Pick of the best

Sony Blu-Ray Player Finding it hard to get your head round all those different DVD formats? It's just got even more complex thanks to Blu-ray, a new format that employs a more precise laser system to deliver up to 27Gb of storage per disc - that's nearly six times as much as conventional DVD. Several manufacturers have been showing off prototype Blu-ray machines at exhibitions recently, but Sony has beaten them all to the punch. The futuristic-looking BDZ-S77 is the first Blu-ray DVD recorder to hit the shops. The bad news: Sony has no plans to launch it outside Japan yet. Panasonic D-Snap SV-AS10 Panasonic's tiny D-Snap SV-AS10 is not quite the smallest 2.0-megapixel still digital camera, but it comes close. And it doesn't just take photos - it also makes QuickTime videos and voice recordings, and plays MP3, WMA and AAC audio files. This cute four-in-one multimedia mini-wonder costs $2,100. Samsung MP3 player Not one to be left behind, Samsung is releasing its own line of portable jukeboxes. It has already rolled out one model, the YP-910GS, in the US and plans to launch a slightly different version, the YP-900T, in Hong Kong in early 2004. If its American cousin is anything to go by, the YP-900T will be capable of voice recording, FM reception, direct audio encoding from a CD player (in other words, you don't need a PC) and more than 10 hours of playback time. Epson Dreamio EMP-TW10 The curvaceous EMP-TW10 is the first in Epson's Dreamio line of projectors, targeting home theatre enthusiasts. The projector is driven by three 0.55-inch LCD panels, and has a brightness rating of 1,000 ANSI Lumens coupled with a 700:1 contrast ratio, which the company claims will allow for quality viewing even in bright places. The cost: $9,400. NEC launches new XM range of plasma panels XM is NEC's new line of Plasmasync monitors and it looks like a winner. Designed from the ground up, it boasts an array of new features that promise to improve on what was already a stunning performance from the older MP series. New signal processing and sampling methods deliver a significantly sharper image. It also has industry-leading gamma correction technology for excellent grey-scale handling. As with its previous NEC plasma screens, colour reproduction is superb too. The price tag is $45,800. JVC TH-A85 DVD Home Cinema System From the metre-long, floor-standing satellites to the sleek enclosure of the centre unit, JVC's TH-A85 carries a lot of panache for a mid-range home theatre system. Because amplification is housed in the subwoofer, the centre unit stands only 7cm high, allowing it to slide into the tightest of spaces. The satellite and centre speakers put out 80W, while the subwoofer is rated for 120W. Notable features include Digital Signal Processing modes and Video Fine Processing settings for tweaking picture quality. The package is selling for HK$4,780. Just add a screen. Marantz SR-9300 AV receiver The SR-9300, Marantz's new flagship AV receiver, packs a serious punch with 160 watts on each of its seven channels, multi-room support through a full set of audio and composite-video line outs, two 32-bit digital surround processing chipsets, THX Ultra 2 sound processing, HDCD decoding, and a two-way touch screen learning remote. Caught your breath yet? It's also software upgradeable through an RS232C communication port, so you can install Dolby's new Pro Logic IIx. In the tradition of Marantz, the SR-9300 delivers top-notch stereo to satisfy those looking for more out of their AV receiver than good movie sound. The list price is $18,800. JNC SSF-810 The SSF-810 came to our attention too late to make the MP3 player shootout (see Page 18), but it deserves special mention by virtue of its memory capacity. One gigabyte might be inadequate for a hard-drive-based portable jukebox, but it sets a precedent among key-chain-sized MP3 players that work off flash memory. This little gem also touts FM reception, voice recording, a multicoloured LCD, five-band equaliser and Mac OS support. The SSF-810 will be available at Christmas for $3,290. The same model is also available at smaller memory capacities and for fewer bucks. Philips MX-i6000 The MX-i6000 is the shape of things to come. This all-in-one home entertainment system represents the sharp end of Philips' move into internet-enabled A/V products. Through a wired Ethernet port or wireless Wi-fi connection, the system can access online movies, radio, games and photo albums, or talk to a computer to free movie and music files trapped on the hard disk drive. Want more? It also has a five-disc changer and intelligently adjusts speaker settings to optimise sound for wherever you've parked with the popcorn. Philips says the MX-i6000 will be out early next year. InFocus x1 InFocus has been stirring up quite a storm among home theatre enthusiasts in the US with the X1, a standard SVGA resolution projector that boasts a DLP chip, 1000 ANSI Lumens of brightness, 2000:1 contrast and Faroudja DCDi video processor. The reason for the excitement is not so much performance as value - the X1 has been wiping the floor with the competition in its price bracket and squaring up to far more expensive offerings. You might be able to get it cheaper in the US, but it's still a great purchase in Hong Kong at as little as $9,288. JVC MP-XP7230 mini notebook An A5-sized mini notebook weighing only 905g, JVC's MP-XP7230 offers powerful portable computing without the bulk. Inside its rugged magnesium alloy casing is an ultra-low voltage 933MHz-M Pentium III processor, 30Gb hard drive and 256Mb of RAM. JVC says this is the smallest PC in the world to use such a processor. An 8.9-inch wide-screen SVGA LCD promises to deliver crisp video and there are connections a-plenty, including firewire and LAN jacks, two 2.0 USB ports and built-in 802.11b Wi-Fi. Unique pre-installed applications include JVC's own CC Converter, which enhances the audio quality of MP3 music, and Pinnacle Studio 8 SE video editing software. The price is HK$10,980. Philips DVDR75 Philips is launching its latest DVD recorder, the DVDR75, in Hong Kong in time to tempt Christmas shoppers. The machine can play all conventional DVD formats as well as MP3 audio, and records to DVD+R/RW media. It also has an i.Link jack to allow users to archive material from a digital camcorder. No price has been announced yet. KEF KHT2005.2 If you're looking to get into home theatre in a serious way, you can do worse than look at KEF's 5.1 speaker combo, the KHT2005.2. The fetching egg-shaped design of the aluminium satellite enclosures isn't just for show; apparently it helps minimise cabinet noise distortion. And the company claims its Uni-Q driver configuration delivers a wider sound image, so you don't have to position yourself perfectly to get the most out of them. The satellites are small, too, at only 19.8cm tall. These eggs are yours for $8,800. panasonic sv-av100 Camcorder Panasonic says its SV-AV100 D-Snap is the world's smallest MPEG2 camcorder, measuring a mere 3.175 by 5.4 by 8.89cm. For such a small machine, it has a rich feature set, including a 10x optical zoom lens, speaker, and a comprehensive bank of settings, such as automatic or manual focus, auto or manual iris and white balance. Viewing is through a fold-out 2.5-inch LCD panel that can be turned 180 degrees. It comes with a 512Mb SD card. The sticker price is $5,600. NEC LT170 portable projector Barely bigger than a kid's shoebox and weighing only 1.8kg, NEC's diminutive new DLP projector is all about portability. For its size, the LT170 has a great list of specs, including a bright 1,500 ANSI lumens, 1,000:1 contrast ratio, native XGA resolution, automatic keystone correction and a unique portrait projection format. Features, such as Vortex Technology and AccuBlend Pixel Blending, also suggest it can deliver good video performance for the home theatre enthusiast. This mini wonder costs $22,800. 02 XDA II What do you get when you cross a mobile phone, a PDA and a camcorder? The XDA II from 02, that's what. Working off Windows Mobile 2003, this pocket PC takes multi-functionality to a whole new level, with tri-band reception, Bluetooth, instant messaging, full Web browsing, MPEG4 video capture, MP3 playback and voice recording, as well as all the usual PDA functionality. Add an IR signal booster, and it will become a powerful universal remote control too. For $6,688.