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Posts with tag hdtv

Ask Engadget: What's the best 40- to 50-inch HDTV with PC inputs?

by Darren Murph, posted May 8th 2008 at 6:30PM Featured Story

While we've already seen one particular Engadget HD reader reach out for assistance with finding a niche HDTV, this particular question just screams mainstream. Today's gamer is likely looking for a set that's multifaceted, and Sir Matthew here is no different:

"I'm considering purchasing a 1080p HDTV in the 40- to 50-inch range for use with console gaming and possibly as a PC monitor. I've got about $2,500 to spend, but would prefer to keep it well under that if possible. I'm partial to LCD HDTVs, and whatever set I get must have a couple of HDMI ports and VGA / PC audio inputs."

Picking a TV that plays nice with PC resolutions (or PowerStrip) is crucial, so we'll go ahead and assume this fellow thinks overscan is simply unacceptable. If this here question reminded you of your own quandary, send over an email to ask at engadget dawt com with your inquiry enclosed -- if the robotic overlords manning our email systems deem it worthy, it'll show up in this space in due time.

Second-generation Pioneer KURO unveiled: 5x deeper black levels

by Darren Murph, posted May 7th 2008 at 9:00AM

Pioneer Kuro PDP-5020FD
Quite a lot has gone on in Pioneer's world since it wowed us all with the Project KURO at CES, but one thing hasn't changed: it's dedication to world-class black levels. Announced alongside several other fine pieces of kit today in NYC, the 2008 KURO family will posses black levels "five times deeper than the previous KURO." According to company bigwig Paul Meyhoefer, the ultimate goal is "pure, absolute black," and it's well on its way with the latest line. You'll also find a feature dubbed Optimum Mode, which "simultaneously monitors video and room light conditions" and then makes the most appropriate adjustments based on what it senses. Sadly, most of the nitty-gritty details have been omitted for now, but you can count on the June-bound models checking in at just 3.7-inches thick, sporting 1080p panels alone (no 720p), coming in 50- ($4,000) / 60-inch ($5,500) sizes (no 42-inch) and arriving with a new remote / redesigned HD interface. Jump on past the break for the full release, but we're warning you, there's an awful lot of gloating down there.

Continue reading Second-generation Pioneer KURO unveiled: 5x deeper black levels

LG pushes Scarlet LCD HDTVs with completely unrelated commercial

by Darren Murph, posted Apr 29th 2008 at 4:04PM


Some of you keen readers pieced all this together already, but that commercial you've been seeing about an "all new television series" dubbed Scarlet isn't a new show at all; rather, it's a risky move by LG to push its Scarlet LCD HDTVs. The sets themselves have been out and about already, and while the specifications aren't anything to sneeze at, the displays aren't nearly as seductive as the 30 second spot. The idea was crafted and put into motion by LG global brand marketing VP Kwan-Sup Lee and a team of advertising / marketing agencies, and while it refused to disclose exactly how much it has spent on the endeavor, it did affirm that it was "millions more than a typical product launch in the US." Sure, we can appreciate the envelope pushing, but now that we're all psyched about the show, it's a bit of a letdown to know we'll never actually be able to tune in. Check out the ad in its entirety after the jump.

Continue reading LG pushes Scarlet LCD HDTVs with completely unrelated commercial

DivX support finds its way into HP, LG HDTVs

by Richard Lawler, posted Apr 23rd 2008 at 12:46PM

There's no other way to say it, DivX is on a roll in 2008 (that small Stage6 stumble is already a fading memory). If support from Blu-ray players and videogame consoles wasn't enough, DivX Certification has snaked its long arm directly into HDTVs, with "over 80 models" from HP and LG slapping on a sticker indicating users can simply plug a USB drive in and play their entirely-legitimately-owned content. Expect that number to grow, since DivX is also working with AMD, Chips and Media, Broadcom and Trident to include support in other chipsets powering digital TVs near you. Now how about we see some of that content?

Warner's $400 mil payoff rumor rides again

by Ben Drawbaugh, posted Feb 23rd 2008 at 1:07PM

Warner Blu-ray payoff rumor
Some rumors never die, and this one we heard even before the official Warner press release was issued. Now that the format war is officially over, newspapers and magazines everywhere are looking back on the events preceding Toshiba's announcement. While no one really knows why each studio made its decision, The Globe and Mail cites "analysts" who think the payoff was a factor. Well, we asked Warner point blank about the payoff rumor and Kevin Tsujihara, president, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group said that it "was not a bidding war" and that it really came down to Q4 sales. This answer leaves us with the impression that while some money probably changed hands, the real reason why Warner went Blu was because during all of 2007 the Blu-ray versions of Warner's titles always outsold the HD DVD. The bottom line is that regardless of any single payoff, since Warner owns most of the home media market, it had the most to lose if it waited too long to chose a format. [Disclosure: Engadget's parent company's parent company is Time Warner]

Two years of battle between HD DVD and Blu-ray: a retrospective

by Darren Murph, posted Feb 20th 2008 at 11:48AM


It's been a long, hard journey to get to this point, but at long last, the format war between HD DVD and Blu-ray is over. Sure, we've got a somewhat clearer view of how things will pan out going forward, but we figured it prudent to take a step back and really scope out how we got to this point. If you're interested in taking a walk through the past two years of headbutting without, you know, actually sifting through headlines from the past two years, head on over to Engadget HD and dig in.

Sony looks to grow OLED biz and display sizes

by Steven Kim, posted Feb 19th 2008 at 7:03AM

Super-sized Sony XEL-1
Possibly buoyed by margins produced by its $2500 XEL-1, Sony is pumping 22-billion yen ($203.5 million) into scaling OLED production technology up to medium and large panels. No word on what sort of sizes are meant by "medium" and "large," but we're hoping that "medium" comes in around 30-inches and "large" runs upwards of the 45-inch mark. Competition being what it is, Sony probably hopes so, too. With OLED lifetimes on the rise, the only thing that keeps these power-miserly, high-contrast, great color and wide-viewing angle displays out of a home theater setup is sheer size. Given the race between manufacturers, we're hoping to see falling prices, rising sizes and shorter times to market.

Nick Neg flashback: Why HDTV will never catch on

by Paul Miller, posted Feb 8th 2008 at 4:46PM


As a celebration of the magazine turning 15 years old this month, Fimoculous uncovered this little gem from back in Wired's heyday, the very first issue: "High-definition television is clearly irrelevant." That's Nicholas Negroponte, of OLPC fame, making some bold predictions from his inaugural column in the back page of Wired. Sure, his thoughts on user control of when and what we watch really hit home with the YouTube generation, but his lack of interest in resolution seems a bit silly if you've stepped inside a Best Buy at any point this decade. That said, it's certainly worth a quick read before you run to the attic and dive into your archives.

[Via Fimoculous]

Engadget HD helps you prep for Super Bowl XLII

by Darren Murph, posted Jan 30th 2008 at 1:01PM


Just in case you've been living under a rock (or mounds of year-end spreadsheets -- same difference), we reckoned you should know that you've but four days left before Super Bowl XLII kicks off from Arizona. Besides the obvious necessities -- an HDTV, lots of seating space, a truckload of junk food and an HD DVR attached to a battery backup system -- you may also need to cross a few unnoticed "t"s to ensure the best game day experience possible. Of course, Engadget HD is lookin' out for you and yours, and we're here to make sure you aren't scrambling for an HD signal from your local FOX affiliate three minutes after kickoff. Hit up the checklist here while you still have time.

Further Super Bowl XL II reading:

Hands flailing wildly with JVC's Snap and Gesture HDTV

by Richard Lawler, posted Jan 8th 2008 at 3:16PM Featured Story

We've now experienced JVC's Snap and Gesture HDTV -- the display that replaces your remote by responding to audio cues like snapping/clapping, or visual ones with hand gestures -- and can confirm we are exactly the type of lazy couch potatoes this is not aimed towards. While leading a nation, signaling for a time out or expressing displeasure with another driver are best done with elaborate hand movements, we're a bit more thumb-oriented. Check out some lazily-snapped photos (auto focused, not manual) in the gallery.

Gallery: JVC's Snap and Gesture Recognition HDTV

Hands-on with Hitachi's 1.5-inch thin displays

by Erik Hanson, posted Jan 7th 2008 at 6:36PM

Hitachi's 1.5-inch thick LCD displaysNot to be outdone by what's shaping up to be the theme of the show when it comes to display technology this year, Hitachi launched their line of thin displays in 32-, 37-, and 42-inch sizes. Hitachi's 1.5-inch LCD displays may not match Pioneer or Panasonic in the sheer (lack of) depth column, but you will actually be able to buy these sets when they launch in the first part of 2008. And that's something impressive all by itself.

Gallery: Hands-on with Hitachi's 1.5-inch displays

  • Hitachi 1.5-inch display line
  • Hitachi 1.5-inch display line
  • Hitachi 1.5-inch display line
  • Hitachi 1.5-inch display line
  • Hitachi 1.5-inch display line

Hands-free with Panasonic's Wireless HD

by Erik Hanson, posted Jan 7th 2008 at 6:21PM Featured Story

Panasonic Wireless HDAfter attending the kickoff Panasonic keynote earlier today at CES 2008, Engadget headed over to the Panasonic booth to check out the Wireless HD, 150-inch behemoth, and ultra-thin plasmas. The Wireless HD setup was, of course, a befuddling open space between a set-top box of some sort and a TV. A loop video played demonstrating the signal using "beam steering" to bounce around obstructions, much like our cameras trying to get around the gaggle of people huddled around Panny's products.

Gallery: Hands-free with Panasonic's Wireless HD

  • Panasonic Wireless HD
  • Panasonic Wireless HD
  • Panasonic Wireless HD
  • Panasonic Wireless HD
  • Panasonic Wireless HD

Sony XEL-1 OLED slips into US stores

by Erik Hanson, posted Jan 6th 2008 at 8:33PM

Sony XEL-1 OLED displayAs expected, Sony has released the first OLED display in the US, with the 11-inch XEL-1 available now at select Sony Style locations for $2,500. Japanese customers have been able to purchase the 3mm-thick XEL-1 since late last year for ¥200,000, but the US has had to wait until now to get its organically 1,000,000:1-contrasted fix. The XEL-1 also offers support for DMeX so consumers can download content via the BRAVIA Internet Video Link service. If you're hankering for something even thinner than a 9mm plasma and looking to spend a whopping $227 per inch, head on over to a Sony store today.

LG takes thin to the next level with the 1.7-inch LGX LCD HDTV

by Erik Hanson, posted Jan 6th 2008 at 2:20PM

LGX Super Slim 42-inch 1.7-inch thick LCDLG's 2008 lineup continues with the 42-inch LGX Super Slim 1.7-inch LCD, combining that ultra-thin form factor that's so in vogue with high-tech features like 120Hz, 24p playback capability and ISFccc calibration. LED backlighting and a 15,000:1 contrast ratio bump up the visuals for viewers, while the red-colored back gives your living room wall a show too. The set sports four HDMI 1.3 ports and a USB jack for photos and music, and LG's SimpLink control protocol enables compatible equipment to chain together. Pricing and availability were not announced.

Sony offering free PlayStation 3 with HDTV purchase

by Joshua Topolsky, posted Dec 28th 2007 at 9:28PM


That's right, babies. We've seen Sony play this hand in other parts of our great big world, and now the S-gang is bringing this sweet bacon on home... er, to the States. According to a promotion we've caught wind of, if you get yourself approved for the Sony Visa, then promptly purchase a Sony HDTV at the Sony Rewards store (out of a pool of models from the BRAVIA and SXRD lines), the good folks at Sony will throw a free PlayStation 3 your way. Of course, there's a few hoops you have to jump through, the deal ends on December 31st, and obviously you'll need a half-decent credit score, but if the suits approve your transaction, this is a pretty solid deal. Hit the read link for all the info -- just make sure you read the fine print.

[Thanks, Stephen]



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