DolbyDigital
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The GefenTV Digital Audio Decoder -- an answer to a question we're afraid to ask
We can't remember the last time we had a piece of gear that supported Dolby Digital but didn't have a pair of stereo out jacks on the back, but if an unforeseen (read: just plain crazy) use-case is going to pop up, it'll be this Friday. And wouldn't you know it, Gefen has a box just for these contingencies. The GefenTV Digital Audio Decoder will take a Dolby Digital audio stream over optical or coax and, presto, turn them into a stereo signal on a pair of RCA phono plugs. Specific custom install situations aside, we can't help but think there are better -- and at $129, cheaper -- ways to crack this nut.
Survey screens reveal potential new FiOS guide, 1080p VOD, HD purchases on the way?
We hope you weren't too attached to the old FiOS TV guide and video on-demand setup, as these screens would indicate an upgrade is on its way. Our tipster let us know these screens were a part of a survey that focused on which version of the guide was best (Verizon - we've got plenty of suggestions for you right here.) We like the widescreen layout they're indicating, and that 1080p notation underneath the Quantum of Solace box shown above isn't too shabby either. The price of $29.99 to buy an HD copy? Not so sweet. Check out the rest of the screens in the gallery and let us know if they pass the test.[Thanks, Matt!]
High-def audio wiring guide removes the mystery
Granted, we've already shown you how to actually take advantage of Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD, but if you're looking for a quick and dirty breakdown of what each audio codec means, what it can / can't do and how to wire things up with your current setup, Missing Remote's latest guide is for you. For starters, it hones in on Blu-ray audio format support -- quite relevant given the state of the format war these days -- and it continues on by explaining how to wire things up for superior results with S/PDIF, HDMI, analog, etc. There's even a special section dedicated to HTPC playback, which ought to help you folks not using a pre-fab deck. If you've been spinning your wheels of late in the wide world of multi-channel audio, have a look at the read link and see if things don't clear up.
iTrax.com delivers DRM-free HD Audio downloads
Just in case you don't have enough digital download choices, here comes iTrax to give you another. This site, however, deviates from the beaten path by offering up DRM-free HD Audio tracks for those with more discerning ears. Granted, the music selection is quite limited, but for the albums that are available, users can download individual songs or entire records in a variety of encoding formats / mixes. Among the options are MP3, Dolby Digital, DTS, WMA Pro, WMA Lossless and even uncompressed PCM 96/24, and most songs can be downloaded in 2.0 stereo, 5.1 "stage" and 5.1 "audience" perspectives. Currently, the available music all stems from AIX Records, but more options are purportedly on the way, and if you're curious about pricing, most albums look to run you anywhere from $9.99 to $24.99, depending on quality / mix.
Hi-Def disc audio demystified
We gave this a go some time ago, but compared to the job Hi-Def Digest did, ours is pathetic. Not only do they go into detail about what every audio format available for both HD disc formats is all about, but they go on to give examples of discs that include them, and to top it all off, how to enjoy them. It's more complicated than you think because not every player or connection method supports every audio format. To be honest it's far more complicated than it should be and we wonder how anyone could make heads or tails of this mess without being very dedicated. Lucky for us, Joshua Zyber is up to the challenge and his article should help clear things up for just about everyone.
Novac's Dolby Digital 5.1 headphones put surround sound on your dome
There's nothing quite like shoving six speakers over your ears, and while bulky these cans may be, it's still an awful lot smaller than a full home theater rig. While Wave-on just unveiled its own rendition of surround sound 'phones, Novac's upping the ante quite literally by offering up two pairs of Dolby-loving units. The Champion (HP-850XB) model rocks the more common headphones-plus-decoder-box setup, as the standalone unit accepts 3.5-millimeter stereo and coaxial / optical digital inputs, and channels the tones through a G9 connector where it hits your head. The headphones themselves sport both cinema and game modes and weigh (an admittedly hefty) 17.6-ounces. The USB-powered counterpart, dubbed Tusnami (HP-850U), was designed for PC use, and uses the internal decoder to deliver that svelte 5.1 goodness. Additionally, it sports a handy microphone for use with VoIP, voice chat, and online karaoke applications. So if you're stuck in a studio apartment, but lust after the luscious surround sound experience, the HP-850XB should run you ¥24,800 ($214), while the USB-friendly HP-850U requires just ¥12,800 ($110).Read - Novac's HP-850XB headphonesRead - Novac's HP-850U headphones[Via Impress]
The latest PS3 developments, condensed
With next-gen console news being released at such a fast and furious pace these days, it's starting to feel a little bit like Joystiq around here, so instead of reporting and analyzing every little snippet of new information in separate posts, we've rounded up the latest and greatest PS3 revelations into one tight bit of prose. Since pricing is such an important issue to most consumers, we'll start there -- but unfortunately, the news ain't good. You probably already heard that those lucky gamers in Japan will be able to pick up their 20GB boxes for the equivalent of $428, but despite all the hoping and praying you've been doing, Kaz Hirai has reaffirmed that the recent price cuts apply to Japan only -- though he threw the rest of the world something of a bone when he also announced that everyone will be getting an HDMI port on his/her low-end system. Speaking of high prices, Impress is citing "multiple sources" in predicting that most Japanese PS3 games will cost in the neighborhood of ¥8,800 to ¥9,800, which is between $75 and $85 here in America -- ouch, that's like a whole month's allowance for us, and well above the going rate for 360 games. As long as we're dwelling on the negatives, we should also mention that not only will HDMI cables be absent from the box, both Hirai and Ken Kutaragi are leaning away from even including component action with either package. Now on to the good stuff (sorry, there's not much). First of all, it's been confirmed that all PS3 games will indeed ship region-free (though it's up to the developers to code in multilingual support, and Blu-ray movies will remain region-locked) and secondly, the inclusion of Dolby Digital and Dolby TrueHD (7.1 channels) is a done deal. Finally, and perhaps least importantly after all these downers, is the fact that the Wii-inspired, rumble-free controller has officially been dubbed "SIXAXIS" -- though without the shakin' action, we imagine that many of you could care less what they chose to call it. Anyway, that's all for now from the exciting PS3 frontier, but keep your broswer tuned to this channel, as we'll have just a little more Sony-related amusement for you later today.Read- No price drop [Via Gamesindustry.biz]Read- Japanese game speculation [Via IGN]Read- Region-free, no component [Via PS3 Fanboy]Read- SIXAXISRead- Dolby
Surround sound with style
Always wanted surround sound but were afraid that those ugly black components would clash with your pearly white 360? Then Pioneer has the ultimate system for you! Enter the HTP-GS1, the first officially licensed sound system for the 360. Borrowing the aesthetics of the 360 and combining them with top quality sound, Pioneer hopes to sell plenty of these among the five million 360 owners out there. The system can be set in either a 3.1 or 5.1 configuration. An all-in-one solution, the system has built in decoders, a tuner, a remote control and a separate display for the individual settings. The remote features a Media Center button as well as the Xbox Guide button and the X,Y,A, and B buttons. Also on board is a nifty feature Pioneer calls Multi-Channel Acoustic Calibration System, or MCACC (shouldn't that be MCACS?). This feature utilizes an embedded microphone that adjusts each individual speaker to fit the acoustics of the room, ensuring that the sound from each speaker reaches your ear at the same time and the same volume. Um...wow. If you've got about US $500 to spare, you can pick these up this month -- or you could always get something cheaper. [Thanks, Randy]
Sweet 5.1 Live headset
Xbox Evolved points us in the direction of the AX360 headset -- though they failed to put any links to it on their page. Nonetheless, the AX360 is a complete surround sound/Xbox Live compatible headset. It provides true 5.1 surround sound through 8 speakers (four in each ear cup) using the Xbox 360's optical port. The headset also includes a microphone for online play, making it an ideal solution for those late night gaming sessions or significant others who don't appreciate the noise -- though you might have to explain why you're talking to the TV. The unit can be had for around US $130, possibly less if you look hard enough. The reviews seem to be pretty positive -- though Xbox 360 Fanboy has not received one to review and then give away in a buzz generating contest (ahem). Are you listening, Tritton Technologies?
How-To: Dial in your surround sound
A while back we dug into setting up a front projection system for that oh so sweet movie experience without the extra sticky floors. Today we're digging into the other side of the electromagnetic spectrum. So you trekked over to your favorite electronics wonder barn and picked up a receiver, a bunch of speakers, and several tons of speaker wire. In an angry Hulk moment, you pulled the entertainment center away from the wall, hooked it all up, arranged your speakers, and then also your furniture. A few times, in fact. You popped in the most powerful sounding movie you could think of (don't tell us, T2?) and crashed on your couch in exhaustion. You've got surround sound. In today's How-To we'll show you how to dial in your audio to help get the most out of your monster (or not so monster) sound system.
Blueado's m5e "Sport Edition" HTPC
If you liked the Mac mini-inspired Blueado m5e home theater PC, then you're gonna love a recently-released, improved version of the machine that the company is touting as a "Sport Edition" (because, you know, nothing invokes athleticism like sitting around watching TV and movies all day), which adds several compelling features (and $500) to its $1,500 sibling. Packing in the same 2.0GHz Pentium M processor and integrated graphics as the m5e, this new edition doubles both RAM and HDD capacity to 2GB and 400GB, respectively, and also throws in both analog and digital tuners for keeping you entertained. You get a fairly wide variety of connectivity options with this one -- USB 2.0, FireWire, DVI, VGA, S-video, and digital coax -- along with Dolby Digital and DTS support for hooking up your surround sound speakers to the included RCA outputs. Of course, no HTPC would be complete without a DVD burner, remote control, and million-in-one card reader, so the Sport Edition -- rolling into dealerships now -- mixes in those ingredients as well.
