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Optoma CinemaX P1 review: A stunning 4K projector with terrible apps
The shiniest new toys in AV land are the short-throw laser projectors you might have seen recently, particularly at CES. They're cool because they give you a huge, bright image for a fraction the price of a comparably sized 4K TV. At the same time, they're relatively easy to install compared to a ceiling-mounted projector because you can place them on a table just inches in front of the screen. I was curious to see how they compare with 4K TVs and regular projectors, so I got hold of Optoma's $3,700 CinemaX P1 paired with its $1,300, 100-inch ambient light-rejecting ALR101 screen. For that sum, I could project a huge 100-inch image for a fraction the price of a 100-inch TV. At the same time, it promised much greater brightness and sharpness than long-throw projectors, along with built-in media powers. On top of reviewing this projector, I'm also reviewing the whole idea of a short-throw laser projector, from installation to day-to-day usage. I discovered a lot of important info and caveats, so hopefully you can learn from my errors and understand how these products fare in the real world.
Every ‘Star Wars’ feature film will be available on 4K Blu-ray in March
So far, Star Wars fans have only been able to watch The Last Jedi and Solo on 4K Blu-ray. The rest of the live action movies will be getting the 4K Blu-ray treatment on March 31st, though, for a total of 11 Star Wars films on the high resolution format. That, of course, includes the latest entry -- and the final chapter in the "Skywalker Saga" -- The Rise of Skywalker, which comes out on March 17th on digital and March 31st on standard and 4K Blu-ray.
Canon's EOS Rebel T8i reaffirms its commitment to DSLRs
Canon just unveiled its most powerful mirrorless camera yet, but it isn't quite done with DSLRs. The company also announced the EOS Rebel T8i (the EOS 850D in Europe), a camera with very slight improvements over the Rebel T7i. While it packs a sensor with the same resolution as before, it can now shoot a bit quicker at up to 7 fps thanks to the new Digic 8 processor.
Nikon's D6 flagship DSLR camera arrives in April for $6,500
Nikon has officially unveiled its professional D6 DSLR and revealed the price and release date, after first teasing the camera in September. As expected, the emphasis is on speed and autofocus accuracy, though it falls short of its primary rival, Canon's 1DX Mark III, in terms of video.
Olympus E-M1 III review: Fast, but way behind flagship camera rivals
Amid the excitement of so many new and interesting camera models, one company has been left out of the discussion: Olympus. Unlike its main rival, Panasonic, it has stuck to the Micro Four Thirds sensor and not jumped on the full-frame bandwagon. And while it released the larger, more professionally oriented E-M1X camera, it didn't represent a major upgrade on the 2016 E-M1 Mark II model. Now, Olympus finally has a genuine successor. Like the E-M1X, the E-M1 Mark III promises even more speed and top-notch in-body stabilization, this time all packed into a much smaller and even more rugged body. Disappointingly, though, it has the same 20.4-megapixel sensor as before, and for an $1,800 camera, it's lagging behind rivals from Sony, Panasonic and Fujifilm in certain features. On top of that, Olympus has had a tough time financially of late. I'm in Costa Rica with the E-M1 Mark III, and I'm going to find out if Olympus is doing enough to survive.
Sony sets prices for (most of) its latest 4K LED TVs
You didn't have to wait too long for Sony to start pricing some of its 2020 Android TVs. The electronics giant has started taking pre-orders for its 'entry' X800H 4K LED TVs and their higher-end X950H counterparts. Only two of the flagship X950H models have been listed so far. The relatively small 49-inch set starts at $1,200, while the room-filling 85-inch set will cost you a substantial $5,000. Either set carries some of Sony's nicer tech, including the current-gen Picture Processor X1 Ultimate and local dimming LED backlighting. You can also expect common features like Google Assistant, AirPlay 2 and HomeKit support. Details for other X950H sizes are coming at a "later date," Sony said.
Now certain 2019 LG TVs have the Apple TV app too
Late last year LG started to add AirPlay 2 and HomeKit to its TVs with firmware updates. Then at CES last month the company announced it would add the full Apple TV app that adds all of the video bits from iTunes, as well as access to the Apple TV+ service. Now, if you have one of its 2019 OLED TVs or high-end NanoCell LCD TVs then you should start seeing the app, while "select" other LCDs (UM7X and UM6X series) should get access later this month. This way, you don't have to add an Apple TV device, or use the AirPlay features to watch Apple's various video offerings, and of course many of the shows are mastered in Dolby Vision HDR. Last year the app was exclusively available on Samsung's TVs, but in 2020 it's coming to a much wider selection of screens. For LG's 2020 TVs it will be available at launch, and the company reaffirmed that 2018 TVs will also get the app via a firmware update later this year.
Roku and Fox cut a deal in time for Super Bowl LIV streaming
A few days ago, Roku sent out an email to customers informing them that Fox standalone apps would go away after January 31st due to an expiring distribution agreement. That might make it a little harder and more complicated to watch the Super Bowl via streaming this weekend, and certainly more difficult to watch the 4K stream Fox will distribute via its apps. But tonight Roku informed Engadget that they have reached an agreement.According to a Fox spokesperson, "We are pleased to have reached a successful agreement with Roku. Fox's leading suite of apps will continue to be available on the Roku platform." So that means as long as you're able to load up the apps and login with cable or other TV credentials, the Fox Now and Fox Sports apps will work just as well as the NFL and other streaming options on Roku.
Fox apps are abruptly disappearing from Roku before the Super Bowl
If you're planning on watching Super Bowl LIV using a streaming app, then you might not be able to use Roku hardware. While the platform has had a number of Fox apps available for years, their distribution agreement is set to expire after tomorrow, ahead of the big game. Roku is sending out emails to customers informing them that the standalone Fox apps won't be available this weekend to watch and suggesting alternatives. If they can't work out some kind of extension (the Fox Now and Fox Sports apps have already been delisted from the Roku Channel Store) then the simplest workaround may be using another streaming service on your Roku device. Apps like YouTube TV, Hulu Live TV or Sling TV can all work in a pinch, assuming they have your local Fox affiliate. If you'd like to see the game in (upscaled from 1080p) 4K, then Fubo TV will deliver it that way, and it has a seven day free trial. If you'd rather swap out for different hardware, then Amazon's Fire TV 4K stick is ready to stream the 4K and HDR mastered feed of the game on Sunday, and it's on sale right now for $35 (if it won't ship to your area in time from Amazon, Best Buy and Target also have it for the same price). Usually the carriage disputes I've covered involve cable operators, with threats to send antennas out and scrolling ads. Now even that has gone to the next level as streaming platforms are the new landscape, with acquisitions and competition making things stranger every day. Apps can appear and disappear in a blink -- but hopefully this gets worked out so no one has to make backup plans at all. Update: While Roku said that it will be "forced" to remove Fox's apps as of the 31st if a distribution agreement or extension isn't reached, Fox has a different view of things. A "Fox Corporation Spokesperson" called the notification a "poorly timed negotiating ploy," and claimed the company would prefer to see the apps remain available. What will happen after tomorrow? We'll have to wait and see. Update (1/31, 11 PM ET): And....with about one hour to go before January ended, Fox and Roku announced they have reached an agreement so you can go ahead and stream via whichever app you want. The Fox apps will be available on Roku. Fox spokesperson: Roku's threat to delete FOX apps from its customers' devices is a naked effort to use its customers as pawns. To be clear, FOX has not asked Roku to remove our apps, and we would prefer Roku continue to make them available without interruption. Roku's tactics are a poorly timed negotiating ploy, fabricating a crisis with no thought for the alarm it generated among its own customers. Even if Roku unilaterally decides to remove FOX apps, savvy Roku customers know Super Bowl LIV on FOX will be ubiquitously available through streaming providers, FOX apps on the biggest streaming platforms and our website. Only Roku can pull apps from its customers' devices, and we would urge them to stop the intimidation tactics and reconsider the merits of irritating their best customers in pursuit of Roku's own interests.
How to watch the Super Bowl in 2020
Super Bowl LIV will occur this Sunday, and it'll be a match between the San Francisco 49ers and the Kansas City Chiefs. NFL's biggest event of the year is a television phenomenon that goes beyond just sports, whether it's the million-dollar commercials, the half-time concert or just an excuse to hang out with your buddies and chow down on chicken wings. It used to be that the only way to watch it was to either have a cable or satellite subscription, or venture out to your local sports bar. Fortunately, that's not the case anymore. You have plenty of streaming choices too -- some of them even offer 4K resolutions.
The best pre-Super Bowl deals for 4K TVs and streaming
With the big game right around the corner -- I mean Super Bowl LIV, in case that isn't clear -- it's once again time to consider making a TV upgrade. If you need a little something extra to make sure football fans stop by your party instead of staying home, a bigger and brighter setup will go further than pushing your array of snacks. Plus, while many of these deals are online, shopping locally can give you an opportunity to see the screen in person, or make for a quick return if you find out that it's just too wide for the stand you wanted to put it on. (I should've measured first.) With prices nearly as low as we saw during the Black Friday push, and likely as low as they'll get until sets start hitting clearance shelves, you have your choice of equipment. Also worth considering is the fact that this year, for the first time, you can watch a Fox Sports 4K/HDR feed. It's upconverted from 1080p, but judging from my experience watching Thursday Night Football earlier in the season, it's sharp and vibrant enough to justify switching over if you can. Fox's plan to capture the game includes eight 4K cameras, as well as three 8K cameras trained on the sidelines and benches -- you'll want every super slow motion zoom-in to look as good as possible.
Sony A6100 review: Incredible autofocus performance for a budget camera
Despite all the talk about full-frame mirrorless cameras lately, APS-C is still extremely important for Sony. The A6000 in particular was a huge hit, thanks to the combination of good performance, features, compact size and price. The 24.2-megapixel A6100 has the difficult job of replacing that classic, which came out way back in 2014. At that time, very few cameras could compete with Sony, but in 2020, the A6100 has some serious rivals, especially APS-C models from Canon and Fujifilm. Sony has gradually refreshed its APS-C lineup, with the A6100 the last model to come, following the A6400 and A6600 -- neither of which I was terribly impressed with. Both have world-class autofocus systems but otherwise failed to keep up with rivals. At prices as low as $600, however, the A6100 has wider market appeal and less competition.
Amazon is having a sale on all of its Fire TV streamers
Amazon has dropped prices across its Fire TV range. These aren't the lowest prices ever, but it's a consistent cut across the board, making it a good time to buy in if you're updating your TV setup. First up, the second generation Fire TV Stick which packs in Alexa voice remote, HD and on-remote volume controls, which is the feature we didn't even know we needed in the Fire Stick's original form. Amazon's got this on offer for $25, instead of the usual $40. The Fire TV Stick 4K version, which supports Ultra HD and Dolby Vision, also has a solid 15 bucks off, on sale now for $35 instead of $50.
Fujifilm X-Pro3 review: One peculiar camera
Fujifilm has never been afraid to create unusual cameras, with the fixed-lens X-100F compact being a great example. But the X-Pro has always been its most unusual series, and the latest model, the $1,800 X-Pro3, is perhaps the weirdest one so far. It still has a hybrid optical/electronic viewfinder as before. However, Fujifilm has now taken the idea of being "in the moment" to a new extreme with the rear display. Under normal use, you can't even see it to compose or check photos. Instead, it shows either your camera settings or the type of film simulation and ISO, like an old-school film camera. Besides that, it shares the sensor and a lot of other features with the X-T3, so why not just get that camera instead? To find out what makes the X-Pro3 so unique, let's take it out into Paris to see what it can do.
ESPN's 4K National Championship broadcast airs on Comcast, DirecTV and Altice
Back in October ESPN started broadcasting college football in 4K, and now it's time for the National Championship Game. For tonight's matchup between LSU and Clemson the network will present a Samsung-sponsored feed from the Field Pass view -- with "free flowing commentary of the game" and SkyCam angle in Ultra HD. There's still no HDR in the broadcast yet, but viewers with appropriate setups from Comcast, DirecTV and Altice can tune in. Hopefully the broadcast won't suffer from any glitches, as Awful Announcing pointed out the the Cotton Bowl on New Year's Day ran into numerous "technical difficulties" for DirecTV viewers.
TiVo's $50 Stream 4K dongle takes aim at cord-cutters in April
The name TiVo is going to apply to more than just cable-ready DVRs, as the company has confirmed rumors that it's working on a $50 dongle aimed at cord-cutters. It's also planning on selling the device via providers who want something to offer their internet-only customers, and don't have the ability to build a custom unit like Comcast's streaming box. While the TiVo Stream 4K keeps some of the grid-based UI that you'd expect from a DVR, the Android-powered unit focuses on TiVo's ability to present and sort information from multiple sources.
Google Play now supports Samsung's HDR10+ alternative to Dolby Vision
Samsung unveiled HDR10+ as a way to bring HDR tech on par with Dolby Vision without paying Dolby's royalties. So far, it hasn't attracted a lot of other TV makers and content distributors besides Panasonic and Amazon. However, Samsung has now announced two significant new partners in both those areas with Vizio TVs and Google Play streaming. That should make it easier for consumers to not only find HDR10+ content, but play it back as well.
Panasonic's extra-bright OLED TV is aimed at cinephiles
Panasonic is known for building costly TVs with exceptional image quality, and it's keeping that trend going at CES 2020. Its latest HZ2000 model is the first OLED TV to support Dolby Vision IQ and Filmmaker Mode, features aimed at cinephiles who want to view films exactly as the creators intended. It's built using Panasonic's Master HDR OLED Professional Edition panel, which also delivers up to an extra 20 percent peak brightness compared to other OLED TVs.
Nikon's Coolpix P950 has an improved EVF, 4K and 83x zoom power
Nikon has unveiled the Coolpix P950, a refresh of its popular P900 superzoom. While it doesn't quite have the incredible 3,000mm equivalent reach of the P1000, it nevertheless delivers 83x zoom power equal to 2,000mm on 35mm cameras. That's enough to capture a jet plane crossing the moon or the gleam in a bird's eye for a long distance away.
Nikon's D780 is its most serious DSLR for video yet
Nikon's D780 DSLR has finally arrived, and it's bringing a lot of the tech from its Z6 and Z7 mirrorless cameras. That includes things like full pixel readout 4K with 10-bit external output and face- and eye-tracking autofocus. In fact, even though it has a mirror, you can think of it partially as the DSLR equivalent to Nikon's full-frame Z6 mirrorless camera.
