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Sony's IPELA system: pricey HD video conferencing
The in-laws have been pestering you to do a little video chatting so they can see their grandkids a bit more, right? But we're sure the thought of digging out the 'ol webcam from 2001 brings up repressed memories of jerky, tiny video chatting. Well Sony may have the solution -- albeit an uber-pricey one -- but still, it's a high-def solution in the form of its new IPELA package. The large pictured box (PCS-HG90) converts the captured HD video stream to H.264 (1,280 x 720 at 60fps) and shoots off the data to the receiving box via the Internet -- sending the video of your child's smiling face to his/her grandparents' HDTV. Plus, there isn't a cheap webcam in the system: Sony has bundled a 1.12 megapixel, 3CCD camera to get the best picture quality possible. While this system could theoretically work for remote family reunions, its $42,000 pricetag (you need two of each component, after all) would indicate that these units are aimed more towards the corporate market. Then again, you simply cannot put a price on your parents seeing every last feeding, diaper change, or spit up, now can you?
HD DVD, Blu-ray and DVD all-in-one disc draws closer
The end of the HD DVD / Blu-ray format war has been declared again, but from a most unlikely source. Recently Warner patented an all-in-one disc to contain a movie in both competing formats plus DVD, and now New Medium Enterprises has followed that up by claiming it's patented a technology capable of actually manufacturing it. Making its claim even more incredible is the fact that NME is the architect of a third competing format, Versatile Multilayer Disc (VMD), that already consists of multiple DVD layers. It claims the discs will cost 9 cents apiece to make, compared to 6 cents for standard DVDs -- of course that doesn't include the potential licensing cost for three versions of a movie and three different disc formats, along with the new players NME indicates you may also need to read these multilayer discs. The company still hasn't gotten its 100GB VMD to market after many exhibitions, but with prototypes slated for availability in the first quarter of 2007, we should find out soon enough if this is just hype or if we can finally buy high-def DVDs without picking the next Beta.
Complete CEDIA coverage
Just In case you missed our CEDIA coverage the last few days, here is run-down for your reading pleasure.General info HDBeat @ CEDIA 2006 Irony @ CEDIA Sony @ CEDIA - Booth Tour THX @ CEDIA - THX certification for video displays HD DVD @ CEDIA - Promotional Tour Panasonic @ CEDIA - A little touch of room in the middle of CEDIA HDNet @ CEDIA - Filming high-def in high-def SED @ CEDIA - MIA Hitachi @ CEDIA - Jean-Paul Goude done big HDTVs Fujitsu @ CEDIA - Aviamo 1080p plasmas Samsung @ CEDIA - LED-powered DLP Pioneer @ CEDIA - History of Pioneer plasmas Hitachi @ CEDIA - Worst looking rear-projection at the show? SunBrightTV @ CEDIA - live and in person Sony @ CEDIA - Take a close look at the SXRD NuVision @ CEDIA - LED-powered DLP - 52LEDLP Global Outdoor Concepts @ CEDIA - Outdoor LCDs Sony @ CEDIA - 52-inch 1080p XBR2 & XBR3 Bravia lines Runco @ CEDIA - plasmas that don't forget Hitachi @ CEDIA - 42-inch 1080p plasma Samsung @ CEDIA - 10-inch deep Slim DLPs on display Sharp announces 42-inch 1080p Aquos LCD US availability, pricing - UPDATE Pioneer @ CEDIA - New PureVision Elite plasmas on display Sony @ CEDIA - 52-inch 1080p, 40- & 32-inch 720p BRAVIA LCDs Planar @ CEDIA - Three new 1080p LCDs Complete listing after the jump.
