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Sumitomo set to produce 40-inch OLED panels in 2009

by Ryan Block, posted May 11th 2008 at 4:37PM


Not that there was any doubt that OLED is on its way to larger sizes (hasn't it been since like 2005?), but Japanese firm Sumitomo Chemical announced its plans to produce 40-inch OLED panels for HDTVs some time in 2009, meaning Sumitomo-based TVs could hit the market in 2009 or 2010. Samsung's old-skool 40-inch OLED HDTV prototype shown above for scale.

[Via OLED-Info]

Amazon Unbox content going HD on TiVo

by Darren Murph, posted May 11th 2008 at 2:26AM


We had a pretty good feeling this would go down eventually, but we certainly didn't see a confirmation (of sorts, anyway) coming this soon. Jim Denney, VP of product marketing at TiVo, has been quoted as saying that although the current version of Amazon Unbox can't process high-definition content, TiVo and Amazon will jointly announce HD capabilities "in the not too distant future." Granted, the content -- whenever it does actually arrive -- will only be accessible by "cable subscribers" with adequate bandwidth, but it's not like that's any sort of surprise. Sadly, details beyond what you've seen here were left out, but at least you can sleep soundly tonight knowing that high-def Unbox material is most certainly on the horizon.

[Via Zatz Not Funny]

Toshiba aims to deliver laptops with Cell-based graphics this year

by Donald Melanson, posted May 9th 2008 at 3:39PM

Toshiba has been touting its Cell-based SpursEngine graphics chip for some time now, but it looks like its finally starting to get a bit more specific about when we can expect to see it in actual products. According to Register Hardware, Toshiba will begin offering the chip in some of its multimedia-oriented notebooks sometime this year, with TVs and DVD players set to get it by the fall of 2009. The chip itself, for those not up to speed, uses its Cell-based technology (specifically, four of the Cell's Synergistic Processing Element cores) to handle some heavy-duty graphics processing, including upscaling standard definition content to high-def levels, something Toshiba has apparently taken to calling "super-resolution." Now word on what sort of premium (if any) we can expect to pay for such wonders, but Toshiba is apparently betting pretty heavily on the technology as part of its post HD DVD strategy.

DuPont, Dainippon buddy up to develop OLED displays

by Darren Murph, posted May 9th 2008 at 8:30AM

For those with ridiculously sharp memories, you'll easily recall that DuPont has been dabbling in OLED technology for years. Now, however, the company famous for showcasing the miracles of science has formed a strategic alliance with Dainippon Screen Manufacturing to "develop integrated manufacturing equipment for printed OLED displays." Furthermore, the duo has agreed to "bring together the elements needed -- materials, technology and equipment -- to mass produce OLED displays." In essence, the two are hoping to produce higher-quality units at a lower cost than what's currently available, and we can happily say we hope they succeed. Now, if only we knew when some product would emerge from this here wedding...

Ask Engadget: What's the best 40- to 50-inch HDTV with PC inputs?

by Darren Murph, posted May 8th 2008 at 6:30PM Featured Story

While we've already seen one particular Engadget HD reader reach out for assistance with finding a niche HDTV, this particular question just screams mainstream. Today's gamer is likely looking for a set that's multifaceted, and Sir Matthew here is no different:

"I'm considering purchasing a 1080p HDTV in the 40- to 50-inch range for use with console gaming and possibly as a PC monitor. I've got about $2,500 to spend, but would prefer to keep it well under that if possible. I'm partial to LCD HDTVs, and whatever set I get must have a couple of HDMI ports and VGA / PC audio inputs."

Picking a TV that plays nice with PC resolutions (or PowerStrip) is crucial, so we'll go ahead and assume this fellow thinks overscan is simply unacceptable. If this here question reminded you of your own quandary, send over an email to ask at engadget dawt com with your inquiry enclosed -- if the robotic overlords manning our email systems deem it worthy, it'll show up in this space in due time.

Samsung's 750-series Touch of Color LCDs now shipping

by Darren Murph, posted May 8th 2008 at 3:17PM


Sammy already gave us a heads-up that its Touch of Color LCD HDTVs would be widely available in May, and although it has issued no separate release to inform Earthlings that these things are available for purchase, here's the notice you've been dying to receive. As of right now, both the 650- and 750-series sets are in stock and available to procure from a wide variety of resellers, and if you're curious as to whether or not either family is worth your time, you can get a hint from our review of the LN52A650 right here.

Sony XEL-1 estimated to last customers only half as long as expected

by Darren Murph, posted May 8th 2008 at 3:04AM


Ruh roh. Research firm DisplaySearch has just unleashed a new report that takes an in-depth look at the ultrathin XEL-1, and it ended up finding a video lifetime barely half of what Sony promises. Apparently the company ran a couple of Sony's OLED TVs for 1,000 hours, after which it found that blue luminance degraded by 12-percent, the red by 7-percent and the green by 8-percent. Extrapolating the data it gathered, it estimated that the unit would lose half of its brightness in 17,000 hours -- Sony says you can expect 30,000. Of course, Sony is still standing by its numbers, and even we can see that DisplaySearch's methods aren't perfectly scientific, but if you were honestly expecting to watch this thing for the next decade (and not a year less), you may want to hit the read link and snoop around.

[Via Yahoo, thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Criterion Collection coming to Blu-ray in October

by Richard Lawler, posted May 7th 2008 at 10:26PM Breaking News

The Criterion Collection's long-awaited HD debut -- delayed by that annoying format war -- finally has a date, as well as a list of the first movies getting a definitive release in 1080p. If that wasn't enough, try this bit on for size: They won't charge viewers extra for the privilege. That's right, according to the e-mail that went out to subscribers today, all Blu-ray releases will feature HD picture and sound (no word on what codecs, although we expect nothing but the best considering the company has been mastering and restoring all releases in HD for years now), all the supplemental content and a matching (unspecified) price to their standard DVD editions. The complete email and list of a dozen movies follows after the break, along with a note that The Last Emperor will also be released in its original theatrical version on both formats for $39.95, while Walkabout will be an all-new edition.

[Thanks, Erik]

Continue reading Criterion Collection coming to Blu-ray in October

Samsung gears up to ship 46-inch "High Bright" panel

by Darren Murph, posted May 7th 2008 at 9:12PM


Interestingly enough, the last time we heard the phrase "High Bright," Runco was showcasing a prototype set meant to work and play in the great outdoors. Now, however, Samsung's looking to one-up that endeavor by actually shipping a High Bright DID panel later this month. The 46-inch unit is said to posses 1,500 nits of brightness, a contrast ratio of 3,000:1, 16.7 million colors, 178-degree viewing angles and a screen resolution of 1,366 x 768 pixels. Sammy claims that it's around three times brighter than a typical LCD TV, and aside from remaining visible outside (you know, for pool parties and digital signage applications), it was designed to be tiled together to create "video walls." No word on what sets these panels will find their way into, but we wouldn't count on 'em coming cheap.

[Via SlashGear]

Pioneer KURO and friends hands-on

by Paul Miller, posted May 7th 2008 at 4:07PM Featured Story


We got to plant our eyeballs on Pioneer's second-gen KURO plasma display (bottom center), along with all that other new gear Pioneer released today. While all by its lonesome the new flagship display is no doubt impressive, when stacked up against the competition it becomes quite clear that this new KURO is the one to beat. Granted, this was Pioneer's own setup designed to make us believe precisely that, but we certainly did find the new display notably blacker than its predecessor, and quite a lot better than the competing offerings Pioneer had on display. The new KURO projector was also quite impressive, and we even got treated to the much-improved start times of Pioneer's new Blu-ray players.

Gallery: Pioneer KURO and friends hands-on

Sony launches circular VGF-HS1 media server

by Darren Murph, posted May 7th 2008 at 11:32AM


Nothing like washing down an all new WiFi-enabled digiframe with an all new home media server, right? Apparently Sony is firmly in agreement, as it's also launching its latest multimedia server / NAS drives today in Japan. The 1TB VGF-HS1 / 1.5TB VGF-HS1S would stack nicely atop your VAIO HTPC, and aside from boasting gigabit Ethernet, DLNA compatibility, an integrated display, USB connectivity and a hidden multicard reader behind the front panel, this unit plays nice with AVCHD, MPEG2, HDV, JPEG, BMP, PNG, WAV, MP3, ATRAC (saywha?), AAC and WMA file formats. Word on the street has these shipping on May 17th for ¥60,000 ($570) / ¥80,000 ($760) depending on capacity, but only time will tell if Sony sees fit to send 'em Stateside.

[Via Impress]

Pioneer introduces Elite BDP-05FD / BDP-51FD Blu-ray players

by Ben Drawbaugh, posted May 7th 2008 at 9:00AM

BDP-51FD
While most consumer electronics companies choose to unveil new products at CES, Pioneer prefers to buck the trend and pick a day that it can keep all to itself. The other trend Pioneer isn't following with these new players is BD-Live, as neither the new Elite Blu-ray player nor the outfit's first non-Elite player features the latest interactive features. Instead, it's choosing to focus on picture and sound quality, as both Summer-bound decks will internally decode every next-gen multi-channel lossless codec (DTS-HD with firmware update) or bitstream any of them to your AVR. The other new focus is speed, as Pioneer seems confident that both players will be some of the fastest in the industry, boasting 15-second eject from off times and 22-second disc load times. The BDP-51FD will set you back $599 -- almost half as much as Pioneer's previous model -- while the Elite BDP-05FD will demand $799. The latter will net you a longer warranty, gold connectors, a superior video decoder, nicer fit / finish and an upgraded front face plate complete with capacitance touch keys. If you're the type that prefers quality and could care less about interactive features, either unit will likely satisfy -- otherwise, we'd keep hunting. More pictures and the full release after the break.

Continue reading Pioneer introduces Elite BDP-05FD / BDP-51FD Blu-ray players

Second-generation Pioneer KURO unveiled: 5x deeper black levels

by Darren Murph, posted May 7th 2008 at 9:00AM

Pioneer Kuro PDP-5020FD
Quite a lot has gone on in Pioneer's world since it wowed us all with the Project KURO at CES, but one thing hasn't changed: it's dedication to world-class black levels. Announced alongside several other fine pieces of kit today in NYC, the 2008 KURO family will posses black levels "five times deeper than the previous KURO." According to company bigwig Paul Meyhoefer, the ultimate goal is "pure, absolute black," and it's well on its way with the latest line. You'll also find a feature dubbed Optimum Mode, which "simultaneously monitors video and room light conditions" and then makes the most appropriate adjustments based on what it senses. Sadly, most of the nitty-gritty details have been omitted for now, but you can count on the June-bound models checking in at just 3.7-inches thick, sporting 1080p panels alone (no 720p), coming in 50- ($4,000) / 60-inch ($5,500) sizes (no 42-inch) and arriving with a new remote / redesigned HD interface. Jump on past the break for the full release, but we're warning you, there's an awful lot of gloating down there.

Continue reading Second-generation Pioneer KURO unveiled: 5x deeper black levels

Pioneer gets really official with $9,000 Elite KURO projector

by Darren Murph, posted May 7th 2008 at 9:00AM


Sure, those flashy new KURO plasmas or that new array of receivers may have taken you by surprise, but don't pretend you didn't know this one was coming. Known simply as the PRO-FPJ1, this 1080p beamer incorporates LCoS technology, dual HDMI 1.3 ports, wide lens shift capacity, a trio of viewing modes (standard, dynamic and movie) and a real semblance to JVC's DLA-HD100. According to the firm, it's designed for "high-end cinematic installations and supports advanced calibration," and of course, you can't escape a KURO release without a little bragging about black levels. We're still waiting on a finalized specifications list, but 'til then, you can chew on that $9,000 price tag and wait for these to hit dealers next month.

Pioneer intros 2008 Signature Series Elite KURO monitors

by Darren Murph, posted May 7th 2008 at 9:00AM


Not content with just busting out a new pair of Elite KURO plasmas, Pioneer has separately introduced four 1080p Pro models for those with (even more) exquisite tastes and deep wallets to back it up. The whole lot enjoys the firm's highly touted Optimum Mode, which "simultaneously monitors video and room light conditions" and then makes the most appropriate adjustments based on what it senses, and "industry leading" calibration features. As for the 50-inch PRO-111FD ($5,000) and PRO-151FD ($6,500), you can expect a bolstered two year warranty and a ship date to be determined, while the Signature Series PRO-101FD (50-inch) / PRO-141FD (60-inch) units will arrive in October and August (respectively) with prices not yet disclosed.



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