Gesture control, smart search and social sharing are in store.
January 10, 2012 | by Grant Clauser
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http://www.electronichouse.com/article/smart_tvs_take_over_at_lg_samsung_sharp_panasonic_and_sony/ces_2012
While 3D still will play an important role in all the major TV makers’ 2012 plans, all of them also will be focusing strongly on smart TV features that go beyond just a screen full of apps for Netflix and Pandora.
At the opening “press day” at the Consumer Electronics Show, LG spoke a lot about the company’s new line of Google TVs. The new models will include the Google TV platform built into a CINEMA3D TV that uses LG’s FPR passive glasses technology. Also included will be a Magic Remote Qwerty—a remote that combines the features of LG’s Wii-like remote and a QWERTY keyboard to make use of social media and other web features easier. The system allows for multitasking, so users can tweet or browser the web while watching TV.
LG’s Magic Remote also adds voice recognition this year to allow voice-controlled commands to access TV features.
Not all LG smart TVs will include Google TV. For the non-Google models, the company’s Netcast system will provide access to about 1,200 apps and include smart search functions to make it easier for users to search for content over a variety of apps at the same time.
Other CES news from LG included the expansion of the company’s FPR passive glasses CINEMA3D TV line, including a 4K 3D LED model, an 84-inch LED TV and a 55-inch OLED 3D TV that’s only 4mm thick.
Sony, one of the original product partners with Google TV, will also launch new products featuring that platform, including a line of TVs, a set-top-box and a connected Blu-ray player.
Sony also demonstrated a 4K Crystal LED TV that does not require any backlighting and two prototype glasses-free 3D TVs
Sharp’s biggest news was about their new largest screen size (an 80-inch LED 3D TV), but the company also has developed a new smart TV system called Smart Central. Smart Central combines the TVs content apps into a system that’s categorized into areas such as video, games, photos, social and more. Also included is Sharp’s Aquos Live feature that allows users to get help with their TVs live directly through the online connection. New feature called Beamzit lets you play content from wirelessly-connected PC—it sounds like a DLNA variation, which we’ll check on later at the show. Smart Central will be available on 60-inch and larger TVs
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http://www.electronichouse.com/article/smart_tvs_take_over_at_lg_samsung_sharp_panasonic_and_sony/ces_2012
Dan Frommer Oct. 3, 2011
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http://www.businessinsider.com/future-of-tv-2011-10
Like every other form of media, television stands to be profoundly changed once software and the Internet play a more important role. It has taken longer to be transformed than for other media, such as newspapers and music. But slowly, surely, it is happening.
Here, we’ll outline some of the changes to expect over the next ten years or so, and some companies to watch in each field.
Content and Programming
Long-form shows and linear TV will continue to exist for a long time. But consumption habits will continue to change. More will be watched on-demand and via time-shifting. This, plus different viewing devices and advertising capabilities, will lead to more short-form “pro” content. (Also, why should a news show be exactly 30 minutes every day? How about 15 minutes on slow news days and 50 minutes if a lot is happening?)
Eventually, things like channel numbers will go away. Networks will emerge, merge, and fold. Someday, your search bar may be your channel guide. But that’s going to take a while.
Distribution
Today, most Americans pay for TV service from a cable or satellite company. If the TV industry can make the right moves, that will continue indefinitely. But the Internet is starting to disrupt this, as more shows and live feeds are available through streaming services.
Where it gets interesting is that the companies that currently provide TV service also are the ones that own the fastest broadband pipes into your home — Comcast, Verizon, and the like. So they are unlikely to go away — they just might have to change their business model to charge more for Internet access, as fewer people pay for TV service and as bandwidth demand grows. (They will also continue to try to develop web and mobile services of their own, to convince people to continue paying for TV service with more value.) One interesting trend will be to see what the satellite companies — which don’t have a broadband pipe into your living room — end up doing.
One misplaced assumption is that TV is necessarily going to get cheaper as more streaming is available. Sure, you may end up picking fewer “channels” or services to subscribe to, but you might also have to pay more for them, or at least spend more on Internet access to stream all that video.
The cable guys will also try to force their content partners into schemes where you can only access certain streaming programming if you prove that you’re a cable subscriber. This “authentication” concept is called “TV Everywhere,” and you’ll probably see more of it soon.
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http://www.businessinsider.com/future-of-tv-2011-10
Move over movie critics, remote controls and TV listings
BY LEE RICKWOOD, WHATSYOURTECH.CA OCTOBER 4, 2011
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http://www.calgaryherald.com/entertainment/Home+theatre+apps+take+over+entertainment/5497901/story.html
New apps for smartphones and tablets are normally used on the go, but there are several that make sitting in your home theatre more enjoyable.
No, the apps can’t set up your system - but one can help you better understand the words used to describe home theatre technology.
It’s called Home Theater Glossary, was developed by Deep Powder Software, and is available from the App Store or the Android market.
It gives definitions for some basic words and common terms. They can be searched, or looked up alphabetically, offering simple results for even the most complex terminology.
If a word you need to know is not listed, well, there’s a direct feedback feature so you can bring the developers up to speed!
“Clicker” apps
A number of apps are available that turn your mobile device into a fully functional remote control.
RedEye, for example, controls almost any equipment that receives infrared control signals - TVs, cable boxes, stereos, DVD players, VCRs and more.
The iOS or Android app is free. A small hardware device actually generates the infrared signals; it’s available online and at some retailers (here in Calgary, Memory Express is one).
Beacon, from Griffin Technology, (www.griffintechnology.com/) also turns a smartphone into a remote control.
Another software and hardware combo, it uses Bluetooth signals from your device and converts them to the infrared that most TV and stereo components expect.
You can change channels on a set-top box, pump up the volume on your sound system, program your DVR, and more through your touch screen display.
Logitech is releasing a similar product, a wireless device that connects to your iPad, iPhone, or Android smartphone and turns it into a universal remote.
But its new Harmony product line actually adds more features to the iPad version (over the smartphone apps).
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http://www.calgaryherald.com/entertainment/Home+theatre+apps+take+over+entertainment/5497901/story.html
Published Sep 30, 2011 By HD Living
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http://hdliving.com/home-technology/2011/09/30/sharps-80-inch-led-tv-worlds-biggest
First the 70-inch LED LCD TV was a big deal, but now the company has gone and come out with an even bigger one, an 80-inch model will be available next month for $5,499.
The LC-80LE632U includes most of the features of Sharp’s other premium TVs including 1080p resolution, built-in Wi-Fi, media apps and Aquous Advantage Live online support. This model is not 3D-enabled.
Sharp says the 80-inch TV delivers more than double the screen area of a 55-inch TV. Even at that size, the unit is only 4-inches deep (the same as my several-years-old 50-inch plasma).
The LC-80LE632U is based on a full-array backlit panel with local dimming. It boasts a dynamic contrast ratio of 6,000,000:1 (no word on the standard contrast ratio), 120 Hz refresh rate, 10-bit video processing and advanced pixel control to minimize light leakage.
Among the media apps built into the TV are Netflix, Vudu and CinemaNow. The Aquous Advantage Live feature allows live online customer service directly through the TV.
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http://hdliving.com/home-technology/2011/09/30/sharps-80-inch-led-tv-worlds-biggest
Several online options, 2D to 3D conversion, and super thin.
September 16, 2011 by Grant Clauser
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http://www.electronichouse.com/article/hands_on_review_toshiba_47tl515u_3d_lcd_tv/
In January at the annual Consumer Electronics Show, Toshiba grabbed a lot of headlines with its autostereoscopic (glasses-free) 3D TV. The company is still talking about that TV nine months later, but the 3D TVs they’re actually selling fall into the passive glasses category.
This one in particular is a 47-inch unit with a very slim design and a full suite of video and networking features. It’s an edge-lit LED LCD TV with some local dimming, which helps improve black levels. It includes four HDMI ports, plus the standard assortment of analog inputs. There’s also a USB port for connecting thumb drives and such.
As stated previously, it’s a passive 3D TV, which means that it puts most of the 3D technology in the LCD panel rather than in the glasses. The passive glasses are similar to the ones you’ll get in most commercial theaters, and in fact the glasses you snuck out of the theater will work with this TV. This method has some pros and cons which I’ll get into later.
The TV assembles easily enough. In fact, it’s so light, under 50 pounds, that one person can unbox it and assemble the stand. The TV swivels on the stand, so if you put it on a table you can turn it to face viewers on different ends of the room—not important if you’re hanging it on a wall though. It’s also just slightly more than an inch thick, so it will look great on a wall.
The Toshiba remote is a mix. It’s nice-looking, with contrasting shiny black and metallic gray. It includes a backlight button that’s very bright. I found the button layout frustrating though. The buttons are painfully small, with nano-sized type and cramped so close you have to hold it up to your face to see what’s what. You’ll get used to it, but never really like it.
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http://www.electronichouse.com/article/hands_on_review_toshiba_47tl515u_3d_lcd_tv/
Trends include 4K, 3D and 2:35
September 12, 2011 by Grant Clauser
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http://www.electronichouse.com/article/best_new_home_theater_projectors_from_cedia_2011/
CES may be a gadget-lover’s dream event, but CEDIA is the golden ticket if you’re into the best home theater gear. This is place with the world’s top electronics companies show of their newest technology. Most readers will get their first chance to experience these products in dealer showrooms a few months from now, so let me share some of the highlights in big picture projectors.
Overall, there were two new(ish) trends in home theater projectors at the expo. The first was 4K. Several companies made a big deal showing off projectors that feature resolution previously only found on professional projectors meant for saurus-sized screens. Now you can get a projector in your home that throws 4096 x 2160 pixels on your basement theater screen. The only problem with that is you’ll find no 4K material to show on it. That doesn’t mean all those extra pixels are wasted. Plain old 1080p will be scaled to 4K by the projector’s video processor, making it nearly impossible to see any pixel structure on the screen.
The second trend is in projectors that have a native CinemaScope setting for a 2.35:1 aspect ratio. HDTV is in 16:9 aspect ratio, as are a lot of Blu-ray movies (or 1.78:1, or 1.85:1 …), but many are in the much wider 2.35:1 format. With conventional projectors, you needed an anamorphic lens and a mechanism for applying it to take full advantage of the wider aspect ratio. The new projectors eliminate that need (you’ll still need a screen masking system to make it look it’s best).
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http://www.electronichouse.com/article/best_new_home_theater_projectors_from_cedia_2011/
3D for the individual enthusiast
By Chris Martin Wed Aug 31 2011, 13:25
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http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/news/2105586/sony-reveals-personal-3d-viewer
JAPANESE ELECTRONICS GIANT Sony has announced its HMZ-T1, or Personal 3D Viewer, which will tip up in November.
The headset, which could be considered an updated version of the View-Master G from the 1960s, uses dual 0.7-inch HD OLED panels - one for each eye - with 1280x720 resolution, which Sony says is equivalent to watching a 750in theatre screen.
Sony said, “The device adopts the ‘Dual Panel 3D Method’ which consists of separate panels for the left and right eye in order to display independent HD picture quality to each eye, which realize 3D vision.”
Because the device uses a separate screen for each eye, the issue of crosstalk is completely eliminated and Sony touts viewing angles of 45 degrees.
The Personal 3D Viewer sits on the head and includes 5.1 virtual surround sound. The headset has various buttons so the user can control the volume and do normal things like play and pause the video.
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http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/news/2105586/sony-reveals-personal-3d-viewer
By Ian White
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http://www.bigpicturebigsound.com/Toshiba-s-2011-HDTV-and-Blu-ray-3D-Showcase.shtml
Toshiba may have taken it on the chin when the dust settled from the HD disc format war, but the company stormed right back with an impressive line-up of HDTVs and Blu-ray players that garnered solid reviews. The company embraced Blu-ray 3D and recently unleashed its 2011 line-up of Blu-ray 3D players and passive 3D HDTVs, joing the company’s active 3D TV sets already available.
Toshiba had one of the larger (and busier) booths at the CEA Line Shows in New York last month; which included a new line-up of laptops and the new Thrive tablet. The Thrive looks like a very solid alternative to the Motorola Xoom and Samsung Galaxy Tab, not to mention Apple’s category leading iPad. It’s clear that Toshiba isn’t remotely intimidated by the competition.
On the 3D TV front, the flagship 55TL515U 55” LED 3D HDTV ($2,399) was on display in New York and its passive 3D performance seemed impressive in our admittedly brief observations. Toshiba used Tangled on Blu-ray 3D for its demonstration material and the Disney adventure showed off the set’s capabilities; fairly deep black levels, lack of crosstalk, and bright image. As with competitors’ passive 3D TV sets, the Toshiba passive 3D set does not reproduce a full 3D HD image in 3D mode due to its Pattern Retarder filter (missing all of those lines of resolution), but it was not as obvious as some other passive flat-panels that we’ve seen of late. We had just visited another booth where passive was on full-display and the Toshiba reproduced a better looking image. The 240Hz refresh rate certainly didn’t hurt.
Toshiba also introduced the 47TL515U 47” LED 3D HDTV ($1,899) which looks like an ideal 3D-capable HDTV for the bedroom or smaller den. The set exhibited the same strong image capabilities as its larger sibling. The set offers a 1080p 2D image and passive 3D performance with a 240Hz refresh rate. All of the new TL-series sets have 4 HDMI inputs and built-in Wi-Fi.
But what about the kids or that guest room/kitchen that is crying out for an inexpensive DVD/HDTV combination? Toshiba has been strong in this category for years and the 32-inch 32SLV411U LED combo HDTV at $649 looks like a winner to us. Amazon has some great deals on this set already.
Toshiba also offers 3 Blu-ray players including two Blu-ray 3D units; the flagship BDX5200 ($199.99) offers all of the usual bells and whistles including wireless streaming of Netflix, VUDU, CinemaNow, and Pandora. There has been some grumbling on the internet about some Toshiba Blu-ray players requiring frequent resets, although nobody has complained about the picture quality which has generally earned a “thumbs up.” Also, it’s important to note that we have not observed these issues with our own review samples of the BDX2700, BDX2500 and BDX3000.
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http://www.bigpicturebigsound.com/Toshiba-s-2011-HDTV-and-Blu-ray-3D-Showcase.shtml
3D for the dorm room. Move aside, beer pong.
BY TIMOTHY J. SEPPALAPOSTED JUNE 9, 2011
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http://www.soundandvisionmag.com/article/eyes-sonys-playstation-3d-monitor
One of the key directives brought up during Sony’s media conference at the Electronics Entertainment Expo this year was the company’s desire to drive home their commitment to 3D gaming. They’ve focused on dismantling one of the biggest roadblocks in the way of mass consumer adoption: the price of the TVs themselves.
Sony’s answer: A new PlayStation-branded 24” monitor, which will debut later this year bundled with Resistance 3, an HDMI cable, and a set of active shutter glasses, all for $500.
In addition to functioning as a traditional stereoscopic display, it performs a cool trick, generating two separate images instead of the stereo pair. This allows two players to play split-screen games without, well, splitting the screen. Each player dons a pair of Sony’s newly price-dropped active shutter glasses ($69). Every other frame feeds an individual image to one of the viewers. The effect is totally convincing, too.
In addition to being on display at Sony’s booth, the new set was shown in a faux dorm-room setup at the company’s media event on Monday night. An array of disposable red cups, arranged in a familiar triangle shape on a coffee table, along with a pile of empty pizza boxes made it clear just who this set is being marketed toward.
I only was able to see canned demo material, with footage of Motorstorm: Apocalypse and WipEout HD, but what I saw looked good. Sony’s lower-end TVs have never been anything worth talking about, but this didn’t have any picture noise that I could see and handled motion incredibly well without noticeable smearing .
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http://www.soundandvisionmag.com/article/eyes-sonys-playstation-3d-monitor
Finally: a projector with brightness to burn.
By Geoffrey Morrison June 2011
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http://www.soundandvisionmag.com/sharp_xv-z17000
Sharp was once king of the $10,000 projector class, a class that has nearly disappeared. With the 3D era under way, it returns to the game with this $4,995 offering, only to find the market far more competitive than before.
The design of the XV-Z17000 is far more utilitarian than the XV-Z series of yore. It has a mecha/anime aesthetic I kinda like, but at $5,000 it’s a lot less “home theater” and more “office tabletop.” There’s a sliding lens cover, but it and the rest of the projector feel rather flimsy. It seems clear that Sharp had to cut some corners to put 3D in at this price point. Two pairs of active shutter glasses are included. (Extras cost $149 per pair.) The non-rechargeable spectacles look bulky, but they weigh very little and do an excellent job blocking ambient light. There’s no external emitter; the sync signal is output by the projector itself.
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http://www.soundandvisionmag.com/sharp_xv-z17000