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1080p60 posts

Motorola's new pro encoder makes 1080p cable broadcasts a breeze

Moto SE-5100 MPEG encoder
Everyone knows the holy grail of video today is 1080p60, but not many realize there is almost no 1080p60 to be found. Almost all Blu-ray Discs are 1080p at 24fps or maybe 1080p at 30 and most broadcast TV is 1080i60, which when properly de-interlaced is equivalent to 1080p30. What most don't know is why not, and the reason probably isn't what you think. Most would say it is the bandwidth, there simply isn't enough of it for 1080i, how could you possible do 1080p? But that isn't really the case and the new Motorola SE-6000 Multi-Encoder proves why (SE-5100 pictured above). This new piece of gear -- that you need to start praying your favorite channel buys -- can actually enable a broadcaster to send out honestest to goodness 1080p using the same number of bits as 1080i60 by using H.264 instead of MPEG-2. So in other words, assuming all the equipment in between this new guy and your TV or set-top can handle it, it is technologically possible for us to get true 1080p60 at home. We can dream, right?

Sony unveils two new 1080p Handycams


Nothing too remarkable about Sony's latest HD camcorders, but the new 64GB HDR-CX520V and 32GB HDR-CX500V are solid updates nonetheless. Identical apart from the built-in storage, both feature an Exmor R CMOS sensor with BIONZ processing that should offer solid low-light performance and decent 12 megapixel stills, Optical SteadyShot with a new active mode and three-way shake cancellation, Face Touch autofocus that allows you to simply point at faces to prioritize focus in order, and, most notably, 60p output, which'll interpolate your footage to 60 progressive frames per second when connected to a compatible HDTV. Not a bad piece of kit, but they'll cost ya: the HDR-CX500V will run $1,100 and the HDR-CX520V will be $1,300 when they arrive in September.

1080p / 60 fps production confirmed for ESPN's new L.A. studio


ESPN made a point of mentioning its new Lexington designed L.A. Live based studios (home of the new West Coast SportsCenter edition) would be the first capable of "full HD" 1080p production, but with no details we could only speculate on what that meant -- check that week's podcast for our take. We got in contact with Colleen Lynch of ESPN and confirmed the new equipment is designed for 1080p at 60 frames per second, with additional production equipment coming in over the next few months. There's no way to get that bandwidth home yet and won't be for at least several years but it's good to know the network is ready for whatever comes next. Check out the full response and a video clip of the studio -- for those who hit the sack before its 1 a.m. EST timeslot -- after the break.

LG's $15k, 71-inch plasma & friends coming to CES

LG is already bringing 1080p content and a hybrid Blu-ray / HD DVD drive to CES, and it just wouldn't make sense not to have brand new displays too, so the company plans to unveil a slew of new plasmas next week. The literally biggest news, however, is that the company's 71-inch 1080p plasma HDTV that started shipping early last year, will drop its MSRP from $70,000 to a mere $14,999.95 (we can assume losing the 24 carat gold paint helped drop prices a little). Since not everyone can take out a wall to fit their new plasma TV, LG is prepping many smaller models for next week's show. Each and every one is capable of "full HD", ready to accept and 24, 30 or 60 frame rate 1080p source you throw at them. The 42- and 52-inch PC5D series represent the "vanilla" HDTVs, including Clear Filter Pro technology to reduce reflection, Extreme Contour Compensation to improve color transitions and LG Simple Link connectivity to control compatible HDMI-CEC devices. The PY3D line comes in 50- and 60-inch sizes, featuring three HDMI inputs and USB Media Host capability to playback music and photos (but not video) from connected devices. The PB4D series builds on those features by adding 160GB HD DVRs integrated into 42-, 50- and 60-inch plasmas with LG's "time machine" time shifting technology, and a newly added ability to record video at 480p from any external source via the component jacks. Last but not least of course is the 71-inch 71PY1M, with the most important feature of being bigger than your neighbor's plasma (unless you live next door to Mark Cuban). Whether you're looking for a simple 1080p plasma, media hub, DVR or just a massive HDTV at a "low" price, it appears LG will have a plasma for everyone at CES 2007.




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