October 11, 2006, 11:55 AM PDT
Back onstage: Belkin busts out the TuneStage II
Posted by: David Rudden

Following up on its well-received TuneStage and TuneCommand AV iPod accessories, Belkin has announced the TuneStage II, which should address most of the shortcomings of its predecessor when it's released in November for $150.

Like the earlier TuneStage, the TuneStage II lets you wirelessly transmit your music from your iPod to your home stereo, utilizing a snap-on transmitter and a small base station. But the newer model offers two key improvements: it's compatible with the newly released iPod Nano and 5G models (as well as pretty much every other dock-enabled iPod), and it utilizes Bluetooth 2.0 (rather than the 1.2 version found on the original TuneStage), which offers the potential for better sound quality.

While the original TuneStage performed adequately, the product was limited by the fact that the snap-on dongle interfaced only with older iPod models. We'll have a full hands-on review of the TuneStage II as soon as it becomes available.

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October 11, 2006, 11:21 AM PDT
Logitech announces yet another Harmony remote
Posted by: John P. Falcone

Logitech yesterday announced the Harmony 670, the company's latest Web-programmable universal remote. According to the company's press release, it's available now for $150. But the bigger question is: is this just one too many Harmony remotes?

Don't get me wrong: we love the Harmony line, and we've recommended just about every recent model they've released. But it's becoming harder and harder to distinguish among them, especially because many of the years-old models are still available for sale. Moreover, the street prices of Logitech products tend to be below--often far below--the suggested retail price, so many mid- and high-end Harmony models can be had for about the same price, if not less. For instance, the three 500-series Harmony models can all be purchased for less than $150 (and even less than $100), and the Harmony 720 and Harman Kardon TC 30--which is essentially a Harmony clone--are available for under $200. (And we're not even mentioning the higher-end 880, 890, and 1000 models.)

For what it's worth, the 670 is a throwback to the peanut-style design found on earlier 600-series Harmony models--all of which remain available online for $80 to $150. That said, the 670 looks to have a sleeker appearance than those older models. For instance, Logitech is touting its DVR-optimized button layout and improved directional pad.

We haven't reviewed the 670 yet, but the odds are that comparing it to its siblings will be an exercise in personal ergonomic preference. If you prefer the TiVo-style peanut design, the 670 may be right up your alley. Personally, I'd splurge for the Harmony 720 or Harman Kardon TC 30. Aside from their flatter design (which I like), both of them have color screens and recharging docks--two features that are well worth the extra $50.

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October 10, 2006, 10:46 AM PDT
Copy never: DRM 'glitch' keeps TiVo Series3, JVC A/V receivers from playing nice
Posted by: John P. Falcone

Connecting a TiVo Series3 to a JVC A/V receiver via HDMI seems to awaken an otherwise dormant copy-protection feature in the DVR. At least, that's what happened during testing in the CNET Labs.

We were working to verify that the TiVo delivered the full spectrum of video and audio features via its HDMI output. Video capabilities seemed fine: the Series3 includes a full panoply of user-selectable resolutions and a decent selection of aspect-ratio controls too; it also passed audio to several HDTVs when connected. But anyone who's invested in an $800 digital video recorder is likely to have an HDMI-switching A/V receiver as well, so that compatibility was high on the agenda. We used the JVC RX-D702--it's an older but still current HDMI receiver, and a CNET Editors' Choice for delivering a full range of HDMI features at a very reasonable price. Things seemed fine: we noted that the receiver passed HD video and Dolby Digital 5.1 audio without a problem. Our final test was to verify parallel video output--that the TiVo's standard-definition analog video outputs (composite, S-Video) remained up and running while the box was delivering a high-def picture via HDMI.

Why is that a big deal? Simple: The Series3 box ships with no TiVo To Go features, so you can't transfer your recorded programs to a PC or portable device as you can with earlier Series2 models. As usual, the culprit for this feature step-down is overzealous digital rights management (DRM). The underlying politics notwithstanding--and I recommend everybody check out the excellent Who killed TiVo To Go? feature at the Electronic Frontier Foundation's Web site for a complete overview of the issue--the fact remains that the only way to archive your TiVo Series3 recordings is the old-fashioned way: dump them to a video recorder in real time. Thus the importance of parallel video output. You want your VCR or DVD recorder to have access to a steady composite/S-Video source, regardless of what resolution you're watching over component or HDMI. The issue becomes doubly important if you're using a place-shifting device such as a Slingbox, a Hava, or a LocationFree TV to watch your DVR recordings from a remote location. (For instance, the older DirecTV HD TiVo switches off the composite and S-Video outputs when you watch video at HD resolutions--meaning you constantly have to throttle the resolutions down when archiving or place-shifting--a huge pain. Those outputs on current DirecTV HR20 and Dish ViP622, on the other hand, are always active.)

Our initial test was smooth: we got high-def HDMI output to the JVC receiver and the attached HDTV, and a simultaneous standard-def signal from the TiVo's S-Video and composite outputs (which we were watching on separate monitors). But when we moved onto another program--Revenge of the Sith, recorded off of HBO-HD--the screen suddenly went gray, with a TiVo warning emblazoned across the bottom: "Viewing is not permitted using the TiVo Digital Media Recorder. Try another TV input." Several other programs--Empire of the Sun (HDNet Movies), Simone (HBO-HD), and episodes of Battlestar Galactica (Universal HD) all yielded the same result. Further investigation revealed the culprit: hitting the Info button from the program listing page (TiVo's Now Playing screen) on these programs included a section called "restrictions": "Due to the policy set by the copyright holder, this recording: Cannot be transferred to VCR, DVD, or any other media device. To learn more, visit www.tivo.com/copyprotection."

Visiting that link will reveal apparent culprit: TiVo's Macrovision copy protection. Apparently, these programs were flagged as "copy never," so the box was dutifully following orders, and allowing video only via the copy-protected HDMI output (which is, to date, impossible to record). This isn't new: as far back as 2005, there were reports of TiVo boxes imposing restrictions on the viewing of certain TV shows. At the time, TiVo blamed the restrictions on "false positives"--saying the viewing restriction technology, ostensibly designed for pay-per-view and video-on-demand programming, was being turned on (by the cable companies) to cover a wider array of programming.

When we contacted TiVo about the issues we were having, a company engineer was stumped: he reiterated the same claim from last year, that the content flags should be appearing only on PPV and VOD programs. He suggested that the problem was twofold: our local cable company was "overflagging" its content, and/or the JVC receiver was not properly interpreting the copy-protection flag.

Indeed, when we took the JVC receiver out of the mix, things seemed fine: we couldn't get the gray screen to appear when using the Onkyo TX-SR674, the Belkin PureAV 3-in-1 HDMI Switch, or the Gefen 2:8 HDMI Distribution Amplifier (the only other HDMI-equipped switchers we had on hand), nor could we see it when running the TiVo directly to any of several HDTVs currently in our inventory. Likewise, returning to the JVC RX-D702B yielded the same problem. Perhaps more instructively, the newer JVC RX-D411S (which had just arrived in the CNET Labs) had the same problem when linked to the TiVo as well.

Bottom line: For whatever reason, the JVC receivers and the TiVo Series3 don't seem to be a perfect match. Otherwise, we've found the HDMI capabilities of the JVC receivers to perform admirably--the RX-D702 has been chugging away for months without any problems (and we'll have a full review of the RX-D411 soon). For that reason, we're not docking the JVC's rating (though we've added an Editors' Note explaining the apparent TiVo incompatibility). For its part, JVC wasn't aware of the TiVo incompatibility until we notified them; the company is actively investigating the issue, and we'll follow up when and if JVC issues a statement or a possible fix. In the meantime, if you own both products (and your cable company is flagging your shows), we'd recommend you opt for component video plus optical digital audio connections between the two, rather than deal with the dodgy HDMI issues.

Once again, though, overzealous copy protection has taken something simple and turned it into a Sisyphean ordeal. All we wanted to do was watch TV, and connect our gear with a minimum of cables and wires. Thanks to DRM, that simple task becomes more difficult all the time.

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September 18, 2006, 8:00 AM PDT
Cambridge SoundWorks unveils four new tabletop radios
Posted by: John P. Falcone

Cambridge SoundWorks has revealed four new tabletop radios, including the company's first model that receives HD Radio. Here's a round-up of the new products:

Cambridge SoundWorks Radio CD 745 ($400, October): This is an upgrade to the Radio CD 740, which received a CNET Editors' Choice when it was originally reviewed in December 2003. In addition to its AM and FM radio, the Radio CD 745 is the only new model with a built-in CD player (it can play standard audio CDs and home-burned MP3 CDs). The only apparent change from the 740 is the inclusion of an iPod dock; the 745's included remote control also controls the iPod navigation functions.

Cambridge SoundWorks Radio 735 ($300, October): For $100, the 735 loses the disc player found in its big brother, but it's otherwise identical. Similarly, this is an upgrade of the Radio 730, with the addition of an included iPod dock.

Cambridge SoundsWorks Radio 820HD ($300, November): The 820HD is a totally new product to Cambridge's line. Like the 735, the 820HD lacks a CD player, but it's the first Cambridge model to offer reception of digital HD Radio in addition to AM and FM. It will double as a clock radio.

Cambridge SoundWorks Radio 705 ($120, October): This retro radio looks to be Cambridge's answer to the Tivoli Model One. It trades in an LCD for a deliberately old-fashion look and feel, straight down to the large tuning dial.

There are some additional details that apply across the new line of products:

• All of the above models will be available in black or white, with the possibility of additional colors for the Radio 705 appearing in the months ahead.
• Each model has at least one free auxiliary (line-in) jack, so they can all double as a speaker for any portable music player. Moreover, control docks that offer compatibility with the Creative Zen line of portables will be available separately for the 735 and 745; they should provide remote control navigation of the Zens, just as the iPod docks do for compatible Apple portables.
• The 730 and 740 will remain available in the short term, but Creative says that "may change" in the future.

We'll have hands-on reviews of the 745 and the 820HD as soon as they're available. In the meantime, our expectations of these newly announced products are high, but our impressions are mixed. The Radio CD 740 boasted better overall sound quality than that of the competition including Bose and Boston Acoustics when we tested it a few years ago (thus the EC award), so one would expect the nearly identical 735 and 745 to perform just as well. The inclusion of an iPod dock is a nice touch, but from a features perspective, the need for a separate HD Radio-capable model--the 820HD--seems like overkill to us. Why not just bundle HD reception into the 745 and 735 instead, or offer an all-inclusive model--the "755," say,--that did so as a step-up? Likewise, none of these new models are XM-ready or DVD-capable, as the $600 Polk Audio I-Sonic is.

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September 14, 2006, 3:13 AM PDT
Sonos bolsters Rhapsody support: No PC required
Posted by: John P. Falcone

The Sonos Digital Music System can access the Rhapsody streaming audio subscription service directly, thanks to a software update made available today. Previously, Sonos users had to run the Rhapsody software on their PC, which acted as a proxy server to the Sonos base station. Once the Sonos version 2 software update is installed--it's a free automatic update, accessible from the Sonos Controller's onscreen menu--the wireless digital audio system can access the Rhapsody service directly over the Web, sans the PC. And because the computer is removed from the equation, Mac users--for whom there's no Rhapsody software client--can now enjoy the benefits of the service for the first time. Current and future Sonos customers will get a free 30-day trial of the Rhapsody Unlimited service, which offers access to more than 2 million songs for just $9.99 a month.

The Sonos system can also stream just about any non-copy-protected digital audio file--including MP3, WMA, AAC, Ogg Vorbis, Audible, FLAC, Apple Lossless, WAV, and AIFF formats--from a networked PC, Mac, or network-attached storage (NAS) drive. But the Rhapsody subscription allows Sonos's upscale customers (two-room systems start at $1,000) to have instant access to a massive music library, without the time-consuming and labor-intensive effort that ripping their entire CD collection would entail.

The Sonos 2 software also adds a number of other feature improvements, including new alarm clock functions (wake to music, snooze, clock display, sleep timer) and enhanced Internet radio support. We'll have an updated review of the Sonos Digital Music System soon.

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September 13, 2006, 4:00 PM PDT
Sony officially announces new ES A/V receivers
Posted by: John P. Falcone

Sony has officially unveiled the two new A/V receivers in its high-end ES (Elevated Standard) product line, the STR-DA3200ES and the STR-DA5200ES. The latter model offers the first-of-its-kind graphical user interface based on the Cross Media Bar GUI found on Sony's PSP and PlayStation 3, as previewed by CNET earlier this month.

Both receivers are specifically designed to dovetail with Sony's forthcoming Blu-ray standard bearers, the BDP-S1 and the PlayStation 3. As such, their HDMI inputs and outputs support HD resolution as high as 1080p, as well as uncompressed (linear PCM) 7.1-channel audio. In addition to its unique onscreen interface, the DA5200ES also boasts Faroudja's DCDi video-processing chip, which enables such abilities as scaling incoming analog video sources (for instance, composite and S-Video) to HD resolutions including 1080p, as well as offering picture-in-picture modes (a standard-definition source windowed over an HD one).

Both receivers will be available in October. The Sony STR-DA5200ES will cost $1,500 and the Sony STR-DA3200ES will retail for $900.

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September 13, 2006, 2:21 PM PDT
Apple's iTV: promise and peril
Posted by: John P. Falcone

It's rare that the notoriously secretive Apple ever gives a sneak peek at a forthcoming product. But that's exactly what the company did at yesterday's press event, giving a guided tour of the "iTV" (the device's developmental codename). Scheduled to be available in the first quarter of 2007 for $299, the iTV is little network media box that will stream all of your iTunes-based media--including music, movies, TV shows, podcasts, and photos--from your PC or Mac to your HDTV and home audio system. The goal is to let you enjoy all of that content on your big-screen TV and home-theater system while you're parked comfortably on the sofa, rather than having to be hunched over your computer--or having to jury-rig A/V cables from your laptop to your TV. Indeed, the iTV is essentially a video-enabled Airport Express.

A veritable army of wonks and pundits have been salivating at the concept of such a "Home iPod" for years; take Steven Johnson's August 22 article at Slate.com: An iPod for TV: how Apple could make it work, for example. But before the Apple faithful pop the champagne corks and declare the company the new king of consumer electronics, let's look at the unanswered questions--and potential shortcomings--of the iTV. Is it really the über-media box that everybody's been waiting for? Here are several issues that give us cause for concern--along with our suggestions on how to address them.

File compatibility and media support: how extensive?
What we know: The iTV will stream anything you buy at the iTunes store--music, movies, and TV shows--as well as most of the other media that you use iTunes to access, including ripped music, photos, and video and audio podcasts.
What we'd like to see: We'd assume that any video you've already imported or transcoded into an iTunes or iPod-friendly format will be able to stream as well. But it'd be nice to drop the transcoding step altogether and just be able to point the iTV to a directory on our computer's hard drive, where we can stream all of our video files already encoded in standard formats--DivX, AVI, WMV, QuickTime, and the like--straight to the TV. Yes, some of these files could indeed be pirated, but that was always an unacknowledged key to the iPod's success: it let you enjoy the fruits of your illicit gains (a hard drive full of ripped MP3s) while giving you a path to the straight and narrow (paid, copy-protected downloads via iTunes). While we've got the wish list out, it'd be great to see support for Rhapsody. There's no way that'll happen, so how about a flat-fee iTunes music service instead? (See Pricing, below.)

Resolution: standard- or high-definition? Aspect ratio: 4:3 standard or 16:9 wide-screen?
What we know: The first movies available from the iTunes store will be at 640x480 resolution. That's identical to standard TV resolution but short of the 720x480 wide-screen EDTV resolution offered by DVDs. But the iTV offers only HDMI and component outputs--no composite or S-Video--which pretty much guarantees that it's going to be connected to HDTVs--and wide-screen HDTVs, at that.
What we'd like to see: Ideally, we'd like to see movies and TV shows at optimal HD quality: 1080p wide-screen with full Dolby Digital surround sound. Of course, that would entail massive file sizes and networking bottlenecks, even using the efficient H.264 video codec; opting for 1080i and 720p wouldn't save too much space, either. A good compromise would be 480p wide-screen: 720x480. Then the movies could be accurately advertised as "DVD quality," and still look relatively sharp on HD screens. But this transition--from 320x240 (the old iTunes video format) to 640x480 (the new iTunes video format) to a possible future high-res or wide-screen version--begs the urgent question of whether it's worth holding off on any video purchases until Apple unveils its ultimate video format. Otherwise, you're stuck in the same upgrade cycle we've all come to hate: buying the same favorite films on VHS, then LaserDisc, then DVD, then HD-DVD/Blu-ray, and so on--albeit with digital files rather than physical media. (See Pricing structure, below.)

Wireless networking protocols: 802.11 what?
What we know: The iTV will support connectivity to home networks via Ethernet and "802.11 wireless" networking. But Apple remained mum on which flavors of Wi-Fi it would support. The standard 802.11b and faster 802.11g are givens--but even at 11g speeds, video files can break up.
What we'd like to see: Rumors of support for 802.11n are already making the rounds. In addition to being backward-compatible with 802.11g routers and access points, the faster 802.11n standard would offer the potential for smoother video streaming, even at HD resolutions, and make the iTV a lot more future-proof.

Storage: PC-based or online?
What we know: Since the iTV doesn't appear to have any built-in storage (such as a hard drive), you'll still need a computer to act as a server for most media. That means you download your media to your PC first, then stream it to your iTV. It also means you'll need to keep that computer up and running when you want to watch anything.
What we'd like to see: Pulling media off a remote PC is the standard operating procedure for network media devices, but most of them are also able to stream some content--such as Internet radio--straight off the Web. Ideally, you'd even be able to make the purchase of a movie straight through iTV and start watching it as soon as the first few minutes buffer up on the networked PC, rather than having to run into the other room, click to download, then run back to the iTV to start watching. But that USB port on the iTV looms large: it could easily be tethered to an iPod (or an external hard drive) for PC-less storage. Even more enticing is the possibility that the iTV could eventually just pull large media files straight off the Web (the iTunes store) without the need for them to be first downloaded to the PC or Mac. Of course, you'd need superfast broadband speeds--true 5Mbps, 10Mbps, and 20Mbps throughput--become more widely available, rather than the pokey real-world 768K DSL and cable speeds that many of us currently have. (To wit: our first iTunes movie took about four hours to download.)

Pricing: à la carte or all you can eat?
What we know: The first slate of iTunes movies are currently priced from $9.99 to $12.99, though that could well change when and if additional studios enter the mix. Also, there's no telling if HD versions--if they're eventually added--would get a price premium. TV shows are generally $1.99 an episode and songs are usually just 99 cents, though some exceptions exist, such as "season passes" for certain shows and sports highlights. As we mentioned in the Resolution and aspect ratio section above, we seem to be going down a potentially problematic path where Apple could keep rolling out higher-resolution content periodically and forcing you to "buy" the same movie or TV show again and again, in order to get the best-looking image on your HDTV.
What we'd like to see: The option for a subscription model would be great. If not "all you can eat" for a flat fee, then the possibility of getting, say, all current episodes of five TV shows of your choice plus five movies a month--and maybe some music?--would be a nice start. Moreover, the ability to future-proof your purchases--getting an automatic upgrade to higher-resolution versions when and if they were released--would be another great option. The dream, of course, would be a "Netflix box"--pick any one of 70,000 movies to watch on demand, for a flat monthly fee. But given the fact that Hollywood makes billions on selling you the same content again and again, that option seems strictly relegated to the world of fantasy.

Studio support: anyone else besides Disney?
What we know: The iTunes Movie Store is launching with just a few dozen films, almost all of which are from Disney and its affiliated studio brands (so there's plenty of adult fare from Touchstone and Miramax, in addition to family-friendly movies). Apple CEO Steve Jobs is on the Disney board--thanks to the mouse's acquisition of Jobs-owned Pixar--so the entertainment giant was a natural fit for a launch partner. But other studios seem to be taking a wait-and-see attitude, afraid of cutting into their DVD revenue. They're also apparently scared of retaliation from Wal-Mart--the retail giant is the country's top seller of DVDs, and there's talk that it may retaliate against companies that put their movies online for fear of cutting into its DVD receipts. (The irony is that Wal-Mart supposedly loses money on DVDs, selling them below cost just to get foot traffic in the store for big ticket items.)
What we'd like to see: Obviously, the more content partners, the better. If Apple can demonstrate that its movie sales are as potentially lucrative as its TV downloads, it's a fair bet that other studios will join the fray.

As we said, the iTV definitely offers some impressive potential, but there are also enough unanswered questions and potential issues to give us pause. That brings us to the next point: iTV competitors and alternatives. There are already plenty of hardware solutions as well as online and cable services that deliver a lot of what the iTV is promising. We'll return soon to examine how they stack up against one another. In the meantime, feel free to add your comments in TalkBack.

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September 12, 2006, 1:49 PM PDT
Apple previews iTV network digital media player
Posted by: John P. Falcone

In the first quarter of 2007, Apple is set to debut a digital media player that can stream movies, music, and photos from networked PCs and Macs. In an unusual move, Apple CEO Steve Jobs provided a detailed preview of the product at his "Showtime" press conference, which also saw the announcement of new iPods, iPod Nanos, and the launch of full-length movie availability on iTunes. Dubbed iTV, the Apple digital media device will retail for $299 when it hits stores next year.

While the "iTV" moniker is just a temporary code name, the product's features were laid out in fairly explicit detail. Like other network digital media boxes, the iTV will stream video, photos, and audio from networked PCs--and perhaps straight off the Internet--so they can be enjoyed on a big-screen living room TV and home audio system. Unlike all of the previous competitors, however, the iTV will start out with several huge advantages: it will offer seamless integration with movies, TV shows, and music purchased from Apple's iTunes Store. Additional media content on the PC--such as digital photos, video and audio podcasts, MP3 audio, and, presumably, downloaded video files--should be able to be streamed as well.

The box itself looks like a thinner version of the Mac Mini--from a distance, it could easily be mistaken for a Netgear or Belkin network router. It interfaces with home networks via built-in Ethernet and 802.11 wireless and has an impressive bevy of audio/video connections: HDMI and component-video outputs, as well as analog stereo and optical digital audio out. The dearth of S-Video and composite outputs imply that the iTV will be aimed squarely at HDTV sets, while the digital audio output will enable full surround sound when connected to an A/V receiver. Finally, a single rear-panel USB jack is present as well, and Jobs was mum as to how it would be employed--but iPod connectivity is definitely a fair bet.

The little white box may be slick, but it's what users will see on the screen that's really important. Based on the previews at Jobs's press conference, the iTV's onscreen display and navigation looks just as polished and intuitive as that of the iPod, albeit optimized for the larger real estate of a big-screen HDTV--and with plenty of animated eye candy thrown in. The onstage demo had Jobs easily jumping in and out of menus and listings for movies, podcasts, music, and photos, just as simply as one would with the iPod--think Front Row, but with a lot more options. What's more, all of the iTV's onscreen navigation is handled with the same ultrasimple six-button remote that ships with current Macs.

As always, it's tough to judge an unreleased product based simply on a demo--especially a demonstration run by Apple's eminently enthusiastic and persuasive head honcho. That said, the iTV is easily one of the most promising developments in the network-media category that we've seen to date. Competing products have been hobbled by a combination of a lousy interface (nonintuitive, hard to navigate, and/or just plain ugly onscreen menus), underwhelming feature set (HD streaming and HDMI output are still comparatively rare), and lack of content. And it's that last point that may very well be Apple's ace in the hole. The company's iTunes store has been the leading online retailer for music and TV shows, and it's a fair bet that movies will be a popular offering as well. When the question, "Is it compatible with all the songs (or TV shows or movies) I've purchased from iTunes?" is asked, every other network media device has to answer "no;" Apple's iTV will be the first to respond with an enthusiastic "yes."

We'll have more information on the Apple iTV as soon as it becomes available, and a full hands-on review once it's released in 2007.

UPDATE: For a more detailed examination of the iTV--including its long list of unanswered questions--check out our follow-up blog, iTV: Promise and peril.

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September 12, 2006, 5:11 AM PDT
Logitech Harmony 1000 to debut in October
Posted by: John P. Falcone

The Harmony 1000 is the latest addition to Logitech's growing lineup of universal remote controls. Unlike all previous Harmony models, the 1000 is a touch-screen model. Its 3.5-inch color screen dominates the front of the tablet-style console, while a handful of hard buttons clustered on the left completes the minimalist aesthetic. In addition to standard infrared (IR) control, the Harmony 1000 uses radio frequency (RF) and Z-Wave wireless, which allows it to control devices through walls and obstructions without the need for line of sight (though you'll need the $150 Logitech Wireless A/V Receiver--which can control up to four devices--to complete the link). And like all recent high-end Harmony models, the 1000 has a rechargeable lithium-ion battery that juices up when the remote is placed in the included power cradle. Needless to say, the Harmony 1000 uses the same Web-based setup wizards that make its predecessors so easy to use (the software is Windows and Mac compatible).

The Harmony 1000 will cost a hefty $500 when it hits stores later this autumn. Considering that princely sum, we're somewhat disappointed to see that it doesn't offer the sort of Wi-Fi features found on the very similar looking--and now less expensive--Philips RC9800i. That quibble notwithstanding, we'll let you know how the Logitech Harmony 1000 performs as soon as we get our hands on it.

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September 06, 2006, 8:18 AM PDT
Sony STR-DA5200ES: PlayStation interface comes to home theater
Posted by: John P. Falcone

Sony is set to release a new A/V receiver that utilizes a graphical user interface similar to the Cross Media Bar found on the PSP and the PlayStation 3. The interface--which marks the first major cross-pollination between Sony's games and its consumer electronics division--will be found on the company's new STR-DA5200ES A/V receiver, due to be officially announced for the U.S. market next week at the CEDIA show in Denver. Sony has provided CNET with an exclusive sneak peek at the onscreen graphics found on the DA5200ES, which can be seen here.

Sony has already unveiled the Asia-Pacific version of the STR-DA5200ES--you can find full specs at its SonyStyle Australia site, and it's been covered by CNET Australia--but we're awaiting confirmation as to what feature differences may exist on the North American version. What Sony has confirmed is that it will be the premier receiver in the company's elite ES home audio line and will retail for leass than $2,000 when it becomes available for sale later this year. It offers all of the features one would expect on a high-end A/V receiver, including HDMI inputs with analog-to-digital video conversion (including deinterlacing and upconversion to HD resolutions), discrete 7.1-channel audio via HDMI, multisource/multizone options, automatic speaker calibration, and compatibility with XM Connect-and-Play antennas. But the big news is undoubtedly the receiver's onscreen interface: it's been lifted directly from Sony's PSP and forthcoming PlayStation 3, and it offers the potential for better ease of use and a much more user-friendly experience than we've seen on A/V receivers to date.

Anyone who's used the PSP user interface (which is also being adapted for the PlayStation 3) will be instantly familiar with that of the STR-DA5200ES. Users will be able to use the icon-based hierarchical menus to configure, customize, and tweak the receiver's myriad settings and options. And the improvements aren't just cosmetic--the receiver should be markedly easier than its predecessors to set up and use, thanks to graphically assignable inputs, customized input naming, and onscreen contextual explanations for obtuse technical terms and jargon. Sony has indicated that the see-through interface is optimized for high-def resolutions, so it can be overlaid on incoming HD video from component and HDMI sources. That means you'll be able to access and configure the receiver's settings no matter what you're watching. (Few existing receivers, by comparison, can display background video when showing an onscreen display at HD resolutions, and many can't be seen over all resolutions and video outputs, such as HDMI.) Moreover, the STR-DA5200ES even allows you to create a picture-in-picture mode, so you can window a standard-def video source on top of a high-def background. It's the first time we've seen an A/V receiver with any sort of integrated PiP functionality.

Why is all of this such a big deal? Despite the addition of an impressive laundry list of features over the past few years, the very basics of receiver operation--setup, usability, and intuitive design--never seem to be high on the list of upgrades. As a result, a "state of the art" A/V receiver still features an onscreen interface full of cryptic terminology ("digital output: bitstream/PCM/auto?") that requires nongeeks to delve into the murky depths of the instruction manual. And even when you do get an onscreen interface on current receivers (it's rare until you hit the $400-to-$500 range, if not more), it's usually composed of blocky white text that could easily be ripped straight from a 1988-era VCR. The STR-DA5200ES offers the potential to buck the "more convoluted equals better" trend that we've seen in A/V receivers to date.

The initial user interface screenshots are enticing, but--as always--we'll reserve judgment on the STR-DA5200ES until we get a chance to audition it first-hand. We'll have complete details on the receiver on September 13 when it's officially unveiled at the CEDIA show in Denver. Senior Editor David Katzmaier will be delivering his hands-on impressions of the receiver and its PlayStation-inspired interface at that time.

Is the PSP-style interface of the STR-DA5200ES a worthwhile addition to the world of A/V receivers? Hit the TalkBack link below to let us know what you think.

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