Rotel Video Enhancer RVE-1070 & new stuff on CES?

[Wolfenstein 2k2]

Hi all!

Yesterday, I found these interesting pictures on the web:



On the first and second picture we can see the new RMB-1077 digital 7ch power amplifier as announced by Rotel some time ago.

However, what kind of amps can be seen in the first picture at the bottom of the rack as well? At first, I thought that could be a RB-1050, a RMB-1048 or a RMB-1066 - but if you examine those amps more closely, they look different than any other Rotel amp I have seen so far. Is there already some information about these "new" amps? Those seem to be a 1ch and a 2ch amp (probably digital amps?).

What strikes me most is the video enhancer RVE-1070 as shown in the third picture. What´s the use of this device? Do you connect your DVD player to it e.g. via analog composite, and the video enhancer converts the signal to 720p / 1080i? The RVE-1070 is not the "external box" that was mentioned here in this forum to provide our beloved 1098 with additional digital high speed interfaces / other useful stuff, is it?

Why is there a kind of a long slot below the 1098´s display in the second picture?

THX for any replies.

[hired goon]

G'day,

Why is there a kind of a long slot below the 1098´s display in the second picture?

The 1098 screen seems to be displaying some collection of applications (mail, CD copy, etc). Maybe the slot is a CD burner, and the 1098 is getting some home media centre capabilities? :-)

As for the amps, maybe those are the RB-1091 1x500w and RB-1092 2x500w?

--Geoff

[Wolfenstein 2k2]

Yes, you´re right. The two amps at the bottom of the rack in the first picture are (in all probability) the new RB-1091 & RB-1092 amps. As for its size, I assume they are digital amps as well as the RMB-1077. But why are those heatsinks necessary on the front? I mean the RMB-1077´s design fits perfectly to the other Rotel stuff (no heatsinks on the front, except for the transistor based power amps of course) whereas the RB-1091 & RB-1092 seem to need heatsinks again which interfere a little bit with other Rotel gear.

[RobertKozel]

Guess on that slot

The slot on the 1098 could also be another selection device. On the right of the slot you can see what appears to be a flat button. Most likely pressing this changes or selects some options (perhaps the items on the TFT). I assume a series of small LEDs exist in the slot and indicate what is selected. This type of slot control exists on the HD TIVO boxes from DirecTV. It is used to select and indicate output resolution on that device.

[nash]

It sure looks like the last word on that 1098-looking device is "HDMI". "Surround Sound Processor with HDMI" perhaps?

[Raphie]

Big question is, when will it be available and what will be the price? i want one as i can then just use 1 HDMI input of my plasma for all sources

[kirkj]

The RVE-1070 has buttons for input selection. Any speculation on if this can switch audio as well and act as a pre-amp? I'll settle for just digital coax audio switching.

Things are getting pretty exciting with Rotel. Glad to see them embracing the latest technologies.

- Kirk.

[hired goon]

G'day,

I'm interested in the application displayed in the screen of the 1098. There's a bigger picture of it here, which shows icons for "music", "mail", "web" "pictures", and "advanced pvr".

There's a Rotel title bar at the top, so is this Rotel's entry in the PVR / media centre market? Is it external hardware, or part of the new 1098?

--Geoff

[Wolfenstein 2k2]

It sure looks like the last word on that 1098-looking device is "HDMI". "Surround Sound Processor with HDMI" perhaps?

Where exactly do you read "HDMI"? I don´t see anything.

Furthermore I´am still not sure about that "slot" below the 1098´s display. If anybody finds another picture of the "new" front, please post it here

[hired goon]

G'day,

It sure looks like the last word on that 1098-looking device is "HDMI". "Surround Sound Processor with HDMI" perhaps?

It says "Surround Sound Processor RSP-1098".

--Geoff

[ht_obsessive]

Surely the display on the RSP 1098 is just showing a feed in from someones external HTPC?

[nash]

Oops... guess it does say RSP-1098. Bummer, thought it might be something new.

[hired goon]

G'day,

Surely the display on the RSP 1098 is just showing a feed in from someones external HTPC?

I thought so too, but there's a large green Rotel banner at the top of the display, which made me curious...

--Geoff

[w6000]

I thought so too, but there's a large green Rotel banner at the top of the display, which made me curious

I bet that screen on the 1098 is the feed from the external video box. that space below the screen looks like a cd-rom for loading software updates.

w6000

[Woo Wooooo]

Here is what the slot is for response from ROTEL

I wrote Rotel an email and stated that I was about to pull the trigger on a 1098, then this showed up.....here is the response I got from them... :E

have no idea when, or if, this product is going to be released. It is a prototype Media Server designed in a 1098 cabinet with the addition of a DVD slot below the screen. I think that the idea is that it will record and playback video from off air sources so it will function as a PVR with the addition of EPG software. I do not know if this will actually be a model that will sell. Looks cool though, huh?

Best Regards,
Shane Kea
Technical Support
B&W/Rotel

[Andrew Pratt]

From what I'm hearing this is more of less a concept model for them but that we'll likely not see it produced in its current form as it would be too expensive. Still lets hope we see at least some of this technology trickle down into products we will see on store shelves