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PIP No More

Scott Wilkinson  |  Apr 16, 2012

Are there any current or upcoming LCD, plasma, or OLED flat-panel TVs with a two-tuner picture-in-picture feature? Several years ago, many manufacturers offered this feature, but it seems to have disappeared. I do not choose to purchase another tuner device to obtain a PIP image.

A. Craigson

Sorry, but I'm afraid you're out of luck. Virtually all TV manufacturers have abandoned two-tuner PIP because the vast majority of consumers get their TV via cable or satellite, not over the air. Also, many cable and satellite boxes offer two-tuner PIP, making this feature completely unnecessary in the TV for most viewers.

Some TVs provide PIP capabilities with their internal tuner and an external source, such as a cable or satellite box or Blu-ray player. Last time I checked, these included sets from Samsung, Sony, and Vizio. Manufacturers that offer no PIP capabilities at all include Panasonic, LG, and Sharp.

If you have an A/V question, please send it to askhometheater@gmail.com.

COMMENTS
mailiang's picture
Submitted by mailiang on April 16, 2012 - 12:52pm

You would think DTV would offer that feature on their DVR's, but they don't.

Ian

shwami loki's picture
Submitted by shwami loki on April 19, 2012 - 9:32pm

I'm pretty sure its not the majority that are on pay tv, its just that the market of free over the air broadcast folks are probably cheaper as a whole and thus less likely to pay for such a feature. complicating product lines with multiple skus = costly...cheap people are cheap..thus you have this gap in the market.

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