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C Seed Debuts World's Largest 4K Widescreen TV with Whopping 262-Inch Display[teaser]You're gonna need a bigger living room.[/teaser] C Seed, the Austrian-based Luxury electronics specialist company, has announced the launch of its new C SEED 262 Ultra HD TV. At a gigantic 262 inches, the display is now the world's largest 4k widescreen TV. Geared toward customers with really big luxury mansions, the C SEED 262 features a record setting 262 inch display, measuring an overwhelming 20 ft. by 8.4 ft. In addition, the 4K LED TV has a resolution of 4096 x 1716 and uses black LED technology for higher contrast along with support for 800 nits of brightness and a wide color spectrum. An integrated 4K media server, ten integrated high-end speakers for a 7.1. or 9.1 cinema surround configuration, and a motorized custom high end fabric cover to hide the screen at the click of a button are included as well. For those lucky few who might have big enough living rooms and wallets for such a towering display, the C SEED 262 is now available worldwide for $539,000 (for the TV itself) and an extra $38,500 for installation. Here's a full rundown of key specs for the display per C Seed: Brightness nits 800 Brightness Control Auto/Manual Pixel Pitch mm 1,5 Number of SMD LEDs 7.028.736 Processing Depth colors 281 Trillion Refresh Rate Hz 2.880 Lifespan h 100.000 Contrast Ratio 5.000:1 Colour Temperature K 6.500-9.000 Pixel Configuration/Type Black SMD 1010 Viewing Angle- Horizontal degrees 160 Viewing Angle- Vertical degrees 160 LED Fixings Front-service Operating Temperature Range °C -20 to +45 LED Failure Rate 1% (0% at delivery) Broadband speaker peak out W 6 x 250 Broadband speaker frequency range 60 Hz - 25 kHz Sources: C Seed, The VergePosted Fri Jun 16, 2017 at 06:45 AM PDT by: -
LG Reveals 34UC89G UltraWide Gaming Monitor[teaser]The new display has been designed with gamers in mind.[/teaser] LG has announced the launch of its newest monitor. The 34UC89G 34-inch 21:9 curved UltraWide gaming monitor is now available for a suggested retail price of $1,000 from several retailers, including Newegg, Amazon, Fry's Electronics, B&H, and Beach Camera. "LG took every consideration in designing this display for one purpose and one purpose only, and that was to create the ultimate gaming monitor," said David VanderWaal, vice president of marketing, LG Electronics USA. "LG is committed to providing the latest in cutting-edge monitor technology and whether you're a professional or a casual gamer, this monitor has the features necessary to give you an edge over the competition." The 34UC89G features an UltraWide IPS panel with a 21:9 aspect ratio and a resolution of 2560 x 1080 pixels. Likewise, the display offers a widened color gamut that offers over 99% of the sRGB color space with wide viewing angles and shorter input lag. In addition, the monitor uses NVIDIA G-Sync gaming display technology which dynamically matches the 144Hz (overclockable to 166Hz) refresh rate of the screen to the frame rate output of the GPU, helping to eliminate tearing while reducing stutter and input lag. Finally, different display modes to enhance certain gameplay types are provided as well, including Black Stabilizer, Dynamic Action Sync, and Crosshair. Here's a full rundown of key specs per LG: Screen Size: 34" Curved Panel Type: IPS Color Gamut: (CIE1931) sRGB over 99% Color Depth (Number of Colors): 8bits, 16.7M Pixel Pitch(mm): 0.312 x 0.310 Response Time(GTG): 5ms (High) Refresh Rate: up to 166Hz w/ OverClock Aspect Ratio: 21:9 Resolution: 2560x1080 Brightness: (Typ.)300cd/m2 Contrast Ratio( Original): 1000:1 (Typ.) Viewing Angle(CR≥10):178 /178 (C R ≥ 10) Surface Treatment: Anti glare ,3H Source: LGPosted Fri Jun 16, 2017 at 05:30 AM PDT by: -
Philips Releases 5000 Series 4K Ultra HD TVs with HDR, Prices Start at $530[teaser]The new affordable 4K TV series has started shipping.[/teaser] P&F USA has announced the launch of its latest Philips branded lineup of Ultra HD TVs. The 5000 series features Chromecast built-in tech and comes in sizes ranging from 43 inches to 65 inches. With Chromecast built-in, users can stream content from over 1,000 apps through their mobile devices to their big screen displays. Likewise, the TVs are also compatible with the Google Home smart speaker powered by the Google Assistant, offering voice control support for select commands. In addition, the series uses 4K LED LCD panels with HDR10 high dynamic range support (but not Dolby Vision). Likewise the displays include 120 Perfect Motion Rate (PMR), Pixel Plus Ultra-HD Engine 4K up-scaling, 802.11ac wireless LAN with MIMO antennas, Macro Dimming, and Sonic Emotion Premium Absolute 3D sound technology. HDMI 2.0a with HDCP2.2 connections and a USB port with support for numerous file types, including HEVC, H.264, AAC, MP3, and JPEG are integrated as well. Here's a full rundown of pricing for each size: 43PFL5922 43-inch class $530 50PFL5922 50-inch class $600 55PFL5922 55-inch class $700 65PFL5922 65-inch class $1,200 And beyond the 5000 series, P&F also previously revealed Philips branded 6000, 7000, and 8000 series Ultra HD TVs with Dolby Vision support at CES with sizes ranging from 43 inches to 98 inches. Here's a rundown of pricing and availability for each model: 6000 series 43PFL6902 43-inch class Spring 2017 $649.99 50PFL6902 50-inch class Spring 2017 $799.99 55PFL6902 55-inch class Spring 2017 $899.99 65PFL6902 65-inch class Spring 2017 $1299.99 75PFL6902 75-inch class Summer 2017 $2499.99 86PFL6902 86-inch class Summer 2017 $3999.99 7000 series 98PFL7902 98-inch class Summer 2017 $19,999.99 8000 series 49PFL8922 49-inch class Fall 2017 $999.99 55PFL8922 55-inch class Fall 2017 $1199.99 65PFL8922 65-inch class Fall 2017 $1699.99 Sources: TWICE, CNETPosted Thu Jun 15, 2017 at 10:30 PM PDT by: -
HD Gear News Roundup: Pioneer Headphones, LG OLED Tops TV Rankings, and More[teaser]We've compiled the latest gear news, including new headphones, TV rankings, and app updates.[/teaser] From product announcements and streaming app updates to general industry news and recent gear trends, keeping up with the latest tech news can be a daunting task. With that in mind, we're here to offer you a roundup of some of the latest gear and consumer electronics news that you may have missed. For this edition, we're covering new Pioneer headphones, new honors received by LG's TVs, Cloud DVR updates for Sling TV, and the arrival of FilmStruck on Roku devices. So, without further ado, here's a rundown of some of the latest gear and tech news: Pioneer Releases SE-Monitor5 Hi-Res Headphones Pioneer has announced the latest addition to its audio lineup. The new fully enclosed SE-Monitor5 dynamic stereo headphones are now available for a suggested retail price of $1,000. The hi-res headphones feature Pioneer's proprietary cellulose nano-fiber headphone transducer with an organic wood pulp refined on the nano-scale serving as the basis for a 5 Hz–85 kHz-capable 50mm (1.96") driver designed for optimized fidelity. In addition, the headphones include three cords: two unbalanced bi-wire cords featuring gold-plated 3.5 mm (1/8") stereo connectors, and one balanced audio cord with a 2.5 mm (3/32") 4-pole stereo plug for compatible digital audio players. Likewise, the device has been built to minimize distortion with a magnesium alloy housing; advanced dual-chamber system; diffuser technology; and floating structure with rubber insulators that reduce vibration and cross-channel interference. Source: Pioneer LG OLED Ranked Top TV by Consumer Reports According to a recent Consumer Reports listing, LG's Signature OLED W7 has earned the top spot among all current Ultra HD TV models. Likewise, the company's 65SJ9500 SUPER UHD TV also ranked highly among LCD models, coming in just below Sony's XBR65X930E 4K Ultra HD LED TV. "LG pioneered OLED TV technology and since its inception has continued to dedicate enormous resources to its growth to the benefit of all consumers," said William Cho, president and CEO, LG Electronics North America. "Top TV reviewers consistently rank OLED as the best TV technology available, and we’re the only manufacturer to offer a variety of OLED TV screen sizes and models – there is no better time to purchase the best TV technology on the market." Per the report, LG OLED TVs earned top scores for picture quality, viewing angle, and versatility resulting in an overall score of 89, the highest among the included displays. The Signature OLED W7 features perfect blacks, infinite contrast, an expanded color gamut, and wide viewing angles. Likewise, the set includes Active HDR with Dolby Vision, HDR10, and HLG (Hybrid Log Gamma) support. In addition, the display uses a unique Picture-on-Wall design. Beyond the W7, LG's 65" LG SIGNATURE C7 OLED Ultra HD TV earned the second place spot on the list. Source: LG Turner and Criterion Expand FilmStruck Streaming Service to Roku Devices The Criterion Collection and Turner Classic Movies have announced the addition of FilmStruck to the Roku TV and Roku media player channel lineup in the US. The ad-free subscription platform offers a curated and constantly refreshed library of streaming independent, art-house, international, cult, and contemporary cinema. FilmStruck offers a mix of contemporary and classic arthouse, indie, foreign and cult films from many major studios and independent distributors, including Janus Films, Flicker Alley, Icarus Films, Kino, Milestone, Zeitgeist, Film Movement, Global Lens, First Run Features, Oscilloscope Laboratories, Shout Factory, Warner Bros., and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM). Likewise, the platform also features extensive bonus content, filmmaker interviews and rare footage. Titles currently streaming include films like Babette’s Feast, Blow Out, Boyhood, Breaker Morant, Chicago, A Hard Day’s Night, My Life as a Dog, Our Song, The Player, A Room with a View, Seven Samurai, The Seventh Seal, Thelma & Louise, The Times of Harvey Milk, The Umbrellas of Cherbourg, and more. And beyond the standard FilmStruck library, subscribers can also sign up for the Criterion Channel -- a premium add-on service dedicated to the Criterion Collection with access to the company's entire streaming library of films and special features. Here's a full rundown of subscription plans: - FilmStruck Subscription: $6.99/month, offering hundreds of constantly refreshed, hard-to-find and critically acclaimed films, plus exclusive bonus content including hosted introductions, originally produced pieces, interviews and rare footage. - FilmStruck + The Criterion Channel Subscription: $10.99/month, offering everything in the FilmStruck subscription plus unlimited access to Criterion's entire streaming library of films and special features, along with channel-exclusive original programming such as filmmaker profiles, master classes, and curated series by celebrated guests from the film world and beyond. - Annual Subscription: $99/year for FilmStruck + The Criterion Channel (a $30 annual savings). In addition to Roku devices, FilmStruck is available on Apple TV (4th generation), Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast, web, iOS and Android devices. New users can receive a special 14-day free trial. Source: Roku Sling TV Reveals New Cloud DVR Features and Updates Sling TV has announced an expansion of its Cloud DVR option with support for new channels, devices, and features. With the Sling TV Cloud DVR, subscribers using an Amazon Fire TV or tablet, Android device, Apple TV, Roku, or Xbox One can purchase 50 hours of storage for $5 per month with any channel package. Likewise, support for more platforms, including Windows 10, AirTV Player, and iOS devices will be added in the coming weeks. In addition, the company has announced new DVR support for FOX channels, including FOX local networks, FOX Sports 1 (FS1), Nat Geo, and FX. Finally, several new Cloud DVR features have been added as well. Here's a rundown per the announcement: - Protect: Want to watch that epic sports play over and over or keep a favorite movie from being deleted? Now you can! If you want to keep a recording, simply choose “Protect” in the “Manage DVR” section, and the recording will stay on your DVR as long as you subscribe. - DVR Folders: We know it can be time-consuming to scroll through all your recordings, so we’ve made it simpler by grouping shows from one series into a single folder. That way, if you’re looking to catch up on every Game of Thrones episode before the premiere or binge-watch House Hunters, you’ll find all your recordings in one place. Roku users can currently see the new DVR Folders feature, and we will continue rolling it out to other devices soon. - Record from Franchise: Now you can record a show or series from its franchise screen, so if you search for a show like “The Walking Dead,” you can see episodes available on demand and set a recording for new episodes as they come out. Source: Sling TVPosted Thu Jun 15, 2017 at 06:20 PM PDT by: -
Blu-ray News Roundup: 'Megan Leavey,' 'The Circle,' New Arrow Video Titles, and More[teaser]Check out the latest crop of titles coming to Blu-ray.[/teaser] New info has been revealed for several upcoming Blu-ray releases from Universal, Lionsgate, Arrow Video, Rock Fuel Media, and NCircle Entertainment. Here's a full rundown of recently revealed details and title announcements: First up, Universal has announced plans to bring Gabriela Cowperthwaite's Megan Leavey starring Kate Mara, Edie Falco, Ramón Rodríguez, Bradley Whitford, and Common to Blu-ray later this year. Supplements and an exact release date have not been revealed yet, but pre-orders are now live. Order the Blu-ray Meanwhile, Lionsgate is set to release James Ponsoldt's The Circle starring Emma Watson, Tom Hanks, and Karen Gillan on Blu-ray on August 1. Supplements will include: -"No More Secrets: Completing The Circle — A Four-Part Series" Featurette-"The Future Won't Wait: Design and Technology" Featurette-"A True Original: Remembering Bill Paxton" Featurette Likewise, the label is prepping three new titles for an August 8 release date. The lineup includes... Jonathan Mostow's The Hunter's Prayer starring Sam Worthington, Odeya Rush, Allen Leech, and Amy Landecker. Supplements will include: -The Cost of Killing: Making The Hunter's Prayer Featurette-The World of The Hunter Featurette-Creating The Driving Force Featurette Simon Burke's The Exception starring Lily James, Jai Courtney, and Christopher Plummer. Supplements have not been detailed yet. Oren Moverman's The Dinner starring Richard Gere, Rebecca Hall, Chloë Sevigny, and Laura Linney. Supplements will include: -Audio Commentary with Writer/Director Oren Moverman and Actress Laura Linney-Photo Gallery In addition, the studio has dated Ash vs Evil Dead: The Complete Second Season starring Bruce Campbell, Ray Santiago, Dana DeLorenzo, Lee Majors, and Lucy Lawless for an August 22 release. Supplements will include: -Audio Commentaries-Season 2 First look-"Inside the World of Ash vs Evil Dead" Featurette-"Up Your Ash" Featurette-"Women Who Kick Ash" Featurette-"Puppets Are Cute" Featurette-"Dawn of the Spawn" Featurette-"Bringing Henrietta Back" Featurette-"The Delta" Featurette-"How to Kill a Deadite" Featurette-Fatality Mash-Up Order the Blu-ray Order the Blu-ray Order the Blu-ray Order the Blu-ray NCircle Entertainment has announced plans to release Gumby: The Movie on September 5. No other details have been revealed at this time. Order the Blu-ray Finally, Arrow Video has revealed its slate of September releases. The lineup includes: Gareth Tunley's The Ghoul starring Tom Meeten, Alice Lowe, and Rufus Jones on September 5. Supplements will include: -Filmmakers' commentary-Interviews with the cast and crew-The Baron, a 2013 short film by Gareth Tunley, starring Tom Meeten and Steve Oram (Aaaaaaaah!, Sightseers)-Trailer Sergio Martino's The Suspicious Death of a Minor starring Claudio Cassinelli, Mel Ferrer, and Barbara Magnolfi on September 12. Supplements will include: -New audio commentary by Troy Howarth, author of So Deadly, So Perverse: 50 Years of Italian Giallo Films-New interviews with director Sergio Martino and cinematographer Giancarlo Ferrando-Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Chris Malbon Charles Crichton's A Fish Called Wanda (Remastered) starring John Cleese, Jamie Lee Curtis, and Kevin Kline on September 19. Supplements will include: -Commentary by writer and star John Cleese-Brand new appreciation by Vic Pratt of the BFI National Archive-Brand new interviews with composer John Du Prez, production designer Roger Murray-Leach, executive producer Steve Abbott and makeup supervisor Paul Engelen-John Cleese's Final Farewell Performance, a 1988 documentary on the making of A Fish Called Wanda featuring interviews with actors Cleese, Jamie Lee Curtis, Michael Palin, Kevin Kline and director Charles Crichton-Something Fishy, a 15th anniversary retrospective documentary featuring interviews with Cleese, Curtis, Kline and Palin, executive producer Steve Abbott and director of photography Alan Hume-Fish You Were Here, a documentary on the film's locations hosted by Robert Powell-24 deleted/alternative scenes with introductions by Cleese-A Message from John Cleese, a tongue-in-cheek introduction recorded for the film's original release-Gallery-Trivia Track-Theatrical Trailer Fritz Kiersch's Children of the Corn starring Linda Hamilton, Peter Horton, and Courtney Gaines on September 19. Supplements will include: -Brand new audio commentary with John Sullivan of childrenofthecornmovie.com and horror journalist Justin Beahm-Audio commentary with director Fritz Kiersch, producer Terrence Kirby and actors John Franklin and Courtney Gains-Harvesting Horror: The Making of Children of the Corn – retrospective piece featuring interviews with director Fritz Kiersch and actors John Franklin and Courtney Gains-It Was the Eighties! – an interview with actress Linda Hamilton-Return to Gatlin – brand new featurette revisiting the film's original Iowa shooting locations-Stephen King on a Shoestring – an interview with producer Donald Borchers-Welcome to Gatlin: The Sights and Sounds of Children of the Corn – an interview with production designer Craig Stearns and composer Jonathan Elias-Feeling Blue – an interview with the actor who played "The Blue Man" in the fabled excised sequence-Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Gary Pullin-Theatrical Trailer Jean-Luc Godard + Jean-Pierre Gorin: Five Films 1968-1971 on September 19. Supplements will include: -A conversation with JLG - Interview with Jean-Luc Godard from 2010 by Dominique Maillet and Pierre-Henri Gibert 100-page full-colour book containing English translations for the first time of writing by, and interviews with, Godard and Gorin, and more-PLUS more to be announced. Ermanno Olmi's The Legend of the Holy Drinker on September 26. Supplements will include: -Brand-new interview with actor Rutger Hauer, recorded exclusively for this release-Interview with screenwriter Tullio Kezich-Theatrical Trailer Amat Escalante's The Untamed on September 26. Supplements will include: -Trailer-PLUS More to be announced. Order the Blu-ray Order the Blu-ray Order the Blu-ray Order the Blu-ray Order the Blu-ray Order the Blu-ray You can find the latest specs for all of the titles listed above linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule.Posted Wed Jun 14, 2017 at 09:45 PM PDT by: -
Optoma Details 4K500 & UHZ65 4K Ultra HD Projectors[teaser]Two new 4K UHD projector models have been revealed.[/teaser] Optoma has announced the latest additions to its projector lineup. The UHZ65 laser phosphor light 4K UHD projector and the 4K500 lamp-based 4K UHD projector are both geared toward the ProAV market. "With the introduction of the UHZ65 and 4K500, Optoma now has a full portfolio of 4K UHD projectors for the ProAV market to complement the line of 4K UHD projectors for the home theater market announced earlier this month," said Brian Soto, head of product management, "By bringing quality and innovation to the market at industry leading pricing, we're showing we're listening to our customers and designing projectors to meet their needs." The UHZ65 uses a powerful laser phosphor light engine and offers a resolution of 3840x2160 with 8.3 million pixels, about 2,800 lumens, and a 1,500,000:1 contrast ratio. Likewise, the projector supports high dynamic range with HDR10 capabilities, along with wide color gamut (REC.2020) support. HDMI 2.0 with HDCP 2.2 is integrated as well. In addition, the device feature a 15 percent vertical lens shift and a 1.6x optical zoom. Meanwhile, the 4K500 uses a lamp-based light source to deliver 8.3 million pixels, 5,000 lumens, and a 1,200,000:1 contrast ratio with Dynamic Black enabled. A variety of inputs are integrated as well, including HDMI 2.0 with daisy chain support. Finally, horizontal and vertical lens shift, motorized zoom and focus, keystone correction, and a 2.0x zoom ratio are also implemented. The Optoma UHZ65 is set to hit the market through distributors in the fall for an estimated street price of $4,999. The 4K500 is expected to become available in July for an estimated price of $6,999. Source: Optoma via PR NewswirePosted Wed Jun 14, 2017 at 12:45 PM PDT by: -
HDD First Look: Blackfire Red Wireless Entertainment Framework[teaser]The new wireless entertainment framework aims to unify Wi-Fi media devices and content throughout the home.[/teaser] Blackfire Research Corp has announced the launch of its latest smart home entertainment solution. Dubbed Blackfire Red, the new tech is a Real-time Entertainment Distribution framework designed for use with a broad range of AV products, allowing customers to enjoy all of their digital content wirelessly, synchronously, and seamlessly throughout the home, including surround sound and 4K video on multiple supported devices over standard Wi-Fi. "The Smart Home industry is due for a shake-up," said Adam Wright, Senior Research Analyst, Consumer IoT, IDC. "While the initial IoT concept has evolved into the Connected Home, we still see that Home Entertainment is lagging behind due to unreliable connectivity and lack of interoperability, among other issues. The Smart Home industry has been in need of a solution that has the ability to link all of these excellent, yet disparate, smart devices. Reliable, real-time connectivity between devices and the ability to work together seamlessly is essential for the Smart Home ecosystem to move past this innovation plateau." And to help show off this new framework, Blackfire invited High-Def Digest to a special in-person demonstration of the tech. Held at the London Hotel in NYC, the demo featured a variety of Blackfire Red-enabled media devices, offering an impressive taste of what consumers can expect from a full Blackfire Red Smart Home Entertainment ecosystem. THE BASICS While there are currently many different wireless solutions for a variety of AV devices, including several multi-room audio systems like Sonos, DTS Play-Fi, Yamaha MusicCast, and Denon HEOS, the Blackfire Red framework strives to give manufacturers and users a more unified Wi-Fi entertainment experience -- offering wireless cross-brand support for audio and video formats. Instead of multiple frameworks that create different "islands" of Wi-Fi enabled products throughout a home which can only speak to certain brands and types of devices and only transmit certain audio or video formats, the Blackfire Red platform aims to enable an ecosystem where compatible smart TVs, mobile products, media players, computers, receivers, and speakers from different companies can all freely send and receive audio and video from one another, including 4K and multi-channel sound. In other words, the tech has the potential to create a scenario where a customer could send video from their living room Ultra HD Blu-ray player to their bedroom TV, or 5.1 sound from a streaming dongle to a wireless multi-speaker system -- all over the same Wi-Fi connection regardless of device type or brand. To accomplish this, the technology uses an entertainment-centric infrastructure software framework specifically developed to overcome common limitations of Wi-Fi when used for media applications, creating a wireless system that focuses on reliability and precision in an effort to prevent synchronization issues. Per the company, the Blackfire Red framework is made up of: ● A Software Engine; a small lightweight piece of software, embedded in consumer electronic products, and is network, chipset and operating system agnostic, making integration easy. ● A Communication Protocol, that allows Blackfire RED enabled products to talk to each other, over a standard network stack. This was designed and tailored specifically to overcome the limitations of traditional Wi-Fi by working around the effects of interference and ensuring a reliable, high-speed connection. ● A Programming Interface that allows easy real time distribution and handling of entertainment content from and to the products. And here's a rundown of key feature of the tech: ● Reliable multi-room, multi-channel, low latency wireless audio and video over Wi-Fi; ● Advanced multi-source media pipeline handling for services such as Google Chromecast Audio and Spotify Connect; ● Native integration into Smart TVs, enabling the TV itself to decode and send multi-channel audio to wireless speakers; ● Wireless 4K video for transmitting audio and video from a Smart Set Top Box simultaneously to multiple TVs and speakers throughout the home; ● Voice AI integration into multi-room, enabling a whole-home voice-control system. ● Easy integration into all smart devices. Demos For the first demo, the company demonstrated the Blackfire Red platform's multi-room audio streaming capabilities by playing the same audio track across multiple devices. For testing purposes, the music was streamed from a smartphone and first sent to an Onkyo wireless speaker. Then, the track was seamlessly expanded to an additional Pioneer wireless speaker in the same room without skipping a beat. Continuing the trend, the song was once again expanded to another audio device, this time an Onkyo receiver connected to a wired pair of stereo speakers in an adjacent room. Finally, the track was added to a portable Harman Kardon speaker in a third room. Throughout it all, the music played back simultaneously on all of the different devices without any discernible sync issues or technical hiccups. For the next demo, we shifted to a Smart TV as our source to test the tech's synchronization capabilities even further by streaming wireless audio from a video clip. As a scene from Alice Through the Looking Glass played on the TV from an Xbox One connected via HDMI, the Blackfire Red framework integrated into the TV's motherboard sent the file's Dolby Digital 5.1 audio track to a fully wireless 5.1 Harman Kardon Omni 20 Plus speaker system. Though it was only a brief clip, each distinct channel of audio played through its corresponding speaker perfectly in sync with the video on screen and with each other. To help further emphasize the framework's phase and sync accuracy, a test pattern screen was brought up on the TV as well. This demo featured an audio cue coinciding with shapes clapping together on the TV, and the clicking sound repeatedly played through the wireless speakers without any delays with the visuals on the display. Moving on to content that's a little more dynamic in nature, the next demonstration featured live gameplay of Titanfall on Xbox One. Once again, the 5.1 audio was wirelessly transmitted to the Harmon Kardon speakers from the smart TV. As bullets blasted and explosions shook the room, the video on screen and audio from the wireless speakers maintained sync without any notable lag. But while synchronized wireless 5.1 audio is impressive, what about 4K video? To test this feature of the Blackfire Red framework, a 4K clip featuring adorable puppies was streamed wirelessly from a smartphone to a media box (sitting in for a smaller dongle) connected to an Ultra HD monitor. At the same time, 6-channel audio from the clip was wirelessly played through the Harman Kardon speakers. Both the video and audio played without a hitch, revealing no notable sync or compression issues. FINAL THOUGHTS Though more one on one time is needed with multiple Blackfire Red enabled products to form a full judgement, my brief time with the tech left me very impressed. I've used other wireless frameworks with various product lines before, but the full breadth of potential device, brand, and format support covered here under a single platform is especially enticing. Certain format and device linking limitations could be employed by certain manufacturers, but the underlying technology behind the Blackfire Red framework really does open up the possibility for a fully unified, multi-room smart entertainment ecosystem -- where all AV devices in a home are free to send and receive all forms of content from one another wirelessly. Audio brands like Harman Kardon, Onkyo, Pioneer, and Integra are all currently shipping products that use Blackfire Red technology. Likewise, media players, smart TVs, and other home entertainment products with Blackfire Red support are all in the works -- though specific release dates and manufacturers have not been announced yet. Source: BlackfirePosted Tue Jun 13, 2017 at 11:45 AM PDT by: -
HDD Gear Deals: Up to 34% off Klipsch Dolby Atmos & Outdoor Speakers[teaser]Several Klipsch speakers are now on sale through Amazon![/teaser] As part of the company's summer savings promotion, Klipsch is running a sale on select Dolby Atmos and outdoor speaker models. Klipsch RP-280FA Floorstanding Speaker - Currently $799 (33% off). Klipsch RP-140SA Dolby Atmos Speaker (Pair) - Currently $355 (29% off). Klipsch AWR-650-SM Sandstone (Ea.) Outdoor Rock Speaker - Currently $198 (34% off). Klipsch AW-650 Indoor/Outdoor Speaker - Black (Pair) - Currently $389 (29% off). Klipsch CP-6 Indoor/Outdoor Speaker - Black (Pair) - Currently $279 (20% off). These deals will only be active for a limited time while supplies last. Make sure to stay tuned to High-Def Digest for more sales and special promotions!Posted Mon Jun 12, 2017 at 08:05 PM PDT by: -
IMAX Announces Layoffs as Part of Cost Reduction Plan[teaser]The company is cutting its workforce to save costs.[/teaser] IMAX has announced a new cost reduction initiative marked by layoffs and a share repurchase program aimed at increasing the company's value. The decision comes in the wake of four consecutive quarters of declining per-screen attendance. "We are committed to expanding our theatre network, pursuing new initiatives and delivering value to shareholders," said IMAX CEO Richard L. Gelfond. "Our confidence in the Company's growth prospects is underscored by our recent buyback activity, and by today's announcement of an additional buyback program for up to $200 million. A more streamlined cost structure will enable us to scale our business with increased efficiency and facilitate operating leverage during both strong and weak periods of box office. It also affords us the bandwidth to pursue important new initiatives, including original content and virtual reality." As part of the initiative, IMAX will be cutting 100 full-time positions, including jobs at IMAX China. In total, the reduction will be equal to roughly 14% of the company's full-time global workforce, and is set to help reach approximately $20 million in annualized cost savings. In addition, IMAX's new share repurchase program will authorize the repurchase of up to $200 million of its common shares by June 30, 2020. IMAX's dropping attendance comes as theater configurations with reclining seats and competing premium formats like Dolby Cinema continue to expand their presence in the market. Beyond IMAX's large-screen theatrical installations, the company recently launched new IMAX VR Centers in New York and LA, offering immersive Virtual Reality experiences with room-tracking technology, single-player and head-to-head multiplayer competitions, advanced VR headset technology, and control devices with lifelike haptic feedback. Sources: IMAX, DeadlinePosted Mon Jun 12, 2017 at 07:30 PM PDT by: -
Scream Factory Fifth Anniversary Sale: Save 50% on Scream Blu-rays!From now through June 19, Scream Factory is slashing the prices on their catalog titles in half to celebrate their fifth anniversary. Scream Factory™, the horror brand that answered the call of fans for dream-worthy releases of the most crucial films in the genre (such as Halloween, Carrie, Child’s Play, The Return of the Living Dead, Mad Max, Army of Darkness, The Howling, The Amityville Horror and Black Christmas) as well as some of the deserving cult-favorites that might not have been made available otherwise (e.g. Cat People, Lifeforce and Tales from the Hood) is now celebrating its 5th anniversary! To celebrate, Scream Factory™ is offering three limited-edition steelbook versions of John Carpenter classics Escape from New York, The Fog and They Live in August, and in addition, Scream Factory will be slashing prices this summer through a brand-wide sale, starting today, June 12. Scream is also celebrating by hosting a special screening event titled 5 Nights of Fear, airing on Shout! Factory TV, presenting 5 nightly screenings of the cult favorite films Nightbreed, Bad Moon, The Exorcist III, Hellhole and Rabid. 5 Nights of Fear will air from Monday, June 12 through Friday, June 16 each evening at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT at ShoutFactoryTV.com and on Pluto TV Channel 512.Posted Mon Jun 12, 2017 at 05:50 PM PDT by:
