hdtv

It wouldn't be CES without some giant TVs that nobody can afford, and Sharp has done its part with a gigantic 108-inch LCD TV. The 1080p-resolution set measures 93.9 inches high by 52.9 inches wide, so you'll probably need a mansion to go along with your new TV. There's not much more to say except that, unlike many of the giant TVs that are unveiled, Sharp announced at its press conference that this set actually will be available to consumers.

We had a chance to take a quick look at this set both at the … Read more

On Sunday at CES, a couple of CNET staffers and I attended a demonstration of Pioneer's newest plasma technology, and judging from the brief demo, the company has made some significant advancements. Pioneer had lined up five 50-something-inch displays, four plasmas, and an LCD; one of the plasmas utilized the new technology, which is designed to increase black level and reject ambient light reflections. After watching a variety of high-def feeds, I was convinced that the new plasma evinced some of the deepest blacks I'd seen yet in a flat-panel technology. I don't want to say more … Read more

JVC, purveyor of LCoS-based rear-projection HDTVs including the well-performing HD-56FN97, announced a pair of superslim models in mid-December, and showed them again at CES 2007. The sets are designed to "easily fit on most stands and furniture designed for flat-panel TVs" according to the press release. The 58-inch HD-58S998 (January, $3,300 selling price) and the 65-inch HD-65S998 (March, $4,200) occupy a mere 10.7 inches and 11.6 inches of depth, respectively. The company is marketing a stand (pictured at right) and a wall-mount bracket that allows these TVs to hang over the fireplace, plasma … Read more

Thousands of people pay thousands of dollars to have flat-panel HDTVs mounted on the wall with no visible wires. Samsung's FP-T5894W, the first mainstream large-screen "wireless" TV that I've seen, aims to make those wireless-looking installations a lot cheaper and easier. Like most "wireless" A/V gear, it does require one cord--to supply AC power--but that's it. The rack full of A/V equipment that accompanies any self-respecting plasma installation connects to the FP-T5894W's "wireless A/V center," which the company claims can sit up to 300 feet away from … Read more

Sharp's one of the biggest players in flat-panel LCD HDTVs, and today it announced four new series of the popular Aquos LCDs for 2007. While the 108-inch LCD might have stolen the show at Sharp's press conference, these four Aquos product lines will be of greater interest to anyone actually looking to buy a TV this year.

The D92U series represents Sharp's top-of-the-line flat-panel LCD models, consisting of the 42-inch LC-42D92U, the 46-inch LC-46D92U, and the 52-inch LC-52D92U. All of these LCDs are 1080p sets, which means they have a native resolution of 1,920x1,080 capable … Read more

If you've got $33,000 earmarked for a new television, then Sony's main CES announcement might pique your interest. If you don't, you'll have to wait until the company's February show to hear anything official about the company's 2007 products. Eschewing CES for significant product news is nothing new for the company, but the price point of its new flagship HDTV still represents a certain kind of bravado. At least Sony knows how to capture headlines from the mainstream press.

The $33,000 KDL-70XBR3 (did I mention it costs $33,000?) happens to be … Read more

DLP-based rear-projection HDTVs have always been a mainstay of Samsung's extensive HDTV offerings, and offerings at this year's CES are no different. To follow up on its release of the HL-S5679W--the first widely available DLP to be powered by LEDs and 2006 Best of CES winner in the television category--the company announced three new LED-powered DLP sets for this year. The 61-inch HL-T6187S, the 56-inch HL-T5687S, and the 50-inch HL-T5087S all replace standard bulbs with a trio of light-emitting diodes, which imbues them with a longer life span (20,000 hours before needing replacement, as opposed to … Read more

Toshiba will deliver 13 new HDTVs in its Regza line of LCD flat-panel models in 2007, including some as large as 52 and 57 inches.

The company highlighted five updated technologies that it hopes will distinguish its Regza LCDs from the increasingly fierce competition in the flat-panel arena. Among them: PixelPure3G (14-bit video processing designed to eliminate banding artifacts and offer improved video noise reduction); DynaLight (dynamic backlight adjustment, designed to optimize contrast); ColorBurst (wider color gamut); ClearFrame (120Hz screen refresh rate, which is said to diminish motion blur without adding flicker or reducing brightness); and CE-Link (HDMI-based control codes … Read more

Vizio is at it again. The price-busting flat-panel TV specialist has set its sights on the huge-screen category with a 60-inch plasma TV, the VM60P HDTV, that will retail for $2,999 when it hits stores in February. That price is the best I've seen for any flat-panel TV larger than 50 inches, and it helps people shopping for a massive picture consider something other than rear-projection sets. The closest comparable HDTV I can think of, Panasonic's 58-inch TH-58PX600U, costs more and has a smaller screen, although if Panasonic's excellent track record is any indication, its picture … Read more