Episode 11 - $18,000 Projector, New 32" LED HDTVS: Roberts CEDIA Report! HD Zune Review, Digital Audio Cable Myths, Blu-ray Releases [Discussion]

[marilee]

New HD Gear from the CEDIA show: Bargain 65" Flatpanels, Everybody's Getting Uncompressed Wireless 1080p, Pioneer eTap. Zune HD: 720p Video, with a catch. HDTV Mount: Success! Digital Audio Coaxial Cable: Myth vs. Fact Digital Audio Cable Options, Uncompressed 1080p Wireless HDTV The Blu-ray Releases for September 22, 2009!

Watch or download this episode now!

[tssaloic]

Good review, but here are some problems:

1.) The points system is the Microsoft Points system. Yes it is idiotic that it is not "credit for motherfreaking credit" -Kevin Rose. But the system is one pool of points shared between your Zune and Xbox LIVE accounts. Also, 240 points is roughly 3 USD, and 79 points is around 1 USD.

2.) The 90 USD AV dock is not the only way to get HD Video out, the 50 USD Sync dock does the same job, you just have to supply your own HDMI cable. More info here.

3.) Video downloads were slow before, don't expect much of a speed boost until Zune finally merges with Xbox LIVE.

[eminemdrdre00]

Another great episode! Patrick's HDTV also got an upgrade, went from that HP to a nice new Vizio!

[guytheninja]

I really like HD Nation's music. Whoever did the music for this show did an awesome job. I especially like the music for the HD Nation New Releases segment.

[rumblestrip]

Robert

The reason MotoGP isn't shown in HD is that it is not shot in HD. It is shot in native 16x9 though. The reason is DORNA, who own the rights to the series, do not own that level of production. They source local production equipment, to a point, to minimize the transportation costs. Example, the US rounds at Laguna Seca and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Chet Burks Productions, supplies all production equipment.

World Superbike on the other hand HAS begun to shoot everything in HD, but that is due to most of the races being in the EU, with only a few fly away races.

Hope that helps.

Eric Trytko
Rumblestrip.net
RumblestripRadio.com
twitter.com/rumblestrip

[sirpoonga]

80pts = $1US

The points are for the whole Live system. So the points are good on the Zune or Xbox. Watch for deals on the 4000 point cards. I've seen them as low as $30.

It looks like the costs are the same as the video store on the 360 video marketplace. In fact, if I heard right the Zune and Xbox video marketplace are the same? The next update for the Xbox is suppose to support the Zune HD. My hope is sometime they will allow wireless streaming of music from the Zune to the Xbox instead of a PC witht he Zune software. For now my Ipod nano is connected to the 360 so I can have my own music when playing games. I also use the nano on my motorcycle because it is solid state.

I have a 1st Gen Ipod nano, 30gig Zune, and the low end Ipod touch (for Iphone dev testing). I like the Zune over the Ipod. I prefere my Zune. The interface is more simple to use. If I hand someone my Ipod nano to select music (in a car or where ever) if that person hasn't used an ipod before it isn't obvious how to navigate it. With the Zune everything is obvious. However, the Ipod Touch is a definite improvement.

I prefer how the Zune software handles podcasts. Itunes can automatically delete older episodes on the Ipod, but not on the computer. The Zune software will automatically delete older podcasts from the computer which trickle's down to the Zune.

I also might be one of the few people who use the FM tuner on the Zune. The half assed morning show on 93X rocks!

One thing I would like to see all manufacture's do is allow on the fly playlist creating - not just a quick list.

[ghelyar]

I have used something similar to the "points" system on my own site for about 5 years now and it works very well.

However, what I do is slightly different. My customers tend to buy lots of very small virtual goods from me and split them over multiple accounts. Using "points" gives a huge degree of flexibility with this. Far more than a shopping basket. Also, I give large discounts to people who buy lots of "points" at once.

When I buy things on Xbox it doesn't work nearly as well. I end up buying 1000 to spend 800. Rinse and repeat until I have 800 left, then I can skip one "buy" section. As on the Wii, there is no discount for buying a huge amount of points at once and the things you can buy for points cost almost the same as the amount of points you buy so it seems to be very pointless (pun intended).

[smoke_me_a_kipper]

I couldn't go with a wall mount, my significant other said "No, wall mount". Oh well. I had this big entertainment system for the TV and Stereo. So I did a reno job on it.

http://picasaweb.google.ca/graeme.ellis/NewTVRebuild#

Please skip the fireplace part at the first. She wanted one.

[ghelyar]

Originally Posted by smoke_me_a_kipper

I couldn't go with a wall mount, my significant other said "No, wall mount". Oh well. I had this big entertainment system for the TV and Stereo. So I did a reno job on it.

http://picasaweb.google.ca/graeme.ellis/NewTVRebuild#

Please skip the fireplace part at the first. She wanted one.

I can understand not being able to use a wall mount due to lease contracts or whatever but why would someone actively not want a wall mount? It makes everything so neat and tidy.

Here's mine. As I said in a previous thread, it took me under 10 minutes to install because I didn't read the manual (RTFM is for noobs ) and it's in a real wall, not kindling.

P.S. Stoke me a clipper, I'll be back for Christmas.

[smoke_me_a_kipper]

Originally Posted by ghelyar

I can understand not being able to use a wall mount due to lease contracts or whatever but why would someone actively not want a wall mount? It makes everything so neat and tidy.

Here's mine. As I said in a previous thread, it took me under 10 minutes to install because I didn't read the manual (RTFM is for noobs ) and it's in a real wall, not kindling.

P.S. Stoke me a clipper, I'll be back for Christmas.

Pretty simple. My wife didn't want one, that and financially it made more sense to recycle the old stand then to buy a new mount. I got to play tool time either way.