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3D Olympics channel available to 80 percent of households

After the 2010 World Cup, major sporting events broadcast in 3D have been few and far between. NBC and Panasonic aim to change that by offering a new dedicated channel delivering a massive 242 hours of coverage in the third dimension.

More important, chances are you'll actually have access to it. NBC says the channel will be available to nearly 80 percent of U.S. households, which includes nearly every major cable provider as well as Verizon's Fios TV and satellite provider DirecTV. Notable absentee from the list so far is Dish Network. … Read more

Why do my eyes hurt while watching TV?

CNET reader Jerry asks:

I recently bought a 40-inch LED LCD. I like it a lot, but over the past few months I've noticed my eyes hurt after watching the TV. Mostly it seems to happen at night. This can't be normal, right? Before I spend money on an eye doctor (I've never been), I figured I'd ask if there was something about the TV that was causing it. I never had this problem with my old TV.An interesting, and surprisingly common question.

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Top 15 movies not out on Blu-ray

A couple of years ago, we had 40 movies on this list. But as new releases have arrived, we've gradually pruned the list, and today we're down to a mere 15 top movies that aren't out yet on Blu-ray.

Yes, there are several other great movies that still haven't gotten the Blu-ray treatment. But like I say with the top 40 must-have Blu-rays list, feel free to express your opinions, and if you have a legitimate case, I'll update the list with new picks.

For the latest round we've dropped "The Sting" and "Chariots of Fire," and several other movies, including "Jaws," "Titanic," and the "Indiana Jones Trilogy," are due to come off the list in the coming months because they're already available for preorder, so stay tuned for a big revamp of the list this fall.

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Five best matte-screen TVs for bright rooms

Updated August 16, 2012: We think a matte-screen finish offers the best picture quality in rooms where you can't control ambient light.

Most TVs are fine in normal lighting situations, and some glossy screens are better than others. But if you watch TV a lot in a very bright room, or have to place the set where its screen can't avoid reflecting a window or other bright light source, you should strongly consider going to the matte.

Unfortunately, most quality TVs have glossy screens. With LG going glossy on its higher-end LED models this year, the pickings are slimmer than in 2011. Sharp is a standout, Toshiba a pleasant surprise and Samsung uses matte in its lower-end EH lineup.

New in this update is the LG PM9700, the only plasma TV with a matte screen. I also included a sixth *bonus* TV since it's too good to pass up: Vizio's excellent M3D0KD, with its "semi-gloss" screen finish that's more reflective than the others, yet not as mirrorlike as truly glossy sets.

Here they are, arranged in descending order of overall CNET rating. … Read more

Angry Birds to land on Samsung TVs

After soaring into the PC and mobile world, Angry Birds is flapping into its next arena -- smart TVs.

Samsung today announced the launch of a new Angry Birds app (English translation) designed for certain of its smart TVs.

Tapping into Samsung's Smart Interaction gesture recognition, game players will be able to use gestures and voice commands to target the angry birds in their battle against the pigs.

Due out sometime this month, the Angry Birds app will be compatible with Samsung's smart TVs ES7000, ES8000, and ES9000. Taking advantage of Samsung's newly-updated Smart TV SDK, the … Read more

Sonic screwdriver remote lets you Time Lord over your TV

The Doctor's impressive arsenal of technology is known to be finicky. The TARDIS, in particular, seems to have a mind of its own. Now imagine his sonic screwdriver is on the fritz and can only do one thing: operate a TV. You can have that sonic screwdriver.

The Sonic Screwdriver Programmable TV Remote at ThinkGeek is a note-perfect replica of the tool used by the latest Doctor, played by Matt Smith on the BBC.

The sci-fi magic happens when you use the remote's gesture-based command system. Rotate the sonic screwdriver for volume. Change channels with the flick of a wrist. It can also store up to 39 remote control codes to handle all the devices in your entertainment system.… Read more

How big a TV should I buy?

37? 42? 50? 65? 90? There's an HDTV size for every room and every budget.

But if you're not limited by a cabinet or entertainment center, how big of a TV can or should you get? … Read more

Information on new Philips 9 series HDTVs leaks

Philips is currently working on its flagship 9 series HDTVs, and they just might be awfully impressive, according to a new report.

Philips will be launching two 9 series models that will come with 46- and 60-inch screens, Flat Panels HD, a site that focuses on televisions, is reporting today, citing a "credible source." The site claims to have obtained a document from Russia that provides information and images of the televisions and their elongated remote.

According to the publication, the televisions, dubbed the 9707 and 9607, will come with an extremely small bezel made of "some … Read more

Charting the ripple effects of Sony's cloud-gaming acquisition

It happened a little later than the rumors predicted, but Sony has indeed gone shopping for a cloud gaming service. With its purchase of Gaikai, announced this morning, Sony has potentially disrupted the nascent cloud gaming market, and also added an interesting wrinkle to its own competitive fortunes across platforms.

A few thoughts on how this acquisition will affect the various players.

OnLive The other, arguably better-known cloud gaming service, OnLive was another rumored Sony target. Presumably Sony's done cloud shopping, but other suitors, namely Microsoft, could still be interested.

17 months ago, VentureBeat reported analyst valuations around $1.… Read more