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theater

Panasonic snubs HTIBs, offers three convertible sound bars

LAS VEGAS--Usually at CES time, you can expect Panasonic to roll out slightly updated versions of its Blu-ray home-theater-in-a-box (HTIB) solutions, featuring six to eight plasticky speakers and a whole lot of proprietary speaker wire. But CES 2013 is different.

Panasonic is ditching its standard assortment of HTIBs, opting instead for three new sound bar and convertible sound bar models. The SC-HTB770 and SC-HTB370 both feature a similar design; you can use them in the traditional horizontal alignment or you can break apart the sound bar and use the pieces as separate speakers. The SC-HTB770 converts into a 3.1 … Read more

Sharp's AQUOS LED TV portfolio gets bigger, smarter at CES 2013

LAS VEGAS--Sharp brought a "go big or go home" attitude to the 2013 Consumer Electronics Show as it unveiled a bevy of new LED TV in the 60-, 70- and 80-inch screen classes.

Sitting below the 90-inch AQUOS display (touted by the manufacturer as "the world's largest LED TV") that Sharp debuted last year, all of the new Sharp TVs rolling out this week are promised to be "smarter" too.

All three screen classes feature some common traits, including (but not limited to) AQUOS 1080p LED displays, dual-core processors, built-in Wi-Fi, ultra-slim frames, … Read more

Sharp updates AQUOS lineup, intros SmartCentral interface

LAS VEGAS--The mantra for Sharp's new AQUOS LED TV line unveiled at CES 2013 on Monday morning might be as simple as this: bigger and better.

The bigger quality will be obvious from the get-go with 21 new displays in the 60-, 70-, 80-, and 90-inch LED TVs in the AQUOS portfolio.

But the better comes in the form of upgraded display quality as well as more digital content and connectivity.

With the 80-inch class displays in particular, Sharp has added a new layer dubbed "Super Bright," which is the combination of an intelligent contrast engine with … Read more

Sharp debuts 32-inch 4K resolution IGZO LCD monitor

LAS VEGAS--Sharp kicked off its media event at the 2013 International CES on Monday by revealing the future of the electronics giant's display portfolio.

Specifically, that strategy is being spearheaded by IGZO (Indium Gallium Zinc Oxide) technology as Sharp unveiled a 32-inch 4K resolution IGZO LCD monitor.

IGZO is based on a compound semi-conductor that produces approximately twice the resolution of current LCDs.

Sharp described that IGZO produces a more natural picture with greater presence while delivering more visual information than ever before.

Kozo Takahashi, executive vice president of Sharp Corporation, remarked during Monday's press conference that IGZO … Read more

Theater tweet seats: A highway to hell?

The pragmatic and the weak tend to believe that if you can't beat them, you should join them. However, a significant number of the world's humans would just as soon carry on beating them.

Please choose sides, then, on a subject that may divide the artistic community from here to eternity.

The Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis is the latest to offer something that might stick in a throat or two: tweet seats.

Yes, this is a specially cordoned-off pen in which digital obsessives whip out their iPhones and tweet: "Oh, look. The fat lady's dead!" … Read more

LG's 2013 home theater line doubles down on sound bars, Bluetooth speakers

CES 2013 is still weeks away, but LG is getting a jump on the show by announcing its full line of home theater products on Christmas Day.

Its home audio offerings are anchored by four new sound bar models, with all but the entry-level NB2030A featuring built-in Bluetooth and a wireless subwoofer. The top two models come in a new, larger size, designed to match 47-inch TVs, which reflects the rising popularity of larger screen HDTVs.

The strangest model may be the NB3730A, which includes built-in Wi-Fi and a basic streaming-media suite including including Netflix, YouTube, Amazon, Hulu Plus, Vudu, … Read more

You have a new TV. Now what?

A new TV is a great thing. A new TV, right after it's taken out of the box, is not. To get the most out of your TV you need to adjust the settings, use the right cables, adjust your sources (like your cable box) and more.

Compiled here is a directory of everything you'll need to get your TV looking its best. Instead of one long article describing it all, it's broken down into sections so you can find just what you're looking for.… Read more

Paradigm Millenia CT: Better than a sound bar?

Sound bar buyers' performance expectations are pretty low; all the 'bar has to do is sound better than the lousy speakers that are built into their TVs. So if that's all you need, a sound bar will get the job done -- but there are better-sounding alternatives, starting with a pair of self-powered Audioengine A2 ($199) speakers. The A2s are terrific, but the Paradigm Millenia CT ($700) is a 2.1-channel subwoofer/satellite system, and it sounds better than the Audioengines. A lot better, and it's really pretty amazing.

Spread 64 inches apart, the Millenia sats produced a … Read more

CES 2013 preview: The love and hate of the greatest (tech) show on earth

This will be my 13th CES. Fewer than many, more than some. It's a grueling marathon of press conferences, swarming crowds, and endless lines.

When it comes to TV tech, David's take on what we'll see in Vegas is spot-on. I'm going to go one better, though. I'm going predict with stunning, remarkable, mind-blowing accuracy, exactly what we'll see at the show of shows.… Read more

Buy a TV now or wait?

Most new TV models are announced at the Consumer Electronics Show, held every January. It's usually a few months before they ship, arriving in stores sometime in the spring.

So with new models imminent, should you wait to buy a new TV? We break down what we expect to see, and figure out when is the best time to buy.… Read more