Digital Tech News - Digital Technology & Consumer Electronics

Still Need to Make the DTV Transition? Call 1-888-CALL-FCC or 1-888-DTV-2009

The public has had its chance to get ready for the Digital TV Transition since it was delayed to give people more time to get DTV Converter Box Coupons or to buy a new Digital TV, but today the switch has officially been made in the US. If you were left in the dark, with no television signal, you can still get with the program and apply for TV converter box coupons through July 31 at www.dtv2009.gov, or by calling 1-888-DTV-2009. The FCC is also on the case, offering help to people who still need to make the switch from analog to digital.

"In any change this big, there are going to be disruptions," said FCC Acting Chairman Michael J. Copps. "We are trying our best to provide people, especially those who are most at-risk, with the help they need to make the switch as smoothly as possible. And we're going to keep offering it after June 12, so people should call us at 1-888-CALL-FCC."

If you already have an analog-to-digital converter box and it does not seem to be working, perform a rescan and remember to scan periodically to make sure that you are receiving all of the digital channels that are available in your area. You should also do a rescan on June 13th, as the digital TV transition and any channel changes are being done all day June 12th.

Assistance for consumers who are deaf or hard-of-hearing through Communication Services for the Deaf is available at 1-877-388-4968, 1-877-889-4279 (TTY), 1-866-351-1950 (video phone), 1-888-CALL-FCC, and www.c-s-d.org.

NEC CRV43 Ultra-widescreen Curved Display

If you can't swing the $7,999 price, you can at least dream of having this beautiful 43-inch NEC CRV43 curved display on your desktop.  NEC Display Solutions of America will make the impressive ultra-widescreen display available in July 2009, especially for those who use professional graphics, higher education, government, financial, command & control, digital imaging, and home office apps. Anyone lucky enough to use one of these will appreciate this curved display's double WGXA resolution (32:10 aspect ratio).

Blockbuster Video OnDemand Digital Movies Coming to TiVo DVRs

A new deal between Blockbuster And TiVo will bring Blockbuster OnDemand videos and movies to TiVo customers, and TiVo DVR promotions to Blockbuster's retail locations. Blockbuster OnDemand content for rent or sale will be integrated into TiVo Series2, Tivo Series3, TiVo HD, and TiVo HD XL DVRs, making it easy to download digital movies via a broadband connected TiVo using a remote control. 

So now you'll be seeing TiVo DVRs sold at a Blockbuster store near you and at blockbuster.com, and in the future TiVo subscribers will be able to access movies through the OnDemand service as well as through a by-mail service, like NetFlix. This will all come during the second half of 2009, so until then check www.tivo.com/blockbuster for the latest.

New HP Pavilion Elite m9600 Series Desktop PC and HP Widescreen Monitors Announced

HP announced its new Pavilion Elite m9600 Series Desktop, a multimedia and digital entertainment PC for enjoying videos, games, and photos. New widescreen monitors have also been introduced to take full advantage of the powerful HP Pavilion Elite m9600 system, which features and Intel Core i7 940 processor, up to 1 terabyte hard drive and 12 gigabytes of memory.

Available now through www.HPDirect.com the Pavilion Elite m9600 series PC starts at $949. It hits select retail stores nationwide starting April 13. The new HP widescreen monitors will be available starting April 6 at the following prices:

• HP w1858 Monitor (18.5-inch) starts at $169.
• HP 2009m Monitor (20-inch) starts at $199.
• HP 2159m Monitor (21.5-inch) starts at $239.
• HP w2338h Monitor (23-inch) starts at $299.

Also suggested with this set-up is HP's Wireless Eco-Comfort Mouse ($39.99), featuring responsive tracking with a high-precision laser sensor. It includes two buttons to launch applications, control volume, navigate, zoom, or launch websites.

Panasonic's SC-BT200 and SC-BT300 Blu-ray Home Theater Systems

Panasonic's new SC-BT200 and SC-BT300 7.1 channel Blu-ray Home Theater systems have been priced and are ready to ship in April.  The SC-BT200 system delivers 1000 watts (1kHz, 3 ohms, 10% THD)  has a $599.95 price tag, while the SC-BT300, pumping out 1250 watts (1kHz, 3 ohms, 10% THD) will cost $699.95.  Each home theater system includes seven speakers, with wireless-ready rear speakers and an integrated universal iPod dock adding value to the package. 

On the hi-def Blu-ray front, both the SC-BT300 and the SC-BT200 are BD-Live capable, allowing you to connect to the Internet to download bonus content available with Blu-ray Discs, or to play Internet games. Panasonic's own VIERA Cast is also on board providing access to the Amazon Video-on-Demand online movie rental service, as well as online video content from You Tube, photos via Picasa Web Albums, web widgets, news and weather updates.

Sony Announces New Blu-ray Disc Players and Home Theater Systems

Sony has added a few new Hi-def entertainment products to its line-up,  including a new stand-alone Blu-ray Disc player with Wi-Fi capability for easy BD-Live access, and Blu-ray Disc home theater systems with S-AIR wireless audio features.  Sony's new BDP-S360 and BDP-S560 stand-alone players and BDV-E300 and BDV-E500W BD home theater systems deliver full HD 1080/60p and 24p True Cinema output, decode the latest advanced audio codecs, and are BD-Live capable.

3DFusion's Broadcast Ready, Glasses Free 3DFMax 3D Display Platform

At the Digital Signage Expo in Las Vegas, 3DFusion (3DF) presented its 3DFMax, stereoscopic Glasses Free and Broadcast Ready 3D display platform which will help usher in true 3DTV and 3D digital signage. Enabling this is Philips 3D Solutions WOWvx product.

3DFusion a key Philips North American 3D Solutions Provider and Certified Blue Box Content Creator, has taken the newly released Philips 3D Solutions WOWvx Media Player to the next level. “When 3DF coupled its 3DFMax™ optimizer technology with the latest Philips software upgrade,” stated CEO Ilya Sorokin, “the results were breathtaking. The Philips 3D Solutions WOWvx product is the undisputed 3D winner, having crossed the 3D finish line first. In our opinion, the 3DFusion No Glasses Stereoscopic 3D is the first and only 'ready for Prime Time' 3DTV.”

President Obama Signs Legislation to Delay DTV Transition to June 12

It's official. President Obama has signed the legislation (bill S.352) to delay the conversion from analog to digital TV signals from February 17 to June 12, giving millions of Americans an extra four months to get with the DTV program.

"During these challenging economic times, the needs of American consumers are a top priority of my administration. This law, which was crafted in a bipartisan way and passed overwhelmingly in the House and Senate, ensures that our citizens will have more time to prepare for the conversion. Millions of Americans, including those in our most vulnerable communities, would have been left in the dark if the conversion had gone on as planned, and this solution is an important step forward as we work to get the nation ready for digital TV. My administration will continue to work with leaders in Congress, broadcasters, consumer groups and the telecommunications industry to improve the information and assistance available to our citizens in advance of June 12."

 via | The White House Blog

Digital TV Transition Delayed? More time to get a DTV Converter Box Coupon?

Thanks to the Obama administration, more DTV Converter Box coupons could have been available between now and the new proposed June 12, 2009 DTV transition date, but unfortunately the Bill was defeated in the U.S. House of Representatives. Those who depend on old televisions with rabbit ear antennas may still have a few more months to get with the digital revolution. Originally scheduled to switch on February 17 2009, the transition from analog to digital TV broadcasting could still hopefully be pushed back to June 12, 2009, as the fight continues next week in Washington DC. You can apply for a DTV Converter Box coupon now at www.dtv2009.gov where you will be put on a very long waiting list.

Circuit City Stores Begin Going-out-of-business Sales

Sadly, all 567 Circuit City Stores across the United States will soon be closed, resulting in more than 30,000 employee layoffs. I stopped by my local Circuit City store and saw that they have already begun their liquidation sale, marking down all items by 10-30%. I'll be watching for more electronics deals as they lower prices even more in the coming weeks. Circuit City's going-out-of-business sales are expected to last 6-8 weeks, while some stores will close sooner than that. The nation's second largest consumer electronics retailer will be liquidating $1.8 billion in retail inventory.

“Everything will be liquidated to the bare walls,” “Absolutely everything in the stores must be sold.” said Andy Gumaer, chief executive officer of Great American Group, who are involved in conducting the Circuit City going-out-of-business sales.

MEdiaCOre MECO Digital Command Center Cabinets

Pictured here is Pearing Core Systems' MEdiaCOre MECO system, a stylish state-of-the-art digital command center in a hand-crafted cabinet. The system runs on a PC, and is powered by Windows Media Center, giving you full control over your home entertainment audio and video components and multimedia pulled from the Internet on to your TV. 

The MECO is detailed in the demo video below. Starting at a hefty $5000, this high-end system boasts the following:

* Connect existing home TV and audio systems to MECO to watch Internet movies and television, stream Internet radio, listen to MP3s and review your digital photos and video.

* MECO has two cable boxes, a wireless router, and Blu-Ray and DVD-RW/CD-RW drives built into the system, plus room to integrate your existing media components, such as iPods and gaming systems.

* Automate your home by controlling your lighting, security, irrigation and other home systems.

* Wirelessly stream media throughout your home ­ MECO can send digital content wirelessly to all of your WiFi-enabled equipment, such as TVs, laptops and other game systems.

* Access all of your PC applications, either through an additional monitor or use your TV as your screen. The MECO cabinet is designed to keep the system cool and quiet, and provides easy access to all components for future upgrades and maintenance.

PQ Labs iTable and Multi-Touch G² Touch Screen Demo Video

Do yourself a favor and watch this demo video of PQ Labs Inc.'s Multi Touch Screen G² (left), and the new iTable which was presented at CES 2009. The iTable is a slim and portable Multi-Touch presentation system that can be used in table form or be tilted as a drafting panel. As you'll see in the video, one or more persons can use multiple fingers to interact with the iTable, eliminating the need for a mouse and keyboard.

iTable will be officially released for retail in the summer of 2009, while PQ Labs' Multi-Touch G² touch screen overlay, which can be mounted onto LCD TVs, is available now starting at $2,399.00. Multi-Touch G² is includes multi-touch software for entertainment, gaming, business presentation, window shopping for retail chains, data visualization and 3D demos, etc.

CNET's Best of CES 2009 Award Winners Announced

At the 2009 Consumer Electronics Show, CNET editors just handed the innovative Palm Pre phone a "Best in Show" award and the Palm Pre was also honored with the CES "People's Voice" award which was voted by thousands of electronics enthusiasts online. Yes, Palm is back in a big way.

"Once again, our editors were impressed by the innovation and creativity showcased at CES, particularly in the cell phones and smartphones category as evidenced by the top winners of the awards this year," said Scott Ard, Editor-in-chief of CNET Reviews. "The Palm Pre truly stood out for its beautiful and smooth design, and simple, easy-to-use interface with a multi-touch screen. Our CNET editors particularly liked the Palm Pre's ability to run multiple applications simultaneously and its open operating system that could prove to be an attractive platform for software developers. Winning both the 'Best of Show' and 'People's Voice' awards -- a first for the show -- Palm Pre is poised to be one of the most anticipated tech gadgets in the coming year."

Watch CNET's CES 2009 awards video and Palm Pre preview video below:

Seagate FreeAgent Theater HD Media Player Demo Video

Robert Scoble of Fastcompany and Scobleizer.tv and a Seagate rep offer up a demo video of the new Seagate FreeAgent Theater HD media player, which is described as "a complete home theater solution designed to enhance the experience of enjoying digital media by providing an easy way to play your favorite videos, movies and photos on your TV." 

The Seagate FreeAgent Theater media player is designed to work with Seagate's award-winning FreeAgent Go portable hard drives, and when combined you'll be able to easily see your stored digital media on a HDTV screen rather than on a computer monitor.  The Seagate FreeAgent Theater HD media player can be purchased as a stand-alone unit for use with any USB storage device, or with a FreeAgent Go portable drive included, starting at $129.99.  It hits retail stores in March. Watch demo video below.

30,000 eBooks for iPhones and iPod Touch from BooksOnBoard

Apple iPhone and iPod Touch owners will be happy to know that BooksOnBoard has released no less than 30,000 eBook titles for these devices. The eReader eBook format books include titles by Gena Showalter, Nora Roberts, Michael Connelly, David Baldacci, Stieg Larsson, Susan Mallery, and Harlequin's One Click Buy January Blaze Bundle.

You will need the free Stanza application found in the iPhone apps store in order to download and read the books, and the company says that most eBooks can reside on several devices at once for personal use without violating copyright. BooksOnBoard also has over 5,000 MP3 Audio Books which can be downloaded and added to iTunes.