All High-definition Feeds

Asda talks budget Blu-ray players

Marc Chacksfield — 1210937160

Ed Watson, head of PR at Asda, has contacted TechRadar about Asda’s plans to release budget Blu-ray players on the market like its American counterpart WalMart. Unfortunately, it does look like we will have to wait a little longer for a cheaper way to play Blu-rays.

Speaking exclusively to TechRadar, he said that: “[There’s] no plans as yet but we will be getting them in the future at ASDA Price, of course.”

At the moment Asda is selling four Blu-ray players: Panasonic DMPBD30, SharpBD-HP20H, Sony BDPS300B, Samsung BDP1400.

Out of these player only the Panasonic’s DMPBD30 and Samsung’s BDP1400 are Profile 1.1, which gives the players Picture-in-Picture interactivity and BD-Java compatibility, essentially unlocking some extra features on selected Blu-ray Discs.

The price to pay

Out of the players available, the cheapest is the Profile 1.1 BDP1400 at an online price of £259.32. Alhough this is a competitive price for here in the UK, when you consider the BDP1500 (the Profile 2.0 successor of the BDP1400) is now selling at WalMart for $350 (£180) there does now seem to be a big gulf between the affordability of players across the water.

WalMart stocks cheap Blu-ray players

Marc Chacksfield — 1210935360

WalMart, the largest retailer in the world has announced it has began stocking the Magnavox NB500MG9, a Profile 1.1 BD player, for just $298. This is $100 less than a PlayStation 3.

In Blu-ray terms this is a significant mark-down in price from previous ‘budget’ releases.

And while it may be a budget deck, it doesn’t look like Magnavox – a sub-division of Philips – has scrimped on features.

Not only does the player have Bonus View capabilities, it also acts as a DVD upscaler to 1080p.

A quick glance at the rear panel shows the following connections: component video-out; HDMI v1.3 out; Audio-out; digital-out (coaxial); and video-out.

Audio-heads will be disappointed to hear that there’s no on board advanced codec decoder, but the player will reportedly bitstream hi-res audio out.

Two’s up

If a $300 BD player wasn’t enough to grab the retailer headlines, Walmart has also announced a cut to the price of the Samsung BD-P1500 Profile 2.0 BD-Live player. At $350 this is an absolute bargain, and will hopefully give Blu-ray the kick-start it needs and get the format not just into the living rooms of AV enthusiasts but everyday consumers as well . If only we lived in America.

WalMart was one of the most influential retailers in the success of DVDs. When it started to sell players at a similar price as the software, consumers bought in their droves.

A similar thing happened recently, when the supermarket giant chose Blu-ray over HD DVD as the format to sell. With the stocking of the NB500MG9 and BD-P1500, it looks like history is starting to repeat itself.

We have contacted Asda, which is owned by Wallmart, to see if the UK company will follow suit but it has not yet commented.

Samsung OLED laptop prototype: latest developments

Gareth Beavis — 1210933200

Samsung SDI has unveiled a concept laptop using an active matrix OLED (AMOLED) with an advanced backplane driver, allowing for better driving of the high-resolution display.

Samsung’s prototype - developed for this year’s upcoming SID 2008 event in the US - has all the fancy gubbins: a touchscreen keyboard so light the screen needs a stand for balance, a technologically advanced monitor capable of super-high resolution and contrast.

But the technology behind the screen is what could make this announcement one of the most pivotal in the ‘OLEDs in laptops roadmap’.

Most OLEDs in use for mobile phones today use a technique called passive matrix driving, which uses a larger amount of power and has a lower refresh rate for movement - fine for smaller screens but tricky for laptops and TVs.

AMOLEDs have individual transistors throughout the display - allowing for more effective power consumption and more impressive graphics, but they cost more and are harder to fabricate without high failure rates.

Samsung’s WXGA (1280x768) also uses a more advanced manufacturing technique to create the TFT backplane for the screen - it may not seem important, but one of the biggest hurdles to OLED development is cost, so to develop a cheaper way of making them is a good thing.

All a silly con?

And after that, it gets a bit more technical, but again, very important in the future road map.

Silicon is used in the TFT backplane used to tell the pixels what to do, but can either:

Poly-silicon (poly-si) mostly used, effective but not really good enough at bigger sizes, especially in making the screens last long enough)

Amorphous silicon (a-si) good enough to provide 20 times the picture quality of poly-si, but unstable and expensive to use.

But Samsung has gone with a-si for the prototype, which might not seem exciting as they’ve done it before with other screens, but rumours are the technology is getting better all the time, especially as intensive development has begun in the OLED TV wars between the bigger companies.

It might be dull now, but could be the springboard for prettier, thinner displays in the future.

HANNSG announces low-cost 1080p monitor

Marc Chacksfield — 1210761780

HANNSG, the Taiwanese panel manufacturer, has just announced its latest 1080p monitor, the HG281DJ.

Boasting 1920 x 1200 WUXGA true 1080p resolution, the 28in monitor is ideal for all your HD viewing needs.

Predominately aimed at videomakers, designers and photographers – i.e. those looking for the utmost clarity in their images – the HG281DJ is both PC and Mac compatible. However, as the HG281DJ is kitted out with a 3ms response time, gamers may well want to give the panel a look as well.

Stay connected

Inputs on the monitor are as standard. You get the obligatory HDMI port (with HDCP support), VGA, audio and component.

The only thing that lets the monitor down is its contrast ratio. At just 800:1 we would have expected better. At least the panel is equipped with anti-glare technology and a clean viewing angle of 160 degrees.

The price is right

At £400, this latest HANNSG release is one of the cheapest 28in 1080p HD monitors around. In fact, if we were a filmmaker, at that price we would probably buy two and have a rather nice twin-monitor HD setup.

The HG281DJ is available now from www.misco.uk and comes with a three-year warranty.

Pioneer updates its Blu-ray range

Marc Chacksfield — 1210586460

Sleek and sexy is the order of the day for Pioneer’s new range of Blu-ray players. The robust, piano-black machines boast impressive audio and visual capabilities, but it all comes at a premium.

Features-wise the BDP-05FD and BDP-51D are jam-packed. They both include 1080p/24fps video output, Picture-in-Picture interactivity, a DVD upscaling option (up to 1080p), and audio options so good that they deserve a new paragraph all to themselves.

Superior sound

Pioneer has managed to squeeze in support for all HD audio formats – an industry first. This means that Dolby TrueHD, DTS HD, Dolby Digital Plus and DTS HD Master Audio all get a look in when it comes to watching your chosen Blu-ray Disc with superior sound.

As with Pioneer’s previous players, there’s added interactivity with its Kuro range of TVs and AV receivers giving, the company states, “the most true-to-life reproduction of HD feature films.”

The BDP-05FD is the Elite player of the two and has some extras added to its chassis, including gold-plated connection points, touch key buttons and an enhanced video processor.

What Pioneer has failed to include, though, is BD-Live (Profile 2.0). The company has instead decided to stick with BonusView (Profile 1.1). This means that those looking for the most up-to-date interactivity possible should look elsewhere - ie, buy a PlayStation 3.

Pricey players

Even though Blu-ray has won the battle for HD supremacy, the price point for BD players is still high. At the moment there’s no UK prices announced, but the BDP-51FD will be $599 (£300) and the Elite BDP-05FD will be available to buy for $799 (£400) when they are both released in the summer. As with all US-released Blu-ray players, expect the names of the UK versions to change. We will keep you updated prior to release.

Criterion embraces Blu-ray

Marc Chacksfield — 1210332180

Hi-def enthusiasts rejoice! Prestigious US movie distributor Criterion has lined up 13 titles to be released on Blu-ray in the coming months.

The company, which is famed for its brilliant restoration of classic movies such as The Man Who Fell To Earth and Dr Strangelove, has pencilled in an October release for its first-ever HD line-up. The movies released are wide-ranging – from Carol Reed’s The Third Man to Wes Anderson’s Bottle Rocket.

Criterion is promising in its newsletter to make sure pricing of the discs are similar to their standard-definition equivalents.

Those familiar with Criterion will know the company likes to take care of its film collection. It was among the first to introduce the widescreen format to video, and it also had the ingenious idea of filling up the space of discs with audio commentaries and the like.

Compatibility issues

Unfortunately, there’s no word yet if The Criterion Collection Blu-rays will be multi-region. So, if you’re based in Europe, it is best to check if your Blu-ray system is Region A compatible before you whip out the credit card and get ordering.

Those who are interested in getting their hands on the company’s Blu-ray titles can check out the full list of movies here.

Toshiba to launch Blu-ray player

Audley Jarvis — 1209123509

While Toshiba continues to lick its wounds after pulling the plug on its HD-DVD format a Brazilian affiliate of the Japanese electronics giant could be about to launch a hybrid TV tuner and Blu-ray and HD DVD player.

According to Engadget the new player is being released by Semp Toshiba in Brazil at the end of April and is set to retail as the Spectra. Apparently it’ll be powered by a Core Duo 6300 and Windows Home Premium and will allow users to play both Blu-ray and HD DVD discs.

Sanctioned

Semp Toshiba is the result of a merger between Toshiba with Society Eletromercantil Paulista in 1977. Although, there’s no clear indication of how much rope the company is allowed to operate on, we’d hedge our bets that Toshiba executives Japan would probably sanction their actions nonetheless.

After all, regardless of any loss of face that might be entailed, Toshiba is in the business of making money. And if the company wants to make money from the hi-def disc player market, then eventually it’ll have to come up with a Blu-ray player.

Updated: Is a Blu-ray player really worth buying?

Ian Calcutt — 1207839600

High-definition TVs are everywhere but the vast majority of what people watch on them is still old fashioned standard-def material. There are now plenty of choices for getting spectacular HD content onto the screen, not least of which is Blu-ray.

However, there are also lots of HD movies on Sky, you can upscale any DVD to near-HD levels of quality and there's the promise of Freeview HD by 2012. Blu-ray might have won the format war, but is a Blu-ray player really worth getting?

"No," says Ian Calcutt

Blu-ray is not the only way to enjoy an HD quality picture. A good upscaling DVD player (like the Denon DVD-1730 ) will cost a fraction of the price of a next-gen disc spinner, even producing 1080p resolutions in some cases. DVD is hardly about to die out.

Blu-ray hardware is expensive. It's all very well if you're a gamer and have a PlayStation 3 (by far the best Blu-ray player, by the way), but home cinema buffs have to pay over the odds for a decent standalone player.

Ok, so the format war between Blu-ray and HD DVD did create consumer confusion. But the competition did drive hardware prices down to almost ludicrously low levels. Did you know that since HD DVD bowed out, prices of some Blu-ray players have actually gone up?!

HD DVD was pretty finalised as a spec, but Blu-ray's hardware and software are still evolving. Some older Blu-ray players have no Ethernet ports for accessing upgrades and interactive disc features via broadband. Many also lack outputs to make the most of the picture and sound that discs can deliver. Some players don't support 7.1 channel audio and many don't meet the latest v1.3 spec of HDMI , allowing for better colour and lip-sync. Don't buy a Blu-ray player unless it supports the full Profile 2.0 spec.

You can get HD movies, sport, drama and documentaries from satellite and cable TV. Both platforms also use PVR technology for on-demand HD viewing.

Finally, the internet will become an increasingly important way to deliver HD. So, unless you really must build up a collection of discs on your shelf, why do you even need another disc player? Microsoft's Xbox Live already offers HD downloads to subscribers and you should expect other download services (including Apple's iTunes) to follow suit in the future. Why do we need another disc format, when digital delivery is obviously the next big thing?

"Yes," says Matt Hastings

Blu-ray won the high-def disc war, so it's the only way to watch true HD movies on your TV (unless you're a Sky HD or Virgin Media subscriber).

Even the best upscaling DVD players are no match for genuine HD source material. Why stick with DVD's dated video system (based on very lossy MPEG-2 compression) and rely on an upscaler's guesswork at what bits of the image are missing? Get the whole thing for real on Blu-ray disc. For those movies you still own on DVD, Blu-ray players upscale too, so you get the best of both worlds.

The average TV is getting bigger as technology improves and relative prices come down. Normal DVD pictures are going to start looking increasingly worse in the months and years to come. As a delivery system for HD, Blu-ray is a natural fit for big TVs.

Blu-ray can support films in the higher quality 1080p progressive scan format. Some players also offer a 24 frames-per-second output for as close a match to the original cinema copy as possible. You don't get 1080p with HDTV broadcasts and HD DVD players are not yet 24fps-compatible.

The audio capabilities of Blu-ray also far exceed those of DVD. Lossless high-end formats such as Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD are making movies sound as good as they did to the engineers in the mastering suite.

Like computer memory, you rarely realise how much you're going to want until you're outgrowing your system. At 50GB, Blu-ray has the highest capacity among disc-based media. And its future potential for storing top-notch pictures and high-bandwidth sound is currently unbeatable. Blu-ray can also be put to many other uses, from HD computer games on Sony's PS3 to backing up massive amounts of PC data.

Updated: 10 of the best 32-inch HD TVs

John Archer — 1207825200

Did you know that 32-inch TVs have apparently now been usurped by 37-inch models as the UK's TV size of choice? Nevertheless, the humble 32-incher still has a heck of a lot to offer. It satisfies two completely different buyers: people after a decent-sized TV for their decent-sized living room; and those more TV-centric people who fancy a second high-def TV in the house.

So now that we've established just how many of you could potentially be interested in buying a 32-inch LCD, it's time we got down to business. Here's TechRadar's Top Ten best 32-inch TVs... all HD ready, of course... (prices quoted are best online prices as of 10 April)

10. Sharp LC32AD5E, £449

The LC32AD5E is Sharp’s current entry-level, HD Ready set with no frills and an appealing price.

An extensive selection of connections include the now de rigueur two HDMIs (version 1.2 not 1.3, sadly), a component video input and a PC port. It's a good-looking set, and while colours can tend to look a little off-key during dark scenes, the performance is good for the price point. The factory picture settings don't do the Sharp LC32AD5E justice.

The occasional weak colour tones are counter balanced by some really intense, vibrant saturations. And we were also impressed by the crispness of the LC32AD5E’s HD playback. [Read the full Sharp LC32AD5E review]

Key specs: * 1366x768 native resolution * Digital tuner * two HDMI inputs * VGA port * 19kg

9. Hitachi 32LD9700, £689

There was a time when this now slightly ageing LCD TV was pretty much state of the art. But it's now being usurped from its class-leading position by younger, fitter models. Nevertheless, its punchy, noiseless, colour-rich and ultra-stable pictures, neat design and unusually wide viewing angle still combine to make it one to consider. Especially now that age appears to have substantially withered its price... [Read full Hitachi 32LD9700 review]

Key specs: * 1366x768 native resolution * Digital tuner * Picture Master HD processing * two HDMI inputs * 28kg (weight)

8. Panasonic Viera TX-32LXD700, £700

This is the first of three Panasonic LCD models to make our top 10 - not bad for a brand supposedly more into plasma. With outstanding pictures and features galore, the 32LXD700 is actually Panasonic's flagship 32-inch LCD.

So why isn't it higher up our chart? Because we don't think its distinguishing features of an extra HDMI port, SD card slot and more powerful speaker system justify the price hike over the brand's cheaper models. [Read full Panasonic Viera TX-32LXD700 review]

Key specs: * 1366x768 native resolution * Digital tuner * V-Real 2 and 100Hz processing * two HDMI inputs * 19kg (weight)

7. Panasonic Viera TX-32LMD70, £434

And so we come to Panasonic's second top 10 model. And this one's actually the brand's entry-level offering. Which means that, as well as the third HDMI, SD card slot and enhanced audio of the 32LXD700, it also lacks that model's 100Hz processing for smoother, crisper motion handling.

But while we do certainly miss 100Hz here, the set still manages to deliver a performance that trounces the majority of its direct competitors. [Read full Panasonic Viera TX-32LMD70 review]

Key specs: 1366x768 native resolution * Digital tuner * V-Real 2 processing * two HDMI inputs * 19kg (weight)

6. Sony KDL-32D3000, £599

In terms of specifications and features, the first of Sony's 'proper' second-generation Bravia LCDs is outstanding. New v1.3 HDMIs, 100Hz processing, 24fps signal handling and 10-bit colour reproduction join the already impressive Bravia Engine imaging system.

Our only quibble is that it's hard to appreciate the full worth of some of these features on a 32-inch screen, which makes the TV look a touch expensive. [Read full Sony KDL-32D3000 review]

Key specs: 1366x768 native resolution * Digital tuner * Bravia and 100Hz processing * three v1.3 HDMI inputs * 17.5kg (weight)

5. Philips 32PF9641D, £678

Philips has a confusing habit of using different generations of its Pixel Plus picture processing system on different models across its LCD range. And it turns out that the Pixel Plus version on the 32PF9641D is now two generations old.

But that doesn't stop the TV from producing superbly sharp, detailed, colour-rich and high-contrast images. Instead it just means you can pick the set up for a relative song. Kerching! [Read full Philips 32PF9641D review]

Key specs: 1366x768 native resolution * Digital tuner * Pixel Plus 2 HD processing * two HDMI inputs * 23kg (weight)

4. LG 32LB75, £479

Obviously we're not so shallow as to be seduced by looks alone. But, well, they do help... And anyway, even though the first TV from LG's new Design Art range is possibly the prettiest 32-inch TV ever, that's certainly not the end of its charms. It also boasts all manner of excellent features - including 1080p/24fps compatibility and LG's XD Engine processing - and comfortably LG's best LCD pictures yet.

Key specs: 1366x768 native resolution * Digital tuner * Advanced XD Engine processing * three HDMI inputs * 12.6kg (weight)

3. Panasonic Viera TX-32LXD70, £599

We've picked Panasonic's mid-range 32-inch LCD, the 32LXD70, as the brand's highest-placed model for the simple reason that it seems to offer the best combination of price and features.

Plus, of course, with 100Hz processing on hand to join the ever-dependable Panasonic V-Real image engine, its pictures are an absolute joy from start to finish. [Read full Panasonic Viera TX-32LXD70 review]

Key specs: 1366x768 native resolution * Digital tuner * V-Real 2 and 100Hz processing * two HDMI inputs * 23kg (weight)

2. Samsung LE-32R87BD, £406

Samsung's enviable position as the world's biggest producer of LCD screens means it can sell LCD TVs like the 32R87BD at prices rival brands frankly have to crucify themselves to match.

Crucially, the 32R87BD's appeal isn't exclusively its groundbreaking price. It's also adorable to look at, crammed with unexpected features and flexibility, and - with the exception of a little motion blur - a really excellent performer to boot. [Read full Samsung LE-32R87BD review]

Key specs: 1366x768 native resolution * Digital tuner * DNIe and Movie Plus processing * three HDMI inputs * 13.1kg (weight)

1. Philips 32PFL9632D, £763

This Philips model may not be the most expensive in our top 10, but it's also comfortably the best. Driving it right to the top of our 32-inch pile is its remarkable new Perfect Pixel Engine processing, which works in tandem with an innovative multi-source backlight system to largely eradicate LCD's problems with motion handling. At the same time, it serves up sensational sharpness, colours and black levels. Truly benchmark stuff. [Read full Philips 32PFL9632D review]

Key specs: 1366x768 native resolution * Digital tuner * Perfect Pixel Engine processing * three HDMI inputs * 18.2kg (weight)

Dell launches cheapest Blu-ray laptop

1206967790

If you are still to enter the 'high definition era' then Dell’s new competitively-priced, colourful Inspiron 1525 laptop range might well tempt you in.

Dell’s new laptop not only comes in a number of colours (including a strangely bilious yellow) but also includes a Blu-ray player, priced at a mere £329.

Standalone TV Blu-ray player

The Inspiron also features a 15.4-inch high definition wide aspect display with 720p resolution. And, should you have a decent high definition telly, you can plug the laptop into that via a HDMI port.

Cheap as chips, but we’ll pass on that garish yellow thanks Dell.