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Why your Avengers UHD Blu-rays aren’t actually 4K
Welcome to the latest episode of Upscaled, our explainer show where we look at the components and parts that make our favorite tech better. In this week, we're actually taking a step away from components to talk about 4K movies and TV. As companies push higher resolution screens and cameras, 4K resolution has become the standard for high-quality content. Distributors have also embraced high-resolution, with 4K streaming becoming more common on platforms like Netflix and Amazon, and Ultra HD Blu-Rays generally considered to be the best video quality you can get at home.
Sony to remaster select PSP titles for PlayStation 3, allow cross-device continuous gameplay
As much as you love your PSP, we suspect that its low graphics definition is starting to bug even the most devoted fans. Sure, you can wait for the almighty NGP, but for the time being, Sony's offering the next best thing for you game connoisseurs: the PSP Remaster series for PlayStation 3. As the name says for itself, Sony will be porting select portable game titles to the PS3 in high-def Blu-ray flavor, and some may even come with new add-on content plus stereoscopic 3D support. But that's not all: gamers will also be able to share game save data between the two platforms, meaning you can pick up where you left off on your preferred device. Pretty neat, though it'll be interesting to see how much Sony and the studios wants to charge for what are essentially the same games you already own. The first PSP Remaster title announced is Monster Hunter Portable 3rd, but this is only heading to Japan at an unknown date -- gamers in other countries will just have to keep squinting at the PSP for now.
Reeder client for Google Reader now available for iPad
It's been a busy few weeks for iPad RSS clients. The Early Edition saw an update, Pulse got keynote love followed by a quick yank from/return to the App Store... it's almost as if the whole Newspad idea is starting to catch on. Judging by our inbox volume, a lot of you are very excited about the latest entrant in the iPad reader race: Reeder, a strong favorite on the iPhone, is now shipping in an upsized version for the bigger device. The US$4.99 client syncs with Google Reader, and provides a clean and clutter-free interface to your chosen feeds or foldersful of feeds. You can easily share selected stories on Twitter or via email, save items to Instapaper or ReadItLater, mark items as unread or bookmark them on Delicious. The app is carrying a solid five-star rating on iTunes right now, and we're looking forward to doing a fuller review soon. In the meantime, if you're looking for another strong option for feed reading, check it out.
Mitsubishi's upconverting technology takes 1080p to 4K x 2K, you to cloud nine
So, there's good news and bad news, and we tend to prefer starting with the former. According to Akihabara News, Mitsubishi has whipped up an upscaling technology to end all upscaling technologies -- one that takes vanilla 1080p material to 4K x 2K without breaking a sweat. Now, for the less-than-awesome tidbit. For whatever reason, the tech is not yet compatible with Blu-ray content, and moreover, you're still nowhere close to being able to afford a 4K television or projector. Here's hoping this breakthrough makes 'em a wee bit more feasible for the layman, though.
ClearPlay introduces first content filtering 1080p upscaling DVD player
ClearPlay -- remember those guys? You know, the outfit who garnered all sorts of attention years ago by having their content filtering DVD players yanked from store shelves, only to be vindicated by Congress itself? Amazingly enough, these cats are still hanging around, and they've just pushed out their first filtering DVD player to upscale content to 1080p over HDMI. As expected, the $99.95 deck still sports the same filtering technology that gives dutiful parents the ability to block objectionable content based on customizable settings, but now you can rest easy knowing that any slip-up in blocking a steamy bedroom scene will be viewed by your impressionable youngster in glorious high-definition. Huzzah.
ArcSoft's SimHD plug-in takes SD footage to "near HD"
Another month, another upscaling technology. Tapping into NVIDIA's versatile CUDA architecture, ArcSoft has just announced its SimHD upscaling tech, which scales SD and DVD content to "near high-definition quality." The app integrates with the company's heralded TotalMedia Theater, though you'll need an NVIDIA GPU in order to really take advantage. We're told that it's compatible with millions of NVIDIA GPUs from the GeForce 8 Series onwards, including GeForce and Quadro lines. The pain for better looking pixels? $19.95 and a 5MB download, which may or may not end up costing more than the code itself if you use Time Warner Cable.
Toshiba's 46XV545U LCD HDTV reviewed: internal upscaling is a joke
Sympathizers were outraged that skeptics (read: us) didn't believe that Toshiba's Super Resolution Technology was anything worth writing home over, and hey, we hate to say we told you so. The outfit's 46XV545U was recently reviewed over at CNET, and critics found the internal upscaling technology to be more of a gimmick than anything. Sure, it artificially sharpened some SD content for the better, but all in all, the SRT system fell under the "bad," not the "good." Overall, the set offered up a decidedly decent experience from top to bottom, yielding a "Good" rating and three out of five stars. In other words, take your dollars elsewhere -- competition is fierce, and you're in no place to settle for less than the best in any given price range.
Ask Engadget HD: A second Blu-ray deck, or an upscaling DVD player?
We've always heard that treating your guests well pays off in the end, but giving them their own Blu-ray player? Hmm... "I've got a PlayStation 3 in the living room, but I'm on the fence with what kind of player to get for our guest room. Should I spring for a second Blu-ray player of some kind, or should I just get an upscaling DVD deck? With prices of the entry-level BD machines just barely more than a decent upconverting DVD player, I'm leaning Blu. But, if I opt for another BD deck, which low-end one is the best choice?" We wouldn't hesitate to offer our recommendations of investing in a second BD deck -- after all, you never know when you'll need one for travel or loan -- but there's a whole heap to choose from in the entry-level sector. Any advice for our pal Gregory?Got a burning question that you'd love to toss out for Engadget HD (or its readers) to take a look at? Tired of Google's blank stares when you ask for real-world experiences? Hit us up at ask at engadgethd dawt com and keep an eye on this space -- your inquiry could be next.
Upscaling gets broken down and explained in layman's terms
Resolution+. Super Resolution Technology. Upscaling. Upconverting. You've heard it all, but what does it all really mean? Home Cinema Choice has taken the liberty of breaking down the art of upscaling to explain in-depth what's going on when pixels become slightly-more-detailed pixels. We'll leave the dirty work to the read link, but if you've been wondering just how good SD content could look (or if these upconverting technologies were simply sophisticated bottles of snake oil), you owe it to yourself to give this a look. As you could likely glean, the end-all statement is that upscaled material still can't match bona fide high-def, but it's still worth understanding the who's, what's and why's behind making your current DVD collection and SD shows look their best.
DLO starts shipping HomeDock HD upscaling iPod dock
The port-filled HomeDock HD Pro, which was unveiled back at CEDIA this year, has finally made its way off the production line and into corrugated packaging. For those who can't surmise from the image above, this upscaling iPod dock takes your stored media and pumps it out via HDMI in gorgeous 720p / 1080i, and the RS-232 control port should make it feel right at home in your current setup. $399 makes it yours.Update: DLO pinged us to say it was the Homedock HD (not Pro) that started shipping. The Pro is due in "early 2009."
Toshiba's XD-E500 upscaling DVD player lands in Singapore
Toshiba's XD-E500 has already taken the US and UK (among other locales) by storm, but outside of Japan, no one in Asia has yet been able to bask in the glory of this unit's peerless upscaling technology. Until now, that is. Said deck has just made its way down to Singapore, and it's reportedly selling for S$199 (or about $133 in American greenbacks). Some may say that's a fair price to ask for something that makes vanilla DVDs look better than the director ever intended, but we're sort of dismayed that no free movie rentals are thrown in here. Spoiled, we know.
Pioneer CEO expects its flat-panel sales to prevail through economic downturn
While some boutique outfits are finding it hard to stay afloat during these cash-strapped times, many are faring just fine. At first glance, it's easy to say that Pioneer is certainly not one of those outfits with nothing to fret over, but according to Masao Kawabata, chairman and CEO of Pioneer North America, things aren't nearly as bad as they seem. In a recent interview, he explained that while he was saddened about the recent events surrounding Tweeter and Circuit City, he still felt that "strong relationships with independent channels" would spur sales. In fact, he noted that "premium products [read: Pioneer products] are not subject to too much of the ups and downs of the economy, and for those who can [afford] the very best they will go and shop for the very best." Make no mistake -- KURO flat-panels and Elite Blu-ray players aren't the cheapest on the block, but we're still hesitant to say they're recession proof.
Kaleidescape reports three-year sales growth of 747%
For as ludicrous as we think the prices are on Kaleidescape's latest upscaling DVD players, the company is clearly doing something right. A recent release from the California-based outfit asserts that it achieved a three-year sales growth of 747% from 2004 to 2007 and ranks 415th on the 2008 Inc. 500 list of America's fastest-growing private companies. And we're not surprised. The company's kiosk was buzzing with prospective buyers at this year's CEDIA, and while only the affluent can afford to even sniff the wares this company is slinging, there's no denying the quality. Kudos, Kaleidescape -- but get some Blu-ray kit in the works, pronto!
Hitachi makes like Toshiba and touts "super resolution technology"
We actually had to dust off our spectacles to make sure this wasn't some sort of misunderstanding, but clearly, Hitachi is pulling a Toshiba. Generally, we wouldn't make such a claim, but given that Tosh also calls its wizard-like upconverting technology Super Resolution, we'd say the likeness requires such a comparison. Reportedly, Hitachi has been toiling day and night on its own "super resolution technology," which will theoretically take SD images and scale them to near-1080p. Amazingly, we're told that it can also "convert HDTV images, such as digital terrestrial broadcasts, into images with even higher (what, SHV?) definition." The tech is executed on a frame-by-frame basis and should be exhibited at the upcoming CEATEC trade show in Japan; as for a release, Hitachi's currently aiming to get this into LCDs and plasmas "after 2010."
Toshiba's XD-E500 upconverting DVD player caught in stores
We'll apologize on our tipster's behalf for the quality of this shot, but evidently, he wasn't able to pass it through Toshiba's completely mind-boggling XDE upscaling technology before forwarding it onto us. Anyway, we reckon you can get the point -- the XD-E500 upconverting DVD player is filtering into stores, so those looking to make their current DVD collection look its best should probably take notice. Or not, whatever.[Thanks, Philip]
Kaleidescape's 1080p Player / Mini Player hands-on
Kaleidescape's booth was jammed packed with prospective buyers this year, evidently unaffected by a flagging economy and absurd prices flung from the mouths of on-hand representatives. All angst aside, we did stop by the outfit's CEDIA booth to see just what was crackin' and to snap a few photographs all the while. We'll admit, the 1080p Player / 1080p Mini Player are both beautiful pieces of equipment, and they certainly worked well when demonstrated. We'll refrain from commenting (again) on the value proposition here, but instead, we'll direct you to the gallery below with a forced grin.%Gallery-31279%
Toshiba's Super Resolution-infused REGZA HDTVs get US prices / release dates
Toshiba got official with its new RV / XV REGZA families last week at IFA, but now Tosh is debuting 'em along with a smattering of other lines at CEDIA. The main news here is the US pricing and availability, but if you care to get neck-deep in marketing hoopla, we'd be happy to oblige. The company is trumpeting its Super Resolution Technology (now available in the REGZA RV535 and XV545), which purportedly uses a "proprietary processing system" to "improve image sharpness, brightness and color, [thereby] enhancing standard movies, TV shows, camcorder movies and most video games to near HD quality." For details on how much he AV500, RV525, AV502, RV535 and XV545 sets will cost here in America, head on past the break.[Image courtesy of TWICE]
Integra unveils DTR-7.9 AV receiver, upgrades DTR-6.9
Integra's doing more than just adding ISF calibration into its receivers this year, it's also dishing out an all new unit and upgrading one of its more popular choices. The DTR-7.9 is a 7.1-channel AVR boasting 130-watts per channel, THX Ultra2 Plus certification, a Faroudja DCDi chip for 1080p upscaling over HDMI (or 1080i over component) and five HDMI 1.3a ports. On a related note, the DTR-6.9 has been upgraded to carry THX Select2 Plus certification along with 1080p Faroudja DCDi upscaling, "on board decoding for lossless and HD audio formats, multizone / multisource capabilities, and Integra's signature systems integration and control features." Hit up the read link for the laundry list of specifications (trust us, we've only brushed over the surface here), and expect to find the DTR-7.9 at local resellers soon for $1,300.Read - Integra DTR-7.9Read - Upgraded Integra DTR-6.9
Anchor Bay's DVDO EDGE takes anything to 1080p for $799
If you'll recall, Anchor Bay's heralded DVDO iScan did a fairly decent job at upscaling content to high-def levels. Unfortunately, it put a crater in your wallet about $3,149 deep. Now, however, the outfit is hitting back with an all new alternative that checks in well below four digits; the DVDO EDGE upconverts all video formats as high as 1080p and relies on the same Video Reference Seres technologies to do so. Additionally, it doubles as a robust A / V hub, sporting six HDMI 1.3 inputs, two HDMI 1.3 outputs and a whole slew of analog ports. Hit the read link [PDF] for all the nitty-gritty details, and get ready to spice up your old Hi8 tapes next month for just $799.
DLO introduces HomeDock HD Pro: its latest upscaling iPod dock
One thing's for sure: DLO's pretty attached to its HomeDock brand, and evidently it could care less about just how confusing these naming schemes are to customers. Let's clear some cobwebs real quick -- this isn't the HomeDock Pro, nor is it the HomeDock HD. Rather, it's the HomeDock HD Pro, a glorious combination of the two (or something). Aimed at home theater enthusiasts and home installers alike, this upscaling iPod dock takes stored content to 720p or 1080i over HDMI, and you'll also find an HDMI extension socket, optical digital audio port, RS-232 control connector and IR output for supporting universal remotes. Expect this one to set you back $399 when it arrives this fall. Full release after the jump. %Gallery-29771%
