Not that Pioneer's KRP-600M KURO plasma was any huge secret, but across the pond, the outfit just got official with it alongside three other 1080p sets and a fantastically sexy media receiver. The 50-inch KRP-500A and 60-inch KRP-600A each boast a 64-millimeter thin enclosure, "extreme contrast" levels, DLNA certification and a trio of tuners including analog, digital (DVB-T for Europe) and digital satellite (DVB-S/DVB-S2). Furthermore, the two "A" models come bundled with a whisper-quiet media receiver that appears to be nothing more than a sexy 4-port HDMI switcher. As for the 50-inch KRP-500M and 60-inch KRP-600M, those should ring up slightly cheaper due to the exclusion of internal tuners and the fact that the aforementioned media receiver isn't packed in. Speaking of Euros, there's no mention of price, though release dates span from August (600M) to September (600A) to October (500A / 500M).

While Motorola and friends had a field day at The Cable Show, Amino is looking out for you IPTV users at NXTcomm08. Presented today in Las Vegas, the AmiNET130M is hailed as the market's first 100% digital HD IPTV set-top-box, and you can bet it stands out in the crowd. The atypically designed unit measures just 4.48-inches wide by 1.37-inches high and packs an HDMI output and MPEG-4 support. You'll also find a USB 2.0 peripheral port, IR remote functionality, an optical S/PDIF audio jack and Smartfoot compatibility, but what you won't find is a price or release date. Sigh.

Talk about timely, yeah? Just hours after our latest Ask Engadget HD question pondered which of the three big hitters in the movie set-top-box arena was superior, along comes a comparison of the trio from PopSci. Of course, this being Engadget HD, we've all ideas many of you won't agree with the verdict put out (hint: Roku's box is deemed the winner), but some decent points are made nonetheless. For starters, the Netflix library is far more expansive than those offered up by Apple and VUDU; for folks looking for the widest range of titles (and cheapest method of renting), it's hard to overlook the Netflix Player. For junkies that just have to have HD, your choices are clearly defined, and between the Apple TV and VUDU, critics noted that the former's ability to dabble in YouTube was a perk that may sway certain buyers. Regardless of your feelings on the matter, be sure and hit up the read link if for nothing more than the pros / cons -- the decision's still yours, you know.

With Roku's Netflix Player all out in the open and an LG box just around the bend, Chuck's question is particularly timely. There are already quite a few choices out there for folks looking to snag a dedicated movie set-top-box, but has the best one even arrived?

"I pretty much stick with OTA reception when I watch TV, and while Netflix / Blockbuster is fine, I've recently been considering a standalone movie set-top-box for instant gratification purposes. With the Apple TV, VUDU and Roku Netflix Player already out, which one would be best to pick up? I realize more units are expected, but I'm particularly fond of models that support HD films. Really, I'm just looking for user opinions on each, especially if they already own one or have used one."

We'd also like to point out that Netflix's "Watch Now" feature can be piped to your TV fairly easily if you have a nearby HTPC or Xbox 360, but alas, you won't be seeing any material in high-def from there. Here's your shot at defending (or lambasting) your own movie STB -- and... go!

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.

Shortly after hearing TiVo's top dog speak of a "whole home model" to reduce the amount of STBs required for entertaining individuals in various rooms, along comes Time Warner Cable's chief executive talking up some innovation of its own. We'll be frank -- we're not entirely sure what Glenn Britt is getting at here, but through a broken series of quotes, we're led to believe that the carrier is prepping some "equipment" that will easily bring internet content to TVs. Not like there isn't a perfect solution for this quandary already, but we digress. Specifically, he mentions a " new wireless cable modem that will allow you to network everything in your house," which is about as broad / vague as you can get. Nevertheless, it's enough to keep us watchin', though we can't say our expectations are extraordinarily high. [Disclosure: Engadget is part of the Time Warner family]

[Via eHomeUpgrade]

The MTR700 tuning adapter wasn't all that Moto was showing off at The Cable Show. Also getting introduced was its SmartStream Terminal Data Collector (STDC) software that gathers up diagnostic info from your Motorola STB and sends it to the helpful cable representative at the other end of the line. The idea, of course, is that field service (requiring a truck roll) will be replaceable by phone service (requiring hold time). Better still, the software is installable on-demand, so there won't even be a truck roll required to inject the code to your STB. We wouldn't expect cable companies to necessarily waive service fees for remote assistance, however. Just be thankful that help with your cable service may force you into tying yourself to the house between the hours of 10AM and 4PM.

Advanced Digital Broadcast (ADB) showed off the first fully certified tru2way STB at The Cable Show. While we're eager to get tru2way capabilities wrapped into our TVs, this is the next best thing. With a name like ADB-4820C, though, you know this device is aimed at multiple system operators (MSOs) only. The unit certainly looks friendly enough, though -- it's slim and designed to be mounted on the back of a TV and has a good-sized selection of outputs: RF, S-Video, composite and HDMI (with CEC) should make it suitable for deployment on just about every TV. Likewise, all the cable format bases are covered: MPEG-2, MPEG-4 and VC-1. Pricing and availability will depend, of course, on your cable provider; but it's available to them now.

[Via Asia Business News]

Read - ADB-4820C Press release [PDF]
Read - ADB-4820C Spec sheet [PDF]

This one probably goes without saying, but just in case you're inclined to waste a few gallons of precious regular unleaded searching for a tuning adapter, don't. The National Cable & Telecommunications Association (NCTA) and TiVo have jointly issued a release to inform the public that "several manufacturers of switched digital external tuning adapters have submitted products for formal testing at CableLabs." On the positive side, this means we're inching closer to seeing these devices hit store shelves, but sadly, it also means we're not done wading through red tape just yet. For those unfamiliar, these newfangled "tuning adapters" will enable TiVo Series3, TiVo HD and certain one-way set-top-boxes that utilize CableCARDs to "access digital cable channels delivered using switched digital (SDV) technology." Hit up the read link for all the details, and check out our hands-on galleries with a few of the boxes right here.

The NCTA Cable Show kicks off today, and Pace Micro Technology is ready with a line of MPEG-4 capable set-top boxes aimed at provers in North and South America. Besides handling advanced compression technologies with ease, they'll handle all that switched digital video (SDV), all-digital network, DOCSIS channel bonding and tru2way support the kids are so into these days. Two way messaging (for updating ones Facebook status/Twitter/Plaxo) is also in the bag, oplus backwards compatibility with older networks. Pictured is the "Aspen" box, a dual-tuner DVR CableCARD host box, but expect Apache (HD, no DVR) and Denali (SD only, no DVR) flavors to also be tucked securely in a cable guy's truck near you when they launch later this year.

In case you're not content with just keeping your current cable / satellite / fiber TV service and using the recently launched ZvBox to pull in content from the web, a new startup is aiming to satisfy your bizarre desires. In what's potentially the most befuddling launch of the year, said firm is looking to introduce its 1TB set-top-box to consumers on a city-by-city basis. Put simply (or, as simply as possible), the box will fetch content from a number of places: the built-in OTA receiver will grab locals, and it will use the owner's broadband internet connection to snag IPTV material and web-based content (YouTube, Hulu, etc.). Sezmi plans to launch the product with "3G and DSL" telcos that don't currently have a way to offer a triple-play package, and while some sources say that monthly fees will be as low as "half" of a typical cable / satellite bill, we've also seen Phil Wiser, co-founder, chairman and president, quoted as saying that it will be "roughly comparable" to its rivals. Hit up the links below for loads more info, and join us as we sit back and wait for this entirely-too-complex endeavor to implode.

[Via PC Magazine]

Tilgin AB isn't saying who exactly is taking possession of an order for 1,700 of its Mood 400 HDTV set-top-boxes in Southern Europe, but make no mistake, someone down there is readying a soft launch of IPTV services. According to a release from the equipment provider, one of its "global partners" is apparently looking to offer up end-to-end IPTV delivery to a "leading tier one operator." Said operator is supposed to go live with its soft launch by September of this year, but details beyond that are nonexistent. Sure, the waiting game is tough to play, but knowing that IPTV is on the way has to provide some comfort, yeah?

Earlier this year, we got word that switched digital support for CableCARD was still on track for Q2, and now we're feeling a tad more confident in said assertion thanks to a recent update from Motorola. According to the company's Mari Silbey, its own tuning resolver -- which is meant to allow any third-party CableCARD device to access channels delivered via SDV -- will officially be christened MTR700. Additionally, we're told that it'll likely look just like the DCT700 set-top-box (pictured), and that the unit has just passed through a CableLabs interop "with flying colors." Next, we're expecting the device to be submitted for CableLabs' Cert Wave 60, and best of all, Moto assures us that the STB will be on display (and "functional" enough for demos) at next month's Cable Show in New Orleans. Huzzah!

[Via Light Reading]

As the 2008 Beijing Olympics draw near, we're seeing quite a bit of high-def progress being made in the Far East. Not only is flat-panel demand on the rise, but broadcasters are stepping up their games in order to dole out more HD content. Now, Broadcom and Coship have teamed up to deliver China's first commercial HD set-top-box solution. As it stands, the latter firm is already building N8603 and N8606 STBs that integrate Broadcom's SoC solution, and when rolled out, they will enable Chinese viewers to take advantage of HD content and PVR capabilities. No word on when the two boxes will leave the lab, but we have all ideas they'll be hitting homes well before the famed Opening Ceremonies begin.

[Via Digital Edge]

Shortly after Onkyo teamed up with Microsoft to "enhance home entertainment," OKI, Huashu and Intel have collaborated to build a hybrid set-top-box to serve the "digital home market segment in China." As for Intel, it tossed in its CE 2110 media processor, which includes a 2D / 3D graphic accelerator and supports apps such as Flash, Java Virtual Machine and a browser. Furthermore, said box plays nice with HDTV decoders including MPEG-2, MPEG-4, and H.264, and it can be used for both digital video broadcasting (DVB) and IPTV. According to Zhou Hong, vice general manger at Huashu Digital TV, the STB will enable carriers "to promote home digitalization, enhance network intelligence and meet the needs of multiple home applications." Sounds good -- now, how's about a release date?

Apparently, SRS Labs is really lookin' to get its name out there. Barely a week after we heard that it was looking to bring surround sound to mobiles, the audio processing firm has now created a business unit with the sole purpose of developing "solutions for set-top-box applications worldwide." Apparently, the outfit will be working hand in hand with cable operators and STB manufacturers -- not to mention the likes of Conexant Systems, Broadcom, NXP and STMicroelectronics -- in order to "integrate SRS technologies into set-top box platforms." Of course, we've no idea how long it'll be before boxes start hitting cable carriers and store shelves with an SRS Labs emblem on 'em, but it certainly looks as if the wheels are already in motion.