ultra widescreen
Latest
Samsung's first Odyssey gaming monitors include a 240Hz ultra-wide
Samsung is now applying its Odyssey gaming badge to monitors, and it's marking the occasion with two displays that are clearly geared to enthusiasts. The 49-inch G9 (above) is billed as the first 5,120 x 1,440 ultra-wide display with a 240Hz refresh rate and a 1ms pixel response time. You won't have to choose between extra-smooth performance and expansive, high-res visuals. It's also one of the first Samsung screens with a 1000R curvature, and it can handle DisplayHDR 1000 brightness as well as AMD FreeSync and NVIDIA G-Sync. It should show up in the second quarter of the year.
Samsung's super-wide curved monitor makes your PC extra trendy
If both ultra-widescreen and curved computer monitors are all the rage these days, then Samsung's new SE790C display is supremely fashionable. The 34-inch, 3,440 x 1,440 LCD has both a super-wide 21:9 aspect ratio and a gentle arc, combining two trends (fads?) in one. Supposedly, this all-encompassing design produces a "3D-like" effect that brings you into the action -- that's a little difficult to believe, but the screen will at least look futuristic sitting on your desk. Just don't expect it to make your photos pop. Although the SE790C covers all of the sRGB color range, it's using a middle-of-the-road VA (vertical alignment) panel rather than something particularly vivid, like IPS (in-plane switching). There's also no mention of US availability or pricing, so it's hard to know if this represents a good deal. So long as the price isn't too outlandish, though, it could be a good way to immerse yourself in games and movies.
Vizio's CinemaWide 21:9 HDTVs hit physical store shelves, price slides below $2k
While Philips is backing out of the ultrawidescreen game, it appears Vizio is still trying to move at least a few more units. The company announced that its 58-inch CinemaWide HDTVs have moved from being available exclusively online, to the physical store shelves of Costco and Sam's Club stores. If the prospect of watching most movies without any black bars (although standard 16x9 TV programming won't quite fit without side bars, zooming or app/menu filler) hasn't quite moved you to buy, there is also the news that its price has dropped another $500 to a shade below $2,000, which puts it closer to the 46-inch HDTVs it's size resembles when watching regular widescreen video. When they initially started shipping our friends at HD Guru were told it was a limited one time only run of 1,000 units -- we'll see if any more sets show up or if this the last gasp for HDTVs in this format.
Vizio XVT CinemaWide TV goes on sale, 21:9 movie purists celebrate the end of black bars
It's been a long, long wait for Vizio's ultrawidescreen LCD TV to show its face: the company was promising such sets starting around this time last year that ultimately missed the October and subsequent March targets. Vizio is one to eventually make good on a promise, though, and has just started shipping the first XVT series CinemaWide set. The lone 58-inch model's focus remains on that 2560 x 1080p screen, whose stretchy 21:9 aspect ratio fits what you often see at the movie theater without having to crop or adjust like you would with a typical 16:9 set. Whether or not you have a chronic aversion to black bars, the CinemaWide is still a respectable set in its own right, with edge-based LED backlighting, a 120Hz refresh rate, a Bluetooth remote and the common host of Vizio internet apps. The TV maker must be doing a form of penance for taking its time on the 21:9 display: the $2,800 regular price is a lot lower than the originally quoted $3,500, and you can pick up the CinemaWide TV for $2,500 if you act quickly.
Vizio reveals $3,499 price for its 58-inch ultrawidescreen HDTV
We were told at CES last month to expect Vizio's ultrawidescreen LCDs would hit the market sooner rather than later, now we know how it will fit into our budgets, even if we're not sure how the aspect ratio will fit in our living rooms. Similar to the way its first Theater 3D TVs popped up last year, the XVT 3D CinemaWide product page reveals a 58-inch model (50- and 71-inchers are also planned) sporting its trademark 21:9 aspect ratio (compared to a traditional HDTV's 16:9) and 2560x1080 resolution will start at $3,499. It also has an array of specs, measuring the 120Hz Edge LED lit screen at 56.7-inches wide by 29-inches high and 1.8-inches deep. Just as we saw when they were first announced at CES 2011, Vizio upscales Blu-ray and other wider-than-widescreen sources to fill the screen without those black bars we've become accustomed to. If you're watching standard HD programming, the extra space alongside can accommodate tiles for Yahoo! Widgets pulling information from the internet without blocking the picture at all. Check our gallery below for a better look and a demo video after the break, we'll keep an ear to the ground to find out when and where these displays might hit the market first. Update: Vizio tells USA Today to expect this set to launch ahead of March Madness -- the better to manage our completely-useless-by-the-Sweet-16-because-Gonzaga-won-again brackets on. [Thanks, chilipalm]
Epson EH-TW5000 75,000:1 contrast ratio projector available
Slotted for those who want a top of the line 1080p projector and aren't afraid to pay extra for it, the just-launched Epson EH-TW5000 manages a dynamic contrast ratio of 75,000:1 and 1600 ANSI lumens from its 3LCD technology. Matched with an HQV chip capable of 12-bit image processing, 4-4 pulldown, support for ultra-widescreen lenses, ISF certification and a mere 22db of noise it should garner consideration in any home theater setup, About Projectors says it can be found for around $5,299. [via About Projectors & Crave]
Philips 56-inch Cinema 21:9 ultra widescreen LCD hands on
We've had more than a few vantage points of the Cinema 21:9 ultra widescreen HDTV from Philips over the last few months but Tweakers.net finally got one loose from the world of concept photographs and trade show demos for some real seat time. Translation isn't necessary to ogle at the Transformers Blu-ray playing with no bars, but looking beyond the pictures revealed appreciation for this LCD's quick refresh rate and relatively low power requirements. Luckily, we won't have to figure out how to get the 153cm x 26cm x 87cm box it ships in home, what with the lack of a U.S. release and all.[Thanks, Wilbert]%Gallery-45472%
Sony to finally unveil larger-screen OLED TVs at IFA?
We've been waiting for what seems like ages for the next iteration of the XEL-1 to dash in and swoop us off of our feet, but frankly, we're growing anxious. As the world waits for a commercial-ready OLED TV that's larger than a standard sheet of paper, industry insiders down at the IFA briefings in Malta this past week believe that Sony could be gearing up to make all sorts of hopes and dreams come true this September. Jens Heithecker, executive director of Messe Berlin, which organizes the IFA trade fair, noted that "IFA is a trade show which is focused more on market-ready technologies," hinting that anything we see in just a few short months will be prepared for release into the wild. We're also told that more "ultra-widescreen" 21:9 sets -- like Philips' masterpiece -- could be on display, not to mention scores of internet-ready HDTVs and a Samsung set with refresh rates of 400Hz. Needless to say, IFA's shaping up to be quite a show for the television sector, so you may want to think twice (or thrice, if necessary) about snagging a new panel on August 31st.[Via OLED-Info]
Philips "Carousel" short shows what you're missing without Cinema 21:9 and Ambilight
We'll definitely be missing Philips UltraWidescreen 21:9 display with no U.S. release in the plans, but buyers world wide who need a bit of a convincer to drop the €4,000 need only check out the new Cinema "interactive movie." The 2+ minute feature takes you through a fictional movie setup with director, FX supervisor and director of photography chiming in on the importance of cinema widescreen. The interactive bit comes into play as the viewer can switch between 16:9 and turn Ambilight on and off on a simulated screen playing the flick. Cinema 21:9 launches this month in France, Germany, The Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland, and Russia, the trailer is embedded after the break (live demo video is here), check it out and let us know if you're ready to come out of pocket for this 2560x1080p beast.%Gallery-45472%
Philips Cinema 21:9 HDTV, 9000 Series and Net TV get detailed
While it doesn't much matter to Yanks, Philips has some pretty stellar things going on across the pond. MyTechnology was able to attend an overseas showcase where the company finally divulged some of the Cinema 21:9's deepest, darkest secrets alongside tidbits on the soon-to-launch Net TV service and 9000 HDTV series. As for the 56-inch Cinema 21:9, it will reportedly ship with a 2,560 x 1,080 native resolution panel, Spectra Ambilight technology, a one-millisecond response time, 200Hz Clear LCD, 80,000:1 contrast ratio, Net TV integration, five HDMI 1.3 ports, DLNA support and inbuilt WiFi. The 9000 Series, which will also come equipped with Net TV, is rather expansive, so we'll hand you off to the links below to digest the rest.Read - Cinema 21:9 detailsRead - 9000 Series / Net TV details
Philips gives Cinema 21:9 HDTV a price and release date
We'd already heard during a UK preview show that Philips' Euro-only Cinema 21:9 HDTV would be priced around £3,000 when it launched sometime this Spring, but now we've got some more official details to share (and only half of it is good). So, the good news -- we're told that this behemoth will start shipping "as soon as June." The bad? The 56-inch ultra-widescreen panel will run you €4,000 ($5,045). Don't bother turning your head, that's just your wallet over in the corner wailing.[Via Register Hardware]%Gallery-45472%
Philips' 56-inch Cinema 21:9 HDTV sure looks good in conceptual shots
Philips' 56-inch Cinema 21:9 HDTV may not be spending any time in the homes of Americans, but it'll sure look good in the domiciles of those lucky / wealthy enough to afford one across the pond. Philips itself has hosted up a slew of swank concept shots (in the read link) showing the ultra-widescreen set placed in fashionable spots, and we'll be honest, that oh-so-long look really has our juices flowing. Britain needs a few more transplants, right?
Could we see ultra widescreen HDTVs in the future?
C'mon, who hasn't had an inexperienced movie goer over that politely asks why black bars still show up on a widescreen HDTV? Have you ever wondered if a set would be produced to harmonize with those films shot and presented in 2.35:1? Sound & Vision sat down with a number of industry experts and asked them that very question, and while many believe that the same technology that has become commonplace in custom projector installs is feasible for TVs, it's not apt to happen anytime soon. Essentially, there's just not a large enough market for ultra widescreen displays; the hardcore among us that would spring for one are in the minority. Richard F. Doherty, research director of The Envisioneering Group on Long Island, was one fellow who seemed to have more faith than anyone else, even going so far as to suggest that we may see at least a prototype of one such set at CES 2009. Mark our words, we'll be keeping an eye out -- after all, it shouldn't be too hard to spot in the sea of 16:9 units.
