Sharp rolls out nine Blu-ray recorders

We have been hearing news about the upcoming HD recorders. Now it seems Sharp has jumped the gun with not one, but nine Blu-ray models! The Japan-only lineup (ouch!) includes a top-of-the-line 1TB hard drive model and an assortment of disc-only equivalents in contrasting hues.

Collectively branded under its Aquos family, the BD-HDW20, BD-HDW15, BD-AV1 and BD-AV10 all feature dual HD tuners, DVD/CD backward-compatibility and the new Aquos Fami-Link or HDMI-CEC.

The hard drive-enabled HDW-series also supports film-centric 1080p24 HDMI for judder-free movie playback. However, this lacks 50GB dual-layer Blu-ray support, relying on the onboard 500GB/1TB storage for up to 127 hours of HD recordings.

The AV-series, on the other hand, is designed for greater ease of use, targeted for the VCR upgraders. It has one-touch recording and playback, as well as a disc meter which provides one-glance updates on available disc space.

No pricing details were available at press time.

Helios weds its X-Line network players with new Odyssey

Just off the press is Hong Kong-based Helios Odyssey, a networked media hub designed to complement its existing range of X-Line media players. Similar in concept with most Network-Attached Storage, the Odyssey offers real-time music, photo and video streaming delivered via a home network. It supports hard drives of up to a massive 1TB size and is noiseless thanks to its passively cooled brushed aluminum shell.

You can even import new files through any of its three high-speed USB ports, though network communication is performed through a rather dated 100Mbps interface. Other interesting bits include Universal Plug and Play (uPnP) compatibility, Linux applications support and a configuration-free setup.

Oh! Did we also mention that the company is shipping out free evaluation units? All you need is to fill up a registration form at the company's Web site. In return, you are expected to assist Helios in carrying out a series of compatibility and performance tests.

StarHub on a pay-TV offensive

Don't you love competition? The recent entry of the red camp (read: SingTel) has gotten the boys in green on an offensive. In two separate recent press releases, the cable TV provider announced a barrage of new programs to further entice its subscribers. Here's a roundup of what're installed for Singapore in the coming weeks.

Neo Sports: A 24-hour channel featuring home and domestic matches by the Indian and Bangladesh cricket teams. This will be bundled with the existing Cricket Channel to form a new Cricket Group with a monthly promotion price of S$26.75 (US$19.67) till March 2008. Expect this channel to be available starting from September 26.

Golf Channel: Another round-the-clock channel going live on October 16, but this time for Tiger Wood wannabes at no extra cost. The program lineup includes 60 hours of live and delayed telecasts of US PGA, European PGA, LPGA, Champions and Nationwide Tours. The catch? You will have to be an existing Sport Group customer on Digital cable.

STAR Gold: This one will appeal to all Bollywood buffs with one of the world's largest libraries of blockbusters showcasing Indian stars, filmmakers, elaborate dance sequences and music scores. A first outside India, Pakistan and the Middle East, this will be telecast from October 4 for a monthly fee of S$8.56 (US$6.29), available for all Digital cable subscribers.

TVB Classic Channel: Also to be launched on the same day as STAR Gold, this channel will air Hong Kong evergreen dramas from Cantonese veterans the likes of Chow Yun Fat, Andy Lau and Liza Wang. A new and free addition to the Chinese Plus II group, this ups the current selection to a total of nine separate Chinese channels, all for a flat rate of S$8.56 (US$6.29) per month.

Italian projection screen goes stealth

Don't you hate that bulky projection screen? Or are you running out of shelf space for your DVD collection? Here's an Italian way of killing two birds with one stone from designer Matteo Ragni. The Livit fly is an unassuming-looking shelf system which hides a projection screen. This comes in only 4:3 aspect format with a screen size measuring 1,700 x 1,280mm and is available in four different colors.

Great if you need something less conspicuous for the living room or simply have a problem convincing your better half that this is definitely the one! Have we got your attention yet? Apparently the company has a presence in Asia, too. Check here (under distribution) to close in on your nearest local dealer.

Credit: The Red Ferret Journal

New PS3 controller rumbles on

Imagine combining the force feedback capability of the Xbox 360's controller with those of Wii's motion sensors. That's no longer a pipe dream with Sony officially announcing its new PS3 controller. This has the good oled Dual Shock function found in its PS2 equivalent in addition to a new SixAxis motion-sensing system.

Interestingly, it will be based on the same form factor and design, though we are pretty sure it will weigh substantially more than the original piece. Battery life will probably be another touchy issue unless the Japanese company throws in a higher-capacity replacement.

Nonetheless, it's the game support that really matters and Sony has over 60 existing PS3 titles compatible with Dual Shock in the US. Some of these will require software updates to enable the rumble feature. As usual, there is no firm indication on Asia availability.

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