impatient, tune out, and find premium HD content that works elsewhere. By ensuring these requirements are met, content providers are able to avoid slow or delayed downloads, the inability to serve HD content in its entirety, download interruptions, limited audience reach, and overall poor end-user satisfaction, which often accompany the download of large files. In addition, multi-player compatibility is crucial to meet the needs of a diverse end user community.
The Market is Ready
"As broadband video viewership has escalated, consumers have raised the stakes by demanding better and better content experiences," said Will Richmond, president and founder of Broadband Directions LLC, a market intelligence and consulting firm specializing in broadband-delivered video. "To deliver against these requirements, media and entertainment companies need to offer higher bit rate files with enhanced online fidelity of video and audio files. Doing so in a scalable and cost-effective manner requires that the necessary infrastructure to support high definition content must be deployed."
"The capacity to deliver high throughput files already exists at the 'edge' – leveraging the massive build-outs occurring in hundreds of individual networks. The challenge comes from how you tap into that capacity. The only way to solve this problem is to deliver from within these networks," continued Akamai's Afergan. "For example, on our distributed platform, we serve more than half of all the files, 500 MB or greater, at more than 1.4 Mbps, and this is only increasing. This demonstrates that, by leveraging the right architecture, there are already a large number of end-users capable of downloading higher quality content. This technical capability coupled with the market demand is exciting for the industry."
Akamai's Unique Architecture for High Throughput Media
To realize this same vision and fidelity in the online world, a 2-hour feature-length movie would need to be encoded at a bit rate of at least 6-8 Mbps, which would result in the file being a size of 5-8 GB. This presents numerous technical challenges to deliver such a high-quality, large file. For instance, delivering a file encoded at 6 Mbps to an audience of one Nielsen ratings point (1,102,000 households) would require 6.6 Terabits of sustained bandwidth, and that doesn’t even take into account latency and network congestion.
The availability of very large, last-mile bandwidth connections does not always mean that an end user will be able to completely leverage that access. A critical factor to enable high bit rate delivery of very large HD files is the proximity of the end-user to the server sending the file. As the distance from the server becomes greater, throughput dramatically decreases. Even a seemingly small distance can result in lost throughput due to lower throughput, higher packet loss, and increased latency.
As an example, the only way to achieve 10 to 20 Mbps throughput for typical PC end-users is if the server is less than 20 milliseconds away. The more latency, the longer it takes to download the file, which interrupts the viewing experience and results in a poor end-user experience. Compared with other centralized models, the results that Akamai's network offers high quality content are unmatched on a global scale.
Broadband subscribers are guaranteed to have a faster download, and enjoy a quality HD experience, when downloading content from servers nearby the request. With servers distributed in over 750 cities, Akamai addresses these technology requirements with its unique edge delivery model that reduces latency to levels necessary for a quality HD experience. Because distance matters for high-quality large files, all content, whether it is frequently or rarely requested, must be served closest to the end user. Akamai's unique technology automatically and instantly spreads popular content on-demand for better scalability.
In addition, many large HD videos are not always watched in their entirety. It is therefore optimal to locally cache only the portion of a file that is most requested by end users, which on average is the beginning of the file or movie. This partial caching of HD video enables both popular and less popular, long-tail content to be served from the edge to guarantee optimal performance.
"Akamai's goal is to be able to support 100 Terabits per second of traffic. Our flexible and distributed architecture uniquely positions us to realize that vision and we are aggressively progressing toward that goal," said Afergan. "We are also committed to the long-term objective of building an ecosystem linking content owners, network providers and video platform players to ensure a superior HD web experience wherever last-mile infrastructure permits."
About Akamai
Akamai® is the leading global service provider for accelerating content and business processes online. Thousands of organizations have formed trusted relationships with Akamai, improving their revenue and reducing costs by maximizing the performance of their online businesses. Leveraging the Akamai EdgePlatform, these organizations gain business advantage today, and have the foundation for the emerging Web solutions of tomorrow. Akamai is "The Trusted Choice for Online Business." For more information, visit www.akamai.com.
Source: http://www.allamericanpatriots.com
Powerhouse notebook acts as HD theatre
Toshiba laptop is an all in one entertainment and productivity centre
8/28/2007 8:58:00 AM
by Lee Rickwood
Today's PC aficionado is always on the lookout for ‘something more' from their computer systems, whether the hardcore gaming computer type or the established extreme professional user.
Toshiba is producing a notebook that acts as a television, digital music player, computer, HD DVD burner and HD DVD player all in one.
Toshiba's Qosmio G40, built around Intel's mobile Santa Rosa chipset - with the T7300P Core 2 Duo processor - features built-in dual 200GB hard drives, and 2GB RAM standard. Toshiba's Qosmio is built with a surplus of power, memory and storage to handle demanding HD video requirements.
Flip open the lid, and you're looking at a gorgeous 17-inch screen, delivering resolutions up to 1920 x 1200. The screen's powered by the GeForce 8600 GT graphics controller from NVIDIA, for excellent gaming and video playback performance.
The Qosmio G40 is the first notebook I have seen with a built-in HD-DVD-R drive, for recording and playback of the highest quality videos and movies. Output from the notebook to an HDTV or widescreen flat panel is easy - the latest HDMI 1.3 connection is built in, eliminating the need for multiple audio and video hook-up cables.
Control over this ultra-capable computer is just as feature-packed. It does have a remote controller, so you could just sit on your comfy couch and watch HD movies all day without getting up! Or, you could use its cool built-in joywheel, located just above the keyboard, and with one finger, spin through your DVDs or music library.
The Qosmio is available in a black and grey colour combination, so it looks as cool as it is capable. As you might expect, it is no lightweight - either in heft, over nine pounds, or in price - it starts at $2,799.
Source: http://www.itbusiness.ca
8/28/2007 8:58:00 AM
by Lee Rickwood
Today's PC aficionado is always on the lookout for ‘something more' from their computer systems, whether the hardcore gaming computer type or the established extreme professional user.
Toshiba is producing a notebook that acts as a television, digital music player, computer, HD DVD burner and HD DVD player all in one.
Toshiba's Qosmio G40, built around Intel's mobile Santa Rosa chipset - with the T7300P Core 2 Duo processor - features built-in dual 200GB hard drives, and 2GB RAM standard. Toshiba's Qosmio is built with a surplus of power, memory and storage to handle demanding HD video requirements.
Flip open the lid, and you're looking at a gorgeous 17-inch screen, delivering resolutions up to 1920 x 1200. The screen's powered by the GeForce 8600 GT graphics controller from NVIDIA, for excellent gaming and video playback performance.
The Qosmio G40 is the first notebook I have seen with a built-in HD-DVD-R drive, for recording and playback of the highest quality videos and movies. Output from the notebook to an HDTV or widescreen flat panel is easy - the latest HDMI 1.3 connection is built in, eliminating the need for multiple audio and video hook-up cables.
Control over this ultra-capable computer is just as feature-packed. It does have a remote controller, so you could just sit on your comfy couch and watch HD movies all day without getting up! Or, you could use its cool built-in joywheel, located just above the keyboard, and with one finger, spin through your DVDs or music library.
The Qosmio is available in a black and grey colour combination, so it looks as cool as it is capable. As you might expect, it is no lightweight - either in heft, over nine pounds, or in price - it starts at $2,799.
Source: http://www.itbusiness.ca
Olevia(TM) Debuts New 65'' LCoS(TM) Full-HD 1080p HDTV
New LCoS(TM) HDTV Displayed Alongside 65" LCD HDTV at CEDIA Expo 2007 - Olevia(TM) Booth #822
By BusinessWire
TEMPE, Ariz., BUSINESS WIRE -- Syntax-Brillian (Nasdaq:BRLC), a manufacturer and marketer of LCD and LCoS(TM) HDTVs and digital entertainment products, today announced the debut of a new 65" LCoS(TM) HDTV, model number 665H in its popular Olevia(TM) brand of HDTVs. The Olevia(TM) 665H includes premium features and technology for the mainstream consumer and commercial markets.
The Olevia(TM) 665H features full-HD 1080p resolution. It will be on display along with the 65" Olevia(TM) 665i LCD HDTV and award-winning Olevia(TM) 747i 47" LCD HDTV in Booth #822 at the CEDIA EXPO 2007 trade show at the Denver Convention Center in Denver, Colorado, from September 6-9, 2007.
The Olevia(TM) 665H LCoS(TM) HDTV features include:
-- Utilizes the award-winning, 6-megapixel Brillian UltraContrast(TM) LCoS(TM) light engine technology with true 1920x1080p resolution and Pixelworks DNX video processing
-- High-definition native resolution 1920x1080 panels and a super fast 4ms response time ideal for fast-action viewing
-- Dynamic contrast ratio of 2000:1, a cinematic 16:9 aspect ratio, and 90% fill factor to eliminate pixelation
-- Versatile connectivity options including: 1 ATSC/NTSC combo tuners, 2 HDMI with HDCP, 2 component, VGA, 2 S-video, 2 composite, PC Input supporting HDMI, VGA-1920x1080 @ 60 Hz and RF Inputs for standard definition TV, 480i, 480p, 720p, 1080i and 1080p
-- RS-232 control, FutureProof(TM) user upgradeable firmware via USB, overscan minimization with Big Picture Technology(TM) and OleviaCare(TM) customer support
-- MSRP: $1,999; available through regional retailers and custom installation specialist beginning Q4 2007
"The new full-HD Olevia(TM) 665H continues Syntax-Brillian's tradition of LCoS(TM) technology innovation and is an attractive choice for anyone interested in premium performance whether in the mainstream consumer or commercial markets," said Sam Miller, Chief Product Officer for Syntax-Brillian. "In both LCD and LCoS(TM) technologies, Olevia(TM) HDTVs continue to provide consumers with an increasing array of compelling display choices that combine advanced digital-image processing technologies with engineering excellence to create products that stand out with stunning picture quality, powerful performance and elegant design."
About Syntax-Brillian Corporation
Syntax-Brillian Corporation (www.syntaxbrillian.com) is one of the world's leading manufacturers and marketers of LCD and LCoS(TM) HDTVs, digital cameras, and microdisplay entertainment products.
The company's lead products include its Olevia(TM) brand (www.Olevia.com) high definition widescreen LCD and LCoS televisions -- one of the fastest growing global TV brands -- and Vivitar brand (www.vivitar.com) digital still and video cameras. Syntax-Brillian has built an Asian supply chain coupled with an international manufacturing and distribution network to support worldwide retail sales channels and position the company as a market leader in consumer digital entertainment products.
Olevia(TM), Brillian, LCoS and Vivitar are trademarks or registered trademarks of Syntax-Brillian Corporation. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
Source: http://dmnnewswire.digitalmedianet.com
By BusinessWire
TEMPE, Ariz., BUSINESS WIRE -- Syntax-Brillian (Nasdaq:BRLC), a manufacturer and marketer of LCD and LCoS(TM) HDTVs and digital entertainment products, today announced the debut of a new 65" LCoS(TM) HDTV, model number 665H in its popular Olevia(TM) brand of HDTVs. The Olevia(TM) 665H includes premium features and technology for the mainstream consumer and commercial markets.
The Olevia(TM) 665H features full-HD 1080p resolution. It will be on display along with the 65" Olevia(TM) 665i LCD HDTV and award-winning Olevia(TM) 747i 47" LCD HDTV in Booth #822 at the CEDIA EXPO 2007 trade show at the Denver Convention Center in Denver, Colorado, from September 6-9, 2007.
The Olevia(TM) 665H LCoS(TM) HDTV features include:
-- Utilizes the award-winning, 6-megapixel Brillian UltraContrast(TM) LCoS(TM) light engine technology with true 1920x1080p resolution and Pixelworks DNX video processing
-- High-definition native resolution 1920x1080 panels and a super fast 4ms response time ideal for fast-action viewing
-- Dynamic contrast ratio of 2000:1, a cinematic 16:9 aspect ratio, and 90% fill factor to eliminate pixelation
-- Versatile connectivity options including: 1 ATSC/NTSC combo tuners, 2 HDMI with HDCP, 2 component, VGA, 2 S-video, 2 composite, PC Input supporting HDMI, VGA-1920x1080 @ 60 Hz and RF Inputs for standard definition TV, 480i, 480p, 720p, 1080i and 1080p
-- RS-232 control, FutureProof(TM) user upgradeable firmware via USB, overscan minimization with Big Picture Technology(TM) and OleviaCare(TM) customer support
-- MSRP: $1,999; available through regional retailers and custom installation specialist beginning Q4 2007
"The new full-HD Olevia(TM) 665H continues Syntax-Brillian's tradition of LCoS(TM) technology innovation and is an attractive choice for anyone interested in premium performance whether in the mainstream consumer or commercial markets," said Sam Miller, Chief Product Officer for Syntax-Brillian. "In both LCD and LCoS(TM) technologies, Olevia(TM) HDTVs continue to provide consumers with an increasing array of compelling display choices that combine advanced digital-image processing technologies with engineering excellence to create products that stand out with stunning picture quality, powerful performance and elegant design."
About Syntax-Brillian Corporation
Syntax-Brillian Corporation (www.syntaxbrillian.com) is one of the world's leading manufacturers and marketers of LCD and LCoS(TM) HDTVs, digital cameras, and microdisplay entertainment products.
The company's lead products include its Olevia(TM) brand (www.Olevia.com) high definition widescreen LCD and LCoS televisions -- one of the fastest growing global TV brands -- and Vivitar brand (www.vivitar.com) digital still and video cameras. Syntax-Brillian has built an Asian supply chain coupled with an international manufacturing and distribution network to support worldwide retail sales channels and position the company as a market leader in consumer digital entertainment products.
Olevia(TM), Brillian, LCoS and Vivitar are trademarks or registered trademarks of Syntax-Brillian Corporation. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
Source: http://dmnnewswire.digitalmedianet.com
The end of an era: The analog switch-off nears
NTSC, the analog television system standard that has brought America’s most-loved broadcasts to living rooms since 1941 — from The Honeymooners to the The Ed Sullivan Show to Seinfeld — is on its way out. Beginning February 17, 2009, all U.S. television broadcasts will be exclusively digital.
The analog switch-off will render all non-digital televisions obsolete and herald a new era of television technologies. The initiative is part of a worldwide trend toward digital-only broadcasting. Luxembourg and the Netherlands were the first countries to make the switch in 2006; Sweden and Switzerland are soon to follow.
To ease the transition, most U.S. broadcasting companies are currently beaming their signals in both analog and digital formats. As of March of this year, all newly manufactured television sets that receive over-the-air signals have been required to include digital or high definition (HDTV) tuners, by order of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).
The advantages of digital television include special services such as multiplexing (more than one program on the same channel), electronic program guides, and additional languages. Digital channels also take up less bandwidth, meaning that broadcasters can provide more channels in the same space. Thanks to cable and satellite services, consumers can surf through literally hundreds of channels. Voluntary standards from the Society of Cable Telecommunications Engineers (SCTE), a member and accredited standards developer of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), helps TV viewers take advantage of television’s countless possibilities.
Digital Transmission Standard For Cable Television, ANSI/SCTE 07 2006, describes the channel coding, modulation, and framing structure for digital, multi-service distribution for cable TV. The system can be used with satellite distribution, since many cable systems are fed directly from satellite links. ANSI/SCTE 40-2004, Digital Cable Network Interface Standard, specifies the network interface between consumer TV equipment and a cable television plant to enable multi-channel programming.
Another ANSI member and accredited standards developer the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) is currently at work on standards that will help further support the thriving industry. BSR/IEEE 1632-200x, will detail methods for measuring the power level of digitally-modulated television signals, while BSR/IEEE 1631-200x will specify means of measuring the frequency spectrum. Both standards will include definitions to apply and interpret the measurement techniques.
Source: http://www.reliableplant.com
The analog switch-off will render all non-digital televisions obsolete and herald a new era of television technologies. The initiative is part of a worldwide trend toward digital-only broadcasting. Luxembourg and the Netherlands were the first countries to make the switch in 2006; Sweden and Switzerland are soon to follow.
To ease the transition, most U.S. broadcasting companies are currently beaming their signals in both analog and digital formats. As of March of this year, all newly manufactured television sets that receive over-the-air signals have been required to include digital or high definition (HDTV) tuners, by order of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).
The advantages of digital television include special services such as multiplexing (more than one program on the same channel), electronic program guides, and additional languages. Digital channels also take up less bandwidth, meaning that broadcasters can provide more channels in the same space. Thanks to cable and satellite services, consumers can surf through literally hundreds of channels. Voluntary standards from the Society of Cable Telecommunications Engineers (SCTE), a member and accredited standards developer of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), helps TV viewers take advantage of television’s countless possibilities.
Digital Transmission Standard For Cable Television, ANSI/SCTE 07 2006, describes the channel coding, modulation, and framing structure for digital, multi-service distribution for cable TV. The system can be used with satellite distribution, since many cable systems are fed directly from satellite links. ANSI/SCTE 40-2004, Digital Cable Network Interface Standard, specifies the network interface between consumer TV equipment and a cable television plant to enable multi-channel programming.
Another ANSI member and accredited standards developer the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) is currently at work on standards that will help further support the thriving industry. BSR/IEEE 1632-200x, will detail methods for measuring the power level of digitally-modulated television signals, while BSR/IEEE 1631-200x will specify means of measuring the frequency spectrum. Both standards will include definitions to apply and interpret the measurement techniques.
Source: http://www.reliableplant.com
Friday, August 24, 2007
Casio's slim Exilim EX-Z77 has plenty of shooting modes and easy uploading to YouTube. Will it be our celebrity-spotting compact camera of choice?
Design
One of our favorite aspects of Casio cameras in general is the body. While weighing in a bit heavier than some similarly-sized cameras, we find a bit of weight to be preferable, especially in slim-design point-and-shoot models. The camera feels solid, very well-made, and the metal body resisted minor falls and scrapes. All the buttons were responsive, and most were labeled well enough to understand without too much difficulty. The lens retracts into the body when the camera is turned off or in photo review mode, providing reasonable protection.
The 2.6" LCD screen serves as an effective viewfinder, but the low-resolution screen wasn't a good indicator of whether a picture would turn out well once it was on our computer. Still, we understand this is a problem that will be endemic to high-megapixel cameras.
Interface and Features
The Z77 has no shortage of menus. We had trouble familiarizing ourselves, but we can forgive navigational issues, thanks to the EX-Z77's myriad included features. The expansive menus can be a bit intimidating, but the Z77's impressive feature set can hardly be contained. Two of our favorite features are Best Shot and the YouTube capture mode. Best Shot (BS, they're acronym, not ours) is a group of presets for various picture-taking scenarios. It certainly isn't perfect, but makes taking shots of things like running water, twilight and landscapes a lot easier, especially for Joe Q. Pointandshoot. Still, we miss some of the BS modes we've seen on other Exilim's, especially the Panorama mode.
Even more interesting than Best Shot is the YouTube capture mode. Digital cameras have long been able to record video for the popular viral video web site, but the process for uploading was not for the uninitiated. First, you had to get the .avi file onto the computer. Second, use video-editing software to shrink it to a manageable size that met YouTube's size limit of 100MB. Finally, use the web upload tool on the web site to upload the video and enter any description.
With the YouTube capture mode on the Z77 and the included YouTube Uploader software, Casio simply took a few steps out of the equation. The uploader program pops up as soon as a camera or card is connected to the computer, and every video is listed. You select which videos you want to upload, enter a description, and click a button.
Poof! You're famous! The video is already formatted in a YouTube-friendly format, and unless you're filming a three-hour movie, it's almost guaranteed to come in under the file size limit. However, if for some reason you are shooting the sequel to Ken Burns' epic "Baseball," you can still edit the video without any complicated or expensive editing software. Basic editing functions can be performed in-camera, and while they are limited, they¹re just enough for a basic YouTube user.
The photo software Casio bundled with is relatively bare-bones. It is armed with a few options, including burn to disk, send by email, print, slideshow and order prints. However, the largest resolution possible for e-mailing photos through the program is 800x600, and you can't order prints online, but rather need a blank memory card to store photos for your local photo developer to print for you. The software isn't terrible, it just doesn't do anything you couldn't do easier somewhere else. Not to mention, it's not attractively designed. The software is simply a hub to view and store photos; the only editing option available is rotate, of which even Windows Fax and Picture Viewer is capable. Premium features may have been available for an additional cost, but when we clicked on the link within the program, we were taken to a dead page.
Storage capacity is minimal (coming in at just over 11MB), but many cameras don't pack any internal storage. We were happy to find an SD slot, as the format is currently the most ubiquitous and inexpensive, but we were even happier to find the ability to read SDHC cards, as the first 32GB cards are just starting to appear over the horizon.
Camera Quality
The 3X optical zoom lens is almost standard for compact point-and-shoot models, but it would be nice to see ISO settings a little higher than ISO 800, especially when comparable models are shipping with ISO 1600. That being said, it isn't bad for a $230 camera, and the 7.2 megapixel sensor, anti-shake and a wide range of shutter speeds (4 seconds to 1/2000 of 1 second) round out what is ultimately a decent piece of hardware.
While the auto-focus worked well enough, it certainly was not fast. We would have liked the camera to tell us which subjects in the frame were being focused on, but it generally picked the one we wanted. The anti-shake also definitely made a difference, although the video anti-shake didn't work as well as the still photo anti-shake. However, when taking self-portraits, even though our hand would shake, we were still able to get a clear image.
Startup times on the EX-Z77 were good, and the shutter also responded quickly. We were able to go from the off position to a focused, finished photo in under 3 seconds, and about half that time for the second shot. We also liked the in-camera editing functions, which included rotation, resizing and cropping, although we couldn't get color balance to work. However, for such large image files, the LCD resolution was too low to see if the editing we did was an improvement or not.
Image Quality
With the right lighting, the images taken with the EX-Z77 looked crisp, clear and focused. Nighttime shooting was more problematic, as any long-distance photos without optimal lighting looked extremely noisy. The camera captured fast moving subjects well, like a man on a bike, or a moving car or bus on the street. We had less success when we ourselves were moving, as supposed to the subject.
We were able to get great close-up shots during night or day, as well as great landscape shots during the day. Landscape night shots, however, were a bit trickier, and even well-focused shots end up with a lot of noise.
With so many Best Shot modes to play with, we decided to select four that fit the scenarios we were shooting and break them down.
High-resolution image samples
Shot taken with full automatic settings This shot, taken on fully automatic settings, shows what good lighting, no movement and good focus can produce on the EX-Z77.
Shot taken in Twilight Best Shot Mode On the night we took our images in Twilight Best Shot mode, it was cloudy and raining, and we had terrible lighting sources, yet the EX-Z77 was still able to capture a somewhat decent image. We still got a lot of noise, but our image was better than without the Best Shot mode enhancements.
Shot taken in Landscape Best Shot ModeAgain, we got wonderful results from shooting with the Landscape Best Shot mode…until we tried to take pictures at night. This sample shot (from the NY Beckham game) had lots of external light, but the players seemed to be just too far away to get a crisp image.
Shot taken in eBay Best Shot Mode This mode simply turns the megapixel count down to 2MP as well as turning face detection and anti-shake off. There isn't much to this mode, but it does keep the size of the photo within eBay's file size limitations, and recognizes you'll be taking pictures of a product, not a person.
The image quality of YouTube capture mode videos compared to non-YouTube capture mode was night and day. The YouTube preset may make things easier, but it also makes them uglier. Pixellated images and low resolutions were the name of this game. That being said, the microphone was VERY receptive, and picked up sound at an outdoor concert very well. Unfortunately, with the poor lighting and low resolution, the image wasn't captured as nicely.
Accessories
Strangely omitted from the included accessories is a dock, which we liked on other Casio Exilim models (if only for organizational purposes). Instead of having to take out the battery and charge it with the included battery charger, it would be nice to be able to just pop the camera in a dock and start charging immediately, then connect to the computer with the push of a button. Inconvenience aside, the camera comes with most everything needed to take pictures and videos and put them on your computer or play them on your TV. An included SD card would be nice, but that's a rarity in this market. I tems that were included: Lithium Ion Battery, Battery charger, AC power cord, camera strap, usb cable, AV cable and a CD-ROM with software.
Pros:
Best Shot modes are helpful. YouTube capture mode is convenient. Slim design. Good optical zoom.
Cons:
Confusing menus. Poor image quality in low light. No dock.
Conclusion:
The EX-Z77 is slim, solid and practical, a camera you might find yourself taking everywhere. The lack of a dock is disappointing, but both novice and expert point-and-shoot camera users will find themselves satisfied with the size and speed of the device. Images left us wanting better quality, especially under low-light conditions, but the anti-shake features did help a bit, and the Best Mode scenes filled in the gaps in our camera expertise. The menus are a little confusing and could use a little feng shui, but for the most part this is a nice device.
80%
Very good
Price and availability
Available in the U.S. in September 2007, the Casio Exilim EX-Z77 is priced at $230 .
Source: http://www.infosyncworld.com
One of our favorite aspects of Casio cameras in general is the body. While weighing in a bit heavier than some similarly-sized cameras, we find a bit of weight to be preferable, especially in slim-design point-and-shoot models. The camera feels solid, very well-made, and the metal body resisted minor falls and scrapes. All the buttons were responsive, and most were labeled well enough to understand without too much difficulty. The lens retracts into the body when the camera is turned off or in photo review mode, providing reasonable protection.
The 2.6" LCD screen serves as an effective viewfinder, but the low-resolution screen wasn't a good indicator of whether a picture would turn out well once it was on our computer. Still, we understand this is a problem that will be endemic to high-megapixel cameras.
Interface and Features
The Z77 has no shortage of menus. We had trouble familiarizing ourselves, but we can forgive navigational issues, thanks to the EX-Z77's myriad included features. The expansive menus can be a bit intimidating, but the Z77's impressive feature set can hardly be contained. Two of our favorite features are Best Shot and the YouTube capture mode. Best Shot (BS, they're acronym, not ours) is a group of presets for various picture-taking scenarios. It certainly isn't perfect, but makes taking shots of things like running water, twilight and landscapes a lot easier, especially for Joe Q. Pointandshoot. Still, we miss some of the BS modes we've seen on other Exilim's, especially the Panorama mode.
Even more interesting than Best Shot is the YouTube capture mode. Digital cameras have long been able to record video for the popular viral video web site, but the process for uploading was not for the uninitiated. First, you had to get the .avi file onto the computer. Second, use video-editing software to shrink it to a manageable size that met YouTube's size limit of 100MB. Finally, use the web upload tool on the web site to upload the video and enter any description.
With the YouTube capture mode on the Z77 and the included YouTube Uploader software, Casio simply took a few steps out of the equation. The uploader program pops up as soon as a camera or card is connected to the computer, and every video is listed. You select which videos you want to upload, enter a description, and click a button.
Poof! You're famous! The video is already formatted in a YouTube-friendly format, and unless you're filming a three-hour movie, it's almost guaranteed to come in under the file size limit. However, if for some reason you are shooting the sequel to Ken Burns' epic "Baseball," you can still edit the video without any complicated or expensive editing software. Basic editing functions can be performed in-camera, and while they are limited, they¹re just enough for a basic YouTube user.
The photo software Casio bundled with is relatively bare-bones. It is armed with a few options, including burn to disk, send by email, print, slideshow and order prints. However, the largest resolution possible for e-mailing photos through the program is 800x600, and you can't order prints online, but rather need a blank memory card to store photos for your local photo developer to print for you. The software isn't terrible, it just doesn't do anything you couldn't do easier somewhere else. Not to mention, it's not attractively designed. The software is simply a hub to view and store photos; the only editing option available is rotate, of which even Windows Fax and Picture Viewer is capable. Premium features may have been available for an additional cost, but when we clicked on the link within the program, we were taken to a dead page.
Storage capacity is minimal (coming in at just over 11MB), but many cameras don't pack any internal storage. We were happy to find an SD slot, as the format is currently the most ubiquitous and inexpensive, but we were even happier to find the ability to read SDHC cards, as the first 32GB cards are just starting to appear over the horizon.
Camera Quality
The 3X optical zoom lens is almost standard for compact point-and-shoot models, but it would be nice to see ISO settings a little higher than ISO 800, especially when comparable models are shipping with ISO 1600. That being said, it isn't bad for a $230 camera, and the 7.2 megapixel sensor, anti-shake and a wide range of shutter speeds (4 seconds to 1/2000 of 1 second) round out what is ultimately a decent piece of hardware.
While the auto-focus worked well enough, it certainly was not fast. We would have liked the camera to tell us which subjects in the frame were being focused on, but it generally picked the one we wanted. The anti-shake also definitely made a difference, although the video anti-shake didn't work as well as the still photo anti-shake. However, when taking self-portraits, even though our hand would shake, we were still able to get a clear image.
Startup times on the EX-Z77 were good, and the shutter also responded quickly. We were able to go from the off position to a focused, finished photo in under 3 seconds, and about half that time for the second shot. We also liked the in-camera editing functions, which included rotation, resizing and cropping, although we couldn't get color balance to work. However, for such large image files, the LCD resolution was too low to see if the editing we did was an improvement or not.
Image Quality
With the right lighting, the images taken with the EX-Z77 looked crisp, clear and focused. Nighttime shooting was more problematic, as any long-distance photos without optimal lighting looked extremely noisy. The camera captured fast moving subjects well, like a man on a bike, or a moving car or bus on the street. We had less success when we ourselves were moving, as supposed to the subject.
We were able to get great close-up shots during night or day, as well as great landscape shots during the day. Landscape night shots, however, were a bit trickier, and even well-focused shots end up with a lot of noise.
With so many Best Shot modes to play with, we decided to select four that fit the scenarios we were shooting and break them down.
High-resolution image samples
Shot taken with full automatic settings This shot, taken on fully automatic settings, shows what good lighting, no movement and good focus can produce on the EX-Z77.
Shot taken in Twilight Best Shot Mode On the night we took our images in Twilight Best Shot mode, it was cloudy and raining, and we had terrible lighting sources, yet the EX-Z77 was still able to capture a somewhat decent image. We still got a lot of noise, but our image was better than without the Best Shot mode enhancements.
Shot taken in Landscape Best Shot ModeAgain, we got wonderful results from shooting with the Landscape Best Shot mode…until we tried to take pictures at night. This sample shot (from the NY Beckham game) had lots of external light, but the players seemed to be just too far away to get a crisp image.
Shot taken in eBay Best Shot Mode This mode simply turns the megapixel count down to 2MP as well as turning face detection and anti-shake off. There isn't much to this mode, but it does keep the size of the photo within eBay's file size limitations, and recognizes you'll be taking pictures of a product, not a person.
The image quality of YouTube capture mode videos compared to non-YouTube capture mode was night and day. The YouTube preset may make things easier, but it also makes them uglier. Pixellated images and low resolutions were the name of this game. That being said, the microphone was VERY receptive, and picked up sound at an outdoor concert very well. Unfortunately, with the poor lighting and low resolution, the image wasn't captured as nicely.
Accessories
Strangely omitted from the included accessories is a dock, which we liked on other Casio Exilim models (if only for organizational purposes). Instead of having to take out the battery and charge it with the included battery charger, it would be nice to be able to just pop the camera in a dock and start charging immediately, then connect to the computer with the push of a button. Inconvenience aside, the camera comes with most everything needed to take pictures and videos and put them on your computer or play them on your TV. An included SD card would be nice, but that's a rarity in this market. I tems that were included: Lithium Ion Battery, Battery charger, AC power cord, camera strap, usb cable, AV cable and a CD-ROM with software.
Pros:
Best Shot modes are helpful. YouTube capture mode is convenient. Slim design. Good optical zoom.
Cons:
Confusing menus. Poor image quality in low light. No dock.
Conclusion:
The EX-Z77 is slim, solid and practical, a camera you might find yourself taking everywhere. The lack of a dock is disappointing, but both novice and expert point-and-shoot camera users will find themselves satisfied with the size and speed of the device. Images left us wanting better quality, especially under low-light conditions, but the anti-shake features did help a bit, and the Best Mode scenes filled in the gaps in our camera expertise. The menus are a little confusing and could use a little feng shui, but for the most part this is a nice device.
80%
Very good
Price and availability
Available in the U.S. in September 2007, the Casio Exilim EX-Z77 is priced at $230 .
Source: http://www.infosyncworld.com
Pentax S10 10-megapixel digital camera
Pentax recently announced its Optio Z10 and S10 digital cameras.
The 8-megapixel Optio Z10 has a 7x optical zoom lens and face recognition technology for improved portrait shots.
The 10-megapixel S10 can take video in DivX format for playback on DivX DVD players and other devices.
Priced at US$249.95 each, both cameras will ship in September. The Pentax Optio S10 will be available exclusively at Wal-Mart Stores in the US.
The 8-megapixel Optio Z10 has a 7x optical zoom lens and face recognition technology for improved portrait shots.
The 10-megapixel S10 can take video in DivX format for playback on DivX DVD players and other devices.
Priced at US$249.95 each, both cameras will ship in September. The Pentax Optio S10 will be available exclusively at Wal-Mart Stores in the US.
Thursday, August 23, 2007
The Search is Over - HDTV's Quest for the Perfect Companion Ends With TiVo(R) HD, Now Widely Available in Retail
- New research confirms the qualities people seek in companions mirror the qualities embodied by the TiVo HD DVR, the perfect match for HDTV -
August 22, 2007: 08:30 AM EST
ALVISO, Calif., Aug. 22 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- TiVo Inc. , the creator of and a leader in television services for digital video recorders (DVRs), today announced consumers have widespread access to TiVo(R) HD, the new affordably priced high definition DVR, at retailers across the country. Now, fully stocked at leading retailers such as Best Buy and Circuit City, TiVo HD has staked its claim as the ultimate HDTV companion since launching for pre-order in late July.
With even more consumers ready to bring HDTV into their living rooms, the question of what makes for a perfect companion to HDTV is even more relevant. A recent study* found the personality traits people seek in a companion directly reflect the qualities that TiVo HD provides for HDTVs. The lesson is clear: human attributes that make for good companions in "real life" can be parlayed to technology, a truism passionately espoused by over 4 million TiVo subscribers. Respondents chose from a list of attributes, with the top qualities selected all illustrating why TiVo HD and HDTV are perfect companions on the level of Lucy and Desi, Marge and Homer or June and Ward. The results:
-- Fun to be with 62.4%
Whether rating favorite shows with the peanut remote's Thumbs Up(TM)
and Thumbs Down(TM) buttons, the TiVo character offering a big smile
as you sail through on-screen menus, or even that classic 'be-doop'
sound, TiVo, now in HD, isn't just another pretty picture -- it's
amazingly fun to use.
-- Caring 60.5%
If caring really does mean sharing, then TiVo HD proves claim to this
category. TiVo HD learns your interests and shares them with you,
offering the best entertainment experience in broadcast TV and
broadband video programming that only the TiVo service can provide.
TiVo even scours the Web's largest selection of movie and TV
downloads from Amazon.com and delivers them straight to your TV, yet
another way TiVo shows it cares.
-- Dependable 57.7%
Go ahead -- sleep in, stay out, or both! You can trust TiVo HD to
manage your entertainment schedule each and every day, 24/7. TiVo is
always working its tail off to find and record the programs you care
about most, sometimes suggesting new shows you might also enjoy. And,
the TiVo service even adjusts recording times for programs that
suddenly change schedules, so you never have to worry.
-- Has similar interests 45.8%
Inspired by shows and movies it knows you already love, TiVo will
often surprise you with suggestions for new programs you might enjoy
-- when there's available space to record additional shows. The TiVo
service never bumps previously scheduled recordings without your
permission.
-- Intelligent 44.1%
If there was an SAT in show searching, TiVo HD would have a perfect
score. TiVo is the only DVR smart enough to help you to find and
record programs in broadcast and cable television as well as
broadband video using the coolest and easiest to use search tool on
the planet. Using the super-smart Swivel(TM) search, TiVo finds how
your favorite actors are connected to each other in new fun ways,
linking one show to another through common actors, directors or even
genre, starting with one star to find an entirely new constellation
of entertainment. Smart, huh?
-- Family-oriented 37.5%
With one-of-a-kind service features such as Home Movie Sharing and
TiVo KidZone, TiVo not only makes it easy to connect with family and
friends, sharing memorable moments and milestones through photo and
video montages sent directly to the Now Playing List of other TiVo
subscribers, but it also gives parents an easy way to find,
pre-approve, and record just the programs that match their values.
Now, mom and dad can rest assured that they never again have to worry
about what their children are watching.
"Considering all of the human qualities TiVo embodies, it's no wonder people have talked about TiVo as a family member or close friend ever since its initial introduction," said Clent Richardson, Chief Marketing Officer at TiVo. "Today, we are proud to introduce another member of the TiVo family, TiVo HD, with all of the qualities that make it the perfect companion for HDTVs, allowing consumers to maximize their high-definition television and entertainment experience."
TiVo HD's widespread retail availability comes at a time when consumers are increasingly seeking to upgrade their television experience, investing in HDTV sets at a record rate. TiVo HD, available for only $299.99, is a digital cable-ready set-top-box that works seamlessly with almost any cable provider in the U.S, enabling the latest TiVo exclusive service features such as Movie & TV Downloads from Amazon.com, Home Movie Sharing and universal Swivel(TM) search.
* Greenfield Online Omnibus (Aug 2007)
About TiVo Inc.
Founded in 1997, TiVo pioneered a brand new category of products with the development of the first commercially available digital video recorder (DVR). Sold through leading consumer electronic retailers, TiVo has developed a brand which resonates boldly with consumers as providing a superior television experience. Through agreements with leading satellite and cable providers, TiVo also integrates its DVR service features into the set-top boxes of mass distributors. TiVo's DVR functionality and ease of use, with such features as Season Pass(TM) recordings, WishList(R) searches, and TiVo(R) KidZone, have elevated its popularity among consumers and have created a whole new way for viewers to watch television. With a continued investment in its patented technologies, TiVo is revolutionizing the way consumers watch and access home entertainment. Rapidly becoming the focal point of the digital living room, TiVo's DVR is at the center of experiencing new forms of content on the TV, such as broadband delivered video, music and photos. With innovative features, such as TiVoToGo(TM) transfers and online scheduling, TiVo is expanding the notion of consumers experiencing "TiVo, TV your way.(R)" The TiVo(R) service is also at the forefront of providing innovative marketing solutions for the television industry, including a unique platform for advertisers and audience measurement research. The company is based in Alviso, Calif.
TiVo, Season Pass, WishList, Series2, Series3, Swivel, Thumbs Up, Thumbs Down, TiVoToGo, 'TiVo, TV your way' and the TiVo Logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of TiVo Inc. or its subsidiaries worldwide. (C) 2007 TiVo Inc. All rights reserved.
Source: http://money.cnn.com
August 22, 2007: 08:30 AM EST
ALVISO, Calif., Aug. 22 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- TiVo Inc. , the creator of and a leader in television services for digital video recorders (DVRs), today announced consumers have widespread access to TiVo(R) HD, the new affordably priced high definition DVR, at retailers across the country. Now, fully stocked at leading retailers such as Best Buy and Circuit City, TiVo HD has staked its claim as the ultimate HDTV companion since launching for pre-order in late July.
With even more consumers ready to bring HDTV into their living rooms, the question of what makes for a perfect companion to HDTV is even more relevant. A recent study* found the personality traits people seek in a companion directly reflect the qualities that TiVo HD provides for HDTVs. The lesson is clear: human attributes that make for good companions in "real life" can be parlayed to technology, a truism passionately espoused by over 4 million TiVo subscribers. Respondents chose from a list of attributes, with the top qualities selected all illustrating why TiVo HD and HDTV are perfect companions on the level of Lucy and Desi, Marge and Homer or June and Ward. The results:
-- Fun to be with 62.4%
Whether rating favorite shows with the peanut remote's Thumbs Up(TM)
and Thumbs Down(TM) buttons, the TiVo character offering a big smile
as you sail through on-screen menus, or even that classic 'be-doop'
sound, TiVo, now in HD, isn't just another pretty picture -- it's
amazingly fun to use.
-- Caring 60.5%
If caring really does mean sharing, then TiVo HD proves claim to this
category. TiVo HD learns your interests and shares them with you,
offering the best entertainment experience in broadcast TV and
broadband video programming that only the TiVo service can provide.
TiVo even scours the Web's largest selection of movie and TV
downloads from Amazon.com and delivers them straight to your TV, yet
another way TiVo shows it cares.
-- Dependable 57.7%
Go ahead -- sleep in, stay out, or both! You can trust TiVo HD to
manage your entertainment schedule each and every day, 24/7. TiVo is
always working its tail off to find and record the programs you care
about most, sometimes suggesting new shows you might also enjoy. And,
the TiVo service even adjusts recording times for programs that
suddenly change schedules, so you never have to worry.
-- Has similar interests 45.8%
Inspired by shows and movies it knows you already love, TiVo will
often surprise you with suggestions for new programs you might enjoy
-- when there's available space to record additional shows. The TiVo
service never bumps previously scheduled recordings without your
permission.
-- Intelligent 44.1%
If there was an SAT in show searching, TiVo HD would have a perfect
score. TiVo is the only DVR smart enough to help you to find and
record programs in broadcast and cable television as well as
broadband video using the coolest and easiest to use search tool on
the planet. Using the super-smart Swivel(TM) search, TiVo finds how
your favorite actors are connected to each other in new fun ways,
linking one show to another through common actors, directors or even
genre, starting with one star to find an entirely new constellation
of entertainment. Smart, huh?
-- Family-oriented 37.5%
With one-of-a-kind service features such as Home Movie Sharing and
TiVo KidZone, TiVo not only makes it easy to connect with family and
friends, sharing memorable moments and milestones through photo and
video montages sent directly to the Now Playing List of other TiVo
subscribers, but it also gives parents an easy way to find,
pre-approve, and record just the programs that match their values.
Now, mom and dad can rest assured that they never again have to worry
about what their children are watching.
"Considering all of the human qualities TiVo embodies, it's no wonder people have talked about TiVo as a family member or close friend ever since its initial introduction," said Clent Richardson, Chief Marketing Officer at TiVo. "Today, we are proud to introduce another member of the TiVo family, TiVo HD, with all of the qualities that make it the perfect companion for HDTVs, allowing consumers to maximize their high-definition television and entertainment experience."
TiVo HD's widespread retail availability comes at a time when consumers are increasingly seeking to upgrade their television experience, investing in HDTV sets at a record rate. TiVo HD, available for only $299.99, is a digital cable-ready set-top-box that works seamlessly with almost any cable provider in the U.S, enabling the latest TiVo exclusive service features such as Movie & TV Downloads from Amazon.com, Home Movie Sharing and universal Swivel(TM) search.
* Greenfield Online Omnibus (Aug 2007)
About TiVo Inc.
Founded in 1997, TiVo pioneered a brand new category of products with the development of the first commercially available digital video recorder (DVR). Sold through leading consumer electronic retailers, TiVo has developed a brand which resonates boldly with consumers as providing a superior television experience. Through agreements with leading satellite and cable providers, TiVo also integrates its DVR service features into the set-top boxes of mass distributors. TiVo's DVR functionality and ease of use, with such features as Season Pass(TM) recordings, WishList(R) searches, and TiVo(R) KidZone, have elevated its popularity among consumers and have created a whole new way for viewers to watch television. With a continued investment in its patented technologies, TiVo is revolutionizing the way consumers watch and access home entertainment. Rapidly becoming the focal point of the digital living room, TiVo's DVR is at the center of experiencing new forms of content on the TV, such as broadband delivered video, music and photos. With innovative features, such as TiVoToGo(TM) transfers and online scheduling, TiVo is expanding the notion of consumers experiencing "TiVo, TV your way.(R)" The TiVo(R) service is also at the forefront of providing innovative marketing solutions for the television industry, including a unique platform for advertisers and audience measurement research. The company is based in Alviso, Calif.
TiVo, Season Pass, WishList, Series2, Series3, Swivel, Thumbs Up, Thumbs Down, TiVoToGo, 'TiVo, TV your way' and the TiVo Logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of TiVo Inc. or its subsidiaries worldwide. (C) 2007 TiVo Inc. All rights reserved.
Source: http://money.cnn.com
Panasonic Delivers World's First LIFI HDTV
Newest Line of Micro Displays Features Innovative Light Source and Quick Start-Up
August 22, 2007: 08:00 AM EST
SECAUCUS, N.J., Aug. 22 /PRNewswire/ -- Panasonic has started to ship a new line of High Definition LCD Rear Projection Display televisions featuring the revolutionary long-life LIFI(TM), a first-of-its kind light fidelity projection display application that ensures image brightness over an extended period of time as well as greatly reduced start-up time. The Panasonic LIFI High Definition line includes two series - the LCZ and LCX. The LCZ series, available in three large-screen screen sizes, 61-inches, 56-inches and 50- inches, feature 1080p resolution and an elegant glossy black finish with a new floating panel design. The PT-61LCX70 and PT-56LCX70 offer 720p resolution.
"The unique LIFI technology provides the consumer with a viable, affordable option for big screen, 1080p High Definition entertainment," said Dennis Eppel, Vice President of Panasonic Display Company. "The fact that the bulb will virtually never need to be replaced is a great benefit to the consumer and one of the reasons we strongly believe that LIFI will be successful. From our Plasma and LCD TVs to the LIFI HDTVs, we want Panasonic consumers to experience the absolute best in High-Definition home theater. With our breadth of High Definition choices we are confident that Panasonic can provide that experience."
By converting HID (High Intensity Discharge) lamps to LIFI, the models enjoy an especially long life span with incredible brightness. When the electrodes in HID lamps deteriorate and the tungsten evaporates, it causes diminished brightness, as well as damage to the lamp itself. The light source in the Panasonic LIFI HDTV does not use electrodes, resulting in more stable performance and a considerably longer lifespan. Additionally, Panasonic's LIFI technology projects a wide variety and spectrum of light, allowing for the most radiant reds, greens and natural skin tones.
The start-up time for a Panasonic LIFI HDTV is a fraction of the time it takes for a traditional LCD projection set to start up. This is because the light source does not use electrodes and the LIFI bulb is 1/8 the size found in an HID lamp, so the temperature rises more rapidly, enabling faster start- up. The actual time from the moment the set is turned on until there is a picture is now reduced from 60 seconds or more to approximately 15 seconds.
With a longer lifetime, the LIFI HDTV series offers the same performance as an LED model, but at a lower price point. The LIFI lamp generates less scintillation noise than traditional HID lamps, and the invisible speakers marry impeccable design with high-quality sound. Using the device's remote control, users can easily enjoy EZ Sync(TM)-enabled products such as Blu-ray Disc players.
Additional features of the LCX70 Series include:
-- LIFI Light Source -- HDMI (Front 1, Rear 2)
-- New 720p LCD Panel -- PC Input
-- All Black Cosmetics -- SD Card Slot
-- 3,000:1 Contrast Ratio (Target) -- EZ Sync(TM)
-- Full Range Speaker System
(20W output)
Additional features of the LCZ70 Series include:
-- LIFI Light Source -- Full Range Speaker System
-- New 1080p LCD Panel (20W output)
-- Piano Black Cosmetic -- HDMI (Front 1, Rear 2)
-- 3,000:1 Contrast Ratio (Target) -- PC Input
-- SD Card Slot
-- EZ -- Full Range Speaker System
Additional features of the LCZ70 Series include:
-- LIFI Light Source -- Full Range Speaker System
-- New 1080p LCD Panel (20W output)
-- Piano Black Cosmetic -- HDMI (Front 1, Rear 2)
-- 3,000:1 Contrast Ratio (Target) -- PC Input
-- SD Card Slot
-- EZ Sync(TM)
About Panasonic Consumer Electronics Company
Based in Secaucus, N.J., Panasonic Consumer Electronics Company is a Division of Panasonic Corporation of North America, the principal North American subsidiary of Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. Ltd. and the hub of Panasonic's U.S. marketing, sales, service and R&D operations. Information about Panasonic products is available at www.panasonic.com. Additional company information for journalists is available at www.panasonic.com/pressroom.
Panasonic LIFI HD MD-PTV 2007 Models
Model Description SRP Availability
PT-56LCX70 720p LIFI HD-TV $1699.95 August, 2007
PT-61LCX70 720p LIFI HD-TV $1999.95 August, 2007
PT-50LCZ70 1080p LIFI HD-TV $1699.95 August, 2007
PT-56LCZ70 1080p LIFI HD-TV $1899.95 August, 2007
PT-61LCZ70 1080p LIFI HD-TV $2199.95 August, 2007
Source: http://money.cnn.com
August 22, 2007: 08:00 AM EST
SECAUCUS, N.J., Aug. 22 /PRNewswire/ -- Panasonic has started to ship a new line of High Definition LCD Rear Projection Display televisions featuring the revolutionary long-life LIFI(TM), a first-of-its kind light fidelity projection display application that ensures image brightness over an extended period of time as well as greatly reduced start-up time. The Panasonic LIFI High Definition line includes two series - the LCZ and LCX. The LCZ series, available in three large-screen screen sizes, 61-inches, 56-inches and 50- inches, feature 1080p resolution and an elegant glossy black finish with a new floating panel design. The PT-61LCX70 and PT-56LCX70 offer 720p resolution.
"The unique LIFI technology provides the consumer with a viable, affordable option for big screen, 1080p High Definition entertainment," said Dennis Eppel, Vice President of Panasonic Display Company. "The fact that the bulb will virtually never need to be replaced is a great benefit to the consumer and one of the reasons we strongly believe that LIFI will be successful. From our Plasma and LCD TVs to the LIFI HDTVs, we want Panasonic consumers to experience the absolute best in High-Definition home theater. With our breadth of High Definition choices we are confident that Panasonic can provide that experience."
By converting HID (High Intensity Discharge) lamps to LIFI, the models enjoy an especially long life span with incredible brightness. When the electrodes in HID lamps deteriorate and the tungsten evaporates, it causes diminished brightness, as well as damage to the lamp itself. The light source in the Panasonic LIFI HDTV does not use electrodes, resulting in more stable performance and a considerably longer lifespan. Additionally, Panasonic's LIFI technology projects a wide variety and spectrum of light, allowing for the most radiant reds, greens and natural skin tones.
The start-up time for a Panasonic LIFI HDTV is a fraction of the time it takes for a traditional LCD projection set to start up. This is because the light source does not use electrodes and the LIFI bulb is 1/8 the size found in an HID lamp, so the temperature rises more rapidly, enabling faster start- up. The actual time from the moment the set is turned on until there is a picture is now reduced from 60 seconds or more to approximately 15 seconds.
With a longer lifetime, the LIFI HDTV series offers the same performance as an LED model, but at a lower price point. The LIFI lamp generates less scintillation noise than traditional HID lamps, and the invisible speakers marry impeccable design with high-quality sound. Using the device's remote control, users can easily enjoy EZ Sync(TM)-enabled products such as Blu-ray Disc players.
Additional features of the LCX70 Series include:
-- LIFI Light Source -- HDMI (Front 1, Rear 2)
-- New 720p LCD Panel -- PC Input
-- All Black Cosmetics -- SD Card Slot
-- 3,000:1 Contrast Ratio (Target) -- EZ Sync(TM)
-- Full Range Speaker System
(20W output)
Additional features of the LCZ70 Series include:
-- LIFI Light Source -- Full Range Speaker System
-- New 1080p LCD Panel (20W output)
-- Piano Black Cosmetic -- HDMI (Front 1, Rear 2)
-- 3,000:1 Contrast Ratio (Target) -- PC Input
-- SD Card Slot
-- EZ -- Full Range Speaker System
Additional features of the LCZ70 Series include:
-- LIFI Light Source -- Full Range Speaker System
-- New 1080p LCD Panel (20W output)
-- Piano Black Cosmetic -- HDMI (Front 1, Rear 2)
-- 3,000:1 Contrast Ratio (Target) -- PC Input
-- SD Card Slot
-- EZ Sync(TM)
About Panasonic Consumer Electronics Company
Based in Secaucus, N.J., Panasonic Consumer Electronics Company is a Division of Panasonic Corporation of North America, the principal North American subsidiary of Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. Ltd. and the hub of Panasonic's U.S. marketing, sales, service and R&D operations. Information about Panasonic products is available at www.panasonic.com. Additional company information for journalists is available at www.panasonic.com/pressroom.
Panasonic LIFI HD MD-PTV 2007 Models
Model Description SRP Availability
PT-56LCX70 720p LIFI HD-TV $1699.95 August, 2007
PT-61LCX70 720p LIFI HD-TV $1999.95 August, 2007
PT-50LCZ70 1080p LIFI HD-TV $1699.95 August, 2007
PT-56LCZ70 1080p LIFI HD-TV $1899.95 August, 2007
PT-61LCZ70 1080p LIFI HD-TV $2199.95 August, 2007
Source: http://money.cnn.com
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
Study: 53 Percent of DVR Users Own HDTVs
By Swanni
Washington, D.C. (August 21, 2007) -- More than half of Digital Video Recorder users own High-Definition TVs, according to a new report from the Leichtman Research Group.
The number is significantly larger than the national average with high-def sets now in roughly 30 million U.S. homes.
Leichtman also says more than one in every five households in the U.S. now uses a DVR, up from one in every 13 households two years ago.
Bruce Leichtman, president of Leichtman Research, says the rising demand for HD DVRs, which allows viewers to record high-def programming, is helping to drive more DVR subscriptions.
"The number of U.S. households with DVRs has rapidly increased over the past few years. Fueled by a continued push from cable and (satellite) providers offering combination HD/DVR set-top boxes, (Leichtman) forecasts that the number of U.S. households with DVRs will grow to over 60 million by the end of 2011," he said.
However, Leichtman cautions that more DVR usage doesn't mean everyone will watch programs after they are recorded.
"The growth of DVRs does not mean that the era of live TV viewing has ended -- (Leichtman) estimates that 95 percent of all TV viewing in the U.S. is still of live TV," he said.
Here are the study's key findings:
* 53 percent of DVR owners say they own HDTVs
* 45 percent of DVR owners record five or fewer programs each week.
* 84 percent of DVR owners say the ability to skip commercials is "very important," but only eight percent say it's the greatest benefit of having a DVR.
The findings are based on a Leichtman survey of 1,300 households throughout the United States and are part of the company's new study, On-Demand TV 2007: A Nationwide Study on VOD and DVR.
Source: http://www.tvpredictions.com
Washington, D.C. (August 21, 2007) -- More than half of Digital Video Recorder users own High-Definition TVs, according to a new report from the Leichtman Research Group.
The number is significantly larger than the national average with high-def sets now in roughly 30 million U.S. homes.
Leichtman also says more than one in every five households in the U.S. now uses a DVR, up from one in every 13 households two years ago.
Bruce Leichtman, president of Leichtman Research, says the rising demand for HD DVRs, which allows viewers to record high-def programming, is helping to drive more DVR subscriptions.
"The number of U.S. households with DVRs has rapidly increased over the past few years. Fueled by a continued push from cable and (satellite) providers offering combination HD/DVR set-top boxes, (Leichtman) forecasts that the number of U.S. households with DVRs will grow to over 60 million by the end of 2011," he said.
However, Leichtman cautions that more DVR usage doesn't mean everyone will watch programs after they are recorded.
"The growth of DVRs does not mean that the era of live TV viewing has ended -- (Leichtman) estimates that 95 percent of all TV viewing in the U.S. is still of live TV," he said.
Here are the study's key findings:
* 53 percent of DVR owners say they own HDTVs
* 45 percent of DVR owners record five or fewer programs each week.
* 84 percent of DVR owners say the ability to skip commercials is "very important," but only eight percent say it's the greatest benefit of having a DVR.
The findings are based on a Leichtman survey of 1,300 households throughout the United States and are part of the company's new study, On-Demand TV 2007: A Nationwide Study on VOD and DVR.
Source: http://www.tvpredictions.com
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
First Review of the Sony's Next Gen XBR4 HDTV LCD
Sony's XBR4, the 10-bit, , 24-frame compatible, 120Hz follow up to the XBR3, was announced a few weeks ago, but Gary Merson has the first review. He says its the best HD LCD so far, with some caveats.
The standard mode, "vivid" doesn't seem to do deinterlacing of 1080i signals correctly. (Movie and other modes work fine). He says this is the best LCD he's ever seen, but prefers Plasmas, like the TH-50PZ750U for better color accuracy and motion. (I don't like to underestimate the allure of brightness in a panel, esp during bright scenes, so am not sure I agree fully with Gary.)
Those waiting for a review of the XBR5, should note that this is technically the same set as the XBR5, but with a chassis that has detachable face plates. A 46-inch model is about $3600, retail.
Source: http://gizmodo.com
The standard mode, "vivid" doesn't seem to do deinterlacing of 1080i signals correctly. (Movie and other modes work fine). He says this is the best LCD he's ever seen, but prefers Plasmas, like the TH-50PZ750U for better color accuracy and motion. (I don't like to underestimate the allure of brightness in a panel, esp during bright scenes, so am not sure I agree fully with Gary.)
Those waiting for a review of the XBR5, should note that this is technically the same set as the XBR5, but with a chassis that has detachable face plates. A 46-inch model is about $3600, retail.
Source: http://gizmodo.com
Hitachi P50S601 50 inch Full HD 1080 Ultravision Plasma HDTV Review
Today we are taking a look at a 50” Plasma HDTV from Hitachi. The P50S601 HDTV has lots of features that set it apart from some of the other HDTV sets on the market.
With great image quality, multiple HD and SD component inputs and a motorized swiveling stand the P50S601 HDTV from Hitachi is one of the best HDTV sets that I have tested.
Review excerpt: “A built-in ATSC/NTSC/QAM tuner combines digital and analog channels into one tuner. Hitachi also provides three customized settings for each input that allows you to match the picture to the viewing environment. This allows for a brighter picture during the day when the viewing environment tends to be brighter and a dimmer display at night when not as much brightness is needed.”
Features & Specifications
If you aren’t familiar with Hitachi’s line of HDTV sets and you are in the market for a new HDTV, you should be familiar with Hitachi. The P5S601 50” Ultravision plasma HDTV I’m looking at today has full 1080p resolution. Hitachi uses several technologies to enhance the image quality on the P5S601 50” Ultravision plasma HDTV like ClearWindow and a PictureMaster HD IV Video Processor. The PictureMaster ID IV video processor provides MPED noise reduction, dynamic contrast, dynamic histogram processing, 16-bit/281 trillion color capability, automatic 3:2 pulldown for film enhancement, four HD modes, and six SD modes.
Other features include three preset color temperatures, four-step black enhancement, a 10-bit digital 4MB 3D Y/C comb filter, and an anti-reflective high contrast screen with black-stripe filter. The audio features of the P5S601 50” Ultravision plasma HDTV include MTS stereo SAP with dbx, simulated surround sound, bass boost, 20-watt speaker system, and the ability to set the TV as center input.
Hitachi also includes a trio of HDMI ports supporting 1080p. Two of the HDMI ports are on the rear of the TV and one is on the front panel. Two wideband component inputs, two S-video inputs, PC D-sub, coax connector and a pair of composite inputs rounds out the connectivity settings. An optical output is also included for digital audio out and an additional composite input set is located on the front panel. Hitachi even gave the P5S601 50” Ultravision plasma HDTV a motorized table top stand that swivels the screen automatically via the remote.
A built-in ATSC/NTSC/QAM tuner combines digital and analog channels into one tuner. Hitachi also provides three customized settings for each input that allows you to match the picture to the viewing environment. This allows for a brighter picture during the day when the viewing environment tends to be brighter and a dimmer display at night when not as much brightness is needed.
Picture Quality and Use
I’ve looked at several HDTV sets of the years and the P5S601 50” Ultravision plasma HDTV certainly had one of the more robust feature sets. Features aside, what really makes me happy with a TV is the picture quality and the P5S601 50” Ultravision plasma HDTV was second to none. The clarity of the P5S601 50” Ultravision plasma HDTV is very impressive. One of the things that I never really liked about watching SD shows on a HDTV was that the picture just didn’t look very good when stretched to fit the entire screen. Standard aspect ratio shows have never looked as good as they did on the P5S601 50” Ultravision plasma HDTV.
HD programming from my local cable provided was flawless. The P5S601 50” Ultravision plasma HDTV is the next best thing to being at a live taping of your favorite shows. The dynamic day/night contrast of the screen worked very well at night it provided good image quality without being too bright and during the day when the room was brightly lit the picture was bright enough to look fantastic. The screen does a great job of reducing glare in a room from light sources.
Color reproduction on the P5S601 50” Ultravision plasma HDTV was superb with deep blacks and bright vivid colors. Skin tones looked natural, you almost feel like you are in the same room as the actors. Black levels were very good and I didn’t notice any pixilation during grayscale transitions. Upscaled DVD movies looked great at 1080i on the P5S601 50” Ultravision plasma HDTV and 300 on Blu-ray looked superb.
The motorized display stand Hitachi used is very cool. To be able to sit back and move the screen for your optimal viewing angle via the remote is a very nice feature. Low points for me with the P5S601 50” Ultravision plasma HDTV were few, these days I think three HDMI ports on the rear of a HDTV are a must. It’s not uncommon at all to have a minimum of three HDMI sources with your DVD player, game console and cable TV box. Putting one of the three available HDMI ports on the front isn’t the best setup for a high-end TV like this one costing right at $3500. A front panel HDMI is a good feature, but it should be a fourth not a third in my opinion.
With great image quality, multiple HD and SD component inputs and a motorized swiveling stand the P50S601 HDTV from Hitachi is one of the best HDTV sets that I have tested.
Review excerpt: “A built-in ATSC/NTSC/QAM tuner combines digital and analog channels into one tuner. Hitachi also provides three customized settings for each input that allows you to match the picture to the viewing environment. This allows for a brighter picture during the day when the viewing environment tends to be brighter and a dimmer display at night when not as much brightness is needed.”
Features & Specifications
If you aren’t familiar with Hitachi’s line of HDTV sets and you are in the market for a new HDTV, you should be familiar with Hitachi. The P5S601 50” Ultravision plasma HDTV I’m looking at today has full 1080p resolution. Hitachi uses several technologies to enhance the image quality on the P5S601 50” Ultravision plasma HDTV like ClearWindow and a PictureMaster HD IV Video Processor. The PictureMaster ID IV video processor provides MPED noise reduction, dynamic contrast, dynamic histogram processing, 16-bit/281 trillion color capability, automatic 3:2 pulldown for film enhancement, four HD modes, and six SD modes.
Other features include three preset color temperatures, four-step black enhancement, a 10-bit digital 4MB 3D Y/C comb filter, and an anti-reflective high contrast screen with black-stripe filter. The audio features of the P5S601 50” Ultravision plasma HDTV include MTS stereo SAP with dbx, simulated surround sound, bass boost, 20-watt speaker system, and the ability to set the TV as center input.
Hitachi also includes a trio of HDMI ports supporting 1080p. Two of the HDMI ports are on the rear of the TV and one is on the front panel. Two wideband component inputs, two S-video inputs, PC D-sub, coax connector and a pair of composite inputs rounds out the connectivity settings. An optical output is also included for digital audio out and an additional composite input set is located on the front panel. Hitachi even gave the P5S601 50” Ultravision plasma HDTV a motorized table top stand that swivels the screen automatically via the remote.
A built-in ATSC/NTSC/QAM tuner combines digital and analog channels into one tuner. Hitachi also provides three customized settings for each input that allows you to match the picture to the viewing environment. This allows for a brighter picture during the day when the viewing environment tends to be brighter and a dimmer display at night when not as much brightness is needed.
Picture Quality and Use
I’ve looked at several HDTV sets of the years and the P5S601 50” Ultravision plasma HDTV certainly had one of the more robust feature sets. Features aside, what really makes me happy with a TV is the picture quality and the P5S601 50” Ultravision plasma HDTV was second to none. The clarity of the P5S601 50” Ultravision plasma HDTV is very impressive. One of the things that I never really liked about watching SD shows on a HDTV was that the picture just didn’t look very good when stretched to fit the entire screen. Standard aspect ratio shows have never looked as good as they did on the P5S601 50” Ultravision plasma HDTV.
HD programming from my local cable provided was flawless. The P5S601 50” Ultravision plasma HDTV is the next best thing to being at a live taping of your favorite shows. The dynamic day/night contrast of the screen worked very well at night it provided good image quality without being too bright and during the day when the room was brightly lit the picture was bright enough to look fantastic. The screen does a great job of reducing glare in a room from light sources.
Color reproduction on the P5S601 50” Ultravision plasma HDTV was superb with deep blacks and bright vivid colors. Skin tones looked natural, you almost feel like you are in the same room as the actors. Black levels were very good and I didn’t notice any pixilation during grayscale transitions. Upscaled DVD movies looked great at 1080i on the P5S601 50” Ultravision plasma HDTV and 300 on Blu-ray looked superb.
The motorized display stand Hitachi used is very cool. To be able to sit back and move the screen for your optimal viewing angle via the remote is a very nice feature. Low points for me with the P5S601 50” Ultravision plasma HDTV were few, these days I think three HDMI ports on the rear of a HDTV are a must. It’s not uncommon at all to have a minimum of three HDMI sources with your DVD player, game console and cable TV box. Putting one of the three available HDMI ports on the front isn’t the best setup for a high-end TV like this one costing right at $3500. A front panel HDMI is a good feature, but it should be a fourth not a third in my opinion.
Sunday, August 19, 2007
Multiple routes to cut shutter lag
Question: I use a digital camera, which I generally like. But shutter lag irritates me. Is this something I just have to accept?
Answer: Shutter lag is the pause between the time the button is pushed and the picture is taken. It is a problem with point-and-shoot digital cameras. Digital SLRs have little shutter lag. More recent point-and- shoots are improving. Part of the problem is autofocus, especially in poor light. Using manual controls, if possible, will help. Also, when possible, press the shutter button halfway to compose the picture. When ready, finish pressing. And you may be able to speed things up by using sports mode. Finally, high- speed memory cards are helpful, if your camera can use them.
Source: http://www.indystar.com
Answer: Shutter lag is the pause between the time the button is pushed and the picture is taken. It is a problem with point-and-shoot digital cameras. Digital SLRs have little shutter lag. More recent point-and- shoots are improving. Part of the problem is autofocus, especially in poor light. Using manual controls, if possible, will help. Also, when possible, press the shutter button halfway to compose the picture. When ready, finish pressing. And you may be able to speed things up by using sports mode. Finally, high- speed memory cards are helpful, if your camera can use them.
Source: http://www.indystar.com
The case for LCD HDTVs
A stronger picture in all light conditions
Plasmas may have the more subtle film-like pictures, but they can only be fully appreciated when the lights are turned down. And who watches TV with the lights always dimmed?
When we turned up the lights in the APC Labs, something unexpected happened: the plasmas started losing their advantage and the picture on the LCD HDTVs got better.
The strong backlighting in an LCD HDTV makes for a brighter image that cuts strongly through ambient light. If your HDTV is going to sit in a well-lit room or one with lots of light streaming through windows, an LCD HDTV will give you a stronger, more intense, sharper picture.
Toshiba put it well in their recent advertisements for their new range of Regza TVs: they call it “Pure Intensity.” Intensity is a good way of describing the LCD picture.
Picture intensity is one reason that LCD HDTVs outsell plasmas in retailers' showrooms – LCD HDTVs just look brighter and sharper in well lit environments.
If you want an all-round TV that works well in all lighting conditions, and you rarely do the home theatre thing, then an LCD HDTV is the way to go.
LCDs are overcoming poor contrasts due to lighter blacks
The way blacks are generated at pixel level gives plasmas an inherent advantage when it come to showing detail in dark scenes – but LCD HDTVs are dealing with the problem with on-board processors which analyse the picture and improve the contrasts in the dark areas.
The newest LCD HDTV reveal plasma-like detail even if the blacks aren’t as dark as those on the plasmas. In a scene in Apollo 13, in which an astronaut drags his fingers through the dark lunar soil, the plasmas consistently showed fine detail in the dark edges around the fingers.
Some of the older LCDs TVs struggled to do the same – but the newest ones such as the Toshiba 32in Regza, the Samsung 40in LCD (LA40M8), and the Philips 32inch (32PFL7532D/79) showed more of that detail, even though the surrounding blacks still weren’t as dark as on the plasmas.
The signs are that as more processing power is brought to bear on the images, LCD HDTVs will almost certainly overcome the key advantages plasmas enjoy in picture quality – and do it in a much wider variety of conditions.
LCD HDTVs pack more resolution into a smaller space
LCD HDTVs generally have more resolution than similarly sized plasma sets because they can cram more pixels into a given space. The smallest plasmas on the Australian market able to display full 1080p resolution are 50in (127cm) sets. The smallest LCD HDTVs that can do that are 37in (94cm).
LCD HDTVs come in all shapes and sizes to better suit your needs
Plasmas in the stores range from 42in to 50in –but anything above 40in is a big TV and not everyone needs one. It’s LCD that gives you far more options when it comes to selecting a TV that’s the right size.
LCD HDTVs start at 26in (66cm) and go up to 50in and beyond. On paper, a 32in (81cm) LCD HDTV may seem small compared to say a 42in (116cm) plasma, but in reality it’s a good size for many people, not to mention one that’s 37in.
When it comes to getting a second TV for the bedroom, the kitchen or even the bathroom, LCD gives you more options. Since other rooms are also more likely to be well lit compared to say a lounge room designed for home theatre, LCD will also work better in them.
LCD HDTVs also provide a lower entry price for those wanting an affordable HDTV set. You can get a quality-brand 26in 1,366 x 768p LCD TV for around $1,500-$2,000 (make sure it’s got an inbuilt HDTV tuner and speakers).
The cheapest entry-level HD plasmas with HD tuners will set you back around $2,000-$2,500.
LCD HDTVs are better for viewing computer or console games.
LCD screens were originally created to show computer graphics – so they excel when you’re displaying a computer-generated image. That’s why retailers always show animations on their demo LCD TVs.
The ultimate experience in computer gaming must the playing of a PS3 game on a Sony Bravia 52in (133cm) 1080p HDTV. In our tests, the Bravia was simply spectacular in its display of computer-generated graphics and animations.
LCD HDTVs are overcoming the motion blur issue
The very nature of LCD screens means their response times are slower than those of plasmas, but LCD makers aren’t standing still. Response times are dropping, with most LCD HDTVs now down to 8ms and even 6ms.
Even faster response times, such as 2ms, have been achieved by some LCD monitors, though these numbers are often fudged and manipulated by the manufacturers who constantly change their measurement methods.
LCD HDTV makers are throwing more processing power at the problem with each new generation of panel. One popular solution is to double the HDTV’s refresh rate. Standard PAL TV refreshes at 50Hz but HDTV makers are introducing sets with a rate of 100Hz, which allows for the addition of an extra, interpolated frame in each frame pair.
The improvement this brings was starkly highlighted by the Toshiba Regza 32in HDTV in our Labs, which handled motion blur better than most other LCD TVs, although the Philips and Samsung also come with their own motion blur attenuation technologies and weren’t that far behind.
LCD HDTVs last longer. Period.
Lifespan in TV terms means how long it takes for the screen to dim to half its brightness. So while plasmas now have a longer lifespan (at least 20 years of watching TV five hours a day) they still dim faster than LCD HDTVs, which are guaranteed to last at least 60,000 hours (or 30 years at five hours a day).
The picture you’re watching on your new LCD HDTV in ten years from now is likely to be closer to the quality of the picture when the screen was new than than the one on a plasma HDTV.
Talking of screen durability, it might take four days for a static image to burn itself into a plasma screen these days, but on an LCD HDTV it is not even an issue . LCD screens were made for showing computer graphics and static images on screen, so they have strong resistance to burn-in.
They can suffer from a problem known as imager persistence, in which the liquid crystals retain a “memory” of their position if stuck on an image for too long, but this is not considered permanent and can be reversed.
LCD HDTVs are better for the environment
While our tests show that there is little difference between the very latest LCD and plasma HDTVs when it comes to power consumption, consider that plasmas generally range in size between 42 in and 50in.
They are big sets with commensurate power consumption. On the other hand, most LCD HDTVs are smaller, ranging between 26in and 40in, which means that on average, they will consumer less power due to their smaller screen size.
Summing up the case for LCD HDTVs
If you want an all-round TV with a strong picture in all lighting conditions (and which comes in a wide range of sizes) then an LCD HDTV is your best option.
In fact, LCD HDTVs are the only option if you want something smaller than a big TV, say 40in less. LCD HDTVs are also the better choice for displaying computer-generated graphics.
Industry insiders - whether in the plasma or LCD HDTV camps - concede that LCD probably has more potential for development in it, so we think that the plasma vs LCD battle will probably be irrelevant within a couple of years.
Source: http://apcmag.com
Plasmas may have the more subtle film-like pictures, but they can only be fully appreciated when the lights are turned down. And who watches TV with the lights always dimmed?
When we turned up the lights in the APC Labs, something unexpected happened: the plasmas started losing their advantage and the picture on the LCD HDTVs got better.
The strong backlighting in an LCD HDTV makes for a brighter image that cuts strongly through ambient light. If your HDTV is going to sit in a well-lit room or one with lots of light streaming through windows, an LCD HDTV will give you a stronger, more intense, sharper picture.
Toshiba put it well in their recent advertisements for their new range of Regza TVs: they call it “Pure Intensity.” Intensity is a good way of describing the LCD picture.
Picture intensity is one reason that LCD HDTVs outsell plasmas in retailers' showrooms – LCD HDTVs just look brighter and sharper in well lit environments.
If you want an all-round TV that works well in all lighting conditions, and you rarely do the home theatre thing, then an LCD HDTV is the way to go.
LCDs are overcoming poor contrasts due to lighter blacks
The way blacks are generated at pixel level gives plasmas an inherent advantage when it come to showing detail in dark scenes – but LCD HDTVs are dealing with the problem with on-board processors which analyse the picture and improve the contrasts in the dark areas.
The newest LCD HDTV reveal plasma-like detail even if the blacks aren’t as dark as those on the plasmas. In a scene in Apollo 13, in which an astronaut drags his fingers through the dark lunar soil, the plasmas consistently showed fine detail in the dark edges around the fingers.
Some of the older LCDs TVs struggled to do the same – but the newest ones such as the Toshiba 32in Regza, the Samsung 40in LCD (LA40M8), and the Philips 32inch (32PFL7532D/79) showed more of that detail, even though the surrounding blacks still weren’t as dark as on the plasmas.
The signs are that as more processing power is brought to bear on the images, LCD HDTVs will almost certainly overcome the key advantages plasmas enjoy in picture quality – and do it in a much wider variety of conditions.
LCD HDTVs pack more resolution into a smaller space
LCD HDTVs generally have more resolution than similarly sized plasma sets because they can cram more pixels into a given space. The smallest plasmas on the Australian market able to display full 1080p resolution are 50in (127cm) sets. The smallest LCD HDTVs that can do that are 37in (94cm).
LCD HDTVs come in all shapes and sizes to better suit your needs
Plasmas in the stores range from 42in to 50in –but anything above 40in is a big TV and not everyone needs one. It’s LCD that gives you far more options when it comes to selecting a TV that’s the right size.
LCD HDTVs start at 26in (66cm) and go up to 50in and beyond. On paper, a 32in (81cm) LCD HDTV may seem small compared to say a 42in (116cm) plasma, but in reality it’s a good size for many people, not to mention one that’s 37in.
When it comes to getting a second TV for the bedroom, the kitchen or even the bathroom, LCD gives you more options. Since other rooms are also more likely to be well lit compared to say a lounge room designed for home theatre, LCD will also work better in them.
LCD HDTVs also provide a lower entry price for those wanting an affordable HDTV set. You can get a quality-brand 26in 1,366 x 768p LCD TV for around $1,500-$2,000 (make sure it’s got an inbuilt HDTV tuner and speakers).
The cheapest entry-level HD plasmas with HD tuners will set you back around $2,000-$2,500.
LCD HDTVs are better for viewing computer or console games.
LCD screens were originally created to show computer graphics – so they excel when you’re displaying a computer-generated image. That’s why retailers always show animations on their demo LCD TVs.
The ultimate experience in computer gaming must the playing of a PS3 game on a Sony Bravia 52in (133cm) 1080p HDTV. In our tests, the Bravia was simply spectacular in its display of computer-generated graphics and animations.
LCD HDTVs are overcoming the motion blur issue
The very nature of LCD screens means their response times are slower than those of plasmas, but LCD makers aren’t standing still. Response times are dropping, with most LCD HDTVs now down to 8ms and even 6ms.
Even faster response times, such as 2ms, have been achieved by some LCD monitors, though these numbers are often fudged and manipulated by the manufacturers who constantly change their measurement methods.
LCD HDTV makers are throwing more processing power at the problem with each new generation of panel. One popular solution is to double the HDTV’s refresh rate. Standard PAL TV refreshes at 50Hz but HDTV makers are introducing sets with a rate of 100Hz, which allows for the addition of an extra, interpolated frame in each frame pair.
The improvement this brings was starkly highlighted by the Toshiba Regza 32in HDTV in our Labs, which handled motion blur better than most other LCD TVs, although the Philips and Samsung also come with their own motion blur attenuation technologies and weren’t that far behind.
LCD HDTVs last longer. Period.
Lifespan in TV terms means how long it takes for the screen to dim to half its brightness. So while plasmas now have a longer lifespan (at least 20 years of watching TV five hours a day) they still dim faster than LCD HDTVs, which are guaranteed to last at least 60,000 hours (or 30 years at five hours a day).
The picture you’re watching on your new LCD HDTV in ten years from now is likely to be closer to the quality of the picture when the screen was new than than the one on a plasma HDTV.
Talking of screen durability, it might take four days for a static image to burn itself into a plasma screen these days, but on an LCD HDTV it is not even an issue . LCD screens were made for showing computer graphics and static images on screen, so they have strong resistance to burn-in.
They can suffer from a problem known as imager persistence, in which the liquid crystals retain a “memory” of their position if stuck on an image for too long, but this is not considered permanent and can be reversed.
LCD HDTVs are better for the environment
While our tests show that there is little difference between the very latest LCD and plasma HDTVs when it comes to power consumption, consider that plasmas generally range in size between 42 in and 50in.
They are big sets with commensurate power consumption. On the other hand, most LCD HDTVs are smaller, ranging between 26in and 40in, which means that on average, they will consumer less power due to their smaller screen size.
Summing up the case for LCD HDTVs
If you want an all-round TV with a strong picture in all lighting conditions (and which comes in a wide range of sizes) then an LCD HDTV is your best option.
In fact, LCD HDTVs are the only option if you want something smaller than a big TV, say 40in less. LCD HDTVs are also the better choice for displaying computer-generated graphics.
Industry insiders - whether in the plasma or LCD HDTV camps - concede that LCD probably has more potential for development in it, so we think that the plasma vs LCD battle will probably be irrelevant within a couple of years.
Source: http://apcmag.com
Saturday, August 18, 2007
Basics Of The Digital Camera
Like most things in life when your experiencing something for the first time you are often unsure how to go about it. The same can be true when buying your first digital camera. You will undoubtedly be inundated with facts, figure and more jargon than you know what to do with. We will attempt in this article to help you along with some of the jargon and show you what to look for when buying a digital camera. Some of the feature may not interest you unless you need your camera to perform specific tasks, however its always worth knowing exactly what you are buying so you can pick a good deal when you see one.
Megapixels
The resolution of a camera is measured and advertised in megapixels. The idea behind this figure is the number of pixels that the camera has to take an image with. In this case the higher the number the better quality of picture you will be able to take. For example if you purchase a camera that has a resolution of 4 Megapixels, pictures that you take with that camera will be able to take images made up of 4 million pixels. Its obvious when you think about that a camera with a 2 megapixel resolution will not create as image as crisp or as detailed as the 4 megapixel one.
If you often print out your images on your PC or have them sent away to be printed then the megapixel rating of your camera can be very important to you. Higher megapixels on your camera will allow you to make prints larger in size while still keeping the quality. If you try to print a picture too large than what you camera was designed for then the image drastically loses quality.
The last thing to know about megapixels is the higher the resolution you take pictures in the more space on your memory card will be taken up. A picture taken on a 4 megapixel camera will need twice as much space on a memory card as a picture taken on a 2 megapixel camera. Be sure if you want quality pictures have enough memory on your camera to back it up., Either that or have spare media cards to plug in once your space has been used up.
Digital Zoom and Optical Zoom
No doubt when you are buying a camera you will want some sort of zoom function to take those in the distance shots. This is a troublesome area for some first time buyers. There are two types of zoom on the market for digital cameras. Digital Zoom and Optical Zoom. The only one that really matters is Optical zoom, this is true a true zoom function that brings the objects closer to you using the optics of the camera. Digital Zoom is like using the zoom function on an image editing software package. It enlarges a section of the image so it looks as if its closer to you.
Anything you can do with digital zoom you can do with a photo editing package so don't splash too much money on a camera with digital zoom only. Sometimes you will also so "total zoom" advertised this means the number that is quoted here is the optical zooms magnification added to the digital zooms magnification. Try to find out the magnification level of the optical zoom alone for the true value of the camera.
Aperture Size
We may be going a little further here than some of you would like to care about but bear with us as the aperture size can make a big impact on your pictures. The size of the aperture determines exactly how much light is let into the camera when your picture is taken. Think of the aperture like the iris of your eye. No big deal you may think, however having more light allows you take better pictures in a variety of lighting condition, cloudy days is a perfect example.
With a large enough aperture you would be less likely to need the flash, personally I don't like to use the flash function, the artificial flash of light does not always do justice to the picture you are trying to take. Also effects like red eye are also common.
Shutter Speed
Great effects can be made to images using a variety of shutter speeds. The thing to look for when buying a decent digital camera in terms of shutter speeds is the broadest range you can find. This will give you the best chance of manipulating the picture the way you want it. Combined with a pro-active aperture the shutter speed can make pictures come to life or freeze images in an instant.
This technique is great when you want to take moving objects exactly how they look as if they were still. Setting the shutter speed on a slower setting gives more exposure to the CCD (charge coupled device - the digital equivalent of film). The effect is that the picture almost seems to run. Moving objects are slightly blurred. You may think this is a bad thing but take an example of running water leaving the shutter speed on for longer will soften the image creating a pleasing image to the eye much like the way a waterfall appears in real life.
You can take digital photography to the extreme with a camera that has a very wide range of shutter speeds. With an incredibly slow shutter speed, you can have a long exposure of light to the CCD and hence receive like the famous traffic scenes where the headlights blend into each other into a constant stream.
Storage Media
Digital Cameras come with a slot for a variety of media cards. Check when you buy your camera what type of storage media it requires. There are several popular types including Smart Media, compact flash and xD picture cards. As long as you know what type your is you should be able to safely by the correct type. Always ask at your local store if you are unsure. If you give them your make and model they should be able to point you in the right direction.
The size of the media card you choose depends on your budget but get as much as you can afford. More memory means that you don't have to change media cards, and you will be able to take pictures in the highest quality all the time. You will soon learn the benefits of having plenty storage space when you start to use your camera regularly.
The good thing about cameras media is that its just like a film if you do run out you can simply insert another one if you have one with you. It can be a bit of a pain when downloading your pictures to your PC but much less more of a pain than having to delete some picture because you have run of space on your media card.
By: Stephen Orgill
Stephen Orgill
Editor - www.pantherproducts.co.uk
Megapixels
The resolution of a camera is measured and advertised in megapixels. The idea behind this figure is the number of pixels that the camera has to take an image with. In this case the higher the number the better quality of picture you will be able to take. For example if you purchase a camera that has a resolution of 4 Megapixels, pictures that you take with that camera will be able to take images made up of 4 million pixels. Its obvious when you think about that a camera with a 2 megapixel resolution will not create as image as crisp or as detailed as the 4 megapixel one.
If you often print out your images on your PC or have them sent away to be printed then the megapixel rating of your camera can be very important to you. Higher megapixels on your camera will allow you to make prints larger in size while still keeping the quality. If you try to print a picture too large than what you camera was designed for then the image drastically loses quality.
The last thing to know about megapixels is the higher the resolution you take pictures in the more space on your memory card will be taken up. A picture taken on a 4 megapixel camera will need twice as much space on a memory card as a picture taken on a 2 megapixel camera. Be sure if you want quality pictures have enough memory on your camera to back it up., Either that or have spare media cards to plug in once your space has been used up.
Digital Zoom and Optical Zoom
No doubt when you are buying a camera you will want some sort of zoom function to take those in the distance shots. This is a troublesome area for some first time buyers. There are two types of zoom on the market for digital cameras. Digital Zoom and Optical Zoom. The only one that really matters is Optical zoom, this is true a true zoom function that brings the objects closer to you using the optics of the camera. Digital Zoom is like using the zoom function on an image editing software package. It enlarges a section of the image so it looks as if its closer to you.
Anything you can do with digital zoom you can do with a photo editing package so don't splash too much money on a camera with digital zoom only. Sometimes you will also so "total zoom" advertised this means the number that is quoted here is the optical zooms magnification added to the digital zooms magnification. Try to find out the magnification level of the optical zoom alone for the true value of the camera.
Aperture Size
We may be going a little further here than some of you would like to care about but bear with us as the aperture size can make a big impact on your pictures. The size of the aperture determines exactly how much light is let into the camera when your picture is taken. Think of the aperture like the iris of your eye. No big deal you may think, however having more light allows you take better pictures in a variety of lighting condition, cloudy days is a perfect example.
With a large enough aperture you would be less likely to need the flash, personally I don't like to use the flash function, the artificial flash of light does not always do justice to the picture you are trying to take. Also effects like red eye are also common.
Shutter Speed
Great effects can be made to images using a variety of shutter speeds. The thing to look for when buying a decent digital camera in terms of shutter speeds is the broadest range you can find. This will give you the best chance of manipulating the picture the way you want it. Combined with a pro-active aperture the shutter speed can make pictures come to life or freeze images in an instant.
This technique is great when you want to take moving objects exactly how they look as if they were still. Setting the shutter speed on a slower setting gives more exposure to the CCD (charge coupled device - the digital equivalent of film). The effect is that the picture almost seems to run. Moving objects are slightly blurred. You may think this is a bad thing but take an example of running water leaving the shutter speed on for longer will soften the image creating a pleasing image to the eye much like the way a waterfall appears in real life.
You can take digital photography to the extreme with a camera that has a very wide range of shutter speeds. With an incredibly slow shutter speed, you can have a long exposure of light to the CCD and hence receive like the famous traffic scenes where the headlights blend into each other into a constant stream.
Storage Media
Digital Cameras come with a slot for a variety of media cards. Check when you buy your camera what type of storage media it requires. There are several popular types including Smart Media, compact flash and xD picture cards. As long as you know what type your is you should be able to safely by the correct type. Always ask at your local store if you are unsure. If you give them your make and model they should be able to point you in the right direction.
The size of the media card you choose depends on your budget but get as much as you can afford. More memory means that you don't have to change media cards, and you will be able to take pictures in the highest quality all the time. You will soon learn the benefits of having plenty storage space when you start to use your camera regularly.
The good thing about cameras media is that its just like a film if you do run out you can simply insert another one if you have one with you. It can be a bit of a pain when downloading your pictures to your PC but much less more of a pain than having to delete some picture because you have run of space on your media card.
By: Stephen Orgill
Stephen Orgill
Editor - www.pantherproducts.co.uk
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
Boston Acoustics Expresses Bold New “Play Smart™” Attitude with Exciting Lineup of Innovative, “Personally Engaging” Products.
Posted by Jenny Miranda on Tuesday, August 14, 2007 - 11:11 am:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Peabody, MA, August 13, 2007 -- Boston Acoustics, Inc., a world-renowned manufacturer of high-performance loudspeakers and home entertainment products, today announced the upcoming introduction of a wide new range of products, expressing its bold new “Play Smart™” attitude which will animate every aspect of the branded experience, from product and product design to visual identity, tone of voice and verbal branding. The company’s new products meld elegant styling with the highest quality audio reproduction technologies and give consumers fresh solutions for expressing their personal style and tastes. The lineup includes stylish new Boston Horizon Series loudspeakers and compact 5.1-Channel speaker systems, breakthrough SoundWare indoor/outdoor speakers, the one-of-a-kind TVee Model Two Television Entertainment Enhancement System and more, plus a totally new concept in customizable loudspeaker design called the Boston Personal Options Plan (P.O.P.).
Boston Acoustics Sr. Vice-President & General Manager Eli Harary, noted: “The Boston Acoustics brand has a longstanding reputation for excellence in build quality, performance and innovation. In creating our new lineup, our engineering team took a fresh approach to product design. Rather than simply looking for ‘product solutions,’ our approach was to look at ‘real people solutions.’ This is manifested in products that provide new opportunities for personalization and customization, while maintaining our ‘best in class’ performance values. The new Boston Acoustics is equal parts performance, expression and experience – with an added touch of playfulness and fun.”
“Make It Your Own” with Boston Personal Options Plan (P.O.P.)
Boston Acoustics new Play Smart™ attitude is reflected in the company’s innovative new concept in loudspeaker design called the Boston Personal Options Plan (P.O.P.). P.O.P. gives people a new way to customize the look of their products and truly “make them their own” by expressing their personal style. Consumers who purchase any of Boston Acoustics’ new Horizon Series products as well as the new TVee Model Two, may choose from a variety of removable and replaceable cloth speaker grilles available in colors ranging from Glacier, Rosebud, Onyx, Pearl Gray, Caramel, Chocolat, Silver, and Chili Pepper. The grilles blend and complement the soft-touch painted finish and integrated color-coordinated rubber trim on Boston Acoustics’ new speaker products (all Boston Horizon speakers are available in either soft-touch painted mist with silver grilles or midnight with onyx grilles). To purchase a new grille, customers can simply visit the Boston Acoustics website (www.bostonacoustics.com/POP) and select the color of their choice or contact those dealers that will be stocking the grille color options.
-more-
Horizon Series: Sheer Elegance Combined with Sonic Accuracy
Boston Acoustics’ Horizon Series loudspeakers combine a unique sense of “honest” design with extraordinary performance and sonic accuracy. From their soft-touch painted finish and integrated color-coordinated rubber trim to their leading-edge audio technologies, Boston Horizon speakers are designed to literally sound as good as they look. The Boston Horizon Series includes a range of ten different speaker sizes and configurations, from bookshelf and floor-standing models to powered subwoofers. Horizon Series speakers are scheduled to ship in October 2007.
Also in the Boston Horizon Series are two new high-performance 5.1-Channel Surround systems, Models MCS130 (SRP: $799.99) and MCS100 (SRP: $499.99), both designed to give consumers an easy way to add the powerful dynamics of room-filling audio to their home entertainment. In addition to their advanced sound reproduction technologies, the new systems feature a variety of design enhancements and aesthetic touches, such as gently contoured speaker cabinets and color-coordinated rubber trim, that provide a stylish alternative to traditional surround sound speaker systems. The Boston Horizon Series MCS systems are scheduled to ship in September 2007.
TVee Model Two, A Television Entertainment Enhancement System
The Boston Acoustics TVee Model Two (SRP: $399.99) is a simple TV accessory designed to enhance the enjoyment of TV watching. The innovative system consists of a slim single powered “soundbar” that can be placed either underneath or on top of a flat-panel TV, or easily mounted on the wall, along with a matching wireless woofer that can be placed anywhere in the room to deliver added dynamic bass response. Once hooked up, viewers will enjoy an overall enhanced TV experience. A single wire runs from the soundbar into their television’s line-level output, and because the woofer is wireless, it can be placed virtually anywhere, even in a corner behind the couch, and still provide added bass response. The TVee Model Two is scheduled to ship in September 2007.
Boston SoundWare, for Great Boston Sound Anywhere
Boston Acoustics’ innovative and space-saving new SoundWare loudspeaker is an all-purpose 2-way indoor/outdoor speaker. SoundWare offers an unprecedented range of easy and flexible mounting options, and makes it possible to enjoy high performance audio in new and exciting ways...and in new places. Ideal for use in restaurants, retail stores, homes, smaller apartments and even by outdoor entertainers, SoundWare speakers are a unique combination of sonic performance, space efficiency and application flexibility. SoundWare speakers are designed to literally disappear into a surrounding décor if desired. Thanks to its unique shape and one-of-a-kind internal mounting bracket, a SoundWare speaker can be placed virtually anywhere – flush in a corner, flat on a wall, flat on a table or angled up 30 or 45 degrees on a flat surface. They’re available in seven colors, including Black, White, Silver, Just Red, Bamboo, Natural and Espresso. Availability: August 2007 ($99.99 each).
About Boston Acoustics
For over 25 years, Boston Acoustics has remained at the leading-edge of audio excellence, designing, manufacturing and marketing innovative high-performance loudspeakers for use in home audio and home theater systems, as well as aftermarket, OEM automotive systems, and custom installations. Highly regarded for creating the Boston sound, the company
-more-
commits all of its resources in design, engineering and manufacturing to create superior, competitively priced products that emphasize performance, consistency, reliability and value. For more information on the company’s full range of advanced loudspeakers, as well as its “tabletop radio” products and more, please visit www.BostonAcoustics.com.
About D&M Holdings Inc.
D&M Holdings Inc. (TSE I: 6735) is based in Kawasaki, Japan and owns the Denon, Marantz, McIntosh Laboratory, Boston Acoustics, Snell Acoustics, D&M Professional, D&M Premium Sound Solutions, Denon DJ, ReplayTVâ and Escientâ brands. Denon, Marantz, McIntosh and D&M Professional are global industry leaders in the specialist home theater, audio/video consumer electronics or professional audio markets, with a strong and long-standing heritage of manufacturing and marketing high-performance audio and video components. Boston Acoustics, with its signature The Boston Sound, is a leader in premium loudspeakers for home and automotive audio markets. Snell is a super premium speaker brand. The ReplayTV and Escient brands represent award-winning technologies in digital home entertainment. D&M Premium Sound Solutions manufactures high-quality, Hi-Fi audio products for the B2B automotive and consumer electronics markets. Additional information is available at www.dm-holdings.com.
Denon and Marantz are registered trademarks of D&M Holdings Inc.; McIntosh is a registered trademark of McIntosh Laboratory, Inc.; Boston Acoustics is a registered trademark of Boston Acoustics, Inc. and ReplayTV and Escient are registered trademarks of Digital Networks North America, Inc.
DISCLAIMER
Statements in this news release that are not statements of historical fact may include forward looking statements regarding future events or the future financial performance of the company. We wish to caution you that such statements are just predictions and that actual events or results may differ materially. Forward looking statements involve a number of risks and uncertainties surrounding competitive and industry conditions, market acceptance for the company's products, ability to meet targeted product release dates, risks of litigation, technological changes, developing industry standards and other factors related to the company's businesses. The Company reserves all of its rights.
Media Contact:
DBA Public Relations
Adam Weissman
212-388-1400
aweissman@dba-pr.com
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Peabody, MA, August 13, 2007 -- Boston Acoustics, Inc., a world-renowned manufacturer of high-performance loudspeakers and home entertainment products, today announced the upcoming introduction of a wide new range of products, expressing its bold new “Play Smart™” attitude which will animate every aspect of the branded experience, from product and product design to visual identity, tone of voice and verbal branding. The company’s new products meld elegant styling with the highest quality audio reproduction technologies and give consumers fresh solutions for expressing their personal style and tastes. The lineup includes stylish new Boston Horizon Series loudspeakers and compact 5.1-Channel speaker systems, breakthrough SoundWare indoor/outdoor speakers, the one-of-a-kind TVee Model Two Television Entertainment Enhancement System and more, plus a totally new concept in customizable loudspeaker design called the Boston Personal Options Plan (P.O.P.).
Boston Acoustics Sr. Vice-President & General Manager Eli Harary, noted: “The Boston Acoustics brand has a longstanding reputation for excellence in build quality, performance and innovation. In creating our new lineup, our engineering team took a fresh approach to product design. Rather than simply looking for ‘product solutions,’ our approach was to look at ‘real people solutions.’ This is manifested in products that provide new opportunities for personalization and customization, while maintaining our ‘best in class’ performance values. The new Boston Acoustics is equal parts performance, expression and experience – with an added touch of playfulness and fun.”
“Make It Your Own” with Boston Personal Options Plan (P.O.P.)
Boston Acoustics new Play Smart™ attitude is reflected in the company’s innovative new concept in loudspeaker design called the Boston Personal Options Plan (P.O.P.). P.O.P. gives people a new way to customize the look of their products and truly “make them their own” by expressing their personal style. Consumers who purchase any of Boston Acoustics’ new Horizon Series products as well as the new TVee Model Two, may choose from a variety of removable and replaceable cloth speaker grilles available in colors ranging from Glacier, Rosebud, Onyx, Pearl Gray, Caramel, Chocolat, Silver, and Chili Pepper. The grilles blend and complement the soft-touch painted finish and integrated color-coordinated rubber trim on Boston Acoustics’ new speaker products (all Boston Horizon speakers are available in either soft-touch painted mist with silver grilles or midnight with onyx grilles). To purchase a new grille, customers can simply visit the Boston Acoustics website (www.bostonacoustics.com/POP) and select the color of their choice or contact those dealers that will be stocking the grille color options.
-more-
Horizon Series: Sheer Elegance Combined with Sonic Accuracy
Boston Acoustics’ Horizon Series loudspeakers combine a unique sense of “honest” design with extraordinary performance and sonic accuracy. From their soft-touch painted finish and integrated color-coordinated rubber trim to their leading-edge audio technologies, Boston Horizon speakers are designed to literally sound as good as they look. The Boston Horizon Series includes a range of ten different speaker sizes and configurations, from bookshelf and floor-standing models to powered subwoofers. Horizon Series speakers are scheduled to ship in October 2007.
Also in the Boston Horizon Series are two new high-performance 5.1-Channel Surround systems, Models MCS130 (SRP: $799.99) and MCS100 (SRP: $499.99), both designed to give consumers an easy way to add the powerful dynamics of room-filling audio to their home entertainment. In addition to their advanced sound reproduction technologies, the new systems feature a variety of design enhancements and aesthetic touches, such as gently contoured speaker cabinets and color-coordinated rubber trim, that provide a stylish alternative to traditional surround sound speaker systems. The Boston Horizon Series MCS systems are scheduled to ship in September 2007.
TVee Model Two, A Television Entertainment Enhancement System
The Boston Acoustics TVee Model Two (SRP: $399.99) is a simple TV accessory designed to enhance the enjoyment of TV watching. The innovative system consists of a slim single powered “soundbar” that can be placed either underneath or on top of a flat-panel TV, or easily mounted on the wall, along with a matching wireless woofer that can be placed anywhere in the room to deliver added dynamic bass response. Once hooked up, viewers will enjoy an overall enhanced TV experience. A single wire runs from the soundbar into their television’s line-level output, and because the woofer is wireless, it can be placed virtually anywhere, even in a corner behind the couch, and still provide added bass response. The TVee Model Two is scheduled to ship in September 2007.
Boston SoundWare, for Great Boston Sound Anywhere
Boston Acoustics’ innovative and space-saving new SoundWare loudspeaker is an all-purpose 2-way indoor/outdoor speaker. SoundWare offers an unprecedented range of easy and flexible mounting options, and makes it possible to enjoy high performance audio in new and exciting ways...and in new places. Ideal for use in restaurants, retail stores, homes, smaller apartments and even by outdoor entertainers, SoundWare speakers are a unique combination of sonic performance, space efficiency and application flexibility. SoundWare speakers are designed to literally disappear into a surrounding décor if desired. Thanks to its unique shape and one-of-a-kind internal mounting bracket, a SoundWare speaker can be placed virtually anywhere – flush in a corner, flat on a wall, flat on a table or angled up 30 or 45 degrees on a flat surface. They’re available in seven colors, including Black, White, Silver, Just Red, Bamboo, Natural and Espresso. Availability: August 2007 ($99.99 each).
About Boston Acoustics
For over 25 years, Boston Acoustics has remained at the leading-edge of audio excellence, designing, manufacturing and marketing innovative high-performance loudspeakers for use in home audio and home theater systems, as well as aftermarket, OEM automotive systems, and custom installations. Highly regarded for creating the Boston sound, the company
-more-
commits all of its resources in design, engineering and manufacturing to create superior, competitively priced products that emphasize performance, consistency, reliability and value. For more information on the company’s full range of advanced loudspeakers, as well as its “tabletop radio” products and more, please visit www.BostonAcoustics.com.
About D&M Holdings Inc.
D&M Holdings Inc. (TSE I: 6735) is based in Kawasaki, Japan and owns the Denon, Marantz, McIntosh Laboratory, Boston Acoustics, Snell Acoustics, D&M Professional, D&M Premium Sound Solutions, Denon DJ, ReplayTVâ and Escientâ brands. Denon, Marantz, McIntosh and D&M Professional are global industry leaders in the specialist home theater, audio/video consumer electronics or professional audio markets, with a strong and long-standing heritage of manufacturing and marketing high-performance audio and video components. Boston Acoustics, with its signature The Boston Sound, is a leader in premium loudspeakers for home and automotive audio markets. Snell is a super premium speaker brand. The ReplayTV and Escient brands represent award-winning technologies in digital home entertainment. D&M Premium Sound Solutions manufactures high-quality, Hi-Fi audio products for the B2B automotive and consumer electronics markets. Additional information is available at www.dm-holdings.com.
Denon and Marantz are registered trademarks of D&M Holdings Inc.; McIntosh is a registered trademark of McIntosh Laboratory, Inc.; Boston Acoustics is a registered trademark of Boston Acoustics, Inc. and ReplayTV and Escient are registered trademarks of Digital Networks North America, Inc.
DISCLAIMER
Statements in this news release that are not statements of historical fact may include forward looking statements regarding future events or the future financial performance of the company. We wish to caution you that such statements are just predictions and that actual events or results may differ materially. Forward looking statements involve a number of risks and uncertainties surrounding competitive and industry conditions, market acceptance for the company's products, ability to meet targeted product release dates, risks of litigation, technological changes, developing industry standards and other factors related to the company's businesses. The Company reserves all of its rights.
Media Contact:
DBA Public Relations
Adam Weissman
212-388-1400
aweissman@dba-pr.com
Sunday, August 12, 2007
Is The Plasma TV Market Goingt To Survive?
By BusinessWeek Syndication | Sunday | 12/08/2007
The flat panel TV market is rapidly changing. Margins are wafer thin, the risks are high no more so than for plasma manufacturers who are now faced with the dilema of having to cough up additional investments in an effort to hold onto a declining market share. So will Plasma disapear.
It's a classic dilemma for any flat-panel TV maker do you expand or not. But for plasma TV manufacturers, the question goes beyond the usual hand-wringing about whether to spend on more super-efficient factories now to reap cost advantages later. That's because by 2009, companies like Matsushita Electric who trade as Panasonic, LG Electronics and Samsung could get hammered by falling revenues, as competition from the dominant flat-panel technology, liquid-crystal displays, drives down prices and undercuts their profits.
According to market research firm iSuppli, revenues, estimated at $7.7 billion last year, could peak at $10.2 billion in 2008 before falling back to $8.7 billion in 2011. The decline is expected to come despite rising sales of the specialized glass panels for plasma TVs, which could more than double from 10 million last year to 23.6 million in 2011.
The not-so-upbeat outlook explains why most plasma-panel makers aren't eager to ramp up production. This year only one company hasn't curtailed production: Matsushita. Says iSuppli's Riddhi Patel: "Most panel makers have cut their production utilization rates to around 70%—except for Matsushita, which remains at 100%."
Matsushita Has More at Stake
So why does Matsushita CEO Fumio Ohtsubo have his plants firing on all cylinders when everyone else is taking a wait-and-see approach? Ohtsubo has yet to offer a clear answer.
The best guess is that he's dead-set on reaching his target of selling 5 million sets this fiscal year through March, 2008—a 43% rise from 3.5 million last year—and reaching even higher levels in the next few years, and anyway it's premature to get all worked up about a contraction. It's no secret that Ohtsubo wants Matsushita to rule the market for big screens by the end of the decade.
It could also be that Matsushita simply has more riding on the success of plasma TVs than anyone else. The world's biggest plasma producer, with more than a third of the market, the company is outspending all others on state-of-the-art panel-making factories. Its $2.4 billion facility—the company's fifth and biggest to date—is scheduled to be up and running in May, 2009. That mega-plant could double the company's current annual production capacity to 11.5 million sets by early 2010.
Ohtsubo's goal is for one in four of all flat TVs with screens measuring 37 in. and larger that are sold worldwide to bear the Panasonic brand. One way he might accomplish that: expand Matsushita's small-scale LCD TV business. On Aug. 9 the company did just that, announcing plans to sell 37-in. LCD TVs in Japan for the first time and moving up in size from the 32-in. sets it had previously made.
It's still not going to be easy for Ohtsubo. The world's top LCD makers, once limited to smaller screens, have developed new technologies that allow them to crank out bigger TVs. Samsung Electronics (SSNKF), Sony (SNE), Philips (PHG), and Sharp (SHCAY) are just as eager to stake their claim in the high-margin sector of the market that plasma once had all to itself. In the first quarter of this year, LCD makers sold more big-screen TVs in sizes 40 in. and up than plasma producers, says market research firm DisplaySearch. (Plasma TVs currently make up only 15% of the global flat-screen TV market.)
With the TV pie set to grow in coming years, it would seem that there's plenty to go around. But the reality is that plasma makers are already feeling the heat from LCD's encroachment. Last year large-screens accounted for 14% of the 44.5 million LCD TVs sold worldwide. This year that figure is expected to rise to 25% of LCD sets, and in 2011 it could be as much as 40%, iSuppli predicts.
Last Year's Models
No wonder some analysts have revised down their plasma TV sales forecasts following a tough quarter for the world's top manufacturers. In the April-June quarter, Matsushita's TV sales volumes were up 31% but overall TV revenues only gained 2%. And the company's declining TV revenues in Japan and North America—where a majority of the world's big-screen TVs are sold—offers a glimpse of how the entry of LCD TVs is weighing on prices and profits in the sector.
Although rising inventories might suggest the need to curb supply, the company says the stockpile comes just before a launch of brand-new models, not because slowing demand has left old sets sitting at warehouses. Other plasma makers aren't holding up as well, with LG and Samsung chalking up sizable losses in the most recent quarter.
No Rest for the Weary
The one thing still going for Matsushita and other plasma makers is price. Displaysearch estimates that in the April-June quarter the average price for a 50-in., high-definition plasma set was $2,191 vs. $2,524 for a comparable 45- to 47-in. LCD TV. But the gap is likely to narrow.
Samsung, Sony, and Sharp have just begun production at new factories of their own where they're able to produce bigger sheets of glass from which more large-screens can be cut, and they're already plotting their next move (see BusinessWeek.com, 8/01/07, "Sharp's Mega-Wager on LCD TVs").
That suggests the best option for plasma makers is to keep innovating so they can stay a step ahead of LCD makers. Analysts note that consumers rank price among their top considerations when shopping for a flat TV, but eventually the price contest could give way to a perception game. Consumers might be less inclined to drop $1,000 on a TV if they think manufacturers will abandon the technology in a few years. Perhaps Matsushita is smart not to neglect its own tiny LCD-TV-making operation, just in case.
Hall is BusinessWeek's technology correspondent in Tokyo
Source: http://www.smarthouse.com
The flat panel TV market is rapidly changing. Margins are wafer thin, the risks are high no more so than for plasma manufacturers who are now faced with the dilema of having to cough up additional investments in an effort to hold onto a declining market share. So will Plasma disapear.
It's a classic dilemma for any flat-panel TV maker do you expand or not. But for plasma TV manufacturers, the question goes beyond the usual hand-wringing about whether to spend on more super-efficient factories now to reap cost advantages later. That's because by 2009, companies like Matsushita Electric who trade as Panasonic, LG Electronics and Samsung could get hammered by falling revenues, as competition from the dominant flat-panel technology, liquid-crystal displays, drives down prices and undercuts their profits.
According to market research firm iSuppli, revenues, estimated at $7.7 billion last year, could peak at $10.2 billion in 2008 before falling back to $8.7 billion in 2011. The decline is expected to come despite rising sales of the specialized glass panels for plasma TVs, which could more than double from 10 million last year to 23.6 million in 2011.
The not-so-upbeat outlook explains why most plasma-panel makers aren't eager to ramp up production. This year only one company hasn't curtailed production: Matsushita. Says iSuppli's Riddhi Patel: "Most panel makers have cut their production utilization rates to around 70%—except for Matsushita, which remains at 100%."
Matsushita Has More at Stake
So why does Matsushita CEO Fumio Ohtsubo have his plants firing on all cylinders when everyone else is taking a wait-and-see approach? Ohtsubo has yet to offer a clear answer.
The best guess is that he's dead-set on reaching his target of selling 5 million sets this fiscal year through March, 2008—a 43% rise from 3.5 million last year—and reaching even higher levels in the next few years, and anyway it's premature to get all worked up about a contraction. It's no secret that Ohtsubo wants Matsushita to rule the market for big screens by the end of the decade.
It could also be that Matsushita simply has more riding on the success of plasma TVs than anyone else. The world's biggest plasma producer, with more than a third of the market, the company is outspending all others on state-of-the-art panel-making factories. Its $2.4 billion facility—the company's fifth and biggest to date—is scheduled to be up and running in May, 2009. That mega-plant could double the company's current annual production capacity to 11.5 million sets by early 2010.
Ohtsubo's goal is for one in four of all flat TVs with screens measuring 37 in. and larger that are sold worldwide to bear the Panasonic brand. One way he might accomplish that: expand Matsushita's small-scale LCD TV business. On Aug. 9 the company did just that, announcing plans to sell 37-in. LCD TVs in Japan for the first time and moving up in size from the 32-in. sets it had previously made.
It's still not going to be easy for Ohtsubo. The world's top LCD makers, once limited to smaller screens, have developed new technologies that allow them to crank out bigger TVs. Samsung Electronics (SSNKF), Sony (SNE), Philips (PHG), and Sharp (SHCAY) are just as eager to stake their claim in the high-margin sector of the market that plasma once had all to itself. In the first quarter of this year, LCD makers sold more big-screen TVs in sizes 40 in. and up than plasma producers, says market research firm DisplaySearch. (Plasma TVs currently make up only 15% of the global flat-screen TV market.)
With the TV pie set to grow in coming years, it would seem that there's plenty to go around. But the reality is that plasma makers are already feeling the heat from LCD's encroachment. Last year large-screens accounted for 14% of the 44.5 million LCD TVs sold worldwide. This year that figure is expected to rise to 25% of LCD sets, and in 2011 it could be as much as 40%, iSuppli predicts.
Last Year's Models
No wonder some analysts have revised down their plasma TV sales forecasts following a tough quarter for the world's top manufacturers. In the April-June quarter, Matsushita's TV sales volumes were up 31% but overall TV revenues only gained 2%. And the company's declining TV revenues in Japan and North America—where a majority of the world's big-screen TVs are sold—offers a glimpse of how the entry of LCD TVs is weighing on prices and profits in the sector.
Although rising inventories might suggest the need to curb supply, the company says the stockpile comes just before a launch of brand-new models, not because slowing demand has left old sets sitting at warehouses. Other plasma makers aren't holding up as well, with LG and Samsung chalking up sizable losses in the most recent quarter.
No Rest for the Weary
The one thing still going for Matsushita and other plasma makers is price. Displaysearch estimates that in the April-June quarter the average price for a 50-in., high-definition plasma set was $2,191 vs. $2,524 for a comparable 45- to 47-in. LCD TV. But the gap is likely to narrow.
Samsung, Sony, and Sharp have just begun production at new factories of their own where they're able to produce bigger sheets of glass from which more large-screens can be cut, and they're already plotting their next move (see BusinessWeek.com, 8/01/07, "Sharp's Mega-Wager on LCD TVs").
That suggests the best option for plasma makers is to keep innovating so they can stay a step ahead of LCD makers. Analysts note that consumers rank price among their top considerations when shopping for a flat TV, but eventually the price contest could give way to a perception game. Consumers might be less inclined to drop $1,000 on a TV if they think manufacturers will abandon the technology in a few years. Perhaps Matsushita is smart not to neglect its own tiny LCD-TV-making operation, just in case.
Hall is BusinessWeek's technology correspondent in Tokyo
Source: http://www.smarthouse.com
Thursday, August 09, 2007
Hitachi Announces Two Blu-ray Disc Camcorders
Late last year, it was reported that Hitachi was developing a Blu-ray Disc camcorder. It appears that Hitachi is now ready to make two Blu-ray camcorders (DZ-BD70A, DZ-BD7HA) available for consumers. The DZ-BD70A offers BD-R/RE format recording, as well as the ability to record standard resolution video on DVD-R/-RW/-RAM discs. On the other hand, the DZ-BD7HA also includes a 30 Gigabyte hard drive. This feature enables the user to record high definition or standard resolution video on the hard drive and then dub the recorded video to either Blu-ray Disc or standard DVDs. In addition, both camcorders can also take high resolution still images.
How does the availability of Blu-ray Disc camcorders relate to Home Theater? You will be able to play true high definition video recorded on a Blu-ray camcorder directly on a home Blu-ray Disc player, and view it on an HDTV in all its glory. Until standalone Blu-ray Disc recorders become available for home use, Blu-ray Disc camcorders and PCs with Blu-ray Disc writers would be the only methods available to record home video onto Blu-ray discs. Of course, no information is available on the price point for either the camcorders or blank discs. Unless the price of the blank discs approaches the price of miniDV tape or standard DVD-R discs, recording home video on Blu-ray discs may be an expensive proposition, at least in the near term.
Source: http://hometheater.about.com
How does the availability of Blu-ray Disc camcorders relate to Home Theater? You will be able to play true high definition video recorded on a Blu-ray camcorder directly on a home Blu-ray Disc player, and view it on an HDTV in all its glory. Until standalone Blu-ray Disc recorders become available for home use, Blu-ray Disc camcorders and PCs with Blu-ray Disc writers would be the only methods available to record home video onto Blu-ray discs. Of course, no information is available on the price point for either the camcorders or blank discs. Unless the price of the blank discs approaches the price of miniDV tape or standard DVD-R discs, recording home video on Blu-ray discs may be an expensive proposition, at least in the near term.
Source: http://hometheater.about.com
Wednesday, August 08, 2007
Panasonic full HDTV lifespan now over 42 years.
by Jan Harris
Panasonic has published impressive lifespan statistics for its latest range of 1080p plasma HDTVs. The company reckons that on average they will play for 100,000 hours before reaching half brightness. This equates to 42 years based on an average viewing time of six and a half hours a day.
Panasonic’s 720p plasmas will play for 60,000 hours, providing 25 years of viewing, before the display degrades to 50%. Even at half-brightness, the sets will still provide clear, crisp colourful high definition images, according to Dr. Paul F, Liao, Panasonic’s chief technology officer.
While the long-life of these sets will bolster Panasonic’s focus on environmental concerns, in does seems extremely unlikely that today’s owners of Panasonic full HD sets will still be watching them in 42 years time.
After all, 42 years ago we were watching live broadcasts of Z-cars, in black and white on a transistor set housed in a walnut cabinet!
Source: http://www.hdtv-news.co.uk
Panasonic has published impressive lifespan statistics for its latest range of 1080p plasma HDTVs. The company reckons that on average they will play for 100,000 hours before reaching half brightness. This equates to 42 years based on an average viewing time of six and a half hours a day.
Panasonic’s 720p plasmas will play for 60,000 hours, providing 25 years of viewing, before the display degrades to 50%. Even at half-brightness, the sets will still provide clear, crisp colourful high definition images, according to Dr. Paul F, Liao, Panasonic’s chief technology officer.
While the long-life of these sets will bolster Panasonic’s focus on environmental concerns, in does seems extremely unlikely that today’s owners of Panasonic full HD sets will still be watching them in 42 years time.
After all, 42 years ago we were watching live broadcasts of Z-cars, in black and white on a transistor set housed in a walnut cabinet!
Source: http://www.hdtv-news.co.uk
Monday, August 06, 2007
Denon Adds Blu-ray, HDMI 1.3, HD Radio, More..
By Joseph Palenchar -- TWICE, 8/6/2007
JERSEY CITY, N.J. — Denon expanded its networked audio selection, announced at its dealer/rep show last month. In other product developments, the company:
added the following features to all new A/V receivers: dedicated port for an optional iPod dock, XM-ready port and HDMI 1.3a connectivity, even if used only for switching high-definition video signals up to 1080p resolution. All three features start at a suggested $349.
offered HD Radio for the first time. The technology appears in the $5,200 and $2,499 receivers and the $699 S-52 one-piece networked music system.
brought 1080p up-scaling in receivers down to a suggested $849.
added support for more compressed audio formats in its latest networked products. Besides MP3 and protected and unprotected WMA, the new devices also stream unprotected AAC, FLAC, WMA lossless and WAV. The new networked products are the company's first to support JPEG streaming.
added compressed-music-restorer technology to its receivers for the first time.
enabled remote Internet-based diagnostics by dealers for the first time. The feature is limited to the three A/V receivers priced at $1,599, $2,499 and $5,200.
teamed with Rhapsody for the first time to enable the two one-piece network-music systems to access Rhapsody's subscription-based Rhapsody music service without a PC connection.
The brand hasn't adopted the HDMI CEC bidirectional communications protocol, which allows for the one-touch turn-on of a home theater system built from multiple brands.
For its Blu-ray debut, Denon plans a fall launch of the $1,999-suggested DVD-3800BDCI and the $1,199 DVD-2500BTCI, a model that lack internal audio decoding. Both models will be the industry's first with HDMI 1.3a outputs, which transfer all BD disc surround formats in native form via HDMI for decoding by compatible A/V receivers.
Although all of Denon's new A/V receivers feature 1.3a, only five of the receivers incorporate decoders for all standard and optional surround codecs approved for BD and HD DVD discs. The other A/V receivers incorporate Dolby Digital and DTS 5.1 and 6.1 decoders and 7.1-channel PCM.
Neither BD player plays DVD-Audio or SACD discs, and they will be the industry's first Version 1, Profile 1.1 BD-ROM players, the company claimed. This Blu-ray iteration enables picture-in-picture playback of a separate audio and video program for interactivity. On this player, the separate program must be downloaded by a PC and transferred to an SD Card. The player doesn't incorporate an Ethernet port to play back the separate A/V stream directly from the Internet.
The BD players will also be the first BD players, or HD DVD players in fact, to use Silicon Optix's Realta HQV processing chip, Denon said.
As part of its product roadmap, the brand also:
plans to launch its first audio separates in years and first dedicated custom install products. The separates include a preamp-processor, and the custom devices consist of a 12-channel amp, video scaler and a multizone dual tuner. Samples of the products were on display, but details weren't announced.
displayed two 2.1-speaker home theater in a box (HTiB) systems with DVD and Dolby Virtual Surround. They are the $1,699 S-302, which features built-in Wi-Fi and Ethernet port, and the $999 S-102 without built-in network connectivity.
launched its first virtual-surround-equipped sound-bar-style HTiB, the $1,199 DHT-FS3, to complement flat-panel displays.
recently introduced five DVD players, four of which play SACD and DVD-Audio discs and two of which up-scale video to 1080p. The 1080p models are priced at a suggested $849 and $1,499.
announced three stereo receivers, one of which at $599 will offer HD Radio when an upgrade is available in the fall.
JERSEY CITY, N.J. — Denon expanded its networked audio selection, announced at its dealer/rep show last month. In other product developments, the company:
The brand hasn't adopted the HDMI CEC bidirectional communications protocol, which allows for the one-touch turn-on of a home theater system built from multiple brands.
For its Blu-ray debut, Denon plans a fall launch of the $1,999-suggested DVD-3800BDCI and the $1,199 DVD-2500BTCI, a model that lack internal audio decoding. Both models will be the industry's first with HDMI 1.3a outputs, which transfer all BD disc surround formats in native form via HDMI for decoding by compatible A/V receivers.
Although all of Denon's new A/V receivers feature 1.3a, only five of the receivers incorporate decoders for all standard and optional surround codecs approved for BD and HD DVD discs. The other A/V receivers incorporate Dolby Digital and DTS 5.1 and 6.1 decoders and 7.1-channel PCM.
Neither BD player plays DVD-Audio or SACD discs, and they will be the industry's first Version 1, Profile 1.1 BD-ROM players, the company claimed. This Blu-ray iteration enables picture-in-picture playback of a separate audio and video program for interactivity. On this player, the separate program must be downloaded by a PC and transferred to an SD Card. The player doesn't incorporate an Ethernet port to play back the separate A/V stream directly from the Internet.
The BD players will also be the first BD players, or HD DVD players in fact, to use Silicon Optix's Realta HQV processing chip, Denon said.
As part of its product roadmap, the brand also:
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