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10 Popular Products for MDU Installations

CE Pro magazine has posted "10 Popular MDU Products" which shows solutions for multi-dwelling units (MDU), housing complexes and gated community housing projects. One of my favorite installation products, the DIRECTV SWM-8 Single Wire Multiswitch, has made the list. Here's a preview:

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10 Best Blu-ray Players

Just in time for Christmas and high on every movie lovers wish list, Blu-ray players will be hot sellers this holiday season. Thanks to Digital Trends for making our Blu-ray shopping a bit easier by assembling their 10 Best Blu-ray Players List.

According to Digital Trends, here's what they looked for in the Blu-ray players tested:

When considering the best Blu-ray Disc players available today, we looked at audio and video quality—high-end video processing with 12-bit or 14-bit Deep Color—aiming to reproduce the most realistic picture. But a few caveats to note when doing your own research as well:

• Most players now have Bonus View (a picture-in-picture capability for some discs) and BD-Live support for unlimited online special features.

• Quick start is a convenience feature on some Sony and Samsung players that eliminates that interminable wait for loading discs and menus on many players.

• New players from LG and Samsung offer not only Blu-ray Disc playback, but also add the ability to download Netflix movies. Samsung adds the online Pandora music player too.

More...

Good shopping!

10 Movies that Belong on Blu-ray

Electronic House has put together it's Top 10 list of movies that belong on Blu-Ray:

Glory - Announced for Blu-ray but no release date

Saving Private Ryan - A great movie but no Blu-ray release date

Finding Nemo - One of my grandson's favorite movies 

The X-Files TV Series

Braveheart - A True Epic

E.T. - A timeless classic

The Star Wars Series - Everyone loves Star Wars don't they?

The Indiana Jones Series - Ditto

Gladiator - Another great flick that should be high on the priority list for Blu-ray

Lord of the Rings Trilogy - Another epic series that every collector wants

The Wizard of Oz (Bonus Selection)

Amazon.com Launches Amazon Video On Demand

Amazon.com has launched it's Amazon Video On Demand service for movies and TV shows. You can now choose from thousands of movies and commercial-free TV shows to watch from your PC or Mac, no downloading required! They even have new Fall TV shows that you can watch before they premier on TV!






I will give the new service a try and report back here later this week. You can check it out now as there's some great content to choose from including hours many worth of free content. Let us know what you think of Amazon's new Video On Demand service.

Toshiba to drop HD DVD?

Well it certainly seems that way according to an article in the Hollywood Reporter that quotes sources from Toshiba. Jodi Sally, VP of marketing for Toshiba America Consumer Products, was quoted as saying "Toshiba will continue to study the market impact and the value proposition for consumers, particularly in light of its recent price reductions on all HD DVD players." Another HD DVD source is quoted as saying “An announcement is coming soon, It could be a matter of weeks.”

It's unfortunate but not surprising given the hundreds of millions of dollars that Sony's Blu-ray camp has thrown at the movie studios. 

Earlier this week, Netflix and Best Buy announced their support for Blu-ray. You can also look to Amazon.com who is offering 50% off HD DVD's and other online retailers that have or will follow.

CES 2008: CES - It's a Wrap

Well, another CES has come and gone and I'm still recovering. The early numbers show the attendance was down from about 150,000 last year to about 140,000 this year. Really? I didn't notice, the show seemed more crowded and bigger than ever, covering over 8 football fields! There was so much to see and no matter how long you're there, it's still tough to see and touch everything. There really wasn't much this year that stood out and grabbed me. Yes, I laughed at Bill Gates final Keynote address, drooled over Panasonic's 150" Plasma TV that would require a crane to lift it into place, Kid Rock and the new Corvette ZR1, Comcast's new FREE VOD website Fancast, XStreamHD, Logitech's SqueezeBox Duet...actually, there was some cool stuff to see this year.

Here's some more great CES 2008 Wrap Ups:

About.com
Best of CES 2008

CNET CES 2008 Wrap Up
Home Audio Wrap Up
Home Video Wrap Up
HDTV Wrap Up
Computers Wrap Up
Emerging Technologies Wrap Up
Car Tech Wrap Up
Portable Wrap Up
Cell Phone & Smart Phone Wrap Up

DigitalCameraReview.com
CES 2008 Wrap-Up

Earth2Tech
CES Green Gadget Wrap Up

Engadget
CES 2008: Everything you must see
The Best of Crapgadget

Engadget HD
CES 2008: The Best and worst of HD
CES 2008: The Best of Set Top Boxes
CES 2008: The Best of LCD TV HDTVs
CES 2008: The Best of Plasma HDTVs
CES 2008: The Best of Blu-ray Players

GearLog
Best of CES 2008

Gizmodo
Best of CES 2008

Mahalo
Everything CES 2008
CES 2008 Videos

PC Magazine
Best of CES 2008

popgadget
CES - It's a wrap

Tech Digest
CES 2008: The 50 Hottest Products

CES 2008: Kid Rock Introduces the 2009 Chevy Corvette ZR1

Kid Rock is in the house for CES 2008! He put on a nice little show at at the GM Style Event for the introduction of the 2009 Chevy Corvette ZR1. Thanks to Vincent Nguyen over at Slash Gear for the video.

CES 2008: Comcast Launches Fancast Free Video on Demand Site

Comcast is having a busy CES...Today, they've officially launched Fancast, a free video on demand site. Yes, I said free! They've got free access to full TV episodes from NBC, CBS, Fox, FX, Bravo, SciFi, Discovery, USA, MTV, VH1 and more. Hulu will get a boost from the content partnership I'm sure, once they're out of private beta that is. I've played with it for a few minutes and I like it. There's alot of free programming available but that's not all. According to Comcast, there are many more features coming to Fancast including the ability to control your DVR online.

HD TV Shows and Movies Coming to Your Xbox 360

On November 6, Microsoft Corp. announced agreements with CBS, MTV Networks, Paramount Pictures, Turner Broadcasting System Inc. (TBS Inc.), Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), and Warner Bros. Home Entertainment to bring an initial lineup of more than 1,000 hours of hit television shows and movies to Xbox 360™ consoles in the U.S. by the end of the year. Additionally, Xbox 360 will be the first gaming console to bring standard and HD TV shows and movies to the customer via digital distribution over the Internet.

Beginning on its first anniversary, November 22, Xbox 360 will become the first gaming console in history to provide HD TV shows and movies directly to gamers in their own living rooms. Xbox 360 gamers will be able to download full-length TV shows to own, and will be able to rent movies via download from the Xbox Live® network, the world leader in online distribution of high-definition gaming and entertainment content. This announcement also brings with it several additional firsts:

• For the first time, consumers will have an integrated gaming and entertainment experience on a gaming console, including downloadable HD television programming and movies. This new full-length content adds to the ever-expanding number of choices gamers have on their Xbox 360 consoles, whether they want to play games, play a movie on DVD, or watch a downloaded program in either standard or high definition.
• For the very first time CBS will offer high-definition download-to-own TV shows including CSI, Jericho, Numb3rs, and even remastered classic Star Trek episodes! Gamers can buy an episode and watch it as many times as they like.
• For the first time on any gaming platform, NASCAR.COM will deliver download-to-own condensed versions of select NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series races from Race Rewind.
• Also for the first time, the Ultimate Fighting Championship will make 50 of its most intense fights available for download as well as select episodes from the original season of The Ultimate Fighter reality series.

"This groundbreaking announcement is a win for everyone," said Peter Moore, corporate vice president of the Interactive Entertainment Business at Microsoft. "It connects our partners with one of the most coveted audiences in entertainment today, and provides even greater value to our Xbox Live community, allowing them to enjoy the games and entertainment they want, when they want it."

The initial lineup of TV shows and feature films available for download will include a growing catalog of popular hits. Examples of what will be available before the end of the year include:

• Robot Chicken and Aqua Teen Hunger Force from The Cartoon Network's Adult Swim.
• CSI, Survivor, and remastered episodes of classic Star Trek from CBS.
• Emmy and Peabody award-winning comedy South Park and Chappelle's Show from COMEDY CENTRAL.
• The Real World and Pimp My Ride from MTV.
• Avatar: The Last Airbender and SpongeBob SquarePants from Nickelodeon.
• Skyland and The Nicktoons Network Animation Festival from Nicktoons Network.
• Mission: Impossible III, Nacho Libre, and Jackass: The Movie from Paramount Pictures.
• Carpocalypse and Raising the Roofs from Spike TV.
• Race Rewind provided by NASCAR.COM.
• Select episodes of the original season of The Ultimate Fighter reality series and UFC: All Access from the UFC.
• Breaking Bonaduce and Hogan Knows Best from VH1.
• The Matrix, Superman Returns, and Batman Forever from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment.

Xbox 360 gamers can access Xbox Live Marketplace with a free Xbox Live Silver membership and a broadband connection. More information about the content available on Xbox Live Marketplace can be found at http://www.xbox.com/marketplaceentertainment.

High Definition Video on Demand Coming From Dish Network & Lionsgate

EchoStar Communications Corporation (NASDAQ: DISH) and its DISH Network™ satellite TV service today announced an agreement with Lionsgate Entertainment to carry the studio's titles on its Video On Demand platform, DISH On Demand, as well as Pay-Per-View services, including high definition.

DISH Network's DISH On Demand service gives customers the power to enjoy movies and other programs whenever they want and is currently available on the DISH Player-DVR 508, DISH Player-DVR 510, DISH Player-DVR 625, and ViP622 DVR receivers. Customers have immediate access to the newest VOD movies on DISH On Demand and can use the DVR features (Pause, Fast Forward, Rewind) to enhance their viewing experience.

 

DISH Network Pay-Per-View offers a variety of movies every day. Customers with HD-capable receivers can tune into Channel 9467 to see Pay-Per-View movies in HD. All Pay-Per-View movies can be ordered via remote control, by calling 1-800-333-DISH (3474) or online at www.dishnetwork.com/ppv.

"Lionsgate is a great addition to both DISH On Demand and Pay-Per-View," said Susan Arnold, vice president of Programming for EchoStar. "This agreement greatly enhances the variety of movie titles available to our customers."

"With more than 12 million subscribers, EchoStar is a leader in satellite services and we feel strongly that this strategic partnership will enhance the value of Lionsgate's wealth of filmed entertainment content," said Lionsgate Executive Vice President, Television Distribution Jon Ferro. "This agreement further cements Lionsgate's position as a leading content driver and as an industry pacesetter, poised to maximize new opportunities offered by digital media."

Come on DirecTV, where's all the HD programming you've been promising us?