| Pioneer launches 60-inch PDP-607XD HD-ready plasma TV
Looking for a big screen? Well, you might be interested in Pioneer's newly-launched PDP-607XD - a 60-inch plasma that's certain to impress/annoy the neighbours. As you would expect, the PDP-607XD is HD-ready and features Pioneer's 7th Generation Plasma Screen design, along with crystal emissive Pureblack 2 panel technology, Direct Colour Filter 2, a contrast ratio of 4000:1 and a brightness of 1000cd/m2. There's also an integrated digital (DVB-T) tuner, plus CI slot for top-up or pre-paid TV subscription cards, 2x HDMI slots, 3x scart plus PC input and S-video. It's available with a choice of under or side-mounted stereo speakers and can be mounted on either an optional wall bracket or table-top stand. Expect it in stores in the coming weeks, no news on price as yet.
Want to run Vista and save money? Just build your own PC
To celebrate the release of Vista, Microsoft's first new operating system in five years, I did what any self-respecting nerd would do. I built a new computer. There's a practical side to my efforts. If you want to delve into all the juiced-up multimedia features of Vista, including the much-hyped Aero desktop interface, you are going to need a PC with some serious horsepower. If you bought a PC in the last year or so, you probably don't need to upgrade. But the rest of us will be stuck with a dumbed-down Vista Basic experience: no shimmering 3-D desktop icons, no supercharged gaming, no HDTV time shifting ... But before you run off to the nearest superstore, consider the option of building a PC. You'll get exactly what you need (and none of what you don't), higher-quality components, and the DIY route can save you some serious money.
HDTV DVR Shortage
Syracuse (WSYR-TV) - Superbowl Sunday isn't too far off, and some of our Your Stories viewers hoping to watch the game, and other shows, on your new high-definition tv's are running into a problem. Time Warner is all out of high-definition DVR boxes. You're wondering why that's the case, and if there's any way you can tune in, without the DVR. First things first: you can still watch these shows in high definition. Time Warner tells us they have plenty of regular high-definition boxes, without the DVR capabilities. If you pick up a regular box and put your name on the wait list for a DVR, you'll get one as soon as Time Warner has them back in stock. Why the shortage? The company that makes these DVR's has been overwhelmed by requests for them, and cable companies all across the US are telling customers they'll have to wait for the DVR's.
DViCO's TiVX 5010-P HDTV recorder: everything but the disk
Korea's DViCO is prepping to launch their latest home media system with this, their new TiVX 5010-P HD TV recorder. If you think this all-singing, all-dancing personal video recorder looks like their M-5000U media streamer well, you'd be right. So as you'd expect, you get all that existing media goodness in addition to a new EPG, integrated ATSC hi-def television tuner, and the ability to record video at a 1920 x 1080 resolution in MPEG-2 TP transport stream files. In other words, it supports MPEG-1, MPEG-2, (VOB, ISO and IFO), AVI, TP, WMV9, tp, trp and ts (and the most common subtitle formats) video; JPEG images; and MP3, WMA, AAC, Ogg, PCM, AC3, M4A, FLAC and WAV audio. It also packs DVI, component, S-Video and composite video outs and 2x USB 2.0 ports for adding external disk drives (this PVR is diskless) or optical discs.
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