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SmallHD breaks out elegant 720p DP1 field monitor


Tired of those totally vanilla field monitors -- particularly those with a resolution half that of the camcorder you're using? Yeah, so was SmallHD. The aforesaid startup has just launched its one-day-only pre-order of the forthcoming DP1, an elegant 720p field monitor that's a drastic departure from the norm. Encased in anodized aluminum, this 8.9-inch LED-backlit panel boasts a native 720p resolution, 500:1 contrast ratio, 300 nits of brightness, full RGB color control, 178-degree viewing angles, an array of mounting points and a slew of inputs (HDMI, composite, component, VGA and S-Video). In the box, you'll find the monitor itself, a 12V power supply, HDMI / component cables and a Neoprene sleeve to keep it safe whilst on the go. It's available for pre-order right now at $749 in black or silver, though you'll lose out on the sleeve if you don't get your order in by midnight ET tonight. Shipments are expected to begin in around a month.

Sharp's 32- / 37-inch Blu-ray AQUOS LCD HDTVs up for pre-order


Right on cue, Sharp has offered two of its new Blu-ray-equipped AQUOS HDTVs up for pre-order. The 32-inch LC-32BD60U and 37-inch LC-37BD60U both feature 1080p panels, a trio of HDMI inputs, six millisecond response times and a slot-loading Blu-ray player on the side. Best of all, the 32-incher is coming up a dollar under a grand, while the 37-inch sibling will only run you $1,199. Sure, they're a bit pricey compared to optical drive-less alternatives, but if you've been holding off on simultaneously scratching the BD + new TV itch, here's your sign.

[Via GadgetReview]

LG's BD300 Netflix / Blu-ray deck ships on October 10 for $349


Contrary to what LG coerced us into believing at CEDIA, its Netflix / Blu-ray-lovin' BD300 will actually be sold a full $50 cheaper than the previously quoted $399.95. Circuit City has the deck up for pre-order right this very moment for $349.99 (okay, so maybe that's not a full $50, but c'mon), and better still, the retailer is listing an October 10th release date. Now that Netflix has inked deals with CBS, ABC and Starz, there's just one question left: are you in for three fifty?

[Thanks, Joshua]

Panasonic's Profile 2.0 DMP-BD55 Blu-ray player gets priced: $399


We've seen it announced -- heck, we even saw it in person at CEDIA -- but until today, we've still had no idea what kind of sticker would eventually be laid upon Panasonic's Profile 2.0 DMP-BD55 Blu-ray player. Thanks to a few sharp eyes and a pre-order page at Amazon, we now know that this puppy will be launching for a respectable $399.95. Granted, this is twice as much as some of the aged units we've seen recently, but the inclusion of BD-Live support could be a strong selling point for some. Yeah, we hear you -- the PS3 is still the better bargain, but at least the days of $699 - $999 starting points seem to be coming to an end.

[Via Big Picture Big Sound]

Sony offers up slew of BRAVIA accessories for pre-order


Back at CES 2008, Sony quietly unveiled a number of cutesy BRAVIA accessories. Now, those very accessories are up for pre-order. Designed to function with compatible BRAVIA HDTVs, these modules expand the capabilities of your set, with the Input Link Module ($149.99) adding four HDMI ports, the DVD Link Module ($199.99) adding an upscaling DVD player and the Wireless Link Module ($799.99) adding cordless HD transmission. Check 'em all out in detail below.

[Via SonyInsider]

Read - BRAVIA Wireless Link Module
Read - BRAVIA DVD Link Module
Read - BRAVIA Input Link Module

Sony's BRAVIA XBR6 and XBR8 HDTV lines now up for pre-order


It only takes one glance to see that Sony's new XBRs are mighty, might fine pieces of kit, and you've been holding off on a new HDTV purchase until it could be one of these, the green flag has finally been waved. Of note, the 52- and 70-inch XBR7 sets aren't quite ready to be ordered, but the XBR6 and XBR8 crews are ready for your love (and credit card number). Hop on over now if you're kosher with dropping $2,499.99 to $6,999.99.

[Thanks, Danny]

Sling Media's Slingbox PRO-HD / SlingCatcher up for pre-order


Check it, placeshifters -- two new must-have boxes have just popped up for pre-order on Sling's website and Amazon's online marketplace. Sling Media's awfully exciting SlingCatcher and the sleek Slingbox PRO-HD are now ready to be loved for $299.99 apiece, though neither site gives any indication of ship dates. Still, with the holiday season just around the bend, we'd expect to see 'em both out before too long.

[Via ZatzNotFunny]
Read - SlingCatcher pre-order
Read - Slingbox PRO-HD

Popcorn Hour puts A-110 HD media streamer, B-110 mobo up for pre-order


Who knows if Popcorn Hour really is still working on a couple more HD media streamers, but its latest one is definitely up for pre-order. First whispered about a few months back, the $215 A-110 is a revamped A-100 that adds 2.5- / 3.5-inch SATA HDD and USB Slave functionality, HDMI 1.3a support (for full HD audio pass-through) and an optical S/PDIF to replace the coaxial S/PDIF socket. For those of you looking for even more flexibility, you can take a look at the outfit's new B-110 Baseline. This "Home Theater Motherboard" arrives with the media enthusiast in mind, boasting support for HDMI 1.3a, optical / coaxial S/PDIF connectors, four USB 2.0 ports and a mini-ITX form factor. Both pieces should ship out within two to four weeks, but considering just how sticky things were when the A-100 launched, we'd tack on a few weeks to that estimation just in case.

[Thanks, Stephen and Jeff]

Sony's $400 BDP-S350 Blu-ray player shows July 15th ship date


When Sony introduced its classically-styled BDP-S350 Blu-ray player in late February, all we knew was that the $400 machine would land sometime this summer. Now, we're seeing a pre-order page (on Toys R Us, admittedly) that pegs the ship date at July 15th. Yeah, a fortnight from now. The price remains unchanged at $399.99, but at least you'll find Profile 2.0 compatibility as well as bitstream support for Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio, right? Okay, now that it's a date, who's buying (and more importantly, who's not?)

[Thanks, Rahul]

HP MediaSmart Connect brings digital media to your HDTV


Yeah, you may be burning that midnight oil, but your weariness isn't the reason you're certain you've seen this thing before. Touted at CES as the MediaSmart Receiver, the re-dubbed MediaSmart Connect is finally available for pre-order. Just as we heard before, this unit takes full advantage of Extender for Windows Media Center technology, and although it possesses no internal storage space, it will pull in digital media from around your home (and a variety of online media outlets) and pipe it straight to your HDTV. The unit plays nice with other UPnP- and DLNA-compliant devices and includes 802.11a/b/g/n WiFi, an Ethernet port, HDMI / component jacks and support for MPEG2/4, DivX, XviD, WMV, MP3, WMA, AAC, JPEG and BMP files (among others). Prospective buyers can get their order in today for $349.





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