Got some risqué flicks in your DVD collection you'd rather the kids didn't see? Clearplay has your back with their new UpConvert DVD player.

With a supplied USB stick, you download a specific file for the offending film, plug it into the DVD player and then set customisable parameters within the player's UI to set which elements are filtered and how strictly.

The UpConvert will also upscale your DVDs to full 1080p at 60Hz, if there is anything left of your film to be upscaled that is, once the filters kick in.

Great if you want to sit down and watch A Clockwork Orange with the little 'uns.

Via: Sewell Direct

Toshiba has announced the latest DVD players to arrive in the UK, three of which offer 1080p video upscaling.

The SD390EKB, SD490EKB and SD590EKB all offer upscaling to either 720p, 1080i or 1080p via HDMI. The higher-end models also feature Regza Link which allows multiple components to be synced together, plus USB port for loading up other media.

No mention in the press release as to whether these DVD players are using the XDE video enhancement technology introduced last year. Perhaps this indicates not, or simply that Toshiba is bored of its six-month-old gadgetry already.

Available from the end of March, pricing to be confirmed.

Pioneer has been showing off its latest range of Blu-ray players, upconverting DVD player, and AV receivers.

First up is a new collection of advanced Blu-ray players, all capable of handling BD Live for advanced disc features.

The BDP-120 and BDP-320 are aimed at consumers who want a simple high definition disc player right out of the box and come with 1GB of memory (either via a flash drive or internal memory), full BD-Live functionality, USB and Ethernet ports, True24FPS feature for realistic reproduction of discs recorded at 24fps, full support of all high resolution audio formats including Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD bitstream output, and up to 7.1-channel analogue output.

According to HD Guru, most modern high definition TVs will upcsale standard definition content better than an upscaling DVD player will.

Of course, that statement is open to a lot of interpretation, and it will depend on what hardware is being tested.

Older or cheaper HDTVs may not fare as well against newer upscaling DVD players, particularly those with a lot of additional circuitry.

The article goes on to extol the virtues of Blu-ray. It's worth noting that many titles won't ever be released on Blu-ray, and those with a large library of DVDs generally won't spend money on upgrading to Blu-ray versions that exist. Nevertheless, Blu-ray players will also upscale DVDs.

I think the moral of the story is to look at your home cinema set up and then test out hardware to find something you're happy with.

HD Guru

LG has announced its latest home cinema system, boasting full PVR functionality, a meaty 400W output, and virtual 5.1-channel sound.

Using the more advanced Freeview+ system means that live TV can be paused, rewound, and recorded onto the internal 160GB hard drive. There's also a super-multi DVD recorder, an HDMI output with 1080p upscaling to allow standard definition video sources to be enhanced, USB and DV ports, and DivX compatibility.

Finished out in gloss black with silver accents, the virtual surround sound system ensures decent audio without the clutter or expense of wiring in five physical speakers. Additionally, the subwoofer has its own power supply to produce a better quality sound.

Exact pricing and availability to be confirmed.

While the Blu-ray format is now the dominant high definition disc, there's plenty going on in developing technology to improve standard definition DVDs.

Shomi Technologies has just announced its "HD @ SD" system, which, according to Mark Ford, VP of Operations, will "analyse, correct, adjust and improve the video signal 15 ways, addressing everything from image resolution to colour corrections and complex light and shadow improvements."

Just a couple of months ago, Toshiba announced new upscaling technology which the company claimed would rival Blu-ray, building a system in to the latest Qosmio notebooks.

We've heard nothing more since, expecting more details at IFA, but today Toshiba has announced a new upconverting DVD player with XDE Technology.

It's not immediately obvious whether "eXtended Detail Enhancement" is exactly the same system that Toshiba talked about back in June, but given its feature set, it's highly likely.

Onkyo has announced its DV-SP406 DVD player, able to upscale standard DVD content to 1080p via HDMI. It also uses a fast 108 MHz/14-bit video DAC that supports progressive video, plus a 192 kHz/24-bit audio DAC with a wide dynamic range, so DVDs are presented at their best.

Other features include a USB interface for playback of a variety of formats including audio, DivX, and JPEG files from a connected mass storage device, multimedia browser, picture slideshow, and Scart/component/composite video output plus optical and coaxial digital audio outputs.

Available now in black or silver for £100.

As part of Toshiba's assault on Blu-ray with new upscaling DVD technology, it has unveiled a new logo which has been approved in principle by the DVD Forum.

The "DVD Download DL" logo would presumably be placed on DVDs with added interactive features, as well as on hardware that has Toshiba's new upscaling / enhancement technology built in.

This new technology could be available before the end of the year, according to Japanese sources.

(Via AV Review)

Toshiba may well launch an upconverting DVD player which could rival the video quality of Blu-ray, according to reports in Japanese newspaper Yomiuri Shimbun.

Such players could be available within six months, and at a cheaper price than current Blu-ray players - though presumably more expensive than "bargain basement" DVD players.

The report is rather scant on details, and it's not clear who - if anyone - from Toshiba made the announcement. If true, it's quite a claim. Standard DVDs, by design, aren't encoded to the same quality as Blu-ray discs, so hardware upscaling is only an approximation.

Still, it's interesting to see Toshiba taking a shot at Blu-ray, and suggests they aren't looking at embracing the format any time soon.

(Via TV Predictions)

For those not ready to invest in a Blu-ray player, but who want a decent upscaling feature for their existing DVD collection, Sony has released its DVP-NS708H upscaling DVD player.

The unit offers full 1080p high definition upscaling of standard DVDs, as well as 720p/1080i, via its HDMI output, features PhotoTV HD mode for optimised still image viewing, and can be synchronised with other BRAVIA equipment using BRAVIA Sync.

The DVP-NS708H features a 12 bit/108MHz Noise Shaped Video D/A Converter, Precision Cinema Progressive (PCP), playback of a range of DVD and CD formats including DivX, and has component video and coaxial digital audio outputs.

Unfortunately there's no news on a release date or pricing at present.

Sony UK

Jamo has released a bevy of sleek black AV units, with its 5.1-channel DVD receiver -- the DMR 70 -- first on the menu. Offering 5 x 65W power, plus Dolby Digital, DTS 5.1, and Dolby Pro-Logic II decoding, upscaling of DVDs to either 720p or 1080i HD resolution via its HDMI output, plus support for DivX, WMA, SVCD, MP3 and JPEG formats, it's no pushover. It's sleek too, measuring just 55mm high, thanks to its Class D amplification system that allows component sizes to be reduced.

Now, pair that up with one of Jamo's speaker sets. The entry-level system comes with the DVD player plus A 102HCS5 speakers, for just £549.99. Stepping up, the midrange, premium and flagship packages offers Jano's A 400 series speakers with a powered 200W subwoofer, with prices ranging from £699.99 to £899.99. Speakers are available in black, silver, or white. The DVD player on its own costs £449.99.

Jamo

Jamo has announced a 2.1 receiver system incorporating virtual surround sound, for those who can't install a complete 5.1 speaker system in their living space.

The DMR 45 is a compact unit capable of 2 x 75W of power output plus the ability to drive one of Jamo's separate subwoofers.

Utilising Dolby's Virtual Speaker technology, a wider two-channel sound stage is produced when playing CDs and MP3s. It also combines with Dolby Pro-Logic II processing, Dolby Digital and DTS decoding.

Its inbuilt DVD player offers high definition upscaling to 720p and 1080i resolution, plus the unit offers a 40-preset AM/FM RDS radio tuner.

An entry-level package containing the system plus two black A 102 Satellite Speakers and a SUB200 subwoofer costs £499.99, while a midrange package containing two A 402 speakers and a 400SUB subwoofer will set you back £599.99

Jamo

Arcam has launched the Solo Movie 2.1 home cinema system, offering a number of high-end features to link up your equipment and media.

The system itself packs 50W RMS x 2 channels, offering true stereo sound instead of trying to simulate multi-speaker systems with pseudo surround sound effects.

It features two HDMI inputs and will pass through up to 1080p high definition content from connected sources.

Its built-in videophile-grade DVD player offers 720p and 1080i video upscaling, and will also play back a whole range of disc formats including CD, DVD-Audio and SACD.

Other features include built in clock radio, optional iPod connectivity, intuitive operating system, large dot-matrix display, and an elegant remote control handset with built-in learning system.

Costs £1,450.

Arcam

Toshiba has announced that its new Vardia RD-A301 HD DVD and hard disc recorder should be released to the Japanese market next month.

It's able to record to HD DVD, the internal 300GB hard drive, as well as standard DVDs thanks to the new HD Rec standardised format ratified by the DVD Forum.

The unit can transcode high definition MPEG2 broadcasts "on the fly" to MPEG4, allowing greater compression. At least 159 hours of Japan's ISDB-T format television standard will fit onto the hard drive, while a standard 4.7GB DVD can store up to two hours of content.

The only caveat is that, presently, these recorded DVDs can only be played back on the Vardia, Maybe that will change in the future.

It'll cost the equivalent of £800, but there's no news on whether it will make it outside Japan.

(Via eNews 2.0 — image from Tech Fresh)

Denon has introduced its SMART S-302 Wi-Fi networked DVD home entertainment system, featuring the central unit, two speakers and a slim subwoofer. It's been designed to offer virtual surround sound, with just the two stereo speakers, and the DVD player also upscales standard definition DVDs to 1080p for display via HDMI.

It can integrate with a home network via Wi-Fi, plays CDs, iPod, audio from USB drives, features Internet radio, and audio streaming from any PC or Mac on the network.

The Dolby Virtual Speaker feature delivers a cinematic soundfield, clear dialogue and remarkable sound effects. Audio quality is also enhanced with the new Audyssey Bass-XT and Audyssey Dynamic EQ features, offering greater bass response from the Included subwoofer, and extended dynamics at all volume levels.

The S-302 boasts 50 watts per channel, with 100 watts amplification for the subwoofer and two-way speakers.

The DVD drive is taken from Denon's high-end DVD-2930 DVD player, with the unit constructed from top-quality aluminium, robust steel chassis, and separate boards and power supplies for the various circuits.

Available now priced £1,250.

Denon

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Harman Kardon has unveiled its 7.1-channel AVR 350 receiver (not to be confused with Arcam's DIVA AVR350 receiver, in case you were about to be), plus DVD 29 upscaling DVD player, to be launched as the Cinespecial 29 system.

The AVR 350 offers 7.1-channel audio, two HDMI 1.2a inputs, high definition video signal processing up to 1080p, and Faroudja upscaling of standard definition signals to 720p.

The receiver also features A/V Sync Delay, for synchronising audio and video signals and eliminating any annoying lip-syncing delays.

We attended a conference session by Ken Graffeo, co-chairman of the European HD-DVD Promotional Group, at last week’s IFA show in Berlin.

He refused to admit there was a format war with Blu-ray, preferring instead to call it a price war and commenting that there would be a sub-£200 HD-DVD player by early next year (the Venturer SHD 7000) – apparently DVD players took four years to drop to that price.

Then there was plenty of talk of the latest HD-DVD titles due out this year including all five Harry Potter films, Blade Runner and Heroes – and claims that three quarters of Europe’s independent filmmakers are releasing titles in HD-DVD.

New Medium Enterprises (NME) has released its latest HD VMD (Versatile Multilayer Disc) player into the European market, which offers 1080p high-definition playback for an attractive price of around £120.

Based on a red laser system, HD VMD discs can offer Full HD 1080p image quality for the costs of DVDs with the company claiming it’s ‘The New Definition of High Definition’. HD VMD uses multi-layer disc technology to support a Full HD picture and future developments could see the format carrying up to 30GB on a single sided disc.

Here’s the first image of Denon’s newly announced Blu-ray player – the first ever from the company. The DVD-3800BD is expected to arrive in Europe in November, although the PAL version will be styled in silver.

It will be the world’s first standalone player that’s fully compatible with BD-ROM PROFILE version 1.1, which is the Blu-ray ‘Final Standard Profile’ that becomes mandatory from November 1st.