CNET News.com reports that Blue-ray Disc players will be using Java!

“The Blu-ray Disc Association, the standards body for the format, has decided it will adopt Java for the interactivity standards,” said Yasushi Nishimura, director of Panasonic’s Research and Development Company of America… “This means that all Blu-ray Disc player devices will be shipped equipped with Java.”

And what will it be used for?

Java will be used for control menus, interactive features, network services and games, Nishimura said.

One of the more interesting ramifications of this is:

The inclusion of Java in Blu-ray DVD drives will enable DVD updates over the network… That gives you the ability to download content. If somebody adds subtitles in Croatian, you don’t have to bake those into the disc. You can do that afterwards.

Link: CNET News.com - Java to appear in next-gen DVD players

If you think thin and like plasma and LCDs for that reason, but want the performance characteristics of CRT, then maybe Samsung has something for you. While not quite as slim as plasmas or LCDs, Samsung’s 30″ SlimFit HDTV is only 15.5″ deep. It costs only $875, another big advantage over LCDs or plasma.

Link: Luxist - Samsung SlimFit HDTV
Link: Samsung - TX-R3079WH SlimFit TV

The AVS Forum has an interesting thread about the $40k 3-chip D-iLA projector by Faroudja. The DILA1080pHD package comes with the DVP4000 scaler, which does not do 3:2 pulldown properly for 1080i sources. They’re bobbing 1080i to 540 and scaling up. The Perfect Vision’s Shane Buettner said in an article for that magazine that Faroudja is working on a on update, which may be ready by the time you read this.

But my point, and that of the forum poster, is that this was quite an expensive projector. If you’re laying out that much cash, you hope that they do things right. On the other hand, Mr. Peterson, a contributor to the thread, notes:

This isn’t really much of a surprise. At the time the Faroudja was introduced, was any consumer product performing full motion adaptive 3:2 pulldown on 1080i sources? Consumer 1920×1080 progressive displays are new, so it isn’t unreasonable to assume that the rest of the video chain is going to lag in development a bit. Bottom line though, Faroudja was one of the first companies to fully support 1080p (via the DVP-1080) so Faroudja owners have a solution.

The moral of the story is that you still have to be very careful of what you buy before HDTV technologies catch up to what the format is capable of.

Link: AVS Forum - $40k Faroudja 3-chip D-iLA doesnt do 1080i 3:2 pulldown

The other day I asked if GLV was making an appearance. Evidently I was wrong in that case, but HDTVexpert is reporting that indeed, somebody is making use of the technology. It looks like Evans and Sutherland have developed the technology for use in domes and planetariums.

It’s known as the DigiStar 3 and is basically the same product that Sony had planned to develop before their success with 4K LCoS sidetracked them.

Evans and Sutherland claim their GLV projector, for which they apparently have an exclusive license to use in domed theaters and simulators, can crank out images with 4000×4000 pixel resolution and 2,000 lumens of brightness per projector, using a 60 Hz refresh rate. By stacking a second projector, system resolution is claimed to be 8K x 8K.

Link: HDTVexpert - The Grating Light Valve emerges from hiding in Salt Lake City

Sony has two new HD PVRs available, one of which is just a capacity-reduced version of the other. The DHG-HDD250 can store up to 30 hours of HD programming while the DHG-HDD500 can double that. These PVRs include an HDMI connector and TV Guide listings. The cool thing about these bad boys is that they support CableCARD, so if you’re cable company supports that standard, you can record HD from cable. This still isn’t possible in Canada unless you get the PVR directly from the cable company. My PVR comes from Rogers. It would be nice to have a choice. (Evidently they’re good at making lots of money, but not so good at giving choice.)

Link: PVR WIRE - Two new Sony PVRs available

Microsoft and Toshiba, in a new announcement yesterday, said that they are working together to develop HD-DVD players, to cross-license technologies, and cooperate in designing new models of mobile PCs.

The deal, announced by Microsoft Corp. Chairman Bill Gates and Toshiba Corp. President Atsutoshi Nishida, is a big win for the HD-DVD format in its competition against another technology called Blu-ray Disc, which is backed by Sony Corp. and Apple Computers Inc., to become the world standard for next-generation of DVD players.

Gates, who is visiting Japan this week to meet with university students and business leaders, stopped short of calling the agreement exclusive, though he stressed he wanted to see HD-DVD become more widespread.

Nishida said it was unclear what effect the agreement between the Redmond, Wash., software giant and Japanese electronics maker will have on the format war. The competing sides, which have each lined up big-name companies and Hollywood studios for backing, have unsuccessfully been holding talks to try to agree on one standard.

Link: ABC News - Microsoft, Toshiba Team on HD-DVD Players
Link: DVD Recorder World - Sony - Toshiba Alliance Is Boost for HD-DVD

Design Technica has a review of Dish Network’s 942 HD PVR.

The DISH Player DVR model 942 is a high definition satellite receiver capable of recording up to 25 hours of high definition or 180 hours of programming on a 250GB hard-drive. However, what really makes model 942 exceptional is the fact that it allows you multi-room capability via one satellite receiver. It also includes DISH’s Video-On-Demand Service that provides the capability to “pause” live TV, record any type of DISH Network programming, skip recorded commercials, and create “instant replays.” Besides being able to “pause” live TV, the Video-On-Demand service allows you to fast forward/fast reverse at four speeds ( 4x, 15x, 60x, and 300x), skip forward (30-second increments), and skip back (10-second increments), and the capability to view shows in slow motion or frame-by-frame.

Link: Design Technica - DISH Network Player-DVR 942

[Update 01jul05:Home Theater Mag has a picture of one of these sets.]
Mitusbishi is joining the groups of manufacturers selling the ultimate in resolution when it comes to HDTV: 1080p. Mitsubishi has chosen TI’s DLP technology to get there, and will deliver the 52-inch WD-52627 for $3,699.

Not only will Mitsubishi be first-to-market with 1080p DLPâ„¢ HDTV, the company will also introduce the largest 1080p DLP televisions available in North America this year with three 73-inch models (WD-73727, WD-73827 and WD-73927). Overall, Mitsubishi will ship nine 1080p DLP™ models this summer and fall, ranging in size from 52 to 73 inches.

“1080p is just what is needed for today’s larger TV screen sizes,” said Frank DeMartin, vice president of marketing for Mitsubishi Digital Electronics America. “People who have seen our 1080p sets, from customers and retailers to industry writers and experts, have been amazed by the picture clarity, brightness and depth that Mitsubishi 1080p DLP HDTVs deliver.”

Because 1080p provides twice the resolution of the high definition 720p or 1080i displays found in most HDTVs today, viewers will be treated to more vivid pictures, no matter what the scene or content. And given its higher pixel density, even a super-sized 73-inch 1080p DLP HDTV can deliver a sharper picture than a 50-inch 720p model.

Link: eCoustics - Mitsubishi 1080p DLP HDTVs Ship

It’s almost like watching two bears fighting bitterly for a fish and seeing a little cub quietly sneaking the fish away. Everybody’s watching Toshiba and Sony position themselves for the HD disc war. A press release here, a bit of information there, a denial. Meanwhile, Microsoft is making deals to see WMV (Windows Media Video) HD on more and more red-laser based DVDs. This is the HD format Microsoft is supporting on their upcoming Xbox 360, and it looks like more and more people are jumping into the creek for a nibble at the fish.

Just a few WMV/HD titles are available, but that is expected to increase.

Microsoft has been walking a fine line between encouraging use and adoption of the format, and not wanting to appear to be competing with either Blu-ray or HD DVD.

“We saw an opportunity to use WMV 9 to deliver HD content to the PC in a way that added value to a traditional DVD and meets some of the growing consumer demand for high-definition content,” said Kevin Unangst, director of Windows Digital Media at Microsoft.

Link: Video Business Online (free subscription) - Microsoft Markets PC HD

Well, I reported that it may happen, and it seems to be the case. Atsutoshi Nishida hasn’t even warmed up the president’s chair at Toshiba yet, and he’s already telling his new minions to get the word out. I guess the underlings don’t get to keep their chairs toasty.

Seemingly dismissive of reports in the press last week that both Toshiba and Sony were abandoning talks, Nishida said in an interview with Kyodo News, “we will continue efforts….for the sake of users.”

Eee gads! That won’t sit well with some in Toshiba chairs. They must be miffed that Sony’s not budging on the physical format of any unified blue laser disc. (But really, you gotta adopt one or the other. I assume Toshiba’s taking the same stand but complaining about Sony’s.) And if Nishida really is serious about unification he’ll have to bow to Sony because Sony and Matsushita have both made it pretty clear they won’t compromise on the 0.1 mm layer thingy. Especially with the PS3 coming, this is a big thing for Sony, probably much bigger than the HD-DVD is for Toshiba.

Ach, what a mess. Someone’s gonna get burned britches from this one.

Link: DVD Recorder World - New Toshiba President Pushes To Unify Formats

I don’t watch ABC’s Good Morning America. I don’t watch NBC’s Today. So if you were to tell me that GMA is going HD in September, you might think that I don’t care. Au contraire. I do. I do care. I just won’t watch. The more content that becomes available in HD, the more HD content will get made. Like a snowball. Well, a snowball rolling down a snow-covered hill. With momentum and enough mass and all that. Anyway, you get the point.

In case you care:

GMA’s embrace of HD is an important milestone for the still-fledgling broadcast medium. Weekday network programming in HDTV has been nonexistent, with the exception of CBS’ HD broadcasts of The Young and the Restless. The costs associated with HD production, typically adding an average 15% to a program’s production budget, and the belief that the heavily female daytime audience is not clamoring for HD (most HD programming centers on sports and movies, both which have strong appeal to male viewers) have made weekdays a virtually HD-free zone. But ABC says it has detected a burgeoning interest among daytime viewers in the broadcasts.

Link: Broadcasting & Cable - High-Def Gets a Wake-Up Call

I’ll be the first to admit that I have a case of magnetic couch butt. It’s like I’m attracted to the sitting position. So I don’t play football, baseball, soccer, hockey, or, well, any sport at all. Nor do I watch any sport on my HDTV except for F1, which is only broadcast in SD. (Please, oh please Mr. Ecclestone, please bring us F1 in HD!) Today’s Penny Arcade sums it up. That said, there are a lot of people out there who at least like watching sports on TV, and I heard that there are others who actually play. Just imagine. Supposedly this whole sporting thing looks great in HD if you decide to watch instead of play. If you love football, HD “actually lets you see plays develop and see receivers get open downfield”, whatever that means.

So if you have sporting friends without HDTVs, you might want to do them a favour and point them to this article linked below.

Link: Star-Gazette.com - Mine eyes have seen the glory … and there’s no going back

Broadcasters are starting to use the more efficient (space-wise) MPEG-4 codec for their HD content, it seems. You see, it takes up less space, so therefore more MPEG-4 streams can be pushed to viewers in the same space previously used by MPEG-2 streams.

Tut Systems says it has deployed the first MPEG-4 headend in North America at Farmers Telephone Cooperative, a 60,000-subscriber operator in South Carolina. Farmers’ IPTV service is not available commercially yet, Tut officials say, but the telco is already streaming a “limited number of channels” in MPEG-4 to “a limited number of people.”

“They are surprised at the results; and the quality and bit rates that they’re seeing [are] pretty impressive,” says Tut’s VP of marketing Craig Bender.

And:

MPEG-4 video streams require about half the bit rate of MPEG-2 streams yet deliver comparable picture quality. To deliver two HD channels via MPEG-2 requires a bit rate of 16 to 18 Mbit/s, while the same two channels would use only 6 to 8 Mbit/s using MPEG-4 compression.

So there you have it.

Link: Light Reading - HDTV Pushes Telcos Toward MPEG-4

3LCD is just another way of saying that a display uses 3 LCD panels. Most projection LCD displays use 3 LCD panels. As a matter of fact, I don’t know of any projection LCD display that does not use 3 LCD panels. But anyway, LCD technology has been moving forward, creating better displays.

Other significant developments for 3LCD projection technology this year include the introduction of HTPS panels using an inorganic alignment layer that provides users with improved contrast levels and magnificently real blacks and shadow details optimized for home theater applications. And, most recently, a 3LCD manufacturer has developed a new HTPS panel with XGA (1024 x 768) resolution using a smaller 0.6-type (1.52 cm diagonal) panel that delivers high-resolution images surpassing those achieved by preceding products.

Link: PhysOrg.com - 3LCD Manufacturers Achieve Milestones

Brillian, a maker of LCOS 720p and 1080p LCOS devices and HDTVs, announced a 25 percent price reduction on its 720p HDTVs, starting July 1, 2005.

Jeff Meier of AVS Forum wrote about the Brillian 720p HDTV: “The Brillian 6501mB is the first rear projection television made by Brillian. It features LCoS™ (Liquid Crystal on Silicon) technology that is very similar to the highly acclaimed Sony Qualia 006. The biggest difference being this display is 720p (1280×720) instead of 1080p (1920xi1080) like the Qualia. However, don’t let this stop you from considering this display. The difference in how this display will look compared to the Qualia in day to day use is very small and the Brillian may actually be better for some people.” The review continued, “The Brillian 6501mB has the best overall HDTV picture of any 720p rear projection television that I have seen….The JVC D-ILA rear projection televisions I have calibrated do not hold a candle to this Brillian or the Qualia and they belong at a much lower price point.”

Link: eCoustics - Brillian Reduces MSRP on its Gen II LCoS(TM) 720p HDTVs