(Credit:
GizmoWatch)
Combo TVs with built-in DVD or VCR players have always gotten little respect, found on the far reaches of shelf space at retail stores next to the HDMI cables or whatever else is in the next aisle. Given this lowly station, they've usually been allowed only the smaller screen sizes appropriate for such places as the kitchen or small family room--and rarely, if ever, bearing the latest technologies.
That's what makes Westinghouse's latest model interesting. The VK-40F580D integrates a DVD player with a 40-inch display, according to GizmoWatch, much larger than the 26-inch cap seen in practically all other combo TVs. Not only that, but it's also a full 1080p HDTV. It won't "upscale" DVDs to that higher resolution, but that can be a dubious proposition anyway. Other conveniences include its "Spinedesign," which places all the ports and plugs on one side, and a front-loading DVD slot.
Of course, aficionados will always point out that combo units are obviously problematic if and when individual components need tweaking or repair. And then there's the estimated $1,149 price, which is probably more than you'd pay for a separate 40-inch HDTV and DVD player of comparable quality. But if you want a relatively large screen and watch a lot of DVDs but are short on space, this combo might be something to consider. As promised earlier, Crave TV guru David Katzmaier will have a full review in the future.
(Credit:
Brionvega)
Being an Italian designer means you have a lot to live up to, but Brionvega has never shied from the task. This is the company, for instance, that has taken its chances on such designs as a TV that looks like a solid cube of black glass. So it is of little surprise that its latest offering breaks yet another mold.
In fact, this 19-inch Alpha LCD TV with built-in DVD player looks so unusual that we weren't sure what it was at first. Accompanied by the slogan "TV With Love" (it is Italian, after all) this combo has a display with 1,280 x 1,024 resolution and 160-degree viewing angles, according to Engadget, but it does not have a built-in digital tuner--an omission that makes its $3,000+ price tag even more absurd than it already is. Then again, no one ever quibbles with the latest Karl Lagerfeld line on a runway in Milan.
(Credit:
Westinghouse)
There's a reason that all-in-one TVs are always at the very end of the aisle at retailers. They may well be the least-cool media gear around, bearing the scorn of those who complain, among other things, that the individual components can't be tweaked or repaired. But there are at least two reasons that TV-DVD (and--gasp--even VCR) combos will survive for awhile: kids and grandparents.
While these products are designed for ease of use, however, the flat-TV era has presented a complication for the DVD end of the equation. Usually the slot is mounted on the side, an awkward position that's conducive to accidental scratching--which is the last thing you need for that High School Musical disc that's already on its last legs. So Westinghouse has designed its latest HDTV-DVD combo with a front-loading player that even a near-sighted Baby Boomer could operate.
The SK-26H570D is one of the company's latest HDTV models, a 26-inch LCD intended for use in places where space is a premium. The 720p resolution isn't the highest, of course, but that won't be necessary for Spongebob or I Love Lucy reruns anyway. Until Touch Interactive makes its "hybrid" player a reality, this may be worth a look.
(Credit:
iLounge)
With so many iPod accessories geared toward fitness activities, we appreciate that someone is catering to our lifestyle as well--in the kitchen. The DCD 778 "Docking Entertainment System" from Philips is a compact multimedia system designed to mount under a cabinet alongside the microwave and other appliances.
Kitchen systems are nothing new, but this one packs in a lot more than the usual combo. iLounge says this all-in-one package has a TV with an 8.5-inch wide LCD and can play DVDs, CDs and AM/FM radio and, of course, iPod tunes with two 2-inch speakers. And even though it costs $400, you'll make that up in a hurry when you consider all the price-gouging snack counters you'll avoid at the movie theater.
Well, at least the marketers of this in-car video system made some kind of attempt to make their product seem road-safe: They portrayed it on the passenger side, not the driver's.
(Credit:
Gadget Universe)
Nice try, but we seriously doubt that the "Sun Visor TV/DVD Theater" could be ignored by anyone in the car, especially the driver sitting right next to it. It's not that we have anything against video entertainment on the road; we'd love to have a 7-inch LCD and FM transmitter like this one seen on Red Ferret, especially for extended trips, and it even has a USB port so you can use it as a laptop monitor. And $300 isn't a bad price at all, especially considering that the cheapest portable DVD players were priced in that range only a few years ago.
But we believe that too many drivers have enough distractions already, especially those who insist on yapping away on their phones instead of paying attention to the task at hand. And, come on--take a look at the image on that screen. We defy anyone to multitask effectively with something like that within peripheral vision.
This VGA device is designed to make your life simpler--that is, if your definition of simplicity involves playing console games, using your computer, and watching TV or DVDs all at the same time. The Logic 3 Super VGA Box allows you to do all of the above on your computer screen, complete with a remote control, without changing any plugs. We assume that the manufacturer takes no responsibility for any afflictions resulting from prolonged use of the device.
(Photo: SpectraVideo)
- prev
- 1
- next
