CEDIA
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Runco shows up at CEDIA with loads of projectors and flat screen in tow
Following CEDIA tradition, Runco (oh yes, they were actually here) had plenty to show off, with new projectors and LCDs, apparently enough that we needed two separate rooms for the press conference. We switched rooms to experience the company's new QuantumColor LED-lit Q-750i, combining Luminus Platlight technology with its own engineering to create what it says is unsurpassed performance and unrivaled customization. Its showcased a few new color management wrinkles, customers can have a shot at making green grass pop without skewing other elements starting in November for around $15k. The company also had in store new Crystal Portfolio LCDs, some featuring its OPAL technology for outdoor situations, and a new round of LightStyle series projectors, for the kind of folks who only want to spend five or seven grand on a PJ, while the VideoXtreme line falls somewhere between that and the $100k+ crowd. Also mentioned? The company plans to keep selling its plasmas, even though a certain someone (cough, Pio) has exited the market. Peep the read links for all the details and jaw dropping prices. Read - Runco Unveils the Future of Home Theater Projection (QuantumColor) Read - Runco Introduces Five New Performance LCD Displays Read - Runco Reveals Its Most Affordable VideoXtreme Projectors Read - Runco Sets a Projector Benchmark with its LightStyle Series
Panasonic Full HD 3D experience eyes-on
It's been less than a year since we first entered Panasonic's demo trailer, the main difference at CEDIA this year was the addition of a trailer for James Cameron's Avatar. We were lucky enough to get an early look at the footage shown, while it shared much with the trailer released a few weeks ago, you haven't seen the Terminator and Titanic director's latest effort unless you've seen it in 3D. Check after the break for the rest of our thoughts on the 3D demo, and what the future has to hold for this display tech in the home.
JVC's TH-BA1 and TH-SB100 soundbar systems fill out 4.1-channels
Back in January, JVC slated its TH-SB100 soundbar + subwoofer + Blu-ray player system as "3.1-channel," which kind of made sense since the soundbar housed LCR drivers. There's been something funny in the punch since then, because the TH-SB100 has morphed into something with 4.1-channel status. It's still a soundbar system, but JVC is using magic called "front surround" to get the outermost drivers to handle the left/right channels and the inside two drivers to handle the center + surround audio. It sounds crazy to us, but we'll try to keep an open mind because otherwise things look pretty good -- 220-Watts total, wireless subwoofer, and Dolby Digital, Pro Logic II and DTS processing in the soundbar. If all you've already got a Blu-ray player, opt for the $400 TH-BA1 (soundbar + sub only), otherwise get onboard with Blu-ray and grab the $700 TH-SB100 (complete with Blu-ray deck).
NAD doubles its Blu-ray fleet with new flagship M56 player
Until now, if you wanted a Blu-ray deck with the NAD (New Audio Dimensions, smart guy) logo, you could either pony up the $1,500 for the T587 or get familiar with silk-screening your own faceplate. But now, a $1,999 option from NAD's Master Series has opened up for you in the M56. Back in the day, we had some pretty nice NAD stereo gear, but those pieces always stood for good value -- and unfortunately, we can't say we're seeing the same value proposition here. Aside from the overbuilt chassis construction , the specs add up to a Profile 2.0 player that can dole out Blu-ray's lossless audio via bitstream, LPCM or 7.1-channel analog jacks and play back media via a USB port; in other words, the standard feature set for a reasonably "complete" Blu-ray player these days. If you really need something that fits style-wise into your current rack full of NAD gear, go for it; otherwise consider some alternatives -- including getting back into silk-screening.
Sharp announces HT-SB500 soundbar at CEDIA, some iPod docks too
Sharp mostly re-announced stuff we're already seen at CEDIA today, but it did have a new soundbar for us -- the $349 3.1-channel HT-SB500, which adds a center speaker to the usual stereo setup. Sharp says the bar can use Dolby Virtual Speaker to simulate 5.1 audio from DTS, Dolby Digital, and Pro Logic II sources, which is almost but not quite extremely interesting. There are also two new iPod docks, the $189 DK-AP8P and the $129 DK-AP7P, both of which should do a fine job of providing adequate audio on the go, with batteries that last up to six hours at a clip -- and the cheaper one apparently folds up into itself, so that's very fancy.P.S.- That's a picture of the older HT-SB300 up there -- the SB500 has a redesigned control panel, but Sharp hasn't released images yet.
Pioneer's new soundbar and iPod docks coming this Winter
You probably already have your Home Theater situation well sorted, so the gang at Pioneer (lovely chaps) have brought some slightly less robust devices to CEDIA for that other room in your house. First off, the iPod docks: in case you didn't see them in Europe where they first made the scene a week or so ago, both new XW models pack 2.1 surround sound, 60W output, and Bluetooth connectivity into a single unit. The splashier of the two is the XW-NAS5, which is available in multiple colors, features a radio, and includes some sort of built-in ambient sound player for fans of relaxation, sleep, or hypnosis. If you're not feeling quite as ostentatious, the XW-NAS3 comes in white and features iPod support -- and nothing else. If PMP dockery isn't your bag, you might want to check out the HTP-SB300 soundbar. Featuring 3.1-channels, 250W of power, dual HDMI ins, and support for DTS, Dolby Digital PLUS and Dolby TrueHD audio, it's the perfect compliment to your wall-mounted 32-37-inch display. Both are available this Winter, for a price TBA. PR after the break. [Via SlashGear]
Yamaha adds two new models to its Blu-ray lineup
No such thing as enough Blu-ray players in the world right? Seems just like yesterday we were searching show floors for prototypes and now we live in a time when you can rest assure that your favorite brand has more than one Blu-ray player to choose from. Now if you love Yamaha but couldn't stomach the price of the BD-S2900, then you'll be happy to hear about its new little brothers, the BD-S1900 (pictured) and BD-S1065 which are $699 and $599. Both have just about every Blu-ray related feature a HD videophile is looking for, like BD Live and full audio codec support. The main difference you get to enjoy for the additional benjamin is RS-232 control, detachable power cord, aluminum front panel and gold plated output terminals. We assume that most will pass on these, but can't ever hate on a company for offering more options and at least some will pay a premium for those premium integrator type features. Read BD-S1900Read BD-S1065
Video: Vudu on the LG BD390 Blu-ray player
As far as picture and audio quality, it is impossible to beat Vudu in HD streaming business. And for that reason we're happy to see some of our favorite products like the LG BD390 working with Vudu. We had a chance to catch up with Vudu at the LG's CEDIA booth and ask them a few questions. Apparently there were a few changes to the encoding techniques necessary to transition from a disk based device to all streaming, including more profiles to adapt to different broadband connections. We have ot say that our overall initial impression was that the changes went off without a hitch. One question we didn't get answered though was whether or not the Dolby Digital Plus used in downloaded stream could be bitstreamed to an AVR via HDMI -- the original Vudu hardware could only output vanilla Dolby Digital -- but we were promised an answer. In other words you'll know as soon as we do, so in the meantime click through and enjoy the short demo.
Engadget HD reader meetup at CEDIA tomorrow
We figured enough was enough and that it was finally time for the HD crew to get in on some of this meetup fun, so with some help from our new friends at the Georgia Tech chapter of the Association of Computing Machinery, we're having the very first Engadget HD reader meetup. The event will take place on the Georgia Tech campus -- so no University of Georgia apparel is permitted -- at the Klaus building in room 1116W at 6:00pm on Friday the 11th and will go for about two hours -- we're told the easiest way to find the room is to walk through the main stairs to the courtyard and look for the signs. There is a place to park a few buildings over, but it isn't free. So come by and geek out over some CEDIA news with Ben and Richard of Engadget HD, and the members of the local chapter of the ACM. Map shot is after the break.
Video: First working Blu-ray Managed Copy demo
Just because Pioneer isn't in the plasma business anymore doesn't mean the company is dead, and one of the new points of focus over there is on media aggregation. So part of the new do-it-all Entertainment Tap concept Pioneer was displaying today included a demo of storing Managed Copies of Blu-ray Discs on a hard drive. The copy itself was done in about 4x real time (dependent on the drive's speed) and looked great thanks to some hardware transcoding. We also appreciated the Pioneer interface that made copying the disc easy. Of course at this point this is just a demo, with no word on availability or price, but it is a start to what will one day hopefully be a better way to enjoy HD movies.
Sharp refreshes its top of the line Blu-ray player with the BD-UP52U
Sharp has waited for CEDIA to refresh its top of the line Blu-ray player and for good reason. You see although the older BD-UP50U was only Profile 1.1, and lacked most of the features we expect today, it was the only affordable BD player that featured RS-232 for home automation control. The good news is that control freaks won't have to make that much of a compromise anymore because the new BD-UP52U still has the aforementioned control interface, but also has has all the great Blu-ray features you're looking for -- you know like BD Live, a network adapter (apparently no WiFi) and the latest audio codecs. No fancy streaming services like Netflix or Vudu yet though, but the price and availability is all right at $379.99 this October. And the rep promised we'd see Netflix very very soon.
HT-SB500 soundbar poised to overthrow HT-SB300 as Sharp's best yet
Before the end of the year, Sharp will have a new entry at the top of its soundbar offerings -- the HT-SB500. The $350 model, due in December, packs LCR and sub drivers in one cabinet, thus one-upping its stablemates with a "3.1-channel" soundbar designation. The latest multichannel connectivity is a moot point on soundbars, so the HT-SB500 takes the reasonable (at least in our experience) approach and sticks with optical and coaxial SPDIF inputs, stereo RCAs and a 3.5-mm jack. The onboard decoders for DTS, Dolby Digital and Dolby Pro Logic II should cover the bases for the intended uses, and adding in a dash of Dolby Virtual Speaker or SRS TruSurround HD processing should help create a soundstage that's bigger than the soundbar itself. Sharp knows aesthetics really count in this segment, and caps things off with its Touch Panel (hey, it's trendy right now) controls up front. Full details after the break.
Video: Dish Network Media Center tuner in action
We told you we were able to get a video of the Dish Network tuner for Windows Media Center in action and here it is. You can see that for the most part, the Dish content plays back just like any other HD source. We did seem to think that the channel changes were slower than we were used to, but not bad enough to be a deal breaker. The short clip is after the jump.
Windows 7 to get a better version of Netflix than Vista
No the Windows 7 version of the Netflix Watch Instantly still isn't going to work on Extenders for Media Center, but it will include a more seamless experience than the Vista version does, like the movie info image above. Microsoft really wasn't ready to share any more details with us, but we suspect the search is improved. The fact that they were so tight lipped leads us to believe that Microsoft is still holding back on some Windows 7 details -- at least in regards to internet content and Windows 7. At this point it appears we might have to wait until the official release of Windows 7 to truly figure out if all that work to bring internet content to Windows 7 pays off. %Gallery-72477%
Sherwood BDP-5004 Blu-ray player moves up to Profile 2.0, down to $200
It sounds like Sherwood took critical reviews of its BDP-5003 Blu-ray player to heart when it worked up the plans for the successor. The BDP-5004 is taking a bow at CEDIA in advance of its October release, and the wrongs have been righted -- it's a Profile 2.0 player with onboard decoding of Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD MA, it has 5.1-channel analog outputs around back so you can get some more miles out of your old receiver, and it's targeted for just a nickel under $200. If that's still not enough for you, how does DiVX support through a front-panel USB port sound? If you can't bring yourself to consider a deck that doesn't do the online streaming thing, though, keep looking.
Toshiba BDX2000 Blu-ray player seen slumming it at CEDIA
If you thought Toshiba's IFA Blu-ray showing was weak, consider its CEDIA display: simply a BDX2000 player connected to nothing at all. We understand, the format war was long and bitter, but c'mon Tosh, you could at least act excited about offering customers 1080p disc players again.%Gallery-72466%
JVC puts 4K DLA-RS4000 projector in your home... for just $175,000
By and large, any 4K x 2K projector that we've seen -- be it at CES, CEDIA or any other trade show -- has been solely for looks. Oh sure, they're for sale, but they're only being sold to cinema owners and the select few that find themselves within the same tax bracket as Bill Gates and Lawrence Ellison. But the DLA-RS4000... the DLA-RS4000 is different. Introduced here in Atlanta, the ultra high-definition projector spots a native resolution of 4,096 x 2,400, enabling it to display up to four screens of Full HD content (you listening, college football / NFL fans?) at once. Naturally, it's fully ISF and THX certified, and it packs 3,500 ANSI lumens, a Xenon lamp, 10,000:1 contrast ratio, RSVP4 video processing unit, Ethernet port and an RS-232c control port. Interested in showing 1080p what's really up? Great! Crack open that wallet and yank out $176,000 -- $175,000 for the beamer, and a grand to rent the forklift you'll need to get a 110 pound box into your home.
LG debuts N2R1 NAS with built-in DVD burner, up to 2TB of storage
It may be a pretty crowded field to compete and stand out in, but it looks like LG is intent on angling for a bigger share of the NAS market nonetheless, and it's now taken advantage of CEDIA to debut its new N2R1 model. While this one doesn't pack a Blu-ray recorder like LG's earlier model, it does still include a somewhat uncommon built-in DVD burner to complement the two standard hard drives (for up to 2TB of storage). Otherwise, you can expect the usual Ethernet and WiFi connectivity (just 802.11g, unfortunately), DLNA support, and all the basic security measures you'd expect -- not to mention a stylish white enclosure. Look for this one to hit retailers sometime this Fall with a list price of $299 for the 1TB version or $399 for the 2TB model.
JVC brings 46-inch GD-463D10 3D LCD HDTV to America: shipping now for $9,200
Jumpin' Jehosaphat! We know exchange rates have been sort of crazy of late, but we can say with a good deal of certainty that the in-home 3D revolution isn't going anywhere with MSRPs like this. After introducing the 46-inch GD-463D10 3D LCD HDTV in various overseas markets, JVC is announcing here at CEDIA that its flagship 3D panel is now available on US soil for a solid chunk of change. The 1080p display touts a 2,000:1 contrast ratio, three HDMI sockets, 178-degree viewing angles, a depth of 1.5-inches and two incredibly awesome sets of 3D goggles. If you're not concerned that actual 3D content is all but nonexistent for home users, you can snag this now for $9,153 (and not a penny more).
JVC brings Blu-ray burning set-tops to the U.S., leaves all the fun overseas
U.S. buyers wanting to slide a Blu-ray playing & recording deck into their setup finally have an option coming from JVC, but the domestic limitations are almost as high as the pricetags. Unlike their Japanese and European cousins, there isn't any support for DVRing television content to the hard drive or discs here, with support limited strictly to unprotected Blu-ray content, or imported video from cameras or other sources via the Firewire, SDHC and USB ports. Still, professionals and prosumers interested in easily duping their own Blu-ray discs, video editing or quickly creating one-offs the SR-HD1500 (250GB, $1,995) and the SR-HD1250 (500GB, RS-232, Final Cut Pro .mov file support $2,550) may find a home for these when they ship in October.
