TV
TV-B-GONE goes open source
When Mitch Altman created the TV-B-Gone he envisioned a simple, keychain-mounted device that could surreptitiously switch off the annoyingly loud TVs in public places. But he was pleasantly surprised to find out that electronics enthusiasts had turned his invention into a hat, incorporated it into a mobile phone, modified it into a long-range “sniper” model, and tweaked it to provide more power output. These innovations led him to make the device open source, allowing anyone to build or hack their own model. Read More
Mitsubishi's Laser TV now shipping in the US
October 30, 2008 Following its premiere as a totally new display category at the CES in January, a 65-inch version of Mitsubishi's LaserVue high-definition television has hit U.S. stores. The world's first laser-powered TV, which promises unparalleled performance including twice the color and significantly lower power consumption than both its LCD and Plasma cousins, is being sold for USD$6,999. At 10 inches, it might be slightly thicker than some of the flat-screen offerings we've seen in recent times, but the trade-off is a set that delivers 1080p definition at 120Hz and operating power of approximately 135W using laser beams to provide "an extensive range of rich, complex colors, along with truly distinct clarity and immersive depth of field" according to Mitsubishi. Read More
Sharp AQUOS DX Series LCD TVs feature integrated Blu-ray recorders
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October 22, 2008 Sharp's new 16-model AQUOS line-up is the first series of LCD TV's in the world to be equipped with built-in Blu-ray Disc recorders. Ranging in size from 26-inch to 52-inch, the all-in-one DX Series design means there's no cords cluttering the back of your TV stand and viewing, disc-playing and recording can be simply controlled using one remote. Read More
Universal remote control with built-in WiFi, color screen
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There’s no point hauling yourself off the couch to go outside only to find that the weather’s terrible, right? The Universal Smart Remote Control from Acoustic Research eliminates the guess work displaying up to date weather information, plus news, sports and TV listings using a built-in WiFi connection. Read More
Philips’ next generation Aurea LCDs
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Philips is rolling-out its 2008 Aurea LCD TV range with new 37” and 42” models boasting an improved in refresh rate of 2ms (compared with 3ms for previous models), a contrast ratio 30000:1, plus the latest versions of the company's Perfect Pixel HD Engine and Active Frame technology. Read More
Toshiba's new slant on portable TV
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The permutations and combinations offered by portable multi-media devices just keep on growing and Toshiba's latest approach, the JournE range, takes a music player, video platform and photo viewer and combines it with a DVB-T Tuner, adding television to the list of entertainment options you can plug in to while on the move. The product range will kick-off with the 4.3 inch touch screen E M400 model which will launch across Europe later this year. Read More
Grundig's latest top model LCD - the Vision 9
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Due to hit stores in September, the key feature of Grundig's new Vision 9 range is its integrated sound projector - an array of 16 cone speakers located in a sound bar beneath the screen combined with two rear facing sub-woofers in the back of the housing. The system replicates the surround sound of 5.1 systems by activating the individual speakers with a small delay to produce directional packets of sound that are reflected off walls at different points around the room. Read More
IFA eye-candy: Samsung all-in-one slimline TV
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August 30, 2008 Among the forest of flat screen TVs on display at IFA 2008, Samsung's 52" UltraSlim LCD TV grabbed our attention in terms of sheer head-turning good looks. While not achieving quite the wafer thin profile of the Sony ZX1, which is under half an inch (9.9mm) at its thinnest point, Samsung's offering makes up or this with a silkily attractive design which looks almost as good from the back as it does from the front. Read More
Sony's X4500 and W4500 HD TVs
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Sony has announced the BRAVIA X4500 and W4500 series wide screen LCD TVs with full HD 1080p resolution and DLNA connectivity. The X4500 is available in 40-inch, 46-inch, and and an 8-speaker 55-inch model, all of which feature the BRAVIA ENGINE 2 PRO for filtering, cleaning and optimizing image data before it’s displayed. Read More
Yet another flat panel display technology from Sony
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July 14, 2008 Sony’s XEL-1 OLED television hasn’t yet had its first birthday and the company is already planning a successor. Digital World Tokyo is reporting Sony affiliate Field Emission Technologies (FET), which Sony currently owns just under 40 percent of after spinning the company off at the end of 2006, is planning to begin mass production of Field Emission Display (FED) panels by the end of 2009. Read More
Sony to release energy-saving 32-inch LCD
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Massive screens are not the answer for everyone in the flat screen TV market and energy conscious consumers might be persuaded to think small with this new 32-inch addition to Sony's Bravia range which is set for release in Japan. Read More
Flexible, lightweight, 1-millimeter thick, 125-inch plasma display
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May 19, 2008 There’s at least one reason to look forward to the InfoComm 2008 conference in Las Vegas this June with next-generation large-screen display manufacturer Shinoda Plasma announcing plans to exhibit a flexible, 1-millimeter thick, 125-inch film-type prototype display that can be used as a curved or wrap-around screen. At a low-key unveiling on May 15, Shinoda Plasma announced plans to exhibit the 3 x 1 meter, (9 feet 10-inches x 3 feet 3-inches) plasma tube array (PTA) display, which consists of 3 seamlessly integrated 1 x 1 meter square sub-modules and offers a resolution of 960 x 360 and weighs in at 3.6 kilograms (8 lbs), or about 10 times less than a conventional plasma display. At the unveiling Shinodo Plasma also confirmed their intent to begin small-scale production of a 150-inch (3 x 2 meter) version this autumn. While digital signage and advertising applications are sure to be the main uses for the ultrathin displays, there are sure to be plenty of people wanting a display or two for the walls at home to avoid painting. Read More
Pioneer’s 2008 KURO plasma displays
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Pioneer's new 2008 line of KURO plasma displays feature black levels five times deeper than the previous award-winning KURO, plus SRS WOW HD technology incorporating SRS Definition and Optimum Mode, which adjusts the picture based on video and room light conditions. Read More
A flatter flatscreen: LG's PG60 Plasma TV
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May 6, 2008 Once an afterthought in terms of interior design, televisions have become an aesthetic centerpiece in many new homes and as a result, manufacturers are striving to complement the sleek, minimalist lines that distinguish modern architecture. LG's new Plasma offering - the PG60 - does just that by incorporating "single layered technology" which merges the screen and TV into one continuous unit, creating a seamless, bezel-less unit that looks like a single sheet of glass. Read More
Television 2.0 offering from Sezmi promises personalized, on-demand viewing
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May 2, 2008 The way people watch, and indeed interact with their televisions is undergoing a fundamental shift - a shift from mass entertainment to a personalized, targeted, interactive entertainment (and advertising) platform. Sezmi Corporation (formerly known as Building B, Inc.) has seen the writing on the wall and is hoping to be a major player in what has been dubbed Television 2.0. The company has announced that it is commencing trials in pilot markets in preparation for commercial launch with broadband service providers and national retailers later this year. Read More
World’s smallest hi-def camera head from Toshiba
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Toshiba Imaging has launched the world’s smallest HD camera head, measuring just 1.6 inches and weighing only 2.3 oz. It is envisaged that the mini IK-HD1 will be used for scientific imaging and diagnostics, specialty broadcasting, homeland security, and industrial video and inspection applications. Read More
GE demonstrates newspaper printing-like process for OLED manufacture
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March 12, 2008 OLED (organic light-emitting diode) is touted as the technology of the future for lighting products, with emerging applications in fields ranging from touchscreens, televisions and electronic paper displays to interior lighting, keyboards and even reprogrammable camera lenses. The prospect of widespread commercialization of OLED systems has been given a boost with news that GE's research arm has demonstrated the world’s first roll-to-roll manufacturing process for OLED lighting devices, a breakthrough that promises to cut production costs in areas such as organic photovoltaics
as well as flexible displays and other OLED products. Read More
1TB LaCinema Premier Multimedia Hard Drive
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January 16, 2008 Lacie has announced a new multimedia hard drive with up to 1TB of storage capacity that plugs directly into a television for playback of a wide range of video, audio and photo formats. Read More
Mitsubishi launches LaserTV and creates a new display category
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January 10, 2008 This week in Las Vegas, Mitsubishi announced the world premiere of its new laser television and created a new television category into the bargain. The 65 inch sets on show at the Palms Casino launch looked incredibly good but with no traditional technologies to compare with, we’ll need to wait a bit longer before we can attempt to verify the company’s claim that it produces 80 percent of the color spectrum that the eye can see compared to the “less than 40% today's HDTVs” can display. There’s no info yet on pricing and availability is “later this year” but it’s definitely an exciting new development in home entertainment. Read More
Sony’s Vaio Home Theatre PC gets HD upgrade
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January 10, 2008 Sony’s VAIO Home Theatre PC has received a recent upgrade, creating a high definition version with added functionality. The unit's distinctive spherical chassis serves as an entire entertainment center so you can watch and record analog, digital and cable TV and access the Internet to play back online TV programming on a compatible big-screen television. Read More
Hitachi's 1.5 inch Ultra Thin HDTVs debut at CES
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January 9, 2008 More TV news from the CES where Hitachi is introducing its 1.5 inch Ultra Thin LCD HDTVs to the U.S. market. The models will be available to consumers early this year in three sizes: 32”, 37” and 42”. Read More
Panasonic's gargantuan 150-inch plasma display
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January 8, 2008 The size of nine 50" plasma screens combined, the world’s largest advanced high definition (HD) plasma display panel has been unveiled by Panasonic at the 2008 International CES. The prototype 150-inch PDP features an 8.84 million pixel resolution (2,160 x 4,096), an effective viewing area of 11 ft (3.31 m) wide x 6 1/4 ft (1.87 m) high 103-inch PDP and boasts true-to-life color reproduction and quick response with the same brightness as the then record breaking 103-inch PDP shown at the same event a year ago. The 150" plasma is one of several prototypes in the PDP field being presented by the company at the CES. These include a 42-inch panel with "double efficiency technology" that halves energy consumption compared with previous Panasonic panels and a one-inch super-thin 50-inch PDP. Read More
Honda announce Internet TV channel
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November 22, 2007 Honda UK has announced the launch of a new Internet TV portal that will deliver on-demand viewing of the company's films, video clips and adverts including a closer look at Honda's cars, driving tips and racing coverage. Read More
Dolby offers new TV volume-leveling solution
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October 30, 2007 The issue of TV audio variation across channels and during commercial breaks is one which affects most of us – in fact, rushing for the remote to dampen the sound when an ad breaks in at uncomfortable volume has become the modern day equivalent of the quick-draw. Solutions to this problem have been sought for years with varying degrees of success, but now a new technology unveiled by Dolby promises to provide “set and forget” volume-leveling while preserving the full listening experience at any volume level. Read More
TV remote and hands-free phone combo to aid vision impaired
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A decline in her mother’s eyesight was the catalyst for Catherine Crichton to turn her hand to inventing and as result, the TeleMax® III was born - a universal TV remote control and hands free phone for people with vision impairment or disabilities.
Hitachi announces 1.5 inch ultra-thin LCD HDTV’s
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October 25, 2007 Hitachi has announced a new line of Ultra Thin LCD HDTV’s which measure a mere 1.5 inches (35mm) thin and will initially be offered in three sizes (32”, 37” and 42”). The Ultra Thin series will be available in the Japan market in December of 2007 while U.S. consumers can expect to see Ultra Thin models in early 2008. Read More
Runco release 42-inch outdoor flat-panel LCD
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October 24, 2007 Feel the need for some fresh air but don’t want to miss your favorite TV show? Joining an emerging trend towards televisions geared to take the rigors of exposure to outdoor environments, Runco has released their first flat-panel weatherproof LCD display. The 42-inch WP-42HD features a 1366 x 768 native resolution panel housed in a weatherproof enclosure which ensures protection from adverse environmental conditions including temperature, exposure to moisture, dust, oils and intermittent direct water spray.
LG releases world's only 32-inch Plasma TV
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Oct. 23, 2007 Recent trends have seen LCD screens growing large enough to rival their plasma cousins, but now LG have announced its first 32-inch plasma TV, giving consumers the option of a plasma screen in the fast growing small TV market where LCDs are dominant. The new 32PC5RV will be released in Brazil this month followed by a worldwide rollout to 27 countries by November. Read More
TakeTV PC-to-video recording device
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October 23, 2007 Most of us watch video content, movies and TV shows from the Internet via our PC or laptops screens but it’s not always the best avenue for viewing quality visuals. In response to this, SanDisk has released a new device that aims to simplify the process of taking videos from your PC and watching them on your TV. Read More
3mm-thick Sony OLED screen: TV takes another giant leap forward
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Fresh from a recent showing at CEATEC 2007, Sony has announced that its 11” Organic Light Emitting Diode (OLED) display will be available in Japan from December. The Sony XEL-1 will be the world’s first commercially available OLED screen, promising a whole new category of low-cost, low-consumption TVs that will offer exceptional viewing characteristics including million-to-one contrast ratios, ultra-quick refresh rates, unparalleled viewing angles and a screen thickness of only 3mm at its thinnest point.
