CES 2009 is officially over, so we can take stock of the major home video trends we saw at the show. The most obvious difference from CES 2008 is that now that HD DVD is dead, Blu-ray dominated the show like never before. While most of the major trends at the show basically matched up with our CES preview, there was one nice surprise that ended up being the Home Video Best of CES category winner.
Blu-ray trends
CES 2009 brought us the first portable Blu-ray player
If you've been confused by all the different Blu-ray profiles, you'll be happy to know that nearly all (tsk, tsk Philips) the players we saw at the show were Profile 2.0 compatible. That means you won't have to worry about buying a Blu-ray player that won't play Internet-enabled BD-Live features. We were also happy to see Blu-ray players with Wi-Fi from both LG and Samsung (via a bundled USB dongle), which also goes a long way toward making it easy for consumers to actually watch BD-Live features without dragging a long Ethernet cable to the living room. Our big miss in terms of predictions was that lack of a $150 Blu-ray player, but don't be surprised if the $200 Vizio VBR100 or Memorex MVBD-2520 hit that price point a few months after they're released.
We also saw Blu-ray break out of the strictly standalone form factor. Panasonic showed off the first portable Blu-ray player, the DMP-B15, although its 3-hour battery life seems pretty constricting. Panasonic had another first with its DMP-BD70V VHS-Blu-ray combination player, and overall we were surprised to learn that VHS still lives. The notable missing product was a U.S.-bound Blu-ray recorder, and we're starting to be skeptical that we'll see one in the first half of 2009. It's also worth noting that we saw Blu-ray built into HDTVs and HTIBs, further signaling that Blu-ray is going mainstream.
Netflix really is everywhere
As expected, we saw plenty of new products with built-in Netflix instant streaming. Blu-ray players from Samsung and LG included the feature, and we saw HDTVs with the functionality built-in too. We were also happy that other online services made their way to Blu-ray players, with LG's BD390 featuring CinemaNow, and YouTube and Samsung's BD-P4600 featuring Pandora.
No $100 Hulu box
Our biggest disappointment of CES 2009 is that there was no "$100 Hulu box." At the CNET offices, we've been talking about the mythical product for quite some time now and basically all we want is a little device that makes it easy to watch all the free online video content on our HDTV. We're still hoping this product shows up sometime in 2009, instead of waiting for CES 2010.
Sling in a DVR: The EchoStar SlingLoaded HD DVR 922
The product we didn't predict wound up winning the Best of CES award for the Home Video category: the EchoStar SlingLoaded HD DVR 922. The Slingbox's biggest weakness has always been that when someone was remotely watching their home TV, it meant the person actually in the room had to watch the same thing. The SlingLoaded HD DVR 922 gets around this by building Sling-functionality into the DVR, allowing someone to watch a program on their phone while someone is watching something else in the living room. It's also worth pointing out that the box has two ATSC tuners, providing an additional two sources for people to tune into. We also really liked the Wi-Fi-enabled LCD display that EchoStar showed, which uses Sling technology to access the 922--toss it in the kitchen or bedroom, and you get another way to access your DVR and TV programming with no pesky wires or boxes. We'll have to do a hands-on review to see how the whole system works in real-world conditions, but needless to say, it's our most anticipated home video product of 2009.
Blu-ray ran into plenty of consumer confusion regarding the differing Blu-ray profiles, but the good news is that almost all (excluding a few Philips players) of the new players we saw announced at CES 2009 are Profile 2.0 compatible. Memorex's new MVBD-2520 doesn't have any of the extra bells and whistles seen on LG's BD390 or Samsung's BD-P4600, but it does look to have the minimum specs to be a solid budget player. Here are the details.
Key features of the Memorex MVBD-2520:
- Profile 2.0 compatible
- Onboard Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD High Resolution decoding
- SD card slot and USB port
- Available in early summer, $200 list price
That's a decent set of features for a Blu-ray player coming out right now, but it's worth noting that Vizio's announced player, the VBR100, is coming in April for $200 as well, plus it includes DTS-HD Master Audio decoding and 7.1 analog outputs. It will take a hands-on review to figure out which $200 player is better, but Vizio is in the lead from the spec sheets.
On Sale Now:
$180.68
View the latest prices for Memorex MVBD-2520
Either that is a huge hand or, (more likely) the projector is tiny.
(Credit: BenQ)I'm not certain if this has truly never been accomplished before, but BenQ is claiming that its new GP1 is the world's first LED pocket projector with an integrated USB reader. According to BenQ, users will be able to run movies, slides, or whatever they want, simply by plugging a USB thumb drive in, with no need for a separate PC.
In addition, GP1 users will be able to connect digital cameras, PDAs, iPods, iPhones, smartphones, gaming consoles, and laptops for viewing projected from 10 inches up to an 80-inch diagonal size, and it will project sound through its integrated speaker.
If you're concerned about color accuracy (and really, who isn't?), BenQ seems to think it has you taken care of with a 120 percent NTSC color gamut. According to BenQ, this is 40 percent higher than non-LED projectors.
Connection options include D-Sub (VGA), Composite, and USB inputs, and PC audio output as well as a detachable iPod docking station.
The GP1 will be available in March 2009 with an MSRP of $599. Check out a couple more closeup shots.
On Sale Now:
$649.00
- $889.99
View the latest prices for BenQ GP1
Philips' flagship BDP7310 Blu-ray player is BD-Live enabled and features DivX and WMV playback.
(Credit: Philips)With Funai licensing the Philips brand in 2009, things have gotten a little confusing about just what's going on with Philips home audio and video products. But it appears that all the products that Philips announced at CES 2009--including three new Blu-ray players--are true Philips products. Philips had already planned out its 2009 line and Funai Electric will be taking over the production of that line this year.
The three models include the BDP3010 ($229.99), a profile 1.1 model, and two BD-Live capable players, the BDP5010 ($249.99) and the BDP7310 ($299.99). We say capable because the BPD5010 is upgradable to BD-Live, while the BDP7310 will be a Profile 2.0 or Live-enabled out of the box. The BDP7310 also offers DivX and WMV playback. We suspect all of them will carry street prices of less than $200 when they're released this spring.
Note: Philips also announced the HTS-5100B, a home-theater system with a built-in Blu-ray player that's due out in June. No word on pricing of that model.
On Sale Now:
$179.99
View the latest prices for Philips BDP3010
On Sale Now:
$149.98
- $234.99
View the latest prices for Philips BDP5010
On Sale Now:
$240.99
- $281.99
View the latest prices for Philips BDP7310
The HSB2351 has an integrated DVD player and subwoofer for $349.99.
(Credit: Philips)Philips doesn't have a big presence at CES this year but it does appear to have some noteworthy products, especially when it comes to its new line of home-theater sound bars. The company's announced four new sound-bar packages, each geared to a slightly different target consumer.
Here's the rundown of the various products:
Model: The HSB2351
*All-in-one sound bar features integrated DVD player and subwoofer with 300 watts of total power
*Space-saving sleek design fits easily on an entertainment center or can be mounted on the wall
*Dolby Virtual Speaker for theater audio experience and HDMI 1080p with video upscaling
*MP3 Link for music playback from portable media players, USB 2.0 for media playback from USB flash drives, and a built-in FM tuner
Available in April with a suggested retail price of $349.99
Model: The HSB2313
*Ultra-thin speaker system with wireless subwoofer for a streamlined look
*Dolby Virtual Speaker for theater audio experience and HDMI 1080p with video upscaling
*Triple HDMI in and aux-in to connect TV, Blu-ray player, or set-top box
*MP3 Link for music playback from portable media players, High speed USB 2.0 for media playback from USB flash drives, and a built-in FM tuner
Available in May with a suggested retail price of $399.99
Model: The HSB2303
*Super narrow sound bar fits perfectly under your HDTV or on a table stand. Features an external subwoofer for an enhanced sound experience.
*Dolby Virtual Speaker for theater audio experience and HDMI 1080p with video upscaling
*MP3 Link for music playback from Portable Media Players, High speed USB 2.0 for media playback from USB flash drives, and a built-in FM tuner
Available in March with a suggested retail price of $299.99
Model: The HSB3280 (Philips is calling this the "Ultimate Gaming" system)
*Super sleek sound bar with ultramodern, exposed speakers and front AV inputs for ultimate convenience. Wireless subwoofer eliminates extra cables.
*Triple aux-in connects TV, DVD player or set-top box in one simple step
*Dolby Prologic II and Dolby Virtual Speakers technology for theater audio sound
*Special game-effect sound settings (Shooting/Sports/Action/Arcade) to enhance the gaming experience.
*Smart remote control system--one remote for system and TV
Available in January with a suggested retail price of $299.99
Philips' ultimate gaming option, the HSB3280, has a suggested retail price of $299.99.
(Credit: Philips)On Sale Now:
$149.98
- $291.67
View the latest prices for Philips HSB3280
Home theater is Samsung's game at this year's CES. Though the company did announce the new P3 touch-screen MP3 player, an inch-thick plasma TV, feature-packed Blu-ray home theater systems, and backlit LCD TVs dominated the show.
Samsung unveils P3 touch-screen MP3 player
Photos: Hands-on with the Samsung P3 player
Samsung's slick HT-BD7200 Blu-ray home theater system
Samsung's funky Blu-ray and DVD players
Samsung's PN-B850 series of plasmas get down to an inch thick
Samsung HT-BD1250: 5.1-channel home theater offers Blu-ray, Netflix, Pandora
Samsung HT-BD8200 home theater sound bar includes Blu-ray, Netflix, Pandora
Samsung DVD-H1080: Portable-sized DVD player for the home
HT-BD7200: 2.1 Blu-ray home theater from Samsung
Samsung goes green with the LN-B6000 series of LED-backlight LCDs
Samsung BD-P4600: Wall-mountable Blu-ray player with Wi-Fi add-on
Samsung LN-B8000 LCDs put LED-backlighting and 240Hz in a 1-inch frame
Samsung's step-down LED-backlit LCDs feature Yahoo widgets, 120Hz
Samsung unveils the MBP200 Pico Projector
Toshiba's TDP-F10U Mobile LED Projector will be available in March for $599.99.
(Credit: Toshiba)Several companies, including Toshiba, are showing off compact DLP pico projectors at the show. This one, the TDP-F10U Mobile LED Projector, may not be the sexiest-looking--or tiniest--of the bunch, but we'll throw it out there for your consideration.
The TDP-F10U weighs in at 1.4 pounds and offers SVGA, 800x600 resolution with an 800:1 contrast ratio. It will arrive in March, 2009 with a list price of $599.99. Other companies releasing pico projectors, categorized as "notebook companions," include Acer (K10), Dell (M109S), and BenQ (GP1). All of these offerings in this class weigh just over a pound and cost between $500 and $600.
Smaller pico varieties will soon be available, including models from WowWee (Cinemin line), Optoma (PK-101), Samsung (MBP200), and BUGlabs (Bugprojector). These types of picos run in the $300-$400 range.
On Sale Now:
$604.99
View the latest prices for Toshiba TDP-F10U
Editors' note: This post has been updated since initial publication, to include recently announced pricing information.:
Pioneer has been making Blu-ray players essentially since the format's inception, but we don't get around to reviewing many of them because of their hefty price tags.
The company announced three new Blu-ray players here at CES 2009, one of which features Pioneer's Elite label, and the two cheaper models look to be priced competitively with other manufacturers.
Key features of the Pioneer BDP-120:
- Profile 2.0-compatible
- Onboard Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio decoding
- 1GB USB flash drive included
- April release date, less than $300
Step-up features of the Pioneer BDP-320:
- Deep Color support
- Picture control suite (13 additional video adjustments)
- Three noise reduction circuits
- 7.1 analog audio outputs
- Precision Quartz Lock System (jitter-free audio transmission for CD)
- 1GB of internal memory
- April release date, less than $400
Step-up features of the Pioneer Elite BDP-23FD
- RS-232C input
- Designed for custom installer market
- April release date, $600
Most of the features are straightforward, but it's worth looking at some of the step-up features on the BDP-320. Deep Color support can mostly be ignored, as we've yet to see any commercial Blu-ray discs that take advantage of Deep Color.
The additional video adjustments and noise reduction controls are nice for home theater buffs who like to tweak, although we prefer to make adjustments on the display, rather than the player. Pioneer's Precision Quartz Lock System might be a plus for some audiophiles, but we're generally a little skeptical about how audible CD audio jitter is.
The best step-up feature is the 7.1 analog audio outputs, which will enable buyers with older non-HDMI receivers to enjoy Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio soundtracks at their full resolution.
On Sale Now:
$133.00
- $249.99
View the latest prices for Pioneer BDP-120
On Sale Now:
$228.03
- $299.99
View the latest prices for Pioneer BDP-320
On Sale Now:
$359.95
- $535.26
View the latest prices for Pioneer BDP-23FD
From the Consumer Electronics Show, Larry Magid talks with Wall Street Journal columnist Walter Mossberg about Palm's new Pre cell phone and Yahoo's new Internet TV. Both Mossberg and Magid were impressed by the Palm phone, and Mossberg had some good things to say about Yahoo's TV initiative.
Listen now: Download this podcast
Today's stories:
(Credit:
CBS Interactive)
We've already seen the entry-level LG BD370, but now we've gotten a glimpse of the step-up Blu-ray player in LG's 2009 line-up: the BD390. The BD390 includes all of the features of its little brother--DVD upscaling, Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD audio, BD-Live/Profile 2.0 support, and the ability to stream online video from Netflix, YouTube, and CinemaNow. But it also adds some nice upgrades: built-in Wi-Fi (so you're not limited to wired Ethernet), 1GB of on-board memory (no need for a USB stick to access BD-Live features), and 7.1-channel analog outputs (maximum compatibility with older, non-HDMI AV receivers). Look for the BD390 to hit stores in June 2009. Pricing isn't official, but the player should sell for around $400 according to LG.
On Sale Now:
$272.99
- $1,139.14
View the latest prices for LG BD390
