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Category: hdtv

  • Skype Teams Up with TV Makers and Goes HD

    Skype announced support for Skype video calls on PCs in 720p high definition, as well as Skype software embedded into internet-connected widescreen televisions from its consumer electronics manufacturer partners.

    The latest version of Skype for Windows can deliver up to 720p HD-quality video calling at 1280 x 720 resolution, at up to 30 frames per second.

    To make an HD video call, we will need a high-speed broadband connection, an HD webcam, a PC with a 1.8 GHz dual-core processor and Skype 4.2 Beta for Windows.

    New HD webcams are due to arrive at CES 2010. FaceVsion and In Store Solutions introduces new HD webcams that are optimized to work with Skype. The new Skype Certified HD webcams handle the video encoding and processing onboard, removing the need for a high-performance computer to encode the HD video.

    At CES, Skype also announced partnerships with LG and Panasonic to offer Skype–enabled HDTVs. Skype software will be embedded into Panasonic’s line of 2010 VIERA CAST-enabled HDTVs and LG’s 26 new LCD and plasma HDTVs with NetCast Entertainment Access.

    Both lines are expected to be available in mid-2010. Both LG and Panasonic will offer specially-designed HD webcams that are optimized for Skype video calls as separate accessories that can be plugged into the televisions. These webcams support 720p HD and include special microphones and optics that can pick up sound and video from a couch-distance.

    The new HDTVs will deliver familiar Skype features including:

    • Free Skype-to-Skype voice and video calls
    • Calls to landline or mobile phones at Skype’s rates
    • The option to receive inbound calls via a user’s online Skype number
    • Skype voicemail, if it is set up
    • Being invited to participate in voice conference calls with up to 24 other parties
    • Support for up to 720p HD video calls, depending on the availability of high-speed broadband and a HD webcam

  • VIZIO Selects WirelessHD for New Line of LCD HDTVs and Wireless HDMI Adapters

    VIZIO announced that it has chosen to add WirelessHD technology and SiBEAM 60 GHz chipsets, based on the globally available WirelessHD standard, for a new line of LCD HDTVs and wireless HDMI adapters.

    VIZIO is also in the process of joining WirelessHD as an Adopter with the intent of incorporating WirelessHD technology into a wide range of product offerings for the consumer.

    SiBEAM is a fabless semiconductor company developing intelligent millimeter wave technologies. The company is the first to build 60 GHz chipsets using CMOS technology. The first of many applications for SiBEAM’s innovative technology is based on WirelessHD.

    As with its first generation chipsets, SiBEAM’s second generation transmitter and receiver chipsets employ SiBEAM’s OmniLink60 adaptive beam-forming systems. According to the firm, these systems dynamically steer content to the specific receiving station, maintaining stable connectivity regardless of any obstacles that may obstruct its path, all while delivering the “highest quality” wireless A/V and data.

    By operating at 60 GHz, the chipsets do not interfere with Wi-Fi 802.11g, 802.11n, and cordless telephone systems operating at 2.4 and 5 GHz. All SiBEAM chipsets offer data rates 20 times faster than other available options and remain the only standards based wireless technology that can transmit A/V at 4 Gbps over the air, as the company claims.

    VIZIO will demonstrate WirelessHD technology using chipsets from SiBEAM in their new line of XVT Pro LCD LED HDTVs this week during the 2010 CES. SiBEAM will also be showing a WirelessHD-powered VIZIO LCD TV and Blu-ray player.

    “Our customers seek out VIZIO products for their combination of advanced performance, function, form and most of all unequalled value,” said Matthew McRae, VIZIO VP of Products.

    “Working together with SiBEAM, we’re thrilled to introduce WirelessHD-based products to our customers who want a complete, high quality wireless entertainment experience with easier and faster setup. By incorporating WirelessHD into a range of new products, VIZIO will be among the first to introduce wireless solutions to the mainstream market.”

    VIZIO’s first WirelessHD-based products are expected to be available to consumers later this year.

  • Biz-News.com: A Retrospective of 2009

    Dear HDTV.Biz-News.com Reader,

    Yet another year of hard work with great rewards has gone by.
    This year Biz-News.com has brought new features that we hope have enhanced your reading experience.
    We have realized 85 exclusive interviews with C-Level executives who have introduced their companies to us and have explained how their innovative ideas are changing the Tech sector.

    We have partnered with 70 sector events worldwide and have covered major events like GSMA Barcelona, IFA held in Berlin, The Canalys Mobility Forum in London and the European Tech Tour Web & Mobility Summit held in Switzerland. Our video footage on the events and video interviews with companies showing their newest product launches have been a great success amongst our readers.

    We have also been chatting to followers through our biz_news Twitter account and have generated interesting discussion topics across various LinkedIn groups.

    This year we will, for second year running, award the “Biz-New.com Product of the Year 2009” for the VoIP, Smartphone, HDTV and Storage categories. Voting is open to the public, you choose your winner, voting closes on February 15th 2010.

    During 2010 Biz-News.com plans to keep our readers on top of the news, maintaining journalistic standards and bringing you the latest updates on the industry. Keep reading us for sector updates, interviews with expert analysts, one to one interviews with industry leaders and exclusive video coverage at mayor events.

    We wish you a wonderful holiday season and a successful start of 2010!

    Best wishes,
    The Biz-News.com Team

    https://smartphone.biz-news.com
    https://voip.biz-news.com
    https://storage.biz-news.com
    https://hdtv.biz-news.com

  • Broadcom First to Ship True Single Chip Blu-ray Solution

    Broadcom today announced that it is the first silicon provider to ship a true single die Blu-ray Disc chip.

    According to the company, the BCM7630 offers an “unprecedented level of integration” combining optical front-end and back-end video decoding and display technologies in a single die solution.

    In addition it supports internet streaming applications including Netflix 2.0, Pandora Internet Radio, BD-Live, Vudu, CinemaNow movie services and others.

    Also announced today is the BCM7632, which supplements the capabilities of the BCM7630 by adding support for the playback of 3D Blu-ray movies. It also provides additional support for 3D Blu-ray Disc players in stereoscopic full 1080p resolution

    Broadcom says internet streaming over Wi-Fi is fast becoming a mainstream requirement. The BCM7630 and BCM7632 support Broadcom’s market-leading Wi-Fi and Bluetooth solutions providing manufacturers with a system solution that features integrated wireless support, as the company claims.

    The Wi-Fi and Bluetooth solutions can also be used for remote controls.

    "Blu-ray Disc players are poised for continued growth in the coming year, and our next generation Blu-ray solutions will help bring to market a new line of players for 2010 that meet consumer demand for connected applications such as Netflix 2.0, Pandora Internet Radio, Vudu and CinemaNow," said Dan Eiref, Vice President & General Manager of Broadcom.

  • LG Teams Up with SkyLife to Take the Lead in 3D TV

    LG announced a partnership with Korea Digital Satellite Broadcasting – SkyLife, one of the biggest 3D content providers.

    SkyLife aims to be the top digital satellite 3D broadcaster in Korea. The company plans to invest USD 25 million in creating 3D content in collaboration with LG.

    LG says the partnership will focus on developing technology that helps produce 3D images that don’t cause eye strain or dizziness – an issue that has plagued previous technologies.

    The company plans to introduce a wide range of 3D TVs ranging in size from 42- to 72-inches next year, following the 47-inch LCD 3D TV (47LH503D) this year. They also plan to include 3D functionality in their flagship models for next year.

    According to LG, the new series features an ultra-slim bezel which is expected to maximize the 3D effect. LG’s 3D technology will also find its way into 150-inch projectors in the coming year.

    Both LG and SkyLife have agreed to invest in creating 3D content. Starting with 3D broadcast-ing for the FIS Snowboard World Cup, both will continuously produce or distribute 3D content from sport to educational programs and movies from overseas, as they claim.

    The trial is initially commencing in Korea but LG is aiming to build up a global 3D TV market that includes the US and Europe. The company has aggressive sales targets of 400,000 units in 2010 and 3.4 million units in 2011.

    LG says they will focus on extending the initiative in North America and Europe from 2010 and will launch 3D TVs in South and Central American and Asia from 2011. The market is expected to expand worldwide as the London 2012 Olympics are currently slated to be aired in 3D.

    3D TV market is expected to increase sharply as internal global surveys indicate that as many as 58 percent of consumers want to purchase 3D TVs. Up to 75 percent of consumers who have seen 3D images said that they’d like to watch them again.

    DisplaySearch predicts the volume of the 3D TV market to increase to USD 1.1 billion in 2010, USD 2.8 billion in 2011, USD 4.6 billion in 2012, and as much as USD 15.8 billion by 2015.

  • JVC Launches Dual Wireless and Super-Slim Soundbar Systems


    JVC     today introduced a pair of soundbar home theater systems. Among them is the world’s first dual wireless soundbar system that features a wireless subwoofer and wireless surround speakers.

    The other is highlighted by a “super-slim soundbar” and a thin, wall-mountable amplifier.

    JVC’s new dual wireless soundbar system is the TH-BA3, a 280-watt, 5.1-channel surround sound system that includes a sound bar, wireless subwoofer and wireless rear speaker kit comprised of wireless left and right surround speakers and a wireless receiver.

    The sound bar contains four speakers – one each for the left and right main channels and two for the center channel. Also built into the sound bar is the power amplifier, surround decoding, system controls and the transmitter for the wireless surround speakers.

    It offers one analog and two optical digital inputs and decodes Dolby Digital, DTS and Dolby ProLogic II surround signals.

    JVC says the TH-BS7 system is designed to match the slimmest of flat panel HDTVs. It includes a sliver of a soundbar that measures 1.4 inches (36mm) tall, a wall-mountable amplifier/control unit and a wireless subwoofer.

    The design allows the 180-watt, 4.1-channel TH-BS7’s soundbar to boast a frequency range of 200 – 20,000 Hz that falls to 200 – 10,000 Hz at 360 degrees off-axis.

    The soundbar features four JVC Direct Drive speakers – left and right main channels and left and right surround channels – each driven by 20 watts. The two surround channels are processed using JVC’s Front Surround technology (a surround sound effect without the need for rear speakers).

    The system’s amplifier/control unit measures 1.2 inches deep and can be wall mounted. It decodes Dolby Digital, DTS and Dolby Pro Logic II, and offers one analog and three optical digital inputs. The system’s wireless subwoofer features a six-inch woofer powered by a 100-watt amplifier.

    The price is $549.95 for TH-BA3, and $599.95 for TH-BS7.

  • $220 Million Fine For Participating in LCD Price-Fixing Conspiracy

    The U.S. Department of Justice announced that a LCD producer and seller has agreed to plead guilty and pay $220 million in criminal fines for its role in a conspiracy to fix prices in the sale of LCD panels.

    According to a one-count felony charge filed in U.S. District Court in San Francisco, Chi Mei Optoelectronics participated in a conspiracy to fix the prices of LCD panels sold worldwide from Sept. 14, 2001, to Dec. 1, 2006.

    Companies directly affected by the LCD price-fixing conspiracy are some of the largest computer and television manufacturers in the world, including Apple, Dell and HP.

    According to the charge, Chi Mei carried out the conspiracy by agreeing during meetings, conversations and communications to charge prices of LCD panels at certain pre-determined levels and issuing price quotations in accordance with the agreements reached.

    As a part of the conspiracy, Chi Mei exchanged information on sales of LCD panels for the purpose of monitoring and enforcing adherence to the agreed-upon prices.

    Chi Mei, which is based in Tainan, Taiwan, is charged with price fixing in violation of the Sherman Act. Each violation carries a maximum fine of $100 million for corporations. The maximum fine may be increased to twice the gain derived from the crime or twice the loss suffered by the victims of the crime, if either of those amounts is greater than the statutory maximum fine.

    Including the charges, as a result of this investigation, six companies have pleaded guilty or have agreed to plead guilty and have been sentenced to pay or have agreed to pay criminal fines totaling more than $860 million.

    Additionally, nine executives have been charged to date in the department’s ongoing investigation.

    Department of Justice informed that the charge is the result of a joint investigation by the Department of Justice Antitrust Division’s San Francisco Field Office and the FBI in San Francisco.

  • Boxee and D-Link Unveil The Boxee Box

    At the Boxee Beta Unveiling event in Brooklyn, Boxee revealed that D-Link has been named first choice as the hardware partner to release a Boxee Box – Boxee branded set-top box.

    The device brings HDMI-support, WiFi, Ethernet, an SD card slot and two USB 2.0 ports. It also comes with optical audio, RCA audio and RF remote and plays any non-DRM media.

    According to the companies, the Boxee Box, which has already won a Best of Innovations award from the Computer Electronics Association, “reinterprets what TV should be, delivering all the movies, TV shows, music and photos from a user’s computer, home network and Internet to their HDTV with no PC needed.”

    The full product will be shown at CES 2010 and it is supposed to hit the store shelves in Q2 2010 for about $200.

    Boxee social media center, and its free, open source downloadable enables to stream content from websites like Netflix, MLB.TV, Comedy Central, Pandora, Last.fm, and flickr.

    Boxee is in public Alpha for Mac, Linux, and Windows. This Monday the company launched the Beta and plans to open it up to the public on Jan 7th (also at CES).

    The company say its eventual goal is to let users integrate Boxee into their existing devices (TVs, game consoles, STB, and DVD/Blu-Ray players) where possible or to buy a Boxee Box if their existing hardware can’t run it.

    After launching in June of 2008, boxee has nearly 700,000 Alpha testers. In addition, dozens of content providers have built applications for their content on Boxee and a 3rd party developer made boxee available for the Apple TV.

    In 2009, the company hopes to reach 1 million users across computers, AppleTVs, and other devices that can be connected to a television.

  • LED Breathes New Life into Monitor Market

    Capitalizing on the slim form factor and energy savings potential, the use of LEDs in LCD monitor panels is growing rapidly, according to DisplaySearch.

    “Although the desktop monitor market is mature, panel makers and brands are working together to develop new features such as slimness and lower power consumption to rejuvenate the sector,” say the analysts.

    Panel makers are using LED backlights in mainstream monitor sizes such as 18.5”, 19”, 22”, and 23”/24”. Although LED backlight penetration in monitor panels was only 1.4% in Q3’09, current panel maker plans indicate that the penetration could reach 22% in Q3’10, assuming adoption by brands.

    According to DisplaySearch’s latest Quarterly LED Backlight Panel Shipment & Forecast Report, InnoLux was the leading supplier of LED backlit monitor panels in Q3’09, with 34.4% of unit shipments.

    Other panel makers producing such panels include LG Display, AUO, Samsung and CMO. Brands like Samsung, Dell, LG, Acer, Lenovo, BenQ and AOC began launching LED backlit LCD monitors ranging from 18.5” to 24” in Q3’09.

    DisplaySearch says in Q1’10, 20”, 23.6” and 27” panels will enter the market. In addition, there are small LCD TV sizes such as 26” that are adapting monitor panels, the LED backlight is also brining the attractions to this segment.

    TV brands like Vizio are promoting 18.5” and 23” LCD TV using LED backlit monitor panels, and more brands are expected to join in 2010.

    “LEDs have significant advantages over traditional backlights, such as power consumption, slim form factor, and product differentiation,” noted Brian Chen, DisplaySearch Research Director for TFT LCD & Materials and the author of the report.

    He claims while there are still some technical concerns such as brightness performance, the LED backlight premium in the LCD monitor is much smaller than LCD TV.

    “Meanwhile, the awareness of green technology and energy savings factors in LEDs has generated consumer demand. We are seeing panel makers and also monitor brands promoting LED backlights—resulting in panel makers’ aggressive target for 22% penetration in Q3’10,” he said.

  • Comcast and GE Form Venture and Take Control of NBC

    Comcast and General Electric announced that they have signed a definitive agreement to form a joint venture that will be 51 percent owned by Comcast, 49 percent owned by GE and managed by Comcast.

    The joint venture will consist of the NBC Universal businesses and Comcast’s cable networks, regional sports networks and certain digital properties and certain unconsolidated investments.

    A portfolio of cable networks and regional sports networks will account for about 80 percent of the new venture cash flow, including USA, Bravo, Syfy, E!, Versus, CNBC and MSNBC. The campanies assure the joint venture will be financially strong “with a robust cash-flow-generation capability.”

    GE will contribute to the joint venture NBCU’s businesses valued at $30 billion, including its cable networks, filmed entertainment, televised entertainment, theme parks, and unconsolidated investments, subject to $9.1 billion in debt to third party lenders.

    Comcast will contribute its cable networks including E!, Versus and the Golf Channel, its ten regional sports networks, and certain digital media properties, collectively valued at $7.25 billion, and make a payment to GE of approximately $6.5 billion of cash subject to certain adjustments based on various events between signing and closing.

    According to Jeff Immelt, GE Chairman and CEO, the combination of Comcast’s cable and regional sports networks and digital media properties and NBCU will deliver strong returns for GE shareholders and business partners.

    “NBCU has been a great business for GE over the past two decades. We have generated an average annual return of 11 percent, while expanding into cable, movies, parks and international media. We are reducing our ownership stake from 80 percent to 49 percent of a more valuable entity. By doing so, GE gets a good value for NBCU. This transaction will generate approximately $8 billion of cash at closing with an expected small after-tax gain,” he said.

    Comcast also announced the creation of Comcast Entertainment Group (CEG), which will house Comcast’s interest in the joint venture and will stand alongside Comcast Cable, which operates the company’s traditional cable business.

    Headquarters for the business will remain in New York. The joint venture board will have three directors nominated by Comcast and two nominated by GE.

    Jeff Zucker, current president and CEO of NBCU, will be CEO of the new joint venture and will report to Steve Burke, Comcast Chief Operating Officer. Zucker said, “I’m genuinely excited that I will be leading this wonderful organization, along with the Comcast team, at this important time in our history."