The NuForce Icon HDP is a low distortion headphone amp, a high resolution DAC with optical, coaxial, and USB Type B inputs, analog RCA outputs, and a full size stereo headphone output. $449.
I heard the Fat Lady Sing, and she was in fine voice. The Fat Lady is a floor-stander from Morel of Israel, where the name apparently is politically incorrect. I have to admit that it's descriptive of the cabinet, which is designed to sing along with the speaker and stop short of coloring the sound.
With several manufacturers showing new 3DTV sets using passive rather than active glasses, Samsung took pains to point out the pros and cons of each device. Naturally, since Samsung does active glasses only at present, the pros outweighed the cons for the active glasses. Note some surprising items on the passive glasses list in the photo. The higher power consumption comes from the need for higher peak output to overcome the inherent loss of brightness with passive glasses due to the special patterned retarder filter that's used on the screen. And Samsung actually demonstrated the off-axis issues in a passive glasses set during a closed demonstration for the press. As always, however, the proof is in the reviewing and we're anxious to check out the new passive glasses sets for ourselves and come to our own conclusions.
With several manufacturers showing new 3DTV sets using passive rather than active glasses, Samsung took pains to point out the pros and cons of each device. Naturally, since Samsung does active glasses only at present, the pros outweighed the cons for the active glasses. Note some surprising items on the passive glasses list in the photo. The higher power consumption comes from the need for higher peak output to overcome the inherent loss of brightness with passive glasses due to the special patterned retarder filter that's used on the screen. And Samsung actually demonstrated the off-axis issues in a passive glasses set during a closed demonstration for the press. As always, however, the proof is in the reviewing and we're anxious to check out the new passive glasses sets for ourselves and come to our own conclusions.
Samsung also showed new, redesigned active glasses for its new 2011 3D sets.
Mitsubishi does flat panels, too, but they doggedly stick to DLP rear projection for their jumbo screen sets. This 92-inch 3D monster is a case in point. It uses a conventional lamp-based DLP engine and the checkerboard 3D system/ No price as yet; they didn't even know how deep it will be or how much it will weigh, which indicates that it's still in the design stage.
These ultra-slim 21.5-inch 2D monitors from LG are 1920 x 1080, with a claimed response time of 2ms and contrast ratio of 10M:1, and D-sub (computer RGB), DVI,and HDMI inputs.
Panasonic demonstrated a prototype air-mouse type control, which can move the cursor on the screen by a simple movement of the remote control through the air. But it won't be available this year.
The Grand Entryway exhibits featured this arrest-me-red 2011 Ford Focus (available in March). Why? Because of its high tech electronic features. This former Focus owner (2000) was more interested in its performanceplanned 160HP engine at first; later supplemented by a twin turbo version (I thought I heard them saay 240HP--torque-steer city?) and later still either a hybrid or electric (they weren't clear on which one).
Panasonic came up with a nifty solution to the problem of demonstrating 3D with glasses. The glasses are fixed in the vertical supports shown, which easily slide up and down to fit the height of the viewer.
LG demonstrated the 3D LCoS projector we've seen at a couple of previous shows. The CF3D was unfortunately no better than before. This time the issues were a very slight image softness and, more importantly, a badly skewed white balance. Skin tones looked painfully sunburned. Hopefully this can be calibrated out, the if any effort was made to produce a semblance of accurate color here it did not show.I left after about five minutes as the image was uncomfortable to watch.