hdmi

It's been a big week for small systems.

On May 29, VIA formally announced (here) its "Nano" family of low-power x86 processors. These chips will be especially valuable in small laptops, UMPCs, and so-called mobile Internet devices (MIDs).

Then on June 2, NVIDIA announced (here) its Tegra 600 family, which is also being marketed for MIDs. But Tegra is a very different animal. It's based on an ARM11 processor core, which can run Windows Mobile or Linux but not Windows XP or Vista.

VIA's Nano processors are based on a new microarchitecture that is a … Read more

Need to connect a cable box, Blu-ray player, Xbox 360 Elite, PlayStation 3, or other device to your HDTV? Don't let your local big-box sales weenie talk you into spending $60, $80, or even $100 on an HDMI cable. Instead, head to eBay, Meritline, Newegg, or the like and scoop up a no-brand equivalent for as little as 10 bucks.

HDMI cables, which carry digital audio and video signals, are insanely overpriced. That's the consensus of Ars Technica, CNET, The Consumerist, and yours truly. There's ample scientific and anecdotal evidence that dirt-cheap generics perform just as well … Read more

HDMI has certainly had its growing pains, but the connection is finally beginning to deliver on its original promise: a single-cable solution for delivering high-bandwidth, all-digital HD video and multichannel audio. HDMI is nearly universal in the home video market, present on all current HDTVs and Blu-ray players, as well as nearly all HD-capable cable and satellite set-top boxes; DVRs; game consoles; AV receivers; upscaling DVD players and recorders; and network video streamers such as the Apple TV. In fact, you realize just how convenient HDMI is when you come across a product without it--I'm looking at you, Nintendo Wii--and then have five cables (three component video wires plus two-channel stereo) instead of one crowding the back of your home entertainment system.

But one aspect of the HDMI promise remains unfulfilled: wireless HDMI. It's an attractive idea, especially for anybody with a wall-mounted flat-panel TV or a ceiling-mounted projector: have all of your HDMI-capable gear running into an AV receiver or HDMI switcher with a wireless HDMI transmitter, and have the TV equipped with a matching receiver--thus allowing you to have all your AV sources across the room from the actual display. We've been hearing about it for years, but to date, there are few--if any--products that you can actually buy. Here's a quick update on the wireless HDMI products we've heard about to date--including when (or whether) we can expect to see them: … Read more

A $699 camcorder may not seem like a bargain, but hear me out. The Canon HV20 captures stunning high-def video (so says CNET) and includes high-end features like HDMI output (so you can connect it directly to your HDTV), instant auto-focus, and a "hot" accessory shoe. Normally it sells for around $799, but Dell has it on sale for $699.99 shipped.

If you're still shooting in standard-def, do yourself a favor and upgrade to an HD camcorder like this one. The difference is just jaw-dropping. The HV20 stumbles a bit in low-light environments, but that's … Read more

Gefen is adding hard-drive encryption to its High-Definition Personal Video Recorder to ensure that it won't become an easy avenue for video piracy. Doing so will bring the product into line with other commercially available set-top recorders and DVRs, all of which encrypt video recordings to ensure they won't be played back outside of the device.

The addition of encryption follows a dialogue with CNET that was initiated after the Gefen HD PVR was highlighted on Zatznotfunny. Blogger Dave Zatz noted that the Gefen was a unique product: not only did it have HDMI inputs--a usually unseen … Read more

Sony's latest crop of photo printers, the DPP-FP95 and DPP-FP75, have a 3.6- and 3.2-inch LCD display and a new icon-ridden graphic interface for PC-free image editing. They reportedly print a 4x6-inch photo at 300x300 DPI resolution in 45 seconds using dye-sublimation.

Finally, if LCD just isn't doing it for you, you can also hook it up to your TV via its HDMI output.

Wait, what? Yes, this will appeal to the following consumer:

1.) Has an HD TV

2.) Doesn't have a camera with HDMI-out

3.) Would rather not buy a camera with HDMI-out… Read more

CNET reader "deesmac" asks:

It's a great question. High-Definition Multimedia Interface provides the advantage of passing a high-bandwidth all-digital high-definition video and audio signal on a single cable, as opposed to the tangle of component video plus audio cables that were required for HD. (If those terms are Greek to you, check out the connectivity section of the CNET TV Buying Guide.) HDMI is now the standard connector for HDTVs and all of the HD-capable components that connect to them--DVD players and recorders, DVRs, game consoles, Blu-ray and HD DVD players, and even camcorders and PCs. But all of those are video sources that only have HDMI outputs. You'll find HDMI inputs only on AV receivers, HDMI switchers, and--of course--TVs. So, why the disparity? … Read more

You can never be too rich, too thin, or have too many HDMI ports. If you just added a component to your home theater (a Blu-ray player, perhaps? Wink, wink) but don't have a port free on your TV, check out this no-brand 2-port HDMI switch. It's available from SuperMediaStore.com for just $22.99, ground shipping included!

The switch supports HDCP and resolutions of up to 1080p. It's a self-powered manual switch, meaning you'll have to haul your bum off the couch whenever you want to change inputs. You'll also have to supply a … Read more

The options continue to grow for distributing digital content, including HD, over networks within and beyond the home. A major help in this area will be the trend toward "wireless everything" that stands out at this 2008 show.

Most of the major TV manufacturers have announced HDMI (high definition multimedia interface) wireless capabilities and plans to stream Internet content to the TV, via wired or wireless connectivity. Additionally, LG (with Netflix) and Microsoft (with ABC, Disney and MGM) announced plans for downloading movie and television content to the TV from the Internet via set-top boxes and media extenders. … Read more