Roku NetFlix Box Debuts, Jaws Drop
While it was only a matter of time before a Netflix set-top-box was revealed, few would have expected it today. The box from Roku is capable of pulling, from your Netflix queue, any “watch now” titles/shows and thereby streaming via the Roku unit. The box itself is HDD-less, and simply buffers the stream from Netflix. In a move that’s likely to placate just about any user of the Roku device, they’ve gone ahead and included just about every modern video ouput (including component and HDMI), along with wireless and wired internet connectivity options to boot.
Additionally, there is no service fee for using the Roku box, aside from the minimum option on Netflix that includes unlimited “watch now” capabilities, and the box itself will only set you back a measly $99 bucks, which certainly beats the pants of Apple’s set-top solution, Apple TV. Read more
Toshiba Releases Firmware 3.0 for First Gen HD DVD Players
In what very well may be the final update, Toshiba has released firmware version 3.0 for the HD-A1, HD-D1, and the HD-XA1 HD DVD players.
Toshiba says the firmware "Improves network connectivity for supporting the download of web-enabled network content associated with certain HD DVD discs, improves certain video and audio processing capabilities, and also addresses certain disc playback and HDMI/DVI related issues."
We do wonder if Toshiba plans on fixing the Mpeg4 AVC issues that are messed up in the latest HD-A3/HD-A30/HD-A35 firmware.
The latest FW for all HD DVD players can be downloaded here
Sound Off: What’s Your Auditory Weapon Of Choice?
We’re lovers of all types of auditory experiences — with the exception being papal oratories — but our favorite just so happens to be films. Go figure.
In particular, we especially love demo discs with which we can fully crank up our home theater systems, simultaneously enveloping ourselves in the heavy hitting sound field and liquefying our insides.
Listed below are just a few of our favorite auditory delights. Feel free to disregard, backup, or serve up your own list of demo discs to aid the masses in their search for their very own demo disc of choice.
1. Transformers - HD DVD - DD+
- Every time we introduce newcomers to our HC4900, this disc always happens to find it’s way into the HD DVD player. It’s no surprise that this track was awarded the best next-gen audio track for 2007, and it really makes a case for DD+. If you’re looking for demo material, jump to any of the scenes in which the Transformers clash, and you’ll be equally pummeled and mesmerized by the films sound design.
LG BH200 HD DVD/BD Combo Player Reviewed By Sound&Vision
The guys from Sound&Vision Mag have released their review of LG’s BH200 Super Blu combo player. The player supports the full HD DVD specifications, unlike its predecessor the BH100. The player’s hardware also supports Blu-ray Profile 1.1, but will need it enabled via a firmware update. It will be very interesting to compare the BH200 to Samsung’s BD-UP5000 in a head to head battle for HD playback supremacy. We just hope they can get the price down lower than $799 sometime soon.
Is Onkyo’s DV-HD805 HD DVD Player Just A Rebadged Toshiba?
The dudes over at AreaDVD.de got their hands on the new Onkyo DV- HD805 HD DVD player. They really dig deep into the player including a tear down that confirms our report that the player is just a rebadged HD-XE1 (EU version of the HD-XA2). We wonder who would waste their money on the Onkyo for $799, when a Toshiba HD-XA2 can be had for under $500?
note: This post contains affiliate links
Daewoo Presents BD-Live Blu-ray Player at IFA
Daewoo is showing its first Blu-ray Disc player, the DBP-1000, at IFA this week. The players is reportedly full BD-Live capable including Picture in Picture and Internet Connectivity features. The 1080p player supports scaling of video and images including DivX material and has a USB flash drive connection. It also supports the full range of recordable discs from CD through to BD-R and BD-RE. Sounds like a winner! No price or availability information at this time.
OEMs: Are your repeater-chips HDMI 1.3 compatible?
Here is a link to a great **very technical** article on HDMI 1.3 repeater/switcher compatibility issues. We wonder how the consumer is suppose to figure this stuff out, when even OEMs are struggling to understand the issues surrounding HDMI 1.3.
Samsung’s 2nd Gen Blu-ray Player Passes Simplay HD(TM) Testing
Samsung’s BD-P1200 marks the first HD DVD or Blu-ray player to pass Silicon Image’s “Simplay HD” certification. The Simplay HD Testing Program helps consumers identify HD components, such as HDTVs and next-generation DVD players, that will work together to provide a consistent “plug and play” user experience and maximize users’ access to premium HD content.
Does the PS3 really have HDMI 1.3?
Update: The PS3 now decodes both Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD MA internally (outputting it as L-PCM), but a hardware limitation prevents it from bit-streaming the advanced audio codecs to the receiver.
It has come to our attention that the Playstation 3 doesn’t support the most important feature of HDMI version 1.3, the ability to bit stream to your receiver the new advanced audio codecs (Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby TrueHD & DTS-HD Master Audio). The PS3 only supports the “Deep Color” portion of the HDMI 1.3 spec. This is confirmed on page 21 the PS3’s own manual (see picture below), which can be found here. The main problem with this scenario is that only Dolby TrueHD can be decoded and sent as PCM via HDMI, while Blu-ray titles that have DTS-HD Master Audio (all Fox titles) cannot be decoded by the PS3 (it can only extract the legacy DTS “core” stream). We feel SONY has really miss led everyone into thinking that the PS3 would be able to bit stream the new lossless audio codecs once the new HDMI 1.3 receivers come out. We feel that everyone that bought a PS3 thinking it fully supported HDMI 1.3 got ripped off, and we will continue to feel this way unless SONY can make it up to everyone by adding the ability to decode the full DTS-HD MA lossless stream in the console (then sent as PCM to receiver).
For more information see links below:
Sony Insider confirming bit stream limatation
Posts by Darinp2 and RobertR1 on AVS HD DVD/BD Insiders thread
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