As Microsoft soldiers on towards the domination of the global living room, The Verge reports the company should fire another salvo come 2013-- a low-cost "Xbox TV" STB device.

Apparently, according to "multiple sources familiar with [Microsoft] plans" the Xbox STB will provide access to 360 entertainment services and aims at a more mainstream consumer base.

It should run on core Windows 8 components as an "always on" device and support casual games, rather than full Xbox titles.

Adding further grist to the rumour mill, the Verge also says the STB is just part of a "broader effort"-- one stripping down Xbox architecture in order to make it run on different devices, such as tablets or web-connected TVs.

When contacted Microsoft simply states "we are always thinking about what is next for our platform and how to continue to defy the lifecycle convention."

The above rumours of course follow all the by now familiar hearsay on Apple taking on TV, which analysts suggest will also hit the market next year.

Go Microsoft "Xbox TV" Device Due 2013 (The Verge)

Pacific Media Associates (PMA) expects sales of home theater projectors will hit $915 million by year end with strong growth on both a volume and revenue basis over 2011.

"During last year's holiday season, sales of home theater projectors hit an all-time high," says Michael Abramson, VP Pacific Media Associates. "We expect another new high this holiday season. Attractive offerings in the sub-US$1000 segment are tempting new buyers in both developed and developing countries. And in the mid-range and high-end segments, manufacturers have refreshed their lineups with performance improvements across a range of features such as brightness, native contrast ratio, wireless capabilities, and 3D."

In terms of shipments, the two main resolutions – native 1080p and native 720p – are forecast to register double-digit growth this year with gains across a variety of channels, including storefronts, online, and home theater installers. Sales of 4K home theater projectors were launched on a worldwide basis earlier this year. So this will be their first full holiday season of availability.

At IFA Berlin, Sony announced its Full HD 3D home projector, the VPL-HW50ES.

The Sony VPL-HW50ES includes an adapted version of Sony’s Reality Creation developed for their VPL-VW1000ES Sony 4K home cinema projector. Digital Reality Creation technology employs an originally developed digital signal processing algorithm to restore any information lost when packaging from original content to disc, recreating high quality, colour-rich, full HD images.

A 1700lm brightness has been achieved by improving the light efficiency of the lamp and optimising the optical block. This combines with a new Bright Cinema and TV Mode to achieve 30% more brightness than the previous model, without losing colour reproduction.

Sony’s contrast enhancer technology and Optimised Advanced Iris 3 algorithm combine to give the projector a dynamic contrast ratio of more than 100,000:1. The contrast enhancer works by analysing each scene and then automatically optimising contrast in real-time by compensating for dark and bright parts of the image. Additional features such as high brightness and Sony’s 3D Crosstalk reduction system, with SXRD panels, enhance the 3D image even further.

Mozaex launches the Chroma multi-room entertainment server-- a device series the company claims is the first to legally support Blu-ray playback, the iTunes store and the Ultraviolet movie service.

The Chroma does not ship with unlicensed decryption software, thus avoiding the legal troubles plaguing the likes of Kaleidescape.

The "iBLU" feature handles both iTunes and Blu-ray discs, while iPlay allows the control of iTunes libraries with iDevice Remote app, complete with Apple Airport support (via Express unit).

The Chroma itself is not a single product, but a collection of separately sold device forming the multimedia server. It consists of the Chroma integrated Player and storage server (available with either 1 or 4TB storage), the Player BD (adds Blu-ray playback), the Player ND (Blu-ray player with no Blu-ray drive), the Sonnet (wireless music-only player) and the Stor (3TB external USB storage unit).

Adding further non-Mozaex USB or eSATA storage requires the payment of an additional license fee.

Users can add unlimited Sonnet music players to the system, allowing multi-room iTunes audio and other online media. The unit ships with a RF remote and is compatible with 3rd party systems from Control4, Vantage, Elan g! and Crestron.

Go Mozaex Ships Chroma Multi-Room Entertainment Server

Yamaha debuts a complete home theatre solution with the YHT-679BL-- a system in a box replete with Apple Airplay-compatible receiver and a full 5.1 speaker package.

The speakers include 2 front tower speakers, 3 compact satellites for the surrounds and centre channel and a 6.5-inch 100W subwoofer packing Yamaha's Advanced YSTII technology.

The receiver is not only Airplay capable (connecting to iDevices via free Yamaha AV Controller App)-- it also handles networked content from internet radio stations and DLNA-certified devices and supports HDMI 4K and 3D video pass-through with Audio Return Channel.

Other features include CINEMA DSP 3D (with 17 DSP programs), 192/24 Burr Brown DACs and Yamaha YPAO system calibration, as well as Dolby True HD, DTS-HD Master Audio, Dolby Digital Plus and DTS-HD High Resolution Audio decoding.

Go Yamaha YHT-697

With the The Dark Knight Rises proving to be a cinematic hit, your customers might decide they want a Bat Cave-- just like the customers building a $2 million Bat Home Theatre in their California home.

And what a home theatre it is! Built as an undercave cave accessible via elevator, it has 6 Batsuits, 12 seats, a 180-inch screen and a Batcomputer at the back. Topping all is a bookshelf hiding a secret room containing a replica of Batman's vehicle of choice, the Tumbler.

The design comes from Elite Home Theatre Seating (EHTS), who states "our goal was to fuse together the cozy elements of Wayne Manor, with the Art Deco styling of Gotham City."

Before you ask, of course we would like our own Batcave. Who wouldn't? Maybe you should build it for them!

Go Dark Knight Home Theatre