hdtvs

Why I'd still buy plasma over LCD

This column has been updated with a correction. See details below.

Everywhere I turn, someone is talking about the death of plasma technology in HDTVs. They contend that since Pioneer dropped out of the plasma production market, it's only a matter of time before the few companies left in the plasma business admit defeat and stick to liquid crystal displays (LCDs).

South Korea's LG disagrees. Speaking in an interview with HDguru.com published this week, LG Electronics USA's director of product development, Tim Alessi, told the publication that assertions that the plasma TV market is almost dead are, well, dead wrong.

"Plasma will continue to be a viable technology for flat-panel displays in the near- to midterm future," Alessi told HD Guru. "Plasma continues to be the technology of choice for home theater enthusiasts, sports fans, and consumers desiring a larger screen size. In 2009, we estimate that plasma will account for more than 40 percent of the 50-inch and larger-screen-size sales. That unit volume will probably continue for at least the next three to four years."

I share Alessi's optimism. Although I'm fully aware that LCDs are chipping away at plasma sales, I wouldn't jump to LCDs, if given the choice.… Read more

Vizio drops plasma TVs

Vizio turned the HDTV market on its head with its low-priced sets, and now the company will concentrate all of its TV efforts on LCD.

The California-based flat-panel maker will no longer produce plasma TVs, according to a report in The New York Times Wednesday. It was the third-largest plasma TV maker in North America as of the end of the third quarter of 2008, with 13 percent of all shipments, according to DisplaySearch.

Vizio co-founder Laynie Newsome told the Times the reasons for the move away from plasma TVs were that they didn't sell as well in big-box … Read more

'Chuck' in 3D falls flat

NBC's Chuck aired in 3D Monday, and it left many viewers wanting to do exactly that with the paper 3D glasses: chuck them.

The overriding opinion of many people interviewed who tuned in to the 3D television event was disappointment.

"I thought it was a gimmick and did not add anything to the show," said Jamie Knapp of Columbus, Ohio. "The red/blue (glasses) did not look good and gave me a headache."

The 3D promotion was intended to raise awareness of 3D movies, specifically ones coming to theaters soon, like Monsters vs. Aliens from … Read more

Small TVs are ideal for tailgating...according to Westinghouse

In Westinghouse's press materials it states that either of the following monitors would be an ideal solution for a tailgating party. Finally, vendors are starting to give tailgaters the respect they deserve. No word yet if these TVs/monitors include beer holders.

During CES Westinghouse announced three new LCD HDTVs. The 19-inch PT-19H340S, the 22-inch PT-22H340S, and the 22-inch 1080p PT-22F380S. Each display includes support for 720p (1,366x768) resolution, a 16:9 aspect ratio and a purported 5ms pixel response time.

In addition, each display includes connections and support for ATSC/NTSC/CATV/ClearQAM tuner, which allow for … Read more

Not all Samsung LCDs have LED backlighting

Samsung is clearly intending to make a big push with its LED-backlit LCDs, but the company did announce one new line of LCDs without LED. The Samsung LNB750 series uses standard CFL backlighting, but includes other cutting-edge features such as 240Hz refresh rate, a slim inch-thick design, and access to Samsung's new Internet@TV content. Here are the details.

Key features of the Samsung LNB750 series:

240Hz refresh rate Slim design, around an inch thick Ultra Clear antireflective screen Wide Color Enhancer Pro Internet@TV capable (Yahoo widgets) Built-in Ethernet Wi-Fi-ready, with purchase of additional adapter Energy Star 3.… Read more

Samsung slims PNB850 plasma TV series to an inch

LED-backlit LCDs are certainly winning the hype war at CES 2009, but home theater buffs know that plasma TVs often offer better performance for your dollar. Samsung's new top-of-the-line plasmas, the PNB850 series, feature a superslim, inch-thick design and offer the new Internet widgets available via the Internet@TV platform. Here are the important details.

Key features of the Samsung PNB850 series:

Slim design, about an inch thick Ultra FilterBright Plus antiglare screen Real Movie (24 frames per second) mode Wide color Enhancer Pro Built-in Ethernet Wi-Fi-ready, with purchase of additional adapter Energy Star 3.0 compatible

Pricing and … Read more

Samsung goes green with the UNB6000 series of LED-backlight LCDs

Last year Philips won our best of CES award with the Eco TV, and in 2009 other companies are following suit with their own green TVs. The Samsung UNB6000 series of Samsung LCDs is "eco-friendly", with the company claiming 40% or more energy savings over traditional LCDs. The sets also put a focus on energy usage by including a power indicator menu and an optimized energy savings mode, which dynamically adjusts settings to conserve power. We can't say we're fans of dynamic adjustments for image quality, but those that value energy savings over performance might prefer … Read more

Samsung's step-down LED-backlit LCDs feature Yahoo widgets, 120Hz

The A950 series was Samsung's only LED-backlit LCDs in 2008, but the company is serving up several LED-backlit lines in 2009. The UNB7000 is the step-down from the top-of-the-line UNB8000 series, but includes nearly all the same features except 240Hz refresh rate. Here are the details.

Key features of the Samsung UNB7000 series:

120Hz response time Slim design, around an inch thick LED-backlit Ultra Clear antireflective screen Internet@TV capable (Yahoo widgets) Built-in Ethernet Wi-Fi-ready, with purchase of additional adapter Energy Star 3.0 compatible

Pricing and availability of the Samsung UNB7000 series (estimated street prices):

40-inch UN46B7000 ($2,… Read more

Samsung UNB8000 LCDs put LED-backlighting and 240Hz in a one-inch frame

Samsung has put a big emphasis on LED-backlighting on this year's LCDs, and the UNB8000 series are the most souped-up models the company has at CES 2009. Here's a quick rundown of the feature set.

Key features of the Samsung UNB8000 series:

240Hz response time Slim design, about an inch thick LED-backlit Ultra Clear antireflective screen Internet@TV capable (Yahoo widgets) Built-in Ethernet Wi-Fi-ready, with purchase of additional adapter Energy Star 3.0 compatible

Pricing and availability of the Samsung UNB8000 series (estimated street prices):

46-inch UN46B8000 ($3,299, May) 55-inch UN55B8000 ($3,999, May)

Like the step-down … Read more

Sharp's E67U LCD line sticks to the basics

CES may be the place to make a big splash with new technology, but it's also a place for manufacturers to announce their standard product lines. Sharp's LC-E67U line of LCDs doesn't offer up anything surprising, although it's worth noting the generous four HDMI inputs. Here are the details.

Key features of the Sharp LC-E67U series:

Advanced Super View antireflective screen Four HDMI inputs Two component video inputs Energy Star 3.0 compliant Vyper Drive gaming mode 32- and 40-inch screen sizes

While most of these features are pretty standard, Advanced Super View (ASV) is a … Read more