upconvert
Latest
Toshiba plans new LCD HDTVs for IFA, will include Resolution+ technology
Okay, so we really have no clue what's going on inside of Toshiba's labs, but one thing is for certain: it has upscaling on the brain. After hearing of an elusive super-resolution DVD player and seeing an all-too-curious new DVD logo, in flies word from Germany that the outfit is prepping an updated line of Picture Frame LCD HDTVs for release at IFA 2008. On the surface, there's not too much different about these REGZAs compared to any others, but internally, the newcomers are expected to tout Cell-based Resolution+ technology, which will upscale SD images in an attempt to make something (read: HD) out of nothing. Granted, Tosh has been talking up this stuff since CES, so it's not an entirely new concept, but we'll be interested to see if this has anything to do with those rumored DVD deck plans.[Via Big-Screen, danke Joel]
Ask Engadget HD: Which AV receiver has the best upscaling chip?
It's that time of week again, and considering that AVRs have remained strangely absent from our Ask Engadget HD series, Vinesy's question couldn't have arrived at a more opportune time: "I'm considering the Sony STR-DA5300ES, Denon AVR-3808CI, and the Onkyo TX-NR905, and while I'd bet the Onkyo wins in sound quality, I do favor Sony's user interface. I'm open to suggestions outside of those three, but I'm particularly interested in the quality of the upconverting chip. Is the Reon-HQV or the Faroudja DCDi better? Will they both take the 1080i HDMI signal from my FiOS set-top-box and give me 1080p? Help me legion of nerds. Fanboys: attack me with knowledge and then make fun of me like you do best." Well, you heard the man! For you receiver freaks out there, here's your shot at bestowing knowledge upon the newbies in the field. But be gentle, will ya?Got a burning question that you'd love to toss out for Engadget HD (or its readers) to take a look at? Tired of Google's blank stares when you ask for real-world experiences? Hit us up at ask at engadgethd dawt com and keep an eye on this space -- your inquiry could be next.
Kaleidescape's overpriced upscaling DVD players get reviewed
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.
Kaleidescape claims new 1080p upscaling DVD players "rival Blu-ray"
And you thought Toshiba's super-resolution DVD player taking on Blu-ray was comical. Kaleidescape -- the company famous for selling grossly overpriced (albeit fanciful) DVD / BD archiving systems for wealthy home theater junkies -- has just announced two new standalone DVD players that "provide a viewing experience that rivals Blu-ray." The argument goes something like this: there are 170,000 titles on DVD, and "just 6,000" (wait, for real?) on BD -- why support the next-gen format when these two upscaling DVD players display content that is utterly indiscernible from Blu-ray. For starters, the outfit is launching the 1080p Player (pictured), which earns the "ultimate DVD player" label by featuring a Sigma Designs Gennum VXP chip, 10-bit processing and full support for Dolby Digital, DTS, MPEG and PCM audio formats. The 1080p Mini Player offers the same, but in a tinier package meant for inconspicuous installations. Granted, both units do have exclusive access to Kaleidescape's Movie Guide database, but that hardly justifies the $4,295 / $2,995 price tags (in addition to the required $10,000 Kaleidescape System). Full release after the jump. %Gallery-25395%
Toshiba remains stubborn, looks to DVD upscaling while brushing Blu-ray off
For the attentive in attendance, you likely noticed that none of Toshiba's newly announced laptops (yes, even the absurdly powerful Qosmio rigs) have built-in Blu-ray drives. Like, there's not even an option. When questioned about the obvious oversight (ahem), Tosh's Europe CEO Alan Thompson noted that "Blu-ray was just one of the many ways that you can get HD content and is not required for accessing HD content." Furthermore, it seems as if the outfit is continuing on in its pursuit to develop the best DVD upconverting technology in the whole wide world, as it explained to the press in London that its forthcoming technology would "fill in the gaps" and "add resolution." Company representatives even remarked that "Blu-ray was only a storage medium," and reiterated that BD "wasn't the only way to view high-def content." It's one thing to bow out gracefully, pick up the pieces and get on with life. It's another thing to douse yourself in ignorance and pretend that Blu-ray (let alone HD DVD) never happened.Read - Toshiba's London press eventRead - Toshiba Europe CEO comments
OPPO pushes DV-980H upconverting DVD player for Mother's Day
Mum a little overwhelmed with digiframes? Fret not, as OPPO Digital is telling you straight up that a brand new upconverting DVD player is sure to make this Sunday one to remember. C'mon, even you know your mother wouldn't approve of spending a mortgage payment or two on a hamstrung Blu-ray player, and that much newer (and nicer) DV-983H just isn't worth the coin. Our only question is how desperate must you be (or overran with excess inventory) to pimp a 9-month old upscaling DVD player for Mom's Day? Ah well, we've certainly seen worse.
Sony breaks out 2.1 BRAVIA DAV-F200 home theater system
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]
Oppo's DV-983H universal player gets reviewed
When Oppo decided to exit the DVD deck business with a bang, it actually did precisely that. According to a recent review of the firm's last DVD spinner over at CNET, the DV-983H was summed up as practically the "ultimate standard-def disc player," with excellent image quality on DVDs, great upconverting abilities, included DVD-Audio / SACD support and 7.1-channel analog outs to boot. Reviewers were even able to make the unit region-free courtesy of a simple remote code hack, and it was said to have handled PAL discs like a champ. On the downside, the exorbitantly high price tag ($399) really makes it unattractive to most everyone, but the impeccable feature set still enabled it to net a solid 8.4 out of 10 rating. In all actuality, there's a slim chance you'll be picking this up before a serious price drop, but if you're not quite ready to go Blu, this here is apparently the player to own.
Ask Engadget HD: Which HD DVD player upconverts the best?
Soon after the format war came to a close, we wondered what HD DVD adopters would do with all their red-related hardware / software. We were also curious to see if fencesitters and red supporters alike would be quick to pick up a Blu-ray player given the (still) lofty prices. Now, however, we've got yet another angle on all of this -- what if closeout HD DVD players were viewed as DVD upconverters on the cheap? Take a glance at Larry's inquiry: "I was thinking of picking up a HD DVD player and using it as an upconverting player, but I'm not sure which one to get. Which HD DVD player upconverts the best? For what it's worth, I'm working on a 52-inch 1080i HDTV without 720p picture capability." All things considered, HD DVD players marked down substantially aren't a half bad investment if you're already interested in a bulk of the films out there on the format and you're in need of an upscaling DVD player. So, for all of you still clinging tight to your HD DVD decks, how's the upconverting treatin' you?Got a burning question that you'd love to toss out for Engadget HD (or its readers) to take a look at? Tired of Google's blank stares when you ask for real-world experiences? Hit us up at ask at engadgethd dawt com and keep an eye on this space -- your inquiry could be next.
Oppo's DV-983H upconverting DVD deck marks the end of the line
If you like to hang on until hardware tech is EOL-ed (End of Life) maximally polished to jump in, now may be the time for you to score a DVD player. The Oppo DV-983H upscaling DVD player announced last week is now officially available. Oppo's going out with a bang, for sure -- the unit has some good looking specs, especially the built in Anchor Bay (a.k.a DVDO) VRS processing. But what's more significant is a bit of info we gleaned from the PR email accompanying the DV-983H release: the unit is the last DVD player that Oppo will be making. The company that made its name in upscaling DVD is moving whole hog into something else, and we're all-in on a Blu-ray spinner. Bring it on, Oppo! Full PR email after the jump.
Oppo's upscaling DV-983H universal player up for pre-order
Though it's not the elusive Blu-ray player we're anxiously awaiting, Oppo's latest standalone deck is finally up for pre-order. The DV-983H universal player features 1080p upscaling of DVDs, SACD / Redbook CD / HDCD playback (no DVD-A?), optical / coaxial digital audio outputs, a USB 2.0 port, support for DTS, Dolby and Dolby Pro-Logic II, HDMI audio output supporting bit-stream and uncompressed multi-channel high resolution audio and a design that's actually not half bad. You'll also get a one-year warranty and a six-foot HDMI cable for $399, but we've got to say, picking this one up will be hard to do with knowledge of what's on the way.[Via AudioJunkies]
Ask Engadget HD: Does Blu-ray show enough love to 720p HDTV owners?
While we've had a good bit of conversation the past few weeks surrounding the right time to pick up a Blu-ray player, today's Ask Engadget HD inquiry puts a welcome spin on the discussion that we feel affects quite a few movie aficionados out there. Jonathan writes in wondering if his 720p HDTV is man (or woman) enough to enjoy the luxuries of BD, or if upscaled DVD is a-okay for the time being. "Now that Blu-ray vanquished HD DVD, is there a compelling reason for 720p HDTV owners to upgrade from upconverting DVD players? Is there a noticeable improvement in picture quality for those of us who can't see the 1080p/24fps glory to warrant dropping 400 bucks on a player? Is the Blu-ray spec finalized enough that we can purchase a player without worrying about future compatibility issues or missing features?"Yeah, this one's chock full of intricacies and complexities, but that doesn't mar its validity one bit. What says you, dear reader? Is making the leap to Blu-ray a sensible decision for 720p HDTV owners, or is the difference really only enjoyed at 1080p?[Image courtesy of TheDigitalBits]Got a burning question that you'd love to toss out for Engadget HD (or its readers) to take a look at? Tired of Google's blank stares when you ask for real-world experiences? Hit us up at ask at engadgethd dawt com and keep an eye on this space -- your inquiry could be next.
Toshiba introduces SD-4100 / SD-6100 DVD players
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.
Creative Xdock HD upconverts iPod content to 720p / 1080i
We've no qualms with seeing yet another iPod dock that upscales material to HD, but it seems Creative got a bit too rambunctious when penning its press release for the Xdock HD. Contrary to its claims, the aforementioned device actually isn't the first to do what it does. 'Course, it may have a point with the whole "upscaling your audio to X-Fi Xtreme Fidelity," so we'll just consider it a wash. Nevertheless, this bugger connects to your home theater system via HDMI, component or composite and relies on analog / optical outputs for audio. It also outputs an HD interface, comes with a remote and has the ability to "distribute music throughout your home to X-Fi Wireless Receivers up to 100 feet away without requiring a wireless network." Unfortunately, the Xdock HD (bundled with one X-Fi Wireless Receiver) will set you back nearly four bills, but you can look for it later this Spring if it tickles your fancy. [Via PCMag]
Samsung announces slew of upconverting DVD players, recorders
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.
LG unveils HT972TR HTIB, favors Chocolate
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]
Meridian's iRIS iPod dock upscales videos to 1080p via HDMI
If you're having a flash of déjà vu, fret not, as this device certainly isn't the first from Meridian to output 1080p content from your iPod. Unveiled today, the iRIS universal dock for iPod claims to pump out your stored videos in resolutions as high as 1080p via HDMI, all thanks to the "high-end video upconversion processing." Of course, we're admittedly skeptical about how well this thing truly walks the talk, but nevertheless, users who opt for component outs instead of HDMI can purportedly witness 720p / 1080i content straight from their Pod. Notably, the Qdeo technology is said to "further incorporate advanced DSP for per-pixel, motion-adaptive video processing that corrects both color and contrast losses," and while there's no word on whether this thing plays nice with the new family of iPods, users will enjoy the coaxial / optical audio outputs, headphone and line-level outs, and the HDMI input for external sources. We know you're intrigued, so look for this bad boy to land in November for $379.
Latest Yamaha receivers boast HDMI 1.3a / Ethernet / 1080p upscaling
Shortly after Sony unveiled its newly revamped ES lineup of AV receivers, along comes Yamaha with a powerful new duo of its own. The RX-V3800 (140-watt x 7) and RX-V1800 (130-watt x 7) each support lossless Dolby Digital TrueHD / DTS-HD and feature Yamaha's Cinema DSP processing engine, video upscaling to 1080p, HDMI 1.3a, and an Ethernet connection that enables consumers to "access internet radio stations, music files stored on a PC, and the company's MusicCAST audio system server." Furthermore, the units are also compatible with your iPod and XM radio via optional adapters, include Burr-Brown 192kHz/24bit DACs, and will be on display at next month's CEDIA expo. As expected, neither of these devices can be classified as cheap, as the less powerful RX-V1800 will demand $1,299.95, while the higher-end RX-V3800 rings up at $1,699.95.
The Helios H2000: your $99 upscaling multiformat DVD player
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.
Anchor Bay's DVDO iScan VP50 goes 1080p-24
The always expensive (but equally coveted) DVDO HD video processor lineup just got even more attractive, as the Anchor Bay iScan VP50 can now take any SD or HD signal all the way to 1080p-24 without a hint of lag or artifacting. The free software update enables v1.04 of its "Film Technology" feature, which allows users to take any input (interlaced or progressive) and have it converted to 1,920 x 1,080 at 24 frames-per-second. So, how many of you are actually lucky enough to need this?[Via Audioholics]
