3D

Now that Peter Jackson's "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey" has opened in theaters around the world, the most controversial thing about it isn't even that he somehow is making three 3-hour movies out of a 300-page children's story. No, it's the way the movie has been shot that has the most people talking.

The "Hobbit" trilogy has been captured using James Cameron's 48-frames-per-second 3D technology (HFR 3D), which Jackson says leads to less eyestrain and a sharper picture.

Only a limited number of cinemas will be showing the movie in HFR -- Jackson says it's only 1,000 out of 25,000 theaters.

"On the first day of shooting 'The Hobbit' in 48 frames, there was not a single cinema in the world that could project the movie in that format," Jackson said, according to CinemaBlend.

While we're not going to go into how the technology works here, CNET editors David Katzmaier and Ty Pendlebury have just come out of a showing in HFR 3D and wanted to share their thoughts.… Read more

Most new TV models are announced at the Consumer Electronics Show, held every January. It's usually a few months before they ship, arriving in stores sometime in the spring.

So with new models imminent, should you wait to buy a new TV? We break down what we expect to see, and figure out when is the best time to buy.… Read more

If you've bought a TV in the last few years, it's likely that TV has a "Game mode." As you've discovered (or will discover, now that you're looking for it), this is not some supersecret hiding place for Angry Birds. That's a different section.

If you're a gamer, Game mode might improve your gaming experience, but it comes at a cost. … Read more

The television industry has been in flux during the last few years. Marquee Japanese names such as Panasonic, Sharp, and Sony are struggling, new technologies like voice and gesture control and 3D aren't compelling enough to warrant upgrades, and demand is expected to stay flat for 2013. Amid this atmosphere of regrouping and consolidation, there are likely to be very few surprises at this year's Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

What we're going to see at the show are several technologies that debuted at previous shows, such as OLED and 4K. We doubt any new display … Read more

Confused about what TV to buy? Please allow me to de-confusify you. From technology (LED, LCD, plasma?) to size, to features, there are a lot of choices to make when deciding on the right TV.

Narrowing down the options isn't as hard as it seems, though, and that's what this article is all about. … Read more

TVs are a big purchase, and price is a significant factor for most of us. Naturally your budget and needs will determine how much you can/want to spend.

But if you're a little flexible on your budget, or if you're totally confused as to what to buy, this guide will help you narrow down the options. … Read more

If you read my "What is refresh rate?" post, you'll know that plasma TV manufacturers (Panasonic, Samsung, and LG) make a point in claiming a "600Hz" refresh rate on their TVs. As we discussed in that article, it's not exactly comparable to LCD's 120 and 240Hz refresh.

So what is 600Hz, and how does it work?… Read more

The Walt Disney Co. has announced plans to make "Star Wars VII" for release in 2015, but it has yet to announce who the director will be.

Meanwhile, George Lucas will stay on as a creative consultant at Lucasfilm and the now-Disney-owned company will now be run by mega-producer Kathleen Kennedy.

But are you looking forward to a new movie? The second trilogy wasn't well-received by critics -- or long-term fans -- both of whom complained that Lucas had lost touch with his audience, with creations like Jar Jar Binks as exhibit A.… Read more

Even after two articles, and a tremendous number of page hits, there still seems to be lots of questions about HDMI cables. I credit this to the complexity of the topic and the mountain of misinformation out there, rather than any particular failing of the writing on my part. Judge as you see fit.

But the fact is, a recent reposting of my original article lit off a bevy of new questions. Instead of expanding on that already bloated article, I figured a new one would be a better idea.

On to 3D, 1.3/1.4, getting physical, and more...… Read more