High Definition BLOG has some thoughts on the whole progressive versus interlaced dilema.

It is a fact that 720p is better for fast motion over 1080i. This is true but less for the progressive vs. interlaced argument given than the difference in frame rates. The 60fps video captures movement in half the distance than 30fps does. Stated another way, if we have an object in motion when it is captured at 60fps the distance the object has moved frame to frame will be half of the distance the object has moved when captured at 30fps. Now if we ignore every other factor, it should be clear that the motion would be smoother at 60fps than 30 fps. There is the little matter of resolution though, because the distance we see is the number of pixels the object has traversed. With the difference of 1920 vs. 1280 and 1080 vs. 720 the difference does not end up twice as smooth at 60fps vs. 30fps.

It’s a rather lengthy article, so I won’t try to summarize it all.

High Definition BLOG - More Thoughts On The I vs. P Issue

HTDude found a review of the Sony HS-60 3LCD projector. This is Sony’s attempt at competing with the Panasonic AE900U, and they look to be doing a very good job at it.

“The black level is so impressive that you never imagine such solid black coming from an LCD projector. The black is pure [and] does not have green bugs like DLP projectors… The picture is sharp and clean. The color is vibrant and vivid, but not over saturated.

Check out the original here.

HTDude - Sony HS-60 Review

If you’re one of the gaming masses to buy an Xbox 360 today, you’ll need to hook it up to your HDTV. And what a coincidence! I’ve already written an article about that over on PS3Blog! Actually, the article is about the PS3 and the Xbox 360, but they’re in separate sections, so if you dislike Sony, just skip over to the Xbox 360 section!

PS3Blog.net - How to Connect your PS3 or Xbox 360

Brillian Corporation has announced that all of it’s 720p and 1080p displays will be professionally calibrated by Imaging Science Foundation (ISF) technicians.

One of the biggest problems with HDTV’s today is that they’re not calibrated properly. There are two levels of calibration that can be done on the set: consumer and professional. Just doing a consumer-level calibration using a test disc like AVIA will result in a marked improvement in image quality. The next step is a professional ISF calibration.

To remedy the calibration issue and guarantee that the best image is delivered for each environment, Brillian is now including ISF calibration with all 720p and 1080p HDTVs purchased. A professionally certified HDTV calibrator will assess the lighting, room dimensions and user preferences and then calibrate up two inputs on each Brillian HDTV installed. End users simply need to contact Brillian at its toll-free number (1-800-706-0154) or at sales@brilliancorp.com after purchasing their TV to be provided with an ISF calibrator in their area.

This is a great idea that other manufacturers will copy. I’ve finally got the dough together for a professional ISF calibration of my HDTV, and I can’t find any recommendations for ISF calibrators in the Ottawa area. (I’d much prefer to use one that came recommended to me, and that I know has done Hitachi sets before.)

Broadcast Newsroom - Brillian Includes ISF Calibration With 720p and 1080p HDTVs

Put on your sunglasses because Epson is ready to scorch you with 1400 ANSI lumens of LCD projector power.

The Epson Cinema 550 will be sold online, in case you’re interested. And interested you just might be. It has 3 LCD panels, a resolution of 1280 x 720 (perfect for the Xbox 360 launching today), a contrast ratio of 3000:1, and an HDMI input. Oh, and did I mention the blistering 1400 ANSI lumens of light?

The zoom lens is 1.5:1, not quite as flexible as the Sanyo Z4 or Panasonic AE900U. But the lens shift feature is a good one, with more range than competing models. This will help with left-right and up-down placement of the projector. The projector also has good colour, low noise in theater modes, an excellent warranty and remote control.

On the bad side, when not in theater mode, it’s a little noisy. The image is also slightly soft on DVDs, and black levels aren’t as good as the competition.

Projector Reviews - Epson Cinema 550

Globe Technology has a review of the LG 23LX1R 23″ LCD HDTV. It has decent picture quality and is quite affordable, but doesn’t have an HDMI port. As well, the response time of this LCD display causes problems with fast moving scenes. It has a resolution of 1366 x 768.

In the end, the 23LX1R is worth checking out, particularly if you happen to be looking for a combined PC monitor and HDTV solution for your desk. It may be lacking a few frills, but its picture quality — the most important characteristic of any television or monitor — is better than average for its price range.

Globetechnology - LG 23LX1R 23-inch LCD HDTV

We knew TiVo was working on an HD TiVo, but what about one Comcast customers?

There’s a dual tuner HD box coming next year that will work with both cable and ATSC.

Or, if you have Comcast cable, there’s a version of TiVo coming that will work on the 6412 dual tuner HD cable platform.

Both are dual tuner HD, and both are planned to be out next year. Dan’s right - CES is typically where you’d hear more info/details.

eHomeUpgrade - TiVo Reconfirms Plans For A Standalone HDTV TiVo as Well as a Comcast HD TiVo Box

T3 has a small review of the Sim2 C3X projector.

At eleven grand, it’s one of the cheaper 3-chip DLP projectors available. Yup, no annoying rainbows with this baby.

The pictures are helped along by the unit’s Alpha Path system that stops light leaking out as it passes from the lamp to the lens. SIM2 has even used a specially designed lamp to make sure the pictures from this projector are considerably brighter than most of the competition. So it’s not surprising that the images it produces are amazingly sharp and detailed and have a real cinematic feel.

T3 - Sim2 C3X lite projector

[Edit: changed date to today so that you’d all see it!]

HDFEST is offering the first 15 HDBlog readers to respond to this message 2 free passes to opening night of the festival in Los Angeles taking place 7:30pm-10pm at the ETC Digital Cinema Lab at the Hollywood Pacific Theatre.

HDFEST is the world’s only high-definition film festival. All festival content was created exclusively using HD technology, and festival material is played back in HD resolution. On opening night, December 1st, HDFEST will screen a series of HD animations, HD comedy shorts and the HD feature film “Silence Becomes You” starring Alicia Silverstone shot with the Viper FilmStream camera. The festival schedule can be found at www.hdfest.com. To respond for the tickets, email admin@hdfest.com with (your name and your guest’s name), your address, and email address. Please mark the headline of your email “HDBlog Ticket Giveaway.” HDFEST will email you back with confirmation if you won and info about how to receive your two free passes.