Business News Holding

Category: hdtv

  • US Blu-ray and HDTV Households Growing


    Blu-ray Disc player household penetration is up to 12.3 million in the US for the first quarter of 2009, a 71 per cent gain year over year, according to a survey.

    Research firm Centris also found that the number of American households with an HDTV is up to 50.5 million – a gain of 33 per cent from the first quarter of 2008.

    Both satellite and cable industries appear to have matured, however, with satellite subscribers up only slightly to 32 million and cable subscribers mostly unchanged at just less than 63 million.

    Centris’ US Communications and Entertainment report also notes large year over year gains in household penetration for all three next generation gaming systems: 15.2 million for the Nintendo Wii (up 85%), 11.4 million for Xbox 360 (up 28%) and 7 million for PlayStation 3 (up 52%).

    Centris president William Beaumont said that as with its previous research findings, there are several key observable trends as technology developments, marketing programs and the economy take their toll on the industries in which our clients compete.

    "In some areas, we’ve seen a dramatic increase in consumer use of home technology, which flies in the face of what one might expect in this economic landscape," he said.

  • Atlona Releases Swiveled HDMI and DVI Cables


    Atlona has released a new range of HDMI and DVI to HDMI cables that feature a swivel connector end which allows them to bend at 90 degrees in either direction.

    This connector design enables users to nearly flush mount their HDTVs – avoiding the problems posed when connecting standard HDMI cables to rear-facing HDMI ports.

    The Atlona line of HDMI 1.3b cables cut the distance needed for the HDMI connector ends by more than 50 per cent, extending just over 1 inch from an HDMI port.

    Michael Khain, head of Atlona’s product development department, said: "This is another product designed to solve a specific problem that a affects a lot of HDTV owners."

    Khain said the new swivel connector cables are being targeted at every market – from professional to residential AV.

    The HDMI and DVI cables include models AT14035-X (HDMI) and AT14022-X (DVI to HDMI). They are available now starting at USD $34.99 MSRP.

  • Onkyo Launches Home Theater Packages for Blu-ray and HD Video Systems


    Onkyo has introduced two new 7.1-channel home theater systems that it claims deliver leading edge AV processing and surround sound reproduction for HDTV and Blu-ray.

    The HT-S7200 and HT-S6200 each feature powerful AV receivers with 1080p-compatible HDMI inputs, 130 watt-per-channel amplification, processing for every major audio format on the market.

    This includes the option of incorporating front height-channel reproduction with Dolby’s newly introduced ProLogic IIz processing.

    Each package also includes a high performance 7.1-channel speaker system with a powerful active subwoofer, and Onkyo’s exclusive U-Port single-cable iPod dock and charging system.

    The Onkyo HT-S7200 and HT-S6200 are now available at suggested retail prices of USD $899 and $699 each, respectively.

    Onkyo has also introduced a new BD-Live interactive Blu-ray Disc Player, model DV-BD507.

    The player delivers high definition 1080p video playback and high resolution multichannel audio over a HDMI 1.3a.

    The Onkyo DV-BD507 is currently available at a suggested retail price of USD $449.

  • Sky Picks Pace STB to Roll-out HD Content in Germany and Austria


    PayTV operator Sky has selected Pace’s HD technology for its set-top box deployments in Germany and Austria, which will begin rolling out in August.

    Pace has been a set-top box technology partner of Sky, formerly Premiere, for a number of years.

    The new DS830 STB gives Sky the full flexibility to roll-out HD services with support for both MPEG-2 and MPEG-4.

    Richard Slee, president of Pace, said the DS830 is a classic example of Pace’s ability to design best in class set-top boxes.

    "As it is rolled out, this box is set to become an important part of Sky’s payTV offering and will be the launch-pad for a universe of HD content," he said.

    "We look forward to the success of this product in the market and to the positive effects that its introduction will have on payTV market across German-speaking Europe."

    At the front-end, the fully DVB compliant DS830NP includes one DVB-S2 tuner and one demodulator.

    It incorporates NDS conditional access and Fusion middleware and has an external power supply unit to reduce box size.

    It also meets the criteria outlined in Pace’s own low environmental impact (LEI) initiative.

    Pace recently won the contract to provide an HD-capable set-top box to Latin America’s largest multi-service cable provider – Brazil’s cable operator NET Serviços de Comunicação.

    And in a separate announcement earlier this week, Pace revealed its interim results for the half year ended 30 June 2009, which showed revenue for the period increased to GBP £526.5m, up from £231.1m in the same period last year.

    Demand for Pace’s products drove strong volume growth to 8.5m units, compared to 2.8m units for the same period last year.

  • VOD Viewing Jumps 15% in June


    The number of people watching video-on-demand (VOD) programming in the US surged in June – fuelled by rises in the popularity of pay-per-view content and more children taking advantage of free programming, according to Rentrak.

    The increases made June the most-viewed month for video-on-demand this year, delivering more than 589 million transactions.

    According to Rentrak’s OnDemand Essentials service, year-to-year comparison for the month of June delivered a 15 per cent increase in overall VOD transactions and a 16 per cent increase in the number of unique set top boxes (STBs) accessing OnDemand.

    Additionally, free-on-demand (FOD) Kids content was up 7 per cent from May figures and delivered its strongest month of the year with more than 106 million transactions.

    June is historically a strong month for transactional-on-demand (TOD) viewing, and TOD continued this trend by delivering the highest number of transactions in a single month so far this year for the category.

  • Universal Adds iPhone/iPod Features to Blu-ray Titles


    Universal Studios has announced plans to add a series of iPhone and iPod touch-enabled features on its upcoming Blu-ray releases.

    These will enable access to exclusive interactive content through the mobile devices – starting with the Blu-ray release of the box-office smash Fast & Furious on July 28th.

    The free app will be available from Apple’s App Store on the same day and will give users the ability to control interactive content on web connected Blu-ray players.

    One of the features, Virtual Car Garage, will give users360-degree views of the cars in the movie, as well as the ability to call up exclusive technical specs.

    Later this year, Universal will extend the features to allow access to bonus content on Blu-ray discs, which will be downloadable to the iPhone/iPod touch to watch features on-the-go.

    The devices will also be able to be used as a virtual remote to control Blu-ray disc features and/or access additional detailed information about the film, its cast and more while watching the movie.

    Releases will also integrate with social network applications or sites such as Facebook and Twitter to allow users to update their friends about movie-related activities.

  • Vivitek Targets US With $999 1080p DLP Projector


    Vivitek has signalled its intention to penetrate the US home-theater projector market with the unveiling of its latest FullHD 1080p home-theater projector.

    The H1080FD FullHD model, which is based on Texas Instruments’ S450 chip/light-engine design, will go on sale in August for a price of USD $999.

    Christopher Yang, Vivitek senior product manager, said that by combining the latest digital technologies in a portable and economical package, the new model offered "amazing" HD content without compromises.

    While the projector’s specs are modest, this is to be expected given the price tag.

    Features include 1,800 lumens of brightness and a 5,000:1 contrast ratio.

    The unit’s I/O ports include: two HDMI inputs, composite video, S-video, and component video inputs, RS-232c data control and a 12v trigger.

    Lamp life is rated at 3,000 hours and Vivitek has designed the cabinet for easy bulb access, enabling users to replace burned out lamps.

    Vivitek offers a one-year limited warranty on parts and labor and a 90-day lamp warranty.
    Vivitek's Christopher Yang withthe H1080P Projector
    The unit’s noise level is listed at 29dB, and the fan vents from the sides, unlike many models that vent from the front.

    Vivitek is in the process of compiling a full line of home-theater and business projectors.

    It is also selecting authorized dealers to carry top performing models for custom installation and specialty A/V channels.

    As part of this move, the company is hiring new channel specialists, revamping it Web site and has signed AVAD, Tech Data and DBL Distributing to help get the products and the brand to the right dealers.

  • Toshiba Blu-ray Player By Year End as Format Sales Grow


    More flesh has been added to Toshiba’s plans to bring out a Blu-ray player – it is likely to be called the BD-18 and could be available as soon as the year end.

    The company, which backed the HD DVD high-definition format that eventually lost to Sony’s prevailing Blu-ray, had stubbornly maintained it would not bring out a Blu-ray player and instead focused on its XDE DVD-upscaling technology.

    Then it emerged last month at its annual shareholder meeting in Tokyo that Toshiba had finally accepted it could no longer ignore the opportunities Blu-ray products offer.

    Now the Japanese electronics giant is planning a Blu-ray player, for its home market initially, according to the Japanese paper Yomiuri.
    A Blu-ray recorder is also being considered.

    A rumored USD $1B financial hole caused by the HD DVD failure appears to be a big motivation for Toshiba’s shift in stance to Blu-ray.

    The development comes as the Consumer Electronics Association publishes a reports pointing to burgeoning shipments of Blu-ray disc players in the second half of the year.

    These are expected to contribute to a 112 per cent increase in unit sales by the end of 2009.

    The growth in unit shipments should take the total to nearly 6 million for the year, which despite falling prices will ensure revenues top USD $1 billion, an increase of 48 per cent over 2008.

    Average Blu-ray player unit prices have falled closer to the USD $200 price point.

  • Pace Secures Brazilian HD Set-Top Box Deal


    Pace is to provide an HD-capable set-top box to Latin America’s largest multi-service cable provider.

    Brazil’s cable operator NET Serviços de Comunicação is buying the UK firms’s new HD-capable set-top unit as part of its drive to establish a fully HD, digitised customer base.

    Márcio Carvalho, products and services director at NET said the Brazilian pay-TV market is developing rapidly.

    He said the provision of high-definition content is increasingly becoming a service expectation in the region as the market matures.

    "This new deployment will dramatically increase our HD content reach and provides us with a platform to introduce additional entertainment services for subscribers," he said.

    The low environmental impact (LEI) box uses Nagra and Open TV middleware to deliver content securely over the cable network.

    NET Serviços’ integrated services include Pay TV (NET), Digital Video (NET Digital), High Definition Digital Video (NET Digital HD), high definition DVR (NET Digital HD Max), bi-directional broadband internet access (NET Vírtua) and voice (NET Fone).

    Hervé Matthieu, vice president of sales at Pace said the deployment of its HD-capable set-top box is a step forward in driving HD penetration in the region.

  • Successful IFA Business Model Drives Markets in 2009


    ADVERTORIAL: Product debuts and important industry topics such as ecology, lifestyle, HDTV & wireless communications the main features at IFA 2009.

    For the second time, and with an even more comprehensive show, the leading brands of the consumer electronics and electrical home appliances industries will be jointly represented on the Berlin Exhibition Grounds at IFA 2009.

    Traditionally a large number of new technologies and products make their debut at IFA.

    IFA Director Jens Heithecker: "In 2008 the industry took the IFA to pole position with a previously unmatched number of product debuts. IFA 2009 will be building on this."

    Dr. Rainer Hecker added: "High-quality, wide-ranging brand presentations will once again feature significantly at IFA 2009 in Berlin.

    "The consumer electronics range of products covers the entire market.

    "It includes innovative, flat-screen TVs, home cinema systems, high-resolution media and intelligent networking solutions, as well as all types of mobile devices.

    "As regards electrical home appliances, the focus is on ease of use and health and wellness where fridges, washing machines, tumble driers, dishwashers, kitchen appliances, hairdriers and personal hygiene appliances are concerned.

    "In both product sections an eco-friendly approach and using water and electricity in a responsible manner are at a premium."

    IFA is the meeting place of leading international companies from both industries.

    As the leading venue for doing business it moves markets, as it comprehensively serves and targets the structures of the wider trade. With its unique flair IFA provides the perfect setting for the ultimate experience of consumer electronics and home appliances brands.

    Thus IFA combines fascinating innovations and exciting entertainment with a show. What is more, Berlin is where media political decisions are made.

    "IFA brings the markets together in a unique way. It provides an ideal platform for international retailers, buyers, consumers, the industry and the media," Dr. Rainer Hecker continued.

    "This autumn at IFA 2009 we will be sending out clear and positive signals to the economy."

    TecWatch – the name says everything

    The TWF has taken off in a new direction. In future, as the IFA TecWatch, it will be offering European research projects, developers from industry, international trade associations, as well as German research institutions and universities an exclusive platform for presenting product firsts.

    In 2009 the main topics will be devoted to assisted living, the personal home, innovative audio and smart interfaces. Thus TecWatch will without a doubt be the international attraction for technologically interested exhibitors, visitors, experts and the media.

    Trade visitors and the media can register as of now

    Starting in June, trade visitors can purchase their ticket to the IFA in comfort from the online ticket shop, at a reduced advance sales price.

    Alternatively, they can redeem a ticket voucher. The IFA ticket shop is open at www.ifa-berlin.com.

    Be it special travel packages, the Fast Lane, an exclusive reception area or leading specialist forums, starting now the IFA Website has information on special services for trade visitors coming to IFA.

    As of now members of the media who can submit proof of their identity as journalists can register online under "Press" on the IFA website.

    Advance registrations will be accepted until 20 August 2009.

    Information available under "Press" on the IFA website includes press releases, press appointments with exhibitors at IFA and the organisers of IFA, innovations at IFA and press photos of IFA.

    Amy MacDonald to open IFA 2009 live in the Summer Garden

    With her album having gone double platinum and reaching top spot in the UK charts the mega star will take to the stage with an exclusive performance presented by IFA in the Summer Garden on Thursday, 3 September 2009.

    Tickets for the IFA Summer Garden concert with Amy Macdonald are available as of now from all the usual outlets as well as under: +49/ 1805-570 060.

    Online tickets are available at: www.eventim.de or www.ticketmaster.de.

    Costing 35 euros (plus advance booking fee), these tickets let holders not only enjoy the concert but also grant admission to IFA on any of the subsequent days. More details on the programme of events at IFA 2009 can be found at www.ifa-berlin.com/ Events.