Elgato and OWC hawk upgraded Mac Mini HTPC bundles: Blu-ray burner, 12TB, TV tuner

Simmer down, son — neither Elgato nor Other World Computing are actually shoving 12TB of hard drive space within a 2010 Mac Mini, but if you order one of their new bundles, you’ll definitely end up with as much. OWC is now selling pre-pimped Mac Mini machines, complete with bolstered storage options, an internal Blu-ray burner, Elgato’s EyeTV Hybrid tuner (or HD DVR), more RAM than usual and an Apple Remote. The company plans to offer both the 2.4GHz and 2.66GHz Core 2 Duo systems, and it swears up and down that the machine will arrive preconfigured and ready to rock your home theater. The addition of a Mercury Elite-AL Pro Qx2 4-bay storage solution enables you to keep even a vast library of digital content nearby, but there’s no telling how much the outfit will charge for such a luxury. Hit the source link if you’re scrounging for details, but don’t expect pricing or an order button just yet.

Update: So, it seems that OWC isn’t actually selling new Mac Minis itself, but will upgrade your own if you send it in. We’d like to take this opportunity to now recommend that OWC actually sell upgraded Mac Minis itself.

Continue reading Elgato and OWC hawk upgraded Mac Mini HTPC bundles: Blu-ray burner, 12TB, TV tuner

Elgato and OWC hawk upgraded Mac Mini HTPC bundles: Blu-ray burner, 12TB, TV tuner originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 27 Jan 2011 15:19:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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IOGear Unveils New Wireless Keyboards

IOGear Bluetooth Wireless Keyboard

If you’re in the market for a new keyboard that won’t look strange on your coffee table paired with your home theater PC, IOGear’s new Bluetooth Keyboard with Touchpad will do the trick. The keyboard is piano black with a touch-sensitive trackpad on the right side with two “mouse” buttons underneath it. The keyboard is Bluetooth and can pair with multiple Bluetooth devices, so you can use it with your PC and then bring it over to the couch when it’s time to watch video on the big screen. 
IOGear also unveiled the 2.4GHz Wireless Compact Keyboard for devices without Bluetooth. This model is a smaller keyboard with a trackball on the side, complete with scroll wheel and left-and-right mouse buttons.  Both models will be available by the end of Q1, with the Bluetooth model shipping for $79.95 list price and the 2.4GHz Wireless model retailing for $59.99.  
[via Engadget]

Iogear GW3DKIT wireless 3D media kit banishes your components to the closet

We went hands-on with Iogear’s wireless HD system last year at CES, and now we’ve managed to do the same with a prototype of the boutique brand’s new GW3DKIT 3D wireless streamer. The kit consists of a 3D transmitter and receiver that each feature four HDMI inputs as well as one component, composite, VGA, and USB input. Each box also features one HDMI and USB output. Together the system is designed to stream full 1080p 60Hz HD video / 5.1 audio along with 3D content over WiFi (802.11n) from as far as 100 feet away with supposedly little latency or wireless interference. Iogear says to expect the system sometime in Q1 of 2011, and no official pricing is available yet, but we’ve been told it would be around $499 by Iogear’s CES booth staff. If everything performs as advertised, it sounds like a great solution for you home theater minimalists out there who prefer components out of sight. We’ll reserve official judgment though until we can go eyes-on with some extended tested. For more information, be sure to check out the full PR after the break.

Continue reading Iogear GW3DKIT wireless 3D media kit banishes your components to the closet

Iogear GW3DKIT wireless 3D media kit banishes your components to the closet originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 08 Jan 2011 05:22:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Philips CES 2011 HD lineup: 4000 / 5000 / 6000 series LCDs, Blu-ray players and home theater systems

Consider yourself an HD junkie? You’re in for a treat. A feast of treats, actually. Philips has just let loose a veritable smorgasbord of new HD kit at CES this morning, from LCD HDTVs to Blu-ray decks to complete home theater systems. Here’s what you need to know:

  • The 4000 LED series of HDTVs are available in 40 (40PFL4706), 46 (46PFL4706) and 55 (55PFL4706) inch sizes, these mid-range sets include MediaConnect and NetTV for getting your PC to play nice on your TV (sans wires, at that), with the latter also providing easy access to Vudu, Netflix, Blockbuster and FilmFresh. These will ship by May for prices of $749, $999 and $1499 in order of mention. For those who couldn’t care less about MediaConnect of NetTV, a 19-inch, 22-inch and 32-inch version will be available this month for $199.99, $249.99 and $449.99, respectively.
  • Moving up a bit, the 5000 LCD series will ship in 40 (40PFL5706), 46 (46PFL5706) and 55 (55PFL5706) inch sizes, with these boasting the same basic functionality as the 4000 series but gaining a Pixel Precise HD engine and 120Hz de-jitter support. Look for these in the April / May time frame for $679, $899 and $1099.
  • Looking to take one more step towards high-end? The LED 6000 series is where’s it at, improving upon the other two lines by adding… 3D. Naturally. Check the 40PFL6706 (40-inch), 46PFL6706 (46-inch) and 55PFL6706 (55-inch) models this September for $999, $1299 and $1699 in order of mention.
  • If you’re looking to outfit your room with a full-on home theater system, Philips is revealing five new setups today, three of which have 3D support baked right in. The whole lot includes a Blu-ray deck and support for MediaConnect / NetTV, with the more expensive sets boasting wireless rear speakers and DLNA streaming. They’ll be shipping from February to May for $269.99 to $449.99.
  • Closing things out are the company’s five new Blu-ray decks, with the $169.99 (BDP3506), $199.99 (BDP5506) and $219.99 (BDP7506) models supporting 3D Blu-ray. The 7506 also gets MediaConnect and NetTV, with the whole range shipping between next month and April.

Check out the full releases, each chock full of details, right after the break. Oh, and sink your retinas into the gallery below while you’re at it.

Continue reading Philips CES 2011 HD lineup: 4000 / 5000 / 6000 series LCDs, Blu-ray players and home theater systems

Philips CES 2011 HD lineup: 4000 / 5000 / 6000 series LCDs, Blu-ray players and home theater systems originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 05 Jan 2011 08:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nice Home Theater! We’ll Help You Set it Up [Howto]

Christmas victory! You’ve just obtained the final component for your ideal home theater set-up. Now it’s time to hook everything up and turn your living room into that badass entertainment zone you’ve always envisioned. We’ll guide you through the basics. More »

GEAR4 UnityRemote Lets You Control Any TV with an iPhone

GEAR4 UnityRemote

If you’re not interested in dropping a ton of cash on a universal remote that can control all of the gadgets in your home entertainment system, and you’re not particularly interested in buying an Apple TV to connect to your TV, the new GEAR4 UnityRemote is a tiny cylinder with an IR transmitter in it that can be configured to pair with your television, game consoles, DVD or Blu-Ray player, and other devices. 
Once you have the UnityRemote paired with your gadgets, download the GEAR4 UnityRemote app for your iPhone or iPod Touch, and you instantly have a universal remote in the form of your iOS device. 
The UnityRemote is a unique take on turning a mobile phone into a universal remote. Instead of buying a bunch of gadgets to connect to your home entertainment system, you have one small wireless device that can sit anywhere in the room, even on the coffee table. Once it’s set up, your phone is your remote control. The UnityRemote is available now for $99 retail price.

Engadget’s Holiday Gift Guide: HDTVs and home theater

Welcome to the Engadget Holiday Gift Guide! The team here is well aware of the heartbreaking difficulties of the seasonal shopping experience, and we want to help you sort through the trash and come up with the treasures this year. Below is today’s bevy of hand curated picks, and you can head back to the Gift Guide hub to see the rest of the product guides as they’re added throughout the holiday season.

A brand new HDTV is a gift that can get plenty of use throughout the year, but it’s also one of the more expensive items on Santa’s list. If you’re shopping for the home theater enthusiast who has everything, there’s always room in the cabinet for another streamer or demo disc. From 3DTV to network connected to throwback disc-based media, there’s a lot of new options on deck for the 2010 holiday season – let’s see if we can narrow the list a bit and make sure your gift scores a ten out of ten even if your budget is more like a two.

Continue reading Engadget’s Holiday Gift Guide: HDTVs and home theater

Engadget’s Holiday Gift Guide: HDTVs and home theater originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 14 Dec 2010 13:21:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sonos job opening signals entry into wireless home theater audio?

Well now Sonos, what’s this? A job opening for a Senior Product Manager to help the company “re-invent home theater sound for the digital age.” More specifically, the position will be responsible for leading “new product creation teams.” Hard to say for sure, but sophisticated wireless audio for home theaters certainly sounds like a safe refuge now that Marantz, Denon, JBL, iHome, B&W, and countless others will soon be competing with Sonos’ whole-home distributed audio solutions just as soon as Apple’s new AirPlay technology can gain traction. Besides, just picture a fully synchronized wireless 7.1 channel surround speaker system that requires just a few minutes to setup and works as robustly as Sonos’ other streaming audio gear. We imagine that it wouldn’t take too many tweaks to Sonos’ existing software and hardware (you can already convert two S5 all-in-one speakers into a more powerful stereo pair) to pull it off. And anyone who’s ever tried to cleanly wire a home theater for multichannel sound will surely understand why the prospects of going wireless have us more than a little intrigued.

Sonos job opening signals entry into wireless home theater audio? originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 01 Dec 2010 01:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Cabasse’s high-fashion L’Ocean speakers rock the catwalk, your wallet

Those operating sans a keen sense of style would probably take half a glance at Cabasse’s L’Océan speakers (shown here on the right) and assume that they’re one in the same with the company’s La Sphére. Sure enough, the former also falls into the outfit’s Artis line of speakers, but there’s a slightly different combination of angles going on beneath the orb. The boutique audio firm has just revealed these three-way coaxial drive units, and they’re purportedly capable of hitting 117dB without a hint of distortion. Of course, they weigh 176 pounds and stand just under four feet high, and considering the 2,250 total watts of digital amplification, we’d say they’re probably built for a TMZ-certified house party. The company’s gearing up to launch these in Q2 2011, but with a €80,000 ($105,900) list price, we’re assuming it’ll take a little more than seven month to save up for a set.

Cabasse’s high-fashion L’Ocean speakers rock the catwalk, your wallet originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 30 Nov 2010 08:46:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Azio Unveils New Line of Wired and Wireless Keyboards

AZiO Long Range RF KeyboardAzio, a manufacturer of computer peripherals like USB hubs, hard drive docks and external drive enclosures, and home networking peripherals, is getting into the keyboard game with five new wireless and wired keyboard models the company will release tomorrow. Among the five new models are one standard wired USB keyboard, three Bluetooth wireless models (including one Mac-specific model,) and one “Long-Range RF” keyboard, which promises users full functionality up to 100-feet from the receiver.

The USB wired keyboard will debut at $19.99 list price, with the Bluetooth keyboards ranging from $49.99 to $79.99 retail. The special Long-Range RF Keyboard will set you back $69.99 list, and includes a multi-touch trackpad on the right side with two mouse buttons for use with a home theater PC or conference room computer. Azio says the new models will be available tomorrow and will ship in time for the holiday shopping season.