Props to Lenkeng for dressing up their otherwise anonymous VGA-to-HDMI converter box with a PSP-related angle -- the LKV8000 comes with the necessary cables to take your PSP-2000 or above's 480p video output and push out a 720p HDMI signal complete with stereo audio. Not a bad idea -- except that we can't think of an HDTV that lacks either component or VGA jacks and that doesn't have a built-in scaler to do the same job. Maybe you're just out of ports? In any event, this guy needs a Stateside distributor before we can tell you pricing or availability, so you're stuck swapping cables for a while, Sparky.

[Via Oh Gizmo!]

Providing some competition for Sharp's DX series, Mitsubishi has taken the wraps off of its REAL Series LCD HDTVs, including a set with built-in hard drives and Blu-ray recorders, plus a few more that lack the recording, but throw in super resolution upconversion that claims to make even the worst SD look better than ever. Even if that's just hype, we hope it fares better than the company's ill-fated 120Hz processing. The 37- (1080p) and 32-inch (720p) BHR300 models feature their disc drives in the stand, rather than back-mounted approach of the AQUOS, plus 320GB HDDs, SDHC slot, plus i.LINK and USB connectors that let owners edit video from a camcorder on the TV before saving to disc or hard drive. The MZW300 models are all 1080p, in 40-, 42- and 52-inch sizes, with Diamond Engine Pro IV HD super resolution tech, the latest and most power efficient Diamond panel with 20,000:1 contrast ratio, built in 5.1 Dolby Digital decoder, virtual surround speakers and a talking program guide feature. These hit shelves in Japan in late October ranging in price from ¥350,000 ($3,705) for the LCD-52MZW300 to ¥200,000 ($2,117) for the LCD-32BHR300.

Now that everything Zune HD is official and available for pre-order, Microsoft has seen fit to loose official specs, putting to rest -- at least until we can do a full hands on -- questions about what to expect from the OLED touchscreen packing device. From dimensions (52.7 mm x 102.1 mm x 8.9 mm, 2.6 oz) to battery life (24 hours for music with wireless off, up to 4 hours of video) and charge time (3 hours, 2 hours to 90%.) While the official site (incorrectly) currently lists max video res at barely-better-than-DVD 720 x 480, we contacted Microsoft and received the official specs on video support, and if for some reason you needed to hear it again: the Tegra chip is a beast. Ready for HDTV playback when it's plugged into the AV dock, the Zune software supports up to 1280 x 720, 30 frames per second at a max 14 Mbps bitrate for WMV HD and h.264 sources. Confirmed still a bummer? No wireless video streaming from the Zune Video Marketplace, though the specs do indicate that purchases and rentals will work across all three screens, PC, Zune and Xbox 360. Check the corrected specs after the break, now all that's left is getting some alone time with one.

Update: Microsoft has hit us with the corrected & updated spec list with a slight change to battery and charge specs: 33 hours of life playing music with no wireless, up to 8.5 hours of video. 3 hours to charge from PC, 2 hours via AC adapter. Hopefully that's long enough to cover your one man rave in the woods far away from A/C outlets. Check the PDF for yourself, but beware, as Microsoft has informed us one typo remains, as the Zune HD can hold up to 22 / 48 hours (16GB / 32GB) of video optimized for the device, no matter what the official sheet says.

Oh sure, outfits have claimed to ship kitchen-friendly TV sets before, but Toshiba just made 'em all look silly with the introduction of the 19LV612U. Less formally known as the first member of the Stainless Style TV series, this 18.5-inch set packs a built-in slot-loading DVD player, integrated ATSC / NTSC / QAM TV tuner and a 1,366 x 768 native resolution. Oh, and then there's the seductive stainless steel coating, which makes it fit in impeccably well with your modern day dishwasher, refrigerator and microwave oven. Other specs include 300 nits of brightness, a 1,000:1 contrast ratio, five millisecond response time, HDMI / VGA inputs, a headphone jack and VESA mount support. It's expected to ruin meals regularly starting this September for $349.99

Some dads like grilling, some dads like football, and some dads like tacoing wheels on rocky downhill mountain bike runs. For that latter group (and any other similarly action-oriented folks of either gender), the VholdR ContourHD is now shipping just in time for Father's Day -- and the summer injury season. The 720p wearable cam was announced back in April and we recently received one for in-house testing. We'll provide our full impressions on it soon, but for now enjoy the thrilling red-light footage after the break captured at last week's Brammo Entertia test ride, or go ahead and pick up your own. MSRP is $299.99, but Amazon's selling them for $20 less and throwing in a $50 gift card to boot -- savings that will do little to offset the cost of fixing your broken clavicle if you don't take it easy on the whoopties.

After making sure there was a domain name locked down for Epix, the new premium movie network formed by Studio 3 Networks (Paramount, Lionsgate and MGM) it was all about taking advantage of an early peek at the 720p Flash powered site to see what a new generation of home movie distribution has to offer. The tech end (opening up to invited users this week for beta testing) is powered by Akamai's variable bitrate streaming streaming technology, delivering up to 3mbps HD video with stereo audio all the way down (6 different levels) to 500kbps encodes. Where it surpasses current online offerings from the competition is the ability, thanks to the aforementioned studio backers, to provide many of the recent movies you want to see. Our impressions of the service and a few more pictures of the interface are after the break.

Tired of those totally vanilla field monitors -- particularly those with a resolution half that of the camcorder you're using? Yeah, so was SmallHD. The aforesaid startup has just launched its one-day-only pre-order of the forthcoming DP1, an elegant 720p field monitor that's a drastic departure from the norm. Encased in anodized aluminum, this 8.9-inch LED-backlit panel boasts a native 720p resolution, 500:1 contrast ratio, 300 nits of brightness, full RGB color control, 178-degree viewing angles, an array of mounting points and a slew of inputs (HDMI, composite, component, VGA and S-Video). In the box, you'll find the monitor itself, a 12V power supply, HDMI / component cables and a Neoprene sleeve to keep it safe whilst on the go. It's available for pre-order right now at $749 in black or silver, though you'll lose out on the sleeve if you don't get your order in by midnight ET tonight. Shipments are expected to begin in around a month.

Sure, ESPN's been taking advantage of widescreen to cover the NFL Draft, but it's still a bit surprising that the 2009 Draft Weekend is the first one ready for HDTV, getting beaten to the punch by the WNBA. Check out the picture above for a quick comparison of the 2008 screen (bottom) to the new 2009 compression format (top), shot in HD and better able to take advantage of the 16x9 frame. Also new for '09? If you haven't noticed already, Todd McShay's gone all CNN on us with a "perceptive pixel touch screen" to swipe around player stats and draft possibilities, along with 21 remote cameras following potential draftees on both days. Check the gallery for bigger versions, then resume your 5th mock draft of the day, unfortunately for us, it probably won't include the Detroit Lions doing the smart thing and picking an offensive lineman first.

Panasonic's latest camcorders have been well-liked by the masses, but haven't quite had enough features to appease those consumers with higher expectations -- or professionals on limited budgets. To captivate the eyes and ears of that prosumer market the company has announced the AG-HMC40, a 2.2 pound semi-pro cam that will do 1080i or 720p at 60 frames-per-second, but more important for many can manage a cinematic 1080p at 24 frames-per-second, all written to SDHC cards. With 10.6 megapixel stills and a 12x optical zoom on tap it sounds like a very well-rounded offering, and, while $3,195 may not fit into every budget, it should do well for modestly funded aspiring filmmakers when it ships in August -- just in time for capturing some back-to-school teen angst drama.

It's been three years since we wished for General Hospital to deliver us some medical melodrama in HD, and in a couple of weeks it'll be coming. Just in time for the May sweeps that are now only partially screwed up due to the delayed DTV transition, the longest running soap in the biz -- 46 years and 11,500 episodes -- will be getting a 720p makeover on April 23rd. ABC has spent a tidy $3 million to equip the production facilities for HD, including seven HD cameras and five Panasonic professional plasmas that keep our hearts warm. ABC is hoping the jump to HD will help increase the realism of the show, and while we're never ones to underestimate the power of HD picture quality, we suspect the story lines might need a little more than 720p to get us to suspend our disbelief.

Sanyo's line of Dual Cameras -- which are described as camcorders at heart with formidable still capture capabilities -- is now shipping to select retailers in the United States and Mexico. The crew is comprised of the VPC-FH1, which handles 1080p at 60fps along with 8 megapixel stills, and the VPC-TH1, which shoots at 720p and sports a 30x optical zoom. Also included is the waterproof (up to ten feet, anyway) 720p VPC-WH1 and the otherwise vanilla VPC-CG10. As for pricing? Try $499.99, $299.99, $399.99 and $199.99 in order of mention.

Using PCs to do what Nintendon't, YouTube user renebarahona is running Wii games in HD resolutions through the Dolphin emulator. One peek at Super Smash Bros. Brawl in 720p is enough to make any of us wonder what a world where Nintendo didn't hate HD (even yanking 480p capability from the Gamecube, we're still not over that) would be like. These games aren't merely upscaled like DVDs, they're being rendered in a high resolution natively with extra anti-aliasing Xbox 360 BC-style, producing surprisingly crisp visuals. Check out the embedded videos after the break (remember to hit the HD button) for an example, including how to set this up on your own computer.

Well, would you look at that! It's not 3M, Dell, Toshiba or any other mega-corp taking the totally tired pico projector from lackluster to 720p -- oh no, it's, um, Forever Plus. Said beamer has been around the block a time or two, but given the native 1,280 x 768 native resolution, we couldn't help but take notice. Reportedly, the 0.49- x 0.59- x 0.19-inch box outputs via HDMI and packs a lamp life of 30,000 hours, but we definitely have serious doubts about the quality. And the actual availability, for that matter.

We've no way to confirm at the moment, but if SamsungCentral is to be believed, Samsung's newly announced OmniaHD will soon become the world's first cellphone to record 720p video. Unlike the HTC Touch HD -- which had precisely zero high-def amenities -- it seems the next breed of Omnia may actually live up to its moniker. Other purported specifications include an 8 megapixel camera and a 3.7-inch AMOLED display, though the resolution of the panel is currently unknown. Have we mentioned we can't wait to get our paws around this? Because we can't.

Sadly, this 18.5-inch Orion LCD from Japan will never reach the heights of an Allio or Q42 display, destined for the lowly life of corporate hospitality and POS despite its 720p (1280 x 768) resolution, Intel CPU and Windows XP Embedded OS. Despite having just enough horsepower to drive streaming FLV and WMA, support 1GB flash memory and iEPG it's unlikely any true HD bliss is ever to bless any of these 50,000¥ ($549 U.S.) screens.