Home Automated Solutions

Toshiba has put an end to speculation about the shape its Japanese Cell TV might take in the European market by launching CEVO-Engine at the IFA show in Berlin.

Speaking at a press conference before the show, Toshiba's head of European marketing Sascha Lange explained the company's approach to advanced 3D systems. Using multiple processors to realise both 'high picture quality and advanced functions', CEVO-Engine is designed to support high picture quality, networking, recording, and flexible software development.

The first CEVO-Engine TV, the 55LZ1, is designed by award-winning Danish consultants Jacob Jensen, and will be launched early next year. Its features will include Active Vision 400Hz processing, a range of picture presets and professional calibration functions, a 512-cluster LED backlit screen, and an Intelligent 3D function to adjust brightness and colour automatically for 3D material. It will also have a 3D interpolation feature to bring side-by-side 960-line 3D up to 1920 line standards. One CEVO-Engine processor will be dedicated to processing 2D into 3D.

The set will also support Toshiba Places and Toshiba Marketplace - online services for downloading premium content - and Hbb TV, a European standard for hybrid internet/TV services.

Price details have not yet been finalised but a figure 'below 5,000 Euros' was suggested.

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One of Sony's biggest announcements at the pre-IFA press conference was the launch of Qriocity, a network service platform that will provide streaming music and movies to Sony’s network-enabled devices.

Fujio Nishida, President Sony Europe said, “Via Qriocity, Sony will deliver a variety of digital entertainment content and services that are “powered by Qriocity”, including video, music, game applications, and e-books over time, and through these services, and in combination with its networked devices, Sony aims to bring new and exciting entertainment experiences to customers.”

Explaining that 'Services are a crucial part of the entertainment experience', Nishida explained that while Bravia Internet Video would continue to offer access to specific services from localised partners, Qriocity would be a 'cloud'-based service offering hundreds of movies on demand from top Hollywood studios and local content providers, plus the Music Unlimited service with access to thousand s of music tracks and synchronisation to Sony networked devices. 'This will change the way in which we all enjoy our digital music' he predicted.

Available in the autumn in France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the U.K, Qriocity media providers include 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment, Lionsgate, MGM, NBC, Paramount Pictures, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, Walt Disney and Warner Bros. Movies will be available in HD and SD, and can be rented for 14 days. Prices have yet to be announced. Network-enabled BRAVIA TVs and Blu-ray Disc players, Blu-ray home cinema systems and the PlayStation 3 will support the service, with portable devices to follow.  "Video On Demand powered by Qriocity” has been available in the US since April 2010.

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Sony CEO Sir Howard Stringer has described the adoption of 3D as being 'faster than predicted'. Speaking at a pre-IFA press conference, he said that after its best three months in the last few years, Sony was ready to 'drive innovation which is the lifeblood of our relationship with the consumer.'

With the entire press conference being filmed in 3D and projected on a giant 280-inch LED screen, Stringer introduced clips from 3D movies, games and sports events, plus live performances from internationally acclaimed classical pianist Lang Lang and techo act Genki Rockets.  Emphasising Sony's complete 'lens to living room' solution for 3D production, Stringer said 'Sony is aggressively blazing the trail in every aspect of 3D... and is committed to developing new 3D applications' - such as the prototype 'holographic' display previewed by HCC last year, which 'could offer 360-degree movies and games'.

With the presentation concentrating on 3D movies, software, cameras, camcorders, and even VAIO laptops, there wasn't a great deal of emphasis on home cinema products; but Stringer did mention the VPL-VW90ES Home Projector, and STR-DA5600ES/3600ES receivers, of which more elsewhere.

The news comes as Sony anounces a deal with the UK's biggest cinema chain, VUE, to put Sony 4K 3D projection systems in 670 UK screens.

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Sony has kicked off the 2010 IFA show by announcing the world's first true TV/internet combination, designed in cooperation with Google.

Speaking at the pre-IFA press conference in Berlin, Sony CEO Sir Howard Stringer emphasised Sony's progress with 3D in TVs, BD players and projectors, of which more elsewhere; but more unexpected was the announcement of a TV with true Internet browsing, shown in prototype form.

Details are sketchy, but Stringer called this 'an important strategic alliance to bring the first true internet TV to the market', and emphasised that the un-named product would allow full Internet browsing and TV viewing at the same time. 

Using the Android operating system and Intel processing, the TV would need some form of internal storage to operate with web browsers, though the form this would take, whether HDD or solid-state memory, is not yet clear.

The set is due for launch before Christmas in the US, by which time details of UK availability should be clearer. 

Pressed for more details on technical issues, Sony spokesmen could only say that the TV would 'not incorporate any groundbreaking screen technology', and that Google's search expertise would be used to make sure that internet searches would yield results appropriate to the TV plaform - so for instance a search for 'Mad men' would show sites about the TV series, rather than just any sites associated with the key words.

The prototypes on show were clearly at an early stage of development, but demonstrated Sony's commitment to become what Stringer described as 'the first media technology supplier to deliver such a combination product.'

The development of the 'Google TV' will apparently not affect Sony's commitment to the Bravia Internet platform which offers access to selected services from a range of content providers. A Sony spokesman called the two technologies 'complementary' and said that further providers would be added to the Bravia Internet platform on a localised basis.

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I confess that I have never really been excited by Marantz’s AV receivers. They were never ahead of the features game and always aired too much on the side of sonic caution for my liking. Safe, reliable, solid and about as exciting as endurance snail racing. When the £1,400 SR7005 arrived I brewed a really fresh cup of Horlicks, put my slippers on and settled down for an evening of light entertainment.

As I opened the box I should have known something was different the moment the SR7005’s curvy sided fascia appeared like Angelina Jolie emerging from the lake in Beowulf. Based on the successful aesthetics of Marantz’s high end hi-fi equipment this multichannel receiver is utterly gorgeous.

And then there is the features list. Based on the latest generation 32-bit SHARC processor from Analog Devices, the SR7005 handles all the regular HD audio formats as well as Audyssey MultEQ XT room EQ, Audyssey DSX height/width processing and Dolby ProLogic IIz height channels. It remains a seven channel amp, meaning running height or width channels will require binning rear-back speakers, but at a claimed 125 Watts per channel who is complaining?

Very much a network ready receiver the SR7005 offers dedicated iPod/Phone input, IP addressable and web-access interface and Marantz’s bespoke M-Xport interface to hook up to its optional RX1010 Bluetooth module. The Networking side is hardwire Ethernet with vTuner net radio and direct access to your Napster and Last.FM accounts. The 6-in 2-out HDMI connections are all 3D compatible V1.4a spec and there is a hot Anchor Bay upscaler to work some HD magic into your DVD collection and off-air SD video material.

Under the hood, much attention has been lavished on separate power supplies for each key audio section and extensive internal shielding to avoid electrical interference. There's also a Pure Direct mode that closes down all superfluous circuits and features, such as the display.

Sound
Horlicks is a bitch to wipe off of the ceiling. Having run the SR7005’s Audyssey auto set-up and EQ system, accessed from its slick and easy GUI, I settled down with Serenity on Blu-Ray. Skipping to the chapter where the ship emerges from the ion cloud and into a huge space battle between the alliance and the reavers was something of a shock. No longer the restrained Marantz performance of old, oh no. This beast reaches deep into electronic soul and pulls out wave after wave of thunderous action set against a huge soundstage and bass effects that threatened the very fabric of the building.

The opening onslaught of missiles exploded with epic scale, getting my room’s glass light fitting vibrating like a demented alarm clock. The Marantz’s feed to the sub is prodigious as it is tight. As the light fitting threatened to remove itself from the ceiling I had to trim my Velodyne DD18 sub back manually, which didn’t stop the SR7005 banging out big low frequency effects with the impact and tautness of an amp of three or four times its price!

The SR7005 is the best Marantz AV receiver to date. It is passionate, detailed, and powerful, and really digs deep into the recording to extract every last bit of information on the disc. This is no one-genre wonder but a genuine all rounder as happy with The Hurt Locker as it is Toy Story. With any movie you won’t find yourself listening to the amp or even your speakers. Instead you will find yourself deep within the movie being immersed in the full cinematic effect as the director intended – and that is the best home cinema you can get!

Full review in HCC issue 187, on sale 23 September.

Visual Comfort of Flockton has launched what sounds to us like the last word in pleasure - a home cinema bed. The Sandman features HDMI, CAT5 and RF connections for a full audio-visual experience. 

Hand-made to order with a choice of wood and upholstery finishes, LED back lighting and integral AV storage, the Sandman features a Phlips remote control handset and a silent riser for a 40-inch HD LCD TV built into the footboard.

Visual Comfort founders Andrea and Andrew Montgomery say that the product is aimed at the style-conscious and the boutique hotel sector, and describe the bed as 'supremely well-made and gloriously comfortable - the addition of the AV dimension virtually transforms the Sandman into an intimate and relaxing home cinema... It reflects the trend for making bedrooms more than just places to sleep but venues for relaxation, and in particular, viewing movies and live TV.'

The product of a joint venture by Yorkshire-based Visual Comfort and home cinema specialists RB Vision, the Sandman bed - named after the DC Comics character - costs from £4,995 depending on options.

More from Visual Comfort Ltd, tel. 0845 5195 233, or visit the website here.

Fans of twisty-turny TV hit Lost have been invited to take part in a three-day viewing marathon in which all 121 episodes will be screened back-to-back.

Described as 'the UK’s first-ever public TV marathon', the session at the Prince Charles Cinema in London starts on Monday 13th September and ends on the following Thursday. There are only 280 places available for the 80-hour session which is being held to celebrate the release of Lost: The Final Season, available on Blu-ray and DVD on Monday 13th September (along with the complete Season 1-6 box set).

Attendees are being encouraged to take part dressed as their favourite characters from the show, and are advised to bring their very own survival packs including sleeping bags, pillows and packed lunches - a Lost goody bag full of merchandise will be awarded to each participant. Paramedics will be on standby and regulated breaks will be permitted as fans attempt to complete the event.

The Prince Charles Cinema is located at 7 Leicester Place, London WC2; to pre-register attendance, email lostmarathon@taylorherring.com.

Today we're giving you a sneak peak at the long-awaited Blu-ray debut of David Fincher's acclaimed 1995 thriller Se7en. Scheduled for release in the UK on October 4, Warner Home Video's single-disc Blu-ray release will set you back around £18 and is packed full of goodies including four audio commentaries, deleted scenes, an alternate ending, video and audio mastering featurettes created for the US DVD release and much, much more.

We'll have a full review of the Se7en Blu-ray in #187 of HCC, on sale September 23, but in the meantime we thought you might appreciate an exclusive look at a gallery of screenshots taken from the disc...

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Previous Blu-ray Screenshot Galleries...

Robin Hood: Director's Cut
Forbidden Planet & Mars Attacks!
Studio Canal Collection - Wave Three

If you like what you're watching, you're less likely to notice the difference in video quality of the TV show, Internet video or mobile movie clip, says research from Texas Rice University's Department of Psychology.

The findings come from the recently released study The Effect of Content Desirability on Subjective Video Quality Ratings by Philip Kortum, Rice faculty fellow, published in the journal Human Factors.

"Research has been done asking if people can detect video quality differences," Kortum said. "What we were looking at was how video quality affects viewers in a real way."

Using four studies, Kortum, along with co-author Marc Sullivan of AT&T Labs, showed 100 study participants 180 movie clips encoded at nine different levels, from 550 kilobits per second up to DVD quality. Participants viewed the two-minute clips and then were asked about the video quality of the clips and desirability of the movie content.

Kortum found a strong correlation between the desirability of movie content and subjective ratings of video quality.

"At first we were really surprised by the data," Kortum said. "We were seeing that low- quality movies were being rated higher in quality than some of the high-quality videos. But after we started analyzing the data, we determined what was driving this was the actual desirability of the content.

"If you're at home watching and enjoying a movie, we found that you're probably not going to notice or even concern yourself with how many pixels the video is or if the data is being compressed," Kortum said. "This strong relationship holds across a wide range of encoding levels and movie content when that content is viewed under longer and more naturalistic viewing conditions."

Kortum says that the findings run contrary to the popular belief that viewers are alays determined to have the best video quality - but then, is that such a big surprise, when compressed MP3 audio has been a much bigger popular success than high-quality audio formats?

What we'd really like to know is who sponsored Rice's research. If it turns out to be some web-based content provider with an interest in pumping low-quality video to millions of homes as cheaply as possible, we'll start formulating our X-Files-style conspiracy theories...

AV cable and accessory specialist Monster has launched what it claims to be the first 'universal wireless shutter system 3D eyewear', designed to work with all brands of 3DTV. The Monster Vision Max 3D glasses go on sale in the UK in September.

The RF synced LCD shutter system is claimed to work with all brands of 3D HDTVs. Styled and sized to fit over spectacles if necessary, the glasses plus a transmitter cost £165, with additional pairs of glasses available at £115.

Monster Vision Max 3D utilizes Active Sync RF technology to ensure reliable communication with the RF transmitter,  and eliminating common sync issues found in most IR based shutter glasses. Active Sync allows the wireless Universal 3D Shutter Transmitter to monitor the signal from any 3D-enabled flat panel display, decodes the shutter signals and transmit them to a sensor embedded in the glasses via ZigBee’s 2.4 GHz radio technology.

It's claimed that Monster Vision Max 3D is the only system that has employed RF successfully and can work with any 3D-ready television set regardless of manufacturer.

The glasses have a rechargeable lithium polymer battery, and the system can learn new IR codes via USB through the built-in Monster Vision update portal.

More from the website here - look out for a full review in HCC soon.

Gefen has launched an Auto Volume Stabilizer designed to eliminate loud advertisement misery. Made to sit between an AV source and sound system, it uses Dolby Volume technology to iron out annoying volume jumps.

The connectivity solutions specialist today announced that its GefenTV Auto Volume Stabilizer is now shipping. This device solves one of the most common complaints heard from consumers when watching television: a noticeable rise in volume levels during commercials. This solution eliminates that problem, keeping the volume the same throughout TV programs and commercials. It will also level the volume on different CDs and audio mixes. Everything is heard at a consistent level, improving the listening experience. A full-range audio experience is sustained with low frequencies boosted and high frequencies adjusted to optimal levels set by the user.

Three inputs/outputs are provided for both analogue (L/R) and digital (optical & coax) audio devices. All three inputs are switchable and live. Users select which audio source will be adjusted. There is also a bypass feature allowing audio to pass through without adjustment.

The Auto Volume Stabilizer is designed to install easily, and to sit between the audio/video source and the A/V receiver or HDTV display. Users select their connected source, set the volume, and the Auto Volume Stabilizer maintains consistency throughout the experience.  When not in use, the Auto Volume Stabilizer moves to standby mode, which makes it a “green” product.

The drawback, of course, is that you can't make it work directly on a TV's internal sound system - though you might be able to arrange some output/input loop-through setup, depending on your TV's specification.

Cost of the GTV-VOLCONT is £150 ex. VAT, from UK supplier www.digi-box.co.uk. More technical info here. Look out for a review in HCC soon.

Steve May visits a Blu-ray authoring house with audiophile DNA, and a growing predilection for 3D...

While most of us will strive to buy and build the best possible AV systems we can, to squeeze ‘what the director intended’ from our movie collection, we probably don’t give too much thought to the disc authors responsible for our media. There’s an assumption that all authoring is much of a muchness. However, that’s far from the truth. Innovation and inspiration abounds if you know where to look.

Over the past year, HCC has visited Panasonic’s own Hollywood Labs operation in Los Angeles (responsible for developing the MVC codec now being used to produce 3D Blu-ray movies) and taken an in-depth look at the restoration work done on titles as diverse as Woodstock and The Red Shoes. More recently, we went behind the scenes 
at Q-Tec, an authoring house that takes a reassuringly audiophile approach to authoring.

Q-Tec bills itself as ‘Japan’s leading post-production house’ and is quite unlike any other facility we’ve visited. It’s adopted for its replication hardware the same philosophy that high-end AV companies apply to their playback components. Q-Tec’s boffins believe that if you build the best hardware, you’ll be rewarded with the best reproduction – and it all stems from a lengthy relationship with local neighbours Pioneer and 
the sonic extremists at audiophile subsidiary TAD.

Home cinephiles with long memories will recall that in the heyday of LaserDisc, Pioneer ran its own software label. And at the heart of its Laser Disc Corporation (LDC) operation was what has become Q-Tec. The days of Pioneer LaserDisc are obviously now long gone, but the AV-centric hardware ethic it inherited from Pioneer still runs through Q-Tec’s post-production DNA; which is why, 
for Japanese movie studios, it’s become the place to go for restoration and conversion services.

I visited Q-Tec’s studio facility in Akasaka, Tokyo, and discovered it has instigated a unique approach to post-production and restoration, using original technology dubbed Faithful Original Signal (or FORS for short).

‘The audio quality of video media is not always good,’ Shiho Inazawa, Q-Tec’s media solution manager, told me. ‘So we researched why that may be the case and, with the help of Pioneer’s engineers, discovered evidence of deterioration 
of the digital audio waveform when conventional authoring equipment is used. So we developed FORS – it’s designed to maximise the audio potential of movies and music released 
on Blu-ray.’

Over-engineered to an astonishing degree, FORS’ digital signal processors are packed with high-grade components. Proprietary sound processors and audio-video encoders are used to optimise the original digital signal, and banks of them are used to process material for BD release. Most recently, the system has been entrusted with bringing the back-catalogue of legendary Japanese auteur Akira Kurosawa to Blu-ray. 
Other high-grade restoration work is ongoing.

Q-Tec’s facility is a veritable playground for video editing geeks. Its suites bristle with Quantel editing systems and familiar names from the creative community, including Autodesk and AVID. But for all that, it’s Q-Tec’s own hardware which 
is most fascinating.

‘We share the same philosophy as TAD,’ Inazawa explains. ‘We embrace the approach 
of the high-end audio equipment maker, from telecine to encoding. All our system components are upgraded to be the best available. FORS’ main aim is simply to reproduce the audio exactly as 
it appears on the original master.’

To demonstrate the fidelity that is achievable, Q-Tec plays sequences from live classical recordings made by NHK. The result sends chills down the spine. 

Creating a 3D world
But Q-Tec isn’t just about high-fidelity audio. Increasingly, its engineers are becoming preoccupied with 3D. In the last two years, 
the company opened both 3D grading and viewing rooms equipped with a variety 
of projection/evaluation gear.

Quantel iQ and Pablo systems with stereoscopic extras feed into one of two NEC Digital Cinema projectors, firing through a RealD Z-screen polarizing filter at a Harkness Silver Screen. Standard RealD polarising glasses are used to view the material. A flick of a switch and the Silver Screen goes up and a Stewart white screen comes out of hiding. The RealD Z-screen 
is moved out of the light path of the projectors and is replaced with an XpanD system, which uses an IR transmitter to sync frame sequential video (3D Blu-ray style) with Active Shutter glasses.  

The cutting edge of Q-Tec’s 3D work revolves around 2D-3D conversions, using tools developed with partners Mercury Inc. 
While some TVs are coming to market with on-the-fly 2D-3D, I’ve yet to see a convincing implementation. For a real 2D conversion, skill and processing power in equal measure are required.

I’m shown an action sequence from an anime release in 3D. It’s dynamic and exciting on the big screen, with plenty of out-of-frame 3D moments. The sequence then plays again, in original ‘flat-o-vision’. It’s remarkable how staid it looks in comparison, but I’m told that this 2D version is how it was originally conceived and shot.

There’s an irony to what Q-Tec is doing: expending great energy in creating authoring systems designed to squeeze the absolute best from source material, and 
then simultaneously pioneering 
2D-3D conversions of existing 
movie and TV material 
– essentially a modern update on the colourization fad that swept across old black-and-white titles a while back.

But as I’m shown yet more demo material – and again become awestruck by the dimensionalisation achieved – it makes me wonder. Both dramatic and subtle in equal measure, the work indicates that years of classic movie material could be heading for a new lease of life in 3D. Before visiting Q-Tec that prospect would probably have made me shudder. Now, I’m conflicted. How could something so wrong feel so right?

This feature first appeared in HCC #181, in April 2010.

Not many AV companies can claim to have been in the business for 100 years, but that's the anniversary Denon is celebrating in 2010. To mark the event we talked to top man Hirofumi Ichikawa about the company's history and latest products...

In 1910, Nippon Chikuonki Shoukai (Japan Recorders Corporation) was established by an American trader, Frederick Whitney Horn. Along with Japanese partners, he released the company’s first gramophone products. The Denon brand name originated from Japan Denki Onkyo, a merger established in 1939 to sell turntables and cartridge tape-recorders to NHK and other broadcast stations, and the company is still going strong as Denon Corporation. It's now part of D&M Holdings Inc, a global operating company taking in well-known brands including Denon, Marantz, McIntosh Laboratory, Boston Acoustics, Snell Acoustics, and more.

Denon's history is scattered with firsts; it sold Japan's first gramophone, developed the first professional disc recorder for Japanese broadcaster NHK, and was the first company to sell LP records in Japan, in the 1950s. More recently, it sold the first consumer CD player in the 1970s, the first home theatre system to support Dolby Digital decoding in 1995, and the world's first universal disc (BD/DVD/SACD/CD) player in 2005.

So what's the secret of Denon's longevity? According to Hirofumi Ichikawa, President of the Denon Brand Company, speaking exclusively to HCC from Tokyo, it's 'a combination of 'Creative passion and technical brilliance'. Ichikawa-San should know; unlike some corporate heads he has a product development background, having graduated in electrical engineering, and joined Nippon Columbia Co., Ltd. (now Denon) in 1981. He was responsible for launching the AV Receiver business as Denon's General Manager in the Product Planning and Development Department, and has been President of the Denon Brand Company since 2004.

'Our innovations have led to the development of entirely new product categories,' says Ichikawa-San, 'With new ways of enjoying not only music but movies as well, and offering the best solutions for professional applications and quality home entertainment. All of this with one simple and unwavering philosophy: to deliver exactly what the original artist intended, with a superior audio and video experience.'

Commitment to quality
This commitment to delivering exactly what the artist intended stems from Denon's background in hi-fi recording as Nippon Columbia Co. Along with a long line of innovations in digital recording, the company introduced the first home theatre system to support Dolby Digital decoding with Lucasfilm THX 5.1 post-processing; followed by the AVR-5600, the world's first AV receiver with Dolby Digital and THX, and the Dolby Digital AC-3/THX preamp/tuner/processor. In conjunction with the release of Star Wars: Episode 1 in 1999, Denon introduced the world’s first THX-EX (Extended) AV component – the AVC-A10SE.

In 2002 Denon brought about a new era for digital connections  with the introduction of DENON LINK, which enables high-speed, high-grade, multi-channel digital signal transmission. The first products to incorporate DENON LINK technology were the AVC-A1SR and the DVD-A1.

But does the recent development of portable audio equipment using compressed music formats mean that Denon's vision is being degraded by consumer tastes? Not at all, argues Ishikawa-San: 'As digital audio becomes increasingly portable, reproduction quality becomes even more important. Denon is passionate about developing and leveraging advanced audio technologies so that it can deliver the highest sound quality and best possible user experience in any format; whether it's a simple hi-fi mini system, full home theatre system, or a professional audio, broadcast or DJ component.'

So what does Hirofumi Ichikawa see as being the most important development in AV in the next 10 years – or even the next 100? 'We have to deal with new ways of listening to music, and the demand for ease of use, but we see formats such as MP3 as secondary to the requirement for high quality. We learn from history that people are always looking for quality in sound and images and that demand will be unchanged."

Happy anniversary
Denon is marking its 100th anniversary with a Special Edition Anniversary product collection, and HCC is the first to reveal details of some of these products.

The A100 collection comprises seven components, each finely tuned, hand-tested and accompanied by a signed certificate of authenticity from the chief production engineer who hand-crafted the product. Also included is a  'brand book' that explores the history of Denon.

The AVR-A100 9.2-channel AV receiver features Denon Link 4th, high-bit i/p conversion and scaling, advanced connectivity, network audio/photo streaming, gold-plated inputs/outputs and cast iron footing to stabilize sound quality. It's also works as an 11.2-channel pre-amplifier.

The matching DBP-A100 Universal Player is compatible with Blu-ray, DVD, Super Audio CDs, DVD-Audio discs and CDs – and features Direct Mechanical Ground Construction and Multi-layer Chassis Structure. The DBP-A100 is also equipped with Denon Link 4th to minimize jitter during HDMI transmission, and features an anniversary edition coupling condenser and cast iron footing for sound stabilization.

Also part of the centenary range are a number of hi-fi products, including the PMA-A100, an integrated stereo amplifier, and its partner, the DCD-A100 CD/SACD player. The former features a newly engineered construction designed to form a solid foundation for a pure, clean sound, and the latter uses sound-enhancing technologies like Advanced AL32 Processing and the latest 32bit/192kHz DACs, is SACD compatible, and features a USB port for connecting an iPod or USB memory.

Stereophiles can match these with Denon's new AH-A100 over-ear headphones for a luxurious listening experience. These offer a piano mahogany finish, and pack a high-grade driver unit,  newly designed skin-soft ear pads and headband, and come in a storage case with wiping cloth.

The final products in the range are the DP-A100 turntable, a direct-drive design equipped with the DL-A100 cartridge, and based on the design of the classic DL-103.

All products will be available from November 1st, and will only be sold at a few selected anniversary selection retailers displaying a special anniversary dealer logo.

Visit www.denon100.com for more details of the anniversary products and dealers, and look out for price details and reviews in Home Cinema Choice.

Cult movie magazine Cinema Retro celebrates 50 years of Alfred Hitchcock's chilling masterpiece Psycho with its latest issue, on sale now.

Volume 6 issue 18 of Cinema Retro is now on sale, featuring a celebration of the 50th anniversary of the release of Alfred Hitchcock's classic chiller Psycho (see here for our review of the Blu-ray release). As usual, the magazine is packed with features on classic movies of the '60s and '70s, with an emphasis on cult thriller, action, horror and sleaze titles.

This issue's features include a review of Roger Corman's AIP quickies; an appreciation of hawk-featured actor Lee Van Cleef; ten picture-packed pages on Psycho; a tribute to the films of Sir John Mills; some bizarre publicity stills from Dudley Moore's 1968 comedy 30 is a Dangerous Age, Cynthia; and an interview with veteran director Lewis Gilbert about his long career - plus the usual book and soundtrack reviews, and plenty more.

As usual, Cinema Retro is available from selected specialist outlets, but we'd recommend a subscription which you can arrange via the website at http://cinemaretro.com.

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The recent death of author Peter O'Donnell spotlighted his comic-strip heroine Modesty Blaise, but it's surprising that this 1966 movie production was the only big screen outing for the 'female James Bond' (unless you count Quentin Tarantino's 2004 quickie My Name is Modesty, or the 1982 Ann Turkel TV pilot - which we don’t.)

Featuring glamorous Monica Vitti in her first English-speaking role, the movie, directed by the experienced Joseph Losey, certainly captures some of the hip and happening aura of the swinging sixties, with stunning set design and costumes, and a cool score by Johnny Dankworth (the theme song's as good as any Bond).

The plot's disposable - retired thief Modesty and her sidekick Willie Garvin are set up to take the fall when £50m of the British government's diamonds, intended to sweeten a sheik, go missing in the Middle East - but that's incidental to the crazy costumes, eccentric characters and cartoon violence. Terence Stamp hams it up as loveable Cockney Garvin, while Dirk Bogarde camps it up as villain Gabriel.    

The real problem is that the movie lacks action. Time and again, what looks like developing into a set-piece fizzles out. The spoof style is also dated - think Help, or Casino Royale (the 1966 version), or even The Avengers and you'll get the tone. At one point the protagonists even burst into song. In an example of BBFC political correctness gone mad, this DVD version has been trimmed by two seconds to remove a horse fall, and had its certificate raised to a 12. 

The DVD features a colourful if clearly unrestored anamorphic 16:9 transfer, stereo sound, and a galling absence of extras.

Still, it's a colourful and lightweight romp, and passes the time pleasurably. Let's just hope that someone makes a decent straight version of Modesty Blaise soon (though arguably, it's now pretty much been done, with Angelina Jolie's Salt).

Second Sight, Region 2 DVD, £15.99 approx, on sale September 20th
HCC VERDICT: 3/5

All the excitement about 3D has rather distracted us from the fact that many viewers haven’t yet caught up with HD. There’s also another revolution going on, in Internet-enabled TV. Sony’s KDL-40EX503 ticks both boxes.

As far as many people are concerned, free-to-air HD (without the satellite dish) has been a bit slow in coming. So it’s good to see that high-def material is now available to the masses via Freeview HD, with this Sony set one of the first compatible screens launched this year. Of course, there are oodles of Freeview HD receivers on the market, and if you only bought your TV quite recently, adding a set-top box is obviously the way to go. But if you’ve been holding off waiting for an integrated HDTV, this Sony could be it.

In motion
The KDL-40EX503 is unobjectionably designed with a rectilinear aspect and a partly brushed aluminium finish. It's a Full HD TV featuring Sony’s familiar Bravia Engine 3 picture processing suite, which covers everything from colour and contrast to sharpness and upscaling of standard-def signals to HD. Also featured are the MotionFlow 100Hz system designed to reduce judder and LCD motion blur, and online functions complete with video streaming features.

Gone, though, is Sony’s paltry Applicast web offering. Always limited in its features, Applicast has been superseded by Bravia Internet Video, an open platform with a much wider scope for developers. Initially, the system will access services such as YouTube, DailyMotion and Facebook; eventually it will support video rental and video-on-demand via LOVEFiLM, catch-up TV services such as BBC iPlayer, and widgets for services such as news and sports feeds, Twitter, Facebook, Flickr, financial news, weather reports, and shopping channels.

Much of this is in the early stages and was not implemented on the set we tested, but the TV is also DLNA compatible, so you can connect it to networkable devices such as PCs, mobile phones and MP3 players.

We were able to stream HD movie content from a PC to the TV, and there’s also a USB port for direct connection of media. The set is Wi-Fi Ready, so you can add an optional wireless adapter or USB dongle to access your wireless home network, and the PhotoTV HD function adjusts picture parameters for optimum viewing of digital stills.

User Settings give a wide range of viewing options, including a choice of Scenes Select and Live Colour Modes to match picture quality to the material being viewed. Of course, there’s a 24p True Cinema function for 24-frames-per-second playback of movie material.

The set’s Eco functions include an ambient sensor, so the TV can automatically detect the brightness and colour temperature of ambient light in the room and optimise image quality, and a low power mode which reduces consumption at the cost of diminishing screen brightness. There are four HDMI inputs, two on the side and two on the rear, along with a plethora of other connectors including two Scarts, optical digital audio, PC, and component video.

The operating system uses a version of Sony’s well-established Xross Media Bar. If you’re used to the PlayStation 3, this will probably suit you fine; some may find it confusing and fussy, though. There’ll be no such worries with the Freeview EPG, which presents all the necessary info in a clear way, using thumbnails to show the selected channels.

One hot screen
Though this is a conventional LCD set with CCFL backlighting, and we’ve been spoiled recently by looking at LED-backlit sets with phenomenal contrast ratios, the KDL-40EX503 does offer excellent black levels without sacrificing detail in dark areas. Sony doesn’t quote a dynamic contrast ratio, just describing it as ‘High‘, but our Tech Labs measurements were impressive at almost 50,000:1.

HD images convey plenty of detail while retaining levels of sharpness, but it looks realistic rather than striking. Colours are fine, again more on the natural side than anything stunning; of course, you can play around with picture modes if you want something more in-yer-face.

Standard-definition material is upscaled well with little noticeable exaggeration of source noise. At the moment the BBC’s Freeview HD broadcasts are at an early stage, so it’s a bit premature to come to any conclusions regarding the Sony’s Freeview HD performance; but suffice it to say that the pictures represent a considerable improvement over Freeview SD.

Finally, the KDL-40EX503’s sound performance is not going to knock you off your settee. While the ‘invisible‘ speaker system run up to full volume without introducing any distortion on our test clips, it’s more noticeable for its clean treble and midrange than bass performance. 

This is an impressive set, given that it offers typical Sony quality, plus all the attractions of free HD broadcasts and the wonders of the ‘net. As for 3D – pah! – who needs it?

Sony KDL-40EX503, £900 Approx

HCC Rating: 4/5

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FremantleMedia has just gone live with a microsite dedicated to its forthcoming release of The World at War on DVD and Blu-ray. Painstakingly restored, this is intended to be the definitive edition of what is regarded as one of the greatest documentary series ever made.

Narrated by Laurence Olivier and first broadcast in 1973, the series consisted of 26 episodes combining the recollections of participants in the second World War and archive footage, to create one of the most powerful and successful historical documentaries ever seen. New to the box set, which has been re-framed in a widescreen aspect ratio, are...

* Hard of hearing subtitles
* 5.1 Dolby Digital surround sound audio
*10 hours of special features including Restoring the World at War narrated by Sir Jeremy Isaacs
* 11 features including the making of the original series
* Photo galleries
* Biographies
* Speeches and songs
* Newsreels and maps

RRP for the DVD box set is £79.99. Also available will be a Blu-ray version featuring Dolby HD Master audio at an RRP of £99.99. Release date is September 20th.

You can find the World at War microsite here.

I subscribe to the theory that any disc player worth owning should have the demeanour of a battleship built by a Scottish shipyard. Rigidity foreshadows integrity, and tells me that a manufacturer takes the player as seriously as I take my media.

So Samsung’s debut 3D BD player, the BD-C6900, is a challenge. Its almost impossibly slight frame (it’s more kayak than cruiser) contradicts my world view, and teases me with a transparent lid and glimpses of my spinning discs. Yet I need to take it seriously. This BD player is the first of an advanced 3D Blu-ray breed. So will it float my boat?

Samsung has been a quiet leader in the Blu-ray world. It launched arguably the first player, the BD-P1000, and it’s been aggressively raising the stakes ever since. Coincidentally, if you own a BD-P1000, this new model shares the same remote control codes and you’ll end up with mirrored actions if the two decks are berthed in the same room.

Okay, so we know it’s compatible with next generation 3D Blu-ray discs. What else? Well, it exploits its Profile 2.0 internet connection to deliver extra IP content via Samsung’s own Internet@TV portal, including BBC iPlayer, LOVEFiLM movie streaming, video clips on YouTube, picture browsing on Picasa and more. 

The deck will naturally stream media from connected devices over a network. If you have a NAS (Networked Attached Storage), it will let you stream a selection and pull content from a PC. The player is DLNA-compliant out of the box, but you also have the option to install All-Share management software on your PC to enhance functionality.

The player is at its happiest when playing extraneous media from a USB stick. File support is good, although the deck’s incompatible with FLAC or MPEG4 AAC audio.

Using the BD-C6900 is a lot of fun. The full-screen GUI is sharp (literally and graphically), with chunky icons for content types. You can even theme the background screen with one of five ‘skins’. 

One practical complication of 3D Blu-ray is that the HDMI v1.4 output on the player needed to deliver control codes to a compatible 3D screen. If you route it via an older AV receiver with HDMI v1.3 inputs (to get at the lossless audio soundtracks on Blu-rays), you’ll lose the control codes at best, thereby causing your TV to go into a strop. So at first glance, to run hiccup-free 3D, you’ll need to forgo lossless audio. To get around this, Samsung offers a full set of 7.1-channel analogue outputs on the back (fine if your amp has 
a matching set of inputs). 

Backside connectivity includes an Ethernet port, although the player has integrated Wi-Fi. Getting on a network and online isn’t much hassle.

Samsung currently has no plans to bundle in Active Shutter 3D glasses, but these will be bundled with Samsung 3DTVs.

Another world
In use, the C6900 is pleasingly sprightly, thanks to a feature dubbed Ultra Fast Play. It can get an image on screen from Blu-ray considerably quicker than last year’s models.

Despite the unit’s lack of girth, image quality is very good. There’s some serious silicon beneath the hood of this player and regular Blu-rays look blisteringly sharp. Fine detail is excellent and colour reproduction is without compromise.

When fed with a 3D Blu-ray, you’re asked to accept the 3D setting (as if the player doesn’t believe its owner really wants to watch movies wearing 3D spex). But stick with it and you’ll be rewarded with fun dimensional images. I used it with Samsung’s 40in 7000 series LED TV and was seriously impressed by the depth.

Audio is a more intriguing. The menu system allows you to output over HDMI either LPCM, the original movie soundtrack re-encoded to PCM, or as a bitstream (the so-called ‘audiophile’ mode). I auditioned the player with two AVRs, Onkyo’s TX-NR906 and Pioneer’s Susano SC-LX90. While the player was happy to be partnered with the Onkyo, things didn’t go so well with Pioneer. I found that the unit was unable to lock and stream a DTS-HD MA bitstream, causing the display to flicker wildly. Similarly, when a Dolby TrueHD disc was played, the Pioneer ignored it, maintaining a dignified silence. It’s difficult to know if it’s either the Pioneer or the Samsung which needs a firmware update (until we know for sure, Pioneer AVR owners should tread carefully). Converting to PCM within the player is one practical solution. Denon AVR owners should be fine, as Samsung’s UK QA labs test compatibility with Denon AVRs.

Slim but serious
Samsung’s BD-C6900 punches above its weight, and convincingly undermines my general philosophical love for over-engineered disc players. Despite its slimness, there’s all the necessary hardware onboard for the 3D Multiview Codec and picture processing engine.

Video quality is excellent, but the player is a little pedantic: I would argue for easier AV networking and more comprehensive file support. And while having analogue audio outputs is appreciated, twin HDMIs would be a more practical solution (provided sync between the two is kept) to maintain compatibility with HDMI v1.3 (and lower) AV receivers. Still, it remains an attractive first-round 3D player. It remains to be seen how others compare.

HCC Rating: 4/5

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Ridley's Scott's latest blockbuster Robin Hood will be riding out onto Blu-ray on September 20 in the UK courtesy of Universal Pictures. Priced around £25, the Blu-ray features both the original Theatrical Cut and an all-new, even longer, Director's Cut.

Accompanying the film on the Blu-ray are a Director's Notebook U-Control picture-in-picture mode for the shorter cut of the film, The Art of Nottingham featurette looking at the production and costume design and Universal's pocketBLU app. The Blu-ray also comes bundled with a DVD housing the 60min, three-part documentary Rise and Rise Again: The Making of Ridley Scott's Robin Hood, ten deleted scenes with an introduction from editor Pietro Scalia and a TV spot and trailer archive.

We'll have a full review of the Robin Hood: Director's Cut Blu-ray in #187 of HCC, on sale September 23, but in the meantime we thought you might appreciate an exclusive look at a gallery of screenshots taken from the disc...

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Design plays an important part in home cinema. And I'm not just talking about the way components look. Yes, it's better to have a nicely-styled AVR in your rack rather than a boxy, grey slab of plastic, but only when the lights are on. What's more important is how products are designed with the user in mind, something that was rammed home to me this week during a particularly error-strewn viewing session.

There we were in our testing room, casting a critical eye over the new Robin Hood Blu-ray. A Sony HX903 TV was taking care of picture duties. Lights off, let's go...

Straight away, there was a problem – the Sony TV has a lovely 'Sony' logo in the middle of the bottom bezel strip, and it lights up. It lights up so much, in fact, that it was impossible to focus on the screen. While Russell Crowe was slaughtering a few hundred Frenchies, I was being blinded by corporate branding.

The natural thing to do in this situation is fiddle around in the TVs menus and turn off the logo illumination. Easier said than done. First, you've got to find the menu button on the Sony's handset – and the handset itself isn't backlit. Maybe that's what the logo's for in the first place...

Here's where it gets very funny. There is an on/off button on the back of the Sony handset. Why this should be is beyond me. There's one on the front, for a start. In fact, the only reason I can think to have another on/off button on the rear is so people can accidentally switch their screen off while trying to pick up the handset in the dark. Which is exactly what happened. This is a perfect example of design for design's sake.

And there's more
It's unfair to single out Sony's flatscreen for criticism, and I can think of plenty other examples: subwoofers that have their controls on the back panel; Panasonic Blu-ray players that have the 'Power' button where the 'Eject' button should be (and vice-versa); speaker stands that require 27 hours and 68 different screws just to assemble. All products that work well, but have been left slightly wanting when it comes to user-friendliness.

Of course, AV designers obviously have to earn their wages somehow, and if they can persuade their bosses that the pointless secondary off-switch is actually an 'eco power save mode', or whatever, and get away with it, then they'll probably carry on. I just wish they'd actually spend time using the products they sell on to consumers.

Have you got a gripe with the design of one of your AV components? Let us know in the comment section below!