Sony's family of projectors just grew by one, with the 1080p VPL-HW10 combining triple-panel SXRD technology, the new BRAVIA Engine 2 eight step image processing, 1000 ANSI lumens, 30,000:1 contrast ratio and x.v.Color support. Dual HDMI inputs, HDMI-CEC control tech, 24p True Cinema, Real Color Processing and quiet 22dB operation ensure a top of the line home theater experience -- for something (no MSRP or shipping details here) less than the reiging king of the hill VPL-VW200 and another as-yet-unrevealed higher-end model. So Sony, guess we'll be seeing you at CEDIA next week?

[Via Akihabara News]

As the pre-CEDIA releases continue to roll, we've got yet another projector from Sanyo. The PLV-Z60 offers up a native 720p resolution, 10,000:1 contrast ratio, 1,200 ANSI lumens, 3D color management system, 12-bit processing IC for video decoding, scaling and gamma curve generation and a 2x optical zoom. You'll also find VGA, HDMI (x2), component (x2) and S-Video connections, and you can find the PJ itself next month for $1,295. [Warning: PDF read link]

On the audio front, Philips just launched a pair of Network Music Players, the NP2500 and the NP2900. They're color-screened followups to January's monochrome NP1100, and the NP2500 does audio out (including coaxial digital audio) just like is forebear, while the NP2900 (pictured) includes built-in speakers. The players work with internet radio, your PC's music library and some online music services like Rhapsody. No word on price or release date.

While our primary drool allotment will be directed at Philips' new 8mm LCD concept, Philips also has some new for-realsies LCDs here at IFA potentially worth your time. Leading off the pack is the LED-backlit 42PFL9803 FlatTV (pictured), a 42-inch set with 128 segments of LED for a purported 2,000,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio. The set runs at 100Hz, has a 17-bit "Color Booster" for a wide gamut, and even does a bit of 2nd gen Ambilight for good measure. Essence (42PES0001) is another 42-inch, 1080p display, but stakes its claim on thinness, measuring 38mm (1.5-inches) deep, and has a single cable running to a connectivity hub which doles out the audio, video and power. 100Hz and wide color gamut are all here. Finally, Philips is doing up a new generation of Aurea sets with new 37-inch and 42-inch 1080p displays, which offer up "Active Frame" transparent frames to reflect the Ambilight surrounding the set. The displays also offer 100Hz, 30,000:1 contrast ratios and 2ms response times. No word on price or availability for any of these, which is starting to sound like the official theme of IFA 2008.

Thin is in at IFA 2008, and Sharp's LCD lineup leads off with the super-skinny XS1 Aquos series LCD. A 23mm thick 1080p 52- or 65-inch panel packing 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio, 100Hz motion processing and detachable speaker system, halves it's previous 5cm best from May of this year. Old school fat LCD fans can look forward to the D65E line, pulling 20,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio and claiming an "environmentally conscious design" for Sharp's premium range, in sizes from 32- to 52-inch models, with prices to match from €899 to €2299. Of course, none of this would be right without a matching Blu-ray player, and Sharp has announced the BD-HP21H, a Bonus View Profile 1.1 model with a quick-start mode, but like the XS1 lacks pricing info that would make it so much juicier. All are due in the UK in October, we should hope for more details before then.

UPDATE: Add a few more zeros onto that contrast ratio -- 1,000,000:1 -- Thanks, celle!

As expected, Toshiba is offering a new (supposed) world's first here at IFA: a true upscaling TV, finally getting rid of the middle man for upconverting those SD sources. The new ZF Series LCDs include Cell processors and Toshiba's home grown Resolution+ technology, which does similar edge and detail enhancement to Toshiba's XDE upscaler -- sharpening detail, smoothing edges, and leaving the rest of the image alone -- but with the added fun of Cell power in the mix. As for the actual displays, Toshiba will be shipping the 40ZF575D (40-inch) and the 46ZF575D (46-inch), both offering 1080p, 30,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio, 6ms response times and Active Vision M100 HD 100Hz 5:5 pulldown processing, along with four HDMI plugs, component video, RGB and PC input. Right now this is just a Europe launch, and we don't have exact ship dates or pricing, but hopefully Toshiba will soon rectify that.

Say hello to the successors of the short-lived Panasonic DMP-BD50, the new DMP-BD35 (above) and DMP-BD55 (after the break) check off every feature we can think of for a new Blu-ray player, complete with a slim profile (49mm high on the BD35) and hopefully low, low price thanks to a 45nm 3rd-generation UniPhier processor. Dolby TrueHD, Dolby Digital Plus and DTS-HD MA audio support, with internal decoding or bitstreamed output in full 7.1 (plus 7.1 analog audio outs on the DMP-BD55) on top of fully BD-Live / Profile 2.0 compatible hardware finally promise no-compromise hardware for Blu-ray buyers. Release dates and pricing information? Your guess is as good as ours, for now.

It's been a month since we first caught a glimpse of the sharp-looking Logitech Squeezebox Boom, but the wireless network speakers are official today, coming in at a list price of $299. Yeah, it's basically a standard-issue Squeezebox with a built-in amp and speakers, but that's a pretty solid idea, especially since we're guessing the 24-bit Burr Brown D/A converter and bi-amped 3-inch woofers and 3/4-inch tweeters will offer up some decent sound. Everything else is regular Squeezebox kit -- 802.11g WiFi, SqueezeNetwork, optical and S/PDIF out, VFD display, 10/100Base-T Ethernet -- so if you're looking to expand your system, this is probably a pretty solid way of getting it done. Expect to see this one on shelves next month. One more pic after the break.

We're super short on info here, but it looks like Sony is about to intro a new Z4500 LCD TV with a "world's first" of 200Hz Motionflow -- yeah, you could've gleaned all that from reading the headline, but it's just so much more awesome down here. Stay tuned.

The appearance of Blu-ray HTIB systems under a number of brands is an encouraging sign that the format is at least trying to move into the mainstream living room, and now JVC's thrown its hat into the ring with the 2.1-channel NX-BD3. Of course, simply pulling bits off of Blu-ray discs isn't enough entertainment value these days, so the system also sports DLNA support, a 200-Watt powered sub and a 4x55-Watt amplifier (leaving you two channels to grow into). At £799 ($1,465) for a 2.1-channel setup, you might expect to get the latest and greatest in Blu-ray tech, but Profile 2.0, DTS-HD MA and Dolby TrueHD didn't make the cut -- let's hope some sort of "market adjustment" happens between the time this appears next month and when it crosses the pond.

[Via Electronista]

Even though it's in nearly every phone available, only a few flat panels with integrated wireless networking have surfaced so far, and now LG's packing Bluetooth into its already highly anticipated "infinite black" PG7000 plasma and Scarlet LG7000 LCD models. Pricetags are still in the air, but LG says these flatscreens will hit worldwide starting with Europe in September.

We thought we had seen all of Sony's 2008 ES lineup, but boy were we distinctly incorrect. Sony Japan has today revealed a trio of newcomers, two of which we've never seen before. The TA-DA5400ES packs a 120-watt x 7 channel internal amplifier, six HDMI inputs (and 2 outputs), six optical audio jacks and three sets of component inputs (among others). As for the STR-DA3400ES, the wattage steps down to 100-watts per channel and the port selection isn't nearly as robust; the STR-DG820 is already available in the States, making us believe this one's just an overseas re-release. Anywho, feel free to check out the full specifications in the read link below, and you can look for these to land (at least in Japan) this November.

[Via SonyInsider]