I’ve been an user of Joost since the days it was called “The Venice Project” when I thought the guys behind Skype and Kazaa couldn’t do any wrong. As long as I had my laptop and broadband/wireless access to the internet, I would catch a couple of shows.

However they’ve gone through a few changes from a desktop P2P based client to a web based client… now to an Apple iPhone application. And I couldn’t be any happier. It means that I can get my Fat Albert or Transformers fix even during meetings if I so wished.

Oh hell yeah.

Anybody remember the whole Betamax vs. VHS battle? Sony, the chief backer of Beta, wasn’t as nice as Toshiba and the retailers are pertaining those that purchased the Toshiba and Microsoft backed HD-DVD.

This time, some said that HD-DVD was doomed from the beginning with the Sony PlayStation 3 serving as their “trojan horse” to get into millions of homes and help push Blu-Ray over HD-DVD’s popularity. Meanwhile, earlier released Blu-Ray players were having problems playing such recently released and Blu-Ray profile updated titles like Pirates of the Caribbean.

With that said, just under a month ago, Toshiba finally pulled the plug on HD-DVD and a lot of people are looking at their last movies coming out, or have came out. Terminator 2 will be the last real release - I think there’s a Veggie Tales that’s being touted as coming out a bit later, if Paramount doesn’t stop that from being released as well.

So what to do… what to do.

Seems like Best Buy got your back. Yeah… that Best Buy.

Until December 31st, 2008, if you purchased a HD-DVD player and/or HD-DVD attachment (think: Microsoft XBOX360 HD-DVD add-on) before February 22nd, 2008, you’re eligible for a $50.00 that Best Buy will be proactively mailing cards to some of its customers and expects to distribute more than $10 million in gift cards. Also feel free to hit up the Best Buy HD-DVD trade-in program.

This offer starts March 21st.

Even though I avoided this battle for the “next generation” of video, this might be helpful for quite a few of you - I’m still enjoying my Betamax

Meridian Audio Limited has chosen the 2008 Electronic House Expo (EHX), held March 11-15 in Orlando, Florida, to debut its latest high-definition video projector, the MF10. Meridian, a British firm long accepted as a world leader in advanced digital audio and video technologies for music and home-theater systems, has already established itself at the top of the high-end projector market; with the new model, this position is sure to be enhanced.

“Over the last two to three years, core technologies for HD video projection have advanced to significant new performance capabilities,” says Norm Steinke, Chief Operating Officer of Meridian America. “With Meridian’s unique engineering experience and proprietary design, and with our rigorous hand-selection and calibration programs, we are now able to offer fully reference-grade equipment at rational cost, enabling a new level of home-theater excellence.”

Building on the success of the award-winning MF1, the new MF10 uses the latest-generation D-ILA light-engine technology, in a maximum-performance three-chip 1080p array. Based upon an all-new, 0.7-inch DILA device, the MF10’s refined new optical package delivers an important reduction in stray light, producing industry-best black levels (in excess of 30,000:1 native contrast ratio) without the use of a servo iris. This means powerfully stunning blacks and superbly dynamic visual “pop,” with no sacrifice in light output—or of the MF10’s remarkable shadow detail. The result: rich, film-like textures and depth, and an entirely involving, cinematic visual experience.

Another key to the MF10’s unexcelled video excellence is its exceptionally accurate, 16-element, all-glass lens. This ensures sharp, fully focused imaging across the entire screen, edge to edge and top to bottom. Its 2x zoom delivers a large, bright image even in smaller environments with curtailed throw-distance dimensions, delivering image size from 60 to 200 inches. Like Meridian’s MF1 projector, the MF10 will feature the optional 2.35:1 (Cinemascop®) conversion kit from lab-quality optics maker Schneider.

While video performance is indisputably the MF10’s key feature, Meridian has also engineered numerous intelligent design touches. An extremely low-noise cooling system maintains quiet installations, with both intake and exhaust located on the front panel, making location close to the rear wall practicable, for tidy layout and maximal throw-distance. Lens-shifts of 80 percent horizontal and 34 percent vertical further enhance design and installation adaptability, while the MF10’s side-access lamp compartment makes renewal simple even for ceiling-mounted installations.

Meridian’s unequalled selection and calibration standards and stringent quality control make the MF10 the most consistent high-end projector available. This is an important point to system designer/installers offering reference systems, and promising calibrated performance at multiple venues or rooms.

The MF10 incorporates powerful DSP for high-performance video processing, including deinterlacing and image scaling, making it a virtually “plug-and-play” solution for high-end, full-HD image reproduction. For installations requiring a range of fully state-of-the-technology abilities, the MF10’s “pixel-for-pixel” unprocessed mode is tailor made to work in tandem with Meridian’s newest digital video processor, the DVP2351. For its part, the DVP2351 is specifically engineered to deliver maximum performance when paired with the new Meridian projector, or with an equivalent model of similar potential. The DVP2351 provides a full range of inputs including 4 HDMI ultra-high-bandwidth 1080p paths, with flexible switching and a host of input/output aspect ratio options, taking full advantage of its powerful scaling/deinterlacing digital-video processing abilities. Totally programmable, and controllable via infrared or RS-232 communications, the DVP2351 is equally adept optimizing the MF10 projector within an all-Meridian system or in a multibrand layout.

Meridian is offering the MF10 Digital Projector and DVP2351 Digital Video individually. Both models are available immediately. MSRP: MF10 projector: $14,995; DVP2351 processor: $3,995.

Time to cut ‘n paste:

Silicon Optix announces that Gefen will use Realta HQV to power its new scaler solution, the Gefen TV Scaler Pro. (MSRP: $699)

Using the power of Emmy® award-winning HQV processing, the Gefen TV Scaler Pro can be connected to set-top boxes, DVD players or any piece of video equipment, providing an instant upgrade to HQV image quality in a very cost effective package. The result is dramatically improved picture quality with a simple one-box addition.

The Gefen TV Scaler Pro offers an extensive set of selectable input and output ports to enable a plug and play solution that works with the widest assortment of equipment. This includes dual HDMI v1.3, component, S-video and composite inputs, as well as an HDMI v1.3 output for an easy connection to any digital television. Optional digital audio support complements the selection of video for an engaging audio/video environment. Once connected, whatever source is selected may be up and down scaled with impressive video refinements to ensure the most vivid imagery possible.

With a suggested retail price of $699, it’s designed for both prosumers and industry savvy consumers who demand the very best from their high definition audio and video systems.

Now… what does that mean? It means that your new HDTV television will friggin’ sing when you plug stuff up into this - think Nintendo Wii finally getting a good upscale to 720p or so - and then into your HDMI enabled television that your video will now look lovely as all get out.

File this under: me want

Ok… won’t lie. I typically don’t even care about movies, the hype around them… but viral campaigns really get my attention.

Enter Cloverfield. Below is an ad from one of the viral sites, slusho.jp:

Now… who can figure it all out? Don’t forget 1-18-08.com as well.