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Toshiba has expanded its lineup of HD DVD players from two to three with the newly announced HD-A20. The new model sits between the already available second-generation players, the $500 HD-A2 and the $1,000 HD-XA2. In fact, except for the addition of 1080p output via HDMI and some minor cosmetic changes, the features of the A20 seem to be nearly identical to the A2, which we’ve already reviewed in-depth. Moreover, unlike the stepped-up HD-XA2, the A20 will not feature the latest HDMI 1.3 technology. The Toshiba HD-A20 will retail for $600 when it ships in spring 2007.

While the inclusion of 1080p support makes the A20 well worth the extra $100 as opposed to the 1080i-only HD-A2, the bigger question for prospective HD DVD buyers and for Toshiba is whether the nascent market for HD DVD-only players will have any traction in light of LG’s Blu-ray/HD DVD combo player.

Via [Crave]

Finally a manufacturer is releasing a more affordable Blu-ray player (especially after we saw a $599 1080p player from Toshiba earlier today).

The Samsung BD-P1200 – 2nd Generation Blu-ray Player will be available March 2007 for around $799. It supports BD/CD/DVD format playback, 1920x1080 (full 1080p) playback, has a Hollywood Quality Video (HQV) image processor, up-converts standard DVDs to 720p, 1080i and 1080p resolutions , supports 192KHz LPCM, Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, MPEG 2, DTS and MP3 audio formats for complete entertainment versatility, supports HDMI 1.3 with CEC for home theater control, and has menu functions that allows users to adjust the font and color of subtitles, menus and backgrounds.

Cable free extension-cords (yes, an oxymoron) are becoming a reality thanks to Gefen. While each of their four models differ in features and applications, each operates with the same basic format: a sender device connects to the signal’s source, and a receiver connects to the signal’s extended destination.

• Wireless USB Extender - This model allows any four USB devices to operate with a computer up to 100 feet in distance, connected with no cables, line of sight via Wisair’s ultra-wideband wireless technology. The device connects to your computer’s USB port on one end and the USB port of your gadget at the other. It operates in the 3.5GHz range and is capable of transfer rates up to 400 Mbps. The anticipated delivery date is January 2007 with a MSRP of $249.


• Wireless Component Audio Extender - This wireless extension system delivers HD audio and video up to 200 feet through two walls or 300 feet line of sight. The sender and receiver units support component video inputs and outputs, in resolutions ranging from 480i to 1080i and both analog and digital audio. Based on 802.11, a, b, g and n standards, this sender/receiver system features an IR back channel for remote control. The anticipated delivery date is January 2007 with an MSRP of $1499.


• Wireless for HDMI Extender - Radio signals transmit HDTV video and audio from compact sender (source) to receiver (television) located up to 30-feet away with flawless resolutions up to 1080i. Based on ultra-wideband technology, this system supports HDMI sources, outputting HDCP-compliant video with accompanying audio to any HDMI display. Wireless transmission speeds reach up to 400 Mbps, supporting even the most stringent demands of HD video. The anticipated delivery date is Q1 2007 with a MSRP of $499.


• Wireless VGA Extender - Any computer display can now be connected to the computer with no cables, with resolutions supported up to 1280x1024 or 780p for digital, high definition viewing. The anticipated delivery date is January 2007.

Not a bad line offering of wireless extenders. We can’t wait to cut our cords and be sitting in beams of data going between our computer, tv, digital camera, keyboard, DAP, cell phone, and monitor. (That can’t be too good for wanting to have children in the future, can it?)

Read [Gefen] Read [WiFI Net News] Read [Wi-Fi Planet]

You had had the time to wait online, drop a few Benjamins, and settle in with your respective next-gen gaming system, whether it be a Wii, PS3, or 360, but you just had to know that eventually your system would be out-of-date. Unlike previous generations (PSOne, PS2, Xbox, Game Cube, etc) these machines can be upgraded with new firmware and added capabilities over the internet, and at some point in time the hardware receives upgrades. Given the Blu-ray drive in the PS3, I expect that we won’t see many changes/additions over its life-cycle except for a larger hard drive and a decrease in size. The Xbox 360 may receive an internal hard drive and internal HD-DVD player to compete head-on with the PS3. What is in question is the Wii. Nintendo Of America president Reggie Fils-Aime dropped an interesting quote in a USA Today article:

“Tough choices about not including a DVD player at the start, tough choices about not including high-definition capability at the start. That’s because we wanted a mass-market price, and we believe the market will validate those decisions come launch day on this Sunday,” Fils-Aime said.

The key phrase here is “at the start.” Wiis currently cannot play DVD movies, but Nintendo has already confirmed that a new model will be able to in the latter half of 2007 (in Japan at least)—not that big of a deal considering most people have DVD players (originally thanks to the PS2 as well as the sub-$50 prices. I believe there will be a major upgrade of the Wii to a next-gen HD format as well as a HD firmware update of 720p/1080i/1080p support once the format war becomes more clear. Do not confuse this with an official announcement from Nintendo, just my speculation. Even though the company is looking to bring on the “casual gamer,” it just so happens that this person is likely to have an HDTV within the next two years and Nintendo will be the only one on the market without a pretty looking picture.

Read [GameInformer]

As the price of flat panel technology continues to drop, many home theater enthusiasts will install multiple displays. For example, high-end home theater owners may install large Front Projection DLP for weekend viewing of movies and a smaller Flat Panel Display (Plasma, LCD) for daily use. This unique switch allows you to switch between 4 HDMI sources (set-top box, DVD players, video game stations, computers) and your Hi Def monitor. This switch passes both digital and audio signals through the HDMI ports with support for high resolution video at 480i, 480p, 720i,720p, 1080i, 1080p.

Read [Octava] Via [AV Magazine]

I don’t know what happens in your house, but in mine all we hear at family BBQs is something like this: “You know with these digital cameras we never see the pictures any more. They go onto the card, stay in the camera, and that’s it no slideshows, no emails, and NO PRINTS! What a waste.”

Hopefully the Panasonic HDTV Photo Player, DMW-SDP1, can slightly remedy this problem. It allows users to view photos taken by any SD digital camera in High Definition quality on a large screen TV.

By connecting the SDP1 (using supplied HD component cable) to a HDTV and inserting their SD/SDHC memory card into the slot, users can view their photos in 1080i high definition quality. The viewer offers a variety of playback options including three special transition effects, rapid image search, and automatic rotation of images what were taken vertically. It will also play motion JPEGs in addition to the normal VGA (640 x 480), wide aspect VGA (848 x 480) motion images, and high definition motion image (1280 x 720, at 15 fps).

The DMW-SDP1 will have an MSRP of $129.95. Considering my father is obsessed with his plasma I think we have solved the “seeing the pictures” problem. Regarding emailing or printing pictures, well I guess I’m still out of luck.

Read [Panasonic]

If you are looking for a way to make your DVDs and other video inputs look as great as HDTV broadcasts, but don’t want to spend a grand or even a half a grand on a HD-DVD or Blu-ray player, check out the Helios HVD2085. It plays DVD/SVCD/VCD/Audio-CD/HDCD/ MP3/WMA/Photo-CD and upscales standard DVD titles into high-definition resolution (720P, 1080I, AND 1080P). The player has both HDMI and component interfaces as well as a VGA and DVI interfaces.

Best of all, the HVD2085 not sells for a measly $169, about $100 more than a standard DVD player but all the clarity of HD.

Product Page [Helios]

Pioneer Electronics has begun shipping the world’s first 50” 1080p plasma display. The new Pioneer Elite PureVision PRO-FHD1 is built for those who demand the very best high definition experience, the new plasma features double the pixel density of previous plasma displays with a 1920 X 1080 native resolution.  It produces every detail and vibrant color for the entire range of high definition signals, 720p, 1080i and 1080p.

The challenge in creating a 50-inch plasma display with a 1080p signal was to reduce the pixel size by half in order to fit more than 2 million pixels in the screen, resulting in pixels measuring .576 millimeters at 24Hz. The set up-converts 480i, 720p, 720i and 1080i signals to 1080p, and relies on Pioneer’s deep encased cell structure, crystal emissive layer and improved phosphors to create the sharp, bright images with color accuracy.

The Pioneer Elite PureVision PRO-FHD1 is now available at specialty retailers for a suggested price of $10,000.

Read [Pioneer]

Though not as sleek and sexy as the Toshiba models or Sony Blu-ray players, RCA has come out with their own HD-DVD player, the HDV5000.  The HDV5000 supports MPEG2, MPEG4/AVC and VC1 video formats and plays DVD/DVD-R/-RW/DVD-RAM discs and mp3 audio files from CD-R/CD-RW discs.

The RCA HDV5000 provides high-definition up-conversion of standard DVD discs and includes an HDMI output for digital audio and video. The HDV5000 will output copy-protected HD content through the HDMI interface in either 720p or 1080i - and standard definition DVD discs can be upconverted to 720p or 1080i. The the audio side the player will support Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby TrueHD (2 channel), DTS and DTS-HD (5.1 channel) via S/PDIF or HDMI outputs.

Read [RCA]

The Panasonic DMR-EH55S DVD-Recorder with HDD and the DMR-EH75VS DVD-VHS-HDD Recorder bring DivX to your home. Both models feature HDMI with up-conversion to 1080i. The Panasonic DMR-EH55 is a DVD recorder with a 200 GB built-in hard disc drive, SD slot and DV Input. The Panasonic DMR-EH75 is a combo VHS-DVD recorder deck with an 80GB built-in hard disc drive.

“These innovative multi-function Panasonic DVD recorders, combined with our DivX video technology, enable users to watch a wide variety of compelling content, how and when they want,” said Bill Holmes, Vice President of Consumer Electronics at DivX, Inc. “We are excited that Panasonic has expanded DivX into their recorder line to bring this solution to home theaters around the world.”