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Roku looks into serving you ads on whatever you plug into its TVs
Roku has filed a patent to be able to serve you ads even though you're watching a show or playing a game through a third-party streaming device or console.
Samsung's 55-inch Odyssey Ark: Taking gaming monitors to a whole new dimension
Boasting a 55-inch mini LED panel with a 165HZ refresh rate and 1ms response time, Samsung's new Odyssey Ark is bringing gaming monitors into uncharted territory.
Marshall widens the soundstage on its new home speaker lineup
Marshall has made some seemingly minor changes for its third-gen home speakers. The Acton III, Stanmore III and Woburn III have all been tweaked so the tweeters are angled outwards to provide a larger, more immersive soundstage than the forward-facing earlier models.
Raspberry Pi packs more power into its $15 Zero 2 W board
Raspberry Pi has introduced a new version of its tiny wireless Zero W board with improved performance, added features and a slightly higher $15 price tag.
Apple ProRes RAW is coming to Panasonic's S1H 'Netflix' camera
As it promised last September, Panasonic is ready to bring Apple ProRes RAW support to its cinema-centric S1H full-frame mirrorless camera. The firmware version 2.0, coming next month, will introduce support for 5.9K (5,888 x 3,312) 12-bit ProRes RAW video output over HDMI.
TiVo's $50 Stream 4K dongle takes aim at cord-cutters in April
The name TiVo is going to apply to more than just cable-ready DVRs, as the company has confirmed rumors that it's working on a $50 dongle aimed at cord-cutters. It's also planning on selling the device via providers who want something to offer their internet-only customers, and don't have the ability to build a custom unit like Comcast's streaming box. While the TiVo Stream 4K keeps some of the grid-based UI that you'd expect from a DVR, the Android-powered unit focuses on TiVo's ability to present and sort information from multiple sources.
Cheap, great HDMI cables
By Geoffrey Morrison This post was done in partnership with Wirecutter. When readers choose to buy Wirecutter's independently chosen editorial picks, Wirecutter and Engadget may earn affiliate commission. Read the full guide to cheap, great HDMI cables. If I needed an HDMI cable, I'd get the 3-foot AmazonBasics High-Speed HDMI Cable. This cable (also available in lengths up to 25 feet) will handle the 18 Gbps (gigabits per second) of data required of Ultra HD 4K video with HDR. It also has a lifetime warranty and free shipping if you're a Prime member. You might be able to find even cheaper HDMI cables, but none have its warranty and easy return policy. The AmazonBasics High-Speed HDMI Cable is a no-frills HDMI cable, but with HDMI, frills aren't necessary. The cable is sturdily built and works with any video signal of today (and probably ones into the near future). Both the 3- and 15-foot lengths passed all our tests, including HDR tests. It has a 4.6/5 rating on Amazon from over 15,000 reviews. They sell for about $2 per foot or less, if you have Amazon Prime (free shipping). If you don't have Prime, Amazon lowered the price of their free shipping to orders above $35. Or, if you just don't want to go with Amazon, Monoprice cables work the same and are very close in price. The Monoprice Certified Premium High Speed HDMI Cables work just as well as the AmazonBasics cables but are slightly more expensive when you include shipping. Either way, the prices are very close. Monoprice also has a far greater variety of lengths and thicknesses across a huge number of different series. So if you need a short, skinny cable or very long lengths to make your installation work, Monoprice likely has an inexpensive option that will do the job. For reasons we'll explain, there is no need to spend more on a basic HDMI cable.
Philips' new Hue Play box syncs your lights with your TV
It's been a long time coming, but there's now an easy way to sync your Hue lights with your TV no matter what's on-screen. Signify has introduced a Philips Hue Play HDMI Sync Box that (as its name implies) controls your smart lights based on whatever the video source might be, whether it's a game console, a Blu-ray player or a streaming media service. It's automatic and reportedly lag-free, and you can dial down the intensity so that it won't produce a dramatic light show when you're just watching a sitcom.
VAIO's port-loaded 12-inch laptop goes on sale in the US
Following its launch in Japan, VAIO's small but mighty SX12 -- which offers just about every conceivable I/O you could ever want -- is now available in the US. Its starting price of $1,119 means this isn't a cheap deal, but how could it be when such a diminutive 12-inch model somehow crams in three USB-A ports, one USB-C port, a HDMI port, a full-sized SD card slot, a headphone/mic port, an Ethernet port and even a VGA port. Got literally anything to plug in to something? This'll do it.
The best wireless HDMI video transmitter
By Rachel Cericola and Geoffrey Morrison This post was done in partnership with Wirecutter. When readers choose to buy Wirecutter's independently chosen editorial picks, Wirecutter and Engadget may earn affiliate commission. Read the full guide to wireless HDMI video transmitters. After spending 25 hours flipping channels and swapping video sources, we've decided that the Iogear GW3DHDKIT Wireless HDMI Digital Kit is the best wireless HDMI transmitter. Though other models on our list boast the same 100-foot transmission, this was the least expensive model that also combines two HDMI inputs and the option for USB power. It's the best choice for people who can't or don't want to run cables across the room to a projector or TV. The Iogear GW3DHDKIT Wireless HDMI Digital Kit is an inexpensive, simple-to-use option for wirelessly sending HDMI video and audio signals in 1080p and 5.1 across the room or around the house without losing quality. The base unit has two HDMI inputs and one HDMI output, so you can leave multiple sources plugged in, and it can conveniently draw power from a USB 3.0 port (more on this below). If you're looking to fill the room with additional audio, the Nyrius Aries Home+ features support for 7.1 sound. Like our top pick, this model can support two HDMI sources, can be powered from a USB port, and performs reliably. However, additional cost kept it from taking the top spot. The Monoprice Blackbird Pro 16049 doesn't work as well through walls as our other picks, but is strong enough to send the signal across a room. It's a cheap, easy way to stream an HDMI source. It has only one HDMI input, but does include support for 7.1 sound and USB power, and was the least expensive model we tested.
Sonos Beam review: Smart features trump minor audio compromises
Sonos has earned itself a dedicated army of enthusiasts. And with good reason, too: The company pretty much defined the multiroom/connected speaker space, bringing home audio into the internet era. So, it's no surprise, then, that when rumors of a new product appear, forums and fan pages start to fill up with theories.
Sonos Beam is a smart soundbar with HDMI and AirPlay 2
The wait for Sonos fans is over. That rumored new speaker codenamed "S14" has just been unveiled in San Francisco today, and it's just as we expected (and more). The Sonos Beam (as it's officially called) is indeed aimed at home theatre and comes with smart home/voice control credentials and the much-coveted HDMI ARC connectivity (along with ethernet). While we had a good idea of more or less what the new hardware from Sonos might offer, we didn't know what it would look like (a much smaller, cooler Playbar, basically), or how it fits in the broader Sonos ecosystem.
HDMI 2.1 is here with 10K and Dynamic HDR support
Back in January, the HDMI Forum unveiled its new specifications for the HDMI connector, called HDMI 2.1. Now, that HDMI specification is available to all vendors who have already adopted HDMI 2.0. It's backwards compatible with all previous HDMI specifications.
The best USB-C adapters, cables, and hubs
By Nick Guy This post was done in partnership with Wirecutter, reviews for the real world. When readers choose to buy Wirecutter's independently chosen editorial picks, they may earn affiliate commissions that support their work. Read the full article here. After 10 hours of preliminary research, we tested more than 25 USB-C accessories to put together this guide to the best ways to connect peripherals and devices to a USB-C–equipped computer. It's by no means exhaustive. USB-C can, in theory, replace every other port, and there are a seemingly infinite number of port combinations you might encounter. We focused on the most important tasks you'll likely face, such as connecting older peripherals like hard drives and hooking up an external display.
HDMI's new spec improves 8K, HDR and gaming
You're about to feel better if you've been holding back on buying a new TV. The HDMI Forum has unveiled a new specification for its namesake video connector, HDMI 2.1, and there's enough here to make enthusiasts happy. It now supports both very high resolutions and high frame rates. In particular, you can get 4K at a speedy 120Hz, and 8K at 60Hz (when 8K sets are ready). You'll even see 8K with high dynamic range, although you'll need new 48Gbps cables to experience this and other high-bandwidth features in all their uncompressed glory. Thankfully, there are some upgrades that shouldn't take years to reach your living room.
It sounds like Microsoft has shelved its Xbox streaming stick
Prior to Microsoft's keynote at E3 this year, a raft of rumors were swirling about. Microsoft's answer to the PlayStation 4 Pro (which we now know as Project Scorpio) and the Xbox One S garnered most of the attention, but loose lips also suggested an Xbox-branded streaming dongle was in the works as well. The Chromecast-like device would've streamed Windows 10 apps and "light Universal Windows Platform" games in addition to content from an Xbox One. It would cost $99 according to Windows Central. Not anymore, however.
Get ready for simple USB-C to HDMI cables
More devices are starting to ship with USB-C connectors built-in, and today groups behind HDMI and USB announced another way to take advantage of it. That method is HDMI Alt Mode, which means cable manufacturers can build a connector that plugs directly from the port on your phone, laptop or other device into the HDMI port on a TV or monitor. With this spec, there's no additional dongle or adapter needed in the middle.
Panasonic's $699 UHD Blu-ray player arrives in September
If you thought Ultra HD Blu-ray players were already pretty expensive, Panasonic would like to have a word. Whereas Samsung's player and the recently released unit from Philips aim for a mainstream crowd with $400 price tags, Panasonic is targeting audiophiles and folks with slightly deeper pockets. The DMP-UB900 costs $699 and features a few wild specs like twin HDMI outputs for separating audio and video signals; premium capacitors, circuitry and signal processors; "digital tube sound" that supposedly replicates analog warmth from a digital signal and playback for DSD and ALAC audio formats. Yep, your TV's speakers would be a waste of all this tech.
The Skreens app puts all of your HDMI signals on one display
Skreens showed off its newly patented media device at CES Showstoppers. The self-titled gadget allows users to spread the video content from up to four HDMI inputs across a single display. The system utilizes a hardware component, shown above, that sits between the HDMI devices and the monitor, and an associated mobile app that controls how the inputs are displayed. Users can resize, reorder and rearrange the incoming signals as they see fit—even run a single input in full-screen with the other inputs overlaid semi-transparently. SImilarly, users can pick and choose which audio input they want to pay attention to.
New certification will ensure HDMI cables can output 4K
While many HDMI cables these days can spit out 4K, the results can be hit-or-miss (especially as you start exploring longer cable lengths). So the HDMI Licensing group, which manages the interface, has developed a new premium certification to make sure any cable that advertises 4K compatibility actually works for that higher resolution. As part of the certification, companies will follow an expanded set of guidelines when creating cables and also test them more vigorously to make sure they can output the full 18 Gbps needed for the HDMI 2.0 spec. It's not just about 4K, either -- the certification also ensures that cables support high dynamic range (HDR) video. Once approved, the premium certified cables will sport a tamper proof sticker, which should make it easier to find them in the sea of untested cables on the market. Hopefully, this means the end of gambling with 4K HDMI cable compatibility.
