Last week I was at the IFA press event in Malta. It’s pretty much the European version of CES, but unlike that show, it actually comes at a time when folks are interesting in buying cool new toys. One of the interesting aspects of this press event is that they showcase some of the products and trends that will be topical in the fourth quarter. This year had a lot to do with the fact that most of the TVs currently in the market were about to be made obsolete. Why? There are three major changes in upcoming sets that will make current models look antique.
Tag Archive: HDMI
Monster Has New HD Cables
Monster Cable, partnering with Gennum Corporation, has introduced the first Long Distance Hyper-Speed products for HDMI. Often, long runs of HDMI would not carry the HD signal at a high enough resolution, so that, over longer cable runs, high-bandwidth HDMI signals can be prone to signal attenuation and timing errors, referred to as "jitter," which can cause aberrations in the picture, from streaks and flashing pixels to inaccurate color.
Harmon/Kardon Intros Three New AV Receivers
Audio and video gear maker Harmon/Kardon has introduced three new AV receivers, each featuring HDMI 1.3a, Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio, and an enhanced Bridge II iPod docking system that can play, control, and charge iPods (except for the shuffle). The new receivers also sport a “groundbreaking” onscreen menu system designed to make it easy for users to setup and use the systems.
Gateway Intros New M-Series Notebooks
Although the company is still integrating itself with new parent Acer, Gateway has quietly updated its M-seriies notebook computers to include the new M-151X and M-151XL models, offering improved graphic performance, HDMI output, and (in the case of the XL) new 45nm “Penryn” CPUs from Intel.
Gefen TV Switcher Wrangles 4 HDMI Inputs
When you have four HDMI cables headed to one TV, you know you’ve got a complex home theater install on your hands, and probably a headache in the works as well. A new switchbox from Gefen is designed to alleviate the problem of running multiple cables to the TV by automatically switching between four HDMI inputs and forwarding signals through to a single output.
Automatic switching restores the last video choice at the time over power down when the unit powers back up, while manual switching is accomplished with a small handheld remote. The unit also temporarily switches to new sources whenever signals from them are detected, as a way to verify that they work. Besides switching signals, the box also amplifies them, and passes on HDCP encoding.
Oppo Flips On 3-in-1 HDMI 1.3 Switch
As more folks adopt high-definition technology in their televisions, home theaters, and PCs, HDMi switches are becoming a common way for users to expand input options on their systems—particularly since a number of high-definition TV offer limited HDMI inputs. Oppo Digital’s new HM-31 3-in-1 HDMI switch is designed to eliminate those problems, and—since it’s a fully-certified HDMI 1.3-complaint device—it won’t introduce any compatibility problems between devices.
Onkyo Rolls Out HDMI 1.3a AV Receivers
Although you’d never know if from checking out their own Web site, Onkyo USA says it has begun shipping four new high-end AV receivers, all of which are THX-certified, feature HDMI 1.3a connectivity, are ready to roll with either Sirius or XM satellite radio, and offer RIHD (Remote Interactive over HDMI) system control integration. Onkyo is touting the new line as the most comprehensive set of THX-certified receivers offered by any manufacturer—while we will neither confirm nor refute that claim, the new systems have plenty of goodies to keep home theater junkies happy.
Accell Intros 2-to-1 HDMI 1.3a Switch
If you’ve on of those home theater fans who’s already jumped on the HDMI 1.3a bandwagon but you find your receivers, displays, or other systems aren’t quite keeping up with you, accessory and cable maker Accell Corporation might have a solution for you in the form of its UltraAV 2-1 HDMI 1.3a Category 2 Switch. The premise is simple: two HDMI 1.3 signals enter, one HDMI 1.3a signal leaves—and you control which one via a handy remote control.
Sony Launches Digital-Friendly ES Receivers
Electronics giant Sony has announced a new ES "Elevated Standard" series of AV receivers which feature compatibility with high-end digital audio formats, the ability to upscale content to 1080p over HDMI, and an iPod accessory dock for easy access to personal music libraries. The receivers support Sony’s Xross Media Bar onscreen interface, Dolby Labs’ Dolby Digital +/Dolby(R) TrueHD and dts(R) High Resolution Audio and DTS HD Master Audio, and sport a Digital Media Port supporting an optional iPod audio dock, or (alternatively) a Wi-Fi adapter, a Bluetooth receiver, or an adapter for Sony’s own Network Walkman media players.
iPhone Week 2: Impact of the iPhone
Topics of Interest for Week Two
Now that the iPhone launched on Friday, there will be a news gap in technology that will likely be filled by discussions on topics that currently aren’t being discussed. Here are some of the things to look forward to.
The All-In-One vs. Specialized Device
