High Definition Hardware

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.

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AVCHD - NEW HD recording format

Panasonic and Sony have announced more information on the recently revealed HD recording format, AVCHD.

 

The AVCHD format, which promises to transform the ailing camcorder market and has implications for all HD recording technologies both in and outside the home, allows for the recording and playback of high definition video on 8cm DVD media.

Sonys New VAIO XL-Series

The entertainment centre for your living

According to Sony's website the New VAIO VGX-XL100 represents the next stage of home entertainment. Unlike a conventional desktop, it is designed to be used in your living room connected to a High Definition TV.

The XL100 offers both HDMI™ (High Definition Multimedia Interface) and Component TV outputs. Simply connect the XL100 to an HD Ready TV to take advantage of a true HD experience.

The VAIO XL100 also lets you watch both analogue and digital TV with its hybrid turner, while the large 250GB hard disk means that the VAIO XL100 can act as a video recorder as well, not to mention a music centre and DVD player.

On top, a wireless keyboard and a remote control enable you to lie-back on your sofa to manipulate your digital entertainment. Setup is apparantly simple with little cabling required.

Ready to replace your Plasma's and LCD's?

Carbon nanotube TV trials on horizon

Applied Nanotech has signed a letter of intent to enter negotiations for a trial on carbon nanotube TVs with Da Ling, a Taiwanese contract manufacturer.

Under the proposed terms, Da Ling will invest $10 million on a pilot manufacturing facility to make carbon nanotube TVs based on Applied's technology. In these TVs, nanotubes shoot electrons at a screen to create a picture. Functionally, they are similar to traditional CRT (cathode-ray tube) televisions, which still provide the best picture, but are slim, like LCD (liquid crystal display) televisions.

Read the full article via ZDNET

LG: dual format player is official

Although there have been rumours of a dual HD DVD/Blu-ray player for a while now , LG has now made its plans official. This proposed player has the potential to seriously impact the new-format war by enabling customers to choose not to choose.

Several film studios, including Disney, have also chosen to publish films in both types of format. As discussed previous it does not seem to make sense for the average consumer to take a gamble on the eventual outcome. It may prove wiser to just let the two formats battle it out whilst sitting safely on a dual format fence. However, that decision will be heavily influenced by the cost of high definition films, the success of the PS3 and the price of dual players themselves.

via HDTV UK

Telewest's HDTV TV Drive launched

Telewest's new TV Drive personal video recorder service has now been fully launched, after a period of initial testing.

The TV Drive set-top-box also enables access to the cable operator's high definition television service. HD content is now available to the 4.5m homes in Telewest's service area through the Teleport video on demand service. Currently free programming from BBC Worldwide is available but an expansion in the range of content available is expected to take place throughout the year.

Pixel Magic unleashes new media player

Following is the press release from Pixel Magic about two new products…

"HD MediaBox™ is a high definition HDD (hard disk drive) media player giving instant access to all your high definition video, digital music, digital photos and DVD files no matter where they are stored – whether on its optional internal hard disk drive (HDD), on your personal computer, USB HDD or Network Attached Storage box.

With a High Definition digital scaler providing resolutions up to 1080p, the HD MediaBox provides the perfect link between PC and Plasma Screen, LCD TFT or Projector. Multiple video outputs are provided including HDMI, VGA / Component Video, S-video and Composite video.