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ATI Theater 750 HD chip can bring OTA HD to PCs around the world

by Richard Lawler, posted Jun 4th 2009 at 6:52AM


No matter what country one finds themselves in, a PC equipped with a TV tuner powered by one of ATI's new Theater HD 750 chips should be able to tune into any over the air TV broadcasts available. These give a step up over the hardware in the company's old TV Wonder 650 line by adding PAL, SECAM and DVB-T support to NTSC, ATSC and ClearQAM access. Of course Media Center PC owners can set up all manner of DVR features, and for that all-ATI feel combines with ATI Stream software and videocards to transcode video into a variety of formats. Expect the new tuners to come out in PCI Express, USB stick and other flavors later this year, if you can't wait, try a glimpse of the preview trailer embedded after the break.

Continue reading ATI Theater 750 HD chip can bring OTA HD to PCs around the world

International HD news roundup

by Richard Lawler, posted May 17th 2009 at 4:43AM


Here at Engadget HD, we'd prefer not to just focus on high-def happenings in the US of A. Thus, we round up the best of the best from the international front each week and present it here, bundled together in a single, easy to digest list. If something went down in your corner of the globe over the past seven days, let the rest of the world know it in comments. 'Til next week, Sanga'ay hanto!

Read - AETN signs carriage agreement with Taiwan Broadband Communications
Read - AAAN enters Taiwan
Read - Multichoice HD PVR update positively received (South Africa)
Read - Central European Expansion for HISTORY & HISTORY HD
Read - History HD confirmed for Skylink
Read - Microsoft Mediaroom Comes to Russia
Read - High Definition a key driver for UK Projector market
Read - ITV, C4 worry over Freeview HD funding
Read - El Salvador adopts ATSC digital TV standard

HD 101: What is ATSC, PSIP, QAM, and 8-VSB?

by Ben Drawbaugh, posted May 8th 2009 at 11:54AM Featured Story

HD master control
Once you buy an HDTV it doesn't take long before you get confused by all the acronyms. We love us some HD, but the days of simply bringing a new set home and plugging into a coax cable are long over -- at least for most. It is pretty obvious by the latest surveys that most people don't understand exactly what it takes to enjoy HD on their HDTV, but even if you do, you may not understand what most of it means. Now while this isn't the typical make sure you have your HDTV configured to watch HD post, it will help you understand the different ways HD is delivered.

Continue reading HD 101: What is ATSC, PSIP, QAM, and 8-VSB?

Microsoft restores guide data for ATSC channels in Media Center

by Ben Drawbaugh, posted Mar 19th 2009 at 4:41PM

We'll say one thing for our friends in Redmond, they might not always be on the ball but they do recovery quickly. Not even 48 hours after we reported the problem of missing guide data for ATSC channels that no longer have an NTSC counterparts, Microsoft came up with a interim fix that should restore guide data to all those pre-TV Pack Windows Media Center users. As we suspected, the issue had something to do with the old analog channel requirement and the root source of the guide data -- you didn't think Microsoft hand coded all that information did you? Evidently one of the sources of data used for both NTSC and ASTC channels dried up, post analog shutoff, and it caught the eHome team off guard. The good news is that all should be restored when your HTPC requests new data and if your like us -- you know the impatient type -- then a quick visit to "Tasks --> Settings --> TV --> Guide --> Get Latest Guide Listings" should do the trick. The full response from Redmond after the break.

Continue reading Microsoft restores guide data for ATSC channels in Media Center

SiS breaks out, develops ATSC HDTV SoC chipset

by Darren Murph, posted Feb 19th 2009 at 5:55PM

Silicon Integrated Systems is best known for its southbridge solutions, at least one of which is likely within the PC you're currently using. For whatever reason, the company has decided to try its hand in the HDTV market by announcing its very own ATSC HDTV SoC chipset. The SiS328 chipset is designed to be implanted in LCD TVs in order to bring ATSC tuning capabilities to an otherwise vanilla monitor. The chip features the company's Digital Nature Video Engine (DNVE) technology, a dual-input HDMI 1.3 receiver, 3D comb filter, two USB 2.0 ports, five analog audio stereo inputs and everything else necessary to deliver ATSC tuning to an LCD TV. There's no indication of which TV makers (if any) are taking SiS up on its new offering, but the chip will be available for shipment starting in early Q2.

[Via Beyond3D]

AVerMedia comes clean with new line of TV tuners

by Darren Murph, posted Jan 15th 2009 at 7:18PM

AVerMedia's starting off the year on a good foot, and it's introducing a number of new TV tuners for a variety of applications. Kicking things off is the AVerTV Hybrid PocketExpress ($89.99), which brings ATSC / NTSC / Clear QAM / FM Radio tuning to one's 34mm or 54mm ExpressCard slot. Next up is the AVerTV Bravo ($49.99), which slides into your PCI Express x1 slot in order to handle digital TV tuning and all the PVR functions (record, pause, rewind, etc.) you'd expect. The AVerTVHD Volar Max ($69.99) holds it down on the USB 2.0 front, while the AVerTVHD Duet can tune two digital signals at once for $79.99. Have a look at the read link for all the intimate details on each.

Samsung's Series 6 / 8 plasma HDTVs are well connected

by Darren Murph, posted Jan 7th 2009 at 5:30PM


We knew CES would deliver internet-lovin' HDTVs, but we had no idea Samsung would be bringing along so many. In case LCDs aren't really your bag, the company has also managed to bring along the Series 6 and Series 8 plasma sets. Both lines are hailed as the "greenest plasmas yet" thanks to their Energy Star 3.0 ratings, and they're also among the first TVs to be wireless DLNA-compliant. Both lines are obviously compatible with the Yahoo!-powered Internet@TV functionality, and the Series 8 checks in at just over an inch thick with an inbuilt ATSC tuner. Comically enough, Sammy doesn't even bother mentioning what sizes these things will arrive in (and definitely no price / release date), but it sure does stop to gloat about all this newfangled technology.

Gallery: Samsung's Series 6 / 8 plasma HDTVs are well connected

1080i / 720p broadcast HD debate revisited

by Richard Lawler, posted Jan 6th 2009 at 8:33AM


Looking back at the 1080i vs. 720p debate, Electronic House breaks down the broadcast formats we're left with for our televised HD. With the major players locked down and millions of dollars of equipment already in place it's basically a check of where the dust has settled (ABC & Fox on 720p, most others on 1080i.) These days our worries usually tend more towards overcompression and other maladies potentially affecting the signal than its native resolution -- at least until 1080p & 3D hit the stage.

ATTC, ATSC, other HD makers blessed with Emmy awards

by Darren Murph, posted Dec 29th 2008 at 6:11AM


We already caught Panasonic gloating about its H.264 / MPEG-4 AVC-related Emmy earlier this year, but now the full list of award winners are getting their moment in the spotlight. TV Technology is reporting that a number of entities, outfits and agencies responsible for fostering growth in the high-def arena are set to accept Emmy awards on the eve of CES 2009. Some of the big winners are the Advisory Committee on Advanced Television Service, Advanced Television Systems Committee, the Advanced Television Test Center and the Advanced Television Evaluation Laboratory, all of which helped in "devising the standardization of the ATSC Digital System." Also of note, the Metropolitan Opera was gifted with an award for its achievement in HD "cinema-casting," and awards are headed to Toshiba, Sony, Panasonic, Hitachi, Philips, Molex, Japan Aviation Electronics and Intel (among others) for their work on HDMI. Glasses up to the victors!

ATSC gives initial thumbs-up to MPH mobile TV standard

by Darren Murph, posted Nov 27th 2008 at 6:59AM


Merely weeks after a handful of TV broadcasters voiced their approval of the MPH mobile TV standard, the almighty ATSC has elevated its specification for Mobile Digital Television to Candidate Standard status. Or it will early next week, based on the futuristic December 1st date on the press release. Anywho, the thumbs-up brings the standard one huge step closer to actual implementation in the United States, though a final standard isn't apt to be agreed upon until late next year. Not that the delay is really a problem -- after all, a grand total of 19 people in this great nation even care about TV on the go, right?

[Via mocoNews]

Zoran intros highly integrated SupraHD 775 / 785 HDTV processors

by Darren Murph, posted Nov 19th 2008 at 2:12AM

In order for the thin to keep getting more anorexic looking, we need those internals to slim down, too. Thankfully, Zoran is looking out for those who know that no HDTV is ever thin enough by introducing two new HDTV processors. Designed for ATSC-tuning digital TVs, the highly integrated SupraHD 775 and 785 "eliminate multiple components from the DTV system design by integrating the TV microcontroller, 8VSB demodulator, audio codec, audio multiplexer, analog video multiplexer and a host of other functions including advanced audio processing and color management capabilities into the single-chip solution." Good show, Zoran -- we suspect you'll be a big help in making 0.1-inch HDTVs a reality.

ViewSonic's 22-inch N2201w LCD TV packs inbuilt DVD player, TV tuner

by Darren Murph, posted Sep 24th 2008 at 8:27AM


We still haven't been able to shake the ViewSonic dragon from our memory, but we're attempting to move on with our lives by directing our attention (however briefly) to the N2201w. This so-called "3-in-1" LCD TV packs a 22-inch 1,680 x 1,050 resolution panel, a 5-millisecond response time, 1,000:1 contrast ratio and a built-in NTSC / ATSC / QAM TV tuner. You'll also find an integrated DVD player and an HDMI port, and just to prove it really is multifaceted, there's a PC input to boot. No telling if the picture quality is anything to write home about, but the $429 price tag sure is palatable.

[Via CEPro]

ATSC 2.0 includes support for H.264

by Ben Drawbaugh, posted Sep 22nd 2008 at 6:52PM

ATSC 2th LogoWhoa, we didn't see this one coming, but in an announcement today, the international Advanced Television Systems Committee approved and published an update (A/72) to the spec we all use for over-the-air HD that includes the hottest new codec around, H.264. The problem is that the odds of the US adopting the new standard with ATSC 1.0 so wide spread, is slim to none. It makes sense if you think about it, we aren't even done using NTSC yet, so the last thing every broadcaster in America wants to do now, is to go and replace all those modulators again. And it goes without saying that all the consumers aren't rushing out to replace all the tuners in our brand new HDTVs. So while it may be some time before the we adopt a new standard in the US, the rest of the world that chooses the new standard when they switch digital can at least enjoy more HD, with less bandwidth.

Epoq Multimedia unveils EPT-LC7AT / EDP-AT02 "portable HDTVs"

by Darren Murph, posted Sep 15th 2008 at 11:14AM


Epoq Multimedia doesn't have the greatest track record when it comes to delivering quality wares, so we'd be wary about believing the claims bestowed upon its latest two. Reportedly, the EPT-LC7AT ($279) is a "portable HDTV," though last we checked, a 480 x 230 resolution display wasn't eligible for HD status. Still, the integrated ATSC tuner and rechargeable Li-ion are nice touches, but we have all ideas the 7-inch screen won't be worth writing home about. Moving on, we've got the EDP-AT02 ($249), which is billed as a portable LCD TV / digiframe combo that also touts a 7-inch display, ATSC tuner, multicard slot and a multimedia player. For what it's worth, we're also hearing that a 10-inch 800 x 480 EPT-LC10AT could be landing alongside these two before long. Color us overjoyed.

AMD's ATI All-in-Wonder HD gets reviewed

by Darren Murph, posted Aug 19th 2008 at 8:41AM


Loyal All-in-Wonder users from years past have probably been watching the progression of AMD's revised version of the card with extreme interest. After such an absence, however, we understand the need to be cautious before snapping this up for your upcoming HTPC. HotHardware recently received one of these units for testing, and while it was only deemed "entry level" in the gaming department, the multimedia performance was smiled upon. To quote, "the [card] did an excellent job presenting digital video content in a quality manner without creating excessive power consumption in order to do so." As expected, the unit wasn't recommend for everyone (read: non-TV buffs), but those who'd utilize the built-in ClearQAM support probably can't go wrong for $199. Hit the read link for a whole gaggle of test results.




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