Movea SmartMotion Air Mini Keyboard remote and Air Mouse revealed alongside Sunrex partnership Don't quote us on this, but we've got a feeling that remotes will be more than just remotes by the time 2012 rolls around. HDTV companies have been slyly adding motion support to their remotes here at CES, and with PrimeSense's technology going over so well in the Kinect, there's an obvious next-step when looking at TV control. Movea -- the company responsible for the Gyration Air Mouse and Air Mouse iOS app -- has just teamed up with Sunrex here at CES, with the newly formed relationship expecting to yield new kit based on the former's MotionIC platform and SmartMotion technology. We're told to expect the first products to be available in Q1 of this year, with the SmartMotion Air Mini Keyboard remote and SmartMotion Air Mouse being named in particular. The former includes a full four-row QWERTY keyboard and relies on 2.4GHz wireless technology, but no images, pricing and availability details are available just yet. Theo Engadget
Vizio CES hands-on with ultrawidescreen TV, passive 3DTV, OnLive and Android clock radios Predictably, as the leader in North American LCD sales, Vizio's booth was absolutely filled with LCD HDTVs, including the slew of displays announced this week during CES. We got some hands-on time with the OnLive implementation Vizio's bringing to its VIA Plus (read: Google TV) as well as the Versus single screen head-to-head gaming setup -- which you can check out on Joystiq -- a quick look at new soundbars with wireless subwoofers, new headphones and even an interesting Android-powered clock radio with integrated iPod dock, but our biggest question was if the new Theater 3D tech based on LG's FPR passive 3D screens was ready for prime time. Check out a few more pics in the gallery and our impressions after the break. We haven't sampled all the 3D available at CES yet, but since Vizio's demo material consisted mostly of movie trailers it was a bit easier to compare to what we'd watch at home than what we saw in the LG booth. On the one hand, we quickly put to rest questions of dimness on 2D content or problems with viewing angles. While you can induce some crosstalk by viewing from above or below the display, it was surprisingly limited and not nearly the fall off what you'd see from a DLP for example. As far as the actual picture quality, while we're still not entirely sure the explanation that since 1080p FPR displays are sending 540 lines to each eye, that equals Full HD holds water, the PQ on 3D was certainly good enough for most people to be satisfied at home. A scene from a movie with ocean waves in the background revealed some slight artifacting and loss of detail that we thought might not be as noticeable on an active shutter setup, but the combo of cheap glasses, easy in-store demonstration and Vizio's proven track record in targeting mass market pricing should have the competition on their toes. We could easily see this going in an LCD/plasma direction, while higher resolution has its advantages in picture quality (at least until 4K2K FPR displays arrive) these passive options have strengths that will appeal to most consumers, plus potential partners like Nike or Calvin Klein and a presentation that appeals to the big box stores of the world. We didn't get to take pictures of the Google TV powered VIA Plus displays. but did confirm they're running a skin consistent with the tablet and phone we've seen. Also on site but not ready for prime time were the next generation of VIA remotes, while the one intended for Google TV hardware had a similar chunky slider QWERTY style like the current ones, it also integrated a slew of new buttons and small touchpad on the front, while other possible options included a slimmer remote with a keypad on the back like Boxee's remote. The planned Vizio On Demand service (developed wih an as-yet unrevealed partner) will be more than just yet another way to purchase overpriced VOD, since it will be able to provide movies natively scanned and formatted (no stretching needed here) for those ultrawidescreen displays as well as plenty of 3D video. Of course, that's not all we saw while we were there, as Vizio continues to expand its speaker lineup with more soundbars and wireless subwoofers, plus new lineups of ear buds and headphones. What caught our eye however, was a small clock radio/iPod dock setup that had a screen similar to the company's portable TV and running Android. Don't expect any kind of Market access or anything, but it did feature a number of custom apps, and included streaming not only from the attached iPhone, but a NAS on the same network by DLNA. There were still a few glitches to smooth out, but here's a quick video of the box at work. Theo Engadget
HDMI to Infinity and Beyond All for 1.4, and 1.4 for All?In 2002, the video world was just getting comfortable with component analog video. HDTV and DVD were only starting to acquire mass-market status. We were using three separate video cables to connect our shiny new HDTVs to our best sources. Add to that up to six audio cables to our A/V receivers. This forest of cables wasn’t heaven (except to cable vendors), but it worked, and it provided most viewers with their first real taste of high-quality video. We also had DVI, a standard for digital video borrowed from the computer world. But because its clunky connector only carried video and not audio as well, it never achieved critical mass. Then along came High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) and its promise of a single cable from source to AVR to display for both audio and video. There were other contenders in this battle, including FireWire, but the scuffle was short. HDMI won the day. Today some 800 companies worldwide are HDMI licensing adopters and affiliates. What HDMI Offers and What It Doesn’t HDMI promised not only simpler system connections, but two-way communication between components and displays. Two-way communication offered consumers potential advantages in system automation. But its key attraction was to content providers, as it offered the opportunity for improved copy protection. Without this, studios would have been reluctant to release material that offered near-master-quality video and audio into the marketplace. Despite its promised advantages, HDMI wasn’t initially free of operating glitches. Nearly all of these were related to the two-way handshake between components and displays—a transfer of information that must be completed before a signal lock-on can be established. The information exchanged, known as Extended Display Identification Data (EDID), can be relatively benign. It could include the display’s optimum resolution, the color space the display expects to see (component Y/Cb/Cr or RGB), or whether or not the set is 3D capable and what 3D format is involved. Some of the requested EDID information is genuine secret-agent stuff. It involves the copy protection that’s near and dear to the hearts of film studios everywhere. For example, if the display or intermediate passthrough device (such as an A/V receiver) isn’t compliant with High-Bandwidth Digital Content Protection (HDCP, one of the major copy protection schemes used with HD sources), the system won’t complete the handshake. Many of the problems weren’t HDMI’s fault. They resulted from a failure to anticipate the overall connection environment (either by HDMI or by the manufacturers of the products in which it was used). HDMI issues haven’t disappeared entirely, but things have steadily improved thanks to an often bewildering range of HDMI revisions. It all started with HDMI 1.0 in 2002 and moved steadily on up to the current versions: HDMI 1.4 and 1.4a. HDMI 1.0 gave us up to 1920-by-1080 resolution at up to 60 hertz, but only for 8-bit-per-color video (24 bits total for the three primary colors in the video signal). It could carry eight channels of linear PCM audio at resolutions of up to 24 bits/192 kilohertz. Along the way, we passed through several intermediate HDMI iterations that added support for DVD-Audio and SACD and increased the video resolution the system could carry. As we arrived at HDMI 1.3, we had more than double the video bandwidth, which allowed passage of full high-definition video at up to a 60-Hz refresh rate and up to 16-bit (48-bit total) video. No consumer sources are higher than 8-bit video, but some components and displays can upconvert incoming video signals to higher bit depths or transmit/process video signals upconverted to Deep Color. HDMI 1.3 also carries lossless audio in the form of Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio in bitstream form. It also supports Deep Color, xvYCC color, and Auto lip sync. In short, as it progressed from version 1.0 through version 1.3, HDMI gave us increasingly wider video bandwidth plus the ability to pass all current forms of multichannel high-resolution audio available to the consumer. Some of its additional capabilities, such as Deep Color and the xvYCC color gamut, have seen very limited use so far. Please Sir, Could I Have Some More? As always, enough is never enough, and HDMI version 1.4 was announced in 2009. While HDMI 1.4 offers a number of benefits, the big kahuna is 3D. According to HDMI, a product doesn’t need to support all of the features that HDMI 1.4 offers to be classified as HDMI 1.4. It must come equipped with the appropriate HDMI 1.4 chips and either an HDMI 1.4 transmitter (for a source, such as a Blu-ray 3D player), receiver (for a display), or both (such as an A/V receiver with HDMI 1.4 switching). The features must also be programmed into the chips, which is up to the manufacturer of the product involved. Beyond the chips, the product doesn’t have to offer all HDMI features out of the box. Before you write the check, be sure to check that any HDMI 1.4 component you are considering offers the HDMI 1.4 features you need, such as the ability to pass a 3D signal. Some products may ship with promises of future firmware updates to include additional 1.4 features, but don’t be surprised if deliveries of such updates are snail-slow. When engineering is involved, deadlines are rarely ironclad. HDMI 1.4 features that offer the most immediate benefits to the consumer: HDMI 1.4 can transmit, pass, and receive the new 3D source material. HDMI 1.3 offers the same maximum bandwidth as HDMI 1.4, but 1.4 can carry additional data that better accommodates Java-intensive discs. HDMI 1.4 can also recognize and transmit the flags imbedded in a 3D source that tell your 3D HDTV to automatically switch to the correct 3D mode. HDMI 1.4a is identical to HDMI 1.4 except that it adds compatibility with the mandatory 3D broadcast standards. These include the side-by-side horizontal and top-and-bottom formats. These both provide 3D, but side-by-side has a resolution of 960 by 1080, and top-to-bottom has a resolution of 1920 by 540—that is, half the resolution of full high definition. At present, Blu-ray is the only source that offers full 1920-by-1080 3D resolution for home viewing. HDMI 1.4’s Audio Return Channel lets audio from the set pass back through the HDMI cable that connects the display to your A/V receiver or surround processor. This can eliminate the need for a separate audio cable (analog or digital) from the set’s audio output to the AVR or surround processor. This is also true for sources connected directly to the set or sources that originate in the set, such as the sound from an onboard HDTV tuner. For this feature to work, both the AVR and the HDTV must offer Audio Return capability. This connection can only carry two-channel PCM, multichannel audio, and lossy Dolby Digital and DTS—not their lossless high-resolution siblings. HDMI 1.4 features that will offer benefits further down the road: The HDMI Ethernet Channel allows multiple components connected with HDMI 1.4 to share a single Internet connection to one of the components. This two-way, high-speed HDMI Ethernet Channel operates at up to 100 megabits per second. To use this data channel, each component in the system must be HDMI Ethernet Channel capable. You’ll also need special HDMI with Ethernet cables; standard HDMI cables don’t include the extra wiring you’ll need to perform Ethernet functions. The HDMI Ethernet Channel requires changes to the HDMI 1.4 receiver and transmitter chips in components beyond those that the other features require. HDMI chips with those changes have only recently become available to manufacturers. As of early June 2010, HDMI Ethernet Channel has not yet appeared in any HDMI products available to the public. Because of the focus on 3D in new products, we don’t anticipate that this Ethernet feature will be available in many new 2010 products, if any. The chip-level changes are in hardware; a future firmware change won’t update products that were manufactured without HDMI Ethernet Channel capability. HDMI 1.4 supports a source resolution of 4096 by 2169 at a maximum refresh rate of 24 Hz. But a move to 4k for affordable consumer displays is unlikely in the foreseeable future. The native resolution of the currently available Meridian/JVC 4k projector is 4096 by 2400, and Sony’s 4k projectors are 4096 by 2160. These are the only 4k displays you can currently buy, but not easily or cheaply. (The Meridian, at about $185,000, is sold into very high-end home theaters, and the Sony 4k projector is sold for commercial theatrical use.) Native 4k source material is extremely rare even in Digital Cinema presentations. It’s not likely that 4k source material will be available to consumers anytime soon. HDMI 1.4 will support the wide color spaces that are available in some digital still cameras (sYCC601, Adobe RGB, and Adobe YCC6012). HDMI 1.3 already supports Deep Color and xvYCC, the only two expanded color options that are being discussed for full-motion video. But neither of these has appeared anywhere in the consumer world outside of a few HD video cameras and video games. A new, smaller HDMI connector was developed as part of HDMI 1.4. This connector is intended primarily for portable devices. The Automotive Connection System is a cabling specification that’s designed to accommodate the environmental problems associated with in-car applications. Cable Stuff If you go shopping for an HDMI 1.4 cable, you won’t find any such designation on the label. Although cable manufacturers will still likely blitz you with a bewildering variety of cables rated for different speeds, HDMI now recommends the use of only two broad cable classifications, each of which offers Ethernet or non-Ethernet options: Standard HDMI: good for transmission rates up to 1080i/60. (Standard HDMI + Ethernet adds a twisted pair of cables inside the HDMI cable jacket that’s dedicated to two-way broadband communications.) High-Speed HDMI: support for 1080p/60 at a minimum, including Deep Color and 3D. (High Speed HDMI + Ethernet also adds a twisted pair of cables dedicated to two-way broadband communications.) If you intend to use the HDMI cables for any of the advanced HDMI 1.4 features, including full high-definition 3D from Blu-ray, you may need a high-speed design to ensure full compatibility. Since high-speed HDMI cables have been on the market for a couple of years now, the cables you currently own might already fit the bill. Even standard HDMI cables might be OK. It’s certainly worth checking out any HDMI cables you already own before you let a salesperson twist your arm into adding one or more sets of new, expensive high-speed HDMI cables to go with that new 3D HDTV. If the system doesn’t initially work, the worst that can happen is a few days’ delay while you make another trip to the video store or your favorite online cable shop to update your existing cables. Other Stuff While you will need a Blu-ray 3D player equipped with HDMI 1.4 for guaranteed full-resolution 3D performance, Sony has announced a firmware update to its HDMI 1.3–equipped PlayStation 3 machines. These updated players may have limitations with some discs; we won’t know for certain until we try them out. But because of the huge installed base of PS3s, not to mention the huge potential market for 3D gaming, it’s a pretty good bet that content providers will do their best to avoid any 3D content that might trip up that player. Remember, if your A/V receiver or surround processor is HDMI 1.3, you’re not necessarily out of the 3D game. You can purchase a Blu-ray 3D player with dual HDMI 1.4 outputs and run a direct HDMI video connection to your 3D HDTV and a second direct HDMI audio connection to your HDMI 1.3–equipped AVR or surround processor. But the only guarantee of passing 3D over HDMI 1.4 through an AVR or surround processor is if that device is HDMI 1.4 and has the HDMI 1.4 firmware needed to pass 3D. An HDMI 1.3 AVR, surround processor, or other device in the source-to-display chain might pass along a 3D source, but there are no guarantees that such a connection will be free of glitches, let alone work at all. Theo Hometheater
3D For You And Me: Your Complete 3D Setup Guide Dateline: November 1952. As Hollywood...um... reels in desperation over the box-office losses from the 1950s version of the next big thing—television—the film Bwana Devil hits theaters. A tacky B-picture about lions attacking workers building an African railroad (based on a true incident), Bwana Devil would have been quickly forgotten apart from one thing: It was the first 3D movie to reach a wide audience. And it started a brief but intense mania for 3D movies. But that first 3D fad only lasted a couple of years, and by 1955 it was largely over —but not forgotten. 3D never completely died out. There were occasional 3D mini-resurrections over the years, but the problems with the format—the need for two projectors, twice as much expensive film, proper synchronization, and those infernal glasses—always managed to turn off both studios and audiences sooner or later. But the cat has come back. Today we’re in the midst of a new resurgence of 3D. Audiences don’t seem to object to the continuing need for 3D glasses, or even the premium prices that 3D theatrical presentations command. Digital technologies, both on the production and display sides, have eliminated most of the old technical barriers, and thousands of theaters have been retrofitted with the digital projectors needed for modern 3D presentations. Comin’ On Home 3D at the multiplex is fun, but for better or worse, television has become our window on the world. And that window is about to become more transparent. As I walked around the show floor at the big Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas last January, I saw that 3D was everywhere. A few set makers gamely tried to sell another story, but 3D was the show-stopper. Now, several months later, 3D sets are available from virtually every major television maker—all of them rolling the dice big time. It’s hard to tell if the holiday shopping season will see the explosion of 3DTV sales some are predicting. But from what we’ve seen so far, apart from the sheer size of a big theater screen, the 3D experience at home can be every bit as compelling as it is in the theater. What You’ll Need: The 3D HDTV The first thing you’ll need to bring 3D home is a 3DTV. While they’re outwardly similar to any HDTV and fully capable of 2D playback, 3DTVs can decode and display 3D from one of several standard 3D formats. In general, 3D sets also offer separate setup menus for 2D and 3D material, plus additional 3D controls that can help you get the best out of 3D sources. Some of these sets, like LCD models from Sony, Samsung, and Toshiba, and some new Panasonic plasmas, include special processing that converts 2D sources into a semblance of 3D. Our limited experience with this feature so far suggests that it can be effective with some material, but it’s no substitute for the real thing. The flat-panel 3D displays we’ve tested have performed as well as, and in some cases better than, roughly equivalent 2D sets. They’ve also been higher priced. But the price premiums for the 3D sets we’ve seen so far have been lower than we originally feared. And as with all new technologies, those premiums will certainly shrink over time. Viewing 3D in both the home and the theater still requires funky 3D glasses. But don’t worry, the new 3D platforms aren’t based on the flimsy colored anaglyph glasses used for previous iterations of 3D. The type of glasses required in the home, at least in the displays we’ve seen so far, and those we anticipate, use sophisticated active shutter technology. That is, the left and right images flash on the screen sequentially at a very rapid rate. The battery-powered shutters in the glasses open and close for each eye in sync with these images to ensure that each eye sees only the images intended for it. Some sets include one or two sets of shutter glasses and the built-in IR emitter needed to trigger them as part of the original package. But not all. For example, the emitter and 3D glasses are add-on options for some Sony 3D sets, which gives consumers the choice of 3D now or updating later. While prices will undoubtedly drop if 3D catches on in a major way, extra sets of shutter glasses are expensive for now, currently around $150 each. That’s something to keep in mind if you’re considering the purchase of a 3D set. For now, inviting your friends and neighbors over for 3D movie night is an expensive proposition. The 3D glasses sold by each set maker are also unique; that is, there’s no guarantee that they will be compatible with another manufacturer’s 3D set. There is one source of 3D glasses that are claimed to be universal, a company called XpanD. However, 3D glasses introduce a color shift in the image, and a set that’s calibrated for one manufacturer’s glasses may not produce an optimum color balance with another make. That can be the case even if, like the XpanD designs, their shutter action works properly. For more on the use of shutter glasses for 3D, see the “3D Formats” sidebar.3D Sources At present, the premium format for 3D is Blu-ray. It provides full 1080p HD resolution to each eye. But you can’t get 3D out of just any Blu-ray player. You must use a player that’s specifically designed for Blu-ray 3D. These players are also backward-compatible with other optical discs, such as 2D Blu-ray, DVD, and CD. Some offer the same features you’ll find on most new 2D players. The starting price for a brand-name Blu-ray 3D player is $200. In general, 2D Blu-ray players cannot be updated to play 3D. But there’s one exception. In September, Sony released an update that added 3D capability to all PlayStation 3s in the field (both the older models and the newer slim version). Because the update is firmware only, with no new hardware involved, an updated PS3 may have some shortcomings with Blu-ray 3D Discs, including limitations on playing Java-intensive features and possibly a need to manually switch your set to 3D mode. But it should play the program’s main 3D video and audio seamlessly. Why is such an update not possible with other 2D Blu-ray players? Simple: The PS3 has far more inherent processing power than any other disc player. So far, the number of Blu-ray 3D releases has been very limited, and many of those releases are exclusive to a given 3DTV/Blu-ray 3D player manufacturer. For example, to get the Blu-ray 3D version of How to Train Your Dragon, you must buy a Samsung 3D HDTV and Blu-ray 3D player bundle. (It’s confirmed too that the Shrek movies will also be Samsung exclusives although no dates had been set at press time.) Panasonic’s 3D bundles have so far included Blu-ray 3D versions of Universal’s Coraline and Fox’s Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs, and of course the big new exclusive on Avatar. We expect—hope—that as the exclusive contracts expire, these exclusive titles will become widely available to owners of any 3D set. And the list of wide-release titles is growing. Alice in Wonderland, Clash of the Titans, Despicable Me, and A Christmas Carol will all be in wide release on Blu-ray 3D by the time you read this. While movies will be a big part of the 3D mix, the elephant in the room is video games. Home Theater doesn’t cover it, but video-gaming is huge, and the 3D game experience could be compelling. Sony definitely lucked out (or was it the luck of canny foresight?) when its PS3 design left room for a future 3D update. We’ve found that some Blu-ray 3D Discs will play back in 2D on a 2D Blu-ray player and a 2D set. But we’ve received at least one report indicating that separate 2D and 3D releases may be required to ensure full compatibility and the best overall quality. It’s too early to know for certain. Blu-ray won’t be the only source of 3D content. On July 1, DIRECTV, in conjunction with 3DTV manufacturer Panasonic, announced the launch of four 3D channels: n3D powered by Panasonic, a channel dedicated exclusively to 3D programming; DIRECTV on Demand; DIRECTV Cinema; and ESPN 3D (the latter launched in June). Discovery also has plans for a 24/7 3D channel sometime in 2011. DIRECTV offers a free software upgrade for its set-top boxes to enable reception of these 3D channels. Cable sources have dipped a toe into the 3D waters, but their efforts so far (and their announced plans) have been far less ambitious than DIRECTV’s. Verizon’s FiOS and AT&T’s U-verse have announced plans for 3D, and U-verse has already provided some 3D sports programming. Comcast and Time-Warner have offered limited 3D programming on cable. However, information on plans for regular 3D cable-casting from them and others remain fuzzy. As with all cablecast matters, the cable 3D story will differ dramatically with both the cable company and your location. It’s the old chicken-or-egg situation. Once there’s enough 3D content out there, the sets will start selling briskly. Once there are enough sets out there, broadcasters will provide more 3D programming. Sound familiar? The same was true of the HDTV transition. That worked out, but it took time. One issue with the current, limited number of satellite and cable 3D sources is that they have reduced resolution. That is, they are, by our strictest definition, not full high definition. The same will likely be true of any future over-the-air 3D broadcasting. Blu-ray is at present the only 3D source available to the consumer that provides a full 1080p high- definition image to each eye.No one is even talking publicly about 3D downloads at this time, but there’s no reason they wouldn’t be possible, particularly in the same reduced-resolution formats used for 3D satellite and cable transmissions. [B]3D Playback Chain[/B] There’s more to your system than a source and a display. You have the cables that connect them, plus additional devices that may be in the path of that connection, most commonly an A/V receiver or surround processor. [IMG]http://www.hometheater.com/images/1113dpec.dispic.jpg[/IMG] 3D video in the home can only be carried over HDMI cables. No other video connection, not even analog component, will do. The HDMI cables you’ll need to transmit 3D will normally be of a type labeled as “High Speed,” which merely means that they have the bandwidth to carry 3D material. HDMI cables that aren’t so labeled (or are so old that you don’t know what they are) might or might not work for 3D. If you already own a variety of these mystery HDMI cables, you should try them out between your new 3D HDTV and 3D source before you invest in new ones. The latest version of HDMI is HDMI 1.4. While it offers a variety of new capabilities, it has been designed to meet the requirements of 3D. The previous version, HDMI 1.3, offers the same maximum bandwidth as HDMI 1.4, but 1.4 can carry additional data that better accommodates Java-intensive discs. HDMI 1.4 can also carry the data imbedded in a 3D source that tell your 3D HDTV to automatically switch to the correct 3D mode. HDMI 1.4a is identical to HDMI 1.4 except that it adds compatibility with the mandatory 3D broadcast standards. All new Blu-ray 3D players (except the PS3) will be HDMI 1.4, and all new 3D sets can receive HDMI 1.4 or 1.4a sources. But only the newest 2010 AVRs and surround pro- cessors are at those HDMI levels. If you pass your 3D source through an HDMI 1.3 AVR or processor, you might see a 3D image, but (as with the PS3) some of the Java features may not work, and the set may not automatically switch to 3D. The only way around these limitations would be to connect the HDMI from the source directly to the display. But this means that you’ll need a separate audio link to the A/V receiver. If you’re new to all of this, HDMI is a digital connection between devices that carries both audio and video on one cable. The audio alternatives to HDMI are either the legacy TosLink optical or coaxial digital connections (neither pass the new high-resolution lossless audio formats: Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio) or a cumbersome set of multichannel analog cables. This isn’t a problem with cable or satellite 3D since they only offer lossy Dolby Digital audio, but it will be an issue with Blu-ray. Short of a new AVR or surround processor, your best bet is a Blu-ray 3D player with two fully functional HDMI outputs. One can connect directly to the TV, the other to the AVR. As I write this, only Panasonic and Samsung offer such players. But if you’re ready for a new A/V receiver or surround processor to go with that 3D set and Blu-ray 3D player, you’ll likely avoid this complication. However, most manufacturers don’t use the HDMI 1.4 terminology in their promotional literature. Look for wording such as “3D-capable” in the specifications or features lists. Most AVRs launched since late spring 2010 will be ready for 3D, but always check with the manufacturer and dealer to be certain. You don’t necessarily have to pop for a higher-end AVR to get good 3D video performance. We’ve already tested a new $600 model from Onkyo that does a pristine job of it. Be aware that as you add more components into the source-to-display HDMI link, the potential for problems increases. But with a 3D source, 3D display, 3D glasses, competent HDMI cables, and (possibly but not necessarily) a 3D-capable A/V receiver or surround processor, you should be set. [COLOR=#000000][FONT=Times New Roman][COLOR=#555555][FONT=verdana][B]3D Without Glasses?[/B][COLOR=#555555][FONT=verdana]Watching 3D without those annoying 3D glasses is the holy grail of 3DTV. Unfortunately, we’re a long way from glasses-free 3D in home theater applications.[/FONT][/COLOR] [COLOR=#555555][FONT=verdana][IMG]http://www.hometheater.com/images/1113dpec.glasses.jpg[/IMG][/FONT][/COLOR] [COLOR=#555555][FONT=verdana]You’ve probably read exciting stories about this technology, and researchers are definitely working on it. But the concepts shown so far have serious limitations. They often require that you keep your head in a fixed position, or perhaps one of several fixed positions, between which the 3D image reverts to an unwatchable 2D picture. One demonstrated concept allows you to move around as a camera tracks your location and adjusts the image accordingly to maintain the 3D image, but this isn’t exactly the ticket for a family 3D movie night.[/FONT][/COLOR] [COLOR=#555555][FONT=verdana]You’re likely to see glasses-free 3D first in computers, where a single viewer sits in a near-fixed position relative to the monitor. Advertisers will also find it attractive. But for home video, we suspect that effective, glasses-free 3D is years away.[/FONT][/COLOR] [COLOR=#555555][FONT=verdana] [/FONT][/COLOR] [COLOR=#555555][FONT=verdana][I]Theo Hometheater[/I] [/FONT][/COLOR] [/FONT][/COLOR][/FONT][/COLOR]
Pioneer prototype laser-based heads-up display with Android hands-on Looking down at gauges? Officially passe. Check out Pioneer's vision of the future, a prototype that uses an embedded laser projector (a Microvision, as it were). They showed it a little earlier in Japan but this is the first time we've seen it in the US, and we got a chance to try it out. Right now it's just running a static demo, but the idea is that a virtual concierge (represented by our favorite mascot pops up to give you information, and you could also get streaming video from traffic cameras, all without you having to look down. The information is supposed to come via a smartphone, we learned later an Android one at that, though things are a little vague. A release date is a little vague too, sometime in 2012, though we're told the company is working with car companies. But could we get this by next year? We'll see. Theo Engadget
Ðề: Những bài viết mong muốn được dịch NZXT Bunker keeps your USB peripherals secure, even at dodgy LAN parties So, here's the situation: you roll into a LAN party in a less-than-ideal section of town. The lights are dim, the bouncer looks suspect, and Mike Tyson's tiger is situated there in the rear of the room. Even the Ethernet cables are grimy. Everyone's got their eyes on you and your new Alienware, and that stash ofRazer peripherals just feels ripe for the taking. You aren't about to make a beeline back to your Daewoo, so you wrap each and every USB cable around your right arm just to make sure you go home with everything you came with. Sadly enough, that's not exactly an awesome way to trample your nearby enemies, but it seems that NZXT has a delightful solution. The company's new Bunker USB Locking Drive is designed to fit within a spare 5.25-inch slot in whatever tower you own, offering a foursome of USB 2.0 sockets and a potent, daunting locking mechanism. The idea here is that your webcam, mouse, keyboard and USB headset can be plugged in, and you can keep your mind at ease that nothing is going anywhere when you waltz over to the restroom. Unfortunately, critics over at Overclocks Online noticed that the shallow depth prevented all but the smallest of flash drives from fitting in, further proving that this thing is designed specifically for use with PC peripherals. Hit the links below to learn more, and get ready to shell out $24.99 come March if it's something you're into. Theo Engadget
Ðề: Re: Những bài viết mong muốn được dịch Bridgestone shows off QR-LPD display, the future looks dim By Paul Miller posted Jan 13th 2011 4:33AM We didn't manage to check out Vivitek's booth and its bevy of low power QR-LPD-screened devices at this year's CES, but it doesn't look like we missed much. The e-book fanatics over at The Digital Readerdropped by, and found Bridgestone's QR-LPD screen technology extremely disappointing. Apparently the screens are just as dim and washed out as they were when we first glimpsed them, over two years ago. In addition, the screen refresh time is painfully slow. Unless these screens turn out to be vastly better in production and incredibly cheap, we think Mirasol and Pixel Qi don't have anything to worry about in the next-gen screen space. There's a video of QR-LPD after the break if you're still interested. Theo Engadget
Ðề: Re: Những bài viết mong muốn được dịch AC Ryan unveils Realtek-based Playon!HD2 and Playon!HD Mini2 media streamers By Darren Murph posted Jan 12th 2011 8:58PM AC Ryan already took a few precious moments to introduce its FLUXX media player, but given that one new streamer in a month isn't nearly "enough," the outfit's dishing out two more this week. The Playon! HD2 and Playon! HD Mini2 are both based around Realtek's 1185 media processor, tout gigabit Ethernet and will soon have access to the WePlayon! content portal. For all intents and purposes, both of these boxes are identical save for a couple of major differences: the HD2 ships with space for a 3.5-inch HDD (whereas the Mini2 goes drive-less), and there's also support for 802.11n WiFi on the big daddy if you spring for an optional adapter. Oh, and the HD2 has a larger chassis -- go figure, right? You'll also get a USB 3.0 port on the HD2 if you'd like to connect up any other media, and you'll be able to find either in stores starting next month. As for prices? The empty units will sell for $169 (HD2) / $109 (Mini2), while the former can be ordered up with a 500GB ($205), 1TB ($229), 1.5TB ($259) or 2TB ($289) hard drive within. Theo Engadget
Ðề: Re: Những bài viết mong muốn được dịch Sony reenters the high-end speaker market By John Atkinson • Posted: Jan 13, 2011 • Published: Jan 13, 2011 Sony has a track record of sporadically producing high-quality loudspeakers, like the SS-M9 that I reviewed in 1997. But as good as these speakers could be, their commercial success was limited. But at the last two Rocky Mountain Audio Fests, Ray Kimber had been getting great sound with a prototype Sony floorstander and the 2011 CES saw the official launch of the Sony SS-AR1 ($27,000/pair).A three-way design, the SS-AR1 uses Scanspeak drive-units made to Sony's specification, housed in a unique, Japanese-made enclosure. Seen here standing next the basic enclosure, designer Yuki Sugiaro explained that the walls are made from Finnish birch ply and the front baffle from maple ply. The latter is sourced form trees grown in Hokkaido.) The woodworking is so precise that the cabinet shown here is holding itself together without any glue (thoigh glue, of course, is used on the production line). Driven by Pass Labs amps and a EMM SACD player, the SS-AR1 were demmed in too small and crowded a room for me to pronounce on their sound quality, other than to note that the midrange seemed exceptionally clean and uncolored. But my prioor experience at RMAF suggests that this will be a contender. Availability is said to be "spring" and Sony announced that they have already signed up blue-chip US dealers like Goodwins, Definitive, David Lewis, and Music Lovers. Theo Stereophile
Ðề: Re: Những bài viết mong muốn được dịch Echole, Absolare, and Bybee By Jason Victor Serinus • Posted: Jan 13, 2011 • Published: Jan 13, 2011 Kerem Kücükaslan, whose surname means “Little Lion,” was born in Istanbul, where he resides for at least part of the year. Fluent in English, he received his BS in industrial engineering at WPI and a minor degree at MIT.Kücükaslan founded Echole four years ago in New Hampshire. On display at T.H.E. Show was the complete line of Obsession Signature: speaker cable ($11,000/6ft pair), interconnects ($7500/3ft pair), and power cords ($6850/6ft). Parts for Echole’s two cable lines, Echole Obsession and Echole Obsession Signature, are manufactured in both the US and Turkey. The wire, which is manufactured in Japan, consists of a proprietary ratio of silver, gold, and palladium. (The Obsession line has less gold and palladium that the Obsession Signature). Kücükaslan also own Absolare, a company that makes preamps, a soon-to-be-released single-ended triode 50W amp, and the Absolare Bybee Purifier ($6800). Especially designed for Absolare by Jack Bybee, the purifier’s internal structure is resonance optimized, and its outer casing is aircraft aluminum covered with real leather. The difference between the Absolare Bybee Purifier and the standard Bybee purifier is that the Absolare Bybee’s internal wiring is all Echole Signature, its caps are Mundorf custom silver/gold, and its outlets Oyaide top level silver palladium. The picture shows Kücükaslan holding an Echole Obsession Signature cable. It was impossible to photograph the Absolare Bybee Purifier, which was tucked behind the system. Theo Stereophile
Ðề: Re: Những bài viết mong muốn được dịch New ATOM 3D Rig Bets on RED EPIC Success THURSDAY, JANUARY 13, 2011 AT 9:48AM | POST A COMMENT | EMAIL ARTICLE Element Technica's new ATOM 3D rig3D rig manufacturers Element Technica has formally launched the Atom, a camera-specific 3D rig designed for RED Epic digital cinematography cameras. Designing the Atom specifically for the RED Epic has allowed for a streamlined rig with minimum size and weight. The rig accommodates full-sized PL and PV prime lenses as well as smaller zooms like the Angenieux Optimo 16-42 or 30-80mm. With a bare weight of just 13 pounds, the magnesium Atom model, rigged with a pair of RED Epics, provides a full 5K-3D beamsplitter system weighing as little as 36 pounds. Like other Technica 3D rigs, the Atom provides full IO (interocular) and C (convergence or toe-in) control, and also allows recording of IO, C and lens metadata. The Atom integrates with the same cine style lens control which is also available with Element Technica’s Quasar, Pulsar and Neutron 3D rigs. The Atom is available constructed of either aluminum or magnesium. The magnesium model shaves 5 pounds off the weight. The Atom Pro Kit, machined of magnesium and compatible with both aluminum and magnesium rigs, integrates multiplexing, sync and power conditioning electronics in the Atom to eliminate three external components from the rig. The Pro Kit includes a pair of Epic specific 3D IO modules to eliminate up to four cables per camera, and as many as 12 or more cables from the rig. The Pro electronics are housed in a distinctive shark’s fin design assembly on the rig. The basic aluminum Atom 3D rig system starts at $64,000. For a demonstration, seehttp://vimeo.com/18283577. Full specs and pricing can be found atwww.technica3d.com/3D-rigs/Atom.php Theo Definitionmagazine
Ðề: Re: Những bài viết mong muốn được dịch Shure adds SE215 buds, cans for DJs and studios alike By Chris Ziegler posted Jan 13th 2011 at 2:44PM The NAMM trade show -- also known as the musician's candy store -- is kicking off today out in Anaheim, which means that audio-focused press releases are starting to pour in. Headset and mic manufacturer Shure is beefing up its line with the introduction of three new models -- a set of buds plus two cans. On the bud side, the SE 215 slots in predictably beneath the SE315, offering a budget-friendly single driver in your choice of black or fancy translucent casing; it comes in at a retail price of $99, some $100 less than the SE315. Moving to cans, the SRH550DJ (pictured center) is -- as the name implies -- targeted at DJs with a "super-aural design" for full isolation and a 90-degree swiveling headband for flexible wearing positions; this one will set you back $99 on the store shelf. On the upscale side, the SRH940 is billed as a reference set with a premium padded headband, and you'll pay for it: it's $299 at retail. All three models will be available this spring; follow the break for the press releases. Theo Engadget
Ðề: Re: Những bài viết mong muốn được dịch BenQ debuts high-end EW2430, EW2430V LED monitors By Donald Melanson posted Jan 17th 2011 at 4:52PM BenQ's monitors may have all come from the same glossy black plastic mold as of late, but the company's stepped things up a bit for its new 24-inch EW2430 and EW2430V "Vertical Alignment" LED monitors, which pack some high-end specs and some more refined looks to match. Chief among those specs is the VA LED panel used in each monitor, which promises a native 3,000:1 contrast ratio, minimal light leaking, an improved viewing angle, and a true 8-bit color range, among other benefits. You'll also get a full range of ports (including two HDMI and four USB on each), a pair of 2W speakers, and some added features like "Smart Focus," "Super Resolution," and "3D Noise Reduction" on the EW2430V model. Still no word on pricing, but you can look for both monitors to hit Europe and the Asia Pacific region this month, with a worldwide release set to follow sometime thereafter. Theo Engadget
Ðề: Re: Những bài viết mong muốn được dịch Italy's Mediaset sends 3D content over terrestrial connection, isn't actually broadcasting 3D TV By Vlad Savov posted Jan 16th 2011 at 11:59PM While Mediaset appears to be (one of) the first to convey 3D content over a terrestrial connection, it isn't actually serving up any 3D television -- it is "datacasting" or ever-so-slowly downloading 3D movies to a set-top box, which you may later consume directly from the hard disk that received them. The innovation here is in the utilization of spare airwaves to basically trickle a movie into your Motive Bestv STB -- we know, it's an irrelevancy to most of you cable- and internet-connected media mavens, but it's one way to deliver 3D content to less technologically developed nations. Motive is already in talks with companies in Latin America, Eastern Europe and Turkey about doing the same, but Italy gets the honor of being first with a choice of 50 3D titles on Mediaset's 3VOD service. Let's see what the Azzurri think of it, eh? Theo Engadget
Ðề: Những bài viết mong muốn được dịch Moneual DSPC puts a monitor on your computer case, welcomes your widgets By Tim Stevens posted Jan 18th 2011 at 6:08AM CES is a big place, way bigger than your first apartment, so hopefully you'll forgive us for missing theMoneual Lab DSPC on the show floor. That stands for Dual Screen PC, a case sporting a decidedly tall display that could make for a useful desktop extension despite subscribing to no aspect ratios heretofore known by man. Unfortunately no specs were provided for resolution or size, but we could see throwing your image editor's toolbox over there, maybe a chat window, or just loading it up with widgets as in this picture. However, with an anticipated cost of $1,500, we're thinking you could instead buy a properly large second monitor -- and a new desk to put it on. Theo Engadget
Ðề: Những bài viết mong muốn được dịch LG G-Slate to have an 8.9-inch 3D display? Rumor mill says 'maybe' By Vlad Savov posted Jan 19th 2011 at 5:39PM If 3D and tablets are the two unstoppable forces of modern consumer electronics, doesn't it make sense to meld them into one, fearsome, trendsetting device? LG's T-Mobile-bound G-Slate might be doing exactly that, we're hearing, as a pair of different sites are reporting it'll come with a 3D-capable display. The guys at GPS And Co have apparently heard directly from LG's French arm, who told them the G-Slate would have a glasses-free 3D display and 3D camera, though the validity of that information is diluted somewhat by TmoNews' source finding 3D glasses listed as future accessories for this rather mysterious tablet. Yes, it's contradictory information, but then Pocket-lint has also heard directly from LG and received a promise of "an actual working 3D device," which should be expected shortly. That could be the 4.3-inch autostereoscopic panel we scoped out at CES or it could be another hint that the G-Slate's been camera-shy for a very particularly, three-dimensional reason. Theo Engadget
Ðề: Những bài viết mong muốn được dịch Compulab fit-PC3 offers dual-core AMD power in a case less than an inch thick By Tim Stevens posted Jan 19th 2011 at 12:49PM Think tablets will kill off the nettop like they're doing with the netbook? Think again -- well, for now, at least. Compulab has released details of its latest little powerhouse, and this one's faster than ever despite being less than an inch thick and about six inches across. Maximum spec sees the insertion of an AMD G-series T56N processor, aka the Fusion Zacate, offering dual cores at 1.6GHz while pulling down 18W TDP, paired with a Radeon HD 6310, the two running cool enough to not need a single fan. (It's the same basic setup found in the HP Pavilion dm1z we recently reviewed.) There's up to 4GB of DDR3 memory, room for a 2.5-inch HDD, HDMI and DisplayPort connectors, a whopping six USB 2.0 ports, and even dual eSATA if you need external storage. No word on price just yet but it's said to be "competitive" compared to its predecessors, like the PC2, which currently costs between $300 and $700 depending on configuration. Theo Engadget
Ðề: Những bài viết mong muốn được dịch AMD announces Fusion-based Embedded G-Series platform By Donald Melanson posted Jan 19th 2011 2:13PM We've just seen what AMD's Fusion platform can do for a laptop, and it looks like we'll soon also be seeing it in a lot more devices -- AMD has just announced its new Fusion-based Embedded G-Series platform, which can be used for things like set-top boxes, in-car computers, small form factor PCs, and more. That platform include the low-power x86 "Bobcat" core we've seen all along and a "world-class" DirectX 11-capable GPU, which AMD says adds up to a level of advanced computing that simply isn't available in the embedded market today. Among the first products based on the platform to be announced are a pair of Mini-ATX boards from Fujitsu and three SFF systems from Kontron, which will be joined by a range of other products from various manufacturers that are expected to launch in the "coming weeks." Head on past the break for the complete press release, plus a video of a G-Series-based car computer that AMD was demoing at CES. Theo Engadget
Ðề: Những bài viết mong muốn được dịch Sanyo PLC-WL2503 ultra-short-throw projector does built-in interactivity a tad cheaper By Christopher Trout posted Jan 19th 2011 at 7:29AM The Sanyo PLC-WL2503 isn't the first whiteboard-less whiteboard solution we've seen -- in fact multi-surface projector interaction dates back at least as far as 2007. As for a projector with built-in interactive capabilities, well, Epson's BrightLink 450Wi has been on the job since last year, albeit at a much higher price: the Epson projector costs $2,200 while this Sanyo comes in at about $500 less. Both tout short-range projection: the BrightLink provides 80-inch displays from two feet, while the PLC-WL2503 requires at least 34 inches to do the same. They pack identical WXGA 1280x800 resolution and 2500 lumens of brightness, and they both use IR pens to communicate with front-facing cameras built into the projector for multi-surface interactivity. Really, the only thing separating these two on paper is price. If the BrightLink is just too rich for your blood, and you can wait a little while longer, the Sanyo PLC-WL2503 can have you writing on walls by the end of January. Theo Engadget
