Epson America announced today that the new Ensemble HD Home Cinema System was now shipping to dealers and installers nationwide. The Ensemble HD is a complete home theater solution that comes with all the component necessary to transform any room in your home into a full fledged home theater setup. Features of the Ensemble HD Home Cinema System include the following:

• Choice of Epson PowerLite 3LCD (three-chip) high definition multimedia projector with either true 1080p native resolution (1,920 x 1,080 pixels) or a more affordably priced 720p option
• Unique 100-inch motorized screen that quietly lowers and retracts within the unique front channel ceiling mounted speaker system
• Audio/video controller with integrated upconverting DVD player
• Newly engineered Atlantic Technology speaker system and a proprietary 150-watt subwoofer containing all 5.1 channels of amplification
• Universal remote that controls the entire system including the motorized screen
• Every audio, video and power cable needed to complete the installation while maximizing performance (including HDMI)
• Unique wire management track system that hides all of the included cables from the site of users
• All necessary mounting brackets

There are two packages available for the Ensemble HD Home Cinema System - a 1080p system priced at $6999 and a 720p system priced at $4999.

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Technorati Tags: Epson America, Ensemble HD Home Cinema System

Kaleidescape is introducing two new 1080p upscaling Movie Players today appropriately called the 1080p Player and the 1080p Mini Player. These two devices allow users to enjoy current DVDs at 1080p resolutions. The 1080p Player is designed as a 1U rack mount device while the 1080p Mini Player is designed as a smaller package for hidden A/V installations.

Features of the new 1080p Players include:

• 1080p outputof course 
• Content-aware video processing - this feature adapts video processing to the type of content being displayed. Information from the Kaleidescape Movie Guide database is used to tailor the viewing experience
• Advanced DVD and CD playback features - users can insert discs and enjoy detailed information about the movie or album such as cover art, movie synopsis, album reviews, and track names from the Movie Guide. You can even skip past the trailers and other marketing content on DVDs
• Full Import Control - Import button on the front panel prevents accidental imports of content
• Motion adaptive deinterlacing and reverse 3:2/2:2 pulldown
• 10 bit 4:4:4 color processing
• Automatic video configuration
• Designed to import and play back content from a Kaleidescape system
• Sigma Designs (Gennum) VXP video processor chip
• Option to automatically detect and stretch 4:3 format movies
• HDMI v. 1.3
• Component and composite
• Dolby Digital, DTS, MPEG Audio, and PCM support
• Ethernet support

The Kaleidescape 1080p Player is available now while the 1080p Mini Player will be available in the second half of July.

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Technorati Tags: Kaleidescape 1080p Player, 1080p Mini Player

Are you short on room and looking for an integrated HDTV set of some sort? Check out the Westinghouse Digital VK-40F580D 40 inch 1080p HDTV/DVD Combo. This display combines a 1080p capable LCD panel with a front slot loading DVD player. Features on the VK-40F580D include the following:

• 2 HDMI ports
• 1920 x 1080 resolution
• ATSC/NTSC/ClearQAM tuner
• Preset and custom video modes
• Advanced Calibration Menu
• Integrated Front Load DVD player with PixelDirect technology which delivers DVD video to the screen using a direct path (shortest path possible) and the least amount of signal processing
• Side connectors

The VK-40F580D has an MSRP of $1149.

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Technorati Tags: Westinghouse Digital, VK-40F580D

Marantz will soon be releasing a new standalone Blu-ray/DVD/CD player unit called the BD8002. Features of the BD8002 include:

• HDMI 1.3a Output supporting 36bit Deep Color
• 10bit Silicon Optix Realta HQV Video Processor inluding video scaling up to 1080p, IP converter and 24fps output 
• Bit Stream HD Audio Output from HDMI
• HD Audio Decorder for Dolby TrueHD and dts-HD Master Audio
• Analog Devices 297Mhz/12bit Video DAC
• 7.1ch High Quality Analog Audio Output
• RS-232C Terminal for Custom Install Use

DivX also announced that the BD8002 will be DivX certified - great news for those of you with a lot of DivX content. The Marantz BD8002 will have a suggested price of $1999.99.

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Technorati Tags: Marantz BD8002, Blu-ray, DVD player. CD player, DivX

While it’s certainly “cool” to have your video collection on an iPod touch or a Microsoft Zune, there’s still something cool about having a portable DVD player. Perhaps it’s because you get a larger display than watching a movie on an iPod.. or perhaps it’s simply because it’s easier to pop a DVD into a portable DVD player than it is to connect to the net and purchase a movie rental via iTunes (or ripping and converting a DVD into an MP4 file). With that said, it’s nice to see companies continue to develop and manufacture portable players such as the new Sony DVP-FX720. This clamshell system comes with a nice large 7 inch display featuring a true 16:9 aspect ratio. Features include:

• USB port for JPEG and MP3 file playback
• 5 hour rechargeable battery
• Supports audio CDs and CD-R/RW with audio, MP3, or JPEG files
• Supports DVD-R/-RW/-R DL/+R/+RW and CD-R/-RW with DivX
• 12 bit/108 MHz video and 96kHZ/24 bit audio DAC
• Dual headphone jacks with volume control
• Integrated speakers
• Remote control and car adapter
• Available in glamour pink, blazing red, indigo blue, and white finish

[Check it out]

Technorati Tags: Sony, DVP-FX720 Portable DVD player

Sony is looking to make wireless multi-room listening a breeze with the introduction of four new home theater systems featuring support for their new S-AIR technology. S-AIR technology allows Sony to deliver on a simple wireless multi-room audio transmission solution as well as provide wireless audio to rear surround sound speakers. Audio can be transmitted up to 164 feet away with receivers coming in the form of Sony S-AIR Air Station receiver/speaker units which can be plugged directly into a power outlet.

The four new systems featuring S-AIR technology include the DAV-HDX576WF, DAV-HDX277WC, DAV-HDX279W and the DAV-HDX275. Common features of these four home theater solutions include:

• Five disc DVD/CD player
• Video upscaling to 1080p via HDMI
• Sony Digital Media Port
• Included cradle for iPod players (model TDM-iP10)
• Supports the Network Walkman player audio cradle, PC client device, and a Bluetooth adapter
• Digital Cinema Auto Calibration (DCAC)
• Dialogue Audio Enhancer with night mode
• Updated Portable Audio Enhancer

DAV-HDX576WF

• Includes one S-AIR Air Station receiver/speaker
• Includes wireless rear speaker kit
• Height adjustable floor standing speakers designed to match BRAVIA television sets
• Available in March for $500 dollars

DAV-HDX277WC

• Includes one S-AIR Air Station receiver/speaker
• Option to add a rear wireless speaker kit
• Available in March for $400 dollars

DAV-HDX279W

• Includes the rear wireless speaker kit
• Option to add S-AIR AIr Station receiver/speaker
• Available in March for $400 dollars

DAV-HDX275

• S-AIR Ready
• Option to add rear wireless speaker kit
• Option to add S-AIR transmitter with S-AIR Air Stations
• Available in March for $300 dollars

The WAHT-SA10 wireless speaker kit will be available in March for around $149 dollars. The AIR-SA10 Air Station receiver/speaker featuring eight watts of power, and an alarm clock function will be available in March for around $120 dollars.

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Technorati Tags: DAV-HDX576WF, DAV-HDX277WC, DAV-HDX279W, DAV-HDX275

One of the cooler things about covering CES is the chance to see what smaller electronics companies/manufacturers are up to - especially the no-namers in Asia. Case in point- a company called Utmost Technology Group which was founded in 1987 in Taiwan. We took a couple of pictures of the products that were on display in their CES 2008 booth. Enjoy!

As you can see here, Utmost makes and distributes a number of portable DVD players ranging in sizes from 3.5 inch displays (mini-DVD players) to dual screen DVD players.

Above is the 7 inch portable DVD player (model DV-H105).It’s a slim design DVD player (30 mm thick) with an internal battery and a USB port.

Here’s Utmost’s digital frame collection.

Above we have the 7, 8.5 and 9 inch digital photo frame collection. The left frame uses an acrylic frame while the right frame comes has a rounded plastic frame. Features of these digital picture frames include:

• Plays photos, videos, and music
• Slide out control panel design
• Hot key design for easy access to each mode
• Reads MS, SD, MMC, XD, CF and USB mass storage device
• USB On-The-Go port
• Clock and calendar
• 7 inch comes with a 480 x 234 resolution display
• 8.5inch comes with a 480 x 234 resolution display
• 9 inch comes with a 640 x 220 resolution display
• Supports MP3, JPG, MPEG1, MPEG2, and MPEG4 (DivX)

The middle set of frames are also available in 7 inch, 8.5 inch and 9 inch designs but they are strictly for photo and music playback only. They are always similar to the first set of frames.

Finally, the lower frames are picture only frames which are also available in 7 inch, 8.5 inch and 9 inch models.

The above funky looking device is actually a Digital Photo Viewer/Card Reader device. you simply slide your media card into the device and then connect the viewer to your television set to watch the digital images. The unit supports CompactFlash, SecureDigital, MMC, and Memory Stick cards. It automatically plays slide shows and you can even create effects such as rotation, flips, and zooms. It comes with a credit card sized remote control.

The above collection of digital photo frames include illuminated photo frames and “talking” photo frames. The talking photo frames allow users to record short audio clips which can then be played back by the photo frame.

Technorati Tags: Utmost Technology, CES 2008, Portable DVD players, Digital Picture Frames

Digital Trends has published a review of the Philips HTS8100 SoundBar DVD Home Theater here on their website. The HTS8100 is a full multi-channel surround sound system with an integrated 1080p video upscaling DVD player all combined into a single unit. Features of the HTS8100 include:

• Support for up to 1080p and Faroudja DCDi
• Support for Ambisound , Dolby Digital , DTS , Dolby Prologic II , Stereo
• Speaker Drivers: 2 x 1″ Soft Dome tweeters , 6 x 2.5″ Full Range woofers
• Subwoofer: 1 x 6.5″ Long Throw woofer
• Support for video compression formats: DivX 3.11 , DivX 4.x , DivX 5.x , DivX 6.0 , DivX Ultra , MPEG1 , MPEG2
• Plays back DVD-Video , DVD+R/+RW , DVD-R/-RW , Video CD/SVCD , CD-R/CD-RW

Here’s the verdict:

The HTS8100 is a solid performer and the surround technology does its job in a straightforward fashion that doesn’t require any learning curve in order to get it to work. This unit makes for a welcome addition where all the accouterments of a home theater are desired, but the room for including all the conventional components is not.

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Technorati Tags: Philips, HTS8100 SoundBar DVD Home Theater, Digital Trends, Review

HANNSG has introduced a new portable DVD player called the HP076VD. The HP076VD features a 7 inch wide-screen active-matrix LCD display, a “flip-up” lid, anti-shock protection, USB connectivity, media card support, MP3 playback via stereo speakers, JPEG viewing support, and a rechargeable NiMH battery (providing a scant 2 hours of battery life though). The HP076VD which comes with a power adapter, 12V car adapter, and carrying case, sells for £69.99.

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Technorati Tags: HANNSG, HP076VD, Portable DVD player,

KEF has launched two new products for their KEF Instant Theater (KIT) line called the KIT120 and the KIT140. The new KITs come in four components - two loudspeakers, a subwoofer with integrated power amplifier, and a matching CD/DVD player. The units are available in silver or black and feature:

• NXT panels
• KEF’s proprietary Uni-Q devices for wider dispersion
• HDMI port for single cable connectivity

The KIT140 will cost you £1,200 while the KIT120 will cost you £1,500.

[Check it out via Born Rich]

Technorati Tags: KEF, KIT120, KIT140