hdmi

Neoya brings HDMI to Wii

We recently took an exclusive look at the Neoya Wii2HDMI adapter for the Nintendo Wii. It's a small $40 attachment that plugs into the Wii's A/V-out port and successfully carries 480p video and stereo audio over a single signal.

Since its launch, we've been desperate for a way to make the Wii an HDMI device because of how easy the interface is to work with; especially with the rise in HDMI-compatible receivers. Better yet, the Wii2HDMI adapter also offers a separate 1/8 inch audio-out for those receivers that can't process audio over HDMI.

We … Read more

Upgrade your video card for $49.99

Most off-the-shelf desktop systems come with pretty weak video cards. That's fine if all you're doing is checking e-mail and browsing the Web, but if you plan to get into gaming, photo editing, video production, and other graphics-intensive areas, you'll need a lot more video horsepower.

Thankfully, upgrades are fast, easy, effective, and affordable. For example, Newegg has the EVGA GeForce 9800 GT 512MB video card for $49.99 shipped. That's after a $35 mail-in rebate (PDF).

This isn't the fastest card on the planet by any stretch, but trust me--it's plenty fast. I … Read more

Do receivers have too many features?

Do you remember when you bought stereo receivers based on their power and connectivity? The entry-level models were low in power and had just a few inputs. As you moved up in the line, they got more power, more ports, and an extra feature or two. The top models looked cooler than the entry-level ones, with a more high-end design flair and they hid their lesser-used controls under a flip-down panel. If someone bought a more expensive model, it's because they wanted better sound quality.

Home-theater receivers followed the same course, except the higher end models had more speaker … Read more

Ask Maggie: On dumping cable for online video

If you're like me, you cringe every month when you pay your cable bill. And you dream of the day you can cut your cable cord and stop paying that monthly bill.

It's not that I don't like to watch TV. I do. But I can't stand that I pay $140 a month to watch a handful of shows on five or six channels. The DVR has completely changed my viewing habits, so that I only watch the shows I want to see when I want to see them.

Meanwhile, there is a growing amount of … Read more

Get a 1080p camcorder bundle for $59.99

It was barely a week ago that I wrote up the Creative Vado HD pocket camcorder, which shoots 720p video. Now, for the same price, you can score a model that delivers 1080p.

Geeks.com has the Samsung HMX-U10 pocket camcorder for $59.99 shipped. That's after applying coupon code woot at checkout. You also get a 4GB SD card and a carrying case.

The snazzy red HMX-U10 records 1,920-by-1,080 video at 30 frames per second. It sports a 2-inch LCD, built-in microphone and speaker, and onboard video-editing software.

In short, it compares favorably with the Creative … Read more

Buzz Out Loud 1262: Apple raises the bars (podcast)

There's a fix coming for the iPhone 4's antenna problems: Apple will make the signal strength meter go higher, no matter what. Seriously? Yes. Also, Steve Jobs did not say, "It's just a phone," Microsoft doesn't care which way you insert your batteries, and there is no space dust on Hayabusa.

How to connect your laptop to a TV

Laptops once used to be the domain of word-processing programs, file databases, and light gaming, but more often than not most people currently use their laptops as makeshift do-it-all interactive televisions. With the abundance of streaming video sites and TV/movie content available, they're often the most versatile entertainment products on the market, pound for pound.

Unfortunately, you're locked in to a screen that often has limited viewing angles and a resolution that's often less than 1080p. There's good news, though: connecting to an HDTV is a lot easier than most people think--provided you have an … Read more

Get a Creative Vado 720p camcorder for $59.99

The last time I wrote about the Creative Vado HD pocket camcorder, it sold out in what seemed like minutes. Let's try again, shall we?

Creative, by way of Amazon, is offering the Vado HD 8GB "B-Stock" pocket camcorder for $59.99. That's after applying coupon code BLVF5JPR at checkout, and not including around $6 for shipping.

Update: Sorry, folks. As I suspected, this sold out fast. Good deals always do.

In addition to the camcorder itself (which is the fire-engine red model), you get a carrying case and an AC adapter for easier on-the-go charging. (… Read more

Odds and Ends: Apple outlines HDMI uses, VLC updated

With the new aluminum "unibody" Mac Mini being the first Apple computer to come with a built-in HDMI port, Apple has felt it necessary to outline both the uses for the HDMI connector in a recently released FAQ on the Mac Mini. In addition, the final version 1.1 release of the VideoLAN Client media player is available.… Read more

Hands-on with the HTC Evo 4G's HDMI-out

Sure, the HTC Evo 4G is one of the first smartphones to offer an HDMI-out port, but how well does it really perform?

On the bottom of the Evo is a small HDMI-out port. It's much smaller than the HDMI interface you're probably used to, so make sure to purchase a Micro-D size cable. One end will fit the port at the bottom of the Evo and the other end terminates in a standard HDMI interface.

After spending some time encoding various file formats and sizes, we found that MP4 movie files performed the most consistently. Also, files rendered closer to the Evo's native 800x480 resolution worked best as larger videos stuttered and would not play properly on-screen.

We were a bit disappointed in the lack of control the Evo gives in terms of HDMI-out playback. In fact, there are absolutely no settings associated with the connection. Other than videos stored on the external MicroSD card and YouTube, the phone can't play anything else through the port--this also includes third party software like Slingbox Player Mobile. Oddly enough, the Evo can't display individual photos either; they must be arranged together in a slideshow for them to show up correctly.

The Evo seems to output all video at 720p (1280x720), regardless of the source resolution. Also, it takes a few seconds for the phone to handshake with a TV, so be prepared to miss the first second or two of playback. In terms of sound, every video file played back was accompanied with solid audio quality. You can control the volume of the source material via the Evo's two-button rocker on the right side of the device.… Read more