Televisions

Some of the more notable products announced at the Sony line show today are three rear-projection HDTVs--remember those?--that use LCD technology housed in foot-deep cabinets. Sony has been selling LCD-based RPTVs such as these as its somewhat less-expensive alternative to SXRD-based rear-projectors such as these (more info), but this year there's a new twist: Two of the three LCDs have 1080p native resolution, the highest available today. In other words, just one 2007 Sony RPTV so far, the KDF-37H1000, will have less than 1080p resolution.

The two new 1080p LCDs, the 46-inch KDF-46E3000 and the 50-inch KDF-50E3000, are … Read more

The Sony line show today saw a few announcements about new HDTVs, but prospective TV buyers looking for information on new SXRD-based models will be disappointed. SXRD, the company's LCoS-based, high-end projection display technology, has performed well in our tests--most recently with the KDS-60A2000 and the KDS-60XBR2. News of new SXRD products is always highly anticipated, but this year, like it did in 2006, Sony has kept the real details under wraps.

The only new information, according to Sony's rep, is that the baseline KDS-A2020 series, consisting of 50-, 55-, and 60-inch models, is exactly like last year'… Read more

Remember the TV that hides under your bed? Well now we have a bed that hides under your TV.

It's not an exact opposite, however, because this bed is actually vertical when in hiding. As BornRich points out, the flat TV appears when the Murphy bed folds into its upright position, exposing an underside that looks remarkably like a wall unit. But we're not sure how comfortable we'd be swinging our TV set around like this every night, not to mention the fact that we'd never be able to doze off while watching Letterman.

Neither concern … Read more

Now that you've ordered your Porsche yacht, what will you do in it when not racing? Raymarine has just the antidote to your boredom with its satellite HDTV system.

The seagoing dish is made specifically to work in boats, according to Gizmowatch, with antennae that continually change angles for optimal reception. The package, which includes an HD DirecTV receiver, is designed for uninterrupted signals even in extreme weather and oceanic conditions.

Depending on the model, it can cost as much as $9,000. But that's a drop in the Atlantic compared with the $300,000 you'll be … Read more

It looks as if the obituary for CRT TVs will have to be postponed yet again. Sales of the bulky tube models bested the flat-panel and projection TV competition in the run up to the Super Bowl, according to data released by the NPD Group. Sales of tube TVs were up 61 percent the week before the big game (compared to the previous week), as opposed to a 40 percent jump for flat-panel LCD TVs, a 23 percent increase for plasmas, and a 25 percent rise for projection TVs (such as DLP and LCoS models).

While the sales figures may … Read more

Prices of flat TVs have been plummeting around the world, but apparently no one has told that to Vidikron.

The high-end home theater equipment maker has stayed true to its niche with a 65-inch plasma for $19,995. It's got 1080p resolution and claims to be the first plasma with THX certification, according to Luxist, but is the price really worth it? Even if it does have an attractive black or brushed-aluminum frame, the price is still two or three times more than a 65-inch plasma from Panasonic.

Then again, if you do get one these, you can brag … Read more

Few things are more closely associated with domestic male behavior than control of the TV remote. Sad but true.

So if you really want to mess with the man of the house, consider the "Covert Clicker"--a tiny but devious universal device that Chip Chick says can work on 90 percent of all TV sets (and probably 99.9 percent of all men).

Change channels and mute stations at will with one of these in your pocket, with no one the wiser. But you'd better practice your poker face, for the consequences could be dire.

The onslaught of flat TVs has clearly been confounding for furniture makers, which have lost their staple faux armoires and have been struggling to come up with an equally popular replacement ever since. Evesham, at least, is making an effort to add function to form with a TV stand that also serves as a surround-sound system.

The "Sound Stage X1" matches many of today's plasma and LCD designs with a glossy black and glass finish, which masks nine--count 'em, nine--speakers built into its frame, according to Pocket-lint.

The stand isn't the cheapest at nearly $600, but … Read more

Be honest: Can you work all the buttons on your TV remote? If your household is anything like ours, you may well have four or five of them to master.

A company called Fobis Technologies has distilled the functions to their simplest forms with their line of "Weemotes" aimed at children (not to be confused with the homonymous "Wiimote.") But we frankly think the concept--and perhaps these products--could well find a market among addled adult viewers like us as well.

The Weemote can be programmed for up to 10 channels, as Chip Chicklets notes, so it … Read more