Unveiled a few weeks ago and known as the XBR-84X900, here you are ladies and gentlemen Sony’s gorgeous 3D and 4K TV KD-84X9000. Technically identical from the US Version the KD-84X9000 is a magnificent 4K and 3D TV that is set to be sold in Japan at the end of November at around 1.68Million Yen and schedule to make its first appearance to the Japanese Public at CEATEC 2012.
Part suppliers sometimes telegraph their customers’ plans months in advance: when you’re the only provider for a key piece of technology, it’s not hard for others to read the tea leaves. Aptina might have just given us one such peek into the future by unveiling its 1-inch AR1011HS camera sensor this week. As the Nikon 1 series is one of the few current, mainstream camera lines to use Aptina’s 1-inch sensors, it’s quite possible that we’re looking at a template for one or more of Nikon’s tiny interchangeable-lens shooters. The 10-megapixel CMOS sensor and low-light sensitivity aren’t surprises. We’re more interested in the wild levels of video capture support — the AR1011HS can record 1080p footage at 120 frames per second, oversample movies at that resolution or scale up to quad HD. There’s no guarantee any or all of the features will make the cut, especially given a dearth of 4K TVs, but it’s not hard to imagine Nikon playing to the 1’s high-speed strengths with an even quicker upgrade. Mass production starts in the first quarter of 2013, and while neither Aptina nor Nikon has confirmed any plans, Aptina’s emphasis on top-tier companies in the “performance-oriented” mirrorless camera world leaves few other choices for a partnership.
Continue reading Aptina unveils 1-inch sensor with 1080p video at 120FPS, we suspect Nikon wants 1
Filed under: Cameras
Aptina unveils 1-inch sensor with 1080p video at 120FPS, we suspect Nikon wants 1 originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 23 Sep 2012 00:21:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Regarded as the best of the best when it comes to disc players, Oppo has two new ones that can easily handle any disc you’ve got. Physical media isn’t the only game in town, obviously, so in addition to Netflix, Vudu and local file support like MKV, Oppo has stepped it up even further by adding an HDMI port in front for use as an MHL input. This allows you to leverage the high-end Oppo’s processing to do wonders on content stored on your portable or other MHL source. Speaking of video processing, both the new guys use Marvell’s Qdeo video processor and are capable of doing both 2D-to-3D conversion as well as up-scaling to 4K. From a control perspective, a back-lit remote is included, but there’s also an IR input, RS-232 and mobile phone apps. The BDP-103 will surely satisfy any videophile at $499 this October, but if you happen to be an audiophile too, then you’d probably want to wait until the BDP-105 is released later this year. Not only does it feature two ESS Sabre32 Reference DACs and a Toroidal linear power supply, but there are also dedicated stereo outputs with both RCA and XLR balanced connections and a headphone amplifier — if you know what all that is, we’re sure you really want it.
Gallery: Oppo BDP-103 and BPD-105
Continue reading Oppo continues its legacy with two new top end Blu-ray players
Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD
Oppo continues its legacy with two new top end Blu-ray players originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 20 Sep 2012 08:12:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Imagine 80-inch screens with quadruple the image quality of Full HD, plus passive 3D content that you’d consider actually watchable. That’s 4K TV technology. It could deliver a stunning home theater experience—just as soon as 4K-enabled TV’s like Sony’s latest begin to cost less than a Kia. More »
No one’s going to drop $25,000 on a fabulous 84-inch 4K TV without something to watch on it. So to get the broadcast ball rolling, Sony has demonstrated a real-time satellite transmission system that cleverly compresses a 4K signal without reducing its stunning image quality. More »
We’ve seen plenty of 4K cameras, and we’ve even heard a whisper or two about 8K, but the quality of a viewing experience isn’t tied only to resolution — frame rate also comes into play, especially with fast-moving subjects. NHK’s prototype Super Hi-Vision camera doubles the capture rate from the standard 60Hz to a much speedier 120Hz, yielding sharper motion. While the difference isn’t noticeable with static or slow-moving scenes, it certainly comes into play when filming rapid-motion sporting events or panning the camera. The Japan Broadcasting Corporation’s latest model was on hand at IBC in Amsterdam, and the advantages of a 120Hz cam were immediately crystal clear.
Filming a rotating image that paired ordinary objects and cityscapes with letters and numbers, you could see the difference instantly, with the 120Hz image on the right side yielding far shaper details, while the left side was often a blurry mess. There’s no software smoothing on hand here — because the higher frequency comes directly from the source, it appears perfectly natural, and much more pleasant. We captured a video demonstrating the expo floor rig, but because our camera doesn’t sport the same spec, you won’t notice a difference in the hands-on clip after the break. You can see the difference in our stills gallery below, however, and you can take us on our word — the improvement is quite dramatic.
Gallery: NHK 120Hz 4K camera eyes-on
Filed under: Displays, Home Entertainment, HD
NHK 8K Super Hi-Vision camera captures native 120Hz footage, we go eyes-on at IBC (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 08 Sep 2012 16:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Even in the land of the outrageous home theater equipment that is CEDIA, SIM2’s new CinemaQuattro projector sticks out. The company’s first model capable of 4K (4,096 x 2,160) resolution, it’s nearly as large as the Italian scooter that also resided in its booth and comes with a price tag of $158,000 — the old 1080p $58K Grand Cinema seems almost cheap in comparison. While that may be mild overkill for most, if you’re Will Smith and need something to screen flicks on for your personal home theater (emphasis on theater), we’d imagine this fits the bill. SIM2 licensed TI’s technology from cinema projector maker Christie in order to develop the three chip 4K DLP monster capable of 20,000 ANSI lumens. According to President and CEO Maurizio Cini this gives its dealers access to “the best” technology, and at that price, it just ought to.
Gallery: SIM2 CinemaQuattro 4K DLP projector
Continue reading SIM2’s $158k CinemaQuattro 4K DLP projector is for hundred seat home theaters
Filed under: Displays, Home Entertainment, HD
SIM2’s $158k CinemaQuattro 4K DLP projector is for hundred seat home theaters originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 08 Sep 2012 07:22:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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LG has priced up its vast 84-inch 4K TV, aiming to have the monstrous set in select stores come October. The huge new model – which delivers four times the resolution of a regular 1080p HD TV – will be priced at $19,999.99; that’s expensive on the face of things, yes, but in the grand scheme of 4K TV it’s something of a bargain.
In contrast, Sony’s 4K monster, the 84X900, has been priced at $25,000, with the Japanese company accepting preorders ahead of December deliveries. The two companies aren’t the only firms to be flirting with 4K; despite the fact that actual content to enjoy on them is sparse, all of the big TV manufacturers are seemingly planning to jump into the new “premium” segment.
LG’s model specifically supports 3D on its 3840 x 2160 panel, and has Smart TV functionality for on-demand streaming media and apps. That’s pretty much what you’d expect for $20,000, however; LG is yet to say how many of the sets it has sold in South Korea, where it has already been available for a short period.
One alternative to 4K TVs is projectors. Models offering 4K resolution but working with a drop-down project screen rather than a huge, fixed display are already on the market, and could offer more of a space compromise for those desperate for pixels but without the cathedral-like living room to accommodate.
LG’s $20,000 TV: A 4K bargain? is written by Chris Davies & originally posted on SlashGear.
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Well, that’s a mouthful of a headline. Going a bit more in-depth, a new professional solution from Sony allows broadcasters to capture side-by-side 4K video at, say, a sporting event, then use a standard camera zoom device to select small portions of each feed for 720p or 1080i output. On the receiving end, you’ll see a live image that looks indistinguishable from something you’d capture with a moving camera, with a few extra benefits to boot. Sony demonstrated the system using feeds from an F65 4K camera earlier this year at NAB, but was only able to present a simulation at that point, with pre-recorded output cropped from larger-format footage.
Now, as we saw today at IBC in Amsterdam, the technique works in realtime, so an adjustable smaller portion of the video is pumped out seamlessly and instantaneously. The 4K video can also be recorded at full resolution simultaneously, letting you change the framing long after an event takes place. Sony only had the demo configured to pull live video from the left portion of the feed, but eventually the entire capture will be enabled, giving producers access to an entire football field, as you’ll see in the hands-on video after the break. We wouldn’t expect this solution to replace human camera operators anytime soon, but it’s certainly a viable method for adding angles and placing a bit more control in the hands of production teams, even after the fact.
Gallery: Sony 4K Stitch hands-on
Filed under: Cameras, Displays, HD
Sony Stitch merges footage from two 4K F65 cameras to create zoomable panoramic with HD output (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 07 Sep 2012 10:41:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Announced a few weeks ago in Korea, LG’s 84″ 4K Monster the 84LM9600 is not officially announced in the US at a whooping $19,999 USD (MSRP) and set to be available within October! The US 84LM9600 will be identical to the Korean version and will come with a mind blowing 4K Resolution (3,840×2,160), WiDi, LG’s Smart TV, Dual Core L9 CPU, Magic Remote and so on…
INDIANAPOLIS, Sept. 7, 2012 – LG Electronics today announced U.S. availability for its enormous …
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