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DivX 7 gets January 2009 release date
There's not much to on besides a teaser page right now (okay, so there's only a teaser page right now), but here's the important part: DivX 7 is coming, and it's due next month. The next-generation of the software promises "true HD video" with H.264 video and AAC audio, and apparently it'll present something akin to "a cinematic experience" on your computer. Pretty bold claims there -- thank goodness we've but a matter of weeks to determine if it lives up to 'em or not.
Samsung Omnia becomes first DivX Certified handset in USA
Samsung's Omnia is far from being the first handset in its stable to grab the coveted DivX Certified badge, but it is the first with said badge to ship in the United States of America. What's it all mean? Pretty simple, really -- those lured in by the Omnia's boyish good looks and seductive touchpanel will have no issues playing back DivX video files on the 3.2-inch screen, regardless of whether those files are stored on the 8GB of internal space or on a microSD card. We probably speak for DivX fans across the web when we say that this is hopefully just the beginning of a long list of DivX-friendly phones to come stateside.
LaCie's LaCinema Rugged multimedia HDD now available in US
We asked, and we're receiving. LaCie's LaCinema Rugged was initially announced across the pond late last month, yet we rough Americans were left wondering if it would ever see the light of day on US soil. Just in time for the holiday rush, LaCie has indeed announced US pricing and availability for the bulked up multimedia drive, and it's not like you even have to wait around to get your mitts on one. Try right now starting at $199.99, with sizes including 250GB, 320GB and 500GB.
Windows 7 to natively support DivX and transcoding?
Currently getting 3rd party codecs like DivX and Xvid working within Windows Media Center has worked well enough with 3rd party solutions, but the next best thing is native support. We'd already gotten the official word that H.264 support was included in Windows 7, but a tipster has lead us to believe that the pre-beta version of Windows 7 also includes native support for DivX. In addition, MKV is also expected to be supported; but that isn't the best part. Because although we've always been able to add these codecs to Media Center anyways, the real crux has been when you try to watch the very same content on an extender -- like the Xbox 360. So in an attempt to bring the entire Media Center experience to the extenders it appears Microsoft has added native transcoding. So now if Media Center can play the file, it can also convert it on the fly to a format that your extender supports. Of course like all betas, there's no guarantee these features will make it into the final build, but we sure hope they do.
DivX HD Certification given to Broadcom chips
As of now, it's still rare to find an HDTV with media streaming / playback capabilities built right in, but in preparation for the possible explosion of media-friendly sets, Broadcom has went and got a trio of its digital television (DTV) system-on-a-chip solutions certified for DivX. Yep, the BCM3548, BCM3549 and BCM3556 are all stamped with a DivX seal of approval, giving whatever HDTVs they land in the ability to natively play back streamed or local DivX / DivX HD files. Now, if only we knew which sets these chips were headed to (and when)...
LaCie LaCinema Rugged for the rough-and-tumble media enthusiast
LaCie launched the original LaCinema media drive back in January, and the company is now extending the line of media-playback drives with the LaCinema Rugged. Built in a tasteful black version of the same rubber-coated chassis as LaCie's standard rugged drives, the new unit comes in capacities up to 500GB and features 1080i HDMI output of a variety of codecs, including XviD. The LaCinema remote appears to be redesigned, and the menu system is apparently graphical and pretty, which is always nice. Not a bad way to do playback on the go, we suppose -- now if LaCie would just bring the £219 ($357) drive to the States, we'd be all set.[Via Pocket-lint]
Sony details PS3 firmware 2.50 upgrades: DivX VOD support, AV tweaks
Sony didn't want to make a big deal about this (so humble, that Sony) but the PlayStation 3's recent 2.50 firmware update has a few extra additions aimed straight at home theater buffs. First up is a place to enter your DivX VOD Registration code -- necessary if you want to get any of that Sony Pictures or Warner Bros. DivX-encoded video that's on the way -- along with new Sequential Playback and 50Hz video output settings, plus support for chroma upsampling & Mosquito Noise Reduction video enhancement on homemade Blu-ray discs and DVDs. On a more minor note, the BD/DVD settings section has been renamed just Video Settings, while the Cinema Conversion and Upscale options are getting all their mail delivered to BD/DVD Cinema Conversion and BD/DVD Upscaler, respectively. Peep the PlayStation site for the rest of the exciting details (there's a German keyboard layout change that is not to be missed), and then go back to watching Hulu in a tiny box with a poor framerate in your newly Flash-enabled browser.[Via PS3 Blog]
Warner Bros. gives green light for DivX distribution
Remember when DivX was a format only understood by the hardcore BitTorrent users and P2P mavens who shared low-quality videos online? No more. DivX is stamping its name on all manners of devices these days, and now it's getting in with the always-guarded content providers. Today, DivX and Warner Bros. have announced that the studio's material will soon be available for distribution in the DivX format, meaning that any DivX Certified consumer electronics device could play it back. The pact is similar to the one signed with Sony Pictures Television and Sony Pictures Television International, though not everything is particularly peachy. Content will be available in SD DivX as of this month, but HD DivX won't be streaming until September of 2009. Ah well, at least we've a date to hold 'em to.
Pioneer joins the crowd, badges three Blu-ray players as DivX Certified
Not one to be left out, Pioneer has jumped into the fray by bestowing DivX Certification upon its trio of recently-announced Blu-ray decks -- the BDP-LX71, BDP-LX08 and BDP-51FD. This is no DivX HD certification like we saw in UniPhier-packing Panasonic players, but we'd venture to guess it's a slightly more useful spec than Profile 2.0 for most folks. The units should ship with this feature onboard, which might give them a few months of time before a flood of DivX HD Certified devices hits the market and renders the spec "meh;" but we figure that if you're shopping these Pioneer devices that the styling as important as any other feature for you.
LG shows off HS102 DLP mobile projector with built-in battery, DivX player
Pardon us while we lick our chops, but we're digging -- nay, loving -- LG's HS102. The finely tuned successor to the delectable HS101 boasts an 800 x 600 native resolution, 160 ANSI lumens, 2,000:1 contrast ratio, 4:3 / 16:9 output options, PhlatLight LED technology, and a built-in DivX player for good measure. On top of that, you'll also find an integrated rechargeable battery that'll keep things beaming for around two hours. It's said to be available now in South Korea for around ???670,000 ($555), and you can peep the read link for a few more images (including in-action shots).[Thanks, Jonathan]
Panasonic UniPhier Blu-ray platform stamped DivX HD Certified
First Blu-ray chipset to nab the DivX HD Certified stamp of approval? That'd be Panasonic's UniPhier SoC (specifically model #MN2WS0043DA, oddly enough not the MN2WS006 sample that claimed DivX HD support in May, but who's counting?), now thoroughly tested and promised to be compatible with all manner of videos using the codec in resolutions up to 1080p. Expect a renewed flood of DivX HD-compatible devices to hit...any minute now.
DivX Connected users treated to new software, Hulu support
When Stage6 slipped six feet under, DivX Connected users were largely out of luck when it came to fetching online content. Now, however, a v1.4 of the Connected software has been released (at least in beta form), which reportedly provides support for a svelte Hulu Player plugin (among others). The app provides users with the ability to queue on Hulu.com and watch on Connected, and you can also watch recent videos and search, the latter of which was impossible on Stage6. Interested, are you? Check the read link for all the downloads you need to get going.[Thanks, Karolis]
Funai's DivX-compatible B1-M110 Blu-ray player gets outed
Aw yeah, we dig where this is headed. Funai, best known for pumping out inexpensive wares under a variety of brand names, is evidently aiming to push its second Blu-ray player onto the market this October. Slated to launch initially in October in Europe, the B1-M110 will support DivX and, well, who knows what else. Oddly enough, the deck was actually outed courtesy of DivX, thus, we've no other specifications to mull over just yet. With the Insignia NS-BRDVD falling to $229, we can only hope that this unit becomes the first (or second, or third) to smash the $200 barrier.[Thanks, Anthony]
DivX finds a way into new LG, JVC & Vestel players
Another tradeshow, another chance for DivX to add juice to its symphony of new consumer hardware. Listen closely so your attention's undivided as the first DivX HD-compatible DVD player from a major manufacturer, the LG DVS450H, stands ready to play back full length HD flicks from disc or USB flash drive. Turkish manufacturer Vestel is back to straighten the facts, introducing the first DivX-capable STB for Europe in the t5000. It's still undergoing DivX certification, but promises a firmware update should be the only thing needed to ensure complete compatibility. JVC steps up to make the people unite with its first Blu-ray player, the NX-BD3, carrying DLNA and DivX certs to acquire content via wired or wireless networks, and play back DivX files from DVD or CD after it goes on sale in September.Read - LGRead - VestelRead - JVC
Realtek launches 1080p-capable DivX chip for new set-top boxes
Realtek's found some additional horsepower for the next generation of DivX hardware, as its RTD1262/RTD1282 is the first to support 1080p DivX decoding as opposed from the 720p limitations on the previous solutions like the D-Link DSM-330. Designed for Networked Media Box and DVR STB applications, we're sure someone will find a box to wrap around this chip before long, although there's no word on exactly when it will be available to manufacturers. 1080p DivX DVR with support for streaming or local HDDs and USB devices? Yes, please.
Iomega ScreenPlay TV Link adds BYO storage multimedia playback to any TV
Although it seems like every TV shipping recently comes with USB ports and DivX compatibility packed in, if all you want is the ability to plug in a drive and play, the Iomega ScreenPlay TV Link may be right for you. Equipped with the same HDMI / component / composite outputs plus WAV, WMA, MPEG-1/2/4, MP3, OGG, AC3, AVI, DivX, XviD and JPEG file formats as the ScreenPlay HD, this unit forgoes the 500GB hard drive -- a far cry from the old ScreenPlay days when it was just a HDD -- in favor of a sleek 3.26 x 3.07 x .78-inch profile weighing less than 4 oz. Plug in your USB flash drive or FAT32 or NTFS formatted HDD and play or upconvert SD content up to 1080i with no problem. Granted it doesn't have the power of a full-fledged media streamer but as a $99.95 take-anywhere box (available now in the U.S., Europe later this month) it's probably worth a look.
CinemaNow to distribute movies in DivX format
Forget about needing WMV and DivX compatibility, CinemaNow just announced plans to distribute movies using DivX technology - no surprise considering the slew of hardware on shelves and coming soon that includes support for the format. Good news for Expect to catch flicks on the PC, cellphone, gaming system and disc players, and even though they didn't mention which content providers would be first on the block, we've got to figure Sony Pictures is ready to go. Sounds like perfect timing, what with a totally unbiased survey finding in-store renting is soon to join Cross Colours, British Knights and SUVs as bygone fads.
Hauppauge DivX Connected device in the wild
What's this? A DivX Connected device made by Hauppauge? Judging by the image above and information from Karolis, that's exactly what it is. The same folks who (finally) delivered the HD PVR seem to be hard at work on another home entertainment box, though your guess is as good as ours when it comes to purpose, specifications, color options and price. So much for that whole "worth a thousand words" thing, huh?[Thanks, Karolis]
NEC launching BD-Live compatible SoC for Blu-ray players
NEC seems to be over that whole HD DVD thing, announcing it's begun mass production of its EMMA3P SoC for Blu-ray players. Squeezing USB and Ethernet control components for BD-Live compatibility, h.264 / VC-1 / MPEG-2 compression, Dolby TrueHD, DTS HD and of course DivX onto just one chip should make for more cheap (& fully featured) Blu-ray players on the way soon. Narrowly trailing the announcement of Panasonic's UniPhier single-processor solution it certainly hasn't come a moment too soon.[Via Impress]
D-Link DSM-330 DivX Connected media streamer now shipping in the U.S.
The D-Link MediaLounge DSM-330 is finally shipping to U.S. media streaming heads fiending for its 1080p upconverting, Divx/Xvid streaming abilities, although our excitement is dimmed a bit by all the competition that's popped up since we first laid eyes on the GejBox, and Stage6 falling by the wayside certainly doesn't help. That said, DivX has been on an upswing as of late, so the launch of its first Connected hardware couldn't come a moment to soon. Unfortunately MKV support isn't part of the package yet, but for $299 it does handle quite a few formats. Interested U.S. buyers should be able to find out if it matches up to Popcorn Hour's A-100 now, with Canadian distribution following shortly. Check after the break for the press release and the rest of the details.
