Arcam's DVD player, for a king's ransom

Good news for those hard-working city types who've just received their massive yearly bonuses. But they won't be able to waste it all on champagne and fast cars--they'll need to spend a few grand pimping out their trendy loft apartment living rooms. Enter the Arcam Solo Movie 2.1, a high-end upscaling DVD player and audio system for people with more than a few quid to spend.

It would be easy to mock the price (1,500 pounds, or about US$2,960), because it's a shedload more than most people would spend on even a high-end HD-DVD or Blu-ray player--heck, it's more than most people spend on a TV--but that would be to miss the point somewhat. The strength of the 2.1 is that it does DVD playback brilliantly, but also manages to produce good quality stereo audio. Generally, an audiophile would turn their nose up at using a DVD player for music, but the Arcam should keep all but the extremely picky very happy.

Like its 5.1-channel big brother, the 2.1 can upscale your DVDs to 1080i, a useful feature for those with large DVD collections and an HD screen. It won't perform miracles, but it will get the very best out of every DVD in your collection. The 2.1 sound is designed to produce clear dialogue, and deep rich bass and realistic effects. Pop in a copy of Michael Bay's ridiculous Armageddon and you'll feel every explosion--but dialog won't be drowned out, despite the over-zealous bass Bay put on the film.

You also get a ton of extra features, including DVD-Audio and SACD support, for fans of high-definition music. You also get a DAB/FM tuner, and it can even act as an alarm clock.

We won't pretend the Arcam Solo Movie 2.1 is suitable for everyone, but if you want a high-end system-in-a-box, we don't think you can find much better. Of course, speakers aren't included, so you'll need to factor in a nice set of those too.

Via Crave UK

Panasonic's 150-inch plasma TV part of Japan's push at CES

Japan Inc. will put on the hard sell at the Consumer Electronics Show next week.

Panasonic is expected to unveil a 150-inch plasma television during a keynote speech Monday by Toshihiro Sakamoto, president of the Panasonic Audio Visual Networks Company. (Matsushita Electric goes by Panasonic in the US) Sakamoto, a new speaker to the CES keynote circuit, is also expected to unveil a number of other products during his speech.

Rival Hitachi, meanwhile, will show off a series of ultraslim LCD TVs that have yet to be exhibited in the US. The 32-inch TVs, shown first at Ceatec outside of Tokyo last October, measure 19mm wide. These TVs are expected to come out in 2009. In the meantime, Hitachi plans to release a series of 35mm-wide TVs in 2008. Several Executives from Hitachi, which is making a push to expand market share in the US, will also attend the show.

Sharp and JVC, which showed off similar slim LCDs at Ceatec, will likely bring them to CES for a US debut as well. Expect other slim TVs too. And, as usual, Sony will be there with a host of products and execs.

Back in 2004, traditional electronics manufacturers were besieged by competition from PC makers and small companies such as Westinghouse Digital entering their field. "Five or six years ago it was a peaceful marketplace, now people from the outside are coming in like hunting tribes," Hideki "Dick" Komiyama, then president and chief operating officer of Sony Electronics, said in 2004. (Komiyama is now president of Sony Ericsson.)

The onslaught didn't turn out exactly as anticipated. Companies like Westinghouse and Vizio have succeeded, but Dell and Hewlett-Packard have not done as well as expected in electronics. Moreover, members of the old guard like Panasonic and Sharp are still standing and in some respects are becoming more aggressive in terms of pricing and product design.

Via CNET Crave

Archos unveils TV+, Wi-Fi DVR

Looks like Archos has finally let the cat out of the bag on their first settop DVR, the Archos TV+. Offered in 80GB (US$249) and 250GB (US$349) versions, the Archos TV+ looks to do about everything the Apple TV failed to deliver, including: An onscreen recording guide; 640 x 480-pixel resolution video recording; a QWERTY remote control; an infrared emitter for controlling your cable box or TV; a built-in Wi-Fi and Ethernet that can be used for on-demand video downloads from CinemaNow; a fully-functional Opera web browser with Flash video support (YouTube, DailyMotion, CNET TV, etc.); optional Flash video game downloads; and it even includes cables (gasp!).

Like Apple TV, the Archos TV+ also allows you to stream existing audio, video, and photo content from your home PC. The Archos TV+ might not have the integrated iTunes support of its competition, but it is compatible with the vast swath of competitors that use DRM-protected WMV or WMA audio and video files. A USB 2.0 connection allows the Archos TV+ to be used as a hard drive for a tidy transfer of files on and off your PC. In addition, a USB 2.0 host connection offers the ability to transfer photos from your digital camera or connect any MSC-compatible MP3 or video player.

For those of you who have been procrastinating about building your own PC-based DVR (Mythbox, MediaCenter, BeyondTV), the Archos TV+ seems to offer a one-stop solution for recording, archiving, and transferring your favorite TV shows. Stay tuned for more coverage at CES 2008.

Via CNET Crave | Photo credit: Archos

Aztech simplifies Powerline networking

Though Wi-Fi is the future, nothing beats a wired network for enhanced security and guaranteed bandwidth especially in A/V applications. The latest iteration, Powerline, taps on your existing in-house power grid for data transmission. To further simplify installation, Singapore-based Aztech is debuting two HomePlug-series products during CES 2008: HL109RN and HL109EP.

The HL109RN is possibly the world's first all-in-one WiFi-N router with integrated Powerline connectivity. Not only does it eliminate the need for a dedicated Powerline adapter, this also minimizes cable clutter as well as supports up to 200Mbps of theoretical fast data rate for standard- and high-definition video streaming. Another cool feature is a USB port on the rear capable of supporting multimedia playback on portable storage.

Running at a similar speed is the HL109EP, another world's first Powerline network adapter with AC pass-through and Simple Connection functions. The former allows an electrical appliance to draw power directly from its onboard three-pin socket, while the latter is a one-touch button that automatically pairs a group of powerline adapters.

Elegent-yet-simple solutions which will hopefully renew interest in this slow-moving networking technology.

Click for larger images:

Supersized LG.Philips touchscreen

LG.Philips, one of the major worldwide LCD panel suppliers, is planning to debut a series of mammoth touchscreens during the upcoming 2008 Consumer Electronics Show. Among these are two so-called world-first commercial flat panels (what else?): A 52-inch multi-touch and a 47-inch triple-view HDTV.

The former has an ultra-high 1,920 x 1,080-pixel resolution and the ability to recognize up to two independent touch points as well as gestures. Its high responsiveness is also capable of picking up more precise writing instruments boosting user interactivity.

On the other hand, the triple-view panel leverages on light segmentation to allow the screen to display three different images to viewers standing at various angles. Its intended applications include in-store directories and shopping mails' advertising.

Via LG | photo credit: LG

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