What Hi-Fi? Sound and Vision

IFA NEWS: £599 Hybrid Blu-ray/HD DVD player due by Christmas

Clare Newsome 31 August 2007 14:38

Samsung's hybrid HD player - able to handle the full functionality of both Blu-ray and HD DVD discs - should be in the shops by Christmas, priced at a highly competitive £599.

The Korean company also plans to release a third-generation Blu-ray player even sooner - the £399 player should be available by October.

IFA NEWS: Sony expands Blu-ray line with two new players and all-in-one system - and Spider-man is free!

Andrew Everard 31 August 2007 08:56

Sony is boosting its commitment to Bu-ray with the arrival of two new players and a complete home cinema system - and buyers of any of them will get the Spider-man trilogy on Blu-ray disc absolutely free.

Does anyone who writes the manuals actually read the things?

Andrew Everard 30 August 2007 16:39

As the more eagle-eyed website visitor may have spotted, I have been know to answer the odd question over on the WHFSV Forums, writes Andrew Everard. It’s amazing how many times the same questions turn up, about selecting equipment – 32in LCD TVs seem to be the objects of desire at the moment – or making particular pieces of equipment work together.

IFA NEWS: Epson's new projectors look to cover all bases

Joe Cox 30 August 2007 10:17

Epson has announced four new home cinema projectors, including two complete projector 'systems' complete with built-in DVD players and speakers, plus a high end model that boasts a claimed 50,000:1 contrast ratio.

COMPETITION: Win a Marantz DV7001 universal player - worth £600! NOW CLOSED

Andrew Everard 25 August 2007 09:01

Marantz DV7001_anglebig

COMPETITION NOW CLOSED - ENTRIES MADE AFTER 12.00 BST ON 31/08/2007 WILL NOT BE ENTERED INTO THE DRAW.

The Marantz DV7001 is a consistent favourite of ours - combining DVD playback with 1080p upscaling, DVD-Audio/SACD capability and high-quality CD sound, it would make a fine addition to any system. And now you can win one, in our web-exclusive competition.

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The Best of the Week - 24/08/07

Andrew Everard 24 August 2007 07:03

Hey! Guess what? Looking out of the window here at WHFSV Towers, it's stopped raining. And there's the threat of some sunshine! Never mind, sure it'll all be back to normal by next week, which will send us all scurrying back to our systems...

This week on whathifi.com we've...

COMING SOON: 24 series 6 on DVD

Andy Clough 23 August 2007 11:44

If, like me, you're a Virgin Media customer and missed out on the second half of 24, series 6 after Sky pulled its channels from Virgin's cable service, salvation is at hand, writes Andy Clough.

Twentieth Century Fox is shortly to release the entire series on DVD, and I was up until 3am this morning frantically catching up on missed episodes! I've still got a couple of discs to go, so it looks as if a few more late nights are in order.

NEWS: NAD launches modular receiver range

Clare Newsome 21 August 2007 16:17

NAD has announced three new multichannel receivers and a preamp/tuner/processor, promoting a "music-first" modular approach that priortises performance and ease of use over feature-packed specifications.

Nad T785

NEWS: Paramount/Dreamworks go exclusively HD DVD - but Indiana Jones could still whip onto Blu-ray

Clare Newsome 20 August 2007 18:03

In the latest shot in the Blu-ray vs HD DVD battle, Paramount Pictures and DreamWorks Animation have both declared their future high-definition disc releases will be on HD DVD only.

Shrek3-1 The first blockbuster releases this will effect will be Shrek the Third, Transformers and Blades of Glory - all available on HD DVD before Christmas.

However, in a key caveat to the move, films directed by Stephen Spielberg for the two studios will NOT be exclusive to HD DVD - meaning movies such as the Indiana Jones trilogy, War of the Worlds, Catch Me If You Can and Munich are likely to appear on both HD formats.

NEWS: Mordaunt-Short set to unveil new Mezzo speakers at IFA Berlin

Andy Clough 17 August 2007 12:11

Mezzo 7.1
We first heard about the new Mezzo speaker range from Mordaunt-Short at the High-End Hi-Fi Show in Munich earlier this year, but details remained sketchy.

Well the week after next we'll be back in Germany at the IFA Show in Berlin, where M-S will take the wraps off the Mezzo 7.1 package.

NEWS: Honey, I shrunk the subwoofer! Velodyne unveils the MicroVee

Clare Newsome 15 August 2007 17:00

If you're struggling to squeeze a subwoofer into your room/past your partner, Velodyne may have the answer in the diminutive form of the MicroVee.

The bass box measures a tidy 22.9x22.9x24.4cm - that's roughly nine-inches squared in old money – while still claiming to deliver "huge" bass. Velodyne Microvee

NEWS: KEF packages its iQ speakers to save you money

Andrew Everard 15 August 2007 12:32

KEF has announced packages based around its iQ Series speakers; each of the four set-ups is designed to give you a perfectly-matched surround system and also save anything from £45 to £260. And the company is also cutting the price of the baby iQ speaker: the iQ1s will now sell for £200, rather than £220.

NEWS: DivX passes 100 million milestone

Clare Newsome 13 August 2007 18:21

Ever seen this logo on one of your consumer electronics products or packaging? If so, it'll be one of over 100 million DivX-certified devices to be shipped since the video-compression software started a certification programme back in 2003. The newly

NEWS: Goodmans adds two affordable Freeview recorders

Andrew Everard 11 August 2007 17:53

This is the GHD8020F2, one of two new digital set-top box/recorders just announced by Goodmans under the Freeview Playback banner. It has an 80GB hard drive good for 35 hours of recording, and will sell for around £130 when it hits the shops next month.

NEWS: Sky offers loyalty discounts on HD upgrades

Andrew Everard 10 August 2007 12:36

From now until the end of September, Sky is offering discounts to existing customers wanting to upgrade to its HD service. While the box remains £299, customers can get it for as little as £199, depending on how long they've been signed up for Sky.

The Best of the Week - 10/08/07

Andrew Everard 10 August 2007 12:21

Awards judging continues apace, as does the frantic rush to complete the October issue ready to get it out on the streets for August 23, not to mention getting cracking on the November one. But things have also been getting even busier here on the website, This week, as well as wondering where all the good hi-fi retailers went, we've been...

NEWS: InFocus adds two Full HD 1080p projectors to UK range

Andy Clough 10 August 2007 12:12

InFocus is adding two Full HD/1080p projectors to its UK line-up. The Play Big IN82 and IN81 models are designed to show off HD DVD and Blu-ray films in all their high-definition glory.

NEWS: Denon receivers - not one, but seven!

Andrew Everard 09 August 2007 16:08

Denon Avr1508Sr E2 Fr 21

In addition to the AVR-4308DAB, which we previewed here, Denon is all set to launch no fewer than six more AV receivers in the next couple of months, with models starting from the £270 AVR-1508 (above). And sitting at the heart of the range is the AVR-2808, at £900, which packs decoders for Dolby True HD and DTS-HD Master Audio.

NEWS: Yamaha US debuts a trio of AV big-hitters

Andrew Everard 09 August 2007 15:18

More news from across the pond, and this time it's Yamaha rolling out some serious home cinema hardware, in the form of two upmarket receivers and an 11.2-channel, 7x140W plus 4x50W, $5500 battleship. In case you were wondering, those four extra channels are there to deliver height and rear presence information!

NEWS: Toshiba launches third-gen HD DVD hardware Stateside

Andrew Everard 09 August 2007 14:46

The sole flagbearer for HD DVD in the UK, Toshiba, has just announced its third-generation players for the US market. And among all the new things about them – such as 24-fps support, HDMI Link remote control and HD audio decoding - the most striking thing is the price: the top-end HD-A35 is $500 (or £250), while the entry-level model, the HD-A3, is just £300 (or £150).

NEWS: LG's "1000W" all-in-one system

Andrew Everard 09 August 2007 14:25

New from LG is the HT902TB, a home cinema in a box system complete with floorstanding speakers, 1080i upscaling and the company's SimpLink HDMI control system. It's just in the shops at just under £300, and the company says "Complete with 1000 watts of listening power, not only does this system exude flair but features the very latest in home cinema functionality."

NEWS: Denon DVD-1940 - exclusive review headed your way

Clare Newsome 07 August 2007 17:32

Award winners are falling thick and fast here at What Hi-fi? Sound and Vision's test HQ. So what will replace Denon's discontinued DVD-1930, our current DVD player product of the year?

We can't tell you that yet - there are still several new-season players to be tested, and some incredibly strong rivals at other price-points - but we're betting Denon hopes it's the replacement version, the DVD-1940. Denon Dvd-1940

NEWS: Monster moves to end HDMI worries

Andrew Everard 07 August 2007 15:51

Monster Cable, not exactly a stranger to smart marketing ideas, has launched a new scheme designed to allay the worries of HDMI cable buyers. Its Cable for Life promise, available on selected models from the company's forthcoming range, guarantees to replace the cable if changes in HDMI capability create compatibility problems.

NEWS: Vivanco offers racks straight to your door

Andrew Everard 07 August 2007 14:05

Accessories specialist Vivanco is introducing a new range of racks designed for hi-fi and home cinema equipment – and as well as being offered in a choice of high-quality finishes, they're delivered straight to your door once you've chosen in the shop.

NEWS: THX working on self-adjusting home cinema

Andrew Everard 06 August 2007 15:02

Thxlogo Reports in the States suggest that THX, the movie-sound company founded by George Lucas back in 1983 to optimise sound quality in cinemas, is now working on technology to do the same for our systems at home.

Using data embedded in DVDs and other formats, the system would allow the content to tell a compatible system how to set itself up to give the best-possible picture and sound quality.

NEWS: More Elvis anniversary releases

Clare Newsome 06 August 2007 12:52

As fans throughout the world plan to mark the 30th anniversary of Elvis Presley's death on Thursday 16th August, companies continue to cash-in - sorry, add their own tribute - with a range of music and movie re-releases.

Elvis-3D-Boxset-Web The latest offering is a limited edition DVD boxset from Warner Video, including an oddly diverse selection of the King's movies and live performances, "packaged to resemble a blue-suede shoe box".

NEWS: Isotek's filter for TVs and set-top boxes

Andrew Everard 03 August 2007 12:31

Isotek Mira Group Scaled This is Isotek's new Mira mains filter, designed to improve the performance and life expectancy of your TV and set-top box, while at the same time offering protection from surges and lightning strikes.

Selling for £150, it has dedicated sockets for a display and one other component, and antenna input and output sockets to protect the system from strikes of up to 22,500A.

The Best of the Week - 03/08/07

Andrew Everard 03 August 2007 12:00

Well, testing is well under way for the October issue of What Hi-Fi? Sound and Vision - yes, we know, in August - and we're having long and heated debates over the merits of TVs, high-definition disc players and the like. But we've also found time to...

NEWS: The Sony home cinema in a box that talks to your mobile

Andy Clough 03 August 2007 10:45

We've just finished testing Sony's ever-so-cute Bravia Theatre DAV-IS10 home cinema in a box system (there'll be a full review in our October issue, on sale August 23), and now Sony's added another model to the range, the DAV-X10.

Finished in fashionable piano black, it's a 2.1 system with two tiny speakers and a compact subwoofer that's expected to sell for around £699.

NEWS: Hitachi launches Blu-ray camcorders

Andrew Everard 03 August 2007 10:16

Hitachi has announced the arrival of the world's first Blu-ray camcorders, offering 1920x1080-pixel HD recording onto miniature BD-R (recordable Blu-ray) discs. And in a parallel move, recording media companies Imation and Verbatim heralded the arrival of the blank discs the camcorders will use.

The answer comes out of the Blu

Andrew Everard 01 August 2007 15:16

Ever since Sony announced the availability in the USA of its BDP-S300 Blu-ray player, which slots in below the original BDP-S1, I've been endeavouring to find out when, or indeed if, it would be coming to the UK, writes Andrew Everard.

I'd assumed the less expensive machine would be just the thing to take on the low-priced HD DVD machines already available here, and make something of a fight of the non-event the HD format war so far seems to be.

NEWS: Mordaunt-Short Alumni home cinema speakers available from September

Andy Clough 01 August 2007 12:39

Alumni Speakers

Mordaunt-Short's Alumni home cinema sub/sat speaker package will be available from next month, either as a 2.1 or full 5.1 package.

Designed at the company's UK R&D centre, the speakers use a curved cabinet design intended to reduce standing waves and so improve sound quality, and are available in black and white gloss finishes.

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