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WD My DVR Expander External hard drive
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Accessories, USB, HDTV, Home Entertainment, Storage,
Western Digital has unveiled its My DVR Expander USB Edition external hard drive. Compatible with DISH Network’s VIP Series HD DVRs, the 500GB drive increases storage up to 300 hours of SD or 60 hours of HD. It has a passive cooling system without fan, thereby making it a quieter device, and WD claims that it is uses a third less power than most external drives. You can have your own Expander for $149.99.
Of course, the My DVR Expander is also available with an eSATA interface. We did a video on this one a couple of months ago, which you can check out after the break.
Click to continue reading WD My DVR Expander External hard drive
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| Western Digital
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Oppo DV-980H upconverting universal DVD player
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Home Entertainment, Misc. Tech, Movies, Music, USB,
OPPO Digital has released their latest up-converting player for Standard DVDs. The DV-980H has a 1080p output, 7.1 channel audio with Dolby Digital Surround EX decoding, and optimized high-fidelity audio circuitry for Super Audio CD, DVD-Audio, HDCD and regular CDs. Add to that Kodak Picture CD for high resolution picture slide shows, a USB 2.0 interface, and the ability to play all versions of DivX video (including DivX 6) with standard playback of DivX media files. While it doesn’t support Blu-ray or the failed HD DVD, it certainly is a lot less expensive for $169.00.
(Thanks, Noe)
Read More | OPPO
Poll: How do you like your movies? Optical disc, or downloadable?
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Features, Home Entertainment, Movies,
With the HD DVD/Blu-ray format war being over, the new “war” if you will is the one between digital delivery of movies, versus good ol’ optical media. We want to know how you feel about this. Do you prefer buying movies using Apple TV, thus avoiding a trip to the local Target? Or are the type of person who prefers all the bells and whistles that something like a Blu-ray disc has to offer (7.1 lossless audio, pure 1080p video)? I think it is safe to say that we are moving towards a digital download lifestyle, but with current broadband speeds in the USA, we think that it might be a while before it can compete with optical. Your thoughts?
Movies now purchasable through Apple TV
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Broadband, HDTV, Home Entertainment, Movies,
Apple has quietly made a subtle change to the Apple TV movie experience. Previously, you were able to rent standard definition and high definition movies through Apple TV, and obviously, those rentals would expire if left unwatched for 30 days, or within 24 hours of you starting the movie. However, people have been asking for movie downloads since Apple TV Take 2 launched. Well, all that has changed, as Apple has come to an agreement with movie studios that will see new movies available for purchase and download on the same day that they are released on DVD.
The downside to all this? Well, for starters, you can’t buy the HD versions of these movies, despite the fact that you can rent them in HD. If you have an HDTV, we are guessing that you prefer your movies in HD. Also, for a similar price, you could just buy the movie on disc, and get all the extra special feature videos that are lacking on the iTunes download. Oh well, I guess we should just be happy that we are seeing progress.
Sony Expands Blu-Ray Capability in PlayStation 3 with BD-Live
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Corporate News, Downloadable Content, Hardware, PlayStation 3,
Sony’s next PlayStation 3 software update, due out later this month, allows downloading of games, videos, and ring tones. The console is to be updated with Blu-ray Disc Profile 2.0 and BD-Live will be added to the PS3. The update includes “resume play” for both discs and DVD. You can also copy music and images on a PSP and use it as a remote for the PS3.
We certainly are not surprised at this news as we think that Sony has been silently screaming,”Goody, goody, goody!” since the end of the disc war. While this is the first Blu-ray player that can access the Net, Panasonic also plans to release one with BD-Live later in the spring.
Examiner
Buh Bye HD DVD
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Corporate News, HDTV, Home Entertainment, Movies,
It’s official. Toshiba announced today that the end is here. In a public statement, Atsutoshi Nishida, President and CEO said, “While we are disappointed for the company and more importantly, for the consumer, the real mass market opportunity for high definition content remains untapped and Toshiba is both able and determined to use our talent, technology and intellectual property to make digital convergence a reality.”
The company will cease selling their products to retail dealers by the end of March, but promises to continue its product support to those who have already purchased HD products. They will continue to market standard DVD players and DVRs. Toshiba will now concentrate on other tech that supports hi-def, including NAND processing, next gen CPUs, small form factor hard disk drives, and those that utilize wireless and incryption technology.
Read More | Toshiba Press Release
Toshiba Stops HD DVD Production
Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: Picturehouse, Universal, Corporate Shakeups, Home Entertainment, Technology,
It’s official. HD DVD is DOA.
Toshiba finally announced Tuesday what had been rumored for days—it is pulling out of the high-definition market. Although the HD DVD system preceded Sony’s product, Blu-ray sales have steadily outpaced its competitor.
In the past few months, major studios have aligned themselves with the Sony brand. Even though Paramount and Universal continued to offer their titles on HD DVD, it was clear the Toshiba format was being crippled.
Recent decisions made by Wal-Mart and Netflix helped drive a nail into the HD DVD coffin. The companies announced they would no longer be making the high-def option available to its customers.
Shipments of the Toshiba systems will wrap up by March.
Hollywood Reporter
Apple TV Take 2 finally released!
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Broadband, HDTV, Home Entertainment, Movies, Software,
If you are like me, you’ve been waiting for Apple TV Take 2 to hit for just about a month now. When it was delayed two weeks ago, I stared at my Apple TV in disgust. In it’s current form, it was nothing more than a YouTube viewer, and sometimes, a nice picture screensaver. However, the wait is no more. As part of today’s Tuesday updates, Apple has finally released the Apple TV Take 2 software, and it is available now for download. Aside from a freatly enhanced UI, here are some of the features:
- Movie rentals in both high definition and standard definition
- Flickr photo browsing and slideshows
- .Mac photo gallery browsing and slideshows
- Purchasing of items from iTunes Store from Apple TV
- Browse and view podcasts in iTunes Podcast directory on Apple TV
If you have an Apple TV, fire up Software Update on the device to get the new hotness, and let us know what you think.
Read More | Apple TV Take 2 Guided Tour
JVC, for Home Entertainment
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Home Entertainment, Movies, Music,
JVC’s components would be a fine start to create a home entertainment system. The EX-A10 features their Hybrid Feedback Digital Amp, decodes Dolby Digital and DTS Surround for two-channel output, and 3D-Phonic Surround Sound. The DVD player is compatible with most audio and video discs and can decode DivX, JPEG, MP3, and WMA files. Included in the deal is a sleep timer, display dimmer, 99 program tracks, and electronic bass/treble control. Two-way birch wood cone/dome speakers are part of the package and you know it is premium stuff when it takes two remotes to work. All this can be yours for $1099.95.
Read More | JVC
Bleeding Edge TV 251: Jensen Ported iPod Speakers and Docking Digital HD Radio
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Gizmatic, Short Bytes, Accessories, Apple, CES, CES 2008, Features, Home Entertainment, Music, Podcasts, Portable Audio / Video, Videocasts,
Everyone loves iPod speakers. At least that’s what I’m thinking, after taking a look at the market. Jensen’s newest offerings, the JiSS 550 and JiSS 330, retailing for $129 and $99 respectively. Both docks include side flow bass ports for crisper sound and remote controls, and both are available now.
Another, newer offering from Jensen is an HD radio enabled iPod speaker. Along with all of the rest of the cool tricks that HD radio receivers have (FM multicasting, digital sound and station information services, among others), Jensen’s newest HD offering features an iTunes tagging function - when you hear a song on the radio that you know you’re going to want to hear again, repeatedly and whenever you want, with the touch of a button you can send the song information to your iPod. On your next sync, you’ll get a prompt from iTunes reminding you that you wanted to buy the song.
Available in April, MSRP on the HD radio iPod speaker will be coming in at an estimated $179, but rumor has it that if you head over to Target when the speaker is released, you could save yourself enough to buy a couple of albums worth of songs you tagged on the unit.
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