Televisions

Do movies look weird on your new TV? Does everything have a hyper-real, ultra-smooth motion to it? Are you sure something is happening with the TV's image you don't like, but you can't figure out what?

Chances are, what you're seeing is called the "Soap Opera Effect," as descriptive a moniker as we get in tech, in that this feature makes everything on your TV look like a cheap soap opera.

Here's what it is, what it does, and how to turn it off.… Read more

Apple TV rumors have about as much currency in the real world today as a Circuit City gift card, but a new round of rumblings this morning are strangely specific.

The word from Jefferies analyst Peter Misek and his "channel checks" is that Apple is planning an event for next month at which it could introduce an SDK for an iTV set in the 42-inch to 55-inch range. He thinks the Apple HDTV itself could launch in September or October at a price point starting around $1,500.

"Apple is likely to largely rely on leveraging content via partnerships with existing pay-TV operators," reads the note to investors.… Read more

The dead are so hot right now. Teen romance "Warm Bodies" was No. 1 in the box office a week ago, and "The Walking Dead" just broke a basic cable record for the most watched show at 12.3 million viewers.

Amid this undead fervor, the fertile, tasty brains of Montana's residents have fallen foul of a hoax alerting them that the dead have risen.

The emergency broadcast system was "hacked" and viewers of the "Steve Wilkos Show" got more than just teen cheaters when alerted that "dead bodies are rising from their graves."… Read more

You've got the beers, the wings, the dip, and the chips. Are you really planning to watch the big game on your beat-up old 37-inch TV? Time to man up! (Which, in my world, means buying fancy electronics.)

Today only, and while supplies last, Best Buy has the Insignia NS-55E480A13A 55-inch LED HDTV for $679.99 shipped (plus sales tax). If you really do need it in time for the game, you may be able to pick it up at your local brick-and-mortar BB. (Click "Check Stores" to see availability in your area.)

Update: Weirdness at Best … Read more

Less than a day after a schematic of what appeared to be the fourth-generation Apple TV set-top box appeared in a U.S. regulatory filing, the company says it's not a new version at all, but a minor behind-the-scenes hardware change.

In a statement today provided to The Verge, the company said it had to file new paperwork with the Federal Communications Commission following a change to one of the internal components.

"We sometimes make component changes which require an updated model number for regulatory approval," an Apple spokesperson said. "The component changes we made don't affect product features and Apple TV customers will continue to have the same great user experience." … Read more

Japan is expected come July 2014 to become the first country in the world to broadcast in 4K Ultra HD resolution. This is almost two years ahead of the schedule set by Japan's Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications in its bid to revive the country's ailing domestic consumer electronics industry.

4K offers four times the resolution of a Blu-ray movie. The launch of this 4K broadcast service is timed to coincide with the knockout rounds of the FIFA World Cup 2014 football tournament.

To mitigate the bandwidth limitation of existing digital broadcasting systems, dedicated communication satellites will … Read more

As we all expected, the big news at CES this year was Ultra HD 4K displays. It seemed that every TV manufacturer had one, ranging from massive LED LCDs to midsize LED LCDs to midsize OLEDs.

We've talked about this before, but now with more info, and definitive product announcements, let me explain in exacting, excruciating detail why 4K TVs are still stupid. … Read more

New TV? Old TV? New gear? Old gear? Are you sure all your settings are correct? Even if you're not planning on watching the big game, it's worth taking a moment to ensure you're getting the most out of your TV and assorted A/V gear.

Think of it like getting the oil changed on your car, or a visit to the dentist, except there's less chance of screaming and/or a tragic dental floss mishap.… Read more

Let's say you want to throw the ultimate football-watching party for the last game of the year. (Alas, using the name of said game is fraught with copyright challenges, so we're playing it safe.) Will a single big-screen TV suffice? Maybe. But what if you want to go really hard core, and have a few dozen people over. Can they all see the screen? Would the party be even better with multiple TVs in different rooms?

I'd say yes, and it's easier than you might think.… Read more