News and reviews of video hardware, including Web video, video cards, and more

California Energy Commission rule to impact HDTV industry

Melissa J. Perenson — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 16:05:00 -0800

For the California Energy Commission, the voluntary guidelines of the Federal Energy Star program aren't enough to curb energy guzzling by HDTVs.

Full-sized HD camcorders buying guide

Christopher Breen — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 06:07:00 -0800

How to choose the right HD camcorder? We’ve got some shopping tips if you’re in the market for one this holiday season. And we’ve got a few camcorder recommendations based on what we’ve reviewed over the past year.

Slideshow: Camcorders for the holidays

Macworld Staff — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 06:06:00 -0800

A look at HD camcorders for the holiday shopping season.

Review: Sony Handycam HDR-XR520V HD camcorder

Rob Mead — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 06:30:00 -0800

Sony’s Handycam HDR-XR520V is a monster when it comes to storage capacity, with a 240GB hard drive.

HDTVs for the holidays

Macworld Staff — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 04:51:00 -0800

Our lab has been hard at work testing HDTVs ranging in size from 40 inches to 52 inches for image quality, usability, audio quality, and features. Here are the test results of 16 HDTVs.

Review: Vizio SV420M HDTV

Yardena Arar — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 00:16:00 -0800

The Vizio SV420M 42-inch HDTV offers lots of customization options and average video quality, at a midrange price.

Review: Panasonic Viera TC-P42X1 HDTV

Lincoln Spector — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 00:15:00 -0800

A 720p plasma HDTV, the low-cost 42-inch Panasonic TC-P42X1 provides problematic images and underpowered sound.

Review: Samsung LN40B650 HDTV

Lincoln Spector — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 00:14:00 -0800

Thanks to its very good picture quality, Internet and home-network entertainment features, and general user-friendliness, the Samsung LN40B650 ranks as one of the best HDTV we've tested this year.

Review: LG Electronics 42LH55 HDTV

Lincoln Spector — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 00:13:00 -0800

The LG 42LH50 42-inch HDTV provides great connected features, above-average image quality, and good looks for a moderate price.

Review: Vizio SV471XVT HDTV

Lincoln Spector — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 00:12:00 -0800

This 47-inch HDTV with multimedia capabilities has an estimated street price of $1200, which sounds good. But there are major compromises to be made with image quality.

Review: Panasonic Viera TC-P46S1 HDTV

Yardena Arar — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 00:11:00 -0800

The Panasonic TC-P46S1 would be a bargain 46-inch plasma HDTV if its image quality weren't so disappointing.

Review: Vizio SV421XVT HDTV

Lincoln Spector — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 00:10:00 -0800

Vizio’s SV421XVT HDTV has a 42-inch screen, a 240Hz refresh rate, and multimedia playback from USB drives. But poorly rendered detail and color, plus problems with digital artifacts, mar the viewing experience.

Review: Sony Bravia KDL-40W5100 HTDV

Lincoln Spector — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 00:09:00 -0800

Sony's Bravia KDL-40W5100 is a very good 40-inch HDTV and an excellent Internet viewing device.

Review: Panasonic Viera TH-50PZ850U HDTV

Lincoln Spector — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 00:08:00 -0800

The Panasonic Viera TH-50PZ850U has fantastic extras, but only average picture quality for a 50-inch plasma HDTV.

Review: Insignia NS-LCD52HD-09 HDTV

Lincoln Spector — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 00:07:00 -0800

If you’re on a tight budget but want a larger-than-50-inch TV, consider the Insignia NS-LCD52HD-09.

Review: Toshiba 47ZV650U HDTV

Lincoln Spector — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 00:06:00 -0800

Toshiba’s 47ZV650U is a pleasant-looking 47-inch HDTV that delivers a more than acceptable viewing experience, but its rough edges need smoothing, and it’s short on extras.

Review: Vizio VO420E HDTV

Yardena Arar — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 00:05:00 -0800

The no-frills Vizio VO420E 42-inch HDTV is attractively priced, but you'll have to settle for subpar image quality and mediocre audio.

Review: Samsung LN46B750 HDTV

Lincoln Spector — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 00:04:00 -0800

Samsung’s 46-inch LN46B750 packages very good picture quality, excellent sound, YouTube viewing, Yahoo Widgets, and the ability to play media files from USB storage, all in one HDTV.

Review: JVC LT-46J300 HDTV

Lincoln Spector — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 00:03:00 -0800

At this bargain price, the LT-46J300 will look very attractive. But there are other HDTVs that produce better image quality at a similar price.

Review: Insignia NS-L42X-10A HDTV

Yardena Arar — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 00:02:00 -0800

The Insignia NS-L42X-10A 42-inch HDTV has lots of features and a temptingly low price, but also poor image and audio quality.

Review: LG Electronics 42LH50 HDTV

Yardena Arar — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 00:01:00 -0800

The LG 42LH50 42-inch HDTV provides great connected features, above-average image quality, and good looks for a moderate price.

Review: Sony Handycam HDR-CX520V HD camcorder

Rob Mead — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 03:30:00 -0800

China has ordered Google to suspend its foreign Web site search service after warning that the company's filtering of pornography was too weak.

Review: Memorex MCC225 MyVideo HD pocket camcorder

Tim Moynihan — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 02:14:00 -0800

The MyVideo is purely a budget buy, but a solid one. Its looks and build quality may not be something you can fall in love with, but it shoots good enough video in bright light to make it a decent value for the $130 price.

CES 2010 Preview: Gloom, but not doom

Robert S. Anthony — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 12:07:00 -0800

Consumer Electronics Association officials see some breaks in the clouds for rising technologies such as e-book readers, 3D televisions, and mobile apps, as the group that organizes the CES trade show gave its forecast for the coming year.

Logitech to buy HD video company for $405 million

Nancy Gohring — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 10:14:00 -0800

Logitech has agreed to buy HD video communications company LifeSize for $405 million.

Review: Panasonic HDC-HS300 HD camcorder

Rob Mead — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 04:30:00 -0800

Panasonic’s HDC-HS300 is capable of extraordinary video quality and offer a good range of manual options, with manual lens ring controls that are as easy to use as they are capable.

Review: Panasonic HDC-TM300 HD camcorder

Jim Feeley — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 04:30:00 -0800

Panasonic's HDC-TM300 HD camcorder captures good video and still images, allows deep manual control, and provides useful automated settings.

Review: Sanyo VPC-WH1 HD camcorder

Jim Feeley — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 06:10:00 -0800

There are only two reasons to buy Sanyo’s Xacti VPC-WH1 HD camcorder, but they’re good reasons: It’s inexpensive, and it’s waterproof.

Apple TV 3.0.1 update addresses disappearing content issue

Philip Michaels — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 16:49:00 -0800

Apple says users who've upgraded to the recently released Apple TV 3.0 software should download this update to prevent a problem where content temporarily disappears from the set-top box until it's resynced.

Review: JVC Everio GZ-HM400

Rob Mead — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 05:50:00 -0800

Designed to sit at the top of JVC’s Everio camcorder line, the GZ-HM400 should give its rivals a run for their money.

Report: Apple pitching TV subscription service to networks

Dan Moren — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 11:12:00 -0800

According to reports, Apple is flogging a $30 per month television service to content providers—but will the networks bite?

Review: VHS capture tools compared

Christopher Breen — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 11:15:00 -0700

If you have a box of VHS slowly deteriorating in the basement, use these tools to convert them.

First Look: Apple TV 3.0

Jason Snell — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 05:00:00 -0700

Apple TV 3.0 is out, and it's got some nice improvements. But it does make you wonder, what's the future of Apple's endless hobby?

iTunes 9.0.2 update adds Apple TV 3.0 support

Jonathan Seff — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 13:49:00 -0700

The iTunes 9.0.2 update released on Thursday adds support for the new Apple TV 3.0 software, plus a new dark Grid view background option.

Apple releases Apple TV 3.0 software

Jonathan Seff — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 13:09:00 -0700

Apple's latest major Apple TV update includes a new main menu interface, and support for iTunes LP and iTunes Extras content, as well as Genius Mixes.

Apple TV software 3.0 on its way with iTunes LP, Extras support

David Chartier — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 07:59:00 -0700

A much-needed software upgrade for the Apple TV is inevitable, but an iTunes Store TOS update may have let it slip that one is imminent. Highlighted among the TOS changes is support for iTunes LP and Extras—two formats that practically beg to be displayed on an HDTV.

Roku Player line adds two new models

Jason Snell — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 05:30:00 -0700

Roku's video player line expands to three, adding a lower-cost SD version and a higher-cost version with a USB port and 802.11N networking.

Apple aims to sync movies among multiple devices

Jeff Porten — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 13:32:00 -0700

Apple has filed for a new patent that would help keep your place in a movie even while switching among multiple devices.

Review: Word War for iPhone

Ben Boychuk — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 10:35:00 -0700

This game lets you flex your command of English as you and an opponent build words, letter-by-letter, until you can't build anymore. And who knows -- the game just might have some educational value too.

Western Digital launches WD TV Live

Chris Holt — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 10:00:00 -0700

Western Digital announced Tuesday its new WD TV Live HD Media Player.

Create a central media library

Kirk McElhearn — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 03:47:00 -0700

With a Mac, iTunes 9, and Apple TV, and an HDTV, you can access all of your audio and video content from the couch. Here's how.

iLuv announces that i1166 will ship in October

Jonathan Seff — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 15:48:00 -0700

Originally scheduled for a March 2009 launch, iLuv has announced that the i1166 will finally be available next month.

New iPhone accounting rule approved

Dan Moren — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 08:25:00 -0700

A new accounting rule that adjusts the way Apple handles revenue for its iPhone and Apple TV lines was approved unanimously by the Financial Accounting Standards Board.

Associate files to applications using Services in Snow Leopard

Rob Griffiths — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 06:02:00 -0700

If you don't like Snow Leopard's inability to automatically open certain documents in the program that create that document, you're not alone. While there's no permanent solution in sight, this hint provides a relatively easy way to associate a document with an application.

Make your iPhone video pop

John Brandon — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 06:30:00 -0700

How to shoot crisp and colorful video on your iPhone without the typical jerky-camera look.

Epson releases new home entertainment projectors

Roman Loyola — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 02:31:00 -0700

Epson today has released two new home entertainment projectors, the MovieMate 60 and the PowerLite Home Cinema 705HD

Apple lobbies to drop special accounting for iPhone

Dan Moren — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 11:05:00 -0700

Apple's chief accountant has backed a proposal to alter rules that require special accounting rules for its iPhone and Apple TV lines, which could help boost

Apple drops price of 160GB Apple TV, kills 40GB model

Aayush Arya — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 07:43:00 -0700

Apple had removed the 40GB Apple TV from its lineup and brought down the price of the 160GB model by $100.

Skype for iPhone heads to Canada

Peter Cohen — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 06:21:00 -0700

Skype, the popular VoIP service, is now available on the iPhone in Canada.

Mac News Briefs: SkypeCap adds Snow Leopard support

Macworld Staff — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 15:31:00 -0700

The Skype video and audio capture tool wasn't the only application to add support for OS X 10.6. A pair of programs from Chronos added Snow Leopard support, as did AJA Video's line of Kona video capture cards. Panoweaver 6 for the Mac also debuted Wednesday, while Audio 2 DJ is now available in stores.