hdtv

Down the line: Panasonic plasmas

Updated 06-26-2007: Of Panasonic's 2007 plasma lineup, we've reviewed three models so far this year: the TH-42PX77U, the TH-50PX77U and the TH-42PX700U. If those model numbers don't mean much to you, relax. We'll take you through the company's 2007 plasma lineup from least- to most-expensive, and when we can't give actual reviews we'll provide our take on step-up features and how the models relate to one another.

Panasonic TH-PX75U series

This is Panasonic's entry-level plasma series. We haven't reviewed any of these sets, but they should offer similar picture quality to … Read more

JVC LCDs get 120Hz this fall

JVC will be rolling out three new flat-panel LCD HDTVs this fall, each featuring 120Hz refresh rate and JVC's new Clear Motion Drive II (CMD II) technology. Both the high refresh rate and the CMD II technology are supposed to reduce the blurring that sometimes occurs on lesser LCD panels during fast-motion scenes, although we have to admit we haven't seen much of that on newer LCDs. The CMD II technology also claims to do some motion interpolation--in other words, taking two frames of a movie and averaging them together to make a "new" frame in … Read more

Print out a hard copy of the TV

Leave it to Haier--a brand better known for its refrigerators--to design a TV with a feature we've always wanted: a printer port.

If this yet-to-be-released HDTV does what SlashGear says, the 47-inch L47A18 model will be able to grab screenshots of your favorite Battlestar Galactica scenes and print them out. It also has two USB ports and a memory card reader, so you can display photos and play your own movies and music on the set.

The downside, of course, is the price: $2,742. Even though it has full 1080p resolution, Haier isn't exactly known for its … Read more

50 new HDTVs for a bargain, with a catch

How does a truckload of brand-new plasmas and LCDs sound? We're not talking off-brands either, but the likes of Sony, Pioneer, Panasonic and Samsung, with most screens ranging from 42 to 60 inches. That's right, 50 HDTVs in all, worth more than $100,000, selling for $9,999 on eBay.

The catch? They're busted. And though some of the damage could be minor dents and scratches, the auction's description says broken screens are the "most common." That, frugral friends, would present a formidable challenge even to the most determined DIYer. We don't know … Read more

Mitsubishi announces three new DLP HDTV lines

Mitsubishi announced three new lines of 1080p DLP HDTVs today, including the flagship Diamond series.

We've got the full details below, but here's the short story. All of the DLP (digital light processing) HDTVs have at least three HDMI 1.3 inputs, along with support for x.v.Color (also known as xvYCC)--a new color space that offers 80 percent more color than standard ATSC color space.

These are the first displays we're aware of that have x.v.Color support, but for right now it's more marketing hype than a useful feature. The problem … Read more

New flat-panel LCDs from Mitsubishi

Mitsubishi rolled four new lines of flat-panel 1080p LCDs today, with a total of eight new LCDs.

We've got the full details below, but here's the short story. All of the LCDs have at least three HDMI 1.3 inputs, along with support for x.v.Color (also known as xvYCC)--a new color space that offers 80 percent more color than standard ATSC color space. These are some of the first displays we're aware of with x.v.Color support, but for right now it's more marketing hype than a useful feature. The problem is … Read more

Pioneer unveils its 2007 plasma HDTV lineup

Gizmodo's got the early scoop on the new Pioneer plasmas. Early prototypes of these eighth-generation panels turned heads when they were originally on display at January's Consumer Electronics Show, and the company has finally supplied the pricing and availability details for the entire line:

Pioneer PDP-4280HD (42-inch, $2,700, June) Pioneer PDP-5080HD (50-inch, $3,500, June) Pioneer Elite PRO-950HD (42-inch, $3,200, July) Pioneer Elite PRO-1150HD (50-inch, $4,500, July)

1080p models: Pioneer PDP-5010FD (50-inch, $5,000, September) Pioneer PDP-6010FD (60-inch, $6,500, September) Pioneer Elite PRO-110FD (50-inch, $6,000, September) Pioneer Elite PRO-150FD (60-inch, $7,500, September) … Read more

Westinghouse fleshes out 2007 LCD lineup

Westinghouse provided an update on its 2007 line of LCDs today, confirming much of what we originally reported back at CES. There's a full lineup of moderately priced 1080p models in 42-, 47-, and 52-inch screen sizes, as well as some lower resolution 42- and 32-inch models. Westinghouse is also continuing its line of LCDs with built-in DVD players, as well as a small 19-inch LCD intended to be used in smaller rooms such as a kitchen or bedroom. We've reviewed several Westinghouse LCDs in the past, and although they might not have name-brand recognition, we actually thought some of them were decent bargains. Specs for all of Westinghouse's new LCDs after the jump.

1080p LCD HDTVs (Full press release)

TX-F430S series

42-inch TX-42F430S and 47-inch TX-47F430S models 1,920x1,080 native resolution 8ms response time Inputs: 4 HDMI, 2 component, 2 composite, 2 S-Video, 1 VGA Integrated ATSC tuner Available in May TX-42F430S $1,600 MSRP; TX-47F430S $1,800 MSRP

… Read more

CableCard goes mainstream on July 1

On paper, CableCard sounded pretty great. Instead of a cable box, your local provider would give you a small smartcard--the exact same design as a PCMCIA card--that would fit into the back of your TV (or DVR). In theory, you were getting the benefit of "the good old days" of analog cable with a digital makeover--just plug the wire into the back of the TV, and you'd get access to all of your digital and HD channels. In reality, CableCard has been plagued with problems. The existing technology is one-way, so you don't have access to … Read more