Mitsubishi Announces Retail Availability of World's First Laser-Based Television We've been hearing about laser-based projection for years, and now it's a reality. This is a consumer model, but Mitsubishi says a Pro version is on the way! Mitsubishi Digital Electronics America announced immediate availability of the world's first, laser-powered television. The Mitsubishi LaserVue 65" model is now being sold for $6,999 at select specialty retailers nationwide. Mitsubishi said sales are already strong. The company says LaserVue is being marketed as the most energy efficient large-format, high-definition television available on the market today, with two times the color of many of today's HDTVs, but using exponentially less power than LCD and plasma TVs. Laser beams, says Mitsubishi, provide an extensive range complex colors, along clarity and immersive depth of field, and has been demonstrated to deliver color gamut in excess of 200 percent of BT.709 — two times the color of many HDTVs. LaserVue is also equipped with 3D-ready viewing capabilities. This is just 10 inches deep, and CNET lists it at roughly $7,000. For more information, go to http://www.mitsubishi-tv.com/product/L65A90 Back to Top Here's a First: Voice Notifications on New Projector From Toshiba While this specific projector targets commercial use, the new "voice guidance" feature may be even more suited to home use. The new TLP-X200U emits audible messages to help users operate it and to give warnings, such as on/off status, lamp life, air filter checks and cooling fan status. Good idea or just incredibly annoying? For the home — probably good! This projector is a wireless 3LCD model specified at 3000 ANSI lumens, 600:1 contrast ratio and XGA resolution. MSRP is $1,739. For more information, go to http://explore.toshiba.com/accessory/TLP-X200U Back to Top
Click above for more information New Surround Sound Receiver/Controller From AudioControl The Concert AVR-1 from AudioControl accepts signals from up to five discrete 1080p HDMI inputs, has dual HDMI outputs as well as component, composite and S-video, all which the company says automatically upconvert to their maximum resolutions. This receiver supports Dolby True HD and DTS-HD Master along with traditional formats of Dolby Digital and DTS High Resolution. The Concert AVR-1 uses AudioControl's Class H amplifier topology that the company says is designed for cool operating temperatures, and this design "sips" current, cays AudioControl, for lower power consumption. It delivers 120 watts per channel (840 watts total), with all channels being driven into 8 ohms. It ships in the fourth quarter of 2008, and pricing will be announced upon shipping. For more information, go to http://www.hometheateraudiocontrol.com/product.asp?Product_id=259787 Back to Top Gefen Debuts New GefenTV Scalers Gefen announced two new GefenTV scalers at the EHX show. The scalers scale high definition video resolutions to 1080p and Gefen says they have a simple plug-and-play design. Using these scalers, you can upscale any standard of high definition audio/video source using DVI or HDMI to 1080p. Support for DVI sources with supplemental audio lets you incorporate computers into the home entertainment systems. These HDCP-complaint scalers have on-screen menus for video refinements, and use dual scaling engines, dual 3D motion video de-interlacers, and frame-rate conversions. The GefenTV 1080P HDMI Scaler (MSRP $299) provides upscaling of DVI or HDMI format to 1080p full HD resolutions. The GefenTV High-Definition Scaler (MSRP $349) supports component video and DVI sources with audio. For more details, go to http://www.gefen.com/kvm/news/view-news-item.jsp?news_item_id=108 Back to Top ELAN Ships Wireless Touch Panel ELAN Home Systems is shipping the XP-8.4 Wireless Touch Panel to the company's dealers. This has a nice-sized 8.4" screen and ELAN says this provides faster wireless performance with 802.11g. Next stop? Maybe Wireless-N? Users can browse the web (it even has Flash support), control audio and video, and view home automation information such as compatible lighting, temperature, pool, spa and security systems. For example. The XP8.4 also provides instant "Now Playing" information. So, it's basically where Crestron was in 2005! Congrats… The included tabletop docking/recharging cradle comes with Ethernet and USB ports (for attaching a keyboard or mouse). The XP-8.4 has customizable screen layouts with large buttons and text, and the unit can be adjusted to match a room's décor. ELAN's XP-8.4 Wi-Fi Touch Panel is available now at an MSRP of $3,350. For more information, go to http://www.elanhomesystems.com/ Back to Top Sonos Gives Away iPhone Sonos Controller Sonos announced the new Sonos Controller for iPhone. and the company is offering it free of charge to customers. It is a free download on the iPhone App Store. Those with iPhone 3G, iPhone or iPod touch can now control the Sonos Multi-Room Music System from their device. With Sonos ZonePlayers connected wirelessly in various rooms in the house, users can use their device to find and play music. They just pick a room, pick a song and hit play, and choose whether the song should sync to each room, or if different rooms should play different songs. For more information and to view the demo, go to http://www.sonos.com/whattobuy/controllers/iphone/default.aspx Back to Top New Sonos Software Gives Users Access to More Free Music Services The newly-released Sonos System Software 2.7 provides instant, PC-free access to Last.fm and Pandora personalized radio services, plus more than 15,000 radio stations and shows via Sonos Radio. The free one-button software update is available to all Sonos customers and is available now for download. Sonos also offers subscription-based services such as Napster, Rhapsody and SIRIUS. The more than 15,000 free Internet stations are provided by RadioTime. This lets owners browse for local or international stations and it has a search function to find specific stations, shows or hosts. Last.fm on Sonos is a free global music service that lets users find, play and share new songs and artists based on their music tastes. Pandora is a service that lets users find and play up to 100 radio stations based on favorite songs or artists. For more information, go to http://www.sonos.com/support/software_update.aspx Back to Top Zviewer Software for Playing Internet Videos on HDTVs Enters Beta Testing ZeeVee announced beta testing for the company's Zviewer Internet Video Browser for the big screen. Unlike many of the solutions introduced this year, especially at CEDIA, this is manufacturer agnostic and it doesn't limit what web sites and videos that users can access. In fact, this looks like a nice solution if it works as advertised. It gives users a Mozilla-based browser that creates the same GUI no matter the source page or computer. When viewed on the television, it lets users search for videos on the internet as well as videos stored on computers on the home network. Users with Microsoft Media Center-compatible remote controls will get TV-like remote navigation and control using Zviewer. Functions like Play and Pause will work natively on popular websites such as Hulu. ZeeVee's own ZvRemote includes additional features such as a Full Screen button, on-screen keyboard for text input, and mouse control via a touchpad, so users can operate any website or desktop application from the couch. The TV can connect using VGA or, as with most homes when the computer isn't in the same room as the TV, it can connect using ZvBox, which transforms the computer's video output into a new HDTV channel that can be received on every HDTV in the home, and without needing any new boxes at each TV. The Zviewer is currently available for free during the beta testing. To view a demo and to learn more, go to http://www.zeevee.com/products/zviewer Back to Top WD Announces Media Player Using USB for File Transfers The new WD TV is a media player that connects to a user's TV or home theater and lets consumers play digital movies, music and photos previously stored on, and accessed only by, the computer. Basically the way it works is users leave the WD player plugging into the TV, then plug in USB drives into the player to transfer the digital media. WD has its own drive — the My Passport USB (up to 500GB), or users can use other USB mass storage drives. The WD TV comes with a remote control and users get an on-screen menu. Users can view the content by filename or with thumbnails of photos, album covers or movie cover art. It also allows for automatic media aggregation, which lets the viewer see all their media by media type in one menu no matter where it resides on the drive or player. The price isn't bad at all — $129.99. It is available at the WD's online store. For more information, go to http://www.westerndigital.com/en/products/products.asp?driveid=572 Back to Top Netflix, TiVo Team for Instant Netflix Streaming Netflix and TiVo teamed up to provide TiVo users with Netflix subscriptions access to the Netflix instant streaming service. This is available now to those TiVo users with TiVo Series3, TiVo HD, and TiVo HD XL subscribers. This may very well save TiVo! Great partnership. I have always felt that TiVo was one of the best wasted technologies of all time. It's been copied very poorly by CableTV and SatelliteTV companies DVRs and still TiVo is the best. This and the new, renewed TiVo/DirecTV partnership may be exactly what TiVo needed. Congratulations to them. Netflix currently has about 12,000 movies and TV shows available for instant viewing, with more added all the time. Streaming movies from Netflix on the specified TiVo DVRs is done through a wired or wireless broadband connection and a Netflix queue-based user interface. Members must go to the Netflix Web site to add movies and TV episodes to the individual instant queues, then those choices will automatically be displayed on subscribers' TVs and available to watch instantly through the TiVo. There is no additional charge from either service for this new feature. For more information, go to http://netflix.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=43&item=290 Back to Top Netflix Instant Video Streaming Finally Accessible to Mac Owners, and New Samsung Blu-rays to Stream Netflix Mac owners were celebrating when Netflix announced the company's new media player. Ironically, though, Netflix is using Microsoft Silverlight to improve the instant viewing (on a MAC) and for the first time, subscribers can view the videos on an Intel-based Apple Macintosh computer. This capability is expected to complete roll-out by the end of the year. Why not use Quicktime??? Silverlight is a new web player designed for delivery of cross-platform, cross-browser media inside a Web browser. Netflix expects this to provide a faster, easier connection and to provide improved features such as fast-forwarding and rewinding. For more details, go to http://netflix.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=43&item=288 Netflix also announced that the company's instant streaming will be available on Samsung's BD-P2500 and BD-P2550 Blu-ray players. You may recall a similar announcement with LG at CEDIA. And interestingly, Samsung's pricing is identical to the price that LG announced at CEDIA — $399.99. Samsung says that anyone who already owns either of these Samsung models can upgrade for free. Watching Netflix on Samsung (or LG) boxes requires a wired connection and a Netflix subscription. The movies or TV shows are selected from the Netflix website then become available via the Samsung player. Samsung's Blu-ray players provide 1080p playback and use the HQV processor. They also decode high-resolution multi-channel digital audio soundtracks and 7.1-channel analog audio outputs. For more information, go to http://netflix.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=43&item=287 Back to Top THIEL Announces Limited Edition Signature Edition CS2.4SE Loudspeaker THIEL Audio has a new loudspeaker in limited production. The CS2.4SE is an attractive floor-standing speaker, and for the Signature Edition, THIEL says they selected ultra-fine grade boutique capacitors for the crossover design. As well as for very high performance, this is designed for aesthetics as well, using hand-selected Birdseye Maple using a deep red stain — formulated specifically for the CS2.4SE. A beveled groove between the baffle and cabinet walls sets the Signature Edition apart from other models. Also, Jim Thiel's signature is laser-etched to an aluminum plate on the back panel. This is limited to a total production of 150 pairs worldwide and MSRP is $8,000 per pair. For more information, go to http://www.thielaudio.com/THIEL_Site05/Pages/models/Current_Models/CS2_4/CS2.4se.shtml Back to Top SpeakerCraft Announces "Sound Pillows" In-Wall Speakers SpeakerCraft's new Sound Pillow in-wall speakers are sculpted surface mount speakers that the company says can be mounted to any solid surface with a small cutout for the wire terminations. Installers have a choice of two mounting methods depending on the surface. A "dog frame" allows for installation in standard drywall with flip-out dogs that sandwich the drywall like a standard in-wall speaker. A mounting plate is then attached to the frame. This mounting plate also contains the speaker wire connections. Wires are attached to the plate and the connections to the speaker itself take place automatically when the speaker is connected to the plate and secured with two push-in tabs. The mounting plate can also be directly mounted to the wall surface or to a junction box and again, the speaker is connected by just pressing it onto the mounting plate and pushing in the mounting tabs. The woofer is a 5 1/4-inch Kevlar driver with a 1-inch coaxially mounted, pivoting, silk dome tweeter. The Sound Pillows are available in either round or square versions. Pricing is TBD. For more information, go to http://www.speakercraft.com/#Home Back to Top New MartinLogan Loudspeaker Has Built-in Amp MartinLogan announced the new "Feature" loudspeaker, a fully powered, high-resolution, electrostatic loudspeaker designed for use either on- or off-wall in center, front, or surround channel applications. This is internally powered with a 150-watt switching amplifier and a standard RCA line-level input minimizes wire clutter by connecting directly to on-wall televisions and other devices without the need for external amplifiers. The Feature uses standard speaker-level connections so it can be integrated with audio systems where RCA isn't available. In addition, this is designed to match MartinLogan's fully powered Purity floor-standing electrostatic loudspeaker as well as the subwoofers. The Feature ships this month for $1,695. For more information, go to http://www.us.martinlogan.com/news_and_events/press_releases/feature_released.html Back to Top |