For the first time ever, Pioneer is going to start selling LCD TVs here in the States starting next year. This cames after years of battling the endless plasma verse LCD war. The two sets, already on sale in Europe, are a 37- and 32-inch with the LCD panels coming from Sharp. I wouldn’t expect anything groundbreaking from the LCDs as Pioneer still probably wants to keep the focus on the… → Read More
I’m here at IFA in Berlin, a stone’s throw away from my temporary base of operations in Barcelona. The show itself—think CES, just run by a bunch of well-dressed Europeans—starts this weekend, but a few companies are having hip-hip hooray press conferences a bit early, announcing new products then quickly putting them back behind a curtain, saying how great they are, etc. → Read More
Panasonic announced today in Japan [JP] they will release three Viera PDP TVs in this country starting September 10. All models (42, 46 and 50 inches) of the new PZR900 series will house a 1TB HDD for recording terrestrial and digital TV programs, which can then be copied on DVDs or Blu-ray discs. From September 30, Japanese customers will also be able to view YouTube videos on their Panasonic… → Read More
Someone is buying VIZIO HDTVs. They might be mid-tier products. but their generally great prices probably helped rocket the flat-panel maker to the top of Inc. 5000 list. The company reached the peak by having the greatest revenue per employee, with a whopping $1.9 billion total in ’07. VIZIO was also noted #4 for Gross Dollars of Growth and #9 for total revenue. While I would never claim… → Read More
Just ahead of CEDIA, Samsung just announced five new LCDs and three plasmas to the global market. Specific model detail is low on availability but we do know that LED technology is going to be incorporated for a more energy efficient process. While LED backlit exactly ‘bleeding edge’ anymore, we are finally seeing the tech seep down into the general market. The sets should run… → Read More
Pioneer’s stunning PDP-LX6090 Kuro plasma was just recognized at EISA by winning “European Plasma-TV 2008-2009.” HD enthusiests have known for a while that the Kuro line of plasma TVs are top notch and now there is a blue ribbon to prove it. The blacks are, well, black and guess about the whites. Yeah, they are white. The judges agrees. Thanks to an amazingly… → Read More
So if a Panasonic VIERA plasma’s screen has a half-life of 42-years, that states that the screen will loss all it’s brightness in 84-years. Or 2093. Or when George Bush VI takes office. Or when we might finally have flying cars. Or when…you get the idea. CEPro presents an interesting question on this claim, “Will you die before your TV?” Hmmm. So even if the half-life… → Read More
Most gadgetphiles know that plasmas use more energy than LCDs but the Australian government want all of their citizens to know too. The government is rolling out a system currently in place for other household appliances but aimed this time at televisions. The vast majority of plasmas aren’t going to fair very well, and even some might be banned from sale. A Panasonic director indicated that… → Read More
Series 9 is pictured above Announced earlier today were updates to four of Samsung’s varying HDTV lines. First up is the Series 6 LCD HDTVs that feature ToC (Touch of Color), you know, the red bezel on top of a 40,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio, full 1080p picture, and Auto Motion Plus 120Hz technology. A flash memory drive is also onboard so you can drop in music and images via USB port. The… → Read More
The HD Guru recently reviewed the 50-inch Pioneer Elite Kuro PRO-111FD and, after putting the $5,000 premium plasma through its paces, called it “simply the best” HDTV he’s ever tested. Why so good, you ask? Well, the black levels are so dark that the HD Guru’s current test equipment couldn’t even measure them, the energy consumption levels are pretty admirable, and the color saturation… → Read More
The San Fran band The Bad Hand apparently think whatever squalling coming out of this Spencer’s Gifts plasma ball can be approximately linked to the making of music. While I’m very accepting of all sorts of musical genres, I feel that someone needs to kick this thing hard and fast, thereby releasing the tortured soul of Frank Zappa back into the Outworld. via MusicThing → Read More
If you’re like me, you’re extremely cheap. And that means you put off buying everything until it’s ridiculously low-priced or used. That means waiting a long time usually, but the payoff is that you get everything those other jokers got, plus more, for a quarter of the price. For instance: this Vizio 32-inch 720p plasma costs $600, exactly a quarter what my parents paid for a… → Read More
The dreadful economy has led to an increase in the number of inexpensive picture tube TVs sold. Likewise, sales of LCDs and plasmas—”dude check out my flat screen”—have flatlined. I guess people value eating and paying the rent/mortgage more than watching “My Name is Earl” in HD. These numbers come from DisplaySearch, a research outfit that tracks and monitors… → Read More
Apparently plasma TVs are no longer the “it” girl of the tech world, at least not here in the Shining City on a Hill. Shipments of plasma panels increased by 53 percent Q1 2008 compared to Q1 2007, but you’re not likely to notice unless you’re in China or Latin America, where plasma is more popular than LCD. Why is LCD more popular than plasma here? A big reason is that… → Read More
We’ve been waiting for OLED to invade the marketplace, but it hasn’t yet. It will, sure, but Panasonic, with AT&T, have another idea, plasma. Right now you can get a flat-panel HDTV in LCD or plasma, and they each have their strengths and weaknesses (which will be addressed in a future home theater feature), but one thing about plasma is that it’s got more vibrant color than… → Read More
http://progressive.playstream.com/playstream/progressive/flashplayers/FLVPlayer.swf Remember how we told you Samsung would be bringing their 3D plasma HDTVs this month? Well, the Series 4 sets are now available in stores. The 42-inch PN42A450 is available for $1,199, and the 50-inch PN50A450 is available for $1,699. Yay! → Read More
http://blip.tv/scripts/flash/showplayer.swf?enablejs=true&file=http%3A//blip.tv/rss/flash/767986&feedurl=http%3A//crunchgear.blip.tv/rss/&autostart=false&brandname=CrunchGear&brandlink=http%3A//crunchgear.blip.tv/ It’s so rare to actually have actual child-like fun with the gadgets we get in that I had to put together this silly video. The Jasman toys are… → Read More
As a Wii owner, I’ve been using the Wii-mote sans wrist strap since the thing snapped within a week of using it. Since then, never have I ever had a problem with accidentally hurtling it into my TV. However, that might be because after reading all the horror stories of Wii-punctured flat panels, I picked up a couple rubberized battery covers for some extra traction. The total out of pocket… → Read More
As usual, Samsung will be the first to bring a 3D plasma HDTV to the US market next month in 42- and 50-inch versions. Most of us at CG have seen a demo of this within the last six months and it’s safe to say how darn cool it is. If and when you decide to purchase one you get the appropriate software and 3D glasses. Don’t fret because you can still watch your 2D moving pictures as… → Read More
[photopress:PN42A450P_PN50A450P__3.jpg,full,center] Product Name: Samsung Series 4 and Series 5 plasma HDTVs Description: Plasma HDTVs with 3D technology Price: TBA In-store date: March 2008 Site: Samsung plasma HDTVs Why it’s cool: The Series 5 is 1080p, which is not uncool, and both Series make use of Samsung 3D technology. Literally, you put on a special pair of glasses and you’ll… → Read More
I’m going to save you the shenenigans and snark by just pasting what Vizio sent us. Essentially, they’ve got 32-inch plasmas for $689 and 50-inchers for $1,399 — 1080p, naturally — and a few new surround sound systems and LCDs. They have a new LCD line called Envy which is a little sexier than the standard line. We’ll hit the booth tomorrow to see what is really up… → Read More
Who bothers going to the movie theaters anymore in the age of 60-inch plasmas and Dolby TrueHD? I ask because Peter and I just had a brief to-do in the chat room: I saw the “I am Legend” DVD screener last night (if you’re reading CrunchGear, I assume you know where to find it), which shocked Mr. Ha. Wouldn’t you rather see it in the theater?, he asked. No. No I would not. → Read More
Quick question: As of today, which company is the top-selling flat panel HDTV brand in the US? Sony? Nope — your Bravia may be nice, but it’s not number one. Panasonic? Nah. And nope, it’s not Sharp, LG, Samsung, or Philips either. The answer: Vizio. A company that didn’t exist 4 years ago and, unlike all of the companies above, is actually based in the United States. → Read More
Debuting last night in NYC at famed auction house Christie’s, was the 50-inch Opus 1080p plasma TV. The 50-inch, 50PY3D, plasma is chock-full of helpful features like Simple Link connectivity that lets you control other Simple Link devices from one remote. The fun doesn’t end there because the Opus line includes three HDMI inputs, a USB media hub, integrated ATSC/QAM/NTSC tuners as… → Read More
A wireless plasma TV? Now I’ve seen it all. In actuality, I have not seen it all but this is the kind of innovation that makes a jaded old gadgeteur like me go from slouching to sitting almost upright in my chair. The Samsung 94 Series plasma TVs feature a power cord and nothing else, enticing you to take the bullet train to Wall Mount Junction. A built-in 802.11n connection communicates… → Read More
There’s something rotten in the state of LG. It seems the Korean manufacturer is having some trouble offloading its plasma TVs, with sales last February down some $35 million compared to the previous year. To be fair, it does appear to be a general trend in the TV industry, with LCDs being cheaper to produce at larger and larger sizes. (It used to be that LCDs larger than 42 inches were… → Read More
The HP TVs we saw back at CES are finally shipping and it’s a good thing because I’m actually looking for a new HDTV and HP has a 1080p LCD TV in the line-up. Sweet. A nice mix of 720p and 1080p is being offered at reasonable prices and most come with three HDMI ports. You can’t really ask for much more at the prices they’re being sold for. → Read More
Now that flat-screen TVs are popping up everywhere, it makes sense to take advantage of them to the fullest. After all, you might not be watching that much television, but you did plunk down three grand for the set. Might as well put it to good use. With Lightascope, you can turn your high-def plasma or LCD TV into tripped out visuals for parties a beautiful work of art. It slides over the… → Read More
The Life Acquatic: Swimming with Sound Subtitling Glasses Put the Text Where It Belongs Plasma Lift: Hey Honey! What TV? Wine That Loves: No More Guessing What Wine Goes With What Food Fitness by Crunchgear 2007 → Read More
Like I mentioned, Panasonic visited Gotham yesterday to show off its plasma TV lineup for the year, including its first 42-inch 1080p model that’ll be available in June for $2,500. (Wow, run-on sentence alert.) Panasonic displayed many of these plasmas at CES earlier in the year, but it doesn’t hurt to get some one-on-one time with them without throngs of people pushing up against me. → Read More
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