Gizmodo HDTV Giveaway
Gone are the days of the TV Dinner, since with the onset of HDTV, they’ll be called HDTV Dinners!
Gizmodo is giving away a 19-inch Sony LCD Wega HDTV in a contest named DISH Network HDTV Dinner Giveaway.
This week we are giving away a 19-inch Sony LCD Wega HDTV. Like every contest there is a little bit of a catch. We want to see an authentic “HDTV dinner.” Raid that refrigerator and pantry to build us a faux HDTV or HDTV-related device out of edible dinner food only. Please include the name Gizmodo somewhere in there, just out of general principle.
So go raid your high-def fridge for high-def foodies and build that faux-high-def TV device!
Plasma vs. LCD - all about the size
CNet reports on the basic criteria in choosing whether to go for plasma or LCD: the size.
Plasma should continue to be the choice for sets that are larger than 45 inches or so, while LCD TVs are quickly replacing CRT sets smaller than around 35 inches, Alessi said. The battle lines have been drawn in that middle ground, which coincidentally is expected to be the average TV size toward the end of the decade.
At this point, it’s all about the cost. Large LCD displays are still pretty expensive, but the performance and ergonomics considerations should have LCD at an advantage, especially when the cost lines are blurred and large-screen LCDs become cheaper.
Sony Bravia S and V series to be released soon
Entertainment giant Sony has revealed that its Bravia S, V and X high-definition-ready LCD television systems are soon to be released within the next quarter.
The S and V series will feature 32, 42 and 46-inch screens that can support up to 1080i resolutions, while the higher-end X will feature 26, 32, 40 and 46-inch that supports 1080p.
So what’s the fanfare with the Bravia technology? From techdigest:
The BRAVIA ENGINE is the technology which differentiates Sony models from the competition and promises the vivid colours and sharp images which characterises HD content; it will really be down to personal preference as to whether you prefer the effect of this processor to the technologies offered by rival manufacturers though. All but the smallest model use S-PVA technology to further enhance colour richness and extend the viewing angle to 178 degrees.
The sets will cost from US$ 1,000 for the entry-level models to US$ 3,500 for the upper end.
Deutsche Telekom to launch IPTV service
Seems like Europe is being hit by the IPTV bug. Not only is UK’s British Telecom launching its IPTV service within the year, Germany’s Deutsche Telekom is likewise getting into the game.
The IPTV service is due to go live in ten major German cities - including Berlin, Hamburg, Cologne and Munich - from the summer letting viewers access regular TV programmes, video on demand, interactive programming and personal video recording. Punters can also expect a range of special interest channels and pay-TV programmes.
Deutsche Telekom’s service will also be using Microsoft-powered set-top devices. Looks like IPTV will be Microsoft’s saving grace, as the world moves away from desktop-based systems (in which MS is dominant) towards Internet-based services.
[via the Register]
British Telecom to launch IPTV
UK’s largest telco, British Telecom, will be launching an Internet-Protocol TV service within the year. Dubbed BT Vision, the service will be initially offered to existing BT Broadband subscribers. Features include on-TV instant messaging, a PVR-like video recording service, and video-on-demand.
Later this year we’re launching a brand new digital TV service in the UK that’s set to inject a bit of vision into your TV. Our next generation TV service will be a doddle to use. It’s rammed full of entertainment and best of all there’s no compulsory subscription, so you only pay for what you want to watch. BT Vision will be available first to all new and existing BT Broadband customers.
The set-top boxes for use with the service will be provided by Philips, and will be powered by Microsoft software.
The Internet is changing the way we watch TV!
[via the Register]
Philips to fix 12,000 plasma TVs for fire risk
If you own a Philips flat-panel plasma television set, you might want to contact your local service center and check whether your set is one of the models affected by the fire risk.
Reuters reports that the electronics company is set to repair 12,000 of its 42-inch and 50-inch sets. The problem is said to be restricted to the US because the faulty capacitors involved were used only in assembly for US-bound sets.
Dutch company Philips Electronics will make house calls to repair almost 12,000 flat panel plasma TV sets in the United States because they are liable to overheating, it said on Friday.
Several incidents of overheating have been reported in the United States but Philips said materials used in the television sets were all flame retardant and there was no risk that they would catch fire.
At any rate, it would be wise to have fire extinguishers on hand at home, plasma TV notwithstanding.
Europe launches HDTV logo
The European Information and Communications Technology Association (EICTA) recently announced the launch of the “official” HDTV logo, which is expected to complement the “HDTV Ready” branding.
EICTA’s HDTV logo joins the HD Ready branding it announced in January 2005. According to the organisation, the HDTV stamp is for equipment that can “receive and process” high-definition TV signals, while HD Ready kit is “capable of processing and displaying” HD broadcasts.
The branding, though, is seen more as a confusion rather than a being helpful, and is considered more as a marketing effort rather than technical. At any rate, the basic difference between the HDTV and HDTV Ready brand, according to these specifications is that the HDTV Ready pertains to an equipment’s ability to output high-definition content.
Sanyo in tie-in with Quanta for flat-screen TV production
With the expected decline of traditional Cathode Ray Tube television sales, Japanese electronics giant Sanyo has partnered with a Taiwanese firm to produce its flat-screen TVs.
Sanyo, the struggling Japanese electronics firm, has announced a tie-up with Taiwan’s Quanta Computer to make flat-screen TVs.
…
Details of the deal have yet to be finalised, but Quanta is expected to take over Sanyo’s TV production arm.
Quanta is one of the largest producer of laptops for some of the more popular brands (such as HP and DELL), and it also produces the LCD panels used by flat-screen TV manufacturers.
I think this is a good move for Sanyo, considering LCD is not its forte. They’d rather source the technology elsewhere and then slap on the Sanyo brand. These days, “Made in Taiwan” doesn’t necessarily translate to poor quality like it did decades ago. Today, almost everything is made in Asia, using American parts, with European technology (or any combination, thereof). That’s globalization at its best!
In related news, Quanta is also said to have signed up to manufacture the $100 laptop advocated by the One Laptop Per Child initiative.
LG announces refrigerator with built-in TV
Ah, the age of convergence is truly cool. LG recently announced its SXS titanium series refrigerator models, with built-in LCD displays that can let you do a host of things while cooking or binging out at the kitchen.
Coming with a built-in television the SXS Titanium TV Side-by-Side refrigerator has an integrated touch screen 15-inch remote-controlled LCD display with TV, DVD, cable and radio connectivity …
The GR-G227STBA SXS Titanium model will be available this June for approximately US$ 4,400.00.
LG Gold Plated 71″ Plasma TV
LG was reported to have been showing off at CeBit the most expensive TV the world has yet seen. The LH-C643 home theatre system features a 71-inch plasma display and 24K gold-plated body. It’s not exactly a new model, though, having been introduced mid-2005. With a price tag of 80 million Korean Won (about US$ 82,500) and a limited production (only 1,000 units), you’d have to have a lot of cash stashed in the bank and good connections in your addressbook to get one, not to mention a spacious living room.
But this golden beauty would have you become the envy of the entire neighborhood.
What else could we expect from a company formerly known as Lucky Goldstar.