Blu-ray sales up 91 percent in first half of 2009

Back in April, we reported that sales for Blu-ray Discs had nearly doubled in the first quarter compared with the year before, according to Adams Media Research. Now the Digital Entertainment Group (DEG) has issued a press release saying that US Blu-ray sales are up 91 percent in the first half of 2009, which indicates that the format is maintaining its growth pace despite the recession.

Blu-ray and digital downloads were a bright spot in the DEG's report. Overall, consumer spending for prerecorded entertainment was down 3.9 percent compared with the same period last year, with net profit down 2.2 percent. However, the DEG noted that spending was up in the second quarter and that higher margin products like Blu-ray and digital downloads had a favorable impact on the bottom line.
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Air Studios: Is this the most expensive screw in the world?

How much difference can a single screw make? If you ask the golden-eared engineers at Air Studios, they'll tell you a fascinating story about one in particular. The component in question is to be found on the back of Pioneer's new SACD player, the PD-D9MK2, and its replacement was crucial in the D9MK2 getting its Air Studios certification.

The Pioneer-Air connection originally came about because Pioneer part-owned Air for several years--it sold it to another studio a few years ago, but the strong relationship remains--and used this connection to improve its audio equipment. The two companies collaborated on making audio equipment that sounded great and was tweaked to perfection by the golden ears of Air's engineers. This relationship involves Pioneer sending over every piece of hardware it wants to have the Air logo on, and having it potentially torn to bits in the quest for even better sound.
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All-in-one CD recorder for cassette and vinyl heads

The new Teac LP-R550 is really all you need to archive your old cassettes and vinyl. Not only does it comes with a tape deck and a turntable, the jukebox is also outfitted with a CD recorder that will digitized your retro tunes onto the silver platters. For a finishing touch, Teac has even included a pair of stereo speakers to playback all the above media, plus FM/AM radio tuners least you tire of your existing music collection. The LP-R550 is expected to launch in Japan on July 30 for a steep 69,800 yen (US$740).

Since music downloads such as iTunes are establishing strong footholds in the market, perhaps it's time for Teac to add a USB port just in case CDs become obsolete in a few years' time as well.

Via Akihabara News

Asus slates sleek TV-monitor combos for Europe

The line between HDTVs and computer monitors continued to thin out as Asus recently announced a new line of what are either small TVs or normal-size monitors.

Asus unveiled its new TV Monitor T1 series, which comes in 21.5-, 23-, and 27-inch models. All support a 16:9 aspect ratio with a 1,920 x 1,080 resolution. Other specs include a 300 cd/m2 brightness, 20,000 dynamic contrast ratio, a 5ms response time, and two 7W stereo speakers.
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Ultraslim wall mount for your skinny HDTVs

Nowadays, it's not just about skinny HDTVs, it's also about similarly thin accessories for these panels. Take the latest Sanus Super Slim wall-mounting brackets which enable an HDTV to be installed less than an inch away from the wall. There're two flavors available: The L11-B1 and ML11-B1 for 37 to 65 inches/75kg and 26 to 46 inches/50kg screens, respectively.

Besides horizontal and vertical adjustments, these Sanus brackets offer quick release and ClickStand functions. The former unlocks the TV from the bracket easily, while the latter lifts the panel to deliver 3.08 inches of clearance from the wall for extra work space. The ML11-B1 and LL11-B1 retail in the US for US$119 and US$149, respectively. Though you can email its customer support office for availability in your country.

Via Engadget

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