If there is one summer movie you should seriously consider, the answer just might be a movie starring Adam Sandler, whose career pitches him competing against Rob Scheider for ‘worst summer movies ever’.

Pixels (2015) Movie Poster shows Pac-Man eating San Francisco

Produced by Chris Columbus, Pixels pitches an unlikely story that Carl Sagan and his Cosmos documentary series ended in a NASA project that was destined to destroy us all – Voyager 1 and 2 carried messages of humanity, and code for computer games of the era. Aliens got the message, figured we’re challenging them to war and sent back… what we send them. In a larger form.

Can Adam “Grown Ups 1-2-…” Sandler, Peter “Game of Thrones” Dinklage, Michelle Monaghan and other star-studded cast prevent the games from eating us all? Watch the trailer to see the cameo appearance of no other than prof. Toru Iwatani, creator of Pac-Man.

See the trailer here:

The post Is Pixels Adam Sandler’s Best Movie Yet? appeared first on VR World.

Earlier this week in Tokyo, musicians Keiji Yamagishi and director Mohammed Taher announced a project they have been working on for the past two years: The Retro-Active Experience. Produced under the Brave Wave label this project is a love child of Keiji Yamagishi, a veteran of Famicom-era responsible for music in many popular gaming franchises like Ninja Gaiden, Tecmo Bowl, Captain Tsubasa and Gitaroo Man.

The Retro-Active Experience is Keiji’s first solo project and will be released in three parts through the year. The first part of the musical anthology will be released in February and is inspired from his Famicom days. Yamagishi promises to send us into a “futuristic and emotional chiptunes world.”

“I’ve made many songs and sound effects for Famicom games in the late 80’s and I love Famicom sounds. With Retro-Active, I created an album with sounds that are inspired from various old soundchips,” Yamagishi said in a public statement. “I feel that my music is different from contemporary pop or game music. There might be some people who are unfamiliar with my songs, and I would be glad to invite them and let them hear for themselves the attraction of modern Famicom-inspired sounds from a Famicom composer.”

Retro Active Part 1 will see Yamagishi mix his early Famicom compositions with modern sounds. This will be achieved by collaboration with various audio and visual artists like Marco Guardia of Flutlicht, DJ Tatana and Monomirror as mixing engineer. Mega Man’s composer Manami Matsumae and guitarist Stemage of Metroid Metal will help Yamagishi with melodic and guitar driven compositions. Art will be supplied by David Hellman of Braid, Second Quest and Cory Schmitz of SoundShapes while. Director Mohammed Taher will combine audio and visual elements into the final product.

Retro-Active Pt. 1 is available to pre-order now, following a Polygon.com feature about Yamagishi and his Famicom work. The album contains 9 tracks and will release on February 5th, 2015 with remixes by Brave Wave’s Takahiro Izutani (of Metal Gear Solid 4, Bayonetta) and newcomer Smoke Thief, as well as Riki Arai.

Retroactive Part 1 will feature following compositions:

1. First Contact
2. Bounty Hunter
3. Starfish Cluster
4. Memories of T (feat. Stemage)
5. Kaleidoscope (feat. Manami Matsumae)
6. Drifting Love
7. First Contact (Takahiro Izutani Remix)
8. First Contact (Riki Arai Remix)
9. Bounty Hunter (Smoke Thief Remix)

The post Yamagishi’s Retro-Active Experience Gets a Release Date appeared first on VR World.

If you have been using computers for more than a few years it is likely that you have seen plenty of sound cards.  If someone were to ask you about a USB sound card, would you think of a less than ideal dongle with little to no features with entry level sound quality?

Well, that was then and times sure have changed with feature packed external soundcards that are of good quality on the market.  There are even ones out there that will be good with gaming and allowing the user to experience 3D surround sound while wearing headphones to help pinpoint the action.  The Creative Sound Blaster Omni Surround 5.1 USB soundcard is a shining example of what an external sound card these days should be.

Specifications

• Model: Sound Blaster Omni #70SB156000000
• Channels: 5.1
• Interface: USB

System Requirements

On PC platform

• Intel Core 2 Duo or AMD equivalent processor at 2.2 GHzMicrosoft Windows 8 / Windows 7 / Windows Vista
• Microsoft Windows 8 / Windows 7 / Windows Vista
• 1GB RAM600MB free hard disk space
• 600MB free hard disk space
• CDROM / DVDROM driveUSB 2.0 port
• USB 2.0 port

On Mac Platform

• Intel Core 2 Duo 2.8GHz
• Intel Core 2 Duo 2.8GHz
• Mac OS 10.6 & above1GB RAM
• 1GB RAM
• 600MB free hard disk spaceInternet connection
• Internet connection
• USB 2.0 portFeatures

Features

• USB simplicity and portabilityBuilt-in dual microphones with CrystalVoice technology
• Built-in dual microphones with CrystalVoice technology
• Sound Blaster Omni Control Panel
• Dolby Digital Live600-ohm headphone amplifier
• 600-ohm headphone amplifier
• Scout mode
• Comprehensive connectivity for all your PC and Mac audio needs

The post You Need a USB Sound Card: Creative Sound Blaster Omni Surround 5.1 USB Reviewed appeared first on VR World.

The next big battle for consumers is transportation. Forget about living room, your own pocket, your bedroom, the house in general – it’s cars, planes, shopping malls and the way how to interact with the world.

Thus, it is of no surprise that CES 2015 featured an interesting announcement, almost hidden behind the limelight of all the TVs, mobile phones etc. The announcement was that LG Electronics (KRX:066570) will become the default supplier of 4G LTE connectivity systems for General Motors (NYSE: GM). If you ever owned a GM car, you’re well aware of its ‘OnStar’ service.

OnStar Service to get 4G LTE connectivity

After multiple providers, very well known in the consumer space, it looks like LG Electronics won a global contract, to supply as much as 10 million cars (factor in at least 5-10% overhead for spare parts) annually. It is not known who is the chipset provider, but there’s no doubt LGE’s silicon unit will push for as much of their own chips as possible.

LG Electronics is a known automotive supplier, but this is as good as it gets – OnStar 4G LTE is coming to all the cars in General Motors gamma, regardless of are we talking about Cadillacs, Vauxhall/Opel etc. Expanding OnStar globally requires the use of 4G LTE technology, and the way how we will use cars as hotspots only goes to show that Tesla Motors started something big, and incumbents are working hard on catching up.

OnStar used to be a simple telematics service, but now is rapidly expanding its capabilities, bringing a whole new layer of connectivity usage. OnStar will now push key stats from the car, spare parts life, recommended service intervals and many more to consumers, while in case of product recalls etc. the service could notify all the owners of affected vehicles, reducing time to service.

The service originally started in North America, and recently started to expand in Europe. Over the course of next two years, GM will expand OnStar almost globally with focus on Europe and China.

According to Tim Nixon, Chief Technology Officer for OnStar, the company plans to put OnStar in no less than 50 cars across its brands by the end of the year (expect major announcements in Detroit, Geneva, Beijing and Frankfurt).

First vehicle to launch using this new improved service is the brand new 2016 Chevrolet Volt (leaked images courtesy of Motorauthority.com), to be officially introduced at the Detroit Motor Show. The car will also debut as 2^nd Generation Opel Ampera in Europe.

The post LG Electronics Enters Automotive with a General Motors Global Win appeared first on VR World.

More than 1,900 applied, only 10 were chosen. The Extreme Tech Challenge  finalists vying to pitch their company to Sir Richard Branson on Necker, his private island, includes Skully, a smart motorcycle helmet. Skully combines the latest in technology in one extreme helmet.

To begin with let’s cover the basics. The streamlined helmet is water and dust proof with a comfortable NASA originated Outlast lining that is removable and washable. It comes in black or white and gives you a Darth Vadar appearance. Now, on to the technology.

Essentially, the Skully AR-1 eliminates blind spots. The helmet sports a 180 degree rear view camera with a fisheye lens that projects revamped, dewarped images of what’s happening behind you onto a cube at the front of the helmet. This rearview mirror is not the only information displayed. The cube is transparent so it does not impair your front vision while providing dashboard-like data.

A small gasoline icon notifies you when fuel is low.

Other information you can see includes a tachometer, speed readout, gear position, and incoming calls. The helmet provides a blue tooth GPS with worldwide mapping. The visual information displayed is augmented by audio directions. The stereo speakers provide clear phone conversations and good music enjoyment, as well as route indications.

Worldwide maps provide GPS assistance as you cruise along.

Looking to the future, at the rear of the helmet you will find RGB LED lights in place that can light up as turn signals or to indicate braking. They also will help with diagnostics. The system runs on two individual rechargeable batteries reloaded via micro USB.

The helmet was designed for comfort. The informative cube is set to eliminate eye strain. Your eyes don’t have to refocus from distance viewing down the road to close-up to read gauges previously mounted on the dashboard. Material for the wide-angle-view visor is anti-glare, anti-fog, with a button you can push for bright light correction. To prevent you from becoming a hot headed motorcyclist, the helmet has vents on the front, top, and both sides to air cool your skull.

The transparent informational cube is designed and placed to eliminate eye strain while driving and checking data.

Speaking of heads, the helmet comes in S, M, L, XL, and XXL. A chart gives dimensions in hat size, centimeters and inches. For example, a Large fits hat size 7 1/8 – 7 1/ 4. Additionally, if it still doesn’t fit, the company promises to send another premium padding set at no charge.

This company put out an Indiegogo project with a goal of $250,000. Instead, in less than two months, they closed the fund October 9, 2014 with $2,445,425 USD. During and since, videos have been posted that have gleaned positive and negative comments regarding the approach, cost, safety, sturdiness, and the usefulness of this new technology aimed at the motorcycle enthusiast.

The company says the Skully AR-1 is DOT/ECE (US Department of Transportation / Economic Commission for Europe) certified and is currently pending AS/NZS 1698:2006 certification. As to damage during an accident, they suggest checking your insurance policy to see if you are covered for Custom Parts and Equipment (CPE) coverage.

Skully’s Vice President of Design Joshua Bloom produced a very detailed look at the streamlined helmet in a YouTube video.

Skully VP of Design Joshua Bloom proudly displays the AR-1.

One viewer commented: Looks interesting, but cost is prohibitive. It is currently listed as $1,499 plus $99.99 shipping. Another person summed it up thus: When it comes to pricing think about it in this manner. You’re buying the equivalent of 1) a decent helmet 2) a GoPro camera 3) a Google glass 3) a communication system 4) a photo chromatic face shield. Does it really seem that expensive??

You can judge for yourself at CES in Las Vegas. Skully and the other nine finalists will vie to become the top three winners on stage January 8, 2015 at 2pm in the Marco Polo room at The Venetian. If you want to buy the product, the company website’s store is your only option. You can place a pre-order and hope shipment happens by the promised July, 2015 date.

The post Skully Motorcycle Helmet: Extreme Tech Challenge Finalist appeared first on VR World.

Koss Headphones had a 2014 full of flagship products launched this year, with its sights aimed at an optimistic future. The NFC enabled BT540i simplified Bluetooth listening on mobile devices, then their ergonomic SP330 & SP540 delivered comfortable music enjoyment for all. Finally, Koss will end the year on a high note with its new Pro4S stereophones, geared toward studio and music monitoring.

But what are “studio” headphones, and what makes them different from other models? Most headphones may have a compensated or enhanced EQ to tailor towards certain listener preferences — i.e. more bass. Reference or studio monitoring needs to be free of any tuning, for those who need to listen to an accurate representation of their content, like audio engineers and music producers.

So, we put the Pro4S to the test all month — at home, at a Hollywood recording studio, and on a TV production. Here’s what we found:

The design

The Pro4S is a full-sized, circumaural studio headphone that is a fine blend of transparent sound, comfortable durability, and practical design. Weighing a hair under 7 oz (195 g), even as an over-ear model, it’s compact and light enough for use in any environment.

Its tough, aluminum internal frame is encased by both metal and plastic molding, and outfitted with soft, breathable materials for the best strength and comfort. The headband is supported with memory foam and mesh cloth that feels weightless, even after many hours of wear. The ear cup hinges are also metallic and soft-locking, for added durability without creating temporal pressure.

Comfort and weight are vital for studio applications, where engineers can log many more hours of use than home listeners. That’s why the Pro4S also features the same “D-profile” ear cups first featured on Koss’ classic Pro4AAA, and its recent SP series headphones. Because of this shape, you’ll get great passive isolation that’s evenly distributed more naturally around your ear.  These cast aluminum ear cups have a high quality feel, and are fashioned with a shaved silver trim that may scratch easily, which isn’t a deal breaker for us, but still worth mentioning.

The cups lay flat for storage inside an included soft clamshell case, and the hinges can fold the ear cups towards the headband for further portability. This especially helps for location audio work, where space is limited and mobility is key. The headband is adjustable at discreet steps, and even at full extension, there doesn’t seem to be any signs of stress when bending or tweaking the phones.

Another key feature on the Pro4S is its dual-entry detachable cord. The circuitry automatically routes a stereo signal to both drivers, regardless of which side you plug into. Plus, the remaining open end becomes a pass-through output, so you could daisy chain another Pro4S alongside it.

The included 4.5 ft. (1.4 m) cable is coiled in the middle, in between two long straight sections. This distributes the cable’s weight more evenly, and helps clear up obstructions when plugging into any source. This is also half the length and weight of Sony’s MDR-7506 coiled cable, which is almost 10 ft. long.

While a longer cable could be more accommodating, Koss hit the right mark in length versus obstructiveness, with the added convenience of simply unplugging oneself from the cord entirely. The only downside is if this cable is misplaced, users will have a hard time finding a replacement other than what’s provided by Koss, because of the recessed ports on the Pro4S.

Made with rugged materials, comfortable cushioning, and lined with a simple silver trim, the Koss Pro4S is dressed to impress and made with comfort in mind. Aesthetics and features are great, but does it have the sound signature to match?

The sound

Studio or reference headphones are usually advertised to have a flat frequency response, where, ideally, all signals are reproduced uniformly across all frequencies without bias (example above). The Pro4S is driven by Koss’ new SLX40 elements that are tuned for reference, delivering what they advertise as “incredibly accurate and unbiased sound”.

Its specs seem to be on-par with other studio models, with a few differences:

• Response: 10 Hz – 25 kHz
• Sensitivity: 99 dB SPL
• Impedance: 35 Ohms
• THD: <0.3% average (@400 Hz – 1 kHz, 95 dB SPL)
• Max Load: 500 mW

While response and sensitivity are where they need to be, its has a lower impedance and load rating than most models. This is probably to accommodate a wide range of home studio setups and listening, but may have less gain headroom for some professional board outputs.

We lent these stereophones to several engineers in the music and film audio worlds, and their feedback was consistent. The Pro4S, in general, has the soundscape of a studio headphone, but seems to have a character of its own, with additional warmth in the mid range, and clarity in higher registers. However, no frequency bands seem exaggerated, and it retrieves enough detail in all ranges to gauge how tracks sit in a mix.

There are moments when this perceived slight emphasis can sit on the harsh side, when it comes to certain instrumentation. One of the music engineers who tested our Pro4S had difficulty assessing if the twang of an overdriven Telecaster was distorting. Upon switching back to his usual pair, this wasn’t the case.

Despite its accented soundscape, the Pro4S at least provides listeners with a pleasurable experience. For what it’s worth, casually listening to finished music with this pair is actually not as thin or lacking as other studio models. It may not perform like a true “reference” model, but it can at least produce a more neutral sound to a variety of subjective preferences.

The industry

This isn’t to discount the clarity of the Pro4S, which is especially beneficial for tracking vocals. We tested out this pair at a Hollywood dubbing stage, and could properly judge tonal differences between the originally recorded dialogue and the replacement voice-overs. These sessions can last for many hours a day, but there were no complaints of discomfort from the recording team. They especially enjoyed the detachable cord, so they could quickly leave the board for a coffee, without having to take off the headphones entirely.

We also lent the Pro4S to a couple production sound mixers, who primarily record on-set dialogue. Even on an upcoming reality TV series, where there are many mic sources and inputs involved, and characters unpredictably speaking to one other, the Pro4S could retrieve enough detail from all sources to properly EQ and mix. While on location, these headphones are great for long listening sessions, but its materials may heat up considerably on a warm day outside.

Let’s take a moment to compare the Pro4S to two current favorites in the biz — Sony’s workhorse MDR-7506, considered an industry standard, and Sennheiser’s more compact HD25-1, another widely compatible reference pair. All three of these headphones are geared towards professional markets, and the Pro4S seems to be the middle ground that addresses issues with current models.

The 7506’s are considered the standard and used in a variety of applications. It’s also circumaural, with minimal pressure around the ear, and a neutral soundscape that is uniform from production to post. The earcups fold inward towards the headband, but because it has a much longer cable, the 7506 can easily become a tangled mess during storage.

The on-ear HD25’s are more compact and also great for many situations, especially while on location. They have great isolation, and seem to distribute pressure evenly across the adjustable headband. However, the on-ear style can become fatiguing during long sessions, especially if the listener is wearing glasses.

Take the isolation and compactness of the HD25’s, with the sound and comfort of the 7506, add a detachable cable, and the Pro4S is a nice marriage between the two.

The verdict

Not only is the Pro4S quite possibly the most comfortable pair of headphones of its class, it has class too. It may have a sound signature that slightly deviates from a promise of “incredibly accurate and unbiased sound”, but as always, Koss’ functional design and build quality places the listening experience as a whole first and foremost. At $149 USD, the Pro4S is worth experiencing, no matter where your studio happens to be.

The post Koss Headphones Pro4S: Monitoring With Class appeared first on VR World.

Whether the company name was intentional or not, EHang paints a picture of what its product does. China-based EHang creates unmanned aerial vehicles that hang in the air taking video or photos of what’s below. Ghost, one of the company’s drones, is an Indiegogo crowd funding success story. The company has far surpassed its original goal of $100,000 by raising $596,702 with 26 days to go.

Ghost landing gear sets the drone down gently.

Ghost does not require a cumbersome RC controller. You guide it with your iOS or Android smartphone and a small G-Box with 2.4GHz 80mw standard Bluetooth communicator. Auto Mode points the drone head first towards its destination and allows you to concentrate on the visuals you want to capture instead of worrying about piloting. You’ll want to use the micro control mode to pinpoint a specific location by simply sliding it in the direction you want to drone to go. It can get there tail first if necessary.

A simple finger tap points your drone to its destination.

GoPro equipment is compatible with Ghost including the Hero 4 and is assisted by the 2D gimbal which keeps your shots stable. Flying at night is possible due to Night Mode with LED lights to visually keep track of its position. Ghost is wind resistant to 21 knots and waterproof so weather won’t ground the aerial vehicle. If anything goes awry, Ghost incorporates automatic return if the connection is lost.

You can still get in on the Indiegogo Ghost project. Support starts with a $5 fan club contribution and goes to $49,000 with a list of perks in between including a $355 DIY kit that includes parts for you to assembly the Ghost yourself. Cyber Monday offered the following:

g

The campaign started November 10, 2014 and will close on January 9, 2015 at the end of CES. The company will be exhibiting in the Las Vegas Convention Center, LVCC South Hall 2. BSN* will be able to provide our readers with a hands-on opinion of this and other unmanned systems after the show. In the meantime, you can tell EHang what you want them to do to improve on their Ghost with the cash they have raised beyond their original goal. Vote at their survey site.  One option is to expand the white ghostly finish to other colors. Maybe one of these? Or ask for your favorite color – neon orange perhaps?

In addition to Ghost for recreational use, EHang also develops the larger Skyway for commercial use. The Chinese company also has offices in San Carlos, California.

The post Indiegogo Drone Project Raises Half A Million Dollars appeared first on VR World.

GoPro stock (NASDAQ:GPRO) after a bump up following its IPO is losing points for no news-breaking reason other than the usual leveling out after all the hoopla dies down. The price is down to $64.34, more than $30 below its 52 week high, but still higher than half its 52 week range of $28.65-$98.47. Analysts think Black Friday sales have already been factored into the price and they don’t expect the price to rise much over the holidays.

Companies who are associated with the wearable camera saw their value move in tandem. Ambarella (NASDAQ:AMBA), a supplier of chips for GoPro, and the camera company itself both posted quarterly earnings that were better than expected. However, Ambarella’s and GoPro’s stock prices dropped an identical five percent yesterday. If you ran to get on GoPro’s post IPO bandwagon as its stock shot upwards, you might be having second thoughts as you watch your investment lose value.

Ambarella’s 52-week range has been $21.60-$58.00. Today’s pricing has been in the low $50’s. If you bought early, the recent down angle would not be of great concern to you, especially in light of historic sales growth which has analysts predicting $250 million in yearly sales.

Hero4 Silver has a touch display which allows you to navigate menus, preview photos and videos, and frame shots.

GoPro’s soiree into outfitting drones and Ambarella’s potential market expansion as law enforcement puts wearable cameras on their officers should increase the value of both companies. GoPro’s new Hero4 series has improved on previous versions. The Hero4 Black is pumped up with ultra high resolution, high frame rate 4K30, 2.7K50, 1080p120 video, and 12MP photos up to 30 frames per second. It is waterproof for divers who stay above 131 feet. On their website you can purchase it for $499.99.

BSN* staff did a full review of the new Hero4 Black.  A sister version Hero4 Silver  offers 1080p60 and 720p120 video and integrated touch display for $399.99.

Unless you bought stock as well as one of the cameras, you are probably enjoying your GoPro without worrying about Wall Street.

The post GoPro Pulls Tech Partners' Stock Down With It appeared first on VR World.

Schiit Audio, a US manufacturer of high end headphone amps, DACs, and preamps rolled out its newest creation today: the new “Fulla”.  The Fulla is a USB dongle DAC/AMP is an inexpensive high quality way for users to upgrade their audio from their computers or portable devices.

Schiit Audio is a good-humored US manufacturer of high end audio components which prides itself.  As such it tries to reduce costs for consumers by selling direct and cutting dealers out of the equation.  Yesterday the company introduced the Fulla USB DAC/Amp via its Facebook page.

The $79 Fulla is one of the company’s most affordable items and combines its experience with their previous DACs and Amps.  The dongle is plug and play with both PC and Mac computers that have a USB port, without the need for any additional drivers to be installed.  The Fulla can also be used with Android devices that support USB host function and allow USB DACs.

The Fulla employs a CM6631 USB 2.0 receiver and a very high quality AK4396 digital to analog converter, which is commonly found in equipment much more pricey than the Fulla.  The gain stage uses thin-film resistors and film capacitors that filters and boosts the output, up to 300mw into 32ohms.  Schiit Audio states that the Fulla would be great for IEM (in-ear monitor) usage due to the very low noise floor and low ouput impedence.

The Fulla is covered by a 1 year limited warranty that covers both parts and labor.  Schiit Audio also says that if in the situation where the user does not like the Fulla that they can send it back for a refund, minus a 15% restocking fee.  The customer has 15 days in which to decide to send it back for a refund.

The post Schiit Audio Introduces The Fulla USB DAC/Amp appeared first on VR World.

The GoPro Hero4 has long been awaited by consumers as the company’s affordable 4K camera. And when they announced the GoPro Hero4 Black, a lot of people were excited to finally get their hands on a GoPro that can finally do 4K at 30 FPS as opposed to a semi-slideshow 4K 15 FPS which the GoPro Hero3+ Black Edition was capable of in the previous generation. So, they increased the camera’s capability of recording 4K video from 15 FPS to 30 FPS and somehow they are now claiming that this camera is now worth an extra $100. Yes, it does have an improved Wi-Fi chipset that has better signal and consumers less power, but none of that is really relevant if the only thing consumers can measure is the 4K video performance. GoPro has always released new cameras and their latest and greatest was always $399, so a 25% price increase is going to be hard to chew for some.

We go into this review of the GoPro Hero4 looking to see how it performs overall as a 4K video camera, photo camera, and an overall action camera.

In terms of specifications, the GoPro Hero 4 has the following hardware specs and video recording format capabilities.

Specifications and Features

In terms of specifications, the GoPro Hero4 Black, weighs a tiny 3.10 oz or 88 g camera only and 5.36 oz or 152 g with housing. It has dimensions of 41 x 59 x 30mm, which are identical to the GoPro Hero3 and Hero3+ that came before it. It comes with a 3.8 VDC, 1160 mAh Rechargeable Lithium-Ion Battery which GoPro states will get up to 1.5 hours per charge. These are the estimated battery life times depending on the camera settings (shown below) and whether or not Wi-Fi or the GoPro app are being used.

GoPro Hero4 Battery Life

Capture 12MP Photos at 30 fps
Ultra Wide Angle Glass Lens + SuperView
Camera Housing Waterproof to 131′
Improved Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.0 Connectivity
Interval Capture for Time Lapse
Protune Mode for Video and Photo (manual exposure, exposure compensation and temperature)
One-Button Operation with QuikCapture
Auto Low Light and Night Photo Modes

GoPro Hero4 Video Resolutions

For those curious, Superview is GoPro’s own way of stretching their 4:3 footage into a 16:9 ratio in order to more properly fit the screen in playback.

The camera itself also has MicroSD, Mini USB and micro HDMI connectivity in addition to the Bluetooth and Wi-Fi which it uses for the remote and GoPro App (Android or iOS). The MicroSD card slot only supports microSDXC memory cards up to 64GB, which is really enough for almost anyone seeing as you can record up to 2 hours 10 minutes of footage on the camera before you run out of memory card space based on our testing. The biggest disappointment, however, is GoPro’s decision to continue to use the archaic standard of Mini USB which pretty much died with the Blackberries of 2008-2010. Yet, in 2014  GoPro is still launching brand new ‘cutting-edge’ products with Mini USB, they should really be ashamed of themselves. Why? because nobody and nothing uses Mini USB anymore and having a mini USB cable is a chore and might as well be a proprietary connector because so few things use it nowadays. If anything, GoPro should have adopted microUSB a long time ago and should now be moving towards USB Type-C which should be a smaller connector and have higher bandwidth capabilities and industry-wide availability than mini USB (which is by default USB 2.0). So, instead, you have to take out your memory card in order to properly transfer 4K footage at a reasonable speed because USB 2.0 and mini USB are capped at 30 MB/s and most UHS Class 3 memory cards are 60-90 MB/s read. Basically, the mini USB connector on the GoPro Hero4 is a huge mistake by GoPro and possibly the biggest fault of this device.

Packaging and Accessories

When you buy the GoPro Hero4 Black you get:
Rechargeable Battery for HERO4
Standard Housing
Skeleton Backdoor
Curved Adhesive Mount
Flat Adhesive Mount
Quick Release Buckle
3-Way Pivot Arm
USB Cable
Limited 1-Year Warranty

Watch the video below to see what that looks like, or look at the picture below that to see exactly what it all looks like in one photo.

GoPro Hero4 Standard Accessories

On the next page, we’ll discuss our experience with the GoPro Hero4 and include some video and photo samples as well.

The post GoPro Hero4 Black Review: You're Not Ready for It appeared first on VR World.

The GoPro Hero4 has long been awaited by consumers as the company’s affordable 4K camera. And when they announced the GoPro Hero4 Black, a lot of people were excited to finally get their hands on a GoPro that can finally do 4K at 30 FPS as opposed to a semi-slideshow 4K 15 FPS which the GoPro Hero3+ Black Edition was capable of in the previous generation. So, they increased the camera’s capability of recording 4K video from 15 FPS to 30 FPS and somehow they are now claiming that this camera is now worth an extra $100. Yes, it does have an improved Wi-Fi chipset that has better signal and consumers less power, but none of that is really relevant if the only thing consumers can measure is the 4K video performance. GoPro has always released new cameras and their latest and greatest was always $399, so a 25% price increase is going to be hard to chew for some.

We go into this review of the GoPro Hero4 looking to see how it performs overall as a 4K video camera, photo camera, and an overall action camera.

In terms of specifications, the GoPro Hero 4 has the following hardware specs and video recording format capabilities.

Specifications and Features

In terms of specifications, the GoPro Hero4 Black, weighs a tiny 3.10 oz or 88 g camera only and 5.36 oz or 152 g with housing. It has dimensions of 41 x 59 x 30mm, which are identical to the GoPro Hero3 and Hero3+ that came before it. It comes with a 3.8 VDC, 1160 mAh Rechargeable Lithium-Ion Battery which GoPro states will get up to 1.5 hours per charge. These are the estimated battery life times depending on the camera settings (shown below) and whether or not Wi-Fi or the GoPro app are being used.

GoPro Hero4 Battery Life

Capture 12MP Photos at 30 fps
Ultra Wide Angle Glass Lens + SuperView
Camera Housing Waterproof to 131′
Improved Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.0 Connectivity
Interval Capture for Time Lapse
Protune Mode for Video and Photo (manual exposure, exposure compensation and temperature)
One-Button Operation with QuikCapture
Auto Low Light and Night Photo Modes

GoPro Hero4 Video Resolutions

For those curious, Superview is GoPro’s own way of stretching their 4:3 footage into a 16:9 ratio in order to more properly fit the screen in playback.

The camera itself also has MicroSD, Mini USB and micro HDMI connectivity in addition to the Bluetooth and Wi-Fi which it uses for the remote and GoPro App (Android or iOS). The MicroSD card slot only supports microSDXC memory cards up to 64GB, which is really enough for almost anyone seeing as you can record up to 2 hours 10 minutes of footage on the camera before you run out of memory card space based on our testing. The biggest disappointment, however, is GoPro’s decision to continue to use the archaic standard of Mini USB which pretty much died with the Blackberries of 2008-2010. Yet, in 2014  GoPro is still launching brand new ‘cutting-edge’ products with Mini USB, they should really be ashamed of themselves. Why? because nobody and nothing uses Mini USB anymore and having a mini USB cable is a chore and might as well be a proprietary connector because so few things use it nowadays. If anything, GoPro should have adopted microUSB a long time ago and should now be moving towards USB Type-C which should be a smaller connector and have higher bandwidth capabilities and industry-wide availability than mini USB (which is by default USB 2.0). So, instead, you have to take out your memory card in order to properly transfer 4K footage at a reasonable speed because USB 2.0 and mini USB are capped at 30 MB/s and most UHS Class 3 memory cards are 60-90 MB/s read. Basically, the mini USB connector on the GoPro Hero4 is a huge mistake by GoPro and possibly the biggest fault of this device.

Packaging and Accessories

When you buy the GoPro Hero4 Black you get:
Rechargeable Battery for HERO4
Standard Housing
Skeleton Backdoor
Curved Adhesive Mount
Flat Adhesive Mount
Quick Release Buckle
3-Way Pivot Arm
USB Cable
Limited 1-Year Warranty

Watch the video below to see what that looks like, or look at the picture below that to see exactly what it all looks like in one photo.

GoPro Hero4 Standard Accessories

On the next page, we’ll discuss our experience with the GoPro Hero4 and include some video and photo samples as well.

The post GoPro Hero4 Black Review: You're Not Ready for It appeared first on VR World.

Yes, you heard that right. Newegg’s Black November (because Black Friday and Cyber Monday aren’t enough) has given us a pretty awesome deal. This deal is for an Acer B286HK 28″ 4K monitor that can display 4K video at 60 FPS and does it over DisplayPort 1.2. This monitor’s original price was $699, which isn’t that bad for a 4K monitor, but there are others out there with arguably better panels and design than the Acer at that price.

However, at $349, there is no monitor on earth that can compete with a 28″ 4K monitor at that price. In fact, someone recently pointed out that 4K monitors are starting to sell at lower prices than 1440P monitors and for some reason they are easier to find as well. We can partially thank the Chinese panel manufacturers for that, and we can also thank the fact that 4K gaming is finally starting to take off and people just aren’t interested in 1440P as much as 4K.

The other great thing about this monitor is the plethora of connectivity that it supports, which includes DVI (DVI w/HDCP), MHL, Displayport(v1.2) and MiniDP. It also tilts, swivels and adjusts the height. So you could theoretically have three 4K monitors in portrait mode and not even spend $1,000 which is something that was unheard of until today’s Acer deal. In fact, the reality is that you can have 4K surround gaming with these monitors for under a grand and that’s about as much as it’ll cost you to run three Nvidia G-Sync monitors together.

It does only have a viewing angle of 170 (H) and 160 (V) which clearly indicates that it is not an IPS panel, very likely a TN, but at $349 nobody is going to complain about a 4K TN panel. There are plenty of people out there that would happily buy a TN 4K planel for $349 and I suspect that this monitor will very likely not last until Cyber Monday unless Newegg has some ridiculous amount on hand.

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Two new “stereophone” models are now available from Koss Headphones (KOSS), built from the ground up, for comfortably and portably enjoying music: the over-ear SP540, and the on-ear SP330. First seen at CES 2014, this duo features a smooth blend of comfort, design, and sound quality to enjoy at home or on-the-go.

The most prominent feature of this duo is its ear cup shape, which has roots in Koss’ Pro4AA and Pro4AAA models from the mid-1970’s. When the designers at Koss approached how to improve the music listening experience with the SP series, the “D” shape was a logical choice that was already successful throughout their history. Having a profile that more naturally forms with the human ear lends itself to better isolation, less pressure points, and an enhanced enclosure for delivering audio.

All materials used in the SP series design were chosen for specific functions. A majority of the body is made from a dense plastic blend, providing structure to areas that need to be rigid. The plastic has a soft coating for a smear-free surface and elegant feel. The hinges and internal frame, areas of constant wear and tear, are made of anodized aluminum to provide strength and improve lifespan. The headband and ear cups are lined with soft, breathable memory foam that properly contour a wide range of head shapes.

Somehow, Koss was able to combine all of these elements and still keep things lightweight and portable, even for the longest listening sessions. Let’s take a closer look at both models:

Koss SP540: the not-so-big big brother

At first, the circumaural SP540 seems to be the larger of the two, but both models take up roughly the same footprint. The earcups and headband are just full-size enough to create a proper seal around your ears. Factor in a weight of only 6.6 oz (187 g), and you have a pair that is both snug and comfy for long hours of wear.

Made of premium memory foam and protein leather, the SP540’s cushions are molded to gradually increase in density towards the back and bottom of the cup, evenly distributing pressure around the ear. The headband also has a strip of breathable memory foam inside, relieving further pressure. This result is a sound stage with a pronounced response and isolation.

The SP540 features Koss’ same PLX40 driver elements as their new BT540i Bluetooth model, which debuted earlier this Fall. According to an interview with Koss, the driver type and tuning is identical between the two models. However, the SP540’s improved seal and profile, as well as closer proximity to the ear, accentuates its low and mid-low frequency ranges.

This is especially noticeable for Pop, Hip Hop, and Electronic genres, but may slightly muddy up Rock, Jazz, and Classical tunes. High frequencies are crisp enough without being fatiguing, although vocals could be warmer at times. Overall, the SP540’s sound signature is colored for mainstream music enjoyment.

Koss SP330: soft, snug, and small

For those who prefer on-ear headphones, the SP330 shares the same passion for comfortable listening. Made with the same materials as its big brother, the SP330 also provides a massaged sound that’s great for hours on end. At 3.8 oz (107 g), it’s about half the weight of the SP540, and easy to forget that you’re wearing it at all.

On the end of its lightweight and rigid frame sits two soft ear “pillows”, embedded with the same memory foam and acoustic fabric. The D-profile also improves on-ear listening, forming a similar seal to enhance isolation and reproduction. Because the acoustic grill is situated right over the ear canal, some of our testers have experienced discomfort when accidentally pushing against the ear cup, forcing air into the ear.

Despite its smaller size (and consequently smaller drivers), the SP330 still delivers a rich soundscape similar to its big brother. Because of its isolation, listeners can still get the most out Koss’ PLX30 elements, which provide firm lows and ripe highs. In fact, the SP330 seems to have a better grasp on lower frequencies than the SP540, allowing just enough without dulling the mid range.

Both the SP330 and SP540 include a detachable 4-foot, 3.5 mm TRS cable that plugs into a recessed port on the left ear cup. All of this folds flat into a soft clamshell case, ready to go for its next session.

Continuing the legacy

“We take a lot of pride in meeting people who’ve used the Pro4AA that they’ve had for many decades,” recalls Michael Koss Jr, Marketing Director of Koss Corporation, “One of the things we thought of when designing [the SP series] was trying to ensure the same type of legacy with them, so that thirty years from now, folks could come up to us and say the same exact thing.”

“I think that’s what sets us apart as a brand. If you think about it, especially in consumer electronics, there’s not many products out there from 30 years ago that are still functional and operate well. So I’m very proud that we come out with products that can stand the test of time.”

While it may be early to tell if the SP series can withstand such a lifespan, Koss is confident that their new headphones are built to last, backing them up with a lifetime warranty. Reading reviews on Amazon and other retailer sites, the initial feedback of the SP series has been very approving, all pointing towards a true bang-for-your-buck experience.

At $129 and $149 USD respectively, the SP330 and SP540 delivers premium listening and comfort at surprising value.

The post Koss SP330 & SP540 Reshapes Music Listening appeared first on VR World.

TiVo went overboard with a new release. Appropriately named the TiVo Mega, its 24 terabytes can record more than 26,000 hours of television. If you need this product, you need to get a life. The storage space holds three years of programs. It will let you save, and forget to watch, more programs than ever before.

Those mega-thousands of hours are for SD recordings. If you want HD you’ll have to settle for only 4,000 hours. The Mega promises an all-in-one approach to live, recorded, on-demand, streaming services and web-based television. You’ll be able to get what you want anywhere you are with the free application for smartphones and tablets. It provides universal search across cable, video-on-demand and web apps including Netflix and YouTube. A personalized dashboard with recommendations based on your own previous choices could introduce you to programs you’d never considered before.

Sarah Renz shows how TiVo Central is used at Pepcom 2014.

Ira Bahr, TiVo CMO, says: “TiVo Mega offers more than twelve times the storage of any cable or satellite DVR. TiVo Mega is the solution for the power user who wants to record everything.”

The Mega won’t be available until 2015 with an anticipated price of $5,000. I suppose you could put an IOU under the Christmas tree. In the meantime, consider other choices in the Roamio series: TiVo Roamio, TiVo Roamio Plus, and TiVo Roamio Pro.

TiVo Roamio Pro

For less recording time and a smaller price, consider the Roamio Pro also cable enabled and priced at $599. With it, you have 450 hours of HD recordings or 3,000 hours of SD, which can stream to your iOS devices. You can record six shows at once which should keep you entertained or if you find you can’t sleep at night let it suggest what to watch.

If you are not into cable TV yet, why not consider Roamio OTA. Bahr reminds us: “Many top TV shows in America are available with a simple HD antenna.” For only 49.99, you can still record your favorite shows from ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, PBS, and Univision, check out the two-week program guide, and enjoy streaming apps such as Hulu Plus, Netflix and YouTube.

Roamio OTA can record four HD programs simultaneously and can hold 75 hours of future entertainment. You’ll need a broadband connection and you can add TiVo Stream for mobile streaming. Pick it up at select Best Buy stores

You’ll have to wait until November 25th to see just how well TiVo (NASDAQ: TIVO) is doing financially when they announce 3rd quarter results. Over the past 52 weeks, the stock has waived between $11.31-14.29. In case you want a few shares, be aware that individual investors only hold 20 percent of TiVo shares, the majority being in the hands of institutional investors.

The post Need to Record 3 Years of TV? TiVo Now Has Your Back appeared first on VR World.

We recently talked about the fact that DisplayPort would be transmitting over USB Type-C in a format called DisplayPort Alt Mode, well, now there’s announcement from MHL who is announcing a similar alternative solution. MHL is the mobile connectivity standard body that allows for mobile devices to connect to your TV or other HDMI-enabled devices while still being able to use one connector and deliver power to your mobile device. Currently, MHL 3.0 is capable of transmitting 4K video over a microUSB 2.0 to HDMI MHL cable and simultaneously delivering power to the device as well. This standard is specifically designed to work with TVs and HDMI ports as one of MHL’s biggest members is Silicon Image, who are also the co-creators of HDMI and MHL.

With MHL Alt Mode, there is now going to be the ability to use USB Type-C for MHL signaling, which means that signaling  standards like HDMI will be supported over USB Type-C, which isn’t necessarily unexpected considering that MHL had already achieved that in the past with an MHL 3.0 cable with a microUSB connector. The cool thing about USB Type-C, though, is that it enables powering of devices and HDMI signaling thanks to MHL Alt Mode. And because MHL Alt Mode and DisplayPort Alt Mode use exactly the same pins on USB Type-C you could theoretically have a device that supports both standards simultaneously without the consumer ever knowing. Obviously, that’s not going to be the case in most situations, but there’s a good chance that now DisplayPort can be transmitted over USB Type-C that MHL is going to have more competition than they did in the past.

Not to mention, DisplayPort is royalty free, unlike MHL or HDMI, which may end up being less costly solutions. But there’s no escaping the reality of HDMI and the fact that HDMI 2.0 is going to prolong the life of HDMI probably for another 10 years. MHL already has a fairly large 650 million device install base, with multiple SoC vendors building in MHL functionality directly into the SoC. So, clearly, there is still quite a bit of competition expected to exist between MHL and DisplayPort even though they both will likely use the same connector on most mobile devices in the future. In addition to that, MHL’s new USB Type-C MHL Alt Mode standard already supports HDCP 2.2 out of the box, which is going to be important for delivering protected content from a PC or a smartphone to a TV with HDMI. MHL also enables some really interesting use cases like docks that allow for you to dock your phone or tablet and then use it as a desktop with keyboard and mouse functionality being enabled by the MHL dock.

MHL Dock

The post MHL Alt Mode Enables HDMI Through USB Type-C appeared first on VR World.

Forward

On any film or TV set, those responsible for recording clean dialogue and sound effects are the production sound mixers. They use a plethora of carts and rigs to rack mount most large mixing equipment, and ideally have a boom operator and utility/assistant part of their team too. When productions need to be more mobile, especially for reality TV or documentaries, there isn’t enough space or time to manage a hefty cart setup.

Sound bags have been around for decades, housing all kinds of portable recording and mixing hardware. But until recently, they’ve all been missing one element — a solid internal frame. Bags would immediately flop over or lose balance when placed down, sometimes damaging the equipment inside. Moreover, having a properly balanced bag while harnessed reduces strain to the body.

Since last November, three manufacturers have stepped up to the plate: K-Tek, known worldwide for their boom poles, teased its Stingray, a self-supporting bag with plenty of room inside. When K-Tek presented its pre-production units in the following April, during the 2014 NAB Show, newcomer Orca Bags showed off its OR-30 line. PortaBrace, another widely-recognizable name, also introduced prototypes of their new AO series, with a firm internal frame.

For this review, we’ll be focusing on the Stingray and the OR-30, two models that are very close in features, but with different approaches. Location sound mixers, especially those who are working primarily out of bag, have all kinds of preferences. While there isn’t a perfect bag for everyone, both companies have been very attentive towards feedback from those working in the field.

We’ve been following both models from their beta stages to final release — which one will be the right choice for you?

Before we begin

The K-Tek Stingray, the first model of its kind to have a rigid frame, is an audio bag that is advertised to be built “by sound people, for sound people.” Up until K-Tek’s announcement, other big players like Petrol Bags and Portabrace weren’t offering much innovation, or even having a dedicated designer for audio products.

The Stingray is a triple-bay bag, with a dedicated first row for a mixer/recorder, and a row above for wireless receivers. A third row is placed on the outside, with a surrounding exterior frame that could be used to clip on more hardware. The bag stands tall and wide, with plenty of storage in its multi-layered side pockets.

The Orca system, managed by former executives of Petrol Bags, was initially presumed to be piggybacking on the demand aroused by K-Tek. First seen at NAB 2014, with its strikingly similar characteristics and features, down to its blue color scheme, Orca was an aggressive competitor from the start. Its design elements definitely has roots with Petrol, but with as many demanded features as they could fit inside a smaller form factor.

The OR-30 is a more compact solution, advertised for easier installation, that also has three bays. Its third row for wireless receivers is shared with its front storage pocket. More hardware can fit inside the included side pouches, which are familiar accent from Petrol. Batteries another other accessories are placed in the back, allowing for a balanced bag.

Both the KSRA1 and OR-30 are the companies’ smallest models, designed for smaller mixers and recording equipment. During this head to head review, we will be simulating both bags with the same configuration, that represents a median of many gear setups:

• (1) Sound Devices 633 Mixer/Recorder
• (2) Dual channel wireless receivers
• (2) Single channel wireless receivers
• (1) Wireless IFB transmitter (for directors to hear dialogue)
• (1) Pair of reference headphones
• (1) Battery distribution system with Lithium-ion NP1 battery
• All necessary power & signal cabling
• Third-party bag harness

Because the Sound Devices 633 has six inputs, we will test as if the rig was to be used in a wireless-only situation, without a hardwired boom microphone. One of the single channel receivers could be replaced by a boom mic, but this setup would illustrate a “fully loaded” configuration. We’ll also be assuming that all wireless transmitters, mics, expendables, and other accessories are kept in a separate container.

First glance

With both bags side to side, you can already see a visible difference in approach to the same solution. Sound professionals need a bag that is roomy and lightweight, but one that can support itself.

The KSRA1 is longer with a proportionate width and height, and about 2 inches taller. The OR-30 has smaller dimensions overall, but both bags have roughly the same empty weight. The OR-30 may be slightly heavier because of its additional external frame.

While the Stingray is supported by a single internal polygonal frame, the Orca utilizes both an internal and external exoskeleton to hold its shape. Upon closer inspection, both frames are made of aluminum surrounded by nylon fabric cushioned interiors, and scratch-resistant exteriors. Based on stitching style, QC labeling style, zipper source, molding technique, and packaging materials, both bags seem to come from a similar region in China.

Accessibility is key

During productions, when problems need to be solved, it must be done quickly. Being able to access, re-patch, and troubleshoot connections without fuss is very important to sound mixers. Looking at both bags, there are definite pros and cons to each design.

The Stingray uniquely relies on its zipping side doors for all installation and access. Those extra 2-2.5 inches of height means more room for excess cabling, NP-style batteries, and easing stress on bottom-exiting connections. This is crucial for mixers like Zaxcom’s MAXX, which has XLR inputs on its rear, and beneficial for bottom battery mounts on Sound Devices’ 633.

Each side door is also a dual pocket for all storage: one internal mesh for more important gear, and one external for accessories. The only other opening on the Stingray is a bottom flap for cabling, or access for hardware placed in the exterior bay. Both side doors have dual zippers too, with enough space to route hardwired input and output cabling.

Because the Stingray’s length is kept to a minimum, most side-exiting connectors will protrude past the internal framing, which means the cable end will sit up against the side doors. The doors are soft, which at least gives enough flexibility, but may not protect the connectors from bumps. This also may affect storage space in both pockets.

Orca’s compact OR-30, on the other hand, follows a more traditional design that addresses current demands. All four sides, including a bottom flap, are held together with zippers, velcro, and buttons, that fully open up for easy installation. Once the bag is zipped up, it becomes clear how compact the OR-30 really is.

Nearly all side connections are pressed up against the side doors, and the zipper side openings don’t offer easy access. Because of its limited height, users have found themselves making a balance between the 633’s knob reach and side panel access. This becomes very noticeable when trying to access the 633’s memory card door, which can only open about 45 degrees, even when completely opening the right flap.

There is enough space for excess cabling, but bottom-exiting connections may also sit against the bag floor. The OR-30 also has available “Orca-Lift” pieces that compensate for this, helping hold up recorders that have rear connections above the floor. However, using this piece may conflict with wireless receiver slots in the middle bay. With the 633, unless you’re using L-style batteries on the bottom, you’re better off using the included cushions instead.

The OR-30’s front pocket is dual layered, accommodating all storage, and is shared with the extra receiver slots. The back pocket is dedicated for an NP1 battery, but space is very tight, so it’s better for storage than powering your rig.

Overall, both bags accommodate this setup well, as long as your day is peachy and stable. But if there’s ever a quick re-patch or hardware swap needed, the Orca’s tighter spaces will require more attention, which potentially means more downtime.

When it comes to accessibility, the Stingray wins this round.

Compatibility

Both bags seem to hold the equipment comfortably, with sufficient access to the mixer knobs and buttons, and other hardware controls. The slots to hold wireless gear are roughly the same size and flexibility too, so fitting single or multichannel receivers is no problem. Both the 633 and MAXX are quickly compatible in the KSRA1, but the OR-30 requires extra installation and handling.

One more consideration is the third row placement. The Orca’s third row is shared with its front storage, so zipper folds may interfere with hardware controls. But it can at least fully zip closed, protecting the gear inside. With the Stingray, the third row is placed on the outside, protected by an exterior frame, but potentially more exposed to the elements.

The Stingray has a better chance of storing six wireless transmitters with accessories inside, compared to the Orca’s single front pouch. However, for this test, we’ll assume that the sound operator stores all of this in a separate case.

Because both models can fully support this setup without performance issues or modification, this round is a tie.

On the move

With sound bags, recordists have the flexibility of fitting into tight spaces or mobile situations where a cart setup may not be ideal. The good news is that the Stingray and Orca both have that covered. Any difference between the two comes down to personal preference.

The Stingray has handles that slide away when not in use, while the OR-30’s handles are secured by detachable plastic clips. Both bags also include a padded shoulder strap for easy transportation. K-Tek and Orca both also have harnesses available for their systems. But because we’re focusing on the bags for this review, we’ll be using a third-party Versaflex harness that is widely used by sound mixers.

Because of the Stingray’s added height, we needed to experiment more to find the right body placement when harnessed. The sweat resistant backside of the Stingray is concaved to accommodate a variety of recordists’ body types, without affecting hardware space inside. An outer mesh layer allows some airflow to keep the bag dry — a big plus for hot and humid climates.

With the OR-30, there is less surface area contacting the wearer, and it seems to keep a better self-balance. Even though the load weight of both bags is roughly the same, the Orca’s smaller footprint makes the rig feel more contained, closer to the body. This allows for more flexibility during long hours on foot.

Another consideration for the OR-30 is that it has a better chance of fitting inside a larger container, like a Pelican case, during transport. Most sound mixers travel with their bag as a carry-on or shouldered item, but this is an option nevertheless.

Both models are built for mobility, but the Orca’s compact size and balance makes it a winner in this category.

In a nutshell

The KSRA1 and OR-30 are both innovative and awkward in their own rights, approaching a market demand from different angles. However, what K-Tek and Orca Bags have contributed to the industry is a crucial first step in the right direction. A good sound bag, like any other valuable accessory, should not just contain your equipment, but continue to adapt to your changing needs.

To wrap up (or if you skipped all the way to the bottom), here are the top reasons to decide which of the two location bags to choose:

K-Tek’s Stingray KSRA1 and Orca Bag’s OR-30 are now available across the US. At around $300-350 USD, they aren’t cheap, but the premium features are ultimately worth the investment. There is no clear victor to this battle — but only the beginning of a competitive future.

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Additional photo cred. ToneMesa Inc.

The post Battle of the Blue: K-Tek vs Orca Bags appeared first on VR World.

Are you a frustrated Samsung customer? Annoyed by the lack of 4K content outside of Netflix? Well, DirecTV has your back, sorta. DirecTV (NASDAQ: DTV) is partnering up with Samsung (KRX: 005930) to release a bunch of UHD content for any and all Samsung 4K TVs released in 2014. These TVs already have DirecTV built into them and do not require a receiver be directly connected to them in order for them to receive TV service.

The real big deal here is not the built-in DirecTV service, which has been available for quite some time, but rather the fact that now DirecTV will be serving 4K video through their DirecTV Genie HD DVR devices to Samsung TVs in glorious 4K. This service currently only offers 19 films to consumers in UHD. Many of the films are remastered in 4K, but that doesn’t change the fact that Samsung’s 4K portfolio was close to nil when they launched these 4K TVs. Sony was the only place you could really get access to a sizable library of 4K content as Samsung only included 5 movies in their Samsung UHD Video Pack on a 1TB hard drive with their curved UHD TVs earlier this year.

Thankfully for Samsung owners, Netflix (NASDAQ:NFLX) already offers a pretty sizable library of 4K content including both House of Cards and Breaking Bad as well as a few remastered movies and nature films. The expectation is that Netflix’s library will continue to increase in order to stay competitive with all other streaming services and Amazon who will inevitably do the same. If you consider how fast 4K is gaining adoption, there’s a very good chance that if cable providers don’t get on the 4K bandwagon quickly they will be left behind by the streaming providers that are finding a way to deliver 4K to consumers quickly and effectively. There is already talk of Comcast’s 4K video service, which will also supposedly launch on Samsung first, but it remains to be seen if that will use Comcast internet service or Comcast cable service.

The 4K content wars are heating up, but most of the studios and Blu-Ray are still missing. The studios are missing a huge opportunity to capitalize on the high price of 4K TVs and use that to their advantage to charge higher prices for 4K mastered content. The biggest problem is that Hollywood seems uninterested in launching 4K content even though the market is starving for it globally. So, as a result, a lot of older content is getting remastered. And the interesting thing is, if you look at the newer content that is doing well and already 4K ready like Breaking Bad or House of Cards that is because both productions took production into their own hands and did things their own way. As a result, both of them shot their entire productions in 4K and are the premiere content for Netflix 4K.

The post DirecTV to Deliver 4K Content to Samsung Customers appeared first on VR World.

DJI has finally revealed their latest camera-laden drone after only just announcing the DJI Phantom 2 Vision+, that camera added the gimbal functionality as well as GPS tracking. The DJI Inspire 1 builds upon many of the innovations of the Phatom 2 Vision+ but completely abandons the overall body design of the drone and goes for a more professional look.

The new DJI Inspire 1 is the company’s first 4K drone and the first commercially available 4K drone, even though it does cost a hefty $2900, it is still fairly affordable when you think about the general price of 4K cameras (excluding the GoPro Hero4). Even if you do factor in the cost of a GoPro Hero4 you’re probably still looking at a drone + camera combination that will run you close to $1,500.

If you want to see some footage from the DJI Inspire 1, then you should watch the video below from DJI that introduced the DJI Inspire 1 and shows you all of the drone’s features and technologies.

And if you want to watch what you’re shooting in realtime, you can do so with the lightbridge feature of the DJI Inspire 1, which streams up to 720P footage to your tablet (iOS) via an application and will allow you to see what you’re shooting for up to 1 km away. In terms of storage, it supports up to 64GB (no 128GB support) SD/SDHC/SDXC Micro SD cards. It also supports the following video formats:
UHD (4K)：4096x2160p24/25，3840x2160p24/25/30
FHD：1920x1080p24/25/30/48/50/60
HD: 1280x720p24/25/30/48/50/60

For anyone looking to stream to a larger display, the remote control as a whole host of connectivity including HDMI, allowing you to possibly display to a TV rather than a small screen directly affixed to the remote. ANd yes, it does have full-size powered USB and microUSB as well.

The drone itself comes with a 4500 mAh battery at 22.8V which translates to a capacity of 99.9Wh , but there is also an optional extended life battery which is 5700 mAh at 22.8V which translates to a capacity of 129.96Wh or 30% better battery life for the drone.

The DJI Inspire 1 4K drone will be available from retailers like B&H Photo starting December 1st, and you can already pre-order them if you’ve got $2,900 burning a hole in your pocket.

The post The DJI Inspire 1, The World's First 4K Drone Announced appeared first on VR World.

Nvidia (NASDAQ:NVDA) reported fairly mixed numbers across the board for its fiscal Q3 2015 quarter, which is represented mostly by the calendar third quarter of the year.

In the third quarter, Nvidia reported a record $1.23 billion in revenues and profit of $173 million, which translates to an EPS of $0.31. This is compared to the previous quarter, where Nvidia saw $1.103 billion in revenue and $128 million in profit or an EPS of $0.22. Nvidia also improved over the same quarter a year ago even more significantly where that quarter only had $1.054 billion in revenue and $119 million in revenue  or an EPS of $0.20. Nvidia saw both revenue and profitability increase double digits for both quarter over quarter and year over year, which should make any investor in Nvidia very happy. The margins did slip almost a whole percentage point, but they also significantly improved revenue and profitability.

Nvidia’s revenue increase to $1.23 billion can be attributed to growth across the board for the company in multiple business segments. Revenue for its GPU business grew 13% from the previous quarter and notebooks grew 36%, fueled by the release of its new Maxwell GTX GeForce consumer cards and mobile gaming GPUs. Nvidia states that mobile gaming notebooks more than doubled from a year ago, indicating much stronger PC gaming growth than analysts had been dooming and glooming.

Tesla GPU sales increased strongly, representing another record quarter for revenue driven mostly by large project wins in GPU compute with cloud providers and government customers. The company also saw Quadro revenue continue to be strong, also helped along by its launch of the new Quadro line, including the K5200, which is squarely aimed at Adobe users. As a result, the whole business unit saw a 13% increase in revenue due to the Maxwell release and seasonal increase in consumer PCs, which is going to only continue into the next quarter.

Tegra processors grew 51 percent from a year ago, mostly led by automotive infotainment systems, mobile devices, embedded systems and SHIELD tablet sales. Automotive infotainment revenue alone nearly doubled year over year, which can strongly be attributed to Tegra’s renewed strength compared to last year. As a whole the business unit saw revenue go up 11% sequentially. Nvidia has won some seriously significant automotive design wins, including Honda and will create a very good baseline of sales for Nvidia in the Tegra business unit regardless of mobile device seasonality.

Nvidia also saw a $66 million license payment from Intel from their settlement and licensing agreement.

Nvidia guided its revenue to be about $1.2 billion, essentially flat with the last quarter. They also expect margins to stay about the same if not increase a bit from the last quarter and operating expenditures to increase slightly. Overall, next quarter should really be a fantastic one for Nvidia as it is traditionally the strongest quarter for most of their consumer products and they are currently putting the hurting on AMD in consumer GPU sales, they are also in the newly announced HTC Nexus 9, which means that Tegra shipments should be very good in the fourth quarter and should drive up its profitability in the business segment. Overall, Nvidia’s expectations for Q4 are very conservative and there’s a very good chance they will outperform significantly.

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In preparation for the holiday season, Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) has launched a new Amazon branded hardware product called Amazon Echo. Amazon Echo is a wireless Bluetooth speaker that also happens to be voice-activated and allows for almost entirely hands-free operation. The Amazon Echo is aiming to be a mixture between a persistent Bluetooth speaker and a home-hub where the whole family can use it to do a whole host of things.

The interesting part is that Amazon Echo does not merely operate as just a speaker like most wireless bluetooth speakers, Amazon is trying to make it the hub of the home with the voice activated commands and searches. With Amazon Echo, you can ask it questions or play back media from your devices but you can also, obviously, add things to your Amazon cart. After all, it wouldn’t be an Amazon product if you didn’t have a way to buy things on Amazon with it.

And in order to hear you clearly from anywhere in the room and to accurately understand what you’ve said to Amazon Echo, the company has put a 7 microphone array on the Amazon Echo in order to maximize sensitivity and noise cancelling. They call this feature their far-field voice recognition, but the reality is that it is really designed to do some serious noise cancelling and through that you can virtually pickup any voice in the room no matter how bad the noise. Additionally, it uses hot words to wake the device so that it only activates when you want it too, much like Google Now. In fact, this really appears to be yet another product of Amazon’s that is squarely a direct competitor to something that Google is already doing and the company doesn’t seem ashamed or scared of it either.

The best part of the Amazon Echo for Prime users is that if you sign up for an invite right now, you can actually get $99 off the price of the Amazon Echo, which is actually the price of Amazon Prime itself, making buying Amazon Prime and one of these a no-brainer. If you’re thinking about buying the Amazon Echo and don’t already have Amazon Prime, just sign up for Amazon Prime and then buy the Amazon Echo, you will have effectively gotten Amazon Prime for free. One of the most pressing questions, however, is what search engine is Amazon using and whether they’ve developed their own search/knowledge engine and whether they plan to compete with Google in that field as well. After all, voice is now becoming one of the primary methods of search after simple text entry.

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