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RealD launches stereoscopic converter PODs
Quite frankly, we're still a bit miffed at what all RealD's 3D-PODs actually are, but we can (attempt to) explain what they do. Straight from Real3D's lips, it is delivering the "first 3D stereoscopic converter PODs," which present a "simple conversion solution when upgrading to a new stereoscopic display monitor, such as a DLP or XPOL HDTV." Still confused? Let us forge on: "the PODs automatically detect the output format from a connected display device and convert most stereo-enabled software applications from native stereoscopic output format to the required format for stereo viewing on the display monitor." We're told that these PODs (three variants are available) are specifically aimed at R&D environments, where "3D visualization is heavily used and where departments or organizations are seeking alternatives to CRT display technology for stereoscopic applications." Hmmph -- this would all be so much easier to digest if there were an accompanying image.[Via SoCalTech]
Will tough times give RPTVs one final breath of life?
People love their money, sure, but people still love their style. A thought-provoking article over at CNET has us pondering whether or not these tough economic times will actually increase sales of thick RPTVs during the holiday season. After all, the desire for high-def isn't apt to wane while the belt tightens, but consumers may begin to sacrifice thinness in order to finally bring home a big screen of their own. In our estimation, we can't say in good faith that we think CRT / RPTV sales will skyrocket while flat-panels struggle, particularly when you realize just how cheap these wall-mountable sets will be on Black Friday and during the run-up to that final week in December. It's a cute gesture, but we're still saying the heartbeat for chunky sets is growing weaker by the day.[Thanks, Anthony]
Video: China's wasteland of toxic consumer electronics revealed
Any self-respecting gadget hound knows that China is responsible for packing millions of shipping containers with the consumer electronics we crave. What you may not know is what we ship in return: our waste for recycling. Of growing concern is e-waste, resulting from the deluge of PCs, cellphones, televisions and crapgadgets we churn through at an accelerating clip each year. While domestic recycling programs are good-intentioned, often the most toxic of our e-waste is shipped illegally back to China and boiled down for its precious metals under some of the most crude conditions you can imagine. When faced with the choice of familial poverty or the slow accumulation of poison in their bloodstream (for $8 per day), it's not hard to imagine what many rural Chinese people will choose. So while we give Greenpeace's self-congratulatory promotions and oft-subjective "Guide to Greener Electronics" company ratings the occasional hard time, their attempts to raise e-waste awareness are commendable. Now go ahead, check the video from 60 Minutes' intrepid reporters after the break and let the guilt wash over you. Update: As noted by reader Jason, a more thorough (and disturbing) exploration of these e-waste dumps can be found in a Current TV video shot last year in the same region.
DisplaySearch report takes long, hard look at flat-panel maturity
It's pretty obvious that flat-panel sales have the potential to slow (and that sets could get really, really cheap) in the current economic environment, but a new report from DisplaySearch asserts that the problem may be exacerbated by flat-panel maturity. According to David Barnes, DisplaySearch strategic analysis VP, the "concerns over contracting consumer demand over the near term may grab headlines today, but slower growth may be a long-term trend in the flat-panel market." In fact, it's expected that 4 out of 5 TVs in 2011 will use flat-panel technologies, meaning that this double-digit yearly growth we've grown accustomed to could be coming to an end. Of course, techs like OLED, SED (ahem) and holograms are just around the corner -- and be honest, who wouldn't trade in their KURO for a floating 1080p image with perfect contrast?[Via TWICE]
Samsung's 61-inch Samsung HL61A750 RPTV gets reviewed
You're probably dusting the dirt from your spectacles as we speak, but yes, the set you see above is an RPTV. You know, those not exactly wafer-thin rear-projection TVs that used to be all the rage? This 61-inch set provides an awful lot of screen space for not a lot of dough (comparatively speaking), and as with most sets with a little junk in the trunk, picture quality was seen as "excellent" in a recent CNET review. On the downside, off-angle performance was expectedly poor and there was no 2:3 pulldown for SD sources, but the positives here far outweighed the negatives. For under $1,800 (way under in some places), you can get 61-inches of LED-backlit goodness in your den -- just have to make room for it, is all.[Thanks, Matthew]
LCD outsells plasma 8-to-1 in Q1 2008
Not so long ago, the good people at DisplaySearch were forecasting good times for plasma. But there's no way around the first quarter of 2008 global sales numbers that show LCD outsold plasma by an 8 to 1 margin. Take a breath -- those are global sales numbers -- but it still isn't the most encouraging news for plasma fans. Worldwide, plasma has a frenemy in good old CRT, though, which actually edged out LCD on its way to the highest sales volume. Click on through for all the numbers, but globally it looks like this: LCD is taking over, plasma is moving into a very small niche, RPTV is all but gone and CRT is going down with a fight.
Survey shows consumers aren't apt to trash analog sets post-cutover
Granted, almost half of OTA-only households in America (48-percent, to be precise) are planning on picking up a digital converter box in order to get a few more years of life out of their old set, but for those taking other routes -- like spending their stimulus checks on a new flat-panel -- it seems as if tossing 'em in the garbage is a last resort. According to new research from the Consumer Electronics Association, fewer than 15 million NTSC-only TVs will be removed from homes through 2010. Of those, 95-percent will be resold, donated or recycled -- or so the owners say. We can also remember a time when Salvation Army accepted bulky, inefficient CRT computer monitors with open arms, but trying to hand one over today can be a lesson in futility depending on the store. All in all, we figure it's easy for respondents to voice good intentions, but shortly after these sets become useless in the OTA realm without a DTV converter, we have our doubts about the vast majority of them dodging the dump for very long.
Sony bids adieu to Trinitron CRT sets
Just months after Sony hauled its RPTV production business off to the graveyard, the firm is now bidding a fond farewell to the Trinitron CRT. Believe it or not, the first Trinitron became a reality in 1968, and here we are some 40 years later shedding a tear as LCDs and OLED displays steal the thunder. Reportedly, the firm has moved some 280 million units worldwide between televisions and computer monitors, but we suppose all good things must eventually come to an end. So long, Trinitron -- it's been a mighty impressive run. [Via Slashgear]
Worldwide LCD TV shipments surpass CRTs for first time ever
Just days after Sony vaulted to the top of North American LCD sales charts, DisplaySearch is now reporting that worldwide shipments of LCD TVs have overtaken CRT TVs for the first time in the history of the universe. More specifically, LCD TV sales rose some 56-percent year over year, and 47-percent of the world's TV market is now held by said technology. Reportedly, the transition from CRT to LCD was seen as a logical one, considering that it could extend down to sizes smaller than 20-inches and satisfy desires for large-screen sets. We know you're just itching to go diving head first into more numbers on the subject, so feel free to toss on those wire-rimmed glasses and hit the read link below. [Via TGDaily]
Samsung sticks by RPTV, intros HL67A750A / HL56A650A
While the rest of the world seems to be bailing on RPTVs, Samsung is using CES to showcase a pair of all new DLP rear-projection sets. Up to bat first is the 61- / 67-inch HL67A750A, and here's a look at what it's packing: Next-generation LED light engine: no color wheel, longer set life (30,000 hours) Full HD 1080p resolution and 10,000:1 contrast ratio 3D Ready integration with 3D accessory kit (sold separately) Four HDMI 1.3 ports with CEC USB 2.0 socket for PMPs, cameras, etc. Single-tuner picture-in-picture (PIP) can display two separate sources without an external tuner But wait, there's more! Click on through to see it.
RPTV sales up in latest reports, plasma falls again to LCD
It was around this time last year when we saw RPTV sales hit an unexpected jump, but honestly, we wouldn't read too much into it. Manufacturers are bailing from the aging technology left and right, and even though sales were up 27-percent in October over September (tallying "the highest unit sales since May"), these figures are still "less than half" of what was seen in January. Additionally, 1080p LCDs outsold 1080p plasmas in the 50- to 54-inch arena "by nearly three to one," and research from Pacific Media Associates also discovered that LCDs "made up 80-percent of flat panels sold" in the 26-inches or larger category. Also of note, street prices sunk around 30-percent from the same month a year ago, and while Samsung led the flat-panel market with a nearly 20-percent share, Toshiba's 32-inch 32HL67 was said to be the best seller.[Image courtesy of NFM]
Seiko Epson ceases production, sales of RPTVs
Not even a full month after Hitachi pulled the plug on its own RPTVs and started looking to sell off its CRT operations, Seiko Epson has come forward and announced that it too will discontinue the production and sales of its rear-projection televisions. Reportedly, the outfit will be refocusing efforts on front projectors, and judging by its installation at CEDIA, we can't say we're shocked to hear it. It should be noted that the firm will "continue its research and development activities for rear-projection models," and moreover, a company spokesman proclaimed that it wasn't totally withdrawing from the rear-projection TV "business" -- whatever that means. Another one bites the dust, we suppose.[Image courtesy of Astera]
Philips, Samsung named in CRT-cartel suit
A whole bevy of companies have been named in a suit alleging that a CRT-cartel has been price-fixing the good-old tube. Companies claimed to be "in on the fix" include Philips, LG, Tatung, Matsushita, Samsung and Toshiba. The suit states that these companies banded together in the face of (precipitously) dropping demand for CRT-based sets to, you guessed it, keep prices artificially high. The plaintiff's lawyer cites "...unnatural and sustained price stability, as well as inexplicable increases in the prices of CRTs" as evidence of the shady goings-on stretching back to 1998. Ten years seems like a stretch to us, and we haven't exactly been keeping up with CRT prices; but we'll see how this one settles out.[Image courtesy of TheHarrowGroup]
Hitachi unsurprisingly looks to sell stake in CRT operations
Not even a month after Hitachi announced that it would be axing production and sales of RPTVs in North America, the firm has followed up by stating its intentions to sell its entire stake in a Chinese joint venture that produces CRTs. More specifically, the firm will offload its 25-percent stake in Shenzhen SEG Hitachi Color Display Devices to a local investor for 175 million yuan, or around $24 million. Reportedly, the company will be focusing the newly-freed resources on "growth areas such as plasmas," but that doesn't exactly jive with Hitachi's previous viewpoints on the generally shaky PDP market. Nevertheless, we can't say that we're shocked to hear of this exit, but so long as we're headed onwards and upwards, you won't find us tearing up over the loss.
Hitachi pulls the plug on RPTVs in North America
Hitachi has announced it's stopping production and sales of its LCD- and CRT-based RPTVs in North America. The production facility in Mexico which serves the North American market was actually shut down this summer. While this might not come as much of a surprise to us, this is a sure sign that the average consumer's idea of what a "big screen, HD" TV is has shifted from a monstrous box to a slim flat panel. The torch has been passed, and recent announcements indicate that Hitachi is smitten with the "thin is in" concept as well. We expect to see similar decisions from other manufacturers in the future as LCDs and PDPs continue their roll. There's some nostalgia for the huge behemoths that were our introduction to HDTV, but you really couldn't pay us to go back.
Classic mini jukebox
Here's an awesome project from over at 123Macmini-- James Colby hollowed out a Classic Mac, and stuck a ripped apart mini in there along with a new LCD, took Finder out of the interface and sent it straight to Front Row, and bingo-- a Classic mini jukebox. And I especially like that the Classic was named Morris and the (10 minute old) mini was named Frank, so together, they're Frankenmorris. Cute.It's a tight fit to get all that stuff in there and working, but it's even more amazing that he was able to get everything out of there-- as he said, he had to cut the front off of the CRT. The front also looks nice considering he made a few cuts there, to let the floppy take in a DVD, and another hold for the IR receiver.But the end product looks great. One more reason why the mini, despite recent rumors, should stay right where it is.Thanks to everyone who sent this in!
Samsung's still the #1 TV manufacturer
Vizio may have snatched the sales crown when it comes to LCDs in the U.S., but Samsung maintained it's position as the largest worldwide TV manufacturer in the second quarter. Following Samsung's 12.4% market share were LG with 11.4% and Philips with 7.1%. The numbers were run by iSuppli, who forecast the quickening demise of the CRT, with it dropping to 38% of unit shipments in 2009, compared to 56% this year. No word on exactly what part of that was HDTVs, but we hope buyers are getting the most quality possible out of those new plasmas and LCDs.[Via TV Snob]
How much power does your HDTV use?
CNET took 54 HDTVs and analyzed their power requirements to answer this question. The results are interesting, but not very surprising and include an estimated yearly expense for each. The yearly number is based on leaving your TV on for eight hours a day and sixteen hours in stand-by. While most technologies used similar amounts of power, there were some exceptions like the 65-inch Sharp LCD which uses almost 600 watts of power in their tests. This is more than any of the Plasmas which were around 500 watts for a similar size. In the end the size made the biggest difference and microdisplays overall used the least amount of power. As interesting as we find this, in the grand scheme of things it isn't a lot of money, even the most expensive TV only costs $19 a month to run.[Via TVSnob.com]
Q Acoustics' decor-friendly QAV HT speakers
Large HD displays are a lot less of an eyesore than in the days when CRT RPTV's ruled the roost. But unless you install in-wall speakers, you're still left with speaker cabinets spoiling your floor plan. Q Acoustics is hoping to make the speakers disappear with their QAV lineup, though. These speakers achieve svelteness by using NXT's latest design, the "Balanced Mode Radiator," which rounds out the typically thin sound of NXT's panels by adding a traditional cone driver. Q Acoustics is especially proud of the pictured "soundbar," which puts all three front channels in a single unit that adjusts to span the width of your TV. We're skeptical that 40" of separation between left and right can produce a soundstage, but it does cut down on visual clutter. No word on US availability, but you can pick up a 5.1 set in the UK for £600 ($1200).[Thanks, dv9r]
Expect $699 42-inch LCDs this holiday season
LCD prices just keep on dropping and it looks like they might hit rock bottom before the '07 Christmas spending season. Reports suggest that they will finally cost less than their CRT counterparts and bargain shoppers should be able to pick up a 42-inch "second-tier" (aka cheap, no-name house brands) LCD for around $699. The 32-inchers should go for around $299-399 which would officially make 'em less expensive than those 'ol CRTs. Walmart/Costco shoppers might be happy with these prices on the cheaper models and honestly, if a person is satisfied with the picture these sets produce; great, buy the less expensive LCD and start enjoying high definition.[Via TGDaily]
