High Definition
March 18, 2009 We reported last week on Sanyo's new “dual camera” range which seeks to blur the line between still and video cameras by offering simultaneous video recording and still photographs. Now you can have all that plus full waterproofing to a depth of three meters. Now this is very significant because it effectively provides a ruggedized still and video camera at a very reasonable price point. Read More
Like many governments around the world, Australia's leaders are pouring taxpayer dollars into the economy via stimulus packages designed to counter the effects of the global economic downturn. In Australia, this translates to tax-free payments of AUD$900 destined for the bank accounts of those who earned under AUD$100,000 in the 07-08 financial year. The idea is for consumers to spend the money, and Kogan has cleverly capitalized on what's been dubbed the "flat-screen TV bonus" with the announcement of their "High Definition Stimulus" - a $900, 37-inch 720p HDTV called "Kevin37". Read More
The folks over at GigaPan Systems, a collaboration between Google, Carnegie Mellon University and the NASA Ames Intelligent Robotics Group, have finally released to the public a new and very special toy. The GigaPan Epic mount is a robotic tripod for a standard digital camera that has the ability to create large panoramas and pictures with many magnitudes more detail than the average camera could take on its own. It works by positioning the camera automatically and taking potentially hundreds of photos. Specially designed software will then stitch the pictures together to create a seamless panorama which can be navigated and zoomed in on in the style of Google Earth, which has itself been upgraded to incorporate uploaded panorama’s into a layer that can be viewed in the mapping software. Read More
With the head of LG Display recently quoted as saying that flat-panel LCD prices have bottomed, the world's electronics manufacturers are looking for the next big thing to keep the coffers ticking over. With a number of companies rolling out various 3D TV technologies over the years, it’s obvious that many think that this will be the next big thing. Panasonic is one such company that has spent a lot of time and money investing in 3DTV. The fruit of its labor: the world’s first 3D Full HD (3DFHD) Plasma Home Theater System. Read More
With big screen HDTV’s becoming the rule rather than the exception it can be a little hard staying one step ahead of the Joneses. Nowadays the only way to truly impress the neighbors in the home entertainment department is with a true home theater comprising a projector and screen. So for those looking to be the envy of the neighborhood Vutec has introduced a new generation of high-gain curved screens dubbed the Vision-X Dyna-Curve. The Dyna-Curve screens feature an advanced multi-aspect masking system for use with all widescreen 2.35:1 anamorphic lens projectors, masking to 16:9 and 4:3, while maintaining constant image height for movie, HDTV and Standard TV formats. Read More
For those who think that relaxing in the tub with a nice novel is a bit outdated, Aquavision will be launching the first full HD waterproof TV at ISE in Amsterdam in 2009. The new S4 HD 40-inch wall/waterproof television incorporates a true, full High Definition (1920 x 1080) LCD panel, integrated Freeview digital tuner, a component video, S-Video and analogue PC input, twin HDMI inputs, full scart connection and built-in games. The unit is also available in the Mirrorvision finish, so that when the television is off, the glass takes the form of a mirror that is perfect for shaving or putting on make-up. Read More
Cords and wires are the bane of any technophile’s existence. They are a pain to set up and inevitably form an unruly tangle that's just plain messy. The introduction of HDMI went a long way to reducing the unsightly clutter running from behind the lounge room AV set up by combining high definition sound and video in one convenient cable. But now connectivity solutions company Gefen has gone one step further with their Wireless for HDMI Extender, which comprises a local sender unit which is paired to a receiver unit at a remote location. Read More
New Toshiba LCDs can process standard definition content into HD
September 2, 2008 HDTV equipment is selling furiously across the world; it seems every second lounge room now boasts a massive high-def LCD or plasma screen - that, as often as not, is displaying standard-definition video, because there's still a lot of standard-def DVDs floating about the place and a lot of broadcast content is still standard-def too. Toshiba has decided to work within the limitations of the media by introducing instant image upscaling technology on its new ZF575D monitors, which take standard-definition feeds and convert them to near-HD resolution while sharpening edges and details to produce a much clearer picture. Read More
Comprising the 810 Reference Video Projector and the 810 Reference Video Scaler, the new US$185,000 flagship front projection system from Meridian is capable of a resolution of 4096 x 2400 or 9.8 megapixels, boasts a a native contrast ratio of 10,000:1 and is designed to optimize both High and Standard Definition inputs. Read More
August 4, 2008 Of all the equipment we use in our hi-fi and home theater systems, the thing that’s changed the least over the past 20 years is the speaker. After all, there’s only so many ways you can move air to produce sound. With that in mind, matching speakers to an amplifier should be easy, right? Well...it’s not rocket science, but there are a few key specifications that affect their overall performance. Our AV expert Tim LeFevre explains. Read More
