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Finally, a true high definition pocket media player: Cyberhome PMP 4000 & 7000
Sure the PQI mPack p600 already did all that, but try getting one of those in the US. Cyberhome has announced two new media players, the PMP 4000 and PMP 7000 that both will feature 1080i playback via a component output. Not satisfied? try MPEG 1/2/4, h.264, WMV, DivX and Xvid format support on for size. Sounds nice, no word on the resolution of the screen itself, but besides the 20GB hard drive, the devices also read SD cards, Memory Stick, MMC, Compact Flash and Smart Media cards. They support Windows Media DRM and can record video directly to the device from an external source. The only difference between the two appears to be screen size, with the 4" PMP 4000 going on sale in January for $399, with the 7" 7000 to have a price and date TBA. For that, you also get an external battery & DVD player (what, no Blu-ray?). I'm sure we'll have more information on this soon, they will be on display at CES in January. Steve Jobs are you listening?
What's with all the collaboration lately? Say goodbye to VGA, UDI is coming
In retrospect, it's really not fair that computer monitors are stuck with that old VGA connector while HDTV's get all the exciting new DVI and HDMI connectors, but never fear, as is seemingly all the rage lately, a consortium has been formed to develop a new spec and implement it. The new connector, UDI (Unified Display Interface) will be fully HDMI and HDCP compatible, because everyone knows how much you love DRM.Intel, Apple, Samsung and SGI are among the companies heading up the initiative, with others like Microsoft and NVIDIA joining to pledge support, so you can expect this to be pretty standard on new computers buy this time next year. My question is why DVI wasn't good enough, it supports HDCP too, they mention lower cost in the article, but my gut tells me they're plugging some DRM holes and we get to pay for it by buying new equipment.
Wait, you CAN reliably stream HDTV over 802.11g?
That's what Ruckus Wireless would have you believe anyway. Kevin already told us that his experience with b/g streaming was inconsistent at best, who are we to believe? The proof will be shown at CES however, where they will be showing a PC streaming high definition content to several devices equipped with their routers and wireless adapters, including a laptop, Xbox 360, set-top box and PDA. According to their CEO Selina Lo they are applying "internet techniques" to wireless and can route around obstructions and interference in real-time. Uh....sure, I'll believe it when I see it.While Kevin's cats won't be in attendance, he will and I'm told is more than willing to cough a hairball onto one of the antennas to make sure it is a fair test.
Apple/Firewire getting a boost from HANA's HDTV plan?
So it would seem, Macsimum News has gone deeper into last weeks announcement of the newly-formed HDTV initiative, and how exactly they plan to connect all of your devices together. Basically, HANA certified devices will all use 1394 to communicate with one another, without the installation of drivers and users will be able to control all connected devices with one remote.What with Firewire being an Apple technology, plus Apple's existing relationships with some of the companies in the group, it seems like a no-brainer that apple will be getting on board at some point. That is all of no concern to me, I just want to know when I can get that widescreen high-resolution MPEG-4 playing video iPod, Mr. Jobs?
mariposaHD: The Internet's first high definition TV show?
I must applaud the gentlemen at mariposaHD. These innovators no, pioneers, nay, heroes are (I think) the first people to produce a show in high definition for distribution over the Internet. It must be a rough life videotaping young women frolicking in South America, and I for one salute them in their efforts to spread the joy of 1080i everywhere. If you support these young men in their endeavors please donate the two gigabytes of hard drive space necessary, download and seed the torrent. I recommend uTorrent (via DownloadSquad) as an excellent BitTorrent client.The videos are made available free of charge, as WMVHD files in either 1080i, 720p or iPod video format. Sounds perfect for streaming to the Xbox 360, if you have Windows Media Center of course. Where did I put my list of reasons to envy Kevin cuz I need to add one more. I suspect that this show will require much more in depth coverge and hours and hours of long research, but if the guys at mariposaHD can make it, then it is my purpose and duty to view it (many times).Read [Via digg]
MHD (MTV HD) picks Mitsubishi as a partner
Mitsubishi has signed up to be the charter sponsor for MTV's high definition channel, due to start broadcasting next year from Vail, Colorado. This means plenty of Mitsubishi televisions on the set as well as "powered by Mitsubishi" lead-in's galore.This is no surprise since Mitsubishi and MTV previously collaborated on their 25x40' high definition screen in Times Square. Also included in the press release was information on two planned programs for the channel "MHD Top 10" and "MHD Video Stew". Yeah whatever man, just tell me when Amerie is on in high definition, I will be there with popcorn and a Big Gulp.
High Def MTV location and VJ announced
I have to give them credit. If I was MTV and I was starting a new high-def music channel, I'd be looking for some eye-candy for the camera. That's why you'll never see me in high-def. No, MTV never called me; instead, they went with Olympic Skier, Jeremy Bloom. Probably a smart move.When MTV announced their new HDTV music channel, MHD, they really didn't have much info at the time. Now the pieces seem to be coming together with the new VJ announcement and a studio location as well. The new show will broadcast in high-def from a glass-walled studio on Vail Mountain in Colorado. Do you think maybe if I had a ski resort in my back yard, they might have called me? Nah, me neither...
Welcome to the party Europe, first major HDTV broadcast
Take your shoes off though, I just put in new carpet. And the first thing broadcast in HD? Why Tom Cruise of course, while I don't agree with their choice of Minority Report (I'm a Top Gun/Days of Thunder guy), it does make a great show in high definition what with the CG and blowing stuff up.Germany's ProSiebenSat.1 will be the first to broadcast nationally on Sunday, although a regional cable channel apparently started showing science programs on Tuesday (don't they know? Tom Cruise has done the scientific research). Rival German broadcaster Premier will launch its own HDTV transmissions on December 3. BskyB, CanalSat and Ski Italia have all promised to have their high definition ready for next years World Cup, which will be a showcase for the technology in Europe.
Bill said next gen DVD's were the last physical format, but just in case they're not: HVD
Because that 50GB Blu-ray disc just won't be big enough of course. Oh no, what you really need is a 200GB Holographic Versatile Disc. Luckily for you, Optware will be giving you much more of what you're looking for in 2006, which they announced yesterday. Of course, at $30K a drive that might be a bit expensive for your tastes, but I mean hey, you read Luxist every day right? You're a baller, go buy three, and some of the $100 discs they expect to sell while you're at it. Maybe Toshiba should throw in the towel on this HD-DVD thing and focus on lowering costs on this technology that they have already invested in, just a thought.
My name is Earl in HD ROCKS
HDTV viewers of My Name is Earl (self included) got another treat tonight. During the episode Earl's brother Randy holds up the sign in the picture above reading "High Def Rocks!!!" which couldn't be viewed by people watching on non-high def TV's. While it was tongue in cheek, it was a great example of the extra detail you can notice with a wide screen picture and enhanced clarity. If you're not watching in HD, you're not seeing the whole show. And isn't that the rubberband man from the Staples commercials? [Thanks to HDBeat reader Paul for being quick with the camera and nabbing a pic] Check out the full picture as it appeared after the jump.
Today on "Days of our lives", I mean Blu-ray vs. HD DVD
Dell, HP and the rest of the Blu-ray proponents said that Microsoft is a bunch of lying liars. To be more specific, they said 50 GB is real and on its way, managed copy is an option, and that their interactivity is much more L33T.Microsoft has now responded to the response, saying that dual layer Blu-ray is not nearly as much of a certainty as has been suggested. "HD DVD is proven to deliver 30GB capacity today, with the potential to deliver even greater capacity. The 50GB claim for BD-ROM discs is unproven and will not be available for many years to come, based on discussions with major Japanese and US replicators. Replicators not only do not have test lines running, they cannot even pre-order the equipment to begin evaluating this disc. They cannot judge the cost of these discs, or even whether they can be manufactured at all. Major replicators can mass manufacture 30GB HD DVD discs today and it's well understood that these discs will cost significantly less to manufacture than the lower-capacity 25GB BD discs."Just when you thought it might be over, Josh Peterson of HP went on record with Tom's Hardware saying:"I've seen the lines that are making dual-layer BD-ROM drives. I've been to the factories. I've seen the lines where they're making dual-layer recordable discs. So [Microsoft and Intel] saying that it's not possible is obviously misinformation that they were fed, or that they're feeding others." So where does each challenger stand on your scorecard now?
The next step in LCDs is LEDs
Everything has a downfall. LCDs are notorious for being backlit too much causing bad black levels. Plasmas, on the other hand, do not suffer from this. Nether will LCDs though if manufactures starting using LED (light-emitting diodes) instead of conventional backlighting. This process will cost a tad more then the current method, but I believe that there is enough of people like us that will pay a bit more in order to achieve plasma like colors. Right?
Mitsubishi delivers 1080p HDTV
We heard about them at January's Consumer Electronics Show (CES), but we had to wait until now to purchase those drop-dead gorgeous 1080p televisions. Imagining 1,080 lines of horizontal resolution all displayed at the same time has me drooling all over my remote!Mitsubishi looks to be first to market on the 1080p HDTV's as they just began shipping them today to retailers in Southern California. Look for shipments nationwide to follow in the next few weeks. The first model to ship is a 52-inch unit powered by the latest Digital Light Processing (DLP) chip from Texas Instruments. The WD-52627 model has an MSRP of $3,699 or about a 35% premium over current 52-inch DLP models. Keep in mind that most DLP sets on the market are only capable of natively displaying 720p. All models in the 1080p family can also upconvert,so that regardless of the video source resolution, all programming can display in 1080p.We can expect an additional nine sets capable of 1080p from Mitsubishi this year, ranging in size from 52- to 73-inches of vivid picture perfection.
