DirecTV rolls out remote recording
by Erik Hanson 
posted Jan 18th 2008 at 11:05AM
We can't count the number of times we've gotten to work and remembered we forgot to schedule that night's 
We can't count the number of times we've gotten to work and remembered we forgot to schedule that night's 
Most obvious statement of CES: To conserve energy, turn off power!
by Erik Hanson posted Jan 8th 2008 at 7:22AM
Belkin must need to score some points with Al Gore, because they announced an energy-reducing power strip that you can... turn off. The aptly-named Conserve has eight power outlets, six of which can be toggled on or off using a wireless remote. While the strip will shut down stores worldwide in the summer and fall for $49.99, you should know you can get the same effect right now just by flipping the "off" switch on your existing power strip.Hands-on with Hitachi's 1.5-inch thin displays
by Erik Hanson posted Jan 7th 2008 at 6:36PM
Not to be outdone by what's shaping up to be the theme of the show when it comes to display technology this year, Hitachi launched their line of thin displays in 32-, 37-, and 42-inch sizes. Hitachi's 1.5-inch LCD displays may not match Pioneer or Panasonic in the sheer (lack of) depth column, but you will actually be able to buy these sets when they launch in the first part of 2008. And that's something impressive all by itself.
Hands-free with Panasonic's Wireless HD
by Erik Hanson posted Jan 7th 2008 at 6:21PM 
After attending the kickoff Panasonic keynote earlier today at CES 2008, Engadget headed over to the Panasonic booth to check out the Wireless HD, 150-inch behemoth, and ultra-thin plasmas. The Wireless HD setup was, of course, a befuddling open space between a set-top box of some sort and a TV. A loop video played demonstrating the signal using "beam steering" to bounce around obstructions, much like our cameras trying to get around the gaggle of people huddled around Panny's products.
Hands-on with the Pioneer 9mm-thick Kuro plasma
by Erik Hanson posted Jan 7th 2008 at 2:24AM
Hands-on with Pioneer's extreme contrast concept plasma
by Erik Hanson posted Jan 7th 2008 at 2:24AM
That's when another image appeared literally out of the blackness, with a second plasma display turned on and showing a pitch-black background for the duration of the demo. Pioneer demoed their concept set directly next to the current 8th-generation PDP-5010FD 1080p plasma Kuro plasma, and utterly destroyed even its vaunted performance. The Kuro line dropped idle luminance by over 80% compared to the 7th gen plasmas, and this demo was intended to show just how far the technology can continue to go under Pioneer's guidance. Color us very impressed, and saddened by the realization that this concept could go a generation or more before it becomes fully integrated into the Pioneer plasma lineup.
Sony rocks out the HD radio
by Erik Hanson posted Jan 6th 2008 at 10:19PM
Sony's PR blitz continues with the announcement of two HD Radio products, a tuner and a radio-iPod dock combo. The XDR-F1HD Tuner and the XDR-S10HDiP HD Radio can both tune in the estimated 1,500 digital stations nationwide. The XDR-F1HD is an add-on tuner with LCD display and a wireless remote, set to launch in March for $100. The XDR-S10HDiP docking station sports an iPod interface and iTunes Tagging, the ability to tag songs while listening for later purchase using the iTunes Music Store. It will be available in the summer for $180.Sony XEL-1 OLED slips into US stores
by Erik Hanson posted Jan 6th 2008 at 8:33PM
As expected, Sony has released the first OLED display in the US, with the 11-inch XEL-1 available now at select Sony Style locations for $2,500. Japanese customers have been able to purchase the 3mm-thick XEL-1 since late last year for ¥200,000, but the US has had to wait until now to get its organically 1,000,000:1-contrasted fix. The XEL-1 also offers support for DMeX so consumers can download content via the BRAVIA Internet Video Link service. If you're hankering for something even thinner than a 9mm plasma and looking to spend a whopping $227 per inch, head on over to a Sony store today.Philips launches BDP7200 BonusView-enabled Blu-ray player
by Erik Hanson posted Jan 6th 2008 at 5:39PM
Philips has announced the second generation in its line of Blu-ray players with the BDP7200, sporting 1080p/24 and Deep Color support, and BonusView (aka Profile 1.1) picture-in-picture capability. The player can also upscale DVDs to 1080p, and control connected devices using the EasyLink HDMI Consumer Electronics Control (CEC) protocols. Philips will release the BDP7200 in April for a $349 price, putting it towards the low end on the Blu-ray player price list, but the one thing we wish Philips had let us know was the level of audio codec support, with no mention at all of DTS or Dolby's high-end audio formats.[Update: Also see our hands-on with the BDP7200.]
Click on for a couple more photos
Pioneer announces A/V receivers, DTS-HD Master Audio and Dolby TrueHD support
by Erik Hanson posted Jan 6th 2008 at 4:16PM
Pioneer is expanding its CES lineup with four new audio-video receivers, one of which supports the new high-definition audio codecs found in Blu-ray and HD DVD. The VSX-518-K, VSX-818V-K, VSX-918V-K, and VSX-1018TXH-K A/V receivers all feature Multi-Channel Acoustic Calibration with an included microphone for tweaking acoustics in the room, three 1080p-capable component inputs, and Auto Level Control for equalizing volume between sources. The VSX-518-K, 818V, and 918V all feature P.H.A.T (Pioneer Hybrid Amplifier Technology) power sources and support for WMA9 Pro over 5.1 channels, with the 518 dropping support for XM and Sirius satellite, iPod, and HDMI inputs. The big news is the VSX-1018TXH-K, with its support for 130 watts over 7.1 channels using a Direct Energy power supply, HDMI upscaling to 1080p, six digital inputs, and support for the lossy Dolby Digital Plus and DTS-HD High Resolution, and lossless Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio codecs. The VSX-518-K is priced at $199, the VSX-818V-K at $249, the VSX-918V-K at $349, all releasing in April, and the VSX-1018TXH-K will come to market in June for $599.LG takes thin to the next level with the 1.7-inch LGX LCD HDTV
by Erik Hanson posted Jan 6th 2008 at 2:20PM
LG's 2008 lineup continues with the 42-inch LGX Super Slim 1.7-inch LCD, combining that ultra-thin form factor that's so in vogue with high-tech features like 120Hz, 24p playback capability and ISFccc calibration. LED backlighting and a 15,000:1 contrast ratio bump up the visuals for viewers, while the red-colored back gives your living room wall a show too. The set sports four HDMI 1.3 ports and a USB jack for photos and music, and LG's SimpLink control protocol enables compatible equipment to chain together. Pricing and availability were not announced.
Vizio expands budget-conscious VW line
by Erik Hanson posted Jan 6th 2008 at 12:40PM
Budget shoppers flocked to Wal-mart this past year to pick up Vizio sets, helping them to become the top-seller of LCDs in the US. Vizio is expanding the VW series to include 19- and 22-inch compact models, as well as upgrading the 42- and 46-inch models with 1080p. The 19-inch VW19L and 22-inch VW22L will launch in May and July for $399.99 and $449.99, and are intended for gaming and computing. The top end is bolstered with the 42-inch VW42LF, retailing for $1,349 starting in May, and the 46-inch VW46LF, priced at $1,749 with a launch date in June. The two 1080p sets offer many of the same features found in Vizio's other series, such as three HDMI 1.3 ports, ATSC and QAM tuners, 178-degree viewing angles, and a detachable base.JVC P-Series LCD line rocks iPod docks
by Erik Hanson posted Jan 6th 2008 at 11:01AM
Of all the things still lacking an iPod dock -- La-Z-Boys, parkas, and the Foleo -- you can cross off your flat-panel, as JVC has added an iPod dock to their P-Series line of LCD televisions. The iPod TeleDock sits at the bottom of the set, ready to accept your player for charging even when the set is turned off. Video and audio playback can be controlled with the clickwheel-esque TV remote and on-screen menus. The P-Series features 720p on the 32-inch LT-32P679, while the 42-inch LT-42P789, 47-inch LT-47P789, and 52-inch LT-52P789 sets bump the resolution up to 1080p, with availability starting in March.Reboot your home theater remotely with PS Audio PowerPlay
by Erik Hanson posted Dec 29th 2007 at 10:02PM
While the corporate IT world has long had access to remotely-controlled power for servers and data centers, it's pretty cutting-edge stuff for home theater, with PS Audio releasing the first line of Internet-connected power management devices. Ranging in price from $600 to $1,995 and scheduled to release in Spring 2008, the four products in the PowerPlay line differ in number of switchable and isolated plugs, but all offer a web interface to toggle power, schedule reboots, and monitor power quality. There is an RS-232 port for hardwired power control as well as IR blasters for turning devices back on after a reboot. Now you can reboot your TiVo without ever stepping foot in the house.
Marantz announces VP-11S2 1080p DLP projector
by Erik Hanson posted Dec 28th 2007 at 9:05PM
Marantz is jumping back into the display pool for 2008, announcing the new VP-11S2 model 1080p DLP projector. Compared to last year's VP-11S1H, this model adds a second HDMI 1.3 input, and Texas Instrument's DarkChip4 chipset, boosting it up to 800 lumens of brightness and a 12,000:1 contrast ratio. No price was released, but considering the previous models hover in the $15,000 price range, we expect no less quality -- or cost -- from this one either.Warner to finally go Blu-ray-only at CES?
by Erik Hanson posted Dec 7th 2007 at 12:27PM
Another day, another format war rumor. Business Week has a lengthy writeup on the possibility of lone dual-format holdout Warner Brothers switching to Blu-ray exclusively, and how it could affect the outcome of the long-running feud between high-definition disc formats HD DVD and Blu-ray. The rumor gets its seed from vice-chairman of Lionsgate Michael Burns, who claims that Warner will be turning blue soon. With Warner on their side, the Blu-ray studios would hold a 70% market share for the DVD market. Of course, if Warner shifts red, then the studio market will again be split into two equal halves, and consumers are left to wait and see if one format can outsell, outspend, or outlast the other until only one format remains. The stakes are so high that top execs from both camps are banging down Warner's door with personal meetings -- and possibly even truckloads of cash -- to get Warner to turn to their side. One thing you can be sure of is that Warner is going to be keeping an extra close eye on the dual-format release of Harry Potter next week for guidance.[Thanks, Michael P.]
BenQ announces SP870 business projector
by Erik Hanson posted Dec 7th 2007 at 9:56AM
BenQ has announced a new projector designed for big conference rooms in the German and European markets. The SP870 is a 1,024 x 768-native DLP sporting 5,000 lumens and a 2,000:1 contrast ratio, with a 33-36 dB noise range and DVI and VGA inputs. The 10.8-pound projector will sell for 2,999 Euros ($4,390), with no release date set.
Sony rumored to give PS3 owners Blu-ray Profile 1.1 for Christmas
by Erik Hanson posted Dec 7th 2007 at 1:04AM
Sony is said to have yet another PlayStation 3 firmware update ready for download before Christmas, with the gift for movie-loving gamers being Profile 1.1 compatibility for Blu-ray Discs. Competing format HD DVD has had support for Profile 1.1 features such as picture-in-picture, secondary audio, and local storage since its inception, while in the Blu-ray spec they were optional. There aren't any Profile 1.1 Blu-ray titles on the market yet, and only a single 1.1-compatible player for sale from Panasonic, so this is really about having one more bullet point on a box for fanboys to argue about. The only major HD DVD feature that becomes required in Profile 2.0 is Internet connectivity, so downloadable content will still be optional for some 1.1-compatible BD players -- but not the PS3 with its built-in Ethernet jack. Considering the PS3 is still one of the cheapest and most widely-owned Blu-ray players, and Sony continues to improve its capabilities via firmware updates, PS3 fans and Blu-ray Disc aficionados have that much more ammo to use in the never-ending format war.
[Thanks, ag23]
FCC considering caps on cable ownership
by Erik Hanson posted Dec 3rd 2007 at 12:23PM
It's not all gifts for cable giant Comcast this holiday season, as the FCC is considering a new cap on cable ownership. FCC Chairman Kevin Martin and two of the Commissioners are set to support the cap plan, which would affect any company that controls over thirty percent of cable subscribers nationwide, while the remaining pair have not made their intentions public. The FCC has conducted additional market research to bolster their argument for limiting ownership, as a previous plan was rejected in 2004 by a federal judge. While the cable industry is sure to sue if the plan moves forward, perhaps Comcast should shore up any complaints on that pesky packet spoofing issue before this gets any uglier.Switched video on cable coming to TiVo in 2008
by Erik Hanson posted Nov 26th 2007 at 10:45AM
TiVo and the National Cable and Telecommunications Association (NCTA) have announced a new external adapter that will allow cable operators to roll out switched video while still playing nice with third-party devices like the TiVo HD and Series3 DVRs. The devices will hook up to a CableCARD host device via USB and use software to choose channels, eliminating yet another set-top box but giving cable providers a break on bandwidth requirements. The devices will begin shipping to TiVo customers -- and other compatible CableCARD devices -- in the second quarter of 2008.
