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actvila posts

Latest Hitachi LCDs & plasmas take all the thrill out of the Wooo

by Richard Lawler posted Aug 26th 2009 at 6:44PM


Look here Hitachi, according to our extensive community college experience "Wooo" is always an indicator of a good time to be had by all, new experiences, possible overnight police station stays and most recently, UWB wireless shenanigans, super slim HDTVs or other examples of display imagination. Following that trend from your Japanese arm, these 5 spec bumped models of XP035 series plasmas (42-, 46- and 50-inch, pictured) and XP35 LCDs (42- and 47-inch) don't quite live up to the name, while spec bumps over last year's edition with thorough DLNA and DTCP-IP support and 500GB hard drives with iVDR slots to add even more space might impress some, we've come to expect more. Come 2010, we're looking for super resolution or something else you haven't done before, don't let us down this time. Click through for even more detailed prices and specs, we'll be in the corner checking our CES reservations one more time.

Read - Hitachi, 500GB HDD built-in full HD plasma / LCD TV - High-definition recording eight times / DLNA support "Wooo" 5 models
Read - Hitachi Announces Several PDPs and LCD TVs with Both a 500GB HDD and DLNA Support

Sony's BDZ-A950 / BDZ-A750 Blu-ray recorders do the network thing

by Darren Murph posted Mar 28th 2009 at 8:08PM


By and large, one Blu-ray recorder is just the same as the another. Not so with Sony's latest duo, which both come ready to toast material to blank BD-R media and tap into the wide world of internet video. Both the BDZ-A750 (320GB) and the BDZ-A950 (500GB) are able to stream and download video from Tsutaya TV and acTVila VOD services in Japan, and moreover, they can forward that material to a PSP or other compatible DAP via USB. In case that's not enough, the duo is also DLNA compatible, and the HDMI output ensures crisp, clean 1080p output. So, ready to change your mind on that whole "would you buy a Blu-ray recorder?" question?

[Via Akihabara News]

Gallery: Sony intros BDZ-A950 / BDZ-A750 Blu-ray recorders in Japan

Tsutaya TV download HD to Blu-ray service tested

by Richard Lawler posted Dec 27th 2008 at 10:00AM


In the next step for the download-to-own movement, Tsutaya TV offers Japanese viewers the opportunity to download high definition (1080i) videos from Paramount, Warner, NBC Universal or Disney and burn them to a Blu-ray disc to keep permanently. In a trial run, AV Watch downloaded a full length 8.8Gb movie (No Country for Old Men) in 28 minutes over a fiber connection, compared to 120 minutes via ADSL. The magic of Google Translate reveals video quality that was only slightly outpaced by Blu-ray standards, unfortunately accompanied by only a stereo audio soundtrack. The biggest handicap? Equipment incompatibilities, with a burned disc that wouldn't play in a PlayStation 3, we're not sure if the acTVila-based service is ready for prime time, but at the moment we're at loss for a better option that serves both our need for instant gratification and packrat mentality at the same time.

Tsutaya online video portal to allow HD-to-optical disc burning

by Darren Murph posted Dec 11th 2008 at 12:15PM


For all the digital download pundits who are quick to harp on the "limited viewing window" of downloadable material, chew on this. In a move that can only be described as "miraculous progress," Japan's own Tsutaya has somehow twisted the arms of four US film companies in order to allow HD content to be recorded to Blu-ray Discs or other optical media (up to two times) for later viewing. Initially, the Tsutaya TV on acTVila will have around half of its library (412 titles and growing) available for burning, and while details are somewhat fuzzy, we are told that HDTV video can be exported "without down-conversion" to BD-Rs, DVD-Rs and iVDR-S media. Of course, AACS protection will be applied, but this is infinitely more convenient than that whole Qflix disaster. Better still, we're told that future improvements will include down-converting HD content for use on portable devices (think Digital Copy), and it's anticipated that the downloadable films will be available day-and-date with hard copy releases. The rub? Each film will cost around ¥3,675 ($40), so for now, you're still better off heading to the store. Still -- focus on the progress, people, progress.

Panasonic's biggest plasma HDTVs get a fall makeover

by Richard Lawler posted Aug 26th 2008 at 1:49PM


Panasonic's finally shipping the larger editions of its latest plasmas, from the updated and suddenly more famous 103-inch model to the 65- and 58-inch PZ800 series that have been leaking into U.S. stores recently. Japan also gets the top of the line PZR900 series that takes the YouTube access available in the latest PZ850 series and throws in a 1 TB DVR to go along with the 30,000:1 contrast ratio and acTVila HD video on-demand support, packed into 42-, 50-, and 58-inch panels. Of course, for those with 5.1 million yen ($48,314 U.S.) laying around and a large amount of wall space, the king sized TH-103PZ800 is nearly entry-level priced compared to its $70,000 predecessor, so why not treat yourself? You deserve it.

Read - TH-103PZ800
Read - TH-65PZ800, TH-58PZ800
Read - TH-50PZR900, TH-46PZR900, TH-42PZR900

Japan's top rental chain launches Tsutaya TV HD download-on-demand video service

by Richard Lawler posted Jun 6th 2008 at 9:02PM


Thanks to the fiber optic connections that connect nearly 12 million of Japan's 48 million households, video rental giant Tsutaya is probably laughing at Netflix's silly set-top box as it launches its Tsutaya TV HD download-on-demand rental service. Based on the acTVila service (a joint venture supported by Sony, Matsushita (Panasonic), Sharp, Toshiba and Hitachi, movies can download directly to connected HDTVs. Transformers, Heroes, Lost and Desperate Housewives will be among the first titles available in a library expected to grow to 2,000 titles by year-end, targeting older customers between their 40s and 50s, as opposed to the company's main in-store customers in their 20s. Full-length flicks run 735 yen (about $7), with a 48-hour rental period. Sure would be nice to have a standard feature set for digital downloads on this side of the Pacific, our jealousy threat level is: high.

Read - Japan's top film rental chain offers high-definition downloads
Read - Tsutaya To Offer 2,000 Video Titles On Demand Via Internet TV

NHK offers old shows on HD VOD

by Richard Lawler posted Apr 8th 2008 at 8:59PM

NHK on Demand is prepping for a December launch in Japan, offering viewer a chance to check out older programming at their leisure. Available via PC, the acTVila service or J:COM On-Demand, there should be about 1,000 programs available at launch, with 1,000 more added every year afterwards, in high definition where applicable. Beyond just old catalog stuff, morning television, nightly news and prime time programming from the past week will be available, for a fee. NHK expects the VOD biz to operate at a loss for the first few years but sees profits far off once things are all set up. Remember the old days when you just had to watch what was on TV right then?




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