Audio/Video, Home Theater

Nevo SL Universal Remote Control

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Nevo SL Universal Remote Control

This could be a Harmony-killer. The Nevo SL is a universal remote that can control practically any device that has an IR remote control. It also has built-in WiFi (802.11b). One cool thing that I like about this remote is that the screens are configurable: using a PC application, you can design your own remote control screens to be displayed on the 64,000 color TFT screen. The Nevo also wants to be the only remote you use around your home. You can buy the separate NevoLink which is a small box that can be stuck on your network with its own IP address, and it can be used as a bridge to control devices in other rooms or behind cabinets. Pricey, but if it works as advertised, and the futureproof claim is for real, it could be really attractive.

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Hack your iPod, Play Doom

Audio/Video, Home Theater, Miscellaneous, Portable / By /

Bet you never thought of this. With a little (ok, sometimes a lot) tweaking, you can download subway maps, or Merriam-Webster’s pocket dictionary to your iPod, use it to track your running progress, find dates (yes, find dates), and best of all, play Doom! The Doom thing requires that you wipe your Apple firmware and install Linux, but Doom, you get to play Doom. Naturally, being Linux, you can install all kinds of apps on there, like lots of other games, Wikipedia, and even a basic Unix shell. Nice overview article here, but check out iPodLinux.org for all of the juicy details on how to void your iPod warranty. Sorry, I phrased that badly… I meant to say: improve your iPod. 😉

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Home Theater Lighting Solution

Audio/Video, Home Theater, Gizmo of the Day, Home Automation / By /

Home Theater Lighting Solution

How do you know if you’re a true audiovisual enthusiast?

Here’s a quick quiz:

Do you think the person who invented DVD rental by mail should be nominated for a Nobel Prize?

Do you feel that “volume” is something you should feel as well as hear?

Do you think the words “TV” and “too big” should never appear in the same sentence?

Are your goldfish named Dolby and THX?

Can you communicate passionately using nothing but acronyms and conjunctions?

Could you weave a hammock out of all the cables snaking around behind your components?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, you are an audiovisual enthusiast. And even if you didn’t, you still have a home theatre, whether it’s a simple TV in the den or an expertly outfitted screening room. Either way, an INSTEON A/V Solution will add professional panache for a proletarian price.

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Do Drunk Speakers sound better?

1 Comment / Audio/Video, Home Theater, Miscellaneous / By /

JVC EX-A10 Karaoke sounds better after a couple of rounds so why can’t speakers sound better after being soaked in Sake (Japanese rice wine)? JVC claims that wood is an ideal speaker material due to the acoustical properties which create rich, warm and natural sounds. Apparently, the 20 year old problem was how to mold solid wood into a speaker cone without splitting the wood.

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New JVC Desktop Home Theater System Features Unique Sake-Soaked Wood Cone Speakers

Audio/Video, Home Theater / By /

WAYNE, NJ, May 1, 2006 – Home theater is now available for the bedroom or other small room with the introduction of a new JVC compact home theater system, which features the company’s exclusive sake-soaked wood cone speakers.

The elegantly-designed JVC EX-A10 includes two diminutive components – a receiver and a matching DVD player – which when stacked occupy no more space than a typical laptop computer. Wrapped in a brushed aluminum finish, these components are complemented by a pair of JVC’s wood cone speakers housed in beautifully finished solid cherry cabinets. The system easily fits on a bookshelf or desktop. For a complete home theater set-up, all the user need add is a TV.

What truly sets the EX-A10 apart are its wood cone speakers. To deliver a warm, natural sound, each speaker cone is made of a solid sheet of wood, which has acoustic properties that make it ideal speaker material. But it’s a design that was 20 years in the making because forming the wood sheets into a speaker cone proved daunting – they would crack. Countless techniques were tried, but proved ineffective, until a surprising solution was found – sake, or Japanese rice wine. JVC engineers discovered that when soaked in sake, a birch wood sheet becomes soft and pliable enough to be pressed into speaker cones without splitting.

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Neuros MPEG4 video recorder

Audio/Video, Home Theater, Miscellaneous / By /

MPEG4 Video Recorder Digital Answer To VCR

Peripherals specialist Pinpoint Consumer Electronics has launched a major video recording solution that is the perfect accompaniment to the record breaking Sony PSP and other portable media players.

The Neuros Video Recorder is the most convenient, efficient and affordable solution to converting video files into MPEG4 format. Operated using the same principles as the VCR, the device records from any video source (including TV, camcorder, DVD player and satellite) onto a Memory Stick Pro Duo or Compact Flash memory card. The recorded video files can then be played back on the Sony PSP, Video iPod, PDA, Smartphone and laptop by transferring the memory card to the chosen media player.

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Philips invention prevents skipping commercials

Audio/Video, Home Theater, Miscellaneous / By /

Ugh. Royal Philips Electronics has devised an invention that would prevent TV viewers from switching the channel during commercials or fast-forwarding past commercials when watching DVR content. Viewers would have the option to get out of the freeze by paying a fee. Broadcasters would have the option to implement this technology on a per-program basis, and the ability would have to be included inside the viewer’s set-top box.

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Another One Bites the Dust: R.I.P. Gizmondo

Audio/Video, Home Theater, Portable / By /

Gizmondo Another gizmo company who underdelivered is apparently no more. The Geeks expect the domains for gizmondo.com and their parent company of tigertelematrics.com to be up for sale sooner than later as neither are responding today.

In fact, Windows for Devices speculates that “Gizmondo Europe, maker of the eponymously named Windows CE-based Gizmondo gaming device, and parent company Tiger Telematics, reportedly have closed up shop.” MSN Mobiles reported that April 16th, 2006, the Gizmondo store closed their doors on Regent Street in London.

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GamePark GP2X

Audio/Video, Home Theater, Gizmo of the Day, Portable / By /

GamePark GP2X

Since we’re halfway through this month’s contest, we figured we would feature the sponsored gizmo of the month: the GamePark GP2X! You better check your current geek credits and make sure to participate in the site to obtain a couple tickets to try to win this sweet gizmo.

The GP2X is the hottest handheld system for geeks as the unit is priced right, can use regular AA batteries and is open source! That’s right, the GP2X runs off Linux, but if you didn’t want to know that… you couldn’t tell with the interface. These units can only be imported (check out the GIMME! link or the GP2X Shop).

The geeks got their hands on a review copy and we’ve posted our review here.

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Talkman for Sony PSP

Audio/Video, Home Theater, Gizmo of the Day, Portable / By /

Talkman for Sony PSP

The Talkman is a real-world killer app for the Sony PSP! This software (with a USB microphone) is a voice-activated translation application allowing you to interact in foreign languages using your PSP!

The software translates between English, Japanese, Mandarin Chinese (the official language in China, although there are countless varieties and dialects) and Korean. Make your PSP multi-lingual!

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