Subscribe to our feed Another DigitalAdvisor-penned story is up at Forbes.com, “Best HDTVs For The Superbowl.” Cruise on over — there’s still time to nab a new set before the big game on Sunday.
Also, I hate to disappoint the belligerent commenter on the article, but no kickbacks are coming this way. Samsung wanted their 2010 models to be mentioned instead of the 2009 models, which I declined to do, but aside from that I didn’t even have contact with the manufacturers for this one. Sorry!
All of the sudden, 3D is the next big thing in TV technology. Nearly every major manufacturer unveiled or will unveil a 3D-ready TV at the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) this week in Vegas. Yes, you’ll need glasses to see it, and yes, it costs more than a boring-old 2D TV. Of course, you can still watch 2D programs on a 3D set (which is good, because there isn’t any 3D programming just yet–ESPN 3D starts in June, I kid you not). The revelation hasn’t changed the TV form factor either–new sets are still thinner, lighter, and more energy efficient than they were at last year’s CES.
I haven’t looked into it too deeply just yet (I’m neck deep in new digital cameras and camcorders with our sister site, DigitalCamera-HQ.com, but my first reactions are:
a) This seems like a very expensive gimmick, but I haven’t seen Avatar so I guess I’m not “converted” or something like that.
b) This seems like a very cool gimmick, because why wouldn’t I want stuff popping out at me. I’m not tired of TV after all these years of watching, so I definitely won’t be if I can see Eli Manning pout in the third dimension.
c) This will take a while to catch on. Probably not as long as HDTV took to really catch on (the better part of a decade), but there needs to be more programming before anybody outside of the tech-nerd community really takes this seriously.
Is this text popping out at you yet? Stop by DigitalAdvisor.com again next week for more on this wacky new technology.
Snoop Doog lent his voice to TomTom navigation, joining a short list of second-tier celebrities who will help you ride in style. Read more over at GPS Advisor.
"You've reached your final destination fo' sheezy."
~ GPS Advisor
The title says it all — you get to asking, we’ll get to answering. Expect big changes to this format in the coming weeks…
~ Digital Camera HQ/Camcorder HQ/Digital Advisor/GPS Advisor
Some of you may have noticed that our Q&A section and User Reviews have been down for a few days now. We’re working to fix the problem. In the meantime, email us or leave Disqus comments with any questions, comments, or concerns. Thanks for reading,
~Digital Camera HQ/Camcorder HQ/Digital Advisor/GPS Advisor
Well, there’s a lot to be confused about. In theory, the higher the refresh rate, measured in hertz (hZ), the crisper the picture should be. A set with 120 hZ should be twice as crisp as one with 60 hz, for example. But the human eye can only discern so much detail, so many HDTV reviewers (ourselves included) believe that 240 hZ sets are unnecessary, no matter how much the manufacturers try to convince you otherwise.
Then there’s the issue of picture degradation at higher refresh rates. There’s a bit of a tradeoff when you choose a higher refresh rate: the picture is crisper, but can make film appear to be video. Granted, this only occurs when there’s fast motion on the screen, but its noticeable nonetheless. The guru over at HDGuru wrote a post on this issue that’s worth reading if you’re interested in this sort of thing. He explains it much more effectively than we can.
We still think that 120 hZ is the sweet spot, so keep that in mind when you’re out shopping this season.
Samsung sold more LCD TVs than Vizio last quarter, continuing the manufacturers’ extended tug-of-war game. This isn’t particularly exciting, or even important news, but if you see any references to Vizio being the best-selling brand on DigitalAdvisor, forgive us! It’s tough to keep up with all this flippy-floppin’. Via Crunchgear.
Engadget and Gizmodo are reporting that some models in Sony’s flagship Bravia XBR line have been leaked, including a new organic LED (OLED) display set. Sony offered the first commercial OLED, but LG has since released a 15-inch model and has plans for a 20-incher in 2010. This upcoming Sony model, still just a prototype, should land Sony back on top of the niche market. Update: Unfortunately, Gizmodo is now reporting that this leak is complete hogwash. Nothing to it. But hey, we can still hope, right?
What does this mean for you? Well, OLED displays are simply stunning. The picture quality is far and away the best out there. But these sets are still in the novelty phase of development, and you’ll have to pay a huuuuuge early-adopter fee to score one of these relatively small TVs.
LG's ultra-thin 15" OLED TV
Check back in 2012 for an update on affordable OLED technology.
We’ve posted a new DigitalAdvisor guide: The Best TVs for College Kids. We’ve picked three humble LCD TVs that will fit comfortably into any dorm room or small apartment, and they pack a big punch for the price. Check out the guide here, and happy shopping.
As we posted on Digital Advisor last week, Samsung announced that the 9000 Series TVs have been delayed until next year…sort of. New Samsung models with specs identical in every way to the original 9 Series (aside from the “rumored” wireless A/V media box) came out in September as the 8500 models, an extension of the regular ol’ 8 Series. The only difference between the 8500s and the 8000s is backlit LEDs rather than Edge LED lighting. So basically, the 8500s aren’t worth the extra cost. Samsung must have realized this and decided to wait for a more groundbreaking feature before they busted out the ‘9 Series’ tag.
Details are scarce, but rumor has it that the 9 Series will drop sometime before the year is out. See our original post here.
~ The Digital Advisor