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Silverlight Partners With SRS for 5.1 Surround Sound[teaser]Surround sound on Netflix is looking very promising. [/teaser] The folks over at Netflix promised us 5.1 channel surround sound this fall, and it's looking like they're going to be right on target thanks to a joint effort by SRS Labs and Microsoft. "We’re thrilled to expand this collaboration with Microsoft to now bring surround sound capability to Silverlight and its millions of users," says Allen Gharapetian of SRS Labs. "With the availability of SRS 5.1 surround for Silverlight, the collective online multimedia experience will become more vivid and immersive." Streaming surround sound doesn't take up too much in the way of bandwidth either. Companies can push our multichannel surround sound over bit rates as low as 96kbps. You shouldn't have much trouble with getting surround sound on top of your current HD picture. There's no word on when surround sound will be added to Netflix, but there are plenty of other applications for Silverlight that should be adding it soon. You can even check out a demo from SRS Labs on their official site. Source: SRS LabsPosted Mon Sep 13, 2010 at 07:00 AM PDT by: -
HD Advisor 74 and CountingEditor's Note: Each Friday, High-Def Digest's own HD Advisor will answer a new round of questions from our readers. If you have home theater questions you need answered, send an email to [email protected]. If you've already sent a question and don't see it answered yet, please be patient as we work our way through them. To browse through previously answered questions, visit the main HD Advisor page. Answers by Joshua Zyber Philips Cinema 21:9 HDTV Q: After multiple HD Advisor columns pertaining to the subject of Constant Image Height Projection, I'm now confused regarding the capabilities of this new Philips 21:9 TV that's being released in Europe. Specifically, does this TV somehow "un-squeeze" the image from a non-anamorphically enhanced scope Blu-ray disc, or does this TV simply proportionately zoom in on the image, thereby ever eliminating the need to 21:9 anamorphically enhanced discs? Also, what's the reason for not releasing it in the U.S.? A: As you know, almost all HDTVs have a 16:9 (1.78:1) aspect ratio. This new Philips "Cinema 21:9" TV (available only in Europe) has a wider ratio and is intended for Constant Image Height display. (See my earlier tutorial on the subject.) The DVD format uses a form of anamorphic enhancement to maximize the resolution of standard-def content for display on a 16:9 screen. All NTSC DVDs are encoded at a resolution of 720x480 pixels, whether the content is 4:3 in aspect ratio or wider. (PAL resolution is 720x576.) You'll note that 720 divided by 480 yields a mathematical sum of 1.5, which is neither the same as 4:3 (1.33:1) or 16:9 (1.78:1). That's because DVD uses non-square pixels. An anamorphically enhanced DVD is mastered in a "squeezed" format that will return to correct geometric proportion when "unsqueezed" (or horizontally stretched) by the 16:9 TV. On the other hand, there is no anamorphic enhancement on Blu-ray. Blu-ray video is natively 16:9 in aspect ratio, with a resolution of 1920x1080 square pixels. Any movie content wider than 1.78:1 must be letterboxed within the 16:9 pixel grid. Anything narrower must be pillarboxed on the sides. The format has no squeezing or stretching. The Philips Cinema 21:9 TV has a pixel resolution of 2560x1080. The set has two modes for watching the 1920x1080 content on a 16:9 Blu-ray disc. First, you can choose to zoom the picture, which will cut off the letterbox bars on a wide movie and upconvert the central portion of the image (approximately 1920x800 pixels) to fill the 2560x1080 screen. This is a proportional zoom, without any squeezing or stretching. If the Blu-ray content you're watching happens to be 16:9 in aspect ratio without letterboxing, you can also display that at its native 1920x1080 pixels, pillarboxed in the center of the 21:9 screen. As for why this set is not available in the U.S., that's because Philips actually withdrew from the North American market a couple years ago, and sold its branding to Funai. Any TV, DVD player, or other gear you can buy here with the Philips label on it is really a Funai piece of equipment. The real, original Philips continues to develop and market its own products for the rest of the world, just not for us. Among the items we're denied is the Cinema 21:9 line. Audio/Video Sync Issues Q: I'm experiencing an apparently uncommon A/V sync issue with my home theater setup – the video arrives just AHEAD of the audio. I know most people have the reverse problem, where the audio arrives before the video. Now, those people have nothing to worry about because almost all A/V receivers come with an audio delay feature, but what do I do? There's no video delay capability on my receiver. I've researched online, asked people in stores, and not one person seems to have this issue or have any idea how to fix it. As for my equipment, I have a cable box and a Blu-ray player, both of which are fed through my Onkyo TX-SR705 receiver, via HDMI, to my Epson ProCinema 9500 UB projector. Both the BD player and cable box experience this sync problem, though it seems worse while watching cable. A: As you note, most problems with a/v sync come down to a matter of the audio arriving ahead of the video. Any time a video signal needs to be deinterlaced, scaled, or otherwise processed (such as by adding "MotionFlow" frame interpolation), that video signal is delayed momentarily. Sometimes, that allows the audio to jump ahead of it, which causes visible sync issues. When this happens, most home theater receivers offer manual audio delay functions that you can use to re-sync the two streams. Video arriving ahead of the audio is much less common. In fact, my first suggestion to you is to make sure that this is actually what's happening in your system. While bad sync can be very distracting, our human perception of which sense precedes the other is often easily confused. You'll have to pay very close attention to the content to be sure which is coming first. The 'Digital Video Essentials' calibration disc also has a test pattern to gauge a/v sync. With that said, I found an FAQ thread on AVSForum where other users have reported a/v sync issues with the Onkyo TX-SR705 receiver. The first post in the thread states that, "Lip sync is a problem with all these new Onkyo receivers in this series, including the higher priced models." That would seem to validate your experience. The post also offers suggestions for settings that can minimize or correct the problem. Read through that, and hopefully it will offer you some relief. Good luck. Homework Assignment: You Be the Advisor The HD Advisor knows many things, but he doesn't know everything. Some questions are best answered with a consensus of opinions from our readers. If you can help to answer the following question, please post your response in our forum thread linked at the end of this article. Your advice and opinions matter too! Shadow Artifacts on LCD TV Screen Q: My 18-month old 47" Vizio TV had developed "shadows," for lack of a better term. The first started out as an extremely elongated triangle towards the right side of the screen about 4" long and less than an inch wide at it's widest. Then recently a slightly crooked line has formed about 3" to the left of the "triangle" all the way down the screen that is less than ½-inch wide. It appears like it is on the "outside" of the screen and therefore not a pixel problem. What could be causing it, and more importantly is this an issue that will cost as much to fix as replacing the TV? Check back soon for another round of answers. Keep those questions coming. Joshua Zyber's opinions are his own and do not necessarily reflect those of this site, its owners or employees.Posted Fri Sep 10, 2010 at 11:30 AM PDT by: -
Sony Expands 3D Strategy to Include Computers[teaser]A new laptop with impressive specs will be hitting shelves sometime in the near future. [/teaser] Sony likes 3D. You may have noticed. The company has launched 3D Blu-ray players, 3D televisions, and even updated their four year old game system for 3D. It's kind of their thing, and they're not about to slow down. In the living room, Sony is a dominant force when it comes to 3D hardware. It's outside that space that the company has been a bit weak, and that's about to change. Following in the footsteps of companies like NEC, Fujitsu and Toshiba, Sony is going to be launching a series of 3D capable computers. It all starts with a new Sony Vaio that packs a Blu-ray player, a 1080p resolution, and a 240Hz response time. The new Vaio will launch in Japan first, with a US release sure to follow. A price for the laptop has not yet been announced. Source: CrunchGearPosted Fri Sep 10, 2010 at 11:00 AM PDT by: -
Toshiba Shows off Glasses-Free 3D Touchscreen Display[teaser]It's viewable from nine different angles, but creating the content is going to be a problem. [/teaser] 2010 is shaping up to be a big year for 3D, but 2011 looks to be the year of the glasses-free 3D display. Everyone seems to be working on the new tech, and there's a lot of pressure for it to perform just right. That's the reason you won't be seeing Toshiba's entry to the glasses-free space any time soon. "One problem is that it's necessary to create content, such as images taken from nine directions," explains a representative from Toshiba. "The question is how to minimize the burden of creating that content." The demo Toshiba showed at CEDEC 2010 earlier this month was fairly limited in terms of video, but there are other avenues that make a bit more sense. As a slot machine display, for example, Toshiba's touchscreen and glasses-free displays are perfect. Source: DigInfoPosted Fri Sep 10, 2010 at 09:00 AM PDT by: -
The Zotac Zbox – A Mini-PC That Packs a Blu-ray Drive[teaser]It's got a solid processor, a stunningly small form factor, and promises pristine Blu-ray playback. [/teaser] The latest creation from Zotac is a mini PC that's fully equipped to take over your home theater system. It's small, it's slick, and it plays Blu-rays with ease. "The ZOTAC ZBOX Blu-ray series is more than just a system for playing games and watching movies," explains marketing director Carsten Berger, "[it] is the ultimate multimedia hub for all your entertainment needs and replaces the function of multiple electronics devices." Berger's not wrong, the Zbox can do just about everything. Since it's a PC, there's no need to worry about getting an app for Netflix, or whether you'll be able to play back a specific file type. You can, because it's a PC that does PC things. The newest Zbox also comes with built in WiFi functionality, a pair of USB 3.0 ports and plenty of room for RAM and hard drive expansion. Source: ZotacPosted Fri Sep 10, 2010 at 07:00 AM PDT by: -
LG's PX950 is the First THX 3D Certified TV[teaser]Criteria include color accuracy, cross-talk, and processing performance. [/teaser] The latest television from LG is also the first to earn 3D certification from THX. It's THX certified in the traditional two dimensions as well, but that's far less exciting. "THX spent more than a year in the lab developing our certification criteria and testing methodologies for 3D TVs and content," explains THX VP Rick Dean. "A THX 3D Certified TV must be capable of delivering consistent stereoscopic images with accurate color and clean processing." LG's PX950 plasma uses the TruBlack Filter to block reflection while creating deeper blacks, and the Dual XD engine to upscale standard definition content to HD with ease. The sets also offer NetCast access, letting you watch content from Netflix, Vudu, YouTube and more. The PX950 series is available now in two sizes. At 50 inches, you'll be shelling out $1,999 while the 60 inch set has an MSRP of $2,999. Source: Market WatchPosted Thu Sep 9, 2010 at 11:00 AM PDT by: -
Text Comcast for TV Listings and More[teaser]A new service from Comcast allows you to take care of a surprisingly large amount of business from your phone. [/teaser] Sure, there's plenty you can do with a smartphone, a 3G connection, and a web browser. But Comcast is rolling out a new service that will let you take care of a good chunk of your service issues through simple texting. Want to know what's on TV? Just text "NOW" to 266278 and you'll get a handy list of everything that's on. Want to reset your cable box? Just text the word "HIT." If you're wondering about service outages, "OUT" is the three letter text for you. You'll need to sign up online and link your mobile number to your Comcast account before you use it, which makes sense even if it does take some of the convenience out of it. If you like, you can also set up mobile alerts like payment reminders while you're there. Source: ComcastPosted Thu Sep 9, 2010 at 09:00 AM PDT by: -
Netflix and Nu Image Team for First-Run Movies[teaser]Even more movies will be hitting Netflix during the "pay TV" window. [/teaser] The traditional flow of movies goes a little something like this. First they go to theaters, finish their run, and get released on DVD a few months later. A few weeks after the DVD release, pay TV channels like HBO get to start showing them, and then finally streaming services like Netflix get access. The new deal between Netflix and Nu Image/Millenium Films changes that up a bit. Netflix climbs up a rung, and gets to start streaming at the same time pay channels would normally get them. Nu Image is the company behind 'Brooklyn's Finest,' 'Righteous Kill,' and 'The Expendables.' Netflix says to expect 10 to 15 new streaming films from Nu Image per year. Source: Market WatchPosted Thu Sep 9, 2010 at 07:00 AM PDT by: -
Pioneer Launches New Entry-Level Speakers[teaser]Pricing starts as low as $79 and as goes up to $199. [/teaser] Pioneer's new speaker line isn't going to blow you away. In fact, if you already own a speaker system for your own home theater, you've almost certainly got the equivalent or better. When Pioneer says entry level, they mean entry level. But for the price, the lineup isn't bad. Take the 31 inch floorstanding SP-FS51-LR for a start. It features a trio of 5.25 inch woofers with oversized magnets. It's got a frequency range from 45Hz on up to 20kHz and a maximum power rating of 130 watts. The bookshelf and center channel speakers share similar specs, but with more limited frequency ranges. Pioneer's SW-8 subwoofer is a bit of a letdown, featuring a frequency range of 38Hz to 150Hz, just a bit under the range of the floorstanding speakers. Source: eCousticsPosted Wed Sep 8, 2010 at 11:00 AM PDT by: -
Imation Intros a Wireless A/V Extender[teaser]It's the most compact of all the extenders recently released. [/teaser] There's been an explosion of these wireless link devices recently. It seems like every company with a manufacturing plant and a tenuous link to televisions or computers is popping out one of these solutions, and Imation is no exception. As you might expect, the Imation Link is capable of shooting out 1080p video from your PC to your television. According to Imation, you'll be getting speeds of up to 220Mbps, completely free from interference with WiFi signals. Unlike the other options, which use a fairly large sending device, the Imation wireless A/V extender utilizes a small USB dongle to send and a larger – but slick looking – receiver. You can pick the Link up now at a price of $149. Source: eCousticsPosted Wed Sep 8, 2010 at 09:00 AM PDT by:
