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Tag: 1080p

  • DivX certifies chip for HDTVs and STBs

    Broadcom’s high definition chip brings HD DivX certified video into the living room

    DivX has announced the high-definition DivX certification of Broadcom Corporation’s BCM7405 system-on-a-chip (SoC) solution.

    The BCM7405 provides advanced internet provider (IP) functionality and improved video and audio performance for satellite, cable and IP set-top boxes (STBs).

    It can support the playback of DivX 1080p content, and other key integrated features for digital television content such as recording, playback, time-shifting and trick modes.

    The HD certification is the latest addition to Broadcom’s stable of SoCs. These include the BCM7452 and BCM7403, which have already achieved standard-definition (SD) DivX Certification.

    Aidan O’Rourke, senior director of marketing, IPTV set-top box products for Broadcom, said DivX was a key player in high-quality digital content distribution and consumption.

    “We are pleased to continue collaborating with them to support our shared customers’ goals of supporting the widest selection of video and audio content formats,” he said.

    DivX technology significantly reduces the file sizes of digital video, and its certification enables consumers to play DivX video content on a range of entertainment devices such as digital video recorders, portable media players, digital televisions, Blu-ray DVD players, and mobile phones.

    This improved compression makes it easier to move and share high-quality content between devices, improving the entertainment experience for consumers.

    Kevin Hell, DivX’s chief executive officer, said Broadcom’s new DivX certified chip illustrated the digital media company’s commitment to ensuring a high-quality video experience across any device.

    “Working with Broadcom has afforded us the opportunity to meet the rising demand for our high-definition solution in the emerging product categories of digital televisions and set-top boxes,” he said.

  • DISH first to broadcast live Blu-ray quality video

    Satellite broadcaster becomes first the TV broadcaster to offer video in a full 1080p resolution

    Subscribers to America’s DISH Network who have its MPEG-4 HD DVR boxes are to be offered full 1080p (1920×1080 progressive) resolution wherever content is available.

    Starting on August 1 with a Video On Demand option for the movie I Am Legend, the new high resolution programming will supercede the 1080i (interlaced) or 720p which until now was usual HD fare for DISH and other services.

    The satellite company claims it is giving subscribers Blu-ray quality images for a lower price than renting a disc.
    It is also launching a new set of channel bundles known as TurboHD that are claimed to be the first in the market to offer customers a package that only contains HD stations.

    Charlie Ergen, CEO of DISH Network, said the upgraded resolution was possible as a result of its new satellite, Echo XI.
    This will also allow the broadcaster to extend its current 114 HD channels to 150 by the autumn.

    He said that by early August, all DISH Network customers with MPEG-4 HD DVR receivers will be able to view 1080p content.

    “This marks the first time in history a pay-TV provider offers movies in 1080p, the highest resolution format available for HD video enthusiasts,” he said.

    “Our latest system upgrade, coupled with the introduction of TurboHD, further strengthens our position as the leader in digital television and high definition television, platforms we look forward to enhancing even more with mobile and portable options.”

  • First Blu-ray Disc player with streaming movies

    Korean firm LG has announced the first Blu-ray Disc player able to instantly stream movies from Netflix to the TV

    LG Electronics and Netflix are to launch the first Blu-ray Disc player that will have the ability to instantly stream movies and TV episodes from Netflix directly to the TV.

    The LG BD300 Network Blu-ray Disc Player, which is to be launched in the autumn, will play high definition Blu-ray discs and up-convert standard DVDs to 1080p.

    But it will also allow Netflix subscribers to stream more than 12,000 choices of movies and TV episodes from Netflix to the TV for no additional charge.

    Teddy Hwang, president of LG Electronics USA, said with Blu-ray player sales expected to triple in three years, consumers are craving content and seeking a premium home entertainment experience.

    “The BD300 is another LG industry first and provides consumers with an advanced high-def disc player with unparalleled flexibility and networked access for services such as Netflix,” he said.

    Using a Queue-based user interface, subscribers will use the Netflix Web site to add movies and TV episodes to their individual instant Queues.

    Those choices will automatically be displayed on members’ TVs and available to watch instantly through the LG player.
    It is claimed that once selected, movies will begin playing in as little as 30 seconds.

    With the BD300’s accompanying remote control, Netflix members will be able to browse and make selections on the TV screen and have the ability to read synopses and rate movies.

    In addition, they will have the option of fast-forwarding and rewinding the video stream. The player also has a BD Live feature, BonusView and LG’s SimpLink technology, which allows users to control similarly equipped LG TV and AV products via on-screen menus or directly from the product itself.

    In January, prior to the 2008 International CES, LG Electronics and Netflix announced their technology partnership to provide a set-top box for consumers to stream movies and TV episodes from the Internet to the TV beginning in the second half of the year.

    Reed Hastings, CEO of Netflix, said: “LG Electronics was the first of our technology partners to publicly embrace our strategy for getting the Internet to the TV, and is the first to introduce a Blu-ray player that will instantly stream movies and TV episodes from Netflix to the TV.”

  • Glorious HDTV – no strings attached

    Belkin announces wireless HD transmitter that gives 1080p resolution to any HDTV in the home

    It seems such a shame to have a wonderful sleek new HDTV only to be restricted in where you can place – or suffer an unsightly trail of cable and clutter.

    Now Belkin have come up with a solution – albeit at a price – that wirelessly connects devices such as Blu-ray players, receivers, video-game consoles, and set-top boxes to HDTVs and projectors, transmitting a high-definition 1080p True Cinema picture resolution.

    The FlyWire wireless HDMI hub, which uses the 5GHz band to output a full 1080p signal, cost US$999.99 for the full version, which can broadcast around a typical home.

    There’s also a smaller single-room alternative – the FlyWire R1 – which comes in at US$699.99.
    Hanoz Gandhi, VP of Products for Belkin, said the device the limitations as to where HDTVs can be placed and a room littered with cables.

    The company says that as FlyWire does not compress video, it transmits content without lag – definitely a must for gaming.
    FlyWire’s SD card slot also allows for upgrade and expansion options.

    Inputs include three HDMI, two component and one composite. There is also an HDMI output.
    It automatically finds a clear channel to operate on, so minimising interference with other wireless devices.
    FlyWire will be available this October, with the R1 expected in early 2009. UK availability and pricing is still to be announced.

  • Delta to begin volume shipments of HD projectors with positive outlook for remainder of 2008














    Delta Electronics will soon begin volume shipments of full HD projectors, according to company CEO Yancey Hai.
    He expects its business outlook for the second half of 2008 to remain “guided positive”.
    Hai said orders for Delta’s power supply products from segments such as desktops, notebooks and LCD TVs have remained strong, with order visibility extending at least three months.
    The CEO said Delta had recently begun production of full HD projectors and the company is now in talks with a number of brand vendors for ODM orders.
    Delta’s projector will deliver a full HP 1080P resolution and brightness of 6,000 lumens.





  • HDTV sets will need new features for sales to continue improving

    Manufacturers will have to install features currently only available as paid-for add-ons in top-of-the-range HDTV models if sales growth is to be sustained.
    That is the conclusion of a report by research firm DisplaySearch which suggests that sales of HDTVs will peak in the next two or three years.
    It goes on to say that sales will then fall unless manufacturers can add compelling features that consumers are willing to pay for.
    Calvin Hsieh, the director of research at DisplaySearch, said internet connectivity, full 1080p resolution, PVR capabilities and upgraded HDMI port specifications need to become standard fare by next year.
    “Our research shows that the growth of the market will peak between 2009 and 2011,” he said.
    “Thereafter, growth will be limited without the development of new, enhanced features for TVs.”
    Less than half the digital TVs sold in Asia, Latin America and the Middle East with screen sizes larger than 40 inches have 1080p resolution – Japan has the highest penetration, at 90 per cent.
    Mr Hsieh said that while internet access is beginning to show up in sets from Panasonic, Sharp, and Sony, among others, once network connections are integrated right into a chip instead of requiring an ungainly add-on box, more applications will emerge that take advantage of the connectivity.