hdtv

Get a 55-inch 3D HDTV with glasses for $899 shipped

3D TVs were supposed to be the Next Big Thing, but they never really caught on with consumers, no doubt due to high prices and the dearth of 3D content.

And yet, I think if you can get a 3D-capable model for around the same price as a non-3D one, why not? That was my thinking when I bought my last TV, and although I don't don the glasses very often, sometimes it's really nice.

For example, our local Family Video has a pretty decent 3D movie selection, so when my family went to rent "Life of … Read more

What is the blockiness in my TV's picture?

A common complaint I get via e-mail or in comments on other articles involves a picture that breaks up into what look like little blocks.

Often, people incorrectly refer to these as "pixels," or blame their TV settings.

In fact, this artifact is in the source, and unfortunately, there's not much you can do about it.… Read more

Get a 39-inch TCL HDTV for $249.99

There's the TV you put in your living room, the one you splurge on to get a mammoth screen, built-in apps, a top-rated picture, and the like.

Then there's the TV you buy for the basement, the game room, the den, the kids. The one that can get dinged up a little bit and who cares?

This is that TV. While supplies last, TigerDirect has the TCL LE39FHDF3300 39-inch LED HDTV for $249.99, plus around $13 for shipping. The good news: it's new, not refurbished. The "bad" news: you'll have to sit tight … Read more

LED LCD backlights explained

All so-called LED TVs are really just LCD TVs that use LEDs for their backlight. This backlight creates the light that allows the LCD to create an image. However, there are multiple ways these LED backlights can be arranged, and that arrangement can have a dramatic effect on picture quality.

So here's your guide to all the different versions, with some funky illustrations, too.… Read more

Get a Roku 2 XS for $64.99 shipped

There are two kinds of TVs in the world: smart and dumb. The smart ones have Netflix, Hulu, and other streaming-service apps built right in. The dumb ones, well, they need a little help.

Arguably the best help you can get comes in the form of a Roku box, which brings pretty much every streaming service known to man (except, annoyingly, YouTube) to your TV.

Today only, and while supplies last, 1SaleADay has the refurbished Roku 2 XS for $64.99 shipped. The same model sells new for $99.99.

This is the premium Roku model, the one with every … Read more

Get a Ceton InfiniTV 4 tuner for $169.99 shipped

This is an update of a deal I posted about a year ago.

Much as I love my TiVo, I despise the monthly subscription fees that go along with it. It can literally cost you a couple hundred bucks per year. As Dr. Smith would say, "Oh, the pain!" (Don't get the reference? Ask your parents. If they watched cheesy 60s sci-fi, that is.)

A much cheaper option over the long haul: Ceton's InfiniTV 4 products, which can turn a Windows PC into a pretty sweet DVR.

For a limited time, Newegg has Ceton InfiniTV 4 USB for $169.99 shipped. … Read more

Ultra HD 4K and beyond: Rec. 2020 glimpses the future of TVs

The International Telecommunications Union is the regulatory body that establishes the parameters by which all TVs and their related paraphernalia (cameras, etc.) work. Without them, every TV show would look different on every TV.

To help with the adoption of Ultra HD, otherwise known as "4K," they've put out the sexy sounding Recommendation ITU-R BT.2020. What does it mean for you?… Read more

Get a Westinghouse 24-inch HDTV for $139.99

Looking for a TV for the den or bedroom? For many folks, a 24-inch LCD would seem to be the ideal size.

Today only, and while supplies last, Best Buy has the Westinghouse EW24T8FW 24-inch LCD HDTV for $139.99 shipped (plus sales tax). It's pretty rare to find a 24-inch monitor at that price, so this is definitely worth a look.

The reasonably slim EW24T8FW measures just 1.9 inches deep. It features a 23.6-inch, 60Hz LCD with a native resolution of 1,920x1,080 pixels (aka 1080p) -- unnecessary at that size, but nice if you'… Read more

Plasma TV altitude: How high can they go?

David Katzmaier and I have gotten e-mails asking a seemingly odd question: how high can plasma TVs go? These e-mails, from videophiles living in high-altitude places such as Denver and Santa Fe, are concerned plasmas either won't work for them, or will have a loud buzzing.

Turns out, they're sort of right.… Read more

What are Quantum Dots, and how could they help your next TV?

At CES in January, Sony announced several LCD TVs with "Triluminos," a new backlighting method that they promise offered "rich, authentic color, and excellent red and green reproduction." Digging deeper, it turns out Triluminos includes an optical component produced by QD Vision, Inc. called "Color IQ" which uses quantum dots to help create light.

OK, so what are quantum dots?… Read more