Vivitek introduces its very first projectors, forgets to make 'em memorable


"Entry-level" and "1080p projector" don't often go hand-in-hand, but Sanyo's mashing the two terms together with its PLV-Z700. The Full HD beamer provides a 1,920 x 1,080 native resolution, 1,200 ANSI lumens, 10,000:1 contrast ratio, twin HDMI 1.3b ports (along with an array of others) and a variable iris that can "control lens iris adjustment every 1/60th of a second." Unfortunately, the most tantalizing tidbit has been omitted for now (yes, the price), but word on the street has it shipping to the UK in October.
If you've been putting off that purchase of Popcorn Hour's evolutionary A-110 HD media streamer or all new B-110 motherboard, here's a decent compilation of facts and opinions to help you make up your mind once and for all. The cats over at DigitalReviews took the time to not only detail, test out and report back on the newest duo from the company, but it also revisited the original (and heralded) A-100 in order to give a better comparison. Overall, critics did tend to prefer the A-110 over its predecessor, but the minor list of changes made it a hard sell for folks teetering on upgrading. The B-110 was seen as an even tougher sell, with only the hardcore DIY crowd likely to even find it worth investigating. Nevertheless, we won't spoil the rest for you -- head on down to have a look for yourself.
Just because you need a PC that can withstand an impromptu war doesn't mean that you aren't interested in watching a Blu-ray flick once the fighting has subsided. NextComputing, best known for its, um, uniquely rugged machines, has just announced that a Panasonic recordable Blu-ray drive is now available on its entire line of mobile workstations. Just for clarification, that includes the NextDimension Pro and Pro HD, NextDimension Evo and Evo HD, Vigor Pro SD, and the Vigor Evo HD. Meanwhile, we think Rock is still trying to unload all that excess HD DVD inventory...
Looking for a video scaler? No, we mean a real video scaler? Enter Atlona Technologies' AT-LINE-EX, a 10-input scaler that's compatible with any input resolution including PC, SDTV, and HDTV. Essentially, it enables users to connect practically any device -- be a legacy unit or otherwise -- and have that content upscaled to 1080p via the integrated Analog Devices scaling chip. Granted, we're not so certain you'd even want that 1983 Independence Day bash blown up to 1,920 x 1,080, but at least the option is there, right? Expect it to begin shipping on August 28th for $429.
Although QuantumPhonic's QR technology is emerging a touch late to make a difference at the Beijing Olympics, it certainly has its sights set on zapping excess noise at the 2012 Summer Games in London. In a rather excited and somewhat unprofessional release, the aforementioned company has announced a technology that can seemingly kill the echo and reverberation that almost always sour the audio experience in large arenas and stadiums. Of course, it also claims that the tech "defies all feasible common sense and design," so believe at your own risk. If you're terribly interested in learning more, there's an immensely entertaining video waiting just after the break.
When Westinghouse launched its 40-inch LCD HDTV / DVD combo unit earlier this year, we really began to think of just how nice it'd be to broaden Blu-ray's appeal by shoving a drive into a new set for those looking for simplicity. Enter Funai -- the company currently responsible for the lowest priced standalone BD deck on the market -- which is reportedly aiming to loose an LCD HDTV with built-in Blu-ray player on the North American market next summer. The company typically brands its wares with names like Sylvania, Symphonic and Emerson, so we wouldn't expect the highest-end stuff here. That said, we're glad to see someone taking this very necessary step, even though you won't catch us recommending 'em to anyone but the technologically challenged. [Warning: read link requires subscription]
Well, what have we here? Thanks to a few mighty believable screen captures, it looks as if Yamaha is getting ready to unveil at least three new AV receivers on the world alongside a stupidly priced Blu-ray player. The 7.1-channel RX-V1900 ($1,399.95) looks to boast four HDMI sockets, USB, a slew of digital audio ports and an undisclosed amount of power; the RX-V3900 ($1,899.95) and the RX-Z7 ($2,699.95) will deliver even more potency, though these are clearly aimed for the more affluent HT enthusiasts among us. Our real love interest here, however, is the mythical BD-S2900 -- an $1,199.95 Blu-ray player with BonusView, support for 1080p24 / 12-bit Deep Color, 192kHz / 24-bit DACs and a bunch of other ho hum specs that make us wonder just how inaccurate that MSRP must be. Here's hoping CEDIA clears things up on the whole gang.


Other Weblogs Inc. Network blogs you might be interested in: