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A new tri-chip called AR9004TB – originally developed by Qualcomm-acquired Atheros in conjunction with start-up Wilocity, is expected to significantly change the way HDTV videos are directly streamed from smartphones and tablets. Built on the existing WiFi and Bluetooth 4.0 technologies, the new chip adds support for the 60-gigahertz wireless frequency that is needed for high-speed transmission of high-definition videos.

As watching movies and television shows on-the-go using smartphones and tablets become increasingly popular, consumer electronics manufacturers are always looking for ways to converge and interconnect devices – allowing streaming of media and seamless integration of devices within networks. Currently, these devices use WiFi to stream content to HDTVs, but as more people use wireless transmission, WiFi speed is affected and video quality is haphazard at best. Besides, experts predict that by 2015, WiFi traffic will surpass wired networks and network bandwidth overloading may ensue if current trends continue.

The AR9004TB – the first standards-compliant multi-gigabit wireless chip – is expected to prevent such overloading, as instead of using WiFi’s 2.5-gigahertz and 5.0-gigahertz bands, videos will be exclusively streamed on the 60-gigahertz spectrum to assure faster transmission and consequently, better viewing experiences. The only requirement is for the chip to be installed on smartphones, tablets and televisions for these to work together seamlessly within a network.

HDTV manufacturers must upgrade existing WiFi hardware to support 60-gigahertz transmission, and the possibility of increasing wireless transfers by as much as ten times the current speeds is a good incentive by itself. However, a more compelling rationale for using the Qualcomm chip is the likelihood of being left out in the cold. The development and eventual adoption of the chip is supported by the Wireless Gigabit Alliance, that includes major players like Cisco, Microsoft, AMD, Intel, Samsung and Panasonic. The AR9004TB will be available for sampling beginning this summer.

New Multi-Gigabit Qualcomm Chip Eases Video Streaming is a post from: HDTV Reviews Best HDTV LCD TVs Plasma TVs

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HDTV sales figures in the US show that Samsung leads the field, with the brand selling the most number of 3DTVs, LED-based LCD TVs, Internet-enabled TVs, and for the first time, plasma TVs. The figures recently released by market research firm NPD Group indicate that the Korean electronics giant leads both in sales and revenue for the first four months of 2011.

Sell-through data for units sold from January to April 2011 gathered by NPD show that Samsung cornered 51.1% of 3DTVs, 48.1% of Smart TVs, and 41.3% of plasmas sold in the US. The latter reflects an improvement of 2.8 percentage points to the previous year’s figure, enabling Samsung to overtake erstwhile leader Panasonic in the plasma category.  Overall, the Seoul-based company sold 24.9% of all televisions sold in the country, picking up a 34.7% market share in revenues in the process and making it the undisputed leader in the HDTV market in America.

Samsung’s success was bolstered by the launching of cutting-edge models in the first month of the year – including a broad lineup of plasmas across eight product ranges – during the Consumer Electronics Show 2011 in January. The introduction of innovative features and useful apps – such as the Smart Hub that brings together in one location and streamlines the delivery of diverse streaming content – definitely helped in making more people interested in Samsung television products. Meanwhile, aggressive marketing campaigns such as the decision to bundle two pairs of 3D eyewear free of charge for each 3DTV sold and slashing the price of the active-shutter 3D glasses to below $50 also made favorable impression on consumers.

Through continuing innovation and state-of-the-art research, Samsung has undoubtedly gained consumers’ trust. Buyers – not only from the US but worldwide – rely on the brand to deliver stylish and exciting HDTVs with advanced technologies and impeccable picture quality.

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The wealthy set in Europe and the US have another reason to be excited, as the ultra high-end Bang & Olufsen Beovision 4-85 3DTV designed to be the centerpiece of ‘intelligent homes’ is now available exclusively for people who have the floor space for huge screens and who are keen on splurging on really pricey HDTVs.  The Beovision 4 3DTV features an impeccably sleek styling, unique motorized stand, superb audio system and stunning picture quality with lifelike colors and sharp details.

This decidedly upscale HDTV is both a visual feast and conversation piece with its single plasma pane encased in high-grade aluminum frame sitting atop an elegantly styled speaker and stand. Turning the TV on is truly a moment to behold, as the motorized stand raises and tilts the screen into the desired viewing position in cadence with the TV’s start-up process;  afterwards,  the powerful motor lowers the screen to just inches off the floor to make it less obtrusive when the TV is turned off.  All these eye-catching movements are done with a flick of a finger using the standard Beo4 remote control shipped with the unit, or the optional Beo6 remote that can be programmed to control a wide array of household devices, such security, ventilation and heating systems.

Powered by a Bang & Olufsen BeoLab 10 center speaker with the patented Acoustic Lens Technology that disperses sound equally on a 180-degree arc, the ginormous 3DTV also boasts of uniformly deep plasma blacks and high definition images with its proprietary Automatic Color Management technology that ensures consistent color accuracy and depth for years to come. The active 3D-powered television set delivers exceptional Full HD images in its native 1080p resolution, and has an excellent anti-reflective coating that minimizes external reflections in brightly lit environments.

The Beovision 4-85 is available in Europe as of May 2011 while availability in the North American market starts in June 2011. The current 85-incher – which includes the TV, stand and speaker – sells at about $85,000 apiece, although there is an option for a wall-mounted unit sans the stand and speaker at a slightly lower price point. However, the price for the 103-inch model expected to be released within the year is yet to be announced.

Upscale Bang & Olufsen 3DTV Released in Europe, America is a post from: HDTV Reviews Best HDTV LCD TVs Plasma TVs

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Samsung 3DTV owners in the US have another reason to stay glued to their TV sets, as spectacular 3D content is now available from the brand’s proprietary streaming content service. Beginning May 2011, 3D-ready LCDs and plasmas can easily access in a single click the Explore 3D application from Samsung SmartHub interface in which three-dimensional high-definition streaming content are available.

Initially, dozens of educational clips, music videos, trailers and complete TV shows from WealthTV are offered and available for free by just signing up to the service via the Internet. The company will offer paid content later this year, as it expands its catalog to include short and full-length movies, documentaries and other compelling 3D content.

With this service, the company hopes to further enhance interest in immersive three-dimensional images and increase its market share in the emerging 3DTV sector. Earlier, Samsung standardized its bundled offerings to include two free 3D eyewear for each 3DTV sold and slashed considerably its price for extra Active Shutter glasses.

For this streaming service, Samsung utilized Active 3D to deliver full definition images powered by Rovi Corporation’s RoxioNow platform with cloud-based metadata. This new arrangement extends the partnership between the leading consumer electronics company and the leading entertainment service provider: Samsung has also licensed the interactive program guide, Advertising Services and DivX technologies used in its consumer electronic devices from Rovi Corporation.

3D-On-Demand Service in the US Commenced By Samsung is a post from: HDTV Reviews Best HDTV LCD TVs Plasma TVs

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While industry experts are still debating the pros and cons of autostereoscopic technology as a feasible 3D implementation, Nissho Electronics – a relatively unknown manufacturer – has pulled a rug under the industry heavyweights and released BDL5231-3D2R, a 52-inch, glasses-free 3DTV for the Japanese market.

The HDTV used the lenticular technology developed by Dimenco, in what it termed as 2D-plus-depth (2D+Z) stereoscopic video coding format, to deliver three-dimensional, full-HD resolution images without having to don either the pricey Active Shutter glasses or the cheaper polarized variants. Dimenco is originally a splinter group of four engineers from Philips that were at the forefront in the development of the company’s lenticular technology.

The specs of the TV are not much compared to the current crop of HDTVs: 60Hz refresh rate, 8ms. pixel response time, 2000:1 contrast ratio, and 700 nits brightness – these have been rendered obsolete by faster refresh rates that ranges from 90-120Hz, and much higher contrast ratios. Still, the ability of the 3DTV to up-convert 2D materials into images with depth is a breakthrough in 3D technology, and places some pressure on competing consumer electronics manufacturers to fast-track their own no-glasses 3DTVs.

With a ¥1.7 million ($20,820) price tag, the BDL5231-3D2R is definitely not geared for ordinary home users. The manufacturer intends to market the pioneering display with unique 2D depth to businesses that can easily afford the hefty asking price. There is also no news from Nissho on whether said unit would be sold outside Japan.

Glasses-Free 3DTV Released in Japan by Nissho Electronics is a post from: HDTV Reviews Best HDTV LCD TVs Plasma TVs

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The recently concluded Society for Information Display (SID 2011) Display Week in Los Angeles brought together a wide array of interesting and really impressive innovations geared for the display industry.
From a new 3D approach that combines passive and active technologies to cutting-edge backlighting that eliminates most of the optical layers that make up most LCD panels, leading manufacturers and trailblazing start-ups competed for attention and support of display industry experts and stakeholders in the week-long event.

Among the most interesting presentation was the 3M backlighting concept that, if pursued, would have a considerable impact on weight, thickness, power consumption, cost and reliability of large displays in the future. The 3M technology entails replacing the numerous light guide filters and diffusers with a single, multi-layered optical film applied to the rear reflector at the back of the LCD panel, with the gap between the layers forming the area where light from the LEDs are mixed. The technique also allows fewer LEDs without the evident headlight effect often noted in today’s LCDs with backlights spaced more than the standard 12mm. between LEDs.  Using these innovations results in a 90% reduction of materials, and thus significantly lessens weight, assembly and shipping costs, and heat problems in finished products.

Another exciting discussion in the conference involves autostereoscopic technology – that subset of three-dimensional TV technology that focuses on no-glass 3D viewing.  While experts agree that a commercially-viable AS-3DTV is not yet in the immediate horizon, manufacturers offer varying estimate when such products would be available in the market. But in the meantime, the new 3D implementation being pushed by Samsung and RealD that combines the benefits of active shutter technology (providing full HD images to both eyes) and passive technology (using off-the-shelves polarized eyewear) is a great alternative for 3D enthusiasts.

The impressive number of exhibitors and visitors in SID 2011 is a testament to the bright and promising future of consumer electronics and display products. As more people gawked and pondered the state-of-the art-displays, manufacturers, researchers and developers are all the more inspired to innovate and create products that make lives better.

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Leading consumer electronics maker Samsung – via its subsidiary Nouvoyance – created a first of its kind prototype HDTV that consumes much less electricity than any TV currently available in the market. The prototype merged the best features of three distinct technologies from legacy LCDs to achieve the breakthrough results that allows dramatic power savings while providing exceptional images: Frame Sequential Color (FSC) displays, RGB local dimming and Nouvoyance’s PenTile technology.

By highly localizing the 2D dimming RGB backlight to make it work with the white subpixels of the PenTile RGBCW array, the developers were able to produce clear and crisp red, green and blue primary hues independently in each FSC zone. In the process, the excursion of colors into surrounding zones – the color bleeding that often annoys viewers that make still and moving images less sharp and realistic – are eliminating and rendered virtually a thing of the past in the emergent product.

But it is in the power consumption that this new invention really excels, as the company reported that the new technology uses about a quarter of the energy consumption of current HDTVs. The awesome power reduction is attributed to the more efficient control of the backlight, as a result of improved color gamut mapping and subpixel rendering. The developers are confident the new technology, known for now as PenTile RGBCW Multiprimary LCD with 2D RGB Local Dimming Backlight, can readily be scaled to bigger panel sizes and finer resolutions.

Samsung exhibited the PenTile RGBCW Multiprimary LCD with 2D RGB Local Dimming Backlight prototype in the Society for Information Display (SID) Display Week 2011 this month in Los Angeles.

Samsung Combines Three Technologies for Low Energy Consumption HDTVs is a post from: HDTV Reviews Best HDTV LCD TVs Plasma TVs

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Nowadays, most HDTVs can be used as a PC monitor while more and more people watch movies and TV shows on their PC monitor. The problem, though, is that web pages aren’t always displayed clearly and correctly on an HDTV while computers are not always equipped to handle high-def content so it is better to purchase an HDTV and a PC monitor and use them separately – that is, until Samsung launched the SyncMaster FX2490HD, which is both an HDTV and PC monitor in one.

The Samsung SyncMaster FX2490HD is a 24-inch widescreen monitor with an attractive grey edged in a slim transparent border, making it similar in appearance to Samsung’s LED TVs, along with a shiny silver stand.

Aside from its LED backlight which ensures the utmost energy efficiency, other features include 1080p resolution for watching HD content in full quality, a built-in TV tuner, 5ms response time, 1,000:1 contrast ratio and 250 nits of brightness. There are also two five-watt speakers and support for 7.1 digital surround sound and DTS audio, along with two HDMI inputs, a USB port and SCART for connectivity.

The Samsung SyncMaster FX2490HD will be available in both the United States and Europe beginning in Mid-August, retailing for $540 – not bad considering you can buy just one piece of equipment instead of two.

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Samsung has come up with another addition to its growing family of 3D HDTVs, this time a 63-inch Plasma 3D HDTV with a built-in Freeview HD tuner – the Samsung PN63C7000 – which is perfect for those who want to enjoy cinema-quality images on a large screen.

The PN63C7000 is equipped with a 3D Hyper Real Image engine, which allows you to watch all your 3D content as they were meant to be seen. It can also convert 2D content to 3D for a more explosive viewing experience.

Even as a 2D HDTV, the PN63C7000 is quite impressive, with full 1080p resolution, a combination of 100Hz technology with 600Hz subfield-motion to create clear, flicker-free images and a full platform of Internet applications, including access to BBC, YouTube and Twitter. It can also render 2D content into stunning HD.

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Lately, Panasonic has been leading the market in the sales of 3D HDTV sets, and it has released several 3D Blu-ray players and HDD recorders, too. That, however, is not enough, for this premier HDTV manufacturer. Rather, Panasonic is also planning on manufacturing a product that combines all these three, called the Panasonic Viera RT2B 3D.

The Panasonic Viera RT2B 3D comes in two screen sizes – 42 inches and 46 inches – both of which come equipped with a 3D Blu-ray player, an HDD recorder with a 500GB hard disk – a combination which makes it easy to play 3D videos and even record them – as well as a built-in rechargeable Lithium ion battery that can be used for about 30 hours per charge.

Both also offer a full 1080p resolution and a contrast ratio of 5,000,000:1. They come with a pair of special active shutter glasses, too, that is available in three sizes – small, medium and large.

These HDTVs will be available in Japan starting August 27, though it is expected that they will not come cheap. In fact, the 46-inch model may be priced for more than $5000 when it becomes available in the US, which is yet to be announced.

Panasonic Launches All-in-One 3D HDTV is a post from: HDTV Reviews Best HDTV LCD TVs Plasma TVs

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