News / Media

A/V gear, gadgets, Blu-ray movies, video games, and more for your holiday shopping.

November 04, 2010 by EH Staff

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http://www.electronichouse.com/article/the_ultimate_holiday_gift_guide_2010/

SpeakerCraft FloBox

Every party needs music, and what better way to get everyone involved than with an iPod-, iPad-, iPhone-friendly audio system. As host, you can start things off with your tunes, then turn control over to guests, who can pop in their portables to play. The FloBox Mini from SpeakerCraft, available in glossy yellow, red, silver, black or white, is sure to be the life of the party. Its two 3-inch midrange drivers and two .75-inch tweeters sounds sweet, too.

Kula TV

There’s a lot of great video online. One of the handiest ways to tap into it is through a device like the Kula TV from Sungale. The 3.5-inch portable screen can grab and display more than 500 channels of online TV programs from all over the world. Channels are categorized by news, sports, shopping, etc. It’s built in battery lasts up to four hours, and there’s also 2GB of internal memory and a Micro SD card slot for storing your favorite videos, pictures, etc.

Juicebar Solar Charger

Want to charge your mobile electronics without using electricity? The pocket-size Juicebar solar charger can charge an iPod, iPhone or virtually any other cell phone or mobile device—with the sole power of the sun. Twelve different connectors come with the unit in a portable pouch for charging a variety of devices, and tiny LEDs on the business side of the unit indicate when it’s collecting energy and when it’s charging a device.

Powerhouse Dynamics eMonitor

For the energy geek in your home—or as a housewide present, there’s the eMonitor from Powerhouse Dynamics. It can monitor household electricity use by total usage and by individual circuits. It can also monitor the production of a solar electric system. An intuitive web interface provides info on how much electricity is being consumed, the biggest users among circuits, and how it compares with the consumption of other households. A subscription to the service sends alerts when appliances may need maintenance.

Cisco Umi

Wait, I can get HD-quality videoconferencing ability with a stylish HD camera that fits over my TV, a microphone and a set-top box—all for $599? I want that thing, and I don’t even like videoconferencing. With Cisco’s new umi system, you can talk to Grandma and Granddad without all the Skype-like stops and starts—or telecommute from home. And it doesn’t cost thousands.

Celery Communications

Have relatives without even email? You can keep in touch with them with Celery—the technology, not the vegetable. Celery works with a fax machine to convert your emails to faxes and their handwritten faxes to emails. It can print text, HTML based email messages, and JPEG, RTF, GIF, PNG, TIFF or PDF email attachments. It also supports RSS feeds: blogs, Twitter and Facebook.

Mi Casa Verde Vera

It can control lights, plus audio and video equipment, and even hook up to a digital lock for automated door locking—and it doesn’t cost an arm and a leg and maybe another leg. It’s Mi Casa Verde’s powerhouse little Vera system, and it works with wired or wireless web cams as well as Z-Wave compatible light switches and dimmers, outlets, thermostats and motion sensors. It can also be controlled by iPhone, iPod touch or Android phone—so you can stay in touch with your home.

Apple iPad

Well, what gift guide would be complete without an iPad. From our perspective here at Electronic House, we’re seeing the devices all over the place as controllers for home automation, distributed audio and more. But we love it also as a portable web surfer, Netflix player or watching sports highlights, or using any of the zillion apps out there.

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A/V gear, gadgets, Blu-ray movies, video games, and more for your holiday shopping.

November 04, 2010 by EH Staff
Can’t believe the Holiday Season is here? Neither can we, but it’s time to get that shopping done to avoid the mall crowds.We’re here to make your shopping - for electronics geeks, anyway - much easier with our Ultimate Gift Guide 2010 - a comprehensive list of electronics goodies.Have a gadget fanatic on your list? We have you covered. Blu-ray fan? We’ve rounded up some of the all-time best Blu-ray box sets that are sure to score with anyone on your list.There also are a lot of popular video games out or hitting the shelves in the next few weeks, so make sure to check out our must-have games.

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http://www.electronichouse.com/article/the_ultimate_holiday_gift_guide_2010/

Samsung BD-C5900 3D Blu-ray Player
This Blu-ray player has just about everything you need to future-proof your entertainment system for a while. You get Blu-ray playback, 3D Blu-ray playback, support for loads of over formats and optical discs (including MPEG2, H.264, VC-1, AVCHD, DIVX HD, MKV, MP4, WMV9, 3GPP, HD JPEG formats). Then there are Samsung Apps, so you can access Netflix, Blockbuster, YouTube, Pandora, Facebook, Twitter and more (and we’re guessing the Apps list will continue to grow over the next years). About the only thing it’s missing is built-in wireless, but if you need that, it supports the LinkStick wireless adapter as well. All this in a package that weighs only 3.8 pounds.


Sony BDP-S770 Blu-ray Player
No more reason not to upgrade to Blu-ray. A player like Sony’s BDP-S770 offers enough for everyone. Along with regular Blu-ray discs, there’s 3D support for you to enjoy the latest hits. There’s DVD playback, so you don’t have to chuck your movie disc library. There’s Netflix and Amazon streaming, so you can pick an on-demand flick. There’s even DLNA certification, meaning it can tap into your network-stored media and watch home movies. The BDP-S770 has built-in WiFi, and a BD remote app lets you use your iPhone or iPod touch as a controller.


Bose SoundDock Series II
The iPod has become a necessary accessory for any workout. Dealing with sweaty earbuds, though? No fun. Let your loved-one lose those little plugs once and for all during home routines. Bose offers a handy iPod docking station, the SoundDock Series II that blasts tunes through its integrated speakers. A handheld remote is included so you can control your music from the treadmill.


Chief Automated Swing Arm Mount
If your home gym already has a TV, treat your family to a motorized arm that can reposition the set for optimal viewing. You’ll be able to see the set from the stationary bike, then press a remote control button to swivel it toward the treadmill. Chief Manufacturing’s Automated Swing Arm Mount (PXR) can support up to a 65-inch flat panel TV, and extend the display 27 inches from the wall, swivel it 90 degrees and tilt it 12 degrees.


Optoma PT100 Projector
The PT100 video projector from Optoma shoots a 60-inch widescreen image onto a wall or ceiling from less than 10 feet away, creating an instant big-screen viewing environment. The portable unit can be moved from room to room, and a variety of video components, including game consoles, computers, video player and even handheld devices, can be connected to it. A built-in 1.5-watt speaker precludes the need for an external audio system.


Lutron Maestro Wireless System
Some get-togethers are wild and crazy; others are relaxing. A lighting system like the Maestro Wireless from Lutron Electronics can set the mood for any gathering by adjusting the intensity of the lights to preset levels—all from a handy little remote. Setup is easy. Wireless dimmers install in place of a room’s standard light switches. Lighting levels are then set manually and programmed into a button on the handheld controller. The system comes with one dimmer (available in seven gloss and 20 satin finishes) and one controller.


Panasonic iPod Frame
Give that iPod user on your list a frame digital photo frame that can display video that’s stored on their mobile device. Music can be played while the 9-inch screen shows the pics. Other features include an Adjustable Angle Display, memory card slot and power-saving function.


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As part of the company’s Aventage line, the new player does 3D, Netflix, YouTube, and much more.

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http://www.electronichouse.com/article/yamaha_debuts_bd-a1000_universal_3d_blu-ray_player/

November 01, 2010 by Rachel Cericola

Welcome to the party, Yamaha. Today, the company announced its first universal Blu-ray player, the BD-A1000.

What makes this player “universal?” Typically, this means that the unit will have some love for both SACD and DVD-A. The announcement sort of left that part out, but the Australian Yamaha site is confirming support for both formats.

Aside from that, the BD-A1000 can do Blu-ray 3D and 2D playback, as well as stream up additional content from Netflix, Blockbuster and YouTube. If we’re not mistaken, this is actually Yamaha’s first player to handle 3D playback—at least the first one available.

Other features include dual USB ports (front and back), as well as RC-232C integration control, an on-screen display GUI, and detachable power cable. It also offers HD Audio decoding, 1080p/24Hz-compatible HDMI and 7.1 multi-channel analog output with four 2-channel DACs…



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The latest streaming machine will provide access to thousands of movies, TV shows, music, sports, and photos.

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http://www.electronichouse.com/article/netgear_partners_with_roku_on_90_set-top_box/P7/

October 28, 2010 by Rachel Cericola

Streaming set-top boxes could be a hot gift item this year. Roku wants to remind you how affordable they are, and they are getting the word out with help from Netgear

Netgear just announced plans for its own box, the $90 Netgear Roku Player. The compact box looks exactly like everything in Roku’s line, with the exception of the brand name emblazoned across the front.

The Netgear Roku Player promises a 1080p image (depending on the content), via built-in Wireless-N and Ethernet. The box also has HDMI, composite video and stereo output options for connecting to any TV.

Netgear’s box boasts access to over 100,000 movies, TV shows, live sporting events, music, and more, all through Roku content providers, such as Netflix, Amazon Video On Demand, Vimeo, Pandora, MP3tunes, SmugMug, and Flickr. Sports fans can also tap into MLB.TV and UFC channels. Netgear says that more options will be coming soon…

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November 1, 2010 by HDGuru

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http://hdguru.com/connected-tvs-explained-what-you-need-to-know-about-google-tv-netflix-hulu-and-other-services-before-you-buy/2674/

The latest trend in HDTVs, other than 3D, is for Internet connectivity. This started as mundane weather and news items, little more than snippets of the web. Now, with the release of Google TV, full Internet surfing from your TV is possible. In between are numerous content providers, all with different content and quality, and all looking for your entertainment dollar.

The first thing you’ll need, of course, is an Internet connection. For High Definition (HD) content, most providers require at least a 2.5 megabits per second (mbps) connection. For some, like VUDU, their top tier 1080p HD stream requires 4.5 mbps. If your connection isn’t this fast, you may be relegated to only watching Standard Definition (SD) streams, or an overall lower quality feed. Connecting wired or wirelessly from your router doesn’t generally matter, as most Wi-Fi signals can handle even HD streams. If you have difficulties with a service, and you know it’s not your connection, switching to wired from wireless is worth a try.

Video and audio content comes in two basic flavors: subscription and pay per view. Providers are somewhat cagey about how many shows/films they provide, and how many are in HD. For example, VUDU claims the highest number of HD movies with “over 3,000,” while CinemaNow claims over 14,000 total movies, but with no indication of how many are in HD.

Here’s the breakdown of the different services offered. To learn the more about the TV makers that supply each service (Panasonic, Sony, Samsung, Vizio, Sharp, Mitsubishi, Toshiba, Philips and LG) check out the graph above, just click on it to enlarge. Please note, not all of the models within a manufacturers line may provide all the listed services. Consult the manufacturer’s website or dealer to confirm the TV you are considering offers the service(s) you desire before purchase.

Netflix

The near universal adoption of Netflix’s streaming service in TVs (and also Blu-ray players) is a testament to the quality of the content you can get. Not picture quality, mind you, which is predominantly standard definition and only occasionally 720p HD. The content quality, in terms of finding something worth watching, is excellent. Most people will be able to find something to watch any time they chose to. Not everything is available for streaming, and most of the streaming content is usually a year or so old or older. Catching up on TV shows from a few years ago, though, or modern documentaries, and thousands of movies, all make this service well worth the small monthly cost….

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By Cindy Perman, CNBC.com Oct 29, 2010

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http://realestate.yahoo.com/promo/the-coolest-home-upgrades.html

Fewer people are buying new homes these days, opting instead to do home renovations - you know, just to spice things up a little.Maybe you turn your bathroom into a high-tech spa or get some smart appliances in the kitchen. Maybe you do some green upgrades or maybe you do something purely for luxury.So, what’s the new rain showerhead, the new infinity pool?

We talked to contractors, designers and developers all over the country and here are the 9 Coolest Home Upgrades.

1) Hidden, Wall-mounted TV

It’s go big or go home with televisions these days - but when you bring one of these drive-in movie-sized screens home, it can often wreck the design of the room. When a guest walks in, they won’t say, “Wow, what a nice house,” but rather, “Wow, what a big TV you have!”Well now, you can have it all - a big screen and big style. Designers are increasingly choosing to hide gigantic televisions in the wall and cover them with a mirror or artwork so when they’re not in use, you don’t even know they’re there!

When it’s above the fireplace, it can be a framed mirror or piece of art. In the photo, this Samsung 37-inch LCD is mounted in the closet behind the mirror, hidden by a removable panel in the closet.You probably want a pro to do this - TVs require proper ventilation.

2) Water Feature With Fire



Fountains aren’t new and fire pits aren’t new but put them together - maybe even add some LED lighting - and shazam! Welcome to the future. A water feature with fire shooting out of the middle can instantly remind you of that Hawaiian vacation (maybe pump some hula music into the outdoor speakers) or just ensure that you not only keep up with the Joneses but knock their socks off when they come over for a barbeque. They can be rectangular trough-like structures with broken glass in the middle where the fire shoots out, or circular like this one in the picture. They can be freestanding, attached to a pool or create a big ridge of fire in a stoned wall. Have a seat because you can control it all by remote control! OK, who wants toasted marshmallows?

3) Home Golf Simulator



Golfers have been practicing their swing at home for years but not quite like this - a floor-to-ceiling golf simulator with a massive screen to let you “play” on some of the coolest courses in the world from Hawaii to England. A golf simulator like the one from Trugolf is the ultimate addition to your game room next to the pool table and pinball machine. Not only do you really feel like you’re on the course but it helps you with your game, with sonic ball-tracking sensors and a program that gives you valuable feedback on your swing. They run from $20,000 to $60,000 or more. She winds up the swing, good form and… Four!

4) Glass Rooms on the Patio



Outdoor patios with full kitchens are getting even huger these days, with some nearing 10,000 square feet, said Stephann Cotton, owner of the real-estate sales and marketing firm Cotton & Co. They’ve got the Rolls Royce of grills, outdoor wine fridges, fireplaces, sweeping views – you name it. But guess what else they’ve got? Bugs. Cotton said his high-end clients with penthouses in Boca Raton, Fla., are increasingly asking for these glass structures, out at the end of the patio where the best views are. They’re turning them into everything from outdoor dining areas and zen gardens to man caves and music studios. A four-sided glass structure means there aren’t just northern views or southern views, Cotton says, there are north, south, east and west views!

5) Exotic Landscape Lighting



So you’ve got spotlights and those little solar path lights but this is taking your backyard to the next level and doing exotic landscape lighting. Maybe it’s uplighting on the palm trees, Cotton explained, or in the waterfall that spills over into the pool. The cool thing is, Cotton said, you can even use solar lights - so it won’t cost you an arm and a leg in electricity! Take a solar light, put it in a spotlight and turn it upside down shooting up into your landscaping or water feature like a fountain or koi pond. “Landscape lighting in the water is fairly easy to do,” Cotton said. “You get that constant reflection - It’s very romantic mood light. It produces a romantic and flickering light - just like a fire does.”

6) Outdoor Shower



No, we’re not talking about the kind you put next to the pool so the kids can wash off the sand, dirt or chlorine. These are luxurious showers, usually off of the master bath, made of high-end stone and other natural materials, with lush foliage that create your own personal Eden. You’ll already find this type of outdoor shower in resorts in Bali, Fiji and the Caribbean, but now, homeowners are bringing the resort home. “It’s a very sexy thing,” said Walid Wahab, president of Wahab Construction in south Florida. “It’s your private shower – you can get completely naked and take a shower outside in your private garden.” Wahab said the construction is getting very creative - things like a shower head coming out of a tree.

7) Master Control for Energy Consumption



You know you can control your entire house now from a laptop, iPhone or iPad. Everything from the lights and thermostat to the stereo - and even the pool. Here’s taking it to the next level - a master control for energy consumption. “This is very, very new - people are just experimenting with it,” said Ron Rimawi, who co-owns Digital Interiors in Atlanta. “It helps make you more aware and more conscious of your energy usage, so you don’t waste energy.” Basically, they’re small digital panels that connect with the utilities and track various appliances and systems in your home. They can tell you everything from your usage to the temperature and how much it’s all costing you! “We have long held the belief that the promise of the Smart Grid can only be realized if the consumer is front-and-center in the design of demand-response systems,” said Control4, which makes the master control for energy consumption…

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Powerline Media and Intercom System

Collage Powerline Media and Intercom system distributes networked accessed music and intercom communication over a home’s residential electrical system. The flexible, expandable system provides access to two-way transmission of audio, video, data, and internet media with metadata feedback without the need of running new zone-to-zone wiring.

The Collage system uses Powerline Carrier technology to establish an IP data network over a residential electrical system. This decentralized design allows system components to be installed almost anywhere in a home where electrical wiring is run. The basic system architecture is comprised of a Collage Media Manager and Amplified Keypad.

Why Collage?

Digital music has become a part of our everyday lives. Mp3 players, smart phones, and online music services have made enjoying your favorite song, album, or artist an instant experience. Unfortunately traditional home audio systems haven’t evolved quite as quickly, until now.

The Collage Powerline Media and Intercom system has been designed specifically to improve the digital music experience in your home. No longer do you need to dock your portable player, or fumble with laptops, or listen to music through less then optimal speakers.

The beauty of Collage is the system architecture. System components communicate over your home’s existing electrical wiring, which means that every home is already pre-wired for a multiroom audio and intercom system. Amplified keypads are easily installed near existing electrical outlets or switches. In-wall, in-ceiling, or bookshelf speakers can be selected to suit each room, and the Media Manager provides a connection to your home’s computer network and the Internet.

by Jeremy Hill on Oct 14, 2010

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Netflix on PS3 was a great addition, but it had one inconvenience. The application could only be run if a Netflix disc was in the console. These discs would also mysteriously stop working without warning. Netflix promised the PS3 wouldn’t need a disc by October.

The Netflix application will be a free download that will appear under the video section of the XMB. After it’s installed, you’ll be able to run Netflix straight from the hard drive. Netflix’s design has changed drastically. You’ll be able to see multiple titles in a grid format and get suggestions for movies you may like. You can also hold down the analog sticks to rapidly move through selections…

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http://www.homemediamagazine.com/electronic-delivery/dolby-brings-51-netflix-streaming-20853

By : Chris Tribbey Posted: 14 Oct 2010

Starting Oct. 18 Netflix subscribers using the PlayStation 3 will be able to stream content with 5.1 Dolby surround sound, with more devices able to do surround sound in the future, Netflix said.

“One of the areas we’re most excited about is the online delivery channel,” said John Griffin, director of connected devices for Dolby. “There’s a lot of room for improved sound for streaming, and this is the start. Over time we expect a broader range of devices to handle this.”

A firmware update that will include 5.1 Netflix streaming support is expected this weekend, he said.

“Netflix is committed to delivering an unparalleled experience to its members who watch TV shows and movies streamed instantly over the Internet,” said Greg Peters, Netflix VP of product development. “Netflix required an audio solution that could efficiently deliver an outstanding surround-sound experience for a wide range of consumer devices. Dolby Digital Plus proved to be the best solution to meet our needs and the needs of our device partners.”

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