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UltraFlix 4K Streaming Heads to Sony Ultra HD TVs[teaser]The 4K streaming service will be available on 2014 Sony Ultra HD TVs. [/teaser] Sony and NanoTech Entertainment have announced an agreement that will bundle NanoTech's 4K UltraFlix Network App with Sony's 2014 Ultra HD TV lineup. Sony customers will now have access to a growing library of 4K on-demand content. "Our decision to bundle UltraFlix with our next-generation 4K Ultra HD TVs was based on our continual quest to deliver the most immersive viewing experience that consumers are seeking," said Nick Colsey, Vice President of Sony Electronics. "We can now provide our customers with the industry's largest number of options for streaming 4K VOD content combined with the best 4K Ultra HD TVs available in the market. UltraFlix's secure media delivery system, combined with our state-of-the-art displays, provides the best in consumer entertainment." UltraFlix offers more than 300 hours of 4K travel and nature documentaries, including 40 IMAX titles. The service also features select movies, sports videos, concerts, TV shows and moving murals, along with 100 hours of free content. Using the new HEVC codec and NanoTech's proprietary methods, UltraFlix can stream high quality 4K video at less than 8Mbps. "Sony has been instrumental in advancing the 4K industry and we're very proud to partner with them," said Aaron Taylor, NanoTech's Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing. "Like Sony, we believe 4K is the Future of Television and look forward to a long and mutually rewarding relationship as we deliver the most exciting 4K technologies of tomorrow – today." Nine Sony Ultra HD TV models will be available with UltraFlix later this month in sizes ranging from 49-inches to 85-inches. Source: NanoTechPosted Tue Sep 16, 2014 at 12:30 PM PDT by: -
Amazon Fire TV Adds Spotify[teaser]The music streaming service is now available on Amazon's set-top box. [/teaser] Amazon and Spotify have announced the arrival of Spotify Connect on the Fire TV. Spotify subscribers can now use their mobile devices to send music directly to Amazon's streaming player. Spotify is a popular music streaming service that gives users access to millions of songs including new releases, custom playlists, and personalized recommendations. Customers can control music playback on the Fire TV through the Spotify app on their smartphones and tablets. Fire TV owners will need to have a subscription to Spotify Premium in order to use the Spotify Connect app. The service currently costs $9.99 per month and new users will receive one free trial month after signing up. Amazon's Fire TV currently retails for $99 and includes support for many other popular apps like Netflix, Hulu, Vevo, and Showtime Anytime. You can check out our full review here. Source: SpotifyPosted Mon Sep 15, 2014 at 04:30 PM PDT by: -
Epson Details New Pro Cinema Projectors[teaser]The upcoming projectors feature 3LCD Reflective laser technology. [/teaser] At the CEDIA Expo last week, Epson revealed two new additions to its projector lineup, the Epson PowerLite Pro Cinema LS10000 4K Enhancement Projector and the Pro Cinema LS9600e Wireless 1080p Projector. "Epson's new Pro Cinema Reflective laser projectors combine the most advanced projection technology we have ever developed. The result is a true-to-life theater experience that custom installers can provide to meet the requirements of today’s discerning consumers," said Jason Palmer, marketing manager, Epson America. "I believe that these new premium products will set an image quality and performance standard that, once experienced by our customers and partners, will make it very tough to consider anything else." Both models feature 1080p projection and use 3LCD Reflective tech and a laser light source to achieve an Absolute Black contrast ratio of zero lumens during all black scenes and an expanded color gamut. The LS10000 offers 1500 lumens of color brightness and 1500 lumens of white brightness. Meanwhile, the LS9600e offers 1300 lumens of color brightness and 1300 lumens of white brightness. 3D support (with two pairs of included glasses), ISF calibration tools, and THX Display Certification are integrated as well. The LS10000 also features 4K Enhancement Technology which shifts every pixel diagonally by 0.5 pixels to double the resolution. Finally, the LS9600e includes a WirelessHD transmitter capable of connecting up to five HDMI devices at the same time. Exact pricing has not been announced yet, but the Epson PowerLite Pro Cinema LS10000 and the Pro Cinema LS9600e will both be available through CEDIA and select retailers in the fall for under $8,000 each. Source: EpsonPosted Mon Sep 15, 2014 at 02:30 PM PDT by: -
LG Bolsters Ultra HD Lineup[teaser]LG has detailed pricing and availability for several new 4K displays, including a massive 105-inch model. [/teaser] This week at the CEDIA Expo in Denver, LG demoed several upcoming Ultra HD TVs. Among the highlighted displays was the 105-inch 105UC9 and the 98-inch 98UB9800. "Today's consumer is seeking the best performance, picture quality and sound," said David VanderWaal, head of marketing for LG Electronics USA. "Our expanded lineup, including large format sets with a combination of stellar picture quality and sound, along with the widest viewing angles and intuitive, fast Smart TV+ webOS platform, will provide consumers with a full set of comprehensive features and enhanced technologies." The 105UC9 features a curved-screen 105-inch IPS LCD panel with a resolution of 5120 x 2160 and an ultra-wide 21:9 aspect ratio. Meanwhile, the 98UB9800 features a 98-inch IPS LCD panel with a 2160p resolution and a standard 16:9 aspect ratio. In addition, both sets offers direct LED lighting with local dimming, H.265 decoding, LG’s Tru-4K Engine Pro upscaler, and HDMI 2.0 ports. The 105UC9 includes an integrated 7.2 channel 150W Harman/Kardon speaker system and the 98UB9800 includes a 5.2 channel 120W speaker system. Finally, LG also announced several more Ultra HD TV series, including the UB9200, UB8200 and UB8000 which will range in size from 40-inches to 65-inches. LG's 105UC9 will be available in November for a suggested retail price of $99,999. The 98UB9800 is available for a suggested retail price of $39,999. Source: LGPosted Fri Sep 12, 2014 at 05:00 PM PDT by: -
DTS Headphone:X Tech Comes to CastLabs' Mobile Media Player[teaser]The virtual surround sound headphone technology will be built into castLabs' new media player. [/teaser] DTS and castLabs have announced the first integration of Headphone:X into a mobile media player. The upcoming castLabs Headphone:X-enabled player will be available on Android and iOS platforms. "Our clients are constantly looking for compelling innovations that advance the delivery of high-quality video and audio content. Integrating DTS Headphone:X technology into our media player SDK equips our content delivery partners to deliver premium surround sound audio experiences to end users. That's a win for the entire ecosystem," said Michael Stattmann, CEO and managing director of castLabs. "Our work with DTS ensures that we remain at the forefront of digital content creation and distribution technologies. We're very excited about our continuing partnership." DTS Headphone:X allows brings a virtual surround sound experience to ordinary headphones, offering support for stereo, 5.1, 7.1, and 11.1 audio. In addition, the technology also allows users to create unique listening profiles, features a tuning program that lets manufacturers enhance their products for use with DTS Headphone:X encoded media, and provides room modeling to simulate the acoustic environment of the original mixing studio. castLabs' mobile media player will be the first app to integrate DTS Headphone:X into their software. "As the number of consumers enjoying video and audio content on mobile devices continues to rise, their expectations for premium sound quality are rising as well," said Geir Skaaden, Sr. vice president, digital content and media solutions for DTS. "The castLabs integration ensures that content creators, distributors and device manufacturers have the tools necessary to deliver entertainment content that offers customers the best possible entertainment experience." The castLabs DTS Headphone:X-enabled media player is now being demoed at IBC in Amsterdam from September 12-16. Likewise, the Headphone:X in-app SDK is now available for Android and iOS. Source: DTSPosted Fri Sep 12, 2014 at 03:00 PM PDT by: -
High-Def Digest's Dolby Atmos Home Theater Guide[teaser]Dolby is preparing to launch its newest audio innovation later this month, finally bringing the Atmos experience to a living room near you. [/teaser] But what exactly are the benefits of this exciting new tech and how does one go about upgrading their gear to support it? Well, those are all great questions, and great questions deserve answers! So, without further ado, we present High-Def Digest's Complete Dolby Atmos Home Theater Guide, laying out the basics of the technology along with impressions and a full rundown of all of the available gear. The Basics Dolby Atmos is a surround sound technology that utilizes object based mixing over traditional channel based mixing. Previously, movie tracks were designed with audio designated directionally to specific speakers through a predetermined number of discrete channels. For instance, in a 5.1 setup, sounds are only placed in the left, center, right, surround, and LFE channels. With Dolby Atmos, however, there are no channels. Instead, the individual audio objects are mixed in a virtual environment, allowing sound designers to place up to 128 separate sounds anywhere in the space at any given time, not just within a select number of fixed channels and locations. Special metadata is then paired with each sound, giving information about its location and movement throughout the environment. The Dolby Atmos renderer built into an Atmos A/V receiver will then take that metadata and place the sounds exactly where they are supposed to go within a user's specific speaker setup. This means that Atmos soundtracks are not mixed to fit the rigid limitations of a 5.1 or 7.1 system. The sounds themselves exist as distinct objects in the room that can be scaled and adapted to be played back directionally under a wide variety of speaker configurations. Likewise, this also means that audio can now come from locations previously unavailable in traditional surround sound setups -- most notably from above. With that in mind, for many, the most immediate and substantial benefit of Dolby Atmos in the home will be through the addition of overhead audio. Depending on the limitations of individual receivers and amps, the Atmos spec officially supports up to a 24.1.10 speaker configuration, which results in twenty four ear-level surround sound speakers, one subwoofer, and ten overhead height speakers. While a system of that size is likely out of most consumers' reach, Dolby recommends 5.1.2, 5.1.4, 7.1.2, 7.1.4, and 9.1.2 configurations (the last number signifies the amount of height speakers used), though the company prefers that customers opt for the setups with four height speakers (two in front, two in the back) for the most immersive experience. In order to add overhead sound, users have several options. First, customers can simply mount traditional speakers in their ceiling. While this is the most effective method, it won't be suitable for everyone's home and setup. Thankfully, Dolby has worked hard with manufacturers to perfect special Dolby Atmos speakers which feature an additional driver mounted on top in order to reflect sound off of the ceiling. This simulates the effect of audio coming from above. Finally, for those who simply wish to upgrade their existing speakers, some companies will be releasing separate top-firing Atmos modules that can be mounted on top of current speakers. For a detailed rundown of Atmos speaker configurations and installations, check out Dolby's Official Atmos Speaker Setup Guide. Though customers will need to purchase a new Atmos-enabled receiver (or upgrade select existing models) to take advantage of the technology, Atmos soundtracks will be delivered through an extension of the existing Dolby TrueHD and Dolby Digital Plus formats, making them backwards compatible with current hardware. Likewise, current Blu-ray players will be able to play Atmos movies, but the soundtracks need to be played back through the bitstream option. Finally, Atmos receivers will also have the ability to upmix standard surround sound tracks into Atmos mixes. Impressions While all this talk of object based mixing and overhead audio probably sounds intriguing on paper, how does all of this technical jargon actually sound in action? Well, in short, pretty damn good. Last month, Dolby invited High-Def Digest to attend a special Atmos demo in their New York office. The company offered several demonstrations of Atmos content giving us comparisons between a traditional 7.1 system, an Atmos 7.1.4 system with actual ceiling speakers, and an Atmos 7.1.4 system with Atmos-enabled speakers. Josh Zyber previously covered the event in detail on The Bonus View, and I came away similarly impressed by what I heard. We were treated to several specially designed Atmos trailers and the opening scene to 'Star Trek Into Darkness,' and though the difference between the traditional surround sound setup and the Atmos configuration wasn't exactly night and day, the extra sense of immersion was readily apparent allowing overhead sounds like rain and helicopters to actually come from above the listening position. Likewise, while one could tell the difference between the ceiling mounted speakers and the Atmos-enabled ear-level speakers, the reflected sound was still very convincing, offering an effective overhead experience. When the demo switched back and forth between the standard 7.1 setup to the Atmos setup, it was like the track suddenly gained an extra level of immersion that I had never realized was missing to begin with. And now that I know what was missing, I'm not so sure I want to go back. Basically, it left me wanting more. Atmos Equipment Various manufacturers including Pioneer, Onkyo, Denon, Yamaha, and Integra are starting to roll out their initial wave of Atmos products this month, offering a healthy assortment of different receivers and speakers. Below is a rundown of all of the currently listed Atmos devices along with details on the type of setups they support. Onkyo Receivers TX-NR636 - ($550) 7.2 Channel A/V Receiver with Atmos support for a 5.1.2 speaker configuration through a firmware upgrade available on September 29. TX-NR737 - ($695) 7.2 Channel A/V Receiver with Atmos support for a 5.1.2 speaker configuration through a firmware upgrade available on September 29. TX-NR838 - ($1,000) 7.2 Channel A/V Receiver with Atmos support for a 5.1.2 speaker configuration through a firmware upgrade available on September 29. TX-NR1030 - ($1,699) 9.2 Channel A/V Receiver with integrated Atmos support for 5.1.2, 5.1.4, and 7.1.2 setups. Available in October. TX-NR3030 ($2,399) 11.2 Channel A/V Receiver with integrated Atmos support for 5.1.2, 5.1.4, 7.1.2, 7.1.4, and 9.1.2 setups. Available in October. PR-SC5530 Network A/V Controller - ($2,499) 11.2 Channel A/V Controller with integrated Atmos support for 5.1.2, 5.1.4, 7.1.2, 7.1.4, and 9.1.2 setups. Available in October. Pioneer Receivers Pioneer Elite SC-85 - ($1,599) 9.2 Channel A/V Receiver with upgradeable Atmos support by the end of September for 5.1.2, 5.1.4, and 7.1.2 Atmos setups. Available now. Pioneer Elite SC-87 - ($1,999) 9.2 Channel A/V Receiver with upgradeable Atmos support by the end of September for 5.1.2, 5.1.4, and 7.1.2 Atmos setups. Available now. Pioneer Elite SC-89 - ($2,999) 9.2 Channel A/V Receiver with upgradeable Atmos support by the end of September for 5.1.2, 5.1.4, and 7.1.2 Atmos setups. Available now. Denon Receivers Denon X4100W - ($1,399) 7.2 Channel A/V Receiver with integrated Atmos support for a 5.1.2 speaker configuration. A separate two-channel amplifier can also be added to provide support for 5.1.4 or 7.1.2 Atmos configurations. Now shipping. Denon X5200W - ($1,999) 9.2 Channel A/V Receiver with integrated Atmos support for 5.1.2, 5.1.4, and 7.1.2 Atmos setups. A separate two-channel amplifier can be added to provide 7.1.4 and 9.1.2 Atmos options as well. Now shipping. Yamaha Receivers Yamaha RX-A2040BL - ( $1,600) 9.2 Channel A/V Receiver with Atmos support for 5.1.2, 5.1.4, and 7.1.2 Atmos setups through a future firmware upgrade. Now shipping. Yamaha RX-A3040BL - ($2,000) 9.2 Channel A/V Receiver with 11.2-channel expandability and potential Atmos support for 5.1.2, 5.1.4, 7.1.2, 7.1.4 and 9.1.2 Atmos setups through a future firmware upgrade. Now shipping. Integra Receivers DTR-30.6 - ($1,000) 7.2 Channel A/V Receiver with Atmos support for a 5.1.2 speaker configuration through a firmware upgrade available in September. Now shipping. DTR-40.6 - ($1,300) 7.2 Channel A/V Receiver with Atmos support for a 5.1.2 speaker configuration through a firmware upgrade available in September. Now shipping. DTR-50.6 -( $1,700) 7.2 Channel A/V Receiver with Atmos support for a 5.1.2 speaker configuration through a firmware upgrade. Available in September. DTR-60.6 - ($2,300) 9.2 Channel A/V Receiver with integrated Atmos support for 5.1.2, 5.1.4, and 7.1.2 Atmos setups. Available in October DTR-70.6 - ($2,800) 11.2 Channel A/V Receiver with integrated Atmos support for 5.1.2, 5.1.4, 7.1.2, 7.1.4, and 9.1.2 setups. Available in October. DHC-80.6 - ($3,200) 11.2 Channel Pre-Amp Surround Processor with integrated Atmos support. Available in October. Marantz Receivers Marantz SR7009 - ($2,000) 9.2 Channel A/V Receiver with integrated Atmos support for 5.1.2, 5.1.4, and 7.1.2 Atmos setups. A separate two-channel amplifier can be added to provide 7.1.4 and 9.1.2 Atmos options as well. Available in September. Pioneer Atmos Speakers Elite SP-EBS73-LR Bookshelf Speakers - ($749 for a pair) Features an additional 4-inch driver mounted on top to simulate overhead sound effects. Available October 25. Elite SP-EFS73 Floorstanding Speakers - ($699 each) Features an additional 4-inch driver mounted on top to simulate overhead sound effects. Available October 25. Atmos Speaker Modules Atlantic Technology 44-DA Atmos Module - ($499 for a pair) Specially designed Atmos module can be used both as a stand alone elevation speaker or as an expansion to existing speakers, adding overhead sound to a user's Dolby Atmos home theater. Available in the 4th quarter of 2014. KEF R50 Atmos Module - ($1,200) Can be placed on top of the company's existing freestanding or wall-mounted satellite speakers, adding overhead sound to a user's Dolby Atmos home theater. Definitive Technology's A60 Atmos Module - ($499) Sits atop the Definitive Technology BP-8060ST, adding overhead sound to a user's Dolby Atmos home theater. Onkyo SKH-410 Atmos Module - ($249 for a pair) Sits on top of your floorstanding front speakers or on an entertainment unit, adding overhead sound to a user's Dolby Atmos home theater. Onkyo Atmos Home Theater Systems Onkyo HT-S7700 - ($899) 5.1.2-Channel Dolby Atmos Ready Network A/V Receiver/Speaker Package with Atmos-enabled speakers. Coming Soon. Onkyo HT-S9700THX - ($1,199) 5.1.2-Channel Dolby Atmos Ready Network A/V Receiver/Speaker Package with included front height speakers. Coming Soon. Content Now that we've covered all of that fancy new gear, the next step will be getting some good movies to test it all out on. Dolby has confirmed that Atmos soundtracks will be available for Blu-ray discs and streaming services. Paramount and Warner Bros. have both pledged their support and will start releasing their initial titles in the fall and early next year. The first Blu-ray with an Atmos soundtrack will be 'Transformers: Age of Extinction' which will be released on September 30. No other films have been announced yet. Likewise, VUDU will be the first streaming service to provide Atmos audio, though specific titles and a launch date have not been revealed. Order the 3D Blu-ray While upgrading a home theater system can be a daunting (and expensive) challenge, Dolby and its manufacturing partners are offering a wide array of options for customers, making it as easy as possible for audiophiles to experience Dolby Atmos in their homes. It remains to be seen just how much of an improvement Atmos will make and just how many upcoming titles will support the tech, but the future of home audio certainly looks very promising. We're hoping to get our hands on some Atmos gear and content in the near future, so stayed tuned to High-Def Digest for more updates and impressions. For now, though, what do you think of Dolby's latest audio technology? Will you be investing in Atmos, and if so, what kind of setup are you hoping to build for your latest home theater upgrade?Posted Fri Sep 12, 2014 at 09:45 AM PDT by: -
TiVo Readies Largest Consumer DVR[teaser]The upcoming DVR offers a massive 24TB worth of storage. [/teaser] TiVo has revealed its latest DVR model, the appropriately titled TiVo Mega. Fully living up to its name, the mammoth-sized device comes with 24TB of recording space letting customers save around 26,000 hours of TV! "Size matters. People hate being forced to delete cool stuff from their DVR before they want to or finding a TV show they had recorded is now gone. Now, with TiVo Mega they can always know their show or movie is still there to watch later," said Ira Bahr, CMO at TiVo. "TiVo Mega offers more than twelve times the storage of any cable or satellite DVR. TiVo Mega is the solution for the power user who wants to record everything. We salute you and enjoy!" The TiVo Mega uses a 24 Terabyte RAID 5 HDD and comes complete with six tuners for recording different programming at the same time. TiVo Mini support is also included and customers can stream live and recorded content to their mobile devices. In total, the DVR is capable of storing 26,000 hours of standard definition material and 4,000 hours of high definition material. Fellow TV show hoarders can expect to get their hands on the TiVo Mega in the first quarter of 2015. A final price has not been announced, but the company expects the model to retail for around $5,000. Source: TiVoPosted Thu Sep 11, 2014 at 06:30 PM PDT by: -
LG Sets Price for 4K OLED TVs[teaser]US pricing and availability have been revealed for the company's new Ultra HD OLED displays. [/teaser] LG has officially announced details for its upcoming 65-inch and 77-inch 4K OLED TVs. The 65EC9700 will be available in October for a suggested retail price of $9,999 and the 77EG9700 will be available in November for a suggested retail price of $24,999. "LG 4K OLED TV is a technological achievement that will set a new standard for the way consumers think of picture quality", said Tim Alessi, Director of New Product Development for LG Electronics USA. "OLED on its own has already been hailed as the best screen technology on the market. Combining the stunning capabilities of this technology with the higher resolution of Ultra HD is a true game-changer – it will reshape the industry and leave consumers simply amazed." The 77EG9700 and 65EC9700 feature advanced 3840 x 2160 curved-screen OLED panels that use LG's proprietary Four-Color Pixel WRGB technology. Thanks to the televisions' self-lighting pixels, the displays offers superior black levels and contrast over traditional LCD TVs. Likewise, the sets offer fast response times for smooth motion free of flickering and blurring. In addition, each model includes smart TV support with LG's webOS platform and LG’s multi-channel Ultra Surround sound system developed in conjunction with Harmon Kardon. Both models are currently on display at the CEDIA Expo in Denver. These new Ultra HD OLED displays now join LG's currently available 1080p OLED collection -- including the 55EC930, the 55EA9800, and the 55EA8800. Source: LGPosted Thu Sep 11, 2014 at 01:30 PM PDT by: -
Toshiba Ships 2014 Ultra HD TVs[teaser]Two new 4K models are now available. [/teaser] Toshiba has officially released its latest Ultra HD TV models, the L8400 and L9400. Both displays feature a resolution of 3840 x 2160 and use the company's third generation CQ 4K Engine. "Toshiba's 2014 4K Ultra HD TV models are now available to consumers across the country," said Scott Ramirez, Vice President of Product Marketing and Development, Toshiba America Information Systems, Digital Products Division. "Our engineers have worked hard to add 4K UHD content capability via both 60p HDMI and streaming with HEVC. Toshiba has also ensured a premium viewing experience with the third generation CQ 4K Engine and the spectacular Radiance 4K Panel. Toshiba’s 2014 4K Ultra HD models are both a step forward and a step ahead." Both LCD models feature Toshiba's Quad+Dual Core 4K Processor, PixelPure 4K Upscaling, a wide color gamut, smart TV functions, HDMI 2.0 support with HDCP 2.2, and H.265 HEVC playback. In addition, the premium L9400 series also offers a Radiance 4K Full Array LED Panel for deeper blacks and an ultra-thin design. The 58-inch 58L8400U is now on sale for $1,700 (32 percent off), and the 65-inch 65L9400U is now on sale for $3,300 (18 percent off). Source: ToshibaPosted Wed Sep 10, 2014 at 02:30 PM PDT by: -
DarbeeVision Introduces DVP-5100CIE Digital Video Processor[teaser]The company's latest video enhancement device is set for release in November. [/teaser] DarbeeVision has detailed its upcoming DVP-5100CIE. The Digital Video Processor is aimed at improving depth and clarity in HD, 3D, and 4K content like Blu-rays and video games. "The DVP-5100CIE is as plug-and-play as it gets," said Larry Pace, President of DarbeeVision. "Troubleshooting is a headache no installer wants, which is why we integrated a technology solution that makes HDMI installations bulletproof. Now no matter where you put the 5100CIE in your video chain, you’ll always have a clear, clean line to the best image possible." The DVP-5100CIE also uses phaseHD integration to avoid HDMI handshaking issues while adding the option to extend HDMI up to 50 meters. Likewise, this new model offers USB firmware upgrades and was recently a winner of the EXC!TE Award for its "superior images and improved connections." DarbeeVision's DVP-5100CIE will start shipping in November for $499. You can pre-order it here. Source: DarbeeVisionPosted Wed Sep 10, 2014 at 09:30 AM PDT by:
