MPAA: Don't rip DVDs, just point a camera at your TV

The MPAA is a touchy subject for a lot of folks. Nothing sparks internet debate quite like the mention of their name (unless of course you're talking about the RIAA). In this video, they demonstrate how it's possible to make "high quality" movie clips by pointing a camcorder at a display and using a line-in to get the audio. The process is intended for film professors, who have the legal right to break copy protection and use clips in the classroom. The funny part is how they continue to emphasize how similar the resulting clips are, but yet they're arguing to make one of the methods illegal. This whole battle is getting rather tiresome from a consumer standpoint. It seems like a no-brainer that we should be able to rip DVDs just as we do CDs. But, until that happens, you can always go out and get yourself a Kaleidescape. Or, you could just bust out the camcorder.

DJ Hero will include a turntable controller

More and more young people have been realizing the advantages of vinyl lately and we can only hope the release of Activision's DJ Hero video game will be another step in the right direction. The picture above is apparently going to be the controller. We're not sure exactly how it's going to work, but if it's anything as simple and fun as the original Guitar Hero axe, it could be great even if you don't like techno or hip hop.

At the same time, there has been a lot of complaining with the announcement about Activision and their ability to milk the music game genre for every last note. Something tells us that won't stop this title from selling millions of copies. And hey, if kids get their kicks scratching on a plastic turntable, it might save some old LPs from getting scratched to death by wannabe DJs on their home turntables.

B&O's 103-inch monster plasma and more

Massive plasma screens aren't just for CES anymore. This afternoon, Bang & Olufsen unveiled the 103-inch BV103 at the Audi Forum in New York City. This huge beastie of an HDTV comes packed with all of the features B&O could think of, including the company's BeoSystem 3 video system, Beo5 remote control (with integration support for every other B&O A/V product), a custom BeoLab 10 center channel speaker that appears as if from nowhere (or at least, from behind the screen) when the television is turned on, and a motorized stand that lifts, pans, and tilts the screen 20 degrees in either direction horizontally and 5 degrees in either direction vertically.

Big screens have big prices, and at $110,000 the BV103 is no exception. Even if you have the six digits to spend, expect to be able to just plunk down the cash and shlep it home, though. Between its size, weight (1,200 pounds combined for the screen and stand), and power consumption (a 220-volt dedicated circuit is needed for the screen and stand, and an additional 110-volt circuit powers the BeoLab 10 speaker and BeoSystem 3 system), potential buyers have to fill out a questionnaire and have their homes surveyed before B&O will sell the HDTV. On the bright side, the BV103's hefty price tag includes white glove delivery to anywhere in the United States.

Bang & Olufsen also revealed a less exciting but arguably more important product: the Master Link Gateway. This rack-mountable home automation system lets Bang & Olufsen products, normally automated with the company's proprietary Master Link system, interact with more standard automation systems like Crestron and AMX. The Master Link Gateway lets users control their lights, HVAC, and non-B&O A/V products through the Beo5 and other B&O controls, and lets any home automation system control B&O products. The Gateway can work over either RS-232C or IP, and presents a great deal of flexibility for custom installers looking to incorporate Bang & Olufsen products into their systems.

— Will Greenwald

Atlantic Technology's new speakers

Atlantic Technology has unveiled three new series of home theater speakers, along with a set of new, powered subwoofers. The inspirationally-named System 1400, System 2400, and System 4400 speakers replace the System 1200, System 2200, and System 4200e models the company previously offered.

Each speaker series includes three different models: an LR front channel speaker, an MTM center channel speaker, and a selectable dipole/bipole surround channel speaker. A new speaker, the System 1400 SR-Z, brings the total number of new satellites to an even 10. The 1400 SR-Z is a dipole/bipole selectable model that Atlantic says is designed for use in the height channels of 7.1 or 9.1 systems that use Dolby Pro Logic IIz (but it also works as a standard surround speaker for 5.1 or 7.1 set-ups).

The new models feature subtle changes from the previous Atlantic speaker lines. The System 1400 and 2400 models now use Atlantic's "low resonance tweeter," and the System 4400 speakers offer new on-wall mounting options. Their visual designs have also been tweaked, to look similar to the company's floor-standing speakers.

Sennheiser sounds the casting call

Sennheiser calls it the ultimate summer job. I call it a pretty interesting marketing campaign. Either way, it might be your ticket to spending the summer gallivanting around the continent in the name of high-end headphones.

The company is sending two teams of six (one team of boys, the other team of girls) to different shows and events across the U.S. and Canada in a 10-week competition to see who can make headphone promotion more interesting. The teams will try to put headphones on as many people as possible, and weekly webisodes will let viewers behold their antics.

It's a fairly unique opportunity, especially for anyone interested in pursuing a public relations or marketing career. Sennheiser is actually treating it somewhat like a job, and underneath the "contest" theme is significant audition/application process.

To enter the contest, you must record a video showing why you're the best choice for the position. Once you've put together your music video/video resume/absurdist short film, you can post it to either www.youtube.com/sennheisersoundtour or the "Sennheiser Sound Tour" Facebook page. Once you've done all that, you still need to send an actual resume to Sennheiser@thejetstargroupcom, along with a link to wherever you posted the video.

Final candidates will be selected this Friday, so pick up that camcorder and get to work!

— Will Greenwald

Move every sig: real movie-star autographs

There are three types of celebrity autographs: Sports autographs, convention autographs, and fake autographs. Sports autographs are signed balls, mitts, trading cards, and other memorabilia that bear the signature of a professional athlete. Convention autographs are signed memorabilia at comic book, sci-fi, and other enthusiast conventions by guests, usually actors of science fiction shows. Fake autographs are ones you purchase off dubious web sites or from hole-in-the-wall tchotchke stores in strip malls that have a big name like Al Pacino along with a photo from a movie like Scarface, and are completely bogus.

If you see the person sign it at a convention or a ball game, you can be pretty certain it's a real autograph. Unfortunately, getting autographs from Hollywood headlines is a bit more difficult. You can't really be sure a celebrity autograph you've bought is authentic, or if you dropped cash on a worthless scrap of paper. Double-unfortunately, even if a big star shows up at a convention, you can't be certain you'll be able to get a signature; the bigger the name, the longer the lines, the less chance you'll get to the front to get your poster/DVD/comic book signed.