Engadget HD

• Bowers and Wilkins intros four new CM-series speakers
  

  Filed under: Speakers

  
  
  Bowers and Wilkins is one of those venerable speaker brands that always gets mentioned when people want to get into high-end speakers (how much only depends on budget), and the company has brought out four new models to its CM-series that sits between its 600 and 800-series lineups. The CM9 ($1,500 each, floorstanding) and CM5 ($750 each, stand-mount) speakers share their 25-mm aluminum tweeter and 165-mm Kevlar drivers with the CM Center 2 ($1,250) model to give you that seamless sonic match across the front, and the CM9 adds in a 150-mm Kevlar midrange to its cabinet as well. Audio purity is all well and good,...
  



• Sony VPL-HW10 SXRD projector peeks from behind the curtain
  

  Filed under: Sony, LCoS, Projector

  
  
  Sony's family of projectors just grew by one, with the 1080p VPL-HW10 combining triple-panel SXRD technology, the new BRAVIA Engine 2 eight step image processing, 1000 ANSI lumens, 30,000:1 contrast ratio and x.v.Color support. Dual HDMI inputs, HDMI-CEC control tech, 24p True Cinema, Real Color Processing and quiet 22dB operation ensure a top of the line home theater experience -- for something (no MSRP or shipping details here) less than the reiging king of the hill VPL-VW200 and another as-yet-unrevealed higher-end model. So Sony, guess we'll be seeing you at CEDIA next week?
  
  [Via Akihabara News]

  Ever since the early days of the format war, many have questioned Disney's dedicated to the format because over the years as Disney has released a few classics out of its vault onto DVD, Blu-ray fans were left looking through the window. About a year ago we finally got word that Disney was going to stop this trend and release Sleeping Beauty on Blu-ray -- complete with BD Live extras -- and now we got word that there are more classics to follow. In the next two years, Disney plans to release Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Pinocchio and Beauty and the Beast on Blu. This is a great sign the Disney is...
  




• Rotel debuting 15 Series of receivers, amplifiers and more
  

  Filed under: Other hardware, Receivers, Others

  
  
  Rotel really only comes out to speak to the press once a year, and it always seems to happen right around the September time frame as CEDIA draws near. This year, the high-end brand will be introducing a smattering of new products in the newly created 15 Series. For starters, we've got the flagship RSX-1560 7.1-channel AV receiver, which offers up 100-watts of Class D power per channel, four HDMI 1.3 inputs, 1080p / 24Hz Faroudja video processing and assignable 12V triggers to boot. It'll also be trotting out the RSX-1550 AVR, the RSP-1570 surround processor / preamplifier, the potent RMB-1575...
  



• HDTV Listings for August 28, 2008
  

  Filed under: ABC, CBS, Discovery-HD, ESPN-HD, NBC, Listings

  What we're watching tonight:
  
  • ESPNU HD (720p) premieres HD with Vanderbilt/Miami (OH) at 7 p.m.
  • NBC (1080i) brings NFL with Jaguars/Redskins at 7 p.m.
  • ESPN HD (720p) kicks off the college football season with North Carolina State/South Carolina at 7 p.m.
  • USA (1080i) has U.S. Open Tennis at 7 p.m.
  • Discovery (1080i) lines up Some Assembly Required at 8 & 8:30 p.m., followed by Destroyed in Seconds at 10 p.m.
  • ABC, CBS,...
    
  
  
  
  • Sony debuts Bravia BDV-IT1000 Blu-ray home theater system
    

    Filed under: Blu-ray, Receivers, Speakers, Sony

    
    

    Still not satisfied by any of the Blu-ray home theater in a box systems out there? Then perhaps Sony's just announced Bravia BDV-IT1000 unit will be more to your liking. This one boasts 700W of total power, and includes some wireless rear speakers for added convenience, and slim speakers all around that Sony says are made possible thanks to its brand new finger-sized full-range speaker drive units. The Blu-ray player / receiver at the heart of the unit also looks to be capable enough, with it sporting BD-Live readiness, a pair of HDMI inputs, optical digital and analog stereo...
    
  
  
  
  • HP MediaSmart Connect Review
    

    Filed under: Reviews, Media PCs, Media streamers, HP

    
    
    In our recent roundup of Vista Media Center Extenders we were very disappointed that HP MediaSmart connect wasn't available in time to go head to head with the rest. Now that the MediaSmart Connect is in hand, we were anxious to try it out and see how it compares and we have to say that with a MSRP of $350 and a street price at just under $300, we had pretty high expectations. Although there is no doubt that it has the nicest exterior and remote of any extender available, we're not sure if those two merits alone...
    
  
  
  
  • Velodyne gets ready to rumble at CEDIA with new subwoofers
    

    Filed under: Speakers, Others

    Velodyne sure has been keeping quiet of late, but now we know why -- it's been saving it all up for a CEDIA extravaganza. From the top, it'll be introducing the Optimum-8, 10 and 12 subs, which feature up to 1,200-watts (RMS) of amplification, interactive front panel displays and an automated, one button 7-band equalizer. Moving on, we've got the in-wall SC-600, Class D-powered DEQ-R (in 8-, 10-, 12- and 15-inch models) and the small(er) Impact line, which boasts a 6-inch forward firing driver and an 8-inch down-firing passive driver. Expect prices and availability to surface within a few days.

    Displays, Others, Projector

    
    

    As the pre-CEDIA releases continue to roll, we've got yet another projector from Sanyo. The PLV-Z60 offers up a native 720p resolution, 10,000:1 contrast ratio, 1,200 ANSI lumens, 3D color management system, 12-bit processing IC for video decoding, scaling and gamma curve generation and a 2x optical zoom. You'll also find VGA, HDMI (x2), component (x2) and S-Video connections, and you can find the PJ itself next month for $1,295. [Warning: PDF read link]

    Read | Permalink | Other hardware, Players, Speakers, Philips
    

    We suppose it was just a matter of time before iPod docks and HTIBs achieved some sort of unholy union, and their demonic lovechild has appeared at IFA -- say hello to the Philips CinemaOne. Essentially a mashup of an iPod speaker system, a DVD player, and a soundbar, it's designed to plug in to your flatscreen via HDMI and provide surround audio through five DSP-driven speakers and 4-inch sub, all in a package about the size of a football. The DivX-compatible DVD player seems decent, with 1080p scaling and Dolby Digital and DTS support, but even though the speakers...