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afterdawn: Marantz has announced the debut of a new projector, dubbed the VP-11S2 DLP projector.

The new projector features full 1080p HD Resolution, (1920 by 1080) and comes with a myriad of inputs including component, composite, s-video, RGB, and two HDMI 1.3 inputs. Another interesting feature is the projector comes with two control ports, one of which is a RS-232C port.

The company also says the projector will be the first model to “be fitted with Texas Instrument’s new DarkChip4 chipset. This chipset will help boost the 11S2’s brightness and contrast, giving it 800 ANSI lumens and a 12000:1 contrast ratio.”

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Trusted Reviews: Based on Alpine’s game-changing iPod-centric iDA-X001, the ‘iDA-X200′ and ‘iDA-X300′ feature the same central ‘Self-Return’ dial which eliminates endless turning by employing an incremental speed system meaning the more it is turned, the faster it scrolls – before spinning back to its start position. Just like the flagship X001, the pair also forgo a CD slot (though they can be connected to a CD changer in the boot) to provide a large screen and feature a dedicated USB slot for non-Applian MP3 players.

Marking a step up from its forebear however both the X200 and X300 also sport Bluetooth for easily connecting a mobile phone for safe hands-free driving, a 24bit DA converter, 4x 45W high power output, plus FM, MW and LW capable tuners.

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The Register: Sony has decided to drop its rear-projection TV business worldwide in order to focus instead on two flat-panel technologies – liquid crystal display (LCD) and organic light-emitting diode (OLED).

Sales of rear-projection TVs had been declining recently as LCD TVs gain in popularity and grow in size. Sony showed off a series of OLED-based TVs at CES early in 2007.

Its first OLED model went on sale in Japan in December.

In October, the Japanese electronics giant lowered its global sales forecast for rear-projection TVs – which use a projector to create images on large screens – from 700,000 to 400,000.

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BBC News: Gamers have been able to revel in some of the most exhilarating interactive experiences ever designed.

Sales in the UK are at an all-time high, with more than €2bn taken in the last 12 months.

Some video games crossed over into blockbuster entertainment territory. Halo 3, for example, earned €114m in its first 24 hours on sale.

Many people will be joining the gaming revolution this Christmas – but what were the games which had people talking in the past year?

The stand out moments for many gamers include Master Chief delivering his “Wake me when you need me” line in Halo 3, to the nuclear bomb blast in Call of Duty 4, the arrival in Rapture in Bioshock, and the innovative gaming of Super Mario Galaxy.

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Wired: According to numerous anecdotal reports, the Psyclone Wii Recharge Station can actually damage your Wii Remote if you leave it in the charger for too long.It seems that the station doesn’t stop charging even when your batteries are full, which can lead to serious overheating issues. From the Recharge Station’s order page:

“WARNING – Rechargeable batteries left unattended in the recharge unit for an extended period of time may cause the batteries and/or unit to overheat. If the Wii (TM) remote doesn’t charge properly or begins to heat up, please stop the charge process and contact our customer service line to prevent further damage. If you feel that your batteries are heating up, please do not use those batteries any more. We are happy to help you and replace your product.”

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HiddenWires: Audio Design Associates (ADA), the recognized brand of excellence in high-end custom installed electronics and a founding member of the CEDIA organization, announces that it will premiere the Suite 8200, the company’s most powerful and flexible multi-room receiver to date.

Suite 8200 improves upon ADA’s popular-selling Suite 8100 multi-room receiver. Suite 8200 is an 8-source, 8-zone (16 channel) single chassis pre-amp / amplifier that incorporates a new, powerful and rich sounding class A/B amplifier that outputs 25 watts per channel and is stable down to 4 ohms, where Suite 8100 utilized a class D amplifier.

Suite 8200 ships with dual premium tuners built-in, where Suite 8100 had one. The installer designates to the factory which two tuners will be integrated into each Suite 8200 ordered. Tuner options include XM Satellite, Sirius Satellite Radio or HD Digital AM/FM/WX Radio.

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The New York Times: What if nobody wins the high-definition DVD format wars? That increasingly looks to be the situation for the next-generation DVD technology, which is available to consumers in two incompatible formats.

A little more than 18 months after their introduction, the two systems — Blu-ray, developed by Sony, and HD DVD, from Toshiba — have sold around one million stand-alone players combined. Both sides promote their technologies, their movie studio allies and the growing list of movies available in the new formats.

Yet neither has a clear advantage, either in terms of technology, number of movies or, increasingly, the price of the equipment. According to data from Adams Media Research, 578,000 HD DVD and 370,000 Blu-ray machines will be sold by the end of this year.

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