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HDMI 1.3 posts

Auzentech joins the HD audio HTPC party

by Ben Drawbaugh, posted Jul 1st 2009 at 8:48PM

X-FI HomeTheater HD
It wasn't that long ago that there wasn't a way for Blu-ray fans to enjoy the latest and greatest audio encoded with TrueHD and DTS-HD on their home theater PCs and now there are about to be two. That's thanks to the fact that Auzentech is going to start shipping its X-FI HomeTheater HD sound card by the end of July -- no word on the price. Unfortunately just like the ASUS Xonar before it, you'll still need a separate video card for a complete solution. From there you'll connect the X-FI to your HDTV via HDMI 1.3 to enjoy your choice of bitstream or PCM lossless audio. You can even use analog outputs if you desire as well as other sources. We're really happy to see some competition in this space, but still wonder how long before you'll be able to just buy a video card that can do both.

QNAP's NMP1000 network media player starts streaming to Japan

by Tim Stevens, posted Jun 18th 2009 at 7:06AM

QNAP's NMP1000 network media player starts streaming to Japan
It's been ages (okay, months) since we first got our hands on the QNAP NMP1000 network media player, and it's a good long while past its supposed shipping date. But, shipping it is (finally), now hitting Japanese stores according to Akihabara News. Initially we were only told that the thing would cost "somewhere under $10,000," and we're glad to say it's way under: ¥45,000, or about $470. For that you get an HDMI 1.3-toting HD media streamer, which sports room for a 3.5-inch HDD, a gigabit Ethernet port, and the ability to not only stream media but also to act as a NAS, meaning this one didn't fall far from the 'ol family tree. Still no word on a US release, but hopefully that'll be well under $10,000 as well. Soothing demonstration video to tide you over after the break.

Continue reading QNAP's NMP1000 network media player starts streaming to Japan

LED-infused HDMI cables add some light to your home theater

by Ross Miller, posted Apr 4th 2009 at 1:33AM

We know what you're thinking: you've decked out your gaming rig with a translucent case and a string of LEDs inside, and gave similar treatment to the wall just behind your display ... so why not add that special glow to your connection, too? Enter these HDMI 1.3 cables from Donya, available in only the finest of patriotic colors -- red, white, and blue. It'll set you back 999 yen (about US $10) plus an unknown amount for shipping, but if you're impatient, we're sure there's a little DIY weekend project to take from this.

[Via Akihabara News]

Just how important is HDMI 1.3?

by Darren Murph, posted Mar 22nd 2009 at 12:54AM


Over the years, we've had all sorts of discussions surrounding HDMI, particular the latest and (supposedly) greatest version, v1.3. Aside from the fact that you'll need v1.3 in order to take full advantage of the hippest audio formats and such, why even care about what version you're using? The lovable geeks over at HomeTheaterMag broke it all down real nice like, explaining the benefits of HDMI 1.3 as well as what the prior versions of HDMI can / cannot do. There's far too much detail to cover in this space, but we'd highly recommend you checking out the read link if you're even remotely interested in learning something that any home theater junkie should know. In other words, don't miss out.

TrueHD on an HTPC caught in action

by Ben Drawbaugh, posted Jan 8th 2009 at 6:25PM

ArcSoft TrueHD demo
Next-gen audio on a HTPC was starting to seem like a dream, but tonight at the Digital Experience we got a chance to witness first hand Dolby TrueHD pass through on an HTPC thanks to ArcSoft TotalMedia Theater and the Asus Xonar HDAV1.3 HDMI Deluxe sound card. Although the Xonar HDAV has been available for some time, it was just recently that ArcSoft and Asus were able to finally get their act together. As cool as this is, we can't help but think this solution is still a bit too complicated for most, but no one ever said being the first was easy.

Continue reading TrueHD on an HTPC caught in action

Centronics intros its own pivoting head HDMI cable

by Darren Murph, posted Dec 21st 2008 at 6:03AM


We get the feeling Panasonic really started something its swivel-head HDMI cables, as we've got the relatively unknown Centronics bringing its own iteration to the table. The EHD-branded HD FLEX 90 degree pivoting head HDMI cable does precisely what it says, enabling users / installers to hook up HDMI-equipped gear in tighter spaces with less pressure on the sockets. The prices aren't too outrageous either, with the 6/12/24-foot strands ringing up at $39.95, $49.95 and $69.95, respectively.

ASUS demos Xonar HDAV1.3 HDMI Deluxe sound card

by Darren Murph, posted Dec 16th 2008 at 9:53AM


One might assume that it'd be easy to forget a device that was introduced way back at the front end of this year, but for HTPC owners looking for a reliable way to bitstream Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio via HDMI, this one would be impossible to shake from the memory bank. Reportedly, the card went on sale (at least in some parts of the globe) this September, but early adopters were deeply saddened by the unit's inability to bitstream. Thankfully, ASUS has heard the weeping, and it has conjured up new drivers (and the Xonar HDAV1.3 HDMI Deluxe) in order to remedy the issue. The crew at TweakTown was able to video a live demonstration in Taiwan, and they came away emphatically impressed. Shoot on down to the read link for a look at what they found.

Phoenix Gold ships space-saving HDMI 1.3a wall plates

by Darren Murph, posted Dec 14th 2008 at 5:33AM

If you're looking to install some fairly permanent HDMI runs, you'll probably want to give these a look. Phoenix Gold has just started to ship its space-saving HDMI 1.3a wall plates, three of which provide 90-degree right angle outputs designed to "minimize the outward depth required by connected HDMI cable." A variety of models are available to suit your specific install needs, with the baseline edition going for $49.99 and the high-end version selling for $69.99.

[Via CEPro]

Gefen intros $499 1:5 Splitter for HDMI 1.3

by Darren Murph, posted Nov 25th 2008 at 8:40AM


Anyone remotely familiar with Gefen gear will understand that "inexpensive" isn't really an option, so we suppose that explains the lofty $499 price tag attached to the outfit's freshest splitter. Designed to take a single HDMI 1.3 source to five different displays without a loss in quality, the 1:5 Splitter for HDMI 1.3 is fully HDCP compliant and supports resolutions as high as 2K (so yeah, 1080p is totally covered). It's available now with a 2-year warranty.

IXOS busts out XHE228 2-way auto HDMI 1.3 switcher

by Darren Murph, posted Nov 19th 2008 at 6:02AM

No need for a half-dozen HDMI inputs in your HDMI switcher? No worries, as IXOS has you covered. The outfit's XHE228 is a minuscule auto-switching box with two HDMI 1.3 inputs and a single HDMI 1.3 output, and it's capable of handling 1080p material up to 15-meters without signal degradation. Sadly, Americans will have to swallow the conversion fees and inflated shipping costs when paying €59 ($75) to bring it home, but those living in Europe are a-okay.

[Via HDTV Info]

Gefen announces HDMI v1.3 Repeater: $199 for an extra 100 feet

by Darren Murph, posted Nov 4th 2008 at 8:40PM


Aw c'mon, $2 per foot ain't bad, now is it? While we'll happily leave that decision to you, Gefen is giving prospective customers the option of extending their HDMI 1.3 signal another 100 feet for $199. The GefenTV Repeater for HDMI 1.3 links a pair of 50-foot (or shorter) HDMI cables together in order to create a longer connection without losing any audio / image fidelity. Additionally, multiple units can be daisy-chained for extensions up to 360-feet, and of course, the adapter plays nice with legacy HDMI versions as well as 1.3 niceties such as Deep Color, 1080p resolution and 8-channel audio. It's available to order right now.

[Via Widescreen Review]

Onkyo updates HT-S9100THX HTIB system

by Darren Murph, posted Oct 28th 2008 at 5:41PM


Onkyo's HT-S9100THX has been around the block a time or two already, but for those who've yet to pick up the crowd-pleasing set, you're in luck. Said outfit has just released a revamped version of the kit which includes a 7.1-channel AV receiver "designed to conform to THX's demanding Integrated System Plus certification protocols." Additionally, the system now supports THX Loudness Plus technology and includes four HDMI 1.3a inputs for Deep Color compatibility. You'll also find a Faroudja DCDi video upscaling chip, Audyssey 2EQ / Dynamic EQ and support for Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD Master Audio, Dolby Digital Plus and DTS-HD High Resolution Audio. As for drivers, you'll get seven two-way speakers (one center, four surrounds, two fronts) along with a self-powered (290-watt) 12-inch subwoofer. The HTIB should be filtering out to shops now for $1,099 (MSRP).

[Via Marketnews]

Ask Engadget HD: Which cable / interconnect brand should I rely on?

by Darren Murph, posted Sep 24th 2008 at 12:00PM Featured Story


We've heard this question so many times that we've taken for granted the answer, but given the recent increase in competition in the cable market, we figured we'd pass along Josiah's question on the matter:

"I'm not going to pay hundreds of dollars for those cables sold in Best Buy and Circuit City, but I want the best possible audio and video quality. I've got a pretty basic setup, and I just need a few HDMI cables, a set of component cables and a few optical audio cables. Where would I go to get the best for my money? Is there a particular brand I should look for? What has worked out for your readers?"

Unload your experiences with cables -- however expensive (or cheap) -- below, and be sure to elaborate on which brand / store / etc. you found to be the best for the price. Oh, and make no mention of Furutech, we're trying to keep the cost-per-cable under a grand.

Got a burning question that you'd love to toss out for Engadget HD (or its readers) to take a look at? Tired of Google's blank stares when you ask for real-world experiences? Hit us up at ask at engadgethd dawt com and keep an eye on this space -- your inquiry could be next.

DisplayPort and HDMI square off in uber-thorough comparison

by Darren Murph, posted Sep 19th 2008 at 11:48PM


Overwhelmingly, HDMI is the de facto standard these days for home component connections. For those who've been paying any amount of attention here lately, you'd also know that DisplayPort is lurking, waiting to pounce and grab some of that lucrative market share. An astonishingly detailed report at EDN pits the two digital-display-interface standards against one another in an attempt to discover whether we really, truly need two ways to plug things in. As expected, there are pros and cons for each, and while we wouldn't deem this a bona fide format war just yet, things could get hairy if some manufacturers start to favor one over the other. For the hardcore hardware nerds in the audience, the brilliant writeup in the read link is one that can't be missed. Place your bets at the door, the gloves are about to come off.

Panasonic brings free-angle HDMI cables to the USA

by Darren Murph, posted Sep 3rd 2008 at 6:57PM


Panny's simplistic, albeit brilliant free-angle HDMI cables generated a lot of buzz when announced earlier this year. Now, Panasonic's doing the smart thing by bringing these suckers to the US of A. Announced alongside its sizable PZ850 plasmas and the PT-AE3000 projector, these HDMI 1.3a-compatible cables are destined to hit shelves (and your home theater setup soon after) in October. As for pricing, you're looking at $59.99 for the 1.5-meter edition and $79.99 for the 3-meter version.




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