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International HD news roundup

by Richard Lawler posted May 17th 2009 at 4:43AM


Here at Engadget HD, we'd prefer not to just focus on high-def happenings in the US of A. Thus, we round up the best of the best from the international front each week and present it here, bundled together in a single, easy to digest list. If something went down in your corner of the globe over the past seven days, let the rest of the world know it in comments. 'Til next week, Sanga'ay hanto!

Read - AETN signs carriage agreement with Taiwan Broadband Communications
Read - AAAN enters Taiwan
Read - Multichoice HD PVR update positively received (South Africa)
Read - Central European Expansion for HISTORY & HISTORY HD
Read - History HD confirmed for Skylink
Read - Microsoft Mediaroom Comes to Russia
Read - High Definition a key driver for UK Projector market
Read - ITV, C4 worry over Freeview HD funding
Read - El Salvador adopts ATSC digital TV standard

Paper Flexpeaker could change the way you perceive posters

by Tim Stevens posted Apr 28th 2009 at 8:18AM

Paper Flexpeaker could change the way you perceive posters
Paper speakers go a long way back, but now finally seem close to making appearances in the real world. A few weeks ago it was researchers at the University of Warwick showing off their wispy wares, and now Taiwan's Industrial Technology Research Institute is talking up its thin tweeters, called Flexpeaker. The initial goal is for 8.5-inch by 11-inch sheets that cost about $20, but the hope is to produce whole rolls of the stuff in the not too distant future, which will then be liberally applied to the exteriors of movie theaters, the interiors of automobiles, and the sides of the thinnest of thin-panel TVs. An effective range of 500Hz to 200KHz leaves an awful lot of lower frequencies lacking, but perhaps someone will invent a paper subwoofer one of these days. High-pitched video of an earlier prototype after the break.

Continue reading Paper Flexpeaker could change the way you perceive posters

KBRO opens up the HD window for Taiwan cable viewers

by Darren Murph posted Dec 9th 2008 at 3:39AM

Maybe we're off base here, but it seems to us Taiwan could use a serious high-def infusion. Thankfully, KBRO -- a top cable operator in the country -- has looked to Thomson in order to deliver HD content via MPEG-4 to its loyal customers. There's no mention of exactly how many high-definition stations will be delivered, but we don't suspect that it made this kind of investment without some pretty lofty goals. Now, all we can hope is that everyone else vying for business nearby follows suit.

Taiwan's Kenmec reportedly shipping Blu-ray players in Q1 2009

by Darren Murph posted Nov 7th 2008 at 10:15AM


We wouldn't book this one just yet or anything, but Digitimes has it that Taiwan's own Kenmec is gearing up to ship Blu-ray players in just a few months. The outfit has generally stuck to producing automation and flat-panel display manufacturing equipment, but it's reportedly looking to extend its business by dipping its toes in the Blu, Blu waters. It's stated that the firm has received ODM orders for BD players from "retail chains in Europe as well as China-based vendor Haier, with shipments to begin in the first quarter of 2009." There's no telling if or when these units will ever head stateside, but we're sure its already measuring the feasibility.

Toshiba's hanging on to those HD DVD patents

by Richard Lawler posted Aug 27th 2008 at 3:33PM

Toshiba almost had to mess up its thirty-seven hundred dollar lynx coat, at the thought of seeing its HD DVD walking in the rain with some alley-cat-coat wearing hush-puppy-shoe-wearin' Taiwanese crumb cake. According to China's Economic Daily News, some Taiwanese manufacturers apparently sought to buy out the company's blue laser patents and use them negotiate a reduction in the cost of Blu-ray licenses. Whatever the master plan was, it's all for naught since Toshiba's not keen on giving up its licenses, which EDN sees as related to the upcoming China Blue High Definition discs still set to roll out based on HD DVD. HD DVD without Toshiba is like corn flakes without the milk, so it's unlikely we'll ever see it with anyone else, Tosh's own XDE dalliances notwithstanding.

Sony, Toshiba farming out more LCD production

by Richard Lawler posted Aug 19th 2008 at 8:28PM

Even with all the partnerships and plant expansions, Sony and Toshiba still think they can't meet demand and keep price down for their LCD HDTVs. Word from Japan's Nikkei over the weekend indicates Sony is upping the share of LCD TV production subcontracted out to Taiwan, Mexico and China-based manufacturers from less than 5% last year to 20% in fiscal '08, adding up to 3 million screens. Toshiba's cut a deal with a manufacturer in China to make 20% of its TVs this year, as it and Sony load up to do battle in the 30- to 40-inch size range. Of course, Sharp and Panasonic claim keeping things in-house give them an important tech edge, but the Vizios of the world would beg to differ and it looks like Sony and Toshiba have decided if you can't beat 'em, join 'em.

[Via Trading Markets]

BenQ hacks 33% from its BR1000 Blu-ray optical drive in Taiwan

by Darren Murph posted Jul 21st 2008 at 3:12PM


We'd give you two guesses on how we feel about this trend, but you only need one. BenQ has just followed Pioneer's lead and dropped the price of its BR1000 Blu-ray optical drive a full 33% in Taiwan. Post-discount, the BD-ROM unit now sits at around NT$3,650 (or $120 to you Americans). SonyNEC Optiarc projected that we'd see these internal drives selling for under $100 before 2009, and it looks like its prophecy will indeed come true. Now, as soon as the standalone players start heading in the same direction, we'll be all smiles.

Samsung teams with Blockbuster to push Blu-ray in Taiwan

by Darren Murph posted Jul 9th 2008 at 6:54PM


While we fortunate Americans have been renting Blu-ray Discs from Blockbuster for a good while now, citizens of Taiwan haven't had the same privilege. Thankfully, all that's getting set to change, as the rental chain has committed to offering up 50 BD titles in each Taiwanese location before the end of this month. A new partnership between it and Samsung will also place Sammy's BD players (the BD-P1500, in particular) in-store for patrons to experience the 1080p difference, and it's said that Samsung manager Li Je-rong believes that "with strong channel assistance from Blockbuster and Tsann Kuen, consumers will become more familiar with Blu-ray." As for pricing, expect to pay NT$150 ($4.93) for each Blu-ray movie versus NT$100 ($3.29) for traditional DVDs.

Pioneer lowers Blu-ray combo drive price in China, Sony unit to hit Taiwan

by Darren Murph posted Jun 24th 2008 at 12:04PM


Take all of this with a grain of salt for the time being, but word on the street has it that Pioneer has lowered the retail price of its BDC-S02BKZ Blu-ray Disc Combo drive in China by just over 41%. The new sticker shows 999 yuan ($145), while just last week it was marked 1,699 yuan ($247). We're also hearing that Pioneer will soon be lowering the retail price of its BDC-S02 optical drive in the Taiwan market, and if that wasn't enough, (hopefully believable) sources have stated that Sony will launch a Blu-ray Disc Combo drive in this very region for around $230 next month. We can't say that BD prices are where they need to be for mass adoption, but it's good to see them finally headed in the right direction.

Read - Price drops
Read - New Sony drive

Olevia-branded Blu-ray player on the way

by Richard Lawler posted May 20th 2008 at 12:26PM

Looking for more competition among Blu-ray players? TV and appliance manufacturer Taiwan Kolin is apparently prepping a player for the Taiwan market, expected to debut around the third or fourth quarter of this year. Built around Sharp components (not at all the first player to do so), the Economic Daily News quoted Taiwan Kolin's president as saying it would also see store shelves in the U.S. under Syntax-Brillian's Olevia brand. Unfortunately, with no features listed and a retail price only remarked as "less than NT$30,000 ($977 U.S.)" it'll probably need to be a lot less than that to make any kind of splash here.

PTS begins HD broadcasting trial in Taiwan

by Darren Murph posted May 16th 2008 at 5:33PM


Just months after BBC HD headed to Taiwan on Chunghwa Telecom and Vastar Cable began HD IPTV trails in the same region, in comes word that local public broadcaster PTS has fired up its first OTA HDTV trial. Currently, the signals are only covering the metropolitan areas of Taipei and Kaohsiung, but if all goes well, we could see it spread to other regions in the near future. Reportedly, the Taiwanese government has provided PTS with an $88 million subsidy in order to "establish a nationwide HDTV broadcast network in three phases," and from what we can gather, the HiHD channel will enable residents to watch the opening ceremonies of the Beijing Olympics in high-definition later this summer. 'Grats, Taiwan!

[Via DigiTimes]

BBC HD heads to Taiwan on Chunghwa Telecom

by Darren Murph posted Apr 5th 2008 at 11:21PM

BBC HD is about to head east -- way east. This month, the channel will make its Taiwanese debut via an SVOD (subscription video-on-demand) service on Chunghwa Telecom. Viewers who tune in will reportedly be able to select from "ten three-hour multiple genre blocks of programs at any one time," which will feature "drama, comedy, documentary, natural history, music and arts programming." Of note, the channel will be shown in English with traditional Chinese subtitles added on, but there will be "program promos and navigational menus in traditional Chinese."

[Via Variety]

Vastar Cable begins HD IPTV trails in Taiwan

by Darren Murph posted Mar 24th 2008 at 4:58AM

Shortly after Vastar Cable linked up with Nortel to deliver its suite of services via IPTV, reports are starting to emerge stating that it has begun trials of its Vee TV HD IPTV service. The current trial is said to be delivering three HD digital channels as well as HD VOD with material from "NHK programs from Japan, nature shows and adult movies." Curiously, there's no mention of when Vastar plans to give Vee TV a proper launch, but it is planning to charge a minimum monthly fee of NT$89 ($3 USD) per subscriber for viewing some 32 channels.

Sony sees Blu-ray growth in emerging markets

by Darren Murph posted Aug 14th 2007 at 9:24PM

Although exact sales figures overseas have been hotly contested, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has just announced "an increase in total Blu-ray disc sales across six emerging markets including Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan, Eastern Europe, South Africa, and the Middle East." Notably, Sony's T. Paul Miller mentioned that it was "extremely positive to see an increase in volume of BD software sales in these markets where piracy had previously ravaged the DVD business." Some of the top sellers in these locales included 007: Casino Royale, Ghost Rider, Open Season, Kung Fu Hustle, Black Hawk Down, XXX, and Stealth, and it was also stated that South Africa accounted for the largest share of BD sales (for the aforementioned regions) with "more than 15,000 units shipped to date."

[Via MovieWeb]

AUO shows off its 65-inch 120Hz 1080p HDTV

by Richard Lawler posted Jun 6th 2007 at 12:06PM

AU Optotronics will be showing off Taiwan's first 65-inch 1080p 120Hz LCD, scheduled for release in the third quarter of this year, at Display Taiwan 2007 next week. Sharp has already displayed this technology and size in its Aquos line, but now that AUO has the capability of building 60-inch+ panels on its 6G production line, we can expect even more competition in the market for these massive HDTVs. Besides the 120Hz technology to reduce blurring, AUO's baby brings 4ms response time, 2000:1 contrast ratio and 10-bit color processing with 92% of the NTSC color gamut, in 42-, 46- and 65-inch sizes.




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