Another day, another couple of Panasonic HD camcorders. This pair may not make the same "world's lightest" (with an asterisk) claims as the entrants we saw yesterday, but each sports a dubious record of their own. First is the HDC-TM30 (pictured after the break), another "world's lightest" cam, this one with the caveat that, at 227 grams, it's the lightest with 32GB of internal storage. It sports a 16x (44 - 706mm equivalent) optically stabilized zoom ahead of a single CMOS sensor that can record 1080p24 video. The other player, the HDC-TM350 (above), offers a bit more on the quality front and pledges the "world's largest capacity" full HD camcorder, offering 64GB of storage. That equates to a nigh-ridiculous 16 hours of 1080p24 video shot through a stabilized 12x (45 - 540mm equivalent) lens. It even records 5.1 audio, but with the mics all placed within what looks to be a one square inch patch don't expect great channel separation here. Both are set for release in late-June for undisclosed (but hopefully non-record-breaking) prices.

[Via Akihabara News]

Panasonic's latest camcorders have been well-liked by the masses, but haven't quite had enough features to appease those consumers with higher expectations -- or professionals on limited budgets. To captivate the eyes and ears of that prosumer market the company has announced the AG-HMC40, a 2.2 pound semi-pro cam that will do 1080i or 720p at 60 frames-per-second, but more important for many can manage a cinematic 1080p at 24 frames-per-second, all written to SDHC cards. With 10.6 megapixel stills and a 12x optical zoom on tap it sounds like a very well-rounded offering, and, while $3,195 may not fit into every budget, it should do well for modestly funded aspiring filmmakers when it ships in August -- just in time for capturing some back-to-school teen angst drama.

If the BlackWing Three was just a touch too rich for your blood, yet you dug what Cineversum had going on, have a look at this. The BlackWing One 1080p digital video projector relies on three 0.6-inch LCoS panels (all with a 1,920 x 1,080 native resolution, obviously) and comes pre-calibrated for optimal performance right out of the box. Additionally, it features a 15,000:1 contrast ratio, 1,400 ANSI lumens, two HDMI 1.3 sockets, an RS-232 control port and a "futuristic deep metallic-black ABS plastic chassis" designed by France's own Antoine Béon. The first batch is scheduled to hit North America in mid-December for $6,500 apiece, but those up for spending more can have their unit splashed with a custom color.

With a name like BlackWing, it's gotta be good, right? At least that looks to be the case with Cineversum's latest trio of BlackWing Three projectors, as these bad boys sport a design eerily reminiscent of something straight out of the Star Wars galaxy and a specs sheet that impressed even Yoda would be. The entire trio gets blessed with a 30,000:1 contrast ratio, 1,920 x 1,080 Full HD resolution, two HDMI 1.3 inputs, Color-Select filters for wider color reproduction and a motorized zoom / focus. As for the Pro model, you can expect everything you see above coupled with an optional SD-SDI input and 12V triggers board, professional color management tools and VGA compatibility. Finally, the Ultimate ups the ante a touch further with two more HDMI 1.3 sockets, Mosquito Noise Reduction technology and Theater Mode for 2.35:1 anamorphic setups. 'Tis a shame these start at £8,199 ($15,955), isn't it?

[Via AboutProjectors]

Considering that Panasonic was showing off its newest Blu-ray recorders at CEATEC, we're not too shocked to hear that Toshiba was touting a trio of its own for the HD DVD camp. All three units sport the ability to "transcode in real-time an off-the-air MPEG2 high-definition signal into the more efficient MPEG4 AVC compression system," and while we're not sure how capacious they'll be, it was noted that these devices would include an internal hard drive to compliment the HD DVD writer. The flagship RD-X7 features 1080p24 output, while the RD-A101 / RD-A201 "didn't appear to offer this output based on available information from Toshiba." Per usual, we're still playing the wait-and-see game when it comes to pricing and release dates.

Looks like those whispers we heard about Sharp's forthcoming announcement of (yet another) Blu-ray player were true, as the firm has chosen CEDIA as the locale to introduce the US market to its slim-profile AQUOS BD player." The BD-HP20U will be the first product "outside of the Sharp LCD suite to carry the AQUOS name," and will feature HDMI 1.3, 1080p24 support, AQUOS LINK, component outputs, compatibility with the lossless audio formats, and 1080p upscaling of vanilla DVDs. According to Sharp, the unit itself will boast a "piano black finish with one of the slimmest designs in the industry," and if all goes as planned, we should actually see this one hit shelves later this month for $549.99.

Not wanting to be outdone by all those other guys loosing LCDs at IFA, Sharp has stepped up and unveiled two new lineups of AQUOS sets in Berlin. The XL2E series, which includes models 42-, 46-, and 52-inches in size, will all offer up 100Hz technology, be Full HD ready, and will even support 24p. Moreover, the trio will tout a 10,000:1 contrast ratio, a built-in DVB-T tuner (and an analog one, too), VGA input, integrated speakers, and three HDMI connectors to boot. As for the X20E series, you'll find 32-, 37-, 42-, 46-, and 52-inch flavors, all of which support 1080p24, feature three HDCP-compliant HDMI ports, and "a slot for CI cards to receive pay TV." The new AQUOS members are slated to land in Europe sometime before the year's end, but pricing details look to still be up in the air.

[Via Pocket-Lint]

Just months after upping its line of Bordeaux PAVV LCDs to 17,000:1 in the contrast ratio department, Samsung is outdoing itself once more with the supposedly-titled LN40 (40-inch) and 46F81BD (46-inch). Aside from all that contrast, the sets also boast a sexy black frame, 120Hz Auto Motion Plus technology, 1080p24 support, integrated speakers, HDMI inputs, and System Link, which reportedly enables the display to connect to the internet. No details surrounding price or availability at the moment, but click on through for a few more showcase shots.

[Via AkihabaraNews]

What better way to start the day than with a pair of big-azz 120Hz LCD televisions with integrated HD recorders? Meet the new 52- and 46-inch REGZA H3300 sets for Japan. Each features a bevy of tuners and 300GB slot loading disk with a hunger for more via eSATA expansion. With support for 1080p (60p/24p) frame rates over 2x HDMI, Tosh's 120Hz panels will surely make the most of your native 24fps programming (read: Blu-ray or HD DVD films) without any messy frame doubling or interpolation (24 x 5 = 120, after all). But it's your world, and we're just a squirrel trying to get a nut, so the ¥620,000 (about $5,099) for the 52H3300 or ¥520,000 (about $4,276) for the 46H3300 makes us want to move our butt. Everybody dance now! Um, sorry for that.

[Via Impress]

Unfortunately they were only given a passing mention during Sony's CES press conference earlier, but a quick look at the fact sheet revealed a few additional details about these two second generation Blu-ray players with launch and price TBA. Named Sapphire 1 and 2, we don't know what makes them different from each other, but the only features listed are 1080p24 output, and support for x.v.Color, Sony's term for the xvYCC expanded color space. Of course, we're most interested in seeing if they can load a Blu-ray movie as fast as the PlayStation 3, but that remains to be seen. Impress Watch got a look at the two players, but it will likely be a while before we find out more about what the followups to Sony's BDP-S1 will be capable of.

[Via Impress]