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Happy 3rd birthday Engadget HD!
Yes we can't believe it either, but as of today Engadget HD is officially done with the terrible twos. The EHD crew's made us proud ever since their first post 36 months ago by bringing all of you the best HD news coverage they can, and in that time they've written over 11,672 posts and recorded 125 podcasts, which is pretty crazy. We're looking forward to many more years of HD goodness, but of course none of this would be possible without all of you Engdaget HD readers, so go ahead and give yourselves a pat on the back -- and then get back to reading.
ABC HD College Football Regional Coverage Maps
We're more excited than anyone that ABC started to cover college football games in our favorite format. One of the reasons it took so long was because of all the regional football games ABC covers. Regional games are by definition not covered nationaly so how is everyone supposed to know which games they will be able to watch? Our friends over at HDSportsguide.com have us covered and have posted maps and now we know which games we can expect to see in HD on Saturday.
Engadget HD Podcast 032 - 09.22.06
Sorry this one's a bit late -- we were busy, you know, relaunching as Engadget HD! In our first program as the Engadget HD Podcast, Ryan joins us to welcome Engadget HD to the Engadget team! Matt tells us about his busy CEDIA coverage and has a lot to say about everything he saw there: new certifications, new products, amazing picture quality, everything you wanted to know about CEDIA will be laid bare. TiVo is, of course, also brought up thanks to Ben's special experience with ordering of of TiVo.com. Get the podcast [iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes (MP3). [RSS] Add the Engadget HD Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator and have the show delivered automatically [MP3] Download the show (MP3). [Vote] Vote for us on Podcast Alley! Hosts: Ben Drawbaugh and Matt Burns. Producer: Trent Wolbe Format: 45:27, 20.9 MB, MP3ProgramEngadget HD @ CEDIA 2006THX @ CEDIA - THX certification for video displaysHD DVD @ CEDIA - Promotional TourRunco @ CEDIA - plasmas that don't forgetSony @ CEDIA - Pearl First ImpressionsInFocus @ CEDIA - Screenplay 777 & IN78EXDenon @ CEDIA - Rack full of non-HD DVD playersSharp @ CEDIA - Blu-ray home theater in a box - BD-MPC102G HD DVD players announced - HD-A2 & HD-XA2: $499 & $999 - UPDATEBlackmagic Design announces, HDMI Capture card for $249Today show, Dancing with the Stars debut in HD, how did they look?Why you shouldn't order your Series3 from TiVo.comWeaknees has already upgraded their Series3 to 750GBHD DirecTiVo 6.3 transmitted last nightComcast offering over 100 hours of HD VOD beginning...todayLISTEN (MP3)
Introducing Engadget HD!
Well, the new Engadget isn't the only thing we're unveiling this week. We're very proud to announce the birth of our latest spin-off, Engadget HD, where we'll have obsessive coverage of everything related to high-definition. For Engadget HD we're teaming up with the amazingly talented bloggers of HD Beat. We've been working closely with them since last year, and it just made sense to go all the way and not only relaunch HD Beat under the Engadget brand, but to fully integrate the editorial teams (like we've done with Engadget Mobile). The result should be fuller and more comprehensive coverage of all things HD, with Engadget continuing to hit all the major announcements and Engadget HD going in-depth in a way that isn't possible on the main site. They'll also be writing about stuff like home theater and high-end audio gear that we've always wanted to have better coverage of on Engadget.To kick off the site we're giving away a bunch of HDTVs over at Engadget HD. Details in a short few, stick close!
HD DVD and Blu-ray released on September 19th 2006
Disney's first Blu-ray titles hit the shelves tomorrow and needless to say we are less than impressed. There is only one title we're excited; Jay and Silent Bob Strike back. Sony has a few good titles this week and Universal releases the classic Backdraft. With another studio releasing titles for Blu-ray and Fox right around the corner we'd expect Blu-ray to catch up to and surpass HD DVD in the shear number of titles, but after two months, we aren't so sure when this might happen. This brings the total to HD DVD 71 vs Blu-ray 45.Blu-ray The Big Hit (Sony) Dinosaur (Buena Vista) Eight Below (Buena Vista) The Great Raid (Buena Vista) Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back (Buena Vista) A Knight's Tale (Sony) S.W.A.T. (Sony) Tears of the Sun (Sony) HD DVD Backdraft (Universal) Galaxina (BCI) Golgo 13 (BCI) You can also check out our Google Calendars for all the dates.HD DVD release scheduleBlu-ray release schedule
Accella @ CEDIA - First Mini HDMI cable
HDMI continues to gain acceptenace and the manufacturers of small CE devices want to play too. Although HDMI-mini was announced a few months ago a cable has finnally arived. Accella is showing this new cable at CEDIA and our man on the scene snaped these pics for your enjoyment. This new connector is intended for small CE devices like phones and cameras that are too small to fit a normal size HDMI cable.
Toshiba develops new compresion tech for HD DVD
Today's latest CODECs can do some amazing things in the quality vs size compromise, but anyone who has tried to encode their own knows how challenging it can be. Members of the Blu-ray camp have claimed they use MPEG2 for just that reason. To make using the latest CODECs easier, Toshiba has developed an encoder that can run on a PC and even encode in real time, which they say will make content creation even easier and faster.
Canadian telecommunications company upgrading for HDTV
The TelCos aren't the only one upgrading their networks, the Canadian Cable Cos have a lot of work to as well. It isn't all bad considering they only need to run fiber to their head ends vs to the customer premise. Telus Corp. plans to spend $600 million over the next three years to up grade 7000 head-ends which will enable them to offer more HD programming as well as faster Internet access.
ADSL2+ isn't up to the HD challenge
Triple play is where it's at for telecommunications providers or at least where they want to be. Having one bill for all your telecommunications needs isn't only appealing to consumers, cable Cos want to get your phone business and Telcos want your TV business, but the question is how? Lucky for the Cable Co's they have used coax for their networks which is inherently better than the voice grade non-twisted pair the telcos have been using for years. While the telcos are rolling out fiber all over the country they are trying to use ADSL2+ to keep their customers happy in the mean time. This works pretty good for Internet access and even some TV, but not so great for HDTV, which of course the only thing that matters!
China to go HD OTA in 2008
China is all the rage these days, I mean they make all the great gadgets we love. Sure we design most of them, but someone has to assemble all that stuff. It is about time they are going to be able to enjoy OTA HD like we have for so long. The interesting part is that they have their own format called DMB-T and will be rolled out between 2006 and 2010, but no HD till 2008. Who wouldn't want to be the company to sell them 4.1 million OTA HD tuners?
Plasmon and Co use HD DVD variation to transport content
Ever wonder how content is physically transported between the studios and the pre-mastering facility? In the past they have used tape or even RAID devices, but tapes are fragile and sometimes break and we all know how much RAID devices can cost. Transporting media with moving parts can be a challenge in it self, especially when it is valuable. It appears that a few companies have figured out a way to use a HD DVD variation they call UDO-DMD or Ultra Density Optical Digital Master Disk, but you knew that right? They hope this will provide the security and dependability that the studios demand when transporting their content.
HD DirecTiVo 6.3 transmitted last night
The update that all HD DirecTiVo fans have been waiting for was finally transmitted last night and now we're all waiting for our TiVo's to update. Although the update is downloaded via satellite, the update is kicked off when your TiVo phones home. Unfortunately all the calling in the world won't necessarily get you the update. DirecTV is rolling out the updates in their own way and there is no way to tell when they will activate it on your TiVo. Some at TiVoCommunity are lucky enough to have it already and are confirming the new folders and increased performance. Our friends over at Dealdatabase are figuring out ways to activate it themselves, but of course this requires that you already have a hacked TiVo with telnet enabled. They are also trying to figure out if it is possible to enable MRV with the new update.Read - TiVoCommunity.com's 6.3 Update ThreadRead - DealDatabase.com's 6.3 Update Thread
HDBeat Podcast 031 - 09.13.06
If your the type of person who hates all the HD DVD vs Blu-ray talk on the podcast then this is the week for you. We literally talk about the war for about 10 minutes. The Series3 gets most of the time as we cover how great it should be(Ben won't shut up about it) and why. We also cover some of the alternatives and the type of person who might buy it(Matt can't afford it so he knocks it). We are required to cover some Apple news(it is in the blogger by laws) and the rest of the show is HD programming. Ben contradicts his geekdom by talking about how much he loves football one minute and how much he loves Star Trek in HD the next. Matt ends the show with a preview of CEDIA and we ask you guys to email us to let Matt know what can't be missed at the show. Get the podcast [iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes (MP3). [RSS] Add the HD Beat Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator and have the show delivered automatically [MP3] Download the show (MP3). [Vote] Vote for us on Podcast Alley! Hosts Ben Drawbaugh and Matt Burns. Producer Trent Wolbe Format 57:44, 26.5 MB, MP3 Program The Series 3 has landed; UPDATE available on TiVo.com Transfer current TiVo lifetime sub to Series 3 TiVo Series3: Worth $800? DIRECTVs HR20 MPEG-4 DVR now available at Best Buy Apple iTV set top box announced: 2007 24-inch iMac: Perfect synergy of computer and HDTV? 2006 NFL HD Schedule DIRECTV pauses TNT HD in favor of high-def football The NFL Today show to be in HD for the first time 'Jeopardy!' and 'Wheel of Fortune' going high-def tonight WNBC to bring local high-def news to NY, NY MTV's MHD is going stay MHD - no reality TV shows Remastered high-def Star Trek details What is it going to take to win the format war? Blu-ray movies in VC-1: Up to par with HD DVD? Disney's third wave of Blu-ray Discs LISTEN (MP3)
Blackmagic Design announces, HDMI Capture card for $249
We all knew the time would come when the studios would have reason to enable HDCP and it appears that it may be time. Someone correct us if we're wrong, but this device, named Intensity, looks like it will enable consumers to record via HDMI and for only $249. Considering the costs of other HD recording options this is pretty resonably priced and will without a doubt put fear in studio execs everywhere. This doesn't come out until October, but we'll look forward to seeing it in action. It's interesting that it doesn't record component video, it might be worth picking up a converter to make sure you are covered.[Via AVSForum.com]
The Series 3 has landed; UPDATE available on TiVo.com
It appears that our buddy Dave Zatz has been holding out on his this entire time and has the scoop on the Series 3 at the price of his soul. We don't blame him, we would have sold our soul and his to get an early look like this at the Series 3. We forgive you Dave!Almost everything we thought we knew about the Series 3 has became a reality, ALMOST, we have to take the good with the bad and here it is after the break.
An interesting new product the HDHomeRun
File this under cool, umm what does it do? ... Ohh cool, but we hope they are better at designing electronics than using Photoshop. This is a ATSC tuner with a twist, you set this little guy up on your network and wire it to your OTA antenna and whala you can now watch HDTV on any PC in your house. It has two tuners and an IR receiver for commands, but we are left wondering how easy it will be to make our networked PC emit IR commands in another room. The cool part is that it is supposed to support DVR software and works on all platforms. The question is, if it is supposed to come out this week how come they don't have a real picture of it? On the other hand this is the same company that brought us the TiVo Cache card for those of us TiVo users who have been around long enough to remember when they were the essential.If you want to try it out you can buy one from 9thtee online for $169, be sure to let us know how it works.[Thanks, Frankie!]
'Jeopardy!' and 'Wheel of Fortune' going high-def tonight
Although we don't cover these shows in our daily HDTV listings, tonight is the first night that Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune are supposed to go HD. We realize that many local affiliates are not setup for syndication, but we will be checking our local stations in hopes to catch some HD game shows. We look forward to checking back and seeing how many people were able to enjoy the shows in HD.
Best Buy is taking pre-orders for the Series 3: Pick up date 9/17/06 - UPDATE
It is pretty obvious that we can't wait to get our hands on a Series 3 TiVo, first we got to play with it at CES, then we had to live with the fact that we weren't choosen for the Beta and we weren't the first to get un-boxing pictures. But we are doing everything we can to get one, including pestering every Best Buy employee we can for details. Well it may have paid off because a Best Buy employee took our money today and promised to deliver by telling us we could pick up the Series 3 on Sunday the 17th. As much as we want to believe him, we will when we have it in hand. For now we will continue to check TiVo.com's Series 3 page until they block us because they think we are DOSing them.UPDATE: The Series 3 TiVo is getting love from Circuit City too via their online catalog. Input your zip and then navigate to the video section and it is right there under the TiVo & ReplayTV section.
HD DVD and Blu-ray released on September 12th 2006
It seems the two formats are taking turns again, as HD DVD knocks out 8 titles, this is only the second time we have seen that many titles in one week. We're not sure where the Blu-ray love is this week, maybe they are taking the week off in preparation for Disney's first titles that are to be released next week. There are some great movies here, that are without a doubt classics, but we are still waiting for those new A list titles we were all promised by both sides and neither have yet to deliver. This brings the total to HD DVD 68 vs Blu-ray 37.HD DVD House of Wax (2005) (Warner) Lethal Weapon 2 (Warner) Red Dragon (Universal) Seabiscuit (Universal) Space Cowboys (Warner) That's the Way of the World (BCI) Traffic (Universal) Troy (Warner) You can also check out our Google Calendars for all the dates.HD DVD release scheduleBlu-ray release schedule
Is the TiVo Series3 worth $800?
We know that the TiVo isn't inexpensive by any means: currently the highest tier (180-hour TiVo Series2 DT DVR) will run you a few hundred dollars per year. However, the newest TiVo, the Series3 will retail for $800, a fair jump from its last iteration. HDBeat examines the question: is the Series3 is really worth 400 Jeffersons (or 80 Hamiltons, take your pick) ? Here's some of the things you'll get for shelling out that wad of dough: NTSC, analog cable and un-encrypted QAM support, eSATA support, front panel display, Ethernet port, two USB ports, HDMI TOSLINK and component out, can record OTA or cable, and, of course, has CableCARD support. Also, we should remind you that your lifetime TiVo subscription is transferrable to the Series3 for an additional $200 (though it's possible that TiVo's dealings with Cox and other cable companies may make it possible for you to get yer paws on a slightly stripped down model for far less cash). Still, TiVo certainly has a lot of catching up to do in the marketplace, and the high price will make it difficult to help out the company's bottom line -- we're gunning for 'em, though.
