Hasta La Gadget!

While Sony’s current lineup of HDTVs has so far topped out with the HX929/920 series that’s been kicking around since 2011, in Japan it has just unveiled a new top of the line model: the HX950. Often rumored in the last few months, it’s available in 65- or 55-inch varieties and features Sony’s now-trademark monolithic style as well as “Intelligent Peak LED” backlighting. Although Sony’s brand name for the tech doesn’t exactly reveal how it works, information leaks have suggested it is full array LED backlighting and not edge based, although we don’t know how many zones (individually controlled light sources) are in play. What we do know, however is that it claims to outperform the LED backlighting in the old 929 quite handily, although we’ll let our eyes be the judge of that.

It also includes MotionFlow XR960 (800 in the US) motion processing tech that can create 240fps from 60 frames and a glass panel mounted to the LCD itself with a special type of resin designed specifically to reduce glare. Finally, there’s also the usual add-ins like 3D and Sony Entertainment Network streaming video. We haven’t seen any European or US information for this model yet, although with IFA 2012 under way and CEDIA coming up that may change quickly. Currently pricing in Japan for the 65-inch is expected to be around 650,000 yen or $8,269 when it ships November 10th, but we should mention actual US prices are typically much lower than a direct conversion. Unofficially, one retailer is already listing the 55- and 65-inch models for sale in the US for $3,499 and $5,499, respectively, although we’d take that with a grain of salt until we know for sure.

Filed under: Displays, Home Entertainment, HD

Sony unveils latest HX950 flagship HDTV in Japan with ‘Intelligent Peak LED’ backlighting originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 29 Aug 2012 01:19:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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No room in your apartment for LG’s upcoming 84-inch monster? Don’t worry, the Korean outfit has something in your size, as well. The company’s TM2792 promises the same Cinema 3D passive glasses technology as its big brother in a more compact 27-inch frame. The tube also promises to play nice with your other devices, featuring a MHL and WiDi for screen and content sharing. No word on pricing yet, but LG says the Personal Smart TV should land in European markets this September. Hit the break for the official press release, or sit tight: LG is bound to reveal more at the TV’s official IFA debut.

Continue reading LG announces 27-inch Personal Smart TV ahead of IFA

Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD

LG announces 27-inch Personal Smart TV ahead of IFA originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 27 Aug 2012 05:18:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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LG Electronics has been a busy bee when it comes to churning out new and wondrous pieces of consumer electronics for the masses, and today is no different either. Just what kind of wondrous goodies does LG has in store for us? We are talking about the self proclaimed “world’s first 84-inch Ultra Definition (UD) 3D TV” which was just introduced in the Korean market (southern part, obviously), and I would presume across the world as well. LG’s UD 3D TV is the company’s effort to respond to ever increasing consumer demand for larger and more immersive home TVs that sport a greater degree of functionality.

As for the LG UD 3D TV, it will come with its fair share of new smart features that we will look in closer detail after the jump, and these have been put in place in order to deliver a greater level of convenience and simpler interaction for the user.

Havis Kwon, President and CEO of LG Electronics Home Entertainment Company, said, “The 4K display market is still in its infancy but it was important for LG to claim a stake in this space. LG’s UD 3D TV represents a whole new level of home viewing experience because it offers every advanced technology we currently have to offer.”

Havis should not worry about LG staking a claim as mentioned, especially when the LG UD 3D TV comes with an astonishing picture quality of 8 million pixels per frame, and when you contextualize that into today’s specifications, it would be four times the resolution (3840 x 2160) of existing Full HD TV panels, made possible courtesy of LG’s advanced Triple XD Engine. Not only that, there is also the Resolution Upscaler Plus that enables images from external sources like a portable hard drive or websites to be rendered in higher detail, somewhat akin to upscaling on your DVD player.

Not only that, LG has also outfitted their UD 3D TV with CINEMA 3D technology so that you and your impressed guests will be able to enjoy the most immersive viewing experience possible. The introduction of 3D Depth Control allows one to fine-tune the “distance” between near and far objects on the screen, something like the Nintendo 3DS albeit on a far more refined level.

No idea on how much the LG UD 3D TV will cost, but chepa is definitely not the word that I am looking for. Perhaps in a decade’s time, no?

Press Release

[ LG introduces 84-inch UD 3D TV copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

There are lots of companies behind that 3D content you ogle at the cinema or at home, and all of them are likely to be members of the International 3D Society or the 3D@Home Consortium. Both of these bodies have the same goal — growing the worldwide 3D industry — and now they’ve joined forces to become the creatively named “International 3D Society & 3D@Home.” The name might have changed (kind of), but the aim is still to support everyone that has a hand in creating content, software, hardware or deals with the behind-the-scenes logistics to get 3D to your tellybox, school and workplace. They also seek to educate us, the eager consumers, on the magic of three dimensions and to make sure we “feel comfortable” with the cinema sorcery. Is it a good thing for the industry? Certainly, but will it make us don our active 3D spectacles more frequently? Probably not.

Continue reading 3D@Home Consortium and International 3D Society combine, don’t make 6D

Filed under: Displays

3D@Home Consortium and International 3D Society combine, don’t make 6D originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 18 Aug 2012 02:46:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Glasses-free 3D may be the next logical step in TV’s evolution, but we have yet to see a convincing device make it to market that doesn’t come along with a five-figure price tag. The sets that do come within range of tickling our home theater budgets won’t blow you away, and it’s not unreasonable to expect that trend to continue through the next few product cycles. A dramatic adjustment in our approach to glasses-free 3D may be just what the industry needs, so you’ll want to pay close attention to the MIT Media Lab’s latest brew. Tensor Displays combine layered low-cost panels with some clever software that assigns and alternates the image at a rapid pace, creating depth that actually looks fairly realistic. Gordon Wetzstein, one of the project creators, explained that the solution essentially “(takes) the complexity away from the optics and (puts) it in the computation,” and since software solutions are far more easily scaled than their hardware equivalent, the Tensor Display concept could result in less expensive, yet superior 3D products.

We caught up with the project at SIGGRAPH, where the first demonstration included four fixed images, which employed a similar concept as the LCD version, but with backlit inkjet prints instead of motion-capable panels. Each displaying a slightly different static image, the transparencies were stacked to give the appearance of depth without the typical cost. The version that shows the most potential, however, consists of three stacked LCD panels, each displaying a sightly different pattern that flashes back and forth four times per frame of video, creating a three-dimensional effect that appears smooth and natural. The result was certainly more tolerable than the glasses-free 3D we’re used to seeing, though it’s surely a long way from being a viable replacement for active-glasses sets — Wetzstein said that the solution could make its way to consumers within the next five years. Currently, the technology works best in a dark room, where it’s able to present a consistent image. Unfortunately, this meant the light levels around the booth were a bit dimmer than what our camera required, resulting in the underexposed, yet very informative hands-on video you’ll see after the break.

Continue reading MIT Media Lab’s Tensor Displays stack LCDs for low-cost glasses-free 3D (hands-on video)

Filed under: Displays, Home Entertainment

MIT Media Lab’s Tensor Displays stack LCDs for low-cost glasses-free 3D (hands-on video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 09 Aug 2012 14:16:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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