HDTV Lounge

Notebookreview has a great review of the new Hauppauge WinTV HVR 950, which is an USB 2.0 stick device that will turn your laptop into a ota HDTV viewer.

Just released a few weeks ago, the Hauppauge WinTV HVR 950 is a small, compact USB device that is capable of viewing and recording both SD and HD TV.

The first thing that I noticed about the HVR 950 is that it is a self powered USB device. It does not need an external power source to operate, and also comes with a small TV Antenna that is capable of receiving SD (NTSC) and HD (ATSC) over-the-air signals. It is also capable of receiving other NTSC signals, which allows me to view the cable at my apartment as well.

Anyway, I found that for standard TV, the HVR 950 required about 45-50% of the CPUs power. That is a fairly significant percentage given the power of the Core 2 at 2.16 GHz. But it does its job well, so I am not going to complain. Clearly, this TV Tuner uses software based decoding, but as long as you have a Core Duo or Core 2 Duo processor you should be fine. Read more

The AutumnWave OnAir HDTV Creator turns your PC or laptop in to an HDTV., allowing you to view full HD quality 1920 x 1080 video directly on your computer without having to buy an expencive HDTV. The OnAir HDTV Creator works via your USB 2.0 connection and is packed with features.

Receives HDTV (ATSC) / Analog TV (NTSC) / QAM (unencrypted) Digital Cable

* Supports HDTV resolutions up to 1920 x 1080 (ATSC)
* Watch Digital (ATSC) and Analog (NTSC) TV
* The latest fifth generation tuner/demodulator from LG gives unsurpassed metro and fringe area reception with no multi-path problems
* nVidia’s innovative HD decoder filter for MPEG 2 Read more

Matrixstream MX1020HD box promises HDTV over broadband

The Matrixstream MX1020HD set top box is able to deliver 1080p, which is the best quality high definition, over a regular broadband connection. By utilizing a proprietary compression method, it’s able to retain all the high quality HDTV information through your cable or DSL modem.

IMX 1020HD is MatrixStream’s latest IP STB that can support videos up to High Definition (HD) 720P, 1080i and 1080P formats. IMX 1020HD currently supports most advanced video codecs such as H.264/MPEG 4 Part 10. IMX 1020HD can support streaming video, download and push VOD.

Panasonic Home Theater Speaker System (SB-TP1000) – Designed to complement and optimize the Panasonic Blu-ray Disc High Definition Home Theater system’s audio capabilities, the SB-TP1000, with an SRP of $2999.95, delivers rich, true-to-life surround sound for movies, concerts and audio CDs alike. The system includes front speakers, surround speakers and a subwoofer. Key system features include:

Ø Twin Center Speaker Technology — Enables you to accurately hear dialog from the center of the Plasma screen — regardless of listening position – without a separate center channel speaker.
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The SA-XR700, Panasonic’s first Blu-ray matching receiver, with an SRP of $999.95, delivers extraordinary sound quality for a dramatic and immersive home theater listening experience. Works great with the Panasonic DMP-BD10 Blu-ray Player

Key features include:

* Full-Digital Amplifier and Advanced Dual Amplifier with up to 7.1 channels.
* Powerful Stereo Mode with 100w/channel (20 kHz, 6 ohms, 0.09% THD)
* 192 kHz/24-bit Audio A/D Converter for Analog Input
* DVD-Audio Ready for High Quality Sound (88 kHz Reproduction, S/N 103dB)
* Wireless Ready
* XM satellite-ready
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uvitek announced its breakthrough Durante reference design, a hybrid USB TV tuner device utilizing the company’s highly successful AU8502 demodulator.

Auvitek’s attractive USB reference design is already being adopted by several cutting-edge ODMs and OEMs such as Leadtek International, Yuan Technology, Ya-Hsin, VVmer, Goodway, Itemstech, and Prolink, all of whom will be showcasing their products this week at Computex Taipei.

The AU8502, an ATSC/NTSC HDTV demodulator, is the world’s only demodulator IC for both digital ATSC 8-VSB and analog NTSC/BTSC TV broadcasts, and builds on Auvitek’s patent-pending AccuTune(TM) technology. The Durante reference design has the smallest form factor on the market today.

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Arcam has introduced the latest addition to their already solid, DiVA product range. The AVR350 surround receiver with dual HDMI inputs and Burr-Brown digital to analog converters. In recent years the Arcam DiVA AV receiver range has captured the imagination of a whole new generation of movie and music enthusiasts. For the first time these products successfully bridged the gap between stereo music systems and multi-channel receivers, delivering the perfect balance between performance and features. Building on this success, Arcam introduces the DiVA AVR350, the company’s highest performing receiver to date, with many new features derived from development work on the $5749.00 award-winning fmj AV9.

the best ever sounding receiver from Arcam, delivering real audiophile sound quality for movies and music

- 2-way HDMI switching plus HDTV compatible component / RGB switching

- 7 x 100 watts per channel power output (all channels driven simultaneously) real world power, rare in a receiver

- Second room/zone output with audio and video plus RS232 for system control and install integration

The AVR350 delivers marked improvements in sound quality over its predecessors and over competing receivers. A huge new toroidal transformer improves bass timing and control, Arcam’s proprietary ‘Mask of Silence’ technologies improve the top-end clarity and new op amps improve the midrange.

Arcam has long delivered innovative features in its products and has been a front runner in the adoption of the HDMI interface standard. The AVR350 continues these traditions by adopting two-way HDMI switching with automatic selection of digital video source, adding this feature without compromising the audio quality.

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Yorkshire-based Pace Micro Technology has launched a free-to-air high definition television (HDTV) satellite set-top box – giving viewers in the UK the ability to watch the latest HDTV content, such as the forthcoming FIFA World Cup matches being broadcast by the BBC.

It’s the second such made-for-the-UK receiver to be launched, following the release of a Humax free-to-air model earlier this year.

To enjoy the free-to-air BBC HDTV content, viewers will need a satellite dish pointed at the 28.2 degrees East position, plus an HD-Ready television set to watch the content in its full resolution level.

Customers can buy the new box directly from Pace at www.PaceShop.com or via their local independent retailer. It will retail for around £299. Pace say review models will be available around mid-June, so expect availability at retail a few weeks after that.

Although the receiver comes with a common interface slot for pay-TV smartcards, BSkyB’s lack of support for the common interface standard means it will not be able to be used to receive BSkyB’s HDTV service. The receiver could be used to receive pay-TV HDTV signals from elsewhere in Europe on other satellites, using non-BSkyB scrambling systems such as Irdeto, Nagravision, Conax, Viaccess and CryptoWorks.

Onkyo, a brand that has continuously demonstrated its commitment to high quality affordable home theater electronics, has enhanced its popular entry-level home theater receiver line with the new TX-SR504. The 504 improves on its predecessor (the TX-SR503) with the addition of XM’s new Neural Surroundâ„¢ support plus an adjustable lip-synch delay feature that allows users to compensate for the mis-match of audio and video components in some digital display systems.

The 504 also adds options for more precise control over a subwoofer in a home theater system. And all this comes without a price increase - the list price of the TX-SR504 is just $299, available in black or silver finishes.

As we initially reported in our CES coverage earlier this year, XM Satellite Radio’s new Neural Surround technology (also known as “XM HD Surround”) offers a unique discrete 5.1-channel surround sound option for XM satellite radio subscribers - a first in the satellite radio market. It’s great news to see this feature included in a product that anyone can afford, not just early adopters with deep pockets.

The new receiver also includes a wide array of features for home theater, including the latest in 7.1 channel processing, HDTV-capable component video switching for up to three component inputs, and enhanced compatibility with the company’s RI (Remote Interactive) iPod dock.
Source: http://www.bigpicturebigsound.com

The HDCI2000 is a satellite receiver for free to air HD channels. Although there’s not much around right now, you’ll be able to impress the neighbours with the World Cup matches in glorious HD, not to mention other BBC shows, like Bleak House and Natural World. But if you want the Sky channels, well, you’ll have to pick up Sky HD.

The box can receive and decrypt the latest MPEG4 HD transmissions, as well as displaying both MPEG2 HD and standard definition, free-to-air satellite signals. There’s also an optical output for Dolby Digital sound, two scart connectors, a data port for software updates and HDMI video output.

You can pick up the Humax HDCI2000 now for around £300.
Source: http://www.techdigest.tv