Sans Digital caught our eyes earlier this month with a simple, albeit remarkably nifty CF to SATA adapter, and now it's doing so again with a 2-bay NAS enclosure. The AccuNAS AN2L is a RAID 0/1 chassis that supports file sharing in Windows, OS X and Linux, and it also enables playback of files via a PS3 / Xbox 360 or any other UPnP / DLNA-certified device. You'll also find that this thing doubles triples as an iTunes music server and BitTorrent client, which makes it all the more tempting, does it not? No word on pricing at the moment, but if you're strangely uncomfortable with loading in your own HDDs, the outfit will be selling these with 500GB to 2TB pre-installed for an undisclosed premium.

This week's Ask Engadget question is a bit on the specific side, but it's one we've heard asked time and time again. Thus, we figured it was time to finally get it out in the open for you readers to debate.

"I have an extensive DVD library that I would like to archive on a network drive and be able to access via my PS3, menus and all. I am currently using TVersity to stream videos from my PC to the console. I've seen walk-throughs for archiving DVDs, but I haven't seen anything that will present these via a DLNA server (to my PS3) with their original menus intact so that you can access special features such as commentary tracks and featurettes. I am not even sure that it is possible to navigate the menus via the PS3 remote. Any recommended solutions out there?"

Can't you just hear the hopelessness in poor Ron's voice? Throw the guy a bone, will ya? And while you're at it, throw our highly sophisticated email sorter a question of your own at ask at engadget dawt com.

Sharp's re-upped on the super-size rollouts, with 22 LCDs including every color and size variation, ready to hit shelves this summer ahead of the Beijing Olympics. Available in black or brown, the RX5 series (pictured) headlines the pack with 65-, 52- and 46-inch versions including 1080p resolution, 120Hz motion, a "living contrast" ratio of 1500:1 (dynamic ratio 20,000:1), 12bit image processing and internet access to a specially tuned Yahoo! Japan page all packed into a 5cm deep frame (42- and 52-inch, 6.6cm for 65-inch). The more mainstream GX5 line ranges from 52- to 32-inches complete with all the 1080p resolution, side mounted ARSS "Around Speaker System", DLNA access and internet hookups we know and love, plus 32- and 26-inch GH5 models that drop down to 720p, losing the around speakers, internet and 1080p res. The DS5 line is aimed at those who don't need internet access, but do need to choose between black, white and red LCDs. Check the chart on Sharp's page to compare with the "world's thinnest" X-series and see what HDTV corresponds with your social status when these drop in June.

[Via AV Watch & Akihabara News]

Read - Aquos 22 LCD models comparison
Read - R series
Read - G series
Read - D series

Nothing like washing down an all new WiFi-enabled digiframe with an all new home media server, right? Apparently Sony is firmly in agreement, as it's also launching its latest multimedia server / NAS drives today in Japan. The 1TB VGF-HS1 / 1.5TB VGF-HS1S would stack nicely atop your VAIO HTPC, and aside from boasting gigabit Ethernet, DLNA compatibility, an integrated display, USB connectivity and a hidden multicard reader behind the front panel, this unit plays nice with AVCHD, MPEG2, HDV, JPEG, BMP, PNG, WAV, MP3, ATRAC (saywha?), AAC and WMA file formats. Word on the street has these shipping on May 17th for ¥60,000 ($570) / ¥80,000 ($760) depending on capacity, but only time will tell if Sony sees fit to send 'em Stateside.

[Via Impress]

Here it is copyright bandits, the single biggest reason (besides silicone) to make a Hollywood studio notice you: the MZK-NAS02SG1T network attached storage device from Planex. The main selling point behind the ¥54,799 (about $524) 1TB Gigabit Ethernet block is the claim to "universal access" for all your devices. That little trick comes courtesy of its DigiJuke browser for searching and tagging the BitTorrent and YouTube content you want downloaded in the appropriate PSP and iPod (MPEG-4), Wii (FLV), or TV (MPEG-2) format for in-home or on-the-go viewing. The NAS also streams audio and video to your iTunes laptops or desktops, DLNA TV, Xbox 360, or other compliant device in the home. A front-facing USB 2.0 jack offers one-touch dubbing of USB sticks while a second around back offers ready storage expansion. It ships with a pair of 3.5-inch 500GB drive which you can swap out for higher capacity spinners at a later date. That is if the studios don't shut you down first.

[Via Impress]

Following up on the DAPs and BD-Live announcements, Samsung's seen fit to attach prices to its 750 series of LCD HDTVs and their "Touch of Color" frames. At the top end, the 750 ranges from 39.9- to 52-inch sizes, all with 1080p, 50,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio, DLNA network access and 120Hz motion processing for $2,599 - $3,499 when they hit shelves in May. The 650s are already on shelves with 720p or 1080p variations from 19- 52-inch variations, sans-DLNA, but all models include Samsung's Infolink RSS service for news direct to your flat screen. Don't have Ethernet in your TV room? The Wireless LinkStick enables either series to pull down news without those pesky physical connections for $34.99. Probably not worth rioting over, but check the read link for complete specs and prices.

See those people? As much as NEC would like to think so, that's not you. If it were you'd be ass-deep in nag about your inattentive dismissal of "quality time" while suffering dire warnings about barefoot-borne diseases. Or maybe that's just us. Regardless, NEC hopes that the launch of its 4-component Lui (Life with Ubiquitous Integration) system -- ¥379,890/$3,705 Blu-ray packing PC server (Lui SX), ¥89,880/$877 10.6-inch laptop (Lui RN), ¥49,980/$487 4.1-inch handheld (Lui RP), and ¥300,000/$2,926 Desktop (Valuestar R Lui) -- will somehow create harmony in your household. Besides the marketing hype, we're really just talking about Windows Home Premium SP1 here and a bunch of DTCP-IP DRM and DLNA compliant devices. In fact, the so called "laptop" and handheld units lack any traditional OS at all -- they can only be used to receive streaming content off your home server. Even then, some streaming is restricted inside and outside the home thanks to the DRM lockdown. Do we really need one or even two more devices in the home just for media?

Update: Regardless of what you may have read elsewhere, there is no WiMAX here. That's not even a standard available in Japan.

[Via Impress]

IO Data took the wraps off of a new HDD unit made specifically to attach to those new Regza ZH500s, the DiXim HVL4-G2.0 is compliant with the latest DLNA / DTCP-IP standards to easily record TV shows via the network. It's got space for four drives up to a maximum capacity of 2 TB in a RAID 5 array, limiting recording space to a max of 1.5 TB. Because of copy protection, it only records from Toshiba's TVs right now, and can be controlled completely via remote. Doubt we'll be seeing this here anytime soon, but it'll be on store shelves in Japan later this month for 111,615 ($1,090 US).

[Via AV Watch]

In Japan, the hand can be used as a knife. And you can't swing a Yume Neko Smile cat without defacing a 1080p TV with built-in Ethernet and a hard disk drive recorder. Case in point, Toshiba's latest batch of REGZA LCDs, ten in all. The top of the line ZH500 series measures in at 52- (52ZH500) and 46-inches (46ZH500) with 120Hz VA panels, 4x HDMI (1080/60p, 24p) inputs, 3x Ethernet (with DLNA support), 2x USB, Bluetooth, Firewire, SD slot, and a DVR to record your shows to the built-in 300GB disk. These lack the eSATA jack found in the 42-, 37-, and 32-inch RH500 series, but you can add more disk over Ethernet via an I-O Data REGZA drive wrapped in DTCP-IP DRM to keep your HD recordings off the global torrents. Rounding things out are the 42- and 37-inch ZV500 series of 120HZ IPS panel LCDs and the relatively low-end, 42-, 37-, and 32-inch CV500 series of diskless TVs. Prices will range from ¥160,000 ($1,560) on up to about $5,850 when products start hitting shelves between April and July. Pics of the in/outs on the ZH500s after the break.

Read - ZH500 and ZV500 series
Read -- RH500 and CV500 series

Just a few hours before our live coverage of the XStreamHD press event (11am PST) with Michael Douglas; many of the details have been released and we have to say this thing looks so incredible, we don't see how it can live up to the press release -- this is one of those times when we'd really love to be wrong. For starters, the service promises to deliver "the latest content from leading studios" in 1080p (MPEG-2 and x.264) with 7.1 channels of lossless DTS-HD Master Audio (96kHz/24bits) to your home via satellite, and if it stopped there it would be impressive enough, but no. The content is stored on the internally in your "Virtual Personal Library" until you access it with up to four simultaneous DLNA devices on your gigabit Ethernet home network. If you run out of space, you can use the extra drive bays to expand up to 2TB of storage. And because there is so much great OTA HD content, it features three ATSC tuners which can be used with a "Network Video Recorder" -- not sure what that is, or if its extra. And interestingly even includes a PBX that allows free calling between XStreamHD customers. As if this wasn't unbelievable enough, it all starts at $399 and is expected to hit in the fourth quarter of '08.

Full release after the jump.

I-O Data isn't just worried about the longevity of your pocketable storage -- oh no, it's quite concerned with availability of data in your domicile, too. In an effort to ensure that every computer on your network has fair and unbridled access to external storage, the firm has unveiled a line of HDL-GS NAS drives that include 250GB, 320GB, 500GB and 1TB editions. Each LANDISK drive plays nice with Windows and OS X-based systems, touts an integrated USB port and includes a gigabit Ethernet jack, too. Beyond that, this crew is pretty run-of-the-mill, but you can pick one up to suit your needs in mid-December for ¥24,360 ($221), ¥26,565 ($241), ¥31,080 ($282) or ¥74,655 ($676), respectively.

It may be raining on AT&T's parade today but the sun is out and blasting Japan with plenty of Blu-ray. Four new Sony Bravia recorders in fact, capable of burning 50GB dual-layer, BD-R/RE discs with an additional disk packing between 250GB and 500GB of storage depending upon model selected. The ¥200,000 (about $1,755) top-end BDZ-X90 model brings 2x digital and 2x analog tuners, gold-plated HDMI 1080p capable of 60fps or 24fps output in DeepColor, and a DLNA-based "Sony Room Link" server function for streaming your media around the house. All use MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 encoding with support for lossless TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio and hi-definition bitstream output. Hell, they even include support for attached AVCHD camcorders. Damn. On sale in Japan November 8th.

[Via Impress]

BitTorrents best friend -- QNAP -- is back with a new series of all-in-one NAS servers. The TS-109 Pro Turbo Station is now Windows ADS and DDNS compliant and features a built-in Web server supporting PHP + MySQL. The box supports a single SATA disk up to 1TB in capacity which can be extended with USB 2.0 and eSATA jacks. The TS-109 also packs Q-RAID 1 for mirroring drives via USB or eSATA, remote network and 1-touch USB backup, iTunes sever, UPnP/DLNA support, and of course, their infamous BitTorrent client which doesn't require a PC. Its "no noise design" means you can keep those torrents chugging while you slumber in the glow of MPAA and RIAA scorn. Sorry, no prices or date for availability.