Home Theaters

As if today’s dream home theaters weren’t enough to blow most of our collective minds, Microsoft (and a few other companies) is planning to take things to a whole new level.

Similar to Apple’s new iPhone, only “lifesize”, this touch sensitive 30-inch display can recognize physical objects or tagged devices like phones, cameras and even credit cards, and can transmit data to the device by touching the screen.

Check out Microsoft’s demo video below for some live action:

The applications for this technology are only limited by imagination. While it is being developed as a business tool for now, I can’t help but dream of how it can be used in a home theater.

Think of controlling your whole media room from your “coffee table”, including telling your microwave to cook the popcorn and seeing previews of other movies the actors you are currently watching have starred in. Or perhaps recognizing your guests and sending drink and food orders to the kitchen.

Check out this CNET review to see some more possibilities:

With an initial price tag between $5,000 and $10,000, it is expected to arrive in November in T-Mobile USA stores and properties owned by Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Inc. and Harrah’s Entertainment Inc. I doubt many of us are going to run out and add it to our own home theaters anytime soon, but one thing’s for sure though, the future is getting closer and closer, and it definitely looks amazing.

Microsoft expects consumer versions in the next three years or so.

Be sure to check out the Microsoft site for more of what they are planning on doing with this exciting technology. The blogosphere is also ablaze with Surface talk. Read some more great posts here, here and here.

Needless to say, this baby gets three green envy buttons from me and almost demands a 4 GEB category all to itself. Congrats to Microsoft on (finally) making a hit!

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Ever wanted to “Pimp Your Home Theater”?

Now may be your perfect chance to use your current setups lackluster to get that blockbuster setup you’ve always dreamed of.

Boston Acoustics and Denon Electronics have teamed up and announced “The Ultimate Home Theater Makeover”. The idea is for entrants to make a video showing how badly their “home theater” needs an upgrade and one lucky winner will be chosen to receive a makeover featuring electronics, furniture and installation worth more than $17,000.

If you want to win, you’re going to need a good video. Judging from the competition, some people are willing to go pretty far to win this contest. This guy actually threw some of his equipment off his roof to the death it deserved.

You don’t have to destroy your current components to win, however. All participants automatically receive a $10 Circuit City gift card just for entering. Not a bad deal! Good luck to any of my readers and be sure to share your video and/or prize info with us.

You can enter your video, take a makeover quiz and see prizes and other videos here.

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Much like the Beta vs. VHS battle back in the late 70’s, there is much at stake in the HD vs. Blu-Ray battle the DVD format finds itself embroiled in today. Back then, Beta had better picture clarity and came in a smaller size. Unfortunately, they only fit 60 minutes of recorded programming, a major factor of why the 3-hour VHS format eventually emerged victorious.

I would like to write my main Wednesday post covering DVD and CD players for your home theater, but I thought it would be best if I detailed the differences between the two DVD formats first, so you can make a more informed decision about which to purchase. For starters, let’s take a look at the history.

HD DVD is Toshiba’s offering in this new melee, which for all intents and purposes, has been going on since 1969 when Philips developed the LaserDisc. Philip’s partnered with Sony soon after, and from this association, the CD was born in 1979. In the early 1990’s, the two teamed together again in an attempt to create a next generation CD that could play video, as well.

Unfortunately for them, the Toshiba offering had all the major backers behind it. The two groups got together and agreed on a common format, later to be known as the DVD. Toshiba was contractually given the majority of royalties in the deal, and so the Philip’s/Sony partnership soon began work on their next generation DVD, which would come to be known as Blu-Ray. Toshiba followed suit, developing their next generation DVD which would become known as HD DVD.

Despite similarities in size and laser-usage, they are basically incompatible and cannot play on each other’s DVD players, thus forcing consumers to choose which format they are going to adopt. Eventually a winner may emerge, but for now, the two are in the midst of a marketing battle for your minds. To help guide you, here are the major differences:

Capacity -

HD DVD - Single layer, 15gb; Double layer, 30gb; Highest Test, 45gb; Theoretical Limit, 60gb

Blu-Ray - Single layer, 25gb; Double layer, 50gb; Highest Test, 100gb; Theoretical Limit, 200gb

Format Founders -

HD DVD - Toshiba Corp., Hitachi Corp.
Blu-Ray - Sony Corp., Royal Philips Electronics

Supporting Member Studios -

HD DVD - Buena Vista Home Entertainment, New Line Cinema, Paramount Pictures, The Walt Disney Company, Universal Studios, Warner Bros.
Blu-Ray - 20th Century Fox, Buena Vista Home Entertainment, Electronic Arts, MGM Studios, Paramount Pictures, Sony Pictures Entertainment, The Walt Disney Company, Vivendi Universal Games, Warner Bros.

For the most part, they are similar products with many of the same backers. The main difference is that Blu-Ray discs cost more and have more storage. This differs from the Beta/VHS battle, as Beta cost more to be manufactured, but had less storage. This time, it is up to the marketplace to decide on a winner, if there ever is one.

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On Tuesday’s, I will list the week’s DVD releases ready to take home and view in the comfort of your home. In addition, I will list their overall rating on IMDB, how many votes were cast and starring roles.

Today, the following movies will be released for rent or sale:

*Spider-Man 2.1 - Unrated, Extended Cut (Two-Disc Deluxe Edition) - DVD - 7.8/10 with 72,571 votes cast; starring Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst and James Franco

Plot Synopsis: Peter Parker is beset with troubles in his failing personal life as he battles Doctor Octavius, a brilliant scientist with mechanical tentacles to do his bidding.

*Freedom Writers (Widescreen Edition) - DVD - 7.3/10 with 2,362 votes cast; starring Hilary Swank, Patrick Dempsey and Scott Glenn

Plot Synopsis: A young teacher (Swank) inspires her class of at-risk students to learn tolerance, apply themselves, and pursue education beyond high school.

*Notes on a Scandal - DVD - 7.5/10 with 5,375 votes cast; starring Judi Dench, Cate Blanchett and Tom Georgeson

Plot Synopsis: A pottery teacher (Blanchett) enters into an affair with one of her students, causing upheaval in her personal and professional lives.

*The Last King of Scotland (Widescreen Edition) - DVD - 7.8/10 with 11,161 votes cast; starring Forest Whitaker, James McAvoy and Gillian Anderson

Plot Synopsis: Based on the events of the brutal Ugandan dictator Idi Amin’s regime as seen by his personal physician during the 1970’s.

*The History Boys - DVD - 6.8/10 with 1,780 votes cast; starring Samuel Anderson, James Corden and Stephen Campbell Moore

Plot Synopsis: An unruly class of gifted and charming teenage boys pursue sex, sports and higher education.

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