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Redbox, who has over 22,400 kiosks across the country is getting ready to release Blu-ray Discs to consumers in a nation-wide push for Blu-ray. Blu-ray Discs will be available in a majority of Redbox kiosks by July. While the details are still being released, Redbox has affirmed the obvious: Blu-ray won't be replacing DVDs, merely supplementing them. This would potentially affect selection at each location since the kiosks have a fixed amount of rentals available. There is, however, no information (yet) on whether the stock and inventory schedules will be changed to keep up with the change. In addition, according to their CEO, a majority of Redbox kiosks are not currently full, so there’s space to add Blu-ray titles without removing any DVDs currently available.
Long time members of the Audioholics Forums will know that we often have contests. This month, we have something a little special. Speakers from Aperion Audio, ZVOX, and Orb Audio. Up for grabs is something for everyone including a wireless sub, a single speaker surround solution, and a two channel sub/sat system.
HDMI Licensing, LLC, the agent responsible for licensing the High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) specification, today announced the release of HDMI Specification Version 1.4a featuring key enhancements for 3D applications including the addition of mandatory 3D formats for broadcast content as well as the addition of the 3D format referred to as Top-and-Bottom. The complete HDMI Specification Version 1.4a, along with the 1.4a version of the Compliance Test Specification (CTS), is available to Adopters on the HDMI Adopter Extranet.
The story was first reported at length on our own Audioholics Forums several months ago, but the official grand jury indictment finally came through for Mark L. Schifter of AV123.com. A grand jury has indicted the 53 year-old on suspicion of stealing $180,034 through an ongoing charity fraud. On Friday, Colorado Attorney General John Suthers announced the indictment, saying the grand jury accused Schifter of running 27 different illegal charity raffles on www.AV123.com where he kept most of the money for himself.
This year's Mobile World Congress (MWC) trade show was short on new handset bling but big on new software announcements, proving the GSM mobile world is anything but recession proof. An underlying optimism springs from the many software and operating system announcements; promise for the future.
Walmart Acquires VUDU Inc
Clint DeBoer
— last modified February 22, 2010 20:18
In a surprising announcement, Walmart announced today a definitive agreement to acquire VUDU, Inc., a leading provider of streaming digital technologies and services that enable the delivery of entertainment content directly to broadband high-definition TVs and Blu-ray players. The deal is expected to close within the next few weeks. VUDU's service, built into a growing number of broadband-ready TVs and Blu-ray players, delivers instant access to thousands of movies and TV shows directly through the television.
Digital HD (high definition), like that enabled through HDMI and Blu-ray, is awesome. It offers amazing picture and audio quality. It allows you to conveniently connect one single cable to provide both picture and sound. It is royally going to screw up a lot of homes next year. Wait, what was that last part? After December 31, 2010, manufacturers will not be "allowed" introduce new hardware with component video outputs supplying more than an SD resolution (480i or 576i). Should this go through as planned, it's going to disable or throw a wrench in a lot of existing custom installations as soon as the end of this year.
Once trumpeted as Sony’s return to high technology leadership, the company has stopped production of OLED TV in Japan. A Sony spokesman says the company intends to continue sales overseas, but what happens in Japan is often a foreshadowing of what will follow in the rest of the world. With worldwide shipments of just 2000 units it's not entirely an unexpected move.
The Sony PlayStation 3 is being set up for another huge transformation, one that will further its reputation as the "buy it once, use it forever" Blu-ray player. As the first product to offer HDMI 1.3, Sony is now pouring it on to bethe only existing Blu-ray console that will be able to be upgraded to 3D. We're hoping that "compatible" TVs aren't the limiting factor here and that the PS3 is fully upgradable with all TVs designated as 3D. To limit this technology to their Bravia line would be a shame, and lower the "amazement" factor of the firmware update. It would, however, explain all other manufacturers' claims that 3D functionality requires HDMI 1.4.
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