Most of us, when flipping through fashion magazines, come across images that are either amazingly beautiful or catch our attention for some other reason. While many people know the famous faces in the pictures, far fewer know about the people behind the camera, but if you're interested in celebrity and fashion photography, there are a few names that you really should know.

Helmut Newton

His portraits of celebrities span decades, and he's known as one of the greatest photographers of all time. His work has appeared in magazines like Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, and Playboy, and it's known for its stylised look and the erotic subtexts that the pictures often have. Many photographers list Newton as someone who inspired them to enter the world of fashion photography.

Annie Leibovitz

Having spent much of her career as a photographer for Vanity Fair, Annie Leibovitz is one of the photographers whose work is easily recognisable, and she's even more of a household name thanks to the movie about her life and work, ‘Annie Leibovitz - Life Through A Lens'. Another reason why she's so well-known is that a number of her pictures have caused controversy in the past: a portrait of a pregnant, naked Demi Moore is one example, while a photograph of teenager Miley Cyrus apparently covered only with a sheet is a more recent example.

David LaChapelle

David LaChapelle's photographs tend to have a surreal look to them, and it might be this that makes his work so distinctive. He's also a renowned videographer, and is responsible for videos for songs as diverse as Blink 182's ‘Feeling This', Amy Winehouse's ‘Tears Dry on Their Own', and ‘Rich Girl' by Gwen Stefani and Eve.

Of course, everyone has their own list of photography greats. Take a look at some more and choose your own favourites.

The Orbitsound T12 v2 is a soundbar and subwoofer that produces an intense surround sound experience. The speaker system uses new technology to provide equal sound wherever it is positioned. The soundbar is a sleek device that can be mounted either above or below a television, as wires are needed to connect the audio. The subwoofer is rather large, and its glossy black casing can be distracting, but it's still a stylish looking component, and altogether the sound system produces high quality sound.

Audio quality wherever

The appeal of the Orbitsound T12 v2 is the fact that it doesn't need multiple speakers. It does the job effectively just from the soundbar and subwoofer. The speaker system consists of two technologies: Spatial Stereo and airSound, which allow the T12 v2 to emit the same level of sound wherever it's placed in the room. This new component allows easy installation and positioning, and a less cluttered home entertainment setup that produces the same quality as a more complicated home cinema product. The Orbitsound soundbar and subwoofer also cut energy consumption by 40 per cent due to the lack of additional speakers and devices, making it an eco-friendly product.

Controlling the features

The Orbitsound T12 v2 has a built-in docking station that's compatible with iPod and iPhone devices; even with the latest iPhone 4. The system comes with a remote that controls the soundbar, subwoofer and all docked products. It supports the latest high definition televisions via the digital input and it also has coaxial and optical audio inputs. The 3.5mm stereo jack permits the Orbitsound to be connected to laptops, CD players, computers, gaming consoles and MP3/MP4 players.

Price and use

The soundbar and subwoofer are easy to use devices with a supplied remote control and versatile placement qualities. Most importantly, they produce amazingly high quality audio for all kinds of uses, whether listening to music via the docking station or getting a cinematic soundtrack for movies. The Orbitsound T12 v2 provides stereo surround sound, and with airSound technology it enables viewers to get the same quality wherever they are. A couple of things it does lack are HDMI connectivity and wireless options, but it still manages to provide quality sound.

The Humax Foxsat HDR is a Freeview and Freesat player that provides users with up to 200 channels to choose from. One of the advantages of Freeview viewing is that there's no subscription or monthly fee; all that's needed is the player. It's able to record up 200 hours of standard television quality, and can store 80 hours of HD programming in the 320GB of internal memory. The Foxsat HDR has a reasonably attractive design, and it has an electric blue interface that pulls down to reveal the USB port, menu buttons and a smartcard slot.

Recording your favourite shows

The Humax Foxsat HDR has a variety of recording features that ensure your shows will be stored accurately. There's Series and Split recording, as well as Schedule tracking, which will keep check on your show in case it changes to a different day. Accurate Recording captures programmes from the start to finish, and Alternate Instances moves your scheduled show to another day if recording overlaps. The HDR is easy to setup and navigate through. It has an installation wizard which guides you through the setup, and once that's done, data is stored in a detailed layout. Media is transferred into files like video, music, photo and radio, so you'll be able to find data with ease.

Enhancing features

The Foxsat HDR has some interactive qualities as well. It can connect to your home network via its Ethernet port or wirelessly with an adapter. This Internet connection allows access to BBC iPlayer for even more programming options. If its 320GB of storage isn't enough, you can insert a flash stick into one of the two USB ports and store data on an external hard drive and connect it to the HDR. At the back of the Humax player there is an HDMI input which can support HD-ready outputs, along with Scart inputs, composite video, and a stereo audio output plus there's also an Ethernet port. Two LNB inputs and one output are also located here for connecting satellite tuners.

Getting more

The Humax Foxsat HDR provides you with more programming options and the ability to pause, rewind and fast forward live television. Its support for Freeview and Freesat+ allows for easier recording from broadcasters, and all at an affordable price. The HDR produces excellent visual quality as well as audio reception, and has an optical digital output which brings you Dolby Digital sound quality. The inclusion of Internet connectivity brings more versatility to the Foxsat HDR, especially with BBC iPlayer on board.

The Acer AT2356 is a 23-inch monitor that displays both HD-ready and Full HD quality. It's one of Acer's multiple use products, where the screen can be used for computing purposes or television viewing. It has an integrated DVB-T HD tuner that provides you with a variety of Freeview channels. The design isn't the best around, though, and the thick black plastic bezel makes it look outdated and rather cheap. The monitor is held up by a shaky-looking glossy stand, but it manages to keep the screen stable and does add a touch of style.

Getting to know the features

The Acer AT2356 is able to display 1080p resolution which will produce clear, crisp, detailed and vibrant pictures. But it's also able to portray other resolutions like 1080i, 720p, 720i and more that increase other features like the contrast ratio from 1,000:1 to 20,000:1 for deeper black levels. The AT2356 has Adaptive Contrast Management which allows you to adjust the colour settings for a more balanced and natural effect. There are also preset picture modes already available if you don't want to go through the hassle of changing the settings. It has a response time of 5ms which isn't the highest around, but it cancels out blur effectively and gets rid of the motion lag.

What to expect

The Acer AT2356 may sound like it has some enhancing features, but it is a budget monitor that does have its faults. Although the contrast ratio can be increased considerably, quite a lot of grey still seems to be an issue in dark scenes, but colours are still conveyed with excellent quality. The sound is also a problem as it lacks some much needed bass and treble, and comes off very one dimensional and flat. The Acer monitor has a few connections including two HDMI inputs, and can support Full HD viewing from a Blu-ray player, a VGA PC input, headphone jack or a coaxial digital output. The AT2356 also has a USB port, but unfortunately it's for service use only and not for transferring multimedia data.

Affordable and reliable

The Acer monitor has some nifty features like Freeview HD and contrast management. It's ideal for a small room where the quality can be appreciated, or can be used as a day to day computer with some built-in accessible programmes. The Acer AT2356 also has a seven-day electronic programme guide, letting you schedule and auto tune shows you want to watch. On the downside, though, the Acer monitor struggles with dark scenes, and has some problems with the sound even with Dolby Digital. But if you're looking for a budget monitor with versatile functions and Freeview HD, then the AT2356 is for you.

The newest portable MP3 player from Hisoundaudio is the Rocoo-A. It's a slim and smart portable music player that has loads of storage space and produces natural and balanced audio. The Rocoo-A has an efficient design, with rounded edges for it to be placed comfortably in a pocket or small bag. The OLED screen is protected at all times as it's positioned underneath a translucent part of the cover, and this keeps it free from dust and scratches. Under the single-colour screen is a rocker pad which controls volume and track changing.

Sound quality

The Rocoo-A draws it's name from its Class-A amplifier that accompanies the audio components, which provide users with high quality sound that has a deep bass which isn't too powerful, a high treble for clear listening, and mid-tones that keep the audio balanced. The Hisoundaudio MP3 player comes with a set of comfortable earphones that are specifically designed to bring out the best audio quality the Rocoo-A has to offer. The portable music player is able to support formats like MP3, WMA and WAV, and it connects to a computer via the mini USB port. It can also to record sound in WAV format.

Other features

The Hisoundaudio Rocoo-A portable music player comes with 4GB of internal memory, but there is a mini card slot which supports SD/SDHC and mini TFT cards. A maximum of 16GB can be added to the Mp3 player, so users will be able to enjoy 20GB of their favourite tracks. Apart from music, the Rocoo-A supports e-books, which can be transferred onto the player and selected in the menu. This function lets users bookmark their place in the book, and carry on exactly where they left off.

Ease of use

The Hisoundaudio Rocoo-A is extremely basic to use. Transferring data is simple and software installation isn't necessary, plus the MP3 player charges when the USB connection is enabled. It has a blue LED light on the side to indicate battery strength, and the power on/off button is positioned on the side as well. On either side of the rocker pad are two touch sensitive buttons: the play/pause function and the menu feature, which is specified by the letter M.

The Rocoo-A is a basic Mp3 player that produces high quality sound, has a lengthy battery life, is extremely portable with supplied earphones, and is set at an affordable price of £70.

The Genius G-Shot HD550T is a slim and sleek camcorder that offers 720p resolution quality. It records at 30 frames per second in H.264 (.MOV) format, which is compatible with both PC and Mac computers. The G-Shot has an appealing design, with a thin body that fits comfortably in your hand, easy to use buttons on the side and a 3-inch touch screen which isn't the most responsive, but still works effectively.

Basic features

The Genius G-Shot HD550T has a ½.5-inch CMOS sensor that records with 5 megapixel quality, and takes still pictures with a higher 12 megapixels. Colour recording on the Genius camcorder can be changed to black and white or sepia for a more artistic result, and there only four white balance options, but other than that the HD550T lacks manual adjustments. The lens is fixed focus so you won't have to fiddle around with trying to get a perfect shot, and this has its advantages, but the Genius camcorder lacks image stabilisation and only has a 3x digital zoom. On the upside, the G-Shot has easy to use menus that are displayed well, and offer functions like night mode, motion detection and exposure control. The camera mode provides features like a timer and continuous shooting.

Connecting storage

The Genius camcorder comes with two 32GB SD memory cards already inserted, so you'll have loads of storage space to fill up. The G-Shot HD550T has a USB 2.0 port for transferring data, along with a mini HDMI input with cable supplied, so you can connect to an HDTV to your videos. The camcorder also provides a composite analogue video input plus RCA audio input for better sound quality and a wider variety of connectivity options. The device comes with a lithium-ion rechargeable battery, but can also be powered by AAA batteries.

What to expect

The Genius G-Shot HD550T may be extremely basic to use, and the automatic functions make it an ordinary point and shoot camcorder, but the device has some serious drawbacks. It doesn't portray the best quality and produces a considerable amount of noise, especially in low light conditions. The LCD touch screen works fine, but doesn't have an anti-reflection shield so recording in direct sunlight may be an issue.

The main appeals of the G-Shot is its ease of capturing footage, an attractive look and an extremely affordable price of £93, but if you're looking for a more reliable camcorder with manual functions and higher quality, then the Genius HD550T isn't for you.

The DLA-HD990 is part of JVC's range of THX-certified projectors. It offers Full HD 1080p resolution for enhanced picture quality, and has a high contrast ratio and a fast refresh rate of 120Hz for detailed pictures with no noise distortion or motion lag. It's not the most attractive of projectors, with a standard boxed design and large lens, but the basic look keeps the distraction levels down, especially if the JVC DLA-HD990 placed on a table in front of you.

Getting to know the HD990

The JVC projector offers brightness levels of 900 lumens, which isn't that impressive in comparison with other projectors. But the DLA-HD990 produces extreme black levels with a contrast ratio of 70,000:1, which is amazingly high for a projector and provides less grey and more detail in dark scenes. This enhances the overall brightness by bringing out the lighter colours more - thanks to D-ILA technology - and creates an effective contrast between light and dark hues. The HD990 has preset original movie modes which can be adjusted with the on-screen gamma control, which lets you change settings for a more natural and realistic result.

Other features

The JVC DLA-HD990 has a 2x motorised lens with automatic focus for added sharpness when zooming in. It also has electronic lens shift which perfectly fits the display onto the screen without the hassle of manual adjustment. The lens has a cover as well that closes when the projector is switched off to protect it from dust and scratches. The HD990 has a HQV Reon-VX video processor which provides you with colour management options, a faster and clearer display and an overall more powerful and effective projector. It's also extremely quiet, with a noise level of only 19dB.

Connection and lamp life

The JVC DLA-HD990 doesn't have many connections, but it has the most important ones, including two HDMI inputs for connecting to a Blu-ray player or gaming console, an RS232 port, component video inputs and a computer port. It projects images with an aspect ratio of 16:9, and can display a picture up to the size of 200 inches with a throw distance between 12-19.9 feet. The HD990 comes with a three year warranty and an average lamp life of 3,000 hours. The THX certification equips the JVC projector with compatibility with a variety of formats and high quality signal processing.

The latest small and lightweight DLP pico projector from Optoma is the PK102. It's roughly the size of a deck of cards at 51×105x17mm, and only weighs 118g. The PK102 is extremely portable and can fit into your pocket for quick use, and is also durable enough to be carried in a bag or briefcase for business meetings and conferences. It displays images at a maximum resolution of 800×600 using the VGA adapter, so unfortunately doesn't support high definition content.

Portable features

The Optoma PK102 pico projector provides 20,000 hours of LED light from its lamp, and is equipped with a pretty high contrast ratio of 2000:1. It produces clear images with vibrant colours - which can be a tad oversaturated at times, though - and detailed shadowy areas for sharp and focused pictures. The PK102 is ideal for business use, but can also be used at home in a small room where it can portray a maximum screen size of 60 inches. It has 4GB of internal memory for storing presentations, pictures, movies and clips, and converts file formats like DivX, MPEG4 and WMV using the Optoma Pico Video Encoder.

Pico connections

The Optoma PK102 doesn't have many inputs and outputs, but there is a VGA input, USB port for transporting data and a composite video input with AV cables for connecting to a device with digital inputs. The Optoma pico projector doesn't produce the best sound, and it can be pretty soft at only 0.5 watts, so headphones or a connection to stereo loudspeakers is recommended. The PK102 is easy to use as well, there is a focus dial for setting clearer images, and a menu button for volume adjustments and on-screen navigation.

What to expect

The Optoma PL102 is a smart and sleek rectangular shaped pico projector. The device comes with ArcSoft Media Converter 3 software, which is needed for converting media files into formats the PK102 will support. The Optoma pico projector can be configured with your iPod or iPhone, but the required cables for this aren't supplied. One of the main flaws of the PK102 is its short battery life of only one and a half hours, barely long enough to get through a movie. But it produces clear visual quality, and although it lacks some punch on the audio side, that can be remedied with connected speakers.

The Toshiba DR20 is a DVD recorder with a built-in Freeview tuner. It has a plain design with a black casing and slanting interface for minimum distractions, plus there's a small screen with a disc tray next to it. The DR20 is able to support various CD and DVD formats, including DivX and MPEG4, from external hard drives. The DVD player is a hard disk recorder, so movies and TV shows can all be recorded to the device and stored in the internal memory.

Basic features

The Toshiba DR20 is a pretty basic DVD recorder. It's easy to use and navigate with the on-screen menus, plus it can be configured with Regza Link, which lets you programme the remote control to work with other devices for less clutter and simpler use of your home entertainment setup. The integrated Freeview HD tuner lets you enjoy up to24 international radio stations and 50 digital channels without a subscription or monthly fees. The Toshiba DR20 recorder displays footage with 1080p quality, and it can also upscale your DVD collection to high definition quality. It supports Dolby Digital and DTS Master for clear, crisp and loud audio displays.

Supported connections

The Toshiba DR20 has an HDMI input for connecting to your HDTV, and it also helps in upscaling standard quality content. The DVD recorder also consists of component video and digital audio outputs, plus there are two Scart ports. Unfortunately there isn't a USB 2.0 port for transporting external data, but the DR20's compatibility with most of the disc formats make watching external footage easy. It supports MP3 music files for making playlists, and JPEG photo files for viewing your holiday picks in a fun slideshow.

Get more channels

The main appeal of the Toshiba DR20 is its Freeview tuner. It provides you more viewing options and better quality from HD material. An Internet connection would have been nice, but the DR20 lets you watch anything from all kinds of disc formats, making it a versatile product to add to your home entertainment setup. It displays good audio quality from high definition formats, but stereo loudspeakers can be added to produce a surround sound effect.

This Toshiba DVD recorder has a maximum recording time of 8 hours if you need the time, and it's able to pause, rewind and fast forward TV. The DR20 is a reliable and extremely affordable device for what it offers.

Introducing one of the latest AV receivers from Denon - the AVR-1911. The device supports 3D sound, which reduces noise distortion for clear and crisp audio from Blu-ray players, gaming consoles and set-top boxes. It's a 7.1 channel AV receiver with an on-screen display, sleek and modern design, and a full yet easy to use remote control which has Glow lighting so you can see the buttons in the dark. It has a USB port on the front which your iPod and iPhone can be plugged into so you can enjoy your favourite tracks.

Getting high quality audio

The Denon AVR-1911 supports 3D video and 3D surround sound that produces a cinema-like experience. The AV receiver provides users with 1080p resolution and also upscales the video and audio components of standard quality material to HD. It supports formats like Dolby TrueHD, DTS Master Audio and other HD audio codecs, and the AVR-1911 also produces high quality frontal sound from Dolby ProLogic IIz. The model has analog to HDMI conversion, Deep Colour displays, x.v. Colour, Audyssey, Auto Lip Sync and an audio return channel for more functions and broader use.

Connections galore

The Denon AVR-1911 is covered with inputs and outputs to extend the AV receiver's quality to other external devices. It has four HDMI 1.4 inputs and one output, a USB port, headphone jack, an S-Video input, optical and coaxial inputs and a variety of speaker connections for an intense surround sound setup, plus a subwoofer input. It has easy to use touch sensitive buttons on the interface, along with a volume tuner and source select wheel. The seven channel AV receiver produces 125W per channel and offers low power consumption when in standby mode.

Enhancing the sound

The AV receiver produces high quality audio and will suit any home entertainment setup. It enhances the sound and video with its upscaling capabilities, and supports the majority of HD codecs and processors. The Denon AVR-1911 offers 3D support for more exciting viewing, and the surround sound features bring the cinema straight to your living room. It has a modern design with a rich black finish, air vents on the top to stop over-heating and an on-screen display which makes the seven channel AV receiver easier to understand and use.

Sony are looking to revolutionise the way gamers play multiplayer in split-screen forever. The new patents they have added will not only boost 3D gaming, but also change the way people watch 3D TVs. The patents submitted by Sony will see people in the same room watching two different things on one 3D display, which could also end those arguments over the TV in the house.

How it will work

The new patents which have been submitted by Sony are looking to change the current left view/right view associated with 3D TVs to left screen/right screen. This does mean that the display will not be in 3D when viewing the split screen, but is surely going to distract those cheaters who look at other people's screens while playing video games. The first patent submitted by Sony deals with stereoscopic screen sharing, while the second patent deals with 3D shutter glasses with mode switching based on orientation to the screen.

What lies ahead

There currently aren't any indications of when the new technology will be integrated into Sony's 3D TVs. However, consumers who have already purchased 3D displays will have missed out on the new exciting tech. The possibilities with regards to improving 3D home entertainment seem endless and after Sony release their revolutionary 3D displays it will only be a matter of time before subscription services also introduce a new possible form of digital video recording, allowing even more channels to be viewed at once, while others are recorded.

It definitely seems that Sony isn't paying attention to anything negative currently being said about 3D gaming and are looking to bolster their 3D package even further. However cool the new 3D technology is, it is still new emerging tech which will still take some time before becoming a standard in people's homes.

If you're looking for a new LCD monitor, but don't want to splurge on an expensive product, then the BenQ G2222HDL is for you. It's a 22-inch LCD monitor that uses LED backlighting technology to enhance the colours and details of images. It's equipped with Full HD quality and is eco friendly too, promising a decrease of 36 per cent in power consumption, while the panel is mercury free. The G2222HDL doesn't have a very exciting design, though, and it looks like any other LCD monitor, with a black glossy frame and stylish stand.

On-screen displays

The BenQ G2222HDL produces reliable images that are attributed with high definition resolution. The LCD LED monitor displays footage in 16:9 ratio and has a very high contrast ratio of 5,000,000:1, so you can expect dark and rich black colours that are full of sharpness and detail. But these dark colours may become too powerful at times, and make the picture too dark to see. The G2222HDL has a fast 5ms response time so there shouldn't be any blur or motion lag in fast paced pictures. On the audio side, you'll have to connect some speakers if you want sound, as the BenQ G2222HDL doesn't have any speakers.

Settings

One of the main attractions of the BenQ LCD LED monitor, besides its price, is its ease of use. It has touch sensitive buttons on the panel that are used for adjusting basic settings like brightness and contrast. The on-screen menus are simply displayed and identified, so you won't have to navigate your way through countless menus to find the function you need. In the menus you can find five pre-set modes thanks to six calibration techniques and Senseye technology. The pre-set modes include Game, Photo, sRGB, Standard and Movie. They automatically adjust settings so you get accurate displays every time.

Worth the price

The BenQ G2222HDL LCD monitor is ideal for use as a PC display, or as a small TV screen that can be placed in a bedroom or kitchen. It's aimed more for gaming and computing due to its fast response time, but movies can be watched on it as well, as long as you remember to get external speakers. There are only DVI and VGA inputs on this monitor, and it lacks connections like an HDMI input and DisplayPort.

The G2222HDL is a basic LCD LED monitor that doesn't have fancy features and countless inputs. Rather, it's a reliable product that displays high quality images, and at a low price of £120, it's good value for money.

The latest pocket camcorder from Samsung is the HMX-U20. It's a smart, sleek and lightweight camcorder that records footage with Full HD quality. Probably the most interesting feature is its curved design that's meant to fit more comfortably in your hand. The device has a 7-degree tilt for easier, more stable and less clumsy recording. The camcorder has touch sensitive buttons on the back, a 2-inch LCD colour screen, and a one-touch upload button for interactive services.

Familiar features

The Samsung HMX-U20 doesn't have the most exciting features. There's the HD quality which provides excellent colour and detailed images, and the 3x optical zoom lets you get a closer look at subjects. The camcorder also has Hyper Digital Image Stabilisation which helps reduce the affects of camera shake and record fast paced videos. The HMX-U20 uses a ½.3 inch sensor, so it can be used as a camera too, taking still pictures with a maximum of 10-megapixel quality, and all data can be stored on an SD/SDHC card slot as there's no internal memory.

Advanced functions

The Samsung HMX-U20 has smart mode which automatically chooses the correct scene from six different modes and adjusts the settings for accurate exposure. It also has Time Lapse Recording that lets you get more creative. This function involves taking pictures of an object at set intervals, then meshing them together into a video and producing a fast-paced movie. The HMX-U20 has a built-in USB arm that folds out from the side, so you don't have to carry around a separate flash stick or cables. When connecting to your PC, the camcorder automatically charges from the USB. The Samsung camcorder has a one-touch button that directly uploads your videos to sites like YouTube.

The nutshell…

The Samsung camcorder has one HDMI and composite input for connecting to your HDTV for better quality playback. It's a reliable camcorder that's thin and portable for fast and effective use. The HMX-U20 is a pretty basic camcorder, and does lack manual functions, flash and an external microphone, but the curved camcorder produces reliable footage.

Introducing two new Blu-ray recorders from Panasonic: the DMR-BW880EBK and DMR-BW780EBK. Both recorders have built-in Freeview+HD tuners for more programming options and better quality. They can both record two channels at same time and let you watch a third with the ability to pause, rewind and fast forward live TV. The only real difference between these two Blu-ray recorders is the hard disk space; the DMR-BW880EBK has 500GB of storage, whereas the DMR-BW780EBK only has 250GB. The design is very similar too, with a plain slim look with an LCD screen.

More quality with Blu-ray

Blu-ray quality brings Full HD 1080p resolution to your home, and produces sharper images that are filled with vibrant colours. The Panasonic Blu-ray recorders do just that, and can also upscale DVD standard from 1080i to 1080p. The DMR-BW880EBK and DMR-BW780EBK are equipped with PHL Reference Chroma Processor Plus which reproduces movies without losing any of the quality from the big screen. When recording content onto your HDD, the recorders convert data from standard DR mode into high definition modes like HG, HL, HE, HX and HM, producing better viewing from recorded footage. There is also an SD card slot for enjoying pictures from your camera or camcorder as it supports H.264, AVCHD and JPEG formats.

Multimedia options

By connecting to the Internet and accessing Viera Cast, the Panasonic Blu-ray recorders can provide videos from sites like YouTube and pictures from Picasa. The latest news from the business world is available on Bloomberg, while international news and weather forecasts can be viewed on Tagesschau. BD Live may also be entered to play games over the Internet and download streamed content. The BW880 and BW780 are also DLNA-compatible, so data can be accessed from your PC or gaming console.

Sound

The Panasonic Blu-ray recorders decode HD Audio codecs like Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio Essential, and have a maximum output of 7.1 channels. They provide a surround sound experience and can be hooked up to additional stereo loudspeakers for added effect that will bring the cinema to you. The High Speed Copying functions can rip virtually all CD and DVD formats for broader options, and files are stored in the recorders' library. The graphical user interface is easy to use on both recorders, and there are remotes provided for navigating your way through settings and playlists.

These Blu-ray recorders are available in stores now, and are pretty reasonably priced.

Virgin Media is looking to bolster its subscription package through the announcement that they will be including Sky Sports HD from 2 August. Film 4 HD is also now exclusively available on the same Virgin subscription service.

A bolt-on fee

Sky Sports 1 HD and Sky Sports 2 HD will be made available to subscribers at a bolt-on subscription fee of £7 per month. Viewers will now be able to experience some of the best in sporting events in high definition such as Premier League football, cricket and rugby. However, that's not all subscribers will abe given access to. They can also look forward to Sky Premium HD channels such as the Sky Movies HD package, BBC, ITV1, FX, Eurosport and SyFy all in HD.

Even more HD channels

The new deal entered into by Virgin Media will also see Sky 1 HD and Sky Arts HD as part of their upcoming HD offering. In expressing Virgin Media's delight at what they'll be offering viewers, Cindy Rose, executive director of digital entertainment said, ‘As the new home of HD telly, we’re delighted to bring our customers Sky Sports in HD at incredibly competitive rates. With the rapid growth of HD content, customers are demanding more and more from their TV service, and with our growing range of HD channels and on demand content in HD, Virgin Media is the best place for the whole families’ entertainment needs.'

When the new HD channels are finally made available, the Virgin subscription service will also be offering 30 HD channels to subscribers. This is all good news for viewers who will now not only be offered the best in television entertainment, but the best in high definition television entertainment, too. Virgin Media will now likely be gaining some ground over competitors like BT, who are currently still touting their standard definition Sky Sports package.

The latest compact digital camera from Olympus is the rugged and durable Stylus Tough 3000. The small camera is perfect for enjoying the great outdoors, and captures adrenalin pumping action with quick shots that are clear and crisp. The Stylus Tough 3000 comes in red, blue, turquoise and pink and has a 2.7-inch LCD screen to display all your shots. The Olympus camera has a pretty original design with a large flash and easy to use compact navigation keys for accessing the menu and adjusting settings.

Smooth features

The Olympus Stylus Tough 3000 has a 3.6x optical zoom which isn’t the best around, but its capability of shooting in rugged terrain makes it worth your while. It captures pictures with 12-megapixel quality and has dual image stabilisation for cancelling out the effects of camera shake and motion blur. It can be set to manual mode, where the shutter speed, aperture and exposure are all adjustable, or you can set it onto Intelligent Auto mode which assesses the surroundings, chooses a specific scene mode and changes settings automatically to produce perfect pictures every time. Capturing motion is also a breeze with AF tracking, or you can record movies with 720p quality and upload them onto sites like Facebook and YouTube.

The rugged outdoors

The main appeal of the Olympus Stylus Tough 3000 is its ability to shoot in rough conditions without getting damaged. It’s fully waterproof and can take photos up to a depth of 10 feet underwater. The Tough 3000 is also shockproof and is able to remain usable after being dropped from a height of five feet thanks to its shock absorbing technology. If you’re planning on going on a skiing holiday, the 3000 is perfect. It can produce reliable photographs in temperatures of -14F/-10C degrees, and will capture fast paced snow-boarding and skiing with detail. The Tough 3000 is ideal for outdoor scenery and landscapes are no exceptions â€" the camera’s Panorama mode lets you capture a broader image of your surroundings no matter where you are.

Getting creative

The Olympus Stylus Tough 3000 has a four filter modes: pin-hole, sketch, fish-eye and pop-art. These filters allow you to get creative with photography and have fun with the camera in every condition. It comes with 1GB of internal memory which is plenty for storing both videos and stills, but an SD/SDHC card slot is available if more space is required. The compact digital camera is perfect for the adrenalin junkie as it’s capable of shooting in every environment, and sharing footage with family and friends is easy with the mini-HDMI input and USB 2.0 port.

Introducing the latest DLP projector from Samsung - the SP-A600B. The oddly designed product has an oval shape, is black and glossy, plus it has a large lens and little feet for stability, and it also has the trademark electric blue light that we've come to expect from Samsung. It's a pretty big home cinema projector and has some original features like its Full HD 1080p resolution quality, preset modes for easy and quick settings that produce perfect viewing, and a variety of connection ports for external devices.

Quality of viewing

The Samsung SP-A600B doesn't have the greatest brightness and contrast specs, with only 1000 lumens and a contrast ratio of 3000:1. But the projector manages to display rich black colours that work well in shadowy scenes, and produces vibrant colourful images which are natural and crisp. One of the main features of the SP-A600B is its ability to withstand Blu-ray quality at 24 frames per second for a higher viewing standard and better quality all round. Some judder may be experienced, though, and the dreaded rainbow effect is noticeable at times, but these flaws are minimal and scarce. The projector has a 1.3x zoom but unfortunately lacks a lens shift, so getting the screen just right might take some adjusting and patience.

Using the machine

Changing settings is easy and basic thanks to the easy to use remote control and on-screen menus. There isn't any film mode, a feature that has become pretty popular on other projectors, but there are some preset video modes that can be tweaked to your liking and saved for future reference. The Samsung SP-A600B can be placed up to 7 feet away thanks to the lens zoom, where it can screen an image 56 inches in size. The projector's remote control is small and extremely easy to use, with functions inscribed above the buttons, but it would have been improved with a backlight for simpler use in dark conditions.

Connecting it up

At the back of the Samsung SP-A600B is a receded area where the connection inputs are placed. This is a bit of an awkward position because of the roundness of the projector, but it's easily accessible enough. There are two HDMI inputs for external connections and upscaling DVD quality to Full HD standard, component and composite video inputs, an RS232 port, S-Video input and an analogue input. Unfortunately you're not going to find any stereo jacks for improved sound or a USB port for viewing external data.

Besides its odd shape and a few quality flaws, the SP-A600B offers Blu-ray standard viewing for high definition displays.

Introducing the latest DLP projector from Samsung - the SP-A600B. The oddly designed product has an oval shape, is black and glossy, plus it has a large lens and little feet for stability, and it also has the trademark electric blue light that we've come to expect from Samsung. It's a pretty big home cinema projector and has some original features like its Full HD 1080p resolution quality, preset modes for easy and quick settings that produce perfect viewing, and a variety of connection ports for external devices.

Quality of viewing

The Samsung SP-A600B doesn't have the greatest brightness and contrast specs, with only 1000 lumens and a contrast ratio of 3000:1. But the projector manages to display rich black colours that work well in shadowy scenes, and produces vibrant colourful images which are natural and crisp. One of the main features of the SP-A600B is its ability to withstand Blu-ray quality at 24 frames per second for a higher viewing standard and better quality all round. Some judder may be experienced, though, and the dreaded rainbow effect is noticeable at times, but these flaws are minimal and scarce. The projector has a 1.3x zoom but unfortunately lacks a lens shift, so getting the screen just right might take some adjusting and patience.

Using the machine

Changing settings is easy and basic thanks to the easy to use remote control and on-screen menus. There isn't any film mode, a feature that has become pretty popular on other projectors, but there are some preset video modes that can be tweaked to your liking and saved for future reference. The Samsung SP-A600B can be placed up to 7 feet away thanks to the lens zoom, where it can screen an image 56 inches in size. The projector's remote control is small and extremely easy to use, with functions inscribed above the buttons, but it would have been improved with a backlight for simpler use in dark conditions.

Connecting it up

At the back of the Samsung SP-A600B is a receded area where the connection inputs are placed. This is a bit of an awkward position because of the roundness of the projector, but it's easily accessible enough. There are two HDMI inputs for external connections and upscaling DVD quality to Full HD standard, component and composite video inputs, an RS232 port, S-Video input and an analogue input. Unfortunately you're not going to find any stereo jacks for improved sound or a USB port for viewing external data.

Besides its odd shape and a few quality flaws, the SP-A600B offers Blu-ray standard viewing for high definition displays.

In what was an expected move given Nintendo's criticism of 3D gaming for larger consoles, Nintendo has totally rubbished claims that the new Nintendo Wii console, which has been called the Wii 2, will feature any form of immersive gaming technology.

Not enough 3D TVs to build 3D Wii 2

Nintendo's general manger Shigeru Miyamoto recently made the statement that 3D just isn't in Nintendo's plans for the foreseeable future given the infancy of lack of 3D TVs in people's homes at the moment. Miyamoto seems to be making a valid claim on a technology which is still very new and, as a result, expensive - leading to slow sales. Sony has, however, not been bothered by the lack of 3D displays in people's households as 3D gaming has been given as an added extra to the current owners of the Sony console which they've experienced great success with for the past few years. In the interview Miyamoto said, 'For [3D in] the living room, you would need a 3D TV and it will take some time before enough households have 3D TVs… I do not think this next step will be ours.'

All dependent on 3D adoption rates

Nintendo President Satoru mentioned that Nintendo would consider 3D consoles for gaming if the adoption of 3D TVs hits 30 per cent. However, adoption rates for 3D displays are unlikely to hit 30 percent before the Nintendo Wii 2 is released, meaning it will still be a while before gamers can experience 3D gaming the Nintendo way on larger screens.

Nintendo is looking to play it safe when it comes to 3D gaming for gaming consoles and it seems that we will only see a 3D Wii once 3D home entertainment has becomes established. This means that it could still be a while before the gaming giant releases anything 3D-related aside from the Nintendo 3DS which people worldwide can't wait to get a hold of.

Taiwanese company Aiptek have released the first 3D camcorder. Recording movies has never been more exciting with this new technology that lets users play back videos in 3D without the need for those irritating glasses. The Aiptek 3D camcorder has a 2.4-inch LCD screen with easy to use buttons underneath, and an ergonomic design that fits comfortably in your hand. The little camcorder is durable, compact and can be transported easily thanks to its tough casing.

How it works

The Aiptek 3D camcorder has dual 5-megapixel CMOS sensors that record two visuals at the same time in 640×720 resolution. When the recording is stopped, these two visuals merge together to produce a 3D effect with high definition 1280 x 720 quality. The camcorder can shoot still images with 3D-HD quality too, and the easy to use buttons ensure accessing these features are just one touch away.

Watching the playbacks

Footage is recorded in MP4, which is compatible with all 3D TVs. Videos can also be watched on an HDTV, PC or Mac and the HDMI input lets you hook up the camcorder to a TV easily, while the built-in USB lets you connect to your PC. Watching the playbacks does require you to wear 3D glasses, while 3D TVs use Active Shutter glasses. The camcorder comes with supplied software to be installed for viewing the 3D effects on a non-3D device, and videos can now be transported onto YouTube, who support 3D material. The latest Nvidia graphics card supports all 3D footage, and lets you enjoy movies, games and other entertainment in 3D.

Recording images

The Aiptek 3D camcorder lets you record in 2D as well. The camcorder doesn't come with any internal memory so it needs an SD card to store all data. It takes up to 32GB of storage, and at least 1-2GB of RAM is required when editing and playing back on your PC. The new camcorder offers HD ready quality and comes with an incorporated mic for high quality audio recording. The 3D camcorder is an awesome gadget to have, it has a sporty look that's portable and easy to function.

If you've just bought a new Blu-ray player, and you're not quite sure how to use it, here's help. This simple guide will take you through your Blu-ray player's features, and help you make the most of them.

Hardware profiles

A Java programme called BD-J is responsible for your Blu-ray player's interactivity. Not all Blu-ray players are compatible with all of the BD-J features, though. Nevertheless, all Blu-ray players can access the supplemental materials that come with a DVD - including documentaries, commentaries and deleted scenes. But you'll need your Blu-ray player to have a higher ‘profile' (better hardware) for interactive features that are more advanced. Top Blu-ray players are Profile 2.0 (BD-Live), which will give you an Internet connection and 1 GB of storage space. So look out for that when you're choosing your player.

Graphics and Bonus View

Any BD-J programmed Blu-ray player can overlay images or graphics over a moving picture, which, at their most basic, will give you access to pop-up menus, appearing in real time - not possible with DVD. Bonus View (Picture-in-Picture, or PiP) allows you to play live video (including audio) while you play your movie. This is most often used to access video commentary while you watch your Blu-ray disc. With the Maximum Movie Mode on Watchmen: Director's Cut, the film's director appears on-screen, while the movie continues on one side, and behind-the-scenes footage plays on the other.

Some drawbacks

You might find your Blu-ray player has some drawbacks, no matter how high its profile. Most are simply minor nuisances, but they may take away from your viewing experience. One example of a drawback is the fact that Java-enabled discs often load slowly, while doing fine on your PS3. One example of a Java-driven disc is Ratatouille - when watching the movie, be prepared to wait a few minutes for the menu to load. Another annoyance occurs when you come to audio in PiP content: for PiP content to play with audio, you'll have to set your Blu-ray player to decode all audio.

Canon UK has announced that for the second time consecutively they will be sponsoring The Times newspaper's quest to find the The Times Young Photographer of the Year.

Eye on the prize

The competition, looking to find the UK's best young photographer, is now in its ninth year. The winner secures a six-month placement with The Times, including training in photojournalism. The winner also receives the much prized EOS 5D Mark II Canon camera body with two impressive lenses and a Canon 580EX II Speedlite flash, while the six finalists win a membership to the British Press Photographers Association for a year.

‘A fantastic experience'

Matthew Lloyd, last year's winner of The Times Young Photographer of the Year, described working for The Times as a ‘fantastic experience', in which he was allowed ‘the freedom to do the job and shoot creatively whilst gaining invaluable support and feedback from the team there'. In a press release, he gives this year's entrants some tips: ‘ask others to take a look at the photos you are thinking of entering and get as much experience as you can and try to understand the industry'.

A launching pad for a successful career

Picture Editor of The Times Paul Sanders says: ‘Winning this competition has become one of the most prestigious prizes for young photographers; it has a proven pedigree of placing young talent in a position to fulfill their dreams. Each of the previous winners has gone on to launch very successful careers in news photography. With the continued support of Canon we are able to offer even greater support to the winner to establish themselves as professional photographers.'

Get involved now

This year's The Times Young Photographer of the Year contest was launched on July 16th, and runs until August 31st. Judging will start in September, when six finalists will be selected to complete an assignment for Sanders. It's not too late to enter, so get your best photographs ready now.

Visit Young Photographer of the Year for more information.

Childhood obesity is a major health concern in developed countries and for many years video games were considered a major culprit. But the time when ‘video gamer' was synonymous with ‘couch potato' is long gone. The new phenomenon of ‘exergames' has brought video gamers back onto their feet, swinging their Wii remote controls to manipulate visuals on screen. Of course, this activity has not been open to visually impaired people up to now, but a new game using audio feedback is getting blind children moving as well.

Obesity and blindness

Exergames have been a useful tool in the fight against obesity, especially among children who tend to be less active outdoors. So far, however, visually impaired children have been left out of the new gaming phenomenon even though they are more likely to need alternative fitness solutions.

Blind people are more likely to suffer from obesity because the risks of injury during exercise are so much higher. And for this reason exercising might have an unpleasant association for blind children. Creating fun yet safe physical activities is an important part of promoting good health for visually impaired people. And it is important to start young.

Video game for the blind

Now blind sports and exercise programmes can include fun video games in their daily routines. The blind game creators have adapted Nintendo Wii's sports games to produce VI Tennis and VI Bowling. Instead of relying on visual cues as ordinary video games do, these games use audio and vibrotactile feedback to direct movement and voice prompts to communicate scores and results.

A study measured the level of energy output and confirmed that this blind game is and effective tool to help visually impaired children become more physically active.

The future of gaming

It may be interesting to see what potentially new areas of gaming this adaptation moves into. Drawing on listening skills rather than vision may open up some interesting new avenues in the gaming field. Using all the physical senses is increasingly important in creating a believable virtual reality experience. So perhaps the value of these new games for the blind will extend beyond their impact on fitness and health.

Cartridges have been an important part of gaming for a very long time, and many gamers can’t imagine gaming - particularly with Nintendo - without them. Gaming analyst Michael Pachter, however, says that the gaming manufacturer may soon be taking advantage of new innovations and getting rid of the cartridge format entirely. Could the 3DS be the last of its kind?

All about the 3DS

The Nintendo 3DS is a pretty advanced console for one using technology that is supposedly becoming outdated fast. For those who aren’t familiar with it, the 3DS offers handheld 3D gaming without the glasses - now that’s moving with the times. It has wireless connectivity and a touchscreen, and uses the usual handheld Nintendo console dual-screen format that fans love. Many of those fans wouldn’t change a thing - for now.

New technology

Apple has led the way by showing the efficiency of a download-only format - making cartridges look cumbersome and simply unnecessary. ‘Think of the iPod for example,' Pachter suggested to those who weren’t yet quite convinced. Cheaper flash technology is also likely to be a contributing factor, but even that may become obsolete with time and new innovations.

Nostalgia value

So, is there any chance of cartridge games hanging on for a while longer? There just might be, if loyal fans of the Nintendo 3DS and games like it have anything to do with it. Many gamers still prefer the permanence of having a physical copy of their game. Many feel that they’re getting more for their money with a cartridge rather than a downloaded game, but time will tell whether this view changes. What do you think - is it time for the big change from cartridge format to purely digital?

California State Senator Leland Yee has announced that the state of California's arguments that support a ban on the sale of violent games to minors is being filed. It's expected that oral arguments regarding the US bill will be heard this autumn.

Protecting America's youth

In a prepared statement, Yee said, ‘I am hopeful that the Supreme Court will help us give parents a valuable tool to protect children from the harmful effects of excessively violent, interactive video games,' Yee said in a prepared statement. ‘The Supreme Court has never heard a case dealing with violent video games, and considering the precedent set by the high court, I am confident that they will uphold our law as Constitutional,' he concluded.

What the bill entails

The US bill doesn't only cover gaming, but extends to states being able to limit any access that minors have to pornography, tobacco and alcohol. The report states that many US states have already enacted laws to regulate children's access to violent and pornographic material, and that society on the whole agrees that both influence children negatively.

A little history

California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed the bill into law in 2005, but it was challenged in court before it could be instated. The bill seeks to ban the rental or sale of violent video games to children. The state defined a ‘violent video game' as one ‘in which the range of options available to a player includes killing, maiming, dismembering, or sexually assaulting an image of a human being.'

A circuit law judge called the US bill ‘unconstitutional' in 2007, but added that he was sympathetic to the aims of the legislation. Yee predicted soon afterwards that the dispute would reach the Supreme Court, and he was right.

For our list of the top five violent video games, because we know you love them, see this recent blog post. Just please, don't show it to your kids.

With Nintendo 3DS looking to dominate 3D gaming market when its finally released in a few months time, it seems that Sony are pulling out all the stops in touting Sony PS3 3D as the ultimate 3D gaming experience. Mick Hocking, Sony's 3D gaming guru and the boss when it comes to anything to do with immersive technology at Sony, recently said that PS3 3D would give gamers a competitive edge on other gamers who don't have the benefit of added depth.

Added depth

Hocking, speaking of the benefits of gaming on the Sony PS3 3D, mentioned that Sony was currently running lots of tests and that experienced gamers who were testing the 3D gaming console had said that they found gameplay easier with the added element of depth. He also added the impact of 3D had also made some games which were previously unpopular in 2D, popular in 3D, like certain racing simulators. The reason for this sudden change of heart which gamers experienced was placed on how 3D made certain games feel and look more natural, which made them better to play.

Developers taking note too

However, Hocking mentioned that it wasn't only gamers who were taking notice, but game developers had also taken note of the slight improvement in the overall gaming experience and intended to take full advantage of the situation. He added that, ‘Killzone 3 [3D] is phenomenal in the sense that it’s a bit more than immersion - we’re learning to play with it creatively to bring a sense of fear or unease' and that, ‘Now we can really bring things out of the screen towards you that you don’t want to go near and it’s building that sense of fear and immersion.'

Not everyone is buying into the hype, however, and all we can do is wait and see if Sony PS3 3D is all that it's been hyped to be as more titles are released.

Ahead of the release of the Xbox 360 Slim console, Tesco has announced its plan to get the edge on competing retailers by offering the console at a lower price. This sounds like great news for Xbox fans who can’t wait to get their hands on the new gaming console and see how it compares to its predecessor.

The Tesco price-cut

The retail chain has cut the RBP price of £200 down to £189. Why? Well, because they’re Tesco, and they can do that. The price matches Amazon’s offer, and extra incentives for anyone buying the console at Tesco include free delivery and double club card points on the purchase. Other retailers just aren’t matching up, with HMV and Play asking the full £200 price.

Why we want the 360 Slim

There’s more to the Xbox 360 Slim console than just its good looks. This desirable piece of gaming machinery also comes with a 250GB hard drive and built in wi-fi, and runs really quietly. Analysts have been skeptical about the soon-to-be-released Kinect motion controller, but gamers who can’t wait for that will be excited to hear that the 360 Slim has a special port all ready for it.

The drawbacks

When the price of anything is suddenly reduced, it seems only natural to ask why retailers have to try harder to get rid of it. So, what’s wrong with the Xbox 360 Slim console? The good news is that as yet, there appears to be little to complain about, aside from the fact that it’s not compatible with the older, larger console: you’ll have to transfer your data over from one to the other with the help of USB. If that doesn’t bother you, go ahead and get hold of the Xbox 360 Slim at the best price possible.

In looking to improve the amount of content available to users in their home, Panasonic recently announced that they would be launching a new innovative video-on-demand (VoD) service. The service will allow users to stream or download movies through their Viera Cast TVs.

Big studios on board

Panasonic are launching the new download service in conjunction with Acetrax, who are responsible for developing the VoD app which allows users to download movies through the Panasonic's Web Cast service. The service will be available for download by users in September, opening up over 20,000 movie titles for streaming or download to users. In ensuring that the service does provide the best in movie titles, Panasonic has managed to get a number of major studios on board such as Paramount, Universal and Warner Brothers.

A revolution

Panasonic and Acetrax are looking to revolutionise the way in which viewers at home think of and consume TV entertainment. Some analysts have already spoken of the service being provided by Acetrax even posing a great threat to the likes of already established TV services such as Sky, BT and Virgin, as ‘What sets Acetrax apart is its ability to offer Hollywood movies as well as content from local partners across Europe that is tailored and specific to them.'

In making the service even more accessible in improving users' access to content, viewers from home will able to register four devices which are capable of handling the content to either view or save any downloaded movies. The cost of the service will be dependent on how new movies are when downloaded, with movies being estimated to go at about £10.99 for download and £3.49 for rental.

Panasonic and Acetrax are looking to fine-tune the VoD service which numerous other TV manufacturers have tried to put together, however, without the backing the Panasonic Web Cast service has received from the big studios. The service will only be available through Panasonic's Viera Cast TVs from the G20 range upwards, with the service expanding to their Blu-ray players at a later date.

Portable DVD players are always good to have, whether they're for keeping the kids entertained on a long road trip or watching movies with better quality on a plane. The LG DP561 is one of the most stylish of these portable devices. It's extremely thin with a sparkling gold or black finish and a 7-inch LCD screen. The display itself can be swiveled around for a better viewing angle, and makes it look more like a tablet than a laptop, plus it has a battery life of up to five hours.

Basic features

The LG DP561 doesn't have much in terms of features. It's a basic portable DVD player that offers high definition quality and awesome 3D surround sound effects. It has a headphone jack for private listening, but also has a powerful enough speaker to produce a natural, balanced and crisp audio from MP3, WMA and Audio CD formats. The LG portable player also has convenient functions like zoom, parental lock, a screensaver for prolonging battery life, as well as last scene memory which lets you carry on watching where you stopped earlier.

Compatible formats

One of the main functions of the LG DP561 is its ability to support all kinds of formats involving DVDs and CDs. It also plays DivX and JPEG files and has a variety of options for playing content and distributing content with USB flash sticks. USB Direct Recording lets you transport music and files onto an MP3 player without having to access a computer. All the tracks will be in the correct order, and this function lets you share your music with others easily and effectively. USB Plus lets you transfer data like videos and photos from the LG portable DVD player so they can be enjoyed on a bigger HDTV.

Taking it around

The LG DP561 is an easy to use portable DVD player without an array of confusing features. It offers HD quality visuals, powerful surround sound audio, and support for different formats, making it easy to share data with friends and family. It'll keep you entertained on boring trips, and you'll be able to watch at least two movies on a single charge thanks to its long battery life. We like the DP561 because it's basic, but we would have liked it even more if it had gaming options. The LG DP561 offers stunning quality, though, and a look that's bound to turn heads.

The ViewSonic VMP75 is a step towards the future with improved functions, more features and easily accessible content. The small media player - labelled NexTV - lets you stream online content, watch movies and TV shows, listen to the most recent music and international radio stations, as well as view photo albums with high definition quality. The VMP75 is extremely stylish with a glossy black covering and a minimalistic look that modernises its appeal. It also comes with an easy to use remote control with USB keyboard and external mouse support.

Accessing content

The ViewSonic VMP75 is able to connect to the home network thanks to the Ethernet port, or you can access wi-fi with the 802.11b/g/n wireless adapter which is sold separately. The NexTV has full support from Netflix, and users will be able to subscribe to the thousands of movies and shows that the site has to offer. Other accessible sites include YouTube, Flickr, Live365, ShoutCast and more, which provide you with the latest news from the entertainment world. The VMP75 also has web browsing abilities so you can access RSS feeds and Google, and thanks to the USB keyboard and mouse, navigating your way through sites is easy. DLNA compatibility is also on board, so file sharing is no issue.

Supporting connections

The ViewSonic VMP75 has various connections at the back to easily link it up to your HD TV. There is an HDMI input, S/PDIF, AV composite video, eSATA, as well as audio inputs and USB ports for external data. The NexTV is able to support loads of formats to ensure coverage of virtually all data: it's capable of playing MPEG4, DivX, H.264 and WMV for video. For musical purposes it supports Dolby Digital, WMA, MKA and DTS to produce surround sound quality, and if you want to display photos then JPEG, TIFF and PNG will all work.

More entertainment

The ViewSonic VMP75 has loads to offer in terms of quality and entertainment. The online capabilities make it increasingly appealing if you want broader programme options, while the DLNA and web browsing accessibility transform your TV into a super-sized PC monitor.

The NexTV has versatile connections that can support all kinds of external content for you to watch. The ViewSonic VMP75 is a sleek and technically savvy device, which brings more entertainment into your living room, and will be available in the UK later this year.

The latest LED Full HD television from NuVision is extremely thin (1.5 inches deep) and stylish, and offers effective viewing for just about anything. The 40-inch TV has a thin border with a grey matte finish. It can be placed on a stand or mounted on the wall thanks to the brackets, but keep in mind that a wall installation is more difficult because of the wires. Thankfully NuVision thought of this and placed a recession at the back of the TV so the connection ports are level with it and don't stick out.

The upside

The NuVision NVU40FX5LS high definition television features Edge-lit LED light, and with True Colour technology it produces outstanding hues that are rich, vibrant and natural. Its Deep Black function gets rid of unwanted grey in dark scenes, and reduces noise distortion as well. One of the main features of the NVU40FX5LS television is the Film Times Five (FX5), which provides the TV with a 5ms response time and a 120Hz refresh mode for extremely fast, smooth and detailed images. It has four HDMI inputs for versatile connections to various external devices, a VGA input and an RS232 port for PC attachments.

The downside

The use of Edge lighting brings down the quality somewhat, as the brighter edges of the picture aren't consistent throughout the whole screen. One of the main features that the NuVision NVU40FX5LS lacks is Internet connectivity, which is almost a standard these days. The television also has only has one component input, where more would have given better accessibility to other devices like Blu-ray players and gaming consoles.

Reliable viewing

The NuVision NVU40FX5LS offers Full HD quality with stunning colour and sharp images. It has a stylish and sleek design that'll modernise any living room, and is also mercury-free, which cuts the use of energy down by 40 per cent, plus it offers surround sound features and support for HD audio. It's ideal for those who want reliable viewing that'll make the most out of action films, sports, TV shows and gaming. For those who want interactive qualities, the NuVision NVU40FX5LS isn't going to provide you with any, and unfortunately it lacks multimedia options that would have broadened its features and entertainment potential. The LED TV is also very expensive, priced at $3,500 (approximately £2330).

Playing the LEGO Harry Potter game, dubbed ‘LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4' is probably the best gaming fun you can have with the whole family.

In a galaxy far, far away

The first LEGO game, LEGO Star Wars: The Video Game, was released in 2005 and, to some gamers' surprise, took the world by storm. It was so successful because it took two timeless pop culture icons - LEGO and Star Wars - and combined them into one package that was a whole lot of fun.

LEGO and the Lucas enterprise took that success one step further with the even better LEGO Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy, shortly followed by the equally popular LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga.

A few failures down the line…

The LEGO gaming franchise got a little carried away with itself after that. LEGO Indiana Jones and LEGO Batman: The Video Game didn't impress fans. By the time LEGO Rock Band was released, the world had lost all faith in developer Traveller’s Tales. But they're back now, and the LEGO Harry Potter Game, drawing on the enormous popularity of the Harry Potter films, is a whole lot better.

A little bit of magic

Putting it bluntly, the new LEGO Harry Potter game is a winner. You won't have to play for long before you realise it's just as good as the LEGO Star Wars games. There are few games an adult can play with an eight-year-old that leaves both smiling, but this is definitely one of them.

The whole package

The Harry Potter LEGO game looks good, the puzzles are great (possibly better than those in the Star Wars games), and you'll want to keep playing. You'll be in Harry Potter's world, seen through the eyes of LEGO, wandering around Hogwarts to collect studs and find secrets, but there'll be none of the repetition that made the Batman and Indiana Jones games failures.

‘LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4' is available for Xbox 360, the PS2 and PS3, Wii and PSP.

You’ve spent hours searching for that perfect flat screen television for your lounge, and it’s finally yours. Your favourite chair is waiting and the DVDs are ready. You’ve taken care of the sights-but does the sound live up to what’s on screen?

While today’s flat panel TVs deliver excellent picture quality, those sleek frames often don’t provide adequate room for quality speakers. For years, the most popular alternative to onboard audio has  been elaborate, multi-speaker surround sound systems - which sometimes require hours of pouring over manuals and user’s guides and creating a complicated jungle of wiring to properly set up. For most, the quality of sound produced is overshadowed by tedious installations and high costs.

A bar of sound

Enter the sound bar: a compact speaker system that combines all the features of multi-speaker surround sound systems into one- or two-piece systems, and is designed to integrate seamlessly into your existing home entertainment setup.

Relatively inexpensive, and typically minimalistic in their design, sound bars carry forward the sleek and unobtrusive design of today’s flat panel TVs by housing multiple speakers in one oblong bar - perfect for placement on the wall or with your home entertainment furniture.

Raising the bar?

But they’re not just for show-sound bars use powerful virtual surround sound technology with built-in amplifiers in an attempt replicate the theatre experience. Quite a bit of intricate engineering goes into the design-enough to ensure that you’ll feel as if you’re right in the middle of the action. They’re the perfect alternative to obtrusive, more expensive speaker systems, and vastly outperform standard television speakers; yet they don’t take away from the beauty of your space with gaudy speaker set-ups.

Of course, virtual surround sound can only go so far in recreating true surround sound, so if you’re looking for a genuine cinematic experience, opt for a larger 5.1 or 7.1 system with an external amplifier.

But if you’re working on a budget, or just trying to maximise on available space, a sound bar makes a great investment. They’re available in a wide range of output capacities, designs, and price points, making it easy to find one that meets your needs. Some even offer additional features like wireless subwoofers, iPod connectivity, and HDMI support, and most provide built-in sound processing modes to suit almost any audiovisual presentation. And they’re not only limited to music: sound bars can also be used to enhance your musical listening experience, all in a clean, simple design that’s as friendly to the eye as it is to the purse.

Soundbar speakers are sold online and in high-end audiovisual outlets.

With all the new and extremely expensive 3D televisions coming out, it's nice to know that there are some devices that allow you to enjoy 3D technology affordably. The Optoma HD66 DLP projector is lightweight and a bit bulky, but still manages to have an attractive design. It's HD ready with a 720p resolution, and it can only support 1080p in a compressed form, but still produces sharp images with vibrant colours. The Optoma HD66 doesn't have a very far throw distance, so it should be mounted on the ceiling or placed on a low table for optimum results.

General features

The Optoma HD66 3D projector offers a maximum of 2,500 lumens, but be aware that this fades when in 3D mode to a measly 600 lumens. It has a contrast ratio of 4000:1 which is pretty high for a DLP, and produces pure black colour after a little tweaking of the settings. The projector works very well in ambient light thanks to the pre-calibrated modes, and is ideal for watching sports, playing games and enjoying day to day television. The Optoma HD66 has a 1.1x manual zoom lens, but no lens shift so positioning the projector correctly is vital otherwise some parts of the screen may be cut off.

What to expect

The 3D projector unfortunately has some issues. When watching movies you'll need to make adjustments to settings to get the picture right. Noise distortion is also a problem and is most obvious in solid colours, plus you'll need a computer with a powerful 3D signal to get those exciting images. The DLP projector has some connection ports like S-Video, VGA, RS232 and HDMI, but, unfortunately, the signal may be lost with longer cables, so shorter ones should be used for best results.

Affordable for what you get

The Optoma HD66 DLP projector has that all important feature - 3D graphics. It has a nice look, is easily placed and offers high definition quality for any kind of viewing. The Optoma HD66 is perfect for those who want the 3D visuals but can't afford a big and fancy TV, and you can enjoy these graphics at a price of £269.

With all the new and extremely expensive 3D televisions coming out, it's nice to know that there are some devices that allow you to enjoy 3D technology affordably. The Optoma HD66 DLP projector is lightweight and a bit bulky, but still manages to have an attractive design. It's HD ready with a 720p resolution, and it can only support 1080p in a compressed form, but still produces sharp images with vibrant colours. The Optoma HD66 doesn't have a very far throw distance, so it should be mounted on the ceiling or placed on a low table for optimum results.

General features

The Optoma HD66 3D projector offers a maximum of 2,500 lumens, but be aware that this fades when in 3D mode to a measly 600 lumens. It has a contrast ratio of 4000:1 which is pretty high for a DLP, and produces pure black colour after a little tweaking of the settings. The projector works very well in ambient light thanks to the pre-calibrated modes, and is ideal for watching sports, playing games and enjoying day to day television. The Optoma HD66 has a 1.1x manual zoom lens, but no lens shift so positioning the projector correctly is vital otherwise some parts of the screen may be cut off.

What to expect

The 3D projector unfortunately has some issues. When watching movies you'll need to make adjustments to settings to get the picture right. Noise distortion is also a problem and is most obvious in solid colours, plus you'll need a computer with a powerful 3D signal to get those exciting images. The DLP projector has some connection ports like S-Video, VGA, RS232 and HDMI, but, unfortunately, the signal may be lost with longer cables, so shorter ones should be used for best results.

Affordable for what you get

The Optoma HD66 DLP projector has that all important feature - 3D graphics. It has a nice look, is easily placed and offers high definition quality for any kind of viewing. The Optoma HD66 is perfect for those who want the 3D visuals but can't afford a big and fancy TV, and you can enjoy these graphics at a price of £269.

The latest HTIB with Blu-ray player system from LG is the LHB535. It offers four small satellite speakers, a centre speaker, a subwoofer, iPod docking station and Full HD 1080p resolution quality for all video play back. The system is cased in black plastic which makes it look a little cheap, but the ease of use and affordability make it a worthy HTIB system. The speakers are all small enough to be placed comfortably in your living room to produce a surround sound effect, plus they all have a pretty sleek and stylish appeal.

Easy to use features

The LG LHB535 is one of the few HTIB systems to have built-in wi-fi, so you won't need a separate USB dongle. It lets you connect to your home network effortlessly and has an Ethernet port as well. It has DLNA compliancy, and you can wirelessly view photos, music, shows and more from your PC or Mac. The graphic user interface is easy to use and is simply laid out to choose from features like movies, videos, home link, setup and more. Its multimedia function also caters for online streaming as part of the Netcast collection from some of the top sites like Netflix, Pandora, Vudu, CinemaNow, YouTube, Picasa and a site for updated weather forecasts.

Get a whole lot more

The HTIB system has a Blu-ray player added that can support loads of different formats from video files. The 5.1 channel system decodes most HD audio formats like Dolby TrueHD and DTS Master-HD, and it plays music very well but may struggle on some movie soundtracks with explosive sounds. There's also no automatic calibration for the speakers or 3D support, which is becoming widely popular with other devices. What the LG LHB535 does have, though, is two HDMI inputs which not many HTIBs have. These inputs allow for connections to a cable box or gaming console for audio enhancement. There are also two optical inputs, an analogue audio input and one minijack.

Worth the price

The LG LHB535 has loads to offer in terms of features and interactive functions, but it lacks in some quality which brings down its appeal somewhat. The system also lacks internal memory, so storage has to be external. This HTIB system is worthy of its price of £358, though, with its stunning look, easy to position speakers, Blu-ray player that offers Full HD support, and most importantly, its wi-fi and DLNA capabilities which bring more versatility to your home entertainment setup.

Introducing the latest media player to arrive from Western Digital - the WD TV Live HD. It offers Full 1080p resolution and more interactive qualities for online content. It's very similar to its predecessor, the WD TV media player, but this latest model is smaller and lighter (at only 0.67 pounds), and is better equipped for no fuss viewing. The WD TV Live HD media player has a grey matte covering that looks cute and would fit in comfortably no matter where it's positioned.

What it does

The main function of the WD TV Live HD is to allow you to display movies, TV shows, music and photos on your television quickly and effectively. It has an Ethernet port to connect to your home network, and wireless can also be setup with an adapter or via the USB port. It has two HDMI inputs as well to hook it up to external devices like your Blu-ray player or gaming console. The SPDIF digital output is essential for connecting it to an AV receiver which will enhance the audio quality of any content and add a surround sound feel. One of the best features of the WD TV Live HD is its ability to support nearly every video, music and photo format, allowing you to play back any form of data from your USB flash stick.

Multimedia qualities

The Western Digital media player has supported sites that are easy to setup and navigate your way through. The sites include Pandora, YouTube, Live365 and Flickr, which cater for your video, music, photo and internet radio needs. The handy remote control is easy to use and the media player automatically lists data according to artists, albums and tracks, making them simple to find without having to sift through complicated menus. The WD TV Live HD also remembers shows and movies that are watched more than others and will display them in folders like ‘favourite' and ‘most viewed,' which makes them quick to se tup.

More entertainment

The little Western Digital media player offers loads of features that will broaden your home entertainment viewing. It has top streaming sites for international programmes that are all displayed with HD quality, and it has tons of versatility in terms of data playback. The menus are easy to scroll through thanks to the remote, although a number pad might've made finding shows even faster. The WD TV Live HD media player doesn't have any internal storage so everything should be kept on USB flash sticks. The attractive and diverse multimedia player is very affordable, and has a starting price of £79.00.

For all those who were interested in the recent E3 gaming conference held in June, the introduction of the Microsoft Xbox 360 Slim was big news. The older model is being discontinued, so the newer design will be the face of Xbox gaming from now on. Its main difference is its look and easier to use features, plus the addition of more functions like touch sensitive buttons and wireless technology. The fancy new design will be appealing to gaming enthusiasts, and will bring some added class and less clutter to your home entertainment setup.

The new look

The Microsoft Xbox 360 Slim has a black glossy casing with an inward indentation going downwards, but isn't much smaller than its predecessor. It has vents on the top and on both sides, reducing the increase of heat generated by long hours of gaming. The eject button is now positioned above the disc tray instead of next to it and the power button has awesome electric green lighting. One of the only flaws with the new glossy casing is that it picks up fingerprints and marks very easily, but a gentle wipe down will have it looking its shiny new self in no time. It also has five USB ports, an Aux input, HDMI and an Ethernet port.

Xbox 360 vs. Xbox 360 Slim

The 360 Slim has wireless connectivity, which brings more interactive features to the model, and it reduces the number of wires that have always limited the 360 in terms of placement. Storage capacity has been upgraded from 160GB to a worthy 250GB, which allows more room for movies, games and music. Microsoft has also brought the level of noise down on their new model, from that continuous drone to a whisper quiet sound for better audio quality that's crisper and clearer. There are some aspects that are the same though, like the speed, lack of Blu-ray connectivity, Kinect support and the quality of the games.

What to expect

For those who don't have an Xbox 360 already and are looking to buy a gaming console, the newer model is the better option. It has more space for data, a reduction in noise, a snazzy and attractive new design, plus wireless connectivity. But for those who have a console already, it may seem like a waste to buy the new model. The Xbox 360 Slim has pretty much the same features as its predecessor, they've just been enhanced and the game quality you get is the same, plus it's no faster than the older model. The Microsoft Xbox 360 Slim will be available in the UK on 16 July 2010, and will be priced at £199.00.

For all those who were interested in the recent E3 gaming conference held in June, the introduction of the Microsoft Xbox 360 Slim was big news. The older model is being discontinued, so the newer design will be the face of Xbox gaming from now on. Its main difference is its look and easier to use features, plus the addition of more functions like touch sensitive buttons and wireless technology. The fancy new design will be appealing to gaming enthusiasts, and will bring some added class and less clutter to your home entertainment setup.

The new look

The Microsoft Xbox 360 Slim has a black glossy casing with an inward indentation going downwards, but isn't much smaller than its predecessor. It has vents on the top and on both sides, reducing the increase of heat generated by long hours of gaming. The eject button is now positioned above the disc tray instead of next to it and the power button has awesome electric green lighting. One of the only flaws with the new glossy casing is that it picks up fingerprints and marks very easily, but a gentle wipe down will have it looking its shiny new self in no time. It also has five USB ports, an Aux input, HDMI and an Ethernet port.

Xbox 360 vs. Xbox 360 Slim

The 360 Slim has wireless connectivity, which brings more interactive features to the model, and it reduces the number of wires that have always limited the 360 in terms of placement. Storage capacity has been upgraded from 160GB to a worthy 250GB, which allows more room for movies, games and music. Microsoft has also brought the level of noise down on their new model, from that continuous drone to a whisper quiet sound for better audio quality that's crisper and clearer. There are some aspects that are the same though, like the speed, lack of Blu-ray connectivity, Kinect support and the quality of the games.

What to expect

For those who don't have an Xbox 360 already and are looking to buy a gaming console, the newer model is the better option. It has more space for data, a reduction in noise, a snazzy and attractive new design, plus wireless connectivity. But for those who have a console already, it may seem like a waste to buy the new model. The Xbox 360 Slim has pretty much the same features as its predecessor, they've just been enhanced and the game quality you get is the same, plus it's no faster than the older model. The Microsoft Xbox 360 Slim will be available in the UK on 16 July 2010, and will be priced at £199.00.

With the 2010 FIFA World Cup drawing to a close on Sunday, sports enthusiasts are already turning their attention to the Olympics in 2012 and also wondering whether the global sporting event will be broadcast in 3D following in the footsteps of the successful 2010 World Cup in South Africa. The BBC are one of the first broadcasters to announce interest in broadcasting the 2012 Olympics in 3D, which should turn out to be a great visual treat for home viewers with 3D TVs.

Regulation issues

The BBC announcing that they would like to broadcast the 2012 Olympics in 3D poses quite a great challenge to the international British broadcaster with the British Broadcasting Corporation having to make sure that no platform is given an advantage over the other according to British broadcasting regulation. However, the biggest problem for the BBC currently lies with the Freeview platform with signal broadcaster having to develop a way around sending the 3D signal to Freeview without disturbing the broadcast on other platforms.

Current 3D broadcast methods

Sky's 3D channel is set for a full rollout in the next couple of months, with Sky extending their 3D broadcast to people's homes. Their 3D signal is currently broadcast using the side-by-side method which transmits the images side-by-side to 3D TVs where the signal is then processed to create a 3D image. However, Freeview currently doesn't have the capacity to use this method to transmit a 3D signal and they should be looking at more efficient methods of getting the 2012 Olympics to 3D TV owners in the UK.

A more plausible method which could allow 3D onto Freeview is called 2D+delta where the normal 2D image is sent to viewers 3D TVs at home, with extra data for adding the 3D effect to the broadcast. It uses less bandwidth, and right now seems like the only option in making sure that the BBC will be able to bring Usain Bolt to viewers at home in 3D.