Color us stumped and incredibly excited. We've discovered this totally useless yet endlessly amazing DVD player / Terminator head out in the wilds of the internet, but finding any information deeper than people exclaiming "this is awesome" is, in a word, difficult. Look, we're not saying that we want to find the company that makes these, order 100 of them, rip out their guts and replace them with those electronic rat brains, swap the eyes for stereoscopic cameras, tack on Darth Vader-esque voice boxes, and then mount them to the unkillable bodies of an army of robotic warriors we've been building, but... uh, well... okay you got us.

We keep hoping that Toshiba will come to its senses and just let this whole thing die, but no. Apparently insistent on keeping the last-generation format alive for as long as it possibly can, it seems the outfit is getting ever-closer to a super-resolution DVD player that would reportedly upscale DVD content like nothing we've ever seen. The latest tidbit in this woefully depressing saga is a newly approved DVD Download DL logo, which was given the final thumbs-up by the DVD Forum Steering Committee last month. In reality, no one outside of Tosh's headquarters has any idea if this development is indeed intrinsically related, but at this point, we wouldn't be shocked one bit to find that it was. Then again, the June 11th meeting also saw specifications for CH-DVD approved, so here's to hoping Toshiba isn't jumping on that bandwagon fiery wreck.

[Via TG Daily]

Read - DVD Forum approval
Read - Discussion / rumors

Hey there partner, we just know that troubled look on your face is due to the inability to find yourself a DVD player / iPod dock combo that looks ever-so-slightly like an Atari console, right? If so, you'll be completely relieved to find that iLuv's CES-announced i1255 is now on sale and shipping to whomever pays the stated asking price with a non-stolen, non-maxed out credit card. If you couldn't tell, this unit acts as a vanilla DVD player and enables iPod owners to play back audio / video clips on their television or sound system without messing with additional cables. Shoot, there's even an iPod-tailored on-screen display to sort through your playlists and such. Lasso yours now for just $149.99.

Let's get real honest with one another here: if folks are legitimately arguing that a $700 Profile 2.0 Blu-ray player is overpriced, there's absolutely no way a DVD player is worth over four times as much. That being said, the folks over at Sound & Vision put the pricey pair through the paces, and they were actually quite pleased with the results. In a nutshell, it seems that reviewers found the best upscaling DVD players this planet has to offer, and while all the fawning over their pristine reproduction of colors was fine and dandy, it's the value proposition here that's absurdly out of whack. In fairness, it's good to hear that the bundled Sigma Designs' Gennum VXP video processor chip lived up to the hype, but all the upconverting in the world won't make us believe these things are worthy of the stratospheric prices.

Truth be told, we knew this gem was waiting in Sony's pocket, but it finally came clean and made things official over in Europe. The 2.1 BRAVIA DAV-F200 home theater system features S-Master digital amplification, which delivers a potent 135-watts of power to each speaker (including the subwoofer). The firm also threw in its S-Force Front Surround technology to help convince your mind that 2.1 is really 5.1, and as for the integrated DVD player, it plays nice with MP3 / photo / DivX discs, too. Better still, the unit includes 1080p upscaling over HDMI along with a built-in USB port for listening to WMA / AAC files, and there's even optical / coaxial digital inputs for other external sources. Regrettably, there's no word on a price nor US availability, but we can say for certain that those across the pond can claim their own this June.

[Via Pocket-lint]

Toshiba wasn't exactly enthused about the recent happenings in the land of HD DVD, but it did manage to churn out a couple of new DVD players, one of which handles upconversion nicely. If you're somehow still not willing to make the leap to HD DVD / Blu-ray, the SD-4100 / SD-6100 just might fit the bill. The former leaves quite a bit to be desired, sporting just progressive scan (huzzah?), component outputs and MP3 / JPEG playback. If you managed to not doze of yet, you may be slightly (and we stress "slightly") more intrigued by the SD-6100, which offers up 1080p upconversion via HDMI, REGZA Link and support for WMA, MP3 and JPEG files. We have our doubts about anyone's eagerness to snag either of these, but if you're on board, you'll only have to lay down $39.99 / $69.99, respectively.

Can't get enough of Samsung's new gear? Good, because there's plenty more where that came from. Next up on the docket is a half dozen DVD players and recorders, so without further ado, let's check out the DVD-F1080 ($99.99). This "ultra-compact" unit provides 1080p upconversion, HDMI-CEC, progressive scan playback and support for multimedia files including DivX, MP3, WMA and MPEG4. The DVD-HD1080P8 ($89.99) serves up the exact same features as the aforementioned F1080, but does so while residing in a slightly larger chassis. Moving on, we've got the über-slim (14.2-inches wide) DVD-P180 ($49.99), which upscales DVDs to 720p / 1080i, rocks an HDMI-CEC port and also plays nice with DivX. For the rest of the gang, we suggest you head on past the break.

Sheesh -- what's it going to take to get a decent portable DVD player? Just after we'd been tricked into believing that it couldn't get any worse, along comes Audiovox to take things to a whole new low. This so-called conglomerate doesn't even bother sharing its screen resolution with us, but does take the time to showcase its rechargeable battery, integrated stereo speakers, pair of folding headphones and credit card sized remote. Additionally, you'll find a car power adapter, carrying case, and a controller to play the 30 surely riveting games that are built in. Here's a tip: take your $123 and do almost anything with it. Chances are you'll be better off than trying your luck with this thing.

Update: Audiovox pinged us to let us know the screen resolution is actually a halfway respectable 720 x 480 pixels, and it also touts composite video in / out along with headphone / RCA audio outputs.

[Via SlashGear]

If you thought LG had milked the Chocolate for all it was worth, you've got another thing comin'. That thing would be the HT972TR HTIB, which includes five satellite speakers, a 225-watt subwoofer, 1,000 total watts of amplification and a DVD player that handles 1080p upscaling as well as DivX. Moreover, the system boasts HDMI, DTS support, an AM / FM tuner and a USB port for loading up portable media. Not a lot of details beyond that just yet, but do yourself a favor and check out two more delicious shots waiting after the jump.

[Via Electronista, images courtesy of Le Journal du Geek]

If you're the proud owner of an SD-P1600 or SD-P1610 portable DVD player, and you've yet to experience any sort of unusual issues, listen up. According to Toshiba, four cases of overheating have been recorded in Japan, and although no injuries have occurred, the firm is suggesting that you yank the AC adapter and swap it for a new one. Reportedly, the outfit sold around 328,000 of the units during its manufacturing run from February 2005 to January 2006, so if you've got one of 'em (and still use it), be sure and take advantage of the free replacement.

Daewoo is set to show their new DPC-8099PD-I portable DVD and iPod player at IFA on Friday. Should you care? Well, you might if you're in the market for a portable DVD player with full iPod integration and 8-inch LCD. You know, if Philips' gear just won't cut it. Specs include integrated stereo speakers and headphone jack; DVD/VCD/CD and CD-R/RW media support; MP3, JPG and DivX formats; and USB and multi-format memory card reader for slotting in additional media. No pricing or release information but we'll be sure to give her a spin while taking in the show later this week.

Those familiar with the Helios name probably haven't forgotten the uber-cheap H4000 that landed late last year, but the firm has outdone itself once again by slipping under that oh-so-magical $100 price point with the H2000. This slim multiformat player can not only upscale your standard DVDs to 1080i, but MPEG2/4, DivX, and even XviD files can also be upconverted for your viewing pleasure via component, HDMI, or VGA. Moreover, this device also outputs unprocessed 480i / 576i signals via the HDMI port if you're sending it to an external video scaler, and while we're sure you may be willing to give your first second born for all these niceties, Helios Labs will only be asking for $99 when it arrives next month.

Home cinema newbies can collectively rejoice, as even Epson has stepped up to the plate and is offering a high-end HTIB of its own. The Ensemble Home Cinema System provides "everything" (even patience?) you need to turn your den into a theater worth being proud of, and includes your choice of a 1080p or 720p Epson projector, 100-inch motorized screen, a 5.1 Atlantic Technology surround system, ten-inch subwoofer with built-in amplifier, AV controller with twin HDMI inputs and an upconverting DVD player, and a pre-programmed universal remote that takes the fun frustration out of establishing a one-button setup. Interestingly, Epson claims that the entire installation can be completed in a mere four hours, so if you're inches away from tearing your hair (or walls) out, simmer down and hand over your $4,999 (720p) to $6,999 (1080p) to handle HT the easy way.

[Via AkihabaraNews]

Sony's been known to toss out some fairly glitzy portable DVD players in the past, and it's keeping the tradition alive by cranking out the relatively sexy DVP-FX850. The clamshell player sports a "high-resolution" eight-inch widescreen LCD and 180-degree swivel, claims up to six hours of battery life, and plays nice with just about every flavor of DVD (yes, that includes the eight-centimeter variety) you can think of. Moreover, users will be happy to see DivX support tacked on, an AV input / output, twin headphone jacks, digital audio output, a 12-bit / 108MHz DAC, and a worldwide power supply. Notably, Sony also tossed in a USB port for loading up music and photos whilst on the go, and even includes a slim wireless remote for handling the controls from afar. Look for this kid-pleasing gizmo to land sometime next month (and hopefully in America).

If you're itching for a new DVR, and wouldn't mind losing your current DVD player and media streamer in the process, Beyonwiz's DP-S1 should be just the thing for you -- if you reside Down Under, that is. Aimed squarely at the Australian market, this dual-tuner HD DVR packs a sleek, black and silver chassis, 200GB hard drive, an integrated DVD player that purportedly upconverts, and a built-in media center that "streams video, music, and photos over Ethernet or WiFi from your home computer network, external HDDs, or the internet." Marketed as an end-all home entertainment solution, this conglomerate even boasts a well featured front panel with USB 2.0 connectors and a three-in-one flash card reader that plays nice with SD, MMC, and CF. Best of all, this multi-faceted device is available right now in the land of Oz, but it will run you a stiff A$1,599 ($1,318).