Like anyone else, we can't get enough video formats -- not -- but unlike H.264, DivX, XviD and MPEG-2 the latest rage is Matroska (aka MKV) is not a codec, but a container. It is the format which holds other formats, so you should be wondering, what's so special about it? It is special because it can hold new combinations of codecs and it is open for anyone to use. The most popular new feature is its ability to contain x.264 video, DTS audio, and at the same time subtitles in multiple languages, all in the same file. It is quickly becoming the replacement for AVI, and has the best chance of becoming the mp3 of video, than any other container has before. The problem of course is support. As usual Windows is covered, but thanks to Perian, Macs have support now too. And of course the most universal player in the world, VLC does too. But now it appears it has warranted some commercial support and the next version of DivX will play nice too. This of course doesn't mean that any hardware vendors will join in -- other than the Popcorn Hour that is -- but it's a step in the right direction.

Physics being what they are, speaker enclosures can't shrink the same way the associated electronics can. However, it is possible to put more functionality inside the same sized speaker box. Take, for example, the Avihifi ADM9 speakers. In each studio monitor-sized cabinet is: a 250-Watt amplified 6-inch woofer; a 100-Watt amplified 1-inch tweeter; a single-input, remote control preamp; and a Burr-Brown DAC with a USB input. Power these puppies up and supply a digital signal to the USB port, and you've got yourself a sound system. So it's compact, streamlined and probably sounds great (active speakers can sound a lot bigger than similar passive ones, and at $2,499 per pair, these better) -- but we want more! How about giving us a few more digital inputs and support for surround-sound codecs, Avihifi?

[Via CyberTheater]

Granted, portable OTA tuners are a dime a dozen these days, but an interesting twist has been introduced by Korea's Inkel. The AirwayHD manages to boast a diminutive size while internalizing the process of converting OTA streams into manageable files using the H.264 codec. Reportedly, the device can compress files to one-fourth of their original size without any PC software intervention, and it should make life pretty easy for those hoping to view recorded content on their portable media player. No word on a release date just yet, but it'll only run you about ₩100,000 ($106) when it eventually lands. Check out a few more pics after the break.