After slipping past their original spring release date, Panasonic's PZ850 series of plasmas are no longer the only ones with YouTube support, but those desiring internet features, high contrast ratios and easy-access calibration settings can expect them on shelves this summer. The 46-, 50- and 58-inch versions should all be available in mid-June, with the 65-incher rolling out in August. Other than the IP features (Picasa access is also part of the package) the THX-certified PZ850s support h.264 playback from the SD card slot, RS-232C, 24p native playback, and a variety of display modes and settings to get the picture just the way the director intended, the way you like it, or anywhere in between. Check after the break for a list of prices, and our video hands on from CES 2008.

Not content with just giving you those IC-T drivers, Klipsch has busted out a new duo in its in-ceiling lineup, both of which proudly boast THX Ultra2 certification. Aimed at high-end users looking for high-end surrounds, the KL-7502-THX and KS-7502-THX models both feature dual 5.25-inch Cerametallic woofers that operate in an enclosed tuned-port chamber and at least a single 1-inch titanium tweeter. Better hope your bank account is pretty padded before ordering yourself a set, however, as these buggers are priced at a cool $1,000 apiece.

It's apparently not too late for THX to squeeze its high definition test material onto a Blu-ray disc, as it's informed CNET of plans to do just that. Look forward to an "expanded version" of the THX Optimizer that ships with certain movies, but built for a less technical audience than a disc like Digital Video Essentials. Of course, the box probably won't include a sticker to proclaim your generic LCD THX-Certified, but you'll always know it is in your heart (or maybe you won't, since the company declined to say exactly what the "secret sauce" of factors is that garners a display the special label).

Atlantic Technology, which was busy showing off an array of in-wall speakers at CES, is now replacing its IWTS-20 LCR with an all new flagship: the IWTS-30 LCR THX Ultra2 Certified in-wall loudspeaker. Designed for use as the left, right and center channel, this unit is declared by its CEO as the "best sounding in-wall [it] has ever made, and it makes no apologies for being an in-wall." Mr. Peter Tribeman continues on to say that he knows of "no other architectural solutions that deliver this kind of performance and flexibility at anywhere near this price point." Regardless of hype, the unit itself uses the company's exclusive Low Resonance Tweeter (LRT) along with a single 8-inch GLH (Graphite Loaded Homopolymer) woofer and two 3.5-inch GLH midrange drivers. Of course, you wouldn't expect such an exalted speaker to come without a princely price tag, so we suppose we're not too shocked by the $1,250 (each) sticker.

With HD DVD in its rearview mirror, it seems the only topic of conversation is whether or not Blu-ray will ever overtake DVD as the dominant media format. Count THX's Chief Scientist Laurie Fincham among the skeptics, he derides it for being "yet another spinning format", which is only holding us back from the glorious future of HD movies stored on flash cards. By his reckoning, when Blu-ray hits the mass market, 128GB cards will have obviated the need for 50GB discs, and provide the convenience of carrying several movies around in your pocket combined with the ease of digital distribution. Check the read link for more tidbits from the interview with Home Cinema Choice Magazine and see how all that sounds to you.

[Via Movie Web]

Panasonic is getting its new HDTVs out in Japan ahead of the expected 2008 Olympics buying spree, with 12 new models unveiled today. One of the few times Japan gets the short end of the tech stick, its incredible 150-inch plasma, and Google-enabled (for Youtube, Picasa access) PZ850 line from CES were nowhere to be found, with the top of the line represented by the 42-, 46-, 50-inch PZ800 series (sporting 1080p, x.v.Color, THX display certification, a new less-reflective glass and 30,000:1 contrast ratio) thats due April 20 for ¥370,000 - ¥500,000 ($3,584 - $4,844). The lower end PZ85/PZ80 (the PZ85's are slimmer, the PZ80 comes in black or silver finish, but they're otherwise the same) screens slide in with 42- to 50-inch models hitting shelves April 10th for ¥300,000 to ¥430,000 ($2,906 - $4,166). Finally the 32- and 37-inch 1080p LCDs (LZ85/LZ80) round things out with 10,000:1 contrast ratios, 120Hz motion processing and an expected arrival of April 20.

[Via Impress]

For a fair majority of you out there, this could easily be the first time you've ever heard of Razer's own 2.1-channel enthusiast speaker system. But if you've been in the market for a swank new setup to pair with your computer or gaming rig, here's to hoping it won't be the last. To bring you up to speed, this uniquely designed, THX-certified set was originally trumpeted at CES 2007, but curiously, it soon fell off the map just as quickly as it had arrived. Fast-forward a dozen months, and sure enough, it made yet another entry at the very same trade show -- this time at THX's own booth. Needless to say, these three speakers have taken their sweet time in coming to market, but were they worth the wait? Click on to find out.

It seems like just yesterday that we were stoked to hear that Sky would be broadcasting Super Bowl XLI in HD across the pond, but a release this year put forth by THX is proclaiming that out of the 223 countries in which Super Bowl XLII will be shown, 28 of them will have the luxury of seeing it in high-definition. Additionally, Neural Audio Corporation, THX and the NFL have teamed up to deliver the international HD broadcast of the big game in Neural-THX Surround. For those still unfamiliar with the technology, it takes the 5.1 sound from the field, beams it over stereo channels to minimize bandwidth usage and then gets decoded by specially equipped receivers to deliver "5.1 surround" in the living room. Still, the trio of entities are pretty jazzed about the whole idea -- you know, considering it's the first time ever that international viewers get even a shadow of true surround sound for the Super Bowl.

At Pioneer, there's Elite and there's "flagship" Elite. The SC-09TX is Pioneer's first flagship receiver in almost three years, and they've pulled out all the stops. You know the laundry list of goodies is drool-worthy: 1080p upscaling, HDMI 1.3, MCACC auto calibration, DTS-HD and Dolby TrueHD, for example. THX Loudness Plus is also onboard, so you can hear all the details in the soundtrack without having to crank it up to THX reference levels. Not that you couldn't get to those volume levels, though -- all seven channels can be driven continuously at 200 Watts via a custom ICEPower (an offshoot of Bang & Olufson) Class-D amplifier. To make sure the signal being fed to the amp section is up to snuff, Pioneer has put their Sampling Rate Converter inside -- think of it as a 192kHz audio scaler. If you want one of these receivers like we do, you've got a few months to save up -- the SC-09TX drops this winter at $7000.

Most folks rely on their receiver to do all the juggling required to funnel their video inputs out to a display. But if your receiver has run out of connections, doesn't support all the latest formats you need, or just mangles the video signal, Anchor Bay wants to show you their DVDO iScan VP50Pro. It's the first scaler in the world to get THX certification and be HDMI 1.3 compliant. It's also the first DVDO product to have all of their VRS (Video Reference Series) technologies in one tidy box. VRS is an umbrella over a slew stuff that goes into making a high quality, up to 1080p image out of whatever video signal is fed into the unit. You know; things like deinterlacing, scaling, framerate conversion, chroma upsampling, lip sync, detail and edge enhancement, and noise reduction. Inputs include two composite, two S-Video, three component, and four HDMI. Turn that sow's ear into a silk purse for $3149.

[Thanks, Mark]

Normally home theater receivers aren't considered anything special, content to switch inputs and power speakers, letting the plasma flat-panel take all the glory. But Yamaha has thrown all the goodies and features into the RX-Z11 receiver, with THX Ultra2 Plus certification for quality assurance, five HDMI 1.3a inputs and two outputs, four component inputs and two outs, and support for five audio and two video zones. It also supports the newest audio codecs, including Dolby TrueHD, and DTS Master Audio. To finish off the features, the receiver also supports terrestrial HD and XM satellite radio, network capabilities and internet radio, and includes an iPod dock for external media. The RX-Z11 comes out in November, for an undisclosed (but surely expensive) price.

Little known fact: THX was founded by Star Wars director George Lucas in 1983 to help theater owners adjust their auditoriums for maximum impact -- and in doing so became an iconic brand for AV technology, even if no one really knew what THX is or does. Well, the company is now using that expertise to take on a new home theater challenge: automatically balancing audio and video levels. While THX-certified receivers, screens, and speakers are nothing new, what THX has under development could help ensure even the least technology-savvy users get the most from their gear. While details are slim at this point, think about how HDMI connectors can send technical details between source units and televisions to set optimal resolutions or audio formats. The project, code-named Blackbird, will supposedly work with the equipment directly on a movie-by-movie basis to adjust levels and tweak all those many options and levels you set and forget. Now, if we can just get this tech to do something about people connecting their high-def sets up correctly in the first place.

Even though Runco announced their development plans first, Sharp appears to be the first to market with a THX certified television. In fact, they've got two: a 65-inch and 52-inch LCD for Sharp's new AQUOS T-series. That THX logo is meant to ensure the best match of brightness and contrast with video processing for a home theater level of video reproduction. Interestingly though, the rated 350cd/m2 brightness and 2,500:1 contrast is step down from the AQUOS R-series' 450cd/m2 and 3,000:1. Sharp's explanation? They expect these panels to be used exclusively in the darkest of home theaters. Er, ok. As to the rest, you'll get a 1,920 x 1,080 120Hz ASV panel with 3x 1080p HDMI (plus 3x Japanese D5), 1x DVI, 2x Firewire, IrSS, and Ethernet. Both will be ready in Japan come September when you'll need ¥1,417,500 (about $11,599) for the LV-65TH1 or ¥840,000 (about $6,873) for the LV-52TH1. While we have a sneaking suspicion they'll be worth it, we'll be waiting for the reviews before dropping that kind of dough.

[Via Impress]

Onkyo has the loot for you if you want to hear Oprah and Howard back-to-back, with announcements of five receivers featuring both XM and Sirius satellite radio compatibility. The TX-SR575, TX-SR705, TX-SR805, and TX-SR875 models all support both formats for your radio jones, while the high-end TX-NR905 model also adds support for HD Radio digital broadcasts and an Ethernet jack for Internet radio and multimedia streaming. The receivers all have the usual collection of video ins and outs, and sport 1.3a HDMI connectors with Deep Color capability for switching between sources up to 1080p resolution. No pricing or dates were announced for the TX-SR575, but the TX-SR805 will ship in May for $1099, the TX-SR875 in June for $1699, the TX-SR705 in July for $899, and the TX-NR905 in August for $2099.

Read - Onkyo THX Certified Receivers
Read - Onkyo TX-SR575