Download OOWU in HD!

-FOR CONSUMERS/PRODUCERS- Now you can download the WMV HD (for PC) or the MPEG4 HD (for Mac, Linux, etc.) version of OOWU for only $5.99! If you are a producer looking to distribute your content on-line, Prodigem is the way to go!

by Ben Buie -Read Full Article-

On Our Way Up Now Shipping - WMVHD Version Announced

-FOR CONSUMERS/PRODUCERS- We are proud to announce that "On Our Way Up" is now shipping! The WMV HD DVD version is also available, and it plays perfectly on the AVEL LinkPlayer! For more information, visit http://www.onourwayup.com.

--BUY Both the retail-ready DVD and the WMV HD DVD for only $17.99
--BUY The retail-ready DVD for only $14.99
--BUY The WMV HD DVD for only $9.99

Shipping is FREE!!.

by Ben Buie -Read Full Article-

Your Next HD Monitor Might be a Projector

-FOR PRODUCERS- If you are are into HD production, one of the big challenges is finding a really good HD "monitor" to evaluate your work. The problem with HD is that to really scrutinize the image you not only need resolution, you also need size. And size doesn't come cheap, at least with traditional monitoring solutions. Thus, the best and most cost effective solution for many HD production companies might actually be a digital projector.

Projection technology has come a long way in the last 5 years. When most people think projectors they think washed-out images like those in conference rooms and sports bars. With the perfection of LCD and the advent of DLP, those days are over.

I've been heavily into digital projection for the last few years, even doing several home theater installations based around projectors (here is one example). The biggest thing I've learned over that time is not to listen to the people at consumer electronics stores. Even the home theater stores were pretty uninformed about digital projection until the last couple of years, there is just a ton of misinformation out there.

The great thing about choosing an HD projector for screening or monitoring HD production work is that your set of requirements are not as high as that of a typical consumer. Basically you need a projector that can reproduce a vibrant HD image with accurate colors and good contrast. You aren't going to be as concerned with how good the "scaler" is (for upconverting SD material), or if it is bright enough to show in a lit room (you can most likely control the lighting in your work area while the projector is in use), etc.

Here are some tips for what to look for in an HD projector:

1) First, have a good resource for reviews, specs, etc. In my opinion the best site bar none is projectorcentral.com. Check out their "highly recommended home theater projectors" section, it is broken out by price and is based on professional reviews instead of just popular ratings.

2) Ignore the DLP vs LCD issue. Both technologies can reproduce a great picture, and I would seriously resist the temptation to rule out one technology or the other. Evaluate the specs, read reviews, go see demos, etc.

3) Go for true HD resolution (1280x720, 1920x1080 isn't affordable yet). If you were a consumer I would say a 1/4 HD (960x540) or EDTV (854x480) projector would be a good compromise because SD images actually look better at those resolutions. But you are trying to evaluate your HD work, so full HD resolution is pretty important.

4) Avoid data/business projectors. Those projectors are rarely HD resolution (usually 800x600 or 1024x768 with a 4:3 aspect) and are optimized for presentations not video. The result are images that have poor color accuracy, bad uniformity, etc. Home theater projectors are very affordable now, don't make your life more complicated by trying to rig a data projector to fit your needs.

5) Don't get too carried away with specs, ESPECIALLY contrast ratio. Most of the contrast ratio ratings are bogus, and can only be reproduced in test environments. The truth is once you surpass a contrast ratio of 1000:1, everything else is gravy. Don't think the contrast from a 2000:1 projector will be double that of a 1000:1 projector; in reality it will be a very subtle difference. Once you hit 1000:1 contrast ratio, your money is better spent on extra brightness, because additional brightness (as long as the color is accurate) results in more perceived contrast anyway, especially with the prescence of ambient light.

6) If you are on a budget, plan for a 90" or 92" (diagonal) projection surface instead of 100". This will compensate for the lower brightness and contrast typical of lower cost projectors. In general, the closer the projector is to the screen (and thus the smaller the image), the more vidid the image.

7) Choosing a screen is going to be one of your most difficult decisions. You might want a portable projection surface, but unfortunately portable screens are not the best quality and the good ones can be fairly expensive. If you don't need a portable screen, then your most cost effective option might be to use a "paint on" screen like the product from "Screen Goo". Whatever you choose, the specs should be the same -- 16:9 aspect ratio, a high contrast / low gain surface, 90 - 100" in size, seamless, with a black border. The black border is important because it sets off the image from the background, which is what your brain is used to from watching TV. If you are on a VERY low budget, you can even use a neutral colored wall, as long as you use black tape or some other type of masking material to create a black border around the image. In any case, avoid high gain screens, they are not suitable for critical viewing of your work, and usually create a "sparkle" effect that is not desired.

8) Features like noise level, lens shift, electric focus and zoom, and weight might also be important to you, depending on your installation environment. Ignore keystone correction, that is rarely a feature you would want to use for accurate video monitoring; use lens shift instead, or better yet adjust the placement of your projector accordingly.

If your budget is under $2,000.00, then your options for true HD projectors are fairly limited, which can be a good thing. My personal favorites are the Sanyo PLV-Z2 ($1,500.00 street) and PLV-Z3 ($1,800.00 street), both true HD projectors with enough brightness and contrast for controlled environments. The Z3 gives you better contrast, a better scaler, and a nifty vacuum feature that allows you to clean the dust off the LCD panels without opening up the case. The scaler probably isn't that important for professionals unless you plan to watch SD material as well, and the contrast on the Z2 is still very good, so the extra $300 may be better spent towards a screen, cables, mounts, etc.

The HD image quality from both of those projectors is absolutely stunning, especially in a near-dark room. In my personal opinion digital projectors not only provide the best price / performance for the size, they simply provides the best HD image period, even when compared to plasmas, CRTs, or rear projection TV's. Simply put, there is no better way to critically evaluate your HD production on the big screen.

by Ben Buie -Read Full Article-

"On Our Way Up", shot in HDV, ships on March 28th!

-FOR CONSUMERS/PRODUCERS- We sent the DVD+R master of "On Our Way Up" off to replication last week, and the retail-ready copies will ship on March 28th. "On Our Way Up" was shot in HDV using the JVC JY-HD10U camcorder, and the results speak for themselves.

The HDV format really was a huge benefit for us; specifically we were able to crop and scale certain shots as needed instead of having to reshoot a scene because the original framing was too wide or a light stand was in the shot. With the extra resolution you hardly even notice the scaling. There is one set of interview shots that is cropped and scaled by almost 100% (doubling the size), and on the DVD version you can hardly notice.

The DVD version includes my commentary track, I really spend a lot of time discussing the technical issues involved in working with HDV and the HD10. It is really more of a technical commentary geared toward other producers and directors. There is also some bonus music and a really funny cartoon on there (not for the kiddies though).

As soon as IO-DATA gets the kinks (DRM/WMPA) out of the LinkPlayer, we plan on also selling a Windows Media HD version of "On Our Way Up". We might even bundle them together, who knows.

In any case, sorry for the lack of articles over the last couple of months, I've been wrapped up in finishing the movie.

by Ben Buie -Read Full Article-

REVIEW - AVeL LinkPlayer 2 (Part 1)

-FOR CONSUMERS/PRODUCERS- When we first received our AVeL LinkPlayer 2 from IO-DATA a couple of weeks ago, the plan was to wait on an important firmware update before posting our review. Unfortunately, that major firmware update was delayed, and IO-DATA released an incremental firmware update instead. Thus, we decided to split our review in two parts. In Part 1 we will review the unit as of the December 29th firmware, and in Part 2 we will update our review to include additional features and bug fixes addressed by the next firmware update (expected by the end of January, 2005).

WHAT IS IT? - The AVeL LinkPLayer 2 is the first DVD player compatible with HD file formats such as Windows Media Video HD and DivxHD. In addition, it is a full featured network media player.

PACKAGING & BUILD QUALITY - 5/5
The AVeL LinkPlayer 2 comes in retail quality packaging, complete with English manuals, an easy setup guide, and an installation CD. It includes a standard A/V cable, power cable, Ethernet cable, remote control, and a D4-component cable. The build quality of the LinkPlayer is impressive; the unit feels solid and is relatively heavy, especially when compared to most of the DVD players on the market. Four raised round feet allow placement on top of another device without causing ventilation problems. The DVD mechanism opens and closes smoothly and is extremely sturdy.

CONNECTIVITY - 2/5
The LinkPlayer lacks any type of DVI or HDMI port, which is pretty inexcusable in this day and age. Furthermore, the included D4 to component cable is too short to be of any use, so we were forced to use RCA couplers and our own component cable to reach our display. On the plus side it does have a USB port so you can plug in your digital camera, memory card reader, or even an external hard drive.

INSTALLATION AND SETUP - 5/5
A consumer electronics device should be 100% plug-n-play, and the LinkPlayer is no exception. The LinkPlayer works with or without the "LinkServer" software, so it can be used with or without a computer. Operating the LinkPlayer without a computer only consists of plugging in the power and A/V cables, powering on the unit, and picking the video mode appropriate for your TV (480i/480p/720p/1080i) using the "TV Mode" button on the remote (this is clearly indicated in the easy setup guide). IO-DATA went with 1080i as the default video mode, which was extremely smart given that most people will be buying this player with their HDTVs.

The remaining setup steps are just like any other DVD player, you choose the aspect ratio of your TV and choose the output of the digital audio out ports (either Dolby Digital or Stereo). The unit does not have a built in Dolby Digital decoder, so you will need an AV receiver to hear 5.1 surround.

The LinkServer software was equally simple to install. Just pop in the CD, accept all the defaults, and you are done. If you have a router, just plug the LinkPlayer into the router and it automatically picks up an IP address and recognizes any computer on the network running the LinkServer software. By default the LinkServer software will look for media files in the "standard" folders ("My Music", "My Pictures", and "My Videos"), but it is trivial to change the default folders and add additional "watch folders" as well.

Finally, updating the firmware on the LinkPlayer is about as easy as you could expect; simply click "firmware update" in the setup screen, and it automatically looks for new firmware over the Internet and installs it. In fact, I would say this is the first consumer electronics device that allows firmware updates by even the most novice of users. The only catch is that the LinkPlayer must be connected to your home network (and thus to the Internet) for the firmware update feature to work.

FEATURES - 4/5

The LinkPlayer is as close to a HTPC (Home Theater PC) replacement as we have ever seen. It plays nearly every audio and video format you can think of, including many you probably have never heard of. Video formats include MPEG1, MPEG2, MPEG4, DivX, XviD, and WM9, among others. Audio formats include MP3, AAC, WMA, PCM, and Ogg Vorbis. Photo formats include JPEG, BMP, GIF, and PNG. Note that these are all without the aid of a PC, they can be played from a DVD+R or DVD-R data disc!

Of course the most important feature is the ability to read and playback HD files smoothly (720p or 1080i), even from a DVD. We are happy to report it does this with flying colors. We had no problem with playing back Windows Media 9 HD (WMVHD), DivxHD, and MPEG2 HD files at bitrates up to 10Mbps, 5Mbps, and 20Mbps respectively. Playback from DVD, even at 20Mbps, was smooth as butter.

Unfortunately, if you are looking at buying commercial WMVHD DVD's, such as the popular IMAX series available at Amazom.com, hold your horses. These DVDs include DRM (a copy protection scheme) and Windows Media 9 Professional Audio (5.1 audio), both of which the LinkPlayer does not yet support. IO-Data indicates these features are being added in the next firmware release expected in January.

In any case, as a standalone DVD player, the LinkPlayer is unmatched. No other DVD player can playback HD files, period. Furthermore, very few DVD players can even recognize half the file formats the LinkPlayer supports.

Of course, the LinkPlayer is also a network media player, which means you can play media files stored on your computer via the LinkPlayer, in effect turning the LinkPlayer into a conduit between your computer and your TV. It will even recognize your Windows Media Player or iTunes music database (we only tried Windows Media Player), and list music by genre, artist, or album.

The LinkPlayer is flexible as well. If you don't like the interface and/or features provided by the default LinkServer software, use the server software provided by Momitsu instead (http://www.momitsu.com/dvd_880n_mmc.html). This adds features to the LinkPlayer such as basic web browsing, Internet Radio, RSS news, and a better interface. Since the server software is basically just a glorified web server, expect to see various 3rd party incantations of the server software over time.

Finally, for the advanced user, there is an additional piece of software appropriately named "Advanced Server". The key feature added by "Advanced Server" is the ability to playback file types incompatible with the LinkPlayer. For example, we have .m2t files (MPEG2 Transport Streams) from our JVC HD10U HDV camcorder. Although the LinkPlayer can playback some .m2t files natively, it has problems with the files that come from our camera. With the Advanced Server, it will "transcode" these files in realtime into an MPEG2 format compatible with the LinkPlayer, and voila, the file magically starts playing. In essence, almost any file you can play through Windows Media Player can be played via the Advanced Link Server. The only caveat is that the quality may drop considerably, simply because of the bitrate limitations of the transcoding software (8 Mbps). This feature is especially important for people who work with HDV professionally, because with the Advanced Server the LinkPlayer can playback both Cineform .AVI's and .M2T files.

PERFORMANCE - 3/5
Unfortunately the HD component output of the LinkPlayer can best be described as soft. SD and upconverted material looks great, and while native HD material doesn't look bad by any stretch of the imagination, it just doesn't have that HD "ultra-real" look. The reason for this is unclear, but the initial consensus is that the included D4 cable may be to blame. As such, we have ordered a replacement D4 cable from JVC (http://www.jvcservice.com/store/ProductDetail.asp?Part=QAM0465-001), and when that arrives we will do A/B comparisons between the old and new cables.

To further explore this issue, we did a quick test with a couple of WMVHD files. We would switch between 480p and 720p output on the LinkPlayer with the same file, and then ask people in the room which one looked "better". The result was that nobody could tell the difference (ourselves included). Then, I stood about 4 feet from the screen (where the difference between HD and SD should be obvious), and switched back and forth between the different output modes. Again, I couldn't tell the difference. Mind you, this is on a very nice HD projector (Sanyo PLV-70) on a 100" screen, and HD on this setup typically looks pristine. So the question is, is the 480p output on the LinkPlayer (along with the PLV-70's scaler) just that good, or is the 720p output on the LinkPlayer just that bad?

Another performance related issue is the excessive "overscan" of the outputs on the LinkPlayer. We are accustomed to perfect geometry and screen alignment with HD devices (such as HD Receivers, progressive DVD players, etc.), but the LinkPlayer produced an image that was "too big" for the screen, even at 720p (the native resolution of our projector).

Finally, there are known audio issues with certain A/V receivers, although we were not able to confirm these problems. IO-DATA claims these issues will be resolved in the next firmware release.

Having said all of that, compared to 99% of the DVD players on the market, the picture from the LinkPlayer is outstanding. It produces a great SD and upconverted picture. It is just unfortunate that the HD output isn't as nice as we had expected, and hopefully that will be resolved by switching out the cable.

VALUE - 5/5
At a street price of $250.00, the LinkPlayer is a steal. Sure, you can get a DVD player for $50, but keep in mind this is the first player of its kind on the market. A market entry price of $250 is insanely low, in my opinion. By comparison, the Kiss unit coming out in the Summer of 2005, based on the same Sigma chip, is already listed at $350.00 for pre-order. Also, other players on the market (such as players from Momitsu and V. Inc.) that simply upconvert from 480p to 720p, are in the same price range as the LinkPlayer.

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
The remote control that comes with the LinkPlayer is weak to say the least. It has a very short range, and you must point it directly at the IR pickup to get it to work at all. Most people with HD systems likely have universal remotes that will quickly replace the LinkPlayer's remote, but in any case we had to mention the included remote is pretty bad.

OVERALL - 3.5/5
Feature-wise the LinkPlayer is unmatched among DVD players and network media players, and most likely it will play every type and resolution of file you throw at it. Furthermore, it is your ONLY choice for playing back native HD material without the aid of a computer. However, the performance issues really knocked the score down. I want to stress that if the "retail" WMVHD issues and the HD performance issues can be resolved, then this score becomes at least a 4.5/5. Overall it is a great piece of equipment, and well worth $250.00.

Please visit us again for Part 2 of this review, where we will see if firmware updates and a new cable resolve some of the negative issues covered in Part 1.

by Ben Buie -Read Full Article-

HDSource in Your Language

-FOR EVERYONE- Due to the large number of Japanese and German visitors to the site, we have added Altavista's Babelfish translation to HDSource. Look for the Babelfish translator icon at the bottom-right-hand corner of the site, click on your country's flag, and the page will be translated for you automatically.

Regards,

Ben Buie, Editor in Chief
HDSource


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I-O DATA's AVEL LinkPlayer 2 - The Eagle has Landed

-FOR CONSUMERS/PRODUCERS- Our new toy arrived last week -- a brand spankin' new Avel Linkplayer 2 courtesy of IO-DATA. This is the first HD capable DVD player available in North America, which is great news for both consumers and producers. It is compatible with all the major HD formats, including WMVHD (Windows Media) and DivX HD. Producers finally have a low cost distribution outlet for their HD content (as opposed to HDTV and theaters), and consumers can finally playback HD content without a HTPC (Home Theater PC).

We will be spending a substantial amount of time reviewing this unit, really putting it through its paces. However, we will hold off on our full review at least until the next firmware upgrade (1st of the year), because we want our review to represent the full capabilities of this device.

Happy Holidays, Santa's already been here.

by Ben Buie -Read Full Article-