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Sony's super-thin 4K TV arrives this summer
A year after Sony's 4K TV launch, the company is detailing the US launch of a revamped collection with HDR-compatible sets. You can now pre-order six models in Sony's new Ultra HD lineup, with deliveries arriving in May. The line starts off with a 43-inch TV that costs $1,300, and goes up to a 75-inch behemoth at $8,000. Sony isn't talking about pricing for the X900C, reportedly the thinnest LED TV in the world, but it's poised to arrive this summer. It could be worth the wait -- at 5.08mm, it's thinner than your smartphone (unless you're using Oppo's 4.8mm R5). It also has a "Vanishing Edge" technology that makes the picture fill the entire screen.
John Lewis' own-brand smart TVs with webOS launching today from £1,399
The TV section of John Lewis stores, where customers and voyeurs alike come to gawk at the latest sets, will be joined by three new models today that also happen to bear the retailer's name. Its first own-brand TVs, known as the JL9000 series, have been made by LG especially, and thus run the manufacturer's webOS smart TV platform. Self-branded products tend to be at the lower-end of their category, but trust John Lewis to deck out its TVs with 1080p LED IPS panels, integrated 2.2-channel soundbars with extra subwoofers, passive 3D and 8-megapixel webcams. Those bells and whistles come at a cost, of course, so the 49-, 55- and 60-inch models will set you back £1,399, £1,699 and £2,199, respectively (still, a little cheaper than when the range was first teased). In typical John Lewis style, each one comes with a five-year guarantee, meaning you can chase the store directly if something goes wrong -- not that you'd be happy about it when laying down that kind of dosh.
Toshiba sticks to what it knows with new LED HDTV range
Toshiba's already spilled the beans on its 4K TV line-up for this year, and right on cue, it's just revealed the new range of 2014 LED sets that might interest us folk still clinging on to the regular HD era. The entry-level 3 series gains a number of new recruits, all with some smart TV features, baked-in WiFi and Freeview HD, in the UK at least. The L3 range is full HD, with 40- and 48-inch options, while the lone W3 model is a 32-inch, 1,366 x 768 affair. With the same resolution and screen sizes from 24 to 40 inches, the D3 series also have DVD players on board, and all of the above are slated for launch in the US and UK later this month.
Eyes-on with Panasonic's new HDTV lineup ahead of CES press conference
Our liveblog of Panasonic's press conference is mere minutes away, but we've already glimpsed some new HDTV models displayed on stage. There looks to be an update to the top-of-the-line WT series of LED sets -- we'd estimate the size as 55 inches. Next to it is a yet-to-be-announced plasma model, almost certainly from the high-end VT series. We're eyeballing it at 65 inches, but we'll know soon whether our estimates are correct -- and hopefully, get the lowdown on specs and availability. Stay tuned! Update: We had a chance to get up close and personal with the new TVs after the press conference -- you'll find three models in the gallery just below. Follow all the latest CES 2013 news at our event hub. Zach Honig contributed to this report.
Sharp announces new 6-, 7- and 8-Series AQUOS LED TVs as part of 2013 lineup (update: pricing info)
Despite not having the best of years, Sharp has still managed to make its presence felt in the television market -- namely by introducing plenty of AQUOS TVs in recent months, including that 90-inch LED beast we saw back in June of 2012. Today, the Japanese electronics maker is looking to increase its efforts on that front, with the firm adequately choosing this year's CES as the platform to unveil its new lineup of 60-,70- and 80-inch LED televisions in the 6-,7- and 8-Series. For starters, the entry-level 6-Series will boast 1080p capabilities with AQUOMotion 240 (120Hz) as the main driving tech behind it, while the higher-specced (and presumably more expensive) 7- and 8-Series are set to carry the same resolution features (sorry, no 4K here) but with Quattron "color intensification" and AQUOMotion 480 and AQUOMotion 960 technology inside both. Smart and 3D features can also be found in most of Sharp's novel TV models, which should pair nicely with what the company's calling "striking new slim designs." All in all, Sharp is kicking off the new year with about 18 new AQUOS LED TVs -- and for those interested in learning each model name, the presser after the break should help do just that. Update: We have just received pricing information from Sharp, and it looks as if the cheapest model will start off at about $1,500 for the 60-inch, non-3D LC-60LE650, while the most expensive HDTV is set to be the 80-inch LC-80LE857 with a hefty price tag of $6,500 -- both of which will be available in February and April, respectively. In addition, Sharp today also announced its new SmartCentral platform, which will be a one-stop hub for the now-accustomed smart TV applications like Netflix, Hulu Plus, Vudu and Facebook. You'll find more pricing and availability information for the other models inside the updated PR past the jump. Follow all the latest CES 2013 news at our event hub.
Sony's $25,000 XBR 4K LED Ultra HDTV and tablet remote control hands-on
Recently Sony invited us to check out its forthcoming 84-inch XBR 4K LED TV and we couldn't resist an opportunity to get an idea of how well the company's $25,000 flagship stacked up against the competition. Perhaps trying to simulate an in-home viewing experience, Sony packed its gargantuan TV into a family room setting and allowed us to give it a spin. While we didn't get to channel surf freely, the provided stock media did a great job of highlighting the display's capabilities. Images were crisp but fluid, while colors remained strong and organic. One of our biggest concerns was that things would look too good and possibly appear unnatural. But the XBR-84X900 managed to produce an excellent picture with stellar viewing angles. As for the content itself, we were treated to a collection of pre-loaded clips running off of Sony's recently announced 4K media server controlled by the system's included Xperia Tablet S. It should be noted that The Amazing Spider-Man was listed as a 56.4GB file -- compared to its Blu-ray counterpart, which comes in at an almost modest 36GB. Check after the break for more of our impressions, and a look at the tablet (loaded with a remote control app) that's included.
JVC intros 55-inch BlackSapphire LCD TV with 45W virtual surround sound, SlingPlayer
Every TV maker trying to avoid total commoditization has a special trick to keep its designs unique and worth a higher price. For JVC, that trick is sound. It's launching the BlackSapphire line of LCD-based 3D TVs with the 55-inch, edge LED-lit JLE55SP4400, whose signature is an unusually powerful built-in audio system: the 45W system and 3D processing supposedly produces surround sound without having to line the living room with extra speakers. Odds are that the set won't provide much competition for dedicated speakers, although JVC is promising more integration beyond this with rare built-in SlingPlayer TV streaming, just in case there's a Slingbox in another part of the home. The all-in strategy could make the inaugural BlackSapphire more of a bargain than it looks: that $1,300 you'll pay when the screen ships this month might be all you need to start watching.
Samsung 75-inch ES9000 smart TV makes stateside debut: on sale in August for $9,999
The mammoth 75-inch ES9000 LED smart TV that Samsung recently unveiled for the Korean market is making its way stateside. Today the 3D-capable, LED-backlit set was on display in New York as part of the Sammy-sponsored SpaceFest marking the Space Shuttle Enterprise's arrival at the Intrepid. How smart TVs relate to Space Shuttle orbiters is beyond us, but the ES9000's US debut is welcome news for those with a massive living room to fill, and were disappointed after the ES8000 75-incher shown at CES and even given a price tag earlier this year failed to materialize. Detailed specs are currently MIA, but as we noted before in our hands-on, the 75-incher's bezel measures just 0.31 inches, and the frame sports a rose-gold finish. There's also a built-in web camera that retracts when not in use, and the TV comes with four pairs of 3D glasses. Being a smart TV, this guy also includes the full suite of Smart TV features, such as Smart Interaction for enabling gesture and voice controls and Smart Content for sharing media across several devices. Samsung also used today's occasion to introduce a new Angry Birds app for its smart TVs, which lets users play the game entirely with gesture controls. The app will be available for a free download later this month, and the ES9000 will go on sale in August for a super-sized price of $9.999. Check out the PR below for more info.
Sharp launches 'world's largest' 90-inch LED AQUOS TV, we go hands-on
You know what they say: bigger is always better. With that in mind, Sharp's taken the wraps off of its flagship 90-inch AQUOS LED TV, and in the process dubs it the world's largest (sorry, 80-incher). At first glance, this enormous smart television is everything you'd imagine and more, led, naturally, in large part by that gorgeous 90-inch (diagonally) LED screen. Sharp's new AQUOS measures in at 4 feet in height, 5-inches in thickness and weighs in at a mere 141 pounds (without the stand). The company's also done a nice job of stuffing a good amount of software inside the 1080p-capable AQUOS, including apps such as Netflix, Hulu and Vudu. Additionally, Sharp is throwing in a pair of three-dee glasses, which should come in handy during your precious movie night with the family. Best of all, it's up for grabs now, but prepare your wallet to take a major hit, as you'll have to shell out $11,000 to get one of these in your living room. While you think that over, there's a glorious picture gallery for everyone's viewing pleasure down below, and the official presser right past the break. %Gallery-158521% %Gallery-158518%
Samsung details pricing and availability for its 2012 Smart TV lineup
We've already seen pricing leak out for some models, but Samsung has today gotten official with the pricing and availability for its complete Smart TV lineup for 2012 (which includes more TVs than we can mention this post). On the LED side of things, those start out with the 26-inch EH4000 on the low-end, which runs $329.99, and top out with the company's 65-inch ES8000, which will set you back a hefty $5,099.99, although it's one of the few models that remains TBA in terms of availability. The company's plasma TV offerings for the year are comparatively fewer (but still include 16 different sets), and range from the 43-inch PN43E450 at $549.99 to the 64-inch PN64E8000 at $3,949.99. Those looking for a particular model can find the full rundown of prices and dates at the links below.
Panasonic intros 2012 LED line-up, 47 and 55-inch WT50 and DT50
Ready for a bevy of new Panasonic TVs? 2012's lineup shifts almost entirely to LED, with 14 out of the 16 new sets using the tech. There's a metric ton of info packed into one release, but highlights for this year include larger IPS LED TVs and a 25 percent reduction in power consumption across the line. Most impressive are the 47 and 55-inch DT50 and WT50. Differentiated primarily by design -- the WT50 has a super-narrow metal frame and a crescent stand -- they're both IPS LED panels with Viera Connect and can convert 2D content into 3D. And both have four HDMI ports and three USB ports. PR detailing all awaits you after the break.
Samsung ES8000 edge-lit LED TV eyes-on
Looking for an LED-backlit LED HDTV somewhere between the size of 46 and 65 inches in size? Do you like Samsung and chrome bezels and swoopy stands that add a little bling to your viewing experience? This, then, is the TV for you. It's the ES8000 that was just announced at Samsung's press event and, while it isn't nearly as slinky as the company's 55-inch OLED set, it is at least a looker. And, of course, it'll feature all of Samsung's "Smart Interaction" functionality for your gesture and voice-recognition pleasure. Oh, and it's also lovely and thin. Check out the look of the thing in the gallery below, and read the full details here.
Sharp Elite LED LCD TV hands-on (video)
Earlier today, Sharp and Pioneer re-launched the Elite brand, with its Pro-60X5FD and Pro-70X5FD LED LCD TVs. Both models cater to the high-end home entertainment crowd, with pricing set at $6,000 and $8,500, for the 60-inch and 70-inch sets, respectively. We had a chance to take a look at the larger model at an event in New York City this morning, and were certainly impressed with its high contrast and excellent deep black levels. Set against a black wall, it was nearly impossible to distinguish a black image from the TV's brushed aluminum bezel or the wall behind it when viewed in a pitch-black room. Plasma TVs, such as Pioneer's discontinued Kuro, have been able to achieve deep black levels for years, but LCD TVs like the Elite we saw today historically suffer from light bleeding, which causes black images to appear gray. The Elite TV also includes built-in speakers, which sounded fine in a noisy room, but considering that you'll be spending north of $6,000 for the smaller set, we imagine you'll be pairing either model with some external speakers as well. Internet connectivity alone certainly isn't going to motivate anyone to spend this much to outfit their home theater with a high-end set, but streaming is important nonetheless, so we were happy to see that Sharp included a somewhat diverse offering of services. The TVs ship with apps for Netflix, Vudu, CinemaNow, YouTube, along with Facebook and Twitter -- there's also a dedicated Netflix button on the remote, letting you access the movie streaming service without clicking through several menu levels. Overall, we were impressed with the Elite during today's brief demonstration, but we'll need to wait for the full review before we can determine whether Sharp can justify those sky-high price tags.%Gallery-129950%
Sharp and Pioneer resurrect Elite with line of LED LCD TVs, pricing starts at $6,000
Remember Pioneer's Kuro brand of HDTVs? The high-end plasma line became the benchmark for the home theater market, leaving a rather large void in the hearts of the HD obsessive after it kicked the bucket two years ago. Now, Sharp and Pioneer are bringing back some of the technology used in that line, while leaving the Kuro name to rest in peace. The Elite branding will remain, however, with the new line of LED LCD TVs. Available in 60-inch and 70-inch flavors, the new Elites will only be available through high-end retailers, and will be priced at $6,000 and $8,500, respectively. The Pro-60X5FD will ship in the US next week, and the Pro-70X5FD will hit stores later this month. Among the sets' features, Sharp promises excellent contrast ratios, high color fidelity, and very low black levels, thanks to zone-based local dimming. The company claims a frame rate of "about 720hz," thanks to 240Hz quadrupling and scanning backlight technology. The TVs also include Sharp's quad-pixel technology, complementing the typical RGB pixel arrangement with a fourth, yellow sub-pixel. This sounds similar to the company's Quattron technology, though Sharp doesn't appear to be using that name with its new Elite line. There's also 3D functionality, and Internet connectivity, with pre-loaded Netflix, Vudu, and social media apps. The TVs also include Elite Advantage Live, for real-time remote technical support. We're at the Elite event in New York City, so stay tuned for more details and a full hands-on later this morning.
Samsung prices 950 Series 3DTVs in Korea, rest of the world soon to follow
We've been keenly tracking the progress of these 3D displays from Samsung, from their pre-CES tease -- where we were first told they were TVs, then monitors, then it turned out they were monitors with optional TV tuners -- through their official launch and now to their first pricing and availability. South Korea is the unsurprising debut market for the 950 and 750 Series, both 27-inchers, discernible by their design, which in the 950's case is asymmetric and in the 750's is all about the thin bezel. A 1,000:1 contrast ratio, 2ms response time, 1080p resolution, and a litany of input ports await the buyer of either one, but he'd better bring a well-fed wallet to this party -- the 27TA950 reportedly costs 890,000 KRW (nearly $800) whereas the 27TA750 is an 840,000 KRW outlay (just over $750). Not exactly value models, but those prices will likely change when the pair go international at some point later this month.
HD 101: What is local dimming?
One thing that makes covering LCD TVs so interesting is that the technology is always advancing and one innovation that might be the biggest in LCDs yet, is local dimming. But you're probably wondering, what is it exactly? Well in non-edgelit LED LCDs TV, there's an array of LED lights behind the liquid crystal pixels, and local dimming is when sections of the LED array are turned off or dimmed to help produce the deep blacks -- like Kuro deep. But while this tech can produce very deep blacks and fantastic contrast, there's a catch, it also create an artifact referred to as a halo around bright objects. Example: the two images above are of the opening scene of The Matrix (cops shining a flash light) it's pretty easy to tell which is the plasma and which is the LED LCD with local dimming. Of course we don't exactly watch movies with flash lights or star fields every night, so after the break are more pictures of a normal dark scene that also expose the artifact caused by local dimming (we have to point out that the camera makes it more drastic than it appears in reality). So while we wouldn't buy an LCD without local dimming, there's still a lot to look forward to in the next generation when the dimming is sure to become more local, and thus the artifact will be minimized. At the same time these advancements should help produce more detail in blacks, which is harder to notice at first, but just as annoying once you do. Just getting into HD? Check out these other HD 101 features: Overscan and why all TVs do it What is ATSC, PSIP, QAM, and 8-VSB? How to use Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD with your PS3 Why there are black bars on HDTVs IR blasters, HDMI-CEC, RS-232 and IP control
Kiss releases LED HDTV, because it's criminal to view Paul's Starchild makeup any other way
Legendary rockers are releasing officially-licensed LED HDTVs, available in 55-, 46-, 42-, and 32-inch (aka "Mini Kiss," to no one else but the Engadget staff) variants, priced between $818.88 and $1,988.88 (and unless we're mistaken by the wording, buying the 55-inch model also nets you a 32-incher) and on sale now online / in-store mid-November. Each set has the Kiss logo emblazoned on each bottom corner, and you'll be rocked -- nay, rawked -- by eight seconds of the band's imagery every time you turn it on. The TVs are produced by Roundtable Concepts and specs include... wait, you've already made up your mind, haven't you? Well, alright, then, our job here is done. One more picture after the break.
Loewe shows off new Connect LEDs, wallets cringe
Ultra high-end German television maker Loewe revealed at IFA that its 32-inch and 42-inch Connect LED line will be refreshed with 200Hz edge LED backlit panels and improved MediaNet connectivity. Specifically MediaNet has been revamped to feature a new LAN interface for streaming local video or audio content on the TV's integrated DVR as well as from DLNA compatible devices and online sources. A so-called "Follow Me" feature is another handy addition that allows users to easily transfer a program in progress from TV to another display for completion -- which should prove useful to shipping magnates who prefer passing out to Titanic in bed after starting in the jacuzzi. Trusted Reviews also reports that Loewe, along with Sharp and Philips, is promoting web-based services built on CE-HTML that are optimized for TV displays, and even demoed a version of the BBC's iPlayer using the technology behind closed doors. Style-wise, the luxury set will ship in three colors along with a choice of stand and a 2.1 speaker setup when it hits the UK this November. Official pricing however is still unknown, but don't expect to find it at Asda. %Gallery-101499%
LG LEX8 'Nano LED' TV eyes-on
While we admire the impulse to best your South Korean neighbor and build the world's thinnest X (in this case, the world's thinnest full LED LCD TV bezel), you can't help but notice the base at the bottom where all the components that used to be in the back have been crammed seems to grow ever larger with each passing tradeshow. Still, LG's LEX8 8.8mm thick LCD is impressively thin and the picture quality, thanks to that localized "Nano LED" dimming, is stellar. Hit up the gallery for a requisite thickness comparo with an iPhone -- next year we're just gonna pack some razor blades for comparison shots. %Gallery-101370%
Sharp releases slew of new Quattron TVs at IFA 2010
Just in case those George Takei commercials didn't clue you in that Sharp was serious about Quattron, the company has announced four new TV lines at IFA sporting yellow as a fourth subpixel color. At the top of the list, the Quattron 3D-enabled LE925 line will be available in 60-inch or 46-inch sizes and feature Sharp's proprietary high-speed FRED LCD signal processing technology along with side-mounted scanning LED backlighting -- which like the LV Series -- is touted to produce 1.8x better brightness than competing sets and reduce 3D crosstalk. Aquos Net+ connectivity is thrown in too, along with 2D-to-3D conversion, a digital triple tuner and 8GB of built-in flash memory for timeshift recording. Playing second fiddle to this overachiever are the 2D-only LE924E, LE824E and LE814E series, which will also feature Aquos Net+. Pricing details for all of the new lines are still unknown, but they're slated to be available in Germany and Austria later this month. Here's hoping Sulu gets his jaw checked out before then.
