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ASUS O!Play AIR HDP-R3 arrives with WiFi and card reader

by Darren Murph posted Nov 6th 2009 at 10:06AM

We had a sneak peek at ASUS' BR-HD3 just a week few back, and rather than holding out on us any longer, it looks as if the company has come forward to make things official. The O!Play Air HDP-R3 isn't a tremendous update from the previous edition, though the addition of 802.11n WiFi and a multimedia card reader are certainly appreciated. Reportedly, the media player packs an HDMI 1.3 socket, support for just about every file format known to man and a respectable price tag of around €90 ($133). Too bad the Yanks in attendance are left in the lurch.

[Via Engadget Spanish]

The best HD sports on TV this week

by Ben Drawbaugh posted Nov 5th 2009 at 6:56PM

LSU vs Alabama
Oh what a wonderful week it is now that baseball is officially over -- enjoy it while it lasts though as we heard that spring training was going to start in December this year. Big college football game this weekend as two top ten teams meet in Alabama and we'll all get to see if Alabama deserves its number three spot. Also this week are a few NFL divisional games as the Ravens take on the Bengals and Dallas travels to Philly, both of which are playing really good right now.

CFB
# 9 LSU at #3 Alabama CBS 3:30 Sat
# 16 Ohio State at #11 Penn State ABC 3:30 PM Sat
#24 Oklahoma at Nebraska ABC 8:00 PM Sat

NFL
Baltimore Ravens at Cincinnati Bengals 1:00 PM CBS Sun
Dallas Cowboys at Philadelphia Eagles 8:20 PM NBC Sun
Pittsburgh Steelers at Denver Broncos 8:30 PM ESPN Mon

NHL
Los Angeles Kings at Chicago Blackhawks Vs 8:00 PM Mon
Pittsburgh Penguins at Boston Bruins Vs 7:00 PM Tues

NBA
Chicago Bulls at Cleveland Cavaliers TNT 8:00 PM Thurs
San Antonio Spurs at Portland Trail Blazers ESPN 10:30 PM Fri

Engadget HD Podcast 162 - 11.03.2009

by Trent Wolbe posted Nov 3rd 2009 at 10:49PM

Engadget logoThe Cable-Tec show was a source of much news this week, whether you're dreaming of the perfect NAS-based multiroom DVR setup, new DVR hardware (we're talking about you, TiVo) or old standbys 3D and tru2way. This week's Ask Engadget HD question gives TiVo another dose of attention, while we celebrate another step forward in eradicating loud commercials. The EpixHD launch is big news and was probably lots of fun for FiOS subs...unless you use Media Center. After the latest analyst poll results we take it to the readers to break down the most highly anticipated Blu-ray of the year (Warning: Star Trek movie spoilers within,) the Apple TV 3.0 update and what the FCC might have planned for digital TV spectrum.

Get the podcast
[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes (MP3). p
[RSS - AAC] Enhanced feed, subscribe to this with iTunes.
[RSS - MP3] Add the Engadget HD Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator
[Zune]Subscribe to the Podcast directly in the Zune Marketplace
[MP3] Download the show (MP3).

Hosts: Ben Drawbaugh, Richard Lawler

Producer: Trent Wolbe

Program
00:00:40 - Comments from Engadget HD Podcast 161
00:12:25 - Pace and Rovi work together to make a standard set-top a true multi-room DVR
00:20:15 - Broadcom's new DVR chip could make all our dreams come true
00:25:23 - Comcast should be tru2way ready by the end of the year
00:28:26 - Details of 3D cable demo at Cable-Tec emerge
00:33:50 - Ask Engadget HD: Is it (still) a good time to buy a TiVo?
00:43:32 - Members of the ATSC agree on measure to curb loud commercials
00:51:46 - EpixHD celebrates today's FiOS launch with weekend movie streaming passes for all
00:57:00 - Analyst: More HDTV owners getting a steady diet of high definition for every day viewing
01:00:30 - Poll: What's the biggest Blu-ray disc still due to arrive in 2009?
01:11:28 - Apple TV 3.0 software update is out, with iTunes Extras, LP & Genius in tow
01:16:30 - FCC keen on commandeering TV spectrum for wireless broadband

LISTEN (MP3)
LISTEN (AAC)
LISTEN (OGG)

Bang & Olufsen's BeoVision 10 orders up the 'hands-on special'

by Darren Murph posted Nov 3rd 2009 at 3:24PM

Bang & Olufsen may be irrelevant to those with annual salaries having fewer than six digits to the left of the decimal (or comma, if that's how you roll), but even the laypeople can't help but drool at a spectacle such as this. The BeoVision 10 has just landed down across the pond at Electric Pig, and they were kind enough to snap a few shots and show 'em to the world. The £6,000 price tag is definitely a stunner, but those lucky enough to lay eyes on it have said that it just might be worth it -- if money ain't a thang, you know.

Analyst: More HDTV owners getting a steady diet of high definition for every day viewing

by Richard Lawler posted Nov 2nd 2009 at 2:43PM

Last seen belatedly dubbing HDTV "game changing" for 2008, analytical firm Knowledge Networks is back with its latest breaking observation, finding owners are 65% more likely now than they were two years ago to say they are watching HD programming daily. Up from 26% in an '07 survey to 43%, we sadly noted that amount of people that always check for the high definition feed instead of SD rose only slightly from 61% to 68% among the 510 surveyed. Seeing fair and balanced numbers on the appeal of stretch-o-vision (we already know how you feel about it) would have been nice, but check the press release to see the stats networks and advertisers are probably checking before deciding to spring for HD specifically broken down across genre and gender.

HDI's laser-driven 3D HDTV hits production, should ship next year

by Darren Murph posted Oct 30th 2009 at 4:28PM

When we first caught wind of HDI's "world's first laser-based 3D HDTV," we were cautiously hopeful that it'd be ready to go (at least as a prototype) at CES 2010. Looks like we may actually get our wish, as the company has today announced that its magical set has reached the manufacturing stage. What's it all mean? It means that the set is being fast-tracked for release in 2010, meaning that you're just months away from having stereoscopic 1,920 x 1,080 content in your living room... provided there's actually any programming to view, that is. Of course, it'll handle the 2D stuff too, and the twin RGP LCoS micro-display imagers in there ought to provide plenty of crisp imagery regardless of the source. We're still not sure if the Woz-approved 100-inch version that's being shown to curious onlookers is the size that'll be pumped out to the mainstream, but we're hoping for at least a few smaller siblings for those of us with last names other than Kennedy, Gates, Buffet and Ellison.

Gallery: HDI's laser-driven 3D HDTV hits production, should ship next year

Continue reading HDI's laser-driven 3D HDTV hits production, should ship next year

Sony and VIZIO ditch the courtroom, clear up licensing issues

by Darren Murph posted Oct 29th 2009 at 9:14AM

VIZIO sure ends up in a whole lot of legal battles, but one way or another, it always seems to find its way out in the long run. Such is the case once again today, as the current LCD TV king has apparently said all the right things to Sony. If you'll recall, Sony (along with a slew of others) filed suit against Vizio awhile back over patent licensing concerns, but now it seems the two have reached a mutual agreement to use each other's technologies without bickering over who owns what. The release on the matter states that Sony "has become a licensee under VIZIO's patent portfolio," and that "VIZIO now is a licensee under Sony's color television patent portfolio." Who knows how much under-the-table cash and shaky promises had to be passed along in order to make everyone happy, but hey, a problem solved is a problem solved.

[Image courtesy of TooMuchNick / WireImage]

Update: Sony's response to all of this is after the break, courtesy of a company spokesperson who pinged us directly.

Continue reading Sony and VIZIO ditch the courtroom, clear up licensing issues

Blu-ray releases on October 27th 2009

by Ben Drawbaugh posted Oct 26th 2009 at 5:06PM

Battlestar Galactica - The PlanSo the biggest movie of the year has come to Blu-ray and is behind us, but there are plenty of hot new releases left on the docket this year -- just not this week. This week we are planning on getting a couple of movies for our kids as well as checking out the latest Battlestar Galactica movie, The Plan. Other than that we're looking forward to checking out Larry David in a Woody Allen movie, we mean how could that not be funny?

  • Battlestar Galactica: The Plan (Universal)
  • Ice Age: Dawn Of The Dinosaurs (Fox)
  • Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure (Walt Disney)
  • Night of the Creeps (Sony)
  • Whatever Works (Sony)
  • Orphan (Warner)
  • Nothing Like The Holidays (Anchor Bay)
  • Stan Helsing (Anchor Bay)
  • Beast Stalker (Tai Seng)
  • Expedition: Africa (A&E)
  • The Prisoner (A&E)
  • Il Divo (MPI)
  • The Living Dead At Manchester Morgue (Blue Underground)
  • Look For A Star (Tai Seng)
  • Lovecraft: Fear of the Unknown (Cinevolve)
  • Monty Python: Almost The Truth - The Lawyer's Cut (Vivendi)
  • Stargate: 15th Anniversary Edition (Lionsgate)

Panasonic's 1-inch thick Z1 plasma reviewed: playing with perfection

by Laura June posted Oct 22nd 2009 at 9:56AM

The plasma may be a dying breed, but the ones that are left are undoubtedly some of the best the world has ever seen. Take Panasonic's 54-inch TC-P54Z1 for example, which wowed audiences (us included) when it was first unveiled way back at CES. The HD Guru recently had an opportunity to take this very screen into his abode for review, and after a labor-intensive (around "one hour") setup process, the gazing was officially on. Panny's engineers were able to slim the set down to an inch by requiring that a dedicated (wireless) set-top-box be used for tuning OTA channels and managing connections, and the result was nothing less than elegant. If you're wondering what north of five large really buys in an HDTV these days, wonder no more -- the set was deemed darn near perfect, with "outstanding" color, contrast and deep black levels. Potentially best of all, there were no motion artifacts to speak of, and anyone with a 120Hz / 240Hz set can testify to just how annoying those things are. Hit the read link for a detailed unboxing, setup and review, but don't even bother if you're looking for someone to talk you out of what you're about to do.

Engadget HD Podcast 160 - 10.20.2009

by Trent Wolbe posted Oct 20th 2009 at 1:59PM

Engadget logoOpening the podcast this week is the biggest question on our minds: n that the U.S. mobile DTV standard is officially official, how much bandwidth can we expect it to steal from HD stations? From bitrate counting broadcasts we move on to uncompressed HD streaming and whether it means anything for viewers, the impending online and FiOS launch of Epix HD and whether an SSD upgrade makes sense for HTPC owners. Cheaper and much more easily justified is ATI's Radeon 5750 with bitstreaming audio support, and this week's question for the readers, where do you buy your Blu-ray discs? Closing things out is discussion of the new Transformers flick available today, and you know we had to squeeze in some 3D to close things out.

Get the podcast
[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes (MP3). p
[RSS - AAC] Enhanced feed, subscribe to this with iTunes.
[RSS - MP3] Add the Engadget HD Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator
[Zune]Subscribe to the Podcast directly in the Zune Marketplace
[MP3] Download the show (MP3).

Hosts: Ben Drawbaugh, Richard Lawler

Producer: Trent Wolbe

Program
01:00 - Comments from Engadget HD Podcast 159
01:45 - US Mobile DTV standard finally approved
08:00 - Level 3 delivering end to end uncompressed video from Broncos home games
13:20 - Epix HD queues up Iron Man, Madonna and Eddie Izzard for online & FiOS launch October 30
17:20 - Ask Engadget HD: Would an SSD upgrade help my HTPC performance?
25:28 - ATI Radeon HD 5750 brings HDMI bliss to HTPCs for $110
29:03 - Poll: where do you buy your Blu-ray discs now, if you buy them at all?
35:07 - Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen Blu-ray debuts October 20, check out one of the special features now (Video)
43:25 - 3D cable TV to be demoed at Cable-Tec Expo next week
45:45 - Samsung showing off 55 inches of 240Hz 3D LCD glory
48:00 - Hitachi exhibits 10-inch glasses-free 3D display

LISTEN (MP3)
LISTEN (AAC)
LISTEN (OGG)

Blu-ray releases on October 20th 2009

by Ben Drawbaugh posted Oct 19th 2009 at 4:44PM

Transformers: Revenge of the FallenOh man do we just love this time of year, not only are the super hot days of summer over, but Football is here and now the big blockbuster movies are hitting Blu-ray. And of the big movies for 2009, none is bigger than Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, which hits Blu-ray tomorrow -- actually if you really can't wait, you can go to Best Buy at midnight tonight and pick it up. We can't say we blame 'em, but the rest of the studios pretty much let Paramount make this Transformers week as there really isn't anything else out there to get excited about. That's ok though, because in the next 12 weeks there should be plenty to choose from.

  • Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (Paramount)
  • UFC 100: Lesnar vs. Mir (Starz/Anchor Bay)
  • Waterworld (Universal)
  • Wrong Turn 3: Left for Dead (Fox)
  • Blood: The Last Vampire (Sony)
  • Easy Rider (Sony)
  • The Crew (Image)
  • Ichi the Killer (Tokyo Shock)
  • Monsoon Wedding (Criterion)
  • The Secret of the Nutcracker (BFS)

Bang & Olufsen's BeoVision 10: something awesome in the state of Denmark (update: video!)

by Joseph L. Flatley posted Oct 19th 2009 at 1:19PM


If you're an HDTV buff with style, taste, and money to burn (and if you're reading Engadget we have our doubts about at least two of the three) then you've probably been waiting impatiently for Bang & Olufsen to make this one official. The BeoVision 10 is a wall-mounted LCD flat screen that boasts 40-inches of real estate, a brushed aluminum frame, and bottom mounted speakers that are available in a variety of colors. As the company boasts, "every aspect of the design is thought through." It also said something about "vægplacering," the definition of which we will leave to your imagination. On sale now at the B & O store on Kongens Nytorv in central Copenhagen for 43,495 Kroner (roughly $$8,700) -- not shockingly expensive, as far as this company is concerned, but still far too dear for you. No word on stateside pricing or release date.

Update: As several astute readers pointed out, the translated source for this one listed the price in British Pounds when it should have been listed in Danish Kroner (DKK). The thing is far less expensive now -- so feel free to send us one for an early Christmas present! You have the address. Oh, and a vid's after the break!

Read - Here is the new B & O television
Read - B & O's new flat panel

Continue reading Bang & Olufsen's BeoVision 10: something awesome in the state of Denmark (update: video!)

ASUS working up BR-HD3 wireless HDMI streamer

by Darren Murph posted Oct 19th 2009 at 12:57PM

ASUS has been toying around with wireless transmissions to displays for a hot minute now, and it sure looks as if the outfit is fixing to pick up where the Belkin FlyWire left off by introducing the BR-HD3. Currently in testing, the wireless HDMI streamer is said to pass along 1080p content "with no lag," though there's currently no official range to speak of. The real kicker, however, is the price. The aforesaid FlyWire -- which worked amazingly in the trade show demos that we saw -- was priced at $1,499, which is obviously far too much for most consumers. This box? £399 ($654), and it could be out as early as next month. Unfortunately, the device only supports a single HDMI input (so you can forget about connecting your Blu-ray player and Xbox 360 at the same time), but ASUS is planning to introduce a three-port version in June 2010 as well as a niche spinoff in Q1 that'll wirelessly stream one source to three HDTVs.

[Thanks, Anonymous]

Samsung showing off 55 inches of 240Hz 3D LCD glory

by Vladislav Savov posted Oct 14th 2009 at 5:49AM

Look, we know this 3D thing is as likely to sink as it is to swim right now, but we have to hand it to Samsung -- it's pursuing the idea with some pretty hefty ambition. A 55-inch 1080p panel with a true 240Hz refresh rate is a decent base on which to build your paradigm-shifting new offering. Using a set of "shutter" glasses, which rapidly alternate between blocking out the left and right eye, the set is capable of delivering the full 240Hz quality, debatable as its benefits may be. Of course, the value or otherwise of a TV like this is going to be found only by experiencing its output in person, so if you're somewhere near Seoul this week, head on down to the IMID 2009 conference to get an eyeful of an early model.

Sharp AQUOS LC-52LE700UN impressions

by Darren Murph posted Oct 13th 2009 at 6:25PM Featured Story

Sharp's LC-52LE700UN is the 52-inch member of the company's first-ever LED-backlit AQUOS range, and we were fortunate enough to give it a spin here recently. The LE700 series began shipping out to consumers this summer, packed with web connectivity (AQUOS Net), a trio of HDMI ports, a 1080p X-Gen panel and a dejudder feature for smoothing out jaggies. The set packed a starting tag of $2,799.99, though in the few short months that it has been on the market, the street rate has fallen to just south of $1,600. Without a doubt, the fall in price helps the screen's cause in terms of value, but is there enough to warrant a purchase? Head on past the break for a few of our thoughts.

Gallery: Sharp AQUOS LC-52LE700UN

Continue reading Sharp AQUOS LC-52LE700UN impressions





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