hdtv

Samsung considering options for LCD business; spinoff possible

Samsung might be a leading TV maker, but its LCD business is quickly becoming a thorn in its side.

Speaking to Reuters today, Samsung said that it's considering all options with its LCD flat-panel business, but declined to confirm that it has made any decisions. One rumor suggests Samsung is thinking about spinning off its LCD business, but the company would not comment on that.

"Samsung is looking into various options to improve the competitiveness of LCD business, but no decision has been made yet," a Samsung spokeswoman told CNET in an e-mailed statement.

Samsung's LCD … Read more

Should I upgrade my CRT HDTV? (Morrison's Mailbag)

CNET Chris D. asks:

I have a CRT HD TV that is 5 and a half years old (one of the last ones they made). In terms of picture quality, it still looks better than any of the LED, LCD, or plasma sets I've seen. Am I right? I watch a lot of 4:3 TV. I'm concerned that if I upgrade I'll be forced to have a distorted 4:3 image (i.e., through "stretch" or "zoom" etc.). Is this still the case? Thanks for any reply.

Normally I don't answer "should I upgrade" questions, but who can resist a good CRT bashing?… Read more

Morrison's Mailbag: Why does my TV have a noise reduction setting?

CNET reader "Nindevo" asks:

In regards to your articles about the HDMI cables, I was just wondering why TVs have "noise reduction" settings. I thought digital signals (HDMI) couldn't have noise.

Interesting question.… Read more

Get a Pioneer home-theater receiver for $134.99

A big TV without big speakers is just plain criminal. Alas, you can't just buy a pair and plug them directly into your LCD or plasma; you need a receiver to act as the hub and amplify the audio.

Of course, if you've ever shopped for one, you know that receivers can cost a small fortune. But not today.

Today only, and while supplies last, Woot has the Pioneer VSX-521-K 5.1-channel A/V receiver for $134.99, plus $5 for shipping. Unlike many Woot products, this one's new, not refurbished.

The VSX-521-K is nicely equipped for … Read more

Best Buy: That Apple TV survey was 'hypothetical'

Best Buy said it authorized a survey that discussed the as-yet announced Apple TV, but insisted that fuss over the survey is much ado about nothing.

"The customer survey was a routine offer effectiveness survey conducted by one of Best Buy's research partners," Best Buy told Wired in a statement last night. "Any brand reference was hypothetical. The survey is no longer available."

Apple TV rumors have been swirling over the last several months after co-founder Steve Jobs told his biographer Walter Isaacson that he had "cracked" the code for a revolutionary television. … Read more

Apple HDTV to cost $1,499?

Best Buy is apparently including the widely rumored Apple HDTV in its latest survey gauging customer interest in potential new products.

Among the more interesting leaks are a $1,499 retail price for a 42-inch model and an integrated iSight camera. The latter is purportedly used for Skype, though the Cupertino, Calif.-based company currently offers a competing solution, FaceTime.

While Apple followers might use this mix-up to question the report's credibility, many of the product descriptions such as iCloud and iOS remote app support fall in line with earlier rumors. Is this an indication of an impending launch for the elusive Apple display?

(Source: Crave Asia via The Verge) … Read more

Poll: Which 2012 TVs do you most want CNET to compare?

Last year more than 7,000 CNET readers answered this question regarding 2011 TVs, so I couldn't help but ask it again this year.

This time, however, there's a new twist that simultaneously makes the poll more interesting and fun (in my opinion) but also, because of some funky site design issues, makes it tougher to read. So bear with me and scroll down all the way to read all the choices before you vote.

Get a 42-inch Sharp HDTV for $329.99

I know I've posted a lot of TV deals of late, but, hey, they're a hot category right now. And who knows if the deals will be as good after this Sunday's big game?

For a limited time, and while supplies last, Best Buy has the Sharp LC42SV49U 42-inch LCD HDTV for $329.99, plus sales tax where applicable. You can opt for free site-to-store shipping, which, alas, takes 7-10 days, or pony up around $20 for shipping.

Two factors set this deal apart from some of the others I've shared recently. First, Sharp is a … Read more

Quick Take: Sharp LC-70LE735U

Although CNET did not review the Sharp LC-70LE735U, we did review the Sharp LC-70LE732U.

Comparing the two on Sharp's web site, the major difference is that the 735U is 3D compatible while the 732U is not. The 735U uses active 3D technology and compatible 3D glasses are not included.

In terms of 2D the only picture quality difference is a 240Hz refresh rate o the 735U compared to a 120Hz refresh rate on the 732U. We don't expect this difference to have a major impact (more info).

As far as we can tell there are no other major … Read more

Quick Take: Sharp LC-60LE633U

Although CNET did not review the Sharp LC-60LE633U, we did review the LC-60LE830U.

Comparing the two on Sharp's Web site, the 830U has a slightly higher contrast ratio and Sharp's Quattron technology. In our testing of the 830U, Quattron provided no benefit to color accuracy.

Meanwhile the 633U has a 240Hz refresh rate compared with a 120Hz refresh rate on the 830U.

We doubt any of these differences will have a discernible impact on picture quality (more info). The 832U also has a slightly different design, with squared-off edges and somewhat larger dimensions and weight. It includes a … Read more