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LG's 77-inch curved OLED 4K TV is every bit as expensive as it sounds
How much would you fork out for a 77-inch, curved, 4K, OLED TV? Well, LG hopes you're hovering around a couple of grand per descriptor, having announced it's launching such a gogglebox in the UK for only £20,000. It won't actually be available until October, though, so you still have a few months to fill up the piggy bank. As you'd imagine, the "world's first" curved OLED UHDTV packs a ton of branded technologies that promise a perfect picture, including the necessary upscaling engine that converts lower-res video to "near-4K," as well as LG's webOS smart TV platform. For the thrifty, there's a 65-inch model also launching in October for a mere £6,000, which you should easily be able to scrape together from the change lurking between your sofa cushions.
BBC to test 4K broadcasts of World Cup matches, but you can't watch them
UHD TVs are starting to make more sense now compatible content's slowly appearing. Traditional broadcasters can't react as quickly as streaming services to adopt the new format, but some are showing little interest in being left behind. Korean companies, especially, and now the BBC, which has announced it'll be conducting 4K broadcast trials this summer. Furthermore, it'll apparently be the "first time" 4K video will be sent initially by satellite (from Brazil to the UK), and then forwarded on to TVs via the internet (kind of like Sky's centralized receiver model).
Sharp's near-4K TVs are now available, starting at $2,500
Even though CES 2014 is long gone, some of the stuff announced there is just now starting to become available for purchase. Case in point: Sharp's Q+ lineup (originally known as Quattron+), a series of 2014 AQUOS televisions featuring the latest and greatest, including a revamped SmartCentral platform. But that's not what's interesting here. Instead, it's the Q+ technology, one that Sharp describes as being able to "accept a 4K signal and play it back at near-4K resolution, with an effective resolution of up to 3,840 x 2,160." The company says this is possible thanks to its Revelation Upscaler, which takes HD content and "optimizes it for the higher resolution screen, so that it's sharper and more vivid." By building Q+ TVs on 1080p panels, Sharp claims it's then capable of pricing these lower than some of its would-be competitors. Now, is that enough to get you to buy into it? If so, you'll have quite a few options to choose from -- they're up for grabs now in 60-, 70- and 80-inch flavors, with prices ranging from $2,500 all the way to a cool $6,000.
Seiki launching its 65-inch 4K TV in December for $3,000
Not one to rest on its 39- and 50-inch Ultra HDTV options, Seiki has announced that its promised 65-inch model is going to arrive this December, just in time for the holiday shopping season. Seiki's newly minted, well-sized Ultra HD set, which is formally known as the SE65UY04, features a refresh rate of 120Hz on 1080p and 30Hz on 4K resolution. This means the outfit's 65-incher won't have HDMI 2.0 onboard, and thus potential buyers will have to be content with HDMI 1.4 technology. Now, given the not-too-shabby $3,000 MSRP, we have a hunch some folks won't mind that too much once it becomes available in "early December." More importantly, do you plan to snag one?
Sharp's 70-inch, THX-certified Aquos Ultra 4K TV goes on sale in the US for $7,500
We are well past mid-August, which is when Sharp initially estimated its new 70-inch Aquos 4K Ultra HD LED TV would begin hitting shelves. Despite the late arrival, however, something tells us folks will still be glad to have yet another choice when shopping for their next 4K television set. To make things better, Sharp's super high-res, THX-certified Smart TV is set to be carrying a $7,499.99 MSRP here in the States, making it about $500 cheaper than when it was originally announced. Those of you interested shouldn't have trouble finding one, as Sharp says it'll be available at many regional and major retailers across the country.
Korea launches Ultra HD pilot channel, six months early
The Korean Cable Television and Telecommunications Association went live yesterday with a pilot run of new channels. Composed of five content providers, the group is now hopefully filling the airwaves with crisp 4K footage of something beyond water, flowers and night-time city vistas. (There's no word on what is currently being shown -- Korean readers, please let us know in the comments if you catch a glimpse.) Apparently launching six months earlier than planned (and ahead of the rival scheme in neighboring Japan), the UHD service is likely to arrive in commercialized form even faster. We'd recommend wannabe viewers start saving for that compatible TV set immediately, as it could take a while to get there.
Sony announces pricing for 55- and 65-inch 4K TVs, shipping April 21st
Think $25,000 for an 84-inch 4K TV is a bit tough to swallow? You're certainly not alone, but if you're willing to compromise on a few viewable inches, you could very well save yourself quite a bit of cash. At Sony's NAB press conference today here in Las Vegas, the company finally shared pricing for its smaller 4K models, the Bravia XBR-55X900A and the XBR-65X900A, which ring in at 55 and 65 inches, respectively. That first flavor will retail for a mere $5,000, with its larger sibling due in stores for just two grand more. As we learned at CES, both models offer Triluminous displays with X-Reality PRO and Motionflow XR960 technology, WiFi and NFC one-touch screen mirroring, not to mention native support for displaying 3,840 x 2,160 pixels images. The more budget-friendly duo will hit stores on April 21st -- they'll also be available to order online in just two weeks' time.
Toshiba showcases 2013 AV range and updated Cloud TV platform (eyes-on)
Toshiba isn't the first name you'd associate with exciting products, but recently we were invited to check out its 2013 selection of AV gear in the hope we'd be dazzled by pixel counts and the IQ of its revamped smart TV platform. We revisited a few products we had flings with at CES, were introduced to some new panels, and taken through the ins-and-outs of the company's fresh Cloud TV interface. Was there anything to get excited about? Head past the break for the full tour.
The PlayStation 4 can output in 4K, but not games
Yes, the PlayStation 4 is capable of pushing out a 4K video signal. Sony president of Worldwide Studios Shuhei Yoshida confirmed as much to Joystiq in an interview this morning, where he said that the PlayStation 4 will play video that was recorded in the super high-def resolution, but the games currently being made for it aren't in 4K. Sony made a big 4K push at CES 2013 -- it was all Sony president Kaz Hirai would talk about in our interview, and Sony's booth reflected the company's 4K initiative. It seems that the company's not getting too far ahead of itself, however, recognizing that few consumers buying a PS4 this holiday will own the still-nascent TV tech.
The Weekly Roundup for 01.07.2013
You might say the week is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workweek, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Weekly Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 7 days -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
Westinghouse 110-inch 4K TV to ship alongside 65, 55 and 50-inch models in Q1
Westinghouse has yet to become the premium HDTV manufacturer it one day hopes to be, and if the past is any indication, flooding the market with low-cost sets won't drive you to the top. But the promise of high resolution might at least yield a modest bump. The company's 2013 lineup is set to be dominated by 4K models, each packing 3840 x 2160-pixel panels for an "amazing" and "affordable" experience. The company's flagship rings in at a massive 110 diagonal inches and will be available for custom order beginning sometime in Q1. 50, 55 and 65-inch versions will also ship within the same timeframe, offering the same resolution and a modest 120Hz native refresh rate. We're still waiting to hear back on pricing and a hint of where you might be able to pick one of these UHDTVs up beginning early next year, but if the press release after the break is any indication, we're about to be inundated with high-res, low-cost televisions at next month's CES. Follow all the latest CES 2013 news at our event hub.
Westinghouse teases 110-inch 4K LED TV, promises more details at CES
With CES just around the corner, there's plenty of promo mail to dig through each and every day. One of this afternoon's tidbits came from the good folks at Westinghouse, hinting at a hot product that'll be unveiled at the show. The 4K LED TV will ring in at a massive 110 inches -- a significantly larger offering than the bevy of 84-inch sets we caught this past summer at IFA. The manufacturer hesitated to share any further details, but did suggest that there were a few more "surprises" in store, including plenty of connected HDTVs. If you've been pondering a 4K set, but just can't come to grips with a measly 84-inch footprint, it's certainly looking like Westinghouse will have something to catch your eye next year in Vegas.
JVC reveals e-Shift2 4K scaling projectors, promises true 4K LCDs for under $20k
At CEDIA 2012 JVC showed off its 2012 line of home theater projectors, most which feature its e-Shift2 technology, a new version of the "4K precision" upconversion it introduced last year. While they are not capable of accepting a 4K source (not that you have any 4K Blu-ray discs lying around anyway), they work by creating two 1080p frames from the HD source, shifting one down and to the right. e-Shift2 promises higher native contrast and improved processing over its predecessor thanks to a new polarizing wire grid engine and updated algorithms. All of the new projectors are 3D capable with RF-connected active shutter glasses, and there's a new smartphone app available for controlling settings without interrupting viewing. Of course, a 130,000:1 native contrast ratio doesn't come cheap and the top of the line DLA-X95R/DLA-RS66 models sporting the spec have a pricetag of $11,999. Of course, if you're looking for the 4K upscaling for a (relative) bargain, the DLA-X55R/DLA-RS48 can be had for just a hair under $5,000. That's not all JVC had to display however, as it also brought along one "early pre-production model" of an 84-inch UHDTV it plans to release in the first quarter of 2013. Like its projectors, it will come in both home theater and professional trim branded the RS-840UD and PS-840UD. It may be a price beater as well since JVC is targeting a sub-$20k price tag for both models, which would be well shy of the $25k set Sony just announced. Unlike some of the other 4K screens we've seen it does not include any 3D support, which may be a part of the lower cost. We got a quick peek at the display and the picture looked as sharp and punchy as we've come to expect, and even had less glare than other displays we've seen. Check out all of the prices and specs after the break, and bring your wallet.
Sony's 84-inch 4K Bravia XBR-84X900 goes up for pre-order tomorrow for $25,000
That stunning and gigantic Bravia that Sony unveiled at IFA, well, we finally have pricing and availability for this potential TV king. The 84-inch Bravia XBR-84X900 (aka the KD-84X9005) will go up for pre-order tomorrow, September 6th, for the jaw-dropping price of $25,000 (let us know when you've stopped hyperventilating). The edge-lit panel wont' be delivering full HD passive 3D entertainment to living rooms until later this fall, however. While orders can be placed less than 24 hours from now, shipments will have to wait until some undetermined day in November. Well, at least that should give you a few months head start on paying this monstrosity off... before the repo men eventually show up to take it off your hands.
Toshiba 84-inch 4K Quad Full HD TV hands-on (video)
84 seems to be the magic number at IFA. 84 inches, that is, when it comes to 4K TVs. Sony announced its jumbo 4K set at yesterday's press conference, and now Toshiba has returned with a matching high-res model of its own. The Toshiba set has a slightly sleeker housing, aided by the fact that it didn't have side-mounted speakers as with Sony's flavor -- though, if you're able to afford a (yet-unpriced) TV of this caliber, a premium surround-sound rig better be on the agenda as well. The picture quality, as you might expect, was fantastic. You'll see individual pixels once you're within a few feet of the display, but given its 84-inch footprint, you're going to want to position yourself quite a distance from the panel in order to take it all in. Toshiba had three sets on display, running through loops of game play, cityscapes and some decked-out human models. The ambient setting was favorably configured, and with ideal content colors were vibrant and the picture was incredibly bright and sharp during our demo, even when viewed from a slight angle. There was a hint of reflection, but only when a dark image popped into frame, despite a multitude of visual noise in the area. You'll need to see Toshiba's 84-inch, 3,840 x 2,160-pixel TV in person to get the full effect (perhaps after it launches early next year), though you can take a (low-res) peek in our gallery below and the video after the break. You can also get a feel for the size -- keep an eye out for the Galaxy Note in the bottom left corner in the shot above.%Gallery-163824%
Sony's 84-inch 4K Bravia KD-84X9005 hits the IFA show floor, we go eyes-on
As ever, Sony's IFA press conference was a veritable storm of products, but CEO Kaz Hirai was clearly the most excited about the company's new 84-inch 4K TV, the Bravia KD-84X9005, and after beholding the thing for a bit alongside a scrum of fellow tech journalists in Sony's booth at IFA, it's pretty clear why. The thing is beautiful -- and yeah, we can confirm, as Kaz suggested, that you really do want to stick out your hand and touch the picture when you're standing in front of it, particularly, when the video cycles through images of the ocean, with water droplets hitting the screen. At 84 inches, this thing is a beast, with at least a dozen or so folks standing comfortably around it to catch a glimpse of the display. The Bravia is surprisingly thin for such a beast. There are speaker bars attached to either side of the display, with a control panel along the bottom. The stand consists of two metal bars holding up what's surely a weighty set. Check out our eyes-on video after the break. %Gallery-163642%
ViewSonic VP3280-LED 31.5-inch 4K monitor prototype hands-on (video)
Would you rather own a mid-range car, or a 31.5-inch 4K monitor? That might not seem like a terribly difficult call, but after seeing ViewSonic's 150 ppi prototype at Computex, we're not so sure we'd go with the car. Hidden beneath a nondescript engineering case a few feet away from the company's 22-inch ICS "tablet" was one of the most impressive 4K displays we've seen. The ViewSonic VP3280-LED features a 31.5-inch LCD panel, packing 8.8 million pixels for a total density of 150 pixels-per-inch. That means incredibly sharp images and vibrant frames -- the display is capable of 10-bit 1.07 billion-color presentation. A relatively small footprint means you could realistically pack 3840 x 2160 pixels on your desk, with a bit of room to spare. The display we saw was hooked up to an Intel Core i5-powered PC, which ViewSonic reps say is only capable of pumping out still photos (you'll need a Core i7 for video or regular computer use), but we very much liked what we saw. The current iteration requires 2x dual-link DVI, but would be compatible with 2x DisplayPort in the future. ViewSonic reps say the VP3280, which will be marketed towards film studios, broadcasters, photographers and any other professionals in need of a compact 4K display, could ship by the end of the year, costing "about the price of a car." There's sadly no way to do this thing justice in still photos or video, but you can get a vague idea of how it performs in our walkthrough after the break.
4K TV already being trialed by one UK broadcaster
4K in the UK? It could happen sooner rather than later, if viewers give a thumbs up to feedback tests currently being conducted by a British broadcaster. According to a senior figure at a company that is directly involved in the experiments, people are being asked if they can spot the difference between 4K and regular 1920 x 1080, which will help to decide whether the format is worthy of immediate investment. Our source refused to reveal which broadcaster is running the show, beyond saying that it has complete control over its pipeline right down to the set-top box, which hints at Sky or perhaps Virgin being likely candidates. When asked how 4K TV might be transmitted as a mainstream service, given that it contains four times the resolution of Full HD, he simply replied that the broadcaster would "compress the hell out of it," which surely only cements his credibility. Next stop, 8K.
Dolby 3D on prototype 4K display and HTC Evo 3D hands-on (video)
Truth be told, we haven't been wildly impressed with the glasses-free 3D solutions we've seen to date, be it because of the limited viewing angles, unconvincing picture or lack of availability here in the US. That could soon change, however, if Dolby's version of the three-dimensional experience makes its way to a production-ready television set. Best known for its audio technologies, the company just launched its own 3D standard in cooperation with Philips, called Dolby 3D. The platform-agnostic solution is far from ready to make its way into your living room, but it's conceptually sound, and the prototype 4K 3D TV and mobile versions being demonstrated at Dolby's NAB booth make us hopeful for the future. As with all displays -- especially those that support 3D -- you'll really need to see to believe, but we had an opportunity to do just that, and walked away very impressed. The 56-inch 4K prototype display is viewable from nearly any angle, with 24 different viewpoints, though you'll really need to be front and center for the greatest 3D effect. Side viewing is certainly possible; you'll just sacrifice some depth in the process. Even from the front, 3D appears slightly muted compared to what we've seen with passive- and active-glasses equivalents, though we can't say that we mind much, considering that the image is still dramatic enough when you need it to be, such as when displaying scenes with significant depth. The company was also demonstrating Dolby 3D on an HTC Evo 3D along with a nondescript tablet, where an on-screen slider lets you dim the three-dimensional intensity just as you would adjust the volume, enabling you to customize the experience to suit your needs. Since Dolby 3D is merely a display standard, we won't be seeing any branded televisions or smartphones, though perhaps we'll see some third-party adaptations come CES 2013. Jump past the break to see it in action.
Toshiba 55X3 4K 3DTV launches December 10th in Japan, no glasses necessary
Toshiba is finally ready to bring its 55-inch, 4K res 3DTV home in Japan, and buyers will have their first chance to part with 900,000 yen ($11,578 US) on December 10th. The 55X3 (ZL2 in Europe) still doesn't have a North American ship date, but we can still drool over its high res display and autostereoscopic (no glasses) 3D screen that adjusts for its viewers' location based on face tracking technology, although that results in a resolution drop down to 720p. Our last time getting eyes-on with a prototype panel was at CES and we probably won't see it again until we're back in Las Vegas in a few weeks, let's hope all that CEVO Engine technology Toshiba's plugged in for image processing makes it worth the wait... and the price.