First announed last month, Oppo’s BDP-83 Blu-ray player has been somewhat of a highly sought after item. It’s SACD/DVD-Audio capabilities made it a perfect device for music lovers everywhere.

Well, Oppo has recently updated their website and made the BDP-83 available for pre-order at $499.99. Of course, it’s stated that it is expected to ship sometime around July 1st - 3rd so if it gets delayed, don’t be surprised.

Pre-order it here.

If you’re looking to get a new looking Blu-ray drive but don’t want to throw down the money for an actual player you should check out ASUS’ recently announced SBC-04B1S-U USB 2.0 Blu-ray drive.

This little device features 4.8x Blu-ray reading and 8x DVD burning, Windows compatiblity and of course, USB 2.0 connections. Furthermore, the blue X on the side of the device flashes and has a bundled app to control its brightness. Do you care? Probably not. Is it cool? Sure.

Unfortunately there is no word on pricing or availability but we’re be sure to keep you posted.

Read (EngadgetHD)

YuMe is going places with its video ad network as they have reportedly been selected by MSBC.com to power all ads on their embedded video players across the web.

Among the shows included are the TODAYshow.com, the online home of the #1 morning program, and Nightly.msnbc.com, home to “NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams,” the #1 network evening newscast. Now those are big time shows which should lift the standard of YuMe to incremental proportions.

“YuMe’s powerful ad platform has the targeting, optimization, and reporting capabilities that publishers need to get the most out of content embedded on thousands of sites throughout the Web. Msnbc.com’s sales force will also be able to take advantage of the broad range of video ad formats YuMe supports.”

(Source) Press

Appia launches a new app, Applause, that aims to aid businesses or the corporate setting via desktop sharing. This is great app to add, especially for companies that are aiming to maximize the use of technology through various means like video conferencing and voice chats that are included in pay as you go services as needed.

“The benefits of video communication have been recognized for some time, and are especially pronounced in a slow economy and as organizations seek to reduce their carbon footprints,” said Victor von Schlegell, president of Appia Communications.

(Source) Press

Epson has already started to produce the world’s smallest XGA LCD. It’s actually a high temperature polysilicon TFT or HTPS-TFT and the chip used for it is 23% smaller than the previous model. The LCD is only 0.55-inch big but it’s capable to produce a resolution of 1,024 x 768. Impressed yet? Well Epson wants these babies to offer an even bigger resolution in the future. What are they needed for? These extra-small LCDs will be used in future 3LCD data projectors which will be capable of 2600 ANSI lumens projections.

via Epson

One thing about getting the most out of your LCD displays today is how they can deliver and of course be conservative as far as end users are concerned. This of course pertains mostly for people who frequently use laptops and LCD screens that seem to be lacking something to deliver the proper display.

However, Freescale Semiconductors may have the solution for all that. With the MC34845 LED driver, a six-channel device that comes with a high-speed pulse width modulation (PWM) capability. The device is ideal for backlighting applications needed for most laptops and some LCD displays today.

Freescale is currently sampling the MC34845 (600 kHz boost) and the MC34845A (1.2 MHz boost) LED drivers. Both devices are available at a suggested resale price of $1.15 (USD) in 10,000-unit quantities.

(Source) Press

Aleratec unveils a 3rd generation Roboracer DVD CD Duplicator that doesn’t need a PC to assist you in your DVD duplication needs. The new Roboracer can accommodate up to 100 CDs or DVDs to duplicate in one sitting without the need to attend to it.

This powerhouse is equipped with a USB 2.0 connection to a generous built in 320GB hard disk drive that can conveniently store multiple source disc images that can be quickly duplicated at any time. The source disc images can be copied from physical source discs or files created on a computer.

This Aleratec DVD CD duplicator carries an MSRP of $849. It takes only 3 seconds after the DVD/CD RoboRacer SA finished a disc to load a new one.

(Source) Press

You wouldn’t think that you’d get a lot of value out of a home theatre system small enough for you to personally carry out to your car once you bought it,   Especially if you only pay a hundred and ninety eight dollars for it out the same door.  It’s the Philips DVD Home Theatre HTS3372D. and it’ll offer a package of surprising depth–and ultimately, value.

It comes with a five-speaker array, a standard DVD player that upconverts to 1080p, HDMI connectors, an iPod dock and an FM radio with forty available presets.

Now, you might think that speakers small enough to fit literally in the palm of your hand would be incapable of producing any kind of decent fidelity, but with the Philips DVD array, you’ll be surprised at the sound quality.  I definitely was–listening to an array of sounds from rainfall to explosions sounded exactly how rainfall and explosions SHOULD sound.  You may not expect audio reproductions to sound lifelike–like they do in life–but this one does.

The image on the DVD player actually DOES make your standard DVD look better.  I can’t say it’s the same as Blu-Ray, but it does look better than the ordinary.

In fact, for just over two hundred bucks (by the time you figure in the sales tax), this is a pretty decent value.  Of course, it’s not the best on the market but there’s definitely nothing wrong that I can tell with this package.  It should do everything you need a home theatre setup to do, especially if you’re heavily invested in standard definition DVD.

Goo Systems Application

Goo Systems was developed in 2000 by a paint engineer, an electronics expert, and a marketing specialist. The company’s flagship product, Screen Goo, is a unique option for consumers to paint their own projection screens on any surface. Screen Goo’s ability to be applied to nearly any paintable surface has seen the product being used in home theater screens, in particluar.

Painting a Goo screen is a two-step process which requires the application of a basecoat then a topcoat. One liter of each is required to make approximately an 8 foot wide 16:9 screen. Goo offers three screen products. If you want a pure white screen, go with the CRT White and if you want to go with gray, their two high contrast options are Digital Grey Lite and Digital Grey with the latter being the darker of the two.

Portable iPod Outdoor Speaker

If you are planning to take your iPod outside with you to enjoy your favorite tunes during these warm summer months, remember that poolside or at the beach may not be the safest place to take your iPod. However this portable speaker from Frontgate will protect your iPod because not only is it water and dust resistant, but it has a durable rubber exterior, which makes it shockproof and can handle those occasional bangs and bumps. 

The iPod itself goes behind a clear watertight door. Although it’s behind that door, you can still control your iPod through the exterior buttons. It run on either 4 C batteries, an AC adapter or a car adapter and will fit the iPod Nano, Classic, Shuffle or Mini. Available from Frontgate for $99.50.

Yamaha neoHD Media Controllers

Just after the recent release of their Sonos-rivaling MediaCAST2 system, Yamaha have revealed their neoHD Media Controllers. Gathering multiple AV components with a simple, HTPC-style “Watch/Listen/Play” UI, two models are available: the entry-level YMC-500 ($599.95), with remote IR control, and the YMC-700 ($799.95) which adds WiFi for networked content streaming, iTunes AAC support, internet radio and Rhapsody online due to the included license for TwonkyMedia Server. 

Both Controllers have Dolby TrueHD support, three HDMI inputs, and offer control of up to six AV components. Yamaha are also offering a full system, the neoHD System 2.1 YMC-S21 for $799.95, which includes the (non-WiFi) YMC-500, stereo speakers and an active subwoofer.

Gateway, one of the world’s fastest growing and most efficient PC makers, has recently added two new LCD monitors to its range, namely FHD2102 bmidgz and FHD2402 bmidgz. Both the FHD Series monitors are affordable and have an appealing design. The monitors feature elegant black bezel, edge-to-edge screen, touch-sensitive controls, metallic-silver highlights and an L-shaped stand.

The FHD2102 bmidgz features a widescreen display measuring 21.5-inch with 1920×1080 maximum resolution, a 5ms response time, a 60Hz (maximum) refresh rate, a 300cd/m2 brightness, a 20000:1 max (Dynamic) contrast ratio and 170° (H)/160° (V) viewing angles.

While, the FHD2402 bmidgz sports a much wider 24-inch display with 1920×1080 maximum resolution, a 2ms response time, a 60Hz (maximum) refresh rate, a 40000:1 max (Dynamic) contrast ratio, a 300cd/m2 brightness and 170° (H)/160° (V) viewing angles.

Both the FHD2102 bmidgz and FHD2402 bmidgz are by now available at selected retailers throughout the U.S., priced at $199.99 and $269.99, respectively.

The Supreme Court has given its OK concerning the cloud-DVR concept developed by Cablevision. The virtual DVR would use no local hard drive and you would record all the shows you want and watch them later on some drives belonging to Cablevision. Several Hollywood studios decided they can’t agree with Cablevision’s vision and said the concept represents unfair re-broadcasting of various shows.

The Supreme Court however is siding with Cablevision on this one so we can expect further developments of the concept. Anyone interested in it? Or would you rather have your shows recorded neatly on a local hard drive?

via NY Times

You have to admit the projector in the image above is pretty interesting. It’s basically a ball levitating above a circle. The ball itself represents the projector while the circle represents the electromagnetic base needed to make the projector levitate at different heights.

The gadget is actually more complicated than just a simple projector. It’s made of multiple mini projectors each capable of displaying a different image. That’s a sweet thought, isn’t it? No word when this projector is coming anyway, so keep dreaming for now!

via Yanko Design

AVerMedia Technologies has announced the release of the AVerTVHD Duet, a pure HD dual digital tuner that will accelerate your current home theater based PC. It is designed to receive HD Digital TV Over-the-Air (ATSC) or Unencrypted Digital Cable (ClearQAM) signals directly to your PC. The AVerTVHD Duet has a single input, which adopts the PCI Express interface, which offers a stable and higher bandwidth transmission environment than the traditional PCI bus.

Among the striking features include a PIP (Picture-in-Picture), enabling you to work on their PC and watch TV at the same time. This provides you more convenience to watch TV on your PC without worrying about work. You can choose the PIP window size from 1/4, 1/9 or 1/16 on your PC screen. Also, you can select Transparent PIP and see through the Picture-in-Picture, not to cover anything on your desktop that you may be working on.

The AVerTV Duet is now available through the AVerMedia eStore at $69.99 for the White Box (A188WB) and $89.99 for the Retail Box (A188R). The latter includes the AVer MediaCenter application.

(Source) News Blaze

Hannspree North America Inc. may not be among the popular brands that consumers would associate as far as HD LCD TVs are concerned but perhaps now they will be. Today, they have launched a new 25” 1080p full HD LCD TV in the 25-inch ST251MKB.

This new LCD TV kicks off their campaign for mainstream digital TVs under the ST series. It carries an MSRP of $399.99.

Features:

• Viewable Size: 24.6″
• Aspect Ratio: 16:9
• Response Time: 2ms X-Celerate
• Brightness: 300cd/m2
• Contrast Ratio: 10,000:1 X-Contrast
• Viewing Angle: 170 degrees/160 degrees
• Supported TV Formats: 1080p, 1080i, 720p, 480p, and 480i
• Tuners: ATSC/NTSC/Clear QAM
• Inputs: RF, 2x HDMI, Component, S-Video, Composite, VGA, PC Audio
• Audio Out: 10Wx2, Headphone
• Accessories: HDMI Cable, Universal Remote Control w/ Batteries, Cleaning Cloth
• Warranty: 1-Year Limited Parts and Labor

(Source) Press

NEC drew praises for its MultiSync LCD8205, being named as the most striking and Best Digital Signage Product for InfoComm09. The 82 inch display was the unanimous choice of readers of Rental and Staging Systems Magazine, acknowledging the rich color and clarity that this NEC solution brings to the world of business and advertising.

“Rental & Staging Systems readers have bestowed another great honor on NEC Display Solutions with their selection of the LCD8205 display as Best Digital Signage Product,” said Jean McLaughlin, Senior Product Line Manager for NEC Display Solutions. “The massive 82-inch display delivers the ‘wow-factor’ for companies and organizations seeking to convey brand messages in an eye-catching, large format.”

The LCD8205 can be installed in either portrait or landscape orientation and tiled together for a video wall in up to a 4×4 matrix. An automatic ambient light sensor also monitors changing light conditions to subtly optimize the brightness level to the environment.

(Source) Press

Denon Electronics will be integrating Anchor Bay Video processing chips towards its latest Video Reference Series (VRS) product line that includes seven AVRs and a Blu-Ray player which will be coming out in the next months. Denon will be using Anchor Bay chips to provide video format conversion and enhancement functions.

Anchor Bay’s flagship ABT2010 chip powers the video processing in the $1,999 AVR-4310CI, the $1,499 AVR-3310CI, and the $849 AVR-2310CI receivers, all from Denon’s Custom Integration product line. The ABT2010 also processes video in two receivers from the premium brand’s Retail Home Theater Series line, the $1,499 AVR-990 and the $799 AVR 890. For the $549 AVF-1910 and the $499 AVR-790 receivers, Denon has selected the versatile ABT1030 chip.

(Source) Home Theater Review

Every time I see a Vizio VF550M LCD HDTV  on display somewhere I can’t help but catch my breath in sheer astonishment.  The clarity!  The sheer size of it!  The enormity of the price tag!

In all honesty, this is a magnificent television set.  It’s a full fifty-five inch diagonal (technically it’s slightly smaller, but the Mark One Eyeball can’t tell the difference.  We’re talking three, four tenths of an inch shy.) set that comes in full 1080p resolution, with a panoply of slots.  Seriously, check out this rundown: five HDMI slots, two component jacks, one PC slot, two AV slots, and, as though that weren’t enough, a PC slot.  It’s also got a special kind of audio technology in there called TruVolume, which regulates the volume coming out of the speakers at a continuous level.  You know how when you’re watching TV, especially at the local level, and you’re watching a commercial for, say, your local library?  It’s nice and calm and they’ve got some quiet instrumental going on in the background.  You’re almost being lulled to sleep when ALL OF A SUDDEN COMES AN AD FOR BIG LOU LEMON’S USED CAR EMPORIUM!  WE GOT CARS!  BIG CARS! BAD CARS!  COME ON DOWN TO BIG LOU’S!

Yeah, like that.  TruVolume dials down the volume on Lou’s frantic pitch so that you’re not jolted out of your wakeful reverie.  And as someone who’s nearly fallen out of a chair following one such occasion, I wish TruVolume came on more sets.

But the price…frankly, it should almost come with more slots and be larger and offer an option to change the channel by mental telepathy.  They’re asking almost sixteen hundred bucks for that rig.  I know, it’s huge, it’s beautiful, the resolution is positively uncanny but the price is so absolutely mammoth that it’s almost not a good value.  It packs so much into one system that it should be pricey, but sixteen hundred dollars for once system?  Especially these days, that’s probably too much.

Toshiba may be considering a move into Blu-ray. If it occurs, the move would be quite a reversal for the company that developed Blu-ray’s superb (yet ill-fated) challenger HD DVD. The news came in a general meeting when Toshiba Corporation President Atsutoshi Nishida stated: “It makes no sense to decide not to enter the Blu-Ray market simply because we lost the DVD-format [sic] war. We cannot change the fact that we lost, but we would like to keep our options open.”

If Toshiba carries out these plans, the device would actually be a DVD recorder incorporating Blu-ray, though whether the Blu-ray capability would be record/play or playback-only was not clear according to the Nikkei Japanese press report.