We knew Runco was getting ready to unleash a smattering of new projectors, but its Signature Cinema SC-1 packs a spec list (and pricetag) that deserves some special attention. While 1080p projectors are becoming a tad more common, this DLP device outclasses the wannabes by sporting a 3-chip SuperOnyx DMD, 2,048 x 1,080 native resolution, NTSC / PAL compatibility, integrated DHD video processor, up to 25,000 ANSI lumens (depending on lamp choice), 2,800:1 contrast ratio, and the ability to shoot that spiffy high-def imagery onto a 40-foot surface. Runco also offers a (presumably pricey) CinaWide option, which conveniently adjusts 2.35:1 to fill the entire screen, eliminating those pesky black bars from view. The only dig we could find was the ginormous size: at over two feet across, one foot tall, and nearly five feet deep, this 342-pound beast will likely require an AV cabinet of its own. While the SC-1 is overkill (albeit the ultra sweet, drool-worthy kind) at its finest, it’s likely to show you HD content in a way you’ve never envisioned — but you’ll need a quarter million bucks (and a small group of folks to unload it) to take this one home.

[Via I4U]
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Well, we never saw this coming. We bring you the OSIM iGoGo MP3 player with music synchronized massager. Yeah, that’s right, massager. See, the iGoGo brings 128MB of on-board flash, MMC memory expansion, and two RF-controlled wireless massager units which knead the beat into your muscle. Yeah, it won’t regrow teeth, but at least they throw in a few extra pairs of hydro gel pads just in case youGooGoo, dig? And if you’re feeling fine now don’t worry, the $404 price tag will certainly generate some spasms in need of a rub.

[Thanks, spa_lover]
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Yesterday we joked that we’d all have 1TB storage devices hard-wired to our brains by 2056. We’re not quite there yet, but today we’re taking some of the first steps: Hitachi has just announced three new models of its WOOO DVR, which top out at 1TB. These sleek little players, the DV-DH1000D, DV-DH500D and the DV-DH160D all record in Hi-Vision (Japan’s version of HDTV) and come in three colors including “piano black,” “champagne silver” and another metallic color that Google couldn’t translate for us. Hitachi’s latest range from Â¥120,000 and Â¥200,000 ($1,020 and $1,700), and while the two higher-end versions will be released in early October, the DV-DH160D won’t be out until the middle of that month. Each recorder comes loaded with two terrestrial digital tuners and two BS / CS digital tuners (a Japanese digital stream standard), along with three sets of component and S-Video ports on the back, HDMI, iLink (on the DV-DH1000D only), Ethernet, an SD card slot and a DVD-R / RW recorder. So if you’re in Japan, get ready to smash your piggy bank or whatever it is that the Japanese are keeping money in these days — knowing them, it’s probably something way kawaii-er than ceramic swine anyway.

[Via Akihabara News]
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You know how every time you consider how cool it would be to install a front projector in your place to throw up an 80-inch screen for some movie-watching and gaming goodness, and then realize that all the really good HD projectors that can handle dodgy lighting conditions are at least $10,000? Enter the Sharp XV-Z3000 DLP projector. HT geeks, prepare for geekery. Non-HT geeks, we apologize in advance. This shiny black box shoots 1280 x 768 and sports (two!) HDMI and RGB PC inputs. While that all sounds pretty normal, the surprising $3,000 price point is even more impressive when one considers a 0.001 foot-lamberts black level at 3000:1 contrast ratio paired with some serious brightness (27 ft-L). There are issues, of course, according to reviews, such as a loud fan and a little more video noise than expected. But generally speaking, Home Theater gave the unit tip-top ratings, and at this price and performance, that basement fantasy of ours just might be one lumen closer to reality

[Via HDBeat]
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Niveus has just announced its latest media centers, dubbed the Rainier and Denali Editions, the two products that comprise the 2007 Summit Series line at this year’s CEDIA, being held in Denver. The just-over 4-inch tall Rainier ($3,500), runs Windows Media Center 2005, and is loaded up with HDMI, WiFi, an SD/MMC reader, IEEE 1394, dual USB ports, VGA, composite and S-Video in, eight-channel analog audio out, S/PDIF, and of course, Ethernet. Further, it boasts up to three television tuners (two NTSC and one ATSC), 750GB of storage, 2GB of RAM, and an ATI X1600 Pro graphics card. If that wasn’t enough to whet your appetite, the 8-inch tall Denali ($7,000) is even more loaded, with an Intel Core 2 Duo (no word on what speed yet), four television tuners (a pair of NTSCs and ATSCs), NVIDIA’s GeForce Series 7 graphics card, a full terabyte of storage, a whopping 4GB of RAM, and even has, as we previously reported, built-in support for CableCARDs. Expect both editions to ship on September 30, but while you wait we’ve got more pics of the Rainier and the Denali Editions on the other side.

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Epson has busted out a new projector for those looking to get a little 720p action in their home theater, with a beefed-up model also available for some added processing power. The PowerLite Cinema 810 takes advantage of Epson’s 3LCD technology, with a 10,000:1 contrast ratio and ample 1,600 ANSI lumens brightness. The PowerLite Cinema 810 HQV comes loaded with the same specs, but adds in a Silicon Optix HQV (Hollywood Quality Video) processor, which Epson says contains processing technology “generally available only to broadcast and post-production professionals,” supposedly giving you a much improved image (oh, how many times we’ve heard that!). Whether it’s worth twice the price or not you’ll have to decide for yourself, with the standard model coming in at $2,999 and the high-end HQV unit setting you back a cool six grand. Both will be available sometime next month.

[Via About Projectors]
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So, Samsung has just released the YP-T9 in China, along with its Bluetooth counterpart, the YP-T9B we spotted passing through the FCC in July. Maybe Sammy didn’t get the memo, but that FCC of ours is best used — in our opinion, at least — for Stateside releases, none of this piddling China stuff. Of course, a China release doesn’t preclude a US release, and it’s not like Samsung ever drops anything first over here anyways, but that doesn’t mean we can’t be total whiners about it. As for specs, everything seems to match the FCC docs, including a 1.8-inch screen, MP3, WMA and OGG codec support, Flash games, 30 hours of music playback, 6 hours of video playback (down from the 7 we spied, take that China!), and of course the 4GB of flash memory and Bluetooth support. Keep reading for some purty press shots of the player, but don’t get too attached… gadget love is a cruel mistress.

[Thanks, Samsung-the-man]
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