New readers won’t recognize the shell-shaped speaker on the right. It’s B&W’s Nautilus, a design that dates back years. It always was more of a tech statement piece than a readily available product, but you can still get it on special order. I think I heard $40,000/pair or so.
Westinghouse showed a new 1920x1080 47” set (the TXF450S) with 120Hz operation. A split screen showed the same thing we’ve seen on many such sets; when operated in 120Hz using interpolation (which this set clearly does) a film original looks just like it was shot on video. And that’s not necessarily a plus.
LG’s signage more clearly explained their demos than that of most other manufacturers. The 75 series, with local dimming for improved blacks, was very impressive. It won’t be available until sometime in the second half of 2008. LG also had some of the best-looking demo material.
This screen shot, as filtered through your computer screen, is just a shadow of the original image on the LG sets, but it still clearly shows the quality of LG’s program material.
I’ve always said that shots of Antarctica at noon, in summer, made the best program material to demonstrate a flat panel LCD display. LG must be reading <I>UAV</I>.
TI demonstrated a prototype technology that operates a DLP set at 240Hz and virtually eliminates motion lag. It was very convincing side-by-side with a 120Hz LCD, as you can clearly see from this state of the art photo.
LG is one of several display manufacturers showing some type of wireless HD transmission system. The new LG71 Series includes 47- and 52-inch 1080p LCDs with built-in wireless capability. All of the video connections reside in a set-top box, seen here in the lower right corner of the photo. Connect your sources to the box, and it will transmit the signals wirelessly over a closed 802.11n network to the receiver embedded in the TV, reportedly from a distance of up to 65 feet. Not to show favorites, LG also offers this technology in their new PG70 plasma line.
Chris Chiarella | Jan 07, 2008 | First Published: Jan 08, 2008
The newest iPod dock from Creative actually upscales the video quality to 720p or 1080i, and it holds up remarkably well on the big screen. The Creative Xdock HD is a $399 bundle which includes a receiver to accept streaming audio in a second room of the house, and it can support up to three additional receivers, sold separately.
I, too, saw Pioneer's Extreme Contrast demo today and completely agree with everything Shane says in his earlier post. Now, just imagine an image that striking in a cabinet this striking? Another Project Kuro concept design, this 50-inch plasma measures just 9mm thick and weighs 41 pounds. Pioneer's goal is to combine these technologies in future models, but don't expect to see a real-world product until late 2009 or perhaps 2010.