Engadget HD Podcast 104 - 10.01.2008
Looks like the BDA needs to tighten up its messaging on falling Blu-ray player prices, as the new Panasonic players came in under our estimates and Sony put a price cut on its BDP-S350. We look forward to some good deals this holiday season, but according to our poll, almost a third of you need prices to head south of the $200 mark before you'll pull the trigger. We call "cherry picking" on this week's spate of news regarding Blu-ray's demise, and Hollywood seems to think enough of the format to send Academy screeners on Blu. What is more interesting in download/streaming space is Roku's open attitude to getting content onboard. Cannon PC introduced internal CableCard tuners for the HTPC crowd, which might help make them look more HT and less PC. We talk a little about our hands-on time with the long-awaited Slingbox PRO-HD, and then bat around plans for putting Nero's LiquidTV/TiVo PC to the test. But on the TiVo front, the new UI that leaked out this week took top honors -- it struck close to home for TiVo (the videos disappeared quickly) and close to our hearts (we want it now). Finally, we talk about the HD Guru's latest roundup of TVs -- the specs don't lie, Samsung's LN-46A950 delivered 1080 lines of resolution in motion (in one mode); but as always, let your own eyes be the final judge.Get the podcast
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Hosts: Ben Drawbaugh and Steve Kim
Producer: Trent Wolbe
04:33 - Comments from Engadget HD Podcast 0103 - 09.24.2008
10:10 - Panasonic's Profile 2.0 DMP-BD35 Blu-ray player priced at $299
10:36 - Panasonic's Profile 2.0 DMP-BD55 Blu-ray player gets priced: $399
10:48 - Sony gifts BDP-S350 with BD-Live via firmware update
11:33 - Poll: Are $200 Blu-ray players cheap enough for you?
13:36 - Blu-ray's market share has almost doubled since HD DVD's demise
18:01 - Roku reaffirms desire to work with other content providers
20:53 - Cannon PC starts offering internal CableCARD tuners for sale separately
24:25 - Sling Media's Slingbox PRO-HD unboxed and tested
26:03 - Nero LiquidTV / TiVo PC brings TiVo interface to the PC
32:50 - Potential new TiVo user interface shown on video
38:13 - HD Guru evaluates 125 HDTVs in the resolution loss test
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
GobiWan @ Oct 1st 2008 2:55PM
I agree, Blu-ray player prices do seem to be falling despite what the BDA has been saying. I picked up the Sony BDP-S350 for $299, and received a copy of casino Royal bundled with the player...seems like a good deal to me.
RockinOscar @ Oct 1st 2008 6:22PM
that is a very good mucking deal.
David S @ Oct 1st 2008 8:18PM
Kevin in a email asked about IPTV with the 360. Doesn't BT in the UK use the 360 as an IPTV device? I think their IPTV service is called BT Vision. I can't tell if they actually use it though across the pond.
What I think Larry was asking about was the software DVR smackdown... (VMC vs Sage vs BeyondTV vs TiVO PC vs MythTV vs all comers). Personally rather than reading a post, I'd like to hear a special podcast about it. Or just in general, adding a monthly podcast for "special features" that only discuss one big issue would be really nice. If you could add in 1 or 2 extra guests and basically have a roundtable about a special topic, kind of like what former engadget writer Ryan Block did with his Apple in 2008 podcast for gdgt.
aaron @ Oct 2nd 2008 12:40PM
my price to entry is 99 just like it was for hd-dvd.... because the only thing i would ever do is rent movies from netflix (well i bought a very select few dvd's but my total collection was under 10 movies for the whole dvd lifespan).
also with as easy as it is to get online hd video via my xbox360 and other sources (and hoping eventually netflix) i have no problem waiting until bluray is dirt cheap.
but then again im not an early adopter in general.... the only reason i got the hd-dvd addon for the 360 was it was on sale at a local store a few weeks after it launched for 99 after coupon.
Cory @ Oct 4th 2008 10:23AM
I agree with Ben, move the random questions and comments to the end. That would allow you to elaborate about them as long as you want without taking away from the show's core. I like the feedback at the beginning like Ben said also "out with the old and in with the new".
keep up the good work.
C
Larry S @ Oct 6th 2008 6:07PM
Does anyone have *any* update on the availability of the SDV tuning adapter for CableCards? CableLabs 'approved' these in May - yet little or no word - official or unofficial - on when/how these will be available from the Cablevisions/TWC/Comcasts of the world???