Playback software supporting Blu-ray (BD) commercial movies, and video cards certified for High-Bandwidth Digital Content Protection (HDCP) are now readily available, which means BD disc drives can now be used to their full potential. CyberLink has released an update to its PowerDVD software suite that enables support for LG’s BD drives, while Sony has issued …

A new survey has found that two-thirds of high-definition-capable TV owners lack an HDTV set-top box and half of consumers mistakenly believe that DVDs already offer HD video. Vendors, David Braue explains, have their work cut out for them in educating the public about the new technology. Consumers may be spending big on large new flat-screen TVs, but ignorance of …

Panasonic is betting its future on the proliferation of plasma TVs by investing 180 billion yen (AU$2 billion) in a new plasma display panel (PDP) plant that will double its current production capacity. Scheduled to open in July 2007, the new facility, located next to one of its existing PDP factories in Amagasaki, Japan, will boost Panasonic’s total production from …

commentary Bless her cotton socks, some six years after Australia’s first digital television broadcasts began in January 2001, Communications Minister Helen Coonan has announced an action plan to drive the take-up of digital services in Australia. The plan — called Ready, Get Set, Go Digital — includes the creation of a new government agency, Digital Australia, which will act as …

When asked what will be the most significant challenge for Panasonic over the next 10 years, Mr. Toshihiro Sakamoto, Senior Managing Director, President of Panasonic AVC Networks Company replied without hesitation that it was the development of televisions “post plasma”. Although the company is currently building a new plasma display panel plant that will double its PDP production capacity to …

Thanks for your question; we get quite a few along similar lines. As you have an SD TV, it would be a waste of money to upgrade to an HD STB, as no matter what, the output will not be higher than what the set is capable of producing. As standard definition set top boxes produce interlaced signals only (576i), …

Panasonic’s larger-than-life plasma panel (click for larger image) If you want bragging rights for the biggest TV on your block, start clearing wall space for Panasonic’s upcoming monster of a plasma panel that tips the display charts at 103 inches (that’s 2.62 meters of screen for the metric-minded). Panasonic showed off the panel last week at the CEDIA Expo on …

Many homes in Australia are plagued by an inconsistent power supply. Surges and spikes in the AC mains power, and power blackouts and lighting in particular, can destroy connected devices as higher than expected voltage travels through the lines. Often people have surge protectors guarding their PCs, but forget to protect similarly sensitive (and expensive) home theatre components and TVs. …

[? template(“/cnet/livery/storyfragments/feature/bluray_hddvd.htm”); ?] updated Another year, another global battle for tech supremacy. For most consumers, the decision whether to go with a plasma or LCD television is difficult enough. But consumers are now faced with the tough choice of two competing, next-generation DVD standards — Blu-ray and HD DVD. With the release of the PlayStation 3 and other HD players …

update One major issue holding back early adopters from plunging headfirst into the world of Blu-ray or HD DVD has been the dearth of commercial content available in Australia. What’s the use of having hot new next-generation hardware if you can’t watch any of the movies that are supposed to be so visually and sonically astounding? After a long wait …

Sharp shows off a 108-inch LCD TV at CES 2007. At a press conference the day before the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas opens, Sharp unveiled what its calling the world’s largest LCD television, a 108-inch (274cm) gargantuan set, under its AQUOS brand. Supporting 1080p full HD resoution, the 108-inch TV is the flagship set in a fleet of …

Taking the plunge with a big screen television? Here’s 10 questions you should be asking yourself before you hit the shops. 1. Do I have the room for a big TV? 2. Where in the room should the TV go? 3. Types of televisions 4. Going digital 5. What are the most important specs? 6. What about widescreen? 7. Inputs …

commentary Dear Channel Ten, Look, I’m sorry I slagged you off last year. So your Web site is pretty cruddy, especially when compared to Nine and Seven’s cannily integrated, partnership-boosted portals. So Yasmin turned out to be the queen of the harpies, and got boned from the network before she could get married. So you let Matthew Newton simulate a …

We’ve been hugely impressed with the two Popcorn Hour media streamers so far, the A-100 and A-110, but the company has another trick up its sleeve. Not everyone wants a specific case, and not every user needs the same amount of storage, so the Popcorn Hour B-110 is simply a home cinema PC motherboard with a customised processor and chipset. …

Here’s the deal: the One For All Energy Saver remote is designed to save you money, reduce your carbon footprint and generally reduce the remote clutter in your life. The eco problem with AV equipment is standby, of course — by not turning off your TV, DVD player and home cinema system you’re wasting money by lighting up an empty …