There are plenty of people out there that couldn't care less if HD programming continued to flow over component connections. To some, it is just seen as an outdated technology that deserves to die. So it's no surprise that some big names like DirecTV and AT&T recently told the FCC that they couldn't care less either, but this is mostly because they are more interested in offering some Hollywood movies a few weeks early, than ensuring their customers can use their connection of choice. Funny though, not everyone agrees, we particularly liked the stance of the National Association of Theater Owners which believe that if new movies were offered earlier, it is sure to kill the theater business -- boy, we never heard that one before. The only entity out there who did seem to be on the same page as us was the Consumer Electronics Association, who called SOC a "blunt instrument" to which they see many opportunities for abuse. TiVo seemed to have the most level headed approach though, which was, let 'em try it, and if it's abused (aka used for something other then new movies) then repeal it -- just so long as the content works on TiVo devices, of course.

Just moments after ABI Research published a report suggesting that all-in-one PCs and internet TV would invigorate the HTPC market comes something similar from Forrester Research. Its latest analysis suggests that the growing trend of maintaining files rather than physical discs could give home media servers a significant boost. Essentially, HTPCs and home storage / networking devices could become entirely relevant as digital downloads become more common and physical media fades out. Granted, we're a firm believer that said scenario is still years away from happening, but we don't doubt that this prophecy will be realized in due time. As it stands, only around 400,000 US households posses a home server, suggesting that the market is just barely in its infancy. Forrester says that figure will grow to 4.5 million by 2012 -- we've got 3.5 years to find out.

For what it's worth, Buffalo just announced the world's fastest Blu-ray recorder capable of burning through your data at an 8x clip. The only problem is that BDA-approved media maxes out at 6x, assuming you can even find it. Available in Japan starting next month, the external USB 2.0 and eSATA BR-816SU2 and internal SATA BR-816FBS models hit that 8x recording speed on single-layer BD-R media only -- 2x for dual-layer BD-R, BD-RE, and LTH BD-R. CDs and DVDs are supported too naturally, with a max 16x burn to DVD±R or 48x/24x for CD-R/RW. Each drive comes bundled with Cyberlink's PowerDVD 7 suite and are priced at ¥46,700 (about $435) for the external drive or ¥41,000 (about $380) for the internal optical spinner.

[Via BIOS and CDRinf]

Even we would agree that digital downloads aren't apt to siphon away a significant amount of physical media market share in the immediate future, but a recent survey conducted by CinemaNow (read: your skeptic hat should now be firmly in place) suggests that the vast majority of Americans feel otherwise. As a matter of fact, 87% of those surveyed agreed that "renting DVDs at the video store or through mail service will become a thing of the past," and 94% of those same folks reportedly felt that movie downloads were just "better for the environment." Not like the average joe / jane understands how much energy is consumed by warehouses full of drives, gigantic air-conditioned server rooms and legions of PCs sucking down content, but yeah, these results are totally representative of the truth.

[Image courtesy of Street Knowledge]

Although Raleigh, North Carolina is set to become one of the first DVB-SH test markets in America, WRAL is already testing out yet another standard. The station known nationwide for taking its local newscasts to the world of HD while everyone else sat and moped in their SD control rooms is currently teaming with CBC in order to test out the ATSC-compatible MPH mobile television transmission system. As we've seen before, the system enables "local broadcasters to deliver digital television to mobile devices including cellphones, laptops and personal media players," all while moving quickly in vehicles, hoverboards, rocket-powered scooters -- you name it. There's no word on what exactly will happen once the trials conclude, but we'll be keeping an ear to the ground just in case it's something big.

[Via BroadcastingCable]

One of the many reasons our killer Captain EO home theater setup hasn't become a reality yet is because even with more than a few kinds of 3D HDTV equipment on shelves, there's no standard that guarantees that next Hannah Montana Blu-ray disc will be able to take advantage of it. The SMPTE hopes to change all of that, establishing a task force (has anyone asked the 3D@Home Consortium how they feel about it?) with the mandate of creating a standard for 3D "content distributed via broadcast, cable, satellite, packaged media and the Internet and played-out on televisions, computer screens and other tethered displays". The Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers are the fine people behind nearly every way you currently experience AV at home, so after the inaugural meeting August 19 and six months to create a report (EE Times notes actually setting a standard could take 18-30 months, so don't move the furniture yet), really all that's left is to explain our Michael Jackson infatuation.

[Via EE Times]

Research firm Parks Associates is calling for double digit (just) compound annual growth rate (CAGR) in the universal remote category between now and 2013. Knowing how the average consumer is more willing to live with a basket of remotes than plunking down money on a universal model, the 10-percent CAGR is nothing to sneeze at. We're a little troubled by the trend of increasing system complexity called out in the report, however. While we're resigned to ever-increasing complexity in AV systems, average consumers would really like to see things head in the other direction. Hiding the complexity in the remote also tends to make remote set-up complex, which will definitely threaten that growth rate. Also, the report doesn't cal out technologies like HDMI-CEC, which we'd really like to see take off. These gripes aside, though, we're hoping that remote makers take the findings as an incentive to innovate.

With royalty fees just around the bend for Blu-ray recorders in Japan, it seems as if locals are snapping up units left and right before the taxation is enacted. For the first time in a single month, shipments of recorders and players based on Blu-ray Disc broke the six-figure mark in June 2008 with 122,000 units. That's coming from data reported by the Japan Electronics and Information Technology Industries Association (JEITA), which shows a notable increase from the 82,000 units shipped in May. Analysts are expecting the numbers to rise further in the coming months, as the Beijing Olympics draw near and many Japanese citizens spend their mid-year bonus on high-def wares. Still, it's not like folks in Japan are getting any stellar deals; the cheapest BD deck there is Sharp's BD-AV1, which still demands around ¥44,800 ($420). Just imagine those sales figures if there were a few reasonably priced players to choose from.

[Image courtesy of DayLife]

When Raleigh, North Carolina's WRAL took its local news to high-definition some eight years back, we'd be willing to bet it never thought the rest of America would be so immensely slow in following suit. Sadly, it has indeed taken eight full years for a country known for its pioneering spirit in HD to see 100 local news stations make the high-def leap -- but we suppose it's still a milestone worth celebrating. That being said, if it takes another eight years to hit 200, we just might drown in our own tears.

[Thanks, Jeremy]

The FCC put a stop on selling non-CableCARD-equipped set-top-boxes in the United States around this time last year, but it did leave open the possibility for small cable carriers and other providers in strange market conditions to sidestep the new rule. Choice Cable TV, which services parts of rural Puerto Rico and the cities of Ponce and Mayaguez, finally received its long-awaited FCC waiver which will enable it to start selling HD DVRs that lack CableCARD support. It's hoping that this will rekindle demand for high-def service and consequently allow it to add more HD content. On a related note, the island's Liberty Cablevision is also applying for a similar waiver, as it argues that the low median annual household income in its service area constitutes a "idiosyncratic factual situation."

Be still, our hearts! After watching the wireless HD / HDMI sector fumble along for years on end, a team of mega-corps have finally agreed to push their self-interests aside and collaborate on a standard. WHDI creator AMIMON has joined forces with Motorola, Samsung, Sony and Sharp in order to form "a special interest group to develop a comprehensive new industry standard for multi-room audio, video and control connectivity" utilizing the aforementioned Wireless Home Digital Interface technology. Reportedly, the group will have a standard completed before 2009 dawns, but we all know how easily these things can get pushed under the rug. Nevertheless, the overriding goal here is to "enhance the current WHDI technology to enable wireless streaming of uncompressed HD video and audio between CE devices such as LCD and plasma HDTVs, multimedia projectors, AV receivers, DVD and BD players, set-top-boxes, game consoles and PCs." A tall order, sure, but one we're elated to see taken on. Full release (and promo spot) after the break.

Hologram technology has been secretly inching closer and closer to our living rooms for quite some time, though few have actually been paying attention to it as a bona fide display technology. A team from the University of Arizona is hoping to change that mindset, as they have developed a technology that "allows holograms to be rewritable for the first time." Essentially, this enables "allows 3D images to be changed many times per second, just like the frames in a movie," and you don't have to have the most vivid of imaginations to understand how incredible this could be. As of now, the tech isn't suitable for 3D movies, but team member Nasser Peyghambarian is hopeful that they "will be able to get to that capability." Better-than-3D visuals without the glasses? Consider us pre-sold.

There has been a bit of a ruckus lately about the fact that Hollywood recently petitioned the FCC so that the ban on selectable output control (SOC) would be lifted. The articles go on to say that the this could impact the way you record with your HD DVRs, but it really isn't the case. As DirecTV HD DVR, TiVo HD and Vista Media Center owners (among others) can tell you, there are already flags out there that can either limit the amount of time you can keep a show, or prevent you from recording something entirely. The copy never flags are not supposed to be used, but it's obvious that they are, and the copy once flags get abused by some providers as a rule, rather than the exception. But SOC has nothing to do with recording on your HD DVR; SOC is all about closing the analog hole.

Okay, so there are a few titles out there on Blu-ray, DVD and / or CD that simply shine. Those are undoubtedly the ones you bring out when looking to wow onlookers who are checking out your setup for the first time. But wouldn't you like to know which titles industry professionals use to seal deals and land clients? Thanks to a feature over at CE Pro, now you can. Bigwigs from SpeakerCraft, Richard Gray's Power Company and the Imaging Science Foundation were questioned about their favorite source material, and just to name a few, Cars, Casino Royale, The Fifth Element (the remastered version, obviously), Vertical Limit and Contact (DVD) made the cut. Hit up the read link for the full list.

For some strange reason, we can't say we're surprised by the latest J.D. Power and Associates report. Maybe it's how LCD HDTVs seem to be highlighted in most retail locations, or maybe it's just because the negative burn-in stigma attached to earlier PDPs has yet to wear off. Whatever the case, said research firm has just produced an article claiming that "retail electronics salespersons are recommending LCD TVs instead of plasma TVs at a rate of more than three to one." The research focused on shoppers looking for sets 40-inches and up over the past six months, though it didn't specifically mention where it went undercover to source such data. Really though, it's not shocking to hear that B&M salespeople aren't totally adept at explaining pros and cons -- after all, we'd recommend doing your own independent research and ordering online -- but hopefully this will beat the message home to those who've been blindly believing anything they hear when shopping for a new set.

[Image courtesy of Exceptional Innovation]