Hasta La Gadget!

It’s time for someone over at IDC to pop the champagne, as its 2007 projection about the end of rear-projection TVs turned out to be only a year off, now that the last company still making them has announced it’s getting out of the game. As first reported by CE Pro, Mitsubishi is finally ceding to competition from flat-panels which have grown to equally ridiculous size, and cut prices so sharply that it “can no longer sustain our business in its current form.” The company’s official statement is after the break, confirming that its DLP and LaserVue models are no more however “existing customer relations and parts and services departments will remain in place along with existing authorized service centers” which should be good news for current owners. There’s an in-depth retrospective of the technology at the source link, looking back to Samsung’s exit that left Mitsubishi alone in the segment three years ago, long after others like Sony and Hitachi fled for thinner-framed climates.

Mitsubishi also made a go of it in flat-panels, but ditched those efforts last year and will now focus on the professional market and home-theater projectors here in the US. In recent years the tech has improved with thinner models, integrated soundbars and even larger screens available. The slowing economy may have extended RPTV’s lease on life with a size bang for buck that’s tough to beat, but ultimately customers opted for bright flashy flat-panel HDTVs that offer easier wall-mounting options while seeming to get bigger, lighter and cheaper every year. We’re sure there are more than a few super-sized rear-projection TVs that will continue to bring the big game to basements and dens everywhere, feel free to celebrate an old friend in the comments below.

Continue reading Mitsubishi is ending rear-projection TVs, ceases production of DLP and laser models

Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD

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Source: CE Pro

Netflix works pretty well and appears to be in 720p

Presented at CES 2012, the Samsung ES8000 Series has been introduced earlier this year to the US market. In this review, we are taking the 60-inch Samsung UN60ES8000 for a field-test to see how new features such as voice control, motion control and face recognition work in the real world. More importantly, we will cover the image quality and smartTV aspect of this series of HDTV as it promises that you will not only need an external “box” to stream top Internet content, but also that you won’t need to change television to upgrade to the latest internal hardware, thanks to the processor upgrade option. Finally, it’s hard not to mention the industrial design that is ultimately one of the most important criteria if the “television” qualities can be established. Let’s take a closer look… (more…)

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Nokia Lumia 920 Review, Droid DNA Review,

Phillips has announced a new line of smart TVs that have no bezel around the edges. The series is called the Phillips 6900 series Smart TVs, and they are available in multiple screen sizes. When Phillips says it has removed the bezel; there is a slight caveat to the claim.

Phillips is specific in saying that the TV does not have a frame around the panel itself, but the screen does show a slim black and active zone when the TV is switched on. The TVs also feature Phillips Ambilight technology that shines colored light on the rear wall that matches the light and image on the screen. The idea is to create a more immersive viewing experience.

The 6900 series comes in 42-inch and 47-inch screen sizes. The screens in the TVs are set using a 1.2 mm rim of brushed, anodized aluminum. The 42-inch TV will sell for £1000 with the 47-inch version selling for £1300. Both TVs have the latest Smart TV features, including the ability to access online video, electronic programming guides, apps, and the Internet.

The TVs have DVR functionality when connected to a USB hard drive. Both models also support the Phillips MyRemote app for Android and iOS devices allowing those gadgets to work as a remote controls. The 6900 series also supports 3-D content, including 2-D to 3-D conversion, and it supports dual player full-screen gaming when using optional 2-D gaming glasses. Other features include four HDMI inputs, three USB ports, an integrated Wi-Fi.

Phillips 6900 series smart TVs kill the bezel is written by Shane McGlaun & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

If you are on a tight budget and have always had a mind to upgrade your TV or purchase a new one to replace the older model in your bedroom or living room, then the name Sceptre would definitely have crossed your mind. After all, isn’t this the kind of brand that most folks can resonate with, especially when it carries the values of delivering the best bang for your hard earned buck? Sceptre has proven itself in the past with quality LED and LCD HDTVs as well as computer monitors, and they are back again this time around with their latest 32” LCD HDTV which was specially designed to deliver superb image quality as well as long term energy savings, and it is better known as the Sceptre X328BV-FHD.

The new Sceptre X328BV-FHD comes in a trend setting jet black slim design, and is more than capable of handling brighter and more robust colors thanks to a wide range of features such as a 1920×1080 resolution, 60 Hz Refresh Rate, 5,000:1 contrast ratio, and 3D Comb Filter among others. The unit itself will also be equipped with all the necessary bells and whistles of more expensive units, where among them include 5.1 digital audio capabilities, multiple HDMI and a USB port for easy connectivity, with the option to mount it to a wall or to have it function as a computer monitor.

Since you are a cost conscious consumer, surely you would also be right on top of things where being environmentally friendly is concerned. The Sceptre X328BV-FHD is Energy Star V5.3 compliant, and is touted to use up just approximately $11 of energy each year, now how about that for savings in the long run? Not only that, it is said to have a rated lamp life of over 50,000 hours – and that is equivalent to over 5 years of continuous usage, which is far more TV than you should be watching in the first place anyways.

The best part of the Sceptre X328BV-FHD? It retails for a mere $499 a pop.

Press Release
[ Sceptre does it again with a new 32” LCD HDTV copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

Welcome to the Autumn show with Hitachi for their full 3D Smart TV and next-generation HDTV lineup. This time they’re coming in hard with a selection of televisions that are strongly considering blowing your socks off, all with a pointed suggestion that you buy a ROKU to go along with them (ROKU-ready streaming options they say.) This collection has both an ULTRAVISION UltraThin LED Series and a Value Series to speak of – going all out!

With the ULTRAVISION UltraThin LED series, you’ll be grabbing Full HD 1080p picture quality with undeniable performance and “exceptional” clarity at 120Hz/60Hz refresh rates. There are several models in this lineup including the W806 Smart 3D TV series in 48- and 55-inch screen sizes as well as the platinum finish 42-, 46- and 55-inch screen sizes with Hitachi’s E-LED UltraThin Bezel. The Smart 3D units work with 120Hz refresh rates for 3D content as well as built-in WiFi and IPTV.

The 3D units in the ULTRAVISION series have lovely high gloss “piano black” – a term you may have heard before that means they really look super awesome and blacker than black, so to speak. They’ve also got Full HD 1080p and two pairs of 3D glasses. And they’re massive, of course.

Each of the 42-, 46- and 55-inch screen sizes in the ULTRAVISION series (the S606 line, that is) features a 120Hz Full HD 1080p display and are ENERGY STAR 5.3 standard for power consumption. They also note that these units are amongst the first “Roku ready” televisions on the market – this means that you can plug a Roku Streaming Stick in and have it worth without additional drivers – hot stuff!

Hitachi also offers a Value Series with the S406, H306 and H316. These units have an “ultra thin bezel”, Dolby Digital, and surround sound abilities. The S406 has a platinum finish and a 32-inch display with 60HZ 720p. The H306 has a 29-inch display and 720p HD resolution as well as 60 HZ refresh. Finally the H316 has 29-, 32- and 39-inch display sizes with 60HZ and Full HD 1080p.

The folks at Hitachi also note that they’ve got a few accessories to go along with this fabulous football-season set of releases, rocking forth with Sound Bars. The 32- and 40-inch class Sound Bars work with CONEQ 3D Sound technology each with four speakers for heavy blasting. These and two high frequency tweeters bring on the heat with Class D digital amplifiers and the whole show connect with your Bluetooth devices with ease.

Stay tuned for the Hitachi wave to continue flowing in! The Smart TV wave is moving in at a high rate – expect the best!

Hitachi reveals full Fall 3D Smart TV and HDTV lineup is written by Chris Burns & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.