Four Blu-ray recorders we can only drool over

The Japanese economy may be in a recession but it's business as usual for Sharp and its new lineup of digital video recorders. Standard features among its offerings include Blu-ray playback and recording, a barrage of standard- and high-definition TV tuners and an HDMI output. You'll also have a choice of 320GB, 500GB and 1TB storage capacities for the BD-HD32/W32, BD-HD35 and BD-HD40, respectively. To put things into perspective, 1TB of memory lets you record up to a whopping 634 hours in the latest MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 format.

All models will also playback Blu-ray movie discs in film-centric 24p format, while the higher-end BD-HD32, BD-HD35 and BD-HD40 are BD-Live-enabled for downloading interactive Web content. Sadly, these HD recorders are strictly for the Japanese domestic market, and you can only dream about owning them for now.

Via Akihabara news

Toshiba midrange Regza HDTV goes full-HD

Toshiba Japan has just announced the Regza C8000-series, the 2009 HDTV replacement models for the current midrange CV500-series. Based on the press release, the new C8000 line is set to be a major overhaul over its predecessor. Most notable is the 100/120Hz motion-enhancement engine and eco-friendly features for up to 51 percent power savings compared with the CV500s.

The larger 37- and 42-inches units will also ship with an upgraded full-HD panel to reproduce all the minute details recorded in high-resolution Blu-ray movies. Other niceties include a trio of HDMI 1.3 inputs, although onboard multimedia playback support is still a pipe dream for these new Regza HDTVs. We're awaiting Toshiba's confirmation on the C8000's Asian availability outside of Japan.

Via Akihabara news

Simplify your remote control

It used to be that remote controls let you turn on/off the TV, change channels and volume. These days, many of them are monstrosities with too many buttons, many of which you would never use. Here's a mod that will make your remote control simple again. Instead of having all the buttons exposed, a cunningly cut piece of paper will expose only the essential buttons and cover those you don't use. This could come in extremely handy if you have a member of the family who gets confused easily--hide those he or she doesn't need so they never ask you about which buttons to press again.

Via Boing Boing

Sony offers two new options for DVD on the go

Two portable DVD players also made their debut at the 2009 Sony line show. New for this year are the DVP-FX730 and DVP-FX930. The DVP-FX730 boasts a 7-inch LCD screen and 5 hours of battery life. Its screen is also covered in an antifingerprint texture, something we've yet to see on a portable player. Look for it on sale in the US this month for around US$130.

The DVP-FX930 looks like the successor to our favorite portable DVD player from last year, the DVP-FX820. We were blown away by its impressive high-resolution LCD screen and it appears the DVP-FX930 ups the ante. The player jumps from an 8-inch screen to a 9-incher with full 180-degree rotation and 6-hour battery. Available in five colors, the DVP-FX930 will be available later this month for US$190.

Via CNET.com

A new perspective for 3D films at home

Everyone is raving about the "unblinkingly real" quality of watching the animated Coraline in 3D. That could turn to disappointment when it's time for the animated film to make its DVD and Blu-ray debut. But Dolby Labaratories, which made its name taking high-quality theater audio and compressing it for home use, thinks it has a solution.

Right now, when 3D films like Journey to the Center of the Earth come to disc a pair of anaglyphic paper glasses--the kind with blue/red or green/red lenses--is included with the case, which doesn't offer anything close to the experience of watching a film in 3D in the theater. It could explain why some 3D films, like U2 3D have yet to make it to disc at all.


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