After dropping two bills on that sleek, shiny plasma television, your first instinct probably isn’t to see what kind of mindless drivel you’ve missed out on all afternoon on YouTube. However, once you tire of summer repeats, “celebrity” reality shows and four and half hour baseball games tied at one run, you may be looking for a reprieve. And thanks to an upgrade from Google, you’ll be able to watch a version of YouTube that was specifically designed for your television. YouTubeXL is a reconfigured version of the explosive video site that will seamlessly transport YouTube into your living room on your TV or gaming console. The new format has taken away some familiar features, such as user comments, to offer a more appealing, organized interface and has made all the controls larger so that they’re easier to operate with a flick of the remote. [via Channel Web]

If you didn’t snag the $70 Flip Ultra from Woot last month, here’s your shot at redemption. The daily deal site is selling Pure Digital’s Mino 60-Minute Flip Camcorder, refurbished, for just $89.99 plus $5 shipping, compared to a new list price of $180. The camera uses a 1/4-inch VGA CMOS sensor to shoot 640 x 480 video at 30 frames per second. Files come out in MPEG-4 AVI format with a bitrate of 4 Mbps. For previews, there’s a 1.5-inch LCD screen on the back. HD Video it’s not, but at 4 inches tall by 2 inches wide by 0.6 inches thick, it’s easy to break out of your pocket to capture memorable moments. Check the reviews below for more info:

• Review from SoftSailor
• Review from Washington Post
• Review from Internet Video Magazine

[via Woot]

For a while yesterday, the Internet’s porn was liberated from seedy, spyware-laden corners of the Web, landing on YouTube in an attack by members of 4chan and eBaum’s World. The so-called “Porn Day” entailed massive quantities of adult content being uploaded to the video sharing site, to the point that casual users were exposed. Some clips even appeared to be legitimate content, such as news, but switched to porn 20 or 30 seconds into the video. YouTube has eliminated the videos from the site, but it may take a few days to remove all the search results and thumbnail images. Point taken: Grouped together, people can manipulate user-powered Web sites in strange ways. I suppose I’m amused. Moving on. [via Ars Technica]

So what if Mini DV isn’t the latest and greatest way to store your homemade videos? At $129.99 from Woot, JVC’s GR-DA30 Mini DV Camcorder will capture those precious moments as good as any camera with SD or built-in hard drive (unless it’s an HD camera, but that’s another story). This camcorder features a sliding rear LCD panel and 30x optical zoom, magnifying to an astounding 800x when combined with digital zoom. NightAlive boosts light sensitivity in the dark, pairing nicely with 3-D noise reduction for low-lighting situations. A built-in Firewire port will even let you use this camcorder as a webcam. You’ll find the same product on Amazon for $250, so head to Woot today if you truly want to realize your low-budget indie film dreams. [via Woot]

Going the complete opposite way of the mini projector trend, JVC announced that it will soon ship a 370-pound projector. Obviously, the D-ILA 3 8K and 4K aren’t about dinky pictures, beaming out 35-megapixel pictures, in resolutions of up to 8192 x 4320. They also feature brightness of 10,000 lumens, a 5,500:1 contrast ratio. These monstrosities use a 3,000 W bulb and a special fiber optic interface, though there’s also HDMI connections on board. But what would you use it with? Perhaps JVC’s 4K camera, which is in the prototype stage now. A 1.25-inch CMOS sensor allows for resolutions of 3840 x 2160and 60 frames per second in RAW mode. The camera head also has a fiber optic interface, which sends the signal to a remote 4K2K signal processor. No word on pricing, which is to say it probably won’t be cheap. [via Electronista]

Hulu’s evil plot to destroy the world is going swimmingly now that Disney content is in the online video Web site’s clutches. The Disney empire will provide ABC shows — both primetime and archived — along with select Disney content to the site, with shows like Lost and Ugly Betty joining Hulu’s existing NBC, Fox and Viacom content. In return, Disney gets an equity share in the site, which is sure to create friction as Hulu becomes more popular and the networks realize they’re supposed to be competing with each other. It’s good news for consumers, though, because ABC’s existing online video player is pretty tacky. [via Ars Technica, picture via Dvice]

That indie nosebone + stalefish you’ve been working on is no good if you can’t save it for posterity. But who would actually want to record that video for you? Luckily, VholdR has the solution with its ContourHD helmet cam, apparently the world’s first wearable HD camera. Just strap it on to the safety helmet for your extreme sport of choice, and you’ve got 720p video at 30 frames per second or WVGA (858 x 480) at 60 frames per second. Mounts are included for goggles or flat surfaces, and dual lasers help set up the proper angle. The lens swivels 192 degrees and has a 135-degree viewing angle. For storage, there’s a 2 GB microSD card included, with a 2 GB card included. Pre-orders are open now for $280, shipping May 15 — just in time for skateboarding season. [VholdR via Engadget]

Presently, recording a 3D image is somewhat of a chore, requiring the connection of at least two 2D cameras — and what artiste can be bothered with that? Panasonic’s working on an answer with the industry’s first dedicated 3D HD camera. In prototype now, the camera uses two lenses to records separate channels of video on Panasonic’s proprietary P2 card, one for each eye. The result is an easier process for filmmakers, thus encouraging more 3D movie production. Smart move for Panasonic, as it’s working hard on the consumer side as well. You may recall that at CES, the company revealed that its 3D plasma home theater is coming to the US and Japan. Now all they need is for the concept itself to take off. [via Press Release and Engadget HD]

Sooner or later, Rickrolls and Chocolate Rain were bound to get old. Good thing Google has just announced that YouTube will get a premium content section with ad-supported movies and TV shows. CBS, Lionsgate, MGM, Sony, Starz, and the BBC are on board, and they’ll share some of the ad revenue. The site has offered music videos and some old TV and movies in the past, but the new goods are clearly geared towards making YouTube a competitor with Hulu and TV.com. To boot, the site will get a redesign that makes the premium content easy to find, with the idea that Google can finally make some money off this venture. Of course, if Star Wars Kid and Charlie Bit Me are your preference, worry not; user-made videos aren’t going anywhere. [via Ars Technica]