Filed under: Displays, HDTV, Home Entertainment

We actually had to dust off our spectacles to make sure this wasn’t some sort of misunderstanding, but clearly, Hitachi is pulling a Toshiba. Generally, we wouldn’t make such a claim, but given that Tosh also calls its wizard-like upconverting technology Super Resolution, we’d say the likeness requires such a comparison. Reportedly, Hitachi has been toiling day and night on its own “super resolution technology,” which will theoretically take SD images and scale them to near-1080p. Amazingly, we’re told that it can also “convert HDTV images, such as digital terrestrial broadcasts, into images with even higher (what, SHV?) definition.” The tech is executed on a frame-by-frame basis and should be exhibited at the upcoming CEATEC trade show in Japan; as for a release, Hitachi’s currently aiming to get this into LCDs and plasmas “after 2010.”

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Filed under: HDTV, Home Entertainment

We’ll apologize on our tipster’s behalf for the quality of this shot, but evidently, he wasn’t able to pass it through Toshiba’s completely mind-boggling XDE upscaling technology before forwarding it onto us. Anyway, we reckon you can get the point — the XD-E500 upconverting DVD player is filtering into stores, so those looking to make their current DVD collection look its best should probably take notice. Or not, whatever.

[Thanks, Philip]

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Filed under: Displays, HDTV, Home Entertainment

As expected, Toshiba is offering a new (supposed) world’s first here at IFA: a true upscaling TV, finally getting rid of the middle man for upconverting those SD sources. The new ZF Series LCDs include Cell processors and Toshiba’s home grown Resolution+ technology, which does similar edge and detail enhancement to Toshiba’s XDE upscaler — sharpening detail, smoothing edges, and leaving the rest of the image alone — but with the added fun of Cell power in the mix. As for the actual displays, Toshiba will be shipping the 40ZF575D (40-inch) and the 46ZF575D (46-inch), both offering 1080p, 30,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio, 6ms response times and Active Vision M100 HD 100Hz 5:5 pulldown processing, along with four HDMI plugs, component video, RGB and PC input. Right now this is just a Europe launch, and we don’t have exact ship dates or pricing, but hopefully Toshiba will soon rectify that.

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Filed under: HDTV, Home Entertainment

Let’s get real honest with one another here: if folks are legitimately arguing that a $700 Profile 2.0 Blu-ray player is overpriced, there’s absolutely no way a DVD player is worth over four times as much. That being said, the folks over at Sound & Vision put the pricey pair through the paces, and they were actually quite pleased with the results. In a nutshell, it seems that reviewers found the best upscaling DVD players this planet has to offer, and while all the fawning over their pristine reproduction of colors was fine and dandy, it’s the value proposition here that’s absurdly out of whack. In fairness, it’s good to hear that the bundled Sigma Designs’ Gennum VXP video processor chip lived up to the hype, but all the upconverting in the world won’t make us believe these things are worthy of the stratospheric prices.

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Filed under: HDTV, Home Entertainment

Truth be told, we knew this gem was waiting in Sony’s pocket, but it finally came clean and made things official over in Europe. The 2.1 BRAVIA DAV-F200 home theater system features S-Master digital amplification, which delivers a potent 135-watts of power to each speaker (including the subwoofer). The firm also threw in its S-Force Front Surround technology to help convince your mind that 2.1 is really 5.1, and as for the integrated DVD player, it plays nice with MP3 / photo / DivX discs, too. Better still, the unit includes 1080p upscaling over HDMI along with a built-in USB port for listening to WMA / AAC files, and there’s even optical / coaxial digital inputs for other external sources. Regrettably, there’s no word on a price nor US availability, but we can say for certain that those across the pond can claim their own this June.

[Via Pocket-lint]

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Filed under: HDTV, Home Entertainment, Peripherals, Portable Audio, Portable Video

Just in case the HomeDock hasn’t been revamped and slightly renamed enough already, DLO is busting out yet another in the line and throwing the all-too-trendy “HD” moniker in there for good measure. As with most every other alternative already on the market, the HomeDock HD offers up 720p / 1080i upscaling and gives your iPod an easy way to output content via HDMI. You’ll also find an optical digital audio output, a USB port, an auxiliary input and S-Video / composite outputs. DLO claims that the enhanced on-TV interface will just melt your heart (more or less, anyway), and the bundled remote will keep you firmly planted on the sofa when flipping through clips. Mum’s the word on pricing at the moment, but feel free to take a second and check out this thing’s backside after the break.

[Via CNET]

Continue reading DLO introduces HomeDock HD: yet another upscaling iPod dock

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Filed under: CES, Home Entertainment

Toshiba wasn’t exactly enthused about the recent happenings in the land of HD DVD, but it did manage to churn out a couple of new DVD players, one of which handles upconversion nicely. If you’re somehow still not willing to make the leap to HD DVD / Blu-ray, the SD-4100 / SD-6100 just might fit the bill. The former leaves quite a bit to be desired, sporting just progressive scan (huzzah?), component outputs and MP3 / JPEG playback. If you managed to not doze of yet, you may be slightly (and we stress “slightly”) more intrigued by the SD-6100, which offers up 1080p upconversion via HDMI, REGZA Link and support for WMA, MP3 and JPEG files. We have our doubts about anyone’s eagerness to snag either of these, but if you’re on board, you’ll only have to lay down $39.99 / $69.99, respectively.

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Filed under: CES, HDTV, Home Entertainment, Portable Video

We’ve no qualms with seeing yet another iPod dock that upscales material to HD, but it seems Creative got a bit too rambunctious when penning its press release for the Xdock HD. Contrary to its claims, the aforementioned device actually isn’t the first to do what it does. ‘Course, it may have a point with the whole “upscaling your audio to X-Fi Xtreme Fidelity,” so we’ll just consider it a wash. Nevertheless, this bugger connects to your home theater system via HDMI, component or composite and relies on analog / optical outputs for audio. It also outputs an HD interface, comes with a remote and has the ability to “distribute music throughout your home to X-Fi Wireless Receivers up to 100 feet away without requiring a wireless network.” Unfortunately, the Xdock HD (bundled with one X-Fi Wireless Receiver) will set you back nearly four bills, but you can look for it later this Spring if it tickles your fancy.

[Via PCMag]

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Filed under: Home Entertainment

Have you ever been sitting at home at night, looking at your 19-inch CRT television and listening to your Victrola phonograph and thought, “Shazam! This setup stinks!”? Well, perhaps you’re in dire need of an introduction to Onkyo’s HT-SP908, a home theater in a box which does everything… and we mean everything. The progressive-scannin’, multi-format-playin’, 7.1 system offers 90-watts per channel, an iPod dock, XM and SIRIUS radio compatibility, 720p / 1080i / 1080p upscaling, 1080i and 1080p HDMI in / out, component in / out, optical and coaxial audio in / out, plus playback of DVD Video, Video CS, CD, CD-R/RW, DVD+/-R/RW, MP3, WMA, WMV, MPEG 4-AAC, DivX, and JPEG formats. If that’s not enough, it also makes lunch, breaks up with annoying girlfriends, and organizes your t-shirts by color. The HT-SP908 is available now for $1099, a slimmed-down, 5.1 version called the HT-SP904 is also currently on shelves for $899.

Read — HT-SP908
Read — HT-SP904

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Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

Filed under: Home Entertainment, Portable Audio

If you thought LG had milked the Chocolate for all it was worth, you’ve got another thing comin’. That thing would be the HT972TR HTIB, which includes five satellite speakers, a 225-watt subwoofer, 1,000 total watts of amplification and a DVD player that handles 1080p upscaling as well as DivX. Moreover, the system boasts HDMI, DTS support, an AM / FM tuner and a USB port for loading up portable media. Not a lot of details beyond that just yet, but do yourself a favor and check out two more delicious shots waiting after the jump.

[Via Electronista, images courtesy of Le Journal du Geek]

Continue reading LG unveils HT972TR HTIB, favors Chocolate

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Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!