High Definition

With few exceptions, smartphones have never really been seen as serious audio equipment because of compromises that must be made for the sake of portability, size, and price. Lately, however, there has been an undercurrent in both the mobile industry as well as the digital audio market that is turning heads, or rather ears. More than ever, greater attention is being paid to digital audio quality, even on smartphones, as terms like “hi-res audio” become mainstream. But what is hi-res audio really and how is it affecting even the mobile market? We take a deeper look, or rather a deeper listen.

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Just in case 4K video isn't cutting it for you, one of the first uploads to YouTube in 8K has been made recently. Google says that footage of that quality has been supported since 2010, but only earlier this year was a 8K/4320p label added to YouTube. Ghost Towns, from user NeumannFilms, was uploaded to the site less than a week ago, on June 7th. The interesting thing is, there's very few people with computers powerful enough to play something of this size.

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The market is full of cameras advertising a variety of POV functionality, from the well-known GoPro and Sony Action Cam to lesser known action and helmet cameras. The purpose behind them is to capture one's actions, typically in a sport environment. MeCam is similar, but is aimed at those who want to record their everyday actions, not just their latest trek down the side of a mountain.

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The steady upward trot of technology has brought us to the trailhead of 4K TVs, which brings ultra-high-definition video to your living or media room, but not without a price tag to match. Such is not the case with Seiku's 50-inch 4K TV, which is now available for a price tag you'd expect to find on regular HDTVs: $1,299. We've got a run down of its specifications after the jump.

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Back in August, we gave you a hands-on look at Sony's 84-inch 4K Bravia 84X900 TV, a massive slate of eye candy if ever there was such a thing. Then, in September, the unit became available for pre-order despite its lack of a definitive release date. Now Sony has announced the 4k Ultra HD Video Player, which comes loaded with some 4k content.

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What's that you say, you want to capture moving pictures but not with too much quality? Well step right up, sir, and take a gander at Samsung's new HMX-F90, promising the simplicity of a standalone camcorder and the head-scratchingly-confusing absence of resolution higher than what you'd expect from a mid-tier smartphone. That's right, the HMX-F90 tops out at 720p HD, rather than the 1080p we're more used to seeing, though you do at least get a whopping 52x optical zoom for your money.

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Canon has announced it will enable uncompressed HDMI video output on the EOS 5D Mark III in an upcoming firmware update, in response to specific requests from video pros enamored with the DSLR. The incoming update, due April 2013, will output high-definition uncompressed video data (YCbCr 4:2:2, 8 bit) from the HDMI port to an external recorder. There'll also be a tweak to autofocus performance.

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The next generation of super-resolution TVs you'll be guilted into feeling bad for not shelling out for at Best Buy has been named, with 4K getting its final branding as "Ultra High Definition." Sets will need to deliver at least 3,840 x 2,160 resolution in order to qualify as Ultra HD, the Consumer Electronics Association has decided, with an aspect ratio of width to height of at least 16:9; there are also requirements in what inputs any Ultra HD display must have.

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Apple has applied for yet another patent with the US Patent Office, but instead of smartphone-related features, this patent covers high-resolution display in video glasses. The timing may seem suspect, what with Google's current Google Glass push going strong, but Apple has actually been filing patents related to video glasses since 2006. Indeed, this is nothing new for Apple, and with this latest patent application, it seems that the company is getting closer to achieving what it ultimately wants: bringing a retina-like display to the smaller screen you'd find in video glasses.

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Epson has unveiled an affordable high-definition home theater projector, the PowerLite Home Cinema 710HD. The projector is a versatile home entertainment solution for enjoying movies, games, and sports programs. It's designed for families and first-time home theater enthusiasts, offering 720p resolution for screen sizes up to 120-inches.

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Nikon has outed a new superzoom, the COOLPIX P510, pairing a 16.2-megapixel backside-illuminated sensor with a whopping great 42x optical zoom. Offering a 24-1,000mm focal range, the P510 uses Vibration Reduction (VR) image stabilization to keep shots steady at the higher-end of zoom, with 5fps burst shooting and integrated GPS. Meanwhile, there's also the Nikon COOLPIX P310 for those who can make do with a smaller zoom in the name of increased portability.

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JVC has launched the world's first 4K handheld camcorder, the JVC GY-HMQ10, packing a 1/2-inch 8.3-megapixel CMOS sensor capable of recording 3840 x 2160 footage at 24p, 50p or 60p. Priced at just under $5k, the GY-HMQ10 can also output 4k footage in real-time, and has an f/2.8 10x zoom lens with optical image stabilizer, as well as a color viewfinder and 3.5-inch touchscreen LCD.

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