Aw, snap. Just when you thought the 4K market couldn't get any more dominated by RED and the gang, along comes JVC to shake things up. For reasons unknown, the company has chosen now (and not a few weeks back at NAB) to unleash its prototype 4K and 8K camcorders, both of which boast D-ILA technology and can capture clips at a downright mind-blowing 8,912 x 4,320 or 3,840 x 2,160 resolution. There's also a more "compact" sibling which does 4K only, but even it provides plenty of pixels to zoom and pan in unprecedented clarity on. So JVC -- you, us, CEDIA 2009. It's a date, cool?

Update: More details here. Thanks, Geoff!

We already knew that at least one film was getting a 6K makeover before hitting a Blu-ray Disc, but before A Star is Born can even leave the studio, it's being trumped by Baraka. Hailed as a "transcendent global tour that explores the sights and sounds of the human condition like nothing you've ever seen or felt before," the film was shot in 70mm in 24 countries on six continents in order to provide breathtaking views of "wonders of a world without words, viewed through man and nature's own prisms of symmetry, savagery, harmony and chaos." All marketing hoopla aside, even Roger Ebert has exclaimed that this is in and of itself a "sufficient reason to acquire a Blu-ray player." In a separate review, the critics were flatly amazed by the visuals and the audio alike, and they blurted out the obvious by suggesting this as your de facto reference / wow-onlookers disc. Expect it to ship on October 28th for $34.98 (MSRP).

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Think 4k x 2k is intense? Get a load of this. At CEATEC 2008, JVC is once again proving its mastery of the projector art form by showcasing a somewhat ridiculous 8k x 4k beamer. The prototype device boasts a native resolution of 8,192 x 4,320 and packs a dynamic contrast ratio of 1,100,000:1. In case you couldn't guess, its purpose is to display Super High Vision material in all of its natural glory, though only time will tell when that content (and this machine) are widely available to enjoy.

[Via AboutProjectors]

Talk about getting around. Auntie Beeb has jumped from Freeview to FreeSat to Sky HD to iPlayer to who knows where else in no particular order, and while the vast majority of Europe is still struggling to adopt vanilla HD, the network is already dipping its toes in the next best thing. Reportedly, the BBC is all set to participate in a transmission trial using the Super Hi-Vision (SHV) system developed by Japan's NHK. The series of demonstrations will combine content from Japan and London, and the actual screenings are supposed to take place in the NHK Theater using an 8k x 4k projector. We'll admit, this isn't the very first time we've heard that The Beeb may be interested in this stuff, but with the UK-based 2012 Olympics growing ever closer, it looks like the dedication may be ratcheting up.

[Via TechRadar, thank L. Rawlins]

Well, excuse us very much. JVC just came storming through like a model on a runway with its all new D-ILA chip, and you can bet it's worthy of paying attention to. Just under a year after the firm unveiled its 4K2K D-ILA chip, it's now trumpeting the almighty 1.75-inch 8K4K, which touts the "world's highest 35-megapixel pixel count," which is roughly equal to 17x full HD resolution. Not impressive enough for you? It also gives whatever projector it's in the ability to display Super Hi-Vision imagery all by its lonesome. Sadly, JVC left us hanging when it came to finding out when this gem would be available in consumer wares, but there's still a few trade shows left to go this year for it to make an appearance.

[Via AkihabaraNews]