Good times this week as we discuss the future fallout of The Pirate Bay and illegal downloads in general. But that isn't the only fun we had as we also continued our Harris Poll talk, which we finally cut short since we are just sick of it. That doesn't mean we didn't continue talking Blu-ray though, as we covered more polls, including our own, and the latest Blu-ray player from Oppo. Finally we were all over the map on topics such as Hulu and the PS3, touchscreen remotes -- and why they suck -- then finally a little Curb your Enthusiasm and the ultimate technology laggards.

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Hosts: Ben Drawbaugh, Steven Kim, Richard Lawler

Producer: Trent Wolbe

Program
00:01:10 - Comments from Engadget HD Podcast 143 - 06.24.2009
00:08:34 - Pirate Bay acquired by Global Gaming Factory, going legit like Napster
00:17:35 - Top ten rationales for illegally downloading HDTV shows
00:24:25 - Harris Poll concerning Blu-ray and HD DVD penetration is way off
00:27:28 - Futuresource still predicting big things for Blu-ray
00:29:32 - Poll: So how do YOU think Blu-ray is doing?
00:38:48 - Oppo BDP-83 pre-orders now open for all (in North America)
00:44:27 - Supreme Court declines to hear remote storage DVR appeal, cloud recording is on the way
00:50:06 - Why aren't MTV HD's music videos in high definition?
00:52:44 - Hulu to PlayStation 3 browsers: "This video is not available on your platform"
00:56:16 - Hands-on with the Apple TV iPhone remote
01:01:30 - Netgear MoCA Coax-Ethernet adapter review
01:07:30 - Curb Your Enthusiasm going HD this season, if you really want to see Larry David in HD
01:11:16 - 2.1 million households let the DTV transition pass them by


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By and large, there's nothing too incredible about LG's latest LCD HDTV. It's 22-inches, can double as a PC monitor, boasts a deceiving 2,000,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio and consumes some 40 percent less power than the average Earth-hating 22-inch LCD. There's also a pair of HDMI sockets, a DVI port and a 1,680 x 1,050 resolution, not to mention an automatic brightness sensor that responds to ambient light. There's no word yet on how pricey the 20 millimeter-thick set will be nor when it'll ship stateside, but hopefully it -- along with its 24-inch Full HD sibling -- will make the trip in short order.

[Via AkihabaraNews]

Summer's here, but haven't you heard that the sun is really, really bad for you? Make like a Morlock and stay inside with sweet HD technology to keep you company. And just to make sure you're up to date with said tech, join us for the live Ustream transmission of the Engadget HD podcast. We didn't give you much heads up last week, but now you've got a few good hours to plan your cubicle disappearance for Tuesday, June 30 at 5:30PM EDT. Embedded Ustream audio/chat after the break, to be followed with a list of topics as soon as we cull the herd.

Hey, look at that -- it's Panasonic's super-hot one-inch thick Z1 wireless HDTV, just cold sitting out for sale in a San Jose Magnolia store. No official availability announcement yet, but we're guessing it's coming soon, right on time for the Z1's planned summer debut. Everyone got their $6,000 ready?

Current CableLabs CEO & prez Richard Green is moving on later this year as Paul Liao from Panasonic takes over the reigns and the first part of Multichannel News' interview with him covers the first time he saw HDTV back in 1980 and the process that eventually gave us the standards we have today.That goes back through the first NFL game recorded in HD, and why high definition took so long to take off -- apparently not everyone wants a 1 million+ lb 40-inch CRT and broadcasters were never happy about spending all the money necessary to upgrade -- from the days of 5x3 with 1125 lines. It's not a crystal ball to the success of Blu-ray, digital downloads, 3D or anything else, but worth a read for some interesting anecdotes on how tough progress is.

We're back with a vengeance this week -- tune in as we plow through a dozen of topics, each more riveting than the previous one. Well... okay, maybe not "riveting," but we did find some highs and lows from entirely unexpected sources this week. And no, despite Harris Interactive's poll that ran through the interwebs this week, we're not putting Blu-ray on deathwatch just yet; so you'll just have to listen in and find the surprising bits for yourself.

Get the podcast
[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes (MP3). p
[RSS - AAC] Enhanced feed, subscribe to this with iTunes.
[RSS - MP3] Add the Engadget HD Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator
[Zune]Subscribe to the Podcast directly in the Zune Marketplace
[MP3] Download the show (MP3).

Hosts: Ben Drawbaugh, Steven Kim, Richard Lawler

Producer: Trent Wolbe

Program
00:00:55 - Comments from Engadget HD Podcast 141 - 06.17.2009
00:04:05 - Blu-ray's Managed Copy explained, a Movie Jukebox is possible
00:18:45 - Poll: How much would you pay to make a copy of a Blu-ray Disc?
00:20:30 - Meijer's brand new $99 (shipped) Blu-ray player brings joy to skinflints everywhere
00:24:30 - Evidently it's still cool to hate on Blu-ray: Harris Poll spin
00:30:35 - Paramount launches Sapphire Series line of premium Blu-ray releases
00:35:25 - Sony Pictures to smarten up Blu-ray with MovieIQ, the "killer app for BD-Live"
00:39:35 - VIZIO Internet App HDTVs launch later this year, for less than you might expect
00:46:05 - Samsung HT-WS1 soundbar review
00:51:20 - Moxi HD DVR Review
00:59:38 - TiVo coming to Time Warner Cable, potentially lots of other providers
01:08:00 - Panasonic unveils 85-inch plasma at InfoComm '09
01:17:07 - Giant Cowboys Stadium LED wall caught playing Xbox 360 during downtime Update: Video!

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Maybe it's just the disco-inspired wallpaper that has our motors all revved up, but whatever the case, we're pretty jazzed about LG's newest 55-inch duo. The 55LH95 and 55LH93 are the company's latest ultrathin LED-backlit sets, both of which slim down to 24.8 millimeters and pack a grand total of 3,360 LEDs -- a number that LG claims is around seven times that used in most edge-lit LED TVs. There's also a 5,000,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio, a 240Hz refresh rate and -- potentially most intriguing -- a mysterious wireless feature that enables DVD and game consoles to transmit information sans an HDMI cable. There's no mention of what technology is baked in (AMIMON's WHDI, perhaps?), but either way, we're hoping the same stuff remains once these get announced for North America. Estimated pricing on the July-bound (in South Korea) sets is pegged for $5,500 and $5,900, respectively, and LG is apparently planning to issue 42- and 47-inchers with the same amenities here soon.

Update: SiBEAM pinged us to confirm that it's WirelessHD included here.

As much as we'd like to put stock in Satoru Miyashita's forecast, we're still hesitant to believe that we're just two Consumer Electronic Shows away from seeing big-screen OLED TVs for sale. After Sony's polarizing XEL-1 hit the scene around two years ago, we've seen an anemic amount of action in the commercial OLED TV space. Sure, we've heard promise after promise, but we've still got no solid evidence that a large-screen set is anywhere near a Sam's Club shelf. In a recent interview with the general manager of Seiko Epson's Core Technology Development Center, OLED-Info managed to get this out of the exec: "We see 2012 as being the year that 37"+ OLED TVs will be launched by various makers, and 2015 as the year that sales will really take off for this market." He's referring to the year in which OEMs will begin to use its new inkjet-printing approach to making OLED TVs, which will hopefully allow for easier development of larger panels. 'Til then, we suppose we'll just have to be content with using the Zune HD as our primary television.

We'll go ahead and hurt the feelings of those in Asia, North America and the Cook Islands: this here set is bound for the European market only (for now, anyway), but hey, at least we know the technology is here. Over in the UK, one Cello Electronics has issued the first HDTV that records OTA (Freeview) content directly to an SD card, giving users an easy option for shuffling recorded content to portable players. The set itself boasts twin TV tuners, a built-in EPG, split-screen functionality and an integrated DVD player; as for sizes, you'll find it in 22-, 26- and 32-inch flavors. Sadly, you'll be stuck with "just" 1,440 x 900 pixels and no HDMI socket, but those who couldn't care less can take ownership starting next month for TBD, £399.99 ($661) or £469.99 ($777) in order of mention.

Update: Cello pinged us to say that all three models do indeed have HDMI sockets. The larger two have a pair, while the 22-incher has one.

CEDIA's UK show is going on right now across the pond, and while things are rather quiet overall, JVC has definitely garnered a fair bit of attention with its 32-inch LT-32WX50. The 1080p set features 100Hz dejudder technology, a 4,000:1 contrast ratio, 90 percent of Adobe's RGB color space and -- here's the real kicker -- a thickness of just seven millimeters. The whole panel weighs just 11 pounds, meaning that even the weaklings should be able to transport, move and install this one sans any overpriced help from Geek Squad. Around back, there's a pair of HDMI inputs, a PC port, an SD card slot and a USB connector. If all goes well, it should start hitting retailers this fall, but there's no mention of when it'll ship stateside.

Whether you stop by for the audio commentary of the hosts, the text chat among HD enthusiasts, or just the rebellious feeling of doing something fun while you should be working, you're welcome to join the Engadget HD podcast live on Ustream on Tuesday, June 23 at 5:30PM EDT. Come on -- get up to date on HD, make some virtual friends and stick it to the man! A list of this week's topics and embedded Ustream audio/chat after the break.

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The digital transition has come and gone, ushering in a new era of broadcast television. Whether you fear the change or welcome our new digital overlords, one thing is pretty much the same -- the Engadget HD podcast is dishing up the week's HD news live on Ustream. If you're wondering what happened to all your TV channels, you're probably not going to get a lot of sympathy from our live chatroom audience, but trust us -- they're good folk. Come see for yourself on Tuesday, June 16 at 5:30PM EDT. A list of this week's topics and embedded Ustream audio/chat after the break.

Toshiba already showed us what its freshest line of HDTVs looks like, and now its Mitsubishi's turn. The outfit was on hand in NYC to showcase a few of its now-shipping sets, including the 3D-ready Home Theater line and its speaker-infused Unisen crew. We won't bore you with the specs (which can be found here and here, respectively), but we will confess that the 82-inch WD-82737 has us squirming uncontrollably. Have a peek yourself in the gallery below.

Gallery: Mitsubishi's 3D-ready and Unisen HDTV lines in the flesh

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