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AV GlossaryHDTV Tech
1080i vs. 1080p
Geoffrey Morrison  |  Nov 21, 2006  |  First Published: Nov 22, 2006
Less than meets the eye.

The most frequently asked questions I've received this year have been about the difference between 1080i and 1080p. Many people felt—or others erroneously told them—that their brand-new 1080p TVs were actually 1080i, as that was the highest resolution they could accept on any input. I did a blog post on this topic and received excellent questions, which I followed up on. It is an important enough question—and one that creates a significant amount of confusion—that I felt I should address it here, as well.

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AV Receiver ReviewsOther Source Component ReviewsTower Speaker Reviews
Panasonic TH-42PX60U Plasma HDTV, SA-XR57 A/V Receiver, DMR-EH55 DVR/DVD Recorder, and SB-TP100 Speaker System
Adrienne Maxwell  |  Nov 21, 2006  |  First Published: Nov 22, 2006
HDMI: It's not just for video anymore.

HDMI is a wonderful invention filled with promise. When utilized to its fullest, it can offer the best of both worlds: uncompressed audio and video signals and intelligent, two-way communication over a single cable. Manufacturers have long teased us with talk of complete home theater systems that you can set up using just two or three cables, but the reality has fallen far short of the promise. Most designers have used HDMI only as a top-grade video connector, paying little attention to its audio and communication abilities. Armed with the new HDMI 1.2a spec (the products here were designed and released before 1.3 was finalized), Panasonic is aiming for the ultimate in connection and control with their new EZ Sync HDAVI Control products.

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Fred Manteghian Blog
Bring Out Yer Dead!
Fred Manteghian  |  Nov 21, 2006

That's right. It's my birthday. Fifty years ago, I arrived. But unlike this Magnavox console which followed me into the world a few years later, I've not been abandoned curbside. At least, not yet.

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Audio Video News
Toshiba 2nd Gen HD DVD Player Delayed
 |  Nov 19, 2006

Toshiba's representatives contacted us this week to let us know that the $499 HD-A2 second generation HD DVD, originally due in stores in November, is now looking at an early December release. The high-end $999 HD-XA2 remains on target for a December debut.

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Projector Reviews
Sony VPL-VW50 "Pearl" Projector SXRD Projector
 |  Nov 19, 2006

Sony took official ownership of CEDIA 2006 on Day 1 when it officially announced the VPL-VW50 SXRD front projector. Sony had previously lit the world on fire with the VPL-VW100<A HREF="http://ultimateavmag.com/videoprojectors/1205sony/">"Ruby"</A>, a fully outfitted three-chip 1080p SXRD projector with a retail of $10K, which was significantly less money than the premium single-chip 720p DLPs that ruled the day when it was released in Fall 2005 (not to mention that is a full two-thirds cheaper than Sony's first SXRD front pro, the <A HREF="http://ultimateavmag.com/videoprojectors/504sony/">Qualia 004</A>).

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Pioneer Elite PRO-FHD1 Plasma HDTV
 |  Nov 19, 2006

Once upon a time Pioneer Elite was <I>the</I> choice for a serious enthusiast in the market for a CRT-based RPTV. They had the best out of the box image there was, and in fact, I often felt as a calibrator that I was seldom offering more than a touch-up on those sets. They were great sets, and priced to match that high level of performance.

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Audio Video News
PS3 Rock Opera Begins
 |  Nov 17, 2006

Last night I went to a rock concert and a product launch broke out. But seriously folks, as you're all probably aware Sony's long awaited PlayStation3 game console officially went on sale at midnight last night around the country. I attended the San Francisco launch at the Sony Metreon, where fans, er consumers, were camped out and lined up around the building and down the street for the privilege of buying the consoles as they went on sale at the stroke of midnight.

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Geoffrey Morrison Blog
PS3 Launches
Geoffrey Morrison  |  Nov 17, 2006
At midnight last night, the very first PlayStation 3s were sold. To herald the even, there were huge launch parties in New York and San Francisco. A few of us journalist types were brought up to check it all out.
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Ears On
Logitech AudioStation
Mark Fleischmann  |  Nov 17, 2006
"There are eight million stories in the naked city," says the voiceover from the 1958 film noir of that name, and there are also 3000 stories in the Made for iPod city. One of them is Logitech's AudioStation. It hasn't got a handle, so it isn't exactly a boombox, but it does have two speakers surrounding a central control unit. What makes it special are touch-sensitive controls and a jutting dock for the iPod's 30-pin receptacle.
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Projector Reviews
Panasonic PT-AE1000U LCD Projector: Coming Attraction
Shane Buettner  |  Nov 16, 2006
  • $4,000 (MAP)
  • 1920x1080 three-chip LCD
  • Key Connections: Dual HDMI inputs
Features We Like: Dynamic iris for deep blacks, motorized zoom and focus, vertical and horizontal lens shift, Color Management System
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