Archive for the ‘HDTV’ Category
Android Holds the Key to Samsung’s Smart TV Plans
Author: Tech Blogger
Samsung's 3D TV
Steve Jobs has attributed the iPod’s and iPhone’s success to Apple’s ability to write better software than the entrenched Asian consumer tech companies. Now that Korean giant Samsung has Google’s Android OS, they don’t have to write better software than Apple to stay successful; they just have to make compelling devices. On the heels of Apple TV and Sony’s partnership role in Google TV, Samsung’s next Android-powered devices may be a line of net-connected, software-driven HDTVs.
At least, that’s what Samsung’s TV head Yoon Boo Keun told Korean press today, Bloomberg reports. Bloomberg also cited analysts predicting that the market for internet-capable TVs will break wide-open in 2012, with as many as 87.6 million internet-capable TVs by 2013, about six times as many as today.
Samsung is in a tough spot here, but one with potentially huge upside. The company is already making 3D televisions with web-browsing capabilities, and has long sought to develop its own operating system for phones and TVs. Google Android gives its Galaxy devices an instant foothold in touchscreen smartphones and tablets to rival Apple’s iOS devices. Samsung’s strength in designing and manufacturing TV sets, when paired with Android’s interface and app marketplace, would seem to offer them a sizable advantage breaking into digital TV. You could get an app- and net-capable TV without any additional boxes.
However, Google doesn’t have Apple’s experience negotiating with media companies — particularly in Asia. That seems to be both the benefit and drawback of any venture where each player contributes and controls its own piece. Apple doesn’t have that problem.
See Also:
- Samsung's Impossibly Thin 3D TV Tempts Hollywood Producer
- Samsung Introduces 7-Inch Tablet to Rival iPad
- Samsung Galaxy Tab Will Cost Over $1000
- Samsung Ships One Million Galaxy S Phones in 45 Days
- Google Introduces Google TV, New Android OS
- Networks Proving A Tough Sell for Google TV (Surprise …
- 5 Reasons Why Apple TV Is (Still) Boring
- Why iOS Could Make Apple TV Succeed
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Android Holds the Key to Samsung’s Smart TV Plans
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Tags: already-making, entrenched, google android, home audio and video, iPad, iPod, Phone, Sony, Tablet, TV's | 
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Apple Takes Aim at Cable With Tiny New Apple TV
Author: Matthew Baker
SAN FRANCISCO — In a sign that its television “hobby” has turned into serious business, Apple announced an aggressively-priced new set-top box that takes aim at the heart of the cable TV and DVD rental industries.
The new Apple TV, which will go on sale at the end of September for $100, is a puny box just 1/4 the size of the previous model. It has an HDMI port, a power supply built in it, an optical audio port, an Ethernet jack, and built-in Wi-Fi.
“It’s silent, cool and tiny,” said Apple CEO Steve Jobs, showing off the dimunitive metallic box.
Despite rumors, the product was not rebranded as “iTV.” Jobs did not state whether it was running a version of iOS, although the Apple TV’s new interface includes some very iOS-like touches, such as icons that jiggle when you are rearranging them on the home screen.
Apple joins an increasingly crowded and risky scrum of companies trying to reinvent television for the internet age. Netflix and Hulu both have been offering streaming video playback of movies and TV shows, with some success, for over a year. Google is working on a set top box that would blur the line between TV and internet fare, YouTube is said to be planning mainstream film rentals and Amazon is rumored to be planning its own Netflix-like video streaming service. But the real threat are the cable companies and TV networks, which have a lock on the shows that people want to watch — and so far, there’s been little incentive for them to open up their tightly-controlled ecosystems to internet upstarts.
Apple’s play is for convenience, but it’s not the cross-platform strategy needed for dominance, wrote Andrew Eisner, a director at online electronics retailer Retrevo.com.
“A TV OS vacuum exists at the moment and unfortunately for consumers, TV manufacturers appear to be filling it with their own proprietary offerings,” Eisner wrote recently. “Apple needs to gain control of the third screen or TV screen, after smartphone screens and computer screens, and the TV industry needs to move away from closed environments and let their connected TVs work with all the apps and streaming content that consumers are finding so appealing.”
In an implicit acknowledgement of Apple TV’s poor sales to date, Jobs again referred to the product as the company’s “hobby.” He showed the new Apple TV at a press conference here on Wednesday.
But Jobs was careful to cast the company’s previous product as a learning experience, and indicated his intention of throwing more of the company’s weight behind the upgraded Apple TV.
Apple TV customers will be able to rent first-run HD movies for $5, at the same time as they’re released on DVD. That’s a substantial improvement from the past, when there were significant time lags before movies were available through iTunes.
Customers will also be able to rent HD TV shows from ABC and Fox for $1, a discount from the previous price of $3. The shows will run without commercial interruption.
Netflix customers will also be able to stream video from Netflix via Apple TV, and can also use the device to browse and view YouTube videos and content uploaded to Apple’s MobileMe service.
Customers can also stream content from ther computers, including photos, videos and music, with no syncing required.
The company will also be providing an iPad app that customers can use to control what appears on the screen via Apple TV, essentially turning the tablet into an oversized remote control.
Apple is already accepting preorders for the new Apple TV on its site.
For full coverage of Apple’s press conference, see Wired.com’s live blog of the event.
Photos: Jon Snyder/Wired.com
See Also:
- Why iOS Could Make Apple TV Succeed
- Logitech Google TV Box Embarrasses Apple TV
- Boxee Beta, Now On Apple TV
- Apple's New iTV Will Cost $100, Won't Do 1080p
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Apple Takes Aim at Cable With Tiny New Apple TV
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Tags: Amazon, ATT, Beta, dvd, home audio and video, SmartPhone, Tablet, Television, Video |
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First Look: ELocity’s Android Tablet Makes Great Media Player
Author: Ang Nguyen
Stream TV is an unlikely player in the Great Tablet Race of 2010, but its new Android tablet might just find a niche among media-hungry consumers who want the option of throwing their games and movies up on a big-screen HDTV.
I got a chance to test-drive the eLocity A7 recently at Stream TV’s Philadelphia offices, and it looks like a solid, versatile tablet with a lot to offer, especially as a portable media player. (Philadelphia has plenty of telecoms and pharmaceutical companies, but not much in the way of consumer tech, so I was lucky that the company is just 12 blocks from my house.)
The three key phrases that will get geeks excited about the A7 are “Froyo,” “NVidia Tegra,” and “1080p output.” Translation: the A7’s shipping with the newest Android OS, a processor chip optimized for gaming, graphics, and video processing, and it spits out true HD video, so you can plug it into a TV.
Look at the hardware controls on the picture above: They are the standard control buttons that appear on every Android phone (plus a volume button), but they’re oriented for landscape mode. Some people knocked the iPad for being a media player rather than a portable computer, but eLocity is clearly aimed directly at media consumers.
One way to think about this class of tablets: imagine a more-versatile Apple TV, with a built-in touchscreen, that also plays video games, runs apps, and browses the web. Oh, and you can carry it around with you.
Because of the NVidia chip and 1080p, the A7 shines when it’s hooked up to an HDTV. (eLocity’s including an HDMI cable and Bluetooth-fob keyboard with the A7 in its $400 kit.) Because it uses Android, it can play almost any file format. You don’t have to worry about buying video in different resolutions for your portable device and your set-top box. We watched an HD trailer for Avatar, some clips from Shark Tale, including a Blu-Ray rip, and all looked great.
You can also play video games on the big screen while hooked up to your TV — we played the racing game Asphalt 5 — but here the HDMI cable was really awkward. Cables and accelerometers do not mix. The gameplay was much better when using the tablet like a PSP, without connecting it to a TV. It’ll be even better once there are more Android games that take advantage of the tablet form factor.
The other hurdle to clear when the A7 is hooked up to the TV is inputting data. You can walk over and use the touchscreen, but that’s very pre-remote. There’s the included keyboard, but it is just the teensiest bit awkward using a device that big when you’re not at a desk or conference table. It worked fine — I just wonder whether people who aren’t me will enjoy sitting back, relaxing, and pulling out a big keyboard to watch a movie.
Part of the problem is that there just aren’t many good peripherals for Android devices yet. The keyboard eLocity is including is branded for Windows (“We’ll include an Android sticker to put over the Windows logo,” company reps told me), and there aren’t any Bluetooth mice, trackpads, or remotes, although clever people might get something unofficially supported to work.
The hardware keyboard is also an acknowledgment that software keyboards for these tablets are fine for casual use, but not knocking anybody over just yet. My editor called it “a deconstructed netbook,” and that’s not far off. But again, part of the appeal is that it can alternately be a tablet, netbook, and set-top box as needed.
It also makes for a fairly slick e-reader. It’s not as light as a Kindle, but smaller and lighter than an iPad, and the touch controls and Aidiko e-book software worked great. You’ve can also get the Nook and Kindle apps for Android. Instead of using Pages to read PDFs, you’ve got Adobe Reader (or whatever other PDF app you can find). It also supports Adobe Flash. (Add your cheers/boos, as you’re so inclined.)
The company’s shipping the devices with Facebook, Documents to Go (the trial/read-only version), Twidroid, and other popular apps preloaded, so it’s ready to use out of the box. I didn’t see anything that looked like bloatware. Unless you really, really hate mobile Flash.
Now, some caveats. I did not get to test the device that’s actually shipping this fall. It will be available for exclusive preorder with Amazon after Labor Day (probably September 8), and will ship after mid-October. The demo unit was basically identical to the Compal- and Aigo-branded tablets that appeared at some consumer shows earlier this year, right down to the metallic red body and Android 2.1 OS. The unit that’s shipping will have 2.2, which has finally been pushed out. It will also be black/graphite, like the photos above.
It’s Wi-Fi only, since StreamTV still doesn’t have carrier deals in place. But it only has 802.11 b/g networking, not n. It outputs video in 1080p, but on-screen resolution is 800
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Review: Logitech C-510 HD Webcam
Author: Jack Schmidt
The Logitech C510
Recently Logitech was kind enough to send GeekDad one of their new webcams from their current line for review. With Logitech already dominating the peripherals market, webcams are starting to see some competition coming from the built in cameras in some of the newer laptop computers. Logitech decided it best to stay ahead of that curve, releasing a line of webcams featuring 720p HD Video. The one reviewed here is the middle of the set camera, the Logitech HD Webcam C510 with 720p Video and Swivel Design.
Overview & Functionality
The first thing to keep in mind is that if you do not have an HD monitor or an HD anything to view the video on, then guess what? It’s not HD. It’s like the commercials on television showing HD better than the picture you’ve got, but if you aren’t viewing on an HD television then how can you tell? Same thing here. While it does record in 720p HD, you can change the settings to record in a lower resolution or switch from widescreen to standard. Both options save storage space as well, by reducing the file size. But you already knew that. The HD feature is a nice touch on the webcam, especially considering the price point (under $60.)
Video viewing was done on a Samsung SyncMaster 933 HDTV Monitor. Recording was done on a piece of crap old Dell laptop that still seems to function well enough to do two things at once. The recording was smooth and gives a handy little countdown meter before the recording actually starts. There was no problem with the sound pickup, recording at 48khz. Lowering it did cause a little static on playback, but nothing substantial. HD playback was smooth for the most part, though there was some motion blur on quick movements. Considering the hardware, this is to be expected. Remember folks, this is a laptop webcam, not a professional HD rig like a Sony HVR-HD1000U or comparable. With that in mind, it operated as expected.
Software Package
The C510 comes with the standard Logitech software package. A program called Logitech Vid™ HD is the junior Skype clone, handling video calling. It’s a very basic use program and anyone with Skype probably will never open it. The other is the Logitech® Webcam Software program. This is the program used to video and still picture capture. It features interactivity with the Vid program, Skype, Windows Messenger, and offers the option to add more applications to the interactivity including uploading directly to social media services such as YouTube or Facebook. This is a very convenient option.
Before uploading you might want to edit the video. The Webcam Software offers a free download of a piece of software called Magix for video editing, or you can simply use your own. Considering the price point, it makes sense that the focus in the package is on the camera, and not on the software package. The software also offers motion capture and has a feature that follows your face, zooming and panning to adjust. Of course, you still have to keep your face in the frame.
Physical Attributes
The Logitech C510 Swivel Z Design
The C510 is a compact little camera and comes with a soft carry case. This is of course a good attribute to have in a webcam suited for laptops. It folds into itself, with the camera swiveling around to close against itself, protecting the lens during travel. The cord can be a little cumbersome if you happen to lose the twist tie, but you can always find another one. If you have a problem with getting cords tangled, you may want to just leave it twist tied so you aren’t spending twenty minutes every night trying to separate your webcam and headphone cables.
The Z design of the camera and it’s mount is innovative, but not very sturdy. I found that while it’ll sit on the laptop screen nicely, it’ll fall off just as quickly if you happen to bump or shake the laptop. This can be an issue during filming obviously.
A clip or snap design might have worked better, except the Z design works because of how it folds into itself for travel. The Z design relies on small rubber tabs on the lower parts to keep it from sliding off the laptop. Because of this, the camera is more likely to fall forward than back. Of course, you could always just swivel it and fold it up and set it on the desk, instead of at the top of the laptop.
The C510 is sturdy when folded up, since there was only one for testing it didn’t get the full stress test, but was dropped a couple times just to see if it bounced or broke. Risky, but it was the last test performed. It bounced. Unfolded, the normal cautions apply to the exposed lens. Aside from the lens, it has a built in microphone and indicator light.
Wired: The compact design and portability of the camera, in addition to the HD recording and low price point make it a good buy for a portable laptop webcam.
Tired: The Z design, while neat for folding up to drop in the computer bag, isn’t as sturdy on the laptop screen as it could be. Nothing some duct tape can’t handle.
Go here to see the original:
Review: Logitech C-510 HD Webcam
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Sony Internet TV, DISH first with Google TV this fall; Adobe, Logitech and others along for the ride
Author: Tiffany Shoman
Sony will be first out of the gate with a Google TV powered device, with its “Sony Internet TV” devices — in the form of either an HDTV or a set-top box with Blu-ray player — arriving on shelves this fall. The rest of the partners were just as the rumors indicated, with Logitech adding a QWERTY Harmony remote, “companion box” to bridge the gap to existing home theater equipment and eventually video chat capabilities, Intel providing the CE4100 Atom processor at the heart of the devices and an Android 2.1 OS with Chrome browser brings it all together. DISH Network and Google have admitted to their ongoing trials but there’s no word on any release date,(Update: We didn’t catch it onstage, but DISH just announced it will enable “advanced integration” via HDMI on all of its HD DVR receivers this fall, details after the break) while Best Buy is already on board to sell all of this and inevitably offer to hook up those IR blasters for a fee, while Adobe is just happy to see another device that runs Flash 10.1. The rest of the details are in press release and video form after the break, but you can sign up for updates at Google.com/tv (developers check in here) or check out our ongoing liveblog right from Google I/O.
Update: Vic Gundotra just confirmed in a post-keynote press conference that TV will go international next year.
Sony Internet TV, DISH first with Google TV this fall; Adobe, Logitech and others along for the ride originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 20 May 2010 13:21:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Tags: best buy, blu-ray, bridge-the-gap, dishnetwork, Entry, googleio2010, Logitech, press-release, Sony, Video |
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PS3’s Torne digital TV tuner / DVR adapter gets 2.00 software update next month
Author: Natalie Wood
Japan hasn’t had a lot of time to get used to the PlayStation 3’s Torne digital TV tuner since it launched in March, but it’s already getting an update which will add a few more DVR features to improve the experience. Coming in June, v2.00 will enable MPEG-4 AVC compression to squeeze HDTV recordings by as much as 3x their original size as opposed to just copying the original MPEG-2 stream even while playing a game, plus the ability to start watching a program and fast forward/reverse while it’s still recording and update the user’s PSN status. The free update will be issued in June, until then Torne fans can argue with European and Australian PlayTV owners about whether or not their new features are better than Facebook integration while the U.S. sits out like the ginger kid of a previous marriage it is.
Gallery: PS3 Torne DVR 2.00 features
PS3’s Torne digital TV tuner / DVR adapter gets 2.00 software update next month originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 20 May 2010 19:31:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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PS3’s Torne digital TV tuner / DVR adapter gets 2.00 software update next month
Author: Gabe Hall
Japan hasn’t had a lot of time to get used to the PlayStation 3’s Torne digital TV tuner since it launched in March, but it’s already getting an update which will add a few more DVR features to improve the experience. Coming in June, v2.00 will enable MPEG-4 AVC compression to squeeze HDTV recordings by as much as 3x their original size as opposed to just copying the original MPEG-2 stream even while playing a game, plus the ability to start watching a program and fast forward/reverse while it’s still recording and update the user’s PSN status. The free update will be issued in June, until then Torne fans can argue with European and Australian PlayTV owners about whether or not their new features are better than Facebook integration while the U.S. sits out like the ginger kid of a previous marriage it is.
Gallery: PS3 Torne DVR 2.00 features
PS3’s Torne digital TV tuner / DVR adapter gets 2.00 software update next month originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 20 May 2010 19:31:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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PS3’s Torne digital TV tuner / DVR adapter gets 2.00 software update next month
Author: Buck Howard
Japan hasn’t had a lot of time to get used to the PlayStation 3’s Torne digital TV tuner since it launched in March, but it’s already getting an update which will add a few more DVR features to improve the experience. Coming in June, v2.00 will enable MPEG-4 AVC compression to squeeze HDTV recordings by as much as 3x their original size as opposed to just copying the original MPEG-2 stream even while playing a game, plus the ability to start watching a program and fast forward/reverse while it’s still recording and update the user’s PSN status. The free update will be issued in June, until then Torne fans can argue with European and Australian PlayTV owners about whether or not their new features are better than Facebook integration while the U.S. sits out like the ginger kid of a previous marriage it is.
Gallery: PS3 Torne DVR 2.00 features
PS3’s Torne digital TV tuner / DVR adapter gets 2.00 software update next month originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 20 May 2010 19:31:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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PS3’s Torne digital TV tuner / DVR adapter gets 2.00 software update next month
Author: Tech Blogger
Japan hasn’t had a lot of time to get used to the PlayStation 3’s Torne digital TV tuner since it launched in March, but it’s already getting an update which will add a few more DVR features to improve the experience. Coming in June, v2.00 will enable MPEG-4 AVC compression to squeeze HDTV recordings by as much as 3x their original size as opposed to just copying the original MPEG-2 stream even while playing a game, plus the ability to start watching a program and fast forward/reverse while it’s still recording and update the user’s PSN status. The free update will be issued in June, until then Torne fans can argue with European and Australian PlayTV owners about whether or not their new features are better than Facebook integration while the U.S. sits out like the ginger kid of a previous marriage it is.
Gallery: PS3 Torne DVR 2.00 features
PS3’s Torne digital TV tuner / DVR adapter gets 2.00 software update next month originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 20 May 2010 19:31:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Tags: avc, digitaltv, dtv, firmwareupdate, PlayStation, Playstation 3, PS3, psn status update |
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HDTV tests pit fantasy land specs against real world performance — guess what happens
Author: Stefanie Jenkins
Good luck keeping up with the ever changing specs on the latest HDTVs, but as the numbers get more impressive, are the displays actually improving in any noticeable way? Dr. Raymond Soneira , president of DisplayMate, goes about breaking down many of the more often misused and misleading technical buzzwords in an article on MaximumPC. If you’re wondering how manufacturers have advanced contrast ratios from thousands, to millions, to unlimited over the space of just a few years, there’s a breakdown of what “dynamic contrast ratio” actually measures and why it’s worth ignoring — unless you watch your TV when it’s only displaying one color at a time. When it comes to colors colors, some of the most scathing words were pointed towards Sharp’s Quattron quad-pixel technology, which “can only decrease picture quality and accuracy!”
Whether you believe the good Dr., a glistening review or Cmdr. Sulu, the factual heat burned hottest during a test of motion blur compared on LCDs, LED LCDs, plasmas and even a pro CRT. While additional motion processing and upgraded internals on newer HDTVs can help in many other ways, viewers couldn’t detect any blur caused by a display even on an old 60Hz set, despite newer and faster 120Hz, 240Hz and 600Hz (plasma) sets claiming their technology helped them eliminate it. You’ll need a minute to read through for the full details but it’s a good, and unfortunately necessary, reminder to keep your eyes on the display and not just the spec sheet (just make sure you’re getting a proper look that represents the way you watch TV at home first.)
HDTV tests pit fantasy land specs against real world performance — guess what happens originally appeared on Engadget HD on Wed, 19 May 2010 01:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Tags: 120hz, 240 hz, contrast, dynamiccontrastratio, Entry, judder, LCD, LED, led lcd, over-the-space, Space, Specs, SPL, Technology, Watch |
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