Engadget HD

Engadget HD Podcast 177 - 02.09.2010

Trent Wolbe — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 18:13:00 EST

Leading off the podcast this week is breaking Netflix Watch Instantly news (only to find out after recording that 5.1 and closed captioning features would be available this year, but not 1080p) before trying to figure out exactly what Comcast was thinking with its new Xfinity brand name. After that we get elbow deep in the NBC/Boxee standoff, even more Netflix numbers and Blu-ray player sales projections. Of course we've got some 3D news from the last few weeks to recap, from the HDMI spec going public to Comcast's 3D efforts, Sky's inaugural soccer broadcast and Samsung's BD-C6900 showing up momentarily on Amazon. Of course we had to discuss Panasonic's plasma revelations, before closing out with the new (& cheap) ATI HTPC video card and a few poll results.

Get the podcast
[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes (MP3).
[RSS - AAC] Enhanced feed, subscribe to this with iTunes.
[RSS - MP3] Add the Engadget HD Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator
[Zune]Subscribe to the Podcast directly in the Zune Marketplace
[MP3] Download the show (MP3).

Hosts: Ben Drawbaugh, Richard Lawler

Producer: Trent Wolbe

Program
00:01:25 - 1080p, 5.1 surround sound coming to Netflix Watch Instantly in 2010? Update: No, yes (and closed captioning)
00:06:48 - Comcast smears the XFINITY brand across all its services
00:11:53 - NBC's Jeff Zucker talks about Boxee with congress, Boxee talks about The Facts with Jeff Zucker
00:19:50 - Netflix celebrates Q4 success of 1 million new subscribers and eyes bigger growth ahead; Roku too
00:30:50 - In-Stat sees Blu-ray players closing in on DVD sales in 2013
00:33:37 - HDMI 1.4's 3D spec publicly released
00:43:39 - Comcast CEO not sure 24x7 3D is in our future
00:48:40 - Inaugural Sky 3DTV soccer broadcast received warmly, hooligans opt for Michael Jackson & the Grammys instead
00:52:52 - Samsung's 3D Blu-ray player available for preorder on Amazon: $399 - Update: Not anymore
00:54:35 - Panasonic cops to rising black levels in its plasma HDTVs, but questions still remain
01:00:59 - ATI Radeon HD 5450 focuses on multimedia features, neglects gaming
01:03:48 - Poll: How did you watch Lost?
01:09:55 - Poll: Best HD sporting event this month?

LISTEN (MP3)
LISTEN (AAC)
LISTEN (OGG)

Filed under: Podcasts

Engadget HD Podcast 177 - 02.09.2010 originally appeared on Engadget HD on Tue, 09 Feb 2010 18:13:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

HDTV Listings for February 9, 2010

Richard Lawler — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 16:58:00 EST

What we're watching tonight:

Fox (720p) has American Idol at 8 p.m. and the series premiere of Past Life at 9 p.m.
ABC (720p) airs Lost at 9 p.m. and The Forgotten at 10 p.m.
CBS (1080i) has NCIS at 8 p.m., NCIS: LA at 9 p.m. and The Good Wife at 10 p.m.
NBC (1080i) has the series finale of The Jay Leno Show at 10 p.m.
Discovery (1080i) brings Dirty Jobs at 9 p.m. and the season finale of Howe & Howe Tech at 10 p.m.
USA (1080i) has White Collar at 10 p.m.
Syfy (1080i) brings ECW at 10 p.m.
History (720p) has How the Earth Was Made at 9 p.m. and Life After People at 10 p.m.
A&E (720p) has Paranormal State at 10 p.m. and Paranormal Cops at 10:30 p.m.
TLC (1080i) has 19 Kids & Counting at 9 p.m. The Little Couple at 10 p.m.
Spike (1080i) airs Blue Mountain State at 10 p.m.
ESPN (720p) has a college basketball doubleheader with Tennessee/Vanderbilt at 7 p.m. and Purdue/Michigan State at 9 p.m.
ESPN2 (720p) has Georgetown/Providence college basketball at 7 p.m.

HDTV Listings for February 9, 2010 originally appeared on Engadget HD on Tue, 09 Feb 2010 16:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Hotel room HDTVs still stuck with standard definition TV have an upgrade on the way

Richard Lawler — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 16:40:00 EST

It's a sad truth experienced by too many travelers, far too many of the HDTVs installed in hotels over the last few years don't have any high definition programming coming to them. While the experienced traveler is prepared for all circumstances we've all been stranded somewhere with only stretched, blurry SD programming as our only option. The USA Today recaps the issue, with execs from Marriott, InterContinental Hotel Group (owners of Holiday Inn & Crowne Plaza hotels) and Hilton chiming in about their plans to expand HD services over the next year. That won't completely erase the horrors of our last hotel stay, but at least we can be at ease knowing a change is coming.

Hotel room HDTVs still stuck with standard definition TV have an upgrade on the way originally appeared on Engadget HD on Tue, 09 Feb 2010 16:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Panasonic announces new 3D Blu-ray recorders, players

Joseph L. Flatley — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 11:32:00 EST

Looks like Panasonic's push to lead the 3D pack continues unabated. It's been just over a week since the company announced the opening of its first Blu-ray 3D authoring facility and now word's coming out of Tokyo's Yurakucho District that the world will soon be getting not one but four devices, including the DMP-BDT900-K, a pretty straight forward player that features the latest Advanced AVC encoding engine and a generous helping of ports (including two USB, Ethernet, two HDMI outs, one component out, and an SDXC compatible memory card port). If playback alone doesn't float your boat (and we don't blame you), three of the new models include 3D Blu-ray recorders, including the DMR-BWT3000 (2TB), DMR-BWT2000 (1TB), and DMR-BWT1000 (750GB). All the aforementioned recorders sport 2Digital BS / 110°CS TV tuner, 1 Analog TV tuner, i.Link, SDXC memory card slot, Ethernet, VIERA Link, VOD Services, and BD-Live. Both the 2TB and 1TB models come with a pair of HDMI ports, while 750GB model owners will have to make do with one. All three are pegged to burn BD-RE discs at 1x, BD-R at 6x, and BD-R LTH, DVD-RAM, DVD-R, and DVD-R DL formats. Akihabara is reporting a street date of April 23rd, 2010.

Panasonic announces new 3D Blu-ray recorders, players originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 09 Feb 2010 11:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Panasonic TH-P54VT2 takes plasma HDTVs into 3D territory

Vladislav Savov — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 02:53:00 EST

Finally making the transition from the trade show floor to retail shelving are Panasonic's famed Viera 3D plasma HDTVs. The company has just announced it will be launching two 1080p panels on April 23 in Japan, priced at ¥530,000 ($5,932) for the 54-inch P54VT2 and ¥430,000 ($4,813) for its smaller sibling, the P50VT2 (pictured after the break). For your money, you'll be getting those deep, deep blacks that ensure a ridiculous 5,000,000:1 native contrast ratio, a plethora of inputs highlighted by four HDMI jacks, and of course a pair of those inescapable active shutter glasses. Don't worry though, the screens are capable of working at the necessary 120Hz to ensure smooth frame rates for each eye. Whether the premium paid for 3D is worth it, on the other hand, remains a question best left for each deep-pocketed consumer to make on his own.

Continue reading Panasonic TH-P54VT2 takes plasma HDTVs into 3D territory

Panasonic TH-P54VT2 takes plasma HDTVs into 3D territory originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 09 Feb 2010 02:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Blu-ray releases on February 9th 2010

Ben Drawbaugh — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 21:39:00 EST

It isn't quite Oscar season, even though the nominations are out, so while we wait have a good laugh to Vince Vaughn in Couples Retreat. Sure, it isn't the funniest movie ever, but a movie as funny as Hang Over doesn't come out very often -- Old School is the last one we can think of.

Couples Retreat (Universal)
A Serious Man (Universal)
Bronson (Magnolia)
Serious Moonlight (Magnolia)
Dare (Image)
Drop Zone (Lionsgate)
Hard Rain (Lionsgate)
The Phantom (Lionsgate)
The Running Man (Lionsgate)
The Lily Town (Razor Digital)
SGU Stargate Universe: Season One (MGM)
The Stepfather (Sony)
The Time Traveler's Wife (New Line)
36 (Tartan Video)

Blu-ray releases on February 9th 2010 originally appeared on Engadget HD on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 21:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

1080p, 5.1 surround sound coming to Netflix Watch Instantly in 2010? Update: No, yes (and closed captioning)

Richard Lawler — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 18:12:00 EST

Netflix Watch Instantly fans could be due for a big upgrade, as CNET has heard the company will roll out 1080p and 5.1 surround sound later this year. No word on timing or any other details, but this could mean its moving to version 3 of Microsoft's Silverlight streaming platform with its additional tweaks for adaptive streaming and hardware graphics acceleration. Also unknown is how much bandwidth would be necessary, but considering Microsoft already uses very similar technology for its 1080p Instant On videos on Zune Marketplace through the Xbox 360 while only requiring 3 Mbps and VUDU HDX 1080p videos only state a minimum of 4500 Kbps, a massive jump in available bandwidth might not be necessary if you already get clear 720p video. The last big hurdle? How much content will be available that way, Gizmodo points out only about 6 percent of current offerings stream in HD we'll be watching carefully if the pace picks up going forward.

Update: Netflix pinged CNET to let them know that 1080p was mistakenly included on a roadmap of 2010 features, however if you can get over missing all those extra pixels, surround sound and closed captioning are definitely booked for an appearance later this year.

1080p, 5.1 surround sound coming to Netflix Watch Instantly in 2010? Update: No, yes (and closed captioning) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 18:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

HDTV Listings for February 8, 2010

Richard Lawler — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 16:48:00 EST

What we're watching tonight:

CBS (1080i) has How I Met Your Mother at 8 p.m., Accidentally On Purpose at 8:30 p.m., Two and a Half Men at 9 p.m., The Big Bang Theory at 9:30 p.m. and CSI: Miami at 10 p.m.
Fox (720p) brings House at 8 p.m. and 24 at 9 p.m.
NBC (1080i) has Chuck at 8 p.m. and the season finale of Heroes at 9 p.m.
ABC (720p) has the The Bachelor at 8 p.m. and Castle at 10 p.m.
CW (1080i) airs One Tree Hill at 8 p.m. and Life Unexpected at 9 p.m.
TLC (1080i) has the season finale of Cake Boss at 9 p.m. and The Ultimate Cake Off at 10 p.m.
ABC Family (720p) has The Secret Life of the American Teenager at 8 p.m., Make It or Break It at 9 p.m. and Greek at 10 p.m.
FX (720p) has Damages at 10 p.m.
History (720p) has American Pickers at 9 p.m. and Pawn Star$ at 10 & 10:30 p.m.
Showtime (1080i) brings Secret Diary of a Call Girl at 10 p.m., State of the Union at 10:30 p.m. and La La Land at 11 p.m.
Travel (1080i) airs Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations at 10 p.m.
TNT (1080i) has an NBA doubleheader with Hornets/Magic at 8 p.m. and Spurs/Lakers at 10:30 p.m.
ESPN (720p) has a college basketball doubleheader with Villanova/West Virginia at 7 p.m. and Kansas/Texas at 9 p.m.
ESPN2 (720p) has a women's college basketball doubleheader with North Carolina/Duke at 7 p.m. and Tennessee/Vanderbilt at 9 p.m.

HDTV Listings for February 8, 2010 originally appeared on Engadget HD on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 16:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Join the Engadget HD podcast live on Ustream

Ben Drawbaugh — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 15:54:00 EST

It's Monday, and we know that getting the week started can be tough. We're here to help by letting you peek into the recording booth when the Engadget HD podcast goes to tape Monday the 8th at 5:30pm. Think of it as a kind of time machine that will help you power through your day by reviewing what happened in the week HD-wise. Embedded Ustream tools and a list of topics after the break.

Continue reading Join the Engadget HD podcast live on Ustream

Join the Engadget HD podcast live on Ustream originally appeared on Engadget HD on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 15:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

RCDb bringing IMDB, Gracenote lookup extras to tru2way boxes

Richard Lawler — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 15:32:00 EST

We haven't seen a lot out of tru2way to start 2010, but maybe that can get turned around starting at the CableLabs Winter Conference, where Related Content Database (RCDb) is showing off its technology which pulls together cable set-tops with web databases like IMDB and Gracenote. Using a demo on a Panasonic tru2way box, the company's showing off the ability for Hollywood and others to bring BD-Live style features to discs and cable simultaneously. Of course, the adoption of BD-Live and tru2way have both been shaky so showing them off together might not strengthen the position of either right away, but we'll keep an optimistic eye out for any developments coming.

RCDb bringing IMDB, Gracenote lookup extras to tru2way boxes originally appeared on Engadget HD on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 15:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Sharp and Samsung settle LCD patent cases, end legal dispute

Thomas Ricker — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 06:12:00 EST

After three years of spent treasure, Sharp and Samsung have finally settled their LCD patent fight. Although the terms of the agreement won't be made public, a Sharp spokesman was caught boasting about conditions that "will be in favor of Sharp" -- the company that kicked off the battle back in 2007. As a recap, the disputed patents covered LCD TVs, monitors, and mobile phones in lawsuits filed in the US, Europe, Japan, and South Korea. After a string of defeats in the US and Europe resulted in an import ban on its panels, Samsung, it seems, was left with little choice but to settle on Sharp's terms.

Sharp and Samsung settle LCD patent cases, end legal dispute originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 06:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Sony develops 11Gbps short-range wireless intra-connection

Vladislav Savov — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 02:52:00 EST

Before you get too excited about the bandwidth number, you should know that Sony's latest wireless innovation works at a range of up to 14 millimeters. So no, it won't be replacing your WiFi antenna anytime soon, but it may well be showing up in your next television set or other bit of Sony-branded gadgetry. Working in the 30GHz to 300GHz frequency range, this is designed to replace wired communication channels inside electronic devices, with Sony claiming it will deliver "advantages such as size and cost-reduction and enhanced reliability of the final product." Basically, erecting 1mm antennae that can beam information at each other at a rate of 11Gbps turns out to be simpler and more reliable than printing ever wider data lanes into the circuit board. Makes sense to us. Full PR after the break.

Continue reading Sony develops 11Gbps short-range wireless intra-connection

Sony develops 11Gbps short-range wireless intra-connection originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 02:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

International HD news roundup

Richard Lawler — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 23:39:00 EST

Here at Engadget HD, we'd prefer not to just focus on high-def happenings in the US of A. Thus, we round up the best of the best from the international front each week and present it here, bundled together in a single, easy to digest list. If something went down in your corner of the globe over the past seven days, let the rest of the world know it in comments. 'Til next week, Até a vista!

Read - HD Version of TV3+ Launches (Sweden)
Read - Eurosport to launch HD channel on Virgin Media (UK)
Read - Taiwan market: CHT to offer 3D content at MOD in 3Q10
Read - Canada backyard Olympics coverage gears up
Read - Sporting Germany Goes HD
Read - KUAM broadcasting Super Bowl 44 in HD (Guam)
Read - Kathrein update offers HD for CI boxes (Germany)
Read - Shaw Direct Adds V HD to Lineup, Offers Exclusive Programming (Canada)

International HD news roundup originally appeared on Engadget HD on Sun, 07 Feb 2010 23:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

VIZIO Super Bowl ad pushes internet connected HDTVs in a big way

Richard Lawler — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 21:36:00 EST

We weren't sure exactly what Beyonce, David Goes to the Dentist and Chocolate Rain all had in common, but VIZIO squeezed them all into its Super Bowl ad. Still striving to remake its reputation from being merely a cheap HDTV manufacturer to a premium one offering lots of features, the ad (embedded after the break) shows how it's bringing "the best of the internet" with VIZIO Internet Apps. We still need to see if its picture quality will measure up and whether the widget experience has gotten any better (read: faster) in 2010 to be truly convinced, but a slick ad never hurt.

Continue reading VIZIO Super Bowl ad pushes internet connected HDTVs in a big way

VIZIO Super Bowl ad pushes internet connected HDTVs in a big way originally appeared on Engadget HD on Sun, 07 Feb 2010 21:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

HDTV Listings for February 7, 2010

Richard Lawler — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 16:01:00 EST

What we're watching tonight:

CBS (1080i) kicks off Super Bowl XLIV at 6:28 p.m.
Fox (720p) airs 'til Death at 7 & 7:30 p.m.
HBO (1080i) has Big Love at 9 p.m.

HDTV Listings for February 7, 2010 originally appeared on Engadget HD on Sun, 07 Feb 2010 16:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

HD channel expansion roundup

Richard Lawler — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 13:47:00 EST

Once upon a time, a smattering of new HD channels in one major metropolitan area was a huge deal. Nowadays, it's almost expected that one area or another will experience some HD expansion each week. In order to keep things nice and tidy around here, we deliver high-def expansions, market expansions and anything else dealing with HD channel growth right here. If we missed an area that you're familiar with, drop us a line in comments so everyone can catch up. The more the merrier, we say!

Read - Comcast ending analog format for 40 channels (Denver)
Read - Hot Springs Village receives additional HD TV channels (Arkansas)
Read - Cox Communications announces price increases (Las Vegas)
Read - GVTC adds 15 new cable channels (San Antonio)
Read - Comcast gearing up to offer more HD and other channels this summer (Arizona)
Read - 2010 Olympics? Not in high-definition on local cable (Utica, NY)
Read - Verizon Unveils More Interactive FiOS TV Features, Including Navigational Shortcuts, in Mid-Atlantic Markets
Read - Time Warner changes high-def channels (Akron, OH)
Read - Verizon Brings Customers NBC Universal's Coverage of 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympic Games
Read - Verizon Expands Its Award-Winning FiOS TV Service to More Than 5,300 Households in Munhall, Pa.

HD channel expansion roundup originally appeared on Engadget HD on Sun, 07 Feb 2010 13:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

HDTV Listings for February 6, 2010

Richard Lawler — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 19:48:00 EST

What we're watching tonight:

Fox (720p) has the NASCAR 2010 Budweiser Shootout at 8 p.m.
HBO (1080i) presents Temple Grandin at 8 p.m.
Food (1080i) brings Food Network Challenge at 9 p.m. and Iron Chef America at 10 p.m.
NBC (1080i) has Saturday Night Live with Ashton Kutcher at 11:29 p.m.
ESPN (720p) has college basketball with Michigan State/Illinois at 9 p.m.

HDTV Listings for February 6, 2010 originally appeared on Engadget HD on Sat, 06 Feb 2010 19:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Telus switching Canadian IPTV customers over to Microsoft Mediaroom

Richard Lawler — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 22:11:00 EST

That $600 million investment appears to be going to good use, as Telus is ready to offer a new version of its Telus TV service to customers powered by Microsoft Mediaroom. No word on which version of Microsoft's IPTV offering they'll be utilizing, but customers in British Columbia and Alberta will be enjoying very U-verseish features like a whole home DVR solution capable of recording up to three shows at once. They'll also enjoy the more than 40 HD channels plus VOD and PPV up to six TVs in each home (no word on how many HDTV streams are available at once, only "multiple.") The switch from the old Minerva platform mirrors the move SureWest made last year, lets hope the long wait means they can jump directly to version 2.0 with Media Center and Xbox support included.

[Thanks, Eric]

Telus switching Canadian IPTV customers over to Microsoft Mediaroom originally appeared on Engadget HD on Fri, 05 Feb 2010 22:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

HDTV Listings for February 5, 2010

Richard Lawler — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 18:52:00 EST

What we're watching tonight:

CW (1080i) airs Smallville at 8 p.m.
CBS (1080i) has Ghost Whisperer at 8 p.m., Medium at 9 p.m. and Numb3rs at 10 p.m.
MyNetworkTV (720p) airs WWE: SmackDown at 8 p.m.
Syfy (1080i) has Caprica at 9 p.m.
Discovery (1080i) has Swamp Loggers at 10 p.m.
TLC (1080i) airs What Not to Wear at 9 p.m.
Starz (1080i) has Spartacus: Blood & Sand at 10 p.m
ESPN (720p) has an NBA doubleheader with Bulls/Hawks at 8 p.m. and Nuggets/Lakers at 10:30 p.m.

HDTV Listings for February 5, 2010 originally appeared on Engadget HD on Fri, 05 Feb 2010 18:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

HDMI 1.4's 3D spec publicly released

Nilay Patel — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 10:04:00 EST

3D's happening whether you like it or not -- but the good news is that there won't be any format war to go with the adoption of the new tech. At least that's the sense we've been getting, as most manufacturers are adopting active shutter glasses, delivery will happen on cable, satellite, and Blu -ray, and now the HDMI Licensing group has opened up the 3D portion of the HDMI 1.4 spec so non-licensees can make their gear compatible. There'll be some changes coming down the pike in HDMI 1.4a, but that's also due for public release, so really we'll all be one big dorky family in 3D glasses when this is all over.

HDMI 1.4's 3D spec publicly released originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 05 Feb 2010 10:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Humax HD-FOX T2 is first Freeview HD box in the UK, garners positive review

Vladislav Savov — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 07:29:00 EST

When you think back to the dark ages of the nineties -- just four terrestrial channels and the inevitable snowflakes on your screen if you were in a poor reception area -- it just wasn't a very good time for free television in the UK. Fast forward to today, and dirt-cheap Freeview boxes are getting their inevitable, in fact somewhat belated, upgrade to HD. The Humax HD-FOX T2 will cost a predictably hefty £170 ($270) at launch, but as its kind starts to infiltrate the market that price should suffer an equally appropriate precipitous fall. Offering decent media streamer capabilities via wired Ethernet, the T2 stands out with its attractive GUI and blisteringly fast channel scanning, while giving you pretty much exactly the performance you'd expect from a high-quality Freeview HD box. The UK HD rollout is set to start in earnest this March and you can learn more about it at the links below.

[Thanks, Dave]

Humax HD-FOX T2 is first Freeview HD box in the UK, garners positive review originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 05 Feb 2010 07:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Panasonic cops to rising black levels in its plasma HDTVs, but questions still remain

Richard Lawler — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 21:37:00 EST

Over the last several months complaints that Panasonic's plasma HDTVs experience sudden adverse changes in their black levels after a certain number of viewing hours have been piling up in an AVSForum thread, and now that behavior has been confirmed, though not very well explained, in a response the company sent to CNET today:

In order to achieve the optimal picture performance throughout the life of the set, Panasonic Viera plasma HDTVs incorporate an automatic control which adjusts an internal driving voltage at predetermined intervals of operational hours. As a result of this automatic voltage adjustment, background brightness will increase from its initial value ... The newest Viera plasma HDTVs incorporate an improved automatic control which applies the voltage adjustments in smaller increments. This results in a more gradual change in the Black Level over time.

Especially considering many buyers purchased their televisions specifically for those deep black levels, you can see why a TV suddenly going Sammy Sosa overnight would be upsetting. One of the reigning theories in the thread indicated by poster & calibrator D-Nice has been that this is by design, but a flaw in the settings caused the large jumps (around double the brightness, as measured by several owners light meters) instead of a much more subtle change. So what now for owners or potential buyers? Without more details about what is going on and whether or not anything can be done about it, like CNET's David Katzmeier, it's hard to see how we can continue to recommend these HDTVs for purchase without knowing what they will do months or years down the line. The ball is in Panasonic's court now, a speedy response could do a lot to assuage the concerns of current and potential owners.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Panasonic cops to rising black levels in its plasma HDTVs, but questions still remain originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 04 Feb 2010 21:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

NBC's Jeff Zucker talks about Boxee with congress, Boxee talks about The Facts with Jeff Zucker

Paul Miller — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 18:40:00 EST

So, Jeff Zucker of NBC was hanging out his new best friend Brian Roberts from Comcast today, talking up the proposed acquisition in front of Congress. A certain Rep. Rick Boucher asked "what about Boxee?" and things got a little interesting. Jeff says that Boxee was "illegally taking the content that was on Hulu," as opposed to the "many distributors of the Hulu content that we have legal distribution deals with." We're not exactly sure which deals Zucker is referring to, but Boxee's Avner Ronen takes issue with the first point:

I'd like to set the record straight regarding Boxee's access to Hulu. Boxee uses a web browser to access Hulu's content - just like Firefox or Internet Explorer. Boxee users click on a link to Hulu's website and the video within that page plays. We don't "take" the video. We don't copy it. We don't put ads on top of it. The video and the ads play like they do on other browsers or on Hulu Desktop. And it certainly is legal to do so.

He also takes issue with some of Zucker's other points, pointing out that Hulu dropped Boxee based on a request from NBC, while Zucker calls it a decision by "Hulu management," and he also points out that Boxee hasn't found NBC as open to negotiations as Zucker claims to be, but will be giving it another shot -- perhaps with some of that subscription fee cash mixed in somewhere to sweeten the deal? It's worth watching the short clip on C-Span and reading the entire Boxee rebuttal, even if it won't make you any less angry.

NBC's Jeff Zucker talks about Boxee with congress, Boxee talks about The Facts with Jeff Zucker originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 04 Feb 2010 18:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Vote for the 2009 Engadget Awards!

Laura June — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 16:44:00 EST

The nominations are in, the picks have been sorted, and now it's time for you, the reader, to help us judge the best in tech from 2009! We've put together a long, long list of the top selections below -- all we ask is that you cast your vote for the gadgets nearest and dearest to your hearts.

Votes will be tallied until Saturday February 20th, 11:59PM EDT. You can vote in this post -- the nominees are after the break. After we've checked for abuse (just say no!) we'll publish the results alongside our own Editors' Choice picks the following week. May the best gadgets win!

Continue reading Vote for the 2009 Engadget Awards!

Vote for the 2009 Engadget Awards! originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 04 Feb 2010 16:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

HDTV Listings for February 4, 2010

Richard Lawler — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 16:44:00 EST

What we're watching tonight:

Fox (720p) airs the winter finales of Bones at 9 p.m. and Fringe at 9 p.m.
ABC (720p) has The Deep End at 8 p.m., Grey's Anatomy at 9 p.m. and Private Practice at 10 p.m.
NBC (1080i) has Community at 8 p.m., Parks & Recreation at 8:30 p.m., The Office at 9 p.m. and 30 Rock at 9:30 p.m.
CBS (1080i) has a Survivor special at 8 p.m., CSI at 9 p.m. and The Mentalist at 10 p.m.
CW (1080i) brings The Vampire Diaries at 8 p.m. and Supernatural at 9 p.m.
USA (1080i) has Burn Notice at 10 p.m.
WGN (1080i) has WWE Superstars at 8 p.m.
TLC (1080i) has American Chopper at 9 p.m. and the season finale of BBQ Pit Masters at 10 p.m.
Food (1080i) has Ace of Cakes at 10 p.m.
Spike TV (1080i) airs TNA: Impact! at 9 p.m.
MTV (1080i) has America's Best Dance Crew at 10 p.m.
A&E (720p) has The First 48 at 9 p.m. and Manhunters: Fugitive Task Force at 10 & 10:30 p.m.
TNT (1080i) has an NBA doubleheader with Heat/Cavaliers at 8 p.m. and Spurs/Trail Blazers at 10:30 p.m.
ESPN (720p) has a college basketball doubleheader with Purdue/Indiana at 7 p.m. and Cincinnati/Notre Dame at 9 p.m.
ESPN2 (720p) has a college basketball doubleheader with Georgia Tech/Duke at 7 p.m. and Tennessee/LSU at 9 p.m. at 9 p.m.

HDTV Listings for February 4, 2010 originally appeared on Engadget HD on Thu, 04 Feb 2010 16:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Analyst asks how much would it take for you to switch TV providers

Richard Lawler — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 16:22:00 EST

Ready to jump ship from your current TV provider? The latest research from Strategy Analytics indicates you wouldn't be alone if that's the case, with 68% of U.S. TV customers saying they're willing to switch for a 20% price discount. However, users getting TV from their phone company like FiOS or U-Verse had the highest satisfaction levels, well above those of cable and satellite. We're not surprised cutting costs by 1/5 for comparable service would at least give users cause to think about jumping ship, we're more interested in hearing from the 32% that wouldn't, and why. Love FiOS that much? Can't live without Xfinity? Let us know.

Analyst asks how much would it take for you to switch TV providers originally appeared on Engadget HD on Thu, 04 Feb 2010 16:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Comcast CEO not sure 24x7 3D is in our future

Ben Drawbaugh — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 13:37:00 EST

Everyone in the home entertainment industry is talking 3D, and because most of the details remain unknown, we are left speculating more than not. One of the questions is if 3D will be like HD in the way that we'll demand all programming be in 3D and this is one we're just not sure about. We're not the only ones either as Comcast chairman and CEO Brian Roberts is wondering the same thing. In a Q&A session at the a Congressional Internet Caucus event last Wednesday he said "The question is, are you going to want to sit there and wear glasses four hours a day to watch TV. I don't think so." And we couldn't agree more, in fact we believe 3D will be used more like surround sound -- sure some use it all the time, but most just turn it on for big events or movies. We'll all have to wait and see how this turns out, but we just can't imagine a day when all TV is viewed in 3D, at least as long as glasses are required.

Comcast CEO not sure 24x7 3D is in our future originally appeared on Engadget HD on Thu, 04 Feb 2010 13:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Commenting on Engadget: a human's guide

Joshua Topolsky — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 11:25:00 EST

As you may have noticed, the other day we shut down comments on the site. Things had gotten a little out of hand and the complaint emails we were getting from readers were stacking up, so we decided to take some Engadget time to do a little cleaning up while reflecting on how we can do a better job moving forward. In case you're wondering: yes, we've flipped the switch back into the "on" position -- but there are some noteworthy items we'd like to point out. To start with, Justin and Dan (our devs) made a minor improvement to the frontend of our comment system, and we now provide an option to switch off the comments entirely if you don't want to deal with them. This is cookie based, so it should last for all your sessions on the site. Additionally, we've enabled a few backend tools which will help us moderate a little more effectively and efficiently, thus helping to keep comments clean and comfortable for everyone who wants to join in the discussion -- not just the loudest of the bunch.

Furthermore, we recognize that our comment system isn't perfect, and we're working with our developers right now to dramatically change things. We can promise you guys that we spend (and will spend) a lot of time thinking about how to make this a better community, and make the commenting experience more enjoyable and useful to everyone. You have our word that we're listening to you, and there will be noticeable changes for the better in the near future. And guys (and girls): definitely provide feedback on this post or via our contact email addresses. We want to hear what you have to say!

Since we've gotten the ball rolling again, we want to make sure everyone is aware of just what we expect of our community here, so we're going to lay down our ground rules (most of which have been culled from our FAQ). Here we go:

In general: The Engadget comments section is a place for our readers to engage in discussion about the posts -- it's really that simple. We encourage that discussion, and we'll be the first to admit that lots of times our readers offer insights that lead us to update our posts, or direct us to entirely new angles and stories. We love that, and we love our readers. We seriously do.

Some basic ideas on commenting here. We think that comments should always be on topic. We encourage and welcome debate, even if it's fervent, because we know how much you care about this stuff -- we care about it, too! However, your comments should be reasonably polite and wherever possible, lighthearted. Making personal attacks against other commenters, publications, or our own editors seriously degrades the community and quality of the discussion, and it won't be tolerated.

While we're fine with disagreements, we're not that crazy about being the battleground for epic fanboy wars. We want you to debate, but when that debate devolves into name calling and / or cyclical fanaticism (especially when you've moved way off topic), it's not a good use of anyone's brainpower. Also, if you've come to Engadget for the express purpose of whipping people into a frenzy (or whipping yourself into a frenzy), don't expect to stick around very long. It's easy to spot the folks who want to have a healthy debate and the folks who just want to troll. On that note, we encourage our readers and commenters to reach out to us personally and report other commenters who seem to be acting inhuman... or inhumane. Together, we believe we can improve the quality of comments on the site. We are aware of the fact that any system like ours can be gamed -- and we're aware of the fact that people actually do things like make multiple profiles and argue with themselves simply to cause problems. Just be aware we'll delete and ban you for that, too!

Comment deletion: There are many reasons your comment might be deleted, but here are some of the most common ones. Spamming of any type, be it human or robot-generated, is always deleted. If you're trying to sell something in comments, you're a spammer. Trolling is also unacceptable -- we recognize that a lot of you trolls don't even realize that you're trolls, but believe us -- you are. We'll delete your comments if we feel they're disruptive or annoying. We also delete comments that are racist, sexist, overly obscene, or offensive in any way. We delete comments which are personal attacks -- whether directed at an editor or another commenter. Finally, we reserve the right to delete any comment at our discretion (please see below).

If you create a history of trolling or other offensive behavior, we'll just ban your account. That means that your username, email, and potentially IP address will be barred from our system, and you'll no longer be able to comment.

You deleted my comment. Isn't that censorship? No. Engadget, along with its partner Weblogs, Inc. and parent company AOL allow comments in order to further the discussion, engage our readers, and to let interested parties have a good time (and maybe learn something)! Engadget's commenting sections are NOT open forums where you can say whatever you please, and commenting on Engadget is not a right of law passed down to you in the Constitution. Engadget is a news site and a business. The editorial staff does not delete comments without good reason, but deletions are always at the discretion of the editors. There are thousands of active commenters on Engadget, and we try to keep the comment sections a fun, engaging experience for all of its readers.

Why can't I up / downrank an editor? Well first off, because he / she is an editor. That doesn't make them better than a regular commenter, but it does mean that when they have something to say, we feel it's important that all readers can see it, whether they like it or not!

There's a comment that's offensive to me. What can I do about it? Well, as already mentioned, you can downrank it. Furthermore, there's a "report" button above the ranking icons on all comments which will alert our staff that the comment has been flagged. We do look at reported comments, and delete where we deem appropriate. Keep in mind, however, that we know who is reporting what comments, so think before you report -- you don't want to be on our watchlist for reporting a comment for no reason at all, because that doesn't help anybody, does it?

Finally, we realize that we're ultimately responsible for the tone of comments here, and moving forward, we're going to be more vigilant about watching out for problems. We love Engadget, and we take full responsibility for its quality. We also love our readers, and want to make it a safe, enjoyable place for all who wish to participate. Now say something hilarious!

Commenting on Engadget: a human's guide originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 04 Feb 2010 11:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Ikonoskop teases A-cam3D to shoot 1080p RAW video in stereo

Paul Miller — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 10:34:00 EST

We don't know much about this thing, Ikonoskop is only teasing the bare minimum of specs, but while we don't expect to be able to afford it, the upcoming A-cam3D is certainly an object of lust. The company has cut its teeth on a $10k 1080p RAW camera, the A-cam dII, and now it's taking that same tech into the realm of 3D. The new 6 pound unit (including battery and memory) will be able record to 25 or 30 fps in individual RAW sequences, has a TBD pricetag, and will be built on order.

[Thanks, Mark]

Ikonoskop teases A-cam3D to shoot 1080p RAW video in stereo originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 04 Feb 2010 10:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

ATI Radeon HD 5450 focuses on multimedia features, neglects gaming

Vladislav Savov — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 02:56:00 EST

It's rare to see a rumor -- hell, even a roadmap -- pinpoint the timing of new releases quite so accurately, but our earlier report of ATI refreshing the middle and lower parts of its lineup turned out to be bang on. Following in the footsteps of the HD 5670, we have the Radeon HD 5450, which drags the entry price for DirectX 11 and Eyefinity multi-monitor support all the way down to $50. Course, the processing power inside isn't going to be on par with its elder siblings, but that also means the 5450 will run cool enough to be offered with half-height, passive cooling solutions as seen above. ATI's focus here is on media PCs, with a DisplayPort, um... port, alongside HDMI 1.3a, Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio bitstreaming support. For the money, you really can't argue with all this extra multimedia juice, but if you must have benchmarks to sate your soul, check out the early reviews below -- they're full of bar charts and performance comparisons, don't you know.

Continue reading ATI Radeon HD 5450 focuses on multimedia features, neglects gaming

ATI Radeon HD 5450 focuses on multimedia features, neglects gaming originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 04 Feb 2010 02:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Comcast smears the XFINITY brand across all its services

Richard Lawler — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 00:42:00 EST

Apparently worried its On Demand Online project would suffer the shame of a silly name all by its lonely, Comcast has rebranded its cable TV, internet and phone services as Xfinity TV, Xfinity Internet and Xfinity Voice. Other than the name not much is changing (@ComcastCares will still be doing its thing on Twitter), although the rollout of the new branding (starting next week, the first 11 markets include Boston, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington D.C., Chicago, Portland, Seattle, Hartford, Augusta, Chattanooga, parts of the Bay Area and San Francisco) should sync up with 50mbps or high speeds becoming available. Of course, if those slick flame colored letter started showing up on TV repair guy trucks at the same time as a truly revolutionary new DVR software package instead of the slightly spruced up version we'll be getting over the next few months, then they could call it anything they want to.

Comcast smears the XFINITY brand across all its services originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 04 Feb 2010 00:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

TiVo HD showing out of stock on TiVo.com

Richard Lawler — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 22:26:00 EST

Good luck buying a standard TiVo HD at the moment, currently perusing the site only reveals a sold out message and a tip to check for either the XL, a refurb, or to check Best Buy (which, at least in our area, is showing sold out too.) So, is this confirmation of a new Premiere model on the way or a minor supply chain hiccup? Only time will tell.

TiVo HD showing out of stock on TiVo.com originally appeared on Engadget HD on Wed, 03 Feb 2010 22:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

HDTV Listings for February 3, 2010

Richard Lawler — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 16:35:00 EST

What we're watching tonight:

CBS (1080i) has Criminal Minds at 9 p.m. and CSI: NY at 10 p.m.
NBC (1080i) airs Mercy at 8 p.m.
Fox (720p) has Human Target at 8 p.m. and American Idol at 9 p.m.
ABC (720p) brings The Middle at 8:30 p.m., Modern Family at 9 p.m., Cougar Town at 9:30 p.m. and Ugly Betty at 10 p.m.
DirecTV (1080i) has Friday Night Lights at 10 p.m. and the series premiere of Underbelly at 11 p.m.
TNT (1080i) has Leverage at 10 p.m.
FX (720p) airs Nip/Tuck at 10 p.m.
A&E (720p) has Dog the Bounty Hunter at 9:30 p.m. and the season finale of Steven Seagal: Lawman at 10 p.m.
MTV (1080i) has The Real World at 10 p.m.
Discovery (1080i) has Man vs. Wild at 9 p.m. and Solving History at 10 p.m.
TBS (1080i) has Meet the Browns at 9, 9:30 10 & 10:30 p.m.
USA (1080i) has Psych at 10 p.m.
Bravo (1080i) has the season premiere of Shear Genius at 10 p.m.
TLC (1080i) has Toddlers & Tiaras at 10 p.m.
History (720p) has MonsterQuest at 9 p.m.
ESPN (720p) has an NBA doubleheader with Heat/Celtics at 8 p.m. and Suns/Nuggets at 10:30 p.m.
ESPN2 (720p) has a college basketball doubleheader with DePaul/Marquette at 7 p.m. and Idaho/Utah State at 11 p.m.

HDTV Listings for February 3, 2010 originally appeared on Engadget HD on Wed, 03 Feb 2010 16:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Ask Engadget HD: Is this the best time to buy a new HDTV?

Richard Lawler — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 15:30:00 EST

It's the week of the Super Bowl and with the sales pages full of shiny new HDTVs one of the most frequent questions has risen again - is this the right time to buy a new HDTV? We'll let Manu put this one in the atmosphere:

"With the Super Bowl coming up, it got me thinking - what's the best time to buy an HDTV with regards to price? I'm assuming right before the new ones come out, but when exactly is that? Or is that not even the right time?"

There it is, simple and plain. Is this the time to buy, do you wait a few months for 2009's HDTVs to thin out and the new 2010 models to hit, or are you bargain hunting on Black Friday? Of course, if anyone has spotted a particularly sweet deal, feel free to let us all know where in the comments.

Got a burning question that you'd love to toss out for Engadget HD (or its readers) to take a look at? Tired of Google's blank stares when you ask for real-world experiences? Hit us up at ask at engadgethd dawt com and keep an eye on this space -- your inquiry could be next.

Ask Engadget HD: Is this the best time to buy a new HDTV? originally appeared on Engadget HD on Wed, 03 Feb 2010 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

CBS brings 3D advertising to Grand Central Station, glasses makers drink to that

Darren Murph — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 12:12:00 EST

We know good and well what kind of extravagant displays are available to gawk at in New York City, but now it looks like the locals will have yet another one to check out when they're taking a breather from the rat race. CBS Outdoor has unveiled plans to deliver two solid hours (from 11:30AM to 1:30PM throughout February) of 3D advertising on an expansive, high-definition video screen installed within Grand Central Station. Unlike the glasses-free solution that we spotted at Intel's CES booth this year, this one will still require onlookers to rock those heinous and soul-crushing glasses in order to "see" the "effect," and with around 70,000 commuters passing by each day, we'd guess that the spectacle manufacturer who nabbed this contract is feeling pretty good right about now.

CBS brings 3D advertising to Grand Central Station, glasses makers drink to that originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 03 Feb 2010 12:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Poll: How did you watch Lost?

Richard Lawler — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 23:04:00 EST

Lost has been one of our favorite shows since it first started airing and a mainstay on more than one HDTV. As the first episode of its final season has just ended on the East coast, we're wondering how your TV habits are affecting how you watch it. So let us know, are you following along with liveblogs to get every second of action just like everyone else, or choosing to go at your own pace?

View Poll

Poll: How did you watch Lost? originally appeared on Engadget HD on Tue, 02 Feb 2010 23:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

HDTV Listings for February 2, 2010

Richard Lawler — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 16:38:00 EST

What we're watching tonight:

ABC (720p) has a Lost: Beginning of the End special at 8 p.m. and then the final series premiere of Lost at 9 p.m.
Fox (720p) has American Idol at 8 p.m.
CBS (1080i) has NCIS at 8 p.m., NCIS: LA at 9 p.m. and The Good Wife at 10 p.m.
History (720p) has How the Earth Was Made at 9 p.m. and Life After People at 10 p.m.
A&E (720p) has the season finale of Psychic Kids at 9 p.m., Paranormal State at 10 p.m. and Paranormal Cops at 10:30 p.m.
USA (1080i) has White Collar at 10 p.m.
Discovery (1080i) brings Dirty Jobs at 9 p.m. and Howe & Howe Tech at 10 p.m.
TLC (1080i) has The Little Couple at 10 p.m.
Syfy (1080i) brings ECW at 10 p.m.
Spike (1080i) airs Blue Mountain State at 10 p.m.
ESPN (720p) has a college basketball doubleheader with Mississippi/Kentucky at 7 p.m. and Michigan State/Wisconsin at 9 p.m.
ESPN2 (720p) has college basketball with Miami/Wake Forest at 7 p.m.

HDTV Listings for February 2, 2010 originally appeared on Engadget HD on Tue, 02 Feb 2010 16:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Level 3 to deliver uncompressed HD broadcast from Super Bowl XLIV

Richard Lawler — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 15:39:00 EST

We're still not sure if this has any noticeable result on picture quality, but Level 3 has announced its going to assist in delivering Super Bowl XLIV's feed uncompressed from the site back to CBS headquarters in New York. Instead of being compressed onsite in a production truck then sent to the studio and stations where it's compressed again, this could help CBS bring a more high quality signal home. If you've been watching Denver Broncos home games, you've seen Level 3's Vyvx broadcast network at work, we'll see how beautiful it keeps things looking in Miami on Sunday.

Level 3 to deliver uncompressed HD broadcast from Super Bowl XLIV originally appeared on Engadget HD on Tue, 02 Feb 2010 15:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

No-glasses 3D display with 64 viewing angles to debut at CeBIT

Richard Lawler — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 14:54:00 EST

Singaporean outfit Sunny Ocean Studios is pledging to put all of the autostereoscopic 3D we've seen so far to shame with a new 27-inch display offering 64 viewing angles it will show at CeBIT. A serious upgrade from the 8 or 9 viewing angle lenticular displays we saw at CES this year, the company claims it's ready to refit regular displays for 3D and also assist in 2D-to-3D image conversion. We've got all of the usual questions lined up like how will this affect resolution, what's necessary to render the necessary 64 different frames for each viewing angle and of course, how much does it cost, but founder Armin Grasnick says his company can handle screens of up to 100-inches quickly and inexpensively, likely by not wasting precious R&D funds on website design. The current state of 3D is glasses all the way, but we could get a peek at the next step March 2 in Germany.

No-glasses 3D display with 64 viewing angles to debut at CeBIT originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 02 Feb 2010 14:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

JVC trots out Everio GZ-HM340 HD camcorder with 16GB of internal storage

Darren Murph — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 13:17:00 EST

Too busy to deal with 8mm, DVDs or VHS tapes? Who isn't, right? JVC is looking to erase the tragic memories of converting your home videos to a format that someone could use by introducing the newest member of the Everio camcorder family: the GZ-HM340. Stocked with 16GB of internal Flash memory, a 20x optical Konica Minolta zoom lens, 1.37 megapixel CMOS sensor, image stabilization, one-touch upload to YouTube, face detection and an SD / SDHC expansion slot, this bad boy is set to land later in the month for a nickle under $500. Here's hoping it captures to something other than AVCHD, but our gut tells us this might be one dream that doesn't come true.

Continue reading JVC trots out Everio GZ-HM340 HD camcorder with 16GB of internal storage

JVC trots out Everio GZ-HM340 HD camcorder with 16GB of internal storage originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 02 Feb 2010 13:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments