Aug/090
New 120Hz / 3D-Enabled DLP Projectors from ViewSonic
ViewSonic today announced the availability of the all new PJD6211, PJD6221 and PJD6381 flexible, eco-friendly projectors with enhanced 3D display and short throw capabilities. These projectors are ideal for classroom, corporate and gaming audiences as they come equipped with advanced network management capabilities, multiple inputs and 120Hz refresh compatibility for a truly immersive 3D experience.
All of ViewSonic’s DLP projectors are Energy Star certified and feature ECO Mode configuration options. This can save up to 40% in energy consumption and extend the lamp life of the product up to 6,000 hours, decreasing the total cost of ownership.
Features at a Glance
PJD6381– 3D ultra short-throw DLP projector
- Ultra short throw ratio of 0.68 (one of the shortest throw ratios of DLP available in the market)
- 1024 x 768 XGA resolution
- 2,500 ANSI lumens
- 3,500:1 contrast ratio (detailed, brilliant images)
- 3D capability (compatible with leading Texas Instruments (DLP Link) and NVIDIA (3D-Vision) )
- 120Hz refresh rate (eliminate shadowing and distortion of screen images)
- Includes RJ45 network management software allowing users to manage all of their networked projectors
PJD6211 & PJD6221 – 120Hz / 3D Ready DLP projectors
- 1024 x 768 XGA resolution
- Up to 2,700 lumens
- Up to 2,800:1 contrast ratio (bright, crisp images)
- Includes RJ45 network management
- Two VGA input composite and S-Video inputs (for increased connectivity with multiple devices)
- VGA output port (for connecting an external display or secondary projector for multiple screen viewing)
- 3D capability (compatible with leading Texas Instruments (DLP Link) and NVIDIA (3D-Vision) )
- 120Hz refresh rate (eliminate shadowing and distortion of screen images)
Aug/090
HDTV Sources
The rise in popularity of large screens and projectors has made the limitations of conventional Standard Definition TV (SDTV) increasingly evident. An HDTV compatible television set will not improve the quality of SDTV channels. To display a superior picture, high definition televisions require a High Definition (HD) signal. Typical sources of HD signals are as follows:
- Over the air with an antenna. Most cities in the US with major network affiliates broadcast over the air in HD. To receive this signal an HD tuner is required. Most newer high definition televisions have an HD tuner built in. For HDTV televisions without a built in HD tuner, a separate set-top HD tuner box can be rented from a cable or satellite company or purchased.
- Cable television companies often offer HDTV broadcasts as part of their digital broadcast service. This is usually done with a set-top box or CableCARD issued by the cable company. Alternatively one can usually get the network HDTV channels for free with basic cable by using a QAM tuner built into their HDTV or set-top box. Some cable carriers also offer HDTV on-demand playback of movies and commonly viewed shows.
- Satellite-based TV companies, such as DirecTV and Dish Network (both in North America), Premiere (in Germany), TeleDunya (in Turkey), Sky Digital and freesat (in the UK and Ireland), Bell TV and Shaw Direct (both in Canada), Canal Digitaal (in the Netherlands), Canal Digital and Viasat (both in Norway, Sweden and Denmark), Cyfra+, Cyfrowy Polsat and n (in Poland), SKY (in New Zealand), NTV Plus (in Russia), Sky Italia in Italy and Digit-Alb (in Albania), offer HDTV to customers as an upgrade. New satellite receiver boxes are usually required to receive HD content.
- In Europe, several operators offer HDTV via ADSL. The HD set top box typically uses Ethernet or IEEE 802.11N to communicate with the ADSL modem and HDMI to the display. Typical offers include Internet + HDTV + Telephone for a flat rate fee.
- Video game systems, such as the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, and digital set-top boxes such as the Apple TV, and the Netgear Digital Entertainer, can output an HD signal. The Xbox Live Marketplace, iTunes Music Store, and PlayStation Network services offer HD movies, TV shows, movie trailers, and clips for download, but generally at lower bitrates than a Blu-ray Disc.
- Most newer computer graphics cards have either HDMI or DVI interfaces, which can be used to output images or video to an HDTV.
- Almost all computer graphics cards have standard SVGA jacks which can be used to output images or video to an HDTV’s “PC Input” jack.
- The optical disc standard Blu-ray Disc (25GB-50GB) can provide enough digital storage to store up to 10 hours of HD video content, depending on encoder settings.
- Another optical disc standard HD-DVD (15GB-30GB) can also hold several hours of HD content, depending on encoder settings.
Aug/091
Where is wireless HDMI?
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:
Philips Wireless HDMI Kit: At the Consumer Electronics Show in January 2007, Philips showed off a wireless HDMI kit that offered the promise of wirelessly connecting any HDMI source and any HDMI TV. It was due to be released in mid-2007, but the year ended with the product never materializing. In November, Philips claimed that the product had been delayed until 2008. However, our attempt to get a clarification from the company’s PR agency last week went unanswered, so we’re going to move this one into the vaporware column until we hear differently.
» Crave: Philips introduces new wireless HDMI kit
» CNET TV video: Philips Wireless HDMI at CES 2007
Samsung FP-T5094W Wireless Plasma: This is another CES 2007 product. This one wasn’t wireless HDMI per se, but it delivered the same de facto experience, thanks to a base station unit brimming with inputs that wirelessly transmitted to the standalone plasma panel. The product actually began shipping by the end of 2007, but the user reviews on Best Buy’s Web site complain of terrible lag when playing video games.
» Crave: Samsung’s wireless plasma TV snips the wires
» Crave: Samsung’s wireless plasma coming in November
» CNET TV video: Samsung FP-T5094W
Gefen Wireless HDMI Extender: The Gefen Wireless HDMI Extender debuted at the NAB show in April 2007, and Gefen even began accepting preorders later that summer. The product reappeared in late 2007/early 2008 with a different look, but it remains only available for preorder on Gefen’s Web site. Gefen’s press representative says, “The unit is still moving forward, but FCC and other testings still need to be completed.”
Belkin FlyWire: Despite the go-nowhere state of wireless HDMI in 2007, Belkin threw its hat into the ring at CES 2008 with the FlyWire. The unit one-upped the Philips one-in/one-out concept by including capacity for six AV sources, including HDMI, component, S-video, and composite ports. Originally slated for summer, Belkin says the FlyWire is now due in October and should retail for $500.
Knoxed Cablesson InfinityHD i90:Knoxed showed their Cablesson wireless HD in CEDIA 2009,this unit Up to 1080p@24fps/30fps, 1080i@60fps Picture Quality and 256-bit AES Encryption for Securing Video Transmission over Wireless.
While that list isn’t a comprehensive selection of wireless HDMI products, it’s enough of a cross-section to show that the technology hasn’t hit the consumer mainstream yet. Likewise, that complaint about laggy video could be a major hurdle for gamers if it extends to wireless HDMI products across the board, since even a fraction of a second is quite noticeable when doing any interactive activities. But with many of these products using similar chipsets and integrated solutions from vendors such as Amimon, don’t be surprised to see the trickle of wireless HDMI products become a flood just as soon as the baseline components and technology are ready for prime time.