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Philips Wireless HDTV Link[teaser]The latest in wireless streaming, capable of sending 1080p signals up to 75 feet, the Philips Wireless HDTV Link has officially launched. [/teaser] Wireless HDMI is a much beloved idea, though the practical application tends to be either ineffective, expensive, or both. The Philips SWW1800/27, also known as the Wireless HDTV Link, certainly isn’t cheap, but it does promise strong performance. The HDTV Link is essentially two pieces of hardware. One, a signal receiver, gets hooked in directly to your television via HDMI. It can be placed up to 75 feet away from the transmitter without any signal loss, according to Philips. The transmitter sits with the rest of the home theater, and sends the signal to the receiver. The Philips Wireless HDTV Link features a transmitter capable of switching between four different inputs, two HDMI and two component. Philips states that a 1080p/24 signal will suffer no degradation while being sent this way, though they’ve not stated anything about what kind of audio can be sent. The Philips SWW1800/27 Wireless HDTV Link is available now at retailers and etailers for $799. Source: Press ReleasePosted Fri Oct 23, 2009 at 10:00 AM PDT by: -
Starz Set to Launch Five New HD Channels[teaser]Due out mid 2010, the expansion ups Starz HD offerings to nine high definition channels. [/teaser] The lineup of new HD channels from the movie provider will include Stars Cinema HD, Starz in Black HD, IndiePlex HD, RetroplexHD and a west coast feed for Encore HD. All are presented in high definition, and with 5.1 channel audio Dolby Digital. Ed Huguez, executive VP of sales and marketing for Starz says that thanks to the addition of HD channels in the past, their viewership, subscriber counts and customer satisfaction have been up significantly. Not surprisingly, he’s happy to see more HD Starz channels get out there. "We are pleased to extend the high definition reach of our channels next year and will begin working with our cable, satellite and Telco affiliates to bring them to consumers in the future,” he says. No word yet on what channels will be available with what services, but expect to hear more before the speculated early to mid 2010 launch date. Source: Press ReleasePosted Fri Oct 23, 2009 at 06:00 AM PDT by: -
Hulu Toys With Subscription Idea[teaser]The ever popular free television streaming service Hulu may not be so free in the future, according to NBC. [/teaser] Marc Graboff of NBC Universal commented on the popular Hulu streaming service recently, stating that Hulu needed to find a way to turn things around. While Hulu is certainly increasing viewership across the board, the problem, according to Graboff, is that these added viewers aren’t translating into added dollars. “Hulu has got to bolster its economics,” says Graboff. “The trick is ... to turn those digital pennies into digital dollars.” Just how they’ll do that is anyone’s guess. Graboff suggests that an increase in advertising would help, but just how much is difficult to say. He also suggests that a subscription model could be in the future. Graboff sees Hulu staying free, with paid subscribers having earlier access to shows, rather than blocking out non paying viewers. "I do think Hulu is experimenting with different models," he said. "I know they're looking at any number of things.” Not mentioned by Graboff is the possibility that Hulu could offer HD content at a premium, something that’s sorely lacking from the site. Graboff still thinks highly of the site, and says that NBC’s investment was a step in the right direction, but says Hulu may have been hasty to offer content for free. Source: ReutersPosted Thu Oct 22, 2009 at 02:00 PM PDT by: -
SamyGo Hack Adds Functionality to Samsung TVs[teaser]The SamyGo hack for Samsung televisions adds improved networking, better USB playback, and enables the use of non Samsung WiFi dongles. [/teaser] Not that we encourage this sort of thing, but those inclined to try their hand at a little bit of firmware hacking may find the SamyGo project pretty appealing. Thanks to the use of the Linux kernel in Samsung televisions, the firmware is familiar enough to many developers that they’ve been able to add a bit of functionality to the televisions. There’s a lot to learn before you can jump into this, though those with programming experience may feel up to the challenge. Those willing to take a shot though will be rewarded with, among other things, the ability to use a non-Samsung WiFi dongle. The hope, according to one of the people heading the project, is to one day get Firefox running on Samsung sets. While none of this is official of course, many companies keep a close eye on these developments. If hackers are able to get Firefox running on a Samsung TV, or improve video quality, there’s no reason that we shouldn’t expect to see Samsung tackling a similar task in a future firmware update. Source: Hack A DayPosted Thu Oct 22, 2009 at 08:00 AM PDT by: -
Best Buy and Netflix Announce Insignia Partnership[teaser]In the increasingly competitive HDTV market, functionality seems to be key in nabbing sales. To that end, Best Buy will be integrating Netflix functionality into their Insignia Blu-ray players. [/teaser] The ever popular Netflix streaming program seems to be a feather in the cap of any piece of electronics that allows consumers access, and manufacturers are taking note. The Insignia Advanced Series and Insignia Connected Blu-ray players from Best Buy will both feature Netflix functionality. The soon to be released WiFi ready Advanced (model NS-WBRDVD) has an MSRP of $249, but is selling at $199 on Best Buy’s site at press time. Currently available, the Insignia Connected player (model: NS-BRDVD3) runs $179 and streams via an Ethernet connection. While the Insignia Advanced BD player will run Netflix out of the box, the Insignia Connected player will require a firmware update. Interestingly, as Best Buy has a stake not only in the sale of their Blu-ray players, but in the sale of Blu-ray discs, this may be an indicator of a change in the marketplace. More likely though, Best Buy simply wants to make sure that Insignia Blu-ray players leave the shelves quickly this holiday season. Source: Press ReleasePosted Wed Oct 21, 2009 at 03:00 PM PDT by: -
Sony May Be Looking To Hit Entry Level Pricing[teaser]Looking for a way to strengthen their share of the market, Sony appears likely to release lower priced HDTVs[/teaser] While there's a constant struggle to dominate in field of high end HDTVs, the economically priced entry level television market seems to be dominated by the likes of Vizio. Sony sees an opportunity there, and is set to launch a new B series of televisions. According to Taiwan’s DigiTimes, Sony’s B series will launch with prices lower than their current entry level TVs in both 32” and 40” sizes. Sources say that “the price of a 32-inch B series Sony LCD TV is estimated at about NT $15,000 (US $462.96) or even lower.” The other advantage of producing a less expensive line of televisions is that Sony would have a little more flexibility as far as production goes, something that would help the manufacturer hit the numbers it forecast earlier this year. Currently, it looks like Sony will only be able to ship 14 million sets in the 2009 fiscal year, despite a projected 17 million. The B series is expected to launch in early 2010, and a more official announcement is expected soon. Source: DigiTimesPosted Wed Oct 21, 2009 at 01:00 PM PDT by: -
Patriot Offers Low Cost Streaming Media Player[teaser]Supporting a wide variety of file formats, Patriot’s Box Office Media Player offers an inexpensive 1080p streaming solution. [/teaser] If you’re looking to do a bit of streaming on the cheap, Patriot’s got your back. With a 1080p output and support for Dolby and DTS surround sound; the Box Office Media Player has its bases covered. While it doesn’t come with a hard drive, the storage is expandable thanks to a 2.5” SATA slot. Patriot’s new media player features support for basic music and photo formats, and a fairly large variety of video formats including AVI, WMV, MPEG-4, and MKV. It can take media either directly from an attached USB storage device or – using the built in Ethernet port or an optional wi-fi adapter – via your home network. The Patriot Box Office Media Player is yet to be released, but is available for preorder on Amazon at $129. A mail-in rebate of $30 knocks that down to $99 for those that remember to send it in, convenient since the wireless adapter for the device seems to run about $30 itself. Source: AmazonPosted Tue Oct 20, 2009 at 02:00 PM PDT by: -
Redbox Tests Disc Sales Through Kiosks[teaser]In a move that’s a bit less appealing than their ever popular $1 rental kiosks, Redbox has announced DVD sales kiosks. [/teaser] Clad in black rather than the iconic red, the new “Vidigo” kiosks will test consumer desire to make full DVD and Blu-ray purchases through kiosks. While no definitive information exists on Blu-ray pricing, DVDs will run between $19.95 and $20.95. Current Vidigo kiosks are essentially Redbox kiosks colored black, but the new kiosks will be designed with space in mind, and will be smaller and slimmer. The new space saving design was created with the hope that Vidigo kiosks will be featured in convenience stores rather than large retail locations. These ‘sell through’ kiosks would be in direct competition with stores that already sell DVDs, but certainly appeal to studios like Fox and Warner who have less than favorable opinions of the Redbox rental kiosks. Source: Video BusinessPosted Tue Oct 20, 2009 at 10:00 AM PDT by: -
Sony Boasts 360 Degree Glasses-Free 3D[teaser]The inconvenience of 3D technology makes it questionable for home adaptation, but Sony’s new glasses-free 3D tech looks good for consumers and advertisers alike. [/teaser] Still in the prototype phase of course, Sony will be showing the new 3D technology at a conference later this week that they hope will revolutionize the way things are done. With a look reminiscent of a space heater, and sitting only a foot high, Sony’s 360 degree 3D display is certainly unique. It’s not quite high definition, but the 96 x 128 pixel display uses LED lights to show a 3D image all the way around the cylindrical base. Sony states that this will be able to be used for digital signage, as well as for home use, such as in photo frames and of course, televisions. A Sony spokesman reminds us that this is still in the prototype phase and that they still need “to continue with further research and development. [We] will consider a variety of applications [for] development.” The prototype will be shown October 22nd through the 25th at the Digital Content Expo in Tokyo. Source: AV Watch (via Google Translate)Posted Tue Oct 20, 2009 at 07:00 AM PDT by: -
Budget Brand Manufacturer Funai Adds CinemaNow[teaser]Funai, makers of a wide variety of budget line home theater products, are adding CinemaNow to their new products. [/teaser] The name Funai might not be entirely familiar to most, though the brands they produce products for certainly are. Those lower end brands Wal-mart carries like Emerson and Sylvania? That’s Funai. Looking at a new Philips or Magnavox? You’re looking at Funai. Best Buy’s Insignia brand? You guessed it: Funai. In order to up their competitiveness this holiday season and address “the emerging market demand for direct access to Internet movie downloads from connected devices,” Funai will be adding access to Sonic’s CinemaNow movie service. Mark Ely, VP of strategy for Sonic is understandably optimistic about the agreement. “It certainly does bring us a much broader reach into the marketplace,” he quips. While CinemaNow is already available through some LG Blu-ray players, the inclusion of the service into these widely carried brands could translate into big numbers for CinemaNow. Source: Video BusinessPosted Mon Oct 19, 2009 at 02:00 PM PDT by:
