TVs

There still seems to be some confusion about the difference between 1080i and 1080p. Both are 1,920x1,080-pixel resolution. Both have 2,073,600 pixels. From one perspective, 1080i is actually greater than Blu-ray. And, you can't even get a full 1080p/60 source other than a PC, camcorder, or some still cameras that shoot video.

True, 1080i and 1080p aren't the same thing, but they are the same resolution. Let the argument commence... … Read more

Music-streaming service Rhapsody has announced it will be available on Smart TVs from LG, Panasonic, and Samsung starting today, with Sharp and Xbox available in coming months.

Although the announcement came today, the service has been available on Panasonic and LG for a few months. Samsung is new with today's announcement. A Rhapsody app has also been available on Vizio TVs for the last two years. We're not surprised that Sony's Smart TVs, which support the competing Sony Entertainment Network's music service, aren't on the list of supporting TVs.

The new app appears to be … Read more

Is it too early to think about holiday shopping? Not if you're a TV maker like Vizio.

We recently reviewed two impressive, high-value Vizio TVs, the 32-inch E320i-A0 and the 47- and 55-inch M3D0KD series, but the company is just getting warmed up. Today it announced a slew of new big-screen TVs, highlighted by the 60-inch E601i-A3, which is available now for $999.

That's just about the lowest price I've seen for a 60-inch LED TV with smart TV. The E601i-A3 offers Vizio's VIA apps suite, which has one of the most comprehensive content lineups around, … Read more

If you're looking for a cheap TV 42 inches or larger, there are a lot of advantages to buying a plasma instead of an LCD.

The biggest is picture quality: an LCD is typically not able to reproduce the black levels and contrast of an equivalently priced plasma, and plasma always trounces LCD for viewing angle and uniformity. Entry-level 720p plasmas are also more energy-efficient than more expensive 1080p plasmas, and while they use a lot more power than LCDs, they still only cost about $20 to $30 per year to run.

We recently reviewed a bunch of entry- and midlevel plasma TVs, and our favorites are collected below. There were a few that didn't make the cut, including the LG PA6500 and PA4500 as well as the Panasonic X5. The latter was a surprise as every other plasma in the Panasonic range is superb for the price, and the X5 is simply...well...poor. Its picture quality was very disappointing even for the money, especially compared with that of our new budget star, the Samsung E450.… Read more

One of the things I take for granted as a TV reviewer is the translation from model number to things like screen size, model line, display type, and so on.

I've gotten a few e-mails lately from people looking for help trying to decide between similarly priced models, with radically different model numbers. Are they similar? What does the alphanumerical soup mean?

While model numbers change yearly (or sometimes even more often), there are a few guidelines you can use to help you sort out the what from the what.… Read more

Move over, Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo. Valve Software today revealed a new television-friendly version of its massive Steam digital video game distribution service.

Aptly named Big Picture, the new view transforms Steam into a more polished experience for the big screen. The optional redesigned interface represents a departure from the traditional Valve design used in the Steam application for Windows and Mac, instead falling in line with the easy-to-navigate layouts commonly seen in streaming media devices. … Read more

In a small room away from the main convention center at the CEDIA Expo, LG showed off its upcoming 84-inch 4K LCD, the LG 84LM9600.

I got a close-up look at the new ultraresolution panel, got a lot of questions answered, and got a rough idea what we can expect when it starts shipping next month.

Curious? I was too.… Read more

Rumors abound that the next-generation PlayStation will be able to output 4K resolution.

Normally, I find rumors about as useful and interesting as other people's gas, but this one stinks on a different level.

Allow me to confound with reasons why I think 4K output with the PS4 is simultaneously likely, and pretty much irrelevant.… Read more

Sony has unveiled two of its biggest TV innovations of the year, and they're both inside the new XBR-84X900: it's the company's largest screen to date, and it's one of the first to feature 4K resolution.

The XBR-84X900 is the company's first 4K screen, and comes in the single 84-inch size. It's an edge-lit LED-based LCD TV that features passive 3D (another first for Sony) and comes with a 10-driver stereo speaker system.

For more information, check out our first take of the Sony XBR-84X900.