Engadget HD http://www.engadgethd.com Engadget HD http://www.engadgethd.com/media/feedlogo.gif Engadget HD http://www.engadgethd.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Best Buy partnering with CinemaNow to stream first-run DVDs to 'all web-connected devices sold']]>http://www.engadgethd.com/2009/11/03/best-buy-partnering-with-cinemanow-to-stream-first-run-dvds-to-a/http://www.engadgethd.com/2009/11/03/best-buy-partnering-with-cinemanow-to-stream-first-run-dvds-to-a/http://www.engadgethd.com/2009/11/03/best-buy-partnering-with-cinemanow-to-stream-first-run-dvds-to-a/#commentsFiled under: ,

Can you live without physical media? Are you ready to buy into owning a license without any physical property to show for your purchase? We hope so 'cause that's the future. Today Best Buy will announce confirmation of its rumored partnership with CinemaNow in a deal that will stream first-run DVDs directly to consumers. Better yet, according to an AP report, the software required to access CinemaNow's video library "will be included on all the Web-connected devices sold in Best Buy's more than 1,000 U.S. stores." If taken literally then wow, just wow... that's a lot of devices. However, since Best Buy sells Apple's iPhone and iPod touch, and there's no way that Apple's going to let a retailer tamper with its devices, we think the AP's wording is a bit ambitious.

The idea here is simple: pay once for a DVD then eventually be able to play it on any device be it a television, Blu-ray player, PC, smartphone or some other connected device. The new Best Buy-branded service will launch "early next year" according to Chris Homeister (yes, that's his real surname), as Best Buy gets "into this business in a big way." Remember, Best Buy already announced a streaming Netflix deal and partnerships with TiVo and Napster that will be launching early next year as well. And we've already seen Sonic Solutions, CinemaNow's owner since last year, bunging its 1080p-capable CinemaNow service into every connected-device imaginable -- even 3D content for 3D Vision-ready displays. The whole concept sounds very much like Disney's Keychest which already sounded very much like the Digital Entertainment Content Ecosystem (or DECE) consortium. Hopefully Best Buy will clear up the details later today when this gets really official. The future is now -- too bad US broadband is so yesterday.

Update: It's official. The agreement will allow customers to "buy or rent" from CinemaNow's library of content on "connected consumer electronics" sold through Best Buy retail stores or BestBuy.com. New titles will "often" (note the qualification) be made available day and date of the DVD release. The service will also leverage digital copies to bridge the physical and digital stream worlds. See the full press release for all the detail.

Show full PR text
Best Buy Co., Inc (NYSE:BBY) and Sonic Solutions (NASDAQ:SNIC) today announced a strategic relationship that will result in a new Best Buy customer offering in its growing line-up of digital entertainment products. The new on-demand movie and entertainment service will be powered by Sonic's Roxio CinemaNow[TM] and will allow consumers to have access to buy or rent a vast library of premium content.

To power this offering, Best Buy has entered into a multi-year agreement in which Best Buy plans to license and deploy Sonic's Roxio CinemaNow[TM] technology and services platform to make on-demand digital content delivery a standard feature on connected consumer electronics devices sold throughout U.S. Best Buy retail stores and BestBuy.com. Under the terms of the agreement, Best Buy acquired warrants enabling it to purchase shares of Sonic Solutions common stock.

Best Buy, one of the largest consumer electronics retailers in the world, has a strong track record of bringing innovative technologies to a broad audience through its consumer-focused marketing, education, and Geek Squad services. To foster the consumer appetite for obtaining on-demand premium content electronically, Best Buy intends to embed the Roxio CinemaNow technology on a wide array of devices - web-connected television sets, portable media players, PCs, Blu-ray Disc players, set-top boxes, and mobile phones - from a variety of manufacturers. Best Buy expects to undertake a marketing program to educate consumers about the increased convenience, flexibility, and choice digital content delivery affords.

With the new Best Buy service, consumers will have access to buy or rent an extensive library of premium content including new movies, TV shows, independent films, and older catalog movies, which they will be able to access on devices in the broad ecosystem. It is anticipated that new titles will often be available on the same day they become available on DVDs in retail outlets. Together with their Studio partners, Best Buy and Sonic plan to also collaborate on new service and content offerings, including those that leverage digital copies to bridge physical disc sales and electronic sell through.

"Best Buy is in a great position to expand the market for on-demand home entertainment," said Thomas Gewecke, president, Warner Bros. Digital Distribution. "The combination of Sonic's platform with Best Buy's expertise in selling consumer electronics, video content and technical services creates an opportunity for a wide variety of exciting new consumer offerings."

"Our relationship with Sonic Solutions allows Best Buy to quickly establish a strong position in the digital delivery of video entertainment," said Brian Dunn, CEO of Best Buy. "It also enables us to make deeper and more meaningful connections with our customers and expand our relationships with content owners and hardware vendors to create compelling new home entertainment solutions."

"With Best Buy's ability to drive in-store promotion and education, consumers will come to quickly understand and appreciate the convenience, flexibility, and control that digitally-delivered video entertainment affords them," said Dave Habiger, president and CEO, Sonic Solutions. "With Best Buy's focus, we expect on-demand entertainment to quickly grow into a mass market activity, with digital sell-through and rental becoming a significant new revenue stream for content owners."

Roxio CinemaNow includes Hollywood-approved digital rights management, encoding and adaptive delivery technologies, and secure device-optimized playback of premium entertainment. Roxio CinemaNow's cloud-based media services power devices which consumers can use to seamlessly enjoy video entertainment anytime and anywhere across the broadest range of devices. The Roxio CinemaNow ecosystem includes PCs, connected TVs, set top DVRs, Blu-ray Disc and mobile media players from leading manufacturers such as Archos, Dell, HP, LG, Microsoft, Nintendo, Pioneer and TiVo and is powering internet movie delivery for Blockbuster.


Read -- AP report
Read -- New York Times

Best Buy partnering with CinemaNow to stream first-run DVDs to 'all web-connected devices sold' originally appeared on Engadget HD on Tue, 03 Nov 2009 04:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>best buyBestBuybreaking newsBreakingNewscinemanowdecedistributionkeychestsonicsonic solutionsSonicSolutionsTue, 03 Nov 2009 04:11:00 EST<![CDATA[Netflix coming next month to PlayStation 3]]>http://www.engadgethd.com/2009/10/26/netflix-coming-to-playstation-3/http://www.engadgethd.com/2009/10/26/netflix-coming-to-playstation-3/http://www.engadgethd.com/2009/10/26/netflix-coming-to-playstation-3/#commentsFiled under: , ,

What a coup. After we've been hearing all along that Xbox 360 had a game console exclusivity to Netflix streaming, Sony just announced it, too, will be joining in on the fun. Timeframe? Sometime next month. Press release after the break.

[Via PlayStation blog]

Continue reading Netflix coming next month to PlayStation 3

Netflix coming next month to PlayStation 3 originally appeared on Engadget HD on Mon, 26 Oct 2009 08:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>breaking newsBreakingNewsnetflixplaystation 3Playstation3ps3sceasonyMon, 26 Oct 2009 08:38:00 EST<![CDATA[Toshiba details CELL REGZA LCD TV, coming December to Japan (update: video!)]]>http://www.engadgethd.com/2009/10/05/toshiba-details-cell-regza-lcd-tv-coming-december-to-japa/http://www.engadgethd.com/2009/10/05/toshiba-details-cell-regza-lcd-tv-coming-december-to-japa/http://www.engadgethd.com/2009/10/05/toshiba-details-cell-regza-lcd-tv-coming-december-to-japa/#comments It's a day before CEATEC officially kicks off, but Toshiba's getting a head start on the news, dishing out all the deets on its Cell-powered CELL REGZ LCD TV, now officially due out in Japan in early December. The 55-inch, 240Hz display boasts a mighty impressive 5,000,000:1 contrast ratio, self-congruency technology for improved picture detail on the edges, a peak luminance of 1250cd/m&sup2;, and LED backlits dividing the screen into 512 distinct areas. A 7-speaker sound bar lies just below the display. Want more? How about eight-window simultaneous multi-display, an Opera-based web browser, DLNA, and a 3TB hard disk drive, 2TB for "time-shift" recording recording up to 26 hours of programs, up to eight channels simultaneously. There's a sizable box on display, too, which seems to be where the Cell hardware is being housed. Curious about price? So are we, but there's nothing being said.

If that's not forward-thinking enough, Toshi's also outlining its future concepts, dubbed CELL REGZA NEXT. Those four include a 3D set, a 4K2K version that upcoverts 1080p to 3840 x 2160 resolution, a 46-inch model integrating its CELL BOX dedicated TV tuner and HDD, and a 37-inch that works as a home network server. It looks like we'll be getting some hands-on time with the 55X1 shortly, but in the meantime, one more pic after the break.

Continue reading Toshiba details CELL REGZA LCD TV, coming December to Japan (update: video!)

Toshiba details CELL REGZA LCD TV, coming December to Japan (update: video!) originally appeared on Engadget HD on Mon, 05 Oct 2009 02:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>5000000:1breaking newsBreakingNewsceatecceatec 2009Ceatec2009cellcell cpucell proessorcell regzacell regza nextCellCpuCellProessorCellRegzaCellRegzaNextdecemberdecember 2009December2009japanregzatime shifttime-shiftTimeShifttoshitoshibaMon, 05 Oct 2009 02:12:00 EST<![CDATA[Intel announces Atom CE4100 for insanely powerful cable boxes and Blu-ray players]]>http://www.engadgethd.com/2009/09/24/intel-announces-atom-ce4100-for-insanely-powerful-cable-boxes-an/http://www.engadgethd.com/2009/09/24/intel-announces-atom-ce4100-for-insanely-powerful-cable-boxes-an/http://www.engadgethd.com/2009/09/24/intel-announces-atom-ce4100-for-insanely-powerful-cable-boxes-an/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Intel's CE3100 media chip has been behind some of the cooler demos they've done here at IDF, and it's just gotten a big brother, the Atom CE4100. As you'd expect, the big change is the replacement of the CE3100's Pentium M core with an Atom core, but this thing is actually kind of a monster -- it can decode two 1080p video streams with various high-end audio codecs, it adds MPEG-4 support and 3D graphics capability, and it can even capture uncompressed 1080p video. Of course, it's up to manufacturers and cable companies to actually put all this power to use, but Intel's promised us some hardware demos from partners -- stay tuned.

Continue reading Intel announces Atom CE4100 for insanely powerful cable boxes and Blu-ray players

Intel announces Atom CE4100 for insanely powerful cable boxes and Blu-ray players originally appeared on Engadget HD on Thu, 24 Sep 2009 12:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blu-raybreaking newsBreakingNewscable boxCableBoxce 4100ce 4100 media processorCe4100Ce4100MediaProcessoridfidf 2009Idf2009Intelmedia processorMediaProcessorstbThu, 24 Sep 2009 12:34:00 EST<![CDATA[Media Center CableCARDs freed from OEM requirement]]>http://www.engadgethd.com/2009/09/09/media-center-cablecards-freed-from-oem-requirement/http://www.engadgethd.com/2009/09/09/media-center-cablecards-freed-from-oem-requirement/http://www.engadgethd.com/2009/09/09/media-center-cablecards-freed-from-oem-requirement/#commentsFiled under: ,


This just in from our team at Microsoft's MCE event at CEDIA -- the OEM requirement on CableCARDs has been officially lifted, freeing Joe Six Packs all over from having to buy whole systems. The photo above pretty much says it all -- enthusiasts (hey, that's us!) can add CableCARD tuners to their PC. Even though a DIY workaround has been around for a while, it's nice not to have to break/bend the rules to get your shows recorded, isn't it?

Media Center CableCARDs freed from OEM requirement originally appeared on Engadget HD on Wed, 09 Sep 2009 19:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>breaking newsBreakingNewscablecardcediacedia 2009Cedia2009mcemedia centerMediaCenterwindowsWed, 09 Sep 2009 19:26:00 EST<![CDATA[Samsung's LED TV Couple packs a 7-inch tablet remote for streaming TV and so much more]]>http://www.engadgethd.com/2009/09/06/samsungs-led-tv-couple-packs-a-7-inch-tablet-remote-for-streami/http://www.engadgethd.com/2009/09/06/samsungs-led-tv-couple-packs-a-7-inch-tablet-remote-for-streami/http://www.engadgethd.com/2009/09/06/samsungs-led-tv-couple-packs-a-7-inch-tablet-remote-for-streami/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Without much fanfare, Samsung has released a TV / tablet combo in Korea that seems to deliver on all the untapped promise in Toshiba's JournE touch tablet. Dubbed the LED TV Couple, Samsung has paired a 55-inch LED baclkit LCD TV with a brand new 7-inch touchscreen tablet, which communicates with and controls a full home theater over 802.11n WiFi. The tablet offers a visual program guide, including video previews of TV shows, along with access to media stored on a PC -- which can in turn be "tossed" up to the full TV -- and even a few widgets. But the real money is in the pair's ability to stream live TV and Blu-ray content from the home theater to the tablet, making that next trip to the kitchen for munchies so much less painful. No word on a US or Europe release, but we hope to see a lot more of this pair in the near future. Peep them in action after the break.

Continue reading Samsung's LED TV Couple packs a 7-inch tablet remote for streaming TV and so much more

Samsung's LED TV Couple packs a 7-inch tablet remote for streaming TV and so much more originally appeared on Engadget HD on Sun, 06 Sep 2009 11:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>breaking newsBreakingNewsengadget videoEngadgetVideofeatureshands-onifaifa 2009Ifa2009led coupleled tv coupleLedCoupleLedTvCoupleremotesamsungsamsung led tv coupleSamsungLedTvCoupletablettouchscreen remoteTouchscreenRemotetv coupleTvCouplevideovideo hands-onVideoHands-onSun, 06 Sep 2009 11:07:00 EST<![CDATA[Toshiba BDX2000 Blu-ray player coming November for $250, gives HD-DVD the final cold shoulder]]>http://www.engadgethd.com/2009/09/03/toshiba-bdx2000-blu-ray-player-coming-november-for-250-gives-h/http://www.engadgethd.com/2009/09/03/toshiba-bdx2000-blu-ray-player-coming-november-for-250-gives-h/http://www.engadgethd.com/2009/09/03/toshiba-bdx2000-blu-ray-player-coming-november-for-250-gives-h/#commentsFiled under: ,

And so it is. Toshiba, the one-time cheerleader for HD-DVD, has now officially gone to the azure side with the BDX2000 Blu-ray player. It supports BD-Live (Profile 2.0) and REGZA-LINK (HDMI-CEC), outputs 1080p at 24 frames per second, and does Dolby True HD / DTS-HD Master Audio... but really, all that needs to be said here is that it's a Toshiba Blu-ray player. Look for this one-time paradox this November for a penny under $250. As for yesteryear, we think this line from the press release says it best: "This product does not play HD DVD discs." It's at once both sad and poetic that this very well may be the last official line ever uttered in the once-promising format's story.

Toshiba BDX2000 Blu-ray player coming November for $250, gives HD-DVD the final cold shoulder originally appeared on Engadget HD on Thu, 03 Sep 2009 11:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Slowly, ever so slowly we're beginning to learn about the internal differences between Sony's new PS3 Slim and its chubby ancestry. We already knew that it supported BraviaLink while talk of "faster gaming" was introduced (suspiciously) yesterday; something that remains very much in doubt until we can confirm. Now we hear that the fatboy gone slim supports Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio bitstream output to your receiver. Hear that audio nerds? Bitstream. See the HDMI chip on previous generations of the PS3 didn't support bitstream output of the new(ish) high def codecs like Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD MA. As such, the PS3 had to decode it internally before sending it over to your receiver via LPCM. A process that could garble the lossless audio depending on your setup. Even though the vast majority of people will never notice the difference (or even care), PS3 Slim owners can still kick back in smug satisfaction each time the TrueHD or DTS-HD MA indicators light-up on their receivers.

PS3 Slim bitstreams Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD MA audio, at last originally appeared on Engadget HD on Fri, 21 Aug 2009 01:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We actually had to brush the fog off of our spectacles to ensure that hazy conditions weren't clouding our comprehension abilities, but sure enough, that Netflix streaming that Xbox LIVE members have grown to love won't ever land on Sony's PlayStation 3 nor on Nintendo's Wii (PlayOn notwithstanding). At the very bottom of Microsoft's long list of details surrounding today's Xbox LIVE update, we're clearly told that the Netflix Watch Instantly integration is now an "exclusive partnership," with Microsoft going so far as to say that the "Xbox 360 will be the only game console to offer this movie-watching experience, available to Xbox LIVE Gold members who are also Netflix unlimited plan subscribers." Of course, we'd heard rumors over the years that Netflix could sashay over to other consoles in due time, but it looks like the suits in Redmond had the foresight to lock things down while they still had a chance. So, are you reconsidering that Xbox 360 purchase, or just looking that much more intently in Roku's direction? Full blurb is after the break.

[Thanks, David]

Continue reading Xbox 360 officially the only console to stream Netflix -- sorry, PS3 and Wii

Xbox 360 officially the only console to stream Netflix -- sorry, PS3 and Wii originally appeared on Engadget HD on Tue, 11 Aug 2009 07:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>breaking newsBreakingNewsbusinessdashboarddashboard updateDashboardUpdateexclusivehd streamingHdStreamingindustryinternet tvInternetTvmicrosoftnetflixnetflix streamingnetflix watch instantlyNetflixStreamingNetflixWatchInstantlypartnerpartnershipstreamingwatch instantlyWatchInstantlyxboxxbox 360Xbox LIVEXbox360XboxLiveTue, 11 Aug 2009 07:27:00 EST<![CDATA[Toshiba applies for BDA admission, Blu-ray players and laptops coming soon]]>http://www.engadgethd.com/2009/08/10/toshiba-applies-for-bda-admission-blu-ray-players-and-laptops-c/http://www.engadgethd.com/2009/08/10/toshiba-applies-for-bda-admission-blu-ray-players-and-laptops-c/http://www.engadgethd.com/2009/08/10/toshiba-applies-for-bda-admission-blu-ray-players-and-laptops-c/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


We'd already heard that Toshiba -- the outfit best known for solidly backing HD DVD during the two-year format war of the early 21st century -- was preparing to swallow its pride and kick out a Blu-ray player by the year's end, but now it's official. The outfit just announced moments ago that it has "applied for membership of the Blu-ray Disc Association (BDA) and plans to introduce products that support the Blu-ray format." Sadly, Tosh doesn't bother to mention exactly what kinds of BD-capable wares it hopes to produce, nor is it ready to disclose product launch time frames. We'd tell you exactly how it wants us to just be patient and all, but you're probably better off hearing it directly from the horse's trap:
"In light of recent growth in digital devices supporting the Blu-ray format, combined with market demand from consumers and retailers alike, Toshiba has decided to join the BDA. Toshiba aims to introduce digital products that support the Blu-ray format, including BD players and notebook PCs integrating BD drives, in the course of this year. Details of the products, including the timing of regional launches, are now under consideration. We will make announcements in due course."

Toshiba applies for BDA admission, Blu-ray players and laptops coming soon originally appeared on Engadget HD on Mon, 10 Aug 2009 03:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Need a little something to get you over the Saturday lull? Gnaw on this. Japan's own Yomiuri is reporting today that Toshiba is expected to finally admit defeat and enter the dark, devious world of Blu-ray later this year. For those keeping tabs, we've heard both confirmations and denials about the outfit finally caving and supporting the format it once battled so valiantly, but this seems to solidify it. If machine translation is to be believed, the company's first DVD / Blu-ray deck is slated for release somewhere in the world by the year's end. The article also mentions that Tosh is strongly considering a Blu-ray recorder for the Japanese market, though no further details on that are available. C'mon Toshiba -- get this bad boy to the States before Christmas. We're anxious for a BD price war.

[Thanks, Rata]

Toshiba launching Blu-ray player by year's end originally appeared on Engadget HD on Sat, 18 Jul 2009 15:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bdbd 18bd-18Bd18blu-rayblu-ray playerBlu-rayPlayerbreaking newsBreakingNewsformat warFormatWarhd dvdHdDvdjapantoshibaSat, 18 Jul 2009 15:50:00 EST<![CDATA[Hulu to PlayStation 3 browsers: "This video is not available on your platform"]]>http://www.engadgethd.com/2009/06/27/ps3-owners-get-boxeed-hulu-this-video-is-not-available-on-yo/http://www.engadgethd.com/2009/06/27/ps3-owners-get-boxeed-hulu-this-video-is-not-available-on-yo/http://www.engadgethd.com/2009/06/27/ps3-owners-get-boxeed-hulu-this-video-is-not-available-on-yo/#commentsFiled under: , ,


The PlayStation 3 has kept access to Hulu even without PlayOn or other workaround while others were blocked -- with the exception of its own remote friendly desktop software -- thanks to its browser's Flash support, but this morning multiple users have reported the above message indicating "Unfortunately, this video is not available on your platform. We apologize for any inconvenience." Some odd glitch related to the recent 2.80 firmware update or other temporary problem, or is this the latest platform to get the Boxee treatment when trying to bring streaming video to TV screens? We've reached out to Hulu for an explanation but so far, haven't heard a response. Interestingly, the Hulu TOS was just updated as of June 26, and although we haven't found any PS3-specific passages, changing a browser's user-string to match the console reveals it is definitely being specifically blocked.

[Thanks Sev, and to Tyler from FormatWarCentral.com for the picture]

Hulu to PlayStation 3 browsers: "This video is not available on your platform" originally appeared on Engadget HD on Sat, 27 Jun 2009 06:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Chalk up another huge win for Samsung in its long-running patent dispute with Sharp: the US International Trade Commission has just issued a ruling banning importation of Sharp LCD panels that infringe one of Samsung's viewing-angle patents. As you might imagine, the ban covers a wide swath of Sharp's consumer products, including the Aquos TV line, but it's not clear on how it'll affect other companies that use Sharp panels -- this ruling could potentially have a huge impact on the entire tech market. On the other hand, we'd bet that Sharp's lawyers are furiously putting together a request to have the ban delayed while an appeal is sorted out, so this is far from over -- in fact, we'd say the real fireworks are just beginning.

Sharp LCD panels banned from US import until further notice originally appeared on Engadget HD on Wed, 24 Jun 2009 16:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Are you one of the more than 4,000 people (86%) that answered our poll saying you thought BD-Live was a waste of time, or didn't see any reason to give it a shot? We talked to Sony Pictures recently and were promised that more useful reasons for hooking the internet to Blu-ray discs & players were on the way, and today at a press event it showed why it thinks that will come true. Check out the gallery for a few pics of its new MovieIQ app, quickly described as a "wiki for movies" that can tie into your discs and provide information from Gracenote on demand on nearly anything in the movie or even specific scene being watched, from actors & directors to background music. The first BD-Live discs with it should be available in September, we'll be back with more details shortly, for now just let the images do the talking.

Update: Official press release is included after the break

Continue reading Sony Pictures to smarten up Blu-ray with MovieIQ, the "killer app for BD-Live"

Sony Pictures to smarten up Blu-ray with MovieIQ, the "killer app for BD-Live" originally appeared on Engadget HD on Thu, 18 Jun 2009 19:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bd-liveblu-raybreaking newsBreakingNewsgracenotemovie iqMovieIqsonysony picturesSonyPictureswikiThu, 18 Jun 2009 19:22:00 EST<![CDATA[LG 15-inch OLED TV on sale in December]]>http://www.engadgethd.com/2009/06/17/lg-15-inch-oled-tv-on-sale-in-december/http://www.engadgethd.com/2009/06/17/lg-15-inch-oled-tv-on-sale-in-december/http://www.engadgethd.com/2009/06/17/lg-15-inch-oled-tv-on-sale-in-december/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


We knew that LG's 15-inch OLED TV was entering into production this summer, now we've got a ship date: December. This according to an interview with Won Kim, LG's VP of OLED sales and marketing. While 15-inches is small, it easily trumps the world's first production OLED TV, Sony's $2,500 11-inch XEL-1, and is a reasonable size for the bedroom (if you must) or kitchen counter. No word on specs but we expect the production set to offer the same million:1 contrast, 1,366 x 768 pixel resolution, and 30,000-hour shelf life as the prototype unveiled in January. The TV will launch first in Korea for an undisclosed price that is bound to be punishingly expensive.

LG 15-inch OLED TV on sale in December originally appeared on Engadget HD on Wed, 17 Jun 2009 06:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>15-inchbreaking newsBreakingNewskorealgoledWed, 17 Jun 2009 06:07:00 EST<![CDATA[NEC CRV43: 43-inches of curve on sale July]]>http://www.engadgethd.com/2009/06/04/nec-crv43-43-inches-of-curve-on-sale-july/http://www.engadgethd.com/2009/06/04/nec-crv43-43-inches-of-curve-on-sale-july/http://www.engadgethd.com/2009/06/04/nec-crv43-43-inches-of-curve-on-sale-july/#commentsFiled under: ,

See that? All 43-inches of this curved NEC monitor with 2880x900 pixel resolution can be yours in July. Ok, it'll cost you $7,999 but it's, well, it's curved! The CRV43, first spotted at CES in January 2008 and again on video in 2009 (where it was expected to cost $6,499), measures in with a 200 nits brightness rating, 10,000:1 contrast, 0.02ms "Rapid Response," covers 99.3% of Adobe RGB color gamut, and packs at least one USB2.0 jack and DVI-D and HDMI 1.3 connectors. Unfortunately, gaming is not listed amongst its targeted uses so you'll be on your own to find a release supporting the CRV43's 32:10 aspect ratio. Unfortunately, there's some junk in that trunk so deftly hidden by the glamor shot above. See what we mean after the break.

Continue reading NEC CRV43: 43-inches of curve on sale July

NEC CRV43: 43-inches of curve on sale July originally appeared on Engadget HD on Thu, 04 Jun 2009 01:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2880x900breaking newsBreakingNewscrv43curvecurvedcurved displayCurvedDisplaynecWGXAThu, 04 Jun 2009 01:53:00 EST<![CDATA[DISH / EchoStar DVR injunction temporarily put on hold by court]]>http://www.engadgethd.com/2009/06/03/dish-echostar-dvr-injunction-temporarily-put-on-hold-by-court/http://www.engadgethd.com/2009/06/03/dish-echostar-dvr-injunction-temporarily-put-on-hold-by-court/http://www.engadgethd.com/2009/06/03/dish-echostar-dvr-injunction-temporarily-put-on-hold-by-court/#commentsFiled under:

It's the case that never ends -- the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit has issued a temporary delay of the injunction and fine handed down yesterday in the EchoStar / TiVo lawsuit while it considers an appeal, meaning that DISH owners with older DVRs won't have to worry about losing their pause-and-rewind functionality at least for now. That pretty much means we're back in stasis with this one, with even more delay to come if the appeal is granted. That's cool, we needed a nap anyway.

DISH / EchoStar DVR injunction temporarily put on hold by court originally appeared on Engadget HD on Wed, 03 Jun 2009 19:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>breaking newsBreakingNewsdishdish networkDishNetworkdvrechostarlawsuitlegalpatenttime shiftingTimeShiftingtivoWed, 03 Jun 2009 19:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Xbox Live gets 1080p Zune video store, Netflix browsing, Twitter and Facebook integration]]>http://www.engadgethd.com/2009/06/01/xbox-live-gets-live-tv-streaming-netflix-browsing/http://www.engadgethd.com/2009/06/01/xbox-live-gets-live-tv-streaming-netflix-browsing/http://www.engadgethd.com/2009/06/01/xbox-live-gets-live-tv-streaming-netflix-browsing/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Microsoft is busy announcing a slew of upgrades to Xbox Live, and the biggest news so far is relaunch of the video service, now Zune-branded with 1080p instant-on streaming content in 18 countries. XBL is also now integrated with Facebook -- your Facebook account can be linked to your Gamertag, and games will support Facebook Connect for sharing content online. That's pretty huge -- but if that wasn't enough, you're also getting Twitter and Last.fm in the deal. Want more? Netflix users will now be able to browse the entire catalog instead of simply loading their queue, and Microsoft has also gotten its Party Watch system in order, so you'll be able to heckle videos with your online friends. Last but not least, there's now live TV streaming for UK and Ireland gamers, who'll get Premier League soccer live from Sky. All in all, a solid set of updates for XBL -- but we'll wait and see how that "1080p" video looks before we pronounce Blu-ray dead. PR blurb after the break.

Continue reading Xbox Live gets 1080p Zune video store, Netflix browsing, Twitter and Facebook integration

Xbox Live gets 1080p Zune video store, Netflix browsing, Twitter and Facebook integration originally appeared on Engadget HD on Mon, 01 Jun 2009 14:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>360breaking newsBreakingNewse3e3 2009E32009facebookfacebook connectFacebookConnectiptvlsat.fmmicrosoftnetflixparty watchPartyWatchskytwitterxblxboxxbox 360Xbox360zunezune marketplaceZuneMarketplaceMon, 01 Jun 2009 14:12:00 EST<![CDATA[Vizio sues Funai for patent infringement, seeks to stop TV imports]]>http://www.engadgethd.com/2009/05/20/vizio-sues-funai-for-patent-infringement-seeks-to-stop-tv-impor/http://www.engadgethd.com/2009/05/20/vizio-sues-funai-for-patent-infringement-seeks-to-stop-tv-impor/http://www.engadgethd.com/2009/05/20/vizio-sues-funai-for-patent-infringement-seeks-to-stop-tv-impor/#commentsFiled under: ,


In the latest episode of this ongoing saga Vizio (now feeling its oats enough to claim the "Number One Shipper of Flat Panel HDTVs in the USA" title) is again suing Funai for patent infringement and seeking an injunction barring Funai from importing and selling its HDTVs. Just in case that wasn't etherous enough, Vizio cofounder Laynie Newsome chimed in with a line to make Funai's soul burn slow, pointing out that unlike some companies, Vizio's patent portfolio has not been rejected by the USPTO. We don't know how realistic it is that shipments of Funai's Sylvania, Philips, Magnavox and other branded products could be stalled by the action -- note Funai's so far ineffective action on Vizio's products -- but hopefully this latest strike brings things closer to a resolution and more cheap televisions for all.

Vizio sues Funai for patent infringement, seeks to stop TV imports originally appeared on Engadget HD on Wed, 20 May 2009 21:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>breaking newsBreakingNewsfunaiinfringementlawsuitpatentusptovizioWed, 20 May 2009 21:34:00 EST<![CDATA[Netflix Watch Instantly comes to Vista Media Center, not Extenders]]>http://www.engadgethd.com/2009/05/20/netflix-watch-instantly-comes-to-vista-media-center-not-extende/http://www.engadgethd.com/2009/05/20/netflix-watch-instantly-comes-to-vista-media-center-not-extende/http://www.engadgethd.com/2009/05/20/netflix-watch-instantly-comes-to-vista-media-center-not-extende/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Good news, Vista Media Center PC users will soon find a new option under the TV+Movies tile, as Netflix Watch Instantly streaming access is added directly to the interface. The soul crushingly bad news? A post on The Green Button informs that this does not apply to Media Center Extenders, so cheapskates hoping to get around the Xbox 360's Gold Xbox Live subscription requirement are still going to need those plugins and workarounds. This should go over much better than the InternetTV beta 2, but we're disappointed Microsoft's vision of TV on Your PC (as pointed out on its accompanying blogs, videos and assorted paraphernalia indicates) doesn't allow users to stretch their PC back to the TV at will. 'til that changes, check the gallery and after the break to see what awaits in Media Center once the update rolls out over the next 48 hours.

Update: We checked with Microsoft, and confirmed that, at least for now, this streaming only includes the same content as the browser experience - so no HD. As far as Windows 7 and / or RC1 support? No word yet.

[Via The Green Button]

Gallery: Netflix on Vista Media Center

Continue reading Netflix Watch Instantly comes to Vista Media Center, not Extenders

Netflix Watch Instantly comes to Vista Media Center, not Extenders originally appeared on Engadget HD on Wed, 20 May 2009 01:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>breaking newsBreakingNewsextenderextendersinstant watchInstantWatchinternet tvInternetTvmedia centermedia center extendermedia center pcMediaCenterMediaCenterExtenderMediaCenterPcnetflixpcstreamingvista media cneterVistaMediaCneterwatch instantlyWatchInstantlywindowsWed, 20 May 2009 01:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Dallas Cowboys record breaking 1080p display caught on video before the stadium opens]]>http://www.engadgethd.com/2009/05/07/dallas-cowboys-record-breaking-1080p-display-caught-on-video-bef/http://www.engadgethd.com/2009/05/07/dallas-cowboys-record-breaking-1080p-display-caught-on-video-bef/http://www.engadgethd.com/2009/05/07/dallas-cowboys-record-breaking-1080p-display-caught-on-video-bef/#commentsFiled under: ,


It took long enough, but we've finally got video (embedded after the break) of the giant 159 x 72-foot 1080p displays facing each sideline of the new home of the Dallas Cowboys, playing back some highlights of a game vs. the Colts. We've seen the specs and the mockups of Mitsubishi's huge DiamondVision screen, but suddenly things look very different when the camera pans down and one realizes exactly how large these displays are. Once we've confirmed the stadium isn't built by the same guys that put together the team's practice bubble, we'll be making plans to head down and catch a game. Eat that, Dolphin Stadium.

[Thanks, Yaggs]

Continue reading Dallas Cowboys record breaking 1080p display caught on video before the stadium opens

Dallas Cowboys record breaking 1080p display caught on video before the stadium opens originally appeared on Engadget HD on Thu, 07 May 2009 21:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>1080pbreaking newsBreakingNewscowboyscowboys stadiumCowboysStadiumdallas cowboysDallasCowboysdiamond visionDiamondVisionfootballjerry jonesJerryJonesjumbotronledmitsubishinflscorebordstadiumThu, 07 May 2009 21:39:00 EST<![CDATA[Sony Pictures movies & TV shows pop up on YouTube]]>http://www.engadgethd.com/2009/04/16/sony-pictures-movies-and-tv-shows-pop-up-on-youtube/http://www.engadgethd.com/2009/04/16/sony-pictures-movies-and-tv-shows-pop-up-on-youtube/http://www.engadgethd.com/2009/04/16/sony-pictures-movies-and-tv-shows-pop-up-on-youtube/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Filling a hole for premium quality content, Sony and YouTube have worked out a deal, with full length movies and TV shows popping up on the Crackle channel today. Right now Cliffhanger has top billing, and we're not seeing anything in HD yet, but hey, it's all free and unlike, for example, Hulu, will play on about a billion different platforms. Don't expect this to be the end either, word is the streaming service has signed up other studios as well but no word on which ones.

Sony Pictures movies & TV shows pop up on YouTube originally appeared on Engadget HD on Thu, 16 Apr 2009 21:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>breaking newsBreakingNewscrackleinternet videoInternetVideosonysony picturesSonyPicturesstreamingyoutubeThu, 16 Apr 2009 21:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Torrent's SureConnect HDMI cables stay put with magnets, blink with madness]]>http://www.engadgethd.com/2009/04/15/torrents-sureconnect-hdmi-cables-stay-put-with-magnets-blink-w/http://www.engadgethd.com/2009/04/15/torrents-sureconnect-hdmi-cables-stay-put-with-magnets-blink-w/http://www.engadgethd.com/2009/04/15/torrents-sureconnect-hdmi-cables-stay-put-with-magnets-blink-w/#commentsFiled under: ,


While we love the transmission capabilities of HDMI, we loath the fact that the HDMI standard doesn't specify a locking mechanism. If you've ever wall mounted a flat screen TV or tried to stuff your receiver into too tight a rack then you're probably familiar with HDMI's weak-azz connector. Now we have what appears to be a first of its kind, magnetic HDMI connector from Torrent, Inc. -- at least its the first to pass ATC compliance testing. Called MagLoc, the magnetic connector with sliding sleeve for optimal fit is said to be 5x stronger than your typical HDMI cable connector. Of course, anyone who's familiar with the magnetic "locks" on some laptop power cords can assure you that the technology is nowhere near as strong as mechanical fasteners. Still, it's a start.

Torrent's higher spec'd SureConnect Advanced and Elite cables also feature the totally over-the-top "VeriFYI" (ugh) indicator lights to confirm the end-to-end connection. VeriFYI blinks to confirm the HDMI cable you just inserted is in fact inserted -- something you should be able to confirm with the same pair of eyes looking at the jack. Insert the other side of the cable and VeriFYI will glow steady for one minute after testing the end-to-end connection. It then repeats this semi-useful (assuming your cables are easily visible) test each time you power up your system. While MagLoc sounds promising, it appears that the cables have yet to reach retail channels. We'll let you know as soon as that changes.

[Via The Inquirer and HDMI.org]

Torrent's SureConnect HDMI cables stay put with magnets, blink with madness originally appeared on Engadget HD on Wed, 15 Apr 2009 04:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>breaking newsBreakingNewshdmihdmi cablehdmi connectorHdmiCableHdmiConnectormagnetmagnetic hdmimagnetic lockMagneticHdmiMagneticLocksureconnecttorrentWed, 15 Apr 2009 04:42:00 EST<![CDATA[Funai wins order blocking Vizio imports, Vizio maintains business as usual]]>http://www.engadgethd.com/2009/04/10/funai-wins-a-round-vs-vizio-trade-commission-blocks-tv-imports/http://www.engadgethd.com/2009/04/10/funai-wins-a-round-vs-vizio-trade-commission-blocks-tv-imports/http://www.engadgethd.com/2009/04/10/funai-wins-a-round-vs-vizio-trade-commission-blocks-tv-imports/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Just when it looked like the long-running patent dispute was tipping Vizio's way, the U.S. International Trade Commission has ruled in favor of Funai, issuing an order to block imports of Vizio HDTVs. According to Bloomberg the ban is still eligible to be reviewed by President Obama while the patent case itself is still being reviewed by an appeals court, but if Vizio wants to keep its shipments flowing it will have to post a bond of $2.50 per television. We've put a call in to Vizio to find out what this means for its immediate future -- and that sweet LED backlit display from CES -- and confirmed that while this order goes into effect immediately, you should still be able to find sets on shelves and they will continue to do business as usual during the presidential review period, but feel free to read its press release in response after the break for more details.

Continue reading Funai wins order blocking Vizio imports, Vizio maintains business as usual

Funai wins order blocking Vizio imports, Vizio maintains business as usual originally appeared on Engadget HD on Fri, 10 Apr 2009 17:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>breaking newsBreakingNewsfunailegalpatentpatent infringementPatentInfringementsuesuitu.s. international trade commissionU.s.InternationalTradeCommissionvizioFri, 10 Apr 2009 17:14:00 EST<![CDATA[DirecTV's free iPhone app manages 100k downloads in its first week]]>http://www.engadgethd.com/2009/04/07/directvs-free-iphone-app-manages-100k-downloads-in-its-first-we/http://www.engadgethd.com/2009/04/07/directvs-free-iphone-app-manages-100k-downloads-in-its-first-we/http://www.engadgethd.com/2009/04/07/directvs-free-iphone-app-manages-100k-downloads-in-its-first-we/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Shockingly enough, people seem to be interested in the possibility of easily browsing TV schedules and programming their DirecTV DVR from the iPhone / iPod Touch, for free. Available for just one week so far, it's already ticked over 100,000 downloads so yeah, it's popular, our only question is what's next? You've probably checked it out by now, let us know what features need to be changed or added, or just tee off on the fact that your TV or cellphone provider hasn't unveiled a similar setup yet, we're listening.

DirecTV's free iPhone app manages 100k downloads in its first week originally appeared on Engadget HD on Tue, 07 Apr 2009 20:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>app storeAppStorebreaking newsBreakingNewsdirectvdirectv appDirectvAppiphoneiphone 3giphone app storeiphone appsIphone3gIphoneApplicationsIphoneAppsIphoneAppStorephoneTue, 07 Apr 2009 20:11:00 EST<![CDATA[Snow White's Blu-ray debut is October 6]]>http://www.engadgethd.com/2009/04/03/snow-whites-blu-ray-debut-is-october-6/http://www.engadgethd.com/2009/04/03/snow-whites-blu-ray-debut-is-october-6/http://www.engadgethd.com/2009/04/03/snow-whites-blu-ray-debut-is-october-6/#commentsFiled under:


Announced during CES as the third title (after Sleeping Beauty and Pinnochio) to get Disney's Platinum Edition treatment, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs will appear for the first time in high definition October 6 --well ahead of the standard DVD November 24 -- and Disney prez Bob Chapek is already bragging that it will be a reference point for home entertainment libraries. Expect a major push from Disney to upsell its family customers to the HDTV edition, with the staggered release scheduling and meticulous attention paid to this release, there's no question this as much a part of the company's Blu-ray driving strategy as its Magical Tour last year. USA Today also says several Blu-ray exclusive extras will be included, but your guess is as good as ours what they are, other than the now standard for Disney $40 combo pack that includes a DVD and Pinnochio's Disney View picture frame.

Snow White's Blu-ray debut is October 6 originally appeared on Engadget HD on Fri, 03 Apr 2009 00:13:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>animationbd livebd-liveBdLiveblu-raybreakingbreaking newsBreakingNewsdisneydisney viewDisneyViewplatinum editionPlatinumEditionsnow whitesnow white and the seven dwarfsSnowWhiteSnowWhiteAndTheSevenDwarfsFri, 03 Apr 2009 00:13:00 EST<![CDATA[Sony HDR-TG5 makes world's smallest Full HD camcorder smaller, adds GPS]]>http://www.engadgethd.com/2009/04/02/sony-hdr-tg5-makes-worlds-smallest-full-hd-camcorder-lighter-a/http://www.engadgethd.com/2009/04/02/sony-hdr-tg5-makes-worlds-smallest-full-hd-camcorder-lighter-a/http://www.engadgethd.com/2009/04/02/sony-hdr-tg5-makes-worlds-smallest-full-hd-camcorder-lighter-a/#commentsFiled under: ,

The problem with Sony's previous world's smallest pistol-grip Full HD camcorder -- the HDR-TG1 aka, the TG3E -- wasn't size, it was usability. So we're happy to hear that Sony's TG5 counts a tweaked UI among its updates. And although Sony doesn't say in the press release, the TG5's touch-panel looks far more sensitive (capacitive maybe?) than that of the previous generation's finger bender. The other improvements are GPS to geotag your media (assuming your software supports it), Navteq maps, improved image processing, smile shutter technology, and 16GB of built-in storage (up from 8GB) all riding inside a slightly smaller and lighter chassis. Other specs remain unchanged: 1920 x 1080 AVCHD video, 2.7-inch touchscreen display, and a 10x optically stabilized zoom exposing a 2.4 megapixel CMOS sensor. Expensive? Oh most definitely: $1,000 starting in May. Check the video after the break.

[Via CNET]

Continue reading Sony HDR-TG5 makes world's smallest Full HD camcorder smaller, adds GPS

Sony HDR-TG5 makes world's smallest Full HD camcorder smaller, adds GPS originally appeared on Engadget HD on Thu, 02 Apr 2009 01:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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All those eagerly anticipating the DirecTV iPhone application, and all its remote scheduling, program browsing capability can download it right now from the App Store. All that's required is iPhone software 2.2.1 or higher; anyone can pick it up to check out channel listings, but you'll need a DirecTV subscription and DirecTV Plus DVR (models R15, R16, R22), DirecTV Plus HD DVR (models HR20, HR21, HR23) or TiVo Series 2 receivers with 6.4a software registered to DirecTV.com to take advantage of the remote scheduling over WiFi, EDGE or 3G. And did we mention that it's free?

DirecTV iPhone app now available originally appeared on Engadget HD on Mon, 30 Mar 2009 15:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>app storeAppStorebreaking newsBreakingNewsdirectvdirectv appDirectvAppdvriphoneiphone 3giphone app storeiphone applicationsiphone appsIphone3gIphoneApplicationsIphoneAppsIphoneAppStoreremote schedulingRemoteSchedulingMon, 30 Mar 2009 15:21:00 EST<![CDATA[Netflix raising rates for Blu-ray subscribers by around 20 percent]]>http://www.engadgethd.com/2009/03/30/netflix-raising-rates-for-blu-ray-subscribers-by-around-20/http://www.engadgethd.com/2009/03/30/netflix-raising-rates-for-blu-ray-subscribers-by-around-20/http://www.engadgethd.com/2009/03/30/netflix-raising-rates-for-blu-ray-subscribers-by-around-20/#commentsFiled under: ,


Ruh roh. In a move that will undoubtedly cause an incredibly raucous stir, only to fade away as movie renters realize that Netflix is still the best deal going, America's most adored by-mail rental service is hiking the price of Blu-ray rentals once again. If you'll recall, Netflix already implemented a $1 per month fee for Blu-ray customers back in October, and now it's looking to push that premium higher by around 20 percent across its pricing tiers. The company asserts that the increase (slated to hit April 27th and only applicable to BD customers) is due to it buying more titles on BD to "accommodate the increasing number of Netflix members who prefer renting movies on Blu-ray." In fact, nearly 10 percent of all Netflix customers are choosing BD now, and obviously these platters cost quite a bit more for anyone (even Netflix) to procure. Head past the break to see how big of a hardship this will be on you.

Continue reading Netflix raising rates for Blu-ray subscribers by around 20 percent

Netflix raising rates for Blu-ray subscribers by around 20 percent originally appeared on Engadget HD on Mon, 30 Mar 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bdblu-rayblu-ray premiumBlu-rayPremiumbreaking newsBreakingNewsnetflixpremiumpriceprice hikePriceHikepricingrentrentalsrentingMon, 30 Mar 2009 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Blockbuster OnDemand coming to TiVo]]>http://www.engadgethd.com/2009/03/25/blockbuster-ondemand-comes-to-tivo-tivos-going-on-sale-at-bloc/http://www.engadgethd.com/2009/03/25/blockbuster-ondemand-comes-to-tivo-tivos-going-on-sale-at-bloc/http://www.engadgethd.com/2009/03/25/blockbuster-ondemand-comes-to-tivo-tivos-going-on-sale-at-bloc/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


Looks like TiVo's gone all Switzerland on us by announcing plans to add support for Blockbuster OnDemand to its Series3, TiVo HD and TiVo HD XL boxes -- plus the older Series2 hardware that Netflix missed. Due in the second half of 2009, the marketing deal will put TiVo's on the shelves of local rental outlets and put Blockbuster's service in front of many new users. So far its $4 per movie SD fare has failed to impress, we'll see if it can keep up with the competition when they're on the same box, while TiVo's managed to carve out a position squarely in the middle of the digital download revolution, with Blockbuster, Netflix, CinemaNow and more already available, it could be the big winner in this streaming battle, full press release is after the break.

Continue reading Blockbuster OnDemand coming to TiVo

Blockbuster OnDemand coming to TiVo originally appeared on Engadget HD on Wed, 25 Mar 2009 00:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blockbusterblockbuster on demandBlockbusterOnDemandbreaking newsBreakingNewsrentalsset top boxSetTopBoxstreamingtivoWed, 25 Mar 2009 00:01:00 EST<![CDATA[Logitech Harmony Adapter for PlayStation 3 gets official]]>http://www.engadgethd.com/2009/03/20/logitech-harmony-adapter-for-playstation-3-get-official/http://www.engadgethd.com/2009/03/20/logitech-harmony-adapter-for-playstation-3-get-official/http://www.engadgethd.com/2009/03/20/logitech-harmony-adapter-for-playstation-3-get-official/#commentsFiled under: , ,


You've got to love it, don't you? Just a day after we caught wind of Logitech's Harmony Adapter for PlayStation 3 (via the always informative FCC), the aforesaid company has come forward and confessed to its plans. The good news is that the adapter is for real, and while we're still not being told too much about the device itself, we do know that it will operate with any Harmony remote and it won't take up a USB port on your console. In other words, it's a simple Infrared-to-Bluetooth converter, though it promises to give Harmony remote users "complete control (including power on / off) over the movie-watching experience on a PS3." We're pleading for more information on pricing and availability, but until that's received, just enjoy your weekend knowing that you'll be able to buy one soon enough.

Logitech Harmony Adapter for PlayStation 3 gets official originally appeared on Engadget HD on Fri, 20 Mar 2009 16:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Good news for Playstation 3 owners -- NBC and Sony have just announced that NBC Universal content is now available on the PlayStation Network. In addition to NBC shows like The Office, 30 Rock, and Heroes, new movie releases like Milk and Role Models will hit PSN day and date with the DVD release, and back-catalog titles like The 40-Year Old Virgin and The Big Lebowski should already be up. Pricing is ballpark with the competition: $2.99 to $5.99 for SD and HD rentals, and $9.99 to $14.99 for SD and HD purchases. Not bad, but we won't be happy until these fools drop the shenanigans and give us what we really want: Hulu. Make it happen, guys.

NBC Universal content now available on PlayStation Network originally appeared on Engadget HD on Tue, 10 Mar 2009 14:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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As a wise man once said: "Damn, that's just cold, son." Merely hours after boxee announced its latest alpha build along with RSS feed support for Hulu, said video portal has now blocked off boxee's browser entirely from accessing its content. If you'll recall, boxee saw a huge increase in interest when it first added easy access to Hulu, and once Hulu demanded that it be removed, boxee sadly complied. The latest move just seems "cold blooded," as now boxee users who attempt to surf over via a Hulu RSS feed link will be greeted with an infinite amount of nothing. boxee is quick to point out that its browser doesn't access Hulu content "any differently" than IE, Firefox, Opera or any other browser, which does a good job of explaining just how deliberate this move is. Needless to say, we get the feeling this bout is just getting started.

[Image courtesy of ZatzNotFunny]

Update: boxee now says things are working. For the moment, anyway. Feel free to join us as we throw our hands in the air and give up on understanding this mess.

Hulu blocks boxee browser entirely, gloves get ripped halfway off originally appeared on Engadget HD on Fri, 06 Mar 2009 18:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>boxeebreaking newsBreakingNewshuluinternet tvInternetTvonline tvOnlineTvrssstreamstreamingFri, 06 Mar 2009 18:55:00 EST<![CDATA[JVC's new Everio X GZ-X900 does 1080p video, 9 megapixel stills, 600 fps slow motion]]>http://www.engadgethd.com/2009/03/03/jvcs-new-everio-x-gz-x900-does-1080p-video-9-megapixel-stills/http://www.engadgethd.com/2009/03/03/jvcs-new-everio-x-gz-x900-does-1080p-video-9-megapixel-stills/http://www.engadgethd.com/2009/03/03/jvcs-new-everio-x-gz-x900-does-1080p-video-9-megapixel-stills/#commentsFiled under: ,


JVC's new "Everio X" GZ-X900 camcorder is just what we like in a flagship device: incredible style, crazy specs, and awesome slow motion video of us slapping people. The GZ-X900 reworks the Everio line into a new brick-like form factor that's bordering on the shape of camcorders of yore, but JVC puts a nice twist to it, and the camera is obviously very compact. JVC used some "premium materials" in the construction and it really shows, but what's more exciting is the high-end 1080p resolution, with 1000 "TV lines" to sample from (it's not upscaling from a completely bum source like many compact camcorders). The unit also works as a fast-action still camera, for 9 megapixel shots at 15 fps, and 5.3 megapixel shots at 60 fps. What we're really wild about is the 600 fps slow motion, which operates at a 640 x 72 resolution -- you can get more pixels at slower frame rates. Unfortunately, none of this good stuff comes cheap: the camera hits retail in June for an even $1000.

JVC's new Everio X GZ-X900 does 1080p video, 9 megapixel stills, 600 fps slow motion originally appeared on Engadget HD on Tue, 03 Mar 2009 16:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Not even a year after its Lumix DMC-G1 got all the glory as the first Micro Four Thirds camera on the market, Panasonic is back with a slightly tweaked version in the DMC-GH1. We say slightly tweaked since the exterior is more or less the same, but under the hood the camera has 1080p recording at 24 frames per second, or 720p recording at 60 fps, which the camera stores to AVCHD format. Panasonic has also included continuos auto focus, something lacking from most DSLRs with video capability. Users can set the shutter speed and aperture manually, and record stereo audio -- with an optional external mic if they so choose. The camera shoots 12.1 megapixel stills just like the G1, and now offers iPhoto-style Face Recognition in addition to Face Detection to make sure particular people are well exposed and in focus. No word yet on price or availability.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Panasonic's new Lumix DMC-GH1 does 1080p video in a Micro Four Thirds form factor originally appeared on Engadget HD on Tue, 03 Mar 2009 12:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Take this as you will, but George Mead, the Marketing Manager for Digital Displays at LG Electronics UK, has informed T3 that LG Electronics UK has no intention to withdraw from the plasma TV market." To be perfectly clear here, this statement probably is in relation to UK market plans only; after all, those words from company VP Lee Gyu-hong were pretty strong. At any rate, Mead continued by noting that "we have recently implemented a bespoke strategy to promote and market plasma TVs here in the UK," but he failed to specifically touch on LG's worldwide plans (and understandably so). So yeah, it looks like LG PDPs are still safe for the moment across the pond, but we wouldn't be so sure about the rest of the developed world.

LG denies withdrawing from plasma market... in the UK, anyway originally appeared on Engadget HD on Fri, 27 Feb 2009 12:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Seriously, why aren't more companies like this? In a somewhat unprecedented move, OPPO Digital has decided to let the people choose how it will proceed with the production of its highly anticipated universal Blu-ray player. Its Early Adoption Program will allow 50 randomly selected customers to purchase the BDP-83 for $499 before the official release; after those 50 have tested things out for a week or so, they'll be required to vote on whether the program should be extended or suspended. If 70 percent or more votes to expand, OPPO will select another 100 individuals to join the original 50 in testing. We're told that the deck will be shipped with a pre-production firmware version that will be updated "from time to time." Also of note, OPPO has confirmed Profile 2.0 support, internal decoding of Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio formats and that DVD-Audio playback is still in the works. Needless to say, we'll be doing our best to become one of those lucky 50. OPPO's full email on the matter is after the break.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Continue reading OPPO to start BDP-83 Early Adoption Program

OPPO to start BDP-83 Early Adoption Program originally appeared on Engadget HD on Wed, 25 Feb 2009 08:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We've no way to confirm at the moment, but if SamsungCentral is to be believed, Samsung's newly announced OmniaHD will soon become the world's first cellphone to record 720p video. Unlike the HTC Touch HD -- which had precisely zero high-def amenities -- it seems the next breed of Omnia may actually live up to its moniker. Other purported specifications include an 8 megapixel camera and a 3.7-inch AMOLED display, though the resolution of the panel is currently unknown. Have we mentioned we can't wait to get our paws around this? Because we can't.

Samsung's OmniaHD: world's first phone to capture 720p video? originally appeared on Engadget HD on Sun, 15 Feb 2009 15:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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It's been a slow, painful death, but it's about time to just pull the white sheet over ultra-wideband and let the wireless standard rest in peace. After Intel pulled its support for UWB and proponent WiQuest shut down late last year, all that the format really had left was TZero. After successfully surviving some legal issues, we thought the company was good to go in fighting a hopeless battle against wireless HD upstart AMIMON. Now, it seems that WHDI (that's AMIMON's magic) is free to take the market by storm, but only time will tell if wireless HD is even remotely close to mainstream. In one sense, we're sad to see competition die, but on the other hand, it's always good to see fruitless format wars fade away. Don't be too down on yourself, TZero -- it's not like anyone really had high expectations for you or anything.

TZero closes up shop, UWB all but dead originally appeared on Engadget HD on Thu, 12 Feb 2009 22:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Okay, so we hate to be blunt, but if there was one cable carrier out there just waiting to crash, it was Charter. The company famous for engaging in less-than-forthright contest practices and perpetually finding ways to perturb subscribers has just announced that a Chapter 11 filing isn't too far away. In fact, a recent press release makes clear that it "intends to implement its financial restructuring through a Chapter 11 filing to be initiated on or before April 1, 2009." As per the agreement, all debt holders will reportedly be paid in full, with Paul Allen keeping the largest voting interest in the company. Of course, shareholders' stake in the company will be canceled, but the decision will supposedly reduce debt by around $8 billion. As expected, the company has assured subscribers that its services will continue to operate throughout the debt restructuring process, but we wouldn't expect service to get any better in the coming months.

[Via AP, thanks Vanbrothers]

Charter Communications to file for bankruptcy originally appeared on Engadget HD on Thu, 12 Feb 2009 14:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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