Sony's Type X super-DVR

Next generation DVR technology is surfacing, notably with this high capacity, ultra-specced Sony concept model, turbo-charging moving image viewing. Tivo cubed. Sony's concept model digital video recorder, the Type X has more than 1 terabyte of storage and has 7 TV tuners, for recording of seven different video/audio sources simultaneously, and use in HDTV high-definition environments. Source: engadget.com...

New Apple AV software

Apple ramps up their AV line-up, including new HD and Pro versions of their video editing suites. Apple Pro Software line-up : Final Cut Pro HD (editing) | Motion (motion graphics) | DVD Studio Pro 3 (DVD authoring) | Shake 3.5 (effects compositing) | Logic Pro 6 (sound composition) The accompanying release of Xsan, a clustered filesystem for Mac OS X adds a high-performance storage solution for a production network using Xserve RAID On a more consumer-facing level Movie Montage 1.0 promises to be the iPhoto of video, to organise small-scale desktop/laptop video footage....

PSX-PS3-PSP synergies

Latest news emerging on Sony hardware plans bring together more details of how their 'ubiquitous network strategy' will play out with their new hardware. News emerging from controversial remarks by SCEE President David Reeves includes: Two versions of PS3: Home Server version nearer to PSX functionality, including hard drive, stripped down Games machine for hardcore next-gen gamers. PSP titles to be region-free, but UMD movies likely to include additional functionality Integral broadband distribution highlights Sony's commitment to downloadable game and add-ons strategy. With direct online purchase, Sony's price flexibility on gaming products will be increased. Additional sources suggest Wi-fi...

New Korsakow v2.5 system

The Korsakow interactive story system for interactive narration is now available as version 2.5. This version enables an online capability. The Korsakow Foundation is a repository of information based around this project, and the software which enables this flavour of database cinema. Korsakow online: 7sons | Love story | Korsakow downloads | Korsakow handbook (4M)...

Mars and Earth as film sets

BBC NEWS features a fascinating technology article detailing how a 3D Mars is being recreated from photos. The opportunities for virtual film sets are increasing every month, with September the scheduled completion date for the US military to create a second 'virtual' Earth [Source: BBC News] The detailed simulation will be drawn from a real-world terrain database and will be drawn to the same scale as the original. The software Earth is being created for the US Army by gaming company There, which is currently working on a virtual world for gamers. This recreation is specced to allow simulation based...

Freeview digital video recorder

While the UK may be playing catch-up in the PVR stakes, the success of Freeview's digital offering, and upcoming digital video recorders with ramped up features, bodes well for the country's advanced moving image viewing. Excerpt from: Guardian Unlimited | Online | From Sky+ to A+ FVRS100 Digital Video Recorder, which launches in April, pairs a Freeview decoder with a 40Gigabyte hard disk. Unlike similar products from Pace and Humax it features a programme guide that gives what's on information for up to a week in advance. The Pace and Humax recorders, to say nothing of the other digital TV...

PSP: PlayStation Portable delay

BBC NEWS reports Sony delays new PlayStation product release "Sony has announced it is to delay the US and European release of the handheld version of its Playstation console. The much-anticipated new device, called PSP, was set to hit the shelves by the end of this year, but its launch has now been put back to spring 2005." Still on course for late 2004 release in Japan to accelerate mobile viewing milieu....

Video on Demand jumpstarting...

Seattle Post-Intelligencer reports on Viacom's attempts to sell Blockbuster, and other corporate manoeuvrings, as the tipping point where physical rental retailers are being replaced by a slew of new start-ups offering online video rentals and downloads. Having been recently converted to the UK's Video Island Online DVD Rental, we can attest that the local video store is already dead....

Narcissistic viewing: Mirror TV

The Mirror TV from Philips, an LCD display enabled as part of a mirror, using a special lamination (30 inch screen for around $5500). Moving further toward discreet, ubiquitous viewing: "Mirror TV in essence is an LCD display integrated into a mirror, which means that you could surf TV channels, the internet or even view your blood pressure while brushing your teeth or styling you hair, or just admire your reflection. " [Via Tiger's Leap ]...

Hollywood blinded by digital cinema

On the eve of the world taking up digital cinema circuits Hollywood is still resisting a digital future. Some timely links on the subject: » JD's New Media Musings: Hollywood resisting a digital future » Digital Screen Network - UK Film Council » Financial Times article in the NY Times: Digital Cinema's Costs Divide the Film World. To many, especially the big Hollywood studios, digital projection in theaters is a solution looking for a problem. Digital Cinema's Costs Divide the Film World By ALAN CANE, FT.com "[currently]... there are about 175 D-cinema screens in 154 sites world-wide, or about...