This gorgeous audio centre, the R4, will be released in early June by Vita Audio, a British firm who design and build exquisite audio products. The R4 certainly has the looks but does it have the sound to match? Since Vita Audio produce the award winning Ruark loudspeaker systems, we are betting that it does! Here are a few features and specs of this sumptuous piece of audio gear

* 80 W output
* Slot loading CD player plays CD-Audio, MP3 and WMA music disks
* USB port for playback of MP3 and WMA music files
* Integrated iPod Dock for most models/versions
* their very own funky-looking Rotodial docking remote control
* a couple of other inputs in case you have other toys you’d like to hook up
* 145 x 450 x 255 mm
* 8 kg

Needless to say the price tag matches the quality and elegance of the unit with a walnut version rocking in at 500 GBP (US$976) and a ‘Dream White’ version sporting a 550 GBP (US$1074) label. Not cheap, but then we suspect you get what you pay for with the R4 and that’ll be high quality audio reproduction.

Source: Vita Audio

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With the format war now well and truly over, you would think manufacturers would be rushing out new Blu-Ray players for the new and previously untapped undecided HD consumer. However we haven’t seen much evidence of this product onslaught, but Pioneer have leapt in with two new Blu-Ray players to complement their Kuro range of plasmas, the Elite BDP-05FD and BDP-51FD. Feast your eyes on these specs

* BonusView extra disc content support
* 1080p 24fps output
* HDMI 1.3a ports
* PureCinema Deinterlacer for upscaling standard definition DVDs
* 7.1 surround sound
* Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby TrueHD, DTS HD and DTS HD Master support
* BDP-05FD has gold-plated connections and a faster 297 MHz video encoder as opposed to standard connections and 108 MHz on the BDP-51FD

These suckers talk ever so nicely with Pioneer’s Kuro HDTV range with both players featuring auto-setup when detecting a Kuro HDTV hanging off of it. The settings have been entered by Pioneer engineers to

ensure subtle details, vivid colors and deep shadows are accurately reproduced when shown on KURO displays

according to the marketing blurb. The price tags are US$600 for the BDP-51FD and US$800 for BDP-05FD, not cheap but then these units are not the run of the mill Blu-Ray players.

Pioneer are obviously aiming these at the home theatre enthusiast with a large-ish wallet believing that it was these consumers playing neutral during the war. If they are right then these puppies will sell like the proverbial hot cakes!

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For those of us whose wallets may not have seen the light of day in a while may well want to skip this article. Pioneer have just unleashed the Kuro KRF-9000FD projector - a snip at 8000 Euros (US$12,460). So what do you get for this princely sum?

* 1920 x 1080 res using Liqiuid Crystal on Silicon technology
* 60 to 200 inch picture size range
* supports movie aspect ratio of 2.35:1
* 30,000:1 contrast ratio
* 80% vertical and 34% horizontal lens shift
* 600 lumens brightness
* 2 1.3 HDMI ports, component/composite/S-Video inputs
* 24db noise level
* 280W power consumption
* 11.6 kg
* 455 x 172.5 x 418.5 mm

Well the bells and whistles certainly look good, so if you’re up for recreating a movie theatre in your own home, the Pioneer Kuro KRF-9000FD may just be what you’re looking for. Just in case you’re still not convinced here’s a bit of the marketing spiel from Pioneer

Developed specifically for cinephiles with a dedicated home cinema room, the KURO projector is configured for screen sizes starting from 60 inches. Aside from displaying signature KURO style cosmetics, it supports advanced calibration and is in line with the KURO benchmark of deep black levels and rich colours, resulting in the unmistakable look of film. It incorporates LCOS 1080p technology, producing the highest native contrast ratio. Based on 3 x 0.7 inch D-ILA, it boasts a wide lens shift capacity and dual HDMI 1.3 support.

As with all forms of display, its what works well with your given entertainment area that matters, but if you are looking for a great home cinema experience then the KRF-9000FD is certainly going to help you achieve that.

Source: i4u

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Apparently this one is well overdue, with the original retail date back in November of last year. Anyway for those of you hanging out for the D-Link DSM-750 MediaLounge Media Player it’s on sale now for US$329. This little sucker will allow you to stream just about any media you like from any networked device to your HDTV. Here are a few specs on the DSM-750

* Wireless 802.11g/n connectivity
* USB 2.0 port
* 10/100 Mbps Ethernet
* HDMI, Component, S-Video, Composite outputs
* Optical & Coax audio output
* Audio support for mp3, wav, wma, ogg
* Video support for wmv9, m-peg1, 2 & 4, XVID, H.264, avi
* Photo support for jpeg, png, tiff, gif, bmp
* 286 x 426 x 38 mm

I’m not too sure who would necessarily absolutely need one of these suckers - my media centre sits right next to the plasma. However if you prefer you peripherals neatly tucked away or prefer to have your media files spread across different units around your home then the DSM-750 could just be what you are looking for.

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Knoll are enthusing about their latest projector, the HDP460, which features 1080p DLP Darkchip4 technology. Apparently this projector

raises the bar when it comes to flawless, spectacular, award-winning image quality.

and

This projector delivers amazing technology and stunning high-definition.

Advertising hyperbole aside, here are some hard numbers on the HDP460

* brightness of 1600 lumens
* 5000:1 contrast ratio
* HDMI 1.3 connectivity allowing over a billion colours to be displayed
* 1080p DLP DarkChip4
* Built-in scaling support for 2.35:1 aspect ratio

Unfortunately no pricing is available and you’ll have to wait until April to get your grubby little paws on one of these suckers. However the stats match the advertising enthusiasm and the HDP460 could be the very next home theatre upgrade on your list.

Source: Knoll

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LG will soon be launching their latest HDTV ranges, the LG6000 and PG6000. These super sexy models were shown off at CES but will be available soon in the UK and hopefully elsewhere not long after. The LCD LG6000 range sports four models a 32, 37, 42 and 47 inch versions, whilst the Plasma PG6000 comes in two flavours, 42 and 50 inch. Here’s the shared features of the two ranges

* 15,000:1 contrast ratio (30,000:1 for plasma)
* 24p Tru Cinema
* Four HDMI 1.3 inputs
* USB 2.0 port for looking at photos or listening to mp3s

The LG6000 range also boast ‘invisible’ Mark Levinson speakers which provide a wider ’sweet spot’ by creating a virtual wall of sound - hmmm - I’ll believe that when I, err, hear it. Despite the marketing hyperbole, I’m sure LG’s latest HDTV offerings will make the grade. Unfortunately we have no idea whether your bank manager will agree as price tags are not currently available.

Source: Pocket-Lint

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Hannspree have just launched their latest offering in the LCD TV world, the XV AT with a 42 inch widescreen 1366 x 768 HD display. This little sucker will set you back GBP 600 (about US$1200) and has the following specs and features

* 42 inch 1366 x 768 res 16:9 display
* 2 x 15 watt speakers
* Analog input, Digital DVB-T input, 2 x HDMI inputs
* 1,500:1 contrast ratio
* 178 degree viewing angle
* 1050 x 767 x 296 mm
* 24 kg

There is a coaxial audio output, which is just as well cos 2 x 15 W just ain’t gonna cut it on the audio front. There’s also a VGA input to hook up to your PC as well. This looks like a great low-end unit, although it’s only available in the UK at the moment, hopefully Hannspree will give the XV AT a world-wide release soon.

Source: Pocket-Lint

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