Home Theater

Mention Bang & Olufsen in the same breath and chances are you would feel a lump form in your throat as you know full well that you aren’t able to afford purchasing anything from this brand, even if it is a souvenir item with its brand name emblazoned across it. Well, the same applies for Bang & Olufsen’s latest release, the BeoVision 7 which comes with a new 55″ screen size, upping the ante where its previous 40″ model left off in North America. Known as the BeoVision 7-55, this model will integrate the sophisticated Bang & Olufsen BeoSystem 3 video engine that offers superior signal processing courtesy of its VisionClear package of picture improvement technologies. Apart from that, Bang & Olufsen introduces yet another improvement with the double frame rate technology at 120Hz alongside motion compensation and progressive scanning backlight. All these technologies will work in tandem to reduce the inherent blur typical of LCD screens by a significant margin, offering crystal clear and sharp pictures even under intense scenes.

Read the rest of this entry »

ARRIS has just announced their latest three-tuner version of the Moxi HD DVR that ought to arrive in time for the upcoming holiday season. With the world economy still in the doldrums despite positive news trickling from here and there, surely the coming Christmas season won’t see a mad rush? Or will people stick to tradition and just let their hair down in the coming month, worrying more about whether they have gifts for everyone in mind instead of learning to stretch that ever-depreciating dollar. Well, good news for those who want a HD DVR as the three-tuner Moxi HD DVR is raring to make its debut.

What is the new three-tuner Moxi HD DVR capable of doing anyways, you ask? For starters, it allows for recording of three channels simultaneously – all of these happening while you’re watching a fourth recorded program. You can pick it up in a Moxi HD DVR plus Moxi Mate bundle for $799. As for those who are on a tighter budget and want the two-tuner Moxi HD DVR that was introduced earlier this year instead, you’ll be pleased to know that the former $799 price point has dropped to just $499. Apart from that, you can also opt for the three-room multi-room bundle option that sees a three-tuner Moxi HD DVR and two Moxi Mates that can serve three rooms for a dollar under one grand.

Some of the key specifications and features available on the Moxi HD DVR include :-

• A native HD interface and Emmy award-winning Moxi Menu
• Up to 75 hours of HD recording space or up to 300 hours at standard definition, and expandable to 6.5 Terabytes for up to 1000 hours of HD recording with an external eSATA drive
• Access to many Internet services consumers already use, such as Rhapsody, Flickr and online video from Netflix, Hulu, and YouTube via DLNA server software such as PlayOn (currently provided at no charge) running on their PC
• Multi-room viewing with the Moxi Mate and the ability to record three channels simultaneously while watching a fourth recorded program on the three-tuner version of the Moxi HD DVR
• Remote and mobile browser scheduling to set recordings while away from home
• MoxiNet for full-screen web browsing and Superticker – a ticker widget that provides information, such as weather, sports scores and news along the bottom of the screen

Press Release

I was pleased that 3M sent me their latest pocket projector, the MPro 120, and I was more than happy to give it a hands-on review. (By the way, that isn’t my hand in the photo, but an image included in the Press Release.) Since this is my first time with a pocket-projector, you might notice that I am a little excited about it.

The MPro 120 works with surprising ease on my laptop computer. All I had to do was plug it into the wall to recharge the battery, and two hours later, it is good for about two to four hours worth of projection time. Then I plugged it into my laptop, and set it up as a secondary monitor.

From there, I was able to get an image as wide as 50 inches, and it looked very clear on a blank wall in the dark. The MPro120 came with a tripod for theater-like setup, and I was able to watch some shows from Hulu as if they were movies on the big screen. That really helped bring the FlashForward show to life.

Read the rest of this entry »

Okoro Media Systems is pretty famous for their range of digital entertainment systems in the A/V market, and the company recently introduced its 2010 Quantum mini Digital Entertainment Systems that will come in the form of the OMS-Q100 and the OMS-Q200. Both models will come in extremely small footprints, making sure you can place them discreetly in your home without sticking out like a sore thumb. The 2010 Quantum minis were specially designed to hold your entire collection of digital music, photos and movies together, even letting you record High Definition TV programming for viewing later on. This is a classic case of not being fooled by its size – the mini machines you see here (no taller than a regular can of COke!) are powerful enough to handle 1080p Blu-ray movie playback while upscaling your existing collection of DVDs without breaking a sweat. In addition to the aforementioned HDTV recording capability, both models can handle HD program recording of up to two channels simultaneously – regardless of whether you’re relying on an antenna, cable or satellite TV.

Read the rest of this entry »

One of the problems with the keyboards made for HTPCs (Home Theater Personal Computers) is they tend to be too big and bulky. Unless you have a Logitech diNovo Mini, you might want to look at this very intriguing Wireless Keyboard and HTPC remote.

Yes, that is what this is, not some new version of BlackBerry or some prototype version of the Palm Pre. This is a wireless keyboard that works via wireless dongle, and that “screen” that you see is a touchpad.

Read the rest of this entry »

Seagate is a name synonymous with quality hard drives, and their latest release, the FreeAgent Theater+ HD media player has something to do with hard drives as well. This device has room for a hard drive, where it will function as a next generation home theater solution that was specially designed to instantly and easily hook up your digital media library to your home entertainment system for seamless interaction, while ushering your living room into the 21st century instead of being laughed at by your mates each time they drop by.

Read the rest of this entry »

I haven’t ever heard of a single person who hasn’t lost their remote at least a few times.  I’m sure there are some out there, but they are few and far between.   Myself, I have a couch that will try to eat anything you place on it, remotes included.  I usually know to check inside of the couch to find the remote again, so that is one advantage.  If you’re in a household with a big family though, losing track of a remote would be pretty easy.  Which is where this Remote Buddy would be helpful, it makes it possible to page your remotes, so you can find them again.

Read the rest of this entry »

When LCD TVs first hit the market, we were bowled over by their apparent slimness compared to what we see in our living rooms dominated by fat, chunky CRTs. Well, times have definitely changed (for the better) as CRTs have been phased out since then, and LCD TVs are the de facto standard when it comes to your living room viewing experience. LG ups the ante further with their latest release of a full HD LED LCD HDTV which is more or less as thin as it gets, bearing the image of a single sheet of glass. Making a splash at CEDIA 2009, the new SL90 series of HDTVs from LG will come in 42″ and 47″ sizes, where they both will feature LED lighting and other stunning display technologies.

Read the rest of this entry »