For all you Globetrotters out there who want a TV that belongs in an MTV Cribs episode, check out the Hannspree 55-inch Basketball TV. Its got all that you’d expect from an high-end LCD panel: 120 Hz, 1080p and 4 HDMI inputs. There’s also a 28-inch basketball TV available.

Prices are $8,999 and $499.99 for the 55-inch and 28-inch respectively. There’s also a Facebook contest going on where you can enter to win a 28-inch. Sadly the 55-inch will go to Ron Artest’s house.

You can’t buy an SD TV anymore. Well, not a traditional 4:3 SD TV at least. Nope, if you want a TV, high-def is your only choice. But you do have a choice whether to subscribe to the HD service from your TV provider. Apparently more people are sticking with their SD cable TV instead of paying extra for the higher resolution. Nielsen reports that 80% of the programming on America’s HDTVs is standard definition content. That’s sad considering the same report states 56% of American homes have at least one HDTV. Sigh.

There probably isn’t a clear cut reason why the vast majority of US consumers do not have HD programming. It could be the price of the service, the hassle of getting it installed, or simply ignorance. At least the signal processors have improved to the point where standard-def programming doesn’t look horrible. A few short years ago that was not the case as non-HD content was nearly unwatchable on even small HD screens.

It’s really up to you, the educated consumer, to gently inform your friends and family living with standard definition programming that there’s a whole different world out there that can be had with only an antenna or quick call to their TV provider. The cost of HD programming over digital is often nominal and installation usually happens within days as cable providers are looking to convert people as quick as they can.

Once upon a time HDTVs fascinated me. I loved the depth of the colors and amazing detail they produced. But that was 7 years ago when they were new and exciting. Now I walk into Best Buy and my eyes glaze over when staring at their wall o’ HDTVs. I just don’t care anymore. They all look the same. That is until the Hitachi LE42S704 came into my life. Now, watching HDTV is a sport again. It’s new, exciting and awesome all over.

Features:

• 42-inch LED LCD panel
• 120Hz
• 4 HDMI inputs
• Swivel base
• $1199 MSRP
• Product page

Pros:

• Great color
• Amazing contrast

Cons:

• Horrible picture out of the box

Review:

I learned after selling TVs for six years that there are two types of HDTV shoppers: one the cares about the picture and one that doesn’t. This one is for the former because it doesn’t come cheap. At $1199 it’s not a Sunday special and doesn’t come with a whole range of fancy IPTV streaming apps like Netflix or YouTube built-in. No, this is a viewer’s HDTV. It’s for the person that will sit in his chair Sunday afternoon and flip between ABC, NBC, CBS, and Fox not to watch the different football games, but to compare each network’s high definition quality (Fox won last week, by the way).

I must say that the TV is a mess out of the box. Its over-saturated picture will make you vomit. Most of the picture presets don’t help either. The Professional mode is the only one worth your time but even with this mode, the overall picture is almost too muted unless there’s zero ambient light.

Once the TV was calibrated by Datacolor’s Spyder3 tool, it was like watching narwhals gracefully performing a synchronized swimming routine underneath a double rainbow. I’m not certified for video calibration or anything like that, but I’ve seen my fair share of HDTVs and this one made me smile. The colors are just about right and the black hole that is the contrast ratio will suck you in — but only after it was calibrated.

Seeing how this set is backlit by LEDs, it’s rather thin at 1.5 inches. It would look beautiful hanging on the wall with the right low-profile mount. The glossy piano black finish is classy and simple. The TV isn’t gaudy in any way. Hitachi knows what they’re doing; this isn’t their first HDTV. The UltraVision line predates flat panels altogether and was once used on the company’s top of the line rear-projection sets. It’s a brand that still means something.

The TV does have some annoying quirks — for instance, the power cable is built-in and not removable. That could be a deal breaker for installations that require a short cable and simply lack the room to hide a 6-foot power cable. There was also initially an issue with the component inputs that was only resolved with an update installed from an USB drive. The inputs would randomly drop the signal. Again, it was resolved, but I’m curious if there are other flaws that I failed to notice. Remember the day when products were quality checked prior to shipping? Yeah, those days are gone. Now manufacturers rely on updates to fix issues.

Never mind the slight flaws, though. This TV is hands-down a winner. The picture is amazing. It lacks all the extras found in most other sets at the same $1199 price point like 3D and IPTV streaming apps. This will turn some consumers off, but their absence is fine by me. My eyes can’t see a lot of 3D content and my TiVo serves up all the Internet content I need. Recommended.

You don’t get much in the box except a pretty good remote, a manual and of course the TV set with the stand. The design of the TV is pretty dull: a black slab of plastic around a big black LCD. There is however an indicator light in the lower right corner showing if the TV is on or off. This can be turned off, and that’s good. Buttons and connectors are all at the back and side; nothing can be seen from the front. There are two HDMI inputs in total and while that might not be enough for some, it’s enough for me.  Sound is decent with the 2X10W of the hidden speakers. There is only one optical output for audio connectivity and that might be a problem for sound junkies.

Picture quality is superb even though this is a 50Hz set. Regular TV channels look good and HD is of course fantastic. The screen looks brighter than similar sized sets that cost $8-900. Setting up the picture is quite easy. I liked it as it was out of the box but if you want to set it for yourself there is a pretty straightforward wizard for that. There is an Eco mode to save the globe from certain doom which I instantly turned off because it dims the brightness of the screen. Input selection is done manually; unfortunately the set can’t see which input has a signal on it. The TV keeps waiting for the signal on the input that was used most recently. You can choose from several picture modes such as the 24p Real Cinema and you can set up your own picture settings and save them.

Another (the only) important feature is the USB input. You can plug in USB HDD or thumb drive and access pictures and music via the TV menu. Now if you are smart and get a simple universal remote you can enable video playback. Various formats are supported, including mkv. This means that all you need is an external HDD to watch HD movies on this set.

The LG42LD450 is a great LCD TV for an unbeatable price. It may lack some features but if you don’t like spending a lot of money and want to buy a new TV, this might be an option. With the added functionality to watch HD movies via USB this set becomes a fantastic deal that I can recommend to anyone. You can get it from Amazon for $566.

SUMMARY

Display Type LCD

Screen Size 42″

Screen Size Diagonal 42.0″

Full HD 1080 Yes

Native Display Resolution 1920 x 1080

ED-Resolution 1080p

Dynamic Contrast Ratio 100,000:1

Response Time 4 ms

No. of HDMI Ports 2

Pictures and Music via USB 2.0 Yes

Life Span (Typical) 60,000 hours

Warranty 1 Year Parts & Labor

VIDEO

XD® Engine Yes

Aspect Ratio 16:9

Aspect Ratio Correction 6 Modes

Viewing Angle 178º / 178º

Just Scan (1:1 Pixel Matching) HDMI™: 1080p/1080i/720p, Component: 1080p/1080i/720p, RF: 1080i/720p

Color Temperature Control 3 Modes

1080p Source Input HDMI™: 60p/30p/24p, Component: 60p/30p/24p, RGB: 60p (WXGA)

Picture Mode 7 Modes

ISFccc® Ready Yes

Picture Wizard II Yes

AV Mode 3 Modes (Cinema, Sports, Game)

24p Real Cinema Yes (5:5/2:2 Pulldown)

3:2 Pulldown Yes

Picture Reset Yes

x.v. Color Yes

DTV Signal Strength Indicator Yes

AUDIO

Mono/Stereo/Dual (MTS/SAP) Yes

Audio Output Power (Watts – THD 10%) 20W (10W x 2)

Speaker System Details 2 Way 4 Speakers

Dolby® Digital Decoder Yes

Surround System Infinite Sound

Bass/Treble/Balance Controls Yes

Clear Voice II Yes

Auto Volume Leveler II Yes

EZ Sound Mode 5 Modes

SPECIAL FEATURES

Smart Energy Saving Yes

Backlight Control Yes

A/V Input Navigation Yes

Input Labeling Yes

Quick View (Flashback) Yes

Parental Control w/V-Chip Yes

Key Lock Yes

Closed Caption (CC) Yes

SimpLink (HDMI CEC) Yes

CONVENIENCE FEATURES

Language English/Spanish/French/Korean

Auto Tuning/Programming Yes

Channel Add/Delete Yes

Favorite Channel Programming Yes

Auto/Manual Clock Yes

On/Off Timer Yes

Sleep Timer Yes

Auto Off/Auto Sleep (When no video is present) Yes

SIDE INPUTS & OUTPUTS

AV In 1

HDMI™/HDCP Input (1.3 w/Deep Color) 1

USB 2.0 (Music/Photo) 1

Headphone Out 1

REAR INPUTS & OUTPUTS

RF In (Antenna/Cable) 1

AV In 1

Component Video In (Y, Pb, Pr) + Audio 1

Digital Audio Out (Optical) 1

HDMI™/HDCP Input (1.3 w/Deep Color) 1

RGB In (D-Sub 15pin) – PC 1

PC Audio Input 1

RS-232c In (Control/Service) 1

CABINET/ACCESSORIES

Cabinet Color Glossy Black

Swivel Stand (degrees) +20º / -20º

Remote Control Type 1 (Unified)

VESA® Compliant (WxH) 200mm x 200mm

OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES

Slim Wall Mount Not Included

BROADCASTING SYSTEM

Built-In Tuner ATSC/NTSC/Clear QAM

POWER

Voltage, Hz 100V ~ 240V, 50/60 Hz

On Mode (Average) 180W

Stand-by Mode <0.1W

SIZE & WEIGHT

TV without stand (WxHxD) 40.2” x 25.0” x 3.0”

TV with stand (WxHxD) 40.2” x 27.0” x 10.3”

TV without stand weight 29.8 lbs

TV with stand weight 33.3 lbs

Shipping weight 41.7 lbs

Finally. That’s literally the only word you can use in response to the following sentence: DirecTV will carry Fox Soccer Channel in HD beginning on August 11. Well, according to EPL Talk’s well-placed sources at the network. And yes, that’s just in time for the new Premier League and Serie A seasons. Thank you thank you thank you!

It’s about time, too, considering FSC HD first launched (initially on Dish Network) some six months ago. Since then, DirecTV subscribers have had to stare at those two letter—HD—in the corner bug, all the while muttering, “But it’s not HD…”

Fox Soccer Plus should go HD in the “near future.”

Meanwhile, the other great soccer network in the United States, GolTV, will go HD this summer. DirecTV, also according to EPL Talk, will carry the HD channel perhaps as early as August 4—next Wednesday, in other words.

While FSC is known for its coverage of the English Premier League and Italy’s Serie A, GolTV carries the torch for Spain’s La Liga, Germany’s Bundesliga, and various South American competitions. (ESPN shares the North American rights for La Liga.)

All of this means that DirecTV subscribers will get to see the likes of Manchester United, Arsenal, Inter Milan, Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Schalke 04 (Raúl’s new home, of course) in glorious HD.

Considering I bought my first HDTV just in time for the 2006 World Cup, well, it’s about time!

There’s a handy option in the DirecTV menu guide for “HDTV Channels.” On the rare occasion when I’m actually sitting in front of the TV looking to “channel surf” (more like “menu surf” nowadays), it’s only “HDTV channels” I’m concerned with. Nearly halfway through 2010, it has come to the point where, unless I absolutely have no other choice, I simply won’t watch a network unless the program is in HD. Has it come really come to that? That, unless a show is in HD, you’ll simply skip it?

Pretty sure I first heard of this last week on the radio, I think on Ron and Fez, that for the first time ever TV networks are starting to see their ratings decline specifically because they’re not in HD. That is, people now refuse to watch TV unless it’s in HD! How wild is that? I mean, assuming it’s true…

It probably means a few things. One, biggish networks that aren’t in HD yet should now be shaking in their boots. For whatever stupid reason, DirecTV hasn’t picked up the HD feed of Fox Soccer Channel. That doesn’t mean much to most people, but when given the choice between watching a Premier League game in SD on my HDTV or watching the same game with a tiny online stream (which is probably illegal but who cares?) on my computer, freeing me to play simultaneously play some Steam games in windowed mode, then I’m absolutely going to go with the stream. I will go out of my way to watch an HD feed of a game, subjecting myself to TV’s controls for 90 minutes, but in 2010 SD sports broadcasts really ought to be outlawed. I’d almost rather listen to an audio play-by-play than watch an SD image on my HDTV.

I should stress that Fox Soccer Channel does, in fact, have an HD feed, it’s just that DirecTV hasn’t picked it up yet. Boo!

This could also mean that smaller TV networks are doomed. If people are now skipping SD content altogether, how can Some Niche Channel survive? It’s not exactly cheap to record and air HD content, so the little guy may be squeezed out.

Or maybe this isn’t true at all? I’m pretty sure only something like 50 percent of TVs in America are HDTVs, so these people aren’t going to miss something (HD broadcasts) that they never would benefit from anyway.

I’ll throw it to you guys now: do you still watch SD content on your HDTVs? Again, I pretty much don’t, but I realize my opinion may not exactly line up with a “normal” person’s.

Conclusive evidence that South Korea is the greatest country on Earth: it will begin terrestrial (that’s over-the-air) 3D TV broadcasts in a few weeks. Better still, it’ll be in full high-definition. How long do you think it’s going to be before “Dancing With The Stars” is shown in 3D here? Probably like 200 years, yes.

There’s really not too much more information beyond that. It’s worth noting that South Korea will be the first country on the entire planet to broadcast high-def 3D TV using terrestrial means.

Also of note: the channel CJ HelloVision will offer 3D video-on-demand content in the next few days.

So, to get your 3D rocks off, you can either go see “Alice in Wonderland” again, or hop on a plane bound for Seoul.

Or, if you want “real” 3D, go see a play!

Flickr’d

Dark scenes look grey next the letterbox’s black bars

Solution: A great way to quickly configure a new HDTV is throw in a DVD or Blu-ray and adjust the contrast so that the black level in the dark scene blend with the black bars left over from the letterbox. You should shoot for as dark as possible while aiming to keep the colors as lifelike and as possible. This may require some tinkering between the contrast and brightness settings.

Most HDTVs also have pre-set colors modes that might be something like Vivid, Standard, Cinema, or Games. More than likely when an HDTV produces different shades of gray instead of true black, it’s because the set is set on Vivid. Change it to Standard or Cinema.

This might cause the TV to look a little dull at first, but these two settings are the most important in an HDTV as it controls the black and white levels. If your TV cannot display the white or black levels properly, every other color is going to be wrong, too.

Color is too bright and causes headaches

Solution: Just like in the first point, the Vivid color mode may to be blamed here. This preset is designed to make the TV’s picture pop and counter a lot of ambient light — perfect for a retail showroom or bright livingroom. It’s a headache-inducing mode if used in dark rooms, though. Thankfully most TV remotes allow these settings to be switched on the fly so it’s easy to switch to a different mode if the lighting changes.

Manually changing the settings might be necessary on some HDTVs, though, as ambient light sensor are found in most mid- to top-tier sets. These little sensors measure the room’s light and adjusts the TV’s brightness and contrast levels automatically. Generally the setting is turn on by default, but the option is often located in the set’s Display or General menu just in case.

Anderson Cooper looks nearly as fat as Oprah

Solution: Some people hate, hate black bars. They look at them as if they killed their first born. But in reality, they are a by-product of a properly configured HDTV.

Those black bars are only present if the TV is showing a picture that isn’t 16:9 widescreen like basic cable. TVs and cable boxes often allow users to zoom in on the picture, but this hardly works well. Most of the time it squishes the picture from the top and stretches it from the side causing everyone and everything to look, well, fat.

Somewhere on the cable box or TV remote there’s a button that controls this. It might be labeled “aspect” or “display mode,” If not, it’s in a menu. Get those black bars back when they are appropriate like non-HD stations. It takes a lot of work to be fit and trim like Anderson Cooper. He doesn’t deserve to look like another fat American.

Standard-definition stations look just as good as high-def stations

Solution: Just because you own an HDTV doesn’t mean the picture is high definition. There is a HUGE difference between standard-def and high-def. It’s obvious. If you’re not that impressed with your fancy new TV’s picture, chances are you’re doing something wrong.

First, make sure you’re getting HDTV either from your cable company or satellite provider. The appropriate HD package is generally extra and should require at least a call to your provider to get it running. Most of the time it requires new equipment and cables, too.

Even DVDs might not look that great on an HDTV. That’s because they were designed to work with standard definition TVs and have a max resolution far less than what HDTV can do. Big movie watchers should look into upgrading to Blu-ray players that can output movies at high-def resolutions. Just make sure the Blu-ray player is connected to the HDTV with an HDMI cable

Did we miss any? If so, drop them in the comments below for the greater good.

Apparently a group researchers with too much grant money available tested a bunch of cephalopods a while back and found that while they appear intelligent, they didn’t responded to images on standard definition TVs. So they redid the test with HDTVs recently.

The octopuses bought it and responded “more vigorously” to the HDTV images of animals and inanimate objects. The hope is that now researchers can now use HDTVs as a tool to study behavioral traits, such as personality. Just wait until they get their first glimpse of HDTV golf. The octopuses will likely find a comfy sponge and waste away the rest of the day just like humans.

Exciting news, people who watch TV! CNN will finally go fully HD sometime this spring! This is a great day for news junkies and people who constantly need to be reading a ticker.

The network first launched its HD channel two years ago, but only programming emanating from its New York studios were done in HD; Atlanta- and D.C.-based programming was still in boring ol’ SD. But no more! Starting this spring, it’s HD 24 hours a day~!

Among the shows that will gain several lines of resolution: Rick’s List with Rick “from the barrio” Sanchez. Sanchez, you’ll recall, challenged East Side Dave (again, whom I interviewed), from Ron and Fez, to a fight in light of the Shorty Awards Twitter controversy. Dave accepted his challenge, but Mr. Sanchez has been awfully quiet since then. What’s the matter, dogsie, afraid the Davepound knows how to scrap?!

Do I have to mention that I wrote two articles for CNN.com, one about the iPad and one about Ubisoft’s DRM? Well I just did, so there.

Bom-dia, amigos! É Nicholas com uma conta do Brasil! Vocês sabem que A Copa do Mundo inicia em junho, mas sabiam que muitos brasileiros estam a comprar televisões especficamente para o torneio? Uma firma, DisplaySearch, diz que carragamentos dos LCD TVs vai subir 68% neste ano no país. É claro que todo o Brasil quer ver A Seleção conquistar a copa!

Agora, amigos, uma pergunta: como é TV no Brasil? Eu nunca fui ao país—mas eu quero, claro—e não sei nada da situação. Quantos canais HD têm? Qual é a resolução? O que é a empressa de esportes mais grande? Coisas assim

Long range over-the-air HDTV antennas can get mighty unsightly and expensive. Clixxun’s “Fancy Alpha” attempts to stem that tide with a $40 TV antenna that’s disguised as an unassuming picture frame.

The frame holds a 4×6 photo and Clixxun is pushing its patent-pending Long Range Reception (LRR) technology to deliver TV signals “even in regions that so far have needed an outside or rooftop antenna.”

The antenna can be powered via a built-in USB port, “phantom powering from your receiver,” or with an optional AC adapter. It’ll pull down DVB-T, ATSC, and DAB signals along with analog TV signals, should any of those still be floating around.

Fancy Alpha [Clixxun.com]

There’s no word on pricing or exactly when you’ll be able to pick them up as of yet, but it’s safe to assume that it will be sooner rather then later.

From the press release:

Samsung Electronics First to Begin Mass Producing 3D TV Panels

Samsung to Produce Six Panel Types Using ‘3D Active Glasses’ Technology

SEOUL, South Korea–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd, a global leader in display technology and digital media, announced today that it has become the first company to commence mass production of panels for 3D LED TVs and 3D LCD TVs.

“Samsung Electronics aims to lead the global 3D TV panel market in pioneering panel mass production for 3D LED and LCD TVs.”

“Recently, 3D displays have captured the industry spotlight,” said Wonkie Chang, president of the LCD Business at Samsung Electronics. “Samsung Electronics aims to lead the global 3D TV panel market in pioneering panel mass production for 3D LED and LCD TVs.”

The company began producing LED and LCD compatible panels for 40-inch, 46-inch and 55-inch full-HD 3D TVs using ‘3D Active Glasses’ this month, employing Samsung’s exclusive true 240Hz technology.

Samsung’s true 240Hz technology delivers full-HD viewing in 2D, and also smooth, natural, full-HD 3D images that can vividly capture rapid movements.

By incorporating true 240Hz technology, operating at 240 frames per second, Samsung’s panels deliver a more lifelike picture with alternating left and right eye images through the use of 3D Active Glasses technology.

Samsung has reduced the response time of its LCD and LED panels by 20 percent to less than four milliseconds, eliminating any interference between left and right eye images. With this improved response time, Samsung is able to achieve natural 3D images and also deliver 2D pictures capturing rapid movement with exceptional clarity.

Samsung’s new 3D Active Glasses technology first blocks the left and then right lens, causing a momentary lag when images are shown to each eye to achieve more lifelike 3D images. The term, ‘3D Active Glasses,’ was selected as an official term by the Glasses Standardization Working Group of the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) earlier this year.

The polarized glass method previously used in 3D glasses produced separate images for the left and right eyes, resulting in half the resolution of two-dimensional pictures as only half of the screen can be viewed through each polarized filter. Brightness was also lowered because of the polarized filter.

According to a market research firm, DisplaySearch, the 3D display market is expected to grow from $902 million in 2008 to $22 billion in 2018. The 3D TV market is expected to expand to a $17-billion market, with sales increasing from 200,000 units in 2009 to 64 million units in 2018.

Don’t pay the price on the tag

This is an important time of year for retailers and most will bend over backwards to get a sales. Smart negotiation is your friend. Most of the time all you need to do is say “Will you match Sears’s price? They said they would give it to me for $xxx.” Keep the statement simple and free of any stipulations like “if I take it today” or “if I pay for delivery.”

You must pre-shop for the model you want and sound like you know what you’re talking about to make this work. If the TV you want is already on sale, state a price 5% lower than what’s on the tag and 15% if the TV isn’t on sale. Don’t be greedy.

The key is to do this very early in the sale before you’re pitched accessories or the warranty. Otherwise these high-margin items will be used as leverage. You might still get the lower price, but the manager will probably tack something on as a requirement. You don’t want that. Just make sure you have a backup plan if this little game doesn’t work.

Buy for your room

Sometimes bigger isn’t always better. That 65-inch HDTV might look awesome hanging on Best Buy’s TV wall, but do you really want that monster in your livingroom? Often buyers are conned by the retail store’s high ceilings and excited salesmen into buying too much TV.

Consider how far away you’re sitting sit, the height of your ceiling, and the quality of the set you’re buying. A good rule is that if you sit eight feet or less away, buy a 46-inch or smaller TV. If your ceilings are higher than the norm, you could probably get away with a slightly larger set. Unless you’re considering buying a cheap HDTV with a sub-par picture: then you should probably go a bit smaller to compensate.

If you simply must have the largest possible set that will fit through your door, make sure it at least has an ambient light sensor that automatically dims when the room is darker. Otherwise your new HDTV will induce all sorts of headaches while making your house strobe like a laser light show at night.

Brick and mortar stores have great return policies

TVs get returned for all sorts of reasons and stores generally understand. Most do not even have restocking fees on HDTVs. So this opens up all sorts of possibilities for-the-less than honest person. There really isn’t anything stopping someone from borrowing an HDTV for Super Bowl Sunday. This isn’t something we’re encouraging here. We’re just simply pointing out what some people do…

Plan ahead if you want to wall mount the TV

Don’t expect to walk into Best Buy next week, plop down a good chunk of change, and have your TV hung on the wall by the big game. Most of the time it doesn’t work like that. Sure, some stores might be able to provide that service, but many cannot. Besides, you don’t want this done improperly, right?

Consider where all of your equipment will be located. Right now they are likely resting comfortably directly under the TV on a stand. But you’re mounting the TV on the wall, right? Do you still want a stand in your living room? If so, why not just put the TV on the stand and save the hundreds of dollars?

There are few options. First, keep the stand even though that seems a bit foolish. This is the least expensive options as the cables need to connect the TV and equipment can be relatively short. Use the top of the TV stand to display photos or flowers. Whatever.

Or you could stash the equipment somewhere else in the home like a bedroom or linen closet. They can really be placed anywhere as long as you have a remote that works on radio frequency instead of line-of-sight infrared. You really should invest into a good universal remote anyway. But this option can increase the installation cost dramatically depending on the cost of the remote and how long of a cable is needed to connect the TV to the set-top boxes. Just plan ahead.

Get your HDMI from your cable company or online

Please don’t help brick and mortar stores by buying an HDMI cable from them. They often sell the cables with a 2400% markup. It’s a dirty racket. Many times your cable company will provide an HDMI cable when you subscribe to their service and you always have the option of buying one online. Monoprice.com is a good spot.

But the cheapest option might not always be the best bet. New technology like 3D Blu-ray are often too much for some HDMI 1.3 cables to handle. If you’re planning on running this cable in the wall, opt for the more expensive and somewhat hard-to-find HDMI 1.4 certified cables. This way you won’t have to tear that cable out of the wall later down the road.

All you need is an antenna to watch the Super Bowl in HD

The Super Bowl is always broadcast on a major network. That means only an antenna is needed to pick up the HD feed. In fact, many find that over-the-air signals offer enough content that they don’t need cable or satellite. Plus, OTA HD offers a higher-quality picture than anything subscription TV can offer.

Most of the time a table-top antenna will do the trick, just don’t buy the cheapest option. Look for one that plugs into the wall for power and use this website to help fine tune its reception. Even the old aerial antennas many people still have on their houses will work.

Finally, soccer in HD! Fox announced yesterday (I guess we’re not cool enough to get the memo directly…) that it’s going to re-launch Fox Soccer Channel on March 1, 2010. The new channel will be called Fox Soccer Plus, and it will bring you every single Premier League game it has the rights to (more on that in a moment) in HD. Serie A, too, so there’s something there for you Continental types. I cannot stress this enough: every Premier League game in HD!

So, off the top of my head, that means Americans can see the Premier League, La Liga, and Serie A in HD. Now all we need is for GolTV to switch over to be guaranteed to see every La Liga and Bundesliga game (shown here, at least) in a proper resolution.

I’m very excited.

UPDATE~! Well, I’m still excited, but now my excitement has been tempered. All that info up there? Mostly wrong! As The Gaffer (whose site, EPL Talk, is actually pretty cool, by the way) corrects me, Fox Soccer Channel isn’t going anywhere, but that Fox will be launching another channel called Fox Soccer Plus. It’ll be a premium channel, but whether or not your cable/satellite provider actually charges extra, or puts the channel behind a pre-existing tier (maybe like a “premium sports package”type of thing), is entirely up to your provider. Fox has a handy search dealie where you can see if your provider will be picking up Fox Soccer Plus. Regardless of your Fox Soccer Plus status, plain ol’ Fox Soccer Channel will be in HD come March 1, too. One thousand apologies. I completely misread that.

TVs with Internet connectivity are nothing new, but this is pretty cool: As the world’s first TV makers, Panasonic and LG are cooperating with Skype to incorporate the software, which will make it possible to video chat in 720p HD quality, into TVs.

According to a Japanese media report [registration required, paid subscription], Americans will be able to buy the Pansasonic TVs first (as early as this spring), followed by Japanese and Europeans in the summer. Skype itself, however, speaks of a release in mid-2010 for both the LG and Panasonic TVs.

The Skype function, for which the report mentioned above says buyers have to pay “hundreds of dollars” more than for identical TVs without it, will be available in special VIERA models (the picture shows one Panasonic is currently selling in the US) and LG’s 26 LCD and plasma HDTVs with NetCast Entertainment Access.

Skype says the features include:

* Free Skype-to-Skype voice and video calls
* Calls to landline or mobile phones at Skype’s low rates
* The option to receive inbound calls via a user’s online Skype number
* Skype voicemail, if it is set up
* Being invited to participate in voice conference calls with up to 24 other parties
* Support for up to 720p HD video calls, depending on the availability of high-speed broadband and a HD webcam

The TVs will feature a microphone and a built-in video camera, which – according to Skype – can pick up sound and video from a couch-distance. Skype has set up a dedicated website for those TVs for more information (but the link is currently dead).

The F11 series all feature a new slim profile and down-firing speakers that allows the TV to maintain its sleek look. The 24-inch, 26-inch, and 32-inch are all 1366×768 panels and are equipped with the usual HDMI and component inputs. The 40-inch (L40FHD2XF11) and 46-inch (L46FHD2XF11) however are 1080p sets with 120Hz support. All the sets besides the 24-inch already have the necessary specs to meet the Energy Star 4.0 specs when they are enacted on May 1st, 2010.

Prices for these sets haven’t been released yet, but it’s probably safe to assume that they will be on the lower scale of things.

This is definitely a case of preaching to the choir, but perhaps you have friends and/or family members in need of support. A survey just came out in the UK that says that while 56 percent of households have an HDTV, 91 percent of them still use standard-definition sources. That is, even though Mum and Dad have shelled out £900 for a 40-inch 1080 LCD, said TV is still connected to standard-def Sky box or plain ol’ DVD player. What gives? Why spend the money on a new TV if you’re not going to use it?

The same thing happens here in Patriotland. Someone buys an HDTV from Wal-Mart, then hooks it up to their regular cable box or DVD player and says, “Man, that looks great!”

Why does this happen? The same UK survey finds that it’s more technical ignorance than anything else. Blu-ray players aren’t crazy expensive anymore, and HD cable boxes are the same price as standard ones, or at least very close in price. (At least it was for me.) It’s that people don’t know any better. They plug in a DVD player, probably using composite cables (!), and think, “Man, I’ve never seen anything like this!”

It doesn’t help that people are constantly being lied to. There’s a commercial on Fox Soccer Channel that says something like, “There’s nothing better than watching the beautiful game in stunning HD, which you can do if you buy the Sylvania LCD TV.” Then the commercial shows simulated images of FSC broadcasts on the TV, implying that, hey, you’re watching soccer in HD if you buy this TV. Only you’re not: Fox Soccer Channel doesn’t broadcast in HD, and won’t for a little while yet, so even if you buy an HDTV you’re not going to be able to see Chelsea beat up Everton in HD on Fox Soccer Channel. (Thankfully, anyone with DirecTV can see the UEFA Champions League in HD this season. ESPN also broadcasts a few EPL and La Liga games in HD this year, too.)

So I guess it’s a combination of things. People don’t read instruction manuals anymore, so they don’t know to hook up their TV to a proper HD source. Then commercials blatantly mislead people into thinking they’re watching HD content when they’re patently not.

In conclusion, since I assume the CrunchGear readership is made up of the more tech-savvy, please tell your loved ones this holiday season that to watch HD content on their HDTV they need a proper HD source.

Thank you~!

Flickr

So there you are, standing in front of Best Buy’s wall o’ HDTVs. Which one do you buy? There are just so many different factors and terms: LCD, LED, plasma, 3D, DLP, 1080p. No worries. Follow these five rules and you’ll end up with the perfect HDTV for you.

Rule 1 – Buy for your room

Forget the LCD vs plasma debate for just a moment. It might not matter. Your room might choose your HDTV for you.

LCDs generally counter glare better than plasmas because of their matte finish. Most plasmas have a glossy screen protector over the screen, which while a great defense against flying Wii remotes and children, reflect everything like a mirror. However, if glare isn’t an issue at all and in fact, the room is a little on the dark side, buy a plasma. They thrive in darker environments where their rich colors and contrasts can really show off.

Also consider how close you sit to the TV. It’s often the rule of thumb to buy the biggest TV you can afford or that will fit in a certain area, but standard definition content like basic cable look terrible on larger HDTVs and it’s very obvious when you’re sitting close. Large TVs can also overpower a room and cause headaches and eye strain.Remember your home probably has a lot lower ceiling than retail stores like Best Buy and Walmart so the actual size of the TV might be deceiving at when you’re shopping.

Thankfully most retail stores have liberal return policies. Just be prepared to pay a restocking fee or pick-up charge if you simply return the HDTV and not buy another one.

Rule 2 – Buy the picture that looks the best to you

There is one huge advantage brick and mortar stores have over Internet retailers: demos. Walk into a Best Buy and you can see how different TVs look compared to others. This is important.

Everyone’s eyes are different. Perception is different. You can not solely rely on Internet TV reviews when buying an HDTV. You need to see it in person. Stand there. Let your eyes wonder and pick out a TV that looks good to you. Here’s what you need to look for:

• Black blacks
• White whites
• Not vivid colors, but realistic
• No motion blur when objects are moving fast
• The glare factor

Let a salesman point certain things out to you but you’re the one that’s ultimately going to have to live with the TV. Buy the one you like, but keep an open mind.

Rule 3 – Buy a familiar brand

It doesn’t matter what you’ve heard, all TVs have problems. Generally speaking, a Sony HDTV will hold up just as well as a Panasonic, Samsung, or Vizio. Modern HDTVs do not have any moving parts and most use the same display panels and components anyway.

You need to accept that there’s a possibility that any number of items might go wrong with your new HDTV no matter whose logo is on the front. A good rule of thumb in the TV world is that if you haven’t heard of the brand and it’s less expensive than other options, it’s probably that store’s house brand and something you might want to avoid. If you’re really concerned about your new investment, buy an extended service plan.

Rule 4 – Don’t be afraid to buy online

Brick and mortar stores have the demo advantage, but online retailers will beat them every day in the price game. Go to Best Buy and pick out the TV you want and then shop online for it. As long as the online retailer has cheap shipping and a good return policy, you have nothing to fear. But also don’t be afraid to ask the Best Buy to match or come close to the online price. You might be surprised.

Rule 5 – The TV is only as good as the source

You’re buying an HDTV so it needs high-def content. Your standard cable will look like poo on it and yes, it will cost more each month from your content provider. Consider this extra cost when you’re shopping for the TV. It’s not a bad idea to call up your cable or satellite company before hand to find out the extra cost.

Cable subscribers generally have it the easiest, especially if they already have a digital cable box. Likely all they will need is a different box. But if you have a satellite, you may need all new equipment including a different dish. The install cost might be nominal though.

Don’t be afraid to shop around either. You might find a better deal.