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JVC expanding HD-ILA offering
Speaking of JVCs HD-ILAs: no, they're not going to have LEDs in them just yet, but JVC is bring one more line out. Deets are a bit sketchy right now, but they are at least telling us the price. The first series will have a 56-incher, 61-incher, and a big 70 with prices of $3,499, $3,799, and $5,499 respectively; not too bad for 1080p HD-ILA sets. The second series has even fewer details but there is enough for us to speculate with. JVC says these will be in the same screen sizes but offer inputs for the "custom installer market." So the sets will probably have RS-232 ports for touch screen controls, IR inputs and outputs, and more then one HDMI input. No prices available for these. There are new 720p models on the way too. For $2,799-$3,499 you can get a 52-inch, 56-inch and a 61-incher. Now give us LED backlighting and we're all set.
LED backlighting coming to a JVC HD-ILA near you
Don't want a DLP, but need LED backlighting in a large projection? JVC is going to use 'em in their HD-ILA; sometime. They don't plan on having them ready for the 2006 line of TVs but they will be using them in the future. We sure hope that more companies like Sony and Hitachi jump on this LED bandwagon. Plasmas are great, but when they get over 50-inches, my goodness are they pricey. If LEDs can get on the market soon, microdisplays will have a breath of fresh air, as plasmas and LCDs grow in size and reduce in price. LEDs can give a consumer up to 20,000 hours of life while conventional lamps are closer to 5,000 hours. (6 hours a day is 2,100 hours a year)Would you consider a microdisplay, like DLP or HD-ILA, if they had LED lighting instead of a lamp? We sure would.
The race to dominate 1080p
While the question of whether or not next year will be the year for high definition to take over, it will definitely be remembered as the year 1080p hit the scene. With several different manufacturers lining up plasma and LCD displays, Displaybank took a quick look at the competitors.From 40" to 102", "full" HD will be a big marketing buzzword in 2006. I predict we will see a $15k 1080p HDTV PS3 bundle from Gamestop at some point. It will be madness.
2006 is not going to be good for RPTV and CRTs
This coming year is not going to be nice to many peoples favorite HDTVs. Rear projection sets (i.e. CRT based, DLP, LCD, and LCoS) shipments are going to fall a whopping 15%. This number is derived from the huge decrease in CRT demand; no one wants them anymore. 2005 was a good year for microdisplays though with Sony and Samsung leading the way. Microdisplays such as DLP and LCoS will continue to grow and pass CRT projections for the first time but I believe that the writing is on the wall that they too will eventually be outpaced by another trend in TVs: flat panels. Admit it: you want a flat panel TV. Maybe not a plasma or a LCD but at least a SED. Flat panel TVs are just so cool and if you can get one that has the picture quality of a tube at the price of a DLP then you would get one. Right?
The hidden cost of plasmas
Lets see here. The advantages of plasmas: great colors, good price and long life. Disadvantages: potential of burn-in, big ones cost a lot and high power consumption. Burn-in can be avoided and get a better job if you want the bigger sets. *joke* Power consumption of plasmas can be more then you think and with the rising costs of energy, it is something to think about. CNET ran some tests and charted out the power consumption of all TVs. A scan over the data does not reveal anything surprising. LCDs have the lowest power consumption and plasmas are the worst. Just like we posted a few weeks back, Panasonic's plasmas are the best in their class. LCD and DLP based rear projections tend to offer the consumer a good balance of size verse power however. They have 20 of the industry's top TVs all charted here. It is worth a look if you are looking for a new HDTV. Personally, I don't think I would make it a deciding factor but it is something to think about.
LG declares flat-panel war
"To arms, to arms!" is what the CEO of LG Electronics is calling for. S.S. Kim recently stated his intent for LG to be the top dog in global market share for displays and we're ready to hunker down in the trenches. So what's the battle strategy? We weren't in with all of the generals but our clandestine operative indicates the following: Increased promotion of the first-in-Korea LCoS set Integrated PVRs in all sets 37-inches or larger Further development of the Large Display line (like the 71-incher) Favor LCoS sets to replace DLP sets Read
12 HD Days of Christmas: Day 7
"On the seventh day of Christmas...."No we didn't forget our holiday feature, we just got a little sidetracked wrapping up wearing tuxedos and Santa hats! We've got some catching up to do or we'll still be picking HDTV gifts out after Christmas. I'm sure the after-holiday sales will be good, but that wasn't the point of our "12 Days" series, so you'll see some days with two posts on this topic. Well we haven't talked much about our most favorite topic of all: HDTV sets! After much thought, the set that we would most love to see under your tree is....
HDTV Buying Guide: Adding better sound
High definition is a great advancement in broadcast technology. It gives us that beautiful picture but moreover, a lot better sound. The high-def TV is just the beginning if you want the full experience that high definition offers. Most TVs do not have the ability to give you the digital sound that is carried by HD.HD Beat has guided you through the buying process by starting with the size and moving on to the type. From there we gave you a special Xbox 360 edition and last week extended warranties were covered. This edition will help you find the right type of sound system that works in your home and within your budget. Sound systems can be slipper slopes. Once you start adding options and quality, it is hard to stop. But we can curb that by breaking it down to three different types of experiences. One, just by adding a simple subwoofer or two speakers is not going to give you the digital experience HD carries, but it will give you a lot better sound then the TV can produce alone. Second, home theater-in-a-box systems are often the cheapest way to add surround sound but can lack necessary options to maximize the digital sound. Third, separate components will give the consumer the best sound possible, but it can be daunting to purchase and use. [all options explained after jump]
Are online retailers better then brick and mortar stores?
ABC News ran a story the other night about how many consumers are turning to online retailers for their electronics. Consumer Reports conducted a survey in which they pitted stores against each other in terms of their customer service, selection, and price. But they threw in online retailers. The online retailers came out on top with Crutchfield, J&R.com, & Amazon leading the way.But my question to you though is would you buy, or have you bought, an HDTV online? Do you think the technology has matured enough that you do not need a physical location for support if anything goes wrong. What if you are only saving a few dollars after shipping is weighed into it?Personally, I do not think that I would order on online. I am the type of person that if anything goes wrong I would like to have someone to talk to. That's just me though.
Brillian to make sure it's HDTV customers are well adjusted
Ok, ok ok, maybe you don't have time or the skill to make sure your HDTV set is working at it's absolute best. It's not that we didn't try to tell you, but not everyone listens. Brillian wants to make sure everyone who has one of their high definition TV's is completely satisfied with what they get and are set for the absolute best image possible. That's why if you buy one of their TV's you can expect a visit from an ISF-certified professional to make sure it is calibrated at your house for your viewing pleasure. They will check out the lighting, room dimensions etc. and configure the TV appropriately, probably a little better than you could do with a Toy Story 2 DVD. I'm all five this, because if you're spending the cash on a 720p or 1080p you should definitely have it set up properly, and while I'm sure no HD Beat readers would ever commit such a transgression, the average customer doesn't always know better. Any Brillian owners can call or e-mail the company to set up an appointment.
Sony SXRD gets great CNET review
I swear I had this post ready before I recommended this set to Jason, really! I always hate to saturate you with similar stories and we've certainly done our share of posting on the Sony SXRDs, but when CNET gives an 8.8 out of 10, it's usually worth a mention.
