3DTV
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Sony, Discovery and IMAX 3D channel dubbed 3net, adds a little more content before launch
Still without an exact release date, the 24/7 3D channel from Sony, IMAX and Discovery at least has a name now: 3net. It promises "the world's largest library of native 3D content" when it launches early this year and also had a few new selections -- Hubble 3D, In the Qube 3D and Wildebeest Migration -- to announce during Sony's presser yesterday. The press release is after the break but until there's a launch date announced the one detail we're really waiting for just won't be found.
Hands-on with the new Panasonic 3D camcorder and 3D still camera
Well we actually weren't able to play with the latest consumer Panasonic 3D camcorders ourselves, but we were able to get close enough to snap some pics and live vicariously through a stage model who did actually get to hold it. There's nothing small about the HDC-TM90, but it looks cool enough. The GF2 still camera is just as crazy looking and is sure to get you just as much attention if you walked about town with one. %Gallery-112863% %Gallery-112866%
Sony's 2011 Bravia lineup includes 27 new HDTVs
The 2011 lineup of Sony Bravia HDTVs is quite extensive with a total fo 27 models spanning nine lines. All but the five most inexpensive models feature internet streaming services while 16 of the higher end models being 3D capable. Most of the great streaming services we've come to expect are there, but in addition you can now watch Time Warner Cable VOD without a set-top-box as well. A few of the lines are compatible with a special Sony 720p camera (CMU-BR100) for use with Skype, while others feature Gorilla Glass. The XBR-HX929 Series sits at the top with a new local dimming technology called Intelligent Peak LED Backlight, and is also one of the lines that supports the new Media Remote application for iPhone, iPod Touch or Android, which includes full remote capabilities as well as a keyboard. The 929s will be available in April in 46, 55 and 65-inches, with the others hitting the street sometime between February and May. %Gallery-112824%
LG Display thinks it can fix 3DTV with passive glasses & FPR
So far 3DTV hasn't increased sales by as much as predicted, but LG Display thinks it can turn that around with three simple letters: FPR (branded Cinema 3D by its consumer arm earlier today.) Standing for Film Pattern Retarder, it places a thin film over the LCD (there's no plans for plasma products) that allows 3D viewing with cheap, passive polarized 3D glasses instead of expensive and heavier active shutter glasses. LG plans to stop manufacturing active shutter 3D displays soon. That will further open the door for FPR, due in April in the USA, to take over with a 4K2K display to arrive this year and plans for a OLED model in 2012. We took a tour through LG Display's house of active shutter horrors (as seen above, grammar aside) and sat in for the press conference, check the gallery for a few pictures plus more on what this means for 3D and a quick promotional video.
Samsung touts Bluetooth 3D support on LED 8000 / 7000 HDTV line, intros D8000 and D6500 plasmas
Are you ready to look your existing 3D HDTV in the face (yeah, the one you purchased a fortnight ago) and tell it that aren't enticed in the least by Samsung's latest? Good luck with that. As it tends to do each year, Sammy is busting out a barrage of new releases here at CES, and is kicking things off with a smattering of big-screen television sets. Up first is the high-end LED 8000 series, comprised of 46-, 55-, 60- and 65-inch models. The UND8000 line boasts a restyled, 0.2-inch wide metal bezel, and there's plenty of Smart TV enhancements to gawk over. You'll get a full web browser, media search panel, an advanced recommendation feature and a Touch Control TV remote (complete with 3-inch screen) to dictate it all. The most interesting feature, however, is likely the support for Bluetooth 3D glasses; rather than relying on IR, the Bluetooth approach promises to improve on the line-of-sight, range and interference issues that some struggle with today. Other specifications across the line include 240Hz de-jitter technology, a 1080p panel, inbuilt WiFi and support for Skype.Moving right along, the D7000 series arrives as a threesome, offering buyers the choice of 46-, 55- or 60-inches of diagonal screen space. You'll still find a frighteningly thin 0.2-inch thick bezel here, Bluetooth 3D Active Glasses support, 3D playback, a 1080p panel, inbuilt WiFi and Skype support, but you'll miss out on the Micro Dimming Plus and the snazzy universal remote. If you'd prefer to go the plasma route, the D8000 crew would be happy to oblige. Available in 51-, 59- and 64-inch screen sizes, these 1080p 3D sets were designed with a slimmer bezel that offers up to a full inch increase in viewing screen size over last year's models, and each one measures just 1.5-inch thick. You'll also get a Touch Control TV remote thrown in, a 0.001ms response time, USB ConnectShare Movie, inbuilt WiFi, DLNA streaming support and the ability to Skype over your TV if you buy an optional webcam. Stepping down a notch, there's the D6500 line, which is offered in 51- and 59-inch sizes and simply trims down on a few of the more advanced features. We're still waiting to hear back on MSRPs, but you can expect each and every one of these to hit US retailers in the first half of the year.%Gallery-112483%%Gallery-112484%
Sharp has 70-inch 3D LCD, soundbars and new Blu-ray players on deck for 2011
Sharp intends to keep its position in the large LCD market with the help of two new lines which both top out at 70-inches -- finally. The LC-70LE732U 3DTV sits at the top of the LE835 series which is also set to be available in sizes ranging as small as 40-inches and is expected in February. No word on what any of these sets will cost ya, but they will all feature built-in WiFi and a wide range of streaming options including VUDU and Netflix, as well as other internet apps like Flickr, Facebook and Twitter. The trio of new 3D Blu-ray players, the BD-H25U, BD-H35U and BD-H75U, will also ship this February with many of the same network and streaming options as the TV, but will also be IP controllable for home automation fans. Meanwhile there are five new soundbars on tap starting with a USB model, the CP-USB500, for great sound on the go and ending with the HT-SL70 which can pass 3D signals via HDMI 1.4a and even supports an audio return channel. %Gallery-112757% %Gallery-112760%
LG's glassesless 3D Mobile DTV eyes on (update: video)
We briefly chatted with LG's John Taylor, US VP of marketing, to better understand when LG might bring its auto-stereoscopic 3D mobile TV to market. The US market, to be precise, since this portable TV is built around the ATSC-M/H standard for mobile TV. The television on hand here in Vegas was a prototype using a 7-inch 800x480 pixel parallax barrier panel developed by LG Display and destined for other LG products including a 3D picture frame still under development. The 3D effect was on par with the capabilities we've seen from other parallax barrier displays of similar size. LG's testing the waters right now with plans to launch in 2012 for less than $200 -- just as soon as broadcasters embrace the fledgling technology in sufficient numbers. Full press release, including an image of a prototype CMDA touchscreen phone built around the Mobile DTV circuitry. %Gallery-112712%
Toshiba to sell big-screen, glasses-free 3D HDTVs in 2011 / 2012
Toshiba made good on its word to sell glasses-free 3D TVs prior to the end of 2010, but it only managed to out 12- and 20-inch versions in Japan. Today at CES, executives have reportedly stated that the company will be kicking things into high gear for 2011. It'll be showcasing 56- and 65-inch prototypes here in the desert (and a 4K one at that), and according to Reuters, it'll "probably launch two models, one over 40-inches and another over 50-inches." Atsushi Murasawa, Toshiba's head of visual products, even cleared up the distribution question: "These will not only be for the Japanese market, but also America, Europe and China." Sadly, no details were given surrounding eventual prices and release dates, but we'll see if we can't coerce someone into spilling a few more beans here in a moment. Update: We were able to grab someone here at the show, and were told a more realistic date of "end of fiscal year," which could mean into early 2012 before consumers can bust out their credit cards.
XpanD shows off customizable 'You'niversal 3D glasses, iPhone app
XpanD has already helped push 3D at home forward with glasses that worked with 3DTVs from all manufacturers, and not it appears the next step will be 3D glasses design to adjust to all people. Besides being lighter and having a new design, the Youniversal glasses it's releasing in 2011 feature Bluetooth or USB connectivity to iPhone or Android devices that allow their performance to be calibrated to any particular user's specifications. We didn't get a chance to test them out at the press event, but as you can see in the gallery, things like transition time can be adjusted to improve brightness or reduce ghosting. No word on price yet but the company expects these to be at the high end of the market compared to its current $129 X103s when they arrive in April. Oh, and if you're jumping on the passive glasses bandwagon like its old pal Vizio? There were some harsh words for the technology there, claiming it made broadcast 3D look SD with its loss of resolution, viewing angles and reduced quality on 2D HD content. %Gallery-112694%
LG's CES 2011 HD lineup: SmartTV platform, network Blu-ray players and HDTVs
Thanks to a couple of carefully planned slips over in South Korea, hardly anything about LG's CES 2011 is apt to take you fully by surprise. But if you just so happened to disconnect over the holidays, we'll break it all down below to ensure you remain firmly in the loop. For starters, the outfit seems pretty darn proud of its new SmartTV platform. Hinted at last month, this system enables HDTVs, Blu-ray players and other sources to access all sorts of streaming media, apps and even provides users with a way to surf the web. Four main sections are given -- TV Live, Premium Content, TV Apps and a Launch Bar -- and for TV models, owners will control things with a wave of the hand (read: Magic Remote). SmartTV picks up where NetCast left off, offering access to Vudu, Netflix, YouTube, CinemaNow, Hulu Plus, Amazon Video on Demand, NHL Gamecenter, NBA Game Live and MLB.tv. This here functionality is baked into quite a few of the outfit's 2011 HDTVs, but should own an older model... Then there's the all-new SmartTV upgrader! The ST600 is a minuscule set-top box that aims to transform any TV into a SmartTV. So long as your set has an HDMI input, you'll be able to access the content mentioned above. But, of course, it's on you to source your own Magic Remote. If it's an all-new TV you're after, the company is also revealing its 2011 LED and LCD HDTV line. Nary a one is different than those we heard about last week, but at least you can now rest easy knowing that the LW9500 and LW7700 Nano Full HD 3D models will indeed see a stateside release this month. The best news here is the use of polarizing glasses -- none of that headache-inducing active shutter mess. There are 13 new LED LCD models in all, with nine of 'em shipping with the SmartTV platform embedded. Unfortunately, LG's not dishing out pricing information on these bad boys just yet. Not so keen on picking up an LCD? Plasma still lives, you know! LG's rolling out its 1080p Infinia PZ950 and PZ750 lines here at CES, with both available in 50-inch and 60-inch class sizes. Both lines come equipped with the SmartTV platform, a gesture-based Magic Motion remote andl as a free Android / iPhone app if you'd rather use your phone as a remote. The 50- / 60-inch PZ550 is saddling with NetCast 1.0, but it -- along with the PW350, PZ950 and PZ750 lines -- can handle 3D imagery. Sadly, LG's also straying from providing pricing details on these. Wrapping things up, the company is debuting its 2011 line of networked Blu-ray players and home theater systems. The BD690 supports 3D BD playback and ships with an inbuilt 250GB HDD and the SmartTV platform. The majority of LG's line also includes WiFi, DLNA streaming support and a MusicID feature by Gracenote that enables consumers to play a song from a movie of TV show by mashing a single button on the remote. The BD670, BD650, BD640, BD630 and BD650 are also seeing the light of day, with the latter being LG's first portable BD deck. Finally, LG snuck in an image (seen above) of a 3D mobile TV prototype. We've no details whatsoever to go on, but you can rest assured we'll be scouring the show floor in search of just that. For more information on all of the goods here, head on past the break for the full releases. Don't expect to find any pricing information, though. %Gallery-112603%
3D movies via VUDU coming next week
Picked up a new 3DTV and you're seriously bummed that there's nothing to watch? Good news if you have one of the many VUDU capable streaming devices as next week is the week when 3D movies start heading your way. Said movies will be available in all the various resolutions we've come to expect, and will require the same amount of the bandwidth as the 2D streams. This and the fact that there's no mention of HDMI 1.4a leads us to believe this here 3D is of the frame compatible variety -- not that there's anything wrong with that. The attached press release is missing our favorite details like available titles and prices, but VUDU informed us via email that Disney's Bolt, Meet the Robinsons, and Chicken Little will be first on tap and there is a $1 premium for 3D for rentals and $2 more for purchases -- typically.
Hands-on with Toshiba's 4K glasses-free 3DTV prototype
We normally skip parties at CES, but occasionally there is a hidden gem or two like the prototype 4k glassesless 3DTV at Toshiba's event this evening. The LCD panel looks about as far away from production as any we've seen with its billet aluminum enclosure and red rope restricting access. The set can only display 4K in 2D mode, which is a-ok with us, and the only demo content was a 3D render of Final Fantasy that was impressive from its three viewing positions. Of course three viewing positions isn't exactly what we'd call practical for our home theater, and the 3D quality wasn't on par with what we've seen from active shutter 3D but it does show solid evidence that Toshiba is making some advancements towards the inevitable. Now, we sit back and wait to find out if we can afford it. %Gallery-112606%
HBO lines up 3D programming via video on-demand
If you have HBO's HD VOD via your cable provider (i.e. Comcast or Verizon FiOS) congratulations, as you should also have access to a few 3D movies. Multichannel News reports Coraline, Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs, Monsters vs. Aliens and Clash of the Titans are all available for your viewing pleasure. Of course, since it's HBO we're expecting some cropping/compression malfeasance but why don't you give it a look and tell us how they're doing.
Samsung's new 9 Series LED-backlit 3D monitor goes for asymmetric beauty with a Touch of Color
We might already be here at CES in Las Vegas, but that isn't stopping Samsung from doing some very last minute teasing. The Korean maker of everything electronic has released a few teaser images for its new flagship 9 Series LED-backlit 3DTV monitor. This new panel features a striking asymmetric design, with the stand offset to the far right, and a metallic construction accented with a (hopefully tasteful) Touch of Color. No further details or specs are available as of yet, but mysteries like that don't tend to hang around for too long in this city and at this time of the year. Update: Samsung's English-speaking PR got in touch with us to say that this is actually a monitor, not an HDTV.
Disney commits to 'at least 15' Blu-ray 3D releases for 2011 including Tron: Legacy
Even though Blu-ray 3D officially hit the streets in 2010, actually finding any discs available at retail was easier said than done, but that may be turning around this year starting with Disney announcing it plans "at least 15" releases this year. Recent 3D hits like Tron: Legacy and Tangled will be available at retail in 3D day-and-date with the 2D DVD & Blu-ray releases, with conversions of classics like The Lion King and Beauty in the Beast also in the works. Like it or not, the consistent box office success means there is more 3D than ever on the way, and it won't be any different at home. Check the press release after the break for a few more details about which movie will find their way out of the Disney vault in 2011.
Vizio unveils Theater 3D HDTVs with passive glasses tech in 22- to 71-inch sizes
We doubt we've seen all of Vizio's 2011 product lineup yet, but the latest information is that it's expanding upon the one Theater 3D TV model currently available with an entire line -- promising to offer 3D with passive glasses in sizes from 22- all the up to 71-inches. There are 21 models detailed in the press release after the break including LED edge lit LCDs, direct LED backlit models, ones with the Yahoo! Widgets VIA package and a couple of the new Google TV-powered models. No word on price or ship date yet, but the company is quick to point out that putting the 3D processing into the screen means cheaper movie theater-style 3D glasses with ostensible greater brightness and less flicker, plus compatibility with Oakley's "optically correct" specs. Check out all the details in the press release after the break.
NHL Winter Classic game will be in 3D New Year's Day, find out where to watch
Whether or not you've been keeping up with HBO's 24/7 episodes, most hockey fans know that the yearly outdoor Winter Classic is scheduled for tomorrow between the Penguins and Capitals, but you may not know it will also be broadcast in 3D (the second one this season.) According to the NHL's page it will be available "worldwide" and we've confirmed Comcast, Cox, DirecTV, Cablevision Shaw and Telus are on the list. They're likely not the only ones, with Versus broadcasting if your provider has a dedicated 3D event channel and the sports network (especially if they broadcast the Oregon/Cal football game earlier this fall) it's a good bet it will be on but we'd check with them first. Here's hoping that next time around (the Heritage Classic game in February will be in 3D too) there's a slightly more coordinated effort to let those who might be interested in watching know where and how to tune in.
How to connect and set up your new HDTV: all the cables, content, and calibration you need
Whether you're taking the wraps off of your first HDTV or your fifth there's a few easily avoidable hurdles that can prevent you from enjoying that brand new display at its best. Now, with new internet connected TVs and 3DTVs in the mix, there's even more to consider, but we'll walk you through the minefield of figuring out how to hook that new TV up, what to connect it to and even throw in a few suggestions on where to find the stuff you like to watch most.
LG's LW6500 Cinema 3D TV is certified flicker-free, launching at CES
Oh LG, you infernal tease. Instead of politely revealing its full set of plans for CES 2011, the Korean company keeps gently peeling away the layers of ignorance, with today marking its pre-announcement of a new Cinema 3D TV set. The LW6500 opts for passive 3D glasses, in place of the currently popular active shutter goggles, which has garnered it a couple of industry certifications to say that its 3D is guaranteed, definitely, totally flicker-free. Aside from that, you get a neat brightness booster to ensure that switching on the third dimension doesn't dim the picture unduly, while the rest of the specs and extras on this 200Hz panel seem mostly unremarkable. We'll be casting our eyeballs over it at CES next week, which will be followed, we're told, by a rollout in select markets shortly thereafter.
LG looks set to unveil mobile 3DTV at CES
We don't know much about it yet, but it's looking like we might be getting a taste of 3D on the go after all at CES. We'd hoped it would be with Nintendo's 3DS, but that report turned out to be a bust, and now LG is apparently going to pick up the slack with a new mobile digital TV that has a 3D display. We know virtually nothing about the set at this point, but we're thinking it will be glasses-free and are speculating that, after its appearance in Vegas next week, it'll never be seen in the US again.
