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Where Is HD? integrates VOD into listings
Not too much to say beyond the title, but everyone's favorite high-def lister has now begun to integrate video-on-demand offerings into the lineups. It should be noted that VOD listings aren't totally implemented just yet, so if you see a few holes in your own carrier's list, rest assured that plugs are on the way.
Where Is HD? adds HD-ready channels to listings
Your favorite HD locator has been updated yet again, barely a week after colored genres and printouts appeared. This time, the refresh brings in HD-ready channels, which are networks that do not currently produce any bona fide HD content, yet are apt to make the switch in short order. For example, here in the frigid town of Barrow, Alaska, we see that 5 StarMAX and Independent Film Channel HD are both being included for the 99723 zip code as HD-ready. On a related note, a listing of HD News is now available for those fervently checking their listings on a daily basis.
Canon introduces the REALiS X700 and SX7 projectors
Your friendly Canon buddies are rolling out some new REALiS projectors today, clearly hoping to maintain its strong ties with people who love projectors of all shapes and sizes. The two new flavors are called the SX7 (pictured) and the X700, the former being a high-end, HD-ready, Adobe RGB-accurate model, with a 1440 x 1050 resolution, while the latter is a more entry-level offering, with a lower, 1024 x 768 resolution, and no color matching. Both projectors tout 3,000 hours of lamp life, a 1.7x zoom lens, DVI inputs with HDCP encryption, plus three stereo inputs and one set of outputs. The X700 will be available in October for $3,999, and the SX7 will hit stores in December at the Earth-shatteringly low price of $6,999.[Via Akihabara News]
Rumor: Xbox 360 getting an HDMI port
It simply wouldn't be a normal weekend if a drenched rumor didn't wash up on the internet's binary beach, gasping for air and haphazardly telling you about anonymous sources and secretly snapped pictures. Still picking seaweed out of its hair, the latest washout professes to know all about another forthcoming Xbox 360 SDK SKU, one featuring a newfangled HDMI port. The picture on the right is meant to be confirmation, an Xbox 360 motherboard stripped naked and bearing the port that's considered by many to be the standard for true HD content. Note the positioning of the ports in relation to the heatsink in the background. Is it upside-down, and if so, why did the ethernet and USB ports switch places?It's not that we don't trust things that have just recently been tossed out of the ocean, but signs point to this rumor in particular having been in a tussle with a remarkably violent manatee. In other, less ridiculously analogous words, previous comments from Microsoft don't quite support it. Just last month, Microsoft rubbished claims of an Xbox 360 with built-in HD-DVD drive and before that, they remarked that "you don't need HDMI for HD gaming." With a seperate HD-DVD drive and the format's Image Constraint Token supposedly delayed until 2010, reasons for an HDMI-capable Xbox 360 (instead of first-party converter cable) become quite nebulous, at least if Microsoft doesn't plan on annoying early adopters of its spinning system. We've contacted Microsoft and, barring the usual "we don't comment on rumors or speculation" reply, we'll be sure to let you know whether or not you can believe some things spurned from the sea. [Via Engadget, thanks to everyone who sent this in.]See also: Xbox to feature HDMI high definition standard after all? Toshiba man hints at internal HD-DVD 360
Evesham's budget-priced 20.1-inch HD-ready LCD TV
UK-based Evesham has released an HD-ready LCD TV at a budget price -- well, budget as far as LCD TVs go. The 20.1-inch V20KCDX-E03 LCD TV lists for £349.99 (about $650US) and features a 140 degree viewing angle, 300cd/m2 brightness, a contrast ratio of "up to" 600:1, and a respectable 8ms response time. Unfortunately, it's not the highest of high-defintion, with a resolution of 1680 x 1050, and it doesn't have HDMI, but it does have DVI, two SCART sockets, S-video, component, and composite video inputs. So if you were just thinking of using this as a monitor, it looks like you can save some money going for Dell's 2007WFP (or the older 2005FPW if you're scared of color banding issues).
