High Definition Hardware

Humax to offer freesat HD digibox on launch

Humax is claiming it will be the only company to have a high definition freesat set-top box available when the service launches in the next month or so.

Manufacturers are prohibited from publishing details about their hardware offerings until freesat publicity ramps up however Humax's commercial director Graham North has said high definition will be the service's key selling point over Freeview.

Humax will not provide a standard definition receiver, which makes sense given their enthusiasm for HD. A PVR will follow a few months later.

(Via HDTV UK)

Hyundai launches first 3D HDTV in Japan

Electronics giant Hyundai has announced that it will begin selling a 3D-capable high definition TV in Japan today.

The 46-inch set will be able to pick up experimental 3D broadcasts from Japanese cable company BS11 Digital.

The set will only be availalbe in 23 shops likely due to its steep price and limited appeal. It will cost Japanese consumers around £2,500.

Other specs revealed include 1,920x1,080 resolution, 1,200:1 contrast ratio, and two HDMI inputs.

In order to get teh full 3D effect viewers will need to wear special glasses...

(Via HDTV UK)

Ultra HD coming by 2012, Philips predicts

So - its not just another catchy name - it really is going to happen and its going to happen soon! Ultra HD, the next generation of high definition video and audio, which has been in development for several years, could be in production as soon as the year 2011 or 2012, according to Philips.

A senior Philips marketing director, Danny Tack, speaking in Lisbon, said that the next generation of TVs would rely on upscaled 1080p Blu-ray Discs and 4K devices, and that as soon as next year the technology could appear in Japan.

(Via HDTV UK)

Only 5% of European HDTV owners watching high definition channels

New research from Strategy Analytics suggests that a mere five per cent of HDTV-owning Europeans are actually watching high definition TV channels.

In Germany, two dedicated HD channels from commercial broadcaster ProSiebenSat1 have closed down last month, due to poor audience figures.

The SA report "HDTV Channels Shut Down: A Sign of Things to Come?" suggests that European television providers should concentrate on building pay television in order to reach the critical mass of HD content and receivers necessary to make HDTV a self-sustaining business.

That's certainly what the likes of Sky are doing.

However, the report ends with a positive note for future growth, suggesting that by the year 2012, one in five European households will be watching high definition channels.

(Via HDTV UK)

Samsung Bordeaux

Samsung has introduced 2 new high definition "Bordeaux" HDTV sets - a 32 inch and a 40 inch model. Both feature Samsung's PVA Panel which allows for a 10,000:1 contrast ratio. A welcome sign are the 3 HDMI ports: one on the front of the set and two at the rear adding extra flexibility over earlier ranges with a single HDMI.

Other than that most of the changes seem nothing more than aesthetic.

From HDTVUK.TV

Toshiba second gen HD DVD players delayed worldwide

Not wanting Sony to hog the HD spotlight with its delays, Toshiba has pushed back the release date of its second generation HD DVD players in the US and abroad.

Despite the lack of an official statement from Toshiba US, rumors have it that due to problems with a chip from a third party supplier, the lower-end HD-A2 HD DVD player originally due out right about now will now not be available until the second week of December.

The HDMI 1.3-equipped, 1080p displaying Toshiba HD-XA2 will also be delayed in Europe where like stateside the Second Generation hardware is eagerly awaited due to issues with the existing units putting off potential buyers. Hopefully a short delay now will avoid the need to patch software later. In the meantime there's always the Xbox 360 HD DVD add-on.

More EngadgetHD

Does size really matter?

It would seem that the folks at Samsung believe this to be the case.

They have been working hard to produce the world's first 175cm (70in) high-definition LCD  TV panel - a whopping 12.5cm (5in) bigger than the largest LCD TV currently on the market. This monster has a resolution of 1,920 x 1,080 which as most of you will likely know makes it a perfect match for a HD source such as SKY HD, or a HD DVD or Blu-Ray player.

Clearly it's not just about quantity however, and subsiquently the display provides a contrast ratio of 2000:1 and a brightness of 600cdmpm². Even with such a large panel the response time is still favourable, coming in at less than 8ms.

If you happen to want one of these you will have to wait  a few months as Samsung say they will not be available until the first half of 2007. The upside of this is that it gives you plently of time to work out where the heck to put the thing!

Sanyo CE32LDY1 LCD TV

Okay so I am sure that most of us recognize the advantage of having a built in Digital tuner in a new TV. Even if you do subscribe to a satellite or cable service it makes sense to future-proof yourself as much as possible. However Sanyo has taken the next step with their new CE32LDY1. It’s one of a very few TVs to include both a Freeview receiver and hard-disk recorder. Of course it’s HD-ready so provides an HDMI port so will work perfectly well with Sky HD or similar should you be that way inclined.

What makes an HD image so good?

Unless you have been living in a box for the last few months you are bound to have heard about the impending release of HDTV in the UK, and the potential benefits that High Definition offers.

High Definition TV is being touted as the biggest revolution in TV for years. Bold statements such as the difference being as big as that between black and white and colour have already put HD on a pedestal.

HD Ready TV Buyers Guide

So you’ve decided its time to buy that new High Definition Ready Television, but what do you actually need to look out for?

High Definition Hardware’s TV Buyers Guide covers the key things that you need to be aware of when purchasing a new High Definition TV.