Recently, DViCO launched its new TViX-HD M-6500A Media Streamer. This new product is claimed to be the “most advanced jukebox on the planet”. It is capable of supporting SATA hard drive of up to 1TB. Providing HDMI 1.3 for Full HD output, this media product also features S-video, Component and Composite outputs.

DViCO TViX-HD M-6500A Media Streamer features 256MB memory and 64MB flash memory. Feel free to turn this device in a Personal Video Recorder by simply adding a HD Digital TV tuner. It comes with USB ports for enhanced connectivity directly to AVCHD and HDV camcorders.

Polk Audio recently introduced the newest SurroundBar(R) SDA Instant Home Theater (IHT). The home theater brings digital quality sound with an integrated speaker array and a wireless subwoofer. Polk Audio’s patented Stereo Dimensional Array Technology generates realistic sound surround field without employing rear or side speakers.

"The market has been calling for a solution as straightforward as this one," says Mark Suskind, Polk Audio’s Vice President of Product Line Management. "Polk’s new IHT makes home theater audio easy, simple and affordable for any household."

The Instant Home Theater system’s simplified design enables convenient connection to any entertainment system or Tv within minutes. It employs four 2-1/2" treated composite bass-midrange drivers to leave a heavy impact. While, its two 13mm polymer dome tweeters offer a high frequency response out of 22KHZ.

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Polk Audio SurroundBar SDA Instant Home Theater

Best Seat in The House
High Definition Television
LG to Launch Netflix-Enabled Broadband HDTVs at CES 2009
New California Energy Regulations Will Ban Certain Plasma TVs
Goldenote Stibbert Tube CD Player
Projectiondesign’s DLP Line-up For CES 2009

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Your Roku Netflix Player will be generously upgraded early 2009. It will receive the Amazon’s Video On Demand service which is quite interesting. Amazon Video On Demand or Amazon Unbox is the first service to be available through Roku besides Netflix.

Amazon’s service will get you more than 40,000 movies and TV shows. They will be available on a pay-per-view basis instead of the regular flat-fee subscription of Netflix.

Remember the December firmware update? It promised the availability of future channels in early 2009. Well Amazon is the first one to arrive, what’s next?

Home Theater Seating

One issue you may not have given a lot of consideration when planning your home theater set up is seating. You may already own a living room set and have no plans to change that out. That’s not a problem. But placement of the furniture is something you might want to consider in order to maximize the home theater effect. The Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers have actually given this issue a lot of thought, and real paying theaters take it very seriously.  According to recent guidelines set by the industry, “…a screen appears large when it occupies a substantial portion of a viewer’s horizontal and vertical field of vision. Our experience indicates that the screen image will appear small [in a theater environment] if the image occupies less than 15% of the viewer’s vertical field of vision or less than approximately 30% of the viewer’s horizontal field.”

This is a fancy way of saying, don’t sit too close, or the screen will actually appear smaller and you will have a substandard viewing experience. Another issue to keep in mind is the type of TV and projection system you will be using. Keep in mind when placing your furniture that some models cannot be viewed as well from an angle and place your seats as front and center if you can.

What is digital TV and why do we need it anyway? Digital signals carry much more information than analogy signals and, because digital signals do not travel through the air the same way that analog signals do, there is no interference with a digital signal. Picture and sound quality is far superior, and in fact it is largely the development of digital picture and sound technology that has enabled home theater to become possible. HDTV or High Definition Television came about because of the capacity that a digital signal has for carrying complex and huge amounts of information—information that allows you to reproduce theater quality sound and images in your own living room. 

If you own a High Definition Television you probably already know that it doesn’t receive an analog signal very well, but why would you want it to? In order to receive HDTV you do need a special HDTV set—you can’t get HDTV on an ordinary analog set. Although the technology is being phased in slowly, expect to see not much else besides HDTV within the next few years.

Looking for a Netflix-enabled HDTV? LG is getting ready to launch a few of those at CES 2009 later this week. They are called Broadband HDTVs and they will arrive both in plasma or LCD versions. The Netflix software will be right inside of them for you to enjoy so you won’t have to install anything else to stream Netflix content for you.

HD Netflix content is going to be supported too and you will also be able to read synopses, rate movies and fast-forward or rewind the video stream. The new HDTVs will start shipping this Spring but there’s no word on actual arrival dates and pricing just yet.

via Press

If you live in California and own a Plasma TV you might be forced to give it up in the future. That is, of course, if you happen to display your Plasmas in your bar or other public location.

New regulations will prevent bar owners from using energy inefficient TVs. Like some of the Plasma TVs we’ve gotten used to seeing everywhere nowadays. The California Energy Commission wants to reduce the power consumption and it looks like bad TVs are going to get it first. The Los Angeles Times says that LCDs consume 43% more electricity than tube TVs. The regulations haven’t been passed yet but if they will be passed then they will take effect only in 2011. Plenty of time for the industry to develop TVs that won’t eat as much energy.

via latimes

Goldenote Stibbert Tube CD player has launched its newest 2008 edition. Incorporating the latest Goldenote digital technology, this CD player uses the proprietary Dual-Speed to enable the transport. It sports a curved shape that increases the structural rigidity of the design while eliminating any sort of vibration.

Featuring Zero Clock control digital system, Goldenote Stibbert Tube CD player can deliver a digital output of 75 ohms. Its Stibbert Tube features a very sophisticated tube analog output stage that is based on two 6922 tubes. It measures 480 x 250 x 450mm in dimensions and weighs just 1300 kgs.

Goldenote Stibbert Tube CD player makes full use of the Electro Power to guarantee the best sound performance available. Its higher standard self-adjusting properties enables you to keep all micro and macro voltages stable with super smooth voltage in all the electrical local digital and analog audio signal paths.

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Projectiondesign will showcase its top-notch Helios 3-chip full HD 1080p DLP projector at the CES 2009. Designed to deliver unrivalled picture image with superior clarity, it astounds every spectator. Integrating True Optical Color processing with the company’s proprietary optical design, the Helios projector takes its viewers to a spectacular world. Helios is capable to render image sizes up to 300 inchs diagonal.

Gary Plavin, president of projectiondesign, LLC Americas said, "We are anticipating a great response to the avielo series at CES. Within our line-up of high performance projectors is a solution to every home cinema challenge. Whether you want to build a grand theater with the largest screen size or enjoy premier picture quality in a room with ambient light, avielo has you covered."

Projectiondesign will also put on display its premier Avielo optix single-chip projector series crafted for screen sizes up to 180”diagonal. The Avielo Series offers six lens options from company’s Hand-picked Signature series. While, a wide range of lenses is available for Helios ensuring flexible installation. Both Projectors utilize projectiondesign’s patented DuArch™ dual illumination architecture for first-rate output and longer lamp life.

Verbatim to Launch Quad Interface 500GB/1TB External HDD
7mm Samsung LED-Backlit LCD TV at CES 2009
ZeeVee ZvPro Will Get You HD Everywhere in Your house
Digital Converter
Getting The Right Equipment
Toshiba Launched SD-Friendly Players
BluCobra EZ3000 Is a Cheap Blu-ray Player
Samsung HT-X710T
Samsung HT-X810T
Sony DAV-IS10
Onkyo HT-S6100
Salamander Design’s Madrid Home Entertainment Cabinet

You might need one of those external HDD devices to store away all your movie downloads so why not take a look at these new quad interface external HDD which Verbatim is going to launch at Macworld? The drives come in 500GB and 1TB versions and they will be Mac and PC compatible. They will feature USB 2.0, Firewire 400, Firewire 800 and eSATA II sockets. Inside those black boxes you will find 3.5 inch HDD spinning at 7.200RPM ready to get you 32MB of cache. How much for one? Well depending on what model you’re looking for you will be paying either $179.99 or $249.99 for one unit.

With every minute that gets us closer to CES 2009 we find out more details about the products that are about to be announced in Vegas. Like the 7mm Samsung LCD TVs for examples. Not only are they ultra thin but they are also LED-backlit. Fragile you ask? Well they might very well be so watch out when playing those Wii games near one of those. Expensive you ask? We have no ideas but maybe this week we will finally find out.

via yahoo

How many HDTVs do you currently own and how many more do you plan to buy? I certainly agree that every room of the house should get an HDTV, just in case you want to watch good quality shows no matter what you’re doing.

The ad above found in the latest edition of CE Pro Magazine shows the Zv Pro which should be launched soon. The Zv Pro will add the Toslink input, the RS-232 control and the IR port missing from the previous ZeVee Box. The device could be the perfect solution for you to send HD over the coax in your home without getting an extra STB right under the HDTV. We have no idea how much it will cost but when it gets launched we will let you know too.

via Engadget

On February 17th, 2009, all United States TV broadcasting will switch from analog to digital signals. Are you ready for the change? Even if you have an older television that does not have a digital receiver, if you subscribe to any major cable television service you will not experience any change in your reception unless your cable service goes down. In that case, you will not be able to receive a television signal locally anymore. You can purchase a new TV before the February 17th date that has a built-in ATSC tuner.

This tuner will allow you to receive over-the-air programming even when your cable service is temporarily down. You can also buy your own analog to digital converter box, a cheaper solution in most cases than replacing your television, VCR, and DVD players. The cost of a converter box runs around $40, but for a limited time the federal government will give you a coupon good for a box. To apply for that coupon, go to the DTV transition website at DTV2009.gov.

Home Theater can seem overwhelming when you’re first getting started. The array of choices and price points seems endless, and everyone seems to have a strong opinion about this or that, and all of these opinions contradict each other. A few mistakes are so common however, that it’s worth mentioning them just so you can avoid them right out of the gate.

Here are some errors beginners to home theater routinely face:

1. Buying too large a TV—bigger isn’t always better! Consider your room size and the system requirements.
2. Buying cheap speakers or skimping on sound. One of the main attractions of home theater is surround sound! Don’t cheat yourself out of this experience.
3. Not reading the set up manual. Seriously, if you just start plugging this into that you can’t expect it to well.
4. Buying for brand or price instead of just getting what you need. It’s great to get a deal, and brand loyalty is something manufacturers appreciate, but if you get the system home and are unhappy, how smart was that?

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How do you watch your movies? Well I for one like to go to the cinema every once in a while but mostly I let my DVD player do the job while I make the most of my couch and the fresh popcorn I have waiting for me.

Toshiba has thought about a different way of watching movies. The company wants to release a new player prototype at CES which will be SD-friendly. That means you will be able to use its SD slot to watch movies straight from a flash card. Sure you could always check out those home videos recorded on an SD card, but why wouldn’t you use your laptop for that?

via videobusiness

In case you just happened to realize that Blu-rays are clearly the way to go for better movies and sound, then you definitely have to check out BluCobra EZ3000 when deciding what player to buy for yourself.

ezGear is the company behind the EZ3000 and the player is supposed to be a low-cost Blu-ray player. The BluCobra EZ3000 will be available at CES 2009 so you should definitely check it out. We’re going to see it in stores only in March 2009 and here are its main features: HDMI 1.3, analog and digital 7.1 outputs, Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master audio processing. Unfortunately this player doesn’t have Profile 2.0 and it doesn’t come with an Ethernet port. We’re not that interested in the port but we definitely want that profile.

We have no price for this cheap Blu-ray player yet but CES 2009 should reveal it.

X710T

If you don’t have a lot of money to get started in home theater, you can still get your feet wet. The Samsung HT-X710T system includes good-sounding 2.1 DVD player home theater system; wall-mountable; strong digital media playback includes DivX, MP3, WMA, WMV, JPEG files;  iPod dock; USB port and Bluetooth streaming compatibility all for under $500 for the complete boxed set.

The system focuses on DVD playback and offers wireless rear surround sound, which makes for simple set up, an always welcome feature for beginners. On the downside, once you do get used to home theater, you’ll find minimal inputs on this system which makes expansion difficult, and some customers are put off by an awkward design asthetic that makes the system look somewhat dated.  At the end of the day though, the Samsung HT-X710T provides everything a beginner needs at an affordable price.

The Samsung HT-X810T is a good entry level home theater system with great sound and an appealing lack of wires and peripheral hardware, making set up easy and fast. The Soundbar surround system with built-in DVD player and wireless powered subwoofer; eliminates the need for an AV receiver, which makes for one less  item to worry about or adjust. The Samsung HT-X810T also features HDMI output; easy setup; and it streams Bluetooth audio from compatible A2DP sources.

The system provides good digital media support, although Blue Ray capability is not included. Expert home theater enthusiasts will be disappointed in this systems limited capability to accept add-on components, but those new to home theater will love the quality, the simplicity, and the sleek design. The price of the boxed set runs from $549 to $699.

The best and worst thing about the Sony DAV-IS10 is the same thing: the tiny speakers (smaller than a tennis ball in diameter). On the plus side, the speakers deliver great sound quality and are among the easiest to disguise which is great, especially if you have a small room. On the down side, the quality only get optimal at the highest volume and the placement is crucial and finicky.

You may even end up heaving one against a wall before set up is complete if you are prone to do such things, but once they are in exactly the right place, they’re awesome. At $500 retail, the Sony DAV-IS10 is a good basic system which includes everything a beginner needs for home theater, especially for a small to medium sized room. Great sound and picture quality with optional Wi-Fi and Blue Tooth connectivity is available. Like lots of entry level boxed sets expandability is difficult.

Onkyo HT S6100

The Onkyo HT-S6100 home theater package comes with great sound, HD audio format support, easy speaker set up, and easy expandability, but at $600 for the boxed set, the lack of a DVD player will be an issue for some customers. The Onkyo HT-S6100 is harder to set up because of the lack of an included DVD player, but this same difficulty is what makes it more easily expanded when you reach the point where you want to add components—something that is a lot tougher (if not impossible) to do with beginning integrated systems that include all basic pieces.

The S6100 als replacing every last component, you could do worse than the Onkyo HT-S6100. o includes decoders for the latest Blu Ray audio systems, making it more adaptable to changes in technology that other basic home theater packages. Other systems might be simpler, but if you’re looking for a package you can upgrade later without alot of trouble, this system might be for you.