HDTV posts

Skype has always been a pretty popular video conferencing program and is looking to keep the streak alive with high-definition video. The service recently announced that they will begin supporting 720p high-definition video conference calls, provided users have an HD webcam and enough bandwidth to handle it.

The new HD features come as part of the Skype for Windows 4.2 Beta. According to PC World, the feature has actually been part of Skype since December but no official mention of it was made until the Consumer Electronics Show this week. Conveniently enough, a few new HD webcams will be released at CES shipping as soon as March.

Skype isn't stopping their HD service there. There are also plans to embed Skype software on Panasonic and LG televisions to allow video conferencing on new TVs sometime later this year.

SkypeJournal reports that the HD features are only for the Windows version and Skype is keeping the technology pretty closed off. The specifications needed for new webcams to work with the application haven't been released so "hundreds of webcam makes won't be able to meet public demand from Skype users."

We'll have to see how this evolves and if ISPs can handle the increased loads from higher quality video but if you're a fan of Skype, it seems like a pretty cool move.

We've just been tipped off that 1080p or 'the highest-quality HDTV standard' has begun to appear on YouTube.

So far there doesn't seem to be a way to search for the high-high definition videos, and the only example I have is a Nokia video of some poor, disadvantaged Indonesian farmer -- but I'm sure it's only a matter of time before YouTube/Google officially announce the changes to their video player.

In the meantime, if you find any videos that have been enabled for 1080p playback, share them in the comments!

The Nokia video is included after the break, if you want to see what the quality looks like.

[thanks to Revo for the tip!]

Online video site Vimeo has just launched a new "high definition" video player. Essentially, if you upload a video with a 1280x720 (also known as 720p) resolution, Vimeo will transcode that video and play it back at its native resolution.

Now, this doesn't mean you're seeing the same video quality you'd get from an HDTV signal or a Blu-Ray or HD-DVD disc. Vimeo's still compressing the heck out of your video in order to stream it across the internet. But the end result is a video that plays back at a much higher bitrate than anything you'll find on YouTube.

You can definitely tell the difference between Vimeo's HD videos and their standard definition videos. While you're watching any high definition video, you can click a button to turn HD off and you'll get a lower-resolution version. We'd have included an HD video in this post, but right now there's no way to embed an HD quality video, so you'll just have to check out Vimeo's HD site and browse through the small collection of user-submitted videos.

[via Kottke]

Oh yeah. For those of us who've failed to plunk down the cash for an HDTV, but still crave a little high-definition action, ABC is now offering it's HD programming online.

Is it just us or is anyone else thinking that their TV is taking up way too much space for the amount of value it provides?

[via Lifehacker]