Hannspree's idea of "in style" TV

Taiwan's Hannspree is about to release to the wild a designer collection of LCD TV sets. Yup, you heard it right, the "designer" collection. Public can appreciate anything from Elephant to Soccer ball ornaments. I kinda like the french fries incarnation.

No matter where you go, everybody loves french fries. This TV set celebrates its popularity with fun, funky design that features golden yellow three-dimensional fries popping out of its case. The fries are made or rubber-like materials and are soft to the touch. In fact, they bounce! And don't forget the ketchup - that's the remote!

So, ketchup remote, bouncy 3D fries,.... The pity is it does not have a matching soda cup speakers and burger shaped subwoofer.
Want specs, anyone? ... Okay, who cares!

Source: Hannspree and KansasCity

Axiom Audio Epic 80-600 System Review

Axiom Audio is Canadian company that markets and sells its loudspeaker products
exclusively on Internet. Well, it is audio and one would like to hear before
buying, you could say. Absolutely! First of all, even if you listen to the
speakers in the store, it may not be the same in your home. Not just for that
reason, Axiom guarantees 30-day money back, which simply says return it if you
don't like it. Of course, it will require you to pay the shipping fees but I
have yet to hear a story that someone has returned Axiom's product. And as any
sane person would do before clicking "confirm my order", is research the product.
And there it comes - absolutely wonderful review of Axiom Audio's flagship
speaker system - Epic 80-600. It is priced at $3681 which is not expensive at
all compared to similar packages from other companies. In fact, the price is
actually a bargain and Ray Adkins proves that in his review:

The Axiom speaker systems I reviewed were absolutely unbelievable. The speaker's excellent build quality, high performance, and excellent customer support and service offered by Axiom make these an easy recommendation. These speakers are without a doubt among the finest speakers built in Canada. They set a new benchmark for performance at this price and about the only thing left to say is "WOW!"

The review is very thorough and besides covering technical characteristics of
sound reproduction, Ray takes apart the speakers to show you what the guts are
made of. All in all, I highly recommend reading it if you are out in the market
looking for a home theater audio system. Epic 80-600 5.1 loudspeaker set can
make you really happy for years to come. Thanks Ray!



Source: Audioholics.com

Microsoft wants to patent excitement

Microsoft is really desperate to get into our living room lately. Recent technological advance in the "living room sciences" was revealed by a patent application from July 21, 2005 that may credit Microsoft with a method of identifying probability of exciting moments in a television program by analyzing the audio data for that segment. Baseball game is the core example of the patent, although the method is applicable to any sporting game. In baseball game audio is analyzed by baseball hits and by excited speech. For any other event ...

"... exciting portions of a sporting event are automatically identified based on sports-specific events and sports-generic events. The audio data of the sporting event is analyzed to identify sports-specific events (such as baseball hits if the sporting event is a baseball program) as well as sports-generic events (such as excited speech from an announcer). These sports-specific and sports-generic events are used together to identify the exciting portions of the sporting event."

Patent application also mentions that information will be combined into meta data and can be used to provide summary for the given sports game. Recorded program will be coupled with meta data -local or remote which obviously will be used to watch only exciting moments of the content.
I love the idea and it sounds very realistic to implement for certain types of content. If the patent somehow makes it alive into our Tivo/MediaCenter PC, advertisers must start looking for sports-centric commercials with high probability of excitement.
However, as much as I like to have this feature, in my opinion it will not reach us in a free form, not with commercials being mandatory to watch.

Source: ArsTechnica

SnapStream Beyond TV 4 adds support for HDTV, DivX, FM radio.

Beyond TV 4, the next version of acclaimed PVR for PC, is going to support HDTV via AVerTVHD A180, HDTV Wonder, VBox DTA 151 and USB-A 3560 and the Fusion HDTV 3 ATCS tuners. Wait, it will also record material with newly added DivX while you watch another show thanks to its ability to support multiple tuners. And that's not all, the software will also support FM radio. If you decide to buy the current version of BeyondTV now you will be eligible to receive a free upgrade as soon as version 4 is out.
Source: Media Center PC World

Elgato EyeTV decoupled from hardware

Elgato will be offering its EyeTV digital TV recorder for Mac as a standalone product without hardware as it used to be. Current list of supported hardware consists of Plextor ConvertX PVR PX-TV402U/ConvertX PVR and TerraTec Cinergy T” but it seems that Elgato will be expanding it. In addition, I would like to mention another product: EyeHome, digital media player that allows listening and watching all of your media stored on the Mac on your big screen 5.1 super home theater. Check it out at Elgato's website.

Source: Corporate Media News

Promise a month of TV on 3.2 terrabytes

Yup, British company promises to record all available in UK channels for a month and it is up to you to pick. The promise is even in their name - Promise.tv. The upcoming product is basically an HTPC with lots of storage space. I have no idea how many channels are in UK but this recorder will not work in US due to hundred's of channels. Though it is a simple and brilliant idea.

Source: BoingBoing and CNet News

Viewsonic beats BenQ by 1ms with its VX924 LCD display

It was just a second ago that I posted on BenQ's 19 inch LCD with 4 millisecond response time. In a split second Viewsonic announced that they will show a newer revision of their previously 4ms display now with 3 ms response time. Not bad at all with the price set at $470, some $30 more than BenQ's FP91V.

BenQ to show LCD with 4 ms response time

First it was Viewsonic with its VX924 and VX724 models. BenQ is next with its FP91V. They are showing this off at Taipei World Trade Center as I write. The price will be about $440 when it hits the stores in Taiwan.

Related: Viewsonic beats BenQ by 1 ms with it VX924 LCD Display

Source: Digitimes

4x1 HDMI Audio Video Switcher from Key Digital

Key Digital announced 4 to 1 HDMI switcher is ready to be shipped as soon as you order.That is, if you happen to have 4 DVD players with HDMI and use at least 2 of them in a day this is a product for you. This is not only a switcher but also a scaler that will match its ouput to the native resolution of the display but I still don't see a real justification to throw $1799 for this joy. As it is stated, this black box is compatible with all popular sources and 1080p that I guessed by looking at the picture above because 1080p is not yet popular. The box will also switch your audio signals of digital and analog origin and it, as anything else nowdays, is HDCP compliant and has a single problem: does not do video frame rate conversion. Not exaclty exciting toy.

Source: Business Wire

Belkin's TuneStage to connect iPod with Home Stereo

Belkin is soon to ship TrueStage that allows iPod to connect to your main home stereo via bluetooth. TrueStage is said to work in 33 feet radius and iPod actually acts as a remote control. The plug-in module draws its power from iPod thus no batteries and worries.

Source: Belkin

Useful Resources

eProjectorlamps.co.uk
eProjectorlamps supply all types of lamps and bulbs for projectors and rear projection televisions. In our online store you will find almost 5000 replacement bulbs and lamps, with the majority available for immedite dispatch.


#1 Free Link Exchange Directory On The Web - Link Market
Have you ever tried to exchange links, swap links, or trade links? Was it hard? Use link market instead; - it is easy to use, free and very smart. It will save you hours of work.

Ehdmi.com, Specializing In Discount Hdmi And Dvi Cables.
Ehdmi. Com offers cheap hdmi and dvi cables for an optimal hdtv experience. Why pay over $100 for the same cables we sell for less than $10?

Terrasip Vowlan, The Mobile Voip Community
Voip, vowlan, voice, ip, mobile, phone, sip, provider, community, member, sipphone, softphone, free, gratis, download, wifi, hotspot, cheap, pstn, sipgate, gateway, skype, webphone, pc2phone, codec, ata, adaptor, grandstream, router, headset, xlite,

Planet Omni
For travelers and expats 110-220 volt electronics,cell phone rental/sales,sim cards,satellite phones,overseas, int'l video systems,region free dvd players, multisystem pal-secam-ntsc plasma tvs, video converters,combos, transformers, 140,000+products

HDCP Filter for Denon 1910 DVD Player

Strangely enough, HDCP removal tools keep coming to my attention. This one has been discovered by folks at AVSForum. It is advertised to work with Denon 1910 only and is sold for US $129. Even with its limitation of working with one DVD player only, it is still a good deal: Denon 1910 runs somewhere at $200 + $129 + shipping is less than DVI-to-RGB converters from Spatz or Dtrovision. And there is one little advantage: this unit is DVI-to-DVI HDCP stripper.

The HDCP-Filter for Denon 1910 completely removes HDCP from the DVI-D output of this DVD player. The Denon 1910 DVD player is fitted with a DVI output, for a pure digital connection to a plasma or LCD display without any loss in picture quality. This DVI output is protected with HDCP (High Bandwidth Digital Content Protection), a copy protection scheme, added to prevent unauthorized copying.

Is there an agreement between Denon and JVB Digital? How does it work with Denon 1910 and not with anything else? Comment if you have any thoughts ...

Source: AVSForum and JVBDigital

Pioneer's new plasmas to reduce power usage.

Pioneer today announced three new plasma displays, 50" PDP-506HD, 43" PDP-436HD and PDP-436SX. The new generation of P.U.R.E. Black Panel plasmas sport 4000:1 contrast ratio while reducing power consumption by 20% on 50 inch and 30% on 43 inch models. All screens are 16:9 with resolution on 50" PDP-506HD is 1280x768 whereas on both 43 inchers it is 1024x786.
Pioneer announces removal of filter glass in favor of proprietary direct color filter technology which explains increase of the contrast ratio. This obviously raises the question of how UV and IR filters are implemented.
I am very excited and surprised to see double digit cut in power usage. I do consider power consumption of plasma displays as one of few shortcomings of PDP technology and Pioneer seems to have a leap forward in this area.

A bit more specs: displays marked with HD are packaged with an external processor that features digital terrestrial broadcast and VHF/UHF/CATV
tuners. Among video inputs are composite, S-Video, component, RGB, and HDMI. This unit has a PC Card slot, i.Link ( IEEE1394 ), 10/100Mbit LAN, and a phone modem. One thing is missing in this list [and I am convinced] that the box is running Linux.
As far as specs go this is all I could dig out from Pioneer's press release.
HD models will be available in early September and SX model will hit the stores in October and as you already guessed this isn't for US yet.

Source: AkihabaraNews.com and Engadget.com

DeathStar Subwoofer

This subwoofer was ebayed and sold for £310. Grab the plans in case you decide to make one. And don't forget to come back with your pictures.

And here are some funny questions to the seller you might enjoy:

Q: A speaker you say? so it's NOT a moon. Do I get lots of little Storm Troopers living in it too??
A:I'm unable to disclose this information, you may be part of the Rebel Alliance.
Q: Will it include any anti-attack firing batteries to ensure my girlfriend doesn't mount a sneak attack? I suspect she is a rebel sympathizer.
A: It's defenses against girlfriends are a known weakness... hence the reason it's on ebay :)

Source: Engadget and Ebay UK

InFocus 7210 DLP Projector review

Geoffrey Morrison of Home Theater Magazine has a review of InFocus ScreenPlay 7210 DLP projector in July issue. This isn't the best review that I have ever seen. Half of the article is about history of the ScreenPlay and how DLP chips are named. This article most likely will only be enjoyed if read while you are waiting in line of your local grocery store. Basically it is elaboration of the specifications of ScreenPlay 7210.
Although there are some details on 3:2 pulldown capabilities and contrast ratio measurements, the "finest" part of the review is the verdict:

Highlights
• The brightest projector ever . . . again
• The price is lower than that of the model's predecessor

Is that all you guys could come up with?

Source: Home Theater Magazine

LaCie's five-bay SATA RAID Array

LaCie's Biggest S2S may come handy for media server applications that require lots of hard storage in the basement. It comes loaded with 1.25 or 2.5 terrabytes of storage which is plenty to store bunch of movies and pics. It is capable of 187MB/second transfer and sports hot-swappable drive bays.
It is available for preorder at LaCie's website to be shipped in mid August .Source:Macworld

Another HDCP stripper - this one from US

It has been few days that I wrote about DVI-to-RGB transcoder from Spatz. Happens to be that another company, this time located in US, has been making exactly same box that forgets the existence of HDCP. Dtrovision's DC-DA1 DVI to RGB converter box looks so similar to that one of Spatz that I start to suspect one of them is just re-branding it or both are re-branding it from the third, invisible, company.
Dtrovision does not state anything about HDCP compatibility on their web site but resellers do advertise the feature without any problem. It is priced at $399, about $22 less than its counterpart in Germany. The fun part is that the cost to make this boxes runs somewhere in $50 vicinity according to my rough calculations that include DVI receiver IC, video DAC, bunch of little electronic parts and connectors, the box, and license fees for HDCP ( you cannot buy DVI receiver IC without showing proof of being an HDCP licensee) and they are selling it for $399. The high MSRP leads me to believe that Dtrovision targets those customers who know exactly what it is capable of. Source: DTROVision and DigitalConnection.com

Philips DVP9000S DVD SACD player released

Philips UK has released its DVP9000s DVD/SACD player. Price of the unit is £400 ($700) not just for its excellent style. The guts of this unit are top notch for mass market consumer product. Scaling to 720p or 1080i is done by Faroudja's FLI2300 chip. Digital to analog conversion of video is done by NSV's 12bit DAC. On the audio side Cirrus Logic's CS4398 that is capable of 192KHz/24 output is used in conjunction with Analog Devices ADi8066 low-noise op-amps. Those are pretty impressive components for a product of this price range.
Another feature that is packed in DVP9000s is bass management that lets you control audio frequency that goes to subwoofer. In other words, a digital crossover.
You can take advantage of HDMI, Component, or SCART outputs. For audio it is optical and coax.

Source: AVReview UK

Video Processor Benchmark DVD from Silicon Optix

For ages we used Joe Kane's Video Essentials and AVIA's Guide. To complete the list there is a relatively new benchmarking DVD from Silicon Optix. Selected as the product of the week by Robert Silva of About.com, it promises to expose to your judgment bad deinterlacing, motion correction, noise reduction, and more. There are lots of patterns, bad decoding ( edit ) detection, and of course the famous waving flag.
[Update].There is a $10 discount for members of AVSForum here




Source: about.com and Silicon Optix

32-inch LCD TV prices down 12-16% in Taiwan

Panasonic was the first to reduce prices of their 37" LCD TVs last month. Followers are Sony and Sharp who decreased prices by 12 to 16% in comparison to last month. Toshiba is said to be in process of cutting the prices as well.

Seems that based on demand manufacturing of LCD panels is increasing thus bringing the costs down. Now the question is not if this is coming to us but when.

Similar trend is observed for 37" segment. Read the post here.

Source: DigiTimes

Intel's new media platform exclusively for Microsoft

Up to date, Intel was not the one who you see playing with Microsoft in the same sandbox. In fact, Intel was the one who would attempt to push Microsoft out of the sandbox and have little Linux hang around. Those days are going to be over with upcoming media platform codenamed East Fork. Basically, these two are coming up with a new copy protection model called Secure Premium Content Module (SPCM). Its main job will be on-the-fly decryption of content that is MS DRM. Yes, Microsoft is the head and tail of the list and surely they will make sure no one gets on it. All of this nastiness is made possible by so called East Fork platform driver which, in my understanding, is a piece of software done by Intel to take advantage of their CPU architecture and squeeze as much horsepower out of it as possible. Needless to say, there will be no other supported platforms except Windows Media Center 2006. It is said that Intel is doing this to get a kick back from Microsoft on advertisement spending of 300 million dollars. I can also add it is also about current relationship of Microsoft and AMD and this is the way Intel is trying to spoil it. Not that we care.

With all above said, you can see how easy it will be to convince recording studios to jump into this wagon and start releasing MS DRM-ed digital content.They are waiting for something like this like a pack of hungry wolves.

So, what does this mean to us, you ask.

First of all, as in all existing DRM situations, you buy digital music or video and you are locked to Microsoft’s codec complemented by Intel’s platform driver.Smells class action but Microsoft wouldn’t care.

Secondly, all other platforms, namely Linux and OSX are out. Folks who want to have Linux HTPC should reconsider and start making money not only for a new PC but also for DRM-ed content. Bummer. And you thought you had a good thing goingthere.

Lastly, video card requirements are not encouraging as well. Supported resolutions are up to 720p or 1080i. There is no support for1080p. Like I said before there is no 1080p source available at the moment but it will catch up pretty quickly. It would be nice to have equipment ready for the prime time.

One good thing though – instant on for these machines is promised and for now it is called Energy Lake.

Source: The Inquirer

While I was typing in this post Inquirer got slashdotted – read it here – interesting comments.

Double-view LCD TV from Sharp.

Well, I am surprised to see a screen that looks like one of those holograms that show a different image from different angle. Sharp announced a "two-way viewing-angle LCD" tv that allows the bunch on the left view one thing and crowd on the right to view something else. This is a great innovation in my opinion. It will solve lots of problems that otherwise are solved by TVs in separate rooms given that there are no loud discussions on one end of the screen. One question still remains - are they going to stick directional sound ( read engadget.com ) into this TV or husband to use headphones? OK, just take a look at the pic. Unbelievable!

Source: AllHeadlineNews.com

No more new Sony Trinitrons for European living rooms

Sony will stop making CRTs in Europe. This may suggest that similar decisions will be made for the rest of the world. I doubt that Japan is in the cancellation list in the first place because they don't have enough space in their living rooms for a tube.
Sony articulates decision by falling demand which means growing demand for other, slicker, types of TVs. So far CRTs are the best in display technology and it is sad to see it go away. First CRT projectors and now TVs. Hope Sony comes up with Thinitron CRT.

Source: AV Interactive UK

DVI HDCP to RGB No HDCP converter

I will call this company a rebellion. They did what the rest didn't - they made HDCP go away. The little unit from Spatz-Tech converts DVI to RGB. We all know that HDCP is for digital signals thus RGB output is not protected. Of course, there is a loss of quality from DVI to RGB jump, but hey, without HDCP life is simpler. This little gem is somewhat pricey [we got to whine about something , don't we ] - 350 euros, but look at what they are doing with all the risks factored in.
We wonder what Hollywood will do if this thing gets widespread?
[Update] Read about US sibling of this converter here




Source: CD Freaks and Spatz-tech

Backlit wireless keyboard from Microsoft for your HTPC [Updated]

Microsoft just announced that they will be releasing a backlit wireless keyboard that will also include a mouse on it. We really really like the backlight. There are no specification as to what kind of wireless device it is - RF, IR, bluetooth. In fact there are no specifications at all. [We will keep you posted.]
MSRP will be $104.95 and here is a pic from here




Source: Reuters

Optoma started shipping MovieTime DV10 | DLP Projectors

MovieTime DV10 we mentioned previously is shipping. Order it and start painting your garage door white so all neighborhood can enjoy your latest rental. For those in drive-by-shooting areas, please proceed with caution.

Source: Business Wire

NASA got a brand new projector

What we call a home theater projector NASA calls visual analysis equipment. Apparently, they installed JVC's D-ILA QX1 QXGA visual analyzer for its Ice/Debris Image Analysis Facility as a front end to its SGI visualization and storage system that fills up its hard drives with images and video from cameras that shoot before, after, and during the launch of shuttle.

"This state-of-the-art system, integrated by SGI Professional Services, allows NASA scientists to view images on a frame-by-frame basis and perform preliminary video analysis prior to a shuttle launch and provide more detailed film analysis following a launch for evaluation."

How do you feel? Would you like a mini version of this system in your house to replace your security cameras? You could look at every bird droppings in a slow motion from 100 different angles not including exhibition quality photographs of burglars.

Source:Digital Video Editing

Would you like your audio in-ceiling or hidden?

There is no secret that aesthetics does not always come with quality. However, there are situations and cases where you got to go for looks. Reasons for hiding would be:

• You don't like the looks of big boxes or boxes at all.
  

• You have a dedicated home theater room and for casual listening/TV watching in-walls would cut the deal.
  

• You like to happily sink into world of judging this or that musical piece with your headphones with an amp.

If you are one of the above, KEF announced Ci 3-80QT motorized in-ceiling and matching Ci FDT in-wall speakers that should appeal to you.

Ci 3-80QT

Ci FDT

If this is not your cup of tea then check ELAC or Artcoustics

Rega R5 Review

Although Rega is famous for their turntables, they do have a full line of components in their product offerings. AVReview UK has an excellent review of Rega R5 floorstanding speakers.

"The majority of loudspeakers at the more affordable price points tend to have a fairly safe and sensible balance - they pump up the bass a little and smooth off the treble so that they sound bigger than they really are and not too challenging. Rega’s R5 eschews this approach and gives you an uncompromised version of events, which means that it sounds distinctly different right from the off - there is a dryness to the presentation that makes for an explicit and upfront but not bright musical experience."

A fact of interest is that these boxes can be placed against a wall without loss of bass.

Denon HT system with iPod portable audio connectivity

Denon has announced two home theater systems that feature connectivity to portable audio players. Obviously special consideration is made for Apple iPod. Both devices will come in a package with pair of loudspeakers and a subwoofer.

Notable facts:

• DVD-Audio and Super Audio CD along with DVD-Video
  
• HDMI output at 480p/720p/1080i
• Faroudja FLI2310 DCDi chipset
• Dual Analog Devices ADV-7310 12-bit/216MHz video D/A converters
• 192kHz/24-bit audio D/A converters
• Dolby Digital and DTS surround sound decoding
• Dolby Virtual Speaker technology
• Dolby Headphone signal processing
• USB port
  
• Recharges iPod while connected
• OSD mimics iPods
  

Pricing kinda hurts - MSRP for S-301 is $1499 and $999 for S-101. Millions of students and teenagers will be left out of this plug-n-play pleasure.

For those who are interested Denon has [we]blogs for S Series, although they currently are not being updated. Keep an eye for them. Here are the feeds:
RSS: http://blog.denon.com/s301_101/index.xml
ATOM: http://blog.denon.com/s301_101/atom.xml
Source: Denon USA

Prices of 37-inch LCD TVs going down

According to digitimes.com, few Asian research groups provided some numbers that predict 37 “ LCD TV prices to drop for more than 100%. This is mainly driven by South Korean companies increasing panel productions. Data is for Asian markets which will reflect to US sooner rather than later.

“In line with the falling LCD TV panel prices, the Chinese-language Apple Daily stated that 37-inch LCD TVs will cost US$1,499 by year-end. The current ASP is US$3,439, according to WitsView.”

What can we say – we want them flat TVs in Walmart. For cheap.

Source: Digitimes.com

Opinion: Sling Media PlaceShifter

Time shifting came first. Placeshifting is next except that it is using the "shifting" suffix without promising the same advantage. I don't think it is going to earn as much audience as timeshifting. Let me be wrong!

Basically, this little box will transmit your video signal from where the TV and other components are to any PC around the house or, if connected with high speed, anywhere you want. Latter means that if someone is broadcasting its TV out of the house there definitely are evil forces to intercept your paid cable or satellite, not counting what they can poke with while watching TV. Reminds not protected WiFi. With this feature some people will now go "I'll be watching my TiVo at work". Actually, SlingMedia does advertise something like watch the game while on a conference call. That sounds pathetic.
If the idea was good, any HTPC would have this as a feature since it is very not difficult to implement using existing web streaming technologies.
Long story short, I will only be glad to see this thing fly.

Read more at eHomeUpgrades or visit the manufacturer for specs.

Barco and Kodak Euro Marriage

Barco and Kodak entered into an alliance to sell digital projection systems to movie theaters in Europe.

"Barco and Kodak will sell, install and service the system, which is set to replace the 35-mm film projector and revolutionize the way movies are screened, the companies said on Wednesday.Barco will provide the projectors, while Kodak will offer the servers, software and other services."

Interesting to note that Barco already owns about 50% of the market in US and prediction is its share will drop to 30-35%.
Source: Reuters UK

Mitsubishi's 1080p rear projection DLP TVs ship

Mitsubishi started shipping 1080p DLP TVs to mass market. Diagonal sizes ranging form 52 to 73 inches. That's what the press release says but on their web site there is a 82 inch RPTV that features the same 1080p DMD. Must be an error. Anyways. Not that there is a 1080p signal outside of George Lucas' film studio/home but we are still pleased. Heck, upscaling is much more efficient and eyepleasing than downscaling.
Source: Mitsubishi TV

Sony's 4096 x 2160 SRX-R110 - lots of pixels

Sony's latest stands at 10000 lumen 4096x2160 with 1800:1 contrast ratio sporting 3 SXRD panels. Desigend priamarily for movie theaters. Lets hope theater near you gets one. Read more at Sony or LetsGoDigital.com