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CES 2008 — LAS VEGAS –BUSINESS WIRE– Jan 07, `08 — Hauppauge announced today the introduction of the new dual tuner WinTV-HVR-2250, USB based WinTV-HVR-1950, WinTV-HVR-950Q and WinTV-HVR-1250.

– The WinTV-HVR-2250 has two complete on-board analog and digital TV receivers, which allow users to watch and record two NTSC, ATSC or clear QAM digital cable TV programs at the same time.

To support the popular analog and digital TV formats used in North America, the WinTV-HVR-2250 supports NTSC analog cable TV, over the air ATSC high definition digital TV plus clear QAM digital cable TV. There are two complete TV receivers on the WinTV-HVR-2250, which allow two programs of any type to be watched, paused or recorded at the same time.

WinTV-HVR-2250 will be available in February 2008 for $129.

– The WinTV-HVR-1950 allows a PC or laptop user to watch, pause and record NTSC, ATSC or clear QAM digital TV onto their hard disk, without slowing down their computer. To support the popular analog and digital TV formats, the WinTV-HVR-1950 supports NTSC analog cable TV, over the air ATSC high definition digital TV plus clear QAM digital cable TV.

WinTV-HVR-1950 will be available in February 2008 for $149.

–  The WinTV-HVR-950Q is a small, portable USB TV tuner “stick” which can be used to watch and record clear QAM digital cable TV on a laptop or desktop PC. In addition, it can also be used to watch and record NTSC analog cable TV and over-the-air ATSC high definition digital TV. ATSC is the new standard for high definition TV broadcasts in North America, and is transmitted at up to 1080i. These three TV formats, NTSC, ATSC and QAM, are the most popular TV transmission formats.

WinTV-HVR-950Q will be available in January 2008 for $99.

– The WinTV-HVR-1250 allows PC users to watch, pause and record analog NTSC cable TV, ATSC high definition digital TV and clear QAM digital cable TV on their Windows XP or Vista PC, in a window or full screen.

WinTV-HVR-1250 will be available in January 2008 for $49.

LAKE SUCCESS, NY — Jan 07, `08 — Canon today announced the VIXIA family – a new lineup of consumer High-Definition camcorders embracing Canon optical and imaging technologies for superior image quality and flexibility – at the CES 2008 in Las Vegas.

VIXIA Core TechnologiesAll VIXIA camcorders feature Canon core technologies to create HD video that possesses the highest level of image quality – a Genuine Canon HD Video Lens; a Canon designed and manufactured HD CMOS Image Sensor for Full HD (1920 x 1080) image capture; the Canon-developed DIGIC DV II Image Processor; Instant AutoFocus, crucial for HD; and SuperRange Optical Image Stabilization.

VIXIA HF10 Dual Flash Memory and VIXIA HF100 Flash Memory Camcorders:
The VIXIA HF10 Dual Flash Memory camcorder offers the flexibility of recording up to 6 hours of High-Definition video to a 16GB internal Flash drive, as well as the option of recording to an SDHC memory card. The HF100 Flash Memory camcorder features an SDHC memory card slot only. The SDHC slot provides future storage expandability with both models. These camcorders also offer other sophisticated new features, including a newly designed Genuine Canon 12x HD Video Lens, a robust Canon 3.3 Megapixel Full HD CMOS Image Sensor, and Full HD Lens-to-Screen (1920 x 1080 Full HD resolution to capture, record and output).

In addition to 24p Cinema Mode, which allows users to mimic the look of Hollywood-style movies, the VIXIA HF10 Dual Flash Memory and HF100 Flash Memory camcorders offer a new feature called 30p Progressive Mode. Canon’s 30p Progressive Mode, once exclusive to pro-level camcorders, delivers clarity for fast action events, such as sports or news, and is the perfect frame rate for clips intended to be posted on the Web. A 2.7″ Widescreen Multi-Angle Vivid LCD offers a wide viewing angle, making it visible from any direction.

VIXIA HV30 HD Camcorder:
As the successor to the Canon HV20 HD Camcorder, the VIXIA HV30 HD camcorder provides consumers with the ability to record HD quality video to MiniDV cassettes. Wrapped in a sophisticated black exterior, the VIXIA HV30 camcorder features a Genuine Canon 10X HD Video Lens, Canon 2.96 Megapixel Full HD CMOS Image Sensor, DIGIC DV II Image Processor, a 30p Progressive Mode (and 24p Cinema Mode), and a 2.7″ Widescreen Multi-Angle Vivid LCD. In addition, the VIXIA HV30 camcorder is compatible with Canon’s high capacity BP-2L24H Lithium-ion battery.

DW-100 DVD Burner:
The Canon DW-100 DVD Burner allows to burn all, part or previously recorded video from a compatible Canon camcorder to a DVD. In addition to burning Standard Definition DVDs, the DW-100 can also burn AVCHD DVDs which can be played in compatible Blu-Ray players. The DW-100 DVD Burner has only three buttons: power, record and eject, making operation fast and easy. Unlike other similar yet daunting devices, the DW-100 DVD Burner is designed for one-touch operation: connect via USB, set and burn.

Available in late April, the VIXIA HF10 Dual Flash Memory and VIXIA HF100 Flash Memory camcorders will have an estimated retail price of $1,099 and $899, respectively. The Canon VIXIA HV30 is scheduled to be available in late February for the estimated retail price of $999. The Canon DW-100 DVD Burner is scheduled to be available in late April for the estimated retail price of $269.More at Canon.

Jan 01, `08 — Nathan Ramella explains his ARCwelder Project at Google code:

Through a technique dubbed “Go Fighting Tabby!”, or GFT for short, you can gain root access on an Archos 605 wi-fi running 1.7.13 firmware and execute arbitrary programs in its embedded Linux environment.

This is the first step to gain access to the running Linux operating system, which until now has not been possible.

Using the GFT technique, you can install the ‘ARCwelder’ package which will allow you to ssh into the Archos 605 wi-fi and run unix commands from a shell.

Currently ARCwelder only provides an ssh package, however in time more packages may be included as they are tested and verified as working, some customization is necessary to ensure that they work on the embedded system, so the term ‘hack’ is definitely applicable.

More at ARCwelder Project.

DENVER, CO –Marketwire– Dec 17, `07 — Consumers who long to transfer their favorite movies and TV programs from their DISH Network receivers to their ARCHOS Portable Media Players (PMPs) can now do so in record time through a simple plug-in download.

The plug-in is offered exclusively to DISH Network subscribers with a VIP722 or VIP622 high-definition receiver, and is compatible with the ARCHOS 705 WiFi and 605 WiFi players. The plug-in is available today at Archos.com. Beginning in January, the Archos 605 and 705 models will also be available at retail outlets where DISH Network satellite TV service is sold.

“The DISH Network plug-in will allow consumers to transfer content faster than real-time from their DISH Network receiver to an Archos PMP. A two-hour movie can be transferred in just a few minutes,” said Henri Crohas, founder and chief executive officer at ARCHOS. “Now DISH Network subscribers with a VIP622 or VIP722 receiver can experience the fastest transfer times to their ARCHOS players, getting them out of the house faster and enjoying their favorite TV shows anywhere and anytime.”

The exclusive ARCHOS plug-in for DISH Network customers is part of a larger strategic alliance between parent company EchoStar and ARCHOS that has been in place for almost three years.

ARCHOS 605 WiFi and 705 WiFi demonstrations, including the high-speed content transfer from DISH Network’s receivers, will be on display in the EchoStar booth — Central Hall #9020 — at the upcoming Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, January 7-10, 2008.

SAN DIEGO & SEOUL, Korea –BUSINESS WIRE– Dec 17, `07 — DivX and LG today announced the launch of two additional models in the DivX Certified Time Machine TV Series specifically targeted for South America.

The two new models of LG’s DivX Certified Time Machine TV Series join millions of DivX Certified devices on the market today that play back high-quality DivX video content.

The two additional models, the 42LB9RT and 32LB9RT, are LCD offerings that deliver high image and audio quality for digital content using much less bandwidth than regular analog devices. These devices boast a simultaneous watch-and-record function and the ability to transfer high-quality DivX content directly to the TV through the USB port.

Maintaining the exceptional standards of the Time Machine TV Series, these models include a built-in 80 gigabyte hard disc drive for Time Shift function and recording as well as a USB 2.0 port, for backing up recorded content and enabling the direct playback of MP3, JPEG and DivX formats. More here.

New Processor Provides 10x Performance Increase at One Tenth the Cost and Flexibility for HD Video Processing and Multi-Channel Applications.

HOUSTON, Texas — Dec 03, ‘07 /PRNewswire/ — To allow consumers to seamlessly move content across their video end products, Texas Instruments is offering a new DaVinci technology digital media processor for video transcoding in media gateways, multi-point control units, digital media adaptors, video security DVRs and IP set-top boxes.

Wrapped with a complete offering of development tools and digital media software, the new TMS320DM6467 DaVinci processor is a DSP-based system-on-chip (SoC) specifically tuned for real-time, multi-format, high-definition (HD) video transcoding. Integrating an ARM926EJ-S core and 600 MHz C64x+(TM) DSP core along with a high-definition video co-processor, conversion engine and targeted video port interfaces, the system solution delivers a 10x performance improvement over previous generation processors to perform simultaneous, multi-format HD encode, decode and transcoding up to H.264 HP@L4 (1080p 30fps, 1080i 60fps, 720p 60fps). More at DaVinci/TMS320DM6467.

Video security systems will see similar BOM (bill of materials) reductions and have the flexibility to implement multi-format multi-channel encode (up to four channels of MPEG4/H.264 MP D1 plus four secondary channels of MPEG4/H.264 MP CIF) or decode (up to six channels of MPEG4/H.264 MP D1) for hybrid digital video recorder (DVR) and server (DVS) systems. The DM6467 has an integrated C64x+ DSP which can accommodate video analytics or proprietary video processing algorithms. The DM6467 integrated ARM9, 10/100/1000 EMAC and ATA interfaces would eliminate the need for external host processor enabling a single chip DVR/DVS system.

Pricing and Availability

The DaVinci TMS320DM6467 is now sampling to select customers and will be sold in 50Ku volume for $35.95. The DVEVM is scheduled to begin shipping in 1Q08 from TI and TI Authorized Distributors. theDaVincieffect.

ALVISO, Calif — Nov 29, ‘07 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — TiVo offered the following statement today on the United States Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) decision with respect to the reexamination of TiVo’s Multimedia Timewarping System patent, U.S. patent number 6,233,389 (the “Time Warp Patent”):

“We are extremely pleased that the PTO has now found all claims of the Time Warp Patent to be valid after conducting a reexamination of the patent requested by EchoStar. This decision by the PTO is final and not appealable by EchoStar. Today’s decision by the PTO brings us another step closer to ending EchoStar’s continued infringement and we are hopeful that the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit will uphold the district court judgment of patent infringement and reinstate the injunction.” More at PRNewsWire.

CHIBA CITY, Japan –BUSINESS WIRE– Nov 23, ‘07 — Sony Finance International and Sony Pro Techno Support opened a booth together and exhibited the Location Porter that enables simple relay broadcasts achieved by connecting a camera to a tablet PC and using an NTT DoCoMo FOMA handset to broadcast images in real time. The combination of a Sony proprietary high-resolution algorithm with “quality of service (QoS)” enables simple, real-time broadcast of high-resolution video.

The current exhibition features a new dual FOMA feature that enables video to be transmitted by simultaneously using two FOMA handsets. Using one FOMA handset, the theoretical bandwidth is 384 kilobits/second, with actual speeds reaching about 256 kilobits/second. With the dual FOMA feature, these speeds reach 450 to 480 kilobits/second to enable stable 15 frames per second of H.264/AVC video.

The Location Porter is available through a rental service starting at a two-week rental period. It is easy to use and takes advantage of the latest features of PCs with their ever advancing functionality.

Sony Finance will be offering the rental service. The rental fee for two weeks is $1360 (¥149,800 yen). The Location Porter will enable simple live broadcasts not only for professionals but also for businesses and the general public.

Nov 21, ‘07 — Tech-On! is reporting on Future Creation Laboratory of Olympus Corp prototyped a new camera and a projector. The camera can shoot video images with horizontal and vertical viewing angles of 360 and 50°, respectively, in 1080i full-HD resolution, and the projector can project the images shot with this camera.

Tech-On! further writes, “Based on Olympus’ proprietary “axisymmetric free-form-surface lens” unveiled in July 2007, the prototypes have enhanced resolution and widen viewing angles. The lens had 760 scanning lines and a vertical viewing angle of 45° when it was first announced in July. The resolution and the viewing angle were achieved by optimization of the imaging optics (lens group) including the axisymmetric free-form-surface lens, the company said.

The lens is shaped like a top with a diameter of about 6cm. It is made of plastic. It can form omnidirectional images (horizontal and vertical viewing angles of 360 and 50°, respectively) on a plane surface in an annular manner, or project annular images on an omnidirectional surface.”

More at Tech-On!

Antitrust: European Commission Fines Professional Videotape Producers Over €74 Million for Price Fixing Cartel

Brussels – November 20, 2007 –The European Commission has imposed a total of $109 Million (€ 74,790,000)  fines on Sony, Fuji and Maxell for fixing prices for professional videotapes sold to customers in Europe, in violation of the EC Treaty’s ban on cartels and restrictive business practices (Article 81).

Between 1999 and 2002, Sony, Fuji and Maxell managed to raise or otherwise control prices through a series of regular meetings and other illicit contacts. Sony’s fine has been increased by 30% for obstructing the Commission’s investigation during on-site inspections at its premises.

Fuji’s and Maxell’s fines are reduced by 40% and 20% respectively because they co-operated with the investigation under the Commission’s 2002 Leniency Notice. There was no immunity applicant in this case. For the calculation of the fines, the Commission applied for the first time its new 2006 Guidelines.

Competition Commissioner Neelie Kroes said: “This decision sends two warnings to companies engaging in cartel activities: first, the Commission can prosecute cartels effectively even without prompts from immunity applicants, and second, obstructing a Commission’s antitrust investigation leads to severe penalties.”

The Commission started an investigation on its own initiative with surprise inspections, carried out at the premises of Sony’s, Fuji’s and Maxell’s European subsidiaries in May 2002.

The inspections proved particularly successful as abundant evidence of cartel activities was found. However, a Sony employee refused to answer oral questions asked by the Commission’s inspectors, in breach of Sony’s obligation to answer, while another Sony employee was found to have shredded documents during the inspection.

Fuji and, at a later stage, Maxell co-operated with the Commission and submitted additional evidence. Sony only acknowledged its involvement after receiving the Statement of Objections.

The cartel
The cartel covered the two most popular professional videotape formats at the time of the infringement: Betacam SP and Digital Betacam, which in 2001 totalled annual sales of some €115 million in the European Economic Area (EEA). TV stations and independent producers of TV programmes and advertising films are the main customers of professional videotapes.

Sony, Fuji and Maxell, with a combined share of more than 85% of the professional video tape market, organised three successful rounds of price increases and endeavoured to stabilise prices whenever an increase was not possible. They also regularly monitored the implementation of the price agreements.

The evidence uncovered describes in detail eleven meetings during which Sony, Fuji and Maxell discussed and agreed prices and/or exchanged sensitive commercial information as well as continuous contacts intended to monitor the implementation of their cartel agreements.

Fines
This is the first Commission antitrust decision where the 2006 Guidelines on Fines have been applied . Under the new method, fines better reflect the overall economic significance of the infringement as well as the share of each company involved.

More at European Commission.

SAN JOSE, Calif –BUSINESS WIRE– Nov 19, ‘07 — Samsung, introduces a powerful new optical disc drive, TruDirect SE-S204S, which allows consumers to create DVDs and burn digital content through a PC without the need for a hard drive. The TruDirect SE-S204S provides easy and fast real-time recording from nearly any digital device.

With camcorder and digital camera sales skyrocketing, predicted to be nearly 100 million units sold in 2008, consumers can now conveniently create DVDs in record time. Similar to VCR recording, users can connect a digital device such as a camcorder, digital camera or Web cam to their PC or notebook, and then connect the Samsung TruDirect SE-S204S to the computer to burn DVD movies directly.

Compared to using a hard disk drive, the TruDirect SE-S204S dramatically cuts down on the time it takes to create DVDs as no pre-mastering, multiplexing or hard-disk buffering is needed, enabling real-time, fast, and simple recording of personal videos, photos or data files onto DVD discs. Creating a DVD of a one-hour video stream only takes one hour and five minutes and to create a DVD from a one-hour hard disk drive camcorder file just takes 30 minutes.

In addition to DVD creation, the TruDirect SE-S204S features some of the fastest speeds of an optical disc drive on the market today. It features 20X DVD+R and DVD-R writing, 16X DVD+R Dual Layer writing, 12X DVD-R Dual Layer writing and 12X DVD-RAM writing.

The TruDirect SE-S204S is shipping nation wide with a street price of $159.99.

And since Samsung have THE WORST PR department on the face of this planet, there’s no picture to go with the story and as of the writing of this story the drive is nowhere to be found including Samsung US/UK, Amazon, Best Buy, Circuit City, Buy.com or at Frys.com and still Samsung press releases wants us to believe the drive is shipping nationwide. Gosh! I’ve never seen such a LOUSY, almost non-existent PR department of a multinational this big. Press release at BusinessWire.

PARK RIDGE, N.J – Nov. 14, 2007 – Sony Electronics’ latest HDV products include two new camcorders that feature interchangeable lens systems, native progressive recording, increased sensitivity for low-light conditions, hybrid solid-state recording and other features designed for video production professionals and pro-sumers.

The new models are the HVR-Z7U (handheld) and HVR-S270U (shoulder-mount) camcorders. Sony is also introducing the HVR-M35U playback and recording deck. These new products expand Sony’s line-up of HD production technologies, which includes the recently introduced PMW-EX1 XDCAM EX solid-state memory camera and the soon-to-be-available HVR-HD1000U shoulder-mount HDV camcorder.

Each camcorder comes standard with a 12x high-quality, multi-purpose Carl Zeiss lens for HD video, with a Vario-Sonnar T coating to reduce reflections.

The camcorders offer 1080, 24p and 30p native progressive recording. The 3 ClearVid CMOS Sensor system and EIP technology create true 1080p images, which can then be recorded as progressive signals by the HVR-Z7U and HVR-S270U camcorders in the HDV format. The progressive HDV streams can be output from an i.LINK interface and used for progressive editing with compatible NLE software.

The HVR-Z7U and HVR-S270U can switch between 1080p, 1080i in the HDV format, DVCAM, and DV recording, and both can down-convert material from HD to SD, and output the video signals through its i.LINK interface and other SD output connectors. The HVR-Z7U has an HDMI output. The HVR-S270U is available with HD-SDI or SD-SDI connectivity, and also supports embedded audio and timecode.

The HVR-M35U record and playback deck is compatible with HDV native progressive recording modes and supports HD/SD-SDI output with embedded audio and timecode data. It has a 60i/50i switchable function, and supports HDV1080i (60i/50i/24p/30p/25p) and DVCAM/DV (60i/50i). The new products are each planned to be available in February, at the following suggested list prices:

HVR-S270U camcorder, $10,500
HVR-Z7U camcorder, $6,850
HVR-M35U deck, $5,540

More at Sony.