It’s not quite the fall yet but Hitachi has formally announced the world’s first Blu-ray capable disc camcorders today. The new camcorders are the hybrid DZ-BD7H and the BD single disc DZ-BD70. Both camcorders will begin selling in Japan on August 30th and will become available in the overseas market starting in October.

The Hitachi DZ-BD7H is known as a hybrid camcorder because it has both a 30GB internal hard drive and a BD drive. Customers can record 1920 x 1080 full HD video onto the hard drive and then later copy the contents to the BD drive. If you record at full 1920 x 1080, you’ll get approximately four hours of video from the 30GB HDD. If you record at 1440 x 1080, you’ll get approximately eight hours of video on the drive. The camcorder also comes with a 5.3 megapixel CMOS image sensor capable of providing 2.07 megapixels for video and 4.32 megapixels for digital stills. The DZ-BD7H supports high speed dubbing to the BD drive at rates of 2X recording speed.

The Hitachi DZ-BD70 is a BD single drive camcorder which can record approximately one hour of 1920 x 1080 resolution video onto a single 8cm BD disc. If you switch to 1440 x 1080, you’ll get approximately two hours on a single 8cm BD disc.The DZ-BD70 also features the same 5.3 megapixel CMOS image sensor.

Key features of the new Hitachi BD camcorders include:

• Adaptive Dynamic Noise Reduction which analyzes and encodes the video while reducing noise
• Advanced Correlative Coefficient Multiplication Method which reduces false colors to reproduce images in clearer and more natural colors
• MPEG4 AVC/H.264 codec suppport
• 12 element in 9-group, 18-sided multicoat lens
• HDMI support
• SD memory card slot
• Review recorded videos with a display of 12 thumbnails
• Interactive guide
• 10x optical zoom

You can find additional information about the new Hitachi Blu-ray camcorders here on Hitachi’s website.

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[Check out the press release]

Technorati Tags: Hitachi, Blu-ray Camcorder, DZ-BD7H, DZ-BD70

Hoping to spur interest in high definition equipment and content, Panasonic held their first ever “Living in High Definition” initiative event today. The event was held today at 11:45 am EST and lasted till 12:45pm EST and included speakers such as a Hollywood producer and director, academic experts, and Panasonic executives. Luckily, it was a web cast, which means you can still catch it by going to this link here:

http://4.78.165.100/PanaSonic_HD_Event/default2.asp

More importantly, this event was designed to launch Panasonic’s Living in High Definition program. The program will select families from across America and provide them with Panasonic’s high end HD products including a 50 inch 1080p plasma TV, an HD camcorder, digital cameras, a Blu-ray DVD player, and much much more.

So how do you enter to get this equipment? Starting on August 1st, Panasonic will be posting up challenges for families to compete in. What you’ll need to do is tell Panasonic how your family would complete the challenge and why your family would be the best spokes-family for the company. If Panasonic chooses your family, then you will receive Panasonic’s entire HD product suite and then asked to bring your ideas to light. Your final video might be shown online or become part of a documentary film that the company is making with Brett Ratner.

The folks judging the entries will include Brett Ratner, Justine Shapiro, Kevin Smith, and Robert Wilson. The selection panel will review the submissions, and then judge them based on several criteria. However, creativity will be the most important aspect to the submissions.

If you’re interested in the program, make sure to check out the new website - http://www.livinginhd.com  and also make sure to check out the web cast for additional information into the program.

[Check out the web cast]

[Check out Living in HD]

Technorati Tags: Panasonic, Living in High Definition, High Definition

Akihabara News reported on three new LCD HDTV sets from Samsung over the weekend known as the “Bordeaux” lineup. The three new sets will be available in Japan and include a 23 inch, a 32 inch, and a 40 inch LCD panel. All of the LCDs have:

• 1366 x 768 resolution
• 8ms response time
• 8000:1 response time
• 550 cd/m2 brightness
• Samsung’s Digital Natural Image Engine
• HDMI

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Technorati Tags: Samsung, Bordeaux, LCD TV

Two more high definition camcorders will soon be available in the consumer market. Panasonic announced that they will be introducing two new HD camcorders in September - one of which is the smallest palm sized 3CCD full HD camcorder yet. The new models are the HDC-SD5 and the HDC-SX5, both of which feature:

• Utilizes the AVCHD format to record full HD video with 1920 x 1080 pixel resolution
• Come with Panasonic’s original 3CCD camera system
• Comes with Panasonic’s new Advanced Optical Image Stabilizer (O.I.S.) system to minimize hand shake

As mentioned above, the Panasonic HDC-SD5 is supposedly the world’s smallest palm style 3CCD full HD camcorder. Features of the HDC-SD5 include:

• USB Host function for improved data storage and playback ease
• Supports SDHC/SD memory cards
• Support for optional DVD burner (model VW-BN1)
• MSRP of $999.95 and available in September

Meanwhile, the Panasonic HDC-SX5 features:

• Records full HD motion images on both SDHC/SD memory cards and DVD discs
• Records up to 180 minutes of video on an 8GB SDHC card and 60 minutes on a 3 inch DVD-R dual layer disc
• Able to copy recorded video from an SDHC/SD memory card to a 3 inch DVD disc internally with the touch of a single button without connecting to a PC
• Video can also be recorded on a DVD disc in SD format
• MSRP of $899.95 and due in Septemeber

Perhaps what’s most impressive about these two new HD camcorders is the MSRP. With prices in the $900 to $1000 range, expect these camcorders to be priced below that during the holiday season with sales and promotions kicking in.

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Technorati Tags: Panasonic, HDC-SD5, HDC-SX5, HD

If you’re wondering where things stand between Blu-ray and HD DVD currently, check out this comparison chart published by News.com whcih shows background information, and some early sales figures for the two competing formats. The numbers are interesting and of course somewhat misleading right now as Blu-ray is integrated into the Sony PS3 console. What is evident is the role the game consoles are playing in helping users choose a high def format. HD DVD has the slight edge when it comes to standalone players sold but Blu-ray has the edge in content availability of course and in backing.

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The Blu-ray retail camp just got a bit stronger as Sony has announced that Target plans to only carry Blu-ray players at least through the holiday season. Target will also expand its current inventory of Blu-ray discs to offer more selection to customers. According to Sony, the retail move will occur in October with Target selling the new Sony BDP-S300 player which sells for under $500 dollars.

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Technorati Tags: Target, Blu-ray

Those of you considering getting the Plextor Mini Digital HDTV Receiver might want to read the review published by LaptopMag. The Mini Digital HDTV Receiver (model PX-HDTV500U) connects to your PC’s available USB port and allows you to tune into over-the-air HDTV signals. Features include:

• Supports US DTV ATSC protocol
• Free Air-to-Air Digital Terrestrial TV and Audio Program Playing
• Automatic Channel Scanning
• Electronic Program Guide (EPG)
• Supports 4:3 and 16:9 ratios
• Measures 71.2 x 13.8 x 28.1 mm and weighs 19.8 grams

At $99 dollars, the Plextor HDTV tuner looks like a good deal but here’s the verdict from LaptopMag:

The Plextor Mini Digital HDTV Receiver delivers high-def goodness on the cheap, but you’d be better served with the $150 Hauppauge WinTV-PVR USB2. It costs more, but you get better software in more portable package.

Hmm you might want to check out the Pinnacle Systems HDTV tuners which are also available for USB 2.0.

[Check it out]

Technorati Tags: Plextor Mini Digital HDTV Receiver, PX-HDTV500U

Online high definition video streaming is finally here as ABC has launched a beta of their HD streaming player. The player, which is powered by Movie Networks, allows you to watch several ABC shows at a high definition resolution of 1280 x 720. You can check out the service now by going to this page and clicking on “Launch the Player”. You’ll need to install the ABC HD player and then select the HD streaming link to see the ABC shows available in HD.

The ABC HD player does have some minimum requirements that you’ll need to worry about. You’ll need a fast Internet connection (2 Mbps or more) and of course a pretty fast computer. A dual core processor with a 128MB graphics card and a large display is highly recommended by ABC.

Current shows available in HD include Desperate Housewives, Grey’s Anatomy, Lost, and Ugly Betty. I took a quick look at Ugly Betty in HD and I must say the quality is quite good for online streaming content. It takes a few seconds for the entire video stream to reach it’s full throughput potential but the video quality upgrades gracefully as you pick up the throughput.

Congrats to ABC for paving the road to online HD streaming. You can read more about this on their development blog.

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Technorati Tags: ABC, HD streaming, HD Video

Samsung has announced four new Blu-ray products that are all due to launch later this year - one of which is the highly anticipated BD-UP5000 Duo HD Player which supports both Blu-ray and HD DVD media formats. The other three product announcements involve systems that play back only Blu-ray formats so let’s get to the details.

The Samsung BD-UP5000 Duo HD player has the following specs according to PC Magazine:

• Support for Blu-ray and HD DVD
• HQV (Hollywood Quality Video) processing
• 1080i to 1080p HD deinterlacing
• Support for HDi and BD-Java-based interactive menus

All great stuff but it appears we were all off the mark when it came down to pricing and timing. The Samsung BD-UP5000 Duo HD Player will come out during the fourth quarter of this year for a price of $1049. So much for the $500 dollar pricing that many suspected this player would come in at.

On the standalone front, Samsung will be releasing a third generation Blu-ray player in the form of the Samsung BD-P1400 which features:

• Blu-ray playback only
• Supports lossless DTS HD and Dolby TrueHD
• Supports 5.1 audio
• Ships in September for a price of $549

A higher end Blu-ray player coming from Samsung is the BD-P2400 which features:

• Blu-ray playback only
• HQV video processor - upscale DVD to 1080p over HDMI
• Supports lossless DTS HD and Dolby TrueHD
• Supports 7.1 channel audio
• Ships in October for a price of $649

Finally, Samsung is introducing a new home theater system called the HT-BD2 Home Theater Solution with Blu-ray. As the name implies, the all-in-one home-theater-in-a-box supports Blu-ray playback and comes in a piano black finish and blue LED accent lights. There’s also an active subwoofer with five tower and two satellite rear speakers. The system supports DTS HD and Dolby TrueHD. This system is due in the fourth quarter for a price of $1499.

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Technorati Tags: Samsung, Blu-ray, BD-UP5000 Duo HD Player, BD-P1400, BD-P2400, HT-BD2 Home Theater Solution with Blu-ray

There’s a funny article over at ExtremeTech written by Loyd Case detailing his latest home theater endeavors. Loyd decided to try out a new HDTV set - the Sony KDS-55A2020 - and in doing so, fell into the upgrade nightmare that I ran into earlier this year. You get a 1080p capable display and you end up wanting to go 1080p throughout the system. So Case went from just upgrading his television set to getting a new HD DVD player.. and then a new Blu-ray player.. and then finally, a whole new receiver in the form of the Onkyo TX-SR875.

Earlier this year, I went through nearly the same type of upgrade nightmare. I decided to get a new 1080p Samsung LCD HDTV monitor.. but in doing so, I realized I really should upgrade my receiver to support HDMI connections. Of course, now that I have a 1080p display, I’m looking into getting a new Blu-ray player (since I already have am HD DVD player in the form of the Xbox 360 HD DVD player). One upgrade begets another doesn’t it? Well enjoy the read!

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Technorati Tags: Home Theater Madness, Home Theater Systems, ExtremeTech