hdmi

Holiday season reminder: Buy cheap HDMI cables

In the bustle of holiday shopping, it's easy to be persuaded by the salesperson at your local retailer that you need to buy a $50 HDMI cable to make your new gear work. They might say the expensive cable "supports faster speeds," "has better video quality," or that "cheap cables don't support 1080p"--pretty much anything to get you to throw that high-margin HDMI cable in your shopping cart. But the truth is that expensive HDMI cables aren't worth it and the cheap cables available online are just as good. In … Read more

Amazon selling Denon AVR-888 7.1 surround with HDMI outputs for $349

Tired of your paltry home theater in a box? Amazon is offering a pretty sweet Denon receiver, giving you a great reason to rebuild your home theater. The receiver is equipped with HDMI outputs and 7.1 channel support, pumping 100 watts per channel. Amazon is selling the receiver at $349.99, almost $400 off the MSRP. It's a hefty beast at 27 pounds, but no worries: shipping is free.

HDMI-over-power-line system works, but can't match an actual cable

"Wireless HDMI" isn't here quite yet--aside from Belkin's $1500 yet-to-ship FlyWire and Sony's $800 proprietary wireless link module--but Acoustic Research's HDP100 promises the next best thing.

The $300 system, which consists of a pair of identical-looking boxes, one transmitter and one receiver, takes an HDMI signal from a source component, runs it through your home's AC wiring, and spits it out on the other side for your HDTV to display. AR says the system isn't designed to work from room-to-room, like Ethernet-over-powerline adapters, but in our tests we were able to … Read more

As HDMI rises, DVI falls

It seems almost inconceivable that just five years ago I purchased a digital TV without a high-definition multimedia interface (HDMI) port. Today virtually every computer monitor that comes through CNET's testing labs has an HDMI port, even the smallish 22-inchers. Some even only come with an HDMI port, forgoing the DVI port altogether.

The rapid rise in HDMI integration by vendors isn't just my imagination, either. In-Stat has released a new report on the quick adoption of HDMI and Digital Visual Interface's (DVI) slow decline.

According to the report, HDMI ports were found in 95 percent of … Read more

Get an Xbox 360 Pro 60GB for $249 shipped

Quick! Head to Dell and grab the Xbox 360 Pro 60GB console for $249 shipped! You must use coupon code M69N0GW8WF$71V at checkout to get the deal (the system normally sells for $299). Why the big rush? The code expires after 650 uses, and I'll bet my iPod it won't last the day.

This holiday bundle includes two kid-friendly games: LEGO Indiana Jones and Kung Fu Panda (click through for reviews). As for the Xbox itself, it includes the much-wanted HDMI output--though you'll have to provide your own cable.

What else is there to say? This … Read more

Panasonic's Free Angle HDMI cables: Cool, but there are cheaper options available

At first glance, Panasonic's Free Angle HDMI cables look to be the perfect solution for HD connections in tight spaces. The cables--available in lengths of 1.5 and 3 meters--are so named because the HDMI plugs on each side can rotate up to 180 degrees. That means you can fold the plug down to a 90-degree angle with the cable (as shown), allowing it to fit into spaces as tight as 1.2 inches--ideal for wall-mounted TVs, for instance.

The cables worked just as well as standard HDMI cables in a quick and impromptu test. The only problem, then, … Read more

Blockbuster discounts old 40GB PS3--still a ripoff

A leaked internal memo shows that Blockbuster will be lowering the price of the entry-level 40GB model PlayStation 3 this weekend. Kotaku was able to get a screenshot of the memo, which clearly shows a new price of $360. Also, the store-exclusive Spider-Man 3 Blu-ray/Transformers video game and HDMI cable bundle will drop to $460.

This may seem like a decent bargain, but remember that $40 more will double your hard drive capacity to 80GB. (Confusingly, the "old" 80GB model, which had four USB ports and flash media slots, has mostly disappeared from store shelves. The new … Read more

22-inch Viewsonic LCD doubles as 720p HDTV for $229.99 shipped

A 22-inch LCD monitor for $200 is a solid deal. A 22-inch LCD with a built-in HD tuner for just $30 more is, arguably, even better. OnSale has the ViewSonic N2230W-S (refurbished) for $229.99 with free shipping, no rebates required.

Viewed solely as a desktop monitor, the N2230W-S has some solid specs: a 4000:1 contrast ratio, a 5ms response time, an HDCP-compliant HDMI port (meaning it's suitable for pairing with Blu-ray players), and built-in speakers.

Like most monitors of this size, it has a native resolution of 1,680 x 1,050. Unlike most monitors of this … Read more

New modular accessories bring wireless HDMI, built-in DVD to Sony Bravia TVs

The Bravia Internet Link is getting some siblings. Sony is adding three new accessories to its product line: the Wireless Link Module (DMX-WL1), the DVD Link Module (DMX-DVD), and the Input Link Module (DMX-SW1). Like the Internet Link, the new "Link" accessories are also designed as modular add-ons to specific current and recent Sony Bravia flat-panel LCD TVs. By snapping onto the TVs backside, they should still allow for a reasonably thin profile.

The $150 Input Link Module adds four HDMI inputs to compatible Bravias, while the $200 DVD Link Module adds a "built-in" upconverting DVD player to the mix. But it's the $800 Wireless Link Module that's the highlight of the new line. The two-part system includes a wireless video transmitter and a receiver (the latter of which snaps onto the back of the TV). Put the transmitter near your equipment rack, plug in up to five HD sources (four HDMI inputs, one component), and they're wirelessly transmitted to the TV for distances up to 65 feet (according to Sony). Video sources are limited to 1080i resolution, however, and it's unclear if there's any compression or lag (the latter is a big frustration for gamers). The Wireless Link Module is scheduled to hit in October, while the other two are already available.

Are any of these worth buying?… Read more