All Products Filed in Digital Media

Tuesday, September 07, 2010

In the world of high-performance home theater Kaleidescape has established its product line as a go-to source component to provide users with an easy and reliable way to manage and playback their music and movie files.

On Sept. 2 the Sunnyvale, Calif.-based manufacturer of residential entertainment servers announced its new iPhone application. Kaleidescape says the app will allow users of its products to more easily shop for movies.

The app scans a DVD or Blu-ray disc barcode and then notifies users if they have that title in their content libraries and what format the video is stored. The app also provides users with information from its Movie Guide feature, which includes movie descriptions; who directed and starred in the movie, aspect ratios, running times and ratings.

Michael Malcom, chairman and CEO of Kaleidescape, says new iPhone app provides users with another tool that enhances their home theater experience. "This new app broadens the value of the rich information in our exclusive Movie Guide by making it available to our customers when they are shopping,” he says.

“It also extends the elegance and simplicity of the Kaleidescape experience beyond the home.”

Kaleidescape dealers and their clients can go to Apple's iTunes web site to download the app.

Monday, August 30, 2010

Increasingly, the idea of adding an external drive to a computer to expand its storage capabilities is becoming a thing of the past. Instead more people are adding network attached storage (NAS) devices, which provide additional storage and backup opportunities with remote access for multiple users.

Netgear recently went as far to proclaim the death of local media storage when it announced its ReadyNAS line of networked storage devices. The manufacturer says its new Ultra family of two-, four- and six-bay NAS units are designed to fill needs of networked homes, small- to medium-sized businesses and larger companies that need secondary storage options.

What makes the DLNA-certified line a natural complement to home use is its media-shifting options that allow installers to setup a home media network that offers a centralized location for media and file storage, and the ability to stream HD content to TiVOs and mobile devices.

Netgear says the line employs its drag-and-drop file management technologies, as well as X-RAID2 functionality.

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

There's no question that powerline technologies have advanced far beyond the Clapper.

A good example of how far the technologies have advanced can be found in Western Digital's WD Livewire Powerline AV Network kit.

Western Digital says the product is compatible with the HomePlug AV powerline networking standard and it allows CE Pros to retrofit a home with network connections by using its existing electrical outlets.

The Lake Forest, Calif.-based computing company says the system offers 200Mbps of data transfer speeds and enough ports to support the connection of seven networked devices, which could be anything from a console gaming system, to a Blu-ray Disc player with BD Live technologies.

Western Digital adds the powerline solution also supports 1080p video streams and its set up is plug-and-play to facilitate quick installations.

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Currently there's a lot of talk of cloud computing and rumors of a super Apple iTunes platform that could eventually let consumers access their entire iTunes library from anyway.

Until those rumors turn into actual products however the need for storage is still important for anyone that owns a computer.

Data Robotics, Inc.'s Drobo line of data storage products features five series of components that can be used for everything from movie and music file storage in a residential home network, to critical data backup in a commercial business LAN.

Using the BeyondRaid storage technology that is said to protect data from hard drive crashes, the basic Drobo holds as many as four hard drives, and it can be expanded at any time to supports multiple terabytes of storage.

The unit can be used for Apple-, Linux- and Windows-based computers, and installers can use either FireWire 800 or USB to connect to a computer.

Monday, August 23, 2010

Pioneer Electronics has earned respect for its line of mainstream consumer electronics products that balance, cost, performance and value.

The company's Elite line of Blu-ray disc players have been cited as some of the best products on the market and now with the latest generation of Pioneer Elite Blu-ray players hitting the market, the company has built upon the performance of the players by adding Web streaming and wireless connectivity.

Pioneer Elite's mid-level BDP-31FD incorporates the company's PQLS jitter reduction technology for use with a companion Pioneer Elite receiver, as well as other installer-friendly features such as RS-232 for third-party control system integration, iPod Touch/iPhone control apps, BD-Live support, and the ability to stream Web-based content from media sites like Netflix.com and Youtube.com.

Installers can set up the Web-enabled BDP-31FD by connecting a traditional Ethernet cable to its Ethernet port, or in a retrofit situation, employ Pioneer's optional wireless AS-WL100 USB wireless adapter, which provides installers with the ability to integrate the player's Web functions with a homeowner's existing wireless network.

Friday, August 20, 2010

Within the world of custom electronics the mere reference of the manufacturer VIZIO usually elicits a variety of opinions.

There is however no disputing the company's popularity. The Calif.-based company is one of the most popular manufacturers in the entire world of consumer electronics.

On Aug. 20 the company announced that its Xtreme VIZIO Technology (XVT) TruLED LED LCD televisions have started to ship. The line of products includes a range of five screen sizes: 32 inch, 37 inch, 42 inch, 47 inch and 55 inch, and they incorporate the company's Smart Dimming LED dimming technology, dual-band 802.11n wireless Internet connectivity, VIZIO's Web apps, and multiple HDMI inputs.

In addition, all of the TVs offer VIZIO's Smooth Motion video processing, IR/Bluetooth remote controls that include QWERTY keyboards and full backlit LED lighting for improved contrast ratios.

Thursday, August 12, 2010

With devices like Blu-ray players, HDTVs and streaming devices becoming commodity items, these products are more accessible than ever to a broader range of consumers.

Audio Authority's new HXE-11 HDMI over Coax system provides installers a simple way of connecting those devices and facilitating their clients' high-definition home theater needs.

The system is capable of transmitting and receiving 1080p video and lossless audio over a single RG-6 cable for more than 200 feet.

The Lexington, Ken.-based manufacturer says that the system, which is comprised of a Model 1341T Transmitter and the Model 1341R Receiver, provides installers with an alternative to balun-based Cat-5 solutions.

Audio Authority adds the coax system is HDCP compliant, and that it's set up is plug-and-play with no programming required.

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Throughout the history of the custom electronics market, there's been a handful of brands that have supported the channel's growth.

One of those companies is Runco, and recently, the luxury manufacturer of projection and flat-panel video displays introduced two new projectors: the Signature Cinema SC-50d and SC-60d.

Runco has engineered the projectors to reproduce bright, rich pictures through its use of dual UHP lamps and three-chip Texas Instruments' (TI) DLP 1080 chipsets. In addition, the company also includes its external DHD video processor and CineWide with AutoScope technologies for noise-free, aspect-ratio correct image reproduction.

The Ore.-based manufacturer also says the projectors are 3D ready to support both passive and active 3D technologies, and through the use of Runco's Smart Lens system and ISF calibration provisions, installers can calibrate the projectors with preset lens and iris memory for use with masking screens.

Friday, August 06, 2010

A couple of years ago when the U.K.-based company Meridian introduced its F80 desktop A/V system it raised the performance bar for manufacturers in the all-in-one system category.

The newly announced M80 Compact Entertainment System from the high-performance A/V manufacturer offers ergonomically challenged homeowners the same basic technology platform as the F80, which includes a 2.1 speaker system driven by an 80-watt amplifier, digital signal processing (DSP), a slot-loaded CD/DVD player, an AM/FM tuner and multiple digital and analog inputs, with the addition of several new finishes and the company's i80 iPod dock.

Meridian says each M80 is hand built in its Cambridgeshire, England facilities, and its new leather exteriors---available in black, chestnut and ivory---are hand sewn in Northhampton, England.

The elliptically shaped M80's exterior also includes a organic light emitting diode (OLED) display that features an automatic brightness control that adjusts the display's light level to match the ambient light levels in the room. The companion gloss-black i80 iPod dock enables users to access and their music from the system's front panel or by remote control. In addition, the dock automatically charges an iPod so that a user never leaves home with a depleted iPod.

Thursday, July 22, 2010

With the world of residential audio/video expanding rapidly, the applications in which custom installers find themselves using HDMI diversifies everyday.

Kordz's new EVS 7-15m line of HDMI cables is designed to help CE Pros deal with the many installation situations they have to deal with in order to complete an installation.

The company says line addresses longer HDMI cabling runs through the implementation of Redmere Technology's active EQ solution that permits the transmission of data at rates up to 10.2Gbps.

Kordz manufactures the cable with a flat geometry, which allows installers to run it under carpets and tuck it into baseboard trim when in a retrofit environment. Ensuring that connections remain secure after the cabling is pulled, the Australian manufacturer also builds the cables with its firm-fit connectors to help the cables stay in place once they are installed.

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

With the release of the new TX-NR1008, TX-NR808 and the TX-NR708, the consumer electronics company Onkyo is providing budget-conscious consumers a trio of A/V receivers that provide everything necessary to assemble a modern home theater.

All three receivers offer HDMI 1.4a connections to support 3D video playback, and they also offer video Faroudja's DCDi upscaling and processing technologies. Other features packaged into the receivers include Ethernet connectivity to stream a variety of digital files such as MP3, FLAC, WAV, AAC and LPCM. The Windows 7 and DLNA 1.5-certified receivers can also play content from Pandora, Rhapsody, vTuner and Sirius Internet Radio to enable installers to network the receivers for connectivity throughout a home.

Onkyo differentiates the receivers through some higher end performance options such as secondary zone functions. The TX-NR708 requires a powered second zone, while the 808 powers the second zone and comes equipped with pre-outs for zones two and three. The TX-NR1008 takes it a step further by providing amplification for zones two and three, while also providing users with an extra HDMI output.

Additionally, all three receivers offer Audyssey room equalization, and lossless Dolby TrueHD and DTS Master Audio audio processing.

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Most video enthusiasts prefer the flexibility and visceral impact of a two-piece projection system and now as the market trends into 3D content projection solutions are also emerging.

One existing product that's ready to handle the technology demands of 3D content is Vutec's Silverstar screen. Using a silver-based material and several optical layers, the high-gain 6.0 screen can help projectors produce the brightness and grayscale necessary to reproduce 3D content without losing contrast.

The Fla.-based company offers the screen in a choice of screen sizes and aspect ratios to enable the screen to be used in a variety of residential environments. In addition, the company also offers passive and active versions to accommodate the different technologies used in the 3D video category.

For about a decade the California consumer electronics company Oppo Digital, Inc has gained a steady following of performance-driven, budget conscious consumers and throughout this time it's also been building a loyal dealer network.

Back about a year ago the company released one of the first universal disc players that included Blu-ray disc playback, the BDP-83, and it was praised from all corners of the electronics market. Recently the company upped the performance ante of the BDP-83 when it introduced the BDP-83 Special Edition unit, which addresses the analog multichannel outputs of the player.

The company started by upgrading the player's power supply before moving on to its digital-to-analog converters (DACs), which the company replaced with higher performing Sabre DACs from ESS Technology.

Using an eight-channel Sabre Premier (ES9006) DAC chip for the unit's 7.1 analog outputs in tandem with an alignment that features four of ESS' Sabre Ultra (ES9016) DACs per channel for the player's analog stereo output, the player is able to achieve a signal-to-noise ratio of 117dB, which bests the standard BDP-83 by 7dB.

Just like the standard BDP-83, the SE offers Blu-ray, DVD, SACD, HDCD, DVD Audio disc playback. The BDP-83 SE can play back blank discs in the AVCHD, CD-R/RW, DVD+/-R/RW, DVD+/-R, BD-R/RE and Kodak picture formats for added entertainment flexibility.

Other standard features include VRS by Anchor Bay video processing and upconversion, BD-Live 2.0 functionality, zoom-mode processing for 2.35:1 stretch applications and built in Dolby True HD and DTS Master Audio.

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Vaulting ahead of the other media server companies, the N.J.-based Windows Media Center (MCE) company, S1Digital has updated its product line through the addition of 3D video playback, lossless audio and the announcement of its new P250 MCE client.

S1 had addressed its ProLine Series, which includes the S800, P600 and P500 by adding 3D Blu-ray disc playback capabilities and HDMI 1.4 connections.

The company has also added 10 terabytes (10 TBs) of internal storage with six hot-swappable RAID drives, along with the latest Intel Core i7 processor and Microsoft's Windows 7 64-bit operating system (OS) to its flagship S800.

Beyond the 3D options for the P500 and P600, S1 has added DTS Master Audio and Dolby TrueHD lossless audio and HDMI Deep Color video capabilities to its mid-level Media Center machines. On top of those additions, the N.J.-based manufacturer has added RAID-enabled internal storage, Intel Core i5 processors, and the Windows 7 OS to the P500 and P600 to ensure the products' performance.

Rounding out its product line is the P250 client. This unit supports HDMI 1.3, the Dolby and DTS lossless audio formats, 1080p video resolutions, and seamless network access to the company's ProLine Series of products to allow the device to playback Blu-ray, music, videos and photo media.

Thursday, July 08, 2010

Whether it's iPhones, iPads or iPod Touches, Apple, Inc., is selling millions of these products each quarter and the public's appetite for Apple gear remains as strong as it's ever been.

The Calif.-based company iPort is helping owners of those Apple products integrate them into their homes and electronics systems through the debut of the CM-IW100T (CM100) iPod Touch Control Mount.

The CM100 lets you use the iPod touch as a touchscreen controller and music streamer of both stored tunes and audio from the device’s apps. Of course, as a touchscreen similar to that of automation companies, depending on your apps you can use the iPod touch or iPad for audio, video, lighting and climate controls.

In addition, iPort says the Control Mounts can be installed vertically or horizontally to enable CE Pros to cater to each client's usage preferences.