leds

Lemnis unwraps LED bulb under $5

Lemnis Lighting is taking a foot-in-the-door approach to LED lightbulbs.

The startup company today announced a new line of bulbs, priced at $4.95 and $6.95, respectively, aimed at getting consumers to try out LEDs for general lighting. The bulbs, though, have some limitations.

The Pharox Blu line comes in 200-lumen and 350-lumen versions, both of which give off less light a 40-watt incandescent bulb's 450 lumens. That means that the bulbs, which consume less than 5 watts and 8 watts, respectively, won't give off enough light for many uses, such as lighting a whole room.

The … 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

Startup Soraa lights up with 'LED 2.0'

To build a better light fixture, startup Soraa started right at the foundation with a different kind of LED chip inside.

The Fremont, Calif.-based company tomorrow will come out of stealth mode and launch its first product, a spotlight which uses efficient LEDs (light emitting diodes). The MR 16 bulb replaces a 50-watt halogen and uses 12.5 watts and it offers a better beam and light quality, said Soraa CEO Eric Kim.

The bulb from Soraa, which has raised more than $100 million in venture capital, is the first in a planned line of LEDs for general lighting … Read more

Cree: LEDs aren't just more efficient, they're better

Cree today introduced an LED lighting component that will bring prices down significantly, but the company has come to realize that only cutting prices won't make LED lighting mainstream.

The company said its latest XT-E White LED delivers an industry-best 162 lumens per watt at room temperature. Boosting the price performance of LEDs results in a cost reduction of about 25 percent at the retail level in a year or two, said product marketing manager Paul Scheidt.

That's significant given that LED lighting has a higher upfront cost than more established products, but Scheidt said the industry's … Read more

Vizio Razor M550SV: Quick take

Back in December 2011 we reviewed the Vizio Razor M3D550SR, a 3D smart television that offered decent performance and features for the price.

The only thing we didn't really go for was the 3D implementation--it was a little strong, resulting in unnatural images, and couldn't be dialed down. If 3D isn't important to you then Vizio's dedicated 2D set, the 55-inch M550SV, may be of interest to you.… 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

2012 TVs: Every new HDTV compared

Here's nearly all of the information I've been able to get from CES and since regarding the shiny new TVs of 2012.

I know it's not every TV; minor brands aren't represented, and lack of information from some manufacturers (namely Samsung) prevents me from capturing a few midrange and entry-level models. But as of press time I'm confident that the chart above contains the most comprehensive, current information on forthcoming 2012 models available anywhere.

Quick Take: LG LV4400 series

When it comes to budget screens with lounge-friendly sizes, LG has got things covered.

The company offers a number of TV between 40 and 50 inches for under a thousand dollars, with the 42LV4400 in particular proving quite popular with CNET readers.

The LV4400 is a LCD series that includes an LED-backlit LCD panel. It features a piano black bezel and a fairly understated look. Features are a little light-on, but if you're looking for a simple TV without all of the gumpf associated with more-expensive models--"smart TV"? That's what a Roku is for! And … Read more

Quick Take: LG LK520 series

When you're looking for a big screen to replace a fallen TV, the sky's the limit when it comes to pricing.

Brands like Sharp and Bang & Olufsen are only too willing to rid you of the $1,000 notes hoarded under your mattress.

But at the more sensible end of town, brands like LG prove more popular and models like the LV4400 and LV5500 offer solid, though bare-bones, televisions for minimal outlay. Recently, we reviewed the LK450, and the step-up model is, this, the LK520.

Based on the spec sheet there is very little to separate the … Read more