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Sky says 2012 London Olympics could be in 3D

by Darren Murph posted Dec 18th 2008 at 2:19PM

Europe still isn't the place to be for limitless HD content, but London in particular could be a 3D extravaganza come 2012. The host city for the next Summer Olympics may be coming to your living room like never before, as Brian Lenz, head of product design and innovation at Sky, proclaimed that "there is a very good chance you'll see the London Olympics in 3D." The satcaster has already confessed to filming events in 3D, and given that the wide distribution of the 2008 Beijing Olympics in HD was all the rage, we suppose the third-dimension is the next logical step forward. Mirroring our own hopes and dreams, Lenz stated that what it really wanted was "glasses free technology." Here's hoping we inch closer to that at CES 2009.

[Thanks, Ben]

HBS director scolds European broadcasters for shunning of HD

by Darren Murph posted Dec 12th 2008 at 1:57PM


Finally, someone with a little sense. It's no secret that we aren't fond of the way European carriers are treating high-def. Rather than investing in more HD channels / bandwidth and waiting for the rush of subscribers, they seem to be waiting for the rush before coughing up any loot. Peter Angell, director of Production & Programming at Host Broadcast Services, has come forward to confess that he is "disappointed that UK and European broadcasters have not embraced HD; flat-panel sales have gone through the roof, [but] the bit that's missing is the broadcasting [of signals]." He continued on to urge these very broadcasters to look to MPEG-4 / H.264 distribution systems to combat the bandwidth dilemma, though we've no clue how much impact one man will have. In somewhat related news, we're also told that 3D for the 2012 London Olympics is "a possibility," but we'll go ahead and warn you not to bet the farm on that one. No harm in hoping, though!

[Image courtesy of Hexus]

Cheap Blu-ray players a rare commodity in Europe

by Darren Murph posted Nov 26th 2008 at 9:14AM


Blu-ray Disc sales may be up a staggering 396% in the UK, and the BDA may be bullish about BD's success in Europe as a whole, but Europeans looking to buy in cheap as we Americans have recently been able to do may be out of luck (for now, at least). According to a new report from Reuters, "a scarcity of cheap Blu-ray players combined with the effects of a recession are expected to delay take-up of the Blu-ray format in Europe." It's suggested that supply issues earlier in the year could mean that those relatively cheap BD decks in the US may not make their way to Europe before the big holiday shopping season. Screen Digest analyst Richard Cooper even went so far as to say that these factors "[could mean that] the format is unlikely to move much beyond the early adopter market this year." Granted, no one really anticipated BD going from niche to mainstream by the time CES 2009 got going, but a scarcity of affordable players sure won't help matters.

Alex Underwood's speaker buddies take cute to a new decibel

by Darren Murph posted Oct 6th 2008 at 8:08PM


We've seen some pretty unorthodox speaker designs in our day, but we can't recall a set with a cute factor like these. Designer Alex Underwood recently exhibited his aptly-named speaker buddies in London, and understandably, they received a good deal of attention. The child-shaped devices are crafted from expanded polystyrene that can be moved about with ease, and while there's no telling if the audio quality is even close to bearable, we'd say that's hardly the point here.

QuantumPhonic QR wildly claims to nix echo and reverberation in arenas

by Darren Murph posted Aug 14th 2008 at 11:49AM

Although QuantumPhonic's QR technology is emerging a touch late to make a difference at the Beijing Olympics, it certainly has its sights set on zapping excess noise at the 2012 Summer Games in London. In a rather excited and somewhat unprofessional release, the aforementioned company has announced a technology that can seemingly kill the echo and reverberation that almost always sour the audio experience in large arenas and stadiums. Of course, it also claims that the tech "defies all feasible common sense and design," so believe at your own risk. If you're terribly interested in learning more, there's an immensely entertaining video waiting just after the break.

Continue reading QuantumPhonic QR wildly claims to nix echo and reverberation in arenas

HD goes underground in London's Tube

by Steven Kim posted Jul 4th 2008 at 7:23AM

London Underground
Light control is probably the biggest challenge to a good projection setup. The subterranean nature of London's subway is pretty much ideal in that regard, and now CBS Outdoor has brought its cross-track projection (XTP) system to the Tube. The Piccadilly Circus, Euston, Bank, Liverpool Street and Bond Street stations have been outfitted with a total of 23 14-foot screens that are getting HD video ads beamed onto them, sans audio (thankfully). There are plans to build out to 150 XTP screens and compliment them with 2,000 digital screens Tube-wide, which all fits in with CBS Outdoors' plans to bathe subway riders in advertisement. If ad-targeting tech is brought into the equation, we see some potential for really embarrassing hilarity. Meanwhile, London readers are encouraged to let us all know how the picture XTP quality is holding up!

Toshiba remains stubborn, looks to DVD upscaling while brushing Blu-ray off

by Darren Murph posted Jun 17th 2008 at 3:27PM


For the attentive in attendance, you likely noticed that none of Toshiba's newly announced laptops (yes, even the absurdly powerful Qosmio rigs) have built-in Blu-ray drives. Like, there's not even an option. When questioned about the obvious oversight (ahem), Tosh's Europe CEO Alan Thompson noted that "Blu-ray was just one of the many ways that you can get HD content and is not required for accessing HD content." Furthermore, it seems as if the outfit is continuing on in its pursuit to develop the best DVD upconverting technology in the whole wide world, as it explained to the press in London that its forthcoming technology would "fill in the gaps" and "add resolution." Company representatives even remarked that "Blu-ray was only a storage medium," and reiterated that BD "wasn't the only way to view high-def content." It's one thing to bow out gracefully, pick up the pieces and get on with life. It's another thing to douse yourself in ignorance and pretend that Blu-ray (let alone HD DVD) never happened.

Read - Toshiba's London press event
Read - Toshiba Europe CEO comments

Freeview going HD in the UK

by Darren Murph posted Apr 3rd 2008 at 8:15AM Breaking News


It's official: HD aficionados in the UK will soon be able to get their fix via Freeview. If you'll recall, the Freeview HD trial that took place in 2006 went over quite well, and according to Ofcom, up to four free HD channels will be broadcast. Unfortunately, users looking forward to such niceties will be forced to wait until analog is switched off in their neck of the woods, and of course they'll also need an HD-ready TV and a new set-top-box. We've already heard that BBC will be one of the four channels, and ITV, Channel 4, Five and Welsh network S4C have all been "invited to bid for [the other] three slots in which they can broadcast high-definition TV or other new services." On the upside, the whole of the country should be digital by 2012, just in time for the London Olympics -- and for those lucky souls in and around Whitehaven, you'll get the spoils first.

[Thanks, Kieran and Andy]

London's Radisson Edwardian Hampshire Hotel gets Artcoustic speakers

by Darren Murph posted Feb 13th 2008 at 6:49AM


Remember those absurdly expensive (and extraordinarily desirable) Artcoustic speakers we peeked last month? If you're a few bucks short of being able to acquire your own, you may still be able to get a taste of what they offer. For guests checking into the 5-star Radisson Edwardian Hampshire Hotel on London's Leicester Square, you can take a listen to the various Diablo monitors and DFS100-75 / DFS75-55 subwoofers that are placed throughout the hotel's reception area, lobby and hallways. Sadly, there's no word on whether or not suites have been equipped with any Artcoustic kit, but c'mon, you know you'll be spending your free time in the main foyer just hoping to see Baby Spice prance through.

[Via Widescreen Review]

BBC HD increasing amount of high-def programming

by Matt Burns posted Oct 10th 2006 at 2:58PM

BBC is smack-dab in the middle of the HDTV trails over in London but that isn't stopping them from adding to their high-def lineup. The plan is to simulcast recently launched programs such as Robin Hood, The Amazing Mrs. Pritchard, and Torchwood along with the SD broadcast. The station is adding additional HD programming later in the year as well but we won't run down the entire long list which should suffice to say there is a bunch of new HD shows coming. Apparently the trial is going well otherwise we don't think the BBC would be dropping more cash for additional programming.

Traveling to London? Stay at the Canary Wharf's Four Seasons for in-room HDTV

by Matt Burns posted Aug 8th 2006 at 2:50PM

Hotels are suppose to feel like home away from home but sometime those non-detachable coat hangers just make the place seem so, um, staged, but if need to get your high-def fix when travel abroad, check out London's Four Seasons on Canary Whalf. NXTV has outfitted 142 rooms with high-def VOD along with high speed Internet, and a customized guest interface. We are wondering what kind and size HDTVs these rooms are outfitted with...wonder if Weblogs INC will foot the bill to fly the four of us over there to check out the rooms HDTVs?

London Residents: HDTV trials are starting, apply now!

by Matt Burns posted Apr 10th 2006 at 4:08PM

Remember a few weeks ago when we talked about the BBC trials? Well, the network is taking applications for the trial that will take place in London. So, not to state the obvious, but you have to live in London and the not so obvious is that you have to have Freeview. The network will then provide a select couple hundred households with set top boxes to receive the signal.

Not sold yet London residents, this trial would allow you to watch the coveted World Cup games...




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