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Panasonic Announces a New Home Theater Projector[teaser]The company boasts a 50,000:1 contrast ratio and 2,800 lumens brightness. [/teaser] Panasonic's new PT-AR100U isn't going to blow your mind with fancy high-end features. There's plenty to it of course, but it's not one of those $50,000 projectors we've been seeing announced pre CEDIA. The PT-AR100U, which comes in at an MSRP of $1,999, offers a Red Rich lamp that adds color and is bright enough to work well with different levels of ambient light. Dynamic Iris Pro and Pure Color Filter Pro make sure that you're getting the most accurate picture possible and the Detail Clarity Processor 3 that's built in will help to add detail. You could have guessed that last bit. Panasonic says that their new projector is nice and energy efficient, reducing power consumption when possible and cutting it to less than a tenth of a watt in standby mode. You'll be able to pick up a PT-AR100U of your own when it launches next month. Source: eCousticsPosted Wed Sep 7, 2011 at 11:00 AM PDT by: -
Netflix Goes Live in 43 New Countries[teaser]Latin America gets its fill of streaming movies this week. [/teaser] Netflix has been having a weird month or two. They've introduced new pricing, expanded to new areas, changed up their corporate hierarchy and lost Starz content. This week should be very good for them though, as the company will be launching in 43 new countries. Starting today, Netflix streaming will be available in Brazil and the Guays: Uru and Para. It's also hitting Argentina, though they've politely asked that no one in the country shed tears over the arrival. Over the next week or so the service will be coming to the rest of the countries targeted for release. Pricing looks to be around the same for each country - the rough equivalent of $7.99 a month. "It is an amazing privilege for us to travel through the region, introducing Netflix to consumers in Latin America and the Caribbean," says CEO Reed Hastings. "We are committed to offering the same great service, value and choice throughout the Americas and we can't wait to get started." Source: EngadgetPosted Wed Sep 7, 2011 at 09:15 AM PDT by: -
Dish May Launch Blockbuster Streaming Service in October[teaser]The plans that have been set in place by Dish will finally be revealed, and it could mean a big shakeup for the streaming game. [/teaser] According to sources belonging to the folks at Bloomberg, Dish is going to be launching its subscription based streaming service next month. The service will offer streaming movies at a yet-to-be named price and will almost certainly start to lure customers away from Netflix. Part of the reason for the launch timing, according to that source, is the Netflix price raise, which will be hitting customers this month. The other reason seems to be based around content. Starz and Netflix failed to come to an agreement so the streaming service is about to lose a big chunk of its catalog. Instead of Netflix, they'll be taking those movies over to Dish and Blockbuster. Netflix hasn't faced much in the way of real competition yet, but the face of the streaming market is about to change. With a Blockbuster streaming service on the way and a rumored iTunes streaming service, it'll be interesting to see what happens. Source: EngadgetPosted Tue Sep 6, 2011 at 11:00 AM PDT by: -
SIM2 Launches New 3D DLP Projector Line[teaser]The Nero series consists of four different single chip projectors, three of which handle your 3D needs. [/teaser] The latest line of high-end projectors from SIM2 offers a few different options to those looking for an upgrade. All utilize the ALPHAPATH light engine and are made to work in what SIM2 calls "real world lighting conditions." The Nero 3D-1 is the baseline model of the series. It features a DarkChip that helps to offer a contrast ratio of over 10,000:1. The 3D-2 steps things up with a DarkChip4, a 30,000:1 contrast ratio and a few other built-in technologies to improve picture and performance. The Nero 3D, meanwhile, focuses on brightness, offering 3,000 lumens instead of the 2,000 from the other projectors. The oddball in the pack is the Nero 235, which doesn't do 3D but offers a 2560 x 1600 resolution and plenty of noise reduction and detail enhancement technologies. Pricing for the new line starts at $16,000. Source: eCousticsPosted Tue Sep 6, 2011 at 09:00 AM PDT by: -
KEF Introduces R Series Loudspeakers[teaser]The latest from KEF are designed to make high-end sound affordable. [/teaser] A trend that we've been seeing a lot of recently is the production of less expensive speakers by high end makers. KEF is no exception, and endeavors to bring audiophile sound to those who would previously be unable to afford it. The R series is made of nine speakers - two floorstanding, two bookshelf, two center channels, two surrounds and a 500 watt subwoofer. They all boast a similar black and aluminum style, with the subwoofer in particular embracing the look. KEF says that their new Uni-Q MF/HF driver array keeps the midrange sounding like it should. The midrange drivers use magnesium/aluminum alloy cones and a decoupled aluminum chassis. Tweeter design is borrowed from the KEF Blade. The KEF R Series will be available in October 2011. Source: eCousticsPosted Tue Sep 6, 2011 at 07:00 AM PDT by: -
Your Photos Could Appear In Warner's New Facebook Series[teaser]Assuming that's something you want, of course. [/teaser] For some reason, people think that an interactive web series is something we desperately want. Perhaps some people do, but every attempt at it so far has been pretty lackluster. Of course, that's not stopping Warner from giving it a go. The new series 'Aim High' stars Jackson Rathbone, Aimee Teegarden and Greg Germann - not A-List celebrities by any means, but still a pretty impressive lineup for a show designed for Facebook. You can appear on the show, or at least your photos can, by linking your profile information with the show's Facebook page. "Facebook is an increasingly influential destination for discovering and acquiring movie and television content," says president of digital distribution Greg Gewecke. " This effort takes video distribution to a whole new level by making the actual viewing experience personal and social in a truly innovative and entertaining way." The series launches October 18th. Source: Home Media MagazinePosted Sat Sep 3, 2011 at 09:00 AM PDT by: -
Sony Launches a New SXRD 3D Projector[teaser]The VPL-VW95ES is made specifically with 3D movie watching and gaming in mind. [/teaser] Sony's new 3D projector is geared straight for the 3D crowd. Sure, it plays 2D content, but the real work went into making the 3D picture as crisp and clear as possible. The new VPL-VW95ES follows up on the 90ES, which was Sony's first 3D home projector. The 95ES uses a new dynamic lamp control tech and utilizes a contrast enhancer to provide a crisper, brighter picture. It's also packed with Motionflow technology for a smoother picture. If you do have 2D content that you want to watch, you can enjoy it in the two dimensions you're accustomed to or you can spice it up a bit with the 2D to 3D conversion tech baked in to the 95ES. The VPL-VW95ES will be available in October at a yet to be named price. The projector will come with a single pair of 3D glasses. Source: eCousticsPosted Fri Sep 2, 2011 at 09:00 AM PDT by: -
Toshiba's 55 Inch Glasses-Free 3D TV Hits Europe in December[teaser]Yet another 3D technology will be entering the market, but this one may even get 3D naysayers excited. [/teaser] When Nintendo's 3DS 3D handheld gaming system hit the market it was at least partially a proof of concept. Glasses-free could be done well enough to sell, if on an admittedly small screen. We got the impression that, like with OLED, it would be a while before we got glasses-free 3D in a significant size if we ever got it at all. Well you know what they say about impressions - they make an ass out of you and... wait that's not right. Point is, Toshiba has a 55 inch glasses-free set coming out at the end of this year. Three months from now and a sizeable glasses-free set will be on the market. The ZL2 as they're calling it utilizes an LED backlit LCD screen with a resolution of 3,840 x 2,160. It also uses the CEVO engine powered by a Cell processor as made famous in the PlayStation 3. Toshiba says that the nine different views provided by the ZL2 should satisfy any viewing environment. We'll see what happens when it comes out, but this set seems like a nice step forward. One big downside though - it runs around $6,500. Source: EngadgetPosted Fri Sep 2, 2011 at 07:00 AM PDT by: -
CEA is Starting on a 21:9 Standard for TVs[teaser]More 21:9 TVs are coming out, which means standards are soon to follow. [/teaser] Alright, so you've got yourself a fancy new 21:9 display and you're enjoying it like crazy for watching your Blu-rays on, but not every disc is set up to handle it properly and God help you if you want to watch TV in full screen. Here's a hint: don't stretch it. The folks at the CEA are working on a standard for these new sets which will help provide content makers with the tools to cater specifically to the new aspect ratio. You'll hopefully start getting some 21:9 TV or at least On Demand movies that conform to the 21:9 aspect ratio. "As video displays with the 21:9 aspect ratio are now appearing in the marketplace, adding this feature to the standard can more efficiently deliver such video to DTV receivers with native 21:9 displays," says the CEA. Source: TwicePosted Thu Sep 1, 2011 at 11:00 AM PDT by: -
Sony Will Launch a Personal 3D Visor for Japan in November[teaser]So, if you want to wear a crazy big thing on your head to watch 3D movies that no one else can see, you have that option. [/teaser] Personal media viewers are just plain odd. In theory they're really cool. They let you watch a movie simply by donning a pair of glasses. It gives you a full immersive experience and allows you to zone out when on a plane or riding in a car. In reality they're kind of hinky. The video doesn't look that great and they don't work at all if you wear glasses. Of course, that's not stopping Sony from going all out. The new HMZ-T1 is a personal media device that handles 3D as well as 2D content. Sony says it's like watching a 750-inch screen at a distance of 20 meters and that their Dual-Panel OLEDs provide a bright and crosstalk-free 3D picture. It's an interesting product, but it's hard to tell whether it's going to pan out any better than the rest of the media viewers on the market. It's going to run just under $800 when it launches in Japan this November. Source: EngadgetPosted Thu Sep 1, 2011 at 09:00 AM PDT by:
